12 May
We often received junk mails, unsolicited advertisments, chain mails through our email. But once a while, these mails were worth reading and some even were worth keeping. This one was sent to me by my ex-boss. It was one of the many great pieces I have received through my emails.
The paradox of our time in history is that...
we have taller buildings but shorter tempers,
wider Freeways ,but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less,
we buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families,
more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees but less sense,
more knowledge, but less judgment,
more experts, yet more problems,
more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much,
spend too recklessly, laugh too little,
drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late,
get up too tired, read too little,
watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We've added years to life not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back,
but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We conquered outer space but not inner space.
We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less.
We plan more, but accomplish less.
We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information,
to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion,
big men and small character,
steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce,
fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers,
throwaway morality, one night! stands,
overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer,
to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window
and nothing in the stockroom.
A time when technology can bring this letter to you,
and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe,
because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you,
because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones,
but most of all, mean it.
A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
George Carlina
13.5.08
Food Therapy Again
Made my famous quiche again but this time I experiemented with mozzarella cheese, feta cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. The result - fabulous! It a 3-cheese (including the cheddar cheese already in there) quiche. Rich and very tasty. On top of that, the sun-dried tomatoes gave it a tinch of sourish taste.
My new discovery - 3-cheese sun-dried quiche
How to make kids take their greens?
Wrap the greens with some kind of cold cuts. This is asparagus wrapped in proscuitto. Asparagus, like all greens, contains no fat or cholesterol and a good source of dietary fiber. Proscuitto is basically the Italian way of calling ham. The saltiness from the proscuitto will be much diluted when eaten with the asparagus. (Sorry, forgot to take a pix of the grilled ones, they were snapped up fast)
I made this for the bar-b-q. Just grill till the greens are cooked, it would be ready for eating. At home, you could actually grill them in the oven or bake it. Nutritious and you get the kids to eat their greens
Made my famous quiche again but this time I experiemented with mozzarella cheese, feta cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. The result - fabulous! It a 3-cheese (including the cheddar cheese already in there) quiche. Rich and very tasty. On top of that, the sun-dried tomatoes gave it a tinch of sourish taste.
My new discovery - 3-cheese sun-dried quiche
How to make kids take their greens?
Wrap the greens with some kind of cold cuts. This is asparagus wrapped in proscuitto. Asparagus, like all greens, contains no fat or cholesterol and a good source of dietary fiber. Proscuitto is basically the Italian way of calling ham. The saltiness from the proscuitto will be much diluted when eaten with the asparagus. (Sorry, forgot to take a pix of the grilled ones, they were snapped up fast)
I made this for the bar-b-q. Just grill till the greens are cooked, it would be ready for eating. At home, you could actually grill them in the oven or bake it. Nutritious and you get the kids to eat their greens
Yard sales
With the weather getting warmer, there were many yard sales, what we termed as garage sales. Many people go for them. There were a couple of enterprising families who were selling hot dogs and sodas.
Selling things in front of their homes
We got some good buys too. Skate scooter for Kai and a bicycle for Ann. Both added up to only USD19. If we had bought them from the shop, it would have set us back by USD70.
With the weather getting warmer, there were many yard sales, what we termed as garage sales. Many people go for them. There were a couple of enterprising families who were selling hot dogs and sodas.
Selling things in front of their homes
We got some good buys too. Skate scooter for Kai and a bicycle for Ann. Both added up to only USD19. If we had bought them from the shop, it would have set us back by USD70.
10 May
It's Mother's Day!
Away from home, so there wasn't much celebrations. It was just 2 kids and 'hao hao nan ren'. But it was a most touching day. The kids did lots of art & craft in school days before and brought fresh potted flowers home.
All the gifts from the 3 dearest people in my life
This card was from Kai. He did it in school.
Kai isn't your usual 8-year-old boy. Yes, he possesses the usual traits of a young boy - playful, imaginative, creative, careless...but he has a brain beyond his age. He reads alot and he reads widely. He has an eye for small details and small creatures. He dares to speak up for those he cares. He is not expressive with his feelings but he feels alot for many things and people. He has a very sensitive spirit.
What was written in this card spoke alot about his feelings towards me, his mum. He is a child who always makes me cry - both the good and the bad. Looking at him, I knew staying at home was the the best decision I have made.
There was a Mother's Day tea at Ann's school. The kids sang songs for all the mums and grandmums and some dads
Ann, on the other hand, is the expressive one. She would climbed all over you and said sweet little things into your ears. She wanted to buy me a necklace for Mother's Day using MY money. Cute.
Simple buffet spread at Ann's school. Being here really helped me to see, one didn't need fanciful stuff to be happy. How many times, at lavish buffet, did we throw away precious food. Here, simple spread like this, was sufficient to feed a crowd
Amazing isn't it. Song presentation from mothers and child to all mothers. I hope you could experience this simplicity of life. Really, one never need elaborate costumes, perfect or near-perfect practices to sing songs to touch hearts.
Mother's Day dinner - home-made bar-b-q. Dear hubby did all the cooking. Simple but cooked with lots of love
It's Mother's Day!
Away from home, so there wasn't much celebrations. It was just 2 kids and 'hao hao nan ren'. But it was a most touching day. The kids did lots of art & craft in school days before and brought fresh potted flowers home.
All the gifts from the 3 dearest people in my life
This card was from Kai. He did it in school.
Kai isn't your usual 8-year-old boy. Yes, he possesses the usual traits of a young boy - playful, imaginative, creative, careless...but he has a brain beyond his age. He reads alot and he reads widely. He has an eye for small details and small creatures. He dares to speak up for those he cares. He is not expressive with his feelings but he feels alot for many things and people. He has a very sensitive spirit.
What was written in this card spoke alot about his feelings towards me, his mum. He is a child who always makes me cry - both the good and the bad. Looking at him, I knew staying at home was the the best decision I have made.
There was a Mother's Day tea at Ann's school. The kids sang songs for all the mums and grandmums and some dads
Ann, on the other hand, is the expressive one. She would climbed all over you and said sweet little things into your ears. She wanted to buy me a necklace for Mother's Day using MY money. Cute.
Simple buffet spread at Ann's school. Being here really helped me to see, one didn't need fanciful stuff to be happy. How many times, at lavish buffet, did we throw away precious food. Here, simple spread like this, was sufficient to feed a crowd
Amazing isn't it. Song presentation from mothers and child to all mothers. I hope you could experience this simplicity of life. Really, one never need elaborate costumes, perfect or near-perfect practices to sing songs to touch hearts.
Mother's Day dinner - home-made bar-b-q. Dear hubby did all the cooking. Simple but cooked with lots of love
6.5.08
Food glorious food!
Every now and then, hubby's colleagues from Singapore would come over for meetings. When they were coming, we would asked them to bring over Prima Deli Premix. Finally, something spicy and hot from SINGAPORE. Oh...so heavenly.
No Singapore chilli crab, nevermind. We have chilli mussels
Curry chicken, yum.....mi
We finally found a very authentic Chinese restaurant. This reminded us of our very own 'chilli-harm' from those 'zhi-cha' stall
This was not from premix. My very own steam Hainanese chicken. Reminded me of home
Using pita bread, I made thin and crispy pizza. The kids just loved them
Every now and then, hubby's colleagues from Singapore would come over for meetings. When they were coming, we would asked them to bring over Prima Deli Premix. Finally, something spicy and hot from SINGAPORE. Oh...so heavenly.
No Singapore chilli crab, nevermind. We have chilli mussels
Curry chicken, yum.....mi
We finally found a very authentic Chinese restaurant. This reminded us of our very own 'chilli-harm' from those 'zhi-cha' stall
This was not from premix. My very own steam Hainanese chicken. Reminded me of home
Using pita bread, I made thin and crispy pizza. The kids just loved them
Crabby car? Who cares?
Hubby and I finally bought our very first car....for USD2800. The company only gave us one car but we NEEDED two. As mentioned, you could go no where without a car. Hubby needed a car everyday to go to work, I needed one to send Ann to and fro from school. So, quite unwillingly, we decided to buy one.
It's a Mazada!
You could never, I mean never imagine that even a car, God also provided the best. Everyone told us that this was a good deal.
If you have sharp eyes, you could see the dent. But as long as it brought us from A to B, it would have achieved its purpose.
Hubby and I finally bought our very first car....for USD2800. The company only gave us one car but we NEEDED two. As mentioned, you could go no where without a car. Hubby needed a car everyday to go to work, I needed one to send Ann to and fro from school. So, quite unwillingly, we decided to buy one.
It's a Mazada!
You could never, I mean never imagine that even a car, God also provided the best. Everyone told us that this was a good deal.
If you have sharp eyes, you could see the dent. But as long as it brought us from A to B, it would have achieved its purpose.
4 May
Today Pastor announced that the roof repair would start next Wed 14 May and end on Sat 17 May. They have already formed a team of volunteers who would bring down the roof and start the repair. It was amazing that such a huge repair like this, they would have to undertake it themselves. Back in Singapore, we would have called in the experts.
Todate, we have raised USD2500. We greatly appreciated all the friends who have chipped in. We hoped to give them up all that they needed..."naked have I come, naked will I go".
I hope I can capture some pictures of them in action, so that you can also witness the kind of love they have towards their church, so ever willing to give whatever they have to ensure the church building stood firm.
Today Pastor announced that the roof repair would start next Wed 14 May and end on Sat 17 May. They have already formed a team of volunteers who would bring down the roof and start the repair. It was amazing that such a huge repair like this, they would have to undertake it themselves. Back in Singapore, we would have called in the experts.
Todate, we have raised USD2500. We greatly appreciated all the friends who have chipped in. We hoped to give them up all that they needed..."naked have I come, naked will I go".
I hope I can capture some pictures of them in action, so that you can also witness the kind of love they have towards their church, so ever willing to give whatever they have to ensure the church building stood firm.
1.5.08
The power of prayer
Thought I would share this wonderful story which my sister emailed me.
A missionary told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan.
'While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a 2 day journey and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine, and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, One of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord. I then travelled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident....
Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines.
He said, 'Some friends and I followed you in to the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, We saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.
At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said,
'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards, my friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.'
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and Interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story:
'On the night of your incident in Africa , it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?'
The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26.
This story is an incredible example of how The Spirit of the Lord moves on behalf of those who love Him. If you ever hear such prodding, go along with it. Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell.
If we all take it to heart, We can turn this world toward God once again. As the above true story clearly illustrates, 'With God all things are possible'. More importantly, how God hears and answers the prayers of the faithful.
Who says God does not move on the earth today? I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for you today. To guide you and protect you as you go along your way. His love is always with you, His promises are true, and when we give Him our cares you know He will see us through. So when the road you're traveling on seems difficult, at best, Just remember I'm here praying for you, and God will do the rest.
Thought I would share this wonderful story which my sister emailed me.
A missionary told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan.
'While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a 2 day journey and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine, and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, One of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord. I then travelled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident....
Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines.
He said, 'Some friends and I followed you in to the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, We saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.
At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said,
'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards, my friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone.'
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and Interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story:
'On the night of your incident in Africa , it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?'
The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26.
This story is an incredible example of how The Spirit of the Lord moves on behalf of those who love Him. If you ever hear such prodding, go along with it. Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell.
If we all take it to heart, We can turn this world toward God once again. As the above true story clearly illustrates, 'With God all things are possible'. More importantly, how God hears and answers the prayers of the faithful.
Who says God does not move on the earth today? I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for you today. To guide you and protect you as you go along your way. His love is always with you, His promises are true, and when we give Him our cares you know He will see us through. So when the road you're traveling on seems difficult, at best, Just remember I'm here praying for you, and God will do the rest.
1 May
Back home, today would be a public holiday. In US, it's work as per normal.
Everytime, we worried about our kids whether they could adjust to a new school, new teacher, new friends, new environment. But they have proved to us that they are the most resilient, fiercely independent ones. Well, Kai & Ann have proven me to be so.
They have such a free spirit. They loved outdoor, they loved open space. Back home, playground was just downstairs. With the kind of weather, you could just bring them down to play anytime. Here, you have to watch the weather. Would it be warm and nice to go to the playground and playground was not just downstairs. It would take about 10 mins to walk there. We tried to go a few times but before we reached the hill, it would be too cold to carry on. Finally....we made it. So, thank God and thank God for all that you have.
The playground in the background. The kids just couldn't wait cos' they have waited so long to go there
Push us, mummy
Weeeee....
Play - the thing that could turn strangers to friends
All good and fun times must end but we'll be back
Back home, today would be a public holiday. In US, it's work as per normal.
Everytime, we worried about our kids whether they could adjust to a new school, new teacher, new friends, new environment. But they have proved to us that they are the most resilient, fiercely independent ones. Well, Kai & Ann have proven me to be so.
They have such a free spirit. They loved outdoor, they loved open space. Back home, playground was just downstairs. With the kind of weather, you could just bring them down to play anytime. Here, you have to watch the weather. Would it be warm and nice to go to the playground and playground was not just downstairs. It would take about 10 mins to walk there. We tried to go a few times but before we reached the hill, it would be too cold to carry on. Finally....we made it. So, thank God and thank God for all that you have.
The playground in the background. The kids just couldn't wait cos' they have waited so long to go there
Push us, mummy
Weeeee....
Play - the thing that could turn strangers to friends
All good and fun times must end but we'll be back
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