Rachel: Painted Clouds

I remember walking home, looking up and suddenly shouting 'LOOK AT THE SKY!'.... gasping while taking a photo of it.... until I realised that I wasn't alone and that many other people had stopped whatever they were doing and were also taking photos of the sky because of me.

Was it an air-headed moment turned into an influential one? Regardless, I know that I walked away like a boss after that. HAHA

Here's the photo of the sky that day:

Kim: My Left Arm

My left arm has been an issue since years ago. The wrist had a sprain during the teen years and just 2 -3 years back it suffered from frozen shoulder. Since the month of May it had been hurting with pins and needles in the thumb.

The physiotherapist suspected that it could be a pinched nerve due to degeneration of the nerve in the right side of the vertebrae C4-6. Subsequent X-ray confirmed that.

As I started on a course of physiotherapy, the pain was better managed and the discomfort was greatly reduced and so less tired.  But I have to do hourly stretches and strengthening exercises.

This helped me to understand better those who are suffering from chronic pain, how the pain can drain so much of the energy for each day, the inconvenience when one can't lift heavy groceries or perform  normal household chores, the discouragement that sets in when one wakes up in the morning with pain shots the moment the body sits up.

I learned not to take my earthly suit for granted. I'm only in my early fifties and there are things not done and places not visited. Most of all my work for the Lord is not completed.

Jesus' prayer to our heavenly Father in John 17:4 "I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (NLT) shows that His sole purpose and focus on earth was to complete the assignment God gave Him and He did.

Each of us have an assignment from God as Philippians 2:13 says: "For God is working in you, giving you desire and the power to do what pleases Him". (NLT)

So I had better take care of my body and complete the work He has given me so that He gets all the glory!

Kim: Life Gets Busy!

I've taken up dressmaking class as well as adult ballet class at about the same time. That decision came after reviewing my life briefly and realized that I've been busy just doing things for others and nothing for myself. The days are just spent doing household chores, cooking and groceries shopping, helping the young ones in their academics and other disciplines, conduct lessons for my students or doing exam accompaniment; now that I'm back serving in the church's worship ministry I've to lead the band rehearsals and attend meetings etc.

So the 2 classes will force me to go out and immerse into the hobbies for that duration before going back to the routine.  It is good but that means time is further stretched.

In between there are other incidentals like grandma's hospitalization and cousin's wedding which adds to the demand of time.

Life can get really busy when all these add up. 

Rachel: My Right Foot

My right foot is hurting
It has for a month
It keeps me from running
Yup I've tried, and I can't.

And like all the others,
This wound was obtained
As silly as ever
Not kidding, I'm lame.

I stepped on a wire
It didn't get hurt
Instead I'm on fire
More than I deserve.

I've never wronged that wire
I tell you, I'm clean
In fact it makes me tire,
It's attached to the vacuum machine.

So now I can't run...

Actually, I can.
It's after that makes me yell like a man.

Rachel: An Interesting Life

Usually when people ask me how JC life is like, they'd usually get the response 'fun', and go away thinking that I'm crazy. But it's true, I do find it fun. However the reason why is something they never wait to hear.

In the interest of time, let me put it this way: It is not a JC life without the stress, without the pain, without the sleepless nights and without the workload. It's also not a JC life without the laughter, without moments of camaraderie, without happiness, and without achievement. You cannot wish for one without having the other.

I was told not too long ago that I would never survive in a science course. I was too expressive to be a doctor. Too emotional to withstand the bitter steel of the competition. Humanities was supposed to be my cup of tea. Stick to it, the system told me, and you will be successful. Discouragement was definitely inevitable. They weren't wrong, having analysed my character down to the tips of my hair. But that doesn't make them right.

God's grace has been more than sufficient for the past year. It has been proven that I can indeed be a Humanities-inclined science student and have the potential to be successful. It's not easy, and I have to admit that there are times where I was lazy, or on the verge of giving up. But the Lord has really been Good.

So why do I find JC life fun? I'm the very defiance of their rigid predictions of success, how can it not be fun? The Lord is greater and mightier than all things. Sticking to Him doesn't guarantee a smooth life, but it does mean that life will be interesting. So I'll continue to stick to Him, placing my faith in Him through the unknown. At the very least, I know I'll never die of boredom.

Rachel: Giving Thanks

I'm always in awe as I watch the clouds move across the sky. It's beautiful to see how they eventually make way for the ascent or descent of the sun, reflecting every colour, every hue, and proclaiming it collectively in a glorious horizon.

Such is the simple pleasures of God's creations. His creativity introduced the concept of beauty, a luxury to the eye that is difficult to live without. How wonderful that He considered everything down to the simplest things of living. Those of which are almost never noticed, but always there.

So as I revel in the dying art of sky-gazing, I always remember to thank the Lord for everything He's done, for who am I not to be grateful?

Rachel: Heart's Desires

In a guttural sense, we blunder through.

Heedless of the guidelines ingrained by a resounding Voice

Set so long ago that to counter would be cruel.

Deformed, the meaning of good
We have lost all sense of meaning.

We know not the cruelty,

We hear not

We see not

And weave in mindlessly with inward ears and eyes.

So often we follow our hearts for what we feel is right.

But I say

Our hearts need to be led,
For they are easily deceived.

Rachel: Puppet Show

Puppet dear puppet,
Climb up the tree,
The apples are sweeter,
Climb up with me.

Alas they are bitter,
They grew out of time.
I think those look better,
Come on with me.

I know they are redder,
The carrions sing true.
The redder the sweeter,
Jump off with me.

Wasn't that fun?
We've reached the next tree.
Come out, have pleasure,
Everything's free.

What's that you say?
You can't taste the fruits?
Something is tugging
The trees from their roots?

But no that's not true,
It's tugging at you.
Invisible strings,
Thread tied up to you.

See them on me too?
The tugging can hurt.
Ah yes I'm not spared,
I'm just like you too.

But who holds the strings?
Keep that in mind.
Perhaps we're all puppets,
Following blind.

Kim: New Dining Set

Here is our new family size dining table for 8.

With the previous table, we used to have the children seated at a separate table when we have more than 3 guests.  Now we can easily accommodate ten Asian size around this 5-footer.

There was a consideration for a long table for the dining set but being Asians, we feel more cozy with the round table sharing the Asian the dishes and one big bowl of soup.  And one doesn't have to bend over to look at the person on the other end just to make connections.

New table, new beginnings.

Kim: Dining Table

Today marks another milestone as our family grows.  The country-looking dining table which we had with us is going to another family after 21-22 years being in our household.

This unique 4"x4" dining set was bought at a furniture shop called ECO in Marine Parade Central. The shop sells all solid wood furnitures like this. The original color for the wood stains had been retained since the first day we set our eyes on it.

This dining set had been dragged to many different corners of our house as and when our creative juices flowed (mind you even the chairs are heavy). Around this table we saw how our family grow from just the twosomes into a family of 5.  Many guests have sat round this table for meetings, meals and even counselling.  Like part of our family this dining set has gone through many Christmas gatherings and birthdays celebrations, always being stretched to its limits with food and people fully packed around it.

Our babies ate at it on their highchairs, the toddlers would romp about in their walkers knocking into its legs countless of times. As the children enter school, it would be a homework table with books and papers all spread about.  Craft work was done over it when we mothers gather over breakfast meetings. Sometimes I would use it for some sewing and mending jobs in the afternoons, or computer work, or writing letters.  Interesting dishes I've never cooked before and will never repeat again were boldly served on it. Sometimes the disciplining of the children over their mischief. Tears shed and tissues passed over the table when my teen was discouraged at school. Many life changing conversations have taken place at this table. Broken relationships mended, love restored.

We've never imagined that our family would grow to be so big. But because our family loves to eat together and have guests over so we had decided to upgrade to a 5" round marble table which can seat 8 to 10 people.

There is a nostalgic and somewhat sentimental feeling lingering in my heart as I write this post.  The other family that is going to have it is a young family.  May this dining set see them through their seasons of growth as a family as well.

Goodbye my lovely dining set.  

Rachel: Start of Something Beautiful

Hello, I'm Rachel Man, co-author of this blog, and I warmly welcome you to 'Manuscript of Life'.

If you are reading this, it is highly likely that you are either a friend of mine, or my mother's. Even if you're not, we are extremely glad that you took some time off your busy schedules to read through the various updates, or even insights, of our lives. Truth be told, both of us already have our own separate blogs, which we update from time to time at random moments. But after some thought and discussion, we decided to create our own tiny little space on the net together. 

But why? 

Living in the same house, we have the advantage and privilege of seeing each other everyday, and even having many heart-to-heart-talks (htht). However that does not mean that we live the same lives. With this blog, we'd be able to express our tiny slices of opinions on one platform, allowing not just ourselves, but many others to see how much our experiences and views can differ greatly, no matter how close we are. This is because it'll be based not only on the differing views of two women, but also on the knowledge of a mother, wife, sister, and daughter. So maybe, this will help many to understand the differences in relationships, or maybe it won't. No matter, everyone has different takeaway points and sometimes, it is just enough to read for the sheer fun of it.

Cheerio,

Rachel


Update: (2/1/17)

After some thought, we have decided to expand it into a family blog, where my father, brother and sister will start to contribute their stories as well. Hearing about this project, they became very excited about it and were very keen on adding their stories and opinions as well. Upon these new additions, not only will there be fresh takes on life, there will also be an exponential increase in the range of ages. With the eldest in his fifties along with our youngest who has barely finished a decade, it is to be expected that future stories to be told will be presented through completely different pairs of eyes. Our only hope is that these tiny collections of stories will remain as a dash of seasoning to people's lives, for we don't just write to be read, but we write to be remembered.