parachuting peas

@ prayer meeting today

2010-07-14T23:03:00.002+08:00

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.
“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”

Romans 13:8 (ESV)

2010-06-20T16:28:00.002+08:00

I'm preparing a sharing on 'commitment to the local church' in about 2 weeks. I'm not looking forward to juggling many deadlines around that period, but i know this is a topic i have strong convictions on.
These days, my prayer for my church is "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law."

Phil 4:8-9

2010-05-31T05:32:00.000+08:00

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

John 6:68

2010-05-20T07:53:00.000+08:00

From Disciplines of a godly woman.

But when God's Word is preached, we must discipline ourselves to listen in spite of difficulties because listening is God's will for us. Hear Jesus' words: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, no one can snatch them out of my hand (John 10:25-28)

A woman who works with children in our sunday school programme tells how God spoke to her through a phrase the children repeat each week. "It's time to put on our listening ears." (how cute is that.) At the same time, a passage of Scripture from her weekly Bible study came alive to her: "guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen" (Ecc 5:1) Now when she sits in the pew at the beginning of the service, she consciously, silently prays, "Lord, I am here to listen." The Scripture goes on to say, "Therefore, stand in awe of God" (Ecc 5:7) Listening to God's word is so important.

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68)

Proverbs 3:1-12

2010-04-19T07:25:00.003+08:00

1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. [a]

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;

10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,

12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father [b] the son he delights in.

I found this passage greatly refreshing, having done it last week. In a sense, it gives a simple yet not easy to follow guideline to life. The passage reminded me how easy it was to acknowledge things to be good to do, yet, at the same time, the direct application of it eludes me, because it is so theoretically obviously right, yet, practically speaking, almost impossible. Perhaps more meditation on the issue is needed.

How often we fall prey to our desire to be independent of everything, even God. I wonder how many of us actually acknowledge it. v5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding" Such an easy thing to say, yet hard to put in practice. We live in a world where self-reliance is deemed a gold standard status of "making it on your own" we rely on logic, a careful weighing of pros and cons and personal experience to justify our actions and make decisions. But how often does this include careful praying and asking God His will? Even if we were to say our sense in reasoning is God-given, but yet i think human desire and worldly urges taint our decisions into something self centered and not glorifying God.

v6 "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths" what does it truly mean to acknowledge God in all your ways? I'm guessing it's another perspective on how we should rely on God, to acknowledge what we have as His, not ours. Be it our time, our relationships, our possessions. This will inherently affect the way we view time/how we do things. But yes, what exactly do we do? How do we acknowledge God in all our ways? I doubt it means reading/praying 24/7...a suggestion on my part would be...to meditate on His word throughout the day? m.

I think...even just looking at these two verses..one might despair at how...impossible it is for us to maintain such standards. This, in itself, i think is understandable. But remember, we are no longer held be the Law, but by the grace of God. Not saying we don't try, but we know we are sinful beings, and acknowledging our depravity is, i think at least, the first step to building a r/s with God which will, inadvertently, slowly change our worldly perspectives to one that perhaps catches glimpses of God's.

[verse tbc]

2010-04-19T00:52:00.000+08:00

Hello God, today I start year 3! (:

James 1: 2-5

2010-04-16T20:12:00.002+08:00

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

edges.

2010-03-20T19:32:00.000+08:00

You are forever in my life
You see me through the season
Cover me with Your hands
And Lead me in Your righteousness

And I look to You
And I wait on You

I'll sing to You, Lord a hymn of love
For Your faithfulness to me
I'm carried in everlasting arms
You'll never let me go
Through It all

it's been a nasty week of ups and downs. im thankful that i've been spared from a worse outcome...and perhaps, i've learnt how to restrain myself...not to take matters into my own hands. And like my dad was sharing with me about common experiences in banking, this has been a learning experience. A last week. Of all the moments during this placement, I really hate and love this TERRIBLE episode. Now to work on what's left. Well.

Ephesians 1:1-14

2010-03-03T20:14:00.002+08:00

QT today was about God's will in people's lives and how we/i view it.

So what are our reactions to the will of One who is in control of all? i think it's nothing short of amazing to be within the plans of God, which, in my opinion, adds a certain security to life. I guess it's how people view it? hm. humanity in general wants a certain amount of control in their lives (having a will) to do what they want, go where they please, whenever they want, and i think a celestial entity who has His own plans is kind of like adding an element of the uncertainty? i think that it should be otherwise. i think that God is in fact an element of certainty in a very uncertain picture of life. why? well:
1. He is a loving God
2. He has our best interests at heart (something we may not fathom at times due to being IN the situation)
3. we were chosen by Him (ponder on what that means?)

The idea of free will is an interesting topic that ties in with predestination ie. how does it fit together? ponder that for another time.

I guess the question to ask is wether one feels that God's will is constraining or freeing? and if it is the former, then why? If God's will is just, unshakeable and certain, then regardless of how OUR plans turn out, perhaps it's time to remember that us, being such shortsighted beings and in fact, not really in control of most aspects in our life, find relief and rest that we are chosen by someone who is in control ALL things, especially someone who has "blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, and even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." and whom "we have obtained an inheritance" in.

Thanksgiving first!

2010-03-03T20:13:00.000+08:00

...That the second hand book i bought in singapore turns out to be one of the essential readings for one of my modules this sem(:

He leadeth me

2010-02-22T22:33:00.002+08:00

He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
- Refrain:
  He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
  By His own hand He leadeth me;
  His faithful foll’wer I would be,
  For by His hand He leadeth me.
Sometimes ’mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, o’er troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.
Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

thank God...

2010-02-19T23:59:00.000+08:00

for the job interview.(: now..to study..

1 thes 4:7

2010-02-12T16:48:00.000+08:00

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Mhmmm...Hm..

This has been weighing on my mind...and I need to be reminded to remain focused, only then do I find myself hopeful.

“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him” (Isaiah 64:4).

“But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18).

Ecclesiates 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Psalms 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

"Waiting encourages me to be yielded when I understand whom I wait on and when I see what He does with those who wait on Him. God is never in a hurry for anything because times and seasons are in His hands. If our mission on earth is but one, He will still have us wait and be completely prepared to fulfill that one purpose because all His purposes point to His love for all of us. They must be timely."

1 Thess 5:12-14

2010-02-06T21:43:00.003+08:00

12Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

well. i started volunteer work on thursday, and i flipped open the bible to this passage, which, i think as a physio, truly gave me insight as to how to conduct myself whilst being supervised. v12-13 is about dealing with colleagues (who are also my supervisors) and then when dealing with patients, v14 is quite applicable:
1. warn those who are idle (ie. get patients out of bed rest. or else muscle atrophy and the like)
2. encourage the timid (ie. fall patients who are scared to start walking again for fear of recurrence)
3. help the weak (ie. the patients who have been bed ridden for a long time)
4. be patient with everyone (ie. patients who are progessing slowly)

hm. hope i can keep this in mind for the next 2 weeks.

2, 3, 4 Feb 2010

2010-02-04T09:31:00.000+08:00

Anyway, yesterday wasn't really a gewd day, with me feeling quite down about some things and feeling a tad worse when i looked ahead. But I think, the passages I've done for qt these two days come at such an apt time (it's scary how they Always do). It's like calling into a dark cave and now a bit of echo's back, haha (:

Yesterday, when I was wondering whether I've messed things up, where how when why...there was Psalms 139. And then, as I journalled down how I think I've been doing thus far, why and how I've been doing so, there was Ecclesiastes 3.

Had a good talk yesterday, and there seems to be some sense of closure/conclusion? I'm still a bit wobbly, pending the reply we get..but ohwell. For now, there is Romans 8:28-39 and Jeremiah 33:1-3.

Alright. Time to hit the books. I've been on holiday these few days - and I've been having a good time (:

thankful!

2010-01-28T08:41:00.001+08:00

for a safe drive with my mother from church to home, consisting of traffic jams, merging/diverging lanes and U turns. i'm alive!(:

John 2

2010-01-27T08:19:00.019+08:00

Main chunk: v 12-17
Also: Luke 11, 13

Read about Jesus' angry, powerful and passionate personality. Was reminded that 'peace' in my everyday life isnt equal to amiable indifference. I thought of kc's ss lessons. Yea, I know that stuff. Then as I was walking off, I was wondering if I've been angry/upset/annoyed lately. Almost slipped my mind that I have been just really recently. Over perceptions of issues with friends, and in fact, just last night - over an email reply I got! Thank God for my sis who (unfortunately) met me on the way home when I was still mulling over it, for listening to me 'reason things out' during our super short walk home right till I reached the door of my study.

Something to remember when I get annoyed next time.
So give us clean hands, give us pure hearts,
Let us not give our souls to another.

Luke 18:1-8

2010-01-22T10:36:00.000+08:00

This widow came repeatedly to the judge to plead for her case to be heard. She was seeking plain justice and a hearing. Because she was so poor, she had nothing to bribe the attendants of the court with. But due to her persistence, the judge heard her case.

It is so good that this parable is not one that tells us how we have to beg and plead and pester God just so our prayers are heard. Though it is such good training for us to be persistent and faithful in prayer. But rather, it is a contrast between an unjust judge and God as the Judge. (Eph 6:18, Matt 7, esp v11)

It's so easy to lose heart from time to time because it's hard to see God's timing and purpose.

i'm..

2010-01-22T08:00:00.001+08:00

thankful for the howling wind [my favourite], the pouring rain [second favourite] and the rolling thunder [least favourite]

thanksgiving

2010-01-20T23:40:00.001+08:00

today, i thank God for letting me study with IQ, and that i wasn't tempted to bother/distract her too much(: oh. and that i got a pair of pants. and we made it to church on time. k. THANK GOD!

2 Cor 5:9

2010-01-19T09:01:00.000+08:00

Being busy with 'good things' makes you feel better, particularly in a season where the perceived weight of other people's expectations feels too heavy. It certainly helped me to cope with the expectations that I had felt were on us. It also makes writing newsletters easier. When you're involved in 'good things', there is always something interesting to write about, omething that you feel will impress the audience, ssomething that sounds fruitful and seems to make good use of their support money. And by and large they are very good things. Of course they are .Serving in the hospital, researching leprosy, running literacy groups for women, helping out at the bible correspondence course. They are good things and they are things that ber fruit for the Kingdom.

But our motives foil us at times. If my primary motive for being busy with good things is to please the supporters, then I may as well go home. "Learn to live for an audience of One". So often I was aware I was living for an audience of about 2000. But I wanted to live for an audience of One. I wanted to do my living for Him, my moments and my days, my comings and my goings. The desires of my heart were His but I was easily distracted by the larger audience.

Perhaps our motives are never pure. perhaps it is a lifelong battle to keep our eyes on Him, to keep the other audience at bay. I think it is a lifelong battle, but I think the battle intensifies during a season of expectations. During a season of expectations we can struggle even more to keep our eyes on Him. We can struggle even more to live for an audience o One. The other audience looms in, loud and insistent.

Naomi Reed - My Seventh Monsoon

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 2 Cor 5:9

In some ways, it re-examines why we take up certain things. But after hearing from the staff/st, I realise that this awareness (or caution) can't just result in us dropping all and running away. That too isn't wise. Rather, we can pray and ask for our hearts to be changed.

Psalm 19 [QT]

2010-01-18T11:44:00.000+08:00

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the Lord is sure,

making wise the simple;

8 the precepts of the Lord are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

12 Who can discern his errors?

Declare me innocent from hidden faults.

13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;

let them not have dominion over me!

Then I shall be blameless,

and innocent of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer

These verses spoke to me today because i've always complained of being spiritually "fatigued". v7 speaks of the renewing of the soul, by meditating on the Law of the Lord! This is a great reminder that we can find rest in God and His word(:. In v14, when David ends off the psalm, he does it in great humility, which reminds me that God is still God and ruler of all.

Anyway. in CASE there is anyone else reading parapeas [which i think most probably not.], parapeas is going in a new direction, hopefully helping maintain a consistent and proactive relationship with God. (:. okay that's it byebye.

today/tomorrow

2007-08-09T21:18:00.000+08:00

i don't like today
so i'm going to sleep now
and hopefully
by the time i wake up
it'll be tomorrow

begin and end

2007-04-06T22:47:00.000+08:00

to start something
is to move it closer to the end
the longer it's done
the further it is from when it began

so goes the life cycle
of rebirth and death
you know when you start
but not when you end

miss no no

2007-04-03T22:07:00.000+08:00

Just need some sleep
can't go on like this
I tried counting sheep
there's always one I always miss

dont want to be alone
with nothing to call my own
when the chills get to your bones
you gotta let go.

my weird monster

2007-02-18T18:36:00.000+08:00

that thing in my closet

which isn't clothes

is beyond my comprehension

and without any toes

it smells really weird

and it has a green beard

with tiny eyes that mesmerise

and a strange liking for pies

oh what oh what could it be

could it have come from the sea?

with its big floppy ears as flippers

and its many many zippers?

oh what could it be?

hm.

2007-02-18T14:25:00.000+08:00

on a lonely moss green hill
was pelican joe
a pelican with, a big purple nose
he stubbed his toes
and broke his bones
and no, no, no, he didn't know
that no, no, joe, he wasn't alone!

a cloud of dust
the smell of rust
twas monster gory gus
of utter, utter disgust
said gus ' im gonna catch you fast,
for dinner at last!'

and no, no, no, joe didn't know
that no, no, joe, you aren't alone!

My flightq

2007-02-06T12:28:00.000+08:00

a tad bit squeezy,
a tad too full
a tad too sleepy
i'm scared i'll drool

the plane's a roaring
i feel a move
a tug a bump
and off we go!

-fk

the singing toes

2007-02-03T00:09:00.000+08:00

alas, from my feet, came a noise
so bewildering, yet with poise
a chorus, a tune
from tonedeafness, quite immune.
i stared down at the high pitched commotion
and was touched by their devotion,
my toes, all toes, altos.

-fk

for a tortoise, 2003.

2006-12-24T23:52:00.000+08:00

completely out of mind
to shut it in that container
it just isn't right
imprisoning a tortoise in a plastic box
you use your fat chipped fingernail
to wham against the sides
bawling 'goochy goochy' to that shelled fella
you think its nodding hello, sticking back its head in fear.
you press your oily pores on the surface
purse your lips, planting that smoooch
its pleading for your mercy and grace
trembling in its shell; distraught
you whip open the lid, 'grinzz'
"time for breakfast" you literally yell
litter down dinner's unwanted greens
how do you enjoy eating overnight garbage
you decide to teach it math
talking will keep its boredom away
you babble and exhale foul breath
you think its smiling? its sneering at your idiocracy
you decide to bring it to class
swing the box about. 360 degrees roller coaster
overwhelm it witht he honking of cars
you dont know the fear that grapples, the tear that fell.

that squirmish feeling when u read 'poems' written years ago...you dont know. you so dont know. haha.

ohwells.

2006-04-30T01:08:00.000+08:00

evangabriel.blogspot.com

old stock made new

2006-04-10T18:04:00.000+08:00

betrayed by my imagination,
i believed in myself more than i should
and the sugar plum faeries that dance in my head
were just rotting apples painted with red.
it's not a vivid imagination that brings you down the most
but an imagination that gives you hope
beyond what's realistically simply true.
it's more than thoughts of exaggeration
or of mind boggling weirdness.
that's what this poem appears.

-fk

an overseas valentine

2006-02-14T21:33:00.000+08:00

across the oceans,
across the skies
in a land called singapore
my valentine resides
so with a 3hour headstart
and a happy heart
i wish her
a happy valentine's day.

happy valentine's day iq.

fk signing off

fresher than roses

2006-02-14T21:23:00.000+08:00

fresher than roses
is the love
between that old couple on the bus

heh. happy valentine's day =)

squee

2006-02-03T19:52:00.000+08:00

i met a man on the street
twas playin tunes with a beat
it sounded so groovy
i jingled my wallet
and bought one of his awesome cds.

no. seriously, it's true. buying cds from people playin on the streets rocks. i did that today. you guys should try it some day. oh, btw, i just got internet. YAY!

fk signing out

the peas wish u adieu

2006-01-31T15:51:00.000+08:00

the frost king saying "hi" from Down Under. :] i know this isn't a poem, nor is it a rhyme, at least i can say that i took the time. ok. wait. that rhymed. T-T sorry. haha.

eve.

2006-01-28T23:14:00.000+08:00

peering through the lilac binds
gazing up into the purple skies

reaching out for that clasp of air
stretching out for that feeling so rare
breathing in the unscented air
no preservatives or artificial flavouring's there

peering through the lilac binds
gazing up into the purple skies

-----------------------------------------

you know how when you're just beside the night, when the stars and planets seem to be a 'cupit' away. when you breathe in the night air that beckons you to lean forward for even more. when you stretch out your palm, for that luxury of feeling that perfect nothingness at your finger tips. nothing to restrain you, yet, that 'nothing' is everything that's surrounding your hand. when you lift your head and you try to name that color of the sky that you dont seem to recognise, cause you never took time to realise. that when you turn your head in frenzy, over all the troubles and strife that you take on, the chilly night air brushes past, to kiss your cheeks, to envelope your weeping heart within.

----------------------------------------

aiyoh. why do i find this less-discovered joy frm spinning sad tales.

[for a kid ‘stuck’ at the dining table]

2006-01-24T21:45:00.000+08:00

stared down at dinner's fish and i thought it moved its tail
the peas and carrots sitting beside it, they sure did smell quite stale
the chicken, the pork, this whole dinner hoo-haa,
it makes a kiddo like me shudder, wince and turn so very pale

the sauce on top looked like a gooey slime trail
steam from the food ‘odors’, pungent as hyena exhale
I moaned and groaned as I sniffed the air
I dare no wonder or imagine how my tastebuds would fare

Looked down at my toes, wriggled, curled and counted them
Why can’t I have ice-cream, cookies or jam
instead of Gravy that clings, like glue, gel and phlegm
as my mind slowly wandered and dreamt

i saw cotton candy clouds and lollypop trees
red, yellow, green, within a rainbow sheen
Soda flavored rivers and apple juice seas
such joyful brain pictures, it makes my chubby face grin

i clanked my bowl, i twirled my spoon
my fork parachutes peas, up and over the moon
they flew up high, before they dived down
and then in gramma's soup, they drowned

I bowed my head, tilted it, and slanted my gaze
Looking at no one, I prayed hard no one would look my way
bashfully i lifted my spoon again to eat
the ‘stuffs’ on my plate which were anything but a treat

© - by frostking and icequeen 2005

me too (2)

2006-01-24T21:07:00.000+08:00

goot effning. i am the frost king.

me.

2006-01-24T20:23:00.000+08:00

hello.
i am the ice queen.