A Time for Giving and Receiving

Tuesday, 16th February 2010

Wow, how time flies.  Before you know it, the super-duper long weekend is nearly over.

But it has been a wonderful break.  Thank you Lord!

Today, we were supposed to rest at home, but ended up visiting two homes, both of which are located just about ten minutes' away from our place.  The first was that of a fellow Aston Villa supporter who also happens to be the CFO of a foreign bank located in Singapore.  I first met him about 5 years ago at Bishan Junction 8, thanks to the eagle eyes of my son who had spotted his Honda Odyssey with its many Villa decal stickers on it.

The second is that of the current cell leaders of 3L1.  Even though my wife and I are no longer part of the 3L cluster, we still keep in touch with a handful of them, two of which are this lovely couple.  After visiting them, we had lunch together at a nearby restaurant and then they came over to my place for, yup you guessed it, a time of karaoke :-)

I have begun to love CNY because it a time for giving.  I really enjoy giving out angpows to the kids of friends, relatives and loved ones, which is but a token fraction of the joy that God experiences when He gives to us, His children.

By now I am sure many out there will realise that the amount I put into the angpows are "above market rate", and made up only of orange, blue or brown notes.  This is because I have been blessed so exceedingly abundantly over and above what I can ask or imagine by Daddy God so that I can in turn be a blessing to others.

After we leave a particular location enroute to the next destination, our kids would open up the angpows they receive while in the car and tell us how much they got from this uncle or from that auntie.  Invariably, what is given to their kids is always more than what our kids get from them :-)

Here is a picture of our pet chincilla Chuckie holding on to one of the angpows that my daughter received...

When I was a kid myself growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, my 3 sisters and I would look forward to visiting two homes in particular: that of Mr & Mrs Yeo, the neighbours who lived just down the street from us and my mom's eldest sister and brother-in-law, Mr & Mrs Chong.  This is because they would always put $12 in their red packets (which was extremely generous back then, the norm being only $4 or $6). The legacy of generosity they left behind still remain after more than 25 years!  And their younger son is the cousin that we visited for lunch yesterday, the one who owns 2 BMWs and a Porsche.  I am sure his success has something to do with the generosity of his parents.

My dad is also well-known for his generosity.  We used to get $50 angpows from him when growing up.  I do not know how much he put into the angpows that he gave to other children, but I am sure it must have been at least $12 too.  And so, I thank God for the legacy he has left upon me, and the honour and privilege of being able to carry on that legacy onto the next generation.  May my children, in turn, continue that legacy when they have kids of their own in future.  Amen?

But CNY is not only a time for giving but also for receiving.  This year alone, I have received 4 different hampers from my bosses!!!

Pictured on the left are what my COO, President and Chairman gave me respectively, and pictured on the right is what my CFO gave me..

Thank you Lord for the unmerited favour with them that you have bestowed upon me.  It is indeed so wonderful to rest in you and enjoy all the wonderful blessings of Abraham.  Amen?