I was listening to the Christmas playlist in Apple Music and the presentation by the Tenebrae choir of The Twelve Days of Christmas arranged by Ian Humphris was included. I loved it! 

I could not find the Tenebrae's version in YouTube, but this one by QuireCleveland choir is just as good. 

Twelve Days of Christmas, arr. Ian Humphris

presented by QuireCleveland choir

pearlie

by Michael L. Brown, PhD

I had wanted to know more about the LGBT subject for awhile now. I missed a conference on it once before and so when I noticed this book, I quickly got a copy and dived in. 

I did not know much about it, not about what their arguments were and how they justified and explained their lives in light of Scripture. The book presented it very well with every chapter beginning with a "gay Christian" argument followed by a biblical answer. Brown was fair in his treatment of the subject with grace and compassion. 

He explained the biblical position of homosexuality through context and word study. And as much as the LGBT scholars try to read it positively into God's word, Brown has shown that "every single reference to homosexual practice in the ancient Jewish world is 100 percent negative—sometimes in the strongest of terms—and there is not a single positive reference to be found." 

And I like the way he explained the creation of man and woman. I have never looked at it this way before: "The author of Genesis is explaining to us that because the woman was taken out of the man, the two are now joined back together as one in marital union, each one uniquely complementing the other." Then he quotes A.B. Simpson saying, "Man was created male and female. This does not mean, as it would seem at first from the language, that he created the male and the female at the same time, but He created male and female in one person. The woman was included in the man physically and psychically, and afterwards was taken out of the man and constituted in her own individuality," concluding that "only a man and a woman can be joined (rejoined!) together in this way."

This is a must-read book. You may or may not agree with him, but at least he presents both sides and faithfully explains the Bible as it is intended by the original writers as inspired by God. And most of all, he is firm in his stand that we are all broken people before God and we are all in need of God, as heterosexuals or homosexuals, in need of his grace, mercy, love and redemption. 

pearlie

by Christianity Today

 

It is the first day of Advent today. It is a season lasting four Sundays leading up to Christmas. Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of the Lord, both to celebrate his coming as Immanuel 2000 years ago but more so, the eager anticipation of the second coming of the Lord in glory, his parousia. It symbolizes the present situation of the church in these last days as we await his return to take his place in the eternal kingdom.¹

With this, I meditate on Psalm 42:1-2 and 63:1-8 on this first day of Advent this year: 

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; 

I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, 

in a dry and parched land where there is no water. 

I have seen you in the sanctuary 

and beheld your power and your glory. 

Because your love is better than life, 

my lips will glorify you. 

I will praise you as long as I live, 

and in your name I will lift up my hands. 

I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; 

with singing lips my mouth will praise you. 

On my bed I remember you; 

I think of you through the watches of the night. 

Because you are my help, 

I sing in the shadow of your wings. 

I cling to you; 

your right hand upholds me. 

How do I cultivate and dwell in this longing for God? We need to become the patient, expectant, thirsty people of God. We must, for longer than a moment, see the daily distress of living. Only in view of suffering will we learn to watch for the dawn—and thirst for its merciful rain. To be thirsty for God is in itself a gift.²

In times of contentment, I rarely feel that thirst. What I see as "blessings" of God can ironically be that which draws me away from him. I pray that I will thirst for him like a parched deer that pants for water. And in seeking him, I will be filled with that living water, and only in him will I find life in all I do, in all I am, in all that I find myself in. 

pearlie

1 "What is Advent?", Christianity.com

2 "Rediscovering Advent", Christianity Today, 2016

 

Ee-Tan and Alphonsus started the recital with a duet. 

She emotes well in all the songs she sang, both sad and even one playful one, which is most important in relaying the message and heart of the songs. 

Well done, my friend!

pearlie

 

pearlie

Prayer inspired by Jackie M. Johnson, Powerful Prayers for Challenging Times

I accidentally added this song into my playlist and I can't seem to undo it. (I'm still getting used to Apple Music.) So I just let it stay. I know I can click edit in the list to remove it but I didn't bother to. 

Which was a good thing because I heard it on my commute back from work today and I loved it! I just found out that he released it only a month ago, on 21 October 2016. 

A really good find. 

I might as well add his entire Never Lose Sight album into my Apple Music and see if it's any good. 

pearlie

 

I have been using Spotify Premium to listen to music for a year now and it's great to have access to whatever  music you feel like listening to at any time of the day. 

 

It happened again today and I was stuck outside a restaurant near my house. Oh no, it didn't explode this time. It just died. My son and I had dropped into the restaurant for a quick meal and when we were ready to leave, my car will not start. 

I have shared here before that I did have problems starting my car, and I am now not sure if it is a starter or battery problem. On top of that, my hubby just informed me a week ago that AAM, the auto assist services that we have subscribed to, has wound up and we no longer have their services.

And there I was in the car, not sure of what to do. My hubby was with some foreign clients and was not able to attend to me at that time. 

I then remembered that when I changed my car insurance provider, the agent did mention something about an auto assistance services that I can use. I quickly called him, got the number and arranged for a technician to come check the car. 

Alas, it is the battery after all, which only lasted one year! I hope this new one will last longer. 

But the next question is this: was the problem of getting my car started a battery problem in the first place and not the key lock cylinder?

pearlie

This has kind of became our weekend staple - pork noodles soup. So yummy! 

 

 

And this is my favourite - minced pork with dung choy.  

Restoran Lao Dao Pork Noodle

7 Jalan Kenari 4, 

Puchong Jaya, 47100 

Contact No: 012-2868262

Opening Hours: Mon.-Sun. 08:00-19:00

pearlie

Photo Source: openrice.com, foodsandcosmetics

 

My hubby said that it's because I didn't have enough carbohydrates. 

I've tried to check the Internet for some answers but I'm not sure who and what to believe. 

Those websites on low carb diet doesn't sound so reputable and so I think I will take advice from here: When Your Healthy Diet Isn't So Healthy. 

It makes absolute sense:

1. Avoid one food wonders

2. Going vegetarian may not work

3. Too much of a good thing isn't all good

4. Don't snub carbs

5. Being fat-free is a fallacy

6. Cutting off your favorite food is being on denial

pearlie

pearlie

 

by Hank Hanegraaff

I have started reading this book and I like it. It is indeed an answer book. It poses multiple questions about creation and provides brief but succinct answers to them, complete with a book reference for each question if you need more. 

There are too many questions to be included here but they fall under these main themes:

- Creation and First Things

- Creation and the Garden of Eden

- Creation and the Flood

- Creation and the Age Question

- Creation and the Problem of Evil

- Creation and Dinosaurs

It is a recommended read and at the moment on sale at $4.99 in Amazon Kindle. 

pearlie

 

by Liao Yiwu

I started reading this book a week ago and I finished it today. 

Like I was saying, the book was translated by Wenguang Huang and he noted that the author, Liao Yiwu, is "one of the most prominent and outspoken contemporary writers in China today. His epic poem 'Massacre' composed in 1989 in condemnation of the government's bloody crackdown at Tiananmen Square, landed him in jail for four years." He has subsequently been researching the Falun Gong group, and was pursued and investigated by the government as well. He got interested in Christians in China as part of his wider project about people living at the margins of society in China today. He remains an unbeliever, which in a sense made the book quite an interesting read from an outsider's point of view but as Huang said, "the journeys brought him kinship with millions of Chinese Christians who are finding meaning in a tumultuous society."

pearlie 

pearlie 

pearlie 

 

It's a singing day for me today. I have our twice-weekly practice this evening to prepare for The Messiah by Handel to be sung this Christmas on Saturday, Dec 10th in KL Wesley. We are only doing Part 1 and if you are available, do come and join us as we share the Christmas good news. 

I also auditioned to sing in the chorus of two Beethovan sacred music pieces with Yin Qi. It was tough. I had to sight sing seven pages of scores. I ended up sight singing because I only received the scores three days ago and did not have enough time to learn up the music. Nevertheless, I am thankful I passed the audition, even though I did not do so well. 

I am quite glad though that my singing range has broadened over the years. My range is now from G3 to C6#. And I was told I can still go higher. 

It will be a busy year of singing for me next year and I'm really looking forward to it. 

pearlie

 

I have already purchased 14 books this month, and there are 21 more titles I am considering. 

Am I mad or something?

Where in the world will I find the time to read all of them, I really don't know. But they are so interesting and affordable it is hard to stop myself.

After all, I am a book collector, albeit electronic ones. My friends do challenge me in the sense that it is only when I buy print books that I can put them all on my shelves to show off my collection. 

But I beg to differ. No one will come to my house to see my shelves but anyone can now view my online shelf right here in www.goodreads.com/pearlie. 

I now have 946 books and counting, both print and electronic combined.

I bet I will be reaching a thousand in no time at all.

pearlie

 

Thanks to my hubby I think my car problem is finally solved. 

I had problems getting my car started for quite a while now. It's not that my car won't start. I need to try it a few times before it does, especially if I've just turned off the engine and wanted to restart it again. 

I have asked several mechanics but no one could tell me why. I finally brought it to the Honda service center and they told me it was the starter motor. I wanted to get it changed but they did not have any units stocked.

So I left without getting it fixed and I left it be. I thought since I can still get my car started, even though sometimes it does take a few tries, I ignored it hoping against hope that my car will not just die on me one fine day.

On our way to church yesterday, it suddenly dawned on my hubby that it might be the ignition lock cylinder that might be problem. He felt that the connection might be cut off if I turn the key all the way to start the car. He suggested I only turn it midway.  

Viola! It now works everytime. 

I am thankful I did not waste any money replacing a good starter motor and not solving the problem. I suppose it pays to wait it out sometimes. 

pearlie 

My good friend Lee Mei was worried reading my posts about me feeling sad and having failed that when I saw her yesterday, she made it a point to ask me if I am really ok. 

by Amy E. Herman

This is a good book but not really that easy a read. There are too many shoulds and should nots, and step-by-step stuff than I would prefer. But it is good that it introduced me to practicing close observation of what and how I see things. It uses art to train us to better see and observe things around us. I really liked the first half of the book. Her second half of the book concerning communication and message is something I'd rather read from other experts. What I would have preferred is more of the first half of the book. 

 My Holiday in North Korea, the Funniest/Worst Place on Earth

by Wendy E. Simmons

This is quite a fun read, not that North Korea is fun. It is a pitiful place and I really feel for the people there who are the most uninformed, inhibited and repressed society in the world. And the sad thing is they don't know it and it's not even their fault. The author tells of her 10-day solo visit to North Korea and how they scheduled, planned and staged her visits to show how great and advanced the country is, except that anyone can see it is not. They even staged a football match complete with spectators in a 50,000-seat stadium just for her at the last minute due to a itinerary change. Simmons wrote, "So was this a real, previously scheduled, Monday-morning-at-9:00-a.m. football match? And had I just been super lucky to have a Monday-morning-at-9:00-a.m. slot on my schedule that needed filling? Possibly, given the damned good luck (knock wood) and propensity for remarkable coincidences I tend to have. Or had a country just pulled together an entire football match (minus a few thousand fans) in less than twelve hours solely for my benefit? It was a thought too absurd, too egomaniacal, too lunatic, and too paranoid, to even consider…right?" I would never have the chance or the the courage to go to North Korea, and so it is good to read about it instead. 

by Eunsun Kim

After reading a book written by a tourist to North Korea, I wanted to read one by a North Korean sharing first hand experience of their lives in the country. Eunsun Kim was just eleven when she nearly died of hunger in a famine, in the mid-90s. It took nine years for her to escape before she set foot in South Korea to begin a new life. It is an amazing story, no doubt about it but the writing was very choppy. She goes in and out of different timelines giving it a very disjointed flow with repetitive sections and statements. But she writes from her perspective, telling her harrowing story from the heart. I would prefer a little bit more information about her perspective and life in North Korea though, but I think that is as much as you can expect from someone who left the country when she was just eleven. Maybe, I should look for a book written by a more elderly North Korean. 

Finishing three books is great but the TV is still beckoning me. I must resist and not submit or yield to its calling. 

pearlie 

 

God of all blessings, source of all life,  giver of all grace:    

We thank you for the gift of life:  

for the breath that sustains life,  

for the food of this earth that nurtures life, 

for the love of family and friends without which there would be no life.    

We thank you for the mystery of creation:  

for the beauty that the eye can see,  

for the joy that the ear may hear,  

for the unknown that we cannot behold filling the universe with wonder,  

for the expanse of space that draws us beyond the definitions of our selves.    

We thank you for setting us in communities:  

for families who nurture our becoming,  

for friends who love us by choice,  

for companions at work, who share our burdens and daily tasks,  

for strangers who welcome us into their midst,  

for people from other lands who call us to grow in understanding,  

for children who lighten our moments with delight,  

for the unborn, who offer us hope for the future.    

We thank you for this day:  

for life and one more day to love,  

for opportunity and one more day to work for justice and peace,  

for neighbors and one more person to love and by whom be loved,  

for your grace and one more experience of your presence,  

for your promise: to be with us, to be our God, and to give salvation.    

For these, and all blessings,  we give you thanks, eternal, loving God, through Jesus Christ we pray.  Amen.    

pearlie 

Source: BeliefNet

 

~ Bill Gates

~ John Wooden

~ Richard Branson 

~ Truman Capote

And this one I really need to think and mull over:

 

I have made a vow today to fast TV for a month. I have binged on it too much over the weekend and I have decided it is not a good thing at all to waste all my time on it. 

As much as it's the only thing that can help me switch off my brain for awhile, I have been doing that too much lately. But the thing is I feel that it is a good thing for me to switch my brain off sometimes because I do think too much. 

One month. 

I'll see if I can last one month without watching any TV. I have got loads to read by the way. 

pearlie 

It doesn't hurt to feel sad from time to time. 

~ Willie Nelson

Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are best relieved by the letting of a little water.