To my utter amazement

On Thurs I was blessed with scrap-booking materials worth over 300hundred.

On the same day, my colleague gave me something which I wanted but didn't spend the money to buy it now. I went to check out the price, it probably cost about two hundred plus in total.

Just now after service, I went to check out the clothes in Naf Naf in Vivocity. It's my fav brand and fav sales lady:) She said she was going to give me a free VIP card. A lady yesterday bought an amount eligible for this but didn't wanted it so she gave it to me! On top of that, this is unbelievable. She sold to me the dress which I love so much the last time for only $30 from $150. It's not one but four of it. The other two tops were only $20 each! I saved nearly $400 plus. It's really grace. On top of all that, she gave me additional 10%?? Supposingly there's a 'defect' on it, like a thread that came out at the side:) which is not visible and I can easily sew them..hehe...anymore clothes that are 'defect' haha
After all this, I turned back and ask myself. What did I do? It's really nothing. I still have my shortcomings but that didn't stop his blessings from flowing because if it had, I would not have received them.
One thing I know is true. You can never out give God. Test him in this area of giving and see your miracle.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. Malachi 3:10

beyond my imagination:)

Just within this few days alone, I witness so many 'coincidences'. Blessings beyond my imaginations..feels like, 'I never did thought that could happen. Is as though God hears and answer my every thoughts.
Today as I was walking out of the school via a different route, I bum into my child's parents. I see her everyday but this time she ask me where I was going. Told her I was going to Plaza Sing to get some materials to spend the day on Saturday to decorate up my class for my practicum.
"Why not you come over to my place. I do scrapbooking, I've lots of cloth and paper and you choose what you want". said my beloved Harmony's mum.
Ok why not I thought, since my intention was to look around for materials I could use and get some ideas..
I wasn't expecting to see abundance of them. I have no words to describe the extend of scrapbooking materials she has! She laughed and said that her stuff may gather up to hundreds of thousands. Never in my life have I met someone who owns that much or who are so into it. In fact, she does scrapbooking as a business and conduct classes. Something I love doing.
The lettering you see in the pictures, one font set cost about $500 and she has hundreds of them. And that's only lettering excluding the pictures and other fanciful stuff. Each Pat's Schoolhouse only have one set of alphabet and 4 pictures because they are expensive and she owns thousands of them! She even offered for me to come over to borrow them whenever I want and take the papers.
She then let me choose freely from the collection of scrap paper that she has and it was the most wonderful thing to do. If you know how much these papers cost, you'll know the extend of grace I felt heh I remember buying just a few sheets of scrap paper to make birthday cards for my fellow Befrienders from 'Made with Love' and it cost about twenty over. Even that I had to think twice. Papers are not cheap. But I love having lots of them to choose from.
I counted just now and there were 101pieces of patterned papers excluding the other stack of A4 colour sheets and felt materials she gave me. The most shocking thing was she turned back after saying bye and went to her room and gave me her whole set of colour glitters! I think it could total up to three hundred plus.
This afternoon, I happened to be there when my colleague had something new to give away which was something I'll not spend my money on buying now. And it fits perfectly.
Yesterday, I was offered to serve for Darlene Hillsongs counter for the following Sunday and i'm paid a fairly good amount.
Shortly after that, my ex job manager msn me to ask how I was. Was asking him if he still needs people at night to take care of the kids playing the computer and he said yes. And it was only yest morning while walking to work I was thinking of where I could work at night after my studies. It pays very well and plus it's a place I would still like to learn from. Greater motivation:)
Blessings back home...mum called to tell me that she saved a thousand dollar from having to buy grass and plant them in our new house. Yes nowadays you have to buy grass haha So happened the houses opposite was doing plumbing and had to dig out those grass:) mum ask if they need and and they said no and dig out even more when they realised she needs them heh
Faith pleases God. That's what I see as I write this. I remember having to decide whether if I should move to my current place given that I would be paying more. I felt the peace but when I calculated the cost, it was impossible. But I knew He was telling me to trust Him. I do not know how this works, but it's amazing how he stretches my money.
God can do beyond what we can think or imagine. I love the way he conveys his love to me:)

Ideas are what makes you stand out

Being a children teacher is no easy task. I used to be able to say I that don't know how to get angry until I started working here. When i'm tired and the children are screaming at the top of their lungs and doing on purpose the things I disallow for the sheer pleasure of seeing my annoyed look and then laugh..makes me boil. heh. Now i'm immune to it. I've learned that a treat of sweet or snack does wonders to them participating well in class and keeping silent.
How then can I be a teacher i'm proud of and others are proud of me. I asked. I used to think is by continually learning from others. Then my perspective changed today. It brings to remembrance what my ex-principal told me(I saw her in my sch last week and the very sight of her inspired me!) Do not be a follower. Be a leader. I know that it's good to learn from books and others. We need to have the basic knowledge. But how you go from there determine who you'll be later. Originality makes you different. It stands you out among the rest. Coming out with your own ideas keeps and build the foundation in you. I asked my ex-principal once how she design all the costumes for the concert and even did one for the first lady having not go for classes or have any experience. She just learned it all by herself. And that's powerful. Now that I have to search my own book, come out with my own lesson plan for speech & drama, plan the science and arts activity without the usual manual given..I see how more creative and corrective we can become. Corrective because after every lesson I tend unconsciously evaluate how I've done as compared to my given toddler lesson when it's 'compulsory' to evaluate and I hardly did.
Today as I was making a manipulative activity for my upcoming practicum, a colleague walked pass and commented it was very nice and said that I have always been creative. You'll be surprised that I got my idea just early this morning when I woke up at 5am and couldn't get back to sleep. I saw two new things I could do. I'm amazed myself. When you are able to see it, is as good as real. Just caught this. Ask God for a million dollar idea. It's million dollar because usually you're the originator. If you're a follower, most likely you'll just helping him earn his millions;) Now i'm helping my boss earn her million haha..
The times when i'm stress is when I don't see it.
Reading is good. I love to read but if you give a thought to it..the more you read the more of people's idea you accumulate. Reading the bible and letting God open up the scriptures to you vs reading a Christian commentary. The later one seems easier and more knowledge gain. Which makes you stronger and changes your life? It's simply getting to know the subject yourself. I saw a strength in me when I have no one to rely on for my lesson and I learned to do it myself...of course with God tagging me along.
What makes even the least educated rich. Knowledge? He would probably fair the lowest. It was simply an idea he saw. Abraham saw the stars and he was a father to many. The stars were there all the while, it's only until God open his eyes to see.
I've been conversing with the Lord a lot lately and his reply seem to be a bit different this time:) His voice seems pretty clear like someone speaking back.
I bring him along for grocery shopping and he helps me makes wise decision.
I bring him into my conversations with my friend and he tells me what to say and not to say...or the ones I should be beware of haha
And the result is life and life more abundantly! hehe...

the friend in me

When you feel courage in the midst of a threatening situation, when you feel power in the midst of a challenge, when you feel hope in the midst of a time of despair, and when you face life with all it's difficulties and are inspired to go on, that's the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. Brian L. Harbour

I've been so busy with my school and work lately that i'm 'exhausting' my mc to doing instead of resting. In the midst of all this, I hear a gentle quiet voice deep inside me like a friend stooding by me when i'm tired or distress. It gives me the rest I needed. I started to ask myself these pass two days question in regards to the present and absence of peace this friend gives.

How can I be sure if there was a tugging 'no peace' feeling.

The answer became clear when I had the 'tugging' feeling lately about somethings and I went forward with it giving me more unrest. A few days ago, I was asking God some questions and I felt a sudden life to it. I always thought it was dfficult to know this feeling. Why then when I asked earlier and there wasn't any answer it seems... maybe it's simply a waiting period God wants me to learn something or speaks to me.

The Lord will be clear to you if it's the wrong step. The friend in you, the Holy Spirit will lead you with a strong tugging uneasiness if it's a NO entry.

Another area the Lord has been speaking to me is prayer. Went to the library just now and happened to see a book on prayer. Will write on it when He shows it to me.

Cheers. Back to work tomorrow. Grace grace:)

Acknowledge Your Powerlessness

There are places in you where you are completely powerless. You so much want to heal yourself, fight your temptations, and stay in control. But you cannot do it yourself. Every time you try, you are more discouraged. So you must acknowledge your powerlessness. This is the first step in Alcoholics Anonymous and the treatment of all addictions. You might as well think of your struggle this way. Your inexhaustible need for affection is an addiction. It rules your life and makes you a victim.
Simply start by admitting that you cannot cure yourself. You have to say yes fully to your powerlessness in order to let God heal you. But it is not really a question of first and then. Your willingness to experience your powerlesness already include the beginning of surrender to God's action in you. When you cannot sense anything of God's healing presence, the acknowledgement of your powerlessness is too frightening. It is like jumping from a high wire without a net to catch you.
Your willingness to let go of your desire to control your life reveals a certain trust. The more you relinquish your stubborn need to maintain power, the more you will get in touch with the One who has the power to heal and guide you. And the more you get in touch with that divine power, the easier it will be to confess to yourself and others your basic powerlessness.
One way you keep holding on to an imaginary power is by expecting something from outside gratifications or future events. As long as you run from where you are and distract yourself, you cannot fully let yourself be healed. A seed only flourishes by staying in the ground in which it is sown. When you keep digging the seed up to check whether it is growing, it will never bear fruit. Think about yourself as a little seed planted in rich soil. All you have to do is stay there and trust that the soil contain everything you need to grow. This growth takes place even if you do not feel it. Be quiet, acknowledge your powerlessness, and have faith that one day you will know how much you have received.
                                                                               The Inner Voice of Love, Henri Nouwen
I love the illustration drawn using the little seed planted in rich soil. Just give me a sense of rest. The plant continues to grows regardless of where it's planted, be it a mansion or in a run down estate. It continues to grow as long as it's planted in good soil and watered daily. Our growth has never been dependant on our outward circumstances but where we plant ourselves to hear His Word. Oh, this just came from the Lord:) If you are already planted in good ground and is constantly hearing His Word, you are growing!
I went to flickr hoping to find a picture of a sprouting plant. And the picture you see above was the picture I had in mind and was posted on the main page! =) Amazing,

Looking back..

Found this in the web. Taken during my first month:)

I remember having the desire to teach the older children when I was 'trapped' with taking care of the babies in Baby Haven, the place where I started. God in His humour put me to teach all the age group from toddler to K2 now in 3 different programs. It has to be grace that I enjoy the 'load' given to me.
I thank god for the new VP whom I could share my ideas to and run with it. She gives me the freedom to plan the lesson and at the same time contribute her ideas. There's this new thing which we implemented. It was on playing the outdoor activities that we played when we were young. Something we see lacking in our kids today. You could hardly see kids playing marbles, monkey game, frisbee, basketball, netball, jumping over the rubber band string nowadays to name a few.
I saw the importance of it when I started to introduce the games to them one by one. The games that we thought were simple and came naturally to me when I was young or was good at were a struggle to all of them. Simply because they have no opportunity to play them. And these games do require some skills what running in playground could not do or doing worksheets;)
Today, I was so touched when they could finally skip over the string of rubber bands that we made in the correct way after many rounds of practises on crossing their legs the right way. It's really very fulfilling to see them gaining confidence and skills in all this.
One time a girl cried when she lost a game of netball. My principal passed by, surprised that this so called tuff girl would cry said, "We should play more of this games" haha..
It's exciting to try out new things for this little ones, be it doing art or playing along with them. I'm new in learning most of the things too as I teach them;)
Thank God for this matured student acting as an apprentice in my class. Awesome person to have around in class and to help me for my practicum. So timely indeed.
And the best thing is I found out my lecturer stays two bus stops from me =D Now I get free ride homes in just half an hour hehe
Everything in our life work for our greatest good!

Music an expression of our heart

Decided to come back earlier than usual today after service to have some me time. Been so busy doing everything that needs to be done.
Wasn't prepared to swim but as I was walking home I saw the pool and was tempted:) so I did. Refreshing.
Today I finally laid my hands on the piano. Took out the stack of chord charts I have kept for some time.
Wow...I could sense His presence and love so strongly. The songs were, Jesus shall take the highest honour, You are so faithful, I press on & So you would come. These songs are pretty old but it's really nice to hear them played again.
That's when I realised how blessed it is to be able to play an instrument. I didn't have to wait for a worship session to enjoy the sound of music and even if I did, it may not be the song that I wish it was at times. I could translate out what that's on my heart into music. That's the beautiful thing about music. Something maybe even writing could not express.
I can't wait for my studies to end soon. I could spend more time in fine tuning and picking up new skills. I believe Jesus will provide for me the people and materials for me to succeed in it. amen:)