On The Road.... of recovery

Thanks for all your prayers, thanks cyrus and sylvyn for visiting me at NUH. I am currently at home popping painkillers and antibiotics and resting my left leg. The nurse put it in a leg brace, doing away with the conventional BIG BIG cast. This leg brace can be removed when i want to bathe and put strapped back on when i am out of the shower. The advancements of science... Well, i guess it will be about a month at least before i can go back to amtech. My first physio is 28 feb... so soon i didnt expect it. I hope the physio guy wouldnt break my leg... lol. Thats about all lah.

Changz

CELL DINNER FEB 2007! @ Vill'age/ Villa'ge

family photo!

ok this is a horrible pic but i know vyn wants this pic up! so does wei wei so aiya sacrifice!
ok here's the story. rochelle and i were makign fun of wei wei and we won ha ha. so i asked rochelle to give me a high five.
with her spoon in her hand she gave me a high five then... some pics of potatoe fell on my hair.
can see?

"I am not as cute as before"
ok lah wei wei dont cry ok. try to act cute lah!

ok lah a bit like lah. *pinch*

Smiles!

GIRLS!

Thanks for meeting up! i had Heaps of fun!
Algene thanks for rushing down! :) really super duperly appreciated it!
Vyn for dinner and entertaining my deja vu joke :)
Cyrus for arranging everything
Mao mao for rushing down from sch and being ur CUTE self :)
Lichang for tahaning wei2's crap (ha ha actually mine!)
Rochelle for sharing w me (even thought it was a bit) and of course UR LAUGHTER
Wei2, nothing to thank lah... ermmm thanks for trying to be a .... ha ha opps

EVERYONE for the great company!
100% will miss you guys man! see ya'all sunday!

Surgery for my knee...

In June 2006, i injured my left knee while playing basketball after training hours in my camp. I went to NUH and they did a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Radionuclide Imaging (RI) on my knee and found out that my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (see figure) has snapped.





In addition, they also found a neoplasm of unspecified nature in my femur. Hence removal of the weird thing in my bone and a bone graft was done on August 15 after NDP. I took 2mths to recover, while doing physiotheraphy.





However, the snapped ACL has not been joined yet because as a result of the bone graft, the condition of my femur is unsuitable for ACL reconstruction at that point of time. Hence, the doctor told me that i can do the recon 6 mths after August. Therefore, on the 22nd of February, i am going for ACL reconstruction.





After this surgery, i would be able to take part in more strenuous activities but have to be more cautious. After 2 mths i can walk again and go study in NTU. By the way, they analysed the neoplasm and found that it was just an active but non-lethal bone tumor.





I thank God that he has been watching over me. Had i not injured my knee, i wouldnt have done the scans and found the bone tumor and removed it completely. It is miracle, praise be to God.



P.S. if u have any qns pls sms me
P.P.S my hp number is still 91641850

Signed,


Lichang

Let God speak

Remember the thing about hearing God's voice? I had been thinking / talking to people / praying about it, and had learnt a few things in the process.

Now, I know that God speaks to us by His Word, strong impressions, other people and direct voice. Then, I realized that one of the reason I felt so disappointed about not hearing God's voice is that I had negated the first 3 means of God speaking. While hearing a direct voice is important, I think that I should also be more responsive to the first 3 means.

Secondly, I think that I am very greedy :P I want God to speak, and I want it to be clear and distinct. My rationale was that, being God, surely I would recognize it / He can make me recognize it when He speaks. Which is perhaps why I generally don't want small impressions. Yet, in all these, I realized that I forgot that God is generally portrayed as gentle and speaks when people are silent and still. He is described as being a still small voice. I should learn to listen to that sort of voice instead of expecting a microphone.

Thirdly, I honestly don't really understand why God would not speak to me. Without being self righteous, I think that I would be able to say that I want to know God. I am seeking God, and He did promise that those who seek Him with all their heart would find Him. 2 possibilities I thought of. One is that He is speaking, but something in me (attitude, etc) is preventing me from hearing it. The other is to teach me something. I distinctly remember the sermon saying that God does lead people through dry periods. I guess I would have to trust that God is doing what He thinks is best.

To Algene: May the Lord be your guide and grant you strength through this.
To Cyrus: Hope you have time to rest as well
To Sly-Vyn: Hope you will get a more favorable work arrangement
To Su Jun: Happy Traveling
To Sharron: Spread the Word, tell the story, let the whole world know that God is Love
To Li Chang: Hehe. Continue growing in Faith:))
To Wei Wei: Lets listen ;)
To Mel: Whee! Welcome Back!!!

Happy New Year. Personally, I think that sometimes, the celebrations don't correspond with reality. People greet each other in ways that expresses extremely high hopes for the New Year. Yet they are not really happy, there are things going on, problems etc... Then there are those who greet without meaning it... Don't like that a lot. Still... its tradition lor..

Grace and Peace to you.

Let God Speak and I will listen
Let God speak and I will do right
Let God speak and I will obey what He says
Please God I want to hear your voice today

Lord I want to hear your voice
Lord I want to hear your voice
Lord I want to hear your voice today
Today, Today, Today

As promised!!..

Photos from Anniversary dinner!! Specially for Mel!!

Another photo from the 'when we were young' series by Jason & Sufen!

Who's the fairest of them all??.. and Matilda stealing the limelight!


Impromptu shots! Weiwei's 'huh???' expression & Reen's 'Are you sure???'?' face....

Now you all know who's the stronger one...


I think this photo brought out the notion that there's a kid in everyone right?!.. I mean... look at Syl-vyn on top!!..

Cyrus, Gail, Chunxiang & Lichang!


James enjoyed the food!!..

Some randomly snapped photos... we really have a vibrant church!

Next up! Superstars in action!

Diya says... "Don't play-play"...

Cell time! 1st up... Teamtim!

On top, seems like they are taking a family portrait...

<-- The jail-gamers!!
<-- People in Transit!!

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And finally, We wish all a Happy Chinese New Year!!

Thankew!!

Thank You!

Dear Cell,

I just want to say a big thank you to all of you here. For I know that there will be never-ending supplies of tissues whenever needed (you all know what I mean..Haha!). Thank you for being there for me always. I really appreciate all of you and I thank God for that!! Have a blessed week ahead and till we meet again! :)

With lotsa love,
Wei2

Diethyl Ether

^o^

Thank God for seeing me through.

I was reading "Our Daily Bread" on the bus, and saw this interesting article. It talks about an antidote for worry. Basically, when you worry, you can say "The Lord is my Shepherd, therefore I am worried to death". The absurdity of idea probably helps.

Which makes us wonder - Christians usually know that God is a good and caring God, with many many blessings promised to us. But we still worry. I guess that is the heart-mind gap. We know things, but we don't really Know them. Ideas like the above help to remind us of what we know, and in the process, hopefully we will experience them, and Know them.

May the Lord help us.

Stay tuned!

Looks like some of us are having the experience of being 'poured out of our comfortable vessels' feeeling!.. So you see, God never meant for us to face it alone, that's why he put us together! So look up & look forward for we can do all things through HIM who gives us strength!

And to all visitors, cell members & especially to our beloved Melanie, who's away at Australia, stay tuned for photos of our upcoming annual church anniversary dinner at Qian Xi restaurant tonight! It's amazing to see how much & how far the Lord has brought us! So let's join in the celebration!! HOOOYAH!

See ya all pretty pretty soon alright!

Take Heart

Psalms 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills -
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip -
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you -
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm -
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Praise God for his promises to keep us in our times of need. I read and see that people here are not exactly going through the easiest of times (me included).. but as the message preached just on sunday, we are constantly poured out of our comfortable vessels to shake us up.. to mould and make us stronger. I echo Mel's sentiments when she says that she misses you all.. though I'm in the country, I feel that I might as well be in Timbaktu for all the time I'm allowed in church due to work commitments.

I have been wondering and complaining to God at times on why he has allowed me to stay in my job situation for so long. I know that it's not the lack of wanting to leave and find another job with a better schedule, I think Cyrus and the other leaders can attest to my plans and desire to find another work place. I felt my answer came through the message on Sunday.

I personally find it easy to come to church on Sunday.. weekends be filled with church activities. It had been my way of life for many years already. So perhaps I have been left complacent even in the house of God? Maybe. Throughout this period, I have learnt what it means to be "dis-allowed" the chance to fellowship with the Saints, it made me treasure the times when I do get to be around you all. However, I am also sad that with the time I spend at cell, I can't develop genuine relationships with you all, hopefully I'll get the chance when this life lesson is learnt and over. Also, the work place hasn't been the easiest place to be in when it comes to living the righteous life and being a light (mainly people problems.. but I'll not go into them this time).

We are all being tested and stretched this time.. but let us all take discipline/tests/trials from God with a good attitude and a humble heart. For we know He loves us and he disciplines those he loves. Let us learn what he wants to teach us through life and grow stronger together yah?!

I love and miss you all too!

vyn

Difficult Times

Dear Cell,

These are difficult times for me. Things are moving fast, and life is changing. What I have grown accustomed to (namely, life in the university) is fast coming to an end. In its place are loads of uncertainty, and much fear. I almost know for sure that I want to do research, even though few of my peers consider that as an option. Yet, when I look to the left and right, and I realise that I am all alone, I start to feel very lost, and worried. Keep praying for me, because I surely need it. I am praying about it myself, and I thank God for the comfort He gives me each time I doubt.

Cyrus

Updates

Praise the Lord for what he has done in my life so far! Without his guidance & care, I wouldn't be where I am today! Just to let you all know that my dad has been struck down with kidney failure and has to go for dialysis twice a week... so I need all of you to pray for his health, and for God's protection to be upon my family!

And I trust that God will answer this prayer because I have absolute faith, trust and confidence in this God of ours, who never fails to wow us with his miracles and teachings! And I know that no matter what happens, our lives are in his hands but more importantly, He only has plans to prosper me! and all of you!

Don't you all know the above mentioned fact in Jeremiah 29:11 already????....

i detest PICTURE! (ok i take that back!)

the slideshow pic thingy on the right never fails to make me SMILE

even thought i probably seen it for like the 136457823490348 time!

that the thing about pics... brings back good memeories then it makes people (esp me... i am million miles from all of you) sad. BITTERSWEET FEEELING.

ok this entry is a I MISS YOU ALL entry.

ha dont laugh ok. everytime i visit the cell blog i ll watch all (and i mean ALL!) the pics scroll by until i realise, Sharks! it's repeating for the 3rd time! ha ha (opps*blush*)
(hey update new pics leh)

saw the pics, saw Algene's tag. and yes I MISS YOU GUYS.

see ya all soon! (will be back from the 17th of feb till 25th feb)
Study hard! Work hard! Play hard! Pray hard!
God Bless!

Loads of love: Mel

Train of thought

Thanks to Daniel for helping to resurrect the blog. ^_^

Have you all ever experienced it? When you try to pray or you try to worship, and suddenly, a word or phrase or idea that is related strikes you, and you just follow that thread of thought. It may not be bad persay. It could even be about a biblical idea or something. But it takes your mind away from prayer or worship. If it is still in the mindset of talking to God or something like that, I guess it is still okay to deviate from the original theme. But if it goes into "daydreaming" mode, or thinking to yourself, then I that is bad...

I find it a difficult problem to solve sometimes. Maybe it is because there is always quite alot of things going on between my ears, and I can't even catch up with myself sometimes. I can't catch myself fast enough. It is quite irritating in fact, because I know I am not supposed to be doing it, and I don't want to do it, but it happens.

One thing that helped me is kneeling to pray. But I guess it is an external change only. It is trying to deal with the problem. But it does not deal with the cause of the problem. Kneeling does makes me concentrate much better. But that can only feasibily be done once a day. Doesn't help when I want to talk to God on the way while walking home or times like that. God often gets left alone while I talk to myself.

One other thing. I don't want to go through the turbulances. I know that it is God's way of changing a person's character. And I want to be pleasing to God. But I don't like to be shaken.

Thats all for now.
Peace to you.