Some recent fave pics

my lovely current wallpaper!

me and mom - a nice one we took when we went china in june

me and dots before she left for london

me and wheels

My Dental Recount

Allow me to share with you what the Lord taught me during my visit to the dentist.

Today at 9:14am I stepped out of my house for doom and torture set to begin at 9:30am.

I made my way towards the dental clinic.

I had braced myself for a few weeks, since my lower right molar started to hurt. I just KNEW what was going to happen. I'd lay there, the doctor would shine the light down into my teeth, and after a few checks with the round mirror inserted into my mouth she'd and say "Sandra, OK I see about 4 big cavities ah. You see?" (Then she'd show them to me one by one.) "I don't think I'm going to be done with you in today's appointment. I'll just clean your teeth for today, but you'll have to re-schedule an appointment next week." This was what happened during my last visit in september.
.....

I arrived the clinic right on time, but had to wait till about 9:53am before it was my turn. During my wait I assured myself. Sandra, if the Lord has called you to do something, His grace will be sufficient to bring you through it. Come on, it's just a little pain. You can take it.

The nurse opened the door. "Sandra? Come in..." Dr. Leong, a woman in her forties, has the same pair of motherly eyes, and it's especially warming when she smiles. It occurred to me that her face remains a mystery, for she always has her mask on.

After a few greetings, just before I could lay myself down, I said "I need to tell you that I've been feeling a pain on my lower right molar, and so if it's a very deep cavity, could you please give me an anesthetic jab?" She smiled and said, "Let's see how it goes."

So the torment began. I laid down and she shone the very bright light into my mouth. Nothing could be hidden, not with the combination of the little round mirror dancing around my teeth. How apt. Just a few minutes ago, while trying to take my mind off the impending anxiety, I was reading Dr. Henry Cloud's book on Boundaries, and he mentioned this: "because of our fears, we hide aspects of ourselves in the darkness, where the devil has an opportunity... [but] healing always takes place in the light." I've been hiding in the dark for too long, having avoided the dentist for about 14 months now.

I began to pray. Take my life now, Lord! Or knock me out unconscious. Let everything happen when I'm unaware. Your grace is sufficient, right? Right, Lord? No, there wasn't any booming voice with the assuring "Yes, My child..." or anything like that.

It hadn't even been a minute when Dr. Leong turned off the bright light, lifted the chair and said "Come Sandra, let's take an X-ray to find out.", to which I responded by dilating my pupils with mouth wide open for about 8 seconds. Grace, Lord Jesus. Grace...

I sat on the X-ray chair, was instructed to use my finger to keep an X-ray card upright in my teeth, and praise the Lord for efficient technology - the x-ray took a grand total of 4 seconds.
Dread continues. I walked back to the dental chair, laid down, and Dr. Leong said she will clean my teeth while waiting for the X-ray result. Great! This is the fun part. The rubbing of some sweetish thing against my teeth. Before she did that, however, she took a sharp thing and lined it against the area near my gums, and this brough a little pain especially to my lower incisors. I hated that already - and I had to brace myself for more. It would be any time now, before she would have to reveal the news that I had x number of cavities. I tried to distract myself. Thank You Jesus.... for Your love to me.... Thank You Jesus... for Your grace so free.... All the time my hands tightly clasped.

While doing all the cleaning she took a look at the X-ray photo, after which she returned it to the nurse and went right on continuing the business on my teeth. She's so kind, I thought, to hold back the news till later. Surely she's gonna tell me that the cavities reached my inner nerves and the molar needs an extraction.

With every time she instructed me to rinse my mouth and to lay back down on my seat, I just had to brace myself for more, because I just knew the journey in this room would be long.
Suddenly my eyes caught Dr. Leong lifting up the daunting huge needle with green liquid inside. SO FAST?? She hasn't even explained that I need an anesthetic jab and she's already doing it??? Maybe it's good. The less I know, the better. But all I felt was a cool trickling around my teeth. She was spraying it on them! PHEW!

"Sandra, rinse your teeth." PHEW!!!! But I had to catch myself. It's just the beginning, don't rejoice too soon.

After about another 3 minutes of rather painless cleaning, she said "OK Sandra, I'll take my mirror so that you can see..." She reached for a mirror somewhere, then put it right before my eyes, while showing me my teeth. "Can you see the tiny white teeth deep inside?" Gosh! WISDOM TOOTH! I never knew I had one! "It's your wisdom tooth, and it's the cause of the pain you've been feeling. Also you can see that you haven't kept it very clean around that region."

She then turned off the dental light, lifted the chair, then explained further. "Your wisdom teeth is very small because there's no space for it to grow. You might need to be admitted to hospital to undergo a surgery if it continues to give you problems, but if it doesn't, then you can come back later, and we'll see how it goes from there."

I didn't dare assume anything, but I saw the MOST INCREDIBLE THING: the nurse started to remove the apron around me, and she threw away the plastic cup I used to rinse my mouth! So in utter disbelief I asked Dr. Leong, "So that's it for today?"

"Yes. That's it for today."

"I have no cavities??"

"No, no cavities." She smiled. "Remember? Last time I drilled into you to brush your teeth correctly, so you've improved!"

I really, really, really, REALLY couldn't believe it. "OH MY GOODNESS... Every dental visit for the last don't-know-how-many years I've had at least 3 cavities each..." I was in deep shock and relief!!!

After some profuse thanking, I left the clinic, AMAZED at how this must have been the quickest dental appointment I've ever had in my life, and had to try to look calm while waiting to pay the bill - deep inside my heart was pounding, my mind thanking the Lord profusely and bowled over by how He REALLY shocked me by the grace He showed me.



This dental appointment taught me 2 things.

1. I could try to hide for as long as I want to, but one day I would have to visit the dentist, and all my teeth would have to be exposed, naked, under the dentist's light.

But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
Therefore He says, "Awake, sleeping ones! And arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light!"
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

And this dental exposure only foreshadows the greater exposure that is to come.
Everything will be put under the bright light of the Lord Jesus Christ one day.
Will I be ready?
Will I be awake?
Will I find myself like I was today at the clinic, shuffling my feet nervously, worrying about how I have not been consistently using Listerine, or brushing my molars carefully?

Will I find myself deeply embarrassed before the face of the Lord Jesus, my heart begging "Lord! Give me another chance?? Not now..." ?
Or will I beam at the Lord, confidently saying "Lord, I've done what You've called me to do.
"I've run my race, I've fought the good fight, I know I'm clean before You. I'm ready to meet You." ?




2. This dental appointment revealed my tiny threshold of pain. My corwardly spirit.

But the cowardly, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murders, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Rev 21:8

If a little drill on my incisor stirs up this much dread, fright and discomfort from within me, how will I take it when I get hit by electric batons in jails, or slapped, or beaten, or whipped, if I get persecuted for the glory of the Lord?
May the Lord give you and me dying grace, but more so, a heavenly-mindedness, that we will know in our spirits that we may suffer for as long as we are in our temporal physical body, but if we are born twice, we only die once. The temporary pain will come to an end, thereafter we enter into paradise with the Lord Jesus. Wouldn't we be encountering ETERNAL joy, never feeling tired? Or pain?
Change my perspectives, O Lord, that I won't be found a cowardly soldier of the Lord!

Risk

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk rejection.
To place your dreams before the crowd is to risk ridicule.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk
nothing.
The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he cannot learn, feel, change, grow,
or love.
Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave.
Only a person who takes risks is free.

Ann Landers

10 Keys to Choosing Your Life Partner

Time for some advertisement..... (thanks to JoGi!)

This seminar examine the liberating biblical principles that govern our choice of a mate. We will also be discussing some of the practical issues involved in
making that choice.

Coverage includes:

Biblical Principles on Relationship
Differentiating Between Love & Infatuation
Making Sense of Your Sexuality
How to Date with Decency
The Concept of Courtship
Practical Issues in Choosing a Mate
What to Look For in a Man/Woman
Come and examine this critical issue of choice that can enrich or endanger your life.

This seminar also includes an interactive forum where participants can pose questions to the speaker for discussion.

Speaker: Pastor Benny Ho

Date: 8 October 2005, Saturday
Time: 9.00am - 12.00pm (Registration starts at 8.30am)
Venue: Bible House
5th Floor Chapel
7 Armenian Street
Singapore 179932

Fees: S$10.00 per person

Bring 2 or more friends and each will pay only $9.00
First 50 participants will receive a Free Gift upon complete registration.
Fees include seminar notes and tea break.

Please add me on MSN again

Guys,

MSN buay song with Yahoo so as a result I've got to sign in with a new email address.
Please add me with my latest email address, many, many, many thanks!

Sands

Oh!

How I abhor the woes of essay writing!

10 thoughts I had today:

1. Peter Stead is an AMAZING teacher and I hope I'll be as good a teacher as him!!! :)

2. I think Dalcroze IS THE WAY to teaching music, man!

3. I decided to indulge today, considering it's the start of term break. (Yes, fellow NIE colleages I hear ye say "What term break?") I ate a blueberry chewy ice-cream cone (too sweet, people.) and an eclair from Polar. Wheeler says get those from Delifrance next time.


Ice cream with Wenmin at NIE canteen!! :)


4. Israel and New Breed rock BIG TIME. Thanks so much for introducing Gospel music to me, Raymes!!!!!

5. Let's see what I could do with me free time this week?
a. Educational Psychology Essay
b. Moodle assignment
c. Kelly Tang's film assignment
I sure look forward to it. (And I'm not being sarcastic, guys. These things can be really interesting.)

6. Sunday night is movie night with Wheels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7. I can't wait to play for worship!!!! Yahoo to saturday 4-630pm, sunday 1115-1145am!!

8. Finally took photos with my NIE colleagues. :) Check them out:


Music CS1 people - cosy 8 of us! Moi, Audrey, Aik Keong, Shahril, Dr. Wong (Ed Psych tutor), Nicholas, Shehfeng, Loonz and Allison!

More photos for your perusal at http://sonicsand.multiply.com/photos/album/48

9. My dad sings VERY WELL. I'm very proud of him!

10. I'm gonna sleep as soon as I click on 'Publish Post'.



Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

My first lesson plan exam!

I just came out of an exam in NIE. We were required to come up with a lesson plan incorporating skills on speaking, listening and grammar. We were given a text type (narrative), and a brief description of the class we were to be teaching (sec 3 express from good autonomous school), and were given 1 hr 45 min to design the lesson plan.

I took a good 45 minutes to come up with the pre-activity!!!! I googled the above picture, and my plan was to get my students to break into groups of 4 to discuss the picture, and to infer as much as they could from it.

I panicked a lot more than I expected. Man, it sure isn't easy to come up with a comprehensive, fun and effective lesson. I sure lack the experience. My mum, however, reassured me after we prayed in the car, "You'll be an expert by the time you do your 100th lesson plan".

This morning I was so worried about this in-class exam that I fell ill! But it only magnified the Lord's grace on me so much more. He provided me with the most supportive mom in the world, and also, a most delightful grandmother. They supported me, prayed for me, cared for me, massaged me, encouraged me. I LOVE THEM!!! Thank You Lord for them!!! I discovered that I really, really am a little princess. :)

Cheesecake Party

After 2nd service the YAYAs (young adults young adults) trooped to Landridge Condominium for Duck Rice, Kang Kong and (absolutely gorgeous, better to secret recipe / sweet secrets / coffee bean / starbucks) CHEESE CAKE.

Courtesy of princess Ah Wei.

Here are some glorious photos:



The princesses: Aunty Bel, Leesh, Chrissy Babes, Moi, Ah Wei, Xiao Ann

Aaron, me, Yeow Chong. Varied expressions on face.

Jon and I

Me and Xiaojia. CBF. (Cao Bin Face)

Xiao Jia

We were all squeezing in Minwei's dining room!!

Jesus is best for de-stress

Some of you may know of my recent panic-attack in NIE due to stress from the immense workload.

Upon reaching home from Qi's cell and worship practice in church today, my mind was filled with thoughts - many negative ones - and all I was thinking of was ESCAPISM. Very bad way out, but an often-chosen one. I can be quite an escapist.

On the MRT home I was thinking of many things to do. Just de-stress, perhaps watch my newly bought Israel and New Breed DVD, or one of my new VCD's from TS-Link. Maybe sleep.

Then I just knew that all that wouldn't help. I knew that having done all that, surely I would still be as frustrated. As stressed.

I decided to write a letter to Jesus. I copped my beautiful Fujitsu laptop, opened a Word Document, and began typing Jesus a letter.

Dear Jesus,

We need to talk.

There are so many things on my mind and I'm feeling so discouraged right now.........

Sorry, the rest is censored. :) I tell Jesus all my complaints and secrets.

But the best thing is that it He talks back to me as I talk to Him. (Or, type to Him.) He began correcting me of some wrong thoughts, alerting me to some false notions, and in all honesty, after about half an hour of casting my cares on Him, much of the frustration left me.

It always works when we ask Him to fill us with peace. He'll give, most generously.




Raymond recently recommended me Selwyn Hugh's Every Day with Jesus and MAN, IT'S GOOD STUFF. All I read was the prelude and Day 1 of the devotional reading and I've highlighted 4 sentences which I hope I'll never forget. Excellent stuff. Grab a copy if you can.



Yumms. Ahma just delivered some peeled longans. I love my Ahma to the max!!! :)

Finally, I return...

It's been ages since I last updated!!!

Finally I decided that this blog needs a new look. :) Hope you like this fresh white and pink layout.

And *phew*... thank God my Archives are back too.


It's been a month and 2 days into NIE life, and I'm thanking and praising the Lord everyday!!! Key things I thank God for EVERY TIME:

1. The super shiok variety, amount and yumminess of our canteen food and the fact that it's all SO CHEAP!!! (Bye bye forever, egg and cress sandwiches that cos GBP1.15!!

2. My excellent colleages :)

3. SBS Bus 180. Believe it or not, I absolutely love the journey to school. Plus the bus drivers. [Boo to TV Mobile!!!]

4. The wireless network in NIE!!!

5. The pedagogy. Stuff I'm learning is useful. :)

That's just a little update for you guys whom I've not been in contact for a while.

By the way, I've recently switched to Gmail, and man, it's excellent!!!!!!




Here are some photos of recent happenings for your enjoyment!


Studying Grammar in the NIE library... :)

Darling Carolyn sippin' tea like a good'ol English lady... we had scones with strawberry conserve (more like jam, actually...) and clotted cream (more like butter... actually...) too......... :)

Vincent, Minxian and Chiyon... taken in Sofitel, Johor, during out Alpha Weekend Away!

Wheels... in our mommy's car, drivin' to church, groovin' to Israel and New Breed... :)

My glorious mommy. The candle is a symbol of Jesus' light. Having been baptised, they now have the light of life in them! Glory glory!

Ahma, pastor Gan Hock (my mom calls him leng zai!), mama and wheels

Pictures taken from BBC.

These commuters had to walk in the tube tunnels to safety. This was at King's Cross, which is also super near my hall.

It's particulary disturbing as I see this picture. This is the bus explosion at Tavistock Square which is super near Mark's place, and also, it's the route I take every other day from Canterbury Hall to ULU, where OCF takes place, and where I swim. It's disturbing because, like what Miriam said, London is like another home to me, having spent 3 years there, around the area of the disaster. Praise God for keeping Val Quay, Jo Chua and Andrew Loh safe, even as they were going to be there if not for the fact that all 3 of them overslept. It must have been Jesus' awesome plan. Praise God!

London Blasts

Praise the Lord for keeping these friends safe. (I'm putting it here to keep you informed just in case you were worrying)

• Melody (in Buxton)
• Xinjin
• Tom
• Mel Heng
• Roland
• Jo Chua
• Jillian
• Leon
• Timothy (UCL)
• Katie (in Scotland)
• Val and Audrey
• Yeejean
• Eujin

A bit scary especially since the bus bomb took place at Tavistock Sq, Woburn place, which is super near where I stayed (Canterbury Hall), Mark's place, and Adrian's place. Russell Sq and King's Cross tubes were also just nearby.

Praise to Jesus for keeping all my friends safe, as far as I know. Let's continue to pray for London and our friends there.

However, have yet to hear from

• Ijeoma
• Martin

Anyone who knows about them, please let me know ASAP. Thank you.

More photos!

Just a few more favourite pics from my daddy's camera, from our recent Silk Road tour. Enjoy!!!


Daddy, me, and Mommy inside a Meng Gu Bao!

A supremely cute girl I met at the tourist carpark, outside the desert at Urumqi. She's an Uighur, and they are muslims.

These are kids from Lin Xia. They are the friendliest kids I've ever met in my life!!! All it took was 2 minutes of interaction before we took a photo together :)

Beautiful Singapore

How can I thank the Lord enough for Singapore! It's such a wonderful country, and He's chosen me to be a Singaporean!!! I'm so thrilled and thankful.

I love the hot and humid weather to the max!! (That's also because I had really, really bad experience of the piercingly cold winter in London) And I love my family so much. I missed them when I was in London, and I want to cherish them now that we are together.

I am extremely happy and blessed to be back here. I believe the Lord has called me back for a reason, and I can't wait to discover what! :)

_________________________________


My heart's also been turning towards the nation of China, since my Silk Road tour. Was led to this website (http://backtojerusalem.com), and was encouraged by the articles featured there. Got to know about this website from the book The Heavenly Man.

Do read it, to be encouraged personally, and to discover the amazing things Jesus is doing in the nations today!

Beautiful China

Went to China from 11-20th June, and it was a beautiful trip. China is beautiful, and I'm not just talking about the scenery... May the Lord bring me back there again.

We visited certain stops along the ancient Silk Road, and we went to Urumchi, Turpan, Jiayuguan, Jiuquan and Lanzhou.



Enjoy the photos!

The kids there love to pose, and are extremely friendly! This was taken by the Huo Yan Shan.

Ah Shuang, our tourguide in Chengdu

My dad, at the busy shopping district of Chun Xi Lu, Chengdu

We feasted like kings in every meal

Sheep were in our way!

The glorious Heavenly Lake, Urumqi

Sheep being shepherded

We had donkey rides in the desert of Urumqi.

Me and Nu Er Bi Ya, an Uighur, at Turpan.

My parents along the busy streets of Dun Huang

me and trainee tourguide, Hu Zhen Zhen (we're of the same age!)

2 kids we met at Lin Xia, near Lan Zhou.

Watch the videos I took in China on mu multiply site:
http://sonicsand.multiply.com/video/item/1

How shall I pray?

Are tears prayers, Lord?

Are screams prayers,
or groans,
or sighs,
or curses?

Can trembling hands be lifted to You,
or clenched fists,
or the cold sweat that trickles down my back,
or the cramps that knot my stomach?

Will You accept my prayers, Lord,
my real prayers,
rooted in the muck and mud and rock of my life,
and not just my pretty, cut-flower, gracefully arranged
bouquet of words?

Will You accept me, Lord,
as I really am,
messed up mixture of glory and grime?



Ted Loder
Guerrillas of Grace

A few moments my departure...

Dear God,

Someone once said that writing a novel is like driving at night with your headlights on - you can only see a few feet ahead, but you can make the entire trip that way.

Living a life is like that, too, I think. Certainly a life of faith.

Give me the grace, O God, to live such a life... and to realize that though the light given me is never as much as I would like, it is enough. It is enough.

(beautiful prayer by Ken Gire)



In an hour's time, I shut down my laptop, am disconnected from all online connections, rush to shop for gifts in Oxford Street for friends back home, board a plane, respire mid-air for 13 hours, touch down in a tropical island-country... and start a new chapter of my life.

Thank You, Lord. Your light for me shall be enough. Shall be enough.

Praise Night

Just thanking the Lord for a glorious opportunity to play for Him with awesome people.
I thank God for each of you guys!!!


Joey, me, Ee Lyn, Tze, Melvin, Phinny

Praise Night Bandies

Spanish Highlights

This trip has been such a great blessing to my life.
There are so many glorious photos that we took - here are the highlights for you. :)



by the awesome beach

F4

after some Sangria!

5566

splendid

S Club 7

after volleyball

infront of some Gaudi building

Singaporean gang by the Spanish beach

barcelona

gelato!

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stand in the path of sinners,
nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and in His law he meditates day and night.

And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither;

and in whatever he does, he prospers.

The Word of the Living God - The Lord Jesus Christ
Psalm 1:1-3