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*

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! ^_^

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 =)

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)

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.

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! ^_^

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. ^_^

"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.

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!* ^_^

~ 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...