The Great Annual Journey ...........

Yup ... every year I have to make this 10hr drive back to Sitiawan for CNY .. the tot of the journey and drive .... it drains the energy out of me .... the whole Msia & Spore will be moving and traveling along the North South Hway ....

This is the first time in my life traveling back sooooooo late and arriving on New Year eve. In the past, I will be so biz and excited ... stock up my booth and whole back seat of my car with CNY goodies ....

This year, my hands is almost empty going back .... no energy buy and carry so many things .. d most important thing is fish sos for the vietnamese popia and smoke cheese for Lyn .. all the way from Holland ...

The cartoon ... cute right? Hehehehe ... me frustrated on the road ... visualized by Jensen ... one of my Young Adults in GMC .. he's real talented and cool!

So .... off I go .... better start loading things into the car ...

Journey mercies ....

Lead Me Lord 3 : All The Way My Saviour Leads Me

While I was preparing the copy for the grad mag, I came across the old, almost forgotten hymn : "All The Way My Savior Leads Me". Yes, Jesus will lead me all the way .... until I see Him face to face, until this body draws its final breath and do the Great Cross Over through the Door to meet Him eternally... even then, He will lead me all the way .. to meet our Father.

This hymn is written by Fanny Crosby in 1875. Fanny was lost her eyesight at six weeks of age had written 8,000 hymns (Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine etc). This particular hymn came to Fanny as a result of a prayer. Struggling financially, she desperately needed some money. As her usual custom, Fanny began to pray. A few minutes later, a gentleman offered her five dollars, the exact amount she needed. Later recalling the incident, she said, “I have no way of accounting for this except to believe that God put it into the heart of this good man to bring the money.” The poem she wrote afterward became “All The Way My Savior Leads Me.” WOW!! Such was a lady of faith ...

These are the words of this strong lady who cannot see physically but has great spiritual insight...

All the way my Savior leads me;
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

vs.2
All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread;
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living Bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see;
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see.

vs.3
All the way my Savior leads me
O the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages—
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages—
Jesus led me all the way.

Yes, all the way my Savior will lead me ... into my next season .... my Savior, my Redeemer, my Lover, my King, my Comfort, my Rock, my Counselor, my Peace, my Provider, my Shepherd, my Friend, my Guide, my Hope, my Light ..

Chris Tomlin together with Matt Redman in 2008 rearranged the lyrics into modern English and cords of this hymn but maintain the same fundamental tone and manner and message of the hymn : - wow .. even more "powderful" ... brings tears to my eyes when I listen to it .... I particularly love the Chorus - an assurance that God will not only lead me, but keep me from falling and carry me close to His heart ... this is the deepest prayer of my soul as I step into my next season ......

All the way my Savior leads me

Who have I to ask beside
How could I doubt His tender mercy
Who through life has been my guide

All the way my Savior leads me
Cheers each winding path I tread
Gives me grace for every trial
Feeds me with the living Bread

[Chorus:]
You lead me and keep me from falling
You carry me close to Your heart
And surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me

All the way my Savior leads me
O, the fullness of His love
O, the sureness of His promise
In the triumph of His blood
And when my spirit clothed immortal
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages
Jesus led me all the way
Jesus led me all the way

All the way my Savior leads me
All the way my Savior leads me

Will you ask Jesus to lead you all the way too?

Dew From Heaven ...

This is the second time in this term that Sau Ching and I went to the lake to do our QT. Last Sat was the 1st. We left TTC at 645am but today, we wanted to be earlier because we wanted to enjoy the sound of nature and stillness of the morning without people around. We realize that people start to come in after 730am.

So, off we set ... 630am and the Lord was so good. The sky is not as dark as last week though we are earlier because He gave us moon light to help us see where we are going.

In the stillness of the morning, 2 thoughts came ;
a) Brought memories when I was in Station in Life, Lahat Datu of how very early every morning I will be sit behind the school to receive dew from heaven. The sunrises much earlier in LD -- 6am. So, its bright enough.

It is then that the word that came was my soul have to be still before the Lord every morning to receive nourishment and be refreshed like the dew to the grass of the field. God cannot nourish my soul and refresh me if I am always moving about or there is restlessness within me ... like the dew, it will fall off if the wind blows or outside disturbances.

To receive this nourishment and renewal in my soul, I have to catch it early in the morning before it gets hot and the dew evaporates away in the heat of the day.

"I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. Its branches will spread out like beautiful olive trees, as fragrant as the cedars of Lebanon. (Hosea 14:5-6)

b) Morning will surely come .. God is faithful that He will bring night to an end, no matter how long, how dark and how cold the night may be .. but surely it will come to an end and dawn will break forth ....

For those who are and have been waiting for breakthrough and a certain situation to come to an end, do not loose hope. Dawn will surely come .... God is faithful and is still in charge. Let is wait in expectation the new morning that He will bring ...... Indeed my soul waits for the Lord more than the watchman wait for the morning (Ps 130 :5). As the psalmist cries, so my inner most being cry to the Lord as well :

"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." (Ps 90:14)

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." (Ps 143:8)

"In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." (Ps 5:3)
Indeed morning will dawn and evening will fade, You call forth songs of joy (Ps 65:8) .....
My soul will wait in stillness, in anticipation, in expectation for the dawn to come, for morning to break ..... for the songs of joy that You will bring .....

"tent living" 1

I hated the living in the "tent" mode ... past 3 years, I have been living in the "tent" - my little room in TTC - and every other end of the semester I have to empty the room and move out of it. Then, for the next 1.5months I will be "floating" around -- living in and out of my suitcase in homes of Samaritans .... the feeling is not great .. and can be quite bad no matter how homely and kind the Samaritan is. Guess it is human to desire a habitat, a familiar place of resting and hibernation that brings forth the sense of belonging.

Many times I have wondered how did Abraham and Sarah did it? How did Sarah felt ... moving from one place to another .... not too sure when next to pack up .. when reach a place, how long to stay .... ooo .. the torture of packing and unpacking .... What does Sarah have to complete her kitchen? I know I'll my Correll, Cornningware and Vision pots waiting to be used when I God place me in a new "tent" in my next season. Thank God I did not give them away...:0 I miss a kitchen of my own ...:)

On the other hand, I am thankful that God pitched my "tent" next to a forest reserve. Its really really awesome to hear the sound of nature, especially in the stillness of the morning or in the quietness of the night ... I get to sleep with the moon light shining on me ...:) ... m really getting "wild tent" living experience in the heartbeat of Spore. I even get the sound of train of railway tracks ... can you believe it? The train whistles to bid me goodnite at 1150pm and gives me morning call at 620am ... It's windy and cooling because of the greens surrounds my "tent".

So, would not Abba Father guide me along the best pathway of my life (Ps 32:8) and give me the best, give me the desires of my heart when I take my delight in Him?

I sure am looking forward to the new "tent" that my Father will prepare for me in my new season. I have been pro-active in trying to acquire a new "tent" for my next season but past 2 weeks, the Lord has been speaking to me to trust in Him ... make room for Him to display His miracle power and love for me ... give me a chance to surprise me ...

YUP! After all that that He has done and provided me .... I now eagerly await for His surprise for me .... the best, taking all the desires of my heart and my needs, He will give provide the best for His beloved daughter ..

"Look at the birds of the air ..... consider the lilies of the field ....... If God so clothe the grass of the field .. shall He not much more clothe you?"
(Matt 6: 26-34)

Lead Me Lord 2

Besides going through my journals, I also went through my Bible .... and notice a similar prayer and word that I keep praying ... the words that is written all over my journal and all over my Bible from 2004 onwards is simply, "show me Your ways, teach me Your path .."

11 Jun 04 :
Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn (Ps 5:8)

16 Jun 04 :
Show me the path where I should walk, OLord,
point to me the right road for me to follow.
Lead me by your truth and teach me, for You are God who saves me
All day long I put my hope in You (Ps 25:4-5)

It was as though God responded to the depths of my cry and gave me Ps 32:8 in 19 Jul 04 & again in 20 Jul 09 as I seek for directions after TTC.
The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway of life.
I will advise you and watch over you. (Ps 32:8)

Again, this was my desperate cry to the Lord in Jan - May 2009 in my challenging moments. My prayer was simply that God will :
Teach me Your ways O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart, that i may honor You (Ps 86:11)

So, as winds of change blows strongly now in my life, as I am going to take another step of faith ... into His path ... this desperate cry for God's direction to lead me into His path and set my feet firm in His path is still echoing within me .... and Yes .... I want to honor His name .. I want to glorify His name with my life.

Paul told me back in Mar/Apr 2007, at the time when I am about to enter into TTC :
a) Always seek ways how to bless people and be a blessing to them
b) Pursue and chase after God
c) Have fun

Guess these words are still relevant to me today .... :0 as I pray, Lead me on Lord ... into Your path ... which is the best for me ... lead me to Your Cross .... He have been faithfully leading me step by step .... and I know ... He will continue to lead me on .....

A song lyrics that I found online which expresses the words from my heart :

Here we stand
At a crossroads again
Like you said
In time the seasons change

Looking back
We recall the blessing and the pain
But now we turn our hearts toward
What is still to come
We want to dream again

Lead us Lord
Into a life of fruitfulness
Prepare our hearts to risk again
As we trust
Taking simple steps of obedience we know
That you will lead us Lord

Seven Principles of Crossing-Over

Its so interesting ... m sort of like going thru some of my old journals cos to reflect on my 3years journey in TTC and I came across this in my journal, penned down on 2 March 2006. Think this must have been from some book I read or sermon I heard. It comes as a timely reminder as I am preparing to do the cross-over in the next few months to yet another new season in life.

1) Recognize the season of God in your life
When you recognize the season, it helps you to release the pains of the past cos you will realize that God has something new for you.

Interesting ... was I not given Is43:18-19 in my silent retreat in Dec? ("Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.) M surely moving into a new season in life .....

2) Capture the Vision
Get a vision from God and let the vision capture. When you are able to see it, you are able to cross over ...

3) Be in the state of readiness
Be ready to sow ... be ready to take action on your part according to His will

4) Be strong and courageous
New season comes with new battles, different battles from the past. New season also involves traveling on roads that was never travel on, no road maps, not beaten tracks ....

5) Making the right confession
Well, life and death is in the power of the tongue .... pray God will also help us make the right confession in the new season

6) Internalizing God's word
Jos 1:8 - meditate on it day and night .. it will change our conviction to action

7) Be obedient
Your obedience will determines your cross-roads .... obedience is better than all the sacrifices that you bring to God.

Well, surely winds of change is blowing in my life now ... and I pray that I will step into the new season with God .... :0 ... key : be where He want me to be, do what He want me to do .... and in this .. I will find meaning and contentment in life

Vietnamese Spring Roll Recipe Test

All of us in the family loves spring rolls or popia. We cook it at almost every other occasion. I have tried cooking it the Cantonese style (SM MIL's style) but Dad prefers the traditional Foo Chow style where you dump everything in and fry them together. He finds it easier to wrap and eat.

Then there is the skin problem. It is not easy to buy fresh popia skin ... on non festive seasons. In JB, I will sometimes order it from the people who sell popia in the market or in the hawker centres. But if am not mistaken, some times we can get from Tun Aminah Market. In Spore ... I really dono where to get them. Hence, have to cook popia here. If cant get fresh popia skin, then the frozen one is the other option. Off course there are some fussy eaters who say that that skin is only for fried popia. After cooking the popia ingredient, I have no more energy left to fry popia. So, if those who want to eat fried popia, then, you fry, I cook the ingredients ...:0

Last sem, one of our Family Group Members from Vietnam cooked popia the Vietnamese style. I thought that their style is sooooooo simple compared to ours. So, I got LN to buy the skin for me from HCM thinking that with it, I can make them. But lo and behold, the fish sauce used is different from Thai fish souse. So, I hold back making it during the Nov-Dec hols ... now that I've got both the skin (2 packets) and the Vietnamese fish sauce, I am ready to make them during CNY BBQ reunion ... la la la la .... excited.. :0 .. jus in case I forget the recipe given by my friend, let me pen it down :

Ingredients
Fresh vegies : mint, lettuce, carrots cut to long thin slices then squeeze lime over it, cucumber
Meat : pork or chicken - steamed and slice thin
Prawns : shelled and steamed
Bi hun : boiled in hot salted water for 2mins, drained
Fish Sauce : garlic chopped fine, chili chopped fine, lemon, sugar, fish sauce and a little hot water
Rice paper

This is a recipe which I lifted off the internet .... the interesting thing was off course the Hoisin peanut dipping sauce. I will probably mix this 2 recipe and try them out to see how it works better for me :

Ingredients

• 2 ounces rice vermicelli
• 8 rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
• 8 large cooked shrimp - peeled, deveined and cut in half
• 1 1/3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 leaves lettuce, chopped
• 4 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic chili sauce
• 
  
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped peanuts

Directions

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain.
2. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the hot water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of vermicelli, basil, mint, cilantro and lettuce, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, sugar and chili sauce.
4. In another small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce and peanuts.
5. Serve rolled spring rolls with the fish sauce and hoisin sauce mixtures.

Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce Recipe

1 cup (8 oz) hoisin sauce (if sauce is thick, add about 1/4 cup warm water to reach desired consistency)
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 Tbs rice vinegar
2 garlic, crushed
1 minced thai chili, or more for desired spiciness