Going to Singapore this weekend!

I'm so excited. tonight i would be boarding the train bound for Singapore. I'm so looking forward to the visit. i can't wait to see Andrea and Shayna. And of course to bring my mother back. The house has been so quiet and lonely without them.

Snif .... Snif .... Bye.. Shane and Andri

Today i said goodbye to my dearies.... Shayna and Andrea. I never thought this day would come. I always thought they would be around, grow up three doors away from us, go to school in the neighbourhood, become school going children, and teenagers.....

I'm going to miss them so much. miss watching them sleep at night, miss washing and bathing them, miss doing stuff for them and playing with them.... I stayed up late last night... to just watch them sleeping. They looked like little angels. i know my father (their grandfather) is going to miss them too. mum went along with them today to stay for a week to help them settle in. Then i will go over with their stuff with cecilia, reuben and joanna next week.

The house is going to be so quiet, without the noises of children playing and running around. And of course the TV channels hogged at 613 Disney Playhouse channel! I'm going to miss all that sooooo much! What will i do without them!? Snif, snif,.......

You Meant Evil AGainst me; But God meant it for good...

Read Genesis 50:15-21

But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said.
16 So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us 17 to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. 18 Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said.
19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

This is one of the most amazing passages i've read and am reading it again thru our devotions at the shop today.
Besides what the commentaries have said about not taking revenge and looking at our circumstance in God's light, this thought came to mind....
Joseph could have turned out to be a real bitter, angry, hateful, revengeful person. After all life's circumstances created it for him. He was cheated, lied to, abandoned, abused, forgotten and God knows what else was done to him. He wasn't shielded from the evil of the world. He faced them all .... and if he was bitter and angry and revengeful... counselors today would feel sorry for him and do everything they can to help him. Or he would be a bag case and insecure and ...... He probably had more bad memories than good ones.

He had the right to be all of the above. And yet he wasn't..... How did he stay sane in circumstances like that? How was he able to forgive his brothers who did the worse evil to him? How could he continue to love his enemies....

I can't imagine how humanly possible that is. But i know one thing Joseph had.... He had his focus on the Lord. No matter what happened, he just stayed focused above. God rewarded him of course... the story has a happy ending here on earth. But many stories we know today may not have such happy successful endings.... But then again.... where is our focus? The end is not here where we are on transit.... the end and happily ever after does exist.... not here and now... but eternity! Rick Warren said in Purpose Driven Life... Life is just a dress reheasal for the real thing. The drama is about to happen! We are not there yet! Stay focused!

THANK YOU GUYS!!!

I don't know if any of you guys will read this but i needed to say this..... You guys are the best friends a girl will ever have. I wouldn't have made it and come out sane if it had not been for your support, prayers and help during one period of my life i'll never forget.

THANKS SO MUCH!!!

LOVE YOU GUYS

.... TINA, CECILIA, JOANNA, REUBEN!!

YOU'RE THE BEST!!

Phew! What a week!

The last week has been quite a week. I'll never forget it as long as i live for sure.

We(cecilia, mother, joanna, reuben and myself) were all supposed to be following Jasmine and the girls to Singapore in Reuben's Avanza. Joanna and i were supposed to take the train down later that night. then we would leave ama behind for two weeks with jasmine to help her settle in with the girls. Wilson is already there. All were set. Then...

Ama got this fever that refused to leave. Everyday that passed got her feeling worse. We were taking her to the clinic to get her treated. On the 6th day, the doctor told us to get her admitted. Something is wrong. I got her to University Hospital and after getting checked by the doctor, she got her admitted and diagnosed with dengue. I came home that night and Jasmine and Shayna were having the fever too. The next day, i took them to Pantai for a check up and thats where Shayna vomitted all over me and the hospital. Jasmine and Shayna got admitted for dengue too. Thank God they got the same room. So here was a situation... mum in University Hospital in PJ, Jasmine and Shayna at Pantai and i was left to take care of 1+ year old Andrea.

Thank God for friends... i just want to thank God for Cecilia, Reuben, Tina, Shanti and Joanna during this period. They were the best friends i had. Helped me with visiting mum, keeping shayna and jasmine ok... and cecilia stayed the night with me to watch Andrea. And Andrea was the best kid ever. Was so cooperative and the most adorable kid i ever watched.

Ama got out first, followed by Shayna and then Jasmine. But a few days later Jasmine got so bad, her internal organs were swelling up we had to take her back. Thats when she got admitted again and was put in the ICU! She got so bad, her blood count was dropping and liver was so enlarged she was in alot of pain... and we got so worried. And thats when God showed up thru people from the Wesley Church and other friends who started to pray!! She got out on Saturday and is on the road to recovery.

Dengue can be fatal if not arrested early. And its caused by a mosquitoe. And there is no cure for it either, just lots of fluids and rest and monitoring by the doctors. Many people have died because of dengue.

Getting Alone When Everything in Life Presses In...

It When Jesus got the news (about John the baptist's murder), he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully - someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and .......

Matthew 14:13-14

As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.

Matthew 14:22-2

There is no doubt Jesus had the hectiest schedule ever in His time. People were just everywhere looking for Him, needing Him, seeking Him, curious about Him.... and He never once let them down. He tried spending quality time alone but often found it was not quite possible to be alone and yet.... He did His best to find that time. He'd send his disciples away ahead of Him so he could go away alone... to do one thing; be by himself and pray.

I want so much to be like that. to do that. I lack the desire to pray and get away by myself to spend with Him. I try many times and often find myself distracted. For Jesus, those were the times He renewed Himself, gathered Himself for the next action... He did it regularly.

Father in heaven, i confess that i lack this passion and drive. Help me. I want to do as you did in matters like this. i want to be just like you.

Perfect Peace

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on you." Isaiah 26:3

I remember reading this verse in 1998 when our economy almost crashed. Our money value had gone so bad and we had bills to pay our publishers in UK and US. My then boss. that time has come and gone and we survived in Evangel.

We are at another milestone now.... our elections just passed and everything is kind of in a limbo at the moment. The ruling government never expected to face this tip over to the opposition. i just hope that all the promises they(the opposition) made before the election will be carried out... especially among the down trodden..... Although i don't hope for much as, afterall...... they are still man and man makes promises he doesn't keep and whatmore politicians.... And as far as this world goes.... we would be getting from bad to worse.... paving the way for the Antichrist to rule for a season with a false utopia first then showing his true character.

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus love and righteousness..." a line from a hymn comes to mind.

I know one thing that is for sure! Stock markets may rise and crumble, nations may rise and dissapear, kingdoms may come and go.... anything can change in a moment. But one thing that is for sure.... i know because the Bible tells me so.... Jesus is coming again!!