Ahhh...reflections on the year past

What has past, what is going to come? Will the following year bring joy to the heart? Or will it bring heartache and heartbreak? I suppose both are inevitable. Especially when one puts their heart into another's hands in hope. But then, I can always pray for more and more of the former instead of the latter.

We've toasted the year in with hope. Let's pray joy, peace and love follows suit, abundantly.

Here's to all, a blessed year ahead!

May God bless you.

Ushering in a spanking good year

Pretty Cupcakes to usher in a sweet New Year. Isn't that what most of us wish for? A year overflowing with abundance and goodness. Amen to that :)

Baby Michael

Baby Michael and Mummy Angela. Those from Ipoh would probably recognize Pastor Elijah Kong, this is the newest addtion to their family :)

GAP Charity Screening of Enchanted

This is the cinema foyer where the movie was screened.

The stars of the show, I much prefer Patrick Dempsey's gentleman style to the prince's charming one. Amy Adams as the princess. A different kind of happily ever after.

GAP's promotional posters for Holiday 2007. Crazy stripes!

Hotels in the Mood for Christmas

ShangriLa's in the mood for Christmas, this particular morning it was misty, chilly and with the warm yellow lights, it's exactly suited for Christmas.

This is in Park Royal Hotel and it was decked with a short walkway of midsized Christmas trees. Taken during the warehouse sales we had there.

Baby Esther is 2

She's 2 years old this November. Kids grow so fast. She's totally mischievous but lately she's taken a fright to strangers and all. The worst thing is, she needs about half an hour to adjust herself to the fact that she knows you and is familiar with you. Jeez, that's a pain. Terribly insecure.

Celebrated her birthday early during the weekend. She's scared of candles and the birthday song! Would you believe it? I've never heard of kids who is before. Weird...

Balls of yarn for Christmas

Almost everybody got roped in the team got roped in to help out with winding yarn around these Christmas baubles. But it was kind of fun and in a way err I can say now that I understand why some ladies find it thereaupatic to knit. Lol, anyhow, decorations are up in the stores and the different colors of the balls really made the stores look festive.

Compliments

Sometimes the sweetest compliments are received when you least expect it. Aunty S and Uncle V called out to me during lunch yesterday. Aunty S asked me why I’m not attached since I’m so attractive. LOL, yes I think I blushed. Then I patted her hand and told her that thank you but that’s probably from the women’s point of view. Then Uncle V patted MY hand and told me he’s confirming it from the men’s point of view. LOL, ahh well, always nice to have compliments. *winks* She even said that if she's a guy she thinks she'll go after me. Lol, went on to say too bad the son's so much younger than me.

The bitter sweet thing about it is, they mentioned P and how they prayed for a partner for him. Sigh, they mentioned that they spoke to him about this a few years ago when he was still single. That tugged at my heart strings. Anyhoos, don't think, don't think!!!
Glad it was a short encounter this year, enough however to make me nostalgic but then I had 2 days to cheer up :)

Back from a 4 day break!

First day of work after a few days of break and it’s so nice to come back to the new office.
But it seems a bit odd too. Reason being I’m so used to going 2 floors up. But Trusting in God’s spot-on timing, this is better. It was getting too “claustrophobic” upstairs. I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate on my work. Big mistake.
One of the topics actually all of the topics that were spoken on in the conference stayed with me, in particular that we were fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Why?
Well, Pastor Elijah mentioned that just our face alone demonstrates God’s thoughtfulness. Just look in the mirror. The hair grows an inch and half at least, in a month. Our eyebrows stop growing at a certain length. Odd, I never really thought about it that way. Come to think of it, I do pluck my eyebrows, (roll your eyes at vanity!) and whenever I do, they grow, after a few weeks. But they stop at a certain length. Although everybody’s different, it does stop at a reasonable length. Another thing to thank God would be the length of nostril hair and armpit hair! Not my words, the speaker’s! Lol, thank God they do stop at a reasonable length. Oh yes, not forgetting the famous position of the nose. The nose is pointed downwards. Aren’t you glad that it’s not facing upwards? We’ll drown every time it rains. That had me in stitches.

Caysha and Empress

Would you believe Empress was just a small puppy a few months ago? Dogs grow so fast! She rarely barks though. I find that a huge plus. I'm not too fond of dogs barking loudly all the time. She looks adorable. But she's awfully fond of jumping up on people. She's so friendly.

Baby Caysha, she is grouchy when she's sleepy. Her hair's so dark and she has so much of it. Her eyes are fringed with the sweetest long sweeping lashes. But I've got this paranoid fear of carrying babies so young. She's just 3 months and her neck's still lolling about. She's so fragile.

I am so not ready to be a mom.

Beautiful skies

Dusk, on the 28th of October 2007.

Sunrise on the 13th of November 2007.

Birthday 2007

So what is it like to be another year older? The truth is, it is a little depressing, to know that you're getting on in years. Another question. How does it feel on your birthday? I didn't really feel anything special. Now I know that it's supposed to be a day to be cheerful to be looked forward to.

But honestly, maybe it's all part of growing old/mature, birthdays doesn't hold the magic it once does for me anymore. When I was younger, I would count the days till it came. More often than not however, the day didn't turn out as spectacular as I thought it would be.

Maybe it's the disillusionment of so many years of birthdays, maybe it's just part of growing up. My birthday this year was just another ordinary day to me.

The little girl part in me wants something different though. I want my birthday to be as magical as a fairy tale. But what ingredients or events justify that illusive description?

:) I really don't know...well, I hope I do find out next year. There's always hope.

Esther

Went to dinner's at godmom last Sunday. Esther was in an especially chirpy mood. Got tons of photos of her smiling away. Naughty little girl.

Seremban Grilled Crabs

Lured by the promises of grilled crabs, we made a day trip to Seremban. Interesting. I've alwasy wondered why some places insist on selling fresh seafood when they're no where near the sea.

But the crabs and seafood we had in Seremban was surprisingly fresh and tasted quite alright. The grilled crabs still had the saltwater taste on it.

The fried squids were right up my sisters aisle. She liked it. The fried rice was for the benefit of the sister as she doesn't take crabs or prawns.

The salted egg prawns were slightly disappointing. If they had peeled of the shell and let the salted egg yolk marinade the prawns, I think it'd be much better.

The buttermilk crabs too were not too fantastic. Bearable.

It was quite worthy a trip to discover the food in Seremban. Though I must say, it is a rather congested town to live in especially down the older parts. The Jusco shopping mall reminded me of my home town one.

"Pursuit of Happyness"

I know this movie speaks and empathizes with at least one person. A person whom I had not been in contact with for almost 2 years, not by choice but by circumstances. If that was the horror he went through, I understand now. My heart aches for him now.
I could feel Chris’s desperation when the world was closing in on him. There was no pity and more and more cold water upon him and his son. If that was what he really went through, I feel his pain. What a man could do for his son and for survival out of desperation, is beyond what I can imagine sitting in relative comfort here.
The world is not as merciless as it may seem. Trouble happens. But if Chris hadn’t taken on the internship with no pay, he would not have ended up opening his own stock brokerage firm later on in life. Surviving for 6 months without pay and having the government seizing your money is beyond what I can feel.
The tears running from his eyes when he finally made it and got an offer from the firm to join as a broker WITH pay this time. The relief and thankfulness, the shakiness of his hand when he fumbled to take the notebook on his desk, his desire to see the son at daycare and to hug him, to finally be able to tell his son that everything is going to be alright. The future looked bright with hope. That feeling must truly be felt to be believed.
A 5 year old boy, the strength and reason that his father was holding on, striving. Those words that he gave the father must mean more than anything that the father ever heard in those bleak days of his life. “You’re a good papa”. Those words made everything that Chris was going through worth going through.

There as a scene when the son dropped his toy when they were chasing the bus, tears were streaming down his face when he was silenced by his dad when he wanted to go back to pick up the toy but they were rushing to go to the shelter for the night. He never blamed his dad, didn't hold a grudge. The forgiveness in a child may be more than what I have in me for the mildest of offences towards me. The bond shared by the father and son touches even the most stony of hearts.
But life teaches many lessons, not in the ways one would expect. But in life’s books, there’re always clouds with silver linings. The bleaker it seemed to be, the more down in the dumps we seem to be trodden into, the faster help is on it’s way, the faster our circumstances will change, for the better.
We need hope. We need to cling on to it even though the impossible seemed to be impending. For Chris, it was a long, long 6 months. For some it may be a long winter, for another a long 12 months. But at the end of it all, at the end of the season, things will get better.

I love the picture where he just picks up his son at the beach and with light heartedness, swings him around. The picture in the diner had Chris looking at his son with affection even though that was where they were staying for the night.

What does it mean to be used by God?

What does it mean to be used by God? Does it mean you are used to serve in church, playing musical instruments, washing cups, ushering, collecting the offering, available to take up chores and organize things or events?
How simple my thoughts were. I’ve just peeked into the tip of it and no, being there to serve God means being ready to be used by Him, especially in the people ministry. It means being ready to go into the lives of people where He places us to them, to touch them, to let them see Him in us.
Oh, how simple it looks on paper without the complications of the human emotions and feelings.
In reality for example, placed in a relationship for 2 years only to have it end because you’ve served your purpose in that person’s life. Relatively simple, everybody moves on. Oh, but the heart wrenching tears and memories that goes on in the turmoil at the end. But the season is over. It’s time to move on. Been used by God for a purpose. It hurts, no doubt about it. Even though sometimes in fact most of the time I don’t seem to understand His ways and how He does things, it’s what I said I’ll do. I said I’ll serve Him, didn’t I? I know even in the darkest moments, amidst the torrent of tears, He says He never leaves me. To quote a friend, “Prepare me for rain, even though I do not understand Your ways.”
He lets me make my own decisions. He's there beside me. I looked at Him with teary eyes, unsure whether the decision I made is right, even though knowing that the higher percentage was that it's wrong, He knows it too. But He says, let's walk. I know the decision you made, but I will go through it with you, I won't leave. Come, let's walk...

KLCC

A view of KLCC from the insect's point of view. LOL...I feel so small staring up at it.

Rainy day at Geen Avenue

Taken in Green Avenue on a rainy cloudy Friday. How nice. The weather was so cooling. Just nice to snuggle up with a nice cup of hot chocolate or coffee with a good book.

Gap Combo Gardens

Setting up started on the 24th od September. At least I know how to fold clothes with a folding board now. Lol, at least a little bit more consistent.

Fall 2007.

Check out the kid on the top right corner. Dozing happily while the parents shopped. By the way they were our very first customer!

On the 26th, The Gardens Midvalley officially opened their doors for business. They had troops of lion dances to commemorate the event.

Breakfast Dinner

The Western breakfast, my faourite meal of the day. As always, sunny side ups, sausages, cheese with toast, even some nuggets thrown in for good measure.
Dinner, where I fried chicken and fish for the first time, in KL. It was actually quite a lot for 2 people to consume. But nowadays any home cooked food is mostly welcome!

YA Cell Group

We meet every Wednesday, have good fun. And sometimes we give business to our friendly neighbourhood mamk stall.

Rain

The lashings of rain were unforgiving that night I went to "ta pao" food at this road side stall, which serves delicious Chinese stir fry. But the thing that caught me was the structured way the rain fell from the zinc roof.

Scabs

When does it end? When does those wounds heal? When does the scars fade?
You know those scabs you get when you hurt yourself and the skin’s healing? It forms a hard layer, which is termed, scab. It’s a really ugly thing, wrinkly like a dried prune, color of old, dried blood. But from young I’ve always had the habit of picking and picking and picking at it till it hurts like nobody’s business or it bleeds. Most often it’s both.
Now I seriously wonder if I treat my emotions’ well being the same. Reopen the wounds, never letting the fresh wounds heal completely. I’ve read it so many times and yet it hurts, more than the first time, if it’s possible.
I think I’ve let the wound fester and fester and fester till it’s become gangrene. I wish I could cut it off. But how can I live without a heart? Yet, how can I continue living with a lie, a heart that someone has elbowed its way in, yet doesn’t know it? I wish with every might that I could oust them out. But how?
O mighty God how?
*screams of enragement*

There, I guess I can’t very well do the scream of enragement thing publicly seeing I’m in the office and working. Everybody’ll be rushing for the phone, to call the police.

God' Training Programme

I read my daily devotion early this morning. It was titled “God’s training programme” and it was taken from Genesis when Jacob went in search of a wife from his mom’s brother. Then the story continues with how he was tricked into marrying the elder daughter and not the younger one whom he loved. He worked 14 years in all for both wives. Well, well…there was no law of polygamy during those days.
Anyway, I digress. It was actually talking about how God moulds someone’s character. I am feeling blue today even more so than yesterday. Time of the month and such…
But I know that it’s all part of life. Life can’t be smooth all the time. You see, there’s just this little problem. I know it doesn’t mean I feel it. Ah well…
Some soothing music, going to make me a cup of coffee with a dash of chocolate inside, probably makes the day a little more bearable :) It’s going to be interesting to participate in a “change-out” tonight, though I’m not super crazy about the idea. We start after 10pm. Anyhow, the term means to change a season like we’re changing from summer to fall now. So we have to rearrange the visual merchandising and stock to bring in the coming season.



On a beach, in the rising of the dawn, with the slightly chilly breeeze, i dream of watching these clouds with silver lining with the one that He knows I'm going to be with.


To watch it turn into fieriness as the glorious sun rose from it's slumber. We can only stand in awe. And watch this miracle which has been occuring from the beginning of time.

I was timidly approaching the Lord in a prayer for a parking space. When He provided I was surprise. I've not been communicating much with Him lately. So yes, I was surprised when he answered my prayer.

That almost brought the tears out. But I've realized that He still loves me like the loving daddy He always is. He's always loving, always providing. Even when we are disobedient and continues to defy Him. He patiently provides us grace and waits for us to turn back.

New workplace

First day of work, spent the day learning how to order stationeries ;) grins...I mean getting used to order the things that the stores and office needs to use. Then I got the warehouse experience. Ermm...with heels, it's definitely hazardous.
2nd day's slightly better, although I still spent the entire day in the warehouse, I was in comfortable flats and tshirt. We had to go prepare the outlet for sales. Didn't get home till midnight!
I was based in the store yesterday. Not too bad. Working tomorrow too. Sighh...ah well...the thing is, I kinda knew that it was gonna be working-my-ass-off job before I joined so I can't really give the excuse of not knowing. But at the moment, I miss my full weekends!

Esther yesterday

She's got a cute little bob now. Naughty as ever.

Brother's birthday

I was back the weekend of my brother's birthday, well a day after but we still celebrated it. The family went out for a scrumptious dinner at Ye Olde English in Greentown, Ipoh.
Mum and Grandpa had the mix grill of lamb, steak and prawns. The sauce was yummy. Sis as usual, spaghetti. Nothing to shout about. I had the grilled fish which was pretty satisfactory.
Check out my brother and my dad's pictures. Dad was staring boggle eyed at the camera in an attempt to diffuse my efforts to take a picture of him. Sorry dad, didn't work! I still got a pretty nce picture of you.

And my brother, turns 14 this year. Lol, I always do my best to fight with him. I mean, not literally, I'd be squashed flat by him. I just irritate him, squashing him against the wall, tickling him, mock punching. He's taller than me now. Shooting up to be a fine young man.

a little jerky

Ahh, life's little surprises, some more unpleasant than others.

Today started off as a pretty nice sunny morning. The sister and I was scheduled to go do something with our hair. So we set off about noon. It wasn't suppose to take too long. Then almost got a summon. A client called, while I was on the way out of the car park. I got spotted by a police car who was patrolling. He-llo?! I'm not working on Saturdays! And he called at about 5pm?! What nonsense?! Almost almost....sigh, I can only thank God they let me off, most of it due to my car number plate.

Now an argument with my date and broken promise to friends...what a day! Pretty pissed now

I don't want to be nice sometimes, do I get to be the shrew for one day pleaaase!!!???

If only I could keep my cool as well as the illusion that's portrayed above.

I like!

Read about this in Nightstar's blog, and it's so much fun. Lol, saves the bother of photoshopping ;)



Somebody called me this once. Can't quite seem to get it out of my head whenever the princess word flashes across my vision.

Dreams

I dream of the day when you stand beside me,
Worshipping our God,
I dream of the day you look down, smiling
at my drowsy face,
I dream of the day we walk, hand in hand
Along the seaside,
I dream of the day, warm in furs,
We take a picture, against the snowy landscape,
I dream of the day, we wear
Matching rings,
I dream of the day, you hold me
When I cry,
I dream of the day, you look at me
As I laugh up at you,
I dream of the day, we walk down
Our home's stairs together,
I dream of the day, we curl up
And listen to the thunderstorm outside,
I dream of the day, we tease each other,
As we wash up the dishes
I dream of the day, you eat my mediocre cooking,
But tell me it's the best you ever tasted,
I dream of the day, when you surprise me
By showing up unexpectedly at my doorstep,
I dream of the day, when you lower the temperature of the air conditioner,
Because you saw me rubbing my arms, as goosebumps rise,
I dream of the day, you tease me
About my ignorance,
I dream of the day, when we invite the Holy Spirit,
To preside over us and our household.

Was in Ipoh on Sunday, church service. Glanced out at the sky and it was threatening to pour. So dark. But I like the rain, especially when I'm safely cocooned in a building, lol. So I was praying for it to rain, rain, rain all the way to KL. Just till the evening though.
It has been so hot and stuffy in KL, hasn't rained for more than a week.
Well, true enough, it rained when we were on our way back to KL. And to confirm, a friend told us it rained cats and dogs in the afternoon.
Lol, I was laughing and telling my sister that, I had prayed for rain in KL when I was in KL but it didn't work. How come it worked when I was in Ipoh. She told me to go back more often to Ipoh ot pray haha.

Uncle Lim's at Time's Square. Their coffee is not too bad, a tad heavy handed on the milk. The bread is the good old Hainan type which I appreciate. The mushroom mee was average, though they do give a generous proportion of mushrooms. Not too bad overall. But if not for it's convenient location near the entrance, I probably wouldn't frequent it quite that often.