Etna

Etna Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria is at 110 Upper East Cost Road (S) 455298
Tel: +65 6444 9530

Swensen's

Swensen's is at 311 New Upper Changi Road, #01-77 Bedok Mall

T: +65 6844 9759

Tonkotsu King

Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King is at 1 Tras Link, #01-19 Orchid Hotel (S) 078867

T: +65 6636 0855

Tim Ho Wan

Tim Ho Wan is at 68 Orchard Road #01-29A, Plaza Singapura (S) 238839

Tel: +65 6251 2000

Come to Me

It happens to most of us. It certainly happens to me. The longing. The uncertainty. The lack of zest. The wondering. The questioning. 

It usually hits me when I encounter rejection, when I feel lonely or when I see from others what I don't have. The most recent phase surprisingly happened in the middle of the week when I was busy with a lot of things and it wasn't after a rejection - it was after I decided to curb my personal desire and focus on what the Lord is telling me, where He is leading me.

Don't get me wrong, I love following my God. It's my greatest desire to make him happy and he gives me peace whenever I honor him by obeying. 

Jesus is my peace. For He (Christ) is our peace. 

(Ephesians 2:24 NIV) 

Christ's message to His disciples before leaving this world, 

"Peace I leave you; my peace I give you. 

I do not give to you as the world gives. 

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." 

(John 14:27 NIV)

What I'm saying is that it's not free of struggle but when I lay down to him all my struggles, he is faithful to fight with me and fight for me.

Jesus is my power. The Bible says that Jesus Christ 

is the power of God and the wisdom of God 

(1 Corinthians 1:24 NIV). 

"My grace is sufficient for you, 

for my power is made perfect in weakness." 

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, 

so that Christ's power may rest on me. 

(2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV) 

And I can say, I can do all things through Christ 

who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13).

I certainly don't have all the answers. I can only research, plan, daydream, pray and trust that the Lord will guide me and will whisper to me the answers to all my questions.

Jesus is my wisdom. He is the wisdom of God. 

(1 Corinthians 1:24 NIV). 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart 

and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways submit to Him, 

and He will make your paths straight. 

Do now be wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord and shun evil. 

(Proverbs 3:5-7 NIV).

It's almost easy to pray and trust God. What's tough is waiting for God to do his thing on his timing. This takes patience - and it includes the things I do and my attitude while I wait for God to work. 

Jesus is my patience. Be still before the Lord 

and wait patiently for him; 

do not fret when people succeed in their ways, 

when they carry out their wicked schemes 

(Psalm 37:7 NIV). 

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, 

and in his word I put my hope 

(Psalm 130:5 NIV).

It is but natural for us to love - love our family and friends. For a single woman like me (who has always been in a relationship for the past xx years), it's a struggle to be not in a relationship. I feel like I have so much love to give, so much to offer and blindly thinking that I need a partner to love and to complete me. All this has been changed when I surrendered my life to Christ. I learned that I can never fully love someone until I love my creator, until he lives in me.

Jesus is my love. We often hear that God is love. 

This is because he did the ultimate sacrifice out of his love for us. 

For God so loved the world, 

that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him 

should not perish but have eternal life. 

(John 3:16 NIV). 

There are numerous times God's love for us was described in the Bible. 

Probably the most featured would be, 

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors 

through him who loved us. 

For I am sure that neither death nor life, 

nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, 

nor powers, nor height nor depth, 

nor anything else in all creation, 

will be able to separate us 

from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord 

(Romans 8:37-39 NIV). 

We love because God first loved us. 

Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart 

and with all your soul and with all your mind. 

This is the first and greatest commandment" 

(Matthew 22:37-38 NIV).

When I keep my eyes on Jesus, and when he is my peace, joy easily follows.

Jesus is my joy. I have told you this so that my joy 

may be in you and that your joy may be complete 

(John 15:11 NIV). 

It takes God's supernatural grace to rejoice 

and be joyful during trying times 

but we can always rejoice in the Lord 

- rejoice in who he is, 

what he has done and what he is doing for us. 

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, 

I will be joyful in God my savior 

(Habakkuk 3:18 NIV).

I my lifetime, majority of what I held unto as truths crumbled. These included the promise of a forever love, the promise of a successful career, the promise of youth, the promise of the perfect body and the promise of happiness money can buy. A tad bit late but I'm glad I realized that Jesus is the absolute truth. So many have failed me but He will never fail me.

Jesus is my truth. Jesus answered, 

"I am the way and the truth and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through me" 

(John 14:6 NIV)

Realizing and living the fact that God is my truth makes me turn to him for my satisfaction. No longer shall I anchor my expectations and worth on people and material things. 

Jesus is my satisfaction. This is the Lord's promise, 

And the Lord will guide you continually 

and satisfy your desire in scorched places 

and make your bones strong; 

and you shall be like a watered garden, 

like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail 

(Isaiah 58:11 NIV). 

What a wonderful promise! And there's more :) 

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; 

whoever comes to me shall not hunger, 

and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" 

(John 6:35 NIV). 

Jesus is our living bread 

- the only one who perfectly satisfies us.

I know there would still be times where I'll be wondering and questioning, but now I know where to turn to. The Lord says, "Come to me,"  

Come to Me

I am the Lord your God, I go before you now
I stand beside you, I'm all around you
Though you feel I'm far away, I'm closer than your breath
I am with you, more than you know

I am the Lord your peace, no evil will conquer you
Steady now your heart and mind, come into My rest
Oh, let your faith arise, lift up your weary head
I am with you wherever you go

Come to Me, I'm all you need.
Come to Me, I'm everything
Come to Me, I'm all you need.
Come to Me, I'm your everything

I am your anchor, in the wind and the waves
I am your steadfast, so don't be afraid
Though your heart and flesh may fail you, I'm your faithful strength
I am with you wherever you go

Come to Me, I'm all you need.
Come to Me, I'm your everything
Come to Me, I'm all you need.
Come to Me, I'm your everything

Don't look to the right or to the left but keep your eyes on Me
You will not be shaken, you will not be moved ooh
I am the hand to hold, I am the truth, I am the way
Just come to Me, come to Me, cause I'm all that you need

NamNam Noodle Bar

Namnam Noodle Bar is at 

501 Orchard Road, #B2-02 Wheelock Place (S) 238880

T: +65 6735 1488

252 North Bridge Road, #B1-46/47

Raffles City Shopping Centre (S) 179103

T: +65 6336 0500

Suntec City #B1-131 Temasek Boulevard (S) 038983

T: +65 6884 5677

Surprise over Lunch – I dined & conversed with a stranger!

I'm sharing this Facebook post I shared last June 5, 2012.

Inspired by 2 of Rachel Ong’s 10 Things We Can Give Without Costing Us Money, I overcame my awkwardness & indifference for the first time and initiated a conversation with a stranger.

1.     A great smile (It makes a person feel great and special)

I was dining at my favourite café when a lady approached and asked if a seat in my table is taken. I offered a sweet smile and said no and she can join my table.

2.     A perfect greeting (Reaching out to strangers like you know them; showing that you are genuinely interested in them; perfect means whole, mature & complete)

Sharing a table to strangers, no big deal, we do it all the time. But after 8 awkward and silent minutes of eating and 3 foiled attempts of eye contact & initiation of conversation, I finally blurted, “So, how is your day goin’ so far?” The lady was surprised (most people here are not friendly to strangers) and it took her some 5 seconds to smile back and said “Oh, it’s fine.” Her next statement, “You are not Singaporean, are you Filipino?” I almost resented that thinking my accent must have been obvious so I retorted, “Yes I am. How did you know?” “I normally don’t expect a hello from strangers and my daughter is married to a Filipino so I recognized your accent.” (damn the accent) Then she started asking me how long I have been in her country (yup, she’s a local), where I was working, how I find living here (it seemed like an interview). She offered tips in saving money by suggesting where to eat for lunch & better yet, eat home-prepared sandwiches (healthier, cleaner & cheaper!) She also shared her experiences in the Philippines, how modern and expensive it is in Makati and how it was in Baguio 35 years ago! She went on asking where in Manila is the best area to buy a property and live in. Turns out, she’s considering retiring in Manila because the costs here are just ridiculous.

We exchanged a lot of information and sentiments over 40 minutes but more than the content and length, what stands out to me is the rawness & the genuineness of the conversation – it wasn’t planned and prepared so there were no expectations & pretensions. We shared parts of our lives to each other and we shared 40 minutes together. From the smile she gave me when she left me at the café, I’d say I made her happy. And it didn’t cost me a thing – just a great smile and a perfect greeting :-)

Where I gave my great smile and perfect greeting - 2 things I gave that didn't cost me anything.

If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. (New Living Translation 2007) It's default to be kind and accommodating to friends and family. More challenging greeting and being kind to strangers, people you don't like and enemies.