Being Thankful...

I received this email from a friend. It's about being looking at life from a different perpective and being thankful for things we ordinarily complain about.

I am thankful:

For the wife
Who says it's hot dogs tonight,
Because she is home with me,
And not out with someone else.

For the husband
who is on the sofa
being a couch potato,
because he is home with me
and not out at the bars.

For the teenager
who is complaining about doing dishes
because it means she is at home,
not on the streets.

For the taxes I pay
because it means
I am employed .

For the mess to clean after a party
because it means i have
been surrounded by friends

For the clothes that fit a little too snug
because it means
I have enough to eat.

For my shadow that watches me work
because it means
I am out in the sunshine

For a lawn that needs mowing,
windows that need cleaning,
and gutters that need fixing
because it means I have a home

For all the complaining
I hear about the government
because it means we have freedom of speech.

For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot
because it means I am capable of walking
and i have been blessed with transportation

For my huge heating bill
because it means
I am warm.

For the lady behind me in church
who sings off key
because it means
I can hear.

For the pile of
laundry and ironing
because it means
I have clothes to wear.

For weariness and aching muscles
at the end of the day
because it means I have been
capable of working hard.

For the alarm that goes off
in the early morning hours
because it means I am alive.

And finally, for too much e-mail
because it means I have friends who are thinking of me.

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."

The Friends We Make In Our Journey...

Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose. ~Tennessee Williams

When I was a kid, I remember one of the phrases we used often in school was "I don't want to friend you" whenever some kid offended us or didn't want to share something, or for whatever petty reasons. Of course, all was forgiven the next day, and we're best buddies again. As we grew up, we made friends at different stages of our lives. When we moved on to our next journey, some of these friendships drifted apart due to time and distance. Yet, for those moments when they were in our lives, they made a difference, be it temporary or permanent.

Then years later, we meet again. Last night was one of those special reunions. The four of us met at Cava, a Spanish restaurant located in Bangsar. With some friends, it feels like you've never been apart. Whilst we're not exactly the same people we were back when we first became friends (more gray hairs and a couple of pounds difference give and take - probably more give than take), deep down, we're not that different from who we were in high school, or college or university. And as Ralph Waldo Emerson so aptly puts it, "It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them." .

Over good food (the Tapas, Tenderloin and Osso Bucco are highly recommended) and a glass of Chilean wine, we reminisce and laugh about the good old days (was it really that long ago?)- of weekend volleyball games and bus rides, of spaghetti bolognaise and Hard Rock Cafe. Memories forgotten are brought back to mind. We celebrate a birthday with a Chocolate Dream - if you're a chocoholic like me, this should not be missed! ("Happy Belated Birthday A!"). Perhaps, even more importantly, we celebrate life and friendships!



A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world. ~Lois Wyse

The best things in life are unexpected...

I received a really cool gift last Saturday at my dinner party. It was totally unexpected, hence it made it sweeter. Aren't the best things in life unexpected? Little C bought me a book "Cook With Jamie" by the Naked Chef to thank me for spending the day with him when his mum & dad hosted an event.

I was really touched. Honestly, it was a real pleasure to spend the day with him and I didn't expect anything in return. Little C & I lazed in the jacuzzi, watched the filming of "5 Minutes of Fame" where people dressed in silly costumes and made a fool of themselves, played hide and seek behind the curtains, had coffee and cookies (Don't worry mum, Little C had orange juice)during tea time and then went for a romp at the park. Doesn't sound like hard work to me... Besides, little C is the most adorable boy I know and is quite well-behaved as far as little boys go. Well done mum & dad!

Of course, little C's dad had another motive. He just wanted to get invited again for dinner - this time to try out one of Jamie Oliver's recipes. No problem, big C. I enjoy experimenting with new recipes. Anyway, we agreed that we would have another dinner party soon. Our friend Kim agreed to host it at his place and we would probably consider a Jamie Oliver themed party... All this happened because little C gave me a book "Cook with Jamie". What can I say, the best things in life are unexpected.