it's the thought that counts

have you ever had friends who give you presents and say to you, "happy birthday girl, i hope you like the present, it's the thought that counts!" well, i have friends like that but thank God only a handful, or not i'd not be getting many good gifts. *laughs* honestly, i really dislike this phrase a lot. a lot as in a lot a lot! why would the giver of the gift be saying it? doesn't it seem more logical if it were uttered by the receiver?

you get what i mean? many times, the giver of the gift uses this phrase to cover-up for the 'miserable' gift they give to their friends. Most times, these gifts are gifts-they-received-from-their-other-friends-which-is-too-useless-to-be-kept-but-too-wasteful-to-be-thrown-away. so what do they do with it??? you probably would have guessed right ;)

well, i was just reading a very good book just now *i will share more in the next post* and somewhere in the middle of the book, the author actually addressed this matter of gifts and thoughts. The chapter starts with him saying, "and speaking of gifts, i should tell you a rule...You know, it's not true that what counts is the thought and not the gift. It just isn't true. My mother always pulled my leg on that one. I have collected so much gift-wrapped trash over the years from people who copped out and hurriedly bought a little plastic cheapie to give under the protective flag of good thoughts. I tell you, it is the gift that counts. Or, rather, people who think good thoughts give good gifts"

i couldn's agree more. a loud amen from my side!

He even gave a classic example...Jesus. He said that God did not just send an angel or just some good, great, macho warrior to save the human-race...He sent His only begotten Son - His very best!

there was this one time i remember vividly...i went shopping for gifts with my mie, we were to get a birthday gift for her friend. Guess what mie got her? Gold earrings from Poh Kong!!! Solid heavy ones mind you, not those hollow empty light ones. I was puzzled, to me, it was a waste of money. In a somewhat frustrated tone, i asked mie, "why must we buy such expensive things for her? it's just a birthday present la?!!!" then she said something i will never forget, she told me, "girl, always get for people what you would like them get for you - remember the Golden Rule? abide by it, you can never go wrong!"

think about it.

Thank You.

muaxx!

the weekend

it was one great weekend,

with miss Gan coming all the way up from Malacca to visit...

she stayed only for a night,

i had COP *community oriented project* on Monday, that was why...

she joined me as i helped out with the Open Day...

shopping =)

good food!!!

lots of catching up.

we had Wee Kiat n Wei Son keep us company. thank you, guys!

GG . WK . YW

the oyster

there was once an oyster

whose story i tell,

who found that some sand

had gotten into his shell.

it was only a grain,

but it gave him a great pain.

for oysters have feelings

although they're so plain.

now, did he berate

the harsh workings of fate

that had brought him

to such deplorable state?

did he curse the government,

cry for election,

and claim that the sea should

have given him protection?

NO - he said to himself

as he lay on a shell,

since i cannot remove it,

i shall try to improve it.

now the years have rolled around,

as the years always do,

and he came to his ultimate

destiny - stew.

and the small grain of sand

that had bothered him so

was a beautiful pearl

all richly aglow.

now the tale has a moral;

for isn't it grand

what an oyster can do

with a morsel of sand?

what couldn't we do

if we'd only begin

with some of the things

that get under our skin.

author unknown

steamboat.

mei lian <3

hospitality begins in the heart

1,2,5

mei lian and her crap...oops, crab!

julie n kian hui

red yellow green orange =)

take care mei...

kampar is not that far away but it's not that near either.

i know you may not read this but if you ever do,

i just want to say thank you for being such a great buddy,

for always saying, "i fetch you la..."

for always being the most cin-cai one =)

God Bless

~xoxo~

dandelion

well, as reluctant as i was today...i still did my best. i don't know, the 'passion' was no longer there. i do hope it returns. i really do.

on a different note, she's leaving. tomorrow. p/s: i love you, you who will be leaving. you know who you are. i don't know if i have ever told this to you looking into your deep brown eyes...but i really do cherish everything we've been through. you will always have a very special place in my heart. take care and i will always keep you in my prayers.

yup, some things will never change. i still don't and i think i will never do. actually this is the reason why you are always almost the last person to know.

Lord, its so so tough, forgive and forget?

i really cannot do this on my own, i really really cannot!
love through me. let me see her through your eyes,
i know you love her as much as you love me.

i'm quite excited about the plan which might work out this Wednesday. well, i sure hope it does work out, but if it doesn't...i understand. nobody has to feel guilty about anything OK.

tomorrow's a new day! so, encourage somebody, put a smile on someones face, do a kind deed, tell your pa, mie, bro n sis that you love them and they mean much to you. *when was the last time you told them that?*

let's M.A.D together-gether!

"You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it.
But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.”
Jessica - age 8

i love you who cooks for me
i love you who makes me laugh
i love you who made me feel at home
i love you who gave me a ride to safeway for nearly a year
i love you

i love you who walked to Mackas with me in the freezing night
i love you who watched casablanca with me
i love you who cooks for me during my exams
i love you who checked up on me when i came home late one night
i love you

i love you who chats with me on MSN at unearthly hours
i love you who is still able to make me laugh and giggle unconsciously
i love you who make me laugh when i'm all alone in my room, chatting with you
i love you who encourages, prays and keeps me on track
i love you

i love you who is still as sarcastic and honest as i remember
i love you who calls all the way from a foreign land *i'm assuming you're bored there too!*
i love you who rushes me when i'm showering "just for the fun of it"
i love you who grabs coffee with me
i love you

i love you who just lazes in the sun with me, in silence, without awkwardness
i love you who shares wine on cold nights, and toasts to nothing
i love you who walks with me to class in the morning
i love you who reminds me about assignment due dates and test times
i love you

i love you who enjoys Chinese takeaway as much as i do
i love you who insults my cooking but still helps himself to it anyways
i love you who goes for supper with me *yayS!*
i love you who teases me, laughs at me, gives me free hugs, encourages, prays and loves me
i love you and i mean it.

happy new years
hope u had a good one!! *i-know-i-did!*

have a blessed 2009
cheers,

ponder

don't date because you are desperate
don't marry because you are miserable
don't have kids because you think your genes are superior
don't philander because you think you are irresistible

don't dictate because you are smarter
don't demand because you are stronger
don't sleep around because you think you are old enough and know better
don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder

don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family be true to yourself

don't commit when you are not ready don't keep others waiting needlessly

learn a new skill
find a new friend
don't regress
don't live in the past

to terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless
to feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy
to fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy
don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons

write poetry
love deeply
walk barefoot
cry at the movies

take care of yourself
don't wait for someone to take care of you
pursue your passions
live your dreams
don't loose faith in GOD

When you give someone your time,
you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back.

Your time is your life.

That is why the greatest gift you can give to someone is your time.

Relationships take time and effort,

and the best way to spell love is T-I-M-E

because the essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others,

but how much we give of ourselves.

and He gave you His all.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but will have everlasting life.

adapted from Rick Warren's 'The Purpose Driven Life'.
have you been wondering what life is all about or
what's your purpose here on earth?
check this book out! a must read!

blessed new year!

dear Lord,

as i step into this new year,

may you walk with me each step of the way,

take me by the hand lead me i pray...

remind me be it trials or tribulations,

mountain-top experiences or the valley of the shadow of death,

that you see, know and understand because you have been through it all and more...

i thank you for the year 2008

all the lessons learnt, the great experiences, the good times and also the not so good times.

i pray for all my friends who do not know You

may they come to know You as the One who truly loves them with an unconditional love

may they all experience You as i have

take me, mould me, use me, lead me.

i give my life to the potter's hand.

amen.