It is a beautiful day !!

Yesterday, I was working out in the gym at the school campus (found out that with my metabolism, this is the only way to loose weight and remain fit) and a pleasant radio tune waved through the room that I did not hear for ages.

"It's a beautiful day... Don't let it go away...It's a beautiful day.. Don't let it go away... Touch me, take me to that other place....." I asked my Cheryl if she had the album of U2 - all that you can not leave behind and ... yes! So, this morning I played the song and declared IT A BEAUTIFUL DAY ... the day the Lord has made ...

I was also reflecting on the lyrics: take me to that other place.. The last few days I was going through some teaching about Heaven and on how easy it is to be IN that place WITH God .. and here comes that song of U2 reminding me!

It is going to be a beautiful day! Carpe Diem

(wish I could put the song in MP3 format on my blog to download..in case you do not ahve the album...)

One month anniversary

It was a rainy day that disrupted many of our plans today. We took Zoe to the polyclinic for a vaccination.. Oh, my dear … what an agony! We have learned that whenever she cries we have to act promptly or the fanfare breaks loose! After lightly disturbing the waiting room in the clinic and receiving a lot of attention ( maybe later on, this may turn out to be a good skill!? ) , Cheryl had to breastfeed Zoe all the way into the doctor’s cabinet..then I was called in to keep her in a wrestling grip, so she would not slip way while the nurse gave her the jab…Oh, dear… she did not like that at all and her crocodile tears really swept away any dirt still left in her eyes!

Then a bit of calm, having a tea and roti prata at a local muslim food stall and Mum took off to a nearby pharmacy to get some stuff. It only took 25 minutes and I thought I was going to enjoy reading a book in the nearby library. Ha! … as soon as we entered, Zoe started the fanfare again and I had to change her diapers .. so, back to the food stall. Then after being ‘pampered’ she did not stop crying for a full 20 minutes, and I thought I was going to enjoy watching a Spanish La Liga match on TV there … Ha! … it did not stop until the ‘milk provider’ returned and took her up to a friend's flat for a solemn breastfeed!

And if the food does not come immediately, Zoe has found a new way to pacify herself .. her thumb!!

One learns to relativate the concept of time ...

Another History In The Making ...

In 1998, I met Ps Enoch Adejare Adeboye at Dennis Balcombe's church in Hong Kong. He delivered one of the first messages on prayer that I heard and it left an impact on me for ever.

Afterwards, during lunch, I mentioned that our paths would cross in the future.

In 2002, I crossed paths with one of his people in Antwerpen, Ps Mike (who helped us out with our wedding in Belgium last year). We pray walked the entire city and he has since started one of the most flourishing churches in our province, if not in the whole of Flanders!

Hoogboom wedding Pentecost 2005

Then last year, a flamboyant and big smiling Chidi and his wife, Laitan started attending our fellowship. We soon clicked and became good friends and prayer partners.

Today, Ps Adeboye dedicated RCCG with Chidi and Laitan as the founding pastors of the church. Again a handful of faithful and FULL of FAITH people starting a new history through whom many transformations will be seen in peoples lives in this region and beyond.

Of course, we took Zoe along and soon she was being picked up by one of the African sisters and softly cuddled into a deep sleep ...

A Few Good Men ... and the rest is :

'History Makers' was the theme of the 15th Anniversary of Hope Church. A few good men (among which my now senior Pastor Benjamin Lee), fresh grads from the land of Oz, returned to Singapore with a vision to plant a church.

This week end, 15 years later, we witnessed how that celebration had to take place in the Expo, because our own sanctuary can not hold the complete congregation in one single service.

It reminds me again of how simple the Great Commission is, when only we would obey and trust God for the outcome and it only needs : ... a few good men (and women) who are willing to fulfill what is closest to God's heart.

History Makers...

Among the 3,000 men congregation, was also the youngest attendant at less than one month! Zoe enjoyed her first time at a church celebration. Even the loud worship music did not bother her. She was either amuzingly moving in her prem, sleeping or being fed by Mum in the hall.




After the service we joined our ex care group for a great tasting Vietnamese dinner. At the end, Zoe became a bit impatient, her face turned red and that was the signal for Dad to take her out for a diaper change. And she was so kind to us to let us enjoy the dinner in length that immediately after the change, her face kept red as now this was the sign for Mum to feed her again.

Actually, quite easy those infants: sleep, feed, cry and then there are two options: either she is hungry or needs a clean up!

(( hey, you can leave some comments on these blogs!!! ))

a miracle fruit ... from Eden?

The actual location of Eden must have been somewhere in Persia, modern day Iran/Iraq. Unfortunately, today there does not grow much apart from figs, dates, pomegranates, etc... (great fruits! and actually: Persian food is very interesting and tasty. "Thank you!" to all my Persian friends for this introduction).

Prior to setting up my new business web site, I have started a blog on which I want to share some of the research and benefits of eating fruit, more specifically: wolfberries or Goji in Chinese.

It was already known to the West that eating mull -, blue -, rasp -, cran - and other berries contain a high level of nutrients and are wholesome food sources. Now the East berry is hitting the West!

In May this year, I met Rev. Kobus van Rensburg (South Africa) at a healing seminar, who informed us of an ethnic group in the Himalayas who pass well the 150 year age threshold! Indepth research led me to some legends/records and studies done in those areas and what food they intake. Obviously, because I am in the "dehydrated fruit business", I was particularly interested in a berry that grows in the mountainous provinces of North West China.

I have been eating the wolfberry for 6 weeks and can already experience an energy increase as well as some weight loss (though this can be contributed to the great 'confinement' food my mother-in-law cooks for my wife and myself!!)

So, Eden ... now the 'forbidden fruit' (*) grows in China .. though in Iran grows pomegranate, another miracle fruit.

Check out my other blog for updates on this!

http://goji-wolfberry.blogspot.com/

(*) I say "forbidden" here, because it has been "hidden" for such a long time!