Do not look for easy paths, but see your shoes are strong - so that when the track is stony you can get along. Don't go shod for pleasant ways but for the uphill climb - then you'll be prepared for any road at any time.

Today I'm putting into practice what I learnt from other blogs, you tube videos and from a recipe an auntie gave me.
It's making rice wine. This has always intrigued me and I had thought it was very hard to do.
It's in fact very easy to prepare. 
The ingredients needed are:
1 kg glutinous rice, some red rice yeast known as "kiuk" in Hakka language, 2 wine biscuits.
Glassware must be used to ferment the wine.
Method of preparation:
Boil the rice in the rice cooker with a little bit more water than usual.
Remove from the cooker and spread to cool the rice.

Crush the rice yeast and the wine biscuits to a powder.

Wearing plastic gloves take some rice and cover with the powder mixture.

Place this in a bowl and continue until all the rice is used.

The rice is then mixed thoroughly  and the mixture is placed in the glass container.

Make sure not to coat the sides of the container. If they are coated, clean them with tissue paper.
Place a cloth over the container and cover lightly.
Place the container in a cool, dark place.
The next day, you will see the fermentation process has already begun. The container will feel warm.

Using a clean utensil, mix twice a week for 2 weeks. If a white mould is seen, it must be removed carefully.

The rice mixture will begin to sink.

After 2 weeks the residue can be removed using a strainer.

The liquid is then filtered using coffee filters. 

The wine is collected in wine bottles and kept in a cool, dark place.

The residue is collected and placed in the fridge for cooking later. Some salt can be added to preserve it longer.

God Has Placed Within Us 3 Main Functions: The Will, The Feelings, And The Thoughts. Our Will Has Little Or No Power Over Our Feelings. They Respond To Thoughts. By Meditating On God's Word We Can Make Our Thoughts The Leader Of Our Feelings - Selwyn Hughes

Great Has Been The Blessing From Consecutive, Diligent, Daily Study. I Look Upon It As A Lost Day When I've Not Had A Good Time Over The Word Of God. - George Mueller

It is so true that we are blessed by daily devotional time with Our Lord. His Word fills us with confidence and faith to face the day He set before us. I rejoice in His Word who gives me peace of mind to run the race daily.
Today there's no school as there is torrential rain. My sleep has been disturbed by heavy rains at 5.00 am and it is still raining cats and dogs.
I've found this devotional today and want to share it with you. It's from April Motl.

His Love Over You

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8

Sometimes I ask my husband if he loves me. Not because I am unsure of his love, but because I just needed to hear him say it. 

Studies have shown that for every negative comment we hear, we need at least three positive comments to reset the balance of our perspective. For the majority of the world (save dictators and people who act like czars), we hear more negative stuff than positive.  That's where training our thoughts becomes so important. 

The Lord tells us to "set" our mind on the things above (Colossians 3:2). Each time we exercise self-control and refuse to indulge untrue, unhealthy thoughts and instead place our train of thinking on the things of the Lord, we counteract the barrage of perspective-derailing negativity. But what a lot of effort it takes, right?! 

So in the middle of the demands, the to-do list, the 10 o'clock news, the family heartaches, the everything that permeates your day, having a dose of the Lord's sweet words can go a long way to keeping your focus. As part of a wrap-up to a discipleship group I recently finished, I included this little note to each one of them. They loved it. I hope you will too.

Click here for a pdf. download of A Love Letter from Scripture for a letter of paraphrased, personalized Bible verses. The half sheet will fit in a 5x7 frame if you want to put it on your desk, by the sink or wherever :) May these words help you hear the Lord's lovingkindess over you.

Every Moment And Every Event Of Every Man's Life On Earth Plants Something In His Soul. - Thomas Merton

A whole month without posts!!! I've been busy with the new blog I created for my Chemistry class and am about to create another one for my Biology class. There has also been the start of a new school year and all these have swallowed up my time.
Today is Chinese New Year's Eve and I've been quite busy cooking today. Since this morning I've prepared the dough to make 'gato cravates' 

and put the prawn crackers to dry in the sun so they can be very crispy when fried.

In the afternoon, I've prepared dinner consisting of white fungus and chicken soup, fooyang, crispy pork (I bought at the Golden Hong Kong Palace Restaurant when I had lunch there), roasted chicken brought by my aunt, green vegetables, grilled sausages and a chop suey.

Not before long, there will be a lot of firecrackers all around the house. Now I'm feeling sleepy. Mum and dad are already fast asleep. Time for me to hit the hay!!