Know this

CBC Subang is moving back to a cell church structure. I am most pleased that we are united in where we want to go and in allowing God's hand to move us as a church.

On a smaller scale of things, God has been really good to my cell group. As we prayed for multiplication, we grew in numbers. I look forward to see God move us to greater heights and I am praying for wisdom and strength to ensure that everyone is cared for.

I have learnt these important truths I think we should all know:

1. Respect and love our cell leaders. They care for us and they availed themselves to God's ministry. They are not obligated to be our leaders, but they choose to anyway.
2. Encourage our cell leader. Bless them and pray for them. They are humans too. Just because they are our leader, they are not superhumans and need encouragement just like any other person.
3. Be accountable to our cell leader. We need to constantly inform him/her of what we intend to do, how we feel about things, what is happening with us. This helps him/her care for us.
   
4. Cell is about being a family. It's not about what we get from our cell family - it is about what we can give to our cell family.
5. The growth of a cell group do not depend on the cell leader. If we want to grow as a family of God, we have to do it together. If a cell grows, it's the effort of all its members, not just the cell leader. The same principle applies if the cell doesn't grow.
6. Growth is not measured by numbers. It is measured by how much our cell family have grown together in our relationships with God. It is measured by how our hearts are changed as we align ourselves to God's purposes.
7. Rebuke anything that is negative or discouraging, because God is not negative nor discouraging. God's desire is to bless us, so anything that condemns us is not from God. If something is not from God, then there is no point dwelling in it.
   

My heart goes out to all of you cell leaders (including you to-be cell leaders), especially those in CBC Subang. I am so thankful to God for each one of you, old or young, experienced or not, for allowing God to use you. For sacrificing your time for God's purpose. For loving God's people and having a heart to see their needs. For caring about people tirelessly, even when it's difficult and emotionally draining to care. For having the courage to step up and lead when you are fearful. For fighting the race although its tiring.

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 3:12-14 (NLT)

Destination : Seville, Spain

On to more Spanish experiences...

Seville!! Or in Spanish, Sevilla (sir-vee-ya)

Plaza de Espana (Spanish Square)
This is one of my favourite places in Seville.
Trivia : George Lucas filmed part of Star Wars Episode II at the Spanish Square. I kid you not.

Indians in Spain?? They provide good music, though.


One would not have really visited a Spanish city if one did not visit its cathedral. Simply called Catedral de Sevilla (formerly, Catedral de Santa Maria de la Sede; maybe they decided this name was too long), this is a Gothic cathedral which is build over the site of the no longer existing Almohad mosque. It is the largest church in the whole world.


The tomb of Christopher Columbus in the Catedral de Sevilla

Seville Gardens
(Orange trees in the 2nd picture - not very interesting)


There is a myth that if you touch these bushes, true love will come your way.


The Alcuzar - note the Arabic influences


One of the gardens at the Alcuzar.
I was told a garden is considered beautiful if the visitor's 5 senses are aroused - see the beauty, smell the flowers, hear the wind and birds, touch the leaves, taste the fruits.


Visit to the Jewish quarters by foot. The crowd in this picture was led by two guys playing Spanish songs on their guitars. It felt wonderful!
(I still can't get over the blue skies)


The Spanish Christians created this at the Basilica de la Macarena to symbolize Jesus' crucifixion, as the vision of Christ on the cross was thought to be too gruesome to some.


Time to scour the streets of Seville


The Sierpes is the only pedestrian shopping street in Seville.
This is where I bought most of the Seville souvenirs for those of you who got them.


Paella Negro
With squid ink.


No Seville experience would be complete without a Flamenco show. Seville has the best Flamenco shows, or so I was told.

Parting Ways

I have 2 friends who are very dear to me who have recently decided to part ways. When I heard of it, I wasn't sure what I could do to make them feel better. I was sad, of course, but I also trusted in them that their painful decision was made in mutual respect for each other and after much thought.

It reminded me of the time I broke up with my first ever boyfriend. We went out for 3 months or so. I was quite sure I loved him, and he loved me too. For the first time, I had liked someone who had reciprocated. It was the most wonderful feeling.

But I also knew it wasn't quite right. Even so, the wonderful feeling did not go away. I cared very much for him, as I believed he did me. It wasn't right because he wasn't a Christian and I knew he could not then share my faith and my thoughts nor my love for God. After endless nights of praying in tears and thinking until I felt like my head was going to burst, I decided to end it, although I knew in my heart I was going to hurt him really badly and I could not make him understand why. It felt like I was tearing up something so dear to my heart, and it hurt really badly.

That wasn't the end of course. I was aware that I had to live the consequences of my decision. The consequences wasn't surprising - I cried myself to sleep every day for 3 whole months (trust me, I counted). One part of me was sure I did the right thing. The other part of me hurt like hell. I wish I could explain how sorry I was that I hurt him so badly, but that wasn't going to be enough to take away the pain.

Today, I look back, and I thank God that He carried me through that painful time. I am sure I made the right decision. Today, he and I are good friends, and it is easy for us to pick up from where we left of, as friends. Today, he is happy for me whenever I have good news, and I have the same sentiments when he goes through something good. I invited him to my wedding, and he is ecstatic about it.

Which brings me back to my 2 very dear friends. Truth be told, it took a lot of courage to decide what they have decided. It is sad, but I am even sadder to hear of people who pass comments on who was right and who was wrong and who was immature and who wasn't thinking clearly and who is the victim and who is to be pitied. When I broke up with my ex boyfriend, those comments only made things worse, because it adds burden to the already difficult consequences.

The truth is, we will never really know what my 2 friends went through. At the end of the day, whatever decisions they make, they will be the ones who have to live the consequences. It is not for us to pass those comments because it is not us who will have to live the consequences.

God place us where we are to love the people He loves. Our job is to love and respect people, not to feel emotions for them. Certainly not to be the judge of who is right or wrong, nor judge what should be their right decisions. My job, where my 2 friends are concerned, is to be there for them as they brace the painful consequences themselves and to assure them that God will carry them through. I wish more people will understand that.

If you are reading this and you know who I am talking about, I'd like to ask you to stop talking about the decision (if you are) and stop indulging in such conversations with other people. Stop talking about who is right or wrong, or how it should be, because that's not our job. Instead, channel your energy to care for them and be there for them, because they need friends, not judges. Pray for them, that they'll be able to sort themselves out and especially, that in this process, they'll be able to draw themselves closer to God.

Simply because, God told us to love our neighbours. It's not rocket science, really.

Destination : Cordoba, Spain

Cordoba is highly influenced by the Arabs. A lot of stuff was explained in the tour of Cordoba but the most significant fact is how the Mezquita, which used to be a mosque, has now been converted into a cathedral.

I love the blue skies. This is the river Guadalquivir.

Outside the Mezquita

Inside the Mezquita, the Arabic architectural influences still remain.

Apart from the Mezquita, this wasn't one of my favourite places to visit. Good to know about, though.

Footie Stadium 101

First it was the Emirates Stadium in London......

The stadium tour apparently costs 15 pounds, which I'm really not willing to part with.

Everything Arsenal.

For those of you who want to visit, the Underground stop is Arsenal (duh!!) on the Picadilly line.

Then, it was Camp Nou in Barcelona....

It doesn't say so, but this is Camp Nou....

People lining up to buy match tickets or tour tickets. This is another 18 Euro I'm not willing to part with.

Apparently, a footie stadium will not be complete without its megastore.

Inside, the store is made to look like a stadium.

By the time Estadium Santiagio Bernabeu is visited, I've learnt some tricks to keep myself amused (someone else paid for these tickets to get in).....

1. Take pictures of anything that spells the footie club in question to make all your footie fanatic friends jealous.

2. Look for a cutie... this one's Raul Lopez, number 24.

3. Take pictures of anything you can find that has the cutie's endorsement....

4. .....only to find that it actually belongs to another cutie with the same name.

5. Touch the pitch and make sure there is evidence that you have touched it....

6. ......especially if it's forbidden, just to impress your friends further. Then go home and brag about it.

Heee.

Any Dream Will Do

I was reading her blog and I love this song! And Lee Mead is such a hottie... :p





I like this one too.....

Destination : Madrid, Spain

1. Welcome to Madrid!!

2. Puerta de Toledo, the East Gate of Madrid

3. I love how the streets look like they lead to an exciting place at the end

4. The view of the new city from the old city - look at the clouds

5. Spring expressing itself in Madrid, near Plaza de Colon



6. The rows of buildings are never angled at a sharp 90 degrees

7. Plaza Mayor

8. Our favourite restaurant (apart from Tapas & Jamon - we will never forget you, Anderson)



9. This looks nasty, but when you put it into your mouth, you are pleasantly surprised

So here are some useless facts I've learnt so far:-

Senora - ladies



Caballero - gents
(also that displays of "butt" pictures are not illegal nor offensive... hee)


Around this time, Madrid experiences droughts. Therefore, the fountains are switched off until it starts to rain. It starts to rain in April (ie, the time I was there)



Most aseos in Spain use these timed light switches. The light switches off by itself, usually while you are still in the middle of your business. Clever way to save electricity