my new baby

It has been delivered, right into my hands!

Gosh, the months of waiting. Say hi to my freshly christened Shutterbaby. =) Or check her vital stats here.

Watching you just the way you are...

Thinking that i am drooling over babies? Or that my motherly instincts are acting up? Ha.

Nope. But aren't they really cute? =p How serene the face of a little sleeping beauty... Have you ever found yourself subconsciously smiling while watching a lil' darling nap away?

i think that is an almost definite 'yes' from any parent, whose heart weaves in a gentle wave of delight and love just by seeing his baby sleep in serenity. *Awwww...*

Someone reminded me a few nights ago, that our Heavenly Father delights in seeing us, His children, R E S T a lot too. HE enjoys watching us just the way we are, like how a parent delights in watching his child breathe as he sleeps...




When you sleep tonight, rest well and deep in God's love and protection for you. =)

(To PyroBass, thanks for this timely reminder that night. For the first time when i slept, i really felt so assured that God's love surrounds and fills me.... even when i rest. =) )

Is your Story a Gift to others?

Kevin Sites has been one of my favourite photojournalists, ever since i stumbled upon his 'hotzone'.

His photos and stories from the world's conflict zones seek not a mere momentary exclamation from the readers - they internalise the grim environment and circumstance so well into the faces of their victims that they tug hard at our heartstrings, evoking a deep sense of empathy, compassion... sometimes an unavoidable awe of admiration at and inspiration from the people's strength and grace in the unthinkable situations.

Kevin Sites had a conversation with Anne, a pregnant 15-year old Ugandan girl (above). (photo taken by Kevin Sites)

Sites did not start out to gain buckets of tears through his picture stories. What i really love about them is that 'part of the obvious answer for him as a reporter is to try to show the full dimension of these people's lives -- not just their suffering -- but also their silliness, their laughter, their humility, their grace' (Sites' exact own words).

This is what Sites said: "Through hearing someone's story, in all its complexities, we gain the potential to grow in kindness or generosity toward those closest to us, as well as those far away.

Which brings me back to Anne. Instead of fretting about the immediate need to do something for her when we hear the tragic aspects of her story, we should also realize how she is helping us; that her story is as much a gift to us as anything we can give to her."

* * *

I received much from Anne's story.

That is the power of a life testimony. Brothers and sisters, just as we were taught in church to always be prepared with testimonies to share, our life stories of how Jesus has transformed our lives and hearts can be an extraordinary gift to someone out there who cares to listen. We do not need to have drastic and atrocious life events like Anne's (i pray, never for anyone of you) to be a shining testimony for Christ. Jesus can use you (yes, you) and every broken bits in your life to speak to others powerfully. In the first place, i do not think that any life story is ever small.

(A powerful testimony of a wonderful brother who used to live 'high' on d r u g s)

(My own life story)

A unpleasant twist to Anne's story is that the man who hurt her was part of a rebel paramilitary group in Uganda who call themselves 'The Lord's Resistance Army' (LRA). LRA outrightly violates and blasphemes the name of the Lord and God's laws, abusing these to conduct astrocious terroristic acts in Uganda. The name of the group is truly just a name. And it is a shame.

I have no right to judge anyone. But from my own journey of knowing and understanding God, i really see that LRA do not work in the ways of God. I dare to say that they live lives showing Jesus is NOT the Lord of their lives. If they really label themselves Christians, their acts would be the worst testimonies for Christ.

* * *

*Are you living your life such that your story will be a gift to others?*

i believe that Anne's story is God's gift to everyone who reads it. i gave thanks to the Lord that my own bunch of dear 15-year old girls are not going through life like Anne, yet i prayed that they will have her courage and grace to go thru life's disappointments.

I believe that my story of living with an ever-faithful God can encourage you too. Isn't God clever to use our stories to encourage one another? He understands exactly our needs for mutual encouragement. If you are His son or daughter, make a commitment to live such that Jesus is truly your Lord, so that we will have a constant flow of exciting powerful and positive testimonies of His goodness and miracles to bless others with! =) Speak them out!

Peculiar Happenings. Part II

Remember the 'peculiar' happening described in my previous post? Yet another 'peculiar' thing happened to another girl i know! *say Wah*

I met this dear girl D at a camp in January, we have talked probably 5 times online since then. Ha. She popped up absolutely suddenly in a msn chat window, saying...

D: Are you a Christian? I'm becoming one too!
me: Wow, tell me more!
D: Well God reached out to me... (click)

i was at this church and they were having praise and worship. The auditorium was a very cold place, (and) the pastor told us to reach out to Him, and stretch our hands out.
When i did (so), this warm feeling just came over me.

i dont know to explain it. (But) i knew it was going to be the right choice. =)

And i was doing my quiet time yesterday. An image of (a) lighthouse appeared in my mind and when i randomly opened this prayer book thing, it was a page saying that lighthouses are a symbol of churches.

* * *

Wow i am once again BOWLED OVER by God's grace. God really does speak, when we want to hear. And when He speaks, He does so to draw us closer into His presence or the knowledge of His will for our lives. He is soooooo real...His heart bursting in Love for us, like always.

Dear D, your testimony has encouraged me deeply too. It has brought me to tears of gratitude once again, that truly we are all saved by God's grace (Ephesians 2:5). I bless you to know that as you draw nearer to God, He WILL draw nearer to you. And He WILL lead you to the wonderful purpose He has set upon your life. =)

Peculiar Beings. Peculiar Love. Peculiar Happenings.

Click on the Peculiars below to know how peculiar they are.

Peculiar Beings...

Reading this artwork by my current favourite designer Edward Monkton reminded me of a handful of precious buddies whom have faithfully stood with me through the tests of time and life.

Many of them are from my spiritual family in FCBC, and i can never thank God enough for them. Most of the time we are busy with the various things the individuals are doing; we may not talk a lot. But just like what the picture depicts...

We connect in mysterious ways without speaking - sometimes an hysterical out-of-the-blue 'Ha ha' (these are created sounds, not spoken words), other times a gentle tap (or punch for brothers) on the shoulder as we brush across each other, and most of the time, a simple sweet lil' smile. =)

Perhaps... we are all just peculiar in the head. =p

* * *

Peculiar Love...

I also fondly remember my Greatest Friend from here. I seriously think that i do not deserve to be, or even to be called, his friend. But he was the one who took the first step to draw me with loving-kindness, and tell me he has loved me with an everlasting love. *Aww....*

You may be thinking, who is so audacious to dare to promise everlasting love? How could i believe his words like that???

Well, because "greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends" (John 15:13).

Yes my Jesus called me His friend... but how could i measure up as a friend of God???? Jesus answered, 'B'cos i have laid My life for you, breaking the barrier for you to be able to approach God without shame or guilt'.

I found no reason to doubt words from Someone who knows outrageous Love like this.

* * *

Peculiar Happenings...

Last night a very dear girl S called me up, sharing about her prelims preparation etc. At a pause she suddenly sounded very serious and told me this,

"Mirabel, i have to tell you this. On Monday and Tuesday mornings at 4am, when i woke abruptly halfdazed, i found myself talking with GOD."

"Wow S, God really cares for you so much to want to get so close to you."

..... "But i am not a Christian. Is it okay to talk and pray to Jesus like that?"

"There is nothing right or wrong about this; it all depends on your heart - Were you sincere in talking to Him? Did you really believe? God spoke to me tenderly when i was in primary school, several years before i even hear of the name Jesus. That is how much He loves His people; He wants to be near, like a loving Father over His lovely child.

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. The Bible tells us this. God definitely does speak to non-Christians too, like me in the past even at the moment He called and drew me to receive Jesus and His love into my life. He is a God of mercy and grace. Mercy is not giving us what we deserve. Grace is giving us what we do not deserve.

Thus Grace is the answer to your question. Jesus has given to you this divine and exciting encounter with Him, which you think you do not deserve."

* Dear S, the next step is for you to seriously consider if you want to answer Jesus' call to receive Him deeper into your life. =) *

* * *

what happened to wilson

To the many of you who have been concerned about me over wilson, i have been very thankful and touched. Your love has shone big throughout this small ordeal. =)

You may be puzzled to hear that wilson is still with me! :S

Let me explain my 1.5hr ordeal at the Alexandra Hospital dental clinic on Tuesday..

1650hrs - Arrived at the clinic
1715hrs - Took blood pressure and waited for two more extractions before my turn
1735hrs - Was finally called in by the surgery consultant (doesn't her title make my surgery sound so serious), Dr Syl, who requested for me to take another x-ray.
1755hrs - Pointing to a much clearer x-ray, Dr Syl said... (click)

"Wah Dr, will there really be so many problems?" i could not help asking.

"Well nobody can be sure to tell you whether they will definitely occur. But i still advise you to extract the other three wisdom teeth as well. This means the surgery will be longer and be done under general anesthetic, meaning that you will be unconscious, and be rescheduled on another day".

* * *

(Do you know that majority of people nowadays face similar 'wisdom problems' like mine?) (click)

Yes, this includes you, whether you can see your wilsons or not. If you want to find out about them, i advise you to go to a recognised dentist to take an x-ray and seek his advice on them.

(Why are these wisdom tooth problems and nuisances unheard of in the senior generations and earlier?) (click)

A tooth becomes impacted due to lack of space in the dental arch and its eruption is therefore prevented by gum, bone, another tooth or all three. Lack of space occurs because our jaws have become smaller (through evolution), we do not loose teeth through decay as frequently as in the past, and our diet is such that our teeth do not wear down as much. (Earlier diets are relatively tougher). [Information from http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/wisdomtooth/wteeth.htm]

(Why did i agree to do the 'full' extraction?) (click)

Well i wanted to take Dr Syl's advice. Being pretty high-D on such matters, i would also rather extradite the root of the problem once and for all. Pardon the pun. Extracting all four at one go, before the other possible-wilsons-to-be cause palpable pain and visible decay, is also more cost-effective. (one tooth: S$330, four: S$800. Both subsidised rates)

Behold, what 'wisdom' i have gained from the wilson ordeal! Okay okay, wilson you win! =p

To all, i thank God that the pain only lasted two days last week. I pray that wilson will be good too when i am in Japan for MOL. (Rika you will be able to see my Oyashirazu then. Haha). My 'full' surgery will be in early November. =)

Anyone of you has anything to say? Please leave a comment here. =)

For every *girl who reads this...

Yesh lady, i believe you have such an amazing power - to make everything else beautiful through the love that overflows unconditionally (sometimes uncontrollably), the beam of warmth and kindness that always shines through, and the innocence from the little girl within. Flaunt it! =) *twinkles*

(artwork by Edward Monkton - click on drawing)

wilson...oh..wilson

Recently i have a newfound friend Wilson. He could jolly be my childhood friend too.

Sad to say, for two days he was such a pain in the neck (or rather, near the neck) that i had to exclaim at him 'Wilson stop it! Please be good'. :S

Finally, today 1700hrs onwards, i will see him no longer. Good riddance.

* * *



Please pray for a painless surgery for my wilson, oops i mean wisdom tooth extraction and a fast recovery thereafter! *winks* =)

If children live...

i received this lil' note for my service at Touch Community Services (TCS) Children's Club in Yishun last month as the club celebrated Teachers' Day. (i am no teacher, but just help out with the children's school work when i am there)

Beyond all the thanksgiving towards all the volunteers, i think the words on this note said it all about our heart of giving towards these precious children who come from needy or lower-income homes, and i would like to share them with you. =) [Click on 'Comments' below to read the note]

* * *

*let's make a sun out of dough!*

Do you hear the sounds within the silence?

06 feb . 2006 .
Time lingered silently in the early morning of Hokkaido at its central seafood market. Call me easily distracted or impossibly curious; wanderlust puffed up within me once again and there was no way i would simply gawk here at...seafood. That was what all tourists came here for. Not me. Armed with my friend's PowerShot-ter and a trained eye for details, I looked for my own subject matters of interest, and found these...

My two favourite shots at a seafood market >


i am always fascinated at how fallen snow spills over the edges of objects and then falls short of falling to the ground. That intriguing moment of freezing something in mid-air.... and dalaa, a certain form and shape takes place and stays.

i had a lot of fun capturing these vanilla icecream block lookalikes!

^ Spillover . A temporal connection. between the traffic lights and the roof.

A big black bird paused on the cables just beside the traffic lights. I aimed my PowerShot-ter in focus of this new juxtaposition, but the shy blackie sprang into rapid sudden flight, leaving me a shower of playful snowbits which i thought was an even more beautiful phenomenon than before...

Hear the quiet ruffles of the falling snow...

^ someone was here

That is me. I see(k) life and beauty in the supposedly mundane and outcast corners of places. Sometimes it was accidental beauty; others, beauty through its beholder's eyes. You do not have to see eye-to-eye with me, but i encourage you to be a tad more observant towards the details and little happenings around you. There can be fun, joy and or even an sparkle in every little thing. =)

Bad hair day

Abundantly. Free.

The concept of Freedom has hinged very much on my heart this year, ever since God deposited His deep passion towards freedom in me through Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ has set us free...

There were 4 key posts that i blogged on freedom:
(The worth and excellency of a soul is measured by...)
(This is my daughter.)
(Freedom)
(Newfound friends (and freedom)!)


Today i read an testimony - on freedom - of one of my favourite writers, Paula Moldenhauer, on her weekly Soul Scents devotional email. Her email title (as i had copied) 'Abundantly Free' came from here:

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, His blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans He took such delight in making. (Ephesians 1:7-8 The Message Bible)

I pray that Paula's sharing will lead you to acknowledge, and embrace this Freedom that is readily free for you. Jesus has already paid the price for it, for us all.

(An excerpt from Paula's devotional email)

* * *
Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we are abundantly free. Free from our imperfections. Free from our guilt. Free from the constant demand to “live up” to unrealistic standards.

Let me paint a picture of freedom. A few years ago, my kids and I had a really bad day. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t treat them with patience and grace. I was unkind. Mean even. And then I felt awful and shocked by the pain in their precious eyes!

Instead of confessing to the Lord my shortcomings and accepting His forgiveness, I wallowed in self-loathing. I hated the way I acted and felt I didn’t deserve His grace. I couldn’t forgive myself.

But praise be to God for His marvellous grace, He’s breaking that cycle within me. God is teaching me that Christ took my sins upon Himself and in Him there is no condemnation at all (Romans 8:1).

I cried out to the Lord to help me and He did. I went to my children and asked their forgiveness for my unkind words. Then, an amazing thing happened. My oldest son began to minister to me. I don’t remember what Scriptures He spoke that day, I only know they were led by the Holy Spirit and that they offered God’s heart of forgiveness.

If you ever are tempted, as I am, to punish yourself for the times you blow it, please consider this: Christ died so that we could have forgiveness. He took our punishment upon Himself. He doesn’t want us to penalize ourselves. He took our unworthiness upon the cross and replaced it with perfect and complete freedom to enjoy His grace.

* * *

*I will be sharing more on my own life story of embracing freedom here. Stay tuned! =)*

i challenge you.

Chanced upon this promo game for the movie Superman Returns (now you know it's pretty out-dated). But hey the game is f u n!

Try it and see if you can beat my score. Show your proof too. =p

(This game is especially for photography fanatics! *winks*) Don't get addicted hor. =p

Drop me a note here to tell me how you have fared yeah? =)