*.:::dArLiNg BuDs oF MaY~:::.*

The Footprint

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from anguish,
sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints,
so I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?"
The Lord replied,
"The years when you have seen only one set of footprints,
my child, is when I carried you."

Monday, October 31, 2005

BB 75th Jubilee Dinner @ Orchard Hotel Part 2

More photos to go..

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AgApE LaVeNdEr @ 1:59 PM | 0 Comments

BB 75th Jubilee Dinner @ Orchard Hotel, 28 Oct 2005

Here's the photos taken..

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AgApE LaVeNdEr @ 1:31 PM | 0 Comments

Friday, October 21, 2005

Coming out of comfort zone?

read the entry from 'our journey' daily devotion.. mm.. stepping out of the comfort zone.. thats like the zillionth time i heard this phrase.. its the norm for us Christians to grumble when things isnt the way we wanted it to be.. n how we responded to it is to walk away from it.. i am one of them..

no doubt i can say that i'm a slight degree of an introvert, am hopeless in starting conversations to ppl whom i dont really know.. of cos, talking to ppl i know very well is not a problem.. God have placed me in the position where ppl ard me are so different.. different family background, different spoken language (ok.. most speaks english instead of chinese which i usually do.. what r u thinking?!? =P), different ways of thinking, different degrees of openess.. of cos i do a few admist of us who shares the same areas.. they too face a bit of the problems i'm facing..

today's devotion entry really speaks deep into my heart in response to what i'm going thru.. i can give all kinds of excuses.. "we just cant communicate", "i find it so hard to strike a conversation with him/her", "i did tried but its still the same"..

advices that comes to me, "you still have got to try, just a simple greeting to just 2 new ppl to strike the ball" i've not started doing it, am hesitating.. cos 'i thought i've been doing it? but its still the same'..

2 new ppl.. greet.. not nessessary a long conversation.. thats all it takes? qns comes to my mind.. am i able to come out of my comfort zone? am i ready to go all the way to obey God in His righteousness to create unity in our Christian fellowship in order to please Him?

To follow Jesus means paying the price, and that price is incremental. He takes us to deeper levels of commitment and each time there’s a cost. So, when the time comes to do the hard—but right—thing, don’t procrastinate. Take the next step and trust Jesus.

I AM.. AMEN..

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AgApE LaVeNdEr @ 10:35 AM | 0 Comments

Our Journey...

October 20, 2005 — Thursday

are you leaving too?

63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” 66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:63-69

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Church splits are usually nasty, painful affairs. Most of the time people get hurt or are disappointed. Charges are tossed back and forth like grenades. And people get entrenched in their positions.

It’s been my sad experience to witness a few of these schisms, and I’ve observed that many were driven by people who were just flat-out selfish. There was a refusal to cooperate and to get along with others. People made up some nice-sounding reasons to hit the door and do their own thing. We can make it sound so positive and spiritual, when in reality we simply don’t want to pay the price for unity—demonstrating what it really means to follow Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t call us to a happy, comfortable existence. Following him is not always easy—but it will surely cost us something. As I’ve studied the idea of New Testament discipleship, it’s interesting to note that whenever Jesus called people to another level of commitment the crowd got smaller. People would figure out a reason to step back.

It’s just as true today as it was during the time Jesus walked on earth. We all tend to want a Christianity that will confirm us right where we are. (You know—the kind that makes you feel good and doesn’t require too much from you.) I fight this battle just like everybody else. When Jesus calls me to take another step away from my comfort zone to demonstrate commitment, I’m tempted to rationalize why I don’t need to do it.

Instead, our response should be like the one Peter gave in John 6:68-69. Jesus had asked his disciples if they would take the next step of commitment and stay with him. Or would they bolt with those who didn’t truly believe? Peter spoke on behalf of all of them when he said, in effect, “Lord, we’re not going anywhere. We’re committed to you!” What an illustration of what it means to follow Jesus!

To follow Jesus means paying the price, and that price is incremental. He takes us to deeper levels of commitment and each time there’s a cost. So, when the time comes to do the hard—but right—thing, don’t procrastinate. Take the next step and trust Jesus. —Crawford W. Loritts livingalegacy.org

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seeking: Father, what are you calling me to do in light of this teaching? How do I understand true commitment to you?

responding: Am I willing to pay the price to follow Jesus?
How have I been living a life of seeking my own comfort?
How have I been showing my commitment to Jesus?

Heavenly Father, I want to be fully committed to you. Help me not to be selfish but to pay whatever price is required so that I may follow you wholeheartedly.

following: Commitment to Jesus requires that we pay the price.

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AgApE LaVeNdEr @ 9:59 AM | 0 Comments

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Sob sobs..

This pic cannot be more applicable to my situation for the past few days.. sigh..
so many things have happened in just a few days..
okie.. met up with iris on sat after work for a shop.. phew its been long since i last met up with her.. supposed to have dinner with pepin, but it was postphoned cos jon was not feeling well.. have bad sore throat n headache.. dont worry, he's feeling better now.. for the fact that he just ate Gelera yesterday.. sighzZz..

anyways, did alot of shopping on sat with iris.. gotten my long awaited iPod Nano after waiting for so long for my $100 voucher for Best Denki.. so can rough gauge that i've spent over 200 bucks on that day..

whats more.. on my way home when i was abt to alight the mrt at khatib mrt station, u wont believe it ot rather i couldnt believe it, i've lost my phone! my K700i! sighzZzz.. had my line cancelled asap on that day.. am feeling so down.. my favourite k700i which i've only gotten for 68 bucks.. saded..

went to retrive my free new sim card the next day on sunday with mum at tm.. StarHub was gracious to give a $100 voucher (again) to purchase a new phone.. i need to emphasize this, W/O LINE.. i really love my k700i so much that i've thought of getting it again.. but it really cost a bomb without line, $400+! the cheapest phone i can get is nokia 6020 but still costing $368.. sob sob.. so i the end it still cost me $200+ with the voucher provided for a no-so-gd phone as compared tomy k700i which i got for only $68.. really heartache.. i dont really quite like the new phone that i've got.. my mum sensed that i'm sure.. my mum told me dad...

and guess what happens the next day?!? when i got home at ard 11 plus after helping up with andrew's community project at the science centre, i got ino my room.. n saw a k750i box on my table!!!! oh my god.. i really couldnt believe it.. my dad went to upgrade his long ended contract to get the phone for me? n it cost him $400+!! i'm having mixed feelings.. i'm really grateful n touched by my dad.. on the other hand, i felt very guilty as well.. to have made him spent so much on me.. i'm at lost of words.. i love my dad too.. i really hope he'll be saved one day that we can reunite in heaven for eternity.. i mean.. this is how much my dad love me.. i really hope i can do the things that can really make him happy.. what more u can say abt our heavenly Father? His love for us can nv be compared to others.. His love is the greatest love of all.. by obeying God is what make Him happy.. am i doing just what He wants me to do? love the ppl ard me as well.. esp my family.. is the thing that He'd spoke to me.. Blessed day ahead guys..

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AgApE LaVeNdEr @ 11:20 AM | 0 Comments

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Fermentation in process..

Am at work now.. fermenting.. =(

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AgApE LaVeNdEr @ 3:42 PM | 0 Comments

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

On Purpose

was doing my usual devotion on Our Daily Bread series in the morning at my office, and this article really speaks to my heart:

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October 4, 2005

On Purpose

All things work together for good . . . to those who are the called according to His purpose. —Romans 8:28

When a cowboy applied for an insurance policy, the agent asked, "Have you ever had any accidents?" After a moment's reflection, the applicant responded, "Nope, but a bronc did kick in two of my ribs last summer, and a couple of years ago a rattlesnake bit me on the ankle."

"Wouldn't you call those accidents?" replied the puzzled agent. "Naw," the cowboy said, "they did it on purpose!"

That story reminds me of the biblical truth that there are no accidents in the lives of God's children. In today's Scripture, we read how Joseph interpreted a difficult experience that had seemed like a great calamity. He had been thrown into a pit and then sold as a slave. This was a great test of his faith, and from the human standpoint it appeared to be a tragic case of injustice, not a providential means of blessing. But Joseph later learned that "God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20).

Are you passing through the deep waters of trial and disappointment? Does everything seem to be going against you? These apparent misfortunes are not accidents. The Lord allows such things for a blessed purpose. So patiently trust Him. If you know the Lord, someday you will praise Him for it all! —Richard De Haan

What looks like just an accident
When viewed through human eyes,
Is really God at work in us—
His blessing in disguise. —Sper

God transforms trials into triumphs.

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AgApE LaVeNdEr @ 2:22 PM | 0 Comments

A brand new life..

And indeed, things have been changing.. A brand new day, a brand new life, a brand new environment & a brand new focus in life..

have been into my 3rd week working at the Boys' Brigade HQ, a ministry where i've committed myself for 2 yrs.. thingys have been pretty ok over here.. really thank God for this wonderful working environment.. there're really nice ppl over here and the pace here is wonderfully manageable.. am looking forward to the BB 75th anniversary dinner at Orchard hotel.. its going to be a really grand function.. thats y i've been cutting down on my diet these days for that day.. but sadly to say, i failed almost 1/3 of the time.. saded..

i really missed those times when i'm singing in a choir.. thinking of being part of the NYP Voice Ensemble once again, particiating in thier coming concert in Nov.. will start returning for choir prac next week.. hopefully i'm able to catch up. =)

as some of u have known, i've been taking up 2 jobs.. full time at BB and evening class at Kumon thrice a week.. am thinking of stopping at kumon so that i can concentrate on choir.. but i'm still in the midst of deciding.. God give me directions!

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AgApE LaVeNdEr @ 12:33 PM | 0 Comments