In a Blink of an Eye

"Time flies when you are having fun."

The last 9 months have seriously felt like a blink of an eye. When i think back it feels like Chinese New Year was just yesterday and I just got to Brunei. Now it basically the end of September and October is just around the corner! Where did all the time go? In a few days it will be Thanksgiving back in Vancouver! oh how ill miss this fall season.. In a few days it will be my birthday! ...and In a few months time it will be Christmas! Even though Brunei is a slow and steady country... days still pass by really quickly... i dont really understand why.. except that i must be having fun!

today went to a family friends wedding, in the morning got to see all the really traditional chinese practices at their home.  i often wonder how weddings work if Christ isn't at the center of their lives. it is just something i ponder about. Wedding days always seem to end to quickly! You spend months planning and preparing and waiting..and then the day comes and goes so fast! Also like Christmas too hahaha i think...

This coming week is gunna be either really boring.. or really interesting...im hoping the later.. parents are off to china..and ill be holding down the fort =]

Lord Thank You today for:
1) Family friends in Brunei that are so helpful. Car battery died yesterday went to dad's friends store before the wedding we were in a rush.. and he was like no prob changed the car battery in 5 mins.. the best part here is like ask can pay later..CAN no problem! hahahaha wow!! such small things like that is amazing leaving without pay.. lol its like stealing! ...so much trust here
2) Amazing home cooked food!! had to hold back so much at the wedding house
3) being able to understand hokkien
4) having a spa across my mom's store! =]
5) txt msgs
6) the nice dinner reception.
7) safety driving
8) the awesome storms here that remind me of God's power
9) pretty dresses
10) Bumping into Ah Sin koko at the wedding and him ordering a cake from me 

No looking back!

this morning went to check out kitchen equipment ... wahh this is really happening! bistro update: tiles are going down, walls are going up, grease trap is being dug...

also found out another new restaurant opened in brunei a german one..also operated by young guys.. man the restaurant industry here is really starting up! it is really exciting!

today after i kinda had an afternoon of doubt.. like am i in too deep, what am i getting into... lots and lots of doubts that i think really comes to me when i don't trust God and i am tempted by the evil one.. just trying to make me fall ... i often forget what my goal is and what i really can do with God

Praise God that he uses ppl along side me ..that don't even know what i am going through but just is able to talk about things that i'm experiencing.. there wisdom is like imparted to me at the perfect time..

From today no more looking back! No more what ifs. No more doubting in myself! God has my future. He has it all planned out. He is working for the good of those who love him.

Lord I'm thankful for:
1) Being able to have connections to Uncle James who is able to source all my kitchen equipment
2) Sam who got into JDC west
3) My koko who i can chat with
4) Taking naps
5) Aunty Potin sharing with me relationship advice indirectly
6) Alex inviting me to City Harvest cell group
7) Having a really encouraging and fun time
8) whipping up a cake in like 15min for family friend
9) sitting in a bug today! reminds me of home
10) a higher calling

My Strength, My Fortress, My Loving God

There are days where i wake up and the few seconds of waking up i don't remember where i am.... then it hits me i'm in Brunei...
I even think to myself at times what the heck am i doing here?!... and it doesnt help when i meet new ppl they are like wahh from Canada how are u adjusting?! (its like they themselves think Brunei is a sucky place with nothing to do)... doubts just flood my mind.... did i make the right decision.. what the heck all my friends and familiarity is back home.. -_-''' (am i a loner?) gosh fio... im in my twenties and im in a country where there is no alcohol, no clubbing, no partying well cuz i havent met those kinda of ppl yet... It is like God had to put me here to wrestle with the desires of the flesh... something i think i've always struggled with since young..wanting to me one of the "cool" kids who do the "bad" things...

i dunno ... living here the discipline i'm learning from God, it is amazing... but also amazing painful
Lord why is it so hard! Let your will be done not mine. Learning really what it means in sharing in Christ's suffering in my own way... God remind me of your strength and love.

Things i've been grateful for the last few days:
1) The rain that reminds me of vancouver
2) Even when things don't go right there is another day
3) Encouragement from my parents
4) Down Time in the morning
5) Having dinner out the last three nights
6) listening to old stories of adults
7) Having God to turn to always
8) seeing big families
9) hearing a story of a real life breakup and makeup
10) Having a God that uplifts, builds up, and cares 

Live like there is no tomorrow

the last few days that Chris Tomlin song The Way I Was Made has been in my head... haha i think about the time back in David Youth we wanted to perform this song! hahaha we were so young...

i wanna live like there is no tomorrow.. i wanna dance like no one is around..

"Caught in the half-light, I'm caught alone
Waking up to the sunrise and the radio
Feels like I'm tied up, what's holding me?
Just praying today will be the day I go free

I want to live like there's no tomorrow
I want to dance like no one's around
I want to sing like nobody's listening
Before I lay my body down
I want to give like I have plenty
I want to love like I'm not afraid
I want to be the man I was meant to be
I want to be the way I was made

Made in Your likeness, made with Your hands
Made to discover who You are and who I am
All I've forgotten help me to find
All that You've promised let it be in my life"

Life is short. Eternity is forever. I want to live the life i was given in a way that counts for eternity.
What will matter in a 100 years time? I never really heard anyone ask that question before till today.. usually it is where do u see your self in 5 or 10 years time... it is such a stupid question that has been engrained in us since CAPP ... it is such a worldy view... where do you see yourself?! LOL (how the beep would i know, and even if i plan to see myself there in 5 years it is all in God's hands) ... we really should be asking WHAT MATTERS .. WHAT AM I COMMITED TO?... i think ill be pondering these two questions over the next little while...

Thank You Lord for:
1) family who call me with endearing names like darling, girl, nana
2) blessing me with compliments from strangers
3) my ah shiang jie jie who i can have heart to heart talks with
4) trying out this restaurant with my parents and having a good time
5) people who are excited and letting others know that i am opening a restaurant, how encouraging!
6) simple things like making food
7) meeting this random guy who invited me to check out there church
8) hearing things from you that i needed to hear
9) being joyful, and thankful
10) the cross that allows me to come to You.

A month in the gratitude challenge

I think it has been a month since i started the gratituge challenge again something like that i haven't been keeping track of the days. I can't believe how fast the days are flying by though. It is already September 20th!

"But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends. A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent."

It is so interesting to think that God is not bound by the same time as we are. One day could be like years, and years could be like a single day... so interesting!

I'm thankful for:
1) Getting to share a fresh coconut with my mommy after our time at tasek.
2) Seeing another sign of generosity from ppl in brunei. After we drank the coconut finished we got it opened to eat the inside. The old haji man noticed there wasnt much meat in it and he started cutting a new one for us! Wow gave it to us for free... not much things anymore in this world come by for free unless they are samples LOL
3) Having time to sleep in
4) Milo and coffee
5) the beauty of nature, getting to see monkey
6) Robot necklas
7) prayer
8) food that i eat- made a lovely pasta salad last night with bowtie pasta so cute the pasta. haha
9) the creativity of God
10) pictuers that capture moments in time

Cravings

For some reason i really feel like eating durian right now. MMmm haha just thinking about it yum yum yum i want.

Cravings are a funny thing. I think women are more inclined to crave things. Is that true?

I remember this book called Soul Craving.
Soul Craving.... it is such an interesting desire...one that only the Bread of Life, the Living water can fill.

Thank You for:
1) my baking skills.. made this awesome chinese sausage buns last night just out of whim and they were amazing!
2) mini oreos- oreos just hit the right spot at times
3) skype
4) my younger bro
5) my faith that is growing
6) being able to veg in my moms office
7) my older bro for drafting up a logo design for me
8) giving me the strength to run up tasek yesterday
9) the continued hope for the future
10) knowing that the whole world is in Your hands

i did it!

i ran all the way to the top of the tasek without stopping today woooHOOOO !!!!!!!!!!
fixing my eyes on Jesus and the goal