There are two main groups on earth: those who eat to live and the others who live to eat.
Out of my children, Elizabeth and Michael love to eat. They often count on their fingers what dishes they like from their favorite restaurants. I enjoy good food too, but my memory often zooms in on children and adult's foibles or antics I could not help but observe. They would remind me of food we shared from years past but to be honest, I have forgotten or only vaguely recall with a lot of reminders.
However, there are a few good food moments that I would not forget :-
1. Eating freshly caught prawns in a fishing village near Singapore. My grand ma steamed them and they tasted heavenly. I was six years old, it was the first time my father took me back to his hometown. I have not tasted any better prawns since. For my American readers, prawns are like shrimps but they are slightly different.
2. When I was young, my family was so poor that my brothers and I would only get to eat fish ball noodle only if one of us had fever. I still recall my mum would walk with the healthy children across the main road to buy fifty cents' worth of Teo Chew fish ball noodle soup (rice noodle called kway teo) cooked by a man in a tiny roadside stall. Of course the sick child could hardly swallow much as fever was often caused by sore throat. The rest of us would share and feast over the remainder. As our mother and grandmother would brew Chinese herbal tea often, sicknesses were few and far in between. All the more wonderful when we had a chance to eat the precious noodle.
3. When my husband and I brought the children to the beach, we ate in a small restaurant in Pantai Remis. That was the only time we had a steamed silver pomfret (a delicacy Chinese value in my country) that required no ginger, spring onion nor sesame oil. It was absolutely fresh and sweet.
4. During my last visit, my uncle, auntie and cousin (from China) took us to the famous Sar Hor Fun in Canton. They generously ordered three types of Hor Fun (rice noodle). The best was the noodle in clear soup. I can't quite recall if it was served with meat or fish ball. Neither am I certain if it was pork or beef ball. But what impressed me was the simple soup and the noodle that crunch just the right amount.
So you see, I am a simple eater who enjoy non-sophisticated food.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
(217) Asking for a miracle
Being a believer, I often pray. Most of the time is for good weather when I am on the go and I pray for parking in crowded places. Yes, I pray for finances, places in universities for my children, gainful employment, scholarships and good exam results. Recently I visited my elderly aunt in hospital and prayed for a successful hip replacement surgery, speedy recovery and painlessness. Of course others prayed too, my husband and children, my Wednesday prayer group, my husband's Sunday morning group, my old uncle(my aunt's brother)'s entire family too.
Above all that I expected, she came out of the long operation and she was alert. She healed rapidly, until today she only took one pain killer when my cousin insisted because the patient had to travel to the hospital to take out the stitches. She started standing on both feet within a week of the operation and two nights ago she attempted to walk to the toilet by herself. My poor cousin almost had a fit as she was afraid the old lady would fall. The next day the carer resorted to tying one leg of the patient's to the bed post so as to remind her that she needed help going to the toilet.
I am most amazed and grateful that God answered our prayers. When the patient's daughter challenged me to pray for the former's short term memory lost to be reversed, I balked. After reading lengthy articles on Alzeimer's and dementia, I lack the faith to believe. If I don't believe, there is not much point praying.
However, by chance I attended a Full Gospel Business Men's meeting and heard that one young man received a new brain after being in a coma for six months. Well, I did not ask for a new brain for my aunt, I merely requested for the ability to remember. In return for the speaker's prayer, I promised to take my aunt, who lives an hour away, to the meeting to testify if she recovers her memory. After all, she needs salvation more than a good brain at age eighty four. (The above was blogged on 3/23/13)
On 4/15/13 my aunt's memory has not improved. I take it that the answer from God is no or wait. I, an ordinary mortal, cannot understand why some prayers are answered fast and in a beautiful manner; but other prayer requests are not granted. God is sovereign and his ways are much higher than all I can think or reason. Recently a former church member died in Singapore of cancer in her thirties despite months of corporate and personal prayers. She happened to have rather young children. The only silver lining is that the deceased's last wish of having her parents accept Jesus into their hearts was granted. Both aged parents repeated the sinners' prayer ( in her presence) during her last window of consciousness.
Above all that I expected, she came out of the long operation and she was alert. She healed rapidly, until today she only took one pain killer when my cousin insisted because the patient had to travel to the hospital to take out the stitches. She started standing on both feet within a week of the operation and two nights ago she attempted to walk to the toilet by herself. My poor cousin almost had a fit as she was afraid the old lady would fall. The next day the carer resorted to tying one leg of the patient's to the bed post so as to remind her that she needed help going to the toilet.
I am most amazed and grateful that God answered our prayers. When the patient's daughter challenged me to pray for the former's short term memory lost to be reversed, I balked. After reading lengthy articles on Alzeimer's and dementia, I lack the faith to believe. If I don't believe, there is not much point praying.
However, by chance I attended a Full Gospel Business Men's meeting and heard that one young man received a new brain after being in a coma for six months. Well, I did not ask for a new brain for my aunt, I merely requested for the ability to remember. In return for the speaker's prayer, I promised to take my aunt, who lives an hour away, to the meeting to testify if she recovers her memory. After all, she needs salvation more than a good brain at age eighty four. (The above was blogged on 3/23/13)
On 4/15/13 my aunt's memory has not improved. I take it that the answer from God is no or wait. I, an ordinary mortal, cannot understand why some prayers are answered fast and in a beautiful manner; but other prayer requests are not granted. God is sovereign and his ways are much higher than all I can think or reason. Recently a former church member died in Singapore of cancer in her thirties despite months of corporate and personal prayers. She happened to have rather young children. The only silver lining is that the deceased's last wish of having her parents accept Jesus into their hearts was granted. Both aged parents repeated the sinners' prayer ( in her presence) during her last window of consciousness.
(216) Popularity
I had a chat with my first cousin who works in advertising and is really into psychology. According to her, when we want to relate to the masses, it is really easier to be a little of an underdog so that many people would feel like they would give us helping hands. On the other hand, it is not really wise for a public figure to portray a perfect image.
For example, she asked me if I like Nicole Kidman. Well! I am not really big on super stars. I think she looks more than beautiful in some of her shows. Can't say I am a follower of hers but then again I have nothing against her. My first cousin said that while there are lots of people who adore her yet there is a group of people who dislike her and think she is stuck up. Apart from the media portrayal and the many movies, these people don't have anything else to judge her on. Therefore, it is all a matter of perception. My first cousin has this theory that because Nicole is near perfect, mortals cannot accept perfection. It may not be envy either, some very ordinary women may not even want to trade places with her.
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30
For example, she asked me if I like Nicole Kidman. Well! I am not really big on super stars. I think she looks more than beautiful in some of her shows. Can't say I am a follower of hers but then again I have nothing against her. My first cousin said that while there are lots of people who adore her yet there is a group of people who dislike her and think she is stuck up. Apart from the media portrayal and the many movies, these people don't have anything else to judge her on. Therefore, it is all a matter of perception. My first cousin has this theory that because Nicole is near perfect, mortals cannot accept perfection. It may not be envy either, some very ordinary women may not even want to trade places with her.
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
(215) Second Glance by Jodi Picoult
It is interesting that when a ghost hunter met a ghost, he thought it was a living person. Perhaps it is because I am from the East, I know that there are things between heaven and hell that human could not find explanations for.
Personally I have not seen any apparitions. But my grand ma and eldest aunt both could and did see spirits. During the Japanese occupation, they ventured into deep jungle to find edible leaves and roots. My eldest aunt saw a native mother and two children clearly while my grand ma saw them as shadows. My grand ma cautioned my eldest aunt not to say anything as the two parties passed each other on the narrow trail.
When my children were young, I had a helper. A few years before, she actually saw a woman combing her hair in a hotel room when my helper barged into it to retrieved some item. Interestingly, the woman looked normal, both human and spirit ignored each other.
When my youngest was about five, she saw people walking home in the moonlight. I turned and had a good look and saw nothing at the first floor window. Taking the counsel from my grand ma and my helper, my daughter and I went back to sleep while whomever she had a glimpse of went back to wherever they came from.
Personally I have not seen any apparitions. But my grand ma and eldest aunt both could and did see spirits. During the Japanese occupation, they ventured into deep jungle to find edible leaves and roots. My eldest aunt saw a native mother and two children clearly while my grand ma saw them as shadows. My grand ma cautioned my eldest aunt not to say anything as the two parties passed each other on the narrow trail.
When my children were young, I had a helper. A few years before, she actually saw a woman combing her hair in a hotel room when my helper barged into it to retrieved some item. Interestingly, the woman looked normal, both human and spirit ignored each other.
When my youngest was about five, she saw people walking home in the moonlight. I turned and had a good look and saw nothing at the first floor window. Taking the counsel from my grand ma and my helper, my daughter and I went back to sleep while whomever she had a glimpse of went back to wherever they came from.
(214) Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult
The name Salem brought two images to me: cigarettes and the witch hunt. Picoult wove a story that brought a handsome, well educated man from a rich background to a rape victim who not only kept her rapist's child but loved and mourned her for years after the child died of an illness. While the victim suffered in silence, the man was openly accused of rape of a minor and was imprisoned as a result of a plea.
Both the man and the woman were innocent who suffered grievously. I felt very angry with Jack, the history teacher who doubled as soccer coach, who did not have a care about what others thought about him. He was a fool for getting his class of teenage girls to put on their swim suits and then draped table cloths over themselves for mock war fare. He was a moron for picking up his student's bra and kept it on his person. That just about sealed his fate of being charged as a child rapist.
When I was residing in Silver City, there was a woman who waited for words from her daughter who disappeared during her first year as a university student in Australia. The mother kept her old house and her old house phone for years until the death of her husband. Then she sold her house to a relative who promised to keep the old house number and would pass the message if her daughter called. Twenty one years to the date her daughter was missing, a call did come. Two months later, her long lost daughter came back with a twenty year old son. Apparently, she was raped on a date. As a Roman Catholic, she refused abortion and accepted state aid. She changed her name legally to protect herself and her son. Overnight she relocated to another state with the help of a social worker. Happily for the mother, her long wait was over.
Both the man and the woman were innocent who suffered grievously. I felt very angry with Jack, the history teacher who doubled as soccer coach, who did not have a care about what others thought about him. He was a fool for getting his class of teenage girls to put on their swim suits and then draped table cloths over themselves for mock war fare. He was a moron for picking up his student's bra and kept it on his person. That just about sealed his fate of being charged as a child rapist.
When I was residing in Silver City, there was a woman who waited for words from her daughter who disappeared during her first year as a university student in Australia. The mother kept her old house and her old house phone for years until the death of her husband. Then she sold her house to a relative who promised to keep the old house number and would pass the message if her daughter called. Twenty one years to the date her daughter was missing, a call did come. Two months later, her long lost daughter came back with a twenty year old son. Apparently, she was raped on a date. As a Roman Catholic, she refused abortion and accepted state aid. She changed her name legally to protect herself and her son. Overnight she relocated to another state with the help of a social worker. Happily for the mother, her long wait was over.
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