Articulating Thoughts

Introducing Our Little  Bundle of Joy "We prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted us  what we asked of him. So now we give him to the LORD.  For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." - 1 Samuel 1:27-28 (Bible)  

Both Oliver and I are seminary students (since Jan 2011). Three weeks into our marriage - we came to MBTS for theological education to equip ourselves for future missions. When we celebrated our first wedding anniversary (Dec 2011), we were done with one year of our seminary education, had started our weekend ministry and were settling in a church and had wonderful, godly friends who would and could speak into our lives. We told ourselves that one more year and we will be in the mission field. We were planning a mission trip in August 2012 with few other friends who shared the same burden. We were meeting mission organizations to inquire and learn more about long-term mission possibilities. It was as if the desire and calling God had placed on Oliver's heart a decade ago was finally coming to completion. We saw things happen and pieces coming together. Things were planned and the plan was smooth. But when things are smooth is when something is not quite right. God interven...

Both my husband and I were not able to attend the Prenatal classes offered by the hospital. While my OB in Penang was hosting these classes - Oliver was preaching and I was terribly in pain due to my first ever migraine - and we couldn't attend, even though we had registered for the classes long ago and paid in full. Thought the amount paid for the classes was not refunded but we did get the class materials and some baby stuff - sample diaper packs, car stickers, baby magazines and some sample baby products and some discount coupons from Mom's Care . We also received the Mummy bag from Baiboo.com.  Here is a picture of things we received from the Penang Adventist Hospital. During my 7th month of Pregnancy I was invited to stay at my mom's in KL (Indian tradition). So we were visiting an OB at HUKM Specialist Center - this was also the hospital where my mom worked for almost 10 years. When we inquired about the Prenatal classes here in HUKM - they didn't hav...

Yesterday I posted a couple of Birth Announcement cards for girls. Today I was working on some Birth Announcement cards for newborn baby boys - so here is what I came up with. You can affix your baby's picture on the inside - right, and include the details of the birth as well. I am selling a pack of 6 cards with white envelopes for Rm 30/- including postage (Malaysia only). PM me if interested to buy.

This year of 2012 is the "Dragon Year", according to the Chinese Calendar. And many of my friends are popping babies - including me (week 37 now). So I decided to make some birth announcement cards to sell. Here are 2 simple girlie birth announcement cards for Newborn Baby Girl. I am not sure if in Malaysia we follow this tradition of sending birth announcement cards, but I think its a wonderful way of announcing the arrival of our newborn.  Welcome Baby - Purple   Welcome Baby - Pink You can affix your baby's picture on the inside - right, and include the details of the birth as well.  I am selling a pack of 6 cards with white envelopes for Rm 30/- including postage (Malaysia only). PM me if interested to buy.

This post is dedicated to Oliver, my beloved husband. As we celebrate his 33 years on planet earth - we thank Christ Jesus for his love and provision and for his call upon Oliver's life. We strive to serve him - and serve him alone. "If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 4:11 Adding to Oliver's collection of Transformers - as his Birthday Present    Transformers Animated Dinobots - Grimlock, Swoop and Snarl . Transformers Cybertron: Red Alert (2005)  Transformers Alternators: Rodimus Here are some compiled "expression of love and encouragement" for the Birthday Boy - taken from facebook. Grace Ngu : Hello Oliver!!! ヾ(●⌒∇⌒●)ﾉ Happy Birthday!!! Congrats to you and...

Please refer to Luke 10: 38-42. Martha and Mary, Lazarus' sisters are wonderful examples of Christian Hospitality. When Martha and Mary are preached, we are led to make a conscious or subconscious choice. We either fit in Martha's shoes or in Mary's. We often get divided. For those of us who believe in keeping their houses functional and providing for visitors - we side with Martha, and for those of us who enjoy the love and companionship will side with Mary.  Martha and Mary, by He Qi, China I feel that many times Martha has been frowned upon. But in real life circumstances we know that even if we want to be Mary and sit at Jesus' feet we are forced to wear Martha's robe and are framed between the pots and pans. So my question is who should we strive to be Martha or Mary? Was Martha right when she asked Jesus to release her sister Mary so that she can help her? Or was Mary right to leave her sister alone to manage the household stuff and t...

I watched The Da Vinci Code few months back. It's quite an interesting movie. I had watched it before - a long time ago - when it was released. Well, the questions about the divinity of Christ never posed any doubts or has never challenged my faith. Talking about the Holy Grail and descendants of Christ has never been an issue. I understand this book as a total work of fiction with some crazy twists involving historical details. Just like combining Transformers III: Dark of the Moon with the historic event of the first man on the moon. Like merging X-Men: First Class with the Cuban Missile Crisis. I guess we are smart enough to differentiate the truth from fiction (or are we?). Well, regarding the Jesus issue in The Da Vinci Code - I believed that Jesus having any descendents or a family and so on didn't matter. I thought it doesn't make a difference if Jesus had any marital relationship or had a family - He was (is) still God. It doesn't make him different, or ...

Just a very quick thank you card.

What is 'Bon Odori'? Originally a Japanese Buddhist observance honouring the spirits of ancestors, today it has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which Japanese return to ancestral family places, and visit, and clean their ancestors' graves. In comparison to the celebrations in Japan, the festival celebrated in Penang and Selangor is less associated with Buddhism and more with Japanese culture. Held mainly to expose locals to a part of Japanese culture, the festival provides the experience of a variety of Japanese food and drinks, art and dance, with the vast number of Japanese companies in Malaysia taking part to promote their products.         And the upcoming Penang YOSAKOI Parade 2013!!! 19th January 2013!!!     Cosplay          

Since I got pregnant, my OB as well as everything I read (online and books) and everyone I met stressed on being "hydrated". Even though sometimes you know it, but you can't do it. Yeah, I knew I had to increase my intake of fluid, but with the changing hormones - I just couldn't do it.  Water tasted so bitter that I would put a little, tiny bit of salt or squeeze a lime - so that I can drink some. Mama milk was out of option - I would throw up. Pregnancy goodies like -chicken soup and so on would make me dizzy.   At about week 12 -  my OB couldn't find the baby, she said, "Can't see clearly," (maybe the water is low). Since then I have been drinking more water to keep myself as well as the baby hydrated. Being the first-time mom - I was worried. Went online - logged on to babycenter.com and read all that I could on amniotic fluid (the water in the womb). Now what does this water do to my baby and why is it important?  Let's see... ...

My hubby found this in my mailbox today. So excited to see a big envelope - a big stuffed envelope addressed to me :D . I couldn't figure out what this was about. I checked the sender's address and it was from Canada. I wasn't expecting anything from Canada. Even the sender's name didn't ring a bell. There was no swap name or any detail on the envelope. I opened it carefully not knowing what was inside. While opening the envelope - I was still thinking that this was a wrong swap. I didn't sign up for any craft or craft supplies swap. I went through each item carefully thinking, "Oh no! I'll have to return this to the person who sent this to me. It's a wrong swap."  ;( It wasn't until I read the note in the envelope addressed to me that I realised that this was for me. It was ALL for me. It wasn't the wrong swap. I had forgotten all about it.  Isn't this like an answered prayer? We ask God for many things d...

During my first trimester when I couldn't eat anything at all and food became my number 1 enemy, most of the time I survived on bread. Since nothing tasted good, and with my tendency to throw up - bread and such were my only source of energy. Consuming bread would give me 20-30% extra energy than usual.  I was reminded of this declaration by Christ, " I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty, " (John 6:35) and it dawned on me that this is what Jesus meant when he said, "I am the bread of life," or "I am the living bread," (John 6:51).  If having one normal  chapati / roti / bread can make a difference in my health - and if Christ is the living bread and the bread of life, then I'll never be sick, never be weak. I'll be strong in him if only I could "have" him and "consume" him. Wouldn't I?

What would be the best gift for a girl? - we can easily count on our fingertips. But when it comes to the selection of a gift for the beloved males in our family - we seem to struggle at each occassion. Well, I was struggling with the same issue few months ago.  During our 4 years long distant courtship, my husband and I never got to celebrate any of those special days and occassions together. For our first anniversary, I was really struggling on what to give him. Something that he would like and appericiate, something that would not collect dust after sometime.  Learning from past experiences, I have understood that the best gift you can give someone is something that THEY like - irrespective of how silly, inappropriate and irrelevent it might seem to you. For example I would like to send some really nice stationery (pens, stickers, notepads, and cute stuff ) to my cousin but she hates it; she prefers dolls, teddy and soft toys - those are what makes her happy. ...

I love receiving snail mails. One of the reasons I participate in swaps and so on is because I have the pleasure to walk to my mailbox and find an envelope addressed to ME!! It is exciting to hold a real mail, love the touch and feel of it.  I participated in a swap organized by ICR . For the month of June the theme was "Ribbons and Laces". I sent mine and received one in almost 10 days. From a random friend from Indonesia. Wow, love the packet I received and the stuff inside. Thank you Mona Daryanani @ Cards, Gifts and more !!

As I am at my mom' right now and I do not have any craft stuff to make cards. But this was an important one. I have never made Father's Day card. But this year God has given me reason to make one, for I am blessed to have a father-in-law who cares so much. So of course it calls for a celebration. So here is a Dad's card from the material (wraping papers and other card stock) I found at my mom'. Celebrate the occasion: Challenge 66 Make My Monday: MMM Week 53 Cards for Men: Challenge 12 - Father's Day Dream Valley: Challenge 34 - For that special guy ICRC 18: Celebrations + Masculine Projects

Hey Peps..., I will be away to my mom' for a while so there won't be any posts for now.  Well, I am in my 24th Week and will be stepping into my third trimester soon... Happy!! So yeah do pray for the growing baby inside me and for my stable health as well. Thanks

Wishing CAS-ual Fridays a wonderful birthday and many more occassions and milestones to celebrate.  Checkout their blog, the DT have fabulous cards to share. I loved it all. Well the challenge is Clean and Simple Birthday creations. And here's my take.... hope I qualify ;)     CFC51: Clean And Simple Birthday creations!

Here is my second post for today. I am following the sketch challenge from The Craft's Meow May Challenge. Love their sketches (though this is my first ever entry) and this month's challenge is sketched by Nina . Well, my cousin will be celebrating her 12th birthday next month. This sketch inspired me to make her a beautiful birthday card (which I'll have to post soon enough to reach her before her birthday with her gift).  So yeah, thanks to The Craft's Meow for this challenge. And here's my take on the sketch (please excuse my picture taking skills!!). Also, a new friend is giving away a Blog Candy, celebrating her 100 followers on Blogger. So, do check out her page and show some love at A Lil Piece of Heaven

I was so excited when I saw the BGC challenge for this fortnight. I guess, I do like following sketches... sometimes it's just nice and simple and sometimes it takes up the entire challenge time. Well, here is the sketch that we were to follow.   And here's my take on the given sketch...