20 years | 1043 weeks | 7306 days on Earth

After disappearing for about two months, I finally have the time to update my personal platform up here. The past two months had been exciting, surprising, challenging, stressful, tiring...; it can be described by almost all of the descriptive words exist to date.

Out of the many events that had happened during the past two months, this time I'll talk about my big day. Of course, it has to be, my 20th birthday (hence the title my 20th year, 1043th week or 7306th day on earth). As you all know Australia is a great place to live in, not only because of low living cost, high education standard, many national parks and beaches, there's another thing, FREEBIES. Yes, free stuff. Who on earth would reject free things, right? The joy of getting something without having to pay for it.



I still remember five years ago, when I was still in high school, also my first year in Australia. Randomly picking up a newspaper and entered a competition to nominate 'My Favourite Teacher'. Weeks later, I was brought to the principal office on a normal school day, thinking I was in some sort of trouble, until the principal handed me a family pass to Dreamworld. Yup, I won the competition! Dreamworld is one of Queensland's famous theme parks, if you haven't visited it yet, please do, especially if you love thrilling rides. Go on their website to find out more: http://www.dreamworld.com.au/

Then, there was this other time, just by commenting on a JAGbonus Facebook post, I won $100.00 H&M gift card. That feeling of spending without actually paying, is just great.

So what's freebies got to do with birthday? Well asked. Apparently, in many cases you're the most respected person when it comes to your birthday (there should be individual free day on birthday, no study/ work). Why do I say so? Because you get to claim lots of free meals/ gifts. So this year, I received $20 Witchery voucher, $5Priceline, and claimed Subway for breakfast, Vapiano for lunch, Hakataya Ramen for dinner and some churros for dessert. These are not all, there's others I didn't list out. So, your birthday is coming soon? Planning to visit Australia (during your birthday week)? Check Reddit out as it listed down the most recent freebies for birthday available. Don't forget to check individual shops' webpage on how to get it.

Apart from the free things, I personally feel that birthday is not just about the freebies. Though it gives you temporary satisfaction, it doesn't make the birthday meaningful at all. Without the people who accompanied me throughout the day, the celebration would not be as meaningful, memorable and surprising as it was.

And because of that, I give thanks to God. Thank God for the lovely family. Though I insisted no need to celebrate, there would still be a table full of my favourite dishes. Thank God for the friends, the ones that took time out during their busy schedule to have dinner with me; the ones who caught up with me all morning and shouted me Max Brenners, the ones who turned up at late night to surprise me with pizzas; the many more who brought me gifts and shouted me food; not to mention the ones that sang me birthday song, and sent me birthday wishes in letter, text, Facebook etc. It is these people that had shown me the love of God, and no words can express how grateful I am for having everyone of you in my life.

Most of all, I thank God for creating me. To give me this chance, this opportunity to experience His faithfulness, to see this world and be showered by His grace, to know every single person in or going to be in my life. I am extremely grateful for everything my Heavenly Father has given to me. Whether during my weakest time or my happiest moment, He has been my rock, my shelter and my closest friend during the past 20 years, and will be for the many years to come.

If you don't know Him yet, make some effort to find Him out. Our Trinity God: the Heavenly Father, Son and Holy Spirit would love you to come forward. It doesn't mean you will be guaranteed a 'happily-ever-after' life, but it means an unfailing support. We as Christians still face challenges and difficulties, in fact, maybe more challenges than the non- Christians. Yet what's different, is that we know we have the key to enter the eternal world that is coming our way. Hence, we have hope, we have faith and we have strength from our Creator to be His light and salt in this temporary world.

Remember, your life can be as happy and meaningful as us Christians, if you are willing to give it a try. To seek God and trust Him. 

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

約翰福音8：12 耶稣又对众人说：“我就是世界的光。跟从我的人，绝不会在黑暗里行走，却要得到生命的光。”