Prayers requested.

Tuesday, May 30, 2006
There’s so much to do and so little time =(

OK, got to pray for God’s deliverance for all the events that are going to happen in my life. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, please pray for Pete and me whenever possible. Gum Sia!

Budgeting period coming up – expect to work late. Work load has definitely increased and bosses’ expectations of my performance have definitely changed over this past one year. Lord, grant me the graces to work things through.

Marriage preparation – when it comes to rites and rituals concerning marriage – I am a total blur – so many details to take note of and so many issues to consider! God, help me by giving me the tact and patience to communicate with the people around me. Lord, help us to plan how we should go about the chinese customary wedding and the church wedding. Lord, help us to plan the sequence and route.

Photo-taking on the 26th June – Lord, we ask for good weather on the 26th June so that the photo-taking process can go smoothly. Lord, also I pray for my colleague who will be taking her photos on the 10th that you bless her and her hubby with good weather so that she does not need to go back for photo taking for the fourth time.

Engagement Encounter – Lord, send forth the Holy Spirit to guide us during the engagement encounter and that our hearts may be opened during the retreat to experience the meaning of this sacrament that we will be going through.

Lord, for the more superficial things – like the suit and shoes hunting, direct us to find these items quickly. =)

Thank you Lord for listening to and answering my prayers. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
 
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 11:10 PM, | 0 comments

Joan .. take care!

Friday, May 26, 2006
I have been following up on the updates of Joan. I do not know her personally but her story had touched me.

Because of her, a lot more people have come to know about the Catholic faith. Because of her, a lot more people has come together to offer prayers for her and her family. Because of her unique situation, she and the people around her have grown stronger …. Indeed, God had a unique purpose for her – a purpose that no human wisdom can understand or reasoned.

She has now moved on to a better place.

Lord, help her family to move on with their life and do your will on earth. Your child Joan has been very brave to take on the plan you have for her. She has fought hard and she has glorified your name in her own way. Lord, be with her and her family and friends. Thank you Lord. I offer this prayer in Christ’s name, AMEN.
 
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 5:26 PM, | 0 comments

My God My Saviour

Saturday, May 20, 2006
While waiting for the rain to stop after I prayed, I wrote this: -

Last week’s BOW, we were told to reflect on the kind of role we play in the community and how we can be part of the community.

Well, for a start, I am with the Choir. Through this, I have made more friends and learnt to rely on God for His deliverance.

Also, by being in the community and serving God, I can re-charge myself so that I can better face the secular world.

Last night, Fr. Cyril shared on Luke chapter 10. I like Fr. C – he always gives insightful homily and shed more light to the Gospel.

Last night, he said that God is love and God is present everywhere – as long as there is love. Meaning, even if you are not a Christian, God is around and with them even though they may not acknowledge Jesus as their saviour.

This got us confused. If God is everywhere, then why must have us Christian?

One of us asked the question to Fr. The answer he gave was good. He said – God created universe and hence, God has control over all of us – be it Christian and non-Christian. The difference lies in the fact that non-Christian may not know the existence of God and hence it is the duty of Christian to spread the Good News.

Spreading the Good News does not mean raging war because it is a totally opposite concept of God (aka Love). We spread the good news by our behaviour, living with the community and showing them what love is, who is God and who is Jesus.

The talk by Fr enlightened me and this further brings a point when my friend said that the events at work are really complicating and it is difficult to be his light.

I shared with her that we can always go back to the Church to recharge ourselves so that we can be his light during office hours. God is good. As long as we are doing his work, even though the light may seems to be flickering and may go off anytime soon, I believe, as long as we keep our eyes onto Him, He – who forms us and knows our strengths – will keep us going.

Thank you Lord. Thank you for stopping the rain so that I can be on my way. I love you. AMEN.
 
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 1:40 AM, | 0 comments

My God My Saviour

While waiting for the rain to stop after I prayed, I wrote this: -

Last week’s BOW, we were told to reflect on the kind of role we play in the community and how we can be part of the community.

Well, for a start, I am with the Choir. Through this, I have made more friends and learnt to rely on God for His deliverance.

Also, by being in the community and serving God, I can re-charge myself so that I can better face the secular world.

Last night, Fr. Cyril shared on Luke chapter 10. I like Fr. C – he always gives insightful homily and shed more light to the Gospel.

Last night, he said that God is love and God is present everywhere – as long as there is love. Meaning, even if you are not a Christian, God is around and with them even though they may not acknowledge Jesus as their saviour.

This got us confused. If God is everywhere, then why must have us Christian?

One of us asked the question to Fr. The answer he gave was good. He said – God created universe and hence, God has control over all of us – be it Christian and non-Christian. The difference lies in the fact that non-Christian may not know the existence of God and hence it is the duty of Christian to spread the Good News.

Spreading the Good News does not mean raging war because it is a totally opposite concept of God (aka Love). We spread the good news by our behaviour, living with the community and showing them what love is, who is God and who is Jesus.

The talk by Fr enlightened me and this further brings a point when my friend said that the events at work are really complicating and it is difficult to be his light.

I shared with her that we can always go back to the Church to recharge ourselves so that we can be his light during office hours. God is good. As long as we are doing his work, even though the light may seems to be flickering and may go off anytime soon, I believe, as long as we keep our eyes onto Him, He – who forms us and knows our strengths – will keep us going.

Thank you Lord. Thank you for stopping the rain so that I can be on my way. I love you. AMEN.
 
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 1:40 AM, | 0 comments

Wednesday, May 17, 2006
I feel sad.

I feel oppressed.

I feel like I am suffocating.


And there is nothing I can do about it ….


Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
 
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 4:34 PM, | 0 comments

I am not ...

Tuesday, May 16, 2006
I discovered that I

1. am not really humble
2. do not have a generous heart
3. do not have wisdom

Lord, please grant me the graces to be humble. Lord, thank you for showering me with your blessings and grant me a generous heart to serve the people around me by sharing with them what you have given to me. Lord, take away the anger that would sometimes well up inside me. Lord, grant me your peace and love and that I see each and everyone who comes into my life with love. Lord, grant me wisdom so that the words that come out from my mouth do not hurt anyone. Thank you Lord. I ask this in the name of your most precious son – Jesus Christ – Amen.
 
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 7:58 PM, | 0 comments

Holiday mood already =)

Thursday, May 11, 2006
Yipee … Long weekend (ok – super long weekend for me) is just round the corner and I am already in a holiday mood! =)

Can’t wait to resume my cross stitching of the Precious Moments Bride and Groom .. I am almost there!

Also, our black Fit is here – I am slowly picking up driving – yea, got my license a few years back but I did not drive since passing the test. My skills are all rusty – doing all sorts of wrong thing … Pray that God will help me pick up my skills soon.

Plus – my two bosses are not around and I have finished my month end reporting …. Yea yea yea!

 
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 10:45 PM, | 0 comments

Blue ....

Monday, May 08, 2006
Been feeling sick lately ... first it was some infection, then fever, flu and cough ... recovered for a while and the flu, fever and cough is back again .... infection is still there though ... but doc says since it is not threatening and i am not experiencing any symptons, i should just leave it as it and continue to monitor the condition.

decided to rest at home today and see my family doctor - yea, the company doctor is of no help. I dunno why my company chose to go on those kind of scheme - to save money i suppose - but they are not professional at all - no personal touch. i am just like a product in the long production line. The doctor is just going through the motion, clearing the patients who are coming faster than she can manage without really understanding my illness.

So i chose to go back to my family doctor this morning - which means i had skipped choir and BOW. a pretty last minute decision but i just dun feel like stepping out of the house today... yesterday was a long day in the office... and i have closing, payment run and hedging to do for the next two days - really cannot afford to be blur ... =(

OK, i promise to get well soon and not let sickness stop me from going for my Mass ...

hmmm, am i lazy? do i need to go for confession?
 
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 3:17 AM, | 0 comments

Oops, i did it again

Saturday, May 06, 2006
Hmmm, told myself that I need to go through the process of conversion and be a changed person but I failed to do it last night. It seems like the trip last night has undo what I have been trying to become. =(

God, why am I like this?

I am not slow to anger
I failed to hold on my tongue ….

Proverb 15A gentle answer turns away wrath,but a harsh word stirs up anger.
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.Plans fail for lack of counsel,but with many advisers they succeed.
 
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 12:40 AM, | 0 comments

Thanksgiving

Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Supposed to be a long weekend but time just fly past!

It seems like time just zoomed past nowadays when I have grown older. 24 hours is not enough – for family, for friends, and for myself. : (

Here’s a quick update on what I have done this weekend.

Friday
- Celebration started in the afternoon when my colleague will be leaving us tomorrow. He has been with us for a few months and he is moving on as he had found another job – the prospects are better – according to him. Well, I will miss him but I also wish him well in his new job. =)

- Second round of celebration was for another colleague who has left. The reason for leaving was that there existed an expectation gap between her performance and her boss’s expectation. The ending was not very well but I think she has found a job and is on leave till next week … well, I am happy for her – she can move on to another job whereby her efforts will be better appreciated.

- Lord, watch over my friends as they move on to their new jobs.

Saturday
- Accompanied my mum for her morning walk. Relationship with her is like a yo-yo. I guess we were both adjusting to the changes that are currently going on. I suppose this is part of growing up.

- Remembered that the day I left for my retreat, the mood was not very good but thankfully, everything slowly eased back to normal after I returned from my retreat. Thank you Lord!
- Lord, continue to help to soften my mum’s stand and also my attitude towards the changes we are going through.

Sunday
- an exciting day – my friends are getting married and it is the first time that I am attending a Catholic wedding and I am singing with the Choir for their wedding! The songs they chose were so special and nice… =)

- Lord, may you shower your blessings on them and that they be more loving as the days go by!

Monday
- Spent a day with the “yeo family”. This is one big family from Pete Mum’s side. It’s heartwarming to see everyone gathering together and sharing the story of the family tree. Though I do not know most of them, it is amazing to see the beauty of life and God’s plan for human as in how a big a family can grow.

- Thank you Lord for this session of fellowship.
- met up with my ex-colleagues for dinner to catch up. These are a bunch of wonderful friends that I have made in my first job. Though all of us have left that place, we still keep constant touch. We still make the effort to remember each other birthday and meet up just for coffee.
- Thank you Lord for these friends that you have given to me!


Hmmm, actually just wanted to write down what I have done for this weekend but I ended up thanking God for all he has given to me! Yes, it is only right to give him thanks and praise!
Thank you Lord for all the wonderful blessings, grace and strength all these while. Lord, thank you for sending so many beautiful people into my life, thank you for my wonderful parents, for my wonderful brothers & sisters in Christ, thank you for sending me such a good boyfriend – though he may talk very loudly at times – Lord, grant me the graces to be the person you want me to be. Lord, I lift up all my prayers, thanksgiving and praises to you through Jesus Christ, AMEN!
 
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 7:02 AM, | 0 comments