thoughts.

the last month of 2008 passed with a kind of 'calmed frenzy'. on one hand there was a lot of things going on, and on the other hand, i've found time to sit down, watch dvds (gossip girl OC lost), read lots of books (obama's audacity of hope, twilight x 4 books, tales of beedle the bard, chick lits), and journal about my year that has just passed and really think about how the Lord has been with me and that He has been faithful when i so do not deserve His faithfulness.

well, a good part of dec was spent in japan, one of my favourite countries in the world. it was my 2nd time in tokyo and hakone, and 1st time in kyoto. travelling free&easy with parents in a busy cosmopolitan city is no easy feat. and i'm glad i survived it with much prayer and trust in the Lord. :) sounds bad, but it really was. but the trip had many good things about it too. i really love japan and i basked in the things i love about it. and i got to shop one day in tokyo on my own, which i'm really really thankful for. and i got time to catch up with my sis after not seeing her for 5 months.

rambling.

when i returned, suddenly, christmas concerts in Bethany was just literally around the corner! it was so packed that i hardly had time to breathe and decompress from the trip. and soon it was last minute revising of actions and lyrics, followed by rehearsals and all. when the concerts were finally over i felt a little sad, knowing that it will be my last time singing with the youth choir, whom i have grown to love a lot. well must always look forward to good things. so it's young adults' group and one voice in 2009. and many more years to come.

last minute christmas shopping and wrapping of gifts and writing of cards is always a tradition every year for me. well, 'cos i'm such a procrastinator. but christmas eve dinner with the family was a nice affair, as usual. this year we walloped 5 bottles of alcohol, probably a record.

christmas service and lunch at the shang this year was good! i really appreciated pastor's message that morning, in a world full of gloom and recession and global warming, it's always amazing to be reminded of the hope that we have in the Lord. :) and this christmas i'm extra happy because of my 2 friends D and D, who not only went for service and lunch, and also our annual gathering at joel's after lunch. and knowing that they enjoyed themselves and in fellowship with our friends from Bethany, and have been encouraged by the sharing session that we had and the songs we sang, is truly pure joy that the Lord brings to my heart. and that God answers prayers.

well before i know it, it's now the last hour of 2008. it's hard to summarize all i have here, because so much has happened over the year and i can safely declare that my year has been a really good one. i've been thoroughly blessed, well taken care of, provided for and so much more. i made it through my FYP, graduated, went into NIE, made new friends, grown in my faith, travelled so much and most of all, obama won the election! haha.

however, i know the world is in turmoil. and many events have happened that just shocks you to the core. natural disasters, always a common fixture. effects of global warming felt everywhere. political unrest in thailand, america, indonesia, japan, malaysia, zimbabwe, israel-gaza, taiwan. terror attacks in mumbai and the lost of a singaporean life. greedy CEOs begging for the people's money to save their companies while travelling in private jets. greedy man who cheated charities of billions of dollars. the collapse of once-powerful investment firms. retirees losing their pension funds within seconds.

well it's unthinkable, but a truly amazing thing that we can have hope despite all these. that we can trust that all is well, that we can rejoice with the truth, that God is with us. and that

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are the called according to His purpose."
- Romans 8:28

have a blessed year ahead. :)