A Very Belated post...
1st of August, 2008 (Friday) - another date which will remain in my memory Always...
When you expect Nothing at all, it is then that you will receive Everything...
When God gives and blesses, what you get will always be better than what you could ever imagine or hope for, and always it will be more than you could ever ask or dream of - pressed down and running over...
I was expecting to go through the day just like any other day. It was a Friday and normally we would be having share group gathering, but our gathering this week was changed to movie night for "The Dark Knight". Since I have already watched the film with friends a couple of days ago, I didn't join for the film again, but have agreed to instead meet up my share group for a late supper afterwards.
I have been overloaded with work at the company for the entire day. By the end of the day I was rather exhausted and initially was contemplating to forgo dinner for the night. Yet Ebi came over and we ended up having dinner at "David KIM & GArRY Lin's" - baked rice with cheese. (Yay! I like cheese~) When it was time to settle the bill Ebi suddenly displayed his "Shadow Hands" and paid for everything...It took a few seconds for my brain to register the whole situation, and then to withdraw my hand, which was still busy rummaging through the wallet for dollar notes...Touched...the first surprise of the day...
When I reached home, I cast myself into the regular chores at once - cleaning and tidying - as Nana would be coming over to stay with me as usual - throughout the weekend. I'd almost finished cleaning everything when a message from "MyCow" arrived telling me that the film has ended and they would be coming over to fetch me for supper. Covered with dust and perspiration, and looking Absolutely Dishevelled, I informed MyCow that I HAD to take a shower before meeting up with them and suggested that they go ahead first, and I would walk over after shower to join them later. MyCow's reply was,"No problem, take your time. We will go fetch you. We'll wait for you." So I wrapped up the rest of the cleaning as fast as I could, then proceeded to my shower.
I had just stepped out of the bathroom when I heard my phone ringing. MyCow said they have arrived and are waiting for me at the staircases. As I have washed my hair and it was then dripping and looked like wet spaghetti, I once again suggested that they go first and I would join them when I am ready. Yet he insisted to fetch me there, which was only a few minutes' walk away from where I stay. My brain was already saturated for the day, so I didn't (actually, it's Couldn't) think much about it, and simply obliged. I was halfway through getting ready when another phone call came, this time it was Nana. Thinking that everyone must be famished and certainly tired of waiting, I instantly told her to ask MyCow to lead the group and go ahead, and I would come later. Yet she INSISTED that I get down NOW! She sounded impatient and slightly offended, almost as if she was stamping her feet (or going to) as she was speaking through the phone (high D mode!), and it worried me. I quickened up my pace and rushed down as soon as I could.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, I couldn't see MyCow's car anywhere. I waited for some few minutes, then decided to give him a call. He told me they were already at the venue for supper. So I decided to walk over to meet them. I had almost reached the end of the car park at my apartment block when I heard someone call my name aloud. Surprised, I turned around and saw my share group huddling close together behind the staircases, holding a cake with candles lit in their hands. I was stunned for half a second but managed to quickly come around. Then the next thing was...I felt...I knew...that the floodgates were going to burst open... - these people had been hiding here waiting for me for so long all this while just to give me a surprise...! I tried hard to suppress the overwhelming emotions...Fortunately, at that critical moment, Hing came over "to the rescue" and told me to make a wish then blow out the candles. I gladly obliged. Then we proceeded to the destination for our supper - AhBoy~ I walked in front of everyone else and quickened my pace, coz I was afraid that if I only just look at them, tears would begin to fall...and I know that once we reach AhBoy, there would certainly be a lot of other people there and that would force me to hold the emotions back.
Tracy and Yvonne came into view as we approached AhBoy~ Along with Hing, it was almost like my former share group was also here with me - my long time wish and plan had always been to celebrate my birthday this year with my (now former) share group: the group of people who has helped me tremendously- in every way - love them much...and yet before that could happen, we have already "multiplied"...and I was thinking that this was going to be yet another unrealised dream...yet, God really sees everything in our hearts, He knows all our desires, our hopes, our every dream...and He made this dream of mine come true...Thank You so much, Lord...my first birthday gift from the Heavenly Father for today...
Emotions was building up within me, yet I refused to let it show at AhBoy~ as there were a lot of other people around - people whom I don't know. I received a book from Tracy as a birthday gift, and she ended up buying me a drink as well coz in the rush and frenzy to get down to meet my share group after receiving Nana's "threatening" phone call, I had only managed to grab my keys but had absent-mindedly left my wallet in the room...
We had a really blessed fellowship during supper that night...And, as I casually lifted my gaze heavenwards during mid-conversation, I saw a star shining in the night sky! - my second birthday gift from the Lord for the day...! Even though there is only one star, but I am already very happy...For I have always love stars since young for as long as I can remember...(don't ask me why - I don't know...) Somehow star always reminds me of God/Jesus/Noel...and it always brings me hope and joy...When I was sad, depressed, unhappy or moody, I used to go out of the house at night and just lift my head heavenwards and gaze at the starlit sky, and gradually the heaviness would lift from my heart, all the negative emotions would fade away, replaced by peace and tranquility...To me, watching the midnight stars is like having a silent conversation with the Lord, and always He would comfort me and give me peace in times like these...sometimes I would receive revelation from the Lord through star-gazing...Yet ever since I came over to the Peninsular, seldom could I see stars anymore - probably due to the hazy sky...I remember back at where I hail from, we can see stars in the sky almost every night, and I used to drift into slumber each night watching the beautiful starlit sky from my bedroom window as I lay on my bed...this is probably what I miss most from my homeland - the beauty of shining stars in the midnight sky, just like sparkling diamonds embroidered on a dark velvet cloth...Tonight's message from God: Always presevere, never give up hope, for the Lord knows your heart...His eyes are everywhere, and He never sleeps...He sees and hears and knows all things...The Lord blesses and watches over those He loves...
Finally, thank you so much, all of you (and you too, Ebi)...What I can say is, whoever involved in planning this surprise really know me very, very well, coz it was a great success and I was really "surprised by the surprise"...hahaha...
Birthday cake - white Tiramisu with fresh strawberries: it's beautiful! I love it~ it looks very much like a cake which I've seen in a Japanese anime comic I like...kekeke... (I have always love the look of strawberries on cake - again, don't know why, I just love the look of them like that, it's pretty - and white has always been my favourite colour...nice nice~) Tastes nice, too~
"My CAKE and I"...heheheh...with Gracy at the back, at AhBoy~
Even though I had managed to hold back the tears for the entire night, very early the following morning - sometime around dawn - I woke up in bed suddenly. It was still pitch dark, and, as I lay in bed, memories of the happenings of the previous night began to flow back to my mind...it was so overwhelming and I could no longer hold back, the floodgates burst open at last and tears streamed down my cheeks...Really, really touched...once again, reminded of the grace of God...
When I've finally stopped crying, I suddenly remembered that due to all the "unexpectation" and excitement, I was so occupied by being stunned and surprised that I had forgotten to thank everyone the night before!!! I had to quickly send out belated messages to them when daybreak came...what a scatter-brain I am...Aikz!!
