Toad tales

I dont like toads. I dont mean it to sound personal... but hey, Mr Toad, i'm sorry that my immediate reaction upon seeing your toadiness is to jump 3 feet into the air and then another 3 feet away from wherever you are "squatting".

Today was the first day that i attempted washing the drain. Erm, no, not washing exactly, more like sweeping water along the drain. Ah, that sounds much more like it. Trying to get some of the mouldy stuff off the bottom as Dad hosed water down towards the bigger longkang that the small drain led to, outside the house gate. Innocently swoosh, swoosh, swoosh... Everything was swept down, from leaves, to Sandy's leftovers, grass, mould, bits of coconut husks.. Until one of the chunks of husks flowed down a little slower than the other bits i was sweeping. It took 3 seconds to realise that the whitish hue of one of it's sides, was actually the pale underbelly of a toad. I was giving a toad the sweeping of it's life! I jumped and yelled "Daddyyyyyyyyyyy! It's a toad!!" I expected him to say "Haiyah, just a toad" Instead, Dad pulled a face, saying "Eh, i dont like them very much myself!" I wanted to laugh. Little did i know that we share the same dread of toads. Toads have never done anything to harm me, yes, they always stare back at me with a halo around their little heads. But i've always had this fear that being so small and squishy, i'd accidentally squash one of them one day and have their innards outside their skin instead of inside. Eek...

Mr Toad, why do you have to be so fragile?

Taken today, out of boredom in the car...

For the kingdom of God belongs to these little ones.

A class in progress..
That's "C" for Carey

There is something very special about the little ones.

For the past 2 weeks i've been taking care of Mum's new Kindy 1 class i.e. a handful of 5 year olds. I thought that i'd just revert to the way the Kindy 2 class were conducted last year, however, this proved impossible... the children do not know their ABCs yet. Certainly has become a new challenge for me. But as usual, they've won my heart, in the midst of "Pheony, sit properly!" and "Class, look here... CLASS... look at this picture." Pheony learns to write "e" the right way round after weeks of practice and little Carey writes her name perfectly! If only i can catch their laughter when we sing and dance. I have found an indescribable sense of joy from their innocence, their naive enthusiasm, their cheekiness and from the smile that lights up their little faces. And though after an afternoon and "Goodbye, Teacher!"s, an oncoming sore throat from talking non-stop for 2 hours :P and tired legs, i can sit back and smile in my heart that maybe today, just maybe, i've made a positive difference in the life of a 5 year old.

Butterflies in the sand

One night I had a wondrous dream
One set of footprints there was seen
The footprints of my precious Lord
But mine were not along the shore

But then some stranger prints appeared
And I asked the Lord ,”What have we here?
These prints were large and round and neat
But, Lord, they are too large for feet.”

“My child, ”He said in sober tones
“For miles I carried you alone.
So tired I got , I got fed up,
And there I dropped you on your butt.

Because in life there comes a time
When one must fight and one must climb,
When one must rise and take a stand
Or leave their butt prints in the sand.”

~ Sam Glen

Agape

1 If I speak in the tongues and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can phantom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

It is so easy to read and not be touched. But do we understand the rhema? So often, human love comes with strings attached. Consciously or unconsciously. So is that still considered as love? But as verses 1-3, how do we change so that our love is like of our Father’s? An unconditional love that speaks louder than words and touches the heart?

Do we wear masks that conceal the true person beneath because we are afraid that the love we give will not be reciprocated? I don’t know… But is it worth it? Is it worth a try even if it means not being acknowledged or returned? It is a risk, if to be ‘calculating’, but didn’t Christ take that ‘risk’? To love and yet know that we may never love Him in return? Yet He still died for us didn’t He? What would Jesus do? I suppose wherever He was, He always gave love. He lived love, because He is love.

Often I am afraid if I don’t love enough. If when the sun sets, all my walk is just a selfish lie of things left unsaid and changes merely for a reflection of myself. But I have learnt that love is what ties us together. It is why we are here for. The love for God and His people, the love to bring out the best in another and the love to see each individual succeed, happy and at peace. The unexpressed joy of giving love to another, be it in words or actions, and to fly away without leaving a trace. A love so unfathomable and so wholesome that a trickle is sweet like water to thirst. His unconditional love is the buoy that keeps me afloat.

“Agape. A love that transcends eros, the physical shrinks to insignificance. It soars beyond phileo, for it is complete, not reciprocal. If your love dies, mine will remain constant. I can agape you whether you return my affection or not, even if you don’t realize I exist.” – If Christ Were Your Counselor

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13

Not enough of you

You are my ice-kacang, in the tropical heat...

Just got back from Kuching yesterday. It was a great trip! The food... ah... the places... oo... and the company! On day 1, Mr Lee picked us up from the airport and we headed off to Damai Resort. The weather was just fabulous! Sun shining, coconut trees, a swimming pool and the best of all, the beautiful view of the beach. Was about to get changed into my swimming gear and frolic in the waves, but when i saw the artistic sunburn that the guys acquired the day before, i had a change of mind. Hehe.. There wasnt any shade over the swimming pool either.. Oh man.. But as usual, Las started off the laughing chain reaction when Ruth and i were 'shade-bathing', watching everyone else on the sandy front (with Chia adding fire to the fuel :P). Got stuck in a traffic jam on the way back to Mart's place. Wah.. i'd forgotten the dreading wait of traffic jams. :S

Las entertains by "throwing" keropok on himself when Mart turned a corner.

I did a bit of shopping too. Felt bad with the guys that followed waiting for us to finish buying stuff :S Good training? Hee... Met up with Zia Howe for breakfast... dim sum... *licking lips*, went bowling *ouch...dont remind me*, strolled in Kuching heat at the waterfront and watched Narnia at Star cinema. Okay, honest opinion? I like the lion. No, i love the lion!! He's so big and cuddly! I want one, too. I've always imagined heaven to be filled with all the animals in the world. They'll all be friendly and tame, like how it was before The Fall. To play with lions and polar bears and white Siberian tigers... Some may say, ok, many may say that this is plain childish. But still... :) We watched Millions and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. :D Will write about that in a later blog...

A BIG thanks to Martin for taking us in. As they say, the more the merrier. *wink* With Ben, Josh O, Jacob in the attic (Oooo...) and Ruth, Chia and I in Marcus' room. There was always something happening, even just being together in the lounge. Thank you, thank you so much.

Group photo at Kuching waterfront.

Missing you guys already. :( But we'll meet again in one month 2 weeks' time in Dunedin aye?

Looking ahead

Brothers, i do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one this i do. Forgetting what is behind and straigning toward what is ahead. Philipians 3:13

Is there anything that you'd wish was different, wish did or didnt happen 2005. Me? Plenty! I am one unsatisfied breathing-eating-sleeping human being! But hey, He's never given up on me... and so i dont intend to give up on myself any time soon either.

Is it just me or does time roll by faster and faster every year? In the blink of an eye and it's the new year: 2006. There was nothing that i could do to stop it as peeked over at the horizon. I dont want to stop it. 2006 is going to be a great year. Another fun-filled, exciting year. Like a jack in a box, i'm just eagerly awaiting the surprises that God has planned.

In 3 days' time, Cheekins and i will be flying to Kuching. It's our first 'play' trip together! Just the two of us. After all these years... plus i'm already 21! heh. She's 22 :P Really looking forwards to it *rubs hands together excitedly* Will be meeting up with quite a number of homegroup people. Cant wait...

My baby brother, Dan, and i.