Give me a CUPPA Cake!

Chanced upon this in the papers yesterday.
I am Soooooooo going to eat it soon. Yum!
Give me a Cuppa CAKE!!
How can anyone resist?

My Pride.

Heard of the Nursery Rhyme, Teddy Bear Teddy Bear? Do allow my sweetie pies and sugar rocks to present to you if you have yet heard of it. :) They presented this during assembly 2 weeks ago but the teacher who videoed the clip has yet given me the video and I suppose it won't possibly land in my hands any time soon. So here's the second take which I took in class today. They forgot a little and seemed a little unsure but personally I think its just so good! Call it BIAS! I will spell that with a capital B. Ha:)

Charming Little Drummer Boy.

Yesterday Van and I had lunch and we had KFC!!! Let me shout it again. K.F.C! Ooooo! Not that its really fantastic but its delayed gratification man cos I have been so craving for it since last week. With the long wait, it became a 'no-matter-what, I-am-going-to-eat-it food'.

As we walked down paragon, I met my little charming drummer boy --- > Ethan Ong, 7. This boy is totally brilliant. He plays all that by hearing you know. GOSH! Talk about a prodigy. I think God has really blessed him with much great gift. When I asked him about it, he replied with a definite 'YES!'
Brilliant people somehow just fascinates me. Especially those brilliant and humble sort. Yup Ethan - the brilliant and humble sort.

Asked to take a picture with him, he agreed almost immediately. How humble right? :) Then again how to resist? Take picture with such a pretty Jie Jie *grins*

If you have yet watched this Singapore Youngest Busker perform, head down to Paragon one of these sunday afternoons and you would be as awed as me. :)

Ethan Ong,
an ordinary boy with an extraordinary gift,
who believes in an extraordinary God - Jesus.

Happy Chinese New Year.

Yesterday marked the best day of my Chinese New Year as I slogged the whole day in the Kitchen. Absolutely Tiring But its so WORTH IT to be the Mariah for the day. Mum and Dad were happy and I guess thats the very key reason why I was. Who cares about the tonnes and tonnes of plates to be washed?
(Thank God for Jie and Gina who helped!
How can a household ever live without women??
Men out there... give thanks for your ma, por por, jie and meis)

So where was I? Right! The dinner! The guests really brought so much joy. Jie and BIL came together with Uncle Alan and Aunt Esther (JIE's PILs), Por Por (Jie's G.MIL) and Gina, Alvin and their handsome boy BABY... oops I meant Ryan. Having 11 people around the table was really a little squeezy but its just so cozy and the soup was just exceptionally sweet and savoury. Lao YuShengING was another exciting time

*PILs = Parents in Law
G.MIL = Grandma in Law


*Drum ROLLs* Allow me to present to you BABY.. Oops! I meant Ryan ONG! Aiyah its so difficult to call him by his name cos I am just so used to calling him Baby. But for the sake of his identity and esteem, Ryan, it shall be. :)

This boy is so special to me cos I babysitted him when he was a baby. Cleaned his poo, showered him, fed him, brought him out for walks on strollers, played blowing bubbles, sang lullabys yah de yah de yah de... just a special kind of connection. Love him to bits. Wah feel a little teary talking about this. SHALL STOP! haa. Now he is in Primary 2. How times fly. *sigh

Dear Lord, I pray that Ryan will grow up knowing you. He will grow in wisdom and in stature. Teach him and guide him in paths of righteousness that he will have a faith that could move mountains and and an unshakable faith in You, in time to come. Place within him a seed faith that one day it might sprout fruit of his salvation. In Jesus name Amen.

Steven.

After recess while walking back to class:

Iman: Miss Sim, just now the big boys bully us!
Soowei: What did they do? They beat you? Scolded you?
Haziq: They called us PIGs!

Steven overheard, he placed his hands on Haziq's shoulder: But, we love to eat pigs!

Both Haziq and Iman stared blankly at Steven.

Steven: Really!!

Steven was trying to be kind and comforting but I guessed he had just rubbed salt to the wound unintentionally. Haaa kids. Didn't I just tell you that I am teaching the most wonderful kids in the world? :)

Probability.

Soowei: Dear God, please send us a cab that will take all 5 of us. Amen.
Cab Uncle: 好！上车！

What's the probability of a cab uncle willing to take 5 people and earn that couple of dollars @ the risk of a fine?

Low.

What's the probability of praying for a cab uncle to be willing to take 5 people and having it answered?

High!

What's the probability of having the taxi uncle to be a non believer and yet been to Grace Assembly before?

Low.

What's the probability of this uncle coming to know Jesus soon?

Jesus I am sure you will make it all possible in your timing. Amen.

With God all things are possible! :)

Sing a Ding Ding and Learn Vowels.

A great site to teach vowels. Or say, a trigger? Am sure the children would LURve it.
Technically, when 2 vowels come together they are usually what we call a long vowel or a diphthong but I guess to children we should just simplify. :)

Ng Kian Tat.

Scene One - Social Studies lesson.
"Draw what comes to your mind when you think of Chinese New Year"

Soowei: Kian tat, your classmates are already colouring may I know why you are still not drawing anything?

Kian Tat (in a real serious tone): I am thinking!

Soowei: Erm right. Do you mind thinking a little faster cos you have been thinking for the past 20 mins.

Just before the bell rings, Kian Tat had his sudden inspiration but he still drew atrociously. sigh

Scene Two - During English Lesson when everyone is supposed to hand in their worksheets

Reported by grp leader that Ng Kian Tat did not bring his worksheet and when I checked, I found his worksheet underneath his table - UNDONE!!! Whats worse? Practice 12, 14 and 17 were there too. At that moment....Soowei RRrrrrrrrOARed

Soowei: Kian Tat, bring me to your mummy after school. You are staying back!

Kian Tat Remained Dreaming....

Scene Three - At school gate with mum

Soowei: So, Kian Tat give me one good reason why you don't like to do homework.

For a good 1 minute he remained motionless

Mum: 快点跟老师讲！！

Kian Tat: 我还在想!!!

I nearly fainted...

I Wish....

This week, we are on the topic of "I wish..." for English and I got the children tp journal about what they would like to wish for. Here are a couple of my favorites:

By: Boon Ching, 8 Yrs Old
One of my Xiao Fei feis
He wished to be a rock star.
I told him that I would be there at his concert when he has one. :)

By: Anelka Bredan Tan, 8 Years Old
One of the dreamers and jokers in class
He said, "I wish you a merry Christmas...yade yade yade and a Happy new Year"
I wished him the same and mentioned that its rather early for one.
Haa introduced to him the term "December".

Teaching Children...

Yesterday during our meeting our school's full time counselor showed this clip to us and it is very inspiring. Difficult to achieve but not all impossible... It left me thinking about what I am really teaching in school. It makes me reconsider some of the words I use, my methods of teaching and makes me wanna hug every of my little ones in class...

Everyday, there are moments that would make me pause my teaching to wait for the misbehaving children to be focus again. On the other hand, there are also moments which would make me laugh out loud in class or simply smile...

The english topic that we are on now is "Now and then". It talks about the differences between the olden times and now. Some children started talking about the toilets then and now....

Soowei: ....Yes children, you are right! The toilets then are really.... dirty and smel...

Tesmond interrupted: Smeowly!!!

Soowei: Erm... Tesmond that's right its smelly!

Tesmond: Smeowly... (a little more uncertain of the pronunciation as his classmates began laughing at him)

Soowei: Right... erm.. Tesmond, say 'Smeh'

Tesmond: Smeh!

Soowei: Good! Now try 'Smeh-ly'

Tesmond: Smeowly!!! SmEEeoly? Smeouly?

Tesmond went on trying so many other versions of "smeowlys" and I can't help but to laugh out loud cos he looked so cute trying to get the word right. In his frustration,

Tesmond: Aiyah Miss Sim I dun know how to say lah... Smeowly!Smeowly!Smeowly! meow meow meow.... can?

Soowei smiled: Right Tesmond! That's a nice poem you've got there with the word 'Smelly'....

Daddy Vs Zard Dai Kor

Never know that I would freak out at the sight of Zard dai kor (big bro in cantonese). Never used to be actually until that faithful night when it crept into my room. Let out a scream followed by asking my Dad to the rescue. Actually I think I was demanding. Anyway, it escaped cos Dad decided to be merciful and he comforted me with a mere "不用尽啦。。。”

Come on, never tell a scaredy cat "不用尽啦。。。” cos its so 用尽啦! *sigh. Went to bed with Daddy assuring that it won't come back in. GUESS WHAT??? Just a couple of minutes ago, it was on the latch above my bed. This is so 用尽 now!!! This time round as I screamed for Dad, he came in with his weapon. A rather lousy one cos the magic clean broom broke into 2 as Dad exchanged his first blow with Zard dai kor. The best part was it was still left alive on my LATCH!!!

After a minute of contemplation I think Dad began to think that Zard dai kor was not as easy as he think he was. He then brought in the high chair and of course a better broom.... *kbish bish* Zard dai kor fell to the ground.... motionless.... and Soowei rejoices!!! *grins* Lizards. YUcks!

Prayer

"...prayer is about telling God everything @ any time and any place. .."

Beth Moore

EVERYTHING
ANY TIME
ANY PLACE
PRAYER.

Shema

Pastor Ron was just talking about the Shema during the last combined leaders' meeting. If you were wondering what it was, it is actually a prayer which the Jews would recite twice a day. They would say it once in the morning and once in the night. The gist of it which I gathered is that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind and with that, the Lord blesses. Sound so simple, but I guess sometimes the simplest things are the toughest thing to learn.

I am teaching the primary 2 this year and they are loads of fun. TRUELY my sweetie pies and sugar rocks. They never fail to sweeten my day. Am on the topic of counting now. To many of us, how difficult can counting be right? What comes after 999? 1000. But to a handful of my kids, counting beyond 100 can be a little unachievable. How do one teach counting anyway? Was just thinking about how I learnt to count. Well being a smart me *clears throat* I just know how to count. Haaa Alright that's not the point. The point I am trying to make is that really sometimes the simplest things can truely be the hardest thing to learn and grasp.

Loving God with all our heart, soul and mind... Loving God with our all, our whole, our entire. We never should comparmentalise our life when it comes to loving God. We don't just love God in church do we? We love Him when we are schooling, eating, happy, sad, watching TV, shopping... the list goes on and could be sum up with one word - ALL.

A.S.A.P

A.S.A.P

A brand new meaning for a busy world.

Handbreadths.

PS 39:5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath.

Dear Lord,
make my life count as it should be.
Help me to focus on what is important and eternal.
Help me see the value in the things that I am working on now and in the years you are going to bless me with. Though my life is just a handbreadth, may it impact many more around me and hence bring YOU glory. Lord I confess my limitations and proclaim Your limitless Power in my life. Use me as YOU want me to. Amen.

First Day of School.

First day of school. I brought a school bag of anxieties. Come on! Who says that teachers have no anxieties. There are like thousand and one things to remember and just a million zillion administration work to handle. What do we do on the first day?

Let me bring you into a teacher's BRAIN, the night before school:

• What should I wear tmr?
• Black? YES! ALL BLACK --> Power suit!
  
• Should I smile the moment I enter or not? I should la, they are lower primary hmm... NO! Cannot! They will climb over.
  
• My Access card? Hmmm Where did I put in?
• GOSH! Where is that VPN token? *Phiew! Found.
  
• What do I need to collect tmr? Ok All workbooks, practice books, MLEA book, Files.
• Sitting arrangement how?
• Practice getting into groups.
  
• CLASS RULEzZ!
  
• OK! Now how come I can't sleep?
  
• Clock Ticks....
• ZzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZ

6:00am

As I walked into school, I was greeted by a gush of Johnson & Johnson baby power scent. OOoo yeah! THe new batch of primary ones. GOSH! SO cutsie. haaa small people with ernormous bags. I have a feeling the parents made them bring EHhhhhverything to school lor; maybe even next term's books. :) That somehow perked me up a little as I made my way to the staff room.

Before I could even warm my seat, an announcement for all form teachers to be down at the parade square was made. YUP! Form teacher! That's me. Made my way down ASAP cos I looked around and apparently I was the only P2 form teacher left in the staff room. Haa.. ZOOM down and guess what?

Soowei: Mrs Ho where do we get the attendance? I can't seemed to find it in the office.
Mrs HO: Oh! For the first day we usually print them out from the cockpit.
Soowei: GAsp! Right... *smiled and tried to remain calm.

Thank God that I brought along the student's particulars forms and I could mark the attendance with that. Now! Visual check to see that none of the children are looking sickly cos of the Avian Flu. At this juncture, teachers play doctors and nurses too. :) Time to sing our National Anthem. sadly, tape didn't work and we had to sing acappella. Boy boy boy! I concluded, my children are rather tone-deaf. I can't help but to let out a snigger cos my pri2 sang so loudly and each carrying their own tune. I think they were trying to harmonise but er... I tried real hard to control man!

Went in to class, had a closer look at each of my kids and I can't help but to let out a smile as I greeted them. They are just such sweetie pies. RIGHT.... started off with a BINGO game to have everyone know one another a little better and guess what? They were rather obedient, I told them to whisper and play and they did. I LURVE my kids! SMUACK SMUACK.

Skip all the admin and TADAH! Before I knew it, School's over.
Head for quick lunch then meeting.

How I'm feeling now? Looking forward to seeing my little ones tomorrow.

My Carebear Friend.

Had so much fun hanging out with my bear friend today.
I felt so sorry for having to postpone so many of our supposed meetings.
Hey Carebear Friend, thanks once again for being that patient, faithful friend. :) Happy Belated Birthday! Dun think you wish to count it right? *Wink*

Beginning a brand new year with His promises...

For the past couple of days, I have been feeling rather overwhelmed by the 2007 load. I have yet seen it but was welcomed by it during the SEM meeting last week. A little lost for words when I found out that I am going to be in EIGHT committees this coming year. I guess a better word to describe how I am feeling now is "...".

HOwever I am bringing these into 2007:
1. Amanda's worship leading on GOd's faithfulness.
I really needed to hear that man! Was so blessed to learn again of His faithfulness; one that never fails. What have I to fear when I know God holds my tomorrow?

2. Pastor Matthew's Message on Praising God for His goodness.
I guess I must learn to see the good in these 'bad' which I am feeling. I need to catch a glimpse of God's hand and His purpose. Indeed, God works all for the good of those who love Him and those who are called according to His purpose. Once again I need to learn to trust and learn to praise and pray in the midst of bad and toughness.

3. Liying's MSN encouragement
Thank you for all that you have said over MSN. I so choose to believe that God has used you in those minutes to minister to my fretful heart. :)

4. JIE's sweet sms
Just when I needed it! How apt.
"Praying that God will give you strength and joy as you start a new term. Love you and night night".
Love you too JIE!

5. Jeanie's God led prayer
I was so blessed to hear your voice over the phone praying for me. God just know that I needed it i guess. :) JEanie thanks for being that channel of blessing that God has used to touch my heart. Thanks for claiming so many promises through that prayer. I am charged up man! :)

With all these, I am marching into 2007 with GOD and His promises!!!

Charlie Brown Christmas

Have you ever asked the same question?

Eighteenth/12.

Eighteeth/12

Two years back, when they said ‘I do.’,

JIE was stunning and so was BIL.

Eighteenth/12, a day to remember

Of a handsome couple that God has brought together.

Both of you are so different yet similar

That explains the gifts I bought earlier.

The CD, ‘When Jazz meets Hymn’,

Talks much about JIE being ‘Jazz” and BIL being ‘hymn’ -

2 people of different background,

Yet when placed together generates such beautiful sounds.

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.”

I hope you like the T-shirts and not just wear only once.

It talks about God being your constant provider

And hence you need not worry.

Just trust in Him and know for sure

In Him, you have no lack, nor fear.

Lastly, the book I bought meant as a reminder:

DO NOT stop dating even after your wedding.

May your hearts grow fonder for each other as years past

And hopefully a few little ones would come real fast.

Happy Anniversary BIL and JIE.
You guys are really dear to my heart.
Love ya to bits.