The ship for the day.

I often see ships sailing past in the Strait of Johor. This photo came out really nice.

Shavout and Pentecost

It is now the time of Shavout or Pentecost.

Jews around the world celebrate Shavuot now. It is the Feast of First Fruits. It is during this time that Moses received the Instructions from God on how to live life here on earth. There are many sites to explain more and also how to celebrate in a traditional manner. And for us girls – one of the traditions is to eat cheesecake! Here are the scriptures:

Leviticus 23:15-22

New International Version (NIV)

The Festival of Weeks

¹⁵ “‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. ¹⁶ Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD. ¹⁷ From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the LORD. ¹⁸ Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the LORD, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. ¹⁹ Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering^[a] and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. ²⁰ The priest is to wave the two lambs before the LORD as a wave offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the LORD for the priest. ²¹ On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

²² “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God

Numbers 28:26-31

New International Version (NIV)

The Festival of Weeks

²⁶ “‘On the day of firstfruits, when you present to the LORD an offering of new grain during the Festival of Weeks, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. ²⁷ Present a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. ²⁸ With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; ²⁹ and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. ³⁰ Include one male goat to make atonement for you. ³¹ Offer these together with their drink offerings, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. Be sure the animals are without defect.

Deuteronomy 16:10

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁰Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God blesses you.

Christians around the world celebrate Pentecost. Pentecost comes from the Greek word for fiftieth. They have given it a set day in the week, and generally do not celebrate it at the same time as the Jews nor in the same manner, even though the day has the same root meaning. They celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.

Acts 2

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

¹ When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹² Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

¹³ Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
¹⁸ Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
¹⁹ I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
²⁰ The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
²¹ And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. ²⁵ David said about him:

“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
²⁶ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
²⁷ because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
²⁸ You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

²⁹ “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. ³¹ Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. ³² God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. ³³ Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
³⁵ until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’

³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Name	Scriptures	Time / Date	Purpose	Fulfillment
Pentecost	Lev. 23:15-22; Num. 28:26-31; Deut. 16:9-12	50 days after Firstfruits (May/June)	To dedicate the firstfruits of the wheat harvest	The outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2)

These sites gives a thorough explanation of the significance and meaning of this holy day.

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Shavuot/shavuot.html

http://christianactionforisrael.org/judeochr/pentcost/pentcost.html

http://jewsforjesus.org/judaica/shavuot

http://oncedelivered.net/2008/06/27/jesus-in-the-feasts-of-israel-pentecost-shavuot/

Calligraphy

I am still learning about Chinese Calligraphy. It is definitely not just about writing or painting characters. It is all about understanding the brush and controlling the bristles. My brush still has a mind of its own.
I went to the shop to get some stuffies and asked for a receipt so I can remember the prices of the various items. So I got this challenge:

I bought some rice paper. Which one do you want? How am I to know if I don't know anything about rice paper?! So I chose smallest and cheapest - not that this stuff is cheap. It is so thin, I think my brush with its own mind will have a ball tearing the paper apart. So I will practice lots more on the newspaper first.

This paper is also very thin, but the lines are to help one place the characters in the correct position. I tend to try so hard looking at the lines that my characters still end up all in the wrong areas.

 Here is a sample of the paper where one uses only water. On the photo it looks like I used ink, but it is only water - the brush is clean. I made 3 lines and one can see where it was going dry already. The paper can be used over and over again.

 Newspaper practicing using the black ink.

 Using ink on the the paper with the blocks. Of all these characters I only know heart and middle (心，中) There is still lots to learn.

 I managed to engrave my Chinese name Yingqi (英奇) on the soapstone I bought. Mr Wong was so impressed with my effort that he gave me the one with the Chinese lion on the end. I see I photographed the small one with my name sideways. I first engraved my name - taking half a day - the way one can read it on the stone. When I tried to ink it onto paper I realized I had to do it mirror image. So I had to start all over. I also found that the one side inks better than the other - the one side was a little higher than the other. So I am still trying to make it all even and deepening the lines again and then I guess I have to learn how much ink to use at a time. Nothing is simple and straightforward here. The ink is not just an inkpad and you go stamping happily away. The ink is red and very sticky. Put too much on and you don't see your name, stone not flat and even, you don't see your name. I can now see my name - sort of. There is hope as Mr Wong could also desipher my name.

The best part of this Chinese art/calligraphy is that nothing must be perfect and of equal size and lenth! When perfect, is not beautiful - I am told.

Johor Bahru from the aeroplane window

Coming towards Johor Bahru I could recognize some landmarks.

Always nice to sit at the window.

Mt Kinabalu from the aeroplane window.

We flew back from Sabah and I was very fortunate to sit at the window again. The everpresent clouds of Malaysia were so beautiful from above - I normally see them from below! Here one can see Mt Kinabalu in the distance.

I could see between layers of clouds. Too beautiful!

Last night in Kota Kinabalu

The brave mountaineers having a most delicious meal at the Indian restoran on the Waterfront.

Sunday market in Kota Kinabalu

There is a very vibrant Sunday market in Kota Kinabalu. It is huge. And hot.

There are at least 3 streets full of stalls. One cannot really put what you see on a photo. You cannot see the depth and the width of the market.

Plenty of rice to buy.

Fish in plastic bags and in bottles. I wonder how the fish was squeezed into the bottle.

Many stalls were just flat on the ground. I think all of them had shade.

 Lots of crafts were available. More than you can buy.

Not for sale. Big brother looking after baby.

Dogs for sale - puppies and some a bit older.

Turtles to buy. This is a very unusual sight for a South African like me.

Beautiful paintings by a local artist.

Cats for sale. I did not really like seeing this as all the animals were clearly very hot.

Wool!!! I nearly bought some. Was not expensive either. I really nearly bought some.

I am still very tickled by the lack of sewing stuff in Malaysia, compared to what I'm used to. This is what I find on average. Once I saw more in Johor Bahru.

Blind people massaging feet.

A blind girl singing. At first we did not know that she and the musicians were blind. I enjoyed her singing.

A fish in a plastic bag with some plants above him.

Very hot rabbits. I was feeling very hot and hat sweat running rivers down my back and I was fanning my face and I don't even have fur to make me even hotter.

Real plants growing in shells. One had a toy bird attached for pretty.

The variety of fish you could buy was amazing.

Chickens of various ages and types. Also feeling the heat.

Ducklings as well for sale.

I also learnt you get different types of turtles.

One could pose with a huge, massive, horrible snake around your neck. This girl was very, very brave.

The guy taking a photo for her with her camera had a smaller snake draped around his neck. Not my idea of fun.

Will I go again if I have the opportunity? Yes.