Sunday, May 1
This morning, Justine went out with her friends from church. They were attending some kind of a seminar - retreat at one of the churches in PJ. The session was apparently for catechism teachers.
Yes, You heard right - for catechism teachers. Did Mom tell You that Jus is assisting a Primary One catechism class? :D
Yup, your sister - a catechism assistant - since January. :D
Chuckle.
1. Sunday Mass
Dad and Mom went to a cafe in Bangsar for breakfast before attending the 11:30 am mass.
So anyway ...
We were in church.
Mass started.
Father Simon walked down the aisle with the sprinkler. Is that the right name for it - sprinkler? You must have seen your mother tilt her head back a wee bit to receive the showers of holy water. As Father was flicking the sprinkler to the right and to the left, Mom smiled inwardly as she received the showers three times.
Dad said he did too. :D
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. :D
Call 198 : Holy Water
The mass went on. During the prayer before communion, a different voice came on the microphone.
Who's that?
Mom peered to look.
Narrowing her eyes, she whispered, "Is that Pakiam?"
Our Archbishop, remember?
Dad said, "Yes ... your friend ..."
Mom chuckled.
Yeah, her friend ... :D
You remember the story about her friend, right? It happened during confession. She was the last one in line to go before the archbishop. This was before Easter in 2006, the time was possibly after 10 pm. He was stationed at the altar.
Mom walked up the altar, greeted him good evening, before starting her : Forgive me Father, for I have sinned ... It has been only - God - knows how long since my last confession ...
Ramble ramble ramble on ...
That year, You had another recurrence, and so, yet another surgery. Thank God, You had recovered well and fast. Mom cannot recall now exactly what she had confessed at that time, but she may have complained about her rocky relationship with God. That could have been it - considering the circumstances at the material time. Anyway, at one point, the archbishop burst into laughter and said,
"You're a joker."
Mom related that incident to Dad, and ever since then, Murphy Pakiam, the Achbishop, has been her friend.
So that was how the friend - thing started ...
Her train of thoughts were disrupted when the people sitting on the first row got up to start a line to receive the host. There were 2 lines going up to the altar. We were in the line on the right.
Your mother's friend was giving communion on the left.
The line moved up. As she moved forward, Mom soon found herself bowing her head low with her eyes down cast, so that she was only looking at - all kinds of shoes. Don't ask her why she had to behave like ... like ... like an embarrassed school-girl. It's not like her friend would recognize her ... :S
Someone tapped her on her shoulder and she turned. It was Dad, signalling her to jump the line to the left. It was a much shorter line. Now why did Dad have to do that? Mom walked over to the line on the left, muttering her annoyance in her head, forced herself to put on a poker face, as she followed the line up to the altar.
She stood before her friend, face to face, with her palms raised to receive the host. Her friend held out the host before her.
He solemnly declared, "The Body of Christ."
She responded just as solemnly, "Amen."
Good thing she didn't say, Thank You ...
Don't ask her where she was looking at that moment. Her eyes were all over the place. Walking back to her seat, she wondered if You had anything to do with that abrupt switch. Only You could have known that she was trying to avoid her friend. Yet, she ended up having to stand right before him.
Your friend, Mom ... :D
She could almost feel your grin and hear You tease.
That is so not funny, Daniel Phua.
Dad was amused. You must have whispered to Dad,
Go to the other line, Dad ... :D
Anyway ...
After mass, we were in the car, thinking of a place to go for lunch.
2. Porridge Place
We were on Jalan University when Dad said,
"Let's go to Daniel's porridge place."
Mom remembers that porridge place very well. It was a coffee shop near the old Jaya Supermarket. This lady sells the most delicious Hong Kong porridge. You used to love her porridge. You were in preschool then.
That long ago ...
Dad is surely walking down Memory Lane where food is concerned. Only 2 days ago, he had suggested a place that his brother used to go to 30 years ago.
Call 206 : Electric Guitar
Traffic was slow moving due to a road construction ahead, as we found out later. Mom couldn't help but notice a vehicle in front of us, that had been before us for quite a while.
9038
Decode : 21
ZAP ZAP ZAP ...
It had to be a number that would be connected to You. :D
21 ... the day You arrived in Heaven.
We felt your presence ... You were with us, weren't You?
At the coffee shop ...
The porridge stall is no longer there. :( We had some noodles instead and as we were eating, we couldn't help but reminisce about the times when we used to go there for breakfast.
As a family of 4.
3. Glad Sounds
After we finished our food, Mom said,
"Let's go to Glad Sounds for a while."
Glad Sounds is a Christian bookshop that is situated along the shops about 50 m away. Dad frowned.
"What for?" he asked.
"It's just right there ..." See how your mother cleverly avoided the question.
We took a slow stroll towards the shops. It is one of the shops along this row, Mom remembers. As we were walking along the five foot pathway, from one shop to another, Mom soon wondered if we had passed the shop.
"It shouldn't be this far away from the corner," she had remarked.
Suddenly, Dad exclaimed, "Hey, T ..."
Mom turned. Dad spotted a friend with his son.
We exchanged all the Hi - How are you greetings ... and then, the friend T, said,
"I wonder why Glad Sounds is closed today. I'm gonna call the owner and check it out."
Glad Sounds? He was going to Glad Sounds too?
What a coinciDANS. :D
Hmmm ...
When was the last time You went to a shop, found the shop closed, and at the same time, bump into a friend who would call the owner to check why his shop is closed?
That was what happened exactly ...
So T spoke to the owner. It turns out that, it was a public holiday. May 1st is Labour Day, remember? We completely forgot about that.
In the car, Mom couldn't help replaying that scene in her head. It was so amazing. Mom wanted to go to Glad Sounds. The shop was closed. She couldn't find it - with the shutter down, You just cannot identify the shop. You must have sent T to tell us that the shop is closed because it's a public holiday ...
How cute is that?
That perfect angel timing. <3
That was nobody, nobody but chiu. :D
Call 109 : Nobody Nobody
Mom knows ... It was You ... :D
Yes, a mother knows. And You?
You have the right to remain silent. <3
Mom said to Dad, "This is the second inciDAN where You met a friend, out of the blues." The earlier inciDAN happened on Friday, 2 days ago at the center.
Call 206 : Moth Talk
Just in case we had any doubts at all that You didn't have anything to do with that first inciDAN, here's a second one, similar in nature, to ZAP us. :D
They always come in pairs. :D We notice. Two inciDANS of Dad bumping into a friend out of the blues.
A clear coinciDANS ... :D
4. Driving Home
As Mom was rambling on about the ZAPs and the OMGs, a car cut into our lane. We couldn't miss that. Mom pointed to the number plate out to Dad.
1144
Decode : 24 4
Gasp. Twenty - Four - Four?
24 - your birth date, and we all know who number 4 is. Earlier on, before lunch, 21 had zapped us, your departure date.
Birth date and departure date?
What's that about? It sure sounded like a loud and clear ...
It's Me ... :D
If your parents wanted further eviDANS, they would soon be getting it just MOMENTS later. You must have seen your mother's expression when she heard the next song filling the car.
TEARS IN HEAVEN came on the radio. On Mom's station 105.7. Mom pointed excitedly to the time on the dashboard.
Dad saw the time.
It was 2:15 pm.
Decode : 44
Mom was practically bursting, "It's him ... All those inciDANS this morning, it's him ... It really is him ..." :D
It was You, wasn't it, Son???
Dad had a big smile. Mom had a bigger one. Not that we were competing. Just that we were so happy. Mom's happier. Again - not competing. :D:D:D
Arriving in Taman Desa, the song MY LOVE came on. The last song we heard that day. The time was 2:28 pm.
Decode : 444
Her angel signs.
Again. :D
What a perfect song to hear just before we got home.
My love is warmer than
the warmest sunshine
Softer than a sigh
My love is deeper than
the deepest ocean
Wider than the sky
My love is the brighter than
the brightest star
that shines every night above
And there is nothing in this world
that can ever change My love
A love such as this, can only be from God.
This song describes God's love for us completely and absolutely, don't You think? Thank You Son, for reminding us how much God loves us ... <3 ... and Thank You Jesus for keeping You safe with him, and making a way for us ... :D
