Christmas treasures
We bring Him hearts that love Him, we bring Him thankful praises, and souls forever striving to follow in His ways.
May the celebration of Christ's coming to earth bring joy to your heart and home this Christmas.
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16
Merry Christmas!!!
In case some of you are still reading my blog during the Christmas break, I decided to use my dial-up internet at home to blog a little bit. =) First of all, I want to wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! =) If I haven't seen you and you're in Toronto, I definitely would like to meet up with you!!! =) UHS girls, we need to meet up!!!
Yesterday I went to a Christmas gathering organized by a friend, and we did a "White Elephant" gift exchange. It was so much fun!!! =) "White Elephant" gift exchange is when everyone bring something from their home that they wouldn't need/use anymore...the "highlight" of the gift was a "gottago" bag....hahaha....we were laughing our heads off when that gift was opened. I got a really nice calligraphy set...hehe...I am very happy! =)
Today I went to the Christmas Eve Worship service, and I was so surprised to receive many cards and gifts!!! =) This is the only year that I didn't do much Christmas shopping because of my tight budget this Christmas, and I feel so loved to receive these cards and gifts! =)
It seems like I am much busier than when I was in Kingston...hehe...so many places to go to, so many people to meet...so happy that Jesus was born 2000 years ago to love, to understand and to identify with me! =)
I am five again!
After spending 2 hours in the library, I decided to catch the sunset and visit my new love again. =) I was so scared that I would miss the sunset, but I didn't, and it was so PRETTY. The sky was pinkish, orangey colour with a light blue tint on top...can't even describe the beauty...I told you I am not good with words! =P I took some pictures...AGAIN...hehe...I just couldn't resist the temptation. I had so much fun running through the smooth snow and I got my pants wet...I felt like I was a child again, got all excited when I ran through the smooth snow...haven't done that for a long long time! =)
Man...I really really wish I have a digital camera, the developing will cost me so much if I take pictures at this rate!!! But I am still very lucky, at least I get a camera to take pictures with. =)
YAY!!! 16 hours more and I'll be DONE EXAMS!!! =) I am so excited about going home and seeing my lovely friends again...
Random blurbs
What a challenge to tread through unplowed snow in Kingston with 2 cheesecakes and a purse to carry!
One of my housemates left for Christmas! =*( Miss you Sam!
So Sandra got the million dollars! She didn't get a single vote that was voted against her...wow...I've always wondered why she wasn't out of the game coz it seemed to me that she didn't contribute much besides talking. Anyway, at least Jon didn't win, I am happy. =P I can't stand people who lie in people's faces and backstab behind people's back.
One more exam, then I am DONE! =) Can't wait till tuesday...
My new love
I know you guys are all excited about this blog because of the title...haha...yes, I have found my new love, and I have visited him late last night and this evening when the sun was setting. He is so gorgeous, so calm, so gentle....and oh, I forgot to tell you his name. His name is Lake Ontario.
I've recently started to take walks around Kingston to get away from the four walls of my room, and every time I take walks I can't resist the temptation to visit the lake. Today I decided to visit the lake during sunset, and it was so beautiful. It was very cold indeed, but I enjoyed every moment of my visit. I was sitting on a rock, looking at the beautiful colour of the sky, the irregularly shaped clouds, the ripples created by water crashing onto the rocks, the loon swimming on the lake (I wonder why it's still around in December), the wonderful music sung by the choir of waves, wind and cars passing by...I was enjoying the moment so much that I didn't even feel the coldness of the weather, and no one was around me so I had the whole lake to myself. Then a couple walked by, and they went to stand on one of the rocks close by. The beautiful song that I had been listening to was interrupted by the couple's conversation and laughter, so I decided that it's time for me to go.
I am falling more and more in love with the serenity of the lake and the beauty of the nature.
Looking at His wondrous works I stand amazed in awe,
how can any person doubt that He is Lord?
Still nature sings out its praises that I ought to join
and share in this grand worship to the Lord.
-chorus of
His wondrous works
It's Friday!
It's Friday, and once again I get the weird feeling of loneliness. It's just so different here with no close friends around, and now I understand why one of my dear sisters at U of T has always dreaded saturdays. Fellowship is on Wednesdays and Sundays here, and I have been so used to going to fellowships on either Fridays or Saturdays. If fellowship is on Saturday that week, I am usually out chilling with friends on a Friday. Now I am sitting at home typing in front of my computer....
My housemate's heatpack and my bottle of Advils have been my friends today. I haven't felt this sick for a while...I couldn't even get out of my bed this morning....and at 1:30pm, I told myself that I needed to get up and do something before I felt like I have "rotten" in my bed, so I walked to Food Basics to get some ingredients for my "trial" of making a cheesecake for my dad's birthday.
I got an E-mail today saying that I got a placement from NOMEC (Northeastern Ontario Medical Education Corporation) to go to North Bay this summer. I would have been very happy a month ago, but now I am fretting about how I can tell my parents. When I told them a while ago that I applied, they weren't too happy....hmm....
Yay! Tangible cards! Graduation ceremony! Cookies!
CLAUDIA!!! Thank you so much for the tangible card! It's so sweet of you! =) I love it! It was such a pleasant surprise after my anatomy exam! =) *hugs*
VICKY!!! You surprised me with your card too! =) Really appreciate it! =) Your card was a great encouragement as I was studying for my anatomy exam a few days ago. *hugs*
JAN!!! Glad that your exam went well. =) Thank you for being the FIRST person who sent me a card here in Kingston. You sent more than one card too! =) It's very sweet of you! =) *hugs*
Today I went to my housemate's graduation ceremony. He has been taking a 3-month course at the Queen's School of English and has graduated today. I felt special that I was invited to his ceremony and was able to share his joy with him. He SURPRISED me by going up on the stage and making a valedictorian speech! He didn't tell me prior to the ceremony coz he wanted to "surprise" me. And yes, I was pleasantly surprised, and his teachers and classmates gave him a standing ovation. Good job Abdu! =) Proud to be your housemate! Too bad I ran out of film...
I felt kinda funny sitting there in the ceremony...hehe...coz I felt like a "parent"...hehe...when I looked around, it seemed like I was the only non-School of English student there. Haha...and the row that we were sitting in was the only row that was EMPTY coz no one wants to sit beside me....Hehe...they didn't know who I was.
Made some chocolate chip cookies today...hehe...had SO MUCH FUN making them with my housemate Sam. We laughed so hard...GOOD TIMES SAM!!! =) I am sure the cookies are good because of what was added to them while we laughed and talked....=P Now you guys will never have any of my cookies! =P I am scaring you all eh?
Weekend in TO + assumptions
So I am back to Ktown! I am surprised that I didn't get lost coming back from the bus station...hehe...I hopped on the right bus! (Coz there was only one! =P) Anyway...I am still quite proud of myself! =P Now I know how to take Bus route 2 - Calvin Park.
Anyway...so my weekend was awesome! =) I got to see so many people again...I saw many girls whom I lived with last year at New College, U of T, they were all in rez studying for exams so I got to see them all! =) It's so nice to re-visit a place where I've lived for four years. Elaine, Winnie, Stef, Gloria, Dereka, Angie, Shruti, Melanie and Cat, I will be thinking about you and praying for you all! =)
Unionville girls: Kai-An and Karen, thanks for the fun hang-out! =) Claudia, Teresa, Doris, Nancy...too bad I didn't get to see you. =( Looking forward to our next "gathering"...
Daniel folks, I am looking forward to seeing you all in a week! =) EgoMama and CHF, I will be especially praying for you two! =)
Despite of a great weekend, I actually felt a little "booish" (Jacqueline's definition: the adjective of "boo", not to the extent of being upset/unhappy but not happy either). I know that everyone makes assumptions, and I do too. I think assumptions are needed at certain times, but not needed when they are used to judge people. I don't get it...does it make me a bad student if I take a break during an exam period after working hard for 3 exams? And am I not working hard enough by going to a concert and buying something that I need in a mall during the weekend instead of studying at home? This is the ONLY break that I have taken during an exam period for my past 5 years of university, and this year happens to be a year where I have a one week break in between my two exams...and I have done studying in advance. So....others conclude that I "should" be studying...even though my break was a result of me studying ahead of time. It's just annoying how people think that way....this reminds me that I should be careful with my assumptions in the future too, coz I may have done the same thing to others and have annoyed them the same way. Sorry guys...I just needed to vent.
I am going back to TO for my weekend! =)
In case you wonder where I have disappeared to....I am going back to Toronto tomorrow (thursday)! =) I just decided today...haven't made such a spontaneous decision before...wow...anyway, so it will be a good treat for me after my 3 exams, I definitely need a break. =) So if you are reading this and you live in the greater Toronto area, and you wanna hang out/chat, do let me know!!! I'll be happy to meet up. Call my 613 cell, let it ring twice, hang up and I'll return your call (if your ID isn't blocked).
If you're busy, it's understandable too...no worries! =) Have a good weekend lovely peeps! =)
Post-exam trauma
As I was walking out from my Anatomy bell-ringer exam, the one thought that came into my mind was, "Wow, I failed." I am still pretty sure that I failed...it would be a miracle for me to pass. I am thankful that I did very well in my midterm, and there is another 50% final for this course that I haven't written, so even if I did fail, it's still...Ok. Two years ago I would have cried about this, but 4 years of Life Sciences at U of T have trained me well. While I was walking home, I was telling myself that I won't blog about this. Afterall, who wants to expose their weaknesses to others? Who wants to tell people that they've failed an exam? After I got home, I decided to take a nap. It wasn't a very good idea afterall. I had pictures of MUSCLES in my dreams throughout my entire 1.5 hour nap. Can you imagine how scary this is? To dream about a random piece of muscle on a cut out limb? Euh....
So...you must be wondering, why did I end up blogging about this? Well, after my nap, I read Day 35 of
The Purpose Driven Life titled "God's power in your weakness". Great! Just what I need! I'm always amazed at God's timing.
-"Your weaknesses are not an accident. God deliberately allowed them in your life for the purpose of demonstrating his power through you."
-"Whenever you feel weak, God is reminding you to depend on him."
-"God wants you to have a Christlike ministry on earth. That means other people are going to find healing in your wounds. Your greatest life messages and your most effective ministry will come out of your deepest hurts."
-"Humility is not putting yourself down or denying your strengths; rather, it is being honest about your weaknesses."
It's true that failing an exam in terms of a lifespan perspective is nothing big anyway. Ten years down the road this anatomy exam is not going to make me a bad OT. But what's important is that there may be more significant failures in my life that I have to face in the future, (especially in situations where I am under pressure and have to think on the spot...now you know one of my weaknesses). However, this doesn't stop God from using me.
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. I am thankful that Jesus loves us just the way we are, and He doesn't call perfect people to serve and follow Him. If He does, no one will be qualified to do anything for Him.
