The day the Conquerors goes Kayaking...

This has been in the heart of the church leaders to organise activities for the members and that now is the holiday seasons for the campus or some just started, we thought why not! We were at the church early on Sunday, but not for service but for the outing! We have attended the saturday evening service. 44 of us, in a bus and two cars, we headed for Putrajaya Lake Recreational Center. When we reach, the place is not yet open.
We have ice-breakers just to know each other and as what others said - to break the ice la.
We have a good time laughing and running around and meeting with new people and then, we have a break. Some just took the opprotunity to continue to make more friends while most took a walk to watch some migatory birds like the pelican and swans. Before we know, we are putting on our life vest and this is the time for more pictures taking. The excitement is in the air so much so, all are getting ready and don't mind just to jump into water.

We continue with our last ice breakers and looking for the partner for the kayaking and canoeing! Everyone is so excited and simply just shout so that we can have out partner and get straight into the water. Many of them did well, going around, some struggle making round and round just near the water. but before long, they are out to the middle of the lake canoeing! Though, some have their fair bit of anxiety and capzie
Canoe is the easier to capsize and topple over. But for most of us, we just enjoy the time out in the open to enjoy the freedom and cruising on the lake. And we also have some who don't want to get wet, yet, another will just jump into water or to make the boat turn over purposely! I think this is where all the FUN is! To just do something impulsively at the same time, enjoy it!
Some of us just sit around the lake. This is a very nice place. A lake that is part of the wetland, a green lung nestle withing Putrajaya, yet very serene!
After the rowing session, we have time to chat and make some new freinds. Though we are from the same church, the group is too big for us to know someone closer. So, this outing is an opprtunity for everyone to mingle and get to know each other better. Sadly, we are in a multi racial communtiy who sometimes just don't know who is our neighbour or knowing theur culture. Here, at least we have the opportunity to learn from each other, their country and culture too.

At the end, we just find another friend and getting know a friend better. This will give us a new found family that we know, we are always there!

Well, here is how we show it! Don't play play with this group, if not, we are coming after you with out paddles and oars!

Randomness

I have been busy last week, with conference, meetings and more meetings. Much have come and go, and one of the thing I am still can't believe myself is to reject an offer to work for NG in Australia...ahh... what I am doing here?


With the frustration of work, I grab my camera and heads towards my little 'oasis' in my condo, to take some shots. The lotus flower is finally blooming again. The lime tree, the orchids and the japanese rose have bloomed so many times but this red lotus seldom!

I love playing with the macro and the little petal is just so unique and amazzing to see up close.

Too bad this flower don't blooms for long. It will just last about 2 days.

While editing, I found some old pics I took. So here...

Dew on paddy field.
This is one flower that I don't have a lot of chance to see...It only blooms at night and will die off by morning. We have seen the fruit so common but the flower, have to wait for the right time!
Can you guess what this is? Oh...I don't take this in my little 'oasis' but elsewhere.

This flower is so amazing that we can see it open slowly in about an hour... well, I don't think that is slow but that actually is fast! Its about 1 feet long and very refreshing to see...

So, do you know what if that?

Its actually the dragon fruit's flower...

Ahh... back to work!

Bon Voyage My Friend

Well, this is a special post.... Just a note to say farewell to our friend.

Not that we don't have friend who travel or migrated oversea, in fact we have so many and so often, that we always have transition and adjusment to make, one after another left.
However, for this couple, I have come to know her for the past ten years, since our schooling days and when that now we move to this town for study, she is one of those fews who we will call and hang out together. I came to know her husband not too long after that since we all study in the same university. Now that they are migrating, we find it sad and suddenly a gap in the circle of friend.
We hang out so much, and my wife just remind me, most of the time, they are the people we look for dinner together and to go out together. well, I think it's their simplicity that bond us together. And that now they will be so far away, that it will take 13 hours flight for us to reach them or they to come back, we wish them all the best!

Peat Fire

I had an eventful weekend. So much so, that my whole body still aching from the effect of it. Never did I plan to pack in so much, as I was thinking of have a relaxing weekend this week. However, things start to pack up since Friday night.

First, I have a meeting with some friends till 12 midnight. I am planning to go to the morning watch in the church on Saturday morning, but I can't wake up for it. During the very last minutes too, one of my student sms to request me to fetch her to Putrajaya for some outing arrangement.

My wife and I had to sacrifice our morning, and we headed to Putrajaya. We were expecting to have some rest in the evening. But, as some says, the nature have its way.

We were watching movie at home when we smell of things burning. Our initial thought was that some people must be burning rubbish again. So, we just shut all our doors and continue watching X-Files. However, 15 minutes later, the smell got so strong that we are a bit worried. We pulled open the curtain and to our horror, we can't even see the tree outside our apartment. I thought the apartment must have caught fire.
I go to the back balcony only to realise the bush beside our apartment is one fire!

By then, the fire has spread rapidly. It's so fast that we can't do anything as the wind was blowing strongly. My initial reaction was to ask my brother to remove my car parked just opposite the bush. Then, I ran down trying to take any I can find to scope water from the swimming pool to douche the fire. Not many people were there at at that time, and some are busy trying to remove bike park just beside the fence. I don't have any photo to show as I was busy putting off the fire.

I only have this picture to show as my wife caught me 'in action' with a small pathetic hose. Not much of water pressure but, at least better then nothing. I just try to keep the fire coming closer to the fence. I have tired myself carrying the buckets of water...

About 20 minutes later, only did the fireman arrive. They just take their own sweet time, and even my brother whom is a voluntary fireman, have to help them to 'run the hose'. And then, we have to try to help them, because, they are about only 3 of them came in 1 fire engine.

This is the part where, we are so frustrated. People standing at the side, just trying to show how smart they are, trying to give us instruction on what to do. Some who are there also try to take the water hose from us only to return to us when they find out the water hose is leaking. This will happen to the water hose, to release some pressure from it! If not, it will burst! And to make the matter worst, they try to direct the pipe though we are already putting off some fire!

After about 20 minutes, the fire was put off. I left and get ready to go to church for the evening service. However, my brother told me the fire came back about 5pm and the fireman have to be called back.
The next morning, I went down to take a look at the place and this is what I saw. This picture didn't show the whole area but just only part of it.
This is the part where its just opposite where I park my car!
Take a look at the stretch of burned tree. The only stretch that burn at the fencing, is exactly, where I have park my car, about 10 feet away. If I had come down later, I will have to bid my faithful car bye bye...
The whole process of trying to put off the fire was make worst when we found out that the hydrant pump don't have a key to turn on the water. One of it, after turning it on, there are no water coming out from it. And, the water hydrant in the apartment, don't have any adaptor for us to connect the hose to...If this have been the apartment on fire, our apartment would have gone to ashes!

Isn't this a familiar story of why the fireman can't put out the fire...

leaking hose...hydrant don't have water...don't have the right adapter...and the list goes on...

The weather now is so hot, and i hope the authorities are keeping on their toes. And for us, just be carefull with what we are doing. A single spark can caused catastrophe!

Things around Kitchen

My wife will says that I have 'flu' again. Photography virus. And she will shake her head and sometimes, complained about the noise I make as I click away.

Suddenly, I just feel to capture some of the things that I can find in my kitchen. If we care to slow down and take a look, we can see a lot of things that is intersting!

I have a box of 'duku-langsat' with me which I took back from my last trip back to hometown. it's sweet and only my brother and I would eat it.

I bought this cow from Sibu last year and I have two of these hangers in my kitchen which I seldom use. Anyway, Cowie mother likes it...

Knife, Knife..
Tomatoes which we bought earlier to cook for dinner tonight. We are cooking for Papa RaRa and Mummy RiRi together with their daughter RaRi as they are leaving to the EU.

A bottle of Lingonberry Drink from Sweden which we bought from Ikea. Now I have money plants in it and its growing very well at a corner in the kitchen.

Wine cork and sparkling juice cork lying at the kitchen's windows...I have forgotten that I actually keep them.

You see, Mdm Cowie loves cows and we have quite a bit of cow deco in the house. And this cows is actually smilling knowing that she will get to drink the tea soon!

Lipton tea...how can you beat a cup of tea in the evening

I bought this from Medan last year and I have it hanging in my kitchen since then...Don't really notice what is in the prayer but just hang it there from deco.

Ahh... eggs.. how can it be a kitchen, if there are no eggs...fresh from the market

My favorite brand of peanut butter... Goober. and I only loves the grape's flavour...smooth and sweet!

A new Blog

Since I started blogging two years back, I have started another two blogs.

Sciencejunkies was started when I started lecturing end of last year to help my students to learn more through the internet. Learning makes easy and interesting with the help of animation found online. Its a website also aims to help to spread the awareness of science where a lot of young people can learn and know what natures have in store for them. However, I have not able to update it for a while, but I hope to come back soon.

Today, I just started another blog, Candle of Hope. This blog aims to share some of my photograph taken duing my field study in the last 5 years and more to come. I love the Orang Asli or aborigines. They are my my field of study but don't get me wrong here. I believe, they should be given attention too in this modern and rapid development that is taken place. there is some much we can learn from them!

They have been living in sync with the nature for thousand of years and the nature and them live harmoniously! they can show us about the knowledge of tradisional medicine and also about the goodness of various flora and fauna they have come to rely on. Besides that, they can 'read' the environment!

Well, I hope at least more can be done for them!

God's Plan, Salvation for All

I usually wake up about 6am during my schooling days to get ready and pray at the altar before going to school. Every 1st and 15th of the Chinese lunar calendar, I will leave earlier for school, to reach there before 7 so that I can make my way the Temple of the Goddess of Mercy to pray and be back before the school start. On these two days, I will also be a vegetarian, hoping that I will please gods I prayed to since as young as my mind can remember. Certain days, I will be at the Buddhist temple offering food to the monks and when examinations are near, I will hike to a mountain temple to pray and asked for blessings. There I will collect some pencils to be used during examinations and only to hike back after the exams to return the pencils that I had borrowed with new ones.

At home, as the eldest son and being the favorite and eldest grandson, a lot of traditional practices were to be carried out by me. Without fail, I will clean the altar and pray, and also to prepare the food offering to the gods we have at home. However, doing all these doesn’t give me any peace and assurance in any kind I hope to find but only to bring more anxiety in me. I am afraid if I have forgotten any occasion that I need to pray or if I had forget to return any of the pencils or foods that I collected from the temple for blessings, and the karma will brings me more harm.

Leaving home for university brings more anxiety to me and I try to locate a temple that is near to the campus for me to pray was futile. As times goes by, I get used to the life that is only focusing on myself and also studies. Before long, I have completed my bachelor but I was determined to pursue further most of my friends and course mates’ looks for jobs. As a Penangite, I just want to go back home and look for opportunities nearer to home to study but as people says, destiny itself brought me back to Kajang to further my studies.

Coming back here for my master and subsequent PhD was lonely. Most of the people I knows have moved back to their hometown after completing their degree. Being a person, who speaks mostly in English and poorly in Mandarin, only makes my circle of friends smaller. However, during one my diving trip, I met some friends that brought me to church. There I met up with some of my secondary schoolmates and friends. Because of the friendships that I found, I keep coming back on Sunday, just for fellowship.

As time goes by, I felt the love of God and the peace that I have been longing for. The joys of singing during worship just helps me to have the calmness that can’t be explain but only can be experience. I knew, at that time, this is what I wanted. However, my decision to accept Christ as my personal savior was hold back when I think of the responsibilities that I need to fulfill at home as a son and grandson. I imagine how my grandparents will be so disappointed with me and how I will breaks their heart, when I them I am now a Christian. This struggle for a while, but deep down I knew, this is what I wanted. Few months later, I accepted Christ as my Lord and I start to serve Him faithfully. However, more importantly, I knew, my service for Him gives me pure joy and not fear. I served because I love Him not out of obligations but with liberty I have in this relationship that I enjoyed personally.

Nevertheless, problems of breaking the news to my family about me being a Christian was hard. I never had the courage to tell my parents nor my grandparents whom I grew up with. Every time, they brought up the issues of filial piety and that I need to fulfill my responsibility especially during Chinese New Year, I will avoid it. Soon enough, they suspected that I am now a Christian, as I no longer pray when I visited them. However, all the while, they kept quite and so do I.

In church, I continue to serve in different ministry and also participated in mission trip locally and overseas. Whenever I go for a mission trip, my family members will just assume that I am traveling for research; they never asked and I never explained. However, I never failed to pray for their salvation and even pray for myself to have the courage to let them know that I am now a Christian. I tried to go back home more often and called them more. I knew, they want me to go home. This is one of the ways I try to tell them, I am still with the family though I am a Christian.

The day came when I have to break the piece of news to my family when I introduce to them my girlfriend, now my wife. I prayed that they will not reject her nor objected to the relationship since she is a Christian. I thanked God that everything goes well.

About 2 years later, I had to let them know we want to get married, but it will be in church. As usual, we prayed fervently and God answered our prayer. They consented for the church ceremony. I praised the Lord that it was my grandfather who actually defended us for the church ceremony when some relatives objected it. All the while, I was afraid that he will not take the news well but God open doors for us. I knew how hard he was with his own brother when he found out that his brother now is a Christian.

During the wedding, my parent and grandparent sat in the church together with all my relatives who travels from different part of the country to witness our holy matrimony. It was also the first time for most of my relatives to be in church and listen to the Good News. This has been my prayer since I accepted Christ, that all of them to be given a chance to come to church and listen to the Words of God.

Now that they have known, I prayed that God will continue to open doors and give me the opportunity to share with them about how a King actually will die for His children, so that we may live. I pray that all of them will come to acknowledge Jesus as their personal savior too, and it will not just be another religion they knew but never experience.

Every time, when I saw the picture of my parent and grandparent sitting in the church, I remember Psalm 105: 4-5 says Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done because in Jeremiah 29:11 says He has plans for us which is good, with a future and a hope. I thanked God for His goodness and grace that He continues to shower upon us and doors that He is opening for us.

INVALUABLE advice

I received an email this evening and after reading it, I realise this is great. Wonderful things which is so simple yet it solve our problems, which we faces some daily. If you think this is useful, pass it on...

I personally like the bed sheets, cornmeal and the powder advices!

Bed Sheets
After drying sheets, put both sheets and one pillowcase in the other pillow case. Fold neatly in a square. Next time you change sheets, you just take the one pillow case and all the sheets and pillow case are inside. No need to look for matches.

Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Broken Glass
Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken pieces of glass - the fibers catch ones you can't see!

Easier thank you's
When you throw a bridal/baby shower, buy a pack of thank you cards for the guest of honor. During the party, pass out the envelopes and have everyone put their address on one. When the bride/new mother sends the thank you's, they're all addressed!

Name tag
If you purchase a new bike for your child, place their picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on. If the bike is stolen and later recovered, remove the grip and there is your proof who owns the bike.

Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and -- voila -- static is gone.

Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser!
Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair...

Good-bye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2 with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' & can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, esp. if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Take baby powder to the beach
Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When you're ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin.

Have you learnt something today?