Of Wetting Pants, ROM, Couplehood and Seeing God @ Work

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Wow, the week passed so quickly and before I know it, it is Saturday. Quite an eventful week this week, with the opening of the Beijing Olympics, National Day, my cell members' ROM and also heard news about my secondary school's principal's passing on. But still, I am thankful to God for how the week has gone on quite well for me and I have "survived".

Wetting My Pants
Yesterday, had the opportunity to attend my cell members' ROM. It's the first time for me going to ROM. I met KM at Plaza Singapura for a short lunch before making our way to ROM. As usual, would be the usual klutz and just as we were talking, I accidentally knocked over the cup and "splashed!". The funny thing is that I recall saying to myself "oh no, not again!" but never quite thought of moving myself away. So in the end, I "wet" my pants and it was kind of "unglamorous" walking around with wet pants and also having KM saw this embarrassing side of me... sighh what a klutz :D

First Time to ROM
Was kind of excited as I made my way to ROM with KM, but then by the time we both reached ROM, walking uphill from Park Mall, I was perspiring like crazy and looked a little "unglam", so had to doll up a little :) Interestingly, the whole process of getting married at ROM is so fast that within 5 minutes, we are out of the registry office and my cell members are married :D Wow that's fast! After that, helped to take some photos for my friend and they treated us to ala carte dim sum buffet. So by the time we were done by 5pm, I was "bloated" beyond words.

Thank God for Guiding Cell Preparation
Thank God, my friends were going back to their chalet in Pasir Ris because by that time, I have yet to prepare cell and I only had 2 hours of so to prep. So thank God we got a lift back to Pasir Ris were both myself and KM sat down to prepare for cell. As we sat down, we prayed for God's guidance for the planning. It was a fruitful session and I thank God for placing in my heart the message He wants me to bring to cell yesterday evening. So before long, I finished preparing for the discussion and also chose a couple of worship songs.

A Glimpse of Life Together
After preparing for cell, we had little time left and both me and KM went shopping at NTUC to prepare refreshments for cell... I find it funny to say this but then I actually found it an enjoyable experience going shopping, helping to prepare the food, doing the dishes and even cleaning up; things that I would shun away from at home. But, yesterday, I actually enjoyed the experience, almost as if it was a glimpse of our life together in future and how we would be shopping and doing the dishes together...

Right Decision to Continue with Cell?
Anyway, cell was marvelously wonderful yesterday as I saw God work once again... Initially, when I reached KM's house and started to prepare for cell, I started to ask myself if I had made a good decision to continue with cell. Just minutes before, I have heard from KM how her sister's cell was having fellowship and eating seafood together and it is after all even of National Day and Olympics opening... I was, on one hand, starting to worry about how many will turn up today while, on the other hand, wondering if it has been a wrong decision to continue with cell... It kind of got a bit worst when everyone started watching the opening of the Olympics on TV which started at 8pm and I started to wonder how I am going to start cell. But thank God that we agreed to start cell at 8.30pm after watching a little of the opening and when the time came, I was able to switch off the TV without much objection from the others...

Thank God for the decision to carry on with cell because I got to see how God worked, including:

• How He had been speaking to me about heart vs head throughout the week as He sent a brother into my path and how I was ministering to him in this area
• How God helped me to see His message from Eph 1 about knowing Him and being able to share this with the cell. He has thought me about how we need to know Him more than just a saviour and redeemer and how we have to know who He is, as a triune God and as one who gives hope, blessings and power.
• How cell last week and this week nicely fit together as discussions have helped people to reflect how we can move God from being a saviour and redeemer to Lord.
  
• How a song I had chosen was missed out during worship but then I later came to realise how it happened for a reason and how the song, Deeper in Love, was later sang as the closing song, providing a wonderful close to the whole discussion session about heart vs head knowledge of God
• How God has used me to minister to at least 1 cell leader during the discussion about her struggle with ministry, helping me to recall all the struggles I went through and coming to realise how God has guided me through, continuing to give me revelations through scriptures (e.g. Isa 41:9-10), pulpit, circumstances and even directly speaking to me one time.
  
• How God guided the leading of cell yesterday and I did not struggle with words and it just came naturally. In fact, I was amazed at some of the things that I said and how everything clicked together.
• How I have come to realise how God is a faithful God and helping me to realise how cell is taking off after the struggles I have gone through and almost wanting to give up... I have come to realise how God has sustained this cell and brought people to this cell for a reason, not only for a season of ministry but also be blessed by them. I can see how God has blessed the cell with a couple of people who were genuine and were willing to share their lives, opening others up to share. God also eventually brought 2 young adults who are slightly more extroverted to bless the cell with a jovial atmosphere. I was so touched when yesterday I saw how one sister stepped out in the middle to suddenly want to pray for another sister and how there was much ease and fellowship after cell, where everyone is talking to everyone. For once, there is no awkwardness and people were opening up and talking to one another... never would I have thought one day that cell would be in such a state.

Thanksgiving & Grouses
I also thank God for:

• Helping yet once again to help manage my schedule; I was scheduled to present my testimony in church this week for my men's retreat (something which I am nervous about but yet feld led to share) but this has been scheduled to 2 weeks later... quite timely considering that if it were to continue this week, I would have been exhausted considering I had been busy on Friday for my cell members' ROM, then cell, then celebrating my 2 month's anniversary with KM on Saturday and then have KM's friend's birthday celebration to attend to on Sunday afternoon. So altogether, it is an eventful afternoon and thank God the testimony has been moved.
• Guiding and watching over my relationship with KM through these 2 months. It has been 2 months being together but an eventful 2 months, initially almost draining us out but thank God He has brought us through. Both of us are still hopeful things will work out and continue to commit our relationship to the Lord.

Just 2 grouses:

• There is a lost and found DSLR camera with 17-85mm lenses being sold for $400 at a charity sale. I have always wanted a DLSR but then could not afford to buy it but now, I have my hands on it but still contemplating whether to buy it because it is really a steal (although considering it is second-hand and the body is quite battered) but then could not bring myself to spend the $400, quite a sum. So on one hand, I am tempted to buy but on the other hand, I know $400 is a lot of money and I frankly do not need a DSLR. Sigh
• I have recently been pissed off by a council member from my association. I have been maintained and putting in much initiative to develop the association's webpage and web community but everytime I talk to this council member, she just makes demands after demands and would say how some features of the web is no good and how she would want to revert to static web pages rather than an interactive web page... kind of make me real upset. Throughout this week, had many run-ins with her and at this point in time, I told her that I am not going to maintain the webpage anymore and they can find someone to do so. I am annoyed especially when my effort is not recognised and when my scope of responsibility is being "violated", denying me of my autonomy.