back home in M'sia =)

Being back home has been..an added weight of burdens. But then again, everyone has their own set of burdens, huh?

But since coming back home 2 nights ago, I thank God for everything that has happened. I thank him for the conversations I've been able to have & time spent with various people within my family, and also a few other people and dear friends. As I write this now, my bro is studying for his professional accounting paper for his exam next monday and i am using his work laptop. He just allowed me to see all these photos from his company annual dinner and his girlfriend's facebook. It feels kinda nice that he's willing to let me see them and tell me the names of these people. Now i know what a "socialite" he's been! =P And he changed my wallpaper of my mobile phone to pink leaves (looks pretty nice actually) AND he added a "special" picture with the words "sze wen sux" that comes on when i switch on my phone after turning it off. I have no idea how to do all these things. That cow =P

It's a little weird how I'm back home now and not in Sydney and it's almost the end of the week already!! Like we always say at work..."Finally it's Friday!!". To be honest, I didn't feel that excited on my last day of work for the year last Friday. I was busy all day and rushing to pack up stuff to go home. As i was driving out of the office compound, thought to myself "this is the last time I'm going to see this place for the year. last time I'm going to see these roads for the year."..And I'm missing out on the christmas lunch!!! ....strange...

But yeah, Monday came, and i was glad i didn't have to get up for work!!! I went to watch "Australia" with my aunty - thought it was funny and touching...I liked the movie =) and I don't care what other people think but I like Nicole Kidman.

I wasn't really ready to leave Sydney on Tuesday. And my grandfather (and everyone in my other aunty's household) made me stay the night before at their place when it was only 11 pm! I left at 6+ am through even more traffic but beautiful scenery. And I don't regret going to visit them so late the day before as unexpectedly, i had a really heart-to-heart talk with my cousin about what was happening in her life now as she was feeling very down. So, that Tuesday, was rushing all the way to do last minute stuff. wished i had more time...as usual. But then my fault for my last-minuteness. I can't really complain after what happened to poor mandy jie.. (go ask her).

The things that struck my heart most the days before i left were two people whom i felt difficult to talk to. One gave me a hug and told me to enjoy my holidays and that they'd miss me --> it was nice in a way. i was just touched by her warmth in a way - even for that little bit. The other friend - i felt touched by the amount she talked and opened up to me and willingness to spend the time with me. I really thank God for how he's worked in her life this year.

Anyway I should go to bed now...It is like 7 am in Sydney - time for me to get up to go to work. 4 a.m. here....yes, I'm still up - i was falling asleep just now at 1 am. but a late shower and coming down to disturb my brother and use his laptop has made me awake. I'm going to see if my sister has woken up yet - she has crazy work hours seriously... and my other brother...he came back at 2 am just now!!!!

crazy crazyyyyy

actualy i think i hear her upstairs - she must be awake....

good night

Ah Poh mai ham choi

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Jc5s5h39M

This is SOOOoooo funnnny hahah

check it out!

Ah Poh knows who he is, says he's kinda well-known in singing hakka and i think hokkien songs. Unfortunately he is sick - has cancer. Ah Kong thinks he has passed away though.

Stuart Townend

At this moment, I feel like I just discovered something...I feel like "Wow" !!~

I was just surfing the net for some ideas of something and I stumbled upon a song we've been singing at church. And I realised that song + other familiar songs were written by Stuart Townend, a British Christian song writer and leader. I've seen his name plenty of times at the credits section at the end of the lyrics we sing...but the name didn't mean anything to me. And then, now I'm googling more about him and seeing all the other songs he wrote & even youtubing them.

Songs he has written:
Give thanks (such a classic), In Christ Alone, How deep the father's love for us, Beautiful Saviour (not the same song I was referring to a few posts ago)...

I love these songs - hymn+contemporary feel to it..but with such deep rich and meaningful words that are gospel-centred.

It's amazing huh...to get these "ah-hah" feelings..
well this one wasn't such a big deal..he's just a person but it was still wow nonetheless. To me anyway.

I felt like this (even more so ) in the middle of the week as I was preparing for Sunday school with another friend. We were reading Matthew and kept going away to other parts of the Bible from the main topic we were supposed to prepare. But it was amazing...just discussing and seeing the depth and richness of the analogies and thinking even more what the Kingdom of God means. I don't know how to explain it now..but I felt like I just saw...like, "how come I didn't see this before??"

Sometimes I feel like the Bible is just a regurgitation of things I know and I'm hearing again and again...but the good news of the Bible is indeed really really deep...and rich.

All right...just thought i'd blog! need to get my laundry out of the washing machine and hang them up. It's a BEAUTIFUL warm sunny day today!! Nice and warm as I was walking outside just now...what am I doing inside now?? ...I can just see the lovely blue sky outside my bedroom window right now with fluffy puffy white clouds floating about. And then I'm going to have some lunch - made some rice and gonna have some BBQ PORK MEAT by aunty left in the fridge for me...and then I'm going to go visit my grandparents @ my other aunty's place! they went to the flemington markets and bought boxes of really really cheap fruit and they're going to go inspect some properties too.

anyway..ok ...ta ta!

Grace is shockingly personal.

As Henri Nouwen points out, "God rejoices. Not because the problems of the world have been solved, not because all human pain and suffering have come to an end, nor because thousands of people have been converted and are now praising him for his goodness.

No, God rejoices because one of his children who was lost has been found."

Source : What's So amazing about Grace? (by Phillip Yancey) - Chp 4 - Lovesick Father

"Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices"

Yeah. So true.

My workmate called this out from his desk to us last week. I didn't catch the author of that quote but it must have been from my workmate's igoogle page under his "motivational quote of the day".

He's gotten me kinda hooked on igoogle too...but i'm only hooked at work. The day I got hooked, I just spent some time creating my own igoogle page ie. background wallpaper, adding tabs like motivational quote of the day hahah, petrol prices, bible verses, Wikipedia search, news etc...It's prettyyy coool!

Anyway...

I finally visited a very very lovely friend from college and talked to her for a bit and she invited me to her church's service where she was going to give the talk the next day. So, yesterday morning, I went. It was not very far, just over in Maroubra Jct. It was a nice small church in the neighbourhood. There were not many people there that day as more than half were away at church camp. When I walked in, my friend was at the music keyboard and about to start leading the audience in singing and a young teenage girl was also on stage song leading and another older man (whom I realised later was my friend's dad who was visiting that weekend!). I saw a few youngish people walk in later..and I realised they were from college because the guy in the wheelchair was wearing his group college shirt. I don't know these people as they moved into college way after I had left, but I remember someone telling me recently about a Christian guy at college who had everything going for him in life, and one day became paralysed and everything just fell apart for him. I can't remember how or what happened. But seeing that wheelchair guy yday, I think it was him. I looked at my friend on stage and I was just reminded again what a beautiful person she is. Full of such real joy and contentment. Her love and dependence on God above anyone. And I'm not just saying this like some cliche. Her love for people. She is seriously a rarity. She willingly sacrifices her time for people. Even as I just walked into her room the day before when there was another person there and then I ended up hogging her time for about 20 minutes.

My friend gave the talk later on from Gal 3:21 (or 23) till 4:7. It was about the awesome privilege of sonship compared to being in slavery under the law. I thought it was a very biblical talk, very sincere, not intellectually complicated (as the audience is different) and it was very helpful in helping me understand.

I sat next to a Thai-looking girl who was actually Japanese and she was new too! she just walked in as she lived nearby and had wanted to come visit for a long time even though she goes to a big church near the city.

And at morning tea, I spoke to this old man and it was a nice chat. He told me he and his wife had been missionaries from 1987-1998 in Kenya. And we chatted for a bit.

I'm glad I went yesterday. And as my friend concluded in the talk, we might have our differences theologically etc etc...but we are united in Christ. And may we not let the differences overtake love towards each other.

And truth. Truth in love.

But first, let me examine my own heart.

Grace

a mixture of emotions towards ppl today

The day started off at about 3 am as I was sleeping...and I picked up the phone..and I'm glad I did in a way. And I wasn't annoyed or anything. She blurted out what was wrong almost immediately and I realised how judgemental I had been and how easily annoyed I had been towards her just a few days ago....and deep down, my friend was really hurt about something else. I wish I could help her more...but maybe she needs to go through such pain. I think it's best if I just help her through the pain..if only I know how...need God's help.

Then there's this girl who smsed me a few times for the past few days now...and there's always an intention behind it. ALWAYS...and always relates to work. Even since the first time she emailed me and i didn't even know her. She msged me today that she got the job and asks me how to get there? do i use..this and this way? I reply and say congrats. What job is it and when do u start? and u can use this and this way. And she doesn't answer any of my questions but proceeds to ask me MORE questions in just one sms. All her messages to me are full of questions~!!

Mann...I see I can easily get annoyed.

After being "happy with myself" for relating to some ppl well today, my heart can turn against a few people too.

It's hard to love people you don't love...hard to be gracious ...a daily struggle. By my own sinful desires, I see that I just naturally turn to selfishness...

I'm going to continue reading "What's so amazing about grace?" by Phillip Yancey. Was reading it a bit before I went to sleep last night.

I was told about this blog recently: http://forgiven-by-grace.blogspot.com/

and today I realised that the author (very young indeed) passed away 3 months ago from leukaemia.

Have a read.

My Ah Kong and Ah Poh are here =)

since last Saturday. Been seeing them for the past 2 weekends now!

SW: To me, this photo is truly a M-I-R-A-C-L-E! WOW~!

Why?

SW: because there are 3 people in the photo!! Ah Kong, my 13 y.o couz Jessica, & Ah Poh

So?

SW: The last time I tried to take a photo like that (i.e. substitute my cousin with me) some years ago, Ah Poh said cannot! --> superstition of having 3 in a photo which I don't understand why which my mother started doing too when I tried to take a photo of my sis, me and her!

And then, what happened last Saturday? I was going to take a photo of both my grandparents alone and then, Ah Poh (by her OWN initiative) called Jessica to come into the photo. Oh my goodnesss - i really wonder what changed...I didn't even ask WHAT HAPPENED lest I break the wonder of this miracle. =P I should have asked today when I saw her but I forgot...i will next time.

Ah Poh gave in to my insistence on wearing the hat (After I kept placing the hat on her head a few times hahah) so I could take a funny photo of her...and even played along with me and went to dress up! hahahha

Ah Poh is so funnny...teasing Ah Poh is fun

Group photo :) Unfortunately, Aunty Kim couldn't join us coz she was working that day.

Finally, the next day, all of us in Sydney could be together. They came over to our place and we had yummy laksa which Aunty Kim cooked =)

It's been really nice hanging out with my grandparents. We went to the shops in Hurstville, walked around a bit, just sat at home and had dinner etc. I just sat around as Ah Poh folded the clothes and talked to me. She has been making me speak Hakka - stop speaking English...speak Hakka! - and of all the few chinese dialects I can speak (all spoken horribly), Hakka is the WORST. And supposedly she said I could speak it when i was younger...when I used to go to her house a lot. Sighh..what happened?...So HopeLESS...But today, I decided I needed to make more of an attempt to improve, so I brought a notebook to write since I see things better in writing. I even had a short session with her on how to say some words that involved time and wrote them down. She thought I was funny. I even took a video of them on my phone at a few instances. She looked at me funny and I told her why I was doing that. So I could listen to them speak Hakka when they're not around lohh! She thought that was funny too..haha

There's something different about how I feel for my grandparents now...I just look at them, and I just feel like I care for them more now and I feel more able to. They're the ones in a foreign land and they're getting even older. It's like when I was younger and I thought they were "always" going to be there as my grandparents and they're still here...but ...how long more?

Ah Kong always wants to buy us food to eat (like my other Ah Kong too who is not alive anymore.) and today as I was leaving, he wanted to come downstairs to see me off even though I said it was okay... I'm big girl now!2x y.o, okay! ... but as I was driving off, saw my aunty come downstairs (Sent by him I think) and she said he was going to watch me from the balcony. I don't know, felt kinda touched ...even though I realise now that this is not the first time he does this.

The worse thing about having your grandparents still around (unlike those of us who never got a chance to know ours) is learning how to cope the day we discover they're no longer around.

Graciousness

I guess a lot of people are excited that Barack Obama won! Indeed it is exciting news =)

I didn't manage to hear his victory speech, only bits from the news, but when I got home from work today, managed to catch John McCain's concession speech on tv (delayed). It was my first time hearing him speak and I just thought it was a fantastic speech. He just spoke so graciously and naturally, that I just sat on the floor and watched. He worded his speech very humbly and he spoke so well and clear and intelligently. Wow.

Anyway...on another note, I feel very ungracious now...what do I do with someone who comes into my life every now and then to ask for a favour after some problem crops up, and changes her mind a few times in the process...and such problems just follow her wherever she goes?? I feel so ungracious that I don't feel like helping her right now, even though I was going to but she changed her mind and then she changed her mind again, at 1 am in the morning.

I know I'm wrong.need to pray over this. G'nite

This song is so beautiful. : Jesus, Beautiful Saviour

Reminds me who Jesus is and the great thing He came to do to undeserved sinners like me.

My really good friend, Kai Ling shared it with me....sigh.., it seems like another life ago that she was here in Sydney.

Going home

Ok I've just booked and paid for my flights - leaving Dec 9th ...and I think I'll come back in a month. (yet to book flights back)

Anyway think it'll be a good time to go as not only will church be a desert place...even work will not be too busy I think with 2 out of 3 of our account managers away. Last year, Dec had hardly any activity and when I came back in January - it was full-on. So I think it's better I take Dec off this time....I'll miss out our daytime Christmas event but it doesn't really matter to me.

A bit excited to go home for a month - much better than just 2 weeks!! I have enough leave and my boss said it was okay...so thank God for a very nice boss and just the company that I work in!

10-10

Our ever faithful new Collegian and friend, Guan faithfully reminds us:

On Fri 10 Oct, it is the birthdays of
(i) the leader of the HKies Jimmy Choi,
(ii) the leader of the Asians Jeremiah Lim, and
(iii) Taiwan! Salute a Taiwanese when u see one on Fri!!

Just had a thought...a funny reminder 6 years ago..while we were watching the FIFA world cup on tv at college. I remember the "cute" Korean player (whom others thought were cute...I'm like, really?..hahha...plus he's married for crying out loud) and then the time was 10:10 and then Jere tries to be lame and funny and sort of points to it like as if it's such a big deal. But I knew what he was hinting at...

I think he must be looking forward to 10.10.10!

ok i'm getting off this blog!!

Hello October

Bertrand Russell ~ "War does not determine who is right .....only who is left"

I can't believe I just spent about 5 1/2 hours sleeping. From about 6 pm, I got home, ate a piece of cake, turned on my laptop, called someone because I just remembered it was his graduation that day, checked the very few emails I had, mostly insignificant while lying in bed most of the time..and then I went to sleep.

So I've just had a shower and I don't think I'll be sleeping for another 3 hours as I have to do some things after wasting my whole evening sleeping. Anyway, think I really needed it today as I've been half asleep at work, even while driving home today. I thought I had to go buy some things before going home, so I parked my car and even had a nap. Work hasn't been tiring at all...it's just my own time and energy management.

Anyway, I just thought of it while I was in the shower. I think I'm facing a quarter-life crisis right now. Seriously..no joke. And quite timely.. say if I was till live till a 100! I'm even googling about it right now.

One website ends with this "What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out. "

You know those calendars people have at their work desks..? the ones where each day has a page of its own and an inspirational quote to go with it. I have one on my desk at work, but next year, I think I'll think of the planet and not have one ordered in for me. I already have another monthly calendar on my desk already - it looks like a photo frame. Anyway, that daily calendar thing is quite handy to note and make sure what the date&day is every day since the words are SO BIG. But all I do is turn the page every day just as I'm changing my voicemail on my work phone so I'll say the right day&date but I also read the quotes.

Some quotes are pretty good and true and they make sense. SOmetimes they are timely. Like the one 3 days ago : You can't be fuelled by bitterness, it can eat you up but it cannot drive you. ~Benazir Bhutto~

Poor woman..I rememember hearing of her assassination when I was in Brisbane in my cousin's house one evening after dinner in the living room with my uncle. ANd remembering all the years I read about her in the WORLD section of the newspaper as I was growing up...

ANyway a timely quote that sprung up as I looked on at the bolded date, a date that I used to place high importance. As I think about what Benazir said at this point in time, thought it was quite clever how she used the words fuel and drive. I never thought of it like that. Maybe like in a car, the fuel can't be fire, it'll just eat the car up and can't make it move.

ANyway...I leave you with a recent Purpose Driven Life weekly devotional by Rick Warren (24/9/2008). Read on if willing.. =) *warning of length*

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The most important lesson God wants you to learn on earth is how to love. Here are three simple truths about love:


1. Life without love is really worthless. We often act as if relationships are something to be squeezed into our schedule. We talk about finding time for our children or making time for people in our lives. That gives the impression that relationships are just a part of our lives along with many other tasks. But God says relationships are what life is all about.


Jesus summarized what matters most to God in two statements: love God and love people. He said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart. . . . This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40 NLT).


The point of life is learning to love God and people. Life minus love equals zero.
(Hmmmm...I've actually been thinking more that the point of life is understanding first and foremost about God's love for us instead of the way round..anyway,,,)


2. Love will last forever. Another reason God tells us to make love our top priority is that it is eternal: “These three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13 NCV).


Love leaves a legacy. Mother Teresa said, “It’s not what you do, but how much love you put into it that matters.” Love is the secret of a lasting heritage. In our final moments, we all realize that relationships are what life is all about. Wisdom is learning that truth sooner rather than later.

..yea I agree..been thinking more about this lately.


3. We will be evaluated on our love. One way God measures spiritual maturity is by the quality of your relationships. In heaven God won’t say, “Tell me about your career, your bank account, and your hobbies.” Instead he will review how you treated other people, particularly those in need.


Jesus said the way to love him is to love his family and care for their practical needs: “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40 NRSV).

(Hhmmm....)

People need to understand that when you transfer into eternity, you will leave everything else behind. All you’re taking with you is your character. That’s why the Bible says, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6 NIV).


Knowing this, I encourage you to pray this simple prayer every morning: “God, whether I get anything else done today, I want to make sure that I spend time loving you and loving other people – because that’s what life is all about. I don’t want to waste this day."

=(

Boe & Marshall

Yesterday morning, Marshall died.

I was talking to my mum on the phone last night. She was talking about something and something and then suddenly.. "By the way, Marshall died this morning"..and I was like, "WHATTTTTTTTT?????"

I think I raised my voice 2 notches higher then and then my mum went on for about 10+ minutes explaining what happened and reassuring me about it. I was really shocked and I felt extremely truly sad at that moment in time. 2 of our dogs passed away this year and it seems ironic that I had a very heartfelt cry over the dog I neglected the most. I'm okay now, so much so that I've forgotten how I felt yesterday.

Marshall wasn't brilliant..his hind legs were quite weak. I wished he was this and that.....

I think I felt really sad because it was totally unexpected. He wasn't even so old. At least with our other dog who died this year, we put her down because she was just so old and so in pain. Marshall died because of some viral lung infection or something. Last week he was just fine, then for the past few days he wasn't eating, was sleeping all day..and vet said last Saturday it was the viral lung infection and the next day at about 5 a.m., my sister said he walked out to the gate separating him and Boe who was sleeping there, he laid down and died. And Boe started howling. But that was then, she's forgotten he's gone, I think.

It made me think of people I neglect too, people I don't really desire to spend time with, especially people closer to me. If I can cry over animals, what more people?

The Lord gives and takes away. How do we know what will happen tomorrow except to trust God that whatever happens is according to his perfect and wise will. So rejoice and be contented with whatever happens every day, utilising full well our time and energy for His glory.

Goodbye Marshall.

Some photos with workmates

Ok ..I have some recent photos to show from work of what I've been doing other than work with workmates:

So, our company has an annual "Community Day", where we set aside a day to help the community. There were 2 events we could help out with..and I was quite lazy, so I didn't choose the harder one --> gardening (cleaning up the garden of a disabled person). So, last Friday, I chose instead to help out at Stewart House where we just helped open envelopes etc as part of their most important fundraising drive. The House is amazing and really unique. Mainly kids with troubled backgrounds etc are recommended by their schools to take 2 weeks off to spend time at the home and they do a lot of activities and have fun times together. At the moment, one of the female "Dancing with the stars" dancers - Toni something - has Stewart House as part of her charity.

Anyway, it was very interesting...the other workmates who had to do gardening just looked on in disbelief at how we "worked so hard" when they saw the photos =P

haahha...we just laughed at them.

Curl Curl Beach is just behind - it's beautiful! Whales and dolphins actually come out there - but unfortunately, there were none that day.

What we were doing.

The technical team (lab ppl) of which I'm a part of...we've been having some lunches together and we're supposed to make more of our lunch to share. So yesterday, Ivy decided to make us gado-gado - it was yummmmy =)

Gado-gado (Ivy's aunty's peanut sauce all the way from Medan, Indo). Spicy but yummmmy!

Ben & wife, Lisa and baby Mia who came to visit

Rachel (our mummy) & Ivy

Is there something wrong with my food, Maria? I wanna share mine, but you don't want to share yours?!

I love joking with Maria and talking nonsense and serious stuff too...if she has to leave at the end of her contract, I think I'll really miss her.

Anyway, yeah so these are some of my photos =)

gggrrrr!!!!!

I suddenly felt the urge to blog once again after just checking my email and seeing the comment posted by Nat - thanks, Nat..i suppose that was a hint to update? =P

At the moment, I can't believe my forgetfulness -- I just incurred another $30 for the 2nd time in a row...ggrrr!!!! for nothing...!!!!!

I changed my mobile phone provider and the new deal had an internet package with it AND the last time, I didn't manage to cancel my old Internet account in time and this time, I forgot the due date..AGAIN!!! i should have done it earlier...darn it!!

anyway, surprisingly I am not as mad as last month....think I'm learning to accept that it's okay to let go of money...I'm not even that mad. But I'm going to have a shower right now.

Work

Yesterday, I left my work building at lunchtime - it felt different and really good to be walking out of there in the afternoon, knowing that I wasn't going to walk back in there till the next morning! Driving back in bright afternoon daylight and seeing the blue skies and beautiful blue waters of the Northshore in Sydney was great =)

We had quite a shocking morning though. Our team manager called us for a meeting 15 minutes before our usual morning meeting/get-together and told us that it was the last day for someone in our team the day before, that's why he wasn't there that day. He was made redundant due to some organisational structure reshuffling. It was kinda sad and we were all shocked. We didn't even have time to say goodbye. Can't believe how the company can just do this too - maybe it happens more in multinational companies like ours, i don't know. They try to justify themselves in how they will continue to take care of him by saying how the company outsources an excellent employment agency who will do their best to find a job for him.

Anyway...back to leaving work at 1 something pm. I was heading in the direction of home...but the destination wasn't home just yet. We were still on work time. A few of us were just going for an exhibition thing at Fox Studios. The exhibition was mainly for restaurant owners. There were many booths and also talks going on throughout the day. It was really interesting - especially all the free food tastings =P We sat in on a talk about tips and issues in having a restaurant in regional Australia- but we walked out halfway and were more interested in walking along the different booths and seeing what they had to offer. Anyone tried rabbit stew? The guy at the stall was going to give us a plate each! but we had to say it was okay, we'll share, the 3 of us..

A couple of my other colleagues went the day before we did and left at 5.30 pm!! geee..But we left at about 4 pm because I had to leave to go help a friend move. Early mark off work - it was nice =)

Work. It's ok..just a lot of things to do this week..Maybe I shouldn't have gone to the exhibition thing yesterday so I'd suffer less today and tomorrow and Friday. Anyway, another day of making beverages again tomorrow and reworking them to please my account manager.

good nite.

Kids talk

hahah this is so funny too

- forwarded emails by my dad -

*****************************************

1) A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said, 'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah'. The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to hell?' The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him'.

2) A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. ! The girl replied, 'I'm drawing God.' The teacher paused and said, 'But no one knows what God looks like.' Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, 'They will in a minute.'

3) A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year old. After explaining the commandment to 'honour' thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, 'Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers ! and sisters?' Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, 'Thou shall not kill.'

4) One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, 'Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?' Her mother replied, 'Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.' The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, 'Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?'

5) The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture. 'Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's! Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.' A small voice at the back of the room rang out, 'And there's the teacher, she's dead.'

6) The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray!: 'Take only ONE . God is watching.' Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples.'

Through the eyes of a child - Children's Bible in a nutshell.

This is very very funny

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A child was told to write a book report on the entire Bible:

In the beginning, which occurred near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas.

The Bible says, 'The Lord thy God is one, but I think He must be a lot older than that. Anyway, God said, 'Give me a light!' and someone did.

Then God made the world. He split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren't embarrassed because mirrors hadn't been invented yet. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden. Not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn't have cars.

Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel. Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except forMethuselah, who lived to be like a million or something.

One of the next important people was Noah, who was a good guy,but one Of his kids was kind of a Ham. Noah built a large boat and puthis family and some animals on it. He asked some other people to join him, but they said they would have to take a rain check.

After Noah came Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob was more famous than His brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast. Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud sports coat.

Another important Bible guy is Moses, whose real name was Charlton Heston. Moses led the Israel Lights out of Egypt and awayfrom the evil Pharaoh after God sent ten plagues on Pharaoh's people.These plagues included frogs, mice, lice, bowels, and no cable. God fed the Israel Lights every day with manicotti.

Then he gave them His Top ten Commandments. These include don't lie, cheat, smoke, dance, or cover your neighbor's stuff. Oh,yeah, I just thought of one more: Humor thy father and thy mother.

One of Moses' best helpers was Joshua who was the first Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town.

After Joshua came David. He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot. He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me.

After Solomon there were a bunch of major league prophets. One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed upon the shore. There were also some minor league prophets, but I guess we don't have to worry about them..

After the Old Testament came the New Testament. Jesus is the star of The New Testament. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. (I wish I had been born in a barn, too, because my mom is always saying to me,'Close the door! Were you born in a barn?' It would be nice to say,'As a matter of fact, I was.')

During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Republicans. Jesus also had twelve opossums. The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him. Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to some Germans on the Mount. But the Republicans and all those guys put Jesus on trial before Pontius the Pilot. Pilot didn't stick up for Jesus. He just washed his hands instead.

Any way's, Jesus died for our sins, then came back to life again. He Went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the Aluminum. His return is foretold in the book of Revolution.

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Just listening to this sermon.

It reminded me how much I can forget in one day from the moment I wake up to think about God and to thank him that I'm alive because of his will. That tomorrow, I will do this or that if God wills it to happen. If he doesn't, then I won't and I will still say thank you God.

Thank you God.

Day 3 It's a newspaper story till it happens to someone close to you

Today we had an early mark and finished by 3.30pm - thank goodness. It started off good. We had one of the managers from Cadbury Schweppes (from yesterday) give us the first talk on Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) issues. I reckon it's usually quite a boring same old topic that people take for granted but his talk reminded me how important it is to have them in place wherever you work. Safety is very real and important. Even if you're a visitor to a place (supermarket, hospital, hotel)..do you know where to go if there was a real urgent evacuation? What if the emergency doors don't work?

He told us about someone he knew personally who died 2 years ago due to a work-related accident when someone accidentally pressed "start" on the forklift. At the funeral, the children questioned how this could have happened to their father.

Anyway, the talks after that were okay..most bordering on boring..or speakers just speaking too fast. And I'm not the only one who thinks so - the guy beside me was doodling and drawing away. I told him later on that I knew he found it boring =P coz i felt the same.

One thing i took away from this course - the amount of paper used to print out all the presentation slides for each talk for us!! Just using one side of the paper and sometimes just 2/3 slides per page and some slides just have no content you know. Like the last slide. "Question time".

But I did learn something from the whole course of course..and meet different people. So it was good! =) and got to break out of the routine of work.

okay, happy weekend!

and rain, rain, please go away!!
but thanks for washing my car =P

Day 2

Today was pretty interesting and i actually paid attention in all the lectures - and the talks were all about Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP, cleaning and pest control. A couple of the speakers were just so funny..even after they made the funny comment, I still felt like laughing awhile later when I thought about it. THat's how funny. And at least they tried to make their presentations interesting. I think I understand a bit more now what my brother does as an auditor. Even though he audits company accounts, every auditor is someone independent of your company who comes and checks if you're following the procedures and rules. So the first speaker was talking about his role as a food safety auditor and when he goes to audit food factories (eg. meat, dairy, non-alcoholic drinks etc), there are so many things he looks out for and how he goes about it. The whole process..and how they don't just look at the processing plant but everything about the whole factory that affects and could compromise quality and safety of the food product - e.g. the toilets for factory operators: he even checks if the taps, soap dispensers, toilet flushes work. It was quite interesting and he had funny stories to share. Anyway he's guest lectured when I was at uni before..and he still is pretty funny.

It's pretty complicated -just so much that goes on to maintain quality,safety, hygiene of a food company - the technicalities behind it to even put those procedures in place and maintain it. And the importance of following them lest the auditor finds out and slaps us with a non-conformance. Where I work now, there are quite a number of procedures in place that we have to follow but listening to what the speakers had to say today especially the "auditor", made me realise how important it is to be "procedure-obedient" and how important those procedures are for the safety of the general public and just livelihood of the whole company.

We visited the Cadbury Schweppes factory after lunch - hardly any of the lines were running, so there was little real action to see but we did get to have a little tour in the factory.

Factories - those machines are pretty amazing. How in the world did people even build them and get them up and running. It's like constructing buildings too.

Anyway, factories - not for me. Glad I don't work in one!

a bit of a Memory Lane - it comes back but moving on..

Today I had to drive out west about 30 km for a beverage course. It was like attending a whole day of lectures on different topics (9am-5pm)- and this is going to go on for another 2 days ..but tomorrow after lunch, we get to go visit the factory of Cadbury Schweppes - think this would be interesting! The lectures were ok, my concentration span dwindling after lunch. But honestly, I expected more from the last speaker since he was the technical manager of another huge beverage company. Maybe it's just me who thought he was mumbling, not pronouncing words loud and clear, speaking too fast, moving past slides so fast ...etc

Anyway, what I really enjoyed was meeting new people and just talking to them and being friendly. One lady working for a company I usually call to ask for fruit juice concentrates, when i asked her how many kids she had, our conversation led to her telling me she was going to celebrate her 25th anniversary soon - but to the 2nd marriage and we even talked a bit about how she knew her 1st marriage wasn't going to work out etc..and she's a grandmother at 53!

When I drove home, i tried to take all these back roads...was trying to remember the way my friend used to take 2 years ago whom I used to get a lift to work. I got lost a few times and ended up finishing the last leg on another route but it worked anyhow and I'm going to try again tomorrow! Getting lost at least helps me learn more roads.. =)

was looking again at the photos my cousin took from her stopover in M'sia 2 months ago - and i must say that I really liked all the photos, especially the ones of my mum..and I must admit that i looked at them a few times over and over again at work the day Michelle sent them.


My mum looks quite young, don't you think? She is 52. maybe coz she's short too..hehe...(shortest in the family). you don't mind if I post them here, Michelle? anyway too late..i've posted them =P

i kinda miss her.

2 best friends

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT.
DURING SOME POINT OF THE JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND
SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE IN THE FACE.

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING, WROTE IN THE SAND

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE

THEY KEPT ON WALKING, UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS, WHERE THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A BATH

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING, BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM THE NEAR DROWNING, HE WROTE ON A STONE:

'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE'

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND ASKED HIM, 'AFTER I HURT YOU, YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW, YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED

'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY. BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US, WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE WHERE NO WIND CAN EVER ERASE IT'


LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

The Lord's Prayer, every moment of the day

As I was Skyping with one of my very good Singaporean friends from my New college days 2 days ago, I was reminded of our big brother Jeremiah or Jere for short. And I realised that I am now exactly the same age as he was when I first entered college. We all looked up to him and I liked to tease him that he was senile coz he was 6years older than me. And now..look at me, I'm in the same position!! good grief...ahh the good old days when i was the youngest of my asian friends at college but just for awhile.

When I go back to college, I can still remember who used to stay in this room and that room..it's kinda strange that it was really that long ago. And we're all not the same anymore..on our own different journeys through life.

I feel so blessed to have had time spent with dear people for most of the last few days.

M, I had an awesome night with you too Monday - well spent! Thank you :) Luv ya!
J, thank you for our chat on gtalk - it's always interesting talking to you about God stuff. You never stop questioning.
G, you always have such nice words to say about me, which I think i really don't deserve, and i'm so glad we can always talk even though we don't talk for a few months and we're in different countries.

2 of the younger girls in my bible study group who live near me actually came to give me some cookies one of them had baked - so sweet huh! haha..i was so touched they even thought of me. And the cookies were so yummy, I had to control myself not to finish them all in one go! We chatted for awhile outside and then they came in to see my place and chatted a bit more. As the other said, really nice to see them in the middle of the week! :)

M, thank you for today, and thank you always for sharing your life with me.

I felt really different last week. The whole week I was feeling kinda low on something..and seriously for the first time, i think God really impacted me on how much I need to submit to Him and not seek to put my desires first. A lesson on humility again (the usual case when we all feel low, rite?) How I'm really sinful - good gosh, the thoughts and feelings that go through my mind and my heart to crave that desire- and how much I need to "die to my sinful self every day" because it's so easy to gravitate towards that at any point of the day.

Every moment of the day should be the Lord's prayer.

Coz whatever I just said, it's just so easy to forget...

I have been listening to a few of John Piper's sermons online. I know we shouldn't pick and choose the things we listen to according to the preacher...but I really really like listening to his preaching. It's gospel-centred, and clear and sincere and full of passion for God. It was very helpful listening to it last week - so powerful, it convicts my sinful self-centred heart. Do check it out here.

Shepherd and sheep

Psalm 23 (NIV)
A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

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I was just reading this and John 10 as I was preparing for Sunday school today. What a great Psalm! And to be honest, the first time I heard that line "as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" was in this cool rap song that was the soundtrack to this movie starring Michelle Pfeiffer as a teacher in a ghetto - great movie. Read this too. And I was reading somewhere else which reminded me...what was King David before he was king? a Shepherd! He would obviously know better what a shepherd is like. And I was reading in other places too, trying to understand what a shepherd is like and sheep.

Sheep
- they get can get tangled up in bushes and what not coz of their thick fleece
- they could fall down (maybe coz they're so fat from their fleece) and can't get up
- they really have no sense of direction. So they would get lost easily. Kinda dumb...they just follow where their shepherd (Guide) leads them and all they care about is eating in the green pasture.

- weak and slow. No sharp teeth or claws (no weapons) and they move just faster than a tortoise. They don't know how to protect themselves - need a shepherd or a shepherd dog.

But the amazing thing about sheep? they know their shepherd's voice. They don't respond simply to anyone but their shepherd. If there were a few flocks and a few shepherds in one area, the flock only listens to its own shepherd and follows in his direction...

We are like sheep. Directionless and weak. Who is our shepherd?

Insightful..

The fruit of hope : Love

I had a 2-hour chat with my aunty after coming home from dinner today. About my thoughts about my job, my goal-lessness..her thoughts etc..it was nice to chat and share with her stuff.

It's really late now and I have to work tomorrow. But I just finished listening to the talk below (instead of reading it).
http://www.desiringgod.org/resourcelibrary/Sermons/ByScripture/2/552_The_Fruit_of_Hope_Love/

Great talk - so clear (in all manner) and mind&heart challenging.

Think Positive

If life gives you lemons,

............make lemonade.

Make the best of a bad situation.

~ heard the saying before? i still find it funny..haha..

We are getting there...day by day!

My dad forwards an email...

and he writes:

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Hi Sze wen,

I am heading towards this by and by.

dad

With this in mind, I bought myself a new scooter. I wanted something that was easy on gas and could zip me to the store and about town. This seems to meet my EVERY need. I love it!

You know sometimes when you get caught up with your own life here and friends around you, and then you get caught up with issues that your friends have and then to top that off, you have things going on in your head as well.

And then, you talk to someone in your family overseas or not, whom you sometimes neglect, and you realise that your family has issues too and you have been neglecting them. And then you receive a phone call from your brother too, whose call you missed a few times and then you think, must be something ...when would he call you mobile-to-mobile 3 times in a row from overseas? Actually, you start to think...he's calling me? He hardly, IF EVER, calls me. Especially after since he got that crazy job where he works 7 days a week most of the time. And then you finally manage to pick up his call and then he tells you what is on his mind because he needs to talk about it. And finally, after 1 1/2 years, he finally tells what he truly feels and how he's actually been going - all work related when during those years, he totally didn't have time for you even when you went home. And then you end up talking for 38 minutes. When you know, the last time he actually took the effort to do so was when you left him all alone temporarily in this foreign country and he wrote you this incredibly long email. First and only time in history so far. So you know that he actually has a lot of thoughts going on his head...especially at this time of hard decisions..

I kinda miss my family in a way...my sister was going to tell me something yday regarding something but will wait for another day...my other brother supposedly took "emergency leave" today from his current job to go for this job interview..i hope it went okay. He said he would speak to me online. And my mum is at the moment, busy preparing a write-up for this toastmasters meeting she has on tonight, so coudln't chat to her now.

Talking to others definitely makes me less self-absorbed. I don't think I could stand living away from people in the country-side in a big expanse of land all by myself or with just one other person. Or wherever else. And just living every day just to survive in this hostile world, facing everything as if that's just how it is and that's the end. blah blah....

Nostalgic coincidence

I was just talking to my sister...and as we were talking about Lady, I just remembered something about her. I think all 4 of us (my brothers and sister) were in the car on the main road near our house caught in the traffic. And then I noticed this small little white dog scurrying across the road IN FRONT of our car...and then I realised it was OUR DOG!!! Lady had somehow ran out of the house, most probably when someone opened the gate. And at that time, she was old with cataract problems. I can't remember the speed of her movements but she was definitely weak physically already. But I remember how we got out of the car immediately and grabbed her and put her in the car and drove off. All in the middle of traffic.

Talk about amazing coincidences. If we were too late and too early or just on the wrong road...she would have been lost forever. We were just shell-shocked how she managed to travel all the way there, across 2 big roads without getting herself killed.

My dog has died

yea, so my dad rang me last night and he asked me at the end if I knew that Lady was put to sleep a few days ago. No one told me about it yet so I was pretty shocked. But to be honest, even though i feel shocked, i don't feel sad. My dad said she has arthritis, and my sister has been feeding her for the past month. She is in constant pain and she's pretty old. I hope she had an easy death - my dad and sister took her to the vet and she slowly went to eternal sleep.

She was buried somewhere outside our house.

Death..inevitable ....sad..meaningless how life can be put out by death..and if that is the end..

Unexpectations

I should have gone home but decided to walk towards the crowd. A poster on the door caught my eye and I went to read it. There was an event going on inside. Was I allowed to go in? 2 girls walked out and I made up my mind to check it out and no one stopped me as I took a seat. It was a talk by a very charismatic speaker to a large crowd. He delivered his stories in such a captivating way. Funny too. His talk appealed to the masses but the content was so incredibly shallow, I felt disappointed. Sickened maybe. Sad for the twisted truth. Yet knowing that I shouldn't be judgemental as I'm sure he was pretty sincere. Stayed till it was over and I don't know why but the VERY LOUD constant beat of the music at the end of the event was ringing in my chest. I had to clutch myself. Don't know if I'm getting old or what.

What a surprising unexpectation it was when I noticed a friend sitting on the same row whom I had just bumped into a couple of weeks ago. We ended up chatting for an hour or so outside in the cold about the whole thing. About life and what's been happening or happened. It was pretty deep but just really encouraging. Made me think through stuff. We are so complex; thoughts that run through our mind, our experiences and just who we are. Just one person can teach us so much.

My workmate inspired me to dream dreams today. How much our team can do to help our company achieve "world domination" hahah...something a uni friend liked to say. He has been going on about these ideas in his head and again suggested them as I sales-pitched a few drinks I had made up to a few of my workmates. Anyway, my point is, it made work seem really exciting and fun- so much to discover and explore...! Flower power!

Tell the old old story..

Psalm 78:2-4 tells us to tell things that we have heard which our fathers told us to our children, things about the glorious deeds of God and his might and the wonders which he has done.

My auntie and I got talking about something similar. Not about God. But about our family history, in particular, her parents (my maternal grandparents) and the rest of our Hakka clan. It was really interesting - brings life to people of old whom you don't even think of. Reminds me of this novel i remember reading about the lives from generation to generation who lived in this house called China Court in England, but just not as detailed. Things like how my grandfather was sent to live with his uncle in Malaysia when he was young because he was quite sickly. Life for his mum was sad...a domineering mother-in-law, her husband died (not sure when) and her daughter died in her adult years. But the thing is, my grandfather never forgot his mother and looked out for her when she was living all by herself in her later years, paid for things, brought her out when he brought the kids out to some kinda event but then he got really sick again and his uncle (foster father) had to tell him to stop spending time with his mum for the sake of his health. Superstitions, u know.

Anyway, made me look at my grandfather a little differently. He's still alive, btw.
My auntie told me other family stories as well. Really interesting stuff.

Wish we had a family tree.

Finally a breather today - it's nice when I can just come home after work and not have to go out again and be able to talk to my auntie a bit.

Have you ever been invited to someone's place and unfortunately, one family member is a bit cranky? Not at you but it's still a bit uncomfortable because you're not sure what to do or say but maybe walk around the house and look at photos displayed. I think I understand somewhat why she was cranky and I know a bit about her past. But it was nice to have dinner there when all I expected was just to have afternoon tea! Really kind. And I learned a bit about being a fisherman on a real big boat. So he worked on a big boat off the coast of Darwin - and there are only 5 of them, so they all have to fish, or cook and they all learned Advanced First Aid and I think they all know how to navigate the ship. Do you know that sea navigation is so different? Reading a map of the sea must be so complex - because it's not fixed like driving on the roads. Because of the change of the world's axis due to the magnetic pole and all that, one spot is different the next time. And people now actually still navigate by the stars. That was incredibly fascinating! "Pirates" are still around - but I think not like what we usually imagine.

I went to watch a rugby match last Saturday with my very senior friend, Argyle - I'm not into rugby but it was nice of him to let me come with the tickets he got off his very rich brother! I think what I will remember is this 22-yr old guy beside me who suddenly got up and started telling off these 13-yr old boys behind him. Really telling them off - but i just kept my eyes fixed on the rugby. Apparently, one of them was really rude to his girl friend...and if you're wondering how I know their ages, it's coz it was mentioned in the loud scolding.

Work for the past 3 days has been okay! But i've been so tired/sleepy at times - continuous late nights/early morning starts are not good for me. Shocking news of the week - someone got fired. My company "decided to terminate her contract effective immediately". It was shocking for me, and my friend asks "why are u so shocked?" ...I just am. I don't expect people to get fired! Even though i know their department has been having problems after problems, which is affecting our business...It's just sad when someone gets fired. Monday i saw her at her desk, and Tuesday morning, I come into work and see the email.

My dad emailed me a couple of days ago too - put a smile in my heart and on my face. it's amazing my dad typed that long an email!! Computers isn't his forté and before he retired, he had a secretary and we were his "secretaries" at home. What to do..when all the children are busy. But the good news he wanted to tell me was that my sister has FINALLLLY been accepted into Air Asia!! wooohooo! She'll have to undergo 2-3 months training or something...not really sure the details. I'm really happy for her because it's such a big achievement for her - and she's been just sitting at home and applying for jobs for a very long time - loooking for a job can be pretty depressing. And her salary looks pretty good. My dad can at least rest easy now.. My dad was also talking to me on the phone last week or so after he came back from his trip to Thailand (some biking trip with his Harley mates). He himself actually hired a motorbike there and went riding around some island by himself and he says next time when I come back, we should go there. It's a really nice place and he's made some friends. Yeah, I'd love to! but i haven't any idea when to return home exactly - but it's usually end of the year or start of next year.

Anyway, i'll write another time - getting a bit lazy to blog...
Michelle my cousin, my faithful fan, have you spoken to my mum about when you and Nick are arriving in KL?

April 22

I now know 3 people who share April 22 as their birthday. Alison who is my college friend and my age. My niece (rather, cousin's daughter) who is one year old now - and my auntie is up there in the Sunshine Coast visiting her daughter & granddaughter now so I am all by myself till Saturday.

Also, yesterday, I am SO GLAD that I picked up the phone and called my friend, Vibeke (after not seeing her since Jan 2007). I had heard that she was pregnant and was due soon and I still hadn't called her till yesterday. So, I asked her when she was due and she told me she had given birth that morning!! I was like...what?? thank GOD I called her. So today in the evening, I went to pay her a visit. I even forgot the name of her husband that Vibeke asked if I had met Mark before. And I was like, of course! I've met him heaps of times!!! ....... I won't forget his name from now on... =P

and if my friend hadn't given birth 2 weeks early like she has, she might have bumped into my auntie, who works in that ward.

Their baby is so small and cute - baby boy, no name yet. He was so small. If he had been 23 g lighter or something, he would have had to undergo lots of tests. And Vibeke just underwent 2 hours of labour. She was in at about 9 am and it was over by about 12 pm.

Now to break this joyous news to my Foodie friends who know her tomorrow...mass email at work.

Thank God for this lovely weekend filled with many fruitful conversations. I feel the drag of going to work again tomorrow...sometimes (actually, these days it's been more than sometimes), I get into this "such work is so meaningless" kinda mood. I know I should change my attitude and really see the wonder in the work that I do because it is so interesting. Just imagine being in an ice-cream bar, let's say Gelatissimo and how technology is able to create different flavoured ice-creams NOT using the real thing. And I have in my hands, even more more more flavours i could try to put in the ice cream. Walnut, turkish delight, jaffa, nougat, chestnut (we have the best roasted chestnut flavour!! reminds me of roasted chestnuts from the markets, it is awesome!!), red bean, green bean, wasabi, etc..
But my job doesn't just involve me squirting flavours into the ice cream, we actually have to make the ice-cream (if i'm doing ice cream).

Yeah psyched myself up a bit. :)

But speaking to one of my old college friends about work and life on Saturday morning really made me feel what a messed up society we live in. She was the friend whom I was talking about a few posts ago who at the job she just resigned from, had a terrible working environment - sexual harassment and politics and all that. And just the nature of the working world, the manipulation and competitiveness to survive, to move higher. People who want you to "die". Jobs are never secure as she told me about a research person at uni who had been working there for so long and should have gotten a promotion but was made to leave by subtle devious means. I've never personally experienced such things but the weight of what she was saying seemed even more real to me then. She said what can we do but to just accept it, that's the way it is.

I thank God I don't have a job like hers where the days are just work, eat, sleep and weekends is for more sleep and cleaning the house/grocery shopping. A job that sucks life out of you.

What is wrong with this world? it's such a meaningless state pursuing meaningless things in life. Working for to pay the mortgage is a common thing to hear. Reality of life, or is it. I think my cousin is "drowning" in that now.

Anyway, what do I know.

I really enjoyed the time I could spend with my friend. We walked down to my old place and collected the bicycle that I had left there about 4-5 months ago. Thank goodness it was still relatively okay. And it was still there, I had been checking whenever I drove past that place. Just had to pump the tyres with some air (2 guys helped us while we were at the petrol station which was really kind since i couldn't get one tyre to pump up - acts of kindness, u know) and my friend says that I just need to oil the brakes and all that, but that's about it.

Today I actually had a lovely chat with my workmate/unimate at lunch time. She is such a happy-go-lucky person who can basically talk with anyone, she reminds me kinda of Missy Higgins. She was telling me stories about her good friends from high school who play in this band, relationships/friendships gone wrong, housemates and we were also talking about other things.

I find it really amazing how we can all have different lives with different thoughts and interests. It's reminds me not to get stuck in my own life, people who are just like me culturally or in the way I view things (eg. my sense of what's expensive) or thinking, because God views everyone's life worthy and we all have a life history different from everyone else's which makes it interesting, no matter how boring one might deem his/her life to have been.

The complexities of our life. The emotions and thoughts that run through every day and change at each passing phase. The unexpected things that happened and will happen. The gazillion things every day that we can thank God for.

Life. My life, your life. It's all poetry in motion.

new car

My dad decided for my brother to buy a new car - and now we are going to get another Suzuki Swift. He sold our old Proton Wira, which he jokingly said "has taken a bashing from all of us" - a statement which i disagree! Although i did nearly close our automatic gate on it ACCIDENTALLY while my mum was driving it out of the house....not that he knows about it haha..

Apparently, the car is silver in colour, so not like the dark grey colour i have (which according to someone I know who "kindly" mentioned to me that it's the WORST colour to have in terms of safety....oh well, i guess if I have to die in my favourite car colour, i chose my own death by going for looks). We've had many many different cars over the years because my dad just loves buying and then selling them but unfortunately, I don't think any of us are into cars/bikes like he is. Cars ....they're just vanity under the sun...

Anyway yesterday when my dad rang me, I got told to email and call home more often, which I'm guilty of not doing. I talked to my sis just now for a bit but I will email them tonight...after my shower

ta ta

Amazing people

Today I had the opportunity to meet such an amazing old man. 92 years old with such a great heart.

Not just any friendly, loving heart but a heart for God. A mind that is still alert, God-fearing and caring and loving to others.

92 years old...and drives relatively far distances.

Amazing

I wanna be like that.

I really need some discipline. Leave me by myself and my mind will just wander and not focus. There are things I need to do and I haven't done them. Things I need to do tomorrow, and i am not fully prepared...I'm trying to do it now but i'm not focusing, instead i'm surfing the net, typing here and at the moment, I'm also chatting to my brother (younger one).

Talking to my brother isn't a waste of time - haven't spoken to him in awhile so it's nice to know what he's been up to recently. He's in a bit of a chatty mood too and telling me about some volunteer thing he wished he didn't get himself involved in. He's full of unfulfilled dreams, this boy....my mum reckons he's the most eloquent of us all, maybe he should get out of the line he doesn't want to be in and be a lawyer.

Ok it's really late now and I have to get back to what I have to do. I feel kinda tired, i think i haven't recovered sleep from the long easter weekend and the week before that too. Today I slept in but i still feel not recharged.

Work was okay..i feel so slow. Friday was my boss's birthday and we surprised her with flowers, a "supermum" shirt, and a card. She's pregnant, u see. Next week i think i'll be faster, especially since there are deadlines. Anyway my work is quite interesting, been working on some "healthier" soft drinks and the flavour combinations that i've been trying aren't too bad i must say. There're 4 concepts: beauty, vitality, weight management & prevention and control. Now, according to our marketing presentation, beauty isn't just on the exterior, but it comes from the inside. Yes,doesn't it? But no, that's not what it means...beauty comes from the inside physically. These flavoured drinks (eg. guava + grapefruit with functional ingredients) purifies and cleanses you from the inside so that you achieve the beauty you desire.

My workmate and I were having a laugh over it as I was talking about it...it's really funny I think.

Ok i think i should leave now and go do the work I need to do....

good night

Different people
Different priorities in life
Different ways of talking
see where we are now from whence we first met! it's been years, hasn't it?
Sometimes their jokes just go way past my head
Or perhaps I'm just slow, which is usually the case
or perhaps i'm tired of using my brain to pay attention
not enough sleep i think

But no matter how different, fundamentally we're still the same
wanting the same things
love, peace and happiness
kindness, friendliness,respect
care and concern for one another
We're different but differences know no boundaries
it just takes friendliness
and other person centredness
humility to be at their level
with honesty and sincerity
and laughter that gives you a tummy ache
it loosens the boundaries
lightens the air
until hopefully shallow becomes deep
and forms a bond
no matter where we are and when we meet again.

Church camp was great!

1st day back after a long weekend is usually such a drag...and even more so after an awesome church camp. If I had urgent work to do today, there would have been less time to daydream. Especially since I was sitting in front of the computer 3/4 of the time...usually makes me sleepy. But I did do work..., prepared myself (not completely) for the task tomorrow!

Work...I remember telling people I prefer working to studying. I still think I do (it's just more applicable and I learn faster than just studying and studying without much practical work & $$ comes in) but this work is definitely not what i want to do in say...3-4 years. Maybe I'll go back to Malaysia and do something else. And every time I look at a marketing or sales presentation, I just feel how manipulative and meaningless the words are...

I had some interesting conversations with one of my colleagues last week because I had to be in the same savoury lab as him working on some rice cakes. Working in that kinda environment again after a long time has made my chest phlegmy...and it still hasn't gone away because of all the powders that I have been inhaling no doubt. Anyway, he's an easy-going humble and hardworking former chef with a 6-month old baby girl and we got talking about different things from what we've been learning at church to funny things about how many "hearty beef" soups he had to make that he's never going to drink soup again to Christian beliefs and so on. It's great to just have a "like-minded" friend at work and I'm just thankful that our small team gets along pretty well and we try to help each other as much as we can.

Someone I know studied a 2nd degree for a year and went back to work again because he much prefers working and he feels that he's at this stage of his life that he should be working. I think I'm at the stage of my life where I should be working too because there's just so many other people to meet and interact with outside our usual circle. So many types of people, different ways of thinking whether they be white or yellow or black or brown. It's where you see the realities of the world more vividly..

my sister is turning 21 soon

I just received a long email from my sister telling me what's been happening in her training thing at Air Asia. She is so funnny...She says, 5 days into her training haven't been so good, so many problems already and classes haven't even started yet! And she listed Prob 1, 2, 3, 4a & b and 5.

"I can even notice it on the first day...put a goat also can notice it. "

"Prob 4b: They espect us to learn and understand everything about the aircraft and procedures in 5 days!! How can!!....they should use their brain and think that no human can do that...some more we just from a small plane transitioning to a big one."

isn't she funny, my sister?

One of our dogs, Lady is dying....her eyesight is nearly gone, her hind legs are bad, she cries in the night. My mum and my brother think she shouldn't be made to suffer anymore and should be put to rest. And my sister wants my opinion. One of our dogs was put to sleep before as he was just rotting away and nearly dying, it was so sad. I couldn't stand any of our dogs being put to sleep before, but maybe it would be good coz she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. I think if I were to see it, I'd feel really awful to see her taking her final breath. But if they put her to sleep now, it would mean i wouldn't be able to see her when I get back!!! can they wait? can she sustain her life long enough till I get back?

For computer game enthusiasts, check out this new game!

My cousin, Michelle is raving on about this new computer game - which is the first game for this small Brisbane based company called '3 Blokes'.

A computer game which her boyfriend, Nic has been working on for the last 6 months. If you go to this website (below), you can download the game for an hour of free play (to see what the game is about), or buy the game:

http://www.iwin.com/download/1736269005757512485/magical-forest-game;jsessionid=abkmzavdApnd

Nic did all the artwork for the game. Her good friend Clay did the music (which you can hear when you download the trial). The creators and game developers are also her good friends Marko and Duncan who have been working on this for quite a long time.

Below is a link to an editorial article on the game. http://www.gamezebo.com/previews/magical_forest_preview.html

She will much appreciate it very very much if you can check out the game!!

one-year anniversary

...of what huh? not what u're thinking! =P

As today, I've been working at my current company for exactly one year. Gosh, how fast time flies.

We had an off-site meeting over a week ago at this really lovely place near Mosman, near the zoo overlooking the water and the side of Sydney where I live. I just thought it was a lovely place to go other than the usual places to go. There was a set walk along the coast and there were these mini beach areas in bushland looking area. The lovely thing about sydney is to find such pretty tranquil areas even in a metropolitan city like sydney.

At the off-site meeting, we had team-building stuff and discussed ideas on how to improve the business with key clients and amongst our own team. A lot of positive outlooking of things, self-improvement and focusing on success. I guess this is all really important in a way...but mainly for the ultimate sake of the business. But I'm glad my work environment is pretty good because people are trying to put positive attitude and other related things into their work ethic. Some people I talk to ask me how's work, and sometimes they mean, "is work environment good?" or whether the company treats us like crap or not. I was just pretty shocked recently to find out the work conditions of one of my friends who used to work in a pharmaceutical company in the lab. Finally, i heard her express her difficult work environment with a strange divorced boss who has had affairs within the company and has "stalked" her and other colleagues who behave unlike adults. Or work environments where foul language is used so commonly.

For now, I'm thankful for my job....It's just a job, but it's important to still keep learning and improving in what I'm doing. And getting to know my team members more - helping each other and getting to know them more. It's fun, interesting and we learn so much from each other.

would you strip naked for charity?

Uhmm..why do we have to?

I flipped open this month's Australian CLEO magazine on the sofa, and the middle pages were glamorous black and white photo shots of 6 celebrities nude (almost nude - their private bits covered by their hair, or the chair, or coz they're sitting cross-legged). Each celebrity had to tell of a charity they wanted to support.
So, what we readers have to do, is to log on to Ebay and bid for/buy the photos and all the proceeds will go to the charity organisation of whichever celebrity's photo you buy.

I think this is the dumbest thing to do - both the getting naked bit and the fact that we would buy the photo. Ulterior motives, self-glorification....the charity organisation seems like a place way behind our ultimate goal. Seems more like a need to feel good/happy thing to do tagged onto charity (Which is good in people's eyes) and whatever we can do to support the charity in any way must be good (even getting naked and posing sexily) because it's helping the organisation.

enough said..

Pleasant surprises

Today, received a pleasant surprise call from one of my ex-workmates - One of my funny friends whom I could get along pretty well with, laughing and picking on each other before and even now even though we haven't spoken in awhile. And then, an email message popped up from another ex-workmate asking how i was doing and telling me what she had been up to. It was nice :) I replied back straight away.

At the moment, i'm just chatting to a uni friend on MSN who suddenly seems to have a lot of time to chat, even went into a talk about God for the first time.

It's great to catch up with friends! :)

Anyway, i've gotta pack my bags soon - going away for the weekend with the graduates/workers from church tomorrow after work!

Life is so fragile

We never know when our life here on earth will be taken away, or people we know, or don't know. Famous people dying, Suharto is dead, I attended a funeral of a friend who is turning 25 last Friday with a few others, I was just reading of the sad passing of a 20 yr old medical student whom some of my friends know....people are dying everyday anywhere.

Only God knows how much time we have left here on earth. What am I to do then with my time here?

What crosses my mind is this. What is more important? or rather who? and if i think they are more important, i need to do it now. Make time. Do it within the week. Don't procrastinate. Time does not wait.

Back in Sydney

and back to work... :(

Back since Tuesday and to work on Wednesday. And the next day, my workmate went on leave and she still is for another week. So, lots of work to do. This year, I hope to develop more confidence in what i'm doing as I become more familiar with stuff and hopefully to develop more passion in flavours, which is our core business. FOOD FLAVOURS. As I honestly assess myself, sometimes i feel how meaningless the work I'm doing is. We're seriously not contributing to society - just wanting society to buy more and more of stuff they don't need. And with my who-cares attitude to what I eat, analysing food flavours is something i've had to work on. Anyway, all this negative attitude has to be thrown out the window. Realistic opinions i should keep to myself and learn the positive side and joy of working in this area I have gotten myself into.

Time on the plane back to Sydney was a good time of reflection until I decided to go to sleep like everyone else. Sometimes when all is quiet and especially when there is no form of entertainment on the budget airplane to distract, do we not all sit back and reminisce about the time that passed so quickly. I started a prayer diary, following after a friend, which I thought was a great idea. Malaysia is my home, i'll definitely come back for good. My family is there, and though sometimes, i feel like running away for good far far away coz i just can't stand some things or agree with stuff, I know my parents love me and they feel sad that i've left once again. Our maid, Fe said bye and we hugged and had to control myself after seeing her emotions nearly come lose. My father raised his arm high to say bye at the airport as I turned back to look at them all after going through my passport check. And my mother, she wants to spend more and more time with me.

Anyway, some photos during my break with family:

Firstly, in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast....Thanks for putting up with me, cousins. I really had a nice time and it was just nice to spend time with you all. I wish all of us were in one place with Ah Poh & Ah Kong and all the aunties and uncles. Everyone basically.

Merry Christmas!

yum cha on my last day

I found this picture at my aunt's place. Wow. - and i think we have the same photo at home. And that was taken so long ago in my house and it looks just the same now. We should place the same people in the same spot and take another photo.

Back in Malaysia:

Cousins of the younger generation. They can all walk now... and talk so loudly.

And Michelle, the 2nd one can draw really well for her age, u should meet her when u're down in Msia and check her drawings out.

Sister & me - at a Japanese restaurant.

Dad & Ching Hwa ...what are they talking about?

I followed Ching Hwa to one of his work visits one day - it was interesting. Pretended to be someone from my brother's work, thank goodness didn't have to answer so many questions from the ppl we were visiting but whatever i had to answer, i tried to answer as neutral as possible, actually i think i told the truth the whole time in my answers. =P Hope my brother doesn't get into any trouble. But he said it was okay to come.

All 4 of us in my sis & my room. Had to get them to cooperate with me to take one photo...doesn't look like they're very cooperative, huh

At the airport to bid adieu once again.

And we saw Tony Fernandez ...Air Asia's CEO. He was shaking people's hands and asking them how they're doing and stuff.

A brand new year. A whole new beginning - have you made your new year resolutions yet?