Malacca is so hot! Everybody tells me that. Well, it was hot the first day we arrived. Then the rains came in the night to cool off everything. I called it a shower of blessing. This is because the next day, we were able to walk from our hotel to many of the sight seeing areas without being in the hot sun too much.
I booked my hotel accommodation on the internet as usual but didnt' realize that it came with other perks. Like hor devoes (misspelt probably) at 1730 to 1900 every evening with free flow wines and beer. I didn't go the first day because Rebecca and the kids were up there feasting.
Yesterday fo r the first time in a long while, dad, Rebecca and I had a good talk about what happened during our trying times. It was not so good a talk because it brought back many unpleasant memories. i had three glasses of wine last evening and got me really red in the face. Another reason for my frustration was also a premature call from my doctor's office and this is getting me worried too.
I had a shower and we were off trying to get dinner. The trip is not about eating but walking and walking and my legs were swollen from walking non stop from 10am to 4pm. My brother in law believes in exercising and I think this is excessive. Poor Theodora was yawning from the morning to the afternoon. All yawning stops when she could jump into the pool One thing about her is that she has a fantastic memory. She will remind you that you didn't complete the request.
Last night, Theody (as she is so affectionately called) asked for the baby cot. I was telling them that the sofa was just too soft and I woke up feeling aches all over. She wanted the cot so we can have more space to sleep on the double bed. She slept in it throughout the night and my sister has the couch. I slept on the bed and this morning my bones are not too bad but I had very little sleep.
My sister, Rebecca has a habit of talking to you when you are about to fall asleep and so we talked and talked until 2am. Then we were off to bed. I had to tell her to stop because I was just too tired.
What did we talk about? About mum. All about mum and who she was and what happened during her time of death. We talked about the kids as they are now quite grown each being moulded by their parents. We also talked about my friends. She is always of this impression that I will never want to look for a man in my life because I have too much an expectations. Of course I defended by saying that I just don't have any in particular and yet they still are not in my life. I find marriage a totally different league of its own. If you ask me, I think marriage is a calling. Some people just have it so well, nailed and sealed. Some has to nail it and seal it because of the kids. I just think it is a lot of work and I am thankful right now I am single. My sister still hopes I will find a man later on in my life. My question is "For what? To look after me?" She said "Companionship." Even at death, mum never gives up hope that I will meet someone. I just told her to please give the idea a pass because really, at my age now, I just want to be able to enjoy what I have or will one day have.
Do you understand why they ask those questiosn? I really don't.
Then my sister shared with me about her hope in each of her kids. She doesn't ask for much knowing her kids are all not so interested in studies. Yes, my nieces and nephew are not the kiasu type. They don't even want to learn from me because there are always other things to do. Worst of all, Rebecca listens to what all her mother friends tell her about schools. In the primary schools I may not have much say, but when it is in secondary schools, you bet I will say.
I have dreams for my ALL my six nieces and nephews. I hope to groom them to follow their hearts. Tiffany is very good in art. So is Timothy. But I think Timothy will be in law enforcement. Tiffany will go art school. Theodora is briliant and we have not seen what her dreams are. Steffi, an excellent caring person and we are getting her to become a nurse and hopefully she will serve this way one day. Ryan, I am not really sure. Stacia is probably going to be in active mode. Of all my nieces and nephews, Tiffany and Theodora want to teach. I am certainly going to persuade them otherwise. No way!
About mum and her family, well, both of us feel that she was a brave woman till the very end. We sat to discuss if she knew she was going to die. Mum said different things to different people before she went home to be with the Lord and so we piece the information together. I told Rebecca who was the last one to bathe mum and change her before she left. I instructed her to do that because knowing mum, she will want to be clean. She was not sure if mum had any scriptures with her as she went home. I told her she was way beyond the blue before the night. I believe with all my heart that mum was gone even before her vital signs are shut down. I also talked about how much mum love each of us and gave of her best. And so it was a night I went to bed with thoughts of my mother. I wish I am brave like her and am able to fight the foes of my life.
There was one thing both of us agree we have to work on as a family. We need to build our families together to hold the kids together after we are gone. I believe the gift we can leave behind for our children will be a bond that will not separate them. They need each other to survive in this very cold world. Their lives will be tougher as the world surges into one that has no God, no respect for God or persons and no clear moral standards. They will have to learn to pray for each other and to keep their hearts and minds close to God all the time.
Like me, Rebecca feels that the times are evil and our children live in a very wicked world. This is going to be more wicked as I write.
Never lose hope though. God does not forsake the remnant He has set aside and I pray God will keep my family together for His glory.
If not in the mansions above, perhaps in the air. May God reign.
