Weekly Project

PHOTOSHOOT. yeah, this is our new weekly project this year. This project is sponsored by @MelindaSuwuh . The volunteer models are me and my relatives @christyella, @belgonz, & ike.. and will probably gain more people give themselves as volunteer, i think. :)  This is such a fun activity to be ran after church-ing on Sunday (all of us attend morning service like all the time)..
Well, here are some pictures of ours these two recent weeks..
My friends thot it was taken in studio, which is totally wrong. It's taken in my modified living room and christy's not-modified bedroom.. haha :D Amateur? yep, i admit it! ;)
just give us some time and we'll be ready to astonish you with our pictures.. hoho

Be inspired...

Love,

Claya

Nickname

Suddenly had a thought to post about "Nickname" since I come to realize how people around me enjoying to call me with names they create themselves and I now got like ample of it.. several of them sounds good, but the rest of it were just "oh nooo!!" and here I am..hitting my keyboard.. trying to type some of those ridiculous names that I still remember.. 

Ade

in Indonesia its refer to the second/third/last son/daughter in the family..

It is created by my Mom ever since I was born.. and as most other family, my older sister sometimes called "kakak".

Iya / Ia

This is the name that my family and close relatives often call me and lately my best friend which is also my relative @iramayarosalina starts to publish it at school (no wonder my high school friends often use this nickname as well) It's short and it's probably taken from my first and second name Lydia and Claudia (In Indonesia, ia means = Yes). Well, I wonder why did they not call me "Dia" it sounds better than "ia"  . Remember, the show on NBC "The Voice" there is a contestant name Dia Frampton she's beautiful & talented.  

Clau

this is the most common nickname people (friends, acquaintance, relatives) use to call me till this very day. Sometime when they text me they use Clauw, Clauu, Clou, Klau, and the worst of all Claw -.-" probably because they didn't know what it means in English.

Claudi/ Claudy/ Claudhee

It sounds like cloudy, huh?

Clauditut / Claudices

(read: kelauditut / kelaudices) so not cool, I guess.. 

often used by closest people (at home) like my sister @MelindaSuwuh and others when she was hassling me to clean up the room, etc  -.-

Xiao Yi Tian

Actually, I have no idea how to write it both in pinyin or in Chinese letter.

It is not my Chinese name, for I'm not Chinese. The first person use this nickname was Kak Nova Rungkat after she watched a Chinese movie on TV (back to the olden days when I was 8 or something) She said the lil girl character depicted on the movie was similar to me as in her perseverance and toughness :) (that was what I still have in mind about that character, could probably exaggerating for certain purpose haha :P )

Cizhy

tbh, this name was created by me on my 'ABG' period (read= puberty). If I'm not mistaken I use it for my very first e-mail which I forgot by now. Some of my secondary school friends call me so but not anymore bcoz i found it sounds like "cheesy" which has negative meaning.

Claya

This name was also my 'creation', in my high-school period. It is from Claudia Lydia. In fact, my name in my birth certificate is Lydia Claudia Suwuh, but I modify it to create such beautiful name like Claya.. :P This name was not reach its expiry date yet as in other nicknames of mine :P. The first time I publish this name is through Facebook. My sis and bros at church and other places even change the way they call me from Clau to Claya. See, facebook has the power! I wonder how will people call me if my fb name was "Claudhee zlalu Setia" or whatever names Indo's alay teens often use. #nooffense

Lydiatun / atun

This nickname was born in my freshmen year in univ thru my bestie Pinkha. She likes to create nickname for every person. Most of the times, she creates it in the most ridiculous way so that they may be embarrassed when u were called so in the midst of the crowd. 

Here I come to other nicknames they use to call me not etymologically created from my name..

Miss Universe : used by some of my juniors in faculty especially "anak2 BKK" ever since they know I participate in Miss Indonesia Universe pageant last year.

Lady : used by "Lord Highness" (the way me and Pinkha use to call one of our wonderful lecturer). She always misspell and mis-remind my name and call me Lady instead of Lydia.

Ketua : in Indonesia means "Head"..use by some people at campus ever since I became the head of Student Association.

Mahasiswa Teladan : Some friends of mine in batch 2008 calls me so ever since I won the Unsrat Best Student award (3rd place). They actually call me this way to make fun of me and to tease me., and you know, this is like put a weight on my neck.. Sincerely, I don't like it.. :|
The Most Wanted Bachelorette : created by @pammylalalalala just a couple of week ago. Apa2an ini?? O.o

Well, what is in a name? as Shakespeare said.

As long as you didn't call me b*tch or some names of animal usually use to mock people,. I think I would not be bothered.. haha :D

Enjoy your days my journal readers.. ;)

One-Word Theme

Year after years, I have been making my annual resolution -- as most of you may did. More than that, I have my yearly bible passage that guides me along the year. Plus I often give theme for every month that I am going through.  Themes like “Intimacy – February”, “Sparkling August”, “Colorful October”, “Productive November” etc.

           This year, I’m going to try something new. Well, at the end of 2010 I have determined a theme for 2011-2012 which is “Raising my Standard”.  This actually explicates my wish to become a better me in every area of my life; whether in ministry, in health, in education, etc. Well the new thing that I’m going to try is make a One-word-theme of the year. I got this idea from Dan Britton. Here’s the link: http://blog.compassion.com/one-word/ and http://sites.google.com/site/giovagnoni/One.doc?attredirects=0

I found that it was a brilliant idea when we can find one word God birthed in our spirit and try to live it out all along the year. One word could help us to focus working and learning the word day in day out. At first I was thinking about three words “Hope”, “Faithfulness” and “Compassion”.  But I end up deciding Compassion as my theme of 2012 after our family worship and sharing on old and new eve. Mom is actually the one who reminds all of us to always have compassion to people in need.

Here’s the example of my word of the year and the further details:

Lydia Claudia Suwuh

Word for 2012: Compassion

com·pas·sion (k m-p sh n). n. Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.

I have experienced God’s blessing, favor and mercy in a wondrous and miraculous way in the past years. It came to my mind that this year should be my time to give thanks to God, to know the desire of God’s heart even more, and to take action. In the bible, it’s obvious to see how God always has compassion; to heal the sick, to rescue those in trouble, regardless their race, belief, wealth or position. I believe that Compassion is more than sympathy or feeling. It needs to be channeled into real action just as what Jesus did.

Scripture:

Lamentations 3: 22,32 (NIV)

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.

Proverbs 19:17 (MSG)

Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full.

James 1:27 (NIV)

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Jeremiah 22:3,16 (NIV)

This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place. ¹⁶ He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the LORD.

Psalm 41:1-3; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 112:4; Psalm 145:8

Song: Solution – Hillsong United
         Give me Your Eyes - Brandon Heath

         Oh You Bring – Hillsong United
         Friends of the Poor - Leeland and friends

I am only grazing the surface of spiritual depth. I need to walk further, dive deeper, climb higher. I want to have more than just sympathy to people in need but to maximize my potential and to serve with my best. I wanna be the hands and feet of Jesus.

To whom should I have compassion..

To poor people (including beggar)

To those I minister (kids suffer for cancer at Estella, kids at Pasar Karombasan, kids at Salvation Army Orphanage)

To people around me who needs acceptance, compliment, etc

To loner

To those who like me not

To friends

To those people God put in my heart or mind (could be anyone)

What hinder me in showing compassion..

Prejudice to beggar

Laziness to come and visit those kids I minister

Selfishness

Feeling disadvantage

Financial

Compromising

‘Next-time’ mentality

Ignorance of God’s voice

Application:

-          Weekly fasting

-          Schedule regular visit to Orphanage, RSJ, Pasar Karombasan, Estella.

-          Collect extra money for donation (monthly)

-          Provide extra money special for beggar I could suddenly encounter.

Hopefully, this post will benefits you in whatever ways..

Have an incredible New Year!

Last year-- New Year Proclamation

Goal 2011-2012:Raising the Standard

2012 Resolution Form.. It's really helpful! :D

Kids suffer for cancer at Estella

feeding people with mental disorder

Kids Service at Pasar Karombasan

this is where they live..

Kids at Salvation Army Orphanage

  

2011 STATISTICS

8.30pm December 31st 2011

3.30 more hours and we'll jump into the board of 2012.. opening a new page and a new season of our lives. Before that, I'm liking to post this.. #MY 2011 STATISTICS!! Hopefully, my 2012 Statistics will be much better.. :D

BEST MOMENTS AWARD 2011

• Memorable Moments :

1. Hillsong United Concert (31/05) It's like a dream come true!
2. X-tion Committee's Closing Prayer (07/05) It's really memorable when we sang "How Great Thou Art" & pray in the venue in MTC right after the event ended :'D
3. A Visit to people with Mental Disorders (28/12)  Funny&Hillarious. How come I forgot this moment!

• Tearful Moments:

1. My birthday - during the whole praise and worship (Sun,25/09) so overwhelmed!
2. PPI visit to kids with Cancer (Yayasan Estella) (17/08) Speechless. All ppl were crying, not excluding me! Even I've tried not to.

• Craziest Moment:

1. cheering on Rex Mundi vs SMA Kaima's DBL match (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞  Siapa yg suruh melawan D'Rex Mundi Woo!!
2. ARF DiRex Farewell (18/03) ALL delegate from various countries went to the stage and dancing Poco-Poco like crazy!! and I was on that stage as well.. :P hehe
3. City Carnaval with Yamaha. Standing on the Jeep. Waving hands like royalty. (12/08) brand new experience yet crazy!!

• Awkward Moment:

1. PI Dinner at Bumbu Desa - funny introduction before sponsor (19/08) I had a mouth slip when I say "Sam Ratulangi Universitas" ouch! Anw, I'm speaking in Bahasa at that time.. -.-"

2. Dinner at a Restaurant (no mention) while someone whom I like suddenly come and put his bag on the unoccupied seat next to me and I just went awkward (´Д｀）

• Victorious Moment:

I joined several competition this year but these 3 moments were the best victorious moment I reckon..
1.NUEDC Unsrat Selection winning (06/04)
2. Student Ambassador winning (18/05)

3. NUEDC Regional IX (26/04)

• Best Family Moment

1. Mami Ivan's birthday (30/09) this pic tells you more, I guess!

2. Mom & Dad's 22nd anniversary (02/09)

SPECIAL AWARDS 2011

•  Best Quote of the year: "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger!" from Nasional.is.Me
•  Most played song  : You Hold My World - Israel Houghton
•  Best Movie I watched: hmm.. I rather say The Pirates and Carribean On Stranger Tides (I remember watching this movie w/ my besties and skipping a LRM class  -  alpha and omega experience)
•  Best Book I read : Nasional.is.Me and The Compassionate Samurai
•  Often visited web (excluding my own fb,twitter,&blog) : ustraveldocs.com :P 
•  Most visited restaurant : Oyi Teppanyaki Jl.Ahmad Yani
•  Best Sermon I heard: Omg, it's so hard but the one that stood in my heart was from Ps.Vetry  Kumaseh  on Isaiah 40:31 (29/05) 
•  Favorite Bible Verse: Ephesians 3:20 (the one I always remember cuz I heard it every week from Joel Osteen) 

Cloud Nine December

Wooohooo!!!!!!!

Here I go again..

I've been postponing to write on this blog well let's say due to my hectic schedule (this past holiday season has possibly been the busiest I have encountered :) ) and because I badly want to see how I reach the end of this month before I write like everything on this blog..

At first I'm thinking of writing December Bliss but after some occurrence, I believe that this month has been more than a bliss (serene joy), but it's for me like a cloud nine (a state of elation or great happiness / a state of extreme happiness). What makes me in extreme happiness??

CMUN 2-4 December 2011

Here's the story.. I started this month being in Makassar for 5 days with 4 friends. Even there, God still shows me that He's with me and never leave me alone (Hebrew 13:5).. What's going on in Makassar actually? well, I'm joining a competition namely CMUN (Celebes Model United Nations) and you know I had a PCS (pre-competition syndrome) a syndrome when your heart beat faster a.k.a tachycardia, sometimes nervous, sometimes dizzy, sometimes you feel blackout. I'm not in severe phase,btw. but I had that syndrome as well as my friends and maybe u too :) In this very time God strengthen me with His word until I (along w/ my partner Dave) end up gaining the Honorable Mention Awards at our first MUN experience. Soli Deo Gloria!!! Our coming to Mks not only brought us a MUN experience, knowledge, certificates and awards. It's also brought us friendship with Unhas delegates for HNMUN. I thank God that I know them all. They were very nice and friendly.

Besides, If I have to write like all God's goodness to me this month it will take 3 to 5 pages and I will get u just tired on scrolling. So let me make it short yet compact.

God has sent angels to cheer me up those days. He sent kak Ella to give me 11 coolest outfits a woman would desire this season. He helped me out during the oral test in Subject & Characters in Drama  when somehow Mrs. Ulaen acted very generous and nodding like she agreed with all the thing I'm saying.. Phew! He also helped me coaching debater from SMA St.Nikolaus Lokon (such an experience :D). I even got a job to be the MC of Prof.Lalamentik 'after service' (purnabakti) party. and it all went just well.. Umm.. I also thank God for the Youth GKMI Christmas Celebration.. as the secretary of the committee, I have to testify how great God has been for us. And the best part of it is when we come to visit and feed people with mental disorder at RSJ Ratumbuysang. I have no fear at all unlike some of my kakak2 rohani (no offense,sis :P). The facts are I even give my hands to them, take a picture with them and have an extremely hilarious conversation. I couldn’t imagine how I could be so brave with those people, who some are rated as ‘dangerous’ and were jailed. #God’sannointing

Here comes the reason why I'm postponing to write on this blog.. #visainterview (the very part I’m exciting to write about)

I feel like it's incomplete to write this post without knowing what will be the outcome of my visa interview on 27/12. Well, we just had a bad news on 19-20 dec that our friends @davemailoor @yeshq and @ndawanda's visa just been rejected and it's just shocking. They said the only problem is that they're not convinced with our funding whether we already have the money with us or not. It drives the rest of us worrying and hesitating whether we have to appear in the interview or not because we already by the ticket to Surabaya.. Unfortunately, when we intended to cancel our appointment with ConGen. We’re unable to do it at that very time (3 days before interview). That's why we hastily ask Pemkab Talaud to make us a letter of sponsorship thru Ein's help. We also tried to reach Rector to help us make a letter of sponsorship regarding the fund but he's not willing to (lesson: Do not lean on man! - Jeremiah 17:5) We then make a letter from our parents stating that they will be responsible with the whole trip and willing to pay for it with the attachment of their bank account. And with all that we've got; the complete documents and the plus plus things above, the four of us (Pam, Michelle, Eyn, and me) prayerfully fly to Surabaya.

The thing that I don't know is up until the day we fly to Sby, apparently Michelle and Pam still in the state of uncertainty and hesitation whether they will go for the interview or not as a result of their acquaintance's experience, advice and also the doubt within themselves. Nevertheless, they bring all the docs with them. Conversely, I think I’m the one who has faith on this interview cause God gave the impression in my heart and strengthen me with His words day in day out in my worship time to just go..“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you. Joshua 1:9”

Voila.. (26/12) We’re in Surabaya already. New problems come. Eynstein and Pamela didn’t bring their parents’ bank account, Eyn hasn’t even printed his DS-160 confirmation page, and he and Michelle didn’t bring their photograph along with them. Crap!! If you ask me whether I’m mad or disappoint with them, my answer is NO! I just know that there will be a heavenly way out J. Here’s the chronology, Michelle somehow could reach tante Suzanna (her aunt who lived with her in Brisbane) who treat us extraordinary lunch in her resto *Delisia Resto* and I think I have to mention that I just ate the most delicious Spaghetti Carbonara I’ve ever tasted (з´⌣`ε), provides us a wi-fi and printer to print Eyn’s remaining docs, lends us car for going to photo studio plus polo shirt for Michelle and taking us to Tunjungan Plaza thereafter. God is amazing, huh?!

It’s D+1 after Christmas but our minds were occupied with this visa thing so much.. After we synchronizing our answers while siphoning coffee and enjoying delly espresso brownies at Starbucks, we pray to God for the best to happen in the next day. I even share w/ Michelle the devotional book my Dad suddenly gave me and have been my reason to trust God this time. We read together John 15:16 and pray again. (Lesson: If you pray, means that you give the problem to God, so DO NOT worry anymore! Worry means you didn’t believe God could answer your prayer)

Shortly, (27/12) the judgment day come upon us.. we wake up early for the interview.. haven’t even get our brekkie but our hearts are at peace. We come with total submission to God knowing we cannot do anything without Him. As the result, our visa were approved (except Eyn’s). That day was magical!! That was the best Christmas gift I’ve ever had. Thank Christ Jesus for everything :’)

Have a dazzling holiday! :D

November Bliss

November is not over yet but still I sensate this month is one of my favorite month of this year.. God endowed me a lot things this November.

• First, Mom surprisingly bought new tabulet.
• Second, My Mom (again) has finally..fi..na..lly.. has mercy on me and agree to repair my new laptop :'D which I accidentally broke its screen (the repair cost is around 1.6 million, Phew!)

• Third, I somehow find some amount of money in my money deposit box meanwhile I'm in need of some money at that very time.. A heavenly help!

• Fourth, English Club 1st year anniversary (5/11) has celebrated excruciatingly prodigious!! The event was even publish in Radar Manado (local newspaper) isn't that amazing?? :D

• Fifth, me and other SREDS members has just participated in 6th IBA Governor Trophy English Debating Championship. This competition belongs for high school and we are the Adjudicators.. :D Tbh, I fervently enjoy this duty like..really!! I feel rejuvenated seeing high school students with their burning spirit to take home the trophy.. I love that so much! Moreover, I'm so proud seeing those potentials are found in High School in North Sulawesi..♥ I can't stop suggesting them to keep practice debating over and over even until college (hopefully they enroll at UNSRAT *finger-crossed).

• Sixth, our delegation's visa making which is almost done.. I feel like we're one step closer to Harvard, beibeh.. It's a wonderful feeling!(з´⌣`ε)  We also got a news that we can go to CMUN in Makassar this November. All funded by our university.. isn't that great??

I hv tons more things to write about bonuses I get by being Christ's follower.. Well, at the end of this post, I'd like to give all the praise to God for being the Great Author of my life story. Love HIM more..♥

I smell Christmas drawing near.. ^^
"December Bliss" To be continued..

He's been good

This is the song that I sang on my 17th birthday party..

I suddenly reminded of this song and want to make a post about this beautiful mellow yet touching song by Don Moen & Franky Sihombing.. :)

I have known the Father’s care for me

He’s been good, He’s been good

Through it all He’s always there for me

God’s been so good to me

::Through the storm, through the night

Come what may everything will be all right

I have known the Father’s care for me

God’s been good to me

::: Good so good, God’s been good to me

Good so good, God’s been good to me

This is what I believe, the song that we sing have as much power as our words..

It's like I'm declaring what I believe in my heart through what I sing..
And about this song, I believe that through the storm, through the night, God will always care for me and will be good to me as He always did.. ~♥