Saturday, April 21, 2007

choir concert and ice-cream

choir concert at RJC with clique 2006: seet, joiz, ching & me (camwhoring as usual =P):













Dun u find this pic a bit disturbing...hmm



Free cone at Ben's and Jerry's with best pals charmaine and jieying! (queued for like 25-30 mins, but worth the wait for Chocolate fudge brownie...)






Friday, April 13, 2007

Love God as He loves YOU

Testify to Love (Avalon - Maze of Grace)

All the colors of the rainbow
All the voices of the wind
Every dream that reaches out
That reaches out to find where love begins
Every word of every story
Every star in every sky
Every corner of creation lives to testify

For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love
I'll be a witness in the silences when words are not enough
With every breath I take
I will give thanks to god above
For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love

From the mountains to the valleys
From the rivers to the sea
Every hand that reaches out
Every hand that reaches out to offer peace
Every simple act of mercy
Every step to kingdom come
All the hope in every heart will speak what love has done

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee Inspirational story

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He
then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under thetable and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want youto recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---God, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would stillbefull.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else---the small stuff. "If you put thesand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time andenergy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.Play with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit withgrandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the houseand fix the disposal.Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand ."One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Easter Sunday - Give thanks to Him for He died for our sins

Psalm 55:22
"Friends are God's way of taking care of us."
This was written by a Metro Denver Hospice Physician:

I just had one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and wanted to share it with my family and dearest friends. I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke and splutter and die - I barely managed to coast, cursing, into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the "quickie mart" building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a Gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay.

When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel. At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95. I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying " don't want my kids to see me crying," so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California and that things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, "And you were praying?" That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and said, "He heard you, and He sent me."

I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling, walked to the next door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the Car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little. She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City . Her boyfriend left 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent Jan 1, and finally in desperation had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived in California and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there. So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there.

I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?" This definitely made me cry. I said, "Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people." It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.

Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings... Psalms 55:22 "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." This prayer is powerful and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards.

When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could You please get that for me?"

Friday, April 06, 2007

Try again, never stop believing

Life is full of ups and downs, like a rollercoaster. Never would i imagine myself even getting through the interview round for council. The surprising yet elating news seemed so eons ago. Now...now i cant wait to forget the memories of council campaigning. Truth be told, it was a wonderful and enriching experience for me. The planning late into the night (with the emotional outbreak), the buying of materials, the painting of banners, the putting up of posters, giving out stickers are all etched into my memory, and pictures in reminescence of the stressful, yet fulfilling times. But experience is just the name we give our mistakes. I have let myself down countless times, including this time. I cannot stand the feeling. The wave of emotions that rush through me as i stared at the board with countless name, none mine. I tried to keep it in, but it just erupted like a volcano, the outpouring of tears instead of lava. Concerned faces and people trying to console me. I really thanks you all, but no one will really understand how i feel deep down inside. Even when i dun wanna think about it, it all comes back to me, together with that rush of emotions, that really wanna just make me breakdown and cry. Learning to forgive somehow seems easier than learning to forget. I am really trying hard to. Sooner or later, it will just be a part of my life where i stumbled and fell, but for now, it is a large barrier that i need to overcome, need to forget, need to let go. Congrats to all those who made, whose efforts have paid off. My efforts never made it through. I know God has other plans for me, which is the reason why He decided not to fulfil this dream and hope of mine, and I will live with it, cos He is the mightiest, and will lift me up when my spirits are down. Trust in him, I shall. And He will light the path and guide the rest of the way for me, so I will not stumble and fall yet again.