Little Lamb Rachel

This came alittle late but better late than never,right? Hahaha..

Besides a loving hug fm my dearie,I also received kissess from my little daring god-daughter..

After sleeping for only abt 5+ hrs since last friday,I finally completed my SOT assignment on wednesday nite at 3am..

When I was filing them just now in office,I felt a sense of achievement,having completed book review on 52 chapters of the book..The feeling was like, “Phew,finally I have finished it,what a relief”..

We received our 2nd assignment yesterday..Thank God,it is a group assignment…But I believe if I can conquer the 1st & the toughest assignment,the rest should not be that big a problem..

Oh yah,thank God also that the overnite prayer mtg tmr is cancelled too..God must have heard our heart cries..

I need that much needed sleep now…

As tmr is a public holiday,my team in SOT planned to have an outing tonite..As half of the team consists of international students,we decide to bring them out for a “Local Food Nite” at Chinatown..

There was so much fun & laughter..I discovered that some of the team mates are quite “I” and they are a bunch of people who are fun (besides being spiritual)..

Like there is this member fm Indonesia & his name is Aljus..My impression of him during SOT was he seems a little quiet but as days passed by,I discovered that he is so funny & comical..He can be the Indonesia “Mr Bean”..He has a talent for drama..He performed 2 funny skits for us tonite,all by himself..It was so funny that we laughed & cheered so loud that the passer-bys thought there is a free performance…Another team mate actually took the plastic cup & start going around to collect $$..

Then I have Avin who comes fm Msia & he was a little down & quiet on the first few days as he was alittle depressed as there was no one to lunch with & talk to when he just reached Spore (during Benny Hinn)..But after being set free by God,now he also went “siao siao” with them & told us “cold jokes”…

It was quite an eventful nite & I can see that all of us really enjoyed ourselves…Just that all of us need to rush for assignment & we have family day event in church tmr..If not,we are still thinking of going to KTV..

Wait till I post the pics when I get them for our professional photographer - Yohanes fm Indonesia..

I saw this vision today in bible school during worship.

In the vision,I saw many pebbles along a stretch of road..Some of the pebbles are bright & clean but some of the pebbles are dirty & scratched..Then,came the rain..As the rain pours down,it began to wash all the pebbles & the dirty pebbles soon became bright & clean..

Some of us are like the clean pebbles,I believe they represent those of us who are believers & we are placed in the midst of the dirty & scratched pebbles,who represent the unchurched & those who are hurting & have needs in their lives.The clean pebbles used to be dirty also but because we have entered into a relationship with Jesus & with the washing of the Holy Spirit,we became clean by the grace of God.

We are placed among the dirty pebbles to be a light & salt of the world,to impact & influence lives who come into our contact..These dirty pebbles can have the chance to be clean pebbles too..but who will help them?

As for the clean pebbles,we shld not think that we will be clean forever.We should always yield ourselves to the guiding & leading of the Holy Spirit & allow Him to always wash us with His power & anointing…We shld never take our salvation for granted..Temptations are real in this world and there is absolutely no such thing as once saved,always saved..

I wanted to draw a pic of this but I am simply just not good at drawing.

In my earlier post,I wrote that I almost “peng san” on the day of SOT Orientation..Then,my ZS said that all the leaders in her zone are all physically very weak..We sleep late,don’t have proper meals,eat late,never exercise..She don’t want us to see Papa before our time & beseech us to take care of our health & doing something abt it.She is very worried if we can make it through.

Well,that was the “revelation” I had after the 1st day..I must admit that I am weak physically..Except for occasional swimming & badminton once in a super blue moon,I have never exercised since the day I stepped out of JC (whc is 10 yrs back)..Thank God that by His grace,I have manage to stay healthy & the health checks that my company does every year showed that all are good except that I am underweight.

For the sake for my physical health for the next 4 and 1/2 mths (as it is going to be super duper “siong” & stretching) & also able to complete this journey,I have decided that I shld squeeze a slot for exercise in the midst of my tight & busy schedule…

Thank God also for friends in UM who are supportive..Ah Jie said go ask my dearie to organize an exercise outing & he will get the UM folks join in..He said I confirmed will be fit once I joined them UM folks in the exercise…

So,is time to move that butt & start stretching..

Todae is the first day of SOT…

What I have gone through today is only a fraction of what I will go through in the next 4 and 1/2 months.The journey started at 6.50am in the morning to Jurong West=>Chinese Garden=>Vivo City=>Paya Lebar=>Spore Expo=>Simei…My team did not make it to Riverwalk though…It is not just the travelling.You are supposed to know where each station master is stationed at for each different stops.At each stops,you are supposed to complete a task.They called today orientation “The Amazing Race”…And boy,it sure is…

Can u imagine leading a group of 20 people (mind you,there were 9 international students) & running all over Spore (or rather frm the “Wild Wild West” to the East)..It is TIRING!!!
You have to ensure that every single “sheep” stays with you,the needs are met (food & drinks + toilet breaks),everyone gets on the train & no one is left behind.

Thank God that the people in my team were quite “ON” and “RaRa” also,not that kind who are prim & proper..Most of them can flow with us..We even called ourselves the “Bak Chang” (dumpling) Team & out of it,birthed forth our cheer…

Our cheer boosted the ego when we played captain’s ball agst another team…The result?Of course,we won…Those who played were great,so were those who cheered..Our cheers are so loud that they drowned the other team’s.

Why we called our team “Bak Chang”?
Cos’ there are many ingredients in a “Bak Chang”..The ingredients are nice on its own but when you put them together,it becomes even better.Just like all of us who come from different background & nations,when you put all of us together,we flow & roar.
The leaf that covers the “Bak Chang” is the anointing of God that we have in our lives.
Our cheer had these 2 words => “Hot” and “Pretty/Handsome” in Hokkien because we are all hot on fire for God and we wear the glory of God,that is why we are all pretty & handsome in the eyes of God.

Finally,we reached the “promised land” but I was simply just too tired to eat anything at the BBQ Buffet..I just sat & let my aching legs & muscles rest…I was too tired to life up my chopsticks to pick up any food..All I wanted was a cool shower,to wash off the dirt & grimes,smelly perspiration for that whole day..My legs ache and I just pray that I will still have the strength to walk tmr & the muscles will not ache.

The dean said what was completed in 10 months will now be completed in 4 and 1/2 months & we are going to break some records..Wow..

There will be 6 overnight prayer meetings & tests almost every week.We got to complete reading the bible (New Testatment) in 4 and 1/2 months…When everyone heard that,they just went “Oh,Praise the Lord lah,Hallelujah”..I knew deep in our hearts (esp for most of the working adults & my peers),our heart cringe with mixed feelings..(cos’ is a time of stretching in all aspects,a time of moulding,a time of going through the fire,a time of not enough rest & sleep,a time where SOT,family,work,ministry,friends,etc need to be juggled & handled well but is also a time for us to believe God for breakthroughs in our personal life,a time where our faith is lifted to another level,a time that we can draw nearer to God)..

So,my dear friends,pls pray for me that I have the strength and capacity to go through all these in the next few months…Pls pray that God will provide financially,He will speak to me & I will receive fresh manna,I will love Him & His word more…

This is it..The day has finally come…The first day of SOT…Life starts tmr..

Frankly speaking,the reality of going to SOT has not really hit me yet..& I wonder why..My peers who are going with me felt the same way too..

I have mixed feelings about it: anxiety,worries,anticpation,expectancy…Really do not know what to expect but to go with an open heart for the next few mths for God to really move & change my life…

I should be sleeping by now cos’ I have to wake up at 6.15am tmr…And I just finish packing the stuff I may need for tmr’s orientation..I can’t imagine what “horrendous” games will await ahead..

Thank God for 2 weeks of block leave fm work for the next 2 weeks.I will use them wisely to rest,get myself charged up,do all my follow ups & leave some time for myself to be alone before things start to get busy…