From Bad to Worse

What do you say when you see things getting from bad to worse ?
Say nothing and suffer quietly ?
Take the anger to Facebook and Twitter ?
Some days are just bad days
When the Economic is bad
All Businesses suffer badly
The poor really has nothing to eat
The rich has to tighten the spending
These are days to endure, they will pass
Brighter days are coming
surely no matter how slowly
The brighter days belong to those who can wait


What can you say when things get out of hands ?
Something that you cannot control.
Something beyond your reach.
Some days are getting from bad to worse.
You watch with helpless dismay
As the drama unfolds into worse nightmare
Every episode getting worse than before.
Predictable evils proceed to be winning.
There are days to pray and grieve
We must resist the evils
No matter how bad
The hopeful days belong to those who can preserve


Some days we made it to the world news
Not once or twice but many times over
The nations speak of us in disbelief
We are made mockery of a great crime
Many have empathy towards us
We have been violated and shamed before the nations
Our voice has become dim
Our cry is not audible
We mourn in silence
Like the lambs led to slaughter
We die a quiet death
These are the days we fight our war

Today our eyes have seen the wicked doing evils upon others
Today our ears have heard the anguish cry of the people
Today we read the impossible evils schemed and executed
Today we bear witness to the suffering of people hurting people
Today we know evil face to face, biting our face and leave us to bleed
Today we endure the sufferings brought about by greed
When will we say enough is enough and fight back ?
When is our silence to end ?
When can we speak out and be heard ?
When can we be united and resist as one ?
When is the time for vengeance?
When can justice be served ?

Top Priority Things to do to prepare Child to leave home for studies

Lately, my mind is divided among many priorities. At work, between projects, negotiations and deadlines. At home, tuition for schooling kids, preparatory works for the ones leaving home for further studies. On  health, giving my kids Vitamin C to fight common cold; visiting aging parents who are seriously ill and bed ridden. The list can go on. So many things to accomplish, so little time and deadlines are imminently close ! 

I thought I pen it down what are the key priority things to do to prepare our young adult kids to be ready to leave home and to help them to set up a new living quarter thousand miles away, functional, livable and fun to overcome the lonely winter homesickness. I am more fearful that they will miss home than they don't. If they do not miss home, if they could totally gel in to the new home, that be a relief ! But, looking at  how they have been brought up, groomed by parents, pampered by the maid, they will surely miss home big time ! That is my greatest fear if they do not know how to live on their own at this tender age of 17 or 19  years old.

In my head, here is the Top Ten To Do list for preparation to leave  home but in real life, it cannot be fulfilled just like that. So here are the Top Priority of Things To Do :-

1. Talk Deeply with the child - We have to talk with them the new life to begin, we have to walk through with them the new lifestyle beginning with the  mental picture. We need to set the moral compass to point to true "north" so that no matter what happens, they can follow their hearts home and find their paths back to us, their loving parents who supply beyond their materials needs. We also need to set the boundaries of things, the finances, relationships, religions, principles, what we hope they can uphold. At times, we sound like nagging but half of the times we are begging. He is bearing our family name and upholding our family honour as he goes forth to make a new life in search of knowledge. 
2. New Items just for for him - The excitement of starting a home-away-from-home boils down to getting those essential new items just for him. The list can be personalised but it has to be comprehensive. Here are some items we are buying for them. Rice Cooker, Laptop, Tablet or Ipad (bring over current one), Smart Phone & Camera, Bed Sheets, New sets of Luggage (3 in 1 package), Maggie mee by the box, special stationary to last a year, Jackets and warm clothing,
3. Survival Home Cooking Recipes - How to make the Rice Cooker a magic pot, cooking a hundred dishes out of it. Teens' Survival cooking has to be taught. They will miss Asean food and they must be able to cook a few local dishes to bring to International events or just to create wow factor for any gathering.
4. Financial Preparation - dad's paper works has to be in order. The full cost has to be made known to the child, what are the obligation of parents and what is expected of him. Nowadays, University does offer scholarship based on marks, eg 70% will give 40% discount on the course fee, it is very desirable to let the child aim for that.  
5. Saying Goodbyes - Making note to relatives especially the elderly is very important and we should make time and take time to create memories for them. This could be their last good bye to some of the elderly relatives. We just have to check this out as completed.
6. Set the academic goals with them - Tell them how long is the course, what options are there after the graduation, do they want to work there or come back immediately, do you want them to come back soonest, if they choose to work there, what grades they must achieve, they should not be naive about it. For sure, they will only keep top students to work there. The rest to be sent home. Whether there is enough budget to embark on Post graduate studies, Whether they are required to help finance the younger siblings in the future. All these and more, need to be discussed and spelled out what are our parental expectations from this academic pursuits. 
7. Connect him to the local people as much as possible - They are going to a foreign land and thousands miles away from home. They can survive as lone ranger but they will enjoy their stay more if we could connect them to some local folks who are our friends or from church contacts. In case of emergency, at least the local people are closer to them than us. 
8. Set the living budget with them - with the high cost of living, we need to discuss how to objectively achieve lodging and food to be below 5000 or 7000 sterling pounds a year. We need to give them a figure per week which they should aim to maintain. What is not spoken is often take for granted and neglected as not important, so its best to spell out what is the weekly budget for living and to work through how to maintain the budget. Should they need some extra money, they should consider working on weekends or summer holidays so that their holidays are paid by themselves.
9. Connect them in Social Media prior to Leaving - Create family Whatsapp Group, Facebook private group so that we can maintain contacts as family members. The connection should be done while they are still here. Learn to have virtual discussions with them. The Gen Y and Z operates in the things of Internet and their life is in social media. Teach them what to post and what not to post in Internet. Be connected to them in FB, Whatsapp, Instagram so that you be the first to know what they post in social media.
10. Let them know how deep is your love for them - We need to articulate the price we are willing to pay out of this deep for them. Yes, education can cause mum and dad an arm and a leg but we will still do it, Although we are not perfect, not all sufficient but we will provide to the best of our ability ! Bear in mind though, there is a limit to our resources but no limit in our love for them. No matter what, they are still our children, our kids, forever in our heart. 

Story of my feet

My feet have seen quite an assorted arrays of days in my lives,
They have seen the best of me
They have seen the worst of me
In any case, they have carried me through, quite literally, all my days
I am ever grateful for my strong feet
From the day I started crawling, they have been active for my sake.
From the day I started walking, they have been there for me.
I could not have gone to the places that I have visited
I could not have walked the earth where I left my footprints
I could not climbed our prestige Mountain Kinabalu a total of four time !
My feet is my one solid assets on earth.
They gives me stability and strength
They hold my body together in one piece
They gives me speed and freedom to roam or run
They let me swim in the water, free as fishes

I can't thank my feet enough for my colorful life

They play a mega part in my life

I owe it to myself to take good care of my health

To reduce the stress I give to my feet

Although they may be deformed due to age

I must take good care of them

Never give up to keep doing good exercise routines

It's never too late to start a health regime

The whole body and me will benefit through and through

19句话震撼句子

This is a repost from internet Chinese Website, these quotations in Chinese are amazingly crisps and sharp. 
My favourite are No 1, 3, 7, 15, 16
Most funny are No 3, 6
高人19句话震撼全中国 只看1句就晕了
【第一句】被恨的人没有痛苦，恨人的人却终将遍体鳞伤，所以，绝不去恨人。
【第二句】缘分是本书，翻得不经意会错过，读得太认真会流泪。
【第三句】不同傻子争辩，否则就搞不清谁是傻子了。
【第四句】学历是铜牌，能力是银牌，人脉是金牌，思维是王牌。
【第五句】成功的人不是赢在起点，而是赢在转折点。
【第六句】钱有两种：花掉的是钱，是财产；没花掉的是〝纸〞，是遗产。
【第七句】把脾气拿出来，那叫本能；把脾气压下去，那叫本事。
【第八句】简单的事重复做，你就是专家；重复的事用心做，你就是赢家。
【第九句】长得那么美那么帅气，自己却不知道，这就是气质；那么有钱那么有才华，别人却不知道，这就是修养。
【第十句】管好自的嘴，讲话不要图一时痛快、信口开河，〝良言一句三冬暖，伤人一语六月寒〞，说话要用脑子，敏事慎言，话多无益，不扬人恶，自然就能化敌为友。
【第十一句】没有爱的生活就像一片荒漠，赠人玫瑰，手有余香，要〝学会爱别人其实就是爱自己〞，让爱如同午后阳光温暖每个人的心房。
【第十二句】多去理解尊重别人，常怀宽容感激之心，宽容是一种美德是一种智慧，海纳百川是多么广阔，感激你的朋友，是他们给了你帮助；感激你的敌人，是他们让你变的坚强。
【第十三句】这个世界，有两件事我们不能不做：一是赶路，二是停下来看看自己是否拥有一份好心态，好心态是一生的好伴侣，让人愉悦健康。
【第十四句】人情，人情，人之常情，要乐善好施，长于交往，〝平时不烧香，急时抱佛脚〞是行不通的，所以，〝人的情绪要储存〞，就像银行存款，存的越多，时间越长，红利就越大。
【第十五句】遇事不要急躁。不要急于下结论，尤其生气时不要做决断，要学会换位思考，大事化小、小事化了，把复杂的事情尽量简单处理，千万不要把简单的事情复杂化。
【第十六句】学会知足，人生最大的烦恼是从最没有意义的比较开始，这世界总有不如你的人，也总有比你强的人，当我哭泣我没有鞋子穿的时候，我发现有人却没有了脚。
【第十七句】如果敌人让你生气，那说明你还没有胜他的把握，根本不必回头去看咒骂你的人是谁？如果有一条疯狗咬了你一口，难道你也要趴下去反咬他一口吗？不要太在乎别人的咒骂。
【第十八句】别把工作当负担，与其生气埋怨，不如积极快乐的去面对，当你把工作当作生活和艺术，你就会享受到工作的乐趣。
【第十九句】人活着一天，就是有福气，就应该珍惜，人生短短几十年，不要给自己留下更多的遗憾，日出东海落西山，愁也一天，喜也一天；遇事不钻牛角尖，人也舒坦，心也舒坦。

My Most Favourite Things

My most favorite things :-

• Cup of tea or coffee
• Nice bowl of fresh salad
• Fresh smell of good food
• The unlikely green smoothies
• Smell of  freshly baked cake or bread
• Successful recipes
• Coconut with the flesh
• Coconut pudding in the shell
• A crisp toast
• Dumplings soup
• Ice blended feel
• A bowl of ABC with ice cream

• Presents in tiny boxes
• Ribbons of all sorts
• Upcycled things
• Bells of all sorts
• Sofa couch
• Laying on the beach on shady day
• Smell of thick books
• Sight of a map

• Birds chirping
• Smell of grass freshly cut
• Dogs or Cats playing
• Dip in the cool river
• Raindrops on my window
• Rainbow in the sky
• Mountain Kinabalu near or far
• Waves on the beach
• A nice get-away 

Good grief, I just realised it, I am so Chinese, its almost all about food ! 

Yes, when I feel sad, when I feel down, I simply remember my favourite things and then I don't feel so bad  !

My Favourite Things (In The Sounds of Music) 

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things.

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites, when the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites, when the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad.

Read more: The Sound Of Music - My Favorite Things (maria) Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Photos that moved me to tears - In memory of 5 June 2015 Earthquake victims

How to love Thy Enemies

When it comes to our enemies, it is hard to consider what we should do as Christians. To love our enemies is such an unworldly thing to do, it is so out of this world to love your enemies ! Nobody does that in real life, surely ? The most one can do is to keep silence about their enemies, be mum about it and no one supposed to know who our enemies are. Its a dirty secret of our soul. Buried alive in our hearts, hoping that the emotions will not burst out one day at an untimely point. Just hoping. 

We know the Bible Teaching on to love our enemies, if we do not love the people we can see, how can we love the God that we cannot see ? Ok, people here refers to brothers, is it not strange that frequently, the people who hurt us the most and likely candidates as our enemies are also our "brothers" and "sisters", the ones who are close to us ! 

Here is a short note I have taken on a sermon preached by Pastor Renny Khoo on 1 February 2015 to BCCM KK(English) 7:30 am morning service on the topic of "Reclaiming Love" and the sermon title was "Loving Your Enemy".

We know the power of our thought life. If we feed on the thoughts of dislike or avoidance, it will grow. Jesus asked us to love our enemies, not to change them. Radical love demonstrated love towards our enemies. Love must be articulated. We need to do unto others what God has done to us and not do unto others what we want others do unto us. 

How do we begin to love our enemies ? 

Do good instead of do evil 

Do not retaliate in deed back to the one who did evil or harm to you. If it is possible, as much as possible, live peaceable with all. Often we have the irge to let out of our system. How can ? How can this be possible ? The verse has implied that very often it is impossible to live at peace with everyone.

Bless instead of curse

Do not retaliate in word. Bless means "good words" in Greek. Be careful not to fume the situations with angry words. As they said, our IQ is zero when we are angry until we lose it !

Pray to God instead of talk to man

Do not retaliate in spirit. The effect of prayer is not our responsibility. We are asked to bring our petition and cry to our God, the results and effect of our prayer is in His hands. He alone to decide. 

My reflection on this :-

We know what we are supposed to do and it is a tall order from the Lord as we are the salts and lights of this world, we are to be different. But to put our feelings down and make our emotions to obey to this teaching from the Lord is hard work. But it is the only healthy choice for our life. 

A Song that speaks to my heart - REFUGE

A Song that speaks to my heart - REFUGE by City Harvest Church Singapore

This is one song that the Holy Spirit ministered to my soul few years back when I was really down spiritually, I did not know then, but looking back, this was one song that really spoke my heart cry to the Lord then, perhaps it did pull me through one of the darker patch of my life. It was around the year 2008.

Life as a whole was good then, on the outside, from observers who looked into my life then, it was a bliss, I got a loving husband, a household of kids, a steady job, a great supporting families and friends who would drop everything to come to my aid and listened to my grievances and cries. I seemed to have it all, on the outside, but from the outside they could not see my heart turmoils, my pains, my doubts on God's faithfulness, my anger, my problems, my failures and my sins.

Early one morning as I was taking a walk at the Likas Lake, I did not even have earphone, I just played this song (as it was the only few songs I could download into that first generation of smart phone, my favourite Nokia E72), I up the volume and placed it near my ear. As I walked, in that quiet morning with very few people around, I listened to the lyrics and found that it penned down my sorrows, my cries, my feelings. I weeped softly as I continued to walk, hurriedly so that no one could catch up with me. It was a moment alone with God.

The song has been my favourite since that day, I often go back to listen to it when I needed time out alone with God. In the quietness and stillness, I could hear myself sobbing and weeping, singing this song to God to affirm who He is in my life. There is really no place to run from His Love, There is really nothing I cannot do without Him. He is my constant refuge and my guide !

Even when things seem to be back to the normal, I could still hear this song is for me, for my life.


Here is the song, Refuge

ref·u·gee

ˌrefyo͝oˈjē/

noun

1. a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

   "tens of thousands of refugees fled their homes"

   synonyms:

   émigré, fugitive, exile, displaced person, asylum seeker; boat people "collecting blankets for the refugees"

Like a Refuge, God knows me intimately well enough to know that I needed him as my Refuge at that point in my life.

REFUGE by City Harvest Church Singapore

I sing a love song to You Lord
Every day, every night
Tell of Your goodness and mercy
Tell the world how You rescued me
Picked me up, from sin and shame
Your breath gives me new life

Where can I go from Your presence
Under Your wings I take refuge
Your Spirit lives within my heart
I know, we'll never be apart

Everyday, I draw closer to You Lord
I long to see Your face
And hide in Your embrace
All my life, dwelling in Your holy place
My heart O Lord You've changed
I'll never be the same

I found the Chinese translated version (words translated) of REFUGE on You Tube, unfortunately the song is not sung in Chinese but the lyrics translated into Chinese :-

演唱：City Harvest Church
歌名：避難所 Refuge

我向祢唱首愛的歌
Wo Xiang Ni Chang Shou Ai De Ge
I sing a love song to You Lord

每一天 每一夜
Mei Yi Tian Mei Yi Ye
Every day, every night

宣揚祢恩典與憐憫
Xuan Yang Ni En Dian Yu Lian Min
Tell of Your goodness and mercy

讓世界知道祢拯救我
Rang Shi Jie Zhi Dao Ni Zheng Jiu Wo
Tell the world how You rescued me

擦去我羞愧過去
Ca Qu Wo Xiu Hui Guo Qu
Picked me up from sin and shame

賜給我新生命
Ci Gei Wo Xin Sheng Ming
Your breath gives me new life


主我永遠不離開祢
Zhu Wo Yong Yuan Bu Li Kai Ni
Where can I go from Your presence

唯有祢是我避難所
Wei You Ni Shi Wo Bi Nan Suo
Under Your wings I take refuge

祢的聖靈居住在我心
Ni De Sheng Ling Ji Zhu Zai Wo Xin
Your Spirit lives within my heart

一生要緊緊跟隨祢
Yi Sheng Yao Jin Jin Gen Sui Ni
I know, we'll never be apart

※每一天我要更多親近祢
Mei Yi Tian Wo Yao Geng Duo Qin Jin Ni
Every day I draw closer to You Lord

渴望能見祢面 依偎在祢懷裡
Ke Wang Neng Jian Ni Mian Yi Wei Zai Ni Huai Li
I long to see Your face
And hide in Your embrace


我一生永不離開祢同在
Wo Yi Sheng Yong Bu Li Kai Ni Tong Zai
All my life
dwelling in Your holy place

我心因祢改變
Wo Xin Yin Ni Gai Bian
My heart O Lord you've changed

我不再像從前(X2)
Wo Bu Zai Xiang Cong Qian
I'll never be the same (X2)

.....................................

但我要歌頌你的力量，早晨要高唱你的慈愛；
因為你作過我的高臺，在我急難的日子作過我的避難所。
詩篇59:16

But I will make songs of your power;
yes, I will give cries of joy for your mercy
in the morning;
because you have been my strengthand
my high tower in the day of my trouble.
Psalms59:16


若有人在基督裡，他就是新造的人，
舊事已過，都變成新的了。
林後5:17


So if any man is in Christ,
he is in a new world: the old things have come to an end;
they have truly become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

影片製作：Priscilla

Mountain Kinabalu after 5 June 2015

In memory of our Mt Kinabalu before the quake :-

This video is entitled "Epic Mt Kinabalu Climb Via Ferrata Low's Peak Circuit with Aerial Footage on 19 May 2014" taken by a local professional videographer. 

If there is anything that I can be truly proud of, this the Mountain of my birthplace. Tall and majestic, every view takes your breath away. 

This video has the most details of the Mount Kinabalu Climb, the names of the pondok, waterfalls and places. Its a magical feeling to watch how others scaled the mountain. Such joyous triumphant of achievement ! 

^^^^^^^^ Mt Kinabalu before  5 June 2015 ^^^^^^^

Majestic and mysterious
Out stretched to the sky
Utterly wonderful piece of creation
Nothing compares to the beauty
Tall and magnificent
Absolutely inviting
Irresistible to leave
Nothing less than awesome

Kinabalu our prized trophy
Immersed in glorious beauty
Nothing can hide you forever
Aki Nabalu the resting place
Beacon of the people who live here
Aki Nabalu the souls' haven
Laid in eternal rest
Undeniably a profound mystery

This is one of the last few videos on YouTube before the Quake about the Mount Kinabalu Climb using GeoPro by a group from West Malaysia published on 27 March 2015.

******* Mt Kinabalu after the 5 June 2015 *******

Movement of fault lines 

Over fifteen tiny seconds 

Under a clear blue sky

Nothing prepare us for it

Tempest roared and shook the mountain

Aki Nabulu was shaken

In a while, the mountain was rocking

Never again the same

Kinabalu was awaken from her deep sleep

Inside the earth turmoils boiled 

Nothing like this ever told

Aki Nabalu was in great distress 

Bare earth has fallen mountain is scarred

Awaken with many nightmares untold

Lives so precious gone too soon

Unimaginable sorrows fill the land


In memory of our Mt Kinabalu before the quake :-

A Tribute to all those lost their lives on 5 June 2015.

Holy Spirit the Ultimate Google

A poem inspired by a sermon on the above title by Preacher Lo Yi Ping on 5 July 2015 when she explored on the topic of Revival.

Holy Spirit God Divine
One with God, Three in One
Loving us from the start
You alone our ultimate Google

Searching spiritual things of depth
Preparing the way of the Lord
Influencing us to live as child of God
Repentance of our sins
Into God's grace and mercy
Transformed from glory to glory


Written during sermon at 7:30 am English Service.

Questions to ask on the second day of the second half of the year

Today is 2 July 2015 and someone reminded on Facebook that today is the second day of the second half of the year 2015 ! Wow ! Where has time flies to ? Have I been sleeping until I missed the passing of days ? What have I been doing thus far ? These are just some personal questions that came to mind. But seriously, it is timely to review and there is still another half year of chances and opportunities to make right and do what is right ! So here are questions to ask :-

1. Are my priorities clear and am I half way done ? Do I know where I am going ?
2. How about the people surrounding me supporting me, do they have their priorities made out clear and half way done ? Especially our children who need our constant guidance.
3. Are there medical needs of myself or others that need attention ? Is there a detox that I need to do ? A diet that I should try ? An exercise that I should start ? Constantly reviewing my health patterns, is it going down or up ?
4. Are my loved ones at their pink of health ? Do they need attention ? This is going to be hard on the schedule of already packed life having schooling kids going tuition and classes. But nonetheless, least we regret that we have neglected them.
5. What are the new knowledge that I should acquire on healthy diet, new upcycles ideas etc etc. Keep learning and keep the mind fresh and good.
6. What are achievable for the rest of the year ? It got to be named and listed to get the attention. With half a year to go, it still can be big and dream-like form.