Week 12 of being at home

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An Early Morning Arrival = Lazy 2nd Day in GC

After last night late TV session for World Cup, The Day still start rather early for most of us. 9.30am. Just a 4hr sleep. It is time for Breakfast. We didn't have to travel far to find one. And for once, I thought I was in the wrong Continent. Europe? - Paris Fashion Cafe??

A Nice cup of coffee to start a lazy day.

And a Hearty Breakfast to compliment the Coffee. Now I am feeling hungry after that 7hrs on a flight eating mediocre in flight meals...

All of us look sleepy...haha...but no choice, can't waste a day just for sleeping. It is time to explore the surroundings.

These guys are perking themselves up with Orange Juice!!!

It was a rather rainy start in Gold Coast actually, make us wonder if this weather will continue into the weekend. But the sign on Traffic conditions for the Marathon is already up everywhere around town. GCAM seem like a really big thing here.

Decided to go get the food necessary for tomorrow breakfast @ Coles at the supermarket nearby. Return back to the Apartment to settle down a while, pack our groceries a bit before setting off for Harbourtown.

Tickets for buses in Australia can be super expensive. Though it was just like a 30 mins ride. It cost us 5AUD. Expensive. Since it is a rainy day today, the best thing to do is indoor activities, Shopping!!!

Rainy days definitely keep the crowds away or are we just late. Since most shop closed early else way but not Harbourtown which open till 9pm.

Decided to settle in a local Western Food Place for Dinner @ Nonnas. Choose the Fish for Dinner. Hopeful enough protein for the run....anyway rather high calories, so it should be call Carbo loading stage now

Wonderful Mushroom soup in a cup of bread....

The place was really dark, none of our hand phone was really good enough to capture enough light. But this is the decent enough photos of us.....haha..

The last event of the day is to find our ways back to our apartment.  We actually shop till all the shops are closed.. and it was a rather cold experience now with the wind blowing rather strong. 

Coming up tomorrow, Race Pack Collection.

Flight to my First Oversea Marathon - GCAM

Been really excited about this trip. Waited almost half a year for it to arrived. Got a really good deal for a flight to Gold Coast,Brisbane, on Emirates, for just $650.

The guys were the ones out in full force and on time waiting for the fastest runner in our group,Miss Jenny

The guys decided to settle for Lunch at the Food Court first while waiting for the lady to arrive.

We proceed to our gate for boarding. All of us manage to arrive on time. Jenny Was the latest.

Though We are considered to be pretty early for our flight. It still took us a while waiting for everyone to arrive. Last call @ our Gate.

An 8hrs Flight to Australia, Brisbane, Looking forward. A small commotion broke up here though, they keep delaying us in the Economical class from boarding while still paging for business class and First Class passenger which I only see a few. What Privileged these people get for paying 3 to 5 time our price.

Though I was not on an SQ Flight, use to think that SQ have the World Best Entertainment system - Krisworld. The competition have just caught up. Emirates have touch Screen Display and probably a larger screen, tons of Games and movies on it all Look HD to me

Even their Controller comes with an LCD Display

Though we are not on a A380 Flight, Modern fleet nowaday are usually on the B777 which is definitely more spacious the B747 ages ago. The Large LCD on every seat are the main highlight of the flights.

U get to see your flight journey in 3D animation and also how the outside of the plane look like. YES, even when the Plane is in Flight. As the flight time to Brisbane took us about close to 7hrs. I really got alot of time to watch movies. Browse through the catalogues of movies, Identify 4 to watched. Act of Valor, Paranonormal activity 3, Journey to the Center of the Earth 2.

Entitled to a Dinner and Breakfast before landing at our Destination. Dinner coming up!!!

There seem to be only one choice, Chicken with rice. Wasn't too used to the Culture of the middle East people. I am totally surrounded by them making me feel so out of place. I wasn't seating with them as I brought my ticket later. The Air Steward all seem to favour them more than us, Chinese. It is even more prominent than SQ's Local vs Caucasian

We took a Cab from the Airport, boy was it a very expensive one. Cost us over 240AUD. Lucky we have 5 People to split the cost. The Place we will be spending the next 7 days, Meriton Apartments.

The Apartment is huge. Cost us about 600 Per person for 7 days. Quite a Good deal. We have a Large Kitchen to ourself. But too bad, none of us are good cooks.

We are actually quite in time for TV on World Cup, and the size of the Living room helps allowing all the guys to settle in together to watch a match together.

There are 3 rooms, each with a King Size bed. As most of us are guys, only 1 lady. The Lady took the room to herself, while the 5 guys share the 2 rooms.

Large and Clean washrooms as well. Will definitely helps in our Marathon Preparation...before the big day on Sunday.

After watching the match, It is almost 5am. We take a little nap before starting off early tomorrow morning.

Devotion - Lack of Faith for God's Provision

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lordyour God.’”

¹³ That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. ¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer^[a] for each person you have in your tent.’”

¹⁷ The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. ¹⁸ And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

¹⁹ Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

²⁰ However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

This Chapter talks about God's Provision, Though the people complaint against God, God still provided for his people out of grace and compassion. I used to struggle at prayer life. I find it odd ward to pray and even pray for others as I was not good at words and my vocabulary is limited. I tried praying for others, and it turn out pretty short, find it so shortcoming, and started wonder if my Prayer for my fellow believers is shortchange. But some how, I make the step to start, it always start from me stepping out in faith to prayer because it is not with my power that my prayer works but it is God at work. I have a long way in my prayer life and I am making small little steps toward having a prayerful life.

About God answering my prayers. I do have doubt whether God will answer my prayers or not. As I still feel I am not obedient enough. Does God only Award an obedient believer? I realize I have a lack in faith in God, that is why I was disobedient, that is why I don see what God have done in my life. I often ask Dear, how come God choose to answer her request but I don have. She answered - She is more insecure and needed all these assurance. Do I really need less assurance? I realize that I didn't believe my prayers will come through, not until at work when God answered one of my complaint about a notebook and I actually got it without realizing it. Thank God for giving me this sign, I am not worth it, but now I know u are there for me.

Another worth mentioning part about this chapter is spritual food. It is our personal Responsibility to gather good according to our needs, we are to gather our own spritual food according to our needs. Else we will just remain standstill and when crisis comes, we will just fall away. Testimony and Sermon serve to compliment us on our journey toward a live with God in Control.

Saying Farewell to a Nice Family - Irene & Her Dad

Though I don really know Irene and her Dad well. Their Sharing of what happen in their lives let me reflect on my life. How Bitterness and forgivingness can destroy a family. It really take a lot of courage and trust to built a Family.

But I am Glad, God use this incident to highlight to us this importance of guarding ourself of these traps. We make the choice to be bitter or not to forgive. Do I have Bitterness or Forgiveness  Probably, Work's Bosses and Friend's hurt come to mine. Got to work on it.....

Though there are some mishap, Irene's dad fell down while walking, but all is still well.

We meet up at the Airport to send Irene and her dad off. It was quite a big group, some of them I have not seen before. This picture tell us, though the past is probably unpleasant, the feeling of could have done better, but What matter is that we have each other. Seeing this picture, tell of how blessed Irene's dad is. Her relatives in Singapore didn't take heart to what happen in the past.

I sincerely wish them all the best. Especially Health for Irene's dad. Hopefully, we see them soon. 

One thing about this whole incident is that I got to know Irene as a Friend. Impression - Very sociable and approachable  She give me the feel that she don really guard herself. Very open person.Saying

Devotion - Faithfulness and Obedience

The Waters of Marah and Elim

²² Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. ²³ When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.^[f]) ²⁴ So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

²⁵ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. ²⁶ He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they campedthere near the water.

Manna and Quail

16 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. ² In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. ⁵ On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, ⁷ and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” ⁸ Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”

⁹ Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”

¹⁰ While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.

I can see 2 contrasting factors here. One being the Israelite grumbling because there is no water fit for drinking and they have been without water for 3 days. Yet they didn't know that grumbling to Moses is like Grumbling to God.  God tested their faith and they failed to trust God even though his presence is with them.

Thinking back to my situation in my lives. I used to find my life not filled with much blessing, seem very very normal, unlike some testimony I have heard about how they resolve certain crisis in their lives and how they encountered God. My was pretty normal to me. But I realized that I am already bring in the elements of taking things for granted that God didn't do anything for me in my life. In fact, he was there all the way in my lives, When I face difficulties in the Army he provided the shelter for me to seek comfort. When I was in Sheffield, he blessed me with alot of friends, and though I didn't do well in my degree, he provided the access to work. Right now, I am in one of my lives most challenging time, yet I never failed to see his presence at work. Though I am still not spirituality sensitive enough to know the direction he want me to go, at least I know he is in control.

The other important thing being mentioned here is obedience. Obedience this word, is not an easy word to apply. It involves faith and a element of trust in God that he is giving you the best for you. Many at time, we become disappointed because what God has given is not something that we desire and in the event, we struggled with it. I must say I struggle with this word Obedience alot. I sometime worry what God's plan for me, what if it turn out to be something I can't accept, or turn out to be disappointment, I didn't trust God's Word fully. Sometime I know I should obey but the flesh is not willing to let go and I took the easy way out to follow my flesh.

It have been a constant battle between what I desire vs what is right in God's eyes. At time obeying God come naturally, but at time I find it hard, even right now, staying in the job to learn that I am serving God and I should do the most to my ability even if it is not something I desire take alot of faith and efforts. At time I very much want to follow my flesh but in doing so I would leave behind alot of shit and speak negatively about my testimony as Christian.

I thank God for his upkeeping and his forgiveness for I have constantly failed to meet the mark but God send many many encouragement, It make me feel so ashamed and guilty that make me want to do better. I am sure soon I will be able to walk in a path God has planned for me. I look forward to it

An Adventure to the Night Safari

Dear's Cousin, Irene came over to Singapore with her dad for short visit to relatives in Singapore. Heard all the stories about her bad experiences with her sister. Hardly can come out for gathering with relatives and friends. But the good thing is, Irene seem to have found love in Singapore..lol

Anyway, Dear and her sisters manage to book a time slot with Irene to have 煮炒 near her place in Yishun.

It was quite a wonderful spread of food.

The highlight must be the curry hotpot!!! All of us must be really hungry,snapping up the food even before all the food arrived.

The kids are having a hell lot of good times...and they have something to look forward to, they are going to the Night Safari Later in the evening.

This is also a night I embarked on one of the most "dangerous" activities in my recent memories. To help move house for Irene as she is facing some issue with her sis and since she only have about a few days more before she goes back to Holland, Dear's family decide to let them put up at their house. What a thing to happen when they spend so much money to come over to Singapore. Glad that they manage to enjoy their stay here in Singapore during the last few days.

We went ahead with our Visit to the Night Safari. It is probably my first time here...as I have no memories of being here at all. I think I went through the park when I did my Safari Run earlier this year and the previous.

As this place open only from 6pm onwards, I wasn't surprise by the crowd that was there. Anyway, I heard that this is like the only kind of Night Safari in the World. No other place in the World have Safari in the night.

Luckily there is quite a number of counters serving on site Customer who walk in to buy the tickets

Quite a Dark place to take photos.....The First thing to do is to ride the Tram to tour the Exhibits

It took us about 30mins, before we are on one. And there is a very strict rule on Flash photography. I Remember one tourist was being warned and almost got chase out of the Tram for continuing ignoring the rule. Pretty frustrating..consider that they are all adults....(I think they probably don understand our language)
One of the most interesting activity at the Night Safari is to really go see their Night Show. It was really very interactive, Probably because I wasn't there before, it was full of suspense and the discovery of a snake hidden in one of the seat in the audience surprise me about their creativity and dare.

They even ask a member of the audience to volunteer, and in this case, a guy...who was ask to hold the python.

Then all of a sudden, all the trainers just left him due to a commotion...leaving him alone...and in the dark....it was actually a prank they played on him.....very fun to watch

We left the place around midnight...super tired......