Pulau Tekong

Quote from wiki... Tekong means "an obstacle" Oh yeah indeed it will be an obstacle for me....

I enlist tomorrow for those of you who don't know haha. Well I just got my packing done, but I still gotta get some things wrapped up before I go while having my mum telling me to sleep... so I shall just cut to the chase.

Please pray for me.

1) That I will stay close to the LORD, regardless of the environment. Never to submit to peer pressure or the like, never to chase worldly desires but only to chase God

2) That I will stand up for God, to be the salt and light of the.... camp. Not be the passive passive kind of Christian who couldn't care less but rather one who will look for opportunites which will be abound.

3) That I won't die o.O I got this annoying stitch which sometimes appears when I run as much as 100m... No good for the extensive running that the army puts you through especially with a 15kg full pack..

4) Oh I almost forgot this one. That God will send healing upon me ASAP =D Fell sick 2 days ago but by God's grace, I am well except for a rather bad sore throat.

I'm guessing that's about it... Ok, I should be getting of to do whatever I need to do. I've spend a precious 5 minutes on this already. Good night my friends, take care, God bless you. I'll be praying for each one of you too... if I'm not too caught up complaining to God about the conditions in Tekong.... tata

Post-A Level results thoughts

Seated with my class, I was extremely nervous when my name wasn't called up under the "4 distinctions for 4 content subjects" category... Somehow that was so even though I knew for sure I wouldn't be called up.

As the list proceeded to the "3 distinctions for 4 content subjects" category, somehow, this feeling of uncertainty and nervousness was escalating in my heart as the classes of SA, SB and SC were going past... I do not know why, I was just really scared actually.

Then suddenly, my name was called. There was this feeling of sudden relief over any other feeling, be it joy or accomplishment.

As I walked up towards the stage, I felt tears falling from my eyes. They were tears of relief, tears of joy. On hindsight, I realise that I do not deserve the results that I got.

Even right now, I know that all this wouldn't have been possible if God had not been behind me all the way. It was Him who saw me through the studying, it was Him who kept me calm during the papers and it was Him who sustained me through the entire examination period. It really makes me wonder how bad things would have gotten if I had not turned to God throughout the exam period and relied solely on my own strength and capability.

Father, I thank You LORD for seeing me through this period, thank You for all you have helped me, for all You have given me. Thank You for assissting me so faithfully, no matter how undeserving I was. Indeed LORD, I shall sing of Your grace and Your mercy forever and ever. Amen.

Pre-A level results thoughts

I'm writing this post 2 days before the release of the A level results... perhaps right now my thoughts will be more rational than on Friday regardless of my results. So on Friday itself, I'll just copy paste this thing here and read it through myself... Hopefully God will use this to speak volumes to me after I get my results.

Just 1 or 2 days ago, I was thinking about results and what the future would hold for me. For those of you who don't know, I'm aiming for NUS medicine. The course with exceptionally high demands, both in terms of number of applicants and the results required. 2 Bs or 1 C and I can forget about even trying...

Well, on the very same night, I was reminded of the message given to us during CF by Ms Choo Wan Xian if i'm not wrong. The key verse was from Psalm 37:4

"Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart."

Of course, it would be really easy to relate this verse to: I'll delight myself in the LORD and He will get me those straight As! Hurray! But the very crux of that message was trying to tell us that, if we will really seek God with all our heart, all our soul and all our strength, we find that the verse holds so much more truth and so much more substance than just our earthly desires. Eventually, the desires of our heart, will be to delight ourselves in the LORD. No other earthly treasure or accomplishment can compare to a true and intimate relationship with our LORD.

That message was indeed one of those which has taught me much. Well, to be very honest, if I actually remember a message, that means it has really taught me alot =x So all in all, when we come back to the outcome of the A level results, what really does it matter even if I can't apply to any university, or if I get accepted immediately by NUS? Instead of mourning over my results or jumping in the air rejoicing over them, I know, in my heart, that I desire to delight in the LORD even in the face of any uncertainty that I might possibly behold.

Furthermore, God has given us the assurance that no matter the circumstances that we are in, we are where we are for that is where we will grow and prosper the most. I will always remember this verse which has seen me through many years of my life thus far.

"For I know the plans I have for you, decalres the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future" - Jeremiah 29:11

My dad has been making preparations for me to study in Australia, UK or wherever in the event I cannot get into NUS as he knows I really want to do medicine, but right now I would say that no matter where I go, no matter my results, I will trust in God's perfect plan for me. If He has plans for me to study a course other than medicine, I will gladly follow where He leads me, for He knows best.

Friends, I am writing this, not only for myself, but also to remind us all that God is faithful in all times, and that we can always smile, knowing that He holds our future in His hands, and that His love will see us through all things.

Why?

One of the questions I find that we, in our Christian walk, come across is why? Why does God allow Christians to be persecuted? Why does He allow people to leave the world due to tragic accidents? Why does He allow all the bloodshed to continue? Why does He seem not to care?

Life after the A's was rather uneventful... But recently it has been quite eventful. Overly eventful in fact. So much so that I wish some things just didn't happen. Somehow it just raises the question - why? Why did that happen?

I am posed with this question by others and even myself every now and then - Why does God allow so and so to happen? Yes, God has plans, but what does He want to achieve by making this and that happen? I realise that I can find no answer to that question.

I once thought it would be so much better if God just tells us His plans for us right smack in our face instead of letting us question all the happenings around us. Now that's quite ironic since I have reasoned otherwise with others who suggested the same thing to me. Unfortunately, even though I understand why God wouldn't want to tell us too much, I still wish to know His reasons for allowing what's happening right now.

Perhaps instead of asking those questions above, we could instead ask ourselves other questions such as why can't we have implicit faith in God? Why can't we fully trust His plans for He knows what's best? Why can't we chase His heart with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our heart? Then again, it all comes back to the same question of why.

I believe I won't find the answer to anything anytime soon, but I pray that God will continue to reveal His plan in His perfect timing to not just me, but everyone else.

Jesus is better than santa!

I shan't take credit for this. I got this in an e-mail and it's really interesting so I decided to put it up here :D

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Santa lives at the North Pole
JESUS is everywhere

Santa rides in a sleigh
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water

Santa comes but once a year
JESUS is an ever present help

Santa fills your stockings with goodies
JESUS supplies all your needs

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited
JESUS stands at your door and knocks.. and then enters your heart

You have to stand in line to see Santa
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name

Santa lets you sit on his lap
JESUS lets you rest in His arms

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, What's your name?"
JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly
JESUS has a heart full of love

All Santa can offer is Ho Ho Ho
JESUS offers Health, Help and Hope

Santa says "You better not cry"
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on Me for I care for you

Santa's little helpers make toys
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions

Santa may make you chuckle but
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength

While Santa puts gifts under your tree
JESUS became our gift and died on the tree

It's obvious there is really no comparison
We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about
We need to put Christ back in Christmas
Jesus is still the reason for the season

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Our Awesome God

Hm, my prayer list has been piling lately... More things to pray for but luckily I've got more time to pray now since it's the hols. Was thinking about this until some other random thought just struck me...

Note: Highly highly conservative estimates are used in this and it still helps to prove my point.

There are 6.6 billion ppl in this world. Let's just say 6 billion.
If only 10% are Christians, there are 600 million Chrisitans.
If only 1% of them say a prayer everyday, that's 6 million prayers a day
Meaning, God is hearing about 70 prayers a second. And that is assuming every prayer lasts for only 1 second.

Gosh that's a lot. If there was a speaker in heaven blasting a prayer every time it is said, it must really be super noisy up there o.O

Ok I shall end my randomness here. But isn't it amazing that God still hears every single one of our prayers ^^

Post Post As

Seems to be something that is missing real badly =(

Miss you all my friends

A levels are over!!! but...

somehow a tinge of sadness too. I shall make this post short before I go off to emo =x

How should I put this in words.. Well I guess I'm really thankful that the As are like FINALLY OVER after all the dry hours of studying, burning midnight oil and being zombified during the papers.. but unfortunately this also marks the end of the JC2 year..

Well, I'ld say the depression comes from the fact that as JC friends, we won't be seeing each other as often anymore, and for some, not at all (other than results day... ugh). Well, friends come and friends go, we all know that from our course of education for the past 12 years or so... But how should I put it.. it just doesn't seem to be like the ordinary: "Hey PSLE/O levels over! Ahahaha we're free! Cya next time!" For quite a number of my friends, the next time hasn't even come, not even now. Well except for some but only with the occassional hi wassup conversation on msn.

I don't even know what I'm typing now.. My mind's in a swirl right now, so much to say but yet so restricted with every letter or word that I punch in right now with my fingers...

...

And I just stoned for five minutes thinking of what to write

...

And another three minutes... Well my SDone, my CF friends, my OG, my all the other random friends whom I made in school, thank you for making this entire AC experience what it turned out to be. I'll never forget the times where we spent together chatting/playing/studying/doing all kind of stupid things be it in college or out of it. Maybe the days we spent together may have been taken for granted, since we would be so sure that we would see each other again someday in school somehow, but definitely not now. Even if we do go back to school hoping to see each other, it would never be the same as it was when we were still studying as one cohort.

Indeed, God has weaved His plan so intricately to bring us all together at the same place, at the same time, for the purpose that He had intended it to be. This journey through the two years has left a huge mark on my life and I'm sure it has to for you. Still, life has to go on, we can't keep looking back into the past wishing we can be back where we were. But that doesn't mean we can't look back into the past and appreciate the sweet memories that we have built up in our two years here in AC. Hmm... I'm feeling a little philosophical over here...

...

I just stoned for another five minutes..!!! Maybe it is true that words are sometimes too inadequate a tool to express one's feelings: I'm certainly feeling that effect now. But well, to everyone but especially to SDone (yes I'm being biased here =p), thank you for supporting me through this two years in all aspects. I really appreciate all of you ^_^

Hmm, not so short a post, or is it? I don't know, I shall just stop typing since it feels as if most of what I'm typing is gibberish cause I'm really not thinking properly right now as you can see from this very paragraph where most of it doesn't really make sense so I should just stop typing this post for the sake of typing otherwise all subsequent paragraphs may end up being as monotonous, dry and meaningless like this one as if the previous ones weren't already and do you notice that this whole paragraph is made of of only two sentences?

Ok g'night people, God bless all of you abundantly =) Once again, thanks for making this whole experience such an awesome one =D

Exam thoughts

Just another random post cause I'm so BORED of studying.

Maths Chapter 18: Normal Distribution

The normal distribution is the most important distribution in statistical theory because it is a suitable model for a very large number of distributions of data. A continuous random variable X is said to have a normal distribution with mean mew and variance sigma square if X has probability function f(x) = whatever, where x is greater or equal to infinity.

Now assuming that I have a box of apples with mean mass 50g which is a large number in the eyes of maths, and standard deviation 20g, based on the graphic calculator, using normalcdf (-E99, 0, 50, 20), I am told that 0.6% of the apples i take out of the box, has a NEGATIVE weight.

Now isn't the normal distribution supposed to be a suitable model since weight is a continuous random variable where there is a probability that the apple's weight can go to inifinity due to variance?

Maths Chapter 19: Sampling, Central Limit Theorem

If X1, X2, ... , Xn are independent random variables, all having the same distribution with mean mew and variance sigma square, then the distribution of the sum, X1+ X2 + ... + Xn is approximately normal, for large values of n, (n>50) whatever the nature of distributions of X.

In other words, when applied to bio, stabalising selection, directional selection and disruptive selection will all result in the same final graph with a normal distribution since all organisms under considering are independent random variables, all have the same distribution and variance (since they are of the same habitat) and have large values (since non-endangered animals surely have a population size of more than 50), whatever the nature of their distribution.

Chapter 20: Hypothesis Testing, Example 3

To test H0: mew = 1.5 ohms against
H1: mew > 1.5 ohms at 0% level of significance (chosen by me since, by definition, if the level of significance is 0%, we will reject H0 when it should not be rejected 0% of the time)

Using GC, bar x = 1.52, s = 0.021213, t value = 2.108, p = 0.0513 > 0

Conclusion: Do not reject Ho and conclude that there is sufficient evidence at 0% level of significance that the wire is pure silver.

Now think about it. at 0% significance, you will reject Ho wrongly 0% of the time. That's better isn't it, so that no mistakes will be made. But wait! if you look at the graph, 0% probability means t value = 0. Meaning, regardless of whether you tested 100% silver 50% silver 1% silver or a ROCK, you will not reject it, because there is NO REJECTION AREA!!

My conclusion is that we are learning USELESS THINGS.

Ok that's enough. Back to learning all the nonsence

A levels....

are like in just THREE days... And this is probably one of the worst times to blog considering that my opportunity cost of doing so is my studying or the time I could use to sleep so that the law of diminishing marginal returns won't set in so fast tomorrow. Then again, I still have about 3x24x60x60+12x60 = 259 920 seconds left from the moment I typed this left to go before monday comes. So considering the time i have left and that my brain needs a break from the countless action potentials that are being fired when studying so that it won't get fatigued, I have decided to take a break off memorising the equations of the triiodomethane test, fehling's reagent and tollen's reagent to blog.

Yes I'm going MAD studying.

I don't even know why I'm blogging now when I'm supposed to prepare something like AQs and essay plans for GP consult tomorrow...

Well I guess it's because of the various things that have been going through my mind , the different things that happen each new day, topped off with Marc's email to my cohort about BS... Struck me quite abit. Here's a quote

"I do hope and pray that each and every single one of you are doing well and growing in the Lord even as you prepare for your upcoming battle. Even so, as you all face the uncertainty of tomorrow (and the exams), do remember that God is always with you, that He promises in His word that His rod and staff comfort us, and that His grace is sufficient for us, His power made perfect in our weakness. Therefore, in light of the knowledge that God of the universe, whose ways are much much higher than ours, is with us, then just do your best and trust Him."

Kinda reminds me of how my QT has, in essence, been: Hi God, I'm really tired. I just don't like studying. Exams are coming, help me ya? *some other random stuff* G'night. Amen.

So much for it's not about us but all about Him.

Perhaps it's time that I relook my QT once again to remove the self centredness in myself, to spend what really IS quality time with God and to leave everything else into His hands.

And indeed, I pray that even in the midst of the A levels and the stress and whatnots, my cry will be LORD, Your grace is sufficient for me.

Time to look at my AQs now =\