Oh how the years go by ...

2006 is fast coming to its end. A new year is almost upon us. I wonder what 2007 holds for us, for me ...

Come what may, I trust that all things are in our Heavenly Father's omnipotent Hand.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose". Romans 8:28

Just to round up a year that has been filled with love, fellowship, joy, laughter, passion, tears, anguish, disappointments, fear and all other sorts of emotions (haha, yes I can be quite emotional), here is my list of thanksgiving:

To my God Almighty (my Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit) all glory be to You for Your gift of life, unconditional love and salvation, mercy and all other joys, blessings, trials and tribulations (as they are for my growth). To You be all the honour and blessings. Amen. I love you Lord. Bring me nearer, deeper into You Father ...

For my parents, all of God's blessings and love be upon them for their continual love and endless support and encouragement. Thanks for being there for me through it all, for bearing with me through my griefs and being joyful with me through my joys. God bless you both always. I love you both.

To my family (Phye Aun, Val and my favourite little boy, Ryan), thanks for being there for me and putting up with me too. Hahah ... it is not always easy living under one roof, but I love you all all the same. To Ann and Mark, come home soon to visit and catch up. Love you guys too.

To my GG, oh the heartache, oh the joy ... haha (notice how I put heartache first, haha, kidding), its been quite an adventure serving and fellowshipping with you guys. To uncle Hok Seng and Aunty Chooi Kuan (and the Ho kids :) ), thanks for being my encouragement and inspiration. To Kevin, bro, I just want to say that even though I may say harsh things (hahah ... sometimeslah) I do appreciate your leading with me ... iron sharpens iron right? To Sahaya, Ernie, Annie, Tracy and the rest ... God bless you all. Continue to grow and continue to desire the things of God. You guys have great potential to lead too. And thanks for your service, fellowship and love ...

To the BBC team, it has been an honour serving with you and serving you as well. To our fearless leader, Yoke Kheng and my fellow servants and good friends: Christine, Yung Ling and Sahaya, thank you for making the year an adventure and a blessing.

To the church (BUC) (1): my elders and their wives (uncle Christopher, aunty Luan, uncle Wing Cheong, aunty Sue Ling and uncle Hok Seng and aunty Chooi Kuan) and all the full timers (aunty Dolly (and uncle David), John and Yoke Kheng) thanks for being my encouragement and for stirring up my desire to grow in Jesus. Your leadership is so, so much appreciated. To my ministry leaders (YK, Yoke Teen), God bless you guys in whatever you do ... I am growing in the places God put me, and you have helped me to grow :).

To BUC (2): To my 'gang' (peers, gaming and otherwise) in BUC :) - Seng Chor, Christine, Yung Ling, Sahaya, Kevin, Yoke Kheng, Adrian, Florence, John, Wan Yi, Pei Lu, David, Raymond, Tracy, Michele (hehe from Life Chapel), Nai Kyn, Yoke Teen, Charmaine and Aaron Yong ... thanks for your love and fellowship. Iron definitely sharpens iron here. Let's continue to give our all for Christ. Thanks for inspiring me to grow further. God bless you all (p.s to Adrian: Delirious rocks, but Hillsong rocks more hahah).

To BUC (3): All leaders (aunty Helen, Seng Chor, aunty Dolly and other ministry leaders), etc- I know how it feels like too, the joy, the disappointment, the fatigue (haha), but thanks for serving side by side with me. Together for Jesus' glory.

To the church: I remember aunty Luan saying to me once, before I was regular in BUC: "Come and join us, we will take care of you" ... amen, thanks for all the fellowship and joys. It has been such a journey ... we will continue to journey till Jesus comes back for us. Oh happy day ... Love you all.

To my CF (2006): oh brother ... what can I say? I love you guys. The Aarons, Daniel, Mun Yee, Fleur ... opps Cassandra, opps Xi Ying, Li Yan, Michell, Jia Hsien, Glennie, Joanne, Carissa, Kah Jun, Seng and Jean, Angela, Fish, Eu Jin, Clement, Humphrey, Lik Ee (future advisor?), Yong Ling and all the rest (if I missed anyone, please, please forgive me and include yourself :) ... you guys are so weird ... haha but a real joy to serve with and to watch over. Keep growing guys. Jesus loves you so much. Ms Angeline, JK (haha) and Ming Han, thank you, thank you so much too.

To all my other friends (Ernest and Lila: thanks for your love and friendship - 'Bestests' of buddies; Nic and Sim: hehe love is in the air, Jo: God bless you and keep you bro) and colleagues: God bless you all.

2006, woo hoo ....

2007, bring it on ...

God, I bless you.

God bless you all and have a blessed new year.

C Day

Battle time ... (hehe) figuratively that is.


1st December 2006


C Day aka Carolling day descended upon the KDU CF like torrential rains. The day came sooner than expected. And boy did it rain that day, not physically, but I am sure we sang God's blessings into the college. All praise to the Lord Jesus for His marvellous gift of song and His blessed birth.



The day before ...

30 November 2006 was a day that, I think, our conductress shall always remember. It was during the late hours of the evening (ok, not so late, about 5.30pm, just trying to dramatise things) that we commenced our last practice (which was to become second last practice). Making our way down to the concourse area where we were scheduled to sing, the carollers took their positions and open their mouths ...

'FL-at!'

Our conductress was clearly gripped with anxiety and despair as we attempted carol after carol, without success. The agony, the irony … and we were doing so well in the earlier practices. Somehow, the guitars and the singers were not in harmony. And not all had memorised their lyrics well either. The guitars were playing in one key and the carollers, singing in another. Oh … and the clock was ticking too.

Pray, pray … trust.


Last practice

Friday, 1st December, 11.30am

One hour before the actual carolling … and we had not started final practice yet (gasp). Some members (they shall remain a mystery … ho hum, haha) did not wake up on time, some could not come, due to exams, etc. Carissa was half crying, half growling. The musicians were not (really) in uniform and the rest were in a nervous buzz. On the brighter side, the lot of us looked smart: the ladies were in bright red and the gents were in black with coloured ties (see pictures below).

When finally everyone arrived, we managed to squeeze in a few of the more difficult songs and finally, at 12.34pm (or thereabouts) we started to make our way to the concourse (already half filled with lunch goers), in a train-like formation, chiming ‘We wish you a merry Christmas’ as we went.


The rest, as they say, is history …

We carolled and carolled, lifting, or trying our utmost best to lift, our voices in unison and harmony, all eyes fixed on Carissa and all ears on the guitarists. We gave it our all, and did what we could with the acoustics of the open hall against us and the cacophony of the lunchtime crowd threatening to drown us out … but we prevailed and managed to catch the attention of all and sundry there. People walked into the concourse to watch, people cheered, people applauded (although we were out of key for a song ... or two). Overall, nerve wrecking as it was, we made it through … believing that at all times, the Lord was holding us.

Mark 9.23 (Jesus said) … Everything is possible for him who believes.

Amen Lord Jesus.

And … I made it through my speaking part (for When a Child is born), which I almost forgot when we started singing the carol … whew. All glory to Jesus.

These are the carols we sang: We wish you a merry Christmas, Have yourself a merry little Christmas, When a Child is born, Mary's boy child, Jingle bell rock, Away in a manger, Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels sing, O Come all ye faithful, O Holy Night, Joy to the world, Angels we have heard on high (my favourite) and (our group's favourite) Feliz Navidad.


C Day

Truly, madly, deeply (haha) it was an experience, singing as a choir, singing in parts for a large audience … the wonders of how things come together for the good of God’s Children who love Him.

We took a lot of pictures after that, in relief, in joy, clicking like there was no tomorrow (haha).

God bless you CF-ers.

We bless you Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit.

God bless you all.


… and have yourselves … a merry little (or grand) Christmas, now …

A candid one

The ladies: (Sopranos) Ying Hui, Michell, Mun Yee, Li Yan, Glennie

(Altos) Xi Ying, Angela, Joanne, Fish

(Conductress: Carissa)

The gents: (Tenors) Daniel, Kah Jun, Kenny

(Basses) Aaron T, Jia Hsien, Soon Seng, In Ming

(Guitarists) Aaron P, Eu Jin, Clement