To love our neighbour as we love ourselves is to treat them not in the way they might actually treat us, but in the way we wish they would treat us.
Too close for comfort
My 12-year-old son is very close to me. As his mother, I love him but I do not like the way he clings to me sometimes. Some days when he wants my attention, he grabs my arm and pulls me towards him. As he is getting bigger, I feel tired trying to resist the force of his movements. When he is chastised for disobeying instructions for instance, instead of rectifying his behaviour, he asks me to hug him first. It feels like he’s trying to evade or delay punishment and sometimes I tell him to do what he has to do before coming for a hug. This makes him upset and he has told me before that he feels hurt when I refuse to hug him. I am tired from the physical and emotional demands even though I love him. What can I do to make him understand that I would like some personal space without making him feel rejected? ~ Drained
Mind your neighbours
An elderly Chinese lady, whom we shall call Sally, contacted the social service agency she frequented for exercise classes to report a concern. Sally said that she had not seen her neighbour—a single, Indian lady a few years younger—for a few days and efforts to call on her went unanswered.
My wife does not want more children, but I do
My wife and I have a three-year-old son. I was hoping to have another child so that my son may have a companion and someone to share his burdens with, especially when we are in our old age. However, my wife is not keen on it due to various reasons. I am concerned that by the time she might be ready to have a second child, it would be too late as we are both in our late 30s. What should I do in this situation? How should I adjust my thinking to accept that we would only have one child? ~ Concerned Dad
Grandpa’s Greatest Gift
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! JJ learns that his grandfather did not always celebrate Christmas like his family does today. Read this story of how JJ’s grandfather came to know the true meaning of Christmas and how it just may be the greatest gift JJ has ever received.
Presidents’ farewell messages
The three Annual Conference Presidents stepped down in November 2024. These are their farewell messages penned just before the 49th Sessions of their respective Annual Conferences. Rev Dr Gregory Goh, Rev Philip Abraham and Rev Stanley Chua will return to pastoral duties in the new quadrennium.
Double standards of WFO/WFH implementation
I’m one of 12 heads of department (HODs) in a 200-staff organisation. We have a hybrid arrangement and work from home two days per week. However, there are teams not following this corporate rule and which come to the office once or twice a week. The HODs have agreed to enforce this rule but only half are doing so. Meanwhile, the rule abiders are demoralised by the double standards and management’s ineffectiveness. In fact, one of the bosses seem to be condoning the flouting of rules. The senior management is aware but nothing’s been done. I feel conflicted as a believer because I want to show integrity, strong work ethics and values, but I can’t help but identify with the unfairness. What should I do? ~ Conflicted
Toilets, kindness and Christ?
A good and godly Singaporean once told me that he was born on World Toilet Day. I knew he was a November baby, but I didn’t know that 19 November had been designated by the United Nations as World Toilet Day! Nor did I know that this Toilet Day gave the Singapore Government (through the efforts of Jack Sim) its very first successful Resolution adopted by the UN in 2013!
Surviving medical emergencies while caring for elderly parents and schooling children
Five years ago, 64-year-old Mr Chong Moon Yeen was behind the wheel of his taxi when he unexpectedly suffered a stroke. He was rushed to the hospital and spent several days in a coma in the ICU. The stroke had caused a blood clot in his brain, and to relieve the pressure from the swelling, doctors had to perform a delicate surgery, removing part of his skull. Once stabilised, Mr Chong was transferred to MWS Bethany Nursing Home (BNH) – Choa Chu Kang, where he began his long journey of recovery, receiving round-the-clock medical and nursing care, as well as therapy.
Truthful evangelism: Our lives speak more than our words
“Evangelism” is a lofty word and much- vaunted concept, but do we ever think of how it relates to us personally? When I think of how my spiritual heritage sprang from the work of two evangelists who were obedient to God’s call, I feel compelled to pass on this blessing of a spiritual heritage to others and share God’s love with them.