Things That Matter To Me Now...

God's Words... a double-edged sword... I'll work on that day in and day out...

Books... and more books... I love to read...Cross-stitch... a hobby of mine that nobody has ever known. I kept a few of my masterpieces... one stitched with beads, bookmarks and another framed up. I sold one away... and I think I will start stitching and selling them unless I feel like giving it away or keeping it for myself.My work... it comes first before anybody else...

Happy New Year...

It's just another ordinary day but with different dates. Instead of tearing the calendar page, this time you'll throw the one with 2009 printed on it and replaced a brand new calendar with 2010 printed on it. It's always nice to start something anew. With the right spirit, you wish that everything will fall into place just the way you want it to be.

Wishing for a great year ahead, tried not to look back or maybe see where you've gone wrong in 2009 and try not to repeat the same old mistakes in the coming year.

There might be not much of something new, just that you add another year to your age... physically. To sum up my year 2009, it's a good one if it's not great. Let's see what I have as my 2009 history:

• Friends... good friends... true friends... honest friends... acquintances... new friends... old friends... lousy friends... parasitic friends...
• Promises... empty promises.... sweet promises... words... words that carry beautiful meaning... words that carry nothing... more like a sounding gong...
• Places... I've been to the Down Under... a great holiday for me...
• Shopping... endless shopping... it has never been a hobby of mine... I might want to adopt it as a hobby... then again... I might not want it anymore
• People... business people... people of all walks of life... strangers... strangers are better than your own friends... I should say....
• I'm lazy... laziest of all years... next year will be my 8th year working... sounds old..
• Dreams... dream big... and it will become reality...

For the year 2010, the only thing I really want is to have my own place in Melbourne... a place that I can call home... a new place where I can start life anew... maybe it's time to uproot myself or expand... expansion will be great, too...

Be Still...[92]

The contrast from real relaxation to intense action is so noticeable. It is very interesting to note that the degree of relaxation on one side of the scale corresponds to the degree of action on the other side. In other words the degree that you can relax will determine the degree of your action.

Physically
We need to understand and experience the values of rest, sleep and exercise. Practical matters of a good mattress, comfortable shoes and clothes are also of real importance.

Mentally
We need to find and practice mental activities that are enjoyable, different and a complete contrast to the things we normally do. Creating a variety provides for a much more stimulating approach to life.

Spiritually
Spiritual relaxation brings us into an infinitely deeper appreciation of the things of God and consequently a far more effective action and service for God

The Result
The result of 'being still and relaxing' is 'KNOWING GOD' in a deeper and more intimate way. Learning to be quiet in God's presence and listening to the 'still small voice' is one of the greatest privileges and blessings we can experience.

Sshhh... Be Quiet.. [91]

The Lord said,"Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by."

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

[1 Kings 19:11-12]

~ Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves ~

Thomas Carlisle

Ideas, plans, dreams and visions can be born or developed greatly in the realm of silence.

Tragically, though, silence has become a vacuum which modern man abhors. The average teenager surrounded by his radio, stereo, television and video is constantly under the seige and bombardment of noise. Adults too, condition themselves into a different style but still a noise-orientated world. Most individuals have great difficulty in handling silence. It almost blows their mind. They become restless, agitated or at the least, uncomfortable in the atmosphere of silence. Rush and bustle, hurry and scurry are the order of the day.

When did you alst sit down, relax and enter into a time of quietness?
Do you make a regular practice of this?

I find that most Christians, in the society that we live in, have real difficulty in learning and practising the art of divine quietness. We have been conditioned to think that activity, busyness and noise is where it is all at, and that inactivity and quietness is associated with laziness and inefficiency. How wrong are we!

It is usually our constant, activity-orientated lives that dry us up and break us up, when our regular times of quietness would refresh, inspire and strengthen us greatly. Our bodies and our soul were designed for balance. It is in this realm that we must learn to balance the extremes of incessant activity and monastic isolation; to create that balance and harmony which the Lord desires for us.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Merry Christmas, James...

A friend loves at all time... [Proverbs 17:17]

Merry Christmas~!

Christmas celebration by Penang state government and Penang combined churches. It was held at Penang Times Square instead of the Esplanade. The performances by St. Paul's Church, RGBC, EPCC, AOG and a few others that I've missed the names, were great. All their hard work paid off..
The event was graced by the governor of Penang....
.. followed by the arrival of Penang's Chief Minister, Mr. Lim Guan Eng...
ooohhh... where's he? Not a bad speech... kinda powerful with lots of thunderous claps...

And I got to do what I've wanted to do all these while.... playing with WATER~!!

and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Be Strong in the Grace...[90]

..to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteouness,

a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

[Isaiah 61:3]

...being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience...

[Colossian 1:11]
And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
[Ephesians 2:22]

My Mom... so Tech-Savvy...

Sometimes when mama was talking, I didn't pay 100% attention. The other day, I heard her saying that she had to be home in the evening as she had to cook...?? I was thinking to myself, I'm the one doing the cooking since few years back, so how come she's cooking now? For who? She has to cook a lot... mama said she had to cook until tomorrow, there will be many ppl coming to eat... *party hor? I wasn't even invited* Then, she even said if she didn't get home by dunno what time, her food will be charred.... *more ???? formed in my head*

I asked mama who she's cooking for... her reply struck me dumb-founded...

Mama is stuck with Facebook's CafeWorld.. and she has to be home to online on specific time or else the customers will leave... mama... how could you play such a game? How to go out and kai kai with me like that? 5pm online... 11pm also online...

I do not like ppl who sms while walking... I don't do that BUT my mama is doing it... she can walk and sms at the same time if not ppl will be talking to her, but she'll be busy texting...

The other day, I caught mama online while working... she's online in...
...she said for awhile only coz need to check on her cafe to see whether got enough food for customers or not... and she posted something on my wall... I think that few minutes also roughly around half an hour. Now, mama says iPhone's screen big enuf some more can online but wondering can play CafeWorld or not... if can maybe she wants lor... *shake head* My mama planning to online 24/7.... I speechless.. Mama always online play online games until late at night...
Mama is also online in... MSN....

Apa nak jadi dengan mak aku? *Geleng kepala*

The Lord is in the Midst of Thee...[89]

Let Not Your Good Be Evil Spoken Of.. [88]

Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.

[Romans 14:16]

Avoid every kind of evil.

[1 Thessalonians 5:22]

For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.

[2 Corinthians 8:21]

If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. [1 Peter 4:15-16]

Freedom of Writing...

This is a blog. In fact, this is my blog. Do not cross to another's personal space. God has eyes to see...

New Friend & Old Friend

She's Pinky. The moment I reached Melbourne, she was there waiting for me at the airport with bro. We hardly know each other, better to say we don't know each other at all. We clicked instantly, and we became good buddies in a day, constantly targeting at bro by attacking him sarcastically. Bro ended up speechless at the end of most of the conversation.

Pinky went to the extend of taking leave from her work to accompany me while I was there. Among all my frens that I've known for donkey years, including my best fren, Pinky, a new friend of mine, is one amazing fren. She's not even calculative like who's paying for food and entrance fee and whatever stuff, bearing in mind she's not working, she's just a student. On food alone, she spent at least AUD100 per day, yet when I wanted to return her the money, she refused to accept.

My own best fren, calculated with me to the bones, have to go on dutch. And even complained that I didn't pay for myself when I went out with her and her frens, but my fren did not even think for a second that I cancelled my whole day's classes, not once but many times, just to accompany her. Even when we went out previously, I paid a larger sum and didn't calculate with her the extra. Movies I also paid. Are all my frens like that? If I know everything is suppose to be on dutch, why didn't say earlier so that I don't have to 'belanja' ppl most of the time. Those who calculated with me, I have treated them MORE than once or twice or numerous times.

I have lost count how many times I pay for ppl... but the person who paid ONCE for me can highlight it to me. I should have written down every single cent to the dot that how much I pay for ppl, that should be fair enough.

I've never met a person like Pinky. She's always welcome to come to Penang thus, I have arranged that she be here next year before the start of her new semester. Everything is on me... to my other frens... sorry, no more. The day you highlight to me, that's the end... I didn't know you can calculate with me. Shame on you! I should calculate petrol money, parking and time... shouldn't I? I've never done that to you, why do it to me.

Don't split hair with me... good frens are hard to come by... think of the time when I was there in KL.. it's meant to be ONLY you and another person, but who tagged along and showed the sour face... did YOU offer to foot part of the bill as you highlighted that I should offer to foot my own bill when your mom said otherwise before we left your house. Think again... the lady who paid the bill didn't even know you or me and yet, she treated us... but then, you complained 'bout something else...

I have never calculated anything with you, why do you have to do that to me? WHY?

My Plans Fail...

At first, I planned to shop once a month. Then, after giving it some thought, I know I cannot last for the whole month without going shopping. It's like bluffing myself into believing that I can do it.

So, I planned to shop once a week. If I can spend time with J once a week instead of every nite, then I should be able to shop once a week. I was thinking maybe buy clothes once a week. Then, I changed my own plan to spend money on stuff once a week... spend on new stuff.

First week, I bought a pair of sandals.
Second week, which was yesterday, I bought a skirt and a blouse at half price.
Third week, supposingly another week, I have signed up for Maxis Broadband and looking at other call plans and I get myself another number.
Fourth week, I already got myself two new story books.

Like that I whole month cannot spend liao~ Might as well stay at home everyday and not go out. ARGH~! Have to wait until next year... how arr... I wanna set up "Piggy's Shopping Fund" see whether got ppl wanna donate some cash... cheques also acceptable.

I'm err.... Lazy, I think..

I'm not sure whether the word lazy is the right word to describe me at this moment. I do have a lot of things to do after coming back from Down Under. I have so many photos to upload and now looking at all those photos, I can't find the strength and patience to upload so many. I'll just put them in different albums.

I'm having a big problem trying to fit all classes on weekdays since they requested for weekdays only. I thought I have the best timetable laid out until finally... missing two classes. Where am I gonna dig out another two slots? Ugh...

After coming back from Down Under, I have finally realised that Penang is still the best place to live in. I shall not complain about prices anymore. Thus, my new mission, shop every week. Shop for discounted items. No point buying New Arrivals as within 3 months, those new arrivals will no longer be new and more discounts will be given. Talking about not going to complain, I think I'm so stingy there's nothing that can change me. After shopping, I paid my RM1 for parking only to see there's a notice pasted on the wall.
"For purchases of RM30 and above in a single receipt, FREE parking."

ARGH!!! Why didn't I read that earlier? I'm grumbling 'bout having to pay RM1.

I don't think I'm the only one muttering about having to pay RM1 for the parking. Penang ppl... stingy to the core...

The Lord is Your Shield..[86]

..."Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."
[Genesis 15:1]


His protection for those who trust in the Lord.

Another one of God's faithful promises...

...who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

[1 Peter 1:5]