I just want to thank God for an absolutely sweet day today. :)

1. I woke up alive. That is something I'm really grateful to God for everyday. That is something I caught from my shepherd too. :) To be able to breathe cleanly, to be able to walk, to be able to smile, to be able to see...

Life's truly a gift from God. :)

2. The sun shone today. :) I love to see the sun shine. Liquid golden light cascading forth from heaven's dew-mottled brim.

Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
Ecclesiastes 11:7

I think the sun is a flower
That blooms for just one hour
- Ray Bradbury

3. I got to go to work. Work is a blessing. I'm so glad that I can work, and not just work, but work for the Lord. :)

4. The soft sinking of my crinkled leather shoes into velvety-green grass and the graceful slant of slender trees.

5. That God answered my prayer today to bless my colleague... I had the opportunity to help my colleague do something small. It was very small, but I think it did help him quite a bit. And for that I'm really thankful to God.

6. For the great lunch with Hong Teck today. I'm very blessed by his coming all the way down from church office to meet me in Junction 8. It was a really great time talking with him - not only about the children's ministry, but also about warm, fatherly advice regarding BGR, among other things. :D Not to mention that he's one real cool guy. Haha!

7. For the opportunity to get to know a new colleague - it was his first day on the job. :) He's from India. About ten years older than me. Haha...

8. For the missions follow-up today. It was a very informative time... and of Q&A too. And for something radical that Richard Yeoh (I think that's his name) suggested - asking our bosses to send us on overseas postings on LOCAL salaries. "No need expat pay, Sir, local pay also can! Just send me!" It's a win-win situation, for both your boss and you! :) And also for the Kingdom of God, and for the country you're going to...

And also! I was trying to find my way to the High Street Centre, but got lost and wandered around the Treasury... then, just as I prayed asking God for directions to the place... I heard someone yelling my name. I turned around, and gosh! Leanne was there in a cab, and she asked me, "Are you going for the Missions follow-up event?"

"Oh yes! I am! You too?"

"Yes! Come on in!"

Woah. Woah. Absolutely woah. Praise the Lord indeed! "Before they call, I will answer..."

9. For the great, great time of supper with some of the bros and sisters. I was so encouraged to hear that my sheep has made a specific prayer request... I'm encouraged, because in a way, it is a sign of his faith in God, that he's willing to trust God to answer this particular prayer request. Thank God truly for the work He's been doing in my sheep's life, even as my sheep is learning to rely on Him more and more. =) I'm so proud of you, dear bro.

Of course, if God chooses not to say yes to this prayer request, don't be disappointed... God may have something even better in store for you. Just continue to trust God and humbly acknowledge Him in all your ways... =)

10. For the opportunity to bless a dear bro with a simple message just to say I'm thinking of him and wanna bless him.

That blessed him very much, and LOL, we ended up exchanging sweet messages... Paiseh. Very mushy. (No worries, I'm straight. Haha!)

It made me think. Usually, I tend to bless people in response to their having blessed me first. But why can't I be the one to bless first? On what basis do I bless others? On the basis of whether I feel good about them, that they've blessed me beforehand in one way or another?

Or shall I follow the Son of Man's example in taking the initiative to see the need... and sometimes, even if there's no need that I can see or meet, to Just Simply Bless the other person? Just bless the other person, because he/she is a child of God?

I realised that I have a very strong tendency in me that makes me expect the other person to always respond positively in the way that I want. It's actually a control tendency, to want things to happen my way. And if it doesn't turn out my way, I become disappointed and it shows. Thus, for some people, it affects them, leaving them feeling that they have to meet my expectations.

I think I just realised it clearly today after prayer and reflection. Ah. To pray for God's help in growing in this area. It's an ugly part of me, and I really need God's help to grow and mature in this area. But I take joy in His precious promise that He will prune and perfect me so that I may become even more fruitful. :) Amen!