Fitness Friday...

Had a nice birthday celebration for Ben's dad last night - at Song River, along Gurney Drive. We ate loads! The sambal sting-ray was the best... me love! :) *Slurp* After dinner, Ben and I went on a spontaneous movie-date... We watched 'Takers' at Prangin Mall with popcorn.

Today, I went gym-ing and swimming at RH's. It was awesome. I didn't do too heavy stuff - just perhaps 25 minutes plus on the elliptical trainer (which was a major achievement for me! Usually I get so sien that I get off before 20 minutes are up! Hee hee...), some stretching, lat pulls and toning with light-weights... After about 40-45 minutes in the gym, I went for a dip in the pool... swam about 30 laps... and then retired with happy sighs. Rewarded myself with a yummy-licious, generous serving of chicken pie for lunch (I did consider Mcdonald's...but I thought I'd have it sometime this weekend instead)...

Confession: I love pastries...

Yeah, in case you were wondering - what's up with my sudden fitness fanaticism - since my school hols began this week, I have been trying to increase my stamina for mission trip among other stuff... Swimming on alternate days (45 mins to an hour per session) - and today, I added a session at the gym.

I was reminded of something: I will probably never go back to fad diets after this... For me, keeping trim is not a matter of cutting out foods and keeping to a 'safe list' like some weight-loss specialists recommend (FYI: Safe foods are great - definitely eat more vegies and fruits by all means, but if I have nothing but safe foods or health-foods, I'd probably go on some 'unsafe' food rampage after at most, 2 weeks of such efforts! Eating safe-foods will probably never become a lifestyle...) - but having everything in moderation and exercising regularly. (I said, regularly - not excessively! 3-4 times a week, 30-45 minutes per session should be great) It is not about missing out on birthday parties and social events just so that you are able to skimp on the calories... It is not about consuming so little calories per day that you drag through the day feeling fatigued and mentally exhausted from malnutrition... It is not about having just oats for dinner at night (unless you are a donkey/horse/rabbit!) And it is certainly not about trying to burn off every calorie you've consumed by the end of the day.

Everything in moderation. Watch your portions but don't over-do it. Be healthy.

I know, I know... I sound like a goodie-goodie two shoes... *cringe* But I've gone through every kind of diet and I've had my days obsessing over the calories - but still, the conventional way works best, long-term. My body tells me when I've consumed enough calories for the day, I don't count 'em anymore. Sometimes, I am aware that I've gone over my limits - but I don't fuss over it like I used to do... I'd just be a little wiser the next time. Yes, and I never go to sleep worrying about food nowadays! :)

Going out for mamak midnight suppers once in a while is still OK. Just don't do it everyday.

Eating potato chips at midnight while watching a movie once in a while is still OK. Just don't do it everyday.

Having a spontaneous ice-cream cone from Mcd's (after CG/ MLM at church) once in a while is still OK. Just don't do it every night.

Get moving. It keeps your metabolism up and gives you endorphins.

Eat substantial, nutritious meals... so that you don't feel hungry in between meals - and start snacking on anything you can get your hands on. I try to eat between 3-5 meals a day (including my afternoon tea)...

10 more days to mission trip.

MIL-to-be :)

I haven't been blogging too diligently in the past few days (or weeks).

To my beloved prayer partners, mentors, mentees, close friends and family members who always read my blog for updates so that you can pray for me - my utmost apologies! I certainly hope that I'll be able to blog more after my November mission trip! :) Keep my team in prayer please... We will be in Sarawak (Miri and Long Lamai) from the 23rd to 30th of November. Almost half of our team is ill too - probably some kind of spiritual attack.

Something on my thoughts lately...because of a bout of illness (another acute exacerbation of asthma secondary to upper respiratory tract infection) - Ben has been sick for quite a while too (resulting in more than 3 medical consultations). Subsequently, Ben's mum has been double-boiling loads of delicious bird-nest soup for Ben and myself...traditionally believed to help nourish the lungs (and from what I know - bird-nest soup is a kind of beauty potion, haha!).

I am just so thankful that I have great parents-in-law-to-be...

Well, I did have my share of difficulties in my courtship. No wonder they say that marriage is the most difficult relationship in the world - loving one another and being faithful requires both parties to work hard at it sometimes... However, I am blessed that God chose to bless me in this area - with regards my in-laws. That I do not have to play hard to impress them or win their acceptance. And my children will not have to suffer from any bitterness/hurts incurred from my bad relationship with my mother-in-law. The typical stuff you see on Asian drama series... :P
(You can tell that I'm an avid fan of those!)

Ben's mum for instance - I think she would make one of the best M.I.L's in the world. She never expects me to help out with the housework whenever I drop into Ben's place. The house is always super clean and neat (that I am often afraid that Ben might expect me to keep our future home the same way too :P) and I am always well-fed and well-nourished with the best homemade food in the world! Whenever I am sick, Ben's mum always invites me to their home so that she can fuss over me. Whenever I use the swimming pool downstairs, she'd wash my wet things even when I try to hide them from her. Then she always takes my side when Ben bullies me and chides him, "Don't bully her la! She has no mother!" LOLx.

Then of course, Ben being 'Ben' would retort: "If she has a mother, then can I bully her?"

Also, as some of you know, I have been giving English tuition for the past 2 months or so - and the cash has helped me tremendously with my monthly expenses. Last week, my student decided that she would stop the tuition classes - because she was going to fly back to Korea for good. So there went my wages too! :D When Ben's mum heard about that, she secretly told Ben, "You can give me less allowance each month - and give her some of the money you usually give me la..."

Of course, Ben did not do that! I wouldn't have allowed him to do that anyway... Besides that, we are not married yet - so there is no need for him to provide for me at this moment in time. :D

These are of course just a few examples of how amazingly kind she has been to me. I admire her giving spirit - coz she gives even though she doesn't expect any benefit from the giving and she jolly well knows that I won't be able to repay her anytime soon - at least not in cash! She is really a mother to me.

Then again, it always touches my heart and blesses me to see how happy and thankful she is every time I try to do something nice for her.

Recently, I've been on a mission to help her understand the Bible. OK, not exactly in the Bible-teacher sort of way.

You see, my MIL-to-be loves reading God's Word, copying them down in a notebook and meditating on the essence of the Word (her devotion puts me to shame)... but she often struggles with the English vocabulary in her Bible. By God's grace, I was sitting down at the table where she usually does her Bible studies, enjoying a bowl of fresh bird-nest soup - just perhaps over the weekend... when I happened to turn over a page in her Bible. There were some underlined words (which she did not understand) and above these words, Ben's dad had written some simple explanations of those words... some in English and some in Hokkien! I laughed at some of the explanations of course... My MIL-to-be also laughed because she saw me laughing. Then I realized that the highlighted words in her notebook were words that she did not understand.

That was when our merciful and gracious God planted a brilliant idea in my head...

Why not write down simple explanations for those chim English words - in expressions that Ben's mum can best understand? (For example: 'Gossip' means "talk (bad) about people behind their backs whether true or not") Or even draw pictures to illustrate those words? Perhaps, she won't let me touch the housework or help her cook or give her money... but surely, the much-needed explanations of these words so essential to aid her understanding of God's Word - she would accept? :D

God is amazing!!!

It has been awesomely fun. Praise God!

It was even more rewarding when Ben sent me a text 2 nights ago saying, "Dear, you made my mum so happy. Haha!"

It's Ben's dad's birthday today. We are all going to celebrate by eating out at Song River.

9/11/2010 =)

Ben's parents had a simple but beautiful birthday celebration for Ben last night. We went out for bak-kut-teh after Ben was done with his work.

Monday

Had quite a busy weekend.

Ben celebrated another birthday yesterday alongside a few other November babies in our combined CG :) ~ The party went well, praise God.

Swam 50 laps today. Yes... the training for Sarawak Mission trip has begun, as promised.

Wedding dress fitting this Sunday. Thanks to my body weight tendency to fluctuate, I am just a teeny bit worried that I might lose some weight after my mission trip (and beyond)...and the dresses are gonna be super loose after that... :(

Bathsheba...

Ran some errands at Tesco's Supermarket today... when I bumped into someone whom I haven't seen in ages.

We still do not know how to respond to each other - so we just smiled a little awkwardly and waved.

I'm just comforted that God knows my heart.

It was not something that I could have helped, although I always feel bad about things. I do not have to blame myself or anyone for what has taken place. Things just happened the way they happened. History can not be changed...but I can choose look at it in a positive manner - and be assured that God does make things work together for the good of those who trust Him. By the grace and strength of the Lord.

Look at it this way ~ You know the story of King David and Bathsheba? I used to blame her for causing the king's downfall... but today, I look at the story otherwise. You cannot blame her entirely - what was the king doing in the middle of the night, taking a leisurely stroll on the rooftop? Bathsheba's bathing was probably not in a public place, but behind the walls of an enclosed courtyard. She had not expected to be seen, since the King was, after all, supposed to be out in the battlefield with her husband. 2 Samuel 11:3-4 subsequently records, 'So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.'

I'm not saying that I can relate much to Bathsheba, haha. However, I often wonder how Bathsheba felt when she was being brought into the king's presence. If she had resisted, she would have risked execution for defying the King. So she didn't have much of a choice, did she?

So this is where she comes into the picture. Suddenly, she was linked to David - and all of his past, present and future! She would have to share in the consequences of his past mistakes if any... and of course God later turned her plight around into a blessing by including her into the lineage of Christ.

Then again, I always wonder how she felt when the first child she conceived out of David's sin died. Bathsheba, though a part of the king's household, had to now live humiliated in disgrace in the midst of the king's other wives and concubines. If I were her, I would have complained bitterly to God, "Why? It wasn't my fault!"

She did not. I admire her strength and courage. I really need the same strength and courage for my own circumstances.

I also admire King David for earnestly repenting before the Lord. It made all the difference. His marriage with Bathsheba was later sanctified and blessed by God Himself.

This story reminds me of God's unsurpassed grace. I know that this grace is helping me today.

Friday...Term break begins....

...but our assignments have not ended.

With Ben at the Church Leaders' Planning Retreat... I had the whole evening to myself.

Now, I know... when we were in different continents a few months ago, it was quite normal for me to spend my Friday evenings alone. I can't even remember what I did on Fridays... Perhaps, I'd hang out with my friends or catch a movie on my own. Usually, I am able to keep myself occupied some way. (This sometimes makes me feel like a cat - all cool and independent, watchful and unruffled...tee hee!!!)Today, I just did not know what to do with the sudden absence of Ben on a Friday night. I guess I have been too busy the past few days to plan. Everywhere was way too crowded, thanks to the public holiday... I had already gotten myself stuck in a few traffic jams... Queensbay Mall was absolutely swarming with excited shoppers and movie-goers... (Yes, I was there for some errands)... *Phew* I ended up having dinner alone, and returning to my cave...where I could rest in peace.

Yeah... feeling all anti-social and snappy at the many reckless drivers on the road too. Grrrr... Why can't some people just keep to their own lanes... why drive in between two lanes? And why suddenly move to a different lane without signaling while I am charging forward with my foot down on the accelerator? Do you know it's rude, annoying and dangerous? *Honks loudly* @_@ ~ Aihhh.....

Today was just one of those awfully weird days in history. I didn't even feel like shopping. To say nothing of continuing with my assignments...

So burnt out!!! >.<

It doesn't help that the training for Penan M.T starts tomorrow. Really, I am so grateful that I have Uncle Roland (a seminary classmate) from Sarawak to advise me on how I should prepare for the trip. He even offered to lend me a mosquito nets and a sarong! And of course...thanks to Mel Choong and Joycelyn who helped brief me about the conditions there... I am so getting ready my kutu shampoo, mosquito repellants/nets... and haha, motion sickness pills. I honestly feel apprehensive about the hiking with 7 kg backpack for 2 hours... Hopefully, it's not uphill. Ben and I don't have very strong lungs. He's not yet recovered from his acute exacerbation of bronchitis/ - and I am having an acute exacerbation of asthma secondary to a respiratory tract infection. How timely! :P No, I am not kidding.

Plus, the last time I climbed up Youth Park hill (in 2007 - yes, phobia already...) I nearly fainted from dyspnoea... :P After the vigorous exercise and a few puffs from my Salbutamol inhaler, I descended the hill with wobbly legs. It was so embarrassing. I never went up there again.

So please cheer me on in my quest to increase my fitness and stamina by the 23rd of November.

Past few days... I have been both nearly conned by manipulative business people who prey on my vulnerabilities and weaknesses... But thank God, there was an opportunity to minister to at least one stranger person this week, again in the most unlikely places.

She heard from the Lord...

Six years ago, Laura, Cynthia and I made a covenant to watch each others' backs with regards to our personal walks with Jesus. I remember that particular Sunday someone shared about David and Jonathan in church. Instantaneously, the three of us decided that we would be each others' Davids and Jonathans. We got Cindy Ryan, our church's prayer co-ordinator to pray over us. It was beautiful...and today, this remains a precious memory.

The three of us, celebrating my 20th birthday at Acapulco...and Abishek, a dear brother who taught me loads about worship-leading and humility...

For many years after that, we would fast on Tuesdays to pray for one another...as well as for our families. We called that day the 'Blazing Furnace'. Beautiful things happened. We could still see God working mightily long after we stopped having 'Blazing Furnace'. I can't even remember why we stopped. It must have been a very valid reason. Nevertheless, we kept our relationships going. (You can read about them in my previous blog)

My two jies made my days in Dublin especially sweet. In fact, Cyn was my housemate two-and-a-half years in a row and my roommate during my last year in Dublin...so we were a little closer to one another than we were to Laura... I mean, how can you not be close to the one whose cute and gentle snores you hear almost every day? :P (Here, I speak for both Cyn and myself!)

Cyn and I, Christmas 2006, back in Kuantan

Cyn and I, on a rivercruise in Kuantan, back in 2004.

As room-mates and extremely close spiritual sibblings, Cyn and I had our squabbles... but we always made up. Those squabbles... I only remember vaguely now. More than anything, I remember the times we would curl up on the black sofa to share our hearts. I'd talk about my crushes... and Cyn would tell me to fix my eyes on God... and we would cry and laugh over the most silly things. Sometimes, Cyn would play the guitar while we worshiped God in the cold living room of Apartment 43, St. Patrick's Court. Whenever I wrote new songs, Cyn was usually the first to appraise them. It was also Cyn who saw most of the 'dark side' of me during my eating disordered days... and helped me with my self-image.

Time passed by. Laura jie started her internship in Singapore and got married to her 4-years sweetheart...Cyn was still in Dublin doing her final years in RCSI... while I was doing my final years at PMC in Penang. We grew a little distant while we were so busy with our lives after med school. However, God has been so gracious to keep us in each others' hearts. Covenant sisters we were... and still are... and will always be.

Recently, Cyn and I started contacting one another more actively via sms...

Today, Cyn sent me an sms asking me if I was OK. Said that she had a distressing dream about me... and that I had sent her an sms (in her dream) pleading her to call me.

I struggle with many things silently. Things and thoughts I'd hardly share with others, except perhaps Ben...probably because I am often too proud to let others know that I am not OK. (So please don't ask me what :P...) But seriously, this sms coming from Cyn of all people... whom her dream caught unaware - made me realize that Jesus does watch over me and cares for me... despite my many short-comings. I was also most touched by her timely encouragement.

Cyn, I miss you so much. :')