20181210-19_Ski Korea @ Yongpyong with grands

10/12/18 - 18/12/18 : A ski first for the grand nephews and nieces! Yongpyong, Korea

Snow balls and fights - always fun!

YEAH!!!!

20181127: A $ingapore Carol @ Victoria Theatre & Charles Dickens

Adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol

Pantomine watched on 27/11/18

Supporting our local artistes in such performances like this, off we went to Victoria Theatre!

Who was Charles Dickens?

Used to read Charles Dickens' literature Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and Great Expectations - all of which contained the reality of poverty and the working class.

• He was born in 1812 (Hampshire, England) and died in 1870, at age of 58.
• Found out that he lived in the same era as famous missionaries like David Livingstone, CH Spurgeon and DL Moody. 
• He was fascinated with supernatural tales of ghosts and the other world under the influence of his nanny Ms Mercy when young.
• But at 12, his idyllic childhood came to an end when his spendthrift father was forced into  debtors' prison by creditors.  He left school and started working in a boot-polish factory.
• He started writing and Oliver Twist, The Pickwick Papers were published in serial format.
• In Dec 1843, A Christmas Carol was published in London.  First edition was sold out by Christmas Eve, less than a week later!

This story has since become familiar to generations of readers all over the world.  Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly rich man, is visited by the ghost of Jacob Marley, his former business partner, as well as the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet-To-Be.  The experience shakes Scrooge up and teaches him the true meaning of Christmas!

• Barely 2 months after publication, A Christmas Carol proves to be something of a cultural phenonmenon.  Theatrical productions started in London
• On 27/12/1852, he gave his first public reading of A Christmas Carol in Birmingham.  Then he brought this on tours with him all over UK, Australia and America.
• 15/3/1870 - He gave his FINAL public reading of his works which included A Christmas Carol excerpts .  
• 3 mths later, 9/6/1870 - he passed on.

Since his death, A Christmas Carol has never gone out of print.  This iconic Christmas story has been translated to several languages and adapted myriad times for the cinema, theatre, TV and other media.

Who had played the role of Schrooge?

• 1951 A Christmas Carol - Alastair Sim
• 1992, A Muppet Christmas Carol - Michael Caine
• 2009 - A Christmas Carol - Jim Carey
• 1983, Mickey's Christmas Carol - Scrooge Mcduck
• A cartoon character named after Ebenezer Scrooge!

SCROOGE - this word been added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1982!- used to describe someone who is a miser and or dislike participating in Christmas activities.

SCROOGE's grouchy retort of "Bah! Humbug!" has also become a widely used response to anything overly sentimental or festive.

AND NOW 175 years after A Christmas Carol was published , we have our very own local 2018 adaptaton of A $ingapore Carol! Directed by Hossan Leong, written by Jonathon Lim and music by Elaine Chan.

Our very own Singapore style of pantomine! It was pretty entertaining for both young and old.

• Scrooge was played by Mr SK LOO (Sebastian Tan , our Ah Beng) - Boss of All-in-One techno company in software applications.
• His business partner was Ali Inwan - his electrical shocks by each downloads by users was hilarous.
• Christmas Past (Bunga Pisang/ Banana spirit) - by Siti Khalijah Zainal was incredible awesome with the banana headdress and banana leaves spreaded out like a peacock?
• Christmas Present - Played by Ah lian Clones was fun to watch (rather good multimedia effects)
• Christmas Ye-To-Be - That silly Siri Voice which was later personified in tall black lady was funny
• and the rest of the crew de Cratchit (Loo PA), his sick son Little Timmy, the security guard, the little kids songs and dance and cute costumes. His nephew Larry.  I laughed so hard upon seeing the present of that silly hand stick for scratching one's back ! (cos I just bought one last week as I cannot seemed to get that itch off my back with my hardened stiff hand now...old!)

There was also parts of magic moments performed on stage which was rather captivating.  The audience interaction with mobiles was engaging. 

At the end of it all, it was a heartwarming tale of kindness & love that brings out this Christmas message.

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Reflection

We had a good quick dinner at South Bridge Road Thai restaurant called UYKor Thai.

Took that great stroll past our Parliament house to Victoria Theatre and back via Fullerton Hotel.  The night lights and sceneries were perfect. The cool air made it all awesome.

So here are the photos of our pretty red dot night scenes!

Beautiful setting sun along $ingapore River

May our leaders be good and say no to "MBS" :)

Newly interior of Victoria Theatre

What would Sir Stamford think of MBS as he looked ahead? LOL..

Hello heloooo  Mr MBS!

A photo with the Director of A $ingapore Carol - Hossan Leong :)

Home again!

Spread a little kindness of hope and good cheer this Christmas!

One of the 9 fruit of the Holy Spirit is KINDNESS! Yeah!

(The others? Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control Gal 5:22)

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and does not fade away, reserve in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time " 1 Pet 1:3-5

A Christmas Carol is what we sing about .  The birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

He came and died for us while we are yet sinners.

There are some things which we cannot reclaim back - that is the PAST.

But there is a PRESENT which lies awaiting for us to receive.  It is non other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

And while we receive Him, may be live out our lives as a good reflection of who He is - He is Kind, so should we.

And the YET-TO-BE , may we enter into the Heavenly place reserved for us after we finish this earthly race.

Why wait and take the fate of Scooge's SK LOO late business partner Ali,  who was agonizing in Hell fire? 

May this Christmas be a fresh beginning for us all. Jesus Christ offers many chances. Grab it before it is too late..............

CHRISTMAS NO ENOUGH?

20181116-Joy of Dressing my First Christmas Tree!

JOY ! JOY! JOY! ...of dressing up my first very own 1.8m Christmas tree!

What a nice reflection of my tree!

Can you imagine that I only got to "own' a big 1.8m christmas tree at past 50 years of age? LOL. First of all, we don't have a big place at home to house such a tall tree.  So I had always been dreaming of dolling up my own tree all these years:) after admiring those beautiful ones at shopping malls. Anyway, some Christians are hostile to such practices - pagan. As for me, I just love pine trees and the imaginary cold snowy season (cos red dot is always hot but I love cold) and simply those pretty blinking lights and star above!

Well, this 2018, I have my very own $99 tree that came with all the accessories! Yeah!

I chose a "gold" theme! What a joy putting up all the stuff together with my sisters!

Reflection

I love the last month of the year.

To me, it is the winding down and reflective time of the season.

I remember the star that led the wise men to Jesus who was born in a manger.

I remember the birth of my Saviour on earth.

I remember the tree of life back in the Garden of Eden. So much for a Christmas tree to reflect upon.

And to rejoice after dressing this tree on 16/11/18 as we celebrated with the reading of His Word together the next morning.  So thankful, that my sisters could join us in this morning devotion of Psalms and Proverbs!

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Amen!

P/S:Christmas trees begin to gain popularity as part of the British holiday tradition (1836-1841)  A long-established hallmark of Christmas festivities in Germany (since 1600s), Prince Albert - Queen Victoria's German husband- has a Christmas tree set up in Windsor Castle in 1841.

20181101_Perth Revisited with SUSIE! "Muddled-Headed & Confused?"AMaZing GraCe!

24/10/18-1/11/18 Perth Revisited with Susie!

Oh what A surprise on Day1 to find out my niece is into such a extreme sport! Kite surfing! Wooh! Amazing "Grace"!

Saw many Kite surfers on Day2! Fly Fly Fly!

My dream...alas guess that back may now break if I would proceed :)

Love flying! and saw this gliders on the way to the wheat fields!

Another dream......Fly Again!

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Reflections:

Relationships are fragile and easily broken.

It can happen to best friends. Good Friends. Bad Friends.

It can also happen to our loved ones who lived Under One Roof.

Sometimes, we take each other for granted. And we forget some words hurt.

Consciously or unconsciously - words can be damning or  misinterpretated! For eg, "MUddled-Headed? ConFused?" LOL...

So best we remember Phil 4:6 to meditate and speak only things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtue or praiseworthy! Many cannot take criticisms or stuff they would not like to hear.  So many a times, truth hurts.  

And many a times, familiarity in family can breed contempt! Fault findings become a norm and tense relationship arising from 'unclarified misunderstandings' stood in the way.  That is the devil's best occupation- came to divide, conquer and make hell loose!

No way!

Because Jesus my Lord offered the beauty of HIS Amazing Grace!  A song which I sang to my sister in this Perth trip.  Amazing grace because she finally managed to get a new passport and visa to fly to Perth to visit our cousin.  Her last trip was 18 years back! Just we need a passport and a visa to fly to Australia, I reminded my sister that we are citizens of a heavenly country.  Though Perth is nice (short of the horrible flies that came early this year! Yaks! Thanks to the "Samurai Hat" that kept them away!), those who are eligible for the 'visa' can apply to a better heavenly place ! The only qualification for eligibility ?" We have sinned.  We are sinners." Admit that.  Believe on Jesus who died for our sins and rose again on the third day.  Confess with our mouth.  Faith.  Only belief.  As Simple as A-B-C.  There! We can "SCOOT " off ...Gotten your VISA??

And so yes- Amazing grace because there was forgiveness in action in this trip! What a faithful God we serve! And though I lost my favorite Korean hat and Gerry lost her bag in the cab in this trip, I will never forget His Faithfulness.  Gerry's vomiting at York was a Romans 8:28.  Because of her "merlion" - we chose not to walk the Bruce Rock Trail.  And so we were "saved" in time for the last filling up of the petrol at 5:30pm that evening (this is York, PERTH!)....else...an over nite stay would be awaiting for us! Ha ha ha.

A recent Quote received:

" Sometimes it is good for us to act blind and ignore one another's shortcomings, in order to keep peace and be happy!

No matter how many times the teeth bite the tongue, they still stay together in one mouth.  That's the spirit of FORGIVENESS.

Even though the eyes don't see each other, they see things together, blink simultaneously and cry together. That's UNITY.

1. Alone I can "SAY" but together we can "TALK"

2. Alone I can "ENJOY" but together we can "CELEBRATE"

3. Alone I can "SMILE" but together we can "LAUGH"

That's the BEAUTY of Human Relations.

We are nothing without each other.

STAY CONNECTED.

(& that to me is the importance of FAMILY! United We stand)

The razor blade is sharp but can't cut a tree;

the axe is strong but can't cut the hair!

So the moral of the story is that everyone is important according to his or her own unique purpose....never look down on anyone unless you are admiring their shoes!👀

AMAZING GRACE INDEED!

20180911-Sky Mirror (Bagan Datuk)..another REFLECTION!

11/9/2018 : Sky Mirror @ Bagan Datuk, Sitiawan, West Malaysia

We travelled to KL and met the rest of the group on 8/9/2018 to begin our tour to Taiping - Lumut- Sitiawan- Bagan Datuk. 4D3N.  Pretty memorable journey!

Day 1 (8/9/2018) : Taiping Lake was just a quick peep.  The Ann Tong coffee mill was so so.  But the best part was the visit to the Khay Hor Charcoal Factory where we learnt so much about the mangrove trees used to make into charcoal! And also the boating trip at Kuala Sepetang where we saw the eagles feeding on chicken bits and the visit to the dwindling village of less than 50 (where 5 star toilets were and zero electricity on site, dependent on generators!).  Saw the king crab and puffer fish!  And the Kuala Sepetang guide was only about 16-18?

years old!

 So heavy this tree trunk for charcoal! Unbelievable!
Pretty systematic forestation work by the Agriculture Dept of Malaysia!

Some old artifacts...down memory lane at the An Tong Coffee 

 Kuala Sepetang...eagles and puffer fish ...

And the HIGHLIGHT Of the DAY

1 was the FABULOUS dinner at SITIWAN! YUM YUM ..CHEAP TOO!

A must -go foodie place!

and what a Karoke nite after the good food:)

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Day 2 (9/9/2018) : Sitiawan - a place of Kong Piang! Yummy...and Pangkor Island here we come.  We took the ferry from the Marina side instead of Lumut. 

But Breaky was a real surprise! At this restaurant Chai Chin - Another MUST _GO (76, Taman Aman Muhibbah, Jalan Haji Mohd Ali, 32000 Sitiawan Perak)- their famous FISH HEAD! My first time feasting on such a big fish head:)

And their Famous Sitiawan KONG PIANG! Big thanks to BOBO who went all the way out to get this for us for our supper at the Bei King Hotel and also the frozen ones to bring home!

At Pangkor Island

 
At 384 Kampong China, 32000 Sitiawan- another seafood restaurant.
Drank the cheaper "Wine' made by coconut flowers via distillation process!

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Day 3 (10/9/2018) : Lumut/ Sky Mirror Homestay :

Went to this end of Lumut....

and then journeyed to Sky Mirror which was about 1.5 hours from Lumut....

Highlight of this Bagan Datuk place?

1. We went back to days of old where we stayed in dorms! 5 to a room!

2.  Witnessed a beautiful sunset!

3. Saw the "Blue Tears" at the boat out at night! Amazing Living organism that glows in blue upon scooping up from the sea bed!

Day 4 : Sky Mirror !

This was definitely an interesting experience.  Once we set off from the village by boat, we arrived in the middle of nowhere half an hour later!  We had to hopped down from the boat and the water was about knee deep.

We moved around picking clams and seashells...while waiting for the tide to recede till the sand bed appeared.

Then the professional "team" engaged by us to take all the mirror photos plunged into action! The area of the 'reflection' was actually only a small puddle of water.  The photographer had to lied flat on his tummy to photoshoot for all of us.  With another young guide, we were directed to the various poses! LOL!

[For RM300 per pax - 1 night stay, 1 BK, 2 L and 1 D...plus the Professional photographers and assistant...not so bad...]

And once again food....

Another REFLECTION? 

According to our Malaysian friends, there are two of such sky mirror places,  This one we went to @ Bagan Datuk is not dependent on the moon dates of Day 1 and Day 15 of the lunar calendar.  We can have this sky mirror outing all the time. But not for the one at Kuala Selangor - which is only about 1 hour from KL.

This Sky Mirror place reminded me of:

1. Looking Down to our heart : 

• Proverbs 27:19 " As in water the face is reflected as a face, so a person's heart reflects the person" 
• Out of the mouth the heart speaks.  May we keep a pure heart always so that we can see Him.  

2. Looking Around us :

• James 1 : 22 " But be doers of the word, and not hearers only , deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror...
• NATO? No action, talk only? May the Lord stirs us into action in these end days, to be a good reflection of who He is through us to those around us.

3. Looking Up to Him :

• Rev 20:11 : "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.  Earth and sky fled from his presence and there was no place for them...another book was opened, which is the book of life.  The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.."
• What we do on earth, it looked as if a backup copy is also in the process of being done up in heaven.  Better to have our name written in the book of life then to be thrown into the lake of fire, isn't it? And we had better be His good children while on earth!

At this time of journaling, the following is a heart warming testimony by this pilot who managed to take off  in time to avoid the runway which 'rolled like the curtain' due to the earthquake that hit Palu.  All 140 passengers on board were safe .

https://news.sky.com/story/pilots-tribute-to-wing-man-air-controller-who-died-after-helping-jet-escape-indonesia-quake-11514036

Indeed life is so fragile.  Moments before the tsunami came, many were still at the beach preparing for party.  Ready to meet your Maker anytime? If you hear His Voice today, (like the pilot who heard God to expedite the flight out on that fateful day), harden not your heart. Choose to migrate to the heavenly place above and not the fiery place beneath ....