Happiness in a teacup

Wow. I am just really happy right now...why? I'm unsure, but I have a few ideas, there are just so many things in this big and beautiful world that are such a privilege to have knowledge about, or even better, that I can experience.

How Supportive people are...
Today I had a third round or public speaking, but leading up to today I was feeling pretty unsure and concerned about how I would use the 2.5 minutes in my life, and what kind of message I was aiming to send. Throughout these days however, God was constantly reminding me that I really don't need to stress at all, because He is sovereign, and everything to him has already happened. I didn't have to be in control, because He was. Everything that happens is according to his PERFECT plan and in God's PERFECT timing! Throughout this whole process, I have been able to witness this!

• Annie-who encouraged me the whole way, gave up her time to read my speech and give ideas and advice! Even if its at 10:00pm!
• Carrie-who gave me SO MUCH useful advice on how to deliver my speech which TRULY made a HUGE difference in the end!
• All my friends! always so encouraging and have so much belief in me! They don't hesitate to congratulate me or to support me!
• Other people in this school-this is the most unexpected! Random people who walked past me who I may not have talked to that often -or even at all- would tell me that they liked my speech! How amazing is this! God has spoken through me to reach out to other people!

As much of the credit I would like to take, ALL glory goes to God, who was so GENEROUS and LOVING to give me a talent/skill like this! He used all these people above as part of his perfect plan, to carry out what he intended! He truly answered my prayers (that he would guide me through this speech thing) and to experience his power is so indescribable.

How beautiful people are...
There is an ability within each of us to love, and if we don't hold back, we can truly inspire and encourage those around us. Sometimes we can hold back our love for others, judgement, sin, selfishness, pride can all get in the way, but when we open our hearts to the world and truly love those around us, we can make a difference in other people's days/lives and make ourselves a whole lot happier.

(At Year 6 camp)

(At Year 10 formal! my have we grown!)

Farmers markets

These photos are from a couple weeks back...was just taking pepper on an extended walk around the block and wondered into the petite markets across the road...
Enjoy the bright colours!

(overdue: RICE post, converse photos)

 

Back from Timor!

Recently returned from an amaaaaaaazing trip from East Timor and this is what it was like in a nutshell!

• Our room smelt like cigarettes but towards the end it suspiciously just smelt like normal, fresh air..
• Rooming with Jo was awesome as we both had a similar taste in mosquitoes: paranoia and hatred
• The children there are so happy and cute and photogenic
• They can be so content with the necessities, so something luxurious like a pencil case makes their day
• Washing paint brushes is really hard
• Washing paint rollers is death
• Spahetti bolognaise is yummy...unless eaten repeditvely throughout a one week period
• ICE OR TAP WATER IS NOT TO BE EATEN IN EAST TIMOR, therefore bottled water must be used not only to drink but to brush the teeth
• the mTV channel is awesome. but too much of Lady Gaga and 'edge of glory' *shudders*
• snorkelling was awesome and creepy at the same time (i have a fear of underwaterness)
• Saw a rainbow fish and blue starfish
• It is possible to get motion-sickness while snonrkelling
• A coconut just taste like water.........
• Their markets are STUNNING and bargaining skills aquired from China are handy
• DO NOT TRAVEL IN TWOS TO RANDOM SHOPS-it was scary
• Jay-walking is happily legal and encouraged if you want to get across the road
• Milk can be a problem if the only milk-company-supplier tries to smuggle alcohol and gets banned throughout Dili

yeah...so i guess not so much of a nutshell aye? more like a ....bombshell??? er. Along with the experience, I also unexpectedly made friends and got closer to other people in our year, which is always really nice :) Going there has also inspired me to travel to other third world countries and/or go on missions later in life :)

oh-hello semi-forgotten toy of mine. want to go on a picnic?

wow. so i haven't posted for quite some time now. To no one's dismay but my future self, travelling on a hot air balloon back into the days of the past and tinkling the memory with the fond memories of my childhood. I guess the major events since then are YG ....an almost indescribeable (spelling is neigh, but you get the point) change of heart for me...of course by God's grace he has changed my heart.

Life is so beautiful. But who created this beauty? Surely the creator of life must be even more beautiful? Would you praise a cake without acknowledging the baker? Would you admire an artwork with your back to the artist?

I'm not sure how i could have lived such a large chunk of my life blinded by the world and ignoring something that loves me so much and is just so. amazing. But as time goes on I am so blessed to have Jesus in my life, after all. where does this yellow-brick road of life go? If you're lucky, God will help you follow the narrow path, and you'll end up in emerald city. But if you don't, where is it all heading?

The awkward moment when you're staring at a stranger and your eyes meet

I am going to share with you the first page of my skywriting journal.
THankyou Carrie SO MUCH! it feels great to get my thoughts down on paper. :) the perfect present

Today has been a morning filled with thoughts reminiscing and rowing a boat up and down the rivers of life. Where has the time gone? Who is this girl in the black-and-white photograph who smiles with such naivity and innocence? Her head rested on her hand as her eyes glisten. THat familiar red jumper filling my imagination even though there is no colour in the photo. This is me. Preschool. Four years of age. I try to read emotion in her eyes, the hidden thoughts, but there is none. Because naitivy should be captured, and this is a rare shot. I'm 15 now. Eleven whole (fricken) years later. I have nothing to say...

Yes, life is beauitful, absolutely amazing, it grows more and more beauitful the more you look at it. Stop looking and you'll forget. These are the times when you claim time has pressed fast forward. But if you stop, take some time, and look up. Look up at those delicate white puffs of cloud that have the ability to fill your heart and keep those philosophical and lovely thoughts with you, in those fleeting moments.

I'm surrounded by beauty. I feel like crying and i guess the beautiful and slightly melancholy music playing in my ears isn't helping, but the truth is, I like it this way.

obsessed? maybe just a little :)

hmmm

i am living an unappreciative life.

I feel like i want to press fast forward untill graudation

and escape into the freedom of uni life and independance.

but i know future me would scold this behaviour and thinking,

how could past me be so narrow minded and idiotic?

childhood and youth is constantly fleeting, why provoke it?

i must learn to live fully. day by day.

but how?

strange things

this one here is by the talented Jane :)

so i've found that so far, this year, i've been (unexpectedly) organised with assignments, homework and study. I've been finishing homework at least a few days beforehand and planning ahead with assignments. strange? I think so! last year. i'd be leaving it untill last minute, not being conscientous in class and generally not being organised/thinking ahead.

although i'd very much like to pat myself on the back as i do too often, really its because God is helping me out. Towards the beginning of the year i was EXTREMELY stressed ALL the time EXTREMELY tired and constantly getting sick. Now my prayers (have literally) been answered and i can almost meld into this regime. Before EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. was torture and i was bordering on sickness all the time.

but weirdly enough yesterday and today, i have managed to...wait for it...
DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
which is a bit sad since i've had free and mASSIVE afternoons both days.
(home from 4 onwards!)
yesterday i watched tv for about 3 hours
and today i've gone on my laptop for about 3 hours.
wow. not wasting my life at all...
i think its a rebellion.

i don't have any PARTICULAR homework/major stuff and i'm really tired and feeling a bit teenager lazy and unbothered and life-sucks-but-i'm-not-going-to-do-anything-about-it.
sigh. i hope my streak isn't ending..........

cockatoo island.....only about 4 of my photos came out clear and i have to go again! lucky me! :/
on the bright side i'm SUPER excted because my shift this week is on friday afternoon therefore i have a WHOLE ENTIRE FREE SATURDAY!!!!
(though i'll probs end up bludging the whole day)

I THINK I KNOW WHAT IT IS!!
when time is a luxury i don't make the best of it.
when time is fleeting i do make the best of it!!
good.
?

Year 10 makes me tired.

its been ONE WEEK and i'm already dead.
DEAD.
not like ''dead'' but really i'm ok.
as in DEAD.
i feel like falling asleep every waking moment and
i'm still tired no matter how early i sleep.
i feel so weak that sickness is easily just around the corner
which i REALLY can not afford and ITS ONLY YEAR 10.
which MEANS
in year 11 and 12 after i died in year 10 i would have been
sent to hell to boil in my own blood untill i disintergrate from
dry bones into dust and then collect all my strength again
to make a skeleton again and somehow resurrect from hell
and back into the earth as a diseased woman who thinks that
she's a vampire and doesn't sleep but really dies because she needs it.

ANYWAY.
our group split...............................
i guess it was inevitable since as the numbers grow its harder
to be close to people you used to be.
but life moves on and i'd jus tlike to quote what i said on jo's fb status.

jo's status: shit happens
my reply:

Birthday Bliss

Yesterday was my b'day and it was AWESOME!!
thankyou anyone who wished me a happy birthday!! it made me smileee!!
special shout out for those of you who even gave me a prezzie!!
the frankie book and the gp voucher is SUPER thoughtful! i extremely love it!
and jane and annie for super cool stationery and carrie for the cloud journal!!
not only the gifts,
the day was in general..really fun! i had a yummy garlic chicken and salad lunch
and we only had one subject! (more importantly, that one subject wasn't maths)

on a side note, i've been inspired by jo to make goals!! i've been procrastinating but i think its time!

• get into japanese exchange
• grow in my christianity and try harder to apply things i learn into life rather than ignoring it
• PASS piano exam
• PASS musicianship exam
• NOT allow maccas or study make me stressed out or unhappy!
• be organised and start assignments at least a week before
• not fail in maths (impossible goal)
• reach 165 cm (impossible goal)

just as a note...i'm super happy because last year i had three goals:

• find a dance class and learn how to dance
• find a youth group that i want to stick with
• find a job

and they all came true!!
goodluck for your goals this year!!

something to say

this post is split in two.

first half.
spent last friday with carrie, it was awesome!
went to lane cove shops and chilled at gloria jeans for a surprisingly long time
each person comfortably settled sipping eagerly on a delicious tim tam crush
with a shot of coffee and sitting on big luxurious sofa seats. the room,
airconditioned and empty with a subtle tint of darkness made it the most perfect
place to...well...chill.
bought stargirl by jerry spinelli (i think that was the book everyone in year 6 read.)
jammed and carrie and i learnt 'somewhere over the rainbow' and realised jason
mraz isn't as good for ukelele and guitar as we thought it would be.

courtesy of carrie's pro camera.

failures and mistakes are the mother of success

above is what my dad taught me today, its an old chinese saying
basically today was my second shift and it was SUPER stressful
and SUPER tiring. i worked at quite a busy time (around 12-4) but
12 to 1 were the most busy!
I kept doing things wrong, and i didn't know how to do stuff
and customers complained, and there were customers waiting
and i felt like i hadn't been taught stuff
and bascically i was so overwhelmed and exhausted from
trying to do things right but failing but having to continue anyway
and deal with it in a matter of seconds for four hours that by the end of the shift
i HAD to order a chocolate shake with oreo topping.

i think thats my release. ordering unhealthy doses of maccas food.
i predicit in the future when problems get worse i'll just resort
to eating and buying a larger portion of unhealthy food and eating if after shifts.
i guess i'm just being teenagerish...but the truth is.
and this is the truth. i am a non-humble person and most thing i try
so far in life i generally succeed and i'm not that used to making so many mistakes.
yep. so i lived in a rock hard bubble. i told this to my dad and he said...
"well this world you're experiencing now, its closer to life"
unfortunately thats true... but i liked my cosy little bubble. too bad you can't go backwards.
but my title today, what my dad said, it did make me feel better.
and he said managers much rather you ask a lot of questions rather than none.
it shows you have initiative.
anyways.

yesterday carrie came over and it was SUPER FUN! we recorded
our cover of the song 'my time with you' by david choi and kinna grannis.
and being not humble....it actually sounds pretty good!

on monday i redecoed my room. basically started from scratch. so here it is! took about 2-3 hrss!

late new years

on new years:

• ate at a random chinese restaurant
• watched 9:00 fireworks at darling harbour which was AWESOME
• ate a smartie pushups at like 9:30pm
• took a tram back to car with my mum
• went home
• walked to a bridge near my house
• saw the 12:00 fireworks

this sounds super awkward and pedo-ish but i saw this cute couple kiss when the fireworks began
and it wasn't a really long pash but it was super cute. ok. awkward rant over.

and maccas!! was alright. there are HEAPS of buttons on the cashier and i had to wear pants 1000000 sizes too big ...at least i got a belt? i didn't leran that much..only how to make drinks and mcflurries :)

photos taken on 'fireworks' setting on camera...hope 2011 brings new and worthwhile experiences to you!