A woman's Touching Speech

There were 10 men & 1 woman hanging on to a rope that extended down from a helicopter. However, the weight of 11 people was too much for the rope. So the group made a decision that one of them had to jump off.

However, there were no volunteers from the men. Finally, the lone woman volunteered. She gave a touching speech, saying that she would sacrifice her life to save the guys, because women were so used of giving up things for their husbands and children.

When she finished speaking……….all the men started clapping.

Something to share……

Hi guys. We may have a good laugh of the joke but that’s the high price we have to pay when we loss our focus and divert our attention from what we are doing.

In a crucial situation, we must have the discipline to ignore distractions and reject bad influences that might put us in a very risky position.

Nonetheless, concentration requires discipline and plenty of practice to acquire the art of focusing our mind and energy on what we are doing. Don’t ever get distracted! A person must always stay focused and concentrate on what he/she does in order to achieve the best results (or to survive).

Once we let go our hands, that’s the end of it. We FALL and we are DEAD!

A Nice Chrismas Story

There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays. His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments. One snowy Eve, his wife was taking their children to service in the farm community in which they lived. They were to talk about Jesus' birth. She asked him to come, but he refused.

"That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!"

So she and the children left, and he stayed home. A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening. Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet. When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window.

In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and couldn't go on. They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed.

The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It's warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside.

But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and didn't seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them, and they moved further away. He went into the house and came with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread crumb trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on.

Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe.

"Why don't they follow me?" he exclaimed. "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?"

He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he said out loud. Then he had an idea. He went into barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese.

He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn -- and one-by-one, the other geese followed it to safety.

He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind: "If only I were a goose, then I could save them!" Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier. "Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!"

Suddenly it all made sense. That is what God had done. We were like the geese--blind, lost, perishing. God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us.

As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought. Suddenly he understood why Christ had come. Years of doubt and disbelief vanished with the passing storm. He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer:

"Thank You, God, for coming in human form to get me out of the storm!"

Something to share….

To the children, Christmas is the day they receive gifts from Santa Clause.

To some companies, Christmas is the day of exchanging gifts among the employees.

To the working people, Christmas is just another Public Holiday.

To all Christians, Christmas is the day to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ who was born in Bethlehem 2000 year ago. It’s about God’s love for this world that he gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

“Christmas isn’t Christmas
Till it happens in your heart
Somewhere deep inside you
Is where Christmas really starts
So give your heart to Jesus
You’ll discover when you do
That Christmas is really Christmas
……..For you!”

MERRY CHRISTMAS 25 DEC 2007

“THREE WISE MEN CAME FROM COUNTRY FAR
TO SEEK FOR A KING WAS THEIR INTENT”

“CHRIST WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM
MANY YEARS AGO”

“JOY TO THE WORLD!
THE LORD IS COME
LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING”

“HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING
GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING”

“CHRISTMAS ISN’T CHRISTMAS
TILL IT HAPPENS IN YOUR HEART

SO GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS YOU’LL DISCOVER WHEN YOU DO
THAT CHRISTMAS IS REALLY CHRISTMAS….FOR YOU!”

Wishing you a blessed Christmas and a Happy 2008 New Year!

It's The Incorrect Answer That Decides!

Two planters applied for a GM post in a plantation company. Both of them had the same qualification. The firm gave them a test to determine which one to hire. Each missed only one question.

The MD called the first candidate and said, “Sorry. We choose to offer the other applicant.”

“Why? We both got 9 questions right,” queried the one being rejected.

“Yes, but our choice isn’t based on the correct answers. It’s on the question you both missed,” the MD replied.

“How could one incorrect answer be batter than the other?” the applicant inquired.

“Simple,” said the MD. “For question number 5, the other guy put down, ‘I don’t know.’ You wrote, ‘Neither do I.’”

Something to share….

The above joke tells us that no matter how brainy a person cheats, somehow the truth will reveal. To cheat is no better than to steal. Both actions are dishonesty.

In Proverbs 10:9, it was written, “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.”

For my fellow planters who had worked with Mr. Tony Chew Kong Yoon, can you remember the two important words he used to remind us? O Yes. If you do recall, our "Xifu" had taught us to build a solid reputation of HONESTY and INTEGRITY while developing a good working knowledge in plantation management.

A planter who is sincere, straightforward, reliable and trustworthy in his job will achieve his career advancement in plantation industry in years to come. He will eventually reap the fruit of being recognized and appreciated from the seeds of honesty and integrity that he has sown over the years.

Right Decision/Experience/Wrong Decision

During an interview, a reporter asked the CEO of a Plantation Group of Companies for the secret of his success.

“Two words.”

“And what are they?”

“RIGHT DECISIONS”

“How are right decisions made?”

“One word.”

“What is that?”

“EXPERIENCE"

“How do you get experience?”

“Two words.”

“What are they?”

“WRONG DECISIONS”

Something to share…….

Do not worry of making wrong decision for a decision made is better than no decision made. However, do not be fooled by someone who tells you that by not making decision is also a decision made. How do you feel about a person who says,” I’ve decided to make no decision.” Absurd and ridiculous, isn’t it?”

In life, you have to go through the progress of making many wrong decisions or mistakes in order to gain experience. Do bear in mind, not repeating the same mistake is of paramount importance.

I once heard, “Knowledge comes from experience and experience comes with age.”

In Proverbs 10:14, God says,” Wise men store up knowledge.”

How true it is that as we grow older, we have gathered a lot of experiences by making mistakes through many failures. Nevertheless, we must dare to fail to gain experience. Once we have acquired sufficient experiences, then we become wise and knowledgeable and are able to make right decisions.

A wise man once said, “I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decisions.”

Another wise man said, “It’s the confidence of making right decisions that separates the men from the boys and what separates the achievers from the non-achievers is the success of making right decisions.”

No doubt about it. Successful people (or achievers) always make right decisions!

Root Cause of Problem

A man feared his wife wasn't hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor told him there was a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss.

Here's what you do," said the Doctor, "stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response."

That evening, the wife was in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was in the den. He said to himself, "I'm about 40 feet away, let's see what happens." Then in a normal tone he asked, 'Honey, what's for dinner?"

No response.

So the husband moved to closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeated, "Honey, what's for dinner?"

Still no response.

Next he moved into the dining room where he was about 20 feet from his wife and asked, Honey, what's for dinner?"

Again he got no response so;

He walked up to the kitchen door, about 10 feet away. "Honey, what's for dinner?"

Again there was no response.

So he walked right up behind her. "Honey, what's for dinner?”

;

;

;

;

;

;


"James, for the FIFTH time I've said, CHICKEN!"

Moral of the story:

The problem may not be with the other one as we always think, could be very much within us..!

Something to share…….

Talking about problem solving, very often we are confused of the real root cause of problem. We tend to point finger to others, forgetting that there are three fingers pointing back to us. By the way, this coincides with Confucius’ saying, “Think thrice to act!”

The Plantation Manager always thinks that the unsolved problem lies on his Field Assistant, but the main problem could be that he just knows how to delegate but fails to follow up and follow through to see that along the way he not only needs to monitor the whole situation and progress, but also needs to make further decision for remedial action to be taken in order to turn the situation around so as to get the problem solved.

How true it is that the root cause of problem could be the Superior who just knows how to talk and tell others what to do without him being totally involved in the operation to solve the problem!

Tale of Wooden Bowl

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and 4-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table.

But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about father," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor."

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl!

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp words when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with pieces of scrap wood on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?"

Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work..

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

Something to share….

What have you learned after reading this Wooden Bowl tale, my young friends?

Do you remember how much your dad and mum had cared for you when you were a little child? How many suffering and anxiety your parents had gone through while bringing you up from childhood? How much love they had given you to see you through into adulthood? How much hope they had put into you when you finally got settled down to have your own family?

Don’t you think it’s your turn now to care and love them when they attain old age?

Don’t ill treat your aging parents who have sacrificed so much for you for there may be wooden bowls waiting for you too when you grow old.

Please be reminded of God’s warning in Proverbs 20:20, “If a man curses his father or mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.”

Thus, it is wise to bring joy to your father and don’t be foolish to despise your mother(Proverbs 15:20)Be dutiful to your old age parents while they are still alive! God says,“ Parents are the pride of their children.” It’s too late for you to act when they are gone from your life. You will miss them and feel regretful in the rest of your life!

Law of the Garbage Truck by David J. Pollay

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he/she can get back her focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab.

Here's what happened:

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'

And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally.

You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The 'Law of the Garbage Truck.' I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, 'I'm not going to do it anymore.' I began to see garbage trucks. I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best.

Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses.

Teachers and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here's my bet. You'll be happier.

So.. Love the people who treat you right.
Pray for the ones who don't.
Believe that everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance , TAKE IT!
If it changes your life , LET IT!
Nobody said it would be easy...

They just promised it would be worth it!

Something to share……

How true it is that whenever we are driving, we always think that we are better drivers than others. When someone is overtaking us, we curse him as “hell driver” and somehow we tend to accelerate our speed wanting to overtake him. Perhaps this is a “Kia Su” garbage truck law in us?

On the other hand, when a car in front blocks our way when we want to overtake, we used to condemn this kind of driver as “kopi O license” driver. As usual,long before approaching, we have flashed the head light warning him to give way and move to the left. How impatient, annoyed, irritated and intolerant we are? Worst of all, the anger keeps boiling inside us!

We have heard of so many cases of law-abiding drivers being beaten by “road bullies”. These are sad cases of people being controlled by anger, a powerful emotion inside us that could take over our thoughts with violent force. It can strike us any time while we are driving, and it seems uncontrollable at times. When people turn to be “road bullies” and become violent because of anger, it will ultimately bring hurt and injury to others who are just strangers to them.

Just like the smiling taxi driver in New York City, we have nothing to loose being humble and apologize first even though we know we have observed traffic laws and not on the wrong side. This will somehow cool down the other driver even he has been blinded with anger. This is the best way to avoid a violent incidence when we have encountered a missed accident. I had come across several incidences like this and I used to say repeatedly “I am sorry, I am sorry” as soon as I came out from the car. So far it worked without any unpleasant incidence happened to me by being apologetic to the other driver.

Always remember, my friends, “FORGIVENESS” (by being apologetic) is surely the greatest remedy for calming down a man of anger.

Oh yes. Don’t ever let the garbage trucks run over us!

In Ephesians 4:31 & Colossians 3:8, God wants us to throw away all garbage in us, such as "bitterness, wrath, anger, malice, clamor, slander, evil speaking, abusive speech and filthy language.”

Are you ready to let go all garbage (also include hatred, nastiness, cruelty, wickedness, mischievousness, uproar, yelling, screaming, shouting, insulting, defamation, jealousy, envy, greed, resentment, offensive, assault, suspicion, distrust, unpleasantness, hostility, fury, rude, impolite, vulgar, abusive, bad-mannered, ill-mannered, etc) in you?

Heavan & Hell

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, "Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like."

The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell.'

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.

The holy man said, 'I don't understand.' It is simple' said the Lord, 'it requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.'

Something to share……

I remember my friend, Pak Chuah, once told me this story when we first met and he had shared with me his thought from the management aspect. "As a leader, we must share our past experiences with team members unselfishly so that they are well guided while going through hands on training from A to Z. We can’t build up a team if every one of them is only thinking of oneself without love, concern and care for others in the group."


How true it is. By just putting a group of people together does not necessary can form a team without the true spirit of working together and learn how to cooperate with each other. Nevertheless, when they are able to work together, each team member will surely become more initiative, innovative, creative and productive.

As a team member, you are a part of the team you are in. By having the spirit of sharing and care, then you learn to contribute while helping other team members to grow. Moreover, whenever you learn to share with others in your team, you will also receive more in return. Then every team member will eventually become contributors in playing his/her part to build a super and solid team.

A wise man once said, “Coming together is just the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is SUCCESS!”

The spirit of TEAMWORK has been well documented in the Bible. In Ecclesiastes 4:9, God put it very clearly, “Two are better than one. Because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls. For he has no one to help him up.”

In other words, two persons can make up a TEAM and can accomplish more than one person, with much better results in work performance. If one person falls and fails, then the other person will give him encouragement and motivation to lift up his spirit to keep on trying until he succeeds. However, if a person is alone and when he fails, he will fall into deep trouble and will never rise up again for there is no one to care and help him up.

NEVER INSULT ANYONE

This is just a joke downloaded from forwarded email. Nevertheless, the massage is clear. “Never insult anyone”

An American and a Japanese were sitting on the plane on the way to LA when the American turned to the Japanese and asked, "What kind of -ese are you?"

Confused, the Japanese replied, "Sorry, Sir, but I don't understand what you mean."

The American repeated, "What kind of -ese are you?"

Again, the Japanese was confused over the question. The American, now irritated, then yelled, "What kind of -ese are you...Are you a Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Javanese or other kind of -ese?"

The Japanese then replied, "Oh, I am a Japanese."

A while later the Japanese turned to the American and asked what kind of 'key' was he.

The American, frustrated, yelled, "What do you mean what kind of '-key' am I?"

The Japanese said, "Are you a Yankee, donkey, or monkey?"

Moral of the story:

Never insult anyone if you don’t want to be insulted!

The terminology that people often used to call other races based on their skin colour usually appears to be very sensitive, offensive and insulting, such as the followings:

In Hong Kong (after being colonized for 100 years), the Hongkee called the British and other westerners Kui Loi (“ghosts). The Singaporeans called them Ang Moi (red hairs). In China, they are politely called Lao Wye (foreigners).

The Indonesians called them Bule (Indonesian-English Dictionary: white skin people) just as the blacks are known as Negro (Indonesian-English Dictionary: a black – esp. in colonial period) to the Americans. In Malaysia, the white men are known as Mat Salleh to the Malays.

One has to be humorous about his skin colour and feels great about it :

One pastor from Ambon joked about his skin colour saying that he’s a “Hitachi”, meaning “Hitam tapi Cina” Well, well, well. He told us that he was born in a mixed marriage family of a Chinese father and an Ambonese mother.

If you are born in a mixed marriage family, you are just great!

I remember I was having lunch in a Chinese restaurant in London in 1972. A family of 3 generations walked in. Guess what I saw? The elder of the family was a Punjabi with a Chinese wife. Their daughter-in-law was an English lady. Obviously their grandson was having Punjabi, Chinese and English blood and a grand good-looking fixture of 3 great races!

When you travel out of your country, you may be white, black, brown, yellow in skin colour, but you can be Americans, Australians, South Africans, Brazilians, Cubans, Koreans and so forth depending on which country you are citizen of.

During our recent trip to Beijing organized by CTC travel in Singapore, there were 33 of us from Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. All of us are of Chinese origin (whether we are keturunan Cina or suku Tionghua). The Chinese Immigration Officers at Beijing International Airport recognized us as Singaporeans, Indonesians and Malaysians. That’s because we were holding passports of Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia and we are citizens of the respective countries. Undoubtedly, we are all proud to be Malaysians, Indonesians and Singaporeans when we were tourists in Beijing,China.

BEIJING TOUR 12 - 19 OCTOBER 2007

It had been my childhood dream to visit Beijing since I learned about Great Wall of China when I was in primary school, way back in the 50s. I wanted to climb the Great Wall of China long ago and, thank God, I had finally made it, together with my wife, during our recent Beijing tour from 12 – 19 October 2007. The Beijing Chinese put it this way, “You are not a (good) guy if you don’t climb the Great Wall of China.” We felt so great about it that we wish to share our photos with our children, relatives and friends.

We also visited other tourist spots in Beijing such as the well-known Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City (Imperial Palace), the Ming Tombs, Yiheyuen (Summer Palace) and Daguanyuan (Grand View Park). In Chengde, we visited the Imperial Summer Resort and Little Potala Palace.

The trouble with joining a tour was that our time was totally controlled by the local Chinese tour guard though we could visit many palaces as arranged in the tour itinerary and at the convenience of traveling in a comfortable coach. He was well versed in China history and whenever he stopped, it was good listening to him as he briefed us the related historical events. However, he had skipped the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall where the preserved body of the late Chairman was displaced for tourists to have a quick look. It was certainly regretful for many of us in the tour group because his excuse was merely of not having sufficient time for us as we need to queue up for hours to get inside the Memorial Hall. On the other hand, many of our time were wasted by taking us to places where we were expected to buy jades, silks, Chinese medicines, Chinese teas etc. Mind you, the pricing was not cheap though the buyers could get some satisfaction out of it on bargaining. Many of us ended up buying costly Chinese medicines after a free lecture on health and free diagnosis by the so-called highly qualified sinsehs in Tongrentang, a famous China traditional medicine shop with a 100 year history.

Besides climbing the Great Wall of China, there was a lot of walking when we visited the about tourist attractions. A free foot reflexology section had been arranged on the 4th night after dinner to release our pain and aching on our legs due to too much of walking but we were asked to tip them. That’s fine but some of our tour members ended up buying Chinese medicines again!

We were also disappointed at Shimao Tianjie known as Beijing Xin Tian Di where we were supposed to enjoy our shopping spree and keep our heads up to watch the 4D undersea movie shown on the long screen under the roof. Instead, we were given 5 minutes to take some photos just to show that we had been there. There was no such show on the roof screen as we arrived there at the wrong timing!

Nevertheless, we did enjoy the grand Ice Skiing and Colourful Dancing Show after the wonderful spa at Beijing Tianlongyuan Hot Spring. The Old Peking acrobatic show brought us back to the memory lane. They used to performance on the streets during the good old days in Peking and we had watched them many times in Kong Fu movies. The evening cultural show Golden Mask Dynasty was very grand after we had spent the whole afternoon in the Happy Valley Theme Park. Well, only the children in our tour group were having happy hours in the 6 theme zones.

The slogan of “One World One Dream” was everywhere. It’s all about Beijing Olympic Games to be held on 8.8.2008. However, our coach just stopped by the roadside for us to take photos of the still under construction “Bird’s Nest” Main Stadium for Beijing Olympic 2008. We also came across many authorized shops selling Beijing Olympic 2008 souvenir when we were brought to shopping malls to purchase other Made in China products and gifts for friends and relatives.

If you plan to visit Beijing in August 2008 coincide with the Summer Olympic, you may have to pay much more than what we had paid for joining the tour, hotels and foods. But if you can afford, why not? It’s once in a lifetime opportunity, right?

I and my wife are planning to visit other places in China, may be Shanghai or Jiucaigoa. We hope our children can join us in 2008. But we will keep reminding ourselves, “We'll go there as tourists, not as sick patients. So there will be no more free diagnosis by sinsehs and no more buying Chinese medicines.”

PARENTS & CHILREN

A simple man tells how his booking an air ticket for his father, his
first flight, brought emotions and made him realize that how much we
all take for granted when it comes to our parents.

My parents left for our native place on Thursday and we went to the airport to see them off. In fact, my father had never traveled by air before, so I just took this opportunity to make him experience the same. In spite of being asked to book tickets by train, I got them tickets on MAS.

The moment I handed over the tickets to him, he was surprised to see that I had booked them by air. The excitement was very apparent on his face, waiting for the time of travel. Just like a school boy, he was preparing himself on that day and we all went to the airport, right from using the trolley for his luggage, the baggage check-in and asking for window seat and waiting restlessly for the security check-in to happen.

He was thoroughly enjoying himself and I, too, was overcome with joy watching him experience all these things.

As they were about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and thanked me. He became very emotional and it was not as if I had done something great but the fact that this meant a great deal to him.

When he said thanks, I told him there was no need to thank me.

But later, thinking about the entire incident, I looked back at my life.

As a child how many dreams our parents have made come true. Without understanding the financial situation, we ask for football, dresses, toys, outings, etc. Irrespective of their affordability, they have satisfied to all our needs. Did we ever think about the sacrifices they had to make to accommodate many of our wishes?

Did we ever say thanks for all that they have done for us?

Same way, today when it comes to our children, we always think that we should put them in a good school. Regardless of the amount of donation, we will ensure that we will have to give the child the best, theme parks, toys, etc. But we tend to forget that our parents have sacrificed a lot for our sake to see us happy, so it is our responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young, it is our responsibility to ensure that they experience all those and their life is complete.

Many times, when my parents had asked me some questions, I have actually answered back without patience. When my daughter asks me something, I have been very polite in answering. Now I realize how they would have felt at those moments.

Let us realize that old age is a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same attention and same care need to be given to our parents and elders.

Rather than my dad saying thank you to me, I would want to say sorry for making him wait so long for this small dream. I do realize how much he has sacrificed for my sake and I will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes. Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR PARENTS!!!

Something to share...

I am very grateful to my late parents for their decision sending me, their eldest son, to further my studies in Taiwan in 1965 and to England in 1972. My late father was a tailor and he hired other tailors in the rented shop in Kuala Lipis, Pahang. My late mother was an ordinary housewife but she had to cook meals not only for our family but also for the tailors in the shop. Later, they also sent my two younger brothers to study in Australia.

I always feel proud of them for the sacrifice they had made to provide me the opportunities of higher education abroad despite of the difficult financial situation they had to face at that time. Without their strong determination and commitment, I wouldn’t have the chances to study in foreign countries and later became a planter with my Agriculture degree from National Taiwan University and MSc degree in Advanced Plant Sciences from Wye College, University of London. Just like our parents. I and my wife also committed ourselves by sending all our five children to further their studies overseas; 2 in America and 3 in Australia. Praise The Lord!

As parents we do not expect much return from our children. Nevertheless, as we are aging, gracefully of course, we do hope that they can be more patience to us and never forget to be tender, love and care for us as we grow older and older….

God says,” Listen to your father, without him you would not exist. When your mother is old, show her your appreciation.”
– Proverbs 23:22

Warning from God,” If you curse your parents, your life will end like a lamp that goes out in the dark.” – Proverbs 20:20

A TRIP TO TEMBILAHAN, RIAU

My wife was supposed to take Mandala airlines from Jambi to Batam on 29.8.2007, ETD 1510WIB and the ticket was purchased on 28th and confirmed. However, something unbelievable and unexpected happened. On 29th morning @ 0900WIB we were told that the flight was cancelled and there would be no flight to Batam till 12th September. Accordingly, the plane was grounded for thorough checking and repair. The flight has not been resumed at time of publishing. As told, it has been postponed to 25th September.

My ticketing staff after checking with the travel agent told us that my wife could take Batavia flight to Batam via Jakarta but seats were only available on 1.9.2007. Since I was going to Pekanbaru to meet up my VA on 3.9.2007, it was decided for her to take a flight from Pekanbaru to Batam taking the opportunity to visit her cousin sister who was married and settled down in Tembilahan. It is a costal town in Riau Province about 88km from Rengat, mid way to Pekanbaru.

My wife and her cousin sister grew up in Sumpat of Pulau Bintan. Their grandfathers were brothers. In the 70s, her cousin sister was working in Tanjung Pinang and my wife went to work in Batam, where we met and fell in love. We were married in June 1975 and settled down in Segamat, Johor, Malaysia. Her cousin sister was married the same year and settled down in Tembilahan. Since then, both of them have not met each other for the past 30 years.

The trip to Tembilahan was, indeed, meaningful and quite emotional for my wife. She was very excited for making the trip though the journey took about 8 long hours of traveling. The road to Rengat from Jambi was winding and our vehicle was slowed down by trailing behind big trucks and buses. The road from Rengat to Tembilahan was narrow and houses were built so close to roadside that our driver had to drive very cautiously with extra carefulness and alertness. To our astonishment, we had to cross for not less than 100 bridges before we could enter Kota Tembilahan.

With the address given to us, it was not difficult to locate their shop house along Jalan Jendela Sudirman. Nevertheless, we had to call her several times to make the right turn as we came into Kota Tembilahan. We left Jambi @0730WIB and arriving Tembilahan @1630WIB. We stopped for lunch at Rengat @1400WIB for about an hour.

When they met for the first time after not seeing each other for the past 30 years, there was so much excitement and joy with tears. They talked for hours, full of happiness, all about their good old days until we had to make move to check into the hotel @1900WIB. The conversation resumed when we went for dinner @2000WIB until we went back to hotel @2230WIB.

I wish our children after reading this amazing incidence will remind them that somehow “blood is always thicker than water”. They must value their brotherhood and sisterhood as they get married and having their own families later on. Always get in touch with each other. Whenever there is an opportunity to meet, don’t call. Call only if cannot meet but don’t just sms to save cost. It is much closer to hear each other voice than to read short messages. I used to call my late mother every night. I call my wife without fail whenever we are not together. I also call my 2 younger brothers and my only sister quite often when they don’t call me after some time. Life is full of joy and happiness when we always love and care about our dear ones. Indeed, this is God’s blessings on every family. Praise the Lord.

TODAY NOT TOMORROW

When I came across this signboard one day in Kuala Lumpur, some inspiration went straight into my mind and I felt that I could use it to make a powerpoint presentation to motivate my plantation management staff in Indonesia. So I took out my camera to snap a shot of this signboard.

Whenever my old pal, JM Tan, emailed me, he used to remind me of all the favourite songs we used to sing along during our good old time in Clifford Secondary School, Kuala Lipis, Pahang. "TODAY NOT TOMORROW" reminds me of Elvis Presley's "IT'S NOW OR NEVER". This has to do with TIME MANAGEMENT.

GOD is good and fair. He created 24 hours for one day, not a second more nor a second less for everybody. So we have 8 hours to work, 8 hours to rest and 8 hours to sleep, and that's very ideal for everyone. Of course there are people who work more than 8 hours a day, but there are also people who sleep more than 8 hours a day!

For an workaholic, he always feels that he has insufficient working time. So he works and works and keeps on working for hours, forgetting that he needs a break to rest. Worst of all, he expects others to have same working attitude like him. But there are also people who dare not leave their offices after working hours just because their bosses are still around.

There is nothing wrong in working hard, but it's better to work smart as well, meaning that we have to optimise our available working time. By working smart, we can actually get work done on time if we really focus and dedicate ourself to "DO IT NOW" instead of wait and see. Very often, we are wasting our time by slow action or no action at all.

A job well done is able to finish our job "TODAY NOT TOMORROW" because there will be new job waiting for us to do tomorrow. "IT'S NOW OR NEVER" is a positive attitude as far as TIME MANAGEMENT is concerned. Pak Sungkimin, one of our Senior Plantation Managers, used to wear a cap with a phrase "TOMORROW WILL NEVER COME" stitched on it. I praised him for his positive thinking in TIME MANAGEMENT!

Just for joking, an I.D.I.O.T. is " I Do It On Time". Surely we are not idiots if we can do our job done on time! Hahaha.....

HONEY CURES

It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. A famous magazine named Weekly World News published in Canada dated 17 January 1995, had given a list of diseases than can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists. Honey can be used without any side effects for all kinds of diseases. Scientists of today also accept honey as Ram Ban (very effective) medicines for all kinds of diseases. Today’s science says that, even though honey is sweet, if taken at the right dosage as a medicine, it will not harm diabetic patients.

Arthritis

In a recent research done in Copenhagen University, the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of 1 tablespoon honey with half a teaspoon of Cinnamon powder before breakfast. They found that out of 200 people treated, 73 patients were totally relieved of pain within a month. Most of these patients could not walk or move around freely, but after the therapy, they started walking with less pain.

Make a paste of 1 part honey & 2 parts luke warm water and a small teaspoon Cinnamon powder. Massage itching part of body slowly.(Pain should recede within 15 minutes!)

Drink 1 cup of hot water mixed with 2 spoon of honey + 1 small teaspoon of Cinnamon powder everyday. (Can cure chronic arthritis!)<

Bad Breath

1st thing in morning gargle with 1 teaspoon honey + Cinnamon powder mixed in hot water. (Breath stays fresh throughout the day!)

Bladder Infections

Drink 1 teaspoon honey + 2 tablespoons Cinnamon powder in a glass of luke warm water. (It destroys germs of bladder!)<

Cancer
Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully.

Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should take 1 tablespoon honey + 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder 3 times a day for 1 month. Continue with Oncologist’s treatment. (No Harm Lost!)

Cholesterol

As per information received in a Medical Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

2 tablespoons of honey + 3 teaspoons of Cinnamon powder in 16 ounces of tea. (Can reduce cholesterol level in blood by 10% within 2 hours! As for arthritic patients, if taken 3 times a day, it lowers the cholesterol level.)

Colds

1 tablespoon honey in luke warm water mixed with ¼ teaspoon of Cinnamon powder for 3 days. (Can cure chronic cough, cold & clear sinuses!)Fatigue

Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful than detrimental to one’s body strength. Senior citizens who take honey and Cinnamon in equal parts are more alert and flexible.

Take daily before brushing ½ tablespoon honey in a glass of water sprinkled with Cinnamon powder. Drink another glass in afternoon around 3 pm. (Can increase vitality within a week!)

Hair Loss (even suffers from baldness)

Apply before bath a paste of hot olive oil + 1 tablespoon honey + 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder. Keep for @ 15 minutes. Then wash Hair.

Heart Diseases (improve blood flow)

In America and Canada, various nursing homes had treated their patients successfully with honey and Cinnamon, improving blood flow.

Make paste of honey & Cinnamon powder. Apply on bread. Eat regularly for breakfast. (Relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heartbeat.)

Immune System

Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.

Daily use of honey and Cinnamon power strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks.

Indigestion

Sprinkle Cinnamon powder on 2 tablespoon honey. Take before food.

Infertility

A couple in Maryland (USA) had no children for 14 years and left hope of having a child of their own. Both husband and wife started taking honey as stated below. The wife conceived after a few months and had twins at full term !

For impotent men: before sleeping, take 2 tablespoons honey.

For women who do not conceive: take a pinch of Cinnamon powder in ½ teaspoon honey. Apply on the gums frequently throughout the day (slowly mixed with saliva enter the body)

Influenza

A scientist in Spain has proved that honey that contains a natural ingredient which kills influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

Longevity

4 spoons honey & 1 spoon Cinnamon powder in 3 cups water. Boil to make tea. Drink ¼ cup; 3 – 4 times a day. (Can keep skin fresh & soft. Also arrest old age!)Loss of Hearing

Take honey & Cinnamon in equal parts daily (Restore hearing)

Pimples

Make paste of 3 tablespoons honey & 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder. Apply on pimples before sleeping. Wash with warm water next morning for 2 weeks. (Can remove pimples from the root !)

Skin Infections

Apply honey & Cinnamon powder in equal parts on affected parts can cure Eczema, ringworms & all types of skin infections.

Stomach Upset

Honey taken with Cinnamon powder releases gas & pain in stomach, curing stomach aches & clear stomach ulcers from the root.

Toothache

Make paste of 5 teaspoons honey + 1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder. Apply to aching tooth 3 times a day till aching stops.

Weight Loss

Drink honey & Cinnamon powder, boiled in 1 cup water, every morning, in an empty stomach. Drink again ½ hour before sleeping.

Something to share….

Many of us in Jambi Regional Office have started taking pure honey taken from the pokok sialang quite close to our BPE kebun. The purchase was arranged through estate management of PT BBIP at Rp 30,000.00 per 1 liter bottle and its pureness has been guaranteed. I and Pak Leong KH were cheated once of buying honey mixed with brown sugar and egg white. We can buy a bottle of 35g Cinnamon (Kayu Manis) powder @ Rp 5,000.00 in any supermarkets or malls in town.

Honey is good for us. As it was written in Proverbs 24:13a & 25:16, God said,” My child, eat honey; it is good.” However, he warned,” Never eat more honey than you need; too much may make you vomit.” This has been explained by Dr Elizabeth Subrata, an Indoneisan Christian doctor, in her book “Rahasia Umur Panjang” (Secret of Long Life) that honey contains substance than will prohibit the intake of honey more than required to avoid the increase of glucose level in the blood.

She further talked about the benefits of honey:

• Honey contains several types of enzyme, minerals, 18 amino acids and vitamins which help in digestion, absorption and assimilation.

• Honey possesses more nutrients than other sugar products.

• Honey is able to destroy bacteria & other microorganism.

• Honey contains several natural antibiotics which have effective function of healing the infested open wounds.

Always replace white sugar with honey for health’s sake. No more soft drinks or syrup drinks. (Accordingly, a can of soft drink contains 6 teaspoons of sugar. This is harmful to the body especially for those people having high sugar content in their blood.)

Decision Making

The story given here is quite interesting and really gives us an insight into DECISION MAKING

Which one will you choose?
A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track.

The train came, and you were just beside the track interchange. It was not possible to stop the train but you could make the train change its course to the disused track and saved most of the kids.

However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed. Alternatively, would you rather let the train go its way?

Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make...

Analyse the situation………….

Think and reflect…

Decided your answer!

Now … go ahead

Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child. To save most of the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most people would make, morally and emotionally.

However, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact made the right decision to play at a safe place?

Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was.

This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office, community, in politics and especially in a democratic society, the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are.

The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. In addition, in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.

To make the proper decision is not try to change the course of the train because the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that track was still in use, and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens.

If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track! Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe.

If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake! In addition, in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.

While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one. "Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right."

Something to share….

Making an impulsive or a hasty decision is not the real decision to be made. An impulsive decision such as diverting the train can turn into a disaster in not only killing one child but also putting all train passengers at great risk of being killed and wounded too.

At times, we used to make ad hoc decision just to find a way out at the critical moment of time or during crisis management. However, such an impromptu decision may not be applicable to all circumstances. Nevertheless, we need to keep making decisions according to different issues and circumstances. A decision made is still better than no decision made!

Whereas some people just can’t make decisions. They will wait and see what is going to happen. Indecisiveness is, in fact, their real problem!

A right decision may not be a popular decision. So what? How could one make a popular decision but not a right one?

Winner or Loser

Have you ever read “Born Loser” comic? If you have read and think that you were born to lose, then believe me, you are most likely not a winner. That’s because you believe so. You are what you think you are! Then you’ll go to bed as a loser. When you weak up the following morning, you will still remain a loser! On the other hand, if you believe in yourself and go to bed thinking yourself as a winner, you’ll get up as a winner. Yes. You are what you think you are.

God created us not by chance. Do you know that we are actually a “Born Winner”? If you have the fundamental knowledge, then you could have realized that you were the first to reach there, in your mother’s womb. Oh yes. You had beaten the rest, hundreds and thousands in number, to get into the ripe ovary. You had won the race to gain life!

There is a “Winner” in every one of us. Therefore, as a winner, you must able to discover and expose your winning potential. You have to develop and maintain a winning attitude. Do you want to know what makes a winner?

• You got to get excited and stay excited all the time in order to keep winning many races in life. In other words, you must have the courage and boldness, deep down inside you, to get up and go for it while others are quitting due to worries and fears. You believe that it can be done and you can do it.

• A winner will never point finger to others and pass the buck. Do not blame others but yourself. You are the one who are supposed to shoulder the responsibility for your own mistakes. A work not done is not done. There are no excuses!

By having a positive attitude, you can do what needs to be done no matter how difficult or impossible the circumstance.

In Matthew 19:26, Jesus looked straight at His disciples and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Trust in the Lord. He will show you the way. Then you will find ways and means to do the impossible rather than to make excuses not to do the possible.

• When you are “down”, make sure you have someone to push you “up”. Someone keeps telling you to remain positive, to hang on for a little longer and that things will finally work out for you. Moreover, God is always there with you and to guide you. Don’t quit, that’s a loser’s attitude!

“Get all the advice you can, and you will succeed; without it you will fail” – Proverbs 15:22

• You are either committed or you are not. A total commitment certainly helps you in maintaining a positive attitude, no matter what the circumstances. Stand firm on your commitment!

“I only want to complete my mission and finish the work….” – Act 20:24

When you go to bed, look at the person in the mirror. Are you a loser or do you have a winner’s face? Thank God for what you have accomplished during the day. Feel proud of doing all that you can do for the day. Tell yourself that what you have not done, you are going to do it tomorrow. With that positive thinking and having a strong belief in yourself, you will never go to bed as a loser. Agree?

When you get up from your bed the next morning, look at the person in the mirror again. Now you are sure that you have a winner’s face. Thank God for another new day; this is going to be a great and wonderful day. Tell yourself that you have high hope and desire for all that today will bring. You intend to live every second and every minute of it fully with positive thinking. You are filled with boundless energy and you feel energetic and vigorous today. You are lively, excited, and dynamic to do all that you can do for another day. Every thing is going to be all right and every thing is going to be OK. That’s great! With a 100% commitment, you will wake up as a winner.

To All Who Dream Of An Luxurious Old Age

No More Nursing Home For Elders

A rich couple were on a cruise through the western Mediterranean abroad a princess liner. They noticed an elderly lady sitting alone at the grand stairway in the main dining room. They also observed that all the staff, ship officers, waiters, etc; all seemed very familiar with this old lady.

Curiously to find out who this lady was, they approached a waiter and asked him, thinking that she could be the ship owner. They were amazed when told that he got acquainted with her since she had been on board for the past 4 cruises.

Next evening when they met her again at the dinning room, the rich man said hello to her,“I come to know that you had been on this ship for the past 4 cruises. But I don’t understand?” “It’s cheaper than the nursing room,” the old lady replied, without a pause.

The rich man did a rough calculation. Accordingly, the average cost of a nursing room was USD 200/day. After checking with reservations at Princess, he was told that he could get a long term discount & senior discount price of USD 135/day with a saving of USD 65/day!

Moreover, while traveling on board of Princess Cruise, the benefits included

1) gratuities which would only be USD 10/day,

2) 10 meals a day or even room service of having breakfast in bed
everyday of the week,

3) as many as 3 swimming pools, workout room, free washers and
dryers, and shows ever night,

4) free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo,

5) being treated as a customer, not a patient. Easily to get help from
the entire staff by giving an extra USD 5.00 worth of tips,

6) the opportunity to meet new people every 7 or 14 days,

7) no problem in getting TV repaired, light bulb changed and
mattress replaced. Everything could be fixed and also apologized for
the inconvenience,

8) provided with clean sheets and towels without even asking,

9) being ended up in Medicare if fall and broken a hip in a nursing
room. But in the Princess ship, the unfortunate passenger would be
upgraded to a suite for the rest of his or her life.

Moreover, one could travel in the Princess ship to see South America, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or wherever the ship’s destination. How nice?

The best of all, the rich man also realized that just in case of a sudden death on board, they would just dump the dead body over the side into the sea at no charge!

Something to share….

Well, well, well. My aging friends, are you thinking of what I am thinking of? Hahaha….

Oh yes. To all children on earth, “Please don’t send your aging parents to nursing rooms anymore. Put them on any cruise will do.” Hehehe……..

LIFE IS MEANT TO BE LIVED

Life is to be lived. No excuses. No reservations. No holding back.

An enchanting story about violinist Fritz Kreisler tells how he once
came across a beautiful instrument he wanted to acquire. When he
finally raised the money for the violin, he returned to buy it and
learned that it had already been sold to a collector.

He went to the new owner's home in order to try to persuade him to
sell the violin. But the collector said it was one of his prized
possessions and he could not let it go. The disappointed Kreisler
turned to leave, but then asked a favor. "May I play the instrument
once more before it is consigned to silence?"

Permission was granted and the great musician began to play. The
violin sang out a quality of music so beautiful that the collector
himself could only listen in wonderment. "I have no right to keep that to myself," he said after the musician finished. "The violin is yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into world, and let people hear it."

William Arthur Ward said, "If you believe in prayer, pray; if you
believe in serving, serve; if you believe in giving, give." For you
and I are exquisite violins -- our music is meant to be heard.

I want to live my life that way -- to take it into the world and live
it fully. I'd rather burn out than rust out. I'd rather be used up
than die not having done whatever I could...wherever I would.

I'm not talking about wearing ourselves out on over-activity.
Happiness is never found in excessive busyness. But it is found in
investing our lives in others. Saying YES when asked for a hand.
Volunteering some time for a worthwhile organization. Spending an hour with a lonely relative.

In the end, I know that my happiness will not have been about by my ability or my inability. It will have been about my availability. My life is meant to be lived. ….Steve Goodier

Something to share ....

I believe in sharing, that’s why I like to share good stories, photos, pictures, information and experiences in my blog. How true it is that the act of sharing produces Joy!

Always make ourselves available, for “a friend in need is a friend indeed.” The most important thing in life is to help our friends or even others when they are desperate for help and assistance. When a friend is in need of a job, help him to get one through our connection. When someone is down emotionally or mentally, be there to cheer him up. When our subordinate becomes negative in thinking, talk to him and put words of encouragement into his ears so that he can be motivated and then he feels positive again. Be a candle that can be used to light another one!

God says, “Be generous, and you will be prosperous. Help others, and you will be helped” – Proverbs 11:25

Spend Quality Time With Your Family

Do you have time for your family?

A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door.

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."

Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him.
I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time on the night before he returned home. Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said.

"What box?" Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was the thing I value most," Jack said. It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. There was no one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr. Harold Belser" it read.

Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside. "Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life."

A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover.

Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack Thanks for your time! - Harold Belser. "

"The thing he valued most...was...my time," Jack murmured to himself. He held the watch for a few minutes then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet... thanks for your time!"

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away,"

Something to share:

The so-called “Occupational Hazard” is quite true for planters who work in plantations far away from towns. When our children are below school-going age, they can stay with us in the plantations. That's the time we can be with our wife and our children most of the time. However, when our children started going to schools, most of us have to station our families in towns. We can only have time for our families during weekends, public holidays and during our annual leave. The question is, “Do we spend more time with them when we have the time?”

Whenever I think back of the past memories, I do regret that I did not spend much time with my children when they were young even though I had the time to do so. When they have grown up, they have their own circle of friends, colleagues, and even their own families, and then they will have very little time for their parents.

Now it looks like that I can only spend time with them through sms. Consider lucky when they make a call once in a blue moon. My friends, are you feeling the same way as I do? Or do you have to travel long distance to visit your grown up children in far away towns?

Importance Of Having Breakfast

Breakfast can help prevent strokes, heart attack and sudden death.

ADVICE ON NOT TO SKIP BREAKFAST

For those who always skip breakfast, you should stop that habit now! You've heard many times that "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Now, recent research confirms that one of the worst practices you can develop may be avoiding breakfast.

Why?

Because the frequency of heart attacks, sudden death, and stroke peaks between 6:00a.m. and noon, with the highest incidence being between 8: 00a.m. and 10:00a.m.What mechanism within the body could account for this significant jump in sudden death in the early morning hours?

We may have an Answer.
Platelet, tiny elements in the blood that keep us from bleeding to Death if we get a cut, can clump together inside our arteries due to cholesterol or plaque buildup in the artery lining. It is in the morning hours that platelets become the most activated and tend to form these internal blood clots at the greatest frequency.

However, eating even a very light breakfast prevents the morning platelet activation that is associated with heart attacks and strokes. Studies performed at Memorial University in St.Johns, Newfoundland found that eating a light, very low-fat breakfast was critical in modifying the morning platelet activation. Subjects in the study consumed either low-fat or fat-free yogurt, orange juice, fruit, and a source of protein coming from yogurt or fat-free milk. So if you skip breakfast, it's important that you change this practice immediately in light of this research.

Develop a simple plan to eat cereal, such as oatmeal or Bran Flakes, along with six ounces of grape juice or orange juice, and perhaps a piece of fruit.

This simple plan will keep your platelets from sticking together, keep blood clots from forming, and perhaps head off a potential Heart Attack or stroke.

SO NEVER EVER SKIP BREAKFAST!

Something to share….

We have often heard or have been told that we should "eat like a King" in the mornings meaning that the breakfast we take is able to provide us energy and vitality throughout the morning. To start work with an empty stomach will definitely affects our alertness in performance as we will soon feel hungry and lack of energy.

Some people have the habit of eating breakfast late and skip their lunch. So they prefer to have "brunch" instead of breakfast and lunch. This may upset our digestion system! Afterall, what I understand is that "breakfast" is to break the fast during our sleeping time when we do not have any food consumption. By the time we wake up, our stomach is already empty and it's time to take in new food to get the digestion system resuming its work.

Now we learn that if we skip breakfast, we are putting great risk of getting heart attack or stroke, we better think twice on the importance of taking breakfast.

Always remember, we EAT TO LIVE!

Flying Geese

Lesson 1:
Sharing the same direction and working as a team, get us to the destination quicker and easier. By helping ourselves, the accomplishments are greater!

Lesson 2:
By staying in tune and united besides those who are going in the same direction, the effort will be less. It will be easier and pleasing to reach the goal. Everyone will be inclined to accept and give help.

Lesson 3:
To share the leadership, there must be mutual respect between us all the time…. Sharing the hardest problems and tasks…. Gathering our abilities and combining our faculties, talents and resources….

Lesson 4:
When there is courage and encouragement, the progress is greater…. A timely word of encouragement, always motivates, helps and strengthens…. It produces the best of benefits….

Lesson 5:
Let’s stay beside each other no matter what the differences. Specially in times of difficulty and great challenges….

If we are bond together and support each other…. If we make true the spirit of teamwork.... Regardless of our differences, we can rise to meet our challenge.

If we understand the real value of friendship…. If we are aware of the feeling of sharing…. LIFE WILL BE EASIER AND THE PASSING OF YEARS MORE FULFILLING….

29 Healthiest Foods On The Planet

The 29 Healthiest Foods on the Planet
The following is a "healthy food hot list" consisting of the 29 food that will give you the biggest nutritional bang for you caloric buck, as well as decrease your risk for deadly illnesses like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Along with each description is a suggestion as to how to incorporate these power-foods into your diet.

01. Apricots
The Power: Beta-carotene, which helps prevent free-radical damage
and protect the eyes. The body also turns beta-carotene into vitamin
A, which may help ward off some cancers, especially of the skin.
One apricot has 17 calories, 0 fat, 1 gram of fiber. Snacks on them
dried, or if you prefer fresh, buy when still firm; once they soften,
they lose nutrients.

02. Avocados
The Power: Oleic acid, an unsaturated fat that helps lower overall
cholesterol and raise levels of HDL, plus a good dose of fiber. One
slice has 81 calories, 8 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber. Try a few
slices instead of mayonnaise to dress up your next burger.

03. Raspberries
The Power: Ellagic acid, which helps stall cancer-cell growth. These
berries are also packed with vitamin C and are high in fiber, which
helps prevent high cholesterol and heart disease. A cup has only 60
calories, 1 gram of fat and 8 grams of fiber. Top plain low-fat
yogurt or oatmeal (another high fiber food)with fresh berries.

04. Mango
The Power: A medium mango packs 57mg of vitamin C, almost your
whole recommended daily dose. This antioxidant helps prevent
arthritis and boosts wound healing and your immune system.
Mangoes also boast more than 8,000 IU of vitamin A (as
beta-carotene). One mango has 135 calories, 1 gram of fat
and 4 grams of fiber. Cut on up and serve it over leafy greens.
Bonus: Your salad will taste like dessert!

05. Cantaloupe
The Power: Vitamin C (117mg in half a melon, almost twice the
recommended daily dose) and beta-carotene - both powerful
antioxidants that help protect cells from free-radical damage.
Plus, half a melon has 853mg of potassium - almost twice as
much as a banana, which helps lower blood pressure. Half a
melon has 97 calories, 1 gram of fat and 2 grams of fiber.
Cut into cubes and freeze, then blend into an icy smoothie.

06. Cranberry Juice
The Power: Helps fight bladder infections by preventing harmful
bacteria from growing. A cup has 144 calories, 0 grams of fat
and 0 fiber. Buy 100 percent juice concentrates and uses it to
spice up your daily H20 without adding sugar.



07. Tomato
The Power: Lycopene, one of the strongest carotenoids, acts as
an antioxidant. Research shows that tomatoes may cut the risk
of bladder, stomach and colon cancers in half if eaten daily.
A tomato has 26 calories, 0 fat and 1 gram of fiber. Drizzle
fresh slices with olive oil, because lycopene is best absorbed
when eaten with a little fat.

08. Raisins
The Power: These little gems are a great source of iron, which
helps the blood transport oxygen and which many women are short
on. A half-cup has 218 calories, 0 fat and 3 grams of fiber.
Sprinkle raisins on your morning oatmeal or bran cereal- women,
consider this especially during your period.

09. Figs
The Power: A good source of potassium and fiber, figs also contain
vitamin B6, which is responsible for producing mood-boosting
serotonin, lowering cholesterol and preventing water retention.
The Pill depletes B6, so if you use this method of birth control,
make sure to get extra B6 in your diet. One fig has 37 to 48
calories, 0 fat and 2 grams of fiber. (Cookie lovers - fig bars
have around 56 calories, 1 gram of fat and 1 gram of fiber per
cookie). Fresh figs are delicious simmered alongside a pork
tenderloin and the dried variety make a great portable gym snack.

10. Lemons/Limes
The Power: Limonene, furocoumarins and vitamin C, all of which
help prevent cancer. A wedge has 2 calories, 0 fat and 0 fiber.
Buy a few of each and squeeze over salads, fish, beans and
vegetables for fat free flavor.

VEGETABLES

11. Onions
The Power: Quercetin is one of the most powerful flavonoids
(natural plant antioxidants). Studies show it helps protect
against cancer. A cup (chopped) has 61 calories, 0 fat and
3 grams of fiber. Chop onions for the maximum phytonutrient boost,
or if you hate to cry, roast them with a little olive oil and
serve with rice or other vegetables.

12. Artichokes
The Power: These odd-looking vegetables contain silymarin, an
antioxidant that helps prevent skin cancer, plus fiber to help
control cholesterol. One medium artichoke has 60 calories, 0 fat and
7 grams of fiber. Steam over boiling water for 30 to 40 minutes.
Squeeze lemon juice on top, and then pluck the leaves off with your
fingers and use your teeth to scrape off the rich-tasting skin. When
you get to the heart, you have found the best part!



13. Ginger
The Power: Gingerols may help reduce queasiness; other
compounds may help ward off migraines and arthritis pain by
blocking inflammation-causing prostaglandins. A teaspoon of
fresh gingerroot has only 1 calorie, 0 fat and 0 fiber.
Peel the tough brown skin and slice or grate into a stir-fry.

14. Broccoli
The Power: Indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane, which help protect
against breast cancer. Broccoli also has lots of vitamin C and
beta-carotene. One cup (chopped) has 25 calories, 0 fat and 3
grams of fiber. Don't overcook broccoli - instead, microwave or
steam lightly to preserve phytonutrients. Squeeze fresh lemon on
top for a zesty and taste, added nutrients and some vitamin C.

15. Spinach
The Power: Lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that help fend off
macular degeneration, a major cause of blindness in older people.
Plus, studies show this green fountain of youth may help reverse
some signs of aging. One cup has 7 calories, 0 fat and 1 gram of
fiber. Add raw leaves to a salad or sauté with a little olive oil
and garlic.

16. Bok Choy (Chinese cabbage)
The Power: Brassinin, which some research suggests may help
prevent breast tumors, plus indoles and isothiocyanates, which
lower levels of estrogen, make this vegetable a double-barreled
weapon against breast cancer. A cup will also give you 158mg
of calcium (16 percent of your daily recommended requirement)
to help beat osteoporosis. A cup (cooked) has 20 calories,
0 fat and 3 grams of fiber. Find it in your grocer's produce
section or an Asian market. Slice the greens and juicy white
stalks, then sauté like spinach or toss into a stir-fry just
before serving.

17. Squash (Butternut, Pumpkin, Acorn)
The Power: Winter squash has huge amounts of vitamin C and
beta-carotene, which may help protect against endometrial cancer.
One cup (cooked) has 80 calories, 1 gram of fat and 6 grams of
fiber. Cut on in half, scoop out the seeds and bake or microwave
until soft, then dust with cinnamon.

18. Watercress and Arugula
The Power: Phenethyl isothiocyanate, which, along with betacarotene
and vitamins C and E may help keep cancer cells at bay. One cup has
around 4 calories, 0 fat and 1 gram of fiber. Do not cook these
leafy greens; instead, use them to garnish a sandwich or add a
pungent, peppery taste to salad.



19. Garlic
The Power: The sulfur compounds that give garlic its pungent flavor
can also lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol, lower blood pressure and
even reduce your risk of stomach and colon cancer. A clove has
4 calories, 0 fat and 0 fiber. Bake a whole head for 15-20 minutes,
until soft and sweet and spread on bread instead of butter.

GRAINS/BEANS/NUTS

20. Quinoa
The Power: A half cup of cooked quinoa has 5 grams of protein,
more than any other grain, plus iron, riboflavin and magnesium.
A half-cup has 318 calories, 5 grams of fat and 5 grams of fiber.
Add to soup for a protein boost. Rinse first, or it will taste
bitter.

21. Wheat Germ
The Power: A tablespoon gives you about 7 percent of your daily
magnesium, which helps prevent muscle cramps; it is also a good
source of vitamin E. One tablespoon has 27 calories, 1 gram of
fat & 1gm of fiber. Sprinkle some over yogurt, fruit or cereal.

22. Lentils
The Power: Isoflavones, which may inhibit estrogen-promoted breast
cancers, plus fiber for heart health and an impressive 9 grams of
protein per half cup. A half-cup (cooked) has 115 calories, 0 fat
and 8 grams of fiber. Isoflavones hold up through processing, so
buy lentils canned, dried or already in soup. Take them to work
and you will have a protein packed lunch.

23. Peanuts
The Power: Studies show that peanuts or other nuts (which contain
mostly unsaturated "good" fat) can lower your heart-disease risk
by over 20%. One ounce has 166 calories, 14 grams of fat & 2
grams of fiber. Keep a packet in your briefcase, gym bag or purse
for a protein-packed post-workout nosh or an afternoon pick me up
that will satisfy you until supper, or chop a few into a stir-fry for
a Thai accent.




24. Pinto Beans
The Power: A half cup has more than 25 percent of your daily
requirement of folate, which helps protect against heart disease
and reduces the risk of birth defects. A half-cup (canned) has
103 calories, 1 gram of fat and 6 grams of fiber. Drain a can,
rinse and toss into a pot of vegetarian chili.

25. Low fat Yogurt
The Power: Bacteria in active-culture yogurt helps prevent yeast
infections; calcium strengthens bones. A cup has 155 calories, 4
grams of fat, 0 grams of fiber. Get the plain kind and mix in
your own fruit to keep calories and sugar down. If you are
lactose intolerant, never fear - yogurt should not bother your tummy.

26. Skim Milk
The Power: Riboflavin (a.k.a. vitamin B2) is important for good vision
and along with vitamin A might help improve eczema and allergies.
Plus, you get calcium and vitamin D, too. One cup has 86 calories,
0 fat and 0 fiber. If you are used to high fat milk, don't go cold
turkey; instead, mix the two together at first. Trust this fact:
In a week or two you won't miss it!

SEAFOOD

27. Shellfish (Clams, Mussels)
The Power: Vitamin B12 to support nerve and brain function, plus
iron and hard to-get minerals like magnesium and potassium. Three
ounces has 126 to 146 calories, 2 to 4 grams of fat and 0 fiber.
Try a bowl of tomato-based (and low fat) Manhattan clam chowder.

28. Salmon
The Power: Cold-water fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna are the
best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce the risk of
cardiac disease. A 3-ounce portion (cooked) has 127 calories,
4 grams of fat, 0 fiber. Brush fillets with ginger-soy marinade and
grill or broil until fish flakes easily with a fork.

29. Crab
The Power: A great source of vitamin B12 and immunity-boosting
zinc. A 3-ounce portion has 84 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 fiber.
The "crab" in sushi is usually made from fish; buy it canned
instead and make your own crab cakes.

Something to share….

God is great. When God created human beings, He said,” I have provided all kinds of grain and all kinds of fruit for you to eat, but for all the wild animals and for all the birds I have provided grass and leafy plants for food.” (Genesis 1:29-30)

For a healthy living, we need to eat smart in balance, moderation and variety. I remember a Chinese saying on healthy eating, “Eat till 70% full”. In other words, do not overeat.

We must have a better choice of food on grains & cereals, beans and nuts, vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins & minerals. However, we are advised to eat right amount (neither too much nor too little) Complex Carbohydrate food at each meal. Try to avoid food of high fat & high cholesterol. Limit egg yolk to 3 – 4 per week but egg whites are allowed. Kampong chicken eggs are preferred. No salty food. No salted snacks food such as prawn crackers, potato crips, salted peanuts & groundnuts. Restrict to a cup of coffee & tea a day but not more than 2 cups. Instead, drink more water & Chinese tea (preferably green tea). For those who believe red wine is good for health, limit to one small grass (@125ml) a day.

Nevertheless, we need not be a vegetarian. I have come across guidelines for consumption of meat & seafood which are good protein source for a healthy eating:

Read lean meat (beef, mutton, pork): once a week
Seafood : once in 2 weeks
Chicken (remove skin & fat) : 2 – 3 times a week
Fish (high in omega-3 fatty acids) : > 3 times a week

Remember, we “EAT TO LIVE” and not “LIVE TO EAT”!