~~Real Feast~~

Simply thank God for the provision...more than feast at the taste buds but time spend together..=)

Location: Cheesecake Factory at Colonie Centre, Albany

Lunch agenda: Celebration for successful project presentation to management

People: Me ^.^"" + Senior (Brian, in grey) + Boss (Robert, in blue)

Mode of transport: My boss's car

Time: 11am n_n"'

Season: Spring, 27 March 08

Appetizer: FACTORY NACHOS Crisp Tortilla Chips Covered with Melted Cheeses, Guacamole,Sour Cream and Salsa

Main course: GRILLED PORTABELLA ON A BUN A Giant Portabella Mushroom Grilled with Herbs and Served on a Bun with Lettuce, Tomato, Grilled Red Onion, Melted Cheese and Spicy Mayonnaise. Served with Fries - It's MINE!!! ....can't rem what they ordered...whahahahha

Desserts:
(a) CHOCOLATE OREO MUDSLIDE CHEESECAKE Chocolate Oreos Baked in our Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake with a Chocolate-Almond Brownie Crust - It's MINE again!!!! **drooling** (b) WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLE Creamy Cheesecake Swirled with White Chocolate and Raspberry - My Senior's order
(c) DUTCH APPLE CARAMEL STREUSEL Our Original Cheesecake, Baked Apples, Caramel and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Walnut Streusel - My Boss's order

Total bill: USD 80++

For those interested: http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/default.asp

~~Season of harvest for Love's seed~~

Courtesy from friends...Praise the LORD ^.^

**2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. **

Love is contagious, spread it widely to everyone surrounds you and it will bound back to you in surprise. Keep sowing the seed of love and leave the rest to God to make it grow. Seeds are small yet they are capable of pushing themselves against inches depth of soil to the surface. In God's perfect timing, every single seed grows all the way to the top and radiates its beauty to the fullest. Who can tell that they have been hiding days and nights in the dark before they sprout from the soil? Who can understand the hardship the seeds have to endure in their darkest hours? Who can relate such a beautiful flowers with the tiny little seed? My bible teacher used to say " We can calculate number of seeds in an apple but we can never estimate how many apples can a single seed produces" How true it is! We can never underestimate the power of a seed!! Keep farming the seed of Love and your effort will never go in vain....

~~Friendship is a blessing~~

We chose to take the step of faith together, we chose to step out of our comfort zone and soar together....A promise that made in hearts...
Ready, get set, take off....^.^

It seems that we all slim down together...but getting mature as time goes by...

Would like to dedicate today's blog to all my strat members =) STRAT stands for Sincere + Thanksgiving + Responsibility + Affinity + Tolerance?? *_<

God's grace, we have been here for 2 mths already. Can still remember vividly the first night we landed at Albany. We were welcomed by harsh environment but warm-hearted people. In this short period of time, we went through snow storm and sunny day together. To be exact, we stick through thick and thin. There are simply too many incidents that deeply imprinted in my heart. I don't like to bottle up my feeling because I really feel that if I never say it out, no one can read our minds and the other parties will not know how much we appreciate the friendship. Maybe this have to do with my personality - I am a sentimental person.

I might look "big" external but internal I am very "chicken-hearted". I used to ask them don't have to wait me after work if i happened to work late. Somehow inherit the Chinese culture, try to be polite and don't want to inconvenient others but will be full of joy if the other parties volunteer to do so. However, my view changed after i tried going back home alone once. The feeling is simply horrible especially when the night getting darker and darker with each passing minute! Every single step weights kilos. It is simply the joyous thing to be waited by somebody. I can never forget how heart warming it is to have them waiting for me after a long day of work. No words or pictures can describe their beautiful smiling faces. Simply beyond description! It is the thought that matters! The beauty of friendship is knowing and sensing each other needs even before the other parties put up a request.

With or without notice, we tend to pick up each other's favourite quotes. One day you will just realized that you sound and act like them. The funniest thing is your favourite quote might one day become the other parties' quote =D Sometimes we even come out with our own special language that only you and me know the real meaning behind. **lo-lo** Every little move/action is understandable by each others. To me, communication is not restricted by words, sometimes body languages can convey the message better. So long as whatever we say or do will not stumble others, everything is permissible and viable. (Father, may you grant me the sensitivity and discernment towards other people need. May You guard my heart, my mind and my words, may everything that spring from the bottom of my heart based on Your words alone. Father, give me a pure and sincere heart.)

To me, pure friendship is about putting others' interest first. Treat others like what you expect others to treat you. Give others a helping hand, spare others a listening ear, give others a lift/pat at the shoulder, carry each other burden...the list can go on and on. Those thoughts keep the friendship going on =) (This reminds me of 2 Corinthians 1:3 - Praise to be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God...when we received much blessings from the heaven above, we simply can't keep them to ourselves but to pass it on...This is the cycle and power of love, it never fails.)

When saying thank you is simply not enough to express my gratitude, I can only pray that God will preserve this pure friendship and may our heavenly Father keep them, protect them and be with them in every seasons of their lives. AMEN.

~~I stand in awe~~

I realized one significant changes in me after came to know God~~I learned to take time off from the busy schedule/hectic lifestyle. I am so amazed by God's creations...I thanked God for His provision in this season of life. If it is not because of Him, I am still so caught up in my own little world - day in and day out get carried away by the wave that called BUSY. Busy will block the tenderness of your heart and remove your sensitivity towards life and most importantly towards God. You will become so ignorance towards everything that happens around you.

Every now and then, I will lift up my head to stare at the ever-present stars at the sky, I will stop by along the road to capture natural scenery like trees, cloud, birds and every single creatures on earth. Simply amazed by His perfect creations. I learned to enjoy/treasure every single moment in my life. Whether it is rainy, sunny or even stormy day, I thanked God for providing me strenght and courage to face another day. Nothing too bad can happen because God is in full control. I thanked God for such a healthy changes in me. Amen..

Found this lyrics very beautiful, would like to share with u all..

I Stand In Awe
~~words and music by Mark Altrogge~~

You are beautiful beyond description,

Too marvelous for words,
Too wonderful for comprehension,

Like nothing ever seen or heard.

Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom?

Who can fathom the depths of Your love?

You are beautiful beyond description,Majesty enthroned above.
And I stand, I stand in awe of you.I stand, I stand in awe of You.

Holy God to Whom all praise is due,I stand in awe of You.

~~God's temple~~

It does not matter where we come from, what skin color we have, what language we speak, what we wear, the structure of the building, the infrastructure in the church, the pastor that preach...etc...To me, what matter most is pure and sincere heart that long for God's words. AMEN