I projected this year to be a year of no travelling overseas when I was making plans in 2018. It was supposed to be a quiet one but I had to make a little exception because my good friend was getting married in Bangkok. Our friendship goes way back to primary school when we attended grade two at Bangkok Adventist Church School (BACS) together. I also invited my workmate to come along for the second time. He enjoyed it so much last time that he also brought his parents along this time round.
Marie Kondo the clean-up queen from Japan has been taking the world and making it a tidier, happier place one Kon-Mari step at a time. If you are not familiar with this phenomenon, a quick google search will reveal that she has made a fortune on helping people tidy up their homes.
When her show came to Netflix I couldn’t resist jumping on the organising bandwagon. I watched as she thanked the home in a reverent prayer-like fashion. Then each person was asked to pull all their clothes out and make a big pile. Once they had pulled every single item out then they would go through each one, decide which one ‘sparked joy’ and then discarded or kept the item. If the item was discarded, it was also thanked for its service. This process was repeated for each category.
I was intrigued. Imagine if we took the time to examine our hearts like this!
ואהבת לרעך כמוך
Working day in, day out, with primary school age children frequently brings me to trot out some well worn, yet undeniably true, proverbs, sayings or statements. I say ‘undeniably true’, yet a nine year old can deny anything. What I’m getting at are those statements such as ‘The Golden Rule’.
I recently learned about Kechi Okwuchi, a survivor of a plane crash who became well-known after competing on America’s Got Talent (see her recent performance here).
Only 16-years-old, she suffered third-degree burns on over 65% of her body. She had to receive over 10 surgeries in 2 years and had to endure excruciating pain and trauma.
Yet not only did she survive – she thrived. She went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude from the University of St. Thomas, is completing her MBA in Economics, and is inspiring the world through her singing.
Our bible starts with a tree-y garden built around four rivers which are described with what seems almost an unnecessary amount of detail.
It ends with a city built around a river with flourishing trees on each side.
If something about a healthy river is what it is like to live close to God’s design then we are in trouble.
Rev 3:14-22.
The Laodiceans. The church of the last days.
They are described as “lukewarm”, “to be spat out”.
They are delusional because they think they are doing great and totally oblivious to their actual situation.
Since I believe we are in the last days then this accusation is against me, personally. A difficult label to wear!
“Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you…” (Romans 1:8 NLT). This was Paul’s greeting to the believers in Rome but I would like to direct it to you all here at MCAC and to you reading this blog. I feel super blessed that God has led me to be part of this loving and caring church family.
This past Sabbath, we were able to discuss some questions relating to the really cool sermon by Jinha (watch here). One of the questions asked was whether we miss out on blessings when we see particular events in our lives as mere coincidence even though they could be divine providence. Looking at the big picture of the Bible, I think it is obvious that we need to acknowledge God’s hands and respond to Him with gratitude and praise.
Daily Nuggets
Day 1:
“I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea…But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and owls, too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed. I have made Israel for myself, and they will someday honor me before the whole world.” Isaiah 43:16-21 NLT
Perhaps we have heard the story vaguely. Perhaps we have heard the story many times before.
An innocent girl sees and talks with an other-worldly being who tells her she will give birth to a boy. A boy who will be king. (Luke 1)
The boy is conceived under miraculous circumstance but born into mundane poverty. Angels come to celebrate and announce his birth… to no one but a few shepherds on a hill. Kings come from afar to revere and worship him. But local powers choose to kill him and a few thousand others in the process.
God is teaching me some simple but valuable lessons in my Christian walk. Communication is an area that He is constantly helping me to grow in; communication with those around me and with Him. I was recently reminded of two little gems I’ve learned along the way.
