Inspirational Friendship

A few years ago, on the campus of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I often saw Sarah, Patti, and Rachel together. Whether on the way to class, the library or the dining hall, they could be found talking happily or involved in deep discussion. Sarah and Patti met in their first semester and Rachel became friends with them a few years later. The three young women became the best of friends.

What was unusual about their friendship is that Sarah is visually impaired and Patti uses a wheelchair. Although she was unable to see, Sarah would often push Patti's wheelchair from class to class. Patti provided the eyes, Sarah the propulsion. Sometimes, Rachel provided direction and wheelchair power. Sarah helped Patti with her laundry, and Rachel and Patti both read to Sarah. According to Patti, Rachel was selfless in giving her friends the assistance they needed.

These three friends supported one another physically, emotionally, and spiritually, using their individual strengths to compensate for the weaknesses of the others. Perhaps the strongest element in their relationship was the spiritual support they gave one another. They had great devotional times together, encouraging and challenging one another to be more like Jesus.

(- this article was taken from Our Daily Journey's Jan 14 devotional material.-)

To me, they illustrated what Christian friendship is all about. It is demonstrated in generosity and kindness to others.

I John 3 : 18

Let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

It produces deep relationships and much needed companionship. It sees real needs and responds to them.

In giving, we receive.

In sacrificing, we are richly blessed.

In serving others, our own needs are met.

**************************

Dear sis,

I do not know if you will read this post of mine. I was just reading your latest post on your latest blog. Patience u say. I know it's hard living with this family. I know sometimes, i give u a hard time too, especially in the past. I'm glad we've moved on to a better extend of our relationship, compared to how horrible it was in the past. I don't know if i've ever expressed my gratitude to you for being there for me whenever i needed a listening ear and an understanding, forgiving heart but i want you to know, that deep down in my heart, i really do treasure u; as my sister, and closest girlfriend. As i type this message, tears are flowing and i'm at work! darn it..but it doesn't matter. Anyway, i hope the article above relates and inspires you. We all have funny ways of expressing our love for one another. Sometimes, our actions do not reflect our intentions. Other times, we let anger, frustration and ego get their way. But through it all, let's be patient with one another. Romans 12:12; "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
And remember this. Ultimately, love is where God and family is.

With much love,

your fatty sister :)

***********************

Dear Me,

This article is a good reminder to yourself. You've never experienced the kind of friendship that Sarah, Patti and Rachel have, but nonetheless, you do have some great friends who do not mind going the distance for u.

Friends who would go looking for a red dress with you because you need it ASAP;
friends who don't mind driving you around when u need to do certain chores;
friends who would come all the way to the mamak at your house just to hang out although it's 30 kilometres away;
friends who don't mind you crashing their house when you have nowhere else to go to kill time before an appointment;

friends who try their very best to cheer u up after u've done badly in an exam or test
friends who accommodate you and treat you with so much love and care when they have only known you for months;
friends who share their cooking recipes with you when you ask for it;
friends who would help you solve your craving of eating at a certain restaurant or a certain dish by bringing you there; and

friends who would take pictures with you for multiple tries just so you can settle on one with you looking the best...

You need to learn to give more, and expect less because in giving, we receive. And i'm glad that you've come to realise that for quite some time now. But i still believe there's room for improvement. I know there's a small part of you that wishes you belonged in a group of friends who would always call you out/do everything with you, but hey! isn't that being clique-ish? It may help you feel secure but it may also cause you to be dependent. You're an independent woman. Be content with what you have and don't give room for expectations to creep in cos disappointment might follow suit. You need to love yourself more. Focus on the good stuff of life, not the bad. Learn to love, and still be joyful about it even when others do not love you back. Have the courage to confront your friends when you know something's wrong somewhere. You really need to encourage and challenge one another to be more like Jesus, because that's what's expected of you. Be thankful and grateful at all times, especially for the little things of life that God has so blessed you with. Have faith it'll all work out, as long as you keep the good faith, perservere and continue to run the race.

Love,

Your ownself.

Is it ME?

Your view on yourself:
You are down-to-earth and people like you because you are so straightforward. You are an efficient problem solver because you will listen to both sides of an argument before making a decision that usually appeals to both parties.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:
You like serious, smart and determined people. You don't judge a book by its cover, so good-looking people aren't necessarily your style. This makes you an attractive person in many people's eyes.

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:
You are ready to commit as soon as you meet the right person. And you believe you will pretty much know as soon as you might that person.

The seriousness of your love:
Your have very sensible tactics when approaching the opposite sex. In many ways people find your straightforwardness attractive, so you will find yourself with plenty of dates.

Your views on education:
Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.

The right job for you:
You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.

How do you view success:
You are afraid of failure and scared to have a go at the career you would like to have in case you don't succeed. Don't give up when you haven't yet even started! Be courageous.

What are you most afraid of:
You are afraid of things that you cannot control. Sometimes you show your anger to cover up how you feel.

Who is your true self:
You are full of energy and confidence. You are unpredictable, with moods changing as quickly as an ocean. You might occasionally be calm and still, but never for long.

*****************

I dont find myself with plenty of dates! but other than that..quite true i suppose..
Here's the link for those interested. Apparently it's quite accurate. Be spontaneous! Just give it a go! :)

Try it. http://www.quizbox.com/personality/test82.aspx

If I could turn back time...

I don't know why i did the things i did, and i don't know why i said the things i said
But i wish i could turn back time and undo the damage done

I didn't really mean to hurt you
I just didn't want to see you go
But what's done is done and all that's left now is only memories of us

Can we ever go back to how we used to be?

" You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.

What you'll discover will be wonderful.

What you'll discover is yourself. "

- Alan Alda

Piasau

Isn't the color amazing? So serenely picturesque

Aiyoh, im a real stalker..but i like stalking because it's amazing how much interesting information one can get by stalking because one information leads to another and it goes on and on! All it takes is a curious cat :)
Anyway, i've discovered another interesting place to visit!
Thanks to stalking :)
It's the Piasau Boat Club, Borneo's Premier Sports and Leisure Club in Miri.

I think PBC is a very nice place to take photographs and just chill-lax with friends or strangers..haha!

One day, if i really do plan a trip to Miri, i would want to take a similar picture of the scene at the exact spot.

Sometimes, i wonder if i'm in the right line of career.
A travel spokesperson.
I think that's what i'll do when i've made my money(God-willing) and my kids (God-willing also) are all grown up and independent of their parents.
Its easy money and maximum enjoyment and pleasure...

ahh...

*daydreams of the future

so now its 4 on my places-to-go list...yaay! =D

Honestly, im really thankful for some of the friends i have.
Despite our differences sometimes, especially in terms of opinion, approach and method, we still accept each other; in strength and in weakness.
We're not afraid to share our innermost thoughts and seek consult on the troubles/problems that we face.
Each passing day is an attempt to learn to encourage one another spiritually. sometimes, mentally and physically.
We'd go the distance for one another.
No matter how lame or funny something is, we'll all still laugh. actually, i think we laugh alot at each other. ;p
In a way, we've gone through so much ups and downs together. And guess what, we're still here! We've persevered and made it this far.
In a journey that i thought i would go alone, you guys have made me realise that im not alone after all..
Thanks for always being there, my friend.

Praise God for the blessings that come in the form of friends :)

I had the weirdest dream this morning.
okayy, maybe its not so weird, but it was different..provocative in a different way too.
It felt like i was caught between virtual reality and the REAL reality.
Scary part was my body actually responded in some kind of way to the dream.




Anyway...





Let's not think pervertishly. Its not a wet dream. :)

Currently feeling...

i hung up the phone tonight
something happened for the first time deep inside
it was a rush, what a rush

'cause the possibility

that you would ever feel the same way about me

it's just too much, just too much

why do i keep running from the truth?

all i ever think about is you

you got me hypnotized, so mesmerized

and i've just got to know

do you ever think when you're all alone

all that we can be, where this thing can go?

am i crazy or falling in love?

is it real or just another crush?

do you catch a breath when i look at you?

are you holding back like the way i do?

'cause i'm trying and trying to walk away

but i know this crush ain't goin' away

has it ever crossed your mind when we're hanging, spending time
are we just friends or is there more?

it's a chance we've got to take

'cause i believe that we can make this into something that will last

last forever

** Crush, by David Archuleta

didn't really like the song at first but today, it hit me..

i've actually been feeling every bit of the lyric..

(and nothing connects me more to a song than its lyrics..)

urghh... emo...

ps. i'm really trying and trying hard to walk away..

X-ploration

1st post for the year 2009! woohoooo!

* finally, i have something to blog about.. hmm..

Anyway...

I really like exploring new places, hence, the title to the post.

Why do i like exploring new places? Well, i suppose the adventure is exhilarating and somewhat motivating as well. I've come to realize that new places inspire me and give me a renewed enthusiasm for life. A positive outlook is what i desperately need now!

So what do i do when i have some free time off work but during office hours? I surf for interesting places to visit or go. I check out the reviews written and pictures taken of these such places and i realize how much i've been "hiding" in that tiny shell of comfort of mine, missing out on the many wonders of God's creation all these while. And these places are really close to home actually. Ignorant me!

So well, if there's ONE resolution that i have for this year, it would be to explore more. Currently, i do have some countries in mind..but nonetheless, or more importantly, i have some interesting places within Malaysia that i "die die also must go"..

Currently on the list, i.e. in the midst of planning :)

Sunrise @ Broga Hill

Apparently it is the place to go to catch the sunrise. Honestly, i have not heard of Broga Hill until a colleague told me to check out her Broga Hill pictures on her blog and seeing the pictures taken during the trek flamed my interest. Since it is considerably close to home, i have to check it out.

There are 3 summits altogether. The 1st summit is a great spot to catch the sunrise. The 2nd summit, is said to be much windier and offers a great view of the surrounding rolling hills. The 3rd summit offers a great view of the 2nd summit. It's a short and easy trek all in all. Estimated time of completing all 3 summits, to and fro is by afternoon. Sounds alright to me..hmm..

Bukit Tabur

Also known as Bukit Hangus, this hill is of quartz/limestone combination formation. The Gombak Forest Reserve and Klang Gates Dam are beside the hill so apparently the peak offers a spectacular view of the dam.

A challenging and rocky trek. Bring it on, man!

Mamutik Island, Sabah

Met a friend's boyfriend who is from KK, Sabah recently and so, i had to ask him about Mamutik, an island that i read of while stalking some famous person's blog. It's been bugging me for a while now why Mamutik isn't a famous tourist spot in KK. So this is what i discovered.. Apparently, Sabahans try not to talk about Mamutik so much because they fear it might end up being overused and overpopulated like Manukan. Manukan beach is overrated but Mamutik is definitely underrated. Apparently, it is also one of Sabah's treasured island..which explains why they want to protect it so much. Anyway, the place looks awesome just from pictures..so imagine the real thing! I need to check it out for myself. Beach, bikini, boys, booze.. ooolaaalaaa!

Pulau Tiga, Sabah

Here's where they filmed one season of Survivors. Nuff said.

** it's only 4 places so far, but i don't want to get too ambitious and fail to achieve NONE at the end. Set my goals reasonably and i'll be able to achieve them..God-willing.. :)

I'll have some pictures of the places when the real x-ploration begins!

Can't wait!

Cheers to 2009!