.: What's In A Name? :.

Sometimes early in the quiet morning, I will be randomly be awoken at random time.

Groggy, eyes open for a quick while to check the time on my phone (it’s usually 5am-ish) and then I would close my eyes again.

Sometimes, I would go back to slumber. Sometimes, my mind does not allow me so.

If I couldn't go back to sleep, I will usually take the opportunity to have my quiet time, quick short conversations with God. It could be reflections and thankfulness for His love and grace. It could be prayers for me, or for friends or family, or sometimes even for random strangers.

The other day, when I was awoken, I inched closer to the husband (King bed, we each have our sides), cuddled him, held his hand, and prayed out loud. I wasn’t quite sure if he was awake (coz he is a morning person) as my eyes were shut. Then I went back to sleep.

Later that night, the husband brought this up.

The Husband : I don’t know whether to laugh or cry! (referring to me praying for him out loud in the morning)

Me : Why?

The Husband : Do you know you started praying “Dear God, I pray for Bubu Bear ……” Bubu Bear?! Bubu Bear!?

Me : What? I said that? Well, you can’t blame me, I was barely awake! *laughs*

The Husband : God must be thinking – who the heck is Bubu Bear? What if God grants His blessings or answer your prayers onto the neighbour’s dog thinking that it is a Bubu Bear?

Me : Well, my prayers were answered, so God does know who Bubu Bear is!

Indeed, what an awesome God we have, who knows us in and out, name and nickname otherwise.

.: Day In The Park :.

O, Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on earth.

- Roman Payne -

.: Conversation With God In A Lift :.

One day, I walked into a lift, and as the door was about to close, a few people was trying to get it. So I naturally quickly pressed the “door open” button. I ended up accidentally pressing the “alarm” button instead, and quickly switched to pressing the “door open” button, hoping that nobody noticed.

As the lift door closes, a male voice from the intercom (most likely security) spoke.

“Is everything all right?”

I awkwardly said yes, and that I had accidentally pressed the alarm button.

“No worries” he said chirpily, and ended the intercom conversation.

I was blushing red with embarrassment from the incident, we someone in the lift tried to be funny as said “Who is that? God?”

The whole lift, including myself, chuckled.

Ever wonder, if it was indeed God, what would you have said if he has asked “Is everything all right?”?

.: Trust In You :.

Letting go of every single dream I lay each one down at Your feet  Every moment of my wandering Never changes what You see I’ve tried to win this war I confess My hands are weary I need Your rest Mighty Warrior, King of the fight No matter what I face, You’re by my side When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You! Truth is, You know what tomorrow brings  There’s not a day ahead You have not seen So, in all things be my life and breath I want what You want Lord and nothing less You are my strength and comfort You are my steady hand You are my firm foundation; the rock on which I stand Your ways are always higher Your plans are always good There’s not a place where I’ll go, 
You’ve not already stood When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You! I will trust in You!

.: He Maketh No Mistake :.

My Father’s way may twist and turn,

My heart may throb and ache,

But in my soul I’m glad to know,

He maketh no mistake,

My cherished plans may go astray,

My hopes may fade away,

But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead,

For He doth know the way,

Though the night be dark and it may seem,

That day will never break,

I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him,

He maketh no mistake,

There’s so much now I cannot see,

My eyesight’s far too dim,

But come what may, I’ll simply trust,

And leave it all to Him,

For by and by the mist will lift,

And plain it all He’ll make,

Through all the way, though dark to me,

He made not one mistake.

- A M Overton -

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Where do I even start? So much has happened within a short span of time, that I barely remember to sequence of events, even tho it has only been like less than a year.

It has really been challenging times, starting from the move here to Sydney and now, recovering from spinal surgery. It was mentally and emotionally exhausting, and series of events after events befalling on me has really pushed me to the brink of my limit. But thank goodness for His mercy and His grace that saw me through this whole episode. 

It's still a journey, I am not exactly back to life as normal, but it will get there eventually. In His time and in His way, far beyond what I can understand or comprehend. I have to surrender and trust Him and His will for me completely - and have faith that it will all work out. Afterall, he maketh no mistakes. 

.: Financial Goals :.

Having financial goals scares me (ironically), not because it's relatively easier to achieve them - as compared to my fitness goals, but it's because of the ok-so-I've-made-it-what's-next moment.

I told myself that I was going to achieve a certain level of income (salary) before I hit the big 3-0, but with God's blessing, I achieved that goal when I was a few months short from turning 27. Then, I just don't know what I should push myself to achieve next.

I look at the consolidated net worth of The Husband and I, and sometimes I wonder if we push ourselves too much, or is it possible for us to achieve even more than that?

So, I guess, what I'm really about to say is that I am to commit to one financial goal for the time being, which is to achieve a million ringgit in net worth (all my assets, less out all my liabilities) - solo i.e. without the Husband's numbers. And because all goals should be SMART, the T being time-bound, I hope that achieve this state by 30. A million ringgit is no biggie - people half my age have already raked in millions and millions of dollars anyways. But it only translates to two years of me working hard and making the capital work hard for me as well.

Let's just see if it's even remotely possible.

.: Lover Of My Soul :.

Jesus, Lover of my soul

Jesus, I will never let you go

You’ve taken me from the miry clay

You've set my feet upon the Rock, and now I know

I love you, I need you,

Though my world may fall,

I'll never let you go

My Saviour, my closest friend,

I will worship you until the very end

Worship you, my Lord

Until the very end

 

 

.: Financial Stewardship :.

The typical stereotype of an accountant would be “Oh, you are an accountant? Must be kiamsap (stingy)!”

Firstly, this is a stereotyping statement. There are many accountants out there who are not by any means stingy or frugal, quite the opposite really. Heck, there are even handfuls that I know who are not very careful with their money (albeit poor financial management).

The reason for this post today was that last night, before bed, the Husband & I was having this conversation (ok fine, it’s more like I couldn’t sleep, so I wake up the poor Husband and talked to him). We were talking about our childhood, and he told me stories of how his parents had been very very careful with their money as they didn’t have much. You see, both his parents are teachers (government servants) and hence of a slightly average income. They did not live in poverty of course, but there are many little luxuries that they are denied of. For e.g. trips outstation/overseas, eating out or eating at fast food joints, etc.

For my family, we too didn’t come from a rich background. My dad started from the bottom of the ladder as a clerk, equipped with a basic diploma, to be where he is today. As for my mom, she was a small-town Malacca girl that was travelled to KL to find a job that would support her and her younger siblings.

If you know the both of us well, you would know that we are very prudent with our money. I would like to think frugal slightly bordering stingy, but I suppose some may beg to differ.

The reason I am the way I am, is really because of my parents. They have taught me the value of money at a very young age – and tho I didn’t understand at that time, and perhaps have wailed and cried my lungs out a couple of time when they didn’t get me what I wanted, I now take that as a very precious lesson. My parents do not believe in spending money unnecessarily – why pay RM100, when you can pay RM10 for an item that provides the same function at an equal quality, if not better? They also believe that you should always do your research before making a purchase decision, to get the best quality at the best price. For e.g., you’d be surprise to know how much we could save from doing a lil research, and with the help of Uncle Google, you literally have all the info you need on your fingertips. My own add on to this is the concept of “opportunity & time cost”, which I in turn tried to educate my mom on.

As for the husband, his values are instilled to him at a very young age. Until this day, he remembers the lesson that his dad taught him on compound interest – one of the 8th wonder of the world. He also learned from his mom on the power of savings, but his on add on is the power of investments, where your returns is twice as high (or even more) than the normal put-in-FD mentality.

With the two of us combined, we sync very well in terms of financial management of our household, namely because we both have the similar sense of value, which is a good thing. On the other hand, I was putting up this challenge to The Husband to relook into our spending/saving habits and also looking into it on a long-term basis. In short, we went to bed without a conclusion, but it’s definitely a thought that I will revisit soon again.

When I was having this conversation, it brought tears to my eyes, telling my husband the stories of my maternal grandpa’s struggle as a kid living in poverty. My grandpa is unbelievable frugal and up to his dying days, he was still thinking about saving a couple of dollars.

I know that in the end, money isn’t everything. It is very true, but even the Bible tells us that we must be careful with our spendings i.e. practice good financial stewardship. What are your thoughts?

The wise store up choice food and olive oil,but fools gulp theirs down. Proverbs 21:20

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish. Luke 14:28-30

.: Give A Little Love :.

.: Worship Songs :.

Awesome worship songs playing while I work...

He Is Exalted - Shane & Shane

I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me

Hosanna - Paul Baloche

Refiner's Fire - Brian Doerksen

Holy Is The Lord - Chris Tomlin

Better Is One Day - Matt Redman

I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever - Delirious

God Of Wonders - Third Day

Jesus Paid It All - Kristian Stanfill

Blessed Be Your Name - Tree63

How Great Is Our God - Chris Tomlin

I Stand In Awe Of You - GTA Praise Band

Come Now Is The Time To Worship - Brian Doerksen

.: The Prelude Of My Adventures :.

So, what DID I do, now that I am a housewife? I went on a short impromptu trip to Phuket, I shopped (Malaysia Megasales *woots*), I spend quality time with my mother and my grandma, I went up on stage again in spite of my stage fright, I completed Project Masterpiece (finally!), I helped out the husband with Project Casa : Phase 2, I helped kickstart a project (secret at this stage) with some ICAEW students, and of course, what is a housewife if she doesn’t do a little bit of cooking & housework isn’t it? :)

Will detail my adventures in the next few post! :)

.: The End Of One Chapter :.

In case you guys have not already known, I have left my previous job of 5 years plus with the Group.

My facebook status of my employment was changed to “Full Time Housewife” on 4th July, marking my last day with the Group. It was purely coincidental that my last day falls on America’s Independence Day and we even joked that it marked me being “released” from the “clutches’ of the Group, but truth to be told, it was an emotional day for me. I have mentally prepared myself that I will feel sad on my last day of work, but I never knew that I’d feel this emotional to the point that I nearly broke into tears.

It has been, 5 wonderful years, and was definitely blessed with wonderful people & job scopes that were challenging so much so that my I have gained so much experience & exposure. As cliché as it may sound, it was really a tough decision to make, as there I was, with an almost close to perfect job; and I have to give that all up and take a chance with something else, starting out totally fresh & anew. But I remember my ex-boss/mentor quote me this years ago, to which I hold to “It is only by venturing out of one’s comfort zone in obedience that one can benefit most!” (paraphrased). And during my quiet time, He has made me feel at peace with this decision; hence, I know that it’s the correct decision to make.

“With a heavy heart, I will had say my goodbyes. Not to bosses, but to great mentors; not to colleagues, but to remarkable friends. It has been an amazing journey and wonderful experience for the past 5 years; but I am looking forward to the adventures that lies ahead” so quote my Facebook status.

Indeed, it’s goodbye to yesteryears, and hello to a new adventure ahead.

.: Honesty :.

"Honesty got the better of the 55 year old furniture shop truck driver"

Read more here

.: Tanah Airku :.

There will be many profound post written by many people about what happened in our country today.

Some support it. 

Some oppose it.

And some don't give a rat's ass about it.

Whatever the case may be, all opinions should be and will be respected.

As for me & my opinion, well, let me just leave you with two things

"WWJD?"

And

"We often forget that we must be the change we wish to see"

This is my country. My birthplace. My tanah air. I want to see that change. Indeed, what would have Jesus done? And have we mirrored that today?

.: Power Of The Cross :.

Amazing how a simple gathering of the 25ish of us in a 8ftx20ft-ish office room, with plastic stools as chairs to sit and a lone guitar accompanying three worship songs can move me to tears. Indeed, the Lord is good, and this Good Friday and Easter, let us not think about Easter bunny and Easter eggs, but let us remember the goodness and mercy of our Lord God.

And we’re so amazed

And we give You praise

That You would save us

At such a cost

We’re so amazed

And we give You praise

For the power of the cross

.: For He Has Risen :.

Source: spiritualinspiration.tumblr.com via Kathlynn on Pinterest

AMEN!

.: I Stand In Awe Of You :.

And I stand, I stand in awe of you

I stand, I stand in awe of you

Holy God to whom all praise is due

I stand in awe of you.

 

He is an AWESOME God isn’t He? When all things fail, He doesn’t. And that is what I love about Him! He is the same yesterday, today and even tomorrow!

I am so blessed!

.: What Makes One Strong? :.

“Some people think it's holding on that makes one strong- sometimes it's letting go.”

It is true that it is not easy to let go. And it does take much more bravery & courage to let go than it takes to hold on. I recalled of how Abraham was so faithful and obedient to God that he is willing to let go his ONLY son Issac to the hands of God. For a man at that age, after years of trying for a child, it really takes such great courage but even greater faith to let go of something so precious to him.

 And perhaps the beginning of this year is a reminder of how I must continue to learn to be faithful and put my whole trust in Him. And that sometimes, it is only when one moves out of one’s comfort zone in obedience that one truly learn to let go one’s grip and reach out one’s hands into the arms of God. Not easy, but it is something that I have been reminded time and again to do.

.: The Good Side :.

You wake up to life. You appreciate everything about life, but especially family and friends. You become very humble very fast, which is timely since the feeling that there is a God watching over us suddenly becomes very, very real. You are without a doubt going to face the toughest battle anyone on earth has ever faced. Keep your chin up and come out swinging, people will acknowledge your spirit, your courage, strength and stamina. The purpose of this life may in fact be
1) to experience life,
2) to learn our hard lessons about the battles between good and evil, and
3) to forever learn to have faith, trust and believe in our God.

A church member was diagnosed with Stage 2 brain cancer at only 16. I'm tearing as I read more on what this malignant brain tumour is all about. So what if I'm sitting at a busy walkway in KLCC. My heart goes out to him and his family. As I read the above quote from a person suffering from brain tumor, I can only pray for this boy, Chris, to continue to be strong in faith and to put his whole trust & believe to God.

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.: A Letter To God :.

While helping up with the arts & craft at the kids Sunday School yesterday, Joel (my cute ring bearer), finished making a beautiful card.

He asked me "Who should we send this to?" even tho it's obviously addressed "To Jesus".

I just smiled and replied "Well, we can send it to God!"

He shouted in glee and then threw his card up with all his might as high as he could to the ceiling as if trying to send it to our Father in heaven.

Adorable much, no?