Anne Healy (Pastor Healy's wife) was right when she spoke at last Sunday's service. The sermon theme was on Mother's Day and somehow there was connection to finding love. She mentioned how important it was to wait for the right person to come along to become your life partner. She shared about her own story, how before meeting Pastor Healy she was previously engaged but the engagement broke down along with her relationship with her then fiance. A friend said to her, "I'm very glad this relationship broke down and this ended." She was very distraught and did not understand why her friend had said this. Her friend explained that she felt the man was not right for Anne. Her friend felt that the man was not Anne's "spiritual match". Those two words struck me on Sunday. It kind of summoned up my whole life. It explained why things are the way they are. It seems I have never found my "spiritual match". And whilst this revelation dawned on me, it also made me realise that I myself may not have been a good "spiritual match" for anybody either!!
So what does this mean? How does one 'gauge' this spiritual level? What do we use to measure or compare? Being a Christian man seeking a Christian woman as a life partner, I should be able to provide spiritual support for my partner. But what "spiritual level" should she be? Should I be seeking a life partner with "spiritual level" equal to or less than myself? Or how would things work if the woman has a spiritual level "higher" than myself? Would I still be able to lead spiritually? Does it work the same way as for example: income or education? Will discrepancies in spiritual levels cause conflict or awkwardness as it may for the two examples? Hmm...
Do any single guys reading this, ever think about this matter? You might want a life partner and hope to find her soon. But have you thought whether you can provide for her spiritually as well as physically and emotionally etc? I do not feel I am spiritual enough to be honest. Nor do I feel I am rich or intelligent. What does that mean...?
Showing posts with label Heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heart. Show all posts
21 March 2012
09 March 2012
Drams and Domino's Pizzas
It had just gone midnight and I have just gotten back into my room. Feeling quiet tired so I will K.O. quite soon after this. Today has been a very long day, but a very nice day. I slept quite well last night on a strange bed. Usually the first night on a different bed I would not get much rest. Examples like at church camps and staying over at other friends' places etc. But I thank God for giving me good sleep and also thank Ian and Leanne for going to so much effort in building the double bed for me and making sure I had enough pillows. Also, I actually forgot to bring my moisturiser this trip and Ian even gave me his moisturiser. I mean, how cool is that?! It's like anything I can think of, they have for me! Haha!
After breakfast and a shower, we all got ready for going out to the nearest city of Nottingham for some shopping. We visited places like Hotel Chocolat (super cool!), Paperchase and Debenhams before settling down for some lunch. We had quite a productive shopping trip this time and the long walks and stuff gave us a very big appetite. So we went to Harvester at Trinity Square and had a very nice lunch. The picture above was taken at Harvester just we delved into our lunch. As you and see from above, the dishes in front of me were quite big. In my hunger I decided to go for:
Plantation Platter
Flame-grilled chicken wings, boneless BBQ ribs, half a spitroast chicken and crackerjack prawns with
grilled corn on the cob, grilled pineapple rings and sour cream & chive dip.
For two to share, with two
sauces and two sides of your choice
(980kcal. per person.)
It took me almost 35mins to finish the whole platter, with Leanne helping me eat two of the chicken wings. Yes I will have consumed almost 2000 calories but my goodness it tasted soooo good. I totally felt my body required the refueling after all the travelling, walking and shopping, and the rest of the day too. =D After lunch we went to a few other places and got a few more things. By the end of the day nobody left Nottingham empty handed let's say! Haha! Oh there were some funny conversations had during our shopping also. Not just wedding related stuff but relationship stuff. Haha! Ian knows all about me and my successes and failures in this department of my life and he is very encouraging of me to find the right person in my life. He again mentioned the important of finding the person we have the right "spark" with. Because without that "spark", without thinking/ feeling like they are your best friend in life, it would be meaningless, it would not work out, regardless of nationality of the person. This is very true. Looks in a person will fade with time. Money will (usually) run out with. But the character of a person usually gets stronger as they mature physically and spiritually. This is much more important.
Drams and Domino's Pizzas
To end this lovely day, we spent the evening chillaxing in the house. I was hungry again so had some toast and a fruit and nut bar as snack. Ian and I played Fifa 12 on the PS3. I haven't had any time to play PS3 for a such a long time. I think the last time I played was in Raymond's house back in the summer time or just before it. Therefore tonight I played very horribly and the results were always in Ian's favour, apart from the very last game we played which I somehow managed to win 4-2 after an extra time length match. Then again, I was using a 5-Star team playing against 1-Star team. Lol!!
We ordered Domino's Pizza for dinner and munched that whilst watching Eastenders and New Girl. Was my first time watching New Girl after hearing it was quite good. In the end I quite liked the humour in it, however, I do not think I will have time to watch any more TV at home once I get back. Currently I don't watch very much tv at all being so busy each day. But I am very glad I got to spend this Friday evening so relaxed indoors with Ian and Leanne, watching British and American telly. On top of that, Ian also let me try some whisky. We had Jack Daniels with lemonade. Jim Beam with lemonade and Glenmorangie whisky with lemonde. Each time the whisky was very diluated, but even then my face's reaction to alcohol in the system is to turn my cheeks red. But this time it was only every so lightly as it was so diluted. LOL!
Right now I am not drunk. Don't worry. Haha! Going to fall asleep after this. Tomorrow we will have a later wake up time but will still have a long day of different visits like visiting the church, the wedding reception and will also get to meet Leanne's mum and dad. =)
Follow Up...
20 October 2011
What's the point?
Was in a "can't be bothered" mood today. Finished work at 3PM since my last lesson cancelled yesterday cos she was sick (genuine in fact, cos she was already losing her voice on Monday night's lesson). So I had all this free time to spare. Went to my Men's Store appointment to get some waxing done. That only took about 10-15 minutes then I was back out in town again. It was raining so I had my big umbrella up. People were busy rushing about. Cars and buses were busy going to their destinations. Everyone had a purpose. Yet I felt purpose-less, I felt aimless. Originally I thought I might go to Next or M&S and look for suit trousers to replace my current ones. And maybe even look for light jumper/ sweaters for having long sleeves for work in the car. The recent dramatic change in weather has caught me out a little, especially last Monday when it was absolutely baltic. Anyway, after using the toilet at Buchanan Galleries I just sat at the internet kiosk area, played with my phone and just couldn't be assed doing anything.
There was a feeling of loneliness creeping up inside me. It has always lurked in the backgroud, but I do my best to fight it, not succumb to it. I try to ignore it. When I mentioned it to someone close, he said that I have the gym and my business to keep me occupied. That is true. I suppose keeping myself busy may "drown out the noise" for a while. But what about after that? What about at the end of the night? The gym closes. I finish work. Then...? I mean, sometimes things can feel so meaningless. Get what I'm saying? It's like a rich man who has all money and fame and power. But no friends or family, sleeps alone at night. No one to share happiness and wealth with. Whats the point? Yes I have friends and I have family. But no significant other. That gaping "hole" is getting more and more obvious now, at least to myself.
I'm not ashamed to say that but that longing is increasing daily. I know some people say that they don't like to put things online, that they want to keep things private, don't want to let people know so much etc. Well, that's their choice. Too long have I listened to people's "advice" or "comments" and try to work them into my own life. But you know what? I don't think it'll work for me. This is me. This is my blog. And I trust that it is my friends who actually read my blog. Anybody else who stumble across my blog through Fb or through keyword searches are very welcome to read all this too. Cos at the end of the day, this is who I am. Gordon So, an ageing British Born Chinese Christian guy. Yes I am a Christian, yet that does not stop me from having feelings and emotions right? That doesn't mean I am free from feeling sad etc right? Cos after all, it is these feelings and emotions that I share with the Lord and now I am sharing with y'all.
Some people might say that I needn't put things online, instead find a few friends to talk to and pray with you etc. Well finding a few friends would mean having to repeat everything a few times. Do you think I'd want that? I might end up missing things out or saying the wrong things. And most likely, when meeting with guys you don't get that emotional anyway. Guys "act tough" and might not express themselves that well. So if you wanna read this, then you're welcome to. What you do with this information is also up to you. Pray for me? Laugh at me? Tease me? Share with your friends? Whatever!
My sister is getting married next summer and will later migrate to Singapore to be with her hubby Nick, who so happens to be one of my close friends. I am very happy for them deep down, genuinely. Once Cat leaves though, the flat will only be occupied by mum and me. Though I cannot fully comprehend what it will be like say exactly a year from now (20th October 2012), I know the house will be a lot quieter. I will be 29 then and mum will be... nah, I am not telling you THAT! But anyway, there will be simple meals at dinner. Mum will be older so will be more tired after work. Will I still be moaning like this? Will the quietness at home mean I have more time for my mind to wander? What's quite sad is I might not even have a partner to go to my sister's wedding with. Who knows what God has in store though. But at present the prospects are not looking good. Why can't I find someone who is willing to commit to a relationship? Why do so many people I know have to be studying? Have to be in different walks of life from me? I know God didn't create man to be alone, therefore when he created Adam God also created Eve as a partner for him. In search of my "Eve" I have to remind myself that God has a plan for me. A plan to prosper me, not to harm me.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
There was a feeling of loneliness creeping up inside me. It has always lurked in the backgroud, but I do my best to fight it, not succumb to it. I try to ignore it. When I mentioned it to someone close, he said that I have the gym and my business to keep me occupied. That is true. I suppose keeping myself busy may "drown out the noise" for a while. But what about after that? What about at the end of the night? The gym closes. I finish work. Then...? I mean, sometimes things can feel so meaningless. Get what I'm saying? It's like a rich man who has all money and fame and power. But no friends or family, sleeps alone at night. No one to share happiness and wealth with. Whats the point? Yes I have friends and I have family. But no significant other. That gaping "hole" is getting more and more obvious now, at least to myself.
I'm not ashamed to say that but that longing is increasing daily. I know some people say that they don't like to put things online, that they want to keep things private, don't want to let people know so much etc. Well, that's their choice. Too long have I listened to people's "advice" or "comments" and try to work them into my own life. But you know what? I don't think it'll work for me. This is me. This is my blog. And I trust that it is my friends who actually read my blog. Anybody else who stumble across my blog through Fb or through keyword searches are very welcome to read all this too. Cos at the end of the day, this is who I am. Gordon So, an ageing British Born Chinese Christian guy. Yes I am a Christian, yet that does not stop me from having feelings and emotions right? That doesn't mean I am free from feeling sad etc right? Cos after all, it is these feelings and emotions that I share with the Lord and now I am sharing with y'all.
Some people might say that I needn't put things online, instead find a few friends to talk to and pray with you etc. Well finding a few friends would mean having to repeat everything a few times. Do you think I'd want that? I might end up missing things out or saying the wrong things. And most likely, when meeting with guys you don't get that emotional anyway. Guys "act tough" and might not express themselves that well. So if you wanna read this, then you're welcome to. What you do with this information is also up to you. Pray for me? Laugh at me? Tease me? Share with your friends? Whatever!
My sister is getting married next summer and will later migrate to Singapore to be with her hubby Nick, who so happens to be one of my close friends. I am very happy for them deep down, genuinely. Once Cat leaves though, the flat will only be occupied by mum and me. Though I cannot fully comprehend what it will be like say exactly a year from now (20th October 2012), I know the house will be a lot quieter. I will be 29 then and mum will be... nah, I am not telling you THAT! But anyway, there will be simple meals at dinner. Mum will be older so will be more tired after work. Will I still be moaning like this? Will the quietness at home mean I have more time for my mind to wander? What's quite sad is I might not even have a partner to go to my sister's wedding with. Who knows what God has in store though. But at present the prospects are not looking good. Why can't I find someone who is willing to commit to a relationship? Why do so many people I know have to be studying? Have to be in different walks of life from me? I know God didn't create man to be alone, therefore when he created Adam God also created Eve as a partner for him. In search of my "Eve" I have to remind myself that God has a plan for me. A plan to prosper me, not to harm me.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
09 August 2011
Back after a while...!
Haven't posted for ages, since middle June, wow! So much has been happening in my life, both good and not so good, but mainly good. The Lord has always been good to me even though sometimes I forget to put blessings to blog, but I do my best to note down these blessings on my 'Grace Book'. I must remember to give thanks for all that He has given me. Our gratitude not only pleases God but indeed will be an encouragement to those who hear it, believers or unbelievers. =)
Throughout the past few months I've been busy with work. Work has had it's ups and downs as well. The requirement of patience towards pupils and the endurance of working in a metal box under the blistering sun has never been greater. Last summer I innocently worked wearing polo shirts and tee shirts and ended up with a tanned left arm whilst the right arm was noticably lighter. Lol! What's worse was, there was also a tan line difference from the top of my shoulder as well! No, cannot have that!! So this summer I've been wearing thin long sleeve tops whilst working. It certainly adds to the heat at times, but at the end of my long shifts I don't remove my shirt to find horrible shades around me. Haha! Doesn't look good at the gym either all these weird tan lines. However, having said that, I did get sunburnt at a recent barbeque in the back garden of a church auntie's. I had put on sun factor 30 but that was apparently not enough to withstand the sun's rays between 3:30PM-8:30PM. By the time I was about to leave some areas of my skin were in red shade and again noticeable to others who commented. =S Once I got home, my my, how red was I??! Tan lines created by the singlet I wore to the barbeque. I avoided wearing an ordinary tee shirt knowing the sun would be mega strong that Monday, so wanted to catch more rays. However, I think my skin requires much higher sun protection. SPF50 perhaps? I cannot remember how I managed to survive Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong during my visits there. And I didn't even wear singlets then. Lol! =P Ah well, at least I have two long tanned arms and they are even in tan! LOL! =P
I'm now on Week 11 of a twelve-week training program called ATHLEAN-X and it has helped me lose lots of bodyfat whilst building more lean muscle and I have been so glad of this program. It's definitely the first of it's kind to have such positive results on my body. I am so proud of this program, it's unique ideas and the results it gives me. I am frequently talking about this program to everyone I come across and I have bought all three of the ATHLEAN-X tee shirts and post up videos on my Facebook as well as it's well worth looking into for those who are interested in looking athletic. I will definitely be sticking with and recycling this program as part of my daily workouts. Due to my work schedule, starting at 10AM every morning (barring Sundays), I can only free up time in the early mornings somewhere between 6:30AM to 8:30AM. I don't train for much more than an hour anymore like I used to. The old concept was train longer, train harder, gain harder. Nope, now my understanding has improved and my knowledge broadened to realise it is much more effective to train with high intensity in low time. How does that work? Well perform the sets and reps with as short breaks between as possible. This keeps the heart rate ticking over thus burning up more calories and more fat. And boy has it made a different to me. The training program works on the whole body a lot and has two days of conditioning (not just conventional cardio) per week, leaving three days of training with weights. It has helped bring out my abs as well. Ooh yeah! Having received some positive comments from people who noticed my shape also adds to the fact this program is great! If anybody is interested to know more about this training regime, just give me a shout. It is totally drug free and is great fun. Just takes on average 40 minutes of your day five days a week. How cool is that!! =D
So I thank God for giving me the willpower, endurance and perserverance to get this far with the program. The early mornings, getting up at 5:55AM when the buzzer alarm goes off, have not been easy. Sometimes I do feel like giving up and flopping back down into bed and snuggling up. But I push on and once I'm out the house the crisp fresh air helps awaken me and shifts me back on focus. I thank God for the many safe journies to the gym each morning through the extremely quiet trip to the gym and the rush hour drive back home for breakfast. I thank God for my injury-free training as well and I hope I am able to keep it that way. I hope I can keep going from strength to strength both physically and spiritually.
The past few weeks I've been coming back to God as prior to that I let the busy-ness of work and working out distract me from spending time with God. Finishing work late, having some light dinner, washing up, doing admin, spending 'some' time on Fb and before I knew it, it was nearing midnight and I definitely needed to sleep in order to get up at 5:55AM the next morning. But praise God for calling me back by His side again. A story which I shared regarding Psalm 127. I hope everyone is encouraged by this verse and remember, no matter what stage of life you're at right now: whether it's enjoying summer holidays, seeking direction in life, job hunting, partner hunting, going through sickness or tough times, remember that Jesus loves you very much and God is in control of everything. We must cast all our anxieties unto Him. God is our Maker and with Him, through Him, nothing is impossible. Seek first His kingdom and all things will be added unto you. I was seeking and I have found... =) God is able. God is good.
Throughout the past few months I've been busy with work. Work has had it's ups and downs as well. The requirement of patience towards pupils and the endurance of working in a metal box under the blistering sun has never been greater. Last summer I innocently worked wearing polo shirts and tee shirts and ended up with a tanned left arm whilst the right arm was noticably lighter. Lol! What's worse was, there was also a tan line difference from the top of my shoulder as well! No, cannot have that!! So this summer I've been wearing thin long sleeve tops whilst working. It certainly adds to the heat at times, but at the end of my long shifts I don't remove my shirt to find horrible shades around me. Haha! Doesn't look good at the gym either all these weird tan lines. However, having said that, I did get sunburnt at a recent barbeque in the back garden of a church auntie's. I had put on sun factor 30 but that was apparently not enough to withstand the sun's rays between 3:30PM-8:30PM. By the time I was about to leave some areas of my skin were in red shade and again noticeable to others who commented. =S Once I got home, my my, how red was I??! Tan lines created by the singlet I wore to the barbeque. I avoided wearing an ordinary tee shirt knowing the sun would be mega strong that Monday, so wanted to catch more rays. However, I think my skin requires much higher sun protection. SPF50 perhaps? I cannot remember how I managed to survive Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong during my visits there. And I didn't even wear singlets then. Lol! =P Ah well, at least I have two long tanned arms and they are even in tan! LOL! =P
I'm now on Week 11 of a twelve-week training program called ATHLEAN-X and it has helped me lose lots of bodyfat whilst building more lean muscle and I have been so glad of this program. It's definitely the first of it's kind to have such positive results on my body. I am so proud of this program, it's unique ideas and the results it gives me. I am frequently talking about this program to everyone I come across and I have bought all three of the ATHLEAN-X tee shirts and post up videos on my Facebook as well as it's well worth looking into for those who are interested in looking athletic. I will definitely be sticking with and recycling this program as part of my daily workouts. Due to my work schedule, starting at 10AM every morning (barring Sundays), I can only free up time in the early mornings somewhere between 6:30AM to 8:30AM. I don't train for much more than an hour anymore like I used to. The old concept was train longer, train harder, gain harder. Nope, now my understanding has improved and my knowledge broadened to realise it is much more effective to train with high intensity in low time. How does that work? Well perform the sets and reps with as short breaks between as possible. This keeps the heart rate ticking over thus burning up more calories and more fat. And boy has it made a different to me. The training program works on the whole body a lot and has two days of conditioning (not just conventional cardio) per week, leaving three days of training with weights. It has helped bring out my abs as well. Ooh yeah! Having received some positive comments from people who noticed my shape also adds to the fact this program is great! If anybody is interested to know more about this training regime, just give me a shout. It is totally drug free and is great fun. Just takes on average 40 minutes of your day five days a week. How cool is that!! =D
So I thank God for giving me the willpower, endurance and perserverance to get this far with the program. The early mornings, getting up at 5:55AM when the buzzer alarm goes off, have not been easy. Sometimes I do feel like giving up and flopping back down into bed and snuggling up. But I push on and once I'm out the house the crisp fresh air helps awaken me and shifts me back on focus. I thank God for the many safe journies to the gym each morning through the extremely quiet trip to the gym and the rush hour drive back home for breakfast. I thank God for my injury-free training as well and I hope I am able to keep it that way. I hope I can keep going from strength to strength both physically and spiritually.
The past few weeks I've been coming back to God as prior to that I let the busy-ness of work and working out distract me from spending time with God. Finishing work late, having some light dinner, washing up, doing admin, spending 'some' time on Fb and before I knew it, it was nearing midnight and I definitely needed to sleep in order to get up at 5:55AM the next morning. But praise God for calling me back by His side again. A story which I shared regarding Psalm 127. I hope everyone is encouraged by this verse and remember, no matter what stage of life you're at right now: whether it's enjoying summer holidays, seeking direction in life, job hunting, partner hunting, going through sickness or tough times, remember that Jesus loves you very much and God is in control of everything. We must cast all our anxieties unto Him. God is our Maker and with Him, through Him, nothing is impossible. Seek first His kingdom and all things will be added unto you. I was seeking and I have found... =) God is able. God is good.
29 May 2011
Little pond?
He must have been a Godsend. I think DD was right. Maybe I have been looking in the wrong pond. Big fish in little pond perhaps? Time to move on I think...
It's amazing how God works though. Just out of the blue out pops the question. And of course, I gave honest answers. I spoke my heart. It's amazing how God can provide a counseller, a listening ear. Someone to show concern. I live at home with two women. I don't have any senior guys to talk to conveniently. After all, being Chinese as well, we are more 'conservative' when it comes to these things, usually. I'm not that shy about these things, but just find it hard to find 'suitable' people to chat to. So many people around me, all at different stages of life.
The prayer meant a lot to me. Oh Lord, lead the way :)
Athlean-X Training System
On a different note, I have decided to change my workout regime and try out a new 90 program which is to help me develop more lean muscle mass. Although currently I feel I am quite big in size and live up to my nickname Big G, I know I have a lot of body fat as well. Too much in fact. So this program, which has been vouched by thousands to have made a difference in their lives, is set out to give me different workouts every day for twelve weeks, along with an eating plan. Follow it as closely as you can to get as better results as possible. This would involve weight training Monday, Wednesday and Friday with conditioning (cardio) on Tuesday and Thursday. Guess I can rest on the weekends. Instead of slaving away at the gym for hours on end, each workout is designed to last about 40 minutes tops, leaving you more time to yourself yet having your heart beat just as much if not more than a long workout session. The results should be seen within 3-4 weeks. I am looking forward to this change. New exercises to challenge the body and keep it guessing.
I will need to change some habits like try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. I will try to constantly drink water. I will try to eat small portions every 2-3 hours of the day and keep my metabolism running high. What else... erm... oh yeah, will continue using my mobile stopwatch to time my breaks between workout sets, making sure I don't slack when resting and take too long to get back into it. Might mean no eating out for a good number of weeks too!
I took my weight this morning, one day before I start this program. Most updated figures are:
212.2lbs - 96.2kgs - 15st 2lbs
I shall update after a week I think. Here's hoping I can get through this one week of training! Haha! If anybody is interested in seeing what this program is about, check out the link below! =D
ATHLEAN-X
It's amazing how God works though. Just out of the blue out pops the question. And of course, I gave honest answers. I spoke my heart. It's amazing how God can provide a counseller, a listening ear. Someone to show concern. I live at home with two women. I don't have any senior guys to talk to conveniently. After all, being Chinese as well, we are more 'conservative' when it comes to these things, usually. I'm not that shy about these things, but just find it hard to find 'suitable' people to chat to. So many people around me, all at different stages of life.
The prayer meant a lot to me. Oh Lord, lead the way :)
Athlean-X Training System
On a different note, I have decided to change my workout regime and try out a new 90 program which is to help me develop more lean muscle mass. Although currently I feel I am quite big in size and live up to my nickname Big G, I know I have a lot of body fat as well. Too much in fact. So this program, which has been vouched by thousands to have made a difference in their lives, is set out to give me different workouts every day for twelve weeks, along with an eating plan. Follow it as closely as you can to get as better results as possible. This would involve weight training Monday, Wednesday and Friday with conditioning (cardio) on Tuesday and Thursday. Guess I can rest on the weekends. Instead of slaving away at the gym for hours on end, each workout is designed to last about 40 minutes tops, leaving you more time to yourself yet having your heart beat just as much if not more than a long workout session. The results should be seen within 3-4 weeks. I am looking forward to this change. New exercises to challenge the body and keep it guessing.
I will need to change some habits like try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. I will try to constantly drink water. I will try to eat small portions every 2-3 hours of the day and keep my metabolism running high. What else... erm... oh yeah, will continue using my mobile stopwatch to time my breaks between workout sets, making sure I don't slack when resting and take too long to get back into it. Might mean no eating out for a good number of weeks too!
I took my weight this morning, one day before I start this program. Most updated figures are:
212.2lbs - 96.2kgs - 15st 2lbs
I shall update after a week I think. Here's hoping I can get through this one week of training! Haha! If anybody is interested in seeing what this program is about, check out the link below! =D
ATHLEAN-X
22 April 2011
A man after God's heart
King David was described as a man after God's heart in Acts 13:22:
"After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’"
That is what I strive to be also. I want to walk close to God and I want to live a Spirit-filled, Spirit-lead life. What I strive for is simple, but it is not easy to achieve. Sometimes there are many things that distract me and takes my focus away from God. Sometimes the closer I am to God the stronger the temptations or the "bad things" happen to me. From what I understand, this is the devil's doing, trying to bring me down and away from God. However, I know I should stand firm for God. I know should flee from the temptations. I should lift my eyes up to Jesus and draw strength from Him.
I want to honour God in all areas of my life. The things I do, I try to bring glory and honour to His name. Just sometimes I am not sure if it is enough or if I'm doing things the right way. The three areas of my life which matter to me the most are: career, health and heart.
Career
Entered into a career as a driving instructor where there is no stable income. Income can go up and down according to popularity and ultimately it's all at the mercy of the weather. Long summer evenings means more work. Snow, frost and adverse weather means being housebound due to health and safety reasons. However, I remember the verses in the Bible, Matthew 6:25-26:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
Although my income and popularity can fluctuate, I have peace in my heart knowing that the Lord will provide somehow. That He will not let me go hungry and that I can continue my 'working to live' and not 'live to work'. Driving tests are not easy things, they get harder and harder each year. Every driving test pass I thank God for. There are certain test passes which I have witnessed first hand God at work. Being in this job with no steady income, no paid holidays etc, I can be rely on God day by day. With no backing of a national driving school, I am left pretty much on my own. However, I know God is with me every step of the way and I am at peace and willing to be a testimony of His great love for me.
Health
I am quite a health conscience person. Since 2003 I have been very conscious about the effects food and exercise can have on the body. After losing almost three stones in around six months in 2003 I did not want to go back to my old looks. It was in 2004 when I had my first girlfriend. Prior to that, nobody was ever interested in me. Many had ran away from me after knowing I liked them. So besides chemistry, I believe my looks definitely helped get me noticed and attention from the opposite sex. So think, why would I ever want to return to having so much flab on me? In the past two to three years I have been looking into ways of enhancing my looks through body sculpting. I would not really call it body building because I associate that with really buff guys with huge muscles, more like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Dolph Lundgren. Body sculpting would be more like Jason Stathan, possibly Jackie Chan: muscle definition without the big bulk. Being called Big G, I feel I should live up to my name and be Big. As I blogged before a long time ago, being health conscious and having a decent size has it's benefits. First, eating healthily will help keep my heart healthy and keep it running for longer. Also, my body is the temple for the Holy Spirit.* I should try to live and eat 'cleanly'. When I train at the gym, I know ultimately I am relying on God given strength to complete my sets, my reps and my laps. With my bigger size I am able to serve Him through physical stuff like moving equipment, setting things up as well as blessing fellow brothers and sisters in Christ by helping them move house etc.
*1 Corinthians 6:19:
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own"
Heart
Ah this one is very important. So much to say about this one, but don't know what to say at the same time. Hmm... Ultimately I want to settle with a woman of God. Someone who shares the same passion for Christ. A relationship where we encourage each other's walk with God. Some say it is important to marry into the same class. I've even seen couples who work in the same line of work. But where can I find a Chinese Christian female driving instructor? Haha! What about age? Does an age gap make a difference? How big a gap is acceptable? If two people love God deeply does age, class, occupation and money really matter? I would surely hope not, but what about stage in life? How does one know what he/she wants in life if he/she is still at crossroads of their life and don't know which direction they are heading in? What does God say about all this? If only we live in simple Biblical times where everyone was a bit poorer (or so I'm guessing) and where people are more appreciative of the small things. Didn't have technology advancement, didn't have undue expectations and pressures (or so I guess!). Things these days can be quite complicated.
Praying to God and confiding in Him about waiting for the one whom he brings along. Yes I can pray, but can I seek? If I seek, does that mean I do not trust Him to answer my prayers? If I pray and then do nothing about seeking, will He just miraculously drop someone down onto my lap? (Figuratively speaking!) Prayer without doing anything... does that work? Of course, if I'm asking God for Chinese Christian girl as a life partner, there are plenty whom I know. But which one is suited to me? And I to her? Which one will not look at my income, my status, my longing for a family, and not be scared away? Which one will understand my need for attention and the need to feel special? I can devote myself to this one who can give me the chance, but is there chemistry? So many questions swirling around my head and heart.
Therefore I should remind myself that if I seek first the Kingdom of God, if I look to please Him above all else in life, He will bless me with things in the correct time and in the correct place. I have faith in that. I have hope in that. I know He has plans to bless me, not harm me (Jeremiah 29:11) so I can rest assure He knows my heart's desire to be with a God-fearing life partner and I am pretty sure He will grant it to me. Even if I do consider potentials, I should tread carefully and with discernment of the Holy Spirit. I must keep a close walk with God and so to know what I can/should say/do in order to approach people safely and in a Godly way. I should listen to the Holy Spirit and let the inner voice guide me. Above all, take my time, don't rush in. Think a lot, pray a lot. And remember God is ultimately in control =)
"After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’"
That is what I strive to be also. I want to walk close to God and I want to live a Spirit-filled, Spirit-lead life. What I strive for is simple, but it is not easy to achieve. Sometimes there are many things that distract me and takes my focus away from God. Sometimes the closer I am to God the stronger the temptations or the "bad things" happen to me. From what I understand, this is the devil's doing, trying to bring me down and away from God. However, I know I should stand firm for God. I know should flee from the temptations. I should lift my eyes up to Jesus and draw strength from Him.
I want to honour God in all areas of my life. The things I do, I try to bring glory and honour to His name. Just sometimes I am not sure if it is enough or if I'm doing things the right way. The three areas of my life which matter to me the most are: career, health and heart.
Career
Entered into a career as a driving instructor where there is no stable income. Income can go up and down according to popularity and ultimately it's all at the mercy of the weather. Long summer evenings means more work. Snow, frost and adverse weather means being housebound due to health and safety reasons. However, I remember the verses in the Bible, Matthew 6:25-26:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
Although my income and popularity can fluctuate, I have peace in my heart knowing that the Lord will provide somehow. That He will not let me go hungry and that I can continue my 'working to live' and not 'live to work'. Driving tests are not easy things, they get harder and harder each year. Every driving test pass I thank God for. There are certain test passes which I have witnessed first hand God at work. Being in this job with no steady income, no paid holidays etc, I can be rely on God day by day. With no backing of a national driving school, I am left pretty much on my own. However, I know God is with me every step of the way and I am at peace and willing to be a testimony of His great love for me.
Health
I am quite a health conscience person. Since 2003 I have been very conscious about the effects food and exercise can have on the body. After losing almost three stones in around six months in 2003 I did not want to go back to my old looks. It was in 2004 when I had my first girlfriend. Prior to that, nobody was ever interested in me. Many had ran away from me after knowing I liked them. So besides chemistry, I believe my looks definitely helped get me noticed and attention from the opposite sex. So think, why would I ever want to return to having so much flab on me? In the past two to three years I have been looking into ways of enhancing my looks through body sculpting. I would not really call it body building because I associate that with really buff guys with huge muscles, more like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Dolph Lundgren. Body sculpting would be more like Jason Stathan, possibly Jackie Chan: muscle definition without the big bulk. Being called Big G, I feel I should live up to my name and be Big. As I blogged before a long time ago, being health conscious and having a decent size has it's benefits. First, eating healthily will help keep my heart healthy and keep it running for longer. Also, my body is the temple for the Holy Spirit.* I should try to live and eat 'cleanly'. When I train at the gym, I know ultimately I am relying on God given strength to complete my sets, my reps and my laps. With my bigger size I am able to serve Him through physical stuff like moving equipment, setting things up as well as blessing fellow brothers and sisters in Christ by helping them move house etc.
*1 Corinthians 6:19:
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own"
Heart
Ah this one is very important. So much to say about this one, but don't know what to say at the same time. Hmm... Ultimately I want to settle with a woman of God. Someone who shares the same passion for Christ. A relationship where we encourage each other's walk with God. Some say it is important to marry into the same class. I've even seen couples who work in the same line of work. But where can I find a Chinese Christian female driving instructor? Haha! What about age? Does an age gap make a difference? How big a gap is acceptable? If two people love God deeply does age, class, occupation and money really matter? I would surely hope not, but what about stage in life? How does one know what he/she wants in life if he/she is still at crossroads of their life and don't know which direction they are heading in? What does God say about all this? If only we live in simple Biblical times where everyone was a bit poorer (or so I'm guessing) and where people are more appreciative of the small things. Didn't have technology advancement, didn't have undue expectations and pressures (or so I guess!). Things these days can be quite complicated.
Praying to God and confiding in Him about waiting for the one whom he brings along. Yes I can pray, but can I seek? If I seek, does that mean I do not trust Him to answer my prayers? If I pray and then do nothing about seeking, will He just miraculously drop someone down onto my lap? (Figuratively speaking!) Prayer without doing anything... does that work? Of course, if I'm asking God for Chinese Christian girl as a life partner, there are plenty whom I know. But which one is suited to me? And I to her? Which one will not look at my income, my status, my longing for a family, and not be scared away? Which one will understand my need for attention and the need to feel special? I can devote myself to this one who can give me the chance, but is there chemistry? So many questions swirling around my head and heart.
Therefore I should remind myself that if I seek first the Kingdom of God, if I look to please Him above all else in life, He will bless me with things in the correct time and in the correct place. I have faith in that. I have hope in that. I know He has plans to bless me, not harm me (Jeremiah 29:11) so I can rest assure He knows my heart's desire to be with a God-fearing life partner and I am pretty sure He will grant it to me. Even if I do consider potentials, I should tread carefully and with discernment of the Holy Spirit. I must keep a close walk with God and so to know what I can/should say/do in order to approach people safely and in a Godly way. I should listen to the Holy Spirit and let the inner voice guide me. Above all, take my time, don't rush in. Think a lot, pray a lot. And remember God is ultimately in control =)
16 April 2011
Slower
I have learnt I should walk a bit slower, especially in company. I think I tend to make people trot alongside me to catch up with me! Lol! I should walk a bit slower and I should eat a bit slower as well. Dunno how I developed this habit to do things so fast. Must be my 'go get it' nature and maybe adapting to the fast paced lifestyle of a driving instructor where even my breaks are quite rushed and a forty minute lunch break is a luxury! I should slow down when I can. Learn to enjoy those moments with friends, with food, with anything. Rushing constantly is not very good. Keeps you fit perhaps, but quality time takes exactly that: time.
Straps
Besides walking slowly in the literal sense I should also walk slowly in other areas of my life. Health for example. And when building relationships. I bought a pair of weight lifting straps today at JJB for only £3.99. Good quality Everlast weight lifting straps which will assist me when I do lifting / pulling exercises like pull ups, deadlifts, barbell rows etc. The straps will help improve my grip strength and my overall pulling power which will help blast the target muscles (primarily the back and whole body when doing deadlifts). I will not be rushing into the gym and train super hard expecting amazing results instantaneously. But instead I will increase the weight of my lifts little by little and as the weights go up along with my reps, I will expect my muscles and strength to go up as well. Deadlifts are definitely a great muscle toner and builder and I look forward to the weight increase for that exercise! :)
Relationships
As for building relationships. There are so many different ways to connect with someone these days: social networking, online, mobile phone, all sorts. These are all channels of communication open for our use, or abuse. It is so easy to establish contact with somebody through indirect ways, like Facebook comment, Facebook chat, even "poking" somebody on Facebook can be a simple way of saying "hi!" without saying anything. Some stuff we find on Facebook and other social networks can be quite superficial. People say or do things for attention. Some get their attention, some fail. The ones who fail might give up thinking they are worthless and never as popular as other people. Others might keep trying, harder and harder to get themselves seen/ heard. Just like the girl in the movie "Scre4m". Won't give spoilers here, but hey, have we been there before at some point? Maybe not to that extreme! Lol!
Be genuine and be yourself. If a relationship is worth developing, it will feel comfortable and it will feel "easy" in the "uncomplicated" sense. You won't have to go all out the way to impress or to make things work. Yes, effort has still to be put in of course, but overall, both parties should feel comfortable and in a way, normal. Haha! Should not be any awkwardness. And above all, it should develop from a friendship stage. Two strangers should not just "hit it off" like that. It's strange and does not work. Ok, that's speaking from personal experience here. Hasn't worked for me. Things have to be nurtured for sure. Things have to be Godly and God-guided from now on.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matt 6:33
Straps
Besides walking slowly in the literal sense I should also walk slowly in other areas of my life. Health for example. And when building relationships. I bought a pair of weight lifting straps today at JJB for only £3.99. Good quality Everlast weight lifting straps which will assist me when I do lifting / pulling exercises like pull ups, deadlifts, barbell rows etc. The straps will help improve my grip strength and my overall pulling power which will help blast the target muscles (primarily the back and whole body when doing deadlifts). I will not be rushing into the gym and train super hard expecting amazing results instantaneously. But instead I will increase the weight of my lifts little by little and as the weights go up along with my reps, I will expect my muscles and strength to go up as well. Deadlifts are definitely a great muscle toner and builder and I look forward to the weight increase for that exercise! :)
Relationships
As for building relationships. There are so many different ways to connect with someone these days: social networking, online, mobile phone, all sorts. These are all channels of communication open for our use, or abuse. It is so easy to establish contact with somebody through indirect ways, like Facebook comment, Facebook chat, even "poking" somebody on Facebook can be a simple way of saying "hi!" without saying anything. Some stuff we find on Facebook and other social networks can be quite superficial. People say or do things for attention. Some get their attention, some fail. The ones who fail might give up thinking they are worthless and never as popular as other people. Others might keep trying, harder and harder to get themselves seen/ heard. Just like the girl in the movie "Scre4m". Won't give spoilers here, but hey, have we been there before at some point? Maybe not to that extreme! Lol!
Be genuine and be yourself. If a relationship is worth developing, it will feel comfortable and it will feel "easy" in the "uncomplicated" sense. You won't have to go all out the way to impress or to make things work. Yes, effort has still to be put in of course, but overall, both parties should feel comfortable and in a way, normal. Haha! Should not be any awkwardness. And above all, it should develop from a friendship stage. Two strangers should not just "hit it off" like that. It's strange and does not work. Ok, that's speaking from personal experience here. Hasn't worked for me. Things have to be nurtured for sure. Things have to be Godly and God-guided from now on.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matt 6:33
18 January 2011
Going without
That's me gone eighteen days without eating out now. Not bought any food whilst being outside, not even a sandwich. Anything I eat comes from the house, homemade sandwiches or pasta etc. Wanna see how long I can keep this up for. Eating out would mean exposure to excessive oil, salt, sugars and msg etc. Stuff that are not good for the body. I'm not avoiding for allergies or anything but just overall health. As I said before I want to be 'living clean and pure'. Avoiding eating out will help towards my bodyfat loss in a healthy way. Not some crazy-ass fad diet where I starve myself (cannae afford that if I wanna keep my mass and size!). So whilst I keep my weights training up and do cardio, I want to make sure I don't spoil my efforts with grease. Lol! Someone congratulated me for being able to avoid eating out for so long. Haha! Last Sunday I had to decline an invite to Wudon after the church meeting and I went home for dinner instead. Throughout the day I was tempted with strawberry and coconut cake things, homemade brownies and chocolates. All of which I just looked away from. Lol! It's not that difficult actually. I would invite people to this wee challenge and see how they get on. =)
EM Retreat
I wonder how I'm gonna survive the weekend retreat with the EM. Haha! Need to eat every two-three hours and hopefully something rich in protein. Definitely not snacking like chocolates and biscuits etc. Might just bring cream crackers. Haha! Definitely need to remember my protein shakes. Maybe one for each morning. I'm quite looking forward to the retreat. Have not done much at all so far as this year we've been blessed by a willing Core Team made up for TC, HY, CL and CM. First time such a small team is doing such a big job. God bless them. Will keep them in prayer =) Looking forward to meeting Dick Dowsett and hearing him speak to Word of God to us again. I hear he will be leading a workshop on Boy-Girl Relationships. I have signed up for it mentally already. Lol! I want a more mature approach to BGR this time round. I can't remember much from previous attendance of BGR workshops, apart from it starting with the book of Proverbs and keywords such as bosoms and stuff. Haha!
It ain't easy
Living clean and pure ain't easy. It's weird isn't it. Just when you decide to abstain from something then it seems that that particular thing shows up, more times than normal. Does anybody else get that? Just like if someone says they have decided to quit smoking, they might feel more and more people are smoking. And the smell of the smoke tempts them. Or they might quit alcohol but then get invited to the pub by their friends sort of thing. Just this morning I was driving off to my first lesson and on the one street there were two temptations!! I mean, I want to live pure and keep my eyes to myself and focus on God. I scan the surroundings a lot whilst driving (probably more than the average Joe) and glanced at girl with a skirt on walking up the street to my right. 'Ok, don't look', I thought to myself, 'Just drive on'. My head was having a mini battle: 'I shouldn't look. Just focus on God and don't sin.' / 'Just one look won't hurt. Go on!' / 'No! I should flee from temptation.' And before I knew it the opportunity had passed for me to look and I drove on relieved. Just two blocks away my scanning of the road picks up a figure moving. Turns out to be woman running with dark grey running leggings on. This time she's on the left. Here we went again: 'Don't look! Focus on the road.' / 'Go on! Just a quick look!' / 'No! I must make effort for Jesus. I can do it!' / 'Then how about look at the mirror after you pass her?' / 'No! I don't want to waste this effort that I've made for Jesus so far.' And before I knew it the opportunity passed for me to look at her or the mirror. Phew! I was on my way to my first lesson with a clean heart and pure eyes. I thank God for giving me strength =)
If the shoe don't fit...
If the shoe don't fit... then what? I've been thinking about this for the past couple of hours. Impulse buying is wrong. Might feel fun at that moment but later when you calm down and think about it, or even try the purchase on, you might find it just ain't right. Just doesn't fit properly. Just doesn't look right. Just doesn't feel right. What do you do? Certainly cannot force it on yourself. It's not who you are.
EM Retreat
I wonder how I'm gonna survive the weekend retreat with the EM. Haha! Need to eat every two-three hours and hopefully something rich in protein. Definitely not snacking like chocolates and biscuits etc. Might just bring cream crackers. Haha! Definitely need to remember my protein shakes. Maybe one for each morning. I'm quite looking forward to the retreat. Have not done much at all so far as this year we've been blessed by a willing Core Team made up for TC, HY, CL and CM. First time such a small team is doing such a big job. God bless them. Will keep them in prayer =) Looking forward to meeting Dick Dowsett and hearing him speak to Word of God to us again. I hear he will be leading a workshop on Boy-Girl Relationships. I have signed up for it mentally already. Lol! I want a more mature approach to BGR this time round. I can't remember much from previous attendance of BGR workshops, apart from it starting with the book of Proverbs and keywords such as bosoms and stuff. Haha!
It ain't easy
Living clean and pure ain't easy. It's weird isn't it. Just when you decide to abstain from something then it seems that that particular thing shows up, more times than normal. Does anybody else get that? Just like if someone says they have decided to quit smoking, they might feel more and more people are smoking. And the smell of the smoke tempts them. Or they might quit alcohol but then get invited to the pub by their friends sort of thing. Just this morning I was driving off to my first lesson and on the one street there were two temptations!! I mean, I want to live pure and keep my eyes to myself and focus on God. I scan the surroundings a lot whilst driving (probably more than the average Joe) and glanced at girl with a skirt on walking up the street to my right. 'Ok, don't look', I thought to myself, 'Just drive on'. My head was having a mini battle: 'I shouldn't look. Just focus on God and don't sin.' / 'Just one look won't hurt. Go on!' / 'No! I should flee from temptation.' And before I knew it the opportunity had passed for me to look and I drove on relieved. Just two blocks away my scanning of the road picks up a figure moving. Turns out to be woman running with dark grey running leggings on. This time she's on the left. Here we went again: 'Don't look! Focus on the road.' / 'Go on! Just a quick look!' / 'No! I must make effort for Jesus. I can do it!' / 'Then how about look at the mirror after you pass her?' / 'No! I don't want to waste this effort that I've made for Jesus so far.' And before I knew it the opportunity passed for me to look at her or the mirror. Phew! I was on my way to my first lesson with a clean heart and pure eyes. I thank God for giving me strength =)
If the shoe don't fit...
If the shoe don't fit... then what? I've been thinking about this for the past couple of hours. Impulse buying is wrong. Might feel fun at that moment but later when you calm down and think about it, or even try the purchase on, you might find it just ain't right. Just doesn't fit properly. Just doesn't look right. Just doesn't feel right. What do you do? Certainly cannot force it on yourself. It's not who you are.
24 October 2010
Resurrected
Think I'll bring this blog back to life. Been too quiet for too long. It's not like me. Haha! Just been too busy with life. But have been reflecting recently and hoping things get clearer. Some things have become as clear as mud. Lol!
Sitting here in my living room with the X Factor on right now. The judges are about to make a decision of who to send home tonight. I won't spoil this for anybody who has not watched it yet.
Tonight I ordered my first ever Domino's Pizza online! I came home from town just before six and felt very hungry. Originally mum was gonna go to KFC for dinner, but when she mentioned it around lunch time I was quite against the idea. More fast food, oily fast food. But since tomorrow is her birthday I thought it would be ok to go to KFC with her. However, mum didn't mention it again when we were out town. Haha! When I got home I had a sudden urge for a pizza. So unlike me to have fast food, something like pizza! But I thought I'd try out the home delivery service and of course try and customise my pizza to something with more meat in it to increase the protein content. Haha! Ended up getting a Meal For One offer of 7" pizza which I chose sundried tomato & garlic pizza sauce in place of standard pizza sauce. I could choose up to four toppings so I had meatballs, roast chicken, steak meat and mushrooms. A side order of potato wedges and a drink of Diet Coke. I don't drink fizzy stuff so chose the Diet Coke to give to mum. =) My buzzer went twenty minutes after I placed the order and I tracked the order online from the order confirmation to prepping - baking - quality control - delivery. Overall a very good Dominoes experience. And guess what? Delivery was free!! How amazing is that! =)
Obviously I haven't just re-opened this blog to talk about my dinner. I've not been that happy for a while now. Lots of things happening in my life, lots to think about, lots to consider. Not sure how things will pan out, but gotta keep my focus on God and try to deal with things according to His will. One thing is occupying my mind daily and I'm seeking His will about it. God knows best about what should happen and what shouldn't. Just gotta be patient. =)
Sitting here in my living room with the X Factor on right now. The judges are about to make a decision of who to send home tonight. I won't spoil this for anybody who has not watched it yet.
Tonight I ordered my first ever Domino's Pizza online! I came home from town just before six and felt very hungry. Originally mum was gonna go to KFC for dinner, but when she mentioned it around lunch time I was quite against the idea. More fast food, oily fast food. But since tomorrow is her birthday I thought it would be ok to go to KFC with her. However, mum didn't mention it again when we were out town. Haha! When I got home I had a sudden urge for a pizza. So unlike me to have fast food, something like pizza! But I thought I'd try out the home delivery service and of course try and customise my pizza to something with more meat in it to increase the protein content. Haha! Ended up getting a Meal For One offer of 7" pizza which I chose sundried tomato & garlic pizza sauce in place of standard pizza sauce. I could choose up to four toppings so I had meatballs, roast chicken, steak meat and mushrooms. A side order of potato wedges and a drink of Diet Coke. I don't drink fizzy stuff so chose the Diet Coke to give to mum. =) My buzzer went twenty minutes after I placed the order and I tracked the order online from the order confirmation to prepping - baking - quality control - delivery. Overall a very good Dominoes experience. And guess what? Delivery was free!! How amazing is that! =)
12 January 2009
Finally!
I am wearing a new shirt today. One of the two I bought at the Next Sale on Boxing Day. That was just over two weeks ago, but felt like much longer. After Christmas and New Year there hasn't been much to celebrate, especially since I went back to work as of 5th Jan. However, this weekend was grand! My weekend started from Friday as I took the day off. However, before I go into that, let me recall what happened on Thursday evening at the dinner with Marriott clients at the Grill at the Corner. Everything was on 50% off offer on the a la carte menu, besides the Kobe fillet and the lobster. Fortunately I had the Ostrich steak as back up. That wasn't great though. Let's not talk about the service and bad interpretation of set up of the menu (which resulted in lack of mash potatoes and honey-glazed carrots with my steak). There's something about eating birds. The meat tends to shrink when cooked. And the other steak orders all looked meat-ier and filling than my pitiful ostrich slice. I thought there were two slices but there was only one slice. The bottom half was dark and squigy and sweet. Caramelised onions. Too much caramelising I'm afraid. The sweetness and burnt-ness took away the taste of the meat unfort. At the end of it all, I was left unfulfilled and looking at the leftovers in other plates and questioning why some people would leave so much on their plate. What a waste! I'd happily swap my left out untouched splodge of caramelised onion for their meat or veg! Note to self - a free meal, don't complain too much. Another note to self - don't go for anything fancy in the future. Steaks are the way to go, man!
Friday 9th January
Important day for me this was. Woke up at 0830am, washed, had breakfast, then made my way up to Tesco for a quick car wash, then along to the Baillieston Test Centre. Yes, this was the day for my final attempt at ADI Part Two examination - Advanced Driving Test. Time of test was 1030hrs. I arrived at 1025hrs. The car park was busy, with few cars practicing on it. I reversed parked first time. Good start. Quick word of meditation to God and I went inside to wait for my examiner. Same guy as last few times!! Duncan!!! =D (No, I was not that excited to see him, but me and him do go waaaaay back! Telling me my brake light failed. Failing me for the motorway incident. Telling me my test was cancelled due to ice etc etc). After I signed the declaration we went outside for the eyesight test (no problem). Next was the Show Me/ Tell Me questions. One under the bonnet (engine oil), Four inside the car (indicator lights, handbrake, headrest on seat and tyres tread depth) The test began and funnily enough, I found myself quite enjoying it. I wasn't nervous one bit and even made small talk with the examiner just to ease the tension whilst waiting at the lights etc. Reminded myself to just think of him as a friend whom I'm giving a lift home, that he isn't marking my skills but just directing me left and right to his house. Praise God after 1hr and 10mins I reached the test centre and he told me pull up, turn engine off and relax. Then he asked for a minute for him to finish filling in the test report. Boy was that a long wait. For each scribble of his pen I imagined a mark or score of the faults he witnessed, or even a written explanation of why I failed. Then he said, "Gordon, I'm happy to tell you you have passed this time." I was like, "Yes!!" (and raised both fists up in joy) then muttered "Thank God" as he continued to say, "You did get one driving fault. Would you like to me to tell you what it was for?" I was all ears in listening to that one fault, because in my mind I thought I had scored a few. It was for Use of Speed, when I when around a corner after a low bridge just a bit too fast. Yes, I do remember that. That was one of the roads I have never practiced or driven on. In fact, throughout the test, there were numerous stretches of roads which I had never seen before, but praise God I managed to keep up my discipline and finally I have passed my second test and can move on to my third module - learning how to teach!! That is gonna be the fun part!
So after collecting my pass notes, I texted folk, called folk, drove home to shave and change. Met Mel for lunch, then went shopping for a birthday present, looked around town for Buzz! the TV quiz (special edition) but was disappointed. Had coffee in Costa and sat for a while before meeting Dilane and Roxane to go to Ming's birthday dinner at The Village, curry house.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MING!! Ma bro is a wee 22 years old.
Had a good laugh at dinner. Lots of curry and lots of naan bread. So much meat. I ended up being the only one eating whilst the waiters were clearing the table! Hahaha! We headed to Ming's place to watch some TV and then played a few disconnected games of Mafia. It doesn't quite run as smooth as playing it with the Singaporeans for some reason. We seemed to have lots of hiccups and stuff. Hmm... must look to improve it for the BBC's. I went home "early" as I had the gym the next day.
Saturday 10th January
Woke up at 1100hrs, arrived at the gym around 1245hrs and left at 1650hrs. Dunno how I ended up staying for so long. I guess it was cos I wanted to catch up on what I missed on Thusday. So I worked on biceps, triceps, forearms, as well well shoulders, legs and abs. Even did over 30mins of cardio before heading for the showers. Felt great though. Spent rest of the evening tidying and rearranging my PS3 and Home Theatre system. Managed to connect my PS3 to the dvd system so I have better sound when playing Pro Evolution Soccer and when watching any Blu-Rays. Went to bed before midnight.
One thing is for sure. Going through what I went through to get this pass in Advanced Driving. It really has reminded me how much God is in control. How great He really is! If you read back to how I sat the tests so many times. How I was disappointed with a small fail, a brake light, another fail, then icy conditions. Let down after let down. And even two nights before I sat the test, last Wed, I went out for drive practice, only it to be cut short because of heavy fog. I felt all was against me. But when God says you CAN, then you CAN! We as humans can use all our intelligence, all our skills to achieve the things we want. But if it ain't in God's time, it will not come to fruition. It will be in vain. But when God decides it is time, when He gives the go-ahead, it will happen, even if there is fog and lack of practice! Amen, people!! Hallelujah!
I just hope I can wait upon Him so diligently with regards my love life too.
Friday 9th January
Important day for me this was. Woke up at 0830am, washed, had breakfast, then made my way up to Tesco for a quick car wash, then along to the Baillieston Test Centre. Yes, this was the day for my final attempt at ADI Part Two examination - Advanced Driving Test. Time of test was 1030hrs. I arrived at 1025hrs. The car park was busy, with few cars practicing on it. I reversed parked first time. Good start. Quick word of meditation to God and I went inside to wait for my examiner. Same guy as last few times!! Duncan!!! =D (No, I was not that excited to see him, but me and him do go waaaaay back! Telling me my brake light failed. Failing me for the motorway incident. Telling me my test was cancelled due to ice etc etc). After I signed the declaration we went outside for the eyesight test (no problem). Next was the Show Me/ Tell Me questions. One under the bonnet (engine oil), Four inside the car (indicator lights, handbrake, headrest on seat and tyres tread depth) The test began and funnily enough, I found myself quite enjoying it. I wasn't nervous one bit and even made small talk with the examiner just to ease the tension whilst waiting at the lights etc. Reminded myself to just think of him as a friend whom I'm giving a lift home, that he isn't marking my skills but just directing me left and right to his house. Praise God after 1hr and 10mins I reached the test centre and he told me pull up, turn engine off and relax. Then he asked for a minute for him to finish filling in the test report. Boy was that a long wait. For each scribble of his pen I imagined a mark or score of the faults he witnessed, or even a written explanation of why I failed. Then he said, "Gordon, I'm happy to tell you you have passed this time." I was like, "Yes!!" (and raised both fists up in joy) then muttered "Thank God" as he continued to say, "You did get one driving fault. Would you like to me to tell you what it was for?" I was all ears in listening to that one fault, because in my mind I thought I had scored a few. It was for Use of Speed, when I when around a corner after a low bridge just a bit too fast. Yes, I do remember that. That was one of the roads I have never practiced or driven on. In fact, throughout the test, there were numerous stretches of roads which I had never seen before, but praise God I managed to keep up my discipline and finally I have passed my second test and can move on to my third module - learning how to teach!! That is gonna be the fun part!
So after collecting my pass notes, I texted folk, called folk, drove home to shave and change. Met Mel for lunch, then went shopping for a birthday present, looked around town for Buzz! the TV quiz (special edition) but was disappointed. Had coffee in Costa and sat for a while before meeting Dilane and Roxane to go to Ming's birthday dinner at The Village, curry house.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MING!! Ma bro is a wee 22 years old.
Had a good laugh at dinner. Lots of curry and lots of naan bread. So much meat. I ended up being the only one eating whilst the waiters were clearing the table! Hahaha! We headed to Ming's place to watch some TV and then played a few disconnected games of Mafia. It doesn't quite run as smooth as playing it with the Singaporeans for some reason. We seemed to have lots of hiccups and stuff. Hmm... must look to improve it for the BBC's. I went home "early" as I had the gym the next day.
Saturday 10th January
Woke up at 1100hrs, arrived at the gym around 1245hrs and left at 1650hrs. Dunno how I ended up staying for so long. I guess it was cos I wanted to catch up on what I missed on Thusday. So I worked on biceps, triceps, forearms, as well well shoulders, legs and abs. Even did over 30mins of cardio before heading for the showers. Felt great though. Spent rest of the evening tidying and rearranging my PS3 and Home Theatre system. Managed to connect my PS3 to the dvd system so I have better sound when playing Pro Evolution Soccer and when watching any Blu-Rays. Went to bed before midnight.
One thing is for sure. Going through what I went through to get this pass in Advanced Driving. It really has reminded me how much God is in control. How great He really is! If you read back to how I sat the tests so many times. How I was disappointed with a small fail, a brake light, another fail, then icy conditions. Let down after let down. And even two nights before I sat the test, last Wed, I went out for drive practice, only it to be cut short because of heavy fog. I felt all was against me. But when God says you CAN, then you CAN! We as humans can use all our intelligence, all our skills to achieve the things we want. But if it ain't in God's time, it will not come to fruition. It will be in vain. But when God decides it is time, when He gives the go-ahead, it will happen, even if there is fog and lack of practice! Amen, people!! Hallelujah!
I just hope I can wait upon Him so diligently with regards my love life too.
05 January 2009
First weekend of 2009
First weekend of 2009 was also my last weekend of freedom, before going back to work today. I woke up on Saturday morning to discover a thick envelope lying by my front door. My long-awaited Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 finally arrived! Was quite excited! Had breakfast and played a few matches. The first one being Man Utd vs Scotland when I won 3-2 as Man Utd. Close game really as the gameplay is much harder compared to the first Pro Evolution Soccer which I had for the Playstation 2 all those years ago. The beautiful HD graphics alone were enough to distract me! Hehe! After gaming I dropped some stuff off at the our local Salvation Army store before heading to the gym. The gym was quite quiet. Spent over half an hour in the cardio suite, saw Carol Xie well. Then spent just over half an hour in the strength suite. Due to time constraints I could not work out properly, so just worked on chest, shoulders, biceps, did some deadlifts then left to shower and meet James.
We came back to my place to try out the new game and to show James the picture quality of Blu-ray on PS3. Even the trailers I downloaded for Casino Royale and Kung Fu Panda were breath-taking! We spent a few hours playing the game and were also joined by Alan Chan who came up after helping Cat with IKEA shopping. James and I left just after 1900hrs to go to Mings place for hotpot dinner.
We came back to my place to try out the new game and to show James the picture quality of Blu-ray on PS3. Even the trailers I downloaded for Casino Royale and Kung Fu Panda were breath-taking! We spent a few hours playing the game and were also joined by Alan Chan who came up after helping Cat with IKEA shopping. James and I left just after 1900hrs to go to Mings place for hotpot dinner.
Delayed start due to a "technical issue", but after a call made by Sin Hung we were on our way cooking. Well, "we" being used for Ting, Yvonne, Sim and Hung Hung who cooked all night. The rest of us just ate. =P Ming was busy as the host of the party and Ling was absolutely knackered she collapsed on a mattress in the middle of the living room. Lol!! We played two games of Mafia after we tidied up. They were very short games as the mafia, the police and the doctor already took up three positions amongst the 8 of us (Iain joined the party earlier on but Ling was still sleeping, so it was still just 8 people. =P)
Yesterday I played guitar with Dilane as Kerry lead worship. Gordon Cheung spoke about being like ants. Now it's a new year and many people make promises, make resolutions, set themselves high goals for the year. Some are achieved, but some also result in failure. In terms of our Christian walk, we should not strive to show God that we love Him, or show people who good a Christian we are by doing something spectacular or something amazing as a one off. It would be nice if these things happened, but these one-off things don't really show you are or what something means to you. The example that Gordon gave for this was that he loves his wife very much. And his wife knows that. However, he does not express his love to her through buying her a diamond ring, though she has hinted at it before. He expresses his love for her continuously / daily through cooking, cleaning up, other chores and also playing with their children. It should be the same way for our relationship with God. We shouldn't think we'll display our love for God through a single big act, but our daily actions and our daily lives should be reflective of how much He means to us. You geddit? Yeah. I did anyway and it's a point worth noting down. I think the same applies for not only spiritual life, but also in relationships and families as well. Like, one should not only display their love and affection for another person on Valentine's Day alone. What about the other 364 days? Why show you love them or that they are special to you on 14th Feb (do something grand like serenade them or take them on a quick holiday etc) and think that should be enough to last till the next year? Nah, this expression of love and affection should be continuous. Daily contact, listen to them, care for them, be there for them are the things that can be done continuously to let them know how much they mean to you. :)
Ling (aka Scallop) came back from HK on the 2nd of Jan. She brought back three keyrings for herself, Ming and I. So as you can see the three keyrings are for Ming, Ling and Wing. Hehe! They join together to form our siblinghood. =D Thanks, Scallop!!
Jackie's birthday dinner
After church a bunch of us went over to Jackie's house to have dinner and celebrate her forthcoming birthday, which is on Tuesday. We ordered Chinese and Indian takeaway from local places and played the Wii. Had a great laugh watching people play the games whilst grunting, screaming, heavily steering a steering wheel and throwing plungers. Lol! We still had lots of food leftover which her family couldn't help us finish. Took lots of pics and played with Jackie's dog Max(ine). =P More pics on Facebook!! We thank Jackie and her family for having us over and we wish you a great year ahead!! =D God bless!
01 January 2009
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all my readers. I hope everyone had a good time welcoming the new year, no matter if you spent it yourself, or with friends, with family or even slept through it - welcome to 2009! =D
As I prayed with a few brothers and sisters after the stroke the midnight, I gave thanks to God for bringing us through the past year. A year of ups and downs. We should be grateful for the good stuff He gave us, the happy times. And not to forget be grateful to God for helping us through the bad times too, the dire times of worry, of negativity or sense of doom. No matter what we have gone through, God had always been there and always will be there. He is the same yesterday, today and forevermore! =)
So on this cheerful note: let me jot down my hopes/ dreams/ aspirations for the year 2009. Last night when we went round the table sharing our hopes and dreams, my answers were:
'to progress with career whether it's in driving instruction or not. and to save up for buy a house.'
So allow me to elaborate on these points, but back in the main areas of my life which are important to me, as written down in the prelude post.
Career - I want to get this advanced test taken, over and done with soon so I can progress with my third module in driving instruction. Learning to teach people. It is my desire to be a driving instructor. Having been through the rollercoaster ride with my previous test attempts, I have learnt to submit everything to God. I trust that He has a plan for me, in driving instruction or in another area altogether.
Love - I would like to explore the possibilities of developing something nice with a special someone. We need to keep God involved in this, guiding us, speaking to us individually and whilst we pray together. Patience is the key to this. The matters of the heart is not something to play about with.
Property - I want to work hard and save hard towards a good deposit to go towards a property of my own. Though the house prices have dropped due to the credit crunch, it is also the credit crunch which has pushed up the banks' demand for a higher amount of deposit to be paid. Ideally I'd like to get something in 2010 and will start looking at the housing market as the year goes on. But if God provides something before then, I am willing to accept.
Health - I will continue with gym workouts, training and building muscle and power. I want to be content with what I have at the same time.
Family - The pressures of being the man of the house, and the son of the family does get to me sometimes. But I thank God for helping me through all these years. He will be the same this year too. I hope our family unit will continue to grow stronger together with Christ as the head of our household.
Films - Yes, this is one area I want to make a change in. After watching 'Zack & Miri Make a Porno' a few weeks ago I was appalled at the graphic nature of certain scenes. I felt very uncomfortable watching such scenes. As I grow closer to God, I shall be more aware of my movie choices and avoid situations where I may grieve the Holy Spirit in me. May my eyes be clean for God this year and beyond!
World events - This is less personal, but I hope there are no more wars, bombings, air strikes, floods, credit crunches. That we are all able to appreciate each other for what we're worth and see each and everyone as Jesus would see us. If we all value each other's lives we would not be hurting each other so much.
Ok, I'm gonna get ready to make lunch soon. Will be heading over to Kilmarnock with family to have dinner with James' family. Have not been there since Christmas a good few years ago, so this should be great fun as we've all grown up so much now. Victoria was only 8 the last time we were there, so she recalls. Hehe! Peace out!
As I prayed with a few brothers and sisters after the stroke the midnight, I gave thanks to God for bringing us through the past year. A year of ups and downs. We should be grateful for the good stuff He gave us, the happy times. And not to forget be grateful to God for helping us through the bad times too, the dire times of worry, of negativity or sense of doom. No matter what we have gone through, God had always been there and always will be there. He is the same yesterday, today and forevermore! =)
So on this cheerful note: let me jot down my hopes/ dreams/ aspirations for the year 2009. Last night when we went round the table sharing our hopes and dreams, my answers were:
'to progress with career whether it's in driving instruction or not. and to save up for buy a house.'
So allow me to elaborate on these points, but back in the main areas of my life which are important to me, as written down in the prelude post.
Career - I want to get this advanced test taken, over and done with soon so I can progress with my third module in driving instruction. Learning to teach people. It is my desire to be a driving instructor. Having been through the rollercoaster ride with my previous test attempts, I have learnt to submit everything to God. I trust that He has a plan for me, in driving instruction or in another area altogether.
Love - I would like to explore the possibilities of developing something nice with a special someone. We need to keep God involved in this, guiding us, speaking to us individually and whilst we pray together. Patience is the key to this. The matters of the heart is not something to play about with.
Property - I want to work hard and save hard towards a good deposit to go towards a property of my own. Though the house prices have dropped due to the credit crunch, it is also the credit crunch which has pushed up the banks' demand for a higher amount of deposit to be paid. Ideally I'd like to get something in 2010 and will start looking at the housing market as the year goes on. But if God provides something before then, I am willing to accept.
Health - I will continue with gym workouts, training and building muscle and power. I want to be content with what I have at the same time.
Family - The pressures of being the man of the house, and the son of the family does get to me sometimes. But I thank God for helping me through all these years. He will be the same this year too. I hope our family unit will continue to grow stronger together with Christ as the head of our household.
Films - Yes, this is one area I want to make a change in. After watching 'Zack & Miri Make a Porno' a few weeks ago I was appalled at the graphic nature of certain scenes. I felt very uncomfortable watching such scenes. As I grow closer to God, I shall be more aware of my movie choices and avoid situations where I may grieve the Holy Spirit in me. May my eyes be clean for God this year and beyond!
World events - This is less personal, but I hope there are no more wars, bombings, air strikes, floods, credit crunches. That we are all able to appreciate each other for what we're worth and see each and everyone as Jesus would see us. If we all value each other's lives we would not be hurting each other so much.
Ok, I'm gonna get ready to make lunch soon. Will be heading over to Kilmarnock with family to have dinner with James' family. Have not been there since Christmas a good few years ago, so this should be great fun as we've all grown up so much now. Victoria was only 8 the last time we were there, so she recalls. Hehe! Peace out!
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