the point source

i am s.t.u.c.k

2011-09-19T02:56:00.000-07:00

How Dare You?!

2010-11-15T18:55:00.000-08:00

How dare you question the goodness of the infinite omniscient God? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all (Rom 8:32). And this Son, who was not spared, this Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who is all knowing, all powerful, all good. Stooped so low to save us from eternal damnation and continues to be our Shepherd, who only desires what is best for us. How can you question His goodness? What right have you to speak? Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? Let Him who accuses God answer Him! (Job 40:2)

What suffering are you going through that you do not deserve? Are you the only one in the world who is suffering? Have you no blessings at all to count? Would you spit in the face of the One who loves you and gave Himself for you by being discontented after He has done everything to give you every spiritual blessing? (Eph 1:3). Will you be spoilt, rebellious and insolent? Questioning His all sufficient and perfect care? Don't you dare! Don't you ever dare!

Do things that come easy get taken for granted?

2010-10-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

the answer would usually be a resounding, "Yes!"

you don't really need to look far for the answer... i'm sure you have one in mind before i start listing examples down...

whether it is spoilt brats with their expensive toys or grown ups who got things too easy, to children who don't have an interest in their parent's passions... it's quite natural for humans to take things for granted when they didn't have to work too hard for it...

which brings me to the point of my post... do i take salvation for granted? how about God's grace and mercy then? of course i know that our salvation came at a tremendous cost, and that cost is appreciated greater the more we know about the person and work of the Lord...

that point aside, how about 2nd generation christians? kids who grew up in bible believing homes, where the things of the Lord are taught from infancy... we've always had the answer, we've always known about faith, God and His plan of salvation, we've been trained in disciplines that make us who we are...

but did it come too easy for us that loving the Lord is harder? because we never had to search, or have a truly life changing, 180 degrees turn-a-bout...

and does the familiarity decrease the appetite for the Lord's things?

as you can see, the scope of this discussion is so wide and many facetted, which is why i blog so little... because i think of something, wish to put it to text, then find myself not really doing justice to the subject....

so there you have it... my unfinished, uncompleted, half-left-hanging thoughts... hope it may stir a useful thought in your mind tho...

He leadeth His own with a gentle hand

2010-05-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

I found this entry in one of my many started-but-never-continued diaries. So much so that I don't even know what year it is...

25th Feb

Felt stressed over taking charge of Teen's Club. How do I fill Chee Ching's shoes?

Ex. 36:1 "to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work"

It is only by God's grace and empowering. May I never boast or feel proud of myself.

I really have no idea which year this was. But it must have been many years ago, since I remember Ivan and Timothy were in Teen's. And now they're almost out of YP! How the Lord has in His grace guided us and supplied us the strength and wisdom to do the things He has given us to do! This comes as a very much needed reminder as I start 'worrying' about what the DRAMATIM will come up with for the July Youth outreach meeting. Thank you Lord!

DRAMATIM production

2010-04-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

Here are the videos from our Easter Outreach presentation.

This one had to be edited in the end with the first performance clip as the camera didn't focus properly.

You can hear a glitch, cos i haven't learnt how to use the video editing software properly...

kreekree... kreekreee...

2010-03-22T01:33:00.000-07:00

that's the sound of crickets chirping telling me it's time i updated this blog... :P

Pics from the garden

2010-01-21T02:15:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics as promised. You'll be surprised the amount of interesting things you can find going on in the garden. First, here's a baby praying mantis... Saw him on this leaf and he's on the same leaf everyday. Will try and get a better pic with tripod and macro filter soon, before it grows up and moves on...

We also have wasps in the garden. Will try not to burn or get rid of it unless completely necessary ;)

First passion fruit from this new plant!

And the mango tree has flowered too, as mention in previous post. See the little baby mangoes! Have to find out if i need to wrap them up or just leave them to grow...

The ficus outside has been plagued with all manner of destructive pests. Often, it gets eaten botak, then grows new leaves again. We've seen so many types of leaf eating bugs, from space aged looking ones, to sticky slimy ones so much so that these one looks so 'normal' :)

Our pond has reached an 'equilibrium', according to Hans. There is moss, but the water is nice and clear. I feed the fishes everyday, so we'll see how big they grow... Actually, the fishes are just there to eat any mosquito larvae :)

Ho Hum

2010-01-18T00:59:00.000-08:00

Ok. so. looking at my previous post, i can safely say that i have not done any of the things i set out to do. so what's new. anyway, we finally cancelled our astro, so there's one distraction less. the computers have also been a huge distraction, so no more bringing my macbook back during weekdays cos i will waste time on it. bloc's back from the vet and technically i have been spending more time with him cos i have to feed him meds twice a day. wait a minute, it was cheryl that i was supposed to spend more time with! hahahahaha... i have decided to get back to gardening too. i believe there was a reason why God created the perfect garden and put adam and eve in it, to till and enjoy it. there is so much you can learn about the Creator from His creation. our new passion fruit plant is flowering finally. i hope it will not grow too out of control like the previous one. definitely looking forward to passion fruits. also, the mango tree has been flowering but no signs of fruits yet. will post photos soon. saw a really small cute baby praying mantis on the passion fruit plant leaf today but couldn't capture it (on camera) cos i was already late. have been arriving at least half an hour early to work everyday and intend to visit dealers on a more organised, regular basis. dennis is no longer leaving for australia, so i don't have to look for new staff. i am also journaling the teens meetings weekly on another blog so as to help me remember what happened at the end of the year. we have had 4 new children this two weeks! oh, bella is getting seen to, and i hope to be able to drive her around a bit more soon. mei's time back seemed to fly by but the prospect of our going over in september is keeping things from looking glum. also, sue mei and khee guan are coming back in march with the kids! i promise more pictures in the next post... ;)

Update

2009-12-25T10:27:00.001-08:00

Well, as Pei Ling pointed out in the comments to the last post, it IS time for an update... and probably the last post of the year. What has been happening recently? Well, besides being busy with the JIC choir, Mei is BACK! and I am typing this on my new macbook (company purchase, ok?). Had sleepover for my Teens class and also Overnighter for the Teens children (photos on Facebook). Boss came for a visit. And many more things I can't remember. So what would my resolutions for the new year be? I can think of a few.

1. Get back into a routine so I can spend proper time in prayer and Bible study.

2. Put my heart into my Chinese lessons.

3. Spend more time with Cheryl.

4. Take Bloc for a walk everyday.

5. Take time to plan.

Looks like they all have to do with proper time management. Cheryl got me a Moleskine planner, while Pei Ling gave me journal for Christmas. We have terminated our Astro subscription (effective 13th Jan because of 1 month notice). So, I really have no excuse for not spending time more wisely now. If only it were that easy. Anyway, with your prayers and encouragement and in the Lord's strength, I know it can be done. What about stuff planned for the new year? Evan's birthday party on 6th in Penang. The revival of the Singing and Drama team? More interesting programs for the Teens? All require planning wor....

Ordering my private world

2009-11-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

Mum bought me the book Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald quite some time back. I remember reading it but don't remember if i finished it. Anyway, i recently decided it was time to take a step back and take stock of myself. Whether i was being true to myself in the things that i do and get into. It's quite scary to find that i am just drifting along in life, doing what i think is what God wants me to do and not really knowing if what i'm doing is because i am driven to by the expectations of people around me, or my own selfish ambitions or simply because these things present themselves to me and i just take them on. So, since last tuesday, i have taken away a few distractions that rob me of my time. No fb for a week at least, no tv, just to put myself into a more contemplative mode before i reach another 'milestone' in my life. I've pressed the economy button on my car and forced myself to keep within the speed limits, something that is extremely tough for me to do and i find a real challenge. As i work at being a true disciple to the most gracious and loving Lord and Master, i know my growth has been stunted, but better late than never right? Anyway, i hope those of you who read this blog will keep me in your prayers as i attempt, by the Lord's strength, to order my private world, so that i will truly understand stewardship, know exactly who i am, possess an unwavering sense of purpose and practice unswerving commitment in my life. As i strife to have my mind renewed by the grace of the One who has called me, may i be a blessing to each of you too.

experiments

2009-10-09T03:24:00.000-07:00

How long it has been since I've posted something. Been trying to wrap my head around this whole photography thing but not quite sure how I'm doing... Here are a few samples... (click on image for full size)

Water cabbage
Cherry tomato flower
Radiated tortoise
Crackpot plant flower

Oh, and this bird comes every morning and 'grumbles' at our window. I say grumbles cos it doesn't chirp like a sparrow or sing like a magpie robin, but well, grumbles... At least that's what it sounds like to me. It sometimes pecks on the glass too!

starbucks bug

2009-09-19T21:23:00.001-07:00

Finally took the mug Tong How and Pei Yee gave me to the office... so that it could join his fellow starbucks brethren in their quest take over the mug world... and no, none of the other mugs belong to me except the standard mug that I inherited from Khairul after he left...

a change

2009-09-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, the next time you see photos on my blog, it will be from a 'new' camera. I have sold my trusty Panasonic FZ7, which I really love and got myself an old 2nd hand Olympus E300. The FZ7 has loads of features but I use the simplest 'point and shoot' mode for most of my shots. Now I have to learn how to even just get a shot in focus... Well, I guess it's time to learn something new. I'm quite sure the new owner of the FZ7 will be having fun with it too ;)

Bye bye FZ7...

Hello E300...
Notice how the shot of the E300 looks better, cos I still haven't learned to use the dslr properly yet... huhu...

Our Video

2009-09-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

Never had this when we were married almost 11 years ago, so when Azril said his wife, Iza, wanted to do a photoshoot for us cos they don't have any Chinese couples in their portfolio, I agreed. I'm not one to take to posing and having his picture taken. Even snapped at the poor camera man on our wedding day when he made us pose uncomfortably on the wedding car. Anyway, we rushed back from choir practice to meet up with the Myshots team and followed them to a location near our place. The whole shoot took less than an hour and just in time for them to buka puasa. Here's what Azril did video wise, photos will come later... watch in HD if possible...

www.myshotswedding.com

Fiction and Fantasy

2009-08-18T06:23:00.000-07:00

Dreams are stuff you... well.... dream. Some people chase their dreams and make it a reality. Others sit back and watch. Still others have their dreams come through by a fortunate (or otherwise) twist of events. Dreams are often about things you desire to have, people you wish the same of and perhaps situations you imagined yourself in. Some people live their lives around their dreams, others pause for a moment to fantasize then get back to reality. In my fantasy, I have a pretty 9 year old daughter named Kerith. She has a 6 year old sister who's more outgoing and adventurous than her. And they both find their 4 year old baby brother very annoying... ok, enough day dreaming, Time to get back to reality!

Old Photos

2009-08-17T02:42:00.000-07:00

Can you spot anyone familiar in the photo below?

Ok, so we know one guy's name's simon.... answer below...

Hire a parent?!

2009-07-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

Came across this advert in the Low Yat forum... Some kid put up and ad to hire someone to act as his parent for report card day! Really gotta give it to him for creativity... Unfortunately, he's got quite a small budget, hahah

http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1103739

WTHire Matured Woman or Man, age 50 - 60 for report card day -_-

Item(s): Matured Woman or Man . CHINESE only. smile.gif age 50-60.

Package includes:

Price: RM30, just need ur help for 1 hour.

Location: SMK Damansara Utama opposite Uptown smile.gif

Contact method/details: PM ME URGENT !! biggrin.gif
---

this is not for anything sexual

just need help from anyone of you that their mom or aunty is free this thursday 23 July.

easy money up for grabs. i actually need 2 man or woman to pretend to be me and my friend's mother/father to collect our report cards.

very simple just be at my school , SMK DAMANSARA UTAMA at 23 JULY THURSDAY between 8am-11am. and pretend to be my mom and collect the report card and just act.

then you will be paid RM30 just for that.. biggrin.gif

please help ~ thumbup.gif thumbup.gif URGENT biggrin.gif

This post has been edited by carbonfibre: Today, 02:35 PM

The Cost of Real Love is No Charge...

2009-06-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

Came across this country song by Melba Montgomery and it made my eyes water... (click 'play' to listen)

No Charge.wma - Melba Montgomery

NO CHARGE
Melba Montgomery
Writer: HARLAN HOWARD

Recitation:

My little boy came into the kitchen this evenin'
While I was fixin' supper
And he handed me a piece of paper he'd been writin' on
And after wipin' my hands on my apron
I read it - and this is what it said:

For mowin' the yard - five dollars
And for makin' my own bed this week - one dollar
And for goin' to the store - fifty cents
An' playin' with little brother, while you went shoppin' - twenty-five cents
Takin' out the trash - one dollar
Gettin' a good report card - five dollars
And for rakin' the yard - two dollars
Total owed - fourteen seventy-five.

Well, I looked at 'im standin' there expectantly
And a thousand mem'ries flashed through my mind
So I picked up the pen, turnin' the paper over,
This is what I wrote:

For nine months I carried you
Growin' inside me - NO CHARGE
For the nights I've sat up with you,
Doctored you, prayed for you - NO CHARGE
For the time and the tears.
And the cost through the years, there's NO CHARGE
When you add it all up.
The full cost of my love is NO CHARGE.

For the nights filled with dread
And the worries ahead - NO CHARGE
For advice and the knowledge
And the cost of your college - NO CHARGE
For the toys, food and clothes and for wipin' your nose
There's NO CHARGE, son
When you add it all up,
The full cost of my love, is - NO CHARGE.

Recitation:
Well, when he finished readin'
He had great big old tears in his eyes
And he looked up at me and he said,
"Mama, I sure do love you."
Then he took the pen,
And in great big letters
He wrote: "PAID IN FULL."

When you add it all up
The cost of real love is - NO CHARGE

Thanks Pa and Mum, for teaching me what real love is... Love you both very much :)

Just For Pun...

2009-05-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

Chee Choun sent me these via email.... enjoy!

1. The roundest knight at King Arthur’s round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.

3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it was a weapon of math disruption.

5. The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.

6. No matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.

7. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

8. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

9. Two silkworms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.

12. Atheism is a non-prophet organisation.

13. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: ‘You stay here; I’ll go on a head.’

14. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

15. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab centre: ‘Keep off the Grass’.

16. A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said: “No change yet.”

17. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

18. The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

19. The man who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

20. A backward poet writes inverse.

21. In democracy, it’s your vote that counts. In feudalism, it’s your count that votes.

22. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

Eaten Alive!

2009-05-26T02:09:00.000-07:00

Our poor tree in front of the house. Got attacked by hundreds of caterpillars and i don't know if it'll survive. The fig tree nearby seems to have been attacked by something too...

2009-05-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

"You've been looking a little down lately dear."

Jimmy's heart raced. She'd noticed! He pulled her closer as she approached the bed he was sitting on. He looked up at her then hugged her tightly, his hair wetting her pink work blouse a little. Should he tell her that he was frustrated, angry and sad all at once? Could he tell her that it was partly because of her? All he needed was a little attention. He was screaming for it but she never seemed to notice, till now. He thought hard for the right words to say. Should he also tell her about the problems he'd been having at school? Did he want to burden her with the details? or should he just savor the moment? But before he could open his mouth, she pulled herself away.

"Mummy's gotta go now. Pick yourself up and get on with life", she said as she walked out the door.

Jimmy sat there all alone again. He shouldn't blame her. He knew she loved him and had to work. Maybe he should go away so she didn't have to work so hard....

Ma poor under utilised bike...

2009-05-01T11:12:00.001-07:00

My favourite rides are single trails that lead to a river crossing and back. But this poor guy has not seen the likes of that! At least not with my butt on the saddle. Bought this bike many moons ago from a contact off www.bicyclebuysell.com. We drove to Ipoh after work, met the chap, did the transaction and drove back. I really hope I can take it off road more often and plan rides for the young people too! :)

Bukit Lalang

2009-04-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

A public holiday is such a precious thing. I know those who are still studying will not understand this. You will, when you start working. Anyway, Desmond asked during fellowship dinner if I wanted to join him and the others on another trip to Nuang. I was rather hesitant, considering my fitness level has deteriorated considerably since the last climb. But more importantly, I was really hoping to go somewhere with my teens club class. I really enjoy bringing them out and spending time with them and we were supposed to plan something, but firstly, they couldn't agree on a place to go and secondly, one three were present last saturday, making planning quite impossible. I was still hoping to arrange something so even if it was for a smaller group. Cheryl has the special girl's meeting on in the morning, so I had asked Jeya if he could come along to assist me. I've already learnt my lesson that I should never bring a bunch of kids out alone. When I checked with him yesterday, Jeya wanted to stay home and prepare his sunday message, but Cheryl was keen to assist me after her meeting ends at around 1:30pm. Long story short, we couldn't arrange anything in time. Then Kenny, my ex-colleague from SAE called and asked if I knew how to get to Bukit Lalang. Alvin had just mentioned this place to me on weds night during regional and I thought I could hook them up since he said he was going on labour day. A few calls here and there and I had arranged for Kenny to come to my place at 5:30am. Actually, I really needed some rest, but since I have not been able spend much time with Kenny for a long time and everytime he invites me to ride, I have to decline cos it's on a sunday, I agreed. Alvin later called to cancel.

I rarely type such 'cheong hei' story so back to short and sweet.

The place was packed. I hate packed trails. Of course if I were to bring a group on a trip there, then I would be as irritating to some people as they were to me. Not that I have anything against them, they have as much right to be there as I do, so I don't hate them, just the situation. Short climb up. Nice scenery. Sunrise wasn't so nice but bumped into Jia Yin :)

As usual, more pics on FB:)

Love

2009-04-23T20:17:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

A husband's duty is to love his wife. I can only find one verse in the Bible that instructs wives to love their husbands. So, as a husband I need to realise what this means in order to fulfill my duties. Of course it is easy to 'love' someone if they are perfect and cute. But nobody's perfect and not everyone stays cute forever. I heard once that the reason why babies are so cute is because if they weren't, it would be quite difficult to care for them. Anyway, back to the matter of love. The second part of the verse in Ephesians gives a very clear example and model of what love is and how a husband is to love his wife.

To start with, God gave us the marriage institution as a picture of Christ and the church. So, what did Christ do and how does he love the church. Well, as the son of God, he gave up all that he had and came down on earth to suffer and die to pay for our sins. Rising again, he defeated the power of death and hell. Ok, now this is the 'romantic' part. He did this to win us back to God. The next verse tells the story.

Ephesians 5:26,27 ...to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any blemish, but holy and blameless.

So basically, Christ did everything! Being one who believes in chivalry, I do think that husbands ought to do things for their wives (even though they may be totally capable of doing it themselves sometimes!). Of course in the case of Christ and the church, we were totally lost and condemned and unable to help ourselves but he came and sacrificed himself in order to win us over. And it is because of that that we love him.

1John 4:19. We love because he first loved us.

Now back to how that helps me love my wife. If I were to take the example from Christ, then considering how much he sacrificed for our sake, I should do the same. Basically, it is having Cheryl's best interest at heart. It is an unselfish love. One that is very hard to practise and can only be done with God's grace. Totally unlike the kind of 'love' that we see in the world today where everything is about 'what's in it for me'. Don't even get me started on prenups and divorce. Whatever happened to 'for better or for worse'? These days, as soon as it's a little rough, couples bail out. I remember once, a number of years ago, after Cheryl had done something silly. I looked at her, gave a big sigh and said, "for better or worse". Looking back at me, in feigned seriousness, gave a bigger sigh and replied, "for richer or poorer". We had a good laugh over that.

As long as we're on this earth, in this sinful body, we are presently and practically imperfect (some seem more imperfect then others! haha). And we will often grieve our Lord and stray away from him. How often we have been disobedient and rebellious. But his love is such that he continues to love us and only desires what is best for us.

So husbands, love your wives. Never lose that tender and manja connection with them. Think of their interests above yours. Give in to them and put your ego aside (unless it is a matter which is wrong principally). Take the lead as the head of the family unit and lead them gently. Constantly look to the Lord for guidance and remember, if Christ is our example, there is no sacrifice that can match his...

and hopefully, she'll love you back... but even if she doesn't, your duty is still to love her...

1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

today is the 17th of april, 2009

2009-04-17T01:08:00.000-07:00

Jasbir commented recently that she checks my blog every other day... So maybe i should be updating it a bit more since there are kind folk who do read it... i don't have to have a sudden inspirational thought or a major event to write about, just updates that help friends know what's happening in my life... So here goes...

Have been enjoying the sunroof a lot recently... initially i would get very annoyed with the sound but now i have learnt to live with the sound and enjoy the sunshine! Here are some sights that greeted me when i looked up this morning...

Clouds left by a passing jet...

Did you notice the moon?

This one is while waiting at the traffic lights in front of pudu jail...

1st time i've beed scratched by the needle, while donating blood today...

Customer brought in this guitar for repair... UV coating seems to be peeling off...

Red mountain racer shedding phase again (notice the blurred eyes?)... Hopefully i's a nice clean shed this time...

It's been a quiet day in the showroom today. Met a dealer, sold some gear, changed light bulbs, restrung a guitar, answered emails and calls. Singapore office is has been busy the past few days. Anyway, my thoughts are still on the youth center and what God wants me to do. Looking forward to meeting up with Aunty Gaik this sunday for lunch. Ee May cancelled her leave for next week, so i won't have to fly solo, except on saturday... It's 4:48pm and i still don't know what to eat for lunch. Must take care of my body, so better go...

Hard to say goodbye?!

2009-04-11T07:37:00.001-07:00

We had our Easter and Farewell party today for the teens. A group of them will be promoted to YP next week. Yes, you know who you are (some read this blog). Anyway, I really pray that they will fit in well with the YP and continue to grow in the love and knowledge of the Lord. I'm happy that they are going on to more mature things and I can concentrate better on the younger ones. But of course I'm sad to see them go. Well, I'll still see many of them during other meetings and on saturdays but it won't be the same...

These are some who are going to YP. Others didn't come today as school was on...

Hwei Huih made a cake for them. Yummy!

Keychains that Alvin made for them.

The whole group!

idio[synch]racies

2009-04-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

Lately i've been discovering myself displaying certain habits i find irritating in Cheryl. Don't worry, i'm not talking behind her back or bad mouthing her, she already knows all this. Here are some examples...

1. Spilling/dropping food
2. Using tissue paper
3. Wiping wet hands on my t shirt/hips
4. Leaving rubbish in the car
5. Leaving the dishes till tomorrow

More than twice last month i have looked at her and we both give each other that knowing grin... oh well....

Guaranteed Success

2009-03-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, what will I be
Will I be pretty, will I be rich
Here's what she said to me.

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

When I was young, I fell in love
I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead
Will we have rainbows, day after day
Here's what my sweetheart said.

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, what will I be
Will I be handsome, will I be rich
I tell them tenderly.

Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be.

It's interesting how much truth there is in a simple song like this. On one hand, you could just throw your hands up in the air and say, "Well, everything is fated and whatever will be, will be. So I don't care about anything!" But the truth is in the fact that the future's not ours to see. And as it is written in Matthew 6:27, "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?"

The fact of the matter is this. We are not in control. We make decisions and they produce consequences but we are still not in control. We may plan and execute, but we have no control over the outcome. We have no idea how long we will live and what will happen in the next second.

This can be super disturbing to some. Let me explain. Someone can, like in the first example, just take the whatever attitude. "Since I'm not in control, what does it matter?" Or someone else can make the best of the situation and try his/her best to work around whatever happens. Strive for a goal and succeed, or not. So, depending on what they're goal is, many people in the world are like the latter. They aim to get rich, or do good, or stay healthy, or achieve great things, or be happy in life. But for all the work they put into heading towards their goal, they are not guaranteed success and the outcome is uncertain. One can spend his/her whole life aiming towards something, only to find at the end that it was all meaningless.

Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD's hand
double for all her sins.

A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD^";
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God. ^"

Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.

And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

A voice says, "Cry out."
And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever."

You who bring good tidings to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
"Here is your God!"

See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and his arm rules for him.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?

Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?

Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the path of understanding?

Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.

Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.

Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.

To whom, then, will you compare God?
What image will you compare him to?

As for an idol, a craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.

A man too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot.
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not topple.

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

"To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.

Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God"?

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

(Isaiah 40)

For those who know God and belong to him, it is a great comfort that we are not in control. His wisdom is far beyond ours and guess what? The wonder of it all is that he cares for us and wants what is best for us. And the only way to guarantee success in life is if we live according to his will and do what he wants us to do. What a blessed position that is! If the one who holds that future guides us, who can fail? It is a guaranteed success. True success is when something does well what it was designed to do ;)

Beryl's Chocolate Factory

2009-03-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Teen's club outing to the chocolate factory yesterday. We arrived early in 4 cars and a van. Had to wait for half an hour before taking the tour which took about the same amount of time. I think the children enjoyed just going out for a trip and not so much where they were taken. After spending some time buying chocolates, we headed for the Bangi park where we had lunch and the children played under the scorching sun. I didn't organise the games i had planned as the sun was so hot, and getting them to stand in the sun didn't feel like the right thing to do. At least when they are left to run, they can choose to stay in the shade... I'm sure most of them went home with melted chocolates...

Updates...

2009-02-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry to have gone MIA for so long. Was sick all CNY so here are updates of all that happened in between the last post and now... Well, for one... jeng jeng jeng... NEW RIDE!

In time for going up to Penang after Christmas.

We had a good time wondering around and spending most of our time in the Baptist bookstore. But Pa got sick halfway through the trip :(

Had a great time playing Risk - Transformer Edition on new year's eve... until 6 in the morning!

Cheryl made CNY cookies and fried seaweed!

And then we doggie sitted Lulu when Jerome and Amber were away for holiday.

She even helped me with the new Teens' Club attendance chart!

More pics of Lulu in my Facebook album!

Teen's Sleepover

2008-12-11T20:46:00.000-08:00

Everytime i'm in the van with a bunch of teens from my class, i wish i'd brought the microtrack recorder... it's like watching 3 episodes of kids say the darnest things back to back...

having 9 energetic children around the house is testing... cheryl was amazing and managed to put food on the table and keep house while teaching them grabble and take two. Alvin dropped by in the morning and stayed throughout. Thanks for buying and paying for breakfast!

we all had fun and it was only spoilt by one incident at 5 in the morning when i was awakened by loud noises downstairs and found that everyone had disobeyed orders to stay horizontal and the girls had even snuck downstairs... i had tucked everyone in at 3, but didn't expect them to come untucked...

anyway, i'm sure we'll have lots to remenisce about and remember... of course, most laughs revolve around oon hou and his antics...

twister

Princess UNO, why do they have to print the green and blue so similar... old man like me suffer...
Take two!
tireed out... adrian and alvin...
oon hou and rexcy helped prepare dinner...
kid's menu, to the max!

food time... i remember very clearly the one brief moment of silence when everyone was too busy stuffing their faces and no one was talking or giggling or arguing... heheh
once for the album...
one more without flash...

the original will.i.am

2008-12-01T20:37:00.000-08:00

Mei sent me a package by surface mail and it arrived in 10 days. She told about it already so it wasn't exactly a surprise. But it was great receiving a package in the mail. A William boxset! We used to read William when we were kids.

I read a chapter to Cheryl last night and we giggled ourselves silly.... Thanks Mei! ;)

Poodle Doodle

2008-11-27T21:20:00.000-08:00

Shouldn't have let Cheryl see this but how not to let her see this???! So cutesey! Now she wants one, hahahaha

more gifts!

2008-11-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

Shaun passed me this present when we all went out for Madagascar2 together. The tag says it all...

YC and YY were so kind too, they bought me a parker pen! Too sayang to use...

Tong How and Pei Yee also got me something that i sayang to use...

Thanks y'all!!!

my 33rd...

2008-11-12T07:16:00.001-08:00

had my facebook wall flooded with birthday wishes, phone filled with smses, a few calls and personal handshakes (since it was prayer meeting night)...

it is touching that so many people take the trouble to type, call or do something for you on your birthday. Nothing beats loved ones who take time to think and plan something for you or go around searching for the illusive 'perfect' gift. Cheryl has learnt that her surprises usually backfire, so she's decided to let me get something i want (need) instead of trying to surprise me. She did get me something first before i shop for the 'big' thing, hehe...

Anyway, it started on the eve of my birthday, when Woon Ping dropped by the office with a box of doughnuts. It was really thoughtful of her...

Jeya had already made arrangements to take us out somewhere that night, so i rushed home and bathed before he picked us up. It was a nice surprise, going to a new place that we had never been to...

It was rather late by the time we got back and being true to my getting older, i slept off in the car... We reached home past midnight, so it was officially my birthday. Mei had already passed through my present when Pa and Mum visited her in oct. I opened Cheryl's 'small' present first...
It was a knit tee that i wore to prayer meet just tonight. Next came Mei's present...
I have decided that the socks are too cute to wear. I have big plans for that moleskine...

Went to bed and watched UFC till late, woke up rather grouchy on my birthday. Spent quite sometime replying and thanking everyone who posted wishes. Managed to squeeze in a birthday lunch/dinner with my colleagues (that is a whole other story). Rushed home early because of prayer meeting. Cheryl had cooked and also bought 4 slices of birthday cake!
By the time this pic was taken, one slice already in our tummies...

Jupe and Ellice have won the award for most interesting and inovative present...

Aunty Gaik had couriered Aunty Rose, Uncle Edward and her card + gift to mummy. Pa passed it through during prayer meeting...
Left one is from Pa and Mum...

Thank you everyone for all the thoughts and love that came my way today! My birthday is officially over.... nightzzzzzzzZZZZZZ

Icing on the cake, with a cherry on top: Mei just called from UK and we chatted for a while!

Prime Cut

2008-11-11T22:27:00.000-08:00

Turning 33 makes me depressed. It's not that i'm not thankful for all the blessings that i have been bestowed. God has indeed blessed me with everything that's important in life, and then some. How can anyone complain if he's been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ? But maybe that's exactly what gets me down. Having been blessed with so much and not having anything to show for it...

I believe that 33 is the prime age for a man. Because the Lord Jesus gave His life up for us at 33. All His life, He knew what He had come for and at 33, the time was right. He would give up His perfect life to pay the price for our sins.

So, this gets me thinking. I'm 33 and what is my life? Do i know what i'm supposed to do? What does God want me to do? IF i do know, am i doing it? Or am i just drifting around and collecting sparkly seashells and missing the sunset?

My Korean Sweetheart

2008-10-23T03:27:00.000-07:00

Haha, no actually Cheryl and I celebrate our 10th anniversary and have dinner in a korean restaurant.

The Lord has been gracious and blessing us with so much these 10 years. Our families have been ever so supportive and i thank God for all the prayers and love that come our way. I cannot imagine (nor want to experience) live without my darling and I long to go home at the end of each day to be with her. I pray that we may live a life that is pleasing to God and be a blessing to those around us.

Updates October 08

2008-10-23T01:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry people, it has to come to this since Facebook... monthly updates?? ahaha

Anyway, times has flown by and so many things have happened...

Lata Kijang trip with Jeya and Hans. Awesome waterfall.

Miracle fruit tree continues to bud.

Pa and Mum get back from visiting Mei with lotsa goodies!

Mervynn's radiated tortoises come to stay.

Very happy to be able to make a simple visual aid. Shunemite lady builds a room for Elisha to stay on her house.

Take my teens class to waterfall. This is before Shaun's accident. Thank the Lord that we managed to handle the emergency.

Roscoe goes missing. :(

Missing Roscoe

2008-10-14T03:09:00.000-07:00

Most of you already know that Roscoe squeezed himself out through the gate and got lost since saturday evening. For those who don't know, lately Rosoce has been very restless in his cage. We figured that it is due to the fireworks that the children are playing outside at various times of the day. Usually, he will be in his cage when we go out but recently he has been forcing himself out of the cage and causing his head and snout to bleed. So, we were afraid to keep him in the cage...

Now we can understand a little of how the father of the prodigal son felt, cos each morning we would look out the window hoping to see a little doggie wandering along the road. Of course the chances are highly unlikely. Tonight, we'll be going out to put flyers into post boxes and pin some posters up...

Splendid Sunday...

2008-09-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Miracle fruit tree seems to be budding... keeping fingers crossed!

Wild banana tree that i collected back from jungle also is fruiting... i wonder if it's edible...

Sugar gliders get a new home... bigger and outside! i just hope i don't forget to feed them :P

Dinner with family... Aunty Gaik, Adrian, Cindy and Ryan came to Kajang... Ryan is such a happy boy... So different from the whiny baby he was the last time i saw him :D

growing up too quickly

2008-09-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

Every week when i drive to fetch the children, Kavitha will be waiting. She then yells at the top of her voice for the others, usually her brother Karnan and their neighbors living in another flat near theirs. As i watch them grow, i can't help but wonder what their futures will be like. Karnan and Kavitha's 3 older brothers have dropped out of school and are working. Their parents split up recently and the older children live with their dad. Their mum runs a food stall in a hawker centre nearby. She previously used to do cleaning for one of the night spots close by too. The children are caring and loving despite their coming from a broken home. Kavitha often offers me sweets she buys with the lose change her mum gives her and i have learnt that refusing doesn't work. When she was younger, she would always ask for piggy back rides to the field but i have tried to stop giving them to her as she is growing up real quickly. I have never given Karnan piggy back rides and you can see from the photo why...

my silver lining on a gloomy day...

2008-09-03T22:17:00.000-07:00

plant update

2008-08-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

buttercup plant broke during heavy rain cos i tied it with wire... it had previously fallen down but not broken...

new water lily bud...

bountiful harvest

2008-08-29T23:11:00.000-07:00

we had a pleasant surprise when we returned from camp... so many passion fruits had dropped!

can i afford to be too busy?

2008-08-27T17:35:00.000-07:00

All the believers were one in heart and mind

Last night at bible study, we discussed the importance of participation in essential assembly gatherings, namely for teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer (as found in Acts 2:42).

I have been wondering recently why we aren't quite as 'one in heart and mind' as we should be. Some are suffering in silence, or going through times of testing alone. Is it because we do not share enough? Because if we do not open up and share, then how would others know we are in need of encouragement? Unless the Spirit guides us to encourage that person. Why is it that only during camp, we have the time to sit and share our fears and frustrations? Or is it only me?

Verse 42 of Acts 2 says that they devoted themselves to those things. Maybe the question is how devoted am I? We always say that if the Lord's things are close to our hearts, we could not stop talking about Him and would long to be with His people.

There are two things I can see the immediate need for improvement in my life. More time spent in studying the Word and in prayer for others...

Gently, He Provides...

2008-08-26T03:04:00.000-07:00

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by the food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

Even after God has shown His tremendous power to us, and we win a big battle by His strength, we may succumb to fear and discouragement even to the point where we feel like we don't want to live anymore. Yet, our God is gracious. And the Lord Jesus himself comes to tend to our needs. He knows what we need, physically and spiritually and He is gentle and gracious in His providence.
God provided Elijah the strength he needed to recover and get to Mt. Horeb and then He dealt with his problem. This also shows how our physical condition may affect us spiritually.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

number plates...

2008-08-14T01:59:00.000-07:00

saw this plate recently... it's my initials... wouldn't mind having the car either...

saw this one yesterday, you'll have to pay me to drive around with a plate like that... hahah...

Count Bloc

2008-08-07T03:21:00.000-07:00

Poor Bloc has skin problem again... when i put medicine for him, he runs away, then he licks it up, then the flies come and lay eggs, then he has maggots in his wound, then he has to go to the vet, then i have to pay a big bill.... sigh....

more flowers

2008-08-07T01:22:00.001-07:00

Finally posting a pic of the water lily flower... the color sucks cos i set the camera to the wrong setting... the flower lasted for a day, then all the petals dropped off...

got loads more buttercups tho ;)

blooming idiot

2008-07-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

the water lily bud has opened into a huge flower... not exceptionally beautiful because it's a rather plain kind of off white, but fascinating none the same... So, i rush out to snap a few shots with my camera and realise that i left my memory card stuck in my pc... bummer...

new flowers in the garden...

2008-07-21T05:23:00.001-07:00

being sick for more than 4 weeks means that stuff that's supposed to be done doesn't get done. so, our garden has been neglected quite a bit. i managed to mow and clear the weeds in the front portion but the lalang has grown and spread a fair bit...

i just mentioned to cheryl last fri or sat that i wasn't sure what a certain plant in the garden was. it hadn't given us any flowers and i was wondering if it was just going to stay that way. then to my surprise on sunday morning i noticed pretty yellow flowers sticking oddly out of the top...

we also have a water lily bud growing bigger by the day...

welcome home lil sis...

2008-07-21T05:18:00.000-07:00

Aunty Gaik's balloon says it all :)

Time and Time Again...

2008-07-18T03:07:00.000-07:00

When i feel pressured, i wonder if i have bitten off more than i can chew. I get blur and dazed and inefficient. I've always believed that having no time is never an excuse for anybody. Basically, everyone has the same amount of time, it's just what we choose to do with it. So, if i find i'm not having time to do something that i consider important, then something else has to go. Of course the easy way out is just to plonk myself in front of the tv and escape. But that only makes matters worse, because before you know it, time has flown and you haven't achieved a thing.

I know it all boils down to time management and planning. Setting down what i need to do and doing it. Usually, the more busy i am, the more organised i should get. Because suddenly, time is precious and i can't simply waste it. The problem with being in the store is that people can just walk in anytime and demand my time. Well, not exactly demand, but i end up spending alot of precious time talking to them. I guess that's part of the job...

So, what IS the point of this post? I have no idea... Time to get back to work...

it's all about the point of view...

2008-07-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

i have always believed that how we view a certain situation depends so much on where we see it from. and that is why we can always seem to look back at difficult situations in the past and laugh at them. let me explain my thoughts. to a child going to school for the first time, how he or she feels depends largely on what he or she has been exposed to. how the parents have prepared this little one and what he or she has heard or seen. for example, if lil fred has a bigger sister who comes home each day with exciting stories about what happened in school and who did what and what she ate during recess, then he'd be pretty excited about finally getting to go to school and feeling all grown up and important, just like his sis.

and it just happens that everything we see happening around us seems that way. some people have phobias due to some bad experiences, others have their minds set that a certain way is wrong (or right) based on facts (or fantasies) that they have read, heard or seen. some people base their judgment and trust in certain things or people on what their friends tell them, or what they see on tv, or what they read in the papers. that's why so many old ladies lose their live savings to some con men because they've put their faith them.

so, the truth will set you free. free to make the right decisions based on well, the truth.

then again, everything is relative. something may seem trivial to one and the same thing may mean the world to another. how sad it is when we see people killing for a few hundred dollars, or getting so caught up in their emotions that they are willing to take their lives over a lost relationship or gambling bet. from the outside, we can see that it doesn't make sense, but for the person, his life has collapsed around him and life is meaningless.

how relative is relative? what we can spend on a nice dinner, may feed a family for a month. but there are others who have 'nice' dinners everyday. the problem that has given us sleepless nights may just take a minute for someone else to solve.

so we enjoy watching movies, where the hero is unfazed by the overwhelming circumstances surrounding him, because he seems to know exactly what to do...

well, we do have a hero, and He knows everything. He is not bound by time nor space and if we do trust in Him, we should be like movie heroes too... unfazed by circumstances surrounding us...

car for sale

2008-06-29T04:10:00.000-07:00

time to say goodbye to my ride...

Perodua Myvi 1.3SXi Manual
2005 August [correction - it's actually march 2006]
Sparkling Silver with Black tint
70,000km
AirBags & ABS
Full maintenance record - Serviced by Perodua every 5,000km
Engine mod - 4-2-1 Extractor
RM35,000 neg [so the price goes up :) RM38k now]
Call me at 012-2755777

updates

2008-06-20T05:19:00.000-07:00

sick again... started with a tiny sore throat and by evening it was full blown fever... well, i prefer fast and furious rather than slow and painful...

my meds are so purrrrdyy.... and i feel so grogggggyyy....

got my neighbor to make a balloon twist flower for me a few days ago... now i have been practicing so we can liven the teens carnival up with these... the ones in this pic look faded cos they are a day old, they look shiny when new.... :)

more flowers!

2008-06-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

i was pleasantly surprised a few days back when i notice some flowers at the back of our garden while driving off to work. one of the wild plants that i brought back from janda baik jungle had flowers blooming. it wasn't until yesterday that i found the time to take a few shots of it. looks like each bud will bloom and each flower stays for a few days... :)

this one is one of the plants aunty Rajesh passed to me. planted it in a hanging pot so i didn't notice the flower till i brought it down...

this is from my stunted plant. pa and mum's have grown so well and flowered so often that they have many 'offspring' by now. my silly plant is only just flowering. wait, it can't be the plant that is silly, silly, must be the gardener! :P

air plants

2008-06-11T02:54:00.000-07:00

many years ago when i was in college there was a shop in atria that sold air plants... they had them stuck on rocks and so on and sold them for a premium...

years later the fad has died out but Hans has been crazy about them for a while and last night he was generous enough to give me some of his. i now have 4 types hanging in my garden. not sure if the environment is suitable but it's shaded tho not as humid as in his place. he has a pond with a fountain and a netting shading them. so, i have prob got to mist them daily... hopefully they dont die...

a day of broken hearts and bruised bums...

2008-06-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday started off fine, besides having to wake at the unearthly hour of six and getting ready to pick the kids up. Left home at 10 to 7 armed with cheryl's homemade muffins and a change of clothes. Spent the next hour picking up 8 children and piling them into the van. Stopped before the first toll to turn the seats around and to commit the trip to the Lord. Oon Hou sat in front cos I picked him first and he yakked all the way, as usual. I could only grin to myself as he talked about his new pet cat, Stripes, and everything else from rockets and cars to cotton candy.

we arrived at FRIM and paid the entrance, drove to the souvenir shop to get our tickets for the canopy walk. Had to wait 15 mins for them to open at 9. Then we were off to Rover track headed for the canopy walk. The place was full of joggers and mountain bikers. Not too long after the kids started feeling tired, the canopy walk entrance appeared. We waited our turn and were briefed on the rules. Grace decided she was scared and didn't want to go. So, she sat and waited for us. After completing the canopy walk, we tracked back along the trail to get Grace and retraced our steps all the way out.

"So nice la the canopy walk, you didn't go...", "Yeahlah, wasted only la you..."Children can be pretty ruthless when it comes to making people feel rotten... Anyway, we headed to the waterfall and were pretty disappointed with it. I promised to take them to a better place next time. (they're already asking when!) We did have fun splashing around and stuffing ourselves with burgers but time was running out and we had to rush back. I had to start picking other children up for teens at 3.

After dropping Oon Hou, Hsin Ren and bringing Rexcy to get his bag, we headed for my home where the others had a quick shower. We had only 15 mins! Dropped them off in centre and shot off to pick my usual load.

Ok, you must be asking where broken hearts fit into this fun but hectic day. When i got back to centre, the Tiah family drove up and Mrs. Tiah came over to talk to me. She said Oon Hou had convinced her that he wanted to come for teens. (they were supposed to go visit a relative and for a buffet dinner and he was supposed to skip teens). But just as they were leaving, the ran over his cat. The poor kid was sobbing away at the back of the MPV. Sigh, it sure isn't easy growing up is it? But then, death is never easy whether you're grown up or not...

3 months of silence...

2008-06-03T05:19:00.000-07:00

it's been exactly 3 months since my last entry... i don't know if anyone still bothers to read this blog anyway...

much has happened since, though i cannot remember much... i wonder if there is really something wrong with me, i cannot seem to remember details... maybe my brain is just distracted...

so, what's been happening?

- bloc's been to the vet for a 10 day stay which set me back by 850 bucks
- oh, i got my open water certification by God's grace... need to learn swimming before boss will take me diving...
- our roof has been repaired, which set us back by 3000 bucks
- i'm doing bible study with Eugene, who is from aunty Gaik's church
- we have a garden shed now

i am reminded why i've been silent for so long... it's such a pain to post pictures in my blog compared to facebook...

well, hopefully i'll take the trouble to post pictures after my outing with the teens this saturday...

wooed by bn...

2008-03-03T01:59:00.000-08:00

haha... i was pleasantly surprised when mum told me the bn flers (as patrick teoh writes) came to look for me last week... here's what they left me...

1. a brochure on hoh hee lee with all the newspaper cuttings of him doing stuff... to bad i cant read... or rather it will take too much effort...
2. a cigarette lighter with barisan nasional name and logo. they prob thot it was a good idea cos every time you pull out the lighter to light up and satisfy your addiction, you'll see the name and subconsciously feel positive about them. too bad i don't smoke. i will remember bn every time i use the lighter to burn off leeches when i go hiking instead...
3. a slip containing my polling information. this has got to be the most useful of the three...

the lighter side...

2008-02-29T22:36:00.001-08:00

well, i must say it's quite entertaining, this whole campaigning thing...

this is my neighbour's house. they have been flying the BN flag ever since they shifted in. now, the number of flags have increased, but of course... anyway, what is amusing is what they have to see each day as they step out of the house or look out their front window... (see picture below)... you have to hand it to the opposition for their creativity :)

this one is from jeff ooi's site... a rhyming rebuttal to a slogan... nice...

ban them pesky flags

2008-02-28T00:26:00.000-08:00

No, Seriously. i mean it.

What exactly is the point of campaign posters and flags? Do they actually think that by seeing more flags one would change his/her mind on who they support? Liven up the place, make it look like a carnival... ok, maybe. But, "hey, they did a nice formation with 500 strings of flags, i'm so gonna vote for this guy!" I DON'T think so.

My vote would go to the candidate who says, "let's not waste so much money on meaningless plastic hang-me-ups that get thrown away in a week. let's use the funds for something that really matters."

when it rains, it pours...

2008-02-26T00:55:00.000-08:00

i used to love it when it rains, but these days everytime it does there's something to worry about... get out the buckets cos the roof is leaking or worry about something getting ruined... how sad... i still love the rain tho...

well, after our hot dry spell it really poured last night... the wind was howling and poor bloc had no where to go where he didn't get wet... The wind took the passion fruit tree down. it was just a matter of time, as the many new branches and leaves were getting heavier and heavier...

the cana plant wasn't spared either...

and neither were the cherry tomatoes :(

poli-fix

2008-02-24T08:08:00.000-08:00

now that's what i'm in... a fix... i have 2 weeks to find out about 4 people and decide who i choose to represent me in parliment and in the state assembly...

i must say now that i am totally lost when it comes to politics... having no interest whatsoever in who actually ran the country before this. the Bible says to pray for the leaders and obey them as they have been put there by God. at the same time, democracy means we have a 'choice' as to who we want to put in power. of course God is sovereign. but considering where the world is heading, it is important that those we put in power share the values we have. imagine if Malaysia were to suddenly legalise gay marriages, guns and satan worship. well, just some thots for us to chew on...

anyway, back to my fix... cheryl was complaining that she would have to go back and vote in PJ, and how she didn't see the point in that, since she was staying in Kajang now... checking my polling station and other info, i find that i'm under Bangi for state assembly and Serdang for parliament... here's a link to a report on how the EC allegedly quietly transfered voters to other constituencies... so, anyway, here's what i have to choose between...

N.26 Bangi (35,898)

1. Datuk Mohd Fathil Daud (BN-Umno)

2. Shafie Abu Bakar (PAS)

Malays: 64.5% Chinese: 21.2% Indians: 13.8% Others: 0.5%

*2004: Dr Amran Kasimin (BN-Umno)

Total voters: 28,317 Turnout: 21,664 Majority: 3,708

P.102 SERDANG (94,877)

1. Datuk Hoh Hee Lee (BN-MCA)

2. Teo Nie Ching (DAP)

Malays: 36.6% Chinese: 52.1% Indians: 10.9% Others: 0.4%

*2004: Datuk Yap Pian Hon (BN-MCA)

Total voters: 78,837 Turnout: 59,748 Majority: 11,280

S0, i have 2 weeks to find out more about these people, what they and their parties stand for and how it will affect me... sigh, give me jeff ooi or theresa kok any day, at least i can read their blogs to know what is on their agenda....

so much to be thankful for...

2008-02-22T02:50:00.000-08:00

i'm probably one of the very few grown ups who are married and still get angpows during chinese new year :) Thanks to doting aunties (and uncles) and loving parents...

if any of those cards look familiar then you're probably one of them! :D

in the blood?

2008-02-20T20:38:00.000-08:00

anyone who's seen the inside of my dad's shop knows what it's like... he's got stuff lining the walkway, stuff stacked up, stuff stashed away, stuff piled up, stuff strewn around, stuff in drawers, stuff under tables, stuff in cupboards, stuff packed in boxes, stuff in tins, stuff on tins, stuff hanging on hooks, stuff behind doors, stuff forming walls.... well basically he's got lotsa stuff. An organised chaos i must say, cos if you asked him for something, he'll produce it after digging around for a while. So, he knows where he put what.

The scary thing is that when we went back for chinese new year, to my granddad's shop, i found things pretty much the same. My granddad ain't around anymore, so it's just my step-uncle and step-grandma but the similarity of conditions were well.... scary.

I find that if i don't check myself, i have a tendency to hoard and keep stuff too. Everything has some use later on. You never know when you'll need it! (most probably a day after you throw it away). Of course in my store, i have to keep the showroom area spic and span. I'm a real pain when it comes to that, ask Khairul or Ee May. I'll be adjusting price tags and displays to make sure they're absolutely straight. Setting demo units so they are exactly aligned to the table. But how about the workshop? Well, it helps that there is a huge window so people can look straight in, but it sure needs some tidying up too.

for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these...

2008-02-11T00:08:00.000-08:00

over the chinese new year holidays, i met (and entertained) a few special relatives... some i only see once in a year... some i am meeting for the first time...

Aunty Lai Leng says that Wei Wei was asking in the car if sooaun kor kor was going to be there... this little bundle of energy is really quite a handful... thankfully bobby carrot kept him busy after i ran out of breath pushing him around in a hand truck (the kind they transport softdrink crates in)...

The last time we saw Evan, he hadn't begun to talk and was not very communicative. But when our cousins Andrew and Rachel paid us a visit two days ago we really enjoyed him this time. From his "oopsie daisies" to "perodua" and "proton". And he replies in full sentences when asked questions! Besides my hairy legs, Roscoe wasn't spared as highway for his police car ;)

Sophia is Shaniz's niece, Shaniz is Joshua's wife and Joshua is Cheryl's cousin. Just so you know how we're related. i was surprised that she took to me so quickly and in a short time, we had named her pink bear ****** ****** (can't tell you, it's a secret ;)) When asked what her favourite color was, she answered, "pink, red, purple, etc..." At going home time, she hugged my leg and 'salam'ed my hand. i regret i was a little shocked by the sudden show of affection that i didn't say bye to her properly ;)

Here she is with Shaniz...

It was actually my encounter with Sophia that got me thinking about all the children in my life. The 20 odd ones i see every week for 3 hours at teens club, the relatives who are supposed to be closer but whom i don't see often enough to make a difference, the children of friends whom we enjoy watching grow up and may lend a hand in bringing up later... And then my thots move on to the many children who need so much more attention and love then they're getting and i realise that instead of getting depressed about the children i don't have, i should dedicate more time and energy to these...

the remedy

2008-01-31T21:58:00.000-08:00

i haven't been very stable recently... tears well up in my eyes and blur my vision without warning, i choke a little to hold back... the numbness in my heart doesn't feel like a hot iron searing but like when a sharp blade cuts, you don't feel the pain initially but then the blood starts oozing out... there is a deep feeling of dread that comes from my gut... the more i think the more i feel overwhelmed, the more i feel overwhelmed, the more depressed it get... i try to think logically, but some things defy logic... i look to the Bible, it has the answer, at least one half of it... but the truth is not always easy nor is doing the right thing... especially when man have devised many other solutions...

but i discovered a remedy yesterday, no matter what we are going through in life, all it takes is one look at the Saviour and how blessed we are to be in Him...

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

- excerpt from 'Who Am I?" by Casting Crowns

fashion prude

2008-01-30T23:17:00.000-08:00

yayyyyyyy! finally!

JOY

2008-01-27T21:20:00.000-08:00

i experienced a rare feeling on saturday... somewhere inside the chest, towards the center, slightly higher up from where one would feel hunger. it happened while singing, during teens' club meeting. it was brought about by the sight of the children (mostly round-faced and sweaty), singing at the top of their lungs and earnestly trying to follow the actions. it was at that exact moment that i realised there was no where else in the world i would rather have been... how i pray that these young ones will come to know and love the Lord Jesus... these young ones who brink on innocence, so prone to being naughty and going the wrong way due to lack of guidance and proper upbringing... o Lord, use me to make a difference.

Soo Aun’s Plea

2008-01-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

Dear friend,

I may have known you since school days or only just met you recently but I consider you a friend and that’s why you are receiving this plea. No, I am not into direct sales or MLM or any get-rich-quick scheme. There are just a few thoughts that I would like to share with you.

I’m sure at some point or other you would have wondered what you are doing with your life. We used to be young and had our whole lives ahead of us. Now when we meet, we talk about children and how quickly time flies and realize that we are still young but that life is passing fast. It’s always great to reminisce school days and laugh at things we did. But we also now look back and consider decisions we made in our lives and how things are working out. Some mistakes, some wise moves, sometimes thinking what would have happened if we took a different route.

Ok, so I’m getting old and long winded. So let me get to the point. We spend many hours each day working to earn money to sustain our lifestyle. We acquire a house and a car and more. We save some and spend some and invest some. We try and plan wisely for our future and our children’s future. We make sure we have savings for when we retire one day. My point is that we spend so much time and energy working towards something that will not last forever. How long can we live? 90? 100? That is a very short time if we consider history and we realize that we are here for only a brief moment. Which brings me to the point of this letter, my plea...

If you have put some thought into life, you would realize that things that are meaningful and priceless are relationships. Our family, our friends, people whom we cherish. Sadly, how often we hurt those we love the most. But I urge you to take some time to consider your relationship with someone special. Someone of outmost importance. The person who created you. “Ok,” you say, “now I know Soo Aun is a confirmed nutcase.” But hear me out before you trash this letter. You may call me a preacher or a fanatic or anything you want, but it is only because I treasure you as a friend that I am willing to risk that to bring your attention to this matter. Because it is very important.

My plea is that you take some time to search and discover for yourself, the truth of what it all means. I challenge you to invest a little time in things that will last for eternity¹, because when we die, we will not just disappear into nothingness. Although our bodies may rot, our spirit will live on. That is the difference between humans and animals. And that is also why we have an inborn desire to know and to worship God. We do not see animals praying to a tree or a bigger animal. But humans do. And I implore you to not worship other creation but to discover a relationship with the creator of all things.

I believe that Jesus is God, and he created the universe. But because man disobeyed God, he sinned and is now destined to hell². However, because God loves man, Jesus came to this earth as a human in order to die in our place, because he is sinless³. And because he is God, he rose from the dead. But most importantly, his finished work means that if anyone believes in him and receives him as their Lord and Savior, they have a living relationship with God and will not go to hell but have eternal life with Him³. I believe that the Bible is the Word of God and it reveals to us the person of Jesus and all that we need to know about Him.

I sincerely hope that you will consider these things that I have said. And take time to discover the truth about yourself and God. For it is most important. And although the next time we meet, you may look at me funny, it is still the same me lah…

Your friend,

sooaun.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Matthew 6:23

“But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Matthew 5:8

“…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

back to the garden....

2008-01-22T00:13:00.000-08:00

planning to spend the holiday tomorrow setting up my vegetable plot... the only problem is i'm too lazy to go into all the details... information online has everything from crop rotation schedules to how to make compost but all i want to do is plant the plant and watch it grow... and then watch it die... how depressing... a few of my plants have been dying, some are infested with white flies and i know some of them are being sucked dry by aphids... can you imagine the list of garden pests and disease?

Aphids

Apple Sawfly

Big Bud Mite

Bird Protection

Bitter Pit

Black Spot

Botryitis

Brown Rot

Cabbage Caterpillars

Cabbage Root Fly

Cabbage Whitefly

Cane Spot

Canker

Club Root

Codling Moth

Flea Beetles

Foot and Root Rot / Fusarium

Gooseberry Sawfly

Honey Fungus

Mangold Fly

Mildew

Moles

Mosaic Virus

Onion Fly

Onion Eelworm

Plum Sawfly

Raspberry Beetle

Rats

Red Spider Mite

Reversion Disease

Rust

Sawfly

Scab

Sclerotina Rot

Silver Leaf

Slugs!!

Spur Blight

Squirrels

Swift Moth

Vine Weevil

White Fly

White Rot

White Tip

Winter Moth

Wirestem

Wireworm

Woolly Aphid

truly depressing indeed...

these make me happy :D

2008-01-20T19:47:00.000-08:00

can't get enough of the water hyacinths...

nothing beats getting a parcel in the post... what more if it's from your lil sista in UK! :)

first cherry on the cherry tree from pa and mum... cheryl has since eaten it ;)

when titus comes to visit! hehe... i mean, when guna and chin ai bring titus over :P

tomatoes in the tummy :)

2008-01-20T19:40:00.000-08:00

hahaha.... i have to transplant the tomato plant into the ground or else we will only have this much cherry tomatoes to eat!

a vow that i will keep (by God's grace)

2008-01-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

vows are very serious matters in the Bible... and rightly so... here's one i took some time back...

In the presence of God, and these witnesses, I, Soo Aun, take thee Cheryl, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death do us part, according to God’s
ordinance of marriage.

also...

Wilt thou, Soo Aun, have this woman to be thy lawful wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the Holy Estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her? Comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others keep thee only unto her as long as you both shall live?

I Will!

hurt and responsibilities...

2008-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

why do we hurt? becos we do not get what we expect? why do the ones who love us most hurt us most? becos we expect the most from them? so, if someone hurts you, is it really their fault? maybe we shouldn't have expected so much from them...

but where is the line between expectation and responsibility? little Amy is hurting because her daddy doesn't have time for her. she expects her daddy to have time for her. is she expecting too much? isn't it her daddy's responsibility to spend time with her? so, it's her daddy's fault that she's hurting...

so, the expectation is dependent on the responsibility. if you have a certain responsibility then the expectation is that you fulfill that responsibility responsibly.

but can we live up to those responsibilities? i always argue that that is the difference between adults and children. children can get away with many things because they are immature and have to learn responsibility. children have to be taught and given responsibilities so that when they become adults they will be responsible. and adults have to be responsible for their actions that's why there are consequences to the things we do.

of course we still see adults who behave and live like immature children. they do and say things without weighing the consequences, and hurt people in the process...

so, as responsible mature adults, we have to sit down and consider our responsibilities. i tried doing this and realised that i have many. here are some examples. are you a...

son/daughter?
parent?
husband/wife?
in-law?
uncle/aunty?
nephew/niece?
cousin?
friend?
colleague?
neighbour?
employer/employee?
teacher/mentor?
student?
and the list goes on depending one how much you have going on in your life...

and for each of those relationships/positions we have responsibilities. are you fulfilling them?

flowers!

2008-01-12T23:05:00.001-08:00

first bird of paradise flower! many more new shoots coming up...

see, even weeds have pretty purple flowers, how to pull out?

old man's darling, doing quite well in the ground... the ones in the pot are drying up :(

passion fruit flower! sorry for the lousy night shot, so far only seen it bloom at night. by day time it's all closed up... Cheryl's dad says the plant gets its name from the passion of Christ cos the flower has a cross in the middle and the sides are like the crown of thorns...

cracked pot plant

2008-01-12T22:55:00.000-08:00

doesnt it look forlorn? i moved the pot from the shelf out to the open because the leaves were all straining towards the sun and they looked so messy. also, the color seemed to be changing to a faded green... we noticed small new leaves growing and realised one thing... the old has to make way for the new... so after pulling out all the old leaves we have a fresher looking pot of cracked pots!

baby tomatoes

2008-01-12T22:44:00.000-08:00

These shots were taken over a month's time and they look like their ready to be eaten soon! Need to transplant the entire plant to the ground if it's gonna survive, cos the pot it's in is too shallow and it doesn't get enough water even tho i water it morning and night ;)

Policemen have been good to me this month

2007-12-24T02:21:00.000-08:00

Got stopped on the way to Sg. Congkak while sending the children for YP camp. Roadblock was in front of the Sri Suria school. Policeman said my tinting was too dark but let me go after telling me to make it lighter. One of the boys in the car said his dad's car always gets stopped for the same thing. Hehe....
This morning got pulled over when i made a right turn at the silly times square traffic light. Policeman checked my id and license and said i don't look like i was born in 75 (haha). He asked if i was going to work and i said yes. Then he said he had to give me a ticket but i asked for a chance since it was holiday season and i had to spend alot of money. He said ok, but be careful in the future... Nice....

Teens class sleepover and barbeque

2007-12-22T02:45:00.000-08:00

Had my teens class over for a sleepover last weds, then a barbeque and invited some of those who haven't been to our place before...

more garden shots

2007-12-18T07:58:00.000-08:00

Aunty Rajesh gave us a few water hyacinth plants from her garden and the flowers bloomed today. Pardon the blue container they're in as it was the only thing i found to dump them into before rushing off for camp. Need to get another water pot soon...

creepy kinda thing....

2007-12-13T00:33:00.000-08:00

so we're setting up our tent... we start by clearing the sticks and stones and other stuff from the site... Hwei Huih comes along with a camera and snaps a shot of jeya. She then turns to me and snaps a shot of me... just look what the result was... we never planned or even looked at each other... man... this is creepy....

off to camp! weee hoooo

2007-12-09T07:47:00.000-08:00

Camp games! I was really stumped this time, but thank the Lord that He gave me some ideas. Hope they go well... Don't these little pouches look cute... Wonder what they'll look like after 40 kids lay their grubby hands on them...

Bloc and Roscoe in secret agent pose...

the Lord giveth, so we can't complain when it's gone...

2007-11-29T06:17:00.000-08:00

First I was really upset when a whole branch on the vietnam apple tree broke cos the fruits were too heavy...

Now the tree is all dreid up and dead... who knows why?

Then, I come home today to find my fig tree broken! Aaaaargh... it was growing so well...
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blessed birthday...

2007-11-13T07:23:00.000-08:00

blessed to have many people remember my birthday... must be thanks to friendster and facebook, i got messages and smses... of course you can always count on some people to remember for sure, and some to (almost) forget and then there are the surprises...

in reflection, the Lord was doing exactly what He was supposed to be doing and in His prime at 32... what about me?

jinxed car

2007-11-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

ok, so we dont believe in pantang and stuff but this car is pretty jinxed if you ask me... it has been hit from behind twice, suffered smashed windscreens a number of times, and now a nose job...

well, depending on whether the glass is half full or half empty, maybe we can say instead that God has been gracious and protected the people in the car really well... in sunday night's incident, mum could have gotten hurt much worse as she wasn't wearing her seatbelt... thankfully both pa and mum are ok...

goodbye to a good friend...

2007-11-09T01:52:00.000-08:00

i brought you everywhere i went... up mountains, across rivers, highlands, lowlands, parties, funerals, bangkok, anaheim, singapore, bali.

i used you to sell stuff, show stuff, record stuff, create stuff, shoot, capture and preserve stuff.

now that my memory sucks, how much i depend on you to remember places i've been, things i've seen, what me and others have done.

alas, it's time to part. first time you died it cost 400 bucks to bring you back. now, i will lay you down to rest... and search for another friend...

Goodbye Nikon CoolPix 4500, you have served me well...

Bali Trip

2007-11-06T06:54:00.000-08:00

Apologies once again for the lack of postings... Facebook has taken over the internet!

Anyway, Bali was interesting... I wanted a quiet, restful holiday just lazing around doing nothing but reading and sleeping. But when you go to a new place, there's just too many places to go and too many things to see...

pretty in pink

2007-10-16T00:49:00.000-07:00

hi everyone... sorry for the lack of updates recently... facebook can be blamed for that... anyway, here's a shot of Cheryl's favourite plant in our garden at the moment..

Mei's off to a brand new start

2007-09-27T03:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, we all miss her. But really thankful she seems to be doing well.

p/s... she called today! :)

beware of dogs

2007-09-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

Just found out that 'beware of dogs' is Biblical... Hahaha, Phil. 3:2a. Not in context of course... Anyway, here's roscoe watching the world go by...

flowery weekend...

2007-09-03T01:31:00.001-07:00

Pesta Floria and Fireworks!

green hot chillis

2007-08-16T03:47:00.000-07:00

First fruits... i wonder how they taste...

all grown up...

2007-08-14T01:56:00.001-07:00

planned to post this some time back but didn't manage to...

this is my lil baby sis' sending in her income tax forms... or rather, her big brother dropping it off for her... heh...

sigh... wonder how much i'll miss her when she's 6602 miles away...

You light up my life...

2007-08-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

Quite a long time ago, my mum gave us some cash to get lights for our hall. Until now, most of the lighting in our home are just plain 'mentols' at the end of an electrical connector. So, after going around and checking out light shops everywhere from Puchong to Jalan Pudu, we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted. Square. Dark brown and beige to match the concept of our furniture.

So, I was just passing through Sg. Wang on my errants and saw a light shop. Walk in to check it out and spotted (what I thought was) a sweet, cottagey looking set of lights. No, they weren't square. No, they weren't anywhere close to dark brown or walnut. Well, have I told you that impulse purchasing is my ultimate downfall but the story of my life. Maybe all the going around looking and looking made me so tired I just wanted to end it...

Well, I made sure they got me a base and cables that were dark brown and I was pretty happy with my purchase. Excitedly greeted Cheryl at home with, "Da, guess what?!"

me: I bought something *in a sing-songie voice that builds anticipation*
Cheryl: What is it? *in anticipation, due to my sing-songie voice?*
me: I got us our lights!
Cheryl: Cool! Let me see!
me: tada!
Cheryl: *speechless*
me: nice or not? nice or not?
Cheryl: But it's purple... *in very obvious disappointment*
me: yeah, it's handmade!
Cheryl: But, it's purple...
me: and handpainted!
Cheryl: But it's purple...
me: i thought it looks real sweet and cottagey...
Cheryl: But it's purple...
me: your favourite colour is purple, plus it's not the gawdy purple, it's more like lavender...
Cheryl: But it doesn't GO with anything in the house!
me: fine, forget it....

And so, for the seven hundredth time, the little monster called impulse purchase sunk his full set of teeth into my behind... And the set of lights got chucked into my room upstairs. Until, last weekend when I finally decided something had to be done...

Click on photos for a clearer view. Notice that the flowers are now colour coordinated to our walls! Wheeee....

Well, we don't always get what we set out for. But we live and learn. And they look pretty ok. Just wish they were square tho ;)

Going Green

2007-08-02T01:44:00.000-07:00

Gardening is very enjoyable. A plant that costs a few bucks or even free can grow and multiply! Hopefully we'll be able to get some fruits in a few years. Whatever it is, we plant and water but untimately it is God who makes them grow. And that is a miracle in itself, just like everything around us!

Some shots of our garden...

Our chilli plant.

Lime tree has to be checked for caterpillars everyday!

Vietnam apple, mango and coconut.

Longan! And kangkung growing wild on the compost heap.

This is so easy to plant, just cut and stick into the ground.

Tag, i'm it!

2007-07-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, so as not to be a wet blanket, I'll do this... Got tagged by Kotak and this one is relatively easy, so i'll comply ;)

1) Each player must post these rules first.
2) Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3) People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4) At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5) Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.Here are 8 little known facts about me:

It took me quite some time to come up with these...

ONE
I get grouchy when i'm hungry and tired. (ask Cheryl, she'll vouch for that)

TWO
I need to shower when i wake up and before i sleep.

THREE
I've never had an operation in my life, or broken any bones.

FOUR
I get an oreo craving some days towards the end of the afternoon.

FIVE
I enjoy watching children play.

SIX
I sleep on my tummy when i'm really tired.

SEVEN
I can go a whole day without drinking any water. Yes, i know that's very bad.

EIGHT
I am a fan of UFC. Check out www.ufc.com

NINE
I go into the jungle at nights looking for snakes.

TEN
I get mushy and teary eyed at the silliest things. eg. commercials, cartoons and sad stories.

Ok. Confession time is over. I tag the following people.
Cheryl
Sarah
Jess
Pei Yee
Pei Ling
Tze
Grace

Soppy Sappy feeling

2007-07-16T03:37:00.000-07:00

i'm feeling a little melancholy today...

maybe it's because i'm tired
maybe it's because i got in touch with a primary school friend today
maybe it's because he told me his mum accepted Christ
maybe it's because i remember his mum stopped him from coming to church
maybe it's because it looks like i'm not gonna start training again today
maybe it's because my car got scratched in the car park by someone

whatever it is, i just wanna go home and hug cheryl...