I Don't Blog

Just Let Me Say

2009-07-14T17:07:00.010+08:00

Just let me say how much I love You
Let me speak of Your mercy and grace
Just let me live in a shadow of Your beauty
Let me see You face to face

And the earth will shake as Your Word goes forth
And the heavens will tremble and fall
But let me say how much I love You
Oh my Savior, my Lord and Friend

Just let me hear Your finest whispers
As You gently call my name
And let me see Your power and Your glory
Let me feel Your spirit's flame

Let me find You in the desert
Till this sand is holy ground
And I am found completely surrendered
To You my Lord and Friend

So let me say how much I love You
With all my heart I long for You
For I am caught in this passion of knowing
This endless love I've found in You

And the depth of grace, the forgiveness found
To be called a child of God
Just makes me say how much I love You
Oh my Savior, my Lord and Friend (x2)

Just makes me say how much I love You
Oh my Savior, my Lord and Friend

Refiner's Fire

2009-07-14T16:53:00.003+08:00

Purify my heart
Let me be as gold and precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold, pure gold

Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will

Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within

Someone's Watching Over Me

2009-07-06T22:17:00.003+08:00

Dear God

2009-07-06T22:09:00.001+08:00

Dear God,

I'm writing to say I'm sorry,
For being angry yesterday;
When You seemed to ignore my prayer,
And things didn't go my way.

First, my car broke down,
I was very late for work;
But I missed that awful accident,
Was that Your handiwork?

I found a house I loved,
But others got there first;
I was angry, then relieved,
When I heard the pipes had burst!

Yesterday, I found the perfect dress,
But the color was too pale;
Today, I found the dress in red,
Would You believe, it was on sale!

I know You're watching over me,
And I'm feeling truly blest;
For no matter what I pray for,
You always know what's best!

I have this circle of E-mail friends,
Who mean the world to me;
Some days I "send" and "send,"
At other times, I let them be.

I am so blessed to have these friends,
With whom I've grown so close;
So this little poem I dedicate to them,
Because to me they are the "Most"!

When I see each name download,
And view the message they've sent;
I know they've thought of me that day,
And "well wishes" were their intent.

So to you, my friends, I would like to say,
Thank you for being a part;
Of all my daily contacts,
This comes right from my heart.

God bless you all is my prayer today,
I'm honored to call you "friend";
I pray the Lord will keep you safe,
Until we write again.

~ Author Unknown ~

It's Friday!

2009-07-03T23:07:00.002+08:00

It's Friday, Friday, Friday! Finally... it's Friday! Hopefully I'll be able to get more sleep this weekend. Looking forward to catching Transformers 2 this Sunday. Yeah, I know, most people have already seen it, but the cinemas are still as packed as sardines in a can. Anyway, the weekend's on the way. Yeah!

God Sees

2009-06-30T21:35:00.003+08:00

It's strange. Today is only Tuesday; not even mid-week yet and I'm already weary to the bones. Did I get enough sleep? Yes, I had a good 7 hours, although after many years of "training", I can function very well on just 5 hours, or sometimes lesser.

Maybe it's all the thinking that I've been doing... thinking, worrying and running about on errands, and not doing enough of praying and waiting on God. Mental drain can really tax the physical body, likewise when you're not spiritually fed. Sleep can maybe ease a little of the strain, but mental weariness takes a while to go away - often times when a problem gets solved. But the best option (always) is to wait upon the Lord and to leave your problems in His trusty hands. And when you do leave it with Him, remember NOT to take it back. It's complete surrender. He'll take care of the rest.

Well, time to put this thought into action.

~ He Sees ~

Feeling as if her heart would break,
Stinging words, they had lashed out.
The tears she held, so deep within,
Revealed her anguish and doubt.

They cut as if a two-edged sword.
She fought the emotions within.
But, in the recesses of her mind,
Words echoed time and again.

In the stillness of the night,
She knelt to voice her plea.
Within her soul, she plainly heard,
"Fear not, because He sees."

He knows your deepest heartaches.
Unnoticed? Not even one.
He's interceding for you,
For, you see, He's God's own Son.

There's nothing that could be hidden.
All things lay before Him bare.
Toss your burdens on the Lord.
He loves you and He cares.

Choose to walk in love and joy.
Let your heart be filled with peace.
All your pain will soon recede,
Just remember that He sees.

© 2003 by Marie Williams

God's Bank Ain't Busted Yet!

2009-06-23T12:28:00.001+08:00

The bank had closed; my earthly store had vanished from my hand; I felt that there was no sadder one than I in all the land. My washerwoman, too, had lost her little mite with mine, And she was singing as she hung the clothes upon the line. "How can you be so gay?" I asked; "Your loss don't you regret?" "Yes, Ma'm, but what's the use to fret? God's bank ain't busted yet!"

I felt my burden lighter grow; her faith I seemed to share; In prayer I went to God's great throne and laid my troubles there. The sun burst from behind the clouds, in golden splendour set; I thanked God for her simple words: "God's bank ain't busted yet!"

And now I draw rich dividends, more than my hands can hold; Of faith and love and hope and trust and peace of mind untold. I thank the Giver of it all, but still I can't forget; My washerwoman's simple words: "God's bank ain't busted yet!"

Oh, weary ones upon life's road, when everything seems drear, And losses loom on every hand, and skies seem not to clear; Throw back your shoulder, lift your head, and cease to chafe and fret; Your dividend will be declared: "God's bank ain't busted yet!"

~ Alice P. Moss, 1931
Written during the Depression

The Basics of Life

2009-06-22T18:09:00.005+08:00

Is the world getting more complicated by the day, or are we just asking for too much? Are we compromising our virtues and beliefs just to get ahead in this day where success is measured by fancy houses, fast cars and fashionable clothes? Have we forgotten our beginnings, who we are, what's important and the people who really matters?

Some of us are busy climbing the ladder of success, while others are struggling to make ends meet. While we're bathing in our success, we forget there are people who are just trying to get through another day. We complain about what we eat, when there are people out there who consider bread crumbs as manna from heaven. We complain about our jobs and forget that those jobs put food on the table, clothe us and place a roof over our head. We forget to be thankful for what we have; we compare and lament about what we do not have.

We've forgotten... and need to get back on track. This classic from 4HIM correctly sums it all up. Father, please forgive me. Help me remember and to be thankful everyday.

Listen to Basics Of Life by 4Him

We've turned the page, for a new day has dawned
We've re-arranged what is right and what's wrong
Somehow we've drifted so far from the truth
That we can't get back home

Where are the virtues that once gave us light
Where are the morals that governed our lives
Someday we all will awake and look back
just to find what we've lost

Chorus:
We need to get back
To the basics of life
A heart that is pure
And a love that is blind
A faith that is fervently
grounded in Christ
The hope that endures for all times
These are the basics,
we need to get back
To the basics of life

The newest rage is to reason it out
Just meditate and you can overcome every doubt
After all man is a God, they say
God is no longer alive

But I still believe in the old rugged cross
And I still believe there is hope for the lost
And I know the rock of all ages will stand
Through changes of time

Bridge:
We've let the darkness invade us too long
We've got to turn the tide
Oh and we need the passion that burned long ago
To come and open our eyes
There's no room for compromise

Stand by Me

2009-06-18T18:09:00.004+08:00

This is amazing! Changing the world through music? I dig! But I also firmly believe that real change comes through Jesus - He's the creator of music after all!

Check out http://www.playingforchange.com/ and be inspired!

Au Revoir Vivien

2009-01-23T12:02:00.005+08:00

A simple bracelet that I made for my friend, Vivien who is migrating to Australia very soon. Bracelet is made of Moonstones, Balinese silver beads and Hematites. Will definitely miss her.

IF

2009-01-21T17:37:00.001+08:00

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And - which is more - you’ll be a Man my son!

~ Rudyard Kipling

Awesome Book - A Prisoner of Birth

2009-01-21T14:49:00.004+08:00

Anyone who knows me knows this: when buying a gift for me, he/she could never go wrong with bookshop gift cards. That way, I can indulge my love for books and be very thankful to the giver at the same time :)

Anyway, my very kind boss bestowed me with a Border's gift card for Christmas and needless to say, I made a beeline for the nearest Borders store at the first opportunity.

Picked up four books (listed in reading order):

The Appeal (John Grisham)
The First Patient (Michael Palmer)
A Prisoner of Birth (Jeffrey Archer)
Hold Tight (Harlan Coben)

Just finished reading A Prisoner of Birth. The verdict? Probably the best book that I've read in a long time! In brief, this book is about a man convicted for a crime (murder) he did not commit and the thrilling path he embarked on for revenge.

"If Danny Cartwright had proposed to Beth Wilson the day before, or the day after, he would not have been arrested and charged with the murder of his best friend. And when the four prosecution witnesses are a barrister, a popular actor, an aristocrat and the youngest partner in an established firm's history, who is going to believe his side of the story?

Danny is sentenced to 22 years and sent to Belmarsh prison, the highest security jail in the land, from where no inmate has ever escaped. But Spencer Craig, Lawrence Davenport, Gerald Payne and Toby Mortimer all underestimate Danny's determination to seek revenge and Beth's relentless quest to win justice, which forces all four protagonists to fight for their lives."

You can read the excerpt here, http://www.jeffreyarcher.co.uk/excerpt-pob/1-18.pdf.

The Appeal and The First Patient were both excellent by the way, but A Prisoner of Birth got me hooked from the very first page. I was under a spell that compelled me to turn the pages.

Anyway, that was Archer, and now, Coben. If the rest of Hold Tight are as gripping as the first few pages when I began this morning, you can count on me holding on tight until the very last page.

For now... I'm impatiently waiting for Archer's next book, Paths of Glory. Would it be as good, if not better?

Great Song

2009-01-14T22:04:00.005+08:00

I'm Back!

2009-01-14T21:35:00.003+08:00

Yup, I'm back! It's been a little over two months since I last wrote here and a crazy two months they were!

What happened over the two months in a nutshell: I got married, one of my sisters declared war with her husband and I just took possession of my new home. So yeah, the two months were hectic.

Anyway, I'm back and popping in to say "Hi" to those who have been checking in and out of "I Don't Blog" and dropping me (or pestering me with) questions, "How come you don't update your blog?" and "You've gone MIA, is it?"

Will (try to) write again soon. Until then, Happy New Year!

Ciao!

You Raise Me Up

2008-11-07T17:40:00.006+08:00

You Raise Me Up - this song never failed to encourage me in my darkest moments. When I wrote the earlier "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" post, I was feeling overwhelmed and weary from the going ons around me. So many things have been happening; one disappoinment simply lead to another. I was wondering if I'll ever be able to catch a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel. Then this song played on my media player and I was reminded of God's sovereign love for us. It is always darkest before dawn, but as dark as our nights may be, we are assured that dawn will come, and with dawn comes the light. When things fail and it seems that we're hanging on by a very thin thread, which in turn feels as if it will snap at any time, God is there. And if we let Him, He will carry us through.

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

2008-11-07T17:20:00.003+08:00

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Amen.

I'm tired. I want to sleep.

Writer’s Food Pyramid

2008-11-05T17:23:00.006+08:00

Writer’s Food Pyramid by Tom Cheney
ID: 67663, Published in The New Yorker June 16, 2003

Guys You Should Never Date

2008-11-04T17:25:00.019+08:00

I've just read this interesting article from ShoppingLifestyle.com and gals, listen up! There are five types of men you should NEVER EVER get involved with. If you've often found yourself questioning your choice in men and series of relationship bad luck, it's time for a reality check. Have you been dating any of these men? You've probably heard it all before, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded from time to time. Okay, it might hurt if you've "fallen" for one of these men, you're in the midst of a "relationship" with one or contemplating a "relationship" with one. Such "relationships" are all pain and no gain. Collect all your scattered marbles now and move on, before you lose yourself.

1. Married - Bad, bad, bad idea. This guy already belongs to someone else and unless you enjoy sneaking around, STAY AWAY from him, even if he promises to leave his wife for you. Hey, if a man is willing to leave his wife for you, what makes you think he won't leave you for someone else? Forget all the sweet talks and mumbo jumbo about his wife not being there for him, them not loving each other anymore, him being forced into the marriage (for whatever reason/s), you being the person he's been searching for all his life (duh!), you love him with all your heart and you're willing to sacrifice anything, ANYTHING, for him, and etc. This guy is OFF LIMITS! He's wearing someone else's wedding ring!

2. Dominator - Control freak. Need I say more? At the beginning it may seem as if he cares about you and takes an interest in all you do. But once he's established himself in your life, you'll no longer have a life. Imagine having all your calls (and friends) screened and being told how to dress, where to shop, what to eat, how to decorate your home right down to what colour underwear you should wear... Hey, even if you're a damsel in distress and in need of saving, you don't need to be told how to run your life, right?

3. Broken Heart - This seemingly lost puppy needs some sense knocked into him. Even so, he still might not come to his senses. He'll probably just end up in a coma and that's the best case scenario. He's looking for some mollycoddling, not someone to love. Flee! Run, far, far away!

4. Smoothie - This one? All about outward appearances. All glitz and no depth. Like a double choc fudge sundae - looks good, smells good and tastes even better. Perhaps something to be enjoyed for the moment, but definitely not something worth risking your long-term health over.

5. The Drain - The leech who sucks you dry - emotionally, financially and/or physically. When things go wrong, he blames everyone but himself. By the time he's done with you, you'll be nothing but an empty shell. How sad...

The end of my version. I'm not an expert, so don't take my word for it; read the original 5 Guys You Should Never Date article. Though I may sound like a man-hater, I'm not... nooooooo. I have a love-hate relationship with one, and my favourite pastime is pushing his buttons when I'm not driving him up the walls :D

Feeling demoralised? Don't be. For every guy you should never date, there is one whom you should. Here are the 5 Guys Every Gal Should Date Before Settling Down.

p/s: Alright, so I'm supposed to write about my vacation, but I got side-tracked. And there's the fact that I haven't finished doctoring the photos yet. I'll probably get on it over the weekend. Stay tuned!

Back to the Sweltering Heat

2008-11-03T00:53:00.008+08:00

I-AM-BACK!

After being away for four days of no-work-and-all-play holiday to Japan, I'm back. Those four days were simply too short, and if I could, I would have made it 10 days at least, but that would still have been too short. Although I'm glad to be home, my return meant leaving the cool, wintry weather of Tokyo behind :( Home is sweltering days and balmy nights. But I don't have a choice - I was running out of money.

Right now, I'm back home and dreading the arrival of my bank statement. Yup, I can also check the damages to my bank account online, but why do today what you can put off till tomorrow and the day after, and the day after and they day after and... Although, I was *ahem* smart enough to use a debit card this time around, so that I'm spending well within my means. With no instalment plans and no minimum payments due, that was a truly debt-free holiday and nothing beats the feeling of not having to "pay up" when the bill comes.

With several reminders from my sister, I remembered to take pictures of my trip and will be back to write about them when I have time. Tomorrow, it's back to work and playing catch-up on tasks and assignments :( Sigh... well, we all have to earn our keeps and I definitely have to earn mine if I'm planning to catch the cherry blossoms in Apr.

so1itair3 out for now.

How Not to Start a non-Blog

2008-10-24T15:59:00.020+08:00

My sisters and soon to be brother-in-law have been BUGGING me for a very, very, very long time to start a blog. Their reason? "Oh, you're so far away and this way we can stay in touch. Phone calls are expensive, you know?" Yeah, right, expensive, for me!

Imagine this: The cell phone rings. Guitar intro - Iron Maiden's Wasted Years - starts playing. I picked up the phone. Did I answer? Nooooo, I could only try, because before my finger could even hit "answer", the ringing stops. The intro barely played two bars! On screen is the message, "1 Missed Call from _____ (fill in the blank with any of my sisters' names)." This is how it goes, almost always. They "miss-call" me and I call back. So yeah, phone calls are expensive - for me!

So here I am starting, or at least trying to, start a blog. But you know what? I don't blog! I really don't. This here, this is not a blog, but the rant of a raving lunatic whose ears are just about to fall off through years, yes, YEARS, of "gentle persuasions" to start what everyone call a "blog".

For the sake of my wallet, if not for my ears, I gritted my teeth and sat down to begin the arduous task. That was yesterday. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so says Confucius. Well, I say the journey to the nut house begins with a single click!

You know what's the most difficult thing about starting a blog? It's trying to name it, only to discover that the address has been taken. Taken! Taken!! "Sorry, this blog address is not available." Helloooo!! What in the world?! Alright, so the early bird catches the worm. Fine! I'll try again. After many hours - the sun was shining when I began - of trying, I finally managed to settle on so1itair3@blogspot.com. By the time "Choose a template" came on, it was dark outside.

The easiest thing about starting a blog? Choosing a template. There are millions of templates out there. How do you decide on what you like, which looks good or which one suits you? Well, you don't! You simply go to a page with various samples, close your eyes and click randomly. So, after a random click, I ended up with this one. Ta-da! "Your blog has been created!" Looks like I’m ready to begin.

What's next? Well, adding gadgets, customising layouts, select colours, and bla, bla, bla, (not necessarily in that order) followed by a short intro in "About Me" <-- not done yet, that's tedious work reserved for another day. Who wants to know about me anyway? I certainly don't. I already know all there is to know about myself and not keen to find out about anything else, short of a windfall coming my way, thank you very much.

After ALL THAT and one day later, here I am, ranting away. So welcome to my world! Whether I consistently update this blog or do it sporadically or not at all, I don't know. Cause I don't blog. Give me something to rant about and I just might "update".

*Ranting Ends*