moved house...

well, moved blog sites to be exact. over here

thanks, zakky for putting me up all this time! it's been good. =)

hooray!

for the first time in 7 years, i stepped on the weighing scale and i'm back to my 1998 weight of 50kg!! not sure how long it'll stay at that (hopefully long, of course) - had to document it somehow!

ever since i left kuching in early 1999, the KL mamak's and consistent fast food; piled up with lots of dairy and wintery months in 2000 onwards, the lowest i could ever go back to would be about 52 bordering 53kg. had already given up, but looks like this more healthy diet change has finally taken effect! okay, maybe not 'finally' coz it's only been a couple of months into it, but it's great! i still feel full, not like i'm starving myself and i feel great! can praise God more 'physically' and not be super puffed at the end. heh.

so...when i found out about this unbelievable news, i celebrated - unconsciously until dave pointed it out! an hour after dinner we went to lygon for coffee/hot choc and ended up with a beautiful serve of cheesecake, cream and strawberry.....mmm.....to my horror though, i couldn't finish it (even with dave sharing!). used to be able to scuffle down the whole thing!

e-mail from mum

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of Oolong tea...You will never look at a cup of Oolong the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed Oolong tea. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the Oolong out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and Oolong tea," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the Oolong. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The Oolong tea was unique, however. After they were in the boiling water , they had changed the water color and taste.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a Oolong tea?

Think of this: Which am I?
Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the Oolong tea? The tea actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the tea, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity?

May we all be OOLONG TEA !

obedience vs significance

Got sent home from work yesterday coz was sick. Not going in today coz fever's forming. Ugh. Tragedy of it all is that I can still be about and do stuff - like be at work and be useful. Instead, I've unwillingly chosen to confine myself at home today. Even that in itself is a challenge coz right now, I'm already thinking, the floor needs sweeping and mopping, the toilet needs a good clean and the list goes on!

Maybe this is the only way my body knows how to cry out for rest. Hopefully today, I'll love sleep more than I love work.

By the way, I read something 'good' interesting (as Wayne calls it) from 'the heart of worship files':

"Sometimes it can be tempting to strive to do something significant. We find ourselves wanting to write a significant song that will touch many hearts or lead a significant time of worship in which lives are truly changed.

But we are not called to significance. (Huh?? my first response)
Instead, the calling is to obedience. (Oh)

Look through the Bible and see how obedience reaps some major, significant outcomes. Look at Moses or Noah for example. Ultimately, look at Jesus and the Cross. The most significant act in all of history was one of sheer, humble, enduring obedience.

Whether we're called to be up in front or behind the scenes, obedience is always significant in the eyes of God."

Obedience cries out for me to stop doing and rest.
Significance pesters me to keep doing.

Three weeks in...

I cannot believe I've been in my new job for 3 weeks already! The first 2 weeks were UGH! Good but UGH! Busy busy busy! At least things have calmed down a little this week - able to settle in a bit more. Does help that I am still in the same organisation as before. Think my body's feeling it...run down physically and at the verge of catching something that's been floating in the air vents here! Been up-ing my vitamin C's and fluids...weekend's here so gonna try catch up on some rest. Boss is great and colleagues are simply wonderful to work with.

Really cannot stress what a blessing my time here has been, including last year at my previous role.

Speaking about the weekend, I've just signed up with City Library on Flinders Lane and gonna go there tomorrow to pick up my membership card. yay! Love books...hopefully the collection there's good! Nice quiet weekend coming right up!