choice..

was just watching a tv programme that featured a little girl that has brain tumor who is partially blind.. she is only 9 years old.. and she has to suffered so much.. going through surgery, radio therapy, eating a lot of medicine, seeing a lot of doctors.. yet she has no idea how long can she live.. she can die anytime.. but she is very hopeful and cheerful.. she wants to spend each day happily.. she seems to know and understand much more about life than even an adult.. she is also able to take care of herself well and even take care of her little brother..

i am very amazed at her outlook of life.. how she can face life with a smile when she has to go through so much as a little kid.. yet so many people especially adults are unable to do it.. often thinking that why is life so unfair, getting stressed up about work, leading a messed up life.. i am not saying there is anything wrong in wanting to complain or feeling stressed up.. i am saying many times it is a choice how we choose to face up to things in our lives.. and how we want to handle it.. we are also given a choice in whether we want to have a relationship with God..

whining about things, being upset, giving up, etc.. doesn't help at all.. facing it up and making adjustments to overcome it then it is the right thing to do.. one very real lesson God taught me is that sometimes no matter how i pray or how hard i pray.. He is not going to change the situation or circumstances for me.. cos He knows that i have to go through them to learn and also have some realisation about myself.. indeed circumstances won't change.. but i can change how i handle them.. making sense of the situation.. at the end of the day.. it is not asking God to help me manuver through the situation.. but asking Him to help me understand why it had happened and what is the lesson He wants me to learn..

life is never going to be a bed of roses.. neither would it be as predictable as you want it to be.. as long as you choose to walk in sync with God.. you will be able to rejoice in every situation of your life.. choosing to see things through God's eyes.. sufferings are temporary.. nothing that goes down will always remain down.. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4..


living with a smile or a cry, is a choice..


Love,
Naomi

my baby cousins...

babies are cute in general.. especially adorable when they are obedient.. but when they become little 'monsters'.. then you feel like fainting.. really.. lol.. so let me introduce 2 cute and adorable little 'monsters' to you..


there you go..

they are hugging one another while eating dinner..
amused at the sight, decided to take a pic..
they look so cute..
the little one knows that i am taking a pic
so he keeps staring at the camera..
lol
the younger one adores his big bro
yet he beats him at times..
lol

the little one asked me to take another pic of him
his name is Justin
turning 2 this year
a bit slow yet smart
he knows how to say his chinese name
lol
the background is my grandaunt

the big bro asked me to take a pic of him
when he saw that i took one for his little bro
he is Julian
turning 4 this yr
he loves to destroy stuff
and seek attention from his mum
cos his mum adores his little bro more

these 2 little monsters come to my house (which is my grandaunt's house) quite a number of times every week.. the only person in this house that they scare of is me.. yet they like to play with me also.. so funny eh.. i hope my kids would not be as naughty as them.. or else i will really faint taking care of them.. lol.. it is very tiring.. i think my grandaunt is very brilliant in handling kids.. just as i was brought up by her too.. =)


cute yet not innocent..


Love,
Naomi

Grace..

Grace..
Is He giving me what i do not deserve

Grace..
He healed and fixed my broken heart

Grace..
Finding strength in Him in weakness

Grace..
Knowing that He is more than enough for me

Grace..
Living each day afresh with Him

Grace..
Reminder of His love for me


Your grace is sufficient for me in every season of my life

Love,
Naomi

seems that..

you might think that you have learned what God is speaking to you.. yet it seems that it isn't so.. this is a very real issue.. that many believers struggle.. especially as they grow in maturity.. it also becomes easier for them to fall into the subtle trap..

reminded once again about judging people.. who am i to judge whether someone deserves a certain thing.. even if i have been there done that doesn't mean i have a stand to say anything.. we all have our fair share of struggles.. whether is it obvious or subtle.. whether is it big or small.. we were all once trapped.. we fell and we stand up again.. we have our own sets of things that we need to learn.. no one is more perfect or more privileged than the other.. we are all the child of God.. He loves us all the same.. each as much as He loves Jesus.. saying or even thinking if a person deserves the things that he/she has, is the same as questioning what God is doing in their lives.. questioning that if God can transform that person.. ironically.. it is never a question.. God CAN transform each and everyone of us.. if we allow Him to..

usually people who judges others, are those who want to feel a sense of superiority over the others.. thinking that they are better in some way or another.. that's human nature.. putting self above others.. while what God says is the exact opposite.. putting others above self.. and that's what He did too.. by sending Jesus to the cross for us..

i find myself quite pathetic at times when i realise that i am comparing myself to the people around me.. even to the extent of judging them.. it makes me wonder where do i place my security.. being God's child or being able to outshine others? lol.. there is nothing wrong to have the spirit of excellence in our service to God.. wanting to use our gifts to serve the Lord.. but there is only a thin line between doing it for your own glory and for God.. many people after serving for some time will have a certain kind of mix motives.. cos of many reasons.. i would have to admit i am one of them.. i admit it openly not because i am indignant about it.. but i just want to be utterly frank with myself and with the people around..

"Love your neighbour as yourself." (Matthew 22:39) this is an all encompassing verse that God has given to us.. it is the second greatest commandments He gave us.. we ought to love the people around us like how we would love ourselves.. we forgive ourselves of what we have done wrong easily.. and that is what we should do to the people around us.. we always save the best for ourselves.. but now we should save the best for the others.. we don't judge ourselves so we also shouldn't judge the others..
it might be just a simple statement.. yet for one to be able to learn it and put it into practice in their lives, would take a long time.. it might even take a lifetime for some of us.. this verse has captured me since i was a new believer.. yet until now i can't even say i have done even 40% of it.. however, i trust that as i continue to grow my relationship with God.. and let His presence fill me and my life.. i will be able to do it because He who is in me is powerful, filled with love and great.. thank You for Your grace, love and mercy..


Love my neighbour as myself..


Love,
Naomi

i'm lovin it...

pics to share:

coffee art..
impressive..
=)

caramel decor..
lol..

chill out time..
hehe..

very impressed with the person who spent so much effort to do the coffee art.. cos frankly in singapore there are very few or even none cafes or coffee places that serve coffee with coffee art.. due to us being the instant society.. everything also must be fast.. lol.. chill man.. slow down and have a good cup of coffee with nice coffee art.. original coffee art requires the use of a special utensil to 'draw' pictures on the froth of the coffee.. using just the froth and the coffee.. as of that in my pic.. the person 'drew' it using chocolate and caramel on the froth.. his efforts and service should be applauded.. keep up the good work..


Good service should be applauded!


Love,
Naomi

an expensive lesson learned...

just like the title said.. an expensive lesson learned.. i learned about how impatient and reckless i can get when i am upset with something and i can't get it done..

i spent $178.65 just getting 2 fillings and for cleaning and polishing my teeth.. and the nurse was rather rude to me.. i think i got all these on myself cos i didn't want to wait for the other clinic that my grandaunt say is quite good yet considerably cheap.. as the clinic's nurses also a bit full of themselves..

i was just wondering.. this time round is just money.. if it was my youth, my potential, the lessons i can learn and even my relationship with God.. it would really cost way too much.. thank God, for making me realised it with this lesson rather than losing something that is too precious to me..

40 years to learn a lesson or nearly $200 for a lesson? i would choose the latter.. lol.. but i guess sometimes it really takes a long time to just learn a lesson that God wants us to learn.. cos we are just too stubborn or full of ourselves thinking that we have already learned the lesson.. but at the end of the day and in actual fact, if we slow down, think through and be utterly honest with ourselves.. how many of us can truly say that we have learned the lesson well or learn as much from it the way God intended? ironic eh.. lol.. that's human nature.. sad to say.. even so there is never ending lessons to learn.. just whether we want to learn..


worth the pain? hopefully...


Love,
Naomi

God is still God..

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

Thank You for being who You are


Love,
Naomi

=)

In this journey with God,
the longer you are in it,
as you grow up in salvation,
you'll know more about yourself,
then you'll be overwhelmed by your weaknesses..

At the same time, you will be amazed by God's greatness,
how merciful He is,
how faithful He is,
and how much He loves you..
There is endless list of words that can be used to describe how good God is,
and i can never express enough how grateful i am..

after all these while,
i can only say Thank You for loving me,
loving such a ragged and sinful me..

i just want to give You a hug,
a hug to let You know how i feel from deep within..
i just want to love You with all i am,
with my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength..

i want to hug You so..


Love,
Naomi

Blessed be Your Name

Blessed be Your Name
Matt Redman

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

giving thanks to God in all circumstances, no matter good or bad, is one thing i have always wanted to be able to do.. there are times that i have done it.. there are times that i could not.. but i thank God that the times that i could not is becoming lesser.. even though the process is very slow..

You deserve the praise, the worship.. no matter how am i feeling.. cos You will definitely be there to go through it with me.. and that is what You promised.. You didn't promise that life is going to be all smooth sailing.. which at times i forget.. God, i am sorry for being so forgetful..


Blessed be Your Name, no matter what happens..


Love,
Naomi

thank You..

thank You, God..

for Your grace and mercy..

for giving up Your Son for me..

forgiving me of my sins..

as i chooses to repent..

taking me as Your child..

You are a just God..

so Holy that You can stand no sins..

yet You love me too much..

so when i chooses to turn back..

You choose to accept me with open arms..

thank You, once again..

Forever grateful for who You are..

Love,

Naomi

are you?

When all is stripped away,

when you are not given any title,

when you are nothing at all,

are you going to continue to do what you are doing?

people like to say that the world out there is a rat race and they want to get out of it.. but how many people really get out of it? some of them are still trapped in this rat race in church.. losing sight of what ultimately matters most is our relationship with God.. not how high we can climb the leadership ladder.. how sad is that? i have to admit.. i was lost sub-consciously for a moment.. forgetting that i can still influence even if i am a nobody.. cos God has given this influence to me no matter what..

really want to thank God for this consolidating period to make sense of many things.. thank God also for sihua who helps me to see my blind spot and playing the 'devil' role to help me understand exactly how i feel..

going back to the core of things.. being near God.. playing whatever part God gives me.. filling any gap that i see.. :) Jia you, Naomi!! pray for me, k? :)


Wanting a pure heart for God..


Love,
Naomi

blessing...

some cards that i made myself
i like them a lot..
:)

wanted to bless the people around me.. so i decided to make some cards.. yeah.. think that diy is really fun especially when you are doing it for the people you love.. :) hope the people who receive them will feel blessed..

God've blessed me so i can be a blessing to the other people around me..


Learning to love the way You love me..

Love,
Naomi

One way...

All God's testing has a purpose.
Someday you will see the light.
All He asks is that you trust in Him, walk by faith and not by sight.

there is only One way to Him.. no matter how many paths there are ahead.. just follow the path that He has made obvious for you.. you will never go wrong..

^"5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight."

~Proverbs 3:5-6~

Trust in Him and not myself..

Love,
Naomi

running your own race...

life is like running on a track..
there is no absolute win or lose..
cos you can't determine where is the starting and ending point of each person..
there is only one thing..
that is to do your best to run your own race..

do you agree to that?

i partially agree.. indeed there is no absolute win or lose in our lives.. the only thing we can do is to do our best to run our own race.. no need to compare to anyone.. but i know where is my starting and ending point.. my starting point is God created me inside my mother's womb for a purpose.. my ending point is to be reunited with God in Heaven.. my life is a marathon.. a journey.. to fulfill my fullest potential in my own race.. it started to become meaningful when i got to know God.. He Himself with His presence is the one who makes life worth living and meaningful..

no one can run this marathon for me except myself.. no one can help draw closer to God except myself.. so what am i waiting for? i don't know.. but i know i am on my way.. so God wait for me.. and i know You will.. so i want to thank You in advance for being so patient, faithful, gracious, merciful and loving..


On my way to be so near You..


Love,
Naomi

Promise...

Seek God for what He can do..

Israelites


Seek God for who He is..

Moses


What is the reward you looking for?

the Promised land

or

God's presence



Are you like Moses or the Israelites?

Only satisfied when i know God for who He is...


Love,
Naomi

hunger...

We hunger on what we feed on.

what are you feeding your soul today?




We have the control over our hunger for God.

are you taking the control or letting it be?




Our heart is the most precious gift God has given us.

are you carefully guarding your heart today?





"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
~ Proverbs 4:23 ~

Hunger for God..


Love,
Naomi

Heart of worship...

Heart of worship
Michael W. Smith


Verse 1:
When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart

Bridge:
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

Chorus:
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus

Verse 2:
King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

at the end of everything.. i just want to be close to You, Lord.. wanting to bring something that will bless Your heart.. to You, nothing matters more than this relationship that we have.. You have given Your everything to prove to me how loved and worthy i am in Your eyes..

sorry Lord.. for the times that i have been willful.. for the times that i place my self-worth on other things except You.. i am turning my focus back onto You fully.. Lord, help me to never even to take my eyes a bit off You.. as i do my human best.. i need Your strength to help me overcome..

Thank You.. i love You..

Just a child of God..


Love,
Naomi