t h e a w a i t e d

There's so much I cannot see,
My eyesight's far too dim,
But come what may, I'll simply trust
And leave it all to Him. -Overton.

Intro
Well, hello peoples....I think this post might not be as long a post as what I expected...because new things come up, and the past has gone away...so yeah...

Camp
AWESOME. Funny, during my QT with God today...it talked about God being awesome...and how many people use 'awesome' in different, sometimes wrong contexts...but anyway, for me, the main reason for camp being so awesome was because I knew God was there with us...through it all. There wasn't one thing that happened that lacked His presence, and so it was awesome.

This year, we went back to Camp Howqua. I was originally anticipating what exactly Avalanche Camp could do for my life this time. I REALLY REALLY didn't quite get what an avalanche could do with me. But camp has been awesome, and I'm really feeling extreme changes being made in my life even now. Sometimes people say change can be vague, but oh no, not this change...I feel it burning inside of me, and I feel good.

Anyway, the bus ride to Howqua was pretty ok, I sat with Franny and then we started listening to her shuffle. Peter and Shaun sat in front of us and Ruth and Jonno sat behind us. =) Then somewhere in the middle of our trip, suddenly me and Rutie noticed that there was a blanket of mist hovering over us, and the hills...it was pretty cool. The mist was thick enough to block out the sun, and the clear blue sky became a white cotton sheet. Only for awhile though. This year, we made our annual Asian visit to Yea again to have our lunch break. LoL. It was fun!

At the campsite, after unloading our baggages from the bus then huddling in together in the main hall, Quentin did a couple of briefings and our Camp Commandants, Chara Seow and Rebecca Lee gave all campers a superb warm welcome to this 'Start small, end Big' camp. Then, we had icebreakers by Serene and Peter, our games masters, and it was funny as.

All through camp, Praise & Worship was just deafening..on one ear...-.- LoL...anyways, it was good...everyone all hyped, and NO neighbours!! hehehe...but seriously, the smoke machine...NOT funny...=.="" Games were awesome, very creative...good work Serene and Peter!! Armada is the best...in case if you guys out there didn't know...you don't need to win to be a winner. lol...The plays done by various games groups were awesome, some of the more memorable quotes would be: "I'll pull out your braces man..", "Peace is the Christmas Treasure, all the girls in the world wants me." (then in a corner) "So, Miss Australia what is it you want most in this world?" "World Peace!" LoL...and of course, "Ok ok, this one is your friend, this one is your friend, this one is your friend...this one...this one not your friend la.." lol...amazingly creative I must say...

Best of all, the sermons. Inspiring, touching, challenging. Pastor Scott Hawkins was our guest speaker and he was definitely AWESOME; but Pastor Chris Ong spoke on the first night to set the tone of the camp...and already, it was so good...in other words, awesome. Pastor Scott really challenged the whole camp to stand up and step out, like Shammah, to let Jesus brush past us and actually have an encounter with him, like the woman who was bleeding for 12 years. Then he taught us practical ways to keep the avalanche in us going, like S.O.A.P., and not letting one more year pass us by. The one message that touched me the most was on the last night...when he talked about Peter in the Bible and how God led him out of jail miraculously. That's another story for another time...

But on the first night, when Pastor Quentin took hold of the mic after Praise & Worship and said to the campers, "You are Precious. You are so Precious that God sent His only Son to die for us." Suddenly it hit me. I don't really know, maybe it was God speaking to me...but it suddenly hit me to wonder...what kinds of thoughts must've been going through Jesus' mind with each whip that He endured, with each thorn on His forehead, with each nail hammered through His body, and with each second that passed before He actually died. How could He do it? Why for me? I do not, and most likely, never will deserve what He had to go through...but I still wonder, what would He have told Himself to keep holding on? Even when God, His Father turned away from him...would He have thought, "It's ok, I love them too much." or "It's ok, it'll all be worth it." or "It's ok, it'll all be over soon."? Jesus who never lied, stole, kill, boast, cheat etc, Jesus who was so pure...suddenly knew what it was like to be all those things. To be like a liar, and receive the punishments due; to be a murderer, and be murdered in return; to be a cheater, and be betrayed on; to steal and bear the shame of it...I can't imagine...

But it brings us back to the idea and fact of how precious we are. And for that, I love Him.

The ride back home was...spent...asleep. LoL...but interesting things happened a lot at camp...like their super nutritious food. ;) Umm...like Audrey Tan being the official alarm clock for the whole camp, then making a lot of enemies at 8 A.M. in the morning, and then being no.1 on the death list...and best of all...receiving a lot of hate mail. lol..but it was fun...people just don't appreciate me enough...hahaha...imagine what an important role I played!! If I wasn't annoying enough to play weird songs and NEVER stop talking over the loud speaker, no one would wake up in time to worship God riiiiggghhhttt???? LoL....

Mmmm...this year, my Angel was Jonathan Lee, from 101 group...I really got to know him better this time...so it was cool...and also, my mortal was Wen Shu! The big bully, lol..he's cool...so it's good. I made a whole bunch of new friends this camp...and got to know a lot of people much better this time...so it added to a whole lot of fun...

Umm...this year's themed dinner was....awesome! LoL..Vernis did a really really good job in making the whole dining area look like it really was Christmas...awesome! I dressed up as Cindy Lou from "How the Grinch stole Christmas", what with the dinner being themed 'Christmas in July' and all...It was kinda cool...making me hair stand up like a coconut tree, like Cindy Lou's, thanks to Nicole.

Nicky's birthday
25th July, Wednesday...but he had his party last Saturday. And it was sooooooooooo fun!!!! hehhehe....Meanie, Adrienne, Sarah and I had a lot of quality time...since we didn't get to do much of that since after camp...well...only when Sarah is not busy dota-ing...-.- lol...anyway, it was cool...I was on drugs..sort of....I'm serious...I blame Adrienne(Jelly), Meanie(Peanut) and Sarah(Salami)...they are the prime suspects for adding crack into my dinner. Proof:

This was outside, where we so crazily decided to have dinner in the freezing cold. Then Sarah got happily amused by...nothing. (*pssst, I think she smoked some 'crack' too) LoL...and then started taking pictures of random stuff...like the pizza delivery man!!! LoL...

It was about this time that my dear friends helped me adopt my new nickname...since all 3 of them had food stuff as nicknames, Meanie ended up calling me...Boiling Oats. -.- Why? Don't know. And she found it UBER hilarious to have my initials as......you guessed it...B.O. haha...funny...not really...lol...thanks for the nickname anyways...I think?

Anyway, the REAL randomness started appearing, just about half an hour after dinner('drugs'). Ask Meanie and Jelly...they would know...LoL...

Anyways, Blessed EIGHTEENTH Nick...you noob...so old liao...stop dota-ing la...time to STUDY!! LoL...Thanks for inviting me to your party...I had fun..

UMAT
MMM-mmmm....the doom exam on the 25th July. LoL...In Australia and New Zealand, to get into Medicine or any Health Science courses, you MUST sit for the UMAT. So, don't ask me what I'm going to do in Uni, I'm just keeping my options open...So, briefly and in short...it's not the easiest paper in the world, it was the longest 4 hours of my life, ever!, I went in feeling positive, came out...pretty positive. Anyhow, I know that my God knows best...So I'm still feeling positive..Stella sent me Isaiah 26:3 just before I did my paper, and it really encouraged me...

Fungus

Yesterday, I did song-leading...for the first time in ...almost 2 years? Yeah, I did songleading with Alvin...mmmm, I don't know...I received some good feedback...but I know it wasn't me...God really inspired me during my time of worship....and that inspiration started from camp...so you see, I feel change happening.

Au Revoir

Anyway...time to go now...photos...will be up ....and I have videos for you guys too....soon la...soon. hehehhe...The videos would be clear evidence of me...on 'drugs'. =D Have fun anticipating for that too la....

For now, take care and God bless! I love you.

Love,
Audrey.

P/S: I was joking about the part about expecting this post to be longer... lol

P/P/S: To the person who wouldn't understand(and may not even read this): I don't like playing games.