Oooh.  Oooh.  Oooh.  We have now passed the halfway mark of #30daysofsharing AND today we are starting a new topic on the blog – Share the Faith Sunday, based on Christianity.  (When I say “we”, I mean me and you, the reader – since we are doing this together.  I am sharing and you are reading…and some of you are sharing over on my Facebook page which is fabulous!)

So…I get asked A LOT about how I ended up in Australia.  And my usual short and sweet answer is, “I came to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa and then met my Husband-to-be and we got married after 7-8 months of our first meeting.”  But obviously, there is MORE to that because this is what REALLY happened.

I heard God’s voice.  God told me to come to Australia and I listened to Him.

Serious.

I had NEVER been to Australia before, but I DIDN’T come to Australia first to test the waters.  I didn’t know ANYONE in Australia so it’s not as if I have relatives or friends here already.

I quit my well-paid full-time job and I didn’t ask them to keep my job open.

Even though, I was on a Working Holiday Visa, I KNEW I was not going to return to UK.  On the day I was flying to Australia, I was in Malaysia with one of my best guy friends – we did some travelling together.  He actually shed a tear or two when I bid him farewell.  He turned and said to me, “You’re not coming home to UK, are you?”  And I said, “No, I won’t be back.”

And before I met the Husband, my Mum called me while I was in Sydney and I was homesick.  She said, “Come home Ling.  Come home.” and I said, “I can’t Mum.  It isn’t what God wants me to do.”

I can’t speak for anyone else, but this was my experience and the key points in hearing God’s voice and following through :-

1.  I had a close personal relationship with Him which included reading the Bible, going to Church, attending Cell Groups and fellowshipping with other Christian brothers and sister.

2.  I spent time in prayer and asked Him to guide me according to His will and not mine.

3.  I remember feeling “niggles” if that makes sense.  Everything was going well for me – I had great family and friends, great job, great apartment and enjoying life but something was niggling me.  A prompting perhaps?  I remember the lyrics of Consuming Fire – “There must be more than this” – would resonate during these niggles.

4.  And then I heard His voice which filled me with peace.  I guess it takes time to discern voices because sometimes it’s my voice.  Yes, I like to talk to myself!

5.  God must have been preparing my parents too because when I told them my decision, they were strangely very supportive.

6.  When I had doubts, I asked God to speak to me through other people and immediately, I got results.  For example, one night I was having dinner with my Cell Group Leader and his housemate came along.  His housemate didn’t attend our Church and we’ve probably only spoken to each other twice before that.  Anyway, as I was about to drive away after dinner, he knocked on my car window and said God prompted him to come to me to pray for me and to reassure me that indeed, I was supposed to go to Australia.  The same night, I opened a random piece of mail and it said, “GO TO AUSTRALIA”, sent from some random dental company.

So yeah.  Learning to hear God’s voice is definitely WOW!  Coming to Australia was definitely one of the BIGGEST life-changing events of my life but I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t learnt to hear God’s voice and having faith.

But at the same time, listening to God’s voice and doing what He tells you to do can be difficult too!  And yes, I have had my fair share of NOT listening to God and doing my own thing instead which ends up being poop!  More sharing at another time.

When God speaks, do you listen?  Do you have anything to share about hearing God’s voice?  Caring is sharing so please share your stories on my FB page.

THIS IS ME RIGHT NOW!!! WAKE UP!!!!

1.  Tired
2.  Aches
3.  Stuffed
4.  Happy
5.  Blessed
6.  Thirsty
7.  Sleepy
8.  Stinky
9.  Old

LOL I am laughing at my unflattering photo!!!  Anyway, I am seriously exhausted right now but will have a wordier post tomorrow, hopefully!  Goodnight xo

Happy Friday y’all!  It has been a hectic week and I am physically exhausted with a sore back (from work) and sore thighs (from the gym).  Thanks for all the positive feedback from #30daysofsharing and love how everyone loved my posts on Penis the Pillow and the pubic hair.  There’s something weird about that last sentence…

Anyway, moving along to today’s Food Porn Friday post.  It’s my Husband’s favourite – TGI Friday’s.  We didn’t actually eat here on a Friday but that’s okay because… (just in case you don’t understand, read the end of this sentence from the photo – this is directed to my Mum!)

There are few branches in Melbourne but the nearest one to us in Doncaster Westfield Shoppingtown is currently under reno (that’s renovation for the non-Aussie readers – again, directed to Mummy dearest) so we trotted along to the Forest Hill branch.

TGI Friday’s is not cheap but the ONLY reason why we ate here is because of the BOGOF (Buy One Get One Free) Meal vouchers that we have – 2 from The Entertainment Book and 2 courtesy of our lovely food blogging friend, Minda { her blog }.  Anyway, the voucher gives you a free meal up to the value of $35 and what do we do?  Of course, we choose $35 meals to get our money’s worth!  It’s the only way!!!

I went for my usual which is JACK DANIEL’S HALF RACK RIBS & SHRIMP $34.95.  It never fails to satisfy me and my belly.  I love love love the big fat juicy shrimps (6 in total) with the crunchy coating dipped into the deliciously tangy JD sauce!  YUM!  As for the ribs, I am generous with them and offer half of my half rack to the Husband.  We sit there for ages gnawing every smoky bit of meat off the bones!!!  The chips were fried beautifully this time (but sometimes they are old and limp just like something old and limp!) and the only thing left on my plate after I am done is the limp lettuce garnish.

As for the hubs, he chose JACK DANIEL’S STEAK $34.95 - a 300g Porterhouse steak cooked medium rare and serve with cheesy mashed potatoes and veg and of course, JD sauce.  I like the presentation of the steak with the criss crosses.  And I had a few bites and it was VERY good…but not as good as mine!  :P

Usually, being the cheapo Asians, we are quite happy drinking Australia’s finest eau de tap (that’s TAP WATER, Mum!) but we were celebrating our 2nd year wedding anniversary so he egged me on to order an alcoholic cocktail.  I umm-ed and ahh-ed for ages before settling for TGIF’s SIGNATURE MOJITO $14.95 (yeah, don’t choke at the price, please!)  I don’t think I’ve ever had a mojito till now and well…I LIKED IT!  And I want more!  But before I even drank half the glass, I got the Asian flush and I felt oh-so-tipsy!!!  (The picture does NOT do my red face justice!)

He got a good laugh out of watching me slur my words!  And because it was a special occasion and he had to wait till I could finish my mojito, he went for the kill and ordered dessert – BROWNIE OBSESSION $12.95.  I don’t have a sweet tooth like he does so I ate a tiny corner – it was sickeningly sweet and the pecans had a stale taste (but I think it’s a normal pecan thing..?)  Obviously, he loved it!  I liked the ice cream so we ordered another scoop (not pictured and can’t remember the cost of a scoop) which took FOREVERRRRR to arrive.

Even though, it is more than we would usually pay for a meal out, it was fantastic food all around.  Fantastic but highly calorific, unfortunately!!  The alcohol finally wore off around 10pm and then I got extra hyper but luckily, no hangover at work the next day!

If you’re wondering whether TGI Friday’s in Australia tastes different from TGI Friday’s in UK, then the answer is YES!  It is MUCH better in Australia so come on over UK family and friends, if we still have a spare voucher going, I’ll shout you a free meal!

The only reason why I will never become a domestic goddess is simply because I have a domestic god Hubby!  When I try, my attempts turn out like this…

Yes, I did that!  I was trying to make some blended vegetable soup but then I broke the blender.  There was hot dripping mushy vegetables EVERYWHERE!!!  And yes, it is much worse than the { burnt cookies }  I am a domestic goddess failure!!  End of!*

But whatever he cooks in the kitchen, tastes delicious!  Here is a picture of the rack of lamb he made recently with his new pride and joy – that pan!  Yes, that pan.  He cannot stop raving about his new pan which cost $60 and can be put in the oven.  I am told that it is a “Circulon“.  I’m like, “Yeah, whatever.  Yawn.  Can we talk about lipstick instead?”  LOL

*Okay, the blender thing was not a recent incident because I did that before we got married…but recently, the pressure cooker nearly exploded! (see evidence)

Who cooks in your household?  Am I the only domestic goddess failure out there?  Do you have any pictures of your kitchen disasters?  Let me know or upload a photo on my Facebook.