The JoyFoo Life!~

201X was a defining year for me...for those that know why, thank you for still staying by me, together. I had to restart my life again, after meeting some failures, learning from mistakes(again) and trying to piece my life back from scratch.

Thank you Dan for sticking by me, and not forsaking me in one of the lowest periods of my life. Thank you my in laws(mother, father, brother and sister) for accepting me, for who i am. The flawed and imperfect person that i am. I thank my family too, for always being there for me, especially both my parents and sister, who stayed by me relentlessly and listen to my rantings up till today.

This is a snippet of my journey to recovery.

Most importantly, i thank God, for His grace, to bring me out of the dark period, into a new one, in a relatively short time. For giving me one more chance, to live my life right, despite failing again and again.

This ordeal has definitely instilled the much needed humility in me - i have learnt the hard lesson, that all that i have, is not mine to brag. I have witness the power of God. The highs (the confidence, talents that He freely gives me) and the lows(when all is stripped away when i disobeyed). I also learnt that i can have the whole world, in one moment, and lose everything in the next - when i am not humble, but proud.


I now fear God, and I now truly knows that He really exist. Not just knowledge, but because I have experience how powerful and mighty He is. This humbling experience has made me much more accepting to the people around me. My capacity to love people has been stretched and tested, though i am still learning to be more loving each day!



WORK

I am feeling SO SOOO relieved that finally, finally, I survived and went through this past four years of work. It has not been an easy journey, but like He promised, His grace is sufficient for me. He put people around me that made my life better, and guide me through the challenges, never failing me once, in all the obstacles and stress i met at work.

When i looked back, i am so amazed of all the things that was overcame. (ASEAN School Games' facilitator, 1.5months of holding the fort while waiting for my new colleague to come in, 1-2 months of holding the fort again, all the presentations to the teachers and staff, learning to use a new computer from windows to Mac, studying all the new procurement systems when we moved from Web Procurement to Gebiz, etc)

For us, gaining long term employment is the one daunting thing to do. I have asked around, most of us have thoughts of quitting, just like me. In fact, every single day, i feel like quitting, not because i hate my job, (it is a really good job), but because of the inner conflicts inside me. I am scared to wits, of the pressures that come together with working, of facing people, of doing my work well, of being normal. I am not good at managing stress.

There are so many fears and doubts of my own abilities, that often, i will pray in the toilet for God to help me past through each day, because i can't face it myself. Yes, it is that bad!! Haha. (pls don't find me weird lol)

But the good news is, God never fails! As we put our trust in Him, things just seemed better, there is a burning hope that nothing is impossible for Him! He brings me through this 4 years, victorious, and brought me above and beyond my fears, out of all the challenges i faced.

It is with no doubt, crediting it all to God, to be able to rise up, and not give up.

Many might not know this, but I have been looking forward to this day for the longest time.
The day where i can have a good track record behind me, use it to move on to greater things in life - that is prepared for me =)) It is really a long long wait!

There were so many times where i wanted to give up, but when i think of the people that i can impact, if i can really make it through, it motivates me to keep on going, despite my many limitations.

For my superior to be happy with my job performance, and ask me to stay on after my SOT, this itself is the greatest miracle and a testimony of His goodness. I can't describe in words how very very grateful i am! Thank You Jesus for making this work stint, even possible! :)

Tomorrow is the last day of 2018. Thank you for a good year, it could have been worse.

God, please continue to keep me alert at work, have a good handover, and have a smooth January 2019 ahead.

Happy New Year everyone!!! May 2019 will be even better than 2018. (It will be!)


Lots of love,
Auntie Fung :))

We are back from the cruise!!! OK that was one week plus ago, was having post holiday syndrome till now haha.

Going to the cruise with your family (loved ones) is one of the most relaxing and chill thing to do. The 7 of us, signed up for a 6D5N Cruise, with Genting Dream Cruise..and it was really great fun! As it was my first time on a cruise, I didn't know what exactly to expect. So all the entertainment shows, 3-4 restaurants of free buffets, (complimentary lobster for one dining experience) left me in awe.

Many told me that I will be so bored and want to jump out of the ship after a few days. But, I really did enjoyed myself!! With my most beloved parents and my sister and bro in law and aunty and Dan, we spent a lot of time eating and eating and eating the buffet. Stuffing ourselves and feeling like we are in a 5 star hotel due to the balcony sea room 'hotel' room we have. Dan brought his switch to the cruise, so my sis and our husbands played a lot of the game "Overcooked"(a cooking game), and it was hilarious.

On the last day, there was a finale of lucky draws and dancing, and we witness fireworks. It was so beautiful. I felt like I was starring in "Crazy Rich Asians", looking at the fireworks from the ship :)

So blessed to be able to experience it together! The tours out of the ship was not exactly very value for money, but I guess anywhere in the world with your loved ones will always be nice. #nottakingitforgranted!

6D5N was really a long time! Plus we did not buy Wifi. It was a wonderful detox session from social media. =) However, now that I have experience cruise once, I will most probably opt to go for a shorter trip next time. 4D3N?

But, as long as I am overseas, out of Singapore for holidays, I am the happiest person on Earth! :)

Is there a job where I can work and travel, do some meaningful work, and earn some money at the same time? That will be the best retirement job!

Photos time~





SOT
I am really excited to go to School of Theology next year!! To learn more about His word, and draw closer to him, be a trained worker in the kingdom. I feel that I have so much knowledge to learn as I am still a novice in the Bible!

The time has come at work. My manager will be checking with the management next week, whether they allow me to take unpaid leave during this period. If can't, I will be tendering real soon.

God, please do what you think is the best for me!! I want to come back here to work so much!! Really enjoyed working here the past three years - it's like a dream job, being just 3 bus stop away from work, with good colleagues and boss,etc. Awww......

But yea, I shall accept the outcome for me, because I know that God always has the best plans for me! :)

Looking forward to being a student with flexible time again!

Having Kids
After 2 years plus being married, it is no wonder that everyone is checking with me on when we are having kids. At some moments, I really feel that I might not be able to take up the stress of a mother.

Mothers are such sacrificial people, always giving, having so little sleep, unconditional love for the child and family. I have super high respect for all mothers, the invisible hardworking hero behind each family.

But, I.....am seriously unsure about my own ability to take the high level of stress. Will it affect our happy marriage life with a kid? Will things become less sweet for us? Having watched a lot tv shows, where it portrayed how a kid can make or break a romance.. I really have fears and think twice! Hmm, I guess I need to have more faith in God in this aspect, as kids are really a bundle of joy from the Lord.

So sometimes, (just sometimes) I heaved a sigh of relief that I am not a mother yet. So I can still have the freedom to do what I want, and have lower stress.

BUT!! Sometimes, I still would SOOOO want to be a mother! In fact, when I was young, I wanted to be like my mother, who has four kids. I wanted three!! Before that fateful event that happen that changed how many kids I may have. :(

Because I look up to mothers, I hope I could be one, too!:) And I am quite traditional in my mindset! I think my role is to have kids, plus my parents will be so happy to be grandparents..(I really want them to be happy!) so yea, I pray I will have one or two kids, and somehow have the God-sent ability to take care of them well - when the time comes!!


yea, it is so conflicting I know.

Oh well, if I can really conceive in the first place, it will be such a great miracle from God. (haha.) My prayers for now is for me to be ready to be a good mum, before the baby comes..:) Praying for a miracle. but for now! I shall wait in the Lord and really just, trust His timing for the both of us!

I believe that He knows when is the best time for us, so I shall take the waiting now, as a preparation for me to be a good mother first. hehe! :)


I am so thankful that in 2007, I got to be saved and know Jesus. If not I will be such a low self esteem girl, always having so many worries and fears, depending on my own strength each time, tiring myself out. Like pastor say, life was negative 5 at first. Now, it is like a positive on our scales. :)

I really wish more could be able to experience the blessings and the peace that I do now! *Prays*



2019 Resolutions
OK so I have some really serious goals I hope to achieve next year...shall note it down.

1. Breakthroughs in my spiritual life and boldness! Take the chance to study hard! Love my hubby more:)


2. Be healthier! I have gained a whooping 10kg since I was married. LOL My mil ask my fil the other day, did I increase in weight? and he nodded!! ='( Sobs! Where is my mo gui shen cai (Sexy bod) hahaha...ok stop stop eating so much and not exercising. I have a big problem with inactivity..as I keep feeling sleepy.

I think I still find this weight gaining very amusing(as I have lost 10kg before in the past, so I know I can be determined when I set my heart to) Maybe when I hit 60kg then I will get a shock. I am real close though arghhhh!

So yea, I really want to go swimming with my mil often when school ends at 1pm daily next year. I know she likes swimming, so this is going to help the both of us alot! Get better in shape :) and live life healthily and to the fullest!!

Any female swimming coach in Clementi? I want to learn swimming!



3. Spend lots of time with both set of parents. Where else a better time for me to be a filial daughter! They are not young anymore, I must spend as much time as I can with them! :)


4. Learn Malay/go for counselling courses, find myself!

OK that's all. Short and sweet. :)

Two weeks of 3.5 days work week. Yay!! So much decision making in the next two weeks. And I have to brief the new teachers on Thursday on procurement. *cross fingers*

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone! :)



Lots of love,
Auntie Fung :)

On Thursday, I started developing a sore throat..

Went to drink collagen soup at Douby Ghaut with Isabel to celebrate her birthday...and this is where we went!


                                         Tsukada Mojo Singapore.. yes the name sounds chim..


                                                                       Birthday girl!

The staff even surprised us with a birthday song and a plate of handmade Happy birthday words with syrup, which was really unexpected and nice of them..

Only downside is, there wasn't a lot of "liao"inside the soup, so if you are a hungry grown up man, maybe you will feel slightly not full. Though the soup made us full! haha..

On Friday and Saturday, Dan and me went to the first ever YL Zone Marriage Retreat at Batam! It was an enriching time together as we made friends with other couples in the zone, played entertaining games, learn many nuggets of a good marriage, and basically stick together for the whole trip.



Unlike other camps which we went to, where we needed to mix around and split up, this 2D1N trip was different! In this trip, it was unique as even the chairs were lined up in pairs so that you could sit with your partner throughout. So thoughtful of them! OK fine maybe cause this is the first time I am attending such a retreat so I am just very pleasantly surprised. :)






What i have learnt

Would like to jot down some of the many things I learnt so that I will remember!

1. Do not say "SEEEE I TOLD YOU!!!" when your partner did something wrong. Our partners are vulnerable to us as they trust us, so be nice and create a good environment for both of you to grow together!

This is so true!! I remember in the early months of our relationship.. when we went to church and pastor said something that is exactly talking about my flaws, I looked towards Dan and was so grateful that he did not pin point my mistake!! Would have felt so shameful if he did! Learnt since then, to do the same and be a gracious person, even when we know we are right at times.

2. Small things can create big changes over time. Take small steps to build the relationship, listen to the details of each other lives, and ask questions so that we understand one another better. (Learn about his lives, how was his childhood, what he likes and dislikes, etc) This is important as in this busy society, it is easy to take for granted each other and stop listening, or being curious about one another. Don't become over familiar with each other. Familiarity breeds contempt!
Guilty of this!! Talk less, listen more!

3. Positive Perspective of the relationship. Try not to have a negative mindset, positive mindset will set the tone on how we manage the marriage together.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.-Philippians 4:8

Marriage is the best place to practice humility. If you are proud, God will bring you down. If you humble yourself, God will lift you up!

4. During a conflict, if a guy want to sleep or zone off, LET GO! Don't hold it on, cry out to God! Don't play the blame game, or store things up.

5. Marriage is a call of holiness (selflessness) more than happiness. We can use the struggles, joy to draw closer to God and grow in character. I am no longer an individual, we are a unit! Marriage is the intense act of reconciliation.

It is easy to get along with people whom you are not close with. The closer you are, the harder it is to get along with the person. *some truth haha*

6. Purpose of marriage is to do things that please God.. We should be living for God, not correct or try to change our spouse! Our responsibility is not to change him, it is to change ourselves! We must take responsibility for our actions. Christian love is to love well, when we love well, we please God!

God will answer the prayers of a married man who love their wife(yay!!)

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. - 1 Peter 3:7


So I went home and started reading the book I got long time back,  "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus". This two pics are so true! We really like to give advices to men, thinking that it is for their own good, and "we are just helping". But sometimes, they would prefer us to trust them to do the right thing.