The almond flowers

The almond flower is special to me. Why so, some of you may ask? To many of you, the almond is just a pretty flower. Not so to me.

You see, the almond tree is the first to wake from winter's deep slumber.It is the first tree to blossom in spring. It blossoms while other trees are still bare and devoid of leaves and blooms. One of the prettiest sights I have seen is the almond tree, almost completely adorned in flowers with a few sprigs of green leaves. In fact often there are more flowers than there are leaves which is not the usual scenario for most trees.

I have seen the almond tree in blossom even against winter's snow. To me the almond flower represents God's readiness to perform His word in my life and to execute every promise He has made.      In Jeremiah 1: 11, The LORD asked me, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" I answered, "A branch of an  tree." "You are right," the LORD said, "and I am watching to see that my words come true."  The tree in the conversation between Jeremiah and the Lord is the almond tree. As ready as the almond tree is to bloom even right after winter, that is how ready God is to perform the promises He has made to us. That gives me hope even in winter's gloom that God is waiting for me to pray for He awaits me, ready to answer my prayer.


I have several fond memories of how God awaits me - that long before I pray, He has prepared the scenario to answer my prayer. In Him I live and move and have my being.

One fond memory is of an encounter with Don Moen, that famous Hosanna integrity singer. There was a time many years ago, Don Moen visited Malaysia. And that night, I sat in the MCA concert hall almost at the last few rows to attend the worship concert. He was so far away that I could hardly see his face. But the next morning saw me at a song and music workshop where he was like, maybe 6 feet away from my seat. Right after the workshop ended, the people crowded round him to request for photos with him. I too wanted a photo with him since he was so near. But I had not brought any camera nor did I know anyone in the crowd. Hardly had I even begin to reflect on how nice it would be if I could get a photo with him, I heard a voice calling me from the front. "Teacher,!!Go stand next to him and I take a photo for you"  One of my ex- students had seen me in the crowd and being younger and more techno savvy ( at this time many years back - I confess I was not at all techno savvy and did not carry a camera with me anywhere) quickly saw the rare chance for me to get a photo with Don Moen.

I had always wondered in my heart and also aloud to God. Did I pray first or you prepared the answer to my prayer long even before I thought to pray? I remained very convinced after many such encounters with God that He has heard my cries long and prepared the answers long before the prayers have even arisen in my heart and on my mouth.

Another such encounter was when I needed to make a decision to accept my promotion letter from a regular non portfolio teacher to the post of Penolong Kanan Tadbir and Curriculum some 6 years ago. Believe me, I was not so interested in the offer!

I had just come back from Singapore from a conference in early December on a Friday and the minute I crossed the causeway, my phone rang non stop. Badariah, one of my beloved teachers informed me we had to prepare the students  for a presentation with Dr. Craig Barret, the then Intel CEO and other education officials in Putrjaya  that immediate Monday. All the way from Johor to KL,my phone was peppered with calls as we prepared the  teachers and students via the phone line. When the presentation was over on Monday,  I prepared myself for some highly needed rest.

Two days later, on Wednesday, I recieved a strange call from my school clerk questioning me why I had asked for transfer to another school. I assured her I had not asked for any transfer and probrably there was some mistakes with the ministry.She insisted I come back to school to look at the letter and when I did, I was quite bewildered by it! I was to report to SMK Seksyen 5, Wangsa Maju the next week. Huh??

I put two and two together and decided that I would have to see Datuk Noor Rezan, the then Director of Education for KL to understand what was happening. She told me she wanted me to assume the PK1 post and she had done it ( without consulting me) knowing I was not willing to move anywhere from my beloved SMK Padang Tembak on my own accord. I was still in shock as I disliked very much adminstrative work which I found to be extremely boring and very stifling. I asked for a week to think over the offer.

Strange what comes to our minds and heart when we set aside time to reflect on what God have to say to us during crisis and decision making times. Some words spoke by Vernon Falls almost 20 years ago came to mind. He had said to me back then when Sue Jan was a new born that " God will put you into adminstration" I had always dismissed those words because I thought the dull adminstrative work was in MAJOR CONFLICT with my creative and spontaneous nature. Why on earth should I remember these words now? These words were not what I wanted to hear then.

Another thing that came to my mind was Ms Seah Jiak Choo's words at the Singapore's conference. Ms Seah, the then DG Education of Singapore (at 57 years of age)was and still  is an avid marathon runner and a mountain climber.

All her messages in that conference had been geared either on marathon running or mountain climbing save for the very last message which was on fishing. And she had ended her final address by saying " Some of you will be called to launch out into the deep soon after this conference - into areas you don't usually go to. Some of you will be called to become adminstrators" I thought these words were very very good but for other people like for example Hai Bee who was due to become a HM soon back then but personally for me, these words were not significant. "Oh God, why is it that in this time of reflection these words of Ms Seah comes to my memory. "You know the answer now. I recognized the words I recollect as that of God's spirit causing His chosen words to alight on me when I waited on Him.

Today after 5 years of answering that call as PK1 and almost one year as Pengetua, I looked back and know without a doubt, that God has prepared His answers for us long before we pray.