Years of my Youth.
A walk with God (:Archive for February, 2008
A light week.
YES! i’m a part of the NUS High wireless network along with my milky MacBook! Oh my, Mac TOTALLY ROCKS!! You have to get one to experience the immense impact it brings, for that impact can never be encapsulated by words. (: i’m extremely blessed to have such an amazing study companion for the next 7/8 of IB life.
(: i feel that life in Boarding School is cool. There are intelligent friends from all around the region, affable staff, laundry services, 3 meals a day including supper (which i really should start to save for breakfast) etc. This is even better than home where i got to do stuffs like laundry and dishes! For the past few days (and hopeful more days to come), i have been staying without a roommate. The bliss of solitude is mine. However, bliss will not endure. i hope it will be replaced with the happiness of companionship. Anyway, i give thanks to God for being the solicitous Father who takes care of my every need and want. <3
This week has been somewhat turbulent in the emotional and physical sense. i’m saddened by the fact that among the league of 2nd intakers, Nicole Poh instead of Nicole Phoon was found. The former is a charismatic old girl of SCGS who spent her first 2 months in RJ, and is now my classmate, the later is one of my closest friends back in SNGS. Why can’t the both of them be in ACS together? Why are they mutually exclusive? Physically, i fell sick for a very short period of time this week and i’m now well again. (; Thanks to Felicia, Christina and Emily who prayed for me before and during FireAC, as well as mum’s vitamin pills and all.
The highlight of the week was the visit to the Parliament House the day before yesterday. Almost all the Ministers and MPs were there for the Budget Debate. MM and Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan were not there! #@$%#$ It was pretty lousy of me to fall into a nap towards the end of our visit. The jokers of 5.7 teased me. They said it was a good rehearsal for my future role as an MP/ Minister, and reminded me to turn off the microphone in front of my seat in case i snore out loud. @#$%$# Met my SNG juniors outside the Strangers’ Gallery, Zhuang laoshi was the teacher-in-charge. All of us got quite high during that brief reunion. Zhang laoshi held my hands and asked me to patronize her store during Fiesta. ~(: i do miss my teachers and Meimeimen.
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Tomorrow is ACS Founder’s Day!!!!!
Hahas, Kenneth’s sharing during today’s FireAC morning meeting was quite a revelation: Red. Blue. Gold. All other colours are shades of them. (;
To God Be The Glory for all that we have accomplished, is striving to attain, and will achieve, as with Him who is awesome beyond measure, whose magnificence transcends all dimensions, the Best Is Yet To Be.
Let all ACSians boast in the LORD!
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Term 1 is drawing to an end; we have been through nearly 1/8 of the time in ACS, how unbelievable! It is just a matter of weeks before the Year 6s Primers leave BB, a matter of 3 terms before they leave the school, and a matter of a year and more before we become alumnae of ACS. Time is fleeting… Please God, be close to us, realize the potential you have put within us, and use us like never before, for Your Cause and Glory!!
End of Introduction.
Today is the last time i’m wearing my blue pinafore…
Oh, i really really want to come up with some sentimental and nostalgic post that captures my thoughts and feelings with regards to this lingering state of transition, but i can’t! No time, no energy… i’m basically unfit to blog delicate and quality posts now. :/
Well, the past few days has been insane!! However, it was shared insanity among beloved comrades, so i guess it’s not considered insane in context. Firstly, i have been sleeping after 2 am almost every week day night, sometimes less than 2 hours due to the co-existence of bulky homework of different Groups, with tight deadlines. Moreover, early weekends has been burnt due to Founders Day Marching Rehearsals and BB Parades (with MYCY visits), just like the way Fabriz put it, Fridays and Saturdays are “really really event-stocked full-day burn.”
Thank God for sustaining me for all these days! How can i cope without His divine supply of energy and drive? Divine energy and human lethargy cloud my perspective with a dreamlike quality, now I perceive things in a differently light. i have been experiencing hallucination!!!
Oh yes i have a good news! i’m officially a boarder of NUS High Boarding!! From this Sunday onwards, the time it takes to travel from “home” to school and vice versa will be approximately 5 minutes! How sweet!! Again i got to thank God for preparing such a wonderful room for me (the best of the level with no roommate currently!) and supplying me with a fresh amount of energy to thoroughly clean the room this evening. This is the perfect timing to move in; i’m getting worn out by all the traveling and stuff so God, in His mercy, positioned me here to be more focused and effective. Besides, we have to fall in at 6:20am for the Founder’s Day full dress rehearsal next Monday. There’s no need to for me to wake up at 4:20am to get to school on time! (:
i have spent S$140 on school uniforms today. On next Monday, all of us are expected to be impeccable dressed in them. The full force of ACSians united in attire and spirit shall mark the beginning of a brand new chapter.
The Introduction has been extremely intense and fast-paced; it will lead to a even more dramatic Chapter 1…
Happy Valentine’s Day!
And so it was the first Valentine’s Day spent with members of the opposite gender after 4-10 years in monasteries and nunneries for many of us (:
Amusing episodes of the day:
*Dear OSB [over-sized baby (i came up with it. HAHA)] received my present after FireAC morning devotion. He did not realize what it was at first, and said that he expected baby food from me. Then he suddenly realized it was indeed baby food! Hahs, i got him Heinz Baby’s Own Pear Juice. He told me that it was very embarrassing and will hide it in his bag, but ended up showing it off to almost everyone he saw.
*Jeremy and his friend bought Charlotte a baby dress. The note attached to the wrapper: Hope it’s not too big!
*A guy was buffing a girl’s fingernails. It was his Valentine’s Day gift. He told me with a smug smile, “Others offer goods, I offer services.”
Heartwarming episodes:
*Petrina gave me 3 heart-shaped chocolate cookies wrapped in a nice little bag with hand-made spongy roses. She baked those top quality cookies and wrote a sweet message in one of the flowers that says, “… CHEERS to 2 more years in Babes Brigade! …”
*Jenn Chong baked chocolate chip muffins and brought it to my class during Break. Genie brought her tasty donuts. Jink bought me novelty earrings. People, whom i do not know well, gave wonderful gifts…
*Some of the guys actually thanked us (the IB girls) for infusing meaning to the originally dead and saddening V-days.
As for me, God prompted me to do something more for my friends this Valentine’s day. Hence, i went to Holland V yesterday to buy chocolates with Almas and Barathi (the 7 of us bought them for all the guys in class), bought special gifts for OSB and Balls, folded flowers for the girls in class, wrote cards for 3 closest guy friends in class, and for all Y5 BB girls… it was such a fulfilling experience. (: Oh yes, i have found that Platonic love is good and exciting!
The news Dr Ong shared did cast a shadow into my soul.
A call to Council was transmitted to all the Y5s today. The closing date for finally submission of application forms is next Thursday, which is merely one day after the second intake. i find it rather unfair to the new ACSians who possess leadership potential and the passion to serve… but well, time is never on the side of ACIB…
Justin is running! i will endorse (Hoho, I like this word) him in his application form. People who read this, PLEASE VOTE FOR Justin Ng of 5.10 Samuel!!! He’s very responsible, Humble (Caleb and i feel bleah that this essential trait was not listed in the Councilor Profile), dilligent and passionate (to serve)!
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On a side note, the work load has been increasing exponentially; i’m like sleeping less than 4 hours per night on average now (the night before, for the first time in life, i slept slightly more than 1 hour on a weekday). Times like this, i’m reminded of my weaknesses (the Spirit is willing, but the body is weak!), and the need to tap on God’s power, wisdom and strength, for good time management, efficiency and fortitude. Well, the rigor and strain are constructive in the sense that they will teach me to lean on God in every sense of the word.
Oh oh, my posts… they are more and more like personal recounts.
Update.
Hmm, looks like i have not been blogging for 2 weeks. Seriously, ACIB is no laughing matter, and i have yet to find my equilibrium… A brief update of my life for the past 2 weeks! (:
School hours and beyond
*Claimed my EESIS (MOE mistook me for a non-citizen). Thanks to the kind and responsible Ms. Tok in the Admin Office who checked with MOE on my behalf<3 More than $444 saved per month!
*Applied the Pre-University Scholarship, went all out to gather all the required documents, and wrote my first scholarship application essay. Results will be out by April. Hope i can get it!!
*Altered my subject combination. i’m currently taking: HL Econs, Bio and English A1, SL Maths, Chinese A2 and History. Loving all my classes. (:
- HL Econs.
i have not attended a single lesson yet due to the recent change of subjects, but i know it will turn out to be very good. Our Sir is our PCT and also the Dean of Econs & Business, a very responsible and humble man. i’ll be having lessons with fellow classmates of 5.10, including nice people like Lisa, Almas and Jing Yan!
- HL Bio
Mr. Kishore is knowledgeable, amusing and manly (an Alpha male). i have Jenn Chong and Justine as seatmates and they are totally awesome. The facilities in the Lab where we have our tutorials are very fine.
-HL Eng A1
There’s almost never a dull moment in English class with colourful personalities (Crawshaw, Kris, Valencia etc.) and competent people (Douglas, Ping, Beulah, Isabel etc.). For Siddhartha, we came up with ingenious and lofty theories such as the Crawshaw’s Cyclical Critique, Dictum on Duality and Chris’s Coin Conundrum. The class looks good, sounds cool and smells great too! With extra dose of Valencia’s vanilla perfume from The Body Shop, Chris’s Adidas Dynamic Pulse Cologne and Beulah’s Adidas Light Deodorant sprayed just before lessons start. Hahs!
-SL Maths
i’m now in 5.7 for Maths, a FUN class! Elliott is now my seatmate!! i used to think that he was some freaky guy, but actually he is quite a lovable boy ;). SL Maths is actually easier than Additional Maths!! Without complacency, it will definitely be a 7.
-SL Chi A2
Hahas, 李老师 is so so quaint and funny! Since i’m especially fond of unconventional people, i enjoy her lessons tremendously. Her lessons always contain exaggerated facial expressions, hysterical laughter, a free supply of M&Ms and most importantly, substance. She can teach well and inspire. After the subject combination restructure across the cohort, i will be the only girl in the class of 4. Well, that sounds quite pathetic, but i don’t really mind because the 3 guys are mostly wonderful.
-SL Hist
Well, i still feel quite lost, hope i can digest all the readings and handouts, and *snap fingers* “press the right buttons” and ace this glorious subject called History. Amanda Chew and i are the only girls in a class of about 15 students. Jerrold OM (an Odyssey of the Mind activist) the joker is my group mate. Cool.
*Discovered an Oxford clan within 5.10 Samuel!!!! Our eyes will light up, hearts will prance and words will fall out like waterfalls if you mention that word. When we came together, it was total fireworks. When we dispersed for our respective classes that fateful afternoon after a conversation infused with passion, i got the oh-man-i’m-so-gonna-study-like-crazy kind of feeling. How utterly motivating!
*Uniform exchange with Nadine (MGS girl) and Darli (Crescentian) on 5/2/08! i got into Nadine’s MGS uniform and liked it a whole lot!! Hope Elisa/ Darli send the photo to me soon! Well, i’m considering sending my daughter to MGS in the future, she will be a little angel! <3
*Submitted the NUS High Hostel application form through Audrey. Waiting for MOE’s approval.
Interesting Conversation
李老师: ***** 告诉我，刚才卓尔说的重点是什么。
*****: 啊? 她…她说的每一句都是重点。
全班同学: *Laughs*
李老师: 哇! 哇！你什么意思吗?! Super flirt 啊!!
全班同学: *Laughs even more*
*****: O_o
JY: Zhuo’er. are you wearing contacts?
me: Ya.
JY: *smile* No wonder your eyes are shining all the time.
JN: *Laugh* Wow, that was a damn bad pick-up line…
The Primers Club
*i got my BB Uniform on 30/1/08 at the Headquarters. Everything fits perfectly! Went home to try it on and couldn’t take my eyes off the mirror it looked smart and 帅.
*Joined the Community Service & Christian Education Committee chaired by Caleb, a very stable, focused, inspiring and generous leader.
*Marched in the drizzle on 1/2/08. NCC guys were scolded because of us (female Primers) because we marched better even though, for most of us, it was our first time…
*Took up the role of an Angel in the Company Games on 2/2/08. It was very fun to assign forfeits to my little brothers, to draw my trademark smiley on the transparencies in front of their chests, and did not get wet while almost all were drenched.
*First trip to MCYC. It was heartening to see Felicia fulfilling her calling in the Worship Team. Realized that there is a need for me to seek God for a specific purpose to fulfill in BB.
* First Committee meeting at Fish & Co. in Paragon on 6/2/08. Jayne was enjoying herself in New York City, and her absence was felt. Caleb treated Elliott, Shaun, Petrina and i!! Hahas, he kept assuring us not to worry about the prices, and encouraged us to choose whatever we like. Followed Elliott for a window shopping expedition in Paragon after meeting/ meal.
*The responsibility of planning for the next MCYC trip fell upon my shoulders.
FireAC
This is the season of prayer, a season of prayer for leaders to arise and take their places. By God’s perfect plan, i have come to the topic of leadership and servanthood of my Devotional. Yet, i have not received a specific revelation from God regarding my ministry in FireAC.
i know why.
Firstly, i have not been praying enough about it. Secondly, if the ministry is a key position, i may be afraid to acknowledge it. Lastly, if the ministry is seemingly insignificant and demanding (the irony is that the people at the lower end of the hierarchy do the most work), i may lack the willingness to embrace it. If God choose to establish me in a high position, i need to pray for courage, boldness & faith. If God prefer to let me labour in the backyard, i need to pray for sustained humility & faithfulness. Well, actually, they are all the same in the eyes of God; as long as i do all that i’m entrusted to do with a reverent heart. Hence, i’ll pray for all the qualities within a servant leader and await His evident call through various means.
Titles are secondary to fulfilling the purpose in what i do, and the purposing i’m striving to fulfill is to please and glorify God in all that i do. This is the principle i will uphold, always.
(: It is thoroughly enjoyable to be in the state of loving God, loving everyone around me, and loving life increasingly everyday!
Thank God for all things, and… ACS Forever!!
