Chocolate Chip Cookies

Guess who baked again tonight??

Chocolate Chip Cookies for the day trip to Rye. So exciting I can't wait.

Turn Your Eyes

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

Recently so many thoughts have been running through my mind and it feels like just noise. Irritating thing about it is that it makes me feel so flustered and anxious (not in a good way).

Hence, I've discovered that I have an increasing need to just be still and know that He is God. To put everything else aside and just sit at His feet. I know it sounds strange, but it works. Because I start to feel this peace, that trespasses all understanding, and somehow things just work out.

God really works in ways that we may not understand. But I'm glad that He is in control and that His good and perfect plans are in action.

New page, new chapter

I can imagine this book with yellowed pages and the most elegant fountain pen writing on it; beautiful cursive handwriting. And as I slept last night, the pages of that book flipped to a fresh page; today I start a new chapter of my life.

The past few months have been good and it might seem that it has all come to an end. But I know that if God is going to close that chapter and set me on a new one, that it'll only get better from here (:

Going to miss whatever I've gone through for the past 8 months (plus or minus). But I'm actually much more excited for this new phase of my life, no matter how short term it'll be. So yeah. Another reason to rejoice.

Big Smile

This is how I felt in the afternoon; I am the yellow 'ball' surrounded by a sea of people feeling blue.

It was quite gloomy this afternoon, with the sky threatening to rain. As I waited in the train station for the train to take me home, I somehow felt a strange warmth despite the cold winds. It's like those movies when there's a weird spotlight on you alone, and everything around you just seems so dull and sad. I know the other people at the platform thought I was crazy because I had the biggest smile on my face.

Reason is, I got back my Criminology essay today and I was pleasantly surprised at my marks, especially after the tutor went on and on about how majority got a pass only and if you had a credit you should be rejoicing. (I'm asian; Singaporean to be exact. That is not what I want to hear.) But yeah, I'm so thankful for what I got.

Thank You SO SO SO SO SO MUCH GOD! It really wasn't by my effort but by His grace that I got this grade; I seriously thought I was going to fail or just pass or something that is not worth getting proud over.

Big smiles; I'm so so happy (:

The Same Power

The same power,

That conquered the grave

Lives in me, lives in me.

That same power brought about Spring after the cold winter. That same power made these lovely flowers. (I love how these flowers open up when they are in the sun and close when in the shade or at night. They are like 'fake sunflowers')

That same power created every single thing that I see; all the beautiful creation. That same power breathed into us the breath of life. That same power knew me even before I was created in my mother's womb. And that same power has given me hope.

Thank You Heavenly Father.

Next Chapter

Aren't these the cutest thing ever.

Today was like the most lovely day ever. Thanks Aiwee for the boxes and for passing the earphones. Plus the weather was so lovely. And yet, I finally gave in to my cold and ended up sleeping my afternoon away.

Getting the keys to Unilodge on A Beckett tomorrow and I'm feeling all bittersweet. But I guess it's going to be another new exciting phase of my life. Ok I promised myself I won't get all emo about this whole thing.

Anyway, anyone wants to go to with me tomorrow? For fun.

Part 2 of eviction; packing

I spent most of last night and today packing. And this is only part of it. And you haven't seen the rest of the living room; it's just boxes after boxes after boxes. How the three of us can possess so many items, I have no idea. And still, not everything is packed. Wow.

But on the other hand, I'm actually packing and somewhat enjoying it. Like omg. I thought it was going to be impossible but my room is getting emptier. Just that I have a feeling I need to go get more boxes, again. The people at Laguna are going to think I'm the weirdest person who keeps coming in for boxes. Ok I shall start going other places as well. Haha.

And, I'm so thankful my dad is coming here to help me move, if not I'll possibly die. Ok then again, I've packed the boxes in a way that they aren't too heavy, so I won't die, I'll just get so sick of travelling up and down la trobe. Hahaha.

I can still smell that burnt smell

Went to Taylors College today (after many months of procrastinating) and gosh, I still don't like the ground staff. I thought things would be better now that I'm not a student there. But nope, they are still mean. They are racist I tell you. Still don't like them, at all.

So epic fail on my cupcakes (because I forgot all about them and they are burnt. sigh) and epic fail on my study plan. First day and I fail. HAHA. Oh well. Interlearn (psych online test) is really time consuming, and all for 2.5%.

Plus, talking to P about serving in OCF next year. Anyway, thanks P. Because if not for you, I would still be thinking.. well nvm. Today was quite enlightening in the sense that now I know how things work in terms of serving and stuff. Quite excited for serving next year but until now I don't know what is the right one to choose. CAN I JUST DO BOTH? Haha. Sighh. Thinking and praying more about it..

Randomness

It's a common misconception that I'm very free and that I've nothing much to do.

That is FALSE!

This is only because I don't know how people can just sit there and nerd the whole day away. I seriously cannot do that. I need my many tiny in-between breaks. I bake because it's stress therapy. I go for my random walks because I need the fresh air and I need to move. I believe in a balance between work and play/rest/whatever-you-want-to-call-it

But I have to admit, the reason why I'm blogging this post is really because I'm quite free right now. Hahaha. Ever since that killer week, I've been feeling as though I'm the most free person in the world.

Anyhow, exam timetable is out. I got a pleasant surprise to find out I only have 3 papers this sem. Haha. But like I also realised how this means that I have to start studying already. Sighh.

30th oct - Psychology

5th nov - Sociology

9th nov - Criminology

The Mp3 Experiment Six

Haha. This is quite funny and really cool. I also want to be able to do something like that. Super duper fun.

Tagboard - Disappeard :(

My tagboard disappeared :(

But some people claim they can see it, but I can't. I think something happened to my flooble account or something, but.. Ok never mind, I'll give it a few more days. If it doesn't appear, then I'll decide if I should get a new one or just get rid of my tagboard all together.

And I'm only blogging for the sake of blogging. Haha. I feel so relaxed compared to the time when I had assignments due every 2 days. And I should really like be a bit more productive. This is not very good. I guess assignments make me more hardworking, then again, it's because I don't really have a choice. Ok I'm rambling.

Goodbye

CUPCAKES!!

I FINALLY got this book. Hahaha. And you know what that means?? I'm going to be baking more cupcakes!!!!! Just that I now need to find people who are willing to eat them. Hahaha.

Where Do You Want To Store Your Treasures?

Yesterday during upcell, a friend prayed for those who were leaving Melbourne at the end of the year; that they would not store up treasures in Melbourne or anywhere on earth, making it difficult for themselves to be used by God.

Matthew 6:19-21

¹⁹"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

That really struck me.

So many times we I store up treasures on earth. We I tend to cling on to the past and never able to smoothly move forward. I guess to be sentimental is one thing, but to be overly sentimental, now that's a problem. I guess in this life, it's every easy to think back on the past, realised how simple life was then and get stuck in that. Then it'll come a point that our heart is stuck there too. At that point, we don't really live in the present and we cannot fully experience God's blessings in the present. Worst, we are unable to do whatever God wants us to do now.

You know that's the funny thing about all these, is that I'm such an irony to myself. Really. But I guess I'm learning and through all these little things, God is slowly equipping me for the future(:

1 Hour Walk + Reflections

Sometimes in life, we just need to stop whatever we're doing, take that step back and just breathe and admire the things around us.

I have came to realised how much I need my personal space and my alone time.

No, I am not emo.

One hour walk at Carlton Gardens today. I was greatly reminded by my Heavenly Father to be a kid; because children are able to trust wholeheartedly; because children are able to let go of the bad times, of all the hurts and pains and cling on to the good times, to all the promises; because children never try to take matters into their own hands. I wasn't required to be all grown up, I wasn't required to be all matured and sensible about everything. I was only required to trust Him and have faith that He will bring me through this.

And I got reminded of this quote, because I know God will say something similar to this, only much nicer.

... because that's what love is. It's that first moment when you hold your baby girl and you didn't know that anything could be so small, so delicate. And you feel that tiny heart beat and you know you couldn't love anything more in the whole world. And hope you could do right by that little girl. And always be there to catch her when she falls, and that nothing ever hurts her; not a broken arm, or a bad dream, or broken heart.

Zac Efron

17 Again

#1 - doesn't it look like an elephant?

#2 - and this tree has a face

#3 - this one too

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (New International Version)

A Time for Everything

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Thanks Mush!!

Hahaha. Thank you so much mush!! This totally made my day. I bet people must have thought I was crazy when I opened the package and was grinning to myself all the way home. Hahaha.

OMG. HAHAHAH. YOU TOTALLY REMEMBERED ME SAYING I WANTED A BABY BOTTLE!!! HAHAHAHAHAH. Usually people just laugh it off, no matter how serious I was. hahahaha. omg, I'm so amused by your letter.

It is well, with my soul.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul.

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

The story behind this song is a touching one. And the words used are such wise ones.

Things are too much for me to handle right now, with us just receiving notice that we have to evict this place by the 27th Oct 2009. It's really such sudden notice that has really caught the 3 of us off guard. It doesn't help that I have assignments to complete now and even at that time, I'll still be doing assignments, while studying for exams. There's really so much to take in right now and gosh. I don't even dare think about it anymore.

But, I guess even though I'm feeling so overwhelmed right now with all that is happening, I can still take comfort in knowing that God is in control of the situation. Somehow, I can feel this peace in me, that things are going to be alright. He will bring us through this. I know He will.

So breathe Monica, breathe..

Me Miss Mg

I miss mg and my teachers :(

To think that even after all these time, they still remember the weird nicknames they gave me. But ultimately, they were like really fun teachers, like the whole clique of them. (and darn it, I can't find that picture!)

(Dear 4i classmates, please don't fill my tagboard with the rest of the nicknames. If not the whole world is going to know all of them and sigh..)

Only takes a spark..

It's that time again, when I start to get really bored of the look of my blog. But since I don't have time to do anything yet, I just have to endure. Haha. And apparently, my blog is getting known by more and more people. Actually, I kinda expected it to happen, but oh well.

Btw, it's spring!!! I want to have a picnic. Someone go plan.

So anyhow, we watched the Stanford's Prison Experiment today in Criminology. We studied it in psych, but the video was way cooler. Go read up on it here. Though I have many thoughts on it, one really stood out today. The participants, even the psychologist in charge, had all lost their individuality and were mixing their roles with reality. But with all that aside, the experiment started to become very unethical with the 'prisoners' suffering quite a bit, especially mentally. And the experiment would have continued for the full 2 weeks, if not for that one psychology graduate.

Prisoners and guards rapidly adapted to their roles, stepping beyond the boundaries of what had been predicted and leading to dangerous and psychologically damaging situations. One-third of the guards were judged to have exhibited "genuine" sadistic tendencies, while many prisoners were emotionally traumatized and two had to be removed from the experiment early. After being confronted by Christina Maslach, a graduate student in psychology whom he was dating,^[2] and realizing that he had been passively allowing unethical acts to be performed under his direct supervision, Zimbardo concluded that both prisoners and guards had become too grossly absorbed in their roles and terminated the experiment after six days.^[3]

(Just to let you know, follow ups have shown that all participants are doing fine)

As such the video reminded me again on how just one person can make the difference. I cannot imagine what would happen to the participants who were prisoners if nothing was done, all the psychological trauma they would have received.

But yeah, I guess this really challenges me; to not like leave things to someone else to do (considering someone else will really do it) but to really rise up when the occasion calls for it. Especially in this day and age when there is so much to be done, but no one ever wants to take that first step. Yeah.