Gifted Guides

Even in her young teens, my daughter , Arrow #3, had an eye for colour. When I go shopping I often take her with me, when I can. 

My Hubby is another - he will tell me if an outfit is "young" enough. How cool is that.

Well, recently Arrow #3 informed me that I have many spots in the house that are picture-worthy. This was something I hadn't noticed till she started posting and sharing. 

During the recent lockdowns, one activity with I did was painting our house. This involved using a colour which I initially didn't like (note to self :- Hubby chose you, so don't sweat it when he chooses a colour like this!) 

The end result is amazing, dreamy, but strong green-blue walls I can use for background adjustments during conference calls. Also for good photographs. Like this one.

I am glad for the suggestions and observations from gifted-eyed family...

PS They aren't the only ones! 

Guilty but Good?!

What an eventful few years it has been. Two sons getting married to two lovely women, celebrations spanning close to one another. Along the way, I tried to lose weight to look good. Confessions! Hence this photo...

Now I just need to look more svelte by going to the fitness centre to be tortured by the trainer!

A Dozen Brothers

There were a dozen and then there were eleven. 

So the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat played in the city. What an amazing wonderful time. The band of brothers were truly inspiring.

Gifts - they are all amateurs from different walks of life. In 7 months they are transformed to a musical, harmonising in song and dance troupe. Worthy of any west end musical.

Story line - from jealousy and attempted murder, to repentance and self-sacrificing love. They captured the emotions so well, drawing from their own experience despite their young age.

Acknowledging that favouritism can cause much division and ill-feeling. But also recognising how only God, and He alone, can enable release of forgiveness, deposit hope in hopelessness, bring about redemption, and an amazing beyond-all-imagination future.

The first time this was produced, my third Arrow was in the children's choir.

Dumpling Delight

"Let's go eat dumplings for dinner," Arrow #1 said.

"I know the best place, " he said.

Well now, we have all heard that before. The best this and the best that. But best can be very relative.

That was on my mind as Hubby and I were led to a somewhat dimly lit alley, in between the back of two rows of shoptlots. The tables are simple foldable ones, and the chairs are easily stackable, portable ones.

Hmmm on arrival, there were so many customers, I began to change my mind. Maybe he was right...

Dumplings was the first item ordered. The rest were the supplements. When it arrived, looking like this... Frankly, I had second thoughts. They didn't exactly looked appetising!

 

I gingerly picked one up with my chopsticks, and bit into it.

Wow, were my tastebuds pleasantly surprised! The minced pork was nicely chopped but not too fine, so you can still savour the texture. The flavour was full as the mixture spices blended so well I didn't need to add anything more to it. I like mine "unadulterated" and without sauce or dips so this was right up my street. The flour skin was not too thick, but didn't fall apart too much either. Served in the simple way, it didn't cost an arm or leg either!

I am glad I was persuaded to go and try! And more importantly, as Hubby said, our Arrows would have good taste if we brought them up right. Hahahaha! I like his reasoning!

Puppy Poser #1

It was over a year ago when Oreo moved on from our lives - physically.
She was a Labrador-Retriever mix, and taught us a lot. 

A few times she would try to push her way through a gap in the fence, just to follow Granny Sprite (she's coming to 15 doggie years old) As she got bigger, she would still push through... and one day, she popped her hips in the process. Did she complain? Nope. We didn't know what had happened till we took her to the vet. Later that week, she refused to stay at her allocated site and heal - we found her down the slope of the back garden, unable to climb back up. Thankful for a strong Arrow! We will never forget the sight of her looking so happy as she made her way up the steps in the arms of her young master! 

We learned about enjoying life to the full, and even ignore the hindrances. What is pain when you are having fun! What an outlook to life! 

Thankful for that short while we had Oreo. 

PS She was named Oreo because she had just one little patch of white... everywhere else was black.

That Time of the Year

It is happening this weekend!
Unless you live in England...

Thousands will celebrate this. 

But I also remember those who are struggling to conceive. Those who are having to cope w multiple miscarriages. This will be a difficult weekend for them. I know because I was once like them.

The sense of hopelessness, sadness, and a lack of fulfilment. The pain of watching those dear to you get married after you, and are now either pregnant or holding lovely babies in their arms. Your own arms feel so very empty. It was worse for me when I was working as a midwife. I watched women giving newborns away for adoption. I saw women signing forms to consent for abortions... I felt the love and loss of the women as I grieved for their fruits.

It took a while. Finally, I got to a point where I could agree to be present at the birth of one of my best friend's baby. What joy. Three months prior I hated the sight of her. Her distended belly made me feel even more inadequate and I entertained unreasonable thoughts like "You did this just to spite me!"

It was a process. Finally I could say honestly that I was at peace with whatever God had in store for me. I had what I thought were promises of sons before I even got married. But God is sovereign. And I could enjoy going traveling with my husband at the drop of a hat.

It was a triumph! I could laugh at the enemy. I could celebrate, worship and adore God despite my circumstances. Who I was (and am) is defined by HIM and HIM alone! Hallelujah!

And then the Lord opened my womb.

He indeed works in mysterious ways.

While I dont feel the pain of the past, I remember the difficulties. While I no longer shed such tears, I shed them when I pray alongside and for those who do. 

You know who you are - Hannahs with wombs waiting to be filled by Samuels. Praying and standing with you at this time.

Instance of Inspiration

Who could blame her? She was probably tired. She was probably hungry too. Maybe she wasn't getting the attention she needed. So she got upset and refused to wear her shoes to go out. With the many people bustling about, lots of things to carry, I wondered if it was worth a show-down scene. 

So I offered to take a photo of her shoes. With her feet in them of course. 

She kept them on afterwards.....
And left with a huge grin.....
Thank You Holy Spirit....

Thankful!

It was two years ago when she told me about the pain.

I recall the shock upon discovery of the lump. What's more the size of it. I needed effort to keep a straight face and stay calm. 

Things moved swiftly and in less than a week, she is in the hospital, awaiting surgery to remove what we hope is large but benign lump. 

Two years ago she went in to the operating theatre. Two years ago when she came out, I sensed the person was different.  It was as if she changed. And so she did. For the better.

So thankful to the Lord for the way things worked out. Hallelujah!

Does She Know?

Foster son was home for a week. The week went by so quickly.

Before you knew it, he was due to fly off. He said his "Good bye be a good girl" and then got in the car to head for the airport. 

I came home and saw this. 

Do you think she understood?

Pressing On

It was time to build up for the national competition. Training began to intensify. Suddenly she has an injury. She seeks relief and tries to continue. 

She isn't the only one on the team having injuries. Oh dear!

Thankfully, a physiotherapist comes along and helps them out. 

She has a special strapping given to her. The physiotherapist teaches her how to put it on and how to rest and yet strengthen her leg.

When the team play they get the bronze, losing on point despite tying with the team which finally won the gold.

Glad that they pressed on with guidance!

Rallying Around

Amazing. I put one word out and the whole group rallies round. My former classmates did a relay specially for my Arrow and I. The only known "treatment" for dengue.

One collected papaya leaves. From her neighbour no less. Stripped the tree bare apparently.

Then it was specially delivered to another friend who put the leaves in a special wash.

From the wash to the special juicer. I have never seen anything like this before. Wow. No water added so pure juice comes out.

Behold the end product - special, pure, papaya juice. This goes into a cold pack because that's the way to make sure it lasts longer.

Then the passing on continues. It goes to yet another friend who then passes it to one more friend before it gets to me.

And all within a few hours. 

So that Arrow #1 can have this concoction which is supposed to help get the blood platelet levels up. 

Thankful. So thankful for this camaraderie... 

Unexpected Trip

It wasn't that long ago that I had made a trip across the South China Sea. I wasn't expecting to make another so soon. 

But conversations via text messages stirred something within me. I felt my first Arrow needed me and so I caught a flight. 

I arrived just in time to hear the results of his blood tests. He had dengue fever and was about to be admitted. Thankfully, the results were borderline high enough to be allowed to go home. 

So I travel back with him to nurse him. 

This was such what I envisaged - that he would not be admitted but that I would nurse him at his apartment. Somehow it felt the right thing to do. 

And so it was. The story continues....

Tugging at the Strings

Tugging at the strings of my heart, wanting to leave already.
Tugging at the strings, nay the reins, of constraint, wanting to exit so soon.
Tugging, tugging, tugging.

It's time to cut lose before it snaps.
It's time to let go before it breaks.

Slowly, though.
Not too quickly.
My pace, perhaps?
Though you prefer yours.
Let's try to meet halfway.
And we will both win.

Testimony

Post by Bethel.tv Redding.

Celebration with Curry!

It's a very belated birthday celebration so we decide to go to a slightly up market place. 

At the end of the day however, some of us still order the local fare Haha!

I have to say that this was yummilicious!

Review and Remove

So it's time to go visit the doctor. I am an expert now as to where to park! 

It's not a long wait but the place was crowded. We have to sit elsewhere. It seems like the extended family of one patient has occupied the whole waiting area. We sit in the foyer.

Finally they leave and we go in. 

The good doctor is kind and gentle. He has better nursing technique than some nurses I have seen! So glad!

She has the green light to go for her camp. Wow!

Eventful Week

She said there was a problem, and upon checking I concurred. We saw a few doctors and the next thing we knew, she was scheduled for surgery. Somehow it felt right too.

So after prayer and much prayer, we went to the hospital at the appointed time. There, whilst the operation took longer than expected, things were nonetheless smooth. 

She was discharged into my care the same day, despite having a small drain in situ. Thankful that I was able to care for her, it made good mother-daughter bonding time....

Parents never expect to see their children in hospital. So thankful for the peace of the Lord that passes all understanding.

Gift for the Gifted

Arrow #3 was performing in the school musical - drama presentation. She had worked hard on this, not only practising long hours, but often helping to teach the other dancers too, especially the new ones. Her acting and singing were so very nice. The producer really cast the roles well. 

On the day of their second performance, Hubby decides to do what he did last year at the church performance. He surprised her with a beautiful bouquet. 

Isn't this lovely? So very nice of our florist friend. She did such a lovely arrangement, and such a special one too.

We smuggled the bouquet into the house and as I was distracting her and talking loudly, Hubby re-arranged our fridge in the wet kitchen and put the bouquet in. Later we put the bouquet in a big bag and took it to the performance.

Blessed. It was the largest bouquet of the evening. Haha!

Daddy's Girl

He had been away for a few days. Prior to that, he had gone away for a few days too.

So when he came back, he was bearing gifts. Simple things. He didn't have to buy them. But it was enough to show us that he had thought about us. 

Chocolates for me - yes my weakness.

And this little box of goodies for Arrow #3. A hotel room gift actually. But it was just right for her. She just fell in love with the box even before she opened to view the contents. 

What a Dad she has! What a Hubby I have. Thankful!

Chuckles

She was just lying in bed and going through her mail. Then she moved on to the postings. She was getting ready for bed.

Suddenly burst into laughter. Peals of laughter. 

She glanced at me, noting my bemused look and gasped, "I'll send it to you"

I received the link in seconds and clicked away.

I looked

And I laughed aloud too.

My daughter and I have fun in a strange interactive way sometimes.