Still Waiting

Friday, February 20, 2009

This week i had an attachment to this organization called the Christian Outreach for the Handicap at Tampines with my SERVE group. All of the clients there were mentally handicapped with some of them having physical disabilities as well due to like cerebral palsy or totally deaf/mute. After spending several days with them, the experience has impacted me quite a bit i think. For one, it has really changed my opinion of mentally handicap people. Truth to be told, i used to shun away from such people or at least think badly of them, but after the daily experience with them in this short but meaningful period i realised that i should actually spend more time interacting with them and try to understand them. In our society, it's common and sad that people often have this prejudice against the less fortunate especially the mentally handicap/ill and we are quick to judge them and label them with demeaning and hurtful words like "mad" or "crazy" people who need to be locked up in the mental hospital. This may cause or be caused by the little/no interaction we have in our lives. It makes me think back of the times when i saw a person start shouting at nobody or talking to himself in public like on a bus or along the street or one of my neighbour's kid who has down-syndrome. Now i'll think twice about them. Jesus reached out to people of all conditions and background and was not prejudiced against anyone so as a Christian we should emulate Him in treating everyone equally with love and shouldn't judge.

To be detailed, we helped the staff lead the clients in singing sessions, walks in the park or to a coffeeshop nearby, interacted with the clients and helped them do their puzzles or activities, brought some of them to the nearby HDBs to advertise for more volunteers for the centre and also brought the clients out to the Pasir Ris Park.

I feel that it's very sad cause most of them were born in their conditions and hardly any of them get cured. For them, doing simple things like going to the toilet or sorting things based on colours or even talking normally can be a problem. We often take such things for granted and instead of treasuring our bodies and talents we abuse them and not use it for God's glory. Many of them just want to be understood, but because communicating to people through speech is so difficult, it can get very frustrating for them, so most of them may act violently by like biting/hitting other people. But people hold it against them, call them violent/scary and don't realise that they are humans too so they too have feelings. Their families would probably suffer the most especially since they have to take care of them all throughout their lives and have to pay so much special attention to them.

Another thing is that while the clients may seem scary or intimidating, they are adorable and unique in their own way. They have their individual quirks and habits that make us smile and laugh. Actually, once we got to know them, we've grown to love them and their different interesting personalities and habits.

Lastly, I hope that the teachers are encouraged by our help and our enthusiasm as i think that spending so much time with the clients takes a great deal of effort and patience and the job of taking care of the mentally handicapped is something that is noble but often not commended for. It is definitely demanding and challenging so i hope that each of them would remain strong in their faith for God so that they can depend on Him and persevere everyday.

-when are you coming back? ;

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Romans 12:12 (New International Version)

12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

This is the verse that's printed on the back of the shirt i'm currently wearing... When i read it i was pleasantly surprised. The shirt's an old shirt that i got from church when the youth ministry in my church sold it as part of the publicity of a christmas play they were going to do that christmas. Anyway i was pleasantly surprised and encouraged by it as i've recently made up my mind to live a more Christ-centered life where i would need to meditate more on the word of God and be more conscious and deliberate about the actions and thoughts i make. I somehow made this decision after God convicted me to do it through the new book i've been reading, through the SERVE program i've currently been attending and through my new position in my cell. Being in a new leadership position, i've been challenged and will be challenged to grow so much more in Christ and to take my relationship with God to greater heights. I would say that SERVE has blessed me by exposing me to the word of God daily and challenged some of my thoughts about life, traditions, the future, etc... Another aspect is that it has certainly made me reflect more about my actions and thoughts and also created opportunities to praise God and give thanks to God daily through the community praise and sharing of testimonies amongst the groups. Besides SERVE, i'd like to thank God for helping me in the tasks that i had to complete by yesterday. Actually i was quite swamped by a few things, one of them being my brother's video for his birthday party. Thankfully, by God's grace, i was able to finish both on time and was even on time for cell as well. (: I also learnt during cell yesterday(or was reminded more) about how as Christians we should decrease while Christ increases in our lives. By this, i mean about how much we think of ourselves and how much we think of God. By emulating Christ so much more than we think of our own needs and wants, we slowly become more like Him and our actions and words would be less self-serving. As our culture teaches us to be selfish, to care only about OUR needs causing us to become impatient, materialistic, overly ambitious, etc., we should be counter-culture and live for God and not for ourselves. If we put ourselves first before God and before others, we'll be violating the two most important commandments and that is to 1st love God with all our hearts, souls and minds and 2nd love our neighbours as ourselves. Yup. That's basically it. Hopefully this challenges your thoughts as well.

-when are you coming back? ;

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Beautiful One - Tim Hughes
Wonderful, so wonderful
Is Your unfailing love
Your cross has spoken mercy over me
No eye has seen, no ear has heard
No heart could fully know
How glorious, how beautiful you are!

[Chorus]Beautiful One I love
Beautiful One I adore
Beautiful One my soul must sing

Powerful, so powerful
Your glory fills the skies
Your mighty works displayed for all to see
The beauty of Your majesty
Awakes my heart to sing
How marvellous, how wonderful You are

You opened my eyes to Your wonders anew
You captured my heart with this love
Because nothing on earth is as beautiful as You
My soul, my soul must sing
My soul, my soul must sing
My soul, my soul must sing

Beautiful OneCopyright 2002 Thankyou Music/MCPS

-when are you coming back? ;

I realised that last year i only blogged a couple of times! Woah... and so much has happened since the last time i did. i'm not an avid blogger... especially since i go out so much and am just lazy in nature. Somehow using my brain is a chore. Anyway, like i said, lots has happened since then like CHINA TRIP!, Prom Night/Grad Night, my wonderful aimless holidays, the many gatherings and outings i've attended and SERVE!

Since still January so the year is still considered quite new, I shall use this opportunity to change the use of this blog to one that is much much more purposeful and that is to reflect on God's goodness and blessings in my life instead of just aimlessly spouting nonsense that has no meaning and is fruitless. I admit that i've not being that good a Christian and i've not prioritized God in my actions and in most of my life. But after reflecting i do want to change and hope that i can indeed put God first in everything even if it means to turn away non-believers from my blog, not that many people read it in the first place since it's so outdated. Anyway, i'm really thankful to God for just really blessing me so much. First of all, i want to thank Him for sending His Son to die on the cross for the cleansing of my sins. He didn't have to do that... but because He loves us so much that He sacrifice His Son. Secondly, i want to thank God for just protecting me and being sovereign in my life. Just looking at my life, i can just see His plans and His guidance all the way, from my parents who, although aren't perfect, have been there guiding me and teaching me, to my friends, especially the close Christian friends in the different times of my life who encouraged me in my walk with God and gave me Godly advice. Thirdly, i want to thank God for always being faithful to me even when i've not been faithful to Him. While i've never worshipped another god, i've let the other things in life and in the world around to affect me and control me instead of drawing close to God. Yet, time and time again i know God still calls me back to Him and speaks to me through the sermons/sharing in church/cell, the devotions/chapel in school, the things people say to me and my thoughts at times. Each time it's so deliberate, real and appropriate. I shall end here today with these words... If you are a Christian, i hope this encourages you. If you are not, i hope this stirs your thinking and beliefs even if you don't want to accept God. I encourage you to get to know God.

-when are you coming back? ;

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Pictures of Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor. Love these vintage looks!

-when are you coming back? ;

Hi people! Sorry that it's been like a million years since i last blogged. But since A's is FINALLY over, i'm free now to blog. Blogging about the past, the last two years were rather hectic with council, school and all. Now that i'm into my long "freedom" holiday, i can take a breather and recollect and perhaps learn from the past. I'm thankful that i've made so many great friends in JC, my classmates and council friends, to name a few... time has really flown by. sometimes it's sad that it's so fast cause i may not be able to fully enjoy and appreciate(sounds like Mr David Wong) the happy moments. but i'll try to take in as much as i can. A's was okay... i wouldn't say it was difficult but i don't dare to say it was easy either. hmm... just wait for the results i guess. but jc, though stressful, was extremely fun and memorable... and it's sad that for me it has ended and i have to move on from it. i'm excited at what the future may hold. next year there'll be so many changes, it's actually a bit crazy... i hope that i've matured from the jc experience and that i've become a better person. i'll miss the school, i'll miss the uniform, i'll miss the friends and the daily encounters of each other.

-when are you coming back? ;

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Bimbo cheer

Oh my gosh, i think i need a manicure.
The sun, i swear, is shining down my gorgeous hair.
16, 24, i don't even know the score.
Go team, go fight,
gee i hope i look alright.

-when are you coming back? ;

Dear friends,

another month has come and gone.
Another post is here again.
In a month,
many things have happened...
council christmas party came and went.
it rocked.
christmas came and went.
new year came and went.
i spent the new year's eve and morning
with my council friends.
i've met up with clarissa and tanya.
although i haven't jaeaxe this year yet.
orientation also came and went.
it rocked! like totally!
i love my OG!!!
OG 14!
Achomawi!
which was my tribe.
A-CHO-MA-WI,
bom bom bom bom bom!
Lessons are in full swing now.
Lectures, tutorials, the whole thing.
Tests are also rolling in by the masses.
This week and next,
we're having what we call the MSA.
Ask any current J2 SA student.
They'll know what it means.
Okay.
That's my January.
Or at least a summary of it.
Will post again next month...!

-when are you coming back? ;

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

-when are you coming back? ;

SORRY EVERYONE!
the long awaited post is here...

my life has not changed that much.
i'm still in council.
i'm still in SAJC.
i'm still a girl (like, duh)
haha.

i'm now seventeen.
i'm now going to j2 next year.
i'm gonna be an OGL!

Open house 2007 is over! (like awhile ago)

i still miss my secondary school friends.
but we do meet up.
sorry tanya, jiaxin and clarissa for not sending you the pictures.
haha. i'm actually about to meet up with tanya and jiaxin.

i NEEEEEEEEED to study...(dreads)

Council's been fun.
Busy, but fun.
i love it.
sometimes i dread it.
but i still love it.
especially the friends.
had a council camp(1 night only) recently.
i felt it bonded us a little more.
although, i do feel we're quite bonded already.
went swimming and gymming and eating and dining with them.
it's all good.
can't wait for the council christmas party!
grad night was fun to watch.
hahaha...
rachel, jue ying and ernika,
if you're reading this, you have to admit,
watching the prom king/queen thing was fun,
albeit a little disgusting. haahaha.
oh and pris, it was quite fun and challenging
to get the seniors up right?
hahaha.

other than that,
i dread next year.
A's...
gosh. it's so fast.
only a year to A's and it'll zoom past for sure.
k ciaoz.

-when are you coming back? ;

Sunday, September 09, 2007

I just realised after posting the previous entry
that some of the songs I may have posted in it
were repeats of another entry that I had posted
several posts below it.

Actually,
my blog is window to my mind.
So if you really want to get to know me,
and if you have the time,
reading my whole entire archive of
previous entries plus the current ones
now would really allow you to get to know
what i'm like.
Some may be interesting,
others less interesting though.
Up to you to read or not.

-when are you coming back? ;