More Than Conquerors

Monday, May 19, 2008

Encounter with a cute Cat and Animal Assisted Therapy

I have been learning to slow down significantly since last week. And I thank God that I am feeling better. Thanks for your prayers and encouragements!

I am learning to take breaks, relax and rest more. Not easy for me, but I am learning :-)

I have been going out for more walks recently and really felt a lot more healthier physically and mentally. I love outdoor and the sun. Fresh air and sunshine seems to lift up my moods too.

I am enjoying nature and God's creations in many wonderful ways again. And as usual, I enjoy taking my digital camera along to snap some photos.

This morning, I went for a walk. And guess who I met? This lovely cat!

I think it is a she-cat. She is a sweetie, isn't she? And she is so friendly :-) She wasn't afraid of me at all.

Obviously she is playful too :-) Look at the way she kindly posed for me ;-)

Personally, I love cats. My family used to own several cats when we were back in our hometown. My mum used to go to the market to buy fish, not for us, but for our cats :-)

Cats are very cute. They like to curl up besides you or climb on your lap or your bed, etc. The little ones are cuter. They jump all over!

I read on the internet that having or keeping animals can be therapeutic to some patients. There is a therapy called "Animal-Assisted Therapy" (AAT).

Wikipedia said:

Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a type of therapy that involves an animal with specific characteristics becoming a fundamental part of a person's treatment. Animal-assisted therapy is designed to improve the physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning of the patient, as well as provide educational and motivational effectiveness for participants. AAT can be provided on an individual or group basis. During AAT, therapists document records and evaluate the participant's progress. Many kinds of animals are used in therapy, including dogs, cats, elephants, birds, dolphins, rabbits, lizards, and other small animals.

Here is a website that provides some simple information on The Layman's Guide to Animal Assisted Therapy with a Free copy of Pet Therapy in .pdf format that can be downloaded.

So it seems animal can be used in therapy to help some people. Having a pet can in some way be therapeutic to us.

What about you? Do you like animals? Do you have any pets? Have you found having a pet to be beneficial to you or helpful in some ways in your particular condition?

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a wonderful day!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Homemade Calendar : Another Hobby

Dear Friends,

How time flies! It's already mid May.

As you know, I love to do handicrafts and make homemade gifts. You probably have seen my homemade bookmarks blog with Free Bookmark Templates.

Around December of almost every year, I will make a simple homemade gift for my friends and it is a Homemade Calendar.

I first started making this Calendar for myself because I found it very difficult to find a Christian Calendar with Bible verses that I like. So I decided to design my own simple Calendar :-)

Subsequently, I began to make this Calender for some of my friends whenever possible.

Over the last few years, I began to make the Calendar for more and more of my friends.

It is good to know that some of my friends have found this Calendar useful.

Thank God that for the last 8 years, I managed to make between 80 to 100 Calendars for my church friends, whenever I am well.

Sometimes when I am too ill, I will not be able to make these Calendars. Otherwise, I will try my best to make them. I enjoy making them and I am thankful that they are useful to my friends.

This is how the simple Calendar looks like:

Although it's already May now, if you are interested, you can still make this simple Calendar for yourself or your friends.

Here are some simple instructions on how I make this Calendar :

You can download the following files and make it too. You can personalised this simple Calendar by putting your name or your friend's name on the top right hand corner. You can also change the picture and the text according to your liking.

1) Download these Microsoft Word documents (.doc) and make changes accordingly:

a) Use this Picture file if you are printing for a friend : Picture 1person

b) Use this Picture file if you are printing for a couple: Picture 2persons

c) Use this Date file if you are in Singapore as it has all the public holidays : Singapore Dates

d) Use this Date file if the Calendar is to be used outside of Singapore: Dates Others

2. Open the file "Picture 1person.doc" and change the name on the top right hand corner to reflect your name, your friend's name, etc. Then print on color cards/papers.

You can print 2 calendars on 1 paper.

3. Open the file "Dates Singapore.doc" or "Dates Others.doc" and print all the 3 pages.

4. Fold the pages into half.

5. Use a pen knife to cut and then fold the pages into half again.

6. Use the pen knife to cut again and arrange all the months accordingly.

7. Staple on top of the dates at a few places to keep them together.

8. Put double-sided scotch tape behind the dates and then stick it to the bottom of the Picture.

9. For hanging purposes, I usually punch a hole using a single-hole puncher and put a reinforcement ring on it.

Do you like this Calendar? Do you have Hobbies? Or do you like to make gifts for your family and friends.

I hope you enjoy making this simple Calendar :-)

If you interested to make bookmarks, do visit my homemade bookmarks blog. I have many Free Bookmark Templates there.

Thank you for stopping by. Hope you have a blessed weekends!

Free Calendars 2010 and Free Planners 2010 Resources:

Free Bookmarks Resources:

Free Cards Resources:

Free Handicrafts Resources : Free Cross-stitch

Free Sewing Resources : Knitting

Free Origami Resources:

Free Arts and Crafts for Kids Resources:

Nice Piano Instrumental Music Resources:

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Thankful Thursday

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

... for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5

♥ I am thankful to God for sustaining me through another week. God is my refuge and strength daily and I am comforted that He never leaves me nor forsake me.

♥ Thank God for friends who suggested that I should cut down on work this week in order to rest and recuperate. Thank God that working freelance give me this flexibility and thank God for customers who are understanding.

♥ I am thankful to God that though I am weak, He is strong and His strength is made perfect in my weakness. Thank God for giving me grace and strength to cope with various challenges daily and to live for Him and serve Him.

♥ Thank God for strengthening me over the last few days and enabling me to know daily that His grace is sufficient for me. Thank God that I am feeling so much better today.

♥ I am thankful to God for my Pastor and friends who prayed for me, watched over me, shared my burden and suggested ways I may cope better with my health and other challenges in my life.

♥ I am thankful to all of you for praying for me and encouraging me.

♥ I am thankful to God for my mother's love for my family and her wonderful care upon me daily even as I seek to take care of her. Thank God that my sister's family came over recently and we have had a wonderful Mother's Day with my mum. Thank God for nieces and nephews who bring so much joy into my mum and my life.

♥ I am thankful to God for preserving some ministers, missionaries and their family who are serving God in Myanmar during the severe storm. Thank God that He preserves us until our tasks are accomplished here. Thank God that we can have the sweet assurance that should any of God's people lost their lives in natural disasters, they enter immediately into the presence of God. Let us pray for all families affected in Myanmar and in the earthquakes in China that many may know the saving grace of God and find consolations and restoration in Him.

♥ I am thankful to God that through weak health, He is teaching me many lessons about His love and faithfulness daily. God's presence with me and His Words comforts and strengthens me, and give me courage to face each day.

♥ Thank God that despite weak health, He enables me to serve Him in little little ways daily at home, freelance work, church work and even through this blog.

♥ Thank God We serve such a wonderful God and we can have the assurance that He is working all things for His glory and our good. What a mercy!

♥ I am thankful to God for so many friends I have come to know through blogging. Your friendships and writings have enriched my life is so many wonderful ways. Thank God for making this possible. Thanks for your friendships and wonderful support!

How about you? How has the Lord blessed you through the past week?

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a blessed and thankful day!

For more participants of Thankful Thursday, do visit Iris at Sting My Heart. It will be a very blessed and spiritually uplifting experience for you!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

He carry the Lambs in His bosom

I read this encouraging devotional this evening and was reminded once again of God's love and care upon us.

In these recent weeks of poorer health, I am thankful to God that He is keeping me near to Him and strengthening me daily.

In my many years of struggles with bipolar disorder, depression, stress, panic attacks, etc etc, I am very conscious of my own weaknesses.

Some friends have told me over the years too that they think I am very weak.

Some friends think I am very weak physically because I am easily tired and can't endure as much hardness as them.

Some friends think I am very weak mentally because they know I struggled with several prolonged clinical depression over the last few years. To them suffering from depression shows a weakness of mind and character. They have no knowledge or understanding of clinical depression or mood disorders.

Some friends think I am very weak spiritually because they know I have many struggles while they live a relatively carefree life with little struggle or difficulties. To them having struggles in life shows a lack of faith in God. They have little understanding that we are through much tribulation to enter into the kingdom of God and we are in a spiritual warfare daily.

I know I am weak in many ways. And I am thankful that there is One Who will always love me no matter how weak I am. In fact because I am weak, He is especially tender towards me. Because I am weak, His strength is made perfect in my weakness. This person is my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thank God for carrying me in His bosom and enabling me to know His love and presence with me.

Today, if you are hurting, depressed, lonely, forsaken or suffering in some ways, know that there is One Who loves us tenderly. Our Lord Jesus Christ laid down His life on the cross for us to save us from our sins and we are precious to Him. Call upon Him and He will answer you. Like a lamb, He will carry you in His bosom. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

“He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.” - Isaiah 40:11

Who is he of whom such gracious words are spoken?

He is THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

Why doth he carry the lambs in his bosom?

Because He hath a tender heart, and any weakness at once melts his heart.

The sighs, the ignorance, the feebleness of the little ones of his flock draw forth his compassion. It is his office, as a faithful High Priest, to consider the weak.

Besides, he purchased them with blood, they are his property: he must and will care for that which cost him so dear. Then he is responsible for each lamb, bound by covenant engagements not to lose one. Moreover, they are all a part of his glory and reward.

But how may we understand the expression, “He will carry them”?

Sometimes he carries them by not permitting them to endure much trial. Providence deals tenderly with them.

Often they are “carried” by being filled with an unusual degree of love, so that they bear up and stand fast. Though their knowledge may not be deep, they have great sweetness in what they do know.

Frequently he “carries” them by giving them a very simple faith, which takes the promise just as it stands, and believingly runs with every trouble straight to Jesus. The simplicity of their faith gives them an unusual degree of confidence, which carries them above the world.

“He carries the lambs in his bosom.”

Here is boundless affection. Would he put them in his bosom if he did not love them much?

Here is tender nearness: so near are they, that they could not possibly be nearer.

Here is hallowed familiarity: there are precious love-passages between Christ and his weak ones.

Here is perfect safety: in his bosom who can hurt them? They must hurt the Shepherd first.

Here is perfect rest and sweetest comfort. Surely we are not sufficiently sensible of the infinite tenderness of Jesus!

(Taken from CH Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 14 May, Evening)

May you know God's love in very many wonderful ways today.

Thanks for stopping by. God bless!

Word-Filled Wednesday : I am with you always

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ...lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Matthew 28:18-20

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3

Thank God that He is with us always and He loves us with an everlasting love.

For more Word-Filled Wednesday participants, do visit Amy at The 160 Acre Woods. It will be a very blessed and spiritually uplifting experience for you!

Thank you for stopping by. Hope you have a blessed day!

(This photo is taken by my friend and brother-in-Christ, CW Fong. Thank God for his kindness to share this photo with us)