Merry Christmas!!

This is cute! and true! =)

http://www.syfc.org.sg/christmas05/hokkien.htm

3 hari hingga Krismas

I was thinking that I was probably griping too much about work 2 days ago. From the way I wrote, i guess I did sound like I don't like working at Coles, huh? Actually it's been a great experience working at that supermarket for the past year. I will definitely remember 2005 for this! I really enjoy talking to my workmates and joking around with some of them. Some customers can be so rude but some are just lovely. But we can't just be nice to the ones who are nice to us.

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back." Luke 6:32-35 (NIV Bible)

A couple of months back, I was going through an emotional downtime (nothing to do with work...work doesn't make me that sad!) and as I was cycling to work one day, it hit me how selfish and self-pitiful I was. There I was, so sad over my situation, and I guess expecting people to listen to me, to offer me kind and assuring words, to understand me. But who am I to think that my life is so special? God loves everyone else around me too, even the people who I think are insignificant. What am I doing to display God's love to them? That day, I told myself that I was going to love the people around me at work. It was a quiet afternoon as well and so, I had time to have nice chats with the customers who came to my register. I will always remember these 2 kids whose mum does big shoppings almost at her every visit. I initiated a hello to them, and they responded hesitantly at first, but later on, they talked more. They even remembered me the next time when I served them again and when they saw me shopping at the store. Little kids are just so cute....at one point in time, i felt myself getting all maternal whenever I saw little kids and thinking to myself, I wouldn't mind becoming a kindergarten teacher! I still do sometimes. Must be my age.

I like to smile and be friendly to people but is my motive to be liked? My self-centredness needs to change to become more Christ-centred and I know that God can only change my heart to become more like how he wants me to become if I dwell on his Word and truly seek after Him.

4 jours jusqu'à Noël!

Yung made me clean my bike today...hahah....with him showing me the way it should be done! So, he got me the old toothbrush and made me scrub the rims on our balcony. I didn't clean the whole bycicle but most of it.....at least it looks acceptable to my brothers now. I guess it's high time I did it anyway coz I haven't done so ever since I got the bike 2 1/2 years ago. ... =P

Yeah the lock was broken....and we chucked it out. I'll miss ya, U-lock...u have been so faithful to me!! =(

5 days to Christmas

Christmas Day and NYE are on Sunday this year, did ya notice? When I was younger, I guess I would have said, "at least i don't have to go to church 2 days in a week!"

This week, I'll be seeing Coles everyday but Sunday coz they're closed that day and on Boxing Day too. I hope I don't get sick of you, Coles! I'm glad to be getting a lot of shifts this week which means more $$!! If you know me, I am such a stingy thrifty person and I hardly spend. But this year, I have changed financially somewhat and I even donate! The major reason I guess is coz I am earning my own money now.

Today I made my other brother, Yung, ride my bicycle all the way to his uni while I walked beside him to work coz it's his first time riding it so far. I told him that he should use my bike while I'm home - u know, he can at least save some $$. He also complains transportation is so expensive!! Anyway, I reached work and he cycled on and somehow, the bicycle lock gave him problems when he was locking the bike and he got a deep cut on his finger or something....saying "I might have died from an infection". And he had to buy himself a new lock which cost $25 - so expensive, he says. I can't wait for him to get back so I can see what happened to my lock! I know I don't take care of my bike, but it couldn't possibly be broken like what he says!!

It was not a great day at work today as well....whenever a customer grates on my nerves, I really start to feel down or pissed off inside. I wish I could have dealt with the situation in a better way. I really need to learn to do that.

Anyways....time to make some dinner and watch "the Apprentice"!

January 12th 2006 Destination - HOME!

I just collected my ticket to Kuala Lumpur. My brother, Ching Hwa and I were fighting with some force out there as we were booking the ticket just the day before I went to NTE. Someone out there booked into the day and time that was nearly in my grasp.....so we had to quickly settle for a 10.20pm overnight flight on Malaysian Airlines, before that was taken up too!

I remember when I first left for Sydney 4 years ago, and my Ah Kong (my dad's dad) was there at the airport. I learned something about him that time - how emotional he is! I don't know if I got that emotional side of me from him. He asked me when I was finishing my degree. And I said, " In 4 years, Ah Kong." To which he tearfully said: " you know.... in 4 years, i would be 80 years old". So I had to quickly appease him, " no no...I'll be back at the end of the year!"

I'll be back this time to celebrate his 81st birthday in February. I think he's forgotten about missing me now hahah...but i'm really looking forward to seeing all my grandparents!

Back from Canberra!

I was away for about 9 days (Dec 3 -11) at a national christian conference called National Training Event (NTE) in Canberra, the nation's capital. It's good to be back in Sydney even though I'm feeling kinda sick now and I've lost my voice. But thank goodness that started on the last day!! Everyone was at Canberra for the first 4 days at ANU (Australia National University) - i think like close to 1000 ppl- and then we broke up into our smaller mission groups to head to our respective towns to spend time with the locals there. 19 of us went to Queanbeyan which is a little town not far away from Canberra.

Apart from learning how to read the Bible in context and learning from God's word, it was amazing to learn just from the many different types of people around me. Life has brought us so many hard questions. Does God exist? If he does, why is there so much pain and suffering in the world? Is there just one God for all religions? But if yes, don't they contradict each other? Such questions are worthwhile pursuits, are they not? as Socrates says, the unexamined life is not worth living. I think sometimes I care, sometimes I don't but sometimes it hits me that life is meaningless if it was just for our enjoyment before death approaches.

These questions aside, I am continuously amazed at the people that God brings into my life, Christian or non-Christian. God works in all our lifes in many ways,small or big. I was struck by the kindness, hospitality and love showed to us by the people of Queanbeyan. The number of elderly people who seek a kind word and a listening ear. The light in their eyes and smile on their faces just to see us. And realising just how much God loves all of us and how we are to love others like how he loves us.

One of the things I treasured the most was getting to see Prab, my dear old high school friend whom I have known since I was 12.

Dear Prab,

an hour lunch was all there was
but i would rather that
than be with the rest of my friends,
I am so happy that you are well
And I just wanted you to know
that you are in my thoughts and prayers,
And if you ever need anything,
I'm only a phone call away