Goodbye 2009, Welcome 2010!

2009 has been a truly exciting year, with ups and downs, joys and sorrows. There has been so much fun, laughter, randomness, as well as the valleys, down times and sadness. Played alot, studied alot, learnt alot too :)

Got the chance to meet so many new people! :D
Learnt how to appreciate and give thanks for them! :)

Words cannot fully describe how grateful I am to the people who have invested into my life, and be part of my growth in 2009.


Church

Limin - for imparting and teaching me so so much such that I am now able to worship Him freely on the keyboard and enjoy playing in a band.

Lishien Jie & the other youth leaders - for investing into my life and believing in me more than I believe in myself.

My leadership peers: Kaiqi, Chengyi, Li Juan, Mavis, Ruth, Shuqi, Xin Hui, Jing Ping, Calvin, Jing Hui, Zhi Yan - although I wont be joining u guys in serving the youth, thank you for this past year, all the big and small things that you've done for me :)

All my close frens: Kaiqi, Thomas, Felly, Jing Hui, Shuqi, Han En etc.....
You guys have always been around for me, for better or for worse :P Thanks for being a part of my life and for everything that you've done :)

The youth: Amos, Elsen, Isabel, Joey, Eugene, Kailin, Yi Yong, Sihao, Ling Jing, Ling Xian, Si Hui, Jasmine, Rebecca, Weilin, Han Xin etc.....
Thanks for all the enthusiasm and energy you've brought into my life, I will continue to cherish each and every friendship I have forged with you guys and never forget the 'high' times and memories that we've shared together :)

School

Weilin, Eugene, Dong Yang, Kelvin & Alloysius - you guys have always been ard to help me, be it in tutorials or juz simple stuff that I do not understand. Enjoyed the KTV times, badminton times, eating good food times as well as the stress that we faced together juz b4 exams! :P May our friendship continue to grow in 2010! :)

Family

Special thanks to my parents, and esp. my bro, who has grown and matured so much :P 2009 was a time where we could reli tok abt anything under the sun! Hope that we continue to support one another and share our lives! :D

2009 has been a wonderful year, filled with lots of His grace and love!
I'm looking forward to 2010, where it will be a year of entering into His rest! :)
Work from rest, and the results will be productive and fruitful! :D

Miracle Results :)

I'm juz super happy that I got B+ for Probability and Statistics I.
That was the paper that I spent the first 20 mins reading thru all the 5 qns and realised I dunno how to start on any of them haha :P

Owe Eugene a treat for Linear Algebra II.
Went his hse 2 days b4 the exam and he basically clarified everything that I threw at him :)
Never knew that I could get B+ for something so abstract haha :P

Calculus III was quite expected la B+.
So anyway so far all my math modules I've been getting B+ haha :D
Dunno whether its cause for celebration, lolx...

Intermediate Macroecons was another miracle!
I studied like one day b4 and I got B!!! :D

Money & Banking was a little disappointing with B- but its ok :)
I shall look forward to next sem! :P

CHRISTMAS '09

Its gonna be a long post...
Dont say I nv tell u :P

Over the past one week plus I did many different activities.
Carolling.
Christmas shopping.
2 Christmas parties.
Avatar + Sherlock Holmes.
Cycling.
Writing Christmas Cards.
Many precious memories :)
In short good food + good company + good fun + random activities = Wonderful Christmas! :D
Thanks to everyone who has given me cards, presents or well wishes! :)


















So many things have happened and they juz passed by in a blur.
I was literally out the whole of last week every single day.
If I'm back home it was to catch up on sleep that I gave away during the Christmas parties :P
Cool time of having fun together and juz catching up!

Sunday was particularly precious to me.
Handed out many cards and some gifts that I bought :)
News spread fast.
Some people enquired.
Some were surprised.
Looking back, I'm thankful to so many people.
Who have been part of my life in the big and small things.
Alot of them couldnt reli understand.
But it doesnt matter.
I didnt wish for anything negative oso.
But I guess they were juz more concerned.
I thank God for fresh friendships, even among those whom I've always been ard with.
Wish I could dedicate a post to each person, but that would take like forever since I'm always so long-winded with my words haha :P

Anyway this Christmas I really had a fresh revelation of God's love for me.
Its like I have always known the Christmas story of how Jesus was born but this year it was esp. fresh, maybe cos I've learnt to see things from a new perspective :)

Born To Die So That You Might Live

Luke 2:12
'And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.'

You are probably familiar with the story of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem. The Bible says that when the time had come, Mary "brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger." (Luke 2:6-7) But have you ever wondered why the angel told the shepherds that the Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger was a "sign"?

A manger is actually a feeding trough for livestock. Do you know what a feeding trough in those days looks like? There is a similar one at Solomon's stables in Meggido, Israel. It is basically a big rectangular block of stone with the trough hewn out of it. So baby Jesus, who was wrapped in swaddling cloths, was placed in such a stone trough.

But why was that a sign? Because if you have seen the empty tomb of Jesus at a place called The Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, you would have noticed that the place where His body was laid, inside a tomb hewn out of rock, resembles a stone trough. The Bible says that after Jesus' crucifixion and death, Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body, wrapped it in linen and laid it in a tomb hewn out of a rock. (Mark 15:43-46)

Can you see the similarities? Wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger, baby Jesus would one day be wrapped in linen and laid in a tomb. That was the sign the angel was referring to. It pointed to Jesus' death.

Jesus was the only child in all of humanity born to die. Once you realize that, you will realize how much God loves you. You will realize that He gave up His Son for that one purpose, and that His Son willingly came for that one purpose - to die for your sins and mine.

Beloved, can you imagine living your life knowing that you are just qualifying yourself to die on the cross to save the world? That was the life that Jesus lived. He lived to die, so that we might live and enjoy life abundantly today!


That was the essence of the gospel.
It was all about Jesus and what He has accomplished at the Cross on our behalf.
He took our place of curse so that we can take His place of blessing today.
He got what we deserved so that today we'll get what He deserved!
It is a wonderful life to live! :)

In the upcoming year 2010, let us all learn to labour into God's rest.
Hebrews 4 is a wonderful chapter.
Here are some highlights:

verse 1 - 'Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.'
It appears that God prioritizes rest for His people above all other things. This rest is not resting from but rather resting in. God wants us to know that He has accomplished everything for us, and that we should rest in His finished work at the Cross!

last part of verse 3 - 'the works were finished from the foundation of the world'
Even before you have seen yourself in that position, place or success, God has already accomplished it! But He comes back to where we are currently and makes us a part of what He has already prepared for us, that's why we can declare that all is good, because God has already gone ahead of us and prepared the way for us! :) We juz need to walk out the blessings that he has already put in store for us!

verse 9 & 10 - 'There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.'
This is powerful in the sense that it is saying that when we enter into God's rest we are no longer striving using our own efforts. Do we believe that when we dont do anything, God can do something for us? When we work, He rests. When we rest, He works. Its as simple as that :)

verse 11 tells us to 'be diligent to enter that rest...', which seems like a paradox. Firstly, it tells us that not everyone has entered into God's rest, and secondly, we need to labour into that rest. I believe it means that God wants us to reach a point where we are sure of who we are in Christ and what He has accomplished on our behalf at the Cross. When we know that everything ahead has already been prepared for us, we'll live life so differently! We'll start expecting the good things to fall into place, and even when there situations or circumstances that dont make sense, we can be sure that it is onli temporal :)

Wonderful chapter if u ask me :)
Only when we rest, then He can work in us and through us and for us!
There is a peace when we know that everything has already been done for us even b4 the world begun.
Even in these last days of 2009, God's free favours are still upon me!
Rebecca suddenly msged me and guess wad?
I'll be having a new tuition kid next year!! :D
And it was her mum who asked her to ask me, when she already had a math tutor whom the mum quite liked this year.
Am I lucky?
Nah...
I'm juz attracting the free favour that comes from God!
Even towards the end of the year! :)
So expect 2010 to be the best year ahead yet!! :D
Know that Daddy God has gone ahead of you and prepared this blessing, that free favour and many other wonderful things for you! :)
Walk into the new year with confidence and joy!
Wake up everyday and say to yourself, 'I wonder what good things God has in store for me today?!? Cant wait to be surprised by Him.' :P

HAVE A GREAT YEAR AHEAD IN 2010!!! :D

8 more days...

For the first time in my life there were contradictory emotions.
I wanted to get my results and yet I dreaded getting my results.
Come to think of it, I prob didnt reli fare v well, given I knew what I had written down.
On the other hand, I anointed my answer script so ya... believe God is going to work :)

Let's backtrack a little...
Made a very impt decision not too long ago...
Decided and then struggled...
Struggled and then became confused...
Haiz...
Now that it is official I shd hav no regrets rite?
One thing I know for sure - God has been good, very good in fact...
Looking back at past incidents I expected negative things but He assured me once again :)
Thank God!
The people who matter most encouraged me :)
They saw it from my perspective.
And that's more than enough.
Shall not be too worried abt how the rest of the world sees it :)
Having said this, there are still doubts and uncertainties.
But I believe His faithfulness will sustain me :D
I know it.
I believe it.
I receive it.
Amen.

Entering into the Christmas week now...
Scheduled many meetups.
Although many ppl are super busy this week.
Watched 'The princess and the frog' today.
Courtesy of Jing Hui :D
It was classic.
Isnt is amazing that even Disney cartoons know that the most impt thing in the world is love?
We can achieve different goals.
Career.
Status.
Money.
Popularity.
Fame.
But without love all these are nothing.
Yes NOTHING!
N-O-T-H-I-N-G!!
Wow.
Thank God.
Because of Christ in our lives, we have everything.
And I mean everything! :D

Tml going shopping.
With Liyun!
Going to the high-class subway again :)
YAY-ness!! :D
Need to get Christmas presents.
Maybe do a little bit of shopping.
Wed is badminton + meetup + another meetup
Thurs is cycling + meetup + gathering + staying out for countdown
Fri is sleeping + gathering/playing our hearts out
Sat is movie + family outing
Sun is also packed!!! :D
What a wonderful Christmas week! :)
To those reading, hav a blessed Christmas! :P

Integration Camp! :D

TOTALLY LOVE MY GROUP!!! :)
♥♥♥♥♥
HEARTDROP ROCKS!!! :D























~Shuting aka Dawn~
My group leader.
Thank you for sharing what you feel and it has been great working with you :)
Remember that when u give yourself to the group they can sense and feel it, and some if not all of them will reciprocate :D

~Isabel~
Super talented gal.
Does random stuff effectively and efficiently :P
Thanks for motivating us during the skit prep. and oso for the fun times during the amazing race.
A great friend who has the potential to achieve much in life :)
One of next year's camp planners :D

~Han Xin aka Joy~
Just like your name says, you bring joy into the group.
Though u dont reli tok much but I know that you hav always contributed to all the activities throughout the whole camp.
Had fun together during the Cafe World :)
Remember how we always ended up doing similar stuff? :P
First was the onion and then the flipping of the pancake :D

~Nicole~
Thanks for your random bursts of energy during the amazing race.
And esp. for your super incredible knowledge of the shopping centres in town.
Of cos, thanks for calling back our lost sheep (Noel) when he is plugged in and in his own world :)

~Ling Xian aka Noel~
Usually in your own world but thanks for always coming back (though with some help from the rest of us sometimes).
Thank you for agreeing to give your all during the skit though it was embarrassing for you :)

~Si Hui~
Enthusiastic, committed, ever-ready to strike!! :D
His major role in our group skit was crucial in us securing the 1st position! :P
Brings acting to a whole new level!
Thanks for being a cool friend as well; I have always enjoyed the time/moments together with you :)

~Ze Lin~
谢谢你这次的参与。
你的厨艺实在是高明！
谢谢你在最后一晚根我们一起表演。
希望你在这次的营会中从中学习，收获也不少！

~Frans~
Cool guy! :D
Didnt noe u were Rozan's brother haha :P
Thanks for saving us during Cafe World by letting us camp at ur Dad's place!
It was super fun to be with you!
You were easy going and full of energy :D

Side note to Felly:
Thanks for being with our group!! :D
Amazing Race + Cafe World
Thanks for helping me to take photos.
Thanks for encouraging me and my group!
Love ya! :P

Course Registration

I thought can camp at the STARS planner there and juz click add when the clock hit 0930 hrs. Little did I know that the moment I clicked it said the page expired -_- Apparently they dont allow for camping hahaz... Had to close the window, open again, and then click on the button. The time was too short to feel any adrenaline rush so ya... I clicked and guess wad? 6 out of 7 courses added!!! Favour is on me haha!! :D Made some minor adjustments and fit in the last course within minutes :) Its always super cool to see the vacancies fluctuate and suddenly dip sharply :P Even b4 it hits zero u see the number of ppl on the waiting list going up :D Well, the battle for a better timetable next sem was over in less than 15 minutes. More or less satisfied with wad I hav on hand, the onli thing is I end quite late everyday haha :P Earliest day is fri ending at 1630 hrs. First time I'm having night classes. Oh well, looks like I'll get to eat dinner almost everyday in sch. Anyone who wants to visit Mon is a good day. If there's no lab I've got a 7-hr break from 1030 to 1730 :) U can come for a free tour around the sch; I always offer that every sem haha :P

Restructuring

Spent more than 4 hours over the past 2 days tidying up my room :)
Looks so much more esthetically pleasing now :)
And guess wad?
I finally found my camera's battery charger in the process!
Took out my cam from the dry box and tested it...
The pictures are sooo much better now :D
No more misty look!
Not as good as the original quality but great improvement!!
Shall bring it to camp next week :P
I wanna be one of the photographers!!
But shall see how la...
Not too sure abt how the whole program works yet...
3 of the committee ppl asked me to help out...
I prob will...
Hope Kaiqi goes too...
Then I cfm go...
But anyway I promised to teach Han En differentiation...
So I'll be there somehow sometime...
Juz maybe wont stay throughout...
Or maybe I will...
Haha I'm so indecisive lol :P

Christmas is juz around the corner!
2 more weeks!
Somehow I have a deeper appreciation for it this year...
Looking forward to it :)
We are the reason that He gave His life.
We are the reason that He suffered and died.
To a world that was lost He gave all He could give.
To show us the reason to live.

Baking!! :D

Weilin came up with the random idea of baking at her hse and I thought it would be fun although I've nv done anything like that b4 haha :P

Didnt do much but it was quite fun to watch and take photos :D
I'm glad we didnt make things too messy and I'm still clean after everything haha :)










OMG I wanna go where Isabel went!!!
And push the leaning tower of pisa too :D
Classic pic! :P