17:18.
About 42 minutes before knock-off time. Well, technically, I get off at 530 but this is the end of my second week and I only ever had one end-at-530 day so far. And it's not just 'cause I wait for my baby, who gets off at 6. Most times, I had work to do. There were even a few times when he had to wait for me.
I would be glad when this work week is over. The amount of work has been quite whew even as I am very thankful that I feel so at home here despite it being my second week and my unfamilarity with some of the workload.
I am looking forward to the weekend and praying that the moving process would go fine. The apartment's considered quite basic so I'd have to furnish it myself. The fridge bit is a bit of a bother - Do I pay rm500 for a new one-door fridge and they deliver it straight to me? Or do I go scout for second-hand ones and pay probably at least rm100 for them to lorry it to me?
I'm going to forgo buying a washing machine. Any way, most of my stuff seems to require hand washing and I rather spend the money on maybe a cheap sofa.
I'm looking forward to the moving in though though it has been awesome at Ray's with great home-cooked dinners, family atmosphere and great banter. I think I've fallen into the routine of waking up early, showering, getting ready then going down to brekkie (Ray would have made coffee) while reading papers, making sure I wash my mug a bit earlier so I can go upstairs to grab my bag, come down, grab a Vitamin C and a bottle of water, take my heels as I walk from door to car where my love would already be at, and then wear my heels in the car, put on lipstick and then sunnies as he drives us to work.
A very nice routine, yes, and we would banter and sing praise songs playing on the car's stereo and get to work 15 minutes later, park and walk to the office. Going home would be similiar. It always feels so nice to walk to the car together, drive home. We would get back, talk a bit to Ray's folks, go upstairs to change and then come down for maybe a bit of TV then dinner followed by some more family-round-the-tv time.
I still don't understand Canto dramas or the Malay news but it's a nice way to slow down the day.
But that said, yeah, I am looking forward to moving to this weekend's move-in. There was something very nice about the clean, open, airy apartment when we saw it on Wed evening. And there is something even nicer about furnishing it (however on a budget I am) with my boyfriend.
This is a new life and I am determined to live.
That's what we are all supposed for - We are meant to live.
So though these two days came with a few episodes of I-need-to-catch-my-breath, it's all really cool. Maybe the catching my breath is all natural reaction akin to how little birds feel when they first are pushed or leap off out of the nest to learn to fly.
Haircut tomw, dim sum on Sunday, cleaning up apt on Sat, moving furnishings in on Sat, Sun or Mon as and when we get them and moving my stuff over on Mon latest.
It's going to be a full weekend but it's going to be good.
I'm glad.
:)
Friday, April 28, 2006
Thursday, April 27, 2006
14:58.
My mind just got blown away by the ways of God.
A RM30,000 cheque just arrived in the mail!
The ministry had been in the red for quite a while. When I came in, we were still RM60,000 in the red and it is a figure that has been stagnant for quite a while. Before I even started work officially, I was drafting letters to supporters to update them on what's going on with us as well as honestly admit our financial state and ask them to support us if they can.
It has been way over three weeks since the first batch of letters went out. And it was only last week that the first cheque (for RM100) arrived. I was glad to just see a response and by faith, said that it is just the start for more. Yesterday, more more cheques arrived (RM300 and RM400) and today, someone placed a letter to the admin staff. I thought it was her paycheque so just averted my eyes politely and continued with my work. Then she tells me it's a cheque for RM30,000.
Like phwoarrr.
That is not a small sum at all!
And it came with a note without a name - just a sign-off of "a sister in Christ".
I mean, phwoarrrr.
Dad! You are awesome!
*jumps around*
My mind just got blown away by the ways of God.
A RM30,000 cheque just arrived in the mail!
The ministry had been in the red for quite a while. When I came in, we were still RM60,000 in the red and it is a figure that has been stagnant for quite a while. Before I even started work officially, I was drafting letters to supporters to update them on what's going on with us as well as honestly admit our financial state and ask them to support us if they can.
It has been way over three weeks since the first batch of letters went out. And it was only last week that the first cheque (for RM100) arrived. I was glad to just see a response and by faith, said that it is just the start for more. Yesterday, more more cheques arrived (RM300 and RM400) and today, someone placed a letter to the admin staff. I thought it was her paycheque so just averted my eyes politely and continued with my work. Then she tells me it's a cheque for RM30,000.
Like phwoarrr.
That is not a small sum at all!
And it came with a note without a name - just a sign-off of "a sister in Christ".
I mean, phwoarrrr.
Dad! You are awesome!
*jumps around*
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
12:56.
Am in the office now waiting to go to lunch. My colleague is figuring out the paperwork she got to take to the auditor later, some real estate agents (the ministry is housed in the chairperson's real estate company to save rental costs) are on my left behind the cubicle wall and I'm chatting with my baby who's physically only just downstairs.
The boss' big office is at the end of the corridor to my right, where I'm sitted now in a temporary place kind of in the alsie before the carpenter gets done a table for me that will fit perfectly into the existing space.
It is my 2nd week of work and yesterday, I handed to the chairperson the marketing plan. I should be going to the Singapore office on the 10th of next month so I can nose around and find out how they operate there so we can adopt any thing useful.
Tomorrow, I will get the keys to my apartment and this long weekend, I'll move in with the aid of my ever-lovin', ever-helpful boyfriend.
I had a sudden craving for my beloved bak chor mee just now. I want a mee kiat dry with extra chili and extra vinegar and just fishballs and mushrooms please. Oh man, I love that dish. Heh.
That said, another random: I had the best Ramly burger ever in my life last evening when we packed one on way home. It was rm3.20 for a double ayam burger and the guy who made it was a genius. How on earth he made the patty crispy-ish on the outside with the grill, pepper and some brown sauce I suspected was teriyaki I have no idea, just that it was gorgeous, juicy with a sweet tinge and the bread was properly buttered and nicely grilled too. Like yummmy yummm yummm. Puts every Ramly burger stall in Sg pasar malams to shame, me say. I mean, like yummmmmm.
Er, I think I should go for lunch now. Heh.
Am in the office now waiting to go to lunch. My colleague is figuring out the paperwork she got to take to the auditor later, some real estate agents (the ministry is housed in the chairperson's real estate company to save rental costs) are on my left behind the cubicle wall and I'm chatting with my baby who's physically only just downstairs.
The boss' big office is at the end of the corridor to my right, where I'm sitted now in a temporary place kind of in the alsie before the carpenter gets done a table for me that will fit perfectly into the existing space.
It is my 2nd week of work and yesterday, I handed to the chairperson the marketing plan. I should be going to the Singapore office on the 10th of next month so I can nose around and find out how they operate there so we can adopt any thing useful.
Tomorrow, I will get the keys to my apartment and this long weekend, I'll move in with the aid of my ever-lovin', ever-helpful boyfriend.
I had a sudden craving for my beloved bak chor mee just now. I want a mee kiat dry with extra chili and extra vinegar and just fishballs and mushrooms please. Oh man, I love that dish. Heh.
That said, another random: I had the best Ramly burger ever in my life last evening when we packed one on way home. It was rm3.20 for a double ayam burger and the guy who made it was a genius. How on earth he made the patty crispy-ish on the outside with the grill, pepper and some brown sauce I suspected was teriyaki I have no idea, just that it was gorgeous, juicy with a sweet tinge and the bread was properly buttered and nicely grilled too. Like yummmy yummm yummm. Puts every Ramly burger stall in Sg pasar malams to shame, me say. I mean, like yummmmmm.
Er, I think I should go for lunch now. Heh.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
16:43
Thanks to Germie for the heads-up - Christianity: The Brand, an interesting profile of a Christian PR man in NYT.
Thanks to Germie for the heads-up - Christianity: The Brand, an interesting profile of a Christian PR man in NYT.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
17:32.
I started a SWOT Analysis and 4 Ps report on the ministry yesterday afternoon and am about just all marketed out right now at pg 6 of everything. Finished the SWOT this morning and am about half way through the 4Ps. Spent lots of time and typing space on the Publicity bit. Tomorrow, there's a committee meeting at 10.30am with the Sg WorldTeach director who is also the Asia-Pac director. I'm supposed to shoot off a list of questions at the guy so we can learn how they run the ministry there so I've been polishing up the agenda a bit more today while acting like a big sponge, absorbing every thing I can about the ministry and our products. Then, hopefully, I can go out to a bookshop and conduct some field research to finish up the 4Ps proper.
Like I said, I'm about all marketted out right now but even as the eyes glazes over and goes all beary, it's pretty good beary, heh.
But I'm quite glad I didn't take up the offer to accompany a pastor to drive 5 hours to JB on Sat to observe him conduct a seminar. Though I do have to settle a change of dates in my visit back.
Heh, beautiful irony that I am all checking out marketing sites, reminding myself to bring Intro To Marketing, my textbook from poly the next time I go back, and all mind racing furiously and fingers flying producing a marketing plan four years after I graduated and hoped never to do marketing related matters.
Interestingly, Dad has a sense of humour and better grasp of situations than yours truly.
On Monday, as I sat on the chair where I now sit in the office, waiting for the only other full-time staff to come in, God helped me see something I never did.
See, my beef with advertising has always been that they often create needs in order to sell their products. Thus, life becomes like product centered with imaginary needs we subscribed to due to good advertising efforts.
But now, this, marketing a ministry, helping a God-thing get to its feet the best humanly possible (and God does every thing else we can't even as He helps us do what we can), it's not about creating a need.
It's about making yourself known so you can plug that very real need.
Nothing imaginary. Not creating a need so you can sell a product but selling your product so that people can use it to plug their need and improve their lives.
If that's not worth marketing, I don't know what is.
And if for this, I cross over from journalist to marketeer, then heck, here I am, use me.
Please. amen
I started a SWOT Analysis and 4 Ps report on the ministry yesterday afternoon and am about just all marketed out right now at pg 6 of everything. Finished the SWOT this morning and am about half way through the 4Ps. Spent lots of time and typing space on the Publicity bit. Tomorrow, there's a committee meeting at 10.30am with the Sg WorldTeach director who is also the Asia-Pac director. I'm supposed to shoot off a list of questions at the guy so we can learn how they run the ministry there so I've been polishing up the agenda a bit more today while acting like a big sponge, absorbing every thing I can about the ministry and our products. Then, hopefully, I can go out to a bookshop and conduct some field research to finish up the 4Ps proper.
Like I said, I'm about all marketted out right now but even as the eyes glazes over and goes all beary, it's pretty good beary, heh.
But I'm quite glad I didn't take up the offer to accompany a pastor to drive 5 hours to JB on Sat to observe him conduct a seminar. Though I do have to settle a change of dates in my visit back.
Heh, beautiful irony that I am all checking out marketing sites, reminding myself to bring Intro To Marketing, my textbook from poly the next time I go back, and all mind racing furiously and fingers flying producing a marketing plan four years after I graduated and hoped never to do marketing related matters.
Interestingly, Dad has a sense of humour and better grasp of situations than yours truly.
On Monday, as I sat on the chair where I now sit in the office, waiting for the only other full-time staff to come in, God helped me see something I never did.
See, my beef with advertising has always been that they often create needs in order to sell their products. Thus, life becomes like product centered with imaginary needs we subscribed to due to good advertising efforts.
But now, this, marketing a ministry, helping a God-thing get to its feet the best humanly possible (and God does every thing else we can't even as He helps us do what we can), it's not about creating a need.
It's about making yourself known so you can plug that very real need.
Nothing imaginary. Not creating a need so you can sell a product but selling your product so that people can use it to plug their need and improve their lives.
If that's not worth marketing, I don't know what is.
And if for this, I cross over from journalist to marketeer, then heck, here I am, use me.
Please. amen
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
17:08.
Saw this via charpinkie's lj. It's a photojournalist's chronicle of a terminally ill bride-to-be, her husband who loved her since he was 11 and the days before their marriage. I teared at the end. Respectfully, skillfully crafted tales like these of real people with real stories still remain inspiration for why I wanted to be a journalist. They also still remain wonderful testimonies to what journalism can be and the sort of journalism I would want to do.
For now though, I tell stories through my life and blog and seek to help write life stories by trying to tell people of the greatness of our God and the ever-full, ever-better, ever-hopeful life we are able to live.
For now, I try to do through my writing, me, and - the two's connecting glue - God something simple yet life changingly vital to life. I try to tell people that God has handed all of us a platter of the best things possible but we need to see the contents. Why only ever see and eat the spinach when there are seafood, wagyu beef, antipasto and the best ever gourmet delicacies created on your platter? I try to tell people that there's more to life and more to God and you are meant to experience the former as you run for the latter.
And I try, not very eloquently, to tell people that running for God is not a chore but the best thing to do in life.
Was watching a DVD yesterday (my first work task of my first day of work) and the pastor described something very well.
It's the inventor of an invention who knows fully the purpose of the invention. Imagine what a whatchamacallit the bulb must had looked like to everyone when it was first unveiled by Thomas Edison.
"What's it for?" They must had asked.
What are we here for? So we human beings ask with the understanding we possess.
Instead of all the look-into-yourself, ommmmm-yoga-bit, you should ask your inventor, your creator. You should look outside of you 'cause you, the created, can never on your own completely understand fully your purpose.
That was a bit of a tangent from this post but a powerful nugget.
I'm enjoying work so far. Had a meeting yesterday with the committee members - two pastors, the other full-time staff who handles mostly admin and accounts and my boss, the acting national director of the ministry.
Before the meeting, my boss told little old me that he wants me to sit on the committee (mind you, I'm not on the board, just committee) :)
Lots of things were discussed, there are lots to do and I have a steep learning curve but I'm enjoying it.
Would post more soon.
And thank God, the fever that has been following me very warmly and heavily around the last three days let up today.
God is good, as always, and my baby is here now, waiting for me to knock off (worked a half hour later today so our knock off times concided) so we can get into the little green getz and get back home.
It's good.
:)
Saw this via charpinkie's lj. It's a photojournalist's chronicle of a terminally ill bride-to-be, her husband who loved her since he was 11 and the days before their marriage. I teared at the end. Respectfully, skillfully crafted tales like these of real people with real stories still remain inspiration for why I wanted to be a journalist. They also still remain wonderful testimonies to what journalism can be and the sort of journalism I would want to do.
For now though, I tell stories through my life and blog and seek to help write life stories by trying to tell people of the greatness of our God and the ever-full, ever-better, ever-hopeful life we are able to live.
For now, I try to do through my writing, me, and - the two's connecting glue - God something simple yet life changingly vital to life. I try to tell people that God has handed all of us a platter of the best things possible but we need to see the contents. Why only ever see and eat the spinach when there are seafood, wagyu beef, antipasto and the best ever gourmet delicacies created on your platter? I try to tell people that there's more to life and more to God and you are meant to experience the former as you run for the latter.
And I try, not very eloquently, to tell people that running for God is not a chore but the best thing to do in life.
Was watching a DVD yesterday (my first work task of my first day of work) and the pastor described something very well.
It's the inventor of an invention who knows fully the purpose of the invention. Imagine what a whatchamacallit the bulb must had looked like to everyone when it was first unveiled by Thomas Edison.
"What's it for?" They must had asked.
What are we here for? So we human beings ask with the understanding we possess.
Instead of all the look-into-yourself, ommmmm-yoga-bit, you should ask your inventor, your creator. You should look outside of you 'cause you, the created, can never on your own completely understand fully your purpose.
That was a bit of a tangent from this post but a powerful nugget.
I'm enjoying work so far. Had a meeting yesterday with the committee members - two pastors, the other full-time staff who handles mostly admin and accounts and my boss, the acting national director of the ministry.
Before the meeting, my boss told little old me that he wants me to sit on the committee (mind you, I'm not on the board, just committee) :)
Lots of things were discussed, there are lots to do and I have a steep learning curve but I'm enjoying it.
Would post more soon.
And thank God, the fever that has been following me very warmly and heavily around the last three days let up today.
God is good, as always, and my baby is here now, waiting for me to knock off (worked a half hour later today so our knock off times concided) so we can get into the little green getz and get back home.
It's good.
:)
Thursday, April 13, 2006
12:47.
Am I scared?
Whew, I could very well get very much so.
I signed the 1-year contract for my apartment this morning. The initial payment's 1 month deposit (bond), 2 months advanced rent (1 is for May and 1 is the perpetual advanced 1-month payment), half month rent deposit for utilities and rm200 for the contract. My monthly rent is rm900. So all in all, that comes up to rm3350.
Like whew, eh?
I arrived in PJ on Sunday and spent Monday and Tuesday apartment hunting. Ray's mom and dad helped a great deal, driving me and accompanying Ray and myself.
In the end, it was down to two places - A studio apt (living room and one bedroom, 400+ sqft) costing rm800 monthly rent and the one I took - A 2rooms, 1 study room (otherwise known as a 2 + 1) unit. The studio was completely bare with only lights and two fans. The 2 + 1 has lightings, window grills and curtain snaps, two fans, a heater, full kitchen cabinet and stove (a rarity) and was a floor higher.
Both are condos. Good security is high on my list of wants. And I can walk to work in less than 10 minutes from my apt so I don't need to worry about directions and me being a non-driver unfamiliar with local roads and public transport.
And with the 2+1, my parents and whoever visits can hv a room of their own (I can only furnish it very barely though, I reckon). My folks can wander ard the safe condo compound and go swimming or something if I am at work. That's very important to me - That they have a nice and safe place to stay at when they visit.
rm900 is pretty steep. In comparative terms to the studio, it's not. And for the classy, central location (touted to be the IT place now and coming up), it's a good deal. But yeah, against my salary, it's a big chunk.
*coughs*
Am I freaked out?
I could be, very much so if I allow myself.
But God is good. I have been here for only four days before I confirmed the place I wanted. When Ray's at work, his mom drives me out for lunch and we get along well (she even opened up all the kitchen cabinets just now to give me dishes and cups I can use for my apt); I have a place to stay while the apt handover is prepared (prob can only move in on the week of the 24th but do pray I can get the keys earlier); I still have savings though my account has taken a big dip (thank God for Progress Pck, heh); Ray is a dear, driving me around in the evenings though he worked all day (we had to hit four banks last night before I found one Maybank that takes my credit card); my folks in Sg are fine and good and supportive... et cetera et cetera et cetera.
I have much to give thanks for.
And I reckon it is easy to miss seeing the purpose of why I am doing all these when big commitments like housing and this whole moving here seem to jump out at me when I open this new door to this new life... God help me keep focus.
And as for the scarlies, I would be scared if I am on my own but I am not. And see, Jesus' blood never failed me.
My God has never failed me ever.
And so I won't ask what I am doing moving to a country where I earn a currency weaker than my native's dollar, I won't ask what I am doing upping and leaving again when every up and leave affects me, I won't ask what I am going to do next time and demand to see my life's map now. 'cause though I don't know, I do know that as long as I stay in Jesus Christ's will and arms, I am always very safe and secure.
Have you ever heard the old hymn, I Don't Know About Tomorrow, in Mandarin?
The chorus goes:
wo shui ren bu da de ming pai
ming tian shou you de shi qi
dan wo zhi shui zhang guang ming tian
wo ye zhi shui jian wo shou
Translated, it kind of goes:
Though I don't really understand
the things tomorrow holds
but I know who guards tomorrow
and I know who holds my hand
Jesus' blood never fails me.
I refuse to be scared. When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. What price, this? What trial, this? Far greater has befell women and men of God who has gone before me and far more has been shed and given up on the altar for the love of God.
I am but one but with Him on my side, I am many.
I have many to give thanks for.
Am I scared?
I have no reason to be.
Am I scared?
Whew, I could very well get very much so.
I signed the 1-year contract for my apartment this morning. The initial payment's 1 month deposit (bond), 2 months advanced rent (1 is for May and 1 is the perpetual advanced 1-month payment), half month rent deposit for utilities and rm200 for the contract. My monthly rent is rm900. So all in all, that comes up to rm3350.
Like whew, eh?
I arrived in PJ on Sunday and spent Monday and Tuesday apartment hunting. Ray's mom and dad helped a great deal, driving me and accompanying Ray and myself.
In the end, it was down to two places - A studio apt (living room and one bedroom, 400+ sqft) costing rm800 monthly rent and the one I took - A 2rooms, 1 study room (otherwise known as a 2 + 1) unit. The studio was completely bare with only lights and two fans. The 2 + 1 has lightings, window grills and curtain snaps, two fans, a heater, full kitchen cabinet and stove (a rarity) and was a floor higher.
Both are condos. Good security is high on my list of wants. And I can walk to work in less than 10 minutes from my apt so I don't need to worry about directions and me being a non-driver unfamiliar with local roads and public transport.
And with the 2+1, my parents and whoever visits can hv a room of their own (I can only furnish it very barely though, I reckon). My folks can wander ard the safe condo compound and go swimming or something if I am at work. That's very important to me - That they have a nice and safe place to stay at when they visit.
rm900 is pretty steep. In comparative terms to the studio, it's not. And for the classy, central location (touted to be the IT place now and coming up), it's a good deal. But yeah, against my salary, it's a big chunk.
*coughs*
Am I freaked out?
I could be, very much so if I allow myself.
But God is good. I have been here for only four days before I confirmed the place I wanted. When Ray's at work, his mom drives me out for lunch and we get along well (she even opened up all the kitchen cabinets just now to give me dishes and cups I can use for my apt); I have a place to stay while the apt handover is prepared (prob can only move in on the week of the 24th but do pray I can get the keys earlier); I still have savings though my account has taken a big dip (thank God for Progress Pck, heh); Ray is a dear, driving me around in the evenings though he worked all day (we had to hit four banks last night before I found one Maybank that takes my credit card); my folks in Sg are fine and good and supportive... et cetera et cetera et cetera.
I have much to give thanks for.
And I reckon it is easy to miss seeing the purpose of why I am doing all these when big commitments like housing and this whole moving here seem to jump out at me when I open this new door to this new life... God help me keep focus.
And as for the scarlies, I would be scared if I am on my own but I am not. And see, Jesus' blood never failed me.
My God has never failed me ever.
And so I won't ask what I am doing moving to a country where I earn a currency weaker than my native's dollar, I won't ask what I am doing upping and leaving again when every up and leave affects me, I won't ask what I am going to do next time and demand to see my life's map now. 'cause though I don't know, I do know that as long as I stay in Jesus Christ's will and arms, I am always very safe and secure.
Have you ever heard the old hymn, I Don't Know About Tomorrow, in Mandarin?
The chorus goes:
wo shui ren bu da de ming pai
ming tian shou you de shi qi
dan wo zhi shui zhang guang ming tian
wo ye zhi shui jian wo shou
Translated, it kind of goes:
Though I don't really understand
the things tomorrow holds
but I know who guards tomorrow
and I know who holds my hand
Jesus' blood never fails me.
I refuse to be scared. When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. What price, this? What trial, this? Far greater has befell women and men of God who has gone before me and far more has been shed and given up on the altar for the love of God.
I am but one but with Him on my side, I am many.
I have many to give thanks for.
Am I scared?
I have no reason to be.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Monday, April 03, 2006
13:04.
Hallo goodbye.
When I quit my job, I had no idea what was next. Whether I was supposed to go Malaysia or stay in Singapore, whether I was supposed to just look for another job related to the industry or if the doors of full-time or even just Christian companies would open.
Step by step, God has shown me the way. Though the light was enough for only where my feet trod, He always shone more light as I walked on.
On Sunday, I will be taking a bus up to KL again. R a y will arrive on Sat so he can help me move my things up too. And it has been a while since he came and we miss him :)
But yes, come Sunday, I start a new phase of my life. A new chapter in the continuous calling upon life. A friend asked me yesterday if I think "calling" is for just a specific period, I told her I believe I was called before I was born and "calling" is a straight line throughout all my life which bring me from place to place and position to position at just the right time - If I obey. If I don't, I'd be haunted by feeling like my life is second-best even though God can still bless me and I can still serve Him.
But ok, back to the logistics of the moving of a life.
I'll be joining Worldteach fulltime and I still remain awed at the idea that God can just open the door to a full-time ministry just like that. And how sweet is Dad - He provided three doors so I could choose to walk through this door or not.
Well, I've made the choice and will commit to it for this season.
I'll be leaving on the 9th, giving myself a week to prayerfully and hopefully settle the accomodation or at least make good progress, then starting work at Worldteach on the 17th.
I still don't know what lies ahead but I think day-by-day and year-by-year these days. No grand 5-year plans. I know that it is at least for this year that Malaysia is my calling. Where we go from there, I don't know... yet.
But there's that feeling of life that is so awesome I'm stunned. Stunned by its quietness and dignity and enveloping realness. I know choosing the job with the lowest pay does not mean I will starve - That God will provide and God willing, I'd be able to freelance on editting and writting to supplement the (yes) pay in ringgit. That God will provide me with the best accomodation and even as I eye the unfamiliar path ahead, He will never ever let me go and will make my paths straight.
"Hold me/ Never let me go/ Change me/ I want the world to know/ You are living in me/ God I know/ You'll never let me go"
I don't want to ever be complacent and I know I need to be always challenged to give it up and move once it is discerned to be God's call. I don't believe that means I will never have a place to settle in for long, it just means I will go where He sends or I want to always do that.
You hear heaps of talk about the commitments of life. And me, I have only not too long ago learnt commitment in a deeper way. When I quit my job and talk about the conviction of God, I heard many older folks tell me it's good - 'cause they felt God called them too "last time when they were young" but they never did it.
I remember a story of some author/ pastor - How he was on the plane reading God's Generals and the old gent next to him asked what he was reading. He replied and used Smith Wigglesworth as an eg of who the book profiles. To his shock and horror, the old gent started crying. And later, confessed that he was a contemporary of Wigglesworth, except that when they were young and both received the call, Wigglesworth obeyed and he did not.
I don't know when I would get used, or ever would get used, to packing up a life and moving somewhere. But through the melancholy and surrealness, there's a rooted conviction that the required momentary adjustment nary brings down the gloriousness in the big scheme of things.
I got sentimental over the weekend in church thinking how I have been in the band for 10 years and now I'm moving on without knowing when next I might return to His Sanctuary as a member again. I reckon if God calls us back to Sg one day, His Sanctuary may not be where we get called back to. The band leader offered that I can play any time I come back if I want to which is nice to know but I would have to work out whether I may feel like that's somewhat tou li dai shui or bu san bu si what with my liking of neat finishes and starting, closure and such. I'd be drumming end of the month though when I come back with R a y for a hol (making use of Msia's only Mon public hol this year on May 1) 'cause she told me there are no other drummers who can take over.
And I'm spending much time with my lovely bed since I won't be using it much next time. Heh.
On Friday, I finally told my busy brother his only sister is moving next week. We get along well and I love him loads but we talk easier over random things like comics, shows, work and IT compared to serious stuff in life so he simply just listened. Before I told him, I was asking him why he had not borrowed more Marvel comics from the library and he said he was very tired and busy. Then I told him I was moving. And on Saturday, I returned home from band pract to a stack of Marvel, Foxtrot and Dilbert :) I love my bro, his name is John but not a So. (yes, I still check my Aussie news among other countries')
Today is my chill out day. It's really lovely how your home allows you to vegetate and enjoy a day of reading comics, papers, and surfing (online) without complaints or any thing. My folks are gorgeous, I know.
Will start on the packing soon.
Have a good Monday, folks.
Hallo goodbye.
When I quit my job, I had no idea what was next. Whether I was supposed to go Malaysia or stay in Singapore, whether I was supposed to just look for another job related to the industry or if the doors of full-time or even just Christian companies would open.
Step by step, God has shown me the way. Though the light was enough for only where my feet trod, He always shone more light as I walked on.
On Sunday, I will be taking a bus up to KL again. R a y will arrive on Sat so he can help me move my things up too. And it has been a while since he came and we miss him :)
But yes, come Sunday, I start a new phase of my life. A new chapter in the continuous calling upon life. A friend asked me yesterday if I think "calling" is for just a specific period, I told her I believe I was called before I was born and "calling" is a straight line throughout all my life which bring me from place to place and position to position at just the right time - If I obey. If I don't, I'd be haunted by feeling like my life is second-best even though God can still bless me and I can still serve Him.
But ok, back to the logistics of the moving of a life.
I'll be joining Worldteach fulltime and I still remain awed at the idea that God can just open the door to a full-time ministry just like that. And how sweet is Dad - He provided three doors so I could choose to walk through this door or not.
Well, I've made the choice and will commit to it for this season.
I'll be leaving on the 9th, giving myself a week to prayerfully and hopefully settle the accomodation or at least make good progress, then starting work at Worldteach on the 17th.
I still don't know what lies ahead but I think day-by-day and year-by-year these days. No grand 5-year plans. I know that it is at least for this year that Malaysia is my calling. Where we go from there, I don't know... yet.
But there's that feeling of life that is so awesome I'm stunned. Stunned by its quietness and dignity and enveloping realness. I know choosing the job with the lowest pay does not mean I will starve - That God will provide and God willing, I'd be able to freelance on editting and writting to supplement the (yes) pay in ringgit. That God will provide me with the best accomodation and even as I eye the unfamiliar path ahead, He will never ever let me go and will make my paths straight.
"Hold me/ Never let me go/ Change me/ I want the world to know/ You are living in me/ God I know/ You'll never let me go"
I don't want to ever be complacent and I know I need to be always challenged to give it up and move once it is discerned to be God's call. I don't believe that means I will never have a place to settle in for long, it just means I will go where He sends or I want to always do that.
You hear heaps of talk about the commitments of life. And me, I have only not too long ago learnt commitment in a deeper way. When I quit my job and talk about the conviction of God, I heard many older folks tell me it's good - 'cause they felt God called them too "last time when they were young" but they never did it.
I remember a story of some author/ pastor - How he was on the plane reading God's Generals and the old gent next to him asked what he was reading. He replied and used Smith Wigglesworth as an eg of who the book profiles. To his shock and horror, the old gent started crying. And later, confessed that he was a contemporary of Wigglesworth, except that when they were young and both received the call, Wigglesworth obeyed and he did not.
I don't know when I would get used, or ever would get used, to packing up a life and moving somewhere. But through the melancholy and surrealness, there's a rooted conviction that the required momentary adjustment nary brings down the gloriousness in the big scheme of things.
I got sentimental over the weekend in church thinking how I have been in the band for 10 years and now I'm moving on without knowing when next I might return to His Sanctuary as a member again. I reckon if God calls us back to Sg one day, His Sanctuary may not be where we get called back to. The band leader offered that I can play any time I come back if I want to which is nice to know but I would have to work out whether I may feel like that's somewhat tou li dai shui or bu san bu si what with my liking of neat finishes and starting, closure and such. I'd be drumming end of the month though when I come back with R a y for a hol (making use of Msia's only Mon public hol this year on May 1) 'cause she told me there are no other drummers who can take over.
And I'm spending much time with my lovely bed since I won't be using it much next time. Heh.
On Friday, I finally told my busy brother his only sister is moving next week. We get along well and I love him loads but we talk easier over random things like comics, shows, work and IT compared to serious stuff in life so he simply just listened. Before I told him, I was asking him why he had not borrowed more Marvel comics from the library and he said he was very tired and busy. Then I told him I was moving. And on Saturday, I returned home from band pract to a stack of Marvel, Foxtrot and Dilbert :) I love my bro, his name is John but not a So. (yes, I still check my Aussie news among other countries')
Today is my chill out day. It's really lovely how your home allows you to vegetate and enjoy a day of reading comics, papers, and surfing (online) without complaints or any thing. My folks are gorgeous, I know.
Will start on the packing soon.
Have a good Monday, folks.
