Monday, December 31, 2007

I'll see ya next year!

I'm off to Hong Kong tomorrow for a whole week of fun!! :)

Am finishing some work now, then I have 2 hours to fit in the most restful sleep ever before I head for the airport. 

YAY!!!

Seeing that I'll be counting down in Hong Kong, here's my last post for this year.

What I Have Learnt This Year, or Am Willing To Admit: 
1. No one is perfect. Or even near it. If I'm not at the bottom of the rung, I'm somewhere very near it. 
2. I really enjoy wrapping gifts. And wrapping paper and all the embellishments.
3. All it takes is a small but consistently wholehearted thought to get my life direction snowballing in the direction I want it to. 
4. I have a crush on Sammul Chan. :P
5. It takes a lot of stamina to have a kid and keep up with him. A lot of stamina. 
6. If you want people to feel comfortable around you, it's important to love yourself so u feel comfortable around you first.
7. I am such a sucker for packaging.
8. My uncles and aunties are really generous towards my family.
9. Somewhere and somehow from someone, I learnt to fear loneliness this year. 
10. I learnt to overcome the fear of loneliness this year. 
11. I am a repressed shopaholic. 
12. I am sooooo into bags. Way more than I am into clothes, or shoes. I want a Bag Room in future.
13. I am more Calvin & Hobbes and vintage Mickey Mouse than Hello Kitty and all the other girlish cute things which make me go eeks.
14. I have a crush on Inuyasha. Still.
15. I need to enlarge my capacity. In all areas.

Happy New Year!

Cheers,
Shar

Thursday, December 27, 2007

my prayer for you

Dear you,

Seven days before 2007 ends, I made a Christmas prayer for you.

That you will have a good start to 2008.
That you will be able to sleep well.
That good memories will wipe out the bad ones that plague you.
That you'll walk out of the shadow of your own past and have enough of living with fear.
That you will cherish what you have now before regret hits you to your core.
That you will find reconciliation when the time comes.

Most of all, that the hope of God will live strong in your heart.
And you will realise that it's not about you and what you've done, but about the saving grace of God.

And to you,

When you finally know the truth one day, it will have ceased to matter anymore. :)
And in a way, that's kinda a nice thought.

Finally, dear You,

Thanks:
For holding out and withholding Your hand at the right times.
For bringing some people closer to me, and holding back others.
For teaching me about love and selfishness.
For reconciliation and a second chance everytime.
For fanning my hope.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Lurf,
Shar

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Yay!!!!

51,904 people turned up to celebrate Christmas!
W356 had a breakthrough attendance of 34!
Woo hoo!!

Oh yes, and ... HAPPY 60th BERFDAE, DADDY.
AND AND AND, he let Ah Ma and us all PRAY for him over his berfdae cake today!
Not just that, he listened and asked Ah Ma why didn't she pray for the rest of us too.
She did, but his listening comprehension is down by 50% now, so he prob didn't get it. 
Oh, hope ignites the soul afresh! :)

Am looking forward to:
1. My thanksgiving CGM at KBox tomorrow
2. My trip to HK for NY countdown
3. Next flea market in Jan
4. Visiting Benji
5. Packing my room (ooh, it's sooooo cathartic ... haha) 
6. Consolidating my wardrobe
7. Visiting the beach, and
8. Catching a good movie

... now that the office is closed for 2 weeks. :)
Wheeeeeee......

On a more macro note, am also looking forward to moving on, or better yet, speeding on. 
It's gonna be good!

I had some really happy presents this year too!
Maybe cos i chose them myself ... haha ... 
My family is getting progressive, now Ah Ma simply reimburses us for what we spent on our own presents, and Mum's following in her footsteps.

I'm gonna go catch up on a little bit of sleep for now.
Shoulders and back aching from wrapping gifts ever since I touched down Expo, but I made money and I had fun! :)

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

madness

What a crazy Christmas it's been!

This whole week's been filled with work and days at Expo running my Christmas Bazaar stall, meeting the cg frens, and doing my own Christmas shopping.

I think people had the Christmas eve panic at the Bazaar today.
My gift wrapping service came into its fame time, a definite pick up from the past 2 days!
In fact, I literally spent the whole of today wrapping and before I knew it, it was 11:30pm and the Bazaar was closing. :)

Then it was zooming to countdown at Yah Lan's and now I'm back at home editing for work.
In another 3 hours, I'll be getting ready to head for Expo again to meet Cherrie's frens and set up stall again.

In my head, I should be tired, but I'm having so much fun!
 
And, don't wait for 2008 to have a good year.
Your 2007 can still turnaround in the next 6 days. :)

Monday, December 17, 2007

see anything you like?



















Fancy any of the wrapping here?
Ho-ho-ho down to the Christmas Bazaar Flea Market with your gifts and I'll wrap them up for you!

Venue
Singapore Expo Hall 6

Dates and Timings
Dec 22: 2-10pm
Dec 23: 11am-6pm

Dec 24: 5-11pm

Dec 25: 11am-5pm


Stall no
To be advised

You only pay for the wraps and ribbons that you pick.
The wrapping is free!

Merry Christmas to one and all!

Friday, December 14, 2007

lost and found and a berfdae celeb

Ah.... 
The Olympus was hiding in Jon's wardrobe all this while.

We celebrated Mum's berfdae tonite, getting our hands messy over DIY popiah ... Haha. 
She was craving for it too. 







































Here's a pic of the flowers we sent in the afternoon to entertain her ... because which gal doesn't like receiving surprises in the office?! 

something sweet

I came across this in another blog and tot this was lovely.
I didn't edit it ... and it may just read like another love story.
But it's all in the punch line. 
This guy is a gem to know the power of creating a memory for down times.

It was just another day for her…or so she thought.

But he had other plans…
Plans that she did not have an inkling of.

He came to her place for dinner. 
She was in tee shirt and shorts,
her hair was in a mess,
and she wasn’t at her best.

After dinner,
he told her things that would have made her heart fly.

He said he has accepted her for all that she was, spots and all,
and wanted to take care of her for life.

But, she thought it was a joke.

She poked Fat Bunny at his face and laughed it off,
“Ya Ya Ya, where’s the ring?”

She didn’t expect anything at all.

If she had been more observant, maybe she would have noticed that
his sleeves were enormous that day.

Because, he definitely had something up his sleeves.
Yet, she was too blur to notice.

He laughed and said, Look downstairs, my friends are there!”

Getting off the couch, she rolled her eyes and walked towards
the window.

Looking down, there indeed was no one.

As she spinned around, saying “Yahhhh righhtt…”,
she almost tumbled unto the ground.
There he was, on his knees…

What caught her eyes next was the tiny wine red box in his hand.

Buried snugly right in the center of the white cushion,
was a little sparkling Diamond ring.

It was Beautiful.

But to her,
what was priceless, was that expression on his face.

He had the most Earnest Look in his eyes,
and his hands trembled as he held the box towards her.

Her heart pounded and she almost teared.

Maybe what she said next, was one of the nicest sounding words he has ever heard.
“Yes.”

Later, she asked him, why he had chosen to ask her then.

Having watched too many TV programmes,
she has always imagined herself in a nice restaurant, looking her best,
when he popped the question.

Yet, he told her,
” I wanted to propose to you when you feel the ugliest about yourself.”



Wednesday, December 12, 2007

One of my NY resolutions, starting now.

I'm letting my hair grow long again. 

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Counting my blessings...

Simple pleasures

It's nice to...
1. Feel warm and snug in my pyjamas on a raining-throughout day such as this.
2. Open the fridge and realize there's still a string of Yakult in it with my fave flavour--natural.
3. Come home to a letter in the letter box (even 'tho that stopped happening ages ago, since icq and msn came on the pic ... haha ... but there's always something about a handwritten letter.)
4. Share moments of wavelength-alignment with your dad/mum.
5. Not have to explain your decisions or comments.
6. Receive an sms from people who are so sweet to remember the date of my dad's results and take note to ask me how it went. 
7. Be given a surprise gift when you are down or upset. 
8. Be given a surprise gift anytime for no reason! Hahaha.
9. Know Benji recognises me.
10. Take a walk on a cool day.
11. Travel alone.
12. Drop into bed and fall asleep immediately. 
13. Know all's well with you and others.
14. Stumble across a good book. 
15. Work on something with your hands.
16. Dream.
17. Browse through catalogs.
18. Travel light. Everyday.
19. Successfully cut down on fast food and Coke.
20. Know what you are good at, and you like it too. 
21. Find a food place like Yokoyama's, where the food is so good it makes you happy. 
22. Come across a good bargain on something you've been wanting.
23. Plan for holidays.
24. See your savings grow and know you can't withdraw them.
25. Laugh heartily and have difficulty stopping.
26. Have a big wardrobe.
27. Clear your room of clutter.
28. Know the universe is collaborating for my success.
29. Have 24-hr bookstores in the world.
30. Generate income.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Needed: A Photographic Memory

My family camera is missing!!!

Where oh where has the Olympus gone to?!

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Jakarta pictorial

I've uploaded the Jakarta wedding pics! 
Check them out on my Facebook. :)

Will try and find some time to repeat the ordeal with the HK photos. :P

Saturday, December 1, 2007

wedding party

I'm on Indonesian soil for the first time in my life!
Jakarta feels like a more courteous version of Malaysia. :P
My tots for now: The traffic jams are HORRENDOUS and the food is SPLENDICIOUS.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

cut cut cut!

Why do I feel like I'm spending more when I'm trying harder to abase?!

Or maybe it's cos I'm abase-ing, so I feel it more when I'm spending!

Sigh.

Monday, November 26, 2007

my bed is calling out to me...

One fine day, Mum said "Wanna take a table at the Blk 5 Flea Market? I've got stuff I wanna sell."
Remembering we made a tidy profit the last time we set up a booth at Clarke Quay flea market, I said "Sure!! Let's do it again!"

Yesterday, we started tagging all my stuff and it was only when we were almost done that I looked at Mum and went "Where's all YOUR stuff?"
She said "Nehhhhh....." and pointed to 1 handphone pouch, 2 coasters, and 3 magnets.

I asked, "So.....we're counting on my dolphin collection and stuff to cover the $15 rent?"
"Hee hee," Mum replied.

Huh.
Good thing my collection of chapalang rose to the occasion.























































Although it was a neighbourhood thing and there were only SEVEN tables, so we weren't expecting much ... But I really think our table had the most business.
Considering a total of about 20 people came by the booth, think we made a not-bad profit.
It's always fun meeting the different kinds of customers and making new friends with the neighbouring stall owners.

Then I zoomed over to Victoria Theatre to watch the first-ever children's musical "When I Grow Up."
(Wow, haven't been to VT for the longest time. Am I just used to huge halls now or did the VT audi look terribly small?!)










*applause*
To all the kids for their great performance. The musical was very upbeat and happy and an overall fantastic job!

*applause*
To Jae for the script! Like I said, u did an amazing job crossing over from adult script to kid script, man.

Here's a pic of 2 precious gals in my cg, and their very wise mum.
Bernice is hugging her mum and Krystal is displaying her aptitude for photogenic-ity.
Right after this pic was taken, we settled down to an absolutely yummy and fattening dinner to celebrate Bernice's part in the musical. :P



Friday, November 23, 2007

2000-7 going on 2000-8

I've got almost all of my resolutions for 2008 written down.
Some of them are already in the making.
I don't remember ever having been so serious about my resolutions or plans.
But this time, maybe cos it kinda brought with it renewed hope. 

Slowly but surely, 2007 is turning around. 
It started off great. 
Went berserk somewhere in the middle ... 
But now, I think the hope for a good ending has been rekindled. 



Thursday, November 22, 2007

I am not PC

One day sometime ago, I was very sick and tired of the MANY thoughts that were running through my brain, and I smsed Jae this politically incorrect statement: "I wish I were a dumb blonde."

His reply?
"I can't help you with the dumb part but I can help you with the hair coloring bit."

My conclusion?
It's nice to not be taken seriously sometimes, and be given space to be quirky.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

wishin' and hopin' and prayin' and playin'

Dad's MRI results came out today.
The doc says there's one spot that looks a little worrisome, as it seems that something is extending from the tumor remnants.
It may be the tumor growing, or it may be the shadow of the dying tumor ... can't tell for sure.
So dad's going for a PET scan next week, where they'll inject some colored sugar into his system.
If the tumor's growing, it'll feed on the sugar.
If not, then it'll be all clear.
Even this test might not tell much, cos doc says the tumor is so close to the edge of the brain where it's taking in sugar all around anyway.
But we'll take it anyway, cos the next MRI is at least 2 months later.
And if the PET scan shows that this chemo medication is not working, at least we can start him on a new medicine now.

On a lighter note, Mum and I snuck out to visit Benji after we sent Dad home.
He is huger now, plus he couldn't stop jumping!
And he started licking my face all over.
It's nice that he still recognises us.



















Thursday, November 15, 2007

zoom for thought

Ever noticed that when you wanna make and save more money, you also suddenly have this urge to spend more money?

For some reason, I found myself looking at car ads the other day.
And then I made the discovery that for only $345 a month, I can zoom off in a Suzuki Swift!














Better yet, throw in another $150 a month, and I can swoon over my own Toyota Rav 4!















Gosh, suddenly driving in Singapore seems a lot more logical. Haha.
Okei, can consider getting a car after I'm done with my braces.
Oh wait, first I have to get my license!!! :P

Sunday, November 11, 2007

berfdae wish for Jon

My dad's MRI has been postponed!
So now it's on the 15th and the results will be out on 21st.
Kinda relieved, cos it was looking pretty unlikely for me to leave TW early! :P
Now I can be around when the results are out.

My bro turns 24 today.
Happy berfdae, Jon.
My wish for you: That next year will be the beginning of all that's memorably fantastic in your life.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

dad matters

Dear all, please keep my family in prayers. :)
My dad's MRI is on Nov 12 and the results will be out Nov 14.
I'm away in Taiwan till Nov 15, but trying to see if I can come back a day earlier so I can be around for the results.

The frenly nurse says the vital MRI is after 2 more chemo treatments, but this one will help to show if his chemo is helping.
Praying that the report will show he's responding well to the treatment! :)

Thanks!

Sunday, November 4, 2007

transit post

I'm back from Hong Kong!
Walked A LOT A LOT...
Will post pictures soon, now busy preparing for TW trip.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

spruced up guitar and the start of jetsetting days

Yeh...Success!

I didn't get a picture of the Canadian-made blue guitar so you'll just have to imagine it.

Jimmy was STUNNED to receive it.
Haha.
I bet he didn't expect anything of the sort at all.

My cg is very generous and it's a wonderful thing. :)

I'm off to Hong Kong tomorrow!
Wheee!

Friday, October 26, 2007

happy plot

I'm so excited!!
My cg has a big, "no-reason" surprise for one of the members.
Can't wait to see his/her expression!
Hee hee.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

abscess

*smile* Ouch!
*bite* Ouch!
*talk* Ouch Ouch Ouch!

Oohhhhh.....so many ulcers......

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

zhou dong

Jay Chou is coming to Singapore on his World Tour Concert!

But why oh why are the tickets so ex?!

Too many things to save for on my list for now...:P

aquarium phenomenon

Occasionally, the fishes gurgle to each other stuff like:
"Let's go for a drink and chill out"
or
"Let's go cycling!"

About a month or two or three later, we eventually see it coming to pass.
It's not our fault, you understand.
It's all thanks to our varied working hours and commitments.

But here you go, another time WE MADE IT. :)














Then after that, we all adjourned to








to undo all the exercise we had done by guzzling down













And while I took off to meet Mum, the rest stayed on to continue their crime spree by tantalizing their taste buds at lagoon hawker.

Oh, for a bowl of the tastiest fishball noodles with extra vinegar.
It is late at night and I am hungry.
I will not put any pictures of this lest I succumb.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

winning

YES!
Inuyasha overcomes his weakness and emerges with the power to wield his weapon!

The principles of battledom are the same across the board:
Victory is administrated in everyday life when there's victory in your own heart.

Friday, October 19, 2007

kindness part 2

As you can probably tell from my last entry, this one word "kindness" has been floating around in my mind (especially active in the wee hours of the morning when i am trying to sleep).

Struck me that sometimes we can be trying so hard to be "real" and honest that we forget to be kind.

I remember someone once told me that telling the truth must always go hand in hand with mercy. I wasn't impacted with the deeper meaning of it back then, but it's starting to make itself known to me now.

It's not about lying, but it's about choosing to say the other, more encouraging truth.
Neither is it about the past, but about choosing to live in the present and see into the future.
Sometimes it's about ignoring the upfront question, and choosing instead to answer the unasked question.

Do yourself a favor, be kind to others and you'll realise you're being kind to yourself.
And sometimes, the converse is true: As you're being kind to yourself, you'll learn how to be kind to others.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

kindness

When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
Abraham Joshua Heschel

Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something and has lost something.
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Constant kindness can accomplish much.
As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.

Albert Schweitzer

Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness.
Know how to give without hesitation, how to lose without regret, how to acquire without meanness.

George Sand

Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.
Confucius

Monday, October 15, 2007

sudden gust of wind with droplets of rain

My Ah Ee sms-ed me this in the morning:

"Instead of your shame
You shall have double honor,
And instead of confusion
They shall rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land
They shall possess double;
Everlasting joy shall be theirs."
Isaiah 61:7

It's awesome to have a friend among family.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

warrior princess

Armor-clad.

Warrior.

On a horse.

King David.

Broken.

Contrite.

Not despised.

Psalm 51:16-17.

I remember Eowyn.

lobangs

I had two of my teeth extracted yesterday and now my whole jaw is sooooooo sore.
Tis good, I get to eat less.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Am waiting for ...

Dec 7, 2007
The Golden Compass

Finally, someone does tribute to the polar bear and gives it a talking part in a movie!! :)

Monday, October 8, 2007

just the thought of it...

Thanks y'all for praying for my granny!
The scope came out all clear...and there's no apparent problem.
She's going back for a check up on Tuesday, but it should be all okei!
*big happy grin*

Met up with the trailblazing (okei, the first) Melb gang for lunch today, and it was good and happy as always.
We're planning when to fly over for Lani's wedding in Dec.
Woo hoo ... Weddings are always happy.
Now, I need to start looking for clothes, and accessories, and shoes, and ... more accessories?
Cos apparently, the dressing up at Indo weddings is a BIG DEAL.
But oh, can't wait to catch up with everyone else! :)
And the thought of flying ... anywhere ... is almost always a nice one!

Thursday, October 4, 2007

what do you remember?

Memory is a powerful and mysterious thing.

The person we grow into is often a result of the memories we allow to remain in us.

Forgetting the mistakes.
Remembering the lessons.

Forgetting the injustices.
Remembering the kindness.

Forgetting the disappointments.
Remembering the rescues.

Forgetting what was taken.
Remembering what was given.

Forgetting the regrets.
Remembering the hopes.

Forgetting the fears.
Remembering the dreams.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

prayer request

Okei, everyone, PRAY PRAY PRAY....

My favourite granny (okei, she's also my only granny now) needs to go for a colonscopy on Friday morning.
She's been having constipation of sorts for about 7-8 months, then suddenly she's having diarrhoea.
Doctor is worried that there may be a growth, or that her intestines are clogged up, so the recommendation to go for a scope.

Am praying that it'll all be clear and because she is already 77, that she will not go through much discomfort through the whole thing.

Thanks ah...

Monday, September 24, 2007

benji's now 7 months and 20 days old

I finally got a chance to visit Benji today.
I think he still remembers me, even though it's been 2-3 months since I last saw him.
I could tell he was very excited, cos he peed at my feet. Haha.
Now he's BIG, and still HYPERACTIVE, so you can imagine the repercussions of such a combi. :P

Here are some pics of him.





Saturday, September 22, 2007

no skirmish

Someone has recently set an alarm clock in my life.
It goes off at 11pm, or sometimes earlier.
Then, invisible beings swing into action and they refuse to be beaten off.

Nasty memories dash in and out of my mind.
Accusations take stab at my conscience.
Countless fears slash at my heart.

I'm in a battle every night.
My bed is a fighting ground.
My pillow has been beaten and soaked.

Every night, I'm challenged to fight or take flight.
A few years ago, I took flight when the going got tough.
But, I am not the same girl I was.
I may not be the best kind of soldier, but I have learnt that some things are worth fighting for, and my heart is learning to roar.

So, every night, I take up my stance.

Yes, the war has broken out.
And it is no small skirmish.

On occasions, I kept my armor on till 3am.
On others, till 5am.

Once, I finally drifted into sleep, only to be tormented by the worst kind of nightmares--the kind where all hope is lost, and you are in a ball on the floor, feeling that you can't cry hard enough, and you keep hearing an accusing voice that keeps repeating, "If only..."

I woke up from that, with fear taunting me, "What if it really happened?"
It took me a long while to fall back into sleep.

I don't know why I am in this war.
Sometimes, I am not sure exactly which crown I am fighting to win.
But I am determined not to yield.

And in the midst of it, I've fallen in love.
With a single name.

I know Him as Father, Lord and Saviour.
But, during this time, He chose to reveal the beauty of His name to me.

What a privilege it was to hear Him suddenly say, "My name is Yahweh."
I blinked involuntarily, "You mean, You're asking me to call You by Your name? Your personal name?"

And I did.
Last night, I called His name over and over.

The beings cannot stay long in the presence of His name.
One by one, they lost their grip.
And I was left alone in the beauty of a Captain whose name is beautiful.
His name is beautiful because it belongs to a beautiful Him.

He lulled me to sleep.

Every night. I fight a battle.
Every night. I win a battle.

It is my only source of strength, and hope.
The knowing that I will win this war.

He is my Rescuer.

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the secret place of the most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust."

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

"Because he has set his love upon Me,
therefore I will deliver Him;
I will set Him on high, because He has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation."


Sunday, September 16, 2007

C.S. Lewis puts it best.

“He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart”

One day.
I will stop lusting after KFC, Popeye's, and all the other harmful-yet-so-yummy pork fat related luxuries.
One day.

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

Building a castle around our own heart makes it a fortress.
Giving it to God allows Him to protect it on our behalf.

“There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way”

I'm keeping watch on often I reply God with "But I..."
There is a fear that one day He'll tell me, "Fine then..." and then it'll be my undoing.


“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”

Yeah! That means I was grown up all along! Haha.

“If I discover within myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world”

That we are made for eternity is a beautiful truth.

“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.”

But whereas we are given allowance to grief, there is no excuse for fear.

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."

Nice.


Sunday, September 9, 2007

hairspray analogy

Without love, life is like a prom that won't invite us
Without love, life's getting my big break and laryngitis
Without love, life's a '45' when you can't buy it
Without love, life is like my mother on a diet

Like a week that's only Mondays
Only ice cream, never sundaes
Like a circle with no center
Like a door marked "do not enter!"

HAHAHA ... isn't it so tragically funny!

putting things in their rightful places

Despite my protests, my dad got a new wardrobe made for my room.
It's got 4-doors and runs from ceiling to floor.
Now I can put all (okei, most of) my stuff behind closed doors.

So, despite my protests, I am happy with my new storage space. :)

And my mum bought me a nice new glass-top L-shaped desk as my belated berfdae present.
I lurf huge desks, cos I NEED space to work happily.
Plus, I've got a businessman's chair to go with it.

And my aunt passed me her electronic keyboard.
Now for a few minutes everyday, I can pretend to be Jay Chou in Secret.
Haha.

I need to spend the whole of tomorrow clearing my bookshelf stuff off my bro's spare bed. :P

Hot chocolate is yummy but it's putting me to sleep.

Friday, September 7, 2007

Rest in truth

Validation is powerful.

Truth confirmed is liberating indeed.

Ironically, it takes strength to let go and trust.

Saturday, September 1, 2007

baby in cube

Once, there was a moth who was all brown and black.
"Black is pretty nice a color to live with, but brown is just a disaster," thought the moth to itself.
So the moth started to imagine it had a little of some other colour on itself.

First, it was fire engine red wings.
Then, a month later, it added sunshine yellow tear-drops.
When the moth was burnt by a lamp, it started to picture lime green spots in the yellow tear drops on its red wings, to take away its pain.
One day, the moth thought to itself, "Why, I'm a colorful butterfly! Never mind that the colors clash ... I think it adds a whimsical touch."

Slowly, the moth learnt to escape into its land of imagination where no brown existed and it was a beautiful butterfly.
Everytime the moth saw its reflection in the mirror, it told itself, "I'm a princess among the moths--I am a butterfly."

One day, a fren that the butterfly-moth loved dearly came by and said, "You know, you really are a bit of a butterfly. Your feet are not on the ground sometimes.

It's like when we are drawn to an open flame.
At some point, we start to know it will burn us.
We need to change direction sometime so we can not head towards death.
But some of us just want to keep heading towards it anyway, hoping that maybe this once it will not burn.
And they end up losing a leg or a wing or even their lives."

The moth that thought it was a butterfly replied, "Maybe you're right. Tell me when I'm flying too close to an open flame okei? Then again, you've got your feet on the ground so much you're growing roots! Come fly with me sometime."

The fren answered, "Maybe I will sometime. But I might not tell you anymore, because who knows? One day you might just be able to live with an open flame. And who am I to tell you you can't?"

The butterfly-moth laughed and said, "Yeh, you never know!"

One day, the butterfly-moth was flying past a window when it saw a bright blue flame.
Its glow was intoxicating and the butterfly-moth flew zig-zaggedly towards it.
Inches away from reaching the flame, there was a "thunk" and the butterfly-moth came to an involuntary halt.
It was unable to go any further, but as far as the butterfly-moth could tell, it was touching the flame.
"Hey, I have found a flame that does not burn me! I must go and tell my fren and bring him here to see."

As the butterfly-moth flew off, there was another "thunk" and it hit its head against what looked like another flame.
Confused, it took off again, only to hit itself against another flame!
"What's going on?" it said out loud, "Maybe if I call my fren, he'll hear me and come help."
So the butterfly-moth shouted as loud as it could, and flapped its wings against the many flames that it seemed to be surrounded with.
After some time, it realized that its fren would not be coming.
Tired out, it fluttered to the ground and laid there looking up.

That's when it noticed that it was surrounded by many black and brown moths.
They looked exactly like our butterfly-moth, and mimicked its every movement.
"Argh...brown! How hideous! I wish they would go away," it said.

The butterfly-moth turned away to avoid looking at the ugly brown, but found another black and brown moth there staring back at it.
She turned to another side and found the same thing.

Then, with a sudden shock, it realised that all the black and brown moths were actually reflections of its self!
The butterfly-moth had been trapped in a cube of mirrors with one single flame inside.

"No! I don't like you at all ... I have red wings with lime-green spotted yellow tear drops ... I am a princess among the moths--I am a butterfly!"
The butterfly-moth yelled and yelled to all its reflections.
Naturally, none of them ever responded to it.

Confronted by itself on every side, the moth flew frantically from wall to wall.
The flame was no longer as important now, as the moth was desperate simply to get out.
It could not stand the sight of itself, and for once, no matter how hard it tried to imagine itself as a colorful butterfly, it did not work.

Left to its own, and tired out, the moth laid back down on the floor of the cube, and eventually accepted the truth--that it was not a butterfly or a princess among the moths; it was nothing more than a black and brown moth.
Disappointment flooded its eyes with tears, and disgust filled its heart.
"I believed a lie about myself. I am nothing more than a moth," it said, "and a foolish one. Who was I to think I could create?"

Just then, the Painter who had been watching from outside the cube reached in with His paintbrush and carefully brushed a stroke of fire-engine red on the moth's left wing.
"Huh ... What was that?" the moth exclaimed.
Silently, the Painter reached in again and swept the wing with another dust of red.
Very slowly, stroke by stroke, the Painter began to cover the moth's wings with fire-engine red.
Then He carefully drew and colored the tear drops in sunshine yellow.

It was a long and tedious process.
The moth would squirm and try to avoid the paintbrush as it tickled and hurt sometimes.
But soon, it learnt that the quieter it sat, the faster it went.
So it waited. And tried not to keep flying around, looking for an exit.

Finally, the Painter picked out his finest paintbrush and dipped it into lime-green of the most perfect shade.

But instead of drawing boring spots, He started to draw intricate designs on both wings.

By the time He was done, the moth no longer resembled the black and brown moth it had been.
Instead, as it flitted around the cube, it was speechless to see that it was even more beautiful than it had imagined itself.
"Thank you," whispered the moth, "You've made me into a butterfly."

Then, the Painter opened up the cube and let the butterfly out.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Mozilla's the way to go!

Oh joy of all joys!

I just found out that I can edit my blogger posts if I use Firefox instead of Safari!!

And now I can change color and bold and italicise words and all.

YAY!

Friday, August 24, 2007

my happy dept

once upon an august

I came to a random realization of myself.
I seldom regret or unchoose the people I have chosen in life.
Maybe I wish I could sometimes.
Loyalty can work for or against you.
But the heart almost has a mind of its own.
And sometimes it is determined to hope and hold on.

On a rabbit's trail: My colleagues and I just had another invigorating discussion about the well-made wonder that is Secret.
Please go watch it.

On another sidetrack: I know it's old, but I like the cartoon Anastasia SO MUCH.
I'm gonna find some time to rewatch it.
After I watch Pan's Labyrinth. :P
Anyway, here's one of my old favourites from there.
This was when Anya finally decided to embark on her journey to find her family.

JOURNEY TO THE PAST

Heart, don't fail me now!
Courage, don't desert me!
Don't turn back now that we're here
People always say
Life is full of choices
No one ever mentions fear!
Or how a road can seem so long
How the world can seem so vast
Courage see me through
Heart I'm trusting you
On this journey...to the past

Somewhere down this road
I know someone's waiting
Years of dreams just can't be wrong
Arms will open wide
I'll be safe and wanted
Fin'lly home where I belong
Well, starting here, my life begins
Starting now, I'm learning fast
Courage see me through
Heart I'm trusting you
On this journey...to the past

Heart don't fail me now!
Courage don't desert me!

Home, Love, Family
There was once a time
I must have had them too
Home, Love, Family
I will never be complete
Until I find you...

One step at a time,
One hope, then another
Who knows where this road may go
Back to who I was
On to find my future,
Things my heart still needs to know
Yes, let this be a sign!
Let this road be mine!
Let it lead me to my past
Courage see me through
Heart I'm trusting you
To bring me home...
At last!
At last!
Courage see me through
Heart I'm trusting you
yea...

~~

Sometimes we need to revisit our past to go further into our future.

Friday, August 17, 2007

words not included

Thanks to the beauty of Jay Chou's directorial debut Secret, I've been brought back to the loveliness of piano and other instrumental pieces.
Most music pieces come and go, but some stay with you for a long while.
These are some of my favourites.

1. Happy Valley - Vanessa Mae
2. I'm A Doun For Lack Of Johnnie - Vanessa Mae
3. Pachelbel's Canon in D
4. First Love (instrumental version)
5. This is not an instrumental piece, but I lurf the sound of FIREWORKS! :)
6. Moon River (instrumental version)
7. Over The Rainbow (instrumental version)
8. Moulin Rouge Closing Credits: Bolero
9. Suite from My Best Friend's Wedding
10. Suite from Forrest Gump
11. Suite from Parent Trap
12. Father Christmas - The Chronicles of Narnia OST
13. The Premiere Of The Big Boss - Randy Edelman on Dragon, The Bruce Lee Story OST
14. Love Theme - Randy Edelman on While You Were Sleeping OST
12. Angel - Secret OST

These versions of Canon are nice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wpPk8qk3uQ&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_XiDPXM24I&mode=related&search=

What's more touching than a man who loves?

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2007/new/aug/15/today-show8.htm

This is a report in Taiwan newspaper Liberty Times on how there are rumours going around that Sun's marriage is undergoing "changes." She laughed them all off, but commented that perhaps only the airline stewards and stewardesses know the depth of her relationship with Ps. Kong.

Now this is the part that I like:

Sun was preparing to return to Singapore on the evening flight, and lo and behold, Ps. Kong turned up in Beijing in the afternoon to fetch the mother-and-son duo back to Singapore. Sun's manager could not fathom why would he go to all the trouble of taking the 7-hr flight, but it turns out that Ps. Kong was due to take off for a conference in Sweden right after Sun and Dayan touch down, and so he opted to spend the 7 hours with his beloved wife and son on the plane.

Now that's passion and commitment.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

hors d'oeuvres

I looked up from my work for a moment and realised that the glass window on my left has morphed into a smorgasbord of post-it notes.
Here's a sample of some reminders in my life:
.
CHASING DONKEYS - Each step that I obey takes me closer to a place of opportunity-my point of intersection in life.
~Rev. Dr. A.R.Bernard~

"Proving" worth discovers TRUE character under pressure.
~Rev. Dr. Phil Pringle~

The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.
~Norman Vincent Peale~

Faith is a gift from God, gladly given and kept alive by the Spirit.
~Benny Hinn~

你要保守你心,勝過保守一切,
因為一生的果效,是由心發出。
~箴言4:23~

Friday, August 10, 2007

vista

I'm revisitting CROSS and DELIRIOUS?
There's something so comforting about the songs ONE and MIRACLE MAKER.

Miracle Maker

I’m waiting here for my life to change,
When the waters stir you can rearrange me.
Just one touch is all I need,
I’ve nothing much but the wounds I feel,
I’m looking for the hand of the miracle man.

Holy, you are holy,
Who was and is and is to come.
Holy, you are holy, Saviour, Healer,
I’m standing at the feet of the miracle maker.

I’m holding on, with your life in mine,
Living water’s come,
And you’ve rearranged me.

Holy you are holy,
Who was and is and is to come.
Holy, you are holy,
Saviour, healer,
I’m staring in the face of the miracle maker.

Holy, you are holy,
Who was and is and is to come.
Jesus, precious Jesus,
Thank you, Saviour,
I’m walking in the shoes of my miracle maker.
I’m standing with the faith of a miracle maker.

Written by Delirious? ©2005 Curious? Music UK

Friday, August 3, 2007

life-nugget

I was editing something and came across this nugget:

Failure is an event, not a lifestyle or destiny.

Good huh? :)

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Olivia, The Friendly Velveteen Rabbit

I'm undergoing therapy.

Of the retail kind.

So I let myself buy this!














Then I came across an album I never knew Olivia had.
She even made "Sometimes When We Touch" sound good. :P














And then what made me even happier was finding this gem!!














Okei I know I should do a mirror image of this pic, but ANYWAY, it says THE VELVETEEN RABBIT!
Narrated by Meryl Streep and accompanied on piano by George Winston!
I am listening to it now, and it is good!
Feels just like a kiss from heaven. :)

p.s. My colleague's playing Sound of Music in the Aquarium now, so it's a happy place inside and outside of me. :P

Sunday, July 29, 2007

boiii...iiiing...

I decided to revisit an old friend tonight ... her name's Kathleen Kelly.

She owns a quaint (read: small) children's bookstore Shop Around The Corner left to her by her mother, and she is happily living her "small ... valuable, but small" life until challenge comes in the form of book megastore Fox Books. While she twirls through unbelievable optimism (also read as "denial" to the realists), acceptance, "going to the mattresses" (i.e. fighting to keep her store alive), she is also busy falling in love with a really sweet man, with one snag--she doesn't know who he is, cos their greetings to each other are always preceded by the sound of a modem dialing up followed by three powerful words "You've Got Mail." That's right, they meet online. The great guy turns out to be her nemesis, the owner of Fox Books, Joe Fox.

Oh, in the end everything turns out marvellously, because Joe knew how to play his cards right. He primed her until she was caught in between loving him the man who put her out of business, and the sensitive, kind, caring yet unknown person on the other end of her inbox. Then, eventually he reveals himself and makes her romantic dreams come true.

And there's a plus in it -- Brinkley, Joe's golden labrador (at least that's the breed I think it is).
I got all "I'm missing Benji" again, but then, honestly I don't think i stopped missing him since he moved out. :P

I like Kathleen because she kinda lives in her own bubble of hope, which totally rejuvenated me.
While everyone else is worried before time that she will go out of business, she goes "I think it's great! You know how there is the flower district? Well, we'll be the book district! We'll have whatever they don't have."
She's the welcoming girl who is cheerful like the daisies that she loves.

She's not in denial of her reality though (not to me anyway).
After some time, when she realizes that her store is not making money, she puts up a fight, roping in the media and picket lines etc. only to have to fold eventually because the big, bad Fox Books is just too big a contender.

So she takes a break for a while to mourn the end of her shop, and then she starts writing a book. Haha.
She's just an unbeatable dreamer, and I love that.

Anyway, "You've Got Mail" is one of my favourite movies of all time.
Because movies always tell you there's a dream, and this one tells me, for all you know, the dream may just come true.

After a week of being down in the hopes-dump, it is time to bounce back, albeit however slowly.
Which sounds like an oxymoron ... Bouncing Slowly.

Friday, July 27, 2007

ranting

Okei, Dr. See says that we can't tell much from this MRI, as it still shows shadows of the leftover effects from Dad's radiotherapy. So he's now on the 1st of his next 3 cycles of chemotherapy. Then they'll take another MRI after that, which will be more revealing. Whether or not Dad's speech improves is dependent on whether the tumour was simply pressing on his brain or it actually ate away at the brain...no news abt which one it is at this moment too.

It irks me that the doctors and nurses seem to feel it's their duty to keep reminding us that this is a very aggressive tumour, and the usual prognosis is 1.5-2 years. Yes I know, you've made your point, but why the need to tell us 10 times? So what even if we don't realise it? So what if it doesn't sink in? Is it really yr job to ensure that we are hit wham-bam with the full realisation of the gravity of the situation? Trust me, none of us are living in denial, we all know the odds, but I don't see the point of repeating it in the "Do you realise how serious this is?" tone. How does that help anyone? Are we like supposed to start preparing for it or what? It's ridiculous. What's more dangerous....to keep trampling all over someone else's hope so it dies before its time or letting the person live in it until it has no choice but to die? Please, God knows when to let the bomb drop. I choose to let hope live till it dies a natural death, anytime. And don't worry, I may be a butterfly at times but I am not blind to reality, thanks very much. The facts are not the truth, that's all.

Okei, I've ranted enough. Let's move on.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

just a little more, shar.

My dad's MRI results are coming out tomorrow.

I flared up at the hospital last week, because if they hadn't forgotten to put in his appointment in their computer, he would have gone for the MRI last Mon, and his results would have been out last Wed.
But instead, because of SGH's administrative incompetency, we had to wait another agonizing week.
Tomorrow we will find out for sure if the radiotherapy and chemotherapy has killed the cancerous cells in Dad's brain.

It's not been a good week.
One of the worst, to be honest.

But it's too painful and raw to talk about the other thing here, so I won't.

And besides, if I hold out just a bit more day by day, eventually it's bound to get better, isn't it?

Thursday, July 19, 2007

hope on the rim

As I was getting ready for work this morning, I looked out and saw that a huge dark cloud had settled over my estate.
Then a while later, a loud clap of thunder rang out which kinda surprised me.

No it didn't make me jump.

I was surprised because that was when I realised that it had felt so normal to me, having the dark cloud over, that I didn't even notice that a storm was on its way.

That's life isn't it? Sometimes we just become so used to it to having a hanging dark cloud over us, that we forget sunshine is our portion.

It was nice to see that the dark cloud ended pretty neatly not so far off, and yes, it was all bright and full of hope beyond. :)

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

what the universe is up to

I came across a post-it I left for myself in my Bible.
It says:

GOD IS WORKING MORE BEHIND YOUR BACK THAN HE IS DOING IN FRONT OF YOU.
Gather faith for the little things, and it'll snowball into a lifestyle of faith for you.
____________________________________________________

Hope must not die.
I will trust in Him.

Yeah, like Dr. Bernard so aptly rephrased, I do remember that "The universe is conspiring to make me successful."

"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." - Romans 8:28

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Lost Custody

This blog is missing a lot.
For starters, it's missing a dog called Benji, who joined my family when he was only 2 months old.













Yup, that's him ... at 4 months of age.
I got him for my berfdae thanks to 2 great friends Caroline and Amos.
He no longer lives with me though.
Recently, his shedding fur got too much for my dad's nose, made very sensitive by his chemotherapy medication.
So Benji now lives with Carol and Amos, where I hear he's terrorizing the entire household, including their dachschund-maltese, Phoebe.

I miss him heaps though.
For all his impishness, nothing beats having him welcome you home after a long day or loyally sticking close to you, especially when you're miserable.
And when it comes to having fun, his capacity for playing has no limits.
He'd be panting up a storm but he'll still run circles around you or tenaciously cling onto the tug-o-war rope.

For seconds, I've got braces now.
My front teeth are sooooo sensitive and I feel like I am wearing one of those fake teeth things.
But in 1.5 years, I'll have straight teeth! :)

It's been so long since I updated this blog that I don't think many people are reading anymore.
Hahaha ... such is life.
But for those of you who are still here, hi and thanks!

Friday, April 27, 2007

bonjour...

Your French Name is:

Anastasie Rey

hahahahaha....i always knew that!

Your Brain's Pattern

You're a simple thinker, and this is actually a very good thing.
You don't complicate matters when you don't have to.
You look for the simplest explanation or solution, and you go with that.
As a result, your mind is uncluttered and free of stress.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

starting over

Page-a-day calendar says:
Sometimes we just have to start over.
It doesn't necessarily mean we have failed.
That's okei.
We just have to start over.
~~~

Okei, so it doesn't really apply to me now, but don't you think it's such a liberating statement?
Sometimes we're just too hard on ourselves. :P

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Update on dad

Hi there, just to update u guys who have been sms-ing and asking after my dad...

Dad's operation went smoothly...thank God!
Dr. Ng says he managed to remove 90% of the tumour, but the last 10% is right on top of the speech nodes, so he is unable to remove it yet as it'll affect dad's ability to talk.
Dad is not making a lot of sense now, because although he knows what he wants to say, he is unable to verbalize his thoughts clearly.
Dr. says this will last for another 2-3 weeks, which is a bit of a concern, as dad gets very understandably frustrated when we can't understand him.
I'm praying for a really swift recovery.

Also, we are still waiting for the test results of the tumour, which will take about 5-7 days.
This test will determine if the tumour is benign or malignant....definitely praying and fasting that it's benign.

Thanks once again to all the prayer warriorsn who are standing in the gap for me and my family.
Really appreciate all the encouragement. :)

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Sibling Joy

I am very happy for my bro!!
He got into the course that he wanted in SIM Uni!
And he thought no point trying because he's not likely to get in anyway.
But from what I heard and read, his personality, determination and impressive follow-up e-mail left them with no choice - they just had to give him the position.
Hee hee! :P
Go Jon go! I believe in you. :)

It's great news in the midst of a stressful period.
I didn't post about it earlier, but Doc found a tumour in my dad's brain last week, so we are arranging for an operation to remove it, and test if it's malignant or benign.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried, but I've got a cushion in knowing that God is in control.
So I'm believing that God is really making something good happen in the midst of all these. :)
Just thought I'd give a shout out to all the wonderful frens who are keeping us in prayers.
Thanks very much! :)

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Lurf is a MARVELLOUS motivator

Strongest Dad in the World
[From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly]

I try to be a good father. Work nights to pay for their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots. But compared with Dick Hoyt, I stink. Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars-- all in the same day.

Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.

This love story began in Winchester, Massachusetts., 43 years ago, when Rick was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.

"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him and his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old, "Put him in an institution.'' But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help the boy communicate. "No way,'' Dick says he was told. "There' s nothing going on in his brain.'' "Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lot was going on in his brain.

Rigged up with a computer that allowed him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his head, Rick was finally able to communicate.

First words?
"Go Bruins!''

And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the school organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, "Dad, I want to do that.''

Yeah, right.
How was Dick, a self-described "porker'' who never ran more than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried.

"Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. "I was sore for two weeks.'' That day changed Rick's life. "Dad,'' he typed, "when we were running, it felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!'' And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon. "No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor.

For a few years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then they found a way to get into the race officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the qualifying time for Boston the following year.

Then somebody said, "Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?'' How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick tried. Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii. Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? "No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for "the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with a cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time'? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time.

"No question about it,'' Rick types. "My dad is the Father of the Century.''

And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries was 95% clogged. "If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' one doctor told him, "you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day. That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.

"The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, "is that my dad sits in the chair and I push him once.''

Click here to watch the video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4B-r8KJhlE

Monday, March 19, 2007

Greater Is He

Who am I that You washed my feet?
The Prince of Heaven's blood shed for me

Who am I that You called my name?
Nailed my sin to a cross
Unfailing grace

Greater is He who's in me
Greater are You than all the earth
My closest friend, my saviour
So much more than I deserve

Let my life bring You honour
Let my words bring You praise
Your great love is all I want Lord

My Refuge, my Shelter
My Healer and Rest
Almighty Redeemer
Salvation and Strength

Friday, March 9, 2007

page-a-day wisdom

I like this.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."
~Anais Nin~

And this.

"Realizing that my life has turned out so much better than it would have if I had been able to control it when I wanted to has been one of the greatest insights of my life."
~Anne~

May our hearts be as

Strong as Gideon's,
Soft as King David's, and
Resilient as Ruth's

when we go through threshing times.

'Cos it takes all in us to decide to go through what we need to, but when we are shaken and going through the fire, we can look forward to emerging as a diamond.

Have a great March, you all! :)

Monday, March 5, 2007

Taipei really looks like a city of cabs hor....














To do justice to Amy, this is a much nicer pic of me and her...














And this is the trenchcoat she helped me pay for, then turned around and said it's my berfdae gift in advance...ooh I like it so! :)


















Somemore can take out the top to become this!

Sunday, March 4, 2007

my fortnight in picture form...

I like how this shot came out! Doesn't Father Nic look happy with all those wings and potato skins? I'm asking you, HOW not to put on weight in Taiwan?! Sigh.














While Kai and Nic were chugging it ...














... I couldn't resist a shot with Amy.














Me and the handsome boy! Even tho he refused to smile at the camera, he's still cute cos we caught him mid-manja. :)














The cactus the zone guys gave for V-day FLOWERED! How pretty. :)














Me and Na with Eh-driel's and Xueling's little boy-Asher.
I still can't believe Eh-driel's a DAD!!
Gosh, that makes him a grown-up... Hahaha. :P














My cell group (plus Wee Tat's forehead, seemingly) celebrating Pris and Krystal's berfdaes at our special room in Fish & Co. :P