Hoops

This weekend, after staying home and packing, I decided to hit the gym and do some work out. After 30min of gym, we decided to shoot some hoops and play some basketball. After years of not playing, my skills has not deteriorate too much..haha..at least I managed to get the ball through the hoops 80% of the time. After more than 30min of shooting hoops, now, my arms are sore..haha..but it was fun!

Warm weather

The weather has taken a turn, from cold rainy days to warm summer days..bugs are out (and getting on my nerves), birds humming in the morning and of course, the a/c busy at work to keep us from overheating. Yes, we're participating in global warming but the heat is sometimes unbearable. You would think someone who grew up in a country right on the equator would be okay in dealing with the summer heat..but honestly, the heat is so different. It feels so hot and dry, making the heat unbearable. I wish it would be a little bit more humid. Maybe more than a little. Oh well, maybe the next summer would be just humid enough, but probably much much much more colder. Yes, I am emphasizing the coldness! haha...

For now, it's the heat I'll have to deal with. Next, the cold. One weather at a time.

Graduation and stuff..

Back from hibernation and procrastination, I've decided to give my blog a new look, a new sound and now, of course, a new post as the first step to a new chapter in my life. After 4 years in this tiny town, I've finally got my degree. Although these 4 years had it's awkward moments and bad experiences, I've learned and grown so much..and not forgetting, I've enjoyed most of those 4 years. Travels, friends and fun random spontaneousness definitely made things interesting. During graduation week, families started pouring into this small town. Honestly, it did made me a little jealous because my family were not able to make it. Everyone else had someone, and I didn't.. even my sister wasn't here..hmm...but oh well, like I said, graduating with my friends and celebrating with their families were fun. Different, but fun nonetheless. And since my parents could not make it, they sent me 2 dozens of roses! Coming home from an award ceremony one evening and I found a box of roses for me! That made my day and definitely put a smile on my face. The roses bloomed beautifully and waking up to the smell of roses was refreshing.

During graduation, I was awake since 5.30am to prepare for the student leaders awards and breakfast..I was so tired that my makeup was pretty lousy..haha..even my mom said she can't tell if i actually had make up or not...lol..anyways, yawning throughout the day wasn't the best thing either. haha..After the breakfast, I went home to try to get ready and fix my hair a little better. Then, it was picking up my friends who needed a ride and heading towards the arena..and of course, I got the wrong location..haha..luckily, we decided it was odd that we were walking in an opposite direction from everyone else, and followed someone else instead..imagine what it would be like to show up at the wrong place! lol..I know, this is the sort of thing I always do..but we made it on time and got to our different majors. In Finance, I realized that most of my classmates were guys..I wondered what happened to the rest of the girls who were in my class...hmm....anyways, I lost my tassel when a guy bumped into me (I am not that short ok? I just don't understand why these guys keep bumping into me... ^_^"") ..I was frustrated because I was the only one in my row without a tassel. After speeches and stuff, we were finally getting our diploma folder. I was too tired to smile and be excited, not to add that Norwood had difficulty with my name despite the fact that 3/4 were actually made up of english names..I walked across the stage with a frown..it was pretty funny because Dr Liu, our department chair, actually asked why I was so sad and that I should smile..haha..in actuality, I was too tired and confused by many thoughts in my head.. After walking back to my seat, it was another long wait. I think most people in my row almost few asleep while waiting..The entire ceremony was almost 3 hours!

Anyways, after the ceremony, it was a game of hide and seek, trying to locate my bag and stuff..not to mention, to look for my friends who were there to see me and also those who needed me to give them a ride back. It was chaotic and exhausting. Walk, Walk, snap picture, walk, phone call, walk back, pose for picture, walk somemore....at the end of the day, I had blisters on my feet from walking in the wrong directions in everything all day! *sigh* Anyways, the bottom line is I graduated and I found all my stuff, including my tassel! haha..I got calla lilies a card from Monica and ice cream from Stefan! haha..those cheered me up from my blister and exhaustion. After that, I went to the engineering ceremony since most of my friends are graduating too.. (I managed to sneak in at the last 15min due to the ice cream stop..haha)

Anyways, here are some pictures! Enjoy~

Aren't they pretty?

Leadership Walton! with Sara and Renee

Stefan!

Diego!

(Can't believe he wasn't gonna come for the ceremony.. )

***

Stefan & Diego, I'm gonna miss you both!!!!! Can't believe it's been 4 years since we first met at the lobby in Yocum! And you guys took care of me and all those study groups in the middle of the night, late night snacks, and of course, our weekly movie nights..Hope we'll keep in touch wherever we all end up at! Call me when you come to the east coast!

***

Richard!!!

Old main

more old main

I'm tired..

Getting late

I just needed another picture..haha

***

Now that I've graduated, I wish the paperwork from my new school would come so I can go home..hmm..I'm craving so many Malaysian food already..

Rill, we're going to eat to our heart content when I come back! =p

Oh yes, I got into grad school~~~

hi

Hi All!!!

I can't tell if anyone is reading my blog anymore. Seems like everyone is so busy with either work or school..and well, I'm just being lazy..haha..I'll update more tomorrow or so! Just dropping by to say hi and this blog is not dead yet...it's, erm, just hibernating... =p

Stronger

This song is encouraging and so true:

In Awe

Have you ever doubted God?

Have you ever doubted His plans for you?

Have you ever felt that your future looks so dim?

Have you been rejected so many times that all you expect in life is more rejection?

Have you ever lost hope that you think God has maybe forgotten about you?

Have you ever felt so rejected that you doubt the very purpose you were created for?

Have you ever felt so small and un-belonged to this world?

Well, that was how i felt when I was constantly rejected for internships and jobs for the past 3 years. Interviews after interviews, I was constantly rejected. I didn't get it, I had great leadership experiences and I had good grades. Then, when I took the GRE, I didn't do as amazing as I wanted to. Don't get me wrong, I did pretty alright. When I applied to PhD program here at the U of A, I was rejected. It was rejection after rejection. Not to mention the social pressure I face daily, trying to be apart and different from others is not an easy task. I has never been easy to face the world, knowing that I can't fit into the very mold our society has set for each and every one of us. And I probably will never be like every other girls out there. I should be proud to be just me, many wonder how I can stay so strong at times, but what people don't see is I am not as strong as I look. There are times when I started believing in the lies of the world. Until one day, during my Bible study with Jac, God told me to stop depending on my own strength..I have to let Him take control. Those who know me, knows that I like being in control.

When God didn't answer my prayers for internship and jobs, I started taking things into my own hands. I tried to fit in, and failed. I tried massive job applications. Failed. I tried networking on my own. Failed. Well, you can tell, when I depended on me, I failed. I was getting angry and upset that the world kept rejecting me. Then, I read:

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also."

-John 15:18-20


Last month, I started to do my devotion and prayer consistently in the morning. Sometimes, I pray whenever I can. Sometimes, just in the morning. It's amazing how God works in my life when I decided to let God take control in my life. Since then, I have now been accepted to 2 schools for Masters in Economic. I'm still waiting to hear back from 2 other schools, but I am in awe! 2 schools said yes to me when I expected rejection..BEFORE EASTER! I am jumping with joy and beaming..I'm so excited to share my testimony with everyone, and to tell everyone that if you trust in God with all you heart, soul and mind, HE will never fail to amaze you!

I should never have doubted God. Looking back, I had NO reason to doubt Him! He provided me with the best primary school where I learned a lot! He provided me with the best secondary school in the whole country. He provided me with friends who stuck by me, who didn't mind me being different, to look out for me. Even my most notorious friends (not your average skip school kind of notorious, I do mean big time bad influence) looked out for me , esp in bad neighborhoods, as if God Himself was there to look out for me. Oh, and not to forget the Malay bus conductors who would personally check on me on the bus to see if I was ok and not let any weird person sit next to me. He provided me shelter and protection during my 3 months in NS. He provided me with help throughout A-Levels. He provided me a way to study in the US and had allowed random strangers to be right beside me to help me through my journey alone. He provided a great and amazing Christian family to welcome me into this new country in every way possible. He provided me the best roommate I ever had and she is now my best friend. He provided me a way to influence others through leadership. He provided me a bunch of friends to welcome me at Holcombe Hall when I first step to campus, who immediately introduced every single new international student to me. (I do mean EVERY!) He provided me with a close circle of Malaysians who are also Christians to help guide me. He provided me with all the strength and protection I needed to grow. He provided me with my few best best best friends that I met the very first day I arrived, who made sure I was healthy, alive and I had fun! I could just go on and on about how much He had blessed me, but He had provided EVERYTHING for me. So, I never had much of a reason to doubt, because HE had seen me through everything. I never should have doubted and I will try my best to never to doubt HIM again. Trust God..trust that HE has a plan for you..no matter if you have a talent or just an Average Jane like me! You'll be amazed of what He has in store for you.

Listen to this song, and it's amazing!

when in doubt..trust~

All the doubts and headache are being cleared.
My future isn't that dim anymore.
I now see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Thank God for answering my prayers, for constantly providing for me, for always using everything around me to shape and mold me.
I'm so grateful for everything.
I'm jumping for joy~ wee~~~
I should never have doubted since HE has always provided for me, in every circumstances and for everything.
Never Doubt God..HIS plans may turn out to be better than yours!
God has never failed me, and HE never will…