peace . love . joy

it's pretty amazing that gOd loves us soooooo much considering we (most of us) disappoint him countless times and make him sad..

i've been struggling to keep myself a practising Christian..and gOd has been helping me..for that i am thankful..it shows He has not given up on me =]

confession : i've not been doing my daily bread..well..daily..it's been an as-and-when i feel like it..or if my mum reminds me..type of thing..

i need to do my daily bread daily because i've little (practically no) Christian influences in school..ok..so mebe i've been avoiding going for Campus Crusade for Christ meetings and disciple groups..i'm not very keen on going for those..smhow..cant realli explain y..i jus dont want to make the effort to go..daily bread is my daily time spent with gOd and His word..and to keep in touch with gOd..

that's y i NEED it

anyways..it's been getting better..in a sense that i'm getting more and more motivated to pick up my copy of "Our Journey"..

that's because so far, when i did decide to pick it up and read it, the reading for that day speaks to me..it's like..just so suitable and applyable for the situation i'm in at the moment..

gOd's timing is nothing short of amazing and fantastic

wad are the odds of my deciding to read my daily bread for a day, and that reading for that day is so applicable to me?..and that has happened not jus once or twice..so far..as far as i can remember..it's 5 times!!

i know there are many right now who are struggling in their walk with gOd..and i wanna encourage u..by posting the readings that so touched me..

i'l do it soon..but for now, i'l leave u with this song that came into my head when i was reading today's scripture verses..

Psalm 102 : 11-14
(11) For as high as the heavens are above, so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him;
(12) as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
(13) As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
(14) For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

think about His love
think about His goodness
think about His grace that's brought us through

for as high as the heavens above
so great is the measure of our Father's love
great is the measure of our Father's love

how could I forget His love
how could I forget His mercy
He satisfies, He satisfies
He satisfies my desires

great is the measure of our Father's love

written by W. Harrah

May God give you
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer

gOd bLEsS

me

it was jus confirmed that i'm not gonna see smone for the rest of my days in Uni..

quite sad la..

felt like a huge & heavy anchor was chained around my heart and thrown into the Atlantic Ocean..

even tho i knew u'd leave..and i knew it'd be highly likely that it'd be soon..smhow, i hoped that i was wrong..hahas..guess i was wrong in hoping..hahas..*sigh*..

wonder if u'll remember me after u've gone away..?

anyway..talking to bryan's nice..i like that we've been able to keep in touch even though he's in australia and i'm here..cheers to technology and many more advances to come..

funny how i never ever imagined that we'd remain (close enough) friends after ghim moh days..like..he's practically the onli one who knows evrythg and anythg bout me..hahas..funny..hope we remain friends til we die, man..here's to friends for life =]

bryan's cmg home after his exams..which is soon!!..mus meet up..after MY exams, that is..hahas..i'l bet u can spot me a mile away..i've not changed one bit, man..not one bit..i wanna see the color of your hair..hahas..so interesting..

anyways..good luck for the rest of your exams..come back safely!!

jus met joel online..the joel frm CCC..not mj..honestly, pple..take a good look arnd u and stop giving extrememly common names to your kids..it's not helping thgs!!..too many joels, kenneths, sarahs, rachels, amandas, melissas, bryans, damians, crystals\krystals, stephanies..(no offense if ur name's here)..jus stating a fact..

anyway, joel opened my eyes to let me see that i'm realli living on gOd's grace..as in..i'm living my worth-less life entirely on gOd's grace..i mean..the way i live my life..it's definitely not pleasing to gOd..i'd even venture so far as to say i've made Him cry..which in turn makes me cry..because He's the last person i want to displease \ disappoint..but life as it is now isnt making thgs easy for me..then again, noone said life's easy..and i've not the strength to keep going..

i shld not be doing well in school..honestly..i dont deserve the grades i'm getting..so far it's been an A- road i'm taking..collecting A- after A-..and then one B- comes along..then it's A- again..it's weird..i think gOd realli wants to drive home the point that He wants me to have University education..and not onli that, do reasonably well there..

i dont know why..

it jus appears so..come to think of it, since i started primary school..

He must have a plan for me..(i know it's a stupid "durh" statement, all you Christians)..but if ure living a life that u know is not pleasing to gOd..and when the realization that gOd has a plan for U hits u..the worth-less U..it's pretty amazing..jus cant help wondering wad exactly gOd sees in us..

keeps us on our tippity-toes in a way..

hahas =D i jus did my daily bread..guess wad the title is..

"pick up your feet"

hahas..geddit??..toes..feet..nvm -_-

it's a lovely reminder and assurance..today's readings..read the verses and cldnt help but choke and tear..

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means GOD WITH US)
~Matthew 1 : 23

Behold, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, to the end of the age
~Matthew 28 : 20

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever...you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU AS ORPHANS; I will come to you
~John 14 : 16-18

"most of us havent encountered a physical manifestation of God, but we have His God-breathed promises on paper in permanent marker. We have a written guarantee that we can recheck as often as we need reassurance. Let's step out of our shackles of fear and doubt, pick up our feet, and get on with it!"
~Beth Moore

gOd bLEsS

me

ytd was Hari Raya!!..SELAMAT HARI RAYA to all u pple!! =D

smhow, i still am not worried abt exams..au contraire..i'm rather excited..my first exams in Uni!!..sehr phantastisch!!..hahas..

was lying on my parent's bed..the window in their room faces roughly east..and the wind can onli be decribed with one word -- beautiful..

i like the feel of gentle breezes caressing my face..i can close my eyes and i'm

back in Egypt..on the nile..
back on top of Mount Sinai..awaiting the sunrise..
back on the sandy beaches of Sharm El Sheik..soaking in the sun & sounds & the clear blue waters of the red sea..
back in Udon Thani, Thailand..slacking in front of the church office..
back in Myanmar..watching the lil kids play happily at the bougainvillea's expense..

wunderbar..

i think i know roughly wad i like abt these plces..

i like the feeling that i can be a kid again..and jus stand \ sit there stupidly and absorb my surroundings..to take thgs slowly..one at a time..with no one rushing me..to be able to think quietly abt anythg i want..to be able to praise gOd in my own way for the beautiful thgs he has placed on this earth..for wad reason..i dunno..it eludes me..

i feel contented & satisfied..i feel free..

funny how places can make me feel free but pple cant..hah..jus a passing thought..

when i've earned enough money, i'l get sm friends and we'll go for the Egypt tour again..i love it..or as Ian Wright wld say "luvvit!"..

we'll go for the nile cruise..go see the temples of ancient Egypt..see & enter the pyramids..ride the camels at the nubian village..

climb Mt. Sinai at 1 a.m. ..watch the sun rise frm its summit..relax at the Conrad at Sharm..go for a glass boat tour on the crystal clear red sea..see my Orlando Bloom imposter =x ..that is, if he's still there la hahas..

visit the Mummies at the Cairo museum..i think a bomb went off there smtime last time..cant remember..hope it's still standing..with Ramses and Tutmoses init..

ooo..how cld i forget..valley of the Kings..and the valley of the Queen Hatshepsut..

lovely..

can have a tiny glimpse of the past and wad the Israelites might have seen when they were there in Egypt..think they built sm of it..but i dunno which..mebe i'l go find out..jus for the fun of it =]

gOd bLEsS

me

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

May you live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live.

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.

Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.

Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day.

May the saddest day of your future be no worse
Than the happiest day of your past.

May the roof above us never fall in.
And may the friends gathered below it never fall out.

May you have warm words on a cold evening,
A full moon on a dark night,
And the road downhill all the way to your door.

May there be a generation of children
On the children of your children.

May you live to be a hundred years,
With one extra year to repent!

May the Lord keep you in His hand
And never close His fist too tight.

May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.

May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.

Walls for the wind,
And a roof for the rain,
And drinks beside the fire -
Laughter to cheer you
And those you love near you,
And all that your heart may desire!

May God be with you and bless you,
May you see your children's children,
May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

May God grant you many years to live,
For sure He must be knowing
The earth has angels all too few
And heaven is overflowing.

May peace and plenty be the first
To lift the latch to your door,
And happiness be guided to your home
By the candle of Christmas.

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

God Bless

me

i said in a 17102006 post "appetite's back" that i read a daily bread passage that realli struck me..

because i'm back in gOd's oasis and into His presence after wandering for months in the desert (granted it wasnt 40 years like the Isrealites, but it was long enough for me to feel tired, weary and jus so wrung dry), reading this passage realli helped, and i hope it'll help all those who are feeling abit dry and having a space in your hearts that somehow refuses to be filled..

Our Journey, sep . oct . nov 2006, october 16 - monday, Steve Farrar

In his book More than Conquerors, John Woodbridge writes about J.C. Penny, a man who wanted to do business by the golden rule.

Early in Penny's career, his integrity was tested when he refused to be involved in a kickback scheme. Because of his refusal, his business was boycotted and he had to shut it down and leave town. Then in 1907, an opportunity to start a new store in Wyoming opened up. In just 5 years, it grew to 34 stored with sales of over $2 million! By 1929, he had 1400 stores across the US.

But Penny's public prosperity didn't shield him from personal hardship and suffering. As he walked his remarkable pathway to success, his wife died, leaving him with two young sons. In 1916, he remarried. But his new wife, Mary Kimball, died shortly after giving birth to their son, Kimball. Six years later, Penny lost $40 million in the stock market crash. He was virtually penniless. It was too much for Penny to bear. With a broken heart and the loss of a fortune, he wound up as a patient in a sanitorium. He was just 56 years old.

J.C. Penny was fighting the biggest battle of his life -- not to rebuild his empire, but to regain his trust in the goodness of God. One morning, as he fought off depression, he heard some employees singing a hymn in the kitchen as they prepared breakfast:" Be not dismayed whate'er betide, God will take care of you."

That line from a beloved hymn invaded the heart of J.C. Penny, and hope was reborn. Some simple words reconnected Penny's heart to the One he thought had abandoned him. He recommitted his life to God that very moment. And at the age of 56, he was ready to start over from scratch.

God didn't leave J.C. Penny in the sanitorium. And he won't leave you, no matter where you are. With confidence, you can say as the psalmist did," My hope is in You" (Psalm 39:7)

Hebrews 13 : 5-6
(5) Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

(6) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Psalm 39 : 4-7
(4) LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.

(5) Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

(6) Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

(7) And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

God will take care of you =]

have a bLEsSed day, all

me

endorsing "Laa-Laa" (not the chopsticks, daena!!)

endorsing starbucks!!

have a wacky and fun-filled day, all~!!

god bLEsS

me

remember a long long time ago, in a galaxy far away..it was paul's birthday??..

wel..i've been nagging daena for the photos (sorry, man..) and she's finally put it up on shutterfly~!!

*yays*

go see go see!!

http://embossed.shutterfly.com/action/

thanks dae!!..such a dear to take time and effort to upload the pix..thanks!!

gOd bLEsS

me

Somewhere out there,
beneath the pale moonlight,
someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight.

Somewhere out there,
someone's saying a prayer,
that we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there.

And even though i know how very far apart we are,
it helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star.

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby,
it helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky.

Somewhere out there,
if love can see us through,
then we'll be together somewhere out there,
out where dreams
come true.

today wasnt that great..mebe it's cos i didnt talk to mahes nor dianne much..mahes!!..see..i got miss u okay..*sniff*..

it's so nice to find a friend who's so funny and sweet..and the 2 of u jus click well enough to get along fine..amazing thg is..mahes is like the first friend i made in sociology, and we click well enough..

reminds me of yingying..sigh..wonder if she still remembers me..ours was interesting..we didnt realli talk much when it's jus the 2 of us..but it's not an uncomfortable silence..it's like..we know wad the other feels and therefore dont realli need to say much..the company's comfortably silent..i like that..very rarely i meet pple whom i can have that "comfy silence" with..actually..i think ying's the onli one so far..like..it's ok if i dont wanna talk..we'll jus sit there tgd..

i miss you, yingx =[

btw..rina..i'm NOT pissed..i never was today..i was tired and how wld u describe it..stretched??..like all my strength has been drawn frm me and i'm feeling as though i'm being wrung..not because of your comment on me and shivali being like other NTU pple..i got a lil upset and sad and unsure cos of smthg else..that's why i was so "religiously" eating my food..

u DONT wanna see me pissed.

i had a marvelous birthday ytd =D

i had no idea so many pple wld actually remember it..motivation to remember ALL their birthdays =] ..damian!!..i remember ure a 15th october baby, ok..i remember..

me -> ChuckDong
thanks for that lovely phrasing of a birthday wish..so cute~!! und sehr originell~!!..thanks loads, man..

thanks for wishing me a happy birthday, kevin, hannah, nish-tits, yenmin, charlotte, jenni, my baby girl - Grace Ng, puiki, wanping, mingwei, Joanna Tan, teckteng, yap, alicia, damian, mel, yuanjian, suhaila, shivs, ameera, dianne, mahes..yea..if i forgot anyone else, it isnt intentional..thanks for the wishes and blessings =D ..it realli came true ytd..had such a brilliant time!!

i met mahes for lunch at our usual wednesday 11 am haunt at kfc jp (think the staff there knows us le)..then we went for (my favourite) Jonathan London's lecture at 12.30..our usual spot was taken over by mutants!! no la..smone else took our plce..so we went to the front to sit with ameera, suhaila, shivs, sangee and junmin (dunno how to spell her name)..they started singing the happy birthday song super loudly la..so freakin paiseh..but so unexpected..nice =D
they almost sang again it when Jonathan London walked in..i would have died then and there of embarrassment, man..lucky they didnt..

sangee gave me a card..which stated yet again her opinion that i'm the female version of chee han..tsktsk.. =[ ..and toblorone!! =] ..sorry..havent eaten it yet..but mahes, dianne, shivs have taken bits of it..nice to share =D..hahas..thanks, sangee!!

he played 2 fantastic clips for the 2nd half of lecture today..then we went for tutorials..

after chee han's tutorial (he didnt call on me to answer qns =D ..wunderbar!!), i was gonna meet mahes again then we'll walk to can A tgd to have dinner b4 5.30 lessons..she said she had to go library do smthg or wad..saw her on the stairs..she refused to wait for me la..so i thought nvm..jus go can A like she told me to and wait..

then, she and dianne bought me a strawberry sundae with one long fry and nine short fries stuck in it..and started singing happy birthday =D ..so paiseh..but it was damn sweet la..

guess wad ameera, dianne, mahes, shivs got me??

a golden paper bag with a golden ribbon tied on it..
in it, was a golden purse-clutch-bag-thg
a pair of golden earrings
a GOLDEN BELT with a CROWN
a golden card

(chuck dong!! now u know why i said i had a golden birthday??..hahas =D )

thanks, babies..i luvvit~!!! twas darn sweet and nice of u guys..so touched!!

thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou

after german, my mum picked me up..and we went to SUSHI TEI with my entire family plus my fav lil cousin, aren and his parents..so coincidental..i was jus tellin mahes i was missing my toddler cousin..then got to see him at night..not bad..

we spent $300++ there..tried sea urchin..dont realli like the texture..but it's great with seaweed =]

all in all..i realli had a beautiful birthday ytd..and wanna thank all who made it lovely for me..

birthdays arent special..people make them special..

so sociological huh..

thank you Lord, for such sweet friends..i pray that we'll be friends for a long time..mebe smtime in the future, we could meet up and discuss abt our kids..hahas =D..i thank you for letting me find you yet again..i pray that i'l never stray from you again..i know temptaions would come and present themselves again and again..but i know that you'll be there beside me, even when i cant feel you, or see you, or hear you..i thank you for never giving me more than i can take..and never withdrawing yourself from me more than i can live without..thank you for placing in my heart once again a burden for some sec 2s..i pray that i'll be a good friend and example and mentor to them..i pray that i'll have the courage and the strength to do your will in my life and not be ashamed or afraid of wad others may say or think..i pray that you bless all my friends and wad they do..and i pray that they wont stress out and burn out..

amen

gOd bLEsS

me

Hat dies online gesehen. Nettes Recht? Mögen Sie gelegentlich diese, die einen gemeinsamen Namen haben, ist nett.

Gott Segnen

Mich

thx Dianne!!..u've helped me loads today =D ..i've decided on the topic i wanna do for the HS 102 essay assignment..jus hope chee han approves..hah..i managed to find the 2 articles on the topic..*yays*..thank gOd..so exciting~!!

tmr's my birthday..so far..a record 4 pple have wished me an early happy birthday..so touched i was remembered =]..thx, shir, nish, sunand, bryan..feel so..i dunno..remembered..hahas..

was jus reminded abt a daily bread i read..yes..i'm slowly jogging back to gOd's side..i'm starting to pick up my daily bread..and praying too..which is good =] ..i'll type out the daily bread when i've the time..

we're doing religion in Singapore for HS 102..so interesing!!..lect didnt realli cover much..think i shall take the module solely on religion in society..sounds interesting..

O..i remember wad i wanted to say..

I'VE GOTS MY APPETITE BACK !!!!!

on monday, i had lunch at 1-1.30..and then i got hungry at abt 3..at 4.30, i had McChicken meal + Filet 'O' Fish..then i was satisfied..

then i got hungry again at 10..

can u believe it??!!

o..i think my butt's getting bigger..had to squeeze into my hangten jeans..is that good or bad?..hmmm..i need to start running again..jus to keep my butt and legs on the nice side..not to get all muscle-y..yea..i'm still not going to the gym, tho..dont ask me..

this is interesting..

http://kevan.org/johari?name=emyegeeayen

daena..try me!!

singing songs to gOd is one of THE most powerful thgs to me..when i'm feeling lost and lonely, i cry out to Him..when i'm found and happy, i shout for joy to Him..

and right now, i think..i have found gOd's beautiful sanctuary in the desert..

my wandering, i think and hope, is cmg to an end..i've found (or rather, gOd has unveiled my eyes to let me see) His oasis in the desert..

i'm cmg, Lord!!..i see You!!..

Hillsong Music -- Make me Glad

i will bless the Lord forever
i will trust Him at all times
He has delivered me from all fear
He has set my feet upon a rock
i will not be moved
And i’ll say of the Lord

You are my shield
my strength
my portion
Deliverer
my shelter
Strong tower
my very present help in time of need

Whom have i in heaven but You
There’s none i desire besides You
You have made me glad
And i’ll say of the Lord

gOd bLEsS

me

L replied to my apology..L said i wasnt even on L's mind when he "scolded" the class..and that it wasnt me who "particularly struck L as impolite"..so that's..good, i guess..hmmm..

wad i thought interesting abt the email was that L addressed me by a short form of my name..smthg which noone in uni has done..the last pple who called me "meg" were my JC friends (not my teachers)..dunno if i like that..but who cares?..L's not angry at me..so that's fine and dandy..

to those who are bogged down with work, assignments, impending deadlines, exams..

if u can spare abt 7 mins 10 secs..

i'd like to introduce smone who's sure to make u at least smile =]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5q-jKjsmoY&NR

have fun, babies..

gOd bLEsS

me

wednesday wasnt a very good day..or mebe i was jus being oversensitive..i realli hope it is the latter..

i think i was sorta like the final straw for smone..let's call that smone L..L is smone i look up to and want to please..so i sent L an email asking for sm information that onli L can provide..but L wasnt happy with the email..reason being my punctuation, spelling, grammar was all rubbish..

u see when i write emails, esp to those whom i address by their first names, i tend to write a lil more informally..as in like msn speech..simply because when u ask me to call u by your first name, either i am "upped" to your level or you are lowered to my level..either way, we're on the same level..and i see no need to impress you with my literary skills..yea..

when L told off the entire class abt "netiquette" he stated that many others (i think before me) have faired badly in the area of email etiquette..sm examples he gave of bad email etiquette like not writing L's name b4 the email or signing off, i knew it wasnt me..so i wasnt the onli one..

but i jus had that nagging feeling that it was me that did it..like..i was THE last one he cld take..then he broke..and jus had to tell all of them off..feel so bad..like i jus got the whole class in trouble..

if ure reading this, i'm one of the culprits..and i'm sorry..i realli am..

it didnt help that L was glaring at me frm the moment i came into the classromm to the moment i sat down..then after class, he started glaring again..

i was so sure i wldnt meet him again til nxt wk..so at least got time to cool off..

but guess wad? i saw him again..and i think he saw me..

after german class, mum usu fetches me home..but that day she cldnt make it cos she had a function on..so i took the bus with gabriel..not the church one..this final year guy frm EEE who also takes german..

and when the bus reached HSS busstop, guess who was standing there waiting to board the bus?

yea..L..

L boarded the bus and stopped at the foot of the stairs (it was a double decker)..turned his head our way (where we were sitting) and furrowed his eyebrows..

i'm not sure if it's cos L was upset at the sight of me or if smone else took the seat L wanted at the bottom deck..

then L went up..and i was so glad i didnt see L when we all alighted at boon lay interchange..i think L lives arnd there..cos twice i saw L walking frm the blocks arnd the interchange towards the busstop..yea..

wel..L made me feel pretty bad..

those pple who are out to make me feel bad..that's the way to go, man..but jus so u know, i'l FEEL bad..but i wont necessarily SHOW that i feel bad..in case u get disappointed that u dont get to see me throw a tantrum or whine..

sigh

anyway, i apologised to L in a more formal email..the problem with apologising in formal emails is that they tend to come across as insincere and more robotical..but heck, if that's wad L wants that's wad L's gonna get..

good thg abt gOd is that He forgives as long as i ask..i probably wld have to live with the memory of it all my life (i've a tendency to remember such thgs) but to gOd, my slate is sparkling clean yet again..

o Lord You are good, You are good and Your mercies forever endures..

gOd bLEsS

me

i think gOd is teaching me not to bet..as in..a relatively harmless form of gambling..u know..betting..yea..happened again, actually..today..last time, i made a bet with daryl, and i lost..and then today, i made a bet with nisha, and i lost once again..gOd..i geddit..i'l try not to bet anymore..promise..i'l try..help me along, gOd..

today, shirleen came to NTU..wanted to have dinner tgd..but then, she jus had to come on one of my sloppy days (think baggy T + jeans + slippers)..i'l look positively frumpy nxt to her la..so embarrassing..so for the sake of my big fat ego, i said no =[ ..feel kinda bad now..hope she realli comes again nxt wk..she said she'll tell me b4 she comes, then i can dress up and look abit more presentable..then we can have abit of fun guy-watchin!! =x ..mwahahahha..

i so love the HS 101 lects now..so interesting!!..we talked abt the 2nd shift by Arlie Hochschild..gender strategies, ideologies, family myths..so fascinating =D ..mahes, u realli missed out on a good lect, man..we shld never ever skip lectures again..u nv know, wad will be discussed may jus be THE most interesting topic ever..and besides, in lectures, i think abt 20% will be retained..think of how much time we'll save when we're doing revision!..

the nanyang ryder's club had a lil exhibitn thg..it was so awesome!!..so many beautiful bikes!!..but my parents wld rather i not ride a bike..so, ok =]

accidentally in love..by counting crows..is a fine example of a song full of rubbish..but it's jus so catchy!!..it's stuck in my head now..argh!!!..

gOd, i praise You for i am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, i know that full well..my frame was not hidden from You when i was made in the secret place..when i was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body..all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be..Search me, O gOd, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts..see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting..

amen

gOd bLEsS

me

for Saturday’s bs, smhow, my mind wandered to the issue of temptation..cos we were talking abt sexual immorality and “everything is permissible for me” – but not everything is beneficial. (1 Cor 6 : 12a)..

i remembered Dr. Ravi Zacharias’ response to a lady’s question abt temptation over the radio, and in essence, here’s wad he said :

"

There is victory when u realize that wad ure being tempted for, if u were to yield to it, it wld be the wrong choice..And that alone is a good first step to start with..

The more u yield to certain temptations, wad happens is that a very subtle process occurs : u think it is no longer as critical as u made it out to be in the first place when u did give in..The human mind has the capacity to minimize that fall and ultimately start justifying the behaviour..

And the fact that u still sense the pressure in your soul is a good positive first step from which ure starting to recognize that there’s a real choice before u of right & wrong..

Start off by assuming that u are the weakest in that situation and not the strongest..If u make the assumption that u are very strong and u can withhold it, ure gonna run into trouble..And therefore when u start off by assuming u are the weakest then my first suggestion to u is this :

Do not be in the location \ with the person \ with the instruments that becomes the cause of that temptation..If it is a book, a type of literature or a type of television programme, then u’ve got to deal with that by cutting that out of your daily diet..If it is an individual in whose company u find yourself creating that problem, u’ve got to cut that one out..If it is a place that u go to..u know..cut it out..stop going there..

u have to start with the assumption that u are not sufficient for it..And this is wad I believe john stott would call “situational amputation”..he draws that from the idea of if your right eye offends you cut it off, if your right arm offends you cut it off.. john stott’s point is not that the arm or the eye is intrinsically evil, but that situation demands that u act as if that arm or that eye no longer existed, that it had been amputated from you and therefore, put yourself away from geographical or instrumental locations that are leading up to the fall..

And lastly at all times u have to be guarded with the spirit of prayer and the study of the word..

"

Dr. Zacharias added another personal pointer :

"

I think u need to find somebody whom u can trust with whom u can open your heart and tell them wad it’s really like and wad ure going thru..

U need that support from another spiritual friend who will not condemn u for wad’s going on in your heart and mind but try to provide that little bit of support that is needed..I think it’s vital to have that..

"

Not easy advice to follow, I know..but it is advice that shld be heard with open ears, and absorbed into open hearts..

gOd bLEsS

me

sm of u wld know this, but not all of u..and i'm not that comfortable sharing the entire story with all..

but here goes..

recently (that wld mean ever since school started) i've been feelin abit dry..as in i've no passion to serve gOd anymore..

in fact, right now, i've no drive to go to church or bible study anymore..i'm jus not learning..it's all simply knowledge to me..we cannot rely on our feelings all the time..i know that..but it does help if say, i feel a certain connectedness with wad i'm learning..it creates hunger and thirst for more..

i know that importance of going to church, i know the importance of going for bible study..but i've no passion or drive or urgency..

on thursday, while i was walking hm frm the mrt, i suddenly thought wad if i die right then and there? wad wld i say to gOd? wad wld He say to me? how wld i face Him?

i knew the importance of wanting to learn more of Him, and to serve Him..but i jus cant seem to muster enough drive to go for it..i know it's urgent in a sense that our time here is limited and we've no idea when our time is up..i jus..argh!!..dunno la..

i know for certain gOd is not willing to let me go..He expressed that thru friends..and scripture that i read..and emails that i've received..i'm touched by that..i realli am..and i do want to go back to Him..like running back into His protective arms and jus rest there for all eternity..

but it's as though i'm standing at one end of a road and gOd is at the other..i stand there pondering..and gOd stands there arms outstretched..waiting..

i dunno how long he'll wait..i hope it's long enough for me to run like the wind towards him..yea..like i've got fire in my pants..

now, i'm not willing to lead a lesson for the sec 2s we're teaching..because if i've no drive, the kids'll definitely sense it one way or another..and it'll affect them..and it wld be my fault totally..

i dont want to drag others down with me..i'd rather go down alone..it's unfair for the others..

it's so funny..ytd, me and claire lead bs (bible study)..

it was weird cos both of us were more or less feeling the same way abt gOd and the christian way of life..and we're leading bs..hahas..ok not so funny..

btw, claire, i was thinking of smthg i heard over a recorded radio interview..will post it when i get the cd back..it was abt temptation..we all face temptation..but smtimes, we need to hear anew wad to do when faced with smthg we cant but bend to..i cldnt remember evrythg ytd, s'y i didnt say anythg..sorry..

angeline sent me this link..it's realli nice..

funny how gOd cares so much abt us, and here we are smtimes not thinking abt him at all in the span of one day..i'm so glad i'm not gOd..i'd feel so sad and depressed..hmmm..mebe that's wad gOd's feeling..i dunno..

He cares to talk to us..pple like me..who dont even talk to him anymore..He still makes it a point to talk to me..and i know it's frm him..interesting..

gOd you're so amazing..i cannot even begin to describe you..you used pple to talk to me..used my thoughts to convey wad u feel wld impact me no matter the extent of impact..used music, which u know speaks volumes and volumes and volumes to me..used scripture, which i jus read ytd to speak to me..wait for me, please!..wait for me..

claire (smone tell her this link) visit this
http://www.andiesisle.com/somanyroads.html
u guys can go see too..on the sound..

Richard & Michael Beradi -- So Many Roads

so many roads in your life
so much confusion which way to go?
so many roads so many dreams
are they illusions? you dont know

but if you wld jus believe in Him then love will come
and all your roads will lead to one

so many roads have taken you
to lonely places deep inside
so many roads have shown you smiles
on empty faces that fill the night

but if you wld jus believe in Him the love will come
and all your roads will lead to one

so many roads before your eyes
go on forever so far apart
so many roads cross your mind
they'll come together in your heart

oh if you wld jus believe in Him then love will come
and all your roads will lead to one

oh if you wld jus believe in Him then love will come
and all your roads will lead to One

gOd bLEsS

me

Late at night when all the world is sleeping
I stay up and think of you and I wish on a star
That somewhere you are thinking of me too

'Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight
'Til tomorrow I'll be holding you tight
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Than here in my room dreaming about you and me

I wonder if you ever see me
and I wonder if you know I'm there
If you looked in my eyes would you see what's inside
Would you even care

I just wanna hold you close but so far
All I have are dreams of you
So I wait for the day and the courage to say
How much I love you
Yes, I do

I'll be dreaming of you tonight
'Til tomorrow I'll be holding you tight
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Than here in my room dreaming about you and me

(i cant continue the rest of the song because it has yet to happen to me..as of right now, the story ends here)

quite accurate leh..not bad, man..

o no! am i shaping my life according to songs i like and listen to?..hmmm..

i'm so happy!!

happy happy happy happy happy happy happy happy happy happy happy

=D

finally we do stuff that i find interesting in sociology..

in shirley's lect, we touched on symbolic interactionism and the construction of reality..it was awesome!!..i was never so interested in my entire life so far in the lect!!..she talked abt the formation of the "self" \ identity (Cooley's "the looking-glass self" where individuals see themselves thru the eyes of others) and..

my personal favourite : Erving Goffman's "the presentation of self in everyday life"

a quote frm shakespeare's from "As You Like It" says it all :
All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and a man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.

it was brilliant!! brilliant i tell u!!..

sociology's an interesting world..cant wait to explore further..wonder wad it has in store for me..mebe i can contribute smthg..hahas =D

exams are coming!!..study hard, y'all!!..we all want our first class dont we??..wel..i know sm of u want it..hahas..let's all study hard tgd and then chill tgd!!..

5 weeks!!

jia you!!

gOd bLEsS

me

ytd, my church small grp ( F.I.S.H. ) which stands for "Forever I'll Serve Him", celebrated Paul's birthday!!..

i mus admit, i've never realli spent much time outside church with them..i guess..i shld spend more time with them since gOd said we, as Christians, cannot walk this path alone..and i know i cannot walk it along frm experiences gOd has given and taught me with..yea..i'l try..no promises..but i'l try..

anyways..i was studying in church (already entertaining the idea of not showing up) with shawn..dunno why he suddenly wanna study in church..think he's stressed..he managed to make me feel bad la..congrats, shawn!..darn it!!..now i'm so motivated to go re-learn my organic chem..not sure if that's entirely bad..hmmm..met yap and tim in church..

tim's my vietnamese friend (even thou he's indian)..tim and i are vietnamese!!..we are farmers who grow grain..his name's chuck dong..and i'm niq nong =D ..and yap's bad-man..the evil guy we sell our rice to..but he cheats our $$..

so much fun on the train to newton!!..hahas =]

then when we reached, apparently, practically evryone else was already there..o..and i met our new grp member (is he our new grp member?) - andrew..frm far i thought he was a girl..so sorry!!..but he's got nice features..hah..i'm serious!..

we had dinner consisting of super unhealthy food..then we went to starbucks opp cine to cut cake for Paul..then we went kbox..

i like the "i am a taxi driver man" song..so freakin funny!! =D ..chuck dong sings it realli well!!

took quite abit of pix =D (at least more than i usu take)..and cindy, dae, puiki and i took neoprint..dae went high even though she didnt sing into the mic..think she's easily excited..is that good??..

dae!!!!!..hitomi!!!!..send out the pix!!!!..please? =D

hahas

took a pix with my darlin and chuck dong!!..mwahahahhaa =D

had loads of fun..thx guys.. ~hugs~ ..

notable person missing : claire

but she's busy shifting house..take loads a care, man..

gOd bLEsS

me

i think i've found my 2nd most favouritest place in Singapore :

i kinda like it there..like the breeze..like the sand..like the water..kinda amazing, i know..esp since it's me..the beach-hater..hah

anyways..had quite a nice time with shirleen, ginni and erik..interesting how 2 yrs fly by..and then we're always starting sentences with "remember when..."..but it's nice..dunno..i smhow love to rake up the past..esp memories that are nice..and not hurtful..

grace!!!!..y u never come??!!..darn it..i dont care..we mus go out tgd..can go guy-watching again..mwahahhaha..i promise i wont irritate u..i'l try my super hardest..promise!!

u know wad i find interesting, yet comforting?..we spent sm time in silence in each others' company..playing with the sand castle..and staring at nothing..but it wasnt an awkward pause..it was..comfortable.. =]

i gots a bikini!!..mwahahaha..i think it's pretty..bright green and blue strips..nice =D

u pple who werent there on friday afternoon..man..u missed out..on 3 pretty girls on the beach!!!..mwahahahha..joking..hah..but i do think we're pretty..at least good-looking enough to deserve 2nd glances..i need to figure out why gOd made us pretty..there mus be a plan he has in mind..but i'm not complaining..(thank you, gOd!! =] )

anyways..we tried building a sandcastle filled with water..needless to say, it didnt wrk..but we almost got it..the water sank into the sand in decreasing rates..o wel..

and we spent time on the lookout for cute guys..hahas..jus like old times..*sigh*..one problem..the guys at siloso beach on friday afternoon werent very good-looking..but we found one at the foodcourt at harbourfront..cute irish-looking guy..

i love u guys

shirleen!!..i'm straight ok??!!..sianz..

u know wad?..nxt time we go out..ask smone to bring a camera..i've never taken a pix with u guys la..*sob*..

gOd bLEsS

me