CG 2024 Christmas Celebration

For the third year, we hosted the CG Christmas Pot-Bless Lunch Celebration at our home. The first was held in 2019 which was participated by 30 people (Read here). No Christmas celebration was held in the next two years because of Covid pandemic. In 2022, we flew to WA and spent our Christmas there, hence no Christmas celebration was held in our home that year (Read here). Last year, another Christmas Celebration was organized at our home which was attended by 19 people (Read here).

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As the host, I was asked to say a few words for this occasion. In the Christmas celebration last year held on 15.12.2023 (Read here), I shared my blog written after our CG Christmas Celebration held in early December 2019 (Read here).

This year, I read another blog written just a day before the celebration (Read here).

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Part of the program was devoted to celebrating the birthdays of "old boys" and "old girls" born in the months of October, November and December. Celebrating birthdays en masse has been on-going for a number of times. We had one after a morning run in August last year (Read here). The most recent celebration was held on 07.09.2024 for members born in the months from July to September after a regular fortnightly gathering (Read here).

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The highlight of the gathering is eating and enjoying the different dishes prepared by members of the group.

After such happy time, it is normal to look forward to another chance of meeting up again for similar celebration in the days yet to come. Just before this gathering, 26 had signed up for the event. But a day before, a senior couple informed that they would not be able to join because of having contracted Covid while another senior was down with vertigo problem! For some of us, we realize that it will be increasingly more challenging to meet up as age is catching up fast!

2024 Year End Reflection

Time seems to fleet pass exceedingly fast when one reaches age 70. Before you know it, year 2024 is coming to an end. As usual, it's time to count the blessings before moving on to year 2025, God willing!

This year, two high school classmates and two Uni College Christian Fellowship friends had moved on to eternity. Just a couple of days ago on 07.12.2024, I received news of another Uni College Christian Fellowship friend who has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is in the process of seeking treatment. 

In the international level, well-known Taiwanese writer, Chiung Yao, another well known Chinese song writer and singer, Liu Jia Chang and the English actress, Maggie Smith who acted as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter film too had moved on for good. 

This is sad news but is also a reminder that the finality of the cycle of life is ever more closer!

But there are plus side in these fading years - It is the bond between the immediate family members, between us as parents and our children and between us as grandparents and our grandchildren. I am pleased that my children are doing well and equally, the four grandchildren are growing in age and maturity. 

At this stage of our lives, it is our close friends who can offer empathy and emotional validation especially during challenging time. Among us, we have mutual understanding based on shared interests and life experiences.

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In my recent trip to Singapore, I was greatly encouraged by Livvie, my granddaughter's rapid advances in her intellect and maturity. Just over seven years old, she was able to lead us all the way from home to the nearest bus stop, took the correct bus, stopped at the correct destination bus stop and then walked to the shopping mall where we were supposed to go.

Livvie was awarded bronze medal for good character/behavior in her class.

My other granddaughter Maddie, the younger sister of Livvie is a buddle of joy. She is no longer a mere follower but a tough little fellow who increasingly has a mind of her own. Occasionally, she becomes an irritant to the older sister!

Maddie was selected to speak on behalf of her Kindy class to
welcome parents who came for the year-end school concert.

Another surprise is my other granddaughter, Grace in Australia. Recently, she campaigned hard in her school to be elected as the Captain of her Sport Team. With her unyielding spirit, she won. She turns out to be a sport girl, a good runner and long jumper. She won first place in the 100m race in the inter-school sport in WA - a major achievement for a Year 5 (Primary 5) girl!

My only grandson, Nathan is doing well in his Year 8 (Form 2) in his college. Besides his tight school routine, he is also into music (guitar playing) and taekwondo lesson. His ability to manage such heavy work load and do well is truly amazing! 

Nathan's mom called them the Four Musketeers.

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These days in the WhatsApp chats, we received a lot of short videos of numerous guru's teaching us how to live our lives - They talk about heathy living, do regular exercises, be more forgiving and be more generous, having regular meet-up with friends. The list goes on. These are all positive things for seniors to pursue and to adopt.

To me, two things are paramount - good health and sharp mind. If you have good health but with failed memory, you are living in a strange world that is "unfamiliar" to you. If you have sound mind but lack mobility, it's equally depressing! Even Apostle John in his forward greeting in 3 John 1:2 says: "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well". Indeed, good health is paramount!

To keep us healthy, my wife and I still strive to cycle on a regular basis - at least once a week. Cycling is a sport we picked up in early April 2017 after attending a talk on the benefits of cycling in one of the Golden Joy Gatherings. We do realize that time is catching up and that long cycling route is becoming physically more demanding and tiring. We have since April this year switched to another additional exercise, i.e. regular walking in our housing estate. 

Talk on 06.04.2017

April 2017 - when we first started cycling under the tutorship of George Ng.

With advancing age and a gradual decline in instant memory, I recognize that it is increasingly more difficult to recap or recall Bible verses. But I am comforted by 1 John 3:18, "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and truth". While it is commendable that one is quick to recite Bible verses, but it is living out these verses that matters rather then pure words. Afterall, our "Christian uniform" is the outward daily living life style and actions that people are able to see.

Still, it is important to continue keeping a sharp mind. To achieve that,  I continue writing blogs which I started in February 2005 after being encouraged by my daughter, Serene. Now, after almost 20 years, I managed to have written 1,046 blogs, that's an average of one per week. In these blogs, I keep records of my travels; times spent with my family both in Malaysia and overseas, with my grandchildren and friends and also about people who have impacted my life. Writing blogs is also a good way to store memorable photographs taken over the years. Once uploaded, there is no fear of loss or misplacement of these pictorial records. They are easily accessible just with a tap of the finger on the handphone or the mouse on the laptop!

I was glad that I took up the challenge of reading the whole New Testaments and Psalm within the 40-day period prior to Malaysia Day on 16.09.2024. I believe those who took up the challenge in the CG have equally been blessed. Taking up such similar challenge occasionally is a beneficial way to maintain personal discipline. 

To me, we should never stop learning. The recent introduction of paperless parking system enforced by the local authority did cause some difficulties and even opposition among some people particularly the seniors. But progress and new way of doing thing are inevitable. Therefore, learning new things and making adjustment is part and parcel of living. 

In the world stage, peace is so much lacking in 2024. I recall the message of the angels who appeared to the shepherds during the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem recorded in Luke 2:14 - "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests". Again, in the greeting of Jesus to his disciples after his resurrection in John 20:19, "On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the door locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!". 

Peace indeed is a crucial message of the Salvation of Christ. Looking forward to 2025, my hope is that peace will finally come to Gaza, West Bank, Ukraine and Sudan. Too many innocent lives have been lost. Less than a week ago on 08.12.2024, Assad Regime in Syria collapsed. I can't say whether this is good news or bad news. Many Arab countries have changed governments in the past but peace has yet to descend upon these nations. In the personal level, I pray that we will be at peace with ourselves and with the people around us both far and near!

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas! May the peace and favour of God be upon all of us!

Bonding Time in Singapore

A friend commented after seeing our photo posted in Istagram with our two granddaughters in Singapore - "Happy bonding time!".

Indeed, we had a great time bonding with these two granddaughters whom we last saw in March 2024 when they came to KK to spend a short holiday (Read here). For the first time, we stayed and spent 3N4D with them in their house.

Their feeling of this particular bonding time is summed up in the message we received from their mom after we came back to KK. The short message is both heart warming and causes wetness in our eyes: "Livvie and Maddie said the pillows in their bedroom smell like gong gong (closer to the door) and po po (closer to the wall) which is so wonderful because they can always smell them and dream that gg and pp are still sleeping in bed with them". 

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With our children now grown-up, we are also emptying the stockpile of old toys once loved by our children. In this recent trip, we brought along the lego toys to the home of Livvie and Maddie. 

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Christmas 2024 is just round the corner. We helped preparing for the decoration for this annual happy occasion.

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We had an update on the skill of Livvie in her cello lessons.

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An afternoon at the nearby playground.

Maddie met her classmate, Noah.

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Livvie is growing up fast. Our trip to a local shopping complex and back was led all the way by Livvie - from the house to the nearest bus stop, taking the correct bus, stopping at the destination bus stop and then walking to their favourite eating outlet at the shopping mall - Genki Sushi.

It turned out that the waiting time to be seated was rather long. It was first indicated as 15 minutes and 10 minutes later, it was changed to 30 minutes. We proposed to Livvie to change to another eating place. She responded, "We love the place, it's worth the wait!".

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We too had meal time with their dad Sam, Uncle Paul and Auntie Junshi.

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Just before we ended our time with them, Livvie and Maddie insisted to draw pictures for us as the parting gift.

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I recall the time we spent with Nathan and Grace when they were of similar age of Livvie and Maddie nine years ago in November 2015 (Read here). Not all were given the privilege to be grandparents and to enjoy the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren. For this, we count ourselves blessed!

In the tapestry of life's gentle weave,

Grandparents and grandchildren never grieve.

For bound by threads of love so pure,

Their bond is one that will endure.

A grandchild's laughter, light and free,

Is music to hearts as old as the sea.

And a grandparent's wisdom, calm and deep,

Is a treasure the young will always keep.

Hand in hand through gardens they roam,

Finding in each other a second home.

With every hug, a world they mend,

A timeless love that knows no end.

Through whispered stories, lessons take flight,

Guiding young hearts in the darkest night.

While tiny hands cling with such might,

To aged ones worn but full of light.

Oh, what magic this bond does hold,

Bridging the gap between young and old.

A circle of love, complete and true,

Grandparents and grandchildren, me and you.

(Author - Unknown)