My Favorite Beaches – Changi Beach (Singapore)

Since I was a toddler – I remember always looking forward to Saturdays.
It meant my dad was off work for the day, but more important to us kids, it meant he was going to take us to the beach.
The thought of the sand under our bare feet, swimming in the surf, and beach combing always brought the best behaviour out of us.

Low tide was the highlight of our trip because it meant we could explore the tidal pools, collect clams for dinner, fish for shrimp, cuttlefish and the occasional butterfly fish for our marine aquarium.
What was our favorite beach 30 years ago has now been transformed into part of an International Airport. In my last trip to this special place – gone were the clams, the sea life, and the tidal pools.

This favorite beach of mine, is too far away for me to visit anymore, and it is too transformed for me to relive what it was like.

"To myself I am only a child playing on a beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me." Isaac Newton

While I have travelled across the oceans and acquired much truth, still the simple joys of a child playing on a beach brings a smile to me.

Find the Adventurer in you

This life only happens once; savour new experiences when the opportunity comes your way.
Ever since I was a child, I would be into everything. I was always the first to attempt crazy stunts or sample new foods.
When most of the world were content to just watch Jacques Cousteau in his undersea exploration, I was pushing the limits with my Mares- Sub Dive mask and fins 35 feet underwater. (free diving without an air tank)Though I was advised to stay away from motorbikes, I rode a big bike for 12 years.
While most of my friends were looking for ways to avoid mandatory military service, I signed up 12 years with the Air Force, just so I could work on weapons systems.
That adventurous spirit, coupled with my passion for missionary work, opened up new adventures, new places and new experiences.


You know a dream is like a river, ever changing as it flows.

And a dreamer's just a vessel that must follow where it goes.

Trying to learn from what's behind you and never knowing what's in store

Makes each day a constant battle just to stay between the shores.

And I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.

Like a bird upon the wind, these waters are my sky.

I'll never reach my destination if I never try,

So I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.

Too many times we stand aside and let the water slip away.

To what we put off 'til tomorrow has now become today.

So don't you sit upon the shore and say you're satisfied.

Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tides.

(Garth Brooks, song "The River" co-written with Victoria Shaw)

The Young and the Restless

Went for a walk the other day and came across a big crowd gathered at the end of the pier. As it turned out, it was a bunch of teens demonstrating their lack of judgment. As I approached the crowd, I noticed several signs prominently posted that read ' No Diving Off Pier". I instinctively thought to myself; "these young people and their and foolhardy ways!"

The sad part of the equation in this mix, was that one of the participants had his father there challenging the other kids present to outdo each other. Sigh!

Young people don't seem to understand boundaries hence the need for warning signs and parents!

The Bio of a Man Named “Mo”

A long time ago
Lived a man named “Mo”.
Mo goes into the desert
And sees a burning bush show!
Mo went, “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
What is this? I gotta know!”
God called out to Mo: “Hello!”
“Mo! It’s Me! Yo, Yo, Yo!”
Moses replied: “Yo, Yo, Yo!
I’ve just run away from Pharaoh – uh oh!”
God speaks and says, “Mo, Mo, Mo – back you go!”
Moses asked, “Yo, where You want Mo to go?”
God said to Moses, “Back to Egypt you go!”
“Yo, I’m just an average Joe, I’m no pro!
My speech is too slow – I really can’t go!”
God told Moses: “Mo, it’s okay! Go get your bro!
Tell him to say, ‘Yo Pharaoh! Let me people go!’ ” Pharaoh laughed at Mo with a loud
“Ho, Ho, Ho! I’m never letting yo people go!”
Pharaoh said no…and God said,
“Ten plagues – Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!”
The locusts mow, mow, mow
Every plant…everywhere they go!
The rivers turned to blood everywhere they flow!
After the first few plagues,
Pharaoh was only…so-so!
Finally, after ten plagues, Pharaoh was laid low and screams, “GO!!!”
When it came time to leave Egypt,
A call went out through the camp: “Tally Ho!”
They came to the Red Sea with the Egyptian army in tow
So they asked Mo, “How do we go?!?”
The great, wise Mo said, “I don’t know! I’ll ask YO!”
Then Mo raised his hands…the Red Sea stopped its flow…
The people crossed without a boat to row…
Mo lowered his hands so the Red Sea would overflow
With that, God gave Pharaoh’s army a K.O.!
Score 1 to Yo and Mo, Zero to Pharaoh! After they crossed the Red Sea, Mo went up to collect the Stone Tablets
That contained the Ten “No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!”
Mo came down the mountain with a golden glow
But saw something bad had happened below!
The pity party had begun and the people put on a bad show.
Moses saw the golden moo made by his bro
And shouted, “No! No! No! Now we’ve made God our foe!”
When they were crossing the desert, the going was slow.
Then their faith started to run low
They complained, they murmured about everything from head to toe.
Though God gave them white stuff just like bread dough,
Manna from heaven that fell like fresh snow.
They asked for fried quails, they ate till they puked
They caught some diseases, they cried and they wailed.
Because of their disobedience, MO and Co. ended up
40 years in the desert going to and fro.
When they came to Canaan land, 12 spies had to go.
When they saw the giants, 10 hearts turned to Jello.
Because of that, the people picked up stones
At Mo they wanted to throw.
This is the story of a CEO named MO
Who never got to Canaan go!

The moral of the story, if you really want to know:
Join the Road Show if you want to grow up to be like MO!

(Written by PJ for Road Trip Sermon Series)

Unique Places I’ve Visited – Ephesus

The ancient city of Ephesus, located in modern day Turkey stands as a monument to Roman architecture. But more important than that is the Biblical significance of the place. Most everyone knows about Jerusalem and Rome, but few know much about Ephesus. It was one of the three cities in that period to have street lights, running water and a sewer system. A few years ago, I had the rare opportunity of visiting Ephesus, as part of the itinerary on my Mediterranean Cruise. What stood out to me was the fact that many of the structures were still quite intact. As I stood among the ruins, I couldn’t help but imagine what it was like for the Apostle, Saint Paul, when he preached to the citizens of this once mighty city. As I listened to the tour guide; I learnt three things about man that have not changed in 2,000 years. Our love for books, (attested by the beautiful library) our love affair with “wheels”, (the ruts in the stone streets carved by years of chariot use) and our need for modern luxury. (public baths and lavatories connected by a workable sewer system)

Unique Places I’ve Visited – Carlsbad Caverns

There was a road trip we took one year that covered New Mexico, Texas. Why we chose that state, we would never fully understand, but in hindsight, we did visit some strange and unique places. The trip began in Dallas and took us through Albuquerqe, Santa Fe, and Roswell Area 51.
Flanked by the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico and West Texas is a dry and arid land filled with Prickly Pear and Agaves cacti. When we initially drove through the area, we never imagined that under our feet lay more than 300 known caves. The park contains 113 of these caves, formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone, creating some of the largest caves in North America.
We decide to trek do the 2 hour trek underground. It started off nice and cool, but the deeper we went the hotter and more humid it became. There was also the smell that reminded us this was bat territory. We got all the way into the main section of the cave, the 8.2-acre Big Room, which could possibly accommodate a few Jumbo jets.
It’s amazing that God would create something hidden away underground, and be bothered to make it so awesome and beautiful.

Moving through the Seasons

Wow! We're nearly halfway through 2009! It's amazing how time flies when you value it more.

The summers flowers in my garden are in full bloom. Every morning I can't wait to have my cup of coffee, get out in the backyard and enjoy the coolness of the morning air and smell the flowers. Alas! even these beauties would soon fade, and another lot of flowers will take their place.

Summer will soon come and go! Thus the cycle of seasons, and life goes on. Before this season is even in full swing -I'm looking forward to the next!

Life is a journey up a spiral staircase; as we grow older we cover the ground covered we have covered before, only higher up; as we look down the winding stair below us we measure our progress by the number of places where we were but no longer are. The journey is both repetitious and progressive; we go both round and upward. -William Butler Yeats, The Winding Stair, 1933

Life is precious; so relish every moment, relive every experience, relight your passion for it.