More than Enough

Here we go again ...

I am back after a semi hiatus (hahah). Not an intentional one anyhow, was ill and very occupied with work and further studies.

The days and weeks do pass by very quickly. It's already August, and it has been more than a month since my last post (thinking out loud: actually, a post a month is reasonable, wouldn't you say?). Anyhow, here are some updates concerning me and my memorable few weeks.

(1) The Holiday/The assignment/The illness

It all started with the holiday ... one that we had been planning for months. Destination: Redang. I had not been to Redang before this and was looking forward to this: sun, sand, fellowship and fun (food, boardgames and etc.) It had been scheduled for 19th - 22nd July and all was going smoothly ... until the assignment was given.

Hmmm. I am ok with assignments, but not if they get in the way of health and relaxation. I was happily in my Trademarks Law class in UM, listening to the lecturer and thinking of my holiday that Thursday (it was a Monday) when suddenly the bomb was dropped. I was given the very first assignment of the year for the class - a presentation on the Law of Passing Off. Oh wow ... my heart sank and I was speechless for a few seconds (apparently the honour was all mine as I was a second year student in UM and the only one with an Intellectual Property Law background: yeah ok, hahah). However the worst thing was that my holiday would be ruined ... I thought fast and ended up saying this 'I am ok with going first, but would need an extension in the deadline as I will not be around from Thursday till Sunday' (hoping that the lecturer would pass the buck). She did not.

Groan ...

I had to start on my research immediately and so to the library I walked and got loads of cases copied for my research (I think I had to cover about 20 plus cases and explain them, lecture style), hundreds of pages literally and slowly began to pore through them.

Sigh ... (I guess that is why they say 'He is reading law' and not studying law)

Stress weighed heavy upon me and soon I fell sick. Fever one day before our trip. Very disappointed ... but I was determined to go for it, so I prayed about it. I was on MC that Wednesday. Thursday came and went and the trip went on, and I had a good time. I enjoyed the trip there, travelling early in the morning (by the way most of the pictures are on my Multiply site, so please feel free to look) and listening to praise and worship songs in Yoke Kheng's car. Some highlights of the trip: (1) frying eggs and luncheon meat on the balcony of the hotel with our portable stove ... hahah I was so fearful that they would blacklist us; (2) introduced Careers to the gang and they love it; (3) fellowship and seeing certain two people having verbal spars; (3) snorkeling in Redang: pretty corals and schools of fish, exotic and otherwise (even made a couple of new Japanese friends); (4) the food (that we broughtlah); (5) having fun with Sahaya and YK with quiz questions (hahah, inside joke).

(2) The flu saga

The holiday went, but the flu remained. My fever had broken but the cough arrived with a vengeance. I was coughing (almost) non stop for hours on end, so much so that I had to take another MC a few days after I returned. My presentation day came and after hours of preparation I delivered a lecture on the topic and managed to finish about 1.5 litres of water from 5.45pm to 7pm, to keep myself from coughing. Praise Jesus that all went well. My burden lifted ...

The assignment had passed, but still the stubborn cough remained, so much so that my voice was going as well (thankfully at that time my lectures had finished). I sounded different and was struggling to do things I used to take for granted like back up singing. The Lord Jesus taught me a valuable lesson at the time: I was depending too much on myself to do these things and was put to the test when I was to back YK up for the Church Philippines fundraising dinner. I really felt helpless (esp when singing higher notes), but God delivers ... Jesus delivers. Amen. May I truly and wholly depend upon God in all things.

The last straw broke (figuratively) when I pulled a muscle in my back coughing one night. It was painful when I lay down, got up and coughed. I visited the doctor for the third time in two weeks (I think) and got pain killers. Oh yes, and my rash came back also. It was a rather miserable time ... I really felt I was under immense testing or attack, but there was light at the end of the tunnel ...

(3) Today

I can talk almost normally again and can sing again (praise God) but still feel like coughing every now and then. My back is better, still hurts if I exert myself. I am learning to not say yes to everything that I am asked to do (most politely and after prayer), and I think I am making some progress. More time for God as well. I am reading A W Tozer's excellent 'The Pursuit of God' and already am impacted by it, just after two chapters.

(4) The book

A W Tozer is a well known writer and has been a blessing to Christendom. In the book he writes about how God has always been seeking a relationship with us and that we cannot take the credit when we come to Him as He initiates the relationship. Once that is done, it is then up to us to seek Him. He writes that while we are doing that, He is holding us in His hands (such an assurance). In the second chapter, he explains a wonderful truth about 'Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven'. The truth is plain but most of us do not see it: the less we covet of the world (it is in our nature, fallen as it is), the more room we have in our heart for Jesus Christ and the less challenged He is to rule in us. People who realise that and surrender their hold on earthly things are 'poor' in the sense of possessing nothing (earthly) but having everything in God. Such a wonderful truth. Each chapter ends with a prayer and I think that is very practical. I am looking forward to discovering more gems from this great teacher, and praying that I learn and experience more and more of Jesus in it.

So, there are some updates. You can clearly see how God, Jesus is more than enough for me. He upholds me. I have also just finished marking loads of scripts (woo hoo). Will blog again ... sometime ... soon. :)

Jesus bless you all for His glory.