KNOWING YOU

After Carol’s trekking trip to Gunung Lambak, Kluang, the name of the town kept tossing up in our conversations. Somehow it became the hippest place to visit with 3 shopping centers, 2 aromatic coffee joints, sumptuous beef noodles, delicious pastries and delectable snacks hot from the oven. Word spread like wildfire till it grew so contagious that the travel bug hit 9 of us. After 2 failed starts in the past months, we finally boarded the bus.
For almost 12 hours, like courting couples, we sat and walked, breathed and talked, shopped and rested, drank and dined in close proximity and in togetherness. I thank God for these precious close up moments, a step closer to getting to know you better. Without you, the trip would have been less colorful and less exciting. Thank you for making this trip so memorable, fun and enjoyable.

Love is in the air

The couple almost started the trip on a wrong footing. He could not resist the soft, mouth watering ice cream. He bought himself one but forgot about her. When she saw him licking, she started fuming. There was a small crossfire. Then, silence.

I nudged him as he busily slurped up the cream on the cone and sent him going to the golden arches again. Whatever flavor does not matter. It is the thought that counts. It is the gesture of love. Love is in the air not in the cone. “Jia you” to the one who always boasts of getting his hair cut overseas and munching on duck drumsticks for snacks.

 

 

Shepherd of the sheep

Dorothy was so conversant with the place that she knew every corner and back alley. She weaved in and out of the streets with great ease and gentle brisk and was always found several steps ahead of the troop. Honestly, I had problem keeping pace. She tour guided like a pro with hands waving franatically for us to follow, giving oral commentaries, making verbal endorsements and hurrying us to adhere to itinerary. Her swift decisiveness in leading and managing the group kept our feet moving and tolled us in line. It effectively helped us to cover several places of interests within the 5.5 hour schedule without which I think we might have to stay over for the night. Hurrah for the shepherd of the sheep. Salute to the leader of the band.

Amazing appetite of Piranhas
I was astonished by the enormous serving size of the steamed fish head for lunch and even doubted if we could finish the dish. But I underestimated some of our fish eating prowess. They worked in tandem and with much co-operation. If you needed a team to set the world's record, approach them. Poh Gek dug out and finished off the eyes. Carol picked and slurped up the collagen. Kam Foong tore and licked the bones to its last piece. Amazing appetite of the piranhas.

Greenies and their veggies

While Mee Fang, Susie and Elsie love their greens, the power of their veggies was no match for the demanding energy boost for the day. Mee Fang seemed tired out and was found sitting at the pharmacy. Susie was dazed by the cashier’s calculation at a check-out counter. Some days, she was high but today, she was definitely all mixed up as she celebrated her birthday on a Children’s Day outing.

Elsie beat us all to it and had the climax of the day. The greens might have distorted her thumbprints. As she checked into the Singapore's Auto Clearance Customs Counter on our return journey, the alarm screamed that her passport had several failures of thumbprint mismatches. All attention was on her as she was profiled as a highly suspicious illegal immigrant. She was escorted to and held back without the cuffs at the Customs Office for questioning. We were worried but stayed together, silently praying for her. By God’s grace, she was released unharmed and without further detention. After the half hour ordeal, she shared that something prompted her to bring along her NRIC before she left the house this morning and it came in useful as proof of her REAL identity. Don't leave home without it.

Caffeine Addicts

As George and myself disciplined ourselves to only 1 cup of coffee per day, we had to sacrifice our morning cuppa and delay our gratification to the afternoon. Like all good stuff, we waited in great anticipation. But we went up in arms and vehemently barked at Dorothy’s suggestion that we might have to give coffee time a miss due to time constraints. Finally, she relented. For everything else, caffeine addicts need their fix.
 
Alexjoshua
1 October 2009

WAITING FOR YOU

REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION: BE WATCHFUL

Colossians 4:2

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful

As we were relaxing our minds and bodies in the comfortable and resting chairs of the diner, we were treated to a magnificent performance by His courtesy in Perhentian; the waves gently slapping the shore, the sea sparkling in crystal blue, the sun bulging in orange red hue. The horizon was picturesque and we went wild clicking and snapping to capture these magical moments.

 

As we watched, the scene momentously changed; the clouds while reflecting the pinkish rays of the setting ball of fire, were appearing in shapes of cute porky pig, adorable poodles, proud fiery dragon...We were intrigued by their remarkable transformation. Slowly, the orange faded out of the limelight into the horizon, leaving a vast blanket of indigo blue. The show had come to an end.

On another evening while we were relaxing from a dinner table with a scenic sea view, high above the ground, we could see the fishing village across the island. As usual, the sun was setting. About 10 minutes later, the scene changed dramatically and drastically. We saw a cloud of mist covering the whole fishing village. To our astonishment, we realized that it was torrential rain and the mist was rapidly moving towards us. The waiters hurriedly pulled down the blinds and the customers took the cue to run inward.

Before the blinds were fully down, the winds were howling and the rain beating onto the dinner tables. Everything was drenched; wet, wet, wet. What an experience! The change in weather took us by surprise. We were not prepared for such a turn of events. It whined, howled for about half an hour before everything returned to normal. After that, everyone seemingly went about their activities without any trace of a previous storm in their lives! Some even moved back to their preferred dinner spots and life goes on.

Nothing is certain. Only change is. It is wise to be prepared and watchful for unexpected changes in life. These are beyond our control but we can depend on our unchanging God to calm any storm in our lives.

CONFUSING INFORMATION: BE DISCERNING

Titus 2:13

While we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Lord Jesus Christ.

They were sincerely helpful folks but the problem was that their information did not square up. “The bus will come at 9am”, declared the Chinese shopkeeper. Some said 930, others 1030 and even 11. By now, I am sure you would be as confused as we were. Because we were unable to discern which was the correct information, we literally stood steadfastly and faithfully at the designated spot from 845am.

At 915, we were so happy to spot the approaching bus from the opposite direction that we grabbed our bags in great anticipation for boarding. But the guy leisurely seated on his motorbike and flipping his newspapers informed us that the bus would make a turn back in our direction in 1.5 hours' time. And the bus scooted off without us!

With a little sadness, we were left waiting; initially, we stood in great anticipation and later, sat down, exhausted by the weariness of the eyes trained on every approaching bus and the seemingly endless wait. When it finally came at 1040, our minds and legs were numbed; stomachs grouching, bladders straining and spirits downcast.

I cannot but compare this little episode to our earthly journey when we also wait in great anticipation for the Lord's coming. While waiting, hunger and thirst hit us, exhaustion and depression snares at us, information confuses our minds and spiritual battles knock us off. As worldly matters overwhelmed us, our hearts become a little disheartened and our spirits less discerning. I pray that we will be wise and discerning lest we become too weary and tired out by the wait and be found joyless and unprepared at His return.

LOST DIRECTION: BE PRAYERFUL

James 5:13

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.

We trekked twice. The first was spacious, easy and straight forward. The second was slightly challenging with narrow paths, fallen tree branches, steep steps and dense vegetation. Both times, the Lord's hands were upon us and saw us through the difficulties.

Though these trails were well trodden, we nevertheless started the journeys with some anxiety and apprehension. Our first step was met with a small monitor lizard. Its appearance startled us as we did not expect it. I was pretty sure it was as afraid of us as we were of him.

Whenever we had doubts on the direction of our trail, we prayed silently for His guidance. And He answered by providing people along the way to help us. In the middle of the trail, we saw an approaching couple whom we met at the jetty on our arrival. Again when we were at crossroads at the end, we met another couple confirming the route.

Because our earthly pilgrimage is like a maze of jungle trails, we tend to get entangled and entrapped along the way. And when we lose focus and direction, fear and anxiety creep in and overwhelm us. But take heart that God is faithful to answer our prayers. He never fails to give us assurances and provides us with guidance out of the maze through the tunnel into the light.

Alexjoshua

28 Sep 2009

SEA ANEMONE, SEA SAMARITANS AND SEA SERPENTS

SEA ANEMONE

When the boat shored, all moved out. A few geeks immediately flashed out their latest gadgets and snapped. The stoic stood their ground, looking upward and seemingly marveling at the eagles hovering above the tree tops. Or were they inwardly afraid and carefully watching if these predators would lunge at them as prey? Some leisurely strolled the sandy beach, basking in the sun, listening to the waves and soaking in the breeze. Time was on their side. Others (including me) were busy donning our snorkeling gears getting ready for some action packed adventures.

My face shone with great pride as I put on my newly bought blue mask and tube (blue is my favorite color). With the sprightly colored lime green fins on my feet (these were loan to me), I looked like a seasoned snorkeler. The fins were lovely. It was my clumsy gait that awkwardly gave me in. Looks can be deceiving. That is why in His infinite wisdom, God looks inward towards the heart instead of the superficial outward appearance.

From afar, the tall couple masked with their goggles and in their booties, were already wading through the water out to the sea. They were having a whale of a time, happily and contentedly looking and watching beneath them. Curious that they were not in snorkeling gear, I approached them and asked if they were first timers trying out the game. To my own embarrassment, I realised I was the novice. Quickly, I shied away, pulling my mask, diving in, blowing air, flapping my fins and getting excited in the underwater world. If you have read my previous article “Footprints on the sand”, you would have known that this was my second attempt at snorkeling. This is the sequel.

The boatman brought us to another island the next day and greater fun awaited us. As the water was calmer and clearer, we had a more vivid view of the water underneath. We were in for a fabulous treat. I told myself that I had to concentrate, capture and commit to memory all the moments underwater. I uttered a silent prayer for divine help before submerging into the marine world.

On the next cue, I was already immersed totally in an enormous sea aquarium. The view was picturesque with a magnificent rainbow of colors and a wide spectrum of fishes and corals. For a moment, I thought I was looking at a beautiful painting. Better yet, a 3D motion picture choreographed and directed by God himself. If you think Ice Age is wonderfully done, then this is stunning and amazing.

I was so excited when I saw nemo because I could put a name to the face. Then, I started looking for Dory. (if you know what I mean) and tried to identify other coral fishes shown on the classic movie, Nemo. On hindsight, did I look funny behaving so childishly?

 

I was thrilled to see many sea cucumbers lazing around on the sea bed. At first glance, I mistook them for eels. They looked horribly ugly in black, so unlike the cured and processed sea cucumbers on our dinner plates. Also in black outfit were the sea urchins. They have numerous thorny spikes on their round bodies and looked like time bombs in clusters waiting to explode with any wrong step. I wonder why Asians who are so disinclined towards black, have such an exquisite taste for these black creatures. Mind you, these dishes aren't cheap and make expensive palatable delicacies in the Chinese and Japanese cuisines.

I playfully over turned a top shell to see its reactions. To my surprise, it was in a helpless state for it could not turn itself over and fishes swam by to take their bites. God created them with shells as protective covers and they live their lives in a top down position. Any other ways, they would be dead meat.

 

Likewise, we are born with certain traits and characteristics. Unlike the sea creatures which live by instincts, we are called to live by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. By His grace, we are capable of a total makeover, a transformation from the carnal self to a christ centered being. The secret to living a victorious Christian life is to wield and yield to the power of the Spirit.

I could not believe I was swimming alongside these tiny darting gobies, striped finning angelfish, daunting dancing damsels.  Though a specular sight, it was quite an unnerving experience when we fed them with bread crumbs. Initially, a handful swam by and nibbled. Moments later, it became a school of sorts jostling, darting and pecking at the bits. It was like a feeding frenzy which alarmed me. Did something bite my leg? Was I mistaken as bait? I quickly pulled away with the fondest memories of beautiful fishes and coral gardens.

SEA SAMARITANS

The beaches of Sibu were different from Pangkor's. For one, they did not yield as many sea shells, though the sand were equally soft. The tall girl was so fascinated by some hermit crabs that she kept spotting and picking them up as we walked along the stretches of the shore. Soon, we were helping her too. We kept them in a bag filled with sea water and had enjoyable hours watching them.

When we were tired of this child's play, we surrendered them back to the sea but not without a final game.We lined them up for a race. A few were courageous enough to take the plunge and surge forward with some bold steps. But others were heavy legged and stayed put without any movement. Why did they not run for their lives? Have they been so imprisoned within the walls that they have forgotten how to run? Or have they already given up hope while in captivity?

 

One couple caught our attention. While the elongated one seemed deeply rooted on the earth (or sand rather) and did not make much progress at the race, another was loving and caring enough to gently gave it a lift and pulled it along. He did it not just once but several times. He seemed to be having a tough time but he did not give up on her. He touched our hearts that we gave this couple a great helping hand by bringing them closer to the finishing line. As waters rushed to shore, building a tsunami on them, he was still on a lookout for her. Amazing love! In the community of faith, we are also called to be on a constant lookout for one another, bearing each other's burden with an occasional gentle nudge here or a hard knock there sometimes.

SEA SERPENTS

We were eager to cross the deep blue sea, not realising that we were not given the life jackets. We were in for some unexpected adventure! Because we were seated down at the stern, our total weights angled and tilted the hull. Consequentially, our frontal view was blocked and only the boatman, who stood, could see and guide the boat on its course. As there were no safety belts to secure us down, we had to cling on either to the side railings or hold onto our seats to ensure that we would not fly out during flight or get ejected accidentally.

The boat ride was tough as it had to cut across the rough seas. Waves after waves bumped the boat as it hit the road. We participated and played along with screams as if we were on a roller coaster ride. Bumped! Bumped! Splashed! Bumped! Bumped! Whacked! And we got a blessing of salts. Grins. Giggles. Laughter. Faces beamed. Hearts elated. Our adventure had started sooner than we thought.

Another challenge awaited us on our arrival at the jetty. We had to ascend a flight of steps with our belongings. The problem was the steps were not concrete ones but wooden planks and they were really steep. The rocking boat created an imbalance which added to the level of difficulty of the climb. In this adventure of obstacles, our self-confidence was challenged and our belongings were a burden.

We ascended the climb with great precision and team effort. No meetings. No discussions. No shouting orders. Just a spirit of unspoken mutual understanding and quiet resolve. First, he freed himself of burdens and carefully crawled his way up. On reaching the top of the stairs, some bags were passed to him. Next, the girls gingerly climbed and made their way up with some soft pushes and hard pulls. Finally, it was my turn and my concern was to ensure my legs were long enough to make the jump. And we all made it, though not without effort.

Life is always a struggle too. This world is not our home we are just a passing through. We are reminded that we are pilgrims called to a permanent residence in heaven and it is always wise to travel light.

It was time to say goodbye to the good old days. Okay it's only 3 days but it was enough to make the heart grow mushy and tender to reminiscing and the atmosphere greyer, more solemn and sombre.   Images bloomed; of Blackie, the black gentle and adorable Doberman, the simple hut with just 4 single beds and a makeshift bathroom, the quiet beaches. Memories blossomed in quick succession; of us snorkeling, lapping up hearty meals (thumbs up for the hosts who carefully selected dishes and served the same seafood in a variety of ways), feasting on the king of fruits, soaking up the breeze, lazing around, catching winks, counting stars, drooling on sunset, keeping up close and sharing personal stories. The good old times.

As the boat sped away, my heart tingled with fond memories and my eyes were fixated on the ripples of waves created by the motor. As I trailed my eyes away from the ruffles of the water, the view of the jetty gradually diminished and slowly faded out. Then, I saw the horizon where the sea met the sky. The vastness of the ocean. The flimsiness of our boat. The magnitude of our problems. The fragility of our existence.

Imagination ran wild as my mind recalled the distinct images of Revelation 13:1 “the dragon stood on the shore and the beast coming out of the sea”. This is the End Time scene portraying the battle of evil forces against God where figuratively, the dragon and the beast are the henchmen of Satan.

Would this happen now? Anxiety is an understatement. Fear is the word. It seeped through my bones when overwhelmed by the smallness of the boat, the overpowering strength of the waves, the deep darkness of the mysterious sea and the possible appearance of the beast and dragon any time soon.  I quietly called upon the Lord for inner peace to calm my soul as He did for the disciples when they faced an impending storm of their lives. And He did and all is well.

 

Alexjoshua 11 Aug 2009