the end of 2007

Today being the final day for 2007, let's reflect on the things which had happened throughout the year... As usual, a lot of ups and downs this year. This is normal, life is not a bed of roses.

First of all, thank God for sustaining me here till today with good health, not only myself but also my family members... Although father is always not feeling well, but God is healing him gradually. This year, God has blessed me financially. With this, I need not struggle with my basic needs.

Thank God for Pastor and Sister who have taken care of me. Although far from parents, I've obtained some parental love from them. Not forgetting that we also need a godly friend, God has brought to me Doreen, my housemate and toiletmate, who is a living testimony for the Lord, have greatly encourage me in my daily walk with the Lord and has been going thru many things together. Besides that, God has given me other people too like Suha and Wai Mei have been with me almost throughout the year. Will continue to trust God to send a person whom I'll spend my life with :).

Have not been doing well in work, not achieving the things which is to be expected in the beginning of the year. Travel opportunity also ceases... Feel very ashamed of myself, and I know that I'm not the kind of person who can take failures, might have fallen down and cannot come up again. Till this morning, I was still feeling very upset but through His word, I've learnt that failure is not the end. In Psalm 37:23-24, it is mentioned that "If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand". In another verse, Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go", it teaches me not to let failures discourage us. Praise the Lord!!!

More to learn as the years go by. I believe that God will grant me the grace and wisdom to go thru more challenges ahead :).

Amazing!!!

I guess you can read people's mind!!! Wondering how on earth you know what is deep within my heart... Remembered that I did not express anything to you throughout the journey, only uttered a few words at that moment like "Yes", "No", "I want to go home", that's all... Amazing!!! Anyway my sister, your prayer and words have lifted me up tonight.

Dreams

Dream occurs during the REM, or rapid eye movement, phase of sleep. During this phase of sleep, our closed eyes dart rapidly about, our brain activity peaks, and our muscles suffer temporary paralysis.

We dream to exercise the synapses, or pathways, between brain cells, and that dreaming takes over where the active and awake brain leaves off. When awake, our brains constantly transmit and receive messages, which course through our billions of brain cells to their appropriate destinations, and keep our bodies in perpetual motion. Dreams replace this function. Dreams focus upon our thoughts and emotions, and speculate that dreams deal with immediate concerns in our lives, such as unfinished business from the day, or concerns we are incapable of handling during the course of the day.

It has been agreed for some time that dreams deal with emotion. However, not all emotion causes dreaming. Only emotional arousal unexpressed while awake causes us to dream. So, for example, if you have a screaming row with your partner you are unlikely to dream about it as the emotional arousal was allowed full expression. However if you become angry with someone at work but cannot express it then this frustration will probably be played out during dreaming. Depressed people dream much more than non-depressed people because typically, they do much more ruminating. This can result in physical and mental exhaustion.

There’s no exact answer, but just some thoughts on how to avoid dreaming: (Will add-on if there’s any)
1. Pray for a peaceful night rest
2. Dreams usually appear when the sleep is not deep enough. Try exercising
3. Take some fruit juice / soya milk before sleeping
4. Settle any frustrations / unexpressed emotions before going to bed

Sand and stone

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey, they had an argument; and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: today my best friend slapped me in the face.

They kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath the one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: "today my best friend saved my life ".

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "after i hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?" the friend replied "when someone hurts us we should write it down in sand, where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it." learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your benefits in stone. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

Take the time to live! Do not value the things you have in your life, but value who you have in your life! Life is short... Live it wisely!

Time flies...

Today marks the 3rd year of my working life. Time flies... 3o more years to go... Everything still the same, same company, same job, but meet different kinds of people. Not everything comes my way, but be content, be satisfied!!! - still wrestling with being content though :). Having contentment is true wealth in the Kingdom’s currency, after all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. Thanks to everyone that crossed my path.

Empty!!

Have been feeling very empty lately. Waking up in the morning seems like a pain. Tired and sleepy most of the time, even during weekends!!! Why is that so? Symtoms of getting old? Depression? Stress? Disappointments? Bored with this lifestyle? Well, I don't know. Maybe its really time to go for a change. But where to? What's next?
Lord..., please show me Your way and bring me back to Your embrace!!!

Companionship

Two are better than one because together they have a good reward for their hard work. If one falls, the other can help his friend get up. But how tragic it is for the one who is all alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

No man is an island. Most of us have been blessed with companionship, where we can share our lives with others. How fruitless and unfulfilling life is when one has no other person with which to share it. A friend too will provide help in times of trouble.

Perhaps, we sometimes think of our families and friends as nuisances, but God has provided companionship to make our lives fulfilling. God has given us parents who care about us, many have brothers and sisters, and we have friends who can encourage us.

Money and power give temporary comfort and satisfaction. This is why so many people with
money and/or power will strive for more. There is never enough money or power for those that
seek it. Relationships however are lasting. A good friend, a child, a mother or a sibling
can give us life, meaning and satisfaction.

What kind of a companion are you? One who is a blessing, or one who is foolish and a curse to others?

The beginning

Haha... First time blogging. People who knows me must be thinking what have I been up to?? A human who neither write diary nor keep journals is finally blogging!! Thanks to a very special person who is an avid blogger, introduced me to this. Anyway, there's nothing in mind which I can think of now to blog yet feeling excited about it. As time goes by, I guess it will be more fluent.