Live. Laugh. Love

To live is to laugh and love

2012-01-28T00:51:00.002+08:00

It's gonna be a busy busy day for me. Gonna make my way to SIM to print some readings at 9AM, head for tuition from 11-230PM, rush back to celebrate the bday of the man of my life, be disciplined about project awakening-my-muscles, and do my readings. But being busy fulfills my soul :)

Havent been updating this space regularly because school has kicked in. Other than that, life's been awesome to me. I'm thankful for where God has placed me and it feels good to be excited about waking up again. I'm thankful for the few people close to my heart that God has placed in my life. Thank You, and thank you (:

God knows we're worth it

2012-01-27T01:56:00.000+08:00

when i look into your eye, its like watching the night sky
or a beautiful sunrise, there's so much they hold

i wont give up on us, even if the skies get rough

你的眼神充满魅力带走我的心跳
你的温柔如此靠近带走我的心跳

malaysia trail

2012-01-13T00:27:00.005+08:00

third trip across the border within a year to JB, albeit this time with a different group of people. i had the sudden urge to get my hair dyed so a few of us had gathered on sunday and the next morning (actually, make that noon), 4 of us excitedly made our ways into jaybee (:

at the legendary bak ku teh place at taman sentosa

it was heavenly :) :)

the girls were in this salon for f-o-u-r hours just to get our hair dye

then we headed over to taman sentosa for the customary seafood

tooooooooooo much food for 4 but all in all, a good trip :)

Thanksgiving 2011

2012-01-09T01:59:00.010+08:00

Thanksgiving with the CG took on a different approach this year as it was separated into 2 parts. The first session was dedicated to our new friends, so as to express our gratitude to them for joining us for the christmas season. It was titled 'this is love' (:

this is S, the girl behind the decorations for the night. she is someone who has nimble skills and can draw really well :)

here's P, the evangelist of our CG, with 4 of his new friends

here's F, 1 of my favorite girls (:

This is JM, a great scholar and an even greater testimony for God. He is a testament of how God is able to bring about radical transformations in your life as long as you have faith and obedience :)

This is my CG, where joy and laughter follow us with each step we take together

The man behind our destinies :)

The second session was a more intimate session dedicated to ourselves, to thank God for the good, and the bad; not forgetting the people who ran shoulder to shoulder with us the past year. It was hence titled 'It's all about you'.

while M and S were preparing downstairs, the rest of the CG squeezed into my room to prepare for our performance as well

we gave thanks, shared our hearts with one another, reconciled broken relationships and made commitments to God and one other for the year ahead

we had fun together

showed appreciation to one another

photo-bomb together

some of the people who have grown so close to my heart xx

So thankful for them because they've seen me through the good and bad times in my life, and never have they despised my weakness but have constantly shown me encouragements, love, edification, acceptance and most importantly, always believing in me even though i've failed them countless times. A large part of who i am today has been shaped by them because they chose to stick by me, to commit to me. Thank you for making a difference (:

and 2012 is gonna be a better year yet

2012-01-05T02:10:00.023+08:00

because reminiscing upon the highlights of 2011 reminds me of God's faithfulness upon my life:

1. short hair

I went back to my short hair days after 3 years as a form of a fresh start and am still embracing the carefreeness accompanied by it

2. Lion King Broadway Musical

I went for my first broadway musical after eons (the first was phantom, which probably doesn't count because it was a family outing when i was no more than 6 yrs old)

3. Tuition Assignments

two of my tutees

I made 4 digits income (during my better days) by imparting knowledge to students and actually discovered my passion in teaching math

4. Leading testimonies and giving Bible studies - yes, definitely a milestone and not something i thought i was possible of doing at the start of the year.

5. Sundown Half marathon

yes, although i limped for about 8-9KM, i am still proud to say i persevered and completed the race

6. Engin FOP 2011

engin camp 2011

met the craziest bunch of people as we came together to plan for freshmen orientation. Yep, that's right. June hols were never the same again

7. HK trip

at the zoo

at my 22nd

r's 22nd

made new friendships w a bunch of people whom i'd never have imagined would become so close to my heart now. And, yes i love them and i'm committed to them

8. Family

noon out shopping w sis

Dec hols tog w sis and mum

we've since learnt to iron things out verbally instead of keeping issues in our hearts and have became much closer. my relationship w my sis grew tremendously- i was never willing to go out for meals/shopping with her but i thank God for reconciliations and speaking to me the importance of kinship.

9. Food hangouts

marmalade pantry- the last i went was after my A's - a good 4 yrs back

hooters for k's bday

Fruit paradise- absolutely adore their cakes

Timbre

Garden slug

wild honey (favorite of all!)

city space -luxuries we can't afford on a weekly basis

cedele's desserts

15 minutes

with a pinch of salt- love the portions and pricing

food for though- good food for good cause

ikea's meatball

white dog cafe

ichiban

the hand burger

Arteastiq

in between my finance management, i treated my stomach to delectable dishes and re-visted many places on my to-go list ,among which many were my debut entries into eateries i haven't stepped foot into before 2011

10. New friendships

i got to make many new precious Godly friendships in church outside of my CG/ zone in which i treasure, out of which there were certain i grew to appreciate more

thank you for going the extra mile to appease my stomach and my heart whenever my cravings arose :)

all in all, i've received so much more than I could imagine- financial breakthroughs, spiritual breakthroughs, breakthroughs in relationships. Thank you for making a difference in my life this 2011, thank You :)

simply because;

2012-01-05T00:39:00.001+08:00

you asked for it

uh huh that's right o-yeaaaaaaa

of thanksgiving

2011-12-30T02:24:00.000+08:00

sometimes, we forget the importance of having a thankful heart. it's so easy to praise God when you're on the mountain top but the real challenge really comes when you're in the deepest valley. everyday, i'm still learning the art of gratitude and yes, countless times i've failed. but in all, 2011 has been a year of countless blessings for me. looking back, the year did not start well because i was trapped in my past and couldn't burn the bridges. but i'm thankful to God it's not about how well we start but how well we end, because as the months went by, my life got better, and better, and better :) breakthroughs in my ministry, breakthroughs in my finances, breakthroughs in my relationships and the list goes on :) I remember praying for breakthroughs and growth in every aspect of my life on my 21st last Aug and all i can say is, God is indeed faithful (:

Thank you for enlarging my capacity in 2011 (:

Of Christmas and festive joys

2011-12-27T03:25:00.014+08:00

"My friends are my estate."

- Emily Dickinson

This Christmas season was spent in the company of people close to my heart. I spent the eve of christmas noon playing kinect, the latest entertainment addition to the Lee family, w my sis and parents. It was a heartwarming time because we danced and laughed together. The last hours of the eve was spent in the company of my spiritual family in church followed by a countdown/ supper session in xinwang. Nothing too extravagant but nonetheless meaningful.

so close to my heart

people i run shoulder to shoulder with in cg

we never run out of conversations

a new friend but a good friend made :)

w511 <3

spent the first few hours into Christmas at starbucks

some of my favorite people :)

the clique had our own thanksgiving spent over boxing day at R's

it was a noon with mac&cheese (and may i add, absolutely tasteful)

preparations for dinner

muddy (!!!)

goofing around

and of course, the companion of great friends

Dinner was theme 'Pyjamas TTM' which the girls faithfully and meticulously dressed to

personalized table mats. thumbs up for the effort ;)

dinner was a 6 course meal which was nothing short of awesome, all prepared by our own chef R :)

we had our customary gifts exchange,

log cake and hot chocolate w marshmallows.

the night ended in the companion of good trusted friends as we celebrated our friendship and as well, the reason for the season :)

2011-12-25T04:05:00.002+08:00

happy birthday Jesus (:

thank You for bringing joy and peace into everyone's hearts.

it's been exactly 5 years, and life has never been more fulfilling and satisfying

thank You for coming into my life <3

2011-12-22T02:34:00.002+08:00

Last week, i spent $320 at topshop.

Tonight, i'm giving myself a $120 limit to spend at HnM to celebrate my half decade since i came to christ.

I'M GOOD AT THIS, AIN'T I

beautiful and good of December

2011-12-20T02:01:00.032+08:00

Upper class retreat from 2nd-4th dec

it was a good time where old friendships were reconnected and new friendships were build, alongside a refreshing experience with God

captain ball fruits style

forfeit for losing team

team FOUR

what's games without getting dirty

one my CGL, one my good old buddy (:

lunch was pure awesome

afternoon session

our best dressed lady (:

my fav girls (:

Soci honors class chalet 5th-6th Dec

NUS Soci honors class of 2012 (:

NYPS 6J' 2001 gathering 8th Dec

you can say we've known each other for half our lives already. this is the 11th year of friendship and still going strong. it is true when they say friends can grow separately without growing apart.

crazy fans of kinect

check out her k's crazily huge dog

OPM at JW Church on 9th Dec

we survived a 6 hr (coupled with 2 half hour intermitten breaks in between) from 11pm-5am. it was crazily exhausting but fun because we did it together as a spiritual family

part thereof my CG at 3.32AM, still going strong :)

Sarah's 21st on 17th Dec

preparations & decorations

birthday girl makes her appearance :)

with dad&mum :) :)

with the cg :)

them and their obsession with longan juice

very attentive to the performance

Candlelight service at Suntec on 18th Dec

this was a nice shot because you could see the multitude of lights behind them

<3 through sunshine or rain

w511 <3

MW's bday at Itacho aft service

i'm committed to them :)

planning for our xmas party, without much avail

a slice of awfully chocolate which didnt taste very delectable to him

superbly reluctant to have a shot with Jo

handmade gift from M :)

friends with benefit ;)

I could get lost

2011-12-16T02:05:00.001+08:00

Le love: I could get lost

devil's kitchen

2011-12-14T00:00:00.019+08:00

Being en-tasked with the responsibility to prepare for the CG's christmas dinner menu entitles me to source up on delightful recipes and at the same time the liberty to check out dishes which appeal to my taste buds (:

whilst at work, here's a list of recipes that i looked up on which of course isn't exclusive

Beef Lasagne from Noob Cook

Shepherd's Pie from Rachel Ray

Artichoke Spinach Dip

Mac n Cheese from Jamie Oliver

Mac and Cheese from Martha Stewart

Potatoe Gratin from Jamie Oliver

Garlic butter roasted mushrooms

Baked mushrooms

Spring Salad with Potatoes

Salad with Poached Eggs

Scrambled Eggs

Bun and Butter Pudding from Jamie Oliver

Sticky Toffee Pudding from Jamie Oliver

Granola Trifle from Joy of Baking

and since we are on the topic of Christmas, can i just say how much i really love Lady Antebellum's christmas album!! Listening to their songs set me in the right mood for christmas already :)

The king became a child a long long time ago
And the child became a king
So the whole wide world will know
What christmas really is

2011-12-11T23:34:00.004+08:00

The good thing about certain sets of lyrics is how particular parts of the song tend to apply to your situation at different points in your life.

this has always been one of my favorite songs because i was able to express myself through a particular part for the longest time. yet now in this new chapter of my life, i find myself coming back to the lyrics once again, but this time round, relating to a different portion. but on top of everything, of course i love the song in itself (:

You, by the light
Is the greatest find
In a world full of wrong
You're the thing that's right

Finally made it through the lonely
To the other side

You set it again, my heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
I'm at the edge of my emotions
Watching the shadows burning in the dark

And I'm in love
And I'm terrified
For the first time and the last time
In my only life

And this could be good
It's already better than that
And nothing's worse
Than knowing you're holding back

I could be all that you need
If you let me try

I only said it 'cause I mean it
I only mean 'cause it's true
So don't you doubt what I've been dreaming
'Cause it fills me up and holds me close whenever I'm without you

2011-12-10T14:29:00.006+08:00

this is my cell group at 3.32AM in church this morning for our OPM, still very alive and excited :)

it was the first time i stayed through an OPM last night, believe it or not. i consider it a breakthrough because i've never been able to last beyond 2 hours. the PnW sessions were so good, so so good. my friends on stage were all so awesome in song leading and their guitar skills :)

i think i'm readier as compared to half a year ago and this time, i wanna put in efforts too :)

2011-12-02T02:02:00.002+08:00

it's been a crazy ride this sem. 3 consecutive weeks of presentations, followed by 1 +3 essays due one after another with little more than 2 weeks to study for exams, cramming 13 weeks worth of content. man, am i glad to say it's over. it was a very challenging fight which i fought with all my strength. Thank You Jesus :)

2011-11-26T03:15:00.000+08:00

"And my God shall supply all my needs"

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Feelings We Need Words For « Thought Catalog

2011-11-22T00:49:00.000+08:00

Feelings We Need Words For « Thought Catalog

Fw:

2011-11-17T03:34:00.001+08:00

I am on a downhill track to the glory of my former days. Unfortunately, there is no glory in it. Got to be disciplined and start watching what goes into my mouth. Need to shed those extra kilos. Cannot spiral out of control.

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2011-11-06T04:29:00.000+08:00

It's as though I'm afraid I'd even lose those memories and feelings, the only things u left behind.

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i'll wait for you here

2011-11-02T00:06:00.002+08:00

"Missing someone gets easier every day because even though it's one day further from the last time you saw each other, it's one day closer to the next time you will."

it's so true, isn't it :)

snapshots

2011-10-27T01:52:00.019+08:00

here's snapshots of events which took place beyond my academia life

Fleaver at Scape

the girls performed :)

then we headed to surprise ryan for his bday :)

and had some street shots

and had a fun time on stage

DJ's 21st at Lasalle 15 minutes

he had to go through a series of forfeits whilst we prepared the cake

bday cake and card from the cg :)

Dinner with kat&cindy + Ajisen outing w the gang

so much food that we were bursting at the seams

met the gang for dinner at ajisen

JY's 22nd at with a pinch of salt

very generous portions they offered at affordable pricings

bday girl and a series of goofing around

hopped over to an ice cream parlor after dinner

Engin appreciation dinner '11

best days of my June :)

Dinner w the girls at coffee club & CToh's bday

IKEA meatball outing followed by KTV at Teo Heng

some of our virgin meal at Ikea :)

goofing around Ikea

impromptu trip to Teo Heng for a time of KTV

Jov's birthday surprise at his place!

USS the next morning :)

girls were un-fashionably late by one hour :/ but the guys were really forgiving. thumbs up!

lettttt the fun begin!

at the madagascar ride

series of group shots with the different characters

BnJ aft lunch and queuing under the sweltering sun for lost world

met J at the Hollywood area while she was preparing for halloween

Sometimes, When It's raining

2011-10-26T14:13:00.005+08:00

Sometimes, When It's Raining (thought it was a beautifully crafted entry and what's more befitting than this on a rainy afternoon)

2011-10-19T01:51:00.003+08:00

school is picking up pace. 3 datelines in 2 weeks is pretty taxing if you wanna talk about doing consistent readings still. NUS FASS is known for the insane amount of readings and don't we all agree that profs generally have this you-are-only-taking-my-module-this-sem syndrome. making full use of resources and the school fees i pay by staying back in school till average 130AM every other night. school is scarily alive and crowded even at 11PMs everyday. thank God for good friends who make life less insane :)

this is not an exaggeration. i am quite a living testament of it.

Thank You J

2011-10-14T01:36:00.005+08:00

never decline when the opportunity to serve arises (i know, easier said than done).

was given a chance at serving chorus board for our zone young adult's PM. basically, while PnW goes, i'm the one in charged of flashing the slides. it was my first time and i was tremendously blessed by the experience. although there were numerous technical glitches (yea, imagine the fluster in my heart and shock on everyone else's faces when worship song lyrics came on the screen into the start of the first praise song -_-) and how i was really fumbling to the last second literally before the PM numbering my slides and all. but was i humbled by the people who extended their helping hands to me when they saw the fluster on my face and the encouragements they offered. and of course, not to mention when WY came to me during worship and said 'lock this image into your heart. you are part of it'. i looked at the people worshipping with all their hearts; i felt God's presence come upon me immediately and i myself was ministered as i served.

there's so much i gained out of this experience and SO MUCH MORE i need to learn - to enlarge my capacity in times of stress and even to learn to be the encourager through difficult times, to be sharper with my surroundings (i have never been someone who notices details until i'm forced into it), to be thick-skinned about embarrassing myself and yet be humble to learn from mistakes, and to have a willing heart to serve.

most of all, i'm so happy to be able to serve with W511 today :)

our photo

2011-10-05T23:21:00.005+08:00

as clear and unchanging as it was, a beautiful photo that remains the same is a bracing reminder that we are the ones who have changed, as the memories slowly fade away in our hearts.

2011-10-03T01:10:00.000+08:00

Strengthen me, God. Strengthen me.
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2011-10-02T23:23:00.002+08:00

i've been experiencing what it's like to be broken before God; when u feel like u have nothing to offer except a heart of worship. i pray that i will always be broken and that my love for Him will touch Him.

s.t.r.e.t.c.h.e.d

2011-09-30T23:51:00.002+08:00

to balance studies, rest, work, church and friends. feeling the stretch.

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things unseen. Need to keep having faith in all that i'm doing now.

some miles away

2011-09-29T01:28:00.000+08:00

how much?

2011-09-27T00:46:00.002+08:00

this much.

i loved you yesterday, love you today, and will love you tomorrow

2011-09-26T23:35:00.005+08:00

i felt an overwhelming sense of weariness and fatigue last night. it made me feel disjointed from the clique because i thought i was fighting my battle alone. i cried. but don't be deceived, because the devil uses tired bodies as a trap to lure us away. God reminded me the place of agreement is the place of power. instead of feeling disjointed from the body of his believers, i had to root myself back to them because they are helping me fight my battle too. as i was skyping with D, our talks became serious and the issue that i was suppressing surfaced, and i cried. But I know she's here for me, and i'll try my best to be there for her. And the clique, we are there for each other. God reminded me it's a season for us to expand our capacities; every one around me is being stretched, and it feels like we are reaching the ends of our limits. but this battle is not mine alone to fight; it is a battle we fight together as friends, and a battle God fights for me.

With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles. And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. (NIV, 2Chro 32:8)

2011-09-24T02:28:00.000+08:00

Was watching the youtube video of 'great I am' by New Life worship band. Tears streamed down my face and I got on my knees as I worshiped together with them.

I wanna be close
Close to your side
So heaven is real
And death is a lie

this one is for you

2011-09-23T01:20:00.005+08:00

Best friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway.

Do you remember the first time we met? It was Christmas 2006. You were wearing boots in your santa outfit. Your laughters probably scared me away.

Do you remember when we got closer? It was during the DBS days in 2008. How we would meet at DBS tower 1 Level 18 and chat there for 1 hour when we were sent to run errands? Or the font size 32 greetings I sent to your email. This was the beginning of a God given friendship.

Do you remember when I got attached? You were happy for me. I shared with you my problems through my emails and you would reply ever so patiently.

Do you remember when things took a downturn in my life? You stood by me, encouraged me, gave me strength to keep on believing. What would have become of me without your consoles, your encouragement and at times your advices.

Do you remember on your last birthday, you got into a quarrel and wanted to cancel your party but decided to go on with it? You weren't in the best of mood yourself but when i told you i had a quarrel myself, your words lifted me up.

Do you remember us traveling to BKK together? We shared a room, shared jokes and shared our hearts.

Do you remember us traveling to HK together? This time round, we shared a bed, shared our laughters and shared a deeper friendship.

Do you remember us sniggering and giggling away in CG when S preaches? We were probably thinking about the same thing in our minds.

Do you remember the times we chat over BBM and say the same things at the same time? And we tell each other to stop thinking so alike.

Do you remember you were sharing about the qualities you look for in a husband? We joked about it because I happened to meet most of them. I started thinking about what I looked for in mine, and realized they were similar to yours. Maybe that's the reason why we are the best of friends.

Do you remember how much joy you bring to the people around you through your laughters, your jokes, and your presence?

Do you remember how beautiful you are on the inside? On the outside when you feel confident about yourself?

Do you remember all these? Because I do.

You probably never realized how much of a gift you are, you forgot your values in the eyes of others. And if i have to remind you again, I count it all blessings to have you around.

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece that all creation
Quietly applauds
And you're covered with
The fingerprints of God

Just look at you
You're a wonder in the making
And God's not through
In fact, He's just getting started

;i'm everything i am

2011-09-21T00:38:00.001+08:00

i'm everything i am because you love me

affairs of 22

2011-09-20T02:54:00.002+08:00

my birthday was a simple affair. truth is, after a certain age, you stop coveting the lavish and loud parties and you learn that simplicity brings the warmest of joy as well.

the clique was invited over to my place for a BBQ. maybe i anticipated some mini surprise but i was still pleasantly shocked.

clockwise from top left: 1) shaun starting fire and the laughters on the boys' faces warmed my heart tremendously 2) nette and mave preparing in the kitchen 3) happiness plastered on her face 4) garden jump 5) evidence of the 2 boys slacking in the name of counseling each other

several shots taken while the sky was still bright

1) Doc Marts 2) mave&myself 3) consie in the garden 4) nette's top shop heels 5) the girls <3 6) shaun&jov 7)the cutest couple

and here's comes the bday surprise. I was tricked by jov n nette that it was her time of the month and she needed to borrow stuffs. funny how i suspected nothing when jov came along with her.

cupcakes from 12 cupcakes! makeup kit, a Mango sling bag and personalized clay messages. Man, was i blown away :)

hanging out in the living room. love them to bits

and this was the jump shots in the car porch.

the second celebration occurred on the actual day at orchard central's Medz with the CG.

this was how i spent my 22nd; nothing too extravagant, nothing too fanciful, but my heart was equally full.

finding joy

2011-09-20T00:46:00.003+08:00

the first half of my first semester of my forth year (can't think of a better way to phrase it) flew by.

Readings got a whole load tougher, classes got more competitive, fellow honors students are fighting against time and the sleep monster and of course, each other. 4AM mornings are here to stay.

might be too soon to say this but i find myself feeling excited admist the busyness of school, the daunting work load and the impeding date lines. into my second last semester of my life as a student, i'm glad it wasn't too late i learnt to find joy in what im doing :)

a rekindled love

2011-09-14T21:38:00.008+08:00

i have since rekindled my penchant for Starbucks recently.

i have never been a fan of coffee so i seldom drop by coffee joints. The genesis of my now-biweekly encounters with Starbucks dated back to when i was working in DBS 4 years ago. You'd be amazed at the number of outlets they have within the vicinity; there can be 3 just barely 2 streets apart. 'Da Jie (loosely translated as elder sister), are you free now? Can help us buy or not' was how my ex colleague, D, used to make fun of me when he felt like having afternoon tea. My superior would advocate Green Tea Frap and that was how i got to know these coffee joints serve pretty awesome drinks. And because there was an outlet right at the bottom floor (DBS tower 2 at shenton way), i acquired a taste for their drinks. when work at DBS stopped, i naturally stopped patronizing them and forgot the goodness of their taste.

Of late, hanging out with friends who simply adore Starbucks, drinking religiously every other day when we were in HK, and out of my support for the newest outlet that just spruced out of NUS grounds; my taste bud has once again been aroused by the delightful flavours of their drinks. Starbucks is the new hangout place once again where we sit and sip our drinks, watching the world go by, on lazy sunday evenings.

Taking a little trip about Jaybee town

2011-09-13T02:49:00.009+08:00

On national day, we took a little trip down to JB town. so this probably marks the second time in three months we stopped by JB (first round was right after my sem ended in May)

The arrangement was 930AM at Woodlands check point, but these guys are more than just punctual. So when i got there at 930AM sharp, i was deemed late. pfft.

First stop: Taman Sentosa for breakfast

at 竹林

yea, we ordered quite a bit for breakfast.

L to R, top down: venison meat, tofu hot plate, wild board meat, herbal chicken (which was their specialty), dou miao and hokkien mee.

After a hearty breakfast, we cabbed down to City Square and decided to catch a movie at their Cathay outlet. Our movie ticket was 6RM. that was an awesome deal for the fact that if we were watching back at Cathay in Sg on that day, movie tickets would have been at least 10SGD. And popcorn sets were about 7RM each!

After a movie, we loitered around for a short while before we went to this eatery with very nice roasted meat. The shop name is 'Herbal Roasted n BBQ Delights'. It was one street diagonally across City Square.

i like how it's become a habit to do table grace tog :)

Next stop was holiday plaza. We went there to get very affordable colored contact lenses for myself and hairdryers for few of us!

on our ways out, we had some time for photos. i was thus assigned a new name 'First Love' aka 初恋姐. Details will be kept within the group ha ha ;)

From holiday plaza, we walked to KSL to use their toilets and walked around for a short while before we headed for Taman Tebrau for our religious massage! It was a pity they had no slots of Full Body massage for all of us :[

After a very good massage, we crossed the street and had our very sumptuous seafood dinner. You name it, we ordered it. Crayfishes were the bomb! stingrays, kangkong and few other dishes. we went back to Sg with full tummies and full hearts :)

HK travel log day 6

2011-09-13T02:17:00.033+08:00

on our sixth and second last day (for the girls at least), we headed for dim sum breakfast at the said restaurant in the picture below, located at Tim Ho Wan of Mong Kok.

so the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover. one may be deceived by the exteriors of this eatery but it has one of the best dim sums in HK. the chef has been awarded one Michelin star and the average waiting time is about 2 hours. So we got our queue number before heading off to walk around. When we finally went back, there was some miscommunication and the owner of the shop was rather rude which kinda spoilt our moods.

but their food won our hearts over easily.

pork porridge

carrot cake was so smooth

chee cheong fan was the bomb. woah.

har gao

this was the char siew pastry, one of their signature dishes. oh gosh. my salivary glands are active just doing this post.

Osmanthus jelly

After lunch, the girls had errands to run so we separated from the boys. We made our ways back to Granville circuit where Rise shopping arcade was and had to do some exchange at their polaroid shophouse.

we then headed back to Argyle cause we needed to do some clothes exchange.

and tried their happy lemon! they have it in Sg too :)

oh and one thing about HK, they sell cold noodles in small packets. You choose the type of noodle you want, and 2 types of food (octopus, jellyfish, crab stick etc etc) to go along and its mixed together with sauces. oh my. it is so awesome i can't even begin to describe. the thing is, i didn't have the appetite to eat it on that particular noon so M and C said really weird things to tempt me to eat and gave me angry faces when i resisted their temptations >:(

because we had severe time constrains, we cabbed around the places, stopped at Sneakers' Street and got Vans for M before rushing back home for r's home made dinner!

the 2 boys posed with OUR FOOD >:( because they started digging into the food too fast

After dinner, we rested for quite some time (i.e. nap for me, ha ha) before the girls went off separately from the guys (yes, again) cause we needed to use our vouchers from Agnes B. so off we headed for causeway bay and it was a night of robert-ness. we got into the cab and i immediately realized i left my phone back at home (S and I were the points of contact between the boys and girls) so M had to msg the guys with her sg number.

Here we are, outside Agnes B, Causeway Bay

And the most robert-ed thing happened. Actually it happened in the noon but we only came to realize it there and then. So many calls were made back to Sg and we were in quite a fluster but thank God everything got taken care of by wonderful colleagues :)

so once we were done at Agnes B, we cabbed back to Sneakers street and got myself a pair of vans too!

Here we are, in our Vans :) can't be found in Sg !

When we were finally willing to stop shopping, we met the guys for supper at this beef noodles eatery down the street of our apartment. it was really good!

And after supper, we headed to stock up on instant pastas that we could bring back to Sg.

Back at home, some last photos were taken

our shoes lining the hallway

Here's the instant noodles!

packing.

packing..

Us in the souvenirs SM got for us :)

because it was the girls' last night, everyone was spontaneous enough to do a shuffling video together, ha ha ha.

which also marks the end of our wonderful journey :)

2011-09-13T01:40:00.001+08:00

no longer my favorite boy's favorite girl anymore. got to deal with it

"God has someone good waiting for you. Happiness comes from within, & no one can take that away from you. You've got a good future ahead of you, and a good family behind you."

HK travel log day 5

2011-09-10T00:25:00.021+08:00

As we can see, this travel log is pretty back dated (all the way back to mid July) because my laziness got the better of me.

on the fifth morning, we woke up and headed straight for the hotel nearby our apartment because they had half price off dimsums before 11AM. you can see from the picture how everyone was in their sleeping attire and hairstyle.

after a very sumptuous breakfast, we headed back home to rest and prepare for the day.

customary group photo <3

by the time everyone was ready, it was noon so we headed to Langham shopping mall for desserts. they have this in Sg too but i think HK's ones beats everywhere else hands down.

at 记得吃

after desserts, we followed the guys around and watch them shop for Red wings (!!).

because this was so long ago, i can't exactly remember what took place in between except that the guys and girls went shopping separately. If i'm not mistaken, the girls went to shop at Argyle right outside MK MRT while the guys went some place else. Argyle was really awesome and we spent 2 hours just shopping the first 3 stories! Now we know where our clothes from Far East originates from, albeit at much more affordable prices!

we got back home in the evening, rested for a very short while and left soon after because we needed to get a souvenir for SM (who was flying off to canada) and then head for the peak.

here we are, at the tram station which would take us to the peak, with SM and our souvenir for him.

everyone had the chance to take a photo with him

the cousins :)

while waiting for the tram up, we had much time to photo-bomb again

here we are, at the peak, outside Madame Tussaud wax museum.

on our ways to the toilet, the boys accidentally discovered that the back exit led to this breathtaking scenery which overlooks the city. it. was. so. beautiful.

so needless to say, everyone had an individual shot!

after we took enough photos, we had dinner at BK, and took more photos.

and were crazy enough to do a visa dance in the open space (which will be shown in vlog 6)

awwwwww <3

and then came the funny shots

just couldn't jump..

on our ways down, we had to take more photos.

start to observe the very annoying expression in the background

Actually, it was pretty funny. we were at the MTR station, the girls, together with MW, managed to get on and the boys were left behind. so the girls went off to buy some (girls') stuff from mannings (our guardian) and the boys called to inform us they wanted us to meet someone. we got into huge flusters because we WERE buying girls' stuff when the guys found us.

imagine our shock when we saw PC!

on our ways to the super mart. we bought so many packets of instant pastas home.

the night was pretty unforgettable. we were supposed to make a dancing video but S fell asleep out of lethargy and the rest of us were just hanging out in the living room. i was in the kitchen tog with MW and he was preparing his pasta when he asked how long he should put his pasta in the microwave. basing on my intuition, i said 2 minutes. (which was obviously NOT the case because the instruction which MW didn't bother to read stated 5 minutes) he had to put it in a second time and it probably affected the taste by quite a bit.

because everyone else except me was eating supper, i wanted to try a bit of MW's pasta. within 5 seconds, everyone stared dumbfounded at the pasta that fell onto the carpet. (some background info: the previous night, JJ had stepped on the sofa to get pass someone and he accidentally stepped on the ends of the curtain, thus pulling some portions off the hook. we were pretty sure S's grandparents will ban us from their home forever) imagine the horror.

thankfully, R was smart enough to know how to handle the mess and we secretly tried to keep it from S, who was sound asleep.

so that was the end of our fifth day in Hong Kong!

the video is combined with the morning of our fourth day

2011-09-04T02:51:00.000+08:00

God is pushing me to rely ever more on Him. He's forcing me to let go of everything so the only thing I can cling on to for life is Him. He's testing how much I trust in His appointed timing.

God is pulling at my tents so hard I'm gritting my teeth and barely making it.

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2011-09-03T21:26:00.000+08:00

原来人心是那么难预测。
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2011-09-01T21:23:00.003+08:00

i've always prayed for my family to be closer, for relationships to improve. and i'm thankful that it's slowly coming to pass.

now, if the deepest desire of my heart would get fulfilled, it would have been perfect

2011-08-31T03:17:00.000+08:00

We always ask God to expand our capacities to handle stress, to be more loving and patient, to be more bold and courageous, and so on. We tend to focus so much on asking that when He puts us through trials, we forgot and get frustrated.

We ask to be more loving but we blame God for putting so many annoying people in our lives. We ask to be more patient but we get impatient when things don't happen within the time limit we imposed on God. We ask to be bold but we hide at the back when opportunities arise. We ask to be able to handle more stress yet start to develop self doubts and get frustrated when we feel threatened by trials He put us through.

As I was praying for a larger capacity to handle stress because I feel myself falling under the workload of my academics every single day, God reminded me this is the trial I have to go through in order for my tents to be enlarged. I have been so caught up with praying for a higher threshold of stress that I overlooked the fact that this is how God is gonna help me enlarge myself. So now, I pray that I will pass this trial well.

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Jesus be the center

2011-08-29T01:24:00.002+08:00

from my heart to the heavens, Jesus be the center

But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses. (1 Tim 6:12, MSG)

2011-08-28T18:10:00.000+08:00

The greatest desire of my heart is ...

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tumblr thoughts

2011-08-27T01:52:00.000+08:00

HK travel log day 4

2011-08-26T20:26:00.004+08:00

so after a busy (and excruciatingly tiring) day of walking and getting shoved at, we were supposed to head for repulse bay and leave home by 9AM on our forth day. when the guys barged into our room (as usual) in the morning and told us it was already 1030AM, we seriously thought it was just another of their gimmick to hoax us into leaving the bed. But lo and behold, they weren't. And being the gentlemen that they were, they had already gone out to grab milk tea for the girls, which was BTW, really nice to drink! The 4th day was henceforth known as 'The Lazy Day'!

supposedly practicing his wing-chun

everyone was just. lazy

when everyone finally got ready, i think it was way past 12 noon.

we headed for a cafe along the streets of MK for brunch and for some reasons, we mostly ordered western food.

communicating to his food.

M was the only one who ordered more authentic chinese food.

After brunch, we headed for Times Square at Causeway Bay.

TS is like the local version of paragon, which is to say, things there weren't very affordable. but its saving grace was the harry potter backdrop which we took opportunity of.

just 一个爱演

because TS had nothing within our budgets, we left the place and headed for the malls nearby TS. The guys and girls separated and the girls headed for _________ (cant remember the name). because there was really nothing that caught our eyes (and partly we were tired), the girls let for starbucks (again!) and rested for about an hour before we headed for Leighton Road's Agnes B. it was paradise on earth. 3 of us almost went crazy and started browsing the items we coveted after and stayed inside for about an hour. we left the place, happy girls, and bumped into the boys 2 shops down. Everyone was happy because of their individual buys, and we headed for Fashion walk where JJ got his Fred Perry at a very affordable rate too.

Because everyone had loads to carry, we decided to bring our loots home before heading for dinner at Yoshinoya. Yoshinoya in HK is pretty awesome because they serve so many kinds of food (which includes hotplate style). After a hearty meal, SM came to find us and we went shopping at trendy zone, a-g-a-i-n, with the boys. We headed back home at 11ish as the shops were closing and SM dropped by for a visit before we called it a night.

#thank you note 3

2011-08-25T00:55:00.004+08:00

we're all too busy with our own lives and only meet once, and on good days, twice, weekly. but i still thank God for this spiritual family i know i call fall back on when life in the world gets too tough for me to handle.

as i was reading their birthday messages, i felt overwhelmed because i know they saw the struggles i went through. i am so humbled to have this group of friends who have always had my back.

thank you w511 :)

#thank you note 2

2011-08-23T21:30:00.003+08:00

"I count myselt in nothing else so happy
As in a soul rememb'ring my good friends."
- William Shakespeare

thank you for your friendship

IMG00392-20110821-2337.jpg

2011-08-22T00:38:00.004+08:00

"and when i started counting my blessings, i realized i couldn't stop counting"

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2011-08-15T22:08:00.000+08:00

This afternoon, I was chatting with H on our way home from school. She's flying in to KL tmr aft sch from Tues to Thurs to meet B. B is a M'sian who's back from the states for his summer break and will be flying back on friday.

Distance between US and SG : at least 9500 miles
Time diff: 13 hrs.

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this photograph is my proof.

2011-08-14T20:17:00.001+08:00

“This Photograph is my proof. There was that afternoon, when things were still good between us, and she embraced me, and we were so happy. It did happen. She did love me. Look see for yourself!”

This is My Proof, Duane Michals, 1974

HK travel log day 3

2011-08-07T19:00:00.009+08:00

on our third day in HK, we were scheduled for ocean park.

After a heavy breakfast at one of the shophouse-eateries near our place, we headed for admiralty station where we could get tickets to OP.

S and JJ left the group, as we were queuing to get tickets at the MTR station, for the toilet but when they came back, nope, they hadn't used the toilet. because on their ways out of the station, they saw people who were offering to send people to OP, coupled with admission tickets (and hence in their excitement, they forgot their primary purpose and rushed down to get us instead)

here we are at the entrance of OP

at this point in time, everyone of us within the grp was pretty edgy already because it was infested with mainlanders. (once again, no offense but the representatives of the PRC who were there were getting on our nerves with their lack of mannerism. they communicate via SHOUTING, they POKE us to make us walk faster when the queue is obviously not moving, they CUT OUR QUEUES)

first ride at OP:

the carousel ride!

we had to coax MR MW to come on the ride with us and assure him the ride would not induce any form of dizziness. my motion sickness pills were readily offered to him.

nope, no sign of dizziness, ha ha

OP is divided into a few portions, and here we are, atop the hills.

the scenery behind was really breathtaking.

our first ride felt kind of like a pirate-ship ride just that it goes 360 degree. we thought it looked pretty harmless, and in actual fact, it was, but when we were hanging at the top, overlooking the whole of ocean park, it was kinda scary, and the blood rush was. . . indescribable. but in our opinions, it was the best of all the rides we took. (come to think of it, we only took 3 rides, excluding carousel)

to the other 3 guys who backed out.

reason why we took so little rides was mainly because of the queuing (it's madness), all the SHOVING, the weather and also because the rides were really far apart. we went for a mini coaster ride and queued for an hour, after which everyone just felt tired and sweaty. we took another 30-45 mins to locate the last coaster ride (yes, no exaggerating, it was that long) because it was located on the far end of OP, from where we were at. we were half contemplating to just ride the cable cars down and call it a day.

yes, we went down escalatorS, found out we were in the wrong directions.

and went up several escalatorSSS.

just for this ride.

the waiting time was about 15 minutes; we reckoned its because not many people are patient enough to search for it.

we decided to queue for the cable car the way down. it was pretty amusing. this man in front of us kept turning around to look at us (actually, more of M) and he would just look like he was part of us although we don't think he understands english. and the lady behind KEPT poking us to hurry us although the queue wasn't moving.

after making our ways home, we rested before preparing for Lan Kwai Fong (popular night spot for expatriates and foreigners)

miss C, who was photoshopped in. LOL

when we got to central MTR, something funny happened. SM came to join us, and he reminded us about our passports (which we need in case of inspections at the pubs) . and we just looked at each other, and realized we forgot all about it. anyhow, after a while of deliberating, we decided to take the risk and went ahead.

on the streets of Soho

we settled for Peak cafe after walking several streets. Then SM wanted to walk us around to show us the night life in LKF and tour us within the vicinity.

and we found a good spot for photo taking, against the (ex)prison walls.

everyone was entitled to one personal shot!

we left LKF at about 12ish and there were actually still trains back (SG, buck up man) but were dead tired by the time we got back home. yes, we made a commitment among ourselves to spend minimally on cab rides. we sat together to plan the itinerary for the next day and were perhaps too ambitious because we couldn't follow through, ha ha.

:)

2011-08-07T00:49:00.004+08:00

people have been asking how i feel.

i tell them 'i don't know' because truth be told, i really don't.

they ask what goes on inside my mind, but i really don't know because i'm unsure of what i'm feeling in my heart, even.

i think i've been acting selfishly; i only care about having my needs met

what did i get myself into, exactly?

i think i need to retreat back to where i can feel peace and feel secured

i wanna be close, close to Your side,

so heaven is real, and death is a lie.

i wanna be near, near to Your heart

HK travel log day 2

2011-08-02T02:10:00.014+08:00

The girls were awakened to the sound of 4 hysterical boys screaming 'help! help!' one wall away and periodical banging on the wall, at 7AM in the morning. we each made slight stirrings and dismissed the boys. Before you know it, our room was barged into and our legs were being lifted and blanket pulled from us. Talk about paying back for disturbing their sleep the night before, ha ha.

Anyway, everyone was in high spirits because we were headed for service at C3 HK. Service was supposed to commence at 10AM at Eaton Hotel, within walking distance from home, but we were all set to go by 845AM.

customary group photo before set-off every morning

mannings, our local guardian

literally skipping our ways to church

the boys

and the girls

because we were too early for service (there wasn't a need to queue as compared to back in our local church because they are still relatively new and smaller), we headed for starbucks. yes, remember i mentioned we stopped ourselves short of getting addicted to Gong cha? We got massively hooked onto starbucks instead, because it is way more affordable in HK as well.

Other than the pricing, the layout, drinks and packaging was pretty much the same

here we go for service!

it was really cosy and the people there were especially hospitable when they knew we were from Sg.

service was so good, so so good i think none of us will ever forget the experience.

the lady on the far left in black preached for service, and we heard it was her first time. the caucasian couple at the back are the pastors of c3 HK, who rooted themselves from their home in Sydney to HK to pioneer the church.

we met a few singaporeans in service so all of us went for lunch at a nearby restaurant and it was our first dim-sum meal since arriving.

there was so much food and everyone was too full but everyone was pleasantly shocked by the cost.

As usual, the guys and girls went our separate ways after lunch. The girls went to shop at harbour city shopping mall and went crazy (HnM, Birks, Zara, you name it). By now, S's cousin, let's call him SM, had came to join us and because the guys had nothing to shop for, they actually took a ferry ride across the harbour. According to them, the ride was 3HKD. you can do your math.

here we are, at Agnes B cafe, in the evening, after shopping, REALLY tired from the lack of rest

the cakes, pretty pricey but well worth the experience

SM made pretty good jokes about the mainlanders (no offense) and the absurd things they do within the mall itself.

the wi-fi in HK is way too good, they are virtually connected everywhere. at this particular spot, there was very good coverage so everyone had their phones out.

After recharging ourselves, we headed for the Doc Martens boutique at Sheraton Hotel. And spent about an hour there, because dear MW could not decide what he wanted (evidence from vlog 4)! which was really bad, because i ended up getting a pair of boots for myself too, ha ha ha. Then again, DM is a common sight in HK because. . (you know the reason)

THEN, everyone unanimously chose shopping over dinner (throughout the trip, we really felt like we were going for war) and we found ourselves at Rise shopping arcade at Granville circuit. we combed the place and headed for dinner a few streets down at one of their small eateries. all of us ordered wanton mee and words cant even describe how tasteful their wanton mee is. the wantons were big and juicy. yes i am salivating at the mere thought of that particular dinner.

after dinner, we headed for Trendy Zone (IKR?! we really went there for war) and shopped with the guys (read, MW) for clothes and hung out till 11ish because all the shops were closing, before we called it a night and headed home. i think everyone was pretty exhausted from the long day so we made it short and went to bed early.

HK travel log day 1

2011-07-31T22:59:00.014+08:00

3 girls from the same cg, 2 boys from the zone and the other 2 from a neighbouring zone. to date, i still find it amusing how God put us together. to be more exact, we only got to know 3 of the boys better in May. unbeknownst to each others' characters and temperaments, we took a leap of faith to form this travel group before getting to know each other. planning impromptu meet ups, play-dates (LAN, i mean) and adventures in the name of fun and getting to know each other paid off because the friendships blossomed bet everyone. Genuine, heartfelt laughters are exchanged between squabbles (yes, quarreling has become part of our daily ritual) and harmless jests; but at the same time, encouragements and edification take place to build each other up. Feeling unjustified and angry for one another when a party is being bullied has also become a part of the culture in this friendship. Not to say that there were no tests in the friendship, in fact there were aplenty. Staying together under the same apartment and hanging around each other 24-7 (well, close) drew tensions because of the various temperaments and characters and habits. yes, there were several conflicts but thank God for people who put friendships before pride and disputes were ironed out. More than just clicking, we have moved along to roughen our edges. And thank God for gentlemen who went the extra miles to take care of the girls' needs and stayed patient throughout the trip with us despite their fatigues. Through the trip, friendships got strengthened, and everyone learnt the meaning of compromise, love and acceptance. All in all, it was a good trip where responsibilities and emotional baggages were left behind and all we did was enjoy each other's company.

so without further ado, here begins our travel.

the girls, who stayed over at M's place the night before, were fashionably late because one of us (okay, it was me) was reluctant to get out of bed but that's all history.

all ready to leave for the airport. yes, we brought along our travel companions!

introducing, the HK gang.

Clockwise from L: R, Myself, MW (red shirt), JJ, C, M and not forgetting, S, the cameraboy.

(check out the brown bear that JJ is holding)

here we are, at the departure gate. whilst waiting, we distributed the cash, engaged in some disputes (what's new), made jokes about their currency.

our plane

the girls

A 3hrs 45 mins airplane ride and 30 mins cab ride from the airport and here we are at Mongkok, one of the apartments on Pak Po street, courtesy of S's grandparents. it was really convenient cause we were spared the extravagant hotel expenses and MK is located at the city-centre of HK, which gives one access to literally everywhere via their MTR.

Our first meal in HK took place in one of their La-mian restaurants in Langham shopping mall, about 10 mins walk from home.

ma-po tofu. this was some awesome stuff.

throughout the meal, i think i spat food out of my mouth for 3-4 times ):

after lunch, we split up to shop. The girls spent the good 2 hours the guys took to comb the whole of Langham from L1-L12 in Monki and HnM alone. Man, was the mall crowded since it was a saturday evening. It was way frustrating jostling the crowd and enduring ALL the shoving (yes, im not even going there)

In the evening, we met back together, the girls all satisfied with their purchases, and the guys, with 5 pairs of socks ( :[ ) each and headed for Xu Liu Shan, one of their famous local dessert places.

The night was spent walking around MK and eating from their street vendors. Yes, one is strongly encouraged to try food from their street stalls. Their widely acclaimed smelly tofus, curry fishballs, etc. And of course, not forgetting Gong Cha, which was really way more affordable there as compared to in Sg, but we stopped ourselves short of getting hooked onto it.

We had a short night because everyone was tired from waking early and there were plans to attend service the next morning. But before we ended the night, we grabbed some food at their 'shop n save' and concluded the night with our own style of tribal counsel. The first night was really unforgettable. The guys and girls took one room each, and due to our excitement, the girls (actually, make it M) kept giggling as we recalled the funny moments of the day to the utmost irritation of the boys one wall away. They banged on the walls but we ignored, and they actually resorted to barging into our rooms, twice, to get us to sleep. So that marks the end of day one.

eternalizing memories

2011-07-29T23:53:00.008+08:00

through:

mave's 22nd birthday celebration

((:

a trip to the zoo

M's actual birthday

peizhen's birthday at manhatten market

to jaybee

with my better halves (:

cg outing to marrage

on top of the world at city scape

engin camp 2011

the craziest people, the craziest times

shaun's birthday

thankful for a good leader and shepherd in him :)

a steamboat affair

shirleen's wedding

very handsome couple

friends whom i know will always have my back (: (:

'HAS HE TASTED WEDDING TABLES BEFORE ANOT' insiders- joke

my partners in crime

hongkong's photos will be a separate entry altogether (:

2011-07-29T23:22:00.004+08:00

as this hols draw to a close, i can only look back and say it was well worth the time spent. learning to live for myself, learning to juggle my time (albeit i admit more wisdom is needed in my time management), learning to keep my emotions in control through the emotional coasters rides, learning to let loose at the right time yet staying grounded when needed to be; i have learnt so much.

the first 10 weeks i rushed from one place to another, gave back-to-back 9 hours tuitions on saturdays, planned and re-planned my schedules, trying not to compromise my tutees for my personal leisure. and in between, there were the various engin camps i attended where i had to squeeze my tutees in between any available time from the camps, meeting the craziest bunch of people and going wild with them.

and then there was the group of us, fondly known as the 'hongkong gang' where new friendships were established as we started hanging out together more, doing the funniest things like playing LAN together??! , going to the zoo, laughing our ways to JB and of course, HK.

seeing someone who used to be so close to my heart getting married was another of the highlights this hols. learning that it is no longer by my wisdom alone when i start rising up to give BS, to lead testimony were two of my greater gains.

all in all, i don't think i would have been able to manage by my own strength.

'In every victory, let it be said of me, my source of strength, my source of hope, is Christ alone'

2011-07-27T20:51:00.003+08:00

"You say that you love rain, but you open your umbrella when it rains. You say that you love the sun, but you find a shadow spot when the sun shines. You say that you love the wind, but you close your windows when wind blows. This is why I am afraid, you say that you love me too."

- William Shakespeare

very skeptical, but nonetheless beautiful quote.

sometimes, i think im too discerning for my own good. then again, i think i'd rather be wise than foolish.

'A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.' Prov 17:24 (NIV)

i need to be more disciplined in reading the Word!

2011-07-26T01:13:00.003+08:00

我比以前還更愛你了
連那風都笑我了
我想他會告訴你的

the wonders of technology

2011-07-24T23:22:00.001+08:00

during service, i was seated a distance away from M and we were chatting now and then over BBM (nope, not during the preaching).

during lunch, there were things i needed to say to M not in the presence of everyone so we BBM-ed although we were seated on the same table. as well, R and i were randomly sms-ing each other although we were only a few tables apart.

i always find myself so amazed by technology.

2011-07-24T23:16:00.002+08:00

"Take my life, take it all

I surrender heart and soul

From now on, i live for you, only you"

Let this be the prayer of my heart (:

2011-07-12T03:54:00.000+08:00

我的手，握得好紧，怎么也打不开。害怕万一松手就永远失去了。无意间，不仅伤害了自己，也伤害了好多人。紧紧握着的回忆，只能折腾自己，而且错失比今天更美好的明天。

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Stability

2011-07-11T02:11:00.000+08:00

Turns out that my intuition hasn't failed me after all (:

Last year, on my birthday, I prayed for growth in all aspects of my life. This year, more than just growth, I want stability. Stability in my emotions, in my trust towards God. At the start of the year, God planted a resolution in my heart, which was to be like David, to be one after His own heart. I need to be stable even in the goals I have for my life, no more wavering.

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2011-07-11T00:23:00.004+08:00

i know i've mentioned that i'm not particularly versed with chinese songs but under the influence of close friends, i have developed a strong inclination towards this song. i don't really understand the lyrics but the chorus really tugs at my heart strings.

我不知道你为什么离开我
你坚持不能说放任我哭泣
我的泪滴像倾盆大雨
碎了满地
在心里清晰
我不知道你为什么狠下心
盘旋在我看不见的高空里
多的是我不知道的事

2011-07-07T01:39:00.003+08:00

i tend to embrace july with mixed feelings. it reminds you that you are at the half mark of the year, and calls upon you to reflect on how fruitful you have spent the first half of your year.

for me, it was good.

my prayer request for tuition assignments came to pass, above and beyond what i asked for.

i got to know a group of friends, nothing short of awesome. where our footsteps go, joy follows after.

i opened up my heart to work with a group of people i have never met in my 3 years in NUS. together, we had the funniest time planning the most memorable freshmen camp for the engineer faculty, and not to mention, the craziest times were spent with them.

i took an audacious step of faith and took part in my first ever half marathon. it. was. crazy.

into july,

my main source of income has been taken away because 1 of my tutees' mum has decided to stop tuition for their personal reasons. i was pretty upset because i was only given 2 days notice but i thank God that i no longer need to rush around from place to place for the next few weeks until school commences.

i have been brought on a emotional roller coaster ride that has yet to cease fluctuating.

but it's gonna get better;

because

one word: hongkong!

and im gonna embark on 1 of the most exciting rides of my life with You :)

2011-07-05T03:19:00.000+08:00

Service and church related activities have taken precedence in my life due to personal convictions. My schedule revolves around these activities more than the other way round. As a result, every other week I need to turn down various gatherings/ meet-ups that clash with church.

Some friends think I'm obsessed, some think I've let go of their friendships, others think I'm not making an effort. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of relationship and I treasure friends that matter, but we can't always have the best of both worlds.

I pray God will open the eyes of my friends to understand and not despise me, I pray these friendships will eventually be blessed for the sacrifices I've made (:
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2011-07-04T01:10:00.004+08:00

don't really feel like seeing such a wordy entry at the top of the page so there..

been feeling a whirlpool of emotions but i don't really wish to express them out here. i will not let my emotions dictate me. i can only say God has been my strength, and will continue to be my rest.

food for soul

2011-06-30T22:36:00.002+08:00

shan't be ambitious but i really hope i'd have enough motivation to attempt these 3 simple desserts before the hols end (:

the gift of pain

2011-06-28T00:29:00.003+08:00

while pain is not pleasant, it is necessary.

i was introduced to this book a couple of years back. it's a good read because it gives you insights on why pain is a gift in itself. i read pretty widely, i dare say, and i don't usually remember them after a while. yet this is one of the fewer books whose content i've read and still remember. it talks about leprosy patients and how the disease damages their sensory ability to feel pain. because of this, many of them put themselves in dangerous predicaments, for instance, they leave cuts untreated and open to inflammation because they simply don't feel the pain. some of them end up having to decapitate their fingers/ toes/ legs because the wounds become impossible to treat.

imagine stepping on a nail and not only do you leave it untreated, you continue walking around with the nail in your flesh. or imagine putting your palm on a kettle of boiling water; your first reaction would be to move your palm away because of the jolting pain. this pain is supposed to serve as a warning to you that something needs to be done or large harm could be imposed upon your body.

i've been getting reminded of this book of late because of the pain my tooth was causing. i no longer question why pain was created. i am learning to embrace it. pain is one of God's greatest gift to us.

remembrance

2011-06-26T01:22:00.005+08:00

my heart is filled with gratitude and pumped up with excitement for M and myself.

we thought it was gonna be a normal meeting but it exceeded above and beyond our imaginations. i believe God is calling us to expand our tents and to stop thinking small. S once told me that if i keep looking inside, there is only so much i can do because i limit myself by believing that this is the maximum i can do. but if i look through the eyes of God, it's a whole new level.

i remember; at the start of the year, i told a few people it was my desire to lead offering message. i didn't think much of it because i didn't want to hurry myself just for the sake. but i believe God remembers. and im on my way there. taking small steps; slowly but steadily. i'm so thankful to S for giving me a chance to prove myself and to God for remembering. i serve a God of remembrance.

2011-06-23T15:24:00.000+08:00

Crazy is the right word.

Not very proud of myself; this would take some good convictions to not repeat my mistakes.

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life's lessons #4

2011-06-22T00:02:00.003+08:00

i think this doesn't just apply to men but to all in general. trust me, you end up hurting yourself.

with you around, waikit

2011-06-18T22:20:00.004+08:00

this is my friend, WK, also fondly known as 'kitty' by some of us. im sorry i can't find a better picture.

he has gone through a very long way to be where he is today. nonetheless, he has made it. through him, i've learnt the marks of persistency, tenacity and the never-say-die spirit. he is constantly seeking to improve himself and is not limited by past results (of others or even his). he has shown us how real God can be in your life, as long as you have faith and stay in line with God's will. it is in him i know that nothing is impossible with God.

i am to say the least, very proud of, and happy for you (:

2011-06-18T21:06:00.003+08:00

the anesthesia is creating a numbing effect on my cheeks.

but the pain is really bad. to the point my tears started coming out this afternoon. to the point where i really want to shout.