As I drove out this morning, my trusty iPod mini hooked up to my Alpine CDE-9873 played Somewhere in the Middle by Casting Crowns The Altar and the Door CD. As is my habit nowadays, due to the lack of time and workload, I begin my morning with Worship in traffic. It calms my heart, and helps me re-focus the start of each new day on our Lord, God and Creator. The days feel much more bearable and I find strength to carry-on when I do this compared to a few days where I did not.

Of course today was a bit different as I was heading to the KWSP or EPF to withdraw some much needed cash for my new house & studio! This particular song caught on to me and I replayed it a couple of times. It really made me think and somehow I think it accurately describes me and where I am right now. It's trying to decide if I should plan and calculate all probabilities or to trust in God's supreme providence and faithfulness. To rely on my steady income or jump into my passion for photography. To pursue my personal goals and ambitions or who God wants me to be. To having everything to giving everything. No easy answers and not something one can decide or even do overnight or over a year.

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves

Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle
© Casting Crowns

How time flies. It's middle of May already and I'm still sleep deprived. Work is piling up on all fronts and there seems to be no let-up. New old House renovation plans are still being drawn and finalized while I'm hoping I won't need to sell all my stuff to finance it. Then again, I also can't wait to move out of the 12th floor. Condo living may suit some people but I think I prefer my feet on solid ground and no elevators to ride home. Makes going on vacations and photo shoots difficult too - imagine all the stuff you need to carry out and down and all that! I also seriously miss my two dogs and while I won't be taking them from my parents, I can't wait to have my own! Hopefully I can have a larger work area than my current space, cozy though as it is, there's not enough desk space for my wacom tablet and other stuff.

The May photoshoot got postponed into June and I think I'll try some with my cousin and his new bride if we have time. He's flying in end of this month with my iPhone and I'm wondering whether I should go quad-core on my PC and all that. Ah, but I have to save money for the house. My to-buy list is getting longer and longer. Delayed gratification indeed!

Hope you like my messy desk... hope to have a new workspace for 2009!

Came back to work after taking a day off to service and fix the car and saw this on my desk. A strange assembly or construction to be sure but I think it's the origins of how the first people decided to erect the Stonehenge.

independence (Merdeka)
1. The state or quality of being independent; freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by, others; self-subsistence or maintenance; direction of one's own affairs without interference.
2. Sufficient means for a comfortable livelihood.

For #1, looking back, one has to consider the most important liberation of all, from sin and death. It just reminds me about the chorus of Chris Tomlin's Amazing grace:
My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace

Just remember that and you'll see life completely different. Even if people don't appreciate what you've done or what you've given, when people still scorn your life poured out for them, undeserved; realize then that our Lord Jesus himself poured out his life, unreservedly, completely, for us all - also undeserved. His Grace is sufficient for me. That's all that matters.

What would you choose:
1. Wealth unlimited and fame beyond measure or Love, pure love?
2. To live forever or just a ONE lifetime with the one you love?
3. Everything and anything on this world, or just one, the one you love?
That's the answer to #2...

It's the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Independence day of Malaysia.
We're going down to Cyberjaya to catch a glimpse of the fireworks and also to chill out with some friends.
Well, hopefully I'll have a few good photos to post. Of course I'll also give Alice's brand new 400D a workout to make sure everything's hunky dory!

Jaya Noodle House which has been occupying the same Lot G10 on the ground floor of the famous PJ landmark, Jaya Shopping Centre in Section 14 for as far as I remember. Heck, I remember going there when I was 9 or 10 I believe. Now that the Jaya Shopping Centre (or previously known simply as Jaya or Jaya Supermarket) will be demolished to make way for a new fancier mall, the noodle house will have to move. Incredibly, I share the same birth year with Jaya Shopping centre as well as with Jaya Noodle House which was named Phoenix Noodle house.
Looks like I'd better find out where they move to!

Try listening to Chris Tomlin's Amazing Grace (My chains are gone) and I'll guarantee that you'll feel something stir at the very least. It's that good. Help WebAperture (and me of course) by buying it from Amazon over here.



Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine

You are forever mine