26/05/2021

This week concluded the BSF book studies of Genesis. It has always been a soul searching study, no matter how many times people study it repetitively. The final homework assignment is for us to prepare an answer and share what truth any patriarchs challenged us the most? I picked Joseph. At first, he was the leading man of the story from Genesis Chapter 37 to Chapter 50, but I remembered Pastor Prince often contends from his propel that Joseph was like the Jesus Christ pre-incarnated.

As each of us only had two minutes to share our answers. I picked another question to share. After intensive studies, I had an acute sense to go back to look up some scriptures again and found it noteworthy to ponder on Joseph’s emotional made-up before his first tear dropped (Genesis 42:24). He had a roller-coastal life. He was his father, Jacob’s favourite son. Out of jealousy and mentioning his dreams, his brothers loathed him and sold him to Egypt when he was seventeen (17). 

However,  the Lord was with Joseph throughout (it stated four times in one chapter alone Genesis 39:2;3;21;23).’ From Potiphar’s slave, to be fully in charge of Potiphar’s household. Although he was able to flee from the sexual temptation but faced an unjust jail term. The prison warden discerned that the Lord was with Joseph and promoted him in charge of all the inmates. God helped Joseph to interpret dreams (Genesis 40:8b) for the king’s cupbearer and baker. When the cupbearer was set free, he forgot to putting a good word to the king for Joseph. Two years later, God facilitated Joseph to interpret Pharaoh’s two dreams. 

It knocked the Pharaoh that ‘God revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do (Genesis 41:25b). With the God-given first-rate administrative skills and disciplined stewardship of resources of the land, Joseph won Pharaoh’s complete trust. It paved a safe landing for him to become the Prime minister of Egypt. He was on top of the selling of the grins. When his father, Jacob, heard that there were corns available for sale in Egypt, he sent 10 of his sons down to Egypt. He kept his youngest boy, Benjamin, with him in Canaan. That lead up to the whole drama (Genesis 41). 

The ten brothers bowed their faces down to Joseph on their first arrival. That was the first time he saw his brothers after the long-suffering separation. But he was harsh with them, accused them of being spics and locked them up. On the third day, he said unto them, ‘This do, and live, for I fear God (Genesis 42:18).’ Joseph  held one of the brothers in hostage and, in his authority, made a demand in exchange for Benjamin (Genesis 42:20) their youngest brother (Genesis 42:20) to prove their innocence on their returned trip. 

Knowing with their confidence that they were in front of an Egyptian ruler who would understand not what they said among themselves without an interpreter, The brothers then openly talked about what they did to Joseph and openly confessed their fear of God’s punishment and retribution. Joseph turned himself about from his brothers and Wept (Genesis 42:24a). Joseph ordered to return everyone his money, fill up their bags with grains and food for their trip home. 

When the brothers bowed their faces facedown before Joseph, he remembered his dream of them while they were all in their father’s house. He would have the vindictive pleasure in his mind, not tears on his face. If what his brothers had done to him was so vivid in his memories, that would only bring out the root of his bitterness toward them, not tears. Joseph can’t forgive the brothers and forget their wicked deeds. If I were Joseph, I could only think of the classic story of Count of Monte Cristo and his strategy of revenge.

‘On the Third Day (Genesis 42:18)’ things had its dramatic turn that stunning everybody, including probably himself. Given the shortest scripture in the entire Bible found in (John 11:35), ‘Jesus wept’ as the Son of Man on earth when his friend, Lazarus, died and buried for days. It said in (John 11:36 NLT) that”the people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him. If Jesus personified love with His tears, then what gave away Joseph’s tears? 

With the premise of ‘the Lord with Joseph’ in mind, I would use these three of ‘R’ words – ‘Relay,’ Repent,’ and ‘Rely on’ to profile Joseph’s frame of mind. In a humanly impossible situation, Joseph compelled to Relay who his God was to him openly (Genesis 42:18). Because he was fearful of hurting HIS Lord’s feeling with his unrighteous mind, he had to Repent to change his precious mindset. Finally, he had to Rely on God’s all-sufficient grace to forgive his brother wholeheartedly with HIS divine Spirit. It’s not far fetch  saying that Joseph’s tears personified the Holy Spirit that done it all and said it all for Joseph.

Seven times account for Joseph’s weeping, and an essay (1) entails the remaining six scenes of Joseph’s weeping with each given situation.(Genesis 42:24 to 50:17). The beautiful ending of the entire story glued with two additional ‘R’ words (BSF Lesson 27 Note) that Joseph revealed his identity (Genesis 45) and reunited with Jacob (Genesis46:1-30)… The key phrase of ‘On the Third Day'(Genesis 42:18) drew a beautiful and powerful parallel to my dear Lord of God, Jesus, who came back to life on the third day for us all. The resurrection power made Joseph a victor, not a victim of his past emotional affliction, and the Lord was with Joseph all and all. 

1.Seven Scenes of Joseph Weeping

March 27, 2017 by mitchchase

p.s. I would like to dedicate this essay thanksgiving to Esther, our group discussion leader, for her love and devotedness to aid our study during this COVID crises.

21/02/2021

With the publicly available information, evidently the COVID-19 pandemic has reached nearly every corner of the globe. Discussions with people/friends in medical professions and my walk of Faith, I would have been the staunch individual to say ‘NO to take the COVID-19 vaccine. And disregard which big pharmaceutical company that develops it. However, life is a serial of trade-off, and the test is that I have to have it if I intend to travel when some countries may open up their borders. Besides, I don’t have an option not to take it. Being a TCM practitioner, I received our MOH (Ministry of Health) notice to respond. Finally, by the Singapore government’s grace, it is free for all whoever would want it.

It says that the key to getting the pandemic under control is to immunize a critical mass of the world’s population. And the vaccine is the way. We all know that’s not physible and most unlikely unless we are back into the days of Noah (Genesis)’. Besides, all vaccines must go through rigorous testing for effectiveness and safety before they get approved for public use, a process that typically takes eight to fifteen years. Take, for example, the vaccine for HIV/AIDS that is still not made publicly available. Within one year into the pandemic of COVID, multilateral organizations, governments and private firms have spent billions of dollars to fast-track the development of close to a dozen vaccines, including Pfizer, Moderna, and Sinopharm is unprecedented.

Regrettably, all fast-tracked vaccines are up against a new set of challenges, including the new dangerous variant of the virus, global competition over a limited supply of doses, public hesitation about vaccines and the pricing of the vaccine. After the injection, I had to wait for 30 minutes. Then the gracious nurse handed me a certificate to indicate that I finished the vaccine’s first dose, including a long ‘to make’ list if serious side-effect happened that disturbed me a great deal. After all, something alien is inside my system, and I don’t know what it is? I had my share of sleeplessness for two nights till Psalm 91 comforted me. Psalme 91:10‘ no evil will befall you, no plague will approach your tent. 11 For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

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14/01/2020

The rating of ‘The Good Doctors’ is on fire worldwide according to ABC network, and it has been into its 3rd seasons. Thankful to the smart TV recording feature, I have not missed one episode, and it enables me to watch a few of the moving episodes more than once. As a TCM practitioner, I have had keen synergy to watch medical drama series other than documentary. I love ‘The Good Doctors,’ a medical drama series, which the writers have made it incredibly attractive about life, joy, team works, friendship, family, love, heartbreak and so forth for a superbly intelligent, exhilarating TV series.

This is an ingenious adaptation of an award-winning South Korean TV show of the same title. A few of Asian casts in it. I was able also to grasp some of the Asian value systems and mentalities that were subtlety in the dialogues. All the ‘good doctors’ in the show are surgical residents surgeons, and Dr Murphy ( Freddie Highmore) has Autism savant disorder. I don’t know how shall autism be truthfully shown. Still, I like to watch how Murphy has difficulties to pick up social cues in his dealing with other doctors, his patients and even with his girlfriend. His performance is a natural for that role, so that it has become the real Autistic behaviour for me to consider.

I esteem especially the researches that have done behind the scene on technical aspects in the ORs. It has weighted on Murphy to come out with many insightful diagnoses, untested surgical procedures, an Autistic person, can definitely be a skilful good doctor to save lives. I wonder would the real Surgeons in life watch the show and think of some of those surgical trials that are on display? It brought warmth to my heart to see forgiveness at the end of a long stringent, dysfunctional mother/daughter (Dr Brown) relationship. To be able to see how the tie of an abusive father/son (Dr Murphy) ended and to see how a reconciliation took place in a broken marriage (Dr Park).

Without showing any graphic bed scene, how one-story sent out the dumbfound warning on the devastating emotional consequence over a one-night stand affair (Dr Brown), with embarrassment, shame and quilt Brown plays out so well on her grave, inner emotion. A few stories, so familiar, few of overachieved lady Dr and professionals who chose to follow their career paths over love of their dream (Dr Lim, especially). It’s elating to see stories of how good doctors making peace with their past (Dr Glassman and Dr Murphy). A scene of how a church Pastor’s reflection on the faith-healing/modern medicine and death. And the corollary, we saw how the good doctor has to deal with his quilt and self-condemnation when his patient died on his table (Dr Melendez).

One of the most profound stories is how a wife refused to doubt her once an alcoholic husband, even the test report said otherwise. It led two good doctors to run further tests. In the end, it was the wife’s faith that saved not only her husband’s life but also a lesson for good doctors to take into their hearts. That’s for good doctors to be mindful on possible human error or oversights on medical screenings. The last episode before the 2019 holiday season would make all the viewers in the world on a high expanse that’s whether or not Dr Murphy would be ready for sex? I suspect with a little certainty of my sixth sense that Murphy would break Carly, his girlfriend’s heart.

It’s intriguing for me to note that being a Murphy’s flatmate, the writers didn’t use ‘Leah (sound the same),’ but ‘Lea‘ to name her, did they know the root meaning of Leah as the name of Jacobs’ wife, in the bible? I have yet had so much to share of how much I have enjoyed to watch the show and I highly recommend people to find a way to watch it. We can’t knock success, can we? If all good things on earth are from above (James 1:17 NIV), then, in this case, the success of this medical TV drama can only prove one thing for me that my Saviour lives.

James 1:17 NIV

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

05/12/2019

Proverbs 5:21

For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings -NKJV

I thought that I was led to pray a prayer of relinquishment, and yet I still had my self-indulgent despair over the Hong Kong situation. No wonder that’s what it says that ‘the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ Currently, I am having the term break from Bible study class, and I wanted to take a short trip to Hong Kong in spite of the stun travel warnings.

Then, it started when Mike, my cousin, told me that my 86-year-old aunt was going to be baptised on December 2, 2019, after her sinner’s prayer last year, during my visit. Mike decided to fly back to attend the baptism. As for me, I wanted to spend time with her. I voiced my heart’s desire to Arthur, and I took his OK as the Divine clearance for me to take up the trip.

People told me that I should travel during the week, as most of the actions are over the weekend. Immediately, I told my 86-year-old aunt that I will be with her from 13/11/19 to 15/11/19. Little did I know that my stay would be too short to be able to enjoy any sweet deal on airfare. And every Monday, I have had duty call at the clinic.

Shortly before I log on to search further, my sister, Beatrice called from Taipei to inform me that our cousin passed away and survived by his 90-year-old mother, and the funeral was on 13/11/19. Flying to Taipei become my pressing need. It’s by God’s grace that I managed to have a ticket that combined commercial and redemption travel. Best of all, the clinic even approved my last-minute leave application for Monday, 12/11/19.

Without taking God’s protection for granted, I travelled with the bible passage of Psalm 91 and asked my friends to pray for me with Psalms 91. Finally, on Monday, 12/11/19, I was in transit in Hong Kong airport on my way to Taipei. I couldn’t envision on the day when twenty thousand of demonstrators occupied the entire airport that affected thousands of flights.

It probably due to the travel warnings, the airport didn’t’ strike me as one of the busiest airports in the world. It was a short flight, and I was in Taipei for less than 24 hours. The funeral was a Buddhism ceremony. Glory be to my dear Jesus that HE redeemed the time for me to be able to bring comfort to my aunt in Taipei who was in the deep grief of loss her only son.

After Taipei, I arrived in Hong Kong the evening on 13/11/19, ‘In His Time.‘ The minutes I stepped out the Hong Kong immigration checkpoint, the first time in my life, I saw uniformed police and barricade at the arrival hall. I was fearful of what if there were some degree of confrontation with the violent rioters, and I also was not sure about the airport transfer.

There was many empty taxis in front of the taxi bay. People warned me not to initiate any conversation with the cab driver as people in Hong Kong are very divided. With quite several detours due to the roadblock; the streets was nearly empty. No drama nor trauma, finally, hugging, teary eyes and late dinner were on the table; thanks be to my almighty God that I was home safely.

The uniqueness of my aunt’s place is the living room that has a cross-harbour view. All the Christmas lighting decorations would be on usually, before the Thanksgiving Weekend, later it would change to be in tune with the theme of the Chinese New Year. I was saddened to note that the lighting on the other side of the harbour front was not as illuminating as it has always been.

In attempt  to prepare my aunt to exercise her newfound faith, I urged her to go out to sample some restaurant foods together; asked her to accompany me to do a little bit of shopping and take a stroll in the park that she had not done that for months. The TV coverage was all bad news such as how the rioters vandalising shops and hollowing out bricks from the surface of the streets

Time flies, on Friday, 15/11/19, the day that I schedule to fly home, I woke up very early and felt led to visit my other aunt who is in her early 90’s and has been half bed-ridden for many years and needs two helpers to care for her. My cousin, Lynn, was on a trip. It meant a world to me when she could remember me and call out my name. I have always had her salvation in my mind, and her heart has always been hard to move.

I manipulatively reminded her that my uncle was promoted to glory before he died, so I told her that she could only rejoin him in heaven if she accepts Jesus as her Lord over her remaining days on earth. Still not moved a bit, so I started to feed her breakfast, read her pause and ask Jennifer, her helper about her physical conditions playing a little bit of doctor with her.

With a deep sense of urgency, I asked her again, and she finally nodded her head, wanting to accept Jesus. It’s the Holy Spirit that I started to weep so hard in front of her. Both helpers being Catholics also moved to tears. And they told me that they have kept the rosaries in my aunt’s bedroom and have been praying for her salvation.

Then, Jennifer told me that it’s easier for me to take the bus down the hill, provided if the bus is running, then get a cab to wherever I need to go afterwards. I kissed my aunt and said good-bye. The minute I walked out the main entrance of the building, bus #19 was coming down from the top of a hill. It took less than a half-hour. I was home with my 86-year-old.

She urged me to leave her place as early as possible as the rioters are totally unpredictable. I was moved to open the Bible to Proverbs Chapter 15 ( 15/11/19) and asked her to read it together with me. I told her that there are 31 chapters in Proverbs, and I challenged her to read one chapter of Proverbs a day. She was all set for her baptism.

The car ride to the airport was uneventful. As I looked around, the damage may seem beyond control, yet, I remembered one of the news that’s on how spontaneously keep ordinary people with cleaning efforts, picking up debris on some of the major streets. That’s the spirit of Hong Kong. After all, there are millions of people who call it home. And many people in Hong Kong continue to carry on with their lives in the midst of the chaos.

In reflection, it was a hit and a run kind of trip for me to travel both to Taipei and Hong Kong. It’s indeed a purpose-driven journey. God is faithful, in Hong Kong, I was far away from the war zone, in Taipei, I didn’t expect people stunned to see me travelling afar to be at my cousin’s funeral; it’s not for the departing, but for my aunt, who is advance in age and grieving.

Separation has always been painful, but both of my beloved aunts are in God’s loving care for eternality. My encounter with Jesus enables me to have a closure on my anxiousness over the situation in Hong Kong, knowing that the violence is going to continue, but my God is faithful and in control of all things on earth. I was born there, used to live and work there. Hong Kong would always take a special place in my heart, still is a beautiful city by any standard.

21/04/2019

‘Ruth,’ ‘Relationship,’ and ‘Redemption,’ are the three ‘R’ words that enable me to understand the essence of the book of ‘Ruth‘ in the Old Testament. Whereas, I also have had three ‘R‘ words that have impacted my walk of faith forever since that day when my husband and I attended the Campus Crusade for Christ (1) retreat in Batam, Indonesia for supporters, 25-years ago. Rev. Henry Tan, one of the keynote speaker, gave three ‘R’ words that are ‘Relate,’Repent,’ and ‘Rely on‘ for us to reflect on our lives as Christians.

I was then a toddler Christian, new to Singapore. I was confounded by the thoughts of how to Relate who Jesus is ? What does ‘Repent’ mean? And how to Rely on Jesus in all things? It was by the power of God’s Holy Spirit that I was called in to study and serve in BSF (International Bible Study Fellowship). One of the structures of study in BSF is to recount God’s attributes in every leaders’ training session. And the Spirit would have constantly convicted me, and found that I tripped all the times and fell short of HIS glory. Soon I found a little grace and comfort in the book of One John1: 9 (2). But I was always insomniac on my part of ‘Rely’ upon.

After 13-years in BSF, I was called to study the TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). It’s a 5-years (it took me 6-years at the end), intensive, full-time course study and practical training. As a matured student, it was impossible for me to study without having God’s sustaining power to carry on. It was the result of my entire reliance on HIM that I was led to see the light of faith and thereon to be able to see HIM in all things. It was by HIS grace that I was able to obtain my local practice license. It has been more than 8-years, and now, more than ever, I have to rely on HIS wisdom and discerning spirit to treat my patients at the local charitable TCM clinic.

What about the part of ‘Repent’? As long as I know that ‘Repentance’ often involves an act of confession of a sinful acts or wrong doings to God and ask for HIS forgiveness. But what if all my past, present and future sins were nailed to the Cross, would more the passage of 1 John 1:9 sound like giving people license to sin? In 2008, we were called to leave IBC (International Baptist Church), our home church for more than 17-years. Although we have missed our friends there, in faith, we took heed and to make an immediate transfer to attend the New Creation Church (NCC) .

The Senior Pastor, Joseph Prince would often point us to the Greek root of (metanoia) to expound the true meaning of ‘Repentence‘ that involves a personal commitment to change our mind sets. Pastor Joseph Prince further contends that when much are forgiven, much would love. Whenever we sin either intentionally, or unintentionally our confession to God is not to ask HIM for forgiveness, but to confess that we have hurted HIS feeling and ask to be enable not to hurt HIS feeling or sin against HIM again. It’s so true that if we have ever grasped how deep is the love of Jesus, we wouldn’t want to sin against HIM to hurt HIS feeling.

It doesn’t mean that I will sin no more, but at least that I have learned and understand what ‘Repent‘ is all about from the teaching of Pastor Prince, a preacher of Grace. Without feeling too comfortable for too long, I was put into a challenge situation that I have to face a test on the part of my ‘Rely on.’ A few weeks ago, it was the Sunday morning 10/03/2019. As usual, I put my phone on a silent mode, to attend church, without knowing that Beatrice, my sister was frantically calling me from Taipei, Taiwan, as Elysia, my niece was having complication to deliver her baby girl in the hospital.

Finally, I managed to talk to Taipei, Beatrice kept me well informed with all the painful details. The embiblical core was around the baby’s neck, and she came out almost with no heartbeat, after resacitation, but in vain so the little baby died at 3-hours-old. The young father was sobbing so hard, and refused to let the doctor taking the baby away from him. I was also crying bitterly on the phone. Then Beatrice asked me to talk to Elysia with words of comfort. And I didn’t know why I couldn’t find anything to come out from my mouth.

I disdain myself for not being able to comfort Elysia and only giving her the to-do list, such as to continue with her one-month confinement rest and eat all the nutritious food to regain her strength but not too eager to trim off the weight, which she gained during the pregnancy. I was feeling very down for almost two weeks. Then I felt in need of log-on to the media power of Tokyo Union Church, which is our church when we are in Tokyo. I was always able to have the timely validation that I need via listening to Pastor, Johana Symington’s spirit-led sermons, especially as I was an out-of-towner.

I had my shares of asking God ‘Why‘ in agony during this difficult time. I was totally stunned to note that the title of the sermon was ‘Do Bad Things Happen To Bad People.’ Superfluously I was much being ministered to by the sermon. Thankfully, my sister, Beatrice is also a born again Christian. Soon we have started to Relate the goodness of our dear God to this tragic incident with our thankful hearts. I was ulterly convicted to ‘Repent‘ of self-condemnation and not to exercising my faith more.

Finally, when I realized that nothing I can possibly do to the situation, it was by Pastor Symington’s sermon via the tube to move me into a prayer of Relinquishment, which I reckon it that’s my part of ‘Rely Upon.’ I know that it would take a long while for me to finish my race on this world. But I can’t image if I didn’t have the three ‘R’ words to live by. It would be sad that with years of study God’s Word, yet not knowing the God of the Word. It’s also like to be able to pass the exam and yet to fail the test.

Matthew 19:26

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this this impossible; but with God all things are possible . ESV

1. https://www.washiingtonpost.com/…/campus-crusade-for-christ-changes-name…cru..
2. 1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to gorgive us our sings, and to cleanse from all unrightesousness. ESV
3. Tokyo Union Church Media Player http://www.tokyounion.org…

14/04/2019

My recent book study was the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. It’s the book that forever familiar to many Christians. With the Cinderella ending, I know that many God-fearing, God serving single sisters in Christ would specifically pray that one day they would meet with their Boaz as their partners in life. I remembered how the story of Ruth, in the Bible mesmerising the 5-year-old kids in my Sunday school class, many years ago, especially the girls who were doing the class role play for Ruth and Naom

‘I will go wherever you go, your people be my people, and your God is going to be my God. Where you die, I will die.’ Ruth 1:16-17 (roleplay dialogue)

Would Ruth meet Boaz by a quirk fate? Did she just by chance to work in his field? How would Naomi, a Judahites from Bethlehem find out that her family was related to Boaz? Did the story end it with Boaz marrying Ruth all by chance? Superfluously, the invisible hand of God was the master-mind to bring all these things to pass, especially when we think of that King David and Jesus, Himself, as the Son of Man descended from Ruth.

If I were to do the homiletic for this entire book, three ‘R’ words would come in handy. In addition to ‘Ruth’ the second ‘R’ word is ‘Relationship,‘ the relationship among Ruth, Naomi and Boaz and the final ‘R’is the ‘Redemption,’ as Boaz was the Kinsman Redeemer. Although the book is named after Ruth, but we can’t over look Naomi and her role in the whole story. Being a woman, a widow lived in the country of Moab with her two sons and their wives of the Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah were their names. In the midst of famine, Naomi’s two sons also died.

Why would Ruth decide to cleave to Naomi to settle in a foreign land? To begin with, I think that Naomi must have wholeheartedly welcomed two of the Moabite women into her family. Amid famine, lost everything and she had no root of bitterness, but still had the welfare of her two daughters in mind; the separation was heart-wrenching for three of them. From the scriptures, the mother/daughter-in-law relationship was intimately close. It’s heartwarming that Naomi to share beauty-tips with Ruth before she guided her how to present herself under the feet of Boaz.

Would any woman do as what her mother-in-law told her to do? Would her reputation be at risk? Immediately, I recalled how Jesus praises the woman who kisses and anoints His feel with tears and expensive oil (Luke 7:36-50). But Ruth took heed and said that “All that you told me I would do.”(Ruth3:3). The scripture didn’t give any clue in terms of how long Naomi had lived with Ruth. However, Naomi must have loved Ruth dearly and impacted her life significantly. And both of them have showed case what it calls the ‘real Sarah’s daughter with the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit‘ (First Peter 3).

I attend the Chinese BSF class here in Singapore. Last week, homework question asks us to expound the Chinese character 贖 (Shú), which means Redemption. I was intrigued to note that the Chinese charater is the make-up of three identical parts/radicals. It has the word of 貝 (Bèi), the shell on the left that’s the currency for trade in ancient China; on top is 士 (Shi) the nobleman/ gentleman/scholar and the word of 買 (Mǎi ) buy/atone for, at the bottom. Profoundly I am grateful to be able to understand the deep scriptural meaning of redemption in the filter of the etymology of the Chinese word.

Currently, the Chinese authority starts to voice their concerns on what if any foreign religious movement would be contradictory to either the Chinese tradition or the value system? First of all, many Chinese main lander don’t know that Christianity is not a Western Religion, and it is also not a phisophical Religion but is of a Relationship between the Heavenly and His people on earth. Secondly, China has had an unbroken history for 5000 years, it has had many folk religions that are more like the traditional veneration of saints or ancestors throughout. 

Most amazingly, deep within, Chinese people, in geeral, all have believed in an unnamed supreme divinity that calls 老天爷 (Lǎotiānyé), which is the God who lives in heaven. Take for example, there’s no idol found inside the Temple of Heaven (天壇 – Tiāntán), Beijing, China, where the emperor would go to worship annually in the old days. Thus, it’s not far fetched to believe what it has been said that the Hebrew God in the Old Testament time was probably also in ancient China. In fact, many Chinese traditions are perfectly in tune with the Biblical truth, but is not for me to expound them here now.

Psalms 19:1b

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” KJV

01/03/2019

‘Green Book, the Academy’s Best Picture of 2019

When people around the world are peering on the US-North Korea summit; China/US trade talk and the ramification of the Brexit the forever billions of click ‘Like’ and glamorous event, the 2019 Oscar Award seems now like ancient history, comparatively. But I still mull over with the result of it. Probably because I only managed to watch two movies (the ‘Green Book’ and ‘The Wife’) and had missed most of the films, which were being nominated. And regrettably, I didn’t watch the Oscar night, the high fashion parade on the Red carpet, which I seldom missed them in the past. 

Comments from foreign and local newspapers and social media say that it’s ‘an embracement, ‘ it’s ‘upsetting,’ and it’s the Academy trying to play the ‘diversity’ card for the ‘Green Book’ to be awarded as the Best Picture of 2019. I happened to watch it before the nominations. The movie profoundly moved me, plus the fact that it was based upon an actual event. The story also humbled me on why an African American Classical/Jazz pianist would purposely decide to have a concert tour down to the American Deep South during the segregation in the 1960s.

For days, after watching the movie, I couldn’t get over with Mahershala Ali ‘s perfect ten (10)  performance to showcase of how a man, a gay can be so naked, so broken and so helplessness when he was under arrest by the police with another white gay man. But I laughed out loud when the two disparity men (black, rich/poor white working class) start to connect over the fried chicken when they reached to Kentucky. And of how Ali teased Viggo’s letter to his wife was like writing ransom notes, and Ali proofread most Viggo’s love notes thereon.

Almost towards the last leg of the tour, we saw Ali, the pianist shouldered the driving to allow Viggo, the driver, to have some rest at the back seat of the car, so he can rejoin his family, on time, for Christmas dinner. Viggo in thankfulness, extended the invite for Ali to join in, of course, immediately the pianist declined it graciously, and went back to his posh living quarter, in Manhattan, New York but after contemplating, he finally rang the door-bell. So, the film ends with love and friendship.

By the Hollywood Academy, ‘Green Book’ is the ‘Best Picture of 2019.’  It’s a low-cost production based on a heartwarming, God-glorifying story. We don’t know how true whether some of the small incidents were, but we saw in the movie the ‘bad cops/good cops’ in American highways. We saw that a phone call made to Mr. Bobby Kennedy that the two were freed from detention due to a traffic offense on the state highway that probably was not fictional at that time.

We saw a Concert pianist who painstakingly wouldn’t want to settle to play with other than the Steinway piano, at the end he spontaneously was playing at a tacky Jazz bar. My 2 cents of it that it’s a true embracement, if in any given period in history that the actuality of ‘Green Book’ reigned. I was upset that Mr. Mortensen was nominated for his acting, but he didn’t walk away with the Oscar. With Mr. Ali’s frame, the color story and the tailoring, all of his outfits on the film are picture-perfect, but was not nominated for ‘The Best Costume Design.’

I didn’t know that ‘Alibaba Pictures’ was also funding the success of this production. Mr. Jack Ma said that he had watched the movie three times and he said that he was reflective. It is a love story, and only HIS love can melt away all prejudice and pride in the human heart. I would want to watch the film again, and I also shall pray the ‘After Oscar Glow’ box office for ‘Green Book’ in China, as socially, and culturally it can be a reality of ‘Hit or Miss.‘

Isaiah55:9esv

‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’

22/01/2019

In line with my posting on the ‘Diabetics,’ dated  08/12/2018 we know that the infirmity of diabetics is a thousand years old disease, which has encroached millions of people globally as of today. 消 渴(Xiāo kě)  has been the traditional name for it. According to 内经 (Huángdì Nèijīng ), “三多一少 (“sān duō yī shǎo”)” – 多食-多饮-多尿-及体重减少 (Duō shí-duō yǐn-duō niào-jí tǐzhòng jiǎnshǎo) are the typical symptoms in general, and that says of people who has too much of eating; drinking and urinating and weight loss (some don’t) during the day, so Diabetic is also a strange disease.

It was by the grace of 王焘Wángtāo– (670-755), a TCM practitioner at his time, and now everybody knows the Western Diabetics is 糖尿病(Tángniàobin) in Chinese. It is the meaning of the two Chinese characters of Sugar(糖-Táng) and Urine(尿–Táng).  The most amazing medical discovery was when 王焘 Wángtāo – (670-755) noticed,  his father was continually feeling hungry and thirsty, drinking a considerable amount of water, and urinating a lot during the day, and also had scabies on his body. He also sensed a strong fruity smell with his father’s urine.

Being a filial son compelled him to study the medical Classic of 《古今条验》by 甄立言 ( Wángtāo). One day, he found ants on top of his father ’s urine stain that dripped on the ground, so he decided to drink his father’s urine, the experiment was the test on a human, on himself, and later he testified the sugary urine (糖尿-Tángniào). It was not till 200 years then, we had Dr Avicenna (or Bin Sine – 980-1037) from Arabia talked about the sugary urine.

王焘 Wángtāo with his empirical knowledge, discernment and reading from more than 60 other Classics that were written by the masters before his times, in the end, he wrote the Classic of 《外台秘要》. Not only he managed to treat his father and have his diabetic condition under control. He spent over 20 years in studying, without being prejudices collecting and compiling 6000 Classic herbal prescriptions including home remedies into his Classic. More than half of his writings dedicated to TCM Internal medicine and Clinical Trials.

He also recorded in his book the old procedure of using the golden needle (acupunctural therapy) to extract cataracts. Evidently, he had earned his remarkable esteem and contributed to the development of the entire history of TCM significantly. Millenniums have gone by, although Conventional or Western medicine and TCM share the common diabetes therapeutic goals of minimising symptoms and preventing complications. However, their approaches to conceptualising, diagnosing, and treating the disease are very different.

For example, due to the complexity of the disease, many people who with type 2 diabetics have symptoms too mild under the screening test that they go undiagnosed. Thus, the challenge was how to effectively guide the clinical trial, treatments and researches with an unvarying name of the disease. Finally, in October 1990, all participants in the first ‘China Nationwide Diabetics Symposium‘ agreed that the name of 糖尿病 (Tángniàobin) and 消 渴 (Xiāo kě) are synonyms.  

Amazingly, the lists of symptoms of type 2 diabetes due to high blood sugar (hyperglycemia associated with diabetics) on the WebMD site are in tune with the signs that are what TCM conferred to people thousands of years ago. The profound wisdom in the Diabetics/Xiao Ke is still like for Medical professionals, scholars and scientists trying to fathom the depth of the ocean. Or we may be able to see the light of it, if we try to read the Diabetic in the filter of the doctrine of Yin/Yang ?

• Increased thirst – 多饮(duō yǐn)
• Increased hunger (especially after eating) – 多食 (Duō shí)
• Dry mouth
• Frequent urination – 多尿(duō niào)
• Unexplained weight loss (even though you are eating and feel hungry)
• Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
• Blurred vision
• Headaches
• Weight Loss –  消 瘦 (Xiaoshou)

James 1:5 NIV

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

14/01/2019

It was in the afternoon of the New Year’s Eve, 31st December 2018, a single digit C of winter temperature in Tokyo. As travellers, we felt to chill out again at the Tsutaya book store in Daikanyama, a quaint area within the district of Ebisu of the big city of Tokyo that we have always enjoyed going there.

Tsutaya is a huge book store chain in Japan. Only this particular store that I know sells English and foreign language books/magazines. We can also have tea and meals there. At first, I was disappointed that I couldn’t find anything in Chinese. But in the cookbook area, I saw the prominent four Chinese Characters that read as 药食同原 as a particular section, and immediately I knew that I had found my treasure.

It’s not a big section, all the books up on the shelf are in Japanese, even photos of authors are Europeans on the covers, the contents are all in Japanese. Fortunately, I do have limited Japanese resources both in words and speaks. I was hoping to find some books that are translated from the Chinese just because of the concept of 药食同原(Yào shí tóng yuán) was originated from China, but in vain.

药食同原 actually and literally shall read as  药食同源  (Yào shí tóng yuán), and the Google translation is ” Drug-Food Homology.” It’s a profound concept that has budded from the teaching of the Huángdì Nèijīng (chin. 黄帝内經) thousands of years ago to focus on our health and wellbeings through what we eat. Finally, in 618 to 907, 《黄帝内经太素》 (Huángdì nèijīng tài sù) is the more comprehensive literature on the subject matter.

It says in the book that 书中写道：“空腹食之为食物，患者食之为药物” (Kōngfù shí zhī wèi shíwù, huànzhě shí zhī wèi yàowù), which means that when you eat it with an empty stomach is Food; food prepared explicitly for people who are sick are drugs. From detoxication, food preparation, processing and the information on properties of all the seasonings… I was once obsessed wanting to learn more about it, but if it is not a TCM PhD study is definitely a postgraduate education.

Therefore, I can only settle my heart with a few copies of the cookbooks to bring home with. At first, the printings of the books are not only pleasing to my eyes, but I am open to trying some receipts that are new to me. In reflection, as now more people are health conscious than before and also convicted that we are what we eat. But why we have many weight-watchers had a hard time or discipline to keep their diets?

Personally, I gained a few pounds during my stay in Tokyo, if it was not my New Year’s resolution, I need to do something about it to refit to my fairly new wardrobe. An incentive, and also thought in contemplation, what if I can think of a way that I can eat whatever ( not whatever amount of it) I like and wouldn’t have to worry about my weight? I am sure that I can gain a few insights if I spend the time to flip through the book on what and how I shall eat. Until then.

I Corinthians 6:13a New American Standard 1977 

You say “Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.”