There's life. And then there's death.

This week was a much warmer week as compared to last week, where we had "freak weather". Just when we thought that winter had passed us by without making much of a scene, temperatures dropped below zero in the day, with frost covering the fields and trees on campus. On Tuesday morning last week, I found myself running in a temperature of -4 degrees celsius, with real feel at -7 degrees celsius. It was freezing. The biting cold was felt severely in my fingers even though I was wearing a pair of gloves. It seemed like Christmas time again as the trees were covered with frost and everything was white. Just look at the view from the window in my room:
As of last week, the colour of my tulips turned, strangely, from a striking orange to pink to red and now it is a lifeless purple. It is time to throw away the tulips that were once so beautiful and lively in colour.


Yesterday, we brought Tzen to Cadbury World in Bournville, Birmingham, to make the weekend of her birthday extra special. Trang and I planned our butts off as we co-ordinated the getting of tickets, who were the people going, who were the people unable to go but would still contribute to paying part of Tzen's train and Cadbury World tickets...

Today, to complete our birthday plans for her, we got a few hallmates together and surprised her with a birthday cake. This was a real surprise for Tzen as she did not expect it AT ALL - which makes today's planning a SMASHING SUCCESS (as compared to yesterday's Cadbury World visit. It was supposed to be a surprise but, thanks to Po Yew spilling the secret accidentally, Tzen had a vague idea of where we were going. So it wasn't much of a surprise)!
I think Tzen really appreciates it. She'd better appreciate it! I've spent too much time, money, effort and brain cells on her birthday already. As party planners, Trang and I have completed our job.
So, on the day that I helped to celebrate Tzen's 20th birthday, thanking God for sending me a friend like her now that I'm here in Nottingham, staying in Florence Boot hall, I hear of the death of Joel's dad. Technically, his dad has passed away one day after Tzen's birthday, in Singapore time. But in Nottingham time, it is as if I have been reminded of how God has given Tzen life just as He has chosen to take Joel's dad Home, all on the same day. I am greatly saddened by the death, and it pains me to think of Joel and what he has gone through, what he is going through and what he has to go through.

And yet through it all, God is in control. Everything happens in His own time. That is the one thing I cling on to for dear life.

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