turning twenty

i think there's an unwritten rule about blogging about one's birthday. it seems like everythime its the writer's birthday, a post-birthday post will follow. hence, i think it my obligation to you, my dear reader, to tell you about this (supposedly) monumental milestone age... im not a teen no more!! *nooooooooo*

a biiig thanks to all your well wishes.. calls from all the way home, smses, msn chats, emails, cards *yay*, tagboard posts etc.. you all make me feel loved (and less lonely)! and yes, jin, i got ure sms.. u can stop hopping now.. :)

so yea... my 20th came and passed. its funny. before that i didn't even feel it coming, until on wednesday when i went to the post office to apply for something, and the lady went through my documents and said "it's your birthday tomorrow!", and i thought "oh, ya! thats right!". birthdays come and birthdays go.. and before you know it the next one's around the bend.. no biggie.. i know, i sound so jaded. its funny how the kids at sunday school are so happy to announce their birthdays, and as we get older.. that excitement fades... i think we become jaded so easily.

that aside, i do think birthdays are a good time to take a look at the year(s) that has passed. and to take stock of everything that has gone on, how things several years ago has brought me to where i am today, choices made etc. i think we can learn so much from hindsight.

in hindsight, we see how God has use every circumstance, every choice, every decision to bring us to where we are at present. though things may have just seem to fall into place, but in hindsight, u see that there's no such thing as coincidence. that every step has been carefully planned by Him. this thought came to me one day as i was showering (as most of my thoughts often do.. weird.. i know).. anyway.. digression.. yar, as i was saying, looking back on how brought me away from home here. He knew that i'd need my sis around, something familiar, to help me adapt to unfamiliar surroundings, knowing how long it would take for me to adept to new things. and he probably gave me these few years with my sister before she enters the never-ending abyss of coupledom.. nooooo (haha... im sure its not THAT bad.. just being overdramatic). and also the fact that He brought me into this city, into this life i now know, to give me this great oppurtunity to be able to serve Him (not that i wouldn;t be able to elsewhere, but it definitely will be different). i also came to realise how He has used this time away from all things familiar to grow me. therefore, i do think that nothing that happens is of chance. that God has everything planned for us. that if we happen to deviate from it, it would just take longer to get to where he wants us to be, but that we will get there eventually (think the Israelites and their 40 years in the desert). yes, now i do think i know what they mean that God has placed me here in this place, in this time and in this season. that even though things may not have seem so clearly planned out, it is!

so yea, i do thank God for drawing me to Him in this stage of my life. for Godly parents who are always there to encourage and offer counsel. wonderful sisters, whose lives display His work. dear dear friends who are always there to listen and to experience this life with. all it takes a bit of retrospect to discover God's hand in everything and how He blesses His children. :)