Running with God

Blessings of the Day: Ok, me was quite grateful when the incident happen. As you now, am quite careless @ times. Finally my mobile phone was left on the bus after meeting with my accountability group. A kind stranger aka ah beng called Kg and got him to collect from Tampines. Perhaps my phone was old and lousy but nevertheless I was grateful that he returned the phone. Thank you Kg that you had to travel down to collect my phone back.

Part of my resolutions 2008 is to jog & get healthy. My last run was 3 weeks ago and so today finally tonight I got to run again with Kg. Today running was quite special - I played a few songs while we both were running. I felt that the run was very different from what we usually do - it seem like a spiritual run - running with God.

First Song: 周杰伦晴天
We quite enjoyed this song, it was something that reminded us no matter how difficult - we always have friends who said to us that 晴天 will always come after the raining season is over. As we both hit a very hectic and difficult time, we both took comfort that our 晴天 would come soon.

Second Song: Michael Buble "Home"
Kg remarked, " Haiyo, why you play such a sad song?" I replied or i thought i rebutt - where got sad? Think of finishing line - almost finish! We both then were panting real hard and we only ran about less than 1km... We were quite quiet after the song started playing - he was right - the song did make us feel sad.

Third Song: Heal the Wo.."
That was the title that was shown on my mobile - I started to wonder - when did i download Michael Jackson's "Heal the World"? Jokingly I said - here comes a healing song! We both laughed and ran even faster. Surprise #1: It was a female singer. Surprise #2: Total new song - We both weren't expecting it. The park was quiet then, thus the song of the words filled the air and we felt we were very safe and protected - in God's hands.

Point of Grace - Heal The Wound

I used to wish that I could rewrite history
I used to dream that each mistake would be erased
Then I could just pretend
I never knew the ‘me’ back then
I used to pray that you would take this shame away
Hide all the evidence of who I’ve been
But it’s the memory ofthe place
You’ve brought me fromthat keeps me on my knees
even though I’m free

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
Heal the wound but leave the scar

The song were repeated at least 3 times as we continued running. Earlier while panting very hard - I decided to run one more round (usually i only run 1 round and will be quite dead after that), As the both of us ran - we meditated deeply and reflecting on the lyrics of the song. The jog was so much easier to run when this song started playing, especially when we focus on God. It had helped the both of us to see that sometime no matter difficult or impossible the circumstances we were in, we should focus on God - because He would carry us through.

As I needed to manually repeat the song on my mobile, there would be moments there would be no music. During the "silence or music-less" moment - I heard our panting loud and hard. We both felt that it was kind of depressing as though we were struggling very very hard on our own. However when the music started playing, it drowned our pantings and helped ourselves to focus back on God. It instantly struck us even more - we all need God more than ever. Without Him, our provider, how can we finish this journey this race?

At one time, I thought I saw the finishing line, thinking "Great! Almost!" My thoughts began to fade off from the song and started to do countdown for the last lap. To my disappointment, I was misled - that was not the finishing line! Disappointed, my running seem abit more draggy now. Then once again it strucked me, why didn't I focus on God again? I lost track and started to find my own finishing point. When I was "blinded" and couldn't find it thus I faced the disappointment. Dragging myself back, I started to reflect on the song again and the misled of finishing line reminded me how sometime I wanted to do my own way my own choice my own goals. This was when I walked away from God's intended path and choose to find my own success. I came to realize it would never be possible if I chose not to walk closely with God.

After 2 rounds, we stopped and took one more round for a cool down exercise. We talked and shared about how the "accident random playing" of 3 songs helped us to understand God more. The first 2 reflected the world's view and thoughts. Yes they are sufficent to get us back but somehow we know what is missing. The 3rd song reminded us that we need God to fill in the emptiness in our hearts and our lives. We were amazed how the run with ou songs brought us closer to God. The run helped us to take away the stress and hectic that we faced - work, studies, ministry, family and ourselves.

Yes - i remembered how I got the song - from my accountability group - JAP =)

2008 - A New Beginning

Blessings of the Day: We completed 2 projects this month and close one project. Praise the Lord.

Finally after 20 days of trying and redesigning - here is the newly designed blogskin I had finally attempted. The flash above seem to hang :( hmm dunno if is due to blogger but nevertheless i am quite pleased with what I had done.

I hope this year 2008 i can pen down more thoughts - more on my spirtual walk with God, food - places i eat and things that i experiment, studies and work.

2008 started well but lately things had not been quite smooth again. But I will continue to trust in the Lord even more than ever. With 18 assignments and 2 exams plus my work and plus my ministry and included to spent quality time with my family and love ones - it is going to be very tough. Officially I hit mid 20s this July. It struck me how time flies and I want to make use of my time even more to be fruitful and stop wasting my time on other things. Most importantly I want to learn to be contented of what I have now. Reflecting on 2007 - the Lord had been gracious and bless me abundantly. I sometime realize I had poor stewardship of the things and time I had on my hands. This is surely one aspect I want to work even harder than before.

Moving forward - I want to begin well and finish well. I know the Lord is watching over me and will continue to guide me in all the things I do. Moving on, the many new challenges and obstacles are waiting for me to overcome. May the Lord be my helper and grant me the wisdom.

Finishing Well for Year 2007 - Part 2: My Dream has Return

Blessings of the Day: Wow I am so thankful and I give glory to God. I've got back my results =) It is all good and GPA went up!! Praise God for his wonderful providence and the wisdom that He grant me. It was surely Him watching over me. =)

Let's rewind time back to Blessedhaven.blogdrive.com. Yes 2 years ago 2005

24th Feb 2005
1) The worst day of my life
2) Jehovah Jireh

24th April 2005
The Thin Envelope

It is very amazing when I search at the past articles the one that I jot down the past journey and thoughts of hoping to entering NUS.

The disappointment of missing the deadline to apply, the hope for able to apply despite missing the deadline and again the disappointment of being rejected. The ups and downs. From then on, I felt that the door were literally close and was not meant for me.

UniSIM opened up and I entered in and 2 years had passed. Never cross my mind that the joint program would open up and was given a chance to study in NUS for 1 semester. Do you know that history repeats itself when I tried to apply for NUS non graduating program? Horrible me.. i think i am so good at missing deadlines! About 2 months ago, UniSIM called me up and told me that they had not recieved the documents from me. The problem started because I had emailed them via my personal email account but instead they had emailed to my school email account thus I missed the deadline of submitting the documents. They gave me 1 day grace to prepare everything. Then more trouble came, I couldn't access my school email (i FORGOT my password!) to retrieve my documents and thus I cannot SUBMIT at all! My heart literally dropped and I thought forget it man. I missed the chance anyway before, so be it. By God's grace, UniSIM was super patient with me (very unsual), and gave me another 1 day grace. The whole school was waiting for me to submit ONLY. I was the problematic student who was 2 days late! I just can't stop grinning whenever I looked back. Haha.

After the submission was a success, NUS contacted me saying: "Your documents are not correct". I was really really fed up and thinking: I just want to study! Why can't you let me get in ?! Again I was given till to the end of October to submit. Being very last minute and also very busy @ work, I was super desperate on the last day because I need to go to the bank to get an authorized statement. MORE trouble was brewing away: The bank reply - "We need 1 Day to process." ONE DAY?! I have no MORE DAY to apply lar! Today was the last day!!! I nearly wanted to cry cos I really thought NUS hates me to core and never like me. Giving up hope...I wanted to really bang my head and cry, and you know what? The end of October is 31st not 30th. I had actually thought the deadline was 30th. I felt so unbelievable! Wasting NO MORE TIME, I rushed down to the bank and got it settled. By 31st October which was the actual deadline, I reached NUS and submit my application. Going to NUS was also another trouble cos I lost my way TWICE! I seriously think should I still study in NUS anot?!

10th Decemeber 2007
The mail came. Thick Envelope. I smiled =) I knew I had got it through. I opened up the envelope. I know was not the usual envelope that a fresh grad would recieve in their mail. Mine was probably thinner than them. But who cares? I got in. I got to study for 1 semester. So what is 1 semester? It is a dream that come true to me in another way. I am doing NUS next year for 1 semester for my electives. After 2 rejections, for the prayer, God gave me 1 semester in NUS. He answered 4 years later.

We often asked God why didn't you answer my prayer? Do you know how much those prayers means to us? But have you wondered for every unanswered prayer, a bigger and better plan is on its way to prosper you even more? Because our God is good and He plans to give us a hope and a future.

God's ways are better than man's ways. His thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

May my story of dream be an encouragement to all my friends.

Finally =)

Blessings of the Day: I completed my final assignment of the Year =) I think i did pretty well for the coding and just average for the report writing. Sigh don't they realize all programmers hate to write reports? We only know how to print screens hehe.. but anyway I am glad the load is finally off my shoulder. I just prayed I can clear this module and get the certification. Sometime life isn't about memorizing all the facts and information- Life can be to me is an open book exam. Answers cannot be found in the textbook or classroom. But I am thankful God is with me to help me overcome this life open book exam :P Praise Him

I have so much to write and I know i hadn't been writing. As mentioned, this blog is going to change soon. To something that reflects my thoughts and character

Many things are coming up in Year 2008. It is going to be an exciting year for me and Keegan. My thoughts are coming soon once this Christmas is over.

Blessed Christmas Everyone =)

Finishing Well for Year 2007 - Part 1

Counting down 23 days more to 2008.

Will be looking forward to accomplish a few more things before the Year 2007 whizzed by...

- Final ECA for the PHP module in 21st December
- Completion of 2 projects by Mid December and Last week of December
- Completion of the long long procastinated work by December
- Re-launch a new look for our website by 1st of Jan
- Re-launch a new look for my BlessedHaven by 1st of Jan
- Setting a time aside to reflect my life my business my studies my walk with God my relationships and more...

Results are going to release on the 21st December. *nervous*

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Blessings of The Day: We recieved great reviews on our project. Am really thankful for the wonderful group I had work with in this semester. Working with them was really fun, enjoyable and fruitful.

We are doing more editing before we submit this project for the Canon short film competition as the requirements are within 3 minutes.

B&W

which stands for Black and White