The 5 Love Languages

Our emotional love language and the language of another person may be as different as Chinese from English. No matter how hard you try to express love in “English”, if your friend understands only “Chinese”, you will never understand how to love each other. There are basically five emotional love languages—five ways that people speak and understand emotional love.

Words of Affirmation: I feel especially loved when people express how grateful they are for me, and for the simple, everyday things I do. (Generally in words/writings)
Quality Time: I feel especially loved when a person gives me undivided attention and spends time alone with me
Receiving Gifts: I feel especially loved by someone who brings me gifts and other tangible expressions of love
Acts of Service: I feel especially loved when someone pitches in to help me with some work or running some errands
Physical Touch: I feel expecially loved when a person expresses feelings for me through physical contact

Communicating love isn’t as easy as feeling “in love,” because it’s quite a different thing. Falling in love is not an act of the will or a conscious choice. It’s effortless. Love is something you do for someone else, not something you do for yourself. When you choose to speak someone else's love language, whether or not it is natural for you, though you might not even like the language, but speaking it will clearly communicate love. Love is a choice.

Think about your family, close frens, special frens. What is their love language? Can you bless them today by speaking a love language that they understand best? :)

*Special thanks to http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/

Rats & My First Dish

Remy the mouse & the late Auguste Gusteau, France’s greatest all-time culinary genius, is the author of Anyone Can Cook, the cookbook that inspired Remy to dream of becoming a chef.

One of the slogans that etched deep in my memory bank is "Cooking requires bravery, courage, creativity! It is not for the faint-hearted!"

Man! I never see cooking this way before. Anyway after talking about cooking since 21 Aug I've finally cooked my very first dish after last Sunday.

Ma Po Tou Fu / 麻婆豆腐 (Bean Curd with Chili Sauce)

Why I should cook this:

This is an inexpensive dish that is rich in protein, iron & calcium. The small amount of meat stretches the vegetable protein in the tofu, & adds B vitamins. Although the dish is low in kilocalories & relatively low in fat, it’s quite substantial. Add a light, salt-free soup, a small bowl of rice, & a portion of deep green or yellow-orange vegetable, & you have a well-balanced meal.

Ingredients:
• 4 soft soyabean curd squares (tofu)
• 1T soyabean oil
• 0.5T sesame oil
• 4 shallots, pounded
• 4 cloves garlic, pounded
• 1.25cum piece ginger, pounded
• 150g lean beef, minced
• 1T preserved soyabeans (taucheo),rinsed and pounded
• 4 spring onions, cut
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground Szechuan peppercorns
• 1T Chinese rice wine
• 1T tomato puree
• 2T tomato ketchup
• 2.5 tsp ground red chilli
• 1T dark soya sauce
• 0.5C (125ml) chicken stock

• 1T cornflour

Preparation:
1. Dice the bean curd into 1.5cm cubes, place in a colander in the sink, and allow water to drain off for 30mins
2. Heat the oils in a wok over moderate heat; add the pounded shallots, garlic & ginger, & fry for 30secs. Then add the minced beef & fry until it loses its pink colour. Add the preserved soyabeans and spring onions and stir.

3. Add remaining ingredients except the cornflour paste & bring to a boil. Add the cornflour paste & stir-fry until the sauce is thickened & clear.

Kermit's Learning:

1. Dish must not only taste good but also look good. I cut some ingredients too fine such that only see the tofu at the end.

2. Less ketchup (too sweet), more chilli

*Special thanks to "the complete Asian Health & Diet Cookbook"*

(A true warrior) Inside & Out

Arise warriors arise!

A four-year-old boy was finally put into time-out after battling with his mother. "Sit in that chair until the timer goes off," the mother said in frustration. The boy sat down, fearing greater punishment, but said, "Okay, Mommy. I'm sitting on the outside, but I'm standing up on the inside!"

Last weekend wasn't fantastic. Had a misunderstand that lead to much frustration & anguish. Half of me was battling to do the right thing, the other part of me offered nice little excuses & reasons not to. Put it simply I felt lousy & defeated. Yucky yucks feeling.

After a while of self pity & guilt I woke up one morning with this sudden thought that popped in my head. "You're a warrior. Warriors fight, warriors emerge victorious."

Woah woah woah. It's pretty amazing. As suddenly as it came I suddenly realized that though I was a warrior on the outside (My church's theme for 2007 is everyone of us are warriors of light) but really inside of me I wasn't one.

Well whimpy warrior no more. And my favourite female warrior is non other than Hua Mu Lan! Yeah! Arise warriors arise!

Didn't know you were married! xDDD

"WinDz: Hey, haven't visited for a longggg time . Didn't know you were married ! xDDD"

I had a minor shock then burst into laughter when I saw the tag from an ex-student! (Hey there WinDz no offence eh to use your tag as a story! I'm inspired that's all! :P)

Eventually I'll be married WinDz but currently I'm not a Mrs yet!!! :) So who are these people calling me mummy. I'm not into adoption either. keke! I've to do a bit of history digging here. These are my extremely close bunch of church mates. So close that we're "related" literally.

My friend invited me to a Christian rally years ago and there was no looking back. From someone who disliked anything related to Christians previously somehow I became more open to going church. It must be a miracle. A good miracle at that! Started attending church with Penny & that girl wanted to join a cell group! OMG she actually called church to asked how to join one. Anyway being good frens that's how I got dragged into one. *But heys Penny dear, thanks!!

In church I've a spiritual family & belong to one. My spiritual "mother" Serene is a lovely mum! I've learnt so much from her. She'll always avail herself to listen when I'm troubled. Best of all, she believed in me even when I don't myself.

From a shy, suspicious, angry, uptight person. I'm glad to say I'm much happier, more confident, learning to trust & enjoy having some lame & fun now. Thanks be to God! Who loves us & has a wonderful plan for each of our lives.

The Power of a SMILE

Saw this on Reader's Digest September 2007 edition "The Power of a Smile - by Anne Mullens" & thought that it's really good.

It's 7am, and Susan Jenks would love more sleep, but she can hear her 5-month-old son, Angus, rousing in the next room. "I'm hardly able to drag myself out of bed," says this mother, who, with both an infant and an older son aged two, is no stranger to fatigue. "But when I look into his cot, and he gives me a big smile, it fills me with joy - and then everything is fine." Such is the power of a simple smile.

Studies have found that if a parent responds to a baby's smile with an expressionless face, the infant gets upset. "This indicates how important the caregiver's smile is for the infant," Infants of depressed mothers also show fewer signs of happiness and smile less often than infants of non-depressed mothers.

Keltner notes that while some people are born with generally happier temperaments, which set them up for success, others can become happier by being taught how to cultivate a genuine smile.

"In the happiness literature," the greatest association with happiness is connection to others. Teaching smiling is important becuase it helps us connect.

Putting on a happy face not only helps us make friends, it translates into altered brain chemistry that makes us feel better.

A smile is a powerful part of our conversation capability. If you can't smile, you are very limited in your ability to pass on information and relate to other people. (Dr Ralph Manktelow)