The beauty of prayer

What's a prayer??

Have you ever prayed??

Have you ever wondered whether the way you pray is really praying??

"Prayer is when you talk to God; meditation is when you listen to God". ~Diana Robinson.

We should pray everyday, yet most of us take it for granted...

We can talk with friends about something that is unimportant for hours, yet are 'lazy' to utilize 5-10 minutes of our 'busy schedule' to pray and meditate about something more important to us, which might be beneficial to us as well as to the world around us...

There is this quote that attracts me.

"Many people pray as if God were a big aspirin pill; they come only when they hurt." ~ B.Graham Dienert.

This quote may seem a bit outdated, because taking low dose aspirin everyday to prevent cardiovascular disease is getting increasingly common everywhere... So people are consuming aspirin prescribed by the doctor everyday, not when necessary...

BUT anyway, that's not my point.

My point is, most of us are last minute creatures...

When we are in deep sorrow and are stucked in the pitfalls of our lives, we start to look for help... we start to pray and ask for assistance from God...

There's this guy who told my mother that he and his family does not believe in God and prayers.

However, during a conversation, when we asked:

'What will you do when you are in great danger, and nobody is around to help you?'

Without much thinking, he replied:' Qiu2 Shen2 la...' (meaning ask help from God in mandarin)

Well, he does believe in God, just that his family members did not teach him to pray or talk about the Creator with him...

It's our nature to feel the presence of God, and have faith in everything we do...

We can't see God directly, just like the strong sun, but we can feel the warmth, see the effect of the sunlight and heat energy...

The plants all need the sun for photosynthesis, and the animals including us need to survive by eating the plants...

It's a cycle of growth~~~

"Blessed is he who remembereth his parents before himself..."

We should always remember and pray for our parents...

I really regretted not praying enough for my father...

I hope that my prayers for him now will help him to progress spiritually in the other world...

Praying for mum now is more important than for myself... She needs strength and love to continue her life in this world...

Prayers is the food for our soul.

We tend to eat all the delicious food for our physical body, but yet forget to feed our delicate soul...

It's easy to feed our souls...

Just spend some time each day, relax our minds, pray sincerely to God, pray for everyone, be determine on our decisions, trust in God, and all questions will be answered gradually...

There's another quote which I find confusing at first:

"When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers." ~Oscar Wilde.

'Huh??'

That's my first response.

It actually means that sometimes what we wish for is not good for us. And if God is 'naughty', he will grant us the wish we made so that we will suffer, just like being punished.

So ya, if we don't get what we wish for, don't be sad... God is actually telling us that it is not the best thing for us.

"Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a spiritual and imperishable fragrance..." ~ Baha'u'llah.

^v^

Life is beautiful

That is the last family picture of 4 of us together...

It was taken in July before my flight to Melbourne...

We were so happy at that time...

Haiz...

Life is so mysterious...

I've paid to join a tour to Great Ocean Road weeks ago, but had to rush home the day before the trip...

So, I missed the trip... I was thinking of selling my seat to another person on the day before the trip (it costs $45, which is about Rm135), but I was too tired to contact anybody to help me...

Nevermindlah, I just need to spend lesser to earn back that amount...

When I came back to Melbourne yesterday, my roommate told me that they managed to sell my seat to a stranger on that day itself...

That guy was finding for a spot as his friends told him that he doesn't need to book, can just pay and go immediately (which is untrue)...

Woohooo....

I think that my dad 'sent' that guy to buy my seat...

Haha...

Everything felt so nice on the way back to Melbourne...

I chatted with 2 caucasians and a Malaysian from Klang on the plane...

I felt much better talking to people during the 8 hours of long haul flight.

(Although I cried a little during the first 2 hours...)

Mum must be crying at home again whenever she thinks of pa...

Haiz...

After 21 years of marriage, the person who always sleep next to her suddenly left...

She would have followed him if not because of me and my brother...

I foresee financial crisis now...

Got to look for a part-time job for January and February after I go back...

Life is precious...

Life is short...

Life should be enjoyed...

(I rmb how much my dad loved coffee... Kopi O 'kao' satu!)

Life is beautiful...

^v^

Miss him

I can't believe i'm back in Malaysia...

I can't believe i just lost someone whom I thought will have the longest life...

I can't believe that I did not call him when he needed me the most...

Everything just happened too rapidly that i can't breathe & think properly...

Why?!?

i'm sad...

I've never thought that this would happen to my family so fast...

My tears just won't stop rolling down my cheeks...

It reminds me of the time when grandma left us in 2003...

That time grandma was around 85 years old... She had stroke, amputated her right leg due to diabetes, and could not survive though already admitted in the hospital...

Dad is only 54 years old...

Not yet a retiree...

He is the kindest man on earth...

He always keeps things to himself, so that we wouldn't not be worried about him...

that's the problem...

I always think that he has no problems in life, a very carefree person...

Yet, he left us the earliest...

Diabetes, stomach swollen, high blood pressure...

I should not exchange to Melbourne for 5 months...

I could not see him for the last time... alive...

He looked peaceful in the coffin, probably due to to the thick makeups...

I know he has lots of things to express...

But he chosed to take those probs away with him into another world...

On the way back in the plane, I dreamt of him...

He was sitting near the sofa, resting, saying that he is ok, just have to rest...

I really hope tat that's the real life situation...

Unfortunately, reality is always cruel to us... It's always the opposite...

He passed away last night...

30th Sep 2010...

On the 30th of Sep 1996, we moved into this house...

He left this home after 14 years...

Stroke probably?

then fell down in the toilet?

My bro tried to save him...

Ambulance came, but it was too late...

i was playing with my roomies in my apartment when he needed me most...

How could I...

I'm so useless...

i should have at least call him...

I wanted to, but I thought he has not reach home, so i'll call him at night...

It was too late...

I should have just called him without thinking any further...

this is my prob... always thinking for a long period of time and still can't decide...

Tomorrow is the funeral...

So sad that i couldn't see him laugh and joke around anymore...

I miss his lame jokes...

I miss the jokes that he likes to repeat since i was very young...

Pa, I love you...

I never really said I love u to u...

Pls forgive me for not being by your side...

May God be with you always...

We'll pray that your soul progress in the eternal world...

If u meet grandma, pls tell her that we miss her too...

We will be strong...

Bro is having SPM trials...

and I'm having some presentations & tests in uni...

I hope that you will bless us, protect us and guide us...

I cry, doesn't mean that I'm weak...

I just can't stop missing you...

I've got too many things to tell u...

I wana go to so many places with u...

We'll be fine...

Cool

After nearly 3 months living in Melbourne, I realized that the people here like to use the words:"

ALRIGHT

COOL

AWESOME

NO WORRIES

They are just the same as 'Oklah, or Okloh' in Malaysia...

I've just came back from uni, and in the tram, I heard this girl answering her phone...

'Hey! How r u goin?'

...

'Alright, I'll meet u at the tram stop.'

...

'Alright, cool... alright, awesome...'

...

'Cool, no worries~ see ya!'

That's what I've heard from her...

Besides, whenever they see anybody (friends, customers,...), they will surely say 'HOW R U GOIN?' without thinking... It's their way of saying 'Hi' or 'How do u do' or 'How r u'...

Random thoughts:

'How r u goin??'

'Err, I'm goin by tram...'

^v^

Rushing>>>to market

What a blur blur day...

I slept at 2am last night, and woke up at 9 smt...

Not even 8 hours of sleep... haha

And got lots of assignments awaiting me...

H7 asked me:'what time does market close today?'

I confidently answered:'4pm... coz today is saturday..right?'

So we continued with our assignments and waited for 3.30pm to arrive, because the market stalls sell cheap vege and fruits when they are about to close...

At 2.42pm, H7 asked Jiun whether she wants to follow us to market later or not, because we know that she might be going out for Hari Raya Open House celebration with friends...

Then she asked me again: ' Today market closes at 3 or 4pm argh?'

This time, i rose from my chair, and went to check the time from the leaflet lying beside our sofa...

OMG! It closes at 3pm on Saturdays!!!

I couldn't believe my eyes...

What happened to my memory?!?

(I just proved that memory degrades with time...)

15 minutes to 3pm...

Cant make it adi... tmr lo... or go Woolworth to buy, although more expensive...

We stunned for a while...

Then we quickly turned our laptop to 'sleep' mode, changed our clothes, take the shopping bag and walked very quickly to Queem Victoria Market....

run, then walk, then run...

I forgot to bring my handphone... which is also my clock...

H7 forgot to bring her water bottle...

Nevermind...

VEGE & FRUITS! Wait for us!!!

Luckily, there are also people who just arrived...

We worried too much...

They won't close on time...

'Where there're customers, there're business, there're stalls, there're vege and fruits!'

The prices can vary a lot from one stall to the other...

so I usually will walk one round to 'inspect' before buying...

After a hectic rush hour marketing, we went to McD!

H7 bought vanilla ice cream, and i tried the $1.95 beef burger... which tasted much better than Malaysia's!

or maybe i was just too hungry and everything tastes nice...

Oh well, have to go and wash my clothes now... ^v^

Survived 61 days

Yeah, i've managed to live in a foreign country for 61 days already~

and still counting of course... ^v^

Heard that yesterday was the first day of spring...

i wonder how they know that...

However, the weather still made me feel like winter...

I wonder when can i not wear my grey outer coat...

Everyone is already bored seeing me with it... right?

It's already week7... so fast!!!

I've not done my EBP assignment coz mine is in October...

i feel guilty and weird seeing my other friends rushing to complete it as theirs is like... NOW... or in next 2 weeks time...

Guess i have to read my paper soon...

Procrastination is the thief of time...

And only me can catch the thief... ^v^

2nd-100th post!

Ta-da~!

It's magic...

the gloves helped me to hold my pillowcase while the heater was on to dry it...

This is my 200th post.

And i chosed to post a funny pic taken from my room...

Haha...

Hectic life in Melbourne...

But it's a great experience...

Regret?

nah... ^v^

Interesting scene in the Tram

Yesterday, i went back home alone taking the tram...

After one or two stops, the Yarra Tram officers 'appeared' in the tram to check our tram tickets...

I was sitting in front.

Of course i showed my monthly ticket which expires on the 1st of September.

The guy sitting diagonally next to me didn't have a tram ticket.

He sounded sick with a coarse voice, but he looks punk, with his weird hairstyle and ring piercing on his face.

A kind, middle-aged lady quickly bought a tram ticket, and handed to him.

The guy was shocked, but received the ticket and said 'thank you'.

The Officer with his long cloak saw the scene.

He gave a 'lecture' to the lady who tried to be 'smart'.

He said that although what she is doing is a good deed, but her action is against the law, because she is helping someone who offended the law.

The officer even took out his 'note-pad-like-book', flipped to the rules and regulations page, and showed the sentence to the lady which indicates that she could be reported due to her 'kindness'.

I think the punk-looking guy felt bad.

He was still holding the tram ticket the lady gave him to 'save him'.

The officer took the ticket, and returned it to the lady, and said that he would not report her action, but she have to take back the ticket.

The lady took back the ticket and felt sorry for the guy.

Of course the guy thanked her.

But i'm sure he is in trouble after that.

Then, i left the tram.

I don't know what happened next.

But it was very interesting to see something like that happening on the tram in Melbourne.

Weather

The weather here in Melbourne is so unpredictable...

It rained at 2pm, so we waited until the rain stop to go marketing.

Finally, the sun came out... very strong rays...

So, we thought that it won't rain again.

We went out to buy groceries for the whole week, not even 100m away from our apartment's building, it rained so heavily plus strong wind that distorted my roommate's umbrella.

We jumped into the tram.

After a while, the rain stopped again.

After buying our stuff, it rained again, though only drizzling.

While in the tram with our plastic bags full of food, it rained heavily again.

I quickly wore my hoody and prepare my umbrella, coz we are jumping off the next stop.

Once we step off the tram, the rain stopped!!!

Argh...

The weather here is so playful.

Back in Malaysia, there's always lightning and thunder to warn us before it rains...

But so far, i've not seen lighting nor hear thunder's 'loud warning' in melbounre...

Oh well, have to always be prepared if i wana go out... ^v^

Random thoughts about life in Melbourne

Just had my dinner... super full man...

i don't usually eat lots of rice at home, but have to finish a pile of rice here as only 3 of us are eating with not many dishes.

I really learnt how to cook here through experience...

In average, it takes us one hour to cook a meal, which includes rice and 2 or 3 dishes.

Fruits here are nice, maybe due to the cold weather...

kiwi, golden kiwi, apple, orange, brown pear, strawberry, banana, ...

Oh, i haven't tried cherry...

There's durian here also, but very expensive and i heard that it's not that tasty...

Everyday my housemates are talking about food...

'What to eat next? Whr to eat for tmr dinner?? Whr got nice food to eat?? Eh! Got discount!!!'

... ...

It's winter... so we tend to get hungry easily...

Hence, we eat.

and eat...

There's no weighing machine that i can find...

but i guess that i've gained weight...

Who cares?

With those layers of clothes, everyone looks the same size...

like Santa Claus... without the white beard...

Stop talking bout food!!!

ok...

The tram system is really good...

but it's expensive...

how i wish we could get a consession price... (half price!)

but we can't as we're intercampus exchange student...

not international exchange or study abroad student... (some weird policies fixed by the aus government...)

We bought monthly ticket, which is cheaper...

so we use the tram whenever we can...

but this cause us to stop walking...

thus contribute to the weight gaining...

ah! about food and bodyfats again...

Sick

Having fever is not a good thing...

But i don't feel that cold during the winter here in Melb...

So, i'll treat it an an advantage... lol

Sore throat is the main culprit...

I couldn't speak for half a day yesterday... so i had to use my phone to write msg for my housemates and friends to read...

Whenever i try to say something, i will cough...

My throat felt very itchy, so i kept on coughing, but the stubborn phlagm wouldn't want to leave my throat and chest...

I coughed until my abdomen felt so pain and tiring...

So i went to the pharmacy to get some lozonges... (Duro-Tuss)

My Strepsils from Malaysia didn't work... so hope that this expensive medication from melb will cure my symptoms...

Got to continue my taiwan movie series now - 'Next Stop Bahagia'...

all becoz of jiun...

haiz...

^v^