two years later

Jasmine is away from home again, hence the reliving of this blog. I'll still keep the Doulos picture below as it symbolises the beginning. Also because I have no idea how to change it and Huey Sing isn't here with me now is she?

Currently, I sit on a bench in the Auchmuty courtyard in uni on a Saturday afternoon wearing no shoes and licking whats left off the wrapper of my 80 cent chocolate. I've been at uni for... 4 hours now wasting my life/weekend away on an assignment and it looks like I'll remain here for another 2 hours... at least. It's a sunny day as I sit in the shade, the other half of my table is burning up but I'm thankful for that because I think... I think, it keeps the mutated monster mozzies away. Btw, the mozzies here are like jocks - big, vicious but stupid. You can kill them with one hand, shock horror!(it's an aussie term, I think I'm using it right)

Other than jock insects, chocolate and wasting of ones life, I've done at least one thing a week that I will never do at home or at least never thought I'd do in my life. The list so far (as I can remember) -

Jump of a balcony... into a pool
ride a trolley
crawl a drain
go swimming at the beach at night (SO FREAKING AWESOME)... fully clothed, I might add
twirl a stick of fire
play volleyball at the beach and actually served the volleyball the right way (after screwing up ten
million times)
COOK!

Life is good. I like classes and lectures, don't like the work though. I have PE classes where I actually do PE stuff. Man, I've done more PE in the last 2 classes than I ever did in my schooling life! I also have a science subject with a lecturer who has cool stuff from NASA. I held the moon in my hands once.

My house is awesome. How can it not be? I have a pool. though, I must confess(please do not scream) I've only been in it once. Besides the pool of course are the people I live with. Natalie, Bella and Belinda are a bunch of loud crazy people. We went out for dinner on St. Patricks day all dressed in green carrying a green accessory from our kitchen. We sat at the restaurant all made up with a green chopping board, green bottle, green mittens, and a green orange(yes, I too was shock. I thought it was a lime and got laughed at).

I could go on and tell you more stories but I won't. Because it's 3pm-the end of my break. The wasting of ones life shall continue.

ps: number of mozzies killed while writing this post - 3. number of bites - at least 5. We'll see how itchy I get later on.

I love 2008

I do realize I should update this blog since it's the new year and all that. Plus, I do have so much to say about 2008. Even though Jasmine is not away from home for now

What a year!! This time last year, I was so excited for what was installed for me not knowing how great is was going to be. What a contrast from this year to last. Right now, I'm just waiting on God and everything else doing what has to be done and crossing my fingers at the same time. 

I feel like last year was my year. 2008, the year my life begun. 

First I studied like mad for the SAT, then I prepared like mad to leave. At the same time, there was a load of madness weighing down on me that just lifted off the moment I left. 

Then I said my good byes

And I left the country for the first time on a plane on my own. 

Traveled many hours and finally arrived at the ship in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. 

I sailed with the ship to Santo, Vanuatu

Lautoka, Fiji

Suva, Fiji

and finally Auckland, New Zealand

met amazing people

and did amazing ministry 

and was used as a vessel for the almighty God.

Then I went to Australia and lived in Adelaide

then because of Him, learned about Cornerstone and lived in Canowindra for 5 weeks

met and lived with amazing people

was challenged, both inside and out

saw snow, skied

traveled to a few places

Coonabarabran

Canberra

Sydney

Melbourne

Dubbo

Silverton, Broken Hill

Victor Harbour

Castlemaine, VIC

and other places....

God gave me an amazing friend

and we had wonderful times together

I've done, seen and experienced so many things I never thought I'd be able to, not at this stage of my life at least. I was on my own without my parents by my side, and oh how I relied on Him. He was there right by me, holding my hand, leading me, all the time.

All to the glory of God for that. Thank you Lord for the wonderful year you've given me, thank you for keeping your promise that you'll never leave me, thank  you for your provision, thank you for all the blessings you've showered upon me, thank you for the lessons I've learned, thank you for answering my prayers, thank you for the person I've come to be at this point, and most of all thank you for loving me.  Without you Lord, there is nothing, I am nothing. 

I surrender 2009 to you, Lord of my life.