3rd month mark - learning learning learning!

Hey family and friends...

yet another month has passed :)

i shall spare you cliches on how time flies...instead I will tell a terrible pun: Time flies like an arrow...Fruit flies like a banana....hahah!!

Just one example of the jokes on FB that crack me up - the full photo is below, I know some of you have seen it on my FB, but for those who haven't, it's worth craning your neck for them :)

So here's my list, in no particular order, of what I'm learning over the past month :

1. I'm learning Bad jokes from the web...*do I hear a collective groan??* haha...it's because it helps me to stay awake when doing my readings (see above for prime example :)

Actually I am getting better at the readings - I actually do look forward to doing them, just that my eyes get tired and I tend to be sleepy when I sit down too long, so I have found that reading on my iPad while standing/walking does help :)

Speaking of my iPad, that brings me to the next point...

2. I've learnt to fix ipad screen...using a "hammer"!

Yup, you read it right...

You see, my iPad doesn't have a very protective cover...it was in my bag today and the bag was moved, I think it was set down a little too hard on the floor and my screen became all reddish-green and fuzzy. 

Was quite a shock I must say...I tried restarting, resetting, nothing worked...then I thought to google for a solution ...I typed "ipad screen red problem" and this video, subtitled "Screen Problem? Here is a way to fix it yourself! With a Hammer!" saved the day! 

I thought it was a joke at first because the video has like funny music and all, but it actually worked (i didn't have a hammer so I used the head of a charger). I don't know why it works, and I'm not about to test it again, but now you know what to do if something similar ever happens to you :) 

3. I am learning from friends who come from diverse backgrounds eg South African, white australian, indigenous australian, etc...see pics below:

Katie is the girl holding the chicken on the left - she's a super dynamo from South Africa :) we met through KBC Street Teams, an initiative by the Kenmore Baptist Church to go out every other Sat to bless the community through acts of service. I am privileged to join them :P For more photos of my Scatter-days (days for scattering goodwill seeds :) click here

I have "adopted" an australian brother...his name is Ben Ley (pronounced 'lee')..it sounds so much like my name that i couldn't resist :) Here he is wearing with a soldier tshirt that I gave him after he shared at the Mon night BBQ about being a soldier for Christ :)

Connie - an indigenous Australian studying law at Griffith University. She came for the weekly neighbourhood breakfast and that's where we met. She has studied music and is an amazing song writer :) I can't wait to watch her perform :) When I visited her home, she showed me her cat, whose tail responds to the human voice :)

4. I'm learning to keep giving my best to God...even if it seems "wasted"

To give my best efforts to church ministry as an act of love...and not be hung up for the times when the efforts don't seem to achieve desired results...due to factors outside my control. It is like when the crowds laid down their coats for Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey ( Luke 19:36).

My devotion material asked me this week this very timely question: Are you willing to lay down your cloaks for Jesus to use in any way that He wishes? We may say “yes” very easily, but we often resist the use of our gifts and lives in any ways that seem to be a waste. 

I think of lovers doing wasteful and seemingly foolish things, like pulling out petals from fresh roses to line the ground for a special proposal (I know someone who did this before :) or baking a bunch of cakes until the perfect version is achieved etc...

I too want to love Jesus in this uncalculating, unreserved way....while at the same time, giving feedback in the relevant settings for things to improve so that we all can be more effective... it is a bit of a paradox, hence it is something I am only beginning to grasp :) Do pray for me in this!



5. I'm learning to enjoy paying attention to aesthetics

I have a second part-time job as a receptionist at a health spa - and there, I am learning the importance of aesthetics, and finding joy in those little details that contribute to pleasing aesthetics.

For example, when I have wiped the stray water droplets on the tea dispenser...or when the glass door is free of fingerprints because I have Windex-ed it..there is this undeniable sense of satisfaction :)

I don't think I am becoming more anal - one look around my bedroom assures me of that - i do think it's a gift from God that I can enjoy doing the small stuff :)



6. I learnt how to be the camera person for a lipdub video


I helped a friend to do a lipdub video for her sister  - i had no clue what it was until she told me. i was the camera person and it came together really well considering how spontaneous it was... it involved the student group that I used to be part of, they have such great energy, this was filmed at the end of a friday lifegroup...tired just ain't in their vocab :)

I am embedding the video here...hope you can see it...not sure about Facebook privacy settings and all...






Final lesson before I end this post....

7. I am learning to trust God with my finances more and more because He truly provides in marvellous ways :)

Not only do I have 2 part-time jobs, but recently, I got a huge "discount" on my school fees - this is what happened...

when I got my offer letter earlier this year, the fee stated per quarter was AUD5850, but recently I got an email saying I had to pay $7400. I was quite troubled by this as the difference comes up to over $6K a year and it's my parents who are paying through their M'sian ringgit life savings.

I wrote to the uni and asked about this, they replied to say a mistake was made, I was supposed to be on the $7,400/quarter fee schedule but because my offer letter said $5,850, they will honour that for the 16 quarters I am enrolled for :)

That comes up to a discount of $24,800 - that's over RM80K!!! Praise God :) Tho I don't have a direct scholarship from UQ, i got this inadvertent waiver :) God is amazing... :)

Thank you for reading this post and if you have stories to share of what you are learning, I would love to hear from you :)

Take care and God bless!