The new place

What a relieve ... today i am hooked online!!! yipee!!! and finally get to update my blog and read my emails. It has been at least 3 weeks i have not checked mail as I was so occupied with my moving and trying to figure out the internet connection at the new place. This week is the 3rd week I am sleeping in my own place. It really feels different and I thank God each day for the space He has granted me. Getting use to the public transport, the whole new area and try to figure out where are the essential places, like the post office, banks, government offices, supermarket. The area which I am living now is a new extention of Zurich city, so there are still many new developments taking place. Everyday I see people moving in to the new area.
Just down the road to where I live, there is a few stable, they have horses and give lesson to adults and children in horse riding. One day I shall go and try out a lesson or two.
Yesterday I attended my close friend father's furneral. I know her dad and mum in church, and they were the first couple who invited me to their home for lunch after church service. This took place 20 years ago and I was very close to their family, especially they daughter Shakuntala (princess in Singalese) Lou is from Sri Lanka and Lisbeth is Swiss, they met in England and got married there.
This couple has a big heart for God and they had been opening their homes for many years, inviting the lonely singles from church to come and join them for lunch. After lunch, we usually sing and pray together. It was a place where I met other single people and most of them are english speaking. I guess through this wonderful ministry, Lou or we call him Loubi and Lisbeth has been well love amongst the english speaking community in the church. Loubi just turn 70 end of July, and he went to the hospital as he had chest pain. He was operated the next day and the doctors needed to do a by pass on his heart. Loubi was put into coma and he did not made it after a 10 hours operation. I was so shock to hear of his death, but at the same time I praise God for Loubi's salvation. They were like parents to me, and each time we see each other in church, Loubi always conveys his regards to my family. It was a very touching funeral service and there were around 400 people who attended his funeral. It just shows how many lives he has touched and left behind a legacy to be remembered. Let us all learn to tell our family how much we love them, cos we never know how short life can be. Let us constantly be a blessing to others, start by asking ourselves..... what legacy are we leaving behind on this earth, have we been obedient when the Lord has put on our hearts to bless others, or the share our generosity?
When people talk about us, what do they say? Let us live a life that is honourable like Loubi's life before God.

Chocolates...

My favourite confiserie shop is called sprüngli in down town Zurich. It is one of the best shops around. Every summer they create new chocolates and truffes (chocolates refined with fresh cream, smothered in Swiss chocolate and sprinkled with a dash of cacao powder) creations.

So I have pasted some pics of their mouth watering creations .... Today they annouced that they have actually managed to create a rose truffes, with real rose petals and rose water. I would definetely give myself a treat soon. For those of you who would like to see their collections, here is the english link http://www.spruengli.ch/index.php?lang=en

And these Grand Cru (dark chocolates) are my other favourites, I will savour it with a cup of strong arabicca coffee. anybody want to join me ? ;-)

New vineyard

Moving and uprooting has been a constant companion in my life. Eversince I was young, we moved nearly 10 times around Penang and then we moved to 3 different countries (India, Malaysia, Switzerland). The past 20 years, we have moved twice. I moved out a few years ago to live on my own and then moved back to my parent's appartment after my year in Malaysia.
This time moving has proved strainous as the it has been 18 years since our last move. All those memories from the past surfaces, the books, stamp collection during my secondary days from Penang and many more items which bought back the past. I remembered me and my brothers had to decided what to take over to Zurich, at the time we had to give up our house in Penang. Each of us were only allowed 20 kg. Can you imagine, 20 kg of bagage to migrate to Zurich. It was a painful process for us, as we had to be very focus on what is precious to us. So all those precious things we bought over from Malayisa has been again discovered in our store room in Zurich. Mum kept them for us all this while.
We never knew where home is, and therefore I am accustomed to give away and bless others with what I have and not hold on to things. But this "giving up" has proved more difficult for my parents to let go of the past and look forward into the future. As we were sorting out all our things, and had to focus once again to let go of the old, I could feel the pain my parents felt as each piece of these memories builds up a picture of their journey and scarifice they had laid down for our future in this country. We even found books which my mum had been using while she was in Bombay University and we used it in Malaysia. That book is 40 years old !! I know most of you would have just thrown it away, what is the big deal.
All this sentimental memories like these gives us a sense of comfort and security to dwell in, as we never really know where home is, living in a foreign country and feeling like a foreigner in Malaysia as we have been away for too long. Well it is true that Home is where the Heart is, but what if the heart is undecided where Home is. It is a major uproot for my family as the tree that was once planted in this country 20 years ago is going to be replanted in new soil. All the scarifices my parents did had paid off. God you are so faithful and true to my family. Thank you for your protection, love and blessings. I want to give you all glory and honor, as you take your place in our "new vineyard " Lord.

What a great God we have !

Luke 9:49.
John spoke up, "Master, we saw a man driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he doesn't belong to our group."
50."Do not try to stop him," Jesus said to him and to the other disciples, "because whoever is not against you is for you." (Good News Translation)