Elf

Yes, it has been a while. And needless to say, it's pretty clear my discipline of blogging weekly has gone down the drain along with other things I'd usually dispose of.

Anyway, quite a bit has happen since I last blogged so I'll see what I can recap briefly in this blog post that I don't intend to blab on endlessly.

So let's see, I've had my first of many exams in the PA and I'd just say I did alright. I was highlighted, along with several others, in class for our results but after finding out my 'score' that the Course Manager so sluggishly gave me, I wasn't totally pleased. Therefore, I have decided to push myself for the remaining few exams I have left to be among the top. And so that's the academic.

As for the physical, I'd say I'm quite ok now. Among the top few but still more than capable of going further which I plan to. But with all the festivity occurring at the moment, it's going to be harder to reach that point. There's no doubt that with the cancellation of several recent physical training sessions that my physical level has dropped slightly. By the time I return back to camp, I will have to work a bit more to be satisfied with myself.

I finally had my first IPPT, since coming in, a few weeks back and that's how I judge my fitness now. The other four stations for me are really no problem at all. The four being chin ups, sit ups, shuttle run and standing broad jump. People tend to have great difficulty at the standing broad jump station but I am blessed with a strong set of legs to get maximum points each time =)

So yeah, the only station I really dislike to the max is the 2.4km run. But somehow, like a goldfish, I keep forgetting how painful running the 2.4km really is. Unfortunately, it really doesn't take long for me to remember the hatred I bore of it as we ran the distance. Thankfully, I didn't drop all the much and still managed a time of 9 min 20 secs; a drop of 15 secs since my last run. I think my secret to running that fast is having someone by my side who I can scream and shout at as we run. Having that someone there allows me to shout at the top of my lungs so that I won't look like an idiot. And strangely, it works. Not the part where I look like an idiot but having to encourage someone. Maybe it helps my breathing. Or maybe it helps distracts me of other pains in the body. Either way, it helps.

Enough of training life. I've forgotten about training cause it's Christmas!!! ^^ yay!

It's my favourite holiday of the year. Not so much because of the presents. In fact, I'm not in it for the presents at all but rather, the Christmas mood. I love Christmas songs and if you didn't know, I listen to Christmas songs all year round. I musta fallen in love with Christmas when I was little after hearing some of the Christmas songs I've heard.

Anyway, we've managed to arrange it such that we get leave from training from last friday evening onwards till thursday morning. A good 5-6 days of leave which will do me a lot of good because I need it! Just some time to relax and not worry about having to attend some lesson makes me happy.

So what have I been doing? Well, had my cousins wedding yesterday at Four Seasons Hotel. It was nice and all. A bit less formal than the usual but it was good. A quick procession followed by a rich heavy buffet lunch. It was so heavy and rich that I was K.O'd by the 2nd plate. And the plates weren't that big at all! I was squirming in discomfort from the pressure that was forming in my stomach by the end of it. Fortunately, the few minutes of pain quickly decimated as I 'vultured' around the dessert table to have another bowl of dessert. That plan of feasting quickly died after finishing the few bites.

Tomorrow night, we're having this church Christmas celebration at Furama Hotel somewhere in Chinatown. The budget for the event was estimated to around $26,000. Unbelievably, in case you haven't heard, by the grace of God, a one time offering brought an amazing $52,000 onto the table. Something that the leaders were not expecting so we are believing that it is going to be an amazing night tomorrow with many lives saved. Let's see what happens tomorrow =)

For those who do read this, I'll end with this thought which I am so proud to have been a part of Gods plan.

For those who did not get to know about it, when I was in basic training in the PA, I was blessed enough to bring one of my friends to Christ. He was open and eventually, he started to attend the church I go to. Well, week after week, he continued to attend and to cut a long story short, I am so glad to say that after knowing him for 3 months, I can see tremendous change in him. There is a new light and hope in his life and if it wasn't for God's grace upon him, I don't see how he could have found something that has made him as happy and different to how he is now. I'd see him fellowship with the other youths as if they were good long time friends and as I came to this conclusion about him, the sight of him singing in the youth carolling group made me so proud to have been a part of Gods plan in his life. I wouldn't have thought that anything like this would have happened to him when I first met him. He's like a completely different guy. Someone who I found to be lost and ill-disciplined suddenly became this amazingly happy young chap with full of joy in his life. There is not a day that I don't see him smile whenever I see him. He even told me the other day that his grandma told him he looks a lot more handsome now. And I think she is right in saying so.

All thanks to the grace and mighty work of God in his life. If I could be an instrument to bring more of these kinda people to get to know God, I would be more than happy. And what's more is that I heard him telling me that he is reaching out to all the people at his work place. Wow! That's something to give God all glory for!

So Albert, if you happen to be reading this, don't ever lose your heart and joy. You've not only become a better person but you've made others like me happier in knowing that your life has been of much glory to God's work in all of our lives; yours, mine and the people around you.