YAF Camp
Alright, it has been long since I my last post. I guess I was just lazy. A few things happened. But I'll just blog about the YAF Camp.
Thank the Lord! It was a refreshing camp, particularly in bonding. One of the aim of this year's YAF is to bond, and the camp is a highlight for this intent. So we had the camp from 8th Dec to 11th Dec. We went shopping for groceries, cooked, cleaned the chalet, organize the logistics, etc, all by ourselves (well, with some kindness from other adults once in a while...haha). So now I really appreciate the aunties who kept the kitchen so supplied and clean during our church camps last time. I also admired the treasurers, the logistics people and all the committee people. First try - it was really difficult to be organised.
So we had fun, we did stuff together, I believe the guys became rather good friends now? At least, on the friend's level. Shaojuan also got to know the others youths better, like Felicia, BQ, and Rob. I guess we are doing fine on the "friends" level. Next aim: the spiritual plateu.
Also, the BBQ session we had on Sunday evening was really blessed. So many adults (more than we'd expected) came and supported the youths. Especially when the drizzle delayed our BBQ fire, the adults pitched in by steaming some corns, steaming the supposed-to-be-bbqed-fish, made desserts. Love the fellowship around the pit, table, and bench. Haha. Thank God.
We also had the opportunity to devote 1 whole day to learning the word of God. The day started with discussion on Tongue Speaking and Health and Wealth Gospel. We went so in depth that it dragged way beyond the schedule. So we ended up cancelling many of the other topics and put them on hold for other days. Perhaps I'll blog about these 2 topics soon.
But one thing I really learnt from that study day is that God's word is truely in depth. Although I know I shouldn't, I still have the tendency of the "I've read this before already" syndrom whenever I read certain parts of the Bible. Do you know that the same verse that you read in one way can be distorted and twisted in its meaning so much so that the God it portrays is beyond recognition? Then, do you know what are the other verses in the Bible that would show you whose interpretation is right? If we keep being so ignorant about the Bible, we would be easily misled into strange teachings by other so-called Christians.
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2 Time 2:15To rightly divide the word of truth means that you can accurately draw a line between the rights and wrongs. And it is one who "studies" the word of God who can do it, and thus not needing to be ashamed by those who would question you about your God. I am still so far behind this standard. The word of God is so RICH that this is almost unattainable. But I speak for myself. By the grace of God, we strive, and let God reveal to us the knowledge of His word.
Thank the Lord for the freedom to hold and read a Bible in Singapore. Many societies out there, you can't even get a glimpse of it. Dr Stephen Jones once shared about his mission trip to Russia, when it first opened up from Communism. He went to the Catholic church building (state controlled I think) to give out books and books of the Bible. There came an old lady who begged to have one too. As he had ran out his supply, he ran back to his van to take a Bible and gave it to the lady. The lady was so overjoyed she cried and kissed the floor where he stood. Apparently, in the church there was a Bible - framed up nicely in a glass boxed to a particular page - but common people were not allowed to read it. The old lady wasn't even allowed to copy the words down for herself to read.
Dear fellow Christians, do we have that joy? Do our hearts still burn for the word of God? Often we read the Bible, although knowing that it is suppose to be "God speaking to us", we do not treat it so just because it does not speak directly to our problems. But who are we to determine what God should tell us? We read, we study, that's our duty. God will speak to us in His own way! I remember many occasions in my trouble when in my mind pops up words from the Bible, or messages from sermons which was spoken days, weeks, months, or even years ago - and God brings them to my mind to encourage me. So our duty is just to read, to hear, to study. Gods will speak to us according to His will.
New experiences
I experience 2 new things today! Still feeling so excited about them. Haha! How should I start?
Ok, today is Mary's 21st birthday celebration. We were suppose to go to Siloso beach there, have pizzas, and hang out. So I met up with Sookwin, Hannah, and Maverick at Harbourfront to go into Sentosa together.
Hey, wanna know how to go to Sentosa for free?
Well, we took a shuttle bus to Sentosa Cove. Note, Sentosa Cove, not Sentosa. Sentosa Cove is some residential area to-be for those billionairs who wanna leave on the island and have their own yacht and be cut off from us peasants in the mainland. It's very luxurious. So ya, we took a shuttle bus there by mistake! We ended up in the ulu east side of Sentosa, which has no other buses to go anywhere else in Sentosa except back to Harbourfront. So we decided to WALK to the nearest civilization (Dolphin Lagoon) to take the internal shuttle bus. But the security guard informed us it's a 30 minutes walk, and the road has many up-and-down slopes.
Well we found it too lame to take a bus back to Harbourfront and chose to walk. Here's my first experience: we hitch-hiked! At least, we tried for about 10 minutes before a lorry finally pulled up for us. All the other cars and lorries before us didn't care about us. They are mostly Singaporeans of course. So selfish. I mean, c'mon, did the 4 of us, 3 girls and 1 guy, in casual beach wear (except Hannah in her flowy long skirt) look like we're going to rob them, kill them, and take their car? What can we possibly do? Stab them with our snacks packages?
Haha, anyway, the lorry that helped us are actually construction workers, they were in Sentosa Cove doing some work. So the 4 of us climbed to the open back of the lorry and took a ride until the nearest monorail stop. They were so friendly and helpful. There was 2 Indians and 1 Malaysian Chinese at the back of the lorry with us. It was wet, so we squated down and held on to the railing tightly, the wind blowing on our faces as the lorry drove fast down the road. It's really some experience!! Hitch-hiking. Haha!! Too bad there's no photo. Oh ya, so we ended up going into Sentosa without paying. Haha!
Ok, experience number 2.
Well, this is not as exciting as the first. Since we were in Sentosa, we decided to go for the
Luge Rid
e. I have always thought that I'm not afraid of heights. I mean, I can stand on a tall building and look down without shivering. But I realise when I'm in an open car - OPEN CAR - and kind of ride when you go up the hills for skiing, I cannot stand it. Well, I survived. I tried to look far far at the sea which did not fail to awe me. It's really very beautiful from high up, if only I'm not afraid I might enjoy the bird's eye view more. The Luge ride ain't exactly very thrilling lah. The first round, 'cos I was new to it. I went slow and steady. The second round I just zoomed during the straight roads. But I was still one of the last though. So silly. Haha!
Mary provided so much food, very delicious pizza. Thank God for the good weather after a deluge in the afternoon. I had a great time getting to know more JSMers.
Hmm... how should I celebrate my 21st birthday?
I LOST MY PHONE!
Well, not mine, technically. It's my brother's phone. I was using it as a backup since my 6288 is under repair.
I went to Plaza Singapura's washroom today (Wednesday). Got a call, picked it up, and...PUT IT ON THE TOILET ROLL HOLDER! And I got out without it. Not a minute after that i realized and quickly return to get it. The girl whom I recognize went in the cubicle after me walked passed. Somehow I decided to give a benefit of doubt, and wanted to check first before asking her. My stupid idiotic brain didn't realize that I can NEVER ask her again if I let her passed.
So I checked. It's not there. I quickly borrowed my friend's phone to call. IT WAS TURNED OFF! She ( I assume it's her) took it with the intention to take it. I was fuming, and started running around PS to look for that girl (in red and black top).
You know what? I saw her at Breadtalk. I was at level 2, she was at level 1. I quickly ran down, but I losed her in the crowd.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!
CAN THERE BE A STUPIDIER PERSON?????? WHY DIDN'T I ASK HER WHEN I SAW HER!!!
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
WWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
*BIG BIG SIGH*
What's done cannot be undone. My brother said there's no need to get him another one since he has one to use now. But, well, I can't just forget about it lah... It's not right. My house use to have 2 backup phones. 1 gave away. Now this one is lost. NONE now.
*Another BIG sigh*
Heart pain lah...
Heard in a sermon that when Martin Luther (the Reformation one, not the African) was robbed for the first time, he gave thanks to God for:
1) This being the FIRST TIME (so he hadn't been robbed before)
2) Being poor (so that his loss was little)
There's another 3 points which I had forgotten.
Well I guess I can see it this way too. 1) I actually OWN a phone to be stolen. There are still Singaporeans who can't even afford to have one. 2) It's a backup phone, and not my $198 Nokia 6288 (that doesn't mean I'm not guilty...). 3) I learnt the invaluable lesson of NOT PUTTING THE PHONE ON THE TOILET ROLL HOLDER NEXT TIME! I do that alot in school.
*SIGH* Oh well.
Oh, friends (who acutally read this blog), please give me an SMS to let me know your number again. I don't have any number now.
Post-Exam Post
Hehe, finally!
This time round what I expected turned out to be different from the reality. The one that I thought would be a breeze (CL2280 Translation) turned out to be a very tedious paper, which I can't finish. EL3255 English in SEA which I thought I wouldn't survive turned out quite alright, at least pass-able. Looks like the difference between tutorials and exam performances is really fat. The speed difference between using a computer and flipping three dictionaries horribly obese. (CL2280 requires me, a poor girl with no money to buy $116 electronic dictionary, to flip three dictionaries: Chinese, English, and English-Chinese dictionary.) What's worse is those around you with electronic dictionary remarking that the paper is a breeze. @#^@#!$!^!!!
Nevermind, it's over. Gonna make plans! This month so many people are having birthdays. I'm going to have to over-spend. Especially with the YAF Camp and the holidays...I'm going to spend more. Haha.
I want a dog!
