Another year has gone by...how time flies. As I reflect upon this year, I realize I've learnt many things along the way and it has been a wonderful year, a journey of lessons, ups and downs...thank You for being there. You do not fail me, You do not disappoint me...There were times when I felt like life on earth could go on forever, when things seemed to be going my way...there were times when I dreaded waking up in the morning to face the day...and reality. But for those times, I thank You...because when I found myself in desert places, You brought me to streams of living water. The good memories I will not forget...the Giver of those good times, I will not forget either.Thank You for my wonderful family...for Dad who works so diligently, for Mum who cares for our well-being at home, for my four sisters (who sometimes drive me crazy...like when they came back from a shopping trip the other day, and I was sleeping, and they kept honking the Daihatsu honk which sounds like the Road Runner, and it was IRRITATING TO THE VERY CORE, and I had to open the gate for them, and when they entered the house, I couldn't go back to sleep anymore because they were walking around the house in newly-purchased squeaky shoes and singing the Odl-lay-hee-hoo song and making sooooo much noise). But yeah...they help me remain patient. And they bring much laughter and joy, too...there is not a time when we were laughing our butts off, did I wish I was somewhere else... =)I thank You for friends who share their lives and stories and lessons with me, who encourage me when I feel absolutely lousy, who make the effort to say thank you and sorry...friends are one of Your greatest ways of showing that You love me...If there's one thing I'll never forget which I've learnt throughout this year, it would be Your faithfulness. I remembered praying somewhere early this year that You'll show me Your faithfulness and goodness...I've seen it come to pass and I know for sure that You are there when all else fails, when silence seem to speak louder than anything else, when tears drown all the joy I ever had.And as the new year comes, please Lord, walk with me...and help me fix my eyes on You because when I do that, the things of the earth will go strangely dim in the light of Your glory and grace........................................................................................
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MERVIN MENON!!!
Sorry, couldn't find a nice picture to put up lah (he always says he looks bad in pictures and I beg to differ). Merv turns twenty-one today...we both go a looooong way back. I've known him since I was probably four and he was five, when we were living in the same neighbourhood, and we went to kindergarten together on the same school bus. =)
To Merv: You've been a blessing to me...may you have manymanymany more fruitful years ahead of you, filled with God's richest blessings!
BLESSED CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!
Just got back from Agape Shelter (home for the orphans
and under-privileged children)...Dad's part of the
committee, so all of us got invited...and I
had my first Tamil lessons.
See, I can write my name in Tamil!!! I want to learn
Tamil next...it's quite fun, I think. =)
P/S: Carolling pictures will be up soon...
I've been a busy bumble bee...down with the flu and I'm wondering if it always has to be this way after camps...like a rule or what. Plus I'm on a course of antibiotics for some eye infection (but my eye looks all dandy and fine) and my pee smells of antibiotic and it's yucks. Even with a clogged up nose I can still smell it, so you can just imagine how strong it is...why am I typing this, I don't know...but I must be really, really tired...It was really hot on Saturday...Christmas At The Block (C@TB) was supposed to start at 7pm, but most of us were in church by 10.30am...doing all the last minute practice and stuffs. We never really knew the magnitude of the heat till we transfered the instruments over to the block opposite church and started with our sound check...boy, it was HOT...But anyways, everything went well during C@TB...except for the part when I had a bad headache and felt like puking...but that was towards the end. Here are some pictures:
C@TB band...left to right: Shaun, Amos, Daniel,
Caleb, Jie (and no, that's
NOT my hand on his
shoulder...I'm not that tall), Justin, me.
The two clowns Wei Xiang and Sam, with Frankie.
Chai Meng and Zoey during the sketch/musical.
Towards the end of C@TB, we had floats coming in...they were really nice and bright. But this is my favourite...the nativity scene.
Yeaps...and today we were supposed to go down to Orchard to perform as well, but haha...it was raining since morning when I went to church. Went down to Orchard around 7pm, looked for the others and then we waited for those coming in the chartered bus from church...they got stuck in a jam at Far East. It was still raining, and finally Jie called and said we won't be performing...he mentioned something about the rain and the electric circuit and don't know what lah...
So we were like......okkkkkkie. And I was thinking, I came down to Orchard to get wet in the rain which may worsen my flu and to hang around, waiting for nothing and take pictures and then go home?? Hmmm...but hey, there was a fire at the TANGS plaza!!!
There's the firemen going up...being brave and all.
Honestly I tell you...I couldn't see the fire. But I heard that
a restaurant in there caught fire.
Outside the TANGS plaza.
Yeah...after getting tired of seeing no fire, we sat around taking pictures and talking.
Okie lah, that's all folks...I'm really tired and my nose is running like an open tap. See you guys soon...will be back in Kluang tomorrow onwards till the end of the year.
It was awesome...no other camps like this, I personally think.Day 1 - 09 DecSet off to Port Dickson around 10am...arrived 1pm plus. The sea, it was beautiful. =) Paulus and I led the first worship session.Pastor Victor and wife, Pastor Kelly spoke after worship...the whole session was filled with laughter. The stories Pastor Victor told...they were hilarious!!! It was good...Day 2 - 10 DecSessions got more serious, but the stories told were still funny...I love the way Ps.Victor and Ps.Kelly talk...they are SO open. They talked about sex. And I think what Ps.Victor said is very true...if parents are not educating their children about sex, the church has gotta do it. Who else will? The world would give false teachings about sex...
Caught up with stories from Tien Li and Michelle...very interesting. Very.
To Mich: May you never ever have to meet any psychopaths anymore...but I figure it's highly impossible. Hehe =P
Day 3 - 11 DecIn the morning, Ps.Victor covered the topic about strongholds and sins in our lives...we wrote down our sins in a piece of paper.Went for a walk along the beach with Merv after the workshop session in the afternoon. It was really good catching up and just talking, openly and honestly (about almost everything under the sun)...it's been ages since we both did this kind of thing. =)To Merv: If you're reading this, good. =) I honestly think you've changed a fair bit...for the better, that is. Uni life must have matured you...hehe. But it's good. I have a new found respect for you, really...At night, we watched a video clip on the crucifixion of Jesus...almost everyone, if not all, were reduced to tears. I cannot comprehend how God could sacrifice something He holds so dear to His heart, but what I caught was just a glimpse of His amazing love for us.We took out our piece of paper with sins written on it and left them all at the foot of the cross in the middle of the room...it was a time so sacred (I don't even know if sacred is the right word or not), I can't even begin to describe it. You have to be there to know what I mean...Day 4 - 12 Dec
Had a rather interesting start to the day...got a phone call from Isaac when I got out of the shower. He told me to go to room 1016. Now, room 1016 was a guys' room...and knowing the camp rules, girls are not allowed into guys' rooms and vice versa. But Isaac said, "Someone's having a mild heart attack."
And I panicked. I didn't even comb my hair properly...I rushed out of my apartment and headed for room 1016, all the while thinking through my CPR steps. I was literally shaking...gosh, I don't make a very good emergency nurse, do I...
When I finally reached the room, I expected to see people praying and standing around...but I found no one doing so. Instead, one guy peeked out at me and said, "Medic?" (very calmly) and I said, "Yeah." "In that room."
Into the room I went...and I saw this guy seated at the edge of his bed, breathing at a rather normal pace, but heavily. So I asked what happened...and one guy said, "Asthma attack."
And I was thinking...riiiiiiiiiiight. Now who said it was a mild HEART ATTACK???
So anyways, I stayed with the guy till he was better after some medication. Then we headed for the session...I didn't have breakfast.
Camp ended with a reminder for us to remain in holiness and keep ourselves pure...had lunch, and then we waited for the buses from Kluang to come. Gosh, they came so late..............................................................
It has been a good four days away for me...relationships have been restored (people whom I hold dear in my life...I've found a new and refreshing start to our relationship), I've made a vow to abstain from sex until the day I get married. The most precious thing to me is my salvation...the next most precious thing to me is my virginity (and I'm not ashamed to say this...I will stand up for what I believe).
And I've learnt that holiness is not being a goody-two-shoes...nor dressing up like you need to cover everything from head to toe. Ps.Victor said something I really like: You can be cool...you can be classy...you can be funny...you can wear branded clothes...you can wear make-up...and still be holy. Holiness means RADICAL OBEDIENCE...
May I remember that for the rest of my life...and not only remember, but to put it into practice.
P/S: Pictures will be up soon...
I am not perfect.
I fall.
I make mistakes.
Big mistakes.
Stupid mistakes.
Ugly mistakes.
I hurt people.
I have PMS.
I lose my sensitivity towards people.
I act on impulse at times.
I make a perfect bad friend.
I am unbelievably foolish at times.
I say ridiculous things.
I have bad hair days.
I have the ability to think irrationally at times.
I am not perfect.
Humility has been my theme for the past two weeks...and it has not been the most easy lesson to learn. It hurts my pride...it makes me wanna cry because I realize I'm actually quite stupid.But I am learning...the most important thing is to ADMIT MY OWN MISTAKES. That's it...there's no need to explain myself, nor give excuses for my actions...Another thing...there is always something for everyone to learn. It may even come from people younger than you and me...makes you and me all the more humbled.
See, I can write my name in Tamil!!! I want to learn
Gosh, this is the longest season of flu I've ever had...it's been more than a week now and it's so bad, it's makin' my head hurt. I walk and my head throbs with pain...I can't smile because my cheeks and eyes hurt due to the mucous-filled sinuses.
C@TB band...left to right: Shaun, Amos, Daniel,
The two clowns Wei Xiang and Sam, with Frankie.
Chai Meng and Zoey during the sketch/musical.
Yeaps...and today we were supposed to go down to Orchard to perform as well, but haha...it was raining since morning when I went to church. Went down to Orchard around 7pm, looked for the others and then we waited for those coming in the chartered bus from church...they got stuck in a jam at Far East. It was still raining, and finally Jie called and said we won't be performing...he mentioned something about the rain and the electric circuit and don't know what lah...
There's the firemen going up...being brave and all.
Outside the TANGS plaza.
Okie lah, that's all folks...I'm really tired and my nose is running like an open tap. See you guys soon...will be back in Kluang tomorrow onwards till the end of the year.