Countdown

Uhm, No... It is not the supermarket I'm talking about.

It is THIS!

If you don't know what that is, it means that it has been a while since I shared something about ME life in ME bloggie.

That is a countdown of the number of days left I need to complete for my 1st Engineering Practical Work experience, at least 40 days. 120 days in total (960 hours) is overly ambitious, given that it is already difficult when the work experience is entirely the students' responsibility. If not for the current economic crisis they would not have even considered of reducing it to 100 days.

Many people discouraged me when I told them that I'm working for free with the Chocolate factory, which is the only suitable company that gave a favourable response, saying that I will quickly lose motivation after a while. Well, the truth is I struggled like mad trying to find a job in Christchurch, and when I got this one I am overjoyed, so I accepted it. There were still some others who pointed out the option of going home to work. I have prayed and thought so much about it for the past two weeks when I was dying of home-sickness, aggravated when majority of the people who formed what Christchurch really means to me left for home. My parents even found a job for me back home during the last minute. But I chose to stay. I don't know why I just have the strong desire to stay put in Christchurch for this summer, right from the start of the year. Well, I prayed for God's will and I have taken the first step. The rudder was in God's hand all along (it still is), and it seems like He steered me to stay. =D

40 days is seriously not an easy task in this Chocolate factory. 3.30pm to 1.00am Monday to Thursday, thank God when Friday comes because the hours are only from 11.00am to 4.00pm. Freaking tiring, but I am grateful nonetheless, for friendly people there, and good supervisors who don't shut me up when I ask too many questions. Not to forget also that I am constantly learning new things at the factory, and seriously gaining skills I never would imagine myself getting!

Today I watched the full Handel's Messiah performed by the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. A week ago I watched the Christchurch City Choir performed a few excerpts of the Messiah. What a treat! Where would I find these in Malaysia? Concerts of high standards are just about everywhere! Cheap price too!

EveryNation Church here has been, is still, and will always be awesome. It is so encouraging to be amongst real people with such big hearts for God and others. =D Christmas is just around the corner... And man, Church is gonna be awesome...

Loving it here in Christchurch! PRESS ON, those red lines will soon dominate the whole paper!

Oh yeah, did I mention that I got my bike back? The police found it... It was about 4 months ago... OopS!

CALVIN

Hi...

I'm Busy. Sorry for my absence... =D

CALVIN

Gold turned Stone

As I was walking on the bed of rocks on the way back from the 2-D 1-N tramp at Hawdon area, I thought to myself, I would love to keep one stone out the massive pile as a rememberance of this overnight tramp, since it is my first one in New Zealand anyway.

But suddenly it dawned upon me that there are stones everywhere, and stones are just too common. Because they are everywhere, somehow they are always overlooked by men, and certainly they do not have high valued price tags attached to them compared to gemstones like emeralds, amethyst, shappires or pearls, or things made of gold and silver.

Growing up as a kid, I have always imagined Heaven to be filled with gold, whereby every tiny detail is made of it, the pavements, the buildings, the rocks on the river bed; so much gold that everywhere around you just dazzles beautifully (Of course, this imagination is inspired by the description of the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelations). As I was pondering about the massive pile of stones where the waters of Hawdon river flow through and about, I realised that gold itself in heaven is like that stone pile I was walking on. Gold is found everywhere. Amazingly, gold, a wonderful treasure on earth, has become a common stone in Heaven, lack of value, significance, meaning and importance.

The things of earth surely fades in comparison to the things of God. What then is the treasure in Heaven?

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will go strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace"

"Lord you are more precious than silver. Lord you are more costly than gold. Lord you are more beautiful than diamonds, and nothing I desire compares with you"

CALVIN

Hearts and Passion

Psalm 63 : 1 - 8


O God

You are my God

and I long for you

My whole being desires you

like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land

My soul is thirsty for you

Let me see you in the sanctuary

Let me see how mighty and glorious you are

Your constant love is better than life itself

and so I will praise you

I will give you thanks as long as I live

I will raise my hands to you in prayer

My soul will feast and be satisfied

and I will sing glad songs of praise to you


As I lie in bed

I remember you

all night long I think of you

because you have always been my help

In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy

I cling to you

and your hand keeps me safe



Calvin

Short but heartfelt

Lord

I stand

in awe of your glory

your praises abound in me

for you are my strength

and you are my portion

my redeemer

Lord

I stand

in awe of your glory

all I am is yours

Lord I love you

Jesus

your praises abound in me

Calvin

Imagination

//Nature has music of its own//

Calvin

Blindness

I shall wait for you no more

because you have always been around me

I never knew how long you have been calling my name

because my mind hid your face away from all sight

I blinded myself from you

but you took my hand and walk the curb with me

I heard you said you name was not your name

and I believed your untrue lies

I toyed with my own emotions

yet I put the blame on you and your hidden presence

I dwelt in my own curse, not yours

because your curse is my curse to myself

I have wronged you

my friend

please forgive me

and I shall wait for you no more

because you are already here


Calvin

Do you mean it?

Sometimes I think that I am doing alright in everything. I'm not too bad, I'm doing quite good in my life.

But seriously, it is not okay at all. There are so many things I need to work on, so many attitudes and actions I need to watch out for. The words and promises I say and make, do I actually mean and keep them? My commitments and responsibilities, do I actually perform them whole heartedly? Sometimes I take for granted things that are so readily available to me, never actually am grateful although at the back of my mind I know I should. Outside I speak life, but do I have it inside? Outside I speak truth, but do I believe it inside? Outside I sing worship and praises, I express love and faithfulness, but do I actually live what I sing?

Don't be deceived my friends, because I am as imperfect as any of you.

How much I am convicted because God does not look for perfection, rather He looks for progress towards perfection. To be like God, but not God. He looks for hearts that thirst for Him, souls that are passionate and desperate for His presence.

CALVIN

Expression

Disciple me

O Lord

teach me your ways

search my heart thoroughly

and know my thoughts

for my heart yearns for you

and my soul longs

for your presence

like the desert I thirst

for living waters overflowing

because you inspire

and encourage me

in all my circumtances

who ever compares to you

O Lord

for you are righteous and holy

mighty and strong in battle

my life

my trust and hope

is always in you

O Lord

for none but you is truth

and truth

always sets me free

Calvin

Have a break...

...have a tramp, an expensive lunch, and a movie(s) night.

Yeah, I used this Saturday to the fullest just to get away from Uni. The past week had been incredibly tiring, and weird, not to say the least. Probably I exaggerated my work load a little too far by staying back at Uni until late in the morning, but the main reason is just that I prefer to do my work/study at Uni rather than in my room, although I may not have much work/study to do. I don't know, maybe studying at Uni is somehow like an adventure, from Central Library to Erksine, to Loft and Glade. Oh well, at least there were some people as crazy as myself to accompany me in these adventures =D. It was also quite amusing to see people burning their lamps in the battle against time, and it was certainly fun and comforting to know that we are going through the same struggles, studies wise.

Kim, Dominic and myself walked the Barnett Walkway this morning and it was really fantastic because of the great weather. If I ever live in Sumner, I guess I would make that walk a daily thing to do. Then we had an expensive but relaxing lunch at Poseidon outdoors overlooking the ocean with the Sun. Finally, watching Sister Act I and II again at Dom's place really made my day, although I've already 're-watched' them about a week ago. Reminds me of how much I love and miss singing in the Choir =p.

Yeah, simple but it is what I call 'doing something that you like'.

Aside from these, I am really excited for Christchurch, and the great things that God is going to do here.

Yikes, I hope I can get up early for band practice tomorrow before church.

CALVIN

Same old thing

Winter break has past and here I am back to the start again. But Queenstown was spectacular, awesomely beautiful.

My results for Semester One was awesome, can't ask for more, because many people didn't fare as well as I think they deserve. However for someone who hates Engineering at times, God has been so faithful to me, and all I can say is that things happen for a reason, but God is always in control. Do hang in there people. =)

I was talking with a friend before a lecture started today, we agreed on the fact that most of us have just burned up everything we could possible give for Semester One, and now Semester Two seems so far away from our sense of motivation. Two weeks seemed just like two days, and a few of us have not really refilled our tanks. Here we are with the same old thing again. My my, Canterbury is hard.

On a joyful note, ENLI year two began for me. I am so joyful to be part of a group who hungers so much for God's word, learning and growing in Him on a daily basis. Ironically, being sort of an academic course, it is one of the very few things that keeps me sane while being in the engineering world. Aside from ENLI, there are many other commitments which I am involved in. Honestly I feel so thin, being like 'butter spread over too much bread'. I should have got myself involved in things that my heart really beats for, not because of other reasons. At least I know this now and next year will be an even greater highlight for me.

This semester is another big challenge for me, but as God led me through the first half, with awesome outcomes, surely He will bring me through again, with even more juicier fruits!

Dinner time!

CALVIN

Jesus you reign - a song

Who can compare to you?

Your love, your grace that made me new

There is none like you


In all my doubts and fears

I know in your arms, I am secure

Lord, you are my shield


There is no greater honour than to worship at your throne

Now I glorify, I magnify your name


Jesus you reign

Jesus you reign

With all that I have

With all I am

I worship you, Lord


Jesus you reign

Jesus you reign forevermore

I'll sing forever Lord

Jesus you reign



CALVIN

Oh my octopus!

Win.

I guess the funnier thing is to watch people cracking up after reading it.

CALVIN

Update for the sake of updating

Phew. It has been a while since I last updated this up-to-date blog. (==")

Alright! So what would it be this time?

Hmm...lets see...

I guess I should just use simple point form format to summarize any interesting (to me) experiences I had when I was at Genovia.

.......

Then again, maybe not.

So far, and currently (and please please, not for long, please) things have been really focused on uni studies, studies and just more studies. Can't help feeling proud of myself that I have successfully overcomed 1/4 of semester one, given that literally 3/4 of it will come crashing to me in the next two weeks, in fact its starting tomorrow! Lol. Furthermore, I have five papers to sit for this semester (one of which was completed last Tuesday), instead of the normal 4. I know I shouldn't brag about my busy-ness simply because i'm not alone in this and everyone is exhausting smoke from their heads. Oh well, probably that is why it has been so foggy the past few days. [Laugh like a poor stand up comedian]

I don't know about the others, but I realised that term two really flew past so quickly due to the huge workload we had. "Time flies when you are having 'fun' ". What a dull semester I have to say, aside from some interesting events we had from time to time, like the CMSA hike, Miss Saigon, Sledging etc.. But seriously, most days, all I was looking forward to was the end of each horrible chemistry and fluid lab I had to complete and a reasonably good night sleep after an exhausting fluid, mass-balance and chemically retarded day. Oh well, deep down i'm grateful because to be honest, studying is really a privilege not many people can have, and engineering actually does teach you a heck lot of other stuff and skills many courses don't offer!

To make things even retarded...Someone actually STOLE my bike! The one thing I thought would never happen, at least in Christchurch, where there are millions (ok, a bit too exaggerated but you get the idea) of bicycles around, actually happened to me! I did what anyone could possibly do - use a fairly good sturdy lock - but the thief had to ease his itchy fingers and cut the lock. I was at the police station the other day to collect my event number for insurance claim, and the community volunteer, who is from Malaysia apparenty, said in his 1/2 NZ 1/2 Malaysian slang, "Actually NZ is not so safe you know, things like these happen all the time". Oh well, after being really dissapointed with NZ and the thief for that short period of time, I got over it, and hope that NZI would do something favourable for me. I loved my bicycle, since the brand is quite unique, and not to mention I had many awesome 'bonding-time' (Khoo, 2009) with my bicycle. Oh well...maybe soon I'll get a NEW bike...hyeh...hyeh..hyeh...!

This feels so weird, blogging in the eve of exams.

Anyway, despite the depressing uni stuff we all have to go through, I really am glad to have great people around me to experience NZ together. Church for instance, ENLI, Re-fuel, music practices and ICF. I realised that I've grown to adore Christchurch so much, for its beauty and also the people here. There are so many things I want to do in NZ, one of them of course is to conquer the great majestic Southern Alps. *drool*. NZ is seriously beautiful people, I mean it! =D

Looks like its getting late, want to sleep early for tomorrow! Just a random update!

Nitez people!

CALVIN

A long list

One afternoon, my brain suddenly thought of doing this...

Lord you are...

so good, with us, for us, in us, forever faithful, merciful, abounding in love, gracious, righteous, holy, powerful, omnipotent, ominpresent, victorious, magnificent, wonderful, glorious, blessed, the way, truth, life, vine, bread of life, light of the world, lamp unto my feet, light unto my path, messiah, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, my all in all, beautiful saviour, song, joy, shield, strength, portion, deliverer, stronghold and tower, rock, fortress, redeemer, encourager, conquerer, protector, defender, sword, armour, potter, comforter, friend, sheppard, hope, assurance, abba father, provider, banner, healer, sanctification, peace, guide, leader, teacher, master, Lord, GOD...

the list goes on and on!

CALVIN