Wall of Etches

My Hometown

2012-02-16T21:42:00.001+13:00

Now would you look at that!

Baked kompia with minced meat.

Deep-fried kompia with minced meat.

Normal kompia soaked in some sauce = wet kompia

Just gotta love Sibu.

Singapore

2012-02-13T18:00:00.000+13:00

After a brief hiatus away, I owe you guys a post about what I've been up to.

Say hello to Singapore!

Oh wait, this is Kuching.

Kolo mee

Now this is Singapore - Sentosa Island.

Universal Studios!

Whoopee. =D

Hung out at the Transformers' Nest.

Fantastic 4D ride.

Dropped by Egypt to find some mummies.

Checked out some cool stunts in the Water World.

Had lunch sitting outside a Celtic outlet Lol.

It was Goldilocks' restaurant I think.

Roti prata.

Looks like roti canai but not quite it.

Actually, I don't know.

Different sources differ in info.

Enlighten me?

At the Night Safari - Creatures of the Night show.

Pretty cool.

The face of dim sum.

Lol.

Madagascar penguins come out to play!

Glad to be back.

Just a while more and I'm to return to the Kiwiland to hang out with sheepies.

I shall miss this beauty though.

This was a very good trip. Lots of bonding time with my mum and just relaxing as much as I can before the semester begins.

Singapore, you're quite splendid indeed.

Paying The Dentist A Visit

2012-02-04T20:09:00.001+13:00

I never liked dental clinics.

Perhaps I am not alone, for the mental image of a dentist along with all his fine teeth equipment, the green masks, the latex gloves, the weird whiffs of dental-ish clinic smells...these are quite enough to strike fear into the tender heart of a young child.

I suppose it is a fear of pain. For children, being brought to see the dentist, usually end up gaining the pain experience. Same goes to doctors. But I reckon doctors aren't that terrifying because not every prodding they do is going to hurt. Yes, I'm exaggerating thank you.

Another issue I could never get over dentists was that they would say "it's going to hurt just a little. Like a little ant bite." (cue the coaxing smiling eyes) And in the next moment, your pain nerves send crazy signals to your brain just begging you to scream, because it actually hurts like goodness knows what. And in the end, you leave the clinic feeling cheated and traumatized.

Going back to the dentist with a different perspective helps to alleviate the already imprinted pain. Either that, or the pain nerves have reduced greatly in sensitivity. The psychology of pain also helps. Imagine a fluffy, gently buzzing tool screwing your teeth and it hurts a lot less than picturing a razor spinning at top speed and mercilessly slicing through your gums. Even typing that hurts a bit. In the end, not focusing too much on the pain by distracting your mind and also reminding yourself that it's for your own good makes the process a whole lot easier. Hm...there was a Toy Story 2 poster on the ceiling. I like Rex!

I guess understanding what's good for your teeth makes the pain worth it. And really, it's not that painful.

The presence of pain is good because it lets you know what needs a-fixin' and what's wrong with whatever. I've been devouring Philip Yancey's 'Where is God When it Hurts', and there's a lot of great insight. He talks about the necessity of pain, and about leprosy patients, to stress the importance of pain.

Okay, picture time.

Guess: Dawn or dusk?

Bian nyuk (direct translation: 'flat meat')

Definitely one of my favourites here at home.

Have a great weekend. =)

A New Realm

2012-02-01T20:19:00.000+13:00

There are some things in this world that make you stop and wonder at the beauty of it. That pause that overwhelms your whole being for that split second is quite difficult to put into words.

Today, I watched as one of the greatest miracles of God's creation played out in front of my eyes. It lasted just about five seconds at the most, but it was amazing. Kinda funky how first times always render the situation better than anything else at the moment.

I was waiting and hoping to witness the birth of a piglet. I kept hanging around the two very pregnant sows as I did some piggy work. I missed four births, because they came out so fast that I kept coming in time only to see them wet and shaky, trying to crawl, umbilical cord still attached. I was rather disappointed, because after I had finished all my work, I still hadn't seen the process of a piglet being birthed. So in a final attempt to witness something I desired very much to see, I breathed a short prayer and stuck around the sows for another two minutes or so.

Suddenly, I saw a white snout at the opening of the birth canal. A little whitish-pink head followed, then legs; then the body - in no time, a piglet was lying on the floor. He was very wet, and had a rather dazed look about him. I suppose anyone would be, if they were suddenly thrown out into a strange new realm that had every sign of hostility to anything small and fragile, after dwelling in a safe and warm and dark bubble for a long period of time.

But there he was, writhing in fluid, uncertain just about everything, with only instinct as his survival tool.

As I said, it was short, but amazing.

Quite amazing indeed.

Blogging About CNY

2012-01-24T18:58:00.001+13:00

Even if you lived in the Antarctic, you would know that Chinese New Year was being celebrated by Chinese all around the globe. That is, provided you have Internet, a Facebook account, and friends who celebrate the festival (who use Facebook).

It sure is a joyful time. A time for eating good food with good company; a time to enjoy catching up with friends and relatives you haven't seen in awhile. There's nothing quite like it.

Fireworks. Plenty of fireworks.

Quite a number of folks weren't able to come back to celebrate CNY this year, especially those in the USA, Europe and India. It's sad, but I suppose such periods of time as these need to be braved.

Nonetheless, I wish all my readers a very happy and blessed and prosperous Chinese New Year!

Batik Cake

2012-01-21T01:16:00.000+13:00

I'm loving home.

I made these for Chinese New Year yesterday. Twas' the first time I tried it on my own. Previously, I did make it with another friend and it kind of failed; although taste-wise, it was extraordinarily fantastic. The catch? It didn't become a cake. Instead, we got some sticky chocolate-biscuit fudge. Very sticky fudge. You could eat it with a spoon.

This time, praise God, it turned out quite well. Credits to the recipe owner whose batik cake recipe I used HERE and of course to my friend who directed me to the recipe!

Not perfect, but good enough. Fist pump.

So Chinese New Year's around the corner. Like really. Around the corner.

Hee.

Grateful

2012-01-16T22:12:00.001+13:00

I'm grateful to be back home. As great as Penang was, there's never been a place like home, just as they say.

Here are some photos from the trip:

Rather blue skies.

The Charlie Brown Cafe.

Coolness.

Huge lanterns and huge skies.

The last time I saw a lion dance was when I was barely a teen (or something like that).

This time, I realise that this traditional dance is actually a gymnastic performance that tests stamina and flexibility. And so, bravo, lion dancers!

I like this sign.

***

And of course, there's the food. Splendid food found almost everywhere. Here are the best four I had, based on my humble opinion and preference (not in order of goodness):

Char kuey teow.

Oily, but yummy. Totally Penang.

Too much can however be slightly indigestible.

Still palatable, but indigestible.

Wantan mee a.k.a. tok-tok mee.

Not a true Hokkien dish, but because I've missed it, I'm biased.

O chien.

What can I say?

It has oysters, and I love seafood.

Banana leaf rice.

Again, not a Hokkien dish, but Indian.

Absolutely stunning flavours, and the first I'd ever had.

Everyone else thought it was not spicy at all, so I kept quiet and pretended it was only a bit spicy.

Haha.

There are plenty of other foods, of which I didn't fancy all of them. I did enjoy lam mee, char hor fun and char kuey kak though. Oh, and I tried the most amazing biscuits ever. Biscuits, as in, neither American nor British biscuits. The latter is the kind we Malaysians are more familiar with eg. Jacob's Biscuits. These however, are pastries. Visitors to Penang always buy a box or two or three or four (depending on how many people you'd like to pamper) of tambun pia back home. These aren't the same. I don't know what they're called formally, but you could dub them 'salted egg biscuits' perhaps?

They are wonderfully tons of times better than tambun biscuits (tau sa piah).

The layers of pastry are flaky.

Crispy on the outside, with the gradual transition to a soft and rich centre filled with soft brown mung bean paste surrounding a salted egg yolk, as orange as the sun.

The balance of saltiness and sweetness is strikingly perfect, and the pastry is simply...amazing.

Needless to say, the ones I bought home are gone already.

***

One of the best parts of this Penang trip was the fact that I was doing practicals. Some might think it a nasty thing, having to work/study during the holidays, but I relish the opportunity and I've enjoyed the experience. It's like a dream. I get to work this close to horses, to learn to care for them, to get to know them.

Landmark.

The sturdy, gentle, old horse who took me on his back twice.

Whose coat I rubbed and brushed and wiped.

Whose large cheek I kissed when I bid him farewell.

I miss the horses. But again, I'm grateful for all that. And I'm grateful to be back.

Two Pictures

2012-01-06T23:30:00.002+13:00

I shall compose an album full of lovely Penang food after this excursion. But for now, just to let you guys know that I'm still alive and well.

Common sight - Coffee shops, hawker stalls, plenty of cars.

No, not char koay teow.

But char koay kak.

Second cousin on their paternal side I reckon'.

Ushering in the New Year

2012-01-01T01:14:00.001+13:00

"Ushering". Funny how people like to use that word to describe the arrival of a new year.

At any rate, it's well-used because one often desires to welcome a new beginning, and dwell on the opportunities and possibilities it brings. If those exciting yet daunting ideas are put to heart and hands, they could actually unfold. Ah, you say, she's talking about new year resolutions.

I have had my share of unaccomplished and satisfied resolutions, of course. No fear.

***

It's been a year of amazing experiences. Today, I was just reading through stuff that I've written over the years (note the letter 's'), and it dawned on me that recording events in life are always good for remembering the things to be thankful for; to recall lessons learnt; to laugh; to cry.

The fact is, my paragraphs are going nowhere. I have no points to make. I have just words to express.

One of the many videos I watched on Youtube today caught my eye (otherwise why else would I have watched it?). It's Google's review of the year 2011.

It hit me that so many things had happened this year, things that reveal just how quick our world is spiraling down.

Well, as Nick Vujicic posted on his status this morning, another year is gone, and that means I'm another year closer to eternity with Jesus. I long for the day I behold my Savior's face.

But for the time being, I shall work all things as doing them for Him (by His grace).

Verse of the day (from www.biblegateway.com):
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." - Isaiah 43:18-19

Blessed 2012!

Happy Birthday, Joy!

2011-12-28T23:53:00.001+13:00

I am genuinely glad and blessed and happy to have you as my sister.

Among the three of us siblings...
Always the wise one.
Always the practically humorous one.
Always the intellectual one.
Always the one with interesting interests.
Always the writer.
Always taller than me, but not taller than the youngest fella anymore.

Have a blessed one, sis!

I'll be seeing you. =)

Christmas Blessings

2011-12-26T04:44:00.002+13:00

I'm glad for many things this Christmas.

---
I'm glad to be home.
I'm glad to be with family.

And that's probably more than enough to be thankful for.

***

A short story which I must speak of, because it doesn't sit well in my mind and among family only. It deserves to be told, because it needs to be.

The flu caught me off-guard on Wednesday. Or around then. A sorethroat came first, followed by a wheezing cough and an unavoidable sneeze. Before I knew it, I was wasting tissue supplies and spitting phlegm until my eyes were just about to pop out and say 'yo' to my mouth. And my nose, ah my nose. Of course it was red from constant irritation and no matter how much I blew it, it remained stubbornly blocked.

This resulted in a release of a series of thoughts, about how I would sneeze and cough during the upcoming Christmas Cantata on Saturday, and how I would need to wipe my nose with a tissue paper every now and then. I imagined the sound disturbance it would create in the solemn air of Christmas carols. I imagined the perturbed look on the other violinist's face if I succumbed to an incoming sneeze. And after imagining all that nonsense, I prayed. I asked God to give grace and healing, even just for those 3-4 hours on the night of Christmas Eve. And then, following the advice of my mother, I set off to down vitamin C tablets, water and rest.

One's body is hardly usually liable to quick flu recoveries, I would think. At least, not in my case. The mucus would often run for a minimal of three days, before leaving me half-exhausted and sore-eyed, with a bit of blocked ears. However, this time, it was different. Friday night was the worst, rendering me a difficult attempt to fall asleep due to the inability of my nostrils to remain clear. My prayers increased (so did that of those whom were in the knowledge of my condition, I believe). Saturday morning was not much of an improvement, but towards midday, the runny nose suddenly decided not to be runny anymore. And from thereon, healing began taking place.

I was, however, being the sometimes rather ignorant little girl I can be, unaware of this extraordinary feat (at least, it seems extraordinary to myself as I ponder about it now). It was not until right after the Cantata, when all went well, to the glory of God, that I realised God had answered my prayers, and even more so. I couldn't help but rave about it to my mother. Twas' a miracle, I reckoned. I still have that nasally voice and occasional cough with phelgm. But still, a miracle!

This morning, as I rose from my bed, I felt a true gladness stirring within.
Christmas morning. Jesus Christ is born. He is the Saviour. Messiah. Healer. Prince of Peace.

Thank You for a blessing as such.

Merry Christmas, folks!

Pigs and Pigs

2011-12-21T19:09:00.000+13:00

I've learnt a good many things about pig farming this month through my practicals there. A pretty cool way to end the year, don't cha' think?

My favourite piglet.

She's a beaut.

Aw...Snuggles!

Interacting.

Newborn.

I do oh-so love pigs now.

When Dawn Breaks

2011-12-13T22:21:00.002+13:00

An extract from my journal, Monday morning:

"This morning, as I arose from my bed, I noticed a rare golden dawn-breaking light shining through my window. As I looked out the window, my eyes were greeted by a lovely picture - painted by God Himself. There, my eyes beheld a full rainbow, stretched across the golden-yellow sky. I was in awe."

And of course, I couldn't resist. I had to.

The cross, the rainbow. Hope! There's always hope.

Seaboo

2011-12-09T01:40:00.001+13:00

These pictures hardly even begin to describe Sibu, the place I love ever so dearly.

But because I have been extremely lazy with my camera, this will have to do for now.

Niahahahaha.

Okay, that was very bad of me.

Dawn appears!

Where there is light, there are often shadows.

But where the light shines, there are never any shadows.

OH! Do you not just love the light?

---

I ought to make mention of this (since it IS pretty big for me). I passed all my papers for this semester. And I didn't do too badly in all of them either. I keep telling myself that I could have done better though (more A's?), considering how hard I studied for all of them.

However, as I was washing some bowls this evening - always a good time for reflection, the Holy Spirit was quietly speaking to me. I oughtn't be feeling like this. I have so much to be thankful for, and there I was, wishing to have somehow done better. Of course, one is very much obliged to always desire for the better. But there's a healthy balance of that; and then there's an unhealthy dose of thinking-I-did-horribly-when-I-didn't-really-do-horribly. I was prescribing the latter to myself.

Now that I think about it, I remember how Aslan always responds when asked what would have happened if so and so did such and such instead of this and that. "No one is ever told what would have happened." By the way. Random fact: one of my many hobbies is re-reading the Chronicles of Narnia.

And so, here I am. Thankful for not failing anything (I had a nightmare not too long ago about failing Biochemistry haha). Thankful for pigs. Thankful for my brother. Thankful for rain.

What are you thankful for, today?

Crossing Paths

2011-12-02T16:11:00.001+13:00

It's really cool how God sends the most unexpected people at the most unexpected times.

For some reason I never figured, I managed to book all my air tickets by myself, resulting in a seemingly going-to-be-lonesome travel back home. So before I boarded the next plane home *cue Daniel Powter*, I prayed and asked for company on my flights. Sure, I don't actually mind a lot going about alone. But a girl could always do with some company on a flight as long as almost 11 hours.

And so, God put me on the same flight as a wonderful lady I know from home, who sat just a couple of rows behind me. Then, I braved myself to talk to the person next to me (I normally don't because I knock myself out on planes to prevent vomiting). We talked about New Zealand, about her kids, about my studies, about home. I'm grateful for such conversations.

---

After chilling in KL for a couple of nights (I had yong tau foo and chee cheong fhun!), I was Sibu-bound.

Yummeh.

LCCT is always a good place to meet people you haven't seen in awhile. I met someone I hadn't seen in two years. Wait, make that two and a half years. It was quite amazing. We did some catching up and then left on separate paths back to our respective hometowns.

And again, I'm grateful for such conversations.

Airplanes

2011-11-30T14:12:00.001+13:00

Flying. Always an excitement, a joy yet a dreaded experience.

An excitement - because of the place I'm headed to.
A joy - because of the thought of the people I'll see, the food I'll taste and the things I'll see.
A dread - because I don't want to vomit on the plane.

My favouritest part of flying is landing. Take-offs are pretty fun too, except that it somehow always makes me extremely sleepy.

Landing. Yes, landing is definitely the best part.

***

Last night, as we landed in KL, a smile formed on my lips ever so slightly as the pilot announced our arrival. A quiet excitement stirred in the dark cabin. Happy thoughts of home for most of us. Vacation for some. The wet, warm air that greeted my face as we moved out of the plane made my soul rejoice. City lights visible in a distance.

Two more nights, and I'll be back in my beloved hometown.

But for now, I am already home.

Scouring the South

2011-11-28T08:47:00.001+13:00

Queenstown, the most beautiful place I have ever set foot on.

---

Dunedin, one of the loveliest cities I've ever been.

With the massive Otago University monument sign thing.

In the majestic St. Paul's Cathedral.

With ice-creams as huge as your face...

And glittery feathered pigeons in the Botanical Garden.

On the way to the Otago Peninsular, with plenty of sky, water, hills and gulls.

And a dear horse.

Look carefully. What do you see in this picture?

Tunnel Beach. So wondrously beautiful, it took my breath away.

The steepest street in the world - Baldwin street.

---

Christchurch, good food and good people. Hurrah.

Heading towards Akaroa. Stopped by stunning scenery.

And a poor ice-cream plopped on the ground.

Ahhh. Need I say more?

Nothing like sitting in a cosy cafe situated in a sweet little French town (Akaroa), and having super fresh fish n' chips with family.

Thank You, Lord for the beautiful beautiful things in life!

I'm going home soon-ish.

Sneak Peak

2011-11-22T23:35:00.001+13:00

My days have been awfully ('wonderfully' actually is a better word) packed. And because I am simply exhausted at this moment, I decided to just drop by and pop in a sneak peak of what I've been seeing and experiencing. Everything here in the South Island is mind-blowingly amazingly beautifully gorgeous. And there goes my English out of the window.

Waking up in Queenstown is like waking up in a dream.

I kid you not.

Dunedin is almost as beautiful. But definitely not more. I love it nonetheless.

Okay, I'm tired. I needs mah sleeps.

The Lord of the Rings

2011-11-14T23:12:00.001+13:00

Re-watching movies or re-reading books always bring fresh realizations and inspirations. I re-watched the Lord of the Rings (extended edition) recently. All three of them, starting with "The Return of the King", then "The Fellowship of the Ring" and ended with "The Two Towers".

And I discovered something out of each one.

I fell in love with Eowyn. Her character was expanded and developed very much more in the extended edition of The Return of the King. Such admirable qualities she has, Eowyn. Two that stood out, without a doubt, was her courage and love. It struck me, as I watched her bracing herself and Merry as they stood at the edge of the battle on the Pelennor Fields. She took a deep breath, and said to Merry, but also partly to herself, "Courage, Merry. Courage for our friends." I was amazed. And of course, who can ever forget the love for her uncle, for her king, that gave her the courage and strength to fight and kill the lord of the Nazgul - the Witch-king of Angmar (one they said no man can kill, but Eowyn of course, is no man). So I think I've just found my new favourite character. I still love Aragorn to pieces though.

Image from http://content9.flixster.com/poll/14/28/142847_std.jpg

In the Fellowship of the Ring, my favourite line always has been and always will be Boromir's last words as he lay on the ground, three arrows in his body, as pale as death. He was giving up hope, but Aragorn still spoke of hope. Boromir replied between gasps of breath, "I would have followed you, my brother; my captain; my king." And he falls into a deep slumber, never to awaken again. This line wasn't in the book, but I'm glad the writers put it in. It's where Boromir dies with honour, and acknowledges his king whom he shunned in the beginning. It always fills my eyes with tears.

Image from http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmxazoPT511qfavr4.jpg

And one the best scenes in the Two Towers has to be where Smeagol fights with himself and commands Gollum to go away and never come back. Sadly, it didn't last. But it was a moment of triumph for the little good that was buried deep in Smeagol. That is something worthwhile to see because it reminds one to look beyond what lies on the surface; that there can be good in places you don't expect.

Image from http://content7.flixster.com/photo/93/25/00/9325005_gal.jpg

Okay, I sound like some LOTR fanatic. But I'm not. Really.

I'm just really passionate about it. To an extent. You just gotta love the ingenuity of authors like Tolkien.

Anyhoos, I'm going a-travelling soon. And I reckon I'll be seeing some of the gorgeous scenery from LOTR in person. Wait for the photos!

Snappiz

2011-11-13T21:06:00.001+13:00

Some snappiz from yesterday.

Honey ice-cream blended with mixed berries.

Yumm.

The beach!

Doggy paw print.

The Red Queen's red rose.

The conversation between the peacock and the parrot.

Fireworks and Cinnamon Rolls

2011-11-11T10:42:00.001+13:00

No better way to end first year with fireworks and cinnamon rolls.

Words can hardly describe how I felt yesterday when I submitted that final exam paper (which was definitely the most challenging one I've had this year - Biochemistry). My mind was in fact, blank. And for the next hour or so, I would suddenly phase out and stare blankly between minutes. It was kinda weird. And my friends were pretty much the same. So it was kinda funny too.

At any rate, I recovered speedily after taking some food. Then it was time for some fireworks. The 5th of November is traditionally celebrated as the Guy Fawkes' Night in most Commonwealth countries including New Zealand. Guy Fawkes, a fella guarding explosives which were supposed to be used to assassinate King James the First that night was arrested and the plot was overturned. So the people of Britain lit up bonfires around London to celebrate and remembered this day as a day of thanksgiving (information gotten from Wikipedia). There's quite a lot more history but I'll leave you to find out more for yourself HERE if you're interested.

Here, fireworks become legal for one week. So last night, we lit up the sky as a celebration for the end of exams and first year. It was very pretty, very loud, and very smelly. Fun.

I didn't take any photos because I was lazy and feeling extremely cold. The wind was mad as yesterday.

Then we hung out at a friend's place and made cinnamon rolls!

Sorry, presentation is a little crappy here.

Do you know something really awesome about exams (what?!)? It's an avenue for blessings to pour down. People give all sorts of stuff to encourage you to keep going. I take it as God's way of saying, "I'll never leave you nor forsake you." And I'm thankful for that.

Because it helps. It seriously does.

My wonderful friend made egg tarts.

And definitely, the prayers of family and friends.

Thank You, Lord.

More Than Enough

2011-11-06T20:37:00.000+13:00

Just gotta hold out for a few more days. I'm almost there. But I've been having great peace throughout this exam period. And each day, I realise more and more how much I need Jesus. Because He's always ALWAYS more than enough for me.

He's been so faithful each step of the way, each day of tedious study. And He continues to be. He drops random (or maybe not so random!) words of encouragement through the littlest things. There was one particular day last week when I was feeling so exhausted and had to read my Bible - that beautifully precious book, and there it was:

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:26

Funnily enough, I was studying cardiology that day, and the word 'heart' actually made me laugh out loud. Because I couldn't help but think about how a low venous return would lead to low cardiac output and the heart would need to pump at a higher rate as a result of the baroreceptors in the aortic arch detecting the change in pressure and....so on. *sheepish grin* OH HEY I STILL REMEMBER what I studied last week! LOL. So random. But the point is that I am weak, but He is strong. And since the heart is what needs to keep working to keep us alive, God being the strength of that, will keep us going not just during exams, but FOREVER. Do you realise what 'forever' is? It's forever! Endless! Eternal! Whoa.

*stunned*

And not just the strength of my heart, but also my portion. Like how those lyrics go.

You are my supply,
my breath of life.
Still more awesome than I know.

My supply. My portion. More than enough. And He can be yours too, if you'd let Him. =)

(Oops, I typed waaay more than I intended to. Now back to study liao. Haha)

Two Seconds

2011-11-02T19:44:00.003+13:00

A strange sensation overcame my mind moments ago.

For two full seconds, I was suddenly whisked back into time, and I was sitting in my old plastic chair which was placed in front of that familiar grey computer desk. The fan was swirling above my head, creaking rhythmically and softly; the sound of the rain pattered gently outside on the gravel and cement. The air was cool and wet, with more grey clouds closing in as dusk drew near. The monsoon season was here.

For two full seconds, I felt like I was back in Shah Alam. That old place, so full of memories captured within so short a time.

*sentimental*

...

And now that I have written what I needed to write, I must be off, for my endocrinology notes are begging me desperately to study them.

Sunlight

2011-10-30T18:43:00.002+13:00

As far as I can remember, many Sundays this semester have begun with grey clouds, a bit of rain, and perhaps even a few momentary sneak-peaks on earth from the sun above the clouds. Granted, there were of course mornings where the lovely sun, shining in his splendour, lights up the world without a single barrier. But still, rain clouds beckon a gloomy mood, most people might agree.

Many Sundays, I wake up feeling excited and eager, or just glad; because I know that better is one day in His courts, in His house than a thousand elsewhere (Psalm 84:10). Although the weather oft' beckons me to indulge in a state of strange emotions and the occasional cold shiver.

---

In His house, soaking in His presence, diving into His Word, with His people - no where else I'd rather be. Then suddenly, gently but quickly, the sunlight begins to shine through the glass windows. And that lasts either all through service or all through the day.

What joy the sunlight brings! And even more so, what love the Father shows by giving us sunlight!

Then there are the days where it simply pours and pours and pours without stopping. But from what I see, the rain brings healing, the sun brings life. And both are without a doubt, essential.

=)

(Note: I just realized that I like to talk about the weather...a LOT...)

Feed The Birds

2011-10-27T13:01:00.000+13:00

The scattered crumbs on the ledge didn't remain unnoticed for long. The sparrows came and ate them as quickly as you could say "my-grandpa-likes-apple-pie".

Image from http://swervechurch.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/bread-crumbs.jpg

Perhaps it was a case of boredom, or maybe it was driven by a sense of goodwill. Then again, there was a possibility it could have been birthed from images of an Enid Blyton story, and perhaps even that mournful yet somewhat hopeful scene in Mary Poppins.

Feed the birds, tuppence a bag.

Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag.

---

Listening to their excited chirps, she cocked her head and smiled, glad.

Breakfast

2011-10-24T16:42:00.000+13:00

This morning I woke up craving banana pancakes.

So I made some.
And just because I'm in a mood for procrastination, I'll throw in a few more photos for good measure.

Time to get those engines roaring.

Last Day

2011-10-22T00:28:00.000+13:00

Today was the last day of lectures for this semester. Goodbye first year vet, hello...exams?! And subsequently, secondthirdfourthfifth year vet.

Anyways, I'm really glad and grateful that I've gotten through the semester. Yes, I still have exams. But today I was just on top of the world. Funny how little things like not-skipping-any-lectures-at-all-this-semester and ending my first year lectures/practicals by sticking my arm in a cow's throat can make me so happy. I must have some hormonal imbalance (excessive endorphin?) or something. Just kidding. It's the joy the Spirit gives. Doubtless. =)

So what can I say? Except that cows are absolutely ginormous and gorgeous and powerful. It makes me quiver slightly to think of the strength these animals have to crush you to pulp if you handle them carelessly. The cattle guy, our demonstrator/lecturer, kept reminding us that if we wanted to gain weight or lose weight, just do such and such, and you'll have an arm missing, or perhaps get a cast. The practical session was totally mean. And by that I mean cool. Haha. I don't really know why I'm babbling about cows at the moment. But here's a picture of the lovely massive creatures.

Image from http://www.farmland-thegame.eu/images/animals/Dairy-cows-pict-1.jpg

Speaking of pictures, I need to find an opportunity to take NICE PRETTY pictures of the animals I've been learning to handle this semester. Although, one would have to admit that taking out a camera and snapping pictures in the teaching unit barn during practicals is rather unsuitable and let's face it, unprofessional. Point-and-shoot cameras make one look so tourist-y. No offense to all you point-and-shooters out there, because I am one myself. Hardy har har.

Ah, I shall stop rambling now and perhaps get some sleep. Needs loads of it to keep up good momentum during the study break and exam period.

Now.

"To bed, to bed," says Sleepy Head.

"Tarry awhile," says Slow.

"Put on the pan," says Greedy Man,

"We'll sup' before we go."

LOL

2011-10-18T19:51:00.001+13:00

So a friend and I did a vlog together last week. It was random, but totally fun.

Check it out!

LOL.

Droplets

2011-10-13T17:58:00.000+13:00

I walk as fast as my legs carry me in a walking pace. Any faster, I would need to break into a jog. I glance at the sky. Grey clouds.

The droplets are falling faster and faster along with my footfalls.

Glad to have brought my umbrella and worn flip-flops, I stepped lightly in the rain.
Everywhere people were slipping on their raincoats, opening umbrellas. Some couldn't care less and trudged slowly in the rain; others ran, being deprived of rain-sheltering objects (what?).

Reaching the bus stop, I checked the time and figured I had ten minutes to grab an item from the supermarket before the next bus.

The group of young giggly girls huddled under some shelter trying to make their way to the same bus stop I was coming from were counting "1,2...3!" as they burst past me in fits of laughter and shrieks. I smiled, amused.

---

Ten minutes later, I was walking as fast as ever, praying that I'd catch the bus. My legs are killing me!

Then the most hilarious moment occurred, a friend walked up beside me, clearly in the same situation I was in. And there we were, two speed-walking girls, carrying items from the same supermarket, trying to catch the same bus, in the rain. I couldn't contain myself and laughed, of all things to do when you're about to miss a bus while your feet are getting drenched.

In the end, both of us caught the bus just in the time anyway.

---

Walking back to my room, my pace slowed significantly as I enjoyed the wet feeling in my slippers, despite the edge of my pant legs getting absolutely soaked through.

Moments of urgency, moments of bliss.

(:

The Lion King

2011-10-11T23:42:00.004+13:00

Re-released in the cinemas. Now in 3D!

No, I kid you not.

Simba and Nala look a tad weird here.

But at any rate...I had to go see it.

The Lion King is my all time favourite Disney movie. Hands down, no question about it. The 3D wasn't really necessary, but I guess they needed an excuse to re-release it. Still, it brought back the shivers down the spine during the grand opening scene with the red sun rising over the plains of Africa (one of the very best scenes in the movie, I imagine). Seeing it in the cinema definitely enhances the experience. Vibrant colours, beautiful and refreshingly old hand-drawn animation, jokes that still make me laugh, songs of the old memory.

Ah, bliss.

You Are For Me

2011-10-07T12:44:00.001+13:00

What a week. An emotional roller coaster ride. And I'm not sure if the ride's ended yet.

But wait.

One would trust the engineers and designers of the roller coaster to have it sturdy enough to hold them and to carry them all the way through until the end of the ride. They wouldn't know what's in store for them on the ride, but they would know that it would be okay and they'd reach the end in one piece.

Strange analogy, I know, with flaws. First, a person rides a roller coaster because either:
1) They want to
2) They've been forced to
And secondly, roller coasters are not scary for a lot of people.

But that's really beside my point. My point is, I trust my Maker to take me through whatever craziness this life brings. Life was never meant to be a bed of roses. This song inspired me today. It speaks volumes from my heart.

And I think Kari Jobe has an absolutely beautiful voice. To God be the glory.

So faithful, so constant.

***

One of my favourite quotes from the C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is when Lucy, upon hearing about Aslan and learning about Him being a lion and all, inquires the Beavers whether He is safe or not. Mr Beaver answers, "Safe? Of course He isn't safe. But He's good...He's the King."

Yes, You are good. =)

It's Alright

2011-10-05T22:38:00.000+13:00

When it's all been said and done, it's really alright.

I guess.

Ayam Dying

2011-10-04T18:14:00.000+13:00

Disclaimer: "Ayam" means "chicken" in Malay, but here I use it as an original word courtesy of Joel.

---

I dare call this week the most stressful week of the year. I've never felt this close to the edge before in my life. No, I'm not about to lose it and go absolutely berserk and nutso, but I sure feel like I'm dying (we tend to like to say 'die' when something is terribly wrong eg. "matilah", "sei lo", "sure die wan"). Or in 'proper' English, you could say that ayam dying. Meh.

Frankly, I just feel so tired.

Of what? You say. Oh nothing much, just the usual student's tests and workload that's killing me. But I've handled this and been through similar experiences before, as would most of you have. Nonetheless, I still feel like this week is absolute madness. And I am brought to my knees.

I've been through some hours of peace, some hours of struggle; some hours of rejuvenation, some hours of being on the verge of tears. I cry out to my Lord and my God, and I feel relief at times. Then after awhile, that fatigued feeling returns and my heart grows weary. I know I will make it because God is faithful, but as of now, all I want to do is weep.

Oh Lord Jesus, I need You more than ever now. :(

Blossoms

2011-09-28T23:02:00.001+13:00

Yeah, I know. My frequency of updates has somehow significantly declined over the past couple of weeks. Not that it's a bad thing. Meh.

Anyhoos, today I thought I should finally get around to doing something more productive - something like taking pictures!

My campus couldn't get any prettier, methinks. =)

Solitude

2011-09-25T14:54:00.000+13:00

It's good to find rest in solitude. It's the time to meet God face to face and to submit your burdens to Him; a time to let Him search your heart and teach you to be still.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

Absolutely beautiful song. Powerful lyrics.

Have a beautiful shell day. =)

In Need

2011-09-21T21:01:00.002+12:00

of rest, I sure am.

On a side note, don't you just love spring?

Happily Ever After

2011-09-16T11:32:00.004+12:00

Despite the existence of numerous movies that portray bleakness and depression and pure psychotic-ness, there are equally, or more, stuff out there that speak of good, optimism, kindness and living happily ever after. Why is it that we find it delightful to read or hear stories with 'happy endings'? I for one, absolutely love Disney movies, because they always (almost) end on a optimistic note. It just makes me one very happy person.

There's got to be more to this little itty-bitty detail of the human soul that expresses itself gladly as an effect of a sensory perception of good. Some might think it's silly and cheesy, but the truth is, if we look carefully at ourselves, we find that we enjoy good. That word again - good. What is good then? I looked up the Internet for definitions and plenty came up. The first one that did, however, was this: Being positive or desirable in nature.

We all like to have a good friend who is there for us to share our joy and pain; we thrive on good relationships with people. We love nature, because it's good, and brings great pleasure to the eye and to the soul. We love good food, because it enhances our taste buds and stimulates endorphin (not all food do, but chocolate sure does!).

Perhaps then, the reason for this admiration for good things flows from the heart of the Creator.

"God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning - the sixth day." - Genesis 1:31

Each day of the creation of the earth, God saw that what He made was good. Light, land, vegetation, a greater light and a lesser light, creatures of the sea, birds, wild animals. And then, man.

All these, God saw that they were very good. And we, being made in His image, take after our Creator.

The human being was created to desire good, to enjoy good. We were made to have a good relationship with God - a relationship that satisfies this desire!

What a profound yet simple truth! And all that dawned on me this morning as I evaluated my emotions generated from watching Ella Enchanted last night, and even more so after I saw this lovely scene on the way to class:

Now that, is good.

Crisis?

2011-09-11T18:12:00.001+12:00

I have a major crisis:

Lady Antebellum or Band Perry?

I've been listening to both and they're amazing. So you decide.

Lady Antebellum brings about a more pop styled music, with a light touch of country (although they're still considered a country band). But it's the way their music and lyrics are written, and the way the songs are sung, the harmonies, the voices...that make them so delicious to the ear. Oh dang, it's just everything about them. And I absolutely adore Hillary Scott's voice, which is a rare thing. Because most of the time I prefer male vocals to female vocals.

Then there's Band Perry. The sibling trio. Again, gorgeous vocals from Kimberly Perry, the lead. With a sweet Southern feel to their songs, they strike the country musical chord in my heart (pun intended). Beautiful, beautiful songs as well. Aw shucks.

Frankly, I just go with both. Who says I need to pick one anyway? Haha.

But well, really, who do you prefer?

On a really digressed note, the second half of semester starts tomorrow. Classes resume!

Macarons

2011-09-08T11:52:00.001+12:00

The French are known for their exquisite dining; we Malaysians for our delicious ~~fatty~~ exotic food, in which both cuisines possess a fantastic difference and yet, are both delightful to the taste bud and to the soul.

But I had never known the true wonder of a macaron until last night.

A macaron is a meringue-based, sweet French confectionery, with a variety of flavour fillings. What you see here, is (from the top) raspberry, lemon and chocolate flavoured macarons. At this point, the vanilla one was already digesting in my alimentary tract.

And they come in these pretty little cute boxes, manufactured with style and elegance. Definitely a must-try, somewhere somehow.

=)

Christmas Lights?

2011-09-06T16:13:00.000+12:00

It feels like Christmas in here.

Haha.

Red is my new colour, it seems.

This wasn't premeditated. I was bored and began playing around with the templates and backgrounds and decided to randomly change everything.

Ah wells, it was fun.

Ratatouille

2011-09-03T20:48:00.003+12:00

I bet you didn't know this:

I've been dying to make/eat ratatouille ever since I saw the movie, ~~which I've watched three times in the cinema and countless times on DVD.~~ and tonight, I have finally tasted that glorious, hearty mixture of roasted vegetable goodness.

"Did you say Ratatouille?"

Image from http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/06/13/dining/13rat600a.jpg

Okay, so it doesn't look perfect like the picture below.

But it tastes wonderful, considering that I totally forgot to put salt.

Hahaha.

It's a bit too soupy though, so next time I'll use fresh tomatoes (used canned ones today).

Image from http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/14813402_XeZRYgRk_b.jpg

And while we're at food, I tried my hand at baked potatoes the other day. It turned out surprisingly well...

And pretty.

Then there were the pancakes. Which got burnt and tasted nasty.

The only reason I put this photo up too because it looked too pretty to just sit there in my photo albums.

Lighting - Perfection.

Food is an art.

Okay. Just one more picture.

If you recognize it, this is the dish Remy presented to Ego.

In real life!

LOL.

Image from http://rpmedia.ask.com/ts?u=/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/64/Confit_byaldi_1.jpg/180px-Confit_byaldi_1.jpg

(Disclaimer: the ratatouille, baked potato and pancake recipes all come from this website)

Sorry for making ya'll lovely people hungry.

The Ski Trip... And Some

2011-09-02T23:49:00.001+12:00

Funny. I thought I was on holiday.

I mean, I thought I'd update more frequently during this holiday (or study break, they call it *ahem*). But before I know it, the week's practically gone.

Anyways, one really great highlight of this week is of course, the ski trip we did to Mt Ruapehu - Turoa Ski Field on Wednesday. A first for me, and definitely not a last.

My skis.

I love love love that white snowy peak.

The whole scenery was simply too stunning, unable to be captured fully on camera.

A moment of delight, joy, awe.

Sat on the lift.

It was horrifying.

I was screaming, literally.

Just at the beginning, though.

Hahaha.

And then I sort of calmed down and began taking pictures.

Yeah, I was exhausted.

If you stop skiing, you start feeling tired.

Meh.

It was wondrous anyways.

Next time round, I'm gonna try snowboarding!

***

This morning, I learnt something really cool during my quiet time.

Spiritual freedom. Have you ever wondered what freedom we've attained by the blood of Christ really means? Is it freedom from guilt? Freedom from pain?

Nay, it is much more than these; but it is freedom to keep the Word of God - to obey His will and commandments. Without knowing Christ, a person is unable to keep the Law according to His purpose and desire. Because it is through sanctification and forgiveness of our sins, that we realize the seriousness of sin, that brings about repentance. And, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we purify ourselves by obeying God.

"Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.'" - John 14:23

How's your time with Him been lately?

Are you experiencing freedom to keep His Law?

Nail Polish

2011-08-28T17:22:00.000+12:00

My first ever.

No, I kid you not.

It was after church service today, when I saw my friend's cool nail polish, and she asked if I wanted to get mine done right then and there. I hesitated, and mentioned casually that I'd never done my nails before. Needless to say, their jaws dropped, then they grabbed me and gave me a good spanking.

Kidding.

They were a little shocked is all, I guess.

So...feeling a little adventurous today, I let my friend do my nails.

I forgot what it's called, but basically you just put a base colour, and then a layer of black thingy which due to some sort of chemical reaction, does not remain in one area and splits up, giving a crackle effect. Okay, I know, I don't know.

Haha.

Anyhoos. It's Sunday.

I like Sundays.

=D

Daffodils

2011-08-26T14:59:00.002+12:00

It had been a cold, bleak winter. Harsh winds. Biting frosts.

Thinking about it was enough to make her shiver as she pulled her blankets tighter in. And that hot cup of tea clutched by her pink hands was growing colder by the minute.

But now, look!

The sun was beginning to linger in the sky when evening came. The days were lengthening and it didn't seem as cold as before.

Soon, he would be home. Very soon.

***

Out in the garden of the young artist, her flowers were waking up. The roses had withstood the cold well into winter and had decided to sleep in just a little while longer. But the daisies were eager to greet the spring air, putting up their little white and yellow heads, saying hello to the sparrows who had also begun to frequent the garden with their delightful chirps.

Then there were the daffodils. As yellow and as golden as the sun, gracing themselves with slender stalks of emerald green, as they lifted their delicate heads toward the sky to welcome Spring back to the garden.

They were her favourite, the daffodils. Because they reminded her of him.

***

She heard familiar footsteps crunching up the gravel path of their home, and her heart skipped a beat, her pulse quickening. Her thoughts ran through a series of things she had been wanting to say, as her body moved gracefully towards the door, with a hint of eagerness that seemed held back with some difficulty.

Unconsciously, she held her breath when the footsteps stopped. She heard the lock click, saw the doorknob turn, and the next thing she knew, the words in her head slipped through strange cracks and were lost, as her eyes fell upon the man she loved, and would always love.

His tired but warm smile and those same gentle eyes she'd known for years welcomed her right into his arms as he swept her right off her feet and they embraced. Tears of joy clouding her vision for a brief moment right there and then, as she whispered a prayer of thankfulness. And that was enough to let both of them know the relief and love and happiness they felt.

Then, he took her hand in his and put a bright yellow daffodil in her hand, as he held on to another in his own hand.

And she smiled.

No matter how hard winter comes, daffodils still bloom every spring.

Spring Lambs

2011-08-22T23:16:00.000+12:00

Sunny weather. Check.

Camera. Check.

Gumboots. Check.

And there I was, with a couple of friends, tramping through the mud and grass just over the hill... Checking out some really cute guys.

Lambs!

Oh, and a little fella was out nibbling grass too today.

Wild wabbit.

*rabbit-teeth-smile*

The Stage

2011-08-21T22:01:00.000+12:00

The air in the dressing room was humid. Heat and pressure were mounting, and a rushed atmosphere that had begun to settle in a couple of hours before lingered, no indication of leaving anytime soon.

The people moved quickly and swiftly. Faces smiled, excited glances exchanged among the performers. Murmurs floated through the narrow corridors, as shadows flashed in and out rooms, up and down the stairs. Preparation time was vital, not to be wasted. This, they all knew.

The presenter had a good sense of humour, the audience agreed almost unanimously. Laughter rippled throughout the theatre as his lively talk filled the spaces between time. Comfortable in their seats and at home in the dark, they waited.

Whispers, inaudible to everyone except among themselves. The performers stood by the great, heavy curtains. Ready.

Then there was a 2-second silence.

Lights.

Music.

And the crowd roared.

Peanut Butter Banana Pancake

2011-08-18T16:04:00.000+12:00

I made this last night.

It looks like roti canai. But tastes like a peanut butter banana pancake lah. Haha.

I got the recipe from here.

SNOW!

2011-08-15T22:45:00.002+12:00

YES, IT SNOWED!

I was just telling a friend yesterday, that if it snowed, it would be the best birthday gift ever.

And what do you know? It did!

I took a video, in conjunction with this extremely rare and special occasion. See, my friends and I were doing group study for Anatomy test tomorrow. And snow came to distract us. We didn't mind at all. Haha.

Okay, so the snow isn't very obvious in the video because I converted it to a lower quality vid. But you can see our excitement!

According to the news, it's the first snow in decades. I'm a very blessed girl indeed to experience snow in her first year in a place that doesn't normally snow at all.

Then again, it makes you wonder what on earth is going on with the climate. But for now, I probably should sleep and get ready for Anatomy tomorrow.

2nd Decade

2011-08-14T23:50:00.002+12:00

Okay so I turned 20 today. No biggie.

Just kidding.

It's a biggie!

Well, sort of.

Today was rather one of a quiet birthday. Yes there were loads of birthday wishes (which I am still replying at this moment in time!), but since we celebrated my birthday earlier on Friday, today was a day of just chilling. Oh yeah, that was a surprise that went pretty well.

Homemade vanilla cake with cream cheese top and smarties!

(This was on Friday)

And today...

My very sweet podmate gave me a boiled egg.

Normally, birthday people get red boiled eggs,

but she didn't have red dye so she said I'll have to make do with a normal white one.

Haha, it was cute.

An awesome someone took me out to dinner.

And I got to try out pasta at that pasta place a friend had been telling me about.

Pesto something something something...

Healthy and filling equals a very happy me.

I chatted, skyped, thanked people. It's not a crazy, hyper, packed-with-appointments birthday, but it's good. And I'm glad.

Check out a few photos I took yesterday of spring. Well, incoming spring, that is.

It looks like I'm sort of a flower freak. But I'm not, trust me. I just like the idea of spring coming. Then again, in conjunction with my birthday, it snowed here in Palmy today. No kidding! Just itty-bitty snow falling out of the sky though, not lasting long enough to accumulate on the ground.

Now that's still pretty cool.

No study for me tonight.

Girls' Camp

2011-08-09T23:08:00.000+12:00

I've never attended one before. And I say that it is worth documenting with much care (in which I am attempting to do so at this moment in time...).

We went to a camp called Green Pastures Camp, and the place was like its name. Everywhere is just, well, green. I felt like my eyes were extremely happy. Ha ha, that just sounds weird.

But anyways, this camp was organized by OCF+MUCF. So there we were, girls/ladies from all walks of life, united under one Love.

There are two things that I took away from this camp:
1) What it means to be a godly woman (and that to be a godly woman, she must first be a woman of God).

So what DOES it mean? We studied parts of 1 Peter, and discovered that being a woman of God means chosen by God, and therefore our response is to obey Him. A godly woman is one of quiet and gentle spirit, and submissive to her husband, as in 1 Peter 3:4. None of us had husbands except for our speaker, yet those are traits that are pleasing to God. And what better way to prepare for the future, and living as His servants in the present, than learning obedience to God and loving Him more and more right now?

2) The importance of fellowship with other women of God

I had a wonderful time bonding with beautiful ladies after God's own heart. We talked, we laughed, we ate, we sang, we learned, together. And I got to know some really awesome folks. It was a one-of-a-kind fellowship.

They hedged her.

Haha.

Yeah, I made that verb up.

A lot of pine trees, where we picked pine cones and pine needles for the fireplace.

Greenery and...piglets.

Sho cute.

We visited the Botanical Gardens nearby.

Such loverly flowers they have there.

The one night we were there, the wind was blowing simply crazily, because the camp was situated on a hill where there was no protection from the wind from off the coast. It didn't bother me that much, but it made me think.

Sometimes the world can be so loud, so strong, so insistent, blowing us in the direction it wants us to go, but as people of God, we have to take a stand, equip ourselves properly (eg. wear windbreakers, warm clothes) and keep going. Perseverance.

Wind analogy, haha.

Oh yes, look what's coming out to play!

Sakura flowers a.k.a. cherry blossoms!

Aren't they just a sight for sore eyes?

The New

2011-08-03T16:24:00.000+12:00

Spring is walking the grounds,

Dripping her young flower buds all around.

But just yet, she's not here entirely,

For her presence is hinted still ever too gently.

Fresh flower bud.

I bought a new bowl.

And for some strange reason, I delight in that.

Yes, I'm in one of my randomly-extravagant-writing moods. So here's a little something I wrote the other day, in attempts of documenting a very precious yet volatile moment.

Wait, did I just say 'volatile'?

Oh whatever.

***

The Promise in the Sky

The morning after I was informed that I was selected to enter the veterinary science course, I was out for a drive and suddenly right there in front of my eyes was the most stunning rainbow I had ever set my gaze upon. It was full, it was perfect. It had brilliant colours, unlike the ones I’d seen before. Then as I stared in rapture, my eyes fell upon the end of the rainbow. It was a moment of indescribable awe when I watched the perfectly unflawed ribbon of colours seam through the fields and trees at a distance, and settle on the green land.

It hit me then and there.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

And so, I looked on, tears filling my eyes, as God said, “I love you, Dear One,” through that rainbow.

On A Sunny Day - Sunday

2011-07-31T17:54:00.001+12:00

...we headed to Wellington for lunch.

Although that meant that I had to miss Church this morning. Not to worry, I'm attending an evening service later.

It was a perfect day for a road trip, in fact. Not exactly the case, but considered, I suppose. Lunch was packed with people, and for some strange reason, I get really lazy to take photos when I see so many people with cameras and snapping away. So I only got photos on the way back.

BLUE SKY!

Rare sight in Welly during winter.

By the sea.

I saw trains. And was fascinated by them.

Tried to take pictures of moving ones but didn't get any good shots.

This one is sort of an out-of-focus picture, but I like the colour.

We stopped by Lindale to get famous Kapiti ice-cream.

Oh yeah, they're famous for cheese as well.

Being unreasonably sloppy today, I dropped ice-cream.

And this fella is pecking away at the mush which hardly melts.

Yes, New Zealand's quite cold.

Then I saw a chestnut horse galloping on a green field with a border collie chasing sheep nearby. It was a picture that drove me insane with happiness.

It's been a relatively good week.

I'm pretty happy.

Wednesday

2011-07-27T21:54:00.000+12:00

Come to think of it, I'm not that busy. They just made our timetable look busy. Things get cancelled etc. and you know the drill. Then again, this is just the second week. I feel like I've been in vet for forever already, in a good way, of course. I'm learning so much. So, so, so much.

Photo highlights:

It 'snowed'.

Not.

I was kidding.

It frosted, more likely.

I watched the family of swans.

And thought of The Ugly Duckling.

Winter's almost over.

When spring comes, the cygnets will have new feathers.

Spread your wings and raise them high,

Let them admire your new grandeur, and fly!

The Beginning of Vet, And Some Other...

2011-07-25T14:10:00.001+12:00

First week of the new semester was pretty much crazy. And there's just so many things going on now, that I can't find enough time to organize my thoughts (or maybe I'm just plain lazy). At any rate, I can say that vet is going to be one exciting roller-coaster ride.

Last week, we had this vet leadership training camp thingy (LOL?), which I thought was actually pretty good because it was sort of like a welcome to the Vet family. These awesome awesome people who have been in the profession for years now took precious time off to get to know us, and to let us know that they care about our education and training, as we are preparing to get into the field. So yes, I am deeply thankful for that.

There was this hiking activity (chosen between caving and abseiling), and being the very un-sporty person I am, I opted for the seemingly simplest one. I know, I know, where's my sense of adventure? Probably lost somewhere in the amount of fatigue I was feeling then. Hiking was no easy task, nonetheless. But hey, at least I got a few nice pictures, right?

Gigantic Rata tree.

Bush-walking.

Farmland from afar.

Just...around the...river bend.

What a sweeet guy.

He stopped moving to pose with me for the camera.

Random rock.

Then there was the International Food Night in which we ate, we talked, we played music.

It was fun, it was.

Colder Days

2011-07-18T22:48:00.002+12:00

The temperature for today goes from 14 till -1 degrees Celcius.

We're hitting negative!

Frost.

Apparently, winter can still be beautiful.

On such cold days, we still can't resist having a glorious ice-cream. Technically, ice-cream keeps you warmer because the food is turned into energy in our bodies when consumed.

I'm not a fan of durian fruit products (but definitely a fan of the fruit),

but this one takes the cake.

You guessed it!

It's durian ice-cream.

And still, good food plus great company gives delightful warmth and smiles.

***

Here's a lovely tune from Toy Story 2. The first time I watched this scene, I was deeply moved.

Take a listen, watch the scene, feel the emotion, be enchanted, and praise God for music. =)

New Semester

2011-07-16T13:50:00.000+12:00

A new semester has landed on my doorstep, and it is with mixed feelings that I urge my mind and my heart to give the attention this new fella' deserves and requires.

Check this out.

Haha, I know, that looks crazy, eh?

And this is just the first year.

Let the games begin!

Back in Town

2011-07-13T17:59:00.000+12:00

I'm back in town. Not Santa.

It's slightly depressing to have to return to the life of a student-away-from-home after having tasted the wonders of home and family for a good five days. But then again, one can't expect to be on holiday forever and ever and ever and ever and ever.

So yes, time to start the engines roaring.

***

We celebrated a friend's birthday yesterday, and watched Transformers 3.

The candle is adorable.

Haha.

Transformers 3 was...not good. Well, just to be fair, the movie had quite the superb soundtrack, in my opinion. And of course, the special effects were wunnerful (as is most movies these days with the technology booming and blooming). It was alright, really. Not a must-watch. I just found it rather boring in fact, and I got really fidgety towards the final half hour because I couldn't wait for it to finish.

But having said that, nobody forced me to watch it, and I ought not to complain too much because I went to watch it with my friends for the sake of having fellowship (and not having to be cooped up in the room all night).

Anyways, here's a gorgeous tune from the movie Prince Caspian, that I simply adore.

I actually posted this link on FB during the exam period, and suffice to say, I'm still in love with it.

And here's a couple more photos I took on the bus trip back to Palmy. Enjoy, folks!

Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?

The gazillion-th rainbow I've seen this holiday.

Picture Fest

2011-07-10T15:22:00.000+12:00

Let's have one, shall we? I've got plenty for you guys to feast your eyes on!

The Promise in the sky.

I actually saw the end of a rainbow for the very first time.

There isn't a pot of gold, but just a lot of grass.

Mclaren Falls.

I love it when the sun gives perfect lighting.

Funny guy.

I'll follow you wherever you go.

Tigers!

So adorable. =D

Haha, I am very proud of this snapshot.

Living with 'tigers' is no easy task.

But they're adorable, nonetheless.

Stunning!

Tempura. Om nom nom...

With soba.

Gi-normous kiwi fruit.

Kiwi orchard.

I got some even more awesome beach photos today, which shall come soon.

Singing Glory, Hallelujah to My King!

2011-07-08T22:51:00.000+12:00

The long awaited nervous moment has come to pass this evening, and it is with a grateful and joyful heart that I bringeth good tidings to thou, o faithful readers!

The good Lord has granted me a place in the veterinary course, allowing me to proceed with studying what I've always wanted to study since I was, what, 14? And now, I am rather overwhelmed at this milestone that has been achieved, one that is achieved not by myself alone, but with the strength and wisdom of my God, and with the encouragement, prayers and support from my dearest family and wonderful friends.

I was out in Tauranga city today, walking around and doing a bit of window shopping (although I accidentally bought a few articles of clothing. Oops.). And towards evening, we had a Chinese buffet for dinner, which in some sense would have been a celebration of what the occasion would allowed for if my results had been released earlier and emails sent beforehand (my sentence structures are getting rather ludicrous these days). At any rate, I had an extremely filling meal, complete with ice-creams and cheese cakes for dessert.

I set this plate up myself.

Not bad, eh?

Oh, and guess what? As my cousin-in-law stated after we reached home and I checked my email, we did a pre-result celebrate already, because I had my first raw oyster EVER today at the buffet. Haha, totally wicked, isn't it? Not a huge fan of the taste, but it's cool to have tried something for the first time in less than 20 years.

There you go.

So now, I just feel so thankful for being able to come this far. Thankful to my Lord and King, thankful to the people who are just there for me. =)

Food and results aside, I snapped some pretty neat pictures around Tauranga today.

I'm a huge fan of beaches and seasides, and Tauranga has some really really lovely ones.

My favourite - the car and the sea.

Very gorgeous beach.

I am a happy and blessed child, indeed.

There are, still, friends who did not get in, and Holy Spirit, grant me wisdom to minister to them. This could be a chance to share more of Christ's love with them.

Anyhoo, veterinary science, here I come!

V20 Conference!

2011-07-08T11:11:00.000+12:00

[Heads up: Long post ahead]

Six days, five nights.

Six good days of intense learning, growing and building rapport; five cold nights made warm by fellowship-ping, discovering and deciding. All in all, a fulltime experience of knowing, growing, and becoming a stronger soldier of Christ.

I have been blessed by amazing people in this conference. From the beginning until the end, overflowing blessings have been poured into my life that touch my heart and render the experience unforgettable.

***

You know what? I almost did not make it to this conference because the fees required made me extremely hesitant. Not wanting me to miss out on this, a good friend sponsored my registration fees. And I am so thankful for his generosity.

First day of conference, I arrived at Ngaruawahia Youth Christian Camp with a few other girls whom I didn't really know. It was actually a little scary stepping into a camp without knowing anybody else other than my friend who invited me and the Wellington folks I had just met (they picked me up to come this far). It was sort of like starting school in a new place, a new city, with new people. But it was exciting, because I simply love people and somehow, I wasn’t scared because I knew that one way or another, everyone of us there had a reason to be there and we were brought together through the love and grace of God.

Over the days, I made very good friends in conference, and one of them in particular just became my new best friend in a matter of minutes. It’s just wonderful how God prepares and provides for us; this, we both agreed on. And here she is, the beautiful Terina.

She's pure Maori.

More than 24 hours before that...

On the way to Hamilton, I caught sights of Mordor (or Tongariro) from a distance and got pretty excited!

We were blessed with hospitality from another girl I didn't even know (but the others did) to stay in her house over night before conference. So I learnt a few chords on the ukulele. She's got a super nice handmade one.

And a big, fat cat. Haha.

In the morning, as we went to the supermarket to grab some things, I saw this fella up in the tree.

What a tiger!

Okay, now back to conference. For me, there were four important highlights:

1) Roger Hershey's talks.

He challenged us to yield our rights to God and to surrender all that we do to Him, and God will grant us privileges when we do so because His promise is sure. He talked about the Return of the King (LOTR) and the parallels of it with the second coming of our Lord Jesus. Oh, the excitement and joy of the time when Jesus will return and reign gloriously!

Therefore, we need to live our lives with an eternal perspective – to live for the King, that when we see Him face-to-face one day, we shall be able to hear Him say “well done, good and faithful one.”

So how do we become a Christian who lives for His glory? We need to understand that we were created for His glory, and to learn to relate everything in our lives to God’s ultimate purpose and plan for us; it’s all about people, really. So that as we go out into the world, we go out on the basis of God’s grace, and live with love. Hersh also talked about the importance of our generation as Finishers of the Race. The current worldwide growth of the Church has never been in this position before, and this generation is unlike any other generation. We have the technology; we have grounds for spreading the Gospel in university campuses.

2) Global Opportunities' Night.

As we learnt of God’s amazing work in places all over the world, I grew extremely excited because Missions is very close to my heart. The most wonderful thing was, as I recall that I prayed to experience God in a deeper and more profound way this conference, my heart was moved and my spirit was drawn towards a particular country as I listened to much talk about the moving of the Holy Spirit throughout the place and through the lives of the people there.

I am still uncertain, but this is a start, and a motivation to always work towards whenever life gets tough (life, as in, study). And even now, as I live the life of a student, I can still bring the love of Christ to the people around me, through God’s strength. Is this not just exciting? =D

3) Outreach Afternoon.

Experiencing and learning of the how locals respond to the Gospel was enlightening and heartbreaking at the same time, as we were sent out in teams of two to different parts of the city. There were also, however, many other wonderful stories of how God worked in the people we talked to, and how the Holy Spirit led teams to the right people at the right time.

4) International-ness

Despite our cultural and background differences, everyone was able to gather in one place to celebrate the love of Christ and to encourage one another in our faith. That simply amazes me, because it reminds me of the grace of God that is given to ALL. I met people from Japan, Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Fiji, Samoa, and Australia.

And I’ve fallen absolutely in love with the Fijians. They are an amazing people, with songs that radiate from the heart (musical ability that I’ve never come across in person before), joy that is contagious and a friendly, warm way of communicating with other people.

***

On the final night, as all final nights in camps are like, we sat and talked until early in the morning whilst the Fijians played and sang on guitar, and others joined in voice (I did too at certain points). It was a lovely sight to behold, and a lovely sound pleasant to the ears resounding through the night.

I also got to spend some time marveling over God's creation which was absolutely gorgeous on the campsite. This is my favourite shot:

Spider silk is fascinating.

So here we are, experiencing what it really means to be One in Christ. And as we left and said goodbye, we knew that it was never the last we were to see of each other. In this life, or in the eternal life, we would meet and one day, worship the King of kings and Lord of lords together with a triumphant and joyful noise. For now, we play our parts in God’s Master Plan on this earth with humility and strength from the Lord.

"For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink" - 1 Corinthians12:13

15

2011-07-07T11:38:00.000+12:00

Dear bro,

15 is a milestone. In fact, any age is a milestone. Why's that, you ask. Because as every year goes by, we are reminded on our birthdays that the good Lord has brought us thus far, and we are reminded to give thanks for the life we've been given on this earth.

But now here you are, at 15. And I believe that you're destined for greater things, still. My prayer for you is this: that you may grow in wisdom and stature, and continue to find favor with God and man, just as Jesus did when he grew from child to man.

A familiar verse that strikes me suitable as a reminder, always:

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11

Keep growing in Christ, and keep serving Him with a faithful, humble heart, bro.

And I remain your loving sister,
Jan

P/S: Brother's birthday was yesterday, and I know it was no excuse to say that I was tired and exhausted because I just finished V20 conference yesterday. So please forgive me, as I try to make amends for the delay.

Napier

2011-06-29T12:36:00.000+12:00

We came back from Auckland at 4.30 in the morning, got a few hours of sleep, and headed off to Napier in the afternoon. I know, that sounds crazy. But really, I didn't get tired until night time. So it's all good.

To sum up the trip:

We passed the Manawatu Gorge.

Saw the gigantic windmills upon the green, rolling hills.

Dropped by Woodville for their famous Yummy Mummy's Cheesecake.

I totally LOL-ed at this.

Visited the Mission Estate Winery, and did a little wine-tasting.

Arrived at Napier town, and this is the view from Bluff Hill.

We got there just in time to watch the sunset.

I'm sorry, this is a pretty lousy photo.

But it's lavender. You can't say no to lavender.

Then to end the day, we had gourmet pizzas at a restaurant.

This one's salmon, scallops and shrimp flavoured.

*drools*

***

Last night we celebrated a friend's birthday. It was a premature celebration ('premature' sounds a bit off though...), but it was a surprise. And the friend was definitely surprised. So hurrah for that.

I'll be going off to conference tomorrow, so the next time I update will probably be some time late in the next week, and that will also be around the time when the results for the veterinary selection comes out. *gasp*

So until then.

=)

Auckland Harvest

2011-06-28T23:04:00.001+12:00

I haven't blogged in ages, it seems. Although technically, it's only been three days. I guess you can blame it on the fact that I've been a little too active. When you do a lot of stuff, go a lot of places, eat a lot of food, time seems to have passed by loads when it's really only been a day or so.

So yes, I've gone to Auckland and back again. Indulge in these eye goodies!

Breakfast at McDonald's.

I am a sucker for their pancakes (a.k.a. hotcakes).

Don't pollute our drains!

We dropped by Huka Falls on the way, to gaze at the awesome blue-ness of the waters.

And to gape at the wondrous power of surging rapids beneath our feet.

A stiller calm beyond the rough and tumble.

I heart Korean food.

Om nom nom.

Then the Auckland Harvest Conference. A harvest indeed.

See the people moving across the floor below the stage?

And that's how it looked when Pastor Greg Laurie led them to accept Christ.

Isn't God just wonderful?

I imagine there was a glorious celebration in heaven that night.

The bands that played were absolutely amazing. There were the Katinas, Phil Joel, Martin Smith from Delirious? band and Jeremy Camp. Jeremy Camp came in from the States just one hour before the event started because of some flight delay. And him and his band were still awesome. Divine intervention, I'd say.

I didn't get any good photos of the fantastic artists, but their hearts of worship are etched into my mind and I am sufficiently inspired. Martin Smith especially, me thinks. Unforgettable experience it was.

Moving on...

Then there was Mission Bay.

Gorgeous beach.

I totally dig this photo.

It's such a postcard photo.

Flowers in winter?

Pretty.

And this, mint with Swiss choc pieces ice-cream.

Shout out: My Pine Nut.

I thought of you in almost every bite of this ice-cream.

It was the best mint ice-cream I had ever had. Ever.

Okay, that's enough for you guys to go through for now. We did go Napier yesterday, after coming back to Palmy and resting for a few hours. Hardcore travelling we did. More photos on that coming up next!

Friday

2011-06-24T18:46:00.001+12:00

Before you start singing Rebecca Black's (Friday, Friday. Gotta get down on Friday...) song, let me just say that, I did not eat cereal this morning.

Now, today we did loads of walking. A tad bit too much for me. And boy, I'm pretty tired now.

Nonetheless, I think we had a sufficiently good time taking our friend from Wellington around Palmerston North despite the fact that Palmy is rather small for anything to be seen really.

What was so amazing and wonderful about today was the fact that the weather forecast for today was actually predicted to be rainy, and I prayed so hard last night. I asked God to please please please give us good weather so that we could bring our friend around. And today, He showed me that He listens even to little prayers that are seemingly unimportant. What a wonderful Father have I!

So we had brunch at a cafe, and I had this lovely bagel with bacon and eggs.

Right before that, we dropped by the Equestrian Centre outside Massey. The horseys were wrapped up in winter clothing and rather far from the side fences so we didn't get a good look at them. But I did discover lovely droplets on the bare small tree next to the fence.

Check that out!

We went about the museum. Yes, there's a museum here. Surprise, surprise. But no surprise, surprise, it's uber small and again, not much to see. Haha. Better than nothing still.

Oh no's! Mutated giant wetas!

Look at the sky above. It's pure blue.

And to think it was forecasted to be rainy.

God, You are so so so good. =)

After rounding Massey to settle some bills and university businesses, we had a little nature walk and after that only went back to the warm comforts of our settlement.

Pretty little winter flowers.

Winter holidays are officially here. We all deserve a good break from the books. Phew.

Finished!

2011-06-22T22:30:00.002+12:00

After studying like a crazy person for days and days (and watching episode after episode of CSI:NY like a crazy person as well), my exams have finished, unofficially, that is.

I still have this Stat-F paper thingy tomorrow afternoon which is a test compulsory for all students trying for vet to take. It's more of a comprehension sort of test. So let's just pray that my brain will be in the best condition for it tomorrow.

But for now, I deserve a bit of entertainment. Not to say I didn't have any for the past week. In fact, I had loads. Still, there's a difference between exam entertainment and post-exam entertainment. Any student would agree with me.

So my podmates and I decided to go Turkish tonight and I had an amazing kebab that was simply delicious AND healthy. We took ages to decide though. But it was worth it!

Edited to add:

Beef kebab with BBQ , humus and garlic yogurt sauces.

Totally delicious.

And a random shot of the rugby field next to my place.

It looks absolutely stunning at night, doesn't it?

Grandeur.

Have a good one, folks.

=)

Sungha Jung and His Guitar

2011-06-20T20:17:00.000+12:00

I am extremely bored now so I had to come here and post something.

***

I'm sure most of you know Sungha Jung, the amazing Korean-child-prodigy-guitarist on Youtube. I've always been impressed with him. But I just saw his cover of Sweet Child Of Mine by Guns n' Roses, and by George, I am blown away!

Dig this.

And now, back to um...study.

Dad: Humour

2011-06-19T20:36:00.000+12:00

Today is Fathers' Day, in Malaysia and Singapore, that is. Here in NZ, it's celebrated on the first Sunday of September. So I did a little research and I can safely conclude that different countries have different dates for Fathers' Day based on the country's culture and history. The same goes for Mothers' Day in fact. But I can't go into much detail for this unless I do a history paper or something on this topic. Haha.

We've never been much for celebrating such days in large scale. But we do remember, and on that special day, we take extra effort to say 'thank you' and 'I love you' to the dearest people who raised us. On this particular Fathers' Day, I remember my own daddy and being so far away from him, I can only give him a virtual hug and dedicate this post to him (I've been dedicating a lot of posts lately, haven't I? ;)). So dad, I know you're reading this. And guess what?

Yes, that's right. I love you.

=)

***

I've been watching a lot episodes from the Bill Cosby Show lately (on Youtube!). And if you don't know what that is, well, let's just say that you're missing out but I don't blame you. It was aired for eight seasons on NBC from 1984 until 1992 (Wikipedia). It's old, but it's good. I find it to be one of the best TV shows that was aired. Why? Plainly because of the humor and the values brought across.

Image from http://blog.masslive.com/criesandwhispers/2008/11/large_cosby_show.jpg

The Huxtable family.

Image from http://img1.tvloop.com/img/showpics/3b/07/l3509d6a40000_1_26498.jpg

Raven Symone debuted her career as an actress at 3 years old as Olivia Kendall in this show!

These days, it's hard to find such a show because many people seem to have confused vulgarity with humor. I don't think humor was ever meant to be so...awful. If you've seen stuff like Family Guy or Desperate Housewives, you know perfectly well what I mean. And that leaves me sighing deeply, wondering how deep we really are in our self-dug pits of sin.

But I'm not here to lecture on Humor, but rather, I was just thinking, as I watched one of the episodes last night, that Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) has traits my father has too. He is hilarious. And that's one of the things I love about my father. Trust me, he is a lot of things, but his humor is one of the wins. He totally cracks us up all the time, and it's because he wills us to be happy.

So here's to you, dad, for loving us in ways I cannot adequately describe.

And here's to my Father in heaven, for giving me a father, and for everything He's done for me.

Happy Daddy Day.

To an Amazing Friend

2011-06-17T12:42:00.003+12:00

This post is for you. =)

My dearest GL,

I've known you ever since we were kids. And we share many childhood memories, the good and the bad; the sweet and the bitter. I remember the days we played like there was no tomorrow, the days we sat in the same car back from school, chatting away without a single care in the world; other days, sitting in silence (with lunch in mind).

Now as we pull away gradually from the nest of childhood and teenage years, we've grown; we've experienced; we've seen more. And while the physical distance between us remains present, it will always be my pride and joy to call you my friend.

Undeniably, the 'catch-ups' are infrequent, but that doesn't mean that we've grown apart. And I know that whenever we meet again, the bond between us simply revives itself without effort. There are friends that come and go, but then there are those that remain with us even in their physical absence. You are the latter.

I love your sophistication, your sense of creativity and your love for God. I think you're wonderfully pretty, yes I do. And you are just so blessed, that's why you're such a blessing to your friends and to those around you.

On this beautiful day, as you enter into womanhood (officially 21!), I take great delight in knowing that our good Lord has brought you thus far; and it always fills my heart with joy to know that you are walking with Him, with a desire to serve Him, to love Him and His people with all your being. We are flawed, but we are being made perfect in Christ Jesus. And in saying that, His grace IS sufficient.

So with nothing but thanksgiving, I praise God for an amazing friend that I can treasure in this manner (blogging about her on her birthday? Haha. But seriously =)).

I pray this blesses you abundantly on your 21st birthday.

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." - Philippians 1:9-11

Happy birthday, Grace.

With loads and loads of love,
Jan

Dreams

2011-06-16T17:02:00.000+12:00

I had the weirdest dream last night.

I was trying to rearrange an unfamiliar equation, while eating sashimi with GL (yes, you, GL! =D) and a bunch of other people whom I probably know but can't seem to remember who they were. It was a huge table, with loads of food on it. And there I was, trying to solve a Physics equation that just made absolutely no sense at all because I'd never seen it before in my life. Then I woke up without my alarm clock ringing in my ear, just to find that it was 7.30am.

Suffice to say, I was extremely amused with myself.

I guess that's what happens when you've studied too much Physics and apparently crave for Japanese food and good company. Just so you know, I had my Physics paper this morning, and I'm very thankful that it was way easier than the mid-semester test (which was dreadfully, horribly, terrible). So yay. Hopefully this is the last time I'll ever have to sit for a Physics paper. Don't get me wrong, I love Physics for the fact that it has all the interesting facts about life, and despite the knowledge that much of it are just theories that could be possibly plain wrong all this while, it instills an awe and wonder in my soul that just wants to praise and worship the One above.

Which, reminds me a verse that kinda knocked me off my feet this morning.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings." - Proverbs 25:2

Is that cool or what?

By the way, it is really cold today. I saw the weather forecast and it's hitting zero degrees Celsius tonight. *gasp*

And now, back to ~~one more episode of CSI:NY~~ the books! Biology. Again.

Finding Nemo much?

I re-watched the movie last weekend, and boy, it IS something.

I lurve Finding Nemo.

If you've realised, I'm an avid movie RE-watcher. I like to re-watch movies. I know, it seems so pointless and a waste of time when you know what's going to happen. But I think it's the process of how the things take place that counts. And sometimes, you just understand more afterwards of the why-who-when-how's, which gives you a whole new level of appreciation for the film-makers.

So to infinity, and beyond!

(I don't know why I just wrote that)

LOL

2011-06-14T20:41:00.000+12:00

Are you kidding me?

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

The question was asking what bonds are formed between sodium ion and chloride ion.

That answer just made me laugh for a full five seconds.

The Afters

2011-06-12T19:12:00.000+12:00

I am kind of addicted to them right now.

Light Up The Sky is an immensely beautiful album.

Check 'em out. (:

***

The other day I saw a friend post on Facebook, "What motivates you from day to day?"

And somebody commented, "Food".

I totally LOL-ed. But come to think of it, it IS rather...motivating.

Just look at the juicy sweetness of the persimmon slices.

Who doesn't feel happy just looking at them?

And my podmate cooked Kentucky fried chicken today.

It waz yummeh.

But of course, on a serious note regarding my friend's question on FB, we are to keep our eyes fixed ahead, fixed on Jesus Christ. And that is in fact what is keeping me sane in the massive flood of books and studies and notes.

To all my friends who are sitting through (or preparing to) exams, be it huge or not huge, let's do this for Jesus. To those who've finished theirs, surrender and submit. To those who don't have either, well...take pleasure in what His given you (eg. food). Above all, let's be thankful!

Cheerio.

Amidst the Books

2011-06-11T18:32:00.000+12:00

As I was poring over my cell biology notes today, I came across this.

Trust myself to doodle anywhere possible.

It made me smile. And I imagine I was most probably not concentrating on studying when I wrote that.

Suffice to say, it lifted my spirits as I remembered the reason and the purpose I am here in New Zealand. And interestingly, as I type this post, Adam Young's version of the song 'In Christ Alone' is on play.

"Till He returns, or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I stand."

Brussel Sprouts and French Toast

2011-06-08T19:24:00.000+12:00

I made roasted brussel sprouts for lunch and french toast for dinner.

我很无聊。

But what to do? That's what happens when you get cooped up in your flat for the whole day just studying and facebooking.

Roasted brussel sprouts with pasta.

Veli good.

A tad burnt because I was a-studying so hard I didn't want to leave my Physics book...

Zzz...

French toast.

I think.

And now it's time for me to hit the books.

Again.

RAWR!

Letting Go

2011-06-06T16:41:00.000+12:00

Whatever you're going through right now, He understands.

Let go of your fears and doubts. Let go of your worries.

Because His love will catch you when you fall.

So will you let go?

It's your choice.

Waffles in Winter

2011-06-04T22:08:00.001+12:00

I've been craving for these babies for at least five days now.

And yesterday, I succumbed to the temptation. Oh yes, they would have gone much better with a blob of vanilla ice-cream, but the price was too ridiculous to even consider it.

Also, as promised.

Winter.

Different angle, but definitely the same tree.

I'll take another photo of it when spring comes.

Semester One

2011-06-02T19:38:00.000+12:00

Tomorrow marks the beginning of an end.

I know. That's rather cliched. But whatever.

See, my lectures end tomorrow; and consequently, my study break begins. Which of course, eventually leads to the final examinations and WINTER BREAK!

Speaking of winter. Winter is officially here, and it's cold. Well, it's always been cold here anyways. Most of the time, that is. The trees have bared and the leaves have stopped falling because there are no more to drop off. The air is chilled and in the cold of the morning, when you're walking outside, you get to 'smoke'. You know the kind when the air is so cold that your breath condenses right in front of you? I can't tell you the exact science of it, but it's definitely got to do with the cold weather (duh).

This week, I'm feeling a tad bit relaxed. And that's because I finished two labs last week, leaving only two more this week (and I've just finished all of them by today). I kind of lost my 'purpose in life' yesterday afternoon and mucked about for hours because I was lab-less. Okay, so it's not that serious. But you get the gist.

I'm a busy person. I have to be always on the go. There's always the time to play, but if unplanned leisure time suddenly drops in, I am lost. Which, I'm sure (me trying to be the optimist at all times XD), has its good points too.

And so, when the final week of lectures/labs ensue, I am getting a bit sentimental and ramble a bit too much with some strange grammar usage.

But now, here are several photos to keep you entertained.

Have you ever tried Golden Kiwi Fruit? It's absolutely delish.

Not as hairy as their green fleshed cousins, with pointed heads.

Slightly yellowish-gold flesh, with less seeds.

Sweeter, of course.

And more expensive. Of course.

And there's this cat that sits outside our kitchen window everyday.

I discovered the other day, there were two. Not just one.

And they were both black.

Say goodbye to autumn; hello winter.

Sorry no winter photos.

I really gotta get my camera out and clicking soon.

Been kinda lazy with it.

Then again, there isn't much to take because winter ain't as pretty as autumn.

Meh.

When I am Weak, You are Strong

2011-05-30T22:29:00.000+12:00

By God's grace and strength, I made it through the 40 hour Famine, and raised much more than what I set as my goal for the hungry children of East Timor.

This is the story of how He drew near to one so unworthy, but still one who is so loved:

Truth be told, I was actually feeling perfectly fine for the whole day of Saturday. I went to bed feeling slightly tired but still well. I think it was because I spent the day doing practically nothing. I only went out to the library in the afternoon to finish my assignments. But other than that, I stayed cooped up in my room as much as I could.

The struggle came at an odd hour: Sunday, 6.30am.

I was jerked wide awake from a horrible sensation of heat surging through my body. I felt my forehead with a near-limp hand, and I was feverish. I tried to get up and had to literally roll out of my bed. It was that feeling one would get after sleeping for ages and ages, trying to sleep off a fever. Dizziness ensued as I stumbled towards the switch to flip the lights on.

As my eyes adjusted to the bright light that flooded the room in an instance, I immediately gulped down mouthfuls of water and set the water bottle down with a sigh. For a moment, I didn't know what to do. I had never felt so terrible in months (the last time I did, I was very ill). Then my eyes fell upon my Bible, and I knew at once what I needed.

Fingering my Bible, devotional book, notebook and pen, I swept them into my arms and flopped ungracefully on the floor next to my bed. Believe me when I say, I didn't even have the strength to climb into a chair.

So there I was, on my knees, needing Him desperately.

I sought Him, I talked to Him, I asked for His strength. And after praying, I reached for the one mint candy I had saved just in case (we can take barley sugar and juice during the fast), grateful for the smallness of my room (and also the sensibility I had to have some candy ready). I sat on the floor and sucked on the piece of candy slowly as my quickened pulse and short breaths slowed and lengthened gradually. Then, heaving my reluctant body up, I climbed back into my bed and sank into a peaceful slumber until my alarm went off at 8.30am.

***

When I woke, the sun was up, the sky was blue, and there was barely a cloud visible in the sky. I was feeling a million times better, and couldn't wait to go the church and break the fast at 12pm. Haha.

Being in God's presence with His people was simply amazing.

And breaking our fast together was even more splendid. We broke fast at tea fellowship, and had lunch at a sister's house. Wonderful, home-cooked, free, awesome food. The first bite after 40 hours was heavenly (although it was just a ham sandwich). Of course, I didn't forget to snap pictures. =D

Lasagna.

Coleslaw and a very awesome salad.

The very awesome salad had lettuce, cucumbers and...get this, PERSIMMON slices!

Drizzled with mint sauce and poppy seeds.

It was so-oh-oh good.

And being in New Zealand, there's always dessert.

This is carrot cake.

Oh and before the food was ready, we just passed time wii-ing.

*Pow-ish-bang*

Ah, the joys. Suffice to say, I was filled with gladness for the rest of the day.

Thank You, Jesus.
=)

Isaiah 58

2011-05-28T10:42:00.000+12:00

My dad shared this with me earlier in the week.

Read Isaiah 58.

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
   you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Exponential Decline (and Spongebob)

2011-05-25T19:12:00.001+12:00

Approaching the end of the semester lectures and labs, I've become more and more relaxed during lab sessions. Recall a post I wrote concerning labs and how they simply do me in, but then God is always faithful? - Words

Well, I've lost some of the kiasu-ism for some reason. It's like an exponential decline. And now, I enjoy my labs and move at medium-tortoise pace (although I have seen some tortoises move super fast!) getting the experiments done. I suppose some things just take time to like.

Despite the fact that finals are just around the corner, I've getting more laid-back these days, ever since the four weeks of mid-sem tests. I wonder if this is good.

Anyways, I'm just a-ramblin' here. Partly because I'm bored and partly because I'm, well, feeling sentimental about the fact that I just had my last Cell Biology lab this afternoon (Crikey, I'm cheesy!).

By the way, I just thought of a joke.

Sandy: So did you hear about Spongebob and Squidward?
Patrick: No. What?
Sandy: Spongebob took Squidward's clarinet and didn't have the nerve to own up.
Patrick: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Biology fact: Sponges, a type of invertebrate, do not have nervous systems.

This is how I apply biology.

At His Feet

2011-05-22T17:24:00.000+12:00

An extract from my spiritual journal:

Sunday (22/5/11)

"I don't know how or why, but these days I get so excited to do devotion every morning. Haha.

God is always with me I know, but I get hyped up when I spend time with Him, focusing on Him. I'll admit, I can't always fully concentrate on Him and the Word for a good 15-20 minutes, but the passion is true.

I was just thinking about 'The Horse and His Boy" (C.S. Lewis), and the part where Hwin, the mare, saw Aslan for the first time in her life and she was immediately awed and amazed by his presence. She said (with a shrill little neigh, if I remember correctly), "Please sir, you are so beautiful, you may eat me." Something like that. It was meant to be humorous and meaningful at the same time, I guess.

She believed in Him, she always did, though she didn't know Him well (she grew up in the Calormen land, which is not Narnia but I digress). But meeting Aslan, she was struck with an ineffably strong wonder she had never felt before that gave her whole spirit complete peace and desire to only surrender to Him.

Reminds me of the saints in Revelation, who were before the Throne, the Lamb of God, and they laid their crowns - the crowns they have been given as rewards, all at the feet of Jesus.

I can't grasp or paint the whole picture. But it is surely undeniably true - the awe that grips you when you meet Him face to face; and intensely personal to a level many of us can't understand entirely, until we experience it for ourselves. .

Imagine, your Lord and your God, on His Throne of grace and mercy!

It just brings you to your knees."

***

It is my deepest desire today, to share this with you. Because after scribbling this down furiously in my journal, I was at church, and the praise and worship session was an affirmation of what was in my heart this morning. I was so awed ~~that you might think me silly~~ - I wept because His love simply drove me crazy. In a good way, of course.

The Lord of all, the Holy of Holies, came near to you and me.

"And I [Jesus], if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." - John 12:32

I stand in awe of You.

P/S: Read my previous post 40 Hour Famine (if you haven't already) kay? =)

40 Hour Famine

2011-05-22T00:59:00.001+12:00

This year, for the very first time, I have the opportunity to participate in this event organized by World Vision in New Zealand. In Malaysia, as I recall, we have the 30 hour famine, or more familiarly called "Famine 30". Over here, it's longer by 10 hours.

This is going to be pretty exciting and at the same time, humbling experience!

Please read this to find out more: http://www.famine.org.nz/jantie

And if you're interested in helping me out with this challenge, leave a comment, talk to me, chat with me or just send an email to let me know.

Let's spread the love, people.

"For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." - James 2:26

It's all about love.

(looks familiar? =D)

Highlights

2011-05-21T01:09:00.000+12:00

As opposed to one of my posts last week, quite a number of things have been happening this week. Actually, things happen all the time. It's just whether or not we take time to savour or realize or indulge in them. Imagine if things STOPPED happening!

...I can't imagine that...

=O

Anyways, so I was saying, let me list the 'things' that happened out for you to make this a tad bit interesting, in case I bore you to ~~holes~~ tears with rambles, brambles and bushes (oops, did I just mention plants?):

1) I had breakfast for lunch yesterday.
2) I snapped a picture of a couple of the largest mushrooms I'd ever seen

3) I burnt my hand in the oven. AGAIN.
4) I listened to David Archuleta's Christmas album for at least three times this week (kinda lost count by now). It's called 'Christmas from the Heart' and it's totally amazing. Check it out. =)

5) I enjoyed Physics lab for the first (or second?) time ever this semester.
6) I told lame jokes. And accidentally couldn't stop for a short period of time.
7) I discovered, alongside a group of awesome people, a really really really interesting line in the Bible.

"But we cannot discuss these things in detail now." - Hebrews 9:5b

It generated epic response from all of us. Okay, so that seems a little immature, but really, God's word is just so fresh everytime you read it. We're doing Hebrews, and boy, do I have much to learn and absorb and take in every Friday night. The depth of it all leaves me breathless and delighted - breathless delight.

8) I changed my Facebook profile picture. Notably, I only change it twice a year.
9) I dissected a rat in lab and remembered the two little darlings I had when I was 12.
10) I got sugar high.

Okay, that's enough. I shall stop.

Did you know, Owlcity has a new single "Alligator Sky"?

The lyrics are pretty cool. And from what I interpret, I'd say Mr Adam Young is writing about heaven and the Hope he holds on to. I love the idea he's incepted into my head.

Which reminds me of another verse I fell in love with yesterday.

"...so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." - Hebrews 9:28

To those who are waiting for him. A warmth in my heart stirred and flickered when I read this. At the same time, I thought to myself, "Are you ready for His return?".

I'd say not. I want to do so much more. I need to do so much more.

Funny, there was news about the rapture today. A group of people predicted the second coming to be, well, today. Although I don't believe it at all, it's a reminder of living my life to the full purpose God has for me every single breathing moment I have.

And that, my friends, is where I leave you and your train of thoughts for now.

Good night, folks.

=)

Bins and Mickey Mouse

2011-05-18T22:23:00.000+12:00

Recycling is totally in. I couldn't even find the regular rubbish bin the first day I arrived because these were so colourful. It's actually somewhere in front of the recycling bins, but not in the picture.

Do you spot a mickey?

Photo blogging is pretty fun. Ha ha.

Tangled

2011-05-15T22:59:00.000+12:00

I just re-watched Tangled.

And I have to say,

"it is so FREAKIN' AWESOME, MATE!!!"

http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/tangled_movie_image_rapunzel_02-600x316.jpg

I laughed, I cried, I sang.

Ha ha. I am such a sucker for Disney animations.

http://whysoblu.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/tangled-pascal.jpg

Title

2011-05-14T14:26:00.001+12:00

I didn't know what to name this post, hence the title: Title.

*awkward silence*

ANYWAYSSS...

The main rubbish bin outside just fell plop on the ground. Yes it was full. And the poor thing has succumb to the pull of the wind.

***

Not a lot of things happened this week, but I did get some splendid Kiwi food (more like Maori actually) on Wednesday, when the University organized an event called 'Kiwiana'. We had one such event when we first arrived. But this time, I thought it was even better. The food was truly scrumptious and lovely. Take a look for yourself!

Kiwi fruit and Feijoas.

Pavlova.

I like Hokey-Pokey more.

Goody Goody Gumdrops just taste...weird.

Then there were delicious Maori food:
Boil-up - potatoes, veggies, pork meat and bones boiled together.
Fish and chips, battered mussels, fried bread, smoked salmon and mussels...

If you'd like to see more photos, check them out on my photo albums on FB. Ha ha.

So. I realized I'm becoming more of a photography freak these days. I am uber sensitive to pretty stuff. When I saw the gorgeous lights of yesterday's evening sky, I grabbed the excuse to throw out trash so I could snap some pretty pretty pictures. Although, I suppose one doesn't need an excuse to take photos, do they?

Dig this.

The promise in the sky.

Under the umbrella.

(It was raining)

Once again, I stand awed by His creation.

Panadol and Porridge

2011-05-11T11:51:00.000+12:00

A story based on true events

Fresh out of high school, Anna was looking forward to college and the likes. Her classmates and peers were also about as hyped and nervous as fledglings leaving the nest for the first time. It was a period of mixed emotions, really; there was saying goodbye, something she never really put her thoughts to before, as they all came from a small town where everyone basically knew everyone. Then there was the idea of adapting and settling in a new and strange environment; of learning independence first-hand.

She was always more of the shy-type, Anna. Friendly and sweet-natured but needs “a lil’ pushin’”, her best friend Regina would declare in a righteously pompous manner, if you asked her. So when Anna found herself alone most of the time after college began officially, she began to wonder if people just didn’t like her or if it was a huge mistake to come here at all. Her coursemates treated her politely, and she had a few nice friends. But there were those who ignored her completely, and there were those who seemed to be deeply offended by her presence (though for the life of her, Anna couldn’t think of what she had ever done to them), openly detesting her every move. Moreover, after months into beginning college, she was finding it extremely difficult to keep up with lectures and gradually fell behind in her studies.

At first, Anna disregarded these unsettling issues and kept them shut tight in her heart, hoping that they would resolve themselves eventually and she would begin to enjoy college. But depression can come upon you like a bandit, suddenly and mercilessly. And that was what happened to poor Anna. Before her peers and lecturers were even aware of it, she was already deep in the dungeons of despair; struggling to breathe in the grasp of depression. She found herself always feeling tired, dreading every waking moment, staring at ceilings at night, and wishing for things that ought not to be wished for.

In fact, depression took of hold of her so strongly and firmly that one day, both her physical and emotional health collapsed under that pressure. It was only then people around her began to see that it was a psychological battle she was fighting, and losing; not a poor immune system that subjected her to regular illnesses.

Anna was admitted into the hospital that same day her body decided it couldn’t take anymore emotional pain. The doctors insisted that she stay hospitalized for at least three days so they could look after her, realizing that her health was in a precarious state. Those three days were the worst three days she had ever experienced. Her nose was constantly filled with the smell of medicine, and although she didn’t see it, she could feel death all around her. She was terrified, and she just wanted to go home.

A friend - Becky, came to see her the first day she was in the hospital to provide some words of comfort that seemed rather useless at that point of time. Before Becky left, she gave Anna a Bible, in hopes that somehow, some way, God would intervene and rescue her dear friend. Even though she grew up in a different religious background, Anna accepted the gift with as much grace as she could muster. One isn’t likely to decline gifts from visiting friends, you see, especially not when you’re feeling lousy and ill. After Becky left, Anna simply put the Bible aside without much thought, not knowing that Jesus was already knocking on the door of her heart.

The time came when she was released from the hospital and she was allowed by the college to return home to recover fully. She thought that things would be better at home, but instead, found her soul as vacant and hollow as before; and though her physical health got better, her mental health remained deteriorated. Her beloved family and close friends puzzled and fretted over her, but she felt helpless and alone, wishing that she didn’t have to face the world and talk about it.

One night, she poured out her heart to a friend over the net. Jilian lived overseas, so Anna figured that the safest person to talk to would be someone who was far away; someone she didn’t have to face because she just couldn’t bear the thought of laying bare her soul to a person she saw everyday. As Jilian listened to this friend wanting to escape the throes of depression, yet unable to, such compassion and love for her overcame her and she desired to help her with all her heart. Jilian prayed for wisdom and she prayed for God to enter in and take charge.

Late into the night, Jilian told Anna of Jesus’ love for her, and that He was there right beside her. Anna thought about this God she never really knew. Sure, she had had friends who went to church and often invited her along, but she never thought she needed Him. Until now. Out loud, she cried passionately, “But if Jesus is really beside me, why am I still unable to overcome this horrible mess of myself?”

Right at that instance, the moment the words left her mouth, she detected an unmistakably familiar smell in the air: Panadol and porridge. Memories of the place, the fear, the darkness that wrapped around her during those three days came flooding back, but this time, she saw that Jesus was there. He knew what she was going through; He felt her pain; He understood her fear; He cried when she cried; and He longed for her to turn to Him. He had always been there. And He still was. Ever faithful and patient; loving and merciful.

Image from http://yinovacenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/dreamstime_4006407.jpg

That was the moment Anna believed. And she believed with all her heart.

***

Healing took place slowly, as Anna gradually learnt to surrender her burdens to Him. She started afresh in a new college where she found a place for herself among new friends, living everyday by holding on to a newfound faith in her Heavenly Father, her Lord and her God.

She had found her strength in the One called Saviour.

Short Update

2011-05-10T15:50:00.000+12:00

Blogger was having a bit of problem with composing/editing posts for the past few days, so I was rather frustrated. But it's all good now, thank you whoever who fixed this!

So let me update you a bit on what's been happening (although it's only been two days since I last blogged):

I made these gorgeous babies on Saturday.

And another batch of blue cheese dip.

*scary*

I bought tons of kiwi fruit.

THEY ARE IN SEASON NOW!

In fact, they're on sale at Pak n' Save (my favourite supermarket LOL) today at 38 cents/kg.

Juicy sweet/sour vitamin C goodness.

Autumn is bringing all the leaves down to the ground.

Till then.

Mummy Dearest

2011-05-08T15:36:00.000+12:00

To the mother who serves; who gives; who loves, without holding back.

Thank you. =)

Proverbs 31

¹⁰ A wife of noble character who can find?
   She is worth far more than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
   and lacks nothing of value.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
   all the days of her life.
¹³ She selects wool and flax
   and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
   bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
   she provides food for her family
   and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
   out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
   her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
   and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
   and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
   and extends her hands to the needy.
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
   for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes coverings for her bed;
   she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
   where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
   and supplies the merchants with sashes.
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
   she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
   and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
   and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
   her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women do noble things,
   but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
   but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
³¹ Honor her for all that her hands have done,
   and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Concerning People

2011-05-07T01:34:00.000+12:00

I love people. My life revolves around people. I can't live without them.

Come to think of it, no normal person can.

The truth is, we were made to have relationships. With God and with man. Because at the end of the day, after all the toiling work and tedious studying that we do in our lives, if not for the people around us, we wouldn't have made it through, sane. Somehow, living for someone else just takes your life to a whole new level of meaning. At least, that's what I feel and that's what I know. I live for Him, I live to love. If I don't, life is just 'a meaningless chasing after the wind', as King Solomon while at the end of his life, puts it in Ecclesiastes .

Think of this gorgeous red rose.

If its lush colour was never to be admired, to be fawned over; and its fragrant scent was never to bring pleasure to people (aromatherapy, anyone?), its life would be meaningless. Sure, it'll still grow and bloom in its own splendour, but really, if it does not affect anyone or any other life for that matter, its existence might as well be extinction and no one would know or care.

Once again, coming back to the subject, it all boils down to people, people, people. I remember clearly what John Maxwell wrote about leadership in one of his many books on leadership (and I will never ever forget this, by God's grace, although I'm unsure which book it was ha ha): Leadership is all about people.

Every person, at some point in their life, will lead. Be the event or group or whatever it is large, small, or even super mini (e.g. one person). And that may affect someone for life, or trigger a chain of events, or sometimes just seem plain unimportant. Whatever the case may turn out to be, however, we have that chance, that opportunity, to make a difference and inject our influence into the atmosphere. And yes, my friend, when you do that, bear in mind that it's always about people.

Jesus loves us so much that He came to be with us. He came to have a relationship with us. And He wants us to experience the true life we are meant to have; that we've always meant to have: a life of love.

On a really super duper side note, I did my first dissection of a vertebrate today.

Ventral view (bottom) of a dogfish.

It's a type of shark.

Which brings up the subject of loving animals in the midst of loving people. I love animals with passion. But if you were to ask me which I love more, I wouldn't be able to answer you really. See, it's different. It's like loving the colour purple and loving the smell of bread.

I'm rather philosophical at such early hours (1.30am).

So I must retire now to bed before I begin another train of thoughts.

Blessings!

Back to School

2011-05-03T19:42:00.000+12:00

Well, not school, exactly. We call it classes, or lectures. University. Hah.

On Friday, I was quite desperately clinging onto time, not wanting to let the weekend slip away because naturally, classes were quite unwelcome.

However, yesterday morning (that would be Monday), I was, interestingly and surprisingly, happy to attend lectures again. In fact, you could say I had the excitement of a kid attending kindergarten for the first time. Okay, so maybe not all kids love going back to school, but my mum told me that I used to be so glad to go to school when I was almost an infant (especially on the First Days) - kidding about the infant part. But almost.

Anyways, where was I? Oh yes, the Monday jazzes, not blues, is what I get. Of course, that's not always the case, but it sure is the case for this week!

I'm quite aware of a couple of major events that occurred most recently, but I won't say much about them, unless you ask me to.

Rather, here's something lovely for your eyes to munch on.

Looks like summer, but it's Autumn.

Have you ever tried roasted carrots? They are the bomb.

And I love this song, especially the instrumental-ness of it.

I'm sorry I'm so random.

=O

April

2011-04-30T23:56:00.000+12:00

To sum up April...

This is what happens during cold, windy days:

And this is what it looks like on sunny days:

This is what Wellington looks like:

This is what I love to see:

And this is what I'm thankful for:

Friends.

The beach.

God's love.

Encouraged

2011-04-29T13:14:00.000+12:00

I just noticed that I've blogged the most this month (April) for the year 2011...

Anyways.

Today is a lovely, sunny day, and I don't need to tell you how much it lifts my spirits, despite the fact that I've been dreading this weekend because it indicates that my Easter break is ending and classes are beginning again.

This morning, from my devotional reading, God spoke and reminded me that there's no need to be afraid of what's ahead. Like the sun that rose from the East this morning, and the grey clouds that parted ways with the blue sky today, it was exactly what I needed.

That's what it looks like out there, right now.

I quote from the 29th April devotional reading (I'm doing 'Still Higher for His Highest' by Oswald Chambers, by the way. You've probably heard of 'My Utmost for His Highest'? Same author =)):

"It is the most natural thing in the world to be scared, and the clearest evidence that God's grace is at work in our hearts is when we do not get into panics."

After reading that, I began singing this song.

Of course, I didn't have the powerful bass vocals. Haha.

But this version is just lovely, isn't it?

I hope this post encourages you greatly, dear reader. =)

Blessed Friday to you.

The Weather

2011-04-28T12:02:00.001+12:00

Folks,

Ladies and gents,

I have to apologize on my own behalf for the queerness of my previous two blogposts, namely Studying (in which most of the contents are fictional) and The Roaring Wind. I do declare, the weather is guilty of stimulating them.

It's been extremely windy and gloomy and cloudy these days. In fact, the forecast was for this entire week to be windy and awful in the whole North Island of New Zealand. A friend, who attained a new hobby of checking the wind speeds this week, informed me that yesterday, the winds were 67km/h and ultimately, the highest record was 72km/h. Now tell me, dear readers, would not such bizarre winds drive a person nuts?

Now to lighten the mood, let me just tell you something...

*leans in and whispers*

A flaky, hot croissant along with a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows makes one rather happy on such days.

Quite happy, indeed.

Studying

2011-04-27T11:20:00.000+12:00

I am studying, and find myself turning on my laptop. So I end up finishing off whatever I wanted to finish off this morning, standing.

Then, I push my notes aside, flop down in my chair, and lean over laptop with the desire of a ravenous wolf, surfing vigorously and typing with fast-flying fingers, while my mind races like a greyhound.

Suddenly, the words leap off the screen at me and begin to speak verbally. I am sufficiently amused, yet not at all surprised. They talk to me, and conversation immediately ensues, leaving me gasping for air because we talk too fast.

When I catch my breath again, the words have disappeared. And I've forgotten what the conversation was about.

I think to myself, that was weird, and I continue on with my Wednesday as if nothing ever happened. Although, deep inside, I am really dreaming of going to the beach and throwing my hands up in the air with passion.

My own train of thoughts leave me staggered at the randomness of whimsicality.

Bla.

The Roaring Wind

2011-04-26T21:51:00.000+12:00

The wind howls and howls;

She blows and blows.

I sit in the comfort of my room, and wonder.

"Will she ever stop?"

Of course, the logical answer is "yes".

For she will tire soon,

To finally give the trees and leaves a rest.

Then come back again in June.

Or earlier.

I have no idea what I'm babbling about.

Haha.

The Wellington Excursion (Part 2)

2011-04-26T16:09:00.001+12:00

And here's part 2:

We walked and walked and walked and walked and walked on Saturday evening.

Until we were so tired, we just sat down on a bench by the road and waited to be picked up.

Before that, I saw a boat that I absolutely fell in love with.

Beautiful South.

And a mini, artificial beach.

Haha.

Down the streets...

Had the best ice-cream in town

This flavour is Tiramisu flavour!

It was too awesome to be true.

I tried Turkish Delight, and thought of Edmund and the White Witch immediately.

Terlalu manis, tapi sedap juga.

By the harbour at night.

The railway station.

Looks like those in movies.

Sunday morning, Easter Sunday, that is, we attended Arise Church. They had an Easter production that morning. The production was about burdens, about letting go, and giving them to God.

The cast did an amazing job of bringing the characters to life.

My particular favourite is Adam, a confused and hopeless young man, clinging onto his burdens of confusion because he thinks they are all part of him.

But he realizes then, that to move ahead, he needs to let go and let Someone who knows how to handle these burdens take it all.

Typical drama plot, but carried out beautifully.

We met so many new friends, and went for lunch together.

Duck noodle soup.

Yum.

Something happened that afternoon. We were supposed to go back to Palmy that Sunday afternoon and we missed the bus. Haha. Yes, you read correctly. We MISSED THE BUS. What happened was, our host was unaware of the time, and me thinking that he knew what's best, thought it was perfectly normal to go to the pickup points late. When I casually mentioned that it was 2.45pm already (our bus departs at 3pm), he was shocked and rushed us to wherever we were supposed to be.

Upon arriving there, we saw a bus that didn't look like our bus, but apparently was our bus. Walking up to inquire of the driver, the bus suddenly took off. Yes, it took off. We were unconvinced that was the right bus, so waited a bit longer (which we probably shouldn't have done). After a series of asking around about buses, we decided that we had missed the bus and to buy another ticket which would be for Monday morning. In other words, we were to stay another night in Welly. Haha!

Random shot of Vic Uni, which I took while we were fretting over the bus.

So we went back to attend the second church service in Arise.

Pretty lights!

By night time, while we were out for dinner with the church peeps, I was quite exhausted from socializing that I became a recluse at the meal table. Perhaps, I was also starting to miss Palmy.

But at any rate, the trip was definitely a memorable one.

I will return to Wellington again.