神のくすしきみわざ
Kami no kusushiki miwaza. Because each day is a miracle.
2011-07-13 (Wed)
Ok, so I'm in a rare "educational" mode after this afternoon's workshop. Truth be told, was feeling a little blah about attending a 3 hour workshop after a long, trying day with the monkeys kids. Those fellas were really... err... lively today.
But I'm glad I went. Sharing was rich and I was really inspired, especially by Alifah. She's full of interesting ideas. Since this is my first time doing LP, it's hard to pitch to the right level of learning that's optimal for them. I don't feel like I'm scaffolding enough. Plus, I think I limit them an awful lot thanks to preconceived notions.
After today, though, I'm going to shake that off and try my best to give them bite-sized tasks they can enjoy doing. Starting off with De Bono's Thinking Hats.
Upon reflection today, I realised that my kids tend to be all over the place when it comes to thinking. Their thoughts are either scattered or non-existent. Perhaps the thinking hats will help them to focus. I'm going to try it on Friday and see how things go. Maybe we'll make some origami hats from newspapers!
But I'm glad I went. Sharing was rich and I was really inspired, especially by Alifah. She's full of interesting ideas. Since this is my first time doing LP, it's hard to pitch to the right level of learning that's optimal for them. I don't feel like I'm scaffolding enough. Plus, I think I limit them an awful lot thanks to preconceived notions.
After today, though, I'm going to shake that off and try my best to give them bite-sized tasks they can enjoy doing. Starting off with De Bono's Thinking Hats.
Upon reflection today, I realised that my kids tend to be all over the place when it comes to thinking. Their thoughts are either scattered or non-existent. Perhaps the thinking hats will help them to focus. I'm going to try it on Friday and see how things go. Maybe we'll make some origami hats from newspapers!
2011-07-01 (Fri)
Rather, countDOWN. Haha. It's terrible to think I'm almost living each day to strike it off the calendar.
What am I doing with my life???
(I won't answer this right now.)
Honestly though, I really want to thank God that this week wasn't as bad as I was anticipating it to be. I kept having premonitions of chaos and was seriously nursing some #emo. The moment I stepped into class and saw the faces of the kids, I was reminded again that I'm here to make a difference.
And to whip them into shape. Figuratively speaking.
So the wagon has begun rolling and we're trundling along. Although other classes have already taken off in their Ferraris, I'm glad to go old school and take time savouring the wonders of kids who always flout the rules and test your patience.
I jest. (Maybe.)
Looks like my Penang and Malacca posts will be put on hiatus. Though hopefully not permanently. I'll try to squeeze some time in to post at least the photos and a short caption each.
What am I doing with my life???
(I won't answer this right now.)
Honestly though, I really want to thank God that this week wasn't as bad as I was anticipating it to be. I kept having premonitions of chaos and was seriously nursing some #emo. The moment I stepped into class and saw the faces of the kids, I was reminded again that I'm here to make a difference.
And to whip them into shape. Figuratively speaking.
So the wagon has begun rolling and we're trundling along. Although other classes have already taken off in their Ferraris, I'm glad to go old school and take time savouring the wonders of kids who always flout the rules and test your patience.
I jest. (Maybe.)
Looks like my Penang and Malacca posts will be put on hiatus. Though hopefully not permanently. I'll try to squeeze some time in to post at least the photos and a short caption each.
2011-06-09 (Thu)
Has been bleedingly awesome! I'm having a great time this year resting as much as I can during camp. We've gotten more free time than the previous years. Even Bro Willie admitted it's really an unprecedented camp schedule. So much rest time! But the sessions did drag for a bit, not that anyone was really complaining.
I'm not really inclined to give a blow by blow account of what went down the past few days (that would be an awful lot), but I did take a few photographs, so I'll caption them thoroughly.
Before we boarded our own 25-seater coach at Golden Mile, we had some beef noodle soup, with freeflow beansprouts and mint leaves. Yummy, but for SGD$3.50. Not exactly a steal. I liked how it was incredibly rustic though!
Our coach, with seats big enough for comfortable lolling around. Useful when you have a large butt. :|
And of course with a crapload of leg room! Mum's feet barely touched the back of the chair in front of us. Granted, she's not that tall, but still... we were really glad for the room!
Our coach tickets. The cheapest in all of Golden Mile probably, and so incredibly rustic!
They were showing some really old Jackie Chan movie in the bus... something set in Melbourne. I don't know what it is, not quite the fan of Jackie.
We passed by Marina Bay Sands and the Art Science Museum. The closest I've ever been to either. Gotta get with the times.
The typical stop at Yong Peng in Malaysia for some midnight grub. Mum and I brought some fried rice from home so we had that along with some coffee and milo.
I tried to get some decent rest on the bus but it was so cold, I kept waking up every hour. My face was practically frozen. At some point, I woke up for good and snapped this photo, somewhere in the vicinity of Ipoh.
Before long we were at Penang bridge. It's not bad taking the coach up when you get the chance to sleep overnight.
Such lovely clouds!
Arriving at the local bus interchange where we took 102.
Inside 102, not unlike our SMRT buses. With excellent airconditioning. Only trouble was the wait time. It comes at about 30 minute intervals.
Parts 2 and 3 coming up. I imagine there'll be lots more photos to share! Feeling pretty sleepy so I'd liketo get some shuteye before tonight's session and DURIAN tonight.
I'm not really inclined to give a blow by blow account of what went down the past few days (that would be an awful lot), but I did take a few photographs, so I'll caption them thoroughly.
Before we boarded our own 25-seater coach at Golden Mile, we had some beef noodle soup, with freeflow beansprouts and mint leaves. Yummy, but for SGD$3.50. Not exactly a steal. I liked how it was incredibly rustic though!
Our coach, with seats big enough for comfortable lolling around. Useful when you have a large butt. :|
And of course with a crapload of leg room! Mum's feet barely touched the back of the chair in front of us. Granted, she's not that tall, but still... we were really glad for the room!
Our coach tickets. The cheapest in all of Golden Mile probably, and so incredibly rustic!
They were showing some really old Jackie Chan movie in the bus... something set in Melbourne. I don't know what it is, not quite the fan of Jackie.
We passed by Marina Bay Sands and the Art Science Museum. The closest I've ever been to either. Gotta get with the times.
The typical stop at Yong Peng in Malaysia for some midnight grub. Mum and I brought some fried rice from home so we had that along with some coffee and milo.
I tried to get some decent rest on the bus but it was so cold, I kept waking up every hour. My face was practically frozen. At some point, I woke up for good and snapped this photo, somewhere in the vicinity of Ipoh.
Before long we were at Penang bridge. It's not bad taking the coach up when you get the chance to sleep overnight.
Such lovely clouds!
Arriving at the local bus interchange where we took 102.
Inside 102, not unlike our SMRT buses. With excellent airconditioning. Only trouble was the wait time. It comes at about 30 minute intervals.
Parts 2 and 3 coming up. I imagine there'll be lots more photos to share! Feeling pretty sleepy so I'd liketo get some shuteye before tonight's session and DURIAN tonight.
2011-06-06 (Mon)
And living it up on McDonald's Wifi. I hope I don't end up here every night. Zz. Here's hoping the hotel I'm staying at has free internet access. I sincerely hope so! There's Coffee Bean though.
We've yet to check in, so at the moment, I'm surfing the web and getting some work done (trying to) at the fairly nearby Gurney Plaza (it's about 20mins walk from my hotel). We're right by the sea so everything's quite picturesque. Surprising, considering it's Malaysia (yes, I seem to be fairly biased).
I also realised belatedly that my M1 line doesn't have roaming and I have to apply for it. So I suppose I will have to go the cheap Malaysian prepaid SIM route to ensure I'm contactable these few days.
I'll update as the church camp goes along and also with other entries on Bento and a couple of excursions I had previously.
Meanwhile here's a lovely photo of the view outside my hotel.
We've yet to check in, so at the moment, I'm surfing the web and getting some work done (trying to) at the fairly nearby Gurney Plaza (it's about 20mins walk from my hotel). We're right by the sea so everything's quite picturesque. Surprising, considering it's Malaysia (yes, I seem to be fairly biased).
I also realised belatedly that my M1 line doesn't have roaming and I have to apply for it. So I suppose I will have to go the cheap Malaysian prepaid SIM route to ensure I'm contactable these few days.
I'll update as the church camp goes along and also with other entries on Bento and a couple of excursions I had previously.
Meanwhile here's a lovely photo of the view outside my hotel.
2011-05-04 (Wed)
Yo yo folks!
Worship Ministry is having its first ever t-shirt design competition! It's launching in time for some corporate togetherness events later in the year.
There's no better way to foster a close harmonious relationship with one another (and friendly competition) than wearing the same awesome T-shirt in the hundreds. Haha.
And as usual, I love working on the graphics. It's bringing me back to my old graphic design/digital painting days a decade ago where I fell in love with digital art. It seems that my photography kick will also be back real soon. Praying I get some finance for a Lumix GF2 which will allow me to take killer tutorial videos.
That aside, the competition is open to Worship Ministry members only and I really can't wait to see the designs that people have in the bag! Thinking I might just whip one up myself on the fly.
$200!! Think of the training videos you could get with those! :P
Worship Ministry is having its first ever t-shirt design competition! It's launching in time for some corporate togetherness events later in the year.
There's no better way to foster a close harmonious relationship with one another (and friendly competition) than wearing the same awesome T-shirt in the hundreds. Haha.
And as usual, I love working on the graphics. It's bringing me back to my old graphic design/digital painting days a decade ago where I fell in love with digital art. It seems that my photography kick will also be back real soon. Praying I get some finance for a Lumix GF2 which will allow me to take killer tutorial videos.
That aside, the competition is open to Worship Ministry members only and I really can't wait to see the designs that people have in the bag! Thinking I might just whip one up myself on the fly.
$200!! Think of the training videos you could get with those! :P
2011-05-04 (Wed)
What kind of government servant would I be if I didn't post some thoughts on the upcoming General Elections in Singapore? This is obviously my view and doesn't have anything to do with who I'm working for.
Really.
A disclaimer just in case someone decides to hunt me down and break my iron rice bowl because I'm airing my views.
I wouldn't consider myself pro-PAP nor any other political party for that matter. I've never really been into politics. I avoid it mostly because it causes my brain to go into kernel panic and subsequently shut down. Now that said, this is the first time I'm voting since my constituency has never been contested. With the election hoo-haa that's going around in the office and all across the internet (especially my favourite blogs) it's hard to stay clear of what's going on.
It's like walking in a field of cows. Hard to escape the cow pats. (Bad analogy, I know. I might get shot for this.)
For the record, I like our government. I sincerely think that God has blessed our nation with excellent leaders who have sacrificed a lot to get the country started. It's really nothing short of a miracle that we are where we are today. I am grateful and feel incredibly blessed to be a citizen of a country that clamps down hard on corruption, is safe and has a huge amount of reserves for tough times.
Do I agree with some of the choices our government has made? No I don't.
For example, while the casino generates a large amount of jobs and revenue for us, it also allows gambling to get a stronger foothold in society. Yes, measures have been put in place such as a $100 entry fee, gambling addiction helplines, etc. It's a spiritual stronghold. But I don't expect that they would understand this.
Nonetheless, I'm fairly sure that our government who has a 100-year plan (!!) has weighed the outcomes of the casino carefully and made the best decision they could in light of everything else. I trust that they have done that.
So don't say that I'm pro-PAP. I'm pro-government. If you look at their track record, it's quite a star-studded one. You can't ignore that. I think it was MM Lee who said "don't rock the boat". I do agree with this, but I do understand the point of view that there might be room for a breath of fresh air in the form of opposition in Parliament. It's good to keep the current ruling party on their toes and push them forward to greater heights.
But what is with all the mudslinging by the candidates? Does that do much for my perception of your character? Honestly, it doesn't. Are we trying hard to emulate the U.S.A. and their style of politics? It seems that this being the first GE with such widespread contesting, candidates may have just forgotten reference material from some good ol' Hollywood movies.
Let's not diss the other parties. Show me what you've got, what your plans are and how much professionalism and integrity you have. I just might consider what you've said. While some Singaporeans are ready to ride the wave of the opposition, I'm just one of those who is interested in building a better Singapore and who wants to make the right decision when their votes are cast.
Having said all that though, I'm going to pray and then vote because I want a government that upholds godly values.
Really.
A disclaimer just in case someone decides to hunt me down and break my iron rice bowl because I'm airing my views.
I wouldn't consider myself pro-PAP nor any other political party for that matter. I've never really been into politics. I avoid it mostly because it causes my brain to go into kernel panic and subsequently shut down. Now that said, this is the first time I'm voting since my constituency has never been contested. With the election hoo-haa that's going around in the office and all across the internet (especially my favourite blogs) it's hard to stay clear of what's going on.
It's like walking in a field of cows. Hard to escape the cow pats. (Bad analogy, I know. I might get shot for this.)
For the record, I like our government. I sincerely think that God has blessed our nation with excellent leaders who have sacrificed a lot to get the country started. It's really nothing short of a miracle that we are where we are today. I am grateful and feel incredibly blessed to be a citizen of a country that clamps down hard on corruption, is safe and has a huge amount of reserves for tough times.
Do I agree with some of the choices our government has made? No I don't.
For example, while the casino generates a large amount of jobs and revenue for us, it also allows gambling to get a stronger foothold in society. Yes, measures have been put in place such as a $100 entry fee, gambling addiction helplines, etc. It's a spiritual stronghold. But I don't expect that they would understand this.
Nonetheless, I'm fairly sure that our government who has a 100-year plan (!!) has weighed the outcomes of the casino carefully and made the best decision they could in light of everything else. I trust that they have done that.
So don't say that I'm pro-PAP. I'm pro-government. If you look at their track record, it's quite a star-studded one. You can't ignore that. I think it was MM Lee who said "don't rock the boat". I do agree with this, but I do understand the point of view that there might be room for a breath of fresh air in the form of opposition in Parliament. It's good to keep the current ruling party on their toes and push them forward to greater heights.
But what is with all the mudslinging by the candidates? Does that do much for my perception of your character? Honestly, it doesn't. Are we trying hard to emulate the U.S.A. and their style of politics? It seems that this being the first GE with such widespread contesting, candidates may have just forgotten reference material from some good ol' Hollywood movies.
Let's not diss the other parties. Show me what you've got, what your plans are and how much professionalism and integrity you have. I just might consider what you've said. While some Singaporeans are ready to ride the wave of the opposition, I'm just one of those who is interested in building a better Singapore and who wants to make the right decision when their votes are cast.
Having said all that though, I'm going to pray and then vote because I want a government that upholds godly values.
2011-04-30 (Sat)
Totally counting down to the end of the term and the start of the school hols. I wonder whether I'm the only one who seems to talk about this on a regular basis. Are there other jobs available where you don't actually look forward to not going to work? 
Today was the last day for one of my kids in school. He's going back to Korea on 10th May for good. Guess his dad's overseas posting ended. What a shame! I will miss him. Although not his rambunctious nonsense each day. His mother did invite me over to visit and I will probably take her up on that at some point. Meanwhile, it's FB all the way. I'm so thankful for technology.
GE2011 is coming up on 7th May and I've yet to listen to the rally speeches. I think it's good to listen to both parties (PAP and WP contesting here) and make a careful (and prayerful) decision. It's always wise to listen to the Spirit when make choices that pertain to the government. After all, we want the right people in office don't we? Who better to trust than God's choice? Let my first vote count. (Previously all walkovers... zzz.)
This weekend will be a terrific reprieve from the noise and frantic activity of school. Frankly, I'm a tad fed up with the kids who refuse to settle down. Perhaps the slew of long weekends these 3 weeks (yay forme though) is creating more discipline issues. I don't even think they're aware that their exams are around the corner. Many of them give me blank "what's exams?" faces when I remind (nag) them.
Children will be children, I suppose.
Today was the last day for one of my kids in school. He's going back to Korea on 10th May for good. Guess his dad's overseas posting ended. What a shame! I will miss him. Although not his rambunctious nonsense each day. His mother did invite me over to visit and I will probably take her up on that at some point. Meanwhile, it's FB all the way. I'm so thankful for technology.
GE2011 is coming up on 7th May and I've yet to listen to the rally speeches. I think it's good to listen to both parties (PAP and WP contesting here) and make a careful (and prayerful) decision. It's always wise to listen to the Spirit when make choices that pertain to the government. After all, we want the right people in office don't we? Who better to trust than God's choice? Let my first vote count. (Previously all walkovers... zzz.)
This weekend will be a terrific reprieve from the noise and frantic activity of school. Frankly, I'm a tad fed up with the kids who refuse to settle down. Perhaps the slew of long weekends these 3 weeks (yay forme though) is creating more discipline issues. I don't even think they're aware that their exams are around the corner. Many of them give me blank "what's exams?" faces when I remind (nag) them.
Children will be children, I suppose.
2011-04-17 (Sun)
For the future that is. 将来の事です。
I've got to admit that while I've been living my life with a smidgen of eternity in mind, I don't think it's enough. I'm probably still very rooted in this world and what it has to offer (which is nothing of consequence, actually). 実は今の生活方、永遠の考えれば不充分ですね。この世界は何もあげられない、どうして私がこの状態で生きてるのか。
Listening to Bro Andrew this past Sunday evening really made me think seriously about going out into the field. I've had this desire for a while now, but I know I'm not making decisions in my life in light of that. 前日曜日、アンヅルさんの言うとり、日本の状態は大変よ。行きたい。行かなきゃ！この思いは長い間にも自分の願いです。そして、生活方を変わる！変わりたい！
I really need to shape up so that I can more forward. 日本の叫びを聞きますから、答えて欲しい。
Need to remind myself of this each day. 毎日この事を覚えています。
I've got to admit that while I've been living my life with a smidgen of eternity in mind, I don't think it's enough. I'm probably still very rooted in this world and what it has to offer (which is nothing of consequence, actually). 実は今の生活方、永遠の考えれば不充分ですね。この世界は何もあげられない、どうして私がこの状態で生きてるのか。
Listening to Bro Andrew this past Sunday evening really made me think seriously about going out into the field. I've had this desire for a while now, but I know I'm not making decisions in my life in light of that. 前日曜日、アンヅルさんの言うとり、日本の状態は大変よ。行きたい。行かなきゃ！この思いは長い間にも自分の願いです。そして、生活方を変わる！変わりたい！
I really need to shape up so that I can more forward. 日本の叫びを聞きますから、答えて欲しい。
Need to remind myself of this each day. 毎日この事を覚えています。
2011-04-11 (Mon)
These are driving up the wall! 
For the record:
1. I don't like shouting
2. I don't like yelling
3. I don't like hollering
It tires me out.
The hard approach did work well for the first term or so, but now it's starting to wear a little thin. I need to do some research tonight and think of ways to engage kids with short attention span. Bite-sized pieces!
Definitely going to chronicle this in detail for future reference (learning points) and quite possibly, upon retrospect, my marginal stupidity.
For the record:
1. I don't like shouting
2. I don't like yelling
3. I don't like hollering
It tires me out.
The hard approach did work well for the first term or so, but now it's starting to wear a little thin. I need to do some research tonight and think of ways to engage kids with short attention span. Bite-sized pieces!
Definitely going to chronicle this in detail for future reference (learning points) and quite possibly, upon retrospect, my marginal stupidity.
