Did Mary Pull Weeds? Part 1

Written by Brenda, married to Winston and mother of Cassandra.

They live on the outskirts of London. Aside from being experts at moving homes, they have also been through a process of home educating Cassandra.

My childhood was spent in a small town in North Borneo. Much has happened since. By the grace of God, I am now a global citizen. I have visited 193 cities in 28 countries. Since marrying, I have established 11 different homes in 5 different countries. I have even moved our entire home from one country to another, within 24 hours notice.

Yet, in the summer of 2006, after we had just moved in to our new home in Watford, England; I was staring at the mud patch that was called ‘my garden’. It was overgrown with weeds. Despite the many homes that we have stayed in, we had only been urban apartment dwellers and we had no experience or skill on how to manage a garden. Finally, I built up the determination to go out to pull the weeds. It took weeks! English weeds are evil!!

By the time I had finished, there were 10 full garden bags of pulled weeds. There were days that I ended up sitting on the mud/soil/earth/dirt whilst pulling out the weeds. It was painful and agonising.

I recalled that at that time, I questioned God about my life.

What is my destiny?

What is my calling?

Who am I?

What is the purpose of Him creating me?

What followed were streams – Streams of endless questions, tears and silence – and one conclusion.

Surely God has a plan for me.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

He said so Himself in the Bible. Therefore my life can’t be just pulling out weeds, scrubbing

the floor and toilets and serving endless meals. I must be destined for more. But I don’t seem to do more.

It has been 3 years since my first weed clearing experience in the UK which I mentioned above. My garden has gone through much transformation and I am pleased with the gradual changes.

I have tulips, lavender, pansies, roses and even raspberries and grapes.

Picture courtesy of Brenda, my prayer partner before she relocated to UK.

Just last week, an old friend of mine whom I have known for 13 years surprised me when she told me how envious she was of me – that I seemed to ‘have it all’. I suppose she wasn’t there when my tears were rolling down my cheeks whilst pulling out the 10 bags of weeds. Would she have been envious of me then?

To be continued.......Part 2 Did Mary Pull Weeds.

Heartfelt Love For A Mum

" My mum always look forward to see me every morning as I carry her out from the room .... wash her up , feed her spoon by spoon, massage her .... I need to be patience with her at times as she is difficult to handle , showing face of discomfort , she has lost her voice due to throat and lung cancer ... deep in my heart I prayed, oh GOD gave me the strength and patience and the way to handle my mum.............. "

( Jenny and her siblings attended to their sick mum )


The above caption was written by Jenny Lee in her e-mail to me.

Jenny is our trekking buddy, a special and close friend, she is my loving sister personally, we share laughter and tears together.

I obtained her permission to publish what she wrote me in my blog.

She also shared how, two weeks ago, both she & her husband Richard took the challenge that no one would, they did something special for their mum.

The husband and wife team carefully wheeled their mum, still in her frail state, to the nearby Kopitiam ( coffee shop ) , to have her mum enjoy her cup of favorite coffee.

Everyone by the roadside was watching, some with disrespectful eyes, though no one lifted a finger to help.

Nonetheless, neither Jenny or Richard was embarrassed because deep in their heart, they know for sure that was what the beloved mum had wanted to do.

Though others sneered at them on why the need to go through this episode toiling the difficult task just for a cup of coffee.

" And that's the way we say I love you and we are very proud of you mum. " Jenny added.






Their mum has since passed on peacefully, on May 4, 2009 ( exactly one week before the Mother's Day ) to be reunited with her husband who has gone to be with the Lord a 14 months ago.



( click here )
Condolence wreath from Kuala Lumpur Baptist Church


We wish everyone who has a mum, do say " I love you " to your mum anytime of the year if you can, better still say " I love you " anytime of the day.

Just like what Jenny & Richard did, they never wait on Mother's Day to show their love to their mum, which is a few days to come.

Had they waited for Mother's Day to take her for the coffee......
Had they said it will be more memorable to show love on Mother's day...
Had they this....
Had they that....

Mother never waits for Children's Day to shower her love, hence no children should wait, only on Mother's Day to express love to their mum.

Jenny & Richard, Condolences to your family on the demised of your beloved mum.

His Eyes Are On The Sparrow

So are His Eyes On The Ants.
( Click on the pictures to see details )


Once there was, in times memorial, everyone was hungry for food.

It was the same with Caleb & Joshua, who went into the giant land, hunting whole heartedly.

They believed strongly, without weaver of any doubt that the blessings of food will be theirs, if He who has provided, will also supply strength to fulfill, to bring to pass what He has promised.





Indeed, what they have believed came true.

They received a blessing that was beyond their mind could possibly think of.




Obtaining the greatest blessings of the day, it was not without great challenges.

So Joshua asked " Hi dude, can you be here while i go and get some help ? "

" sure it's my pleasure "





Without any doubt, help was needed, the burden to overcome the challenges was to be shared.




And so, there were more hands and legs .....




to help transporting the food.

It's home they bound, for a big feast, fit too for a sparrow.

Promote Safe Trekking Through T Shirt

Safe Trekking should be observed any mountains, this time around, we are promoting it for Bukit Tabur.

Get one if you want.

Whether you wear this T-shirt or not, safe trekking is a must when you enjoy a mountain.

There are two designs available,

V Neck



Specification for V-Neck

1) front view, color almost near to Pantone color formula guide 532 U
2) back view
3) Printed with Trek Safely visit http://bukittabur.blogspot.com
4) Micro-fiber material, neat stitching
5) Rubberised printing



Round Neck




Specification for Round-Neck

1) Front view, color almost near to Pantone color formula guide 5615 U
2) back view
3) Printed with Trek Safely visit http://bukittabur.blogspot.com
4) Micro-fiber material, neat stitching.
5) Rubberised printing


Part of the proceed will go towards conservation of Bukit Tabur

for more details & information, kindly write to tanagnes8@gmail.com

What Is The Meaning Of Respect

Walking up the hill in the neighbourhood, a very senior retired government servant wanted to walk with me, first casually asking me how I was.

“ fine, thank you “

“ The association we formed to champion our cause..…….. it is legal now. “

“ O “

“ We have gone through quite a lot to get to where we are “

“O “

“ there is a lawyer assisting us…….”

“O “

“ Now we are a registered association and there are many things we planned to do “

“O “

“ First we will do this….”

“O “

“ then, we will do this…”

“O “

“ Following that it will be this …..”

“O “

And our plan wil be this….

“ O “

“ We will also extend our work to Bukit Tabur….”

“ O “

“ I heard someone said you have a blog on Bukit Tabur “

“ O, Ya “

“ Have you heard about there were doctors who fell there ?

“ Ya “

“ and they were dead “

“ Ya “

“ Bukit tabur is such a dangerous place ! “

“ Ya “

“ And the thing is that male and female should not go together climbing up the hill “

“ O Ya ? “

“ what do you think “

“ ya “

“ No, I asked what do you think ?

“ O sorry, I didn’t hear what you ask “

“ yes, I am asking what do you think ?

“ O, you want to know what I think, how about this ? I am interested to hear what you think, then I tell you what I think , Is that OK ? "

“ OK, I think they should ……..”

“ I think they shouldn’t………”

“ I think they must ………...”

“ I think they mustn’t…….…”

“ I think they could have………”

“ I think they couldn’t have……….”

“ You know in this world…….…”

“ You know the after world……..…”

“ Better, they did this……..…”

“ Better they don’t do this…..…”

“ People will….”

“ people will not…”

“ you know this….”

“ you don’t know this….”

She kept on and on ranting away……..……and away………... until I interrupted,

“ Hei So & So, I don’t know them personally and it’s not for me to form any opinion on them. I think you should also stop ranting to me or to any other person………………… about these two doctors.………………… It is none of your business or my business………….. to say whatever they should or should not, ....... they would have or wouldn't have……, they could or could not……. to another person, please give some care to respect, which they deserve as individual………… “

“ why ? “

“ reason is whatever happened, none of us can help to change the situation. “

“ but you should know more so that going up mountain,…. you should …. And you shouldn’t…… you should have, and shouldn't have......……..………. “

“O ! Hei so and so, I did a little research on these two doctors. Lots of blogs in the net , some are written by parents, some are written by children, many griefed the passing on of these two doctors………….. ”

“ How they have lost their doctors ……who were so very responsible to the nitty gritty details of their medical conditions and needs……. If they are careful towards other, you think so they will take their own life so lightly ? "

" something terribly wrong must have happened and it’s not for us to dwell in that, may be you can google up and search for yourself if you have not done so. Many blogs said they were goods doctors “

“ I seldom use computers , my husband uses lots of computer, which blogs say like that ? "“

“……there are lots of different thoughts on them, some who said unkind remarks like you, I think this is very insensitive to the family and friends ……………who have known them in their own special way. ”

“ You aware some of the good things…………. they have brought to the medical society in Malaysia and the world beyond through Mercy Malaysia ? ”

“ O, Is it ? "

“ do you know them personally ? “

“ No “

“ For me, I highlighted the accidents in my blog because we are doing some work

to bring awareness that safety is important in Bukit Tabur

I have the opportunity to see some hits on people searching the net for the two doctors from the site meter in my blog.

I have gathered 40 pages of these statictics which showed there are many hits, ( if I could show her then, I would ) here are some pages selected

( click on the picture to see details & clearer pixel )

Many are from Malaysia and some around the world searching for the two doctors after the news reported by the medias that they died.

I don’t exactly know who these people are and their motives in searching for the two doctors.

I hope they will read what we chose to remember,

and respect them for who they were and honour them for what they have done.

So that the example of doing these spectacular deeds to impact lives will continue ….

Let us not remember them for how they died - but how they lived. "

I was trying to end the conversation by stealing a quote from Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, the President of Mercy Malaysia tribute to both the late Dr Amin Tai and Dr Haliza Shafie.

I just couldn't wait to take my chance to hammer home what I think off my chest,

I kept on…..

“ You aware what you are doing now is gossiping ? guessing and talking about another person without knowing them is malicious and judgemental and having no respect for them ? “

“………..………………………..”

“ I am no defender of anybody here , in my blog, I write about not only these two late doctors, but a string of others, such as ....

( With two hours of life, what will you do, posting on March 3, 2009 )

In my posting, each person I brought up have a life of their own………….Some of them is still alive, some of them already passed on…..

and I just highlight some of the good deeds these people are doing, so that the sparks of what they have started, will be caught on .........…and it will encourage others to do likewise…………………………………

……. so that our world will be a better place to live…………………………………………………………………………..

I choose to remember some of the good things people are doing……………………………………………………..

and have done so that these examples of good deeds will be cherished by those who are living,……

…. may be those who lives longer than them…………… will learn a thing or two to look outside themselves and do some good to others, to the society, to the world beyond their own circle and boundry…… ……………………………………………………………………………and..………………………………………………………………………………………………so…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………then they will learn ..........and .............…………………………………………………………………… on and on………..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

trying to cut me out, “ what is your blog name ? “

“ On my thoughts, it’s http://thetrekkers.blogspot.com and on Bukit Tabur http://bukittabur.blogspot.com/ “

“ But you know Agnes, I never read blog !!! “

Earlier on before leaving the house, I had wanted to enjoy my evening walk, after having walked 6 kilometers or so, I gave her an excuse, and walked away to catch my first breathful of fresh air before heading home.