I praise God for sustaining me through this day even though I had only about an hour of sleep this morning.
Towards the late morning, I had an appointment with a dear brother-in-Christ whom I met over lunch. It was a good two-hour of fellowship. He is a psychologist by training and despite of his busy schedules, this is his second time he has met me.
As I will be going on a personal retreat next Monday to The Netherlands, he gave me some guidelines on how my retreat is to be carried out so that I can reflect and evaluate on some major areas of my life which have been a struggle for me.
There are going to be a couple of difficult questions to ponder but he said it would be beneficial for me especially when I come clean with God with all the struggles I am facing which have drained me spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally.
Well, if it is going to help me grow, then I am game to let God break me.
I was planning to watch a movie after lunch but did not get down to do it. I was supposed to help a dear sister-in-Christ capture some shots of the church facilities but she is off today. I told her I will do so on Friday morning.
I do not know why but suddenly I felt the need to visit two elderly friends whom I got to know several years ago. They live in Chinatown and I used to cook for them during the Chinese New Year period. There were more of them before but now there are only two left. The rest have passed on... many left this world alone. I remembered not seeing their children at their funerals.
Anyway, I bought some Chinese tea leaves for them. As I did not inform them that I was coming, I prayed while on my way that they would be at home. Well, they were. I bumped into one of them (Ah Kim Soh) at the small little garden where Sheng Siong Supermarket is located. She was sitting all by herself. The other (Pui Soh) was at home. Both of us went up to the flat to find Pui Soh. These are the names their friends usually address them as. I call them "ah ma" basically as a respect to their seniority. Ah Kim Soh is 86 and Pui Soh is 90.
Pui Soh was home because her arthritis condition has worsened these past few weeks but she was happy to see me. We had to wait outside the gate for a while as she walked slowly and painfully to open it for us.
I gave them the tea leaves and we brewed some as we caught up with one another. In the course of our conversation, I could tell that both of them are just waiting for death to visit them. I tried my best to help them see the brighter side of life. I am glad Ah Kim Soh's son has been visiting her regularly but for Pui Soh she is all alone because her two children have passed on. Volunteers usually come to her place to help her do some house-cleaning once a week.
Anyway, usual teasings from them... as in how come I am still not married; how come I do not want to quickly find a girl and settle down; Ah Kim Soh, who used to be a matchmaker when she was young, said that she can introduce some to me but many are around her age. "You want?" She said. Haha. She is just so funny.
I was with them for about an hour or so. Before I left Pui Soh's place, I helped her cook the porridge which she will consume for dinner today and breakfast tomorrow.
On my way to Millennia Walk where I decided to spend some time at Coffee Bean cafe to share some thoughts with my cell group over the FaceBook, I prayed for my two elderly friends. I missed those times when there were more of them - 7 in all. While I was at the flat, I could still remember their laughters when they feasted over a simple meal together in celebration of the Lunar New Year.
Sigh. That's life. We all come and go.
The person I missed most is the late Aunty Poh Geok... she would sit every morning on this elevated concrete step selling her kuehs which a kind supplier would give her every day. The earnings are for her to keep.
When I was at Sheng Siong supermarket, then it was Popular Bookstore, I could still picture her leaning forward and backward waiting for customers to buy her food. Whenever I buy from her, she would give me more. Her smile will always be etched in my memory. I miss her a lot, I must say.
Anyway, I shall end here before I get too emotional. Praise God for every one of them.
Towards the late morning, I had an appointment with a dear brother-in-Christ whom I met over lunch. It was a good two-hour of fellowship. He is a psychologist by training and despite of his busy schedules, this is his second time he has met me.
As I will be going on a personal retreat next Monday to The Netherlands, he gave me some guidelines on how my retreat is to be carried out so that I can reflect and evaluate on some major areas of my life which have been a struggle for me.
There are going to be a couple of difficult questions to ponder but he said it would be beneficial for me especially when I come clean with God with all the struggles I am facing which have drained me spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally.
Well, if it is going to help me grow, then I am game to let God break me.
I was planning to watch a movie after lunch but did not get down to do it. I was supposed to help a dear sister-in-Christ capture some shots of the church facilities but she is off today. I told her I will do so on Friday morning.
I do not know why but suddenly I felt the need to visit two elderly friends whom I got to know several years ago. They live in Chinatown and I used to cook for them during the Chinese New Year period. There were more of them before but now there are only two left. The rest have passed on... many left this world alone. I remembered not seeing their children at their funerals.
Anyway, I bought some Chinese tea leaves for them. As I did not inform them that I was coming, I prayed while on my way that they would be at home. Well, they were. I bumped into one of them (Ah Kim Soh) at the small little garden where Sheng Siong Supermarket is located. She was sitting all by herself. The other (Pui Soh) was at home. Both of us went up to the flat to find Pui Soh. These are the names their friends usually address them as. I call them "ah ma" basically as a respect to their seniority. Ah Kim Soh is 86 and Pui Soh is 90.
Pui Soh was home because her arthritis condition has worsened these past few weeks but she was happy to see me. We had to wait outside the gate for a while as she walked slowly and painfully to open it for us.
I gave them the tea leaves and we brewed some as we caught up with one another. In the course of our conversation, I could tell that both of them are just waiting for death to visit them. I tried my best to help them see the brighter side of life. I am glad Ah Kim Soh's son has been visiting her regularly but for Pui Soh she is all alone because her two children have passed on. Volunteers usually come to her place to help her do some house-cleaning once a week.
Anyway, usual teasings from them... as in how come I am still not married; how come I do not want to quickly find a girl and settle down; Ah Kim Soh, who used to be a matchmaker when she was young, said that she can introduce some to me but many are around her age. "You want?" She said. Haha. She is just so funny.
I was with them for about an hour or so. Before I left Pui Soh's place, I helped her cook the porridge which she will consume for dinner today and breakfast tomorrow.
On my way to Millennia Walk where I decided to spend some time at Coffee Bean cafe to share some thoughts with my cell group over the FaceBook, I prayed for my two elderly friends. I missed those times when there were more of them - 7 in all. While I was at the flat, I could still remember their laughters when they feasted over a simple meal together in celebration of the Lunar New Year.
Sigh. That's life. We all come and go.
The person I missed most is the late Aunty Poh Geok... she would sit every morning on this elevated concrete step selling her kuehs which a kind supplier would give her every day. The earnings are for her to keep.
When I was at Sheng Siong supermarket, then it was Popular Bookstore, I could still picture her leaning forward and backward waiting for customers to buy her food. Whenever I buy from her, she would give me more. Her smile will always be etched in my memory. I miss her a lot, I must say.
Anyway, I shall end here before I get too emotional. Praise God for every one of them.
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