Look for the star!

A Sunnydale Christmas

A reindeer and a saint

A Sunnydale Christmas

A small elf...

A Sunnydale Christmas

The Sunnydale choir

A Sunnydale Christmas

Pass the parcel

A Sunnydale Christmas

Feed me fudge...

A Sunnydale Christmas

Susan's kids

A Sunnydale Christmas

The Gwees in action

A Sunnydale Christmas

Just Keep Planting

Planting seeds in your Life!

Mark 9:23 (Jesus said) "If you can BELIEVE, all things are possible to him who believes."

Read this true story of a guy who did not give up and believed in planting seeds, and be blessed & impacted by it!
http://skywriting.net/inspirational/stories/planting.html

=)

And as 2006 looms ahead, let's take time out to reflect and set goals for the new year and beyond. There are many things we wish to do, and hope to achieve, in our lives. Let's commit to plant seeds in our own lives, to see these planted seeds bearing fruit.

Think about:

1. What is/are the best thing/s that happened to you this year?

2. What is ONE thing you wish will happen, next year?

3. What are you going to do about it(to make it happen)?

Instead of resolutions next year, you might like to consider an alternative form of goal setting, found this "Creating your own 1001 day project" http://www.triplux.com/1001/otherlists.asp ,
thought it was a meaningful thing to accomplish.

Books from the Catholic Bible ...

Considering the fact that i'm so freaking ill (fever, headache, flu, sore throat, cough, puking etc...) such that i can't meet u guys for cell today, i thot i wld contribute something to this blog in return for my absence....

Ok, to start off, since going for the midnight mass at St Francis Xavier on Christmas eve, i was quite amazed to know that the Catholic bible is different from our normal Christian bible. [ok ok, i am very 'mountain tortoise' one can??]

So then, since i have this incredible thirst for knowledge inside me (which ALL auditors r presumed to have!) i thot i wld do some research on the books fr the catholic bible n not found in our bible, and share with u guys....

A note of caution : this is coming fr an auditor battling with aches & discomfort all over.....blah blah.....i've tried to be as sane as possible when blogging this, but if u spot any inconsistencies / nonsensical babbling, pls dun hold it against your humble ill-stricken auditor.... XD...

Book of Tobit (found after Nehemiah)

Book of Judith (after Tobit)

Book of 1 Maccabees (after Esther)

Book of 2 Maccabees

The Book of Wisdom (after Song of Songs)

Book of Sirach (after Wisdom)

Book of Baruch (after Lamentations)

If u guys want more info, can refer to this website:

http://www.catholic.org/phpframedirect/out.php?url=http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/index.htm

Punchinello & The Most Marvelous Gift

The whole town is bustling to get ready for Maker Day. Hans is baking his seven-layer Chocolate Cherry Truffle Cake with Double Butter-cream Frosting. Violet is putting the finishing touches on her mountainous bouquet. Lucia is warming up for her solo, featuring the amazing Dr. Marvel and his Marvelaphony-organoni. And Punchinello is just baffled. He has nothing that would even compare to their fabulous creations, and especially nothing wonderful enough to honor Eli on Maker Day. Yet, in the midst of the celebration, something goes terribly awry and Punchinello comes to the rescue with the most precious gift of all—a gift from the hearts of all Wemmicks to honor the Maker on His special day.
The Wemmicks were small wooden people. These little wooden people were carved by a woodworker named "Eli." Eli's workshop sat on a hill overlooking the Wemmick Village. Every one of the Wemmicks were different. Some had big noses, others had large eyes. Some were tall and others were short. Some wore hats, others wore coats. But all were made by the same carver and all lived in the same village.
All day long, every day, the Wemmicks did the same thing. They gave each other stickers. Each Wemmick had a box of golden star stickers and a box of dull gray dot stickers. Up and down the streets all over the city, people could be seen sticking gold stars or gray dots onto each other. The pretty ones, those with smooth wood and fine paint, always got shiny gold stars! But if the wood was rough or the paint was chipped, the Wemmicks gave dull gray dots. The talented ones got stars, too. Some could lift big sticks high above their heads or jump over tall boxes. Still others knew big words or could sing very pretty songs. Everyone gave them shiny gold stars! Some Wemmicks had stars all over them! Every time they got a star it made them feel so good that they did something else and got another star.
There were many other Wemmicks though that could do very little. They got dull gray dots! There was one little Wemmick and his name was "Punchinello." He tried to jump high like the others, but he always fell. And when he fell, the others would gather 'round and give him dull gray dots. Sometimes when he fell, it would scar his wood, so the people would give him more gray dots. He would try to explain why he fell and, in doing so, he would say something really silly. Then the Wemmicks would give him some more dots!!!
After a while, Punchinello had so many dots that he didn't want to go outside. He was afraid he would do something dumb such as forget his hat or step in the water, and then people would give him more dull gray dots. In fact, he had so many gray dots that some people would come up and just give him one without any reason! "He deserves lots of dots," they would say. The wooden people would agree with one another. "He's not a good wooden person," they would say. After a while Punchinello believed them. "I am not a good Wemmick!" he would say. The few times he went outside, he hung around other Wemmicks who had a lot of gray dots. At least he felt better around them.
One day, Punchinello met a Wemmick who was unlike any he'd ever met. She had no dull gray dots and did not have any shiny golden stars either. She was a wooden Wemmick and her name was "Lucia." It wasn't that people didn't try to give her stickers; it's just that the stickers didn't stick to her!!! Some admired Lucia for having no dots, so they would run up and give her a star. But it would fall off. Some would look down on her for having no stars, so they would give her a dot. But they would not stick either!!!
"That's the way I want to be!" thought Punchinello. "I don't want anyone's marks!" So he asked the "stickerless" Wemmick how she did it. "It's easy," Lucia replied. "Every day I go see Eli." Punchinello asked,"Eli? Who is Eli?" She replied "Yes, Eli, He is the woodcarver. I sit in His workshop and spend time with Him." He asked Lucia,"Why do you do that?" Lucia told him, "Why don't you find out for yourself? Go up the hill and visit with Him. He's there!" And with that, the sweet little Wemmick named Lucia turned and skipped away.
"But He won't want to see me!" Punchinello cried out to her. Lucia didn't hear him, as she was too far away. So Punchinello went home. He sat near a window and watched the wooden people as they scurried around giving each other gold stars and gray dots. "It's just not right," he muttered to himself. Then he resolved to go see Eli after all. Punchinello walked up the narrow path to the top of the hill and stepped into the big Woodcarver Shop. His little wooden eyes widened at the size of everything. The stool was as tall as he was. He had to stretch on his tippy-toes to see the top of the workbench. A hammer was as long as his arm. Punchinello swallowed hard and thought to himself, "I'm not staying here!" and he turned to leave. Then he heard his name. "Punchinello?" said this voice, so deep and strong. Just then Punchinello stopped. The voice said, "Punchinello, oh how good it is of you to come! Let me have a look at you."
Punchinello slowly turned around and looked at the large bearded craftsman and said, "Sir, you know my name?" "Of course I do. I made you," Eli said. All of a sudden, Eli stooped down and picked little Punchinello up and set him on the workbench. "Hmmmmm," the Maker spoke thoughtfully as he inspected the gray circles all over him, "Looks like you've been given some bad marks." Punchinello explained,"Oh, Eli, I didn't mean to; really I didn't!!! I really tried hard not to." The Maker said, "Oh, you don't have to defend yourself to me, my child. I don't care what the other Wemmicks think." Punchinello asked, "Really? You don't?" Then Eli said, "No and you shouldn't either. Who are they to give stars or dots? They are Wemmicks just like you. What they think really doesn't matter at all, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special." Punchinello laughed, "Oh, me special? How can I be special? I can't walk fast. I can't jump. My paint is peeling. I make silly mistakes all the time and I am not a beautiful Wemmick like some of the others. How could I matter to you?" Eli looked at Punchinello and put his hands on those little wooden shoulders of his and spoke very slowly, "Because Punchinello... you are mine. That's why you matter to me." Punchinello had never had anyone look at him like this before or say anything so nice, much less his Maker! He didn't know what to say!
"Punchinello, every day I've been waiting and hoping you would come to see me," Eli explained. Punchinello looked up at him and said, "I came because I met a sweet Wemmick girl who had no marks." Eli said, "I know. Lucia told me about you." So Punchinello asked, "Why don't the stickers stay on Lucia?" Eli said, "Because she has decided that what I think is more important than what anyone else thinks. The stickers only stick if you let them." Punchinello looked puzzled and said, "What?" Eli said, "Yes, the stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust My love, the less you will care about those stickers." But Punchinello said, "I'm not sure I really understand. What you are saying?" The maker said, "You will, but it will take some time. You've got a lot of marks. So for now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care about you." Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him on the floor. "Now remember," Eli said as the Wemmick walked out the door. "You ARE special because I made you, and I don't make mistakes."

By Max Lucado, You are Special

Punchinello didn't stop, but in his heart he thought, "I think He really means it."

And each time he remembered what Eli told him and each time he went to visit and talk with Eli, one of Punchinello's dots would fall off. They kept falling off and soon they were all gone!!!
So like Punchinello, we must remember one thing: "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart." (I Samuel 16:7)

On Christmas Day, we honour God for giving His one and only Son for us... His precious gift unto us is everlasting, redeems our sins, and bridges the chasm bet. God and Man when we LEAST deserve it for He so loved the world! Surely... No other present you receive in this world can be better than this! Surely no love is greater than when you die a most painful death for someone who condemned, insulted, spitted, humiliated, hurt and tortured you. He died while we are still sinners and yet He was sinless. He carried the cross for you and I.
Think of a person in your life you really couldn't stand and imagine yourself dying slowly and painfully for him/her. That pesky, selfish manager who always use me to do OT till 11pm and even weekends but all the credit belongs to him and I get nothing except tons of work to finish, that ger who always gossip behind my back, that nasty colleague who I can't seem to see eye to eye with and always game for confrontations.... etc.
Can't do that, can you?
Only Your Maker knows your purpose and destiny on this earth we live in. Lucia's stickers don't stick becoz she cares more about what her Maker thinks about her than what others think about her. Punchinello has learnt his mistakes and begin renewing his relationship with his Maker who cares so much about him. We are unique in our own way becoz Our Maker does it so deliberately. The day you recognize this truth is the start of a covenantal relationship with Him. He's the reason for the Xmas season. He is YOUR Maker and truth is... He loves you very much... even more than Himself.

So ask yourself.... What will you present as a gift to your Maker this day?

Gifts for God

Dear all, Christmas service is so meaningful, here's a dosage of the message for those who have miss it. (:

“ ‘For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’ ” --Matthew 2:2

Christmas is a time of giving, and I’ve found it to be true that it is more blessed to give than to receive. If you are like me, you can’t wait to give your gifts. When you get something for someone, you want to see the joy he or she has in receiving it.

The wise men brought gifts to Jesus: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. What kind of gifts are these for a child? Myrrh, after all, is an embalming element. Why give an embalming element to a baby? I believe these wise men had insight into who Jesus was. They gave Him gold because they recognized it was a proper gift for a king. They gave him frankincense because that is what a high priest used when he went into the temple to represent the people before God. They gave Him myrrh because they recognized that this king would die for the world.

What can we give to God during this holiday season? What do you give to God, who has everything? What does God want from us? He wants our lives. The greatest gift you can give to God this year is yourself. The greatest gift you can give to God is to enter into a brand-new year of opportunities and say, “Lord, I give You my life. More by Greg Laurie: http://www.harvest.org/devotional/index.php/5.html

I like you, I love you! (Jesus) Without you, I 've nothing..

At our resting tentage with village kids

Aceh Trip. 04-10 Dec 2005

The ship landed on a house cuz of tsunami, now a famous landmark.

Aceh Trip. 04-10 Dec 2005

With our guides, volunteer managers with Habitat for Humanity.

Aceh Trip. 04-10 Dec 2005

Team 7 on first day!

Aceh Trip. 04-10 Dec 2005

The sky seems so huge.

Aceh Trip. 04-10 Dec 2005

Fion's

Fion's Oikos

Confirmed
Michelle- 22 Dec (Confirmed coming for the Inn)
Rosemarie- 24 Dec (Confirmed coming for Suunydale Christmas)

Pray from Rest and Receive God's Best

Q1: ARE OUR PRAYERS ANSWERED? WHY?

He who hears and answers us is loving and wise
Our Father loves us. He listens to us.

Sometimes, our prayers may not be answered the way we want them to be answered. But we can still trust our Father in heaven, that He knows best and He wants the best for us.

Remember the times you asked for something that would have proven detrimental to the well being of yourelf or to someone else? Imagine what will happen to this world if everything we ask for comes to pass? Praise God we have a wise and loving God who knows exacly how and when to respond to each of our requests, for our own good.

Our Father witholds no good things from us.

Knowing His heart, we can have confidence that He will not withhold any good thing from His beloved children.

"Now this is the cofidence we have on Him, that if we ask anything according to his will, He hears us." (1 John 5:24)

"For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened...If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matt 7:8,11)

God has given us the Answer to all our prayers
"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it will be opened to you...If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:10,13).

Have you noticed that in the parallel passages in Matthew 7:11 and Luke 11:13 quoted above, where Jesus taught the disciples on prayer, the terms "good things" and "the Holy Spirit" were used interchangeably?

In response to our asking, seeking and knocking, God has given us the Holy Spirit - in whom we have all good things.

The truth be told, we already have the answer to all our prayers. Our Father answered our prayers when He gave us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's answer to our prayers.

Jesus by the Holy Spirit dwells in us. I wonder how many of us really comprehend this awesome truth - the Creator and Sustainer of all things, the King and kings, the Lord of lords, the Saviour of all mankind, the Fulfilment of all our needs and desires, the Answer to all our prayers, our Lord Jesus Christ, is dwelling in us!

We are not alone and helpless. We are not abandoned. We are not ignored. We are not neglected.
Your prayers are not unanswered.
God hears your cry. Everytime.
You have the Answer. All the time.

Q2: IS PRAYER ASKING OR DECLARING?

Prayer is asking as well as declaring
The Bible teaches us to ask when we pray. Therefore praying is asking. In the gospel accounts, we see that at times, when Jesus prayed, He did not ask but simply gave thanks for the answer He wanted. So praying is also declaring.

Prayer is also hearing

More than asking and declaring, prayer is also hearing. As you ask and declare aloud (in line with God's Word), you expose your own ears to the life-giving and faith-building Word, and your inner man gets nourished and refreshed.


Q3: WHAT MAKES PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT POWERFUL?

Allowing He who prays best to prays for us

"For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered". (Rom 8:26)

"For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding" (1 Cor 14:14-15)

When you pray in tongues, the Holy Spirit who dwells in your spirit prays. The Spirit of Jesus Christ Himself prays in, for, and through you. When you pray in the Holy Spirit, you pray from the deepest part of your consciousness. You pray from the holy of holies. You pray the perfect prayer.

Faith comes by hearing
"...faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ" (Rom 10:17).

When we hear our prayers in tongues, we are (in a sense) hearing the rhema words of Christ. And faith comes. Knowing and sensing the closeness of our Lord, as we hear His Spirit pray for us, we build ourselves up in our most holy faith.

"...beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying always in the Holy Spirit..." (Jude 20)

Pray from rest and receive God's best
Also, when we pray in the Spirit, we pray from the posture of rest. We do not worry about what we pray for. Instead of focusing on the gifts, we focus on the Giver. We no longer strive for His presents. We simply rest in His Presence.

We are refreshed by the rivers of living waters flowing through us. We experience rejuvenation. "For with stammering lips and another tongue, He will speak to this people…"This is the rest…this is the refreshing…"" (Isaiah 28:11)

God works best when we rest.

When we rest, we enjoy God's best - fullness of righteousness, peace and joy.

~ excerpt fr notes of church caregroup

Christian at Workplace

1 Samuel 2

At that time, Israel was ruled by Judges for over 200 years. No King yet. Eli was the high priest, highly qualified.

Eli had two sons. Both sons also served in the temple. However, both of them were wicked, lust for power and possibley arrogance. Procedures were carefully followed in those days. However, they messed up the normal procedures in the temple.

Did Eli do anything about them? Yes, he scolded them but not enough.

They went further; fooling around with girls at the temple gate. They took God's temple lightly, showing no reverence for God.

What happened next? The ending wasn't good.

What does this passage tell us with regards to Eli?
The reasons could be:
1. He was spending too much time focusing on his own work.
2. He may thought that his sons would be spared.
3. He may have too many appointments (12hrs a day) with Israelites.
4. He may spent too much time guiding and coaching Samuel.
5. ...

Ask yourself:
1. What is your ideal balance lifestyle?
2. Is your current lifestyle a balanced one?
If not, to what extent is it different from a balanced one?
3. Are there areas in your life that you have been neglecting?
4. How do you plan to change or rectify your present situation?