.. Beautiful Adelaide ..

Hee hee hee... Ha ha ha... Ho ho ho... :)

My family has finally confirmed and booked their flights to attend my graduation in Dec. My return ticket has also been booked, FINALLY! This is such a motivation and booster for me! At least now I know when I am going back! :)

Even though not the whole family is coming, I am already very thankful... cos I know the cost will really be so high (it is already very high now even for the 4 of them). It's alright! I pray that we will continue to prosper and do so well in our careers.. and we can plan a family holiday sometime again in the near future!

These few days I have been thinking about the places that we can cover in Adelaide so that my mum, Mad and ah yi can have a memorable and good trip in Adelaide!  And YES! I am so happy that Samuel is coming too! :D  Initially I was thinking we can do a road trip to Melbourne cos I don't want them to feel too bored in Adelaide.  HAHA.  But after planning the initial itinerary, I realized that there are so many places we can cover and we won't even have time to travel to Melb! So... after exams I am going to start my "research" on the places to travel...  and explore Adelaide and South Australia to the max that we can! Adelaide is not that boring after all! HAHA....

School holiday is ending soon....!! This week has been more fruitful.. meeting up group members for the assignments that we have. Hope to get the remaining assignments done and settled within the next 2-3 weeks, and then exam preparation can really start!

I am more concerned for the global issues course that I am taking in this sem... I pray that my first failed assignment will not be the fatal issue to cause me to fail this course??..  Thinking back, it was really just a bad "season" of my Uni life. I pray that God will indeed "deliver" me once again. This experience will definitely put me in a good position to encourage others next time who went through the same experience as me... and I pray that, this failure is enough.

Last lap to go!  Gonna finish it well!  :)

.. Goodbye Patsy! ..

Went to send Patsy off yesterday morning at the airport.. when she was about to board her flight, I felt tears at the tip of my eyes but I managed to control it! Hee... Makes me also think for a moment that, though I always say how much I wanted to go home... I think I will really miss this place too.

Anyway, Patsy has went back to Indonesia to attend her sister's wedding, while waiting for her visa application status. She has graduated in August... and now looking for a job in Australia. Hmmm. I don't know what is God's will for her, but I pray that God will indeed lead her and guide her steps.

Patsy was the first person in the hostel whom I had a "proper" conversation with when I first reached Adelaide last year. The first "Christian" I met, and she helped me to get connected to the internet on the very first day so that I can get "connected" to the world and my loved ones back home.  She then brought me to Paradise Community Church...  I am thankful to God that our paths crossed. I know that she has a great heart for GOD! Though there are also much challenges, I'm glad that she is still going on strong in her faith and her walk. May these few months back in her home church will ignite her love for God even stronger. I believe Patsy is going to shine for Jesus everywhere she goes!

Do not know if we will get to meet again...  But I know that the friendship will indeed go on till eternity!

Take care Patsy!  Thanks for these 2 years of friendship and support!  :)

.. Don't Stop Believing! ..

Recently we had an OXYGEN event, it's a song-writing competition. So every life group is to present a song item, and everyone has to be involved!

I'm amazed at how things managed to get pulled together despite of the short time frame that we had. And I think, it was really a job well done! All of the people in the LG enjoyed themselves, we had a good time practicing and singing together.

This is a video of our performance that day.  Out of 5 life groups, we got the 3rd prize!  It was a great achievement cos it was really quite a last minute thing for us! :)

Looking at the video brought such a smile on my face...  I think when I return back to Singapore, I will definitely miss Northrington LG!  But indeed 天下没有不散之宴席。。。I'm thankful that our lives crossed in Adelaide...  I'm thankful to have befriended this bunch of awesome people in these 2 years of my life. :)

Northrington Life Group...

Made up of international students from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, 

Taiwan, Philippines and Vietnam!

Enjoy this video.... our very own version of Glee - Don't Stop Believing! :)

.. Thankful ..

It has been a great week! Recovered from the viral infection... and got back to work on Fri & Sat! Completed the debate reflection few days before it was due.. the feeling of submitting an assignment way before the due date is really GOOD! Haha... I hope my last 3 assignments will also be like that!

Also thankful to my hostel mates whom showed their care by giving me oranges (peeled and piece by piece placed in a container).... and home-made sugar cane drink!  WOW.  Felt really loved...... and blessed.  :)

Thank you Pauline.....  Thank you Audrey. :)

Then yesterday after work, went to Tania's place for dinner.  She invited me over, and we wanted to watch the online service with Dr Bernard together!  Got to know Tania only recently, maybe 1-2 months ago??.... got to meet in a really unique manner. We were in church, and happened to sit on the same seat on 2 different rows.  Then while chatting, she happened to ask me, "are you Elaine?"...  We had a common friend, Wei Fen, who is also a City-Harvester. Had always wanted to introduce both of us to each other but never get the chance! Haha... So I am glad that we still MET! And it is really good to get to know a City-Harvester in Adelaide... knowing that you both come from "common" background!

And my oh my! Tania is such a good cook!! She prepared such a sumptuous dinner!!  Awwwwww... Been so long since I eat such a nice, homely, delicious, nutritious DINNER!!

3 dishes and a soup! Made me missssss my mum's cooking so much! :)

So after dinner, Tania, Ern Chee and myself watched the online service together. And after that we really had such a GOOOOOOD sisterly chat! About church, ministry, etc etc....  I felt so relieved also cos I finally can share some of my heart... It was really a good fellowship. And I am really thankful for that.

I just want to thank God.... indeed when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. I'm thankful to have gone through these few weeks of a low low point, and yet now, things have moved on, and I have moved on.

God is indeed good, and I am thankful for the people He has placed in my life always to encourage me and to support me. My family, my church friends, friends in Adelaide...

It's going to be the last quarter of 2010 soon! WOW! And I want to make it such a good last 3 months!

Indeed the latter days shall be even better than the beginning!

Thank You JESUS! I love You Lord!

.. 早睡早起身体好??? ..

These 2 days I have been waking really early... really early, at weird hours?.. 3am yesterday and 5am today! Maybe because I've been sleeping earlier after taking the medication.. and after waking up, I can't get back to sleep anymore! So I decided to get up! Then I realised that, WOW, 5am plus and the sky is already much more brighter than during the winter season! I LOVE IT! Spring has indeed come!! :)

Took this picture at 6.20am, it is already pretty bright! And the temperature hovering at 5 degrees only! Blrrrrr... Hope it will get warmer soon!

Actually it really feels good to be UP early! The day is indeed much longer.... and I think early morning is so peaceful! Will be good to go for a jog, or just take a stroll? Then can do prayer-walk? Wow... Maybe can get that started soon... if I continue to get up this early! HAHA... :)

Alright! Shall go do some devotion now... then can get started on assignment research. Then go to work! WOW!! Gonna accomplish so much today! YEAH!! :)

.. Spring! ..

It is now Spring! More of the sun nowadays... but it is still considerably cold to me! Hope the sun will be out more often... We need more Vitamin D! :)

Took this picture last week but haven't been able to blog it cos was so sick!.. The flowers are blooming again... That's a nice sight to see.

Some issues happened recently at Uni.. made me realized that it is indeed a harsh, harsh world we're living in. Despite that reality is harsh, I thank God that He is a God of abundant grace and mercy.

Yep, just a setback! I'll be UP! Just completed and submitted my debate reflection! YEAH YEAH!! Means left with 3 assignments to go... JUST 3!!! WOOHOO!!!

I WILL GRADUATE THIS DECEMBER!!!! AMEN!

Praise God that I am better already too!! Slept so much, drank so much water, kept visiting the loo.... Aiyoyo... But I feel more energized! Gonna be back to my normal life and self soon!

God is indeed GOOD all the time! Thank God for Him, and all the support from my loved ones back home!! :)

.. First visit to an Adelaide doctor ..

Yes, visited a doctor for the 1st time at the Adelaide City General Practice. Not sure if it is only in Australia that you have to book an appointment to see the doctor? I called yesterday and due to full slots, I can only see one this morning.

This is how the clinic looked like. The recept area with 3 admin personnels. Other then that, just about 10 chairs for patients, and then a few consultation rooms.

The meetup with the doctor wasn't very long. He asked me a few questions... Took my temp, my heartbeat, and checked my throat. Then diagnosed me with viral infection. And said that because I took so long to see the doctor, there's nothing he can do also. Asked if I want to have some anti-biotics? So he prescribed me some, and asked me to continue to take panadols to ease the pain and discomfort.

Pay so much to see a doctor and that's all they say, nothing they can do? They really are earning good money....

Anyway, then I got to go to a pharmacy to get my own medication. The clinics here don't prescribe medication. It is moment like this that made me miss Singapore even more. More 人情味？

Been sleeping almost the whole day today. Praying that will get well soon so that can get back to the normal life routine... I will be totally healed in Jesus' name!

Thanks to those who have been praying for me. Really appreciate that lots!

.. Happy Birthday 姐姐!!! ..

This is my most awesome 姐姐.... MADELINE CHUA!!

Supposed to blog this yesterday... but anyway, here it is!

My BIG sister. As you can see from the picture, always full of funny poses and patterns! HAHA...

We are 1 and a half years in age apart.. thus explain why we shared really close relationship, and I really REALLY look up to her a great deal! She is my role model, my INSPIRATION!

When we were younger, we played together, we grew up together, we fought, we quarreled! She bit my foot when I was just a baby! LOL... It was so funny. But yet, as we grew up and matured more, we fought lesser. Talked more. Shared more.

We were in the same primary school: Radin Mas Primary School. I remembered how people would not dare to bully me because my sister was FIERCE! Haha. I felt so protected then.

Then we grew up. There was a period of time where we don't shared that much? Can't remember much of it now... But I will definitely remember, how her life changed when she started attending City Harvest Church. We were from a taoist background, and I was quite a religious person. I wore a 50 cents sized pendant of the goddess of mercy around my neck! HAHA. Thank God I'm wearing a cross now!

I still remembered how she would always share with us about God. And I also remembered once, how I talked back to her and said, if your God is so powerful, then ask Him to do this lah! I saw the hurt on her face, and I really regretted so much after that! I used to be like that! Tactless! Lousy attitude! Stupid! HAHA... and my pride caused me to reject God!

But, Madeline! She never gave up! Her constant testimonies started to open up my heart towards God. I started to think, if this God is really so good? Really so amazing, like what she always shared??

It was really the change in her life that caused me to be interested in this God. I followed her to church one day, but was stunned by the environment I saw that day. It was during the Holy Laughter season, and I was shocked by the response I seen in the people. To me it all seen so fake leh. I was cynical. But something that also struck me was, the passion I saw in the people. A kind of passion I don't get to see in my "religion" then.

I didn't respond to God that day. I needed more time. But Mad asked me to go again the next week. In my heart I was thinking, huh.. see how first. HAHA. But, she is such a good sister lah. So I also felt obligated to go, so as not to disappoint her... I don't like to see her disappointed leh.

Anyway, something amazing also happened during that week leading up to my 2nd church visit. I will always remember. Cos it was the first time I made a vow to this GOD. I used to be a CRAZY Manchester United fan. Really CRAZY. When they lost a match, I would be so depressed! Especially if it was against rivals like Liverpool and Arsenal! That night it was the UEFA Champions final. Man U was down by 1 goal and it was the final 10 mins. I was so desperate and I had a thought about praying to God! I prayed and said, God, can you let Man U win this match? If they win, I will go to church this Sunday! And guess what?? Man U really won!! They scored 2 goals within 90 secs in the dying mins...... I was stunned, really stunned. I was thinking, this must be a coincidence!!! I even have thoughts about nah... can't be God. But then, a holy kind of fear also lingered in my heart. I knew I had made a vow, and being a "religious" person, I knew that I must honor that vow!

So I went to church again that Sunday! It was May 30, 1999. I dragged myself out of bed.... really don't feel like going to church. HAHA. But Mad made sure that I got out of the house with her.... It was raining heavily when we reached Paya Lebar. We shared an umbrella......... and while walking, I slipped and fell! I felt sooooo angry man! And had a thought, I want to go home! HAHA. But then Mad helped me up, I felt that cannot lah... I already promised her and we were so near to church already! How can I do that?.....

And YES, that was also the day I gave my heart to GOD! I had an encounter with God. With many people being ministered by God and laughing away.... I told God, if you are really real, let me experience the holy laughter then? I remembered we were holding hands and praying together. Mad on one side, Jace (my sec school good mate) on the other side. And, I broke into holy laughter!

Okkkkkk.... to cut the story short. That was how I came to believe in God. But it's true that our faith in God cannot be relied just on miracles alone. Cos miracles don't happen always, and if we need miracles to sustain our faith, it will be gone! Like what Jesus says, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

I will forever be thankful to Madeline for bringing me to God. She is the first in our household, and praise God! Today, we are all Christians, and still praying and believing for our dad's salvation someday!

Not just my family, she has also brought many others to Christ. She has impacted so many lives!!

Mad sharing testimony on stage!

Oh no, this blog is getting so long! HAHA but there are just so many things to write!

I am really thankful to Mad. She has been such a giving person all these years.

Too many things to thank her for! But I want to give thanks especially in these areas:

1. For her love all these years. Her encouragements, her blessings, her companionship!

2. For blessing me to take driving lessons so that I can have a driver's license now!

3. For being my role model, and I have the dream and desire to do well in the banking industry just like her!

4. For encouraging me to pursue my degree dream. If not for her, I won't even be here right now. If she didn't remind me to continue my advanced diploma in 2008, I don't know when will I be taking it!

5. For lending her financial support to carry out the dreams I have.

Of course of course!! With all these I also want to thank my most wonderful and amazing 姐夫!!! Two are indeed better than one! HAHA. Cos combined power and finances. I thank God for such a godly man. Our family is indeed blessed to have him. Mad is blessed! But I know she is blessed because she herself is amazing as well! God is indeed good and He never shortchanges!! :)

Yea... my heart is eternally thankful and grateful.

Thank God for blessing me and Wen with such an amazing sister!

I pray for such greater days ahead for you JIE JIE! I LOVE YOU!

YOU ARE THE BEST!!!

Continue to be such an inspiration to all of us!! You are a legend!

WOOHOO! GOD IS GOOD!!!!

LIFE IS GREAT!! I also want to be such a legend like Madeline!

.. Awakened ..

Today, I finally received the assignment that I knew was the worst of the 20 assignments I had done.

And yes, I flunked it.

For the first time. In my Uni life experience.

Writing assignments is not my weakness... but this time I flunked it, which I know was because of insufficient research. And the many other factors contributing to it.

I am feeling.... a sense of numbness. I need to buck up.

Still can't really believe that I flunk an assignment. But yet I know, the result is fair.

Let this experience be one that will direct all my focus and energy back into this last lap.

Awakened. Definitely I am.

I know my God will help me through this last lap. I will do my best.

.. I AM BLESSED !! ..

I recently have a realization of how blessed I actually am! And I want to blog about it NOW!

Being the middle child, I used to suffer from middle-child syndrome. When there were just me and Madeline, my mum doted on Madeline, while my dad doted on me.

Then, Wen Wen came along. All of a sudden, I felt my dad's attention was given to Wen Wen more than me.

So I grew up feeling very unloved by my parents. Feeling that Mum loved Madeline, and Dad loved Wen Wen. I felt that I am here because of an accident in life. No purpose, no reason for living.

So, guess I also became very independent, as a result of that. Not that it is not good to be independent, but to be overly dependent on oneself, then it is not good.

But thank God I came to know Jesus Christ in 1999. I gave my heart to God. And I felt I have a new life. And it was only in year 2000 or 2001, after a message by Dr Bernard, that he drilled into me, "You are NOT an accident in life"! He repeated this phrase 3 times. And it was after the 3rd time that this phrase was left burning in my heart.

So I started the journey of the burning desire to discover my life purpose. After an encounter with God while I was praying one day, God told me to go to Bible School to equip myself with more knowledge of the Word. So I went to SOT in 2002.

I became a CGL in 2003. What an amazing journey it has been. To share lives with the many young people that I have contact with. My heart became younger because of the energy that is within these awesome great people. :)

Today (12 Sep 2010) is a great day. HAHA. Cos it is the day where Wen Wen is officially in a relationship...... with my dearest brother JASON NG! WOOHOO!! HAHA.

It's amazing how things work out between the 2 of them. God is indeed good. :)

Anyway, the realization of how blessed I am, is because......

After Mad got married, we were blessed with a most wonderful 姐夫！！！To me and Wen, it is really like having a big brother to us! And this brother is really so gooooood! He has set such a high standard for us in our future partner-to-be!

Mad's happy family!

So, now with Wen Wen getting attached, HAHA. I seriously want to believe God that Jason will be my future bro-in-law. Hee hee... I love this brother very much. He is just like a 弟弟 to me!

Me, being the middle child, with one 姐 and one 妹. And because of "relationship multiplication", I actually also have one 哥 and one 弟! So I am blessed with 兄弟姐妹！！！I realized that being the middle child, I am actually blessed in everything! HAHA.

I know it may sound a little silly. But, I just want to be thankful in everything. I think it is really a blessing to have wonderful people to be a part of our family.

It's really a great testimony of how my family has come together, and be where and who we are today. All glory to the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. We know that it wouldn't be possible if not because of Him.

I'm really looking forward to even greater days. Eye has indeed not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of men, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him!

Tomorrow is Mad's birthday. Will blog again.... a tribute to my most wonderful and awesome 姐姐！！！

.. Sick ..

Had not been feeling well for the past 2 days... Think there's a flu bug going on. Felt feverish, and weak... Popped a panadol and slept for few hours after work today. Now feeling much better already... thank God!

I think it's quite a bad thing to fall sick while being away from home.

And it's a bad thing to fall sick when one can't take MC from work. I thought of not going to work today, but then it would mean A$75 to miss work for today. So I still went!

Really hate falling sick cos it would mean I sleep more than doing the things I want and need to do!

I hope the next 3 months will just pass by quickly... Actually come to think of it, it's quite fast already! Approaching week 8 of school next week! Means after the 2 weeks break, it will be 5 weeks remaining, and then EXAM!! :O

3 more major assignments and a debate reflection to go. Then I can start preparing for exam! Hope I will exercise excellent time management, and avoid the crazy exam scenario like the last semester!

Oh, wanna thank God for a good debate last week! We received very good feedback from our tutor, and it was indeed a good learning experience for me!

Mad's birthday is coming! And a BIG event is happening soon too!! HOHO... Can't wait can't wait!!! :D

.. Ethics Debate ..

Just got back from a discussion with my group mates on the debate preparation that's going to take place tomorrow.

The topic is on should Same-Sex Marriage be legalized in Australia? And we are on the opposing side.

It seems a very difficult side to debate, because same-sex marriage is a human rights issue.

It's the first time for me learning to debate on something without using the Word of God as my source of reference. Cultural differences also play a very significant role, cos to the western culture, they see marriage not as sacred as we Asians see. My tutor, a Londoner, is definitely one supporting gay marriage. And he "warned" us a couple of times not to use "God" and religion as our reasonings. I think he has a very wrong mindset about who God is. And I'm praying that someday, he will come to know the true nature of God and come to believe in Him... :)

Anyway, back to the debate. It's really a good learning experience for me. As I do the research about it, (something that I would not have the "diligence" to do it if not for the debate), I realized of the great impact and implications it would have on the society as a whole.

Human rights. How far can it and should it really go?

If God has not given us this right, would the world be like what it is today?

But yet God has given us this right.

Lots of reflection to think about.......

I thank God for giving us the right to choose. And I also pray that I will always choose to do the right thing as I learn to lean on His wisdom.

Having human rights doesn't necessarily always mean good, cos human makes bad choices and decisions at times.

But one thing I'm sure, the Word is definitely true and speaks accurately of the many results of our society today.

I've also learnt to accept and receive the many diverse cultures and values. Though I don't agree with them, learning to receive them enlarges my viewpoint and acceptance of differences.

Hmmm. I pray for a good debate session tomorrow. I'll be one of the 2 speakers in my group! :)

Lord, help my group. Help me. :)

.. Hillsong United ..

Hillsong United is in Adelaide for a night!

Went to the Hillsong United concert today and the atmosphere was electrifying.

The concert was really good! They are indeed a great band... For His kingdom and glory!

I do have some 感触 too... The hype seemed among the youths. I remembered when I was a youth, I was as hype up as them. But as I grew older, I have become a little more "reserved".

I think it's not about being hype up or not. It's not just about being excited. Worship is really a matter of the heart.

I know that I really love God. But I realized that I can be more expressive in my outward acts. I can be 30, and still very energetic. I can be 40, and still very energetic. When I am 50, I still want to be energetic when it comes to praising and worshiping Him.

Today is a good experience. First experience with Hillsong United. I saw the excitement in the youths. I am stirred by them, and reminded how I used to praise and worship God like them. Then it dawned on me that, I can do better, much better.

Let not the environment that I am in, determined who I am and how I behave. I am who I am in Him. My self-concept determines my destiny.

Father God. My life is Yours. I am not getting younger. So I really hope that as I step into my 31st year soon, I will be somewhere closer to where my dream is.

.. Goodbye Winter! ..

This is Wright Street.

A street that is often "dangerous" with the aboriginals walking by. Shouting at us. Screaming at us.

A street where a "naked" man was seen few times by my hostel mates.

A street where we will not walk at night, even with a group of people.

Anyway, this post is not about this street. Haha... I took this picture when I was walking back to the hostel one day. Just wanted to capture the last "few moments" of these bald trees.

It is SEPTEMBER!! So now we are stepping into SPRING! Winter is over! :)

I guess after 28 years, I am already very used to the humid weather in Singapore. So winter is too cold for me, too cold for my liking... Even after wearing 3 layers of clothes, it is still not enough. Then I got to switch on the heater in my hostel room, which made my throat sored, my nose blocked & often bled inside due to the dryness.

Winter was also the time where I found myself eating more because I needed to eat to keep myself warm! HAHA. So I think I put on some weight too!

One last thing about winter which I do not like is that, I realized winter does make people feel depressed a little bit more often than the other seasons. I think it is true that we need the SUN to cheer us up!

Anyway, I'm glad that winter is over. Though I think I will miss it too cos I will not be here for winter next year.

It has been raining these two days, and the rain was unexceptional "long" today. 长命雨！I think it didn't rain that much last year.

I hope the rain will go off soon. I look forward to more of the SUN! Enough of the depressing days.... I want more joy.... more positivity! :)

Bye bye Winter. I'm thankful for the experience to live in somewhere with 4 seasons. I will visit you again next time, but I'm pretty certain that long stay is not for me. HAHA.

I LOVE SINGAPORE!