=)

no need to fight or try so hard, when God is on your side, its doesn't matter, cos we're on the ETERNALLY VICTORIOUS side! =)

I'm rainbowed!

So i've been feeling kinda down recently. Just felt that i've been so distant away from God. There's no sound, no noise.. and the voice seem faint. I know that i'm pushing the boundaries, testing God, daring Him on what He will do next.

And just when i thought that i'm losing it...

See the rainbow somewhere in the centre of the picture?
First rainbow of the day. It was soooo near us! :)

Second rainbow of the day on the expressway

I can identify all 7 colours...i think!

And to make things even more beautiful... i actually bumped into Isaiah at Bishan. We've never ever (as much as i can remember) bump into each other in our years of knowing one another. :) Fancy bumping into him under a rainbow. It's like God giving His stamp of approval because it's certainly not a coincidence that we met under a rainbow!

We seen the rainbow!!

It's a full arch!

Isaiah could have decided not to buy the subway sandwich.
His boss could have called him in for abit before he leaves.
I could have coaxed my colleagues to wait alittle while more.
The lorry on the expressway could have not allowed that turn.
The lecturer could have let me off a tinny winny bit later...

And we wouldn't have met, under the rainbow :) Certainly, not a coincidence. In fact, i am increasingly convinced that nothing's a coincidence.

Rainbows in the bible are always a symbol of God's promises. His covenant between Him and all living creatures of every kind on the earth (Genesis 9:16). Other mentions of rainbows are always with reference to the presence of God, i.e., in description of Him. Click here!

We usually see rainbows when we have rain and sunshine together. Those of you who listen to your mum's warnings will know that we should never ever dash in the rain, more so when there's rain and sunshine, because it has a higher chance of making us ill. Ironically, due to some complex mechanism of light, prism, etc etc (shall not attempt to embarrasse myself), rainbows usually appear with rains that come with sunshine. It's almost like God is saying that suffering produces good character. Godly suffering that He allows to happen, when taken in the right manner, will produce fruits in the future.

I hope you see the link. :)

Anyways, i'm happy. Rainbows. God's promises :) What an awesome way to end the day. I even managed to master the kickboxing stunt that made me so confused in gym class earlier :)

More rainbows, just for good measure!

When it becomes too easy

⁸ "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'

"In tithes and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. ¹² "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.

Are we robbing God today?
Has giving tithing been too easy?

Are we tithing on our time?
Our thoughts?
Our actions?
Our ways?
Our careers?

Have i been pleasing to the Lord?


UPDATES:
we booked our AD photographer! Yay!

new week :)

another week is over, now a new one begins =)

I think this week was a great week of learning. monday went for vocal classes...(dots...was typing on msn halfway and my internet connection went down!!! really need to do something about it!)

wednesday went for clear
thursday tried to learn tennis
friday went for Crash
sat went for Ps Benny Ho seminar
sun was a great message by Ps Mark.

i guess i re-learnt a few key lessons of my life....the first of which is pride...probably my worst "sin"..

sometimes after walking strong with God for so long, i forget (and i guess it happens to others as well??) that it is God's strength in me and not my own. what am i after all, except dust of the earth...that the creator of Heaven & Earth would care for me?

but when i am weak, then I am strong, cos its God in me! so first reminder....put aside the pride...remember that it is all about God, it is all through HIS strength & Spirit!

next....Grace.....again the same thing....it is God's unfailing, unconditional love that will change people.....sometimes in my "cleverness", i offer solutions, which would work (to a limited limited extent) in a world where there's no god....i forget that it is His World and His Grace!

what do i mean? you may be facing difficult people, but the Lord says...love thy enemies, do good to them.....trust God for judgement...be GRACE to those who HURT you or HARM you!!!

my goodness....how can??? only through God's grace....cos i forget...that yes i am a SINNER....sometimes the worst of the lot...

So next time you see someone....no matter how evil...just remember how God sees that person...someone lost without His love. God hates the sins, but HE still Loves the sinner...so thank God that He doesn't not use my measure of others, against myself...if not....surely surely....i won't pass. God's standard, His measure is GRACE

lesson 3....brokeness.....serve out of brokeness, not out of ability or pride. serve because it is the only 1 of 3 responses to God's love....i am a sinner saved by GRACE....i remember the troubles out of which God has delivered me...the lowly stations of life from which He has raised me. God thank You that i can serve You, despite me being nothing but a mere mortal...yet the Immortal God sees fit to use such as me to serve in His glory =)

Grace & Brokeness - strangely perfect together....
----------------------
its a new week...lets go out and be a blessing to those around us =)

you are closer than our troubles

'In the land of your affliction, in your battle, is the place where God will make you fruitful. Consider, even now, the area of greatest affliction in your life. In that area, God will make you fruitful in such a way that your heart will be fully satisfied, and God's heart fully glorified. God has not promised to keep us from valleys and sufferings, but to make us fruitful in them.'

[Francis Frangipane, Place of Immunity (Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Arrow Publications, 1996), 93]

should we spend the extra 1.5k?

With the recent drop in airfare prices, traveling becomes cheaper and cheaper :) As such, the idea of going to Australia for a photo shoot becomes more do-able. It would prolly cost an extra 1.5k (tickets, accommodations) but the shots would be priceless.

Help us decide? Should we?

Pros:
Nice scenic view
Lovely weather (you guys know how itchy and irritated i get with heat & perspiration)
Great holiday! Yay! (always wanted to go to Perth)
Experience of a lifetime

Cons:
Cost !!!! (which is prolly like 95%)
Must take more leave (which means less time for honeymoon)
Dunno if BS can finish doing the gown in time?!

Well, another thing we would have to settle would be the timing for the shoot. Ideally, September is the best. BUT the N Levels are during the holidays, and i wont be able to get away till Thursday (and i am sure i wont be looking my best too). So that leaves June.. which suddenly seem so near!

God help us make a decision!
CLEAR SIGN! :)

Top 13 pictures from BUFFALO :)

The feeling of excitement as we embark on our journey :)

Wonderful Wonderful.. did i mention wonderful?..Breakfasts

Gorgeously-yummy-unforgiving-to-your-tummy meals

Winter wonderlands... NARNIA!

Iced up everything. I love COLD!

Going mad at Hersheys!

Breaking ice with our sheer strength!

Enchanting Niagara Falls

Super duper CHEAP B&Js

SUPER-HOT-I-cant-taste-my-taste-bud-Buffalo Wings

Doodling on Na's car!

Lovely company which i now miss :(
And a lovely warm apartment i love to mess up

To say that i miss shopping there... would be an understatement

I miss Buffalo. In my fantasy world (which usually comes true sometimes; i know, oxymoron), i get to spend a couple of months just nuaing with Na in the States. Just living there, prolly to do a research paper or something. Or just you know, enjoying the weather and living life slowly. Cooking together, grocery shopping, etc etc.

People would say that, married liao cannot do this kind of thing.. WHO SAY ONE?!? In fact, we need to leave life to the fullest. i hate to think that i need to fit into some kind of mould. I prefer customizing my life, so that i can glorify God, my husband-to-be and my family :) And i definately want to keep in contact with my precious babes...

Anyhow, we are leaving for KL tonight with a bunch of others. Just a short trip over the weekends. When we started planning, i was so excited i couldn't wait for the weekends to come. Now, i am dreading the fact that i will dread going back to school on Monday. Taking a plane though, and i am SUPER EXCITED BOUT THAT!!! Will update with more pictures.

Meanwhile, we are almost 80% to settling our photographers. Might even be taking an overseas shoot further than we think. Please God, if its within Yr will, make it happen :) If not then forget it! :)

Oh yeah, we are STILL looking for a church. ANY LOBANGS?!?!!?

Next installment.. NYC's top 20 :)

Joy of Friendship =)

Hey the photos are here =)

long weekend!

It was a super long weekend, running around from morning till evening....but it was a fulfilling one too!

But at least in terms of wedding prep, we have settle on our wedding ring band =)

so left:
1) Church
2) Photographer

Welcome to G127!

Welcome to G-1:27 Creative Network......work-in-progress, but its up =)

Wedding Photographer: Ambi or tri-angles??

some comments please ppl! which photographer for Actual Day (church + dinner).

we have settled pre-wedding as Tri-angles.

next thing, please pray for us - we are looking for a church to hold our church wedding, but its quite difficult nowadays as most churches do not rent out their premises anymore...sigh...

but! we trust God!

also trusting God for an apartment to rent for $1oo0 and below! almost impossible, but we're praying =)

Post edit by matz:
Ambi or Tri Angles?
And well, we need to sort out our accomodations! :)

i heart family :)

Spent a lovely saturday evening with the most important people in the world - my family :) While the tradition of Lao Yu Sheng has much to do with prosperity and what not, i think the most important aspect of it is family :)

It's perfect just to enjoy a nice dinner with the people who matters most. Its times like these that reminds one of the important things in life.

Of Gowns & Hairdos

I told myself that we would get started on our wedding prep after Elynn & Bernard's wedding.. and we did! Currently in the midst of confirming our photographers as well as the church venue. Please pray that we can get the church venue confirmed... its really important to me. Not that the other aspects do not require prayers.. *hint hint* Pray especially that God is present in every aspect of the preparation :)

Meanwhile, a picture from the wedding which i think is aptly entitled 'sleeping beauty':

Hehhehe

I recently went to my Dao Gu's place to bai nian and it turns out that my niece and i are getting married at the same period. They gladly offered their Japanese bridal magazines for us to browse through and i was completely blown away. I must admit that my obsession with bridal magazines (especially the US based ones) is getting alil out of hand... but Japanese magazines... WHY HAVEN I DISCOVERED THEM EARLIER?! The gowns are gorgeous and nicer and everything just seems more feasible! Since the magazine wasn't mine, i immediately went shutter happy with my camera phone (pictures later!).

So 'neway, i popped by Kinokuniya to get my hands on some of those Japanese bridal mags (why they are called books are reasons beyond me). Thank God the entire place was on a 20% sale (sorry dudes, it was only for the 31st of Jan) and i went alil mad as usual. And since there was a jolly good sale, i helped myself to the latest Martha Stewart Bridal Magazine too :)

I did felt alil guilty spending quite a bit for 2 magazines. Later on though, when my mum, gramps, 'lil sis, aunt and uncle were poring over the magazine together after Lao Yu Sheng, it all felt worth it. They were talking about gowns, cakes, hotels in an excited chatter. Even my grandfather helped pick out the gowns i can draw inspiration from! Weddings bring people together ain't it? :)

Alright, nuff words. Something for the bridesmaids:

Mummy, Marilyn & Isaiah love this one

Ideas for the evening gown:

Is this too much?

Love the details on the back!

More ideas for head-dress (or whatever its called):

Looks alil heavy for her huh?

Lovely, but will it look like i rummaged my head in the gardens?

And my favourite picture of the day:

Lovely gown, lovely colours :)

Hilaron from Tri-Angles asked what i would like in our pre wedding album; well, this would be it. Vivid, bright colours and happy shiny faces :)

Please, not shiny faces because its oily...