Day out with Ern and Jus

Taken two Sundays back - at Gertrude St.

Ivy introduced me to the area - she is one gurl that knows her food~! haha, my food guide.

Ern and I before our meal arrive. I love cozy cafe courtyards =)



After lunch, we moved to another cafe for dessert - Yes, we people can eat.

This place serve the best crepes~!!! Dining in that cafe made me feel like I was in France - my outfit matches the cafe ambience eh :P And the waiter that served us is from Paris.





Flaming crepes~! Rum + macademia



She who made our crepes - a view through our little window~!

It's funny how my old self is teaching me new things...

That's what i love about journals and blogs. Its a reflection on who we was and how we became who we are.

S, e-mailed me sometimes back. She was one of my dearest friends in Form 2. She typed out a snippet of something i wrote to her at that time. Wow, I never knew I had the capacity to think such big thoughts at that time :p haha.

S and I used to write notes to each other every single day even though we sat next to each other. Fun and carefree days. One of my most memorable years in high school. Definitely.


I was browsing through my old blog - and i found this entry. It kinda speaks to me now - 3 years on.

Speaking from the heart... In everything you do, do it unto the Lord. Lately, Ive been feeling a little unappreciated and a sense of feeling that Im not always not good enough. No matter what, theres always someone better than you, someone smarter than you, someone nicer than you. When, I look through that perspective, Im always doing it unto men (or women), and Im finally left feeling demoralized. This semester, God has been teaching me how to love unconditionally, no strings attached. It can been really difficult and tiresome at times. Its a long and tough process. Its against everything of the world. Im far from that goal. But Im glad Im walking or shall I say crawling towards it. Theres many a time, I want to be thanked or appreciated. But, as a servant of God, we should work in an unsuspecting way. Someone reminded me just now that in everything we do, do it unto the Lord. In the midst of all this, Ive missed the point and aimed at the wrong target. I'm glad that ive been redirected to the eternal focus. Lord, refresh my spirit. Refocus my mind. Recharge my body. Redirect my aim.

I realised that I have changed over the past few years. Not sure for better or worse. I miss that innocence i once had.
....

Hm, I had a tough day today - emotionally at least. A battle in my own head i suppose. No significant event happened. It was more of an accumulation of events i suppose. No one at fault and no one to blame but myself. I took a walk/jog in the park to clear my thoughts and I guess just to cry out to God. Literally.

I felt like I was in Job's situation. The problem was I did not react the same he did.

I have so much more to learn.

....

Church – did they get it wrong?

I walked out of the law building and quickly hustled to the main campus. My next class was about to start in 15 minutes and the class was located at the opposite end of the campus. Mid-way through ‘university square’ (it’s the park that separates the law building from the main campus), this guy approaches me. He had a clean-cut look, hair neatly combed to one side, wearing an ironed-press shirt - didn’t look too suspicious.

“Hi”

“Em…hi,” I replied, uncertain whether he was talking to me. I certainly have not seen him before.

“I’m a missionary,” he says as he points to his name tag around his neck.

“That’s good,” I replied in a tone that said I-feel-a-little-awkward.

“How was your day? I usually come to this park and try to talk to certain people about their faith. Do you go to church?” he continued.

“My day was good and I do go to church actually – one that is in the city,” I said as I quicken my pace.

“Me too but mine is outside the city.”

“That’s great.”

There was an awkward silence as I reached the traffic light.

“Hey, I got to go now. I’m late for class,” I said as I was about to dash across the road.

“The light is turning red. You can’t cross the road.”

“Darn.” I silently cursed the traffic light.

So which church do you go to? Do you go there every Sunday?” he asked me.

I answered his questions shortly and awkwardly. I was getting a little agitated.

Approximately 2 minutes later, the pedestrian light turned green, I said a quick bye and dash off into freedom.

While continuing my journey to class in the liberty of my own solitude, I asked myself why did I feel what I felt. After all, he is a Christian and I’m a Christian. I realised that I always shy away from these street missionaries. The same few things that always enter my mind would be:-

- Could this be something dodgy?
- What does he really want?
- Do you expect me to pour out all my problems to you in the first few minutes of knowing you?
- Is this just about luring me to your beliefs?

Did the traditional church get it wrong? Is this the best way to get someone to be a Christ-follower. Is it just about converting someone to a Christian? If I, a Christian, feel scared about being approach by a street missionary, what more a non-Christian?

I guess for me, it’s not about luring a person to Jesus but allowing a person to see the love, hope and faith that God has placed in us. After all, we are made in the image of Christ.

Gloomy days ahead?

Here’s what many have to say on Crown Casino, Melbourne:-

WHEN Crown Casino opened its doors 10 years ago, the celebrations were glittering — fireworks lit up the city skies, the rich and famous popped champagne corks and a Chinese dragon twisted its way along the river promenade. But not everyone agreed with original owner Lloyd Williams that this was a "gift to Melbourne". The dissenters included a half-naked actor (stripping made media attention a sure bet, according to Rachel Griffiths), a Baptist minister with powerful political connections (Reverend Tim Costello) and the then lord mayor of Melbourne (Ivan Deveson). They predicted many of the problems that have since afflicted people in this city — gambling addiction, theft and broken families.

Taken from the Age, 7 May 2007

In light of that, as much as the idea of opening two casinos (one marketed as an ‘entertainment centre’) in Singapore sounds enticing, the effects of it all will not be felt till a decade later.

Sure, the Singapore government suggests that they will limit the number of casinos which will then minimise the negative impacts of gambling. Tell that to the broken families who might be chased by loan sharks as a result of bad debts, especially when Singapore does not have a generous welfare system.

I remember during one of my trips up to Genting Highlands, Malaysia, a man who looked like life has been sucked out of him, approached my dad, begging him to buy his rolex watch. I asked my dad why he was selling his watch. My dad replied that it’s because he has gambled all his money away. I thought that perhaps the man could have once been someone respected and admired. He now looked like a pitiful creature, stooped down to a level of humiliation where he needs to beg in order to be clothed and fed.

Hm, but then again, the same can be said of substance abuse perhaps.