Reflection for 2009 Cell Retreat

2009 September – As we drive across the narrow road from one tea plantation hill to another hill for approx 45 mins.

We hear the car engine roaring
We saw the growth along the road is too distracting
We couldn’t see what is waiting for us around the corner
We felt the stress as the air is getting thinner
We felt our stomach begins to stir-up some unknown flavour
We felt the journey is way too far, too much to bear

Then…

We realize God protection over us
We realize we are together – 3 cars travelling together – 9 peoples
We realize we can sing and joke over every the narrow road and deadly turn
We realize the fresh green fragrant is in the midst of the thin air
We realize the layers of green of the tea plantation is really beautiful
We realize the journey is amazingly extraordinary

And finally, we reach a destination. We are impressed by the solitude before our eyes – impressed with the beauty of God’s creation. A tree stand right on the top of the hill among the green dynamically. We spend 1/2 hour climbing up towards the tree by foot excitedly to finally find out it is not just a tree…but a young tree grow on top of an old tree which set its root on a big rock.

As I reflect what we been through…it reminded me of our life – we always doubt if we have what it take to reach our destination. Too many things in life distracted us from our goal and we never know what will come next. As we go along, we got stress up and started to worry for the unknown. We couldn’t wait for it to end cause we couldn’t bear it anymore…

How often? How often we realize God is with us, that we are not alone? All the challenges in life becoming just a joke and a song with all the Godly companion by our side. We begins to look at everything we experience differently – learning every good and bad things in life is significant in our journey of growth. Our journey becoming meaningful and extraordinary because our God is in control.

Then, as we press-on reaching the crescendo of the race with our last bit of strength focusing at that one goal before us, the destination is usually more than what we aspect. Even the extra freebies God bundle into His blessing always beyond our imagination – always filled with His love and gentle reminder – to set our root on the rock.

“The Lord is my rock” (Psalm 18:2)

Thinking of the most expensive poop!

I love traveling, but I haven’t been doing it for a while. To me, working trip and leisure traveling is totally different story all over. The experience and and expectation is different. So, my Hong Kong cum China trip last year, and Germany cum London trip early this year is merely a biz trip. If you work with me before, or know the way I work, I am usually very objective oriented person. I will focus on what I want to achieved rather than where I must go and what I must do during my biz trip.

So now, I am going for a real trip to Bali. It is a valentine gift from JP. He know my desire for freedom and personal sophisticated preference. So, I basically get to make the call of what or where I would go. The disadvantage is, I have to do the homework. Urgh…

Bali is a beautiful island with nice beaches, nice architecture building (usually palace & temple) with very own Bali flavor and many concept hotel given different sensation based on different choice. To me, there is something I really really want to do… on top of the beautiful beaches, shopping and spa and….it is to discover the taste of the infamous Kopi Luwak (civet coffee). It can be found in an Orchid Garden in Denpasar. The unusual Indonesian bean sells for as much as $1,200 a kilogram in the United States, making it the world’s most expensive coffee.

The coffee, branded as among he rarest in the world, is naturally fermented through a civet cat’s digestive tract. Luwak- a cat-like mammal that lives in coffee plantations in Sulawesi, Java and Sumatra. Luwak exists entirely only the choicest, most perfectly matured beans which it then excretes, collected, clean it up, roast it and finally brewing these beans produces an unusual drink. The beans are hard to come by, which makes it exclusive and therefore, to some…very high class.

I am very tempted to try the coffee for years, yet after several days of research and reading…I am considering to drop the idea. Based on one of the feedback I found, the Kopi Luwak doesn’t taste as fantastic as it sounds. The idea of drinking the “poo” wasn’t a great sight to begin with, on top of that, I am not confident with the cleaning and brewing process prior to serving. Lastly, it would cost me RM120 for 2, the most expensive coffee I ever had in my life.

I am not sure if I am trying to convince you, or myself that I am not going for it…but anyway, do let me know if you tried it before or if I should go and give it a try.

Cheers! ^_~

A Serenity Experience

I am in Frankfurt for the Christmas Fair 2009. It is my first time to Frankfurt…yet I didn’t get more time to go around, not even get a chance to drink the famous Germany beer…urgh! Actually, I started vomit the moment I touch down in the airport and I have not idea why. It doesn’t get better even after I settle down. Having the jet lag all over me, I am too very regular to the washroom.

So, the only one thing I do is some hot chocolate (the only food/drink my body allowed) and a walk at the park.

It is 8am in the morning…a breath of fresh air and the internal serenity experienced before beautiful scenery.