God's Yellow Pages

Let your fingers do the walking http://www.divinepeace.com/Yellow_Pages.html

Impossible Is Nothing

Haha no this is not an Adidas ad... but maybe I should sell this to Adidas... earn some money to sponsor my children from there.

Well guys, go for whatever you wanna do because

IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

When someone tells you that you can't do something...

Look around....

Consider all options....

Then GO for it!

Use all the things God gave you and be creative!
In the end, you will succeed and prove them wrong!

So folks... remember... nothing is impossible if your heart is willing. For I can do all things through Christ who give me strength (Philippians 4:11)

Will You Eat This Brownie?

Hey peeps, just to share something that I happen to read...

Two teenagers asked their father if they could go the theatre to watch a movie that all their friends had seen. After reading some reviews about the movie on the Internet, he denied their request.

"Aw dad, why not?" they complained. It is rated PG-13, and we're both older than thirteen!" Dad replied: "Because that movie contains nudity and portrays immorality as being normal and acceptable behavior." "But dad, those are just very small parts of the movie! That's what our friends who've seen it have told us.. The movie is two hours long and those scenes are just a few minutes of the total film! It's based on a true story and good triumphs over evil, and there are other redeeming themes like courage and self-sacrifice. Even the movie review websites say that!" "My answer is no, and that is my final answer. You are welcome to stay home tonight, invite some of your friends over, and watch one of the good videos we have in our home collection. But you will not go and watch that film. End of discussion.

"The two teenagers walked dejectedly into the family room and slumped down on the couch. As they sulked, they were surprised to hear the sounds of their father preparing something in the kitchen. They soon recognized the wonderful aroma of brownies baking in the oven, and one of the teenagers said to the other, "Dad must be feeling guilty, and now he's going to try to make it up to us with some fresh brownies. Maybe we can soften him with lots of praise when he brings them out to us and persuade him to let us go to that movie after all." The teens were not disappointed. Soon their father appeared with a plate of warm brownies, which he offered to his kids.

They each took one. Then their father said, "Before you eat, I want to tell you something: I love you both so much." The teenagers smiled at each other with knowing glances. Dad was softening. "That is why I've made these brownies with the very best ingredients. I've made them from scratch. Most of the ingredients are even organic. The best organic flour. The best free-range eggs. The best organic sugar. Premium vanilla and chocolate."The brownies looked mouth-watering, and the teens began to become a little impatient with their dad's long speech. "But I want to be perfectly honest with you. There is one ingredient I added that is not usually found in brownies. I got that ingredient from our own back yard. But you needn't worry, because I only added the tiniest bit of that ingredient to your brownies. The amount of the portion is practically insignificant. So go ahead, take a bite and let me know what you think."

"Dad, would you mind telling us what that mystery ingredient is before we eat?" "Why? The portion I added was so small. Just a teaspoonful. You won't even taste it." "Come on, dad just tell us what that ingredient is." "Don't worry! It is organic, just like the other ingredients." "Dad!" "Well, OK, if you insist. That secret ingredient is fresh organic..dogpoop."Both teens instantly dropped their brownies back on the plate and began inspecting their fingers with horror. "DAD! Why did you do that? You've tortured us by making us smell those brownies cooking for the last half hour, and now you tell us that you added dog poop! We can't eat these brownies!" "Why not? The amount of dog poop is very small compared to the rest of the ingredients. It won't hurt you. It's been cooked right along with the other ingredients. You won't even taste it. It has the same consistency as the brownies. Go ahead and eat. "No, Dad...NEVER!"

"And that is the same reason I won't allow you to go watch that movie. You won't tolerate a little dog poop in your brownies, so why should you tolerate a little immorality in your movies? We pray that God will not lead us unto temptation, so how can we in good conscience entertain ourselves with something that will imprint a sinful image in our minds that will lead us into temptation long after we first see it?"

What a good lesson about purity! Why do we tolerate any sin? On the day of the Passover, the Israelites were commanded to remove every bit of leaven from their homes. Sin is like leaven - a little bit leavens the whole lump (1Corinthians 5:6,7), faith and sin, don't mix.

Daniel 12:3 says “ those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever."

Matthias

Since young, Matthias did not have any particular big dreams. Perhaps the biggest thing is to be an international speaker for God. He was inspired by a video tape titled 'The Art Of Preaching' by City Harvest Church.

Matthias shared how he used to record his own voice with some background worship music playing and pretended to invite alter calls.

In recent times, he has been thinking of life and death. He would like to widen his perspective and travel the world. Perhaps try more things as the world is so vast.

Randy

From a young age, Randy had an interest in building a successful pet business. At a young age, an idea from an Aunt to breed hamsters for sale turned the light bulb on. He started breeding hamsters and selling them to the neighbourhood pet shop for $1 each.

Randy hopes to setup a proper pet shop selling only hamsters and all kinds of accessories one day. It will include a hamster orphanage too. The name of the shop will be called 'Hamster In The House'.

A more distant dream is to invent a time machine.

Ezen

Ezen dreams of playing the drums one day although she feel's it will be quite an effort to coordinate her hands and feet. Matthias volunteered to enable her dreams this year. I guess we will be having a full band setup for cell worship soon.

On the topic of hands, Ezen shared that she is a very hands on person and not really good with words. Hence, her aspiration is to contribute financially to build a school in a third world country. She believes that donations of food and clothing are only helping and impact lives for a short moment. However, education impacts lives and enables people. She might adopt or sponser a few orphans too.

Her hobby is to make jewellery and hope to set up a business one day. Another area of interest is to become a freelance makeup artist. Ezen also recalled a dream when she was in Junior College to become a physio therapist.

The Barber & God

This is one of the best explanations of why God allows pain and suffering that I have seen...

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.
As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.
They talked about so many things and various subjects.
When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:
"I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist.
Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people?
Would there be abandoned children?
If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain.
I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things."
The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.
The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard.
He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:
"You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber.
"I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because
if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me."
"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist!
That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help.
That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

Chinese New Year Steamboat Dinner 2009

Cost of Yu Sheng from Soup Restaurant = $18

Cost of Steamboat Ingredients = $10/person
Cost of broken Chopsticks = $2
Cost of a unforgettable Chinese New Year gathering = Priceless

Let's start the soup boiling and grill heating up!

Throw in the Ingredients!

Featuring.....
Jaime,
Our Beloved Professional Prawn Shell Peeler (volunteered)

and...
Our imported foreign talent, BBQist Gina!

Contented, tummy filled Molies

Our wedding BLOG!

Hey guys! Our wedding blog is up! Feel free to visit!!!

http://elevenjuly2009.blogspot.com/

Love, Kara

By the Way...

The link to Randy Pausch's Last Lecture, Really Acheiving Your Childhood Dreams, if you guys haven't watch it.

Devo sharing - WHY NOT?

Hey! Would like to share a simple devotion that struck me as I did my Quiet Time with God this morning.

Many times people, when encountering a difficult situation or battling some issues with God, ask this question: WHY GOD, WHY?

Then I discovered today, the question was WHY NOT? Why not go through the painful situation? Why not battle that I-dunno-what-I’m-doing-here-anymore thoughts in your head? Why not go through pain so that we can learn from pain?

Too many times we’ve heard people say that God puts us through situations/problems to mould us and shape us. It’s as though that’s the BIG excuse we give God when He doesn’t answer our prayers the way we want it to be.

Personally I do believe that God has placed obstacles in my life to help me learn and strengthen me. And my devotion today helped me see how true it is.

MATTHEW 26:47-56

Jesus Arrested
47While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him." 49Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him.

50Jesus replied, "Friend, do what you came for."[a] Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

52"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"

55At that time Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.


In the above verse, Jesus knew he was going to be arrested and go through the crucifixion. And die that way so that He may redeem us. He knew that if He called on His Father, supernatural things could possibly take place to rescue Him out of that situation.
However, He didn’t do that. Becoz He knew that was not the purpose God has intended.

When we battle problems, sometimes we hope and pray for something supernatural to happen. When it doesn't, we question God. Coz we do not know what God’s purpose for us is. And the difference between Jesus and us, is that He knew. His purpose was to “take up the cross”and go through the pain knowing that it was for the greater good.

If we have the perspective that God does have a purpose (maybe not as death-defining as Jesus’s) for whatever we’re going through, it would help us to see situations the way Jesus saw His.

So yea guys, chin up, look up, and know that there’s always a rhyme & reason for things happening in our lives (good & bad). It’s a lesson of trust and knowing our purpose to walk the off-beaten road with the Teacher who doesn’t just teaches in classroom settings.

Just a little reflection from me... Happy Lunar New Year!

Dreams by Molecule

"When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality."

Matthias sent out an email to Prep all of us for a "Show and tell" Session. Everyone is suppose to bring something that represents our dreams for the future.
He believes that this year is a year where we take each other towards our life's dream. We are going to enable the dreams of others!!

Each of us were given some time to share.
refer to the below listings for each of our dreams.

Theme song:

If we hold on together

Dont lose your way
With each passing day
Youve come so far
Dont throw it away
Live believing
Dreams are for weaving
Wonders are waiting to start
Live your story
Faith, hope & glory
Hold to the truth in your heart

If we hold on together
I know our dreams will never die
Dreams see us through to forever
Where clouds roll by
For you and i

Souls in the wind
Must learn how to bend
Seek out a star
Hold on to the end
Valley, mountain
There is a fountain
Washes our tears all away
Words are swaying
Somebody is praying
Please let us come home to stay

If we hold on together
I know our dreams will never die
Dreams see us through to forever
Where clouds roll by
For you and i

When we are out there in the dark
Well dream about the sun
In the dark well feel the light
Warm our hearts, everyone

If we hold on together
I know our dreams will never die
Dreams see us through to forever
As high as souls can fly
The clouds roll by
For you and i

Dreams by Ken

Ken
As a child, he was often bullied. His friends would punch him in the face and whack him like a sandbag, however, Ken retaliated not by giving them back a taste of his fists. Instead, Ken would go to a fruit shop and purchase a few ice Popsicles (also known as "Seng Bao") and hand it to them in return.

Ken has a character of kindness and love since young. He bares not grudges but returns it with love rather than pain.

His dream is harnessed from his character, to give to the people around him, to be a tangible help by reaching into their emotional needs.

He hopes to have a Large house on a ranch, with plenty of space and even horses! A place where people can go over the weekends, to hang-out, share and relax.

To be a host and create a comfortable environment where Man can open-up emotionally and speak freely.

Dreams by Li-En

Li-En
From past to present, Li-En yearns to be a Missionary. She had been inspired by her parents and an anecdote from a young child in the Precious Moments Bible exclaiming "Hey! I want to be a Missionary!".

Travelling to various countries to do Missionary work with *preferably* her Spouse.
She hopes to achieve the below with her mission work:

- work with Children

- Love the unlovable (outcast/poor & needy)
- Start an International Student School

her 1st steps to achieving her dreams is by:
- Learning to love the little children, to have a inbuilt passion for them
- Aim to start opening her house to host gatherings in 2009 to steer her to her direction of starting an International Student School

Dreams by Lee Ling

Lee Ling
Being a quiet child, she longs for an enclosed area where she can have her privacy. She imagines being high up in a tree house made of timber and with hanging ropes to elevate her between the levels. To have a exclusive feeling of being able to see the activity below her but no one being able to see her.

She has 2 Dreams.
1 -> to have a Tree House
2-> to be a Baker:

Being a curious kid as well, she would watch the Baking process of a cake for the exterior Oven glass. Seeing the flour mixture rise from a liquid mass to a fluffy airy cake amazes her like Magic~!

She hopes to start off by continuing and advance in learning baking. In the near future when she gets sick of her current architecture job, she will set up a Baking school. The Baking School will be decked in Miniature furnitures and be a place to inspire kids.