Greetings!

hey for all of you who are graduating or leaving school, remember to thank your teachers ok. hee.. i thanked my econs teacher, haha, although i detest that subject. hai... i really don't want to see my econs and chemistry results, just remind me to be thankful then ok, please do so.

I've just deleted my only photo i took on the Eiffel tower with my face on it.\ accidentally. sad.

ha... i've been told that there is Lacoste here, but 1 shirt costs around 200 SGD. Why? hear this: the crocodile logo is made of real crocodile skin, and they use pearls as buttons for the shirts. Pearl is the symbol of this middle-east country.
its really quite boring here, i've been staying at the house all day. and i've cooked sphagetti for my housemates and some other noodles too,thinking of what else to cook next. But today will be mny last day when i'll be free. tomorrow onwards i've got work! heehee.

When cooking sphagetti yesterday the scariest thing happened to me, i thought i'd been engulfed in flames, there was an explosion.because unknowingly i used a faulty stove. IT WAS SO SCARY, blue flames surrounded me ok! thank God, amazingly i was shielded from the blue flames, which was really amazing,because fire has no eyes right?

i've just been eating a whole lot of chocolates, haa.. i'll definitely buy some back. there's this chocolate called chocnut. which is cheap and good and addictive. ha. its from the philippines.

i hope you all are well!!! cyou guys soon ok! Philippians, do organise an outing next week, then you all can go Eunice's house create havoc. haha..

Rgards
Vin

a quick one,

the weather here is very cold, i'm so relieved to see the sun today, it hardly rains here (less than 10 times in a year) and i've witnessed 2 days of rain in the desert already. take care guys.

pray for SHao Ning, having Art paper tomorrow, been praying for you sister!

'll be at the Aquatic Centre (where Swimming, syn Swimming, diving is held

update you guys again!
Vin

greetings!
logging in from this very ulu place, where young arabs are screaming at the top of your voices playing counter strike, rambunctious bunch of people. hmph.

missed Clara's wedding, really wanted to see her getting married.. but i missed it. hope it went beautifully well.

i was almost frozen to death in Paris. didn't prepare for the cold weather, so when the plane landed, it was announced the temperature is 8degrees, i couldnt believe it. so cold i felt myself gasping for air. wearing just a sweater, with a map in hand, coupled with the fact that it'd started to rain, icy cold raindrops pelting on my face, my foot was so numb with cold (i'm horribly vulnerable to cold), and it was getting dark, and finally the overriding problem of them all - being lost, it wasn't a very warm welcome i received.. Which is just about the theme of my pit stop in Paris. so hopelessly lost i'd been so many times, i think i'd pass off as not streetwise. so what am i? not streetwise, not booksmart.. hmm... what do you think?
But thank God for his guidance, everytime when i'm lost, He'd give me really nice people that can lead me in the right direction.
ha... i didn't get to see the nice side of Paris until the next day. and its the Paris people know about. haha.. so ya. i've seen both the touristy areas and the not so touristy areas. so thats just about Paris in a nutshell for me - being lost.

hmm... who would have guessed it, i havnt been to the theatre for ages and last night, i went to watch a movie!! i'm kinda late but i watched 'take the lead' starring Antonio Banderas. i havent got my schedule yet, i'm mtg the people tomorrow morning to get my schedule so until then, i'm very much very free. ha.. thank God for his providence.

huEy: i didn get the shirt you wanted, its sold out. sorry :(

please pray for my safety. yup. and godliness. thank God i'm doing my Quiet Time regularly and He's speaking to me amazingly through the QT. wow.

Vin

good day everyone!

after 7 hours, i've arrived at Doha, waiting for my connection flight to the fashion city of the world.
the immigrations person is so scary, he was like interrogating me on why i want to go there, and demanded to see my i/c. ha.. then i was like, 'because the fares are cheaper?'. hmm... thank God for a safe flight.

i'm not sure whether i'd slept last night, kept slipping in and out of consciousness. ha.. thank God its still early here, the flights are starting to pour in, and this place will reach saturation point very soon.

well, i\m still casting doubts over whether its sound to do such a crazy thing. i really wish i have a companion.

you know what, i saw the horizon just now, it was so so beautiful, and then, i landed in the middle of a desert, sand and everything. ha...

considering middle-east to be a continent, i'm passing 3 continents in 2 days.
bye for now
VIn

haha... this is fun.. i just reactivated all the travelators in my path. haa.. you know, at this time of the night, the airport is virtually no life, so silent that the music is very soothing, haa.. Christmas carols they are playing here, i love it, no hustle and bustle. some people sprawling on whatever seats there are here. haa.. and traffic is at its minimal level that travelators have stopped operating. its pretty cool, you just need to get on it for the travelator to be automatically moving. haha.. so i managed to find fun after merely 20 mins? of sadness, and i've now crossed over to terminal 2 now, with the feeling that i'm still on a travelator.

my flight happens to be the last one for today, the next is like 2 hours away?
ya... and i don't think my flight arrived from Jakarta yet.

i'll be off in search of the much fancied cobbledstoned pathways and little cute shops. ha.. will be there for 34 hours. hopefully i can update you guys when i reach the city of lights.

what a change of mood. haha.. i'm feeling quite good now, must be God's peace! :)

the airport is so silent i can like spend the night here roaming.

check my spelling of travelator, and i need to go pee.
Vin

i've just came into the transit area, standing at an internet booth, leveraging on the free internet usage for passengers.

it was so surreal, when i had to separate from my parents at the customs checkpoint. i still feel like i've left unfinished business behind, taking excess baggage with me, leaving irresponsibly. hmm... i've tried my best to complete my goals before i can leave in peace, some did work out, some didn't, but God is in control.

Thats it, i'm alone now, independent for the 3 weeks thats ahead, its a daunting, scary, frightening thought that is leaving me so nervous. But thanks you Geok Lan for your statement of reassurance. I really hope my absence will not hinder the execution or planning of the special song item for Hsiao Ling's wedding. i really wish some of you guys will be here to accompany me, but my timidity and there's still this area of my life that remains close to other people have all drifted into the big picture, rendering me as being 'sheepish' - was the word Hsiao Ling used. So there, i do pray for a safe journey, and even though i'll be alone, i'll not be afraid but experience God's presence within me.

I've had a great night with my dearest friend Hsiao Ling, thank God for her, her encouragements, advice.

my nerve imaking me wonder, 'why am i doing this?, what have i done? this is real, boy!'
My desires come out at the other end.

God is my comfort, my strength, my refuge. thank You Lord.
Vin

phew, what a day, there's more to come, definitely. thank God.

in the morning, was caught in an exhuasting jam in the BKE. was so pissed at some people. there was this mother who had her child in her hands, they sifted through the moderately crowded bus , no one wanted to give up their seats. can you imagine?!! NO ONE! after standing for like 30 minutes still in the jam, finally some one gave up her seat, seeing obviously that the mum was struggling, the mum refused to take the seat, why? because the one who gave up the seat was pregnant! then an elderly man gave up his seat to the mother. IT TAKES A PERSON WHO NEEDS A SEAT AS MUCH AS ANOTHER WHO NEEDS A SEAT TO GIVE UP THE SEAT?!!
i think those people who refused to give up the seat have their hearts coated with the thickest metal of its kind. goodness. i'm thoroughly appalled, but i was in no position to give up any seat coz i was standing. so pissed.

was at the airline's office at Paragon cose to noon. quite cool, the first time i've been to a really professional office. read: office, not shopping center. really thank God i eventually managed to get the tickets. went frantic on Sunday when i realised that i've missed my reconfirmation deadline and my booking was cancelled. but they managed to retrieve it back anyway. thank God.

went to meet a student as well as St.E afterwards. i was so pissed yesterday because my student didn't turn up for the Project Serve session, didn't pick up my numerous calls, didn't even respond to my message to ask him to call me immediately, even more infuriating was his insincere apology finally gotten through at night. So i met him to address some of these issues and attitude and to correct him using the Word of God. Praise the Lord, the bible is the best tool to realign a person.

thank God for the Street E also, even though the response from the people werent desirable.

i've more or less packed my stuff, i always underpack. haa. mission trippers should know. having dinner with my parents later, then going to meet Hsiao Ling before i leave. whee!!!

Vin

Dear all

i'm gonna leave the group Philippians officially in a couple of weeks' time, together with Shao Ning and Zheng Wei. yesterday was my last bible study with you all. ha... and ironicallly i've never felt so sleepy before during lesson. must be because i celebrated too hard the previous night at huEy's. i slept at 11pm yesterday.

Geok msged me this morning to ask whether i can go to accompany BB boys to Labrador Park and Doulos. i woke up at 1050am. hai... i need forgiveness from God, why so reluctant even still, am i only concerned for the YFC ministry?

anyway i give thanks to the Philippians in many ways. i remember our present group leader-Wai Yin who was the first person to talk to me when i sat down for my 1st bible study at the sanctuary itself. haa. she asked me about my level, i said sec2, then i asked her the same question, she said, 'same'. ha. so the outing at West Coast and the fighting with Eunice. haha.. gonna miss you all :)

Give thanks for the group who has left a good impression of the church people on me, thus allowing me to be willing and able to open myself to u people and good fellowship with you guys has allowed me to be strengthened and grow in the Lord, together with you guys. thank God for you all :) continue praying, supporting one another, as church is a fellowship of like-minded Christians.

next week i won't be around, coz i'll be heading to the middle-east. yup, cya guys around in church!
Vin

admit it, i'm not the only one who uses Pacific internet as provider. i think there are like baskets of you all out there lor. the news just reported that pacific internet had a something like board of governors' meeting, so its going to come out of its shell, well, cell, whatver.

i'm relaxing... coz its the last paper. i'm expecting the worst from econs and chemistry.

still. thank God for guiding me through this arduous period! :)))))
VIn

OHHHH!!!!!!

I'm left with just 1 ONE ONE ONE ONE PAPER LEFT, ONE HOUR OF ONE PAPER LEFT.
somebody rock me! exams came, and now its almost over!!!

chemistry MCQ is the final hurdle. thats it.
After today's paper, i can hear people screaming with excitement like its all over. my jc class just gathered together to discuss a BBQ party celebration and stayover immediately after A levels. its all gonna be over, very very soon, i can hardly contain my excitement, but traditionally i'm the rare breed who is very weak in MCQs. grrr, which means i can't let my hair down now. huh? hair? *guard. i'm so jealous of people who is strong at MCQ.

but for those biology people and artsy people and who have yous having a longer period of exams, i'm going to leave a verse for you that i ask my friend to give it to me yesterday. ha... its very comforting.

Jeremiah 29:11 'for i know he plans i have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope'

My life, hope is in Lord, our lives are wonderfully and intrinsically crafted according to God's plan, let us trust in God's deliverance and you know what, just because He is truthful, honest, never lie b4, which makes Him so trustworthy! yep yep.

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to an all-knowing God!!
Vin

had econs essays paper 3 today. it wasn't good, my mind went so blank i felt so helpless. The questions were so straightforward and i had to kick myself for not being able to remember anything that i'd taken so much pain to memorize the previous days. everything disappeared when i was there. In fact, so unexpectedly easy were the questions that i've spotted an exact duplicate of a question from the 2004 paper which i'd stared at and read minutes before going into exam hall, even reading the examiners' report and all. but was blank, all was blank.

came out mourning. but i've forced myself to forget it. tomorrow's redemption day, time to redeem my loss today..

i reluctantly rushed to BP Mac at 7pm to meet a friend's friend for econs help. reluctant because i'd felt so demoralised by my performance that i've lost all motivation to study for econs. what God sent me was indeed truly wonderful, i'm so so thankful to have met him, he was so patient and nice, a great great help indeed. i'm just regretful for not preparing more questions to ask (MCQs) or not even seeking help earlier. i was wondering, 'i wish i had met him for econs earlier, but i'll have no more chances'. It was even more endearing when i recognised immediately that he's a Malaysian!! haaaha.. AND A CHRISTIAN!!! i told him i was feeling really very lousy and he encouraged me continually. thank God, thank God.

had a long talk with my fellow personnel just now regarding students. i'm feeling guilty of compensating the value of the gospel by not pointing out what is the right thing to do, its like can't bear to scold them because afraid that they'll shun away from me. In the end? rebellious, disrespect, wrong perception of what is right and wrong. but sometimes gotta just play the bad guy, its God's ministry, not my ministry. hai... how to scold?? its like scolding myself lor. a year ago, 2 years ago.
i'll share a lot more with you guys another time.

i've got a lot of planning to do for my students. please pray for wisdom to know what i best for them.

You know what made my day? meeting that Malaysian Christian guy. you know the other day i wrote something asking whether you've ever met anyone who's really really nice but upon the discovery that the person is a non-Ct which just makes your heart sinks? like 'how can that guy not be a Christian?!!' well, i was feeling like that throughout the meeting, itching to ask whether he's a Christian, but eventually when msged him to thank him later on, his response was thanking God and asking me to trust God. So when i delightfully asked him whether he's a christian, to which he replied 'yup, and glad to be one' . hallelujah. nice people always stand out to be Christians! :D

Glory to God
Vin

you know i think the Doulos is a miracle in itself. so amazing it is that my parents even know about it, and i think the masses also know about it, coz its been appearing on the front pages of the newspapers. i think its well-received by many world-wide, including Singapore of course.

Doulos is a showcase of God's united people doing serving others and sharing about God Himself.

i've always wondered are there like policeman or guardsperson on board? surely they've encountered mutiny out at sea and pirates? i mean, if they haven't mentioned about it, then presumably they haven't ran into any, then all the more its a miracle of God, we all know He can spin miracles like these.

How is God's grace manifested in us?

i'm feeling dazed and dizzy because of all that cramming of econs.
oh ya, i kinda received insider information not yet to be disclosed that i'll be moving to a new cell group and continue to bring much needed joy there, haaa. So how many guys will be left in the Philippians?
And a faithful chief contributor to this blog may take his leave..

To be honest, i was quite surprised that the Philippians will not split for the new year.. i guess we're not ready yet. what do i know?

dizzy
Vin

was watching the news just now, and to my most shocking shock, i saw my former student!!

i didn't notice him at first. but i thought his name was very familiar. He just set the new World Record timing for fastest SMS. goodness, i can only recall that he was the one who's filthy rich and treated me to coffee bean and took a cab to meet me when he can walk.

whatever. next week is my final week of exams, its a very very tough week ahead.

pray for people taking exams, for good brains and be able to be calm when taking the papers.
Pray for huEy's brother, that he can adapt to the living conditions in UK.
Pray for the children's camp, for a fruitful and fun time for students.
pray for the participants of 'Thank God its Holiday', that they'll learn and be developed through the programs to become more mature spiritually.
pray for the only committee member spearheading TGIH - Auntie Geok for good health.
Pray for Pastor Ong, for stamina and wisdom, in the reading of spiritual materials.
Pray for one and all.

Alvin

thank God thank God thank God.

Maths is over. Shao Ning said that she thanked God after every question yesterday. Thats thankfulness.

well, a week to go...

Vin

chemistry is tiring
econs is draining
maths is enlivening.

chemistry is never my cup of tea. read: i hate it. well, going into the exam room knowing that i'm worse than unprepared (worse than prelims) gives a sense of forlorn.

the sad thing is maths has is going to end tomorrow. too early for my liking.
ha... but i'm gonna work doubly hard for econs, which is just as bad as chemistry. i'm beginning to think that there's no subject i really like at maths, and even then, my maths ain't that good anyway. so what am i? thats for you to fill it in.

oh i've finally given an account, so shy and guilty and ashamed i am. the leopard finds it hard to change its spots, to become a tiger. agh.
whats a country whose name starts with Q, ends with R, whose currency is QR? Cu-Q- ba -R?
Vin

me & my sec sch mate:
vin 7 Nov 2006 safe says:
i left it in decimals
down the drain. says:
it/s 0.0680
vin 7 Nov 2006 safe says:
YES YES
vin 7 Nov 2006 safe says:
OH GOODNESS!!!
vin 7 Nov 2006 safe says:
YES YESYESYESYES!!!
down the drain. says:
DAMN HOW COME YOU CORRECT
vin 7 Nov 2006 safe says:
WHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
down the drain. says:
I ALSO CORRECT YOU SHIT HEAD
vin 7 Nov 2006 safe says:
cheeeh
down the drain. says:
so you can do 3d trigo?
vin 7 Nov 2006 safe says:
CANOOT
down the drain. says:
YAY
down the drain. says:
I ALSO CANNOT
vin 7 Nov 2006 safe says:
Thank God you can't

oops, wrong use of 'God'
need strength.
Vin

i've stopped cramming maths, had enough, decided that there's no point in doing so, and it wouldn't help anyway, just making me feel more anxious when i read through them now.

So i'm going to trust in God and pray that i'll think well during the exams. my exams start at 2pm.

please pray for us :)
Vin

ahhh!!! these few days will be intense!!!
next 3 days:
maths, chemistry, maths.

pray for us, pray that God will grant us the ability to think clearly, to be able to recall all the we've revised. pray that we'll be able to experience the peace of God and be calm.

jiayou!!

i'm so so so happy Clara is getting married! She's one of the most sincere, meticulous, hardworking person i've ever worked with. May God bless her!

i've finally settled all flights. The whole confirmed list looks so long, as i've waitlisted myself for 3 days.
You know what i'm talking about?

thats why i find it so hard to open up to others.
Vin

these past week, my body has been put to the test. Sleeping late, insomnia, over tension, that keep-on-wanting-to-puke feeling the Geok gets when she's stress or doesn't eat food, stomach cramps.

And i'm feeling light-headed, feels like something major is waiting to blow itself up.

I like to run away, i like to close myself up.

And i've put myself into the waiting list for the return flight.
Vin

the sky was like mourning the death of Took.
He was hanged this morning.

And i feel real sad. only 24 years old and has a young kid. The parents must be heartbroken.

A life for a life.
But Christ died once for all.

Vin

check this out:

Shao Ning told me about it, really cool:

http://irocker.livejournal.com/80818.html?#cutid1

you can take the link from Shao Ning's blog too, i snatched it here.
Vin

i must be crazy to be thinking about these things when i'm in the thick of the battle during 'A's.

the first recipent of the 'bomb' is my parents.

Its so hard to say it. wow, i'm glad i struggled through to throw it out. i'm thankful they are supportive of my decision :)

been praying so hard about it, and i've seen how God provides.

Continue to work hard my dear Philippians!!!!! Thank you Shao Ning and Ren Jie for your messages of encouragement, which allows me to walk into the exam room sporting a smile on my face!

Praise the Lord,
Vin

thank God for being with me during GP today.

i have little confidence going in, so just submit myself to God.
A grossly high number of students did question 3. Its an easy question, but i know nuts about modern technology, (although the whole past 2 years we were on that topic). To my anguish, there wasn't a question about sports, which i feel is quite unfair.

so i did 'How far is Singapore prepared for future crises?'. was an uncomfortable choice though.

Paper 2 was horrific. The summary is the worst. whatever, i'm just glad God pulled me through and made me finish in time.

I have this news to report to the leaders, but i've kept it for too long already, and its increasingly frustrating to keep it within me and hold back, so the situation is, if i tell them now, it will be deemed as a 'bomb'. getting very vexed about it. Same old struggle of being accountable has come back to haunt me again, i'm going to tell them this Saturday or tomorrow. I pray for understanding and forgiveness, should have brought this out earlier.

Vin

with exams nearing, i'm getting severly anxious.

and unnecessarily distracted, by something i'll reveal in time to come (the very near future).

Vin

dear philippians.

today is 1 November.

today is DeZhang's birthday!!! his number is 90607461 .
Go send him your birthday wishes!!

November is a month when a lot of people are born.

tomorrow is the start of A levels.

pray for all of us ya?
Rinus, Yee Wah, Eunice, Zi Jun, Shao Ning.

Vin