Crossroads

Whenever we come to a crossroads in life, what choice do we make?  In other words, in what direction will we travel and what habits will we establish?

Inevitably, in life, we need to make choices everyday we wake up.  What to eat?  What to wear?  Every choice we make creates a ripple effect on our lives as well as the lives of others.  The choices we made throughout our life determine where we are and what we are becoming.

A habit is a pattern of behavior that we follow consistently.  We need to decide prayerfully, what habits we will practice.  Paul's referred to his life journey as a race.  He learned that the only way to stay the course was to discipline [his] body and bring it into subjection.   No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. [1 Corinthians 9:27]

Disobedience to God makes our heart-home dirty.  But obedience that is expressed out of love for Him will make our heart a suitable home for God now, and we will be ready when Christ returns.

In the beginning we make our habits; in the end our habits make us.

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:14 KJV

W.I.S.D.O.M. of married life

'W '  is for working it out

One should always make an effort to preserve one's marriage.  Successful marriages are not perfect or made in heaven but rather well managed.  Accept the realities of day-to-day life, and work within it.  It is important that marriages be sustained and improved upon.

Divorce is not a wise solution in most cases, often time, it is only the convenient way out.

'I'  is for in-laws

Your relationship with your in-laws must be conducive.  Do not put your spouse in a difficult situation where he has to make a choice between you or his parents.  Always have the right attitudes towards them as choice of words are important as a sign of respect and love.

'S'  is for self

We always forget to put emphasis on ourselves.  Keep some time for yourself, your spouse should also do the same - your own 'me-time'.  It is lovely to have the peaceful sanctuary of ones own room just being alone.

'D'  is for dumb and deaf

When an argument arises, it is wise to act dumb and to turn a deaf ear to whatever says. Words that are not thought over are best left unspoken.  Better still, write them down - will give you time to ponder and evaluate your innermost feelings.  A wise man treats an argument as a way to understand each other better.  It is not a matter of winning or losing.

'O'  is for observe

Observe what your spouse despises and avoid them.  Learn to pick up the hints from body language and facial expression.  Quarrels can be easily avoided once we are able to recognize the trigger points.  Care and take notice of his 'liking'.

'M'  is for mediate

Sort out any disagreements, talk it out and find an amicable solution.  You have a lifetime to spend with this person, yet life is too short to be wasted on unconstructive arguments.  To strengthen a marriage, there must be mutual effort.

Beauty of woman

God said, "When I made the woman she had to be special.

I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

And finally, I gave her a tear to shed.  This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."

"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."

By: Navin Jethmalani

RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE HEART CAN MAKE ANY LIFE BEAUTIFUL

The three 'R' of our Relationship

A time to Remember, Rejoice and Renew

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.  “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“Therefore I hope in Him!” - Lamentations 3:22-24

I have been married for more than three decades and in that time, although I think I know my spouse better than any other human being on planet Earth, there are still moments when I exclaim, "Why, I didn't know that about you!"

I am a hopeless romantic.  It was our 32nd wedding anniversary today.  It is a very good reason to celebrate.  For when we rejoice, it's not about the food and revelry, but in thanksgiving for a relationship that has withstood many trials and tribulations, and the test of time.  I marveled at this woman who has stood by me for 32 years.

I believe every journey is different.  We have been nice to each other and been a good friend - we make each other laugh most of the time, and wept together some time.

Our love for each other have been precious and has grown in time, especially when things were tough.  It was in those times, when love came through In laughing, in crying, our love stands true, our love still grows and deepens even more with hope in our hearts and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dr Karl Menninger - "One does not fall in love: one grows into love and love grows in him."

To the woman who has been my helpmate, my best friend and confidante, my rock of support, and of so many other good things that have come our way because of you, I just want to say I appreciate you, not only on this special day but all the other days of the year as well.

We’ve gain and lost some hair and pounds but it doesn’t matter really.  You’re still the same kind, gentle and wonderful person I’ve known from the time I first set my eyes on you.

So, I would like to say to you this day, my dear darling, ‘Happy 32nd Anniversary!

And may the good Lord continue to bless your life and our marriage abundantly and may we have many, many, many more Anniversaries to come! Amen.

SALT vs RICE

If you were to cook 3 cups of rice, would you add 3 cups of salt to it?  I certainly hope not!
So, in every preparation of rice, the rice always outnumbers the salt, yet a little salt makes a huge difference/impact in the overall outcome.

In the room in which you currently are, look up at the ceiling...  Yes, I said look up!  What is the size of the bulb compared to the size of the room?  In the room from which I typed this, my guesstimate is probably a ratio of 1:5000.  Yet, darkness flees the entire space once the small bulb is flipped on.

If I am the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, then "little me" has the ability to make big things happen.

Sometimes, because we feel outnumbered or overwhelmed at the sheer magnitude of evil or wrong-doers, we then choose powerlessness, and decide to go with the flow, not standing up for what we believe is right.

Stop it!  Little doesn't mean insignificant.  You are significant.  Your presence should make a BIG difference.  Stop waiting to be on the side of the majority.  They may be the majority, but they are the trivial majority, and you are the impactful minority.  They are the rice of the world, and you are the salt of the world.  They are the room, and you are the light.  Make your influence felt!

"You are the world's seasoning, to make it tolerable."

[Extract from : Archana Shastry

PoSH Consultant, NLP practitioner , Behavioural, Soft Skill]

True salt, which comes from the sea and dried under the sun and commonly called rock salt, has 72 natural minerals including natural sodium, chloride, and iodine.
Why salt? Because without salt the body cannot retain water no matter how much water is drunk. You will still be dehydrated because you will just keep urinating and sweating the water out.

Praise God for the furnace

Testing is difficult, but the result is often a deeper relationship with God.  Those who endure the testing of their faith will experience God's great rewards in the end.

Despair or misfortune is a great opportunity to test whether your faith is genuine or not. 

"The water is hot - put in the tea bag - "did this tea lose its taste because it went inside the hot water?  no, it probably revealed its true taste by being in the hot water. "

"Do not try to be strong in the midst of temptation."    Know your weakness.  The reason you are tempted is because you are weak.   In Scripture, it does not say to fight temptation, but to flee from or get out of it.

Christians mistakenly believe that when things go well, they are in God's will, but when things do not go well, they are not.  Remember, for every testimony of victory, transformed lives, and deliverances, there are ten more about martyrdom, anguish, and loss.

Just because God does not answer our prayers the way we think He should does not mean He is any less compassionate, loving, or sovereign.  Ultimately, it is not primarily about victory over your particular situation, but about His glory over the earth.

A.W. Tower once said, "Whom God would use greatly, He will hurt deeply."

God does not send trials to take away our joy but to increase our joy.

Just as fire purifies silver in the smelting process, trials refines our character.   They bring us a new and deeper wisdom, helping us discern truth from falsehood and giving us the discipline to do what we know is right.

Trials help us realize that life is a gift from God to be cherished not a right to be taken for granted. - Psalm 66:10-12

Dinner at Black Kettle

Dinner with Evelyn Cheng of Wycliffe, Joanna and spouse Jody of YWAM
.

Oriental Red Grill & Sushi Bar

We were blessed with a cash voucher of RM100 to spent at Oriental Red Grill & Sushi Bar.

The restaurant is a seafood market that have no prefix menu, diners are given the flexibility to handpick their own desired seafood from the seafood counter.

Why & How to honor God

Jude -  Believers are to be on guard against false teaching and not to fall to the seductive spirit of the age, for it is difficult and hard to live as a Christian in this fallen world.

Praise to God for keeping us from stumbling (Jude 1:24-25)

A)  Why we ought to honor our Savior

B)  How we ought to honor Him

A)  Why we ought to honor our Savior

1)  We honor Him because He has the power to enable us to preserve (v24) - keep us from stumbling in our walk - we must always be on guard against (a) false teaching who would lead us astray; (b) stumbling due to lack in the Word of God and traps of false teachers.
    

2)  We honor Him because He is the One who enable us to stand before Him - praising Him for His perfecting grace that will allow us to stand before Him without fault; with great joy; future glory that is greater than anything that God has yet display in us.

3) We honor Him because He saved us and will never permit one of His own to be lost.

God the Father for planning that wondrous work on the cross, the Son for being obedient to the will of the Father even to the point of death on the cross, the Holy Spirit who applies that sacrificial work to each of us whom God predestined to Him for salvation.

B)  How we ought to honor Him

1)  We honor God by blessing Him, praising Him and worshiping Him - because He is worthy of it all.

2)  We honor God by remembering that all of life is for the glory of God; our priorities in life should all be directed to glorifying God, every situation; details of our lives.  ==> God centered.

THE SIX PREMIUM CANTONESE

Visited  an  outlet  of  "The Six Group of Restaurant"  at  Penang Time  Square  to
have our lunch.

Braised Sea Cucumber with Seafood Soup [16-00];  Braised Fish Maw with Superior Soup [16-00];  Sauteed Pea Sprout with Minced Meat [28-00];  Steamed Hor Fun with Garoupa Fillet [34-00];  Original Pan Fried Foie Gras [58-00];  Signature Beijing Duck [10-00];  Braised DongPo Meat [26-00];  Pan Fried Salmon [18-00]

Braised Fish Maw with Superior Soup

Braised Sea Cucumber with Seafood Soup

Sauteed Pea Sprout with Minced Meat

Pan Fried Salmon