Family

I'm trying so hard to remain composed..but i really miss my family. I wanna go home. I want to be near my family..Lord please speed up the time i have to spend here away from them. Bless them with many joyful and happy days, with good health, good friends, good relationships. Most of all, may they all come to know your love soon. Amen...

Left to Right: Kenneth (my brother-in-law/Loo's husband), Pheng Loo (eldest sister), Pheng Geok (second sister), Mama, Felicia Khaw(eldest niece-Loo's daughter), Papa, Me, Chee Keong (elder brother)

This pic was taken in May 2005 before i came to Dallas in June 2005.

Not in picture: Newborn niece-Eloise Khaw sister of Felicia

Was looking through some pictures and THIS ONE caught my eyes. I personally took this priceless picture. I'm so proud of myself! So cuteeeeeeee right? Hahaa..she's MINE! =P Oh..btw, this is Felicia.

Missing all...

MISSING

Missing for more than a week. Last heard from email weeks ago. If you have seen this girl or have any information about her whereabouts..please contact me at berylynn@hotmail.com. A handsome reward given for helpful information.

Name: Emily Yeoh Pheng Geok
Height: Approx 5 feet 3"
Eyes: Dark brown
Hair: Black
Languages spoken: English, Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien
Others: Very funny girl, laughs at a lot of things, drives a metalic brown Iswara
Note: Does not wear braces anymore..
Picture: The one with blue jacket

Please help me find my missing sister.. =(

Worlds Apart

We (Thomas and I) survived a youth lock-in event in church this past Friday night till Saturday morning. It was...DISASTROUS!! There were 4 leaders including us and about 16 teenagers. We reached church at about 630pm, and played board games, Pictionary and basketball as the crowd began to trickle in. We had pizza for dinner and then resume playing games.

At about 930pm, we had worship and Opie gave a short Word, after which all the madness . The youth were running around in the whole building, screaming, playing, shouting, throwing small packets of coffee creamer on the floor till it burst! Crazy..it was crazy!! They were loud, they were rude, they showed attitude to you. They just couldn't care less. They even broke the church bathroom door and the water fountain. They almost tore the whole place down..almost!

Most of them did NOT sleep at all. So did Opie and Thomas!! I slept 3 hours..well, barely cause i was falling in and out of sleep with all the noise of running footsteps and voices. We had to scold and correct them so many times but they just wouldn't listen. Someone even tried to steal another person's discman. All the drama in a night!

There were white kids, there were Hispanics, and we also have some black kids in the youth group. One thing that struck me was the great gulf of differences between these different people groups. Most or if not all Hispanic youth loathe the white kids. Can't blame them i guess. They are brought up in a community that feels ostracized by the white community. Hence, these Hispanic kids grow up with prejudice towards the whites! Some white kids are more withdrawn from the Hispanics and the blacks. And the blacks and the whites? ..are also worlds apart. They are so different!! and to bring them altogether in unity and love..it's so difficult.

It's almost like Malaysia. We have the Chinese, the Malays and the Indians. We say that we live in harmony..but really, it may not be as harmonious if we look under the carpet. The Chinese don't really like the Malays because they have special 'bumiputera' rights from the government. The Malays, for some reason..don't really like the Chinese. Maybe they feel treatened with the Chinese for their tremendous growth in business, education, etc. The Indians..i don't know. I'm just venting.

My point in saying all this is..the society everywhere around the world is antagonistic with each other, agree? Yes, No? Is yes..then how do we as Christians bring about peace? I'm reminded in Matthew 5..it says "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God." How then shall we live?

Will you be counted to bring peace to this hostile world??

Peni-El

Just came back from dinner and spending time with the Chin family. After dinner, we had a fun time playing 'Spoons' (same concept with 'Heart Attack' game back home, difference is you grab a spoon on the table once you have the 4 same cards. last person without a spoon loses). We also played 'Pictionary' after that with Sam who came and join us shortly after. It was such a good time of laughing at each other and our attempts at drawing! We really had a good time.

Peni-El..what a name. She's the youngest daughter in the family. Aunty Irene was sharing with us the story about Peni-El's birth. The twins were pre-mature babies of about 7 months old. Peni-El was so sick when she was a newborn. She was in ICU for 4 months after birth. Her intestines had infection and made her tummy bloated up. The doctors has to cut open her stomach countless times to do surgeries on her. After few times of reoccurences of infections and surgery, the doctors decided to just leave the intestines outside of the body. The doctors also told Aunty Irene 2 or 3 times to just take Peni-El home because she will not make it through the night, but they held on to God's word and visions for them. God clearly spoke to her in dreams and His Word that Peni-El will live and that He will heal her completely.

Initially, the doctors refused to put the intestines back into baby Peni-El, but Aunty Irene and Uncle Joe insisted because God told them that when He heals, He will heal COMPLETELY. Holding on to God's words, they believed for Peni-El to be well. True enough, God healed her and they were able to take her home. She never developed proper speech until about 3.5 years old because she had ear infection that caused her ears to be clogged up with puss. She also had down-syndrome symptoms till when she was about 1 year old. Slowly but surely, God healed this child!!

What a story..what a testimony of how great His love is for Peni-El and for each of us. As i was listening to Aunty Irene speak, my tears welled up in my eyes. How great is our God..what an amazing plan and destiny He has for this girl!! Crazyyy..i cannot fully fathom God's love for us. I cannot understand why such a big God would be so interested in each individual life. Every little baby counts. Peni-El counts!!

Even through the 3 times that i was at the Chin's crib, i have really grown to like Peni-El a LOT. She reminds me a little bit of my sister..and she's just so funny! When we played Pictionary, she was LOUD, she was aggresive,..she was bursting with LIFE!! who would have thought that she was a small fragile baby who almost lost her life? But NO, God had better plans, God had a destiny for her life!

It goes the same for each of us, right? We may not have such a dramatic story like Peni-El's but everyone has a story to tell. Testimonies of God's grace and mercy..stories with God's fingerprints all over it. How great..how great is our God.

I'm just gonna go to bed meditating on this..that God is great..and greatly to be praised!!

In speechless awe of You..

Hillsong United

Yeehaaa!! Next wed, Aug the 2nd (I believe)..we're gonna go to High Point Church for a worship/concert night with Hillsong United for free!!!!!! weeee...i'm so excited. I've always wanted to go Australia for the Hillsong Conference, and now..i get to go for the United one here in Dallas. What a deal!!! So yup, if you live in Dallas..make sure you go!

Also, I found out that they will be travelling to Houston after that. Houston is another city In Texas about 4-5 hours away. And then....they will travel to EL PASO!! hahahahha...Guess what? My roomie -Sarah's parents offered to fly me to El Paso to spend time with them, after which i will drive home with Sarah for Fall sem. I will fly out on the 6th of Aug and drive back to Dallas on the 15th. Which means...i may be able to see Hillsong United in El Paso too!! =))))

Oh well...i'm just excited! Thrilled to fly on a plane again too. I wonder how it'll feel like flying..after all the roller coasters rides in Six Flags. Interesting..*think about it*

Hair-do

This pic was taken quite some time back..say 6 months ago? In case you're not familiar, the one one the left is Seul-Kee (Thomas's roomate) I really like this picture of myself..with my LONG hair. Uhhh..just reminiscing on how it felt to have long hair. My hair now is not extremely short. It's just about the shoulder length. I wanna post a pic of myself..maybe later, after i take a shower! =P

Heehee... ~pheng

Change is good

Hey! welcome welcome..like the new looks of my blog? hmm..maybe you'll like my new haircut too! nope, not kidding..i just got a haircut today!

Thomas and i went and visited a Singaporean family who just moved here to CFNI to attend Pastoral school in Fall sem. they're such a pleasant family..we had dinner together, talked and laughed together. Aunty Irene offered to give me a haircut while Tom and Uncle Joe went off for a car wash at 8pm! =) They have 3 daugthers: Kelley, Victoria and Peni-El. Kelley is 17 while Victoria and Peni-El are 14 yrs old. Btw, they are twins!! ..not identical though.

So, i had 3 personal assistants (Aunty Irene and the 2 younger girls) fixing my hair tonight. My hair treatment today was inclusive of cutting, hair treatment, hair wash, blow-dry and straightening. Howzz that sound? heeheee..such a blessing! *grin*

I shared with Aunty Irene that i really miss home..even cried a little bit today as i read the Frontliners' (youth back home) updates and emails. She reassured me that it will be alright..and said that they will be my family here! So sweet..and i know that she didn't say it out of courtesy. Asians don't usually do that! =))

I guess this is what church is huh? Being there to encourage one another, and to love each other. Thank you Lord for bringing this family..and for crossing our paths. Thank you..

your child..
pheng

..and I am not

Today while traveling to church in the evening for leaders meeting, we were listening to Steven Curtis Chapman in the car. We were already listening to the same album the day before..but today, it hit me as i listen to this one song with a particular line that says.."God is God, and I am not.."

When Pr Joe (senior pastor) was sharing his heart in the meeting..he mentioned that the bottom line of next week's message can be summed up in one line: "God is God and I am not" !!!...

I have been very concerned especially just last night, about where God is leading me and us (Thomas & I) when our time here in the States is up. What ministry/church/organisation do we serve under..dadadaa..things like that. In the midst of uncertainty..i know that He is reassuring me that He is God and I am not..i'm just a man. I can plan and wish for and try to look ahead..but some times, when i'm done desiring and dreaming big and visioneering, it still takes a step of faith to trust that He holds the future. He knows what's best..and that He will guide and lead me like a Good Shepherd. Like the saying goes, "we'll cross the bridge when we reach there"

So, i shall not fret, thought difficult it will be. i will trust in my God, my Lord..my friend, because i know..that He holds my future. He has a bigger and better plan for me that all the great things i can ever imagine or dream of with my human mind.

...i'm gonna hit the sack. goodnight..
pheng

Busy!!

I had a tiring week this past week. So many things and events..but i thoroughly enjoyed myself!

On Tuesday midnight (after my work), Sam Thecka, Seul Kee and I planned a surprise for Tom for his birthday on the 19th of July! After Tom walked me home to my apt from work, i took the raspberry cheesecake that i made and met up with Sam. We hurried to Tom's car and left the cake with a lighted candle in his car!! and if you're wondering..NO, we didn't blow up the car! =) Then, I called Tom on his cellphone and asked him to check if i left my key in the car. While he was making his way down to the car, Sam and I ran up to his apt and Seul Kee let us into the bedroom. By the time Tom called me on my cell and made his way back to his house, we came out of his room singing the birthday song!! Hahahaa..it wasn't like a BIG BIG surprise..but we really wanted him to feel special and loved! =) Then we had the cheesecake together..which i thought was a little brown, BUT everyone liked it very much! *grin*

The following day on Wednesday, i went to work at 7am!..and left work at 10am to forth worth zoo (about 45 mins away) together with Tom on his birthday. It was such a HOT day..about 105F...it was ridiculous. We were sweating like pigs! =) We saw lots of animals..it was REALLY fun. My fav animal was the "king kong"..it was so HUGE! We spent the rest of the day in Forth Worth..and also met up with Jeff, a close friend who just came back to visit from China!

On Thursday, I went to work at 7am again! by now..i only slept 4.5 each night for 2 nights in a row. I worked until 12pm..and then headed to Six Flags with my church youth. I am very afraid of heights and roller coasters..but this time around, i enjoyed myself SO MUCH!!! I had my eyes open the whole time on all the roller coasters. I'm just so happy that i'm not afraid of taking roller coasters anymore! My fav ride in the whole park was the 'Batman' and the 'Texas Giant'-a big roller coaster ride made with just WOOD..except the nails, of course. Wanna find out more?..go to sixflags.com and check it out!! =)

On Friday, i also worked at 7am. In the evening, Tom, Sam T, Jeff, Amanda, Matt, Diana, Catherine and I went to a chinese restaurant to celebrate Tom's bday!! it was good to eat chinese food again!! We spent the rest of the night talking and laughing in Tom's crib...

I was sooooooooooo tired..i slept from Saturday 1am to 12pm-Sat noon. 11 hours of sleep..and still i feel a bit strange. I think i still need to catch up on some sleep. Hahaaa...i'm glad the busy week is over..and YFN is also over. Which means i have no work until when school starts in 4 weeks time!! woohooo....

Just a little update on what's happening this past week. I thought it was interesting to share... =)

i miss home..pheng