jadedvamp

it was pretty amazing because i’ve been running away from belonging to a church for a pretty long time.

i actually first came to know about this church somewhere in 2004. i have mutual friends that has been attending and am currently serving faithfully there right after uni. they introduced me to the cell leader and etc. however, at that point of time – it didn’t quite appeal to me, although i came to know the cell leader it was more of a hi-and bye thing.

however, in 2006 – i decided it was time to come back and find a church which i can belong to again and much to my surprise – i stumbled upon one in that housing area that i had been staying for the past 2 years! this is a small family church which was located in a shop lot that has been there for the past 3 years!

it certainly is His timing since i did not notice it before, even though i had always passed by it for dinner and grocery shopping. one thing though – from where i come from, churches are required to get licensing from the government and it’s amazing that it is in the midst of a muslim community as well. however, i didn’t last long there and soon was back to being a lukewarm christian.

then in 2007 a new colleague of mine joined my company and so happen she was from the very same church that i had firstly been introduced to by my uni friends! she genuinely invited me to events held at her church and also invited me to her cell group.

lo and behold – her cell leader was the very same one that i was first allocated to back in 2004!

it wasn’t exactly easy getting back to wanting to join and belong to a church. i had my fair share of ugly experiences and had to go past those hurdles as well.

in retrospect, i think God deserve all glory cause even when i was not faithful – He had always been there for me. i guess, it’s always been about Him leading me to one. haha!

there’s still a long way to go to feeling belonged, but i guess it’s a start.

plus, i do need to remember that to the church is not about the building but about the people, even church leaders and elders will fail you but God will always be with us not matter what and at the end of the day it’s between you and God and it’s always about Him!

2 hours before the first strike to midnight and 1 second into the new year, i obliged on joining a barbecue party at newfoundfriend’s place. she was actually nice enough to pick me from home. so headed to chill at her place right after i arrived home from work.

it wasn’t much of a party actually since it was pretty much a last minute thing. she was suppose to head back to penang but plans had been canceled, so it was only the 8 of us, pasta, barbecued chicken, hotdogs, marshmallows, corn, artificial wine and a game of mafia. a different setting from what i would normally have chosen.

it would seem pretty ironic that i am spending the last moments with a bunch of people that were practically strangers to me – except for newfoundfriend, so yeah, i am glad that i did take up the offer to be there and that she had me in mind.

yet, looking back throughout this year, i managed to make a handful of new friends, as well as reconnect and meet up with a few of my old friends that i have not done so in several years.

it had been a good year of bonding and a difference that made 2008 a great one.

i had an extremely packed weekend!

which was awesome. tiring but awesome.

i attended a friend’s wedding – which was so beautiful. the best that i’ve ever been to, to date. it wasn’t just the ambiance, or the photography or video. it was just knowing that they were together for 8 years and still going strong and am now tying the knot together, the first and the last that makes it all just seem so wonderful!

i didn’t really expect to be invited, and i almost didn’t get my leave approved – but i’m really glad that all was well, and i was able to be part of the wedding – both the church service and the night dinner.

last night, i also gathered a few friends and meet up to celebrate a friend’s birthday. a good friend that i’ve not meet up for almost a year plus. a good friend whom i thought we had tension in between. but all was good once more and we all had our laughs and it was like old time once more.

i really feel great and looking back that now, it’s going to be a whole new year once more… i’m really glad that i actually made a point of reconnecting with different people once more.