MANY-IN-ONE.

Had discipleship group meeting on Tuesday at Faith's place. Had dinner before we started, though. Pizzarrrrr! =D

Don't know the name of the pizza but I know there's chicken, capsicums, some kinda spice and all the other necessary stuffs in a pizza. Loved it! The spice just totally made the pizza heavenly (not forgetting the cheese).

Faith's mum brought out some fresh cherry tomatoes she plucked from her backyard. They were planted by the landlord and they were small, cute, fresh and sweet! Mishi and I could literally just pop one each into our mouths! =D

Learnt quite a bit about each other during DG. Really really fruitful. =)

There's this sakura-look-alike tree somewhere near my block along Fairway that's been blossoming quite a bit these few days.

And if you think THAT's wow, imagine twice the number of flowers it has right at this moment as I'm blogging this post. First time I've been so upclose to something that looks like what I've been wanting to see. It's like a "cousin" of sakura, according to Mummy. Lovely!

The chocolates Aleks (spelt his name wrongly the last time, oops!) gave me were HEAVENLY. Erm...I've already eaten the cherry in this chocolate haha but yeah, they were liquor chocolates. H-e-a-v-e-n-l-y.

Another oh-in-case-you-haven't-tried thingy. Introduced by my neighbour+schoolmate+SG&Perth churchmate, it's kaya+cheese toast. If you've got a sweet tooth (even if it's a super small one), go give this a try. You'll melt with the cheese!

Headed down to the city with Wei Xian's mum and Mummy. Had lunch at the foodcourt at the basement of Carillon City. The mums had Japanese food (I personally prefer Korean food to Japanese food) while I had a Mexican roll.

THE CHILLI BEEF WAS BAGUS!

Anyways. Collected my altered gown (yays!), walked a bit in Woolworths, stopped over at Harbourtown and walked one round and walked all the way back home from Harbourtown. I'm used to it. Mummy's not. She's asleep already, actually, at 9.50pm.

SIAO.

signing off~DE XIN

NUMBERS.

Just realised my previous post was my 1,100th post. Haha what a number. Someone go buy 4D!

Oh and if you haven't already tried this, this is good stuff. Especially for a hazelnut lover like me. =)

Speaking of numbers. So many people's birthdays are coming.

5th September - Daddy
9th September - Mummy
10th September - Joshua Lau
13th September - Mavis

Woah. Been trying to think of what to do for Mummy. And also time for me to get another card for Daddy. Haha! His Fathers' Day card's still somewhere in that pile of books and papers.

Okok back to Mummy's birthday. Don't know if Mummy's going to read this blog lol but NEVERMIND I shan't say anything. Lol I just made myself sound absolutely pointless.

Tootface wants me to wear heels. =_= Promised him I'll wear ONCE for him when I get back to Singapore. Sian!

Time to put accounting in one corner and concentrate on my maths and java mid-sems.

signing off~DE XIN

DINNER, ANYONE?

Cooked veal steak for dinner today. Thought it was a bit tough but Mummy said it's better than a restaurant back home in Singapore. Haha! But it was still yum, nonetheless. =)

signing off~DE XIN

THANK THE LORD.

I just got myself another accounting groupmate. My accounting project group is complete! I can do nothing more but constantly thank the Lord, my God.

Isn't it wonderful? That our God loves each and everyone of us so much despite of all the things we've done. He even loves all the non-believers. I just don't see why people don't understand Christianity is NOT a religion but a relationship with God.

Imagine you're a father (mothers included) and you created your children with so much love and all of them resemble you. Yet they get distracted by things in the world we live in and drift away from you and refuse to acknowledge you as their father (or mother). Can you feel the pain?

That's how God feels.

Go and think about it. It's definitely worth the thought, trust me.

signing off~DE XIN

BREAK FAST! NOT BREAKFAST!

A few of us (Mishi, Charles, Wei Jun, Joshua Lau, Marianne and I) broke fast around lunch time today and so Mishi (I think) decided to have lunch at Jojo's. Not a bad choice at all! The good friend only breaks fast at midnight so he only came along for fun haha. Poor him.

We took our time to decide what to have for lunch because we were waiting for Joshua Lim (who didn't turn up in the end) and Marianne.

While waiting for our food to come...
We had a fun time camera-ing haha!

And when the food came...
Everyone was taking photos of each others' food! We probably looked like a bunch of tourists lol or maybe student exchange group haha!

1. Wei Jun's calamaris.
2. Charles'. There were prawns, anchovies (ikan bilis) and calamaris if my memory serves me right.
3. My tagliatelle (very fat pasta) with smoked salmon, sultanas and pine nuts tossed in olive oil.
4. Mishi's veal steaks.
5. Joshua Lau's quail and fish wings. (To think that I used to have a quail chick as a pet!)
6. Marianne's salmon, I think.

My pasta had fish roe in it too! The sultanas and pine nuts just went so well together. But I thought there was a tad too much oil. Got quite bloated towards the end.

Haha! I bet everyone enjoyed their food. Anything tastes good when you're dead hungry, trust me. Lol!

But we didn't have enough! We ordered DESSERTS!

I had sticky date pudding for the first time in my life and it was just simply HEAVENLY!

Mishi's tiramisu. Look at the pretty chocolate flower!

Both Wei Jun and Joshua Lau had a brownie with ice cream each.

Marianne had the white and milk chocolate mousse.

Gaaaah. I lurrrved my sticky date pudding! *drools*

We left the place more than satisfied, I have to say. Was quite an expensive meal but it was hell worth it. Sharing everyone's meal and dessert and breaking fast with such a delicacy. Who cares about the price! =D

Had another driving lesson this morning. This time I drove along Mounts Bay road. It was actually very...easy! Lol. Drove through Northbridge and city area and then into the suburbs for a little while.

Stalled twice. Can't remember why for the first time but the second time was because I parked my car (at City West's licensing centre) and forgot to step down on the clutch when I brake-d.

Reason why we went into the suburbs for only a while was because Alex (the instructor) tested me on finding his "friends'" houses. THAT was when I did reversing for the very very first time! No sweat! =D

Alex gave me a box of liquor chocolates, by the way! Haha 'cos he thought I drove very well as a first-timer on Thursday. HAH right. I stalled twice, Alex! Ohoh Alex is from Croatia haha. He feels like a very nice and old uncle to me. =)

I have to say my great progress in my driving lessons is greatly due to God's grace. I actually expected myself to freak out like mad, jerk the car like nobody's business. But God brought me through it. And I'm glad I have a God like Him. *big hug to God*

Will be cooking veal steaks tomorrow night! Hope it turns out well =D.

signing off~DE XIN

40 HOUR FAMINE.

As most of you would know, I'm fasting solid food for the next 40 hours just to raise food for the poor kids in Laos.

By showing your support, you can go to https://famine.worldvision.com.au/famine.cgi?a=SPONSOR_&pn=27216747-9 and donate. You will receive a receipt as soon as you've made the donation. IF it asks you for the Famine Number, please enter 27216747-9. This makes sure that the donation is recorded against me and that I'm sent a record of your donation.

And, sigh, such a shame I have to do this but if I can hit my target of A$480, I'll treat every single donor in my list to a meal. Not a single person will be left out. Mark my words. And for your information, I just barely hit the A$100 mark.

So what are you still doing, reading this pathetic post? Go do something useful! Donate to 40hourfamine! Every A$40 raised will feed and care for 8 kids for one month. Think twice about the amount when you've decided to donate. Thanks =).

Also, please try and do it ASAP because the dateline is super duper near. I know this is very last minute but if you've got the heart, why not?

signing off~DE XIN

MY WEEK.

Ok I just realised I haven't been updating about my week very much aside from the two really hilarious driving lessons. That does not mean nothing has happened. LOTS of things have happened, actually. So we shall start!

It all started last Friday I suppose. My church organised a movie marathon event over at Curtin area and my whole cell went, including Mummy. Some of them left midway through because they either had work, school work or they are just really tired.

Marathon ended and we started to wait for our transport. That was when the feeling started kicking in. The same feeling I felt last semester when Greatgrandma passed on. The exact reason why I did not join my zone for dinner numorous times after service (last sem). Told myself not to think to much and went to sleep the moment I got home.

By Saturday morning/afternoon, it got worse. That feeling was just so strong I couldn't hold it anymore. It didn't just happen over night but for a while already. Remembered what a friend of mine said to me and I got really upset because what he/she said didn't reflect his/her actions.

Posted a rather angry personal message on MSN and a few people came talking to me. They tried hard, really hard, to cheer me up but I just kept on crying. "The water tap in my eyes have spoiled", as quoted from a Korean drama.

Then it was service. I was all in a wreck, like some super strong gravitational force stuck me to the ground and I felt so heavy all over. No one seemed to notice and I thought that proved my point right.

The people who talked to me on MSN tried persuading me but I just refused to move. Mishi then pulled me out of service. She's the first one to notice a change in me without knowing the problem.

And so I talked to her. Talktalktalk. Crycrycry. Semi-solved the problem, went back to the hall. Angeline came up to me and asked why I looked so "cui". Second person to notice a change in blahblahblahblahblah. Didn't tell her any reason so she just gave me words of encouragement and I started crying like some overflowing dam again.

The good friend came over as well. To make sure I was ok. Mishi and Alicia prayed for me. Junie hugged.

Then I started to wonder. Must this always happen? For me to reach the top, explode, then will the "friends" start realising there's something wrong? Oh wells.

To make things worse, I found out on Monday morning that I was almost practically the only one left in ACCT1101 without any groupmates for my accounting project. And on Tuesday I realised I was "stuck" on Java lab AND that I don't have a single clue about physics when there was a test coming up on Wednesday.

I thought to myself, how worse could that be? First I was kicked into a corner repeatedly, then my studies are going downhill again despite my constant prayers for things to turn out better this semester.

I couldn't take it anymore and I emailed a super whiny email to Mishi. She replied a super lengthy but meaningful email. Within minutes I was up and going and laughing again.

The moment I declared out loud that I know my God is with me, things start to go right. I managed to do O-K for my physics test (results ain't out yet but the paper was O-K), my ex-FoundationsOfComputerScience project mate came to me and asked to be my accounting groupmate on Wednesday night and I figured out my Java lab on Friday morning.

There could be a few mistakes in the programme but AH HECK! I got it compiled and I handed it in! End of story!

Realised how powerful God is. Just by saying/praying out loud, it makes a whole lot of difference. Because Satan doesn't know our thoughts. But Satan can hear every single word we utter. Even if it was a soft whisper.

So guys, next time don't pray in your thoughts. Pray it out loud. Who cares if someone walked pass you and thought you were some bonker head. You know you're having a conversation with God. You know you're making Satan pissed.

=)

signing off~DE XIN

MANUAL!

Tried manual driving yesterday. Yesterday's lesson was really last minute because Mummy and I were supposed to go down Garden City together on Thursday but she went with Wei Xian's mum on Monday so I had nothing to do on thursday so I gave my instructor a call one Wednesday night and that's it! I had a manual lesson yesterday afternoon.

I have to say...manual was ok-tough. Not as scary as I thought it'd be. Got the hang of changing gears within a few minutes (kudos to Aunty Jo and my instructor for teaching me before hand). Was brought to the same park 'n' ride (don't ask me where 'cos I do not have the slightest idea which park 'n' ride it is) and this time I was trained to change gear smoothly, hear/feel the vibration and change gear while turning.

Stalled twice, though. First time at a traffic light uphill. Instructor insisted on me pulling the handbrake and I didn't know what to do when the lights turned green and that's it. Stall. I'm surprisingly better without the handbrake on slopes lol.

Second time was in the city at a normal traffic light. I guess it was because I was a bit panicy about the fact that I'm driving in the city. But other than that, I drove myself home safe-and-sound-ly. No mounting of curbs! Smooth! Yeah! =D

signing off~DE XIN

VROOOM!!!

Had my first driving lesson in my whole life just this morning at 10am. It was fun!!! When I stepped on the pedal for the first time the car went...

VROOOOOM!!!!!

And the instructor went...

"Wohwohwoh! We wanna come back in one piece!"

HAHA oops. =P But I got a hang of the sensitivity of the accelerator soon enough and everything was smoooooth. UNTIL he brought me to this deadly steep slope with lotsa round abouts and whatnots. On the way down was slooow and steeeaaady. On the way up? Went up the curb twice. Heh.

Drove all the way to his house. Went up another curb at another round about but that was it! Everything was smooth.

Also learnt the technique to changing lanes and parking. Haven't learnt reversing. Gah. Will be taking a manual car next Sunday. Wish me luck! GOOD luck, not bad, thanks. Lol.

Many thanks to those who came up to me, showing their care and concern when I was all so..."cui".

signing off~DE XIN

LUNCH.

Had a lunch outing with my usher team (Eunice, Jazper, Wincy and Ning) at Fremantle last Saturday (11/08). We ate at Kaili's. I've only got one thing to say.

I'm not going back there ever again.

The fillet was TRIMMED and tasteless. I had to sprinkle gazillion packets of pepper before I could taste something. Hence there wasn't any pictures taken.

I enjoyed my il gelato ice cream though. Bacio and pistachio.

signing off~DE XIN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy 20th Birthday, Tootface!!! =)

signing off~DE XIN

READ UP!

"For all you scientists out there and for all the students who have had a hard time convincing these people regarding the truth of the Bible here's something that illustrates God's awesome creation and shows He is still in control.

"Did you know that NASA's space programmers are busy proving that was has been called 'myth' in the Bible is true? Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, and a consultant in the space programmes, relates the following incident:

"One of the most amazing things that God has for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland. They were checking out the positions of the sun, moon and planets out in space where they would be 100, and 1000 years from now. We have to know this as we do not want a satellite to collide with any of these in its orbits. We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and where the planets will be so the whole project will not bog down. Computer measurements and data were run back and forth over the centuries when suddenly it came to a halt,displaying a red signal, which meant that either there was something wrong with the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards. They called in the service department to check it out, and the technicians asked what was wrong.

"The scientists had discovered that somewhere in space in elapsed time a day was missing. Nobody seemed able to come up with a solution to the problem. Finally one of the team, a Christian, said: 'You know, when I was still in Sunday School, they spoke about the sun standing still.......'

"While his colleagues didn't believe him, they did not have an answer either, so they said: 'Show us.' He got a Bible and opened it at the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sense'. There they read about the Lord saying to Joshua: 'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not be a man of them stands before thee.' (Joshua 10:8).

"Joshua was concerned because the enemy had surrounded him, and if darkness fell, they would overpower him. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right ­ 'And the sun stood still and the moon stayed,until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is this not written in the book of Ja'­sher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven and hastened not to go down about a whole day.' (Joshua 10:13).

"The astronauts and scientists said: 'There is the missing day!' They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it, but it was not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes ­ not a whole day. They read the Bible again and there it was: 'about (approximately) a day.' These little words in the Bible were important, but they were still in trouble, because another 40 minutes were still unaccounted for, and this could mean trouble 1000 years from now. Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits.

"As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible which said the sun went backwards. The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but once again they opened the Book and read these words in 2 Kings.

"'Hezekiah, on his deathbed, was visited by the prophet, Isaiah, who told him he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for some sign as proof. Isaiah said: 'Shall the sun go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?' And Hezekiah answered: 'It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; nay, but let the shadow return backwards ten degrees.' And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.' (2 Kings 20:9 ­11).

"Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes! Twenty-three hours and twenty minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in 2 Kings accounted for the missing day in the universe!

"Isn't this amazing? Our God is rubbing their noses in His Truth! Forward this to as many people who would think this is equally astounding."

What have you to say, all you non-believers out there? *winks*

(Kudos to Joshua Lau.)

signing off~DE XIN

STAYOVER.

Met up with my cousin, Jessica (also my godsis), for lunch with Mummy two Thursdays ago (02/08) because she wanted to pass us some donuts and Mummy suggested lunch!

Wanted to go try the Korean restaurant along Pier Street but it's closed AGAIN. Can the boss of that freakin' restaurant stop giving him/herself self-declared holidays?! ARGH!

Ended up at Miss Maud's. Ate the ala carte 'cos apparently the ala carte menu's much better than the buffet (according to Jessica). Jessica had some chicken dish, Mummy had beef schnitzel while I had steak. I also ordered a cup of flat white.

This was the remaining fat of my steak lol. Damn scary la can!

Mummy also ordered a cup of cappucino. It came after her main course while I had mine before my main course. LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF CHOCOLATE DUST! WOOOO!!!

This:
Is the box of donuts Jessica bought for Mummy and I! It's Drewamy Donuts. Only in Brisbane (Brissy)!

Look!!!

Had a milk chocolate donut with a cup of strong cappucino that very day. Krispy Kreme? Booooo! =D

Jessica came over to my place yesterday late afternoon for dinner+stay-over.
Mummy cooked Korean ginseng chicken!

Look at the chicken that's exploding with the glutinous rice stuffing!!!!!

Three of us (Jessica, Mummy and I) had a webcam session with Daddy after dinner haha. Watched a tinsy bit of TV. Spent the rest of the night trying to upload these pictures and blogger still refuses to let me upload the remaining few pictures! Idiot!!! =(

ANYWAYS. Yeah, Jessica slept over at my place haha. She slept in the spare room. I now hereby name it the Guest Room!

Awwww! =D

We did more today but I'll blog about that in a seperate post! Stay tuned! =)

signing off~DE XIN