A to Z regular blessings (part two)

-
Okay, here's part 2. And yes it is going to take a LONG time to finish. But I am in no hurry and it's a nice exercise for me. Of course I have to stretch my imagination a bit to make things fit but it's no big deal. It's a nice platform to leap into blogging.

D

Delicious Dishes. Oh yeah! While we eat pretty simply for most meals, every now and then I try to take over cooking a meal or two so I get to eat something deliciously different that is way within the budget. It's really a nice break to do some
cooking and experimenting and it is a joy when a dish turns out well and is appreciated.

I am still experimenting with my roast pork (not Chinese style "siew yok") and the whole family thinks it is mouth watering delicious. On Sunday for a lunch "business" meeting I did my Hokkien Mee for a new crowd. Was not easy as I had to do four batches on Saturday and then put them in the fridge as Sunday is so busy. Four batches due to the larger group and because I have to use my small electric wok (or the heat will be too low). Even my Indian friend loved it ("chee yau char" included) :-) It gives me an added sense of accomplishment when there are requests to "tar pau":-)

I have also been trying to figure out how to make thosai. Right now the best I can do within my time frame is to "cheat" by using a Dokhla" mix. I managed to figure out how to make simple coconut chutney and I am very happy with the taste and texture . Mmmmm... dro
ol

DIY friends. Such a blessing especially in a DIY culture and knowing that I really am not gifted in this area. I have saved so much money and time because I am blessed with DIY friends who come offer and help me fix or put up simple (and difficult) things that I am unable to do. Back in Malaysia too, my "god-brother" would come around and do these things for my us.

Deodorant. This may sound strange but I think there is some truth in the many deodorant ads. Knowing you don't smell bad does help with one's confidence. LOL. I th
ink deodorant is one under appreciated invention. I find it hard to imagine my starting the day without a nice shower that ends with an application of my roll on deodorant :-)


E

Electricity. This is to me an under appreciated blessing. It amazes me how many things I have that need electricity to run. In a strange way, it is a positive thing that electricity costs so much. Helps me not take it for granted!!

Elders (and Deacons). For someone who works for the church, it is an i
ncredible blessing for me to serve with a group of elders and deacons that are not just godly but have become my friends. They treat me with respect and with fairness. They pray for me
regularly. They give me valuable feedback (and criticism when needed). All this not only makes my ministry enjoyable, but it energizes me especially when the going gets tough. And believe me ... ministry can be tough! Thanks be to God for my church elders and deacons.

Education. I count it a blessing that despite financial constraints and in some respects a lack of academic ability, I have managed to "earn" one diploma (in Business Admin)
and three degrees (ministry and theology). But more than that, I am able to continue with my "informal education" (non traditional?) due to the blessings of books, short courses as well as the wealth of knowledge via the internet. Amazing .... this internet ... continued education via youtube, p
odcasts. blogs, articles, e-mail lists etc. Education is indeed a blessing!!

F

Family. (Both in the traditional sense and in the biblical sense). A great wife, two wonderful boys. a supportive mum, some amazing uncles and aunts, brothers, nephews and nieces. Wow. And then of course the extended church family that can be found all over the globe. What is special is when family are also friends. Especially since arriving in NZ, family and friends have been here for us in so many ways! This is in turn makes me even more thankful for family and friends back in Malaysia . Nuff said :-)

Feijoas. I love the taste of Feijoas. My favourite fruit. Since it is only available in March -June, Feijoas as a blessing might technically not be seen as a regular blessing BUT .... ev
eryday when I walk through my front door, I see my two Feijoa trees in my garden! It' s been a year now and the tree looks as if it hasn't grown at all! It's still tiny :-( But I ca
n see new buds springing forth so I know that the tree is still alive. I am told I must be patient as it takes a long time to grow (at least 3 years) but once it does, I will get my fruit. My trees are teaching me patience. LOL

More another time ...

addendum: I just realised I only did two for F: So here' my third..

FISH. Meaning my four gold fish / guppies fish in my tiny tank. They have lived for over 2 years which is amazing especially since I did not expect them to live so long. I originally
bought them primarily for a magic trick! In Malaysia despite all the additives to keep the water healthy etc, my previous attempts in keeping fish have resulted in death within 3 months! So over 2 years is pretty amazing! Dr. Haiwan says it has to be the clean water her
e!

Why are these fish a blessing to me? I like to watch them swimming and I like the gentle sound of the gentle splashing of water (from the pump). Very relaxing... and here's ano
ther reason from One BIG FAMILY comic strip I did not think of before which I think is funny but valid (with imagination of course!)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Forgiving the Church (Henri Nouwen)

-
Had to post this up! Another gem from Henri Nouwen that is so relevant for today! I have highlighted in red what especially resonates with me as it has bothered me for years that there is a fast growing number of Christians who think they can have Christ without the church. Then back to work. I have finalized my magic routine fro this Sunday - now just need to practice and coordinate with "the Weeman" so our acts flow smoothly from one to the other. Forgiving the Church When we have been wounded by the Church, our temptation is to reject it. But when we reject the Church it becomes very hard for us to keep in touch with the living Christ. When we say, "I love Jesus, but I hate the Church," we end up losing not only the Church but Jesus too. The challenge is to forgive the Church. This challenge is especially great because the Church seldom asks us for forgiveness, at least not officially. But the Church as an often fallible human organization needs our forgiven...
Read more

The Ideal / Perfect pastor

-
Image
The Ideal / Perfect Pastor .... from various sources :-) I had better not add my own lest it be misunderstood. LOL The Perfect Pastor The perfect pastor preaches exactly 10 minutes. He condemns sin roundly but never hurts anyone’s feelings. He works from 8am until midnight and is also the church janitor. The perfect pastor makes $40 a week, wears good clothes, drives a good car, buys good books, and donates $30 a week to the church. He is 29 years old and has 40 years experience. Above all, he is handsome. The perfect pastor has a burning desire to work with teenagers, and he spends most of his time with the senior citizens. He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his church. He makes 15 home visits a day and is always in his office to be handy when needed. The perfect pastor always has time for church council and all of its committees. He never misses the meeting of any church organizat...
Read more

Geoffrey Woo Ramblings

-
Image
It was nice to reconnect with Geoffrey via Facebook (Yes FB has it's positives) earlier this year. I first met him more than 25 years ago! And I got to know him and his heart when we served together in a special SU Camp. That was the year too I first got to know my good friend Allan Yong. Allan Yong became an inspiration for me (a good role model of a man of God on fire for God ... and he still is) especially in the area of youth work (but that is another story) Anyway Geoff (now may be known as Geo?) made a big impression on me as well. Down to earth and to me a bit of an "eccentric"! A "greenie" before being green was "an in-thing". He would cycle practically everywhere on his bike, often turning up sweaty! :-) But he had a passion for Jesus that was very evident (and I hear that this passion has not waned but has kept growing! Praise God!) One major thing I picked up from him that still has remained as a huge impression on me was his deep sense ...
Read more