What if you are the main caregiver of your aged parents, one of whom is also wheelchair bound like yourself?

What if your aged parents who have never being apart in their 70 years of marriage now face the prospect of moving into different nursing home ‘cos of illness and financial constraints?

What if your only child’s only son had Asperger and they live hundreds of miles away for all of you to be of support to each other?

Except these are not ‘what-ifs’ for G. This is her life.

And my faith, my so-called faith pales in the light of hers. My faith seems like a walk in the park even though it didn’t seem like it sometimes. Hers, on the other hand, seems like that of an athlete in a hurdles race.

Ironically it was me who broke down while praying for her. She didn’t even tear when she shared with me earlier. That goes to show the strength of her inner being as compared to mine.

And before going onstage to emcee at the church service later, I asked God for a word to encourage His people, particularly G. I was led to read Habbukuk 3: 17 – 19 (The Message):

“Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen, Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I’m singing joyful praise to God. I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on God’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I’m king of the mountain!”

Still, I cried when we were worshipping God. I had no answer why certain things happen to certain people. But this I know – He gives grace and strength when we never thought they existed because I saw them in G today.

This is our last couple photo for 2011. It’s a cliche to say time flies but I suppose it does when you don’t pay attention to it. Looking back, I could vividly remember those moments where we argued; we made peace. We disagreed; we compromised. Despite it all, we remain.committed.to.each.other.

Photo credit to Jonathan Wong @A Better Definition

• The beautiful landscape of the rugged outback Kalbarri

• Getting up close to the dolphins at the World Heritage listed area of Monkey Mia

• the must-visit Shell Beach

• the Hamelin Pool Stromatolites

• 
• the Hutt Lagoon or the ‘Pink Lake’ as it is called

• hanging out and chilling by our campsite which is metres away from the beach…bliss..

This month we celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary and also CS’ birthday. I love it that we are still having as much fun as we are as a married couple than we were as a dating couple. In fact, we probably enjoy each other’s company now more than ever! [Photo taken outside our house on the driveway.]

Thurs - Day 1

Breakfast with Liz @ Jalan Kayu – roti prata and teh-o ice

Coffee with Liz @Forty Hands, Tiong Bahru

Lunch with Liz @ Zion Road Hawker Centre – fried fish head noodle, Nasi Padang

Dinner with family@ home – steamed fish, soup and veggies

Coffee with Becky @Starbucks, Holland Village – Peppermint Mocha Frappucino

Fri – Day 2

Breakfast @ Holland V Hawker Centre –  Mee rebus, vegetarian Beehoon, soya bean drink

Brief shopping @H & M, Orchard Road where I bought a dress and two tops

Lunch with CS’ family @ Far East Plaza - Thai food – fried fish in sweet and sour sauce, stir-fry kang kong, beancurds on hotplate, prawn omelette

Unexpected stopover at Far East Plaza where I spent almost two hours in one shop and bought six dresses in one go!

Dinner with family @ Crystal Jade, Holland Village - handmade noodles, dumplings

Coffee with Pris @ Coffee Club, Holland Village – drinks, chocolate and banana tart

Sat – Day 3 

E only – Lunch with Esther @ West Coast Mall - Japanese food – raw octopus and sashimi, sushi and fried mackerel

CS only – Lunch with Arthur @ Bugis - Nasi Padang

Attended YAYP church service at Grace 1, Tanglin Road

Dinner with Huiyi & Joey @Dian Xiao Er, Vivo City - herbal roasted duck, broccoli with mushrooms, sliced fish, double boiled chicken soup, spinach with salted eggs in broth, pork belly

Coffee with some young adults @Jimmy Monkey, Buona Vista – raspberry mint tea, chocolate molten cake

Sun – Day 4

Breakfast @Redhill coffeeshop – chee cheong fun aka steamed rice roll, glutinous rice, rice cake with preserved radishes

Visited grandma

Lunch with Rach & Hann @Ikea – chicken wings

Afternoon tea with Huifen & gang @Jimmy Monkey – raspberry mint tea, chocolate molten cake

Family dinner @home - porridge – curry, veggies

Coffee with mum and bro @Coffee Bean, Holland Village

Mon – Day 5

Breakfast with mum and younger bro@Holland V - Beehoon with spam and fried egg, fish ball noodles

Lunch with family – Japanese buffet @Kuishin.bo, Great World City

Brief time at Great World City – played arcade games with the brothers and nieces and I bought three pairs of shoes from Tangs

Visited Garden by the Bay @Marina Bay with family

Went prawning at East Coast Park with family

Brief shopping time at Anchorpoint – CS bought 2 shirts fand a pair of shoes

Dinner with family @Alexandra Village Coffeeshop – string ray, hor fun, spicy egg plants, shell fish

Tues – Day 6

Breakfast @ Holland V- minced pork noodles

Lunch with David & Yihang @Maxwell Food Centre - Chinese Rojak, Ngo Hiang, Popiah

Quick visit to Sia Huat @Chinatown – a wholesale kitchen supply store

Afternoon tea with David @K.Ki inside Little Drom store, Ann Siang Hill – iced peppermint tea and basil infushed chocolate cake

Dinner with Liz, Cheryl and Carol @Long Beach Seafood, Dempsey Road - chilli crabs, pepper crabs, veggies, rice

Wed – Day 7

Breakfast with Kieran @Alexandra Village coffeeshop - soon kueh, glutinous rice

Visited grandma

Lunch with Jon and David @Central Mall, Clarke Quay- Japanese ramen

Visited Cats Socrates @Bras Basah where I exercised lots of self-restraint and bought only a bag, three paper mobiles and a post card….

Coffee with Jon and David @Starbucks, City Hall – White Chocolate Cranberry Frappucino

Dinner with Lionel and gang @home - sukiyaki steamboat

 Thurs – Day 8

Breakfast with Ronald @ Jurong West - fish porridge, wanton noodles

Lunch with Pastor George @home - roast duck, century egg porridge

Coffee with Becky @Starbucks, Cathay Cineleisure – White Chocolate Cranberry Mocha & Toffee Nut Frappucino

Dinner with Jen Chong @Paradise Inn, 313 Sommerset - steamed pomfret, black chicken soup, wasabi prawns, veggies

Coffee with Jen Chong @Starbucks, ION – Toffee Nut Mocha Frappucino

Fri – Day 9

CS only – Lunch and movies with family

E only – Lunch and shopping with Melody@Carl’s Jr, Vivo City

Dinner with family @home - salted egg yolk butter crayfish, tom yum soup, steamed fish, veggies

Coffee with Huiyi & Joey @Starbucks, Holland V - Toffee Nut Frappucino

Sat – Day 10

Breakfast with former neighbours and the kids @Holland V - Mee Siam, Yong tau foo noodle

Lunch with Liz @ Holland V - claypot rice

Tea with CS’ family @ Terminal 1, Changi Airport – Polar pandan chiffon cake and famous curry pie

Noteworthy facts -

Unforgettable dessert – molten chocolate cake served with berry compote and vanilla ice cream@ Jimmy Monkey

Most extravagant drink – birds nest soup by mum

Best meal – Japanese buffet @Kuishin.Bo

Dish I will be relishing for a long time to come….Chilli crabs with steamed buns at Long Beach Seafood

Regrettable moment – lost my Starbucks water bottle and found out that Starbucks isn’t selling any at the moment…heart pain…

Best investment – the Ipad which made travelling on the plane a much easier task to endure – most of this entry was typed on it!

Most treasured momentos – drawings done by all our three nieces given to us

Best memories – Spending time with both our families, in particular our nieces – Ruth, Megan and Mazel

By the end of our trip, we had caught up with 47 people (families not included) over 22 catch-up sessions!

I think the photo below (taken when we took a stroll along Orchard to see the Christmas lighting) really encapsulated how I felt at the end of our trip..

2. The gift of friendship. From a girlfriend who spent her day off picking us up from the airport and driving us around on the first day to satisfy our food craving to another who came down all the way to where we were living, after a long day’s work just to have a coffee with us at night. Liz & Becky – we love you both!

3. Family ties that bind. Visiting grandma and mum-in-law and seeing their crown of white hair is a reminder that time is slipping away right under our eyes. Having fun with our nieces and being blown away at how much they have all grown is a reiteration of that. And that is why we had made family time a priority for this trip.

4. Sense of welcoming. Since we arrive last Thursday, we have been catching up with different ones everyday. Most were organized only when we touch down but still folks went out of their way to arrange their schedule to accommodate ours. It definitely feels good to be in such ‘popular demand’ even though we had been away for years now.

5. Being on the receiving end. One thing that really stood out in this trip is the fact that many young adults whom we had known for years have started working and were eager to shower their generosity on us. As a result, most of the meals we enjoyed were free!

6. My brothers and I. This trip was the first time in many years that we had the chance to really hang out together. It made me realize how much we used to enjoy each other’s company and I hope we will continue to do so in the years ahead…

We have reached the halfway mark of our holiday. We miss the comforts of home back in Perth but at the same time, the great company and food we had so far had been amazing. So we are looking forward to a better secondhand of our trip!

Shortly after the photo was taken, we met an elderly couple strolling on the beach and heard their amazing love story which spanned over 52 years when they fell in love as teenagers. However, it was only two years ago through a Facebook search that they were reunited again at the age of seventy and sixty-eight years old. ‘We will never be apart again.’ she said.

I am glad that our love story started twelve years ago and still continues today…

1. looking forward to the frangipani blooming again 2. gardening time 3. lazy afternoon 4. Christmas craft time 5. dessert tonight – Oreo white chocolate cheesecake 6. fresh lavender 7. completed Christmas craft – advent calendar

Ministry at work – On Monday, I took a staff out for coffee when I sensed she wasn’t herself that morning. For an hour, in between sobs she shared her anger and pain from a relationship. I just held her hand and listened. I wished I was brave enough to pray with her there and then so she knew there is a God who cares…

Dinner with the boys – That night, we invited two young adults over for a roasted dinner. Good meals are always a great start! We chatted and caught up with one another. One is getting married in a year’s time; the other is still in uni. We shared about how we were travelling in life and some God-stuff. And I hoped the boys also got to know us better.

Church Connect group – On Wednesday, we had our fortnightly meeting again. The topic that night was the grace of God. And everyone shared about how their faith journey began. There were ten of us. I looked around the room and saw the most diverse bunch of people before me. Just in terms of age, we were ranging from 18 to 41 years old. Unsurprisingly, everyone was at different life stage – married couple, mother-to-be, students, working adults. Yet most of us have been meeting fortnightly for two years now since CS and I started the group. I felt blessed to be part of a group that God had brought together – a bunch of people who under normal circumstances, wouldn’t be hanging out together; yet here we are, fellow travel companions on a faith journey.

Heart-to-heart – On Thursday, I received an email from a young adult who shared openly about her disappointment and hurt from a friendship. I deliberated over what to write, stayed back after work and replied to her email. The same night, I chatted with another young adult about his struggle on how to handle a situation he was in. We disagreed at some point but there was no love lost. And I ended our hour-long chat by praying with him. In both instances, I made it a point to share from my own personal experiences. It is so easy to talk in cliches but what if it is me who is in the situation? Would I do likewise? I am learning to be authentic.

Is it any ‘coincidence’ that all these encounters happened at the time I’ve been thinking about relationships and community in our 21st century from one of the books I’ve been reading ‘Above the Line’ ? And attending Edmund Chan’s discipleship conference two weeks ago was a reiteration of what has been on my heart lately. Discipleship – the philosophy and its practical outworking in my life; I think I am slowly getting a glimpse of that…

“biblical Christianity assumes disciples of Jesus are being transformed by life changing encounters with God, a transformation that results in qualities such as gentleness, meekness, and humility being expressed deeply and regularly in the way Christians relate to one another.” Peter McHugh

I had what I thought was a good time with God. Lately, I think I am learning to read God’s word simply for what it’s worth. Not trying to “apply” it to any situation I am facing. Not trying to “read” into the Bible what it could be saying to me. Just simply reading His word for its own sake. No hidden agenda of asking God to show me direction, grant me revelation or give me signs. Not that any of these is wrong, of course. But I think I am learning to simply enjoy God for who He is as revealed in His word.

And that was what I did yesterday morning; had a great time and thought I was ready to worship God in church later. I was about to leave the house, took one last look in the mirror and that’s when I noticed a small tear at the hem of my skirt.

Arrgh…I sighed or rather, growled. “I am going on stage later and the whole church is going to notice the tear!” I debated whether I should change but time was running out, so I wore the skirt.

“It certainly didn’t take you very long to lose your focus on Me, did it?”

But by the time we arrived in church, I was over it. So I decided to share that little episode with the church to encourage them to leave aside whatever may be on their mind that morning, and focus on worshipping God. Yes, I showed everyone the little tear at the hem of my skirt on stage!