I thought of a hat, even a raincoat, but the latter would make me sweat (not the way I would sweat on my walks; my way is natural, adding a raincoat would not be, but I digress). Then I decided to just go, at least to the ground floor and if the rain was heavy, to maybe use the gym.

Downstairs, the road looked wet but without any raindrops. So I started on my walk, activating the Nike+ Sportband, holding it down until it told me to “walk”.

It was still drizzling a little. I’d thought of doing an old route, where there would be trees to ward off the rain. But on the curb, I decided to turn left (new route) instead of cross the road.

It was still drizzling and I found myself asking “What if it doesn’t stop?” And immediately, another voice answered.

“Hello? Who is in charge of the rain?”

God is. And I’d already told Him when I was on the balcony looking out that I wanted to go for my walk.

So I continued walking. And the drizzle stopped. Across the road, someone under an umbrella closed it, tentatively, head lifted to make sure it really had stopped.

And I went on to complete my walk. And to enjoy it, too.

So was it test or trust? It was a mix of both. And it will continue to be a mix of test and trust in most situations – not God’s fault, but completely mine. Because I still cannot believe I am worthy of His attention, and care, and love. But I am.

My handphone alarm woke me at six this morning. Half an hour later, I decided might as well get up, since I want to go and see my rheumatologist later in the morning (no appointment, just walk in). I’m normally not up so early. As I was washing, I noticed the water flow from the tap getting smaller and smaller. I managed to finish washing. After I dressed, I went to the kitchen and turned on the tap in the sink. It was DRY.

Now, for many people, this may just be a coincidence that I got up early before the water stopped flowing. Nice coincidence. Except, for me and my fellow Christians, coincidence is God’s middle name.

He woke me early this morning. He prompted me to “might as well get up”. Not a coincidence.

I did find myself asking if there was a water cut and there was a notice on the community bulletin board on the group floor of my apartment block that I’d missed. On my way out, I meant to stop on the ground floor to check. But the lift was full and I overheard two occupants saying something about a burst pipe.

After my doctor’s appointment, I called the building management office to ask if there was a water cut for my block. I was told no water cut but there was a burst pipe on the top floor. How long would it take to repair? Two hours, I was told. I went for a late breakfast, popped by my sister’s, then drove home with two plans in mind.

Plan A – water’s back, and all’s well.

Plan B – water’s not back, I pick up “H” (my netbook) and power cord and head out the door again.

I arrived on my floor to the sound of chopping. Someone must be chopping and preparing food in one of the other units. Chopping means there must be water, right? I got into my apartment, headed straight for the kitchen, turned on the tap in the sink, and water flowed out. Muddy water, so I left the tap running, went to the master bathroom and did likewise to the tap there. After a while, the muddiness cleared and I have clear running water in my apartment again.

Coincidence? That’s just God’s middle name.

When I walked into my doctor’s room, she wished me happy new year. I returned the greeting, adding “and new decade, too.” It stopped her and she looked at me. There followed a very short discussion whether 2010 is the start of a new decade, or the end of the old one. I think there are two schools of thought about this – some say a decade is 1 – 10, others 0 – 9. But remember, the new millennium began on 1 January 2000, so 1 January 2010 must be the start of a new decade.

For me, the past 10 years have been AMAZING. They were all in black and white for me. Early 2000 was when I discovered giant pandas – Hua Mei and her mother on the San Diego Zoo’s panda webcam, Wolong through an Animal Planet documentary, and Dr Pan Wenshi and his work among wild giant pandas through a National Geographic documentary. I made a decision to learn all I can about giant pandas in the following 12 months. Those 12 months have turned into 10 years, not because I’m a slow learner, but because there’s so much to learn about giant pandas! God willing, I will have many more years to learn about them.

I think February 2000 was when I embarked on my one-year black and white project. So February 2010 would mark 10 black and white years for me. I’d planned to write something to commemorate those 10 years, but kept putting it off. Finally, just before November, I realised the only way to get it written would be as a NaNoWriMo project. By the end of November 2009, I had written 50,829 words about my 10 years among giant pandas.

What am I going to do with those 50,829 words? Who would want to read so many words when it really should be a picture book? So I embarked on a giant panda photo book. Deadline is end January 2010. God willing, by then I will have a printed photobook about my 10 black and white years, 2000 – 2009.

God willing, there will be many more years, but it’s not up to me. It’s up to Him. He reminded me this morning He’s still Lord of my life. On this last day of the year, I reaffirm that I want Him as Lord of my life.

This is something from my QT (quiet time, aka daily appointment with God) on Friday, 10 April 2009. I use the daily devotional, Every Day With Jesus, written by the late Selwyn Hughes.

The title of the day’s devotional was “What happened at Calvary?”

Jesus was crucified at Calvary.

The day He was crucified is Good Friday, “the blackest yet one of the brightest days on the Christian calendar”.

At the cross, Jesus turned what seemed to be the most negative event in history into the most positive.

The crucifixion was the result of sin, but He turned it into redemption from sin.

The crucifixion was the result of hate, but He turned it into a revelation of love.

The crucifixion was the most evil act of man, but God used it to vanquish the Evil One.

At the cross, Jesus did not say “I am finished”, but “It is finished”.

The cross was the transformation of the seemingly negative into the truly positive.

I am glad Jesus is my Lord and my God.

I found the following story on Guy Kawasaki’s “less than a blog but more than a tweet” site, and thought it very true. The more traditional Christians among us might find this “blasphemous”, but it’s true – Jesus is everything. Whoever we are, He identifies with us. He came down to earth, and for a little while, became one of us – human, suffering as we suffer, so He understands. He identifies with us, so we can identify with Him.

The original post is here, but I’m also posting it in full below.

Was Jesus Black, Jewish, Italian, Californian, American Indian, Irish, or a Woman?

There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:

1. He called everyone brother
2. He liked Gospel
3. He didn’t get a fair trial

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:

1. He went into His Father’s business
2. He lived at home until he was 33
3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin and his Mother was sure He was God

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:

1. He talked with His hands
2. He had wine with His meals
3. He used olive oil

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:

1. He never cut His hair
2. He walked around barefoot all the time
3. He started a new religion

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was an American Indian:

1. He was at peace with nature
2. He ate a lot of fish
3. He talked about the Great Spirit

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish:

1. He never got married
2. He was always telling stories
3. He loved green pastures

But the most compelling evidence of all – 3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:

1. He fed a crowd at a moment’s notice when there was virtually no food
2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn’t get it
3. And even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was still work to do

And all believers with Him, too.

Thank You, Lord.