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TO THE WORKING CLASS In these cost-cutting days, go home after work on time! EARTH HOUR 2009
MOM'S 54TH BIRTHDAY    Dad suggested a western diner for mom's birthday last night. We had a sumptuous feast ~ as usual, Cher & I shared 1 big portion of Fish & Chips (but I ended up eating more since she has no appetite) & my favorite Caesar Salad. Everyone was too loaded with the big portion, so we had to cut the cake at home later, instead of at the diner. And........ these are the only pictures I managed to take as my camera was OUT OF BATTERY!! My fault, my fault. Sigh! May God grant mom pinkest health & happiness.  FOOCHOW MEE SUA I skipped using drumstick like how most people would add to their Foochow mee sua. Cher seems to be chicken-phobia lately, so I just cooked some chicken soup with breast meat & shredded the meat for other dishes. Nothing is wasted. Skinned it earlier so the soup won't be too oily. Save the skin & bones for mom's 3 dogs. Added Wolfberries, mushrooms & salt to taste only in the soup. I don't have the Foochow red rice wine which tastes sour, so I substituted it with whiskey instead. Hahahaaaa...... More delicious, in fact! Not forgetting the hard-boiled egg & Chili Padi with light soy sauce to go along. PS: Am not a Foochow, but a Hakka.... MY CREAMY CHEESY SPINACH ON TOAST Here's my own creamy cheesy spinach on toast. Even mom likes it! BIG V for my 1st trial on spinach!!! (Just want to cook it differently from mom) I just love the texture of both spinach (Po Cai) & the crunchy toast of French loaf slices. If there were past & future lives, I might be either an Italian or a Japanese in my past! I love cheese & Japanese food but take away the sashimi & anything raw please! It was love at 1st "taste" for more than a decade when I had it in a North Indian restaurant (can't recall the name) in Malacca. This is how sentimental I can be & finally I have tasted it again! BY ANDY ROONEYI've learned....
That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.That when you're in love, it shows.That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.That being kind is more important than being right.That you should never say no to a gift from a child.That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand. That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.That money doesn't buy class.That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.That love, not time, heals all wounds.That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.That life is tough, but I'm tougher.That opportunities are never lost, someone will take the ones you miss.That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done. WHY DID I GET MARRIED?QUOTE: ' DO NOT LOOK BACK AND ASK WHY, LOOK FORWARD AND ASK WHY NOT' Interesting quote from the movie 'Why did I get married?' In most cases, especially in relationships, you will only get 80% of what you NEED and you will hardly get the other 20% that you WANT in your relationship. There is always another person (man or women) that you will meet and that will offer you the other 20% which is lacking in your relationship that you WANT And believe me, 20% looks really good when you are not getting it at all in your current relationship. But the problem is that you will always be tempted to leave that good 80% that you know you have, thinking that you will get something better with the other 20% that you WANT But as reality has proven, in most cases, you will always end up with having the 20% that you WANT and loosing the 80% that you really NEED and that you already had. Be careful in deciding between what you WANT and NEED in your life. Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. 'Wow, this girl in my office is a real looker. But it's not her Wynona Rider features that got me. I'm crazy about her because she's also understanding, intelligent, tender - so many things that my spouse is not.' Somewhere along the way, you'll find a woman or a man who will be more charming or sensitive. More alluring. More thoughtful. Richer. Have greater sex appeal. And you will find a woman or man who will need you and pursue you and go loco over you more than your spouse ever did. Because no wife or husband is perfect. Because a spouse will only have 80% of what you're looking for. So adultery takes place when a husband or wife looks for the missing 20%. Let's say your wife is melancholic by nature. You may find yourself drawn to the pretty clerk who has a cherry laugh no matter what she says: 'I broke my arm yesterday, Hahahaha....' Or because your wife is a homebody in slippers and pajamas, smelling of garlic and fish oil, you may fall for a fresh-smelling young sales representative that visits your office in a sharp black blazer, high heels, and a red pencil-cut skirt Or because your husband is the quiet type, your heart may skip a beat when you meet an old college flame who has the makings of a talk show host. But wait! That's only 20% of what you don't have. Don't throw away the 80% that you already have! That's not all. Add to your spouse's 80% the 100% that represents all the years that you have been with each other. The storms you have weathered together. The unforgettable moments of sadness and joy as a couple. The many adjustments you have made to love the other. The wealth of memories that you've accumulated as lovers. Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. But faithfulness happens when you start thanking God for what you already have. But I'm not just talking about marriage. I'm talking about life! About your jobs. About your friends. About your children. About your lifestyles.
Are you like the economy airline passenger that
perennially peeks through the door of the first class cabin, obsessed
with what he's missing? 'They have got more leg room! Oh my, their food
is served in porcelain! Wow, their seats recline at an 80% angle and
they've got personal videos!'
I guarantee you'll be miserable for the entire trip! Don't live your
life like that. Forget about what the world says is first class. Do you
know that there are many first class passengers who are miserable in
first class -- because they are not riding in a private Lear Jet? The main message???
If you start appreciating what you have right now, wherever you are,
you are first class! IT'S AN ILLUSION!Why all of the sudden that I posted few Godly messages? Not because I'm holy, neither am I guilty. I was almost mesmerized by a sweet-talking man but not completely lost. It's true that I'm comtemplated to insinuate him to reveal his wickedness. Alas! Why would a fine young bachelor (he claimed that those were the days, of course it aroused my suspicion) frequently engaged services in prostitution? (Really appreciate his honesty!) A leopard never changes its spots. He doesn't know how to value my flair of romance, mistaken it as lustrous seduction, too bad!
His reappearance in my chat life has got himself nailed again for the 2nd attempt. Indeed, I suspected him in the first place when he wasn't at all interested when I introduced him my blogsite. I can surf someone's blogsite to get to know him/her better at all times if we click. Apparently, he was only keen to get me (a desperate single mom??) laid. No wonder it's so difficult for me to courteously reply the same to him like, "I love you too", "I miss you too", etc. etc.. (I was so fake then!) How could one simply love & miss someone in a month (he reappeared on my birthday, the period of 1st attempt is not accountable) time in non-body language or eye-contact communication??
Anyway, I have to thank him for strengthening my affection for someone else & renewing my faith in God. At least he has contributed some goodnesses in my life. Thanks for calling me everyday in the past one month, I will remember to drink more water everyday and take good care of myself & Cher as well. IS CYBER SEX A SIN?Cyber sex is in its essence desiring something that is sinful (fornication or adultery). Cyber sex is fantasizing about that which is immoral and impure. In no sense could cyber sex be considered noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. Cyber sex is virtual adultery. It is fantasizing about a person lustfully and encouraging another person into immoral lust. Cyber sex leads a person into the trap of “ever-increasing wickedness” (Romans 6:19). A person who is immoral in his/her mind and desires will eventually become immoral in his/her actions. Yes, cyber sex most definitely is a sin! ANOTHER PASSER-BYIt's unwise for a woman to arouse a man's beastful desires. She has made herself a sex icon. No matter how much effort a man has tried to corrupt her, she knows that this relationship is leading to no way but another web of lies. No tears. No regrets. But sigh of relief. He's just another passer-by. God wants her to meet some wrong men before she could enjoy true love when the right one comes along. Even if he doesn't, she should know it's not the end of the world. GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYSThe brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve. They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc, and on December 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished.
On December 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days.
On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high. The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home.
On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.
By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus.. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area.
Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet.. 'Pastor,' she asked, 'where did you get that tablecloth?' The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria. The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the Tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. He was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again. The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do.. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job. What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn't leaving. The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike. He told the pastor how the Nazis came, he forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison.. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years in between.
The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine. So when the road you're traveling on seems difficult at best.. Just remember to pray and God will do the rest. When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need.
True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid THE GEESE There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays. His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments. One snowy Eve, his wife was taking their children to service in the farm community in which they lived. They were to talk about Jesus' birth. She asked him to come, but he refused "That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!" So she and the children left, and he stayed home. A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening. Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet. When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn't go on. They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed. The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn't seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them, and they moved further away. He went into the house and came with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread crumb trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on. Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe. "Why don't they follow me?!" he exclaimed. "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?" He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he said out loud. Then he had an idea. He went into barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn -- and one-by-one, the other geese followed it to safety. He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind: "If only I were a goose, then I could save them!" Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier. "Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!" Suddenly it all made sense. That is what God had done. We were like the geese--blind, lost, perishing. God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us. As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought. Suddenly he understood why Christ had come. Years of doubt and disbelief vanished with the passing storm. He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer: "Thank You, God, for coming in human form to get me out of the storm!" A VISIT TO HEAVEN Mabel, Sunday 15th June 2008 My husband, David & I went for breakfast before our church service. David began feeling unwell so we decided that he should go home to rest while I went on to church. That day, I had a bad headache so I went home for a nap after church. David was not in and messaged that he was in Changi General Hospital (CGH). At 7pm, David returned from the hospital. However, he still felt very uncomfortable so we hurried back to the hospital where the doctor decided to ward David for further observation. Mabel, Monday 16th June 2008 I went to CGH the next morning to find David shaking in a fit. He said he could not see and then suddenly he lost consciousness. The doctors attending to him decided to transfer David to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) where they had more experience in dealing with liver problems similar to that which they had diagnosed David to suffer from. David, Monday 16th June 2008 I was at CGH when I must have passed out. One moment I was in hospital, the next, everything around me became a blur. Then I suddenly became detached from my body. A bright, big doorway was before me and I walked through. On the other side of the entrance, an angel met and led me to be judged by God. He explained about the Book of Life, saying that those who backslide and denied Him would be condemned to the Hell. Those who accepted Jesus as their Saviour, are faithful, and fear God, reading the Bible and worshiping Him will go to Heaven. Their names are found in the Book of Life and will be accepted and welcomed by God himself, into Heaven. Then I met Jesus! I could not see His face as it was dazzlingly and shining but I knew it was Him. Mabel, Monday 16th June 2008 David was at SGH's ICU (Intensive Care Unit). He was in a coma and in a critical condition. Many tubes were plugged into him. The breathing support machine sucked air into his body and in the background, the heart-monitoring machine beeped, ticking the time he had left on earth. Doctors explained that his liver had failed and toxin had spread to all of his body. They told us to prepare for the worse.. David, according to the doctor, was brain-dead. My whole family, mother-in-law and relatives all were weeping. Many people prayed earnestly for David. David, Nil date Heaven is amazingly beautiful.. It is bright and shining, singing and worship music filled the atmosphere. Angels are everywhere. So are many happy people who had accepted Jesus. There is no need to have any food and no sickness. Our spirits feed on the word of God. The words "Holy, holy, holy" seemed to resound in my head. The angel beside me told me that Hell is drastically different. It is a heavy, dark and burdened place. None can see through the blinding darkness of hell. Mabel, Tuesday 17th June 2008 David was in a coma and did not wake up. His condition did not improve but became increasingly worse. David, Nil date I met four people/groups of people face to face in Heaven.. I could see their faces only: 1) Bro. Lai - a deaf brother from Deaf Faith Fellowship 2) Former Senior Pastor P. Johnny from World Revival Prayer Fellowship 3) My father and sister 4) My relatives. Brother Lai told me more about Heaven.. He said Heaven is a beautiful place. In the back, I could see a cross. Those who accept Jesus would be at Heaven. Hell is terribly different from Heaven. It is a place of suffering where backsliders and those who deny Jesus who are judged, are sent. Brother Lai explained that God would clean our unclean and sinful hearts, leaving cleansed hearts in us if we confess. It is simple to confess our sins to God as He forgives us easily and readily. Brother Lai asked for a favour from me. Could I tell Caroline Phua-Wong that he is happy in Heaven? He said that Caroline used to visit, care for and clean him for a very long time when he was sick in a nursing home. I realized amazingly that we talked without using sign language! In Heaven, we do not need the sign language for we could all talk like normal people.. Brother Lai looked younger and very different from when he was alive. Former Senior Pastor P. Johnny looked wonderful. He was happy and very much younger in Heaven. His face was filled with glory and shone. I was again aware that I could talk to him normally. Mabel, Wednesday 18th June 2008 David was still in a coma. Doctors approached us about possibility of removing him from the breathing support machine. There was no improvement in his condition and he was beyond the doctors' abilities to save. It would be useless for David to have a liver transplant, as there was absolutely no hope for recovery. Doctors explained as kindly as possible the expensive cost of keeping David alive on the breathing support machine. It would be a pointless financial burden for us. About 5pm that day, doctors again suggested that the family consider removal of the life support systems from David. I stopped them. I wanted my children and relatives to have a chance to be with David while he was still alive even though he was in a coma. David, Nil date I met my father, sister and relatives who were Christians - they looked younger and happy too. They encouraged me to walk the straight path of Jesus, be faithful to God and not to backslide. God spoke to me. He said we look old on earth but we will look young when we are in Heaven! He even showed me how young my wife, Mabel, would look when she is in Heaven one day. I was astonished. Mabel, Wednesday 18th June 2008 Our children, relatives, friends and pastors came to come to pray for David. The decision to remove the life support systems from David twisted like a strangling cord round my heart. I cried continuously, frightened to make the life and death decision for David. My daughter, Christine, Senior Pastor Kenny Chee and Pastor Barnabas Phua discussed funeral arrangements for David by both her church and WRPF in preparation for his passing on. Kenny, Barnabas and a few members of WRPF gathered inside David's ICU room to pray for the trust to let God to take over the situation. Tubes from David's mouth were smeared with blood - he had lost a lot of blood. It was time for me to make the final decision on the removal of all life support systems from him. My daughter, Christine, and son, Jeremy, agreed to let their father go and I consented. At around 11pm, doctors removed the oxygen mask. They expected David to pass on within 48 hours. My children and I stayed by his side praying and crying for him all night. David, Nil date While I was in Heaven, I could see my body in the hospital bed. My wife, son, daughter, mother, siblings and relatives, my daughter's church pastor and her church friends, WRPF church Pastors Kenny Chee, Barnabas Phua and church friends were all praying for me. Jesus told me to go back to my family and take care of my liver. He asked me to control my hot temper and anger... He said the Bible is the truth. I must read it to keep close to Him. He gave me a last reminder about the Book of Life before sending me back. I said goodbye to Him and the angel led me to a small door. I walked to open it. The next thing I knew, I had woken up. I am still alive. Mabel, Thursday 19th June 2008 When the morning came, three doctors checked on David and found his eyes opened! His breathing was completely normal. The doctors were extremely puzzled and asked me how David woke up alive and well. This was something they never expected. Christine and I immediately told them that our God healed him. It was unbelievable to the doctors. A complete check was made on David and they pronounced him well. He was transferred to ICA for more observation. Drips and the feeding tube were again attached to him. David could recognize all of us; his family, relatives and friends. When many came and saw him, thanksgiving and praises to God overflowed. I am very grateful to God for bringing David back to us safely. David, Thursday 19th June 2008 I am thankful to God for those 3 days of coma and the unbelievable and enriching experience of Heaven. Mabel, Friday 20th June to Saturday 5th July 2008 Daily, David showed physical improvement. Doctors monitored his liver and high blood pressure condition. He was finally discharged on 5th July 2008, after 2½ weeks in hospital. When David shared his experience of heaven with us, we were amazed. Caroline Phua-Wong was shaken to hear Brother Lai's words for her. Her visits to him had been done in utmost secrecy and no one could have known about it. We give glory and praise to our real and Almighty God. We would like to thank all their prayers for him and all of us. Hallelujah! (Interviewed and written by Caroline Phua, edited by Aileen Wee) Pastoral note: David and Mabel Chang are faithful deaf members of the Deaf Faith Fellowship, a ministry of World Revival Prayer Fellowship. Experiences like what David had are not equal in authority to the Bible, and like prophecies, are not to be despised, but to be discerned. Take what is good. http://alpha.wrpf.sg/2009/02/visit-to-heaven-while-brain-dead/#comments A STRANGERWhen a stranger walked up to you & warned you about someone you know...... what would you do?
Honestly, I was taken aback for some thoughts. Why would I believe a stranger? On second thought, what harm have his/her words made to me? But they do somehow jeopardise half my trust on that someone I thought I know....... I don't want to have deaf ears. At the same time, I'm nobody to judge. I believe what goes around comes around. Time will tell & the evil doers will be brought to justice. FEELING LAZYI'm here sitting in the front of my office desktop clearing emails which many have been few months outdated. The problem with me is I do not simply skip & delete emails especially from friends without reading them. I don't like to read emails from Cher's mini laptop from her dad at home. My company's laptop has been returned to my boss upon certain circumstances, along with the company's mobile SIM card. (Great, I get to claim on handphone charges & carry 1 handphone only now!) I'm yawning like a drug addict after watching a late movie show last night & feeling this irritating pain in my head everytime my mouth stretches open!! Cher woke up from her nap at the couch after her Taekwondo lesson in school this morning. I've ordered next door mamak food & roti for our lunch. Not a single soul came into the showroom today, only the postman. Do I want to waste 2 more hours here?? I would rather pack & go home to rest early. Ahh..... not forgetting my laundry & housekeeping chores await for me at home!! Grocery shopping??? I'll leave it for tonight ya..... 一篇值得分享的短文最近我的一位弟兄剛剛離婚，常常跑到我家來聊天訴苦。這位弟兄算是大家羡慕的成功人士吧，他在華爾街任分析師，年薪在 $300，000左右，開輛 BMW。我和他是大學同學，又都住在NewJersey，現在已是無話不說。 說來慚愧，我的年薪只有$70，000，還有在家帶兩個小孩和不工作的老婆，買房子是根本不用想了，也總被一些同學認為沒出息。 本來老婆和我是準備幫助這位弟兄和他老婆和好的，但是我知道他們離婚的原因後，也覺得無話可說了。 我一向羡慕這弟兄，那麼有追求，事業那麼成功，看我這土老冒，安逸享樂，這輩子算浪費了。可是在我知道這弟兄離婚的原因後，開始對生活有了新的認識。 這弟兄和老婆是大學同學，青梅竹馬，羨煞人。來美國後，兩人都開始為學習生活努力，並且畢業後都找到好工作，更羨煞人。 工作兩年後，弟兄被哥大錄取去讀 MBA，畢業後又到華爾街工作，而我這時剛在一個學校找到職位，老婆也生了個兒子，羡慕死人家了。可是不要只是看到這弟兄光鮮的外表，他的婚姻卻正在經歷痛苦。 剛開始兩人一起工作時，他老婆問要不要小孩，他說還有好多事沒有做完，沒有精力。在念 MBA時，每天早出晚歸，連老婆也忽略了，老婆幾次希望能親密一下，他都已經睡著了。 在華爾街工作後，老婆認為終於可以喘口氣了，卻不想他更是每天早出晚歸，因為工作壓力比念MBA還大。 又過了兩年，我都又有個女兒了，他的薪水加獎金也幾乎是我薪水的 3倍了，老婆卻要和他離婚了。女人也有壓力的，那就是生小孩，她的年齡已經太大， 不生就晚了；而他卻天天忙工作，回到家不是太晚就是太累，他們大概每年有一兩次就不錯。 最近，他發現他自己陽萎了，試了幾次都不行。老婆一氣之下和他離婚了- 不是因為他陽萎，而是因為他不愛她。 聽完他的訴苦，我無話可說。一直被大家羡慕的夫妻生活竟是這樣過的， BMW裝的竟全是痛苦。錢，錢，錢，現在的人為什麼就好像是鑽到了錢坑，忽略了其他任何的一切。錢是身外之物，生不帶來，死不帶走，賺那麼多卻沒有機會花豈不是很悲哀。 我相信現在每年賺$300，000的他，寧可花$230，000每年來買我的生活，我的老婆和小孩，可是為什麼非要到太晚才覺悟呢？他現在正在找一個壓力小薪水低的工作，可是談何容易。除了其他華爾街公司要他做類似的職位外，幾乎沒有其他公司願意出那麼高價來聘用他。他薪水的一半對於一般的公司都太高了。他開玩笑說是走上了不歸路。 生活的真正意義是你在死前回過頭來問自己是不是活的很快樂，是不是對得起家人，而不是一輩子賺了多少錢。我們的小孩也根本不在乎他們是不是有高級玩具，而是有沒有爸爸陪他們玩最廉價的LEGO。 有人說如果不趁年輕時賺錢將來怎麼辦。人不能活在將來，因為你怎麼知道你有將來？你甚至怎麼知道你有明天？未來？還有將來的將來，什麼時候是你的今天？錢是永遠也賺不完的。但是你一定確定你有現在，你可以把現在活好。而且有沒有出息並不是用錢來衡量的。 對於我來說，我的出息是可以每天早早回到家陪家人吃飯和陪小孩玩。我有出息。剛剛收到一份 EMAIL故事和大家分享：多年前我跟悉尼的一位同學談話。那時他太太剛去世不久，他告訴我說，他在整理他太太的東西的時候，發現了一條絲質的圍巾，那是他們去紐約旅遊時，在一家名牌店買的，那是一條雅致、漂亮的名牌圍巾，高昂的價格標籤還掛在上面，他太太一直捨不得用，她想等一個特殊的日子才用。 講到這，他停住了，我也沒接話，好一會後他說："再也不要把好東西留到特別的日子才用，你活著的每一天都是特別的日子!" 以後，每當我想起這幾句話時，我常會把手邊的雜事放下，找一本小說，打開音響，躺在沙發上，抓住一些自己的時間。我會從落地窗欣賞淡水河的景色，不去管玻璃上的灰塵，我會拉著太太到外面去吃飯，不管家裡的菜飯該怎麼處理。 生活應當是我們珍惜的一種經驗，而不是要捱過去的日子。我曾經將這段談話與一位女士分享，後來見面時，她告訴我她現在已不像從前那樣，把美麗的磁具放在酒櫃了。以前她也以為要留待特別的日子才拿出來用，後來發現那一天從未到來。"將來"，"總有一天"已經不存在她的字典了。如果有什麼值得高興的事，有什麼得意的事，她現在就要聽到，就要看到。 我們常想跟老朋友聚一聚，但總是說"找機會"。我們常想擁抱一下已經長大的小孩，但總是等適當的時機。我們常想寫封信給另外一半，表達一下濃郁的情意，或甚至想讓他知道你很佩服他，但總是告訴自己不急。 其實每天早上我們睜開眼睛時，都要告訴自己這是特別的一天。每一天，每一分鐘都是那麼可貴。有人說：你該盡情的跳舞，好象沒有人在看你一樣。你該盡情的愛人，好象從來不會受傷害一樣。我也要盡情的跳舞，盡情的愛。 看完這篇短文後，可以馬上起身去擦桌子，或洗碗；可以把報紙放一邊，閉起眼睛沉思一會；也可以把這篇短文剪下來，傳真給很多朋友。當然，我最希望你選擇最後這一項，誰知道，你可能會改變很多人的一生。 ANOTHER SIGN OF OLD AGE ~ FORGETFULNESS I recognised their faces from far. One of them laughed aloud when I approached their table at the kopitiam opposite Cher's school. As a courtesy, I stopped & chatted with them for a while. He who laughed was disappointed when I confessed that I have completely forgotten their names. All I could recall was they were buddies from another class of my ex-male classmates ~ used to come to our class & teased girls. He even mentioned I must remember Esmond's (from their class) name, I said yes, because Esmond's in my email contact list even though he's working in KL. I apologised for forgetting their names but I told them they are lucky that at least I remember their faces & didn't ask who they are instead!!??  . Cher walked over from her school, so I have to bid goodbye to them. He who laughed shouted at me, "By the way, I'm Hua Lai, he's Ah Loong........" I smiled back with a sense of guilt. PS: Did he fool me???? He's Ah Loong & the other guy is Hua Lai.......... (if I'm not mistaken.......) A LITTLE GRATITUDEI still can't chew solid food normally and open my mouth wider because of the swell on my left head. It's quite painful rubbing it but on my thigh...... errrr..... too shy to take a picture of it! It's a big patch of "blue-black", the size of a palm. I can feel the pain when pressing on the clutch pedal when driving my manual-geared car. (This reminded me of how a dear friend has suffered when he has a leg injury partly due to me). I have been playing my own doc since the day I have fainted with the stocked up medicines in my fridge (which I have collected everytime I visited docs). Even Cher kept persuading me to see a doc! So I have finally visited doc 2 days ago for antibiotics, some iron tablets to replenish my recent lost blood (feeling like a vampire) & more medicines for "future" use. Fever has subsided, still recovering from flu & cough. Nevertheless, I can't let these little pain & sickness to get in my way of coming to work since I'm the only one in the showroom now. So 2 days of working half-day, I'm back to work as normal. I want to thank "someone" who has been with me all this while with constant reminders to do this & not to do that. No doubt no physical human warmth but caring & loving thoughts do help a lot to heal a wounded body & soul. And to all my beloved friends who were informed of my faint from my blog, thank you for all your warm caring concerns. Especially to DD, Evon, Alex, Sue & CK. Thank you. FAINTEDThe 1st time was when I was serving in the flight 15 years ago, I couldn't stand the heating smell of inflight food. All I had was butter spread bread rolls. I have seen black-out & flashes of light but I quickly pulled myself around.
The 2nd time was 10 years ago when I was pregnant with Cher. The church was humid during the mass. At this time, there was still a pair of warm hands to support me & pull me through.
This morning at the church, I thought I could hold it till I received Holy Communion, but I felt nausea. My immune system finally broke down after a row of days of grandma's demise with not enough rest. I am down with sorethroat, fever & flu. Moreover I am having heavy flow of the month & my usual low haemoglobin. I didn't want to make a mess in the church, so I quickly walked towards the washroom. On the way, at the carpark, giddiness has slowered down my pace. Suddenly I fell to the ground & hit my left thigh & left head on the concrete curb. I tried to get up & continued walking towards the washroom, I couldn't. Lost all strength, I leaned against a car but slowly seated at the ground unconsciously. Not sure for how long. No one came to rescue me until I regained consciousness. A warden approached me after someone nearby witnessed what happened to me. He helped me up & back to the church & seated me down to rest. I was too weak to tell him to inform my family members who were seated in the front rows. So I waited till the mass was ended.
At one second, I thought I was going to join grandma. Thank God for pulling me through. FAREWELL GRANDMA 27.2.09 It has been 7 days since grandma passed away,
when is the day we all gather here again? What is my problem of having to raise only 1 child, whereas grandma has 11? Grandma was too a single parent, a widow for more than 3 decades.
May her soul rest in peace
in the kingdom of the Lord.
AMEN.
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