“As you crunch on the delicate sweetness of kueh belanda – that’s the traditional name of love letters – remember that love is more than a feeling. Rather, it is patient and kind, and it is a choice. So when we visit one another this CNY, be brave. With every roll, triangle or crushed-up fragment of love letter going into our mouths, let’s agape like Jesus.”
“If you think about it, yusheng is pretty much like family, isn’t it? So many different personalities, memories and aspirations all mixed together. Some of it is sweet, some sour, some even raw. Sometimes it gets really messy, and stuff may hit the (ceiling) fan #truestory.”
“But beyond tradition and superstition, oranges ought to remind believers of how Jesus sent out the 72 disciples in Luke 10 – in pairs. So even if you forget to grab that little bag of oranges before you go, know that we are called to bring a far better gift to every house. A gift of peace.”
“As any experienced guazi eater would testify, the more guazi you persevere through, the better it gets. Guazi is a training ground for patience. When we understand the value of what we’re working hard for, waiting is a small and worthwhile struggle.”
“Kindness might flow naturally to some, but for most it takes effort. Like the little groundnut, it starts off deeply personal, cultivated deep in the ground, hidden from the sight. It must be fed – leaves and roots working in harmony – before it can grow, mature, understand.”
“Pineapple tarts come in all sorts of shapes – flat, rolled, round – and though they be small, they sure pack a punch (in both goodness and caloric value). We love them all the same. Isn’t that like God’s goodness?”
“This CNY, let’s ask for a faith that’s stickier than the stickiest nian gao. May we walk by faith and not by sight, sticking to the path set before us in the year ahead, whatever it may bring.”
“Like the sturdy kueh bangkit, God guides us with a hand that is firm but soft. His love is strong and unwavering like a rock, but we experience it as a gentle touch – like kueh bangkit melting on the tongue. And that’s the way we should treat those we meet this CNY: With all gentleness of speech and action.”
“Like bak kwa in all its goodness, many things we consume and spend our time on are great. They bring us pleasure and are a real treat for our souls. That’s why the fruit of the spirit is self-control, not self-denial. Let the good things be good for us. Everything in moderation.”
