Love Never Fails...

Orbs - Angels or A Load of Balls?

2008-01-27T01:03:00.001+09:00

It wasn't until recently that photos with strange looking balls of light became a hot topic of discussion among some of my friends. According to them, these orbs are apparently angels sent from heaven to look after us. They claim that orbs can be easily seen around holy anointed people, and are especially prominent during times of worship or deep prayer...

Or around yours truly... =)

When I first heard about it, my initial reaction was pure skepticism. It wasn't something that I've noticed before, and even if I did, I would never have thought it had anything to do with angels. These are the kind of orbs that people would usually associate with those shown on paranormal documentaries of spooky cemeteries and haunted homes.

And admit it, when you first saw my photo, it wasn't the thought of why I was taking a photo of myself wearing a Mexican hat indoors that first crossed your mind. It was those strange looking balls that were seemingly floating around me.

As a Christian, it was never about the things that I could see that increased my faith. It was the things I couldn't see, like the love, kindness, peace and joy of the Lord that makes my life so worth living. But as a man of science, I can't help but be aware of the underlying principles of the everyday phenomena.

Take the case of a rainbow... How can a small drop of water create such a magnificent sight in the sky? Thanks to science, we've now come to understand that the white warm glow of sunlight is actually made up of a wide range of colours. A rainbow basically forms when sunlight gets separated out into its different colours when it passes through a rain drop. This is a perfect example where a complex phenomenon has a very simple and elegant explanation.

How about orbs then?

Orbs are simply the distorted out-of-focus images of tiny particles being caught in the flash zone of the camera. When a photo is taken, the camera automatically focuses its lenses to capture the distant object. If dust particles are present in the air, they are usually too small to be seen by the camera's photo sensors. However, if they are really close to the lens, they can produce a distorted circular image on the resulting photo. This effect is similar to that caused by dust on your glasses when you're out in the sun.

To prove my theory, I carried out a simple experiment with my Olympus digital camera. The next 3 shots were taken with the camera mounted on a tripod during the afternoon. The 1^st shot was a control shot, the 2^nd was taken just after I ruffled my hair and the 3^rd was taken right after beating 2 pillows together like a madman.

Control Shot

Ruffled Hair

Beating 2 Pillows

I don't know about you, but this experiment proves to me that orbs can be caused by dust particles in the air. It also proves that I really need to wash my pillows and switch to an anti-dandruff shampoo.

So why don't we see this effect in the more expensive professional SLR cameras then? Most compact digital cameras have the flash unit located just right next to the lens. While this may help in taking photos at dimly lit areas, it has a profound effect on the dust particles near the lens.

The flash overwhelmingly illuminates the surrounding dust particles near the lens at about 10 times the brightness of the Sun, and this can be easily captured by the photo sensors in the camera. Professional photographers use SLR cameras with sophisticated lenses and dust covers to overcome this problem. Furthermore, their flash units are quite a distance away from the lens opening, so the dust particles around the lens aren't as brightly illuminated as compared to the compact cameras.

This is the simple and elegant scientific explanation. But how about from a Christian perspective?

Orbs are no doubt a fascinating sight to a believer, especially when captured during moments of worship and prayer. Sometimes preachers use this as evidence of God's support of their ministry. And sometimes the presence of orbs brings a source of hope to those who see photos of their loved ones surrounded by them.

But the fact is, orbs do not pass the 3 rules of discernment.

Firstly, it does not glorify Jesus Christ. It turns the supernatural into something paranormal and mystifying. Orbs reduces the glorious nature of God and His angels into something that only a digital camera can see, but something His own creation cannot. It says nothing about Jesus but boasts about our ability to finally see into the spiritual realm with a man-made device.

Secondly, it does not increase or edify one's faith. To believe in orbs actually destroys the roots of faith. Our faith should be rooted firmly in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, that by His perfect sacrifice, our sins are now forgiven; and that by His resurrection, we can now lead an everlasting life with our Father in heaven. Our faith should not be based on something that appears randomly in dusty places. In some cases, the presence of orbs can even promote fear because it can now be used as a spiritual yardstick to judge if someone is praying enough or worshipping properly. I know this is ridiculous, but a dusty unkempt church building could very well appear to be more "holy" than a clean and tidy one.

Finally, it is not biblical. There is no verse in the bible that comes even close to suggest that orbs are angelic beings. Some dare to quote from the Book of Ezekiel and claim that the orbs are actually the wheels of the four living creatures. I wonder why have they chosen to focus on Ezekiel 1:16 which describes the wheels that sparkled like chrysolite but totally ignored Ezekiel 1:13 which tells of the fire that moved back and forth among the creatures, which was bright, and had lightning flashing out of it.

Surely the lightning and bright fire should be more noticeable than the sparkle? o_O

I didn't write this article to embarrass my friends or insult their spiritual discernment. If I have, I am truly sorry. I don't deny that God and His angels can use orbs as a means to manifest themselves, but there is a point where being too spiritual actually becomes silly.

My aim is for this article to create awareness on the deception currently plaguing the Church and hopefully this will help others discover the error of their ways. As a Christian myself, I believe that my friends will do the same for me if my spiritual walk is in error.

Bless you my friends, and may this passage from 1^st Timothy edify you and keep you in Shalom peace always.

1 Timothy 4:1-16
¹The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons...

⁶If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. ⁷Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly...

⁹This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance ¹⁰(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. ¹¹Command and teach these things. ¹²Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity...

¹⁶Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Day One

2008-01-14T23:11:00.000+09:00

Today is officially Day 1 of my new career!

I'm still working in the same place, but am now part of the Embryology department across the corridor. I'll be joining a dedicated team of embryologists to help make parenthood a reality to those who naturally can't.

It was quite hard to say goodbye to the Biochemistry lab, especially to my lab colleague. She and I have such a great working relationship, it seems at times like we share a common brain hemisphere. So I'm really going to miss you, Cleo and all the paperwork ^_^

By Your grace Oh Lord, You've blessed me with a job that will help those in need.

YOU are the giver of life, and I thank You for giving me this opportunity to see it happen in front of my eyes.

Bless those Oh Lord who cannot conceive on their own, bless those who chose to seek help, and bless those who are fighting the same battle as You are...

Making their dreams come alive.

I've Been MooTooling!

2007-10-08T22:05:00.000+08:00

Time really flies when you're having fun, and that's what I've been doing for the past 7 weeks ^___^

The company is currently in the midst of redesigning their website and I couldn't help but get involved in the development process. I've always loved web design but I didn't have the time nor the reason to keep up to speed with the latest web development tools... Until now that is! ^__^

If you think that government agencies are the only ones seemingly obsessed with using acronyms, you've obviously not been in touch with the web developer community yet. There's CSS, HTML, XHTML, XML, CSS, CGI, AJAX, DOM and heaven knows how many more there are.

But the one that I've been particularly interested in is a web development application called MooTools. It's basically a modular object-orientated JavaScript tool that makes your website do really funky stuff, like dynamically change its background colour, or have links bounce around whenever the mouse pointer passes over them.

And because it's modular, you can combine as many effects together as your imagination will allow. Just don't overdo it. You don't really want your site to become a prime candidate for causing epileptic seizures.

Work is getting quite exciting now, because for some reason, pregnancy rates always seem to sky-rocket during Spring time. Flowers aren't the only things that's blooming this time of the year ^__^

I'm trying to enjoy as much as I can in my current Biochemistry job, because when work resumes after the New Year break, a new chapter in my career begins.

Welcome to the fascinating field of Embryology.

Beyond Our Needs & Wants

2007-08-17T23:32:00.000+08:00

Needs. Wants. Require. Desire. 4 words that every economist loves to talk about. It's also the same 4 words that advertisers love to muddle up. We are fortunate to live in a country where our basic standard of living is considered royalty by the poorer half of the world's population. But still, we seem to be living in lack.

If you're expecting me to go on rambling about the difference between our needs and wants, then you are assuredly mistaken. The world knows what the difference between those two words are. From childhood, we've been indoctrinated with the concept that a need is something we cannot live without and a want is something we desire, but not essential for survival. So from the start, we've been taught to associate meeting our needs as a responsibility, but fulfilling our wants as a selfish desire.

Look at the US, they are facing a mortgage crisis. At home in Australia, the credit card debt has gone up to $40 billion. I've spent tons of money on clothes, but sometimes when I look in my closet, I still don't know which clothes to wear. Any parent who has bought toys for their children should know that toys are not essential for their survival, but their rooms are still filled with those colourful little squiggly things anyway.

However what happens when we apply this principle to the relationship between God and Man? I need Him. I want Him. I require Him. I desire Him. You might think that the differences between these 4 words are not significant when it comes to God. But you'll be surprised on how much it speaks about your understanding of the Lord's presence in your life.

In the NKJV Bible, the word "want" occurs 116 times. The most famous mention of it of course is in Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want." This gives us an impression that "want" is not a character that we should have when the Lord becomes our Shepard. Is David implying that we should not want or desire anything?

When we let the Bible interpret the Bible, in Psalm 34:10, David writes "The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing." The Hebrew word for "want" in Psalm 23 and "lack" in Psalm 34 is the same word, חסר khaw-sare; which means to lack, be without. David was not saying that he shall have no desires, but he was referring to not be without.

The Greek word for "need" is chreia, which can mean usage, employment, demand or requirement. Notice how similar the word sounds with "career". However the word for "want" in Greek is boulomai, which means to will deliberately, have a purpose, to desire.

To need God implies that we require something from Him. But once that need is satisfied, we no longer have any use for Him, until the next lack arises. I challenge you this, rather than instilling such a wavering attitude in ourselves, we should be having a desire for our Lord regardless of our circumstances in life. During times of abundance, praise Him, and times of lack, trust Him. Our bank balance or emotional state at any moment shouldn't change the fact that He is a very real part of our lives.

There is an aspect of want that is not obvious; a want does not have any reason to exist besides satisfying one's own desires. However, as much as we can choose not to buy that 60 inch plasma television that we want so much, a want is still filled with a free choice. Anytime a want crosses our minds, a choice has to be made. How much more does it say about your relationship with God if you choose to have His presence in your life, rather than having no choice but to?

Other notable occurrences of "want" are in Galatians 3:2, "This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?";

2 Corinthians 5:4, "For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.";

John 5:6 , "When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”; and

Exodus 12:48, "And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land."

The last example is particular interesting. The "stranger" does not need to keep the Passover, but if he chooses to do so, all the males in his household have to be circumcised. Now all you guys out there will know that this procedure isn't exactly a walk in the park. As a matter of fact I don't think you'll be walking around that much after either.

There is no such thing as an atheist in a sinking boat. For anyone to say that we should live a life just always needing God, it either must be really comfortable living in a sinking boat, or they must not have experienced life in the water-tight hull of the Ark at all, which is our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is this free choice that differentiates a need and a want. Yes, we need God's wisdom, we need His favor, we need His grace and love. But when it comes to the presence of the Lord, I don't just want to need Him in times of need, I want to want Him even when my needs are met. Free choice is the one thing that sets a believing believer apart from an unbelieving believer. A believing believer saw the choice that Jesus made by sacrificing Himself to be hung on the cross. An unbelieving believer knows Jesus Christ hung on the cross, but doesn't know what that has got to do with him.

If you don't agree, maybe it's worthwhile asking God to not fulfill the prayers of your needs so that we will always need Him, because inadvertently that is what's you're implying.

I carried out an informal survey at work and asked my colleagues if they preferred their partners to say "I want you" or "I need you"? Out of 11 ladies surveyed, 6 chose "need" and the remaining 5 picked "want". The age group of those surveyed was between 30 and 60. They are all mothers; 3 of them are nurses, 5 administration staff, 2 scientists, and 1 psychologist. The gender bias can be easily explained by the fact that I'm the only guy at work. If you include me in the survey as well, the score is dead even.

While this result does not give weight to either side of the argument, it does imply that the world is also torn in half when it comes to knowing the difference between a need and want in relationships.

But the most important question is, are you?

Don't just need God when times are tough. Don't just seek His presence when there is no one else to fill the void. Invite Him in the midst of your friends and your career. But most importantly, want Him, because He first wanted you.
_______________________________________________
This article was written in response to the discussion I had a couple of weeks ago at a cell group meeting. May this enlighten your confused minds and edify your weakened spirits, my dear friends.

The Lord be with you always...

Stairway To Heaven

2007-08-14T20:15:00.000+08:00

How many people can you fit on a stairway?

This many...

But how many people do you want to fit on your stairway to heaven?

At any given moment in time, we are surrounded by people, those who we see everyday; at work, at church or at school. There are a couple of them who we get along so well with; and there's those few, who we pray that our path's will never cross.

But just ponder over this for a while. How many of them so called friends that you know, truly want to know you? It is one thing to remember their names, but to know their ways is the real challenge. I sometimes wonder if socially we are becoming too superficial, that we stop just short of establishing meaningful relationships, with friends, with family and even with the Lord Himself.

Someone once said to me he didn't like going to a large church because there were just too many people and he couldn't make any friends. This reminded me of the story of a salesperson who was sent to a faraway island to sell shoes. A month later, he came back not having sold a single pair of shoes. "Boss, you forgot to tell me that the natives don't wear shoes! How do you expect me to sell any?", he complained. The silly salesperson didn't realize that he was sent to an untapped market and if he had taught the natives how to wear shoes, he would have struck it rich.

Likewise, a large church shouldn't be a deterrent to us in making friends. Rather it gives us a huge opportunity to easily make contact with a large number of people we've never met before. If only we opened our eyes to see past our own need for attention and make an effort to get to know the person sitting next to us. Sometimes, a simple hello is all it takes for someone to believe in the love of Christ again.

One truly memorable moment of my life was during my time in Singapore on the Mass Rapid Transit train. You know its really amazing when you can have 50 people packed into a train carriage at peak hour, but not hear a single conversation amongst them. Maybe a off-pitched snore once in a while or the distinct plonk when a tired forehead gracefully meets the hard reality of the glass window. Even the library during exam season has more audible activity than the public transport system. Even here in Perth, everyone has their white wires dangling out of their ears, that sometimes I end up talking to the old lady in her Porta-pram, who can't really hear me anyway.

How many people do you want to fit on your stairway to heaven? I guess it's a good time to start getting to know Someone today...

Jesus...

Anberlin - The Unwinding Cable Car

2007-08-08T18:27:00.000+08:00

When I first heard this song on the radio, my ears latched onto it like a kitten with a fresh ball of string. There are not many times where I get epiphanies outside the confines of the shower, and this was one of them. I caught a glimpse behind the meaning of life itself, something that both philosophers and theologians alike have struggled for so long to understand.

For many, life is a fight for survival. For some, it's a time of service to the poor. For a few, it's a time of discovery.

For me... It is a moment of praise for the One who brought me here.

Anberlin - The Unwinding Cable Car

Emotive unstable you're like an unwinding cable car
Listening for voices, but it's the choices that make us who we are
Go your own way, even seasons have changed just burn those new leaves over
So self-absorbed you've seemed to ignore the prayers that have already come about

This is the correlation of salvation and love
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart
With quiet words I'll lead you in

Backing away from the problem of pain you never had a home
You've been misguided, you're hiding in shadows for so very long
Don't you believe that you've been deceived that you're no better than...
The hair in your eyes, it never disguised what you're really thinking of

This is the correlation of salvation and love
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart
With quiet words I'll lead you in and out of the dark

You're so brilliant, don't soon forget
You're so brilliant, grace marked your heart
You're so brilliant, don't soon forget
You're so brilliant, grace marked your heart

This is the correlation of salvation and love
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart
With quiet words I'll lead you in

A Choice

2007-08-06T22:22:00.000+08:00

Many a time, we're faced with a choice...

A choice between doing what's good or what's right...
Sometimes, the decisions we make are not all just black and white.

A choice between having what's wanted and what's needed...
Because having everything in the world doesn't mean you've succeeded.

A choice between believing in God, or just playing it safe...
Inward transformation, outward dramatization or just faith?

A choice between expressing your feelings or being just friends...
When you cross that line, it's either the beginning or an end.

A choice between when to ignore and when to forget...
Some things are just not worth reliving the regret.

A choice between enjoying your job or building a career...
Do you want to drop your anchor or trust the wind and let go of the steer?

A choice between a peaceful solitude or an uncertain happiness...
Eating alone. What can be worse?

A choice between praying fervently for a breakthrough, or living as if it's already here...
Where's our faith if we don't believe that God heard us right the first time.

Many a time, we're faced with a choice...

Maybe it's time to listen.
Listen to the still small voice...

Dashboard Driver

2007-06-13T17:40:00.000+08:00

“

Heaven goes by Favour. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.

”

-Mark Twain

Where's Andy?

2007-05-22T16:25:00.000+08:00

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...

2007-05-21T16:52:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-09T19:04:00.000+08:00

“

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...

2007-05-02T20:02:00.000+08:00

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

When Work Becomes Fun

2007-04-25T16:21:00.001+08:00

Yup, work can be fun... It's no surprise.

Add a bit of sugar & spice, and all those gorgeous apple pies...

Pizza nights - What a wonderful sight for those tired eyes...

Just don't forget to run a mile later to work off those thighs!

And when no one has any idea where to throw those boxes, you just have to improvise.

Work becomes fun... When you work with these guys. ^_^

The Bible Wall

2007-04-16T19:18:00.000+08:00

6 months ago, the Lord gave me a vision. He showed me a beautiful white wall, spanning metres across, further than I could see. And on it were the books of the Bible, neatly laid out across the entire surface.

When the vision passed, I opened my eyes and in front of me were boxes stacked up everywhere. All 70 of them... I had been sharing apartments with friends for the past 10 months and my room literally had the walking space of a shoebox. I would stack boxes up towards the ceiling to save space, only to find them tumbling down in the middle of the night. That was why I never took up architecture. ^_^

As I sat on my bed looking at the boxes perched precariously towards one side, grief suddenly overcame me. I didn't know what was going on but it was as if my mind just snapped. My room became a prison and I had nothing to look forward to when I came home. I had been living in a cell for almost a year and I just wanted to give up.

Then the vision came. Innocently, not realising that the Lord is the LORD, I asked the Him how it was possible for me to live in a place, with a wall large enough to fit the all books of the Bible?

His answer was short and simple, "You'll be surprised..." And indeed I was. ^_^

2 months later the Lord found a place for me a couple of minutes from work. It had just been recently built and when the owners were about to place an ad in the papers, the Lord conveniently plonked me right at their doorstep.

It was perfect. Except for the air-conditioner that wouldn't switch on and the fridge door that wouldn't close, but let's not go there. ^_^

348 pages and lots of sticky tape later, the Bible wall was finally finished. All 27 books of the New Testament on 1 wall.

Now my next challenge - the rest of the 39 books of the Old Testament.
Lord, I need a larger wall... Help! ^_^

Thank you Father... Love never fails.

You never fail.

2007-04-11T18:33:00.000+08:00

“Yes, I could give up chocolate, but I'm not a quitter.”

-From a note on my workplace noticeboard

Houghton - Late Picked Verdelho 2006

2007-04-02T17:32:00.001+08:00

Wooa... It's been yonks since last I posted a wine review! It has really been a busy year for me and I haven't really had the time to sit down and enjoy a glass. However, nothing should come in the way of a good hearted drink... So I merrily went off to the local bottle searching for something unique to start off the first wine review of the year.

As I trailed my fingers across the rows of wine bottles, this little green beauty caught my attention. Glistening in the middle of the rack, this bottle was begging me to take her home. And so I did. ^_^

Houghton's Verdelho has managed to combine the sweet lingering aroma of pineapple, with the luscious bang of citrus fruits, in one convenient bottle. Not to be confused with the other sweet whites like the Muscats or Lexias, Verdelho has managed to establish itself as a unique variety.

Rather than just giving us a sugar fix, Verdelho invigorates the taste buds to keep us wanting more.

There's only one question left... Does this come in a larger bottle? ^_^

Just under $12 at a bottle shop near you...

@ The Wine Blog

A New Beginning...

2007-03-17T17:43:00.000+09:00

I bought an external hard drive a couple of months ago to replace my aging 5 year old internal ones which were running purely on sheer will and whatever bit of lubricant still left in there.

When everything was finally backed up, I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that every digital trace of my entire existence; my photos, projects, articles and even my precious church sermons, would be in a safe place...

Then it died.

2 months! Nothing has ever died on me in 2 months before... Even my chilli plant lasted longer than that! (Oh, about the plant... Yes, it's dead too) ^_^

I didn't really want to believe that all my chronologically arranged sermons, my painstakingly edited photos, my drafted research articles from university and my CARTOONS were all gone. I kept visualising in my head that I would hear the distinct hum of the hard drive starting up again, but all I hear are the futile clicks and whirls of the drive desperately trying to revive itself.

I was mentally distraught and emotionally hysterical the whole day! Fortunately, the Lord helped me realise that all I had lost were just memories; events of the past that couldn't be changed anyway. Sure there were hard times, but there were also great times. However those memories were confining me instead of refining me. And it took a hard drive crash for me to break free from the ghost of my past.

Now those memories will only live on in my mind... But this time no one can take them away from me.

It's a new beginning. A start of a whole lot of new memories.

Rest in peace, my past...

City Night Lights Panoramic

2007-03-10T16:50:00.000+09:00

When my sister & I first arrived in Perth about 5-ish years ago, we stayed in a decent little townhouse south of the river. It didn't turn out too bad and we ended up staying in South Perth for the next 4 years.

Considering that you get to enjoy this kind of view before you sleep every night, I don't see why anybody wouldn't? ^_^

Oh the memories... =)

42 Degrees!

2007-03-08T16:26:00.000+09:00

If you've known me long enough, you would know that my main excuse for not going back to Singapore was the hot and excruciatingly uncomfortable weather. With that said, this was the temperature at 5pm for the past 3 days.

Maybe the Lord is telling me to stop whining and go back...

O_o

Priss's Birthday - With The 3 Amigos

2007-02-26T19:24:00.000+09:00

Priss, the birthday girl, was subtly coerced by Jess and I to go out and celebrate her birthday, being given the excuse that she'll only turn 23 once in her entire lifetime. It worked ^_^

Hidden in the hills of Perth was a restaurant called Le Paris Brest. I strongly suggest you don't say it out loud. Didn't realise how embarrassing it sounded until I started asking for directions.

Food - The Verdict

Duck Risotto - The "Gentle" Size
There was a choice between a "gentle" or "serious" size for the servings. The girls reckoned that since they were gentle and pure, the "gentle" size was the obvious choice... O_o *sweatdrop*

Swordfish - The Fish of the Day
I choked when I saw the size of the plate. Later I almost threw up when I found out the cost - $35 for a slice of fish, (and a char grilled watermelon). Couldn't help but wonder if the plate was included with the meal -_-

Pistachio Cheese Cake
Ahhhh... Absolutely fabulous! ^_^

For a French restaurant with I quote, "the most exquisite selection of food", it was excitingly normal. Other than the pistachio cake, the restaurant loses points for its main courses and its choice of name! =P

Afterwards, we went back to Priss's place at the veterinary hospital and guess who I found???

Ahhh sooo cute!

Later, it scratched me... ^_^
*grrrr*

Chinese New Year Dinner @ Leeming Cell

2007-02-19T18:23:00.001+09:00

CNY 07' started off a day early at the ever so anxious Leeming cell, when we all got together to celebrate the Year of the Pig =) Whatever that was supposed to mean I don't have a clue, but we did eat a lot of pork that night though! ^_^

It was planned to be a simple evening, a gathering of a few friends, with nibbles and nonchalant conversations. But nooo... The Chinese in all of us had to take over.

With over 45 people attending and 20 dishes served up, our cell leader's floorboards had to withstand the largest strain test it ever took in its entire existence. o_O

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!
May this year be full of love, joy and peace to you all!

(Finally! There's someone willing to smile at me!)

(Or for the camera... Does it really matter??? O_o)

(Apparently the higher you toss the thing, the better luck you'll have in the year. However they fail to warn you that a lucky guy has to clean up the mess all over the table. Tough luck)

(Why are you guys so camera shy? It's not like the whole world is going to see this photo... It's actually more like half the world ^_^)

(Karen - The ever-so-bubbly organiser of CNY Dinner 07')

My Mangoes!

2007-02-12T19:10:00.000+09:00

Is it just me or is there something about the markets that just seems to captivate the senses?

Is it the huge range of sun-ripened seasonal fruits? Or is it the crisp smell of fresh vegetables and produce? Maybe it's the hustle and bustle; the screaming and the shouting; the pushing and the shoving...

Could it be the excitement of trying to get a bargain on what's left before someone else grabs it? (Like the $1 bag of mangoes I got! It's MINE! ^_^) Or maybe it's because you're able to touch, feel and smell what you want to buy...

Whatever the reason, the fact is... The stuff sold there is dirt cheap...

If you haven't been to a fresh produce market before, I suggest you do. If you have... STAY AWAY from my mangoes! ^_^

See you there!

2007-02-08T15:06:00.000+09:00

Do your dishes taste dull and uninteresting? Do you wish there was something you could do? Then look no further... For the answer is right here! =)

If you cook at home; or if you're a chilli-loving fire-breathing dragon, then you should have one of these plants by your side. Bearing little bright red beauties every 2-3 weeks, it provides you with an almost endless supply of baby chillies for all your cooking needs (or whatever turns you on) ^_^

It only costs $3 from the local gardenery.

Go get one! =)

And of course... No garden big or small is ever complete without the resident ladybird ^_^

2007-02-07T17:56:00.000+09:00

Sometimes I wonder...
I wonder what the Lord has in store for me.

Sometimes I wait...
I wait for the Lord to show me the way.

Sometimes I worry...
I worry if I have the strength to carry on.

Sometimes I hope...
I hope that He'll come and take my problems away.

Sometimes I fear...
I fear that I may make the wrong choices.

Sometimes I realise...
I realise that God can turn the wrong choices into something good.

Sometimes I laugh...
I laugh at the moments when I almost fell.

And sometimes I smile...
I smile when the Lord reminds me of all the times He has picked me up.

All the while I notice...
That things may not go as well as it seems, but

Every time, You're always there for me.

Thank You, Jesus...

2007-02-06T18:33:00.001+09:00

This poor guy doesn't realise how cute he is...

To the point that my family back home would even snap pictures of him... While he's sleeping.

^_^

2007-01-31T23:07:00.000+09:00

What's For Dinner?

After my online conversation with a friend who's on exchange in Norway a couple of days ago, it occurred to me how difficult it was for people who live alone to cook a decent meal for themselves. I was in the same situation myself when I came to Perth and I admit, a huge part of it goes to the fact that my Mum wasn't there to do the cooking. ^_^

So I did the next best thing... I ate out. But you can only eat so much msg-infused takeaway till hair starts falling out of places you never knew existed.

So for all you guys out there struggling in the kitchen, get your hands out of the KFC bucket and don your aprons! I hope this simple recipe will help kick start those creative juices lurking in that cooking brain of yours =) Enjoy!

Potato Mash with Chorizos

Ingredients: 2 servings
2 potatoes (~40cents each)
1 onion (~20cents)
1 handful of snow pea sprouts (~20cents)
2 chorizos (~$2 each)

Boil the potatoes till soft. Remove the skin and mash till smooth. You could peel the skin off first then boil, but I reckon it just tastes better boiled with the skin on.

Add a tablespoon of butter to the mash. This gives it an absolutely wonderful flavour and aroma. Feel free to add another spoonful if you like, but go run a mile later to burn it off ^_^

Add cracked pepper and thyme for taste.

Slice the onions and chorizos up into chunky pieces. Chorizo is an Spanish chilli sausage that you can find at most supermarket deli sections.

Heat a pan up with medium heat and add little or even no oil. That's because the chorizos will produce quite a bit of oil after being heated.

Fry the sausages first till brown then throw the onions in. Stir fry together until the onions are almost caramelised. Don't burn the onions because you'll still want some crunchiness to this dish.

Lastly, add the snow pea sprouts in the potato mash and give it a good mix.

Plate and enjoy!

A simple meal for under $3 a serving. Hope you'll like it ^_^

2007-01-30T18:36:00.000+09:00

The Multi-Faceted Side of Me

It was hot. The mercury was at a stifling 39 degrees the past 3 days. You could make dried salted fish in half an hour.

Air-conditioner wasn't working. It was blasting away at maximum. The huff and puff apparently wasn't enough.

A shower was inevitable. Any later and I would go crazy. Some might argue that I already am.

I turned the faucet. Out came the water. Cold shower will do the trick I thought. Cold water there wasn't to be.

The water was hot. Did I turn on the hot water instead I thought. Not good. Wanted to hide in the fridge.

After my hot cold shower, it didn't feel that bad anymore. Maybe the heat got to me. Might also be the ice slushie that I gobbled down in 10 seconds. Brain hurts.

Thanks to daylight-savings, there were still 3 more hours of light to go. Out came the camera. I just had too much time.

The multi-faceted side of me...

2007-01-27T16:18:00.000+09:00

The Incredibly Long Post That I Didn’t Have Time To Write Earlier...

Woah... Where do I start? ^_^

To all out there who're wondering where on earth I've been, I'm still here in Perth and I'm officially, abeit reluctantly, a full time taxpayer.

Working at the specialist centre has really been great fun. It's really different from the impression you get when you're at uni, where everyone either thinks we'll be running around in scrubs screaming "PATIENT FLATLINING" while flapping our bloodied hands all around the emergency room, or asking a patient to drop their pants and (ermm...) cough. There are moments where everything seems to go nuts, but most of the while life's pretty peachy...

(Not that peachy... ^_^)

Fertility treatment is not a easy thing for patients to handle on a daily basis, so we kinda don't want to make it more difficult as it is by running amok like little flammingoes. Our patients look up to us as a source of support, encouragement and answers, so in a way all of us really have to be good in what we do. Except when the blood immunoassay machine fails... (Oh watch them flammingoes run). Speaking of which...

Everyone... Meet Cleo. Her name means "Father's glory" and this is the baby I get to play with everyday ^_^

She's an automated chemi-luminescence immunoassay system, designed to handle 180 blood samples an hour, with a TTFR (time to first result) of just 15 minutes. She's going to replace the aged, but still very much loved Wilbur. He has been running for 15 years and we think its about time he takes a break. Permanently =)

(Goodbye Wilbur... *sob*) -----> (Hellooo Cleo! *wohoo*)

I'm the only guy at work, which is good because there's no competition. *woohoo!* On the flip side, all the ladies at work are either married, attached or trying to have kids... *dooh!* Looks like I'll remain single for a while longer... ^_^ At least I've got Cleo...

Being the incredibly long post that I supposedly didn't have time for, it's time to recap what's been going on the past 3 months, in a glorious barrage of photos and song! (ok maybe not the song...)

Red Bull Air Race '06

Zion Fellowship's Celebration Lunch - 2 Years On...

Company Dinner @ Caffino's

(What happens when you're really hungry...)

Grace's parking prowess...

(Sorry Grace, I just had to post this! =) Please don't send David to come after me!)

No More Long Trips!

I just moved again and have now settled comfortably in a studio apartment, just a couple of minutes walk from work. I haven't taken any pictures yet, but I will soon ^_^

This time its permanent and I don't think I'll be moving again for quite some time =) Praise the LORD!

Till next time... Toodles! ^_^

2006-11-28T23:00:00.000+08:00

A Leap of Faith...

Baptism... A public testimony of our faith and identification with Jesus Christ.

It's an act of our death, burial and resurrection in Christ, a leap of faith...
However, this guy takes it to a whole different level!

Love it... ^_^ (poor pastor)

2006-11-09T18:19:00.000+08:00

I woke up at 6am this morning to witness a rare phenomenon that won't happen again for another 26 years - The transit of planet Mercury across the face of the Sun.

The weather forecasters were predicting rain and cloudy skies for the morning, but the Lord couldn't have blessed all of us sun-gazers with a better day! ^_^

A word of warning to all budding sun-gazers... Do not look at the sun directly through a telescope without first installing a solar filter, unless you want to end up burning a hole through your eye, or your camera. A telescope like mine has 130 times the light gathering power of the naked eye. Simply put, by the time you feel the pain, it's too late...

The filter is basically a mirrored surface with a safety film that blocks out 99.999% of visible light from the Sun and all the harmful UV rays. It's not that expensive and hey... It doubles up as a mirror too!

Mercury is about 1/285th the size of the Sun - a dot compared to the Sun, kind of like Singapore on the map of the world. However it didn't take long before I found it. See the dot at the top of the Sun? The bottom one's a sun-spot...

Yes... I was referring to that small miniscule dot.

A dot that I had to stare at for 10mins to make sure it wasn't a sun-spot ^_^

Mercury moving slowly towards the edge of the Sun...

Shot taken at maximum zoom of 12mm focal length, 1/500 shutter speed and an f-stop of 2.2... Just because I can ^_^

And what happens when you get your hands on a really really good telescope, like the 1 metre wide Swedish Solar Telescope (SST), compared to my 80mm Celestron?

You get pictures like these...

2006-11-07T23:48:00.000+08:00

ChurchTogether 2006 was an absolute blast on Sunday night, with well over 18,000 people from over 175 churches attending. It is just wonderful to know that so many Christians can put their denominational differences aside to come together and celebrate as one Church.

Bumped into Ganesh and his friends from Perth Christian Life Centre. I met Ganesh while I was studying at the University of Western Australia. He works as pharmacist in the Guild Village.

From left: Sarah is a medical researcher at Royal Perth Hospital, while sisters Deborah & Esther are wanna-be drama queens (hey that's what you both told me! ^_^)

Deborah is an electrical engineer while Esther is a speech therapist. Angelina, Siew Yi & Lars down below.

I know you told me you're camera shy... But somehow or rather I didn't really care =)

The night started off literally with a bang!

What event would be complete without the ever-popular T-Shirt throwing contest?

Canon J. John from the UK was absolutely inspirational in his message. With the stature and accent of Mr Bean, he is not to be taken lightly as over 100 people accepted the Lord Jesus into their lives that night.

Lastly, the night ended off with an even bigger bang! Hillsongs United performed the closing concert, with thousands of us all singing our lungs out and jumping along to the music!

Till next year... 18,000 people, 175 churches, 1 faith... 1 Church Together. ^_^

2006-11-05T00:00:00.000+08:00

Yes, I've done it again ^_^ This is the 3rd time I've moved in 2 years and I feel very much like a backpacker now; except this über lone ranger here is also carrying his mattress, sofa and dining table along with him on his adventures.

From the beautiful Swan River foreshore south of Perth city, I shoved my things into my ever-so-reliable 4 wheeler (innocently nicknamed "Bubbles", derived from its car licence plate 'BUB') and went to explore the land of the North, famed for its wide open spaces, pleasant people and giant houseflies. One of those things flying into your car windscreen explodes like a paintball... *ergh* (and I'm talking about the houseflies, not the people) ^_^

My home for the next 4 months was at a suburb called Clarkson, approximately 45km north of Perth; but just a breezy 10mins drive from my workplace at Joondalup Hospital. However my church is at Willetton, a jolly good 15 km SOUTH of Perth. Simply put, I have to drive a total of 120km, twice weekly for church activities. By the time I arrive for Sunday service, I would have listened to an entire sermon on CD while driving. (I'm so gonna win next year's bible quiz night)

Before long, it was time for me to move again. I don't think I'll bother to unpack my things this time. Right now I'm staying at a friend's place in Mindarie, a stone's throw away from the Indian Ocean (yes, literally...) This place is absolutely beautiful! The houses are lovely, the ocean view is breath-taking, the air is amazingly fresh, and the houseflies are just as large as the ones in Clarkson.

But hey... I'm happy!

And that's just me being cheeky... ^_^

2006-10-18T19:04:00.000+08:00

Evolution of Dance

What this guy does is absolutely hilarious, especially if you recognize the dance moves!

2006-10-09T23:07:00.000+08:00

Hossan Leong in Parliament

If you're from Singapore, you've got to watch this...

If you're not, just watch it anyway! ^_^

2006-10-08T19:57:00.000+08:00

Made in India

If you think peak hour traffic in Perth city was bad, wait till you see this...

Only possible in India ^_^

2006-10-03T19:08:00.000+08:00

What's Happening @ The Bible Blog

Why did Jesus Christ sit down at the right hand of God?

When I was young, I didn't know why Jesus sat down next to God when He was received up into heaven. I used to think He did it because Jesus is the Son of God, and if your father is God, then you'll surely get to sit down right? ^_^

Nice try Andy... =)

Well, if you don't know why, the answer is right there in...

Read on @ Ropheka

2006-10-02T19:23:00.000+08:00

I would like to officially introduce to you the latest addition to our family... Everyone, say hi to Toby! ^_^

His name originates from the Old Testament name of Tobiah, which means "The Lord is Good".

He is my dear sister's pride and joy, and I can't wait to get back home to Singapore and give Toby a big hug! Come to think about it... There's not that much of him to hug! Haha... ^_^

2006-09-29T15:40:00.000+08:00

What's Happening @ The Wine Blog

I've always tried Merlot as a blend, but never by itself before. As it was selling for a ridiculously low price - $6.97 to be exact - I thought to myself, "Why not now?"

Merlot has always been seen as the little brother to the more popular Cabernet Sauvignon; when it's blended (you'll never find it as Merlot Sauvignon), or at the...

Read on @ The Wine Blog

2006-09-21T19:10:00.000+08:00

Heineken Ad

Keep an eye out for the 2 old ladies... ^_^

2006-09-18T23:41:00.000+08:00

What's Happening @ The Wine Blog

There is wine that's good; and then there is wine that's just great. Squashed, macerated and fermented right here in Western Australia, Sandalford has produced one of the finest quality Cabernet Sauvignon I've ever tried.

It doesn't even cost you an arm and a leg to get your hands on this. Ok maybe just the leg... Why? Because it's......

Read on @ The Wine Blog

2006-09-16T21:25:00.000+08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PA!

To the greatest Dad in the world...

You have eyes on your head... Watching out for us always...

You blow us away with your wisdom...

During times of impending danger...

Or when I get into trouble...

We can count on you to save us when we're drowning...

You always put on a brave face during signs of danger...

You fear nothing! Even the camera man...

You lead us by the hand through the darkness & the unknown...

When times are bad, we can always count on you for help...

When the world is shaking, you keep us steady...

You help us put things into perspective...

You're always reaching for greater errr... Heights!

Your presence is felt everywhere... Even outside the toilet.

You rock our world all the time...

I know where I got my dashing good looks from...

You know how much we love you Dad...

No matter how funny you look sometimes...

Happy Birthday Dad!

2006-09-14T14:52:00.000+08:00

Organon - Eshre 2006 Conference
European Society of Human Reproductive Endocrinology

Wade flashing his pearly whites...

"Oh fine! Take the picture without telling me..." ^_^

It's good to have another testosterone-filled person around sometimes... >_<

2006-09-13T18:39:00.000+08:00

The Leeming Cell says goodbye to a dear brother of ours... Surrounded by all the ladies as usual ^_^

Kelvin a.k.a Singapore Ah Beng, all the best for your SQ pilot training in Brisbane!

2006-09-11T16:49:00.000+08:00

5 years ago, on this very day... I can still remember.
One Tuesday night, in the month of September...

I came back home but no one answered the door.
There was a silence that I've never heard before.

Suddenly the door swung open and my sister told me to come in,
Hurry she says, not even asking how my day had been.

I watched in horror as one of the buildings was burning.
Watching the news, not even sure of what I was hearing.

Seconds later, it all became clear to me...
When another plane flew into the tower, for the whole world to see.

All the souls that were lost, may they rest in heaven.
That day for me, was my September 11...

This is not a message to promote hate to anyone, to any group or to any religion. The world has persecuted each other enough for the past 5 years and I don't wish to add to it. However this goes to show one thing...

People die in the name of God. But no one wages war in the name of Jesus.

Jesus never fails... Love never fails.

2006-09-09T13:45:00.000+08:00

If you've heard of the word "Crikey!" and understand what it means, then congratulations... You're one step closer to being a master of the Irwinian vernacular! ^_^

The Columbus Dispatch has attempted to overcome this language barrier by kindly translating some of Steve Irwin's famous phrases into layman-speak...

"Isn't she gorgeous!" = This is a female animal.

"Check out the size of this bloke!" = This is a large animal.

"Have a look at this little beauty!" = This is a dangerous and repellent animal.

"You're OK, mate." = Don't bite me.

"Holy smokes, that was close!" = I barely avoided being bitten.

"Crikey!" = Wow!

Rest in peace mate... ^_^

2006-09-05T16:48:00.000+08:00

Steve Irwin

22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006

He is one man Aussies love to hate, but can't help to love. When no one cared about the animals, he was there. And he passed away doing what he loved.

Steve, Australia misses you...

2006-09-03T20:35:00.000+08:00

What's Happening @ The Wine Blog

Mention the word "Lexia" at any wine shop and you'll surely be directed to one of 2 places. One is the rack at the back which houses all the cheap cask wines. The other, contains this beautiful bottle from Brown Brothers. This Muscat variety has been proven so popular...

Read on @ The Wine Blog

2006-08-20T19:40:00.000+08:00

The wine blog is officially up and running!

What started as an assignment during my university days, has blossomed into this... A website over 8000 years in the making. A consequence of many years of debate on the benefits of wine.

Wine... The Good, Bad & the Bubbly was founded in May 2006 when a university undergraduate was forced to put together a web site based on a controversial science topic.

They expected only the best and finest from him. Days passed without any progress and in that time he resorted to drinking leftover wines for any form of inspiration.

Then it dawned upon him that wines do go bad after being opened for a couple of weeks.

Rejected and alone, with an impending deadline just round the corner; out of the ashes of desperation and hopelessness, came forth what you are reading today.

I hope you'll have as much fun exploring this intriguing topic of wine as much as I have enjoyed ~~drinking~~ making it.

Cheers!

wholebunchofgrapes.blogspot.com

2006-08-18T23:41:00.000+08:00

Look what I found when I went to work today... One of our patients gave us individual gift packs! Mine's the Daily Face Hydrator (with sunscreen), from the fine range at Nutrimetics. *wohoo!*

Thank you my dear; you know who you are...
I pray that your baby will be a bright shining star,
With the courage of his father & the kindness of his mum,
And maybe in the future, more bundles of joy to come.

God bless you my dear!

2006-08-16T17:35:00.000+08:00

One of the funniest videos I've seen in a while... I'll never look at the treadmill the same way again! ^_^

Check out the guy in the pink shirt... He's amazing!

(click on the image to play the video)

2006-08-11T11:40:00.000+08:00

Why Computers Sometimes Crash!
by Dr. Seuss.

If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port,
and the bus is interrupted at a very last resort,
and the access of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report...

If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash,
and the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash,
and your data is corrupted cause the index doesn't hash,
then your situation's hopeless and your system's gonna crash!

If the label on the cable on the table at your house,
says the network is connected to the button on your mouse,
but your packets want to tunnel to another protocol,
that's repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall..

And your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss,
so your icons in the window are as wavy as a souse;
then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang,
'cuz sure as I'm a poet, the sucker's gonna hang...

When the copy on your floppy's getting sloppy in the disk,
and the macro code instructions cause unwanted risk,
then you'll have to flash the BIOS and you'll want to RAM your ROM,
just quickly turn the darn thing off and run to tell your Mom!

Well, that certainly clears things up for me. How about you?
Thank you, Bill Gates, for bringing all this into our lives!

2006-08-05T20:16:00.000+08:00

After spending most of the week basking under the warm glow of fluorescent lights and smelling like hospital disinfectant, I can't think of a better way to spend my off-day than helping a friend sell these...

Behold, I present to you a delicacy riddled with bacteria; tasting like sweet milk just gone bad; something that your brain cannot comprehend but you just can't stop eating; and for all you health conscious people, its 96% fat-free!

Its non other than the famous Greek Athena Yogurt!

It comes in 8 different flavours - Mixed Berries, Blueberries, Passionfruit, Mango, Apple & Cinnamon, Boysenberry, Cappuccino and Naturally Sweetened.

My favourite - Blueberries!

Mango, one of our biggest sellers...

Passionfruit - For all you tangy people...

This is the plain and boring one... Oh sorry, Naturally Sweetened! ^_^

5 handfuls of fresh blueberries & LOTS of love, sweat and tears... Okay, maybe not the sweat and tears...

Finally, all decked out in its full glory...

Martin's sister, Christine, who happily bought 2 tubs of yogurt back to Singapore - "Have a great time back home!"

2006-07-30T15:15:00.000+08:00

You gave me a job when I wasn't looking.
An open door when there wasn't any...

I was willing to settle for anything, even less.
But You gave me a chance to work with the best.

I know it was You because I had nothing to give,
But they took me on anyway...

All I did was seek You and pray,
And a job I now have today.

Thank You for blessing me with these wonderful people,
What You did was nothing short of a miracle...

It's such joy to work with you guys, my second family.
Bless them Lord for they have been such a blessing to me...

No... We're not like this most of the time. We're like this ALL of the time... I think it must be something in the coffee...

Miffy, Sam & Brooke - Our front desk Medical Secretaries - Our first line of defence. Trust me, you don't want to make them angry, so pay your bills on time ^_^

Nurse Co-ordinators Denise & Joan (with Brooke) - The brains behind the scenes. With over 50 years of working experience between them, they don't look a tad beyond 35 you reckon? *score brownie points*

Nurse Co-ordinator Eileen & Sonographer Chelsea - Our ultrasound specialists, where they boldly see where no man has seen before...

Bio-Chemist Allison (with daughter Miffy) - My teacher, the one who taught me everything else the university failed to teach. From running the complex chemi-luminescence machine to what girls really want... What will I do without you???

Embryologists Tara & Sue - What you girls do in the lab is nothing short of a miracle. Really enjoyed working with you Tara, even though you were with us only for a short while.

Yours truly, (with Eileen's son James) - Bio-Chemist and the only representative of the male species at work... "James, hurry up! Finish your university and come help me!"

Greetings from all the ladies and the "boy"... ^_^

2006-07-08T22:18:00.000+08:00

Now that I've finally completed my university life and now officially a taxpayer, I would like to take this opportunity to thank these wonderful ladies at UWA Guild for taking care of me, feeding me, and making sure I eat well...

A little too well ^_^

Wendy, the Queen of Kebabs with Jean the Fish & Chip Master

Patricia, from the Salad Bar - Queen of the Greens

Ann, from the cashier - Princess of the Till (You're actually happy to give money to her)

Linda, from Claremont Guild - The Empress of the Acorn

Could be a conspiracy to fatten me up... Hmmm... O_o

2006-07-04T23:49:00.000+08:00

Well folks, here it is... I couldn't think of a better day to launch it than on my birthday ^_^ Ropheka@blogspot is officially up and running. Its something I've always wanted to do and its finally here.

Ropheka is a Hebrew word and can be literally translated as "My Healer" or "The One Who Heals". As you can tell, it will be everything about Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.

So I hope you will join me and enjoy this journey together with me as I find out more about the Man who gave it all up, to save you and me from a lifetime of suffering, to bring us an eternal life full of joy and happiness.

This is the story of His Finished Work...

ropheka.blogspot.com

2006-07-03T00:42:00.000+08:00

I thought I had lost all interest in the World Cup after Australia got infamously booted out by the Italians. That was till I saw this....

Rooney... This time you really kicked the wrong balls man... ^_^

Its coming...
1 more day to the big one. Don't really know how its going to turn out, but I hope it goes well ^_^

2006-06-27T14:46:00.000+08:00

Where is the honour in football when a striker deliberately trips over a defender? Where is the glory in winning when a goal is scored because of some dramatic acting? What has happened to this beautiful world game to turn it into a joke? How can a referee 2 metres away make such a dim-witted mistake? Either he needs a new pair of glasses or the world needs a new referee...

Evil spirits must be at play here =) If not how do we explain the Italian striker’s left foot being mysteriously held down... Dragging across the ground to purposely strike the Australian defender? Did you also notice how he managed to fall with such finesse, worthy of a place in China’s gymnastics team; as if a strange force had shoved him in the back?

A reporter for the Miami Herald says it best, “Italian left back Fabio Grosso broke past a defender and found himself with the ball in Australia's penalty area. He saw Lucas Neill lunging to get the ball away, so Grosso did what any savvy world-class player would do: he tumbled over Neill's body, crumpled into the fetal position and peeked out to see the referee's reaction.”

To be fair to Italy, (I’ve got loads of Italian friends who I would still like to be invited to their house for dinner) how can the referee send off a player who did not even scratch the Australian striker during the tackle? Dangerous play maybe, but surely not worthy of a straight red card...

Australian Socceroos, you are heroes in our eyes. Lucas Neill, the world will remember you for giving away the penalty... But we’ll remember you for showing us how flawed this world game is, and how heroes lose graciously knowing that they did their best and played their fairest.

2006-06-01T19:25:00.000+08:00

Peace & quiet... Just one of the couple of things you'll normally associate with a holiday at a beach resort; or even describes the room which houses the white throne that you sit on everyday, where you get the pristine opportunity to slowly release and let go all your worries, tension and intoxicating matters of life and literally flush them down the drain.

I digress.

Peace, quiet & darkness. Some of the things more commonly associated with a power blackout. Or the same throne room if you like to do your business in the dark. ^_^

Electricity has been noticingly absent at South Perth for the past 2 nights. And I mean no street lights, traffic lights, and who knows, even the red light cameras. It was so dark I could even capture the faint glow of stars in the background of this photo...

After much careful deliberation in the dark, I decided that it was time for me to stop the trail of carnage I was leaving behind as I was knocking over every single piece of furniture in my path, and come up with an alternative light source other than my mobile phone's backlight. Behold I now give thee my creation...

Its quite bright really... But surprising enough, I found myself enjoying every single bit of this experience. Even God's Word encourages us, "Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

He showed me how amazing life could still be without television or computers, by bringing me back to my childhood years where it was just exciting listening to water crackling in the hot burning candle and flames were just fun to look at...

Not to mention this bloke too...

2006-05-29T22:57:00.000+08:00

Ah yes... My parents have flown back home to sunny Singapore.

What a time it has been being with you all...

From the joyest moments we had, celebrating as a family at church together; picnics in my bedroom with baked beans and toasted bread; long drives in my overloaded echo trying to shift my stuff to my new place; picking grapes at vineyards; our merciless consumption of cashew nuts; cracking jokes with the waiters at Ciao Italia; falling miserably to crack a joke with the German boss at Dear Friend's Restaurant; that HUGE pork shank at Duckstein; those wonderful $3.50 dinners at Karawara; more laughs at Ciao Italia; all those wines that we've tried and got drunk in the process; riding in a vintage 1927 Studebaker with no seatbelts; to the double back stabbing by a certain individual, who happens to be a millionaire and shall go un-named to protect his worthless identity...

Although it has been a tough 5 weeks, we've grown closer and more united than ever before.

When I came to this world, the Lord chose you both to care for me...
Thank God it wasn't up to me, for I would have made a mistake...
For He couldn't have chosen anyone better...

A moment of regret with you both is one thing I never had.
Thank you for raising me up through those years, good and bad.
I love you both... Mom & Dad ^_^

2006-04-28T13:11:00.000+08:00

YAY! My parents are here in Perth for a couple of weeks to visit, yes, yours truly ^_^

Been living at the Vines near Ellenbrook for the past week now; without television or internet, no messages or phone calls (unless you stick a big satellite dish on your head for reception). The golf course is apparently 5 steps away, with a sand bunker pretty much making up most of the glorious view out of my bedroom window.

It takes about an hour to drive back down to the city, at a nice comfortable 60km/h... Which is great if you really want to spend some time alone, to listen to the harmless drone of the car engine humming away and of course the occasional over-enthusiastic fly that decides to greet you by crashing straight onto your windscreen. Really great for all you budding entomology students out there =)

Now do this for the next 7 days and you'll realise why I have been drinking so much wine... (joking!)

Speaking of wine...

Pepperjack Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

If you're familiar with wines from Saltram, you wouldn't think that this dubious looking bottle with an even more dubious sounding name has come from the very loins of their chief winemaker - Nigel Dolan.

The full-bodied flavour really stands out when it hits your palate and the rich aroma of the black-currents tops it off as one of the most enjoyable reds I've tried thus far. With its smooth drinking style, it really makes for a nice complement to any relaxing night out with family and friends.

*a note to all you wine guzzlers out there... let the wine breathe for an hour or so before drinking to really bring out its flavour and aroma* ^_^

Available at all good wine retailers for around $25...

Go try =)

_________________________

To Dorcas: GAAh!! You dare doubt my descriptive wine drinking skills? ^_^
"i shall cruusssh you like a crrroooaaaakroach!"
yes, we shall eat drink soon... and i'll bring a bottle along too *grin*

2006-04-20T00:44:00.000+08:00

After a full meal, pop open one of these beauties and drink to your heart's content... Brown Brothers - Dolcetto & Syrah 2005

Had a chance to try a glass at my cell group meeting last week during Good Friday. We initially had it for the Holy Communion session when we broke fast at 6pm. What a better way to remember the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus than by breaking bread ^_^

As I drank it, I thought to myself, "Man... The blood of Christ never tasted so good!" Yes, all you religious pions, come throw your socks at me now ^_^ jk jk...

But really, this fine drop really deserves some mention. Intense fruity flavours but without the overpowering nature of the sharp tannins... Has a distinct taste of ripe raspberries with a hint of liquorice. Smooth to drink, low on alcohol...

What more can I say?

"Alcoholic Ribena!" quips one of the unenlightened wine drinkers... *faints*

Available at your local wine retailer for around $14...

Enjoy! ^_^

2006-04-19T01:19:00.000+08:00

Currently listening to Moby Hotel...

An amazing compilation of songs, especially the percussion inspired Lift Me Up, and Where You End...
The album starts off with the track aptly named Hotel Intro, which I could listen to over and over again without throwing up... Ok, at least for the first 20 times ^_^

Go listen =)

2006-03-21T21:25:00.000+08:00

1 Peter 2:24
"... who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed!"
______________________

Remember those times when you wonder if God had heard you? Prayers for Him to bless you with a parking lot, repair broken relationships and those for Him to rescue you from the snarls of the evil one...

But sometimes it seems as if He didn't hear your prayers... Think its because you didn't pray enough or misbehaved recently? Then know this...

Your Lord hears all your prayers! Every cry every sigh, every tear every fear, He knows all! ^_^

Its when we confuse our relationship with God, with religion, that everything seems to be conditional. We don't receive results because we didn't pray hard enough... We've got to do this to get that....

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

If God gave His Son freely to die on the cross for us, for Him to withhold healing, peace or prosperity from us means that He values them more than His Son... And we all know that is so not true... For it is by His Grace; His undeserved, unmerited favour, that we receive all these things... ^_^

Think about it... If we so instinctively fear that God remembers all the bad things we do and hears all the curses we utter...

Then how about your prayers? =)

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Hebrews 8:12)

2006-03-09T18:24:00.000+08:00

The pinnacle of magnetic stix design. A triple-helical asymmetrical layering of repeating pyramidal blocks. A structure that stayed stuck together only by the miniscule forces of nature, and only remained standing by carefully stacked pieces of paper.

A work of art. Lasted a glorious day. Felled by the all powerful finger of destruction by my lab seniors.

May It rest in pieces.
________________________

I've just started this weird habit of collecting quotes from various sources. TV, radio, internet, church sermons, lectures, and the occasional bathroom conversations with God. Its just amazing how these short phrases can change your perspective of life, so much in such a small way.

One I really liked was mentioned by Dave Chapelle on Oprah. "Success takes you where character cannot sustain you..." I'm still trying to find the person who originally came up with that.

Now this one comes real close to home...
"There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot."
-Steven Wright

This is for all you Star Wars fans...
"Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together...." -Carl Zwanzig

Ever wondered why you can never get your mouse to work? We have the answer right here...
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." -Rich Cook

How true is this to all of us Jesus lovers... ^_^
"You can only find truth with logic if you have already found truth without it."
-Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Everything we do in life, from the works of our hands, to the words from our lips, will ultimately leave an impression in the memories of someone out there.

What this means is... We all have a purpose, whether we like it or not. Carrying out your purpose in life does not necessarily mean you have to know what it is. As long as you realise that everything you do has an impact on someone else's life, then you have a purpose in life. Exactly what that entails to I guess you'll find out when you meet your Maker, our dear heavenly Father. ^_^

Now I can sense people are gonna quote to me verses from the bible; maybe one that says "Seek first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Isn't that our purpose? To seek God's kingdom? To seek His Righteousness?
Yes I agree we have to do all these things, but look at the entire context of the verse. Don't worry about food, drink and clothing (aka stuff), seek God's kingdom (love peace and joy in the Holy Spirit) and His Righteousness (our dear Jesus) first, and those things will find their way to you. Doesn't say anything about our purpose...

To know our purpose, we have to truly know our God. He, who made us and gave us life, surely has a plan for every one of us (Jeremiah 29:10-14). We make the mistake of trying to read God's mind, guessing His plan for us. And how many times have we screwed up...? ^_^

So instead of aimlessly chasing your dreams and your perception of "God's will" around the curry bush, stop and realise that you already have to power to exercise God's purpose for you. Use this moment to encourage yourself and know that the Lord will not leave you alone to accomplish His plan. Furthermore His Big Plan has already been accomplished hasn't it? Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead didn't He? ^_^

Let Him show you the way. And His ways are always filled with peace and joy. If there's no peace, don't do it. If there's no joy, don't do it. And know this... Every test you face, will become a testimony. Every challenge you meet, will become the footstool where you'll lay your feet...

So why do I blog then?
To encourage you... And to let you know you're never alone... You never walk alone.

2006-02-26T22:05:00.000+08:00

For all you electric guitar lovers out there...

Check this guy out... He's playing Canon by Pachelbel. Crank up the volume around the middle. Its quite a large file so be patient, but its worth every single bit *no pun intended* ^_^

Thanks to Qiong for sharing this with the world!

Only one word can describe this performance... AWWWESOME! ^_^

2006-02-21T02:27:00.000+08:00

What began as a fine cool morning would quickly turn to one of the most horrifying days of my life.

How quickly a moment can turn into despair...
How fast life can spin out of control, catching you unaware.
What happened on Sunday I could never again bear.
Life is so fragile, so please please take care...

Sunday - 19 February 2006 - 6:15am
Woke up with a stuffed nose. Had left the window open. Found myself tightly wrapped in my blanket like a tortilla. My left nostril conveniently sticking out of the cosy protection of my down feather quilt. Left it to face the harsh cruel world of the freezing morning air by itself. Thought twice about going to work.

6:40am
Cursed the guy who invented the snooze button. Had to leave in 20 minutes. Those close to me would know that I take much longer than that to get ready. Marry me and you'll find out why ^_^

7:10am
Kissed the guy in the mirror goodbye. Did a quick calculation in my head. Work was 30kms away. Car goes at 100km/h. Will take 18 mins to get there. 2 mins to get up the lift with time to spare to adjust my hair. Man, even that rhymes... ^_^

7:15am
Everything's on schedule. Traffic's quite light. Anyone driving at this time either works in a lab at Joondalup or seriously needs a life ^_^

7:18am
Why is everyone slowing down? If you're going to drive on the first lane at less than 100km/h at the freeway... You really need a... *what on earth?* 0_0

7:18am + 1s
Saw a car swerve widely onto the dirt towards the median rails. What happened in the next 3 secs will change that driver's life, and mine forever...

7:18am +2s
Driver overcorrected and the car swerved back onto the road at a right angle. The car has now lost traction and is sliding across the 3 lanes. (2 seconds...)

7:18am +3s
Now the car is sliding uncontrollably towards a concrete support pillar of a flyover bridge. Stop the car... stop it now!!! My heart yells. (1 second...)

7:18am +4s
Car impacts the concrete wall with so much energy that it continues flying down the road 4-5m, only to ram straight onto a streetlight, completely severing it from its base. Try hitting the steel frame of a streetlight when you walk pass one, and imagine how much force it would take to break it in two.

Car finally rolls to a stop... 0 seconds.

7:18am +5s...
All the cars around me immediately pulled up by the side of the road. We must have stared at the crash for like another 3 seconds, trying to comprehend what just happened.

Did a car just skid off the road? Will the driver just walk out and sweep the dirt of his jacket? It was only until we saw the sight of a man running straight towards an overturned car that woke us up from our period of denial.

Ever noticed in the movies that time always seems to slow down during a dramatic event? (all thanks to the director's wilful editing) It happens in real life too. Everything went silent as well. It's like the mind shuts off the other senses when it tries to make out an image of a crushed up car with a person in it.

As I approached the car, I could see a bloodied arm from the driver's side window. I've always wanted to see the bottom of a car, but not like this. My initial concern was whether the car was gona blow up. That subsided when a man who seemed to know what he was doing checked to see if the car engine was still running.

The man who first ran towards the car was now halfway in it. Could see that he was trying his best to keep her conscious. Yes, we now all found out that the driver is a girl. There wasn't any space for another to help. The car was so crushed on the driver's side that I couldn't even imagine how anyone could survive.

One of the guys now went to direct traffic around the car, while some of the others and I went to clear as much debris from the road as we could. The last thing we wanted was glass being sprayed all over us by a passing car.

Prayed in the Spirit the whole while. I knew I wasn't trained in first aid and there was nothing I could do but pray. Thank God for the gift of tongues because I couldn't imagine myself praying properly in English after seeing a car which now resembled a crushed aluminium can.

7:21am
Nurses arrived. Was amazed how fast they responded especially on a Sunday morning. Could have been off-duty nurses. Nevertheless, praise the Lord for placing them there at the right place and the right time.

7:24am
To what seemed like forever, the police, ambulance and fire brigade arrives. Our part was done and it was time to let the professionals do their job.

One of the officers approached me to take my statement down. It was this moment when I started to recall that fateful 3 seconds, that my heart grieved silently under that detached facade. Prayed for a couple more moments before committing her to the Lord and driving off to work.

I wondered if there was anything else I could have done? Let's just say for the rest of the drive to work, I was bombarded by the evil one with thoughts of not doing enough or not responding fast enough. My heart was burdened with guilt and confusion. I wondered why I had to be there at that place at that time. I wondered if I left my house earlier, I might have been driving next to her, or might have not seen it at all. But why then and there?

It was at that time that the Lord told me that I was there for a reason. So were the others. Everyone knew they had a part to play. From the brave soul who went straight into the car without checking if the car was on fire, to the rest of us who were picking up debris, and to that one man who walked 20 metres down the road to direct traffic by himself. As for myself, I just prayed.

Our wise Lord then answered my question with a question. "What if the reason I had you there at that time and at that place because I knew you would pray for her?" My heart filled with joy and peace again. The Lord had anointed each and one of us to perform a special role.

Some of us would like to think that praying at that moment would be considered a passive act and something one would do as a last resort, but the Lord explained to me that a prayer was equally as effective, if not more effective, in helping that driver than what the others did. Without prayers, the girl's life was in the hands of mortal men and man-made equipment. But with the Lord's help, He can guide the firemen to break open the wreckage easily and bring her out safely without causing further damage to her body... He can protect her in ways we'll never know. Hey, He can even raise the dead! ^_^

Life can be so unpredictable,
You never know what turn it'll take...
All of the things that happen to us,
Caused by the very decisions we make...

If you do not yet know our God, our Father,
All alone in this world you'll be...
Come under His wings of protection,
His love so great you shall see...

He is our Saviour, our Shepherd.
Let Him embrace you now, for your sake...
Our lives are too short, too precious,
To leave to this world to break...

Let the Holy Spirit fill you now,
With love, peace and joy...
Let the finished work of Jesus Christ,
Reveal to you a life to enjoy...

To all the men and women that day who so bravely risked their lives, to uphold another who was in greater need. The Lord bless you and keep you in love, joy and peace forever. ^_^

2006-01-21T14:04:00.000+08:00

"I think a man only needs one thing in life. He just needs someone to love...
If you can't give him that, then give him something to hope for...
And if you can't give him that, just give him something to do..."
- James Liddle - Flight of the Phoenix

This entire month has been one rollercoaster ride after another. When you realise that u've got only a month to live, your whole perspective of life changes. Every thing that you've once taken for granted comes back to you in a whole different light.

Fresh air... I used to work way after closing hours, tidying the shelves, arranging everything to point in the same direction... But now I find myself getting out at 5.30pm sharp, dropping everything I have just to bask in the glow of the sunset and to suck in the wonderful Australian air. And just for that couple of minutes, u forget about the hundreds of flies stuck to the back of your shirt (let's not spoil the moment here shall we ^_^)

Fishing... Where do I start? ^_^ Used to think it was a waste of time. Old geezers with too much time on their hands trying to catch fish stupid enough to bite on some lifeless bait... Well, lets just say that I am one of those geezers now eh *grin* I never knew that my Father could use fishing to teach me an important principle of life... Its not about patience, its not about skill and its certainly not about the equipment. Its about trusting Him once you cast your line into the water. I'm not talking about sport fishing where u know where fish are and how they would react when someone tries to rip their jaw out with a hook. Its the plain old school style where u only have your rod, line, bait and iPod.

Its these times where u can only throw the bait into the water and wait... Wait for my Father to deliver... Or for one real stupid fish to swim around. Its these times when u really feel vulnerable and stupid (guys... talking to the fish won't make them bite k... trust me, i tried that). But its also these times when u realise that we're not really in control. Our Father in heaven is. When we try to control our lives, our future, we unknowingly slap the hand of our Father away, refusing His help and wisdom. If only we could learn to cast the line into the vast ocean and let the Lord do the rest... Or u could pray for real stupid fish ^_^

Friends... Friends who once were, now is, and yet to come...
What do I do without them? Oh right, there's still Video Ezy ^_^ Friends are not just people you know... They are people that are willing to go one step further, one cent dearer, one hour longer for you. They are people who don't expect anything in return, except for the annual invite to the front row seats of Australia Day fireworks on my balcony and the occasional jar of salt. So to all my friends out there; who was, who is, and who is yet to come, I thank you all...

Forgiveness... Ah tough one this is...
It is an inevitable fact of life that some point in your life, there will be someone u'll come across that will tick your tocks the wrong way. To some, that person may be a customer who loves to place her wet umbrella on top of my freshly arranged "DRY" stock on my counter top (i forgave her already) or the tailgater who loves to drive his car inches from my bumper... so close that he can use my rearview mirror to arrange his hair (a quick flick on the brake pedal did the trick), but what if that person is your friend? Your loved one? Your family member? Can we actually forgive and forget? First of all we must find out why we forgive in the first place... It's because our Father did it to us. He didn't have to forgive us of all our sins, but He did. He didn't have to love us troublemakers, murmurers and liars, but He did. He didn't have to give His Son to die for us gossipers, hypocrites and fools, but He did. If our Father can overlook the wrong that we did and love us for who we really are, then maybe we should start trying to do the same. Lets have the heart of our Father, full of grace and love overflowing...

I forgive you... For what you did. I do not know why you had to do it that way, but you have your reasons. I leave you to the Lord, for Him to guide you and teach you all things, that you may not make the same mistake again.

The past is the past, its all but a memory to me.
History has become His story to tell, His will I let it be...
For me all I can do is forgive you and move on.
But my respect and trust for you is all but gone...

Forget...
There is a misconception that when we forgive, we also have to forget. There is no verse in the bible that tells us that... Not even close. The Lord only tells us to forgive. Then where did the "forget" part come from? Honestly I have no idea and I think that is what's hampering the forgiving process... I tried to forget and the more I did, the harder it came back. It is only when I told myself to forgive and let the Lord do the rest, the memories did not hurt as much as it did. So now, even though I remember the things that were done to me, I overlook them and accept them as my past. And now come to think about it, it ain't a big deal anymore.. Hey, who doesn't make mistakes eh? ^_^

Oh just in case u thought I was gona *dong dong chang*, oh no no no... I'm still gona be here for a long long time by the grace of God ^_^ Was referring to whether I'll still remain living in Australia. Haven't been back to Singapore for close to 3 years now, so the idea of returning back home is quite erm... Humid. (hey i'm sorry if that's the first thing i can think of k ^_^)

To all of you out there who have helped me get through this ordeal, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The Lord bless you & keep you in Love, Joy & Peace always.

2005-12-21T19:20:00.000+08:00

I've been living without the internet for the past 2 weeks... Even resorted to humming the dial-up signal into the phone just to see if I could somehow get a connection... But to no avail... *sob sob*

I finally managed to fit everything into my room. Its quite a sight really... With boxes stacked up to the ceiling like towering skyscrapers, clothes heaped up like soaring mountains, and walking space the size of a minuscule shoe box... ^_^

Will be going down to Albany with my God-family next week *YaY!!!* Thank God for them ^_^
It just happened that I wanted to take a drive down by myself to some place I can't pronounce. Been in Perth for a couple of years straight now and it seems like the daily working + studying, 8 to 6 routine is getting to me. So I was quite surprised when my God-mum Julie (yes... Hi mum! ^_^) invited me on a road trip. Your Father hears all your prayers ^_^

Hey Jess... I hope you're enjoying yourself in Costa Rica ^_^ met any cute guys yet? In case you don't know, yes yours truly is your God-brother now. This means that I can officially make you eat your vegetables. *muahahaha*

Hey Qiong Hui! Oops! I mean Rae... Oops! I mean the girl from RJC-whom-I've-known-for-so-many-years-now-who-doesn't-want-to-be-named... I've got your CHRISTMAS CARD!!! So sweet of you... Thank you heaps!

To all the wonderful nurses and staff at Fertility North Clinic... It has been such a wonderful year working with all you amazing ladies. You all have such passion and love for what you do. I feel so fortunate to be part of this wonderful gender-biased family... (yes, I am the only guy there... Why do I always find myself in this situation? ^_^)

To my dear family back home in Singapore... I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
I could write more here about you... But I think that 4 hour conversation we had over the phone kind of summed up what I have to say... But this I can't say enough... I LOVE YOU ALL!!! *muak muak muak* ^_^

To the Lord, my dear Father...
At the lowest point of my life, I asked You for a family... You've blessed me with 3... One in Singapore who loves me like no other, one at work where all the nurses treat me like their son, and just recently my God-family who have graciously accepted me into their lives...

When my finances were low... You solved my problem in a matter of weeks, where it would have taken months...
You've opened up doors for me, and by Your undeserved favor blessed me to be where I am today.
I thank You for making my life story a testimony to Your glory and love... It has been an amazing journey my Friend...
And it will always be...

I can't wait for tomorrow,
For today has been great...
Yesterday was not just a memory,
But an experience that You've made...

You carry me through my troubles,
You hold me through my fears...
You lift me through my worries,
Letting me down only to wipe my tears...

Sometimes I lose sight of You,
But You never leave my side...
Sometimes I don't know who to turn to,
Only to find Your arms open wide...

My Friend, my Father,
My Lord, my God...
Thank You for loving me,
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow... And Forever! Errm... *nod!* ^_^

2005-12-06T12:42:00.000+08:00

~ A home that once was... ~

The place where I felt safe in,
months spent keeping it clean...
A home that once was is no more.

Building up the place bit by bit,
till we couldn't find a place to sit...
A home that once was is no more.

Finding my way around in the dark was a piece of cake,
especially when it's 3am and I'm half awake...
A home that once was is no more.

4 people used to live here,
then 3, 2 ,1 and now finally none...
A home that once was is no more.

A house of memories I leave behind,
some of which I really do not mind...
A home that once was is no more.

I sit now in the middle of an empty space,
which used to be my warm and cosy place...
A home that once was is no more.

Echoes ring in my ear as I wish it goodbye;
Closing the door behind me, I let out a big sigh...
A home that once was is no more.

After 2 years, 2 months and 11 days,
we finally decided to go our separate ways...
A home that once was is no more.

I walk next door into a whole new place;
an unfamiliar sight greets my face...
A home that once was, is now gone.

A place that once was,
is my home from now on...

2005-12-01T22:35:00.000+08:00

65 boxes... $0

10 of them full of clothes... $0

7 pieces of furniture either larger or heavier than me... $1400

5 piles of lecture notes that i can't bear to throw away... $0

2 days to move out...

1 room to fit everything in... $70

Just moving next door, 5 steps away... Priceless.

^_^

2005-11-27T23:59:00.000+08:00

Comic Strip of the Day...

Wisdom at the Office

2005-11-24T22:13:00.000+08:00

I always tell everyone i meet to take things easy and not to rush... Enjoy what you do and pace out your work. The stress from all that rushing will kill ya one day...

Guess this proves how wrong i was huh? ^_^

2005-11-24T01:15:00.000+08:00

Quick Facts About Your Heavenly Father... #1

The name of God Jehovah means "To Be" or "Being". It is usually used as a compound name. For example...

Jehovah Jireh - Jehovah Who is our provider...

Jehovah M'Kaddesh - Jehovah Who sanctifies...

Jehovah Rophe - Jehovah Heals...

2005-11-24T00:40:00.000+08:00

It's not funny... But why am I laughing?
WAHAHAHAHA!!! ^____^

2005-11-23T01:56:00.000+08:00

Currently Reading: "The Bible Jesus Read" by Philip Yancey

Have to thank Auntie Julie for lending me this enlightening book to read. I'm not really into books so I was really surprised to find myself drawn to this interesting paperback. (Sad to say, the only books I've read from cover to cover were my cooking books... ^_^)

I love the fact he stated that the Old Testament shows a gradual but certain movement towards grace. Many do not realise this but the Old Testament is full of examples showing God's grace and mercy to His people, but it's a pity a lot of us (including me in the past) kept on focusing on God's supernatural ability to destroy heaps of people in ways the modern army could only dream of. Can't say I really agree with everything in this book, mainly because I believe firmly in the finished work of Christ.

In the first few chapters, he states Romans 11:22 which is about Paul telling us Christians about considering the kindness and sternness of God. He stops there and concludes that he would rather not only consider the kindness of God, but rely on God's self-revelation; potentially opening himself up to the sternness and judgemental of God. Trouble with this is Romans 11 talks about Israel's rejection of Jesus Christ and His grace. The severity of God only falls on those (Israel) who have rejected God; those who have broken off due to unbelief and as a result were hardened to the Good news of God's Son. Furthermore, Paul says that if you continue in His goodness, goodness will fall on you. This sounds very familiar to the Good news of Jesus Christ, don't you agree? ^_^

(*Note: when Paul writes that we continue in His goodness, it should not be mis-read as continuing to do good. You see, good works and behaviour comes out from knowing God's goodness. Basically, it's a fruit of experiencing the goodness of God. What that verse was implying is that if we allow ourselves to continue allowing our Father to let us experience His goodness, goodness will fall on you. If you don't agree with my point, just reflect back on the words, "His goodness" and let God reveal the truth to you. Trust me it works, because He revealed it to me. ^_^) Oh and also, I don't think God's covenant people Israel will stay in God's sternness for too long cause Romans 11:30-32 says that through their disobedience, we (all of us) have obtained mercy. And by the mercy shown to us, they (Israel) also may obtain mercy. Man... I like this chapter! ^_^

Nonetheless, this is only one of a few (I'm surprised that there isn't much more) things that I don't look eye to eye with. Its not a big deal, but I'm glad that the Lord revealed to me his intention for Romans 11 not as a judgement verse, but rather one to affirm and encourage His children (you and me ^_^).

Upon reading further, I've grown to love and respect the way Philip conveys his message across to the reader because he's not restrained by old traditions or religiosity, but rather follows God's inspiration and revelation. Any hint of religious thinking or old pious dogma always tends to send warning lights flashing in my Spirit.

Very soon I found myself reading this book with a peace in my soul so much so that I kinda enjoyed it

(Great job Philip... you've succeeded in making me fall in love with a bundle of literature) ^_^

2005-11-20T22:00:00.000+08:00

It has almost been a year since I last posted...
Folks your wait is almost over...
The Blog is coming back...

2004-11-03T19:50:00.000+08:00

A Prayer for you Computer People...
Psalm 23 - Version 2.0 -

The Lord Is My Programmer, I Shall Not Crash...

He Installed His Software on the Hard Disk of My Heart...

All of His Commands Are User Friendly...

His Directory Guides Me to the Right Choices for His Name's Sake...

Even Though I Scroll Thru the Problem of Life, I Will Fear No Bugs...

For He Is My Backup...

His Password Protects Me...

He Prepares a Manual Before Me In The Presence Of My Enemies...

His Help Is Only a Keystroke Away...

Surely Goodness and Mercy Will Follow Me All the Days of My Life...

And My File Will Be Merged With His and Saved Forever...

Amen.

2004-10-11T19:21:00.000+08:00

To fill a hole in my heart...

Loneliness creeps in after a while.
Time slows down but I still try to smile.
Being hurt by someone close is bad enough,
Living alone in this cold room is going to be tough...

The warmth in my life was taken away.
Even though the love was gone a long time ago...
At least I had a reason to convince myself,
That my life had a beautiful glow...

Now my heart lies naked on the cold hard floor.
I wish someone could save me from this misery and more...
By faith I know my heart will heal.
In God, my heart will find the strength to feel...

Though my heart feels lonely and abandoned,
Its full of joy and contentment...
My love shall now pour to the rest of world,
Who I know appreciates me more...

Thank You Lord for all You've done...

2004-08-26T11:01:00.000+08:00

I tell you the truth...

Judgment is a pretty sensitive topic to talk about, especially as a Christian. We've been raised to understand that no one but God is entitled to judge us and I believe that with all my heart. We judge people so many times but we don't see it, until we are judged. It is just sad that the world we live in today, we're judged by our actions rather than our reasons. Can we honestly say that we didn't judge at all?

Now things get a little interesting when we see people doing things that we believe are wrong. (Note my choice of words here... "we believe" instead of "we know") We try to bring their mistakes to their attention but no one seems to take heed of our advice.

"Who are you to say that I am wrong? Who are you to judge? You don't know my history... You haven't heard the full story..."

I have come to understand that it is human nature to resist change. We have never favored others telling us to change. I don't like it too. We don't mind telling others to change. I do that all the time. When it comes to us, oh no... *not listening...*

There are times when we tell the "truth" to people, our friends, family and loved ones, but they choose to rebuke it . I understand that they have their reasons for doing so. Some don't like to be told. (Proverbs 16:18) Others have their own "truths" in their heart. How do I tell someone the truth when he thinks he knows it already? What if it is I who's wrong?

There is One who can tell us to change. There is One who will show us the path of righteousness. There is One who will tell us right from wrong. There is One whose voice we cannot ignore. (John 16:13-15)

I'm not perfect and I'm not always right. But I won't stop telling others to change, if I see the need for them to do so. I won't pursue them after that though, cause I need to exercise my faith in God that His plan will succeed. If I'm wrong, then through the Holy Spirit, my words will come back to me eventually and I pray for the strength to change myself. But if I'm right, I know He'll humble them and make them understand eventually.(John 3:19-21) I understand that by saying all that, I'm allowing others to do the same to me... Well, thats the price I've got to pay then... And I thank all who do so.

God's teaching me a lesson now... I feel He's showing me how to effectively let people (including me) see how their actions may become a stumbling block to others. And how to let people see that my opinions are not piercing darts to hurt and humiliate them, but as beams of support to strengthen them. (Ephesians 5:8-14) So that one day God can use us to glorify Him through our righteousness and faith in the Lord. (1 Peter 2:11-12)

I've never meant to hurt anyone. To all my friends that I have hurt in one way or another through my words, I am truly sorry. (James 3:6-12)

If you've friends or family who does things that goes against your faith, or your heart, I hope that you'll find the strength and wisdom in God to tell them, your loved ones...

Because remember, the reason why we even bother, is because we love...

2004-08-13T22:45:00.000+08:00

Can we hear God speaking to us?

As still as we are,
Every wanting to hear His voice,
We find silence all around us...

We keep talking to Him,
Sharing our thoughts,
But nothing seems to come back...

Our friends and family surround us,
Words of wisdom they share,
Yet nothing from above...

Under the covers we close our eyes,
We appear to be all alone in this world.
How I wish You could hold me till the sun rises...

Take the hurt away from me,
Let me not see it again,
For it is too much for me to bear...

Comfort me with Your grace and love,
Assure me with Your smile,
And relieve me of this pain I'm suffering...

Shower me with the joys of life,
The blessings of peace,
Make my life whole again...

Please...

2004-08-09T18:15:00.000+08:00

A Poem to God

I see the light of this world,
I see it shining...
I see everyone trying to do their best,
To keep it from dying...

Must we be tested time and time again,
Must we endure such horrible pain,
Must we go through hurt and suffering,
In order to see our true aim...

Are we here to speak Your name?
Change our lives and others,
So that they'll never be the same...
The light of the world we are, cause You came...

Show us how to live our lives.
Show us our purpose of this world.
Show us how to glorify Your Name.
In this place where darkness fills, its cold...

By our actions, let us be the light.
In people's lives, may we shine so bright...
Helping people in their way,
To seek you oh Lord, every single day...

Amen...

2004-03-09T19:09:00.000+08:00

An ode to my loved one

Love is such a wonderful thing...
But fragile it is; like a piece of string.
Cherish it forever all u guys...
The last thing u want is the sound of goodbyes.

Love is like chocolate cake...
U wish u could eat it forever - till u get a tummy ache.
How nice it would be to set aside our differences,
Live life and forget the consequences...

Love ain't an easy thing.
You never know what it may bring...
But no matter what happens, please smile.
Make everything we had, worthwhile...

The time we had was short - but sweet.
But u did so much; u got me off the ground, on my two feet.
Even though the times we spent were rare,
You always seem to be constantly there...

We're both captains of our own ship now.
Our paths have diverged somehow...
The circumstances which made it so are hard to explain,
But I guess it means nothing to u - now that I've thrown our relationship down the drain.

I'm sorry it had to be this way.
There's really nothing else for me to say.
I hope u'll see the path that God has laid for you...
For there's a reason for everything we go through.

I know it is hard for u to forgive...
I won't ask for anything else other than for u to live...
Live your life to the fullest my friend,
For this is what I would do; if I was still with u in the end.

Take care & God bless...

2004-03-08T20:02:00.000+08:00

To all my experienced blogging friends out there, I sense that u all would have figured out the reason of my 1 week absence from the blogging scene... Yes, u've guessed it. I lost the will to blog. I almost fell victim to the curse of my unable-to-maintain-a-diary habit again. But the very fact that u're reading this shows that my fortune teller was way off about my lack of determination *stupid fortune cookie*

One important lesson that I've learnt this week was how waking up early could do wonders to your day... Many years ago, there was another Andy; an evil Andy, who could sleep till the wee hours of the afternoon. Life was good then. He didn't have to make the bed cause he would be sleeping again a couple of hours later anyway *grin*

He never had to tiptoe across the freezing toilet floor, never had to trifle with the morning flu and frozen noses, and never would he mistake his sister's room for the toilet again. (All u need to know is that it was dark and I kept my pants on k...) haha...

But now that my sis and I are sharing the car, I've got to send her to work in order for me to use it later. Only problem is that my sis is special... she ain't like all u other white, blue or red collar workers out there who works from 9-5.
She starts at 6am *notice my calm and sedate expression*
-_-

Her job u may ask? She's a nurse. One of the best out there - in my personal opinion. She works so hard that I couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least send her to work. She has a kind of radiance that makes her patients just, happy... except for that old pervert who keeps touching her hand. *grrrr...*

But 6am... other people are still prancing around in their fields of flowers in lalaland while I'm stoning at my balcony watching the grass grow. Then I asked myself... how could I make use of this time that God has given to me? Sure its cold, its dark, its quiet, its cold... (hmm, did I mention that already?) but why not make use of this precious couple of hours to get stuff done? Its amazing how much u can squeeze into a morning like this... managed to wash the car, vacuum the house, do all my laundry, clear my emails, do my weights, all before my lecture at 10am. Surely now of course I'm feeling like crap (muscle aching everywhere), but at least I'll go to sleep knowing that my work's done for the day.

2004-02-29T22:52:00.000+08:00

Today we've been blessed with an extra day... even better, it's a Sunday! There just something about a leap day that just makes u want to think, to reflect on your day. Lets just hope that I don't end up reflecting on my life only once every four years *wink*

It is human nature to ask for more - more money, more time, more food, more sleep, more friends, more happiness, more freedom, more love... Now that we've been given another 24 hours, I can't help but think what good have we done with that extra day...

Did I do anything good today? Nah... not really.
I'll try again in 4 years time... *grin*

-And to a very special friend of mine... Happy Birthday Michael! Today officially makes him "9" years old!

2004-02-24T01:38:00.000+08:00

After an eventful afternoon full of swashbuckling battles with HTML, multiple errors and a couple of painkillers later, i finally got my blog up and running again... So now i present to you Version 1.1 *applause*

The weekend has been pretty interesting... I had a pleasant surprise after church on sunday when i realised that my rear view mirror had decided to follow Newton's Law of Gravity. To add icing on the cake, no windscreen repair shops actually bother to open on a Sunday... So there i was happily driving around "illegally" till i got a neck sprain after all that head-turning... *aww*

Thank God i got it fixed this morning...

I've just added some photos of my family and myself. Those can be found in the section "A Moment in Time". For a certain individual who has been begging me for my baby photos... sorry my friend, u won't find it in here *nah nah nah*

In the past, when i was still young and a dolt (yes qiongz...), i used to think that taking pictures were such a waste of time and energy... I would rather run out and relish in the soft sand than be bothered with setting up the camera. It was only when i came to live here that i realised photos were much more than faces and scenery... Its a memory, a moment, that if not careful, would be lost forever in the sands of time. Now i finally understand why my dad placed so much emphasis in getting us together for that perfect shot... Thanks Dad.

2004-02-23T19:20:00.000+08:00

testing blog... hope it works this time... *pray*

2004-02-20T21:55:00.003+08:00

I've finally succumbed to writing a blog... Gota give credit to my friends out there whose blogs have inspired me to follow in their path. And I got to admit... everyone seems to be doing it but ME... *hah*

I've never got about writing a diary - I blatantly conceded defeat after the fourth entry. It's never easy to put to words feelings and emotions, the very things that stretches our minds in dimensions beyond the plane of pen and paper.

Expressions that we take for granted, like the slight tremble of the hand, sudden shift in eye contact, nervous stutter in one's speech and the ever obvious blush of one's cheeks... they're all simply an unconscious reaction to our environment. But when it comes to writing it down, woaah, you finally realise what you've just got yourself into... Just how on earth do u go about describing your life without running the risk of ending up like the script of Matrix Revolutions - where u walk out of the cinema wondering if the popcorn was actually salted or whether it was your tears of sadness, that such a wonderful story ended with a *poof*...

Eventually the diary might just evolve into a self-fabricated story that you want to see - kinda like the news we have these days where bad stuff is actually erm... good! (Oh admit it you American idol fans... you just love to see William Hung sing again right?)

But then I finally realised... this ain't the place to gloat to the world how wonderful your life is *yes yes... rub it in*, or complain to the point that duct tape has a purpose again. This is the perfect place to whine! Yes, I've finally found the one true meaning missing from my diary-life. U can't whine in yer diaries - all u get back in return is the cold hard stare of the horizontal lines on the page. Kinda makes your life worse huh...

Hah, not to worry... whine I shall not today. For a wise man once told me, "my little tum-tum... the hardest part of life is always the first step, the rest just depends on how u fall..." so I'm actually quite happy that I've managed to get this blog running.

Hopefully with all of your support, this blog will fall, gracefully, into the hearts of many.