I remember a Multiply post by a newly-married church friend who wrote that there were moments each day that he would wake up to enjoy the sunlight shining on his wife's face and thank God for providing him with such a wonderful lady. I share his sentiments.

It's indeed been a blessing to enjoy every waking moment with my dear wife Sue. We cherish the precious moments each morning when we walk along the canal to work; and before we reach home each evening we would already be exchanging sweet messages expressing how much we long to see each other.

Well, we're only entering the third month of married life but it already feels like we've been married for a lifetime. The stresses of learning to live with a new person have definitely been quite an experience for us; coupled with settling the remnants of house renovation work as well as coping with everyday concerns such as housework. And there are the times that we have carved out to spend with our families; which we have had to balance with the precious moments that we spend in youth ministry. I can only say that it's been God's grace that has carried us through.

It's my prayer that as we continue to journey through life walking hand in hand, that we would continue to keep our focus on the One who has been good to us all this while; that when the time comes for us to present an account of our lives to Him, that He would count us both as faithful servants; co-labourers in His kingdom of love and grace.

Christmas morning has always been a time when I wake up and allow the night's euphoria to settle down; a time when I take a second look at my presents and remember the people who gave them to me; a time when I reflect on the things that hold meaning and the people I love.

Christmas Eve 2007 was special. In the midst of a busy wedding preparation and house renovation schedule, Sue and I were still able to spend time with the people close to us. For me, the Christmas Eve lunch with my cousins was precious in that it was a rare gathering for us - only the second time in thirty years that we have gathered together as cousins with no reason other than to spend time with each other. Sue and I have been together for almost two years, and I've been blessed to see how close her family is. It's since been my desire to also see my family grow closer. Really hope to start a tradition of gathering the cousins on Christmas Eve - and more than that - to see us walk through the journey of life together...

In the evening we headed over to Sue's grandma's place to enjoy the family Christmas dinner. What was meaningful was the time spent together. Family members shared that when Sue's grandma passed away more than a year ago, there were some fears that the family would not meet as often and be as close as they have always been. They gave thanks that this did not happen. Instead, the Christmas dinner was also a time to remember Sue's grandma and the full life that she led. All was made more meaningful when we headed over to the house of a close friend of the grandmother - to share with her the Christmas love and join our voices in song.

It's different when we choose to remember the meaning of Christmas from the perspective of someone whose life had been changed by the first Christmas - when God first came to earth in the form of man. That's why we commemorate this season through the sharing of love - the love that was first given to us. I'm postulating that one of the reasons why God gave us families was for us to experience to a small extent the intimacy and love that He shared within His own "family" - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Over the past few mornings I have been awakened by what I have termed as the "Seven Dwarves Symphony" - a chorus of shouts accompanied by the loud pounding noises one hears when large items are thrown on the ground in rapid succession....

Yes. Upgrading has come to my block. And my turn will be next week. In the meantime, I am being treated to a foretaste of what is to come - from the housing contractors who seem to enjoy throwing the upgrading fittings onto the concrete floor just outside my room, resulting in the series of noises which have roused me to my senses each morning.

In the midst of all the upcoming renovations, Sue and I have surprised ourselves by buying a new HDB flat. It was just two weeks ago that we decided to wait until a more appropriate time. However, just days after that decision was made, God provided us with a beautiful apartment unit, and we made the move to quickly secure the place.

Our new dwelling place is ideal for the following reasons:

1) It is a 5-room flat, and the apartment will be more suitable for us in the future when we finally have children of our own. It also has a large living room space which we hope to function as an area for future ministry use.

2) The apartment is located conveniently in Clementi, in-between both our work places, and is situated next to a scenic canal. It is also located next to a running track, a children's playground, and other recreational facilities.

3) The apartment was reasonably-priced and is in an almost move-in condition. Most of the fittings are still in a reasonable condition and we foresee not having to carry out major renovation work.

4) All our parents and close friends like the apartment.

In Singapore today, buying a home is one of the most significant challenges faced by most newly-married couples. Sue and I truly feel that we've been blessed immeasurable by God in this aspect - that the whole process has been almost obstacle-free for us. Indeed this purchase has been a future-oriented one, and we can imagine ourselves bringing up our children in the new place; taking them for long walks along the canal, and teaching them how to cycle, rollerblade etc...

We can also imagine our new home being used for ministry purposes; just as my current home was used to host my weekly cell group. It is our desire that the new apartment will be consecrated for God's use in whatever way that He desires to use it. He has blessed us with so much, and it is only appropriate that all that we have be used for His glory. It is hoped that this will be a metaphor for our lives as well - that the both of us, together with our future family, will be completely consecrated for His use according to His perfect will :)

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.

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

These words by missionary martyr Jim Elliot have resounded in my heart ever since I first heard them many years ago. They reveal the heartbeat of Wheaton College graduate Jim Elliot, who chose to surrender his worldly career and life to God, venturing into Equador against conventional wisdom and making first contact with the Auca Indians, a tribe known for their brutality. Jim was later killed, along with four of his friends, by the Aucas, who had mistakenly assumed that the five men intended to eat them. The entire tribe later came to give their lives to Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit, after Jim's widow Elisabeth took her daughter Valerie to live among the tribe for two and a half years. The ministry of Elisabeth and the other widows touched the Aucas as they could not understand how these women could forgive them despite what they had done to their husbands.

I was reminded of the Elliots' story yesterday after watching a musical staged by Mt Carmel BP Church entitled Love Above All (the photo above depicts a young Elisabeth who was at that time experiencing emotional turmoil, torn between her love for Jim and her love for missions).

Attending the musical with a group of youth leaders whom I'm mentoring, I posed a question to them - Was it "worth it" for Jim Elliot to make the trip to the Auca Indians? While I'm interested to hear their response, I'm personally at a loss regarding how to answer my own question. I mean - is the loss of human life ever "worth it"? Even if it results in the salvation of an entire tribe? What about the current hostage crisis in Afghanistan and the death of the Korean pastor? Was it "worth it" for the Koreans to make the trip in the first place? Even if through this incident the entire Christian community has been rallied in prayer? I don't know the answer; only one person does. 

John 15:13 reads "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." It was because God first loved us, that's why He sent His son Jesus to descend to earth as a man to die for the salvation for all mankind. There is indeed no greater love than this.

I'm certain that Jim and Elisabeth Elliot fully understood this principle. In her book Under the Shadow of the Almighty, Elisabeth shared the passion behind her decision to travel with Jim into the mission field. She wrote about Jim's unwavering decision to give up a respectable job as a teacher to pursue his calling. It was the same for her - that's why she chose to forgive those who killed her husband and made the unimaginable decision to instead bring her daughter to live among the Aucas. I'm certain these were choices that were modelled after a man who chose to die so that all humanity be saved - the life of Jesus the Christ.

The message from last Sunday's Youth Day Service is still imprinted on my mind. It was a celebration of youth, and the pastor spoke on the different types of youths present in today's society - the poseurs, the muggers, the emo, the sporty, the cool...

Then he shared personal stories of the youths in church, to illustrate how some of them have grown in stature over the years.

The story of one particular youth brought tears to my eyes. Fast and furious they flowed; uncontrollably, and unashamedly.

This was the story of someone I have been mentoring since I first answered God's call and entered youth ministry five years ago. He was then an ordinary youth who was one day chosen to be a leader because he was a year older than the others. The journey has been long, and I still retain many fond memories of the times spent together over the years, as I started a mentoring relationship with him and other youth leaders. Since then, this youth has grown much in stature, and it still brings tears to my eyes as I reflect on the key milestones in his life - footprints in his life which I know that God had honoured me with - by using me as His instrument to shape the life of this youth.

It dawned upon me then that I have been serving in the youth ministry for the past five years. On reflection, this constitutes one-sixth of my physical life, and it's indeed no small part. Looking back, I don't think I would ever have imagined that God would take me down this path. I remember the first youth camp that I helped out in so many years ago and the intensity of the emotions then still brings tears to my eyes now - just as it had brought tears to my eyes then - when as youth leaders, we cried our hearts out as we prayed for the youths of this generation.

As I started to dry my tears during the service last Sunday, I was again reminded of God's call in my life - to be a minister to young people in need of Him, and to mentor young leaders to walk the way of Christ. This is something I know I want to continue doing all my life - or at least as long as He continues to call me in this direction.

I can understand now why couples are so busy preparing for their marriage. For starters there's the wedding preparations - drawing up the guest list, booking the church and dinner locations, choosing a bridal studio and going for the photoshoot, finalising the helper list, meeting the wedding coordinators, drawing up the actual day wedding schedule, deciding on the folral decorations, the list goes on...

Besides that, many couples are also tied down with the other physical preparations - such as deciding where to live after the wedding; and if they decide to live on their own, they would then need to buy an apartment and renovate the new home. 

I'm thankful that for us, this process has been simplified somewhat. We're indeed very blessed that there's no need to look for a new home, as I'm already living in an apartment which I call my own. What's however important is that when Sue moves in, for the place to be "ours" and not only "mine". Hence the need for renovations so that the apartment can be shaped by both our personalities. And since my flat will conveniently also go through upgrading, it makes sense to take advantage of the situation and concurrently renovate the apartment.

We've therefore been spending much of our time together seeking out items for our place. A very enjoyable experience overall as both of us enjoy beautiful things and it's been quite fun choosing lovely things that we both know we'll enjoy - like the delicate Thai silk which we bought during our recent trip to Bangkok (featured in the photo above and which will be used to make curtains), the lovely maroon-coloured bed linen at 70% off (thanks to the Great Singapore Sale), and our latest acquistion - a comfy King Coil mattress and bed frame set... 

We know there're many more things that we'll need to purchase together - like a new dining room set, toilet sinks, a desk for the study room etc; but so far we're happy with all our purchases. I think the main reason why this is so is because we've both learnt to consider what each other likes - and to accommodate each other every time we make a decision. In many ways this is representative of the marriage life, during which we know we'll have to make many decisions together. It's not merely the humourous view of marriage that depicts the husband as the head of the house and the wife as the neck that turns him around; rather it's more that both husband and wife share joint responsibility of the household and that all decisions are made in mutual agreement. It's truly a high calling for the husband to be the head of the household, and this is a position that is only tenable if he is under the authority of God.

Truly marriage preparation means more than just preparing for the wedding - it's preparing for a whole life to be lived together under the authority of God.

It's been a few months now since the senior youths in my church came together as a cohort, leaving their previous cell groups for the newly-formed Senior Zone which comprises three new cell groups. It has indeed been a joy for me to take up the role of mentoring the leaders of these groups on a fortnightly basis together with two other adult leaders.

Over the course of these past few months, we have seen old bonds strengthening, new friendships forming and newcomers receiving Christ as their personal Saviour. That these youths have since integrated with the rest of the youths has been really wonderful for us, and it’s truly been an honour and a privilege to partner with God in the entire process.

The life of every group goes through four stages - forming, norming, storming and performing. I feel that the current Senior Zone has made it through the forming stage – when its members begin to get comfortable with each other, and are now at the norming stage – when the members begin to form regular routines and establish a modus operandi and group culture. My prayer is that the group will steady itself as it goes through the storming stage – when the group encounters trials, and eventually settle into the performing stage – when group members are finally able to realise their fullest potential.