25 July - 14 August 2014

I titled this post with the dates of our daughter's arrival into Singapore and departure to UK as I wanted to remember when and as much as possible, what happened during her Summer Vacation back home.  Since I am getting old and cannot remember everything, this is a good way for me to recall times with the family.

On 25 July, the whole family went to the airport to welcome Eliza home for her Summer Vacation.  How time flies, it has been two years since she left for her studies.

 

Before she came home, we had planned for a short family vacation to Malacca and Penang.   Peter and Renfred drove.  This picture was taken in Malacca.  You can see how happy Peter was to have our daughter back with us ;)

Eliza posing with the dragon in the park.

Dad and daughter with beautiful smiles :-)

Renfred smiling happily, sitting on the elephant ;-)

Nothing warms my heart more than to see the family happy together.

Along the river in Malacca.

All sitting and standing so straight :-]

Eliza has a beautiful smile and is very photogenic :-D

We visited a Japanese Restaurant in Penang for dinner.  The food was a bit expensive but as long as the family is together and happy, it is worth it :)

Peter found Mugshot on the web, selling coffee and bagels and he brought us there to try out the bakes.  Quite a nice quaint place ;)

When in Penang, it is a must to visit Gurney Drive for your dinner or supper :)

Love the way Renfred stands so straight and Eliza ties her hair.  Thank GOD for these two babes He has blessed us with.

 

Thankful that Eliza is home to celebrate my birthday with the family.  So thoughtful as usual, she bought me this 500 breads book wrapped with the lovely muffin gift wrap :-)

We had my birthday dinner at Chin Huat Seafood.  Nice cosy place.

 

The crabs and seafood here are very fresh :-) 

 

 

We visited Awfully Chocolate one evening for some dessert.

Renfred brought us to this restaurant called Amber@West, run by students - like Shatec.  He gave us a treat for belated Father and Mother's Day celebration because we said we would postpone the makan till Eliza is home with us.  Besides GOD, family is very important to me.  There is nothing much to celebrate about when one of your family members is missing.

We also visited my dad's tomb during one of the evenings.  The 3 of them did a fantastic job by clearing the creepers that grew along the tomb and also chopped and trimmed the tree you see in this picture, which was growing so well that it overshadowed my dad's tomb.  So proud of you all :)

Pete insisted that we must visit the Red Bridge at Punggol as this is the place he and his Yew Tee cyclists would pass by when they cycle to East Coast.

Like father, like son, you would be... be faithful in service for the King ;)

 

Brother and sister - we will forever be grateful for these two blessings from the Lord.  Thank You, Father in heaven.  May You watch over them and journey with them and bless them.  May they mature to be man and woman of GOD; fearing and loving You all the days of their lives.  And may they build up godly Christian families for Your Name's sake.  Since Pete and myself have experienced and tasted of how Good You are and how we need You, we also want our children to know and cling on to You - You alone suffice and no one else in this world can ever satisfy the vaccum You have placed in our hearts when You created us in our mother's womb. 

Please grant this my prayer.  Thank You.

We are all wired differently but wonderfully and beautifully made by GOD :)

Thank GOD for all these beautiful pictures and memories. 

Our family bond the best during such times as this; where we play, chat and enjoy all the goodies mom can find from the fridge - notice the chocolate eggs at the bottom right hand corner ;)

Even though it has been 2 years, still could not stop sobbing.  Will always miss you, my precious gem from the Lord.  Eliza comes from the root word "Elizabeth" which means consecrated one.  You belong to GOD.

 

Before you came home, the weather in Singapore was hot and humid and there were even reports that say there might be haze.  We prayed as it pains us to see you adjust to the hot and humid weather here with breakout of eczema like the last time you were home.  Thank GOD for granting you His favour and blessings of cool weather and no haze.  Thank GOD also for seeing you safely back yesterday. GOD is Good all the time :-)

 

Battle Scars

I started learning to cycle proper on 21 September last year after my husband bought me a hybrid.

After about 6 months, he upgraded me to his road bike.  It is nice to do things as a couple even though at times the thought of having to wear jersey, gloves, helmet, goggles, etc puts me off ;)

 

I have had 3 falls thus far; one minor from the hybrid and two major from the road bike.  The above picture shows the wounds I had after last week's pre National Day ride of 61.74km from Woodlands through Orchard Road to Marina Sands Bay and back.  I fell after Trinity Theological College at Bukit Timah where there were many portholes along the road.  Thank GOD that there was no vehicle behind us and I did not suffer any bone fracture :)

I had these bruises during our ride to Punggol, along the park connectors.  It was past midnight and the fall was quite bad.  But still thank GOD, because the spectacles were damaged during the fall, I had to visit the optician and there we learnt that my degrees had decreased by 150 on one side and 125 on the other.  So I had a pair of new spectacles as a result of the fall :)

 

Thank GOD for blessing me with the best trainer and instructor, who has been very patient and an excellent coach :-)

 

All these battle scars cannot be compared to what Jesus suffered on the cross for me.  When I reflect on Isaiah 53 on what Jesus went through to redeem me back to my Father in Heaven, I am filled with gratitude once again for His great love and sacrifice for me and for the world of lost sinners.

 Isa 53 :3-7

"He was despised and rejected by men;

a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

 

Surely He has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed Him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with His wounds we are healed.

 

All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on Him

the iniquity of us all.

 

He was oppressed, and He was afflicted,

yet He opened not His mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so He opened not his mouth."

 





 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-8QdOxzh5Y

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k9GCNNnmzs

 

 

The well known chapter on faith - Hebrews 11

F -  Future sure
A - Assured of His presence
I  - Immeasurable love and grace
T - Trusting
H - Heart

V1 says faith is being sure - of what? 
Of the hope of eternal life which we do not see, which Jesus promised in John 3:16 and many other verses in the Bible.  Believe this includes the rewards and things Jesus had promised in His Word.

V3 says by faith we understand - understand what?
that the universe was formed at GOD's command as in Genesis 1:1.

V6 says it is impossible to please GOD without faith.  We must believe that GOD exists (Psalm 14:1) and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him because He promised that they will find Him in Jeremiah 29:13.

I like verse 10 where it says Abraham was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is GOD. Something in my heart just feels that that is the place I belong to; not in this sad, confusing, discouraging, stressful world we are currently staying in.

When I first became a Christian, I looked forward to going to church, getting involved in the choir, the youth fellowship, etc where I was serving actively and also growing in Him. During those years, the only trials I could remember was having to deal with my unbelieving parents. But as I grow and mature in the faith, it gets harder - my Father in heaven is putting me through numerous tests and obstacles to mould me. To the extent that I broke down so often, that the road is so tough and dreary and the light in the tunnel is getting dimmer. When will I get to pass Your tests, Father in heaven?  When will I be able to serve You happily again? My heart ache and my soul yearns to be free of these trials.  How long, Father?  How long?  Issues kept coming one after another like there is no end.

I know that "we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places" (Eph 6:12)  Especially when we have dedicated ourselves and our children to You; Renfred just entered into Bible College to prepare himself to be in Your service, our daughter whom you have opened doors for her to study overseas (we are entrusting You to do Your work in her life that she will be a vessel for Your kingdom's use in time to come) and for Pete and myself, if it pleases You, to be called into your missions field to serve You for the rest of our lives when You see fit.  For Jesus has redeemed us and we are His. 

Please keep us under the shadow of Your wings and watch over us as we pledge our family's allegiance to You.  You have been faithful and good and in You we trust.  By Your grace we will plod on till we see Jesus face to face to hear "thou good and faithful servant."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOkImV2cJDg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rR_Rdb1CTE

Today's QT on Hebrews 10 (my own meditation)

Question 1 :
"Why do the high priests have to keep offering the different sacrifices again and again when Christ said in v5 that GOD did not desire sacrifice and offering?

Answer 1 :
Because GOD is Holy and before Jesus came, the only way man can reach Him is through sacrificing the animals for the cleansing of their sins. 
Because He loves us and wants to be our GOD that He first initiated to reach out to Abraham in Genesis and this shows His heart to have fellowship with His creatures (men). 

Question 2 :
"Why only when Jesus said "Here I am, I have come to do Your will.  He sets aside the first to establish the second." are we made holy?

Answer 2 :
If only we could see  and feel with our hearts what Jesus Christ has demonstrated for us on the cross -
His obedience to The Father in heaven,
His great sacrifice of heaven's glory; being fully God and then came to earth as fully man.
His great love for us to suffer humility, pain, torture, the worst death during the Roman's reign, in order to redeem us with His precious blood for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.  He, being the perfect Lamb of GOD, the only Sacrifice acceptable to our Holy GOD, could atone for our sins once an for all so that we do not need high priests to continually offer sacrifices for our sins but we can simply come to the Holy GOD any time in Jesus' Name. 

In Jesus' Name we are made righteous and holy in GOD's sight and that is why we are no longer bound by the first law or covenant but we are now in the age of grace - grace through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Question 3 :
"What does it mean in v16 it says GOD will put His laws in our hearts and write them on our minds and He will remember our sins and lawless acts no more?"

Answer 3 :
Because the first set of laws were written in tablets (the 10 commandments GOD gave to Moses on Mt Sinai in Exodus), now He writes them on the human hearts and minds.  In Ecclesiastes 3:11 says GOD has set eternity in the hearts of men - only GOD can fill that void in our hearts as we are His creation, created only for Him and only He can satisfy us - no one, nothing from the world can fill that void He has put in our hearts. 

Because our hearts are deceitfully sinful, we are wilful and have free will, we are prone to wander away from Him.  We belong to Him in the first place and now with Christ's redemption, we are twice own by GOD.  In Proverbs it says only fools says there is no GOD.  May the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and hearts to see who we are in Christ Jesus, what we are to Him and all the spiritual inheritance we have in Him and through Him. 

Praise the Lord for what He has done that GOD has forgiven us and will not remember our sins and lawless acts,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFzsU6u853I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrNfaqZa8PI

To all the faithful moms... "Blessed Mother's Day"

Dear sisters in Christ,

Today, I read a blog on how a mother's love and sacrifices has rubbed off to her children and how the children turned out to be loving and close to one another.  It led me to think of you, the moms out there who have also, in the best of your ability and knowledge, given all you have to your family and to your children; caring for them, loving them, sacrificing for them even to the extend of giving up your rights at times for the sake of the family but somehow nobody seem to notice or appreciate.

I salute you and affirm you in the Lord - our God who sees all hearts, all deeds, all motives, and He will reward you in His time. Jeremiah 17:10 NLT "But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."  We all go through different types of struggles and at times we even cry ourselves to sleep.  Believe me when I say that as I have been there and still struggle with issues only our Father in Heaven sees and understand. GOD appreciates what you are faithfully doing to impact lives of the next generation; reminding them of Who GOD is and what He has done and is doing, passing on the legacy of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Instead of focusing on the "whys", focus on the Lord Jesus, only He can satisfy all your needs and longings.  One verse that helped me till now and I still stand by it is Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." In fact, Colossians 3 is a good reminder and guide for all Christian.  Do take some time to read through it and let the living Word of GOD encourage you to live lives that please our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

I am still learning and trying to claim His many promises and work on my shortcomings.  Let's continue to encourage one another on this journey GOD has placed us in.  Hebrews 10 :23-25 "Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near."

Below is dedicate to all the mothers, who at times wonder "Why things turned out this way?", "Why my children are not as loving as you wish they would be?'"  "Why are your family members taking you for granted?" Why this and Why that.  We do not know why but GOD knows and we can trust His heart and His working out His purposes in our lives.  Jia You! Preserve on dear sisters in Christ.

Blessed is the Mom whose mind is stayed on Christ

Trusting Him by faith, and not by sight

Seeking first His kingdom, His righteousness

The Lord, her Shepherd and Guide

 

Daily fix your eyes upon the Lord

Casting all your worries and cares on Him

Asking Him for wisdom in all you do

And grace sufficient to see you through.

 

Because He first loved us,

In His love you can live victoriously

Praising Him and thanking Him

In good times and in bad.

May GOD grant us a heart of love to obey Him; to be thankful and grateful for all He has done.  May we live exemplary lives for our children.  May they grow up to be men and women of GOD who fear and love the Lord with all their hearts, soul, mind and strength.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9_0jiO5ZRM

In Christ's love,
Irene

26th Wedding Anniversary March 2014

Thank GOD for the opportunity to visit Melbourne, Victoria in April this year.  Peter wanted to celebrate our 26th Anniversary over there.

This was a one-eye stone figure taken along the Great Ocean Road.

The Lighthouse along the Great Ocean Road.  Pete's clever idea to pose with the Lighthouse on our hands.

 

We visited the Southgate to take some pictures.  Pete was not satisfied with the pictures taken on the 2nd night so we went back the following evening.

Beautiful lights along the Southgate.

Pete with the bridge in the background.

You can find helpful tourist guides along the streets of Melbourne who will give you advise on how to get to where you like to visit.

Thank GOD for their free public trams.  With this, we saved quite a bit on transport; visiting the various places within the city of Melbourne.

This is an Orange Tree we found in one of the wineries in Yarrah Valley.

Bought some Pear Cider from one of the wineries.

If I am not wrong, this should be St Paul's Cathedral.

The hotel we stayed in was very central and it's within walking distance to most of the tourist attractions. 

This is a beautiful pose.  Notice that the cap looks like a heart shape :)

My beloved husband :)

Smart of Pete to bring the tripod stand so we could have couple pictures.

This is the start of the Great Ocean Road adventure :)

More pictures along the Great Ocean Road.

Thank GOD for granting us beautiful sunshine and weather during our trip there.  On the last day before leaving for the airport, it started to rain.

In the background you can see a few of the 12 Apostles.  Supposed to be 12 but we counted only about 7-8 left.  Pete and others say that they may be gone in a few years due to the constant beating of the wind and sand.

Awesome :)

We stayed at the 12 Apostle Motel.  Outside our unit are lovely Lavenders.

We visited the 12 Apostles in the evening, late at night and early in the morning.  Typical Singaporeans - since travelled all the way there, might as well view them at different times of the day and night :O

Nice pose :)

London Bridge along the Great Ocean Road.

We got a bit lost on our way to the Yarrah Valley during the weekends but thank GOD for providing us with this group of 5 Haley Davidson riders to escort us.

Only 1 out of the team of 5 riders stayed outside the Yarrah Valley.  So he led us all the way and even led us to the freeway where we need not have to pay toll.  Praise the Lord for sending angels to assist us :)  Psalm 23 "All the way my Saviour leads me, what have I to ask beside..."

This is the first farm stopover  - Stone Orchard. We bought some peaches and fruit leathers.  This orchard grows mainly fruits with stones such as peaches, nectarines, etc.

This is a reservoir in Yarrah Valley, near where we stayed for one of the nights.

Beautiful scenery and loving couple ;)

Vineyards in the background.

Jesus says in John 15: 5 "I am the Vine, you are the branches; if a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing."

Another great pose from Pete :)

Must visit farms with produce.  How can I leave this place without buying stuff for my baking ;)

Apple Trees

Orange Trees

Pete loves seafood.  We bought 1/2 a dozen of fresh oysters from the Victoria Market and guess who was the satisfied consumer :)

More seafood.  Look at the crabs and lobsters :O

These are just some of the many, many pictures we took during our Melbourne, Victoria trip.  Thank GOD for this opportunity, for beautiful weather, for safety, for a wonderful time with my husband and for His bountiful blessings.  Could not have asked for more.  Praise GOD from Whom all blessings flow :)