I thank God for...

1. Peace, love and joy in my family. Mom is fully recovered and back on her feet at work.

2. Talents, gifts & abilities with which to bless and serve others. As well as creativity and focus to pull ideas off. Above are pics of my virgin fisherman's pie (well received, I must say).

3. Opportunities in career and ministry, and capacity stretched!

4. Financial blessings through stocks, increment & bonus.

5. Completed my virgin marathon!

Most importantly, I thank Him that he's always my side, even when I was faithless.

Christmas 2007

1. Christmas with good ol' AC folks. Some things never change, yet things aren't quite the same ever. Was great catching up and hanging out till 4am. Till next year, guys!







2. Christmas at Chang's - Candlelight service was as beautiful as ever, so too the symbolic act of one person lighting another's candle. I teared - yes I did - as I was reminded of that night divine and more so, because of the burden for friends yet touched. Merry Christmas indeed, to one and all.

Back from Phuket

Spent 3 nights on Koh Yao Noi at The Paradise. Snorkelling, tanning, lazing, spa-ing, breakfast-binging, island exploring, relaxing...

Wonderful place :)

View pics here.

Wisdom in photography

Wise sayings by Mr Hui from PSS photography class:
1. You're not taking a picture, you're creating a picture.

2. Don't follow what everyone else's doing; do what you do best with what you have.

Keep On Keeping On

Completed my virgin 42K in 5 hours this morning - it's on target and I'm satisfied :)

As CNA put it: Just crossing the line was a big enough prize.

The last 12K took a lot out of me though - cramps in the quadriceps and calves later left me hobbling along (yes I shoulda trained properly). Even the final 5km seemed so near yet so far, and Deep Heat can only do so much.

It was humbling to be overtaken by uncles and younger girls. But it was entertaining to read fellow runners who had scrawled their "Reason to Run" behind:

Most amusing - "Have you even seen the fuel prices recently?"
Most meaningful - "What's 42K compared to carrying a baby for 9months? To my wife and 6mth old son."
Most thought-provoking - "Each run is preparation for the next."

All in all, I thank God for His strength and protection, and for the grace to run this race.

Next year's possible target: 4h15min with running buddies

Giving

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.

Pierre Corneille (1606-1684),the founder of French tragedy

Story Telling, WOOT!

Fray Issue 1

It's the new Fray.com - featuring a book published every quarter.

For some reason, I just keep coming back to this site every once in a while. Perhaps there's a closet story-teller in me...

Jesus loves, doesn't He?

Lead Me to the Cross
By Hillsong United

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemptions hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I
Tempted and trialed
You are
The word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you're risen

To your heart
To your heart
Lead me to your heart
Lead me to your heart

Merry Littleness

As we practised carols in the office today (bosses were away) and sang "Have yourself a merry little Christmas now," it struck me:

One, it's Christmas. Two, I'm single - still.

Hate to start the "I wish somebody wants me" track, but it's true isn't it? Deep down, we all want somebody and for that somebody to want us back.

Then there's the personal stock-taking of goals, achievements and unfulfilled desires. And that same desparate cry for vision and direction.

How many more birthdays, events, crises, ups & downs must one experience before the end is nigh?

For out of the heart springs the issues of life (Pro 4:23 paraphrased).

Do something before this year ends. Something different and meaningful. Something you're meant to do.

Quick.

Grate precedes Greater

One aphorism really struck me today...

En commute, I wondered what more might come to pass before the year ends. And there it was, your attitude determines your altitude.

Compounding that, Maxwell reminded that change isn't comfortable, but building influence and gaining leadership certainly demands change.

In the past 10 days, I worried about money and fought emotions within. When family meets (and needs) money, what's the right attitude? Where can the line be drawn?

Who's your role model today?

Great people talk about ideas, average people talk about themselves, and small people talk about others.

Adapted from Fran Lebowitz, American writer (b. 1950)

Renew Anew

New boss, new perspective, energy renewed.

New cubicle, new colleagues, challenges anew.

New burden, new opportunity, friends not-so-new.

Punggol not so lovely

Inspired by photos I saw of obscure sites in Punggol, I awoke real early this morning and followed the route described - only to be thwarted by vegetation and a sense of caution.

Hmph.

Made my way to Punggol beach instead, but already missed the sunrise. When I spied a beautiful patch of lallang, was thwarted again - by a stray dog feeling territorial.





Thankfully on my way home, I spotted the LRT line and snapped some more.

Satiated, I am.

View the full pics here.

Tolong

Walked from Bugis to Peninsula today and separately encountered 2 people asking for money, both english-speaking and middle-aged. One wanted food but only from the food court and not the nearby kopitiam. The other wanted bit of transport money to get home. Would you give any of them?

Begging aside, discovered a myriad of old charms near Albert Center - from pungent dried goods to an old cobbler making women's shoes to hokkien baskers. Too bad didn't have my camera on hand.

Headline Flipping

Mephistopheles flying over Wittenberg, in a lithograph by Eugène Delacroix.

1. Magic Kingdom tragically illusory

Read about the failed Island Resort and Singaporeans losing their investments amounting to $1M in total. Pity.

As a matter of fact, a friend was roping me a few years back into the same MLM company when the marketing plan was being rolled out.

Phew!

2. Engineered to eat rice

Genetics (or epigenetics) made me do it, goes the common cry. Hmmm...

3. Videotape by Radio

When I'm at the pearly gates
This'll be on my videotape
My videotape
My videotape

When Mephistopheles is just beneath
And he's reaching up to grab me

This is one for the good days
And I have it all here
In red blue green
In red blue green

You are my center when I spin away
Out of control on videotape
On videotape(x6)

This is my way of saying goodbye
Because I can't do it face to face
So I'm talking to you before it's too late

No matter what happens now
I shouldn't be afraid
Because I know today has been the most perfect day I've ever seen.

Search Me, Know Me, Lead Me

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;

Psalm 139:7-12

Faith, Love, Ideology, and the lack thereof

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
or the LORD upholds him with His hand.
Psalm 37:23-24

What makes a mature response? One of fortitude, surely.

Talk is certainly cheap - instead, values and qualities are to be lived, not just talked about.

And I've found myself lacking...

Tonight:
- dinner at tucked away cafe in Far East
- fantastical movie Stardust
- conversations about love, murder and war.

Movie was greatly entertaining! But left me love-despondent...

Archifest - Tours included!

Click here for more.

Hickory Dickory Dock

Tussling unseen, egos flutter.

Transition unfolds, followers matter?

Teams congeal, habits fetter.

Truth bizarre, throw letter.

Band-aid