Soli Deo Gloria

Today, I wanted to list down the highlights of 2006 but a thought prompted me to see what happened to me one year ago today. So I clicked onto November 2005.

http://starystarynightz.blogspot.com/2005_11_01_starystarynightz_archive.html


In this one year, I had gotten married, journeyed RCIA for a year, and became more grown up (hopefully).

It has been one year ever since I first heard the song “Soli Deo Gloria”, a year ever since my grand aunty passed away.

Dearie and I watched an intensive movie over the weekend – The Free Will (Der Freie Wille).

http://www.german-cinema.de/app/filmarchive/film_view.php?film_id=1236

http://www.derfreiewille.de/

I liked it as it presents a side that a society does not want to see. Usually, we would condemn a rapist/abuser – like why he did it? And we pited the victim. For this show, it shows that the male lead was having problems. He would want to beat (badly bashed them) and then raped the woman whenever he is angry. He has an anger within him that he himself cannot control.

When he fell in love with a woman, his tender side shows. However, he realises that he is unable to control the “animal” in him.

Go and watch the movie. The ending is really unexpected.

Sad but it shows that he really wanted to change and to have a beautiful life with the girl whom he can finally communicate with ….

It is so beautiful when everyone focuses their attention in doing God’s work.

Our group was put to a test. We are given a task to prepare the Church for Advent. This is certainly a big task (for us “newbies”) but there is always a First Time.

There were cloudy moments but I supposed after communication and quieting ourselves to listen to God’s word, we are able to realign and walk closer to Him. There will always be obstacles but with our focuses on Him, nothing is impossible.

Come what may, with God everything is possible.

Praise be to God!

Unless the Lord shall build the house
The builders build in vain.
And they who watch shall surely fail
Lest God their watch sustain:
In vain they rise and labor long
To eat their bread of pain.
For while they slumber God pours down
Good gifts on them like rain

God has many children.

I saw my dad’s friend at the void deck. They were about to go home but I just invited them to see photos.

As one of the aunties was flipping through the album, she said “I know this guy”. Oh I thought she knew him as some neighbour or friend from work.

But it is a really small world. This aunty attends Church of St. Francis of Assisi and most of the people that my FIL invited to both the church and dinner – she knows them. Even her husband was surprised that she knew so many people (FYI, the hubby doesn’t attend Church but I feel that it is only a matter of time.)

I feel that this is a way that God is preparing my parents for a place in His Kingdom.

=)

p.s I thought this aunty is called Rose but she later shared with me that her baptized name is also Cecilia =)

God is ever so faithful.

He loves us so much even though Man can never return the same proportion of love that our Heavenly Father has showered on us … Unconditional love. =)

Father’s homily was also very good. He told us his personal experience. Through his sharing, it makes us realized that the biggest obstacle could be what is nearest to us or within us. It is how willing we want to make the change so that we can grow.

Interesting.

Many times, we just do not want to make changes in our lives even though we felt uncomfortable, even though we know it is not good for us in the long run.

We had a wonderful sharing during for today’s BOW. We shared how we had experiences God’s touch in our lives.

For me, I have many incidents to share – big and small. Actually, I feel that I am receiving God’s blessings everyday. Some leaves an impact, others not so impactful. Nevertheless, they are still blessings and it is easy to think that God is not near me even though He is right beside me.

For example, God is really showering His blessings on Pete and me when we were preparing to get married. It is really amazing how we managed to pull off the entire thingy. Trust me, it is not cheap getting married in Sg but He has been really generous with us.

My job. Without Him, I would have gone mad earlier.

My friends. They are really a source of support.

My godma. She is really cute and I appreciate her frankness. She really wants to build a solid relationship with me but I have been holding back, hestitant about how to build the relationship.

My in-laws. OK, though they are old and naggy, they meant well and I feel that they really love me … especially my Father-in-law. =)

My parents. Well, I feel guilty that I am unable to spend as much time as I would like with them now but I do appreciate them for loving me.

Well, the lists can go on ….God really loves me …. Thank you Lord!

That is why Paul tells us to stay put. If you stick with God, you make real progress without wasting time. If you move away from God, you waste time without making any real progress.

The napping this afternoon was shiok! =)

Too bad that the weekend is coming to an end soon.... Another long week ahead.

I feel like I am climbing a mountain every week. On Monday, I feel as if there is a tall mountain for me to climb - the things i have to do, the silly people i have to deal with, the fire i have to fight. in the process, i have sometimes drifted away from God.

A beautiful day, with wonderful sharings.

I received my affirmation today with regards to my godma.

I had found my godma but I sometimes wonder if she feels comfortable with me – reason being, I just approached her – we didn’t know each other before hand and I heard horror stories about godparent’s dropping out halfway through the journey.

But thanks be to God who has been answering my prayers – I prayed that He helped to strengthen this relationship, I prayed for the growth in this relationship. God has been answering my prayers. From the awakard initial start, I believe the relationship has grown.

Just like we need to give a seed water, sun and soil for it to grow healthily, this relationship can be nutured.

I met my godparents at the coffee shop today and we had breakfast together (we didn’t plan it, God did)– this allowed us for further fellowship.

During BOW, she shared about how she came to be my godma – prayers and affirmation.

During BOW, through her sharing, I received affirmation from God that she is the one I had asked God for and I should trust in Him to let things work..

How wonderful is the power of God. While I was praying hard for a godparent to appear, she has been praying hard as well. =)

Also, two others shared on how God answers their prayers.

One has a grandchild who is rather weak in her school work. Her grandma did not give up on her but continued to pray for her year after year even though the situation seemed to have gotten worse each year…. She said that she prayed for 6 years and God showed His love for the child and family. Grandma asked for a above average pass in the primary 4 streaming (coz it is really a sad case for a child – who may be a late bloomer – to be condemned to EM3). God gave them more than what she asked – He sent the child to EM1. Everyone was surprised! But praise be to God as Grandma really felt God answering her prayers and I was really touched by her sharing.

Another lady – has to look after austic child. This is not an easy task and she shared that she asked God to teach her how to love the child and to help the boy. She shared that she was trying to teach the boy to hold a pencil but without much successful. Then an idea was planted to her head that she can start by asking a boy to use cloth peg to move marbles. After some practice, the boy can now hold a pencil and can even recognize words.

God is really wonderful and is generous with His gifts to all who loves Him.

Thank you Heavenly Father. *hug hug!*

Criticism.

No one likes to be criticized and it is usually hurting.

However, Father mentioned about criticism out of love. Criticism, if done constructively and said in a correct manner/tone, can help to convey positively a point across to another person and it will help the other person to grow.

Father also mentioned that it is human’s reflex to counter criticism with another negative point.

How true. This homily for the newly married couple can be applied to me.

Many a times, I mention about being life giving to my spouse but I realized that this is easier said than done.

On Thursday, I left the car in a messy state. Though he did comment a few times about the condition, I did not pay heed to it. It was until Thursday that his comments sank in. I wasn’t being fair to him coz he would take the extra effort to clean the car every Saturday while I am at work and after the weekend is over, I would just take a nice, clean car to work and would sometimes “mess” up the car by leaving my barang in the car in an disorderly manner.

Hmmm, I admit that I have my pride and did not take the comments well. However, after thinking through and reflecting on the points made, I realized that I have failed to play my part in maintaining the cleanliness of the car.

This one incident is just an example of how it may affect other areas of our lives and relationship.

There are lots to learn from each other and I am thankful that God is guiding me.


A marriage – is to die to oneself and to give unconditionally to the other person.

Fr T laid down his final warning that we better find our godparent soon – else no baptism. *shudder*

*~*~*

Before anyone writes him off as being harsh, I do understand where he is coming from and a few people I have spoke to actually told me to be careful in who I asked as the role of godparent is to help me grow spiritually after my RCIA sessions end.

Actually I have myself to blame as I have been rather slack in approaching people and asking them, “excuse me, will you be my god pa or god ma”. It is so daunting to ask this question to ‘stranger’. Those whom we are close with – they do not qualify as they have their roles to play….

Anyway, out of the few I asked, I realised that not many are willing to commit. Maybe they know the huge responsibilities that come along and thus say no.

I admit that I was worried and thought about what would happen at the end of the day – when all my friends get baptised except me and made the mistake of asking them to be my godpa/ma even without knowing them. Anyway, dearie brought me back to my senses and I concluded that I should leave it to Him to guide me.

Fr always says that the journey is not about getting baptised at the end of the 2 years but to always have a spiritual journey… I agree too and hence, even if I am unable to get baptised, this RCIA journey has been very rewarding.

Like what Gillian (my new found friend) told me, I should focus on serving Him and not let any other matters distract my motive for serving Him and who knows, He may have something better in stored for me. =)

A prayer that I have at my work station that serves to remind me to turn to Jesus, the giver of good gifts:

“Jesus, I believe that you are the giver of all good gifts. I proclaim that you have a perfect plan for my life. I give you my old heart and ask you to exchange it for a heart that burns with love for you. Help me, Lord, to lay down my yoke and to take up yours instead. Jesus, I trust in you.”