Jesus was born on Bethlehem I'm sure family and friends are going to get 'blown over' by this video treat!Rachel the 5+ year old pianist will sing you a song which she had composed. She had just started piano lessons 3 months ago. I think she's doing great and enjoying herself. Just like Daddy!Many thanks to missus for capturing this awesome but hilarious video. Indeed these are precious moments that pass us by if we don't stop and enjoy them.PS. I know the subject header is not grammatically or biblically correct. Don't need to spam with comments :P Where are your accusers? She was a pawn in their religious fervour, an object of scorn. They had already known of her affair with a married man. If not, how else would they find them?They hauled her through the public marketplaces. The men whispered in hushed condemning tones while the women folk held tightly to their men. He had promised to leave his wife after each love-making. But each time it ended with “Await my good news”. Good news indeed, she grimaced bitterly. Where is he now?The church leaders scoffed at her when she questioned about the other guilty party. She had no right to speak, they told her. She was guilty as dead. Through the streets they dragged her in search of the Rabbi whom everyone called Jesus.She had heard rumours of this Rabbi. He was the Holy One of God. Nothing escaped him without Him knowing. His prophetic eyes will search out every sin in her life and expose all of them in public. He will humilate her. Afterall, He had already called the scholars and theologians ‘Brood of Vipers!’How much more will he condemn her adulterous affair! Surely he would leave the worst of his choice words on her. Then he would call down fire from heaven to consume her.Let this be a lesson to all. The Law must be upheld and regarded in the highest as he proclaimed over her charred body.Now she stood trembling in fear before Jesus. Surrounded by her pastors,the church elders and leaders, they scrutinised her every movement. Their eyes pierced her soul, searching every fault hidden in dark corners. Their judging lips brayed “Condemnation! Blood payment according to the Book!”Yet he did not give more than a glance at her. He bent down and began to write on the ground. A crowd had already gathered. Her accusers lifted their voices and commanded Jesus to pronounce a judgement upon her based on the Law of Moses.He straightened up and said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.She squeezed her eyes shut. The stones will strike her any moment. She could almost feel them now. I bet the larger stones will be from my pastors. They have been counselling me against the affair. I have failed. I deserve the worst.*Shuffling of feet*. No stones touched her still. Breaking her fear, she heard a gentle voice asking, “Where are your accusers?”She opened her eyes. The crowd was still there but their faces had softened. Her accusers were no where to be found.“No one,” she answered in barely audible tones and still in puzzlement."Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and sin no more."These few words remained etched in her heart eternally - “Neither do I condemn you”. She felt the power in those words.Power to liberate her from her bondage. Power to remove all condemnation. Power to renew her and restore her whole again. Power of God’s love flowing through her.Most of all, power to fall in love again. With the new man in her life - Jesus. One who will never leave nor forsake her. One whose words holds true and eternal.Ask the Samaritan woman by the well. Cross-examine the woman with the issue of blood. Interview Mary Magdelene.You can also question all the prostitutes, the tax-collectors, the blind, the lame, the lepers, the sick and those who called on His name to save them.Judgement, condemnation.They were familiar with these. Often pronounced on them by the Pharisees, religious leaders and the world. And rightly so because they deserved every bit of it.Grace. Forgiveness.These they found in Him. They knew they were helpless. Lost and needed a Saviour. And they received much more.(John 8) When did LKY and ST become flip-floppers? I was a bit stunned at the audacity of it all.First LKY claimed in the defamation suit against CSJ that the IBA (International Bar Association with 30k strong members) had praised Singapore's judicial system. And the association had even sent him a letter of approval.IBA is a world recognized body. Its endorsement of Singapore judiacial system is like a stamp of approval. It's like having ISO9001 on your IT processes.Then SDP called the 'bluff' when it verified with IBA. IBA not only denied having sent any letter, it produced a 72-page report criticizing Singapore on the human rights issues and press freedom.Ouch.Now I have Straits Times rebutting IBA's report here.So I'm wondering now, first you used IBA's name to bring up Singapore's judicial system. Now you rebuke the same very association for publishing a report.So which is which? You mean Singapore is so unique that only the PAP government can define what is right?It's like telling International ISO9001 that they have got it all wrong. They don't really know our IT processes, so they shouldn't be telling us what to do, what to change. Put it bluntly, it's like telling ISO9001 - YOU SUCK!Right. Who used IBA's name in the first place? Surely it wasn't CSJ.Ahh... the absurdity of politics. No wonder I'm no politician.PS. Sometimes I wished we had more humble ministers who would admit their mistakes when they boo-boo. Not 'sorry that it had happened'. But simply 'SORRY'. It soothes an angry soul. Solve the puzzling disconnect Today publishesEx-Singaporean Gopalan Nair arrestedThis is the part that puzzles me:"The spokesman said plainclothes officers on routine anti-crime operations in the area heard a loud knock on their vehicle after stopping at the traffic light.They saw an Indian man walking away. When the officers identified themselves and interviewed the person, he became abusive and refused to furnish his particulars, saying he is an American citizen and the Police has no right to check on him.Despite repeated warnings to stop his verbal abuse, including a racist slur against one of the Malay officers, he continued to be uncooperative and persisted in his abuse. "Puzzling questions that ran through my mind:Now why would an Indian man out of the blue knock on the police vehicle? Did the police officers see the Indian man knock on the vehicle? Could it be another person?How come so 'zun' (coincidentally accurate in Hokkein) that it 'happened' to be Goplan Nair?Did the Indian man had sudden revalations from divine above that the car was a police car and knocked on the car to confirm?If anyone had knocked on my car, I wouldn't be the least concern as long as the car was not damaged. Neither do I need to identify myself as a police officer and interview him.And why did the Indian man (if it was indeed Goplan Nair) insult the Malay officer with a racist slur? I mean he's already out of bail, why does he want to have a civil charge against him?Of course when you don't have the full picture, one tend to over-exaggertate. Enjoy my 'conspiracy' theories:They were 'subtlely' following Goplan Nair and were discovered. This got them infuriated and decided that Goplan needed to pay for exposing their 'stake-out'. (If only they were so vigilent towards Mas Selamat.)The Indian man needed help, knocked on the car to call for assistance but got the arrest instead.The knocks on the police car were big dents. How was the driver ever going to return back to the police station? Oh, he knows the number of forms he had to fill for the car damages during operational duty.The police car following Goplan nearly knocked him down. He was furious. Knocked on the car and demanded an explanation. Got arrested instead.One of the officers showed Goplan the #1 sign with his finger while driving by. Goplan retaliated.One of the officers shouted, "Damn Yankies". Goplan retored with a racial slur.I don't know... there seems to be bits of disconnect all over.As usual I will be fed with bits of disjointed information. Soon enough a whole big story consisting of bits and pieces will be revealed. It will be so ludicrous that I can even believe 'pigs fly'. Shame on you, Mdm Yeong and Today! Shame, shame! Re-reading the transcripts from this blog (it is very accurate since you'll see the written transcripts and the audio ones) and also the audio clip from SDP website, you'll find that Mdm Yeong and the Today newspaper had 'conveniently' left out Dr Chee's words to make him sound like he had accused them as 'murderers', 'robbers', 'rapists' and 'child molesters'!Here is the ploy exposed -From Today:Mr Davinder Singh: “ ... And to conclude on Dr Chee’s submissions, he says that he doesn’t wish Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Lee Hsien Loong ill. In that same breath, he says he stands by The New Democrat article, which alleged that they are ‘criminals, corrupt, and covered up matters in the NKF’. And under his breath he’s now just said ‘murderers and robbers’.”Dr Chee: “And rapists, too, you might as throw it in, you know, right? Child molesters”.against what was actually said in the audio clip and in the written transcripts:Dr Chee: “And rapists, too, you might as well throw it in, you know, right? Child molesters”.---Can you see how Mdm Yeong and Today 'conveniently' left out the word "...might as well..."? This totally changes the statements from one of allegations (from Davinder Singh) of CSJ towards the PAP leaders to one of downright accusations by CSJ to the PAP leaders.The former makes CSJ sound like he had accused LKY and the PAP government with these degratory terms. The latter gives me the impression that since Davinder Singh had alleged CSJ to imply that the government are 'murderers' and 'robbers', other degratory terms might as well be thrown in.Wow... didn't know Mdm Yeong is so smart. Must have been a scholar. A good one too. Until exposed through the new media - Internet. Why don't you do us a favour by showing us the whole transcripts instead of partial information?*clap clap clap*Shame on you, Mdm Yeong. You have 'lied' to Singaporeans.Shame, shame. Mdm Yeong: Chee Lies Again Taken from Today Online.CHEE LIES AGAIN: MM’S PRESS SECYeong Yoon YingPress Secretary to Minister MentorIn a letter to Today, Madam Yeong Yoon Ying, the press secretary to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, responds to opposition politician Chee Soon Juan’s call forMr Lee or his counsel to produce part of a transcript from last month’s court hearing to assess damages arising from the libel suit against Dr Chee. YOUR report “Nothing to do with political freedom” (3 July 2008) refers to my letter to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and toDr Chee Soon Juan’s response published on his website.In my letter to the WSJ, I said that in the recent defamation cases, Dr Chee had called Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew ‘murderers, robbers, child molesters’ and ‘rapists’ in open court. Dr Chee alleged that I had lied, and challenged me to produce the relevant transcript.I enclose p. 115 of the verbatim court reporting transcript of the hearing on28 May 2008. Line 11 onwards reads:Mr Davinder Singh: “ ... And to conclude on Dr Chee’s submissions, he says that he doesn’t wish Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Lee Hsien Loong ill. In that same breath, he says he stands by The New Democrat article, which alleged that they are ‘criminals, corrupt, and covered up matters in the NKF’. And under his breath he’s now just said ‘murderers and robbers’.” Dr Chee: “And rapists, too, you might as throw it in, you know, right? Child molesters”. Mr Singh: “And this is the man who says “I don’t wish them ill”. Dr Chee has once again lied toSingaporeans.---Alright let's read the partial transcript of the court proceedings which caused this ruckus.I don't know about how the legal terms or procedures are. On paper, it states Dr Chee has labelled the leaders as 'murderers and robbers', 'rapists' and 'child molesters'But my understanding of the words exchanged is: Dr Chee is so fed up with the legal proceedings and misinterpretations that sacarsm has ruled his words.Take for example (or lack of better of at the moment):A wife was quarreling with her husband. She accused him of not spending enough time with her. In her opinion, he was more interested in golf and his golfing kakis, one of whom was a woman named Mary. (No offense to any Marys here.)He tried to defend himself with reassurance of his love and time.In response to him with frustration that nothing was going to change, she shot back, "Since you are so defensive, you might as well start an affair with Mary since you are spending so much time with her in golf!"Now on paper technically, she did tell him to have an affair.However in context of the heated argument, she was insinuating that her husband's love and time for golf was driving their marriage apart. It was as if he had committed adultery. But did he commit adultery? Of course not! Was she asking him? By no means. Was she implying he did? I do not think so.It stems from frustration with a man cornered. It's like following up with a statement, "Since you claim this to be so, you might as well put in such-and-such. It makes no difference to me."So, Mdm Yeong, I've said numerous times. Don't show me partial transcripts. It can deviate from the truth and the context it was quoted upon.Take the 'text' out of 'context', it becomes 'con'. Till now, you have yet to show us the full transcripts.For you readers, hear the proceedings and read the transcripts from the SDP website and make your own judgement and conclusions. What is Patriotism? I was reading this blog about his Singapore life. Till date, he is still figuring out what patriotism means.I, too, asked myself the question and the scary part was I don't really know. And then a flurry of words came and here is my response to him:"I have migrated. What I had suggest(ed) to many Singaporeans is to stop seeing the world through the tainted glasses the media and government want you to look through.See the world for yourself and draw your own conclusions.Singapore is a really fine (pun intended) city. But I do not see my next generation growing up in that kind of environment anymore.Choose wisely. It still is not a bed of roses elsewhere, but you realise you have a choice in how you want your life to be. Back in Singapore, you don't have choices. It's a rat-race, do what they tell you or fade away and die in the background.Patriotism? I'm still figuring it out today. But I can summice like this to what runs through my mind:A patriotic person is akin a solider in the Iraq war. He gives of himself for the country, knowing the risks and glories, yet chooses to be a soldier because he believes in what the country (not the government) stood for. It is no loss that he sacrifices himself for the cause. He is not motivated by greed, nor by political means, nor by the media. He does what he chooses to. He has a choice.Kaffein" .sg Politics is not good for anyone I have been telling myself: Stop writing about Singapore politics. You are just gonna get the hurt.But I can't help it. For the past year, the unfolding events, laughable responses and published stories in the Straits Times unfurled within me a whole ruckus of disgruntled emotions - derisive, fuming mad, hilarious, ludicrous, incredulous, absurdity... the list goes on.It's like watching a comedy... of errors.It shows how the government thinks of us Singaporeans. Stupid enough to swallow the whole bait, sinker and hook.Aww... c'mon, give me something more credible to chew on, instead of spin stories. It's sickening and frustrating enough letting me bits and pieces of disjointed information. Then you try to piece all these into an incredulous story for me accept.Here are the not-too-recent 'jokes' that got me all agitated:Ministers' payGST for the poorIncrease of ERP, increase in utilities and cost of living, bus fares, taxi hikesMas Selamat sage, 'independent' report, response from WKS, PMPetrol tax from MBT. opposition comments from HenSingapore DissidentCSJ defamation suit, calling him a 'psychopath'ST gutter journalism, etcNow we have this latest report by a certain Yeong Yoon Ying, Press Secretary to Minister Mentor.I winced in disgust. You mean just because you wrote something with eloquent government speech means it is credible? I'd bet WSJ thinks otherwise.Two Views of Freedom of Speech and Law in SingaporeJune 30, 2008Your editorial ("Democracy in Singapore," June 26), relying on a "partial transcript," has misunderstood the issue in the libel case involving Dr. Chee Soon Juan and his sister.The case had nothing to do with political freedom. It was for defamation arising from the Chees' false claims that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Lee Kuan Yew are criminals and corrupt. Despite being advised by a Queen's Counsel, they failed to produce any credible defense or evidence to back up their claims.Having lost, Dr. Chee in open court then called the Singapore leaders "murderers, robbers, child molesters" and "rapists." The Chees also rebuked the judge, ignored her orders and shouted her down. In Ms. Chee's defense, her lawyer could only claim that she was "almost paranoid." This is why the judge sentenced the Chees to imprisonment for scandalizing the court.Many opposition politicians routinely criticize government leaders, but are not sued because they have not uttered slanderous falsehoods. Contrary to your editorial, Singapore upholds free speech and the right to disagree, subject to the law.Singapore's laws must be decided by Singaporeans, not by foreigners like Gopalan Nair, who is a U.S. citizen, or by the foreign media. Foreign media are entitled to report and comment on what is happening in Singapore, but they circulate here subject to Singapore law. They have no right to defame, to give a skewed account of court proceedings, or to engage in Singapore politics, for example, by campaigning for their version of Western style "democracy" for Singapore.Yeong Yoon YingPress Secretary to Minister MentorSingaporeThis is a joke itself, Mdm Yeong. You are not doing anyone any favour, really. Internationally and locally especially. Singapore is already world-wide infamously known to be an authoritarian state. So prove them wrong. SHOW US THE TRANSCRIPT!Settle it once and for all. Put the nail into the coffin so all words will be hushed. I've said again, your words prove nothing. It's empty talk. Unless you have something to hide...Now see how Singapore Democrat has responded. Plain simple facts baring the truth (according to their side) to let every reader hear the transcripts and decide for themselves. (For readers, read here)---The PAP responses these days have really gotten weirder and weirder. I have to contend with "Singaporeans are complacent", "What to do, it has happened", "Let's move on", "I am appalled and flabbergusted", "GST is to help the poor"...Are these responses et all? Or just hog-wash? Spin stories?"If you love Singapore too much, first it will break your heart, then it will break your soul." -Alfian Sa'atHow apt. Told you so: Straits Times is going into gutter journalism Not sure if you had read the article about Tan Lead Shake published in the Straits Times.The first glaring mistake mentioned Tan Lead Shake was a member of Singapore Democratic Alliance. I was like - huh? Is this another political ploy to undermine SDA (or the opposition for the matter)?It's such a unforgivable mistake that I find it hard to swallow it as "it was an honest mistake".Read it for yourself here.Woo... the Straits Times is sinking to a new low. Can you spot the difference? From the Straits Times by Li Xueying (read somewhere online but can't find it now) and Legal News Archive states that there is an ongoing probe into how court recordings landed on SDP website.Right. I don't think anyone denies the fact that if the parties had signed a written agreement, then they should not publish. But if they had not, what's the investigation about? To bring fear into people who are publishing online? Anyway I believe it was an observer who published them. Did the person sign such a document?I think it's better for Straits Times to come out and publish all that had happened so people like me don't get one-sided views (albeit SDP's). C'mon it's such a publicised affair in Singapore and all you have are (poorly-written) stories from people like Chua Lee Hoong (whom I think had just shot herself in the foot)?Mayhaps 146th position seems fitting.---The law article extract reads:"According to lawyers, parties involved in a suit at the High Court can apply for copies of the official recording, for a fee, to help them prepare their arguments for the next day.They have to sign a written agreement 'not to reproduce or transmit in any form or by any means, any material contained in the transcript or on any audio record supplied to us'.Parties are not allowed to have their own recorders in court. Neither are observers or journalists allowed to (I think it refers to recording media). " (bold italics mine)and here I have SDP's version of the drama in the courtroom:"One, halfway through a session on the first day (26 May), a group of men (7-8 of them) barged in and without so much as acknowledging the Judge took up positions around the courtroom. Mr Lee Kuan Yew was then ushered in. Dr Chee asked the Judge whether these people could identify themselves and to state the reasons for their presence. Mr Davinder Singh, the plaintiffs' counsel, had not applied for permission for these persons to be present.In addition, one of Drew & Napier's partners, Mr Hri Kumar who is also a PAP MP, was seated beside Mr Lee Kuan Yew in courtroom. Mr Kumar was not involved in the case. His only function seemed to be to keep the Minister Mentor company. Again, no permission was sought for his presence and Judge Ang did not ask who Mr Kumar was and what he was doing in her courtroom. " (bold italics mine)Question: Why aren't these 'people' thrown out of court? Is it different strokes for different folks?Hmmm... Interesting insight into .sg journalism Nothing much to summarise about the article links. They are very good reads about the state of Singapore journalism although these articles dated quite a few years back. The shocking thing is these articles already foresaw the direction .sg journalism will go back then. Scary.Read it for yourself here and also here.Another interesting read here from the Australian (albeit an old post).---Trying, trying very hard to update my blog with pictures but no avail.Been busy whacking a free online and addictive game called Hero Online. Doesn't need much CPU power and memory but the graphics, sounds, online community and quests are pretty good (considering it's free!). Fair bit of grinding expected but all in all, a good game at 8/10. Wasted potential by Chua Lee Hoong I chuckled at the absurdity of this Singapore Straits Times article penned by Chua Lee Hoong (THINKING ALOUD - The squandered potential of Chee Soon Juan).Linked the article from another blogsite as I have to subscribe to ST to get the article. *mutters*Is it because she has never seen CSJ 'grilling' our beloved MM and PM? If you read the transcript post below, I thought CSJ was pretty prepared, sharp and knowledgable. Imagine the stress he has to go through in defending himself, and also in knowledge of the few supporters he has. He's like an egg smashing against a wall.Yet in spite of the challenges, I think he handled himself well. In fact, my respect for him has gone up a notch.What was she thinking again? First she flames the bloggers in a previous article for them being critical of the government's handling of the Mas Selamat saga. Now she states CSJ is wasting his potential.Is she advocating that one has to join PAP in order to be considered using his potential well? Does one has to align himself with the idealogy of the incumbent party to be potentially useful? Then people like Martin Luther King would be considered wasting his time and potential.I'm sorry to say, Miss Chua Lee Hoong, not everyone is like you.---PS. If CSJ and SDP are not all credible an opposition as you claim, why are you writing a full article to 'condemn' him and smear his name over the mud? Gutter journalism, I'd say.What has ST become seriously? *shakes head in disbelief*Anyway, you gotta see this video. Can't find actual transcipts of exchanges between Lee and Chee? Funny thing is I have to find the actual transcripts (though not verified if contents are accurate but they do look accurate enough) from various blogs. I can't even find them from any government sites or from Straits Times. Can someone please link them to me?And why are the actual transcripts so easily obtainable from the Singapore Democrat (link here)? I want to read it from actual government or PAP sites to see how they compare. This will let me have a better overview of how the court session went.C'mon, Straits Times and government bodies, you should be more detailed and impartial. Not that I support any party but aren't your articles too biased? Let the people decide for themselves.Another read here.Sheesh... Have you been forgotten? Have you been forgotten?Have you been labelled a failure, a 'has-been' before? What about the times when you fail to meet to the rigorous and harsh standards that society has placed upon you? How about the numerous times when life dealt an unkind blow to you? And cripple you with labels like:- Shape up or ship out- You can't seem get it right- I don't think you are up to our requirements. I'm sorry I can't offer you that position.- The company doesn't need you anymore. You have been retrenched.- You are not as beautiful as you think you are- You are not smart as your classmates. If you were, you would have been the top 10%, etcEveryday we are bombarded by the media, by people and even good-intentioned friends who define our successes in life. The TV media, books and magazines invade our thoughts and subconsciousness with:"Buy this product, it will make you look even more beautiful""Join this program and keep your shape.""Maybe you need more training or skills"It simply means "You ain't good enough!"Failure is no stranger to anyone. Ever experience living in a deep hole dug by people from which you could never crawl out?I have a story to tell. I was often in the top 10, cream of the crop during my primary school days. There were high expectations of me to bring glory to the school and make my parents proud.I have passed the national IQ exam, I was selected for the Gifted/Music Elective Program, I represented my school in an international Maths and Science test. Every other way I turn, success seems to be just around the corner. I was the envy of many. Who could have asked for more? I was made for success.I took my PSLE in Primary Six. My results were shocking. Mediocre was an understatement. Unbelief was on everyone's lips. There was even a call by my teachers to recheck my results with the Ministry of Education. Perhaps there was a slip-up.Finally it sank in whatever the reasons. Failure. Defeat. What a letdown. My world fell apart. I was unable to reach everyone's expectations. Soon everyone turned their attention to those who had made it. I was soon forgotten and left on the shelf.Such a place exist in the bible.Lo Debar. A place of no pasture. A place of naught, nothingness. A place for forgotten people. Even the name 'Lo Debar' sounds morbid and melancholic.And the bible tells of a story of a fugitive prince who had lived in this place called Lo Debar. Let's read his story.2 Samuel 4:4  4 (Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled. His name was Mephibosheth.)This young man used to have everything working for him. He was a prince, his grandfather was King Saul and his father was Prince Jonathan, a respected son in Saul's kingdom and army.Now when Saul and Jonathan died, there was fear in Saul's household. Why? Because of rumors that the new king would put Saul's descendants to the sword. Not only did Mephibosheth lose his kingdom, he lost both his legs. Now he was a cripple for all his life. And the nurse hid him in this place called Lo Debar.Think about it, all his life, he had feared this man called David. His nurse must have taught him why she had to run away. After all King Saul had tried to kill David numerous times! Why wouldn't David hunt him now? And who knows she might even have blamed King David for the cause of his crippled legs.Each and every single day, he was living his life ranging from fear to anger to hopelessness. Lo Debar. A place for forgotten people.2 Samuel 9David and Mephibosheth  1 David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?"  2 Now there was a servant of Saul's household named Ziba. They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?"    "Your servant," he replied.  3 The king asked, "Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?"    Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet."  4 "Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."Can you imagine being Mephibosheth? The worst of your fears has come when one day, a messager brings a summon that the King requires you to be in his presence.Woe to me, King David has come for my head. Isn't it bad enough that I'm in some forgotten place? What does he want from a cripple? Why is he still affer my head!But is King David really asking for Mephibosheth's head? Is that what we think of God? A god who is after your blood when you sin? A god who keeps a watchful eye to admonish you each time you fail? A god who remembers your wrongdoings?  5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.  6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.    David said, "Mephibosheth!"    "Your servant," he replied.  7 "Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table."  8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"See how David comforted the misguided prince fears. "Don't be afraid". Isn't it so like Jesus? Fear not. Don't be afraid. Shalom. Peace.See how Mephibosheth called himself - a dead dog. Thinking himself dead, and just a lowly lifeform. Just like us. I blew it. I've failed. I'm defeated. Lost and forgotten.And we think God is pleased with such statements. See how David responded to Mephibosheth.  9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.  10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)  11 Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's [a] table like one of the king's sons.  12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all the members of Ziba's household were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet.Did you see that? Read it aloud!So Mephibosheth ate at David's table LIKE ONE OF THE KING'S SONS! Do you see how God wants to put you back in the position He has destined you to be? Not as a lowly servant, a dead dog but as a prince, an heir in His Kingdom!Can you see the many, many parallels in this wonderful beautiful passage in the bible?Like Mephibosheth, we were once princes and princesses. Our lineage was traced to Adam, the image of God. The glory of God surrounds Adam in the garden.Like Mephibosheth, we fell and became crippled through Adam's sin. The glory was lost, we thought we were forgotten. Lost in sin.Like David, God gave grace when He said "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" Jesus is our Jonathan. He represented man and made a covenant 'pact' with God.In fact Mephibosheth is to pay the price of death for his grandfather’s sins. But he didn't. Not only did King David returned back all that belonged to Mephibosheth, he wanted the prince to sit at his table and feast all the days of his life! Don't you see beloved? God wants you to be with Him all the days of your life, including on this earth!Like Mephibosheth, whom David treated him like his own son, we are now children of God, sealed on the day of redemption through Christ.Did Mephibosheth deserve it? Afterall his grandfather had tried to kill David. And he had all these years lived a life in fear of King David. He might have even hated King David for making him a cripple! Misguided, misconception, bad opinions of David. Isn't it like many of us who think God is eyeing us and waiting for us to fall? And then point an accusing finger at us about our unrighteousness and weakness? Surely not!Did we deserve how God is lavishing His love and goodness upon us? Definitely not! Why? Because God is love. For God so loved that He gave His Son...Just like David, God not only reinstated us, He called us to sit in heavenly places with Him, lavished us with the riches of His glory, surrounded us with His favour and protection and invite us to feast at His table! All by His grace.Like Jonathan who made a covenant pact with King David, Jesus made a new covenant with God so that through Jesus' death and blood, we are now called Sons and Daughters of God when we receive Him.What have we been thinking all these years? That God demands holiness from you (as if we reach His holiness according to the Law)? That God wants you to tithe, give till it hurts, go for missions, and sacrifice yourself more for Him?I'm not sure about you. But I come into the presence of the King to receive and enjoy His goodness, His grace and mercy. The God I know demands nothing from me. Anyway, I used to be from Lo Debar, a place of no pasture. I have nothing to give.Only God gave freely, Jesus died willingly for me. And I receive. When I experience the overflowing love and grace of God, I will be moved to give of myself to Him. Not because I need to prove Him anything but He had loved me for who I am. These 'works' of tithing, living a life pleasing to Him comes naturally because He first loved me.They are the fruits of His love working within me, not my own works.So my encouragement is: come to His presence with joyful, warm hearts, knowing that He readily invites you to His table.Epilogue:As you come to the feast, you will notice familiar faces of people who had failed.You notice a woman who clings to a hem of the garmet (yes, you recognize her as the woman with the issue of blood). You see a handsome young man with long flowing locks of hair and tresses. Oh, Samson!You see a king who had committed murder, adultery and had caused the death of his son. Yet God called him a man after his heart - King David.A tanned fisherman smiles at you with once tear-filled eyes of denying Christ. Simon Peter. You behold the Pharisee of Pharisees who once called for the blood of many a Christian. Apostle Paul!You see men who lied out of fear and cheated with treachery - Abraham, Jacob. You recognize people who told God "I can't do it" - Moses, Jeremiah.They all look at you with understanding eyes. They were once like you - crippled, fallen and labeled 'Failure' by world standards. Lo Debar.But they have experienced grace and mercy in the presence of the King through Jesus Christ his Son.Ephesians 2  6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  9not by works, so that no one can boast.You see Jesus opening his arms wide (just like He did on the cross) to bid you ‘Come’.Lo Debar no more. Heavenly places.Never forgotten. Always loved. Mornington Peninsula, Day 2 (continued from Mornington Peninsula, Day 1)The next day on 5 Nov 2007, we met up a couple of migrant families (most importantly with their kids too so that Rachel could play with them) in Dromana.Dromana is a seaside town along the coast of Mornington Peninsula. It is a very beautiful place as you can walk to the beach just 50m from the town shops. There is also a nice pier for fishing and the awesome horizon ends with the tips of the coastal lands jutting out towards the sea. Nearby there is a large playground as seen in the photo below. Wonderful place for a relaxing time with family or loved one. Dromana Town, pier and large playground Of course, we have the grumpy Rachel who acts out whenever she receives a scolding or time-out. Classic photo to blackmail her when she gets older. LOL!Grumpy RachelAustralia is like heaven for kids. They learn through playing and interactions. Tell me, which kid doesn't like to be carefree and play whole day long? Sometimes we do wish we can turn back time and re-live our childhood. Why grow up so fast when adult life can often be wrought with stress and responsibilities? Rachel's friends, Rachel running to make sandcastles, Isabelle and Rachel High-point of Arthur's Seat in Dromana, down south to beautiful SorrentoMore photos of Gold Coast trip coming up soon! (In)Famous Quotes I have always wanted to compile the list of quotes. You know those LPPL ones which leaves you with duh?!!Managed to chance this. I had a good laugh:This is what we pay our multi-million dollar ministers forAnyway, I've read another blog article about a man going to jail for 21 months for making a false report of spotting Mas Selamat (read here).One commenter wrote:"Everyone is equal but some people are more equal than others.This man made a mistake so he has to pay and will be used as a example for all the other mischief makers.The men in white only make honest mistakes and will be used as a example for all as a learning example.That is the way it work(s) here."Classic.---Will be updating my blog over the weekend with more photos. Work-wise, it has cooled off and there are no more weekend implementations to burn my weekends.Also our family will be heading to Goldcoast (1 - 7 Apr) for a much needed break.Imagine what I felt when Rachel told me one day regardining my late nights and weekend work, "Papa, I don't want you to go to work anymore!"Looking forward to the family trip. Woot! So busy I hardly have enough sleep I'm so busy at my new job.I have been thrusted into the deep end of the pool, which is the implementation phase. Some colleague had asked me: What did you say during the interview so much that they threw you straight into the implementation phase of this program? They are the worst kind of projects you want to do.This program (collection of projects) which I am involved in is a very, very visible project. Our client is a major player in Australia. And the stakes are very high too. There are a lot of senior level management folks eyeing the status of this program every other day.From the moment I joined since late Jan this year, I had my weekends 'burnt'. Once I had to work for a total of 76 hours in a week. Another implementation saw me with 46 straight hours without sleep. It's akin to playing a game with high stakes. The difference is that I don't get to 'reload the game' if it fails.So I apologize for not updating my blog for the past couple of weeks.I did manage to squeeze in some famliy time though. During one of those rare weekends in which I did not have an implementation (there was an implementation actually but it got postponed. Boy, did God know I needed that rest!), we visited the Melbourne Aquarium. I had taken some photos but I am too busy and tired to upload them.During these times of 'trials and long-suffering', I clinged unto the verse in Exodus in which God told Moses to throw a branch into the waters of Marah (which means bitterness). The waters immediately became sweet and the people could drink it. It became life-giving.Jesus is the Branch (of Jesse, see Isaiah) in the situation I'm in.Where He is, there is always sweetness and fragrance. Where there is death, He is Life. Where there is lack, He is my abundance. Where there is dryness, He is the refreshing rain.So in all my project implementations, the results are always successful. Each and every single time. Even in the midst of extreme challenges and near backout/rollback, Jesus came in and brought life to the dying and hopeless siutations. Just when everyone wanted to give up, everything clicked and fell into place.It was as if i had conjured up some miracle and brought the schedule back on track. The truth is I did no such thing. I just rested in Him - the battle belongs to the Lord.I have had rave reviews about my project executions coupled with many commendations from my stakeholders. My 'style' of project execution had been a role model for the other project managers to follow. The senior management is now giving me bigger and harder projects to implement.Am I that capable or intelligent? I honestly don't think so. Could I multi-task well and manage so many people and track every individual activity? Ask my missus and you'll know that I could hardly hear her calling me while watching TV.But I know someone who can. His name is Jesus.He is the Branch in my bitter waters of Marah. He is the one who spoke "I AM" to the legions of Roman soldiers and they fell before Him. He is the one who calmed the raging seas with a word, "Shalom (be still)!".He is my Shalom. May He be yours too. Mornington Peninsula, Day 1 We planned a one-night stay at Mornington Peninsula on 5 Nov 2007. After which we would meet up with other friends and their families on the following day.As usual, we had the morning preparation rush (bit of screaming at Rachel to brush teeth, bathe, etc). But after the first trip experience, we were veterans at what to prepare and how to keep Rachel occupied during the journey. It was a much smoother journey, I must say.There are two main routes to Mornington Peninsula. One is a coastal drive which is very scenic but longer, the other is by the freeway. It was breath-taking! See the expense of the skies and the 'endless stretch of the coastal shoreline. Drool!(linked from Wikipedia)(photo mine)Along the coastal drive, you will pass by not only the main towns but also the smaller ones. Of course, we took this route as missus really liked the scenic drive.Once we reached Mornington town, we headed straight to the Rain, Hayne & Shine farmyard to let the noisy 'animal' in the car out. Boy, was she as impatient as a piglet (just like the picture below) looking for food and squealing about when we approached.Rachel had a very fantastic time at the farm which included pony riding, animals petting and feeding. Rachel the Rodeo starShe is really brave for a going to five years old kid. One of her strongest character is that she is willing to try anything. Even chilli and hot stuff (which she incidentally likes to eat).Here is missus trying to 'push' Rachel towards the hungry goat. Not sure why but the goat had problems trying to eat the vegetables from the fence. So it started using its head instead. Like we humans use our heads. Hilarious! Dad and Rachel, then Mum and Rachel having a moment togetherWe stayed in a chalet for the night. How much different from the Singapore NTUC chalet in Pasir Ris? More quieter, less rowdy.Here in Australia, people generally respect your privacy. Noise is considered a pollution.More photos to come for Day 2... More pictures, more family fun Blessed New Year!Yes it is going to be a wonderfully blessed year because Jesus has already prepared the year ahead of us. He is the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.I've tried painting the house. BIG house. Not that I could not make it but I was only ONE man! And from the looks of it - it might take >1 month. Too slow... we finally called professional painters to complete the work.Bah, lazy Singaporeans. *grins*Rachel had just celebrated her 5th birthday on 6 Jan! I have just changed job. I will be starting at the new place on 21 Jan.See? January alone is already wrought with wonderful changes. How much more will the rest of the year bring in more harvest and goodness as His favour shines upon me and my family!But what about the bad knocks in life, you might ask?To that I will ask: what about the heroes of faith in Hebrews? Was Samson perfect? Did not Abraham lie? Yet in spite of their 'wrongs', the Holy Spirit recorded none of them in the Hebrews Hall of Heroic Faith!The reason is simple. God sees the good, man focuses on the bad. God keeps no record of our wrong-doings because He always sees the best of us in Christ Jesus.Thus I can be assured that whatever lemon life throws at us, God turns it into lemonade.It will definitely be a blessed year ahead for us. Simply because my God is a good god. And He loves me.---More settled down now and I had just managed to peruse the past photos I've transferred from camera to PC. Enjoy!School Excursion (17 Oct 2007)See how Rachel has grown. She's a big girl now! (above right) Rachel and good friend Gabe(below) Rachel with her classmates You decide: which is the real letter to ST forum Quite shocking actually at how much the orginal letter was changed. I need to verify the original contents from the author though.But just look at how the contents were twisted! I nearly went into convulsions. And to think ST dared to put the writer's name (Agung Santoso Ongko) at the end of it!Pay rise for top civil servants timely (ST published forum letter)I READ with great relief the article about ministers and top civil servants getting a 4-21 per cent pay rise next month (ST, Dec 14).We can now be assured that only the most competent people will serve the country. With the rise in their remuneration, we have secured their steadfast service, as well as their continued fervour and dedication to fight for our cause. It could not be more timely. When inflation is soaring and some Singaporeans 'can barely stay afloat' (The Sunday Times, Dec 2), we need, more than ever, the best possible team of civil servants to lead us through the difficulties.We cannot afford to lose them to the private sector, and have to retain them at all costs. This is especially so as these senior civil servants have been in the public sector for so long that they are likely to seek fresh experience in the private sector.With the festive season coming, I hope that they will not forget to share the joy of receiving with the less fortunate. Therefore, I appeal to them to follow Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's lead in giving to the poor and spreading the blessings.Writer's clarification:I'm so glad somebody finally smelt a hint of my original intention for this Forum entry. Honestly, I read with GREAT HORROR the published version of my own e-mail on ST Forum 18/12/2007. Whatever was published on the Forum page on 18/12/2007 may be similar to what I had originally written, but the omissions made by the editors have actually changed its intended meaning altogether. I have reproduced below my original article as I had sent it to the ST editors:"I read with great relief the ST article “Ministers, top civil servants to get 4% to 21% pay rise in Jan” published on 13 December 2007. We can now rest doubly assured that only the most competent people will serve the country. With the rise in their remuneration, we have successfully secured their most steadfast service, as well as their continued fervour and dedication in fighting for our cause. Certainly, it cannot be timelier. At this point, when inflation is soaring and some Singaporeans “can barely stay afloat” (The Sunday Times 02 December 2007), we are in dire need, more than ever, for the best possible team of civil servants to lead us through all these difficulties. We cannot afford to lose them to the private sector, and have to fight to retain them at all costs. This is especially so, as these senior civil servants have been dwelling in the public sector for such a long time that they are more likely indeed to seek a fresh experience in the private sector.With the festive season coming, though, I sincerely hope that they will not forget to share the joy of receiving with the less fortunate in our midst, for the total annual increment that every senior civil servant is set to receive can actually support approximately 1,000 other Singaporeans. Therefore, I appeal to our senior civil servants to follow PM Lee's lead in giving back to the poor and spreading the blessings. What that increase means to you means infinitely more to them."If it has not become apparent to you by now, I had meant this piece to be satirical. And I admit that I may have failed miserably. I admit that it may be my own incompetent, ambiguous writing that has resulted in the gross misunderstanding. It is indeed possible that my vagueness has led to the editors misreading my intentions and viewing all the hyperboles and superlatives as redundant emphasis on my support for the pay rise. I shall, however, leave it to you readers to decide for yourself.I hope I have made my position clear, though: that I am strongly opposed to the unwise timing of the ministerial pay rise, and that if it happens anyway, I call for those benefiting from it to share with those among us who live on $290 a month, and are saving every single cent just to continue surviving.- Agung Santoso Ongko---The pen is mightier than the sword. Settling nicely into the new house We've finally moved and had our first sleepover on 16 Dec last Sunday!It is a challenge to relocate in Aussieland (or move house in Singlish). Nearly everything is DYI! That applies to coordinating the renovation works. Labour cost is so expensive too.In other words, YOU are the main contractor. We had to coordinate the resources, the quotes, the timings, the task dependencies and the overall schedule. For example, the cabinets installations, followed by the electrical and plumbing works in which only certain people can do the cooker and hood, the oven, the sink... and then the electricity outputs/sockets, the cooker hood outlet, etc.As a matter of face, I need to be in the construction industry to know what's going on. One word - SIONG.Back in Singapore, we just had to pay a fixed price to the main contractor. He will in turn assign and schedule the sub-contractors to install and fix the items up.As usual, we had a couple of boo-boos. The plumber, who was doing the cooker vent outlet, would not install the hood. The hood is an electrical appliance, he said. So we had to call in the electrician who said he would not install the hood, or it wasn't part of the agreed contract with us. Anyway we needed to cut a hole in the cabinet for the vent outlet before he could connect the electrical wire to the hood. So we called in the kitchen cabinet guy who said it was supposed to be the hood installer's job, or in other words, the plumber's job.Welcome to Australia, as my colleagues like to say.*sigh* Anyway, praise God, we had a very good kitchen-cabinet contractor (a Chinese national) who helped us to coordinate. He also assisted with so many additional, nitty-gritty things without charging us. May God bless his soul and prosper him!This renovation occurred while we were shifting from the old place. So you can imagine the big mess in the house - dusty (due to on-going renovation works), messy (with many boxes, furniture and tools) with half-done painting job (as I fell sick over the weekend and it was too messy to paint).But thanks be to missus who cleaned and mopped the place up while I was at work. She also helped coordinate with the various parties and ran the administration and finance department like a well-oiled engine. I'd think she can set up her own company. I really thank God for her. Kudos to missus, she rocks big time!Rachel, in her usual bubbly but sometimes irritating self (especially when you are busy and she keeps asking you about a subject), has been generally helpful in doing her own art and craft work. She had a sleepover at her friend's place the previous night as the place was still messy.More like she needed someone to play with and kept on bugging me until I relented. Talk about the persistent widow and the judge. For the past few nights, she had been sleeping with us as her room was also messy. While she was at the sleepover, missus and I managed to fix up her bed and put away her clothes and toys into the wardrobe. Last night however, she slept in her own room for the first time (albeit with another SG friend who stayed over). She slept like a log.Kids are kids. As long as they are having fun, they are unconcerned with anything else around them.Me? I just pray. And pray. I kept looking toward Jesus while everything was falling apart. I had to remind missus that we made the right decision in buying the place, and doing up the renovations. I had to assure her that everything will be in place and we needed to hold hands as we walk THROUGH the 'valley of the shadow of death'. This was in spite of me wondering when we would ever see the light at the end of the tunnel.Well, look at where we are now.9 months and I am a proud owner of a two-storey house. And the land is mine. Not some 99-year lease.The house is fantastic and spacious. We are enjoying every bit of it and the togetherness we have as a family in cleaning and touching up to make it beautiful. It is also conveniently located near to a huge shopping centre, and the most importantly - waking up to the beautiful mountain view each morning.Priceless.Hopefully I can upload the pictures. The internet connection will only be setup next week, 27 Dec and I'll be on company leave from X'mas till New Year.---Thank you, Jesus. You were cursed so that I may be blessed. You had nothing so that I can have everything good from my Father. Apart from You, we can do nothing; in and through You, we have everything.Wishing you readers a very blessed Christmas and a great week ahead! Moving to new house this weekend Still under renovation with the kitchen cabinets not fully installed yet. Also doing up some painting. Hopefully everything is completed by Christmas.Will take some photos and post them here. Limbo Rap: How low can you go? Latest:This is so bad it's so good, especially with the song 'Tragedy' (see here)... LOL---I have absolutely no idea what MDA is trying to do with this low-grade movie.I kept asking myself these questions: Why did you do it? What were you trying to prove? Salvage your reputation (if you had any to begin with because I personally think you gave lousy cuts)? Connect with the youths? Lastly, how much did it cost to produce the junk?Duh.Reminds me of another group (who called themselves the p65ers) doing hip-hops during the Chingay Parade and putting up a blogsite. Really, how many of them listen to hip-hop songs. I don't coz I'm not from that era. How many of them actually blog too? I only know of one who actively blogs. But I digress here.I cringed when I saw those senior management in office suits doing the rap, lip-syncing the lyrics and trying to look hip-hop! They actually sucked.You tell me I'm paying them (through taxpayers' monies and the questionable Radio & TV licenses) to give me this piece of junk? *groan* And gosh, I felt embarassed to call myself a Singaporean when it was posted on YouTube. Just look at those comments within.Perhaps they are responding to the Royston Tan's short movie called 'Cut'. You know, both missus and I actually enjoyed the puns and satirical message within THIS movie. It is both funny and classy than this MDArena how-low-can-you-go-junk.See for yourself if you don't believe me.Some advice for MDA (GLCs included) and the p65ers:- You don't need raps and hip-hops to win the people over. If you have the heart, your actions will follow. People have eyes to see.- Stop trying to be someone you are not. GLCs are huge culprits of trying to follow the Western corporate culture (Who moved my cheese?, Fishy Business, etc). Yeah right... you don't even value, let alone empower your subordinates.- Get rid of the NUTs syndrome. Healesville Sanctuary Told ya we bought the family zoo pass. So more crazy animal pictures for ya!Healesville Sanctuary (20071014)Healesville Sanctuary, or the Sir Colin MacKenzie Fauna Park, is a zoo specializing in native Australian animals. It is located at Healesville on the outskirts of Melbourne, Victoria.The drive was beautiful, over rolling hills and farmlands. Took us about 45mins drive from where we are staying.---(Spoiler! Don't read this part if you are getting married soon)Don't you agree it always feels longer for any family trips.As usual, morning preparation rush. Shouting at Rachel to brush her teeth, bathe. Then bringing all the sandwiches, raisin bread, water bottles and milk packet, some sweets (just in case I fall asleep while driving). And the bag of potato chips. Never leave home without it.I also have a very advanced stereo sound system in my car. You can't get better than that.Sermon messages in the background which switches to Christian MP3s songs at missus beck and call. Family squabbles music in the foreground: Rachel complaining about the long journey - 'Are we there yet?' syndrome; missus feeling exasperated; me shouting at Rachel to quieten down; muttering while driving and figuring where in the blazes we are; missus did not tell me about the missing turn which ended in shouting matches...Missus praying in tongues, Rachel pouting, me calling 'Jesus'! ... yeah it was family time! Thank God we got there in one piece.Ever wonder what God thought about my family. It's like us going to watch the animals in the zoo, and Him watching the 'circus' in Heaven. "Hey, Jesus, come over here. It's the Family Time show. Today's episode is Going to the Healesville Sanctuary! Oh, as you are coming, bring along the bag of chips please!"---There we were waiting to watch the bird show. Rachel decided to take a photo. I must admit she does have a steady hand for her age. I must also commend the Singapore Zoological Gardens. It is indeed world-class. It wasn't that the bird show in Healesville Zoo was lousy but the Singapore Zoo rocked big time! Caught this when the hawk (I think) took off from the fence!And check out the size of the eagle beside him. Also the feeding of the falcon (I think). Gosh don't blame me - I wasn't paying attention to what the guy was saying. It was hard taking photos and listening at the same time. Here are photos of Rachel playing at the playground there. We stopped by a winery cum restaurant while driving back home. Check out the vineyard in the background and the wide expanse of the clear blue sky. Doesn't this make you want to visit me? Melbourne Zoo Have not been updating my blog. So here are the stuff which I've been wanting to update all of you.---Melbourne Zoo (20070824)We bought the family zoo pass and off we went to the zoo.The cute furry creature beside Rachel is a Koala Bear, an Australian native creature. It's not missus.She has a very low metabolic rate for a mammal and rests motionless for about 19 hours a day, sleeping most of that time. Cute and cuddly as she is, she has scary claws and teeth that are capable of causing considerable injury to humans.Now the Koala Bear is broadly similar in appearance to the wombats, another native creature. Wait, whom did you think I was talking about? Come to think of it, both missus and the Koala Bear do indeed have similarities. Bwahahah... More family pictures below.Sorry wrong one... heh. You will notice the red line mark above Rachel's chin. She was accidentally scratched by missus. Told ya, beware the the Koala Bear! A new home for us It's going to be a long blog. The short summary is thanks be to God, we are now proud owners of a beautiful home. Enjoy the pictures. ---The long story:It was a dream house.It sat on top of a slope and was in a court - it was at the end of the road, making it very private. Cul-de-sac.The moment we stepped in from the front porch, we were taken in by the lushful garden and the quaint house structure. There was a vintage convertible car parked in the garage.Both missus and I like old houses with character. This house itself was 20+ years old but very well-maintained. Inside it was spacious and simple, with bits of antique furniture and settings that made it feel cozy. There was a fireplace in the lounge with a sloping ceiling. I can already imagine myself sitting on the sofa, drinking coffee and listening to my music.Though it was a double-storey house, it had a split level which made it 3 storeys rather. The split storey had two bedrooms, a bathroom, a toilet, a small study room and a laundry room which opened to the side of the house into a small backyard.When we climbed the stairs to the top floor, the mountain view greeted us. It had an unblocked view of the Dandedong mountain ranges. We stood there in awe. Both bedrooms (including the master) looked out to the same scenic view. That's how we want to wake up each morning.(backtrack at least 6 weeks before we started house viewing)We committed to God for the kind of house we will like to live in:Situated in a court or end of the road (me)On top of a slope (me)Unblocked view of nature, preferably mountains (missus)Nice garden with bench and platform (missus)Old, quaint, character house (missus)Spacious with bits of antique, cozy feeling (both of us)2-storeys (Rachel)Space to play, large enough for sleepovers (Rachel)And God being a faithful and awesome Father met our every needs. Just as He had done when we first moved to Australia.All these came at a certain cost.Jesus paid every one of it and gave it to us. His promises are 'yes' and 'amen'. Therefore our prayers are always answered.How and why did you say He paid and gave it to you?1. You see, when we gave our first bid for the place, we were not the highest bidder. Naturally speaking, most owners usually pick the highest bidder. However this time round, the owners actually asked the agent to give them a background of each of the bidders. We ranked #2 among the 3 highest bidders.This was a very unlikely situation (as the agent informed us). This was where I believed the favour of God was on our side.2. While placing our bid, we became close to the agent. She was a very nice lady and a Christian too. Though she never told us the amount the other bidders had placed (she wasn't allowed to do so), she was very favourable to us and kept giving us tips on the amount we should bid us to secure the house.Being in the property line for >20 years, she had the intuition to know if a house would eventually belong to a particular family. She couldn't help thinking about us whenever the subject of this house was mentioned.I call it the fragrance of Christ that made us so favoured.3. The property agent rang us to quote a higher price as the owners were still undecided. Even though we stuck by our initial quote and the owners could have chosen the highest bidder, they did not commit to a decision.Later on, we realised there was another player with an even higher bid. That meant we fell to #3 position. Yet the owners could not decide.4. While waiting for the owners' decision on the bids, we won the auction of another house. It was a very nice and huge place. However the auction fell through as the amount was below the reserved price. We got it cheap, alright. The auction house owner hesistated and thus the sale was put off till the next day for further negotiation.Buying a house is a huge investment. Both missus and I prayed and worshipped the Lord that night. We needed God for a direction - which house to buy?During the worship, the property agent for the first house rang us. She would help us close the deal if we put in an additional amount. She even quoted the amount we should offer to secure the deal!Now I know that wasn't very ethical. But if we think again, why would the agent go through so much hassle just to help us secure the house? In fact she told us she couldn't explain why - she just knew she had to help us get the house.We agreed to the new price and she would come by our place to place a new bid.Again Jesus is our perfume. Most agents wouldn't have called you to do another bid as they would have to meet up with you again and re-do the documents. That took time. And time meant money for them.5. We took it as a sign from God that this house belonged to us.The following day she met us. She even showed us the latest bid, which was 15k more than us! Of course the agreed price we had with her outbid the top bidder. Well, the rest was history and the house was ours that very night.6. In addition, we had this uncertainty whether the bank would loan us our bid amount. We had not secured the housing loan yet and the new bid had stretched our budget.Yet when we met the housing loan officer, everything went smoothly and our loan was approved the following day!So now, we are looking forward to a beautiful home that God has given us. We will be moving in during the first week of December.It all seems like a fairy tale. I had barely stayed in Australia for 6 months. Yet I am now blessed with a new home.We never earned or deserved it. We can only bow down and say - "You are awesome, Lord!" CPF Changes Read this article from a man who once contributed to the economy of Singapore. How valid it is, no one knows, being that it is Anonymous. But search our hearts and you'll know its validity.(taken from LittleSpeck)You can also read my response in NMP Siew Kum Hongs blog on the CPF Annuity.I hope everyone who reads this will think carefully again on any policies to be implemented. It's not a simple thing this CPF Annuity. Just as GIC using CPF funds to invest.----CPF changes - An uncle's woesHe writes from the heart how his elusive savings promised for 55 had eluded him even when he was laid up.Sept 22, 2007This anonymous blogger posted this letter when commenting on "CPF Lies - The very blackest kind." by Kenneth Tiong (read here)Anonymous said,Hi Kenneth,Quote from ST, 20 Sept 2007:"To a question by opposition MP Low Thia Khiang (Hougang) on whether the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) uses funds from the CPF funds to invest, Dr Ng said: "The answer is no.""Later he rose to add: "The relationship is not so simple".I could not believe my ears and eyes! Far as I’m concerned, it’s a STUPID EVIL (moderated)!I watched a video of parliament and I saw Hen (Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen) denigrating a nation by mocking his own and other MP's, violating and belittling the intelligence of Singaporeans, insulting uncles like me for being too dumb to handle our finances, saying, "having a fling here, having a fling there".I cannot believe that an overpaid manpower servant that we pay with our taxes thinks so lowly of his fellow citizens! A case of “kurang ajar” or, in the hokien dialect which is pretty popular in Parliament now, “kiam kah”!If I remember well, when I started work as a teenager in 1968, I was told by my boss that 25% of my pay will go to CPF. He will contribute 25%. My boss said, “That’s law, don’t worry. Government guarantees you’ll get it all back when you retire at 55”.On reaching my retirement goal/age of 55, I was shocked that they have moved the goalposts many times since I started work at 1968. My money wasn’t my money anymore.Yes, there's Special, Medisave & Retirement Account - SMRA - "You can't touch these!" A hip hop/rap song?To be fair, I received my yearly CPF statements of the changes, but who reads? I did not.Eight years ago I had a heart attack and ventricular fibrillation. I was jobless for seven years. Lately, I was suspected of having other health challenges and in the past months, I had my share of visiting polyclinics and hospital.Poor rich! I'm rich enough to have more than $28,000 sitting in my Medisave Account BUT I cannot use it for tests, treatments and medicines in hospitals and polyclinics.Yes, my bills from Changi General Hospital and Polyclinics had to be paid in cash from my pocket.Oh, they tell me I can only use it if I spend more by visiting the hospital again for an artery ballooning/stent or a by-pass procedure.Or maybe another heart attack and ventricular fibrillation caused by the agony and heartache of “My Money Sits in CPF but Cannot Use For Staying Alive!”; “They Use my $$$, Make A Profit, Don’t Pay Back, Then Say I Stupid” & “Not Enough, Want Some More, Force Annuity On My Children!”Since nobody wants to employ a sick geezer with a heart condition and other challenges, I am fortunate that a kind soul, having faith, love and trust in me, offered me a sum of money to start a little business last year.I registered a sole proprietorship in ACRA to start the little business. Another heartache - I was informed that I could not register because I owed CPF Medisave which I did not pay when I was self-employed previously.Unless I pay up, I could not register my little business.Imagine, I was broke and I still had to top up my Medisave (already loaded with >$28,000) if I wanted a licence to make myself productive again. Simple: No Top Up, No Licence. This is what I know as Uniquely Singapore First World Standard of Whatever!Another irony: After seven years of joblessness (due to my health challenges) without paying tax, I made good enough to pay tax again for year ending 2006. I've done my part as a citizen, I even did NS in the army from 1969 to 1971."Fend for myself"? I have. I pledge myself as part of “a united people regardless of race language or religion to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity & progress for our nation”.As a simple heartlander, I’ve done my tiny part. No worries, I may just jump in front of moving MRT before I bother my busy hardworking government with any problem.Question: What has the Government done for me? Zilch. . . and please don’t do anything. Whenever you do something for the good of the people, you cause me more pain than gain! Eg: PUB increase, 7% GST, Bus fares increase, etc. Just don’t hurt my family further by forcing my children to pay for annuity which is another scam to leech from innocent citizens!On second thought, you may want to upgrade my HDB flat with a “Go-And-Die-Chute” so that sick and old people like me who have outlived our usefulness to the regime can self-destruct by jumping into it.Health Minister may like this idea as he wants me to die at home so that I will not be a bother or a burden to his money-making hospitals.Based on the video, Mintsters just give us plenty of sarcasm and zero empathy. Just Mr. Hen talking cock!Another wayang, another day’s work to justify obscene million dollar pay! The more they "strengthen the CPF", the worse our lives become.... Please, denigrate us no more and stop treating Singaporeans like idiots! Let us live with dignity. Just because we are peace loving citizens does not mean that you can walk all over us.Trying your luck too far may just change a push to a shove. Yes, even peaceful monks can turn into citizen activists. They are at it in Myanmar!Do what’s honourable - Simply explain the difference in returns of GIC, Temasek and my hard earned CPF. Come clean with transparency!My problems may have been less if the returns in my CPF had been on par or better than Malaysia’s EPF. Maybe part of the interest that could have been mine has ended up in the purchase of Manchester City Football Club. Am I co-owner now?Thanks Kenneth for igniting the fire of a sick and tired Singaporean to write something on this disgraceful state of affairs.Sincerely,Feed me to the Fishhttp://freedom-for-man.blogspot.com/2007/09/cpf-lies.html How God planned our 8th wedding anniversary I know I haven't been updating my blog.I have been busy with personal life - house hunting in Australia, meeting many new friends who have just migrated, playing a new online game (which I have not touched for the past few days), work and erm, basically having writer's block.To kick-off, this new entry is about my 'honeymoon' in Australia. Or rather our first wedding anniversary overseas.So there we were driving towards Melbourne city in the morning. We had just sent Rachel to the kindergarten and would not be picking her up until 3pm that same afternoon.That left us with about 5 hours of enjoyment. Or so we thought...I had planned for us to watch the Bourne Ultimatum. However, she wanted to visit the Victorian Market and then take walk around the city. I accommodated to her as she had mentioned numerous times that she seldom come to the city.Anyway, it was dizzling. We were about 5km away from the city. Yet we were inching our way forward because of the massive highway jam.After 45 mins of crawling, I had had enough. I blew my top. We were nowhere near the city and still stuck at St Kilda along Princess Highway. I berated her for wanting to visit the city. I shouldn't but I did it anyway. I was frustrated.C'mon, I work in the city. I do not want to spend my anniversary in the city! I thought I could play the perfect gentleman by accommodating to her needs by visiting the city (by the way a lot of non-city workers seldom come to the city itself).Well, it backfired. I raised my voice, she retorted. I shouted, she pouted. She started speaking in tongues, I rolled my eyes, calling 'Jesus'.Right... what a wonderful start to our anniversary - rain, jam, flaring tempers. Romance died - kaput!So I decided to take a minor detour from Princess Highway. The bad start was enough for us to go back home. The side road took us along the southern bay. No jam, skies were clearing and soon our quarrel was forgotten.Wow... what a sight! The expense of the skies and seas meeting at the far horizon drew our focus away from each other. No ships dotted the waters. Just pure nature and the cool sea breeze blowing through our windows!You must be there to enjoy it. Really. Coming from Singapore, a land of crowd and hurried pace, a place of tall skyscrappers, this is totally exhilarating! There must be a God when the sight greeted our eyes, it was just too beautiful. We marvelled at His fingerprints in His creation.We drove by Brighton (among the most expensive area in Melbourne) and stopped by Sandringham for breakfast. It was a small cafe but the food was fantastic! Both of us felt like tourists in a faraway land.This place is so quaint! Nice quiet Victorian town with lovely, smiling people. Somewhat like Albany, south of Perth. We could smell the salty breeze, the fresh air and the damp after showers. Everything felt right. We held hands, soaking, basking in the cool seaside atmosphere (chilly when the wind blows though).As usual, we started looking at the houses for sale. Having spotted a house we liked, we drove to the area which was further south of Sandringham to Beaumaris (see photos here).Now this place is so captivating! It's a really quiet seaside suburb. We even toyed with the idea of living in that place. It would have cost us at least 0.6mil to buy a small house there! A high price but worth to the last cent, we thought. If you had checked out the photos above, you would have agreed with us too.And to top it off, we had lunch at a teahouse called Rickett's Point Beachside Cafe.Imagine the only cafe along the beach overlooking the ocean under the breathtaking clear blue skies.Simply. Priceless. What more can we ask for? Such a romantic place to have our lunch. Perfect icing to top off our wedding anniversary celebration!By the time we left the place to pick Rachel, we were fully recharged and in love again. We had to acknowledge that God planned this for us. If it hadn't been for the jam, we wouldn't have discovered this place that we both enjoyed so much.We had also experienced God's masterhand when He created the earth. Even more so, we were touched by His faithfulness to us all these 8 years of marriage.Indeed, there had been those times when I wondered how we ended marrying each other. We are so different. Yet the strong, supa-glue that binds us together is not our love for each other.It is the love from God through His Son - Jesus.When Jesus is in the centre of our marriage, we can look beyond our faults and we can love each other as He had loved us. Because He heals our broken hearts when expectations of each other fail and soothe our wounds when we hurt each other with our words.Most of all, He fills us till overflowing with His love. Thus we have the strength and capacity to continue to love each other.So you see, what initially started as a bad start, God turned it into such a memorable experience for us.He is indeed the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. He always has the final answer to whatever situation or challenge we have.To think that my anniversary was on 9/11. Both Missus and I nearly had World War III on our plate.And what did we give each other for our anniversary? Let's say the night is still young... *grin* 1 John 1:9 1 John 1:9 (NIV)"9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."Most Christians read this verse to be: God is faithful and just to forgive me and He will purify me when I confess my sins to Him.I used to believe that way. However I realize how weak and helpless I was as a Christian! Each time I have done something wrong, I feel condemned. I need to ask God for forgiveness. Each day I have 1001 sins to confess. Or perhaps even more. Does God keep track of my sins? Or do I have to remember them?And what happens if I don't confess (maybe I was angry with God that day) or if I had forgotten one sin unintentionally? Will God still forgive me? Or will He say "Nevermind"? But God is not frivolous, isn't He?Deep inside I know He forgives me. So why do I need to confess? I can never feel worthy enough to receive His love and be in a perfect fellowship with Him because I can never know if I still had that ONE sin unconfessed.Most Christians understand or were taught that if we confess our sins, God will be faithful and just in accordance with his good character and He will forgive us as He said He will.Does it mean that when I don't confess, I fall out of fellowship with God? This does not make any sense or make me secure in God at all. Does it mean that Christ's blood is only good and active if we confess our sins? In God's point of view, either Christ has done the perfect work to keep us in fellowship with God, or Christ hasn't.What about the verse that God will remember our sins no more? Isn't it an insult to remind God of our sins again when He literally said He does not remember them?If we confess our sins, are we also saying we now have BROKEN fellowship with God? Because acknowledging those sins means we are now in darkness (apart from God). Darkness has no part with God who is Light.And we are then to seek forgiveness to restore the relationship back and bring us back into the Light? But then, isn't Jesus' blood continously flowing to keep us in the fellowship? I mean, who wants a relationship of this nature? Surely not I.An example of a husband-and-wife relationship in a marriage covenant. If my wife does wrong, can she be 'downgraded' to my girlfriend? That is not secure to her because I can ditch her anytime. And only when she says sorry that I will bring the relationship back to wife status. Now, who will want to marry me?Furthermore if we have an everlasting covenant together in marriage, how can we be in unbroken fellowship if I keep 'downgrading' her? The marriage covenant sustains us, reminding me as a husband that my wife is always part of me. And no matter what she does, she is still part of me! And I am faithful in keeping to the covenant of marriage. It does not depend on how good she is (of course I would want her to be a good wife) but in that marriage covenant, I love her as she is.Likewise, how can we downgrade ourselves each time we sin and we need to confess our sins to God in order to be in fellowship with him again? How can sin be greater than Jesus' blood?I kept having this niggling feeling that something was either not right with me. Or that my understanding of the Word was not right. I think it's the latter. So I began to read deeply, trying to understand God's love and heart for me. I also read the the preceding and after text of 1 John 1:9 to get the whole picture.Let's read it slowly (1 John 1:5-10, Amplified)."5And this is the message [the message of promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [no, not in any way].6[So] if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are [both] speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth [which the Gospel presents].7But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].8If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts].9If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].10If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts]."Bham, the truth just hit me! It blew my mind and shed light into my dark room of confusion and dilemma.Oh how wrong can we be! How little we understand God's great love for us. We have misinterpreted His Words!With this new knowledge of truth, I am now assured of God's love for me. Let me share what the verses mean:v5-7How can we walk in fellowship with God when there exist sin in our lives? God is Light and Truth. If I walk with Him in the Light, that means I am 'perfect' as He is. This is God's holy standard - either we are of the Light (sinless) or of Darkness (sinful) as the passage tells me. Those of darkness cannot walk with Him.To be in the Light and having UNBROKEN fellowship with God, I need to be without sin or sinless. Am I? Let the next few verses tell me whether I am a sinner or I have committed sins in my life. v8If I say that we are walking in the Light (as perfect as God is) because we have NO sin, we are wrong! The Word says we are lying when we say we do not have sin. Of course we have!Right from the beginning, Adam sinned and all mankind fell because of his one act of disobedience. The Gospel tells us we are all like sheep and have gone astray... you know the rest.v9If we admit that we do have sin and conclude that we are sinners, we are right! But how can we sinners walk in UNBROKEN (keyword) fellowship with God? How can sinners be partakers with a holy and righteous God, let alone be in fellowship with Him?By confessing our sins? It's like a see-saw fellowship!This is the part many Christians misinterpret - God's faithfulness. The verse in Amplified says God is faithful in keeping us cleansed so that we may have UNBROKEN fellowship with Him at all times, everyday, every hour, minute and second!Now isn't this good news? It is to me! Who keeps us cleansed? Who sustains the unbroken fellowship? Yes it is God!Do you see this even more powerful part? It is not God being faithful to our confessions of sin(s) but it is God being faithful to what Christ has done! It is God being faithful to the ever-cleansing blood of Christ! Wow... When we sin, God is faithful to the ever-flowing and ever-cleansing properties of the blood of Jesus to keep us walking in the Light with Him. Each time we sin, the blood cleanses. And it continues to cleanse. Thereby keeping the fellowship - UNBROKEN! Hallelujah! Isn't that wonderful?It's like this drop of black ink (representing sin) falling into this huge, fast-flowing river (representing Christ's blood). It's is more than enough to wash away all of my sins!v10If we say we DO NOT sin, we are the real liars, not God. We indeed have committed sins everyday as the Word says.The TruthIn this new truth, these very verses say that God is the one keeping the fellowship with us UNBROKEN in Christ. How? By the continous cleansing blood of Christ! When God sees the blood, He is faithful to His promise that the shed blood is more than enough to keep us in fellowship with Him.Now that brings a whole new truth and security. It creates an awesome awareness of God's love for me. He loves me so much that He desires and wants to have fellowship with me - ALL THE TIME. UNBROKEN!Initially God cannot do so because of the presence of sin in our lives. But now it is made possible by Jesus' blood. It doesn't matter to Him now that I am a sinner or that I have committed and unconfessed sins because each time He looks at me, He does not see sin.He sees me perfect as He is. Christ's blood is ever-flowing, ever-cleansing! It is cleansing me continuously.That's why we can have unbroken fellowship with Him! And walk in the Light with Him!I can rest assured in His love for me. I can rest in Christ complete work at the cross. God has redeemed us and He is faithful to His promise in keeping us redeemed in Christ continuously and eternally! Now, those are some powerful words!"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want;He makes me lie down..."Rest, O my soul.