When we encounter evil in life

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbzWqCkeVMM&feature=emb_logo

https://sermons-online.org/steven-furtick/what-the-enemy-meant-for-evil

Lee Chong Wei's Legendary Farewell

To all my family friends and fans. To everyone of you who have been a part of my life, thank you. A real big sincere thank you.

Months ago, all of you knew I had cancer. I fought it. And I thought I fought it well. I thought I could try one more time.

I am just someone who love to play badminton. Someone who love my country. I feared of retiring with regrets. I was scared of not delivering that elusive Olympic gold for Malaysia. So when I was cleared of cancer, I took up my racquet and trained once again.

After few days of light training, I wanted to get clearanyce from my doctor to heighten my training intensity, then i was dealt a major blow. From that scan, doctor shook his head and said i might face the risk of recurrence if I continue to train. Mew Choo crumbled crying. She feared i might be stubborn and continue to pursue my dream.

I was at loss. I thought “How am I supposed to hang up my racket after nearly twenty years of competitive badminton?, “ How about my Olympic dreams?”

At home, i kept myself occupied with my two sons, Kingston and Terrence. I bathed them, I fed them, I taught them badminton. I spent time with them. Most importantly, I really watched them grew up.

Then it struck me to finally make up my mind. I shouldn’t be so selfish. I have played for myself, I have played for my country. This time, I want to play the role of a father, for long long time. I want to see them grow up to be proper men, to get married, to have kids. I want to take care of my wife when she is old too.

So Yes, I have made my decision to quit. I’m sorry that I couldn’t make it to Tokyo this time around. And I’m sorry I didn’t deliver an Olympic gold. But I know I’ve no regrets as I’ve tried my best. My very best.

I hope my name Lee Chong Wei has inspired you all one way or another, same like the way you guys inspired me. Without my family, my teammates, my coaches, and my supporters, I won’t achieve anything.

To my fellow badminton players like the Lin Dans, the Taufiks, the Peter Gades, and Hyun ills. Yup, my time is up. Thank you for the great battles we had. As amazing as it is, i think our era should be coming to an end now. Momota, Victor, Yuqi and Zi Jia, do hold the fort well. Make the world realise badminton is the best sport on earth.

To fellow Malaysian shuttlers, don’t give up the dream. Please remember there are actually thousands of Malaysians praying for your success. Train harder everyday. Always beat yesterday’s training records. Also, a sportsman life is short. Don’t end with regrets. There is actually a young 5 years old Ali, Muthu or Ah Meng idolising you, making you their Malaysian superhero. Don’t disappoint them. Play for the flag, play for Negaraku.

I had no regrets. When i started playing badminton, all I wanted to do is to represent Malaysia. And I believed I did it with pride and honour.

Well. I’m done. Thank you very much to all of you. Lee Chong Wei signing out.

Writing on Living

This is from whatsapp forwarded message :-

You know. . . time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.

It seems just yesterday that I was young, and embarking on my new life. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. But, here it is... the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise... How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like. But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting grey... they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some in worse shape than me...but, I see the great change... Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant..but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory!
Cause if I don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!

But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last... this I know, that when it's over on this earth...it's NOT over. A new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have
done. It's all in a lifetime.

So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it timely! Don't put things off too long!

Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!

"Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.

LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY! HAVE A GREAT DAY!

REMEMBER:....
"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver."

LASTLY, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE, SO - ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.

~Your kids are becoming you......
~Going out is good. Coming home is better!
~You forget names... But it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!
~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything.... especially golf.
~The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore.
~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed.
It's called "pre-sleep".
~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch..
~You tend to use more 4 letter words ... "what?"..."when?"... "what?"  "where?"
~Now that you can afford expensive jewelry - it's not safe to wear it anywhere.
~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless!?"
~What used to be freckles are now liver spots.
~Everybody whispers.
~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet.... 2 of which you will never wear.
~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all,
OLD FRIENDS!!

Stay well, "OLD FRIEND!" Send this on to other "Old Friends!" and let them laugh in AGREEMENT!
It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind of winter yours is or is going to be. Enjoy life b4 winter or enjoy the winter.

Missing Dad / Grandpa

Our Father kept a garden.
A garden of the heart;
He planted all the good things,
That gave our lives their start.
He turned us to the sunshine,
And encouraged us to dream:
Fostering and nurturing the seeds of self-esteem.
And when the winds and rain came,
He protected us enough;
But not too much because she knew
We would stand up strong and tough.
His constant good example,
Always taught us right from wrong;
Markers for our pathway that will last
a lifetime long.
We are our Fathers garden,
We are his legacy.
Thank you Dad we love you.

My granddad died not so long ago this is what i read at the funeral;

It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you didn’t go alone,
Apart of us went with you,
The day god took you home.

A million times we missed you,
A million times we cried,
If love could have saved you,
You never would have died.

To the grave we travel,
The flowers are placed with care,
No-one knows the heartache,
As we turn to leave you there.

If tears could build a stairway,
And heartaches could make a lane,
We would walk a path to heaven,
And bring you back again.

By Ferney

Condolences from BCCM KK(E) Congregation

Exactly a week has passed since our dad / father in law / grandpa has passed on to glory. 

Signs that You are living in a Digital world

I know we are living in a digital age, we have arrived at the digital world. But, this serve to remind us how things used to be different, our formal priorities, our formal relationships, mean so much more than the swallow meaningful digital world could bring us.

Sign # 1 You care more about the appearance and tidiness of your blog than your house
You spend more time and resources tidying and sorting on your blog and you actually could tolerate the house to be messy or untidy. You would let the recycle materials pile up in your garage where all passer-by could see. But, you would meticulously tidy and sort out the blog main page and items display in the layout design. You will spend time to download fantastic Java Script to have fanciful icons on your main page to make it look attractive and professional, even though your blog is simply personal and not for marketing or have any commercial value ! 

Sign # 2 You spend more time on facebook, twitter, whatsapp and social media than any other hobby  
Everything that is good must be reposted, twitted, mentioned in your facebook wall or twitter page. Sharing is caring. In fact, you probably spend more time in social media updating than all your other hobbies combined !

Sign # 3 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is knocking at your door and you deny it
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions). It's also possible to have only obsessions or only compulsions and still have OCD.

With OCD, you may or may not realize that your obsessions aren't reasonable, and you may try to ignore them or stop them. But that only increases your distress and anxiety. Ultimately, you feel driven to perform compulsive acts in an effort to ease your stressful feelings.

OCD often centers around themes, so in this case, it is the fear of not having your social media updated or that the world is left behind of your latest endevour. So to ease your fears, you may compulsively check and recheck your social media (Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Watsapp) page a hundred times until it affected your performance in other works and chores. 

Despite efforts to ignore or get rid of bothersome thoughts, the thoughts or urges keep coming back. This leads to more ritualistic behavior — and a vicious cycle that's characteristic of OCD.

Sign # 4 You would hold up shower and toilet break, just to write a blog post or facebook status update
This is true of today's netizens, social bloggers and alike, we have more important things to do than to visit the toilet. Everyone is trying to leave a mark in the digital world which we live under the illusion that it will outlive us and its permanent and forever. But we have seen many blogs shut down or top Apps just closed down overnight. Most times, they will give you an option to migrate over to another platform before the shut down. But so much  has been blogged about in internet, I do not think its even possible to copy them down for our own records or reading.

Sign # 5 You take Selfie at weird moments (regardless you post or not)
Selfie kings and queens and we take them because we like them, whether we post or not, that is our business. From selfie, we have divert to Eye-fie (taking the eyes part only), Wefie (just us), and many more. 

Growing Wings and Flying soon

All the years of parenting, all the years of caring, tutoring, fetching, learning by both kids and parents, all have a singular purpose which is to see our kids ready to grow their own wings and flying off the nest. Oh, the nest, it shall be empty soon, well, half empty.

 One does not quite get prepared for this, no matter how much you plan or pray about it from the time that they were born and little. This day was just too far away, too long a journey to fathom as possible to have completed, too distant a destination to have arrived. There was a time, they seem to be so little, and that they were attached permanently to our apron's string, they just would not let go, but slowly and surely, one fine day, they cut the apron's string off and declared independence and they do not need us that much anymore. They asked for space, private space and to be left alone. There were dinners they did not want to join; holidays they rather be somewhere else with their friends and own kind; movie they declined to be with us. 

Our two boys who are in their teens will leave home for further studies soon. So much planning has been evolved around this. We realised that the parenting journey of hand-holding and coaching will come to an end, at least the part where we are coaching in person, living in the same house scenarios. We will begin the mentoring and away from home coaching stage soon.

Where have time gone ? Where have our youth gone ? In the midst of all these parenting and growing and nurturing our kids up, suddenly the next few years will be the summation of our parenting goals, the peak of our existence and the reason of our beings (as if we live just for our kids). But very soon after that summation and peak, is a steep slope where we cannot follow and just have to let go and let them try their own lives. It will also be a instant draining of our financial savings and planning.

There is a quotation about the bird having its confidence not on the branch that it sits that it will not break but should the branch breaks, it can trust its own wings to fly away. The moral of the quotation - always believe in yourself. Well, in this case, we have to believe in our kids to have grown a strong pair wings to fly away from home, fly higher above the storm and fly further to achieve their full potential in pursuit of their dream and fly off to start their very own life journey. 

We wish our dearest flesh and blood, a very good journey full of mercy and grace from God, protected and always in His love and care. And mum and dad will also have to embark on another journey where we have to learnt to live without you at our sides, to have a part of us living away and far from us, to have more time to ourselves and learn to cope with new challenges.

Photo Make Over - Once a while

Photos taken by Cosway program 16 Nov 2013.

Little Things

Little Things

By far the most pleasant things in life

Often comes in little packages

Bundled in simplicity novelty

Hidden as gems in the dark

It is not necessary  in the fine things of

Luxurious indulgence

It is often in the little things

That we have taken for granted

So close yet eyes could not see

So near yet ears could not hear

Then one day

The great enlightenment struck

As if we woke up from a deep sleep

Rested from a long journey

In a moment we understood

We can fathom the truths behind

Those little things

These moments are most precious by far

~ Doria, January 2013

This is one of the first few poems I wrote with the help of the mini Ipad, so handy that I could write anywhere when the inspirations strike. It is a simply reminder of the importance to appreciate the little things we do have in this life and we should treasure.

Just realise that One Direction has released the new song Little Things by One Direction. 

When you have to face bereavement

Noone likes bad news, no matter how small or big but they are plenty around. When we hear  bad news, we listen and learn; we comfort and care; extend out hands where we can and that is all that we can do.

When we have to face bereavement of someone closed to us, seeing them going through the process and listening to the last things of the deceased can be quite a learning process for those of us who are still living. There are always lessons to be learnt; new things that we learn !

Once, I heard a speaker said, as you get older and start to work, you will get more and more engagement and wedding invitations; this is followed by baby fullmoon and baby 1,2,3 etc years birthday celebration invitation! As years go by, you start to get calls to pray for someone very sickly; attend the funeral wake, memorial and funeral services. It should not surprise you that the latter ones do not have invitation, you choose to go as you think suitable and there will be more and more of it !

The first few memorial services were very traumatic experience, a mix of fear and unknown. Then, the heart hardened and lost in the midst of the living and the dead ! I came to know a very certain fact that we all dont like :-

Life and death is as certain as sun rise and sun set;
As the sun rise from the east, it shall set at he west;
As life begins at birth, it shall return to the Creator when it dies !
The difference between the living and the dead is disparing to know :-
Some died very prepared; some died without preparation;
Some live very well planned; some live wihtout nay planning !
The choice is in our hand !

A Selah Moment

On 23 November 2010 at 2:30p.m. I was informed that my cousin Andrew Ho Nyuk Loong has passed away in hospital, he was 54, leaving wife and 3 young adults children. My late cousin Andrew has been battling with kidney failure, dialysis for years, kidney transplant, rejection of new kidney, recovery, kidney failure after a short few years and was back to dialysis. I think when I stopped and paused to think about it, life is so fragile and tender, that is true ! Life is also full of missed-opportunities !

Thursday evening was the memorial service and Rev Voo invited the relatives and friends to share on their thoughts of Brother Loong as he was fondly called. The series of speakers who shared on his life, that he was a funny person, full of jokes and laughters, a man with mission in his heart. I sat and listened and learnt :-

• Brother Loong is man a passion for Christ and mission. He has a heart for interior mission, helping kampungs in terms of finance, medicine and clothing.
• He is a kind and generous who gave and gave even when he was not rich.
• Last week Cell group was at his house and he shared about involving in Kampung Mission and he recently visited a church member to pray for her even himself needed to be helped by his wife to walk.
• My Auntie Oi shared that he cleared the backyard and got rid of all the junks in the last week of his life. He made it so clean now.
• In October (just a month ago), he shared on video as invited by the church, about his journey of faith. He spoke with poise and confidence that his God will deliver and heal him.
• In the last 7 months of his life, he was in and out of hospital for 4 times and the 3rd time was most severe as he spent 26 days there. Through all that, he praised God for being there for him.
• I have missed knowing such a caring and visionary cousin!

Then, time stopped for a while, just long enough for me to pause and think about this life which I often do not treasure. It was a selah moment for me !

May my cousin, Andrew Ho (Brother Loong) rest in peace and his soul be with God and may his family remains in the faith of God !

The Bible Verse for this Season

Psalm 18:1-3 (The Message)

Psalm 18 1-2
I love you, God— you make me strong.
God is bedrock under my feet,
the castle in which I live,
my rescuing knight.
My God—the high crag
where I run for dear life,
hiding behind the boulders,
safe in the granite hideout.

3 I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty,
and find myself safe and saved.

4-5 The hangman's noose was tight at my throat;
devil waters rushed over me.
Hell's ropes cinched me tight;
death traps barred every exit.

6 A hostile world! I call to God,
I cry to God to help me. From his palace he hears my call;
my cry brings me right into his presence— a private audience!

7-15 Earth wobbles and lurches; huge mountains shake like leaves,
Quake like aspen leaves because of his rage.
His nostrils flare, bellowing smoke; his mouth spits fire.
Tongues of fire dart in and out; he lowers the sky.
He steps down; under his feet an abyss opens up.
He's riding a winged creature, swift on wind-wings.
Now he's wrapped himself in a trenchcoat of black-cloud darkness.
But his cloud-brightness bursts through, spraying hailstones and fireballs.
Then God thundered out of heaven; the High God gave a great shout,
spraying hailstones and fireballs.
God shoots his arrows—pandemonium!
He hurls his lightnings—a rout!
The secret sources of ocean are exposed,
the hidden depths of earth lie uncovered
The moment you roar in protest,
let loose your hurricane anger.
16-19 But me he caught—reached all the way
from sky to sea; he pulled me out
Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,
the void in which I was drowning.
They hit me when I was down,
but God stuck by me.
He stood me up on a wide-open field;
I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!
20-24 God made my life complete
when I placed all the pieces before him.
When I got my act together,
he gave me a fresh start.
Now I'm alert to God's ways;
I don't take God for granted.
Every day I review the ways he works;
I try not to miss a trick.
I feel put back together,
and I'm watching my step.
God rewrote the text of my life
when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
25-27 The good people taste your goodness,
The whole people taste your health,
The true people taste your truth,
The bad ones can't figure you out.
You take the side of the down-and-out,
But the stuck-up you take down a peg.
28-29 Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life;
I'm blazing with glory, God's glory!
I smash the bands of marauders,
I vault the highest fences.
30 What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth.
Every God-direction is road-tested.
Everyone who runs toward him Makes it.
31-42 Is there any god like God?
Are we not at bedrock?
Is not this the God who armed me,
then aimed me in the right direction?
Now I run like a deer;
I'm king of the mountain.
He shows me how to fight;
I can bend a bronze bow!
You protect me with salvation-armor;
you hold me up with a firm hand,
caress me with your gentle ways.
You cleared the ground under me
so my footing was firm.
When I chased my enemies I caught them;
I didn't let go till they were dead men.
I nailed them; they were down for good;
then I walked all over them.
You armed me well for this fight,
you smashed the upstarts.
You made my enemies turn tail,
and I wiped out the haters.
They cried "uncle"
but Uncle didn't come;
They yelled for God
and got no for an answer.
I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind.
I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.
43-45 You rescued me from a squabbling people;
you made me a leader of nations.
People I'd never heard of served me;
the moment they got wind of me they listened.
The foreign devils gave up; they came
on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts.
46-48 Live, God! Blessings from my Rock,
my free and freeing God, towering!
This God set things right for me
and shut up the people who talked back.
He rescued me from enemy anger,
he pulled me from the grip of upstarts,
He saved me from the bullies.
49-50 That's why I'm thanking you, God, all over the world.
That's why I'm singing songs that rhyme your name.
God's king takes the trophy;
God's chosen is beloved.
I mean David and all his children— always.

Psalm 18:1-3 (King James Version)
Psalm 18
1I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress,
and my deliverer; my God, my strength,
in whom I will trust; my buckler,
and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3I will call upon the LORD,
who is worthy to be praised:
so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Psalm 18:1-3 (New International Version)
Psalm 18
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.
He sang to the LORD the words of this song
when the LORD delivered him from
the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
He said: 1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn [a] of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

Footnotes:
Psalm 18:2 Horn here symbolizes strength.

詩 篇 18:1-3 (Chinese Union Version (Traditional))
詩 篇 18
1 （ 耶 和 華 的 僕 人 大 衛 的 詩 ， 交 與 伶 長 。 當 耶 和 華 救 他 脫 離 一 切 仇 敵 和 掃 羅 之 手 的 日 子 ， 他 向 耶 和 華 念 這 詩 的 話 。 說 ： ）

耶 和 華 ， 我 的 力 量 啊 ， 我 愛 你 ！
2 耶 和 華 是 我 的 巖 石 ， 我 的 山 寨 ，
我 的 救 主 ， 我 的 神 ， 我 的 磐 石 ， 我 所 投 靠 的 。
他 是 我 的 盾 牌 ， 是 拯 救 我 的 角 ， 是 我 的 高 臺 。
3 我 要 求 告 當 讚 美 的 耶 和 華 ；
這 樣 我 必 從 仇 敵 手 中 被 救 出 來 。