Movie @ Vivio City

 I normally don't go to the cinema. Yet, today, the Active Ageing Centre (AAC), Pasir Ris branch invited seniors to watch a movie at Vivo City.

About 30 of the seniors living in Pasir Ris whose birthday fall on April, May and June attended this gathering. We travelled to Vivio City on a coach., leaving the Centre at about 11:10am.

At Vivio City, Goldern Village cinema, the place was pack with seniors and event was sponsored by Sian Chay Medical Institution. Many centres invited their seniors. Guess what the movie was???

Liang Po Po 2026, the movie

The movie was about 2 hours long! It's about Madam Liang going over to Malaysia to work as a nanny, since the Minister of Malaysia said that Singaporeans will go to Malaysia as foreign workers. Madam Liang Po Po look after a fat rich boy, who was later being kidnapped and asking for random. That's where the drama began....

The Sponsor giving an invitation to join their activity and free medical consultation.

After the movie, the sponsor gave us a bottle of water and a pack of biscuit. We arrive back to the Active Ageing Centre at about 4:35pm. Some refreshment were served and we had a birthday cake for all seniors.

I took a photo with the cake before the group gather for the birthday song :)

The movie was very stereotype of all Jack Neo's movie. Most of the actors are Malaysians. After this, I don't think I will go to a movie, nothing fun but just thankful for the AAC to organize and care for the elderly and also, remember their birthday. Perhaps, that is one way to connect with the elderly in our neighbourhood.

Blessings!

 A very hot and humid day indeed. But it is my special day and I went for a jog this morning! A 67 years of living in this earth to be exact!

Jogging @ Pasir Ris Beach Park

Thankfully, I manage to complete my 10km run under this hot weather. For safety, I ran slower in the beginning to a climatize my body. One favourite Bible verse motivate me on:

"Do not be impress with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and keep away from evil. Then you have have healing for your body, and strength for your bones" (Proverbs 3:7-8 NLT)

Health and strength comes from the LORD, even as I train and take care to avoid injury and train safely. Never rely only on self-wisdom and knowledge. Listen to the body and respect their plea to slow down. 

Thank You, Heavenly Father for giving me this 67 years of life. Thank you for strength and health. May I learn to present my body as a living sacrifice to You, holy and acceptable to You, which is my spiritual worship.

Blessings & Agape Love

Running Strong with faith in God!

I was jogging in the early morning along Pasir Ris Beach. Seeing three beautiful horses triggered my my mind!

 A Bible verse flashed through my mind instantly: (Jeremiah 12:5) "If you have raced with foot-runners and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you fall down, how will you fare in the thickets of the Jordan?"

Has my faith strong enough that even in difficult times, I can still stand firm? A test of strong faith is when a crisis strikes and I can still run and strife in the jungle of Jordan.

"With God in my presence, I can face anything - any crisis, struggle and challenge. No matter what my problems are, God is with me. The issue then, is am I able to host the Presence of God at all times to the extent that all problems are non-issue with a perfect peace in God?"

After reading the Book of 2 Kings, Prophet Elisha was one such man. Nothing shaken him after he saw Elijah being taken up to heaven. The dead is risen, a sinking axe can be floated. Healing of Namaan's leprosy without even taking a look at him. Above all, he could see the Angelic Army inspite being surrounded by the vast Syrian army. Elisha's servant was in fear, hence, lost the faith.

Strong faith is build not by fear but by faith in any coming crisis. It is a mindset of seeing thing from God's perspective. When crisis comes, know that the testing of growing in stronger faith starts. Face it with the Presence of God, though prayer, rejoicing and thanksgiving. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstance for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." This is my daily practice. Jesus, who is also call Emmanuel - God is with us!

May my faith be like the three horses in Gallop Stable, Pasir Ris Beach Park!

Agape Love!

 

Last Sunday in church, as I saw the sermon's  title: Trembling at God's Word, a flashback to my early years (18 years old) in my Christian life played out on my mind. There was this Bible verses that made me fearful and trembling:

(Jesus said:) "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand cause you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go to hell." (Matthew 5:29-30).

This passage made me very careful in living my Christian life - talk very little, less I said the wrong things and be very careful in doing things and actions. I was also very obedient to my spiritual leader. As a result, other Christians saw me as "a serious guy", the no nonsense type. Right or wrong, I don't know. All I know back then, (and now) was that I was "working out my salvation with fear and trembling".

This week, I completed reading the Book of Second Kings. Reading the Bible with my heart, I trembled at the sight of Gehazi, Elisha's servant, who was covered with leprosy. Greed and covetousness had a very high price, paid even down to his descendents. That fearful thought lingers within me for days, how a wonderful opportunity of serving under the Holy man of God turn out to be so terrifying wrong! God is watching how I serve, my motive and my inner being! What a stern reminder from God for me.

May the God's Word keep me trembling, I pray.

Blessings

My Lenovo Notebook got burnt!

 Something don't happen everyday. Or never! It was not due to carelessness or mistake. I was at my usual self this morning using my notebook to read some bloggers and surf the facebook page. Maybe, I was not aware of God Presence today ... and then:

Fire burst out of my notebook as I was using it. A big scare as the smoke was thick and furious.

battery compartment burnt (battery already removed)

The battery was charred. My daughter helped to put it out with a wet towel. I switched it on at about 10am to charge the battery. At about 11:35am, fire came out and burnt most of the plastic casing underneath the notebook. As the fire was very fierce and strong. my table was burnt by the plastic that dropped off the notebook.

The burnt mark next to the towel

The strong burning smell stayed for the whole day, even till now as I am writing this. Thank God, the notebook is still working and I can still retrieve any file and use it as per normal.

Last Friday, the screen of my handphone was slightly unstable and flickering. It happened for a few days already and so, to avoid any sudden break down, I decide to change a new phone (of the same brand), a cheapest of phone - OPPO, causing me $359 from Singtel retail shop. And today, this will be my second unexcepted breakdown. Is the quality of China's product so bad? Both the phone and the notebook could hardly completed more than a year of usage. :(  

My damage shaver

Also, my the shield of my shaver had a slight tear and cut my skin when shaving, arhh! Had to replace a new shaver :((. Triple breakdown, why like that??

I then paused and asked: "God, what are you teaching me for all these sudden breakdowns?" A impulse- thought came to me - a season of "a time to break down, and a time to build up (Ecclesiastes 3:3b). There are many things we can't control. Breakdown is one of those time. I pray that, there will be lest of these in this year. But then, thankfully, these breakage can be replaced by money. There are worst thing that once broken cannot be restored, like health, relationship, friendship, ...

Cherish the things I have, because we never know when it will be broken or come to an end. Things broken or lost cannot be replaced easily and need to build up slowly again. Learn to appreciate and be thankful to God for the good health I have and the friends and family that God has given me.

Yes, God show up in unexpected way and speak to me today! And I heard Him and God's Presence linger with me the whole day!

God Bless!

Saying “Good-bye” to my 10-year old car

 The drive to the scrap-factory to de-register my 10-years old car was a slow long drive! Traffic jams along the long stretch of expressway right up to Woodlands. For the first time, I was happy to be caught in a traffic-jams. Memories of past traffic-jams encounter flooded my mind. Once, I was caught at the East Coast Expressway (ECP) for more than 2 hours. The traffic jams was caused by a massive oil spill. Maybe God is trying to tell me something through the jam, or just getting my attention that He is with me. And so, I just focus on His Presence throughout the journey. 

At the scrap factory (Sungei Kadut)

I was the only person there to hand in my de-registered car, much to my surprise. Before that, I was wondering how long I would have to queue to hand my car. Only one mechanic was there doing some repair job on a motor-cycle. The place seems very run-down. “Your car cost $800”, he said to me. I was stunned that I still need to pay $800 by giving him my car. Anyway, since I was already there, I just proceed to do the paper-work.

He helped my to de-register my car online using my phone. There was another attendant at the service counter to de-register it with the Land Transport Authority (LTA). He give me instructions on how I could claim my PARF (Preferential Additional Registration Fee) which is almost $9000. Then to my surprise, he gave me $800 in cash!

Leaving for home

Leaving Sungei Kadut was a hassle. It was an isolated place without any public transport and no habitation anywhere nearby. Only trucks and lorries are driving past the narrow street. I tried to google map and walked, but the distance seems very far. Looking up, I saw from a far, some kind of Public Housing (HDB) and the smart way is to walk towards it, far it may seem. I prayed as I walk that God would somehow bring help to me. Then, out of nowhere, a taxi appeared and stop right next to me, to which I realised that I was approaching a traffic light. Without hesitation, I flagged the taxi and hop in, asking him to drive me to the nearest MRT. It was then I realised that I was in Tew Tee areas, the remote North-Easterly part of Singapore where, long time ago, we boys did our Army “jungle” training. It has since transformed in a HDB town. The ride was short and cost $5+. But, I wanted to bless the driver and gave him $7. God answered my prayer immediately and bless me with money so that I can bless the one who serve me.

Reflecting the whole event

Before coming to scrap my car, I thought that the factory would be very busy and crowded. I tried to call the factory to make appointment as mentioned in the LTA website, but no one pick up the phone. I even sent an email to them without receiving any reply. I also have a very vague information how to d-register the car on-line.

My journey just started with prayer and go by faith. It was the traffic jam at Woodlands area that remind me to just trust God and go. From then on, everything just unfold and move smoothly after the traffic jam. The notion that "things get difficult before it get easy" is true when we put our faith in God.

Blessings with Agape Love

Taiwan Holiday May 2025

 We travel by Scoot from Changi Airport to Taipei Tao Yuan Airport on 26 May 2025

When we were at Tao Yuan Airport, we should just go to the train station and took a train to Tai Chung train station. Due to our ignorant, we paid more and took the High Speed Rail to Tai Chung. Thereafter, we took a taxi from the High Speed Rail station at Tai Chung to our location, Chance Hotel, which is just opposite the Tai Chung Train Station. Traveling on High Speed Rail is about twice faster than the train but they stop at different location.

Iron Deer Street next to Tai Chung Train Station

 

Tai Chung 27 May 2025

Our guide brought us to see the Old England Hotel – an exotic hotel at the mountainous area catering for the rich. It’s off limit to visitors and tourists. Nice scenic place

Qing Jing Veteran Farm

Nice place and cozy with sheep wondering all over. Weather is cooling. The sheep are really hungry and they follow you wherever you go.

 

Tai Chung 28 May

Sun Moon Lake – Ferry & Cycling

 

Inside the Ferry

The man is hanging on nothing, waving to tourists for donation and taking picture with him. The other hand is holding a fan. There is a metal pole next to him, but half of it is covered up with his clothes, through his sleeves.  Physicist and Engineers, how did he stand on mid-air?

GaoMei Wetland – seeing sunset
Weather is not good today, so there is no sunset to see ;(

29 May – Travel by Train from Taichung station to Taipei Station

It's cheaper than using High Speed Rail and is a direct hotel to hotel, within walking distance of about 400m from Chance Hotel. Travelling time is more than 3 hours, reaching Taipei Station after 2 pm.

 Taipei Station is an underground station with many shops and restaurants.

 

I was outside the Train Station, waiting to go on tour!

Ceasar Park Hotel close to Taipei Train & MRT Station

 

Taipei 300525 – follow a tour group today

Yehliu - rock

野柳地質公園

 

Shifen 十分 waterfall 

 

Shifen lantern flying – multi-coloured lantern, Lanterns were used to send messages from the mountain asylum to their homeland villages. There is a rail line that runs through shi fen.

Afternoon, we travelled to Juifen. As today is a holiday, the place is packed with people. The coach is not allowed to travel up into the area and all tourist are to take public bus, NTD20 (20 Taiwan dollar)

Juifen old street 九份老街

 

A-Gan-Yi Taro Balls at Juifen. Good location, up the hill and customers sitting area has beautiful overlooking the valley.
Promotion by tour guide, tourists flock to the shop. One bowl cost NTD 60.
Taste is just above average, just can't compare to our SG ice karchang or boh-boh char-char.
:(

 These 3 pictures are taken from Google:

Ximen Ding Night Market 西门町

 Nice place, full of shops and eatery. :) I like

(Picture from Google)

Taipei 310525 (Saturday)

 Today, we travel by the MRT to the Museum of Fine Arts and Taipei 101

Taipei Museum of Fine arts

Here,  we learn that what we see (perspective) define us. Beyond the seeing, are things invisibles, and more significant.

Photography: the capture of images the most failed to see in the ordinary is what make it spectacular and revealing. Some photographs on display are:

Dead animals on roads, highway
Daily pain and suffering
Sexual
Violence
Natural phenomenon and destruction
Spiritual
Birth anomalies – angels and spirits (testimonies of birth struggles and raising undeveloped child)

How do you perceived these? Life is a multifaceted concept birth, grow and die. There are many aspects of life, our journeys in life are different, many of which are beyond our control. Be thankful and grateful for what we receive.

Taipei Fine Arts Museum (Picture taken from Google)

 I like the museum, unfortunately, the second floor gallery is close for renovation. There is a animal playground for children. School children were there that day.

Taipei 101 - experience the view from the top! :). Entrance fee is NTD600 per person.

Ning Xia Night Market - this night market is smaller, only eatery and games for children,

 1 June 2025 Going Home!

 Taipei – Taoyuan Airport Scoot TR877

This Taiwan trip is nice and relaxing. There are still many place to go and explore. Traveling is easy and there is no language barrier or food issues for us. Taichung seem to be less renovated and more rural, much like the 60-70's. Taipei is nice and clean, worth the visit :)

Agape & Blessings!