keepingintouch

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Keep believing God lives in us .......
even at times when we experience spiritual drought.

In Jesus Calms the Sea we discuss our need for security and get a choice of where we want to live, in fear or in faith. In this well known event, Jesus teaches us where our real security comes from.
Security is found only in Jesus.
We can choose two places to live…in fear or in faith.
Focusing on the bad that might happen creates stresses on our whole system, spiritual, mental and physical. It also saps our energy for the good that could be done. Ph 4:5-8 "The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Paul is telling them, and us, that no matter how bad things are, we can thankfully trust in God and focus on the good.
Our security doesn't rest in a risk-free life, it rests in God Who sees us through every risk.
As followers of Jesus, it's not in our nature to be frozen by fear. Jesus (perfect Love) is in our lives and He banishes fear. This doesn't mean we'll live a pain-free life and nothing will go wrong. It means we have faith that when (not if) things go wrong He's got it handled, so there's never anything to worry about. In the midst of disaster, we can see God and His salvation. A wise person once said:
We can't know what the future holds but we know Who holds the future.
This moment in history is pregnant with the opportunity for great disaster and great triumph. As followers of Jesus, we have a choice where to focus our minds. We can focus on fear of every possible harm, or we can focus on faith in the God who saves us from all possible harm.
Psalm 46:1-3
Lord, help us live in faith, rather than fear. No matter how big our problems are, help us to know you're bigger, you love us and you've got it handled. Please forgive us for the times we focused on fear. We thank you for being our ever-present help in times of trouble.

whisperings of nature

Friday, October 17, 2008

Juz chatting.......

Ian's BM tuition permanently changed to Wednesday night. Ian is trying to enrol himself in Mr. Ooi's tuition for Maths and Science which is on a Friday night.

Friday nights will be free for BEC meetings or bible sharing nights in future.
Also can go online earlier with Suzanne......not this week, hopefully next week.
Miss you, girl.

Tonight Ann asked me to accompany her to a dinner at the Jelapang Old Folks Home.
Tony has to attend another function in Syuen Hotel.

A few dinners lining up......26th October, cousin Thomas's birthday celebration in Mun Chong Restaurant, Nasam thank you dinner or lunch, place and date to be confirmed later, neighbour Ah Pui's wedding on the 15th November. A couple of other dinners I had apologies for not attending....... don't like to go to too many function ....clothing problems!! What to wear???

Jessica wants me to be her sponsor for baptism, Ben chose David Cheng......Leonard said age is no problem so David had agreed too.

Nasam food fair did quite well......the Lord really provided the centre......approx. 60k......despite so last minute thing. Joyce was at the food fair but unfortunately didn't see her. She's improving.....her husband said she frequently had the courage to call friends through the phone.....she also called me.

That's all for now...... got to cook dinner for the guys before I go off with Ann. She's picking me up juz before 7pm. Tomorrow getting up early .....helping the 1st Holy communion camp......Oh! Suzanne Po won't be coming tomorrow due to that. She came today instead.

whisperings of nature

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Snoopy - for Suzanne

Tuesday Aunty Ah Lan came to clean the house.
Snoopy as usual was very excited.......
Ah Lan was cleaning the windows.....
She thought it was fine not to tie Snoopy....
but when she rinse the cloth for cleaning the windows,
Snoopy interfered.......not only that ....
she cling onto Ah Lan's hand with her front paws....
you can imagine a kid holding onto mummy.....
Ah Lan was laughing and complaining at the same time.
Finally she had to give up and tied Snoopy up.
Wish i took a photo for you to see, Suzanne.

After her dinner Snoopy wanted rice when she heard me
washing the rice pot.
only had a tablespoon left.....
hesitated to give her but due to the among of barking,
I just told her sorry there's only this tablespoon left for her.
She ate it .....and just one tablespoon was good enough
to keep her quiet.
Hmmmmm......she ain't that greedy and still appreciated what
she got......something I must learn too.
Be grateful and be contended in life.

whisperings of nature

Monday, October 13, 2008

A happy but busy day despite some hiccups.

7am Ben drove Christina, Lucy and myself to Nasam. Did as much as we can to help set up stalls before the Food fair started.I was suppose to oversee the 'salted chicken stall', Christina oversee the drinks and Lucy helped in the vegetarian stall.
Kah Yan came to my rescue and helped me sell salted chicken as I attended to other matters. Good sale and very early all the "birds" were sold. The SMI students brought laughter and noise to give it a more lively atmosphere....plus Matthew there to help added even more fun. Yes, we competed - both chicken stall separated by the laksa stall....Matthew as usual very sociable and able to click with young people easily created a lot of Ha! Ha! Ha! A lady selling nasi lemak also joined them with her share of jokes. Matthew, Kah Yan left earlier due to other commitments.

We were blessed with beautiful weather. Although it wasn't very well organized but we make it nevertheless with hiccups here and there. Ben came to fetch us back at around 4.30pm when we were almost done with dismantling of stalls and packing up.

When I reached home then I felt my right baby toe really swollen and painful. I twisted it when walking on the uneven grounds around noon at nasam. I was so tired,
Ben was tired too ( cos he did gardening while I was at nasam) so Ian had maggi mee for dinner....also due to the heavy downpour, we didn't go out for makan.

Later Ben and I left for church. Two more new RCIA members. God has planted more seeds... One came last week and one yesterday. Both ladies.....hmmm Ben still the sole 'male' excluding Leonard the facilitator. The young lady who came last week is a doctor attached to Hospital Bahagia. She was accompanied by her Catholic friend also a doctor. Both doctors are studying to be psychiatrists. The Catholic doctor's name is also Su Ann. ( different spelling from yours, Suzanne) As usual Ben is the only one who makes the most noise and crack some jokes. Yesterday topic was the aspect of the church. Got side tracked towards the end - about evolution and what the catholic church says about that.....Darwin's theory.

Evolution and God do mix.....By BILL SANDERSON

July 26, 2007

Pope Benedict XVI says the theory of evolution is backed by strong scientific proof - but the theory does not answer life's "great philosophical question."

Benedict told 400 priests at a two-hour event that he's puzzled by the current debate in the United States and his native Germany over creationism and evolution.

Debaters wrongly present the two sides "as if they were alternatives that are exclusive - whoever believes in the creator could not believe in evolution, and whoever asserts belief in evolution would have to disbelieve in God," the pontiff said.

"This contrast is an absurdity, because there are many scientific tests in favor of evolution, which appears as a reality that we must see and enriches our understanding of life and being.

"But the doctrine of evolution does not answer all questions, and it does not answer above all the great philosophical question: From where does everything come?"

A transcript of the Tuesday event was posted in Italian yesterday on the Vatican's Web site.

The speech came at the end of a three-week vacation in the mountains of northern Italy near the Austrian border, where people are worried that global warming will change their way of life.

"We all see that today man can destroy the foundation of his existence, his Earth," Benedict said.

"We cannot simply do what we want with this Earth of ours, with what has been entrusted to us." With Post Wire Services

whisperings of nature

Prayers for students- taking exams.

Gracious God, some of us are anxious, worried, or tense about exams;
we ask you for your gifts of peace and calm during this time.
Help us to do our best so that we can reap the rewards of our study.
Help us also to be true friends and a support to others.
We give you the gift of our work so that we can use our talents now and in future in your service.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

whisperings of nature