20 years

we've had our share of friendship blues, lovers tiffs & running battles as man & spouse.

be that as it may, 20 blissful years & 2 lovely kids later, i'm still married to the same person.

i think that's how God would want it.

He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favour from the LORD. prov 18:22

a good deal?

my insurance agent is like a friend. having known him for over 12 years, he still keeps me informed of what he thought to be good deals. like oil palm land for sale. or a property whose owner was deep in debts. the latest on offer is a BMW 325 sports - less than 2 years & only 7000km on the clock at a "giveaway" price of RM200k (RM305k when new). ha ha!

but like the land & property before this, the deal is dead right after he mentioned "BMW". in these difficult times, when terms like insolvency, slow-down & rescue package are everyday conversation pieces, i guess it's prudent to be frugal.

the pastor once expounded: why buy things you don't need with money you don't have, just to impress people you don't even like. yes, why indeed?

thanks, but my current car has gone over 7 years & 100k km with us & we're ok with this.

timeless

we've heard it all before.....

love is blind.....

love is patient.....

love is kind......

the greatest is love......

but here's another dimension of love....

thanks, Jems, for this insight.

the lovers, the dreamers & me

have you, like me, always thought that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was a story you only told to kids? well, wonder no more, because someone actually photographed the end of a rainbow in california (read here) & there's certainly no glitter in sight.

i learned of the significance of rainbows at different times of my life....

when i was young, i was told never to point your finger at one, or it'll get chopped off (how, i don't know as i've never put that myth to the test)......

in primary school, i had to remember all 7 colours of the rainbow in its order....

in bible school, it was the sign that there will never be another Great Flood, the tsunami notwithstanding....

and then, Kermit the frog sang of the Rainbow Connection...

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. Gen 9:16

abandon ship?

we've been pondering a move out of our current Care Group. having been with them for over 4 years & witnessing its steady growth, credit for this positive transformation, from just 3-4 families to the present 8-9, is due in no small part to the shepherding skills of B8. in fact, i paid him a glowing tribute when the CG leaders met with our new pastor just last sunday. i was the only one who did so.

still, i thought it was time to move on. i have to admit our spiritual needs are well met in this CG with 1 exception - my daughter's. the adults study the lessons while one of the wives taught the kids. however, there are currently no other teenager attending this group & i felt it's important she interacted with her peers in a bible study setting. 

this is just an intent for now, having sounded out to B8 as well as the leader of the CG we planned to move to. we shall pray & see how we can do the Lord's bidding.

(true) love @ 1st sight

despite these difficult times of global melt-down, recession, extreme weather changes & political upheavals, i find this message particularly soothing. so, to all mothers whose unrivalled love & devotion to their children is never in doubt, this one is for you....

appropriately, Mitch Albom wrote this in For One More Day:

"And I realised when you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know."

corporal punishment

my son grew up with his group of friends in church who were all born within months of each other in 2002. 3, including the boy, are in the same class in primary 1 while the 4th is enrolled at another school.

he is particularly close to this girl - he used to chat in class & spend recess time with her. i'd even go on to say they'd be inseparable if the teachers didn't intervene. just today, the teacher smacked her with a ruler & she cried her heart out, a response i suspect to be a result of not ever been punished by her parents. now, she doesn't want to go to school for fear of another beating.

so i asked the boy, what if he gets punished by the teacher. i'll try not to be naughty in class, he replied.

what if the girl gets transferred out to another school & he loses his best friend, i tested him. this is what he has to say: it's ok because i still have to go to school.

i'd say he's got things under control, but it's still early days yet.

The rod and reproof give wisdom,
But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.

prov 29:15, NASB

**image : NST, 29.6.2000**