first fall....

Got this bike from one of the guys I used to meet on weekends during my morning jogs. They had been pestering me to go riding with them for quite some time now. Given my health setback the past few months, I had to cut down on the jogging and was doing leisurely walk most of the weekends. Well, since this guy had wanted to cut down on the number of cycles he is owning now, I relented and paid him for the old bike.

Really needed some time to get familiar with the cycle. Adjustments to the height of the seat, were made with some help while other adjustments have to wait. Took the cycle for a couple of spins down the familiar park connector. I was getting to love the thrill of being able to speed down the track.


But I guess, everyone must go thru that fall off the cycle some time in their learning trip. That came suddenly for me. It was one of my off days when I decided to workout on the cycle along the park connector - up, down the connector for about 4 rounds. That makes a good 16 km. and decided that it was enough. But round the corner, just turning onto the carpark access road below my flat, I flew off the cycle! It happened so fast, that I was not even able to say what really happened. I only knew that I landed hard on my palms, sprained the left wrist and scraped the skin off around the area below my left knee. phew! that was painful.... a painful first fall....... lolz.... I guess this is all part of the thrill.


OUCH!

i see grace

Got the latest music album which contained worship songs recorded live during the last few months. Really liked the album. One of my favourite amongst them ...


Rejoice O Israel

I behold a city on a hill
A nation torn by war
But in that place, Adonai says
His grace has been poured forth

I behold a people who
Are waiting for their LORD
For He will come with trumpet sounds
As nations watch in awe

Shalom Jerusalem
Messiah will come
He'll wipe away your tears and pain
Rejoice, daughter of Zion

Shalom Jerusalem
Peace be within your walls
Yeshua will return to reign
In majesty and pow'r

When we see the Son of God
Descending from the clouds
He'll be arrayed in light
Shining glorious and bright
On you, Jerusalem

He'll wipe away your tears and pain
Rejoice O Israel

- karen Lim @ 2003

中秋 - Mid Autumn

中秋 Mid-Autumn....

Pensive....

A past romance that will never be again?
The aching feeling of lost?
Longings?

Once, a long time ago, .....
wasn't I too, the lone traveller in a foreign land?
Home, far away from home,
loved ones,.... across the miles.....
and it was you, on a mid autumn night,
that kept me company.... bright, round, shining.

Will you too, my dear friend,
be pensive on this night?
Who would you miss?
Who would miss you?

Your youth ought not be wasted,
As I did, years ago....
Your loved one's longing,...
ought not be in vain......

Learn to treasure,
For all too soon, the years would have flitted away....
And what remains, are,....... just faded memories.

And mid autumn comes, ..... only once a year.

Blessedness

Had dinner with a group of ex-collegues just the other Friday evening. Didn't realise that it's already past 1 year since I left the company. Well, perhaps nothing much had changed for them. The same age-old urgency in meeting datelines, frustrations, and perhaps a little more of the intra-office politics. Was it not gladness that I had left? Else, I would be in the same ship with them, with the same sinking feeling... and perhaps we would be drowning our sorrows with beer instead of a relaxed dinner at this cosy little restuarant.

As I looked back, I marvelled at how blessed I am. Over these past year, I had not faced any lack. There is provision for every month and short contracted assignments came by now and then for that extra spending money. Indeed, Jehova Jireh is my provider.

The latest assignment was meant as a help for a friend's company. But after a month, it looks like the situation there is alot more messy than I had originally thought it to be. There is really nothing much I can do to help resolve their problem. So at most, I would be there to help in the tedious work of getting as accurate data as possible into their 'system'. Wonder how long more I would stay. My guess is at most another 2 - 3 mths. The work is getting meaningless and I didn't want to get caught in another hamster running wheel, running on and on but getting nowhere. At least I have more fulfillment with the 2 afternoons I had helped out at the World Vision office.

There's much excitement on Sunday in church. Pastor made the announcement on the new church building and what is in store for us in 3-4 yrs time. We all went wowwwwww! The building really look very futuristic. They had a display model of what the building would look like, a lifestyle hub and entertainment area plus shops and exhibition halls. It's going to be an iconic building. And best of all, it's so near my place! :)

This indeed is blessedness!

Treetop Trail

It was sort of a last minute arrangement when Patricia messaged on Friday afternoon about going on a hike to the MacRitchie Nature Reserve. We will take the HSBC Tree Top trail covering about 10 km. Thought that's not a bad idea. The last time I really went on a long hike was so long ago that I couldn't even remember when.

Not much of a preparation, but I did managed to grab a bite and took with me two slices of peanut butter sandwich and a bottle of water. Wanted to travel light. Getting there was easy and we arrived at the start of the trail by 9.45 am. Along the way, we passed the paddle lodge and there was already a crowd of young people out in the water kayaking.

Really, it's good to be young.

The trail was un-eventful. The only interruption we had along the way was to stop and "be looked at" by a small group of monkeys that ventured very near to the trail.

We reached the ranger's station and had a short restroom break before continuing and reached the tree-top walk. I should think that the last 400m walk was more like a climb. Got across the treetop walk in double quick time. Arrghhh..... always the phobia when it comes to heights. Didn't dare to stop and look..... lolz. sure was a wasted opportunity.

The return trip was really tiring. We took the trail towards the Riffle Range exit. By the time we reached Riffle Range, we were all tired out.

The group of monkeys that lingered along the roadside was a good attraction, specially was those adorable baby monkeys who looks at you with large dark eyes.

The hike down Riffle Range is a good 5 km but about 1/3 way down, we managed to hitch a ride from a small lorry.... phew~ made it to lunch at a coffeeshop along Dunearn Road by 12.30pm.

The weather's gone crazy

Vaguely remembers that the months of June and July are supposedly to be some of the hottest months in the year. Not that I am an environmentalist, or a tree-hugger, or an advocate of saving "mother earth". No, in fact, it's Father God that I more inclined to associate with. Nevertheless, I can't help but noticed that the weather these days seems to have gone crazy.

The fallen leaves and the uncomfortable wetness for this last few days brought remembrances to that cold autumn morning when I walked down the street in Ottawa. It felt like that fall, years ago in Canada, only that now, it's much wetter.... and perhaps much more depressed,.... Autumn had seem so romantic when you were young. The maple trees were painted colourful, red amidst the green and orange, but the fallen leaves along the pathway here were a distressed brown and the rustling as I strolled by were dulled.....

I guess the melancholy is due to the added years that went by too swiftly?

Update.....

How time flies. It's been more than a month since my last post. And also, alot had happened during this past month.

The last episode of health scare had somewhat passed...... looking back, it's kinda weird to be gripped by that unknown and unexplained bout of discomfort for almost 3 mths. First it was the period of elevated blood pressure and heart palpitations, then followed by a whole 2 mths of gastric bletching although there was little gastric pain. The bletching was bad, especially 2 hrs after food. In fact, it was so bad that it lead to aches across the chest area. But good to report, that the bletching has now subsided. It feels so good now, although the gas does build up occasionally, but it post no great worry now.

Some time back, a friend had asked for prayer support for someone she knew, who was diagnosed with liver cancer. In a certain way, I could empathise with what her friend would be going through, but to read the blog posted by her husband (http://jokwan.blogspot.com) on their struggle, their hope, their daily events..... I really don't know what words of encouragement or consolation I could write for them. I could only utter my prayers for them. Well, in a way, her friend's relief came. It was a Saturday morning, 26 Jun when I saw the obituary published in the papers....

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:31

She have a new strength now, with the Lord.