It was so good to spend the afternoon baring my heart out to B. :) am so thankful that she's always willing to lend a ear! Dinner with 01-ers was great, it's nice to see everyone again and catch up. somehow, it made me realise just how much i've missed our class. gim's such a joy, as always. <3
Although i had a wonderful time, all it took was that to take it all away. sigh. i wish i was stronger. I wish i knew what to do. I wish i had someone i would feel comfortable talking about it to. someone i could trust it with.
It's so easy to get lost in the gift-giving and the wine-drinking that people forget what Christmas should really be about! it was good to be at church today and just giving thanks for Jesus Christ. how do you wrap the greatest gift of all - the gift of perfect love, salvation and eternal life?
God's greatest blessing to me has to be a loving family. :) so thankful! made a very simple dinner to share God's love with my family. :) was soooo glad to spend time with DJ and bro before the rest came! am so blessed to have them to encourage me in my walk with God. :)
I didn't bake, but i just really wanted to write something in here. it's been so long since i last felt so burdened. It's just days to home but the past two days have been quite a struggle. Today, serving at the soup kitchen made me very grateful for God's love. it made me realise just how fortunate i am that i know God personally.
My life has changed 180 degrees since i gave my life to God. God has done some great things in the past for me even before i knew Him but since i took that step towards Him, He has shown me more grace and more love than I could possibly imagine. It's like watching channel 8 and thinking it's real good and you're satisfied with it. you dont really understand what the hype about cable TV is and you don't see the need for it because you like channel 8 enough. but actually, that's because you've never given a chance to cable TV. Of course, God can do much much more than what cable tv can. but it is just an analogy. God's love is unconditional. it is more than sufficient, it is so overwhelming and so real that I never ever want to be without Him. I don't ever want to be away from Him and all i long for is to live for Him. I've made some decisions in the past which i deeply regret. and sometimes it makes me feel so ashamed to be in the presence of God. but God always reminds me that the blood of Jesus has cleansed me. I'm saved and made whole again because of Jesus Christ my Saviour.
Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow no other fount i know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.
1 John 1:7 says, "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin"
The past semester has been filled with personal experiences with God which has brought me so much closer to Him. I'm so thankful that each time i take a step towards Him, He takes many more towards me. He longs for us the way we long for Him. and it never fails to amaze me just how real He is. the God we serve is a living God.
just feel so thankful that my life has reached a point that i know in my heart that i desire for God to rule in every single part of my life and I long to desire for the things God desires for me. but it really hasn't been easy. every struggle is a challenge that God has placed in my life so that i may grow closer to Him. but each time i struggle, there is a chance that i must stumble and fall. and it really scares me. My life has changed so dramatically that looking back scares me.
I try mighty hard to put the past behind me.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come!"
but it hasn't been easy. Many times i've been tempted to turn back to my old ways and go back to my old life. only because it seemed like it was the easier way out. but God brings me back to Him, always always. and today was the same. it felt too familiar. i couldn't let it consume me the way it used to. and it didn't because God saved me again, the moment i decided to fall on my knees and ask for His peace to rule in my heart and for Him to be with me. He picked me up just like he did when i was so broken, when everyone turned their backs, when it seemed like the night was never gonna end and the day was never gonna come, God came and gave me His love. I was so broken but He gave me comfort and shelter. If only everyone knew the depths of His love for us.
there is so much i miss about my old life. the people and the times i've had. It's hard having to face how these changes are affecting many areas of my life but I know God has a perfect and pleasing plan for me. so i trust in Him and i trust in His plan,. even if i can't see them now.
There really isn't a thesis statement in this blog entry. neither is there a picture of anything i baked. i started off the post talking about the struggles i've been going through in the past days but i havent actually said what they were. I've shared some very intimate details about my life in this entry and i'm aware that this is a public blog (which in any case, not many people know of anyway). but I wanted to share God's love with you. and i hope that if you haven't yet come to know how great our God is, that you eventually will.
I dont like saying "i'll pray for you". but i'll say, "i've prayed for you".
lastly, let me share this wonderful song!
Ever doubted yourself and felt so lost? God created each and everyone of us with a purpose. Nothing that happens in our life is a "coincidence".
Wow, what an exciting week! spending time together with cat was amazing. I am so blessed to have a friend like her. I hate defining friendships and i dont believe in that. but cat is definitely a true blue BFF. <3 i went to london on tuesday excited about being with Cat in her journey but God had more in store for us. just sitting at her kitchen and being able to bare my heart out to her, i just felt really fortunate. I love that I can share with her about God even though she hasn't yet accepted Christ. I love that she tries to understand my love for God. :)
so i reached nottingham late at night on wednesday and it definitely wasn't a good time to take the bus home from the city. it made me sad to see young people along the streets, drunk and doing silly things because they've lost control. but thankfully nothing bad happened.
Thursday morning i started the day baking for Reason for the Season. i have to say, they're not the least pretty. but i guess it was the best i could do.
Thursday at impact was amazing. I had such a personal experience with God. it's hard to share it here in a public blog but it's times like these that i know in my heart that the God i serve is so real and so alive and He loves me so much that each time i choose to take a step towards Him, He showers me with His love.
Btw, Carol service this sunday evening! <3 am soo excited. and look at the pretty lights!
Today has been a good day. but i guess i just allowed the negativity to creep in. just feeling a little low right now. oh God i need You right now!
The weekend away in London was just what i needed. It's been such a tiring week, both mentally and physically. Although i didn't feel like it was the best time to head to London, God knew better. isn't it amazing how things work out perfectly even when you think it's not going to?
I truly truly treasure the one-on-one times with friends. and i'm just so thankful that God has blessed me with such great friendships.
gingerbread latte with H was great! i love the christmasy feel that gingerbread brings. but more than that, i love spending time with H. it's just nice to have someone i feel absolutely comfortable with, and i always enjoy every conversation we have. I'm so thankful that she's a friend i know i'll be able to count on, even though we don't talk as often as i'd like to. everytime we choose to sit down and chat, i feel like i can open up to her and be honest with her about how i feel. how rare is that nowadaes? hahahah.
Dinner with C was, as always, crazy fun. she's such a dear. =) a <3 to <3 friend i know who's got my back.
spending time with J i think was the most fruitful part of this trip to london. i'm so thankful that i have a brotherly figure like J in my life who's always looking out for me.
as the weekend comes to an end, time to embrace all the work that awaits me. :( but just so that this blog remains a food blog, here's a picture of the sourcream coffee cake (which i made into mini muffins) i made for impact last week. (:
of course, the pretty stand belongs to the church. hahaha.
Today I attended the baptism teaching at church. I am immensely excited about being baptised. now, to pray.
I love knowing that God planned for it and i love feeling that conviction in my heart. i love knowing for a fact that the God i serve is a living God who loves me and whose plans for me are perfect and pleasing.
This week's verse to memorise, Romans 12:1-2. my current favourite verse. :D
"Therefore i urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Then you will be able to test and approve God's will, his good, pleasing and perfect will."
This week has been a tiring week so far! although yes, i've only made it through half of it. well, impact tmr! i'm so looking forward to hanging out and i'm really excited to hear what God has in store for us. :) J was walking me back to my place after baking today and I realised how much i've changed since I gave my life to God. our God is a life-transforming God!
There will always be reasons to worry or to be upset. mostly because of what happens around us. but the joy comes from the Lord. Galatians 16:22 says that the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I shall always remind myself that this Joy from the Lord can never be taken away from me!
yes yes.
well this being a baking blog, here you go:
I baked peanut butter chocolate chip muffins to bring to impact tmr! It's the greatest joy ever to see how others enjoy what i bake. it really really warms my heart. i guess that's what keeps me going, knowing that what i do brings joy.
oh man, this reminds me. the last time i updated this blog was a whole 2 months ago! i guess no one really visits and hence no one realises. haha. but i'll be updating it more since i'll be needing the recipes for My Sweet Serendipity in future. :P
You'll never know what God has in store for us. but it's fine, because whatever it is, it has got to be the best plan ever because it's God's plan. i like going to bed with that thought in my bed. although i must say, lately i've been having some trouble getting to sleep. :(
well, there's so much to give thanks for! today, H, F and i watched GG together. L stayed with me for a bit to chat in the kitchen, M noticed i'm slightly down, J walked me back. I give thanks for all of them, even though they were just tiny actions. of course, i thank God that i have a wonderful family back at home whom i miss so dearly! my mum is so sweet, she insisted on me taking the 2.5k singaporeair flight because she said it'll be more comfortable but i decided to go ahead with the emirates one. i can't wait to see them in december. :)
I've been MIA for so long! sorry, i've been too busy trying to figure out what i want to do with my life. okay that sounded a little too serious. well i've been spending time with my family, with friends and some time for me to be alone for a bit. although i'm no longer on my insane bake-a-holic mood right now, i have been baking at least twice a week. it's just i haven't really been taking photos and blogging.
Now that it's 2.5 weeks until my flight back to UK, i just felt like i wanted to start writing in here. i guess, so that i'll slowly ease into the new sch year.
This holidays literally flew by. I'm thankful for the people i met up with, for new encounters at church, for the fruitful internship, for the awesome family trip to hk, etc.
So my dad has a new found love for blueberries. one of my favourite fruits. since i was bored of blueberry pies, i decided to try an awesome blueberry crumble bar recipe i found.
Another eventful week has passed! thank God i survived the week as Ms Yeo's secretary. there's so much to give thanks for and i think i'll start with today. today started off quite badly.. i guess it's always hard coming to terms with things i need improving in. but as the day went by, it got so much better. :) and dinner was absolutely awesome! great food, great company. nothing else compares to that! :))
just so that this blog post remains "in theme", here's an ugly picture of the awesome (self declared) apple pie i made. :DD
and this marble cake i made on wednesday! it was easy to make and absolutely delicious. yums! :D
btw, Captain America was quite good! i enjoyed it. :)
The Seventeen Second Miracle by Jason F. Wright. it's a beautiful book! it's one of those books that make you smile from your heart. i think everyone should read a feel-good book every once in a while. so if u feel like the world's crashing down on you, your future is bleak, and all you feel is sadness, quickly go grab a copy!
The past week has been very eventful. I remember how hurt and sad it made me feel, but i also remember the lessons that God is teaching me. I may be able to think of a hundred reasons to dislike him, but i need only one reason to love him. because Jesus does. Sometimes i wish i could be tougher, i wish i could be less sensitive, more resistant to others' words. but that's why God is bringing me through this process. so that i can come out stronger.
today i woke up in a foul mood but even then, my family continues to show me love. i'm one lucky girl. hoho. so my awesomely cute dad went to buy 4 boxes of blueberries (supposedly better quality ones) coz he wanted to have blueberry pie for dessert! haha i wanted to try making apple pie instead but my dad's a fan of blueberries. hoho. it's now baking in the oven and i think it might be slightly prettier.
so i'm posting a picture of muffins i made last week, i think i'll be using this recipe for muffins in future coz my dad loves it! :)
this one's with raisins coz my mum loves raisins.
the recipe's adapted from the same awesome site, joyofbaking
so now, i'm gonna start on my third jodi picoult book of this summer. :)
I wanted to bake a blueberry pie on Sunday so i bought 4 boxes of blueberries (at 3 bucks each, :( ) and i was too busy on sunday to bake.
so i came home after a long day at work, went for a quick jog, came home and baked a blueberry pie.
i'm quite ashamed of how my pie looks but i'm absolutely proud of how awesome it tastes! whoever came up with this recipe rocks coz my dad loves the pie so much he can't stop eating it! like, literally. he's so cute! and within the first 30 minutes, half the pie is gone! hee hee.
an ugly picture after i cut the first slice:
yay. i feel happy that my first attempt turned out... tasty but ugly. haha. (:
I went on a little shopping trip today, after an insane buffet lunch. What an enjoyable day! (: so glad i met nice people here and there. it's always nice to meet polite shopkeepers. makes me feel happy purchasing their products even if it's slightly more expensive than the others. :)
Buffet today was fun because i really enjoyed the company. it was nice to chillax, enjoy the food, and chat over a nice long lunch. :) i love the idea of buffets and allowing myself to indulge. hoho. but 34bucks for kuishinbo was quite overpriced. i wouldn't go back anytime soon.
So i came home today and realised my buttermilk was about to expire! it's 5 bucks per carton so i decided, i had to use it! so i baked some berry buttermilk muffins which smell DELICIOUS in the oven! haha even my mum commented that the kitchen smells like a bakery. which made me really happy. :)
i lovee buttermilk! it makes everything awesome. :)
i had a great day today. :) thank God.
Have some thoughts in my mind, but I keep reminding myself of God's promises.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6
A short getaway to Hongkong. I remember sitting at the cafe in the nottingham train station, and the idea of going to HK suddenly came to me. My EJ and i intended for it to be a budget trip, for just the 4 of us (my DJ, EJ bro and I). but my dad dotes on us so much that he made it into a family trip! a pity my DJ couldn't take any more leave (since she just took a week to go to london and paris).
I really enjoyed myself. ate like a pig. met awesome people. was blessed with great weather. (: had a good time with my family!
Random yummies
My parents usually find "street food" unhygienic but my sis and i love trying anything odd and different! these curry fishballs (actually they taste more like tiny sotong balls) were super yummy! possibly my favourite snack in hk. and here's a shot of my EJ posing with it.
The famous egg waffles! they're light, fluffy and awesome! crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
I LOVE local bakeries like these! the freshly baked pastries smell soo good and look delicious! best part, they weren't expensive at all!
butter bo po bao. who invented something SO delicious and fragrant??
deep fried french toast with peanut butter and syrup. heart attack food, but OH SO GOOD!
more curry fishballs. these were more expensive and less tasty.
Lord stow's famous egg tarts!
the branch in the venetian casino in Macau. not that fantastic. i actually enjoyed the ones in the old traditional bakeries in the city. too bad i didn't take a picture!
My dad enjoying his gui lin gao! really expensive and super bitter. not my type of thing. hoho.
the places we visited:
we also went to the star avenue, the peak, etc. (the typical tourist attractions). i think my favourite was the trip to lantau island!
My post is a day late! but to all the fathers in the world, Happy Fathers' Day! although i'm sorry to disappoint the rest of you because My dad is officially the number 1 dad. (sorry, guys) so DJ, bro, EJ and i put together a meal for my daddy! although i have to say, DJ did all the cooking. and I did the baking. bro did the washing and EJ helped out here and there. the rest of the family had expensive durians at the end of the meal. eeeeeeks!
it was great spending time together as a family and seeing how happy it made my dad warms my heart. (: i'm so glad he liked the bag we bought for him! my dad's one of the most important persons in my life. One of the reasons why he is so absolutely amazing is because he always always chooses to put us first. I am who i am today largely because of my dad and i love him so much! i hope he'll realise how much we love him through our actions.
baked mussels
scallops with pak choy
steamed fish rolled in mushrooms and cabbage
wanton soup!! Absolutely yums!!!
and the Strawberry Cake i baked!! i have to say, although it wasn't very pretty, it tasted pretty awesome! the cake itself (without the frosting) was light, buttery and moist. it was perfect with the strawberry frosting! YUMS.
a picture of the frosted cake with the photo frame i made. 10 reasons why my dad's the number 1 dad in the world. :)
i had a tough day today. but I choose to rejoice. i choose to give thanks for the many blessings in my life. :)
