Wednesday, August 30

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
-Psalms 23:2-3

just as a shepherd leads his sheep to green pastures and quiet waters, so those who follow the Lord Jesus do not lack any spiritual nourishment or refreshing. Because of this, contentment shld be the hallmark of one who has put his or her affairs in the hands of the Lord.

peace in the midst of chaos can only possible when one follow the way of the Lord....i'm beginning to learn that and its not easy....i've seen what my friends ard me have helped me and i'm gladful for their reaching hands and concern....but its only when we seek the spritual nourishment of the Lord that we learn to grow with each experience....

jel; 7:56 pm

Tuesday, August 29

now comes part 2 of what happened yest after we left njc...

went to the new nus law sch to meet hc...i bet its weird for jc students to go there cause a lot of pple were staring at us at the cafeteria! and i bet a few of them were ex-njc students cause they were obviously talking abt us....we quickly changed out and explored the new complex...renovations were still going on but the beautiful colonial-style buildings were captivating...

met up with wj at orchard after that...it was hilarious due to a misunderstanding..we didn't expect him to wear his sch uniform thats why we changed into our own clothes but end up he turned up in his aj uniform...and he didn't bring his home clothes, so he wore that for the rest of the day....

went to a restaurant which i quite lk...xin wang hk cafe at cine...4th time for me and yk and 1st time for the other 2....
loved the maggi noodles...although it seemed simple, but i just enjoyed this dish, although i prefer the another dish with other ingredients...

went to marina/suntec area after that and proceeded to esplanade..has been a long long time since i've being there...great to be back there to enjoy the view and breeze....

went to bakerzinn at one fullerton to have some great cakes...fine delicacies but exp...just 6 of these cost us $36....some were wonderful while some were just nice...can't really rmb the names of each cake but each were unique in their tastes....

what other way to end a great seafront dining experience than to take a photo for remembrance...enjoying the sea breeze by the seaside, enjoying the delicacies was pure indulgence...highly recommended place..pity bakerzinn is closing this outlet on 16 sept to open a new outlet at vivocity...visit this place before its too late...

it was an enjoyable day out with the 3 of them....getting to know the 2 new friends better...really thankful to the Lord for these friends for this experience and for knowing these friends....i do treasure all these friendships and i do hope they feel the same too....i'm definitely looking forward to spending more great moments as we continue to develop on this new-found friendship...

jel; 7:40 pm

Monday, August 28

today me, yk and jh walked down memory lane as we relived our memories of being an njc student...i know its a crazy idea but we were enthusiastic abt it...a rare opportunity to be back in sch for half a day and recap memories of the past...we started off by attending morning assembly...i'm so glad to find mr bek at the parade grd, caught up with him for a while before we sneaked to the back and joined the rest for the same national anthem and pledge-taking which we had not taken for ages....

then it was to the canteen in search of more memories...we missed the food over there...nothing fantastic but the canteen was one of our most frequently-visited period during our schooling days....
this is me and jh pretending to be 'studying' at the canteen..yk so wanted to make this experience as realistic as possible that he actually brought his notes and pencil case along..haha...but i was nv able to concentrate on studying there..also too nosiy and distracting....

jh can still pull off the look of a student but me and yk really do look a tag too old...esp with the large influx of ip students in the sch...

my favourite omelette set from the western food stall! i love it so much and i miss it ever since i left the sch...i'm so excited to taste the yet so familiar taste once again...and the wonderful dessert from the dessert stall...
overlooking the sports complex....students having p.e....still rmb the many memorable p.e. lessons i had over there....
along the route to tc block...all 3 of us had a similar 'slingbag ard us' look today...obviously we're not ready to pack our stuff in backpacks and really act as real students....
this was a photo taken at the sch bookshop...i went there to get a collar pin (lost mine) and the new pe tee.....a student walked in while this photo was taken...it was kind of embarrassing for us, so the situation was hilarious which explains our big smiles..haha...

at the ampitheatre...this was the same spot i sat at during the informal photo for my j2 class photo...another of my 're-living the memories' kind of actions........

the library! my prefect mugging place...the place where i spent countless hours sweating it out with my notes...
thought this was a gd shoot...although we looked very relaxed in this photo, but the seats that we were on were actually falling apart, so we were trying to lean on the window panes for support...at least it turned out to be pretty gd...
this table is a new addition to lt1...thought it provide the lecturers with so much more convenience with this new addition...
this is the oasis....another place in nj which hold much memories...class gathering in the morning, stall set-up for fantasia, interact meetings....
photo taken by jh's friend..in fact suring our short stay there, we were trying to find friends we know to help us take a photo of the 3 of us...
another photo taken at the canteen by my og grp member, zhi wei...saw quite a few of my og grp pple but i didn't think they wld recognize me..well at least zhi wei did...miss the days of being an ogl...

it was a great day back to njc..didn't have much chance to meet up and talk a lot to the teachers and my og grp but it was great re-living the days as a student...i was actuaally missing those days...days which will nv be again...but i'm not one who lives in the past...indeed those days were memorable and we tried to return back to those days but its nv going to be the same..we live in the present now and have grown and matured...i'm gladful to the Lord for who i am now and i'm really excited abt dreaming big for the future..in fact, i've felt today's memory visit reminded me how different i am now, the position that the Lord has placed me in..and this is allows me to continue pursuing what i need to and not be stagnant in my growth....

let the wonderful memories remain in my heart and may there be many more experiences to come...

jel; 7:37 pm

Sunday, August 27

today i completed my first half marathon....in fact its the longest distance i've ever run in one go...i completed 21.1km in 2h 24min...nothing fantastic but at least respectable...i do need to thank God for being able to come in under 2h 30min (my personal goal), so shld i say to even complete the race...cause at abt the last 5km, both of my calves started to cramp up and the pain was horrible...it was sudden pain and i couldn't even jog least it becomes a permanent strain...ended up walking for most of the distance..even as i tried jogging slowly after a long walk, the pain became more excruciating after a short jog, so it was back to walk...and at that point of time, i almost gave up on achieving my goal, which was pretty demoralizing since i've already set my mind on it...and i couldn't bear giving it all up after putting it much effort in majority of the distance....

anw, i persevered on, focusing on the Lord and reminding myself that i'm running for His glory, not wanting to let defeat get into my mind...it really was a blessing from God that i could manage to even strain my legs to barely walk/jog through the rest of the distance when at many points of time i felt my both legs couldn't even support me...it was definitely a miracle i've experienced which allowed me to make it just in time to the finishing line despite facing a disadvantage....

my finisher's medal...nothing remarkable since many has it too but it serves a reminder of His blessings on me through this marathon experience...although i didn't perform up to expectations and there were setbacks, that wld not deter me from participating in future marathons....its more for this passion for running which i've developed since joining the army and i do hope i'll continue to run for interest and love of it...

jel; 11:58 pm

Sunday, August 20

today's service is a celebration service which we celebrate our church's 20th anniversary...the actual birthday is 17 Aug...this yr marks a significant yr for us as we mark the end of 2 decades of faith and embark on a new decade...today, we watched a video clip recapping the progress of our church from its early days to its current present..and although we shld not look back into the past, this reminiscing of the past remind us of what God has done for this church and we need to expect more blessings from Him for the church to move to greater heights...

today, ps khong requested those who have been with the church for 20 yrs and those who are 20 this yr to stand up and i was one of them who stood up...its a mark of symbolism of the faith that God has planted in us as we embark on the vision of the church...and today's sol lesson on the G12 vision also gave me a deeper understanding of this vision...as members of this community, we embrace and engage on this vision..to be passionate about it and be willing to serve the nations...

FCBC is a unique church, a church which does not belong to a particular denomination, but is one which has faithfully moved in the direction which God has called it to be in for the past 20yrs...and i believe God will continue to guide and move us through many more yrs of faith...i'm glad the Lord has brought me into this community, a family which i belong to and can call my own...

jel; 9:10 pm

Friday, August 18

check this out:

http://www.wbschool.org/chinesecharacters.htm

its an interesting site which shows the link between chinese characters and the bible...there are lots of examples of how the origins of chinese character could be biblically-based...and that the chinese language is based on the many biblical facts and accounts...how interesting...if the evidences are true, then its amazing to know that God was with China when it was formed...it's a form of encouragement and motivation for everyone of us...may the word of the Lord continue to work through the people there...

jel; 10:09 pm

Sunday, August 13

really thank God for making this concert possible...the planetshakers team left the london airport 2 hours before the terrorist bomb threats came into alert...they might not have been able to make it to spore shld their planes being cancelled or delayed till further notice...the concert was wonderful, with the team bringing the spirit of worship to a whole new level...and i was eager for more cause i felt it was too short...too many other songs not sang too...

a mini group photo taken tog...a few of them weren't ard us at that moment...anw, the one behind kenneth is johnston...looking at this photo, i was very touched to see the faces of those yg smiling teens...my dream is to have more of them ard in future..they are the ones who form the younger generation, a generation which will carry on with the passion...

jel; 12:44 am

Saturday, August 12

5 November 2006

ORD mood is a preparation of the mind, body and soul as one undergoes CCC (civilian conversion course)...the freedom is near to behold, but not to be abused and misused....be on extra high alertness, cause having this mood is deadly posion for those green with envy...

ORD treat is hopefully a small private event for a selected privileged few..to sincerely thank them for their significance to me in my unit...nothing beats a complete end to my stay here than to pass them the ample blessings which they need to continue with their stay...

ORD day is the day when the freedom is instanteously returned to me...the 3-letter word speaks volume...what more can i say? this is THE DAY...

ORD language is basically the civilian language, with terms lk 'bunks', 'nominal rolls' being replaced with their civilian counterterms such as 'rooms' and 'name lists'...no more ranks before names, no more mention of cookhs, 11b, roll call...yep!

ORD clothes are marked with great significance, as testimonies of the new stage of life i'm in...army green and admin grey will never see the daylight in the darkest corner of my cupboard...vibrancy is the new notion, fashion is the new style...

ORD hairstyle defies all rules and regulation...no restraint on length and colour..let the creative juices flow through my hair..let imaginations run with the flow...let my hair be a statement of my new-found freedom!

ORD phone is a camera phone which i can carry everyday and not just wkends only...one which can serve the needs and demands of a busy NS-men, with no more received calls from 6559 7399 too :)...

ORD holiday is a 7-day trip to taiwan..just being booked yest..finally, my first civilian trip on a plane after 3 yrs...one which does not need prior verbal approval from superiors or overseas leave or exit permit...signs of freedom!

haha...all thanks to joel who inspired me to come up with this list of ord definitions after reading his version...started to brainstorm for all these items...anw, they are meant for fun and laughter..pls do not treat them so seriously...i dun have this serious dislike for ns, just have this highly eager anticipation for its end...i didn't know i cld come out with such interesting ideas, some i thought were pretty funny...hope you guys enjoy reading it..but for those whose ord dates are still far, pls dun poison me..i'm just expressing my thoughts and feelings...

jel; 12:27 am

Wednesday, August 9

Happy 41st Birthday, Singapore!

As we join in the celebrations, let us be reminded of how blessed the nation has been for the past few decades...be thankful for the living environment which we have been provided with, for the 9.4% economy growth for the first half yr (as seen in today's S.T. headline), for the jobs provided for the residents...

we are born into this country for a reason and we are the ones who make this nation unique (which is in line with the 'Uniquely Singapore' tagline)...we are all equal under the eyes of the law..each of us has a role to play in moulding the society..the contributions we made may be small but they are significant in forming the unique experience in which we live in...it is this experience which build a sense of belonging to the country..

as we celebrate our successes, lets not forget the poor and needy nations ard us...esp countries lk east timor which are in dire need of our expertise and resources...let us contribute in those nations in any ways and means..a little helping hand will go a long way esp if every single one of us contribute, the nations will benefit in a more significant way...

make this national day a more meaningful one by reaching out helping hands and praying blessings upon the nations ard us as we work hard tog for a better future

jel; 10:01 am

Sunday, August 6

after attending sltc and tribe meet yest, i am now more clear over my direction in the future...in fact i've nv felt clearer over the choice...i really thank God for showing the light unto my path, to show me the journey that He wants to pursue and i believe by embracing this path, His plans for me will prosper me...

yest was really a singificant day as my future is influenced by what i've received yest...and this really helps me focus in everything i do as i'm clearer over the direction which i'm heading and this wld enable me to spend my time more wisely...in fact, i'm rather excited abt embarking on this journey cause this is where He has intended for me and i'm ready to pursue the challenges ahead of me...i really do pray that the Lord will continue to guide me as i move along His direction for me from this day on...

jel; 7:27 pm

Saturday, August 5

this is an article on "take the city" walk held last sat at the padang....it was a huge turnout that day...i was really grateful that jp and yk could turn up for the event even though they didn't really feel very comfortable initially..i really do hope this event could be an annual one and become one of the main highlights in the calender of tcs...may next yr's turnout be greater than this yr's and more funds can raised for the community!

Click HERE to read the entire article

jel; 1:43 pm

Top scientist asks sceptics to probe existence of God
Tuesday, July 25 2006
Straits Times interactive

jel; 1:31 pm