Where's Andy?

Back in the year 2002, when petrol was cheaper than a bottle of Coke, young Andy was plucked from his humble home in the East Coast of Singapore, to begin an epic journey in a country far far away. Little did he know that it was going to be the start of a wonderful adventure... ^_^

My Home in Singapore

After spending 5 hours in a cramped aluminium tube at 45,000 feet, breathing recycled air and striving off paralysis by wriggling my toes, I finally touched down at the great southern land of Australia!

Homes in South Perth

For the next 4 years, the grassy fields and the luscious lands south of Perth would be my abode. In that time, I discovered the beauty of Australia, in her people and their peaceful lifestyle.

Everyone I met on the road would greet me with a smile. It wasn't like back home where someone on the street would look at me as if I had a twig stuck in my head whenever I flashed my pearly whites at them.

The University of Western Australia

And this was the reason I came to Perth... The University of Western Australia! I had enrolled in the field of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, with a plan to further my studies in the area of cancer research.

However, all that was going to change at the end of the 2nd year of my course... O_o

Joondalup Hospital & Home

In the year 2005, I got offered a job to work in a Biochemistry Lab at Joondalup Hospital Specialist Centre , way up north of Perth. A year later, after my university degree was officially done, I happily packed my bags and moved closer to work.

I stayed with friends at Clarkson and Mindarie for a couple of months. It was only at the end of 2006 that I finally found a place of my own, just a 2 minute walk from the hospital ^_^

So if you find yourself up in the northern suburbs and haven't got anything better to do... Give me a yell, bring a plate, and if you really behave, you might just get to see what's beyond these stairs ^_^

A Passion...

The Lord dropped a passion of Astronomy in my life, so I could see the beauty of creation, in the vastness of space.

A passion of Cooking; to feel the beauty of inspiration, especially when watching the bread rise.

A passion of Molecular Biology; to be awed by the beauty of nature, even in single-celled organisms.

A passion of Physics; to experience the excitement of experimenting, even when the Law of Gravity told us we couldn't fly.

A passion of Computer Science; to appreciate the beauty of simplicity, in the complexity of programming code.

A passion of Fertility Science; to experience the miracle of life, when nothing else seems to work.

And a passion of Christ; to see the glory in a Man who gave up all, so others may live...

Version 7.0

“

Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.

”

-C. S. Lewis

It has been a tad more than 3 years since I've started this blog, and I'm glad to say that Version 7.0 is finally here! It all started off when a couple of my friends *cough* Qiong *cough* WeiJia *cough* coerced me into writing an online journal, something which I never had the patience to do. Somehow my folly revealed itself again when my same 2 friends got me to join Facebook. Hmmm...

From its humble beginnings, it has now expanded to a collection of 3 separate blogs; this, Ropheka the Bible Blog, and the Wine Blog, which was once a university project but has now expanded to an on-going dream to catalogue the finest mid-value wines in Australia. ^_^

In my last post I promised that Version 7.0 is gona be Bigger, Better, Faster and Easier on the eyes. Well it's true, kind of. There's that BIG CROSS that jumps out at you as soon as the page loads. It's better because all my posts are now organised by themes. It's faster too because you'll be so busy admiring the beautiful cross that you won't notice the page loading. And finally, it's easier on your blinkers because I finally got rid of the hideous lime-green background! ^_^

When I came across this quote from C.S. Lewis, I realised why I eventually settled on this design. I wanted this version to be original and different so I started playing with different colours and patterns, but they just didn't sit well with my spirit. Then it dawned on me that this blog is meant to be a reflection of my life and a window to my world, not some souped up decorated porthole.

In my world, the truth is simple. It is Christ and Christ alone.

The cross is not Christ, but it represents what He has done for me in my life. The original image is a long exposure shot of a hand-held light captured in the dark. How apt this picture is as a reflection of my life! The glow of light which symbolizes my life was swinging around aimlessly in the dark, not knowing where I was going. When I found Christ, I looked back and realised that my journey, which had been outlined by the glow of light, was actually cumulating to bring me back to the cross. And like how I inverted the dark colours of the image to a white background at a flick of a switch, He changed my darkness into light.

I don't know if many out there realise this, but the cross that we wear around our necks was not meant to be a fashion statement or a fanciful piece of artwork. It was used as a torturing device. Imagine if Christ had died on an electric chair or on the gallows, would we be dangling a metal chair or an ornamental noose around our necks today? However we can take comfort in knowing that the same cross that hung Jesus Christ was the same cross that God used to offer His Son as a perfect sacrifice for us all. The cross that we take for granted today was used to reconcile us back to our Father, having obtained redemption through Christ's blood, by the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

It's tragically beautiful! ^_^

Be blessed my friends! May your darkness be turned to light; your sorrows to joy; your tears to laughter; your hopes into dreams, and your dreams into reality...

Love never gives up. Christ never fails...

It's going to be BIGGER... BETTER... FASTER... and EASIER on the eyes.

And no, I'm not talking about my hair.


Blog version 7.0