Herbal Soup

Veges in a Pot

Dinner at Diamond Restaurant

I worked the whole day today and the only food that went in my stomach was two pieces of savoury pancake mum prepared early this morning and two cups of Milo.

During lunchtime I did not feel like eating and therefore skipped lunch altogether.

Tonight my brother’s partner, CTY treated the whole family for dinner before he goes back to Peninsula Malaysia on Tuesday for three weeks.

The menu is as follows.

1. Veges with belacan. We ordered ‘kangkung’ but ‘potatoes’ leaves came out. Tasted very crunchy.

2. Half a Crispy Chicken. Very crunchy as well. The first piece I took was the wing part and I ate the whole tip of the wing without discarding the bone. The only piece left was the bishop’s nose. :)

3. Dry Butter Prawn. Quite fresh but I still prefer the wet style anytime. I think this restaurant does not serve Wet Butter Prawn. I finished the last three pieces.

4. ‘Ko Lo Yuk’. Barnabas liked this dish the most and this is the first dish to finish.

5. Sweet and Sour Crabs. At first I only took one piece but my brother had to give me half of another big piece. He and CTY had an appointment with some people and therefore they were pressed for time. The sauce was quite tasty. Mum took some since she is always the one who cook crabs at home and rarely eat what she cooked herself.

Overall an extremely satisfying meal after a starving day.

Thanks CTY.

Weight Loss

A few weeks ago I was telling a couple of church friends I had put back 2 kg and therefore my weight was 45 kg. They said they cannot see the difference.

I spoke too soon.

For more than a week now, I have not been eating a lot. I do not know why but I simply do not have the appetite no matter how hard I tried to force myself to eat.

This morning I weighed myself and my weight is 43 kg.

Normally the hole of the belt I wear is the first one. Today the third hole fits!

Time to eat more and gain back the weight.

Driving History Part 2

The second car accident happened on 28 June 1992 ie. in a span of less than 10 days, I was involved in two car accidents.

Some friends and I were on the way from my house at New Dapto Road, Wollongong to my church at Lighthouse Christian Centre. SP was driving his white Honda. This time I was sitting at the back because SP’s girlfriend E was the front passenger.

We were quite near the church already when once again I felt the effect of the car ramming into another car. This time round there were only two cars involved and therefore it was not as serious as the first accident happened nine days earlier. I was thinking to myself, ‘not again!’

Once again, thank God none of us were hurt. We still managed to get to church on time.

I did not realise the effect of these two accidents had on me until much later and they were going to haunt me for almost the next 14 years of my life.

Driving History Part 1

In my entire life, I was never involved in any car accidents until one fine day or should I say night.

On the night of 19 June 1992 when three of my friends and I were on the way from Wollongong to Sydney Showground to listen to the speaker Dr. John Oswald Sanders, ES was driving his Orange Mazda.

I was the front passenger. Four of us were talking and listening to music in the background.

When we were at one of the South Western surburbs, I saw the car in front of us driving extremely slowly. When we were quite near the car, I was thinking to myself ‘ES, please brake soon’. But I did not say aloud and instead of stopping, ES rammed into the car in front. Then another car rammed into our behind followed by yet another car. When we went down from the car, we can see there was a four car piled up. Thank God none of us were hurt.

ES was clearly shaken by the accident. He was not coherent in what he was doing. I had to assist him in taking down the details of the drivers for the first and third cars involved in the accident.

Meanwhile, the toll truck arrived and I had to get details of the workshop where the toll truck was going to toll ES’s car to.

Despite of inconvenience caused by not having a car anymore, we still continued on our journey to Sydney Showground by first taking the train from one of the South Western surburbs to Central and after that took a bus from Central to the Sydney Showground. Perseverance was at work.

I forgot what Dr. J O Sanders talked about that night. But I knew that our spirits were uplifted that night despite of our setback.

Today’s Happenings

Today I told all my colleagues to submit their annual leave form for the Christmas/New Year period so that I can prepare a summary and present it to the boss.

Before we started the staff meeting, the boss told each one the amount of annual leave we have left. I still have three days of annual leave remaining this year after taking the leave during the pre and post Christmas period, which means by 1 January 2009, I will have 24 days annual leave for 2009.

Bonus would be given out by end of the month.

I still have lots of work to do and deadlines to meet before I go off for my short break. I need wisdom from God to produce quality work in the shortest time frame.

I have not been drinking enough water these two days. At 5.30p.m. I started to have migraine and fever.

(I digress – A few of my colleagues do not drink water the whole day everyday except during lunchtime. I really admire that they do not get sick at all)

Tonight Canaanland is having caroling to different homes. Since I was still having migraine and fever when I arrived home, I have to give caroling a miss. Moreover we had to meet up at 6.45p.m. and I only arrived home at 6.20p.m. I would not enough time to have shower and dinner.

Dinner at Home

Crabmeat Omelette

Hong Kong Kailan with Deer Meat

Chicken with Mushrooms

Dinner at Home

Chicken with Mushrooms

Fish Cake with 'Pork Skin' and Beancurd

Christmas In Heaven

Yesterday Doria Tai shared the poem below during EL's Memorial Service and she also posted this in Facebook. Therefore I copied from Facebook and pasted it here. When she was reading this poem yesterday I was sobbing as well for I still miss my dad and sister up to this day.


One thought came to my mind as I think of Eunice's passing, why the Lord did not let her spend one more Christmas with her loved ones back in KK? I came across this poem by chance on Sunday and I think it answers my question very well!

Christmas In Heaven by Wanda Bencke

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below
with tiny lights like heaven's stars reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular please wipe away that tear
for I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear
but the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you of the joy their voices bring
for it is beyond description to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart
for I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I can't tell you of the splendor or the peace here in this place
Can you just imagine Christmas with our Savior face to face?

I'll ask him to lift your spirit as I tell Him of your love
so then pray for one another as you lift your eyes above.

Please let your hearts be joyful and let your spirit sing
for I am spending Christmas in heaven and I'm walking with the King.

The story behind the poem: Lysandra Kay Bencke was my thirteen year old handicapped daughter. On Christmas day 1997, Lysandra had a seizure and was in a coma for five days before she died. During those five days I wrote the poem "Christmas in Heaven". I sent it out in belated Christmas cards to friends and relativies that year. They also sent it on to other friends and relatives, thus how the poem and the story behind it has been changed.

Wanda Bencke