It's been a restful few weeks at home supervising the upgrading work and packing up the house in preparation for the Big Move which will likely take place before and after the wedding.

This has certainly been a season of transition for me as I close my chapter as an administrator in the youth sector to handle more direct work teaching the youths - I will be lecturing at a polytechnic come next week.

It is and has always been my passion to work with the youths - that was why I made the switch from the journalism world to the youth sector more than two years ago. I did not once regret the move, and these two years have been a joy for me as I learnt the ins and outs of the youth sector, and how youth organisations work on a national level.

Beyond the arena of work, I have really grown to love an office culture that cultivates individual growth and personal relationships. There have been many colleagues whom I have grown fond of over these past two years, and I have come to call them my friends - even my bosses who have been really encouraging and have taken time to nurture me both professionally and personally (I write this not because they're here on Multiply as well, but this is something that I've come to cherish during the span of my working life there).

Ecclesiastes 3 reads: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven... What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time... I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil - this is God's gift to man."

I'm thankful that God gave me those two good years in my previous company; and as I take the next few steps in my life - to embark on a new career, to buy a new house and to get married - I aspire to take pleasure in all that He has given me - to the glory of His name.

When I learnt I was going to sit in for this year's National Day Rally speech, one of the first things that Sue asked me to do was to pay special attention to any new announcements on housing - that given the recent surge in the property market prices. As a matter of fact, property was one of the items mentioned in the speech; although it did not affect us as much as we had hoped for it to.

To put things in perspective, Sue and I took part in the recent HDB balloting exercise for 4-room and 5-room flats in mature estates. Although we already have a 3-room flat, we were however thinking ahead and preparing for the arrival of our children, when the time comes for that to materialise. Together with another couple from church, we had been eagerly anticipating the release of the balloting results, for the 354 flats that have been released. We finally received the results yesterday, only to learn that of the 10,200 people who had applied, our queue number was 6,071 i.e. we would only be able to get our flat if 6,070 people reject the flats.

In all honesty, although we knew that it was very difficult to get an apartment in this manner, we were definitely disappointed. A flurry of sms messages were sent to each other through the day, and when we finally met last night, we came to the conclusion that we might have to look through the Classifieds and search for a place on the open market.

Amidst all the searching, I was reminded of the current upgrading work that my flat will be undergoing soon. One side episode was the sudden appearance of a head outside my kitchen window this morning before work. "Uncle... Need to remove the metal clothes rack. Can or not?" I was rather startled, although thankful to be in a modest state of decency. Upon discussion with the foreign worker, who was with one other man suspended inside a gondola outside the window, I learnt that some of my furnishings had to be removed for the upgrading works to proceed. I only agreed after discussing with his foreman, a well-spoken gentleman who was obviously intrigued by the incident "Your house the only one with this rack. We see how - if can we'll return to you after taking it out."

Considering all the major upgrading works that will be conducted soon, and the preparations for our upcoming marriage, we finally decided to hold off the search for a new place until another time. Both of us had gone to God to inquire about this matter, and we were both of the opinion that this period might not be the best time to buy a new place. All in good timing; all in His timing.