Take time to warm up kind (Amazing Race 2006)

What a race! Right at the start I was sorta mumbling in my heart how come the group so quiet one? Why can’t they be friendlier with each other? Aiyo I’m going to have a hard time…

We did really funny things like asking tourists to pose with us, say something funny for us, attempt to find hidden slips of paper & having fun in the MRT.

Young people put them together sure can have fun one. Some might be shy or take time to warm up. It’s ok. I’m the need time to warm up kind as well. But when I’m with my close pals then I go all crazy.

And at the end of the day, the gals proved me right. They sure looked they enjoyed themselves yea! I did!!! And I'll definitely take the same group again if I have the chance! Gals u ROXX!

Enhancing Relationships (3)

BE PATIENT














This is a true story which happened in the States. A man came out of his home to admire his new truck. To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint of the truck. The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as punishment. After the father calmed down, he quickly rushed his son to the hospital. Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands. The boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, "Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck. But when are my fingers going to grow back?" The father went home & committed suicide. Think about this story the next time someone irritates you or you wish to take revenge. Think first before you lose your patience with someone you love. Trucks can be repaired… Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't. The actions we take while in a rage may stay to haunt us forever.

Don’t just look at the surface

Attended my friend’s wedding not too long. That’s him & his bride.
They’ve came a long way. It was NOT honeymoon period all the way. Good times, tough times, difficult times… Even a point of time they nearly gave up. Why??? Is it because they weren’t suitable for each other?

I don’t think so. Imagine if you put a dog & a cat together. Sure to fight right!

It’s the same when it comes to human beings. Two different person (different family background/upbringing/views/gender/way of life) coming together. In fact human beings are much more complex than animals so it requires even more effort to make things work out.



Lovey feelings alone are NOT sufficient to make a relationship successful. As quoted by a professional; such lovey feelings last for at most 2 years.

Commitment (If we’ve chosen each other, then we’ll do our best to make this relationship successful. I’m not taking you for granted or for fun)

Communication (You’re being unreasonable, but I’ll try my best to understand what’s going on in your mind. I want to hear you out)

JH & Wei, congratulations!

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
(Their wedding verse)

Don’t just look at the surface; there is much more hard work that has gone into a successful relationship. Not for the faint hearted.

What's Up?

I'm participating in this with some of my friends. Come join us if you're interested.
Important: If you're interested, drop me an email at kermittee@hotmail.com by 19th June, Monday!

Enhancing Relationships (2)

NOT OVERPOWERING

Many relationships fail because one party tries to overpower another, or demands too much.
People in love tend to think that love will conquer all and their spouses will change the bad habits after marriage. Actually, this is not the case. There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "It is easier to reshape a mountain or a river than a person's character." 江山易改，本性难移。It is not easy to change. Thus, having an unrealistic expectation on changing your spouse's character will cause disappointment and unpleasantness.

If you really love someone will you accept them for who they are?

Enhancing Relationships (1)

I received an email from a friend this morning. And I thought that it was pretty meaningful. And good stuff are meant to be shared!


TRUST:
TRUST is a very important factor for all relationships. When trust is broken, it is the end of the relationship. Lack of trust leads to suspicion, suspicion generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity may result in separation.

A telephone operator told me that once she received a phone call. She answered, "Public Utilities Board." There was silence. She repeated, "PUB." There was still no answer. When she was going to cut off the line, she heard a lady's voice, "Oh, so this is PUB. Sorry, I got the number from my husband's pocket but I do not know whose number it is."

Without mutual trust, just imagine what will happen to the couple if the telephone operator answered with just "hello" instead of "PUB".




How true. Marriage is forever.

1000 Linking Hands (千牵手) - Fundraising Bazaar

1000 Linking Hands 千牵手 2008

Objectives:
To serve the needy and disadvantage community in China in 2008 by gathering 1000 youth form Singapore and Shanghai each, using a bilingual setting (English & Mandarin), resulting in lasting friendship among volunteers.


Shanghai Summer Camp 2006

This camp was designed as a pilot project for 1000 Linking Hands (千牵手) in 2008.
Camp Objectives:
1) Empower the participants to serve the needy and disadvantage in the community with the heart of compassion
2) Equip the participants with performing magic skills and basic service-learning knowledge to serve the community


I’m going Shanghai in July; this will be my second visit there. First trip in 2004 was semi leisure but this second trip is official. I’ll be going as a volunteer to serve the needy community in China. So if I approach you for donation and sponsorship do be generous! :)

There are 20 groups in total, with 6 members per team.

~~ Fundraising Bazaar ~~

Over the weekend our cluster had a fundraising bazaar. Four little teams make up one cluster. Our team came up with two ideas – Selling second hand items and hand bracelet balloons. Business was good! We ran out of balloons halfway through our sales and Rennie had to drive out to replenish the balloons.

Other sales items were homemade cookies, inspirational book marks (cheap & good), t-shirts, earrings. The most profitable item was the ….drumrolls….. Homemade cookies! I tasted some left over crumbs. Yummy!

Fundraising was not just about raising funds. It was also a wonderful team bonding time. I used to think ShaoQi is the “Don’t mess with me” type. But I had a taste of her cheekiness last Sunday. Evidence included!


Pearlyn is really diligent. She may be the youngest among us but she worked the hardest. She single-handedly mastered the skills of making the hand bracelet balloons & then taught us how to do it.

Other than team bonding, fundraising is also a wonderful opportunity to share with people around us what we’re doing. And why we’re doing what we’re doing. (Scroll right above for the reason)


Yeah! A job well done! Farewell shot.

Melaka is juz GREAT! (Day 3)

Day 3 (13th May)
All activities today were held indoors. The guys and gals were splitted up into separate groups.


~~Image of a Woman (Desirable values of a lady)~~

For the ladies, Mrs Julie picked up from where she left off the previous night. We explore further on what are some desirable values of a lady. I’ll just share on the value that was assigned my group=> “to be KIND”

Qn 1) What are some personal struggles we have on being kind?
- When we feel that our kindness was taken advantage of
- After a long tiring day we just don’t feel like being kind
- Some people just get on our nerves…

Qn 2) Just how kind is kind? (As in… some people are naturally very nice. Are they kind? Or it’s already part of them?)
- A wonderful lady in my group PP shared something that just turned on the light bulb in my head. “Do unto others how you want others to do unto you”. Basically treat others as how you would treat yourself. You won’t mistreat yourself right? *flashing light bulbs*
- Are you kind simply because you want your kindness to be reciprocated? Or are you kind because you really just want to help someone in need? Ooooh.

Qn 3) How girls act UNKINDLY?
- Someone shared about a book that she read titled “Guys bully, Gals Ostracize”. Generally gals won’t go round scolding people or bully in gangs but a way a gal acts unkindly by withdrawing her attention from you. It’s sorta like you’re not in her close click of friends. Not welcome. Shoooo.

I was greatly enriched by the group discussion and Mrs Julie’s teachings. It gave me a good opportunity to reflect upon myself – the real me when no one is watching. Chimm??


~~Image of a Woman (Be comfortable… enjoy what you’re designed to be)~~

There’s a “MYSTERY” section in the programme sheet which kept all of us in great suspense. And it came as a huge surprise for me when it was finally revealed.
We’ll be waltzing! My initial thoughts were like….eeeks so awkward one, must we really go through this. Eeks! I’m definitely not going to enjoy it. Blah blah blah blah...

We were informed beforehand to bring our formal wear as if attending a wedding and strongly encouraged to wear skirts and no pants.

3-4pm: Learn waltz
4-530pm: Free time, preparation
6pm: Dinner Banquet (AAAGRH!)

The guys were “transformed” into gentlemen for that night. (Disclaimer: Not that they are not gentlemen but that it was super highlighted for that night) And the gals…..ladies. Initially it feels very weird for the gentlemen to pull our chairs; take food for us and yes invite us to dance.

However at the end of it. My conculsion is I absolutely enjoyed myself. It was not how I imagined it to be. And what I caught at the end of the day is that

Guys -> Be comfortable to be a man. Appropriate your manliness.
Gals -> Be comfortable to be a lady. Embrace your femininity.

Let’s enjoy what we’re designed to be.


Picture of PP, dinner partner Skywalker & myself. New found friends! And Skywalker is getting married in July. Congrats!!!





Important notice: Do not simply go out and sign up for any waltz courses. This was carry out in a safe and moderated environment of my church’s youth camp.