Finished "The Hunger Games" in one day yesterday! Brilliant plot and setting reflecting life as it is even now: the inequities of the social classes, the fascination with entertainment, and the evil we do to one another to "survive". Now I'm looking forward to the movie!
Srill feeling under the weather: dry n sore throat, intermittent cough, and now some phlegm n sneezing. Still I have to go for classes. And I still haven't gone to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale yet! I'm in two minds whether to go or to skip and save, considering that the apartment is already overflowing with books. It'll depend on how quickly I get better.
There are so many more books here in the home that I haven't read yet. My sons and even my students (some at least) are reading more than I am or have now. Gotta catch up. I've caught the reading bug again! And if the BBW Sale has infected and spread the bug to many young people, I'm glad!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Mirror Mirror
It started Thursday with a mild fever and a sore throat. I took 2 panadols and slept. The next day, I went to teach and had one-on-one with several students while the rest did their Wordly Wise. I thought I was well already, though the throat still was sore, and then began to be irritable and gave me a dry cough. There's an occasional sneeze. Thankfully, no running nose, which I hate. Hope I'll get over it and that it won't last for 5 weeks as it did for Siew Heng. She said she felt better, then worse, several times.
Reading "The Hunger Games" now and finding it quite enthralling. Haha, now I'm reading books recommended by my students and sons. How the tables have turned. Watched "Tropic Thunder" on dvd with D: silly over the top gags. I told D that if we ever were to bring in a young 'un in to foster, we'd have to quit watching such movies in the home. He said, "What makes you think I'd be continuing to do so?" He's keen to take in this 10 year old kid who needs a foster family, but I'm hesitating now. Will I be up to it? I'll be doing the main work, there'll be more work and responsibilities. Will we be good for the kid? We're no perfect godly family. We're flawed humans with baggage and many blind spots still. Am I asking for trouble? Or, will it, paradoxically, be good for us all? Lord, please guide and confirm it for us.
James did a good job leading in the singing. And thanks to God and to Alex and Fiona, the young adults had a good outing to the MV Logos Hope Saturday nite. Glad that Junie came after an absence of a few weeks. The speaker, Patrick Cheng of the NECF, has a masters in Christian Counselling as well as in secular Counselling, and he was talking about how to build emotionally healthy churches. We just need to listen to one another and help one another to renew our minds, basically, and we wouldn't be needing professional counselors and psychiatrists. We are like mirrors to one another, and we need to speak the truth in love to one another. Besides that, something he didn't say, I think that we need to keep reading the Word of God and applying it in our daily lives: the Word is like a mirror to us, showing us not just our outward appearance, but going deep even into "the thoughts and intents of the heart" (James 1:22-25), Hebrews 4:12)
Was glad that Michelle came, after her almost month-long sojourn to Paris and Europe, and we had a nice lunch at the curry fish head shop in Rampai with Sheryl and Ashwira as well.Was also very glad that the new Michelle came again with her husband, Ryan. Praise God that she is very keen to grow deeper in the Lord and has a desire to be baptised. She's taken the first Nav discipleship book and will be doing it, and I'm to be her partner. Thank you, Lord!
Reading "The Hunger Games" now and finding it quite enthralling. Haha, now I'm reading books recommended by my students and sons. How the tables have turned. Watched "Tropic Thunder" on dvd with D: silly over the top gags. I told D that if we ever were to bring in a young 'un in to foster, we'd have to quit watching such movies in the home. He said, "What makes you think I'd be continuing to do so?" He's keen to take in this 10 year old kid who needs a foster family, but I'm hesitating now. Will I be up to it? I'll be doing the main work, there'll be more work and responsibilities. Will we be good for the kid? We're no perfect godly family. We're flawed humans with baggage and many blind spots still. Am I asking for trouble? Or, will it, paradoxically, be good for us all? Lord, please guide and confirm it for us.
James did a good job leading in the singing. And thanks to God and to Alex and Fiona, the young adults had a good outing to the MV Logos Hope Saturday nite. Glad that Junie came after an absence of a few weeks. The speaker, Patrick Cheng of the NECF, has a masters in Christian Counselling as well as in secular Counselling, and he was talking about how to build emotionally healthy churches. We just need to listen to one another and help one another to renew our minds, basically, and we wouldn't be needing professional counselors and psychiatrists. We are like mirrors to one another, and we need to speak the truth in love to one another. Besides that, something he didn't say, I think that we need to keep reading the Word of God and applying it in our daily lives: the Word is like a mirror to us, showing us not just our outward appearance, but going deep even into "the thoughts and intents of the heart" (James 1:22-25), Hebrews 4:12)
Was glad that Michelle came, after her almost month-long sojourn to Paris and Europe, and we had a nice lunch at the curry fish head shop in Rampai with Sheryl and Ashwira as well.Was also very glad that the new Michelle came again with her husband, Ryan. Praise God that she is very keen to grow deeper in the Lord and has a desire to be baptised. She's taken the first Nav discipleship book and will be doing it, and I'm to be her partner. Thank you, Lord!
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Turning, Churning
New books and new songs and movies are being churned out faster than I can keep up. My O3 students are crazy over the Percy Jackson books (the movie failed to impress any of them), and also over "The Hunger Games" now being made into a movie.
Through D, I got to know Adelle, and I listen to her CD "21" to and fro work. Her songs are very catchy, and I hear my students sing them like pros, even the 11 and 12 year olds. Like her song goes, "I can't keep up with your turning tables," so I say I can't keep up with the changes of the world.
How marvellous is the creative gift that God has put in us! But then again, it's the same old story dressed in new fashion and style, always the story of love and loss and faith and betrayal, life and death, beginnings and endings. As the preacher said, There's no end to the making of many books and songs and stories, and also, "much study is wearisome to the flesh." (Ecclesiates 12:12)
I have to accept that I cannot keep with the turning of the world; one day I will take my leave and the world will go on without me. People will still be people, and God will still be God, and best of all, He will continue to build His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
And then the Preacher said,
Through D, I got to know Adelle, and I listen to her CD "21" to and fro work. Her songs are very catchy, and I hear my students sing them like pros, even the 11 and 12 year olds. Like her song goes, "I can't keep up with your turning tables," so I say I can't keep up with the changes of the world.
How marvellous is the creative gift that God has put in us! But then again, it's the same old story dressed in new fashion and style, always the story of love and loss and faith and betrayal, life and death, beginnings and endings. As the preacher said, There's no end to the making of many books and songs and stories, and also, "much study is wearisome to the flesh." (Ecclesiates 12:12)
I have to accept that I cannot keep with the turning of the world; one day I will take my leave and the world will go on without me. People will still be people, and God will still be God, and best of all, He will continue to build His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
And then the Preacher said,
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil." (Ecclesiates 12:13-14)
Saturday, October 08, 2011
May Their Tribe Increase!
Here I am, one of the few privileged to be able to sit here and ruminate and cogitate, and to write. Life is hard for so many, waking daily to labour, sweat and tears, with no time to sit and stare. I am thankful, and I am reminded not to take things for granted. Steve Jobs just passed away at 56, and the world mourned the loss of an innovator and visionary.
Yesterday the Nobel Peace prize was awarded to 3 women: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, director of Women Peace and Security Network Africa Leymah Gbowee both of Liberia and democratic activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen. That just makes me feel good, hopeful and thankful. May their tribe increase!
As for me, mother of 2, teacher of more than 40 students, struggling to organise the home and work, I give thanks to God: for giving me life and health and strength. Thank you for my grown and mature sons: I saw pics of the older one on horseback in a ranch on the other side of the world! The younger one who was staying with a friend for a week just sent me an sms two days ago which said, "Mommy I love you". And he's going to be 20 end of this year. That is just so sweet, and typical of him.
I thank God for my husband too who is faithful, hardworking and responsible, and I pray God that You may bless him with good fruit for his effort and faithfulness, and a bonus, if You will, especially, a gift of a holiday to a place of his heart's desire.
Most of all, I thank God for who You are, for without You life and all it can give is meaningless, but with You even the bad becomes good. Thank You, God.
Yesterday the Nobel Peace prize was awarded to 3 women: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, director of Women Peace and Security Network Africa Leymah Gbowee both of Liberia and democratic activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen. That just makes me feel good, hopeful and thankful. May their tribe increase!
As for me, mother of 2, teacher of more than 40 students, struggling to organise the home and work, I give thanks to God: for giving me life and health and strength. Thank you for my grown and mature sons: I saw pics of the older one on horseback in a ranch on the other side of the world! The younger one who was staying with a friend for a week just sent me an sms two days ago which said, "Mommy I love you". And he's going to be 20 end of this year. That is just so sweet, and typical of him.
I thank God for my husband too who is faithful, hardworking and responsible, and I pray God that You may bless him with good fruit for his effort and faithfulness, and a bonus, if You will, especially, a gift of a holiday to a place of his heart's desire.
Most of all, I thank God for who You are, for without You life and all it can give is meaningless, but with You even the bad becomes good. Thank You, God.
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