This blog is not dead yet.

This blog has been left hanging ever since we left for our grand tour to Scandinavia, Italy and France. But i don't want it to end just like that. I've so much to blog about, so many experiences, so much joy, the many blessings and friendships, and the hardships too.

If time permits, i would really like to dig out my past memories (if they haven't already disappear), and blog about some of the more significant experiences. Perhaps, perhaps, i would be able to do so when fyp finally gets out of my sight, and mind, for good.

Updates

God has been really good to us thus far. The many blessings, we are really thankful for:

1. Both dear & i have passed 5 modules each. And 1 more which is not released yet.
2. We had a really wonderful trip to Scandinavia, and also in Switzerland (Geneva, Interlaken) with dear's family. It was a great time of family bonding, getting to know dear's family better, and had a marvelous time seeing God's wonderful creation of mother nature. Norway is really spectacular.
3. We managed to finish tying up most of the loose ends...packed our luggages, cleaned our rooms etc.
4. We're leaving for France & Italy tomorrow morning, and we're really excited.
5. For the new friendships that have been forged with the Seefeld home group, the God-sent Aunties & Uncles (Auntie May, Auntie Pooh Lii, Auntie Lee Hiang, Uncle Chung Chi, Uncle Frips, Uncle Clarence), the dietikon hostel-mates, and some friends and classmates we've made (Isabella, Rahel, Regula, Clementine, etc etc.
6. For all our friends back home, who have shown their love through little ways. We really appreciate that so so much :) Can't wait to get back home to catch up with them!
7. This exchange experience is really God-sent, as both dear and i prayed to go for exchange together, and we only applied for this university. What a rare-chance to be able to go on exchange together. I'm really grateful.

This exchange experience has been really enriching, exciting and meaningful, despite some little hardships faced here and there. Really, thank God.

Do pray for journey mercies as we leave for Paris tomorrow (there're lots of pickpockets), and also for our fyp! I really don't know which fyp i should go for, but i sense that God wants me to do this particular one...Well, if it's meant to be, God will make it happen. But do pray that I'll be able to have internet access in France. And also thakn God for sweet friends like Guo yi and Doreen who're willing to help me ballot if i can't do it.

Nevertheless, we're both really looking fwd to go home! It's time to settle down :) Think we had enough of nomadic travelling! hehe.

Doing the SEP thing...

....travelling!

I officially ended my exams last friday. Have to really thank God, because the exams turned out better than I expected. Not all our grades are out yet, but we'll just trust God that we'll pass :). So anyhow, we're leaving for Scandinavia for 1.5 weeks in about an hour's time to Zurich Airport. Then, we'll be back to Zurich for a week and travel around Switzerland, before leaving for France and Italy from 28th to 18th July...and fly back to Singapore on the 19th july...So we'll reach Singapore on the 20th of july :)

So it's a whole lot of travelling. We're not really going to a lot of places, but spending more time in each place we go, so that we see more of the country..rather than rushing here and there, which is pretty tiring. Hopefully our trip will be as relaxed as we like :)

And a prayer request I really need...i'm actually feeling a little sick since last night..down with slight sorethroat, and a little woozy, slightly feverish at times. I seriously cross my fingers and hope it's not swine flu. I doubt it is, because I didnt go out of zurich, and didn't exactly meet anyone that has fallen sick. So i hope it's just sorethroat due to eating thai curry a few days ago and the lack of sleep due to all the studying...Just pray that I'll get well really soon, because I don't want to be a burden to Matt's family when we travel around Scandinavia! Prayers much appreciated :)

Don't think i'll have much time to blog anymore. There's actually so much to say about my exchange experience, but i usually share it to matt all the time, that i feel so lazy to blog after that. hahaha. Maybe i'll do so when i'm back in singapore.

:)

The Rhinefall

(Picture Taken: Schloss Luafen Am Rhinefall, Switzerland)

Somehow, I begin to see things from a deeper perspective.
Perhaps I was too shallow back then,
thinking that I have to be nice to everyone so that people may come to know Christ..
thinking that christians need to be nice.
No, it was all too superficial.
I have been superficial.

Many times,
I volunteered to help,
I volunteered to pray,
I forced a smile,
I tried to be nice.
But no, that wasn't me.
I am no Jesus,
I am imperfect.
I am aware of my own iniquities,
that I am not always right.

Life is not a bed of roses for Christians.
It's a tough road, and i finally know why.
Christians face a road of persecution.
Christians are not guaranteed with successes,
not guaranteed to be popular,
not guaranteed to have many friends.
It's hard to swallow but
The Christian road is a life full of thorns,
yet, protected by the grace of God.
We just need to recognise the blessings He has given us.
Be contented.
Be thankful.
Believe that this is the right path.
Follow the light.

I believe God has a divine plan for me.
My role here on earth,
is not to spread the gospel to every single person I know.
Not to be nice to everyone.
Not to pretend to be nice all the time.
But, to be myself
To have a sincere heart,
help when I sincerely want to
So that people may see Christ in me.
I need to be who I am.


Often, popularity and attention seemed so appetizing.
It definitely makes one feel good to have many friends around,
to be involved in all invitations to dinners, parties,
to be well-loved by everyone,
to receive tons of facebook messages from friends.
Deep inside, many of us are nice for an underlying quest for attention,
or acceptance by certain people.
But it's all too superficial.
Life isn't that perfect.
We need to look into things deeper.
Plainly being popular or nice won't bring people to Christ.
I should stop seeking for the attention,
just to make myself feel good.

People choose who they want to be with
.People choose to form their own cliques.
But i never believe in cliques.
Just like a cell group,
it shouldn't be a clique.
It should always be an open invitation to others,
welcoming people.
I am tired.
Yet, I have a long road ahead of me,
and I will continue walking.
But in the light of Christ,
and not in my own light.

There's always time,
always time to reach out,
always time to make friends.
But we choose the friends we want to make.
We choose the friendships that will last.
And I know who are the friends that will stand by me when the currents are strong.
And I appreciate and treasure them a great deal,
even if I don't express it outwardly.
But deep inside, I really do thank God for each and everyone of them.

I don't believe I am meant to be friends with everyone,
for that's just too idealistic.
There are people whom I am not meant to be friends with,
people whom I am not meant to share Christ with.
Then, I should spend my time and effort on others,
looking back to help those who have been left out,
those that have been rejected by many,
rather than trying to be their friends.

I think,
our role as a christian is not just about reaching out all the time but
We must always remember our fellow brothers and sisters.
Remember them in prayers, and build a community of faith.
Just like the church,
the people must build a strong foundation of faith,
in one body of Christ,
before they can go out together to spread the gospel.
A body cannot function without an arm or leg.

Too many times,
I feel disappointed with people.
Our love,
our friendship becomes transactional,unreciprocated, unappreciated,
and leaves us jaded.
The world always fail us
because of the expectations that we set,
failing to think of what God wants out of us.

Perhaps I have made wrong turns in my decisions, in my life,
and said the wrong things,
but I will move on. I have to.
And I will.
Time moves on and I still have a long way to go.
And I take joy with every disappointments that have come,
for there's always a message from God for every boulder that comes my way.

I will continue to pray for friends that have come and go.
For people whom I no longer am friends with.
For people that seems so hard to love.
For friendships that are so hard to go deeper,
For friends whom have too different principles from me,
that always lead to conflicts and disagreements,
For unreciprocated friendships,
For the hi-bye friendships,
For the people that haven't received God's love.
I pray that God's love will come shining through their lives one day,
not by my will but His.

Life isn't in my control.
I cannot control who I want to be friends with.
I cannot control the people I want to enter God's kingdowm.
But I know God has a plan.
He always has a plan for every friend that I am meant to be with,
for every circumstance and situation.
Life is no coincidence.
And I pray He'll give me an extra portion of faith,
for this road is too rough for me to handle alone.
And I know I won't be lonely,
for even if I have only one friend,
God's with me.
And I know my darling will always be my side,
walking with me.
That alone,
I take joy.
And am contented.
Count your blessings.

God, take control of my life.
This, I ask of you,
for I need to be broken,
to wash away all my imperfections.
I am a sinner.

When you really don't know what to say...

There comes times in your life, where you just don't know what to say.
When there are problems that come; and they just really stay.
Amazing, how it sounds, but as true as can be,
This is life, this is my story, this is me.

There's time to play here, time to see,
there's time to watch the clouds go by.
Rainbows, waterfalls and mountains ahead,
but pity; the rain came out today.

Home is far, a million miles,
while Dietikon seems a little bit dreary.
Its not the place, its not the time;
but its something that caused me to sigh.

This is my story, this is my life,
my life in the land of cows and cheese;
Switzerland, and Zurich, the best place to live;
but not the best place to come.

Its sad to see how things are like,
its depressing to know what i am.
But little by little, the sun comes out.
You know you're loved again.

Not by people, but by God,
not by those who want to be free,
But far away, a little bee came,
he told me "He" still loves me.

God loves, in all eternity;
some people know but don't see.
What it takes to be Jesus,
we try our best; but still others don't see.

Have faith, not cries,
for the end is near, and hope has come again.
For one to know what is fear,
and to know that all is lost; but not gained.

People come and people go,
but i'm glad for those who have stayed.
for thats what friends are to me,
my friends, my smiles; who i believe.

i have to say i miss them,
for it has been meaningful to me;
the understanding, the hand they reach to me.
no one else can see.

Many think i'm random,
because of what i'm like
but inside my heart, it all has a purpose;
it takes more than eyes; to see light.

Through every danger, toil and snare.
i've lived my life with integrity;
as honest as i am, and as much as i believe;
i did the right thing for "Him".

My dream for an entire community;
housed in NZ to be,
is actually just a little thought,
of what heaven would be for me.

Its sad, though, to know,
what life here has become,
it seems like the river has stopped its' flow;
the ducks have herded; the fish are gone....

But, somehow; God still made me happy.

Its a little pokemon game.
You've just gotta catch them all!
Raichu buzzes, and jumps from tree to tree
caterpie sleeps in his little cocoon
Little butterfree flits around the room
while the Eevee is not as cute as it seems.
Dragonair is as strong as it comes,
while the Exeggcuter grew, just from a harmless egg.
Also, Wartotle, water guns and bubbles;
all just seems such a fun little puzzle.