Personal and family – Page 17

Category: Personal and family

Breather between church camps

22 June 2015 blogpastor Leave a comment

Enjoying a breakfast of Foochow fishball noodles at Yong Peng

Singapore plated Porches parked in front of the shop makes for good advertisement

It was relaxing to have a welcome break between two camps. I really needed it. In one camp I was the speaker and the other was my church camp where I had to do the first and last sessions. My wife and I and two other couples went to a high end condominium in Kuala Lumpur City Center, at one of the couple’s invitation. We left on Sunday at 6.30 am to avoid any possible traffic jam and thank God there was none. We stopped at Yong Peng for a fishball breakfast but as it turned out we were not the only Singaporeans. There were about 25 Porches parked in front and next door at the petrol station and along the street.

Long leisurely home made breakfasts in the apartment. Clockwise Annie, Sunny, Janet, Tat Loong, Jenny, Kenny.

One of the views from the condo bridge conjoined to Renaissance Hotel

Waiting while others get their spectacles done at Sungei Wang

We reached Kuala Lumpur around 1230 pm. The apartment was as beautifully furnished as a five star hotel. We enjoyed our stay in the apartment with its unblocked city views. We had leisurely breakfasts and night snacks and long chats. In between these we walked and shopped and ate. It so nice not having to think or decide – just follow the flow. We used the Rapid KL monorail but walked most of the time. Only once we took the cab after a long tiring day. Shopping was fun because one Singapore dollar went for $2.75 ringgit. At Sungei Wang, I got myself a Braun Buffel spectacle frame with lenses to correct my astigmatism and short sightedness for $138 ringgit. There is no way I can get it at this price in Singapore. No way. The food was reasonably priced due to the exchange rate. We had a good seafood meal at Petaling Street, their “Chinatown”, and that was a tourist area.

By the time we left on Tuesday morning we were reluctant to leave but satisfied and thankful. We gelled well and set our minds for Melaka for the church camp.

From car to public transport

18 November 2014 blogpastor 2 Comments

At the Chinese Garden MRT before peak hours — At the Chinese Garden MRT at 7.50am on Tuesday morning

With the cost of buying and owning a car in Singapore inching upwards with every month more car owners have had to give up their independence and mobility and become users of public transport. I had to do so and have been taking public transport for the past two months. The jury is still out, but my tentative feel is that our public transport system is good. The MRT and the buses are clean and effective and they do get you from one place to another in comfort and safety if not on schedule. However the peak hours can be suffocatingly crowded. Of course this can be alleviated by timing your trips earlier or later. It has been 30 years since I have to depend on public transport so much. By the grace of God my transition has been mainly positive. There are several things that have happened to me and I have made several observations during this transition:

My daughter had to teach me the tactics of positioning to increase your chances of getting a seat on the MRT.

I have walked more and perspired more than when I had a car.

The huge fans at the MRT stations are my favourite things about the MRT stations.

I now prefer short-sleeved cotton shirts for comfort.

I carry a small black umbrella in my bag for sunshine as well as rain. I find it cuts off 60%

Daughter mentoring father on tactics

of the heat and I perspire less.

I deliberately walk slowly.

Planning to leave much earlier for trips is something I am getting used to.

Review of sermons before preaching on Sunday is now done in the MRT on the way to the service.

Getting a taxi on Sunday can be difficult unless you book them.

Taking a taxi when it’s necessary is something I need to get used to as I am not used to spending that kind of money.

I have recently decided to stop carrying my laptop to office unless it is absolutely necessary. Its too heavy. The Samsung tablet is my companion and I am going to try working from an external hard disk on an extra laptop in the office.

My backpack can be full and heavy at times, especially when I borrow or return books from Trinity library.

I feel loved and humbled with the numerous offers to give me a lift, some even going the second and third mile to do that.

The transition made me consider alternative modes of transport like the Brompton, a foldable portable bike allowed by MRT and buses.The LTA has ruled out electric stand scooters.

I cannot go nearest where I want, and when I want, and at the speed I want, like when I had a car to use. Public transport tells me, You can only go thus far and by this time.

Each time I hear the “TEENH” in the MRT turnstile it is my Money Rapidly Taken (MRT).

On the whole I am amazed at my rapid adjustment during my transition to public transport. God gives the grace. He has given me a grateful heart. Thank God also for the smart phone. And also for times to be quiet before Him as you stand in the train. This is a transition many in Singapore will have to make. Most retirees will have to give up their cars and adjust too. God gives us the grace.

Hyundai Matrix: farewell

22 September 2014 blogpastor Leave a comment

The Hyundai Matrix, the faithful servant

Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, metal to scrap. The Hyundai Matrix that was bought by the church and that has served so faithfully has used up its entitlement to be on the road. It has been ten years. It is durable and roadworthy. But this is Singapore – a cemetery for 10 year old vehicles. It’s such a sad under-utilization of resources. Some of the cars will be re-exported to other Third World countries to be re-conditioned and used for perhaps another 20 years. The rest will end up as scrap metal. Very few will continue on Singapore’s roads. Today I said Goodbye to my Matrix.

Singapore is probably the most expensive place in the world to own and use a car. If you buy a new Toyota Vios at today’s prices, live in Jurong and work in Changi, include all expenses such as repairs, servicing, insurance and road tax, minus inflation, you would have spent about S$200,000 by the end of ten years. This was what I read somewhere.

It is strange but though the car is not a living creature we develop some kind of feeling towards it. The feeling could be positive or negative or both. For me it is all positive. It is respect. The car looks petite but this lady has a big inside that can even squeeze four in the back seats. The luggage space can handle four persons luggage. It is gratitude. This car has done its bit for the Lord, and for my family too. It is fondness too. After so many years, I have grown to like it. Maybe I am not fussy. Nor have I driven many cars in my life to provide any kind of comparison. I only drove passenger church vans before this car: a Toyota Hiace van and a Isuzu van, before this blessing from the church came into service. She is a petroholic, but I am still fond of her.

Now it has become too expensive for the church to provide a car. I am very thankful to the church that I had one for so many years. The church has been good. The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

Even my children said, Take some photos before it goes. The family got sentimental with the car. So before it went we took some shots after lunch. I want to remember its spaciousness, its usefulness and faithfulness.

Well done thou good and faithful servant. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, metal to scrap.

Now I will undergo some major adjustment. I am converting to a BMW (B for bus; M for MRT; and W for walk). Add on a double turbo (T for taxi and T for tompang). First heard this BMW thingy from Benny Ong a popular church speaker. Stuck with me. This will be a challenging and interesting change. Like the Minister of Transport once did, I will take the MRT. But unlike him, I cannot do anything to improve it. I can only adjust and live with it. Let the hardship begin. It cannot be as bad as what others suffer in other countries.