Its really been one festival after another from Hari Raya, Deepavali, Christmas, and now Chinese New Year is here and will soon be gone... its been one makan after another... disastrous on the waist line for sure!! We had a breezy fast drive balik kampung on the eve itself, making the trip in 4 hrs flat, but the return on the 2nd day was a torture for me driving, it was stop, go, stop, go with all the cars on the road heading back to the big city for work...
Alor Setar was hot, hot, hot with not a single drop of rain. CNY eve was a surprise, for we were invited to a 'family' get together at a local hotel... we had expected just the immediate family, but found ourselves seated amongst 25 other tables of relatives we had never seen before...from my eldest bro-in-law's side of 4 generations.. don't ask me who's who from where... i don't remember!! And they are talking of organizing a bigger one next year!!
We bumped at my 2nd sis' place this time, since she had room to spare. Her govt. low-cost 1 storey terrace house had been cleared of all idols since my youngest niece became a Christian and the Chinese altar in front mysteriously caught fire by itself one day.. my sis had the insight to tell me she tinks the idols will not be 'comfortable' with this Christian God and therefore she agreed to the removal; tho she herself hasn't committed to receive Jesus yet. I am thankful that at least she and my eldest sister come to church for that one time in a year... to 'give face' to my brother the preacher-man. This year, he was really preaching at the Alor Setar church; a message in keeping with the time, he talked of new clothes for the new year; of how God stands ready to clothe us with precious garments of salvation and His very own robe of righteousness in Jesus Christ, if only we would discard our own clothes of self justification and recognize that it is by grace that we are saved, not of ourselves or of our works, so that none can boast before God.. i was desperately praying God, touch my sisters' hearts today, today, draw them into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but it wasn't the time, I guess. Tho they listened with their ears, tho they came up for prayer, but they didn't want to commit yet...i cannot understand why anyone would not want to receive God's love and salvation, my heart is grieved but i guess that's the amazing nature of God, that He would allow us the freedom to choose to reject Him, so that when we commit, it is really out of love and not compulsion, that we come to Jesus becoz we want to really,really, for no other reason than we believe He is who He says He is, the great I AM, who alone is able to save. So i guess i gotta pray some more and love some more...I can only stand on His promise that when one is saved, the entire family shall be saved one day in His good and perfect time....
... now we are back in KL... my eldest already started work. Praise God she is settling well in her new place at Jobstreet. God is truly showing her favor; in the midst of recession and cutting back jobs, within a month, she had some 5 job offers. She starts the new year with a new job, new car, an expensive lap top and a boss who happens to be my cell member, her short story is going to be published this Feb 10 by MPH in an antology called Urban Oddysey..... such is the provision of a God whose plans are always to prosper and never to harm us...my no. 2 princess finished her 1st year semester with excellent top grades; she's earning money from her on-line fashion review blog at diaryofane-shopaholic...my son moved up a notch from bottom to 2nd from the bottom of the class ...and i guess he's right when he reminds me hey, that's an improvement, besides he's already in the best class mah... hai... the indefagtible logic of youths!
And so... to God be the glory for all things going well in my family..in the midst of so many things going wrong...in society, in the world about us; the Bible says it clearly, the days are short and evil; worse things are in store for this earth. Yet it is in the darkest of shadows that light shines brightest, and dispels it. It is when we are down in the deepest valleys that our eyes can look up to the highest mountains with hope that there is a new dawn coming over the horizon...
the dawning of every new day when the Son of Righteousness shines His light into the darkened hearts of men to lead them out into everlasting life. For such is the God of mercy and compassion who wishes none to perish but all to come to repentance and eternal life in Christ Jesus... we don't need to wait for new years to come around once in 365 days..... every day is a new beginning, if we choose to open our hearts' doors to let His light in...for Jesus said, " I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.." John 8:12
xxxxxfor more CNY pix, check out http://picasaweb.google.com/laisaikhoon xxxx
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