of Dix Hills escapades..

*interstate 495 will take you all the way to manhattan



*a big tree




After a hearty breakfast cooked by Mrs Lee, I decided to do a little recon around the neighborhood. With my trusty PDA, I took some (not-so-decent-pictures-taken-by-a- 1.3MP) of some houses and the neighborhood.

Houses here in the suburbs are huge. Boasting their own mini basketball court, swimming pool, garden and a garage. Thick greens blanket this middle-class neighborhood.

of jet lags

hate to admit it, but i'm experiencing minor jet lags.

0255: woke up.
0300: tried to sleep.
0315: went online.
0330: read dSLR reviews.
0335: oh yes, friends to chat with! sat on the throne while reading a book, read bible...
0400: tried to sleep again.
0410: can't... oh well, what's the internet for?
0420: "it's you again?" chatted longer..
04(something): tried to sleep...
0500: 20 odd minutes of shut eye.
0530: say, it's sunrise!
0600: online again.
0634: blogging now. listening to some jazz.
0700: probably opt for a morning walk around Dix Hills.

*in new york time.
* it's a rough estimate.

about Stony.

went there yesterday. it' s not as big as i expected, but it's pretty decent for an education. was room assigned to Hamilton College, Kelly Quad. Roommate? A Korean guy, Lim.

checked out the engineering buildings. pretty impressive. (pulse lasers, loads of weird looking machines, some geeks playing with their laptops :-p). stony's real famous for its physics and chemistry..

*thanking you friends for chatting with me online, i'll be real lonely in the wee hours of the morning. God Bless ya folks!

new york day #2

I've adjusted well I think. It's strange though, people say you'll need 1 week to get used to the local time. Stranger enough, I haven't felt any jet lag. I woke up naturally at 8am today.

Just came back from Stony Brook. Got to see the college. It's not that big though but has a decent environment for an education. They assigned me to a room near by my classes. And best of all, it's near 7-eleven and Long Island Railway (it could me all the way to NYC!!).. Say my campus is really multiracial.. Got loads of Koreans and Europeans. That'll be neat!

Got a Korean room mate. Hope to know more about Korea through him.

Guess i better take a nap now.. ZZZZZzzzzzzz...

God Bless!

reached..

finally, i've arrived to the Land of the Free.. after 2 years of prayer (well, i wasn't that a fervent prayer..)

thank you all for sending me off and am really appreciated it.

due to my recent exposure to korea, i began to fall in love with its language and country. reached seoul at bout 930am (m'sia time) and begin walking around the transit terminal. it's huge!! wish that i could snap pictures but i've got no camera :( i just love the way the air stewardess speak the language politely (korean airlines from kl-seoul-jfk). spent rm50 just to get 10000 won to get a decent meal. and since i was in korea, i wanna try some authentic korean cuisine but can't find. Went for KFC instead but later found out that there's a shop selling korean cuisine opposite to KFC! sobs

and i left for JFK by 11am (10am m'sia time). 13 hours on the seat is really tiring and gave me butt sores. the remedy? this korean dude introduced himself to me. i appears he's back to New Jersey a summer's long break. we talked about each other's countries and later found out that he's a Christian too! Double amen. He's name (man shong-something, sorry dude i forgot). i'll just call u man anyway.

touched down on JFK on the 22nd August 2007 (1155am New York time- 2355 m'sia time). it's 12 hour difference in time. Me and Man queued up to clear customs for nearly an hour!

Finally my father's friend picked me up and brought me to Queens. Brought me to this district called Flushing (don't ask me why the name). Flushing appears to be nicknamed United Nations. Wow, just look at the number of Asians (Chinese, Korean, Pakistani, Japanese) walking around. It doesn't feel like you're in America though. Then he brought me to a thai restaurant where u can find fried kuey tiow and ice kacang. not bad. Just had curry beef. (not as authentic as from m'sia, but it's the close as u can get). Now i'm in his house in dix hills, long island. nice house, and he has a large back yard (kinda like a small forest with all sorts of vegetation). but i haven't got a dslr! :(

how's the temperature? Cooling, 14-16C. feeling way sleepy now, that's why my writing's weird. like genting when it's at night.

jet lag? (shut eye a little while in car). kinda feel little sleepy now...

till then, God Bless!

just counting...

all is packed...
just counting the hours..
praying, music,

Lord be with me

thank You.

Finally, my life's next chapter is beginning to unfold. After 2 years begging God to grant me favor from New York, I'll be flying there tomorrow. Thank You Daddy...

Last night's party gave me much sweet memories of friends that I've met along the way. Thank you all for coming encouraging me. Thank you for your presence and gifts. And thank you for dunking me into the pool (twice). Thank you, relatives for helping me out. Thank you parents (esp Mum for organizing the party). (for pics, click on Kev's flickr link).

Time is really a precious gift from God. It cannot be recycled but only use once. Like a star that shoots across the night sky. It's shimmering glow comes and go briefly It's beauty will never return. I hope I had more time to spend with my family and friends...

Through it all, He sustained me. Held my hand and placed my feet on solid rock. Walked with me all the way. College was tough for me. And I'm glad He gave me what I asked for. Found peace and hope through this verse:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Great Expectations by Steven Curtis Chapman

The morning finds me here at heaven's door
A place I've been so many times before
Familiar thoughts and phrases start to flow
And carry me to places that I know so well
But dare I go where I don't understand
And do I dare remember where I am
I stand before the great eternal throne
The one that God Himself is seated on
And I, I've been invited as a son
Oh I, I've been invited to come and ...

Believe the unbelievable
Receive the inconceivable
And see beyond my wildest imagination
Lord, I come with great expectations

So wake the hope that slumbers in my soul
Stir the fire inside and make it glow
I'm trusting in a love that has no end
The Savior of this world has called me friend
And I, I've been invited with the Son
Oh I, I've been invited to come and ...

We've been invited with the Son
And we've been invited to come and ...

Believe the unbelievable
Receive the inconceivable
And see beyond our wildest imagination
Lord, we come with great expectations

*another beautiful song to suit this season of my soul

Everything Glorious

I've got a C Programming paper in 4 hours time (what's the need to study? i'm leaving next week!). Below is a song that I would listen when I'm down. The lyrics clearly states that our Lord makes everything glorious including me, you and everything around us. Plans He has in store for you is glorious. Look at the birds chirping on those trees! They're glorious as well. Look at the stars that glimmer in the night sky, they're glorious! Look at the great oceans, they're glorious! Above all, He is glorious.

"When one feels like in a dark pit, remember that there's ONE who IS glorious who can shine in the darkest of places and deliver one from any place no matter how dark the depth of one's soul"

Everything Glorious by David Crowder

The day is brighter here with You
The night is lighter than it's hue
Would lead me to believe
Which leads me to believe

You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours
What does that make me?

My eyes are small but they have seen
the beauty of enormous things
Which leads me to believe
there's light enough to see that

You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours

From glory to glory
You are glorious You are glorious
From glory to glory
You are glorious. You are glorious
Which leads me to believe
why I can believe that

*my eyes are small, but they have seen the beauty of enormous things...

Life's Uncertainties

It's been a grueling(not so) week for me. Papers are tough I would say, and I can hear New York calling me.. I imagine myself strolling down the legendary streets of the Big Apple. I picture myself taking pictures of Central Park and dropping by Columbia U(that Ivy league-university you see in Spiderman 3) to visit a friend. Just like Ben Stiller's "Night at the Museum", I would visit that historical establishment. Mingling with locals, joining them in their daily commute to work armed with a bagel in their hands as breakfast. It took me sometime to realize, from the moment I said "No" to Iowa and "Yes" to New York that God has plans for me there...

Street ministry has always been my passion. I love conversing with street people, sharing and showing them the love of Christ that radiates from within. I would love to capture smiles on their faces in pictures (looking at them just the way our Father looks at us with a smile on His face).

A few more days left in this country. Yeah, I get emotional at times. I could use a little more time here and do more things, but my time is up. I've got to go. I feel that I'm leaving something very important (like a part of me that I can't let go). I miss my cell group. Still remember we started at about 5 people. Then it grew gradually. 7 in attendance is fair. And we moved to different locations for our gatherings. And then we'll get a drink in SS2 and sometimes some nasi lemak near Maybank. And I still remember I prayed with my cell 2 years ago, begging Him to give me favor from New York. And now I got it. I miss chilling out in Oasis though. The people I've met along the way. I miss the ping pong sessions (sorry if i made a lot of noise!).

New York will be full of uncertainties. Will my expectations be met? Will build a close circle of friends? Will I find my other half there? (How's their food? :-p)... Questions like these pound my heart like the Blitz of London 1940. I just want the Lord to be with me. Closer than a buddy, closer than a girlfriend and closer than a parent. Be with me on the plane, in Seoul, over the Pacific and to JFK and beyond that.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" Ps 119 : 105

Here is a song i find truly sacrificial and had taught me to offer everything to Him (though it's hard).

Offering by Paul Baloche

The sun cannot compare to the glory of Your love,
There is not shadow in Your presence,
No mortal man would dare to stand before Your throne,
Before the Holy One of heaven,

It's only by Your blood,
And it's only through Your mercy,

Lord I come,
I bring an offering of worship to my King,
No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing,
Jesus may You receive the honor that You're due,
Oh Lord I bring an offering to You,
I bring an offering to You...

*listening to this another beautiful piece by Baloche, makes me ponder on how sacrificial his(Baloche's) heart is. "I bring an offering to You", may I sing that to the King who lives within us.
"I bring an offering to You", may these words be my daily meditation of Him...

Of Sunday School Kids

A friend of mine once said that I was good with kids. She told me that I should try serving in Sunday School. So why not? I opt for the 3-4 age group in my church (Glad Tidings PJ).

After a whole year of serving there as a teacher assistant, I was finally "decommissioned" by Jessica, "my boss" for she gave me one month (June) off before I leave for the States. Oh yeah, about the kids... There were a mixed bag of nuts. Some are really quiet and shy (esp the girls), some just wanna have fun (esp the boys) and there's this particular pastor's kid (can't remember his name though) who always take the front and assume being the "Sunday School Teacher's Assistant". Really funny though! When it was worship time, he goes to the front and tells the kids to follow him in song ( while referring to the teacher). When it comes to the Word, (remember those cartoon bible characters your Sunday school teacher sticks on the white board?) he deliberately sticks them and repeats what the teacher has said about them.

I have to admit it, the most amusing time is during the art time. As the teacher gave the children the art work (kinda like printed papers you find in your coloring book), the kids begin their unique style of coloring. They gave people purple skin or perhaps colored the whole picture with a single color. David (a 4 year old) gave Jesus a brown afro! Talk about style!

I get pushes at the back at times and sometimes when I'm standing, David will come hugging my leg begging me to carry him (so that he'll feel like Spiderman).Oh yes, kids do fight here! Fight over toys especially. Well, that's Jessica's job though. She's the expert.

I never knew kids could be this fun.... Kinda teaches me to be like a father though. So, hear ye, hear ye, all creatures of God, do serve in your local Sunday School. Rewards are plentiful (and hilarious at times).

See the boy in green? That's David during Word.

During art time

A quiet boy( I couldn't remember his name. try zooming into his name tag)

The girls.. Quiet as ever (they finish the fastest and neatest)

A night with Him.

In the silence of night, armed with my trusty pencil and a soft rubber in which its particles are scattered all over the make-shift table, I began studying. I can't believe it. From circuits to inductance, large amounts of data are processed and stored in my "organic hard drive". At times, I grabbed the guitar struck a few notes accompanied with song. A moment of solitude..

Last Thursday, I was stranded in college until late at night. I was actually in Oasis alone. Well, not alone I guess, a friend of mine over to get a book and later left after a brief moment of conversing. And then I was alone. Alone.

I lay lazily on the couch and began to wonder in amusement how much God had brought me through life. Through high school, through college. I hate to admit it, but I'm going to miss INTI. Such irony! I used to dislike INTI's policies and now I'm on the verge of dropping a tear. Not INTI, but the people, the friends I have made and the friends I had bid farewell. That's life.

I talked to God. Telling Him how wise and sovereign He is thanking Him of all the things he has and is going to do in me. Of course the cliche description would be that of God is the Potter and I am the clay. Mould me as You wish. I would like to picture myself as a canvas. God is the Painter. Paint me as You wish.

I've got approximately 1 week left before I embark on a journey of discovery in the States. I prayed for the people I will leave behind and for the people I would meet there. I believe that God gave me pictures. Pictures of people I would meet there. He speaks to me with pictures.

After 30 minutes, I got a call from Mum. She'll come pick me up at 2315 hours. Guess, I have to move on. Move on to a different phase of life.

Here's a song that stirred up my passion for Christ. It sings of how sovereign our Lord is. Even His name has divine power. A name so powerful, that mountains bow down to His name.

Your Name by Paul Baloche

As the morning dawns and evening fades,
You inspire songs of praise
That rise from earth to touch Your heart
And glorify Your name,

Your name is a strong and mighty tower,
Your name is a shelter like no other,
Your name let the nations sing it louder
Cause' nothing has the power to save,
But Your name..

Jesus in Your name we pray,
Come and fill our hearts today,
Lord give us strength to live for You,
and glorify Your name,

*Bless Your name, Lord.