28th December 2010

Sales has been picking up since last week with customers doing their last min christmas shopping. If sales in far east continues this way for the rest of the mth, we'll be able to beat last year's dec sales. That's our china's staff own personal target. Her commission for alone is alr. over $150. She always aims to hit the team target even when she's working alone so that she can get BOTH the individual & team commission. If staffs managed to hit the team target single-handledly, I reckon they deserve both individual & team commission for the hard work put in. As for sales in Iluma, with the christmas crowd it has alr. more than doubled within just 1 week. Few more days to end of the mth. Gambatte!!!! Targetting the new year/chinese new year crowd now.

Told my staffs who have nv work during christmas/new year/cny period b4 that this is just the warm-up session for them. To get them ready for the more hectic crowd coming in in Jan....b4 cny when it gets really busy. Found another FT....a malaysian. She has started work in Far East as of today. My china staff is working with her there. That makes 2 of them on weekdays. On weekends, there's going to be 3 pple there....2 FT and 1 PT (my distant cousin OR a previous staff who is currently working in my dad's office). Whereas in Iluma, I'll be "parking" myself here everyday with 2 different PT on weekdays and on weekends. The weekday PT is fr LYL zone while the weekend PT used to work for us when I was still in SOT.

Like many other bosses in the retail and F&B sector, I find that foreign workers are more reliable. Alr. there's 2 foreigners working in far east outlet: 1 is fr China & the other is fr Malaysia. Even my distant cousin is not local. He's from Indonesia. Locals r unwilling to work full time for long. Unless the really committed ones. There are such people just that we have YET to find them. Our china staff intends to extend her work permit to work for us but on condition that she can resign halfway should her family wants her back home earlier afterall she's been away from home for almost 3 yrs already. She ensured she will give us advance notice should she need to leave earlier. We told her we can accept her resigning halfway IF she is willing to pay back for the unutilised mths of the work permit (after all extension cost money). It's only fair and she has agreed to it.

23rd December 2010

Another FT staff has left. She left once in the beginning of the yr. When we heard she is looking for a job sometime mid of the yr, we gave her another chance. However, ever since she came back to work our sales in Iluma has visibly dropped every month. Never once did she hit her target in Iluma to get commission. But since it is the peak season, we decided to bear with it until after chinese new year b4 considering letting her go when Iluma closes after CNY.

Suggested to her to switch her working hours back to 11.30am to 9.30pm instead of 11am to 10pm since she often nicely comes late & leaves earlier than 10pm. What's the point of paying her 1hr OT a day to work the extra hour when she comes late and leaves early. Just like that, she don't want to work already. What kind of work attitude is that?It was ONLY a suggestion! From what we notice, she hasn't been really serving the customer. I don't call standing there and looking at the customers serving them. We also know that she uses the internet in the shop too even when we tell them b4 that the internet in the shop is for the purpose of the cctv and not for not personal use. Think just by minimising the window we don't know.

My parents say might as well let her go since we been having the intention to sack her. She "worked" for 1/2 day on tuesday and then left when my distant cousin came to take over. He will be helping us there for the next few days until Christmas eve. I'll be taking over in Iluma from Christmas Day all the way till CNY as he'll be going back to Indo to visit his family & will only come back when his school term reopens on 3rd Jan. When he's back to school, he'll still be helping us but in far east and only on fri, sat & sun. In jan he'll be going back to Indo again for his grandparents' 50th wedding anni. For the past few days that my distant cousin worked in Iluma, he has been hitting his target everyday. Even the boss of neighbouring shop commented that he's very hardworking as they always see him cleaning/packing up the shop when he's free.

1 of previous staff will be coming back to help out on the weekends my distant cousin is away. There'll be another PT coming in to work on weekends. Currently he's in NS. He used to work for us for a couple of mths when I was still in SOT. He's going to be a driver in the army fr next yr onwards and is available to help us on the weekends. Initially had 2 PT from LYL zone. 1 will be starting work next week. The other reported for work last mon but left after 3 hrs of training saying that he won't be able to work for the rest of the mth as he is going overseas. It means that my schedule has gone hay-wire again. Like what my one & only FT staff who's left says those staff who just walk off like that are irresponsible & immature. But it's okay nothing is impossible we can do it on our own. Just have to push through the next 2 months. Totally agree with her. However, she is still considering whether to extend her contract or not as she feels that her family back in China most probably won't like it if she stay on in Singapore for another 2 years (She's been working for us for 2 years & 9 mths already. Another 2 more months to go b4 her contract ends). The thing now is that we don't even know govt will approve her work permit extension. We can only try applying. See how it goes first.

It is BACK to 7 days work week for me from Christmas day. Won't be able to attend svc & cg for this season until CNY is over. Parent don't allow. :( :( :( :( :( :(. So going to miss church svc and W525. Watching online svc is soooooooooooooooooooo different as compared to being there. But still...better than nothing.

10th December 2010 (Updated)

The so-called new FT, who is actually a previous FT staff, didn't turn up for work. MIA! Couldn't contact her. Nv returned my missed calls or replied my SMSes. :( She is never like this b4. Wonder what happen. At least say sthg ma. This attitude is so irresponsible lo. Have to replan the whole Dec-CNY staff work schedule as it has gone topsy turpy with just 1 person who MIA. :'( Spoke to my china staff who knows and understands that this is the peak period of the year and she say she will do her best to OT as much as possible.

Training a new staff takes an average of 2-3 weeks for them to familiarize with the daily operations of the shop e.g. cashiering, location of the stocks, product knowledge, etc. 1-2weeks if they're fast learners. However, christmas is only 2 weeks away and new year is 3 weeks away, if the new staff are still unfamiliar with the operations in the shop when the mass of crowd comes then they may be left on their own. It'll seem as if the extra help is of no use as they'll end up just standing there and staring into the air. When the crowd enters we can get so busy that we don't even have time to go to the toilet or eat. That always happens without fail. We are just waiting for such a crowd to come. Big headache!!! Short of 1 person. Weekdays still manageable but it's the weekends. Man!!! Looks like it's back to 7 days week for me...... Can't go for CG and gonna rush off after svc every sunday.

6th December 2010

2010 is coming to end in 25 days time. How fast is that? 2010 went by with 6 months being in SOT. Have been busy lately esp w the planning of end of year sales and planning of the staff scheduling for dec-cny peak period.

Got in contact with 5 of my previous FT/PT staff to check they can help either PT/FT during the upcoming peak period (a few of them contacted me themselves. :D). Out of these 5, chose 2 of them - 1 to work FT & the other who has an office admin job to work PT on christmas & new year weekends. Didn't get the others to come back as their schedule doesn't match our schedule. Have hired another 2 fr LYL zone to work PT on weekdays until CNY eve. Having to plan the schedule while taking into consideration the cutting down on costs & the time needed to train new staff is really tedious brain work. But thank God it's all settled! With the additional PT/FT staffs, + me (so as to cut down cost and training time), that makes 8 of us.

1 of my current FT is going on a 5 days leave for a holiday starting this sun. As our weekend PTs are having their exams next week they're not able to help out this weekend as such I'll have to help out in the shop this weekend. But I cannot split myself and be in both outlets at the same time. Thus arranged for our previous staff who's back to work FT to start work on this wed. When the other FT is back from her leave, the 2 of them will work tgt until CNY eve. After which, other arrangements will be made. Have also arranged for 1 of the weekday PT fr LYL zone to start work nxt week & the other to start 2 weeks later. As for me, I'll be in either 1 of the outlets on the staff's off days (mondays, tuesdays & wednesdays) and on fridays, saturdays & sundays fr christmas eve onwards. That will mean that fr christmas eve I won't be able to fellowship with CG or serve in Attributes until after CNY. :(

This year's christmas has yet to "heat up" for the retail sector. Usually when it's nearing end of Nov we'll need 2 people to work in each shop and then will need 3 in FEP and 2 in Iluma nearing the end of Dec. But up until now with christmas just 19 days away, 1 in each outlet is enough (2 in only FEP on fri & weekends). Where's the crowd? Sian-ed! >_<

A couple of weeks after CNY marks the end of the contract for our FT staff from China. She has been working for 2 years & 8 mths ++ (extended her permit/contract once but govt gave her an extension of only 11 mths). After she leaves, we'll be down to 2 FT & 1 PT. Will be leaving Iluma once the contract there ends in Feb nxt year or maybe earlier (i.e. after CNY). This means after that we'll be down to only 1 outlet - FEP. Not considering opening new outlets in other locations as yet. Shall let FEP settle down 1st. Thinking of going into trading (i.e. wholesaling be it either OEM or not) instead of focusing on just retail. Others have taken over the shop beside & opp. our FEP shop. The aunty who used to be in the shop opp. us has been in FEP for over 20 years already. She decided to close it down as retail is getting really difficult to do. So sad & demoralising to see her close down her business after so many years. :(

10th November 2010

Was working in Far East on monday and Iluma yesterday. 1 of the unit on level 2 of Iluma (in front of the link bridge & level 2 main entrance) caught our eyes for a considerably long time. Finally checked with Iluma mgmt regarding the cost of renting of that shop. The rental is WOAH...expensive!!! About $15k. That's almost the the rental of our 1st suntec shop but of a smaller size. No way are we going to take that kind of risk. O_O

Found other shops in the same mall as us selling exactly the same products we are selling at a lower price. The supplier promised us that he won't sell to any1 else in Singapore. He also broke many other promises that he made. He always says one thing but meant another. A customer even had to wait for 3 mths for a pair of shoes he had requested to be customised which is to be done within 1 mth. In the end, the customer never even gotten his shoes coz after 3 mths of "chasing" the supplier says "it cannot be done". If it cannot be done, why can't he say it earlier than let customer wait for 3 mths. It is not the first time already. Because of him we have offended quite a number of customers. Really don't know how to carry on working with a supplier like him. Whatever he says now we take it with a pinch of salt. This is what I call overpromise-underdeliver.

Mum's away in M'sia since last thursday. Coming back on Friday. Went to Far East this morning at 8.30am to "ja-ga" the renovation that was taking place there. Was adding in new fixtures as there is no space to display our new shoes and bags which have been sitting at home for months. Will be changing the signboard as our current shop signboard is "Extreme Shop" not "San Street". Quite a number of people are confused and have a difficult time finding our shop. Iluma has no need for renovation as we will be shifting out of there once the contract ends. That will only takes place next week. Mum told our renovator and I that we got to be in Far East before 8.40am (according to the fengshui master 10th Nov 2010 8.40am is the auspicious date & time for the renovation to begin). O_O Fengshui again! Haiz..... Like I always said I don't believe in fengshui but will just go along with mum's plans if it brings her peace that way. Whereas for me, my peace is from JC. John 14:26 says "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you peace. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid". The entire renovation took so long. Couldn't open shop for business till ard 4.30p.m. Thank God the renovation started 2 and a half hrs b4 opening hrs. Otherwise it's going to take much much longer.

19th October 2010 (Updated)

In Iluma once again. Working here for 2 days - today and tmr. Blogging with my mini dell once again. Staff didn't take any day off last week as our china staff on 2 weeks leave and PT is only able to be help out for 1 week. So for the final week china staff is away, I had to be in Far East. No one else to take over her place in Iluma. So gave her 2 off days instead this week. China staff back and working in Far East. Distant cousin will be back soon and will also be helping out in the shop on weekends. From next week onwards I'll be working in the shop 2 days a week - 1 day in Far East and 1 day in Bugis. Still got accounts and online shopping cart to work on.

Been so quiet these days esp in Bugis. Guess coz it's the exam period? But really lo quite stress with the sales in Bugis. On the 3rd floor of Iluma (the floor we're on), 5 shops have already shifted out of Iluma (not including the other floors where shops has also shifted out). The neighbours are also complaining about their sales and saying they're are going to shift out once contract is over. We are thinking of shifting out too....once contract ends in March. Current situation in Bugis is like the time when we were in Suntec but at least here we get to see people walking ard. But they are are here just to eat and watch movie NOT shop. Even if Iluma give us rental of $5 psf rental, we also don't want to rent. Sooooooooooooooo waiting for the christmas, new year and chinese new year crowd.

Our current stocks of ladies shoes are ALL heels mostly 4 inches high. Obviously not for everyday wear. Thinking of bringing in other ladies shoes like flats, wedges, etc. Also planning to start doing sales. That means have got to design and print out promotional posters and also bring older stocks to the shops and reorganise them. Which also means we need to bring the new stocks home since there is no discount for them. That's the biggest headache in retail - fear of having dead stocks. New stocks keep coming in but the older stocks are not moving. Been so tired lately and been having constant headaches. Haven't been able to sleep well. Can't seem to sleep at night. Most of the time at 2am/3am I'll still be tossing & turning in bed. O_O

That's it for now. Going to buy dinner....thinking of subway.

6th October 2010

Been some time since I last blogged. Currently in Iluma outlet. It's so quiet over here. :( Brought my dell mini laptop over.

San Street online shopping site has already been set up but I've yet to post up product photos and descriptions and link to San Street official site. Got to get it done soon. Gotta expand my capacity even more to not just lead and manage my staffs, and those in my Attributes group and my connect group but also to serve them. As one of the ICs in Attributes, other than contacting my members have got to report on duty days at 7am (instead of the usual 7.30am members report) & attend Tuesdays Attributes leaders' meeting once every mth.

Mum just had a surgery last week to remove lumps in her breasts. Thank God they're non-cancerous. She's recovering well. :) Distant cousin has gone back to Indonesia. His father who came over to SG for treatment more than 1mth ago has passed away. :( Not sure when he will be back. Most prob just b4 his new semester in Poly starts. Staff from China has also taken 2 weeks leave to go back home to settle some stuffs there. She will only be back on 17th night and back to work on 18th. Currently have got 2 staffs working - a full time staff and a part time staff (a poly student studying retail managment) helping out. I'll be working in the shop whenever they're off.

That's abt it for now. Another time.

17th September 2010

Somehow I just knew that staff will call in sick again. Just started work for 1 mth 3 days (34 days to be exact) & has already taken a total of 12 off days+leaves. In other words, she only worked 22 days. Almost 1/2 the time she's not working. She's working as if she's a part-timer not a full-timer. Even other staffs are 'complaining' abt it. Whatsmore all new staff are to go through a 3 mths confirmation period. How to confirm her like that? Enough is enough! She has been testing our patience long enough. Usually my parents are the ones who can't tolerate such things. But this is getting too much already. Even I cannot tolerate it. Have told her that she don't have to come to work already. Just need to return the key by this weekend then we'll transfer her pay over to her bank account. Have really given up on malay staffs. I'm not being racial discrimating. But really malays are malays....we are not the only ones experiencing this. Everyone else whom I know who have employed malays before have also experienced the same thing. Not only malays in Singapore lo. Other countries as well.

It's such a good weather to sleep in today. But will be going to Far East outlet to work later. Not that we're out of staffs. In fact we 2 full time staffs are just nice. I can cover the off days which is only 2 days a week. A previous staff wants to come back to work part time during his poly hols. Getting him to come in on staff's off days and on weekends to help out. No more rotation of outlets as well.

10th September 2010

Been busy with closing of accounts and inventories. Our accounting year end is 30th June 2010. Our auditor wants our accounts up to 3mths after the closing of accounting year (i.e. September). Got to get everything done b4 the end of the mth. Busy busy busy......

Staffs....right now we've got 3 FTs. 1 of them is new. But she has been taking many leaves & it's hasn't even been 1mth since she started work. Going to giving her another chance. However if this continues will have to terminate her. From what I observe/hear, all 3 of them want to work in Far East outlet. Then what about our Iluma outlet? We still have 6mths of rental contract there. So right now I'm putting them on rotation shift. Whether they like it or not, ALL of them have to work in BOTH Far East outlet & Iluma outlet.

+ My distant cousin is helping part time. But not since mid last mth as his dad is currenly hospitalised with many of his organs (heart, liver, kidney) not functioning properly. :( Doctors are still doing tests on him to find out what's the root problem. Keep praying for him. One of my previous staff who's currently studying in TP smsed me to ask if he can work part-time. Will definitely get him to come back to work part time as he's the staff with both good work attitude and good sales. Very difficult to find a staff with both attributes. Got to cherish. Seems like suddenly there's so many staffs. Will have arrange the work schedule and see how it goes from there.

4th September 2010

1 wk has almost passed by since after SOT. I really missed SOT days. :( Esp our dear Indonesia friends in T25 and others from overseas. :( ....Post-SOT syndrome.... :(

The day after SOT, it's back to focus on work. Back into the marketplace. In the marketplace; for the marketplace; to penerate the marketplace.

Was working in the shop on monday and tuesday as one of my staff was still on her 1/2 mth leave. She's now back to work since the 1st. For the rest of the week, been busy settling the accounts I've on hand. Finally completed them but still have got to work on closing my accounts for my inventories/stocks. A lot of things to work on for that. Have to submit all these to our auditor b4 the end of this mth. Other than that, been going to the outlets everyday for appts as well as to settle stuffs. Met up with Larry from KL who came over 3 mths ago to attend AC. He saw our Sanz Moda tees @ Attributes and gave his namecard to the in-charge there who later on passed it to me. He is interested in distributing some of our tees in his christian bookstore in KL (cannanland bookstore). He has selected a few designs of our tees. But am still waiting for his confirmation before going ahead to order the stocks. Most stocks that we have on hand are mostly of broken sizes.

Tmr will be serving in Attributes right after svc as the TL for the team on duty tmr needs some help after svc. After that, will be heading off to far east outlet to meet up with CityNews for an interview and photoshoot. That's it for this week.

Capacity got to enlarged to be able to handle things more effectively and efficiently. A "little bird" whispered to me that my parents hinted that I haven't been really spending time at home during the past 6mths in SOT. Got to spend more time with them. The joy of the Lord is my strength. If I can go through the siong-ness of juggling between the business and SOT for the past 6 mths, nothing else is impossible esp since God is my partner in everything that I do. :)

26th August 2010

It's been 1 & 1/2 weeks since I last blogged. Time flies. No SOT on tue & today. Only those who still owe bible readings/assignments or have any makeup exam/reexam. My results were better than I expected (highest 90% & lowest 60%). Since I don't owe anything and have no makeup exam/reexam, am off on tue and today. But can't believe I totally forgot abt tue's prayer365 in the morning. Only realised in the evening that I forgot abt it. At that time I was working in the shop. *sheesh* CG tonight. Cannot forget also. :P Going to bring some stocks over to the shop. I want KOI but bugis outlet is always long q & I don't have the time to q. :(

Yesterday was chapel followed by class photo-taking. Finally got to see Pst Kong in SOT. Bcoz of the crisis Pst and the church going through, he only got to teach us in SOT once. But it's ok, we understand, we still love you Pastor! Last night was having gathering w SOT T25 at my place. We had an awesome time! Tmr is the last day of SOT followed by graduation weekend. So going to miss SOT days and ALL in T25 esp our dear Indonesian friends. After mission trip, I'm more in love w Indonesia. LOL! Wanna go for more mission trips (if possible). Going for both sat & sun graduation svc. I'm graduating in the sun svc. My number is odd number and I'm somewhere in the middle. Praying that the odd numbers will get to receive their SOT folder from Pst Kong himself. :P Congrats to the class of SOT2010, you ran the race well. *A round of applause for everyone* :)

14th August 2010

Looking fwd for svc tmr then it'll be followed by busy 2 weeks......

Nxt week is the week of morning and night prayer from 16th to 20th (mon to fri). Will be going for the 7am-8am morning prayer @ JW. Really have got to sleep earlier the nxt few days. Been feeling really really tired lately. On 16th (mon) will be rushing off to work after the 1st break to train the new FT as it's 1 of my FT off day & my other FT will have got to be in the other outlet. Actually my staff has train her but still have to assist/observe her as she only started a few days. On 19th (thurs) is our final exam on theology and romans. Both are "chimilogy" topics esp theology. All the big big words. Must start studying soon. 20th (fri) will be having our graduation dinner at Harbourfront. :) Then there's Pst AR Bernard weekend svcs on 21st and 22nd. Graduation full dress rehearsal will also be on sat night...after svc.

Then on the following week. On 23rd & 24th (mon and tue) will need to rush off to work after the 1st break since my FT will be taking turns for their off & my other FT needs to be at the other outlet. On 25th (wed) will be having our last team gathering b4 we graduate from SOT & b4 our Indonesian friends fly back to their hometown. They'll be leaving on the 31st. Sure going to miss all of them. :( CG on 26th (thurs) ; and most probably on 27th (fri) will be having gathering with my dear brisbane support group (brisbane support group is my CG in brisbane australia during my uni days there. Most of them are also fr CHC). It's been a couple of yrs since we last had our gathering. So far we only get to meet during weddings. :( Exactly 2 weeks from today is our SOT graduation weekend on 28th and 29th. Excited about it! :) But I don't want it to end so soon.

Not forgetting throughout all these. I still have accounts which are piling up since I left for mission trip. Have done the accounts for the past 1 mth++ of sales receipts. The rest of the accounts will have to wait till after SOT b4 I can work on them. God gives me the strength I need!

We're currently in the midst of training a new staff to replace my FT staff who wanted to quit on the 15th. We got her to stay on till the 20th while we train the new FT. But now she's thinking of coming back to work on the 1st after a short break. That means fr now until 20th we've got 3FT (1 of them is undergoing training); fr 20th to 31st we've got 2FT (SOT is still ongoing during this period. which means I've take leave to work on the staffs' off day. this I've already done so); and fr the 1st we'll have 3FT again. 2FT is actually enough...3FT??? More than enough. I can always work on staff's off days + my cousin is helping us out in the during the weekends. With 3FT, I don't have to work but more cost involved. Will see how are their performance 1st then only decide and rearrange work schedule if the need arise.

Mum intially thought of following me to church or attend the church next door but b'coz dad being a staunch buddhist forbidded her to go, she changed her mind. Dad has a temper (like a volcano) which all of us know & seen since young. Now is much better than years before. Recently, my parents bought/reserved 2 side-by-side ash urn slots in a buddhist temple for their remains when they pass on. Feel burden when I heard this. Really got to pray abt this and pray for open door for my family's salvation.

9th August 2010

No class today coz it's national day. It's a long weekend to some. But I still have to work. It's been giddy-ish weekend. Been feeling light-headed since sat.

Only 3 more weeks left in SOT. 2 more exams to go...1 exam this thursday (authority for victory & cultural mandate) & another on next monday (romans & theology) then it's graduation. :) Don't want it to end so soon though. :( Sure...going to miss team 25 esp our dear Indonesian friends. I'm loving Indonesia more and more esp ever since coming back from mission trip. I wanna go for more mission trips but my parents don't let.

Since SOT started, my parents been nagging that I spend too much time in church. Recently, my mum even regretted letting me study in SOT. She says studying such thing is useless. :`( My parents don't believe there're miracles in life. Just b'coz u dun see miracles happening, doesn't mean miracles doesn't exist. The God I serve is a miracle working God. Just to name a couple of miracles this yr. My left leg & arm increasing in length is a miracle. Medicorp Okto approaching us for products to be featured in 1 of their drama is another miracle. There's more. I feel that during these past 6 mths I've grown a lot in both personal and spiritual aspects. These past 6 mths has been ratehr fruitful although it has indeed been rather challenging. Like what Pst Bobby always says in class. "God is a good God. The devil is a bad devil. But we WIN!"

Just b'coz some fortune teller say that based on my birth 8 characters I'm not a business type of person, doesn't mean it is true. Stop repeating that to me. I renouce that in Jesus' name. All these fortune telling thingy, just instill in u a spirit of fear & ctrl so as to stop u fr doing what u're actually capable of doing. Why let ur life be controlled by what others say abt u? U can say whatever you like. I still stand firm on what I believe and hold tight to God's promises for me. The Bible says that God's promises are "yes and "amen". If God can say it, He'll definitely do it. Matt 6:33 - "Seek 1st the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

Sacked my part timer last week. He didn't turn up for work. Didn't picked up the phone. When we tried contacting him again, he switched off his phone. After abt an hr or so, he sms me telling me that he's not feeling well and asked me if I still need him to goto work. What is this???? Not feeling well...dunno how to sms me to inform meh? Is it THAT difficult just to sms. Told him straight that he don't have to come to work anymore. This kind of staff we don't want. Irresponsible!

1 of my full-timer is also quitting after mid of the mth (which means sun is her last day). That means we have got to find a full timer to replace her. Got a few recommendations for both part time and full time. But not everyone has got retail experiences (retail is different fr f&b. although both r customer service oriented but when it comes to the approaching of customers it is very very different. it takes very long to train up someone who only has f&b experience). Already have got one person in mind. She's recommended by an ex-staff and has a lot of work experiences in various industry including retail. Will be calling her in for training soon. Not intending to employ part-timer already. Once SOT ends, my parents want me to work in the shop as such no need for any part-timers. Not nice to employ a part-timer to work 1-2 days a week for the nxt 3 weeks and then "dump" them after SOT ends. Might as well take 1/2 day leave to work whenever necessary. My cousin is able to help cover this week thus there's no need to take leave. For the remaining 3 weeks left in SOT, I'll only need to take 3 days of 1/2 day leave. Have already applied for the 1/2 day leaves via the student portal. My nxt 1/2 day is on the day of the last exam. That means I can concentrate on the remaining 2 exams (other than having to work on new stocks) b4 having to take 1/2 day leave to work.

3th August 2010

FOP and 21st anniversary weekend was awesome! Great Presence of God in SIS. Was serving on sat and sun. For the 21st anniversary only, Pst Kong's MP3 USB sermon (Cultural Mandate & Sermons on the Mount) were was at a great bargain...only $21. That's a whopping 90% discount!!! But there were only 50 copies available and each person is only allowed to get 1 copy. Some in my team managed to get theirs. I was kan-chionging for them. Hahaha. Anyways, the USB were SOLD OUT really quickly. Of course la! So cheap! Attributes ministry members, like myself, didn't have to fight with the congregation. We had a batch reserved for us (also limited copies) but will only get it 2 weeks later. Have already ordered and paid for it. :)

Tonight at 2359 is the ultimate dateline of our last batch of SOT assignments - 5 book reviews and 10 sermons. I completed and emailed mine at around 2++am this morning. I literally chiong all of them after last thurs' exam. Phew! Finally all done! Left with exams. Lots of people are still chionging through them. 3++ more hrs to go...Jia you Jia you Jia you!!!!

We're currently doing "Theology" in class. "Theology" is "chimi-logy". Really chim sia. All the big big words. But it's quite interesting. We'll be having another exam this thurs and will be covering 3 books (Fivefold ministry 1, Fivefold ministry 2 and Sermon on the Mount). According to what Pst Kim Hock said, we'll be having another 2 more exams after this thurs paper. Looks like there is at least 1 exam for the next few weeks. Only 3 and a 1/2 more weeks to go in SOT. :) and :( Time really flies man when you are having fun. Our dear Indonesian friends will also be returning back to their hometown soon. :( Will miss them. :( Will surely miss these 6 months spent in SOT. Treasuring every moment left of it. SOT graduation dinner will be on the 20th. Planning for the next gathering on the 25th with team 25.

Came home after SOT class today to work on stocks. Yet to study for the exam. Should start soon. But having a slight headache now. Maybe didn't have enough sleep? Slept at 2++ after I finished chionging the assignments. Woke up at 6++ as our team is on PA duty this whole week and have got to clock-in by 8am latest.What we do for PA duty? Scan students cards, serve as greeters & ushers, running of errands. Was assigned to scan student cards with Chunshan & Anita. Scanning is fun! But not so fun when the crowd comes at around 8.30am. Quite stressful as we are practically racing against the clock. Those who clock in after 8.45am are late. Every 30mins of lateness accumulated, the person have got to fulfill another 4hrs of additional ministry hours on top of the ministry practicum requirements of 4hrs a week. Every min of lateness count. Yesterday we nearly caused a lot of people to be late as the system was not cooperating with us & we were not familiar with the system. The last person in the queue clocked in at 8.49am (that's 4mins late when in fact he wasn't late at all but caught up in the queue :( ). Felt so bad sia. Some of the students scolded us for it. :( But those on duty b4 understand & were very patient. We already did our best. Thank God the SOT staff adjusted yesterday's clock-in time to 8.50am latest instead of 8.45am. Today's scanning was much much better. More used to the system & also the system was more cooperative. We even laid hands on the scanners and the laptop b4 we started scanning. Haha. The power of laying on of hands. Tomorrow it'll even better. Shall lay hands on the scanners and laptops again. :) By friday, we'll be experts. LOL!

Quick blog

A quick one while taking a break from my assignments. Just got back from Probolinggo mission trip yesterday.

Probolinggo mission trip. My 1st ever mission trip is amazing & fruitful. Of course it wouldn't be the same without Seow Li, Sarah, Alicia, Yishi, Timothy and Vincent. U guys made the mission trip awesome! I miss the food there already! Esp the food Ibu Lily (Pst's wife) cooks. We took the 9pm+ flight to Surabaya on wed night. Arrived at Surabaya at 11pm++ and at the church in Probolinggo (where we stayed and where we ministered) at 2am++. Initially b4 we went over to Probolinggo, our initial itineary show that we'll be very free. But when we were there we were not. I even brought my books + laptop to do my book reviews. In the end only get to do my 8th book review which I've completed reading. At least better than nothing.

Once touch down, we were told that all of us had to preach. And as per the initial plan, we play guitar/lead/BV P&W in Bahasa durng BS on thurs/fri/sat (challenging! but fun!). Went visitation to some of the church members' house and prayed for them. Can really feel for them. :( We split up into 3 groups on sun night (the finale) to preach/take up offering in 3 different services in different churches (the church we've been ministering in, the church just behind, and a church in the village). I BV-ed on fri night, preach over the radio on sat morning at 5.45am (6.45am Singapore time) and took up the offering on sun night svc in the church just behind (went there with Yishi while Seow Li and Alicia went to village church and Sarah, Timothy, Vincent stayed in the church we were ministering in). :D

We left Probolinggo for Surabaya at 2am sun night/mon morning and took the 6am flight back home. Arrived at 9am++. Back home and back to reality. Brought my yorkshires to the vet (1 for vacinnation and 1 for check-up as she was hissing away...sounded like asthma. poor thing. it was actually a sore throat and inflammation). After that headed home and then back to work. Didn't even get to rest. :( God's love can be felt throughout this mission trip. Amazing! Love revolution. Learnt a lot in this trip. 1 thing that I'll appreciate more and will never ever take for granted is what we have in Singapore and in CHC. We are just so blessed you know!

Oh ya! How could I forget! We went rafting on fri morning. FUN! We even jumped off a short cliff (twice). We were told to go up and take photos. And while climbing up I heard splashed & was thinking who so impatient. LOL! When we were up there, we were told to take turns to jump. =O But it was fun! (Warning: Little kids don't try that at home. You're NOT superman). We had supervision of the experts. They took photos of us jumping. Our photos during rafting are funny. Check out all the photos from the mission trip incl those during rafting on FB (I didn't take many photos during the trip coz my camera battery is very weak. Most photos are in the camera of the others and HAVE already been uploaded on FB).

Assignments are supposedly due this wed (28/07) but has been extended to nxt tue (03/08). Thank God! I currently chionging my 9th book. Got to submit 5 book reviews and 10 sermons. I still have got 2 book reviews and 6 sermons to write. Have also got GOTP & HCGL exam on thurs (yet to study. start and finish it by tmr night). And more exam expected. Also have got work to catch up + appts. Not forgetting FOP & 21st annivesary service is this weekend (serving on sat 3pm-12mn & sun 7.30am to 2pm. I can practically camp there already). Phew! I feel overwhelmed by everything. Will I be able to finish all the assignments by mon night? There's also bible reading to catch up. In a few weeks time, we would have already completed reading the whole bible.

Feeling quite tired coz have been sleeping late and waking up early lately esp when in Probolinggo. OK....got to get back to my readings. Going to chiong liao! Hoping to finish my 9th book b4 I go to bed. But I don't think it's possible. Feeling shagged already. Can fall asleep any time. 6 more chapters to go. Guess I'll finished at least another chap tonight and may have to resort to selective readings to write the book review. No choice. Not much time left.

My plan:- Wed: work + study for exam. Thurs: work + appt w supplier (cannot postpone liao. supplier alr. postponed his flight back 1 day just to meet me) + 9th book readings & review. Fri: 9th book review (if not completed) and 10th book readings & review. Weekend: Book reviews (if not completed & got time) + sermons (if got time) + FOP & 21st anniversary. Mon: remaining sermons + email all assignments by mn. Is it possible? Got to gambatte le. Nxt few weeks will be late nights and early mornings for me.

Probolinggo mission trip day 0 :)

A quick one b4 leaving for the airport. On a 5D5N mission trip in Probolinggo (a small city in East Java Indonesia). Flying off to Surubaya 1st then will be a few hours drive to Probolinggo. Going together with Seow Li, Yishi, Sarah, Alicia, Timothy and Vincent. Vincent is from another team. He'll be preaching all the 3 services on sun with Timothy interpreting. The rest of us? We'll be leading P&W (a challenge coz all the songs are in Indo), sharing testimony and moving in the gifts of the HS. Believing that God will work miracles, signs and wonders through us.

Ok. Gotta go. Meeting the rest at T1 for dinner. Keep us in prayer ya? :) Cya all next week.

Attributes ministry

I've just been given a new role in Attributes ministry.

In Attributes, there are a total of 8 teams: JW Sat Team A, JW Sat Team B, Expo Sat Team A, Expo Sat Team B, Expo Sun Team A, Expo Sun Team B, JW Sun Team A, JW Sun Team B. Each team serves on alternate weeks unless there's big events (currently coz of SOT I'm serving every week). Each team has got TLs (team leaders r in charge of the team as a whole), SICs (section ICs r in charge of each of the 4 diff. sections in each team namely retail, customer service, cashier, operations) and GICs (group ICs r in charge of a few pple in the section they're in).

I'm now 1 of the retail GICs of Expo Sun Team B. Can say that it is a promotion. Have been serving in Attributes since HW days. 1999. My CGL then sign me up as he felt that that's my calling. It's already been 11yrs. Wow! But I stopped serving for a couple of years due to some problems that cropped up when I started San Street. After serving for so long, it's about time I serve more in the ministry. With this promotion, comes new responsibility. I'm given the more mature ministry members in the team to be in-charge of - 3 of them.

Have been asking God how I can serve Him more in both Attributes and CG. Guess I've got my answer in regards to serving in Attributes. All glory to God! As for CG, will continue to serve in whatever way I can. :)

Deliverance week

It has been an AWESOME week in SOT. Was helping out to pray for others during the altar calls. Only responded to the occult altar call. Mum always pull me along for fortune-telling/fengshui consulting sessions and she will also go to the temple for divinations for the life of everyone in the family, for her business and my business. Though I never once believed in all those things, responded to the altar call anyways to be sure I'm cleansed from any spirits associated with occult. One of my uncles also earning money from fortune-telling. Have always felt that all this fortune-telling/fengshui/divinations/horoscopes etc (no matter how accurate they may be when describing our past & present) are out to control our life. Never once believed in those kinda things.

Today's session was awesome. Massive manifestation just right where we are standing. Seems that over the years I have subconsciously locked up 1 or 2 rooms in my heart. Pst Mike Connell told us to give God the access to those locked rooms. Was hesitant about it. But finally gave in God the access. When I did that, I started crying and groaning. Felt Him hugging me and telling me how much He loves me. Strong Presence of God! The love of God swept through the entire hall. A lot of people were crying, wailing; some were coughing and screaming. When things quieten down, the Spirit of Joy entered the hall and people burst out laughing. Crying/groaning and laughing just minutes apart. May sound crazy to some esp the unchurched. But it feels good....most impt is I feel a sense of release. Like something has been lifted up. God is good! We had a break after that. Think I was still 'drunk in the spirit' during the break, couldn't stand properly, couldn't sit properly and keep stepping on people's shoes. My team mates who saw were laughing at me. LOL! Have learnt a lot and been ministered to for the whole of this week. It will be our turn to minister to others in the weekend services. Got to attend at least 1 service a day. Going for S1 and S3. Did I mentioned that I've collected my copy of AC2010 CD. Pre-ordered it during AC and paid only $80. Now it's $128 ($102.40 after AGM discount). Good buy eh? Can listen again and again. :) Wanna pre-order Pst AR Bernard Leader Mtg and Weekend services CDs as well. Sun is the last day for pre-order to enjoy it at $29 (U.P $43.80).

Having Gifts of the Holy Spirit & Homiletics exam on next wednesday and Going on to perfection & Home cell group leadership exam on next thursday. Got to start reading through the books soon. Will also be having overnight prayer meeting from 11pm to 5am on next friday (CG BBQ/potluck is on the same day). Will also be having SOT team 25 BBQ on the following mon (19th). Then a couple of days after that will be going to Probolinggo for mission trip. Airtickets booked! :D Leaving on 21st night & coming back on 26th morning. That means will be missing 3 days of classes. Have taken leave for those days. Maybe leading praise & worship...not confirmed yet. But I'm excited! Yippppeeee! This will be a chance for me to take a break from work. Feel like it's been a looooooong time. Super duper tired. I only get 3 days break from work once a year (ie. during CNY). There are quite a number of movies I want to watch but don't have the chance. My last movie was "2012" in Iluma cinema. When was that screened anyways? 2009?

5 more book reviews and 10 sermon outlines are due on 28th July (have got 2 & 1/2 more book reviews and 6 more sermon outlines to go). Praying that they will extend the dateline. Think they will since they extended the dateline for the 1st set of book reviews from 28th June to 5th July. July/August is going to be very hectic mths for me. Don't even have time to work on my accounts. :(

2nd July 2010

It's 2nd of July. 1/2 a yr has passed by so quickly....flew by just like that. I am close to fulfulling a few of my new year resolutions. :)))

I've no problem waking up for SOT. Always wake up just b4 my alarm clock rings. Guess my biological alarm clock has been sat. Even on saturdays, I'll wake up at ard the same time. When I realised it's sat, I'll go back to sleep. Haha. But when I'm serving on sundays, I still wake up ard the same time on weekdays. Supposed to report at 7.30am; but wake up just b4 7.30am. End up have got to rush. Naughty naughty. Haha. Must really try to wake up earlier on sundays. Am short of 1hr for my ministry prac this mth. Shall cover back nxt mth.

Feel that I need a break from work soon. Super tired. Looking fwd to mission trip. It's finally confirmed liao! Will be going to Probolinggo, Indonesia on 22nd to 25th July with 6 others from my team. It'll only be the 7 of us on this trip. No1 from other teams will be going together with us. Excited! This is my 1st time going for mission trip and it's also a chance for me to get my mind off work for a few days. Hopefully I can finish all my book reviews and sermon outlines that are due on 28th July b4 heading off for mission trip. All things are possible!

Have submitted my 1st 5 book reviews via email (supposedly to be due on 28th June but postponed 1 week to nxt mon). I'm also done with my 6th book review after tuesday ldr's mtg with Pst AR Bernard. Have started on my 7th book. Thus far have read 22 chapters. :) Another 5 more chapters to go. I've had enough reading for today. Shall rest. Aiming to complete reading the book and finish book review by tmr night so I can move on to my 8th book. Gambatte! All things are possible! Must not forget...still got accounts to do. Piling up again! :( All the sermon preparation, preaching tests, book reviews etc are making me forget things easily. Cannot cannot. Capacity need to be stretched even more to do more things. Now preaching tests over. More relaxed. Just got to work on the remaining book reviews and sermons outlines. And of course my accounts and stocks which I haven't done much work on.

This weekend is Pst AR Bernard weekend. Will be going for 2 services - S1 and S3. Mum asked me the other day if I'll be at home on sat. Somehow I just knew that we've to go for 2 services this weekend. Told her that most probably got to go for svc on sat too. And I'm right. We're required to go for 1 service each day. Thank God I never promised her anything for sat. If I'm not wrong, it'll be the same thing for Mike Connell weekend svcs. In preparation for Mike Connell weekend service, the whole of nxt week is deliverance week w Mike Connell in SOT. But I've got to train new PT staff on nxt wed & thurs. Yesterday was officially the last day of my last PT staff. He's entering NS this mth. He said that he wants to come back to work PT for us after his NS. :) Will still be going SOT on wed & thurs but for 1/2 a day only. Then will leave at 11am and rush down to shop (have applied for 1/2 day leave). Though I know it's definitely going to be very tiring week, but I dun wanna miss 2 whole day of Mike Connell sessions. Already feeling rather reluctant to have to leave 1/2 way.

Preaching test week

It's been a tiring week. The week of preaching tests. But it's better than I expected.

Was nervous though. My mike was shaking on the 1st day of preaching test that I needed to use 2 hands to support my mike. Personally I think I need more hand gestures (it's not the comments of any of the evaluators. Just personally). Anyways, it gets better and better with each day. Fr glory to glory. Think coz I'm more used to talking in front of a crowd of 20++ pple. Our evaluators are all very nice, friendly and encouraging. Learnt a lot from this week. And I feel that my team has quite a number of future preachers. Also LYL zone are all dynamic preachers (that's what 1 of our evaluators said). :) *A round of applause for everyone* Wooooohoooooo! Well done team 25! We have overcome the week of preaching tests. YEAH! Let's jia youz with our book reviews. The book reviews that are supposedly due on 28th June has been postponed to 1 week ltr. Every1 in SOT rejoiced. Haha. But I finished them liao. Reading books due in July and working on each book review individually.

Rush off to iluma after preaching tests before heading down to far east. Went off b4 our last 'preacher' preached coz it was already close to 2pm. Wanted to stay till the end but couldn't coz I had an appt at 2.30pm. When I reached iluma, the person whom I had appt with is alr. waiting for me there. It's been one week since I last went to the outlets; 2 weeks since I collected back all the cash sales money left in the shop which has been accumulating, accumlating and accumlating in the shop. After settling the things I wanted to do in Bugis & b4 heading down to Far East, went to queue up for KOI. The queue today was not so long. Quite fast. Yum! Finally gotten my KOI bubble tea.

16th June 2010

Ever since after AC, still haven't recuperated fully. Think not enough sleep. Been sleeping late. Like 2-3am. Earliest also 1am. Super tired sia. Coffee has become my best friend in SOT. A must everday during the 1st break. For some reason, didn't drink any coffee today. Nearly fell asleep in class. Was trying to keep myself awake. Shagged.. Shall take a break today & get my mind off work & SOT for a while. Been rather siong lately. Don't wanna end up falling sick.

Tmr got to work on new stocks that just arrived before reading up and prepare for nxt week's preaching tests which will be happening on nxt tuesday to friday. Have to preach AT LEAST 1 sermon each day. That means we need to preach at least 4 sermons in those 4 days. Some will be selected to preach 5 sermons. We've to prepare 5 sermons just in case. The topics (in sequence) are faith, prosperity, prayer, healing and holy spirit. The other 5 topics that we just need prepare sermon outlines for are evangelism, praise and worship, revival, leadership and discipleship (these 5 topics quite tough. Thank God dun've to preach them). Just ransacked my "mini library" for books to prepare the sermons. Found quite a number of unread books and a number of books that I can make use of for the sermons. Will only be reading the relevant chapters. No time to read the whole book; still got 5 more books to read. Need the anointing of God.

1/2 of June has just gone by. Another 2 and a 1/2 mth to go b4 we graduate. We HAVE successfully made it through. A new chapter has just unfold in SOT - exams, readings, book reviews, sermon preparation + preaching tests AND more exams, readings, book reviews, sermon preparation. All things are possible! Amen! Not forgetting there also mission trip. This is going to be my 1st mission trip. This is going to be my very 1st mission trip. Excited! Really looking forward to it.

Most of my teammates will be going to 22nd - 25th July to either Probolinggo or Malang (Indonesia). A few others will be going to Sitiawan (Malaysia) on 6th to 8th August. In both Probolinggo and Malang, there'll be outreach/cg/visitations whereas in Sitiawan there'll only be youth outreach. By the looks of it, we'll get to learn more things in Probolinggo/Malang. I want to go for in July. But it's a busy mth for me. On top of all that I need to do at work (accounts & stocks), there're 5 books reviews & 5 sermons due on 28th Jul and more exams are expected. Really hope that Pst will postponed the Jul due date for the book reviews/sermons to Aug. Need wisdom grace and strength from God.

Had GS, CL, VL exam last wed & FT1 & FT2 exam today. GS, CL & VL is okay but FT1 & FT2 paper is tough. Even Pst Bobby said so. :( Anyways, over liao. No used thinking abt it. That's 2 papers down. More coming up soon. The nxt paper will be on 1st week of July (according to Pst Kim Hock). Should be GOTP (thinks this is the toughest) & Gifts of the HS. Completed all the 5 book reviews that are due on 28th June on Mon. Took a long time to do them. Think I read the books quite a long ago. Needed some time to recall. Used too much brain power. Dunno how many brain cells died on that day. Hahaha. Have decided that for the 5 book reviews due in July, I'll get each book review done after I've finish reading each book. And not wait until I everything all 5 books. Some of my teammates who know that I've finished the 5 book reviews said that I'm stressing them. If I'm stressing them, then what abt those who have finish at least 8 book reviews? They are the ones stressing me. Haha. Wonder how did they manage to do that.

Have cleared May's accounts last week. Will have to clear June's account in July and subsequently for the subsequent mths. There's a 50-50 chance that I won't have to work in the shop after classes in July and August. It'll be VERY siong for me to rush from JW to Iluma at least once every week. This is coz my friend has found another PT staff ("B") to work for him after the current PT staff ("A") leaves for NS nxt mth. I'm actually sharing my current PT staff "A" with my friend. My friend smsed me the other day to ask if I want to interview "B" to replace "A" after he leaves. Have arranged an interview time with "B". If he can work, then it'll be great.

10th June 2010

It's time for assignments, exams, preaching test in SOT. Let's see what do we have got to do.

1. 11th June (tmr): Getting Started, Christian Lifestyle & Victorious Living exam.

2. 16th June: Foundation Truths 1 & 2 exam.

3. 22nd-25th June: Preaching test (5 sermons: faith, healing, holy spirit, prayer, prosperity)

4. 28th June: 5 book reviews due (reading the 5th bk. after which will start on the bk reviews of 500 words each).

5. 22nd-25th July: Mission trip. We'll be going together us a team (splitting into a few grps). Will be going to Malang with the majority. Wanna go taiwan but ex.

6. 28th July: 5 book reviews & 10 sermon outlines due (5 of the 10 sermons are already used in the preaching test).

Just looking at it. Stressed sia. With God, I can do all things! Purposefully cleared my accounts on hand today so I can concentrate on SOT stuffs. The accounts will start piling up soon again. Time is flying by so fast. It's already been 3mths+++ in SOT; another 2 mths +++ left. Frankly speaking though I'm physically tired, I don't want SOT to end so soon. Love SOT! Love my team! Team 25 is the best!

My part time staff will be working til' end of this mth only coz he will be entering NS nxt mth. 1st July is officially his last day. Have to make adjustments to staffs' work schedule and to cut cost I'll have to work in the shop after class at least for 1 day fr July onwards (mum will be taking the morning shift when I'm in SOT).

Asia Conference to 5th June 2010

Last week's such an awesome week in Asia Conference 2010. Though I had to miss the sessions & electives on Thursday due to work and also miss out on all my electives to serve, I feel very very very blessed throughout the 1 whole week. It has been rather challenging waking up early in the morning to get to expo early to queue every day. But Matt 6:33 says "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you". So impacted by all the speakers. It's truly a life transformation week! Oh...btw, I saw my hairdresser's wife at Asia Conference while serving in Attributes. She does highlight/dye and hair treatment while her husband does the hairdressing. She's a christian too but her husband is not.

Right after Asia Conference, the CHC news hits the papers/tv. Was questioned by my parents abt the whole CHC news. Tried explaining to them the best I know how. They didn't say anything much abt it. No matter what happens, I will not let my faith waver. God is still the same faithful God yesterday today and forever. I also strongly believe in the leadership of Pst Kong, Sun and the rest of the pastors & leaders in CHC. Without Pst Kong and Sun, there wouldn't be CHC and I wouldn't have gotten to know God and won't be where/what I am today. It is during this period (since Asia Conference) that I found how much I truly love CHC and Pastor. With God by our side, nothing can be against us! There are more on for us than those who are against us. My parents esp mum is once again complaining that I spend too much time in church. I feel that the main reason they're unhappy is coz I'll usually be "free" on sat to do work and nothing else, but for last week & this week I've been out in church and not home to work. It's actually really a small thing. But to them, biz should always be no. 1 and not church. Already kena scolded how many times b'coz of this. Whatever.... In regards to biz, Far East sales has improved slightly but iluma sales hasn't been too good since the start of the mth. It's GSS period leh. Staffs, if you're reading this please promote. I know far east staffs are promoting coz I've heard/seen them telling customers abt the promotion and pushing them to buy more to enjoy more discounts. Gambatte neh Bugis!

Every morning in SOT, we'll come united in prayer. The entire SOT prayed up a storm. Can really feel the strong unity of this church I call home. Let's continue to pray like this even after SOT. Will continue to pray and fast for church, Pst and etc in my own QT. God will fight for us. I strongly believe that we as a church will ride out this "storm" together and will emerge from it even victorious than we were before. Afterall, before every great breakthrough there is always a great trial/opposition/challenge. Our breakthrough IS on the way!!!

3 mths has passed since SOT started & feel that my personal and spiritual life has transformed. The nxt 3 mths is going to be awesome. Can't wait to see the move of God in my life, business, family and church. Will be having 2 exams next friday: 1. Getting Started, Victorious Living & Christian Lifestyle. 2. Foundation Truth 1 & 2. It's been yrs since I last touched Getting Started, Christian Lifestyle and Victorious Living. A bit rusty already. Haha. I still have the books (I put all my bible study books together). Need to flip through my books to refresh my memory liao. Other than the 2 exams, 5 book reviews are also due end of the mth. And mission trip coming up soon.

Asia Conference 2010 week

It's abt 1wk++ since I last blogged. Have yet to start any of my book reviews. 5 of them are due on 28th of nxt mth. Only completed reading 2 & 3/4 books. Intended to complete reading my 3rd book before Asia Conference but been busy and tired lately. At times I just dozed off reading at night (night is the only time I get to do my readings). Preaching test is approaching soon too. Around the end of June. Nervous.

Asia Conference starts tomorrow!!!! In 9hrs time!!!! Woot!!!! Excitement!!!! Full of expectancy!!!! 5 days of breakthrough!!! Got to miss Thursday's sessions/electives as I need to work on a staff's off day. Usually our part-timer will take over when a staff is off. 2 full-time staff means there's 2 off days per wk and our part-timer works on these 2 days. This wk he's not in Singapore and there's no one else to replace him, so I have to work. Didn't want to miss 2 days of Asia Conference so got our china staff to OT (difficult to get local staff to OT as they've their own family here & have other commitments). Switched the off day of the other full-time staff from Wednesday to Thursday so that I won't have to miss the opening day and will only have to miss 1 day of Asia Conference. Have got to be in formal on the days of Pst Yonggi Cho's sessions. Will be dresses most of the days. Actually I think everyday.

Will be serving in Attributes on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday 3pm-10pm. Left some San Street tees in Attributes to sell over these few days. Will also be helping out at the missions booth on Friday 11am-3pm. If not enough manpower, might not be able to go in for the sessions/electives esp on Friday. Never mind. At least I'm still there and get to hear. If really cannot go in, might as well give up the seats to the foreign delegates.

So excited about Asia Conference that I can't seem to sleep although I'm feeling quite tired. Have to sleep soon or else I won't be able to wake up tomorrow. For the last 3 weeks, overslept and reported late on sundays to serve. Don't want it to happen again. Should try to sleep soon.

13th May 2010

Asia Conference is approaching in 2 weeks time! The previous Asia Conference I only went for 1 night (didn't even go for the day sessions). This year I'll be going for ALMOST every day. Got to miss 1 day of the Conference as my part timer will be overseas on that week. Why so "qiao"? Haiz... No1 to take over on the off days of the full timers. That means I have to work. Managed to get our china staff to OT for that week (out of all staffs I have/had, she's the only one who doesn't mind OT even if it means she won't have any off day for the whole month. Of course she's paid for working OT la). Thank God for her! So now I only have to work in the shop for 1 day instead of 2 days. Made the necessary arrangements so that I won't have to miss the opening day. Will miss the 2nd day instead. I believe Asia Conference 2010 is going to be awesome! Really looking forward to it.

Almost 2mths has passed since SOT started. Time flies! Enjoying every moment of it. Until now haven't even had the chance to go out to fellowship with my teammates. Always rushing off after classes. :(( But next wed evening will definitely be going for fellowship with them at Holland V. Already written down in my organiser. :))

Completed "Gifts of the Holy Spirit" yesterday. Amazing move of the Holy Spirit since last Mon. What can I say but WOW! God is awesome!!! Quite stress during the prac time for interpretation of tongues and prophesy. But stil fun. :) Just have to flow with the Holy Spirit and speak in faith the 1st thing that comes to your mind. The interpretation of tongues and prophesy I received (fr 2 different person) can be merged into 1 and it is exactly what God has been speaking to me for the past few days. Confirmation upon confirmation upon confirmation. Amazing how God works through His people to edify us.

During the "gift of healing" prac yesterday, Pst Ming had those who have constant backpain and neck pain to come forward and he and the cgls there checked the length of both our hands and legs are of same length. That is when I realised that my right hand & leg was slightly longer than my left hand & leg. I never realised this before. No wonder I often lost my balance and tripped without any reason (I get weird stares if this happen when I'm outside). We then returned back to our teams and my team prayed for me. While we were praying, I could feel heat from my shoulders all the way down to my waist. Didn't see any immediately growth then. But there were a few testimonies of those who did experience healing there and then. PTL! We then continued with the last lesson on the "working of miracles". After which, we prayed for the miracle(s) we personally need in our life and SUDDENLY the Holy Spirit filled the entire hall. People were manifesting in various ways. Some were laughing, some were crying, some were groaning, etc. 1 of my teammate sitting right behind me manifested. Was kinda shocked! That look on her face wasn't her at all! We layed hands on her and prayed. After a while, Pst Ming came over and lay hands on her. I strongly believe miracles are beginning there and then! And I believe the miracle that I have been praying for will come to pass really really soon! I strongly believe that! After class, went back to do my work as usual, but the heat at my shoulder/back area remained. I was practically doing the hands and legs measurements every now and then. LOL! In the evening, when I checked again, I realised my hands and legs are now of the same length. This is indeed a miracle. God grew my left hands and legs. I feel more balanced now and even feel taller. LOL! Our God is a miracle-working God.

Today we started on Homiletics (art of preaching). Going to be exciting! Ministry this morning was powerful. Although I don't feel called to be a preacher, but I strongly feel that the marketplace is where my mission field is. I don't how I am going to go about doing it. But one thing I know is that God will guide me. I just have to trust Him.

Amazing week with the Holy Spirit

It's been an amazing week with the Holy Spirit in SOT. Wow!!!!

Started on Mon when Pst Ming called those below who're below 30yrs old and own a business to come forward and he pray that God will enlarged their capacity to do more for Him. During the ministry, I saw a vision (dunno how to describe it) but I felt that God was reassuring me that the breakthrough that I'm waiting for is coming soon. On tue, we started "Gifts of the Holy Spirit". God move mightily in class esp on Wed, Thurs & Fri. 2 days straight of holy laughter (Wed & Thurs) lifted away by the stress I've been having in regards to coping with SOT and the business. Although I'm still worried abt certain things + my parents are still saying those rather discouraging things abt the San Street not being able to make it etc, but I dun feel that heavy laden anymore. Instead I feel at peace. Indeed joy of the Lord is my strength. PTL! I won't let myself be bothered abt what my parents are saying. If God says that my breakthrough is coming, it is DEFINITELY coming. It's just a matter of time. I'm praying that it'll be this yr coz my parents are thinking of closing down Iluma outlet too when the contract there ends. However, I want them to see that the same resurrection power of Jesus Christ can also be upon the business. AMEN!

Fri after P&W, we were ministered to with a hokkien song written and sang by kelvin (also a student of SOT2010). The hokkien song is about being a disciple of Jesus Christ. I really like that song though I only understand a lil bit of hokkien. Not many in SOT understood hokkien but everyone were being blessed by it and were ministered to in various ways. As Kelvin was singing his song, I was already in tears and on my knees, and was reminded of a song that we used to sing: "I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back. Though none go with me, I still will follow. Though none go with me, I still will follow. Though none go with me, I still will follow. No turning back. No turning back". Wow! Kelvin's such a powerful anointed man of God and he used to be a gangster and on drugs. Now God is using him to minister to people with his songs. Amazing!

In that same afternoon after completing the lesson on "tongues and interpretation of tongues", we paired up to interprete each other's tongues. The interpretation I received was really a word in season for me - God is my continual guidance/help & that I'm to be the light in the marketplace. For the past few days, I felt that God is telling me this. The interpretation was like a double confirmation it. Wow!!! When I was interpretating for my partner, the words that flashed through my mind were "Jevovah Jireh" and "Ask, Seek, Knock". I just speak it and it is also a word in season for my partner. Amazing how God can work through others to minister to His people. To God be the glory.

Looking forward for more nxt week. :))

3rd May 2010

Been busy for the entire week in the preparation of mock cgs and work (stocks and the planning of Great Singapore Sale). The official Great Singapore Sale (GSS) is starting on 28th May to 25th July 2010 (it's 1st wk happens to coincide with Asia Conference). But we have already started our GSS sales in all of outlets as of 1st May. Sales these 2 days have been quite good. Maybe it's because of the sales we're having and maybe cos it's the weekend. Praying for a monthly sales breakthrough of at least $30k. Will continue to believe, visualise and confess. Nothing is impossible! Amen!

Had mock cg on Thurs and Fri. On thurs, took up the offering in round 1 and led testimony time in round 3; and on fri I led praise in round 2. Though was feeling kinda nervous but had a great time with the team. Thank God for nice and encouraging evaluators - Santhi and Raymond. Haven't had the time to do my readings for the book review assignments for abt 1wk++ alr. Must really start chionging soon. 5 of the book reviews are due 28th June and another 5 book reviews and 10 sermons are due 28th July. Not much time left esp since Asia Conference is at the end of the month. Gambatte neh! Will be involved at the missions booth for Asia Conference and most prob Attributes. Going to put some of my products at Attributes booth to sell as well.

As mentioned in my previous entry, 2 full time staff has left us - 1 of my staff has left to try working in her uncle's company where manpower is short of and the other left on impulse (this is the 3rd time he left alr.). Though 2 full time staff have left the company, God did not short change me. He replaced these 2 full time staff with 1 full time staff (a previous staff) and 2 part time staff (1 of them will only be working till July as he will be gong NS). Thank God for the replacement otherwise I would have to work in the shop after SOT classes. I've done that b4 and it's really super tiring. I didn't even have to conduct any training of the new staff personally. My staffs did the trainings on my behalf as such I didn't have to take leave from SOT to do so. PTL!

Went to Marina Bay Sands with parents to look see yesterday. There were a lot of people but the place is not fully open yet. After which went to suntec to have dinner and check out how lvl 3 mpg is doing ever since we shifted out and since the opening of promenade circle line mrt. But seems like there's no difference leh. In fact a lot more shops have shifted out and the whole place have become even more quiet. If it continues like that, how is mpg is going to survive? Dunno what is suntec thinking man. Dun tell me they rather have empty shop units in mpg. Look so ugly lo.

25th April 2010

Haven't blog for a week. Had to wake up at 5-nish every day to make it down for morning prayers at JW by 6.45pm (overslept 2 days but still make it for PM though a lil bit late). This week we had Pst Kong teaching us the Book of Romans! It has been a really awesome yet tirng week. Been so blessed by the morning prayers & classes conducted by Pst Kong. :)) Love Pst Kong & Sun, CHC the church I call home and all the other pastors and leaders in CHC!!! And of course God, His Word & His Presence. Now as I take time to read, digest & meditate on the Word and I start see things in a really different light. New revelation. PTL! I've to admit that at times I just rushed through my bible reading. Think all of us are guilty of that. But I don't want that to happen again. Reading the Word should not be a chore but a delight.

We had early release from class on friday. At abt 11am. That's 2hrs ahead of the time we usually end class. Though class ended early on fri, we stayed back to practise P&W for the upcoming mock cg on nxt thurs & fri. Jia youz all who are involved! We can do it! Those not involved get to have a long weekend this week. Whatever! Left JW at abt 1pm on fri. Every1 was feeling shacked already after 5 days of early morning prayer & classes. I esp respect those who stay so far (east/north) & have to wake up super early ( 4.30am) to take the 1st bus 1st train 1st everything to get to JW on time for the prayer meeting. *Salute*

As mentioned in my previous entry, 1 of my staff will be leaving end of this mth to try working in her uncle's company. Whether she like it that or not she also don't know. If she don't like, she wants to come back. If we still have vacancy then she can. Another staff has also have left us....on impulse. He's the staff to whom we've gave chances after chances (we hire him in 2008 & he left on impulse after abt 3mths. He requested to come back in 2009 & left on impulse again after yet another abt 3 mths. Jan 2010 he requested to come back again & again left on impulse). We have given him enough chances already. This time round there's no more chances of him coming back to San Street to work ever again. He's been taking the grace we gave him for granted again & again. He can try doing what he has been doing when he's working with us in other companies & see if other bosses will accept it or not. Attitude! As a matter of fact, we're not surprised that he'll leave on impulse as all of us know him and his attitude too well already (that includes my neighbour in Far East & my other staffs). Asked a previous staff who's not working & looking for job if she's interested to come back San Street to work. She'll be starting work on Monday. Wednesday we'll have a part timer coming in for training & he'll be working for us on every wednesdays & thursdays. We also have our relatives helping out part time on weekends. That's 1 full timer & 2 part timers replacing our 2 full timers who left/is leaving soon. God is good. He's indeed our Jehovah Jireh - Our Provider. I really remember what else I did after class other than stocks done in the afternoon & readings for assignments done at night after classes for the last few days. Yesterday was working on stocks until evening then rest of the rest of the day. These few days haven't been able to contact any of our suppliers. Not picking up calls. Not replying smses. What is happening?

Today woke up early and got to expo by 7.30am to serve in attributes which was followed by service. Enjoyed service with Pst Kim Sunghae. After service had prayer meeting but I didn't go coz was helping out in Attributes till 2.30pm to pack up for the shift back to Hall 8 (promised mum I'll be back early). Came back home then immediately headed out with parents. Drop by bugis outlet to change money for them and then headed to Singtel in Orchard to change my business mobile plan to personal mobile plan (dad's been complaining that my mobile bill is so high). Having changed my mobile plan to personal, it means that I'll have to pay my own handphone bill from now on. Anyways, it's about time that I do so already. After which, we lingered around centrepoint where dad bought some shirts using the Robinson vouchers he had. We then had dinner at 313 before returning home. Didn't do any reading for the assignments today. Feeling tired now. Think I should go Zzzzzzzz.......Nites!

Just got back not too long ago. Feeling quite tired actually. Dropped by Far East to settle some things there. Woke up at 6am. Reached Expo 5mins to 7.30am to serve. Attributes as compared to last time have quite a number of changes but all are definitely good changes. From glory to glory. :) Tomorrow will be the 1st day of the week of prayer. Going to go for all 5 days of morning prayer in JW...hopefully I can wake up.

1 of my staff is quitting end of this mth as her uncle is short of manpower & wants her to go over to help out. She asked us the other day if she doesn't like it there can she come back to work for us again. We gave her 1 month to try out there and if she does not like it there she can come back. Not all staffs who have left San Street gets to come back. Only those who left us a good lasting impression will get to come back. Since day 1 of San Street, many have worked with us (be it PT or FT) but so far only 5 managed to leave us a good impression. Current & previous staffs who are reading this might be thinking "Am I 1 of those 5?" Haha. Don't tell you. :P

Anyways, with 1 staff leaving end of the mth it means that we'll need find a PT staff to work on the days the other staffs are off otherwise I'll have to work in the shop & work my assignmets in the shop. When my friend (also in clothing retail business) heard that I'm looking for a PT staff, he actually offered to "share" his PT staff whom he just recruited. I was surprised by his offer. Today everything has been confirmed. His PT staff will be working for him on mondays & tuesdays and for me on wednesdays & thursdays. Hehe. 1 stone kill 3 birds (I've a PT staff, my friend has a PT staff & the PT staff gets to earn extra $$$ by working in 2 different shops and still gets to rest 3 days a week). Not bad eh? Also 1 of my relative (my aunt's nephew who's fr indonesia) who has come over sg to study in poly will be helping out in the shop during the weekends.

For SOT, 10 book reviews + 10 sermons + mock CG round 2 coming up (mock CG round 1 is over but I wasn't involved in it. Mine will be on 29th & 30th April). So far have gotten 3 books. Have started a bit of the readings for 1 of the book. Only managed to read 2++ chapters of my 1st book. Total of 12 chapters in that book. Though it's not many chapters but that book is quite chim. The 2nd book I'm planning to work on after this book is the 52 chapters book. Planning get the book reviews for the more chim/thicker books over and done with b4 working on the simpler ones. Come to think of it, the readings that I had to do when I was doing my Masters in Australia 3-4yrs ago were much more and much thicker than all of these books and we didn't even go through them during lectures/tutorials but they were all examinable. I still remember having to read (well more like skim) through all those readings b4 exams and amazingly I did quite well (most of my results were just 1 grade lower than distinction. not bad. hehe). If I can do it back then, I believe I can also do it now. But really got to be more focus. Sometimes I get distracted.

The week of the shift

It's the week of the shift. It's been a very tiring week. Though only 3 days has passed. Whole body aching esp my neck, lower back & hips. Took leave from classes on monday to pack up suntec with mum and the staff allocated there. Was busy packing the whole day. Had to miss the chapel session with John Bevere. Heard it was good. :( Went back to class on tuesday. It's great to be back. Today & tmr are the days of our mock cgs. I'm not involved for these 2 days...mine is at the end of the month. So didn't need to go. Going to spend these 2 days to work on the stocks. Thankfully my mock cgs not this week otherwise I really dunno how I'm going to cope preparing for the mock cgs in the mist of all the things that needs to be done after the shift.

Anyways, all the stocks in suntec are now back home. All thanks to our renovation contractor who help out with the shift as he has access to a lorry/pick up & we don't. We've also handed everything else that needs to be done to our renovation contractor to do that is the final shift of all the furnishings etc to other outlet or to my dad's company for storage and the reinstatement of the unit back to its original state before we officially handover the unit back to suntec. Have to find space at home to keep the stocks. A lot of old stocks sia. Dad doesn't want to rent an "event area" to sell off all the old stocks. Then how? Let them sit there and collect dust meh? They won't grow $$$ lei. Got to think of ways to clear them. Also got to replenish whatever stocks that is running out in far east & iluma with those that has been brought back from suntec. My house more & more like a warehouse now. It's quite discouraging seeing suntec closed after having been there for the past 3 yrs. That's where I started San Street. A part of me felt like a failure but I know I'm not. It just so happens that we walk into & planted ourselves in an unfruitful ground called Suntec MPG (previously known as Suntec My.PlayGround).

Sometimes I feel that what my parents said is right....that I'm not cut out to be a business person/business owner and etc. Other than the business in suntec, another reason they said this is b'coz sales in iluma isn't good lately (thought it has picked up already). My parents wants to close the outlet in iluma too after the contract there ends end of march next year leaving just far east. All these things being said abt me are really very discouraging that at times I feel like giving up. But I know I am not a failure...I am not what other people say I am...I am what God says I am! He has a future & a hope for me. I am the head & not the tail, above & not beneath. Praying & believing for a breakthrough in the sales for both far east & iluma and for the resurrection power of Jesus Christ to be upon the business (in actual fact we haven't been making money. nv really told any1 abt this. that's the reason my parents has been so stressed abt this. I know where they're coming from & I don't blame them for what is being said abt me). Whatever it is, just keep walking and prophesy to the dry bones. With God nothing is impossible.

SOT assignments are out already but still haven't gotten my books yet except for "how to prepare bible messages" book. Should start reading it soon. The rest will only be ready for collection on 16th/23th/30th. I was hoping the books will arrive much earlier so I can start working on them. I really should start chiong-ing for the assignments once I've gotten some of the book on the 16th. Initially was told that we can clock 6hrs of ministry on ALTERNATE week instead of clocking 3hrs of ministry EVERY week. However realise that this is not possible as the most we'll be serving in bookstore is 4hrs each time (NOT 6hrs). So looks like I'll have to serve on every sundays to clock the hours. Have got to report at 7.30AM. So early. Actually it's not abt clocking the hrs. I actually kinda miss serving in bookstore after leaving the ministry abt 2yrs ago. And it's fun to be back serving with the old faces and the new faces in bookstore. Nxt week is the prayer week. Most prob I'll be going to JW for all the 7-8am morning prayer. It's really a discipline to wake up early every day be it for class/ministry.

7th April 2010 (updated)

It's exactly 1 week to the end of suntec's contract. Have applied for leave on the 12th (nxt mon) so as to pack up & shift out of there asap. This weekend will be our last weekend there. Having mixed feelings abt the shift. On one hand, I'm happy we can FINALLY get out of suntec. On the other hand, I'm kinda sad abt leaving suntec as that's where San Street was "born". However, having been in suntec for the past 3yrs & having shifted a few times within suntec itself, suntec lvl 3 is still the same...can be declared as an unfruitful place, it's time to let go and leave that place. Must really learn to let go & let God. I'm sure there's a better location elsewhere. Clementi maybe (I'm talking abt the mall that's still under renovation). For now shall concentrate on Far East Plaza & Iluma. After we shift out of suntec, I believe the burden will be much lighter. Suntec has pulled the business down for the past 3yrs. Time to move on.

1 staff said she has got dental appt for x-ray on this fri & requested to change nxt week's off day to this fri instead (if change appt date will have to wait another 1-2mths). Looks like I've to take 1/2 day leave from SOT to work in the shop this fri (SOT in the morning & then leaving during the 1st break to head down to iluma to work until 10pm. Going to be a long long day). Ever since our china staff was transferred over to Far East Plaza, the sales there have improved. She's the most eloquent salesperson we've (that is if the customers are chinese speaking. she can also handle non-chinese speaking customers but not as well as chinese-speaking ones). As for our other 2 staffs, they're doing okay...can say that they're hardworking in some ways...but their sales still got room for improvement. Including our china staff and myself. After all no one's perfect. Right after we shift out of suntec, will have to re-shuffle staffs allocation once again. Have made plans. There'll only be minor changes. Praying that the conflicts among a couple of staffs will be resolved and that everyone of them will willing to work with one another.

SOT have been great so far. Kinda siong though. My whole body is aching from the rushing here & there. Have been having migraine for the past few days. Not enough rest I guess. But still thank God for His Grace & Strength. We're currently on Home Cell Grp Leadership. Mock CG coming up soon. Mine is at the end of this mth and I'll be collecting the offering, leading testimony time, and leading praise. We've also a total of 10 book review assignments to do & 10 sermons to write. So far only 4 book review assignments are already uploaded on the student portal. I've yet to start on any of them as I still dun've the books I ordered fr Attributes. Hopefully can get them soon so that I can start on the assignments asap. Praying for wise time management to juggle between SOT and managing the business.

Have decided to restart the writing of my spiritual journal. To journalise the conversation between God and I during my QT, Have done that a couple of times in SOT class (1st time we wrote what we felt the HS is speaking to us. 2nd time we wrote what the Holy Spirit is speaking to us, our response, and His reply). Decided to do the same thing in my own QT. Shall jot down whatever God is speaking to me. Been a long time since I last did that. Believe by doing this I will be able to grow more in my walk with Him. Praying for more encounters with God. :))

Easter weekend

Went to 3 services this week. Served in Attributes b4 service on sat. Was supposed to serve after service as well but my parents wanted me to come back and go out for dinner with them, sis & niall, and our new in-laws. Sis & Niall just got back from their honeymoon in japan & our new in-laws just got back from their holiday trip to penang. They're all leaving tmr for UK. All services this week have been a blast! So proud of all my friends who're part of the casts esp "Andrew Lim" aka Bernard Loh. The drama team did it once again! :))

The drama depicts a story of a couple (Andrew & Maggie), modern day Jesus & modern day lucifer. Esp felt impacted on how Jesus loves us so much that He chose the cross despite having the choice to destroy & recreate mankind. Not only that it's so so impt to have a strong will to guard & protect our heart & mind fr the temptations of the devil. Being in the marketplace for the past 3 yrs, I've indeed faced many temptations but thank God for His Grace & the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And we can always say that our best friend is Jesus Christ. Ra Ra Ra Ah Ah. Roma Roma ma. Ga Ga Oh La La. He is our Saviour :)) Living to be led by the Holy Spirit each & everyday.

Mum's going back to M'sia for a week. Leaving tmr. Bcoz her house got burned. :(( Thank God it wasn't that big a fire & was realised early by the maid who was awoken in the middle of the night by the smell of something burning. Apparently the electric mosquito racket was overcharged, caught fire & dropped on to the sofa which also caught fire. The entire house was smoky. They could have died in the smoke while sleeping. After the fire was realised, the 1st thing they did was got my grandma out of the house. Must be a shock for her! Everyone got out of the house safely & the fire engine came. Now everything's fine. The hall just need to be fixed up and the insurance can be claimed. When my cousin who also was in the house told her friends abt it. They thought was an april fool. : Come on lo...who would joke abt this kinda thing.

That's it for now. Super tired sia. Starting to feel the siong-ness of SOT & managing the business. And it's only the beginning. But I'm loving it. His grace is sufficient for me. Still got the remaining new shoe stocks to be delivered to far east. Delivered 1/2 of the batch to far east yesterday. However couldn't fit all the shoe stocks in the car in 1 single trip so have to make another trip to far east to deliver them. Also had the shoe stocks delivered to bugis iluma on gd fri. Got other things to do too for work like catching up with my accounts.

1st April 2010 (updated)

A quarter of 2010 is gone just like that...scarily fast. Class ended earlier today coz children church needed B4 audi. This weekend will be going for 1 service every day. Can't seem to get through my friends whom I'm trying to reach out to. Handphone not on and not replying my smses. :(( Send a no. of invitations via facebook to some sec sch friends & other friends. Most of them in my fb I've lost touch for a long time & dun've their contact number. Only quite recently found them on fb. Praying that some of them will join us for service. I'm going back to attributes bookstore to serve this saturday. Miss serving in attributes. Have been wanting to go back to serve when the business is more settled (left the ministry abt abt 2yrs ago when problems keep arising in the shop almost every other day & parents keep complaining I spend too much time in church). Attributes bookstore will also be the ministry I'll be in throughout SOT.

Have recovered. PTL! SOT has been rather stretching physically & mentally. But spiritually after each day of classes I feel so refreshed. New encounters in class every single day and I'm loving it. :)) SOT rocks & team 25 rocks! :)) Didn't get pass the choir support team audition. However, the others in team who signed for the choir support team are ALL in. Total 7 of them were up on the stage serving in choir today. :)) It just shows that I'm not called to sing. Ha. Nvm. God will use me in other ways. 1 in our team got into BV support team. :)) 2 in our team got into the musician support team to play the guitar. That's a total of 10! COOL man! 10 out of 24 of us (there's almost 1/2 the team) are in choir/BV/ musio. :)) :)) :)) So proud to be part of team 25! I miss 5 lessons of GOTP in just that 2 days of MC last week. After we've completed that book, I'm going to borrow the book fr any1 in the team to copy notes. Hehe. Left 3 & a 1/2 lesson of GOTP then we'll move on to home cell group leadership. Our 1st assignment, bible reading chart and 1st 4 mock cg are all out.

For years whenever family friends or relatives ask me which church I'm attending, when I said City Harvest they're surprised. Why? The main reason is b'coz just right next door to my house is a church and they wonder why I would go to a church in the far far east/far far west when all I need to do is hop next door on a sunday (not only that pasir panjang road where I'm staying at have at least 6-7 churches) and it'll save me a lot of time. True! But the reason I'm attending CHC and not other churches is because of all friendships I've found there esp with those whom I've grown up together with in church though we're no longer in the same cell/zone. But to be able to see one another grow in our walk with God is very encouraging and inspiring. And of course not forgetting the seeds my previous & current cgls have sown in the my life. In short, I just love CHC. :)) As a matter of fact, having stayed in this house for almost 15yrs, I haven't even step into the church next door. But I often can hear their service going on that is when it's good friday, easter and christmas (coz they set up a temporary tent outside the church building but within their compound to have their service there).

Workwise. Staffs have been v. guai and have not been giving us any problems. That's a good thing. Just that they're still not fruitful enough (in regards to the sales they bring in. can be better). After the transfer of a staff to my dad's office & the transferring of staffs around outlets, now we close our suntec outlet 3 days a week. We only open the outlet there on mon, fri, sat and sun (that means tue, wed, thurs we're closed) as we feel that it's not necessary to waste money to pay for electricity and staff when the sales there is so horrible. So might as well close on the quieter days. Anyways. it's just a couple more weeks b4 the contract there ends (14th April to be exact). We'll be packing up suntec on 12th April, a couple of days earlier, as we've got to clear the unit so as to reinstate it back to its original state & the keys are to be returned on 14th itself. May take a full day. Even had to apply for leave from SOT for that day coz the staff won't be able to pack everything by himself in 1 day. In order to to pack everything up asap, mum and I will go down to help the staff there to pack. After suntec closes, it will much lighter burden on us. Counting down...

26th March 2010

On wed, after classes had choir audition for the SOT support team. After which, went to the doc to get some med (cough and flu was surfacing since the night b4 i.e. tue night). That night had a fever. Was practically shivering the whole night even when i switched off the air con/fan. My whole body was aching.

Went to the doc again the nxt day (thurs) to get an mc. Was feeling too unwell to go for class and cg. The nurse (who's actually the doc's wife) on hearing my "sexy" voice adviced me to see the doc again. The doc gave me more med & 2 days mc. Doc said I need more rest. Feeling much better now. But still coughing. Each time I cough my chest would hurt. Not good. :(

Whenever I talk on the phone (most of them being my suppliers & staffs), they could hear from my voice that I'm not feeling well. Though haven't been feeling well, but still I had to get some work done. There's still a lot more that needs to be done. Now mum's sick too. She caught my flu bug. :( Praying that she'll recover soon and for God's divine healing and strength to be upon me.

24th March 2010

Had a really tiring weekend. SOT classes in the mornings then rush off to help out with sis's and niall's wedding preparation. There was buddhist temple blessing on thurs morning but I didn't go coz was in class. Tea ceremony was on fri nite over dinner at Sentosa Golf Club with family, relatives & all the close friends of sis. The actual wedding day was on the sat. Woke up at 5.30am on that day for makeup & hairdo followed by the jie-mei thingy (though niall was ang mo. he was actually v. sporting throughout the jie-mie thingy & cleared each stages rather quickly. great on you niall!). After the jie-mei thingy, headed off church of the sacred heart, a catholic church, for the holy matrimony followed by lunch buffet and dinner banquet. Both in raffles hotel ballroom. Went home to freshen up a bit b4 heading down to raffles hotel again for the nite's makeup and hairdo. The wedding was one-of-a-kind + there was a live band making the entire ballroom more alive. FUN! Svc on sun. Woke up slightly late & missed pre-svc PM. As there was a road closure at ECP was late for service. Didn't drove that day coz one of the belts underneath my car broke and the car is not in the condition for driving. Dangerous. The steering couldn't turn. Airconditioning couldn't work.

1 of our staff who got transferred to work in my dad's office started work there since mon. So now we're down with 3 staffs. After svc on sun met mum at suntec to settle a staff problem. Our china staff threatened to quit after she got scolded. She claims that the computer in suntec often has got problems & cannot be switched on. This is not the 1st time. And coincidentally it always happens on much more busier days e.g. weekends esp sundays. When we say that a technician will come down to check the system, she'll say "don't need to come down already. it's working already". What rubbish? When asked why other staffs and myself nv encounter such problems when we're working there & why the other outlets using the same system nv once encounter such problems. She couldn't answer us. Anyways, we still got a technician to go down to check the computer system to find out what's the problem. He said that the computer is perfectly fine. Even he suspected she has got sthg up her sleeves. She must have did sthg to the computer so that we cannot see what she is doing in the shop. Since she threatened to quit, we took back her work permit & told her that if she really wanna quit then can go ahead, we can just cancel her permit & she can go back to china immediately. The most we just pack up & shift out of suntec earlier (it's only a few more weeks b4 the contract ends anyways). She got shocked that we actually said that & started defending herself and said she actually still wants to work. She thought we'll beg her to stay (assumption made here) coz she knows very well that if she were to leave then we'll be short of 1 staff. We're not so desperate & beg any staff to stay.

To cut the long story short, she got transferred to far east while our 1 & only guy staff who's in far east got transferred to suntec and was also asked to run about all 3 outlets so as to replace the staff whom we've transferred to work in my father's office. He was chosen b'coz firstly he's willing to work in all outlets & secondly he has the teachable attitude. We like that! He's actually one of our previous staff. Previously he had really really really bad attitude. He went to work in other places but couldn't last long. After "banging on the walls" of the working world out there, he came back & ask us to take him back in promising to change. This is the 3rd chance we've giving him (he walked out on the his own accord the past 2 times on impulse). Although we feel that he has really changed, we still have to see if he can cross his "3rd mth" of work (he has nv worked in any job for more than 3 mths). End of nxt week will be the end of his 3rd mth. Will he be able to break his record by staying more than 3 mths in a job? By the looks of it, I think he can. He knows that if he chooses to leave again, he most probably will not get the chance to come back ever again. Can see that he's really treasuring this chance that he has been given. The other staffs are unwilling to run abt outlets. Well...they dun wanna run abt outlets it's okay. We won't force them to. It's their choice. Only that those who are willing to run abt outlets will get to see and learn more things when they serve different kinda customers in different outlets. They may even get the chance to be promoted faster than the others who're unwilling to go extra mile. After all, those retail supervisors we see out there are in-charge of not just one but a few outlets.

Met one of our suppliers yesterday who showed us samples of new arrivals. Shoes, tees, shirts, bermudas. Business is so slow lately, yet there's still so many new stocks coming out. Went through a dilemma of whether to buy or not to buy. If we buy, older stocks get pile up again & we'll once again face the problem of how to clear all those old stocks (i feel that we already have enough stocks piled up). If we dun buy, pple will see the same old thing & end up not buying anything as we dunno anything new in the shop. We'll always be facing this problem in retail esp in fashion industry as fashion is really fast moving. Eventually we bought some & they're coming in ard May/June. In time for the June holidays.

Parents not really supportive of me studying in SOT. They're complaining saying that I dun care abt the biz, that I spend so much time in church and I shouldn't get any pay for the nxt 6 mths. I where got dun care abt the biz? If I dun care abt the biz, I won't rush back after classes lo. Dun they know how stressed I am when the sales is bad? :( To them religion cannot be a no. 1 in life & that 1 cannot believe in a religion 100%. They feel that I should spend more time in the biz then in church (which they think it's unnecessary). They thought that I'll just have to go for morning classes & that's it...no need to go for svc, cg and other church activities. But I already told them abt it b4 I signed up. They were okay with it at that time but now they're not happy abt it esp mum. Didn't go for tonite's LYL OPM tonite I'll be out for 2 nights - special meeting with Dr Paul Kim yesterday & CG tmr. :( Dun wanna upset them further. Got scolded by mum for going for last week's SOT OPM. She said I too "chen-mi" already & disallowed me to go for any more OPM. :( However, managed to get permission to go for just 1 more SOT OPM and that's it (heard there's 3 SOT OPM for this yr's batch. 1 was last wk. 2 more to go. But can only go for 1 more). My parents dun like us staying out late at night esp when we've work/studies the nxt morning (in this case it's SOT).

Had choir audition after class today (signed up to be part of SOT choir support team). For ministry I joined chorus board. Initially intended to join usher but felt more led to join chorus board and so I did. There's this flu virus going ard in this yr's batch of SOT. Have been coughing for the last few days. Having a sore sore throat since yesterday. Went to the doctor to get some medicine b4 it worsens. The doctor said that I just need more rest and more water. Other than the normal medicine for cough and flu, he also gave me a few days dosage of sleeping vitamins (he said it's not sleeping pills) to help me to relax & sleep better at night b'coz I haven't been sleeping well lately. God I pray for your divine strength and healing to be upon me.