Hop

1 Corinthians 13

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails

9 For we know in part … 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

Skype unto others

Listening to: Kanye West (altho I think what he did to Taylor Swift was NOT cool)
“See I know my destination, but I’m just not there”

Now for those of you who know me, intimately or otherwise, you would know that tech support is the least of all my strengths along with painting and crotcheting of any kind. I can work a computer in its basics – I can send emails, stalk people on Facebook and charge my iPod.

That’s it.

Ask me to do anything fancy like write something in like Java Script (or whatever) or even like, hook up my PC and I’m like.. call a technician honey, there is a reason I did not enrol in computer science.

So it was to my extreme surprise when my aunty asked for my help to hook her up with Skype.. as in, the whole deal. Now that part was fairly easy I suppose, you just install a webcam, download the programme, install yada yada and bam! You’re Skyped in! So I agreed with minimal hesitation.

Now, it isn’t fairly complex if only you have good broadband speed. Please don’t ask me what that optimal speed is, all I know is whatever she had was the opposite of optimal speed.

Probably noptimal speed (i.e. not optimal).
Forget that, moving on.

It took us ages (3600 precious seconds) to download the program after many hangs and restarts and just when I thought we were at the last stage I almost died when I saw the words more than one hour to go.

After awhile we just sat there, my aunty and I, barely exchanging a word just watching with bated breath as the tiny green bars for installation creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeped on from one percent to the next. I literally grew old. It was like sitting in the land where time had stopped.

After I had turned fifty years old, I told her I’ll head back for lunch and come back once the more than one hour to go was down to you are now free to go.

She too, looked relieved at not having to stare at me staring at her computer screen. After I had gone home and was sufficiently fed for battle, I headed back to her place and finished the installation and taught her how to make a test call in preparation for the video call with her daughter in Australia whom she had not seen in two years.

Later that evening, the horrendous event of aging twenty years in twenty minutes sufficiently wiped away from my memory, was brought back to life when she called back and said they could not get video or audio!

Feeling slightly like an doctor on call, I grabbed my toolkit (well not really, just my wallet, keys and phone) and rushed out the door, slightly tremulous at the thought of having to sit for another two hours in front of the computer. The problem however required only a slight settings change and within minutes we had successful transmission.

When I saw the way my cousin was crying when she could finally see the aged beloved parents she had not seen in two years, my own heart swelled with emotion and I knew – all my hours of whinging and premature aging, was worth it if only to see how happy it made them. My aunty hugged me fiercely in thanks and I knew then, I would have gladly done it all over again.

This episode comes at a very opportune moment because it ties in with something we were discussing at our Young Alpha discussion group last week.

We had to discuss the topic of generosity and how difficult it can be to give sometimes. However, if it is true that everything we have comes from God, then if we are open to sharing with others all that we have (responsibly), then we become like open vessels which is then free to receive more from God.

The bible says that giving has a threeway effect – giving joy to the giver, the recipient and is pleasing to God. I could see how giving is good for the person receiving it and of course God is naturally happy when His children share with one another but was a little unclear as to how it would give any obvious joy on the part of the givers themselves.

As grating as it was to die a slow death at the hands of low broadband speed, the hours I had spent at my aunt’s place slaving with what little IT skills I had, was repaid in full when I saw the joy that I had played a part in giving them. It was worth it, and I would do it all over again. Not only was giving my time rewarding to them, but it was rewarding for me too.

All I had asked was how, and God showed me in a matter of days. It is true, giving gives joy to the giver, the recipient and to God.

How humbling is it to know that all we have to do is ask from our God and He gives so openly and yet how distressing it is when we are unable to give, that which is not even ours to begin with, as openly with others?

And you guys, my more experienced IT comrades who do this on a daily basis, helping people connect with each other – God bless you guys, for as small a part as you may think you play, you may be the one person standing between a child who has not seen her parents for years, who has the power to change that.

So go, give and get connected already!

Ttul

Listening to : Jesse Ruben
“She said I love you, don’t say that enough.”

I always keep text messages that denote a particularly significant or funny event, anything that captures a moment or a feeling. It usually makes me feel all warm inside to go back and read some of the more special ones, like rereading old letters or looking through high school yearbooks.

As I was deleting some of the more annoying Maxis network messages, I began scanning some of the old text messages that I had saved, some out of fondness, others because they reminded me of an event in my life.

When we were surprising my mother with a birthday cake, my brother’s job was to light the candles in his room and bring it out at the moment when she would expect it the least. When he did not come out at the time he was supposed to, the following text message helped clear things up:

Matches can’t light…help..

From Linnga: Hi Felecia..hru? wanna ask yu, is it u in today’s Star Edu paper? Hope to cu more in it, ur the 2nd among our friends after Cheryl to appear in the newspaper bec of ur achievement..best wishes 2u. I think we should collaborate in upcoming research hehehe.. tc.

From Yow: Feli!! My poster won TOP SPOT!! Thank u v v much for your help and advice I havent seen u on9 for so long

From Chris who was at a boring seminar: U seriously would not want 2 b here.

From Trev: Check out today’s NST page 54. (Will not go into details of what it was here but suffice to say, it was worth it)

From dad: Amoy, sms me when ready (Yea, it’s my dad’s term of endearment for me)

From Unknown: Congratulations! Sim Card Anda Telah Berjaya Memenangi wang tunai RM 25,000 dari Petronas! Sila call di Talian 012-xxxxx334 Terima Kasih. (I didn’t really win anything but it’s nice to hold on to a dream).

From mom after she had gotten back from a medical test: My doc says all clear, praise the Lord. Tonight pizza!

From Melissa: Hey love…thank you thank you. I’m engaged!

From Cheryl: .DAVID COOK WON!

From Tim after he had proposed to his girlfriend : Feli! SHE SAID YES!

From Kavi before my final honours presentation: Hi felicia, kavi here – my phone’s cranky so I’m using my mom’s. Wanted to wish you all the best tmr, stay cool and you’ll be fine. Then you can convince me on Friends!

From Judith: Hun. I heard ure sick, more like I read, cuz I just read mel’s blog. hru??

From Gan and winner of most random text message: I like alcohol.

From Eneeshia who was trying her best to convince me to go New Year partying with her: Oi. Come la.

From Chris who was trying to do the same, was more convincing: Dont be a poop la.

From Joshua: E’time I feel sad I just read those words you wrote for me and I feel ok again

From my Aunt Lorraine: Was walking home today and the thought of you made me smile. Love u to bits my angel!

From Kelvin: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.

From Anisha: Are you able to come online 2day? I need a good conversation to bring me back to the world of the living.

From Yvette: YES, I’M ENJOYING MY W’END. TX FOR YOUR TIME AND UR LOVE. TALKING TO YOU LAST WEEK WAS CHICKEN SOUP FOR MY SOUL. AM VERY GRATEFUL. GOD BLESS U AND I LOVE YOU (Her caps lock button isn’t working very well)

From Navin: Hey just woke up and saw your msg. It was a story worth telling over and over ;)

From Jason: Feliciaaaaaa (Okay this one probably wins Most Random Award)

From Beverlyn: Guess wat im doin? Clearing n packing my whole room to move and i stumbled upon a card tat u sent me 4 my 21st which u were in aussie. Touched! LOL.

And after about five text messages each asking me if I had heard that Michael Jackson had died, I found this from my mom:

Even in the darkest moment, trust, don’t let go of faith.

To everyone who has ever sent me a text that uplifted me and let me know you cared or even just made me smile, I thank you for making my day.