A second thing to give thanks for in two days. Work was very quiet today compared to the rest of the week. Our team was rota'd on 09:30am-6pm.

It was so quiet all the teams had their callbacks completed and they started drawing names out of hats to send people home early.

This began at 2pm, then another at 2:30pm, 3pm and 4pm. By 4pm Greg was already moaning that he wanted to go home early. There were four people in the 9:30am-6pm 'hat'. At 4pm Greg got chosen, and so did I! We were really pleased that we got let away two hours early on last day of work. =)

I felt so 'lucky' if that is the right word, but ultimately I know it is God's gift.

I came home, did devotions, then went to church centre to watch Fast and Furious with Ah Tung =)

I want to praise and thank my Heavenly Father today. Wow! So amazing!

Last week and this week at work they have Christmas prize draws for people who have met certain targets. For CRC agents we had to do ten courtesy calls to customers and catch them in. Up to last Friday I had nine done with the one let being a customer who finishes work around 5pm but cos we finished 4:30pm last week Andrea couldn't get him.

I reminded Andrea to call customer on Tuesday which she did and my name was entered into the draw from yesterday onwards. Pauline from my team won the Samsung dvd sound system and a bottle of Moet =)

The draw took place 3:10pm today. I just treated it like every other day, every other draw. I just sat at my desk, typing away, getting on with my cases. Gary Irvine, Operations Manager, accounced he was going to pick a name out of the hat. Some people were watching, but I wasn't paying much attention, until I heard it was someone from Andrea and Alan's team - that's my team! So I listened a bit more, thinking what if he called my name? Yeah right, as if that'll happen! Then Gary said, "The winner is... Gordon So." Wow! Amazing! Me!! =) I stood up and walked towards the group of people at the draw.

Gary picked out another piece of paper and told me I won the mountain bike! Oh my gosh! Could not believe it! People clapped and I got a little red-faced. Gary said I could pick up the bike today, tomorrow or even next year! Haha! Also got a bottle of Moet.

I sat back down, full of smiles, prayed to God to give thanks for nice surprise then texted a few folks to inform them of the good news. =)

Later I arranged to take bike to Aaron's and Alethea's house for a few hours of safekeeping before I picked it up by car.

I thank God for the lovely Christmas presents He has given me this year. Mum can have the champagne. Hehe!

Praise God, I passed my three months probation from work today.

My stats targets were all met, and despite receiving only two survey returns, each at 10 and 100%, I was accepted to pass my probation. Alan and Andrea also explained that even if I did get a third survey return, at score 1, my average would be 21 divided by three, which would result in a 7 and I would pass anyway.

So now I can close my own cases, authorise my own goodwill and qualify for Ford privilege scheme; up to 30% off brand new Fords.

An amazing night tonight!!!

Tonight El and I discussed about her coming to attend the Student Welcome on 30th Sept and staying the evening. We didn't think anything would happen: that El would ask, that her mum would say it's ok to go. But guess what? It happened!!!

During the phone call I sought advice from mum about what we should do etc. Mum advised to pray before doing anything, before asking. Mum prayed for El and her mum came home so El could ask her. El was nervous and so was I, but she asked anyway.

She explained that it was a church student welcome happening on Friday 30th Sept in Glasgow and she'd like to go - and it would involve her staying over. Her mum just said it was ok as long as El didn't have to work. Whoo-hoo! Amazing Grace!! God has softened El's mum's heart and she said it was ok for her to stay in Glasgow! So mum and I prayed straight away to give thanks to our gracious Heavenly Father.

The only issues we have left now are: what time El finishes uni on the Friday? What time I finish work on the Friday? Will I have time to pick Jessie up? Will Ellen enjoy herself? Will Cat be ok about any 'noise' we might make when we get home? Will El be allowed to come down to Glasgow for Christmas and/ or New Year?

N.B. (HoLam and Diana's wedding on Sat 24th Sept 05, El came down and return on the same day and I went up to Aberdeen with her.)

Just realised as I was praying before sleeping that I haven't had one day of absence since I worked at Capital BBC Information. Although I have been late for work a few times, even called up to find out if I was absent, which were not my fault, I have had 100% attendance and I thank God for the good health.

There are/ were time when the symptoms of a cold or illness would appear. But thank God, after Beechams, water and prayer, my symptoms were not allowed to develop. =)

Let's hope the same could happen with this new job =)

I want to praise and thank God for His great protection today. I drove to Buchanan Bus Station to pick up El around 10am. I travelled along Baird Street, when a female drive drove out of Black Street wanting to turn right. She crept out just looking to her left and not her right where I was coming. Luckily I was only going about 30-35mph and managed to brake and swerve away from her car onto the other side of the road. Whereas she just stopped.

We spent a few seconds stopped to gather our thoughts. I started reversing back to her intending to give her a verbal lesson but she drove away - she was lucky!

So thank God there was no accident, also no oncoming traffic on the other side of the road when I swerved onto it.

The rest of the day went quite well. =)

There has been many things to praise God about since our holiday. The Lord kept us safe in Toronto, away from all harm and despite some days of 'unhappiness', we all enjoyed the two weeks over all and woudl like to go back again soon! =)

This entry will be about Monday 11th July when i was up Aberdeen the day before and was planning to return to Glasgow with El so we could visit Glsagow Youth camp together. El told me we should get up 4am, have something to eat, then walk out to catch the 2A bus around 5:55am or so as our Megabus to Glasgow was 6:40am. We stood at the bus stop for about half an hour and there were no signs of any buses, and hardly any cars. We got concerned; El called for a taxi at 6:13am. The operator said a taxi would be there shortly. We continued waiting a further few minutes before I called up again to ask for status and to tell them we had a bus to catch to Glasgow at 6:40am. The operator told me I should have booked half an hour in advance, then after putting me on hold to check its status, she informed me that the taxi was "on the path".

The longer El and I waited the more axvious we became. What if we missed the Megabus? Could we get on the 8:40am bus without paying? Would there be seats available? I think El was more worried than me. Oh yeah, if we arrived at Glasgow 12pm it would be a rush to meet people at 1pm.

A few cars passed and our taxi came: a Fiat Bravo(?) estate car. We explained to the driver our bus departs 6:40am so he had ten minutes to get there from Bridge of Don. He said it shouldn't be a problem. We told him we waited at the bus stop for a long time and he told us it was an Aberdeen local holiday so busese were on Sunday service.

Anyway, the driver drove very fast, like 40mph in 30mph zones, went on roads that didn't have red lights etc and got us to Guild Street Station bang on 6:40am. We seen the bus reverse out a little, the taxi driver horned the bus as El and I ran to the bus flagging it down - we go on!

Hallelujah! So close!

Oh yeah, taxi driver almost drove as fast as a seagull soaring! Haha!