Stop complaining & start living

If you go to any Jusco in Malaysia, you'd find this customer suggestion board. Anyone is welcome to comment about the mall. Some will be displayed on this board.

Sometimes I got curious and I would stop and read the comments. Most of them were complaints. There are so many things to complain about - impolite promoters, insufficient parking lots, lack of tissues in the toilets, poor customer services etc.

Indeed, if you really wanna complain, there are so many things to complain about, because this is an imperfect world. And frequently we complain about the trivial things that are of little importance, that will not affect us very much even if they don't get fixed (such as lack of tissues in public toilets - use your own tissues then).

I used to complain a lot. I must have been such an annoying person to those around me. After I got married with Pr.WS, I have made it my life goal that I'll complain less. I want to start living my life positively. Complaining only makes one's heart more and more bitter. I'm learning to accept the imperfection of the world, and in doing so, I'm looking forward more to the perfect world to come.

So, stop complaining and start living!

No regrets!

Yesterday was my 29th birthday. 29 good years! :-)

The most meaningful part of my life started when I was 21 years old - that's the time when I met Pr.WS again during college. Now it's already 8 years!

Looking back at my short 29 years, I could proudly say this,

"I have no regrets in my life!"

I pray that I'm also able to say this 10, 20, 30 years later. :-)

Another good year :)

It's another year. Today is my birthday!

I'm going to celebrate with Pr.WS!

YoHooOOoOooOO~~~~

2 months without antihistamines!

I started taking antihistamines since January 2012. Almost every evening rashes would appear all over my body. 2 months ago I got fed up and experimented to find out what types of food are causing me urticaria.

I discovered the culprits - it's chicken & beef! Weirdly, Australian beef didn't cause any rashes. I guess I'm allergic not to the meat itself, but the hormones and antibiotics that are found in the feeds of industrial farmed animals. Now I totally avoid eating chicken & beef. Fish doesn't cause rashes in me, but I also try not to eat so much.

Since I started my new diet, I'm off antihismines! Now, the smell of chicken, especially fried chicken, which used to trigger my appetite, gave me shudders. The itchiness is too miserable that I dare not put any piece of meat into my mouth anymore.

Nowadays I'm very careful with eating - before I ordered any food, I'd check whether it contains chicken/beef, or whether the soup is made from chicken/beef stock. Whenever possible I'll go for vegetarian. (I still eat a little fish; I'm not a vegetarian!)

I'm so glad that I found the cause of my allergy. I still have rashes everyday, but they are no longer a bother compared with those before. At least they don't spread all over my body anymore! :-)

The heart of a car

Mazda car engine, saw this during its promotion at one of the shopping malls. My first time seeing an engine (sorry for my ignorance)!

Side view

The other side of the engine

Pr. WS looking...

I was very curious about this big chunk of metal. I asked Pr.WS lots of questions about the engine (he studied mechanical engineer before). He explained to me how it works, why is it necessary to change engine oil on time, what does "overhauling" mean, what are pistons, piston pins and rings, timing chain etc.

How did Pr.WS get to know about cars? He studied mechanical engineering, not automotive engineering. Right after he graduated (before he went to theological seminary), he worked in a factory that manufactured car engine parts. That's where he learned about all these.

Rarely do we have a chance to look at an engine (unless you are an automotive mechanic). In addition usually an engine is black with oil and dirty. This piece for display is so clean and shiny.

It's wonderful to have a husband who studied mechanical engineering before! :-)

Wanted: A Good Pastor

This little book has been used for discussion in Klang Valley pastors' care group. A wonderful book for pastor!

If you are a pastor, got and get this book. Read it & it's very useful!

Happy Sabbath!

I don't believe in Feng Shui

I don't believe in Feng Shui. Actually not only Feng Shui. I don't read anything related to astrology in the newspapers or magazines. I know my Chinese zodiac sign, but I don't know whether this year is a good year for me. And it's only recently that I discovered Pr.WS' Western zodiac sign (I'm not sure whether his and mine are a good match, but we have been happily married for almost 5 years).

I do read about the history of astrology, but not astrology itself. I don't want to know what's going to happen to me within this week. I don't want anyone to read my future.

I don't believe in astrology, because I don't believe that the movements of planets or positions of furniture will affect your fate. I don't believe that your birthday determine your future (unless you are born in a war-torn areas). I don't believe that doing certain things at certain times of the year will bring you promotion at work.

Superstitions, for me, are just another excuse for escapism - instead of finding out the root of the problems, something else is blamed.

If I'm having problem at work, it's not because there's an extra stroke in my name, or there's a lack of cosmic energy at my house, it's most likely because of my attitude.

If I'm having problem in relationship, rearranging furnitures at home or adding a crystal lamp near the door will not help unless I change yourself.

It's easy to blame others, especially objects that can't speak, because they won't protest. Blaming others means not taking up responsibility for yourself, and frequently many mistakes in life are neglected.

I don't believe in Feng Shui, because I believe that I need to be responsible for my own decisions. :-)

Edible PhD

PhD doesn't always stand for Doctor in Philosophy... :-)

Toy egg

Just happened to pass by these while walking in a shopping mall. Love them when I was still a little kid!

Just insert a coin, then turn the knob, and a plastic egg will roll out. Pr. WS just went to one of the machines and turn the knob. To our surprise, it turned, even though we didn't insert any coin!

And we got this egg! 

After assembling the toy... 

Is this Power Ranger?

Where's the C?

Hospital Week

Went to the hospital a few times this week. My first ever hospital visitation since moving to KL.

When I was in Ipoh, I'd been to all the hospitals in the area. Many members of Ipoh English Church were old so hospital visitations were not uncommon. Most were related to sickness, and some ended up with death.

For this week, my first hospital visitation was for the newborn Baby Grace. I enjoy visiting the maternity ward - it's the most joyful place in the hospital!

The second one was for a brother from DAHC who got injured while playing futsal and needed to have a hand surgery. It was successful and he'd probably be discharged tomorrow.

This has been a good week - a newborn baby & a successful surgery! Thank God!

Happy Sabbath!

Baby Grace

The newest addition to Damansara Adventist Hope Center...

Welcome to the world, Baby Grace, daughter of Jayce & Hui Min!

Mummy's hand & baby's feet

7 month vs. 1 day

May God bless Baby Grace abundantly!

May she grow up in the love of Jesus Christ!

We love you Baby Grace! Muaks muaks***

A huge pill

Saw this while visiting a church member in the hospital yesterday. Must be an pharmaceutical company advertisement.

I like that phrase - Everyone is Important. And the one at the bottom - Prescribing the promise.

I have an aversion to taking pills. When I have fever, I'd rather let it run its course than to take paracetemol. So of course I don't believe that this C x P company is going to prescribe any promise for me. But I really like the 2 phrases.

In the Kingdom of God, everyone is important. And who can prescribe the promise of eternal life? Only Jesus Christ!

Encountering death

I first encountered death when I was still a kid, around 5 or 6 years old (My near death experience happened last year).

A housefly was flying feebly before me. Usually I'd chase it away. However, that particular fly was really slow so I waited for its next movement. It descended on top of a table and rested. I flickered my fingers in front of it to surprise it but it only moved a little instead of buzzing away quickly.

I was observing it for a long time (didn't know how long, probably just a while but for a small kid it's a long time). It was not moving. The color of its red eyes was slowly fading, like lamps being dimmed. Then they turned grey and the housefly was dead.

So this is death, huh? I asked myself. When something is not moving anymore it's dead?

At that time I was staying with my grandma. When she was taking a nap, I would go near her and watch her. I remembered asking myself, "She seems to be dead. She's not moving. No, no, she's breathing, her chest is moving! She's not dead!" I'd feel very relieved after finding out that my grandma was still alive.

Many years later she passed away. I was 16 years old. Again I went near her and watch her. She was lying in a coffin with glass covering. She looked younger with makeup. She seemed to be smiling in her dream. But there's no more movement, not even a flutter of eyelashes. This time she was really dead. But I was very relieved too, because this was the end of her suffering, the end of her sorrow.

Since then I've always been curious about death. I even dreamed of becoming a forensic doctor (dead patients don't complain like the living ones). I actually thanked God for giving me an "opportunity" last year to experience near death when I had anaphylaxis shock.

For many Chinese death is a taboo. I'm glad that I'm a Christian; I could talk about death freely, without fear (like writing this post). As Christians we can even joke about death. During Christian funeral we mourn, but we also sing, because we know that there's hope in the future. Death is only a temporary separation. One day we will have a great reunion when Jesus Christ comes again to bring us back to our heavenly home.

When the perishable has been clothes with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory?
     Where, O death, is your sting?"

- 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

Lunch at Organic Fresh Mart, SS18

A lunch I had recently with a family from Ipoh Chinese Church, at Organic Fresh Mart, SS18. It's a vegetarian organic shop + restaurant. I've been looking for this type of restaurant since I came to Kuala Lumpur. I really don't mind spending a little bit more $$ on healthy food. I love organic food. When I was in Ipoh. Pr.WS & I used to cater our dinner at a vegetarian organic restaurant operated by one of the church members. I missed especially the fragrant and chewy brown rice!

Green bean + sweet potato soup. Yummy!

Rojak with vegetarian shrimp paste. Rarely had rojak because of the shrimp paste. The last time I had vegetarian rojak was last year, when I was still in Ipoh. I'm happy to have it again!

Vegetable sushi. Tasted like spring roll too because of the white wrapping.

Vegetarian Bak Kut Teh [meat bone tea in Hokkien, a Chinese dialect]. The non-vegetarian version is made from pork and herbs.

Mamak fried rice

Singaporean fried meehoon

Soup noodle

Fried vegetarian squid

Seaweed Rice. That's brown rice! :-)

As you can see from the pictures, most dishes have lots of fresh vegetable. I love veggie, and it's a delight to look at the colorful dishes!

Thanks a lot for bringing us to this restaurant (you know who you are!). Will definitely visit this place again!

There is Power in the Blood - Selah

One of my favorite hymns, by Selah. There's power in the blood to cleanse away our sins!



Would you be free from your burden of sin?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood
Would you o'er evil the victory win?
There's wonderful power in the blood

Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood
Sin stains are lost in its life-giving flow
There's wonderful power in the blood
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb

Would you do service for Jesus your King?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood
Would you live daily His praises to sing?
There's wonderful power in the blood

There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb

Lord, how we need Your power
Every day and every hour
Lord, how we need Your power
Every day and every hour

Lord how we need Your
Power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb
Power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb

A notice I saw

A notice that was found in the lift of an apartment. Apparaently the author was quite mad with the litter around the compound.

Kinda discriminating - are "low low cost apartment" always dirty?

How about "high high cost apartment"? Are they always clean?

A 50+ years old fan

A 50+ years old fan that is still working!

Long long time ago, things were made to last.
Nowadays, things were made to throw away. The reason being economical - If things last forever, how can the economics survive? Who would buy new things? Who would invent new things for others to buy?

Chocolate fountain

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a never drying chocolate fountain at home?

Love the smell of chocolate! :-)

The many faces of Mickey Mouse

Happened to be in a Mickey Mouse history fair in Midvalley, KL. Mickey Mouse was born on 1928!

Different Mickey Mouse painted by students from various colleges around KL...

Shinning!

Acy Mickey

White Wonder

Angel and Devil Mickey

Picasso Mickey

Roman Era Mickey

Stone Age Mickey

Halloween

Lolly Pop?

Starry!

Mysterious Clown Mickey

I'm not really a big fan of Mickey Mouse. However, it seems like when I first had my childhood memory, Mickey Mouse was already there. It's a cartoon character that every child recognizes.

Do you like Mickey Mouse? :-)

Arise - The Washington Brazilian Youth Choir

When the energy of young people is put into good use, how many good things can be produced?

Like this wonderful song...



When it's used by Satan, there's gang fight, drug abuse, rebellions against parents... I was thinking about the young men who were involved in gang fight 2 days ago. If their energy is used by God, instead of gang fight, we'd have more young people contributing to the community.

Let's pray for the young people around us!