Happy Chinese New Year 2009 !

Another year has arrived...the year of Ox (for Chinese)...and till now I am still wondering, where does Dragon come from. I thought dragon was just a legend but it is one of the animals in the Chinese calender. Funny... Well, who cares...it is just a tradition and I am not a tradition person.

I am spending my a week CNY holiday in Penang. It is a hot hot day and night here in Penang, plus lots of mosquitoes. My body is for CNY mood but my brain in on my work...sharks. I still could not get my mind off some cruel teachers who has no brain and heart. I wish they had the brain and heart to understand. Well, the heck with them. I am on a CNY holiday...will think about this issue when I am back to work.

WISHING ALL OF YOU "HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!"

Bible Knowledge....1st Class

First class of Bible Knowledge ended today with the Introduction to Luke. Never have I thought God would still find His way with my life.

I got to know about Bible Knowledge (BK) when I was in Form 4, that was years....ago (when I was still young). I almost wanted to drop one subject for SPM in order for me to be able to take BK as one of my SPM subject but due to time limitation and no guidance at all at that time plus I am not willing to drop Prinsip Akaun which I like very much, I did not take BK in SPM.

All about BK was forgotten until I arrived here in Miri. Our dear uncle Henry Wong was the first to approached me to teach BK in the church but I was never interested in it or rather I hated studying and reading. I was not willing to go all the way there and teach something which I myself do not know. All seems a waste of time for me and the students too and dear Uncle Henry was a very good teacher. I could not teach like him. He is so knowledgeable and I would have to study extra harder if I would take up teaching this subject. So, forget it....

I attended BK Seminar twice in Miri eventhough I am not really interested in it. Somehow, whenever the seminar is held in Miri, I will be there. I still thought that I can never teach BK and I will not teach BK. It is not an easy ministry...you need to know a lot about what you are teaching because normally, students who take BK, are good students. I am no good at this. Even so, I am still very impressed by Ms. Moey. She is another person full of knowledge and her teaching sounded very serious but interesting. You can never want to not attend her class. So, again, forget about it....

BK seems to be everywhere in the In STeP. Almost every issue will talk about BK. I think students should take it but I think I should not be the one teaching it.BK seems so important but as for me, yes, it is very important and too important for someone like me to teach. So, forget it.

I heard from my friend that some students in my school in taking BK and she might be teaching this subject this year. Ok...I heard her and never thought much about it...just...it's good for her to teach it. Come year end school holiday and my Penolong Kanan 1 smsed me something about me teaching BK for year 2009 and asking for my e-mail address. WHAT???? Me teaching BK ???? But what was my respond ? I gave her my e-mail and here I am teaching BK to a bunch of Form 3 students every Friday afternoon.

When God calls, you can never run away from it. When He wants you, He will really make sure He gets you. So, just say "Yes, Lord" and surrender everything to Him and He will guide you through, the good times and the not-so-good times.

1st class, I taught the topic, "Introduction to Luke". Took me one week to read up just the introduction to Luke...read and reread...again and again to make sure I understand and able to explain it. Powerpoint presentation took me about 7 hours to finish it. Prayed many many times. Heart beats faster than usual. Finally, "God, You got to help me and I am depending on You on this BK class. Help me learn to relax and please, give me Your peace. The students might not be interested but I pray that one day, they will open their hearts to Your words and make a difference in their lives". Done...I had so much peace after that and trusted God fully to give me the words to speak.

When you are doing God's ministry, He will definately hear your prayers and ever ready to help you. When you are doing God's ministry, He will not leave you alone to handle everything. In fact, He will be with you and help you handle everything but when He is not helping you, know that He is watching you and He knows that you can handle it.

1st class ended well today. How about the next class and the classes to come? I do not know but I know I need to read, study and prepare. Apart from that, I need to pray and always be right with God and man. The rest ? I leave it fully to God. After all, it is His ministry and I am His instrument, for His glory. I can handle my lesson but the heart of the students...I let God handle. Only God can penetrate into their hearts.

Praise be to God !

1st Lesson Learnt in 2009

Last Friday, I checked my letterbox and found a few letters for me, a bill from Celcom and another brown coloured parcel wrapped neatly. Address of sender ? Teachers' Christian Fellowship Malaysia. Hmm...what did they send to me? A book ? What book ? I opened it with much curiosity. Huh? A bulk of In STeP....Oh no!!! I need to distribute it. Not this issue!!! Any other issues but not this issue. *think* Distribute it or keep it ? *think*

Why I do not want to distribute this issue? Because I have my article in it. What would people think? They will think that I am just showing off. *sigh* What should I do? *think* Ok, before anything, let me sms my ibu. Sms sent, reply received. "Pls edar to prospective tcf mbers. Aiyo spread d blessings. Its not abt u only la sayang". Message received. Yes, it is not only about me but it is also about me right? If I have been doing this distribution thing a few times before, then it is not so obvious but why only now with this issue. *think*

Since it is a "wish" from my ibu, I need to think of ways to distribute it. *think* Ibu suggested posting but it's too much affort for a simple thing. Since I said I will do anything for my ibu, I need to get it done. Slowly, this distributing responsibility which seems so difficult become something which seems fun because I need to think and plan strategies. Cool...*think*.

First option, ask a friend to distribute it for me. Second option, I will just distribute it myself, ignoring what I think others will think. Finally, I used both options. Saturday, I distributed 2 copies. Sunday, I distributed 5 copies. Monday, 2 copies. Left 1 copy, keeping it for one of my friend whom I will meet on Friday. I counted it mission accomplished. How did I do with this task? Not bad. My skin thickend by a few cm.

Ibu said it is a stress for me but I think this is fun. I could do more. Next time, I will do promoting of TCF membership. Hehe. My next mission. Now, let's see this task from a different point of view.

One...this is a very basic and simple task of sharing blessing. All I need to do is distribute. It is the same as evengelism as well...just distribute tracks or whatever to anyone. Why afraid when you are doing a good thing?

Two...in order to reach out to people, sometimes or maybe most of the time, we need to be thick skin. Forget about what others might say about you or what you think others might say about you. Just set your focus right...focus on God. You are not doing it for people but you are doing it for God. So, who cares what others think and say. Nike...just do it.

BECOME A PART TCF TODAY!
even if you are not a teacher...
show your support for Christian teachers throughout Malaysia...
we welcome all into the family of TCF...

http://tcfmy.org

in STeP ... with the world of ChristianTeachers

Today is the 12th day of the year and it has been 1 week since I started teaching. Everything is different this year, students increased as we have expected, teachers increased, new subjects with new time-table system, resource room rearranged and repainted, longer school hours, teaching Bible Knowledge to form 3 students, new responsibilities....erm...and etc. What I like about this year is I am able to find the passion for teaching...teaching with a heart...teaching with God...teaching with love....and teaching...working as a ministry. How I found this passion which I never had ?

Some collection of previous issues of in STeP

I was browsing through a friend's photos on Facebook and I came across a wedding photo with the name of the bride Jan Lyn. Hey, I've seen this name somewhere...I think it is in the "in STeP". Is it the same person? Not sure. *search* *search* in my book shelf for previous issues of "in STeP". Took everything out and search for that lady with the same name and spelling. Finally, found! *Look* *Focus* *Compare*....hmm....Could not be the same person because both has a face of different shapes. So, conclusion made, not the same person but with the same name and spelling (I could be wrong though...it might be the same person...who knows). Being the usual me, I just put the stack of "in STeP" on my old CPU. Then, I took back the issue with Jan Lyn on it and started flipping the pages...reading here and there. Not that I have never read it before but I guess I was reading it just like reading any magazine. Read and finish. Keep and forgotten.

In this particular issue, it was about the testimony of all the new teachers being posted to Sarawak and Sabah. In the end I read the whole issue and while thinking back about the first time I arrived in Miri. They were all with friends whether old or new, they were with someone but I came to Miri alone, not knowing anyone. By the grace of God, I survived and being more than alive here in Miri.


Slowly, every morning, I will take one issue of "in STeP" and read it while sipping a cup of hot drink and then taking it along with me into the "throne". I started to understand what people are writting, I started to learn something from everyone's article, I started to value in it, I started to realised that I am not alone in this world of teaching, I started to see that many share the same vision and mission as me, I started to change my view on teaching, I started to see the need and importance of encouraging Christian into the teaching world, I started to have this passion for teaching, I started to see how Christian teachers are making impact in the live of students and finally, I am really encouraged to see and read of teachers who taught till their retirement age and still could show and share their passion for teaching...tell of the many lives they have touched.

Read this...taken from "in STeP" volume 18 Issue 3 PP6303/11/2006. This is one that make me changed in my life as Christian.

JOB vs MINISTRY

If you are doing it just because no one else will, it's a JOB.
If you are doing it to serve the Lord, it's a MINISTRY.

If you quit because somebody criticised you, it's a JOB.
If you keep on serving, it's a MINISTRY.

If you quit because no one praised you or thanked you, it's a JOB.
If you stay with it even though nobody recognises your efforts, it's a MINISTRY.

It's hard to get excited about a JOB.
It's almost impossible not to be excited about a MINISTRY.

If our concern is success, it's a JOB.
If our concern is faithfulness, it's a MINISTRY.

God does not want us feeling stuck with a JOB but
excited and faithful to Him in a MINISTRY.

This is just one part of it from the "in STeP". There are many things to learn from different Christian from different walks of life...different views...different ideas but it is so difficult to get Christian teachers to read "in STeP" and what more to become a member of Teachers' Christian Fellowship.


Oh yeah, just for your information. "in STeP" is a non-profit Christian newsletter published 4 times a year by the Teachers' Christian Fellowship Malaysia or better known as TCF.

Since I am here, let me do some advertisement.....

BE A LIFE MEMBER OF TCF...IT'S ONLY RM300/= FOR WHOLE LIFE.

BUT if you think you are POOR and could not afford RM300/= .....

BE A TCF MEMBER BY PAYING RM30/= EVERY YEAR.

Don't tell me you can't afford that too ? I bet your car petrol cost more than that in a week...or month....or year ???

People are always asking me, "What benefit do I get by joining TCF?".

"ONE...you get 4 issues of IN STeP every year which by itself will benefit you beyond money can buy and the world can ever give you.....PLUS...you could be a benefit to others by sharing your articles with others....AND I am sure your life as a Christian educator will be different. FINALLY, the unseen benefit is from Someone Above".

FORM ???? ASK FROM ME.......

Two Zero Zero Nine

A new year has begun. A time for people to do new year resolutions. All my life, I have never done any on my own will. During my school days, I roughly remember a few teachers asked us to write our new year resolutions which are basically very academically orientated. My own personal resolutions ? None! I have never really plan for my future. I just do what I think I need to do and just live one day at a time. Trusting fully in my Heavenly Father for whatever lies ahead.

I do have hopes and dreams though but when I looked back on my own hopes and dreams, none of it will ever come through or maybe not yet or I am too afraid if it ever came through, I don't know but one thing I know, two of my dreams never came through. Hmm...should I share with you here ? One...too private...two...it was always my dream to be involved in creative arts, to be a graphic designer, study in Lim Kok Wing but obviously, it failed. I never got into it and because of that, I partly gave up anything to do with arts. In hope that I could just forget about this dream of mine once upon a time.

I have been thinking about this new year. Should I do a new year resolution or not, knowing that I might not pursue any of it. Then, when I think about what is my new year resolution, it seems that most of it are very materialistic and some say, too worldly. Next, to share it here or not ? Blog is a place where the whole world can read it. Conclusion....I will share some of it here.

2009 Resolution.

1. Mission trip to Pa Adang...organised by GMC
2. Mission trip to Ulu Kapit...at least one
3. Mission trip to Cambodia...if it does not clash with Pa Adang trip
4. Finish studying the book of Luke & Acts....to be ready for teaching BK if I had to one day
5. Compiling biography of my students...personal purpose
6. Write at least 4 useful article in my blog
7. Be more faithful in my ministry...GB, Sek.Minggu.. (how do you actually know whether achieve or not?)
8. Full fast during the lent and also the NECF fasting program....40 days each.

That's all that I am sharing here. Just some of it. The rest are not really important, it is all my wants and not my needs. So, forget about it.

Oh yeah....not a resolution but something I hope I will do it this year which I did not get to do it last time because I don't have blog yet at that moment....sharing about my trip to Pa Adang. It was a great mission trip where we can clearly see how God works wonders in each and everyone in the mission team. I will share it some other time.

Welcome to Year 2009 !!

Wishing everyone a Happy & Blessed New Year 2009 !

Another year has gone and another year has arrived. I am very grateful for the way I approached new year by renewing my vows to God. Sermon by Pastor Connie is a great reminder for me as I enter into this year of unknown.

1 Timothy 6:6-10

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolishness and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wondered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

What I learnt from it was...
One : pursue godliness above all else.
Two : be contented with what God has given us.
Three : get our focus right, focus on God.
Four : do not be tempted by more money(wealth), power, status, it will bring us further from God.

Five : listen, obey and serve Him.