Held

Ever since Uni started my Tues Thurs hectic routine have been bugging me.. Few weeks back I decided to accept it but yea. Somehow missing the bus from Business School when I'm 1 minute off the clock and arriving 30-45mins late for my other class, entering a full room with a hundred eyes staring at you not sympathising with your situation is like a thorn in the flesh reminder each week, two times a week.

Throughout I've constantly been looking up, "God when will this end?", "God give me strength and perseverance", "God I really don't want to do this anymore", "God I'm so tired". The fall retreat was really a great time o reflection and rest. Had time to really think through and the idea came to mind. JOMC670 is split into 2 classes. Beginning of the semester, which is the class I'm in now focusses on Account Planning in Advertising, while the next half of the semester would begin the Creative side (which I've done in Ad Production in Murdoch).

"If only I could drop the other half of the semester and ride through this first half swiftly, I wouldn't have to go through this "strain & stress" at the end of the year! And what if both classes had exams on the same day?? I really wldn't know what to do..." I thought.

So I drafted out a letter to Murdoch Study Abroad asking if I cld drop second half and still be fulfilling my Murdoch graduation points. Prayed about it and sent it out the moment I got back from retreat. 2 days later, Study abroad gets back to me saying Murdoch has re-assessed my UNC credit hours and now it's 2.5 Murdoch points to every 3 credit hours I do @ UNC. Think you know the ending... Haha!

So here I am sitting outside Carroll (my lecture building) waiting for JOMC670 to end @ 1.45pm to talk to my Prof and thank him for being so gracious and understanding and that it's been a pleasure attending his class even in this short time. =)

Once again, God has been ever merciful and just awesome! He's always there, omnipresent, omnipotent. Praise you Lord!

This is what it means, to be held;
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is, to be loved.
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell, we’d be held.

Weekend getaway!

Just came back from IV large group, chai session @ Starbucks along Franklin and Laundry. Phew! Large group was really good tonight... we had an all guests session... worship was done by Jonny Diaz (http://www.jonnydiaz.com/site.html) just with the acoustic guitar, just beautiful. Sang "Make a Joyful Noise" as the opening song... like I've never heard it sung live for worship so it was cool! Word was given by Ps Taylor Jones who spoke on Mercy being Sympathy - Matthew 5:7
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

The whole theme of IV seems to be headed towards world missions and outreach. Don't know if it's something on my heart but I'm beginning to want to sign up for Urbana 06 (http://www.urbana.org/_u2006.cfm), December 27 - 31, 2006 in St. Louis, Missouri. Sighs... honestly I'm quite torn between decisions... really have to pray about it.

Anyway, just before IV Emily called me (this really lovely gal from Crusade) and asked me to come for the Crusade's Fall Retreat this weekend @ Camp Kanata (www.carolinacru.org). And I agreed... sighs! Haha... it's unbelievable. I've got so much work to do and I declined to go to IV's Fall Retreat but now I'm going for Crusade's retreat... sighs... Haha anyway praying God will make this trip really a time of refreshing and insight into what He has to say this season. The speaker's Steve Koproski from AIA (Athletes In Action) campus ministry. Looking forward, I guess... ok yea.. I'm looking forward :p

Chai session was the usual haha! Am beginning to like Chai very much since the first time I had it @ Caribou Coffee... Though think Starbuck's one is less sweet which is extra good! I'm really suppose to be studying for my Sales Mgt test coming soon... but yea. While my laundry's washing thought I'd just do updates haha! Ok gtg... think my washing's done haha! Time for drying... catcha laters! =)

Flash back Photos

@ the game






















Liz


Me, Carrie & Weichang (left to right)


Amanda, Weichang


80s Party




Arby's Dinner & Harris Teeter




After IV large group Krispy Kreme!


Ben&Jerry's Dessert @ Jem's

Introducing Ben & Jerry

Was thinking the other day about my diet here in Chapel Hill. Apparently my meal plans have made me more healthy (to the extent of starting with salads every meal) but also more of an overeater. Well, the meal plans are all-you-can-eat. So I eat all-I-can-eat for lunch (normally around 1pm-2) go walk abit around campus or sit in the library on days w/o classes and come back to eat all-I-can-eat for dinner.

Somehow or rather i find myself craving ice-cream after ice-cream. It's quite hard to resist especially since ice-cream socials are so common here. Ben & Jerry's in particular have been popular, if not, D-only favourite ice-cream to consume anywhere! Here are the flavours I've tried so far just as a gauge. Though... some of them have been repeated by yours truly haha!

Dublin Mudslide, Phish Food, Turtle Soup, New York Super Fudge Chunk Ice-cream, Peanut Butter Cup, Chunky Monkey, Choc Chip Cookie Dough, Strawberry Cheesecake, Butter Pecan, David Matthew's Band Magic Brownies, Cherry Garcia, Black & Tan.

Wanted to try, and will continue to try, as many different flavors as I can... anyways! I've made up my mind concerning church... Summit is where I want to be. Ps J.D. spoke about the condition of the human heart. O God let us be, a generation that seeks... Seeks your face, O God of Jacob.

Had been busy with group meetings and the levitation levi's creative brief the past week. Spent the weekend relaxing a little though... Fri night was invited to this 80s House Party a little off campus! It was fun! Pure clean fun, no alcohol haha! Mainly coz the girls holding it were all in campus ministry so yea it was great! People really got dressed up and everything. The whole works... music, decor everything! Slept over @ dear Weichang & Carrie's plc coz I was just too lazy to walk back haha! Think it's becoming my second home. Hope they don't mind me invading haha! Appreciate it gals! Love you both to bits!!!

Sat came and so was our breakfast appointment, supposedly@9am. All of us woke up late. Like really really late... Like we finally went for breakfast @ 11++. Haha! It's on Franklin and they specialize in waffles, hot cakes and biscuits! Ok they call the 2 breads sandwiching the sausage and egg - biscuits. Think we normally call it muffins but yea. Whatever makes them happy. Haha! But yea it's really gd! Plus there's a line everyday! Something you could do as a pampering once in a blue moon...

Right after we went to play volleyball. So not my sport but yea... they're having intermurals here and this team "We Dig Volleyball" were short of 2 girls on the team so we filled in... had a quick explanation of the rules and started playing semi-finals!??! Well, we won the first game.. Lost the next... and the rubber set haha! But yea they were a happy lot! Most of them we met @ the 80s party! I wish their badminton doubles were in Oct... currently it's scheduled in Spring'07 so yea... can't play.

Kks gotta run... have a gd week ahead!

Swamped

Sorry i haven't been faithfully updating on my travels... it's assignment immersion here @ UNC!! Ahhh!!!! Nah. All's gd! Got back my first 2 assignments and it's pretty good I must say! Bs and A-in-betweens. Grading system here's more normal than in Aus. No HDs, Ds, Cs, Ps but A+, A-, A-/B+, B+, B-/A+ etc. Thus the A-in-betweens but anyway...

Have been doing a lot of planning this week too! Planning for fall break coming 18 Oct-22 Oct... Keep in tune to find out what! Haha!

Oh did I mention that I'm sticking to IV? Think so... in my previous post? Anyway, I'm staying in IV. As for a church, I've found one already and think I'll stick to it too though I like the other "Summit Church" but yea... with Bible Church there's a free shuttle and I don't have to trouble people for a ride.

Today's itinerary, 4pm going for the seminar I talked about on Growing Deeper - God's Will by Mark Acuff from Bible Church. Tml's IV large group @ 7pm! It's like FCC's FNL only everyweek. Actually it's like a mini-scale Youth service with worship, word and food after!

Right now? Gotta run. Late for class!!

Here comes the weekend

Did this really cool thing in Graphics Design class... We traced Tweety haha! It's that time of the semester where we learn how to use the Pen Tool in Adobe Illustrator and it's cool though pain-staking... Every anchor point has to be precise but placing too many anchor points results in a mega huge file to save so goal - to trace Tweety with as little anchor points as possible.

Handed in quite a number of assignments the past week. It's been quite eventful actually and I got a B for my very first assignment! So yea... I'm happy haha! Apart from assignments I've been missing classes. Well only the tues/thurs ones... I can't help it!! I just can't make it in time with all the bus missing... sighs... but i've really gotta work this out. Came at the end of class for Account Planning coz I had to hand in an assignment just when my prof was walking out and he was like, "SarahJane what happened!" Explained that I missed the bus which left me with 15mins to class dismissal so yea... saw no point. "Oh yes yes... well it's alright, I understand your situation and don't worry about it!" Isn't he so very nice? Haha... So yup.

I was supposedly suppose to go for the Carolina vs NC State soccer game but yea... came back to finish up my assignment instead (how hardworking right...) Well I went for the first half haha and it wasn't good. In fact, UNC lost. Boo....

Going for the football tml!! Got up at an unearthly hour (6am) and bussed down with the guys to queue for the tickets that I never got from my online bidding.. sighs! Haha anyway, we were being typically singaporean when we arrived to find (no not 'we were the first' but) 2 guys sitting there waiting. the ticketing office opens @ 8am and tickets are free for UNC students so yea... free tickets leh... dun play play haha! So waited and waited and by 7:30am there was like a super long queue all the way down to the road. Matt took a picture and will grab it from him to show you.

We were so thankful we got up early haha! Or at least I was... =P That was wednesday. Yesterday went for IV large group! I've finally decided I'm sticking to IV. Not that Crusade was not good but think I can really grow in IV. Oh talking about growing, I've committed myself to attend a whole seminar (Grow Deeper Seminar) given by the Bible Church Pastor, Mark Acuff. Went through the very first session on God's Will which will end tk 3wks. It was good. Really reminded me of the sessions at FCC and I miss it so much... This was Wed too! Hee...

Back to thurs, after IV we went for the Krispy Kreme Doughnut Run!! Our driver was Will - nice guy, cool spacious SUV car. It was great!! Pictures will be up asaIfmmomsdc (as soon as I finish my memory on my SD card =P) This weekend's gonna be packed apart from the football game! Going for this Latino Festival in Raleigh after that. Sunday will be Bible Church!! Then maybe Extreme Field Day!

Take care ya'll! Have a great weekend! Be blessed!

Rainy days and Mondays

Past few days have been raining especially last night (it was pouring!!) anyway nothing much to update besides assignments and all. Classes have been alright, think my most enjoyable one is Graphic Design so yea other than that been busy being busy. Ha...

Labour day weekend was great! Though I nv left Chapel Hill, still feel that it was a real experience and a fantastic time of knowing people better! A big thx to Weichang and Carrie for letting me bunk in =) Reckon we had a blast and great sharing ya! It's been a real comfort to know that there are people like you who can relate to personal experiences in life. Who would have guessed we had so much in common!! Haha! Praise God for unexpected friendships! Really had a wonderful time with you and the guys!

Went for my first American Football game last Sat and gosh was it good! Ok, disappointing to a certain extent coz' Rutger beat UNC 21-16 but yea... people were screaming and cheering their heads off! And to think I thought Carolinians were proud NC fans... they are way more than proud sia! Like 3/4 of Kenan Stadium was baby blue/white (signature Carolinian colours) and only a small section of red supporting Rutgers haha! But yea... took a lot of videos just to capture a bit of the atmosphere but yea... pity I don't know how to upload them here... will post up a couple of pictures when I've the time to upload everything but yea... people were breathing, eating, living Carolina blue with face paint, fake tarheel tattoos, Carolina tees, mugs, cups, bags, caps, travel cushions and blue/white pompoms.

Sunday was spent @ the "pretty church" coined by Jeremy. He's this guy we've come to know through Matt, a fellow Singaporean but actually studying in UNC and really involved in campus ministry (IV) with a passion for missions. It was the same University Methodist Church my parents and I went to when we were first here. The church is really pretty with lovely baby blue walls and white elaborate cornices. They had a string group for worship that day with a full choir and it was very beautiful! Sunday was also the first time I took communion in America! It was a small chapel service and it goes on every week after the service so yup!

Sunday also brought fish to my diet for the first time in a long time and to think I was so happy to be able to eat trout. Haha! Went to Bon's for lunch after service and it was great!! Southern food... lots of sweet potatoe somethings and excellent dessert!!

Alright so much for backdates haha gotta go do my backform creative brief assignment due tml... after that watching soccer!! UNC vs NC State!! Go Heels Go!!

Life's Lesson

The past week has zipped by so fast it makes my head spin everytime I try to recall the things I've done! Basically kinda settled with my classes so all's good! Been having lunches with so many groups of people it's hard to keep track and also individual lunches on my own. Today was sitting on my own (after circling Lenior a number of times before I found a seat) and just beginning to dig into my salad and pasta (the usual, convenient things I eat when I'm lazy to queu.. oops. Get in line i mean... haha!) Oh Americans don't know what "queue" is they call it "lining up"... Anyway saw this girl finding a seat and decided to extend a invite for her to share the table with me (yes it was that crowded) and she accepted! Got into a friendly conversation and Gloria's a sophomore taking psychology and english lit. Really nice person and she made lunch so much more interesting!

Anyways, lately everything's been whizzing by... reckon I'm still trying to figure out where I fit into this whole equation of an exchange student @ UNC. Classes have been interesting, though my participation has been somewhat minimal, if not zilch. Find myself trying to cope with the work load and balancing so many different groups of people. It's the spend-too-much-time-with-one-group-and-keeping-out-of-touch-with-the-other-group syndrome that I can't seem to shake off here and back in Aus.

I've got 2 major assignments due this coming week and I'm kinda procrastinating... haha... think I'm "playing" too much but yea... going for a football game tml @ 3pm (pray it doesn't pour. It's been really rainy and windy here since the hurricane passed by from the south. Apparently it's a first for NC to experience this sudden weather change) then staying overnight @ weichang's dorm coz Carrie (her roommate's) away for the Labor Day long weekend so yup! Plus Sunday we'll be attending Chapel Hill Bible Church where the shuttle picks up people @ HJNorth (where weichang stays) so yup! Looking forward to finding a church I can finally settle in and a small group for growth. Looks like IV's kinda sticking with me rather than Crusade.

Oh well, praying God will lead me to His people and send me to where He wants me to be. Lord, I want to grow more in You and serve You with all that You've given me here on this exchange You've blessed me with. In Jesus' name, Amen.

You're all I want
You're all I ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know You are near...