Gatheringsss

It's been 2 weekends of activities and meeting up with friends. 2 Sats ago, I attended a Uni friend’s wedding. Was expecting to see a whole lot of CE classmates at the church, but saw only a few. It was a traditional sort of proceeding, like a solemn service. All the songs were hymns. It’s been quite a long while since I sat through something so traditional. Well, am very happy for my friend, as I could recall how she used to lament that she couldn’t get married. She has found her Significant Other, in a pastor, and has successfully become a pastor's wife! =)

Then, 2 Suns ago, we attended J's baby first month cum house warming party. Many people, but our cell kept mainly to ourselves throughout. In the evening, I attended the 2nd birthday of my goddaughter. Again, many people, little interaction with the hosts. This time, I was with my JC clique. Not a lot to catch up on, since we do meet up quite regularly, during birthdays or for adhoc meals.

Met up with 3 of my secondary school pals last Sat. Been looking forward to this gathering for a while. Nice little reunion at one of their homes. 2 of them are married, 1 of whom is expecting her second child. Wah, so very fast eh. After all these years, we are still very comfortable with one another, maybe even more so than in school days. Guess we have all grown up and become mature in our thinking. Chit-chatting is also more relaxed. I enjoy reminiscing about our school lives even as we find out how each one is doing. I remember how me and HY paired up to do a project on various types of glues and their quality (normal paper glue, UHU, super glue, and homemade glue… tapioca I think) hahaha, thinking back, it was quite a boring and predictable topic, compared with our 2 other friends SM and MX. They did a survey of the various perfumes in the market. Definitely more fun! And then in Sec 1, we had worked together on a project to construct a doll-house. Ours was made of ice-cream sticks. Big, dark, heavy and clumsy...Oh, I miss those times.

We talked and talked and talked. Aw, so nice. Am so glad to hear the honest, sound opinions and suggestions of my friends regarding various concerns that each of us have. Not surprisingly, my friends were rather concerned about my single state of being, and they were literally cracking their brains to think of some suitable people to introduce to me. =) Oh, btw, this is not the only group of friends who is keen to introduce people to me.

I used to think that I’ll never take up such “offer” by friends. Well, now I find that its actually a no-big-deal, meeting new friends and keeping an open-mind. Maybe because time is ticking away... Nay, I shall not be so self conscious and sensitive. Ultimately, I still believe that God has His perfect plan and timing.

Activites

This week, am so swarmed with activities. Had regular meeting w P yesterday, meeting HCM tonight, cell on Friday, worship run-through on Fri/Sat, friend's church wedding on Sat afternoon, wedding dinner on Sat night, J's baby first month cum house warming on Sun afternoon, another friend's daughter 2 yr old birthday on Sun night! Whew! Just the thought of it makes me tired. But surely the weekend's gonna be fun and eventful.

Just attended a 2-day Conference on Mon and Tue at a local hotel. It was a cosy group of delegates, with some coming from overseas. I must say that the program was rather sparse, and we had lots of free time in between programs. Also, some of the speakers were very ill-prepared. We could not make sense of what was being presented. Thank God a few better sessions kinda made up for it. Overall, did I gain very much from it? Contents wise, not really...

However, contents aside, I am grateful for the opportunity to mingle around with the delegates. At first, I was rather apprehensive as I was the only rep from my organisation. Gotta be veryindependent and sociable. I prayed that God would send me to strike up conversations with the right people. Many of the attendees were suppliers of products and it was very easy to fall prey to salesman talk. Thank God that prayer was well answered! I met some counterparts from other agencies, lecturers from local Unis, including my lecturer, and an ex-staff of my organisation. Glad that I managed to hold "intellegent" conversations with them. In fact, I was quite comfortable with various of them. Haha. :)

Relative to my earlier experience at an overseas seminar in Australia in 2003, networking with this group was so much more enjoyable. At least, I sensed the warmness of people I meet here. Back then in Australia, most of the delegates had the "self-important" air around them. To me, it appeared that they were very much caught up with the form of it all. Mingling around with them was tough I must say, especially when I was less experienced. Well, am grateful for the experience nevertheless.

Indeed, this week's seminar has helped build up my confidence in meeting industry people and mingling with them. Praise God!

Uplifted

Am very glad to have attended the NCC bs on Thur. I have been very drained and famished spiritually, and honestly, I needed some spiritual food, something bite-size and easy to digest. I have been looking to attend bs for a long time. God knew my needs and ministered to me through the songs and the Word. Thankful that both W and JY were also ministered through the session.

PP shared about faith and words. Paraphrased in my own words "the greatest corresponding action to faith is to speak the Truth". So many passages speak of the effect of our tongues. As it is, we are already swamped by the negativism in the world today. We do not have to add on to the negative vibes by our speech. Instead, we should consciously confess God's positive truths. To me, it was a clear message to speak out against the oppressive thoughts and attitudes that overwhelm me so often. Its high time I start speaking words of faith. And yes, I will need to know the Word of God, and to constantly claim upon it, and pray in the Spirit.

Today, I took the afternoon off and spent it at my usual haunt. I came before the Lord and sensed Him addressing something deep in my heart. Was sharing about my struggles with HCM. All along, I know that I struggle with leading the HCM in terms of taking ownership of it. I think that if I cross this hurdle and take ownership of it, everything will fall in place. I have never really given much thought about my “performance”, and I’m not aware how much my “performance” bothered me subconsciously. But God knows… Ok, I’m not sure if I’m making sense here…

Anyway, God knows me better than I know myself and He assured that He is not looking for people who do great things in His Name. He is looking for people who are willing to obey Him and believe that He will supply every need in every circumstance of life. Although the ownership issue is not settled yet, I have been strengthened, having received from the Lord.