christmas

Surprise everyone! Yes, i'm blogging :) In a hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark. Really thankful and blessed to stay at a nice comfy hotel at a reasonable price on christmas eve. Plus internet somemore!
Holiday has been rushing ard quite a bit so it's nice just to have a quiet and relaxing evening. Mom's asleep now, so it's nice and quiet. heh. Watched some tv, in english! surfed the net, and listened to a sermon cd. Was encouraged, nourished by God's Word. Been feeling spiritually dry cos havent been spending much time alone with Him, in Word and prayer. Was reminded by Eeling's blog: that if i'm hungry i should feed myself. We don't need to be reminded to eat when we are hungry physically, but i often forget to feed on God's word when i'm spiritually hungry.

I found an international christian community here in Copenhagen and they are having a christmas service in english tmr morning and it's near where we are staying! Persuaded my mom to go for it, it'll be nice to worship God with fellow believers on christmas day :)
My 2nd christmas away from home. Last year was in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This year will be half in Copenhagen, and the other on the train to Stockholm, Sweden...

When i think of the different things people will be doing on christmas day, some people will have much to eat, some little, some none. some will be warm, some will spend it outside in the freezing cold. some will know the true meaning of christmas, some don't.

Read an article on "The Straits Times Interactive", really touching. Do read it.
Merry Christmas all. i remember and thank God for each of you, and i look forward to seeing you all sometime.... Love, Pam
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Saved for a purpose
Unable to bear the loss of their three children, the couple planned to take their own lives. But Mrs Karibeeran Paramesvaran wanted one more night of prayer...

HIS was a simple daily prayer: 'Protect my children, O Lord. Keep them safe and happy.'
Every morning, Mr Karibeeran Paramesvaran would whisper this prayer into the ears of each of his three children.

But on the morning of Dec 26 last year, his 41st birthday, his children beat him to the ritual.
As he lay asleep, they burst into the room to greet him. 'It's our turn to pray for you, Daddy,' his nine-year-old daughter Karunya told him. 'May God grant you many many more birthdays.'
His first-born, chubby-cheeked Rakshanya, 11, stood right behind her sister, bearing a glass of his favourite drink, Boost, an Indian version of Milo, which she had prepared herself.
The youngest, son Kirubasan, five, smothered him with big bear hugs.
In the happy melee that ensued, Mr Paramesvaran forgot to repeat his daily prayer for his children - a slip that he now finds loaded with irony.

Within hours, all three of his children would be dead, as would 10 relatives visiting from neighbouring Karnataka state to celebrate Christmas.
'They had never been to a beach, so I took them for what would be their first glimpse of the sea,' the soft-spoken man from Nagapattinam told The Straits Times.
It would also be their last. Without warning, giant waves crashed onto the soft brown sands of the quiet seaside town, taking in their angry grasp scores of helpless lives.
The burly technician with the Indian government-owned Oil and Natural Gas Commission escaped by clinging on to a tree.

The next three days proved to be the worst of his life. As he searched the ravaged beaches of Nagapattinam, ground zero of mainland India's tsunami tragedy, he found the bodies of all his three children, whom he proceeded to bury with his own hands.
'My wife and I spent so many years working hard earning money for the kids,' said Mr Paramesvaran, whose 45,000 rupees (S$1,730) monthly household income made him one of Nagapattinam's better-off residents.
'But in the end, we could not even spend 5 rupees to buy flowers for them.'

Unable to bear the loss, the couple decided they would commit suicide.
But his wife, Madam P. Choodamani, 37, wanted one more night to pray.
'I chided her, saying, 'Where was your Lord when our children lay dying?' ' said Mr Paramesvaran, who had converted to Christianity at the age of 18.

A day later, the dark-eyed, matronly woman emerged, a new confidence shining in her eyes. She declared that as she was praying, she heard a voice telling her that they had been saved for a purpose.

Unconvinced, her husband decided to lock himself in a room and have his own 'fight with God'.
'I wanted to know what sins we had committed to deserve such a fate,' he said, his eyes resting on a giant photograph of the three 'bright stars' they had loved and lost.
As he knelt in their little prayer room to read the Bible, he too found an answer.

'God saved us for a purpose - to work through us to give confidence to those who have lost the confidence to live,' he said.

Since that day, he has been criss-crossing India's tsunami-struck southern coast, taking two weeks unpaid leave every month in order to share his tale with other survivors.
To date, he has travelled more than 2,000km, visiting numerous camps for displaced people.
District collector J. Radhakrishnan, the highest-ranking government official in Nagapattinam, believes Mr Paramesvaran's efforts have been invaluable in helping put devastated communities firmly back on the path of rehabilitation.
When most survivors were reeling with grief from having lost family members, Mr Paramesvaran, who had lost much more, was already helping to clear debris and recover bodies.

'His actions speak as much as his words,' said Dr Radhakrishnan. 'He clearly did not believe in weeping around the bodies.'
Mr Paramesvaran was also among the first to return to live next to the sea, when most were still cowering in fear.

There have also been times when he succeeded in counselling survivors where professional counsellors had failed, pointed out social worker Annie George. She heads Nagapattinam's NGO Coordination and Resource Centre, set up with the help of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

'Usually, trauma survivors are more open to listening to the stories of fellow survivors, rather than to professional psychiatrists,' said Ms George. 'Perhaps they empathise more.'
Fisherman P. Sivashankar is one survivor Mr Paramesvaran helped counsel. The 35-year-old was on the brink of madness when the sea took away his wife. 'He told me not to think about the past, but to focus on the future,' said Mr Sivashankar.

The advice worked: a year on, the father of three has remarried and life appears normal again.
In their own efforts to focus on the future, Mr Paramesvaran and his wife have decided to care for 16 children who lost either one or both parents in the tsunami.
The children, aged between two and 14, live with the couple in their home and have even begun calling them Amma and Appa, Tamil for Mum and Dad.
And as he once did with his own three children, Mr Paramesvaran has resumed his familiar family rituals.

The morning prayers, for instance, are back. 'Protect my children, O Lord. Keep them safe and happy,' he chants every morning.
Only now, there are 16 young ones in his family.

random holiday photos.... thus far. Enjoy :)

mountain railway in bergen, norway
snow-covered car in oslo!

vibrant city of copenhagen.... i couldn't find Anderson's of Demark here tho
mom and me touring the fjords in bergen, norway.... it's coolddd there...

carnival in copenhagen... lots of lights, rides, christmas shops... weather's not too good here though.
snowing in oslo!!!
beautiful scenery in bergen, norway...

a final word of encouragment ;)

He Loved Me

God chose us to be His very own before the creation of the world. “He decided then to make us holy in His eyes, without a single fault—we who stand before Him covered with His love. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And He did this because He wanted to!” Ephesians 1:4-5, TLB

He chose me before the world was known
He chose me to be his very own.
He made me, then let me choose my way.
I chose to move away.

He loved me when hope had taken wing.
He loved me when I lost every thing.
He bought me; redemptions work was done through Jesus Christ, His Son.

Who shall separate me from the love of God?
Shall dreams of tomorrow, pain, or sorrow? C
an the need of food or earthly possessions,
The threat of war or man’s oppression?
In all these things vict’ry is our reward;
Vict’ry is our reward through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Of this I am sure, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
Nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come.
Not height, nor depth, nor any creature
Shall separate me from the love of God.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord

And all God's people say...
AMEN!

final entry for the year 2005

It's the end of term and coming to the end of the year as well... seems not too long ago i was just at the edge of 2005 and now i'm at the edge of 2006.
well, this year, i'll be spending my 2nd christmas away from home, and it's gonna be somewhere in scandinavia! dont know exactly where yet but all i know its gonna be cold, dark and cold. heh.
i do hope to see the infamous northern lights near the north pole, as well as go skiing again perhaps... will post photos when i'm back which will be next year!

It has been a good year. God has been good and faithful. i've learnt and grown much. But still have lots of room for improvement.

Hope you have a good christmas and new year my friends - be it in france, taiwan, notts, singapore, etc. Home is where you heart is :)
Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer... someone's thinking of you and loving you tonight...

For my dear readers, till next year.

hugs,
pam

on christmas presents and cards

it's not even christmas yet and i've received a few christmas cards already... some from ple i dont really know very well, appreciate the thought, but it's more meaningful to get those with more stuff written on them, other than 'merry christmas and a happy new year'... and i have received some encouraging and touching ones :)

i've also got my first christmas present this year... i really wasn't expecting any, not cos i think my friends wont give or what, but i just didnt expect any in general... felt presents weren't a necessary part of christmas. at least what really matters.

But i was really happy to receive my first christmas gift today. thanks huifen :) Really really appreciate it. But to me, it's the thought that really counts, not the present itself.

But the greatest gift i can receive is from God, who gave His one and only begotten Son Jesus Christ, whom in turn, gave His life for me, and from which, i receive the gift of forgiveness, salvation, peace, hope and so much more! Thank You Jesus :)

my new scarf and christmas hat :)

on Christmas (final part...)

Dear friends,

Most of the gifts that people give each other at Christmas don't last very long.
But there is a Christmas gift that has lasting value. And that gift is Jesus. At Christmas Christians celebrate the gift which God gave to the world—Jesus Christ - the saviour of the world. It's a wonderful gift. On top of that: it’s free! That’s why it is called a gift. If you haven't received this gift yet, I'd like to invite you to look at, to unwrap it this Christmas. Seize the opportunity to explore the greatest gift a human being can get.

If you want to know about that gift go to one of the Christmas services or ask one of your Christian friends about it Have a look at the gift that God wants to give to you.
Have a look at Jesus. wish you all a very happy Christmas.

- Rev. Thorsten Prill

on Christmas (part 2)

Actually, that’s not really the point of Christmas. Christmas is about something else.
Christmas is about someone else. The Bible tells us about the true meaning of Christmas.

2000 years ago an angle, a messenger from God came down from heaven. And this messenger said to the people: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy. It is for all people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.”At Christmas, Christians celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. They celebrate that Jesus was born over 2000 years ago. And actually we have good reasons to celebrate this birthday.

'Do not be afraid’, said the angle. There is no reason to be afraid. God does not want us to be afraid of him. Because the God, Christians believe in, is the God of love. He loves us, he loves you and me. And he has something very special for us.

'I bring you good news of great joy. It is for all people.’ said the messenger of God.
God has good news for us. He has good news for us whether we are from England, Germany, China or elsewhere. God’s good news is for all people. Whether you are rich or poor, whether you are married or single, whether you are clever or not so clever. God has a very special gift for you. Now, what is this gift?

'Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.’, said the messenger. God’s gift for you is his son, Jesus Christ. The saviour of the world.God loved the world so much that he sent his son Jesus into this world. In Jesus God himself came into our world. God became a human being. God visited our planet earth. God came and he showed us what He is like: a God of love, a God of forgiveness, a God we can know personally, a God we can know as our friend.

Let me tell you a story:

On the 15th of February 1921, there was a doctor who performed an appendectomy. That's an operation where you appendix is removed. The doctor performing the operation was Dr. Evan Kane. In his 37-year medical career Dr Kane had performed nearly 4,000 such operations. So this one was not at all unusual - except for two things.

First of all, this was the first time that local anaesthesia had ever been used in major surgery. Dr. Kane believed that local anaesthesia was safer than putting a patient completely to sleep. Most of his colleagues agreed with him in principle, but they wanted to see first if it would actually work. So Dr. Kane searched for a volunteer, a patient who would be willing to undergo surgery while under local anaesthesia. It was difficult to find one. People didn't like the thought of being awake during their own operation. Others were fearful that the anaesthesia might wear off too soon. Finally, Dr. Kane found a volunteer. And on Tuesday morning, February 15th, the operation began. The patient was wheeled into the operating room. A local anaesthetic was applied. And as Dr. Kane had done thousands of times before, he cut open the tissues and removed the appendix. The patient had only minor discomfort and recovered quickly. He was dismissed from the hospital two days later. Dr. Kane had proven his theory. Thanks to the willingness of a brave volunteer, Dr. Kane demonstrated that local anaesthesia was an alternative, even a preferred alternative.

But I said there were two facts that made this surgery unusual. I've told you the first: the use of local anaesthesia. The second unusual thing was the patient -- the patient was Dr. Kane. You see, in order to prove his point, Dr. Kane operated on himself. The doctor became a patient in order to convince the patients to trust the doctor.

Dear friends,
Our immediate reaction to a story like that is to say, "It's difficult to believe." Maybe it is.
But the true story of a doctor who became a patient is nothing compared to the true story of the God who became human. But Jesus Christ did. Jesus, the Son of God, became human. Jesus became one of us. Jesus placed himself in our position. He experienced all the things that you experience in your lives: Jesus knows what it means to be lonely. Jesus knows what it means to face difficult decisions. He knows what it means to be let down by good friends. He knows what it means to be frightened. He experienced all the things that we experience in our lives: disappointment, loneliness, rejection, pain, suffering. Jesus did this so that you and I would believe that God knows our struggles, our pains. He voluntarily became one of us to show us that we could trust God.

You see, the God Christians believe in, is not some unknown, distant God. The God Christians believe in is a God who knows what it means to be a human being. During his life on earth Jesus went through all the things that we go through. The only difference is: he lived a live that was perfect. In contrast to you and me Jesus had that perfect relationship with God the Father. In contrast to you and me He didn't do any bad things.

And at the end of his time here on earth this Jesus died on a cross. That was the final goal of his earthly mission. Jesus died to forgive us that we ignore God, that we keep him out of our lives, that we don't listen to him. He died for the forgiveness of all the bad things, the wrong things that we have done. Bad things, wrong things require punishment. Jesus took that punishment for you and me.

The Bible says: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). Jesus died on a cross but three days later he rose from death. He was made alive again and now lives forever to bring you to God. Jesus died and rose from death so that you could know God personally. Jesus died and rose from death to give you a new life, a life with real purpose, a life of hope and real joy, a life that will last forever, a life beyond death.

[To be continued.... continue to stay tuned for the final part of the christmas message]

on Christmas (part 1)

Here's an excerpt about Christmas from a german lutheran pastor. Enjoy:

What is the point of Christmas? What is Christmas all about?

For many people Christmas is a time of giving.
It's all about buying Christmas Presents for their families and friends. People buy presents that people don’t want or need. We sometimes buy things for people we do not even like. Someone once said: ‘At Christmas we spend money we don’t have for people we don’t like on presents they don’t need.’

When you come to this county as a foreigner, like myself, you can easily get the impression that Christmas is about sending Christmas Cards. At Christmas British people send millions of these cards to one another. The more cards you get the more popular you are. And finally when you’ve got all your cards together, you hang up a cord in your living room and you put all your cards on it. Now tell me: Aren't they strange people, these Brits?

Having said that I must admit: we Germans are strange people too. For Germans, as for many British people, Christmas is hardly complete without a Christmas tree. We buy a Christmas Tree, put it into a plastic bucket, fill it with soil, and struggle to get the tree to stand upright.And finally we put candles and small coloured balls on it. We put a lot of effort into this tree. But once Christmas is over we throw the tree away. Strange people these Germans.

Another popular thing at this time of the year are Christmas Parties. People come together, wearing strange hats, drink a lot and think that’s funny. At these parties people often have Christmas Crackers. And inside these crackers you can find Christmas jokes which don't make you laugh at all. For most people Christmas is a time of eating. In this country it’s Christmas Turkey and Christmas Pudding.

But there are also some people who don’t like Christmas at all. And so they decide to leave this cold and rainy island. They go to places like Spain or Africa to enjoy the sunshine. For them Christmas Holiday it the most important thing.

Now you know what Christmas is all about: It's about spending money, buying presents and Christmas trees. It's about eating, drinking and going on holiday.

[To be continued.... Stay tuned]

"reason for the season" christmas concert

Christmas concert went well and smoothly today by God's grace. All glory and praise to God in the Highest! It's amazing how He brought so many people that we didn't have enough tables and chairs for everyone! but thank God there was more than enough food!
But best of all, some people responded to the message of the gospel :) It's so easy to judge how well the concert went by human standards, by how well we performed and even how many people came...
well, it's the end of one thing but the start to another. it's a continuous and narrow road i'd say... but one that is worthwhile walking.
Will post some concert pics once i get them :)

friday night thoughts...

What do you know, it's almost the end of a school term. One more week before term breaks for winter. Passed by so fast. But it's time for a break i guess. People and some friends around me will be flying back home for christmas. Once again, i won't be going home... My mom's flying over and we're going travelling for 2 weeks in Scandinavia (for those who don't know where that is, it's way up north where it's very very cold...) Was dreading it initially cos of the cold and the really short hours of daylight. But i guess it wont be so bad... it'll be another adventure with my mom i guess. heh.
There are times i do miss home, and wish i could go back home as well. but it's all in good time i guess. i'll prob feel quite displaced if i go back too.

There's gonna be a christian christmas concert tmr night. i'll be acting in it. I sang in the choir last year. Quite exciting. Please pray for it, for the people who will be coming, that they would know the true reason for the season and experience God's love in their lives.

Well, wishing to all a blessed and meaningful christmas no matter where you are i hope it'll be a season of joy and love :)

Me and fellow choir members in the christmas concert last december

on baptism

Today was Baptismal service in church.

Loads of people were there to witness 7 people get baptised into God's family - 1 malaysian, 1 Hong Konger, 2 mainland Chinese and 3 British.

Was really a happy and joyous ocassion.

Reminded me of my own baptism last year.

Strangely i didn't feel as excited or happy when i was being baptized as compared to seeing others being baptized.

Perhaps i was too nervous, or everything just happened so fast that everything was too surreal for me, perhaps also because i've been a Christian since i was about 13 (i can't exactly remember when i accepted Jesus into my life, but all i can say it's been one long, tough but fulfilling and greatest journey anyone can take).

I always thought baptism was not necessary - a ritual christians had to all go through sometime or other in their lives, so i didn't sense the urgency to be baptized even after being a Christian for so long. But God convicted me of my disobedience, and hence i decided to get baptized before i came over to UK for my studies.I'm glad i made that decision. better late than never i'd say! but of course, earlier would be the best.

For the those who don't know, baptism is sort of an act of commitment/ dedication to God, as well as a proclamation of faith. i'd like to see it as a marriage ceremony (between yourself and God), something which the couple's love is not dependent on, but it is still nevertheless crucial in their union. To act of being immersed in water and then coming back up again (duh. heh.) is to symbolize the death/washing away of your old self/ways and sins as well as identifying with Jesus' death, and the coming back up again is to symbolize having a new life in Christ and being a new creation.Yup, and so here's me being baptized on 27th June 2004 :)

A joyous moment :)

Saying 'I do....'

It is finished!

friends :)

oooh... the new-found joy of posting photos... :) Enjoy!

Fengie and me :)

The cutest and sweetest couple i know!

My send-off party 2005 :)

My lovely flatmates... and Pooh!

Fellow brothers and sisters-in-Christ!

in the stillness and busyness He is there...

To where you are

Who can say for certain

Maybe you're still here

I feel you all around me

Your memories so clear

Deep in the stillness

I can hear you speak

Your still an inspiration

Can it be

That you are mine

Forever love

And you are watching over me from up above

Fly me up to where you are

Beyond the distant star

I wish upon tonight

To see you smile

If only for awhile

To know you're there

A breath away's not far

To where you are

Are you gently sleeping

Here inside my dream

And isn't faith believing

All power can't be seen

As my heart holds you

Just one beat away

I cherish all you gave me

Everyday

Cause you are mine

Forever love

Watching me from up above

And I believe

That angels breathe

And that love will live on and never leave
Fly me up to where you are

Beyond the distant star

I wish upon tonight

To see you smile

If only for awhile

To know you're there

A breath away's not far

To where you are
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YAY! =) I finally found how to post pics on my blog! I tried last time but couldn't so gave up. Then i saw this really nice pic on a friend's blog and decided to try again.

Thanks Yvonne. It's always an inspiration to read your blog :) And i love the song playing on your blog as well. I hope you don't mind my 'koping' the lyrics off your blog ;) heh.