Praise God II

Did I share this with you guys? My dad opened his left eye - that one that was still reflective to light - many times over. And he stared at Tessa the longest time he could. That was Satuday when we all visited him at the nursing home. Praise God for that. Now we will continue to uphold him in prayers for him to open his right eye, talk, even move his limbs!!!

My mum is going for the check-up with the oncologist at TTSH this morning. Pray that the spirit goes before us and seal the protection upon her, be with her and clear her of all cancer cells. I have heard of many testimonies whereby the cancer cells simply disappeared - mum is going to be one of them. Amen.

Praise God

Praise God for mum's complete healing of pneumonia. It's been resolved! We sent her to Tan Tock Seng A&E for a follow up and Xray revealed all is clear. However, an appointment has been made to see the oncologist on Monday for a CT Scan just to be sure that the cancer cells did not spread to the lung.

We want to continue to uphold her condition to be healed of cancer and given a new heart (for she hsa a weak, enlarged heart) and claim the promise prohesised 6 years ago that God will raise her up in His ways. Amen.

p.s sorry for some of the typo errors made in the past few entries. couldn't be bothered to edit them.

talking about hospital, nursing home, Hari Raya and Malay food

so, my dad was finally discharged from the hospital and being transferred over to the nursing home. the discharge procedure was hurried and the ambulance personnel had to rush. in the end, we left the hospital without having the chance to even say thank you to the staff nurse.

on the way to the nursing home,, whilst being seated in the ambulance, next to my father, I looked out at the many unfamiliar environment and surroundings in which I have never been to before all these years growing up in Singapore.

today, being Hari Raya, I witnessed the many Malay families who were dressed up in their festive best. In fact, I was really impressed how they colour coordinate amongst the family members - I saw this 3 generation family all dressed in baby pink with 1 particular lady who had a svelte figure, and who combined the best of east-west dressing with a pair of slim black pants and a pink kebaya-style top - i thought it was absolutely stunning. Then I saw another family in black and gold combi as well as one other family in all white.

I have always been amazed at the unity and bond the Malays bear and share. I remember when my dad was still in SICU, this Malay family will have the whole gang of their family members plus relatives as well as family friends, who would gather and sit around occupying 2 different sections of the 4 part visitors area. They would often greet one another in their traditional way - shaking hands, kissing their hands, bringing it to their hearts or even hugging each other among members of the same gender.

We would be amazed and often than not, secretly admire this traits they so very possess. how wonderful and how great a community they are.

talking about Malays, I have been eating lots of Malay food I have been so badly deprived while living in Melbourne - changi village nasi lemak, mee rebus, lontong, mee siam, mee soto, bergedel, tauhu telur, ikan goreng, vegetable curry, sardine puffs, putu piring etc. I remember my friends and I used to patronise the 2 Malay cook food stalls in secondary school nearly everyday despite the long queues and our favourite dish - kway teow goreng!! Hmm, I shall also hunt down that Nasi Padang stall i used to patronise many years back and eat to my hearts content. one day.

Jesus calmed a storm

It is 10.20am and Chong Swee from Lighthouse Evagelism just called to say a word of prayer for me when he said the word "STORM" again.

This is the 3rd time I hear/read this word since i woke up.

Jesus calmed a storm Mark 4:35-41:

1. Jesus cared for the safety of His disciples. Mark 4:38-39.
2. Jesus showed His authority as God by calming the storm. Mark 4:39.
3. Jesus wanted the disciples to trust in the saving powers of God which were made known through Jesus. Mark 4:40.

This storm I will ride through with Jesus by my side.

Storms of Life

This is another article on STORMS sent forth by sister Elsie i have just received through email:


Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him.

"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?

The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.

We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the middle of storms.

Storms Bring Out The Eagles

My brother's friend gave him this on a printed paper and I thought it'd be good that I post it here so that I can read it through over and over again:

"Storms Bring Out The Eagles, But the Little Birds Take Cover"

When the "storms of life"
Gather darkly ahead,
I think of these wonderful words
I once read.

And I say to myself
As "threatening clouds" hover,
Don't "fold up your wings"
And "run for cover".

But like the eagle,
"Spread wide your wings"
And "soar far above"
The troubles life brings.

For the eagle knows
That the higher he flies,
The more tranquil and brighter
Become the skies.

And there is nothing in life
God ever asks us to bear
That we can't soar above
"On the wings of prayer".

And in looking back over
The "storm you passed through",
You'll find you gained strangth
And new courage, too.

For in facing "life's storms"
With an eagle's wings,
You can fly far above
Earth's small, petty things.

~Helen Steiner Rice~

busy

Tessa and I were due to leave Singapore tonightwith SQ. I had contacted SQ to cancel my seats on the flight. It's been 35 days exactly today being back here. Well, at least, the good thing about it being here is that my hayfever is gone and Tessa's incessant runy nose has stopped.

Settled the nursing home part and dad will be discharged tomorrow from the hospital and will be transferred there with the ambulance the nursing home provides.

Now, I have to find ways and means to get mum to do a follow up with the doctor. The hospital had wanted her to be admitted into A&E but she had vehemently opposed to it and even gave me a big lashing out. sigh. sometimes, it is difficult being her daughter.

Dear Lord, give me more strength and patience and love. Your grace and mercy endures forever. Amen.

why?

why - i was asked, have I not been blogging.

why - i ask myself, did my father had a stroke out of the blue and had remained in coma since?

why - i ask myself, did my mum at the same time developed pneumonia and that the doc suggested it could be that the cancer had spread to her right lung (x-ray revealed that fluids were in the lungs)?

why - are things all happening all at once ?

why - am i on this earth ?

why ??? because i am to serve a purpose?

too many whys but no answers is that why???

1 month

It's been 4 Sundays and that makes it a month since my dad went into coma. and it's been a month since I've been back here in hot, humid and hazy Singapore (all thanks to our neighbour who labelled this tiny island nation The Little Red Dot).

I have not been in the mood to blog simply because I dont feel like doing it. Everything is wearing me down. Even with VivoCity's opening, I dont seem to feel the excitement at all even though I love shopping. I wonder if I can ever feel the pulse of life anymore. I am just deadbeat.

Neverthless, life still goes on. And i decidedly want to enjoy every full minute of it all. Life is short - enjoy while you can.

To digress, the Goldheart TV ad never cease to enthrall my attention. Julie London's rendition of Fly Me To The Moon and the depicted scenes of the ad with fast car, starry skies, handsome man, beautiful lady and needless to say, the huge diamond she was wearing seems a potent combination for a sucker like myself. And now Tessa too. ha. Celestial. I remember. Always. Excellent ad. wonder who did the ad. see, the marketing part of me is now scrawling its way out.

Mid Autumns Festival

It is Mid Autumn Festival, rather commonly known as the Mooncake Festival, today.

As Theo had to return to Melbourne to start his new school term, Tessa and him had the opportunity to light up their lanterns, in the formof a car (for Theo) and a butterfly (for Terssa), courtesy of my cousin May, on Wednesday, just before hubba and him boarded their flight out of Singapore at 2340 hours.

But as for today, we took to the streets when my dear brother Jem, suggested that we eat out at Chinatown and then walk around the vicinity to soak in the atmosphere of the festivity. I thought it was Chinese New Year - with the buzz, the crowds, the bazaar, the lights, lanterns and all that.

However, I wish hubba and Theo was around and of course, dad to be amongst us. As the saying goes, when the moon is round, it is time for a reunion for family members.

Dad was transferred out of his usual bed to a single air-con ward, which is good because he had developed a slight fever again and the 8 beds ward is usually crowded with visitirs who might bring with them various virus which might pass on to him.

The nurses there have so far been extremely helpful and accomodative. I would not say so for the doctors. And that is the reason why they are there - a nicely termed Restructured Hospital - when in fact, it's a government hospital.

Okay, I'd better go help myself to a small piece of mooncake - Black Sesame Pandan and a snowskin lotus paste with olive seeds one, again courtesy of cousin May. She's been really sweet, visitng my dad whenever she could possibly could and praying for dad and inviting me over to her church for a special meeting with Ps Paul Roulet of Internal Church Las Vegas.

In God I Trust.