Palm Sunday Dinner Outing

Spring is in the air. As you can see that even the plum flowers are blossoming. No birds chirping in the night though :D

Wonderful season of the Christian calender is approaching. Today we celebrated the Palm Sunday. Next week will be Easter. And this year, both the Orthodox and the Western Christian have the same date for Easter Sunday.

After the mass for Palm Sunday in English, we (Du Ping and I) went to Malboro Cafe (Near Caezer Restaurant, and near the church) for a dinner. I personally won't recommend it. One thing good about Malboro Cafe is that the food pictures are all displayed in the menu. So that's a very good idea, especially for the customers, and the waitresses don't need to waste their precious saliva explaining hahaha. The food, however, is a little bit pricey. Below are what we ordered today, although they were just so-so (prices below do not include the 10% service charge).

I ordered Ramen (拉面）， the Japanese noodle soup, small one which is about 2 small mouthful of noodle (uah20). And the other is the fried noodle (uah28) tasted slightly better.

The dessert (uah17) is special. I don't know what it is called but it is ice-cream wrapped in a very thin layer of skin (hmm , I'm not sure what the skin is called again) with 4 drops of jam. Green tea in pot charged uah8.

For those of you who don't know where the Catholic Church is (yes, there is one here in Simferopol), you can take the bus no.81 (to Titova Paediatric Hospital). Call for stop opposite the "MEBEL" building on your left, after the second roundabout (after you passed Kubisheva Rinak). The Church of Our Lady of Assumption is just on the right (corner lot), opposite the grocery shop. By taxi, ask for "Ulitsa Danskaya 5".

Currently there is a weekly Sunday mass in English at 5pm.

The Malboro Cafe is just 20 meters away from the 2nd roundabout after Kubisheva Rinak.

Du Ping and the dog of other diners.

F A M I L Y

A touching piece from one of the many forwarded mails...

I ran into a stranger as he passed by, ''Oh excuse me please'' was my reply.
He said, ''Please excuse me too; I wasn't watching for you.''
We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told, how we treat our loved ones, young and old...

Later that day, while cooking the evening meal, my son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
''Move out of the way,'' I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said,
''While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the family you love, you seem to abuse. Go and look on the kitchen floor, you'll find some flowers there by the door. Those are the flowers he brought for you. He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue. He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise, you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.''

By this time, I felt very small, and now my tears began to fall. I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
''Wake up, little one, wake up,'' I said. ''Are these the flowers you picked for me?''

He smiled, ''I found them, out by the tree. I picked them because they're as pretty as you. I knew you'd like them, especially the blue.''

I said, ''Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn't have yelled at you that way.''
He said, ''Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway.''
I said, ''Son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue.''

Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family, an unwise investment indeed, don't you think?

Father
And
Mother,
I
Love
You!

Happy Father's Day

This is a story I copied from one of the forwarded emails that I received.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_Hoyt)

A son asked his dad, "Daddy, would you like to run a marathon with me?".
The father said, "yes".
And they ran their first marathon together.

Another time, the son asked his dad again, "Daddy, would you like to run a marathon with me?".
The father said, "yes son".
And again they ran their marathon together.

One day, the son asked his father, " Daddy, would you run the Iron-man with me?"
*The Ironman is the most difficult triathlon ever (4 kms swimming, 180 kms biking, 42 km running?)*

And the dad said, "yes".

The story looks simple until you watch the following clip. Just amazing, how much can love be.... ?

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Communication Between You & God

You say: 'It's impossible'
God says: All things are possible

You say: 'I'm too tired'
God says: I will give you rest

You say: 'Nobody really loves me'
God says: I love you

You say: 'I can't go on'
God says: My grace is sufficient

You say: 'I can't figure things out'
God says: I will direct your steps

You say: 'I can't do it'
God says: You can do all things

You say: 'I'm not able'
God says: I am able

You say: 'It's not worth it'
God says: It will be worth it

You say: 'I can't forgive myself'
God says: I Forgive you

You say: 'I can't manage'
God says: I will supply all your needs

You say: 'I'm afraid'
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear

You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated'
God says: Cast all your cares on ME

You say: 'I'm not smart enough'
God says: I give you wisdom

You say: 'I feel all alone'
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you

Footprints In The Sand

Santa came on 24th December 2008, realizing one of my many wishes---White Christmas. Yes, this year is a white Christmas.

Santa told me that he knows who has been bad or good this year. And I believe he does. But, do you believe in Santa's existance?

Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. However, today, Christmas seems more of like partying, turkey, dinner, presents... People who celebrate together for this wonderful day is great. But, how many of them really believe in the Saviour Lord Jesus Christ? Do you believe in Him? How many followers of Christ have faith in Him? I have to admit, at sometimes, I did felt alone.

But do we need to see Him to know that he exist? Jesus said, "Happy are those who have not seen, yet believe." Doubt no further, because He has not, and will not, forsaken us. Have faith!

Sharing with you is a very meaningful poem, by an unknown author.

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND

One night a man had a dream.

He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.

For each scene,he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand.

One belonged to him, and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,

he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of his life,

there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened

at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.

"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,

you'd walk with me all the way.

But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life,

there is only one set of footprints.

I don't understand why when I needed you the most

you would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,

I love you and would never leave you.

During your times of trial and suffering,

when you see only one set of footprints,

it was then I carried you."