Where to start

Been a bit of a monumental week thus, the absence of my usual Thursday post. Things have been happening fast that it's hard to find some time to sit down and write. So here I am, at 5.26am on a Sunday, with the sounds of soft snoring from Sophie as well as scurrying sounds from the roof, yes the cats are back, I am trying to figure out where to start.

In laws in town, always great have them around because the house becomes full of activity, kids running around always noisy. Laughter all around just warms the house so much so that the cats have moved in to soak up the love. Sophie is loving the additional attention, for us it's great to have more hands to carry her around.

Last Friday, I signed an employment contract, after almost 7 months of REST and doing all sorts of cool projects, I am heading back to work. Though I have not blogged much about it, it has been tough, not so much financially, but more mentally and emotionally. That for me was the major challenge, to not lose myself and faith amidst the discouragement and the disappointment. To basically to take all things as it comes and to truly see what is important in life. God and family!

Last Wednesday, our domestic helper dropped a bomb on us. She said she wanted to move to another employer to work. She claimed she did not want to take care of Sophie anymore, an excuse that surprised me because she loves Sophie so much. They have so much fun together and it all seemed so genuine. To cut a long story short, by Friday we were prepared to send her off, ONLY when a new maid arrives but as we woke up that morning we found her all packed up and ready to leave. We weren't expecting that! After a few rather traumatic conversations we reached the real reason, which frankly was darn stupid, we clarified and cleared the misunderstanding. End of story, all is back to normal, at least on the surface.

So pretty much your average roller coaster ride of a week. Let's hope next week is smooth, as I start work and as things fall back to normal. MIL will be staying an additional week, thankfully to help handle things with Sophie. Now all I need are some new shirts.

M in a new season

Ring me not?

I have been expecting a call for the past few days. It has been a nerve wrecking wait. Every time, I step away from my phone when I come back to it, I religiously check it. And upon seeing that there are no missed calls, it leaves me sighing. Thank God for this Lock screen that counters all sighing!

It turns it into an instant smile!

 

M thankful for my two “S”es!

Profound Expectation

A dear friend said this, "if you plant an apple seed what do you get?" ...."apples correct". "If you plant a miracle seed, what do you get?"...."miracles, of course!". Pretty elementary isn't it. Simple yet profound words. And mind you, with one seed not just one fruit but many fruits therefore, I am expecting a harvest of many miracles!

This post serves as a marker for today, the day we as family planted a miracle seed! No one plants a seed and leaves it without the expectation of a harvest. Funnily, early last year when we planted our first miracle seed, we saw many different miracles happening but the biggest miracle harvest of them all only came to our realization last week, when we looked back at when we planted our seed.

15th Feb seed planted, 2 weeks later after around 8 month of trying, Sophie was conceived. 9 months later Sophie popped out and each day with her has been a miracle that keeps on getting better. A supernatural harvest in 2 weeks!! Gosh! I can't hardly wait for what what Jesus has in store for us!

M more than expectant

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Book is in final edit. So exciting.

2) Wants to watch YOG but tickets all sold out but the stands are so empty.

3) Misses Tex-Mex food from El Arriero in Kokomo, after having mediocre Mex food at Lazy Lizard.

4) Finds that Temasek Review gives for interesting a reading at the most.

5) Helped two people on the road to iPad ownership. Apple Evangelist?

6) Is going to plant a Miracle Seed for the immediate future this Sunday!

7) My book is out of final edit but, I realised that I will have to delay it for a while more to sort out some fundamental economic issues. Oh well. Enjoy a sneak peek at the cover!

M

Kindle

Been pretty silent on the blog front other than my weekly découvertes post, mainly because I have been lost in my thoughts. One of the things that I have been doing is, I have been writing a book. Well not exactly a book, book as in a novel, it's more of a coffee table book with some prose and of course lots of photos. It has been an interesting challenge this one, and it has required surprisingly lots of thought. Thus me being lost in my thoughts. Anyways more on that later when it's published which is soon before end of the month.

One new discovery I wanted to share in more detail was the idea of eBooks. I was initially revolted at the idea of replacing actual pages, the feel, the smell of new pages, the texture of coarse beige paper with a lighted screen with text. I found the concept to be soulless. Typical of me to have such a strong opinion of something, only to quash it myself.

With the arrival of my iPad (thanks again wife, you are amazing, awesome & beautiful), and the creation of iBooks I was indeed going to give the idea of eBooks a fair shake. It bombed out!...with the fact that there is no iBookstore in SG. What a bummer. Then I found Kindle, which is the Amazon version of an eReader, instead it's build like an iPad/iPhone app. So after installation it was time to re-fire my long unused Amazon account.

Since, then I have read 3 fiction and 1 non-fiction book, all electronically purchased and delivered instantly via Amazon.com and all read via an iPad or an iPhone. So simple! With my next purchase, I was torn between 4 books, here's what I did. I downloaded a sample of each book, read each of them and eventually purchased one. In case you were wondering it's For This I Was Born: Aligning Your Vision to God's Cause [Kindle Edition] by Brian Houston and so far it's been rather inspiring a book.

Overall from a user perspective, the experience has been simple, efficient and most importantly enjoyable. I find buying books like clothes, in that they may look great in the stores' fitting room but on the mirror at home a completely different vibe. With Kindle, that no longer an issue. Do try it.

M Kindling

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) M chooses not to worry. Jesus will provide all things.

2) Is breathing super clean air; thanks to the new air cleaner.

3) Loves the fact that Sophie is in such a cheeky mood this week.

4) Just realized he missed an Asian Geographic Expedition to the world's highest railway by a few days. Damn!

5) Has been converted to eBooks, Kindle on the iPad has been a revelation.

6) John 8:31-32 - Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him,"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

7) It takes more faith to believe in the power of stones and coins than in the power of man.

M

Sept découvertes cette semaine

1) Is about to self publish his first book! So cool!

2) HFMD is a bad word.

3) Has witnessed the first miracle this year!

4) Has been spending too much time at Mount A.

5) Has used up his bad news quota for the year. From here on; only Rainbows!

6) Need to start pounding the pavement soon.

7) Believes in the 'Dunamis' power of the Word of God

M