Tuesday

Another new day to work my socks off...Had a late night yesterday... Could hardly get up this morning - but anyway I did. I am proud to say that I did not go back to sleep later in the morning.

Did my quiet-time in the morning, just before I went out for lunch with Yvonne... Felt a little down in the morning about certain things (ok, so what is unusual?:P)... so I read and copied Psalm 31 into my journal, and prayed. Subsequently, I was reminded to have childlike faith in the Lord - to be 'strong and take heart', as the Lord who hears every cry for help and mercy is a faithful God, who preserves those who truly love and wait on Him.

Went out for lunch with my dear former housemate, former uni-mate, former churchmate, etc - Yvonne. She just passed her final medicine & surgery / General Practitioner exams, and therefore it was kind of like a celebration we had for that... More than anything, it was to remember God's faithfulness and grace in our friendship throughout our years. It was funny how we met during our PMC orientation 6 years ago. I was so shy, that I didn't really want to put my name-tag on (although we were supposed to) - ummm, so I wore it upside-down, and I wouldn't leave my dad's side :P (Malu-fying also, when I think of it now.) But yeah, we got to know one another... and first impressions last forever! She still reminds me of that first meeting we had every now and then. :S

Throughout the years, she's been really a friend and dear sister-in-Christ to me. Even after I had graduated (she took pre-med year and I did not), we continued to keep in touch. She's one of the young women in church I was 'commissioned' to disciple (and baptize) when we were in Every Nation Dublin... and I'm so proud of her - I really am. Not that I'm proud of what I did, because it could only have been by the grace of God (and boy, I almost gave-up on her once - This, she reminded me very sneakily and gleefully today :P - Thankfully, she didn't give up on her fickle-minded discipler...). But I remember how far she's come since I met her. How much she had gone through in the past. How she had truly surrendered her life to the Lord, living her fullest for Him. How she started serving Him with all her heart, mind, soul and strength. How she stood on her own feet, even when I had come back to Penang, and she was still in Dublin... I was so overjoyed that she didn't 'need' me anymore, but had established her own intimate relationship with the Lord. Now she's such a committed servant-leader in church, discipling other young women too. She is one of the reasons I believe my med-school days were not in vain :) I was telling her today (feeling rather emotional) that I feel so privileged and blessed to have been able to cross paths with her. In fact, I think she's more than a friend, a sister and a former housemate. She's someone who had faithfully walked with me through my ED days too and given me unstinting support to follow God's call.

Well, Vonz blessed me with lunch at Chili's. We caught up. Don't know when we will ever get the chance to meet again after this... um, perhaps when either of us gets married? :)

I look forward to meet some of my juniors later this afternoon, just before they graduate and leave for their hometowns... and housemanship.

I honestly don't like this time of the year, you know. Alot of goodbyes to be said...

Yvonne made a remark that totally surprised me... "I think you look more and more like your father..." (I secretly think so too!) That's hilarious, because everyone used to tell me how much I look like my late-mum. Oh well, there is always a first for everything, huh. Hehe.