First post of 2015!

Yes, I copied the title of an older post cause I don't really know how to blog yet, and yes, it's kinda late for the first post of 2015, but yay! At least we got started! 

Lotsa stuff to update since the last post, but don't really have the pics to post here... So, I'll just try my best to summarize it! =D

• Finished Church renovation! Now everything's white! (Last time was brown, I think?)
• DMSJ 2014 @ MGC - We won! 
• Copa Iba 2014 - Teen's Club first trip to the Frisbee Competition! Long story short, we won... from the back... Had lotsa fun there though =D
• DMSJ 2015 @ SAGC - We won second place! 

That's about all I can remember... Such a bad memory when it comes to stuff like this @,@ I'll just leave it to the other bloggers to blog about all the other stuff I missed (sure got wan~) 

Of mosquitoes and Easter

I left Jayden in the walker today so I could go to the toilet and settle some stuff in the kitchen for a few minutes.

It really was a few minutes.

When I got back, this was what I discovered.

Left leg

Right leg

Horrors of horrors. Mosquitoes bit him! I cannot tell you how angry or upset I felt. Ok I can. I was VERY ANGRY. Gahhhh. And my heart felt like it shattered into a million pieces.

*Throws fist into air* Lousy mosquitoes!

Then it occurred to me. I was helpless. There was only so much I could do to protect my son. 

And this verse came to mind. (Easter just a few weeks ago and one of the meditations during the week).

Luke 2:19

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

For context, it was during the birth of Jesus, where He was laying in a manger in a stable and shepherds came to worship Him after angels told them. And Mary kept these things in her heart.

Mary must have felt so overwhelmed by it all. I knew I was. To be honest, I had a difficult 9 months carrying Jayden. Morning sickness is not morning sickness I tell you. Its day and night sickness. It was the worst nine months of my life. And don't get me going on after the delivery. 

Initially, I was more overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for such a fragile being than overjoyed with the fact I had a baby. It was tough. The bundle of joy was a bundle of fear. Motherhood only started being enjoyable after a few months, when I saw Jayden growing (phew) and getting stronger. 

Its a lot of hard work and dedication being a mother (and I've only been a mother for 8 months! God have mercy on me). 

Fast-forward 30 years later when Mary stood by the cross where her son, Jesus hung. What pain she must have felt in her heart. My heart ached when I saw Jayden's mosquito-bitten legs. Mary must have felt much much worst to see her son die a torturous, painful death.

What Jesus did on the cross was REAL. It was very very real. He was somebody's son just like Jayden is my son. He had a mother who grieved watching him suffered. 

Jesus was real. He walked among us. He was one of us. And he died for us.

The mosquito incident really made me realise, that one day, Jayden will have to face the world himself. I can't control his environment, the people he will encounter and the circumstances he will be in. And some of these will be unpleasant. 

As I ponder these things in my heart, I take comfort in the words of this familiar hymn, favourite to some (*cough* Mr *cough* Hoh).

How sweet to hold a newborn baby, and feel the pride and joy he brings,

But greater still, the calm assurance: This child can face uncertain days because Christ lives.

Chorus: 

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know (echo: I know) He holds the future

And life is worth the living just because He lives.

First post of 2014!

Yeah, it's been a reaaaaaallly long time since the last post. *shame shame*

People have been contacting me because they found my email through this blog, so I figured we'd better give people something to read. Hehe!

*edit* (thanks, Andy, for fixing the header image!) 

A lot to update, so I'll begin with the most recent one:-

Church flowers! So nice!

Ok. Maybe that's not the most significant update, but I do think the flowers are nice.

Alright, alright. The more significant update is coming up:-

See that empty thingy there?

Yup, it has been stripped of its glory. Due to termites!
The section behind the besi thing is the ladies' washroom.

Hm hm...

This is the basement thing below the structure.
We used to run in there to get stuff.

The old prayer room. Also attacked by termites.

The windows for the prayer room on this side have been sealed up. 

The old kitchen. Also - guess what -
infested with termites.

Most of our stuff have been moved to the back hall (oh ya, we have a back hall now):-

Don't worry, what the rooms looked like before renovation have been photographed. =)

Another big thing coming up:-

MGC FC 2014!

Poster coming up, once Yen is done with it. =)

wake service: 30.03.2012.

I usually won't come up to speak in front of an audience, but someone has to tell you all about the awesomeness of my grandfather.

I never got to hear my kong kong speak, because he was always sick. But I got to read what he wrote. When I got baptized, I got a bag of my kong kong's notes. They were very tidy, very neat.

My kong kong is also a loving person. When we went out to eat as a family, he would take my sister in one hand, and me in the other hand, and cross the road together. 

When we wanted to go to the toilet, he would also accompany us. 

I remember last time, I would tell my mother I want ice-cream. My kong kong would straightaway take out RM10 and say, "Go buy your ice-cream." But I don't want. I would rather argue with my mum. 

...That's all. Thank you.

-Joel Tan-

So simple, so sincere, so genuine. 

I've never heard anything more beautiful. 

Thank you for reminding us of your kong kong's awesomeness, Joel. 

=)

DMSJ 2012.

DMSJ 2011.

DMSJ 2012.

After 9 years…

We won.

Not that we’d have died without it,

but we screamed like mad anyway.

Because it was just so unbelievable.

Not because we didn’t believe in our contestants,

but because it’s been too long since we last held the cup.

Congratulations,

Celine, Joel, Ken.

Floor members,

Aaron, Derk, Shaun .

Good job training them,

Derk!

And…

all together now:

Kinda helps you understand how the Israelites felt when they were finally redeemed from slavery in Egypt after 400 years.

Haha.

Thank You, God, for allowing us this honour.

=)