Seeking - 踏雪寻梅

It is heavy snow. Suddenly make me think about the charming plum flowers, wondering how the plum flowers will looks like in this chilly day.  15 minutes before hubby to go to work, quickly dressed and go to look for the plum tree behind our home… capture this unreturnable moment and keeps it in my mind forever and ever. Plum flowers only blossom about 3 to 4 weeks a year. In this short lifespan of plum flowers let me think about the eternity. 因着短暂的生命顿时让我明白了人为何寻找永恒。

7:7		你 们 祈 求 ， 就 给 你 们 。 寻 找 ， 就 寻 见 。 叩 门 ， 就 给 你 们 开 门 。
7:8		因 为 凡 祈 求 的 ， 就 得 着 。 寻 找 的 ， 就 寻 见 。 叩 门 的 ， 就 给 他 开 门 。

马太福音 7：7-8

 ⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8

 

心意更新而变化

A waked by the earthquake alarm “Earthquake is coming – after 5 seconds”. I was stunned and look at the wall of the room, really felt uncertain. It was 1.58am. I can’t really sleep well after that. Egracia awaked from 5.45am and she can’t sleep well but kept showing me her charming smile till 8.15am. Got up, opened the curtain - it is heavy snow! I thought the weather suppose turn to be warmer?

 

不 要 效 法 这 个 世 界 ， 只 要 心 意 更 新 而 变 化 ， 叫 你 们 察 验 何 为 神 的 善 良 、 纯 全 、 可 喜 悦 的 旨 意 。羅 馬 書 12:2

² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

There is a time for everything - 凡事都有定时

Draining the boys’ energy is part of our homeschooled mission. I found out, if I am not doing so they will definitely jumping around the house uncontrollable, especially our big brother Ethan, the most energetic one. At this moment is really challenging for me to bring 3 of them to field or park at the same time. Even so, to dress them in the winter it already takes me around 30 minutes. Half of my energy already drained before drain their energy. The perfect case is to do some simple exercise at home during weekday. Every morning after bible study and role play, we will have around 30 minutes exercise time at home. 

Each time when I asked, "Are you ready?" Emmanuel will surely reply "GO!!!"

Ok, Let’s do some exercise now!

¹ 凡事都有定时，天下万务都有定时：

^传3:2 生有时，死有时；栽种有时，拔出所栽种的也有时；

^传3:3 杀戮有时，医治有时；拆毁有时，建造有时；

^传3:4 哭有时，笑有时；哀恸有时，跳舞有时；

^传3:5 抛掷石头有时，堆聚石头有时；怀抱有时，不怀抱有时；

^传3:6 寻找有时，失落有时；保守有时，舍弃有时；

^传3:7 撕裂有时，缝补有时；静默有时，言语有时；

^传3:8 喜爱有时，恨恶有时；争战有时，和好有时。

`

¹ There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 ² a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
 ³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
 ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
 ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
 ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
 ⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
 ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

The memory of Orange Cakes

Wake up slightly early this morning and thinking what breakfast should I prepare for today. Suddenly orange cake comes to my mind. Ok, let's make a "fast" one. It took around 20 mins to prepare the batter. I only have around 30 mins more to get this ready; therefore I decided to put in a cup to shorten baking time. Usually if bake in the bigger tin, it needs around 45 to 50 mins baking time. In the interval, I have done the fried u-don noodle for the lunch too. Yahoo! finish off part of the work later and I can have more relaxer play time and homeschool time with the kids.

Orange cake - one of our favourite cakes. I will never forget the memories that bring by this orange taste, my mom. My mom used to bake this for us when we are kids. We always love to eat its crunchy crust on top and around the edge. And now, I like to bake this for my family. I hope it also leave a small memory for them too. One day when they eating the orange cake and may think about the old mummy or the mummy who no longer with them.

Ingredients:
1.) 125g soften creamy butter
2.) 90g sugar
3.) 2 eggs
4.) 125 low protein flour
5.) 1/2 tsp baking powder
6.) 50ml orange juice
7.) 1.5tbsp grated orange skin
8.) 1/2 tsp vanilla

重燃起初的爱

Pineapple Bento

Pineapple fried rice, Daddy’s lunch bento and our simple lunch at home. Bringing bento for meals is one of the Japanese cultures. You wouldn’t feel ashamed as there are places and bench for you to have your own bento.  I never thought of bring home cook food to work when I was working. If I am doing so, I guess soon or later my colleague will surely think that I am ‘anti-social’ or maybe are too stingy to eat out. And now, I am preparing bento for my husband. I hope he wouldn’t be boycotted later.

‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ (Mattlew 4:4)

人活着，不是单靠食物，乃是靠神口里所出的一切话。（马太福音四章4节）

Plum flowers blossom - 梅花梅花几时开花。。。

After Sunday service instead of taking local train we decided to ride on the bus go back home. It was so cold (around 3/4c), somehow weather was warmer than last week. It was raining on last few days, it seem the snows had already gone. I think spring will come soon. We were enjoying the bare trees view. Winter view seems to me like a very sad & down feeling ...冬天冷冷的景色好像是凄凄凉凉的, 还是因我心里忧伤。。。hmmm... We decided to capture this unreturnable moment. We were talking and walking, suddenly I smelt something like the 'Downy softener'. I thought someone was washing their clothes. Somehow this smell was so fragrant and wafting around. Errr..... we saw a little pinky-pinky flowers and its buds sprout, blossom on the tree. So funny, it is a dry tree without leaves but only the pinky flowers.  "It is plum flowers!!!" I am not the flowers lover, but suddenly I fall in love with it. Keep shooting the photos in front of other people house. I hope they wouldn't think this gang of Malaysian are siao-siao.... Go green, no Lynas!!!

   

 

soon Ya-ma (mountain) mo-mo tree (peach tree) will blossom.

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:26-34)

你们看那天上的飞鸟，也不种，也不收，也不积蓄在仓里，你们的天父尚且养活它。你们不比飞鸟贵重得多吗？  你们哪一个能用思虑使寿数多加一刻呢（注：或作“使身量多加一肘呢”）？  何必为衣裳忧虑呢？你想，野地里的百合花怎么长起来。它也不劳苦，也不纺线。  然而我告诉你们：就是所罗门极荣华的时候，他所穿戴的还不如这花一朵呢! 你们这小信的人哪！野地里的草今天还在，明天就丢在炉里，　神还给它这样的妆饰，何况你们呢！  所以，不要忧虑说，‘吃甚么？喝甚么？穿甚么？'这都是外邦人所求的。你们需用的这一切东西，你们的天父是知道的。  你们要先求他的国和他的义，这些东西都要加给你们了。  所以，不要为明天忧虑，因为明天自有明天的忧虑；一天的难处一天当就够了 (馬6:26-34)

Brother and me - 哥哥关照我

Emmanuel was sick and we were tired taking care of them, didn't sleep well at night. In the late morning, just after bath Egracia and dressed her, Emmanuel already poo in her diaper. I felt so exhausted running around the bath room to clean them up. I have to leave Egracia on the bed at the living room. Ethan was playing his Thomas Train puzzle at the kitchen dining table .

Mummy : "Ethan, Di di (youngest brother) 大便 already. Mei-mei is laying on the bed, so be careful ah... don't step on her, ok? If she cries let her know mummy will return soon".

These 2 boys always running and jumping over the house like no one business. I always worry Egracia will be accidentally step or hurt by them. I quickly settle Emmanuel and rush back to living room. When I return  Ethan was missing from the kitchen and I saw these scene... my heart was so touch.

"We Love because He first loved Us - 1 John 4:19"

"我们爱，因为神先爱我们 -（约壹4：19)"

A Happy heart is the Good medicine...

This is Emmanuel's antibiotic and fever medicine. I am impressed with the way Japanese handle the medicine prescription. A very details description of the medicine and the step of consuming. Before the pharmacist handled over the medicine, they will explain and make sure you understood how to have it, even though you told them that you don't really know japanese, but they will still try to explain again in slower rhythm of nihongo plus a little of english sound. Thanks God that we know how to read kanji (chinese) together with those helpful pictures, definately assist us to understand it better. Behind the medicine sheet it is the fever chart for parent to jot down the body temperature. Indeed it help us to monitor the sick kids in more proper way.

Here our remedy for these 2 days - fish soup. Not difficult to prepare, around 10 mins to get it ready. Add in the lefted over rice on yesterday in the soup, boiled together with the fish.

Ethan always likes to eat the mushroom like this...

 So Emmanuel followed him....

Egracia is trying too!!!

“A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” – Proverbs 17:22 (Amplified Bible)
喜乐的心，乃是良药；忧伤的灵，使骨枯干 箴17：22



A little 2 for Emmanuel

Today is Emmanuel 2 years old birthday. He was sick yesterday due to throat infection and feverish. At first I planned to bake him a big chocolate cake with number of 2 and now end up with a simple 2 hotcake. He helps to mix the ingredient together and the boys can't wait to eat their hotcake. Emmanuel messed up a little, but I feel great he is better now.

With his little feverish on these 2 days, it reminded me again on the reason I quited my job.. Yesterday morning, a chilly winter the Daddy put him in the stroller and push him to the clinic nearby to seek for the help. My heart felt so heavy. In our homeland, we will just need to jump in to the green frog car and drive wherever we go. Really a different experience by itself....Timefly, by this March will be a year for me as a SHM. Indeed a year full of challenge and full of adjustment. I am counting it each day. Especially standing in this rattling land always reminding about life that we live on. We always pray to have a fruitful life, perhaps this is the way we reach our realization and write a different page in our book of life.

Happy Birthday to Little Emmanuel.