In the Corner of a Fridge

While cataloguing some chemicals in our laboratory (for the upcoming chemical risk assessment), we found an old box of chemicals in an 'abandoned' corner of one of the fridges.

Wondering what they were, I took out one of the bottles, wrote down the chemical's name, then turned the bottle and saw the purchase date...

' July 1978 '

Took out another bottle ... 'Nov 1978 ' .

Gaahhh! They're even older than me !!

So, we didn't have to catalogue that box of chemicals ... They went straight for disposal :)

Goodness... the things you find in fridge corners... heh. At least there wasn't any rogue mold or fungi growing there :)

Now, just a few more chemicals left to catalogue, and we'll be all done. The risk assessment preparations are so time-consuming, we'll be really glad when it's over!

WA Winter Camp Memories

Looking through my photos, I realised there weren't many pictures from my trip to Perth for OCF WA's winter camp. Will have to start chasing people for more pictures :)

Although this year's trip was shorter than last year's, it was also enjoyable, moving, insightful, and challenging, in many different ways.

A couple of weeks have passed since the camp, and more than a year since last year's trip.
Looking back, do I still remember the fun, the hospitality (especially Debbie and Esther who opened up their homes :) , the warmth of friendship and fellowship, the honest sharing, the interesting and refreshing messages, hilarious dramas (I'll never look at rubbish bags, the book of Exodus, or Tiger Balm quite the same way again :) , and tasty food...

Yes.

But more than all that, will I remember God's presence there, how God moved in the midst, how He touched each heart and spoke into each soul, and remember how lives have been changed because of Him?

May I never forget.

What is your LifeSong?

The Perth trip was peppered with lessons and reminders, and perhaps the most visual reminder came during the journey back to Adelaide.

For the first time in over 6 years of travelling, I was given a window seat on the flight from Perth to Adelaide (I've always been given aisle seats). As I prepared to board, I saw a rainbow on one side of the plane.

Rainbows have always had a special significance to me, as a symbol of promise and hope, of God's grace and love. And I know it's also no coincidence that I saw one the day after I arrived, and the second one on the day I left.

"I've got a window seat for once, I hope it's on the side where I can see that rainbow!" I thought silently as I boarded.

However, when I walked into the plane, I found that I had a window seat... on the other side of the plane, where I couldn't see the rainbow. I craned my neck to look out the other windows, but couldn't see it from my angle, if only I'd had another seat! Sighing, I settled back, resolving to enjoy the scenery at my window anyway, and watched as we took off and flew into the air.

After flying for a while, I looked out down at the clouds below us, and did a double-take. There was a beautiful ring of colours on the clouds as we flew overhead, which continued to travel on the clouds along with the plane. Awed, but not knowing what it was, and calling it a 'mini-rainbow', I watched for almost 1/2 an hour before it disappeared together with the clouds when we travelled over drier land.

Back in Adelaide, I googled it, and found I had seen a " glory " (what a fitting name :) , which was caused by the diffraction of light on the clouds when the sun was shining from behind us. Therefore, if I'd been sitting on the other side of the plane, I wouldn't have seen it at all... yes, I would have seen the rainbow, but wouldn't have seen that glory.

And so, it connected.

Placed where I was, I came in with my own set of expectations (and was naturally disappointed not to see them fulfilled). Yet, in His time, He showed me why I had been placed there. And he showed me something that was more special, more wonderful, and more unforgettable than what I had expected.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the Lord.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."

- Isaiah 55 : 8-9

Cheap thrill 2

Today's date can be written :

07/07/07

... Cheap thrill :)

On another totally random note, money apparently can fall from the sky after all...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070705/od_nm/germany_money_dc

And updates will be coming up, I promise. Have been ill, and busy with work and marking...

More to come... soon :)