Gingerbread Men

Don't these Gingerbread Men look happy and inviting? This is my first attempt of making Gingerbread Men and I was really pleased with the outcome :) I simply love the smell of the spices and they tasted yummy too :)


These are especially baked for the praiseband I am with. When I first joined Genesis 6 years ago, I had this crazy idea to give something each year to the members of this band to remind me each day of God's creation.

Thus, on the first year, I gave them tealight holders with candles because God said "Let there be light and there was light." On the third year I gave them potted catus, representing plants that God made. On the fifth day God made stars so last year I learnt to make stars from my daughter and I placed them in small bottles. This year, which is my sixth year with Genesis, I thought since God created man on the sixth day and I couldn't give them a real man, I made Gingerbread men :)

Even though up till now none of the Genesis members asked about the funny gifts they have been receiving for Christmas all these years, the Lord still gave me the joy in doing so ;)

Hope you had a meaningful Christmas this year.

May the LOVE of Jesus fill your heart this Christmas
And may the HOPE that is found in our Lord and Saviour
Fill you with a new vision for the year ahead.

Blessed Christmas!

How time flies, Renfred will be coming home tomorrow for Christmas! :) Thank God for keeping him safe and in good health (although he is having a soar throat either due to lack of water or maybe sleeping on a dirty pillow) Our family is looking forward to the reunion even though it's only for 3 days. He returns to camp on Sunday night. We are grateful he could be home - in everything give thanks :)

I have been busy baking and making some pocket money during this Christmas period. God opened ways for people to order Rum Fruitcakes, Tarts, Cakes and Cookies and I am truly thankful for the support and encouragement of friends and family members. This is the first year that I started selling my bakes even though I have been baking and blessing my friends and relatives for many years :)

What is Christmas all about? When I was a youth, we would organize carolling about this time of the year to our ex-church members' homes, singing joyous carols, proclaiming the birth of Christ Jesus. It's the time of the year where we sing lots of carols, fill our tummies with lots of goodies, exchange gifts and wish each other well.

Last Sunday, one of my favourite pastors spoke on "Waiting for Christmas". He preached from Luke 2 about 2 seldom mentioned characters in the Bible; Simeon and Anna in Luke 2. How Simeon was waiting for comfort and found it in Christ Jesus. He said that people look for comfort and this is a universal need. How true this is. Not only those who do not know God, those who know Him also need comfort. Anna was waiting for God to rescue His people and when she saw Baby Jesus in the temple, she found what she was waiting for - The Messiah which means "The Annointed One" sent by God to deliver His people from the bondage of sin.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life,
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world
But to save the world through Him." John 3:16-17

What does Christmas means to you?
Sharing below a song by Don Moen "Emmanuel Has Come":

"Christmas is about His glory
Christmas is about His grace
Christmas is a gift of love our Father gave us.
More than just another story about a special time and place
Christmas is a time to lift a song of praise.

Chorus:
For God is with us, and we celebrate the glory of His presence.
Christ has come to fill our hearts with love.
He came to save us.
King of kings and Lord of lords, His Name is Jesus.
God with us, Emmnauel has come.

V2
Angels fill the night with singing
God is reaching out to man.
Bringing us a gift of hope in Christ, our Saviour.
More than just a time of giving.
This is God's eternal plan.
Christmas is the reason we can sing again."

National Service

Sunrise at 7am this morning along the TPE.



Clouds in Pulau Tekong.

This is our son, Renfred.

We sent him into Tekong Campsite early this morning to fulfil his obligation as a male Singaporean. We prayed as a family last night, committing him to the Lord as he serve his country for the next two years. Thank God he has the right spirit and attitude, saying that "since I have to go in, I might as well enjoy and do my best." He called tonight to say that everything is okay and he sounded happy.

A few days ago, a good friend of mine asked how I felt about my only son getting enlisted into the army. I couldn't give her an answer because the reality of Renfred's enlistment has not yet set in. But after last night, I was able to tell my friend that even though I was a bit emotional about it, I had peace as I know God is with Renfred and that God is able to take better care of him that we can.

Our daughter, Eliza and Renfred at the NS recruits' canteen.

Renfred and his platoon mates at the parade square, waiting to "check in" to their bunks.