First Day in HK

The last couple of weeks have been hectic as J and I prepared to relocate to HK. After all the planning and preparation, we've finally arrived in HK to begin a new chapter in our lives. I must admit that I leave home with a heavy heart. Despite its many imperfections and the high rate of migration of our friends to the Land Down Under, Malaysia is still home for me. I will miss my family and friends. I will also miss my favourite local dishes, ranging from nasi lemak to "har meen", roti canai to rojak. What can I say? I'm Malaysian :-)

We touched down today this afternoon and was greeted by a beautiful summer day in HK, with sunny blue skies (a real treat in HK). After a late lunch, we went grocery shopping as we had nothing at home. Thankfully, the supermarkets here offer free grocery delivery as we had over HKD1,000 worth of groceries. It would have been a challenge lugging all that back home without a car. I will have to get used to the high HK prices for some of the goods here, especially dairy products, which is almost double the price in Malaysia. We bought take-away food from the supermarket for dinner so that we didn't have to go out again. So, our first meal in our new home comprised of rice with small portions of steam chicken, siew yok, tofu and fish and brocolli and cauli stirfry.

Tonight, I look out of the window of my new home in HK and admire the bright lights of HK city from one view. I am thankful for the lovely green hills on the other side of our apartment, as it reminds me a little piece of my backyard in our home in KL. It'll continue to be busy in the coming 2 weeks as we open accounts, get new mobile numbers and sort out all the other administrative issues that come with moving to a new country. Kess will arrive next Friday. We do miss our little beagle, but she's in good hands at the moment with my parents. Can't wait to see her again. Hopefully, she won't be too traumatized by the journey. I was told by a fellow blogger who's also moved with her Great Dane that us humans tend too worry too much and that the dogs actually cope better than expected. Let's hope so. Then of course, there will be quite a lot of unpacking to do when our shipment arrives in about 2-3 weeks time. Once we have our things, we should be feeling more at home.

Well, one door of our lives are closed, and a new one has just been opened. I don't know what's in store for us but I do know that God does. That is enough for me.

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”
Flora Whittemore

Be Still

Water is life. Yet, the very thing that man cannot survive without also brings death. I just cannot believe my eyes when I saw the giant waves of the tsunami sweep everything on its path, tossing trucks and ships like toys, destroying homes and buildings in Japan last Friday. The earthquake and subsequent tsunami resulted in thousands killed, thousands missings and tens of thousand homeless.

It is incidents like this when one realizes how helpless mankind is. Despite how much we have progressed and think that we're self sufficient, we all need God more than ever.

Still
Hide me now
Under Your wings
Cover me
Within Your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father you are King over the flood
I will be still and know You are God
Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know His power
In quietness and trust

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father You are king over the flood
I will be still and know You are God

Love that keeps on giving

It's Boxing Day today. Time to put away the gift boxes. For many Christmas is about Santa and Christmas presents. For some, the toys will be played with for a a seaon before being tossed aside. Rarely will gifts last forever. But Pastor reminded us during Christmas service, at its heart, Christmas means no matter what else will disappear in the future God's love will last forever.

1 John 4:9-10
By this the love of God is revealed in us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him.
In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

He is Risen!

This morning as we took Kess for a morning walk, we were greeted by the sight of a rainbow. Now, in the days of Noah (Genesis 9:13) the rainbow was given as a sign of God's covenant with His people after the great flood that destroyed the whole earth, all except for the people and creatures on Noah's ark. The rainbow was God's covenant that a flood would never again destroy the earth.

On this Easter morning, the rainbow reminded me of more than just God's promise not to destroy the earth. The rainbow was a symbol of God's redemption for mankind through His son Jesus Christ. Jesus, who bore no sin died on the cross for mankind's sin. Yet the story does not end there. If it did, there is no redemption for us. Jesus is risen! Death could not hold the Son of God in its grip. So, we have eternal life because our Saviour conquered sin and death on that Easter Sunday.

The Frailty of Life

Can you imagine what it would be like to kiss your partner good night and then to wake up and find that he/she has passed away? This is exactly what happened to a friend. His wife was awakened in the wee hours of the morning when she heard him groan, as if in a bad dream. By the time she had put their baby aside and turned back to him, he had already passed out. When the parademics came, he was pronounced dead - just like that. A husband and father's life was cut short, in his prime.



Job 14:1-2 says "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure." All of us have to die one day. That is a sure thing. We'll never understand why God chose to bring this man, well-loved by all, back to heaven. But we do know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

At our friend's wake last night, all who gave an eulogy spoke of his gentle spirit, his willing heart and his ever-ready smile. That's exactly, how J & I remember him. He was a man who lived his life on this earth well - serving the Lord with joy and gladness. And now, He is in a much better place with his heavenly Father. Whilst we rejoice in that knowledge, we regret the lost years and mourn this temporary separation. But we know we will see him again one day. God bless you, Kumar.

Romans 14:8
"If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."

Amazing Love

Today is Easter Sunday. The day Christians rejoice that Jesus who was crucified on Good Friday for our sins was resurrected - defeating Satan and death once and for all. It's the day that I am reminded of God's amazing love for us, His children. The song below by Graham Kendrick describes it so perfectly.

Amazing Love by Graham Kendrick
My Lord what love is this?
That paid so dearly
That I, the guilty one, may go free.

Chorus:
Amazing love, oh what sacrifice
The Son of God, given for me
My dept He paid, and my death He died
That I, might live.
That I, might live.

And so, they watched Him die
Despised and rejected
But oh, the blood He shed, flowed for me.

And now, this love of Christ
Will flow, like rivers
Come wash, your guilt away,
And live again.

Words of Wisdom

"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers,pray for powers equal to your task"
Philip Brooks (Tentmaker.org)

Sometimes, all we need is a change in perspective to help us live life well. We can't always choose our circumstances, but we sure can choose how we respond to circumstances.

Christmas Thoughts

Christmas is not about Santa
Nor is it about presents
Jesus is the reason
For the Christmas season

Every mall is decked with bright cheery Christmas trees and decorations. Crowds of shoppers doing their last minute Christmas shopping. We dream of turkey and pudding, and wonder about the presents we'll be getting under the Christmas tree. While it is wonderful to exchange presents and cards and spend time catching up with family and friends, let us remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. It was this time more than 2000 years ago when a baby boy was born to a virgin, a gift from God to His people - a Saviour to redeem us from our sins.

Rising above the pain

Amidst a heartbreaking tragedy, a man rises above his pain and forgives. "I don't blame him, I don't have any hard feelings. I know he did everything he could," Don Yoon said. He asks people to pray for the pilot. Yoon lost his entire family - his wife, 2 baby girls and mother-in-law when a fighter jet crashed into his home in San Diego on Monday.

I was in tears when I saw the press conference two days ago. Here was a man who have just lost his loved ones to a tragic accident. No one would blame him if he demanded for justice and accountability from the authorities. Yet he did no such thing. Instead he exhibited such compassion for the pilot and deep belief in God. May God's grace and comfort hold him up in this time of sorrow.

Psalm 23
A psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Words of Wisdom

Sunset at Santorini,Greece



"When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator"
Mahatma Gandhi

After witnessing the other night's smiling moon phenomenon and many beautiful sunsets, I can't help but be reminded once again about how great God is. I am in awe.

Perfect Timing

Ecclesiastes 3:11
"He has made everything beautiful in its time..."

God's timing is always perfect. Just as I was ready to end my self-gifted sabbatical, He provided me the job that I was looking for. Now, I'm working from home and am happy that I don't have to get stuck in traffic commuting to work. Truly He has made everything beautiful in its time!

A reflection on life

Niagara Falls, New York

Today, I am thankful for the life God has given me.

Psalm 139: 1-18

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because
I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together
in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with you. "

Thank you, Lord.

Words of Wisdom

"What happens outwardly in your life is not as important as what happens inside you" Rick Warren

Everyone goes through life with problems. Yet, not everyone faces life's challenges the same way. Some become bitter. Some become better. The real battle is really within us. Someone hurts us. Do we choose to harbour bitterness against the person or do we choose to forgive? Tragedy occurs. Do we grieve for a moment and then choose to go on with life or do we dwell in grief?

Joni Eareckson Tada is an inspirational figure. She became a quadriplegic after a diving accident in 1967. After two years of rehabilitation, Joni re-entered the community with new skills and a fresh determination to help others in similar situations. “My church made a huge difference in my family’s life as they demonstrated the love of God in practical ways,” says Joni. Joni founded Joni and Friends, an organization accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community.

What a difference God can make in our lives! With God's strength, we can overcome.

Isaiah 61:3 "and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."

The Holy Alphabet

I received this poem from a friend. It blessed me and I hope it will bless you too.

A lthough things are not perfect
B ecause of trial or pain
C ontinue in thanksgiving
D o not begin to blame
E ven when the times are hard
F ierce winds are bound to blow
G od is forever able
H old on to what you know
I magine life without His love
J oy would cease to be
K eep thanking Him for all the things
L ove imparts to thee
M ove out of "Camp Complaining"
N o weapon that is known
O n earth can yield the power
P raise can do alone
Q uit looking at the future
R edeem the time at hand
S tart every day with worship
T o "thank" is a command
U ntil we see Him coming
V ictorious in the sky
W e'll run the race with gratitude
X alting God most high
Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

Poem by Cindy Blackamore

Words of Wisdom

Banff, Canada

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

Psalm 33:6

I marvel at the Lord's creation each time I travel. Truly, all creation shouts His praise!

Lessons from The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian

This second movie in the Chronicles of Narnia series sees the Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy abruptly brought back to Narnia, this time via the London tube station instead of the wardrobe. The children are a year older, but in Narnia, 1300 years have passed since the children's departure from Narnia. Everything has changed. Narnia and its inhabitants are almost annihilated by the Telmarines. Those who are left have gone into hiding. Prince Caspian, the rightful heir to the Telmarine throne has been usurped by his evil uncle, Miraz and inadvertently summons the children, (who are also Kings and Queens of Narnia) back to Narnia when he blows Susan's horn for help during a pursuit by his uncle's soldiers. The children and the Narnians helps Prince Caspian defeat his uncle to win back his rightful place and there was peace among the Telmarines and the Narnians.

I left the movie theatre with 2 lessons imprinted in my mind. The first comes from Lucy, the youngest of the Pevensie siblings. She has such simple yet great faith in Aslan. It is Lucy who sees Aslan across the river and tells her brothers and sister that Aslan is calling them to come to him. But because Peter, Edmund and Susan did not see Aslan themselves, all they saw was a huge ravine that separated them and dismissed Lucy. Yet, after trudging ahead, they could not find another way to cross and had to return to the spot where Lucy had seen Aslan. Lo and behold, there was a path for them to take that will eventually take them across the ravine. It was also Lucy who saved the day when she rides off alone to bring Aslan to save Narnia during the battle scene at the end. And Lucy who had the courage to stand by herself to confront the evil Telmarine Lord at the epic river battle, before she was joined by Aslan.

I am reminded of this verse from Luke 18:16-17:

16But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

The second lesson comes from Peter, the oldest. In contrast to Lucy who believes, Peter tries to win the battle on his own strategy and strength - a strategy that backfired and caused many Narnians to lose their lives during their failed attack on Miraz's castle. Later, Peter was almost tempted to bring back the White Witch to help regain his wounded pride and defeat Miraz.

How often do we try to win life's battles by our own strength, instead of relying on God? How often are we tempted to use wordly means to achieve our goals? More often, than we would like. After all, it is human nature. Instead, let us have child-like faith that God is in control and patiently wait on Him when we don't understand our circumstances. Let us have courage to stand in the face of our own battles knowing that God is by our side.

Forgiveness is really for me

At cell group last Friday, we had a discussion on the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6: 5-15). Our group focused on forgiveness.

v12 "Forgive us our debts,as we also have forgiven our debtors".
v14-15 "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Wow...This is a stern warning. If we don't forgive others, God won't forgive us. We pondered. God is gracious and merciful. We reflected. God wants the best for us. Then, we concluded. Forgiveness is really for our benefit, and not so much for the person who have wronged us. Sometimes, the other person isn't even aware that he/she has offended us! Meanwhile, we allow bitterness, anger and hurt to eat us up causing us much emotional, spiritual and sometimes, physical damage. God wants us to release forgiveness so that we can be released. So you see, forgiveness is really for me.