Counting and Calling Life

I count it comfort when I am down and I have a few friends to rely on. 

I count it blessings when I am wrong and I have friend to tell me so.

I count it joy when I could tell my wrongs and be accepted as me.

I count it freedom when I am allowed to express my inner self.

I count it special when I am given a favour I undeserved.

I count it peaceful when I could rest in the midst of turmoil.

I call it love when I am loved for who I am.

I call it grace when I am given another chance in life.

I call it faith when I believe in what my eyes have not seen.

I call it kindness when I fall and I am helped to stand up again.

I call it rest when I could sleep in the midst of storm.

I call it complete when in vulnerability I am set free.

家是什么？

寫得太好了！

http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA3NjEyMjYwOA%3D%3D&mid=200592577&idx=3&sn=30c3b5484a90eb4bebc3534d4265e466&scene=1&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0#rd

家是什么？（写的太好了，必转）

2014-03-12 微看宝清

        什么是夫妻？相爱一辈子，争吵一辈子，忍耐一辈子，这就是夫妻。

        什么是家？家是夫妻共同经营的，编织着梦和苦辣酸甜的窝。

        家要讲爱，不可讲理；家要安静，不可吵闹；家要清洁，不可凌乱；家要真诚，不可虚伪；家要自由，不可强制；家要温存，家要小节。家要关心，家要体贴，家要理解，家要包容，家要忍让，家要幸福。

        家是一个可以为我们遮风避雨的地方，家是一个可以给我们温暖、给我们希望的地方，家是一个可以让我们停靠的港湾，家也是我们精神上的寄托。是家给了我们希望，让我们享受无尽的欢乐，家是人生旅途歇息的驿站，人生是漂泊在大海里的一只航船，家就是最安全的港湾。家为我们指引前进的方向，家给了我们一双自由飞翔的翅膀。梦不论在何方，一生的爱唯有家，家才是我们幸福的港湾。

         家不是一个简单的概念，社会学家说家是社会的最小细胞；婚姻学家说家是风雨相依的两人世界。究竟什么是家呢，许多人认为这是一个不值得思考的问题。

        那么先让我们来听一个故事吧。有一个富翁醉倒在他的别墅外面,他的保安扶起他说: “先生,让我扶你回家吧! ”富翁反问保安: “家？！我的家在哪里？你能扶我回得了家吗？”。保安大惑不解,指着不远处的别墅说: “那不是你的家么？”富翁指了指自己的心口窝，又指了指不远处的那栋豪华别墅，一本正经的,断断续续地回答说：“那,那不是我的家,那只是我的房屋。”

        家不是房屋，不是彩电，不是冰箱，不是物质堆砌起来的空间。物质的丰富固然可以给我们一点感官的快感，但那是转眼即逝的。试想，在那个空间中，如果充满暴力和冷战，同床异梦，貌合神离，“家”将不成为其家。而成为一个争斗的战场。汽车,不过是这个现代化的战场中的悲剧的摆设品罢了。难怪有一些大款自我解嘲道: “我穷得只剩下钱了!”

        家需要有爱的亲人。需要那份特别的真情实感，两个相互牵挂的人就是家，家在这里上升为一种信仰，一种宗教，一种支持精神力量。

        家是爱的聚合体,试看天下之家,皆为爱而聚,无爱而散。

        家是一个感情的港湾，家是成长的摇篮，家是一个灵魂的栖息地，家是最能让自己放纵的地方，家是一个精神的乐园。家就是你和你家人在一起的情感的全部.拥有它时，它平凡如柴米油盐酱醋茶；失去它时，掏心掏肝也找不回。

        没有家庭的和谐，就没有社会的和谐，没有家庭的平安，就没有整个社会的安宁有序，家和万事兴。

        怎样才能处理好夫妻之间的关系，这是摆在家中的最为关键的问题。正所谓：“百年修得同船渡，千年修得共枕眠。”夫妻就是两个半球，“半个球无法滚动，要有另一个半球。”那么夫妻之间如何相处才能使家庭和谐呢？夫妻之间相处要理解、信任、尊重、宽容。它就象握一把沙子，松松地握着，它一点也不会漏，你握得越紧，它漏的就越多。

        家是一种文化；家是一段时光；家是一种情怀。夫妻好比两条腿，要站稳，要走路，谁也离不开谁，为何一条腿对另一条腿总是抱怨不休。有夫妻说结婚数十年无矛盾无分歧，可以断言，他们至少有一个人对家庭毫不负责，对对方毫不关心。婚姻是舒服着的烦恼。家庭不是讲理的地方，夫妻之道“难得糊涂。”倘若两个人谁都不愿糊涂，这个家庭永无宁日。托尔斯泰说：“幸福的家庭是相似的，不幸的家庭各有各自的不幸”。

         最佳的婚姻配署不等于最佳的婚姻状态，没有对男人的仰视，没有对女人的欣赏，爱情将无从发生。婚姻将无从缠绵，爱在于“迷”，过分的清醒，盘算和比较，这不是爱情。美满的婚姻，爱情加良心就是一切，婚姻是纯洁的“自私”，爱情是神圣的“贪婪”，一旦对你不在自私了，说明你对她已不在重要了。   

        婚姻就象泡茶，第一道茶象恋爱，浓烈馥郁香；第二道茶象新婚，清新可人；第三道茶则象刚过密月或密年的婚姻，平淡如水，需要我们用平常心去品味，才能领略到其中的真趣。

        钱钟书说：“家庭是金漆的鸟笼，笼子外面的鸟想住进来，笼子内的鸟想飞出去。”

　　    当今离婚是“富贵病”，穷则想安，富则想变。没有爱情的婚姻不稳定，只剩下爱情的婚姻也不稳定，时间和距离能使爱情升温和降温。最差的女人也想找到个优秀的男人，最差的男人也想找到个优秀的女人，所以，婚姻是个永恒的遗憾。

        男人是哲学，女人是诗。没有诗的哲学是枯燥的，没有哲学的诗是肤浅的。哲学理性而诗感性，男人要想读懂诗，要先弄明白自己的哲学，女人想要理解哲学，就要先明白自己这首诗，深度的哲学只有配上适当韵味的诗才能共鸣，于是最好的不一定适合你，适合你的才是最好的。

　

        都说老婆是人家好，其实脚大鞋小都知道，爱妻子也爱情人，掺了水的假酒，是水还是酒，爱丈夫也爱情人，只有愉快的起点，没有愉快的终点，好男人太多，不可与丈夫比，好女人太多，不可与妻子比，那是危险的。

        见达官显贵不攀比，不比丈夫之无能，见美貌风骚无邪念，多想夫妻之恩爱，女人的软弱是假象，软弱但不可欺，想制服女人的男人，有几个不被女人制服，女人不是弱者，女性是男性力量的源泉，那个男人的彪悍不是来自爱女人和女人爱的鼓励，不如女人的男人，不比不如男人的女人少。

        林语堂说：“女人是水，兑入酒中是酒，兑入醋中是醋”。女人的身价取决于他的男人。

　　    别说女人离不开男人，男人更需要女人，没有女人的男人没法活，没有男人的女人照样过。男人是水，女人是堤，没有不想决堤泛滥的水，人是一座情欲的火山，外表虽平静，地火在燃烧，一旦火山爆发，那就是洪水猛兽。

        男人通过性表达爱，女人通过性理解爱，性和睦是夫妻和睦的沃土，贫寒不等于没有一个温暖的家，好丈夫珍爱妻子那温情脉脉的柔情，体恤那柔弱持家的艰辛，只顾驾驭不懂爱怜，不是好丈夫。

  

         妻子贤惠是最宝贵的家庭财富，贤惠的女人首先是聪明，然后才是贤惠，傻女人以贤惠为吃亏，聪明的女人往丈夫脸上抹金，傻女人往丈夫脸上抹黑，妻子鄙视丈夫是家庭最深刻的悲剧。

　　    妻子关心的过程是一定要唠叨的，这是她幸福感的渲泄，千万不要打断她心底那幸福感的奏鸣。妻子撒娇是爱的赐予，把柔情献给丈夫，鄙视丈夫的女人是不会在丈夫面前撒娇的。哪个男人不怕老婆，“怕”是谦让，是爱的凭证。  

         最理想的夫妻关系想必是：亲密而带着适当疏离，坦诚而保留着部分稳秘，即可两情缱锩，又有个人天地。

　　    夫妻之间如果能把对方当作自己最好的朋友相处,那么,两个人的手就会握的很紧.

　　    爱一个人最重要的也许不是山盟海誓和甜言蜜语,生活中的一些琐事,更能体现他对你的用情,那才是爱的密码。

        与所爱的人长期相处的秘诀是：放弃改变对象的念头。为了爱情的继续，婚姻的美满，妻子固要取悦丈夫，丈夫也要取悦妻子，至于如何取悦，乃是一种高级的艺术。傲不可长,欲不可纵,乐不可极,志不可满。

        信任；是婚姻关系中两个人所共享的最重要特质也是建立愉快的、成长的关系所不可短缺的。婚姻生活者，半睁眼半闭眼地生活也，天下没有十全十美的男女，如果眼睛睁得太久，或用照妖镜照得太久，恐怕连上帝身上都能挑出毛病。

         夫妻生活中最可贵的莫过于真诚、信任和体贴。在幸福的婚姻中，每个人应尊重对方的趣味与爱好。以为两个人可有同样的思想，同样的判断，同样的欲愿，是最荒唐的念头。在和睦的家庭里，每对夫妻至少有一个是“傻子。夫妻好比同一把琴弦上的弦，他们在同一旋律中和谐地颤动，但彼此又都是独立的。

        一对彼此相配的夫妇是经得起一切可能发生的灾难的袭击的，当他们一块儿过着穷困的日子的时候，他们比一对占有全世界的财产但离心离德的夫妻要幸福得多。

　　    年轻时代的夫妻吵架是爱情的纠葛，而上了年纪之后的夫妻吵架则令人心灰意冷。

　　    妻子不贞，丈夫有一半责任。丈夫不贞，太太也有一半责任。如果把对方逼得落荒而逃，责任就更大。合格的妻子应该通过自己的努力使丈夫成为社会财富的创造者。

        在现实生活中，好男人不一定能娶到好女人，好女人也不一定能嫁得好男人，好女人和好男人在一起生活又不一定幸福。人有千种，世有百态，每个人的性格、品味、素养皆不同，夫妻相处的方式就不同，一百对夫妻有一百种相处的方式。

        婚姻就象一桌酒席，爱是主食，宽容、理解、信任、尊重就是一道道菜，欣赏、幽默、趣味就是酒和饮料，只有同时具备上述几个品种的酒席，才算得上完美无缺的酒席，但愿大家在婚姻这桌酒席上，吃得安逸，吃得泰然，吃得永久，直到生命的最后一息。

实验学校 （供稿）

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.

Selah moment definitions

This week, a friend shared about a selah moment in her life through facebook and I learnt something. Here is what I have learnt about a Selah Moment.

My understanding of Selah Moment


It is a WOW moment frozen in short span, crystallised with a great moment of truth, such strong truth and awakening that you just simply has to pause and rethink through it !

I need more Selah Moments in my life, I need to be zapped by moments of truths from God, to humble me, to re-build me, to restore me. Make me useful for His purpose.

Here are some internet notes that I have learnt from.
http://selah-moment.blogspot.com/
The word 'Selah' in the book of Psalms seem to imply a brief moment of silence, a rest in a flurry of musical notes and poetry, a pause for the musicians to take a breather, a moment for the priests to sacrifice their offerings before the Lord.
This blogger uses Selah Moment as a collection of their moments of reflection; of the silent pauses in their journey of faith.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Selah-Moment---When-Time-Stands-Still-For-You-to-Reflect&id=3941372
The "Selah" Moment - When Time Stands Still For You to Reflect

By Steve Wickham


Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

~Book of Psalms, variously throughout (Amplified version).

Time in life is generally abundant yet we lose our grip on it so ironically in our grasping of it a.k.a. "busyness." Like the concept of happiness, the moment we grab time is the moment we lose it.


Note to self: time is an uncommodifiable thing--we're no merchants of time, we are simply marvellers of it.

The "Selah" (say-lah) moment is a place of consciousness that is barely beating. It takes the being partaking of its grace to a place pervaded in a concept like, wait for it, 'reverse time.'

It's a time of anti-time, if there were such a thing. It's a time-vacuum where the things of time matter less.

It's a destination of the mind and heart where matters of everyday life don't matter so much; it's possibly a positive numbness--given to the sacred pastime, set aside to Divineness. It's a gentle though punchy and stringent relief in anyone's day.

The "Selah" moment is thick with spiritual meaning and truth; we can pause and reflect--stunned enough simply to STOP. Stopped in our tracks, but so totally in accord with our wills; spiritual relevance smacks us between the eyes of our heart. We so want this time even if it comes as a transitory inconvenience. We reflect later-with a charmed grin-that as God is good, so is the "Selah" moment!

It's there for us--in our direct midst--if only we'll recognise it. It stands there waiting for our hand, to take ours in its hand, and journey with us--beyond our so-called realism.

To take advantage of the moment in reflection we are necessarily in a mood a world away. When it takes us, we simply cooperate. We enjoy the flight of fancy that re-invigorates and restores us mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Until the next time it breaks through our consciousness... a very dear friend. Selah is wellbeing.

Classical Quote on the Bible

THE BIBLE contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers.

Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy.

It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's charter.

Here paradise is restored, heaven opened and the gates of hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand object, our good is its design and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.

Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life, will be opened in the judgment, and will be remembered forever.

It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Pray it in, read it through, live it out, and pass it on.

-- Author Unknown --

-- Gideon Bible Preface--

The Bible is priceless in worth to me;

The depths of wisdom is enough for me to dwell on;

The width of knowledge stretch beyond my mind;

The length of God's love is unending;

The height of humanity is all explained.

All I ever needed to know,

All I ever wanted to read,

is all here waiting for me,

to come into the garden of God

to pluck, to spice up my life

to restore, to rest my tired soul.

I call it my Book of Life !

~ Doria

Mothers Day 2009 Present for the Home

http://my.lge.com/prodmodeldetail.do?catModel=10&actType=&modelName=&currentPage=&categoryId=060401&parentId=0604&modelCategoryId=060401&modelCodeDisplay=WF-TS1400#

Finally, we replaced our Electrolux with LG, this is an amazing break-through if you know how we were so convinced and loved Electrolux Washing Machine and we bought ours 15 years ago at the price of RM1350! After 15 years, 4 kids, the Electrolux was actually still working except the door had been badly abused by the previous maid and there is just no spare part to go for ! Sad news for Electrolux ! After advertising and telling the world that their machines can outlast half a century and it was shamed by no spare parts ! This is what we call self-destruction !

Why LG? It was recommended by close friends and we love the 14 Kg heavy weight load ! Our Electorlux was just 4 Kg ! LOL ! This giant washing machine is like amazing machine ! We got it delivered on Mothers Day on 10 may 2009, 24 hours after the temporary maid ran away as we recognised that the top priority is to wash our laundry !

Model : WF-TS1400

TurboDrum Health CareFree

Silver Color 14kg
WF-TS1400

▪ Load Size: 14kg

▪ Stainless Steel Tub

▪ New Square Transparent Lid

▪ Tub Clean

▪ Air Dry

▪ I-Sensor

▪ TurboDrum

▪ Delay Start: 3-48 hrs

▪ Dimension (WxDxH, mm) : 637 x 670 x 1020

Capacity (kg) : 14
Color : Free Silver
The material of Wash Tub : Stainless
Dimension (W*D*H mm)
Net : 632 x 670 x 1020
Product Weight (kg)
Net : 47
Washing Algorithm : Fuzzy Logic [ 3 Step ]

Many Pairs of Hands at Work at the First Good Friday

There were many pairs of hands at work at The First Good Friday. The crowd gathered around Jesus, followed him through the events, witnessed the entire process. Many pairs of hands were working then. Some of the hands' actions are what we do today. This is a good reflection of what we are to use our hands for. May the Lord has mercy on us that we do not use our hands for vice and evil, rather with the Lord's help, we bring love, hope and peace to this world.

The hands that washed the feet - Not just anyone's feet, Jesus washed his own disciples' feet after they declined to wash for each other as there was no servant that day. To serve men we need to have humility before God!

The hands that prayed - Jesus knelt down and prayed to the Father, "Not my will but yours be done." His hands submitted to God. The hands that surrender to God has perfect peace.
The hands that sold Jesus - Judas took 30 silvers and sold his master and friend out. Betrayal is not just a political tactics, its human nature to be tempted to trade for something better and higher!

The hands that captured - A group came to seized Jesus in the secret dark hours, carrying out their plot with their hands. When we do things that are not right before God, we always have to hide it, do it in the dark against our conscience.

The hands that chopped - Peter seeing the crowd, took a sword and chopped off one ear. He thought a bit of self- defence could prevent disaster from happening. How often in life, we take matters into our hands, doing it our own way and thinking we are doing God a big favour. But actually, we mess up God's perfect plan!

The hands that healed - The Lord Jesus used his very hands to heal the "fallen" ear. But alas, his words and deeds have fallen to deaf ears. Many desire the healings but not heeding the word of God.


The hands that accused - The group of leaders schemed and framed Jesus and told Pilate that Jesus incited spirit against the Romans. How evil can evil be? When we accuse someone, always remember that we point with one finger and three other fingers are pointing back at us. "He who has no sins, let him cast the first stone!", Jesus told the crowd when they wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery.


The hands that did nothing - Although the crowd knew that the accusations were false, they did nothing and moved along with it. They were just being spectators. In life, when we are unsure of certain accusations made against someone, we do no justice when we just sit around and say nothing to defend or worst still, we help spread the wrongful statements around!


The hands that pushed off responsibility - While Pilate had the power to release Jesus after finding no sufficient faults against Him, he chose to refer to someone else, so that he did not have to do the bad guy job. Passing the bugs, blaming others are the very traits of human beings. What we do not like to do, we pass it on! It is easy to give comments after someone have done it!

The hands that have been washed - Pilate thought that by washing his hands, he became not guilty when he judged an innocent man of death penalty! How naive can one be? When our hands are caught with the blood of the innocent, we simply wash it off and thinking all is well!

The hands that punished Jesus - The Romans soldiers who beat Jesus and fooled Him around did more than their duty call, for they had no fear of God in them! Even Pilate's wife feared so much that she sent messenger to Pilate to have nothing to do with causing harm to Jesus!


The hands that was nailed to the cross - Three pairs of hands were nailed to the cross that day, one pair repented before Jesus and accepted by the Lord; the other pair rejected and laughed at Him. But that ONE PAIR who took away the iniquity of us all ! That ONE PAIR was crashed through the bones pierced for our sake!


The hands that took Jesus' body for burial - Joseph did something very noble. He stood up against all odds to ask for the crucified body of Jesus, he was not even family member. He was not afraid or ashamed. He gave his new family tomb to Jesus! In our life, we need to learn to show acts of kindness to people of other races and creeds.


We have much to learn from all these pairs of hands at work on that day when Jesus was crucified. Think before we use them! God give us one pair of hands so that we can put it to good use. It is never too late to repent and turn around to God.


Inspired by God to write this on Good Friday

Doria Tai
Sabah
10 April 2009


At this holy event, my favourite hymn is “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” by Isaac Watts written in 1707. Charles Wesley reportedly said he would give up all his other hymns to have written this one.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.


Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.


See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?


His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.


Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.


[Added by the compilers of Hymns Ancient and Modern]


To Christ, who won for sinners grace
By bitter grief and anguish sore,
Be praise from all the ransomed race
Forever and forevermore.