Purpose for wake/ funeral service

Each time I conduct service for wake or funeral I asked myself this question, “the purpose of me sharing in the funeral service are…..”

Sometime, we may get so caught up with the sharing and the formality of the service that we neglected the real reason for us being there.

There are many reasons why we have a service at such a gathering.
Firstly, to express pastoral love to the family by being there.
Secondly, to bring comfort and hope to the family thru the sharing of God’s word and promises.
Thirdly, to let those who have not heard the good news, a chance to hear it.

The demises of love-one is one of the deepest sorrow, depress and weak process that we have to go thru. We need lots of support from family, friends and church at this moment.

As a Christian, am I being a support to the family without reservation or do I provide support as long as it does not imposed on me?

Food that I want to eat most

Thank God, my throat conditions are improving. With the strong pain killer, the pain is now more bearable than before.

So am planning what I will like to eat when I fully recovered, and by His grace, in a day or two.

The foremost food I miss and would like to eat is Yvonne cooking. Stir fry broccoli with scallop, fish maw soup, pork chop, chicken wings, etc. The 罗汉斋 she cooked yesterday is super delicious…yummy…..

The next thing I would like to eat is roti prata, veg bee hoon, sashimi, crabs…..

Medical review

Just completed my medical review. ENT specialist said my condition is one of the more serious he had treated. He gave me another week of mc and see him on Wednesday. Basically to a lay person like me, the upper portion of the throat seem to healing very slowly. and today we get to see the lower portion, it has quiet a numbers of ulcer spots on it. I guess the healing is slower than Dr Goh’s expectation.

The good news was that I had managed to finish a bowl of porridge (lean meat with century egg) and chee cheong fung (猪肠粉) at the coffee shop downstair of my place.

Birthday presents

So far, I have received 2 presents this years…..

The wallet is from my wife and the t-shirt from Khaw’s family

Oh, and my care group surprise drop-by my place last evening with a Hagen daz ice cream, which I like but can’t eat….sigh….but it was heart warming

Thank you people.

Broken sleep

Well, the pain in my throat somehow is more manageable now. But sleep was still disturbed by the occasional shock of sharp pain and the dryness added the dimension of “parched”, earth cracking ……

In a typical night time, I would woke up at least 2-3 times and remained sleepless for 15-30mins just to “cool down” the pain effect.

Had tried many stuff to help the healing , bird nests, manuka honey, barley water, pear juice, honey sweets, mint, salt water, watermelon fross….any many more…..

My diet since last Thursday, was porridge, soft noodles(mee sua), porridge, porridge, porridge and more porridge…..I want my roti prata! Swallowing is not without pain and difficulties.

Though I must admit that compared to last Sunday, even comparing to yesterday, the conditions had improved tremendously.

Praise be to my Lord Jesus, who thru Him I have my salvation and healing.

Happy birthday to me

Today, my 43th birthday!

Thank God for all His blessing upon me; a happy family, a stable job, and a healthy body (claiming His divine healing).

This would be my first time in 43 years that I am unable to eat or drink well on my birthday itself. Sad? Yes, but thru this incident, I believe God has His purposes and I have learn to appreciate my wife, Yvonne, more. She is simply the best!

I have somehow over all these years taken something fore-granted in lives, and I am very sorry for it. I have decided to change, like the prodigal son, I want to come back.

May this year mark the beginning of new life for me and my family. May this begin the journey with God in the most intimate ways. I love you, Jesus.

The sleepless night

The pain in my throat somehow increases every night. This pain is so unbearable that I really feel like disconnecting my throat from my body temporally so that I could sleep. This pain is a sore pain, it is a pain, not acute, but Pain……the Pain is also triggering ear pain.

I want to sleep, but with every swallowing of saliva means pain, how does one fall into sleep? How did Job sleep? How did he rest in the midst of his physical suffering?

Took a touchlight and look into my throat, there are still big batches of ulcers on my left side, and some right inside. It really hurts me….my birthday is this Friday, do I have to suffer? God have mercy in me, let your grace and healing fall upon me.