ENJOY THE MOMENTS...

It is nearly a week since I have been on my home break - and it has been a whirlwind of activities. To use the word a vacation or R & R break is a misnomer! Yet, I have been having a very happy time...

In the  midst of seemingly endless driving around, I have had a lovely time with family and meeting with a few friends in Malaysia and Singapore. What's more - I have had time to indulge in the local food that I had been missing.

We often take for granted what is easily available or accessible to us in our daily life. So I actually believe it is good to be without the things I enjoy at times! Then, like I have found personally, I truly appreciate and enjoy the moments when I do get a chance to experience the many blessings and good things I DO have in my life!

In this week alone, I have been thankful for a few things that I think some of you may never think to be thankful for as it may seem like mundane, everyday things you can easily have! Below are a few of enjoyable moments I had:

• Having whatever I wished at mealtimes
• Able to raid the fridge at the oddest of hours for an ice-cream cone or chocolate or a cold drink!
• Hopping into the car to buy stuff even till about 10 p.m.
• Late supper with friends
• Playing with the family pet dog
• Reading newspaper leisurely over breakfast
• Watching TV at night while seated on my favourite leather recliner chair

I just realized I am enjoying these very simple everyday moments. It just goes to show that when I had all these things in my life as a given, I forgot to be thankful for these seemingly "little" blessings. Yet, if I look at my everyday life both at home and in India, there are countless "little" blessings every single day...

Goes to show that I should be thankful to God everyday and not take my life for granted!

I Have A Dream

For some strange reason, I have been having some ABBA songs in my head these past few days! It began when I started singing along with them on Friday as I was working. It brought back memories of home with my parents and older siblings. My late elder sister had the records of ABBA’s songs so I remember her specially.

Guy & Kathy

It also makes me realize why I am so happy that tonight I am getting on the flight for my month-long home vacation! I am going home to family and friends and the chance to do many things I love but took for granted when I was in the working world. Now as a volunteer overseas, I truly appreciate all these things whenever I am home. They become treasured memories… in fact, my youngest sister, Kathy, and my brother-in-law, Guy, from Melbourne will be there on their delayed honeymoon in Malaysia and Singapore. It will be a joyous family time at home with our Mum!

Many people often ask me why I am willing to give up so many things for these past six years. The only word I can think of to say is I have a dream in my heart. It is why the ABBA song – “I Have a Dream”, is just the right tune for me at the moment.

We should all have dreams to achieve! It is what keeps us young-at-heart and happy. It helps us look at life and not focus on our mistakes or failures. For me, to have this dream enables me to stay positive and to know I have it within me to make a real difference.

But it would be meaningless if my dream was not solidly anchored to a steady foundation. I find it in my faith – “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

What is more I do believe that God will always send help when I most need it for our ministry projects – from people who I call my human angels. Psalm 121 is a personal favourite of mine especially the first two verses, “I raise my eyes towards the mountain, From where will my help come? My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121-1-2).

When I first came here, I worried incessantly how all the charitable works undertaken could be sustained. I come from the business world where I had to write 1-year, 3-year and 5-year plans every year but first we had to have the funds in hand! To suddenly be involved in works depending solely on God’s Providence and in prayer to help our mission was hard to comprehend. It is like I had to acquire a new brain and to listen to my heart’s gentle promptings more! But I have now lived and experienced it in so many ways these past 6 years. I now believe that when we have faith and trust in God, we can have big dreams for He make all things possible!

Well, I am going back for a much-anticipated break but I will be back in India to pursue my heart’s dream. I feel being too much of a realist can be a dampener at times. So indulging in a little fantasy on the tough days to keep a dream alive is a good thing! There is a lot of goodness in this world and I hope I can also contribute to it.

For now, I can’t wait to see my Mum, sisters and all my loved ones real soon. Life is great!

TO BE SEEDS OF LOVE ON EARTH...

I have always believed in the maxim – live life to the fullest!


Well, I would like to share the You Tube music video and the lyrics of “The Rose” with you. So please do sit back and listen/sing along to the video for the next few minutes. I hope the words of the song will speak volumes to your heart too!

Some say love, it is a river

That drowns the tender reed

Some say love, it is a razor

That leaves your soul to bleed

Some say love, it is a hunger

An endless aching need

I say love, it is a flower

And you, its only seed

It's the heart, afraid of breaking

That never learns to dance

It's the dream, afraid of waking

That never takes the chance

It's the one who won't be taken

Who cannot seem to give

And the soul, afraid of dying

That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely

And the road has been too long

And you think that love is only

for the lucky and the strong

Just remember in the winter

Far beneath the bitter snow

Lies the seed

That with the sun's love,

in the spring

Becomes the rose