| Blogging |

i'm beginning to be convinced that some blogshop owners start a blog purely for the sake of advertising their blogshop. in a way its clever, but in another way, i find that tactic like gaining sympathy points.

whatever happened to blogging being for the love of writing?

well, maybe these girls just have all the friends and support whereas i have none. not even my fiance comes to my blog to check on my updates.

blah.

i shall just be content with writing and blogging which i have been doing so for the past 6 years (*gasps!) even though eprincessdiary is just a tiny space in the whole cyber world, where no one even knows of my existence or the existence of Seven Dresses. well, at least God does :)

| Silence & Trust |

today's reading in ODB moved me to tears.

in it wrote:

His (God's) silence is the sign that He is bringing you into a marvellous understanding of Himself - a greater run of His purposes

Wow.

with nothing going my way since my return from redang, this message came as a comfort to me.

~difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage~

following the 6-steps to building faith, i may be right to say that right now, we are in the 4th stage - difficulties. so i will continue looking to the Lord for He is Jehovah Jireh; He will provide.

yesterday, we celebrated our 9th anniversary @ his new workplace. i'm so happy and proud that he got into my dream company and/or workplace. the benefits and perks are limitless, wait till he gets his pass. hmpf!

| Not Okay |

the only thing that is keeping me from bursting out crying now is the fact that its our 9th anniversary today.

| Redang Redang! |

slightly more than 30 minutes to knock off time and i'm starting to feel the excitement slowly creeping back, ha!

and this is where we'll be staying. let's just hope the room does live up to its description on its website.

this short trip supposedly celebrates our 9th anniversary together, but we're not alone. we'll be accompanied by another 2 more of the fiance's childhood buds. romance + friendship spells FUN!

be back late on monday night! *muack*

White Christmas & New Year 2009/2010

Seoul Tower


Along Streets of Seoul

before i visit a new place, i told myself that i must upload the previous country's pictures first. look at my half uploaded HongKong Disneyland 2007...*sigh

so anyway, here are the long awaited pictures of our last Christmas in Korea, enjoy :)

Part I

Part II

Part III (Finale)

| Back! |

haha, promised i'd be BACK with more pictures! ;p i'm so lovin' my TX-5 *muack*

| 1 more week... |

its next friday...1 more week...

| Exercising Faith |

how does God build FAITH in us?

you know how we always talk about "having faith in God" but we don't actually know how to exercise that faith. so last week's sermon came very timely, especially what i'm going through in my personal life right now and i thought its only right to share :)

6 Ds of what happens from the time we are called to be His children.

1) DREAM

firstly, God plants a DREAM in our hearts and minds. He gives us that dream, a picture of what He wants to paint in our lives. This dream is usually impossible to reach (because if it were possible then it wouldn't be called a dream, DUH heh ;p).

2) DECISIONS

decisions - the most important part in the 6-steps process as our dream would usually cost some investment of time, money and energy on our part in order to pursue it. this is also the part where God wants to teach us to let go of the security and comfort zone of what we have known all along and to look only to Him for security. this is also where OBEDIENCE and WILLINGNESS comes in place.

"obedience is more costly than sacrifice"

what God wants to see is how obedient are we to His calling.

3) DELAY

after we have obediently done what the Lord has called us to do, step number three is the season of delay, dryness and drought. :/

this is the most trying time and i believe currently, Seven Dresses and myself are in this situation. and the funny part is, there are people around us that are prospering and somehow those people whom we thought were friends, are somehow supporting other blog/physical shops. and you can only wonder to yourself if this is the right path that the Lord has set out for us? YES without a doubt, it is!

this dry season is where most people lose the DREAM as it is a test of our faith. and this is the time where all the more, we have to look to God and shut our mouths in case we are whiney and complaining. easy to say but hard to do. i for one am guilty of that. :S and if we do open our mouths, it should only to be agreeing to the word of God because its only when we do so, that we are setting the thermostat of what will eventually happen.

"...if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)

this step is vital because God needs to take away the ugliness and to purify as well as beautify the DREAM that He gave us in the beginning; and this takes time.

4) DIFFICULTIES

things will still not be improving and in fact, MORE difficulties and obstacles will come our way and the only thing we should do is still to look to the Lord - very similar to what we should do in Step 3.

5) DEAD-END

in this context, the meaning of a dead-end means no U-turning, no going back and there is only 1 way left. where God's hidden treasures are found, things here will start to look slightly better.

"only God can turn cruxifiction into resurrection"

6) DELIVERANCE

once the Potter has moulded us into the clay that He wants us to become, painted the DREAM to what He had in mind right from the start, then things will finally begin to pick up. He will finally come to deliver us and that, my friends, is God's way of teaching us how to build faith.

"faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17)

hope you learnt something here because i certainly did.

things sure ain't easy with Seven Dresses but ultimately, it is a test of faith. we know that as long as we stand firm with God, we can overcome this drought that we are facing now. Amen!

| TX-5 |

before i talk about the TX-5, can i tell you how much i am lovin' my new blog layout? haha!
simple and clean - my type of blogskin. hehe

so back to the TX-5, we are finally gonna get it after work today and i just cannot contain my joy and excitement of finally owning a camera that does not require us to stop breathing when taking night shots. ;p i have nothing against my old nikon, after all it did serve us well for the past 5 years i think. BUT fact is, its old and its gotta go and i'll definitely miss her!

and our purpose of getting the TX-5 now instead of any other time is because:
1) we're going REDANG ISLAND soon! (realised i haven't blogged about it yet *oops)
2) and to the ZOO as well for some Decisive Force thingy
3) and because i just want to..*lolx*

will be back with MORE pictures that will be super clear and sharp and pretty! *muack*

| Again |

a heavy stone that weighed down,
a careless word that hurt.
a shout that broke hearts,
i am the damned one again.

its tough, its hard,
waging a spiritual warfare.
the Holy Spirit diminishes,
and human nature takes over.

discipleship - the cost of carrying the cross,
not many could withstand.
the spirit is willing,
but the flesh is weak.

disappointed again,
discouraged again.
how to pick myself up?
i try to trust again.

Jesus oh Jesus,
only You know me,
only You see right through me,
only You understand me.

my tears are diamonds in Your sight,
only i mean that much to you.

my heart is in pain,
my eyes tear,
my lips start praying,
grant me self-control,
help me be more like You,
so that people may see You in me.

Amen.

| Sick |

i'm down with sore throat, fever, pounding headache, runny nose, body ache and cough AGAIN. this is the second time this year that i'm taking MC. if i continue to skip work tomorrow (wed), i would be left with 8 days of MC for the rest of 2010!

this is even worse than when i was studying part-time. *sigh

what is wrong with me?!

anyway, the time now is 12.57am and i am still debating if i am well enough to go work tomorrow or just skip it altogether? i went back to work in the morning today to process all our salaries which would be paid out this friday, and i was coughing and sneezing and blowing my nose NON-STOP. then i felt feverish and decided i HAD to go HOME and so i did and went to the doc AGAIN.

speaking of the doctor, pls let me complain.

i went to the clinic on monday morning and it was the lady doc on duty. she's a lil strange and she always seemed extremely UNSURE of what medicine to give. and i thought that since i was dying of a burning sore throat and runny nose, i'll just let her talk to herself. so she gave me 1 day MC. to be honest, its not that i'm so hard up for the MC, but if she had given me 2 days MC right from the start, she would have saved me LOADS of trouble having to go back another round today.

so i managed to rush down after work today and this time round, it was a male doc. i like him better. even though he's a young guy, he talks really SLOWLY. but at least he's more certain of himself - that i am positive. so he said that i caught the FLU BUG and i had to stay home to rest and not go round spreading the VIRUS to my colleagues which i totally agreed given my earlier experience in the morning. then he said i was RUNNING A TEMPERATURE i.e. FEVER. ah this was something NEW that the female doc FAILED to diagnose on monday. *major eyeroll* so finally he said another 2 MORE days of MC to STAY HOME AND REST.

and that was what i had been doing the whole day. thing is, i am feeling better. but i'm not so sure of the runny nose, sneezing and coughing part tomorrow. i really feel bad if i'd passed my virus to my colleagues, which by the way, happened before and even though my colleague and boss didn't say it that time, i knew that the WHOLE WORLD knew it was ME.

back to my earlier point, so should i go to work or should i stay home?

now before you start accusing me of faking MC, allow me to clarify that i am on this medication that is STRONGER but gives me INSOMNIA. :S

| Seven Dresses |

since monday night, i've had troubles falling asleep. this is very unlike me because being the pig that i literally am, i've never had such problems!

maybe i'm still convalescing from tummy flu that we were down with last weekend.

or maybe i've just been stressing out over my new blogshop which by the way is open. do visit http://sevendresses.livejournal.com/ to get yourself one dress for each day of the week and for a good cause! from now until our big day which we are targeting May 2012, we are pledging 20% of our profits to the missionary work that is going on at Cornerstone Community Church; while the remaining 80% will go to our wedding fund. :) after which, we hope to faithfully commit at least 50% of our profits to missionary work. so help to SPREAD the word yah? *winks

why Cornerstone? hmm because we had been very blessed by the services since day 1 we attended CSCC and with our lil efforts, we hope to do something for the Lord; to give something back to Him.

why a blogshop? hmm because i feel that its not without reason that i can't stop shopping online or in physical stores or have an eye for fashion and all things beautiful ;p and i figured there must be some way i can channel this passion or compulsive disorder into something useful and before i knew it, one sunday during the sermon by Karen Dunham, she talked about taking back what rightly belongs to God's people, specifically about Launching, i knew it then that it was God speaking to me.

you see. prior to that service, i had been corresponding with a supplier/wholesaler whom had gotten my email address from one of the bazaars where we participated under my other blogshop, Missy Hand Me Down (will talk more about that another time but you could also shop there ;D). and it was cool because she opened up the possibility of me owning a blogshop sellling first-hand clothes. however, with the capital that was needed to start and how business would be very slow in the beginning (which i hate to agree), i was very hesitant and procrastinated for quite a bit, almost to the point of giving up this idea completely. BUT it was that sermon which woke me up. i knew what i had to do, i knew what God has called me to do, i knew i had to launch and start this blogshop soon and credit it to His name. and instead of keeping all the profits to myself, why not give a portion to help others, for the extension of His kingdom? and so, that's how Seven Dresses was born.

| TGIF @ Hard Rock Cafe |

its been so long since i last posted something on my blog that has a poster which says it all. saves me loads of typing.

but isn't blogging the whole idea of typing out your thoughts and feelings? yup i don't deny it, i'm a walking contradiction.

its an unusually restless day for me at work today, and i wonder if its the pregnant-top i'm wearing that is making me feel ugly and therefore restless; or the fact that i stupidly forgot to print out the material my MD sent me days ago for our meeting this morning that made me feel dumb?

if its the former, then, fret not because i brought along a cardigan that thankfully, dresses pretty well with the rest of my outfit and thus i am saved by the cardigan!

but if its the latter (which i am pretty sure it is), then i only have myself to blame. already i am SSSOOOO free in this position that is killing me softly, and i can still screw up something so simple. well done!

i wonder what's next?

| Singapore Radio Awards 2010 |

help vote for the big sista here!!!

her name is lynette tan by the way, with Symphony 92.4FM. hehe ;p

| Port Dickson, 18-19 Oct 2009) |

part two of the pictures taken @ Port Dickson as promised. unedited and purely uploaded unto FB.

| Divine Timing |

some time in October, there was a guest speaker in our church, Dr Guy Peh. i felt very compelled to share what i learnt, however, too many distractions were the reason why i'm only penning this now. his sermon topic, if my memory didn't fail me, was about the promise of God and His divine timing.

1) Fullness of Time

Galatians 4:4 and the entire chapter of Malachi 4 talked about the fullness of God's timing, particularly Galatians 4:4 where the Scriptures were prophesying on the coming of Jesus, Son of God. that was 400 years of prophesy before it was fulfilled. God used 400 years' worth of time to prepare a platform before His prophecy would be complete.

Galatians 4:4
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Malachi 4
"For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch."...

"Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. "...

"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

2) The Appointed Time
in other words, God-ordained time.

the speaker gave an analogy of new relationships that we make with people. God sometimes uses people and relationships as instruments so that these people or relationship may bring about the release of our individual destiny. its like a ship or a vessel that is carrying something that we need from God.

most importantly, it is during the appointed or God-ordained time that spiritual warfare is never far, because the Devil is always waiting to strike God's people. so in such times, God's people should be even more rooted in God's words and in prayer.

3) Set Time
we as God's children have to set a time so that things can happen certainly, because God has a certainly moment for each of us.

Genesis 21:2
So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.

Exodus 9:5
The LORD set a definite time, saying, "Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land."

Setting Time / The Promise
exactly next year this time, whatever tough/difficult situations we're currently in now, will change and improve for the better, Amen!

just watch.

| today... |

today feels like the kind of day where i would have tons of things to rant on my blog.

many things going on lately and its the year-end season again. november - its my month. its also our month - our very long engagement.

yesterday's sermon touched on prayer. a very interesting perspective: humans form God in their own image. unfortunately, i had to agree with that. which is why there are so many disappointments that Christians face, because each has his/her own idea of how God should be, how He should answer prayers and what He should do in difficult situations. for the benefit of non-Christians, God made humans in His image, not vice versa.

.Deviated.

my current location is at the boyfriend's office, and i am sitting directly in front of him now. i have made 2 online purchases already and i am still waiting for him to knock off. my head is starting to spin but there is this event that i have to attend with him. i am still hungry even though i have eaten a cheesecake, a kaya pancake and a sausage bun (most of which i had finished even before i reached the office).

HURRY UP!

| Melaka - 17 Oct 09 |

as promised.

seeing that yours truly had the long Deepavali weekend, the boyfriend and i planned for a short getaway, super impromptu, tagging along the cousin and the parents.

first stop: melaka or malacca, where we were at about 6 years ago. we've grown, changed, and we're still together. =)


moving on, our favourite pasttime - piggin' session. what to eat at the place made famous by the drama Little Nonya? nonya cuisine of course.


then more piggin' session!


walking around the nostalgic streets..




chanced upon a shop with exquisite beaded footwear. wanted to get a pair for the second sista's traditional wedding but they were SO exquisite they only had one size for one color for one design. maybe next time.

had the opportunity to step into a couple of traditional nonya houses, very spacious and alike what we see on TV.


finally made it to the condo.


the different views...


aahhh..this is the life..


just when we thought our R & R (read: rest & relax) trip had already begun...we were grossly mistaken!!!


to be continued...Port Dickson, 18 - 19 Oct 09.

| ... |

do you sometimes get tired of life?

2 months into this job and i'm feeling tired. something must be wrong. fell sick with a neverending sneezing fit and a dripping nose on friday and scared half the office away - good. ended up sleeping and sleeping for the whole of yesterday and now i can safely say i'm better.

pay-day and i helped boast the economy again: retail therapy and online therapy. i need to curb my spending, its atrocious.

just a thought: is there a need to be so secretive?

| Russ & Piccolo |

::what happens everyday at home - my two lil ones::

starring Piccolo (on the left), and Russ (on the right; dark brown and white).