Skeletons in the cupboard

Been down with GE and now flu since i came back from Cambodia, hence the temporary absence from the blogging scene. only managed to post pictures -now the extra ones i got from celisa.

It's gonna be a new week for most people- the NUS yr 5 medics are going into their final year, celisa is going to start her attachment at TKSS, hannah is back to school to teach, jolene is doing spanish at NTU and preparing for canada maybe? those who are working carry on as usual. it's princess's last week at singapore before she takes off for melbourne next sunday.

well, but its good to have some people home! welcome back jean (from glasgow finally) and charlene (from thailand) and of course the nepal mission team.

there are still people who are not home, and im waiting!-kris in NY, alfred in kenya, joanne in NZ.

there have been some new beginnings for me as well, Praise God.
private latin dance classes at john and josephine.
relief teaching jobs in various primary schools and RGS
RGS alumni stuff
medical attachments
a new haircut (though tt was quite some time back)
a new flat in glasgow- thanks to Jean who put in all the hard work into our new flat!-its a surprise location and place, ill detail later on.
a new goal-well short -term: to go back to cambodia in september!

it's always good to have dreams-no matter how simple they may be.it propels me to move forward in life.
how about dreams that have been broken, or never came to past?
I was speaking to a close friend today, and it just left me with some thoughts.

Everyone has some skeletons in the cupboard, their own dark secrets which are sometimes hard to deal with-either too embarassing, too shameful or too painful.
everyone has sort of a past to come to terms with.
the past can come in all forms, and the degree of damage inflicted may vary.
we can choose to escape and never face these fears or scars, or we can choose to dwell in them and enter a phase of self-pity and despair.
it is often difficult, and unnatural for us to choose to "sing of His faithfulness and His mercy and His love, and say this is the day the Lord has made" (as learnt from nat's leading of worship at FL today).i truly understand...
IM not a guru of dealing with pain and "the past", but I do know we HAVE and MUST forgive. let go, and forgive.
if God forgave us when we trespassed against others, just as he forgave all other trespassers, shouldn we also forgive? mzybe sometimes we are too proud to admit we have to let go of this tight reign of control we think we should have over our lives.
so much so that when things dont go our way, we cant accept it with humility.

ill never forget those words scribbled on a wall of the toulsleng museum "Our revenge is the laughter of our children."
think about it. its too difficult to hold so much pain and anger and resentment in one's heart, when that space can be put to much better use.BIg G used to tell me "there are more things in life which are worth your tears" im beginning to appreciate these words.

alfred once shared, how the kids in nepal changed him. when he thought he had lost all capacity to love, he regained his passion when he was with those who were needy. He realised, He can love. id like to offer a little explanation (personal belief).

cambodia was awesome, because i found myself in the same position.i was apprehensive about my own feelings, wondering if id have the same compassion as before.
but i experienced love- like a fountain, ever flowing, never draining. it was not the least tiring, but every bit deeply enriching to the soul-loving the children.and loving them gave me hope. I believe, we love because He first loved us. I can never love this way because of my sinful nature, not without Him filling me each day with His compassion and kindness.
then All the heartache life brings sometimes, will seem so dull in comparison.
Thank you God for this mercy and grace so precious.

Our God is an awesome God.
He will walk with us through the valleys, even when no human being would.
He will restore to us our joy, if we let Him come into our hearts.
He gives peace because its His nature.
He loves like no other human being can, because He is God.

take heart my friend because we have the most powerful God in the heavens and earth, who has already conquered this world!

BELOW ARE EXTRA PHOTOS FROM CELISA
FURTHER BELOW ARE DETAILED ENTERIES ABOUT THE WONDERFUL TRIP.
PLEASE READ AND ENJOY THE TESTIMONIES TO GOD'S GOOD WORK AMONGST US!