Sharing of Thought in Mothers' Day

Proverb 31: 10-31, a very familiar passage to all of us which talks about a wife and mother who has multiple roles to fulfill. The difference between many of today's moms and Proverb 31’s mother is that she does her roles in total perfection. Many of us find this woman to be too idealistic to be a practical example.

She is a wife (v10), home maker (v27), real estate investor (v16), vineyard owner (v16), trader (v18), philanthropist (v20), garment trader (v24) and mother.

I went through this text over and over again and tried to understand her success story. I finally found the key verse which we often overlook.

2nd half of V25 in NIV Bible says “She can laugh at the days to come”

RSV reads “She laughs at the time to come”.

The Good News Bible says “She is not afraid of the future”.

I like the Chinese translation “She would laugh with joy when she thinks of the future”. I think this Proverb 31’s Mother has the wisdom to discover this secret.

1. There is no need or no benefit to dwell too much over the past. Past is past. Its over. There is nothing you can do to change it.

2. But tomorrow presents an opportunity. There is opportunity to start afresh. There is opportunity not to repeat what’s considered wrong or unacceptable. There is opportunity to repair broken relationship. I think this is the key factor why Proverb 31’s mother laughs at the days to come.

3. Laughing in anticipation of the future is also a demonstration of faith in the providence of God. It’s like what the Psalmist says in Psalm 23, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me, all the days of my life”. This is truly a demonstration of faith in the providence of God for all the days to come even in the presence of trials and tribulation.

4. I think she laughs because she has full confidence that she could find rest in God. With all the stresses, she learns to cast all her worries onto God. We have to learn to stop daily from the hectic schedule to spend a few moments with the Lord.

I like the words of wisdom from the Serenity Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. He said, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference”.

The courage to change is something we can all do in the days to come. That’s why we can and should smile in anticipation of tomorrow.

For those of us who are hindered to move forward because of the past. We should be reminded not to be stressed over things of the past because they no longer can be changed but rather to have courage to face tomorrow because tomorrow presents unlimited opportunity of change for improvement and for the better.

Time is in Short Supply

I can hardly believe how much time has passed since my last blog entry on 25 April. So many things have happened in between.

From 29 April to 1 May, I made a short trip to Singapore to visit Serene and Meng How. It turned out to be both fun and eye-opening, especially when we spent time at the Settler’s Café. The food was excellent, and to my delight, I discovered that Meng How himself is one of the chefs there. He told me that preparing those dishes had become second nature - “a breeze,” as he put it - after practicing them a few times. Seeing him so confident in his craft was truly impressive.

I always enjoy my visits to Singapore. The city-state never fails to impress me with its efficiency and modernity. It has become almost a fully cashless society, something I deeply appreciate as an engineer who values innovation that makes life more convenient and seamless. The streets are remarkably clean - hardly a piece of litter in sight - and the people generally come across as polite and orderly, at least outwardly.

While I was there, a few questions did cross my mind. Can people’s attitudes really be changed through courtesy campaigns and education alone? Or is it stricter enforcement of the rule of law that brings about quicker and more lasting change? In Singapore, the latter seems to have worked remarkably well - or at least, that’s how I perceive it.

After Singapore, from 2 to 3 May, I was in Kuala Lumpur to meet my wife’s family members. Hee Chuan, her second brother, and his family have recently moved into a beautiful double-storey bungalow. It was heartwarming to see how well they’ve settled in. And young Thaw Thaw, their eldest daughter is now driving with her “P” licence - how time flies!

One memorable moment came when my niece, Lyanna came over to my wife. She took her aside and said, “Aunty, I’ve finally found a man just like Uncle Alfred, who will love me for the next twenty years!” When my wife later recounted this to me, I couldn’t help but chuckle. My first thought was, “Why twenty years? Isn’t it supposed to be ‘till death do us part’?” But I suppose this makes sense - Lyanna is not a Christian yet, and her words reflect her own way of understanding love and commitment.

We stayed at Lyanna’s place and had a truly wonderful time with her. She welcomed us wholeheartedly and made us feel completely at home. In fact, she even assured us that her doors would always be open whenever we visit again in the future - a gesture that touched us deeply.

In my heart, I sincerely pray that if she eventually chooses to marry this man, he will prove himself to be a kind, faithful, and loving husband, one who will cherish her and stand by her through life’s journey.