random thoughts

Thought #1: Viva tomorrow!!

Its YL's PhD viva tomorrow!! 3 years of mental toil in London is finally culminating in this important oral examination, to determine if he is to graduate with a "Doctor of Philosophy" in Physics. At 9.30am (UK time) tomorrow, he has to stand in front of two examiners and be critically questioned on his thesis.

YL is naturally rather anxious about it, even though everyone around him (his supervisors, many of his colleagues, friends, family and myself) have got faith that he will pass the viva without any problem. Many people believe so because they think that YL is good in what he does and I've too witnessed his discipline and the hardwork which he has invested in his research. So, "naturally", he should deserve to pass! But for me, the more crucial point is that I trust in God. I trust that our faithful Lord who has brought him through all the ups and downs in his research over the past 3 years will definitely see him through to the end!

Someone in cellgroup lastnight mentioned about how God had blessed Moses in the old Testament with the right words to speak and I am praying that for YL too. When Moses told God in Exodus 4 that he is not eloquent and slow of speech and tongue, God responded to him with these words, "Who gave man his mouth? .... Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and teach you what to say". May the same be with YL, should he be asked difficult questions by the examiners!!

We're also claiming Psalm 121 : "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth...He will not let your foot slip - He who watches over you will not slumber....The Lord will keep you from all harm - He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever more!!"

Go YL, go!!! Bambino and myself will be cheering you on in prayer!! :)


Thought #2: Thanksgiving

The nagging wet cough has been bugging me for more than a week already. It was particularly bad on the Monday night that just passed, so bad that my sleep was interrupted at least 5 times in the night by sudden long outbursts of coughing. After each coughing "burst", I then had to pick up my heavy body and crawl out of bed to get to the toilet to get rid of the phlegms that kept building up!! I was still dead tired when I finally got myself up in the morning and feeling really miserable.

So I got on the phone with the GP at the clinic and told her my problems. Whilst sympathetic, she was reluctant to prescribe me anything in view of the pregnancy and also that my phlegms have seemingly turned from greenish back to whitish. She also noted that I wasn't running a temperature and there is therefore no need for any course of antibiotics. She suggested that I inhale steam instead to try and unblock the nasal passage.

Well, I was still upset and prayed really hard that God will just take away the whole "suffering". I also got my friends during cellgroup meeting last night to pray with me on that...

Praise God!! I only had to wake up ONCE last night to clear my throat. Otherwise, my sleep was pretty undisturbed and I had a rather decent rest for the first time in days!! :)


Thought #3 : On Waiting List

We've booked our air tix back to Singapore! Leaving London on 24 Sep (Sat) and arriving in Singapore on 25 Sep (Sun). We are trying to get our seats upgraded from Economy Class to Business/Raffles Class, based on our mileage, so that I will have more space on the seat to accomodate my bigger size (I should be about 31-32 weeks with Bambino by then) during the long 12-13 hours flight back! Also, if we do get the upgrade to Raffles class, we will be able to have a baggage allowance of 30 kg each, instead of the 20 kg allowance for Economy class. That makes a very BIG difference of 20 kg in total for a couple that is shifting back their stuff from one country to another, having stayed in the first for 3 years!

However, as there are limited seats for such upgrades, they have put us on the waiting list for all 3 flights on that day. So, its no guarentee that we will be upgraded. Please pray with us that we will eventually be upgraded...