Miracles are not in my department.

When Ruth Graham's sons rebelled against God, she wrote that "mothers must take care of the possible and trust God for the impossible. ...Love, affirm, encourage, teach, listen, and care for...the family. We cannot convict of sin, create thirst...after God, or convert... Miracles are not in our department."

(excerpted from Turning Points, Dr. David Jeremiah's devotional magazine. http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/ministry_articles/1221518.html)

found. the Master Plan.

The Master Plan of Evangelism is a terribly good book to read or re-read at the end of the year.

It helps to set or re-set the focuses and priorities of ministry right, and right in this case refers to being aligned to Christ's. This is especially important for me now as i have been seeking (sometimes lamenting to (oops)) the Lord about my ministry and group for next year. Especially with new babies to take care of, i'm deeply grateful for the teachings this book offers about what it exactly means by loving and building people, and of course establishing my Twelve. i must admit that there were many times when i felt incompetent, but Jesus' power thru' His humility always strengthens me! And i pray, always!

i pray for the Master to be my greatest teacher and guide. :) Indeed it's going to be a year of Growth and Celebration in all sense!

How great?

Yesterday during service when we were singing How Great is our God, my spirit was as usual exuberant, my soul risen high in the presence of God, and my hands lifted towards my maginificent God in heavens.

As my hands stretched to my fingertips, i saw that no matter at what angle i tilted my arms, the space they beheld was.....so small. i had to put down my arms. In stillness and quietness at those moments, my heart was completely awed, overwhelmed. God is so great that we can never contain Him. He is so great, that no matter how we sing praises and worship unto Him, we can never offer to Him the same intensity of love and adoration He holds for each of us. Nothing we do can ever be as great as Him.

i was reaching for an invisible God, of the impossible. :)











(Photo courtesy of Travis's friend *wink*)

Thank you. :)

Wondering who my thank you is for? :)

Well it's for you. :)

For the reason that you bothered to take a glipmse or peep into my blog entry here. And also that i choose to believe that you care. : ) Many of you have touched my heart in magnificent ways, yesh even your smallest gestures.

Some of you would have received my personalised sms of thanksgiving over these weeks. Each of them represents my heartfelt wish to extend our love and friendship over to the new year....and years ahead. :) If you have not received it, they would be coming very soon in the form of Christmas cards, gifts..in all forms of communication, even in hugs! Wooooo...i love huggies (not the pampers)! :) If i make you wait too long, hereby i grant you permission to bong me in the head -physically or virtually. Ask and you shall be given. (my own heartfelt words. hee)

Jokes aside, i am really grateful for many people in my life - precious persons whom God has bestowed upon me. They keep me going, many of which, not by what they have given to me, but mostly through the ways they themselves are. My journey has been spiced with much encouragement and support (yesh, mirabel you are a blessed lady), and even trust and belief in me as a person. That is definitely cos' they trusted the God behind mirabel. ;)

Some precious statements that would always be embedded in my heart: (The authors may not even remember saying these!)

my dad: "You are my daughter, and of course you are the best."

Ps Yeang Cherng ahpa: "You stepped out in faith into the vision......"

Ps Yueh Ping ahmi: "Proud of you daugher!"

Ps Kelly: "Mirabel...she puts in her best in all that she does."

(to be continued. Gotta run!)

eternal family!

my family has got 12 brothers and 11 sisters, and i'm one of the youngest! Please do not be jealous at my big family! :P Guess which are our ahpa and ahmi??

The worth and excellency of a soul

is measured by the object and the intensity of its love.

~Henry Scougal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i've only been a four-year old Christian, and a two-year-plus leader, and i definitely have not seen enough of the Lord. My plead to Him as a fallen, fall-able and sinful being, is for Him to keep and sustain me. One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in His temple. (Psalm 27:4)

But who am I, and who are my people,

that we should be able to offer so willingly as this?

For all things come from You,

And of Your own we have given You. (1 Chronicles 29:14)

This verse blessed me tremendously as i was reading 'The Pleasures of God' by John Piper. Indeed nothing we can ever offer to God did not come from Him in the very first place. As we willingly offer our services, praises and lives to the Lord, let us remember that He delightfully takes them all, not because He needs them, but because He takes pleasure in us from the very beginning. May this give you greater strength and yet freedom to serve and love Him, a God who is 'overflowing, all-sufficient, and ever-happy'. :)

grace(full)

i realised this: despite that it has been several years since i stopped dancing, this is still the thing that best zests bubbly energy into my frame, lights up my face, and injects happy leaps in my heart.

since the end of my jc years, my dancing stint was stumped as well, cos' i decided to hop on the adventurous wagon that sought out waterfalls, greens and starry nights. within a few months, i expanded my personal space from a rectangular box studio or stage to 'the real world out there'.

call it a little gal's wanderlust.

but every now and then, i discovered i looked really alive after each time i did a dance in my private space. and it was really delightful, cos' i knew i danced for the Lord, whom my leaps, swirls and poses - both the graceful and clumsy ones - were for. :)

waaalaaaaaaa!

i discovered that
a designer as i want to be,
i desire to be a wordsmith more than any image director.
my heart leaps in vibrancy at words beautifully strung,
at proses that struck chords in my heartstrings.

words can speak louder- in colours, feels, and soul injections - than actions too!


~~~~~

On my way late late last night in a state of partial zonk, i heard God say,
'2006's gonna be a year of Growth. in ALL sense!'

Waaalaaaaaaaaa!

In His grace, He moves. us.

~First Saturday evening. 10 dec 05. not spent in church~

Judge me not that i skipped church on purpose last Saturday. Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) has moved to its new promised land - Max Pavilion @Expo!No more Saturday services thus. :)

It was an...interesting feeling walking around the community on Saturday evening. I thought to myself 'Woh, so this is how the community behaves and what it does on a Saturday evening!' Hee.

~5.53am. 11 dec 05. Early dark morning at Esplanade~

My tribe's 26 representatives were all geared up for the Expo Faith Run! We were to run from Marina Promenade to Touch Community Centre in Marine Parade Centre, a journey of 7.8km. Gosh what fresh air we had, through the first 5km of almost non-stop jogging.

The sight that really beheld us most was no hovering skyscape or blazing sunrise (which we were eagerly anticipating to no avail), but the view of the rest of my YCYP tribe welcoming us at the junction of Fort Road at ECP! We could have been mistaken to be preparing a strike! :P

What a victory of Faith, Perseverance and Unity our tribe has won for the morning! :)

Indeed the Lord is moving. us!

~First Youth Service @Max Pavilion, Expo~

It was a service which i teared through from beginning to end. The presence of the Lord was so great. Tears of joy as we began to worship in the new land. Tears in exaltation of Jesus as we sang with lifted hands Let Your glory fall in this room, let it go forth from here to the nations! Tears of unmeasurable gratitude and thanksgiving as the Lord reaffirmed His promise to me in Haggai 2:19 From this day on, I will bless you, through bro cheechiong's new song. Tears of love for my Beloved in response to His for me....

Even though yesterday's new beginning left me with much heaviness over a certain issue which someone very dear shared with me about - tears of heartache, i will still cling unto my Lord's every promise and joy. The joy of the Lord is my strength! :)

i have moved. Have you? *wink*

(photos courtesy of bro benruth :) )

this is what my peek-a-boos got me!

Do not be mistaken that i won the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon last Sun. Everyone who finished the race got one! *wink* And you get the key here - finishing the race. Indeed it was the most important goal i and my YP-tribe had in our minds. Pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. A trophy of eternal value. :)

Praise the Lord for us all finishing the race strong!

Very proud of my gals. Those who ran had moved several mountains with their faith in this experience. *pat pat*

Personally i learnt to push myself more, through the runs. Many times when i felt like taking fast breaks or giving up, i knew God was pushing me on, and i had to push on for Him and every of my gals. I want them all to see the GOD behind mirabel, how great He truly is, how He sustains me, and know that He can and WILL do the same for each of them! (So dears, stop thinking that i'm a fast runner. Haa..)

mirabel can't run excellently, but her God is strong! "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. His Grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in (my) weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9. :)

you better watch out

you better watch out
you better not cry
you better not pout
and i'm telling you why
CHRISTmas Day is on its way here!

NOTE: DON'T celebrate CHRISTmas without knowing CHRIST. :)

He is the Lion and the Lamb.

The more i witnessed Jesus' humility, the more exalted He is in my heart.

Today as i listened to my ever-overwhelming song How Great is our God, i felt like crying...in gratitude-tinted joy. That was my heart's response in Love towards my Lord.

Last weekend's service-learning training ended with feet-washing. Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:4-5)

"Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me." (John 13:8b)

Going forth with no hesitation to have my feet washed, was an indication to myself, that my heart to serve was still intact. My soul gives highest praise to the Lord, cos' i knew i am absolutely capable of wavering when the heart of Love grows weary.

And i had been feeling that way sporadically for the past months.

But...

i needed more Grace; and God gave it to me. i needed more Strength, and He upheld me with His. i needed Him, and He spoke to me tenderly 'You are My daughter, with whom i am well pleased'. Awwww.....

i have been listening to 'Jesus died for me' each of these days, and yesh the power of the revelation of the Cross is restoring. I thank You my Lord, for the privilege to come back to the Cross at all times.

Although he was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. Hebrews 5:8-9

Last afternoon, Jesus asked me the three questions again.

Jesus: Mirabel, do you truly love Me more than these?

me: Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.

Jesus: Feed my lambs.

(Again) Jesus said: Mirabel, do you truly love Me?

me: Yes Lord, i really love You.

Jesus: Take care of my sheep.

(third time) Jesus: Mirabel, do you love Me?

me: Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.

Jesus: Feed my sheep.

Yesh Lord, i am committed to serving and loving Your people. Thank You Lord for the various little breakthroughs in each of the bonds between each gal and me. Discipline no longer stands as a lips-biting issue for me. Cos' i have truly learnt to discipline in Love, and to love simply because i love. :)

He is the Lion and the Lamb. Such an amalgam of boldness and meekness - Bold meekness!

He is the Son, yet He came on earth to serve and not be served. me too. :)

please handle with care. ha.

Enough about pretty pictures. Let's look at some bloopy fots from the wedding dinner.... ha!






Have i ever told you about this logger-bro that i have? i call him uncle sea-urchin, he addresses me as auntie dolphin, and yesh, we are always bickering! ha...
But that night we finally decided to answer God's call to love our brothers (and sisters), so we tried our best to smile and took the following rare fot! Please handle with care. ha.
Dalaaa! :)

treasure the treasures. [upset]

my neighbour, the father of the family next door, passed away last fri night, peacefully they said.

i have been feeling pretty upset about this, to an extent that i didnt understand why too.

i guess it has got to do with the tinge of regret i bear, for procrastinating my visiting him at the hospital before this. i shan't go into the reasons or excuses here.

i was upset that i couldnt remember his face. But i thank God that i remember a man whose every toil was for the comfort of his family, who fought hard for them, even when work seemed to be going downhill. i remember his favourite pastime was to croon the oldies out loud on his hi-fi set - probably his way of driving away the blues and lethargy.

i saw a tired man, who yet never failed to give me a really warm charming smile every time he met me...

i heard from my mother that he was anxiously waiting to recover, abandon the hospital bed, and then spend every cent just to bring his whole family on an overseas holiday- something that he always wanted to do but did not exactly had the means to. But...when he said that, he didn't know that he was in the last stage of cancer. His family had hidden the truth from him till the very last days.

I am not exactly sure why i am writing all these down too...but this incident has made me miss my own dad, who is always overseas, a lot. This really redundant thought just came to me: if i could be this upset about a next-door uncle, how would i be if it were my dad... i had to sweep it away at once. Come on mirabel, that is not the most God-honouring thought; it should be about praying harder for and claiming with greater faith your parents' salvations.

Yesh Father, and please use me to bless, strengthen and comfort the family more as well; to love my neighbours.

did i ever tell you i love to laugh?

i wonder how many of my friends and family know that. hmm.

i have no qualms about allocating time for a good hearty laugh. Did you know that laughters are effective medicine for lethargy, boredom, unhappiness, stuffiness - whatever you name it.

Care to join me. now? : )

Hahahahaaaaaaaa... woohooooo! (i hear your echo...................)

the little child in me likes to listen to spongebob's tunes or watch his video clips in order to giggle any unpleasantness away. just for laughs. ha.

i just love weddings!

jasmine and beautiful bride gillian :)

bros and sisters

dear lingshi and jas

(from left) myself, jasmine, dy and eejay.

long lost friends - marilyn and brian!

(marilyn: my, mirabel you've grown into such a lady now!)

table sixteen

Look not mournfully into the past;

it comes not back again.

Wisely improve the present; it is thine.

Go forth to meet the shadowy future, without fear.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

* * * * *

If thou but suffer God to guide thee,

and hope in Him thro' all thy ways,

He'll give the strength, what-e'er betide thee,

and bear thee thro the evil days;

Who trust in God's unchanging love

Builds on the rock that naught can move.

Obey, thou restless heart, be still

And wait in cheerful hope, content

To take what-e'er His gracious will,

His all discerning love, hath sent;

Nor doubt our inmost wants are known

To Him who chose us for His own.

Sing, pray and swerve not from His ways;

But do thine own part faithfully.

Trust His rich promises of grace,

So shall they be fulfilled in thee.

God never yet forsook in need

The soul that trusted Him indeed. Amen

~Georg Neumark (translated by Catherine Winkworth)

i said no.

Many times we need to be expressive - in a real and heartfelt way.

A lot of times, we belong to either groups - one hides our deepest emotions and their expressions, or that which strains to display the exact opposite of the feelings within - both being so fearful of revealing your soul's reality for the worry that it mirrors your truest personality outwards for the world to see.

now, where's the child in each of us gone to?

if we are capable of doing this frequently with the people around us, we are truly prone to do it to God too. All the talk about God being our only confidante does not stand tall and proud in most lives. Well, the truth is that God gave us wonderful friends and families to share our burdens and to encourage us in heartful and soul-ful ways. Whatever our earthly families cannot fulfil, we have spiritual families which is actually the body of Christ. Because every person represents one of the intricate body parts, we need to come together to function as a whole, mutually complementing one another.

So what's with the thoughts like 'i better don't disturb my spiritual leader/bro/sister; they are busy' and 'i can settle my own stuff, with Jesus etc.? Sometimes they are really entrapments by the devil to stop us from relating and even accounting to our spiritual family!

Allow the love of Christ to flow into you, through us, your family, and boldly without shame, receive it! Give us a chance to love you especially when you really need that tangible touch of love. Don't struggle alone. *hugs*

~~~

This leads me to think about another yet intrinsicly related issue - boundaries. i guess the same rules of being open and firm apply. When you need to say no, express it! It is to protect both yourself and the other party. Don't set up barbed wire fences, only to be the one to get cut by it yourself. The small kids know best - both in expressing their deepest feelings and thoughts, and also fortifying boundaries. ha.

anna: i said no!

How would you answer these questions?

1. Why do I look forward to the Big Move?
We are moving to claim our God-given inheritance - a new land flowing with milk and honey!

2. What do you want to see on 11 Dec at the Expo Max Pavilion?
Like in Exodus 40:34, The cloud covers the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD fills the tabernacle. I want to see the faces and hearts of every person in the family glow in such an exceptional way, cos’ we are going to reflect the glory of God in the place! We have to come together in a manner that proclaims the greatest victory Jesus had already won for us in our lives!

3. What is your prayer for the Big Move?
I pray that God comes springclean every of our lives, help us sieve out the redundant of the past, pack our every emotion, feeling and thought in alignment to His, and ride us upon His presence towards Expo!

4. How do you see God moving in the Big Move?
Definitely very much in His people, God has been moving and testing our hearts. I am sure the Israelites had sporadic moments of uncertainty, fear and even disbelief at God’s promise of and His leading them to the new land, all of which could only be overcome by one word, faith.

The way God has been granting salvations and performing miracles in our family, and helping us build family with other nations are sneak previews to His coming BIG plans for the church. But will we choose to cling unto His promises, without seeing the big picture? What about the unanswered prayers? All these are questions God have been intensively and intimately asking us in His ‘hinted’ Moves.


5. Three things that make you excited about the Big Move.
1) It’s BIG!
2) God Himself is moving!
3) GOD!

Revived!

i have officially revived my trainers. Hip hip hooray!!! : )

These comforting, supportive and encouraging greyees are faithful companion for the miles! More to go!

Thanks to ahpa YeangCherng who initiated the idea of the tribe persevering together for the Standard Chartered Run in december. The process of training together is going to be of such great meaning, both on the personal and corporate level. : )

And guess what, after 'fellowshipping' with my wonderful greyees (hey maybe i can call them 'eeyore') for the past nine months, and especially more recently, i discovered the words 'peek-a-boo' under both their tongues! Oh my, even my shoes can be as playful as me! :P

Work's still primarily a man's world?

(Alternative title: Guys' working shoes are boring.) :P

La Terre Vue du Ciel

my favourite Yann peek-ture! (top left)

Guys, finally we are seeing the earth in a splash of reality colors along Orchard Road, very much nearer God's perspective!

World-renowned photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s showcasing his aerial portraits of our planet in a stretch between Liat Towers and Forum Galleria along Orchard Road, from October 27, 2005 to January 17, 2006. La Terre Vue du Ciel, the exhibition title, means Earth from Above.

i think you can feel God's joy, tears, excitement and grief, in these peeks, over the land and people of His creation.

Springcleaning.

i thought of putting 'I HAVE MOVED' as my msn nick just now.

Then it dawned upon me that, just like in reality, i cannot move till i have brought everything i have 'to light', sieved the unwanted (or desirables-no-more), and packed the rest properly for my journey to the new place.

i am now only at stage one. (Screams within me: And The Big Move is only seven weeks away?!!!)

A major decision-making process very recently prompted the start of my life's springcleaning. i had to consider through almost every area of my life, though remaining quiet in my heart to hear God's small still voice was in fact, all that i really needed to do. Everything was brought to light, through the threshing machine...and much of the seeds of thoughts did fall to the ground to bear root in my God-given life purpose and His values of eternal value.

i thanked God so much that i became sure that i am free from the clutches of many worldly pursuits. Sieving the impurities - probably stage two has even begun beyond my consciousness. (Hey God You are preparing me for the Big Move yeah? :) )

Stage three? The Lord said to me,"From this day on I will bless you." (Haggai 2:19)

i think i have to lead my gals to initiate a life-springclean soon. God, bring to Light, and take away every spirit that is not of You. i sensed prayerlessness, and lack of faith. 'May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify us through and through. May our whole spirits, souls and bodies be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

Have you begun your springcleaning today? God is moving. Don't let excess baggage impede or even pause you. The airlines know that fully well.

que sera sera

When I was just a little girl. I asked my mother What will I be. Will I be pretty. Will I be rich. Here's what she said to me. Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Que sera, sera. What will be, will be. When I grew up and fell in love. I asked my sweetheart What lies ahead. Will we have rainbows. Day after day. Here's what my sweetheart said. Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Que sera, sera. What will be, will be. Now I have Children of my own. They ask their mother. What will I be. Will I be handsome. Will I be rich. I tell them tenderly. Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Que sera, sera. What will be, will be. Que Sera, Sera

reality. meaning. and truth.

reality. how we see and thus perceive things and matters to be. (constrained to our worldly matters and concerns as we see things in our limited perspective)

meaning. what we find self fulfilment and personal satisfaction in. (as long as it quenches our thirst, it doesn't matter if we know it's not the truth)

truth. only God's Truth stands. only He knows the absolutes between black and white. Everything as His creation, only He holds the Truth to worldly matters, and far beyond into the divine.

And He also understands how much human likes to avoid hearing the Truth.

especially Truth like 'Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.'' (John 14:6).


Seeking only meaning in what we do, only means we will spend our whole life hopping from place to place, job to job, interest to interest, people to people...and yet lose sight of the initial meaning you sought to find in the first place.

Come on, which of you can deny having an insatiable and unquenchable thirst for meaningful knowledge and the fulfilment of personal desires?


Are you going to choose reality, meaning or Truth today? :)

ha-ha.

A ha-ha refers to the hidden deer fence that was a common feature of 18th-century English estates. Olin Partnership's (landscape architects) ha-ha for Washington Monument is an unobtrusive retaining wall that follows the paths that curve their way up the hill to the plaza, and is used as security from truck-bomb attack.
(courtesy of Witold Rybczynski in his article I Came, Eyesore, I Conquered at www.slate.com)

in the presence of One...sing!

God sang over me; He put a whole new spirit of singing in my soul, singing for Him.

it's an incredibly different sensation; i know it. Cos' when i worship Him now, my voice seeks to reach just the One.

In the audience of many, but the presence of One. that was exactly how it was for me last Saturday night. : )

haa...i can sing i can sing i can sing i can sing! lalala....


~~~~~~~

God did it again.

Each time before He rose me up (from my comfort zone, my fears and skepticism, my past etc.), He would reduce me to the posture and mindset of a little girl, putting me face to face with all the inherent sense of inadequacy and frailty in me, before He restored me to reflect His glory in its highest form the next moment (almost).

Claustrophobia flooded me during my first practice with my good bro, joshua's band Free Fall (whom i sang with last Saturday) - in the physical (band) room and in the emotional bandwidth of my thumping heart. i was crutching the edges of my stool, and almost wanting to dash out of the room. i couldnt make the little girl in me sing. sweats.

But look how God made me soar that night....in the presence of One. : )

(2 Corinthians 12:9) But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore i will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

~~~~~~~~~

to those who came down to MagicBox to support and watch, i really appreciate your presence! : ) Especially to my spiritual family, the youths in my network, carl, stacy, jia huey(!), dy, chee aikky, qingtian, weiliang, edwin, eunice, and of course my dearest amanda and ahqi, etc! *big grin* Not forgetting those who sent me such encouraging smses. hee. Thanks, Free Fall, for 'tolerating' me too ha! it was really fun working with you bros! Ooh jasmine sis, i cant thank God enough for you for this gig - thanks for teaching and spurring me on! *wink!*

(Photos courtesy of bro quanwei :> )

my dear sis jing did this....and i must say this again dear, simply looking at it touches me to tears. *hugs tight* :)

When you smile, the eyes smile first and lead the lips.

sniff.

i must really admit, that one of the most painful things a mother or spiritual mother can feel
is when
you know some stuff are not going fine in your daughters' lives,
and yet they hesitate to let you know.

*sniff sniff*

oh no, i'm going to cry.....

What do you hear when God sings?

What do you hear when you imagine the voice of God singing?

I hear the booming of Niagara Falls mingled with the trickle of a mossy mountain stream.
I hear the blast of Mt. St. Helen’s mingled with a kitten’s purr.
I hear the power of an East Coast hurricane and the barely audible puff of a night snow in the woods.
And I hear the unimaginable roar of the sun, 865,000 miles thick, 1.300,000 times bigger than the earth, and nothing but fire, 1,000,000 degrees centigrade on the cooler surface of the corona.
But I hear this unimag­inable roar mingled with the tender, warm crackling of logs in the living room on a cozy winter’s night.

I stand dumbfounded, staggered, speechless that he is singing over me—one who has dishonored him so many times and in so many ways. It is almost too good to be true.

He is rejoicing over my good with all his heart and all his soul. He virtually breaks forth into song when he hits upon a new way to do me good.

(Dr. John Piper in The Pleasures of God)

an angel in disguise

A N G E L I N D I S G U I S E

Written by Corrinne May Ying FooCopyright 2003, Corrmay Gourmet Music (ASCAP)

I woke up this morning feeling kind of blue

and I stumbled out of bed and dragged my feet across the room

Right outside my front door was a rose and a note that said

'Somebody Loves You'

But out on the street it starts to pour and before I get soaking wet,

A total stranger runs to give me the jacket off his back

I turn around to thank him

But he waves me with a smile

I can hardly believe my eyes

He puts on a halo and starts to fly

Take a look at the ordinary

Don't need to look at Paradise

You could be next to an angel in disguise

I met a good friend for lunch and we had a delicious meal

But I forgot to bring my wallet I felt like an imbecile

But she was sweet, she gave me a treat and

Bought me a chicken sandwich to take home for tea

But out on the street with nothing to eat

A man and his shopping cart go travelling to places,

Collecting social graces I give him my sandwich and we chatter for a while

I see a rainbow wash over his eyes

He gives me his halo and I start to fly

Take a look at the ordinary

Don't need to look for Paradise

You could be next to an angel in disguise

Don't try to hide away from me I know you're by my side

Take a look at the ordinary Don't need to look for Paradise

You could be next to an angel in disguise

Everyday can be legendary

Every minute, an endless surprise

You could be the next angel in disguise

I woke up this morning

Feeling kind of new.

Take my heart, it is Thine own;
it shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love my Lord;
i pour at Thy feet at its treasure-stone.

Take myself,
and i will be ever, only, all for Thee.

~Amy Carmichael

Praise God for heartaches!

Yesh, praise God for heartaches, which tell us our hearts are still tender! :)

thank You my Lord for the Love You have given me for each and every of my gals. We love, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

When i asked You "How to help? How to lead? How to give? How to love.......?"
You simply replied "Just love".

How Your succint answer magnifies Your wondrous unfailing Love!

tong hua.

Many people view guangliang's tong hua as a depressing song.

But i think it speaks of much joy to me. :)

Nope i do not have a callous heart.

The last line of the song conveys a heartwrenching desire to live happily ever after, to seek the fantasical ending of happiness and bliss. Nope i'm not yet leading a beautiful married life now or anytime soon, but my heart is already so sure the end of my road on earth is marked with joy and blessing, no matter what lies ahead from now. My Bridesgroom is the Lord Jesus; what greater blessing can there be than to have the Bridesgroom of the Church embrace you into the Heavens - where true joy, hope and peace lie?

xing fu he kuai le shi jie ju. :)

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart . . .

over the past year, i've tried

• dancing for my friend's wedding's lawn dinner
• singing at a mini gig
• acting in a short skit @xtreme

going to attempt

• running a marathon
• singing with a pretty good band in church (with bros with sore-throat voices, ha!)
• leading a missions/humanitarian team overseas
• skydiving
• etc.

Life is really exciting and full of passion when thou wilt let thy Heavenly Hand hold thee!

Behold Christ's boldness Thou plants in me!

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart . . .

Quote of yesterday.
"Some of you carry such bitter faces around, that they can fit perfectly unto the front cover of the book Lamentations!"
~great-grandfather, Ps Lawrence Khong @SP1728_21Sept05

Quote of today.
"Lord i do not want to shortchange You, of Your power and anointing that You want to bestow upon me. Use me Lord, more!"
~my prayer to my Lord. 22.03hrs.

book review _18sep05

Currently reading: Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot.

Read merely the first two chapers, and they kept my heart really still and quiet - intense intimacy with the Lord. it's amazing. Amy Carmichael's hymnal poems, interspersed over the pages, are ever so succinct and soul-binding, like the sound of the rustling of leaves in a sudden gentle drift.

pastor mirabel. :>

woohoo...more and more people have been saying that i could be a good counsellor when they see me talking with people. :> i can only thank my beloved God *grins*. For with no professional training in counselling, the only explanation for my faring so well in it is definitely and only God's wisdom, which 'He gives generously to all without finding fault, if we ask Him' (James 1:5). *smiles*

come to think of it, i've always felt that i'm cut out to be a counsellor since my jc days. But i never dwelled on it cos i didnt know how to head towards it, and also cos' of the lack of support from my parents about this. i still remembered the time when i told my dad i was seriously considering social work/sociology for my university course, and the first question from him was 'what is it?'. And then upon defining it for him, he replied 'dont want lah. cant earn much money.'

But like what i always say, God always knows my heart. :>

He's bestowed upon me what i needed to head towards the passions of my heart, and is using them to bless others. This is His way of confirming His leading my every step in my life too. By glorifying Himself. :>

It's always good to surrender your life and plans to God! woohoo!


Now as a Thumbs-up! Life Coach, i'm counselling really much too.
From all these, definitely He's also moving me towards my ultimate biggest dream - to be a pastor.

Call me Pastor Mirabel.
Ha kidding. =P

If you wanna work with people,

you cannot do it without God holding rein on your emotions and thoughts.
you only risk sapping them dry in you.

*winks to God*

'the length of the row of suitors is not as important as the person you allow at the head of the chain' ~ah shua teo (and self-paraphrased)

All for Love.

as i was sharing with ah whale how the Holy Spirit taught me to love thru' Himself, it dawned upon my mind that we should exactly use the Holy Spirit, and not the human heart, to love others.

"The heart is deceitful above all things.." (Jeremiah 17:9)

Come on, let's admit it. Our hearts are so limited and so capricious. How much can it hold? When was the last moment you felt your love for someone else fluctuate like the tides of the seas?

The Holy Spirit is a person. He has feelings and emotions, like us. And His heart beats with much greater and confirmative love for every people. Let Him be the one to stir up our passion for the Lord and compassion for the lost. Let our every step be aligned to the Holy Spirit's, so that we can truly say, we live, do and serve all for Love.

bound by Love.

Last last Sunday my daughters, namely meiqi, selynn, amanda, simin and belinda (poor lizann was sick!), 'sons' cerwin and weiliang, and i had a beautiful time at the movies, singing and swaying to the tunes of willy wonka, willy wonka...., eating willy wonka chocolates (!) and curly fries dipped in icecream. Ha. What extravagance. :P

But the most beautiful part of the day which will never fail to soak my heart in warm joy, is the scene when i was trying out an elegant shawl, and all my daughters would be standing by me, 'serving' me by helping to take my bags voluntarily, twirl the shawl properly around my shoulders, watch me while giving opinions on how it looked on me, putting the ones i tried back on the racks, etc etc. For a second, i was a little embarrassed at having a crowd around me in a small boutique. But gosh, i really felt like a 'mother' at those moments!!

love ya all! :> Thanks for loving me...

powerpuff-ed

Three years ago a close friend of mine told me Bubbles reminded him of me. Cute innocence were his eyes on me.

One year ago another friend said i was like Blossom with my slightly-blonded tresses. i hoped he was referring more to the sweet quiet confidence Blossom has.

Today as these interestingly dawned upon my mind suddenly, i felt more like Buttercup than ever. Tough spice as she is, i'm gonna be a strong lady in the Lord always! :>

cluck.

i never knew i could crave for chicken pies and kfc chicken.
40 days of daniel fast have made my taste buds tempt-able by something that used to be mere-food-that-fills-my-stomach. *cluckadoooooo!*

me.

Tonight i was inspired to look at......my life.

emptyhanded.

Majesty majesty

Your grace has found me just as i am

emptyhanded but alive in Your hands...

i saw myself, standing before the Presence of the Lord....emptyhanded.
Yet He continued to call upon my name, and draw my heart towards His.

i could do nothing
but respond in heartfelt gratitude, love and tears...
(yesh for the first time after so long, i cried my heart out during service's worship - 30 jul 05)

God healed my soul - a wearied one.


i always felt my parents expected a lot from me.
i felt like i have to stand before them, with sparkling achievements in my hands, in order to please them.

What an excruciating contrast, when it first hit me!

O Lord O Lord....
Your grace has indeed found me just as i am...

emptyhanded

but alive in Your hands. :)



*Love and hugs*

Do you see the multitudes?

hot air rising. nevada was so hot, that the bare grounds were steaming! and mind you, the steam rose several metres into the atmosphere, and was a pretty sight. [22 jun 05. 1304hrs. travelling from las vegas to fresno california]

the vastness of the land never fails to widen my imagination. as my eyes savoured greedily the sights of the land beside the dusty highway my tour bus was steadily chuttling on, my mind wondered playfully what went beyond the horizon. and a second after that, i 'saw' the globe diminish in my mind, the landscape around me becoming a gigantic piece of fabric that wrapped itself round and round and round and round...... [penned: state of nevada. united states. 22 jun 05. 0318 hrs] [imagined: 21 jun 05. noon. travelling towards the grand canyon]

my dear Father, would You always speak to me in a ping-ping-pom-pom-piang fashion? :P

the first song that made me cry before my Abba : Above All

like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall
and thought of me
above all....


the first song that made me kneel before my Almighty : Come to His Courts

Ethics, truth and credibility - these values are what Public Relations is all about.
:>

(extracted from The Practice of Public Relations, ninth edition, author Fraser P. Seitel)

God if You call me to be a songwriter, please let me write songs like Awesome God.
:>

Thank You Lord.

i cant help feeling more anointed today. :>

was at the encounter @pgp this afternoon, and during the 'holy spirit' session i remembered myself praying like Ps Seng Lee and Ps Roland while asking the Holy Spirit to fill olivia, dawn and corinne. These highly anointed pastors always pray with such confidence and many times, volume, in total faith, when they ask the Holy Spirit to come during the encounters. And that was exactly what i did. To admit, i almost stopped short in a lack of faith ('would it happen, would it happen....?' was racing through my mind), but God surged up an amazing double portion of His faith in me, and before i could hear myself finish my near shouting 'Come Holy Spirit! More! More Lord!' the dear gal fell backwards. And the same thing happened for the other two. :>

i was definitely filled and awed by the Holy Spirit myself during those remarkable moments, even though a familiar dizziness was in my head as everytime i prayed for others during these sessions.

Thank You Lord. You always work things to Your Higher glory, and this time You gave me greater Faith, plus greater anointing that came along with that Faith.

i'm a truly anointed woman of God, and mother of nations! :>

~~~~~


my mother flew into a rage all of a sudden just now, banging every single thing in her path, and started throwing accusations at me. Hmm i knew probably a fraction of it was really my fault (though i dont know exactly why), but it did feel like she was venting on me. Well i wasnt angry at her in any bit, but it still made me feel sad everytime she was feeling down. Sometimes it made me blame myself totally. Lord, use me to minister to her the way i would to anyone else. Give me the wisdom to discern what is really bothering her. And may You grant her the comfort she needs in her heart Lord. i know You love her so much, thank You Lord.

~~~

a family.

my heart goes out to a family of four - the dad, two sisters and a youngest brother, who in such warm togetherness worked hard at their food stall in a canteen in an office building. they were supposedly the best stall in that place. i wondered much about the siblings' lives (they were between twentyfive and thirtyfive), and how much they sacrificed in order to stay together in that small stall to support one another, especially having observed that the sisters seemed pretty well-educated.

before i could find out more, they had now 'disbanded'; each off to pursue their own plans and dreams. i was sad to see them go; they were such a warm bunch, but i wish them well from the bottom of my heart. it gave my heart an indescribable touch - a family in such concerted love and strength- amazing elements which will see them through their individual walks of life. God bless. :>

singapore - l.a. - las vegas - fresno - san francisco - singapore . 17-26 june 2005 .

my heart fell for san francisco. its skies were full of clouds, though its breezes chilled my heart and made it shiver. Yet...this cool-ness seemed to freeze the colors of the place into portraits and portraits of beautiful san francisco, making them so bright and still in my sight, and magically coupling them with the alternating blue puffy and then wispy skies.

anybody wants a piece of these portraits?


~~~~~~~~~~~

i termed montery bay my favourite little secret corner of the world ten years ago when i was beside its royal blue waters of the pacific ocean.

no longer so. commercialismn had taken its toll on montery. no more ignorant sea lions sunbathing on the shores. even the seagulls stayed a distance. more rich residents by the beachline with cosy small yet really costly houses with unproportionally big windows.

i wish i could catch a glimpse of montery when john steinbeck wrote his novel on it back then.


~~~~~~~~~~

l.a. - still as dry, sunny, noisy, congested. the colors of universal studio, disneyland and the rest of the lands did no justice to the blandness of the place i held in my eyes. main highlight here: studio tram ride in universal studios; you would either scare or laugh to bits.

las vegas - they call it sin city. period.