It is Well

I received an email from Hillsong putting me on the choir team next week... but I'm no longer in Brisbane T.T but anyways I can sing praises of God anywhere :)

On a similar note, Hillsong has recorded a new version of the hymm "It is Well with My Soul" that I've learnt previously in those practice sessions. It was recorded in response to the devastating floods that happened recently in Queensland. It is a song that says, "I will put my trust in God, who is greater than any trial or circumstance" and it was one of my favourite praise and worship songs for a while.

This song is available for download on iTunes and also at https://www.hillsongmusic.com/categories/live/itiswellwithmysoul. All proceeds from this recording go to help the Queensland Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal, so download it if you can!

"If you could bottle and distribute the Queensland spirit right now, the world would not only be a better but also a kinder place." ~@KrisSmith13

Picture of volunteers armed with their brooms and shovels at St. Lucia by: homo_borealis

And that's exactly how I feel about the situation right now. Now that the water level has receded, it's time to rebuild Brisbane. I see everyone playing their part, people volunteering to work in the call centre, people willing to get down and dirty to help in the clean-up... Gumboots were all sold out in many places because they are the required footwear for those helping out (that goes to show just how many people were involved)! And companies like Domino's helped by feeding people with free pizza, and people going around offering baked goods, bottled water and beers to volunteers. Of course, on Twitter I see people still offering their help to provide temporary homes to those affected by the floods and to help out in any other way possible. The road to recovery may take a long while, but with many Brisbanites volunteering everyday, I'm sure the time taken will be shortened. :)

I read off one of my friends statuses regarding her involvement in the clean-up: Her crew was given $50 for drinks by this old man before they started work on the flood and they helped a man, whose house was trashed, get out his BBQ grill out so he could feed the street. They could have used the money for themselves but they used that $50 to buy more supplies for his BBQ. :) That's the Aussie/ Queenslander spirit I guess..

It's amazing how in times like these, people would so selflessly lend a helping hand. I hope that we would be able to do the same if Singapore ever faces a catastrophe of this magnitude, I know I will.

Queensland floods

My heart is breaking at the sight of this :( I feel like I have to stifle a sob or something as I watch it. Praise the Lord that the peak wasn't as high as the predicted level. Thank God that my friends are safe. Please continue to keep Queensland in your prayers!

Queensland floods

Before I left Brisbane, it had been raining for more than a week already and towns and cities on the outskirts were being affected by the floods. I thought this would never happen to Brisbane city itself because it was so far away and I was hoping for things would take a better turn for the people affected but things just got worse.

11 days into the new year, Brisbane city itself has gone under too. They say this is as bad as the floods in 1974 and right now almost 80% of Queensland is a disaster zone. Despite being miles and miles away, this tragedy that struck Queensland hit me as though as I was part of it and never left. I see pictures and video footages that left my mouth agape. I see familiar footpaths and landmarks that I may have walked past many times covered by steadily increasing flood waters.


Helicopter view of South Bank Parklands by MarrkDaviid


Picture of South Bank Parklands by michaelmeloni


Picture of Brisbane CBD area by Jono Haysom on flickr


Suncorp Stadium, now a swimming pool by _iWade_

It is incredible how natural disasters unleash such devastating forces but it is also during a crisis like this that the human spirit shines. I see friends on Facebook asking one another if they were okay or whether they needed a place to stay in case of an evacuation. I see people on Twitter opening their homes to strangers in need of help. This overwhelming support for one another is amazing.

I've just received an email from Hillsong Brisbane that the church is registered as an Evacuation Centre and at the same time looking for families to provide accommodation and volunteers to help out. All I can do now, is to pray, make a donation and hope my little contribution will help the people affected in this disaster. You can help too at Disaster Relief Appeals


Locals taking advantage of the eerily quiet roads (but usually very busy roads) on Coronation Drive to play baseball. That's the spirit, seeing something positive in the midst of all the chaos :) I pray that everything will improve.

2008... What a year.

Time really whizzed by. This year saw me go through the highest of highs and lowest of lows as well, but I would say I've gained more than what I've lost.

This year, I've reconnected and met up with friends I've not contacted much in the last couple of years. That really meant alot to me. Hanging out together just because, catching up over dinners, conversations online, yadayada. I feel very blessed to know that I'll always have my friends to fall back on for support and am really heartened to know that there will always be those few who would be there to hold my hand and tell me everything's gonna be okay. And much as I love hanging around people I care for, there are days whereby I just want to be on my own and enjoy the solitude.

So I've had a lot more me-time for myself and I found great enjoyment in life's simplest pleasures. Dropping whatever I'm doing to admire sunsets, watch trees dancing in the wind, curling up in bed with a good read, and snuggling in bed on a rainy day. It feels so good to slow down instead of just rushing through life without being aware of your surroundings.

For the first time, I've gone on vacations with my friends and family instead of a significant other. I've forged closer bonds with my relatives over the family trip to Hainan. Went to Redang with the guys, and really enjoyed basking in the beauty of nature (and their company of course!). Snorkelling (the fishies the fishies!), star-gazing, catching the sunrise, kayaking and all that... Having a blast at the MTV Asia Awards in Genting and in KL with MTV friends/colleagues, getting to know one another better...

I've gotten quite a number of things done this year as well: Learning Thai and picking up driving after years of stagnation, getting all 4 of my wisdom teeth extracted, achieving a personal best for my 5km run, etc.

And in my moments of grief, I've found God. I can't begin to explain this... feeling. I had problems coping with my loss (actually, what loss is it when it was never mine in the first place). But coming into His presence, acknowledging my despair and releasing it had filled the gaping hole in my heart.

So... 2008 had been an interesting year for me. I've met new people and I know I'll meet even more people next year. In a way, I'm looking forward to 2009, because I know things will keep getting better :)

F1 - Formula of the One

Sometime ago, Ade was sharing with us what her pastor told her about the top 3 criteria when guys and girls look for in their significant other.

What guys look for in a girl:
- Recreational companionship
- Attractiveness
- Admiration

What girls look for in a guy:
- Communication
- Affection
- Honesty

I'm not going to start the whole guy-bashing debate about how guys are shallow and egoistical because I know men and women are clearly from different planets. What I'm saying is that I agree with what her pastor said because to me, it's the heart and soul that really matters.

And I know I have to be really specific in my prayers as well because Ade shared with us about her personal relationship matters, so here is my formula of The One:

- An optimist and a go-getter (like me!)
- Inspires and motivates me to be the best that I can be
- Loves travelling and sports
- Cracks me up with his brand of humour
- A good conversationalist, so we can talk on the phone throughout the night, snuggled under blankets in our respective beds
- Treats his family and even strangers with kindness and respect
- Stands up for me when people talk crap about me
- Knows when to give in to my whims and fancies and when to be firm with me
- Reads me like a book and knows how I'm feeling based on my non-verbal communication/ body language
- Drops me lil notes into my bag/ wallet occasionally when I'm not looking and knows that I prefer gerberas over sunflowers
- Has hands like mine that get really hot and cold for no reason, so that I know I'm not alone
- Understands my need for personal space and freedom
- Has a smile that has the warmth of the sun, eyes that sparkles with enthusiasm for Life, has a toned and fit body and tall...
- And it's most awesome if he looks like this:

Hahahaha!! =D

So God and my guardian angels, I have faith in you and the Law of Attraction that you'll lead the One into my life. You know I'll not settle for anything less than the best and I'm saving all my loving for someone who's deserving because I'm tired of meeting Mr. Right Nows.

I understand it's going to take sometime for you to find someone with that exact package, but I'll wait patiently. Because this defenseless heart of mine can't handle anymore unnecesary heartaches...

Friends?

What makes a friendship work? For me, it has gotta be these two elements - trust and communication, it's that simple, really. I'm not hankering after anything more than the casual sms/ msn message/ email (be it forwarded or personal), because that will let me know that, 'hey, this person remembered me/ thought of me'.

I totally understand that people do get busy with their lives and can't always reply on the spot. You can take a week or two to get back to me, and it's fine by me because you replied. But what really bugs me is broken promises. I just cannot accept that, not from someone whom I take to be a close friend in my life. Disappointment is an understatement. Whatever happened to keeping in touch and 'e-mailing when the internet connection is up'? I'm not asking for a lengthy, detailed account of your life thus far. All I'm asking is for you to take 2 minutes, just 2 lousy minutes of your time to write back. Just a simple one or two liner will do the trick, no 1,000 words essay required. It's not that hard right?

That's why I've never tried to really close to people in life; I know too clearly that people come and go in life, and I'm afraid those people whom I've grown to consider as my close friends will go disappearing on me in time to come. And that's what is happening to us now, isn't it?

You see, maintaining a friendship is not a one-sided affair, I can't always be the one who's making the effort. I'm tired, and if that's the way you want things to be, fine by me. Let's just go back to leading our parallel lives, where our paths never crossed. But I just find it such a waste, and so silly of me to think that I've found someone whose friendship is for life. So much for thinking that we'll keep in contact.

So hello and goodbye, I hope you're having the time of your life.

p/s: i may be always happy and cheerful but i'm not exactly noncombustible. i'm getting back on track to being happy again, and i know i've been happier before. but it doesn't matter because i know in time to come, i'll be happier than before. HAH, take that.

Yesterday, I had the time to throw out stuff from my room. It's a never ending process, I don't know when will I stop having rubbish in my room hahaha! Anyway, I found my Foot Glide, Kiehls' lip gloss and many other items that went 'missing' for a while already :) The room's looking slightly neater, Kate Rose and Amelie has a shelf to call their own...

I stopped my packing and stood by the window to watch the sunset. I love the transforming colours, it's good to stop in your tracks and just admire the beauty that life presents us...

I'm going to paint my room again! :) I'm going white this time, and I'm thankful that my cousins are really kind enough to help me out hehehe, this is going to be fun...

I'm in the mood to revamp my room man... I need to get lamp... black bordered photo frames... phone... rubbish bin... curtains... A trip to ikea is definitely necessary!

I'm gonna go get inspiration from Home & Decor, so I'm gonna scoot off now!

I think some would know just how low my spirits had been recently despite life hasn't been all bad. I have friends around to help me cope with my emotions and the atmosphere at work lift my spirits up temporarily but once these external factors are gone, i'm left on my own to cope.

So I took my weary soul to church on Saturday, and I'm really thankful Ariel rushed over after her tuition appointment to accompany me. She could have chosen to go for the 5:30pm service at expo, but she chose to bring me around. I was nervous, since everyone seem to know everyone and I just felt like a fish out of water. When the praise and worship started, I felt overwhelmed and I started tearing. It seems like everyone around me was in good spirits, and you could feel love around... and all I could think to myself was, "how can there be so much Love around when it's sorely missing from my heart, my world?"

Is it because the people around me have cast their burdens to God for him take care of, so they can free? I don't know how to describe my feelings, but I felt as if I was in the embrace of a close friend and being told it's okay to cry. I don't know if god was really there, i didn't feel any tingling warmth sensation, i don't even know how to tell if god's present.

Sure, some messages caused me a little cognitive dissonance (I can't remember exactly now though), whereas some are in line with my beliefs. The speaker's message was a little tough to comprehend for me, but I got the point. We all have power and authority over our actions, I'm going to be in control of my emotions and let go of my baggages. I don't know, but I no longer feel the gaping hole in my heart...

It's as if it's been filled and I'm at peace with myself again :)

I think it's incredibly sweet for someone to drop you a text message out of the blue when a certain fragment of memory had been invoked.

I don't know if you come by here, but I thought I'd just let you know when that song plays on my iPod, I'd get reminded of the happy times we've shared :)

Weddings and more thoughts

Attended my uncle's wedding dinner last night at the Fullerton. The situation was sooo fricking chaotic. I hate it when i hear conflicting instructions. I was told by my mum that I was to help out at the reception, then I was told that "oh, there's people manning the reception desk already, you don't need to go already" and the next minute while I'm relaxing and waiting, I get called up to man the reception desk with my cousin. But you know what, it only serve as an experience, how NOT to make my wedding like that.

When giving out invitations, it will be stated clearly in white and gold that:
Guests are to be arrive punctually at 7 PM for cocktail reception.
Guests will be seated and dinner will be served promptly at 7:30PM.
Guests who are late will not be allowed admission until it is an appropriate time to enter the ballroom.

I think it's only polite that you show up early or on time for people's weddings. To hell with "being fashionably late". It's so not cool anymore. Don't tell me it's rude to call up guests to check on their whereabouts. I don't care, I believe in RVSP and then calling them up to see if they are lost/ on their way here. At least we'll know how long more do we hafta wait. I don't want to be sitting out at the reception desk waiting for a bunch of incorrigible fools while the rest are inside enjoying the food, the video/photo montage.

During the day of the wedding dinner itself:
At the reception desk, there will be signs to indicate who to approach to get your attendance taken and get information regarding your table number. Think "Friends of Kelly" & "Friends of Bernard" as an example.The people who's in charge of the groom's side will only have the namelist of the guests from the groom's side and vice versa.
Names will be written instead of putting "". Like who the hell knows who is ""!!?!?! Please for goodness sake, write for example, Peter and Peter's friend. So at least we know who's who. It's so frustrating. And yes, all names in English please or with hanyupinyin. Maybe it's my inability to read Chinese names, but seriously you want your friend who's in charge of the reception desk to be able to locate and read the name easily right, RIGHT?!?

Please, as guests, when the ladies at the reception asks you for your name, SAY YOUR NAME, SAY YOUR NAME! Don't snatch the paper away and run your fingers down the rows to search for your name. It's damn fucking rude. I'm not anal, I'm not uptight, I just want to get things done properly and as smoothly as possible. But really, these kinda people really gets on my nerves.

To add on, there'll be a doorbitch at the door. People wearing fur (faux is okay) will not be allowed. Foodwise, no shark's fins please. I think the soupy broth (see entry belowbelowbelow) that's from Lao Beijing taste even better than shark's fins. What's so great about eating shark's cartilage? When there's no demand, there will be no supply, people. Let's play our part in stopping this cruel trade.

But on the otherhand, I see uncles I used to see when I followed my uncle to his shop at Sim Lim Tower. Uncles who used to think both me and my uncle look like daughter and father because of our nose and my uncle would go on to say "If I have a daughter her age, I'll be damn happy already". So happy for him lah, finally on his way to creating his own daughter hahaha
And I see my cousins and their little kids... So adorable can!? :) I tink baby girls are really cute hehehe