glitter amidst intensity

Been back at uni for a week... my brain's still fried... I really do pray that it recovers soon. Had lots on my mind as well. I've had quite a few talks with God regarding vunerability, insecurity, rest, friendships and relationships recently, and funnily, a few close friends shared that they were also pondering on similar issues. I've been encouraged reading what Tom wrote in his blog about friendships and I'm currently loving his band Uncle Joe's track "It's your still small voice".

It's your still small voice I hear
Whispering to me
And how I feel so close to you
I can feel you breath
I feel I can't live
Unless you live in me
I feel I can't be
Unless you're near

Take away my stubbornness
Take away my pride
Take away my glory
In you I will reside
I know that I have said this
I've said this all before
But I will say it any way,
I can give you more

You're all I want, all I need!

My simple words cannot express
My thoughts cannot compare
The beauty of your sacrifice
The beauty of your care
It makes me weep to think of it
You're watching from above
Oh lord I think I'm coming back
To my first love

You're all I want, all I need!

In between my scarf knitting time and uni, I managed to go to Matty's 21st last night at a Freo pub. It was relaxing - eating ice-cream and dancing. And an additional plus was that I was able to meet up with quite a few of my Canadian classmates throughout the night! (here are just a few pics taken last night)

jess, marj, leanne and jj + azza, matt j, bryce, matty

happy 21st Matty!

it just keeps on going

Just finished my first prac at a primary school. I got placed in a Year 6/7 class. Being very unfamiliar with what kids were like at that age my initial thinking was that they were like young adolescents, bratty, hormonal etc... I totally overestimated! They were the sweetest batch of kids, and I felt very lucky to have them as my students. While I loved the kids, I found it very very difficult to plan my lessons. I had many 'I didn't get much sleep' nights while writing out lesson plans, working them out in my mind, creating worksheets and tasks for them to do, etc. By the end of my prac I just felt that my brain was totally fried and wasn't able to plan another lesson. Although it was a lot of work, I really enjoyed the time I got to spend at the school... no, in fact I loved it. It's heaps more practical than the stuff I'm learning at uni, cuz I actually get to see the reactions and responses from my students, and that's just something theories can't prepare you for. Going back to uni on Monday... (the less enjoyable part of this course!) gotta teach a 20 min lesson of Mandarin in my LOTE/ESL class on Tuesday... and have massive assignments due later too!!! It just never seems to end. Over our lunch breaks during the prac, we (the student teachers) would encourage one another "don't worry, it'll all be over in November!"... Really? If I got a job next year teaching, I think I would be spending quite a bit of time planning what I will be teaching and assessing the students... I don't think the busyness will ever end will it?!... just have to learn to adjust and balance it all out! I'm just finding the whole situation quite amusing at the moment...

a full on week

My cousin Kenneth and his friend Ren came over from Taiwan last week and I must say it was one of the best weeks I've had here in Perth. Because we were living in Hong Kong and my cousin in Taiwan, we never really got to know one another well. I somehow managed to make it through the busy week. Went to uni, did some sightseeing with Kenneth and Ren, ate heaps, celebrated mom's birthday then Syl's birthday, went to my classmate's surprise birthday party, went out and checked out Aussie beers with the Taiwanese tourists, went karaokeing, etc... It was really sad and emotional having to say goodbye to my grandma, my cousin and Ren... but I guess the good memories will always remain.

my popo + whatever

sarah and the boys + nicole and her flatmates

superheroes + ann & jess

at hog's breath + mom, popo and kenneth

c-o-o-o-l + sarah & bryce

kenneth + sarah & ann

sarah, ann & ren + posers

breathing again (just!)

I had four assignments to hand in last week, two of them were lesson presentations plus a write-up. It was my killer week. If you saw me last week you'd have known that I was a complete zombie and I'm still recovering from it. What I did learn from my past week was that I can get easily stressed out, and I am also a procrastinator - what a combination! I suffered quite a bit physically and emotionally, but I ploughed it out eventually (mentally telling myself that it'll all be over on Thursday). Just when I thought I was able to have a fantastically relaxed, do anything I want type weekend, I found out on Wednesday that my cousin from Taiwan was to arrive in Perth with his friend and stay with us for a week before bringing my grandma back home with them. So Saturday morning instead of sleeping in I was awake at 6:30am to accompany my mother who still doesn't quite know her way to the airport to pick them up. I ended up bring the chauffeur for the weekend (we checked out Freo on Saturday afternoon - fish & chips and coffee, and the Universal Bar on Saturday night - for some real Aussie beers). Although I am still quite zombie-like, I'm really loving hanging out with my cousin. I'll update more later. But for now I need to catch up on some sleep!

slow learner

I have decided that I'm actually a very slow and stubborn learner. Recently I've been learning and relearning about - surrendering and making challenging choices. Even just a few days ago I was stressed about really trivial issues, it really made no sense to me what I was feeling all I knew was that I was feeling really down and anxious about things. I said to a friend a few weeks back that I was thinking of being more involved with the youth/ young adult ministry, and I left it as that. Funnily and sure enough within a week I was approached by different people asking me about my interest in roles available. I've been pondering about my self-esteem and confidence, doubting my own abilities and feeling intimidated. I was really amazed about God's efficiency, He heard my conversation with my friend and then answered it. He sees my heart and potential, He doesn't see me the way I see myself. I need more faith in Him. Surrendering I think for me will always be an ongoing lesson that I will have to continue to learn.

my grandma

We received the news this afternoon that my grandma 嫲嫲 (dad's mother) had just passed away peacefully after lunch in Malaysia. She would have been 87 years old this year. Mom and dad and two of my cousins have flewn back to Malaysia for the funeral (Thursday 31st). I wasn't able to go back, so I'm at home with Sarah and my other grandma 婆婆 from Taiwan.

It made me look back and remember what an awesome woman my grandma was. Some of my memories: She flew to Hong Kong from the tropical country just for my birth and braved the harsh winter months; she was a nifty tailor and we all wore pyjamas made by her when we were little; she told us that we had to drink Milo to grow taller; the malay phrases she always used 'ais-krim', 'roti' etc. She will be missed but not forgotten.

my grandma's 80th birthday ('98)

it's another long weekend

HAPPY EASTER!


b.c. comic 21st March 2005

Riverview's got three Good Friday services - 9 & 11am and 3pm.
And looking forward to hearing reports from the Vine's Davao and Sri Lanka mission trips.

a year in review

Time has gone by, and without realising it I've been in Perth for a year and seven days now. Looking back, so many things have happened (and I'm sure I've missed quite a lot out)- in chronological order: my cousin Syl's wedding, went to Melbourne for my friend Andrew's wedding & my other cousin Michelle's wedding, met up with Ruth and met Anna for the first time in person, hung out with Rachel while she was at YWAM Perth, Riverview's Encounter worship recording, went to Sydney for Hillsong 2004 conference and got to meet up with my friends from HK, Sarah and Mom moved over to Perth, started going to cell group, volunteered at the church office, painted the entire house with Sarah, moved into our new home in Leeming, started going to Youth/ Young Adults on Friday nights, joined the choir, became a partner of Riverview, found Maree at church, had my birthday, went to Karri Valley and Margaret River with my family, young adults rivercruise, was a witness at my high school friend's wedding, had our first Christmas in Perth with all my relatives, officially started singing in the choir, got my driver's licence, started uni, got a new car... God has definitely answered my prayers, He has provided me with an awesome church and friends that are amazing.

Of course, I do miss Hong Kong... my friends back there, the vine, the food, the shopping, the transportation system, the atmosphere, the place where I grew up. But I know that I'm here in Perth because He has placed me here for a reason, and I love that fact.

believe

Got 2 assignments to go before the weekend and then I have 2 weeks of holiday! Yay! Really excited about the break... I mean after 8 intense weeks of uni it's definitely a good thing. Hopefully my brain will be able to bounce back from its mushy state.

My sister has been promoting Hong Kong's Whence He Came to everyone in Perth, and she's actually converted quite a few people. (Josh and Ephraim you should consider hiring her as your promoter!) One guy loves WHC so much that he decided after hearing that all the band's merch has sold out, to make his own WHC t-shirt. He actually designed and screen-printed his own t-shirt out of scratch. Evidence shown below (note: yellow shirt is an original WHC t-shirt).

WHC fans in Perth

I have been blessed with awesome friends who have shared their wise thoughts and experiences as well as prayed with me recently as I went through quite a bit of emotional stress and was feeling up and down. Here's the poem that my friend wrote, which really encouraged me.

Believe that today's hardships have taught you a lesson
And that tomorrow you will put that lesson to use.
Believe that when the winter of life sets in it's always followed by a rainbow of hope
Believe that each step will not only take you closer to where you want to be
Believe it will make you WHO you want to be
Believe in imagination
Believe in your dreams
Believe in your strength
Believe beyond circumstances
Believe in resilience
Believe in persistence
Believe in beauty
Use all of this belief
And believe in yourself

Leanne Selby ©

light relief

I don't know about other people, but I know after 4 weeks of the intro course and now into my 2nd week of semester one, my brain has already turned into mush. I'm trying hard to organise my assignments and get my readings up-to-date (what a near impossible task!) Stepping aside from uni stuff... I have been able to spend time with my friends which has been really wonderful. I went to the Switchfoot concert last week, and it was just brilliant! Watched the Oscars the other night with my friends on our new plasma 42" screen, comparing our own Oscar winners on our form guides... and there must be quite a few people born in February and March cuz there seems to be birthday parties happening every weekend. Here are just a few pics from my friend Aimee's party (courtesy of Sarah's camera)

the birthday girl and i + bryce and serg

craig and sarah + me surviving uni

And here are the pictures taken on my camera at Aimee's 21st.

And this is the Mandarin ring tone that I really want on my mobile phone... and another bit of music entertainment.

being a reflective practitioner

Now in my 4th week of uni, I've been learning to write and reflect about the various things I've learnt and the questions I may have about them. For the past 2 weeks I have been observing a primary and a secondary school. I have to say it was definitely an eye-opener for me. Perhaps I've been bombarded with too much talk on reflection from my workshops and lectures, but recently I've found the sermons at church relating to the things I've been learning at school. Weird? Coincidence? Divine? The other day I had a bit of a revelation about my Christian walk. As a silly grad dip student I've analogised it with my 3 unit objectives from my course (yeah what a geek! but it did help me see the light) I'll try to explain it briefly: i) the function of schooling - church is an institution just like a school, and it's role is to help establish relationships, it's a community ii) the diverse roles and responsiblities of teachers - leaders in church help look after the community, caring, and responding in appropriate ways to help nuture others, it's not just talking about the bible, but being relevant iii) the differing abilities and needs of students - we're all students, learning; even teachers who strive to be teachers are learners, we all have different issues in our lives, different backgrounds, but we have one thing in common, we want to learn more about our God our Father.

I've been really struggling with finding a balance in my life for a while now, and my sister gave it to me straight the other day that it was really upsetting her seeing me the way I am knowing the potential that is covered by my constant fits of stressing out. It really made me wake up and I felt so much peace once she finished saying all she had to say to me. Balance is not mine to control, my life isn't for me to control, balance is in the stillness that I find when I wait for Him. Sunday night's church service was called 'Still' and Paul Morrison had some amazing points. One of the things that really interested me was that we live in a very very busy and noisy world now compared to 20 years ago that it now takes over 2,000 hours just to record one second of pure silence (compared to around 3 hours to record a second of pure silence back in those days). How crazy is that!

Anyway on a lighter note... a few more pics. Apologies I only uploaded my pictures off my camera the other day and have got pics from last year... oh well better late than never!... Bits of household news: my brother has been in town for almost a month, he's leaving on Saturday, we've been able to hang out with my cousins quite a bit which has been lots of fun, it'll be very sad when he leaves. My auntie and cousin came over for a short visit from Taiwan during their Chinese New Year holidays, my cousin is so into LOTR that he got play versions of Froddo's cape, the ring and the sword in the city, plus Sarah gave him our stuffed toy parrot Puffy which he adores. Two baby birds have hatched, grown up and now almost ready to leave their nest in our passionfruit vine permanently, we'll miss them when they fly away! What a long entry this has become, I'll stop for now!

the cousins 'da pai' in action + Mose playing mahjong

at JP and Yoshi's marriage registration + karina and leah (happy birthday on the 18th!)

one of the baby birdies + the babies all grown up

our pet koi called Ugly + my cousin Nathan

happy year of the rooster

It just dawned on me this weekend, that it is Chinese New Year this coming Wednesday, the year of the rooster! Unfortunately no one over here seems to celebrate it. Plus the nice summer weather is a huge difference to the freezing New Years! I think that this year is the first year I have not been in Hong Kong to celebrate CNY. I'm thinking of all the yummy food I'm missing out on, and all the post-CNY sales, and the many packets of laisee that I will not be able to 'dau' this year!... I will not cry!

祝你新年快樂! 身體健康! 萬世如意!

back to school

I've just completed my first week of uni... I must say it's very weird being back at school. I think I've been pretty overwhelmed with the stuff what has been bombarded on us in class, and I have heaps of reading to do plus a journal as part of my assessment. Although this course is pretty intensive, I'm finding it quite interesting and challenging... I'm supposed to be observing schools and teaching a segment of a class in 2 weeks time... erm ok!

This year my family got to celebrate Australia Day at the foreshore (along the Swan River) with about another million other people (it's the biggest event of the year in Perth)... had a picnic there with some family friends and watched about 40 minutes of fireworks! A spectacular event!

I haven't been taking many pictures lately, but I thought I'd just put a few semi-recent pics from my sister's camera up of our friends from church and us.

on the way to the river cruise + some of the gorgeous people at the river cruise

adrian and karlee + bryce

playing in our pool + creatures of the deep

des, serg and marj + sabina

the price of freedom

My first week of driving by myself has been extremely meaningful! For starters on my first day of being on my Ps, my friend came over to Perth from Melbourne and after hanging out with him as I drove down the road I was pulled over the road by cops for a breath test and a licence check! It was pretty hilarious, cuz I knew the cops would pick on P-platers but I didn't think it'd happen to me so soon! Been driving in the old white Ford Falcon, as it doesn't have a CD player, I've been familiarising myself with the local radio stations here... I found a Spanish programme, and also a Christian worship music station only available when in Kwinana (the southern outskirt of the city aka almost country) With the price of petrol increasing, I was very fortunate to have found a station with 88.9c price... esp beneficial cuz my car guzzles the fossil fuel. Hung out with my cousin Syl quite a few times this week which has been really great cuz she's normally very busy with work and all... and we watched Finding Neverland (totally recommend it). Also got to go to Planet Shakers (an awesome 4-day youth conference) on Friday night for the rally, I was so blessed by it... worshipping with over 2,000 people, I just felt so close to God, in a way I haven't felt in a long time, and although it was a gentle feeling, I couldn't speak for a long time after the meeting just because I was so overwhelmed.

On a quirkier note... this is something I read from Phil's blog this week which will make you reconsider if Nemo's dad was supposed to be his mother!

My brother is coming over from Sydney tomorrow to be with us for a few weeks! Can't wait to hang out with him!

watch out WA roads!

I'm officially a Western Australian provisional licence holder today! That means I don't have to scab rides off people anymore! It'll be another 2 years before I get my full licence, but for now I'm very content having the P-plates stuck to my car.

a new year with lots of room for changes

I had an awesome Christmas with my family this year... all my dad's brothers and their families were in town to celebrate the festive season. By the end of the week, I think all of us cousins became really good at playing Absolute Balderdash and Taboo!

I'm looking forward to this year, 2005. Perhaps it's because of Christmas and stuff, but I totally forgot to mention in my previous post that I got accepted into Murdoch University's Graduate Diploma in Primary Education course! I am so chuffed! It was my first preference and it's also the closest uni to my house, so travelling to school will be easy! I'll be starting uni earlier than most people (24th Jan) because I have to attend the introduction unit to the course! I was supposed to go back to Hong Kong with my family for a week at the end of January, but with the course starting extra early... I'll have to plan my own trip back there another time I guess. Anyhow, I have a feeling it's going to be an intense year!

merry christmas

I passed my driving assessment today! 25 hours of the log book and a hazard perception test and I'll be on my Ps! Woohoo! What a great Christmas present for myself! Will be singing in the choir for the first time tonight in the Christmas Eve services (Theme: Christmas meets the Castle) at church. The drama team have done an outstanding job of an adaptation of the movie ('The Castle'), I watched the rehearsal last night, and it was hilarious! Finished all my Christmas shopping, so I'm going to relax and enjoy this festive season now!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

the ridiculous

I've got a cold! Yes it's summertime now! I'm not too sure how I got it, but I guess it gives me a good excuse to rest, reflect and stay at home (meanwhile Sarah has gone to the beach and it's a darn good day for the beach, what a bummer for me). Finally got my new bed 2 days ago, so I now sleep in my own room (yes the pink coloured room), my brother's grey room is going to miss Sarah and I's presence. Ooh, I'm going for my driving test on Friday (Christmas Eve), really pray that I pass!

utterly exhausted

Had a very very productive week last week and I still haven't recovered. My family (except moses who's still in Sydney) + 6 other relatives went down south to Margaret River and Karri Valley for 4 days! It was a fantastic trip, got to spend time with my family; eating, eating, and more eating; checked out some wineries, the cheese factory, the soap factory; went hiking, canoeing and swimming; etc. Straight after the trip, Sarah and I went to the Young Adults' end of year bash - the River Cruise... lots of dancing and everyone looked very very nice that evening. Saturday and Sunday went by way too quickly, and so the week continues... I still haven't recovered. Still tired and now have a sore throat to add more intensity to my already aching body. I guess it doesn't help that the weather has been rather crazily hot too, it was 41.5C yesterday... I was melting so badly. Ooh on a more exciting note, Sarah and I got accepted into the choir officially. That means we will be able to sing fo the Christmas services! We're pretty stoked about it! Hmmm I'll post some pics of last week's happenings later... good night!

being 25

Has there been much change now that I have turned 25 (yes, I'm constantly reminded that I'm over a quarter of a century old) Well I still feel the same way, talk the same, and although I'm pretty sure I've gained a couple more pounds... I'm still generally relatively similar. Thought I'd share some pictures of my first week of being 25. I had a party at home on Saturday night with my relatives and friends, it turned out to be a pretty big thing! There were heaps of food too. One thing that struck me most was that it was rather strange having my birthday on a hot day... I'm used to having my birthday in autumn. Sunday was a birthday party for a girl from church, and a whole bunch of us went down to the riverside and chilled out for an entire day before the 6pm service. I got to go biscuiting (kindda like water skiing, but you sit in giant rubber rings) which was heaps of fun, and got to sunbathe and actually turned a few shades darker (something that hasn't happened to me in the longest time). And I also got to catch up with Maree and Daniel on Wednesday - we took a stroll along Shelley River, and if you look closely at the picture of Maree and I, you'll even be able to spot the sparse skyscrapers in Perth's CBD. A pretty awesome first week, 51 more of those to come!

high school reunion! + Marj & Jay - my beautiful friends from Young Adults

my beloved cousins + Yoshi, Anna & Ruth

my crazy cell group + the boys biscuiting

the painless way to get abs - draw them in with zinc + in the process of browning!

maree and i next to the shelley river + daniel and maree

coincidence?

Guess who I met last night? Lolly (who flew in yesterday morning) and I went to Riverview's New Comer's Night last night, we arrived a little earlier, so we grabbed a drink and plopped ourselves in the nearest seating arrangement. The event was about to begin and as I turned my head towards the entrance, who did I see... MAREE HERATH and baby Daniel from The Vine Christian Fellowship HK! We were both amazed that we found each other. I knew that Maree and her family were going to move back to Perth even before I left HK but never got her contacts. I had tried to get her details off others and her likewise about me but no one responded back to us. It was just a divine encounter! I mean what are the chances of me bumping into her. Here are the side details... I had been wanting to attend a New Comer's Night for a while now (the event only occurs once every 3-4 months) and I had already missed 2 of these events because I wasn't able to make it both times due to various reasons. Maree has only been to Riverview Church for 6 weeks and heard about the church from Kate Bowen-Jones. I attend the Sunday 6pm service, whereas Maree has been checking out the Sunday 11am one. Think about it, if I had attended a New Comer's Night previously, I wouldn't have gone last night. I wouldn't have bumped into her at church cuz we go to different services. And even if we were in the same service, there's a slim chance of us actually seeing each other cuz there are lots and lots of people at the services. There just isn't such a thing as a lucky coincidence! I feel incredibly blessed to have connected back with Maree and looking forward to catching up with her soon!

I'll back track... Last Sunday, my family and I went abalone catching with some of my parents' friends. Coming from HK where abalone is all the rage and ranked highly in the eyes of seafood lovers, we were pretty pumped to actually catch these things ourselves. We only got 2 licenses among us 4... each license is restricted to 20 abalones per day. The abalone season around Perth's metropolitan area is from November to mid-December and only on Sundays... so it's only 6 catches possible. Anyway Sarah and I managed to join dad and the uncles out on the rocks and used screwdrivers to pry the abalones off the rocks. I have a new found respect for abalone catchers... it's pretty rough and dangerous out there! I got swept off by a couple of waves and now sport some new bruises and scratches around my body, Sarah lost a flip-flop (not to self: wear enclosed shoes next time!), dad lost a screwdriver. The regulations say you can only catch abalones that are larger than 60mm, so it makes the catch so lucrative. I was able to catch a couple pretty big ones. There were lots of Asians at the beach (typical Asians all stocking up on abalone for the year). The conclusion of the catch - awesome! Hoping to be able to go again next week.

everyone working hard! & my catch of the day

On a side comment, I received these links a few days ago and I loved this and also this. Although I haven't watched Super Size Me (I've heard lots about it), I don't think it'll deter me from going to Maccas. I agree with Cliff, stop playing the blame game, we've been given choices, make them wisely!

ancient? old?

I'm sitting here in front of the computer because I can't sleep... must be due to the many coca-colas I had at Yoshi and JP's apartment tonight (plus the tea before that!) I'm supposed to wake up around 5am to go and fish for abalone with the family... ooh I reckon it's going to be painful! Is it from ageing?

Hanging out at Brando's after Young Adults on Friday night, the conversation topic that came up time and time again was about being "ancient" and "old"... I think it was probably cuz we all celebrated a guy's 25th birthday and everyone else from the group are mainly between the age of 18-21. Gosh I thought (and declared out loud), I was being catergorised under the "ancient and old" heading... how horrific!

Like Ruth, I have been finding myself thinking about turning the age of twenty-five. I guess there are definitive years in our lives... Age 18 - you can get your permanent ID card in HK, you're officially considered an adult, you get to vote, you can start driving a car, and for me it was the year I went to uni. Age 21 - gee I don't know, but it's the year you throw the biggest party, I guess that makes you even more of an adult, and for me that was the year I graduated from uni and started my first permanent job. Age 25 - I get the impression that people are expecting great things to happen once you reach this age, like have a true calling (area you really like to work, commit yourself in), have a special relationship with someone, be extremely independent, earn packets of money, to be focused (or at least look semi like that).

The reality for me... a girl asked me on Friday night how I felt about not being in a relationship (after the age question). At first I was a little taken back cuz I had only met her about 20 mins before, but as I answered her I felt that I was being reaffirmed - that I was secure about myself and with my relationship with God that I wouldn't dare add a relationship in my life that would compromise that situation. I had done it before when I was extremely insecure and just needed lots of physical contact (in my first and second year of uni) in the end I was almost shattered emotionally and spiritually, and I probably hurt many people in the process. Sure I'd love to be in a relationship, perhaps find the man and get married, but it's alright for now. After finding out that I wasn't going to be doing speech pathology next year, I was initially pretty bummed. And as I talked to other people about my situation concerning my future, I was inspired (thanks Liz K + Asti), so I put my foot down and applied to do the graduate diploma course in primary education next year. I have to thank Joe and Katie who were my angels that checked my personal statement I had to hand in. I have yet to know the result... but I feel that I have put my fear of rejection back, and stepped out in faith, and I'm at peace about it. I can't control my life, there are too many factors that I can't grasp, all I can do is surrender. I believe that my God will be able to handle it just fine! As for turning twenty-five... I'm really looking forward to it! It's going to heaps of fun! (what's the point in using anti-ageing creams when you can't see the difference on young baby skin?! - it's a challenge!)

settling in

It has been over a month since I last updated and so much had happened in between then. My family and I moved into our house. It's quite an adjustment from having lived in apartments all my life. Been learning to garden, clean the pool and the fish pond, etc... all very very mundane things that consume heaps of time. And we now have internet access - FINALLY!

Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing here in Perth, and what on earth God wants me to do here. Over the past month this question went through my head a million and one times. I didn't get into the graduate course I wanted to take. I panicked, I feared, I prayed, I felt peace from God, I let it go (perhaps it's not the time, or it just isn't supposed to be) I'm now working at church, and it has been good meeting lots of new people. I joined the choir (after an audition! how scary is that!). Cell group has been good. Hmm I'm glad with what I have now... I guess.

Church had its annual RISE conference (think Hillsongs WA-style), and this year was awesome. There were some awesome speakers: Wayne Alcorn, Sy Rogers, John & Helen Burns, Greg Laurie, Phil Baker, Parachute Bane and Marina Prior. I was given the opportunity to volunteer for the registration, so I was able to work and also able to sit in for most of the sessions. The theme this year was "Great Expectations". What was interesting was that the speakers were all talking about past relationships and relationships in the now and dreams. I felt God was speaking to me about my past. Previously when my sister and I would talk about our past, she'd be able to speal on about the events that happened and I wouldn't be able to remember a thing. I've been praying that I'd be able to remember more about my past as I realised something must have happened in the past to stop me from remembering such memories. Over the 3 days of the conference, I felt that I was given some insight about my past. It was some pretty full on stuff. All I can say now is that I can't control everything and have things figured out all the time... God's the one in control. I can do 'ministry/things' with all my heart but without God, it wouldn't work one bit!

So I'm trying not to worry about what's in the future, but at the same time dream dreams and let my dreams flow out and pour it out to God and let Him touch them.