God save the milk!



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Reno Rants (3)

I'm pretty excited about how the house is turning out.

After the incredible night in the City on friday, we turned out attention back onto our house and wedding preparations. Saturday morning saw us making a trip down to the Pines to meet our Wedding Banquet manager for a short meeting. After which followed up a meeting with our contractor.

I had expected the meeting to take about 1 hour max. Ended up, we were there for 3 hours. Phew! But it was all good. This is the part where it gets reallllly exciting. Work is scheduled to begin this week with the electrical and lighting parts of the renovations so we had to confirm where our lightings are.

I think our house is brilliant. Like literally. By the time we were through agreeing where and how many lights we wanted for the living area, I think I would need to wear shades at night. Well, at least it looks to me. We will be installing false ceilings and cove lighting, which I so totally love. Lighting is extremely important in the way your house looks, the way it is used will, in fact, change the way you see everything, the presentation of space.

Moving from the ceiling to the flooring was interesting. After long and hard considerations, I finally ceded the idea of duo-material flooring for the living area- much to the relief of the contractor, the interior designer and I think Cassilda as well. In the end, fuss-free maintenance and sheer practicality won the day and homogeneous tiles now would grace the feet of those who enter the house. Oh well, I'm pretty excited about the kitchen tiles.

Next stop will be carpentry. This includes our kitchen cabinets, living area storage, TV Console, bookshelves and wardrobe. Our kitchen is kinda tiny and choosing to hack down a wall and installing a oven isn't making the situation any better. Space is a premium in our tiny kitchenette and figuring out our configurations of drawers and shelves is a bit like playing the last level of Tetris.

Personally, I'm kinda excited about my living room cantilever storage and Tv Console. The Tv Console design that the designer showed me was kinda freaky. I had mentioned the week before to the interior designer that I saw one (well, a few) from AIR that I liked. I wanted to send him a picture during the course of the week but had been too busy to. Saturday morning, Cassilda and I decided to go to one of the AIR outlets at Park Mall to grab a catalog to show the designer. There, we saw the actual console that I had been eyeing and it cost a whopping $5000. I nearly died when I saw the tag.

But I took the catalog anyway. When the designer showed me the design he had gone ahead to proposed, without my input, I nearly fell off my chair. I pulled out the AIR catalog to show him and it was similar to the one I had wanted! And maybe a bit nicer! WOW! By now, I was sufficient impressed and freaked out at the same time.

At this point I must praise God and say that I'm rather happy with the contractor we have picked. Besides mind-reading, his quotes, professionalism and the 'un-contactorish' command of the english language is making this whole process quite pleasant. Left to see is his workmanship. I pray to God that He will make the following 6-8 weeks wonderful and that He watches every tile, paint, pipe, drill and wire.

Thank you Jesus. I know you will cause all things to work together for the good of all who love you and are called according to your purpose. Cassilda and I entrust our home to you - both to delight and receive the desire of our hearts.

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Tonight was Amplify In the City.

What started out as a dream and an idea a week or two after the last YISS, saw it gave birth to an awesome night! I cannot thank God enough for the amazing grace He has shown us all tonight and the months leading up to it.

I especially want to thank the leaders of Amplify for their courage in taking a big dream and making it into reality. I know for a fact a lot of effort- emotion, spiritual and mental has gone into this. I know many of them has sacrificed weekends, weekdays, sleep and play time to put this night together and splendidly at that. Josie, Lydia, AnnMarie, Don, Adrian, Ignatius, Flo, Larris, Kieth, Eunice, Rachael, Marissa, Kevin, Evan and Justin. I honor all of you and you have my deepest respect and gratitude for the passion and dedication put in. What you sow, you will reap many times over!

The 70-over strong volunteers force we had tonight, every young man and woman who came forward and gave of themselves so freely and wonderfully, is one of the BEST volunteers team I have ever been privileged to be a part of. I am amazed at the level of joy, of enthusiasm, of passion, responsibility, initiative and what-ever-it-takes attitude everyone extrude. I know how much effort was put into put together the Slide show for God in the city. I am very blown away by the love put in the painting of all the glass candle holders, by hand - all 550 of them. And for transforming Raffles Place into a tunnel of Love!

I am very encourage and moved by all the volunteers, you guys are absolute stars! Thank you for being so incredibly wonderful and showing us what it means to 'serve the Lord with gladness, with all of your heart and soul and strength.' You made all the difference in the world tonight and I want all of you to know that you are an inspiration to me.

The worship tonight was wonderful. There was such a atmosphere of honesty and earnesty in seeking God. The hunger clearly seen, cannot be faked or performed - can only come from people who have genuinely tasted the goodness of God's presence and are hungy for more. Your hunger has made us whet our appetites for God. Thank you Worship team for taking us into God's presence and leading the way in the passionate, unashamed, amplifed pursuit of God.

The crowd tonight, the gathering of the emerging generation was amazing. When we did this, we had no clue who was coming and how many - we only know, God's fame has to be spread - so we just find the biggest most affordable place we can find and let God call His people.

And come did they. It was such an inspiring sight to see the emerging generation worshipping God with such abandonment and listening to His word with such attentiveness and hunger. It was such a joy to share! I believe in the vision that Cassilda cast for us tonight - that we be a generation that is marked by our love for others, looking beyond our own wants and needs and being a blessing to others. I so believe this vision is possible in this generation, to whom is given much - much is expected. I believe we will see more and more, this vision come to pass.

Most of all, thank you Holy Spirit. For showing up and doing what our best efforts can never do - allowing us to encounter the God of the Universe revealed in the dear Person of Jesus in whom we offer the entire night to. May you be pleased with this offering and that tonight brings a smile to your already joyous Face.

Thank you for meeting us at our wells, thank you for your relentless tenderness and Your unbelievable inclination to use incredibly flawed people to bring about something that is nothing sort of magnificence.

Not to us, O Lord, Not to us, but to your Name be all the Glory, for your Love and Faithfulness. Ps 115:1

Amen.

Monday. Friday is Amp In the City. 4 days.

I'm pretty nervous about it. This will be the first time I'm speaking in a setting like this. Although I know that one day this was going to happen, God had already given me sense prior, it doesn't make my stomach any less queasy.

Now? What about when I'm more ready and less all-over-the-shop?

As I type this, I'm reminded in the spirit, of the bible-study that the teaching team did about 2 weeks ago. 'Be ready, in season and out season, when it convenient and when its not.' BE READY.

How does one be ready? I suppose being 'ready' is not the same as 'not nervous'. Again, I'm reminded that nervousness is a Gift from God. It helps me as a speaker to desire to do well - as long as the feeling don't get to me. Handled, it becomes a motivation to put in the effort needed.

I feel on friday, I'm not there to share an abstract theological lesson rather its introducing my listeners to someone who changed my life. It is deeply personal and relational. I pray that they catch the love, the begging, the assurance, the intimacy in my voice and thoughts as I share about Jesus. May there be tears in my voice - Know Him! Love Him! Serve Him!

There is nothing else more compelling, more meaningful, more beautiful, more worthy of my life than to follow Jesus. I was once lost. But now am found. Was blind but now I see.

I'm not the best of all person. I'm a sinner, if you could open up my mind, dissect my intentions and question how I spend my time- you will know I'm not always who I project myself to be. I'm mean, unloving, selfish and sinful. Countless time I've repented, countless time I've fallen again.

Yet. God continues to love and forgive me. He keeps saving, interventing and blessing. I don't understanding. He fills my life with light, with good friends, with a mission, with love - exceedingly abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagined. Or even come close to deserving.

Amazing Grace. My God who found me love me lifted me.

I talk about the Woman At the Well, not because it such a great story but because its a personal story. Its the story of my life. He found me when I least expected. And I've never been the same since.

Reno Rants (2)

I think we are just about ready to start our renos.

After about two months of planning, drawing, meeting contractors and combing through quotations, we will be taking the plunge in making one of our biggest purchase of our lives, second only to the actually flat.

It is truly an exciting time albeit crazy-busy. Dreaming about our home and finally seeing it taking its first baby steps towards reality is amazing. I am excited! Cassilda is elated. I pray and hope that everything works out well. And at a affordable price.

The contractor we will be awarding to seem professional enough compared to some we have seen. His quotes are pretty affordable which leaves us room for a bit of fancy designs. And his office is pretty near our home, present and future, so it will be good. I could show up in his office in my running shorts to ask why my air-con leaking, only that I don't actually do any running, then again seeing how the stadium is nearer to my new house, the above scenario could actually happen.

But I've been learning a great deal about putting a house together. what color schemes go well with what, what are the 3000 types of wood in the world and that the position of the sun has a direct impact on interiors. I must say I pretty enjoy the whole process. It is one thing to design a layout for a Ad or a brochure, quite another to design a layout for a house. about 1000 times more exciting. I mean you actually get to design something you can touch, feel, open, see, smell and interact for as long as it last. It doesn't get kept in some file somewhere or some website, its real, solid and takes up space. It cannot be ignored. It touches our lives and greet us when we wake up, its the last thing we see before the lights go off.

Its very cool.

Well, for all the young people reading this. I know one day you wish to get your own house too. Just want to let you know: enjoy the process. Cass and I have heaps of fun through this all, it has been an absolute joy building our new home (Love Nest) together. It has brought us closer and taught us to appreciate the strengths of each other so much more.

I just hope and pray now that we will make it in time for our wedding date on the 15th of Nov, 2008.

God, you who created and furbish the Universe, you said in your word- 'Wisdom builds a house, Understanding establishes it, Knowledge fills it with wonderful things.' Ps 24 Guide us, grant us wisdom, understanding and knowledge of what it takes to build a House that glorifies you and blesses others. May you guide the heart, imagination and integrity of our Contractor and guide the hands of our sub-cons, fill them with a spirit of excellence, honesty and diligence. May we do a work and offer you a place worthy of your Majesty and Excellence.

Cass and I thank You, for all you have done, your faithfulness and how you have guided us every step of the way. We trust in you and know you will cause all things to work together for our Good. thank you Heavenly Father. In Jesus Name, Amen.

leo