take a journey with ms nonis

my mother, my daughter, myself

2010-12-31T02:41:00.001-08:00

it always amazes me that when i was younger i was absolutely sure that i was completely different than my mother in all ways. but now that im a lot older and a little bit wiser,i know that is simply not true. so often now when i laugh i sound like my mother, when i speak i hear her ideas emanating from my mouth and when i give my daughter advice there are many times i tell her the same things that my mother told me.

equally interesting is the fact that when my daughter was younger, i used to look at her and listen to her and think that she was nothing like me, and that i wished she was at least a little like me. now that she is older and i take the time to listen to her thoughts and hopes and wishes, when she laughs i hear myself and when she speaks i hear myself and some of her ideas are the same as mine.

i've heard many times adults make comments about how their parents were being completely wrong in just about everything, but now that they are older they are surprised at just how smart their parents are actually. so i feel sure that there were many times my daughter thought the same when she was younger. even though we do not openly disagree all the time but we still had our moments. often she kept her opinions to herself when we disagree and she thought i was completely off-base with my comments/opinions. now however when we speak, since i hear many of my opinions and thoughts in her voice, it would appear that we've reached the place in our relationship where we mutually respect each others opinions because quite frankly so many of our opinions are the same. so now i come to think !....what does all these mean? it is likely that much of what we think and do and say have been formatted in our minds by the people who helped us grow up? so this does not surprise me at all, now when i hear my daughter say something that my mother use to tell me too.

my mother, my daughter, myself--we are all bound together by family ties; all different in many ways, yet also all alike in many, many wonderful ways.

a very special poem for a very special mom

2010-03-27T09:32:00.001-07:00

there are so many moments

when i wish you knew... how much you matter to me

and how much i thank you for being such a wonderful mother.

if there is happiness in my heart,

it's because you help put it there.

if there is gentleness in my beliefs,

it's because you showed me how to care.

if there is understanding in my thinking,

its because you shared your wisdom.

if there is a rainbow over my shoulder,

its because of your outlook and your vision.

if there is a knowledge that i can reach out -

and i really can make some dreams come true -

its because i learned from the best

teacher of all.

i learned... from you.

in the times of my life, whether we are near or

far, please remember that there could never be any mother more

wonderful... than the one you are.

- chris gallatin

my dear lord,

the above is specially dedicated to my mom who has gone before us. dear lord, please place her in your heavenly kingdom. she is a special mom, always putting her children first before herself. i love her lord. she is the best and i want to thank you for giving me such a wonderful mom. i love you mommy mary koek.

happy birthday vivienne

2010-03-27T08:43:00.000-07:00

this time around is my sister's birthday. 15march,2010 was her happy day and this is my wish for her...

BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS

instead of counting candles, or tallying the years

contemplate your blessings now, as your birthday nears

consider special people who love you and who care

and others who enriched your life just by being there

think about the memories passing years can never mar

experiences great and small that have made you who you are

another year is a happy gift, so cut your cake and say "instead of counting birthdays

i count blessings everyday!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear sister

happy birthday victor

2010-03-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

feb28,2010 was my brother's birthday. wanted so much to be the first to wish him but have to admit i was 14days late. but a day didn't pass that i forgot this special day. here is what i had to say...

to a brother that is caring

to a brother that is full of love

to a brother who can make me laugh when i am sad and protects me when i am threatened.

to my brother for all those times you stood by me and helped me out

for all those times when i pulled away and you pulled me back

and for all those times i thank GOD for a brother like you

i am glad you are my brother and i wanna thank you for everything!

HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY!!

Understanding our children

2009-10-24T01:07:00.000-07:00

There is something remarkable about gaining that extra insight into personalities be it our own, our loved ones or friends. We will certainly benefit most when we better understand how a person function, what are their likes/dislikes. We need to know why children behave the way they want, what makes them show tantrums one minute and are like an angel the next. It is important to know what actually makes children 'tick'. We cannot just play the guess-work out of raising children. Parents must build that communication level in the early years of the child's development. With these trying time, parents must start early. Don't wait until it's too late;
remember it is never to early no matter how old your children are.

Parenthood and caregiving are the most important experiences we encounter in life. But sadly to say, most of us have little knowledge and less experience in handling these sort of challenges.
During past decades children are expected to follow in their parents footsteps. Now with much less restriction in our society and more recognition place on individuality, the problems of parenting and teaching and also counseling have grown tremendously. Our children are exposed to more; are certainly more aware thanks to computers and have more potential than ever before to rise or fall! It has in all become more challenging to the parent in this new millennium.

Each child is a complete and unique individual and should be treated and handled differently. Children are said to be merely small adults in the process of becoming, only with much less experience/wisdom. Parents must therefore show the way through example, love and understanding. Parents should have the interest and take time to help children to grow into happier and more secure adults....the future of our world is dependent on it ! Lets join forces and work within our borders and community and ensure the success of this all.

I wish......

2009-10-24T00:52:00.000-07:00

I wish i could build me that dream home, then i would fill it with my favorite people and all my happiest memories
I wish i could take back all those times when we hurt one another, then i would exchange them with words like "i love you" or "im glad we are family"
I wish i could guarantee that we can have all the tomorrows we ever want but i can't change the past or more predict the future
So i will just say "i love my family and am glad to be your sister."

I believe...............

2009-10-23T23:32:00.000-07:00

I believe there's always hope when all seems lost,
I believe in dreams and plans and wishes can all come true
I believe in miracles and in magic too
I believe in family and seeing happy smiles
I believe in turning negatives to positives in life
I believe in looking farther up, the farther down we get
I believe when someone hurts us we should forgive and forget ( but this is hard to do because MAN remain trapped in a cycle of hurting back whenever they are hurt)
I believe love should prevail at any cost
I believe in saying what you mean and meaning what you say
I believe a better attitude can make a better way
I believe in viewing life as a journey that we're on and looking at our troubles as another stepping stone
I believe that everything in life is what its meant to be and that there is a GOD somewhere although He's hard to see
I believe that i am me therefore i should do all that i can to be a better piece in the puzzle of God's plan
I believe that we should learn even one new thing about ourself everyday
I believe we should handle one situation with another person a little better than we did before, it will then be a successful day
I believe we should resist indulging in an old, unhealthy pattern of behavior and instead choose a new one
I believe learning to love and respect ourself means beginning to see ourself through God's eyes
I believe we should be grateful for the gift of being alive and for the opportunity to learn and grow
I believe we should do all that we can to make this world a better place to live in and if all seems lost just reach out to the Lord for he is your guiding light when you are in darkness and a strength to be reckon with without any doubt !

Hugs---(3)

2009-10-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks for visiting my blog...But before you leave accept my HUG.

Let us not forget to embrace and to utter the words "i love you" my son/daughter/papa/mummy etc (and the list goes on and on) to those that we love. To that one person who have brought pain/suffering into our heart make an effort to forgive him/her and give that person a
HUG. It will surely heal the pain that is within you. As the saying goes, forgive and forget but to forgive and forget is simply divine.

Remember, if you need a hug just ask for one. :]

Hugs---(2)

2009-10-01T19:45:00.000-07:00

A poem by Dean Walley

HUGGING

It's wondrous what a hug can do
A hug can cheer you when you're blue
A hug can say " I love you so" or "I hate to see you go..."
A hug is "welcome back again", "great to see you !" and/or "where have you been?"
A hug can soothe a small child's pain and bring a rainbow after rain.

The hug, there's just no doubt about it--- we scarcely could survive without it !
A hug delights and warms and charms
It must be why GOD gave us arms.
Hugs are great for fathers and mothers, sweet for sisters and swell for brothers
And chances are your favorite aunts love them more than potted plants.

Kittens crave them, puppies love them
Heads of states are not above them
A hug can break the language barrier
No need to fret about your store of them;
The more you give, the more there are of them
So stretch those arms without delay
And give someone a hug today !

Hugs---(1)

2009-10-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

Having a hard day, or maybe feeling a bitty lonely then you have come to the right blog. Come on in , relax and allow me to put that smile back on your face.
A hug makes you feel good, like ntv7 my feel good channel. They say we all need at least four hugs daily for survival, eight hugs for maintenance and twelve hugs for growth. A hug is a form of communication. It says things that you have no words for. The BEST thing about a hug is you can't give one out without receiving one back in return.
To hug another is healthy activity. It promotes the body's immunity system, thus keeping us forever healthier. It reduces stress (much that we need in our lives today), it induces sleep and its rejuvenating.
Hugging and actually being in physical contact with others, and it makes a difference in a person's frame of mind.
Hugs are not only nice but they are much needed by everyone. Children and the elderly are the ones who need hugs the most. A hug can ease the pain and overcome all fears. It makes happy days even happier days and all impossible days possible.
I am giving here insight to the types of hugs that we have all entered into sometime or other in our daily lives:

(1) The Bear Hug---great for two individuals

(2) The A-Frame Hug---just a brief embrace ideal for new intrductions that requires a bit of formality

(3) The Cheek Hug---this can be executed in a sitting or standing position, and

(4) The Group Hug---meant for feel good friends sharing a common activity. It spells support, unity and universal belonging.

In conclusion i hereby leave you with a heart warming poem and some cute and fun information/quotes about hugs. Give it some thought for it's something the world needs more of.

A hug is two hearts wrapped in arms......

A hug is a handshake from the heart......

Check out Hugs (2) for the poem. Don't forget to view my blog again tomorrow for more heart warming stories.

Ramadan the fasting month and Hari Raya the celebration of muslim New Year in malaysia

2009-09-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

The fasting month of Ramadan is a good time for all food lovers to visit beautiful Malaysia. Hotels throughout the country serve various menu buffets simply referred to as Buka Puasa, to break the fast at dusk (maghrib) of each day. These buffets feature an irresistable variety of malaysian dishes, including many that are not prepared at other times of the year.
The end of Ramadan--that is Hari Raya signals the end of the fasting month and the beginning of the muslim new year celebrations. In Malaysia we have basically 4 different new years mainly Hari Raya(malay new year), Deepavali(hindu new year), Chinese New Year (buddhist new year) and Merry Christmas (christian new year) all marked with open houses to which everyone is invited to participate.
Ramadan begins with the sighting of the moon and continues for a full month (30 days) until religious leaders sight the new crescent moon, Syawal.
During the month of Ramadan muslims will fast from dawn to dusk. Muslims are forbidden to consumed food, drink, to smoke and to indulge in sexual activity until after the break of fast.
Hari Raya Aidil Fitri marks the beginning of the muslim New Year.
Malaysians and visitors to the country are invited to Hari Raya open house gatherings hosted by
the King and Queen at their official Istana Negara and another open house hosted by our Prime Minister. Open house gatherings is a popular and common sight so be prepared for the long queques. One can eat the lemang with rendang, the satay and other curries and kuih muih.
Our departed ones are not forgotten too. Many make way to cemeteries to pay respect to their loved ones.

nothing can bring you peace but yourself

2009-09-22T01:43:00.000-07:00

all of us spend our time here on earth searching for happiness, longing to discover the secrets for living a fulfilled and peaceful life. from our very first moments of existence as an infant until the day we die, we are motivated by the search for what we believe will make us happy.
'we want our kids to do well in school....we want our daughter to marry a nice boy ....we want our investments to perform well so that we will have enough money to take on further generations'....
these are all wonderful things to wish for but what happens inside of you when what you hope for in life doesn't happen?
the answer is we suffer. we feel betrayed, angry, hurt, confused, insecure and definitely not happy.
we go through this silent process of evaluating our happiness many times daily starting from the moment we wake up. and the list goes on and on...
life is unpredictable. like it or not but "shit happens" always.
happiness is a decision that we make to experience a situation in a particular way. likewise unhappiness isn't something that is inflicted upon you-it too is a choice that we make.

a father's duty to family

2009-08-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

i begin with a defination of duty- duty refers to obligation. it has to be done, it is not optional. it is bound upon the person.
a family includes the basic unit of father, mother, child (or children).
a man's responsibility to his family begins even before he has a family of his own.
the family consissssts of two people initially. the father is the head of the wife. being the head means he must develop and demonstrate love, sacrifice, loyalty and faithfulness.
the father is a leader. the father is to provide food, shelter, clothing, medicine and protection to his family. he must see that the home gives every occupant security, ie that the home is a haven and a harbor or refuge. he does all this by hard work.

success

2008-03-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

before you can achieve success you need to define what success means to you. unless you have a clear vision of what success means you cannot work towards it.
success means different things to different people. for some, monetary reward is a measure of success. however success can be in career, health, spiritual, emotional, time or financial. as an example one can be successful in one's career but not emotionally. the list isn't exhaustive--so you can add areas that are relavant to you.
to me, to find your own defination of success you need to look deep within yourself and question your values in life. what are your strengths and weaknesses? what are the things that are upmost important to you? so by answering these questions you can come closer to your own defination of success. but beware, this can be a long process. remember that success is a journey not a destination. one success builds on another, and setbacks and mistakes help you build success.
it is very inspiring to read what success people say about success just to give you confidence to overcome the many challenges and succeed. unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.
so believe in yourself ! have faith in your abilities ! anyone who has not made a mistake has never tried anything new.
so give your best to not regret later. don't ever judge each day by the harvest you reap but more so by the seeds you plant. all life is an experiment.
you may be disappointed if you fail but you are doomed if you don't try. the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

happiness

2008-03-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

happiness is emotion in which one experiences feelings ranging from contentment and satisfaction to bliss and intense joy. it is impossible to objectively measure happiness.
true happiness can only come from a relationship with God and appreciating God's creation His sake and not its own. there is now extensive research suggesting that religious people are happier and less stressed, more well-being and full of self-esteem.
you will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. you will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life. be caution, success is not the key to happiness. happiness is the key to success. if you love what you are doing you will be successful.
happiness belong to the self-sufficient. happiness is also having a loving, caring, close-knit family. there is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved in return. whoever is happy will make others happy too. happiness is also not so much in having as in sharing. we make a living by what we get but most importantly we make a life by what we give. wisdom is the supreme part of happiness and independence is happiness.
so learn to communicate more deeply, effectively and compassionately.
for everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven!