Keep your eyes open ...

I just came back from a prayer meeting, where a Briton named Ruth shared the funniest story I had ever heard with regards to people praying for one another. With a straight face, she said something like this:

When praying, keep your eyes open because you never know what might happen to the person you are praying for if you keep your eyes closed. Back in England, there was a man who prayed with his eyes closed. The woman, who was being prayed for, was overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit and fell to the ground.

Not realizing what had happened, the man continued to pray with his eyes closed. He didn't know the woman had fallen backwards and down to the ground, as his hands still seemed to have a grip of the woman's hair ... except it wasn't her hair really ... it was her wig!!!

With sudden revelation of what had happened, he scrambled to fix her wig back on her head. Embarrassed and in haste, he fixed the wig back on her head, except with the back to the front.

When the woman opened her eyes, she screamed because she thought she had gone blind!!!!

Now, how funny is that?!! Moral of the story - there is absolutely nothing spiritual about closing your eyes when you pray for another. If may help to concentrate, but in this case, it would be wiser to keep one's eyes opened.

In fact, I shall remember to keep my eyes open when praying for others. It's also good to observe your surroundings in case humor strikes!!!!

New Friends, A New Dream

Scuba diving trips are a great way to meet new friends! At my recent trip to Sipadan-Mabul Resort, I met 13 other divers. All are funny, comical, capable and friendly folks from PJ, KL, Singapore and even as far down as Australia.

From bankers (three of them altogether) to a lawyer, an engineer, an IT consultant, event managers, salesmen, marketers, public relations specialist to entrepreneurs, we all had one thing in common - the passion to dive, dive and dive!

With the vast talents, skills and expertise in our midst, it was suggested that perhaps, we should all come together again in the future and endeavor to open a dive center ...

After all, we are a multi-talented group - a dive instructor, advance open water divers (who will eventually become dive masters, I reckon!) and open water divers. We also had budding videographers and underwater photographers.

I realize that living life not only means living in THE PRESENT and seizing opportunities as they come along, but it also means being able to dream BIG dreams. Dreams that seem impossible for now, but possible when we serve a big GOD. A GOD with whom ALL things are possible.

So, I have begun to dream again ...

In time, I see myself having dominion over an island that has naturally rich soils for vegetation, clear blue waters surrounding it, colorful corals and a varied but friendly marine life! An island of peoples that allows me to bask daily in the fresh ocean atmosphere, snorkel, scuba dive and enjoy good food. I will also master underwater photography and author books.

There will be a dive center with world-class dive instructors, divemasters. dive equipment, and that latest dive boats. We will also produce great merchandize for tourists, who will come from all over the world to enjoy the beauty of this island and all that we have to offer.

All peoples will experience the peace and simplicity that island life can offer and find happiness and joy in their daily living.

Of Diving & Barracudas

Absolutely loved the Sipadan-Mabul islands - a diver's paradise, where I spent 5 days and 4 nights this past week. Being away from the polluted city life and taking in bouts of salty sea air by idyllic Mabul island did wonders for me. Life now seems fuller and brighter ... it must have been the continuous inhalation of nitrogen during my 10 dives!

Of the group of 17 divers, I knew only three of them - my dive buddy Anna, church friend Tammy, and a motoring treasure hunt acquaintance Joan.

There's so much I could write about, all of which would take weeks, perhaps months, to compile. Bits and pieces of memories are still with each of the divers.

But there were a couple of "breathtaking" moments that "made" the dive trip so much more memorable.

23 March 2007, 6 am dive @ Sipadan

The sun had yet to rise that morning. The view underwater was rather daunting. It was the dark, deep blue sea on my left and a huge coral wall (that stretched 600 meters down) on my right.

As we descended, we "bumped" into a school of giant bumphead parrot fish (pun intended!). Drifting with the mild current on our way to the famous Barracuda Point, we saw white-tip and gray reef sharks go by with occasional silhouette sightings of turtles and giant triggerfishes.

Towards the end of our 45-minute dive and hovering at 15-20 meters, divemaster Mika started banging her tank. The tank banging got louder and louder. Each diver hung onto rocks, in anticipation of the rush of "barracuda" traffic.

Photo by charleslwy88, webshot

In a matter of seconds, hundreds of silver, tornado-like barracudas whizzed by the busy ocean highway, all moving in one direction, while the strong currents swept corals, small fishes and possibly divers in the other. I grabbed whatever I could get my hands on in order not to be swept away. Others hung on for dear life. Many were breathing really hard and almost emptied their air tanks.

... which brings me to the second most memorable moment of this trip. A "breathtaking" experience for my friend Tammy, and certainly one that my dive buddy will remember for the rest of her life!

I realize that this may not be appropriate for me to blog about from a bystander's point of view, but you can certainly get the scoop from Tammy's blog :-)

Tiny T(h)ots!

Life has taken an interesting turn. I never used to like kids for various reasons:
1. I didn't know how to get along with them
2. I was too busy growing up and pursuing my career.

But miracles do happen along the way, as we grow up and live life. Of late, I have noticed a different side of me that I never knew existed. The few times I have had a chance to relax and just hang out with friends, I have been surrounded by kids. What surprised me was I actually enjoyed hanging out with all of them and I must admit, I especially love these tiny tots!!!

Here's baby Jeevan four weeks after touching down in Malaysia. He has put on weight. He looks more and more like his dad and smiles a lot when surrounded by his cousins and mom's friends.

He is also a very curious baby. Always checking out his surroundings, so much so that he would get distracted and refuse to sleep no matter how tired he was.

He has two gorgeous cousins - Ayesha and Kyren.

Ayesha loves to dress up in pretty dresses and high heels. Her favorite color seems to be pink. She's bright, loving and quite a little lady. She was recently fascinated with the idea of breastfeeding and has enjoyed playing "mom" and "feeding baby." (Oh! And kids being kids, the "baby" feeds from "mom's" elbow ... go figure ... lol)

Baby's other cousin is Kyren, who loves cars, trucks, and anything with wheels. He never seems to tire of watching the cartoon titled "Cars." Infact, I too enjoyed watching "Cars" with him. I was fascinated by the talking porsche and lamborghini!

When Kyren is behind the wheels, you know he's in his element - beaming with cheekiness and oh ... just having a blast!

Kyren is also musically inclined and loves mimicking the hand movements of the drummer during Sunday worship. He has such a great personality coupled with his cheeky ways. He is most likely one who would pray ... Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen. And God the Father would have a good laugh from above!

Both he and his sister Ayesha are such a joy. They are also compassionate kids and I can almost imagine them in this scenario:

A father was at the beach with his children when the two-year-old son ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore where a seagull lay dead in the sand. "Daddy, what happened to him?" the son asked. "He died and went to Heaven," the Dad replied. The boy thought a moment and then said, "Did God throw him back down?"

After six full weeks, it was finally time for baby Jeevan to head home to wintery Chicago. Here he is waiting for mom to say all her goodbyes. He's got this mischievious "taukeh" look and might have been praying ... Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am.

Here's to celebrating children - the little miracles that God has given us. Through them we observe the simplicity of child-like faith, the joys of parenting or of grown ups around little humans.

A Quiet Revolution of Hope

Photo by Janelle

"The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,

which shines ever brigther until the full light of day" (Proverbs 4:18).

I began this blog with this description of myself - one "who embraces God's gift of life -to eat, drink and make the most of my job and whatever else wonderful that comes my way." While this attitude towards life remains true, dialogues at "Friends in Conversation: A Quiet Revolution of Hope" recently made me think about greater issues than myself.

I've not had so much "food for thought" in awhile. What caught my attention, quite dramatically, was the small group discussion in which I participated late Saturday afternoon. The day sessions comprised plenary and panel discussions on the topics of "Gospel" and "Church." It would, at that point, have been easier to go into small groups that were discussing the Gospel or the Church.

The one I ended being part of was to discuss the "World." Now, why did I sign up for this? I don't remember why actually, except that I must have thought it was a session that would tell me what God was doing on a large scale and around the world. As a Christian, I believe it is good to be in touch with "the waves" that God's creating around the world. Knowledge helps shape our thoughts, attitudes, behaviors and actions.

I was reminded of God's job description for man in the book of Genesis (1:25-28). God spoke:

Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth. God created human beings, he created them godlike, reflecting God's nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take Charge! Be responsible for the fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of the earth.

These verses are not new to me. I have read them many times over and agree with it. But the realization of what it really means and what my response should be only "hit home" during the discussion on "World."

Deliberating about the "World" means we, as believers of God, not only need to know what God says about our roles and responsibilities as human beings inhabiting the earth, it also demands a response - whether we will obey and be good stewards of what he has entrusted us with or disobey and be part of the human race that knowingly exploits the resources of this earth and expedite the destruction of our environment.

Remember the tsunami in 2004, the earthquakes in Yogyakarta, the floods in Johor, and more ... somehow I don't remember having heard so much about natural disasters within our nation and region until recent years.

I don't profess to know everything about the environment and how to live responsibly. What I do know is that since the launch of the Climate Crisis campaign and the release of the documentary "Inconvenient Truth," our ability to live is what is at stake because we have consumed more than we should and have not taken measures to replenish the earth.

Somehow, I cannot help but wonder if we have been faithful to the original mandate that God gave to humankind, and that is to be fruitful and multiply. To fill the earth and govern it. To reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, and the animals that scurry along the ground.

I am compelled to take my little steps toward contributing to a bigger picture of stewarding the resources - the earth and all that is in it - that God has given us to dominate and rule responsibly.

This issue seems overwhelming and beyond what I can do on my own. But I could start by paying more attention to the materials presented on this case, i.e., go see the documentary titled "Inconvenient Truth" when it hits our cinemas mid-March. I could balance my diving trips with those that seek to clean and preserve the beauty in the marine world. I could learn to eat less fish, beef or chicken ... oh, but I do LOVE fish ... and I LOVE the occasional steak or the chicken rice from the coffee shop just down the road from my house ... now, I know why it's called an "Inconvenient Truth."

"The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine." There is yet hope for those who pick up the courage to take the first step!

Busy as a bee, experiencing miracles in life

Photo by Janelle

Life seems to have swooshed right past me this week. If life was at such a pace 24-7, I reckon I would be nearing or past a thousand years old by now. So many experiences, but so little time to capture everything meaningful.

I feel as if several weeks had past rather than just one week since the powerful message I received during Sunday church service. The key thought that I remember so well was about the supernatural becoming natural in the life of a believer, a follower of Christ.

Perhaps life this past week has been a miracle in itself - having accomplished so much in just a mere 7 days! From the hustle and bustle at work to spending time with former secondary school mates to playing with babies and toddlers to participating in "A Quiet Revolution of Hope." The latter is another story altogether, which I will not blog about at this time.

But the truly significant moment in my life this past week has been in the encouragement that came from remembering the powerful, awesome moments when I sensed the workings of the supernatural in my life. My faith was built up as a result of remembering God's miracles.

More than 10 years ago, while I was an undergraduate student in the United States, I shared with three others a small townhouse called College Station. It was Thanksgiving weekend and my housemates all went home. I didn't mind the quietness of the university town called Harrisonburg, as my best friend Kash was visiting.

We did the usual girl thing - we hung out together. We probably walked the quiet malls, ate at my favourite restaurants, and caught up on all the latest gossips and greatest happenings in our lives.

On the last day before Kash departed for home (Taylor's University, Indiana), we got back from what must have been a long day. Tired out, we dropped our bags in my small room. I went downstairs to the kichenette and attempted to cook dinner. Kash remained in the room to pack. Soon after, Kash decides to join me downstairs. She came out of the room and locked the door behind her without realizing that all my keys were in the room.

Locked out, we panicked. All imaginable McGyver methods of unlocking the door were attempted from the use of hair clips to safety pins to tugging at the doorknob. Nothing worked. I remembered calling up the locksmith and was told that it would cost USD60 and more to get the door unlock after 6 pm on a public holiday.

Refusing to spend the money, Kash and I resolved to the only thing we knew to do. We laid our hands on the doorknob and prayed for God to work a miracle in our situation. We said, "In Jesus name, door be opened!" and mumbled a whole lot of other charismatic-type prayers. Nothing happened.

That evening, dinner was a disaster. The curry was tasteless and the noodles were stringy. Few words were exchanged. Our minds raced with thoughts from how we were going to get into the room to how we could possibly sleep through the cold winter's night outside my room and finally to how Kash was going to catch her ride home the next day!

After dinner, Kash went upstairs to use the bathroom, while I washed up. Before long, I heard her calling me. I asked, "Why?" I think she said, "Just come up!"

When I got upstairs, Kash stood outside the bathroom gesturing towards my room. My gaze feel upon the door - opened! The hairs at the back of my neck stood, as Kash described the miracle ...

She had come out of the bathroom and was about to go downstairs when a still, small voice told her to approach the door. As soon as she reached for the doorknob, and before she could comprehend what was happening, the doorknob turned and the door was ajar.

Awe-struck and overwhelmed by the supernatural, I remembered sensing the presence of angels. We knelt down and worshipped God for lack of a more brilliant response.

More than a decade later, I am reminded once again of the power of the Holy Spirit at work through the lives of believers outside the church walls. When we walk by faith in God and obey his biddings in our lives, we move into a whole new realm - what felt like "heaven on earth" back then can still be experienced today.

Miracles are a manifestation of the Kingdom of God on earth. And what of our response? To turn away from the old mindset and embrace the new life that is waiting to be explored. Let thy kingdom come, let thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Many miracles have since been experienced. Kash and her newborn miracle were just here in Malaysia.

Kash, if by chance you are reading this, do leave a comment or two on what you remember and make of this supernatural incident in your life.