Purple Coco's Musings

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T20:47:00.003+08:00

A New Year's Day Poem By Charles Moir

O Thou whose glory fills the heavens,

Whose bounty clothes the earth,

To Thee a poem of thanks we raise

For blessings from our birth.

For that untiring love Thou dost,

From day to day renew,

O may it on our hearts descend

Like heaven-distilled dew.

For mercy great, unending still,

Which gave up to the grave

Thine only Son, the Sinless One,

Our sinful souls to save.

While entering on another year

Our cares on Thee we cast,

Beseeching aid in days to come

Which cheered us through the past.

That still the freedom may be ours

To kneel down in Thy sight,

And worship Thee at shut of day,

And in the morning light.

That from temptation's fatal paths

Thou turn our steps away;

And keep us from unholy thoughts

That lead the mind astray.

No more may lust of worldly wealth

Command thoughts that are thine;

Nor may we envy other's lot,

Or at our own repine.

Than all the riches earth can boast

Or gems beneath the sea,

We know the pious, humble heart,

More precious is to Thee.

How needful, then, to train our thoughts,

And fan the heavenly flame

Of faith, in the believing heart,

Triumphing o'er sin and shame

And holding by the Word, thou hast

For grace and guidance given,

Pass trough this world in holy fear,

True candidates for heaven.

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T21:29:00.007+08:00

Christmas is the celebration of the keeping of a promise...the promise that He would someday walk with us, that we might be His people and He our God... A saving promise. ~Michael Card~

My wish to each and everyone this festive season is ... May your Christmas be merry, joyful and filled with love. Let us not forget that the reason for the season is Jesus Christ, Our Saviour.

My Quilting Buddies

2011-08-07T17:28:00.007+08:00

A friend is like a shade tree

Beside a summer way.

A friend is like the sunshine

That makes a perfect day.

A friend is like a flower

That's worn close to the heart.

A friend is a treasure

With which one will not part.

Quick Marriages Among Young Muslim Couples in Malaysia Up Divorce Rate

2011-01-13T17:02:00.000+08:00

Media reports indicate that the divorce rate in Malaysia is increasing, and one of the contributing factors has been put down to quickie marriages among young Muslim couples. According to statistics, about 50 percent of registered marriages in the state of Sarawak ended up in divorce.Read more: Quick Marriages Among Young Muslim Couples in Malaysia Up Divorce Rate

Auld Lang Syne...Welcoming Year 2011

2011-01-01T19:44:00.005+08:00

Glory to God in highest heaven,

Who unto man His Son hath given;

While angels sing with tender mirth,

A glad new year to all the earth. ~ Martin Luther.

Wishing Everyone Happy New Year 2011.

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-03T12:55:00.008+08:00

Sorry that I have been so long in posting but life seems to be getting in the way. I've been busy at home front looking after my grand children (as always) when they come over to stay at my house. There's also the youngest of them all that I basically take full time caring for when his dad is on a duty roster of 4 weeks offshore and 2 weeks onshore.

Quilting has also kept me busy for the whole year through! My group had made 3 appliqué wall hangings, that is, Bookshelf, Fruit Basket, Sun Bonnet Sue and 1 sampler blocks wall hanging. We were all very pleased with our success and looking forward to continue our sewing meet some time before year end or probably in the New Year 2011.

And it was only just for the last 3 weeks or so that we have not met or worked on our projects because everyone is busy with their own self. There’s the SPM and STPM examination that some of our children have to sit for and the school holiday has just started so this is the right time of the year to take a short holiday break with the family.

The only thing that didn't go well with my quilting was that my new sewing machine gave up on me. It broke down before I actually get to fully utilised it. So, I am going to send it back to the vendor in NZ and get a new replacement since the warranty is still valid.

At this moment of time, it boggles even my mind how I have to juggle the time between my career and my home routine, basically. As I get older it actually gets harder and harder to keep in pace with managing the house works, the family and my own private life!

Now with the festive season just round the corner, what have I done so far? The house is still in a mess; kids’ toys laying everywhere, books and pencils, empty milk bottles and drink cartons left on top of tables and chairs and these are the mess at “floor level”. Looking up at “ceiling level” there’s teeny-weeny little spiders happily expanding their over-hanging houses! I got to move them out of my house, that’s for sure!

Well, what the heck! As I looked longer at the mess my grandkids made, I said “Ah! Never mind that. After all the kids are happy and no one complained." And that’s the best part of it. LOL!

That said, I think I’m surely going to be pretty busy sorting out and cleaning up the mess later on and I have no idea how I’m going to get started. I’ll leave that wishful thinking to later. It’s still 3 weeks to Christmas Day so hopefully as the days near I might be lucky to have my sisters helping me with my Christmas preparations LOL! After all, theirs is already all preened and shined since November 2010!!

Well, before the closing of the year I just want to thank you all for reading my blog over the past years although you may be disappointed by finding that my blogs have not progress much. It still means so much to me, especially I know that you supported me virtually and I feel blessed.

Life is good and I wish it will stay that way always.

Here’s wishing you and your family a very Happy Christmas 2010 blessed with good health, happiness and everything nice.

Do Everything Without Complaining

2010-05-12T12:29:00.002+08:00

Blaming others for the pain we feel each time someone fails to live up to our expectations is no different than burning our tongue on coffee that's too hot to swallow, and then calling our cup an idiot!

~ Do everything without complaining.. ~ Philippians 2:14

Prayer to The Shoulder Wound of Christ

2010-04-03T10:45:00.005+08:00

O Loving Jesus, Meek Lamb of God,

I miserable sinner, salute and worship the most Sacred Wound of Thy Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross,

which so tore Thy flesh and laid bare Thy bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound of Thy Most Blessed Body.

I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful;

I praise and glorify Thee,

and give Thee thanks for the most sacred and painful Wound,

beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain, and by the crushing burden of Thy heavy Cross to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and venial sins, and to lead me on towards Heaven along the Way of Thy Cross. Amen.

Imprimatur: Thomas D. Beven (Bishop of Sprinfield).

It is related in the annals of Clairvaux that St. Bernard asked our Lord which was His greatest unrecorded suffering, and Our Lord answered: "I had My Shoulder,which I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a grievious Wound, which was more painful than the others, which is not recorded by men. Honor this wound with thy dev0tion, I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost ask through its virtue and merit. And in regard to all those who shall venerate this Wound, I will remit to them all their venial sins, and will no longer remember their mortal sins".

~O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trustieth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints; for there is no want to them that fear them. ~ Psalm 34, 8-9

Listening Laughing Loving

2010-03-20T21:30:00.000+08:00

I know I have not been posting much, however I had been reading friends’ blog on a regular basis. I miss writing in my own blogs, but alas, I just couldn't set aside enough time for doing just that.

In the meantime, here's a simple poet I came across from the Internet and I dedicate this poem with glad feelings to everyone!

Each day we struggle to keep up with our daily lives,

We have families and jobs and responsibilities we must stay on top of,

People depend on us.

There are "things that need to get done".

BUT WAIT!

Stop. Take a breath.

And just old one one darn second!

In the moment of time it will take you to read this, you could:

Send an email to friend you haven't had time to catch up with;

Make a phone call just to say, "I love you!"

"I hope you have a wonderful day!".

Hug that precious "baby".

Say a prayer of thanks for all you have.

Give yourself a pat on the back in appreciation for all YOU do.

Maybe we don't always remember to take a minute for the "little things".

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

Life is short, and the lawn will continue to grow well after we're no longer around to mow it.

There will always be bills to pay, mouths to feed, laundry, windows and cars to wash.

Those that care about us won't sit around "the old camp fire" and reminisce about ability to multi-task better than the rest or our taskmaster greatness.

Hopefully they will remember us by the time we spent:

Listening, Laughing and Loving.

Wishing all is well with whatever you are doing now and I wish myself a "not too busy days" to come!

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you". Psalm 55:22 NKJV

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-01T21:01:00.004+08:00

Wishing all my dear friends far and near

A Happy New Year 2010!

Let's welcome the new year Peace in Your Heart, Health in Your Body, Wealth in Your Life, Joy in Your Home and Hope in Everything Beautiful.

~Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also rest in hope.~ Psalm 16:9

TGIF

2009-09-25T12:36:00.002+08:00

Hurray! It's Friday! So dear girlfriends out there, what's plan? Let's rock to country music at the same ole' boring yet outrageous pub... The O O ???

LOL! Sorry Girlfriends... I'm taking a break from consuming too much "booze" this week and instead drown myself in the world of my grandkids and family! Wishing you have an enjoyable and fun weekends. Get wild, however be good. :)

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri 2009

2009-09-22T13:09:00.001+08:00

Wishing All My Muslim Friends Wherever You May Be..

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Ma'af Zahir dan Batin

Who Belongs In Your Life?

2009-08-13T19:43:00.003+08:00

“Where you go I will go.” Ruth 1:16 NIV

Ruth told Naomi, “Where you go I will go”.

You can spend your life anywhere with anybody doing anything, then suddenly meet someone and sense that there is a connection between you. In my case, it’s the opposite.

Sometimes in life it is a tough decision to let go of someone or something that is so precious and has been with you all the days of your life.

However, I got to say goodbye and watch a piece of me leaving. Now his leaving didn’t make him a bad person; it just meant his part in the story was over. No matter how much I plead, this person has to go. I’ve got to learn to recognise when somebody’s part in my story is over, otherwise I’ll just keep trying to raise the dead.

Acknowledge when something is over. If God means you to have it, He’ll give it to you. If you’ve tried to make it work and it hasn’t, accept His will in the matter.

Yes, I got to get up, go for a walk, buy myself a new outfit, treat myself to a good meal; start living again! I can never beg for anyone to stay with me against his or her will. Their leaving is no accident; it just means God has something better in store for me (and possibly them too), so I trust Him and I’m moving on.

“You gain through your pain.” Another chapter of my life has just begun.

Daily Bread

2009-08-04T21:51:00.000+08:00

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15 : 5 - 6.

Fiftieth Milestone Happy Birthday Poem

2009-05-28T23:03:00.010+08:00

It's my birthday today and I am choosing a poem to greet me on this beautiful birth day.

The Sunlight Is as Passionate as Flowers

The sunlight is as passionate as flowers, bordering the sidewalk of a song.

Clouds shape its golden apertures for hours, shifting with each breeze that comes along.

The day becomes a mustard-colored sunbeam falling through the window of your smile.

Mystical sensations, headed downstream, sit upon your windowsill awhile.

How beautifully the choir of the mountains sings to its rapt audience of blue!

As dancing down a corridor of fountains, we toss in coins and make this wish for you:

Long may you love the loveliness of Earth and celebrate with joy your day of birth.

"What I do today is important because I'm exchanging a day of my life for it."

~So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.~ Psalm 90:12

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T23:48:00.004+08:00

Here's a poem I especially dedicate to my dear Mother.

Sexy Comments & Profile Graphics

I want to thank you Mother,
For your patience,
Your encouragement,
Your strength,
Your generosity,
Your unswerving love,
And for those six little words that help me through so many trying times,
…”because I said so, that’s why”…
Wishing you all the love and happiness you so richly deserve!

Happy Mother’s Day

"A man's work is from sun to sun, but a mother's work is never done." - Author Unknown

LAT

2009-04-19T12:13:00.004+08:00

Who is the cartoonist you like best? I’ve always enjoyed The Peanuts comics written by cartoonist Charlie Brown from my early teenage years until today. The contents are very much “facts of life” and the different behavioral of each characters always bring smiles and laughter to me.I’m also a fan our very own Malaysia’s famous cartoonist, LAT. Have you heard of him or came across his comic books? Well, his real name is Datuk Mohammed Nor Khalid, better known as LAT. Now, LAT also talks about “facts of life” and his Kampung Boy comics spice up my life. :)When the sales of his first comic hit the market, I was one of those “crazy” groups of young adults who would spend “extravagantly” just so I possessed a copy for keepsakes! I prefer those strips written in English to that in Bahasa Malaysia. However, my children enjoy the Bahasa Malaysia versions, thus we have 2 of each kinds. Nowadays there is no need to go for hardcover copies since you can easily read his articles from the Internet.If you are interested to know more about our “Kampung Boy”, here is the link. Happy surfing and hopefully the content and moral of the story enhance your already beautiful life.Thank you LAT for you!

Happy Easter 2009

2009-04-12T16:29:00.003+08:00

Wishing everyone Happy Easter. Here's sharing with you an extract of a sermon about the message of Easter.

" On this greatest day of the year, all fasting and somber thoughts are banished. As St. John Chrysostom announces in this famous Easter sermon, all are invited to the feast: "Let all then enter the joy of Our Lord!Both the first and the last, and those who come after, enjoy your reward!Rich and poor, dance with one another, sober and slothful, celebrate the day.Those who have kept the fast and those who have not, rejoice today, for the table is richly spread.Fare royally upon it-the calf is a fatted one.Let no one go away hungry.All of you, enjoy the banquet of faith!All enjoy the riches of His goodness.Let no one cry over his poverty, for the universal Kingdom has appeared!Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again, for forgiveness has risen from the grave.Let none fear death, for the death of our Savior has set us free.He has destroyed it by enduring it.He spoiled the power of hell when he descended thereto.Isaiah foretold this when he cried, 'Death has been frustrated in meeting him below!'It is frustrated, for it is destroyed.It is frustrated, for it is annihilated.It is frustrated, for now it is made captive.For it grabbed a body and discovered God.It took earth and behold! It encountered Heaven.It took what was visible, and was overcome by what was invisible.O Death, where is your sting?O Death, where is your victory?Christ is risen, and the demons are cast down.Christ is risen, and life is set free.Christ is risen, and the tomb is emptied of the dead.For Christ, having risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits for those who sleep.to Him be glory and power forever and ever!Amen. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!"
Be Transformed by Easter
Source: Catholic.org

Glitz At 50

2009-04-02T16:46:00.006+08:00

There’s no need to suffer those “Eek! I’m getting older” birthday blues. Sure you’re a year older, but you’ll soon discover your life is getting better.

This year in May, I’m in for a birthday treat! This month will be a month of important milestones, as I will be turning 50 years old and also I may have some storms to weather. There’s my youngest son’s rocky marriage to give a thought about and of course the economy downturn.

Well, with these changes I won’t want to think negative but as life progresses, I’ll learn their value. The best way to handle everything is to relax and view whatever happens as destiny working on one’s behalf!

So, I’m going to forget about keeping to my usual routine. It’s time to free myself of guilt and live for the moment – each day as it comes. Life is short so better head off to the shops, pamper myself, buy myself a fantastic birthday present and have enjoyable and quality time with close friends and family members. After all, I’ve worked hard and I deserve it!

Happy Chinese Lunar Year of the Ox

2009-01-21T10:46:00.003+08:00

Wishing you a Prosperous and Happy Chinese New Year

A Farewell

2009-01-09T09:48:00.015+08:00

Fare Thee Well Dear Friend

Tonight I will bade my long-time colleague-cum-friend a “farewell”. I know it will be a sad and sentimental moment of my life to see her go after more than 30 years working and playing together.

I started my career in 1978 joining the department she was in and since then we have been together, basically. In 1990 I was seconded to another oil and gas company called Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, Lutong and was there for about 4 years. Then in 1996 during the recession year, both of us were assigned to a different department for about 5 years (I think.. sorry Yian Ching my memory bank koyak already!!) and thereafter back to the same department again!

(One of our photos taken together: Seated in front is me) L-R: Sung Wah, Yian Ching, Iris Lai and Christian Chung Fhui Khen)

We’ve seen our children grown and with me having grandchildren. We’ve been through the trials and tribulation together in our career life, however we worked on remembering the good and quality times instead of the opposite. And yes! How time flies and the next thing we know, its time to say “goodbye’.

I guess it is going to be a relief for her to at last let go of her career tasks and enjoy the freedom of doing something different as she retires. I hope she enjoy her new life!

To you my dear friend, I wish you God’s endless blessings, all the best in your every undertakings and I hope you have a perfect day always.

Happy New Year 2009

2009-01-01T11:49:00.006+08:00

Wishing everyone a Happy and Blessed New Year!

~ God is the Beginning - not just the staring point, but the source of all things.~

Marilyn M. Morgan

If we celebrate the years behind us they become stepping stones of strength and joy for the years ahead.

Merry Christmas 2008

2008-12-28T11:51:00.006+08:00

The Spirit of Christmas

Author Unknown

I have a list of people I know

All written in a book

And every year at Christmastime

I go and take a look

And that is when I realise

That those names are a part

Not of the book they're written in

But of my very heart

For each name stands for someone

Who has crossed my path some time

And in that meeting they've become

A treasured friend of mine

And once you've met some people

The years can not erase

The memory of a pleasant word

Or a friendly face

So when I send a Christmas card

That is addressed to you

It's because you're on that list

Of folk I'm indebted to

And you are one of many folk who

In times past I've met

And happen to be one of those

I don't want to forget

And whether I have known you for

Many years or few

In some way you have a part in

Shaping things I do

This, the spirit of Christmas, that

Forever and ever endures

May it leave it richest blessing

In the hearts of you and yours.

Do You Want a Relationship with God?

2008-08-05T11:48:00.002+08:00

Do you want a relationship with God? As for me, yes, I always want a relationship with God. Every single moment in my life, I seek God and want Him to always stay in my life. I strive every day to reach out to Him.

Here is an extract of a beautiful prayer, which I want to share with fellow Christians to have a relationship with God.

Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that you took the pain of the cross to give me new life. I ask you to come into my life and to give me your peace and joy. I confess that I am a sinner -- that I have gone my own way and have done wrong. Please forgive me for my sins. I receive you now as my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Help me to follow you and to serve you all my life. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Go Ahead and Waste Your Time

2008-06-18T23:46:00.003+08:00

Since a couple of weeks I have not been very productive at work. While working on my desktop computer I would be nodding away and gotten sleepy or at times just staring at the screen and day dream!

I have been very disoriented and disorganized. I think it’s because I am having too many multi-tasks to do everyday. There's the grandkids to baby-sit, the workload at home and in the office and countless errands to handle. I don’t get enough sleep and in the morning I would be caught dozing away and day dreaming. Just couldn't help it at times. Sorry Boss!

Well, there are hidden benefits of all that avoiding, procrastinating and dithering. I read an article about the good news about wasting your time.

Day-Dreaming

Day-dreaming might feel like the ultimate waste of time, but it’s just the opposite. Recent research from Dartmouth college suggests that during day-dreaming, your brain may actually be processing important issues that aren’t relevant at that immediate moment – anything from strategizing about tonight’s dinner to wondering about your child’s mysterious bug bite. So forgive yourself for spacing out during that boring meeting: though you may not even be aware of it, you’ve got other things in your mind.

Napping

Napping does a mind and body good. A 15 to 20 minutes snooze can make you more alert and energized, and improve your stamina, and longer naps can even help you learn and retain information better, according to researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. That’s all the excuse you need to rest those drooping eyelids for a minute.

Well, it's okay to feel lousy at times... just go ahead and waste your time....

Baju Kebaya

2008-06-18T12:46:00.000+08:00

Sometime not too long ago (sorry, I forget the actual date) an expatriate lady colleague suggested we ladies wear the traditional baju kebaya to work. She had just bought for herself a beautiful red kebaya from another colleague who did the sales for her friend from Kuching City. Initially, most of us who have the baju kebaya, agree to wear the outfit, however on the day itself, two of our ladies forgot about the plan! Alas! Too bad!

So it turned out to be only four people wearing the kebaya that day. Here is a picture of the pretty ladies in kebaya!

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-15T07:46:00.001+08:00

Wishing all fathers a Happy Father's Day.

Nuts

2008-05-14T13:07:00.001+08:00

You Are a Walnut

You are down to earth and genuine.

Responsible and practical, you are a grown up in all aspects of your life.

You probably eat a healthy diet and get enough exercise.

And while you're not wild, you're not boring either. You're actually very deep and interesting.

What Nut Are You?

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T10:12:00.003+08:00

Before I was myself you made me, me

With love and patience, discipline and tears,

Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Allowing me to sail upon my sea,

Though well within the headlands of your fears.

Before I was myself you made me, me

With dreams enough of what I was to be

And hopes that would be sculpted by the years,

Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Relinquishing your powers gradually

To let me shape myself among my peers.

Before I was myself you made me, me,

And being good and wise, you gracefully

As dancers when the last sweet cadence nears

Bit by bit stepped back to set me free.

For love inspires learning naturally:

The mind assents to what the heart reveres.

And so it was through love you made me, me

By slowly stepping back to set me free.

Wishing my dear Mum a Happy Mother's Day and I pray that Our Lord will always hold you in His Embrace.

I Love You Mum.

Age Gracefully - Stay forever young

2008-04-19T13:00:00.003+08:00

At my age, while many women sail blissfully through menopause, others do notice changes to their skins, including loss of moisture, skin thickness, collagen and elastin, all associated with falling levels of oestrogen. For me, I still maintained a lustre skin texture and it is all attributed from using lots of body moisturizers from my teenage days till now. The most obvious body changes that I feel are pain in the joints especially at my knee areas. It’s most painful every time I got up from sitting down too long. The pain is agonizing!

Another change is my sleeping pattern, which is always short. Early in the evening, sleepiness creeps into me and when the moment I jumped into bed, my eyelids will be wide opened. By the time sleeping beauty is about to have her sweet dream, the clock is already screaming waking her up!

These are age-related symptoms and diseases and it’s not all down to genes and good luck. It’s the real thing happening to our body at every stage as we mature. Most women at my age are already suffering from all kinds of sickness like breast-cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and heart attack.

I have ever felt my heart seemed to miss a beat and chest felt so compressed that I am lost for breath. From my recent medical check up, I was diagnosed as having a heart disease and I must take extra care of my heart to avoid cardiovascular disease. I must try to reduce stress, not smoking, eliminating high-fat foods, increasing intake of anti-oxidant-rich fruit and vegetables, getting my blood pressure checked regularly and exercising 45 minutes at least three or four times a week.

Now, honestly speaking, I lack most of what I am supposed to be extra careful about. I am a casual smoker and beer is my favorite drink. I hardly exercise since the arrival of my first grandchild and that was way back to year 2003. However, I managed my stress level well and have been consuming anti-oxidants supplements regularly. As from now on, I got to cut down on my cigarette sticks and as an alternative to beer, choose red-wine which has a range of powerful anti-oxidants. Also, I got to let go of my favorite fast meals from KFC and McDonalds! Duoh!

Nevertheless, I love the harmony in my life at this age. The balance I feel is spiritually, occupationally and healthwise (so to say!). I am enjoying a greater freedom from financial worries and the demands of young children. The best thing about being my age is that I’ve created a happy family. I feel secure, I feel loved and I have a busy, happy life.

~ God makes our lives a medley of joy and tears, hope and help, love and encouragement. ~

Happy Easter 2008

2008-03-31T12:44:00.002+08:00

It's never too late to wish each and every one a Happy Easter.

"When you feel in your own heart the suffering of Christ, remember the resurrection has to come, the joy of Easter has to dawn." Mother Teresa

glitter-graphics.com

Valentine's Day

2008-02-13T21:08:00.003+08:00

"Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time."

Unknown

Come February 14, who would not know what is so special about this date. Well, it's a date when Valentine's Day is celebrated! It's the day when lovers will be showing their affection and attention, dating over candle-lit dinners, taking a lover's night walk on the beach, lavishing bouquet of flowers and boxes of chocolates and showing affection and attention to loved ones.

Valentine's Day is also always a special day for me. It brings back sweet memories of yesterdays where keepsakes are forever treasured in my heart. Only I will know how special those memories meant to me till this day. On this present day, I normally celebrate the day with my family members by either getting together over high-tea, dining out or just relaxing at home and carrying on with our every day routines. My siblings and I don't usually exchanged cards with each other but I still do with my friends.

Nowadays, Valentine card is send virtually rather than from through the post office. Thus, to those of you who might be receiving virtual e-cards, do take extra care to check whom the card is from before opening your email. "If you unexpectedly receive a Valentine's Day e-card, be careful." That's what the FBI is warning the world. Online Valentine cards may contain Internet worm, FBI warns.

Tue Feb 12, 2:27 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Valentine's Day e-greetings from a stranger could deliver more than the recipient bargained for in the shape of a destructive "Trojan horse" that hijacks computers, the FBI warned Tuesday. "If you unexpectedly receive a Valentine's Day e-card, be careful," the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement, warning Internet users to "be on the lookout for spam emails spreading the Storm Worm malicious software (malware)."
"The Storm Worm virus has capitalized on various holidays in the last year by sending millions of emails advertising an e-card link within the text of the spam email. Valentine's Day has been identified as the next target," the FBI said. The bogus email directs the recipient to click on a link to retrieve an electronic Valentine's Day card. If the user falls for the ruse, malware will infect their computer or the device they used to connect to the Internet, and make it become part of a Storm Worm botnet, according to the FBI.
A botnet is a network of computers that, unbeknownst to their users, forward transmissions, such as spam, viruses and malware, to other computers linked to the Internet. Botnets can also be used in identity theft, the FBI warned, urging Internet users not to open Valentine's greetings from unknown senders.News Source

To every one who is celebrating Valentine Day, wishing you lots of love, happiness, kisses, hugs, flowers and CHOCOLATES too! Just beware of the "Valentine Worms".

Happy New Year 2008

2007-12-30T10:37:00.000+08:00

May this year brings you much joy and happiness!

Remember every day under the sun is a gift.

Receive it with eagerness.

Treat it kindly.

Share it with joy.

Each night return it to the Giver who will make it bright and shiny again

before the next sunrise.

The Millenium Prayer
God of love and mercy,

you call us to be your people,

you gift us with your abundant grace.

Make us a holy people,

radiating the fullness of your love.

Form us into a community,

a people who care,expressing your compassion.

Remind us day after day of our baptismal call to serve,

with joy and courage.

Teach us how to grow in wisdom and grace and joy in your presence.

Through Jesus and in your Spirit,

we make this prayer.

Amen.

Source: http://www.catholic.org/prayers/

T'was the night before Christmas

2007-11-26T01:30:00.001+08:00

The big day approaches and the house still needs a festive makeover! The last thing we did is putting a big bright star on top of our Christmas tree and we said Our Lord's Prayer to complete the whole preparation of Christmas.

"Christmas is the celebration
Of the keeping of a promise...
The promise that He would
Someday walk with us,
That we might be His people and He our God,
A saving promise" ~ Michael Card

"God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith;
The warmth of Christmas, which is love...
The belief in Christmas, which is truth;
The all of Christmas, which is CHRIST" ~ Wilda English

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV

Merry Christmas to everyone. We hope this festive year is as good as in previous years for you and that you have a special time with those you hold dear.

Make Christmas Simple

2007-11-25T23:04:00.000+08:00

With Thanksgiving Day just hardly over for some others who celebrated the day in other parts of the world due to world time difference, Christmas festive mood is already in the air. Christmas carols and songs are aired from radio stations and tuned on at most shopping complexes and malls in the city I live.

This year round, Christmas festival will be celebrated at a minimal. It's going to be sort of hilly-billy season for my family. There's a reason this time of the year to also call it Patchy Season because I am trying to cram everything I need to do into a few weeks is just plain Patchy! There's a little to do here and a little to do there! Gosh! Want to know why? It's all because I haven't got anymore annual leave balance left in this year to take, thus there isn't any off days except for the weekends to keep up with Christmas preparations.

It is sure going to be exhausting, especially where there are presents to buy, young grand kids to entertain and a new year to organise. The utmost thing to plan for is that Nicole will start preparatory class next year and I will be helping my son with financing my grandkids schooling.

I started with Christmas shopping just about two weeks ago, at Boulevard Shopping Mall and bought some ornaments and colored ribbons for decorating our Christmas tree.

Last weekend I bought some Christmas cards at Belle's Bookstore and today presents for my grand children at Toys' World Gift Shop. Nigel always asked me to get him a fishing set and that was what I bought for him. His sister, Nicole enjoys scribbling and drawing so I bought her a drawing board! As for little Trevor, I will get him a baby boots knitted with Santa's face on it. His mom suggested we buy his gift later because she wants him to have it nearer to the yuletide day.

There's going to be a "surprise" gift for them three, but, again set at a limit. I am going to decide and allocate the ringgit! Furthermore, I want to make sure Christmas means more than just gifts. For many, it's a religious occasion and, for most of us, it's a time to get together with family and friends.

Though this year will be the third year we celebrate Christmas without daddy, I am ever thankful to still have our mommy around. Though physically she is growing weaker, she is nevertheless the very strength for each and every one of us during this time of the year. She always reminded us to hold tight to our belief and not to feel sad about our loss but rather, be thankful that daddy is at rest and so too those whom we loved and treasured fond memories of. With her words always ringing in my ears, I want to live life one day at a time.

I thank God for He decided for whatever we desire, for my loving family, for our home and for our good health that allows us to carry on with our every day living. Indeed this year is as good, if not better than it was before. Praise the Lord for He is Good!

~ The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him.~ Psalm 145:18, 19

A new member of Technorati

2007-09-03T23:00:00.000+08:00

Tonight I just got myself registered as a member of Technorati and I chose a name PingKaPing. I like this name because I always coed my youngest grandson with these 3 little words! Actually it is the sounds of his musical toy that went 'ping, ping, and ping’.

Well, wondered why it took me such a long time to decide on becoming a Technorati member, though I have read about the facilities that this site provides. It is a tracking system; tracks links, and thus the relative relevance of blogs, photos, videos etc. I hope I could see whoever has links to my blogs’ sites' site and from there have the opportunity to get connected to other bloggers and blog sites.

Technorati

2007-09-03T22:56:00.000+08:00

Technorati Profile

Celebrating 50 Years of Nationhood

2007-08-31T18:04:00.000+08:00

Malaysian Flag - Jalur Gemilang

Year 2007 is truly a memorable year to remember!

Its the year Malaysia is celebrating 50 years of Nationhood

and

its

Visit Malaysia Year 2007.

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

Happy Mother's Day

2007-05-10T22:53:00.000+08:00

Christian Glitter by www.christianglitter.com

Knock Knock I am Back

2007-05-09T21:28:00.005+08:00

Hi every one! I'm back. I mean I am back at Purplechocolate Musing’s blog. By some popular demand though not from anyone in particular, I have been asked about what happen to this blog. I didn’t actually disappear completely. I was around at my other blogs (check ‘em out).

So, hello again! Here I am if you have been wondering of my whereabout! LOL!

Yes, my last post was in April 2007! Why didn’t I bother to update this blog? Honestly speaking, I am bothered by not blogging because I have much to share with you people out there. Currently, I have been watching the England’s Premiership Soccer Tournament and the match between Manchester City and Manchester United was viewed “live” from a TV screen at a local pub “The Other Office” on Saturday 5th May. Manchester United is one of my favorite teams besides Liverpool and Chelsea, so I would very much want to blog about their matches.

Man! Actually I wish I could at least minimise my postings since it took a lot of my times in the space of my spare times. I used to be a compulsive blogger. Believe me. See! I have 6 blogs to manage (greedy me ..sob.sob..) with one at Yahoo.com and seems that I couldn’t apply the brake to any one of them. I kept postings and postings. Same good ole’ things to do, right?

I must agree with myself that it would be more productive for me to work on my quilts that are stashed up in the cabinets, keep down the weeds in the garden, sort and arrange the stamps and coins collection into their respective albums and keeping everything in and around the house tidy and neat. And that is exactly what I am going to do right after today. Nope, this doesnt mean the postings will stop. From now on, probably I will post one or two articles in a month. Fair enough for me, that is. So people, be happy and I see you at your blogs as and when!

I am always busy; extensively busy for a single woman who is doing her very bests in taking care and running her family! Beautiful blessings for her children from dear God above.

A last note to add, here is wishing all the woman out there A Happy Mother’s Day.

~ My children, we should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring.~ 1 John 3:18 NCV

Andy Rooney - 60 Minutes Correspondent

2007-04-02T13:11:00.000+08:00

A long-time friend from California shared with me this article and I am sharing it with all those beautiful ladies out there! This is what he wrote to me...

Quote

In case you missed it on 60 Minutes, (well, honestly speaking I have never watch his show) this is what Andy Rooney thinks about women over 40:

60 Minutes Correspondent Andy Rooney (CBS)

As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, "What are you thinking?" She doesn't care what you think. If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting.

Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated. Women get psychic as they age.

You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress.

Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?” here's an update for you.

Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage. Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage!

Andy Rooney is a really smart guy!

Unquote

Ladies, the beauty that is seen is partly within those who see it. So stay happy and keep that sexy look! Smile....

First Anniversary

2007-03-23T08:56:00.000+08:00

Greetings to everyone! This blog is specially dedicated to Purple Coco's Musings who celebrates her first anniversary with joining the world of bloggers.

So, what has been happening in her blogging world since?

Well, it sure will make ....

.... has a virtual french and japanese names "Flannery de la Villeneuve" and "Machiko Reizei" and

Tickle says from the color survey her color is "BLACK" which is beautiful like any other colors!

These are the few blogs that PurpleCocos finds interesting so far?!

To get the "feel" of

read on

and

I leave you to

Here Comes The Rain

2007-01-17T17:18:00.000+08:00

It rained quite a lot lately, especially in the evening and at night. With the temperature as low as 26 Deg C, it is nice to enjoy the pleasant cold weather.

Depending on how you look at it but if you have ever stayed or lived in Miri City, I couldn’t have picked better days for lunching out with friends. Why? Yesterday it was 26Deg C with the wind chill during the noon hour. It was such a nice feeling eating out comfortably at an open-air coffee house. My girlfriends were happy to have their cardigan and jacket taken off and enjoyed the cold breeze brushing and caressing their faces and bodies! Some of us even suggested that one of these days we are going to enjoy our ice cream in the rain! Hmmm… guess that’s sexy feelings, eh?

Today it is supposed to be another cold day of the week, with showers of rain expected in some areas around the city, as reported by the Weatherman. It doesn’t seem to be as yet, perhaps it will by evening time. Temperature is reading 31Deg C and it is a sunny day today. Just a moderate temperature; it is good to have some fresh air in the room on some days of the year! Honestly speaking, I am not really too keen to have the air-conditioning put on for 24 hrs mode. The cold air gives me the chill and my joints hurt and body aching. Gee! These must signs of old age! Oh yes! Think about the huge electricity bills to be paid at the end of the month too!. Oh well, the good is for the bad, the bad is for the good, a Chinese saying as mentioned by one of my colleagues.

Our office staffs were reminded about flooding most likely to happen at the highest tides, which occur between approximately 8.00 p.m. and 2.00 a.m. on the following nights of 17th, 22nd, 31st January and 1st February 2007. Though the chances of actual flooding on these nights will depend very much upon the weather conditions at the time, precautions should nevertheless be taken to protect work and residential areas at risk.

All employees are also reminded to take particular care on the roads at night particularly Jalan Pantai (between the Lutong office and former Lutong Airstrip) to avoid getting caught in any floods; remember to check your vehicle brakes after going through flood waters.

My grandchildren were not too happy with the rainy days. They have been complaining about not able to play outside at the yard and also could not have a swim in their rubber swimming pool. Well, though the rainy day puts a damper on how long they can play outside, the cold breezy winds were enough to keep the atmosphere in our living room comfortable for them to play with their toys and “play-school” with each other. My eldest grandson, Nigel is in preschool this year and for that he enjoys scribbling on his school workbooks and waste papers.

It may be tomorrow morning by the time it starts feeling any warmer, Weatherman said. Nevertheless, we are enjoying the cold weather for now and let Mr. Sun have some rests. He will surely share his sunshine again, as always! For the moment, this nice and pleasant environment is already a blessing.

~ What glorious world Almighty God has given us! How thankless and ungrateful we are, and how we labor to mar His gift.~ Robert E. Lee

The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing. - Psalm 65:13

Miri WeatherForecast

Happy New Year 2007

2007-01-09T11:11:00.000+08:00

Wishing you a New Year filled with new hope, new joy and new beginnings.

Priase ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. - Psalm 150: 1- 6

Merry Christmas 2006

2006-12-22T20:15:00.000+08:00

Here's a wish from our home to yours,
May love, peace and happiness..
Knock on your door this Christmas season
and always!

Take Jesus with you wherever you may travel;
Take His hand faithfully and don’t let go.

Let His hand touch you, healing all suffering.
Let His forgiveness fill you and promise recovery.

Let His light protect you, safely showing the way.
Let His message fill your heart and encourage you each day.

Let His love lead you, guiding you along.
Let His comfort embrace you and carry you on.

Let Him walk beside you, His path will never stray.
He will never forsake you; Let Him bless your life each day.

Always remember,
HE LOVES YOU!

Relax and Reflect

2006-11-24T11:39:00.000+08:00

Another week comes to pass and before we realise it, the year comes to an end. And with Christmas season here soon, many people are already making plans about how to spend their holidays. Whatever you do and wherever you may be, here is wishing you an enjoyable and safe days. I am taking a short vacation this year so I will be "offline" and before I go, I would like to leave you with some words for today.

To you who is celebrating your birthday, I wish you a happy birthday. May you be blessed with good health, happiness and longevity.

To you who is broken hearted, do not be discouraged rather move on with your life. Remember that after every rainy days, the sun will surely come out and give us sunshine!

To you who are in love, treasure the sheer joy of it!

Last but not least, spread the Good News, that is, salvation through Christ Jesus and GOD's boundless grace and mercy for all His creatures. Spread Love, Love One Another and Live in Peace.

Let us then pray God that he would root out of our hearts everything of our own planting and set out there, with his own hand, the TREE OF LIFE bearing all manner of fruits. - Fenelon

~I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.~ Psalm 116: 1,2

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-20T11:43:00.000+08:00

Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day is an annual one-day holiday to give thanks (traditionally to God) at the close of the harvest season.

Thanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection upon the past and an annual reminder that God has, again, been ever so faithful. The solid and simple things of life are brought into clear focus.

As we celebrate another year of Thanksgiving Day, may we in every thing give thanks.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 KJV

Picture Source

HEAVEN BOUND: A GUIDE FOR TRAVELERS

2006-11-02T11:27:00.000+08:00

1. ACCOMMODATIONS

Arrangements for first-class accommodation have been made in advance.

"In my Father's house are many rooms. I am going there to prepare aplace for you."(John 14:2).

2. PASSPORTS

Persons seeking entry will not be permitted past the gates without havingproper papers/credentials and having their names registered with the rulingAuthority.

"Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what isshameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb'sbook of life". (Revelation 21:27).

3. DEPARTURE TIMES

The exact date of departure has not been announced. Travelers are advised tobe prepared to leave at short notice.

"It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his ownauthority. (Acts 1:7).

4. TICKETS

Your ticket is a written pledge that guarantees your journey. It should beclaimed and its promises kept firmly in hand.

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent mehas eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from deathto life." (John 5:24).

5. CUSTOMS

Only one declaration is required while going through customs.

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in yourheart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

(Romans 10:9).

6. IMMIGRATION

All passengers are classified as immigrants, since they are taking uppermanent residence in a new country. The quota is unlimited.

"......they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one..........he hasprepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:16).

7. LUGGAGE

No luggage whatsoever is necessary.

"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it."(1 Timothy 6:7).

8. AIR PASSAGE

Travelers going directly by air are advised to watch daily for indicationsof imminent departure.

"After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up togetherwith them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be withthe Lord forever." (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

9. VACCINATION AND INOCULATION

Injections are not needed, as diseases are unknown at the destination.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death ormourning or crying or pain....." (Revelation 21:4).

10. CURRENCY

Supplies of currency may be forwarded ahead to await the passenger'sarrival. Deposit your heart, mind/soul & life.

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do notdestroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:20).

11. CLOTHING

A complete and appropriate new wardrobe is provided for each traveler.

"...For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in arobe of righteousness...." (Isaiah 61:10).

12. TIME CHANGES

Resetting of watches will not be necessary to adjust to any/night schedule.

"The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory ofGod gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp........for there will be nonight there." (Revelations 21:23,25).

13. RESERVATIONS

Booking is now open. Apply at once.

".......now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." (2Corinthians 6:2)

14. CORONATION CEREMONY

The highlight of the journey is the welcoming reception and coronation whichawait the arrival.

"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, butalso to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:8).

--Author Unknown--

Wishing all friends who observed the feast of All Saints, Nov. 1, and the commemoration of the faithful departed on All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2 a very blessed and peaceful day always.

Warmest regards from family PurpleCocos.

T'is The Season To Be Merry

2006-10-24T23:53:00.000+08:00

Have anyone of you out there already got into the Christmas mood? I am already feeling so, and couldn't wait for year end. I guess its all because today it is the Hari Raya Aidilfitri's season and people from all over the world, especially those who believe in the teaching of Islam, are celebrating their festival.

Well, it is not only just recently that I got to this festive mood, but it has been so for quite a while now. I could see that I am because whenever I went shopping, I couldn't resist not looking around and searching for ornaments to hang on our Christmas tree, little decorations and candles for display at the shelves and tables, etc.

Just this morning, I bought some items and I am enjoying every minute of the day admiring their beauty and thinking about where I would have them displayed during the festive season. Well, till that Holiday Spirit is here, I will make do just admiring them kept inside our storage boxes. I hope and pray that this year's Christmas Day be showered and blessed with lots of love and happiness, as it was in the previous years.

~May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts; let the message of Christ find a home in you.~ Col. 3:15-16

Hari Raya Festival

2006-10-24T11:36:00.000+08:00

With the Ramadhan (Fasting) month now over, Muslims from all over the world celebrate the festive season of Hari Raya Aidil Fitri with families and friends. Here in Miri and Malaysia, in general, friends irrespective of their religion are invited to a Muslim family get-together where various delicious food cuisines would be served. My family has a few invitations which dated from first day to the fifth day of the Hari Raya week. My grandchildren are excited about the whole thing and so are we adults.

To all my dear friends celebrating and joining in the celebration of Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, my family and I wish you a "Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Maaf Zahir dan Batin".

Echoing our Prime Minister's (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) Hari Raya message this morning, "May we all be united as one nation with loving and respecting one another, to be forgiving and cultivating friendship and continue to foster ties with other races in this country."

~Happy are those who obey the Lord, who live by his commands.~ Psalms 128:1

Our Lord's Prayer

2006-10-11T15:13:00.000+08:00

A prayer dedication for world peace.

Our Father in heaven
Holy be Your Name,
Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done,

on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our Daily Bread.
Forgive us our Sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the test,
but deliver us from evil,
For Yours is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory,
Forever and Ever.
Amen.

Tagged

2006-09-28T07:33:00.000+08:00

I have been tagged by Puteri and this is truly hard for me. My favorite songs are mostly oldies, be it slow rock or R&B and also a couple of the latest hits. Besides that I enjoy listening to Christian/Gospel songs. A girlfriend who was here recently on holiday, was talking about spending Christmas Day away from home in Germany and at which she was not at all looking forward to especially with the temperature of below 20 deg C. Amigosh! That is sure cold man! At the mentioned of that, I took out an album by the late Jim Reeves and we listened to "Blue Christmas" and "Distant Drums".

1. Blue Christmas - Jim Reeves

2. If Tomorrow Never Comes - Ronan Keating

3. Where Is Your Heart - Kelly Clarkson

4. Miscommunication - Delta Goodrem

5. Its my life - Bon Jovi

6. Tequila Sunrise - Eagles

7. Sunrise - Norah Jones

Well, the Tag Rules are: List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your Live Journal/blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they’re listening to.

Now, I tagged....

1. Encha Le Girth

2. Magdalene

3. Jbunyau63

4. Petrinz (Entayang)

5. Guruh Roy

I could only think of 5 persons to tag, so keep the ball rolling!

Food For Thought

2006-09-18T09:33:00.000+08:00

Where Lies the Truth

"Quote"
How can you say things, which are not?
Tell a person one thing and tell others something else.
You can’t run away from facts,
There’s nothing you can do but to accept and comprehend.

Life wasn’t made to be that easy to do.

The world doesn’t change just because you told a different story.
"Unquote:

~ Keep your heart clean and bright; you are the window through which others may see God.~

I am Mahatma Gandhi

2006-09-13T11:47:00.000+08:00

I took the Famous Leader Test and I found out what Leader I am: Mahatma Gandhi.

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Source: http://similarminds.com/

National Day 2006

2006-09-04T13:06:00.000+08:00

31st August 2006 marked the 49th year of this country's independence from British colonialism and the day the joyful, triumphant shouts of “Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka!” resonated throughout the nation as Malaya's first Prime Minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman stood on a podium at Merdeka Square doing the same.

This year, the official National Day celebration was hosted in Kuching, State of Sarawak. The theme for this year is "National Mission Generates Vision". Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, the Yang DiPertuan Agong, federal and state ministers and dignitaries and thousands of people from all walks of life were there to watch the grand cultural performances and parade held at Merdeka Stadium. The national anthem "NegaraKu" was sung, followed by the popular "Jalur Gemilang" song. The large crowd proudly waving the national flags, Jalur Gemilang and Sarawak State flag, and some were seen wearing costumes tailored from these flags.

The company I work for, also took part in the Merdeka Parade and our first batch of participants left for Kuching on 24th August 2006. We were there early so that we could continue with our marching rehearsal. The weather was not at all pleasant, especially with the hazy condition, but nonetheless we had an enjoyable day under heaven’s blue sky!

On the national day itself, it was even more fun. We got ourselves all dressed up by 0400 hrs in the morning! Had a “speedy-breakfast” from 0430hrs to 0500 hrs. Our transport left the Holiday Inn’s Hotel at 0510 hrs and by 0520 hrs we were already at the Merdeka Stadium. As the day break, one could see the vicinity surrounding Merdeka Palace hued with beautiful colors from the spectators and contingents’ attires, the float decorations, the beautiful floral decorations lining the podium at Merdeka Square and many more.

After the parade, we were treated to a lunch with our management’s leaders. As an appreciation for our fine contribution towards the success of the Merdeka Parade, we were awarded a certificate of appreciation “Hari Kemerdekaan 2006 – Misi Nasional Penjana Wawasan”, another one night stay in Kuching and an extra daily allowances!

Having been away for six days, I missed my family alot, especially my two grandchildren. So I did not stay for that extra day. As for the extra allowance, that I still am entitled to!

Well, I will post some pictures taken during the Merdeka Day soon.

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!
God Bless Malaysia!

~ It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. ~ Charles H. Spurgeon.

Coffee and Life

2006-07-24T19:00:00.000+08:00

Coffee and Life
(An interesting analogy)

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups; porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite telling them to help themselves to hot coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups and were eyeing each other's cups. Now if life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it”.

The moral of the story is, don't let the cups drive you rather enjoy the coffee instead.

The Garden of Gethsemane

2006-07-23T17:42:00.000+08:00

A dear friend in our 360yahoo’s circle (Judy B) shared a very beautiful post and I couldn’t help not sharing what she had written with anyone who is interested. At the end of her post, she shared a poem written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, entitled “Gethsemane”. This poem touched my heart. Here is what Judy wrote.

The Garden of Gethsemane is not really a garden but an orchard. Olive trees still grow there today. During Jesus’ day it was a place of business, an olive press producing the local areas supply of oil. This is where the word Gethsemane comes in. A gat (Hebrew) is a press, a large five-foot high square stone pillar, and a semane, or seman, is oil. So on the evening before his crucifixion he went to the orchard of the Olive Press with Peter, James, and John, to pray.

If you lived in the first century and worked with a "gethsemane" your day would be spent gathering olives, placing them in a woven fishnet like bag, and putting them on top of a stone table. This specially designed table is round with beveled edges that curve down to a trough. The trough is angled and funnels into a pot, which holds the oil. The top is designed to receive the “gethsemane”. The tall square stone is lifted up and set on top of the basket and for several hours its tremendous weight is left there to crush the liquid from the olive.

It is no mistake that Jesus spent his last evening in the Garden of Gethsemane. From there he would leave to go to the cross and receive the weight of the world, the “gethsemane” of our sins, blood crushed from his body running down the cross to the world below. Luke describes the pressure Jesus suffered that evening: “Being in anguish his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” It is an image of the Gethsemane crushing the oil from the olive fruit.

Gethsemane ever since has come to symbolize suffering. And my friends the world is crowded with Gethsemane; Herod slaughtering the innocent. Look around the United States: Oklahoma City, Heath High School, Columbine, and New York City. And around the world: Dunblane in Scotland, Halabja in Iraq (i.e., the gassing of the Kurds), Srebrenica in Bosnia, and now the town of Beslan, in Russia. Russia now has had its September 11. The world is full of "gethsemanes", times when and towns where the innocent have suffered.

In the face of such unspeakable horror we ask ourselves these questions:

I

First whom do we turn to? It is safe to say that all of us here mourned with those mothers and fathers in Russia who lost over 300 of their children. In a small town the loss of 300 children turns that village into a mausoleum. A thousand years from now people will say, “Beslan, the place where all those children died.” So whom do we turn too? Can anybody help in the face of such a dreadful thing? It doesn’t seem like it does it? The sorrow is so deep God seems absent.

Psalm 77 written in the Iron Age more than 2,500 years ago stares straight in the face of some unspeakable horrors that occurred to Israel. “Will the Lord cast off for ever?” the Psalmist asks. “And will he be favorable no more? Is his mercy clean gone forever? Doth his promise fail forever more? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? And I said, “This is my infirmity.”
Who do we turn to when things are unexplainably painful? God? How can we when even he seems to be absent? My friends. I am not asking this question the Bible is. The Psalmist in essence is saying that there is no consolation, not even in God, when your soul has been torn from you. But even in great despair something faithful is happening. Even when we cry out “God is not there” we reveal our deep desire for God.

John Donne experienced his own Gethsemane. Donne was a 17th century poet, who experienced great pain. Because he married the daughter of a disapproving lord, he was fired from his job as assistant to the Lord Chancellor, yanked from his wife, and locked in a dungeon. (This is when he wrote that succinct line of despair, "John Donne/ Anne Donne/ Undone.") Later, he endured a long illness, which sapped his strength almost to the point of death. In the midst of this illness, Donne wrote a series of devotions on suffering which rank among the most poignant meditations on the subject. In one of these, he considers a parallel: The sickness, which keeps him in bed, forces him to think about his spiritual condition. Suffering gets our attention; it forces us to look to God, when otherwise we would just as well ignore Him.

That’s it. Suffering gets our attention. Suffering forces us to look toward one another; forces us to ask the deeper questions about life; forces us to turn toward God. Even if it is to express our displeasure and despair, we turn to Him and in those pleas we display our faith in Him.

II

The first question is: Who do we turn to? The second is: What are we to do? The answer here is obvious. We are to pray. When Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane he went there for one reason, to pray. "Why are you sleeping", Jesus asked his disciples. Get up and pray! Prayer prepares the soul for suffering. Jesus understood what lie ahead and he knew that prayer was the only way to prepare them.

Prayer does two things for us. It helps us cope with hardship. There is a story about a missionary family in Pakistan who lost their 6-month-old baby. A wise man in the area heard of their grief and came to comfort them. He said, “A tragedy like this is similar to being plunged into boiling water. If you are an egg, your affliction will make you hard-boiled and unresponsive. If you are a potato, you will emerge soft and pliable, resilient and adaptable." It may sound funny to God, but there have been times when I have prayed, "O Lord, let me be a potato."

Prayer helps us cope with hardship and then, here’s the second thing, it guides away from temptation. Notice that Jesus told his disciples to pray so “you will not fall into temptation.” Now that’s odd. You would expect Jesus to say, pray that you are able to endure the hardship to come. But hardship brings temptation: Temptation to compromise our principles, temptation to pursue pleasure over adversity, temptation to renounce our faith in God. Peter, James and John quickly learned this lesson as they denied that they knew Jesus. They left the scene of his betrayal afraid for their own lives. They did not pray so they did not stay.

Prayer helps us cope with life’s hardships and it keeps us from temptation. But here is one more thing you can do. Pray for the families of all those who have suffered at the hands of terrorist these past few years. Yesterday we remembered the horrible events of 911. We shall never forget that day. And, I don’t think there is a parent here today who doesn’t grieve for these Russian parents. Terrorism continues to tear at our world. I would like to see the church in every country rise up an army of prayer soldiers to pray for the defeat of this evil. Those who suffer need our prayer but Christians must also go on the offensive and pray God’s kingdom come his will be done. The world is dealing with a cult of death the church must offer a culture of life.

III

First question: Whom do we turn to? Answer: God, even in our despair. Second question: What do we do? Answer: Pray to cope. Pray against temptation. Pray for one another. And pray for the Kingdom to come. Third question: Where do we go from here? Answer? Well this one is a little more complicated. The answer isn’t easy because life isn’t. When Jesus left Gethsemane he went to Golgotha. At times we all seem to be running form the garden of despair to the hill of suffering.

Look at the stories of the bible. At some time or another there has been a Gethsemane for all God’s people. For Abraham it was when he was asked to sacrifice his only son. For Joseph it was those unjust years in jail. Paul had any number of “gethsemanes” in his experience; he once listed the number of times he had been stoned, whipped, robbed and shipwrecked. The following is from the poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, entitled “Gethsemane”:

Down shadowy lanes, across strange streams
Bridged over by our broken dreams,
Behind the misty caps of years,
Beyond the great salt fount of tears,
The garden lies. Strive as you may,
You cannot miss it in your way.
All paths that have been, or shall be,
Pass somewhere through Gethsemane.
All those who journey, soon or late,
Must pass within the garden’s gate,
Must kneel alone in darkness there,
And battle with some fierce despair.
God pity those who cannot say,
‘Not mine but thine,’ who only pray,
‘Let this cup pass,’ and cannot see the purpose in Gethsemane.

It would be dishonest to say that God makes everything all right in this world. The death of 3000 innocent souls who were simply going to work on September 11, three years ago, tells me the world is crowded with “gethsemanes”. The death of 1000 soldiers in Iraq tells me that peace has an enormous price. The burial of 350 children last week tells me that evil still wins in this world. Don’t get me wrong. I as much as any man have hope in the resurrection. I am simply cannot deny the picture painted by the Psalmist when he asks, “Will the Lord cast off for ever?” And will he be favorable no more? Is his mercy clean gone forever? Doth his promise fail forever more? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? And I said, this is my infirmity."

So the answer to the third question, Where do we go from here? Perhaps Wilcox’s poem has it right: All paths that have been, or shall be, pass somewhere through Gethsemane. Amen.

FIFA2006 WORLD CUP - The Countdown

2006-07-10T16:15:00.000+08:00

Thank God, the long wait is at last over. With the FIFA2006 WORLD CUP final match between Italy and France on Sunday 10th July 2006 coming to an end, I finally win the battle of going to bed early at night.

I had been staying up till wee hours in the morning and lacked enough sleeping hours since the start of the tournament to decide on which team would march from winning the quarter final to the final game, which was scheduled last Sunday, 10th July 2006.

“The beautiful game turned vicious, even venomous Sunday. It was all still beautiful to Italy. Italy not only won its fourth World Cup but also stretched its unbeaten streak to 25.”

Before bringing down the curtain, here are a few interesting shots from the game which brings a smile to my face and lots of memory to treasure for a long, long time.

Always mind the ball!

Hand ball is a no-no!

No ifs or buts about it, but its "BOTTOM-UPS" from Italy's Captain Fabio Cannavaro with Italy winning the FIFA2006 WORLD CUP Football beating France 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out, after a 1-1 draw.

Well, all eyes on Africa now and perhaps we’ll meet and talk about "ball” again when the next FIFA2010 WORLD CUP Tournament is here soon. Afrika! Afrika!

As for now, I am looking forward to retiring early tonight (wink) and hopefully I needn’t have to count sheep to get a beauty sleep.

~ Men of influence, rulers, and judges will be honored, but none of them is greater than a person who fears the Lord.~ Sirach 10: 24

A Heroic England Performance

2006-07-02T11:17:00.001+08:00

Match fixtures 1st July 2006 1700hrs (2300 hrs Malaysia Time) England vs Portugal. Portugal won 3 goals via penalty kicks and England didn't managed to strike an even or more penalty kicks to get it's team to march into the semi-finals. My favorite team, England, lose the match against Portugal but it was a fair way to exit the World Cup 2006 football arena.

"Football is a tough sport and penalties are always something different from the rest of the game."
"England played very well but penalties are a lottery. "

"Anything can happen."

These are the few quotes that came from the world cup players playing for Portugal and England. These two teams both played very well to enter into the semi-final and chances of either one of them to win the game when the penalty kick-offs were given was like hoping for a miracle from heaven. When after an extra time given and yet no goals were made from any of the team, the match was settled on penalty kicks. ENGLAND 0-0 a.e.t 1-3 PSO PORTUGAL. England once again exit a major tournament on penalties following a brave display. Amidst some disappointments and shattered dreams of some of England's football fans that hope for England to play right through to the World Cup 2006 final, it was a heroic performance that this team did.

'A heroic England performance'1 July 2006by FIFAworldcup.com
TSG analysis by Roy HODGSON (ENG)

This was a heroic England performance, especially with ten men following the sending-off of Wayne Rooney in the 62nd minute. Despite this disadvantage Sven-Goran Eriksson's team continued to both defend and attack intelligently, creating more goal chances than their opponents.Owen Hargreaves was the best player on the pitch. The whole of the back four did extremely well. If you pick out one it would be Hargreaves, who encapsulated the England performance. His work rate was incredible with the number of balls he won in midfield and he still found the time to get forward.It was a pity such a game had to be decided by penalties but once the game goes to penalties, it becomes a question of which team can handle their nerve and once again England were found lacking in a shoot-out. But over the 120 minutes they were the better team and Portugal can consider themselves quite fortunate to have survived this one. Source

Hoorah England! Your the Best! See you again at the
2010 FIFA World Cup - South Africa!

Gawai Open House - Ngiling Tikai

2006-06-30T20:55:00.000+08:00

For countless generations throughout Borneo, local festivals, held anytime after the end of harvest before the new planting season, have commemorated the rice harvest. In Sarawak, it is today officially known as Gawai Dayak while in Sabah it is known as the Tadau Kaamatan. In Sarawak, with the formation of Malaysia, it was decided to set aside a day to commemorate the harvest and celebrate the diversity of the indigenous communities as a symbol of unity, aspiration and hope, to give thanks for the bountiful harvest in the year before and to pray for a productive season ahead. Formally gazetted as a public holiday in place of Sarawak Day, it was first celebrated on 1st June 1965 as Gawai Dayak.

The Iban word Gawai means a ritual or festival whereas Dayak is an informal collective name for the indigenous communities of Sarawak, encompassing the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu communities although they are all constitutionally separate races with distinct life-style, cultural and linguistic differences. Further communal distinctions are found within the Bidayuh and Orang Ulu communities. While the mode of celebrations varies, what is similar across cultures is the level of hospitality. All guests, regardless of whether they are known to the host or not, are welcomed with Tuak (rice wine), traditional cakes and delicacies while new mats (tikai) are rolled out. The Tuai Gawai or Chief Host will lead the celebrations, while the Tuai Pengabang will lead the contingent of visitors. After the celebrations are over, a ceremony is held to mark the end of the festive season. This includes Ngiling Tikai (rolling up the mats) to show that work must begin again with a new cycle of planting and reaping. Tadau Kaamatan is celebrated by the Kadazandusun ethnic communities who gather each year to give thanks for the harvest, and includes music, dancing, the selection of the Harvest Queen (Unduk Ngadau) and feasting, offers an insight into the Kadazandusun community and its culture.

To showcase the diversity within the Asia Pacific region and Miri, and to create a more inclusive work environment by bringing staff together in an informal, celebratory atmosphere, the company I work for embarked on a program to celebrate local festivals by hosting staff gatherings. The 2006 Harvest Festival (Gawai Ngiling Tikai) was such big event held on Wednesday, 28th June 2006 at Kelab Rekreasi Petroliam, Miri (formerly Kelab Shell Lutong).
The program included a big bang kick-off by Local Band from Cherry Berrie's Pub, visit to community villages lead by Tuai Gawai and Tuai Pengabang's entourage followed by Gong beating, opening of food stations, cultural performances by iban, bidayuh, orang ulu and kadazan ethnic groups, and last but not least, a stage show lead by two local live bands and one band call themselves the "Semadi Nadai Band" (Better than Nothing). The closing ceremony was "ngeranyai" and "ngiling tikai". It was an event, which is celebrated in a way truly unique to Borneo.

Here are some pictures taken on that evening of fun and culture.

Iban longhouse - Sarawak

Land below the wind - Sabah longhouse

Bidayuh longhouse - Sarawak

Iban longhouse - Ruai (interior view)

Iban longhouse - Ruai (another interior view)

The Sumazau dance performed by our colleagues and their spouse.

World Class Enterprise

2006-06-25T16:52:00.000+08:00

At the time I am writing this post, every country participating in the FIFA World Cup League is striving to strike as many goals as possible to win the FIFA World Cup trophy held in Germany. As for the company I work for, we strive for WORLD Class Enterprise and our department recently held a company function at the Empire Hotel and Country Club, Brunei Darussalam. It is one of the most beautiful and prestigious hotels that I have ever been to in Asia and in my opinion, it's one of the World Class Hotels! The palatial surroundings of the hotel; white marble, gold accents, light and space, luminous and breathtaking architecture and heartfelt service. Experience the majesty of Brunei Darussalam through this opulent resort. As you walk down the corridors or through the grounds, discover a private kingdom of sublime luxury. Moments from the rainforests of Borneo.

Here are some pictures I took during my stay there.

A welcoming sign at the arrival lounge.

A view of the Empire Arcade taken from Pantai Restaurant.

A view taken from the Empire Arcade. Pantai Restaurant can be seen in the background at the right side of this picture.

In addition to the beautiful surroundings, this hotel serves complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, evening mocktails and hors d'oeuvres – all savoured with spectacular views over the South China Sea and the resort's pools. We had our breakfast and lunch at the Atrium Cafe and dinner was at Pantai Restaurant. Before our trip back to Miri, we were invited to a barbecued dinner at our manager's residence. Truly an awesome "business-cum-vacation trip" to be remembered and treasured.

~Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out.~ Proverbs 16:3

FIFA World Cup

2006-06-19T19:48:00.000+08:00

Football air is now everywhere here in Miri. Last night at the Saint Columban's Patronal cum farewell dinner for Rev. Datuk Made Katib's Retirement (Rev. Datuk Made Katib's is the Anglican Church's Bishop for Sarawak and Brunei Darussalam) held at East Valley Resort and Golf Club, Miri, most of the patrons were talking about football. Happy Father's Day greeting was short and brief and football was the talk of the night. :) The next match was between Brazil and Australia and most of us there were very confident in Brazil winning the game and which was proven true as reported in the medias.

These days we're eating, drinking, sleeping together with FIFA World Cup. Everybody here is talking about football.

Click here ..

I love England team with pro-player David Beckam, Michael Owen, Peter Crouch and the rest of the squad! My wild guess is England has the potential to win the World Cup. :)

Update: 25/6/06 Goal Scores: England 1 vs Ecuador 0

Quarterfinal 1/7/06 (England vs Portugal) Venue: Gelsenkirchen

Happy Father's Day

2006-06-19T19:28:00.000+08:00

In my younger days, between the age of 7 to 18 years old, I used to tug along with my father and watched him carrying out his interests and hobbies in and around the house. He enjoyed wild animal hunting, fishing and farming when he was off-duty. He also was quite an expert in blacksmith job and today we still have the knives and meat choppers that he made many years ago. Because I was always with him, my father nicknamed me "tom-girl". I still like this name because I am quite capable of doing DIY jobs in and around the house with blacksmith works and handling a gun out of the list! To remember my father by and by, I specially dedicate this little poem for him.

Dad you always knew the tools to use, when they all seemed like a hammer to me.
You fixed my red wagon when the wheel fell off.
You fixed my tricycle and added a bell.
You fixed the tree house ladder.
You fixed my broken sail boat mast and gave it a new rudder.
You fixed my bikes flat tire.
You fixed my broken tape deck.
You fixed the broken T.V.
Dad you always seemed to be there, when I needed you most.
You always knew what tool to use, and showed me which to use.

Thank you for showing me the Bible, God's words, because that's the tool that I use when life seems to get worn and battered.
Source: click here

Better Finished than Perfect

2006-06-12T17:48:00.000+08:00

Well, what 's going on in my life?

Gee! Really a lot of things, I must say.

Over the weekend, I spent basically the whole day of Saturday doing house cleaning. I scrubbed, washed, tidied all 3 bathrooms, vacuumed and dusted all bedrooms, the sitting room and also the dining room. I threw away old magazines and newspapers. Got rid of trashes and junks that have been stored in the storeroom for donkey years! I also packed away some good clothing that are hardly worn by my family and these will be given away to our church’s community for their next jumble sale and also the Red Crescent Centre for their contribution towards charitable bodies. Well, by evening time, most of what I wanted to do was done. How my body ached that night! I could hardly get enough sleep because I was rolling and tossing around in bed!

Thank God, I didn’t have to wake up during odd hours in the night to prepare my grandkids’ milk bottles! I decided not to baby-sit them over the weekend because I have planned to tidy and clean the house and also to tend to my garden on Sunday, after Sunday mass. Weeds and scrubs could be seen growing inside the flowerpots, on the flowerbeds and around the posts of the orchid’s shed.

As I was home alone (my eldest son is outstation and his brother is taking a holiday in Kuala Lumpur) I had the whole full day of the weekend to get things organized and I loved every minute of it! I got the impression that I would surely get more things done this weekend especially without any one there to bother me and I am very happy it’s an achievement.

Well, that's it for now. Going to think about what paint color to choose for painting my kitchen door next! Now, where did I keep that color-chart? Phew! Have I got endless “Things To Do List?”

~Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out.~ Proverbs 16:3

Election Fever??

2006-05-18T22:35:00.000+08:00

You can almost feel the heat! It’s hot and getting hotter! Yes, it's very, very hot topic too in our office environment. It's about politics and more politics! Well, obviously those very enthusiastic campaigners are making it HOT and SPICY in promoting their candidate(s) for next Sarawak Election. Truly, the election time is definitely near and that’s only a couple of days from today!!

To me, the only thing to look forward to is probably the holiday that some civil and private sector’s servants get! Hooray! It's a holiday! The company I work for observes Saturday and Sunday as off-days, so I’ll probably stay at home and sleep. Sleep? Only after getting over the events happening on the 20th of May.

20th of May this year is a rather significant date to remember. Miri was declared a city status in year 2005. I am thinking of driving around the city to enjoy the beautiful street decorations and keep an ear on what interesting events and functions that would be held on 'the day', so just in case I want to participate in.

The Ninth Sarawak Election Day falls on the same date this year, so definitely I will be standing (while waiting to cast my vote, that is) at the Election Center already assigned for the communities within that outskirt. :)

The most exciting and most memorable event to remember as time goes by, would be the celebration of my first grandchild Nigel’s 3rd birthday! So, I could see I’ll be busy in my own ways on the Election Day!

To all voters out there, cast your vote wisely. Vote with wisdom and not emotion.

To all people out there, wherever you come from, have a pleasant stay in Sarawak, Land of the Hornbills.

~Being wise is better than being strong; yes, knowledge is more important than strength. After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle, and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win.~ Proverbs 21: 5-6

Selamat Gawai Dayak

2006-05-17T17:10:00.000+08:00

The Gawai Dayak’s festival is here soon and it’s the harvest festival for the Dayak community in the state of Sarawak. It’s a two-day public holiday in Sarawak which is on the 1st and 2nd of June. This celebration of unity, aspiration and hope for the Dayaks mark the end of the rice harvest and ushers in another year of bountiful goodness. Tuak (rice wine) and an array of traditional food are generously served. Widespread celebrations are held not only in the main cities and towns but also in the interior settlements. Gawai is an occasion for simply a time for merrymaking.

Usually, the first hint one gets when the festival neared is the beauty pageant, which culminates in the crowning of several Gawai Queens and Kings (Kumang and Keling), one each for Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu communities. Obviously, Gawai Dayak is the best and most interesting time to visit Sarawak as you can see and sample the lifestyle and its festivities.

This year, my family will be celebrating the festive season moderately with a low key. With the recent passing of my father in August, 2005 our family has not really got over with not having him around us whenever there’s any events or celebrations we partake in, especially on special occasion like this one. Gawai Dayak is a festival that is very unique and one of the traditional cultures that are much to be proud of by the natives of Sarawak. My late father had always been proud to belong to one of the tribal groups, the Iban, and he never got tired of talking about how he spent his younger days living with many other families in one longhouse with many rooms under one roof!

Well, this time round my mother and I will be spending our Gawai Dayak's Day at Semumok Baroh, Betong, a town located in the second division of the state of Sarawak. We are not going there to celebrate the festival rather it is about administering our family’s properties and assets belonging to my parent. It’s a business trip and most probably the number of days we are going to spend for these matters might drag on until after the first week of June.

This will be the second time I am spending Gawai Dayak’s Day away from home. In the year 2001 during the month of May and June, I was on a vacation to Florida, USA. That I won’t consider as a "Gawai Dayak celebration in the USA" because there wasn’t even a single bit of Gawai mood felt, rather I was busy enjoying my traveling in and around Florida and the mention of Gawai festival then was out of mind! :)

Well, to all dear people out there, enjoy your holidays and think safety. Road deaths escalate during every festive season. There is no doubt that there will be more cars on the roads during a festive period. Thus the probability of meeting an accident is much higher. Much of this has been attributed to the carelessness and recklessness of the driver. Furthermore, be cautious of our road conditions; there are areas where the quality of our roads is not the best! There are not many proper road sign boards to guide us of where to expect a road junctions, bottle necks, hilly slopes and of course the very much undesired pot holes!

Drive safely when you are on the road and remember not to drink and drive. May God bless and protect you and yours always.

~He will not let you fall; your protector is always awake.~ Psalm 121:3

“SELAMAT GAWAI DAYAK”
Gayu Guru, Gerai Nyamai, Senang Lantang, Nguan Menua.
Ooh Har! Ooh Har!

Happy Mother's Day To A Wonderful Woman

2006-05-15T21:17:00.000+08:00

Mother,

You have been my confidante, mentor and friend.

You have nurtured me, guided me, comforted me and encouraged me.

Thank you for the hundred little things you do for me every day.

And for the reason none can do what you do for me.

You’re appreciated not just today but every other day!

I love you. I am so glad you are in my life.

I thank God for your maternal care.

Happy Mother’s Day Dear Mum!

Cheryl Ladd - My Favorite Angel

2006-05-10T23:36:00.000+08:00

Last night I was watching a review of the Charlie's Angels - The Movie (an updated version of the original series.) The new angels are Drew Barrymore as Dylan Sanders (she's gorgeous), Cameron Diaz as Natalie Cook (beautiful and brainy) and I like her character and of course there's Lucy Liu as Alexandra "Alex" Munday (self-possessed and lethal). Ouch! Lethal! Love that word to describe a person! I prefer the original version of the movie though. Way back to the year 1976, I was then a pretty young lady who had just finished high school. At my age then, young girls were crazy about good looks, having beautiful body, brainy, and having a boyfriend to show off. Having these so called "assets" is something to be proud about! Yeah, I know its silly thinking but who hasn't gone through all these in their younger days! It’s only natural to feel that way! And the beauty of the Charlie's Angels was a craze amongst us young maiden then. The beautiful stylish hairstyle of Farah Fawcett, high-cheeked bone of Jaclyn Smith and the intense look of Kate Jackson, are assets we crazy youngsters all want to have then! To us, beauty and brainy is the best assets. If you don’t have them two, you may consider yourself out of the clan.

My most adored and favorite angel then was Cheryl Ladd, who replaces the departing Farrah Fawcett-Majors. She still is my favorite heroine besides the late http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page155.asp I enjoy her beauty, her work and the inspiring way of life that she leads. Just to quote a few, it’s her beauty from within and her love and support to "ChildhelpUSA.org". She's one of the Celebrity Ambassadors whose support is as diverse as their personalities and talents.

Click for Cheryl Ladd and find out more about my Lovely Hollywood's Sweetie Pie!

What's Your True Color

2006-05-08T12:04:00.000+08:00

I did a color survey and Tickle says...

Your true color is Black!

Black is Beautiful!

Reminds me of a movie about a horse named "Black Beauty" (1994)
Starring: Sean Bean, David Thewlis and directed by Caroline Thompson

What's Your True Color?
Brought to you by Tickle

Your color is black. The color of night. Serene and mysterious, black conjures up images of elegant evening gowns, dashing tuxedos, and gleaming limousines. Traditionally a symbol of success, black also represents power and an uncompromising demand for perfection. Not surprisingly, you tend to set challenging goals for yourself and do whatever it takes to achieve them — your strength of character is second to none. This unfaltering determination, along with your natural elegance, impresses people. But keep in mind that your personality might be intimidating to some. Try to temper your demanding side with a little softness — trust us, it won't kill you. Overall, though, black is the color of professionalism and achievement, which means it's clearly the color for you."

Well, I would say there is some truth in the description outlined for what "black color" has to say about my character. Care to check out what's yours? Give it a shot and have a colorful day always! :)

~Beauty in a woman without good judgement is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.~

Proverbs 11:22

Rambling on Friday

2006-05-05T23:55:00.000+08:00

Sleep depravation drain my energy and make it nearly impossible to do almost anything I love and enjoy doing. One of “the things” is trying to lose weight. Yes, lose weight that is! I started gaining weight ever since I stopped going to aerobic classes and playing squash. What makes me stop doing these activities?

Well, I am enjoying the presence of my grandkids and keeping fit is tucked away at the back of my head!

The urge to keep fit and maintain a moderate weigh is unfortunately, bogging me a lot!
So my sleep hours (not enough of that) jeopardize my weight loss efforts. Gee! I probably am having a very busy life! More often than not, the sleeping hours are used for other activities such as quilting till the wee hour of the morning! I sew and quilted after 9 pm most weekdays. It has become a habit (good habit in the sense that I managed to finish one or two of my quilts, and is not because I lack sleep). :( Weekends are reserve for spending quality times with my family and grandkids! We always have a long list of ‘things to do” planned for the weekends. Be it just staying indoors watching our favorite TV series and playing school or stay outdoors on a fine day doing gardening, cycling, walking around the neighborhood and enjoying Mother Nature’s beauty surrounding us. Such glorious joy and thank God for it.

Ok, guess after musing here, I think I have got the answer to the reason why I constantly felt lethargic, disoriented and cranky. It’s time to examine my lifestyle patterns and I am going to do me a mile-long-to-do-list.

Thank God It’s Friday!
Another day passed and Praise Thee Lord for keeping my family, dear friends and me in your Love and Mercy. Amen.

~ When at night you cannot sleep, talk to the Shepherd and stop counting sheep. ~
Give us help from trouble; for vain is the help of man. – Psalm 60:11

Divorce - The Taboo Word

2006-05-03T16:25:00.000+08:00

I was reading an article written in the “Citizen’s Blog” from Malaysia’s The Star News and the subject was about “Gatal” http://blog.thestar.com.my/alluserposts.asp?id=3076 which I would say is very much related to the subject about “Divorce”.

What madcat_1 wrote in her blog were so much similar encounters I went through when I got the taboo title “Divorce” ("taboo" that is, to the shallow minded senses of some communities living around my neighborhood). I became an INSTANT superstar and was the talk of the town! Well, honestly speaking, I wasn't the only victim to these wagging tongues! I know of some close friends who were facing the same rude encounters. I have my pride but those gossips from around me weren’t at all about encouragement, motivation and moving on with life; rather it became more DESTRUCTIVE to a life already at the brink of helplessness! My neighbors were mostly people who are academically well educated, career men and women, employees and employers of some very well known major companies operating in the area. So, I would expect to hear from the perspective part of their talks or gossips to be more constructive, inspirational and encouraging rather than CONDEMNING. Often, the causes of the breakup were to be blamed on the women. How could these groups of so-called “EDUCATED PEOPLE WITH HIGH CALIBERS” have any ideas about what I went through in my marriage? Do they really know just how much my self-esteem was traumatized by the heartbreaking experience? Have they any ideas at all, that they dare to make judgment to my PRIVATE life?

Yes, I agree with madcat_1 statement that says, “Because I am young, good-looking, have a good career and am independent, women like me have been frowned upon by other women especially married ones. Because they are insecure, they believe that women like me are after their husbands. As I have mentioned earlier, divorce is a traumatic, heartbreaking experience especially for someone with a family. Why would we want to break up another’s family? We have better things to do with our lives!”

So you married people out there, take care of your own family. Pray that your family stays together rather than being nosy about other people’s business.

~ It is foolish to speak scornfully of others. If you are smart, you will keep quiet. ~ Proverbs 11:12

French Name

2006-05-02T16:00:00.000+08:00

Well, you would have already known your Japanese name, how about a French name too?

Here is my French name.

Your French Name is:

Flannery de la Villeneuve

What's" Your French Name?

Easter

2006-04-13T22:16:00.000+08:00

Other Articles by Br. James Brent, O.P.
Lent is an especially good season for Confession. It is also a good time to review the reasons why Catholics go to Confession
Reasons for Confession
04/12/06
The Divine Mercy

On the evening of Easter, Jesus appeared to His Apostles and said, "'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you.' And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained'" (Jn 20:21-23). In this moment Jesus conferred upon the Apostles His own ability to forgive sins. The Apostles now shared Jesus' ability to apply divine mercy to souls like doctors applying medicine to patients' bodies.

The ability to forgive sins passes down through history from the Apostles to their successors - the bishops. From the bishops it passes to today's priests through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. By giving His Apostles the ability to forgive sins, Jesus established the Sacrament of Penance (also called Confession or Reconciliation). But why did Jesus give us this sacrament? It seems He could have told us all just to go into our rooms, shut the door, ask God for forgiveness, and be done with it. Why did He not set things up that way? It would have been less personally revealing and less embarrassing. Why make it so that I have to go to a priest? Why can't I go directly to Jesus?

Jesus said "I am the vine, you are the branches" (Jn 15:5). Jesus fashioned all the sacraments so that by them we might receive a share in His life - like a branch living off of a vine. In baptism, we receive the life of Christ for the first time. This life of Christ is a life in the Spirit, a life of intimacy with the Trinity, and a life of sharing in the Church. Jesus knew, however, that through sin people would damage or even forfeit the life they had received in baptism. The main point of the Sacrament of Confession is to receive the divine mercy. Divine mercy strengthens the life of Christ damaged by (venial) sin and gives back the life lost by (mortal) sin.
The Chosen Instrument

To see the wisdom of Jesus in establishing the sacrament, it helps to think of Jesus like a doctor. Just as doctors use instruments to perform their healing work, so too Jesus uses instruments to perform His healing work. Just as doctors choose to use some kinds of instruments and avoid others, so too it helps to think of Jesus as wanting to use one kind of instrument in particular for the work of applying divine mercy to us. He wants to use a sacrament as His instrument.

By a sacrament I mean a sign that signifies what it causes and causes what it signifies. For example, the words "I love you" signify love - that is their meaning. But they also cause in the listening person the love that they signify. The listener receives the love signified by receiving the sign that signifies the love. Jesus intended to make the reception of divine mercy the same way.

In the Sacrament of Penance, the priest represents or signifies Jesus. The words "I absolve you" signify the word of mercy that Jesus utters. When the priest says "I absolve you," the priest's action of saying those words is a sign signifying Jesus speaking His word of mercy at that moment. Like the action of saying "I love you," the priest's action both signifies Jesus' own forgiving and also causes what it signifies. The priest's action causes Jesus' own forgiveness and Jesus' own soul-healing in the recipient. In this way, Jesus uses the priest and his words as an instrument by which to breathe upon us the Holy Spirit, to strengthen His life within us if it was weakened, and to revive His life in us if it was lost. Thinking of it this way, it is easy to see the main reason why Jesus chose to use a sacrament as His instrument of mercy.

The main reason is that a sacrament of mercy provides a concrete and physical way for us to meet Jesus Himself - as friend to friend and as patient to physician. If we think of the Sacrament of Penance without the faith of the Church (as Protestants do), then we do not think of the sacrament as Jesus coming to touch us with His instrument of mercy. We instead think of ourselves merely as our going to a man - the priest. But if a doctor touches us with a stethoscope, truly it is the doctor who touches us and not merely the stethoscope. Likewise, if we remember from our Catholic faith that Jesus uses the priests and their words as His instruments of mercy, we realize that in the sacrament it is Jesus who touches us with His soul-healing love. It is Jesus who floods us with His spirit and life. Unless we think in terms of the Church's faith that the sacrament is Christ's instrument, we do not realize that in this wonderful sacrament we have a concrete and physical way of turning to Jesus Himself, being touched by Jesus Himself, and hence encountering Jesus for ourselves. Now there are several reasons why Jesus wants us to meet Him in the concrete and physical way that we do in the Sacrament of Penance.

Meeting Christ

First, a sacrament makes intangible things to be tangible. Our customary way of knowing things is through our senses. Unless something is conveyed to our senses, we have a hard time accepting its reality. Sacraments use tangible things to signify intangible realities. In Confession, for example, the tangible priest and tangible words signify the presence of intangible divine mercy. By bestowing His mercy upon us in a sacrament, Jesus makes His mercy real to us - real to our senses.

Second, a sacrament provides a way for one to be reconciled with the whole community of the faithful. Personal sin wounds the Church. It causes all Christians to look bad, it makes it hard for others to find Christ in us, it weakens our confidence in our mission, weakens our response to our vocation, and tempts other people into sin. We owe the whole community of the faithful an apology for our sins. A personal encounter between priests and penitents in the sacrament provides the way for the apology to happen.

Third, a sacrament provides a way for sinners to acknowledge their sins in front of another person in the flesh, to name their sins to another, and to renounce their sins before another. Doing each of these things powerfully contributes to conversion and strengthens our resolve to change our way of living.

Fourth, a sacrament of mercy provides a great way for one to become humble. Jesus foresaw that requiring the confession of secret sins would cause us some embarrassment. But He saw too that the embarrassment does us no real harm and may actually be helpful. It damages nothing but one's over-inflated ego. It may be helpful because the short-term embarrassment of confession cultivates the long-term virtue of humility. For the embarrassment tends to diminish the arrogance to which we all are prone.

Finally, a sacrament of mercy has many wonderful side effects (depending on how it is ministered - practices vary throughout history). It provides a forum for counsel about sensitive moral matters, encouragement in the quest for holiness, and therapeutic conversation about one's flaws. Each of these beneficial side effects is possible only because Jesus decided to use other human beings as His instruments for conferring His mercy upon sinners after their baptism.

The main reason Jesus established the Sacrament of Penance was to provide a concrete and physical way for us to meet Him for ourselves to obtain divine mercy. He wanted the way to be a concrete and physical because of the five reasons just given. Now each of these five reasons is a good thing. They make us happy in the long run - even though they may sting a little for a moment. But these things would all be missing if the way to obtain divine mercy were simply going to one's room, shutting the door, and asking God for forgiveness in private. In order to make His mercy overflow with all these good things, Jesus chose to use a certain instrument for applying His mercy to us. Only one particular instrument brings with it all the good things spelled out above. And that instrument is the Sacrament of Penance. That is why Jesus wants us to meet Him in the confessional.

© Copyright 2006 Catholic Exchange

Lent

2006-04-10T20:34:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, Sunday, Christians throughout the world celebrate the Holy Palm Sunday services, marking the start of the Christian Easter Holy Week. Christian devotees waved palm fronds, which represent the palm leaves people laid at Jesus' feet as he entered Jerusalem in his final week of life. As we celebrate, there are people who are less forturnate than us, who are not able to celebrate freely this kind of celebration.

The evening news brings vivid pictures of new destruction in people’s lives; poverty, natural disasters and many more. These are endless agony and trauma felt by our brothers and sisters who are affected by these kind of unfortunate happenings around them.

I silently asked. "Lord, where is the hope?" My chest grew heavy with compassion and I could feel tears welled up in my eyes.

Immediately a parade of faces flashed through my memory. Faces of people I knew personally who found God to be their anchor and strength in times of great distress and personal loss. These were people who put their trust in God in spite of seemingly insurmountable circumstances. People whose faith anchored them as I witnessed first hand the peace and comfort they received from God. I saw the calm that God gave when they were shaken to the core. I witnessed my own close friends who are so committed in carrying out their daily life in serving God.

Did they brave the storms of life without tears or fear or moments of loosing it? No, for they are people just like you and I and storms can be overwhelming. Yet their eyes always turned back to the God they knew. They choose to run to Him and not from Him in their pain. He was there. He is there. For every breaking heart and every hopeless situation He is still there, today, for you and me.

The words in Psalm 13 as David laments over the agony of his life. He cries out to God with anguished questions. “How long, O Lord, will you forget me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart?” But David's trust in God's unfailing love brought his heart to rejoice because it is only through God that he knew he found true salvation.

God is always there for us to cry out out heart to. He will encompass us with His love and quiet our hearts and bring rest to our body and soul. He will remind us of blessings we still have in spite of loss.

We choose. When everything else fails and our future is uncertain, God is still there for us. Let us then as Him for guidance and stability in our life's journey. Let us continue our trust in Him and pray that peace rest in our body and soul in spite of the turbulent that surrounds us. Let us invite him to journey with us and ask for His guidance, strength, peace and comfort and at any time we stumble and fall, He is there to stretch out His hand for us to hold on to. God is Hope and Hope forever stay in our heart.

Let us pray together "Dear Holy Spirit, my God, please come to my assistance in this daily journey toward eternity. Let me see earthly pleasures according to their true value, without expecting too much from them. Forgive me when my mind wanders in prayer, and grant me interior strength to avoid unnecessary distractions. Show me how to recollect my thoughts and control my senses, and let me forget worldly things when I am united with You in prayer. Whatever leads me away from You is worthless and dangerous. You are my greatest treasure. In all my activities I desire to be aware of Your nearness, so that I may lieve my earthly life in union with You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."

Let us strive to refrain ourself from

- anger and hatred and give our family an extra dose of love each day.
- judging others and before making any judgements, recall how Jesus overlooks our faults.
- discouragement and hold on to Jesus’s promise that He has a perfect plan for our life.
- complaining when you find yourself about to do so, close your eyes and recall some of the little moments of joy Jesus has given us.
- resentment or bitterness and let us work on forigivng those who may have hurt us
- spending too much money and give ten percent of those savings to the poor and needy.

Smile to all. Jesus loves you.

May this Holy Week of Lent brings Peace, Love and Happiness.

Police must be ready to change

2006-04-06T23:32:00.000+08:00

I found this quote from todays'"The Star News" most interesting!

"They should be the Polis DiRaja Malaysia, not Polis Raja Di Malaysia"

Thursday April 6, 2006

The Star

Police must be ready to change

CORRUPTION, abuse of power, ineffective and poor service – these were the descriptions of the police force. They did not come from the Opposition but from the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar himself.

For most Malaysians, what the top police chief said is not even news anymore. Many motorists, at one time or another, have had to deal with corrupt constables who stopped them for flimsy traffic offences.

We have also coped with officers who display reluctance at taking down reports on crimes. We have shown our patience with nonchalant officers who tell crime victims that the force has zero chance of recovering their stolen items because “such crimes are a daily occurrence.”

Malaysians cannot be blamed if they put on a cynical smile when they see the anti-corruption stickers on the patrol cars and badges of similar nature on police uniforms. All of us know that bribery is still rampant.

Just days ago, a 60-year-old woman alleged that she was stripped at a police station.

The impression of the public, with the ear-squat episode still fresh in their minds, is that the police had not learnt their lesson. Maybe it is unfair to have such an impression when these are mere allegations, but public perception is important.

Mohd Bakri, who was speaking at a seminar for 196 officers-in-charge of stations in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, did not hold back his punches. He said the problems faced by the force would not have arisen if the officers had carried out their duties.

“Then, the situation will be different and the public will not make a fuss or take any action against us,” he said, adding that “integrity cannot be taught, it can only be nurtured; and you as station chiefs must carry out your task as supervisors to ensure your subordinates are honest and sincere, as you are the closest officer to them.”

The bottom line is that the force must be prepared to change. Although Mohd Bakri has spoken to fewer than 200 officers, the message must go down to the force’s entire 85,000 personnel. The days of using muscle and brawn are gone, and as Mohd Bakri put it bluntly – the officers must use their brains, so they would be more rational.

Malaysians expect a certain level of performance from government agencies and bodies, and the police force should not be an exception. The job of a policeman requires him or her to interact with the people; it’s a frontline job with plenty of scrutiny.

We expect the force to lift their game and be in tune with the rapid changes in the country. Malaysians are more educated, better exposed and better travelled. More importantly, we know our rights.

We know that there are good police officers in the force; we know that they deserve better salaries and perks, and we know that they have kept our streets relatively safe.

But in the scheme of things, we must never allow our standards to fall; not comparing ourselves with Manila, Jakarta or Bangkok, but seeing where we stand against the police forces of Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Canada and Britain.

Malaysians have become more assertive over the years. Such New Activism, which is a common development in any economy with a fast expanding middle-class, will continue to have an impact in the coming years.

The new tools of communication, the Internet and the SMS, would be used widely by Malaysians to pass judgment on issues involving the police, even if the issues were ignored by some sections of the media. No one can run away from this reality anymore.

Mohd Bakri hit the nail on the head when he told his audience to “read the newspapers ... you can see students with lots of As in their SPM and STPM. They will become part of the community that you will have to serve.”

For the good of the police force, our men and women in uniform must be respected. We want to respect them and we want them to be respected because they have dedicated their lives to protect us.

We must remember that we can sleep soundly every night because of their effectiveness.

We realise that there are politicians and activists, with their own agendas, who look for every excuse to tarnish the police’s credibility, but our leaders and police must sit up and listen when ordinary citizens talk about their unhappiness openly. These are voices that are similar to what Mohd Bakri has said.

The question is what happens next after the speeches have been delivered. Would the errant police officers continue in their ways in the absence of an acceptable mechanism and an anti-corruption agency that is not truly independent?

A clean and upright police force is a long-term process but for the change to begin, the police must be prepared to accept feedback – of the good, bad and ugly sort. They should not take criticism as personal attacks but in a constructive way.

For the time being, the police force must realise that until they earn their stripes, so to speak, from the people, they would be regarded as officers with no honour. They should be the Polis DiRaja Malaysia, not Polis Raja Di Malaysia.

How to show that we are proud of our police force to foreigners who come to our country when lesson is never learnt?

Paradoxes or Lunacy

2006-04-05T16:54:00.000+08:00

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE – PART I

Marvel in the lunacy of the English Language………..

Can you read these, right the first time?

The bandage was wound around the wound.
The farm was used to produce produce.
The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
We must polish the Polish furniture.
He could lead if he would get the lead out.
The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
Since there is no time like the present , he thought it was time to present the present.
A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
I did not object to the object.
The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
They were too close to the door to close it.
The buck does funny things when the does are present.
A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language.
There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.
Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

Dance As Though No One Is Watching You

2006-03-30T22:33:00.000+08:00

I know, yes, I know it’s perfectly normal to feel “kind of down” from time to time. Nothing suits me lately, say, the last few days. It’s the times when I just couldn’t find the right channel BE-HAPPY. I was thinking about how I could find a way to help myself. No point in just bragging about it. So, I browsed through one of friends’ posts and I came across one of the quotations she posted in her blog. I went through the quote in deep thought and somehow I felt so much better and happier afterwards.

Japanese Name

2006-03-29T21:09:00.000+08:00

Wee! This is interesting!

Your Japanese Name Is...

Machiko Reizei

What's" your Japanese Name?

Find out what's yours?

Spring Is Here

2006-03-27T19:25:00.000+08:00

Spring is here ! Springtime is the perfect time to enjoy the sun, smell the flowers, hear the buzz of the bees and take a happy roll on the green grass.

I received a greeting card from a girlfriend from Orlando, Florida and it says "Spring Is Here". Well, I know Florida is a hot country and one would experience the sunshine alot! No wonder Florida is call "Sunshine State". However, Florida observes the Four Seasons.

Here, in the city where I stay, the weather is usually hot and sunny! We do have occasional rainfalls.

At around this time of the year, its the "Shrimp Season", and you would be able to see many locals going out to sea to catch shrimps which are made into a paste.

So wherever you may be, enjoy and have a sunshine day!

Bitchology

2006-03-27T15:33:00.000+08:00

BITCHOLOGY

When I stand up for myself and my beliefs, they call me a bitch.
When I stand up for those I love, they call me a bitch.
When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts or do things my own way, they call me a bitch.

Being a bitch means I won't compromise what's in my heart. It means I live my life MY way. It means I won't allow anyone to step on me.

When I refuse to tolerate injustice and speak against it, I am defined as a bitch.

The same thing happens when I take time for myself instead of being everyone's maid, or when I act a little selfish. It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won't become anyone else's idea of what they think I "should" be.

I am outspoken, opinionated and determined. I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that!

So try to stomp on me, try to douse my inner flame, try to squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me. You won't succeed.

And if that makes me a bitch, so be it. I embrace the title and am proud to bear it.

B - Babe
I - In
T - Total
C - Control of
H - Herself

B = Beautiful
I = Intelligent
T = Talented
C = Charming
H = Hell of a Woman

B = Beautiful
I = Individual
T = That
C = Can
H = Handle anything

“If you can't do something right, get a woman to do it."

When I Say I am A Christian

2006-03-24T21:23:00.000+08:00

Here is a self confession which tells very much about how I see in myself today. :)

When I say I am a Christian, I'm not shouting "I'm clean living. I'm whispering I was lost, now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say I am a Christian, I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say I am a Christian, I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on!

When I say I am a Christian, I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say I am a Christian, I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far too visible but God believes I am worth it.

When I say I am a Christian, I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches. So I call upon His name.

When I say I am a Christian, I'm not hollering than and thou, I'm just simple saying I'm a sinner who received God's grace.

When I say I am a Christian, I've been bought with a price; Jesus's Blood! I'm joint heirs with the Son. I have a Brother that loves me.

I am a Christian not because of who I am, but because of who's I am. I am a Child of God and you can't put a price on that!

When I say I am a Christian........ Amen. Alleluya!

Expect a Miracle

2006-03-24T21:08:00.000+08:00

"Expect a Miracle"

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions.
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?"
Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose hope, because God is at work in our lives all the time, even in the midst of our pain and sufferings, frustration and challenges. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God. Remember the hymn titled "Amazing Grace?" What a awesome God He is! Praise, Glory and Honor be to thee O Lord. We have thought of thy loving-kindness, O God, in the mist of thy temple. Amen

Silence Is Golden

2006-03-23T12:45:00.000+08:00

Greetings wonderful world of blogging! I’m pretty new to this although I’m quite adept to reading blogs. Oh yes, I really enjoy reading the one thousand to one kinds of posts posted by bloggers from all over world! Bear with me as I try to get the hang of this and hope to use this site to interact with others on similar interests, hobbies, ideas, etc. Well, already I am excited about this whole new thing!!

I am not sure how this blogging is going to work, so I am giving it a try. :)

Its Thursday and soon the weekend is here. I had just had my lunch, which I took in the office, and suddenly I realised that it is all silence around me. I looked to my left and my colleague is taking a nap. How nice to be able to take a nap in a sitting position. She has been taking the afternoon breaks for a short nap. I prefer to surf the net or do stitchery works (which I often carry with me). I could concentrate better with my stitchery works with minimal disturbance. Well, its okay to have the silence afterall.