Archive for July, 2007
Last night
- HU: Are you sure you want to leave me?
- Me: Yes, I made up my mind.
- HU: How ‘bout the kids?
- Me: My parents will look after them.
- HU: I will miss them.
- Me: They will miss you too.
- HU: Ma, you don’t have to…
- Me: I need to Pa.
Excerpt from our recent serious talk, yes, we have to separate ways. I have to move on and follow my dreams. I have to quit being a SAHM and face a new challenge in my life. I did not say, I am having a hard time of it…but I was once a career woman and I miss it.
Tonight will be our last night here in Penang, Malaysia, I will miss this place…the people, the environment, unpredictable weather, the food (not curry), my new found friends, the afternoon walk, badminton match with hubby (though we only played once), the chitchat with friends while waiting the mobile store to arrived at 10 am, our unit (which is bare when I arrived, but now, it has curtains sewed by me) and lots of things to be missed.
We made a tough decision this time, to the extent that our children will be away from their father.
HEY! Don’t be too serious!
Our visit visa will expire on the 25th, so we have to go home or exit to another country. But I opted not to do the latter but go home instead…I miss my Lester, I am eager to see him. And this explains the “pasalubong” and the packing of things I mentioned in my previous posts.
Actually, we are supposed to return after six days of stay in Manila, everything was ready, from plane tickets to the letter from the company until this BIG NEWS (which I will post sometime when it’s clear already) came out. Big News that made everyone worries, news where many “What if(s)?” raised…so very big that made us decide to be away from each other…not just for days but months or years (hope not).
Anyway, we will just pray and hope for the best. And we are counting on your prayers folks and please pray for our safety on tonight’s jaunt.
Lots of challenges and interesting things will be posted…keep lynching!
Choosing to Forgive
Ephesians 4:31-32
31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Young children generally don’t hold grudges. They’ll react to an unpleasant situation, and then let it go. But adults have a tendency to hang on to past hurts. When people act badly toward us, we think they owe a debt for their wrongdoing. We believe they’re obligated to us because of their poor behavior. And it seems only fair to expect some kind of restitution. Unless that occurs, we refuse to forgive.
As Christians, we’re called to a different way of thinking and acting. One that’s consistent with God’s character. He’s a merciful Father who wants His children to show mercy to others. His Son’s life on earth demonstrated how we’re to live. As Jesus hung on the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” God expects us to forgive as Jesus did, regardless of circumstances.
In our humanity, we find this command difficult to carry out. That is, until we start to grasp the extent of Christ’s work on our behalf. The cross made us recipients of a mercy so great it defies the imagination. The Savior took all of our sin upon Himself and died in our place. He experienced the outpouring of God’s wrath so our heavenly Father would forgive us. We deserved condemnation but received God’s mercy instead.
The Holy Spirit enables us to let go of past wrongs and extend mercy to others, just as Christ gave mercy to us.
What choice will you make today?
Jambatan Pulau Pinang
“The Penang Bridge is a 13.5km long bridge stretching from Seberang Prai on the mainland to Gelugor on the island, this is one of the many architectural wonders you can see in Malaysia.”
Penang Bridge is a dual-carriageway toll bridge that connects Gelugor on the island of Penang and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. The bridge is also linked to the North-South Expressway in Prai and Jelutong Expressway in Penang. It was officially opened to traffic on September 14, 1985. The total length of the bridge is 13.5 km (8.4 miles), making it among the longest bridges in the world as well as a national landmark.
Before 1985, transportation between the island and the mainland was solely dependent on the state-owned Penang Ferry Service that runs between Butterworth and George Town. Similar to the ferry services in Penang, motorists only need to pay the toll fare while heading to the island. There is no charge for leaving the island. Currently, the Penang Bridge is being expanded from 4 lanes to 6 lanes to accommodate the increasing traffic on the bridge.
A proposal for a second bridge, the Penang Second Bridge, has been approved by the government and included as one of the Ninth Malaysia Plan national projects.
Penang Ferry Service is the oldest ferry service in Malaysia. The famous ferry service connects Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal in Butterworth to Raja Tun Uda ferry terminal at Weld Quay in George Town in Penang Island.
I got this info from the net, cut and paste method, no editing made because today I am busy packing things (oh? Is this an excuse?)…and so thus the pictures. This is in support for my comment to Grace’s “this is not Venice but”.
cJambatan Pulau Pinang – Malay for Penang Bridge
The Grace of God
Romans 5:1-2
1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
Grace is far more than a mealtime prayer or a popular name for girls. The word communicates the idea of blessing.
As children of God, we’re the recipients of His abundant grace. Let’s examine how we experience this amazing benefit of His love.
We see God’s favor in our salvation. Ephesians 2:8 tells us, “For by grace you have been saved.” The blessing is undeserved and unearned. Nothing about your or me prompts God to save us. He acts purely out of His goodness. He sacrificed Jesus so we could be reconciled to Him and adopted into His family.
Grace is also the sphere in which we live the Christian life. Colossians 1:12-13 points out that salvation transferred us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. Here, we live out our new identity as God’s child and glorify Him.
The beauty of grace becomes clear when we consider our former condition, hostile to the Lord and alienated from Him. Ephesians 2:1 says we were spiritually dead and lived according to our selfish interests. Now, through faith in Jesus, God has justified us and given us new life. According to Romans 8:1, He’s declared we have right standing before Him. All of our sins were placed upon Jesus, and His righteousness has been credited to our account permanently.
Picture yourself living in the favor of God. Accept this truth, and then give the Lord thanks.
“Expecto Patronum”
It was dark, the people around were silent and were very much focused on the big screen. Only flashing lights from Exit signs can be seen. Two kids were silently observing their new environment.
“Expecto Patronum”
Yes, yes yes! After three years we broke the ice…we watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix…movie debut for Liz and Leigh.
What do you expect for kids with such age inside the movie house?
Of course, we’ve been ready for whatever will happen. We went there at 2 pm, the usual afternoon nap for the two.
Next, chose the upper portion and near the lobby for in case Leigh will get bored and wanted to do his stunts and babble his “piti piti pata pata”. But we are glad they just observed and kept quiet.
Thirty minutes after, Leigh was sound asleep. Liz sat on my side and has her milk. She was amazed with the magical acts of Harry and the rest of the Dumbledore’s Army.
When almost at the finale, Leigh woke up, stay put for a while until he wanted to be free. He was been in Papa’s arms since we were seated. Papa was too kind to stand up and went to the lobby as to not disturb the other moviegoers and me. Liz was just contented in hanging her feet to the other seat…no one was there of course. She occasionally glanced to Papa and Leigh who were at our back standing.
Lights were on, people stood up and begun to walk outside. End of our movie escapade. Liz was wearing a smile on her face.
Ohh, I will not talk much about the movie, it’s a must see film.
Cheers to my two kids for behaving so well and for being cooperative in fulfilling Mama’s dream, to watch Harry on wide screen. I have watched the four other series only on DVD .
The Weight of Guilt
John 3:16-17
16″For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17″For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
False guilt can be an intolerable weight for the believer to bear. The nagging sense of shame may cause us to doubt the Lord’s love and goodness. We might even start to wonder if our salvation is real. Thankfully, we can find relief.
First of all, it’s helpful to identify the root cause of our guilt. For example, it might involve legalism or criticism. Next, we must affirm three truths:
One, remember we are special. Any reason we give to “prove” otherwise is a lie from Satan. Each of us is a one-of-a-kind creation. The Lord created us and blessed us with specific talents and abilities meant to be used for His glory (Ephesians 2:10 ).
Two, remember we are loved. God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins so we could live with Him eternally. We don’t have to do anything to earn His love. It’s already ours for the receiving. We simply must believe He died in our place, was buried, and rose again.
And the third truth is to remember we are forgiven. If we confess our sins, He forgives. I John 1:9 promises us the process is that simple.
The Enemy stimulates false guilt. Our final step must be to renounce his lies. We must make a declaration to this effect: “In the name of Jesus Christ, I reject these feelings of guilt. They have absolutely no scriptural basis. They are false, and I refuse to acknowledge them.” As a result, the heavy weight of guilt will lift from our hearts.
This is the Daily Devotional from In Touch Ministries.
My blogging is not only for telling what’s happening in our everyday but also to brighten the day of my readers by sharing them the word of God.
First time…
Saturdays and Sundays are his day-offs, but last Saturday was Penang Governor’s Day, so holiday will take effect on Monday, Tuesday is company shutdown…all in all hubby has 4 days vacation. Yupie! We have much time together.
After girls’ day out, Saturday bday party, next is Sunday at the pool…we decided to treat the children to the pool since the sun was hiding in the clouds. Ironic but we hate to go to the pool when it’s hot! Afraid to get tan, lol.
The pool is just within our sight, it is a 5 minutes walk from our condo.
Leigh’s first time in the pool…he loves water. And as expected, he enjoyed so much. He did not want to come out from the water. He was not even afraid to jump into it.
Some pics…
Not bad for a first timer, without the crying and the clinging…sure it was FUN!
So glad they did not catch colds.
Globophobia
Last December 2006, we attended a birthday party here in Malaysia. It was the birthday of Lem’s co-employee’s son. Only Lester and Lizette were with us, Leigh was in PH that time. Lots of fun, balloons, cake and delicious food. Our children were so happy indeed. Until one of the balloons popped out, right in front of Lizette’s face. As expected, Liz cried. We comforted her and she went to the room where the children were playing. Another balloon popped out outside, Liz heard it and cried again. We embraced her and carried her; she did not want to go down anymore and mingle with others. BOOM! Another balloon popped, that was the third explosion for that night… Explosions that made our little girl shiver.
After that incident, Liz doesn’t want balloons anymore. Even on Leigh’s 1st bday we omitted balloons in the party because she was crying and trembling. We never get alarmed because we thought that she is just so young and we hope that someday she will overcome with it when she gets older. But every time we attended birthdays and went to the mall, when she sees balloons, she is afraid and will cry. She even threw the give a way that the celebrant gave her because there is an unblown balloon inside.
Last Saturday, another birthday party and we were invited. With the two kids in tow, off we go. Upon entering, Liz did not notice the yellow balloons. After eating and the children were already playing, Leigh reached the balloons and Liz saw it. She then begun to cry and telling Leigh to put down the balloons or stay away with it. But Leigh was so happy with what he is holding. So, to comfort Liz, I let her go with Papa to another house (Pinoy also) where the drinking session was held.
Now I am worried with my girl. I am afraid she has now a bglobophobia. How can she overcome her fears? Does she needs theraphy in her age now?
Parents out there…need help.
bGlobophobia, defined as “a persistent, abnormal, and unwarranted fear of balloons”.
Girls’ day out
Only me and Liz this time… Lem was too tired that he allowed me and Liz to go with friends to Carrefour. First time to go out with my girl in tow, we used to go to malls together but this time…girls only.
Leigh has to stay with Papa, he cried when we left our room…sorry baby.
Carrefour here we come! Off to the cart, my girl was just behaving.
First stop, children’s section…must buy stuffs for my little ones. Liz wanted to play in the Kiddie rides but I opposed. We should buy some pasalubong first.
Chocolates section…chocolates, chocolates, lots of chocolates, coffee made in Malaysia, fish crackers, biscuits and cookies abuatan Malaysia…until I came across the ladies section…found a nice blouse, white colored but the price??? Expensive! Should I buy it? Never mind…
Men’s section…must buy shorts and tees for hubby, he is into lawn tennis now so he needs more of it. And a glanced again to the blouse I set aside. On second thought…
Toys…for my Lester…galaxy defender…but the price??? Never mind…I’ll buy him in the Philippines.
My girl was so behaved and pointed the Barbie, wow! Now she demanded of toys. But I said no, not at this time where she will only pull the hair, destroy the dress and detach the legs and hands of Barbie. Poor Barbie! Maybe if she knows already how to love it already and value her toys. Good girl just did not argue with me, she just behaved. One thing I admire for my children, they are not the type who will insist what they want, then cry to the max, and because it’s shameful, you have no other option but to buy it. Nope, my children listen and understand explanations.
Wet market…got some just enough for a week consumption. Found myself in ladies section again…”Will I buy this one?” Sigh…okay, a gift for myself.
After 4 hours of roaming inside, we were at the counter already. Still my girl behaved well until she pointed to her favorite candy, Mentos. Ok…for being so cool, I’d buy you some.
Passed by to children’s boutique again…found a pink blouse for her. And last stop…kiddie rides.
Here are some pics of Liz…
Grocery stores here had lots of food samplings, every corner…enough for you to get full once you reach the counter.
But before we went home, ice cream treat for both us.
abuatan – Bahasa for made
