Bagi duit kat mak, berkat

Assalamualaikum guys..

Today, adalah sedikit nasihat yang I nak kongsi dgn my readers.. Just a friendly advice & tak ada maksud lain.

I hope, kalau dpt gaji tu dont forget to spend something for your parents. Tak dapat bagi banyak, sikit pun takpe. But to me, if we earn more, we need to give them more. Apa guna kalau gaji beribu2 tapi bagi dkt Mak sikit je? Berkat ke gaji yang kita terima tu. Parents kita dah tua, bukan kuat lagi nak bekerja. Allah lebih syg kan kite if we always berbakti pada parents especially our moms. If we are able to support our parents walaupun setakat 200 or 300 bucks monthly, bukan ke dpt ringan kan beban mereka, am I right? :-) lagi pun, if u guys r already working right now, this is the time to repay back jasa- jasa our parents.

Bagi duit dkt mak tu, BERKAT namanya. When I was still in school, my brothers always reminded me about this, they all pesan kalau Tasha dh kerja nanti kena bagi mama walaupun gaji Tasha sikit. Masa tu I felt so heavy hearted nk bg mama sbb gaji I pun masa kerja as waitress dulu cuma RM600 je, ye lah masa tu tunggu result SPM & I was very young n that was the salary range utk lepasan sekolah. Mula2 kasi mama RM100 rasa beratnya beban, sbb I got a lot of things that I wanna buy for myself. Tapi slowly, month by month I teruskan je bagi mama duit sejurus dapat gaji dan Alhamdulillah, I rasa rezeki I murah bila I x lupa mama. And up to this moment, I mampu nk bg mama lebih dari dulu, berkat dari gaji yang I kongsi sikit dengan mama. Allah tu kan maha adil...

Semua tu lah berkat duit kasi pada mak. Allah sgt sygkan hambaNya yg berbuat baik pada mak. Remember, before her, you were never existed in this world. Sungguh besar jasa parents kita, tapi bila kita dah berkerjaya, kenapa x dpt bg duit kt mak...

I got 1 story ni, dulu I kenal a girl... Skrg entah mana pergi dia.. She was a very bright mahasiswi and sejurus lepas habis belajar, she got accepted at 1 of the biggest company in Malaysia, Exxon Mobil. Sbb masa tu pointer dia mmg tinggi melangit, and mmg majikan tu dtg Universiti utk interview all the graduates for job opportunities. And fortunately for her, she got in as 1 of their executive customer service representative.

Sape x kenal company tu dkt Malaysia ni, it's 1 of the Malaysia's leading company in oil & gas. And of course, remuneration packages yg diaorang offer mmg terbaik. My former friend ni she got offered RM4000++ by the company. Imagine just after graduated, she straight away dpt kerja ni, and guess how much dia bg mak dia every month? RM100 je.. And sometimes 200 camtu. sedangkan gaji dia cecah 4k & she was still single at that time. The rest of the money are spent for herself. And everyday in the car she would babble to me about things at home, about how hard it was for her to give the money to her mom.. Dia cakap dia rasa macam "kenapa lah aku kena bagi org tua ni duit??"  MashaAllah! Jangan lah kita jadi hamba duit. Sampai bila2 pun duit takkan pernah cukup kalau kita merungut.

And believe it or not, ramai kat luar sana yg serupa mcm my former friend ni... I pun x faham kenapa gaji besar x dpt bg mak lebih sikit... I yg gaji ala2 paras tengkuk ni pun dpt bg my mom lebih dari tu. sometimes I wonder, x syg mak ke? ;-( I speak highly of my mom & i never thought there are people out there yg x syg mak setinggi mana I love my mom.. :-(

Of course kite kene dahulu kan our commitments. Our car instalment, our credit cards, our loans, mcm2 nk kene bayar, but then dari duit gaji tu tarik sikit for our parents. Dan bagi lah amount yang bersesuaian dgn gaji kita. Kalau gaji 4K bg mak 100 atau 200 tu logik kalau ada anak, ada suami , ada rumahtangga, tapi jangan tipu diri sendiri, if mostly suami yg tanggung & ada banyak baki lebih, bagi2 lah kt parents tu lebih sikit.. Bagi, jgn x bagi... Allah x cakap yang ke-3 kita kene syg tu adalah diri kita... Allah ckp yg ke-3 kita kene syg adalah mak.. So beri keutamaan pada mak... Without ur parents, u cant even have a job and cant even earn anything right now, so ingat from where u came from..

So girls and guys out there yg happen to read my post ni, pls remember ur parents and help them financially even if they r financially stable. Kalau ur parents dh terlalu kaya sgt, bring them outside and treat them for dinner, buy them presents and pamper them with anything that they like. InshaAllah 1 day Allah akan reward lebih dari what u manage to give to ur parents. Allah kan maha adil? ;-)

Jangan tanya kenapa aku kena bagi parents duit, sedangkan parents aku x pernah bantu aku langsung dari aku kecik? If you girls and guys are 100% muslim & Islam, you will know the answer to your own question. InshaAllah...

Laksa Johor Special buatan mama

In my post this time, I would like to share with you about Laksa Johor. Have you ever taste one before? Well, my mom is having a small business in selling this Laksa Johor. So, whether you haven't yet or have already, you can try my mom's cooking.

I personally think hers are the best, not because she is my mom, no. It simply because of the taste itself. She is so generous in terms of ingredients, it makes her gravy very thick & tasty. Unlike most Laksa Johor I tasted before which gravies were either very oily, watery or tasteless.

Inherited her talent from my late grandma who was also a Johorean, her Laksa Johor always being praised by many of her Johoreans friends. After she turned 52, she felt so tired to work in office & retired. She then discovered her 'rezeki' in small business & started to make Laksa Johor & is doing fine nowadays. As a daughter, I feel it is my responsibility to do my part, which is to help mom in promoting her Laksa Johor. Hehe ^_^

Ok before I go further, which I believe I had done so (hehe), let me write a bit introduction on Laksa Johor if some of you have still never heard of this Malaysian Cuisine.

"Johor laksa (Malay: Laksa Johor), from Johor state in southern Malaysia, resembles Penang laksa only in the kind of fish used but differs in everything else. Johor laksa has coconut milk, use kerisik, dried prawns, lemon grass, galangal and spices akin to curry. The garnishing comprises slices of onion, beansprouts (taugeh), mint leaves, Vietnamese coriander or 'daun kesum', cucumber and pickled white radish. Sambal belacan (a kind of chili paste) is placed on the side. Finally, just before eating, freshly squeezed lime juice is sprinkled on the dish. Unique to Johor laksa is its Italian connection – spaghetti is used instead of the normal rice noodles or vermicelli. Johor laksa is traditionally eaten using the hand and the noodles are usually knitted (cetak) into a disk for each serving."

Sources: Wikipedia Laksa

Ok, as mentioned above, it is eaten using the hand, so don't go using fork & spoon or chop sticks, as it wont deliver much 'feel' to you. Hahaha..

So here's the shot.

This one was prepared by Mom for customer's order which were 50 packets of Laksa Johor. Using Ikan Tenggiri in making the gravy, she charges her Laksa Johor @ RM6 per packet. Ikan Tenggiri are costly compared to most gravy which uses Ikan Sardin or Ikan Kembung. Using Ikan Tenggiri will make the gravy thick & tasty.

The finish product which is ready to eat. Sambal Belacan, Air Limau, Jeruk Lobak, Timun & Bawang are combine together & mix with the Spaghetti for maximum taste. My mom is from Johor & her Laksa Johor is adopted from its state of origin, Johor Darul Takzim.

Apart from making Laksa Johor, mom also sells Mee Rebus @ RM4.50 per packet. She adopted Johorean/Jawa Style in making her Mee Rebus. Absolutely delicious!

I bet you are already drooling by now. So am I. ^_^
Contact me if you would like to try @ make an order. We accept catering also.
Kindly email me- natasha.zainalabidin@gmail.com.

Queen of my heart

The title of this post explains it all. Kali ni, I nk post a dedication to my mom. She is the queen of my heart, the most kind-hearted & loving person I know. I believe, like me, u love ur moms too, right? And there is no doubt that everyone's mom have great contributions. We speak highly of our moms & tell the world she's the greatest mom on the planet earth. Seems like everyone's moms are the greatest than the others. Well, that's true. She deserves to be praise as the greatest of all.

So it is truly acceptable and understandable when I speak highly of my mom. To me, she is the greatest mom & the most wonderful person in this planet earth.

My mom was born in Kluang, Johore. She is the forth child in the family, and she have 2 elder brothers & an elder sister before her. She was raised up in Pahang, as my grandfather, who was a staff nurse, had to be transferred to a hospital in Pahang for work purpose. After she finished high school, she went off to KL to find a job here. Soon after that she met with my father and they got married & about a month later my mom was pregnant with my first brother.

Life was very tough for her at that time as she was not working & did not earn her own pocket money. Life with my father was more difficult as both of them were struggling financially. My mom never complaint, not even once. she carried on with her life with hopes to survive. My brother was born on 1981 but her life continues to stay in the hardship lane.

My brother once told me that mom had to go to the shops in neighbourhood & asked their kindness to let her take some groceries and to be paid later. She didnt bother feeling ashame whatsoever, in her mind she only knew that she had to feed her children.

In 1984 she then again gave birth to my second brother and finally i was been brought into this world on 1987, and together with mom, I was brought to live with my grandma in Mersing, Johore. Financial was still the barrier, and the only way out was to depend on my grandma.

Not long after that, me and my mom went back to live in KL and that was when my mom started to work. Life was then quite good, and we felt hopeful. Mom would always came back home bringing something special to eat. I still remember it had always been 'KFC', Kentucky Fried Chicken and as we hardly eat that before, it felt really special & we were very happy. I saw my mom as our life saviour, as our angel and we depended on her.

I still remember, I had always wanted something from her but she could never provides. I wanted some cheese, which was quite costly at that time. But i never got. I wanted books but i never got. She would scold me if i cried in the mall, just to beg her for buying me things. Little did i know that although she was working at that time, that barely covers everything. That she was still struggling with 3 kids, bills and everything.

When I grew up, little by little I learnt how big the sacrifices that my mom put into her life to raise us kids. She never leave us behind out of her life's hardships. She stays and raised us up all the way.

Sadly when I reached the age of 6 years old, my mom decided to file a divorce to my father and

they were officially separated ever since then. My mom told me, that was the only way out as both of them couldn't find a better solution to their endless conflicts.

I was forced to stay with my father til I was about 16 years old. My mom remarried and had a child & I dont really get along with my stepfather. But I knew my mom loves me and we visit each other every now and then. She never forgets me and she have always been there for me through my upbringing.

She was there when I waited anxiously for my UPSR result, she was there when I first had my period, she was there when I fell in & out of love, she was there when I took my SPM result, she was there when I went up the stage for a best student award, she was there when I got my first job, she was there when I switched my career field from sales to admin just to be like her, and she was there, when the man of my dream recited his devotion & became my official husband, she was there, and had been besides me all the way, through all the phases in my life. today, she is still here, she is always ready to be by my side through my ups and downs. We cried a lot together, we laughed, we shed tears, we enjoyed all big moments in life together. Up until now i could never hold back my tears every time she cross my mind.

My mom never had the chance to further her study to a higher level. She only had an LCE cert, which was similar to our now SPM cert. but that did not stop her from being a successful woman. she never pulled back herself. All my life, she had always been working. Now at the age of 53, she is still working, making laksa johor, a Johor traditional cuisine, and sells to the public. Just to help my little sister and just for her family to survive.

She is never depending on a man, she knew better than to do that. She has taught me to become just like her. But unlike her, I got easily emotional & always cry when I have problems. And i cant never live without my husband. I wish one day I can be just as strong as her.

I love u mom... Thanks for all ur sacrifices and all the efforts that u put in just to raise us, words cant describe enough about u, and all the things that u had contributed. Even my blog couldn't do u justice. I wish i will be more like u, and I am striving to be like u. U always cook, like all the time, for ur husband, and i will always do that too. U always clean the house, n u r a very tidy person. I want to be just like u mom, and i dont want to give up. Thanks for giving me life inspirations, thanks for making me a good girl, thanks for all the things that u had taught me.

In no matter what situations, dont ever forget ur mom. They are the ones who gave u the chance to see this world. They carried u in their wombs everywhere they went for 9 months. the sickness they suffered, they still bear it just to see their baby. Yes i fought with my mom too sometimes, and yes, at times i felt like she was like a monster. But deep down inside I realise I cant survive without her.

Cherish ur mom and love her, show ur affections while shes breathing. Cos when she goes back to her creator, there is no second chance for u to kiss her and to love her as much as u want.

Let's read what Maher Zain gotta say about moms in his lyrics of 'Number One for Me', one of my favourite:-

i was a foolish little child
crazy things I used to do
and all the pain I put you through
mama now i'm here for you

for all the times i made you cry
the days i told you lies
now it's time for you to rise
for all the things you sacrificed

oh, if i could turn back time rewind
if i could make it undone
i swear that i would
i would make it up to you

mum i'm all grown up now
it's a brand new day
i'd like to put a smile on your face every day
mum i'm all grown up now
and it's not too late
i'd like to put a smile on your face every day

and now i finally understand
your famous line
about the day i'd face in time
'cause now i've got a child of mine

and even though i was so bad
i've learned so much from you
now i'm trying to do it too
love my kid the way you do

oh, if i could turn back time rewind
if i could make it undone
i swear that i would
i would make it up to you

oh, if i could turn back time rewind
if i could make it undone
i swear that i would
i would make it up to you

you know you are the number one for me
you know you are the number one for me
you know you are the number one for me
oh, oh, number one for me

there's no one in this world that can take your place
oh, i'm sorry for ever taking you for granted, ooh
i will use every chance i get
to make you smile, whenever i'm around you
now i will try to love you like you love me
only god knows how much you mean to me

oh, if i could turn back time rewind
if i could make it undone
i swear that i would
i would make it up to you

mum i'm all grown up now
it's a brand new day
i'd like to put a smile on your face every day
mum i'm all grown up now
and it's not too late
i'd like to put a smile on your face every day

mum i'm all grown up now
it's a brand new day
i'd like to put a smile on your face every day
mum i'm all grown up now
and it's not too late
i'd like to put a smile on your face every day

the number one for me
the number one for me
the number one for me
oh, oh, number one for me
Maher Zain – Number One For Me

Source:http://www.elyrics.net/read/m/maher-zain-lyrics/number-one-for-me-lyrics.html