He’s altogether lovely

A friend of mine, upon being told that Dutch Lady was one of the many dairy products deemed unsafe for consumption because of the whole tainted milk powder saga in China, freaked out. If I didn’t know her any better, I’d say she was hyperventilating (Hehe). Nothing wrong with freaking out. Even my dad did when I told him the exact same thing. Actually, he did more than just freak out: he called the people distributing Dutch Lady products in Singapore and then later used terms I do not permit myself from using here or anywhere, on those irresponsible people in China. But that’s another story altogether. Anyway, its perfectly normal to freak out. Or abnormal. Ok whatever. But that’s not what this is about (Ok I know you guys hate me for beating around the bush but I can’t help it lah, it makes the story more exciting, no? Builds up the suspense, makes you want to read more yada yada… I should stop reading Charles Dickens. Sigh).

Its what she (my friend) said after that made me do what my family members have labelled me to do for what is, eternity: think! (Its just so sad that people have such generalised notions about introverts. We are not that difficult a people to live with, you know?) She said, “Oh my goodness! (Pause: freaks out, freaks out, freaks out) I am so not gonna say a 10 second grace anymore! (animatedly freaks out, freaks out, freaks out).” This feels like a bit of an anti-climax to me. Damn! Shouldn’t have beat around the bush. I should just listen to my teachers and cut out the unimportant details lah..silly me.

Anyhoooo, it was just like those tiny revelations (a bit of an oxymoron there) you have that trigger your brain cells into motion, you know? Nevermind, I dunno what I’m saying also. Um, so whatever she said painted a picture of a judgemental, unforgiving, meticulous God that I don’t know, or maybe, wouldn’t want to know. And I believe my other non-Christian friends had the same picture painted in their minds. But God isn’t like that. Nope. He’s altogether lovely, forgiving and so fatherly. He has His hands all wide open, ready to give us the good things we desire. He wants to bless us, but some of us are apprehensive to receive it. But I know this, my family knows this, some Christians know this but my non-Christian friends don’t. It isn’t right to think like my friend.

So I guess what I’m trying to reiterate here is that God is good and that whether we say a 10 second or a 10 minute grace, He still loves us for who we are. If you realise, it didn’t take me rocket science to realise what I just said. I didn’t need to think hard because to me, God isn’t like how my friend projected Him to be. Sometimes certain things people say affect or shape the way we believe things to be and more often than not, we internalise these things people say to make it part of what we believe, which may or may not be good depending on the subject matter. I am still learning how to stand by whatever I believe to be true but I know one thing for sure — I never want to think like my friend today and I hope you feel the same.

Oh, by the way, Dutch Lady says its products sold in Malaysia is safe for consumption. Don’t freak out, ok? Just say grace before you eat.