2009 Anchor Verse
" Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."
~ Matthew 7:24
Store Room
Wednesday, February 10, 2010 しんこんりょこう Shinkonryokou 新婚旅行 Day 5 & 6
Day 5 - our last day in Japan we went Tsukiji Fish Market, Roppongi & Jiyugaoka.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 Never Satisfied But Always Content
Philippians 3:7-14 (New International Version)
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Pressing on Toward the Goal
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
How is it possible to be feel contents and yet not satisfied? I thought today daily bread really summed it up pretty well.
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 3:14
Tiger Woods is clearly the greatest golfer of his generation. His ability to perform under pressure and win is becoming legendary. Yet what motivates Woods is not just winning, it’s his passion for excellence. Despite his great success, Tiger has repeatedly refined his swing in an ongoing effort to improve his game and be a better golfer. His desire for excellence leaves him never satisfied.
The apostle Paul was also driven by a desire for excellence—but in his relationship with Christ. Paul, however, taught that we’re to have balance. While we’re never to be satisfied with our spiritual progress, we’re always to be content in Christ.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul expressed both realities. While writing from prison, he declaredhis contentment with life’s circumstances, entrusting them to God’s care (Phil. 4:11).Nevertheless,he refused to be satisfied with his own spiritual progress. He did not count himself to have “apprehended” (to have arrived and achieved it all). Instead, he was committed to pressing on toward the goal (3:13-14).
Learning to balance contentment with a desire for excellence may be the forgotten key to our ongoing spiritual growth and advancement. — Bill Crowder
I give my life to You, O Lord, To follow and obey; Grant me contentment as I strive For excellence each day. —Sper
Godliness with contentment is great gain. —1 Timothy 6:6
Contented with what I have. What God had given to me and provided for me. To be contented because I am more precious than the birds in the air and flowers in the fields.
Not satisfied of my own spiritual achievements in work, in ministry and in life. But to aim for the best excellence with my relationship with God, with the people around me.
This is hard. Haha. What a way to start my new year. Well Godliness with contentment is indeed great gain :)
Monday, January 18, 2010 6 more days to our wedding
Is really exciting. haha
But work is still on my mind. Just now i got a very disappoint email and sms from a very disappointed client. Hmmm, I am starting to wonder the problem might just lie with him not me. Oh well, what can I do? I do feel angry and upset but however, I need to find peace with God. not with that client. So God please grant me the peace that I need. You've given me all the blessings in all wedding prep. Everything is going smoothly so far. You will carry me to the end and for the next 3 working days, I commit to You and ask You grant me the strength to go through it. With 2 deadlines in 3 days.
The Lord is my helper Amen =)
The title doesn't really seemed to match what I am rambling now. haha
Many asked me if I am nervous, uptight and anxious? The answer is Yes! Cos i am thinking about work! Opps sorry. Well, No. Wedding is just a day simply. It is a day where I get married legally to KG. Haha. God have been good to us. We are thankful for the 12 years of friendship cum 10 years of loveship, He brought us so far till today. Is definitely not by our strength and understanding what relationship really means. If not for God, we won't be holding hands till now.
What I look forward is the marriage that a new chapter we are starting in 6 days time. KG had been really looking forward to this day. Certainly there were stress in the wedding logistics and other areas but what matter most is we are standing together as one.
I certainly need to change my lifestyle. No more late working hours, eat healthily, exercise regularly and to pray for my family and love ones more often. I felt sometimes when a couple get too involved in meeting objectives aka task oriented, we lose the little moments of life that God wants us to see. We miss the main point what God really want to show us. I certainly do not want to miss anything that God wants me to see. I prayed for the both of us to walk more closely with God each day as we lead our life as husband and wife.
God this is our prayer, that we will live together and lead a life that glorify you. Help me and KG to go through the next 10 years, 20 years, 30 years and more just like how You have brought us through for the past 10 years.
This week will be "tough" both Kg and I are literally slaves to our work. We both really pray hard that God will release all the unnecessary stress from now till Saturday. Teach us to LET GO and put all anxiety and burdens unto God. Peace to dwell in our hearts.
Be with us God, in Jesus mighty name we pray Amen :)
OpenKitchenConcept recommended me to go to Fuji Five Lakes, Lake Kawaguchi instead of Hakone to experience osen and ryokan stay. There were quite a number of ryokans and I was hoping to find one that allows me to view Mt Fuji when we soak in osen/hot springs, to stay in a traditional japanese style room and to try their authentic Japanese food where we usually watch in Japan Hour. I was also quite "greedy" I hope to even catch Mt Fuji view in our room.
It was no joke to search for a Ryokan. For alot of times I really felt giving up and just intend do a day trip to Mt Fuji and Hakone and return back to Tokyo. Ryokan are really not cheap. But if you count in 2 meals for 2 pax, it works out quite a good average. Since is 1 night and I had already save quite a fair bit from the Tokyo lodgings, I shall not complain and spurge. haha.
After about a few months (yes a few months) I was quite pleased with what I had chose and told KG about it. As usual the guy just said anything. In this ryokan, we can view Mt Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi from all rooms, gardens and open-air baths. I think that to us is the biggest highlight. The drawback was is quite a distance from the bus station so hopefully I can arrange for a shuttle bus or private car transport to pick us up. Despite the not so accessible location, there are actually a couple of museum near the ryokan. One of which is a Music Forest and I had already saw some interesting photos online. That will keep us occupied :)
As I've been searching like crazy, i realized I really need to force myself to go through Japanese website using Google Translation. That experience is hilarious. I felt I was reading some kind of gibberish language. Haha.
I drop an email to the ryokan to request if there are any shuttle bus to pick us up from the bus station. After sending, I got an automatic reply in Japanese of course. I decided to use Google Translation to translate and see what it says.
If there is no reply from the hotel even after a week, Some in the hotel when the accident have not received the email. Cross your fingers please contact info@kogetu.com up again. Oh i can't wait for this trip! :))
Thursday, December 31, 2009 Reflecting 2009 - Part 1 Thanksgiving
Tonight is watch night service and there will be a segment on thanksgiving and reflection. After some thought, I decided I will draft a proper sharing. I timed... chum 6 mins sharing :P
Dear friends, I was encouraged to share this tonight with all of you as they affirmed me is the work of God’s hands in my family. How God brought my whole family to church during Christmas Eve this year and allowed me to plant His seed into every member of my household.
For many years, I constantly thought how nice to be able to bring my family to church on Christmas day to listen to the wonderful carols and watched exciting dramas staged by Bethel. The fact is I lacked of the courage to ask them. What stopped me probably was the fear of rejection. Finally God opened the door in Year 2007 December and gave me a chance to ask when my mom said she would love to hear children singing Christmas carols and wish there were a group in our house singing to her and my dad. I asked “Mom, if there is a combined service, will you be keen to go and listen the children sing?” Her reply why not? But however in 2008, there was no combined Christmas celebration and plus my dad and sisters were not keen and prefer to stay at home to cook a feast for my whole family.
In 2009 early this year, I started praying more fervently to God. I would constantly prayed for an opportunity to bring my family members to church for Christmas, as I was fully aware it would be a combined service by all 3 congregations this year.
When Christmas was 2 weeks away, I had yet to open my mouth to invite my family. Again was the fear of rejection. During the period I was quite emotional especially having the thought once I get married next year, it seemed even harder to reach to my family members. The thought of it made me so stressful and frustrated at the same time. I felt that God had granted me many opportunities for me to share but each time I fail Him because simply I fear rejection.
The turning point came just 1 week before Christmas. Elder Lee was the speaker for the Sunday service. He shared about the characteristics of God. It was not the first time I listened to this message. In GB, in my bible study with cell group, I read and learned the characteristics of God many times. But somehow that Sunday the sermon message hit me real hard. As Elder Lee presented verses and verses of who God is, I realize I underestimated God’s power of what He was able to enable me to share the gospel with my family. He is my Jehovah Jireh, The Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace. The sermon that day led me in tears thinking how silly I was not trusting God fully to bring my family to church. The very same day, I committed the following evening to convince my whole family members to church.
KG was a wonderful partner. He said in order to convince my parents to come to church, we must convince my 2nd sister. I agreed. With a strategic plan in mind, I talked to my 2nd sis and youngest sis. Immediately I faced great resistance. My sisters felt it was very boring and constantly said no. I must have been really desperate that I just cried out and said – I just need our parents to hear the gospel once! They kept very quiet and said what kind of service was expected. I simply said it was a drama play. It would be really good. You got to trust me. Finally I scored my first goal, they both agreed. My parents were rather easy going. When they saw my 2nd sis agreed, they too agreed. Thus the plan was early Christmas dinner celebration from 4pm to 6pm. Target to reach church at 7pm on Christmas eve. It was amazing how all this turned out at the end. Again I was quite fearful that they might back out at the last min, I sent out prayer request to my cell members for prayers support.
God is really good and I felt guilty now that I still didn’t learn to trust God fully at the point of time. Once prayer request was sent out, the very next morning I received a message from my eldest sister asking if she, her husband and the 3 children could gate crash to our Christmas service. I was jumping for joy singing Amen! My sister and my brother in law never crossed my mind because I was still thinking of tackling one family one year at a time. I had so little faith! I couldn’t believe that God could do more beyond my planning… and yet God just sent them just like this in 1 SMS! God Is GOOD!
24 Dec finally came. God brought my whole family and my sister’s family into Bethel for the first time. There was one more missing member, which was my brother. At the last hour, he decided he would drop by as well. I was quite shocked and wonder what was God really doing. By His Grace, His Hands brought every family member into this church. I thought I would only see this complete picture during my wedding day next month! But no!!
During the service, my brother in law and sister constantly asking me what did "Immanuel" meant. I explained God is with us. It was an assuring statement when I said it out loud. It reminded really God is with my family and me. My sister even taught and explained to her 5 years old daughter the lyrics of the songs that was flashing on the screen. It was such an affirming sight that I could clearly see God’s hands was at work. I didn’t have to do anything isn’t? The sermon msg 平安 led by Dr Chong Chee Pang ministered to my parents. My mom had attempted to fill in the response slip but for some reasons my dad stopped her. When I asked her on my way home, what did she wanted to fill in, she said she wanted to tick on finding more about church activities. To me it was the greatest response!
My brother missed the service and drama as he arrived late. But something my mom said that shocked me. My brother is very dear to my parents especially he is the only son in the family. She said if he was there earlier, she would make him accept Jesus Christ in his life. I probed and asked why, she said, since Buddha can’t save him, I think only Jesus can save him. I almost want to shout an AMEN on the spot.
I will always remember 24 December 2009, where the whole household including my niece and nephews were brought by God to Bethel and the seeds are now planted in my family hearts. All I have to do is to be faithful, obedient and trust in God to water and care for the seeds and allow the seed to take root and grow in His timing.
God is good.
Immanuel Our God is with us And if God is with us Who could stand against us Our God is with us Immanuel
Monday, November 30, 2009 This is what keep me going - Part 1
Blessings of the Day: "Working for Jesus"
My CLIENT WROTE THIS IN HER BLOG: "A big thank you!
To my husband who has embraced the role as an "advisor" fervently (ha ha!), friends who have given me valuable comments (legal and others), and a big applause to my lovely and ever so patient web designer :)"
My client's blog first write up for opening her e-shop. I am really thankful that God have enabled me to complete this project. It is by His Strength. Amen :)
Friday, November 20, 2009 It is not a bad thing to be too emotional sometimes...
Sometimes when things get tough and really hard, we really want to harden our hearts to ignore these things so we are not feeling affected, angry and frustrated. But last night after a conversation with JY, it makes me realize that it is ok to be this way. I told her, I rather the both of us sitting one corner, crying, feeling sad and miserable for our loved ones than to harden our hearts against them making us more inhuman. The truth is the world lacks of God's love and if we harden our hearts, the world will be more cold.
Blessings of the day: I do thank the Lord for granting me to ability to cry and allowing tears to flow out easily.
Shall I choose to see the glass half full or half empty?
The very discouraged Happy very much want to see it half full. But sometime the truth is, it is also half empty.
Reflect 2009, coming another 6 weeks we are coming to 2010. I look back and can count the number of blessings that God have given me.
I also hit the lowest point of my life at work which was something I didn't quite expect it coming this year. Blame it on recession, blame it on lousy leads. But the truth is, is time to blame myself. I felt very disappointed in myself - on my work performance.
Sometimes I felt I missed many opportunities. From time to time, God sent various people in my lives to show me something. I missed it. I forgot about it. and worst .. I might have even choose to ignore it.
As i start to get very discouraged, or I have already did, Kg reminded me that nothing on earth belongs to us. to me. I have to let go and take God lead the way. Pride swell in my heart and make me ignore God's words and advice. My heart was hardened and bitter.
I remembered a good friend's dad words "Don't pity yourself". Yes that what i am doing now. Pity myself. Sigh
As the year come to a closing in another just 6 more weeks, God i pray, ... "Don't let Happy pity herself. Let her trust in You instead"
