Smile

A smile is central to our evolution and one of the most powerful tools of human behaviour - Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at University of California.

Smiling is important to happiness and social connection.  If you can't smile, you are very limited in your ability to pass on information and relate to other people.

USE YOUR SMILE TO CHANGE THE WORLD
DON'T LET THE WORLD CHANGE YOUR SMILE

God's way

If we compare this way with all other ways, it will whet our care to enter into and continue in it; for,

First, this is the King's highway, in which we have promise of protection.  "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways" Psalms 91:11 (KJV)

Secondly, God's ways are the cleanest of all. "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him" 2 Samuel 22:31 (KJV)

Thirdly, God's ways are the rightest ways; and, being rightest, they be also the shortest ways. "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein" Hosea 14:9 (KJV)

Fourthly, God's ways are most lightsome and cheerful. "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" Proverbs 3:17 (KJV)  

Therefore, God's ways being the safest, cleanest, rightest, shortest, and lightsomest ways, we must be careful to walk in them. 

Condensed from Thomas Taylor.

SNOW SKIN MOON CAKE 冰皮月饼

Mid-Autumn Festival became an official celebration in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) but there isn't one single answer to the question of when and how the Mid-Autumn Festival began.

Mooncake, a rich pastry typically filled with sweet-bean or lotus-seed paste, are traditionally eaten during the festival.

Snow skin mooncakes are a non baked mooncake developed by a bakery in Hong Kong.  The snow skin mooncake is similar to mochi ice cream or yukimi daifuku, as both have glutinous rice crusts and have to be kept frozen and typically eaten cold.

Redbean paste & yolks

Redbean paste with 4 yolks

Pandan juice & yolks

Pandan flavour skin

Lotus filling with single yolk

Pandan flavour with pandan coconut & 4 yolks

Dim Sum @ Tai Thong Restaurant

Dim Sum day at Tai Thong Restaurant.

Fellowship dinner @ Ee Tong Restaurant

Dinner at Ee Tong Restaurant, Jalan Zoo with the Yeap's and Cheah's families.  We also celebrate August & September birthdays.

 

Obedience

Obedience involves both action and direction; it is both passive and active.   It is not enough just to avoid what is wrong, we need to actively pursue what is right.

It is not enough to say no to sin, we must also say yes to a life of commitment to God.

Obedience to God does not always result in success or blessing, like in Judges 20:19-28

"Material prosperity is not always an indication of God's blessing.   It can also be a result of self-centeredness."  If you are experiencing prosperity, remember that God holds us accountable for how we attain success and how we use our wealth.

Often, the first effect of obedience is not blessing, but suffering.  Sometimes, what God requires of us will initially lead to pain and sadness.   We shouldn’t assume that difficulty means we’ve made a mistake or that He has abandoned us.  Let’s look at two significant examples of suffering as an initial result of obedience: eg. Moses facing complain about life in the desert and Paul facing persecuting and hardship while preaching the Word of God.

Why is it so difficult to change and live in obedience to God's Word? 

Paul exposes the weakness of our flesh as the root problem that prevents Christians from living the kind of lives that God requires and which we, as Christians, desire in our innermost being. 

Ask the Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out - 

Eerdman's Bible Dictionary says, "True 'hearing,' or obedience, involves the physical hearing that inspires the hearer, and a belief or trust that in turn motivates the hearer to act in accordance with the speaker's desires." 

So, biblical obedience means, simply, to hear, trust, submit and surrender to God and obey his Word. 

Obedience is an Act of Worship. 

While the Bible places strong emphasis on obedience, it's important to remember that believers are not justified (made righteous) by our obedience.  Salvation is a free gift of God, and we can do nothing to merit it.

There are 3 motives for obedience :-

a) we have to

b) we need to 

c) we want to 

when we were children, we obeyed because we had to.  If we did not obeyed, we were spanked, but as we grew up, we discovered that obedience meant enjoyment and reward, so started obeying because it met certain needs in our lives.  And as we matured, we obey because of love. 

"Obedience and stubbornness are two sides of the same coin.  Obedience brings joy but our stubbornness makes us miserable." - Pastor Rick Warren 

True Christian obedience flows from a heart of gratitude for the grace we have received from the Lord: 

OBEDIENCE IS FAITH IN ACTION

无辣不欢 Mala Xiang Guo at Burmah Road, Penang

ツ [EN|中] Spicy Numbing Stir-Fry Pot (麻辣香锅) is a famous and much-sought-after Chinese food.  It's a stir-fried dry dish with some spice and spicy oil.  Unlike the 'Mala' steamboat, for this stir-fried pot, the vendor will help to cook after the diner picked their delectable ingredients.

The restaurant offers over 50 ingredients.  All ingredients are charged by weight - RM 3.90 / 100g for the veggie and RM 5.90 / 100g for the meat/seafood (extra RM 5.00 for the base). The price can be varied according to the ingredients that the diner picked.  The diner can also choose the level of spiciness based on their preference, that is mild, spicy or extreme spicy.

Passion of Kerala @ New World Park, Penang

Time of fellowshipping and catching up over dinner at "PASSIONS of KERALA"  with the Cheah's Family.

We then adjourned to "CHINA HOUSE" at Beach Street for Cakes and drinks.

What a blessed time of bonding and fellowshipping.

Lunch - steamboat with 'abacus bead'

Steamboat lunch with 'abacus bead' [from Abigail's parent].

Abacus Beads, literally Taro Gnocchi, with a dimple in the centre resembles abacus beads shape.  This dish has symbolic wealth meaning and Chinese loves to prepare this dish during Chinese New year.  When abacus beads stir fried with other ingredients and condiments, the dimple in the middle also helps contain the ingredients that flavour it.  This traditional is really delicious.

Mr Dakgalbi @ Queensbay Mall

Lunch at Mr Dakgalbi @ Queensbay Mall.  Something new and different from the Korean Pan Grill Chicken Restaurant.