The Perfect Sick Pillow

It's Monday and I'm sick. What I need is to get a pillow like this. 

pearlie

Naps are good for you

We have the day off today and for someone who never ever take a nap, I was napping away in the afternoon, and in the heat too, and thankfully I didn't get a headache as a result like I usually do after I sleep in the afternoon. 

Naps are supposed to be good for you, right?

pearlie 

Suffer and be comforted as one in Christ

 

Pastor said something in church today that made me think. He was announcing and reporting on a wake service held for rather new member of the church and was commending the members of the church who turned up at the service. 

He commented that the situation is so different between churches in smaller towns like Batu Pahat compared to city churches in Kuala Lumpur. Whenever, a member of a small town church passes away, the whole church comes to pay their respect and to comfort the family members. But for a city church, few would make the effort. 

I never thought of it from that perspective before. I usually don't go unless I am close to the members of the family because if I am not known to them, I feel I won't be of much of a support.

But what the pastor said is true. We are all one body in the Lord and the local church is the body of the faith community in Christ. Therefore, when one suffers, all suffer and when one rejoices, all rejoice. 

When my father-in-law passed away several years ago, members from several churches came. He was sick and was not able to attend church much. But when he passed on, members of my family church, members of the church I was attending as well as members of the church my late father-in-law did manage to attend a few times, all came to the wake service to offer us their company and comfort. 

It meant a lot to me. 

I am now going to rethink this and work towards turning up at wake services of members of my church even though I may not be close to them. 

It does not matter that they do not know me. We are one body in the Lord, we suffer and be comforted as one. 

pearlie 

We have hope

I had wanted to write about how dismal the world is as it goes worse and worse. Everyday is filled with news of death and destruction. I had some discouraging statistics on how terrorism has risen since the watershed moment of 9-11, but what we need instead is the reassurance of the sovereignty of our Lord God Almighty and the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. - Matthew 24:6-8

4 "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.

5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! - Luke 12:4-5

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:14

And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." - Mark 9:7

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:14

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 

55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. - 1 Corinthians 15:52-58

pearlie 

Need to talk? Someone will listen

It was just last week when I felt I needed someone to talk to. However, I didn't want it as a baggage with a friend. And so I thought how nice it would be to have a stranger to talk to, someone caring enough to just listen and help me through some thoughts and issues. I googled for "free online counseling services" and found 7 Cups of Tea. 

It is not a counseling website per se but a community of trained active listeners-volunteers who offer an ear to anyone who needs one. It is a free service, unless you request for extras or if you need a certified therapist. 

I thought I'd give it a go and requested for a connection.  I was hooked up with a listener in just a couple of minutes. It started off slowly as I treaded carefully but it turned out to be a very pleasant conversation. The listener I had was a good one and he practiced emphatic listening. He did not advice or lead me along with his interest or questions but spent time helping me bring out my issues and even answer my own questions. It was an excellent way for me to have a good sounding board. And it's comforting that the connections are anonymous and all conversations are deleted. I just let it all out and then I move on. I need not worry about any follow-up conversations that would be necessary with a friend. 

I then signed on to be a listener myself and completed the online training and tests yesterday. I did the practice chat this morning and went ahead and got connected to a couple of people. It was not easy and I hoped I had been a good listener for them. And I will be praying for this one person from now on as well. 

Do check it out. You can try it and get connected to a listener for a start, especially if you have something that is nagging at you, or some things you need a fresh perspective on. And after that, think about how you could also be a listener too. 

I also wondered why it was called 7 Cups of Tea. It was named after a Chinese poem by Lu Tong. The poem is beautiful and fitting. It brings you seven cups of tea as seven levels of healing. It is like going into a deep connection while sitting down with someone and have that seven cups of tea. Beautiful, profound, brilliant. 

7 Cups of Tea, by Lu Tong (795 - 835 CE)

The first cup kisses away my thirst,

and my loneliness is quelled by the second.

The third gives insight worthy of ancient scrolls,

and the fourth exiles my troubles.

My body becomes lighter with the fifth,

and the sixth sends word from immortals.

But the seventh—oh the seventh cup—

if I drink you, a wind will hurry my wings

toward the sacred island.

Translated by Christopher Nelson

pearlie

Prayer for the lesser, forgotten, overlooked and misjudged

We studied 1 Cor 12 during bible study in CG today and discussed about the lesser of the body being more honored and adorned. With that I found this lovely prayer from www.lords-prayer-words.com. I am sure everyone of us would at one time or another became the least, was forgotten, was overlooked and misjudged. And we know there are those who are even more so. Let's pray and seek God for his grace and mercy.

Lord God,
You came to give honour to the least, those forgotten, overlooked and misjudged.
You came to give first place to the last, those left behind, misunderstood and undervalued.
You came to give a warm welcome to the lost, those who are orphaned, abandoned and destitute. 

Help us to be your ears to listen to their cries.
Help us to be your voice speaking out love and acceptance.
Help us to be your feet walking beside those in need.
Help us to be your hands to clothe, feed and shelter them.
You came for the least, the lost and last of this world.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Amen.

pearlie

Appam with sweet milk

I haven't had appam with a bowl of sweetened milk for a long, long time and it was nice to have it again.

My kind of comfort food.

pearlie
Photo source: here

Kedai Kopi Ming Sing, Jalan Ipoh

This used to be my breakfast haunt from 2011 when my son started school in that area, to 2013. I would drop him in school and go there almost every day for my usual breakfast before going to work. I only stopped going there when I joined the gym.

But I dropped by this morning. I had a meeting nearby and thought I'd skip the gym today and give myself a good breakfast treat.

I must say I really missed the place and the food. I ordered my usual dry beehoon with char siew and fu chook with liong cha.

Wish I had more space for the curry laksa too.

Hmmm...I shall go there again soon, when I feel like missing gym...

pearlie
Photo source: Bangsar Babe

Kedai Kopi Ming Sing
456, Batu 2 3/4
Jalan Ipoh
51200 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Tel: +603 40429329
GPS Coordinates: N 3 10.764 E 101 41.033

Body massages

I always love a good body massage. The best one I had before was this masseur in a Thai massage place near my home. She was extremely good. But sadly, the place closed down and I can't find her anymore.

However, the one I had in Chiang Mai was by far the best. It's the Fah Lanna Spa, in the Night Bazaar. I remember getting lost in the comfort, wanting more when it ended. And I simply love Chiang Mai. I should go there again soon.

I have tried Thai, Balinese, Malay, Chinese and Swedish massage. It is hard to decide but I think I prefer Thai.

However, I am not sure if there is anything spiritual about it. I read somewhere that Thai masseurs perform their own puja or prayers before they begin work. At the moment, I am taking it as their own spiritual discipline, not connected to their services. The only one time that I had to stop using a masseur was this Malay lady who kept uttering incantations when giving the massage.

The new place I am working in now has a Thai Odyssey outlet nearby. I am looking forward to trying it out in the next week or two.

pearlie