A new chapter of my life has begun =)

Almighty God, the great I am
Immovable rock, omnipotent, powerful, awesome Lord
Victorious warrior, commanding King of Kings
Mighty conqueror, and the only time
the only time I ever saw Him run

CHORUS:
Was when He ran to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice He said,
“Son do you know I still love you?”
He caught me by surprise when God ran

The day I left home I knew I’d broken His heart
And I wondered then if things could ever be the same
Then one night I remembered His love for me
And down that dusty road ahead I could see
It was the only time – it was the only time I ever saw Him run

And then He ran to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice He said,
“Son do you know I still love you?”
He caught me by surprise as He brought me to my knees
When God ran – I saw Him run to me

BRIDGE:
I was so ashamed, all alone and so far away
But now I know He’s been waiting for this day

I saw Him run to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice I felt His love for me again

He ran to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice He said, “Son”, He called me Son
He said, “Son do you know I still love you?”
He ran to me and then I ran to Him
When God ran

Endurance

Colossians 1:10-12

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Was spending some time pouring my heart out to God, all my fears of today and tomorrow. Sometimes will be overwhelmed by responsibilities and concerns of others and self, tiredness, and not being able to see or hope for the light at the end of the tunnel.

Then i was comforted by the above passage, to be strengthen by His power to have great endurance. And i looked back at the past 12-months, re-counting the times God has provided endurance in work, studies, relationships. Times when God is faithful, and being reminded that it is at all times.

If i'm like a wet clay spinning 'round to be molded. I think it's painful to feel & see the best part of your clay being chipped off while you're caught up in this crazy whirlwind. But the molder is always above the whirlwind, he sees the masterpiece in you, and he is full of love and in control.

So i will embrace the purpose, learn to abide and be in peace.

Bless the broken road

So early back home in orchard today, saw my room lit by the setting sun brings a special relief to my soul, i can't remember the last time seeing natural light shining through the window.

one word - nice! =)

last weekend accompanied my mom to attend someone's wedding dinner, talked to a friend abt movies, work, life. realised that despite my perspective on work life, actually i'm considered very blessed to be staying at where i am, receiving the salary that i have, and the long hours and tedious work is actually not too bad. will learn to count my many blessings that follow through daily without noticing.

so fu yao asked me abt this wedding gig, another good friend asked me abt her bday bash band, a few more couples asked me to play the drums at their wedding, and my best friend asked me to be the driver instead, lol.

the most delighting gigs to play drums for, besides CBC / worship sessions, would be weddings. feels good to have all these coming around now and then.

felt tired but so relaxed now, can't blog more though i wanted to, need to do some things before i sleep. Seriously, now would be a good time if i am:

1) bathed
2) sitting sweetly by the river at esplanade beside someone special
3) having a McD choco milkshake at hand
4) listening to the below.

ok, there goes the wishful thinking. signing off..


Bless the broken road

digging thru travelling journal

I dug up my wrinkling travel journal that I wrote when i went to melbourne early this year, just gonna write some excerpts of it before i sleep. so many events and beautiful scenery that i gave up writing it all while day 3 in melbourne, ha. I miss melbourne with my bro, and wmm retreat. =P

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I got off at Perth, hot, Malaysian "desertly" whether, Perth.

The quarantine check took so long that I fear I might miss my transit flight. Thank God I was very much on time, a very helpful Australian man guided me to the Qantas counter to exchange for a bus ticket voucher (woth A$8) and took a bus ride to the domestic flight terminal.

Perth felt homely, with not many people. Simple but modern facilities (very unlike Changi), and in the bus with the caucasians, i really felt like a foreigner. Asked a lady about the time, tweak my watch;s time abt an hour later, and enjoy the desertly scenes passing by, on route to the domestic terminal.

In this 2nd flight, I am the only (if not more than 2) chinese person in plane. This time i get the window seat with nobody sitting beside me, ha! =P

I was so tired (due to last night's 4+ sleep and the travelling) but i try to keep myself awake in order not to miss meal time. I tell you, meal was great. (pic). haha, yeah. it is heineken, and i had fish with lemongrass sauce (looks like kind of a special curry), grain-filled loaf of bread with butter and cheddar bread, and ended with beer. I am not really fond of beer, just that it keeps me warm in flight.

while doing all that, i look out and saw the most beautiful rainbow of my life =)

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The low-quality picture wouldn't justify what i have seen with my own eyes - a horizontal rainbow across, endlessly, a border between mushrooming marshmallows clouds and blue nothings above. The plane flies on, and it keeps coming. This endless rainbow, look long enough, the mushrooms emerge, multiply, in different shades, various patterns..

When i thought it can't be any more beautiful, then comes sunset.

Heads of mushrooms, like roasted by fire, turns red, highlighting its uniqueness amongst the all-blue in white clouds. And the rainbow slowly translates time by bringing its green lower merging its orange red higher before it hits back to sea blue, and all starts to fade, leaving the tail wings of the plane shining like a star in darkness.

(sips beer)

8pm sunset.

How does drinking Evian make u feel?

wmm retreat

wmm retreat was surprisingly great! so much fun and mental relaxation though didn't sleep much on sunday night, tok tok tok. it's been such a long time since i had a real rest, tanjong puteri is still a great place for a very short retreat. the various fun games, standing on the back of wayne's car and enjoying the wind n view of golf resort, the resort's big space and cold air-con, the glorious food. nice.. =)

uncle Albert's sharing abt worship being the Harp and Bowl ministry sounds chim but it's not difficult to understand.

..fun la, the retreat.. =)

ok, gotha catch some sleep and wake up early to do some own work before working tomorrow. don't wanna spend more than ten mins blogging. paid some bills just now thru e-banking, tomorrow gotha go pay the rest, woah, money - hard come easy go.

How are mornings beautiful

How are mornings beautiful? When you wake up early due to the sound of falling rambutans, open your groggy eyes and stumble out to the garden to see dozens of morning flowers blooming yellow against the rising sun.

How are mornings beautiful? When you felt the cold dew kissing your feet and dad's there plucking the fruits. When beds of vegetables and young shoots waking up to your footsteps, and the bird-chirping silence danced alive.

How are mornings beautiful? When you look back and mom's packing the fruits, she prepares breakfast thereafter and had a sip of coffee. And you switch off the fan, knock the door to wake up your sis. she walks around in blurriness and brushes her teeth.

How are mornings beautiful? When the immense gratitude to God rises up from your heart that you're truly blessed to be born into this family.


...

=)

ok, gotha pack for wmm retreat, fetch new friend and go to church.

Talk and talk

It's nice to be back to TEENz twice after exam is over. Though July is coming too soon and I might have to stay longer in Singapore to study and have more rest after weekday's strenuous work which I am yet to get in full terms with. Arg, I really need to depend on daily grace to get through this dynamic routine again. mold mold mold...

So.. attended TEENz. Was unusual at first, cos so long never come, but became real nice, see all the young ones in TEENz, talked to old friends till very late, catch up after the months gone. Talked to teens, drummers, coordinator... blah blah.. talk and talk.. sit and talk, stand talk, phone talk. see my sis lead worship, listened to her give testimony. "hao4 lian4" to my ex-cell member that she's my sister. ha. Talked abt Transformers 2 with him while listening to testimonies. bad .. bad... he haven't watch the movie yet he knows all the fight scenes, amazing.

Received sms & calls from old primary & secondary school friends.. Surprisingly received one from Taiwan. Encouraged him to attend church in Taiwan, he said got approached by them b4 but said he likes to depend on himself, wah, sian. unusual, like suddenly there's a small group of non-christian friends to listen to their problems.

then there's this long conversation with a missionary a few days ago, got me all excited about short-term trips and I've planned. So already submitted this plan to God and see how will it be materialised ba.

tomorrow is sunday service and gonna fetch another new friend. Hope that FGC is a good place for him. Wow i'm so hoping that wmm retreat is relaxing n great fun, wah haven't pack yet, guess i will pack tomorrow b4 going church.

i'm tired now but feels like there's a million thoughts swimming in my head.

I will Love - Hillsong

Soon (Hillsong United)

Soon and very soon
My King is coming
Robed in righteousness
And crowned with love
When I see Him, I shall be made like Him
Soon and very soon

Soon and very soon
I'll be going to the place He has prepared for me
Then my sin erased, my shameful garden
Soon and very soon

I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I'll see Him
There my soul with be satisfied
Soon and very soon

Soon and very soon
See the procession
The angels and the elders round the throne
At His feet I lay
My grant, my wishing
Soon and very soon

I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I'll see Him
There my soul with be satisfied
Soon and very soon

Though I have not seen Him
My heart knows Him well
Jesus Christ the Lamb, the Lord of heaven

I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I'll see Him
There my soul with be satisfied
Soon and very soon
Soon and very soon
Soon and very soon
(Chorus and ending)