Looking beyond

Looking beyond what meets the eye...

Today is the 9th day of my Europe trip... The past few days traveling through Barcelona to Madrid and now in Paris, cause me to think a lot..

The rich culture and art from the places inspire me to start designing again and motivated to make my designs appear when I visit Paris again next year!

Being on this trip with a combination of interesting people cause me to think... What do I want in life? And what is it that I'm trying to achieve...?

On this trip, there are the rich who do not flash their wealth; there's the rich whom I don't know if they are really rich cause they hang their riches on their lips..

There was a lady whom I thought she was quite indifferent and do not want to talk to anyone, but to discover that she is very warm and friendly but was sensitive to people calling them mainland china Chinese..

A group whom I knew of before the trip but never had the chance to really know them.. Thought they are bossy people but to realize how friend and sincere they are..

There's also one whom I always thought was a really nice person even before the trip, and got to know her better during the trip.. And realize the pride that is subtle but yet sharp...

I haven't been perfect either.. I tried my best and prayed really hard that I will not end up judging.. But just simply observing people.. Throughout the trip, I prayed that I will be a good testimony and not judge anyone for their actions or words.. And that God will open up doors for me to know them in a different way...

Most of them are quite well off and like any other Europe trip... Combing the brands are like a ritual that cannot be missed.. Then the comparing begins as they see who could afford a more expensive branded item.. The comparison kinda irritates but I choose not to be affected nor to be part of this rat race.. It is inevitable for them to compare but I just don't care.. Not that I don't have, but I choose not to depend on these branded items to define my self worth and value.. Though I admit, thoughts do run through my mind, on where will I be in 5 years time...

Today we went on a business dinner on cruise. It was suppose to be a very class and fine dining experience where we got dressed up for.. Then a group started singing and talking and laughing loudly... Then another loud roar of laughter from another table.... And then people start getting drunk from yet another table... At the beginning the embarrassment was overwhelming.. But then I saw the sorrows in their laughter and smile.. And I realized.. They may have everything they need or want but they are not truly happy.. They have wealth and riches but they do not have true joy and peace.. Their pacing up and down with more cigarettes and more alcohol only reveals their deepest sorrows.. Speaking very much of the opposite of what they are going through...

Sitting there... I understand that yes they may seems to have all that they want and could afford anything.. But true joy and peace only comes from above...

A few days back, our tour guide shared with us a story:
There was once he was at the hospital waiting for his turn to visit the doctor with one of his cilent. On his left was a Aunty scolding and shouting at the top of her voice in Spanish.. Not understanding what she is saying, he just assumed she was scolding the husband, who walked passed her and patiently went to the public phone to make a phone call.. Everyone was looking at her but no one went up to her.. A policeman nearby just gently say "Aunty be patient".. Feeling annoyed like everyone, he just continued using his phone.. Suddenly when he looked up, the Aunty was sitting right in front of him and he realized that she was actually blind.. She is shouting because she could not see the husband..

Sometimes things may seems like one thing from the back and a completely different thing from the front..

Military Camo Cape Part 2!

Photos taken in a different perspective! Cause they are taken by ME!

Photographer: ME!

Designer & Stylist: ME!

Co-designer: Olivia

Model: Annabel

Make-up Artist: Xenia

If you saw the earlier post, you will know that this cape is designed and sewn by me.
Take note of the accessories, they are handmade personally by me too.

My Voice of Stand

I'm sure all over the world have heard about the City Harvest Church Singapore news that broke out last Tuesday. This is my view to the matter.

According to the charity code of government, there must be 100% transparency of how money are used to the executive members of the church, meaning members with the voting rights. CHC have actually not only been 100% transparent to the executive members, in fact they even voted for the project and how the money should be used during their agm in 2008, subsequently in 2009 and reinforced in 2010 after the first time this saga broke out. The fact is, CHC even post up their financial statement on their website yearly, after the external audit is done. However, the media is saying that the members of the public, which should be referring to the executive members, were not informed of what the money is being used for, therefore is a fraud. They did not objectively interview only executive members to find out the truth but have been interviewing people who happen not to know about what was going on or may not even be an executive member and blow up the matter.

This reminds me of the yearly speech by our prime minister on national day. Played on all locate channels and even translated in different languages and even played back on various timings. However, honestly there are still many who doesn't watch or listen to the speech. If questioning the members of public and found that they did not know about how the government are using the tax payer's money for, does not conclude that our government have not been transparent with the use of our money. In fact, honestly i think I really don't know how the government uses the tax payer's money. So if all who contributed have the right to know all the breakdown for the money used then I would be quite interested to know how are all our taxes being used too!

Then the question is, how transparent should transparent be? How accountable is being accountable enough? To what extend is an information suppose to be passed out to 'everyone' to establish the same understanding and not have any wrong idea of what it means? Should 'everyone' in the country or in the 'world' be informed or is the executive members of the organization good enough? Is there a need to let 'everyone' know and have an opinion over what they are doing or planning to do? Should all organization be taking in people's opinion all the time? Is there a possibility to come out with something that pleases 'everyone'? Is there any organization that does not face any oppositions from 'anyone'? 

There's always 2 sides to a story, no just true or false but we need to know that all truth are mixed with human emotions and personal perspective. If you are not for it, basically you are against it! You can say that you are very neutral but really, there is no neutral stand. Deep down inside, it is either you are for this or against this. If you are against, no matter how neutral you say you are, you tend to take in all the negative reports.

I advise that the media should not continue to blow the matter out of proportion and leave the judgement to the judge and juries. I pray they will see the truth and I believe that the just will stand! Websites like sammyboy.com, singaporedaily.net, sglinks.com, mememaker.net etc should be charged for cyberbully! Using presumptuous words and images causing others to have a wrong and wayward view of a matter. They should be seriously warned of the offense and if they do not take down offensive contend, they can be sued or even shut down. If the government allow these sites to continue, then they are sending out a wrong signal to the people that the use of cyberbully is ok. I'm looking forward to see what the government is going to do about this, with all said and done.

What is wrong with Sun? Is she 'judged' just because she is a pastor's wife? But if the husband is fine and the church is fine, then who are the 'outsiders' to judge? It's just like in a family, you want to do something and your parents are fine, then you got some random aunties coming to your house and murmuring about all that you are doing, gossiping among themselves, this and that. HAHA! Does it stop you from doing what you want? NO! So why should anyone try to stop others from what they are doing? The crossover project is a project of the church and 'outsiders' will never understand why they are doing what they are doing because the 'outsiders' are not them! In fact, i think the crossover is completely cool and i see that peoples' lives are changed, families are transformed and all the humanitarian works done are not 'broadcasted' so that the 'outsiders' will know!

I think Sun is pretty; she is hot and she can really sings well! Most importantly she touch lives by being out there in the different disaster areas to help, build schools and orphanages! In fact, all she has done in these humanitarian works and missions are my inspiration to start 'Shop a Cause', to donate out all my items and do something really meaningful to help others!

Lastly, judge not that you will not be judge but with the same measure you judged, you will be judged. Judgement belongs to the Lord!