:: Official Announcement - MOVED ::

I managed to export all 900+ posts over to wordpress...in just a click of a button.

So just in case you forgot...

www.chiaochyi.wordpress.com

:: Welcome Back ::

Dear family, friends and students,

Welcome back! I decided to take a break because life was getting a little too overwhelming and I needed to just be still and know that God is indeed God, that I can trust in Him and take Him at His Word. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!

It wasn't such a long break after all. It was long enough for much meditation and getting my focus back on track. I decided to do some revamp to this blog, namely this: to be really focused about my purposes of blogging, so that I can continue writing unreservedly about my life and what God is teaching me. Then it really wouldn't matter what others say, so long I am sure that I am pleasing the Lord with the words and the meditations of my heart.

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

If you think otherwise, that what I have said is inappropriate for a public audience, or I have written something wrongly, then I'd appreciate it if you drop me an email or let me know (instead of telling someone else about it, which happened and bothered me alot) if you were truly concerned about me. I would be more than willing to make clarifications, or apologise or retract what I have written if I have truly done so. If not, this place will continue to tell of my life - of my family, my friends, lessons God is teaching me everyday as a Christian, a mom, a wife etc. I'd also like to say that you are reading this blog of your own free will.

I read the verse below recently and was encouraged by it. Paul was exhorting the elders in the church of Ephesus, telling of the trials and even prison chains that awaited him as he ministered. Of course, my life is nothing like his. I have no such suffering to speak of, but I believe God has so many things to teach us through the things that come our way each day. We each have our trials and temptations to go through.

Acts 20:24

²⁴ But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

I want to finish my life on earth with joy, to not be moved or shaken when winds blow.

***

On a side note, I have also made a shift to wordpress. I like the templates they have, which enable me to add more pages to my blog. I can also upload documents too. I've created different pages that will stay, and I hope it always reminds me of why I am doing this in the first place.

So change your bookmarks and visit

www.chiaochyi.wordpress.com :)

:: S.T.O.P. ::

I'm stopping for a long while so don't bother to pop by in the near future.

Meanwhile, when one has a child, life continues as per normal, no matter what comes my way. My heart has never been so broken and sorrowful before. So instead of spewing it all out like a fool would (as it says in Proverbs), I will be quiet and seek the Lord for comfort and answers.

I'm still contactable by email at chiaochyi@gmail.com if you want to say hi. If you know my number, you know where to get me. I'm still around physically, just not virtually.

:: Eating Yoghurt all by myself ::

I'm starting to let Hannah feed herself. It is impossible not to be messy at this stage so I'm reminding myself that it's ok to see a little mess, so long she's trying to put her food into her mouth. She's taking little steps to more independence, and I'm sure she's enjoying it.

:: From F.B Meyer ::

It was first taught me by a grey-haired clergyman, in the study of the Deanery, at Southampton. Once, when tempted to feel great irritation, he told us that he looked up and claimed the patience and gentleness of Christ, and since then it had become the practice of his life to claim from Him the virtue of which he felt the deficiency in himself. In hours of unrest, "Thy Peace, Lord." In hours of irritation, "Thy Patience, Lord." In hours of temptation, "Thy Purity, Lord." In hours of weakness, "Thy Strength, Lord." It was to me a message straight from the throne. Till then I had been content with ridding myself of burdens; now I began to reach forth to positive blessing.

:: Photo of the Day - The 3 Musketeers ::

Hannah really enjoys having them around. She doesn't even mind sharing her toys with them. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to have 3 kids. If they were all this age (Ages 7, 5 and 3) maybe it's not so bad? But to have an infant and a running toddler...hmmm...that would be really, really challenging for me.

:: Searching the Scriptures - The Fool in Proverbs ::

I did this study about a week ago and found it really interesting and real. I realised that most verses about the fool in Proverbs really has to do with his words, which of course reveals what is in his heart. Matthew 12:34b tells us "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

I am no Matthew Henry but I personally conclude that the fool in Proverbs can be summarised as in Proverbs 18:7 which says “A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”

Here are some of the traits of a fool:

Hatred/ Lying/ Slander

Pr 10:18
He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

Anger/wrath

Pr 14:16b
…but the fool rageth, and is confident.

Contention

Pr 18:6
A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

Meddlesome

Pr 20:3
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

Proud/Stubborn/Wise in his own eyes

Pr 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

Pr 18:2
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

Pr 23:9
Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

Pr 28:26
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

Unrestrained

Pr 29:11
A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

***

I realise that there are also quite a number references to a fool in Psalms and Ecclesiastes as well. I'll continue this study another time.

The Birthday Chef

The Birthday Chef
Originally uploaded by chiaochyi

:: Wisdom Wednesday - Communicating with my Heavenly Father ::

I know I've been unable to keep up with this one for awhile. I'm not even sure if this post is appropriate to its original intentions for Wisdom Wednesday. Nevertheless, I hope to strive to do this weekly and faithfully so I can challenge myself and be changed by God's Word as I fulfil my ministry as a mother at home.

Hannah has recently been able to communicate with us by saying words like 'please', 'drop', 'no more', 'no' (this is a frequent one), 'ummm' (meaning to eat), 'kick' and some others I can't recall for now. She is also trying to imitate the words that we speak to her. It is certainly delightful to hear my child communicating with me. Of course, there are times when she utters a whole string of gibberish which I do not understand, but I know she is trying to tell me something. Then I have to play the guessing game. It is frustrating both for her and me when this happens.

Psalm 139
1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

I'm so glad my relationship with my Heavenly Father is nothing like that. He know my needs even before I ask Him. He understands my thoughts. In other words, He knows my every move! I can either tremble at that thought in fear when I am sneaky about my doings, or I can find comfort in the fact that God knows me so well I can always depend on Him. I can ask Him for my needs because I know He'll always give me something good, just as I love to give Hannah good things too.

Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

I am glad that being a mother has taught me many things about my own relationship with God my Heavenly Father. Our human relationships seems so insignificant when I compare it to the relationship that I have as a child of God.

:: Sweet Encouragement ::

Even during a date with David this evening my heart was still so heavy. What am I to do, Lord? I kept asking. These burdens are too heavy for me to bear. God sent sweet encouragement to me through a song a sister-in-Christ sang as we prayed together.

Yesterday, Today, Forever,
Jesus is the same
All may change, but Jesus never
Glory to His name.

Glory to His name, glory to His name
All may change but Jesus never
Glory to His name.

:: Weary or just tired ::

The first day at home was very very tiring, and so was the second morning. I don't think it's just Hannah though, it's everything that's coming at the same time from everywhere. I've been asking myself, and asking God, "Why so downcast? Don't I have a right to be so?" I'm tired, in all senses of the word, and I really need Him now.

I drafted the post below a night ago and decided to put it up here today after some thought. I did not want to do it carelessly. It's really just my heart's burden.

:: Honest and No Frills ::

For those who know, yes, we have a crisis going on in our lives and our church. Yes, of course we know how troubled our hearts have been over this all these months. I just want to say a few things about it. I might elaborate in future but I'll leave this as it is for now.

• A crisis is an opportunity to glorify God. Yes, it really is! Can you see it as such? Only God can help us, and when He does, we can only show how great, how good, how excellent He is. It is about HIM. Remember that when you speak, remember that when you think, remember that when you're with family and friends as you gather this CNY. It is not something to be laughed or mocked at. Exercise temperance.

• Don't start with the "but he is doing it too" syndrome. Let's all start with ourselves and look only at our own behaviour and our own responses. For God will hold us accountable for only our own conduct and not the conduct of others. This has been something that God has been teaching me. I hold only myself accountable for all I do and say, and I will never, ever want to bring shame and dishonour to my God through my words, thoughts and actions.

• Let's all apply ourselves to Scripture, let's exercise ourselves unto godliness, let's read God's Word and not think about our own assessment of everything, or what we feel. Let's mirror what anyone or everyone says in the light of God's Word. Let's all be still, be praying, to be slow to speak, for we all know how deceitful our hearts and mouths can be.

• Let's just all be quiet and seeking God only. Be still. Be quiet. There's just too much noise going around us.
  

Psalm 19
12 Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.