Beautiful Day

Sunday, September 21, 2003

Who's the winner?

Ever since I was a child like Jamie's age, I was told the story of the rabbit and the tortoise: The rabbit and the tortoise were having a race, the rabbit got distracted and the tortoise won.
A lot of the times we're in a race. And we want to be like that rabbit: fast, sharp, talented and gifted. But the rabbit sure had some attitute problem. He was easily tempted, tested and challenged by the trends of life. The tortoise didn't seem at all promising to win at the beginning, but this little fellow's got all the guts to win-- he's got the attitude right!
He's persistent. He doesn't give up no matter what the circumstance might be. He doesn't care what other people think. He doesn't take any notice what the rabbit might be mocking or saying. He doesn't even care how shabby he looks or behaves. He doesn't critisice and he doesn't get jealous. He doesn't get bitter and he doesn't get negative. He doesn't get distracted or discouraged. He just focus all his energy in what he's doing. All he knows is a little bit at a time, do whatever he can, give the best he's got, never stop, never give up until the race is finally over.
This is really a winning attitude.

As seen by Susan @ 3:02 PM

Thursday, September 18, 2003

Ellie's note

I found a piece of paper in Ellie's room with her 5 year old staggering handwriting:
" to: Jesus I love you a Lot
I can be a Good girl for you m Darling Jesus
from all my love Ellie aNd Jamie. "

As seen by Susan @ 11:18 AM

Tuesday, September 09, 2003

Forgiveness

When we do something wrong physically, our bodies react and they hurt. Like if we have a scratch, or a cut, or colds and flus, we know something's wrong and we feel uncomfortable.
When we do something wrong mentally or spiritually, our bodies probably won't react as much, but our souls can still feel it. Sometimes it's guilt, sometimes it's shame, regret, most of the times it's just a yukky feeling that's hard to put down to words.
Sometimes the yukky feelings can disappear in a day or two, other times it takes a long time or even stays and does damage to our total being. It can become a torture. Some people never got over them and live in that feeling for the rest of their lives.
We all make mistakes. We all sin. We all do something wrong sometimes, even intentionally we're trying to do something good.
God doesn't forsake us for our sins. He says, if you repent, I'll forgive you.
As Christians we're all well taught about forgiving one another. That's the key to let go of the hurt and damage that other people have done to us.
But what about ourselves? This is something I used to neglect. The Lord showed me once that the biggest person that I need to forgive is myself. And that revelation has brought a huge relief and freedom in my life.
So, when you do something wrong, and feel yukky, find out where the mistake come from, repent of it, learn from it, do whatever you can to mend it, then genuinely forgive yourselves. It doesn't matter if other people have forgiven or forgotten about your mistakes. It's none of their business. When you genuinely forgive yourself, you'll find that amazingly those yukky feelings will go very quickly and you'll be happy again.

As seen by Susan @ 11:32 AM

Monday, September 08, 2003

Sowing and Reaping (continued)

A lot of the times we think that God is with us in something, then we just want to sit back and relax and see the result. Just like that farmer, he thinks that God loves him, then he doesn't need to worry about such details as sowing the seeds, watering, fertilizing, weeding,etc. He can just stay in the cool and watch the birds drop the seeds, the foxes and kangaroos doing the weedings, the elephants doing the watering, the frogs and cats doing the fertilizing, and he'll just come in when it's time for the reaping. Well, this kind of things does happen from time to time. But I wouldn't say that'll happen all the time, in normal situations.
When God puts us in a situation, He usually respects the rules of the situation, and the authorities that He has put above us. He's a fair player of the games. So, if we want to win, we've got to take care of the details properly. We got to know how things work. We've got to obey the rules. We need to sow the seeds properly, water and fertilize them regularly, and watch out for the weeds constantly. We need to read our career manual and do the basic 5! Then we can trust God that all our labour will not be in vain, and that in time we WILL have our harvest.

As seen by Susan @ 11:54 PM

Saturday, September 06, 2003

Sowing and Reaping

Psalms:126:5: They that sow in tears shall reap in joy
We all understand the principle of sowing and reaping. No farmers shall expect any reaping without any sowing.
Sowing is hard. It doesn't look right in the eyes: it seems only spending, no earning. But it's an act of faith. By faith you know that when you do the right thing, you'll produce the right result. It takes time, but the reaping will come one day.
Sometimes the sowing stretches ourselves, that it hurts. When you go the extra mile of your normal capacity that it brings tears into your eyes, then by faith you know you'll be rewarded with joy in the time of reaping.
So, this verse is quite simple: no sowing, no reaping; no tears, no joy.
When you understand how it goes, then you'll feel much better even in the time of tears.

As seen by Susan @ 2:07 PM

Monday, September 01, 2003

Competition

There are competitions everywhere in the world today. Just about everything you want to achieve you will face some kind of competitions. Big achievement, big competitions, little achievement, not necesarily little competitions.
How many times do we enter into a competition feeling like enter into a battle field?
And how many times do we look like David, when we first feel called to enter in? We're facing a giant, that looks huge, with all the equipment, all the weapons that's needed, And, with the crowd! And there are voices speaking in our ears, look at you, you look so naive and rediculous, you don't have the right garment, you don't have the right weapon, you don't have the crowd, even your own families wouldn't give you much notice. Who are you? your just a little boy, who do you think you are? to fight that giant? forget about it.
But what DID David have? God.
He had a relationship with God when he was alone pastoring the sheep, and he had a few little stones picked from a stream. He knew who God is and what He can do.
And that's all enough!
Do we have a relationship with God? Are we bold enough to look at our competitors, and look at God, and decide who's bigger? Do we have the guts to step out and fight?
Sometimes all we're looking at is our natural ability, our experience, education, look, talent, skills and other people's judgements. It's so easy for us to focus on our inadequacies rather than relying on God.
Most of the time in the competitions or battle fields, the biggest enemy is not our competitors; it's the fear.

1John4:18 There's no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

As seen by Susan @ 12:16 PM