God is good pt 2

Tomorrow morning, we are going to Kumon head office to attend the Franchisee Orientation. My wife is going to attempt the entrance test - again!

She's scared witless, but I have confidence that it will go well.

It's gone well so far. And we can see the hand of God in the process so far.

1) It was by blind chance that I knew this Kumon centre was for sale

2) The Kumon Instructor who wants to sell actually was very willing to speak to us even though she was already in negotiation with a buyer.

3) She is willing to and sell to us, while waiting for my wife to work on getting the Kumon license, and forego the other buyer who already HAS a Kumon license (!!)

4) She is willing to let us take over on VERY generous terms.

So tomorrow, whatever happens, I'm confident that the results will be positive. I really feel that this is God's gift to us after years of financial struggle.

God is good.

Chee Seng

God is good!

I'm...so...tired...

Seminar today from 10am to 11.30am...
Study group from 12.30 pm to 4pm...
Then took my bike for repair. reached home abt 6.30...

then...

have to cook dinner...

aiyooh....

On the bright side, yesterday we went to see a Kumon centre for sale. We're quite interested and the instructor prefers to sell to us instead of another buyer as we have experience. There are some issues that need to be worked out though, but do keep us in prayer.

We are really looking forward to have this deal go through as it is something we are passionate about AND it'll be a big help to us financially.

Chee Seng

Kumon ASHR Ceremony 2008!

Today was a proud day for us. Not only was our girl going to receive her gold medal in her second Kumon Advanced Student's Honour Roll (ASHR) ceremony, this year also marked the highest ever number of students qualifying from our Centre. A total of NINE students from our centre were honoured this year. But only six managed to make it today.

It was also a little bittersweet for me. This was the first time Wai Ling's parents joined us in attending this ceremony but my dad is no longer around to witness Ashley accepting her medal. We thank the Lord that he was able to attend last year's ceremony and share the joy of Ashely's achievement then.

The ceremony was held this morning at Berjaya Times Square Convention Centre. More than 600 students turned up (this number does not include their families, Kumon Instructors and Kumon staff!) All in all, I would estimate that almost 2000 people attended the event.

Here are some photos of my students. (They're not that great, so i guess maybe it's time to get a better camera!) Will post some more pictures when I get the “official” photos.

From left: Ashley, Terenia (Ashley's classmate from kindy), me, Daniel and Ashley (yup!)

Ashley Lai is in kindy studying Pri. 4 English, Daniel is in Pri. 3 studying Sec. 2 Maths, Ashley Lim is in Pri. 2 studying Sec. 2 English!

Posing with the ORIGINAL worksheets prepared by Mr Toru Kumon (they are already 50-plus year old!)

More than a thousand people packed into the hall! Many cancelled at the last minute or else there would have been much more!

Doogie is almost completing the whole programme! We are so proud of him - he has not given up or stopped progressing though he faced PMR (and now SPM), several hospital visits and even major surgery!

All my students who attended this morning. As usual, my girl has to "do something". Itchy backside like the father!

Chee Seng

Nephew's birthday party

Just finished a birthday party for my 2 nephews. (Fwooh..little terrors!) My wife felt it was kind of funny that the party was held at our place, and that we were the main organisers and the parents acted like guests rather than birthday boy's parents. For me, ok la. Just another party (our dunno-number-what so far this year - Christmas open house coming next!!).

Anyway, as usual, I had to do a whole lot of preparations, although this time it was better cos I only made a few simple dishes. The rest was bought.

So today I made:
- Cut fresh veges (salad bar)
- French loaf with tuna dip
- Roast chicken
- Risotto (actually, it's just a fancy name for rice...)

Started preparing abt 3.30pm. After cutting the veges and marinating the chicken, at 4.30 I had to drive all the way to setapak to collect some food we had ordered. The trip took me 1 1/2 hours. I come back and continue to make risotto and the tuna dip and the salad dressing and the roast chicken. Finally kautim all at 8pm. We all went to the poolside for makan. (my wife happy la, not so much to clean up at home!)

There was so much food! We only managed to finish about half, so we packed and tried to give away as much of the leftovers as possible. But we still have a quarter of all the food left! Came back up abt 10pm. I'm so pooped! Thank God for my massage chair - 15 minutes kneading my feet helped a lot!

Actually not bad leh. Got positive reviews for food again. And I think I can handle cooking that much food (enough for abt 30 ppl). We're seriously thinking of going into mini-event catering as a side business. What you think?

Though He brings grief, He will show compassion...

Lamentations 3

1 I am the man who has seen affliction
by the rod of his wrath.

2 He has driven me away and made me walk
in darkness rather than light;

3 indeed, he has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.

4 He has made my skin and my flesh grow old
and has broken my bones.

5 He has besieged me and surrounded me
with bitterness and hardship.

6 He has made me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.

7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape;
he has weighed me down with chains.

8 Even when I call out or cry for help,
he shuts out my prayer.

9 He has barred my way with blocks of stone;
he has made my paths crooked.

10 Like a bear lying in wait,
like a lion in hiding,

11 he dragged me from the path and mangled me
and left me without help.

12 He drew his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.

13 He pierced my heart
with arrows from his quiver.

14 I became the laughingstock of all my people;
they mock me in song all day long.

15 He has filled me with bitter herbs
and sated me with gall.

16 He has broken my teeth with gravel;
he has trampled me in the dust.

17 I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.

18 So I say, "My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the LORD."

19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.

20 I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.

21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the LORD's great love WE ARE NOT CONSUMED,
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS

24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.

28 Let him sit alone in silence,
for the LORD has laid it on him.

29 Let him bury his face in the dust—
there may yet be hope.

30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,
and let him be filled with disgrace.

31 For men are not cast off
by the Lord forever.

32 THOUGH HE BRINGS GRIEF, HE WILL SHOW COMPASSION,
so great is his unfailing love.

33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to the children of men.

I can really identify with these verses. So I will take verse 25 & 26 to heart.

Thank You God, that in You, there is always hope. Amen

Chee Seng

What's going on?

I'm so depressed today.

A few of my students dropped out and for such petty reasons such as "he's not doing his work so it's not helping him". What?! If he's not doing his work, OF COURSE it's not helping him la! And isn't it the PARENTS' job to raise and discipline their kids? If the parents are just going to throw in the towel and give up on their children, all the best teachers in the world are not going a make a fly's wing of a difference!

It's such a waste - quitting before they even managed a chance to change and improve. After all our effort to understand them, advise them, motivate them, teach them, etc. All for what?

Sometimes it just feels like I'm running as hard as I can just to remain in one spot. Trying all sorts of strategies and ideas to improve and grow. But in the end...no significant improvements in results. Business remains as lousy as it has been for years. Students drop out, no matter how I try to explain that the need for commitment before you can achieve anything significant.

The worst thing is when I look at other Kumon instructors, who don't even need to try as hard as I do, growing by leaps and bounds.

What's going on?

I don't know...

Chee Seng

Running out of food ideas

Being the family cook is certainly no piece of cake!

Got to cook healthy
Got to find a taste acceptable to everyone
Got to think of different dishes everyday

Then got people who only eat a few "selected" foods
Then some more they ask, "why cook this dish again?"
Then got my wife who bising cos frying makes the floors oily.
Then got myself, lazy to learn how to cook complicated dishes

So, take into consideration all the factors above, we got very limited menu leh.

Boil, steam, roast or braise (frying sure will get nagged for oily floors!)
Chicken or pork (must be very soft and juicy or will be nagged by old lady!)
Only 5 or 6 acceptable veges
No hot stuff cos daughter and grandma don't eat
No bitter stuff, less processed stuff, la-di-da

Any maths dummy can tell you that this presents very limited possibilities.

alamak...dinner coming in 2 hrs time. how ah?

sigh...

Chee Seng