Anzac day 2015

It's ANZAC Day today here in Australia, where they remember those who have fallen before them in the battlefield, especially in Gallipolli. This day is not only celebrated here in Australia, but also in New Zealand, Turkey (Gallipolli), and many other countries around the world. 

It makes me think about Indonesia's Independence Day. It's a very special day for me, and for other Indonesians, as we remember our national heroes and the struggle our founding fathers went through to declare the independence of our country.

It's a very exciting day, and I've been looking towards that day year after year. This year, I'm excited already for August 17! I've been thinking of ways I can participate in celebrating our 70th Independence Day :)

I love my country. It's not perfect - quite far from it. But every year, as the Independence Day is once again celebrated, a new hope rises. A new spirit that will help us go the extra mile in serving out beloved country; another milestone achieved.

But while it's still 4 months away, I've started to build the momentum towards it today by enjoying a homemade traditional snack, fried banana! SO GOOD! Who knows such simple snack can take you right back home?

Indonesia, oh how I can't wait to see you again in 8 months.

Treat me with your beautiful landscape?

And happy Anzac day to those who are remembering :)

Cheers!

-*^^*-

Be thankful!

So, last Monday, there was a window work at my house. I thought it was going to be messy around that window area, so I moved as much as I could in the opposite direction, hoping that I could save time cleaning up later in the afternoon.
I went to school and spent the whole day there, and when I came home, I was shocked! Not 1 inch of my home that was not covered in dust! x_x including the kitchen area and the bathroom! I was left with a lot of dirty laundry, no place to put anything for the tables are dirty, no clean dishes, dusty blankets, basically one HUGE mess!

I was sooooo mad and felt so helpless and tired, especially after spending one full day at school.

But, I picked up a clean paper towel and multi-purpose spray, and started cleaning up. I first cleaned my dining table, the chairs, my bedside table, my kitchen, the cabinets, my working desk, my bathroom, and just sprayed and wiped.

By the end of the day, I was so tired, but quite pleased with what I've done.
As I look around, I was still able to be thankful to have roof above my head for the day.
It was not as bright and shiny as it once were ( :p ) but the day got better when I opened my email and received my Term 1 report.
Praise God! I got quite satisfactory marks :) It's all by His grace.

Most days will not go as what we had planned. But that does not mean God is not present in your life :)
I learn to be thankful all the time, and often those reasons to be thankful are right in front of our eyes!

-*^^*-

Selamat Hari Kartini, Perempuan Indonesia :)

Hari ini kita peringati setiap tahun,

Meski perayaannya mungkin tidak semeriah peringatan lain, hari ini tak pernah luput dari ingatan kita.

Hari ini kita mengenang jasa Raden Ajeng Kartini, seorang wanita Indonesia yang memperjuangkan emansipasi wanita
Memberikan kesempatan kepada wanita Indonesia untuk turut merasakan apa yang kaum pria rasakan
Kesempatan mengenyam pendidikan, mengemukakan pendapat, dipandang sederajat
Hari ini kita mengenang jasa para pejuang wanita lainnya, yang memperjuangkan kemerdekaan Indonesia baik dari penjajah koloni, maupun dari kemiskinan, buta huruf, keterikatan pada penyakit, dan menjunjung tinggi pendidikan dan kesejahteraan.

Hari ini kita merayakan kesempatan perempuan Indonesia untuk mengambil tempat dan berkarya!

Hei, para perempuan,
jangan sia-siakan kesempatan ini!
Siapapun kamu,
pelajar, karyawan, ibu rumah tangga, pengusaha, siapapun,
Mari kita bersama-sama terus meneruskan perjuangan RA Kartini,
Menanamkan juga nilai-nilai kehidupan dalam setiap hal yang kita kerjakan.
Selalu melakukan yang terbaik untuk diri kita sendiri, orang-orang yang kita sayangi, dan untuk Indonesia :)


Selamat menjadi perempuan Indonesia!

Cheers!
-*^^*-

To the greatest great grandmother

Masih setengah percaya

Masih berharap ini semua sandiwara raksasa

Tapi nggak ada air mata yang terus menetes

Yang ada hanya damai dan tenang, dan sedikit rindu

Sedikit lagi rindu

Masih nggak menyangka

Di dalam kotak kayu besar itu terbaring sebentuk tubuh yang hanya tinggal raga

Tubuh itu boleh jadi dingin

Tapi hangat hatinya masih bisa kami rasakan

Tubuh itu boleh jadi tidak bernafas lagi

Tapi detak jantung dan semangatnya akan selalu ada dalam ingatan kami semua

Kemurahan, ketegaran, kekuatan, keuletanmu akan jadi contoh buat kami semua

Semua pesan-pesanmu tidak akan kami biarkan lewat begitu saja

Doa-doamu kami amini sungguh

Berharap kami bisa mendengarnya lagi sekarang

But my dearest great grandmother,

You have fought a good fight and run an amazing race for 97 years. You have been a source of joy and a pool of love. 

I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to know my great grandmother for 18 years of my life! Such a beautiful lady inside out. 

A generous person in every way possible and a caring person. A strict yet loving person, a strong and commited head of the family. 

It's way too soon, it's unexpected. But I'm also very thankful that now you are with God, and you are as healthy and as happy as you can be. In fact, I'm a little embarrased of tearing, for you are with Jesus, laughing and having a real good time. It's best of both world for you :)

You will be greatly missed, and remembered in all of our hearts always. 

Easter 2015 :)

Easter kali ini agak berbeda dengan yang sebelum-sebelumnya..
Kalau biasa setiap Good Friday - Easter diisi dengan ibadah di gereja, kali ini I celebrated GF-Easter on a retreat! :D
And not just any ordinary camp, this one is IFGF Oceania's Elefaith Camp :D

This one was very exciting! :D
We stayed 3 days-2nights in Sydney's Uniting Venues, Elanora which is so beautiful :D
We flew in to Sydney on early Friday, and with sleepy faces we arrived at the campsite. It was quite warm! Beda dengan cuaca di Melbourne x_x

And the 3 days was amazing!
It was both familiar and new --> I'm thrilled with this opportunity to listen to Ps. Sammy's Sermons AND to meet fellow IFGF families from all over Australia - New Zealand! :D

The messages were reminding me a lot about passion, dream, and exercising my faith in God :)

And on the last day, after the retreat ended, the Melbourne group got to spend the rest of the day sightseeing in Sydney before catching a plane back to Melbourne :D
We ate in the famous Hurricane! :D
We visited Darling Harbour (which I've missed a lot and reminded me of my familyyyy :( but it was good fun!!)
We enjoyed Anita Ice Cream :D' Yummm!!!!!
And finally, we stopped by a Japanese take-away place to bought dinner to eat at the Airport :')
It was a LONG Journey back home, and a tiring one!

I arrived home at around 12, and un-pack & clean-up within the next hour,
then I video-called my family back home, before doing my daily browsing and dozing off..


This Easter might be different from the previous ones,
But the essence of everything is still the same :)
It's all about Jesus! About what He had done on the Cross, and that He had set you free!


Now, you might think that that's the end.. but wait, there's more! :D
This week is also going to be quite different, as (wait for it)...
I'm coming to Planetshakers Awakening Conference ! :D:D:D
I'm quite excited about this one (although I'm quite nervous as this is my first 'solo' conference), but I'm expectant of what will be shared during the 4 days :D

I won't be able to come to the full conference :'(
But that's okay! I'm sure I'll still learn heaps!

I'll be back to update soon :D

CHEERS!
And happy easter!

-*^^*-

Welcoming April 2015 !

All I can say is WOW!

It's almost been 2 months since I arrived at this beautiful city, and I've finished my first term of college!

March, you've been amazing!

Thank you!

Next year's March is going to be even more awesome, right?

Okayy but I got a story to tell now about my first day of this loverly month of April.

Today! Me and a friend of mine tried to go to the Indonesian Consulate-General, and we (me) confidently hopped on a tram and went all the way to a certain stop "27". Once we hopped off, we realised that the map and the place where we were right then did not match. When I re-checked the map, it said that we were 30mins away from where we should be!!

Turns out!

We hopped on the wrong tram and went alllllll the way to the wrong direction x_x

It was stop 27 alright, but not on that particular track! *sigh*

Anyway, we (I)'ve had a good fun today, 

And we did some serious shopping afterwards,

And a fulfilling lunch of zee famous meatball of IKEA, (plus of course, the 50cents soft-served bcause why not ;p)

So it's all good!

*although I think my feet are aching as I type......)

And nope! This is not an April Fool's Joke,

I didn't even realize that it's today! 

First day of April, you've been cheeky but AMAZING!

Heaps of love

CHEERS to April!

-*^^*-