Cos I am living in a material world...

The papers of late has been discussing about the US recession. It talks about depressingly, food scarcity and of cos, how the more unfortunate countries are not having enough to eat - and we are talking about staple here and not the kinda of feeling where you are queuing behind a buffet line and someone in front just scooped the last bit of fried rice on the tray. That's why I refused to allow my dear son who developed this love to play in the kitchen, opening the drawer and scooping up the rice to play. One grain lah, grandma says - Bunster says NO NO NO. Not even a single grain. It doesn't please both parties very much, the oldest and the youngest. But then discipline needs to be maintain in this house.

Then there's this thing about the economy crashing and that people will lose their jobs and then we all need to rely on our savings. And i think it's a good reminder of how we should reflect how we leave. Sometimes, really, we simply throws money away without much thinking. Even if we don't save that up, isn't it better feeding some poor children at some part of the world or helping a kid get access to basic medication, or help stop global warming etc. HALO BUNSTER!

Then there were inflation, rising costs. The government tells us to buy more housebrands to save more. The radio is asking us to buy frozen meat instead of fresh ones.

Seriously, I lavished at the thought of a simple person with simple needs and less expectations of the material sense. Hello Bunster???

Honestly, when you become a mom ( Oh stop those mommy goodie talk!), you simply want to be the person doing the right things because you hope you would be an inspiration to your little ones. Don't you want your kid to know that he is not rated by what brands he is wearing and can be comfortable just becos knowing he is unique and created and his very existence is to and to Glorify the Creator. Don't you want your kid to look at you and say, my mommy is sexy and beautiful because she has the kindest heart and the greatest capacity to love and to share and has the most geniune humour to calm the world. You want your kid to start this project that reaches to the minority, to spread the love and to make a difference. Darn, I am even wishing that Mao would be a pastor!

My childhoood memories hold of none of any of those travel trips, no restaurants ( except wedding dinner) and I remember how we needed to share packets of food among us ( one packet per kid is something beyond imagination!). I remember how i needed to roll down my socks becos the rubber has gone loose, I remember those holes in my shoes where u poke your feet real hard to make it bigger soon to be able to qualify to be thrown away. I remember my mommy's home made wantan mee, homemade laksa, homemade whatever u can think of. Even homemade pratas ( disaster though). I remembered how eating out used to excite me that i really puked before i eat each time becos i was too excited and nervous ( to my mother's dismay though and disapproval). But what I seemed to be deprived of, doesn't hurt me. I don't find myself being at the losing end. I had all that I needed.

I hope Mao would grow up feeling adequate, confident and happy. Servant of God and a blessing to mankind. I hope one day he will lecture me and say, "Mom, are you seriously thinking about that Loewe bag? Fight consumerism. Never get labelled. "

I know if that day comes, Gee would be beaming with pride too.

Munching strawberry laden with cream that was on top of a birthday cake. Simple pleasure of life that make Maoster so happy. And hey, he didn't had a clue that it was not from a "branded" cake shop. Do we care?