Poison in the Can

The last week was spent almost in a daze. I first felt the fast rising heartbeat last Saturday's evening. Was it due to the stress? I had just taken on an assignment for a survey to be conducted in the coming 2 weeks. But really, there shouldn't be this stressful feeling. Definitely the assignment is not as demanding and stressful as the job that I had left. Strange.

So, just to be on the safe side, I dropped by the 24-hrs clinic on my way home. The young doctor on duty didn't think it as serious in nature, although the blood pressure was pretty high. 150/100? I never had it this high before. The latest measurement done last month was relatively lower at 130/88. Anyway, he prescribed some muscle relaxant for me to help ease the stiff shoulders. Sunday passed by, as normal as normal can be, except for that nagging feeling of breathlessness and a faster than usual heartbeat.

Monday was bad. The 2 pills I took after breakfast worked its way into my limbs, and my head felt a tonne heavy. The label says NORGESIC, (whatever that is) and came with a warning - may cause drowsiness! Ahh.... should have known better.

Came Tuesday, and the symptoms seems getting worst. Wonder what's wrong with my body. Kinda worried. Should have gotten the contact numbers of all my insurance agents printed for my mum to keep. lolz.... I think I am getting real panicky.

Decided to seek a second opinion. The polyclinic is just across the road and it's past 1pm, so there shouldn't be a crowd. In anycase, my registration is always accorded prority status. :) The doctor measured a 170/100 bp. wow~ I had never hit this mark before. But he doesn't seems much concerned. Wonder why. He said from the symptoms, it is unlikely a heart problem. But to allay my fears, he sent me for a ECG test. The results seems pretty okay. Well, he suggested more tests next week and a review in 2 weeks time. Hmmmm... well, I guess I will just have to rest easy first. It's seems pretty reassuring for now. But what is really the cause?

Going thru' my mind were a thousand scenarios. But still, the only hope that I would want to rest on, is the assurance that God had given, - thru His Son, Jesus. But then, why do the symptoms seems to get worst? I tried to strengthen my faith and trust in God, but each night, as I lay down to rest, the negative thoughts kept coming back. Sigh~

Then it dawned on me..... oww! It must have been that half cup of fruit cocktail which I had on Friday night! I had originally thought that the can of cocktail was not opened. Someone had left the can of cocktail, opened but still in it's tin can, neatly sitting in the fridge. The top of the can was cut neatly opened so that it can used as a cover. I didn't notice that the can was opened until a couple of days ago. Why waste it? So I scooped out a half cup on Friday evening for dessert. But oh no! That can had been sitting there for more than 2 mths! I remembered we had a lunch gathering during Chinese New Year period and that was when the can was opened. That's how long ago it was!

Oh my! But is that really it? I didn't get a tummy ache afterall right?

Then Pastor's message on last Sunday came to mind. Somewhere, somehow, he taught about the passage from 2 Kings 4:38 - About how Elisja was sitting with the sons of the prophets and dinner was served. The servant had mistakenly sliced some wild gourds into the stew and those were poisionous. "There is death in the pot!" the sons cried out. And Elisha put a handful of fine flour into the pot and when they ate, there was nothing harmful in the pot.

"There is death in the pot!" - was it an affirmation that what I had eaten is causing me these? And of course, I quickly took communion. This was what the message was about! But ofcourse, I was still wondering and still doubtful.

Thursday morning. My assignment this week brought me to meet a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner. No harm trying out a consultation.

After hearing my ordeal and taking the pulses, his first remark is that my digestive system is blocked. This is why it is causing the shortness of breath, the discomfort, the heaviness of head. His prescription is supposed to help clear the digestive passage upwards. Come to think of it, there seems some truth in it. Had I not been getting that bloated feeling?

The medicine was bitter. 4 packs of powdered medicine to be mixed in hot water and taken after meals, twice a day. sigh~

Well, it's Saturday again today. I sure felt alot better. The pulsating heartbeat is gone and I can breath alot easier now. Though the bloated feeling is still there, but is alot better. I can really heave a sigh of relieve. So God was right! And I thank Him once again, for the word and His watch over me.

Now, I think I should take the communion again.... it's a gesture of thanks and rememberance of His completed works on the cross. Praise Jesus!

A fool has said in his heart, 'there is no God.'

The answer to the issue on the fundamentals of Creationism vs Evolutionism was answered sooner than I expect, and I believe it's God given, really.

Snr Pastor was away in Israel for the past week and Pastor Lian was preaching during the mid-week bible study as well as the Sunday Service. And in both messages, somehow, she touched on the subject. Having been attending the services regularly, the topic on creationism was seldom preached on, as far as I can remember. So it was an awesome feeling when Pastor Lian taught on Friday night about how we were "fearfully and wonderfully made" and that "we are not here by chance". And when she opened yesterday's sermon with references to the creation theory, and made mention about Charles Darwin and the Theory of Evolution, wow~ I knew then that God had made it His concern for what goes on even in my thoughts.

"The need of the World is to listen to God."-Albert Einstein

"For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.  My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth." - Psalms 139:13-15

Indeed, when I read the study text on the Prenatal Development, which spans the 9 months between conception and birth, I can only say that it is simply amazing!

From the fertilized egg (zygote), begins a process of cell division - one cell becomes two, two becomes four.... until about 150 cells after 10 days and at this stage it becomes an embryo. The genetic plan begins to form at this stage, with the cells begining to specialise as components of particular organ systems (differentiation). There is the nervous system, the skin, the muscles, the bones, blood vessels, internal organs, digestive system, lungs, glands, ... and millions of specialized cells. And then, in 3 weeks time, you get the heartbeat, a reflexive response to stimulation! It's so amazing, that from a single cell, a complex life is formed.

And, I, am one from such a development! Certainly, I am not here by chance. I am fearfully and wonderfully made!

"The fool has said in his heart, 'there is no God.' " - Psalm 14:1

And Pastor Lian went on the explain the awesome reason behind the creation story, the 6 days of creation, on how He completed everything for man, His crowning creation to enjoy, how He let man have the freedom of choice, of choosing between the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, of how, unless we are capable of choosing, we will never be able to love; of how man made the wrong choice and how God break from His rest to give us again the completed works..... the completed work of Jesus' death on the cross, paying the price for restoring us.

Yes, we have an awesome God whose heart is a father's heart of love!

Mercy Saw Me...

This is really a very beautiful song that we sang during service. Hope to share it here with all of you folks.

MERCY SAW ME

The years had left scars,
And the scars have left pain,
How could he recognize me,
For I wasn't the same;
I knew I should pay and I knew the price,
For justice and law had demanded my life.

O but his tender heart heard my desperate cry,
And he saw all my past through merciful eyes!

Beautiful, that's how mercy saw me,
For I was broken and so lost;
Mercy looked at all my faults.
Justice of God saw what I had done,
But mercy saw me through the Son;
Not what I was but what I could be,
That's how mercy saw me!

For sin had stolen all my dignity,
And all my self esteem;
But I was made brand new again,
When mercy looked at me.

Beautiful, that's how mercy saw me,
For I was broken and so lost;
Mercy looked at all my faults.
Justice of God saw what I had done,
But mercy saw me through the Son;
Not what I was but what I could be,
That's how mercy saw me!

Not what I was but what I could be,
That's how mercy saw me!

That's how mercy saw me!