LOCK DOWN...COVID 19

There are ample opportunities in the face of adversity! When a door closes, somewhere a window opens.

In the midst of the lock down our home based pie kitchen was born! Founded by my son and daughter-in-law, they went ahead to venture into something new, unchartered terrain...baking pies.

This was not a planned project and certainly no one expected my dil to be able to bake such delicious mouth watering pies. Indeed many new talents surfaced in this pandemic.

The children have been at it for slightly over a month now. The figures have been good and showing great potential. We're happy and grateful that June's signature creamy pies are well received.

PEACEMAKER

 Blessed are the peacemakers!

Sometimes we win and at other times we lose. We cannot always have our way or our say!
It's okay to give in even when you have the upper hand and the cards are to your favor. Losing a few battles are inevitable when you plan to win the war. Don't sweat the small stuff. Blessings to one and all.

THANKFUL

The lock down has eased substantially and with increased mobility; restaurants are opening up to customers. After more than three months confinement at home, I've almost forgotten how and what it feels like to dine out... adjusting to the new normal takes some practice.

PRISONER

You know you've healed when you no longer dwell on past hurts, grievances and wrongs. Allow no room for destructive introspection, self condemnation or character assasination. Think kindness, compassion, grace and forgiveness toward those who have dealt harshly with us even though it goes against our natural inclination. Rejoice and celebrate freedom. Liberty has come to the prisoner of thoughts...

DURIANS

Durian...you either love or hate it!
Haven't had this king of fruit for a long time. Finally succumbed...a tad expensive but it sure tasted darn good! Perut kenyang memang tapi dompet sakit. Craving satiated... wallet hurts. OUCH!!

GOD IS GOOD

I am naive enough to believe that all things are possible when we trust God. I am naive enough to hold God at His promise and expect Him to fulfill every single one of them. I am naive enough to walk into my Abba Father's arms with childlike confidence and know that He will never push me away.
If God is for us, who can be against us? Nothing and no one!
God is good all the time!

CHARACTER

Who we are matter more than what we do!
Our character carries more weight and value than the carat we casually don!

Vision produces character;
Patience sharpens character;
Perseverance strengthens character;
Endurance sustains character.
Character is who we are!

C - choose wisdom
H - hidden talents revealed
A - anything but average or mediocre
R - relax and breathe
A - apple of God's eye, you are
C - carry yourself well
T - think before you leap
E - enter in style
R - rebuild...restore...rebirth

PROMISE FULFILLED

How are we ever going to have a dream come true if we do not first have a dream!?
Wish it ...will it ... make it happen. Be bold to dream God sized dream and see Him turn your vision into reality ...

CHILDHOOD

A blast from the past...sweetened condensed milk on plain biscuits. As children we loved our plain crackers thickly coated with this runny goodness so much till it dripped all over! We'd lustily lick off the sweet temptation from our sticky fingers and slowly relish every bite. Simple pleasures but so delightful.

Today I revisited this long buried childhood memory ... reached for a cracker ... had my fill and was totally satiated...

SENSATIONAL

Life is short; lets make it sensational:
S- secure in your faith
E- enlarge your horizon
N- never give up
S- sing like no one's listening
A- arouse your passion
T- take calculated risks
I- initiate change
O- others first
N- now or never
A- arise and aim high
L- let go and let God

All worthwhile goals and ambitions always start with a desire. Dream a dream. Live that moment when you are more than you thought you could ever be.
Ask God for a new vision. He is compelled to answer you! 

IRRESISTIBLE

Gardenia - my favorite flower from my garden.
She's enchanting, elusive, exotic, enigmatic and extremely shy.
She emits an alluring aroma which is totally captivating. Once you've had her, you cannot have enough of her...

BE STILL

It really doesn't matter what the future holds as long as we know Who holds the future! With God at the centre of our lives we can fear less and move on with confidence, comfort and calmness.
Fill your mind with happy and positive thoughts; dress up to please yourself; engage in activities that give joy and delight; pamper your family.
Remember the good times; relive the sweet memories; create new memories.
Spare a thought for the less fortunate and try to help alleviate their hardships in any way we can.
God has the solutions we don't see yet. He'll speak the word and the storm will calm ...be still!
What's coming will certainly be better than what's happening now!
Blessings to one and all.

GRACE

As important as it is to dispense grace, of greater significance is, to be willing to receive grace!
By definition, grace includes but not limited to unmerited favor; unearned reward; unwarranted acceptance; unsolicited kindness; undeserved forgiveness!
A critical, accusing, condescending and judgmental approach in dealing with people may very well stem from the inability of one to accept his/her own failings, mistakes, shortcomings, weaknesses etc. Often when such a person is hard on others, he is even harder on himself!
Harshness turns people away and causes hate, rejection, fear and forced compliance which are negative and destructive. Alternatively humility emits a sweetness which attracts and exudes a powerful aura.
Harshness vs Humility. Destroy vs Build. Unity vs Dispute. Legacy of love vs a legacy of hate. The choice is clear and simple but the work is hard, tedious and laborious. May God grant us divine Wisdom.

REALITY

Faith is like muscles.
When we work our muscles, they become strong, supple, steadfast and surefooted! When we strengthen our faith, it will take us further even way beyond our natural ability. Faith is not magic...it has no mystical secret code. Exercise our faith; work at it and surely what appears impossible will then naturally be a reality!
Blessings to one and all...

NEW NORMAL

At this particular time and season, we learn to adjust and adapt to our circumstances and environment. Despite the many uncertainties that affect people and economies globally we remain flexible, focused and full of hope. Inevitable changes are underway. We've started new routines; acquired diverse skills and polished up familiar ones. Family has become priority. Work from home will be trendy. Expenses are more controlled. Money mostly go to groceries. Extravagance and frivolous spending don't augur well during this frugal time. We've learned to make do with less. It hasn't been easy but we plod on, confident that normalcy will soon return and yes, we'll emerge a better people; a better nation...fully restored and running over with joy, gladness, thankfulness, overwhelming abundance and prosperity in every area of our lives.

CHERISH THE MEMORIES

On days when we're running low or on empty, we need to fall back on the serenity, strength, surety and sweetness of happy memories and recollections. These may comprise of passionate people...picturesque places...pious pilgrimage...poems...praises...parties etc. All of these and many more multiply to an unending stream of refreshing unforgettables!
While this pandemic continues to rage and cause fear and panic, we choose to remain calm, careful, cheerful and hopeful for an accelerated comeback!
Let there be peace, joy and contentment...gratitude for provision and protection...praise and co-operation for people in the front lines...help for the needy...compassion for the infirmed. Stay abreast...stay engaged...ZOOM to connect. Get acquainted with mounting technology; embrace change and prepare for the new normal! Sing out loud; laugh often. Create moments even in this lock down. Trust God; believe in his unchanging promises.
Soon the storm will cease and the rainbow will appear. God is on the throne. It is well with my soul..

ACCELERATED RESTORATION

This unprecedented lockdown is paving the way for unusual accelerated growth: my faith is reaffirmed; my vision renewed; my mission reestablished; broken dreams rebuilt...and the inner man, released.
An impossible situation has unexpectedly brought about some good turnarounds! "Dead bones are made alive!"
Jesus' death and resurrection bought my freedom (Psalms 103:10-12) Hallelujah!!
Because He lives I can face tomorrow. 
Have lovely days, my friends.
The Lord is risen...rejoice.

GARDENIA

Isn't she a beauty ...my gardenia bloomed in all her glory ... greeted me this morning and made my day.

"Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you, Solomon in all his splendour was not dressed like one of these." (Luke 12:27 NIV)

Finding joy in the garden ...

BAKING

Having grown accustomed to staying in for so many weeks, going out will require some effort! At the initial stage of MCO - partial lockdown - people found extreme difficulty in adjusting to new routines, rules, regulations and restricted movements.

In time when the MCO is lifted people will once again have to readjust. For some, life would never be the same again. Many challenges loom on the horizon.

Anyway lets cross the bridge when we come to it! For now the order is still "diam diam duduk di rumah!" (stay safe, stay home)

Like many I've jumped on the bandwagon and have taken a liking to baking!

Look what came out of the oven today...rich moist chocolate cake

Finding joy in the kitchen.

DINNER ROLLS

I have kaya (coconut jam) but no bread! Apparently there's a grave shortage in many areas since the lockdown. Recently I saw an ad online "One loaf of bread for RM1k!"

There was another ad in a local newspaper "One loaf for RM500.00!"

Don't know if there were any takers.

Anyway I decided to bake my own. Of all days, my bread maker machine decided to break down and refused to work! So into the mixing bowl the already mixed ingredients were transferred.

Knead! Knead! Knead!

Let stand for three hours..

Shaped and let stand for another one hour.

Baked for 20 minutes and whala!...fresh buns. I'm no Martha Stewart but, man, these were delicious; soft and fluffy.

Kaya and bread...apa lagi mau!

Happy as can be.

COCONUT JAM

Craving for kaya (coconut egg jam) satiated!

Since this was no where near to be found in any of the supermarkets or convenient stores, I decided to make my own using the old fashioned method passed down by my mother. No fanciful utensils but just the ones mother used in her day.

Took me more than an hour but well worth the time and effort when the result came out almost perfect. Just the right consistency, silky smooth and a sheer delight to the palate. My first attempt, clumsy and fumbling mostly, but I'm really pleased.

For sure Mother would approve...

PANDEMIC

"Without vision people run wild and nations perish!"
If we are living merely to satisfy personal desires, feed idiosyncrasies,  pursue selfish
ambitions and gains without a thought for others, then surely our life is headed for misery! The obsessive love of (ego) self; the love of money; the love of pleasure seem to have overtaken the general human race. The hunger for material wealth, power and obsessive indulgences appear all encompassing.
However in recent time with this global pandemic - Covid 19 - the sentiment has changed somewhat. There is panic and chaos - a heightened sense of hopelessness - the fear of death - looms large!
Life is fragile ... humans are not in control ...the virus kills ... anytime it could be 'game over!' That's pretty scary.  Time to re-look our priorities ...

SHAKENING

Change is taking place whether we like it or not; whether we're ready or not; whether we accept it or not; whether we see it or not!
Life as we know it will never be the same again.
Families are shaken; governments are shaken; economies are shaken; dreams are shaken.
Dare we remain unmoved when even the heavens are shaken...?
In the midst of panic and chaos, people are being awakened. This, in itself, is revealing!
Yes, we can make a difference for Such A Time As This.

GARDENING

Babies from three mother plants...in all twenty five. Finally separated them to make room for individual growth. 
Independent Day for mama plant indeed! If plants could talk, they'll probably thank me ... hardly any 'breathing space' left in their previous abode.
Oh yes, It'll be most gratifying to see them take root, mature and in time have babies of their own.
Meanwhile I'm discovering additional joys not only in the kitchen but garden as well.

PANCAKES

There are many ways to prepare pancakes. We like ours thin, crispy on the sides, a little fluffy and a tad chewy in the middle. Those will suffice for a light and satisfying brunch.
Partial lockdown (MCO) extended for another two weeks until mid April 
Much creativity and innovation are needed to remain active, productive, happy and engaged while house bound. Stay hopeful, thankful and fruitful...

NEW HOBBY

Rich butter cake in the baking! Won't be long now ...just a few more minutes and it'll be done. Suppose to be for breakfast tomorrow but it smells too good to wait that long ...

PARTIAL LOCKDOWN

Is it just me or are some of you also thinking of food most of the time, being home and all since the MCO - partial lockdown - was enforced?
The urge doesn't stop at thinking...it's actually raiding the fridge and larder too frequently!!
Boy, don't think I'll ever be able to get into that one ever again. Oh, well ...

HEAVEN'S DEW...

My little garden...a tiny patch of sanity...a comfort area...a place of solace and quiet...a haven. Daily I go...to see...to touch...to hear...to smell...to wait...to receive heaven's dew and earth's riches. How sweet it is to begin the day knowing that you are deeply loved, greatly blessed and highly favored. 
The richness of the garden tells me so!

AMAZING LOVE

Nature's way of giving...perfect in its creation. 
Pause and marvel at the beauty that surrounds us. Nature is full of awesome wonders designed by the Master Creator to delight and woo us. 
"What is man that You are mindful of him ...that You should care for him!"
Amazing love, how could it be that God should die for me ...Thank you Abba Father!

PRINCE OF PEACE

Joy thieves are everywhere! They come to incite fear; steal, kill and destroy.
We live in distressing times. People say the earth is in travail.
What tremendous comfort and assurance to know that He who is in us - the Prince of Peace - is greater than he who is in the world - the prince of darkness.
Smile, God loves you!

FAITH OVER FEAR

Covid19 - well we could contribute to the panic, live in a frenzy and be frozen with fear and paranoia.
Alternatively we can choose calm; take all the necessary precautions by all means. They say Vitamin C and garlic drink save lives. Not too difficult to take heed as these are quite easily accessible and very palatable.
Oh yes, and Pray often to summon a protective shield round about us and everyone we care for. Pray also for medical personnel who are working round the clock to help victims. Bless them all.
Like everything else this too will pass.
Crackers, cheese and jam, anyone ... join me!
Life is good regardless.

MASQUERADE

Don't take yourself or others too seriously! The world is contantly changing.
Celebrate often...whether it be over big or small victories.
Don't expect perfection...that will never happen.
Cracks are good; that's how light comes in.
Puji Tuhan regardless...

"TAI TAI"

To the question of : "sooo, what do you do, now that you're retired?"
With a wicked wink, my reply: "I'm now a full time TaiTai and loving it!"
(Ahem... *TaiTai sounds more sophisticated but actually *housewife is more like it 😉
Immensely thankful for this new chapter in my life. Blessed and blissful.
Puji Tuhan ...

PRICEY NASI LEMAK

RM25.00 (after tax) for THAT simple no-frills serving of nasi lemak! Pricey, huh.
That's the 'surprise' of ordering food without asking, "how much?"
Looking at and appreciating value for money it serves us well to know what we're paying for! Okay, so the service was friendly and we were at a very nice premier resort kind of helped eased the 'pain' a wee bit 😂
Next time, ASK! 

CHEONG SAM

Managed to squeeze into one of those. Didn't have the courage to wear one previously...too many unsightly bulges in the wrong places!
Then again looking at it from a different perspective there's nothing more Chinese and feminine than "cheongsam" for this occasion. 
Mother would approve.