peace . love . joy

i still cant believe exams AND school are over..it seems like only ytd when i was going for the sociology interview with Caroline Pluss..and the tea thg at the hotel..meeting Shirley, CH, Caroline Pluss, Kian Woon, Jonathan London, Geoffrey Benjamin..going for HSS orientation..meeting new pple..new friends..

if one sem passes so quickly, 4 years would be really really really short and brief..hope i have enough guts to socialise arnd enough to make life-long friends..

*sigh*

i miss German classes..i miss my tiny group of friends there..gabriel, john, yaxin, kelvin, wendi..aint close at all..but we help each other in class..then there's those whom i got to know after sem : victoria & daniel..

gonna be super busy now..christmas is cmg =]

helping out in church..evry tue, thurs, sat..mebe even fridays..depending on the kids schedule..it's gonna be fun =D

ooo..show u my babies \ darlings frm Kidz Jam..(my "original one true" baby came only once..didnt get to take a photo with him..)

(left to right) YingXuan, Jolene(?), Jaslyn, HernEe

they're so adorable arent they =D

i SO look forward to meeting them each Kidz Jam session on saturday afternoons..they realli make my day..

HernEe & YingXuan playfully poking me and running away wanting me to chase them..playing with their name tags..jaslyn telling me abt her sister (jolene) and sitting on my lap..displaying her "strength" by punching other leaders' hands..she has an awful cough though..hope she gets better..

gots lotsa dates =] *feel so remembered & loved & missed*

hahas..

gots 2 dates for flying kites, 3 for zoo, 1 for night safari, (tentative one for cycling & coffee *shivs~!! let's go for both =] when u free??)

ooo..and jus had a movie & lunch date with mahes =] ..hope we remain friends for many many many many more years to come~!! *cheers* ..really enjoy crapping with u..dont feel pressured to put up a front \ facade..i ESPECIALLY enjoyed making fun of the pokemon mascots at jp on tues with u..HAHAS =D

Lamedh

(89) Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
(90) Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures.
(91) Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you.
(92) If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
(93) I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
(94) Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts.
(95) The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes.
(96) To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless

gOd bLEsS & have a great day ahead, sizzlers =]

me

man, this is simply intelligence to the core..

*standing ovation*

current craze :
Bear in the Big Blue House
http://www.disneychannel-asia.com/DisneyChannel/playhouse/friends/bearinthebigbluehouse/
Tiny Planets (Bing & Bong)
http://www.tinyplanets.com/

reason :
the puppetry skills are quite solid for BBBH
the lessons taught for both are realli sweet
the presentation's beautifully innocent & fresh
i love the songs =]

(i onli managed to find BBBH's opening and good bye song..enjoy)


~ the opening (theme) song ~


~ the goodbye song ~

dont b afraid to relive your childhood (if u want)..i do it all the time..

have fun, babies =D

me

know wad i'd like for christmas??..

i'd like to see & touch & smell & taste & hear snow..

i've seen snow b4..but that was when i was little..in Canada..cant remember much..apparently, i fell sick (fever) and therefor had to be cooped up in the trailer for most of the day..

to curl up on a plush sofa in front of the fireplace, with the decorated christmas tree in one corner of the cabin..hot chocolate with marshmellows on the coffee table..

jus sitting there, listening to bing crosby's "white christmas"..watching the fire dance & snow fall frm the heavens outside..

lovely

guess u cld say i want a white Christmas..

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten, and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

Happy Christmas

me

infectious laughter =D

this kid's so cute~!!

plus his laughter's like..staccato-ed demi semi quavers =D

There are times in our lives
The Lord may lead us through
A lifeless, barren desert
A time of testing too

But desert times can be
A place of special growth
Where God can do a work
And let His healing flow

I know that in these times
We don't feel God is there
We feel so very distant
And lost without His care

But God is there beside you
To bring you to a place
Of cool refreshing waters
Flowing with His grace

But for the present moment
You maybe in a drought
Don't give up on your faith
And don't you start to doubt

God is always faithful
And He will walk with you
Through the darkest moments
He'll be leading you.

~ M. S. Lowndes

Just completed my first paper : HS 102 (Singapore Society in Transition)

T’wasn’t too bad, actually..I mean..I did get tired halfway thru my first essay about “critically discussing the dominant ideas that characterize Singapore’s official ideology of the political leadership and considering whether and how such ideas have gained legitimacy or have been challenged”..But, thank gOd, I pressed on and finished 15 whole minutes before time was up =]

There was so much I wanted to write, but then it didn’t really answer the question..*wish I had more time*

Then, smway into the exam, CH decided to stop by my desk..Ever had a teacher stop by your desk and not move?..It’s nerve-irritating, I tell you..Cldnt write anythg cos i was stil deciding how to word my sentence..So I jus looked up and smiled..Seemed to appease him cos he walked away after smiling back..

*mebe he takes pleasure in makin others feel funny*
(just a stupid thought here)
DON’T KILL ME IF YOU’RE CH~!!
(have this weird feelin that he knows our blog addresses..i'm jus being paranoid)

Didn’t know exams were that draining..I’ve never had an exam where I was literally squeezed dry by the time it ended..
Science had never really had that effect on me..Hmmm..Guess it was either I knew or didn’t know the answer and I’d just leave it at that..Sociology’s different..U can argue your way out..
*which may or may not be a good thing, depending on how u look at it*

My eye’s been twitching periodically, man..It’s weird and irritating..Hope there’s nthg wrong with it (it’s my good eye)

Cldnt eat again..it's gettin worse..i jus took one tiny bite, and felt like heaving out all the contents in my stomach *which practically is nothing*

i honestly think it's the school environment..i eat like a horse outside school..

Amazingly, gOd decided to spare me the embarrassment, and my stomach did not, I repeat, DID NOT grumble at all until I reached home~!! =]

(Rina, u look sweet in pink =] )

So that’s one down, 3 to go. And then..

FLY KITE
GO TO THE ZOO & NIGHT SAFARI
READ WHAT I WANT TO READ

Yea, that’s pretty much wad I wanna do after the exams. .

Anyone wanna come with?

Don't Quit

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won, had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worse,that you must not quit.

~ Author Unknown

meg's Amazing Mental Ability ... You can go hours on end without a single thought - think of it like holding your breath ... but holding your.. um.. brain (Remember ... with great power comes great responsibility!) 'What is your Amazing Mental Ability?' at QuizGalaxy.com

goodness~!!

this is just so ME..

jus completed my journal..CH was right..in a wayy..talkin with friends helps clarify stuff (CH doesnt like us to use that word "stuff" but he used it a LOT in his lecture =p)

didnt know how to answer the journal qns :
1. what is "Civil Society"?
2. How does it affect the state of democracy in Singapore?
(take a look at this :
http://www.singapore-window.org/sw03/030916sj.htm )

the first was alrd hard for me..cos i didnt realli understand what it is exactly..an intangible space filled by grps of pple who have certain interests at heart that they wanna voice out \ make it known publicly?..hmmm..

so i focussed on the second qn, naturally =D

talked to my personal professor, bryan (see how highly i think of u, o great one? =p)..he's not actually a professor, but more of a law student who's my age (actually younger)..hahas..but he helps me in my homework and life..

didnt have any idea wad to write b4 speakin to bryan..after talking with him, i suddenly had so much to say =D

we were talkin abt democracy in singapore..in which areas the govn actually enforces the idea..and how UN-democratic (to use bry's words =p) they realli are..abt CSOs supposedly "enforcing" democracy..but encounter lotsa difficulties, restrictions and such in actually voicing opinions..man..wad i wld give to have bryan in the exam hall with me..hahas =D

in my opinion (which realli doesnt count for much), democracy is kinda sad an idea..

simply put, it means "POWER TO THE PEOPLE"..

but then, the pple elect their government, who then leads the nation, who has personal aims to fulfil..

aims like for the case of Singapore, social integration, economic progress and political domination..which isnt inherently bad..hmmm..

they claim to have the nation's interest at heart, but do they realli?..that's one pathetic thg noone can prove or disprove..

even if the people get to vote on policies, their decisions can be influenced..realli easy job to do, esp if ure the PAP..jus remind them of how comfy and great Singapore is under you (i'm not saying it isnt, cos it is..at least for me, a daughter of a middle-class father)..worked for the last coupla elections..

makes us, Singaporeans, sound like we're a lil better than robots..we know wad we wld like to have, and the govn knows wad we wld like to have..the govn gives us a carrot, we take it..they give us another carrot, we take it..so..mechanical..

i dont think this is confined onli to Singapore tho..shall read up on this..take heart, pple!!..we will NEVER WALK ALONE

wad a weird weird world we live in..we influence smbody to get the thg we want..such a calculative, manipulative but oh so motivated world..

kinda makes u wonder what decisions were ACTUALLY yours..and not smone else's..

human beings are caring, violent, clever, stupid, cold, friendly..essentially weird living..things..

funny gOd made us that way..or did He? (think in terms of wad happened at the first temptation of eve)..

hmmm..

I thought today's sermon was good. It applies to practically everyone. Cos in life, we're bound to face situations which leave us feeling overwhelmed. And I thought it good that we should know wad to do in times like that..

Thanks, Pastor Moh Ying, for the lovely sermon =] (you've no idea how much I needed it)

The character we focussed on was Mary (Jesus' mother) in Luke 1 : 26-40

Wad we, as Christians, should do in the face of stressful \ overwhelming circumstances can be summarized in 3 steps :

1. Learn to LET GO
Luke 1 : 38
38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
· What is demonstrated here, is one word : FAITH
· Stop trying to figure out everything on your own (God does not intend for us to know everything, because this then forces us to be dependent on Him)
· Although things are out of your control, know that it is NEVER out of God’s control
Proverbs 3 : 5
5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding
· We should work WITH God and not against Him
· TRUST that He knows best (because He really does!)
Psalms 138 : 8
8The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me; Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever; forsake not the works of Thine own hands.
· God’s plan for our lives is often bigger, more painful, but always better
· Nothing in our lives is an accident; everything has a purpose.
· God looks at our lives from an eternal perspective, He is interested in preparing us for ETERNITY
· When we are overwhelmed, we get down on our knees, stretch out our hands in defeat and resignation, and depend entirely on God
· That is where God wants us : down on our knees
· Know that God has plans for your life: Great and Marvellous plans

2. Let Others help you
Luke 1 : 39-40
39And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth.
· Mary went in search of Elizabeth
· Elizabeth was a Godly woman (who could pray for her)
· She was older (she could draw from past experiences to guide and advice Mary)
· She was also pregnant, also because of a miracle by God (she was going thru the same thing as Mary, and could identify with her. Since she was more “advanced” in her miracle, she could help her younger cousin)
· God NEVER meant for us to be alone or totally independent of each other
· We each need to find someone who is willing to journey thru life with us, who can keep us accountable
· We each need to find a STRONG BELIEVER to help us along

3. Let God give you strength
Benjamin Franklin said once “God helps those who help themselves” while this is true to a certain extent, God DID NOT say that.
Here’s where we can find strength (or rather some ways in which we can find strength in God) :
· PRAISE God for His goodness
- Praising and worshipping God creates a tremendous amount of energy
- When we take the focus off what we are occupied with, and turn our eyes upon Jesus, we feel re-energized
· THINK about God’s word
- In Luke 1 : 46-55, Mary sang a song unto God, shifting the focus away from herself, and onto Him
- Her song was made up of events that happened in the past, and shows just how well-versed she was with the Old Testament
- These days, we are pre-occupied with a lot of things, and our to-do list is practically endless
- Know that only a few things really matter \ must be done
- The Bible helps us CLARIFY VALUES, SOLIDIFY PRIORITIES, and RANK THE IMPORTANCE of tasks

Remain in firm reliance on God, Christians.

Learn to LIFT UP our troubles (and our entire lives) to God.
Learn to LET GO.
Learn to TRUST.

Micah 7 : 1 & 7
1I'm overwhelmed with sorrow! sunk in a swamp of despair! 7But me, I'm not giving up. I'm sticking around to see what God will do. I'm waiting for God to make things right. I'm counting on God to listen to me.

Don’t give up!
Trust God!
Stick around to see what God’ll do
And indeed, God WILL make things right.

Trust that God knows best and that He can be depended upon.

Be it unto me
According to your Word
According to your promises
I can stand secure
Carve upon my heart
The truth that sets me free
According to your Word O Lord
Be it unto me

You promised your word will deliver
Lord, we believe it's true
You promised us joy like a river
Lord we receive it from you
These things you have spoken
And you're bringing to pass
This world's disappearing
But your word will last

You promised to carry our sorrows
Lord, we believe it's true
You promised unending tomorrows
Lord we receive them from you
You'll be our Provider
In Your word it's revealed
By the strifes that You bore
Lord We have been healed

So be it unto me
According to your Word
According to your promises
I can stand secure
Carve upon my heart
The truth that sets me free
According to your Word O Lord
Be it unto me

~Don Moen, “Be It Unto Me”

gOd bLEsS

me

Kids in the Hall -- What?!

enjoy..

this is for those who are stressin out..

have fun~!!

i most probably wont be updating this blog too frequently in the near future (til 28112006) cos of my exams..

but to carry u guys thru wadever periods ure in now, be it times of rejoicing, or times of spiritual dryness, i wanna quote u this poem i found on my brother's desk..

Lord, Give Me Strength

Give us your strength, Lord.
Because sometimes things get tough,
and we are ready to quit.

Give us your love, Lord.
Because sometimes people reject us,
and we are tempted to hate.

Give us your eyes, Lord.
Because sometimes life gets dark,
and we lose our way.

Give us your courage, Lord.
Because often we are put under pressure,
and it's hard to do what is right.

Give us yourself, Lord.
Because our hearts were made for you,
and we will not rest until we rest in you.

~Mark Link, S.J.

gOd bLEsS and i'll see u as and when

me

Insane Bank Robbery

this is awesome!!..so farnay!!..

mwahahahhaha =D

enjoy, sizzlers!!

talking to shivs jus now made me voice out smthg i've been feeling quite a long time le..long as in a few weeks..

this is for the pple i've "confessed" to abt my crush on Q..pretty sure sm of u are happy (perhaps even relieved) that i've conceded defeat and resigned to the cold unforgiving reality of this world =]

~.~.~

me :
u know how smtimes, when we know for sure that the odds are stacked so high against us and wad we want is realli close to impossible..like a hair's breadth away frm impossible, we cease to hope..and resign ourselves to the fact that it'd be impossible..
and then we make up reasons why we concede defeat to make it less "painful" more so for ourselves than others..
i think it's happening to me..

shivs :
serious?! how so?

me :
u know wad

shivs : yes?

me :
like i'm bound to have to face the reality that my crush on Q will nv be more than a crush..
and "instinctively" i'd rather not waste time fantasizing and wishing and hoping for a dream that will practially nv come true..and focus on smone else who can give me what i want at this point in time..
makes much more sense
i mean..y wld i want to make myself upset and like "pine" over smone who'll probably never ever feel the same way abt me?
it's ridiculous!
i'd much rather be happy than depressed..

shivs :
yea
i know what you mean

~.~.~

yea..feel a lil lighter now..not realli happier..but lighter..wadever that means..haha..

mebe meetin suf, shir and the others nxt saturday for a get tgd of ex-mates!! =]

depends on myself, and also my parents..yes, i still listen to my parents even though i'm 1 yr away frm the big 2 0, their opinions matter..i'm the guai kia..while i'm still living under their roof, it's safest and the most diplomatic to play & live by their rules..that way, the chances of leading a relatively peaceful existence are higher..at least in my house..

shir called my bluff..darn!!..

~.~.~

me :
i'm not sure if i wanna go not
cos i'm havin my exams the following week

shir :
hmmm..
just go for a while lo?
u cant study at night anyways rite?
lol..

~.~.~

hahas..i'l try my best to finish all my wrk b4 then, ya??..

hopefully, we'll meet nxt saturday, guys =]

til then

me

this i got frm OJ Sep . Oct . Nov 2006 p.31

i thought it realli good and useful..dont look at the scripture and say "o, i've seen this b4, i know that already." look at the verses and be still and listen to wad gOd has to say..smtimes, wad we need is a repeated promise, or a repeated command..gOd knows what we need..

be still and listen

To bolster your faith in difficult seasons, meditate and pray God’s truth :

Pray, “Lord, I believe…

"Trials will come"
1 Peter 4 : 12-13
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

“Trials forge my faith”
James 1 : 2-4
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

“Your hand is on the thermostat”
1 Corinthians 10 : 13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

“I can abide under your faithfulness”
Psalm 91 : 2 , 4
I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust”…and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

“I can trust you when I am afraid”
Psalm 56 : 3-4
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

“Thinking about Jesus’ sacrifice brings perseverance”
Hebrews 12 : 3
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

“This trial will increase my faith”
Matthew 14 : 30-31
But when [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

“This trial will teach me how to forgive”
Luke 23 : 34
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

“This trial will teach me how not to rely on myself”
2 Corinthians 1 : 8-9
For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

“This trial will teach me how to depend on the Holy Spirit”
Galatians 2 : 20
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

gOd bLEsS

me

SMILES - 10 TAB
1 Tablet 3 Times Daily

May Cause bliss
Grins, Sparkly Eyes
LEE KUI BAO
S~~~~~~~~

today, i decided to dress up a lil..not too much..

church is a great place to be =] ..it is there that i feel ultra safe from anythg the world an throw at me..it is there that i feel secure surrounded by christian brothers & sisters..it is also there that i can try out new clothes =D

yea..i wore wad i wore on last sunday today..the green top + jeans mit my hair tied up and the GOLDEN earrings and heels..

mahes didnt recognise me at first =] ..same reaction as daena..if i remember correctly..hahas..

i think at a glance i looked alright..but upon closer scrutiny, i dont look that good..but it's ok..i think i look good enough for gOd..and if i'm good enough for Him, i'm good enough for anybody else..hah =D

anyways..the reason i usu dress better on wednesdays is cos there's smone i see on wednesdays that i admire..and therefore wld like that person's acknoledgement that i exist..and if possible, impress that person..which is difficult considering that person's character..

but, wadever, i jus felt like dressing up anyhow, besides, my fav lecturer's lecture's on wednesdays =]

love Jonathan London's lectures..his witty + dry humour and his dead nasal monotone and the more than occassional shows of clips are a killer with me..i luvvit!!..we watched rwanda genocide today..i felt realli funny and upset watching it..

weird that right when other kids are dying, i'm here in primary school, happily playing in the playground, contemplating wad to eat..it's a funny feeling that..

upset at other nations for their lack of "appropriate" & "adequate" response to wad was happening to the tutsis..

upset with the hutus..i mean..wad's their problem??..so wad if there are other "races" co-existing with u..they're not mass-slaughtering u cos ure a hutu..they shldnt do that..if they wanna have the upper hand (or feel like they do) they shld rise up, oppress and exploit them economically..that makes more sense..but no direct killing..*just a stupid thought*..

anyways, i think i did grab that person's attention..for convenience sake on my part, let's call that person Q..

Q was staring hard at me b4 class started..which either means Q didnt recognise me (like mahes & daena) or Q thought i dressed funny or Q liked how i dressed today..*i feel so superficial now*..

all the same, i felt pleased that i was noticed..

i'm going to be so sad when Q leaves..*sob*..

german was good =]

my teacher liked my postcard..and there were few mistakes..which is good..

gabriel's stomach was grumbling more or less thru-out the tu..hahas..but it's ok..if it were me, i'd be so darn embarrassed..so i didnt make a big deal out of it..jus smiled..i didnt have any food to offer either..so sorry!!..and it'd be weird to offer water..since i didnt know him that well..and he'd have to drink frm my bottle..plus the fact that i've gots a sore throat..dont wanna pass it to him the week before our oral test..

oh ya!!

does anyone know any place in Singapore which has Ninjitsu classes??

Ninjitsu NOT Ninja-Do

they're different..yea..

anyone??..

o wait..i jus found out..they DONT have ninjitsu classes here..no idea y..

so the best bet for me is to learn taijitsu (hand-to-hand combat)..and then go US learn ninjitsu..

sigh..

SOME NICE PERSON PLEASE SET UP A DOJO & CLASSES FOR NINJITSU!!!

i aint the onli one who wants to learn it here..

please?