Grandpa & Grandma

It’s lin cho yi – second day of the lunar new year. By tradition, it’s the day where my family visits my mother’s side of the family – my grandparents. (The first day’s reserved for dad’s side). What made me decide to write something special about them today was about what they did today which made them even more special and dear to my heart.

Today, mom asked koong koong and poh poh to demonstrate to the rest of the family what they did on a typical morning for their daily devotion with God (btw, they’re fairly new Christians). Firstly, they’d sing Christian songs, one by one, with each week adding a new song koong koong picked up from church. To date, they sing as many as 20-30 short Christian choruses per day – singing of their love for Jesus and how He loves us and saved us from our sins. As they sang today, one by one, and as monotonous they sound with only a hint of melody heard here and there.. I watched the expression on their faces. Koong koong will be singing from his handwritten lyrics of the songs on pieces of carefully filed papers and poh poh singing from memory, I can tell they really loved singing, and more than just singing, they loved expressing their hearts to Jesus. Occasionally, I could see koong koong’s eyes tearing and nose reddening.. I could see poh poh’s eyes closed and thinking of the words she sang. They didn’t care that the rest of the family were watching them sing (we would love to join in, if only we knew how to sing the songs in Mandarin. lol), all they cared about was singing to Jesus,not conscious of the world around them – it was a beautiful sight indeed.

Soon after, koong koong will read from a passage of scripture and they would spend time in prayer together.. and let me tell you this, my grandparents are true warriors in prayer. EVERY single day, they would pray for EVERY single person they know of who has a need, or who needs encouragement. I tell you, EVERY single person.. i heard them today. From their very own grandchildren, to the Mr and Mrs they met who needs a prayer or two. Sure, they didn’t use extravagant and Christian jargon, sure they sounded repetitious, cuz after every need was ended by "In Jesus’ Name, Amen." And sure, their prayers are often very long, but every single word uttered was genuine.. coming from the sincere of sincerest hearts and they never ever grew tired of praying.. even though it came to saying the same words again and again EVERY single morning, but they kept on praying, earnest to God above – and I know they believed in their hearts that each and every prayer will be answered.

As they prayed, my mind wandered off (hey, especially when it’s said in Cantonese, and you don’t quite catch every single word said or know every single person mentioned.. one tends to wander off mentally. ). Anyway.. yeah, my mind wandered off.. I knew they were happy, they looked very peaceful…and I wanted to be just like that. I wanted to grow old and be able to do this every morning with my husband.. old and haggard we might be, sagging and croaky.. I prayed that I could live like my grandparents in their end years, singing and praying to God, in spite of our broken vocal cords and probably demented minds, we can still turn to Jesus and live – not caring of how the world looks at us.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

One almost down, four more to go

Coming to an end of my 6th semester… and I can definitely tell you, it’s been one bumpy seemingly long ride. Met the nicest to the scariest teacher, the admirable ones, the dedicated ones.. to even the feared ones from clinical school, smelled the urine reeked stench of certain wards of the hospital, had my share of Seremban food poisoning… oh, the many many many things that had happened in these 6 months, if only I could really remember every bit of memories, both good and bad and tell them to you.. oh, I would try to post pictures up soon – to show you the glimpse of the lil’ ol’ town of Seremban (for it is definitely much more than just Siew Pau )

My first 6 months of really living away from home… I can honestly tell you, these were trying moments, and I have already been blessed such that I could cheat by returning home every weekend. You have no idea how many countless times I told myself that I would much rather be home than being stuck here – countless, I tell you.. uncountable. And I know, it’s not over yet.. the next few semesters are going to be more trying… and I know there will be more countless times of how much I wished I was in the comfort and security of home than out here all alone to face my world ahead. I can foresee…that I’ll definitely age much quicker in the next 6 months. lol. With the heavy postings and stress.. ugh.

Oh, enough with the complaints. All in all, I thoroughly believed Seremban has changed me.. whether better or worse - you decide Until then, wish me luck for the next one and a half years here in Seremban.. oh better still, just pour me enough luck for the next 6 months

Love Song For A Savior

Love Song For A Savior
Jars Of Clay

In open fields of wild flowers,
she breathes the air and flies away
She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
in no simple language
Someday she’ll understand the meaning of it all
He’s more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
Someday she’ll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He’ll call her and she will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she’ll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

Sitting silent wearing Sunday best
The sermon echoes through the walls
A great salvation through it calls to the people
who stare into nowhere, and can’t feel the chains on their souls

He’s more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on our lips
Someday we’ll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He’ll call us and we will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and we’ll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

It seems too easy to call you "Savior",
Not close enough to call you "God"
So as I sit and think of words I can mention
to show my devotion

"I want to fall in love with You"

"my heart beats for You"