4 Grouchy Smurf Coloring Pages
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Connectivity and Church of Facebook
I am seeking a missional use of the socialmedia. These two interesting books offers some interesting insights.
Jessie Rice (2009) correctly pointed out the that phenomenal growth of the social media is the human need for connectivity- whether virtual or real face-to-face. Much of the book explains what facebook is all about. However, Rice does not offer much when it come to a discussion a virtual community. He does not answer the question whether such a community may be formed and if so, in what form? Rice however offers some guidelines on using facebook.
Christakis and Fowler (2011), two well known and respected social scientists examine the importance of human connecting in the second book. Though at time quite technical, they show the importance of connectivity for human well-being. Check out the book website
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Christakis and Fowler (2011), two well known and respected social scientists examine the importance of human connecting in the second book. Though at time quite technical, they show the importance of connectivity for human well-being. Check out the book website
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Does the Internet Empowers?
This is one of the questions I have been thinking about. This feature has some interesting insights.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Chocolate gravy over biscuits
A southern tradition, biscuits and gravy, usually white gravy with sausage bits, but for a delicious festive twist , chocolate gravy over biscuits or pancakes. Try it and let me know if your family enjoyed it!
Southern Chocolate Gravy
3/4 to 1 cup - granulated sugar (if you want it less sweet use 3/4 cup)
2 - 3 tablespoons flour
1 - heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 - cups milk
1 - tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 - teaspoon vanilla extract
Add all the dry ingredients to a medium sized pot. Add the milk, using a whisk combine the dry ingredients with the milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and stir constantly to prevent the mixture from scorching.
The mixture will start thicken up. When it thickens remove from heat and add the butter and the vanilla extract. Pour over biscuits.
* If by chance your gravy is not at the consistency that you want. You can mix a bit of flour and milk together and add it to the boiling chocolate to thicken as much as you like. Some people like their chocolate gravy a bit thin and some a bit thicker. I think it will be just right if you use the about 3 tablespoons flour.
Chocolate gravy over biscuits
A southern tradition, biscuits and gravy, usually white gravy with sausage bits, but for a delicious festive twist , chocolate gravy over biscuits or pancakes. Try it and let me know if your family enjoyed it!
Southern Chocolate Gravy
3/4 to 1 cup - granulated sugar (if you want it less sweet use 3/4 cup)
2 - 3 tablespoons flour
1 - heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 - cups milk
1 - tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 - teaspoon vanilla extract
Add all the dry ingredients to a medium sized pot. Add the milk, using a whisk combine the dry ingredients with the milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and stir constantly to prevent the mixture from scorching.
The mixture will start thicken up. When it thickens remove from heat and add the butter and the vanilla extract. Pour over biscuits.
* If by chance your gravy is not at the consistency that you want. You can mix a bit of flour and milk together and add it to the boiling chocolate to thicken as much as you like. Some people like their chocolate gravy a bit thin and some a bit thicker. I think it will be just right if you use the about 3 tablespoons flour.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
What if Star Trek ended this way...
I love this short clip
Space...the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise, and this is how Star Trek should have ended! Check out Youtube for other 'how it should have ended' clips.
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Space...the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise, and this is how Star Trek should have ended! Check out Youtube for other 'how it should have ended' clips.
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Wednesday, August 24, 2011
What I did in My Personal Retreat
There have been some interest in my recent personal retreat and some questions. In this post, I shall share what I did. It is one of the many ways a person can make a retreat.
I took a 5 days personal retreat in the middle of August this year. This is not unusual as I have been making retreats for many years. My retreats are either guided (someone who directs the retreat and me) or self-guided. I prefer self-guided retreats but for someone who is new to retreats, I will suggest a guided retreat as there are certain inherent spiritual dangers in self guided retreats.
There are many reasons why I do a retreat. It may be to seek the Lord in some decision-making, spiritual dryness and times of desolation, times of extreme stress, life-events, empowerment for ministry, frustration and disappointments, soul care or just to enjoy uninterrupted time in His presence.
I take retreats in many locations but I love doing it in my own home. However, it takes more discipline take a retreat in your own home for the possibility of distraction is greater. To plan for a retreat, I usually plan ahead to block off time and take leave from my job. I also plan ahead as to the purpose of the retreat. For example, for this retreat my purpose is to listen to the Lord. I chose the Gospel of John as my main text and Gordon MacDonald’s Building Below the Waterline for my spiritual reading. Usually I journal my thoughts but this time I decided to mind-map on sheets of paper.
I start the day about 6am with a prayer of welcoming and centering prayer. I will sing the hymn which I have chosen which highlights the theme for the day and repeat this through the day.
Day 1:
Have Thy own way, Lord
Day 2:
Day 2:
Nearer my God to Thee
Day 3:
Day 3:
Day 5:
Then I read the Gospel of John using lectio divina. I also use lectio divina to read MacDonald’s book, stopping at time to reflect and wait upon the Lord. I try to keep my environment as quiet as possible. I do not fast on my retreats as I find fasting usually become a distraction. Interspersed with the praying and reading is times when I will just sit quiet and be still. At other times, I pray the Jesus Prayer. I usually end the day around 8pm when my family arrives home.
I find the time of reading and praying very refreshing and the presence of the Lord very powerful. These are many high wonderful mountain top experiences . However there are times when I experience extreme anxiety and fear (that’s why it is better to do guided retreat). This may be when the Holy Spirit performs surgery on my soul to drive out my ‘inner demons’. It may also be an attack from the Enemy. In a retreat there are good and bad moments but it is in such times of silence and solitude that soul-care takes place.
The later half of the final day is when I prepare for re-entry. I often find it jarring and disorienting to emerge from a retreat and come back to my present lifestyle. Therefore I take the time to slowly readapt.
This is how I did my retreat.
Will you will like to share your retreat experiences?
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Tuesday, August 23, 2011
My Personal Retreat
Spent my recent five day retreat with these three items. Prayer(candle), Bible and MacDonald's book.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
English as I Speakee It
Overseas readers of this blog and my corresponding website often scratch their heads in puzzlement at my English or rather the way I use it.
Peggy Tan highlights the way Malaysians speakee English
read the rest of the article here
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Peggy Tan highlights the way Malaysians speakee English
Asking someone to make way
Britons: Excuse me, I’d like to get by. Would you please make way for me?
Malaysians: S-kews / squeeze me, please.
Asking someone to find out what had happened
Britons: Will someone please tell me what has just happened?
Malaysians: What happenleh? Why like that one?
When asking for permission
Britons: Excuse me, but do you think it would be possible for me to enter through this door?
Malaysians: (pointing at the door) Can enter ah?
When assessing a difficult situation
Britons: Hmmm. We appear to be in a bit of a predicament at the moment.
Malaysians: Ayoh! Die-lah! Mati loh?
When declining an offer
Britons: If you don’t mind, I’d prefer not to do that.
Malaysians: I don’t want lah.
In disagreeing on a topic of discussion
Britons: If you don’t mind, Timothy, I do have to interrupt, and I must say I have to disagree with you about this issue.
Malaysians: What stupid idea! You mad and crazy ah?
When asking somebody if he/she knows you
Britons: Excuse me, but you seem to be staring at me. Have we met before?
Malaysians: Why you look at me like that? See what?
When someone is angry
Britons: Would you mind not shouting at me?
Malaysians: Cilakak! You no manners or what man!
read the rest of the article here
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Saturday, August 20, 2011
Glimpses of SFI seminar on Children Ministry
Friday, August 19, 2011
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