Happy Lunar New Year

Finally the lunar new year comes, and I can take a breather for the next few days. Nothing to really make me burn brain cells, just relaxation and catching up with relatives and friends and get myself recharged to head back to school and hit the books (and burn more brain cells).

Mac's rice burger is kinda disappointing, after Emily and I tried it on thursday when we met up together with Colin for dinner. Felt Mos' is much better, only thing is that it's about a quarter smaller than Mac's, and it can burn a hole in my pocket and it's not satisfying. It can just be like a drop in the ocean for me. Ok, maybe not that drastic, but it certainly won't satisfy my appetite much.

Kinda tired as I write this post. Spent the whole of last night trying to tidy up my room. So far, managed to clear one side of my bed, which contained one pile of newspapers that I've been adding to for the last year. My room is like a junk yard of sorts, containing stuff accumulated over the years. I can be sentimental when it comes to my stuff, so I tend to hold on to them, and only throw them away a couple of years down the road. So when I finished, after sleeping and waking up in the afternoon to continue, I had six plastic bags choked full of papers and stuff to throw away. And this does not include the stack of newspapers. -_-" At least now, one shelf of my cupboard and my table and one side of my bed looks better. Now all that remains is the stuff under my table and my notes at the foot of my bed to take care of, for the more prominant ones, heh.

MS was kinda short and sweet today, but can still feel the presence of God nonetheless. Shed tears throughout the service as I searched myself for things that I want to commit to the Father. Still got some areas of my life that I need to improve on, especially in dealing with people who can test patience. But I'm going to trust in the Lord for this, that He'll teach me patience and how to handle relations.

Felt the Lord is telling me to put my trust and hope and faith in Him, through passages revealed to me from the Bible over the last few months. Passages like Proverbs 3:5-6, Hebrews 11:1, and Psalm 25:4-5. Psalm 23 as well, in a way. Passages that I've been reading each day, in addition to the daily chapter on Proverbs and one chapter each from the Old and New Testament. Been praying for strength also, as I've been growing tired of late. Isaiah 40:29-31 comes to mind, and certainly encouraging to me ü

In a way, felt that my feelings have increased somewhat, but I also know that I have to be patient and wait upon the Lord. "Am I ready?" is the question I have to ask myself. "Is she the one?" is another. Also, I have to think about how she feels as well. Cos it can never be just about me. But rather on how I can serve and encourage the other party to seek God more. And myself serving God during this season of singlehood. Joshua Harris is right in his point about having to realise that the person I'll marry one day doesn't need a bf; rather she needs someone who is mature enough to spend the season before marriage preparing to be a godly husband.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Burdened and buried

Been a packed few days. Could hardly find time to catch some breath in the last couple of days, as smses and phone calls and emails pour in, esp last night. No, I'm not Mr. Popular. It's just that I'm more or less handling the coordination of the performance on the 15th. Good news is that it's been approved and confirmed, so it's showtime! A 500 seater LT waits to be filled (praying for half full, if not full house). Bad news is practices are still not as well as what I hoped for, as evident by today's practice. Sigh. 3 weeks more, and we are still not good enough, I guess. Still a big ? over the choice of a chinese song, with several options to pick, and all of which have not looked through thoroughly yet, mainly cos of chord placement errors on the sheets. Can always go back to Ni Yao De Ai, though I don't think Jiaxing would be too happy about it; seems like she's sick of this song after the last performance -_-" Sigh. What can I do but just pray and hope for the best?

Publicity started today, with the giving out of the red packets. Kudos to Seb for the idea of putting the flyers into them and giving them out before chinese new year. Seems like we used up more than the allocated amount for the day -_-""" Good thing I asked Elicia to get some and pass to me in the afternoon. Now I just have to print out more flyers and cut in the morning and insert into the red packets. Just hope I can handle the coordination of the booth manning as well. Might have to ask someone to help me with it. I have way too much to handle on my hands for the next few days.

Another busy day ahead. After the booth manning and a quick lunch, it's time to head to AMK to get the flower materials that we'll need to make the door gifts. Seb even suggested selling them if we can make enough for valentine's day, after allocating for the door gifts. Which means I'll have to buy a lot. Hope the budget is enough to cover. Cuppage will be my next stop, to scout for a japanese restaurant. Emily suggested last sunday during lunch that we go there for dinner as a cell before Terence flies back home permanently. Yeah, he's set to leave in February. My jaw literally dropped when he shared it over dinner before cell last week. He did share with me before, but just didn't expect the early date. Gonna miss him a lot; he's my shepherd after all. With Xiumin set to leave also, the future of the cell is a ? Most probably, we'll be integrated into an adult cell, which is gonna be a very big group once combined. Certainly don't wish to think about it at the moment.

Gonna pray for strength to last through the day. After Cuppage will be the mac next to Bras Basah, to mug for my IBM assignment for the rest of the afternoon, and meet Emily and Colin there for dinner. Emily wanted to try the rice burger last sunday, but didn't really have a chance to, so I thought, why not? I'm thinking of trying it as well, to compare it to Mos'. Hope it's bigger and better.

Weiqiang just sent out an email asking for a prayer request. Apparently, his sister got an eye infection, that's causing the eyeball to swell a lot. For those who know him, do keep him and his sister in prayer.

Trusting in the Lord for everything. A lot of things on my mind that I have to commit into His hands. Revisions is one, emotions is another. Not to mention the performance, and the days leading up to it. Had another long talk with Terence a couple of nights back regarding my list. Some sharing from both of us (mostly him) during the hour plus on the phone. Told me not to be too focused on one thing, basically. To look around me and focus on those things as well, not to mention on God. Guess he's right. Need to get my priorities down pat and endure for the next few months leading up to exams. Can't do much else but pray for guidance and wisdom and for Him to show me my path, and for His timing in everything. Need to have faith and patience.

"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4-5

Shopping for CNY

Been a long day today for me. Class in the morning, then a quick lunch, then folding flowers (and teaching Seb how to at the same time) while waiting for Eliz to finish her lunch, then down to Concourse to try to find materials for more flowers and red packets for performance publicity. Then hanging around bugis with them chatting and walking around looking for my jeans while waiting for Joyce to finish her class. Yup, what a day. My aching feet are a testimony to this, heh.

Seb and I just upgraded Eliz's status at the SIM bookshop to "Diamond card holder". Haha. Really humourous, the way the person in charge attends to Eliz, asking her to get more friends down, giving her discounts on virtually anything she wanted, lol. Me? Just tag along and get the discounts as well, haha. Good prices on books I wanted, with really really steep cuts from the original pricing. So SIM people reading this, head down to the bookshop. Last day of offers is the 27th :p

Gonna be another long day tomorrow. 4 hour lecture in the morning, followed by workshop on entrepreneurship, and a meeting with SIM admin to discuss the performance details. Dinner and cell following after. Will definitely need the Lord's strength to help me through, and saturday as well. Lots to do, especially for my upcoming and due assignments, and little time to finish. With CNY approaching fast, I'm still lacking a pair of jeans and a shirt. Guess sunday is the only day left. Hoping to chill out at starbucks again and work on my marketing and hand in asap. It's time to shift my gears up a notch. Some of my subjects are still in neutral, so have to get them up to speed.

More or less, I've finished what I wanted to, in terms of things and qualities I wish to find in a future partner. Prayed about it, yet to discuss with my shepherd, so hope to be able to do so soon, so that I can make changes if necessary. Still in observation mode, but there's no hurry. Want to take the time to find out more, before I make any decision as to whether to express interest. Definitely putting this before the Lord for His guidance, praying about it, to make the correct decision, and whether or not she's the one that He has set aside for me to walk through life side by side. Priority right now is to clear my exams in may/june, then I'll see how the Lord leads ü

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the way; walk in it" Isaiah 30:21

Goals for the year

Just finished the Goals resolution yesterday that Xiumin told us to do last week. Didn't really know that there's no need to fill in every aspect of the sheet. More or less, I did what I could with every point. Compared to Emily's or Colin's, mine was pretty full of resolutions, which I certainly hope to meet for the rest of the year and beyond. Praying for the will and strength to do so.

Managed to secure a loan to get my player's battery. Thanks to those who loaned me the money to do so. Really appreaciate it ü. Will repay you next week. Discovered that PK was selling the oem of the battery at $38, which is virtually half of what Creative is selling at. Matthew gave me another 3 bucks off the price, so it came up to less than half. Ha, must patronise more from PK from now on. Seb, yeah, more like a "platinum card holder" of sorts, lol. Comes with working alongside them on a regular basis.

Practice was not really complete the last few days. Jiaxing's mum is in hospital for a blood clot in her lungs. Rather serious, so hope she'll be alright after the operation. For those who know her, do pray for her and family. Did go through the guitar arrangements for both Jiaxing's and Joyce's items, so now just have to practice hard and piece them all together in their respective groups and items.

Exams are coming really really soon. Just paid my exam fees a couple of days back with Seb, so now I have to step up a gear in my revision. Still not really at the speed I should be going at now. Just got a pda from Joyce who's not using it anymore, so it'll come in handy in helping me to plan. Thanks sis.

"Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God" 2 Corinthians 3:5

Walk With Me

First post of the new year. Been a busy few days, as I try to make sense of my articles that I need to read for my ISDM, and my notes for my other subjects. Performance preparations went up a gear as the planning is almost almost ALMOST finalised. Just left with some bits here and there to tweak before bringing it up to the rest of the excos again and finally submitting to the admin to approve. Praying hard for this to be a successful event, as it's gonna be the first time we are organizing something like this, and I hope to make it memorable.

My mp3 player's battery died on me recently. Which resulted in 2 trips down to Creative Care in Jurong to find out what's wrong (before I knew it was the battery problem). Imagine the frustration at it all, not to mention the trip down. Sengkang isn't really next door to Jurong East.. At first, the software hanged, resulting in a 1-1 exchange for a new player (everything in it's gone, including every recording in the player: lectures AND rehearsal recording T_T). Tried to backup before then, and the staff who attended to me was kinda sympathetic and lent me a cable to try and backup to a com in the area. Which unfortunately can't be done cos of the hanged software. Sigh, what can I do.. Sorry guys. Promised to upload the rehearsal recordings for the performance into an email account. Guess we'll have to start all over again. Have to fork out $70 to get a new battery. Any kind soul out there who can spare me a loan? I'll return asap, right after my check clears sometime next week.

Been getting addicted to the song Walk With Me, by Caedmon's Call. It's very nice, with a nice rhythm to it. Will be playing it for the performance, with Joyce on vocals and Sebastian backing up on guitar as well. Hope it'll sound nice.

"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains." James 5:7