Hide n seek :)

Played hide and seek with kids just now along the corridors.

Interestingly, we observed this a few times, Joshua put his hands together to pray and just said Amen! when he could not find us. hahaha ! :)

Then Candra said this: "When we cannot find you, we pray and then Jesus will come and catch you then we will find you".

We laughed our heads off! What a game of hide and seek.

Candra's cute bedtime prayer today

Candra's cute bedtime prayer today: 

"Dear Father, thank You for good weather today so we could go to T's house (??? T lives just next door), please help us sleep well, eat more vegetables and less meat, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen!"

She has been praying this eat more vegetables prayer for a while.. but today, she added, "less meat". :p 

While I am making dietary changes on the home front, my dear little girl helps out in prayers! Well done!

How siblings played :)

Our night at Festive hotel was interesting...When daddy finally managed to get Joshua to stay within the boundary we created for the 2 kids, they started playing and not sleeping till 11pm...

For the first time, there was no fighting between them :) and they played like siblings who loved each other. Amazing..

We tried not to laugh in our corner, pretending to be sleeping.

They sang, chatted, rolled around (don't ask me how but they understood each other).

At one point, Candra said to Joshua: "I like you Joshua" :)

Then after singing, she asked: "Joshua, 好听吗？" And Joshua made a sound which meant 'yes' :p

At another point, this conversation ensued...

Candra: "Joshua, why are you so cute? Who made you so cute?" (I ask them this everyday by the way haha!)

Candra: "Is it mama? Papa? Auntie Angie (our helper) or me?"

Joshua: MAMA!

Candra: haha 你错了！是耶稣！

We were trying so hard not to laugh.

From darkness to light and back to darkness again :p

Candra since young slept in her own room in the dark. 

When Joshua was undergoing training, we thought he might have been afraid of the dark, so we tried to give some night light. 

BUT, Candra took the chance to insist on having night light on every night henceforth. Her reasoning: "I am afraid of the dark." 

We were very skeptical, but gave her the benefit of the doubt anyway. 

After more tha

n half a year, daddy bought "glow in the dark" stars tonight.

Just one tiny little glowing star above her bed got her to excitedly tell us to switch off all lights tonight. One tiny glowing star.

And now.. both are sleeping in complete darkness again.

So much for her being afraid of the dark. Our skepticism from day 1 was right!! This little girl.........

Hoping we can revert and save some electricity from now on.. haha :)

Candra...About getting married.. at 4yrs old!

Candra (holding up a rose): Papa mama, next year, I will be getting married.

Papa, mama: Huh? You are too young to get married dear. How old are you? 

Candra: 3 years old. I say, next year, when I am four years old, I will get married. 

Papa, mama (playing along): Who are you marrying? 

Candra: Err...Mama! which boy boy?

Mama: Let me think.

Candra: I know, the 2 boys in church.

Papa, mama: Which 2 boys? (Only 2 families we know with 2 boys..haha!)

Papa: Is it Z & Z? Or CQ & CS?

candra: Yes yes, those names!!

(Then we realised she was referring to her flower girl stint next year with the 2 boys.....)

Papa, mama: You are not getting married. uncle LB is. You will just be a flower girl.

Candra: When I am holding this flower, I will get married!

Papa mama: FAINTZ....

What I enjoyed today :)

Just finished washing up the kitchen after completing my attempt at a new stewed pork ribs recipe :)
Quite excited about the outcome at dinner tonight :) Hope it turns out yummy.

I was telling God just now that I am beginning to enjoy being busy at home a lot more. Trying to improve my cooking skills, organisation skills, homeschooling skills etc. Although I feel stretched at times because I don't have that much energy and time to do everything well all the time, it makes me happy to be able to jot down by aspirations for the home. And as I look forward to the helper that God is sending to our home soon, I thank Him for sending help so that those aspirations can be lived out in time to come.

Candra's growing up so quickly. Started doing daily devotions with her since she was a baby. Then, she did not understand what I was doing with her, but we just kept at it as a form of routine. Starting from last week, at her own request, she started doing her quiet time (partially) on her own. One day, she just asked me, "mummy, can I not have quiet time with you and Joshua, but by myself?" I said (with some hesitation, "sure, why not?". Then I decided, it's time to let her be on her own (actually this was her daddy's idea since a while back).

Now, everyday, she listens to one chapter of the audio bible. She's at Genesis 10 today. We start off praying together, then she goes off on her own to listen while I do devotion with Joshua. Then we end off by me doing a small teaching on what she heard and praying with her. Although I don't think she understood all that she heard on the audio bible, and I am not even sure whether she listens attentively all the time, but I have been enjoying this new phase of learning for the both of us. I learn quite a bit from those teaching moments myself and am looking foward to completing the bible with her. :)

Although I have a thousand and one things to do and think about, I am thankful for happy moments like these today, which cause me to feel so satisfied being at home with the children.

The power of daddy

Hard crying from Josh this morning at 4am, demanding for attention

Decided to give him the benefit of the doubt (maybe he was unwell etc..) so slept beside him and Candra for a while.

BUT...he ended up playing. 

Decided to put him back to cot and leave the room. 

Both Candra and Josh broke out in hard cries of course..... Until.. 

Daddy stepped into the room..

COMPLETE silence from Candra immediately.

Josh also stopped after a while.

Then silence followed after daddy left the room.

The power of daddy!

Candra loves to pray for her little brother

Today she prayed,

"Dear Father, thank you for joshua who wants to learn well, please cause him to learn well, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen!"

What a sweet girl

Grateful for a season of rest

After a crazy half a year, finally, we have been resting more this month and are now looking forward to our amazing holiday in the States soon.

I know very surely that God planned this rest for us because He knows how taxed we have been physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually since October last year. I am thankful that God knows us well, He knows how much we can be stretched and He knows when we need our break. He will never put us through trials beyond what we can bear. There were so many moments when we felt we were at our breaking point, but never did we once really break.

Although I know that this season of rest may be short and temporary, it's good enough for me, to be given the opportunity to recover and rejuvenate. This rest is to prepare us for even more challenges ahead of us as a family.

We are amazed at how much God has grown us over the past 6 months. We have been stretched so much, like never before but it's also through the process that many parts of His Word came more alive to us. Guess that's how it is with spiritual growth. We need the real experiences in life to test and approve of the wonders of His Word. For that, we are deeply grateful.

Although I do have my questions for God about some issues which He has left open-ended for now, I hope and trust that I can continue walking faithfully until the day He chooses to make everything clear to me. It's so easy to allow our doubts/questions/uncertainties to cause us to lose focus on worshipping Him for who He is, the unchanging "I AM".

I have learnt more about perseverance through the spiritual battles and patience through unanswered prayers and questions. When God chooses to give me no answers for a season, can I still worship Him with all my hearts and press on in giving Him glory everyday? When God puts me through pain through no fault on my part, can I still praise Him for His goodness and unfailing love? Can I still love my neighbors? When there seems to be no end to stress and challenges, with no help in sight, can I still choose to trust that He will not let me down?

It is yet another season of learning Habbakuk 3:17-19 in a deeper way:

Habbakuk 3:17-19

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
     I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
     he makes my feet like the deer's;
    he makes me tread on my high places.

Don't expect a kid to keep secrets

Was preparing a gift for hubby this afternoon....Had to involve Candra cos she popped into the room

So I said, "Don't tell daddy ok? This is our secret! It's a surprise ok?"
Candra: Ok!! Cannot tell daddy... 

(Sometime later....)

Candra went to daddy and said: "But I cannot tell you...." (As if daddy was asking) 

So much for a kid keeping a secret..well at least she did not tell him what the actual gift was haha!

Love this

Dark Night of the Soul

It's been a long while since I posted something here..

It's because I have been going through probably the toughest season in my life so far...

Finally, I think I know what I am going through.. it started off from realizing that I have been depressed and suffering from a burn-out... then.. just 2 nights ago, I read something which really spoke to me.. and made me realize that I am probably going through what some would call the 'Dark Night of the Soul'...

I thank God for helping me realize that.. because although relief is not in sight now, I know I will get through this season with His light at the end of the tunnel...

It helps to know that He has allowed this to happen for a reason and that He has not forsaken me to darkness.

The only thing I can do now in the midst of the craziness and pain.... to lean on Him and trust Him with all my heart even when I can't see or feel a thing.

Praise the Lord.

Candra.. on the topic of marriage :)

(Candra, after attending so many weddings, is now always talking about getting married)

Me: Why are u wearing a pretty dress?
Candra: I want to get married, mummy let's get married.
Me: No, you cannot marry me, you must marry good boy boy.
Candra: Who? (went on stating some names...haha)
Me: Let's pray now for your future ok?
(After praying...)
Me: Did mama marry good boy boy?
Candra: Yes.
Me: Who is that?
Candra: Papa
...
Candra: But I cannot marry, because boy boy don't like to hold my hand. Boy boy like to walk by himself..how to marry?

(Candra, when trying to hold their hands w friends, gets refused at times.. hahaha)

Difficult season

It's been a super difficult season over the past 6 months...

Never been so tough before..

When will it be over Lord?

Joshua turned 1 today :)

My boy's one year old :) Time flies...

We did not hold any big party for him.. just simple celebrations throughout the day.

The special day started out with hubby, myself and Candra singing a happy birthday song to him when he woke up in the morning.

Then we went to church for service, and were pleasantly surprised when our pastor shared from Joshua 1:1-9! We enjoyed the sermon thoroughly because we knew God was speaking to our little one on this special day. Joshua 1:8-9 were the verses that led us to decide to name our little boy Joshua :)

^"8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:8-9)

I was so touched because I felt that God wanted to remind our little boy and us, on this special day, the destiny he has in Him. Never ever would I expect God to speak in such a manner. It's our prayer for little Joshua that he would grow up to be strong and courageous and accomplish great things for God. :)

After the service, our lovely cg bought a small slice of cake, a balloon & presents for him. Sang him the birthday song again.. though it was a short celebration, it was really fun and meaningful.

Spent some time with his grandparents (hubby's parents), we had some durian puffs instead of a cake which were fantastic.. they enjoyed playing with the 2 kiddos.. :)

Dinner was spent with some of my relatives and that was again so much fun! :)

By the end of the day, after having heard the birthday song so many times, he finally smiled when I sang it over to him again on the car on the way back home!! Though he may not have understood much that was going on, I think he had fun.

Joshua is such a sweet little boy. He has a pretty good temperament (apart from sleep time of course) and is just so fun to play with. He is a happy and active boy who loves his sister and generally feels comfortable amongst our friends and with crowds! He enjoys the company of people... just as we all enjoy his company! :) He is just lovely in his unique way... a simple and gentle boy.

He has brought so much joy into our lives and added so much colour to our family. We are so glad he is number 2 and we are ever so thankful that God blessed us with him!

We love you Joshua! Happy Birthday!