Unbelievably blessed - free piano =D

Haha...my boss came up to me today and said she has an extra set of keyboard with her colleague for me. No words could describe how I felt then =) i'm just in awe of His grace. No more coming on Saturday or even renting a place to practise, but I get it all to myself now ;) going to collect it later and the lady happened to be staying one mrt stop away from me...God really makes it so convenient for me. Heh.
"Just tell me what you want, and I'll get it for you", my boss said across her office as I brought the kid in the room.
"I should have ask you for something bigger" haha...=)
When I heard those words, it gave me the liberty to explore and do what I love. It takes away every fear in me when I have the assurance that she believes in me. How much more our heavenly Father whose faithfulness cannot fails us.
It reminds me of this verse, "And I will do whatever you ask in my name" John 14:14
Shouldn't that give us more confidence to trust Him for the things we need. He clearly showed me today that I had not wholly place my trust in Him. If I had, I would not have feared or had been worried when I was being transferred to the toddlers. When I knew the good my boss had for me, it gave me confident in my work. How much more when we know His love for us, it'll cause us to walk in a greater level of boldness.
I'm enjoying myself so much now with the toddlers. The best part is I dun have to do feeding and cleaning anymore but just purely teaching, singing and playing with them. But sometimes I do ask the caregiver for it, it can be fun bathing them when time permits =) Learning to trust Him more each day that all things will surely work out for my good when I submit to the authority He has given over me.
Grace IS with us!

Possibilities that were wrapped in common folk like you and me

                                        
Monday wasn't a good day for me. My boss wanted to speak to me. She smiled all the way to her office up till her conversation with me. She gave her feedback on my performance. Correction is not something easy for most of us. Painful to the heart. Hearing your weak areas being expose just makes you feel weaker at that moment. Just when you thought you were doing fine, you fall back at the hearing of those words.
She said she'll transfer me from the babies to the 14 to 18mo toddler group. Experience comes not by the number of years you stay in that job, but how much you are being expose to. Getting an easy child to handle will not be of any challenge to me. You'll only go out of your way to help the child if he is a difficult kid. Challenge your mind each time...I sat there agreeing every word she said but felt like as though my world has fallen apart.
I love working with babies. There's just such a supernatural love found in them as compared to other age group. I was so comfortable with everything and everyone around me.
Things were so different with the toddlers. Now I understood what challenge means. They do not know what it means to fall so they climb and run as they like exposing them with a high risk of falling. They cry when they demand something from you. No more sitting down playing and feeding babies. I had to now take charge and capture their short span of attention in reading, singing, dancing and playing. They say that if I could work well with this age group, I could work well in any age group.
I then walked into the room and saw a piano before my very eyes. Wow. When she found out that I could play the piano the last time she said she'll get one for me and she really did. Haha. Happy for a moment. It was something I've always wished for - a piano in Singapore. But with it comes more responsibilities and expectations. There's also a room waiting for me to decorate. I told Pamela I suddenly felt like an octopus.
I didn't know why I just felt so down at that moment. Never had I felt this way before since I started work. I knew I had to get my Rest back. Fear just came when rest left.
But He never fail to cheer me up with His Words and gifts. I reached home receiving a call that my friend can finally give me her com which she couldn't initially. I opened up my mail to read a verse on correction. How timely.
"Whoever who learns from correction is wise" Prov 15:5 ...when we erect defences against our inadequacies and try to hide our faults from ourselves and others, we close the door to a vital source of self knowledge and therefore deny ourselves the joy of spiritual growth."
I was charged up reading that alone =)
Amazingly, I open up another devotion for the day and it's about moving out from my comfort zone, something I was sharing to my friend." It is new ground for me, and I find I am way out of my comfort zone. I am scared to death to trust Him at this level.unless we are cast into times in which we are completely at God's mercy for breakthroughs in our lives, we will never experience God's faithfulness in those areas."
And in came a msg from Joan today on the similar wave length =)..."See how God brings us to a higher level n some time later, u'll see breakthroughs in ur life u didn't even realise"
The third beautiful thing He gave me was when I was on my way to work this morning for my Saturday duty. As I was thinking about playing the piano, directly after that my eyes fell on the word piano in the first page of the book I open up. I could have teared at His love for me haha...
"I was thrilled through and through at the possibilities that were wrapped up in common folk like you and me. I heard a girl play piano. She was not over sixteen. I know something about music. We had a music department in our institution for many years. I looked into her face and whispered in my own heart, "Girl, you have spent hours pounding the keys while other girls were walking the street. While others were sleeping and mother was trying to get them out of bed, you were pounding the keys. You have lost a heap of good times, but what a musician you are!"
She kept at it. That is why she won. I was handicapped as few men have been handicapped. but I did it. Struggle to improve. In every effort improve the dream. Everytime you play that piece of piano, play it better than you are going to be more efficient than you have been. Make you brain work. It will sweat, but make it work. It will improve. It will develop until it becomes a wonder to those around you. Never depend on another man's car. Get your own car.
Be self-reliant. Be punctual. Be diligent. Think through on every problem. Conquer your difficulties as a part of the day's job. We are out int he fight and will win the crown." by E.W. Kenyon
This girl resembles Joan :) Those words spoken sound like the voice of my boss in the office that day, the words preached by Pastor in Arrow, and the advice given by my father =) Oh how I love these people in my life.
So today after work, feeling tired, having only 4 hours of sleep, I vowed to drag my feet to look for a children music score book.  Where else but Kinokuniya. I enjoyed my afternoon just browsing the books, but just a little annoyed by the crowd. Joan called and said she manage to book a room in Esplanade to teach me piano and it's only $6 bucks an hour =) Pam calls her Teacher Joan. I came home happy. I think I've made very good use of my day. I think I did improved a little when I practise my piano this morning in school. I'm getting there...=)
Oh, I forgot to tell you how I felt the next day with the toddlers, I was happy =) It's our mindset that has to be renewed. My boss has her best interest at heart for me and I thank God for that. I had a revelation that it was for my good. I'm excited for the increase workload. My honeymoon period has ended, and i'm now back to reality...

(picture of darling baby Jovi at 14mo & Margaret)

My first... =D

Thurs evening : My boss rushed up to ask me to attend another music workshop on a Saturday morning conduct by an Australian couples. I happily smiled and agreed.
0500 :  The alarm at the car park next to my block went off! It was unbearably loud...Lord, I've to wake up at seven...why???...Took my small pillow and cover my head. The sound was much lesser. Went back to sleep...it has to be Him that I even slept back.
0730 : "The water pipe broke, you have to go collect the water next to the stairs...", was what my landlord told me at the start of the day. 'Thanks'
0820 : I took my blouse to iron to realised that the iron's not working too!
Still keeping my cool...feeling a little grumpy already. Telling myself I already burn my last weekend for the music workshop and now I've to go for another one??...ok..I should thank God for opportunities to learn. After all, our emotions & feelings follows our thoughts. So I'll keep my joy and all will be well.
0930 : Reached Dhoby Ghaut. The rest had left earlier afraid that they'll be late. Boss told me it's in Fort Canning so I thought it wasn't that difficult to find. Maybe just give a buzz to them. Standing at the entrance of the Park, I suddenly felt loss in the midst of the 'jungle'. To turn left? to turn right? to climb up?...I called my fren and her directions were like...go up the stairs..you see the white building?...I see so many stairs??and white buildings? During such moments, I think love, joy and peace seem like the last things I would think of. I finally got there with a sour face =) not knowing my boss was around the corner, she walk passed me and smiled. Opps ;)
We went into the room, still curious as to why we were there. By now, it doesn't seem like a workshop anymore with only 15 of us. There were cameras, head lights and props all around. I know they had a filming sessions a few days back with the kids...I thought then we were there to help out. My principal than told us they are filming us to produce a DVD that's going international! and our names will be on it. Wow. Sounds fun. But going on stage or any sort of presentation has never been my cup of tea. Better still, it's a music and dance cd. I can't even talk steadily in front of a class. Maybe that's why my boss didn't tell us in advance. A nice surprise haha
I can't imagine myself seeing a filming session come to live! "Scene 10, take 2". Cool =D Even a second repeat of the same scene cause us to whine a little. That's when we knew a little how actors truly felt. As tired as we were, we still pretended to be happy and energetic =D after all we are in an act. Haha
Benefits : Sandwiches and Dome Coffee for tea break. A few large packets of chips to take home(Joy happen to approach me in arrow, so I gave her the whole stack. Ashley & Dillon must be smilling now=)). A free cd with our names on it. A musical play, "We will rock you" worth $152 dollars =)  
As we were about to leave, my boss asked me if she could give me a lift to where I was going. I end up persuading her to fetch me to Suntec to shop! Haha...A free ride for Arrow service and be on time for a meeting =)
I'm now into the third month of my job and I am already seeing so much of His fingerprint in it. So many blessings I never felt before in my life in just a short time. There's so much life in everything. I see myself thanking Him everyday because it's really too 'much' by the grace of God. Shirmane whom I introduced to the centre, smiles and thank God for me and this place so very often. I do that to her too =) Bring Grace into your work - Undeserve blessings!
Even when you think that things are going against you, Rejoice...He is setting you up for a greater blessing! Hahaha..
Follow the life where He's leading you. Keep the life in you. It will resurrect every area where there is death and bring to life those that are dormant .
This IS a year of manifested blessings! Grace IS with us!

praying in tongues really works! =D

My computer has been going cranky these few days. First it was my monitor screen turning RED and the next day, my Microsoft Word just went missing??! Having a red screen is not a pleasant sight to have and without a MsWord, I might as well not have a computer. You just need it for doing assignments...with collected patience in me, I tried to stay calm and not  be troubled over all this.
Just now I recall something I did a few days back when I laid my hands on the computer and prayed in tongues. It was more of an agreement I was making with God then that if He made it well, I'll write to my fren. Amazingly, the screen turned back to it's original color in less than ten seconds. So I completed the mini-essay before it turned back red again heh..
So here I am today, after hearing a message by Pastor on praying in tongues, I decided to give it a try again. I laid my hands on the red screen and prayed in tongues. It happened again! In just three seconds, it went back to it's original colour. God not only heals people through the laying of hands but our possessions too haha!
The most amazing thing is...in the midst of asking around and looking for a new monitor(was considering of getting a laptop but after much thought, dun think it's worth it)God answered me more than I could imagined =) I brought my Ipoh fren to church today...and he brought along his Ipoh fren too. During the altar call, she raised her hands and went out to accept the Lord :) After service, I decided to spend some time with her instead of going straight for 4th service again which I normally do. So while we were eating, my fren mentioned that he was going to see some electronic stuff and I told him to look out for a monitor. The girl immediately responded with, "I was looking for someone to give away my whole set of computer. ". She is flying overseas to further her studies and was clearing her things.
It was during offering time too I was asking myself if I should give an amount much more than I usually do. I took the money out and drop it in the offering bag...in my heart I knew that if anything requires me to go by faith, it always brings blessing. Maybe not immediate, but it'll be a seed sown. How true and quick the Lord is to His Word =D
Not only that, after fourth service I bum into a parent I mentioned in a conversation with Coach Jo-Ann before service that was a God-sent person in my life to the journey I was taking. And she wasn't there for church =) but happened to be taking her nephew out. How 'coincidental'. 
Well, with only a few seconds of muttering under my breath praying in tongues, He answered my prayer in abundance and for the ones I didn't pray for or dunno how to pray, He prayed on my behalf ;) I can't imagine the effect of doing it daily for a few minutes - for a start =D Cool experimentation. He will direct my path to be at the right time talking to the right person and and will make all things work out for my good.
He IS faithful to His Word. Lay hands, pray in tongues and believe in your heart. Trust Him and be at rest. It'll surely come to pass!

I used to wonder...

How does God's blessings come. Many times we look at it only from a monetary value such as an increase in our pay check or a love gift we receive from someone.
Before the receiving, giving has to first begin. Before there is a tree, there is a process of sowing seeds. I tithe or give in expectancy that He'll bless me because His Word says so. Whenever I see a blessing, I would tie it with the parable of the sower. I would say within myself...this may be one of the fruits :)
Recently, I had an encounter that made me feel that truly the Lord is with me. Another new english teacher came over from London to help us out for a short 4 months. She was a really sweet and special person. Just when I thought over the weekends about transforming the infants and toddlers class to a more teaching like style, her presence was like a confirmation to what I feel the life inside. I talked to my boss today over lunch and shared to her how I felt and she said that was what she has in mind. She just wanted someone to start it. So she gave me the privilege to get the ideas together and transform the new place.
The teacher happened also to stay 10 mins away from me =) I couldn't believed it when she mentioned to me the place. No foreigner would come and stay near my place haha...which is just far from everywhere! Just so happened her boyfriend was posted to work in one of the army near by. But I felt God's love even more when he came and pick her up...I got a ride home too. haha.. Got a look at their house they stayed in and it feels like I'm in Cameroon Highlands having a holiday.
She gave me the joy of teaching. Spending time with them gave me a warmth feeling and it feels like I was part of them in the holiday working trip.
If this really was the fruits, I look forward more to the days where I can sow and give to Him. The joy of receiving from the Lord is nothing compared to the little we give to Him. His ways of blessing us is always unexpected and brings joy than what our tiny hands try to earn the blessing we thought could give us the happiness.

love filled actions

One day after realizing that one of my colleague happened to be from the hometown as I do, I found out too later that we had quite a fair bit of similarities. She stayed a minute away from me in Ipoh. We attended the same Convent school. Both of us were from the Methodist background. She had worked in the hospital my mum used to work in. We have common friends although we are years apart. And the funniest thing was the question we both asked each other. So which church do you attend now? In Suntec. Suntec? We both laughed. That's my church and hers I guess heh...How coincidental.
I introduced a friend to my work place recently. As much as I remember, she was probably the first DARE youth I knew two years back. And that was before I serve in DARE once. When I went into to DARE, I serve alongside her as she was then one of the youth leader already. She was also the first person I approach when I was looking for a job in this line a year ago when I was still uncertain. How funny too that it end up that I found a job for her in return. She was very grateful for this opening, but I was happier to work with someone whom I knew was a special girl to me. Little did she knew the day she came up boldly to me to say Hi...would go a long way =) When we get a chance to go for lunch together, we would pamper ourselves to KK hospital and have a cup of ice-cream. Somedays, just sharing Jesus together and reading a book by the pond. What more can I ask =)
A new music teacher came in last Friday. She told me a little about the church she attended and that she prefer traditional churches. Today all of a sudden during class she told me she will be coming to my church this Sunday and will be bringing her husband along. Asked me which service I attends and the timing. Haha..I didn't even have to do the asking.
As I see all this approach, I'm reminded of what I read in one of the book I bought recently...
"...The hardships of the children of Israel were not the cruel testing of God. His only test for them was the test of believing. He offered them promises, and their faith was tested with every promise. Did they believe or not believe the promise? When they believed the promise, their faith passed the test and they experienced the promise."
It seems like God blessings are hindered when we do not exercise faith. I remember before I chose to work with children, I had all the preconceived ideas about it. Even before I took on this job. But what has helped me learned through this experiences in making a decision is...what do I base me decision on. The natural or the supernatural. God's way are always by faith. If ever you face a decision which you feel God's calling you to go into but feel uncertain of and you know you had to go by faith in it - Do it. You can't go wrong on faith. That's how God works. He is please when you do.
I never knew what love truly means until I started working here. It's different from when you fall in love with someone. A love that's stronger than that I never knew exist. It taught me what unconditional love is. When all I had to do daily is to play, talk, carry them to sleep, simply making them happy...love actions that are vital for any relationship, I unconsciously fell in love with each one of them. Of course, I do have some favourite ones too =p i'm still human haha.. These actions are necessary in my job scope as I interact with them, but supernaturally it builds a bond between the children and me where I couldn't in my previous job. I wasn't allowed to talk to the kids but to keep them quiet. I see them two hours daily. I felt frustrated inside. I couldn't express the life in me. But what truly keeps you happy in a job is whether you could express out what you have inside you. Let the life in you come forth...