We are only dust

cross, a photo by Charlotte90T on Flickr.

The Lord is compassionate and merciful,

slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

He will not constantly accuse us,

nor remain angry forever.

He does not punish us for all our sins;

he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

For his unfailing love toward those who fear him

is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

He has removed our sins as far from us

as the east is from the west.

The Lord is like a father to his children,

tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

For he knows how weak we are;

he remembers we are only dust.

Psalm 103:8-14 NLT 

It is not unusual to feel overwhelmed, defeated, even hopeless. When it feels like things are not getting better, and that I can never improve, and my heart is filled with guilt... what is more comforting than knowing I have help and forgiveness from the God who is almighty, yet loves tenderly and deeply like a Father.  

Pray - Psalm 5:2

Pray - Psalm 5:2, a photo by Charlotte90T on Flickr.

Still

安静, a photo by Charlotte90T on Flickr.

藏我在翅膀荫下,遮盖我,在你大能手中。
当大海翻腾波涛汹涌,我与你展翅暴风上空。

Hide me now under Your wings, cover me with Your mighty hand. When the oceans rise and thunders roar, I will soar with You above the storm.

A reminder came to me this morning, "God is not looking for your ability, but your availability". Somehow I felt really touched. I'm weak. I'm struggling in my studies, like I've been since first year. I always cannot be as good as I want to be. I'm disappointed, angry with myself. But He is merciful. He pulled me through one after another when I thought I was going to fail. I might not be able, but He is.

当大海翻腾波涛汹涌,

我与你展翅暴风上空

This is not an advertisement

This is not an advertisement, a photo by Charlotte90T on Flickr.

Keeping my hobby alive

Untitled, a photo by Charlotte90T on Flickr.

Just a random shot. I've been very very busy... and I've started to miss taking pics after having to stay at home and study all the time for days, and this is going to last for another one month or so! Now I could only shoot these random stuffs in my room and I do it while eating =p 

faith, hope and love

http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlotte90t

1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

歌 林 多 前 書 13:13
如 今 常 存 的 有 信 ， 有 望 ， 有 爱 这 三 样 ， 其 中 最 大 的 是 爱

The current #1 photo on my Flickr =D 

Listen

Listen, a photo by Charlotte90T on Flickr.

Listening in itself is a skill. Facebook, Twitter are throwing one news after another at our faces, pop songs are singing distorted values as if they're the way our lives should be, movies cramped with beautifully disguised unhealthy messages. The media is basically exploding with a mixture of positive and lying voices to say the least, and subconsciously we take up misleading values, whether we like it or not. It takes skills, patience and a willing heart indeed to discern which voice is the truth, and which is a lie. Among the bombarding shouts, we could find a gentle whisper of unending love, if only we would stop and listen.

Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
-"Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns

Guard your ♥

[A message from Daily Bible Devotion]

Guard you heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:23, NLT 

Do your feelings get hurt easily? Perhaps it's time you start guarding your heart. It is not fun walking around sulking and carrying grudges because you have been hurt. Why does this happen? Because you need to draw your strength from your heavenly Father. Pray to Him daily and ask Him to help you get rid of your sensitivity. It will require you to be willing to let go of your hurts. 

Get this Free Daily Devotion App:ANDROID: http://bit.ly/pE4x0CIPHONE: http://bit.ly/uJvpEW]

I opened into this app this morning, thinking of uninstalling it because I haven't used it for quite some while, but to find myself reading the latest entry, which is this message, and it touched my heart instantly. The first question "do your feelings get hurt easily" caught my eyes and as much as I wanted to deny it, the answer was yes. Oh yes, I'm oversensitive, I look outwardly for things to prove my values and identity and often get so heartbreaking-ly disappointed.

The last few days in the Undivided Conference was... simply said, awesome. Things were said and done as though pulling me up from this deep mud I've been trapped in. I don't remember enjoying an event so much before, really. And with all the people and programs there to help "guard" my heart, I found myself having much simpler emotions, or when I did fell back into the old habit, able to escape it in a much shorter time than I normally needed. Now that I'm back into the messy world, I should look to my heavenly Father even more for guidance of my heart. That, would be the resolution I derived from this awesome experience in Gyor.

Are you talking to me?

Teachings just don't imprint in our minds if it didn't come with a story or an experience, or without repetition (at least for me.... I learn by repetition =(/=p)...

Today I saw this seemingly cliche and boring photo on facebook, and I feel like as if all the sentences were talking to me.

credit: http://www.facebook.com/Dailyinspirationandmotivation

Anyone who knows me would know that:

1. I can't forget the past unless I get amnesia, and my emotions are tightly tied to the residual effects of the past, and I dont' stop feeling uneasy unless I somehow "solve" the issues from the past. P/s BUT, remembering doesn't mean holding a grudge. 

2. I don't care a single bit what strangers or acquintances think of me, but I care a whole too lot about what my friends think of me. 

3. I wanna solve things FAST, instantaneously if possible. 

4. No comment -.- 

5. I always usually sometimes care too much about excellence in lots of areas (especially studies...), and get really upset when negative thoughts set in and I think I'm not "of the same level" with people around... 

6. I think i think i think think think

7. I DO smile, ok? I just don't like putting up a show when I'm really feeling plainly awful. (Not saying it's a good habit though...)

Though I still feel like some points are demanding too much of me right now ><, there's no harm posting it somewhere, who knows, I might see it again when I need it the most, again... but i hope not =p

懂吗?

心疼了碎了受伤了…可地球从不为任何人停止转动。

别傻了,站起来,继续你的路吧…终点还远着呢。

没人能看见未来,谁又能担保明天不会更好?

忘了你和自己说了什么吗? You have nothing to lose. You have already lost what you didn't want to let go.

If God asks you to jump, He will either make you fly, or He will catch you after you do.

New Semester

Tomorrow marks my 6th semester in this university. The challenges ahead are tough, an easy time is not expected. With what like 2 of the big subjects plus 2 small ones (yet not easy, it seems) waiting for me in 3-4 months, and the pressure to complete them fast as that is what are expected of me ("you have to get used to it, because that's what 4th year is gonna be like... one exam per week...so you'd better start doing it now...", they said with a confident face), I'm not doubtful that it's gonna be very difficult for me.

Somehow, sometimes it annoys me when people belittle my fear and concerns. maybe they are looking at things from their perspective, and totally forget that what is easy for them may not be at all for me, or perhaps it's their way of saying "it's ok, it's gonna be fine, you will make it because it really is no big deal"... Of course, I'm very grateful that many of them have given me lots of encouragement and support in the past, no matter what they thought of my ridiculous stress.

I long to be understood, but apparently this wish remains a wish, at least when it comes to this aspect... abilities, born IQ, stress... *sigh*

(I actually started writing this post with the intention of producing something motivating, and I have no idea how it became like what was written above).

Anyway, as my friend said "nothing is impossible, because what we've been doing all these while were impossible"... I pray that no matter how dark the future seems to be, how many challenges are hidden along the way and waiting to ambush, with God's grace I'll complete this race a champion, not a coward.

I often ask why I suffer so much due to my emotional weakness... but everytime I can only settle with the answer that it is like what a silversmith does with silver - refining it in the furnace, eyes fixed steadily on the work of purifying, and only when he sees his reflection on it, he knows the work is finally done.

"His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best interest for us. Our trials do not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure"

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

Romans 5:3-4 NLT

Wantun mee

我朝思暮想的云吞面。

人在异乡,想吃就只好自己动手。好在云吞真的蛮不错的,嘿嘿 （自卖自夸 =P）

Shopping

Went shopping two days in a row. Today it was Letnany we went to. 4 hours plus of hunting and I came back home with some really good deals!

Time

Time flies. Less than one week till summer semester starts *gasp*

The holiday was blissful and eventful. Thank God for the good foods, good gathering with friends (record-breaking 8 hours' chat with Estella and Phyllis, having Malaysian Chinese foods with Indian and Bostwanian friends from church, and our "Bachelors' Party" for the singles on Valentine's Day, lol), good rest when I'm not watching dramas overnight, and rare good dramas!

Another "Valentine's Day"

What some others celebrated with roses, cards, romantic dinners and sweet words, we celebrated with foods, chit-chatting and card games.