1 more day...

What a mix of emotions that is flooding my heart! From nerves to excitement to anxiety to joy to eagerness to fear to etc, etc, etc...

We did a rehearsal in church last night. Ben and I blushed and giggled while Pastor Woo led us through our vows. I hope I won't be geeky on that day. Decos will start tonight. A few of my close seminary girlfriends are giving me a bridal shower. But yes, I still have to be at school till lunch time.

BTW, I'll be starting a new blog pretty soon, after I am married. The blog address is yet to be revealed, coz I have not completed the profile part yet. Haha. My sister, Zoey, designed the face of it, so I am very excited to be blogging there - in the coming new chapter/season of my life. I'm not sure if I will be still keeping to Grace Points. What do you think? :)

Packing for my sleepover tomorrow.

3 more days...

...to the celebration of our 3rd anniversary as a couple... :') ~ thank You God!


Today I'm clearing out the wardrobes and drawers... so that Ben's possessions can make themselves at home in them...

I wonder how it will be living the married life. My friends were joking at school today - it's really time for me to "take off the old self and put on the new self"... No wonder the Bible likens the relationship between Christ and His Church to a holy, divine marriage. Every Christian is called to "take of the old self and put on the new self" - to live a new life upon receiving Christ as Lord and Savior. No more to return to his/her past sins and shame, as God had paid the ultimate price for our redemption from our deadly wages. To be transformed into a new creation... citizens of a nation - Christ's bride.

Thursday

In class, we were sharing in groups of twos, how we discerned God's will for various aspects of our lives (especially ministry - because the class is supposed to be on "The Person/Life of the Pastor").

Pam (my partner) and I are so familiar with each other that we did not want to talk about our calling into ministry again. Hehe. Instead, she bugged me to talk about how Ben and I discerned that it is God's will for us to walk together someday, as husband and wife.

I don't think I'd make it my sharing here, but telling Pam all about it did remind me of God's faithfulness in our relationship. Ben and I have been through hard and rough times indeed, in which we did consider breaking up. We have struggled with one another's weaknesses and fought over plenty of things. Silly things too. However, God did see us through and He kept us together - beautifully, miraculously and surely. He made us strong. Today, we are one another's best friend. Ben is not a perfect man (or he would be Jesus :P) - but he is indeed a man that I am deeply in love with and cannot wait to marry.

Thank You, Lord... for Your grace that is all-sufficient, always...

Back to blogging after Taiwan

I am back people! :) I totally missed blogging while I was in cold Taiwan...

Yes, it was very, very cold. I don't know how I survived all those photography sessions. But thank you to my CG members who supported us in prayer while we were there, the few seminary friends who knew I was going and cheered me on while I had to do extra assignments (coz I was going to miss a week of classes) and of course, our dear families (Ben's and mine) who were so joyful for us!

I am too busy with my assignments (again) so I will put up the rest of the photos some other day... *hopefully*

T.G.I.F!!!

Yesterday was Chap Goh Mei - the supposedly 'Chinese Valentines' Day'... Ben sent me a picture he had taken of the moon with this message... "Give you a moon, my dear..." :) Sorry if reading this makes you embarrassed. But I thought it was really sweet. Reminds me of the Chinese love song 'Yue Liang dai biao wo de xin...' (The moon represents my heart (my love for you))

Yo, so Friday has finally arrived again! :D I am overjoyed. It has been a tiring, tiring week.

Did not have much time for reflection.

But just yesterday, Pst. Mah said, "Our thoughts are the gateway to our soul..." In other words, our thoughts play a big part in our spiritual well-being - and that is why the Enemy works so hard at sowing doubt, fear and many other kinds of negative seeds in our minds. Reflecting on my thought-patterns for the past year at least, I can see why I am so often emo.

Tuesday - post VDay..

Came down with a fever, nausea, dyspepsia, vertigo and chills last night.

Absolutely dreaded the idea of climbing up the MBTS hill the next day (like what if I get chased by the monkeys and faint trying to run uphill???!? I might just roll all the way down to the foot of the hill and get crushed by the tires of an unsuspecting vehicle... boohoo... then Ben Wong might just have no bride this May! @_@")

Anyway, over-active imagination aside...

Praise God, I still managed to wake up, drag myself to the bathroom this morning, gulp down breakfast and drive to school despite tossing and turning the whole night! Guess the Panadol did work quite a bit in the night. Hurray for paracetamol! I was grateful that the roads were exceptionally clear this morning too - thanks to the public holiday. What with all the traffic lights on green (except the one which I am kinda ashamed to admit I beat), I had the best drive to Batu Feringghi ever!!! :) Did feel a little chilly and poorly in class - but now that classes are over, there was nothing much to complain about. I'm definitely taking a nap later.

What did Ben and I do on Valentines' Day? Hmm, nothing outta ordinary! :D LOLx. Coz it's not like our anniversary or something. Ben and I are just not very big on V.Day since it's been so commercialized (plus everyday should be Valentines' Day for us!) However, we went out for Japanese food after work... at Chikuma Restaurant.

Back from KL... :'(

Home never felt this good before...

Zoey is back from UK...

Nice family outings...and makan sessions...

me and my dad

My sister was looking for a new phone/Maxis package...the most basic survival needs back here in Malaysia :P

Ben was tempted to get a new phone... :P

the last day in KL came too quickly...

My wonderful family... :')

My wonderful Ben... :)

Till we meet again... :'(

27 years old

A year older, I am.

Yesterday marked the first day of my twenty-eighth year on the face of this earth. The celebration this year was again simple, but meaningful. On the eve of my birthday, William, Janet, baby Christabelle, Ben and I had dinner together at the Fisherman's Wharf.

When the clock struck midnight (I was spending the night with Ben's family), I was in my room watching YouTube, unaware of the activity that had been going on outside. Suddenly, I heard sounds that made me feel like I was in the Penan village back at Long Lamai - the beautiful sounds of the hollow bamboo-case (which we had brought back from our mission trip) being hit with a bamboo stick. Except well... the rhythm of the bamboo-hitting wasn't quite Penan-ish. So tickled was I that I laughed. Opened my door to see Ben's mum grinning outside with the bamboo and all...

"Ehhh... come and see what is that..." she urged.

I did not have a clue, neither did I suspect a thing - coz I am now quite used to Ben's mum's cute-ness, humor, amusing surprises and explosions of creativity. I ran into the dim dining room very curious. Was greeted by uncountable candles (I just forgot how many) on a huge cheese cake. The Wongs sang me a birthday song... and I blew out my candles for the year! :)

The next day, I nearly forgot to wake up - was late for lunch with my dear, patient Rachel. But we did have lunch (she did not even grumble at my tardiness, bless her soul!!!) and I really enjoyed the fellowship. The evening of my birthday was spent with Ben at Eighteen's Diner... talking, laughing, eating, loving and photographing. Hehe. After that, we returned to Ben's office. I had a good time sitting in his cube, glad that I could keep him company while he finished off some work for the night.

Today, I had lunch with Joanne (totally appreciate the time we could spend together) before she left for Setiawan... and then I went shopping. Was supposed to buy myself some new clothes - but I just found it so, so hard. Not to mention, I was fickle-minded and indecisive. I only managed to buy 4 pieces of clothing by the end of the night!

Thus ends my birthday celebrations. Tomorrow, I eat lunch with Vanessa... have reunion dinner with the Wongs... and on Thursday, Ben and I will make our way to KL! :)

Wednesday

Had breakfast with Ai Hua this morning. What a great catch-up session - what grace God unleashes through amazing friendships like this one! We are relational beings indeed. Can anyone survive without the staple of human fellowship and relationships? Even God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone. Love... expressed and received... is the elixir of life. It brings out the best in you and me. Love never fails.

Anyway...

I believe that the winter season of my life has passed away into spring. From a cold, stifling silence into a comforting serenity - the quiet in my heart has turned. From trudging in knee-high snow and the uncertain shuffling - my steps are breaking into Chassés. I feel that I have grown stronger... and yet, I have grown less. May Christ keep increasing.

Monday...

Imagine... tomorrow morning I will be again driving along the roads that lead me to Batu Feringghi. And stuck in the usual morning traffic jam. *Shudders*

Time is flying. In 4 days time, it will be another monthsary for Ben and I ~ and just another 4 months to us getting married! Gosh... we haven't sent out the invitations yet. *Panic*

This Saturday, it's in-laws-meet-my-dad in Kay Elle. *Gulpppp* I am kinda nervous. Hehe...We will be traveling to KL early in the morning, having lunch with dad (and maybe a few relatives)... and then making it back to Penang later that evening.

Today, I didn't get much done...but it was a gloriously simple day of rest. Slept-in the whole morning (dunno why I was so tired), had lunch, went vitamins-shopping and grocery-shopping in the afternoon, tidied up the house a little, did some exercise in front of the telly, ate dinner... and did QT.

Prayed - and felt a sense of relief somehow when I remembered something I read somewhere - about how God hushes and interrupts the Heavenly proceedings to listen to the prayers of the saints coming up from the earth. It's a wonder how God can make out who is calling upon His name every time... And yet He does!

Gonna spend some time reading - and then it will be time for bed.

Burger King with Ben

The pictures say it all. I love dates.

Ben made a remarkable statement yesterday: "I enjoy eating with you, dear... Coz you look so happy when you eat..."

Hehe.... Praise God... for so much healing in my EDs that I no longer make meal-times miserable for others like I used to. Also ~ that I can be adventurous with my food nowadays.

Spring-cleaning day...

Despite our busy schedule on Saturday, I HAD to give my house a good spring-clean (the first one in 2011) - just because I will be going back to school tomorrow...

So, while Ben was at church for a CG leaders' meeting, I was wiping every item in my house. I stumbled across a mouldy congregations (oh gosh, you'll never guess where they set up their base), loads of dust and some rotten uneaten food in the fridge... but loads of other stuff fit to be recycled. Decided that I wouldn't hoard - so I organized the recyclable goodies into bags and ditched the rotting stuff.

Then my dear Ben returned from church... and was assigned to wash my bathroom and mop the floors of my 600 sq.ft apartment...

Tee hee hee...here he was trying to look sad, as if I had forced him to wash the bathroom... Do not let his looks deceive you... he was more willing than he looked. Not to mention - he did a pretty good job too! I definitely have the best landlord ever!!! :DTo quote Ben (to Suan Hui at CG the same night): "Where can you find such good landlords? I was forced to clean the toilet!!!" LOL.

A clean house feels good.

Saturday

One of my greatest pleasures is hanging out with Ben for a casual drink and long heart-to-heart talk.

And I do not even need to dress up. Or slather thick make-up onto my face.

Simply because he finds me beautiful the way I am. Despite the dark eye-rings, eye-bags, blubber at the wrong places (LOL) and a stuffed nose that honks every now and then into tissue paper. I enjoy such security... the blessedness of feeling beautiful in the presence of a beloved one.

We sat at Old Town after dinner yesterday evening - sipping hazelnut white coffees and having dessert (kaya toast)... Pouring our hearts out to one another.

What an awesome time.

Wednesday

Something I'll have to try to complete by today or tomorrow: Long Lamai Mission Trip Report.

Anyway...
Ben and I have shopped for our wedding bands last Sunday... :)

Today, I met up with Florist again while Ben was at work. I am still not done with the flower arrangements - but praise God, this stage will be over quite soon! It's very cool that Ben totally trusts my taste - and so I am allowed to do whatever I like in the 'departments' of which I have been put in charge.Five months plus to the wedding. It is time to begin preparing ourselves emotionally and spiritually for the marriage above all other material plans. Things that we cannot bring beyond this point should be left behind. Stuff that we should no longer sweat should be surrendered into God's hands. The pruning is sometimes unpleasant and painful, but we believe that God's discipline eventually bears its fruits of peace. So the tears are good news. Indeed, we look forward to a beautiful future of serving God together as husband and wife.

Meanwhile, I will also be getting ready for our next photo-shoot end of February. How I'm going to succeed keeping fit and trim so I can fit into the dresses, I don't know - because Chinese New Year and my birthday are just before the photo-shoot! :P I won't be going on fad diets too. But by God's grace, I'll figure out some plan.

Christmas Eve and Day....

Went to 1st Avenue for the first time...

Crossed over to Prangin Mall for dinner at our favorite Gourmet Coffee...

Fuiyohhh....look at those eyebags!!!! *EEEEEEEKS* My late nights paid off! :P

Christmas Eve Candlelight service at church on Friday night

Some of my gifts...

To church on Saturday morning for Christmas service...