it wasn't me being the fool this time

on the 17th of September marked the very special day for Wendy Wen.
I guess 19 isn't that remarkable, I didn't feel very special on my 19th, I guess the hype of pre 18 and being 18 is over. Maybe the next thing is turning 21. Because the birthday girl had work during the day, ( I know yeah? working on your own birthday?) We decided to have a girls night out in the city.

We made our way to Lygon street for some Italian dinner. I've got to say Lygon st reminds me a little bit like China. There was a whole stretch of restaurants where people would just talk to you, and encourage you to read their menu (marketing stuff). I was a bit annoyed at the first man, partly because i was shocked they did this whole salesy stuff in Melbourne; he was trying to sell us a dinner which to me I don't like. I prefer reading the menu in peace and making my own decision. This other lady really got to me, as we were walking past, the 3 of us just wanted to avoid the sales people after encountering about 5 consecutively. However, this lady blocks my way, and goes 'read my menu' and i keep walking and she just pushes me with her arm (lightly of course, if she pushed any harder I would've cracked it) and says "read my menu, my mother's the chef" At this point, I was really angry, 1. cos she touched me 2. her rude tone she used 3. the forceful nature of her.

Finally we escaped the sales market area, and crossed the road to the other side for a more peaceful stretch of footpath. After reading a few menu's and walking past a couple of delicious looking gelati stores, Wendy picks her restaurant and we made our way in.

For dinner, we had steak, a seafood basket with prawn, scallop, calamari, and fish. And a garlic pizza! Wendy also had this Bailey's alcoholic milkshake, while i settled for some Greek soda, and linda had a sprite. After a long and needed chat, we leave the restaurant and walk down for GELATI! yummmmm. We got a 4 flavoured cup which was nice, except the pistacio flavoured one was a bit weird.

We then headed to Churro's for some dessert. I ordered a chocolate tea, Linda got an affogato, and Wendy had a Mocha. We shared a plate of churros. And this was when the funny stuff happened. Disgusting is what I'd say. Because it was Wendy's Birthday we decided to do something. So Linda first says "Betty, i dare you to finish that caramel dip" So, Yes i did it. Gross but it wasn't that bad. Then I followed with "I dare you to finish the dark chocolate dip" So she did, it was disgustinggggg and we got Video footage of it too. It's of course never going to be disclosed. Maybe at a 21st but yeah, nothing for now. After heaps of laughter and fun times, and linda going on a bit of a chocolate high, we decide to head home.

We went back to my place, where Wendy picked up her cake that Linda got from her bakery, it was quite a nice one- strawberry sponge. Talked to Anna and showed her what silly things we did at Churro's.

Although it was nothing big, we hope you had a great 19th Birthday Wendy Wen !

blogging on the ipod

I'm blogging in my notes section on my iPod right now. so we warned
there will be many typing errors and no punctuation.

Last Thursday, eric organized a birthday dinner for Aaron and myself.
it was at steakhouse on docklands and then after followed by grecos in
crown. the night began with Aaron came and picked me up to head down
to the city. it was a very pleasant evening and the sun started
setting in my face which I got sunburnt from -.- because it was my
birthday (also aarons) however, on the day of my birthday Aaron
promised me that he'd be nice to me for one day. and I chose Thursday!
so he had to be nice to me to the whole evening. he kept mentioning
how I was abusing my power, which I totally wasn't. just being the
usual me.

so as everyone made it to steakhouse. we ordered the steak deal which
was an entrée and a main for $38.50. rather good considering that
steal alone cost $32. I got a medium porterhouse and scallops for my
entrée. others had a scotch fillet steak. and entrée's varied from,
oysters, scallop, calamari salad, quail, and this cold meat/deli
platter. dinner was really nice and company was great. afterwards, I
give eric the "eye" to let him know to bring out Aaron's present. I
made a short speech. partly being mean too, something about being 20
should mark the beginning of independence and how he should not rely
on us anymore (inicating the gps will help him get around, instead of
relying on friends to get around) and just as I finish my speech. eric
pulls out my gift out of no where and says a short speech too. then
Aaron insists that I open the gift first. so I open the gift. it was
long and tedious cos once again my uni friends showed off their humour
by wrapping the box in 30layers of newspaper. sabrina that is. I
finally reached the bottom and I'm touched to see a pair of mimi loves
jimi flats. Aaron follows by opening up his one layered gift to find a
navman gps. he is somewhat shocked and starts to pose at the camera,
resulting in multiple shots of  his shocked face on my camera. -.-

dinner ends and we decide to leave. many wanted to go to crown. and
becuade there were 8 of us. Aaron insists that everyone can fit in his
car. as if! I'm put off by it. aaron calls me a wuss, eventhough he's
meant to be nice. so then as I dreadingly make my way to his car.
Aaron is even beginning to think. oh! i'll put down my car seats which
I think he was insane, but instead he opens us boot and pulls out a
lacoste bag. and says. "you think the shoes were the last of your
presents?"
I was in complete shock, and couldn't believe they put effort in
trying to surprise me since I'm impossible to surprise. Inside the
lacoste bag resided a beautiful tote summer bag which I absolutely
love. eric and sab apparently didn't like it when buying it, while
Aaron kept pushing for it. I love it! can't wait for summer.

so wisely, we decide to make 2 trips to crown. testing out the gps
which failed cos we didn't know how to search crown on it. we have
deserts at greco's, my favourite I've got to say is the strawberry
cheesecake. must have!

the night ended and aaron got me home before the promised time of
midnght.

thank you all uni friends. although many  of you do not know that this
blog exists.

It's times like these when you're reminded how blessed you are

It shouldn't even need to be an occasion of your birthday where you're once again reminded of how blessed you are with a family, friends, and a God that loves you.

Wednesday afternoon. After finishing class at 2pm, I casually make my way to 'the kitchen' the usual place we meet on a Wednesday afternoon for lunch. While waiting I decide to heat up my food in the microwaves, then i seated myself down at one of the tables and waited. Not long i get 3 missed calls from Aaron, and I'm thinking *crap he's prob annoyed that i missed all 3 calls* so i call back and it was Sabrina that called me with his phone 3 times. She tells me to meet her at the bottom of the Menzies building as she needed to 'speak to her bus law tutor'. So i meet her down there, and we soon realise that Eric is 'studying on the 9th floor of menzies' . So I, plan to go up to meet Eric while, Sab goes to see her tutor, and Aaron going to 'the kitchen' to heat up his food. But Sabrina suggests that we all go together, so without further questioning, we make our way back into campus centre to heat up Aaron's food.

Afterwards, we walk back to the Menzies, and we get into the lift. I see Sabrina holding a pile of teaspoons, and i suspect that there's going to be a Birthday cake/song thing that Eric has prepared for. Aaron, on the other hand goes "Sabrina! you cheap asian, taking so many spoons". The lift door opens, and I we see not only Eric, but the rest of our Uni buddies. Wow, was i surprised. More surprised was Aaron as he had no idea at all. Eric and Sabrina had organised a cake.

Beforehand when i bumped into Eric prior to my class he told me he was just meeting up with a friend, while he was actually going to pick up the cake. (sneaky friends) LOVE you all. We ate cake, took photos, and had a great time of fellowship.

The family come down under

mt buller

14/07/09 Unigroup trip to Mt Buller

4:00 wake up
4:30 at kevs
4:50 depart
7:30-45 hire snow gear
8:30- arrive at Mt Buller
9:00- on our way up Blue Bullet chair lift
12:00 - lunch at Village
1:30- Continue skiing/ Snowboarding
2:30- Trying some Blue runs
3:30- Family run, Howqua, Summit
4:00- hiking back to The top of Holden express
4:15- Mr snowmobile offers me a ride on his bike
4:30 back at Village
5:00- depart Mt Buller
6:00- Returning hired gear, toilet stop
8:45- Boxhill for a late dinner
10:00- Home

So yes, that was pretty much our itinerary. It was insane! the conditions were quite shocking. Ice particles (icicles) would stab into your face for a good 5 minutes on the Holden express chair lift. It was a painful experience for many of us. Other funny things such as the boys failing to go up the T-bar. It was t-bar 6 kev 0 . Poor Kev, he even grazed his knee on it. Another funny thing was when Rosalie started to slowly snowboard down the hill, Brian follows saying "I'm next!" and instantly stacks it face first. Many other funny things such as colliding, and getting skis and snowboards tangled when getting off chair lifts.
It was one long 20 hour day. But an extremely fun, and exhilarating experience. Fun Fun Fun :)

2 month review

I do believe it is time for another post. It's been quite a while, and heaps has happened. Let me try to recall what has happened in the past 2 months. hmmmmm ahhhh .... *thinking very hard*

• Jessie's 18th at Eve
• Mid sems
• Asean Ball
• Felicia's birthday
• Toy's R Us orientation
• Baptism classes
• Baptism
  
• a few meetings here and there
• Exams!
• After exams partayyyy :)
  

I think they have been the major things that have happened because i found these things mapped in my diary; so yeah, i guess that is basically what I've done in the past 2 months or so.

I really can't believe time has flown by so quickly to think about it I'm already 1/6 of my way through uni 5 more semesters and I'm finished, that is quite insane. I wonder what I'll be like in that time.

As for now, I've put in my application for Melbourne uni next semester, that will only happen if I get a 75 GPA. let's hope I do get that, but if I were not to get it, I guess it is God telling me that Monash is where i should be.

It's really funny how God speaks to us, sometimes God gives people visions, or even a voice. But lately God has really spoken to me through passages. Let is be devotion books, the bible, or even simply the blog of another.

There was one time when a uni friend was giving me a lift home when we got into a conversation about 'fearing the lord'. I had been pondering about that for a while, and I was told that fearing the Lord was to honour him, and please God. I totally agreed. Afterwards, God once again spoke to me through this book I'm reading now called ' The uncommon woman' (making an ordinary life extraordinary). And there's this passage that just reaffirmed my questioning.

When we sin and we are quick to repent to both God and man - We are walking in the fear of the Lord.

When we are considerate of others' fellings without giving them the power to decide our value- we are walking in the fear of the Lord.

When we are willing to step out in faith to places that are beyond our reach- regardless of the cynicism of others- we are walking in the fear of the Lord.

When we pursue a holy, obedient life and entrust our reputation to the Lord Almighty- we are walking in the fear of the Lord.

I found that extremely relevant to me, those words just spoke truth. And once again God continues to amaze me:) Praise the Lord!

University life at Monash has been quite good. I spent the last week going to uni every day to study Management. And thankfully everything i had studied for did come out on the exam :)

Toy's R us is opening soon and i've been given a few training shifts before the grand opening :) I'm quite excited. I do believe I will be working at the registers, so that shall be a new and exciting experience.

Well that is all from me now.

Church camp 2009

Church family camp 2009
Date: 10-13 April 2009
Camp site: Rawson Village
Theme: Cross
Speaker: Doctor John Juster aka Doc John aka our youth pastor to be!
Clue: Intense

Camp to sum it up in a word would be, awesome, actually awesome does not even come near to how great it was.

After a long ride taking the wrong "scenic route" I had my head spinning around in circles. Not ready to leave my life in Melbourne behind; the feeling of getting sick once again, after getting better from a months worth of sickness, my uni assignments and mid sems creeping up, worrying about making uni friends, keeping up with being a youth leader. Everything just felt like a burden.

Being a leader i'd been asked many questions from my kids such as "what's happening at camp?", "what are we doing at camp?" "Are we having games, will there be free time?"

And my answer was "I honestly don't know"

When Doc John announced that it was 'Inspection' it meant: no mobiles, no electronics, no magazines, no homework, no books, no FOOD! ( i bought $20 worth of food), no beloved cup noodles!I shrieked, my kids were in shock, everybody wasn't happy. I felt empty, ninja-ed, and i don't think anybody likes the feeling of being ninja-ed. Although it was not the first time i had no reception( fungus camp at camp Howqua had no reception) but it was a really hard experience for me as i was waiting for that one phone call for my job offer I'd been waiting for 2.5 months. I prayed and said to myself, it's okay, have faith and God will provide. During the camp it actually felt good not having my phone around, less of a burden, something I didn't have to think about, something I didn't have to worry about losing.

The first night we sat around in our camp groups. My group consisted of Matt, Clarie, Michelle, Paul, Lillian, Jonson, and myself. Doc John imposed questions challenging us about our church community. We discussed upon topics of, feeling inferior, unity, fusion services. Whilst this was happening Sam (one of the camp committee organisers) pulled people one by one to our prayer stations. I had absolutely no idea what Doc John had installed for us. The worst thoughts came into my mind, being blindfolded, and the feeling of being placed outside in the cold somewhere in the middle of the night. My mind screamed "no! im not ready for this!" It was my turn. My eyes read 'fear' Sam knew i was scared. He asked me "are you ready?" and I replied "NO!" But it was my turn to go. He lead me out into the cold, I hesitently baby-footed my way down to the stations with the voice of "It's okay, i'm here, I won't let go, I won't let you fall" It reminded me of God, the times that we fail, the times where we are so low, the times he doesn't seem to be there; God is carrying us. At first when i got lead into the room, and had to read the directions, i was scared. After reading the instructions I was blindfolded again, and lead to sit. Someone came out to get me, lead me into a room, and it was Clifford. This station was about letting go of our idols, I knelt infront of the box of distractions we all face everyday, from everybody's mobile, to cup noodles, It really made me reflect on how many things we place before God. I apologised to God and felt very bad for the lifestyle i'd been living in the past. After completing the rest of the stations, it was my bed time 1 am! now call that intense

The next morning we had breakfast, and Sharon lead us in worship. It was the day where we

to be continued