Monday, April 17, 2006
It is now 6.15pm as I am writing this and the sky outside is pitch black. Still remember when I first arrived, the sun started to set only at 8pm, but now it sets at 5pm. Takes getting used to since in Singapore, the sun always rose and set at around the same time all year.
Went to Port Adelaide today. Intended to take a cruise to see dolphins but the weather was no good at all and I didn’t even see one. But froze my ass off instead on the cruise. Lol. Will post the photos and more on my newly created blog – http://testify2love.blogspot.com. Jean promised to create a blog layout for me (thanks dear!), so everyone pls be patient!
Recently everything I do is all at a wrong timing. Called my parents on Sat, they went out for dinner. Promised I’ll call and wish my grandparents happy birthday yesterday, came back late and forgot all about it. Only remembered this morning… what a horrible person I am… sigh…
Anyway, I promised to blog about the Easter camp so here goes:
We went to a very nice and scenic place called Tatachilla camp at McLaren Vale, a vineyard (for photos please see my other blog). Meals there were good and plentiful, but standard Australian fare – hotdogs, snitzels, etc… Think I put on weight…We slept in cabins, with 7-8 ppl to a room. Slept on the upper deck of a double decker bed, like how I would back in SG. Met many people, whom I felt really comfortable with. Even this guy, who is 4 yrs older than me and was in the same primary school as me! What a small world…
For the 3 days /nights we spent there, we had devotions every morning at 7am! Haven’t had to wake up so early for a long time, but it was nice to spend the first thing in the day reading God’s word. If only it wasn’t so cold everyday… We would also have praise & worship together with a speaker’s session. The theme for the camp was Why Love. All in all we had 4 speaker’s sessions, and the speaker, a pastor based in Melbourne, spoke about the 4 types of love, principle of love, love inaction and persevering love. He was very inspiring and easy to talk to. Believed many of us there benefited greatly.
Here are some snippets of what I’ve learnt:
John 3: 16 ~ as explained by Martin Luther
For God – greatest lover
so loved – greatest degree
the world – greatest number
that He gave – greatest act
His one and only Son – greatest gift
that whoever – greatest initiation
believes – greatest simplicity
in Him – greatest person
shall not perish – greatest deliverance
but have – greatest certainty
everlasting life – greatest possession
What is faith?
Faith is when you expect white milk to come out from a black cow that eats green grass.
Faith is when you believe the pilot (whom you do not see) of the airplane you are in, will fly you safely to your destination.
So why is it so difficult to have faith in God, whose very proof of existence is everything that you see around you, including yourself?
Will be going to some waterfall and do a bit of trekking on wed. Hope the weather would be better then and it won’t be too physically demanding since I’d officially no longer be a teenager. In case any of you have forgotten, my birthday is tmr. Thankfully not everyone forgot. Wanna thank Jean once again for her cute bedroom slippers as well as my friends in OCF who surprised me with a set of hand and face towels from Happy House. Not forgetting WeiQin who baked me a birthday cake despite being ‘busy’ spending time with Alan who has come to Adelaide. Its not that I am calculative, but getting presents is a sign that others appreciate me as a friend, to go the extra mile and get me something and that counts more than anything. For those back home, there’s always the option of mailing (I look forward to receiving mail these days) or just an email wishing me happy birthday will do. =) BUT should you forget, dun worry its not the end of our friendship, I know many of you are working hard for your exams, so just wanna say jia you!
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Will blog about Easter camp and what I learnt there soon... but in the meantime... this is something we did during bible study:
A love letter from Jesus
My dear child,
How are you? I just had to send you this letter to tell you how much I love and care about you.
I saw you yesterday as you were walking with your friends. I waited all day, hoping you would talk to Me also. As evening drew near, I gave you a sunset to close your day and a cool breeze to rest you, and I waited. You never came. O yes, it hurt me, but I still love you because I am your Friend.
I saw you fall asleep last night, and I longed to touch your brow, so I spilled moonlight upon your pillow and face. Again I waited, wanting to rush down so we could talk. I have so many gifts for you. You awakened late and rushed off for the day... My tears were in the rain. Today you looked so sad, so alone. It makes my heart ache because I understand. My friends let me down and hurt me so many times too, but I love you. I try to tell you in the quiet green grass. I whiseper it in the leaves and trees, breathe it in the colours of the flowers. I shout it to you in the mountain stream, and give the birds love songs to sing. I clothe you with warm sunshine and perfume the air. My love for you is deeper than oceans and bigger than the biggest want or need you have.
We will spend eternity together in heaven. I know how hard it is on this earth. I really know (because I was there) and I want to help you. My Father wants to help you too. Just call Me, ask Me, talk to Me. It is your decision. I have chosen you, and because of this I will wait... Because I love you
Your friend,
Jesus
The bible study asks us to write a letter in response and this is my letter... (after watching a scene from the Passion of the Christ -yes... I haven't watch the show)
Dear Jesus,
As I try to picture and think of all the suffering and pain You went thru on the cross, all I can say is I'm sorry...
I'm sorry that I have let you down time and again and I don't know how I could have acted like You didn't exist after all that You have done for me.
I'm sorry for all the times I hurt You and although I may never fully understand how much You love me, I want to love You too. But sometimes its so hard, so please help me to love You all the time. Help me never to forget Your wonderful grace and mercy and help me to love others the way You love them.
Nothing I can ever do, can repay what You have done for me on the cross. But help me to never stop trying to obey Your commandments, for its the least I can do and its the best way I can ever live my life. And Thank You so much for what you've done for me. Thank You for creating me the way I am and all the beautiful nature that surrounds me everywhere I go. Thank You...
Love,
Lydea
Do take some time today to think about the glorious nature God has created and all the blessings He has given to you. And don't forget to thank Him.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Hmm… guess its time I blog again… was really busy. Just realized that the Easter camp is next Friday. Completely forgotten about the dates. Guess that’s what happens when you get busy. Went shopping 4 times last week and suffered for it this week as I had to catch up with all the readings. Spent a bomb and was really stressed out cuz of it, think that’s why I am having a breakout now. Or maybe its just pms. Anyway I went to this place near the airport where they had like factory outlets and bought many clothes at heavily discounted prices. So happy =D Although I would have to control how many clothes I buy from now on lest the very generous wardrobe space in my room becomes insufficient.
Its like 2am in the morning now and I went online for a while just now, but unfortunately there was no one to talk to so I am offline. I am normally asleep at this time but I just came back like half an hour ago from supper after OCF. We had a combined meeting with the OCF from Adelaide University and University of South Australia. Then we proceeded to Chinatown for supper where someone ordered 7 dishes for 10 ppl. Yup, for supper. The food was good, the best I’ve eaten so far and the price reasonable. Even at midnight, the place was fully packed with Chinese, guess we Asians really are owls. Besides waiting for my hair to dry, and for my food to be digested, I decided to pen down some thoughts.
Although OCF stands for Overseas Christian Fellowship, we have some non-Christians in our midst too. Remember how in my previous posts how embarrassed I am to assume that everyone was a Christian? Well you can’t really blame me if some non-Christians look just like Christians! They bow their heads in prayer, know the words of the songs of praise and worship as well as have quite a fair bit of bible knowledge. This brings me to the point that maybe some people who attend church have never really been saved. They go through the notions, enjoy the fellowship, yet they do not comprehend God’s saving grace. Or for some it is just head knowledge that has not been translated to heart knowledge. So perhaps when you go to church this Sunday, get to know someone new and maybe you could be the first person to speak to him/her personally about accepting Christ as their Saviour.
Ever since I came here, there have been 2 things that have constantly been in my head. One is that what a sinner I am, yet God, our Creator still loves me. And the other is what a failure I am at bringing others, esp my closest friends, to Christ.
As I study Psychology, Anatomy and Physiology, lecturers often comment at the complexity and efficiency of the human body. No person could have ever thought of how to create a human being without a blueprint. Even with one, it is still something that has yet to be achieved. Many inventions which we think are very ingenious of ourselves, often simply model after nature. E.g. car battery is a simplified version of the mitochondria found in every cell. How could we ever think of using light to send images on our retina, which in turn sends electrical impulses to the brain where is it translated into what we perceive we see? God doesn’t need to split the red sea or send fire from heaven to let us know He exists. His greatness is manifested everywhere around us. All we need to do stop and think from where did we or the grass on the ground come from. I believe all answers will point to a Creator. Scientists themselves are convinced that the universe created. Nothing can be formed spontaneously from nothing. Big bang is bullshit simply because in order for it to happen, there has to be matter in the first place. But if all there was was vacuum, how could any explosion occur? And from there, how did highly developed and intelligent being ie us, come about?
Now how do I know that Christ is the Son of God and that He is our Creator? Well, because He was the only person who resurrected from the dead, raised someone else from the dead and did many other miracles. His birth and life was prophesized centuries before He walked on Earth. I am not a Christian because it sounds like the best deal, as accepting Christ guarantees us a place in heaven. And who wouldn’t want a heavenly Father, to whom we are more insignificant than ants are to us, who is willing to become like one of us and be murdered by us, just to show us how much He loves us. Sounds too good to be true? Well it probably isn’t? Let me tell you that this is the only exception and IF it is true, what do you have to lose?
I guess being away from my friends finally hit me that I will not be able to share with them about Christ as easily anymore (it was never easy in the first place, but now its even harder). I’ve been procrastinating and now I am regretting it. There have been so many people God placed in my life, to bring them to Him. But no one knows what will happen tomorrow. As young people, we probably never think of death, much less life AFTER death. But death can happen to anyone anytime. We are mortal and as much as we like to, not many of us can orchestrate our own death. I really feel bad about leaving my beloved friends to godly people I pray God will put in their path since I am no longer so accessible but I believe that God will work things out in His time. Dear friends, we might not see much of each other now, but I surely would like to see you in eternity (dun worry, I dun think we’ll ever get sick of each other there).
Thanks to all the blogs i referred to (countless) for html code help :) (esp. cyn' and sixseven)
Adobe Photoshop Elements for supernatural abilities
