Timing - Who decides the very moment the first drop of rain falls in a storm?

I got to leave school early this afternoon. The sky was dark and had been threatening to rain since late morning. Being the Geog teacher, I had been 'analyzing' and trying to guess when rain will fall - predicting it to be in the afternoon, definitely today.

As I was leaving the school, was thinking whether or not to bring the BIG umbrella. By 'calculation', based on the way the clouds look, they'd hold a while more. I was probably gonna reach home JUST before the rain pours or the rain would fall just MIN(s) before I reach home. To bring or not to bring. Decision: Not.

On the bus, still pretty sunny, with the dark clouds looming nonetheless. When I was within 1 km from my place (but still 'circling' around my neighborhood cos of the bus route), it was like... quick quick bussie, anytime will rain. Strangely, the bus keeps hitting the red lights (which I know would 'jeopardize' my hope in reaching my flat dry).

"Trapped" in the bus, I was thinking, WHO really decides on the VERY MINUTE the first drop of rain, then the second, and the third, then the downpour to fall? - Esp in times when we are at the 'critical threhold' where either you just make it dry, or end up very drenched, just affected by those very minutes - traffic lights / passengers alighting/boarding.

So many rains a day in so many places. WHO presses the 'fall' button? The world may boast its technological advances to precision in timing in setting off fireworks during countdowns / celebrations, in sending the murderous H-bomb that kill in 000s, all at the touch of a button. But who can control the very thing that affects our lives daily? Not us, even with our 'fantastic' technology. The world may boast its technological advances in modifying the very element I'm talking about - rain, through seeding. But we can only modifying, subjected to natural limitations such as humidity and pressure. We can't just shift it to any place we want it to fall.

Its just amazing how despite our 'achievements', the simple rain that falls each time can remind us of how great our Creator Abba is. He is the One who decides on each small storm's beginning and end. I'm not even talking about huge storms that have been grabbing headlines lately.

Why am I even blogging about this? No, bong, its not cause I think too much. I thot I was a little cuckoo to read so much into it earlier. But in evening, human fears strike again. I worry about my future. I linger through memories of decisions made, some of which I 'regret' in my human nature but yet have to trust God that that is what pleases Him. Then I realize, I'm not thinking too much. "I hold everything in place. I am in control of every single timing." That's what He's saying.

I pray, that I will trust my faithful Father.

If anyone is still interested if I'm caught in the rain? I was ONE minute behind. So was caught in a moderately heavy rain. But one minute after I stepped into my flat buidling, the moment I stepped out of the lift, it was raining very heavily. Kindof in between ey? ;)

Where will you be in December?

I was so happy that I've found someone to go with me to India!!! YES!!! can you believe it?

But now, our plans might shift. What's the plan? Need to work it out first. But its a hard decision to make. Stay tuned.

Oh yeah, but where will YOU be in December? At least, where do you think you will be? Then I can plot our where my pals will be on the map. :D

nursing

spending my weekend just resting

spent most of yest afternn in bed cos wasn't feeling well. EC managed to get me out for some fresh air. but she said i looked like crap. well, i felt like crap. like 50 year old woman. lol. thnx for being patient when i'm so full of crap yest. lol

today, getting out of house to church was a challenge again. impending flu coming up. but told myself must go to church. den end up? CM sunday. Honestly, when i see the kids, and worse, the parents, they really frighten me!! oops. :P

hopefully tom will feel better. haiz..... la la la la.... i'm bored.... feeling old... lol

bandaged...

since i'm on the topic of footwear, here's my 'injuired' shoe while i was in kunming. (yeah, all my footwear gave way there) and its final resting plce was in a 3-star hotel in Kunming city, together with my faithful sandals. They have served me well.



Oh yeah, and tt's wat is good abt taking first aid course and a first aid pouch w u wherever u go. LOL

Before & After...

First one taken in Ang Snoul, Cambodia, en route to river near the orphanage w kids in June 2004. Second one taken in Xundian, Kunming, China, on the last visit to the Pri school when we bid them farewell, June 2005. Left it behind in China, never to see it thereafter. Dun ask me y i take pics of my sandals (esp the first pic). I dunno. lol

Its been more than a week since i last blogged. where hv i been? wat hv i done? still in singapore (duh) and largely busy with work (reads: setting of examination papers).

since d last entry, most of my time had been spent setting the papers, day and nite, in and out of school. Finally submitted them. Den was busy with meetings. Only til Friday evening was i finally and suddenly free from it all - at least for this weekend.

so friday nite, went to new frens' plce to chill. there was a gathering of 2 swiss, 1 german, 1 'half-malay;half-chinese;half-indonesian;half-singaporean' (or so she claims, but tt totals up to 2 rite? :P), and 7 other singaporeans (pure? how i noe?). it was supposedly a pasta dinner. but turned out to be more a 'suppertime' drinks cum food prepared by our swiss pals and local delights bought by us. A bizarre mix of mooncakes (traditional pastry type, colored skin type, walnut type), alcohol (tequila, vodka, jap rice wine only found in okinawa they claim, cheap thai whisky), pasta (with three types of sauces); otah, choc cake, fried champedak, ... .... .... i almost cldn't make it for this gathering cos was exhausted from week. but was gald i made it. sitting round the table with nice breeze, great food and good company... was great.

saturday was largely... sleep.... mooncake... sleep... toast.... sleep... was catching up on lack of sleep from fri's late rendevous and from the week in general. in total, my waking hours was like abt 9??? lol. so was too stoned to do anything or meet anyone.

so today, not so stoned anymore. but despite the sleep last nite, still sleepy. must be the weather. in fact, i was caught dozing off standing while waiting for AO to pass me something. playing for service wasn't too fantastic cos i was too stoned to b alert (glad i was on piano and not KB). so was sermon time. so is it now. must b the weather. oh. did i oreid type that? lol. i'm going to sleep again now... nites....

btw, eyes recovering fine. eyes still adjusting to fine prints. dry sometimes, but very managable. best part, no need to take out lenses or wash (i hardly do tt anyway :P) after long day out. like can just shower and sink into bed. :D speaking of bed..... ..... .....

goodbye specky... ...

Specs.... they have been with me for close to 2 decades. Started with a pink plastic frame, then a smaller maroon one, den another pink one which in Sec sch they thot it was too 'hip' and wanted me to change new specs during spotcheck?!?! den i moved on into metal frames. black. gold. silver. blue. den it was back to my current 'hip' blue specky u either love or hate.

tis week, i hv ditched specs by undergoing lasik. mon was a breeze. eye just took a longer time to adjust and stabilize. for today for the second eye however, i realized i had taken the first one's blessedness for granted. it was like there waws something gritty stuck in my eye ALL DAY LONG and i ws tearing like no ppl's business. P says tt's cos everyone knew abt my mon procedure and prayed for it but for todays, no one was informed so they din pray. lol. still, thanks mom, dad, mommy, P, KN, SR, AO and all others who prayed for muaz. It was a comfort knowing that i'm covered not only by the love of Daddy but also of you pple.

Anywayz, how was the procedure like? Well, just not something i'd like to go through again. Mon's was smoother than today's. In fact, procedure was delayed today due to some unforeseen backlog. So ended up having to bring my mom out of the center for lunch (with a dilated pupil!! that was crazy!) Just din feel that good during the procedure itself and after tt. Discomfort all the way in the afternn into the evening. Decided to go down for worship prac tonite, just to play flute. Strangely, after i left my place, the eye slowly got better. and its realy pretty decent comfort wise now. God works ey?

anywayz, vision is still blur. will take time to stabilize. and only after this den did i realize that my left eye's degree is almost DOUBLE that of my right eye's. no wonder i get so disoriented when i dun hv my specky. whichever the case... i've ditched my specky for now. For how long? I dunno. Maybe until age catches up.. that ... is another story for another time.

sunrise or sunset?

Imaged uploaded is a sunrise during the reefwalk weeks ago. Rare to catch a nice sunrise. Sunsets usually work better. A gal gave me a card for Teachers' Day asking 'do u see a sunrise or sunset?' I like sunsets more. But i tink i shld see more sunrise? lol

Wats been up:

1. SCALP BURN!!!

2. Teachers' Day was so-so. Sad tt despite all the hard work into my CCA, my efforts were not appreciated.

3. Spent Teachers' Day bringing kids out to log data. Hot hot hot.

4. Kids out for performance at CS today. It was.... sigh... disappointing due to poor acoustics. Gals cant be heard. They were good, but cant be heard and cant hear each other so cldn't play as a group. Now, they feel lousy. SIGH.

5. Lasik is coming up on Mon. Had been specky these few days. Still dun hv mom's support. But i'm going ahead.

6. Currently its really just sigh. The only good news :) is my dear EC can go and take her OWD oredi!!! After one long year gal! So happy for u. Lets hit the water tog. For u, i'll go down the water once more tis yr. :)

simple prayer answered

the sky is still holding! despite how according to 'nature', there was no rain. we completed our data collation. Just over 200 trees recorded. I'm so dying... lol...

My Daddy heard my prayer! Thank You Dad!