A packed weekend!

Well, this has certainly been a packed weekend.  Spent Saturday morning with some of my church friends walking the blocks around our bread distribution area, praying for our neighbours - those in need of friendship, in need of restoration of the family, in need of physical well-being, and quite often, in need of just being reminded that you're not alone, and someone cares.

Even the strongest of us face uncertainty, sorrow and plain fear - whether you're a migrant worker hundreds of miles away from home, or someone struggling to care for an aged parent, or a mother looking after kids who all fall ill at once.

I am reminded that even this little thing that we do, just to go out, sit, listen and pray a blessing, possesses so much value, and that I therefore need to be available to do this more often - not just with strangers, but with family, friends and colleagues.

Saturday afternoon got a lot noisier, as we hosted a pre-Christmas kids party for Daniel and his friends from Sunday school and primary school.  Games, carols, magic tricks (by yours truly, thanks to the Project Smile training all those years ago), and even a pinata, with the inevitable attack of the 11-year-old piranhas once it breaks!

And of course, a Christmas party would have no real meaning whatsoever, if there was no presentation of the Good News and invitation.  Thank God, whose word never returns to Him empty, but accomplishes what He desires and achieves the purpose for which He sends it! (Isaiah 55:11)  May Daniel continue to be a blessing to his friends everywhere that God sends him!

By the time evening rolled around, it was time for Saturday night service in church, the wife and I were zoned out!  About all I remember is that a bunch of people were sneezing and sniffling around us.  You know, if you're sick, it's quite OK not to offer to shake your hand :D  But, even when I'm tired, God's word has a way of reaching into your heart, if you let it.  So thank God for the reminder that the Good News has no barriers - God has ensured that it reaches across every cultural, national, linguistic, economic and social barrier - and since there are no barriers... what am I waiting for?  Someone is waiting to hear it from me!

So finally, we arrived at a lazy Sunday morning...

Not really.  Up at 6 to head to Kallang Riverside Park for a team relay event with my cousin and friend.  4 sets of 2 km each, for a team total of 24 km, with each of us taking turns to pass the baton (really, a banana) to each other.  Never run a format like this before, but I liked it - the distance is small enough so that no matter how tired you are, you know you'll be done in 2 km, and for the same reason, you have the freedom to put some pace in the run, rather than try to "conserve".  Hope to be back next year, maybe with my parents to make up another team!

Plus, it was really great to hang out with my cousin - we spent a lot of our childhood together, so we have a lot of common memories :) Sometimes, there's just nothing like family to put a smile on your face.

Then, as I finish writing this - and this has got to be the highlight - it's off to the cinema to watch Star Wars - the Force Awakens.  I have been studiously avoiding every media review, so as to avoid any chance of a spoiler.  I have banned the children from reading anything about it on the internet, on pain of ETERNAL GROUNDING.  I was walking to lunch with a colleague the other day and some fellows in front were talking about the movie, and I literally put my hand on my colleague's shoulder and said - we're going the other way!!!  Is there really a more awesome way to close the weekend?!?!

Thoughts on 2015 in review and the New Year next week!

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