edibles from karl

i cooked today....( and all those people who know me very well GASP in horror! )

my first serious attempt at cooking (instant noodles and fried egg aside). i made curry chicken. Lately the holidays have given me much time to relax and do stuff that i've been wanting to do but put of continuously due to busyness.

Last night i decided to tag along with my parents to carrefour and picked out some stuff to try and cook today. heh.. so i bought the chicken fillet and some cabbage and a packet of curry mix.. hehe. (i know.. cheating)

started cooking late this morning. began with the rice for which apparently there was a user guide which would give me explicit instructions but alas i couldn't locate it! so.. i used the NATURAL.. heh. INTUITION.. just TEMBAK ONLY.. some how the rice turned out okay. the first miracle of the day.. heh..

cut garlic and onions and ginger. then i just basically followed the instructions on the back of the curry powder packet for the mix.. dumped them into the wok with some oil and here's what i got. a nice medium sized pot of curry chicken fillet with potatoes!! :)


cut the vegetable and stir fried them with onions and garlic and oil and water with some salt and oyster sauce. it wasn't too bad either!! :)


added one fried egg to top it off..

and MIND you all.. this is the FIRST time i EVER cooked anything besides instant noodles or fried egg!!. and i did it all alone.. heh.. happy me today.. *smiles*

the beginning of the end

that post title says it all. HaHA. reading it now it sounds so melancholic and depressing. but no i don't think this is necessarily a depressing post.

i'm gonna continue my discourse about israel :)

God's chosen people. in trouble, it seems with the rest of the world. they're now beginning to look like the black sheep of nations. apparently everyone is running over to the side of the palestinians that the boat is really being wieghtily tipped in that direction. and it's becoming more and more obvious that lesser and lesser governments are remaining sympathetic to the isreali cause and the few that still do so are being very cautious lest they be isolated in ther support as they are indeed treading on thin ice.

(interestingly, it's the heavier side of a ship that sinks first, heh.. but i doubt that's got anything to do with this. just a random observation, forgive me)

However, God has a reason for everything, a plan.

And He will save His people. There will come a time when Israel realises that they're not as mighty and impregnable as they believe they are. their initiatives, military and ecomonic power is not absolute. And then will they turn to He who is Almighty. And HE will save his people.

It's interesting to compare this situation to our own lives. So often we're led to do things the way we see fit. And God allows us to. He's not a Father who holds us by strings and makes us do as He wishes like puppets.. NO even when it HURTS Him so much. He patiently waits for us, sometimes watching us make a complete fool of ourselves doing stupid things and running around the sand in circles. UNTIL we come to the realisation that we need Him so. and when we CRY out to Him, He gently LIfts us up into His arms and show us why we can NEVER make it on our own..

He IS an awesome GOD

Isaiah 43:2

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

a call

this post is about a nation. a people very dear to the heart of God.

Israel

A nation called by God to be bearers of His name, of who he is. the Almighty. the YAHWEH of the universe. From the days of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, these special people have had a unique place in the heart of the Father. Not that God is biased in anyway. After all, who are WE to dictate who God is to select to be His chosen people? Are we greater than God that we be in a position to say who God's chosen people are to be? no.

And this is a call, a call to pray for Israel. Times are difficult, with the dawn of a new year comes a dawn of many new things, not all pleasant. And in Gaza, pain is severe and widespread. Pride is at stake. Watching the news reading the papers, glancing through articles here and there, we hear of phrases like 'when the rockets stop, we will stop'. These adamant statements by the leadership of Israel are tantamount to stubbornness, but at the same time, they DO have to defend their homeland don't they?

but is that all there is? is it really merely protecting their civilians, or is it their PRIDE that's at stake??

they've never been perfect, but they serve a perfect God. they have not accepted the messiah, but one day they will.

And for now, let's pray for Israel.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.

PSALM 125:2

back

Calvary youth camp 08 was a blast

before the camp i was seeking God for a time of refreshing and renewal, and He is faithful.

It wasn't necessarily an emotional or overly hyped up experience, but one thing's for sure. God showed up. And it's interesting to note that the presence of God and hype don't have to go hand in hand. He can do mighty things in the midst of His people regardless of the emotional 'atmosphere' we're in.

I think the greatest encouragement was seeing the seemingly young and inexperienced committee turn around and emerge successful with the organisation of the camp. of course there were glitches and unexpected issues, but they pulled through and learned the lessons needed to be learnt. WELL DONE guys. so proud of all of you..

but somehow there was one concern lingering on my mind. camp somehow felt a little like a whole bunch of different people with different responsibilities and focus thrown together into a large pot that just wouldn't mix. there wasn't that CALVARY YOUTH spirit there. or at least it wasn't as evident as it could have been. it's like.. instead of getting a uniform mix, there was a whole bunch of insoluble liquids separated from each other.. quite funny to notice actually, and it somewhat affected the general unity i think. but all this is my opinion.

there were the newbies, the young ones, the people in charge, there were those serving and busy here and there, the cooler ones who always seemed more prominent, there were the visitors who clung to each other, and of course the loners who were always alone.. the weird ones who just couldn't get along with anyone.. and the emo ones who refused to talk to anyone..

got me thinking quite a bit..

but as i said
camp was a BLAST

tuesday, wednesday , thursday

09/12/2008
10/12/2008
11/12/2008

three not so awesome... yet.... three TOTALLY awesome days... *grins*.. ;)

time to reflect

it's christmas time.

funny though, december as set in five days into the month already. Maybe it's just me but i don't feel very much in a christmas mood this year. Some how there seems to be a lack of.. umm.. how do you describe it.. stuff happening? i was thinking about it and i's probably a combination of a few things..

1. i'm growing up (old)... sigh..
   
2. no big musical this year
3. been so so busy with other stuff haven't really had time to get into the season
   

but i was just sitting arounf thinking this morning. And a really nice thought came to my head. Ain't it so so awesome that the whole POINT of christmas isn't the mood or the festivity of it all? i mean no matter how much celebration and fun you see all around you, you will never experience christmas until you SEE beyond all that hype and activity..

and i'm so glad that EVERY year i've had one of these moments like today. when i suddenly REALISE the incredible depth of this celebration, that GOD became a MAN. and his name is Emmanuel.


Come to bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord our new born King

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO

and HE did it

i serve a GOD who does MIRACLES and he did it again TODAY!!