Whatever little Hokkien dialect I know is rusty, so it's a shame I can't converse more with my grandma. It's a little sad to see she doesn't walk as spryly as she once did.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
My Amah
My grandma and aunt came for a visit to Singapore and was glad I could offer them my place to stay.
Post a Comment
Monday, December 27, 2010
The glory of the ministry of righteousness
In a few days time, the group of young people in London will be headed to Cornwall for New Year's. My heart aches to be with them, but I have no regrets coming to Singapore.
Jono and Penny Choo-Choo. Pitstop on our way to Cornwall. I only thank God I had the chance to share a wonderful 2 years plus getting to know these people.
I'm kind of glad I spent Christmas day alone because I managed to spend some time reflecting the last 12 months. It felt incredible that a year has passed since the last Cornwall trip. The Cornwall trip last year was immensely special to me in so many ways.
I nearly hate Martin's thin face. It makes my own so obviously round! Words cannot express how much I treasure my friendship with Martin.
A year ago in Cornwall, it was a celebration of friendships. More, it was a celebration of God's overflowing goodness in our lives; in my life.
I think... I really do think, we were forced to listen to a speech Jono was making before he would allow us have dinner!
It is a time, place, friendships that can't be easily re-created and I simply thank God that I had that. I didn't want to leave it behind but I thank God because He has taught me the only way to hold on to it, is to let it go.
Because each of us will grow and change as we continue our own journey with the Lord.
But if I could, my prayer will be that for some of them, they would always have each other to walk hand in hand in the journey we've been called to.
As for me, 12 months ago I broke down in tears from the overwhelming goodness I saw in my life. I remember believing so strongly as a 12 year old that nothing good ever happens to me, and it was as if God heard those words and has poured so much goodness over me to show me how wrong I was.
My life continues to be overwhelmingly good.
Every memory of yearning or perceived lack in the past, the Lord seems to bring it up just to point out, See this. Even this, I AM can give you, and gives it abundantly!
He makes me face the uncertainties of the future boldly.
Even now though my sight is veiled, His goodness and glory is overwhelming, what more, what more, the glory to come.
This is beautiful. You should put the ink on the church loop.
Posted by 
Graham Weeks |
12:47 AM
Dear Ee Wei
I ahve only just got round to reading this. You have a great gift with words. What you write is very special.
I would like to see a link on the church website.
DAVID
Posted by 
|
9:21 PM
Sunday, December 26, 2010
The day after Christmas
I didn't do anything for Christmas except for cleaning the apartment. I wanted to be disconnected from my emotions because I feared I would miss London fiercely.
It was only the day after I had the urge to give a call to London to wish Merry Christmas. I decided to call Penny Choo-Choo who, bless her, was late for service so I managed to catch her just before she was going into church.
I managed to say a quick hello to Paul The Pastor, and how I miss the Welsh accent!
Later, I called my favourite English family, but poor timing, Jess L was driving, and Naomi was asleep. :(
But it was so sweet of Jess, the moment she knew it was me calling she starting singing Amazing Grace, the funky version which I taught her and the girls earlier this year. Sweet memories. It was good hearing David's voice too, and I felt incredibly blessed because of the friendship that I have with all of them, as individuals and as a family. I spent Christmas Day with them and their extended family last year, so I miss them doubly more!
How I truly miss them. I am looking forward to heaven!
IPC Christmas service 2009. Penny Choo-Choo on the bottom left! When Penny first arrived in IPC, everyone kept asking her if she met me (because she's a fellow Malaysian) and everyone kept asking me if I had met her. I initially felt a surge of jealousy because I wanted to be the only Malaysian in church (and be special). But within the first 10 min of meeting her I loved her and have loved her more and more since then.
Paul The Pastor holding little Oscar.
My ex-flatmates.
With my favourite girl #1, Naomi. I couldn't find a better picture on my current harddisk.
John Dugan who is celebrating Christmas this year with the Lord.
Camera-shy Hannah
The L's fire place.
Labels: Church tales
Aiya, you will always be the ORIGINAL #1 Malaysian at IPC. =)
Lovely to hear from you, I think the lucky few who got to speak to you today have been especially blessed.
And now you have to stop faffing around the flat and go out. and see people. but avoid the mass sale shopping!
Lots of love and big hugs,
px
Posted by |
12:47 AM
Don't worry Penny, grandma and aunt is around for the next few days, and by the time they leave it'll be time for me to head back to Malaysia. And then a manic new year will start! So I'm glad I had Christmas day all to myself!! Don't know when I'll have a decent quiet day to myself after that. *HUGS*
Friday, December 24, 2010
Christmas Eve
There were no grand plans for Christmas this year other than what was planned by the church.
I went to the Pastor's place early about 5pm, since there wasn't anything at work to do. Arriving at his place, the Pastor's first words were...
Pastor: How come you look like you put on weight? And at all the wrong places?! Your face looks more square today... usually it's round!!!
Me: -____-"""
Pastor: *Cackle*
Ana: Eewei jie jie... *gives a big hug* I like your earring... and I like your necklace... sooo nice...
Me: Oh Ana *gives big hug back* thank God you're not like your daddy!!!
Pastor: *CACKLE*
We ended up overeating from potluck dinner on Christmas Eve night, communion and then a Christmas gift exchange time.
YinYin had planned in her mind an orderly and systematic way of doing the gift exchange, but boy, does she need to learn the mind of children. Especially the mind of children who are experiencing their first Christmas and Christmas gifts.
Chaos descended almost immediately.
4 year old Rooney, extremely happy with his Lego gifts.
YinYin receiving a bone from Jenn.
Pastor: It needs surgery?! How much it's going to cost you?! SGD 2-3k?!?! And how much did you pay for the dog??? SGD 1k?????
When he hung up he cackled and said he just wanted to rub it in without saying "I told you so".
Shaun.
Ana, squeezing out a smile for the camera.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
RIP
I wonder if the Lord is sending each ghost of the past to rest in peace one by one?
I truly am not the same person I was. The difference is that today, I have the faces of those in the Church from London to Singapore rising up in my head to give me the support I needed to make different choices today.
And a comrade who understands the challenges and creatively thought of ways to give me the necessary strength to stand up from it.
Another ghost laid to rest today, and I couldn't have done it without the Butterfly.
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Christmas is coming!
It's the month I've been dreading the most since moving to Singapore!
I love Christmas in London! It's my favourite time of the year!
It's the time where the church has its annual "Women's Christmas Party" and the "Men's Christmas Gathering (supposed to be more manly I guess!)". It's when the church is most busy because it's the season for people to remember how the momentous event the Lord's glory came to earth.
It's the prime time that gives God's people opportunity to share with non-believers who Christ is. So it is the most exciting time to see God's people bustling about.
But more importantly, it's the time to see the church decorations go up, though I wonder what it'll be like this year since creative extraordinaires May and Sara is no longer with IPC to do their magic. So in some ways, I'm glad I don't have another thing to miss!
It's the time where IPC will have its traditional Christmas Eve service in the cosy lil chapel where it's filled to the brim with people who come to church only during Christmas service.
I'll miss the excitement of bundling myself up as warmly as possible and be in church exceptionally early to make sure I get a seat right up the front because we always run out of space. I miss seeing the excited faces, seeing David, Naomi and Hannah L with all the accomplished musicians and tuning up their instruments. And I'll miss seeing the excited children's face squeezing up the front and familiar and new faces filling out the seats.
I'll miss seeing Paul L restlessly moving about as he preps himself to lead the service. And I'll miss not being able to read the Bible passage during the service. Every year since I joined IPC, I had always been one of the Bible readers for the Christmas Eve service!
I can't lead in prayer well at the pulpit at all during service, but I've found out there's a certain something about reading aloud Bible passages to the congregation. It's as if something about the passage grips my stomach and I feel like my eyes want to blaze brightly and I want to read it as if the voice of the writer was my own.
How I miss the people in IPC but how excited I am to be in Singapore. I see the faces in church here and I can't help feeling excited about the lives that are in the process of change!
How many of these children will one day stand before many more congregations and be gripped by the Word of God and feel the fire of the Lord's glory blaze in their souls?
How many more people through these lives today come to know the Lord and know the joy His salvation?
And how many more lives will I continue looking forward to meet in the grand reunion we will have in the new kingdom of heaven and earth?
I will always love and miss IPC, but it is because of them in IPC I have learnt the depth of love we can have as a body of Christ, and they have given me the courage to look boldly forward to build and edify others.
Sometimes it is at the tip of my tongue to say how I miss IPC and wish I could be back with them. But to do that, to look backwards will only be a disservice to them and all the love they have poured into me.
Labels: Church tales