As the year 2009 comes to an end, i can't help but look back and say 'what a year!'

Indeed, what a year it has been. From graduating from poly to my 3 mths in YFC to studying in Perth, UWA. The lessons learnt throughout this whole journey is priceless. The struggles, the uncertainties, the waitings, the prayers, the tears, the hurts, the sleepless nights, the thanksgivings, the realisation of many things...

I think words can't really summarise all my thoughts and feelings of everything that i went through this year. But i guess, what i really want to say is a big Thank You to God. He has brought me through this year which is full of challenges i would say. My heart is overflowing with thanksgiving. He has taught me to trust in Him in every step i make. I may stumble, i may fear, i may doubt at times, but one thing for sure, He will always be there to help me.

And one major thing i learnt is that, i have come to really truly understand what are the 'things' that are most important to me. Well, besides God, it's my family and of course, my closest friends (i need not name you all, im quite sure you all know who you are).

I must say that i am very very blessed to be in this family and i've learnt not to take them for granted anymore. Though we may not verbally say 'i love you' or whatever. But you know, it's the actions, the presence rather than the words that shows the love. Really, what else can i say, they are my most precious.

And my closest friends. Thank God for the 3 of them. They have always been there for me through everything that i went through. My happy times, my sad times, etc.. They are always there to lend me their listening ear, to share my hurts, to give me advices, to encourage me, etc.. They are the ones whom i know, even though i may be far away in Perth, i can still turn to them anytime. They are the ones whom i know i can trust. They are the ones whom i know will not hurt me. They are the ones whom i know i will miss alot when im back in Perth.

2009, a year that was full of challenges, a year that has been bringing me out of my comfort zones, a year that i have come to realise, through each experience/lesson that i went through, i am reminded that i need God in my life.

2010, i've no idea what lies ahead of me. But i pray that i will remember the lessons that i have learnt in 2009 and bravely face the challenges in 2010. Everything is in God's hands.

How has 2009 been for you?

i wish that time will pass a little slower.
i wish that holidays can be very very long.
I wish that next year won't come so soon.
I wish that st.catherines will send me a confirmation email soon (like nowww) so that i dont have to worry my heart out about being homeless next year.
i wish that i don't have to go back to perth after cny.

The bintan trip was a good one, though a little tiring but was rather enjoyable. Perhaps it's bcos this group is made up of a gd mix of pple, so working together has become quite gd actually. We can work rly fast. We actually finished packing and measuring the flour/rice/sugar/oil in an hr instead of using the allocated whole afternoon. So we helped to catalogue the library.. Now i can understand that cataloging is not as easy as we think it is.. haa. i think we shld call ourselves "Team Laughters" cos we laughed so much throughout the trip. thanks to the aunties and uncles and the other crazy pple. as shimu said "we used up our laughing quota" hahaha. so true.

thank God that it didnt rain when we went to give out the food packages in the village. cos after that, it rained so so heavily. overall, though it's just 2D1N, feels kinda short, but i had a great great deal of fun with everyone (:

after being away, i have come to realise many things.

Watched the movie - 2012 today. it's a really good movie. I was so tensed up throughout. Some afterthoughts about the movie..

I think that, at the end of the day, a person who has billions and billions of money is just the same as a poor beggar on the street. We are all equal, don't you think? Does having more money makes you more important than someone who has lesser money? What makes one life more worthy than another? What makes one person more important than another? What do you use to measure the worth of a life? Can you even measure the worth of a person's life? As what one of the main characters said "How do you choose who gets to survive and who don't? Their cheque-book??"

"The moment we stop caring for one another, we lose our humanity."

go catch the movie if you can, it's a really good movie (in my own opinion) (:

哦主啊使我少为自己求
少求受安慰，但求安慰人
少求被了解，但求了解人
少求爱，但求全心付出爱

ok.. i get the hint God.. 4 times is not a coincidence anymore..

Forgiveness.

12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossian 3: 12-13

I AM SO HAPPY TO BE BACK HOME!!! :D

even happier to see my loved ones. haha. going back to church tdy really feels like im dreaming. cant believe that im back. and the reactions of different people rly makes me want to laugh. some just stared at me with the stun look (i.e. raised eyebrows, eyes big) and took awhile to react, some see me and went "ahhhhhhhhhh" hahahaha. so glad so glad so glad to see my dearest friends again :D

my last night in perth before my summer holidays was really fun. haha. stayed out till 4am before heading home for a short rest and then to the airport. crazy huh, but i really enjoyed my time with PACE friends. they have made my 4 months in perth really enjoyable and fun (:

when i was on the plane, i kept looking at my watch. 1.05pm .. ok, watch movie. movie ended, it was only 2+pm... went to slp and woke up at 3+ .. went back to slp and woke up again, only to realise that 15 mins has passed. haha. you get the gist of my impatience i guess.. haha. and when i saw singapore from the plane, a smile unknowingly creep up my face. and the thought in my head was "im home, im home, im home, im home, im home" (: the feeling i had when i saw my family.. undescribable joy. and tdy, when i saw my dear lovelies in church, super happy (:

now that im back, it's amazing just looking back at the 4 months that passed. how God has brought me through every day. Seriously, without God, without my family and close friends, i don't how i will survive there. not that life there is bad, but you know, the bouts of homesickness, when u face difficulties... yeah. the 4 months in Perth, ive learnt many lessons, gain different perspectives, made new friends there and forge closer bonds with friends here.

im just really really glad to be home (:

exactly 7 days from now, this time, i will be in Boon Lay with all my loved ones (ok, almost all my loved ones.. ) and we'll be having dinner together. FACE TO FACE. ican'twait! ican'twait!! ican'twait!!!

i skyped with them for a little while in the afternoon tdy cos my cousin was already at boonlay. the moment we skyped, one of my aunts said "7 more days! 7 more days!" in a loud voice and 7 fingers waving in the air. hehehe. so cute. and my cousin was asking "esther, you know the song 'Nobody' anot?" then i was like "yes.." then my cousin said "when you come out of the arrival gate, you will see your aunties singing that song to you... 'i want nobody nobody but you!~'"-faint- haha :D i love them and miss them to bits!

and then just now, when everyone was already at boonlay, i skyped with them again. then i was just telling them what i am going to do after my last paper.. and i said that i have to also clean up the house before i fly back on saturday.. then they said i can go back and help them to clean their houses.. haha. i'll be a part-time maid with a (almost) business degree :P

7/8 more days to seeing my loved ones. [7 days till i see my family&relatives. 8 days till i see the 4 lovelies (: ]

chatting with carmen always makes me laugh. haha. this is what happens when we chat late at night...

brattalkت says:
so sian la... i miss going to pandan valley but not to ur place
i mean
Esther ; trust with faith says:
hahaha
i know what u mean la..
though it sounded wrong when i first read it
HAHAH
brattalkت says:
i dun like going to pandan valley when it's not going to your place
haha
sorry arh
it's the time of the day
Esther ; trust with faith says:
hahaha. its' ok
so cute ah u. i read that sentence again and i want to laugh.
lucky i can understand what u mean
hehehe
brattalkت says:
eh!
stop reading the question
Esther ; trust with faith says:
HAHAHA
brattalkت says:
the statement*
what qn
Esther ; trust with faith says:
must be the time of the day
brattalkت says:
i'm rlly crazy
Esther ; trust with faith says:
you are starting to yu wu lun ci
brattalkت says:
disorientated
Esther ; trust with faith says:
hahaha
brattalkت says:
oops
it's actually test of our friendship... see if you can understand me when i get dementia, etc
Esther ; trust with faith says:
HAHAHA
prbly we'll be SOOOOO gd friends that we get dementia together and all we can remember is each other .. HAHAHHA
brattalkت says:
haha
so funny
we'll go like... "esther?"
you'll say "what?"
then i would go like "what? why you what me?"
Esther ; trust with faith says:
HAHAHA
brattalkت says:
cause i forgot i called you
Esther ; trust with faith says:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHA!!!!!!
this is the funniest la
ohmygdness. HAHAHAHAH!!!
den i'll go" what what? i where got what you?"
brattalkت says:
i'm just good at jokes at this time of the day
Esther ; trust with faith says:
ya. i think so too
brattalkت says:
first the bowels
Esther ; trust with faith says:
HAHAHHA
brattalkت says:
now this
Esther ; trust with faith says:
haha. nurse by day, joker by night
brattalkت says:
heh, then i cant do night shift
my patients will all die
Esther ; trust with faith says:
HAHAHAHA
they will be rolling with laughter
brattalkت says:
haha, all thanks to me
or maybe it's just you
you're the catalyst for my jokes
Esther ; trust with faith says:
HAHAHA!

just imagine our conversation if we really get such dementia.. we'll be entertaining ourselves the whole day... HAHA!

my mum: "... you need to have faith and confidence Esther. If you keep on holding onto it and not let it go, how do expect God to do His work? ... don't worry... be more confident, have faith in Him... let go and let God. He has prepared His best for you...."

yes, indeed. i need to trust God and have more faith in Him. and place everything in His hands. He is in control. so, i need to stop worrying so much. after all, God has shown me His goodness time and time again.

finally, all tests are done, all assignments are submitted. i feel a little relieved now. but then, the thought of exams approaching is making me feel a little nervous.. and it isn't exactly because of the exams itself that is making me feel... scared.. owell..

i wish.. i can go home now. not that life here is bad. in fact, it has been quite alright. but then, every now and then, i would wish that my family is here with me or i am back home with them..

okay. shall focus. exams preparation now. if not, i know i will regret later.