Tithing, Douglas Leblanc

In this book, Tithing by Douglas Leblanc, it speaks of the importance of giving to God as well as in our daily lives. It's not a book of just teaching but on top of that, it's a book to remind everyone of us. The question is "Are we willing to give rather than to receive?" For in the bible it says, it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Lets see an example from the recent Katrina disaster in the US. Many of us will think that developed countries such as this can handle such cause by itself without help from others. But when we talk about giving, its not about rationality first. Sometimes, we have to put our judgement aside and look deep into our hearts. Are we compassionate to the people who are affected? Are we willing to give because we want to help them? In the book it says, we give so that others may simply live which I think its simple enough for all of us to grasp.

Besides that, many of us are living in a materialistic world where we chase after temporal wealth, status, power and recognition. I always believe that from dust we were made, dust we will return. Therefore our earthly wealth will all be dust or passed on to the next generation. It will not be with us forever. But God says something promising to us as Christians and which makes our Christian lives purposeful. In Matthew 6:20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

This book reveals the essence and importance of giving in our lives today. "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" 2 Corinthians 9:7

Skiing at YongPyong Resort

Well, I'm gonna show you one of the very interesting activities to do in Korea which is skiing. Haha. So part of our tour itinerary, we were brought to this skiing place called YongPyong Ski Resort. So you might be thinking, what would people be doing here. Well, practically they come to ski, enjoy the beautiful snowy scenery and to see one of Winter Sonata highlights because some parts are shot here...Those Winter Sonata fans out there, I guess you know what I mean.

YongPyong Ski Resort

Mum and sister

A family picture together

Looks like we are all geared up for the ski. Haha

Ohhh yes, I m ready to fall! Haha

Starting...

Oops, sorry bro. I have to upload your picture because I didnt capture my fall. haha

Play until sweat...Please build up your stamina first, if not will end up like me. After an hour, you get tired and fed up. Haha

So, next time if you all managed to come to Korea, try this place. For more info, you can see in this website. http://www.yongpyong.co.kr/eng/ski/overview.asp

Car Maintenance

During the December holidays my family and I have done some visiting to my uncles and aunties who are staying few hours away from our home. We went there to pay them a visit and at the same time, we did a lot of shopping while we were there. They are staying in a bigger city and hence, there are more mega malls in their city. My sister had the most wonderful time because most of the time, she was at the shopping complex to buy her stuff.

We love this December holidays because this will be the time where we go as a family, in our family car. Though the journey took three hours, we did not find it boring because most of the time were spent chatting happily inside the car. Before we started off our journey, I checked the car engine, especially the oil change and the brake job, I got to make sure that the engine parts are functioning properly before we start off any long journey.

The mechanics in my place do not come to the house if the car is not functioning unlike the Houston auto repair. They are more responsible than any of our mechanics in my town anytime. Not only they give the best service, they can repair any car which is not functioning well, that includes Acura TL too. Well, if you are looking for repairs for your car, stop over at their website for further details.

Outlive Your Life, Max Lucado

In this book, Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado, it speaks of us in today's community. It's not a book of just teaching but more of that, it's a book of reminding everyone of us. The question is "Are we willing to put aside our self-centeredness, and have more of God-centeredness in us?"

In order to reach out in today's community, it all starts wit us. The very first thing is us being obedient to God and let Him unshell us, for if we want to be used by Him, we need to turn to Him in surrendered hearts first. We have to learn and devote ourselves in prayer as well.

However, many things that disturbs us in order to help those in need. Sometimes we think they are unfit to be in our clicks for helping them would tarnish our image. We only help those we are comfortable with. There are going to be the outcast, hungry and sick people out there. The choice is on us. And we get to choose. Neglect or rescue? Label them or love them? We know what would Jesus do.

The phrase that strikes me in the book, "None of us can help everyone, but all of us can help someone. And when we help them, we serve Jesus. Who would want to miss a chance to do that?"

Korea Part 2: Nami Island

So this is the next post about Nami Island. This place is highly recommended for those Winter Sonata die-hard fans, people who loves peace, serenity and romance. Haha. I love this place too, during this course of winter, and hope to be back for another season. Lovely place.

The jetty for us to take the boat across to the Island

Myself on the boat, behind me is the Island

Welcomed by an ostrich. Haha

Beautiful isn't it? Its called the Central Whine Pine Tree Lane where nearby Bae Yong Joon and Choi Ji Woo had their romantic walk and first kiss.

The pathway...

Myself with beautiful trees around

A family pic together

Haha, with winter sonata promtion board...

Their first kiss place was also highlighted in memory of the movie

While walking, you will get to see many people gathering around the pit of fire to warm themselves. Can guess how cold it is rite?hehe

It was quite rush as we were in a tour and the time spent was limited. Hope to come back here again soon, and my next post would be our skiing adventure! Huhu..stay tuned :)

Korea Part 1

So the year end holidays seasons has arrived and this time, my family and I are blessed to go to Korea. Among the places we visited were Incheon, Nami Island, Kim Chi Factory, YongPyong Ski, Seoul and other market places. Just want to share some pictures describing the place and our time there :)

At LCCT checking in

While waiting at the boarding room

After a 6 hour ride, we finally reached Incheon International Airport (from left: sis, aunt, and mum)

Arrival hall in Incheon International Airport

Picture with sis in the airport while waiting for McD take away. All shops were closed so ended up eating McD for dinner..haha

It was already night when we first reached the hotel. So time to sleep and that's our room. Paradise Hotel in Incheon.

Walking to breakfast. Steep roads to climb before having meals. Btw, weather was cold, guess less than 5 degrees celcius.

Haha, simple breakfast, like the usual Chinese style with porridge

Family pic outside the restaurant

After breakfast, we proceeded to our first destination. The Kim Chi factory where we learned how to make their traditional delicacy, Kim Chi. It tastes sour, bit spicy mixed with white cabbage. Guess it doesn't suit much to M'sian taste tho. Hehe

Good job!Kim Chi..hehe

Picture with bro outside the factory

Haha, looks like an actor huh? Then, we were allowed to try on their traditional costume and take photos of ourselves.

With sis

That's our lunch for the first day.Korean steamboat. My bro and I had to wallop the whole thing. Man...

Everyone well sitted on the floor for the lunch. Because it was winter time, so most of the meals are hotly served.

After all those, we proceeded to Nami Island and some sceneries taken along the way

One of the dams. Caught an engineer eyes. Haha...

So what's next? We went to Nami Island. Its where the filming site of the popular Korean drama serial "winter Sonata" was done. I love that place, trees filled with snows and peace all around. Will upload next...

Done...Praise God!

Yea, I'm done finally! After 5 years, thank God, for bringing me through it all. I can say, its finished..Haha, I mean undergrad studies.

So what's next? Gonna stay here at home, relax, holiday with family, hang out with friends, chit chat, etc. Doing things that I would love, one of them is sleep. Haha

Then, will continue to pray and wait upon God's calling for future...

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you; declares the LORD; plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

A BBQ Gathering

Semester is coming to a close, in another one week or so, I am going to leave this place, my second home for five years already. Gosh, time really flies, doesn’t it?
Wanting to make the most of it, my church decided to have a BBQ gathering as farewell last week. We held it in our church, just a short distance away from our college. The most important item to have for a BBQ is the fire grill set, right? Thanks to my uncle, he brought one complete set in January this year and have been keeping it since. Now is the time to take it out for usage again but to my astonishment, the BBQ fire grill set seems to be spoilt. Upon enquiring from my friends, the barbeque set needs to have proper BBQ Grill Covers to protect against rusting and exposure.
Anyway, our BBQ gathering was a great success, everyone had a good time and of course, a good feast as well. All the food were finished up fast and we enjoyed ourselves tremendously. What matters now is the BBQ set, it is good in invest in a good complete set that comes with Large Grill Covers. Not only it serves well, I am sure many of us would love our food to be more hygienic in every way, so why not pay a bit more to get the best BBQ set!

Last class...

At last, today was my last formal class in UTP! Thank you God, I made it through...wooohooo!!!

Next up, finals and I am done...so so fast..Hehe

The last one...

Wow, indeed it's like a deserted blog. For almost one month I didn't update. Anyway would be a short and quick update from my side since I have like 10 mins before cell group.

I practically have 3 more weeks from today till my last paper on the 24th. Tomorrow would be my last lecture and last test in my undergraduate life. Never in my mind I thought that things would come to an end so fast, not that fast actually, but with happenings and events in your uni life, its consider fast.

So have to really appreciate this 3 weeks left for me in uni, spending time with friends and complete the race well and successfully. All praise and thanks to God first.

Fearless, Max Lucado

In this book Max Lucado shared the things in life that lead us to fear. Each day, fear comes into our lives in the form of insecurities through financial, safety, family and life itself. We fear failing others and failing to fulfill expectations and standards of the world. Fear starts from tiny doubt, that was fed with lack of faith that things will be better.

Max had brought and reasoned with us through this book, that fear can be confronted by faith. Max reasoned that everyday we still have God to put our faith onto. A God who will provide, forgives, loves and gives chance.

Other than that, fear should be confronted, not to evade or escape from.Like an alarm clock, in insecurities, that is the moment that we can see God's wonder in our lives.
In fact the threats in life should be faced with faith, not fear. Put your faith in God and everything will be in good hands. Towards the end, things will work. If it doesn't, then it is not the end.

Updates...

So now, August..hehe..4 more months till end end of studies..However, for the start of this semester, it has been quite relaxing and slow moving..not many credit hours..hopefully this would last till the end but don't think so would be so easy for a final sem student life..haha

Just came back from Church of Praise 25th Anniversary on last Sunday night..Praise God for his greatness and faithfulness in raising, impacting and transforming lives around Ipoh..And Church of Praise, Tronoh has been here for 10 years, and could really see how God bless this church and the people too..God is good!!!

So now, looking forward for our church camp which would be held in Peaceheaven, Genting on 11th-14th September 2010. wow!!! Hope would be a nice place there, and anticipating for God to move lotsa young people to go, participate and be transformed by Him in this camp! If you want to join, tell me! Hehe..

Automotive Repairs

Have you ever thought of getting yourself a Year 2001 Honda Civic? It is a compact car developed and manufactured by Honda. The 2001 Honda Civic is the seventh generation of Honda.Actually this car is pretty good, and has good pick up, transmission and performance. Some people have drive it up to more than 100, 000 miles and its still in a perfect condition.

However, this car faces some problem. One of it is the head gasket problem. The gasket is located between the engine;s cylinder head and block. Its function is to keep pressure contained within the engine's cylinder and seal for internal engine. It often fails due to overheated engine and also aging. An early sign would be a rough running engine when you first start the vehicle. If you con't change oil and coolant might leak from engine.

But don't worry. Los Angeles Auto Repair could help you out in this. It should be replaced as soon the problem arises. During this repair, the cylinder head gasket will be inspected and machined. These mechanics could be found all around Los Angeles and they would be able to help you out on this matter.

Relax While They Print

The other day my personal computer nearly "crashed." If it really did, the first thing I feared and worried was the photos! They are very sentimental to me, my travels overseas, my friends, special occasions of my loved ones, they are all inside the hard drive. Now after this incident, I am taking some precaution. I am going to develop them into hard copies and keep in the photo albums. But being a University student, I find it a hassle to go downtown to get them developed. Thanks to my blogger friend, I know about eoe online photo printing. She told me all about this Malaysian website whereby I can just upload my photos into their site, click on the sizes and number of copies I needed, pay by credit card or banking in to their account and presto! All these photos will be delivered unto my doorstep within three days!!

As for the rates, their price is very-very reasonable, I dare say, it is even cheaper than the shops near my area. For a 4R print, it is only RM0.30 and RM0.50 for a 5R print. Isn't that cheap?

Well, this is really a blesssing... now I can develop any photos I needed without going downtown. I can just do everything here online. Isn't that GREAT? YES! Thanks to eoe Online!

Dessert!!!

As I am writing this post, feel like having some desserts...Hard to find such in Malaysia here, I mean Ipoh particularly also...Maybe can get them in KL, but anyway, hope you all love this as much as me, so that when you all go, can pay for me and bring me along! Haha...

Crepes stuffed with chcolate ice cream...

Ice cream puffs...

Cheese cake with hot chocolate sauce...

Chocolate cake...yummy!

Last but nt least, another diff type of tiramisu :)

Glorious food d' italiano 1!

Looking back at the pictures that i took in Italy last year...wanted to go again to savour all these food..ahhhh!!!

Its pasta stuffed with spinach with barbeque sauce..taste great!

Fiorentina steak..very famous and must try steak in Florence...

Spaghetti alla carbonara..one of the best i have tasted so far...hehe

this is another blast...penne cooked with smoked salmon..walao!

Dinner would not be complete without the typical italian desert, Tiramisu cake..haha

Btw, these food are served in Ristorante La Lampara, Via Nazionale, 36-red, 50123 Firenze, Italia...So if you r thr, check them out!