WISHING EVERYONE A JOYOUS CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

My eldest expression meeting her old folks for the first time in almost a year...lol! We visiting her at the big city where she resides with her family.

Kiddos and their grand old man last minute shopping.

Yours truly with friends at Christmas dinner where I pigged myself silly with all the delicious arrays of food.

Have a blessed Christmas, be safe, be happy. May this Christmas bring good tidings, prosperity, peace, hope and love.

NORTH BORNEO SUNSET CRUISES

Throwback pictures with friends, of a charming scenery for an unforgettable evening. The North Borneo Cruise was a 2-hour scenic cruise past the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, Kota Kinabalu and down the central coast gliding along the city's famous Waterfront. 

7 PRAYERS FOR LIFE

Sharing these prayers received from a friend... thank you and may God bless you too..

A LESSON ON LIFE FROM DAD...

Just sharing this beautiful message received from a friend through WhatsApp which I think also received from someone. Guess it has been around but I feel it is too pretty not to share here.

...Many years ago, after I got married I was sitting on a couch on a hot, humid day, sipping frozen juice during a visit to my father.

As I talked about adult life, marriage, responsibilities, and obligations, my father thoughtfully stirred the ice cubes in his glass and cast a clear, sober look at me.

"Never forget your friends," he advised, "they will become more important as you get older."

"Regardless of how much you love your family and the children you happen to have, you will always need friends. 

Remember to go out with them occasionally, do activities with them, call them ..."

"What strange advice!" I Thought. "I just entered the married world, I am an adult and surely my wife and the family that we will start will be everything I need to make sense of my life."

Yet I obeyed him; Kept in touch with my friends and annually increased their number. Over the years, I became aware that my father knew what he was talking about.

In as much as time and nature carry out their designs and mysteries on a man, friends were the bulwarks of his life.

After 50 years of life, here is what I learned:

Time passes.
Life goes on.
The distance separates.
Children grow up.

Children cease to be children and become independent. 

And to the parents it breaks the heart but the children are separated of the parents.

Jobs come and go.

Illusions, desires, attraction, ....weaken.

People do not do what they should do.

The heart breaks.
The parents die.
Colleagues forget the favors.
The races are over.

But, true friends are always there, no matter how long or how many miles they are.

A friend is never more distant than the reach of a need, barring you, intervening in your favor, waiting for you with open arms or blessing your life.

When we started this adventure called LIFE, we did not know of the incredible joys or sorrows that were ahead. 

We did not know how much we would need from each other. Love your parents, take care of your children, but keep a group of good friends. Dialogue with them but do not impose your criteria. 

SOME SMALL CHEERS TO THE FOLKS OF THE HOLY FAMILY RESIDENCE, HOME FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

After a lifetime of working, raising families, contributing to the success of the Nation in many ways, Senior Citizens deserve to retire with dignity.

The Charity Visit to Holy Family, Kg Purak, Papar, home for Senior Citizens, handing some small CNY goodies and cheers from us was a humbling experience. Thinking that these inmates were once young beautiful, healthy, energetic, running here and there for their families and it jolted me that one day, I too, soon, will grow as old, God willing, if am fortunate enough or unfortunate. 

My wish is that I would not live too long to outlive my loved ones and become a burden. God willing...

Sister tending to the wounds of an inmate, Ms Tina Rimmer who has made this home 6 months ago. She will be 100 years old this year. More about this remarkable British lady here

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/03/16/love-for-sabah-stops-british-woman-from-going-home/

Ms Joanna Datuk Kitingan, our Chairman and Miss Sherry-Anne, the State Level Unduk Ngadau 2016 posing for the camera with Ms Tina Rimmer.

Homeward bound - I was drawn to the surreal looking cloud formation and I couldn't resist taking a shot through the screen of our moving car.

REFLECTIONS..

Christmas Day came and it went. Then came the new year and now the upcoming Chinese New Year.  It won't be long before the first month of this brand new year  2017 is over. Feels like it is going by like a lightning speed…and umur also meningkat so fast ..haha

Reflecting on the past year,  I had some terrific times and some challenging ones. But who doesn't, for how can one appreciate the good times if one did not experience the bad times, right.  Those are part and parcel of life.. uisehh.. suddenly feeling philosophical ni.  

 But how does one know if it was good or not. Sometimes we have the tendency to focus on the bad sides but forget to remember the positive or good times.  To reflect, I prefer to focus on those things that I am thankful for. It could be a small thing - a meeting of old friends or classmates or even a snap of some lovely and unique moments with my hp camera.

I have a lot to be thankful for really. I have my family, my extended families, relatives, friends and I made some new terrific friends.  I've travelled to a few places. All these I attribute to blessings from God.

Happy Chinese New Year, may the year of the rooster brings love, goodwill, prosperity, good health and peace to all. Kong Hee Fatt Choy..

THE JOURNEY TOGETHER THRU LIFE..

Happy New Year Everyone.  May God bless this brand new year and brings to us all peace, hope, love, goodwill, understanding, good health, prosperity.  

 I was browsing through Facebook and reading friend's new year wishes, looking at their shared beautiful pictures of how they celebrated the new year when I stumbled upon my sister's post on her Facebook wall she made on the last day of 2016.

 I have read and received lots of beautiful and brilliant messages through Whatsapp or from Facebook messages from well-meaning friends but I found this so profoundly meaningful that I can't help sharing it here.

Quote:

"I don't know the owner of this article but it’s worth being shared especially on the last day of 2016. May this sharing inspire all of us for this coming 2017.

'A young lady sat in a bus. At the next stop a loud and grumpy old lady came and sat by her. She squeezed into the seat and bumped her with her numerous bags.

The person sitting on the other side of the young lady got upset, asked her why she did not speak up and say something.

The young lady responded with a smile:

"It is not necessary to be rude or argue over something so insignificant, the journey together is so short. I get off at the next stop."

This response deserves to be written in golden letters:

*"It is not necessary to argue over something so insignificant, our journey together is so short"*

If each one of us realized that our time here is so short; that to darken it with quarrels, futile arguments, not forgiving others, discontentment and a fault finding attitude would be a waste of time and energy.

Did someone break your heart?

Be calm, the journey is so short.

Did someone betray, bully, cheat or humiliate you? 

Be calm, forgive, the journey is so short.

  

Whatever troubles anyone brings us, let us remember that our journey together is so short.

No one knows the duration of this journey. No one knows when their stop will come. Our journey together is so short.

Let us cherish friends and family. Let us be respectful, kind and forgiving to each other. Let us be filled with gratitude and gladness.

If I have ever hurt you, I ask for your forgiveness. If you have ever hurt me, you already have my forgiveness.

After all, our journey together is so short!'  Unquote.

To all of you who I have been so fortunate to be associated with, who have been with me in this journey of life, my family, siblings, extended families, relatives, friends and acquaintances. I can't thank you enough. 

Let us love one another while we still can.
Angie