Personal highlights of 2007

In random order...

License To Go Deep
Became a certified scuba diver (finally) after years of postponement (thanks Guatz, for the birthday gift!). Three unforgettable trips to Redang Island (twice) and Tioman Island. God willing, looking forward to more of His marine jungle.

Surfacing To The Stars
The last night dive that we did during my second trip to Redang was unforgettable: bumped into a turtle while doing safety stop (it just appeared from out of the dark), and we surfaced to darkness illuminated by a sky full of stars, stars and stars. Breath-taking.

View From The Top
My second climb up Mount Kinabalu, Sabah...this time via the longer but more scenic Mesilau route. Compared to the first climb, I stopped so many more times to just admire stuff and take photos.

Men & Women Overboard
Our boat capsizing at a rapid aptly named Washing Machine, while white-water rafting at Padas River, Sabah. It all happened in a split second: one moment we're rowing through Washing Machine, in the next instant I'm swirling under the rapids. After surfacing, I body rafted along with the current. Thrilling! The cool waters was really an extra bonus to just stay in the water :P

Mulu National Park, Sarawak
The biodiversity of the jungle never ceases to amaze me. God is really a creative Creator.

Falling
Bungy jumping in New Zealand...indescribable thrill.

Super Fresh
After diving for abalones and mussels, we cooked them, barbecued them....seriously, nothing beats fresh-out-of-the-sea seafood. So sweet, so delicious....what more those that you got with your own hands.

Passage Through India
My trip to India, where my main responsibility other than sharing was to conduct a tricks/illusions workshop for workers of CMCT. This was my second trip...there's just something about India. So much to not like about India, but yet there's such a strong pull. So rich yet so poor. So much need, so overwhelming.

Mum Goes To Church
Yes! Mum finally makes her way to church! Although she only does so when either of her sons are home, it's a start.

The Little Moments
The many simple moments shared with Guatz....the drives, the walks, the movies, the computer games, etc....all the little moments that makes life that much better.

~I will remember the deeds of the LORD...I will meditate on all Your works and consider all Your mighty deeds. (Psalm 77:11-12 NIV)~

Happy new year everyone!

Christmas is about Christ...why do you think it's called CHRISTmas?

Jack is a little boy who lives in Beanstalk Land. A week before his birthday, he gets really excited. He looks forward to celebrating his birthday. Why? Because the whole town knows about his birthday and they're going to get involved in the celebrations!

The day finally arrives, and the enthusiastic little Jack jumps out of his bed in the morning. He peers out his window and looks out into the street. What does he see? Everybody's out in the streets celebrating! Some were dancing to music, some where having a barbecue, some were playing games with each other, and some were singing.

Jack quickly got changed and ran out onto the streets to join in the celebrations of his own birthday. He skipped through the streets, happily anticipating birthday greetings and gifts from the townfolk.

But what is this? No one seemed to notice Jack walking down the street. Everyone continued to party and play without even a hint of care about the birthday boy. Jack was puzzled. "Hey, I'm here! I'm Jack, the birthday boy!" he shouted. But those who danced kept dancing, those who ate kept eating, those who sang kept singing, those who played kept playing.

"I'M JACK! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY YOU'RE CELEBRATING! WHY DON'T YOU NOTICE ME???"

Sad isn't it, when it's your birthday, and people are celebrating it, but they forget about the birthday boy/girl?

Christmas is Jesus Christ's birthday. It's about the Son of God coming into this world. And beyond the cradle, we see the cross and the reason why He came to this world.

So what are we celebrating this Christmas? Why are we celebrating?

Remember, it's His party.

Of Floods & Breakdowns

The flood in Mentakab has subsided. I should be able to spend Christmas back in my hometown. But many in Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor are still terribly affected by the floods.

My 6-year-old car finally broke down last night. All this while it has never broken down on me, but last night it finally did.

I was driving over to Guat's place after badminton, when I heard a snap from my engine, after which it just died. Thankfully I was in an inner road, and I managed to pull over to the side of the road with whatever momentum that was left. The engine couldn't start after that.

Lim, the tow trucker, by listening to the sound of the car engine trying to crank up, suspected that the timing belt has snapped. I can't say that was entirely unexpected, especially given the sounds it makes in the mornings when I start my cold car engine (something which I should have taken heed of). Interestingly though, it wasn't due for timing belt change yet. I changed it when the mileage (or kilometerage) hit 80,000km, and the next change was not due till 160,000km. My car's current mileage is almost 146,000km. Could be due to many factors...previous belt not fitted well, not-so-good parts were used, somebody sabatoged me...all sorts of possibilities. :P

Oh well, if it happens, it happens. I'm just thankful for God's kindness, that at least it happened in good circumstances: it broke down near Guat's place, my brother's in town so there's that extra car.

So this morning, I'll be heading off to the workshop soon, to assess the damage...and man, I'm sure it's gonna cost me :) The fact really hit home when I saw my car being lifted onto the tow truck, and being towed away helplessly...that's where my heart really kinda sank, seeing the noble steed reduced to a hapless piece :)

Part and parcel of owning a car :) Things like these reminds me that I'm blessed to have a vehicle to call my own. And my car is now in good hands at the workshop.

Time to go to the workshop... :)

Post-workshop update: The timing belt didn't snap, but the teeth/grooves has come off, so the timing belt ran out of its place...mechanic hasn't completed a full inspection yet, but so far, there's at least one piston arm that's broken. The car will be in the "hospital" for at least a couple of days.

Edit (21/12/2007): Car's fixed. Thank God it took only 2 days...bent and broken parts here and there but Raymond told me that damage was minimal because when the timing belt snapped, I was going at slow speed. Thank God for that too.

Banjir

Pahang and Johor are badly hit by floods. My hometown of Mentakab is not spared. The flood in the town area has badly affected the low-lying areas, including the market, the bus station and many shophouses. Water supply to residential areas is cut, and supplies are generally short because people are hoarding. My mum joked about how it's a good thing that her two sons (the biggest consumers in the house) are not at home, otherwise we might all go hungry! Some of my friends have had to rush to move things to the top floor of their shophouses.

The worse flood Mentakab has seen since 1971.

Restoran Lean Kee, my favourite hokkien mee/wo tan hor shop, is also flooded :-( (see last photo above, next to the Panasonic shop)

God's handiwork

"Measure not life by the breath we take but by the moments that take our breath away when we behold the glory of God's handiwork." ~Nic Ng~