The Queens' birthdays

16th April 2011 marked the birthday of the Queen of Holland. There was a flower parade to mark this auspicious day in Holland.

We went to the town of Voorhout to catch the flower parade. The children of the town. See the two babies in their beautifully decorated pram pulled by their proud parents.

The parade was not limited by vehicle type or gender. Both boys and girls took part in the float parade. There were so many types of decorated vehicles - from baby prams to bicycles to tricycles.

These three typically Dutch boys - blond and handsome definitely caught my eye as they rode past in their decorated tricycle.

I found out that the Dutch loved to sing. This was our 2nd day in Holland and we encountered our 2nd Dutch choir. This one came complete with musical instruments, conductor and macho men dressed in red.

The fancy floats that came after the children were really fancy. Some of them were so fragrant with hycinths that the fragrance reached us before the float arrived. This year's floats were based on movie themes. We had Mama Mia, Song of Music, Phantom of the Opera and so many others.

We realized how special the day was when we found out it was also Christopher mum's birthday. Awesome - for her to have her birthday coincide with the birthday of the Queen of Holland and to have grand celebrations throughout Holland such as this flower parade and so awesome of God to orchestrate this coincidence.

Chris's mum Madam Tan See Feng is the undisputed queen of the kitchen! Period. She could whip up fantastic meals for breakfast and dinner. Even her meehoon kosong tasted wonderful because she brought along her own homemade bunga kantan paste and sambal paste to Holland. She brought along her wok and with it made us so many delicious scrumptious meals. We had bah kut teh, curry chicken, prawn noodles, mee suah, fried rice etc and clearly no lack of Malaysian food!

When we went to England, we were truly surprised by another Queen. See the picture on the day of the Queen of England's birthday. Queen Tan See Feng in St. James Park escorted by her prince, Chris Lum

The Queen of England celebrated her birthday on 21st April. Wow - a trip of 3 Queens' birthday. What is God trying to speak to us?

God speaks many things to me through this coinciddence of 3 Queen's birthdays. Many things yes but of one thing I am sure and certain. This Queen Tan See Feng needs to find her king. Join me and Chris and Serena to pray that Queen Tan See Feng will open her heart and find her King - King Jesus to complete her joy.

All kinds of everything reminds me of you.

I first learned this lovely song sung by Dana when I was a 13 year old in Form 1. The nostalgic song was written by Derry Lindsay & Jackie Smith. Lucia and the English department teachers in Sekolah Menengah Sains Selangor made me love the song even more when they taught it to their students during their creative English leassons there.

Snowdrops and daffodils, Butterflies and bees


Sailboats and fishermen, Things of the sea


Wishing-wellsWedding bells, Early morning dew


All kinds of everything remind me of you







Seagulls and aeroplanes, Things of the sky


Winds that go howlin', Breezes that sigh


City sightsNeon lights, Grey skies or blue


All kinds of everything remind me of you







Summer time Winter time Spring and autumn too


Monday Tuesday every dayI think of you.


Dances Romances Things of the night


Sunshine and holidays,Postcards to write


Budding trees Autumn leaves A snowflake or two


All kinds of everything remind me of you.







Summer time Winter time Spring and autumn too


Seasons will never change The way that I love you.


Dances Romances Things of the night


Sunshine and holidays Postcards to write


Budding trees Autumn leaves A snowflake or two


All kinds of everything remind me of you.


All kinds of everything remind me of you.
[. From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/d/dana-lyrics/all-kinds-of-everything-lyrics.html .]

Snowdrops and daffodils
butterflies and bees .

( Kensington Gardens)

Sailboats and fishermen
things of the sea

( We took the ferry from Volendam to Marken and saw all the sailboats lined for the boat race on April 17. What a feast for our eyes! And in Marken - that little island, we saw all the things of the sea )

Wishing-wells wedding bells
early morning dew All kinds of everything reminds me of you ( The timing was perfect! We were in London from April 19-22. London was being spruced up for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on the 29th April and we saw London in her glory being prepared for the wedding bells.)

Seagulls and aeroplanes
things of the sky
winds that go howlin'
breezes that sigh

( We had glorious spring weather! Clear blue skies and cool winds that made the flags in Windsor Castle fly proudly. We had favour - free entrance into Windsor Castle bcause it was Good Friday)
City sights , neon lights

The night scene of the clock tower near our apartment on Prince Hendriks Road

(

We had the good fortune to see Tower Bridge by day and by night. And we saw the bridge open to let a big ship pass through.

Grey skies or blue
all kinds of everything remind me of you

Summertime, wintertime
spring and autumn too
Monday, Tuesday every day
I think of you.
Dances, romances
things of the night
sunshine and holidays
postcards to write

( See how bright the sunshine is and the intensity of the dark shadows of the soldiers. We had the good fortune to witness the change of guards in Windsor Castle.)

Budding trees ,autumn leaves
a snowflake or two
all kinds of everything remind me of you.
Summertime
wintertime
spring and autumn too
seasons will never change
the way that I love you.

( I saw this lovely hawthorn tree bud in Kensington Gardens near the Royal Albert Hall)

Dances , romances
things of the night
sunshine and holidays
postcards to write
Budding trees autumn leaves
a snowflake or two
all kinds of everything remind me of you.
All kinds of everything remind me of you.

And finally what makes a great holiday? Family togetherness... We had Jason's 84 year old father, and his 80 year old mum who needed to be in her wheel chair, my 80 year old dad and Christopher 72 year mum who is a fantastic cook!

Thanks to Chris and Jason and Christie for the finances and planning involved in the trip. Thanks to Papa God who gave us glorious weather every day and perfect timing for the unplanned flower parade, the unplanned sailboats race, the unplanned Windsor trip and other unplanned by us but orchestrated by Him. The old people and the young people and me all tumpang happy. Haha!!!

The warmth of hugs

I hugged 3 ladies today - all at different times but the warmth of the hugs lingered in my memories and I felt the love of Christ reaching out through those hugs.

The first hug was quite early in the morning about 7.50 ish. She is one of my very dedicated teachers. I have seen her come to school even when she is sick and she had produced excellent results for the two subjects she taught at O levels. She came in to ask for my permission to go back early after completing her teaching duties as her son had been warded at the hospital for dengue for the past 4 days. Such dedication! People who are not in the teaching line and often see only the lazy teachers please realize that there are many many quiet dedicated teachers still. Even with her son warded for four days, only now does she ask for some help. Of course I said yes. Then I noticed something in her face. She was on the brink of tears. I asked her if she mind me hugging her. She welcomed me into her arms and we hugged. I asked if she would allow me to pray for her son. She said yes again. I prayed for his full recovery in Jesus name. She is not a Christian yet. Her tears flowed and mine flowed too. I feel good - God's love for people can be imparted through our hugs. Please pray with me for the full recovery of her son from dengue. If God can heal Saras from dengue and bring her back from the brink of death, God can heal anybody!

Case two. 10.30 ish. This particular staff had been reprimanded several times in the course of these 3 weeks by inspection officials from outside. Yesterday she was again reprimanded by 4 more officials and when I looked at the report written by them and asked her some questions, she left in a tantrum shouting loudly she wanted to resign. She left the office earlier than schedule and I let her be because I knew she had had a hard day. This morning before coming to school, I prayed that God would give me the wisdom to encounter her and also His shalom peace to rest on her. She is known by other staff for her volatile temper and literally nobody dares to reprimand her. This morning she appears calmer. I praise her for the two very obvious good qualities I see in her despite her volatile temper - she is very honest and she is highly efficient - meaning she can work through documents and settle payments very quickly. Then I take her through some of the reprimands written in black and white. She is still calm. Thank God! Thank God for His shalom peace upon her. Finally when I have finished and she rise to leave, I ask if I can hug her. She hugs me tightly and cries many tears and apologizes for her tantrum yesterday. The hug have brough reconcilation.

Lastly a hug of joy! I had an appointment with my orthopedic surgeon and popped in to see Siva, my fantastic physiotherapist! Siva has helped me through many bouts of issues with my hand immobility and pain. She works patiently with two patients - one a ex-boxer who has fractured his arm and has undergone an operation and is healing well. I think he still dreams of making it in the boxing ring - I can see the look in his eyes. Another patient - a lady about my age has the same issues with one shoulder - she had an accident and is learning to raise her hand. I encourage the two patients and reaffirm to them that Siva's treatment can do wonders for our arm's issues. Before I leave, we hugged one another and I feel the happiness flow. So ... ask someone today if they need a hug?? Hug and let the love flow out through you. Be an encourager.

Gratitude

Gratitude overflows from my heart. Gratefulness for so many things. I have been so busy and I owe you Papa God to praise for so many things. First, Mum is already discharged from the hospital. Initially I worry how she is going to the toilet etc given the pain she feels when she gets up from bed and from a sitting position. But God is gracious. My brother found an Indonesian maid to look after my mum during this period and she and the Cambodian maid help Mum get up and down from bed. Today I also saw her raise herself up from a lying down position to a sitting position all by herself. That is great progress! Mum smiles happily as she shows me her new feat today - she can flex her knee voluntarily. The scar with the 3 marks near her knee shows where 1 tranverse screw is placed right through the long metal plate. The scar has closed so nicely that if nobody mentions the operation, others not in the know may think it is just some scars from mosquito bites. The Tan family has bought quite a few things to help mum cope. Her square walker. Her wheelchair. Her toilet chair. My dad says mum is a good driver with her wheel chair and she is able to maneuver very well all round the room and to the balcony. She is coping well. She no longer need Pampers except for night when she uses for" just in case. " Dad is so grateful and thankful that Mum has recovered so well and has minimal complications that he pledged two computers to my school's computer lab. One computer in his name and one in Mum's name. That makes the total number of compluters pledged to be 9 units! Haha! Another thing that gave me much joy were the excellent results of both schools I was and am involved in- SMK Seksyen 5 and SMK Convent Sentul! In fact the night before the results were released, I had completely no anxiety. On my part for SMK Seksyen 5, I knew I had done my best and the diligent and competent teachers there had also done their part to prepare the students. For SMK Convent Sentul, I was equally confident because I knew the nature of the previous principal - Puan Phoon to be a woman of integrity who would have done all she needed to do without missing anything and she would have also motivated the teachers to work hard at preparing the students. What a lovely nite of sweet sleep knowing that hard work will definitely have just rewards. Convent Sentul did very well - 10 straight As students and the school has not only reached the SPM 2010 target but also attained the SPM 2011 target. So we will have to set our sights higher. Next morning - I am delighted at the news of the 21 straight A's students in Seksyen 5. Again this has broken all previous records. Bravo! Later as I study the list of cemerlang students, I laugh and grin that students I have chased to complete their homework etc and phoned their fathers right in front of them are now listed in the cemerlang list! Wow -some of the cemerlang kids were students we "kurung " for a whole week and did not allow into Form 5 until they settled their Form 4 debt- hutang of homework and school based assessment projects. I am delighted at the Physics results with a CGPA of 3.8 and a total haul of 56 distinctions. 5 Azam had a CGPA of 2.0 and especially my 5 Dynamic gave me great cause for joy with the 3 distinctions for Physics from Steffi, Gurmit and Ngiam Kee Jian. Haha!

See the picture of Seksyen 5 teachers excited as they scan the results of the students even as they separate the carbon from the original of the results.

The Bible Knowledge students in Tabernacle of David also makes me very happy. All 3 SPM candidates scored As! When we first started Bible Knowledge classes in 2007, it was with fear and trembling as BK was so very different from teaching Physics. Bravo Pastor Kim - without you - this would never have been! Kim has done 80% of the work in the BK classes ! Now both teachers and students have grown to be more skilled with God's word and our faith in Him as the God of miracles have grown. Thank you Papa God.