The greatest trip of my life came because I did not get the things I wanted

But I also try to hold on to the girl who was young and stupid enough to believe in foolish adventures, the girl who was equal parts ready to fall in love with you and hurl a ball peen hammer into your front windshield. I had a strength I did not realize, but one I did not forget. When I am restless and defeated and scared again, I tell myself this: that the greatest trip of my life came because I did not get the things I wanted.

Read this inspiring account of Sarah Hepola on a road trip for 5 months across the country by herself here.

4

This is the fourth year. You're dearly missed.
I wonder, how long more til my turn to go to the other side...
=)

Social Distortion

We're living in a distorted world today.

We are so "connected" to the world thanks to the Internet & mobile phone network; but yet we're so disconnected with each other.
We seems to know so much about the happenings at a person's life, thanks to all the updates at facebook, twitter & probably bloggie too. But often it's just superficial, we never know what happened "deep within"...

Tonight, when Mr Lian reminded us that we all are the being that needed relationship. I do agree, strongly in fact. But yet too often I dread about building relationships. I have my own "social distortion" to deal with.
Because I know the more I attached to a person, the more painful it will be when the person had to leave you - either to the next phase of life, or stay out of your life.

I wish, I really wish that I will have the "mind of a traveler" when I have to leave this place - just say goodbye and never look back.

In times like this, I only wanted to sing this out loud: "How far is heaven, Lord can you tell me?"

"Heaven"

Save me from this prison
Lord help me get away
Cause only you can save me now
From this misery
Cause I've been lost in my own place
And I'm getting' weary
How far is heaven
And I know I need to change
My ways of livin'
How far is heaven, Lord can you tell me

Cause I've been locked up way too long
In this crazy world, how far is heaven
I just keep on prayin' Lord
Just keep on livin', how far is heaven
Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven
I just got to know how far, how far is heaven
Lord can you tell me

Tu que estas en alto cielo,
Echame tu bendiciòn

Cause I know there's a better place
Than this place I'm livin', how far is heaven
So I just got to show some faith
And just keep on giving, how far is heaven
Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven
I just wanna know how far, how far is heaven,
Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven,
'cause I just gotta know how far,
I just wanna know far

Time to mourn, and then hope

Something meaningful I read today...

No one can teach you how to mourn. As with climbing a mountain, you can try to prepare, but it's impossible to know what will happen once you are on its steep slopes. Before my trip to Everest, I'd gone from my home in Manchester, England, to the Lake District to visit the Boningtons — Chris and his wife, Wendy. Chris and I walked with his dogs, and he listened with kind patience as I talked endlessly, repetitively, about Joe. Standing on the top of a hill, watching cloud shadows slide over the rolling green fells beneath us, Chris suddenly said to me, "I know you can't imagine it now, but one day you will fall in love again — and be happy."

- excerpt from Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow

Beautifully Imperfect

"It's these small things you remember; little imperfections that make them perfect for you."

"Spring" Time in Malaysia

I'm not sure if you notice, there are plenty of trees blooming since 2 weeks ago =)

This is one of the very rare period, I will find driving a pleasant thing to do, because of the lovely sight of the greens and flowers along the road.

I often enjoy the last mile to my workplace, I'll get to see the canopy of trees as I turn into the main road where my client's office located, somehow it will just brighten my day.
And now, the trees around both church and my workplace, are blooming with pink, white & yellow flowers!
You know, it's hard to see flowers blooming in Malaysian city, it only comes twice a year! At times like this...

Of all the trees, my favorite definitely would be the Angsana tree!
The Angsana tree produces bright yellow flowers, and often provide very good shade with its large crown. The yellow flowers will fall to the ground during windy or rainy day, leaving the yellow carpet behind... =)
Gentle breeze + Angsana flowers >> Such a lovely sight! And it never fail to make me smile!

I guess, flowers and greens, are God's channel to colour our lives in a world that isn’t kind =)

Fiji Day 6: Serendipity at Suva

The fateful Saturday where I met both a nasty local & a great new friend!
Good things come when you least expect them =)

The place where we met

Finally I've got a company again =)

The silver lining within

I often love to take pictures of the clouds & the sky, because it always reminds me of the silver lining within. Hope - is what keeping me alive...

View from my house parking lot before I go to work @ 1-Sep-06

On my way to collect my car, after I finish work at DiGi @ 1-Apr-08

At HK Ocean Park, on the ferris wheel @ 19-Mar-07

Brisbane @ 3-May-08

Right outside DiGi Lot 8 @ 13-May-08

"I remember once walking along the beach with a friend. We spoke intensely about our relationship, trying hard to explain ourselves to each other and to understand each other's feelings. We were so preoccupied with our mutual struggle that we didn't notice the magnificent sunset spreading a rich spectrum of colour over the foam-capped waves breaking on the wide, silent beach. Suddenly my friend exclaimed: "Look. look at the sun, look!" He put his arm around my shoulder, and together we gazed at the shimmering ball of fire vanishing gradually below the horizon of the wide ocean. At that moment, we both knew about hope and joy." ~ Anonymous

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. (Ps 31:24)

Impossible?

Normally I used MS Paint to do all the event poster for webbie, and everytime it was a struggle for me with the limited features of Paint as compare to all the other softwares for graphic design... However it was only a struggle, and not a complaint ;)
Because I've learnt from Petra through all these years to work with what we have!
This motto had been a great help for me, as it teaches me to depend on God for whatever that is lacking.

And guess what I found today?
A link forwarded by Zun Hong > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk2sPl_Z7ZU&mode=related&search=
This is so crazy!! Insane but fantastic artist whoever he/she is!

So what is impossible?? Tell me about it, haha!


It is not what WE do for God, but what HE does through us.
~ Judy Sexton ~

Keeping your dreams alive!

God never simply buries our dead and broken dreams because He'd be burying our hearts along with our dreams. One of two positive things will happen. Either the dream will become fertilizer for something even better, or the Lord will give me the gumption and oomph to bring my dream to fruition. I can't lose either way!

~ Noni Joy Tari ~


Excerpt & edited from James Watkins' Message :

We all have dreams, no matter what age: to be a firefighter, a princess, a parent, a successful businessperson, pastor, a retiree in Florida.
But somewhere between the womb and the tomb, those dreams die...

The Old Testment's Joseph had a dream to be a great leader with his parents and brothers bowing down before him. But before that dream could be realized, his jealous brothers had ripped up his "coat of many colors" thrown him into a cistern, and sold him to Egyptian slave traders.

Even sincere Christians with God-given dreams find themselves bruised and bloodied at the bottom of a pit. That seems to be the rule, rather than the exception.

The dream is received...

I believe that God has given each of His children a dream; a deep-down desire to accomplish something of eternal significance.
The more clearly we can articulate that dream, the closer we are to seeing it fulfilled. But . . . our dream is to be refined by God!

The dream is refined...

For Joseph's dream - and many of ours - to be fulfilled, there probably needs to be some serious refinement of the dreamer.
Doug Murren in Keeping Your Dreams Alive When They Steal Your Coat writes, "It isn't the dream that gets tested - it's the dreamer. When God gives a dream, there's nothing wrong with it. But the dreamer probably needs a lot of work."

At that time, a richly ornamented robe was a symbol of royalty and leadership. And where do we find Joseph wearing his coat? Out in the pasture! Just a bit pretentious. Joseph had to lose his coat - and his pride. His jealous brothers promptly strip him of his status, but God doesn't undress him of his dream.
From the pit, Joseph is dragged off to Potiphar's house where he serves for many years. And just as he has climbed the ladder of success there, Potiphar's wife strips him of another coat, charges him with sexual assault, and has him thrown in prison for two years.

But our experiences - as painful as they may be - are never wasted in God's plan. For eleven years Joseph learned the Egyptian language, culture, and management skills. And, most of all, this arrogant, boastful dreamer was being molded into the person who could see the dream fulfilled.
For Joseph, after of thirteen years of refinement and seven years as pharaoh's left-hand man of Egypt, it appeared the dream was fulfilled. Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to buy grain since there was a deadly famine in Caanan. And, they bowed down before the leader - Joseph. Everyone lived happily ever after. End of story. Roll the credits. Right? Wrong!

The dream is revised!

The "bowing down" part from Genesis 37 is a minor subplot to the real story! Look at Genesis 50:18-20:
"His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. 'We are your slaves,' they said.
But Joseph said to them, 'Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.'"

Joseph, at seventeen, had only a glimpse of the dream. And at thirty-seven, he still didn't have a clue just how big the dream was.
Look at Matthew 1:2: "Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers . . ." Then "fast forward" forty-two generations to verse 16: ". . . and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."
Without Joseph's dream, starvation would have prevented salvation! The ancestors of Christ would have perished, and you and I wouldn't be reading our Bible. That's a big dream!
The problem is often that our dream is not too big, but too small!

Noni Tari is quoted in Dare to Dream by Florence Littauer "God never simply buries our dead and broken dreams because He'd be burying our hearts along with our dreams. Instead, He creatively turns our failures into fertilizer for an even more wonderful dream, a dream with even more potential to become fruition."
Our goals and dreams probably need some re-vision!

The dream is revealed!

Osward Chambers, in My Utmost For His Highest, writes "God rarely allows a person to see how great a blessing he is to others."

So, where are you in your dream? Are you in the pit? In Potiphar's house? In prison? Or have you arrived at the palace?
God is with you wherever you are. And He will not waste one single experience in your life.
So, ask God to show you areas in your life that need to be refined and parts of the dream that need to be revised. And then trust Him to reveal the results of the dream.

Dream on, friend! DREAM ON!