Short trip to Malaysia almost over (ramblings)
Tomorrow I fly back To Auckland. My short trip here is almost over.
It's almost over and kind of sad ... but looking forward as well to going back to NZ for obvious reasons :-)
Think I have put on weight - according to my mum's weighing scales ... but she told me that her electronic scales is actually unreliable - makes one seem heavier. Hope so LOL
Heard from some people that there were some "questions" as to why I was so secretive about my trip and a "little unhappiness" over "not wanting to meet up" with most people here (many who are people I consider good friends). So here's some reasons for those who do not already know (not that I need to explain myself :-) but I think they are helpful things to consider.
1. Last couple of trips back to Malaysia was exhausting and last one I even fell very sick. While it wonderful to catch up with friends etc., such activity packed trips home visits are not not helpful to my health. Not much of a holiday if I have no time to rest or take a healthy dose of time off for my own physical, emotional and mental needs.
2. This trip is specifically for the purpose of handling personal and family matters especially for my mother. The older I get, the more important it is for me to spend quality (and quantity) time with my mother. It was a priority for me to spend practically every morning and night with my mother. It was interesting that I automatically woke up by around 5 to 5.30 AM every morning and spent time with my mother before she went off to work and had dinner with her every night (whether she cooked a simple meal for the two of us, had dinner with family members and family friends or one night out with her cell group), and staying up late taking about all kinds of things . Only one dinner out with an old friend for a couple of hours of catching up.
Was nice to kick back and do stuff like house hold chores, fixing / reorganizing a few things, being around for the repairman to fix a broken toilet etc. And taking short naps :-) ... since I am up early and sleep late every night.
So basically, priority is mum first and then me second .... it would be very unfair to my church for me to return "dead tired" especially since there is so much that needs to be done when I return (including 6 weeks in a row of preaching)
3. On ... why no ministry engagements while back in Malaysia ... some may have thought I was being a bit arrogant but my statement was simply "I am no longer the church full time worker (i.e. context of the brethren church in Malaysia). I am the pastor of another church."
Doesn't mean I don't care anymore for those from my former church(es) or friends in Malaysia but I can only manage keeping in close contact with a limited number of people. AND more importantly, it is not my responsibility anymore because God has (and will always) raise up others better suited for ministry.
I am glad many understood and supported this! Thanks fellas! :-))
There is I think too a subtle danger of thinking too highly of myself ... as if I need to meet up with people ...
* If things work out I will be back next year specifically for ministry purposes and if that happens, that trip will be very different.
4. BTW, I did actually did meet up with some people - but these meetings were planned ahead of time...
-----
But on a lighter note (I think) - did not go crazy eating malaysian food. Was very disciplined Just one meal of some of the things on my list... one paper thosai, one rawa thosai, one bowl of chendol, one bowl of tay foo fah, one ham cheen pang, one yow char kwai (oops two), one chinese pancake, one bowl sarawak laksa, one plate wan tan mee, one plate nasi kandar, one plate Indian rojak, one plate chinese rojak, ...and a small sampling of various Chinese New year cookies. But so far, three mangoes - and the expected "dim sum" (yam char) with my in laws - which covers a wide variety of little bits of this and that ... and one fancy dinner with my mums cell group core members paid for by her best friend.
* BTW, I love how my mum's closest charismatic Christian friends always insist that they want to "bless me".
One old friend gave me RM 500 which was hard to refuse without causing offense so I told her I would add it to a project I have I mind to "bless a family in ministry". It's wonderful really how God works to confirm this project I have been thinking off and just fleshed out the key details on this trip. (One of those things I spent some time doing - I have not been just eating and sleeping you know! :-))
I really enjoyed meeting up with some members of my local Malaysian magic club. Pity many whom I know were unable to make the meeting that day. But still, was nice to catch up with those who came, talk about magic and listen in to the planning details of a coming show by Shoot Ogawa to help raise funds for Japan.
And was so cool to find a magic trick I have been thinking about buying (very costly especially because of postage) at the club magic shop! Closed both eyes and bought it! :-)
Another thing I enjoyed was using my mum's massage chair every night - aiyo - so nice ! :-)
This may be a bad thing but I have been watching a lot of CSI (original and NY) as it is on frequently (satellite TV) - different seasons and repeats on in the afternoons - may end up wanting to watch the series again in NZ... :-(
I actually bought a few things in Malaysia. Surprising I know! Some I had planned - more Thai balloons and Juwita Suwito CDs and some velvet cloth. But this was unintended. I bought a couple of ties and a couple of souvenirs from a Christian bookshop - had time on my hand while waiting for my mum and here friends who had some things to do in a mall (Me being the driver :-)) and they caught my eye,
Question is ... will the person I bought the tie for wear it. KCC people ... am thinking of Uncle Max. - I did pick the least gaudiest of the Christian ties so he might consent to wear one of them. :-)
Ok, got to go. KCC folks, see you on Friday evening / Saturday (40 hour famine) or Sunday. And if I can manage working out an idea / new recipe I hope to make a test round of home made mini "pau" (flour dumplings) for Sunday's finger food lunch.
It's almost over and kind of sad ... but looking forward as well to going back to NZ for obvious reasons :-)
Think I have put on weight - according to my mum's weighing scales ... but she told me that her electronic scales is actually unreliable - makes one seem heavier. Hope so LOL
Heard from some people that there were some "questions" as to why I was so secretive about my trip and a "little unhappiness" over "not wanting to meet up" with most people here (many who are people I consider good friends). So here's some reasons for those who do not already know (not that I need to explain myself :-) but I think they are helpful things to consider.
1. Last couple of trips back to Malaysia was exhausting and last one I even fell very sick. While it wonderful to catch up with friends etc., such activity packed trips home visits are not not helpful to my health. Not much of a holiday if I have no time to rest or take a healthy dose of time off for my own physical, emotional and mental needs.
2. This trip is specifically for the purpose of handling personal and family matters especially for my mother. The older I get, the more important it is for me to spend quality (and quantity) time with my mother. It was a priority for me to spend practically every morning and night with my mother. It was interesting that I automatically woke up by around 5 to 5.30 AM every morning and spent time with my mother before she went off to work and had dinner with her every night (whether she cooked a simple meal for the two of us, had dinner with family members and family friends or one night out with her cell group), and staying up late taking about all kinds of things . Only one dinner out with an old friend for a couple of hours of catching up.
Was nice to kick back and do stuff like house hold chores, fixing / reorganizing a few things, being around for the repairman to fix a broken toilet etc. And taking short naps :-) ... since I am up early and sleep late every night.
So basically, priority is mum first and then me second .... it would be very unfair to my church for me to return "dead tired" especially since there is so much that needs to be done when I return (including 6 weeks in a row of preaching)
3. On ... why no ministry engagements while back in Malaysia ... some may have thought I was being a bit arrogant but my statement was simply "I am no longer the church full time worker (i.e. context of the brethren church in Malaysia). I am the pastor of another church."
Doesn't mean I don't care anymore for those from my former church(es) or friends in Malaysia but I can only manage keeping in close contact with a limited number of people. AND more importantly, it is not my responsibility anymore because God has (and will always) raise up others better suited for ministry.
I am glad many understood and supported this! Thanks fellas! :-))
There is I think too a subtle danger of thinking too highly of myself ... as if I need to meet up with people ...
* If things work out I will be back next year specifically for ministry purposes and if that happens, that trip will be very different.
4. BTW, I did actually did meet up with some people - but these meetings were planned ahead of time...
-----
But on a lighter note (I think) - did not go crazy eating malaysian food. Was very disciplined Just one meal of some of the things on my list... one paper thosai, one rawa thosai, one bowl of chendol, one bowl of tay foo fah, one ham cheen pang, one yow char kwai (oops two), one chinese pancake, one bowl sarawak laksa, one plate wan tan mee, one plate nasi kandar, one plate Indian rojak, one plate chinese rojak, ...and a small sampling of various Chinese New year cookies. But so far, three mangoes - and the expected "dim sum" (yam char) with my in laws - which covers a wide variety of little bits of this and that ... and one fancy dinner with my mums cell group core members paid for by her best friend.
* BTW, I love how my mum's closest charismatic Christian friends always insist that they want to "bless me".
One old friend gave me RM 500 which was hard to refuse without causing offense so I told her I would add it to a project I have I mind to "bless a family in ministry". It's wonderful really how God works to confirm this project I have been thinking off and just fleshed out the key details on this trip. (One of those things I spent some time doing - I have not been just eating and sleeping you know! :-))
I really enjoyed meeting up with some members of my local Malaysian magic club. Pity many whom I know were unable to make the meeting that day. But still, was nice to catch up with those who came, talk about magic and listen in to the planning details of a coming show by Shoot Ogawa to help raise funds for Japan.
And was so cool to find a magic trick I have been thinking about buying (very costly especially because of postage) at the club magic shop! Closed both eyes and bought it! :-)
Another thing I enjoyed was using my mum's massage chair every night - aiyo - so nice ! :-)
This may be a bad thing but I have been watching a lot of CSI (original and NY) as it is on frequently (satellite TV) - different seasons and repeats on in the afternoons - may end up wanting to watch the series again in NZ... :-(
I actually bought a few things in Malaysia. Surprising I know! Some I had planned - more Thai balloons and Juwita Suwito CDs and some velvet cloth. But this was unintended. I bought a couple of ties and a couple of souvenirs from a Christian bookshop - had time on my hand while waiting for my mum and here friends who had some things to do in a mall (Me being the driver :-)) and they caught my eye,
Question is ... will the person I bought the tie for wear it. KCC people ... am thinking of Uncle Max. - I did pick the least gaudiest of the Christian ties so he might consent to wear one of them. :-)
Ok, got to go. KCC folks, see you on Friday evening / Saturday (40 hour famine) or Sunday. And if I can manage working out an idea / new recipe I hope to make a test round of home made mini "pau" (flour dumplings) for Sunday's finger food lunch.
ai ya missed you again
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