The JoyFoo Life!~

Hello everyone! Can't believe my last post was in January 2018, and now it is already so close to the end of the year. I must have been hibernating for the past many months.

Compared to 2017, i must say that i really didn't achieve much this year except to go to work and coming home. And visiting my beloved family PLUS spending more time with my in laws! Oyes, and i went to London in June!! Had loads and loads of fun there and can i just say i want to just migrate there. Haha. i lovee travelling so much!😀 OK this is not too bad isn't it?


Kensington Palace. It's beautifOO!



Isle of Skye, Scotland!



Tower bridge!


me and HUGE fish and chips! :)

WORK
This year, my really really good friend at work resigned in July, and it was a stressful period for me as i try my best to learn as much as possible from her, to be good enough to teach my new colleague. Since there was no culture of a direct handover to the next person at my workplace, it means that i have to be more conscientious on learning her part of the work, in case there was a gap in the transferring of knowledge.

Braced myself up and prayed hard daily, for God to give me the wisdom and confidence to be able to overcome this. I was really scared and fearful deep inside, but He never fails to comfort me and give me the strength to carry on, each day. This is on top of the fact that i really missed the times both of us had together terribly, but we both know that life has to move on. As long as we are in each other's heart, it will be okay. LOL i am so emotional and dramatic sometimes! haha!

Thankfully this transition period is almost over, as the new colleague settled down well. Thank you Jesus, for walking this challenging path with me together, and thank you Pei, Dan, my sis, my mother in law, my family, for so much encouragement given to me in this difficult period of mine. :)

I couldn't have done it on my own, with all my fears. I am so glad it is almost over!!!

However, just when i thought everything is going to a zen mode, and life will be smooth since it is November, and the students and teachers will be going on holidays soon, something happened. And now, work is getting a bit rough again..argh!! sigh i am really not good at handling criticism, i am so freaking affected!!! NOT PROUD OF THAT. hahaha. I got to learn to take the criticism positively man, it is okay everyone has weaknesses, just improve on it. Jiayou MF!!

Work is indeed a challenge i faced on a daily basis. (i will tell you why one day, if you follow my blog long enough haha!) I am sooo grateful though, that i have been in employment for close to 3 years.

If God is with me, and my eyes are set on Him, i have got nothing to fear. :)


Haha on a positive note, i have decided to leave soon! I hope nobody at work reads my blog, cos i am going to write it here openly. I have decided to enroll myself in SOT 2019, so i am most probably going to tender soon. :) I can't wait for the day, when i am free to soak myself fully in His words, in His presence, and experience the breakthroughs He has for me. I am very excited!!

Have many plans i want to do during the 7 months of full-time studies. Shall blog it down one day.

For now, i am just counting down to Dec 18 Bonus, and may it be the best bonus amount ever!!

Hang in there for next week everyone!! :)



P.S: I have an idea!! :) Since the end is nearing, and i want to try to improve my non-existent writing skills, i am going to start a #80daysblogging challenge!! Tune in to this lamebowl(cos i am lame and likes rainbow) blog daily if you are bored of working life and likes reading about boring people's life to release stress!! Adios! :)

And so..i finally got down to on my computer and blog..i have been in the sleeping room rather than this working room for the longest time, spending time with my most beloved bed and brown bear.



So today I shall evaluate my 2017 resolutions. A bit late but better late than never! So these were my goals last year..evaluation in red*

1. Maintain my weight~ Oh no I gain 3 kg!! Time to exercise more from next week onwards!!Want to stay slim and bimbotic ya. haha.

2. TRYYYYY not to eat so much fast food as my cholestrol is borderline high already X.X Ok this point I did it! I ate very minimal fast food for the 2nd half of 2017..Gives myself a pat* 

3. Drink lots of plain water!! (Try to cut down on those sweet drinks which are so... tempting, cold and seem to trickle down my dry throat so well) Yes did it! But ate a lot of cakes...ok lesser this year!

4. Make a resolution to be less fearful and bolder this year ..Wow, I didn't know when I made this resolutions that I would get so much opportunities to become bolder.,.scare the timid me..but yes I did get bolder at the end of December compared to the start! Pats my back again*

5. Save $12,000 Thank God I did this too, my bank is smiling! =D

6. Blog 22-30 posts for 2017! Record down all the life events so that i can look back when i am 80 years old at what has happened in my life~ (because my memory is really quite short haha) I counted, I wrote 16 blog post in 2017.. didn't meet my goals but I did try!

7. Learn one dish a month (my goals with mil) Erm, this goal is non existent and I end up just eating and not learning to cook oops

8. Work towards my dream =D Yes becoming bolder was one step towards my dream, so yay!

9. BE HEALTHY AND SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY~yes healthier (I hope) and I did spend more time with both of my families! :D

6.5 out of 9points. 72% Ok that's an A!!! YAY ..haha 2017 has been one eventful roller coaster and I  managed to learn a lot and achieve a lot..I do hope 2018 will be less eventful but will be even better!:)

Shall make some resolutions this year and try to keep them as much as I can. So here are they! (Don't be bored ok, this is an important milestone of my life, to make plans and fuifill it. ;)

1. Maintain my weight at 51kg! Time to reduce it><
2. Be courageous and constantly be more grateful of what I have this year...
3. Write 22-30 post for 2018!! I shall hit my goal this time and come back to my blogging world!
4. Be healthy and spend more time with my family, and sow more into my family and friends life! :) (Believing God can provide)



OK why is my leg numb and my shoulders hurting? Think it is because I am not in my usual lying down mode. hahaha. lame.

Just went to visit my auntie with my mil in the hospital..feel abit emo on how life is as such..growing old..seeing your body wear and tear eventually.. so indeed, we must treasure our youth!! ok not young anymore and turning 30..There was an instant where I realise how fragile life is, how we must spend our youth doing things we like..for me it is travelling and the feeling of being able to help/bless someone..hmm what can I do?

Shall come back and blog another time. May 2018 be kinder to all of us! =')

Hello! I am back! OK Bangkok trip is in June 17...But why am I blogging only in Sept 17? Haha..

OK I have decided to blog all the trips and couple goals stuffs there and separate from this blog. So here is the link to my 2nd blog!

joyfoolee.blogspot.com

Enjoy while I go and dream of more things to blog there! X)

Today's blog post will be about service in church!

Pastor started by saying that God does not look at your outer achievements/appearance/IQ/wealth/etc - but He is looking at your heart.

This jotted one of the memories I had deep inside, when I was a young Joy. (My name btw!) Like I mentioned in my previous posts, I grew up with some of the smartest, talented, kindest yet sociable siblings. I used to often try to see what I am better at, and I thought being sociable was my strength!

But, when my two brothers got into student council, officer, dance captain etc, It proved my naïve mentality that "oh well, some people are good at IQ but I am abit better at EQ" theory wrong, sobs*, and, my world crashed. Teehee nope it did not but you get the point*


To cover up the weakness at being not exactly good at anything outwardly, I decided that I shall be nice and funny, and try to improve whenever people gives me constructive comments. I mean - you don't really have to have any gifts to be nice right? That's my secret path out.

So I just clown around and lalala~ for most of my teenage years, making people laugh, saying some of the silliest and lamest thing ever, and I think it worked! This was also a period where I named my blog, LAMEBOWL (suggested by my best friend S). Because I am truly lame and like rainbow~ :)



I remember clearly once, when i was scolded by a teacher, because of my not serious outlook in life. (It is only outlook ok, I am quite mature, just that it is boring to be serious all the time!)

So I was the flag bearer representing girl guides that year. During practice, I kept smiling when the teacher ask me to be serious. What I was thinking is that this is only practice, I WILL be serious on actual day. (which I did!) But yea, he told me "MF, if you are going to be so not serious, you will get into trouble one day." Which I also did eventually. So yes, 听你的老师的話.......

Back to serious topic, so at that time, I wasn't a believer yet. I will often ask the heavens, at my balcony area, and wondered if anyone can see the heart inside instead of the outward achievements..

I know I have a good heart (though not sure anymore because recently I ate too much fried chicken).. But no one seems to be able to see that. Maybe then, God was already watching over me..because I find myself feeling very much consoled after.

Things has since change tremendously after I know Him personally. Life is still not a bed of roses, but I feel much more secured in His love, I no longer need to compare with others what I don't have, but instead focus on what I have!
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The closer we get to God, a greater degree of holiness is required. So if you are going through some tribulations right now, it's alright! You are being tested to become purer like gold! Let's Jiayou together everyone in this race, with Grace!!




Pastor then went on to James 3:8-10, and he caution us to be careful with what we say. Don't speak ill of people!!!

James 3:8-10New International Version (NIV)
⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

OK so this is like the hardest thing ever right. Haha because it is so easy to just blahh blahh out especially when you are upset with someone, even though I try to be an angel most of the time. =) Something to take note of to improve, I shall give myself one year to practice this - shall catch myself if I do that next time!! :)


There is this video that is quite cool by Xandria Ooi, on a similar topic. CLICK HERE to watch, you won't regret it!

He then went on to share on John 8-10.

John 8-10New International Version (NIV)
³ The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

In summary, when people ask Jesus what should they do to the lady who has did something so wrong, He (the most Holy high One did not condemn her, but forgive her, and asked her to go and sin no more. (Because He loved her, but at the same time, He still has his high standards and do not want her to sin anymore).

*deep in thought* Who on this Earth is blameless and without sin? Definitely not me. Hmmm~

Anyway, have a good week ahead everyone!! Thanks for reading my humble blog! :)

OK so recently I just have loads of emotions, maybe because this is one eventful year of ups and downs! Still thankful though, for the good things that happened and for the lessons learnt from the bad~

There are some things which I would want to work on more, in order to meet my goals from the start of the year. Let's see whether I have the time to do so..

1) Swimming
2) Use $500 SkillFutures (for Singaporeans aged 25 years old and above) and take up counselling certificate. Found one really cool one below, but it is on weekdays so will be finding out more when I have the time.
3) Toastmaster (need to learn presenting because I am really shy although I LOVEEEEE to talk and can do so for 5 hours non stop, haha. Hope to one day be able to present my thoughts in front of public with perfect ease! :))

Went to church today after a few weeks of MIA due to sick/accompanying dad at home/tiredness, and woah, what an awesome service it was! Feeling so much more refreshed than before, and I have decided, I MUST go to church weekly~ Time to set my priorities right, and put God first!~



Watching service at home and live! is a different story totally - the presence in church was so tangible, and I really enjoyed it!

It started with Matthew 16:26, the parable of the rich young man, where he came to Jesus and asked where else was he lacking, because he obeyed the commandments. He, for all credit was a sensible young man. However, when asked to sell his worldly possessions, he was not able to do so, as he loved the world, and he walked away 'sorrowful'.

This strike a huge chord with me. Nope, it doesn't mean i am going to sell away all my possessions, don't worry. lol, but WOWW.

Ok so here it goes - as per my previous post, I am usually a thrifty person. Thrifty not stingy on others ok, because I do believe being able to give is a huge blessing itself! :)

Due to going through and watching how tough it was for our parents to bring up the four of us when we grew up, we are able to grow up in harsh conditions. This is something I take pride in, that I am able to eat plain porridge and cai xin/canned tuna/pork floss for a meal. So yepps, I won't starve as long as I got my papa fav home-cooked porridge and some sides!

For the longest time, I feel that I am easy to "yang". And I have this happy sweet thought that I am quite special, because I do not have a love for money and worldly possessions.



In this recent year, I had the wonderful chance to really save up a lot of liquid cash, not those stuck in some investment kind. (To clarify, I am someone who usually feel very rich, even when my bank has $300 cash. so my definition of 'a lot' may not really be a lot to some la)

Maybe because all the debts are cleared, the mortgage loans of the family car and then remaining house loans are fully paid. For once, the discipline of saving up really shows in my cute bank account. :)

However, when the savings were threatened, I realised how much struggle it was for me to give it up, temporarily or not. I was not the nicest person I thought I was. It was really by ALOT of grace and love from God that things managed to go on well as per normal. Thank God for intervening to help me love and forgive, I can never be able to do it so quickly by my own strength!

OK, so what the point of my grandmother story? The point is, the realisation of my fallen nature, that I too, will cringe at the thought of losing my money, just like the rich man in the bible. I too, cares about money. *sobs at the realisation that I am not that special afterall* =(

Haha! But yes, through this experience, I learnt that I have to trust God more, not selectively, but yes in ALL areas. Self reminder! :)



Pastor then went on to preach and showed us examples in the bible, on how pain prepares us for our purpose, and how important it is that we LEARN from bad experiences. Not just share testimonials and forget the lesson learnt from the miracle we received, but to REMEMBER the lessons, and use it to apply for our next crisis.

Good management of bad experiences leads to great growth, bad management of good experiences leads to crisis and decline!

So, I went home and thought of the miracles in my life, and lessons learnt, and I shall state here for my own information, please act interested - thanks. =)

Like he say, an experience does not teach you anything, only an evaluated experience will teach you the lessons and wisdom for the next crisis you WILL face!

So what are my 5+1 hard lessons learnt in life so far?

1. Don't ever write bad things on social media. Especially when things can easily go out of control nowadays
2. Humility, everything is from God, not from my own credit or intelligence. (This is the toughest lesson which took me 6 years to finally learn - too long to elaborate here, I hope I have learnt it, because if not something will happen that makes me learn, which I never want again OMG)
3. Don't be so attached to your worldly possessions. Didn't I believe that God is the provider - where is the faith of a mustard seed?? (Work in progress)
4. If God can perform the miracle once, He can do it again. Believe and trust!
5. Love Daniel much much (Haha! He typed in this one for me in my phone) =P
6. Share your feelings with others, do not pent it up inside - if not, it may burst one day!



OK that's all! What are your list of miracles and lessons learnt, a list that you do not want to forget the next time you meet a challenge?

Have a good week and a happy national day holiday next week! :)

July 17 must be the most exciting/busy/heart-pumping yet fulfilling month for me this year. First off, we went for this cluster event where me and my two lunch khakis performed singing in front of 100+people. It was indeed unnerving, but we had great fun practicing and carrying out the item with the lively energetic team.

Then came to the ASEAN games duties. It was my first time in a long time being involved in such a great event. The last time was NDP 2004? where I marched as a girl guide in the contingent, but that was like over one decade ago. :)

I always enjoyed going for such events, and thought of volunteering at CHINGAY/SEA games, but never did due to lack of time/not wanting it enough maybe?

So when there was an opportunity to do so at work, I was so excited! :)

However, this would mean that I have to bring home work on few weekends, and do overtime work - in order to finish up the deadlines for the month. On top of that, the amount of readings (powerpoint slides, planning) involved from the organising team was numerous, and working on two Saturdays would mean that I was quite tired out on weekdays.

Thank God for watching over my health during this period and to finish up the deadlines, and also for my colleague who covered me when I was not around the 3 days. It wouldn't have been possible without the team effort.

It was indeed a wonderful experience being involved and I learnt so much in the few days volunteering about how the games were carried out, and the work involved from organiser.

Decided to volunteer as I feel that after I have kids/etc, I may not have the time/energy to have such an experience anymore, having to prioritise in other matters. No regrets and thank God things went okay too! =)





August is coming soon! For the first time in life, I am wondering if saving so hard in life is necessary. I always believed in the idea of fruits after hard work, so feel that saving a big portion of your salary and investing from young is the right way. Have been overly thrifty (especially on myself) except for overseas trips or food LA, not willing to spend money on things like good shoes, bags and stuffs as I had some really strict goals on retirement plans enforced..

But after some earth-shaking event in life recently, where I realised even money AND health is not within my control,  is it really worth it? What if you don't even live to the age you thought you would? Sometimes I am so tempted to just spend like others do, but like my sister says since my university years "MF see your face will want to save" LOL so I guess it will take a while to change that =X

Maybe ba, maybe I will stop being lame and plan for retirement because I am only 28. Bleahs.