Sunset on My Birthday

I turned another year older (2?) last February 19! I thank God for the gift of life and love. I'm still a work in progress, oh how humbling it is to say. I wasn't too happy about my birthday, there were some things I was expecting that didn't happen. In the middle of some drama, God lovingly revealed to me how horrible my heart really was. I was ungrateful, I was focusing too much on superficialities that I was forgetting the true meaning of birthdays.

Thank You God for this sunset on my birthday, your way of redeeming that day for me, your way of telling me You still love me and You're always willing to splash some colors in my life, If I only let You be God in my life. Thank You dear God for cleaning up my heart.  Thank You, more than anything else, for Your relentless and pursuing love. I am in awe.

Having you is enough

I think we are much stronger after this, hopefully I'm right. Sigh. Conflicts. Pastor Peter says for a relationship to grow, a conflict is inevitable. If you don't want to grow, then go and keep avoiding conflicts. I say every conflict is an opportunity to clean up our hearts and our motives. I guess, this is one of the prices we have to pay for signing up to a long distance relationship: the risk of mis-communication, the risk of just avoiding the conflict and not facing it together despite the time difference, despite the thousand-mile distance. By God's abounding grace, the tide is over now. And I can say still that having you alone is enough. :)

2011 Valentine Project

Happy Valentines Day everyone! ♥ ♥ ♥

This is the second year I'm doing this little project but you may not want to actually view this year's; soooo mushy, it'll kill you! Hahaha! Don't say you weren't warned. :) Last year, I did this project in a hopeless romantic state, boyfriendless but hopeful that this year's would be better. I guessed I got what I wished and prayed for, thanks to the Author of Love. We may not be together physically, but I know time will come that we will be holding hands on a Valentines day, in one time zone, in one place.

So for you single ladies out there, keep wishing but most importantly, keep praying for God's best for you. He honors the desires of our hearts and if that desire of yours is aligned in His will, He will lead that man to you and you'll have nothing to do but be surprised and be in awe as love unfolds right in front of you. In whatever relationship status you are in right now, keep striving for love. 

Loads of love, Lai. :-) 

We Love SG!!!

We Love SG!!!
Originally uploaded by simplylai

At Marina Bay Sands Skypark :)

February 2, 2011 - His last day at work after tendering his resignation. This is also our first day to roam around in SG. We only have 7 days in our itinerary before we say gooddbye again for the second time, after officially being a couple.

First stop: Marina Bay Sands Skypark. :) It had just rained that afternoon, SG was slightly damp. We went up to the Skypark to get view-struck. It was beautiful up there with a 360 degree view of the city. Thank you Singapore for treating him well... and for being a beautiful pitstop in our love story.

Me in probably one of the happiest days of my life. See the glow? ;)

Tourists chillin' out.

Goodbye for Now

I knew this day is inevitable. From day one of my holiday in Singapore, I knew this is going to happen. It's just that we enjoyed our time together, I almost forgot about this day.

At Singapore airport | 8th of February 2011:

I look closely at your boarding pass; it says you're in the 11:59 PM flight bound to Frankfurt. I look at mine; it says I'm in the 12:15 AM flight bound to Manila. We're about to take flights completely going two opposite ways, only minutes but one-calendar day apart.

This is it. Our long distance relationship will soon get longer, farther, harder. From Singapore to Ireland. We'll be in for a time difference now and who knows what other challenges are in store for us. 

"Okay. Can you pray for us now?" I nudge him, realising we should better get on. "Yes," he softly answers. So we pray together in Changi Airport, holding hands, soon to be parted by mere minutes. As we step on the walkalator to my gate, he looks in my eyes and says "Lai, kaya natin to." I can only sniff and sigh trying to hold back tears already welling up my eyes. Yes, I know we can do this, but how? I am trying to be brave with all the strength I can muster in the remaining minutes that we are together, in the remaining time that I can still physically feel him by my side. 

"You have to go now," I say as we reach my gate. We embrace then finally say our last goodbye for this leg, for the Singapore chapter of our lives.

I content myself from watching him walk away. Dear God, please enable us to do this. There are dreams to be chased. There are things to be sacrified for now.  :(