Guess what!!! I’m off to Cambodia tomorrow for Mission Trip!!! A number of my friends have been asking me if I’m prepared and also if I’m excited. To be honest, I’m neither both! Haha… why is that so? I guess I’ve been really busy at work, because this sort of coincide with the fact that I’m leaving the company by 27th August, and I’m on leave for 1 whole week before I leave… sheesh… what a tight spot I am in.
But I am definitely thankful for this trip! I’m going to cambodia to minister to the youth leaders there! So do pray for us, a team of 15 people, all volunteer and at least 90% of us paid for our own fare, food and lodging too! Praise God! A total of 30 Youth are joining us there, so do praise for a smooth communication between us (I definitely cant speak Khmai), for God to move amongst the people, be it the youth and also those of us ministering there…
Never in my life would I have thought that booking a flight ticket would cause the involvement of my Country Manager and the CFO of my company. Man, should I be laughing or should I be dismalled over the matter? What happened, I guess that’s something that you guys are wondering…..
I am due to go down to JB office tomorrow for work matters, and because my Country Manager only approved of my travel on Monday, I requested the office to assist in booking my flight down. As the admin staff who was arranging it for me wanted to book me to go down via AirAsia, I proceeded to book on my own, thinking that it’ll be easier. But alas, the flight for me to return was full, but was available for travel agents (I guess it functions by giving priority to them). So instead, I proceeded to book my flight via telephone and requested the admin staff to assist in booking for my flight back, not knowing that it’s a MUST for us to fly via AirAsia for reason of cutting down airfare cost.
The admin staff proceeded to email me in the manner which is rude and uncooperative, asking (more like telling) me to explain why I cannot fly AirAsia. She proceeded to cc my manager as well as my finance manger too. I took the time to write my explanation (because it was cced in that manner, I would need to reply and not call instead, as a manner of record) and informing her that if costing IS an issue, I am prepared to book a bus back. She later then send my reply to me and cc my CFO!! In akin to rudeness, she said she will need to get an approval from my country manager!! Sigh…. I was quite upset at that point and thus proceeded to inform my manager that if it’s going to be such a big hassle, I’d rather arrange for a bus back in ORDER TO SAVE COST!!! Man, the company is earning…. seriously, I do understand the need to be prudent, but there is a need to be respectful as well and not conducting oneself in a manner of impoliteness!
Thank God my country manager and my manager stepped in to settle the matter for me… otherwise the matter will keep dragging on. Of course, there is the 2nd part of the event in relation to this, involving my CFO, but, in a manner of respect, I shall not elaborate on it.
Nonetheless, a reminder to a company which function as a service provider. Remember, as a service provider, this mentality needs to flow throughout the whole company and not just the sales/customer service department.
How your INTERNAL staff services others reflects on how the company services their clients/customers too. This is what, I believe, SERVICE CULTURE is all about.
I got a surprise on Friday.It wasn’t really a good day to begin with, as I woke up with a headache that rendered me incapable of driving.Thus, on that day, I have to take EL instead (couldn’t drive to see doctor! Even!!) So, I rested at home for the longest time, sleeping my afternoon off, with the morning seeing me attempting to work (quite unsuccessfully though).
Having stayed at home the whole day, I went for a shower to refresh myself.Whilst I was changing, I checked my phone and I saw a message from S.It says, babe, open the door… faint… I thought it was a prank, coz he was supposed to be in Singapore still.Hence, I took my own sweet time, not bothering.But there was a nagging feeling inside me that prompts me to walk towards my main door… the minute i opened it, I SAW HIM STANDING in front of the gate1In total shocked, I closed my door and stood there for a whole minute (well, it may be shorter, but it FELT like that!)He can’t believe I closed the door on him… haha… it was quite a shocking, yet hilarious moment.
I guessed I also stunned him with my reaction, for he told me that he felt weird when I close the door on him.Haha…. nonetheless, it wasn’t on purpose ya, and I’m sure you know it =)
Thank you for this wonderful surprise!I’m really, really happy with your sudden return…. I hope I’ll be able to spend more time with you, but I’d understand if you want to spend more time with your family and friends too….
There are songs that seems to be my comfort at different seasons and period of my life. One of them is this song, Captivate Us by Watermark. Listen to its lyrics and I believe you would know why =)
Whilst searching for this song via youtube, I came across this video clip. A wonderful dedication of dance to the Lord…
This is a wonderful song that sings the heartfelt of those who wants to really draw closer to the Lord. Though it may not be sang in church (at least for my church), this song, to me is my heartfelt prayer to my God, my Lord and Saviour…
Job 3:17
There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest.
Psalm 68:9
You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.
Psalm 119:28
My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.
Isaiah 40:29
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Jeremiah 31:25
I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”
Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Hebrews 12:3
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
After disappearing from Wednesday prayer meet for the longest time, I went for it today. You know, it does feel awkward after having disappeared and not pray in a very big group for a long time. Of course, the fear of praying in group does exist. Have you ever thought, shucks, how should I phrase my sentence and bla bla bla when I pray in front of everyone ya?? Hm… I mean, that was a question that I kept asking myself years ago, when I was younger, when I was more self conscious, when I was still a little naive and when I was trying to figure out myself too!
Honestly, when you’re young, it’s so easy to pray on your own.. just blap out whatever you want (of course, you meant what you said whilst you’re praying).. yet when in group… you floundered, words get caught in your throat, you seemed to have lost your vocalchord, with no voice coming out and all… but you know what, it doesn’t really matter does it if you floundered, if you don’t know what’s the next word and all… praying means saying what’s in your heart right? It means that I can get stuck with words in my throat, but hey, who doesnt? but it’s the heart of what I’m praying’s what’s matter!
People often asked me, eh… how to pray ah? Hm… was a question! I used to be so dumbfounded when I got asked… I’ll say, “I don’t know, but hey, it’s like talking to a friend! There ain’t a formula lerrr”. Well, praying means talking to God right? Praying means just telling out all those things that’s in my heart and in your mind right? Praying means you can ask questions and all too! (okay, sometimesssss the answers does take a while to come.. but it does still come!).
When I pray, I talk… sometimes I would go, you know God, I realy don’t know what to pray now… or I would say, ermm… how ah God, how to pray about this ya? Sometimes, in mere frustration, I would just say, God ah.. I really don’t know how to pray about this… but you know my heart right? You know what I want to say right??
I have a friend who prays in a rather cute way. Be it in a big group or with her young cell members (they are like.. all high school or uni students and she is like married and pregnant and due in 1 months time! I’m going to be a GodMother… okok, that’s another story)…. she would go…Hi God…. hehe… I pray hor… u bless my family… u bless my cell members.. u take care of them ya… don’t let them be too say orrrr.. bla bla bla.. okok.. probably the content would be different, but it’s the way she prays… so cute! and you know what… that’s PRAYER TOO! It doesn’t matter how you pray or how you say things… be it in a big group or alone… when you pray, no matter how, so long as you pray from your heart…. I think that’s a really cool prayer too! and yes.. even if it meant praying 2 sentences, i.e. Dear Lord, I pray you will bless allllllll my friends and people who read this blog!!!! AMEN!
So hey, take time to pray ya! I gotta do that toooooooooooooooooooooooo
I quite like this blog initially. But now I detected a FLAW! ARGH!!! It doesn’t allow me to put in a chat box! Okay, it may sound dramatic, although it’s quite obvious that not many people does come and view my blog… but the idea that it doesn’t fit a chatbox seems so… uncanny!!
Okay, so the next question is, does people take the time to click on the comment link, wait for the box to pop up, then for it to load, then key in the necessary information, and then give their commentsssss and only then they click post?
I really have no idea. As for me, I guess it depends on whether I am tired or bored or not. There are times when I’m so bored that I just don’t feel like typing! Yeaps, that’sing at work! How boring can that be? I wonder too… hahaha..
Anyways, there were a number of things that I wanted to blog, but after coming back from work, I felt so brain dead that I don’t BLOG at all… weird ain’t I? Sigh… I wonder, I wonder, I wonder…..
I’m currently digging this song…Colbie Caillat… I think the song’s quite cool… do take a listen to the song (listen to the lyrics man!)…
Even right now Father I pray that You will reach out to the community of China. Reach out to the this country that needs You, all the more right now with the recent earthquake disaster that hits that nation oh Lord. Oh God, I pray that You will reach out to the bereaved, to the injured, to the children, to the mothers, to the fathers, to each and everyone who is there in that nation oh God. I pray oh Lord, that You will turn this situation to good. Father Lord, we may not understand how nature works, we may not understand why, of all places, that particular location is highly impacted. But Lord, we pray for YOUR STIRRING in that place, we pray for YOUR ROOT to take place even right now.
Oh Lord, You are the Father to the fatherless, you are the Comforter to those who needs it, You are the Provider of all things, You are the one who is omniscience and omnipresence. Oh God, I pray Lord that You will be the Father to those who are fatherless in China right now, OH Lord, be the Comforter to those mothers, fathers, children, relatives and all who are in bereavement, to all those are in shock right now.
Lord, I do not understand why Joanne is back in Chengdu at this time. But Lord, we trust in Your plans. We believe that all things happens for a reason. Lord, I pray Lord that even right now, You will use her mightily in the midst of this situation. She may be the one to reach out to the people around her, and I pray for the outpouring of Your Holy Spirit to be upon her. Lord, I pray that You will put words into her mouth. May YOUR word pour forth from her mouth to preach, to testify, to comfort, to warn and to voice out anything and everything that You want to say to those that she comes into contact with.
Oh Lord, I commit this nation into Your hands. Oh God, may Lord, You rise up this nation to be YOUR nation, to be Your ground, Your land oh God.
I’ve been getting sick quite easily. My friends are complaining that
1. I have a weak body
2. I am overworked. Everytime I take a break I get sick.
3. I don’t exercise, thus the reason to get sick.
OKay, I think most of the above are true. Well, I do have a weak body, and I do tend to get sick quite often (I think almost every month! GOSH!!). Yeaps, I don’t really exercise, okay, I’m like burning my gym money now.
ARGH! OKay, I am not overworked honestly. I am doing what is necessary for me to do! Of course it’s important for me to clear up the stuff that I need to do right? I cannot afford to NOT do what I am supposed to do since I am still under probation. It’s for 6 months and I’m only half way there! There’s still like, 3 more months! ARGHHHHHH…. Oh dear, I DO hope that I won’t go crazy soon.. hahha… nah, I guess I have too many down to earth friends that will keep me grounded enough.
As for GYM, okay, I’ve been forewarned! I will start going to gym on weekends (that’s what I can do tentatively) and make sure that I DO GO. Maybe I’ll try utilising the classes. They seem fun, and I need fun since I am going to gym alone now (my gym partner is lazier than me….) Sigh… anyone going to Celebrity Fitness at One Utama???????
It’s Saturday. I’m currently waiting for my bunch of high school friends to come and fetch me and they are SUPER LATE! Feeling bored and thus, I’ve decided to do some blogging.
How is life currently for me?
Work is hectic. There’s so many things that I need to put in place along with my Manager that I have been working till extremely late at night. There was once that I left my office at 11pm, but thankfully another colleague is with me. Working late is becoming a norm again for me and I’m getting a bit tired of things. DO think that I need a break and I do hope that my leave will be approved.
Managing staff is not easy, especially when the two of them are not growing as much as I want them to. Still functioning like a teacher currently, and it’s quite tiring to need to keep reminding them of the basic things at work. But then again, this is a new experience and I am being paid to do this kind of work.
Personal life. Grandma is still the same. She opens her eyes a bit more than usual these days. I guess I’m also tired coz whenever I do leave office early, I will go to her place and visit her for a while. She is my grandma afterall. I was wish her for more than 1 hour yesterday and during the quiet times (she requested me to turn down the radio and didn’t want to respond to my chattering) I guess she was thinking a bit and she started tearing. The next thing I noe she opened her eyes and was looking at me with her wet eyes. Alarmed, I went to assure her that there is nothing to worry about and assured her that God is with her at all times. She don’t have to worry. I love her to bits and I really don’t want to see her suffer. But I guess God will turn all situations to good. And from this situation, God brought my grandma to salvation and I am thankful for that.
I continue to assure her that she can speak to God and share with God her thoughts as she isn’t speaking now. She tires easily and it hurts everytime she doesn’t answer me. But I cannot be demanding since she is old and I will need to continue to have faith and trust God in whatever that is happening to my grandma.
This weekend would be a break for me. I will be going off to Malacca to get away from all the stress that I am facing at work. But heart is still heavy with thoughts about leaving my grandma. When I was telling my mom of my trip, she said that she will call and update me if there’s anything. I guess the whole family fears the idea that she will move on anytime soon. It’s tough, but being honest, now that I know she has accepted Christ, her leaving would be the best thing for her, not for the family’s sake, but that she may have peace in her heart and that she does not have to suffer anymore. For a 90 year old lady who has been so strong her entire life, to be bedridden… I cannot imagine her pain. But I know her heart hurts with what is happening to her. What’s more, she felt she is burdening the family. Honestly, we all love her to bits, having to raise two generations of the family and now that she can enjoy life, things turn out this way. We don’t feel tired of the need to take care of her. We love her… and I guess we will need to continue to share with her that.
