Over half an hour ago, there was a great commotion in my house. My dad was yelling and my sisters were talking excitedly.
I was lying in bed during yet another electricity blackout in the last 15minutes, trying to go back to sleep amidst the loud storm outside. The rain was hitting hard against the roof and windows. The thunder and lightning were ferocious. And I was just thinking to myself, my this is the worst storm I've 'heard' in a long time... Did a flock of bird fly straight into the window?? Hmm... The screaming brought me to my feet and towards the voices. Just as I reached the door, I heard my sister yell "ICE" and my dad banged on my door. We gathered at my sheltered balcony and watched the rain.Ice stones were falling and bouncing of the roof tops.*gasp* It's a hail storm! Ice is falling from the sky!!
We couldn't believe our fortune of catching one in our lifetime. If you can see the video carefully, you can catch the ice stones bouncing off the roof. The video quality is not THAT good but you could see it.
My mom, who had just returned home, shouted from downstairs to see the porch. We raced downstairs (not literally), and saw our porch covered with ice stones. My mom who had just experienced driving in a hailstorm told us how scary it was - fearing that the stones would break the car windows.
Cool eh?? Here's a piece of ice I picked from the floor. The ice were melting fast on the ground. Can you imagine if this piece of ice were to hit you on the head? I mean it fell from so high up. The velocity of these ice stones could put you in the hospital.
I think my sister, Winne, took a picture of a much bigger stone. Lynne might put something up too, but when I posted this she hasn't.
Boss asked me to help find an old song to make an illustration. I've long forgotten how to download so I sought help from an old friend. I've never heard of the group The Stylistics before. They sound like a group from the hippies days, singing with high pitched voice like the Bee gees. Sounds so 'my parents era'.
But still, there's something bout those old songs. Cheesy to the core, shallow in nature, but gives you that goosebumps. Like this song - "I'm stone in love with you"
Honestly I don't even get the song. But when it goes "cause I'm stone in love with you...", you feel like you could just sing along and feel what the writer felt. Haha. I don't know if I make sense.
My first day back on the job after a long sick leave.
And I was greeted by a most beautiful sight. The floor was covered with fallen pink flowers. Ahhh... Is this how autumn look like? It is really sobeautiful. And this was right here in Agape. I stopped short to stare at the sight.
This picture was taken only after work, where half of the flowers had already been cleared up to make way on the road.
Reminds me of some sappy romantic story scene. (except for the banner at this point)
One night I was rushed to the hospital. I was shivering from fever, dehydrated from all the vomiting, and all the symptoms of a viral infection. But it was bad. I felt my body rebel from the bumps and sharp turns my dad was making. Trying not to throw up, I clenched my fists.
I had been unwell all day and figured that as usual, it'll probably go away with some much needed sleep. I even left choir early to sleep all afternoon. I was wrong. My fever escalated. Any food or drink I took only came right back out. It only got worst - I don't remember feeling so wrong. So there I was being diagnosed. The half hour I was there, my fever jumped higher and BP dropped and all that. The doc was ready admit me to put me on drip. I was too sick to have an opinion. My dad decline the offer and asked for an injection instead to stop the vomit.
Nurse: "Please pull down your pants" Me : What? Jabbing my butt? NO WAY!" But of course I was in no position to argue. *ouch*
Not long after that and after more consultation with my dad, I was again told to pull down my pants. She was going to stuff something up my ass to bring down the fever. WHAT!! Is there no other way? I'm not about to have anything forced into my... ouch!
After over an hour at the outpatient ward, I was sent home with specific instructions and a pack of medicine. But the jab worked. I was feeling well enough to eat and sleep properly. And here I am sitting here, short of the 24hours watch I was suppose to be on, feeling much better. Let's hope it stays that way. I don't wanna have a tube pushed into my veins for whatever reasons. Right now I can barely breathe from the extra amount of mucus I'm producing. This is a bad week to be sick, with my boss in operation. ____________________________________
After a quick bath, my fever escalated once again. And the night was hard battling the fever that peaked at 39Celsius. But it finally broke as at 4+am as the dawn was ushered in.
A visit to the family doctor revealed that it was simply a case of bad cold. (bad being an understatement) A blood test also revealed no signs of dengue. Thank God.
Yes, there is a difference between cold and flu. Flu has no cough and sore throat symptoms.
So here I'm sitting once again, hoping it'll all go away so that I can get back to my life.
The recent election is all anyone is talking about. The media is swarmed by the recent unexpected events in Malaysia. The world called it a Tsunami election when the nation chose a new government. The startling results of the election (where I voted in for the very first time) shocked the government and the voters alike. Suddenly noone knows how to react. Noone.
As the nation follows the new developments closely, you can too on MalaysiaKini
And I guess I don't need to add more about it. Every other blogger in the country has already talked about it. It's all anyone's talking about - young to old. Now we see some hints of a real democracy in the country (for the first time). Who knows what will befall us? The world is watching and excited to know... what now?
"We're not really born to be happy, we're really built to survive." Christopher Hsee, University of Chicago, American Psychology Association Newsletter.
The article started by asking 'why don't we know what makes us happy'. Yea, why don't we? Why is it we have to sit and actually wonder what fills our cup? Shouldn't we know? Perhaps many of us are soaked in a culture of work that has us forgetting ourselves. Some people want too much, some people give too much. Where is the balance?
I cannot buy into the statement that we are only built to survive. Life cannot be just about surviving. Everybody wants to be happy. Everybody wants a life that has a meaning beyond survival. It's not just about having a smile on our faces or having a life without any problem or difficulties. That's just being naive. Life has got to be for more!
It's as if saying that God never meant for us to be happy. It's as if saying that God is an evil being that laughs at the very thought of us little human in our miserable life. And we know that's not true. We know God loves us more than anything else He has created and wants the best for us. Maybe being happy is not the ultimatum or the end result. As I said, life's gotta be about more than that. But why is it so hard to believe that we can be happy? That it is allowed?
This is a story of something awesome that happened in my lil' ol' cell: RKYC! You guys rock!
It was free cell and we taught it'll be the perfect time to talk about the heart of worship. I was beginning to feel that we were forgetting what it meant to really worship - the freedom to worship, the attitude we should bring when we worship, the sacrifices and praise that we should bring - I was afraid the youth didn't know that it was not just emotions.
So after all the games and fun, Aaron shared about getting desperate before the Lord. And I encouraged participation, desperation, and hearts to be opened. (can't remember what i said though) But what took place was unexpected. As we worshipped with hearts open and longing for His presence, God's Spirit fell in the room. They got lost in worship, tears streaming down their faces, whispering prayers on their knees. When His people are desperate for Him, His spirit draws near. It was most precious.
When was the last time you tried verbalizing what you really felt to God - all the gratitude, all the hurts, the deepest emotions towards God... out loud. Your walls will fall, your hearts will be too full to describe. When we talk about the attitude of worship, we're talking about the very essence of what it is made of - our hearts responding to all that God is.
We got them to pray for each other - a most intimate and personal prayer. We got them to talk about what they felt when they worshiped or when God was moving. And the experience was just astounding.
Tell me, don't you feel like you miss those moments you spent in the sweet presence of God when nothing else mattered, when your soul was lifted and you felt the joy and freedom none else can give. Just sweet fellowship with God. Well it's not impossible. It can take place anywhere. Cos it's about YOUR attitude when you worship. YOUR response, desperation, attitude. Seek Him and you WILL find. Don't stop knocking that door. Get desperate. He's waiting.
Cool eh??
