My personal recommendations based on the books I have read so far:

For the Best Purpose to live as a person :

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

For the Best Way to live as a Man:

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

For the Best Way to live as a Woman:

Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge

For the Best Parenting and Educational Methods:

Sherpherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp

Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens by David Tripp

The Heart of Home Schooling by Christopher Klicka

For the Best Answers to Life's Difficult Questions:

The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel

For the Best Presentation of Objective Evidences for the Christian Faith:

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel

The Revised and Expanded Answers Book by Ken Ham, Jon Sarfati and Carl Wieland

Many Infallible Proofs by Henry M. Morris

The Biblical Basis for Modern Science by Henry M. Morris

For the Best Way to do Business:

Business by the Book by Larry Burkett

Anointed for Business by Ed Silvoso

For the Best Principles in Marriage:

The Secret of Loving by Josh McDowell

For the Best Book of all times and the Basis for the above Books:

The Holy Bible by God, who makes sense to all things

Go on! Give them a try with an objective view! Your life will never be the same after reading them, especially the Last Book! :D

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In sharing with my student what JUSTICE, MERCY and GRACE actually mean:

He lost his tie and did not buy a new one before assembly day on thurs. In the name of JUSTICE, he deserves to caught and punished for his negligence. When he texted me on my mobile on wed night to ask if he can borrow my extra tie, I decided to lend it to him so that he will not be punished by the discipline master even though he did not even say please when he asked. This is what it means by MERCY: not receiving what you deserve (punishment meted out by JUSTICE). The next day, instead of scolding him, I decided to GIVE the tie to him as a gift (not because he deserves it but because God moved me to give). This is GRACE: receiving a GIFT that you do not deserve.

Why do I wanna share this? Cos' that's exactly what I experienced from God.

Looking at my own standard of living and righteousness, I have offended God and people many a times during my life on earth. I have been selfish many a times and I have sinned (miss the mark) and fall short of His glory (who is full of truth, love and justice) in many ways. In the name of JUSTICE, I deserve the consequences of all my actions and I deserve to be punished and banished to Hell (which God reserved for Satan and his demons initially). I am not condemning myself but honestly frank about how I look at myself in comparison to God¡¯s standard (His standard is really high e.g. A person is considered to have committed adultery simply when he lusts in his heart as he looks at a woman.)

However, God has shown me MERCY by deciding that I should not receive what I deserve. It's not because He simply decided NOT to take into account of my sins (He cannot be unJUST) but because He did something to pay the debts of my sins once and for all. He decided to give His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die as a sinless substitute for me. Remember Aslan the Lion from the Chronicles of Narnia? He died on behalf of Peter even though it was Peter who sinned. But because a sinless One died in the place of the sinful, the debts of the sinful is fully paid (just as the curse of the Table of Narnia is broken). I do not deserve that God should open a way for my sins to be paid but He decided to give it to me freely anyway. Now, this is GRACE, receiving what I do not deserve. For me, it is a humbling but yet wonderful experience to acknowledge that I must cease in all my effort to be decent enough to meet God's standard and simply to accept what He has accomplished on my behalf. Today, my heart is set free. I am totally at peace with God and myself. I am assured of a place with Him till eternity, not because of what I can do or deserve but because of His MERCY and GRACE.

I now live with only one desire: not to be an example of perfection (and become proud and self-righteous) but to be an example of growth (and remain humble to depend on Christ who now lives in me fully to do all things). That's what I call, happily ever after! :D

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Thanks to Nick, I have amateurly mastered the back flip method of doing the high jump. No more sideward roll! :D yeah! learning never stops. I finally learn this technique at age 30 (although I should have learned it at 13)!

I am really very very satisfied with my life these days. Not simply because I am enjoying wonderful relationships with my wife, my kids, my colleagues and my students but much simply because of my wonderful relationship with God, my Father. As what the visa card advertisement says, this relationship is priceless. Everything grows pale in comparison to it and I don't want to exchange it for anything that the world can offer today!

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My handsome son! Christian Chow!


401 @ the school road run!


The unofficial bridge club of 402!


My trustworthy sidekick and her "tigress"


The "giant" (theodore) in my class taking shelter from the mighty sun! If you think I am tall, wait till you stand next to him!


Ekklesia applying to a female astronaut in NASA!


The 401 Feb Babies!


My 2 lovely princesses! Lovely!


Christian going in for the dive!


My parents-in-law and their 11 grandchildren!


The "sexy" shoes that leon is teasing me about! It assisted me to come in 5th for the road run!


All aboard! we are going to sail around the world!


The Feb Babies of the NHurricanes (softballers!)


Ariel as the imperial princess!


Christian rock-climbing without ropes!


The softballers in action!


A lovely birthday cake, isn't it!? Noah's Ark!


The Jan Babies of the NHurricanes! The expression on Wai Foon's face is really funny!

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my kids are down one after another with a strong viral infection that is affecting their voice box (husky voice), causing them to have frequent surges of high fever (39 and above) and for ariel's case, a fits coming upon her due to the high fever. We have been sponging them day and night, bringing them to see docs, pacifying them at times for their discomfort and sometimes holding them down so that they will take in the medication. This has gone on for about 3 weeks now and they are still fluctuating between being sick and well again. Christian is having his second round of infection from his sisters though he recovered miraculously fast without any medication the first time. Life has been mentally draining and physically tiring for my wife and I. We have to go to work as usual and make sure that there is minimum disruption to others. The kids are down and so are the adults

BUT WE ARE NOT OUT!

we are still able to find peace, strength and encouragement in the Lord Jesus. Yes, there are times of weariness and frustration but when they come, He is there to stand with us and strengthen us. He is so real and living! He is our life!

I still give thanks to Him for whatever that has came upon us and I continue to trust Him for the days ahead!

But we have this treasure (Christ) in earthen vessels (us), that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed... Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
2 Cor. 4:7,8,9,16

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it's been a while since i blogged...

too many things happening in my life that i don't know where to start!

I am just glad that life has been great every day, not because it is smooth going but because I am never alone to face it... His presence is ever with me even when i fumble or make mistakes... even when i did a good job, i am glad it is Him who made the difference... He is my life and that made life all so exciting and interesting each day...

I am just glad to be able to talk to people about simple things in life and about the important things in life...

like spending 2 whole hours to talk to c.y about the "tea" (only he will understand what that means) that he has to choose eventually...

like spending time to talk to my wife about the ups and downs of parenting and praying together for our kids and others

like spending time to talk to my kids and playing with them...

like spending time to cheer for some students who are close to my heart, encouraging them through sms when they win or lose

like spending time to attend cheryl's b.d party and talking to some of them...

like spending time with the people in MSG and YYPM to share about the greater issues in life!

like spending time with the students during lessons...

like smiling and saying hi to my students as I bump into them in school

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