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Returning to the Center

IThis morning felt like a gentle reset. After days of noise, rush, and honestly… zero motivation to cook, I finally stepped back into the kitchen. Nothing fancy. I just reheated leftovers and made a simple omelet. Actually, most of my energy this morning has been poured into shooting product videos on my phone, supposedly for Shopee affiliate posts that never made it to the internet. The irony makes me laugh. So many takes, so many ideas, but somehow none of them felt ready to share.

By noon, we were sitting in the last batch of Sunday service, and that quiet space reminded me again of what truly matters. I wrote down notes, not just to remember them, but because each line felt like it was speaking directly into a part of me that needed grounding.

Value.

The foundation of every value we hold should be born out of our personal relationship with Christ. It made me pause. Do I consider important the things my church community considers important? Do the values I cherish align with the values of the house I belong to?

I was reminded again that church has never been about the name. It has always been about Christ. He is the center. The reason. The anchor. Every decision, every service, every act of obedience is meant to glorify Him. And the encouragement to live from the inside out because He lives in me felt like a gentle nudge back into alignment.

There was also that familiar verse from Philippians, the one about doing everything without grumbling. About shining like stars in a world that often feels too dark. It struck me how simple yet difficult it is, and how easily I forget. But today, it landed differently. Maybe because I needed it.

Then the mission of the church. Spirit-led. Excellent. Relevant. Mature. Honoring. Five simple words but each one feels like a lifelong journey. Excellence that springs from love, relevance that is rooted in purpose, maturity that lets go of self for something greater, and honoring that begins in the heart. And above all, the call to follow the attitude of Christ Himself.

After service, life returned to its everyday rhythm. we dropped our youngest back at the dorm. Then my husband, my eldest, and I ended up at Maxxbox. We had not been there in ages. He got a haircut at the barbershop while I treated myself to gel polish next door. My daughter waited for us while eating dinner at a tiny kopi place under the stairs. After that, my husband grabbed a pizza. I did not feel like eating pizza, so later at home I ordered my trusty sei rice box. The one that is almost always on buy one get one promo on ShopeeFood. A small, silly comfort, but comforting nonetheless.

And just like that, that was my Sunday. Quiet, simple, full of small reminders and soft resets. Nothing extraordinary, yet somehow meaningful in its own gentle way.

Sunday, 30 November 2025

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