A Matter On Giving And Taking
Had quite a temperature yesterday. Subsided in the early morning but still not well enough to get myself to the office today. 2 days MC - haven't had that for a while.
Slept almost the whole day yesterday and only got out of bed to see the doctor at the clinic downstairs, eat medicine, ate the porridge that dad came by to cook for me. He said he rushed over in a cab when mom called him. So sweet. Was really appreciative so I made myself eat a little while he was still around even though my stomach didn't feel up to it at that point. Anyway I hadn't eaten anything the whole day. But by the end of the night, I did manage to finish up the whole mega bowl of mince pork porridge and 2/3 pot of plain porridge with a big slice of steamed fish. Then it was back to bed again.
On hindsight, I'm really glad I ate all the porridge cos I just realised that I haven't been drinking water that much. I was probably dehydrating.
Mom has been in the hospital for the whole of last week for a major op. She's discharging today and will be staying at Peck's, without her usual coming back home over the weekend, probably till after Lunar New Year. Going there for reunion dinner for sure. Have been visiting her a few times at the hospital (SGH), chatting with her, getting her usual mumbling about how I should really take care of my health, to spend wisely. Since I'm not married and have no children, it would be difficult for me when I get old, blah blah blah.
Strangely, what she said kinda did it this time even though I dreaded listening to her nagging. Perhaps it was because I couldn't bear to retort due to her condition that her advice sank in more easily. Yes, there are some areas I could ease off a little. I should cut back on restaurants and fast food. Both for wealth and health reasons. Surely food court is good enough. School canteen is the best. Think about it, most working adults in Singapore need to tackle the lunchtime crowd for more expensive food when all I need to do is to get to the canteen 10 mins before lunchtime and takeaway. I actually prefer to eat in.
I gotta be careful not to depend on credit cards too much... maybe only use them when there's discounts?
Eating too late is another problem. Sometimes I wonder if I eat late cos I can't sleep or the other way round. It's becoming a habit since I started supper-ing with my students a few years ago. Oh gosh, a few years ago! Imagine the damaged done. Stop!!!
Well, at the end of the day, it is to be a good steward of what God has given me. He gave me the health to work and acquire the wealth allocated to me with the job He has provided. Not that I should live like a kiam-ka-nah. I'm a child of the living God. He's a generous God who clothed the lilies of the valleys and feeds the sparrows and gives peanuts to the squirrels (???). God doesn't need to impress anybody. He gave because He can and He cares.
We should care, too. It's just that sometimes we care more about impressing or getting approval from those that matter very much to us with our 'generosity', that we don't realised we've missed the whole point of giving. If those we care about would find us any less because we can't give as much anymore, then it's probably good to know now than later.
Perhaps I'm just trying to justify myself. Maybe I still believe that there is value in "the thought that counts" (i.e. if the ones we love would bother to give "a penny for our thoughts"), rather than not giving anything because I feel that my gift will never be worthy enough. So if you can only afford to offer peanuts so you can enjoy a pack or two together and great fellowship, it's ok, too. Right?
I believe there's humility in giving...and receiving.
Slept almost the whole day yesterday and only got out of bed to see the doctor at the clinic downstairs, eat medicine, ate the porridge that dad came by to cook for me. He said he rushed over in a cab when mom called him. So sweet. Was really appreciative so I made myself eat a little while he was still around even though my stomach didn't feel up to it at that point. Anyway I hadn't eaten anything the whole day. But by the end of the night, I did manage to finish up the whole mega bowl of mince pork porridge and 2/3 pot of plain porridge with a big slice of steamed fish. Then it was back to bed again.
On hindsight, I'm really glad I ate all the porridge cos I just realised that I haven't been drinking water that much. I was probably dehydrating.
Mom has been in the hospital for the whole of last week for a major op. She's discharging today and will be staying at Peck's, without her usual coming back home over the weekend, probably till after Lunar New Year. Going there for reunion dinner for sure. Have been visiting her a few times at the hospital (SGH), chatting with her, getting her usual mumbling about how I should really take care of my health, to spend wisely. Since I'm not married and have no children, it would be difficult for me when I get old, blah blah blah.
Strangely, what she said kinda did it this time even though I dreaded listening to her nagging. Perhaps it was because I couldn't bear to retort due to her condition that her advice sank in more easily. Yes, there are some areas I could ease off a little. I should cut back on restaurants and fast food. Both for wealth and health reasons. Surely food court is good enough. School canteen is the best. Think about it, most working adults in Singapore need to tackle the lunchtime crowd for more expensive food when all I need to do is to get to the canteen 10 mins before lunchtime and takeaway. I actually prefer to eat in.
I gotta be careful not to depend on credit cards too much... maybe only use them when there's discounts?
Eating too late is another problem. Sometimes I wonder if I eat late cos I can't sleep or the other way round. It's becoming a habit since I started supper-ing with my students a few years ago. Oh gosh, a few years ago! Imagine the damaged done. Stop!!!
Well, at the end of the day, it is to be a good steward of what God has given me. He gave me the health to work and acquire the wealth allocated to me with the job He has provided. Not that I should live like a kiam-ka-nah. I'm a child of the living God. He's a generous God who clothed the lilies of the valleys and feeds the sparrows and gives peanuts to the squirrels (???). God doesn't need to impress anybody. He gave because He can and He cares.
We should care, too. It's just that sometimes we care more about impressing or getting approval from those that matter very much to us with our 'generosity', that we don't realised we've missed the whole point of giving. If those we care about would find us any less because we can't give as much anymore, then it's probably good to know now than later.
Perhaps I'm just trying to justify myself. Maybe I still believe that there is value in "the thought that counts" (i.e. if the ones we love would bother to give "a penny for our thoughts"), rather than not giving anything because I feel that my gift will never be worthy enough. So if you can only afford to offer peanuts so you can enjoy a pack or two together and great fellowship, it's ok, too. Right?
I believe there's humility in giving...and receiving.
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