The Germ

A mighty creature is the germ
Though smaller than the pachyderm
His customary dwelling place
Is deep within the human race
His childish pride he often pleases
By giving people strange diseases
Do you, my poppet, feel infirm?
You probably contain a germ

(Ogden Nash, The Germ)

Hymn of the day

Yes we'll gather at the river,
The beautiful, beautiful river,
Gather with the saints at the river,
That flows from the throne of God.

Trust

The capacity to trust (to believe and have faith) is the first psychosocial task learned by the growing infant and one of the last to depart as life ends.

*Even with advancing cognitive impairment, the abiity to participate in relationship with God is one of the last human capacities to be lost before consciousness itself ceases.

Long break

After a long break from blogging, here I am. :) It has been an eventful 2 months for me since the last time I wrote something. The whole journey of leaving home and settling in Southampton.
Yet in these 2 months, God has been good! The best news I've heard thus far? Bagus, an Indonesian, coming to the saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Praise God for all who helped out in the English Extreme Expedition Camp in Malang, Indonesia.

Most frequently asked question? Have you setlled in alright? Well, yeah, I guess. :) Southampton is a really nice place I reckon. I don't know, but I love this place. It's not busy, not much traffic, pretty slow-paced, just the ideal place for me. It's like a western 'kelantan'! :) Really not much of a city person. I can live without happening night life, mega malls and etc. Peace and quiet, that's the way it should be. It is through peace and quiet that I find myself being more reflective of things around me, or things happening. With the busy life in KL, it's nothing but rushing here and there, traffic here and there.... Having the serenity around me really helps me to be more contemplative.

Lovely friends I have in Southampton. Not too serious, not too crazy. :) Really can't complain much about things here. I thank God that He has put me where He wants me to be. :)

"In God's green pastures feeding by the cool waters lie...... "

So'ton rocks!

Ambassador of trust

I’ve been thinking a lot about my visa ordeal..... as though I could otherwise, and many things were put into perspective. Being a youth leader, I often teach and encourage others about trust, specifically trusting in God. Yet when it comes to facing this visa ordeal, I seems to lack that which I often preach about, TRUST. It’s like hypocrisy, or maybe.... just reality. It’s easy to talk about trust but not until you are faced with a situation which really requires it, you may not be able to fully appreciate the true meaning of trust.

(TRUST - assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.)

Often times, I find myself worrying so much about my visa ordeal that it really affects my day and sometimes my mood. Yet, if I claim to have this trust in God, why should I worry? Or why should it bother me so much? Do I really have this assured reliance on the character, ability, strength and truth about God? Am I a good ambassador of trust, the truth of which I preach?
Does presence of worrying depict absence of trust? Logically speaking, if you worry, it basically means that you don’t trust and vice versa. So in a logical sense, I do not, at the moment, trust God regarding my visa appeal. Yet I believe with all my heart that I do trust God! And that’s the weirdest feeling.

One truth that is very glaring to me is that we often trust God when things go our way or at least, inclined to the way we would want it to be. Yet we fail to realise that God’s way is higher. He has a purpose and a plan for us. And even when things seem unlikely, impossible or difficult, we should trust in God’s way! I am glad that God had put me through this. Although at the moment I am still in the process of waiting, just thinking and adoring the character, ability, strength and truth about God, makes these petty things seem so unimportant. I am still in the wonderful process and journey in life finding joy in trusting in the Almighty God.

Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

The bible says that ‘ALL THINGS work together for GOOD to them that love God’ and not ‘ALL GOOD THINGS work together for them that love God’. This is really an encouraging verse for me to know that whatever the situation may be, trust God because He is God!

Stress!

Still no news about my visa..... Sigh... Just can't imagine how stressful this ordeal is making me. Waiting for their call, bugging them with my unattended calls....... More stressful than exams!!!!

3 weeks and counting down!

3 more weeks left befor I fly of the London on the 23rd of August, of course that is provided that the 'wonderful' British High Comm approves my visa appeal. :) Spending time with family members, Melody and then friends, are my priorities at the moment. I guess I will be enjoying myself travelling around to Singapore, Penang, Seremban and Kelantan to visit them and bid them a solemn farewell. I will miss Malaysia without a doubt, my family, my friends, my church and etc. Will miss my Seremban buddies too! Oh ya, not forgetting the FOOD! Char Koay Teow, Roti Canai, I will miss you so much.