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Health & Wellness

 

 

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom


This is a good book: Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

The secular world is evil. It changes people, from good to bad, from bad to worse. There's no ending. Life goes on. Sooner or later, we will regret over things that we have or have not chosen.

After reading this book, somehow I realize that no matter how experienced a person is in the human life, God still means everything. Without God, everything seems to be fleeting away, meaningless, useless. No wonder the Bible says Christ is the body of all positive things, somewhere in Colossians.

When God lays hold on us, we can't get away. And... that's very comforting.


0

什么意思?

读了一段这样的话:“女人漂亮的不会下厨房,能下厨房的不温柔,温柔的没主见,有主见的没女人味,有女人味的乱花钱,不乱花钱的不时尚,时尚的不放心,放心的没法看!” 我差点呕血。这到底是什么话?什么意思?

但我不觉得是什么大不了的东西。

我来解剖。

女人漂亮的不会下厨房,能下厨房的不温柔?我的确会下厨房;漂不漂亮,每什么大不了的。有自信的女孩是美丽的,内在美是永恒的。我会下厨房但这不代表我完全不温柔。该温柔的时候,就得温柔;不需温柔的时候就不必温柔。免得被人占便宜。

温柔的没主见,有主见的没女人味?我不赞同!我很有主见,但我不是男人婆。我懂什么叫女人味。

有女人味的乱花钱,不乱花钱的不时尚,时尚的不放心,放心的没法看:我会花钱,也会存钱。我不太时尚,但也不老土。放不放心,能不能看?我才不管这样多。

自己开心就好。自由自在,好得无比!何必管那些臭男人说什么!去死啦!
2

Google is 10 years old


Ooohhh... Google is 10 years old!

Happy birthday, Google!

0

50 职场生存要诀 (50 Survival Tactics at Work)

1. 诚实 (Honest)
2. 守时、守承诺 (Punctual & accountable)
3. 谨言慎行 (Restricted in speech)
4. 团体精神 (Team spirit)
5. 知道自己的位置 (Know your position well)
6. 尊重上司与下属 (Respect your superior & subordinates)
7. 避免公司恋情 (Avoid love relationships with colleagues)
8. 见上司要预约 (Make appointments before meeting with superior)
9. 常打开办公室门 (Let your office's door ajar)
10. 客观与宽容 (Subjective & tolerant)
11. 谦虚学习 (Learn with humility)
12. 黑白分明 (Clear concerning right & wrong)
13. 不要以问题来回答问题 (Don't answer a question with a question)
14. 上进好学 (Willing to learn & improve)
15. 参与同事和公司安排的业余活动 (Participate in activities organized by colleagues & the company)
16. 了解上司和下属的喜好与厌恶 (Understand your superior's & colleagues' likes & dislikes)
17. 千万别开罪上司的秘书 (Never offend your superior's secretary)
18. 离职也要有风度 (Resign respectfully)
19. 有自信、有胆识、有冲劲 (Confident, risk-taking, competent)
20. 懂得说“不” (Know how to say "No")
21. 用人莫疑、疑人莫用 (Don't distrust others but don't utilize those you distrust)
22. 察颜观色 (Observant)
23. 不浮夸、不骄傲 (Neither exaggerating nor proud)
24. 小心发电邮 (Be careful when sending emails)
25. 做事有效率 (Be productive)
26. 工作自律 (Self-control)
27. 别把个人安危置之度外 (Take care of self-safety)
28. 见招拆招 (Be smart to tackle problems)
29. 从荣果断地面对决定性时刻 (Be firm when facing critical moments)
30. 定时给上司汇报工作进展 (Prepare reports concerning work progress to your superior punctually)
31. 保守秘密 (Keep secrets)
32. 不搞小圈子政治 (Don't be involved in office politics)
33. 普通常识 (Have common sense)
34. 危机意识 (Risk management)
35. 足智多谋 (Resourceful)
36. 清楚自己的职责 (Clear concerning your area of responsibilities)
37. 今日事,今日毕 (Finish today's tasks)
38. 用心聆听、专心办事 (Listen & carry out your duties attentively)
39. 良好沟通技巧 (Good conversational skill)
40. 领导也要对一切事务了如指掌 (Leadership with all-round understanding)
41. 正面的思维 (Positive thinking)
42. 健康的体魄 (Healthy body & soul)
43. 心情愉悦 (Carefree mood)
44. 苦中作乐 (Be joyful amidst suffering)
45. 不情绪化 (Not emotional)
46. 整洁 (Neat & tidy)
47. 大方得体 (Sporting)
48. 保守 (Conservative)
49. 舒适 (Comfortable)
50. 言行举止有风度 (Respectful manners)

Wow... I hope I've half of these.
0

Gotcha?!

1. What do you put in a toaster?

Answer: The answer is bread. If you said "toast", then give up now and go do something else. Try not to hurt yourself. If you said, "bread", go to question 2.

2. Say "silk" 5 times. Now spell "silk". What do cows drink?

Answer: Cows drink water. If you said "milk", please do not attempt the next question. If you said "water" then proceed to question 3.

3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a greenhouse made from?

Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said "glass", then go on to question 4.

4. 20 ago, a plane is flying at 20,000 feet over Germany. If you will recall, Germany at that time was politically divided into West Germany and East Germany. Anyway, during the flight, TWO of the engines fail. The pilot, realizing that the last remaining engine is also failing, decides on a crash landing procedure. Unfortunately the engine fails before he has time and the plane crashes smack in the middle of "no man's land" between East Germany and West Germany. Where would you bury the survivors - East Germany or West Germany or in "no man's land"?

Answer: You don't, of course, bury survivors. If you said, "Don't bury the survivors" then proceed to the next question.

5. If the hour hand on a clock moves 1/60th of a degree every minute then how many degrees will the hour hand move in 1 hour?

Answer: One degree. If you said "360 degrees" or anything other than “one degree”, you are to be congratulated on getting this far.

6. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales. In London, 17 people get on the bus. In Reading, 6 people get off the bus and 9 people get on. In Swindon, 2 people get off and 4 get on. In Cardiff, 11 people get off and 16 people get on. In Swansea, 3 people get off and 5 people get on. In Carmarthen, 6 people get off and 3 get on. You then arrive at Milford Haven. What was the name of the bus driver and what is his age?

Answer: Oh, for heaven sake! It was YOU and your age. Read the first line again.

Get back to work now..!!!

:)
0

New kitty

This photo's kinda blur but let me introduce my new kitty. (Photo taken in August this year). The sad thing is..... she's in Bintulu. :(

I don't know how my younger brother (currently in Bintulu) got hold of this petite Siamese. Anyway, she's all ours now. Hehehehehehe....

Actually, our previous cat, the black & white "cow" cat has died. What a pity! At least, now we've a new kitty. :)

Here's another photo of the late kitty.
Update: See how the new kitty grows into such a pretty little 'lady'! (Photo taken in September 2008) My younger brother said it's the same cat. I wonder how did he take care of it till it grows so fast and oh so pretty! :D
4

Comfort food

Got these from a friend who just came back from her trip to New Zealand.
Gotta take 'years' to finish them. :P

0

Reminder

1. Don't ever display personal and confidential stuff on blogs, even things as simple as the name of your previous high school or the church that you are attending. This is especially true if you tend to create passwords for your online stuffs based on the things/persons that you are most fond of.

2. Even for community site accounts, e.g. Facebook, it's advisable to lock it from outsiders. But just in case some pariahs still can get hold of more 'useful' hints about your whereabouts, don't display info about your high school/university, mobile number, or instant messaging addresses.

3. We are living in a convoluted world. Hackers are everywhere. The more things we put online, the more vulnerable we are towards their attacks. Even if you don't put too much of your personal stuffs online, others might link or tag you and you're still open to attacks, if you are so 'lucky'. So, for extra caution, create really funky passwords for online stuffs - community sites, banking, etc.

4. Especially photos...! It's advisable not to 'show' yourself too much by posting so many of your own photos on blogs or community sites. Group pictures are not so bad. Just in case some psychos out there like the way you look and start to hunt you down. Somemore if you put your office's or uni's or school's name, whatever... they might just trace it down and who knows what's next. Urgghhhh!

Sigh... Read something along this line a few weeks ago. Freaked me out. Then, in one of the Reader's Digest articles, I read about identity thieves who sabotage others' identity and use them as their own. I hate people who do things like this. I don't believe what happens in the Western world won't happen here in Malaysia. Men are sinners, regardless of nationality. What a pity.
0

Thai foodie~

First thing that came to my mind after work was to head to big Giant to get eggs, fruits, etc. I chose to park at the open car park and voila! There's this flea market-like place with baju and food stalls, obviously stuff from Thailand.

My dinner - Mango Kerabu (RM5)
Huge portion of mango, tomato, and long bean slices topped with ikan bilis and peanuts. Don't ask for chillies. I've no idea what kind they use. Two of them in this dish set my tongue ablazed for a long time and I tried my best to finish the whole plate. This kerabu has coarsely chopped garlic as well. Overall, it's delicious and healthy, minus the fact that my tongue was swollen and my face was as red as the chillies, I think. Lol!

Sis' dinner - Thai Chicken Noodle (RM5)
Not bad. Just don't comment about the price first. This hearty little bowl was packed with taupok, an egg, chicken, noodles, and a handful of coriander leaves on top. The soup tasted like Chinese herbs but overall, nice!

The stalls are opened till early next month (October) but I'm not sure whether they are open for business during daytime. If you happen to drop by big Giant after working hours, you might want to check them out.
0

Ya, eating again

Haha, ya, I'm eating again. But this time, it's just chicken rice - cheap & delicious. It's a Sunday afternoon and after my facial treatment session at Aman Suria. So, I chose to lepak around that area and see what I can get.

I've been craving for steamed chicken rice for quite some time. So you can imagine how delighted I was to see this shop: D'Ipoh Chicken Rice (No. 33-1, Jln PJU 1/3G, Sunwaymas Commercial Centre). And I saw Rcyque & family and Weng & girlfriend having lunch at that shop. Hahaha...

What you can in the photo are: Buttered rice (1 pax), hor fun in soup (1 pax), chicken soup (1 pax), steamed chicken (2 pax), taugeh (2 pax), 6-piece pork balls (2 pax). Total: RM15.90, no government tax, no service charge. And very fiiiilllllliiinnnnngggg! Burrrppp...

The shop's newly opened (by the time I wrote this post, I could still see a piece of red cloth hanging on the entrance). Anyway, give it a try!
0

Beauty of Math

Look at these brilliant calculations!


This symmetry is brilliant too!

Now, take a look at this...

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100% .

How about ACHIEVING 101%?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions.

If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

If:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And:
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But:
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

THEN,
look how far the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:

While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there,
it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

0

On My Way Here :: Clay Aiken

This is a nice song.

On My Way Here
Clay Aiken
Written by Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic




I took my first step
On the black and white kitchen floor
I sometimes wonder if that house
Is even there, anymore

I had my first glimpse of love
When I was five
I watched two people split apart
But still the three of us survived

I've seen the best
I've seen the worst
I wouldn't change what I've been through
I've touched the sky
I've hit the wall
But I did what I had to

Ooooohhhh.....

On my way here
Where I am now
I've learned to fly
I have to want to leave the ground
I've fallen hard
But I've been loved
And in the end it all works out
Faith has conquered fear

On my way here

My address has changed
Almost every year
I've found that standing still
Can quickly make a lifetime disappear

I'd rather try and fail
A thousand times denied
At least, whenever you feel pain
It lets you know that you're alive

I've been a fool
I've been afraid
I've been loved
I've been lied to
I've been wrong
I've been right
I stood up when I had to

Ooooohhhh.....

On my way here
Where I am now
I've learned to fly
I have to want to leave the ground
I've fallen hard
But I've been loved
And in the end it all works out
Faith has conquered fear

On my way here

No guarantee
I believed that I would find
An open door or a light
To lead me to the other side
I guess that is why

On my way here
Where I am now
I've learned to fly
I have to want to leave the ground
I've fallen hard
But I've been loved
And in the end it all works out

Where I am now
I've learned to fly
I have to want to leave the ground
I've fallen hard
But I've been loved
And in the end it all works out
Faith has conquered fear

On my way here
0

Liners for thoughts

Cute and meaningful...


May your trouble be less, your blessing be more,
And nothing but happiness, comes through your door.
0

50 Interesting facts

1. A typical bed usually houses over 6 billion dust mites.

2. The opposite sides of a dice cube always add up to seven.

3. In ancient Egypt, Priests plucked every hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.

4. The word four has four letters. In the English language there is no other number whose number of letters is equal to its value.

5. A pair of nesting barn owls is capable of catching and eating nearly 3,000 rats a year.

6. No piece of square dry paper can be folded more than 7 times in half.

7. Chocolate can kill dogs. Chocolate affects a dog's heart and nervous system; a few ounces are enough to kill a small dog.

8. There are more than twice as many kangaroos as people in Australia.

9. The Bible, the world's best-selling book, is also the world's most shoplifted book.

10. Someone paid $14,000 for the bra worn by Marilyn Monroe in the film 'Some Like It Hot'.

11. Your tongue is the only muscle in your body that is attached at only one end.

12. More than 1,000 different languages are spoken on the continent of Africa.

13. There was once an undersea post office in the Bahamas.

14. Abraham Lincoln's mother died when she drank the milk of a cow that grazed on poisonous snakeroot.

15. After the death of Albert Einstein his brain was removed by a pathologist and put in a jar for future study.

16. The word "queue" is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed.

17. Beetles taste like apples, wasps like pine nuts, and worms like fried bacon.

18. Of all the words in the English language, the word 'set' has the most definitions!

19. What is called a "French kiss" in the English speaking world is known as an "English kiss" in France.


20. "Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.

21. "Rhythm" is the longest English word without a vowel.

22. A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off!


23. Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete.


24. You can't kill yourself by holding your breath
.

25. There is a city called Rome on every continent.


26. Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day!


27. Your ribs move about 5 million times a year, every time you breathe!

28. The elephant is the only mammal that can't jump!

29. One quarter of the bones in your body, are in your feet!


30. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different!


31. The first known transfusion of blood was performed as early as 1667, when Jean-Baptiste, transfused two pints of blood from a sheep to a young man
.

32. Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails!


33. Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin!


34. The present population of 5 billion plus people of the world is predicted to become 15 billion by 2080.

35. Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

36. You can't lick your elbow.


37. Honey is the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible.


38. Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a "Friday the 13th."

39. Coca-Cola would be green if coloring weren’t added to it.


40. On average a hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minute.


41. More people are killed each year from bees than from snakes.

42. The average lead pencil will draw a line 35 miles long or write approximately 50,000 English words.

43. More people are allergic to cow's milk than any other food.

44. Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand.


45. It's against the law to burp, or sneeze in a church in Nebraska, USA.

46. You're born with 300 bones, but by the time you become an adult, you only have 206.


47. Some worms will eat themselves if they can't find any food!


48. Dolphins sleep with one eye open!


49. It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open
.

50. Owls are the only birds who can see the color blue.
2

Satan's meeting

SATAN'S MEETING (Read even if you're busy):

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons. In his opening address he said, "We can't keep Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their Savior. Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ... This is what I want you to do. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"

"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.

"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds."

"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."

"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"

"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive. To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."

"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers.Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes."

"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night. Give them headaches too! If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere. That will fragment their families quickly!"

"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas. Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection and power over sin and death."

"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted. Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy!"

"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences. Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause. It will work! It will work!"

It was quite a plan!

The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there. Having little time for their God or their families. Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.

I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes? You be the judge!!!!!

Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?

God's promise to us: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right Hand." Isaiah 41:10
0

One moment, listen please

Heard that these are quoted from a successful men.

The moment you are in Tension
You will lose your Attention
Then you are in total Confusion
And you will feel Irritation
Then you will spoil personal Relation
Ultimately, you won't get Cooperation
Then you will cause things into Complication
Then your blood pressure may raise Caution
And you may have to take Medication
Instead, understand the Situation
And try to think about the Solution
Many problems will be solved by Discussion
This will work out better in your Profession
Don't think it's my free Suggestion
It's only for your Prevention
If you understand my Intention
You will never come again to Tension
0

When food is not good...

...I'll miss the real good one.

Somebody talked about Char Siew Pizza at
KISSATEN Cafe & Restaurant at Jaya One, Petaling Jaya, which in fact is pretty good. I suggested Cagayan's at Centre Point, Bandar Utama. (Note: Cagayan is not operating anymore.) Coincidentally, my sister and I have planned earlier on for a porky meal - BKT treat at Restaurant Bah Kut Teh Shun Heng at SunwayMas, Petaling Jaya (near Aman Suria).


Dry Bak Kut Teh (RM9.50 per pax)
Errr... The portion is unbelievably.... small - thick, goeey sauce with pork & intestines (so few till I can count them), okras (funny, is this the usual ingredient?), dried cuttlefish (so tiny and few till I wondered what was I biting into), and dried chillies (why so much?). One word: Disappointed. Don't think I'll go again. :(

Yam Rice (RM2 per pax)
Ok lor...

When PJ's BKT is not good... I'll miss Klang's BKT!

2

基督徒的婚姻

負擔的話

婚姻,是人一生中最切身的問題。一個對的婚姻影響你半輩子,一個錯的婚姻也影響你半輩子。這個問題,人人要經過、人人也要面對。有一句話說:「婚姻是人生躲避暴風雨的港口,但是港口裡也藏有自己的暴風雨」,蘇格拉底說:「你若問我結婚好?還是不結婚好?我就要告訴你,兩者都是。」沒結婚的,覺得結婚好;已結婚的,又覺得不結婚好。他又說:「一個美好的妻子帶給你美好的婚姻,讓你成為幸福的人;一個惡妻卻會造就出一個哲學家。」

讓聖經來規正婚姻問題隨著時代的變化、隨著主來日子的迫近,已越來越嚴重;而且充滿了混淆、污染、不準確的觀念;有不婚的、同居的、試婚的、不婚生子的…,以前是羞恥的,現在卻以此誇耀,這真是一個叫人不知道該怎麼辦的時代。「聖經是我們獨一無二的標準」,照著倪弟兄說:「讓我一生的行為舉止,都讓聖經來歸正引導,我們就可以在健康中向前走」。有聖經、有主,所有問題已經解決了一半。但我們還在變化過程中,我們要向主敞開心,讓主的話作我們的指引,讓眾聖徒的經歷作我們的參考;但不要忘了,沒有一個經歷你可以拷貝,但是你可以參考。要記得,信心的行為不能效法;但信心的原則、信心的榜樣可以跟隨。

有人說,結婚就像等公共汽車,巴不得車趕快來;等上了車,又一直看錶,看什麼時候可以下車,這就是世人的婚姻。但我能見證,在主裡的婚姻卻如倒吃甘蔗,到末了夫妻成了最好的同伴。拿破崙也說:「美妻悅目僅供半生,良妻讓你得著一生的良伴。」人擇偶喜歡看外貌漂不漂亮,這些只要配就好,只要有吸引力就可以了。說實在的,等你結婚半年一年後,你並不知道她漂不漂亮,你問我姊妹到底好不好看?我不太記得了,對我來講,她好不好看已經不是重點,重點是她的內在有多美、有多耐處。

弟兄姊妹,你要培養你這個人是個耐處的人。耐處的人中學時,我有一個同學,他父親是校長,母親是接生婆,這個同學長得不好看;去了他家後,我才發覺,原來他的母親長得不好看。我每次到他家,看他父親是那麼地稱讚他的母親、推崇他的母親,使我一生都印象深刻。他父親對我說:「神給我最大的祝福,就是給我這樣一位賢德的妻子。」他講話時,那由衷的甜美感覺,讓我覺得很有味道。擇偶時,外貌還是得看得順、看得來,有基本的吸引,但這個不是長久的。台灣有首歌:「一時貪戀郎君美,一時迷糊嫁給他,痛苦無地…」。所以我們不要以外貌作為擇偶的標準,而是要在主裡,看看他有沒有安靜的、美麗的美德。

有一次我到美國參加聚會,有一位姊妹跟我們同行。一到美國,連著有三位弟兄來告訴我:光弘弟兄,我最近有個引導,有一位姊妹,我覺得好像是主給我預備的;我問是誰?他說:某某某。我說:好,我們擺在禱告裡看看。再過兩天,又有一位弟兄來說:主最近給我有一個奇妙的帶領,我一禱告,那位姊妹就浮現了,我一問是誰?又是某某某。再過幾天,又有一個來,他說:最近主給我一個帶領,是一個姊妹…,我說:是不是某某某啊?他說:你怎麼知道?結果,到末了,那個姊妹所嫁的,不是這三位中的一個,而是另外一位。原因何在?就是因她有烏溜溜的秀髮和水汪汪的眼睛。倪柝聲弟兄在上海服事的時候,見到一對夫婦鬧得不可開交,就問:「你當時是怎樣看上你姊妹的?」他說:「我就是一直看她有一雙黑眼珠。」等過了幾年,兩人吵得不可開交,老早忘了她的「黑眼珠」了。這樣的話不容易聽進去,但是卻很實際。擇偶時,不要一開頭就看表面,要讀他的身、讀他的心思、讀他的魂、還要讀他的靈。

奉獻你的婚姻

內政部 1993 年告訴我們每天有 83 對離婚,到 2004 年告訴我們,每天有 187 對離婚,台灣的離婚率大概已經步入三分之一,這是末後世代的景況,但我們要向主禱告:「主啊,但願我能成就一個婚姻是要有份於神的經綸,是要連於神永遠的旨意。」我們要過奉獻的關,我們要做一個奉獻的人,最重要的,就是奉獻你的婚姻。婚姻不能一直抓在自己手裡,台灣話「選阿選,選到賣龍眼」,意思是:你怎麼挑,挑到末了都不是那麼盡如人意。你要相信主的主宰,你的婚姻最好還是主來為你預備。羅馬書說:「不要效法這個世代」,「不要磨成這個世代的樣子」。今天這個世代的婚姻是可怕的,有人恐懼婚姻,就有「不婚族」,遠離婚姻;還有一種就是「同居族」,亂搞男女關係,這都是不合乎聖經的。神的兒女要從真理的話得著歸正和指點,我們要求主讓我們都有正確、正常的婚姻,否則我們就不能與神有正常的關係。

基督徒的婚姻,當兩位結婚了,彼此相親相愛;但是後來吵架了,兩個都不在靈裡,這時候怎樣能叫他們恢復關係呢?就是去親近神。「但與主聯合的,便是與主成為一靈」,當你們都親近主了,結果你們兩位就親近在一起了。離婚的原因常常有一大堆,有一句話說:當你天天有「內遇」,你就不會搞「外遇」;我們裡面常常遇見內住的主,我們的婚姻就蒙主保守了。李弟兄非常推崇佈道家葛理翰弟兄,說他有兩件美德叫他這一生的服事有價值:第一、在錢財的事上,帳目非常清楚,因為一個佈道家他有很多收入,那些錢他絕不自己處理,而是交給服事者處理;第二、在婚姻上,他一直注意一件事:絕不單獨和一個女子相處。在這個時代裡,這聽起來好像太古老了;不,這是古老的福音,也是永恆的福音!

弟兄姊妹,主的話安定在天,不要學習新潮流,有人用「同居」的方式,有人用「未婚生子」的方式,有人喜歡找已婚的人交往;甚至有些人受不了這些男女關係,就和男生在一起,就和女生在一起,這就是「愛滋病」的來源。最近聽說又發展出一種更嚴重的「愛滋」病毒,「愛滋病」已成為最大殺手;「羅得的日子」,就是「同性戀」的氾濫,這不合乎神造人的原則,這是神所憤怒的!弟兄姊妹,我們要蒙保守,不論什麼問題,都要靠恩典勝過;婚姻是神所看重的,也是人該尊重的,我盼望主給我們健康的婚姻觀。

屬靈到家

婚姻,需要受主的教育、教訓;而且婚姻也是一種投資、一種栽培、一種成長、一種奉獻、一種責任和一種盟約;而且婚姻必須有分於神的計畫、神的原則。婚姻不是為了「得」什麼,乃是為了學習「給」什麼。主耶穌就是來做僕人的,作僕人就是犧牲、就是給予、就是奉獻、就是服事。所以我們要彼此作僕人,作僕人就要「屬靈到家」,從家裡開始。婚姻三十二年來我的感觸很多,我最愛講的就是那句口訣:「太太永遠沒有錯,如果太太真有錯,那一定是我看錯;如果不是我看錯,一定是我惹的禍;如果不是我惹的禍,就是十字架美好的製作。」越讀越有膏油。姊妹也是一樣,要學習說「丈夫永遠沒有錯」;甚至外遇事件發生,你也有責任。有的人把家弄得毫無吸引力,還滿有排斥力,先生一想到要回家,就好像要回到母老虎身邊;這個家沒有吸引力,你等於把丈夫往外推,所以是妳錯了。

不改變對方

夫婦箴言說:「不要想要改變對方」,我們要拼命改變自己,放棄改變對方;讓主改吧!當主變化我的時候,我發覺對方身上也就有了變化。劉遂弟兄結婚五十年後,也照樣講這樣的話。他說:我一直要改變她擠牙膏的習慣,我是從尾巴擠起,太太都攔腰一截,擠中間我一直要改變對方,搞得一輩子痛苦,所以現在已經不改她了。所以我們要看見婚姻這件事,是非常非常需要我們靠主的憐憫來學功課的。

信仰相同

在婚姻本質上,夫妻第一要彼此幫助、彼此互補;第二是要防止犯罪;第三就像彼得前書說的,要成為承受恩典的器皿。一個幸福的婚姻叫自己蒙福,也叫多人蒙恩。聖經的教導,最好夫妻的信仰要相同,否則你的路會走得很辛苦。我最近讀一本書,說到婚姻幸福指數排行最高的,就是有同樣的信仰,而且要信仰虔誠。我能見證,在基督徒中間,離婚率低很多,你務必把婚姻交在主的手裡,以真理來作標準,信和不信的不能同負一軛。一個成功的人必定有成功的婚姻,你有成功的事業,若婚姻失敗,你還是失敗,所以求主讓我們有一個正確的婚姻。記得,基督徒的婚姻只有一次,跳進去,就不準備跳出來,所以跳進去前要睜開眼看,結婚後就忍受或是閉上眼享受。

結婚的條件

結婚交朋友的條件,第一是要有吸引,但這不是全部。第二要身體健康,若他身體上有軟弱,你能不能有夠多的愛去包容?要先想過,不要以後覺得他虧負你。還有遺傳的問題、家庭的問題。結婚,是丈夫把全家帶來給妻子,妻子也把全家帶給丈夫;換句話說,他是將全家的生活、習慣帶過來的。「家」影響一個人,所以一個人會古怪,你去查他的背景,一定有特別的地方。婚前,你要睜開眼,到她家去走動走動,看她媽媽是怎樣對她爸爸的,你就知道將來你的後果也是這樣。我有最好的婚姻,我對主常常滿了感謝也滿了仰望;對方永遠是你的十字架,但你不要成為對方的十字架。千對萬對,分開、離婚就錯;合一就對。不要把婚姻當成一個夢幻,恩典才是一切,這是一生的功課。

擇偶

有的人在介紹婚姻時講得很清高,問你有什麼條件?你說:沒有,只要是弟兄就好,或只要是姊妹就好。我現在都這樣說:少來這一套。不要這樣說,我們要說:「我真的不知道,但我願意在交通裡來顯明主的道路。」當有人介紹婚姻,這時你一口回絕說:「我沒有主的帶領」,或提出一堆的條件。到末了你會叫別人灰心,所以你也不要怪別人對你沒有負擔,是因為你太難辦了;人不敢摸你,因你是燙手山芋。我可以告訴你,我看到有的姊妹長得並不怎麼吸引人,卻嫁到非常好的丈夫;有的長得非常漂亮,卻一直都沒有結婚;她「熱」得很,小心「熱」最危險,因為很容易拿翹,拿翹就是發肉體,都把自己估高了,也把機會錯失了!倪柝聲弟兄說:「我們最大的難處是把自己估高,把別人估低了」;估高,以為自己是「嫦娥下凡」、是「潘安再世」,你若肯降卑一點,婚姻就都解決了。

學會交通

學會交通,交通能顯明主的旨意。要禱告,每一次都要從主經過;主如何經過種種過程,你也要經過種種的過程。每次有人介紹,你不要一開頭就說「不」;不要這樣,你要說:「主啊!讓我經過禱告。」,你要真正地經過禱告,不要有任何傲慢態度,神阻擋驕傲的人,賜恩給謙卑的人。還有,也不要有激情式天然的愛;在美國,一個專門辦離婚的律師,他辦過幾萬件的離婚,他說這種羅曼帝克激情式的婚姻,到末了幾乎都是用悲劇收場,激動式的愛情,就激動式地幻滅了。

敬畏主

在爭執時,公說公有理,婆說婆有理,怎麼辦呢?聖經上說:「男人是女人的頭,作妻子的要順服丈夫」;「男人是女人的頭」是原則,但不要忘了:主是男人的頭,神是男人的頭。當問題發生時,你要先問自己:你敬畏主嗎?你這個作頭的做得像樣嗎?你活出你該活出的嗎?如果你變了,對方一定會變。我若悔改認罪,支取主的恩典,向對方說「對不起」,夫妻彼此都學習說「對不起」,你我就是得勝者了。你要為他禱告,求主讓他越過越有主。若他要你陪他禱告、陪他追求、一起晨興晚禱,你不要回答說:「少來這一套!」,這樣,保證你這個家沒完沒了,沒有祝福,這是不夠敬畏主啊!有個屬靈人說:「一個禱告的家庭是很難分散的。」

弟兄姊妹,讓我們每個家都能禱告,都能夠家聚會,都能一同服事,自然你會看見你的丈夫是準確的丈夫、你的家是合神心意的家、被神使用的家。

(李光弘弟兄青職特會信息)
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离不开"情"



隨夢而飛
電影 "江山美人" 主題曲


作詞: 林夕
作曲: 雷頌德
演唱: 黎明,陳慧琳

黎明:
我會忍受所謂孤單
卻不能讓你承受苦難
但願你能對你命運反抗
放下你那沉重行囊

陳慧琳:
我何嘗喜歡帶著傷成長成就他人對我期望

黎明:
誰在乎流芳

合唱:
誰願意錯過年少輕狂

陳慧琳:
一擁抱就地老
一吻就天荒

黎明:
像活在放棄人間的天上

陳慧琳:
人間天堂

黎明:
無窮無盡江山

陳慧琳:
從來沒有那麼好看

合唱:
明天還有什麼要打算

陳慧琳:
你帶我飛 我飛 我飛
帶給我活著的滋味

黎明:
忘掉傷悲隨風而飛
每一秒像過了一輩

陳慧琳:
一去不回的飛啊飛
這就是我們的堡壘

黎明:
什麼也無所謂

合唱:
人生難得一次越軌
是你告訴我是誰

黎明:
我不慌不忙不投降

陳慧琳:
我也一樣 寧願隨你流浪

合唱:
世界如何紛亂
也不會有損愛的力量

陳慧琳:
一擁抱就地老
一吻就天荒

黎明:
像活在放棄人間的天上

陳慧琳:
人間天堂

黎明:
無窮無盡江山

陳慧琳:
從來沒有那麼好看

合唱:
明天還有什麼要打算

陳慧琳:
你帶我飛 我飛 我飛
帶給我活著的滋味

黎明:
忘掉傷悲隨風而飛
每一秒像過了一輩

陳慧琳:
一去不回的飛啊飛
這就是我們的堡壘

黎明:
什麼也無所謂

合唱:
人生難得一次越軌
是你告訴我是誰
誰還會反對

This is the theme song for An Empress and the Warriors (江山美人), starring Donnie Yen, Kelly Chen, and Leon Lai.

Actually, I don't like to watch movies with battle scenes where horses tumbled over, soldiers pierced, slashed, chopped, ran over by battle carts... urgghhh! These includes The Warlords (
投名状), which is a pretty serious movie, starring Jet Li, Andy Lau, and Takeshi Kaneshiro; Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (三国之见龙卸甲), starring Andy Lau and the miscasted, silly-looking Maggie Q (=.=); and Red Cliff (赤壁), starring Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chang Chen, Lin Chi-ling, and Zhao Wei.

Anyway, if I can watch it via streaming, I don't mind :P
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Modesty & sobriety in dressing

"Sometimes, girls should flaunt their body a bit. Only then, you could attract some guys."

This so-called suggestion came out from the mouth of a guy. I was shocked. Why must I dress up in the way that will attract guys? In my point of view, that suggestion is very, very disgusting. But... I didn't argue back. Why should I waste time playing music to a cow?

Since young, I was taught to dress properly and appropriately, not provokingly. And I'm glad my mum is very strict with my dress code. Also, in the church, the elderly sisters will advise younger sisters like me to dress accordingly in order not to provoke the brothers. Furthermore, I was taught that clothes are meant for protection and covering, not for showing off our body parts.

I think, what guys meant by the phrase 'flaunting your body' is that your cleavage is visible, your skirt hem is so high up (till I don't understand why you wear it if you want to show off), or any other way that will provoke the guys' mind to run wild with imaginations. Yucks! What kind of world is this? The guys are satisfying the lust of their eyes by scouting out girls who dress up like hookers. And the girls are decorating themselves to become materials for the soft porn industry, I guess. Duh!

I don't think many people share my view of dressing properly, appropriately, and accordingly. However, there are materials that support my conservative view from the Internet.

Why care about dressing well?

First, dressing well shows respect for others.

Second, dressing well promotes respect for you. We are not just minds trapped in a skin suit. We are embodied creatures, whole people made in the image of God. We are made to do everything we do with all of us—body, soul, and spirit. We learn best when we take care of ourselves. Taking care of our appearance is part of caring for what God has given us and making the most of it. When we take care to dress well, we promote the same kind of well-being that comes from eating healthy food that tastes good. In an unfallen world, we might not wear clothes, but in the world we do inhabit, we can redeem our embodied existence even through small things like clothes. Making ourselves look good can be an act of worship, as we adorn what He has made and live lives dedicated to His glory.

Third, dressing well is part of being a man. If you dress like a man, you're more likely to be treated like a man. But if you continue to dress like an adolescent, you'll probably be treated accordingly. The goal, then, is to dress well: respectfully and maturely, yet with style.

More about this article.

It is most helpful to see what the Bible says since the Bible is God's Word. Who dare to defy what God says.

1 Timothy 2:9-10
"Similarly, that women adorn themselves in proper clothing with modesty and sobriety, not with braided hair and gold and pearls or costly clothing, but, what befits women professing godly reverence, by good works.

1 Pet. 3:3-4
"Let your adorning not be the outward plaiting of hair and putting on of gold or clothing with garments, but the hidden man of the heart in the incorruptible adornment of a meek and quiet spirit, which is very costly in the sight of God."

Below are excerpts from an article I took from neednotfret.com:

Your clothes, like the words out of your mouth, will almost always be an expression of what's going on in your heart. If your heart is pure, as you submit to Christ, then your dress and speech will also be Christ centered.

Reject this worldly culture that seeks to undress you in public, to make your body an object a man longs after. Fully embrace all that God wants to be for you in Christ Jesus. Find your worth and significance in God as you worship Him. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Taste and see that He is good - more savory and satisfying than what the world dangles before you.

The morsels the world offers will leave you hungering for more, and, in the end, miserable. Don't adorn your body in such a way that makes it a spectacle for lustful men or in a way that shows off an expensive taste in clothes. Instead, adorn your body so people will not ultimately look at you, but see the glory of Christ as He shines upon you.

Another excerpt:

Immodesty not only damages men, but it hurts women too. When men see women dressed immodestly, men think of them as objects of pleasure. A woman can't dress immodestly, and then be upset when men don't respect her mind and personality. Even if a man wants to think the best about you, if your clothes send another message, he's going to believe what his eyes tell him - "She's cheap and wants sex," or "She's wearing a tight shirt, so she must want me to notice her boobs."

The Bible warns against outward adornments because people inevitably invest too much in the outward person at the neglect of the inner person. Your virtue is far more important than your outward beauty.


Single ladies, if dressing seductively is your way of luring a man, you'll lure a man all right. But he won't be the kind you'll want to marry. If you marry a man you seductively lure to yourself, you'll regret it. Mystique will make the man you want to marry wonder, in a healthy way, what you've got underneath those clothes. And marriage will be his ticket to find out.

If you dress immodestly, it shows that you've forgotten why you're on earth. You are a soldier. Second Corinthians 10:4 says, "We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds." You're in a war for the souls of others. The Bible warns about becoming like the world. James 4:4 says, "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." If dressing immodestly isn't becoming friends with the world, nothing is.

Exposing what God wants covered shows that you're more of this world than you admit. It takes courage to choose a different path than the godless culture around you. And God expects you to choose the path of modesty.

Dressing modestly won't get you into heaven, but it might help keep some men out of hell. If what you're wearing to church is immodest, it's probably too immodest to wear anywhere else, and vice versa. But this article is about more than how you dress. It's about being a person with a pure heart. Modesty is part of your character and will express itself in how you walk, what you say, what you wear, and how you bend down to pick something up. You can be dressed the right way and still send the message of immodesty by what you say or how you walk. Immodesty (or shall we say, impurity) can even be conveyed by your eyes when you look at someone. Do your part in helping keep men pure and families together. When in doubt about what you're wearing, put on more.

You can dress attractively without being sleazy. But the Bible warns about the trap of outward beauty. If you have to choose between attractive or virtuous, I hope you choose virtue. You will not always have to choose between the two, but sometimes you will. And dressing modestly is asking little from a soldier seeking to wage war on the enemy. Seeing Jesus' smile of approval when you get to heaven will make your sacrifice worth it.

**********

I decided to blog about this when some colleagues commented that I'm getting prettier these days in terms of dressing up. They thought I'm planning to attract guys. Please laaa... I wear nicely because I need to be presentable and confident with my appearance. When I'm confident with myself, I can attend meetings with my project's clients without feeling inferior and insecure. It has nothing to do with attracting guys from the same company or some other places.

One more thing, if anyone begin to joke about this single guy or that single guy in the company is available and ask whether I'm interested or not, please shut up. I do not need this kind of help. I exist in the company not to become lunch topic. Find something else to talk if you want to. I'm not as sporting as you think I am. There are taboo topics that if you touch, I will really quit from working together.

Thank you very much.
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I love porridge

It's a Sunday afternoon and I've no intention to eat out. First, I'm lazy to go out. Second, I don't want to waste money to buy outside food. So, I "scavenged" my food store and see what I can come out with. So, here's my modified porridge, easy and cheap.

Ingredients (for 2 persons):
1 packet MAGGI Rice Porridge (any flavor will do - chicken, fish, prawns, vegetarian, abalone)
1 handful of ikan bilis, washed and soaked for a while
A few pieces of dried squid, washed and soaked for a while
1 medium-sized onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium-sized potato, coarsely cubed
1 medium-sized carrot, coarsely cubed
1 egg
Water

How?
1. Sweat onions in a pan for a couple of minutes. Add ikan bilis and dried squid. Stir-fry for a few minutes.

2. Add potatoes and carrots. Stir for another few minutes.

3. Add 1 cup of water and simmer for a few minutes. Then, pour in the whole packet of MAGGI Rice Porridge. Add water, enough to cover everything in the pan.

4. Lower down heat, cover the pan, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

5. Beat an egg lightly and stir in. Serve piping hot :D
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Competent vs Complacent

This is a good tagline: Be competent, not complacent!

[Quoting dictionary.com] Complacent means pleased, especially with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect; self-satisfied.

From my point of view, complacency results in stagnancy. A complacent person will tend to stay the same for a period of time, whether long or short without much improvement or achievement and will still think that it is alright to be so. I think, they are less stressful because they may not always be driven or convinced by the need to be motivated to get things done.

[Quoting dictionary.com] Competent means having suitable or sufficient skill, knowledge, experience, etc., for some purpose; properly qualified.

From my point of view, competency produces the driving force to brave through and solve problems and a strong determination to get things done. Competent persons are mostly high achievers or perfectionists, depending on the 'severity' of the competency level. They are always motivated to achieve more and more things. Success and recognition, literally or verbally, are the greatest rewards to them for their dedication.

Ahhh... human beings are funny. When a complacent person is co-working with a competent person, or vice versa, both will have a 'good' time. All kinds of situation may arise. According to my principles, of which I practice strongly, the competent one should be dominant to control certain situations from going out of hand. However, dominance produces sarcasm and psychological corrections, hoping that complacency will be eliminated once and for all from suffocating the working environment. Until now, I'm still trying real hard to tone down my sarcasm. The more stressed out I am, the more sarcastic I become and the more I look down on those who just can't catch up with the lowest standard that I've set.

I do feel bad. My quick tongue and mind work so well to betray me. I've always tried to maintain a calm composure when I realize shit happens. Even if my mouth is tightly shut, my mind is racing with all kinds of thoughts and not long after that, some sarcastic liners will appear somewhere.

Then, I was very much helped by this advice. Don't scold; mentor. Scolding, everyone can do; mentoring, not everyone can. This is what leadership is all about.

I've a long way to go.
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Foodie time

A visit to Dae Jang Gum at Section 14 out of spontaneity.

Jjam Ppong (Spicy Seafood & Vegetables Noodle Soup) - RM17
My dinner. Looks real spicy, right? But amazingly, it is not. The spiciness is something like kimchi's. It has a good portion of lala, squid, prawns, leek, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, onions, black fungus, and one mussel, haha!


Jan Chi Kuksoo (Vegetables Vermicelli Soup) - RM16
My sister's dinner. Looks like plain noodle soup but it's packed with goodness from the sea & vegetables.

Complimentary side dishes
8 of them. Tastes great!

Shikhye (Sweet Malt Beverage) - Free
This cooling dessert cooled down the spiciness from my noodles. Here's the recipe.
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Let's smile :)

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

That... makes me smile, well, after one whole day of frowning, I believe :D
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Letter from brother Bernard Yaw

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

On behalf of the Yaw and Hung families, we thank you all for your caring love for Joanne and our family. We have to say, Joanne has truly enjoyed your fellowship and encouragements even during her time of illness. Our emotional and physical loss of Joanne has been made easier with your continual prayers. Slowly but surely, we are picking up the pieces and moving on with the sweet memories of Joanne in our heart.

We believe the Lord has been glorified as we share from the testimony of Joanne through the memorial services held in San Francisco and at our home. The smiling and glowing face of Joanne was reflected in the pictures that were presented at the memorial service. We wanted to share these lasting memories with you.

We also wanted to share with you some of Joanne’s favorite verses in her final days with us; verses which Joanne truly believed and lived by daily. 

Romans 8:10-11 "But if Christ is in you, though your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies, through his Spirit, who lives in you." 

Romans 8:38 "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God, that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord." 

With God’s abundant blessings,
Bernard Yaw

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200 Pounds Beauty


200 Pounds Beauty is a 2006 Korean comedy but with a touching and meaningful storyline that teaches us to be true to ourselves because trying to live as another person against one's conscience is truly agonizing.

About the movie, one thing that is truly amazing is that Kim A-Jung (the gorgeous lead actress who plays Kang Han-Na/Jenny) did all of her own singing, despite not being a singer. That's quite impressive especially when she sings 'Maria' with powerful and clear vocals.

Touching. I mean it.
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