the mountains beckon

I think I am officially new zealand-sick. As the one yr anniversary of the day I stepped on the soil of the country I never imagined I'd be able to visit approaches, I find myself going through all my photos again and revisiting websites I pored over while researching for the trip. The heart pines for the mountains, LOTR-style moss and living out of the backpack. The whole trip was just... an awesome privilege. *happy sigh*

for such a time

Esther 4:13-14
Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Who knows if perhaps I have been put in this profession that I am in for just such a time as this?

ode to the trusty manual car

We will give up the manual car in a week's time. *wail!* As much as a new car is exciting, I'm also very sad to let go of the current manual one. boohoohoohoo. Not to mention that it has sentimental value as it is the one I had my most training on as a greenhorn a couple of yrs ago. No longer can i cruise on neutral gear round the curves and feel oh-so-in-control. sigh! There is a time for goodbyes I suppose.

put a smile on my face

I thank God for three things that made me smile at work on Friday.

On my way up to the wards, a nurse came into the lift accompanying a newborn baby that she was bringing up to the neonatal ward. That alone made me walk with a spring in my step the whole morning! A brand new life, a little one created and crafted lovingly by the Almighty Creator. Have you ever been in awe of the tiny toenails of babes?

Then a foreign patient of mine told his translator to tell me that he was very pleased with what I have been doing for him. It meant a lot to me esp since I had to problem-solve like crazy 3wks ago juz to dream up and fabricate a suitable splint for him. Thank you God for the encouragement!

At the end of the day after work, I visited a patient who has become a friend and spent a good 50min chatting with him. Almost late for my appointment after that! But I've always enjoyed talking with him and this was no exception. Thank you God for the people you've put in my path.

I read something this morning that made me think of how Christians can so easily get into the routine - or dare i say rut - of attending church on sundays, and maybe a bible study midweek, and maybe even another cell or prayer meeting on another day... and that's it. An activity-filled week indeed. Comfy Christian activities. But, really, that is not the heart of the gospel isn't it? Not at all. God's heart is always, always for the people. The people He has created and whom He yearns to relate to once again.

I have started to forget this and I do realise that I go about my life most of the time not seeing people thru God's eyes. As lost souls. I pray I will do this more this week.

though it's hard to let you go

Some quick updates first:

- I didn't have to 'fight the heartless docs' in the end (see prev entry) cuz the pt kinda fainted or something the day before they were pushing for his discharge. The MSW (med. social worker) and I were going "SEE lah! didn't listen to us when we said that he's not ready to be discharged... tsk!"

- I can still continue jogging, yippee! Praise God! I'll juz stay off the stairs. (see prev prev post)

Work continues to be hectic hectic hectic. Getting more draining actually. I am physically very tired everyday after work. It's a gd thing and an immense blessing that I really enjoy interacting with my pts (except the occasional ones who seriously cause my BP to shoot up) because I realise that that actually energises me. So it's like I arrive at work a bit stoned, then as I start seeing pts my energy level goes up. I'm fuelled by it. Then end of day arrives and my battery level dives. Something has got to be wrong. Is it that my pace of life is still not fully adjusted back to sg pace, altho I thought that I'm adjusted already??

Speaking of BP, I got rejected as a blood donor again this wk. Haemoglobin level too low. Obviously only the aussie diet could sustain my iron levels to a good level. But something more shocking came out of the medical screening... my BP was actually high. =( Why?? I've always had LOW BP, not high. But I did go straight after work lah... that's the only reason I could think of. I guess I have to admit... that work is making me a bit stressed.

The Melb trip was gd overall and I thank God for keeping us safe. I had my closest shave ever of a car accident while driving in the CBD. The infamous Melb hook turns!! It's a disgusting invention meant to confuse everyone i think.

Anyway, I was in the gym just now and this song played. The context of what the original song might have meant to be is probably a bit different, but nevertheless, I want to dedicate this song here to my aunty Kat, who went home to be with the Lord the day before my graduation. It was very sudden and is a shock to all. But this song really reminded me of how this is not the end. Although my family didn't get to see you for the last time and we were so many thousand miles away in another country even, this is not the end and we'll see you again, just because the Lord is the Lord of both you and me.

Chorus of "Friends are Friends Forever"by Michael W. Smith

"And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends."

Indeed, though it's hard to let you go, in the Father's hands we know...