Admiring Nature

Nature displays its glory and splendor, its knowledge and wisdom, its beauty and serenity, its harmony and perfection, and its many unsolved mysteries and secrets.

Now, it's now up to us to explore and develop, to take to heart and enjoy, to treasure and to share the many truths we are led to understand as the Almighty God patiently unveils and guides us into all truths.

Some of us are led to enjoy Its glory and splendor. They see the Almighty God as the marvelous Creator who has made everything good for man. They see the grace and mercy of God in preserving and sustaining the nature to its perfection. And they continue to praise and submit to Him who has provided and supervised their daily needs and wants.

Some of us are led to enjoy its knowledge and wisdom. They explore the minute details of God's creation. Nature has provided them with so much knowledge and wisdom that will take them many generations of research and observation to understand just a glimpse of the revealed truths.

Some of us are led to enjoy its beauty and serenity, its harmony and perfection. They love outdoor activities, sightseeing and tour, photography and video taking, music and rhythm, meditation and spiritual activities, and they enjoy living in harmony with nature and life, and completely removed from the hustle and bustle of human activities.

Some of us are led to enjoy its many unsolved mysteries and secrets. They develop and employ many theories and hypothesis to explain the unsolved and the unresolved phenomena in nature. Many scientific measurements and tests are carried out. Such perceptions and judgments extend our knowledge beyond our mere concepts of things, and make us mindful and fearful of God the Creator.

Nature continues to inspire us into many areas of learning. And the Almighty God continues to lead us into all understanding. But do we feel a sense of awe for God's presence in our world?

Tender Loving Care

This blog is written primarily with the intention of spreading and sharing tender loving care with others and to make this world a better place to live.

Now, I never claim that I am an expert in love. In fact, I don't think I know much about feelings and love.

I believe I am still stubborn and rude, and most of the things I do still flow from selfish interest and self-love. But through blogging, I learn to have concern for others' feelings and interests. I will never be perfect in love but I will learn.

Now, I never claim that I am a romantic person with good personality. In fact, I don't think I have abundant thoughts to share and cherish with everyone.

I believe I am still self-pleasing and self-choosing. I don't easily mix around with friends and relatives just like my wife and my children. I can't tolerate certain topics of discussion. I don't like people criticizing others behind their back. I don't waste time on issues that are none of my concern. I don't enjoy shallow and empty discussion. And I just can't share much with people who have few common interests. But through blogging, I learn to have love for other people's thoughts and ways of thinking. I will never be perfect in sharing views but I will try.

Now, I never claim that I am a pragmatic person with practical approaches toward life. In fact, I don't think I can do much to help others.

I believe I am still short-sighted and self-serving. Sometimes I even forget my wife and my children birthdays, though they have never forgotten mine. Sometimes I do things without concern and regard for others. And in the end, I have aggravated family ties and relationships. But through blogging, I learn to develop communication and social skills. I learn to share more with my family and relatives. I will never be perfect in doing good but I will continue to do what I can.

Yeah, the world needs tender loving care and that is what bloggers must do.

Festive Season

It was 1st June 2009. The Dayak community in Sarawak celebrated the Gawai festival. On this occasion, they celebrated the season of rice harvest or padi harvesting season.

Many returned to their villages, bringing lots of food and drink. 

Many of the roads were congested with all the new and the old vehicles. 

The parking lots were just not enough to carter for the needs of the shoppers.

Many of the shopping malls and complexes were packed with people. It was impossible to walk through the crowd without touching or knocking someone. Greeting friends were difficult. Besides, shoppers needed to be extra careful with their pockets as there were pick pockets lurking around.

Early in the morning at 5 a.m., a famous shopping center was raged by fire. The upper storey was consumed, and the lower storey gutted. Shoppers who enjoyed its cheap goods and consumer-oriented services now had to move to nearby shopping centers. As a result, many racks were emptied, and the shopkeepers were smiling and laughing from ear to ear.

Traffic was really slow as there were many first-time drivers and careful drivers around. The weather was scorching hot and humid. The pedestrians hurried on their way. Everyone was sweating profusely bringing along their children and their goods.

Reaching our village house was nice. Everyone was beaming with joy and laughter. We greeted those we knew with even more stories and jokes.

My brother-in-law was entertaining a group of village boys when we arrived. They were enjoying themselves singing, laughing and talking. They sang with their coarse voices and they screamed when singing with high pitch. Their friends were laughing and jeering. Then the drinking session continued. I couldn't help laughing heartily but quietly. They were just horrible singers but you could see that they enjoyed themselves. "Maybe singing really is a great way to release and reduce tensions," I told myself as I hummed along.

Whether rich or poor, everyone will surely want to celebrate their festive seasons. Whether stressful or happy, everyone needs to sing, smile, and laugh along.

Yeah, it's festive season.....

Go And Sleep

When we are physically tired, the best thing to do is to sleep. Sleeping helps to relax our body and aid the relief of aching and tense muscles. Sleeping helps to stretch and loosen the muscles, and revive our body. Sleeping gives our body ample opportunity to recover.

When we are mentally and emotionally stressful, the best thing to do is to sleep. It helps us to examine the issues at hand in a newer light. It refreshes and helps us to see our problems in a wider and fuller perspective. It helps to relax our mind and bring down our emotional temperature. It helps to develop more critical and creative thinking. Decision making after a good rest or sleep can be very considerate and rewarding.

Sometimes I wonder why I have resorted to smoking and binging in the past every time I have troubles. Can smoking and binging on alcohol help to keep me calm, relieving stress and nervousness? Can indulgence in junk food and drink, and driving recklessly and speedily help to make me numb and forget about all the depressing feelings? In fact, I have severed many family ties and friendships because of my self-indulgence and self-importance. And it is shameful and disgusting to list them all.

And so today I keep on reminding myself, just as my friends use to do, "Go and sleep, and tomorrow will be a better day."

Yeah, sleeping is the best and ultimate solution......

Apples Of The Eyes.

I am proud of my children and I love them very much. They are the apples of my eyes, the joy of my heart, and the loves of my life. I can't help thinking of them most of the time for they are always in my mind. And my wife and I have promised to dedicate our life just for them.

Sometimes they can be real pains in the back. They can make us very angry when they are stubborn. They refuse to listen to reasons and always insist on their own way. In their younger years when they were below 10, we used to cane them, more so when they retaliated. But we made up our mind to tell them the reasons before each stroke. We still reason with them now, but a stern look or a louder voice is enough to back them off a little. Sometimes we do sigh and cry behind after the punishment. But that is how we bring our children up.

Sometimes they can be real nuisance especially when we are seriously doing something important. They will come near us, inquiring what we are doing and pester us to allow them to help. When we say no, they will still stay put and make a lot of noise. Sometimes they chuckles at our serious faces and start to make fun of us. In their younger days, we would scream at them, wanting them to back off. But they always came back when they had nothing to do. Thinking back, sometimes I miss the moments; it's really sweet.

Sometimes they just make us scream when they are quarrelsome and refuse to live in harmony. In their younger days, we would separate them and gave them the appropriate punishment. Now they seldom quarrel but love to tease one another, including their father.

Now they have grown up. Two of them are ready to further their studies away from home. The youngest child is seriously preparing herself for the lower secondary examination. The double storey terrace house look extraordinary quiet...

Yeah, we miss our children and we miss our home. But they are ready to fly and soar high up in the sky. ..

Nevertheless, they will always be the apples of our eyes.