Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

A Philosopher of Ancient China – Lao Tse –  once said, ‘Doing nothing, but nothing undone’.

Or, in other words, ‘Doing everything but nothing is done’

People are busy. But their busy-ness does not literally mean they’re doing SOMETHING.

Throughout their lifetime, many people do ‘everything’ so tiringly, so relentlessly. They’re simply SO very busy. But NOTHING is actually done.

This philosophy was shared some 2700 years ago.

And 300 years later, a similar concept was understood by Aristotle, a Greek philosopher.

And after that, another explanation that’s even more complete and perfect was written. In the Bible.

The unseen God is the God who created everything that’s seen.

It seems that God has done nothing, but nothing is undone by God Himself.

…

When you look at a spinning wheel, the centre looks like it’s not spinning much. And the outer side of the wheel spins the MOST. The busiest part of the wheel!

The centre is the focal point.

Don’t be someone who’s always so busy working, but who has actually done ‘nothing’ by the time we’ve reached the end of our life.

…

In a concert hall, music is most important. Not the hall itself. Music is heard, but it is unseen.

So which one is more important? The concert hall, or the music?

What makes a good concert? It’s the MUSIC. And what makes great music? It’s the great conductor.

In a concert performance, all instruments make sounds and noises, but the most important out of all makes NO sound. The conductor is the silent one (without a conductor, music can still be played, but it’ll be less organised and coordinated)

A conductor is merely someone who attempts, at his/her best capability, to understand and interpret the music composer’s thoughts and feelings.

But in a concert, where are the music composers? They’re most likely no longer around for they’ve died hundreds of years ago (eg. classical music composers).

Music composers may not be around but their music is still played and heard.

What we can’t see today had in fact created something that we can see today.

And so where is God? God who can’t be seen has created what we can see. It is because HE has created the whole world that can be seen that God Himself is unseen.

Praise be to God.

…

[As shared by Rev. Stephen Tong in one of our church’s Sunday Services]

We were at Marina Barrage again last Saturday.

For the opening of Singapore Arts Festival!

Love the Giant Praying Mantis. The French acrobatic performances. The big open space. The view from the roof top. The fireworks.

PS: Shooting fireworks with my Canon Ixus was SO hard. Especially when I had one 5yo kid sitting on my left hip too. I had to press on the shutter 2-3 seconds BEFORE the fireworks ‘burst’. And, this is the only okay shot I managed to get *smile*

What are you passionate about? Have you gone out to pursue your passion, or has the idea to ‘explore it further’ been shelved all this while?

One of the things that never fail to amaze me is my husband’s passion towards tennis.

He’d wake up at 6am on a Saturday morning for his twice-a-week tennis session with his friends, even if he had to clear his work and sleep very little just hours prior to it.

He doesn’t mind traveling far, by public transport, even when he can only play for less than an hour.

He’d bring along his tennis racket and bulky tennis shoes to his 3-day Jakarta business trip, just so that he can play (with his Dad too) before he starts work.

But, despite his passion towards the sport, he’d be willing to put it aside for something that’s more important.

Like, if it coincides with an important seminar he had to attend at church.

I’m sure our kids observe all this too. Without us telling them anything.

How they too need to have a passion for something. How they need to consistently pursue it, develop it, and improve it all the time.

How keeping fit is important.

How keeping a balance in life – between work AND play – is equally important.

How they need to prioritise, and how at times they need to put their passion aside for a moment, and use their time for something else that is MORE important.

…

Hope we all get to explore and pursue our very own passion too.

And learn every day to keep a good balance in life.

I for one am learning too. Every day.

[Loving their moments on the court]

I started a Giveaway Contest last Friday, where people can select one item from my online shop ‘Spring Kids‘ (under the brands Pumpkin Patch and Chibiko Corner) and stand a chance to win what he / she has chosen!

[A simple way for me to share the joy of having had the opportunity to start my own little business too]

And here’s a gentle reminder to everyone who’s yet to enter the contest : please do remember to leave your comments before midnight tomorrow!

Click HERE to read the giveaway contest post.

Anyway.

Giveaway contest aside, I do sincerely hope to get your support in spreading the word around about Spring Kids.

I’ll be uploading quite a bit of new items to the shop this weekend, so please do come by and browse!

You may find things you like to get for your little ones. Or to give as gifts to others.

Just drop me an email if you need any help.

Thanks heaps, everyone!

Children cry.

Children whine.

Children demand and their persistent disobedience is mind-numbing.

But.

When children smile.

When children run to you for a big hug.

When children ask for you to be by their side so they don’t feel alone.

We too as parents can smile and feel loved.

And be thankful for having been entrusted by God with these precious little children.

And such moments indeed are some of the many more reasons why we should love life with children. Everyday.

Have you heard of the Singapore Blog Awards?

Well, I first heard about it last year, when it was already OVER.

Now. The Awards has just begun again for this year though.

And for the very first time, Our Everyday Things joins in and is in the running for TWO categories!

Best Photography Blog AND Best Lifestyle Blog.

[They have a total of TEN award categories this year. Click HERE to see the list]

The awards is organised by omy.sg, a bilingual news web portal (under Singapore Press Holdings), and there’ll be a panel of professional judges too.

Basically, 30% of the total score will be based on public votes, and the remaining 70% will be based on the judges’ votes.

…

This is how it works:

– Blog nominations will close on June 9th
– Judges will select 10 finalists for each category
– Public is invited to cast their votes (which will make the 30% of the total score)
– Judges will then pick the 2009 winners for each category

…

[Category: Best Photography Blog]

Come to think of it, Our Everyday Things has never won any ‘Awards’ actually (other than the Bloggy Award last December, which is more of a blog review rather than a ‘competition’).

I’m hoping that perhaps Our Everyday Things can have a chance in winning this local Blog Awards.

With your support, of course!

Unlike the Blogger’s Choice Awards which is open to blogs around the world and runs throughout the year (and btw, you can still vote for me if you haven’t already done so, hehe …  just click on the two icons on the left sidebar), the Singapore Blog Awards will announce the winners sometime in July! (well, either in July or August this year)

[Category: Best LIfestyle Blog]

So, I really really hope you can vote for Our Everyday Things for this Awards!

[To vote, you’d need to register with omy.sg.  If you live outside of Singapore, enter your passport no. when asked for your ‘FIN no.’. Click on the two categories (Best Photography Blog and Best Lifestyle Blog), find Our Everyday Things, and click on the word RALLY just below it]

And hey, perhaps Our Everyday Things can go into the top 10 finalists.

AND, perhaps it can even WIN!

[and if that happened, it’d be the site’s very first time winning something, officially!]

Big thanks, everyone!

Out of all the arts and crafts ideas on this site, I noticed ‘Making : Lily Paper Flowers‘ is one of the favourites.

And so I thought today I’ll share with you another flower-making idea.

Paper Carnation Flowers

(or, something that looks like it, hehe).

Another one of those simple yet nice arts and crafts projects you and your little one can do together.

What we used :

– Coloured Paper

– Crepe Paper

– Straws (for the stalks)

– Scissors and glue

What we did:

– Cut thin strips across the rectangular coloured paper and crepe paper

Note that you need to cut through more than 50% of the length to make ‘nicer’ petals’

– Glue one end of it to a straw, and start ‘twirling’ it around the straw. Glue the other end together.

– Spread out the ‘petals’

And that’s it! Can’t be any easier!

…

We did two different versions afterwards.

Version 1 : we added another layer using coloured paper.

Version 2 : we added TWO layers just to see how it turned out.

And when we’re done we thought to ourselves, hey … they all look nice!

[And Anya asked if she could keep them in her personal cupboard, so that she can keep them ‘forever’]