Brand New Beginning 2009

This is my first entry for the year, seems like I have started late for this year of 2009.

Much was being planned last year to have a good head start. Well, not so much of my planning but God's planning. Therefore I want to first count the blessings I have gotten in my pocket:
1) Switching to a new job!!!!

Thank God that I have gotten a new job that I can leave home on time and have more time for my ministry and family. Have been working late in the evenings, through the nights and even on weekends. It has drained so much of my energy that I had no time for anything. I prayed for God to provide me if He wants me to move deeper into ministry and build stronger relationships with Him. He is gracious and he provides. This new job marks the beginning of my ministry, my purpose driven life with Him.

2) I had a very good increment.

Despite of recession, I managed to find a good job with good increment. It is like God setting up a banquet in front of my enemies. Not like enemies that are real people that hated me, but Satan, the voice that tells me that I am worthy of nothing that no company will ever employ me. This bad voice try to convince me everyday that I have nothing to show people in my resume, even if company who wants to take me will give me a pay cut or very minimal increment. I had came to a depression when my existing company did not give me a promotion when I was long over due despite of all the hard work for 2-3 years. God is faithful, He told me that all these happen such that his blessings for me will happen (I was so lazy to even scout for a job) and He made it so glorious that people around me had to agree that it is a miracle.

3) I finished all the major marathons that I have planned for last year.

Yes, I was busy but I went for most of my marathons and most importantly I did my first full marathon. 42Km in 5 hrs 57 mins. Thank you God. For a first timer, this is a glorious moment.

4) I did my pineapple tarts very sucessfully this year. And I will try to post them up as soon as I can.

I have many more to share and also time to share them now. Wait for all of my sharings.

God is great and I will stay in his presence.

Psalms 23

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

The Real Run and GE Women's 10K

I had 2 Runs this month; Real Run 08 and GE Women's 10K 08.

Real Run 08

15KM WOMENSOPEN with 475 female participants


221 WO0809 JOYCE CHAN


Check pt1 00:27:07
Check pt2 00:58:17
Check pt3 01:28:09
Net time 01:55:01
Total Finish 01:55:35

The Sun was really HOT and BURNing here at the finishing 2 Km. I finished 3 mins earlier than my Passion Run record. When I went to get my finishing tee, the XS and XXS are all gone. So I got the XL instead for my Hubby. maybe I should run the 15 km so that I can get my XXS tee.

This is what REAL stands for Run Exercise Active Lifestyle.

Women's 10km

Rank 35 out of 75 Leading Ladies
1970 JOYCE CHAN WAI PENG
6.1km Gun Checkpt 00:44:12
6.1km Chip Checkpt 00:43:55
Gun Finish 01:10:43
Chip Finish 01:10:26

I improved by 7 mins this year compared to my last year's run. Not too bad... I wonder when I will reach 1 hour to finish my 10KM.

They had a free photo taking session for runners. And this photo is very well taken right? But I waited about 45 mins to get it. The system to distribute out photos not taken in any orders were quite chaotic. But since it was a free service, so everyone beared with it. And it was immediately taken and stored into my hubby's wallet after I showed to my kids.

Good thing about these kind of run is that I always get to bring many bananas home and my kids were so happy to have them. And I think this permed hair is very suitable such marathons, they are "pretty messy".

I hoped that next year my siblings can come and run with me. And in future, I will encourage my children to be active too.

My kids out of my room!

They are out and we have our beds to ourselves in September!!!!

We have planned for this for so long since May but did not have time to get on with it. And finally we had clean up the kids room and done up the bed frames. The rubber covers of the bed frames stands did not come with the double deck bed (when the beds are splited). And of course after 2 years since we last bought the bed, the furniture shop totally ignore our enquires. So there was a long hunt for the correct rubber caps around the whole of singapore.

I putted up the girly bedsheets that we bought from Ausino 2 years back, those with princess and boldly pinkish. Bliss loved it! And they gladly slept on those beds even when it not fully done. But the strong desire to sleep on their own is short lived...

Since they were shifted out, I took the chance to also totally wean Zest off. There were at least 3 nights of hour long crying, whinning, followed by very attention seeking behaviour whenever she comes home. Her Teacher also find that she was very moody that 2 weeks. Soon after a while, we trained her to drink milk powder whenever her craving comes. The milk powder starts to runs out fast, like every 2 weeks. Now it been about a month, Zest starts to sleep through every alternate night. Still I am still very exhuasted whenever she wakes up in the middle of the night crying. However, thank God that Zest is learning to sleep through and seems to get it faster than Bliss used to. So thankful for this, and hopefully she will be able to have better sleep from now on.

Bliss started well since she is already sleeping through, but she still requires one of us to sleep with her. She will crawl into our bed if she wakes up in the middle of the night. Well, she had us slepping with her for 5 years. So I believe some habits are hard to get rid of. She amused us at times. Her recent arguement is that since she should be sleeping alone on her own bed, she asked why my hubby needs me to sleep with him? Though it was annoying then, but it sounds logic doesn't it? Hubby was lost for words. Then to put forth her arguement, she asked me again and this time she said that we were much older then her.

Now Bliss will fall asleep soon as long as one of us sleeps with her. As for Zest, most of the times she is very active and refuse to go to sleep. Many a times, we have to discipline her at her bed time till wee hours.

I hope these teething problems will be over soon... I need to get back my peaceful sleep...

My first muddy 21 km run on 24 August... 2 hours and 51 mins

I managed to finish 21km !!! I thought I lost my legs.








The run was quite good paced until we reached the 14 KM .... we all went into a very small lane that is newly laid with tar in a construction setting. This part of the route was very unpleasant as it is uneven, too narrow and very muddy. It lasted at least 3 km and I was so discouraged that I stopped to walk and drink at every water point. At last I finished the muddy path, I saw the very beautiful newly built Bay, and my speed picked up.


At 17km, I was grumbling to myself why the last 3 km is so long and I won't want to register for any run longer then 21km anymore. Its killing ME!!


I finished 2 hours and 51 mins. Thank God who sustained me for this long.


Ranking Bib No. Name Check Pt Net Time Gun Finish
218 WC2058 chan wai peng joyce singapore 1:09:13 02:51:35.35 02:52:13.13


Hey and guess what, the check point at half way mark is probably at 10km, And this timing, I broke my 10km timing too.


I was ranked 218 among 388 ladies who ran together. Wah, and looking at the ranking, there really are female that could run very well, finishing in less than 2 hrs. I wonder would I ever have that kind of record in my life.

My buddies did well too. SY finished at 2 hours 21mins(21km) and Shawn 1 hour 10 mins (10km).

I have never been dripping that wet before, and according to my friends, I was very "unglam" after the run.

I felt good to have completed this big milestone I have set for myself. So I realised that one will not move further than the goal that was set. For one who used to so inactive and overweight will never imagined to be able to go so far in marathons. I just have to be submissive and do the right preparation. There will definitely be muddy paths, but if I stopped I will never get to see the beautiful Bay. For my walk with God, will also be the same, if I set a goal for myself, stop grumbling, and focus on the goal. He will provide the rest. At the end of the day, I will have the victory and see the beautiful end point in Heavens prepared just for me.

1 Cor 15:57

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So I did sign up for my 42km Standard Chartered Run this year. Pray for me that I will finish well for my coming 42km.

Passion Run (Eve of my Birthday)

This are my passion run buddies.

I ran 15KM on 8 June 08 at 1 hr 50mins. It wasn't my fastest speed but for the first time I was only 7 seconds slower than my buddy 2894 Shawn!


This time round my number bid is 316; John 3:16. Run with Passion.

So my next milestone will be 21 Km... this coming 24 Aug 08 Bay Run.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Tired soul is refreshed by the Spirit...

April has finally came! I have not been blogging as I have been busy with the new routine. I wake up at 5.45pm every morning to prepare and travel back to my in laws place to drop my kids. Then will have to go back fetch them and then proceed home. That means reaching home late and get to bed only at about 12midnight if not later.

Over all this IS VERY TIRING. I have less than 5 hours of sleep everyday. But amazingly after taking my husband's suuggestion to use worship recordings from sunday service, to do worship everyday, I was refreshed by the Spirit. Fatigue did not get the better of me. However, it is always a daily struggle to make a decision to worship but not sleep on the train. But I will press on. Thank God for Your strength everyday.

I wait for the day that my kids all move to their new childcare, which is nearer to my home. I have 19 more days to go. The Lord will sustain me.

Psalms 23:2-3

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

When we take a step of faith forward, we might learn the hard way but the rewards are great.

Today is the second day of our move back to our home. For the 2 mornings that we sent our girls to their respective school and nanny, both have some problems adjusting.

My hubby will bring Bliss to school and I will bring Zest to the nanny place. So we will take the same bus but Hubby and Bliss will alight one stop before Zest and me. This 2 mornings, Bliss will cry and attempt not to alight with my hubby. Then she whined all the way till she reaches the school. Zest will also protest not alighting the same stop with her sister. When Zest reaches the nanny's place, she will show me her "I miss you, Mommy" face. This face I have not seen for quite some time. These are the things that makes my heart cringes. I worry that my girls and hubby do not get enough sleep and how will the girls get adjusted to their new school in the coming May.

The following is what the Lord reminds me of David's Psalms today:

Psalms 71:3

Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go;

give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

So I will look forward for the goals that I have set. I know that when my girls are well settled down, they will grow and learn better in the new environment He has prepared. And me too, I will learn and grow better. I will look forward for the rewards to come. These rewards from my Lord will not come easy as He needs to prepared me to receive the best. But I do know that I will not have to look back and regret not having done this. Amen!!