a busy and tiring end to an eventful year

Dec has always been my favourite time of each year, cos for one, it's really nice and cool, which "polar bears" like me who're stuck in hot and humid Singapore would really appreciate. Never mind the wet weather, I just love it to be nice and cool... =)

I love Dec also cos it's Christmas, and a time when I can share the joy of the Lord with friends. A time when church is abuzz with outreach presentations, to minister to people, whom God loves dearly. This year is no different. It has always been fun to experience God working in and through everyone who're involved in the presentation. Yes there are times when it's very stressful with the little time left to rehearse and prepare before Christmas, and sometimes it's tiring. No joke. But there's always this sense of gratitude for the chance to partner God and be a part of His ministry to reach out to people out there. I can't wait to see how God's gonna move this coming weekend. I'm sure it's gonna be amazing!

This year-end, I'm feeling a lot more tired than previous years. I sat down and thought about it, and found myself feeling tired from work. Even though it's year-end, when people usually wind down a little from a year's worth of often highly-stressed and high-tempo work. Not for me though. I found myself working past 6pm a few nights, sometimes till 7pm, all without realising it until Dearie called to ask me if I was on the way home. I feel bad. Going home late means Dearie has to wait a little longer before she can take a little break and have her dinner properly without having to tend to Emma. Going home late means Emma would've to wait a little longer for her warm bath, which'll eat into her sleeping time, and I'm sure parents would know what happens when babies are put through activities when they're tired. Yeps, that's right, they get really cranky and it's a whole lot more effort needed to sooth them down and put them to sleep. Going home late means less time with Dearie and Emma. Sigh...

Anyway, yes, I feel tired. I feel drained. I wished there was more support at work. I do feel a tad lonely at work. I do wish there can be more friends around in the work place. Argh! If not for the morning prayers when I wake up, or when I drive to work, I'm sure I wouldn't have gone through each day in the office with the right frame of mind, and to give my all as if unto the Lord, and live my life the way that Paul exhorted us to (Col 3:23-24). I'm sure I'd have thrown in the towel by now if not for God's strength that undergirded me all this while. I'm physically tired, but I'm thankful within, thankful that I've got a God whose love surpasses all things.

Indeed I'm thankful. I'm thankful for Emma, I'm thankful for Dearie. Dearie and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary on 12 Dec, and of course I took leave that day. This time, we had Emma to celebrate our anniversary with us. It was a pleasant day for us as a family. Went for lunch at Paragon, shopped at Paragon, Tangs, Taka, and had dinner at Paragon. We were amazed ourselves at how we were able to go out for such a long time. And Emma was such a dear throughout, blissfully sitting in her stroller, sleeping or just observing her surroundings as we went around, and only fussing a little whenever it's time to feed. We really thank God for good nursing rooms.

Well, such times cannot go by without having Dearie's favourite Jap food. We tried out the Shimbashi Soba restaurant in Paragon, and we loved the food there. Salmon sashimi was superb, and it was so good that we ordered more than one plate of it. The soba was nice and fresh too. Emma did fuss a little then, so Dearie had to sling her while eating her food. But I must say that Dearie has mastered the art of baby-slinging really well. *clap clap clap*

It was a wonderful day out, and I relish such times with Dearie and Emma. How nice it'd be if I could spend 24 hrs each day with them, and not be bogged down by work. Ha. I can imagine God's face even as He hears these thoughts of mine. He must be saying "tsk tsk.. now now Roy.. stay faithful in where I'm placing you in this season..."

Yes, Lord.. I hear You... loud and clear, amen!