my audrey hepburn calendar greets me with....

I'm in the midst of celebrating my berfdae!

Been having celebrations sporadically since last week...

And I know I've mentioned this ... but the collaborations between my Mum and zone cell group leaders and my colleagues etc ... all make me feel very very blessed to be loved. 

I've also gotten smses from frens new and old and some long lost ppl. :)

Definitely a happier berfdae than the year before...

This year's presents are diverse and happy ... but more on that again if I get round to taking photos!

I've been eating a lot too ... :P

After White Dog Cafe, I had: 

Steak at The Ship -- Not bad but Aston's better! I've recently converted Phoebe and Kok Siang to the power of Aston's too. Heh heh.

Sushi buffet at Sakae Sushi -- In the first round, we walloped 20 plates within 15 mins. :P

Jap BBQ at Aburiya -- Really really good...but I think really really ex too. :P

And tonight we're going for good Chinese food. 

Dad can whack his fish head most happily...

Confession: Everyday I'm also pigging out on yummier-than-Mamee noodles from Muji and Daiso. How....:P

Anyway! 

Here are some photos of me and family at Marriott Hotel over the weekend for (you guessed it) ... my berfdae! :P

So nice of my aunt to book us a room there for a mini-getaway.

Am glad Dad enjoyed himself. :)

There's me cousin Rebekah holding on to her dad's foot...whilst we all ride pillion. :P

I lurf being in water! 

It makes me feel alive and totally puts me in a holiday (=good) mood.

It's salah that Jon and I are perched like royalty while our parents squat.

But they refused to take the sofa seats... :P

Happy people: Rebekah, Rachel, Ah Ee (the lady who generously booked the room for us) and Uncle Richard.

You can tell my eyes are tired by the way they've shrunk! :P

My VERY yummy almond longan cake!

Surrounded by the hotel's apples...haha...

BerfDAE start: Uncle Wahju just came by to visit Dad and pray for him.

Praying that all these seeds will culminate in his salvation real soon! :)

running toward the battle

Goliath didn't win then. 

Neither is he about to start winning now.

long-lost and new finding!

I had been looking for this book for ages, because it's not available in Singapore anymore.

Just got blessed with it last night! :) 

Am happily reading it now. 

On a totally different rabbit trail, I wouldn't mind going for the Locarno Int'l Film Fest!

Check this scene out ... watching a movie on the massive screen framed in such a lovely setting!

We seldom get movies under the stars in Singapore anymore...:P

Another nugget from Rev. Derek Prince

He said this in the midst of his sermon.

Romans 8:37

"But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us."

In all what things? 

Let’s look at the list. 

Tribulations, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword. 

In all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer. 

The old version used to say, “We are more than conquerors.” 

What does that mean? 

I understand it means you go into the test, you go into the battle, and you come through with more than you had when you went into it. 

You’ve not merely won, but you’ve gained spoil."

Wow! Don't you just lurf it?!

Being more than a conqueror means you don't just win, or even survive the battle, but you come out with SPOIL!

When there is an economic recession, you gain more out of it than you lose.

When there is a spiritual attack, you come out stronger and wiser than you were.

Sidetrack: I was invited to go wakeboarding on May 4!

Am sooooooo tempted to say yes, but need to see if I can work something out ... :P

I find this supremely funny!

I came across this while proofreading EHT.

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

~Dr. Martin Luther King~

The conscientious stupidity cracks me up :P

happy be-early berfdae

"Forbidden Kingdom" made Jon and I laugh so hard!

It's like a rip-off of Lord of the Rings!

The fire pool, the army marching out Mordor-style ... i donno what else to list. 

The fighting is pretty good lah, I mean, IT IS by Yuen Woo Ping and stars Jet Li and Jackie Chan after all. 

And granted, it's one of the more cinematographically acceptable ones, but it's still really a fusion of stereotypes man.

And why do they have to make the Chinese in the show speak Mandarin in such a weird accent?!

Oh well, I hope Dad enjoyed it. 

At least he didn't fall asleep in it, which prob means he was captivated. 

Haha.

I had a good time of catch-up tonight with the gals in YL zone.

It's been a while since we met up to chill out, and I feel very blessed for the little things.

That they dated me out since weeks ago...pakat-ed with my mum and colleagues not to get the same gift...and turn up even tho they were tired, and one even sick, after a long day packed with activities.

When I sms-ed them to thank them after, they replied, "That's what frens are for..."

But even as frens, it took effort and I appreciate that.

Yes, maybe I'm growing older after all...haha....and learning to appreciate the little things in life.

But I prefer it this way.

I always think it's better to chase after your bliss than gripe over your expectations unmet.

Check out the pics on my facebook. :)

Okei, I'm off to bed. 

Hopefully the mad sneezes will be gone when I get up tomorrow!

cocoa sunrise

I lurf the bittersweet mix of coffee and orange juice. :)

I'm not sure why but a lot always seems to happen in April. 

I finally got to meet with some old friends after a long while ... at MK's grandpa's wake.

Was good to catch up a little. 

I'd like to say we'll prob get together again soon. 

But I have no illusions lah. 

The next time we'll see each other is most likely gonna be someone's wedding or Christmas or CNY. Hahahaha. 

Sharing a few people's joy here (some way overdue)... 

Big congrats to:

1. KK and YL on the birth of Joakim Chan---April 3.

2. Stephen and Rebec on the birth of Josiah Pok---Apr 14.

3. Jae and Zhongyan on their ROM---Apr 18.

Gosh! :) 

Just a thought. 

If you could only pick one or two songs to last the rest of your life, which would you pick?

My choices would be Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's "Over The Rainbow" and The Youth Group's version of "Forever Young". 

It's amazing how long they've stuck with me, and I know they'll be around for a long while more.

Oh, and I just re-found Jude's version of "Everything I Own". :)

moment in time

I like this statement by Rev. Derek Prince.

Romans 8:30, “Whom He predestined, these He also called.”

Now this is the point at which God’s plan comes out of eternity and into time. 

This is the point in our lives when we’re confronted with eternity.

Then he said ...

Romans 11:29, "For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable."

God never changes His mind. 

He never withdraws His gifts. 

He never changes His calling. 

So you’re set in something that is totally secure. 

Occasionally, I look around and wonder what is it that causes people to choose each other.

And it gets scary when you see people unchoosing each other.

I suppose, as humans, we tend towards inconstant and indecisive minds.

But it's reassuring to know that God never changes His mind.

Romans 8:29-30

"And we know that all things work together 

For good to those who love God, 

To those who are the called according to His purpose. 

For whom He foreknew, 

He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, 

That He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; 

Whom He called, these He also justified; 

And whom He justified, these He also glorified."

Not only does He not change His mind, but He sees us through to the glorious end.

Yes, "dependable" makes itself heard once again.

Transcribing has its privileges. :)

*shudder*

You can undo a lot of good you receive from reading the Word of God, simply by a failure to renew your mind with it.

pull the curtains

You know how some of us like to go for the thrilling?

It's all the excitement of the unknown, and the pride that comes from knowing that you handled a wild situation (or person) well...

It's the same reason why gals always have a thing for bad boys, and boys always have a thing for racing on the roads.

Haha. 

I've recently learnt that there's something else to be said for the safe and secure little things.

Maybe it comes with growing OLDER. Haha.  

But there's an oft-overlooked kick (high/adrenaline rush/call it what you may...) that comes even when something that you have been expecting actually comes to pass.

On a regular basis.

Little acts of dependability may not bounce up in your face like Tigger, but over time, they do kind of make themselves known.

I enjoy the unveiling. :)

And the fact that I recognize it means that I'm hardly likely to take it for granted, which is a good thing. :)

it blew past...

Dad almost had a tantrum session today, cos he was so adamant that Mum should not work from home in the afternoons, lest her colleagues are not happy about the special treatment etc.

And we're not supposed to aggravate him, cos that'll make him more susceptible to fits.

Not easy I can tell you, cos he seemed to be getting aggravated on his own accord.

So, thank God Mum managed to talk him round at the end of the day!

Btw, I managed to make it for BL's dad's water baptism.

He was really groggy from the medication but he was shouting Hallelujah louder than the baptism pastor! 

How heartening. :)

 

forever in an hour or two

Transcribing...transcribing...transcribing...

I'm amazed...some people are just super fast! :P

I seem to be taking FOREVER. 

truth

We told my dad about his latest MRI report last night.

That the tumor is spreading and his chemo is not working.

I struggled long and hard to come to the decision to tell him, cos I don't want it to kill his hopes.

Mum suggested it, but I knew eventually it'll come down to me doing it.

But i thought fear of the unknown would weigh him down even more.

And strangely enough, from the moment I decided to go ahead with it, I felt much lighter and less inclined to tears.

So it's better to bring to light.

The truth does liberate.

Anyway, he took it rather well.

Said he didn't believe in chemo anyway, and he's gonna stick with qi gong and chinese medicine for now. 

Although, he did say it's rather scary, hearing what we told him.

Somehow, it's a relief to hear him say that it's scary, cos it means he does get it and is not in denial or anything. 

He didn't ask for his prognosis, so we didn't say anything.

Keep praying for him though. 

I'm looking for an opportunity to minister to him.

I got out of bed to great news today too!

BL's dad is getting water baptized tonight!

He got saved a few weeks back, after he was diagnosed with nose cancer.

I am definitely going to try and be there tonight ...

How heartening! :) 

Okei, I'm off to get ready.

I finally get to take dad to the art exhibition today. :)

good glorious food

I suddenly have a craving for the char kway teow (or was it mihun goreng?) and bakmie in Jakarta.

miniscule giant

Okei ... The exciting decision that I made?

It was to go to SOT (Bible School) this year.

Within one week, I unmade it.

Disappointed? I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.

But compared to why I decided not to go this year, the disappointment is a terribly small matter, negligible to tell the truth. 

Neither am I going to Taiwan anymore, but that's an even more miniscule matter. 

My dad had fits while he was in the hospital to collect his MRI results.

He's never had fits before ... 

Fact is, Doc said the tumor is spreading fast.

And he can't be left alone from now on, in case it happens again.

We're working out how to have one of us at home at different parts of the day.

In the meantime, I'm on leave for next week ... but will be working on stuff from home anyway. 

We also need to decide on his next course of medication ... 

All I can say is ... there are some decisions we should never have to make on behalf of others.

On a lighter note, I'm planning to take Dad to the Xu Bei Hong art exhibition in the Singapore Art Museum early next week.

Think he'll enjoy recognizing the paintings.

Either that or he'll regret all those paintings he gave away, cos now they are probably worth at least $20,000 each at auctions, I heard. :P

In the midst of all these, I am grateful for Min, who knows me well enough to gimme space to work things out.

Hope never dies

The heat has finally reached Marine Crescent.

Oh well, the cool was nice while it lasted. :)

Dad's MRI results are coming out tomorrow.

Dad told me today, "Best thing is for the doctor to tell me, 'Cancer's all gone!'"

cry buckets

CON-GRA-TU-RA-TIONS to the newest driver in the Chew Family!

My brother Jon got his driving licence on Sat!

Sigh, now next year seems like a looooooong time away for me to RE-start my driving lessons, but I wanna finish paying for my braces first.

And I've to pay for the "I'm-still-not-saying-but-getting-increasingly-excited-about-it" thing...

I just watched The Bucket List and it's the best show I've seen this year, easily among the best I've seen in my life so far. Be warned though, it'll make you cry.