Thank God for '07 & '08..

I regard '07 & '08 as my toughest period of my life. I thank God for my detachment stay in Texas as i'd nearly not have made it back safely @the end of 2007. I've had rashes all over my body one day while in base. I thought it was normal until one of my colleagues affirmed that i was bitten by fire ants & has to be treated immediately, so he had me rushed to the A & E ward. I could recall, telling him in his car that i was feeling very tired and felt like sleeping before i went blackout & fainted. My friend has to drag me into the A & E to seek help. My mum asked, prior my departure to Texas if she can go visit me? She could be handed an opportunity to visit and also to bring me back. I went to do a research on "fire ants". The colony is found mainly in Texas. It has to be treated immediately as there were victims killed.
I embarked on a long-route drive to Oklahoma one day and prior on my return journey, i heard news of road closure due to flood. As the road is the only way back and i dint inform anyone abt this trip; i decide to "cheong", not knowing when will it resume its operation. I arrived back home safely. It was raining very heavily (probably the worst downpour i've seen), that the road was lit only by the brake light intensity of the vehicle in front despite the high beam and the hazard light. I wondered; how did i ever made it through that weather and where was the road closure i heard over the news?
My friend lent his car to me as mine was in the workshop. I was driving to base one fine day when it caught me by surprise that i couldn't engage my brake. My thoughts went wild.. thinking what would seem to be the best approach i.e crashing into a tree, etc. I knocked into a car in the end. Not only did the driver not demand any compensation but apologised that he should have proceed to turn with no on-coming traffic. What puzzled me further was.. the brake regained its operation after the accident.

My trip back to Singapore was welcomed by police and greeted by persistent stalkers but was left unharmed. My granny passed away due cancer early Jan '08. She agreed to get baptized one day in a hospice. She was in terrible pain on the day before her baptism but insisted in carrying on. It was planned for her to travel to church for baptism but instead pastor came down. She indicated after her baptism that she felt peaceful and the pain left her. She even tried to persuade her most doted child, my 2nd uncle to join her in this sacred ceremony. My dad was sold @birth to a couple w/o children due to financial difficulties. She clutched holdof my dad's hand.sobbing apologetically in dialect; giving birth to one but yet unable to support. That was the first time i saw my dad teared.

2 of my colleagues were caught for drunk-driving. The last incident reminded me of a drink-driving accident i was involved in abt 30mths ago. I've had couple of glasses at a friend's wedding before
driving home. I beat the red-light and crashed into a taxi. I knew that it'd be the end of my career if i was caught.. i.e jail, fine, suspension, payback sum etc. The moment of impact is as though i just had 10 cans of red-bull. I'll be too ashamed to face my parents and colleagues so i'm prepared to dash across the road of any on-coming vehicle if any police appears at the scene. I felt the Lord is my defense counsel, i was acquited from the scene but slapped me with just $500 for his damage which can go up to all of my savings + life for the consequences if i was caught.

This true story inspired my resolution for this year. I was waiting for a carpark lot in town one day. I saw one few mins later, signalled my intention but was hijacked. I was cursing & swearing but few secs later, i was noticing this cat crossing the road near me. I turned my focus back to my steering wheel soon after it has crossed over. I'm unsure what but few mins later i turn my attention to where the cat was, and it was "bouncing" on the ground like doing hip-hop. I was thrilled at first, thought of even videoing the process but slowly ceased before it stayed motionless. It din't occur anything to me thinking; maybe its tired after playing with whatever. I noticed a car driving out of a lot before i signalled & parked. I walked up to the cat, noticed some blood stains and realized it has been ran over. I nearly teared, cursing the stupid cat; why do you have to cross the road again having just got over, don't you have eyes to see? Its just another cat dying on the road, just that this was 'Live'. God
revealed to me over dinner that He wants me to impact and thus making a difference in the lives of friends, relatives, colleagues around me. No longer will they be just acquaintances or just "hi" when you see them & "bye" when bidding farewell cos people you came across today; you may not get to see them ever again. The news of recent Mumbai massacre & Club Santika that came shortly after, just reaffirms my resolution.

Thank You God and like what the song says;
when the stars refuse to shine, and time is no more.
You still be faithful, You still be faithful. O Lord.

raylet