Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Death!

Death is a taboo to many and no one would even want to mention about it, if we are given a choice to. However, we have to face it be it you like it or not. Some people are afraid of death more than some others. I see death as a 'new beginning' as it will be a beginning of a wonderful time with the Lord forever and ever. Not only for 80 to 90 years, but ever and ever.... it's eternal. Oh well...
I happen to received a few news of the demise of a very good friend and my boss' father just before Christmas and it somehow continues.... yup, people are dying. A close friend of mine, KP was dignosed with cancer few weeks before he got married and the news has turned a happy wedding to a meaningful wedding and we all had fun and enjoyed ourselves on their wedding day. I flew all the way to their wedding (with sponsor by SW, a good friend of theirs too) and took some nice pictures for them. For the past more than a year journey, we have been praying hard for KP and we sometimes received good news and sometimes received not so good news from them about KP's sickness. We met a few times after the wedding (we just have to meet on the 3rd day of Chinese New Year every year at Marco Polo Hotel, Tawau) and they went to Europe tour, manage to see the snows and many beautiful places God created. They have spent time together in sickness and in health, in riches and in poor. I must say, God blessed them well. With some sorts of preparation, be it KP himself, his wife, his family members, KP passed away on 22nd December 2009 evening.
When my flight touched down Tawau, I switched on my phone and I realised, there's 1 text message received and the text was from my colleague telling me my boss, KT's dad passed away on 22nd December 2009 night as well. He was having a bit of flu, went to bed and never get up. He just passed away without any 'preparation' at all. Even though he's at old age, but he's healthy and no one somehow is prepare of a sudden demise of him.
On Christmas day, I met an aunty whom I know since birth. I went to her and greeted her and compare to a few years ago, she looks weaker and more fragile, but strong in her voice. As I was chatting with her, my mother came along and they chatting and the conversation were as below:
My mother : Hey, how are you doing?
Aunty : Praise the Lord everyday when I open my eyes and see something familiar arounds me.
My mother : Oh, same here.
Aunty: Everyday I woke up and realise that, I will thank the Lord that I earn another day of life.
My mother : Yes. me too.
I ponder over all these 3 incidences that afternoon. Speaking of death. Are we ready to face it? Are we not suppose to get ready every single day? Do we need to wait somemore to do something we should? It's not an automatic rights that we can get up every morning. It is also not an automatic rights that we shall lives. We can plan a lot of things, but we can never plan when we want to die. If that is the case, why not, we make it a point to decide now of our future plan? Many insurance company are selling 'future plan' to their customer. I can tell you, as far as a financial planning is concern, you can't run away from part of their plan which calls, estate planning. Why is that so? Can we really plan for our future? Some may leaves behind a few millions dollars, some a few hundreds, but what's the different? They will be finished very easily. A good investor will know, you need to invest in your FUTURE - the eternal life, the life after death.
So, are you investing it still in this life or in your eternal life? Investing on this coming 80 years or FOREVER? I let you decide. But, choose wisely!
- Death! -

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

I'll be home for Christmas!

I remember those years where I was to stay where I was and celebrate Christmas all by myself with friends I met then. Oh well, I must tell you, I really thank those who celebrated Christmas with me then... we organised lots of parties didn't we? hahaha... and yes, I didn't feel a bit of lonliness then and Christmas, even I have to go through it alone, it's ok because I still enjoy going to church and celebrate Christmas with Lord Jesus.
I think I missed going home for Christmas for about 9 years, if not 10 years. Ya... and so, after I came back to Sabah, as I am nearer to home, I will try to go back home for Christmas! I wasn't home for Christmas last year and this year, I just think it's better for me to go home for Christmas (after hearing the disappointment tones from my dad when I told him I might not be home for Christmas this year).
So ya... it won't be as great as I celebrate Christmas with friends... but I guess, I NEED to be at home for Christmas!!!!! So, I am going back tomorrow afternoon.... for Christmas!!!!!
- I'll be home for Christmas! -

Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas gift!

A cousin of mine who lives in Australia sent me a link this morning. It's about a news about Malaysia that he wants me to read about but as I finished my work and after reading the news, I click on the link which says: "Do not know which gift to choose?" and so, the link suggested a series of "easy to extravagant Xmas gifts". I was so shock to find out a few items, like, the world's most expensive wine, Lafitte 1787 for the price of approximately USD178,000.00; the luxury yacht to West Meditteranean with the cost of RRP$80.4m; Wembley Stadium valued at $1.5 billion, and others. Oh well, some people are very particular with what they receive as gift. Some thought that the more expensive the gift is, it showns more love and sincere the person is. Oh well...

As we were preparing for Caroling 2 weeks ago. I was scheduled to do one or two of the sharing and so, I was sitting down in the church that sunday morning, hoping to get some inspiration (as suggested by a dear friend of mine) and I was listening and looking around, the christmas tree placed at the sanctuary of my church caught my eye and as I looked, I saw only 1 present was there (they have more now). I thought to myself at first, why is there only 1 present? And later, I thought to myself, obviously, the world wide celebration and/or tradition of giving gifts during Christmas all started because we recognised that Jesus is a gift to us by our God and so, one present is good enough.

Right after that moment, I thought of something to share with the host we are going to visit that particular evening. A story of Christmas GIFT!

Oh well, just for those who have not heard of the story of Christmas GIFT, I just wanna take 1 minute to read this (I copy and paste some of it ya.. ) : -

My nephew and nieces always love to receive gifts from me. To a point, a friend even asked if they still love me if I stop giving them gifts. I remember last year during chinese new year, I bought them so gifts. My nephew loves LEGO. He was so excited with the LEGO I gave him because it's happen that it's the same series of LEGO his father has bought him. He ran to me a few times, holding his LEGO in his hand and asked me if this is HIS. I assured him that both these 2 are HIS and he ran around telling everybody in the house, his father, his mother, his sister, his grandfather, his grandmother that, the 2 LEGO are his.

Together with a friend, we decided to give our friend her christmas gift earlier because we think she desperately needed the gift. To us, it's not something so special, it's just something she needs but she screams when she found out that her name is engraved in the gift and she keeps telling us that "It has my name in it... it has my name in it...".

Be it a kid or an adult, I guess we will be overjoy especially when we receive something that is SPECIALLY meant for us.

In Luke 2: 11, the Lord has present the GIFT to us and He has told us who it is for. The angel who annouced Jesus' birth said, "Today a Savior has been born to you." I want to ask you to take that "you" very, very personally. Jesus was born for you, to die for you, for every wrong thing you have ever done. That's why He can rescue you from the eternal death penalty you deserve - that we all deserve - for hijacking our life from God. Behind His Christmas cradle stands the shadow of that Good Friday cross where He loved you enough to die for you.

ALL THESE... is just FOR US, SPECIALLY FOR US! May you find the one special gift that's personalised just for you this Christmas!

- Christmas Gift! -