Brokenness

Father Henri Nouwen shared about the concept of the  "Wounded Healer". He referred to Christ who was wounded for our transgressions and thereby served as the Healer of our wounds. 

In this season of Lent, let us reflect upon the sufferings of Christ and receive the healing that comes from Him. We can commit our wounds, brokenness and suffering to Him today. He heals! 

This also means that when we are prepared to embrace and deal with the wounds within and around us, we would more likely be able to empathize and reach out to others, particularly to those who are deeply wounded in such a time like this! 

Living Harmoniously

This residential area has retained its charm and nostalgia. When it was first built in the 50's, it was predominately the homes of British military forces. They provided the much needed assistance to the government of Singapore after the devastation brought about by World War II.

Today, the landscape has changed in tandem with the overall urban redevelopment of the island. Notwithstanding that, the estate has retained its distinctiveness through a juxtaposition of a variety of ethnic communities living harmoniously, surrounded by beautiful floral and pet species. Visitors are often lured back to the 'Gardens' for its wide range of delicacies such as the famous Hainanese chicken rice, nasi beriyani, laksa, char kway teow alongside with several new alfresco dining outlets and of course, the Chomp Chomp Food Centre. Welcome to Serangoon Gardens!

Reflections on Christmas 2008

What's the message of Christmas 2008? Today, we reflect on its original purpose of bringing "goodwill and peace to humankind".

Our world has been and unfortunately continues to be flooded with tragic news of devastation, human suffering and conflicts. The experts are predicting a less than favorable economic climate for next year or two. The pessimism is creeping into every conceivable corner of our world already. How is the Christmas message addressing these realities?

Although the message of Jesus , the Holy Child of Bethlehem was first received by the shepherds and the Magi from the East, the task of communicating the message retains its relevance and urgency today. The challenge is to share the message of goodwill and peace to the individual person who seeks peace from the bombardment of stress all around him/her and to the harsh struggles and alienation of the marginalised peoples of the world.

This Christmas, the writer has been blessed as in the past, by numerous people who shared their love,prayers and greetings via Christmas cards, electronic cards, SMSes, gifts and in person. The pix shows a portion of these blessed gifts. The light reminds us of the True Light of the star that shone over Bethlehem two thousand years ago. The table clock on the extreme right reminds us of the time that we have and challenges us to use our time wisely in embracing the message and sharing it across the lands and across the seas.

May you experience God's goodwill and peace!

Make Love

Saint Paul in his letter to the Church in Corinth said, "Make love your aim..." He was writing to the  early  converts about the necessity of keeping love as its primary aim in the pursuit of the variety of spiritual gifts and cautioning them against strife and disunity. He added that "all things be done for edification." (verse 26). 

Today, we read with horror, shock and sadness the "9/11" of India in Mumbai. 195 people from more than 10 countries including Israel,  Japan, Thailand, United States and including one from Singapore were killed and hundreds injured by terrorist attacks. We share the grief and suffering of the families affected by such acts of brutality.

Where is love, freedom and respect for humanity? 

Today marks the first Sunday in Advent. It marks the beginning of the celebration of Christmas where "love came down".  In the light of the tragic act, can the world experience the purity of love associated with Christmas season?   Can we make love, instead of hatred, our aim?  

Another bonus

I thought that the heavy rain had destroyed the three pretty water lilies yesterday. But this morning, the sun was shining brightly and I was given a pleasant surprise. The three lilies not only "resurrected" but another lily emerged from the shallow flower pot. The photograph shows the four lilies arching towards the light! Here again, I thank photography for being able to "freeze the moment in time" so that we could admire and share its beauty indefinitely. In addition, if you examine the picture more closely, there are several buds that have the potenitial of blooming into flowers again! O what a bonus!

The beauty today

After I had repotted the plant, it took several weeks for these three beautiful water lilies to emerge together. I appreciate the process of sowing, pruning and flowering. Apart from adding fertilizer, time and patience are necessary ingredients.  The process cannot be rushed! In its own time, it will  bear much fruit! This morning, I took several photographs from different angles, including macro shots. If you would to view them, I shall be happy to share them with you.  By the early afternoon, it was raining cats and dogs.  Naturally, the flowers "closed up". Will I see the flowers again the next day? Probably not. What lessons can we draw from this? Learn to appreciate the beauty that is around us today. What you've got today, you may lose it altogether when the unexpected harsh rains come! Would you like to share your thoughts?

3D

Most of us are familiar with the term WYSIWYG i.e What You See Is What You Get. What do see in the picture on the right? On the surface, it is blurred and out of focus. But if we put on a pair of 3D glasses, you can see the picture gradually popping out! And in my personal experience, you will feel like reaching out to touch it!

A third dimensional perspective offers new and fresh views/insights. The new light can liberate us from the danger of feeling like being trapped by the mundane things in life. This is especially so when we are dealing with difficult issues around us. A 3D perspective may instead help us to reach out. What are your thoughts?

Quaint Chinatown

In the wake of the growing political uncertainty in KL, the hustle and bustle of the street was thinning in the quaint Chinatown. Noticeably, business was quieter than usual for the stalls. Nevertheless, the fragrant aroma of the roasted chestnuts would easily attract prospective buyers. But sadly, the traditional personal greeting by the seller is now being replaced by an automated machine.

Bubble surprise

Surprise, surprise! The pix was shot yesterday after I had trimmed a withering leaf stalk of a water lily plant. Bubbles just oozed through its remaining stem located just beneath the water surface.  It continued for about twenty minutes. It gave me the opportunity to capture the discovery of a rare beauty from nature. A pleasant surprise indeed! If you zoom in, you would discover a whole range of nature's beauty too! (of course excluding the photographer at work! ha! ha!). Enjoy the surprises. Savor the moment. Look out for other surprises! 

You'll love it or hate it!

There is a fever in this tropical South East Asian country Singapore . It's not dengue nor chikungunya. It's the craze over the King of the  jungle! Durians! There is a bumper harvest in Kelatan, Johor, Segamat (West Malaysian States) etc... They are brought into our country daily by the lorries!  (almost 25,000 tonnes were imported in 2004) Durian connoisseurs love the bittersweet taste. The colour of the flesh ranges from yellow to orange to red. It has a strong pungent smell and you either love it or hate it. A caucasian once described it as, "smells like hell, tastes like heaven"!  The price is between $5 to $25 per kg, depending on its grade. Some are sold as low as 50 cents per fruit.  Since 1934, 190 varieties have been registered by the Malaysian Argicultural Research and Development Institute. Have you tried it? Do you like it?