Ending 2009...Heading 2010 (Part 1)

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." (Proverbs 16:3)

I cannot stop growing in age, in wrinkles (deferred please), white hair and I can't control these areas. However, there are areas that I can have a direct decision on. Quoting from Senior Pastor, "Our destiny is determined by daily decisions." There are some decisions and habits I have to made and change in order to accomplish and see growth there.

I thought of penning it down the practical things I want to see change and growth other than the principles. It would be great to revisit them again on Dec 2010.

1st D: Developmental Life

1) Cooking

I have been able to only cook once a week in Year 2009. I hope to set priority time to learn more cooking recipes. A neatly laid table with home cooked food has been a language of love for Matthew and Cleff. To increase to 2 times per week at least and learn 5 new recipes.

2) Cross-Stitch

One of my favourite pass time is sitting at my corner and complete a whole 'masterpiece' of cross stitch. By Dec 2010, my 'Fruitfulness' masterpiece to be completed.

3) Reading
I love to read. I tend to gear only towards Christian literature. In year 2009, I started to read secular books and more on leadership. I rejoiced having completed my reading goal of at least 20 books in year 09. I hope to achieve 30 books by year 2010 and widen my scope of reading literature.

4) Studying
Year 2009, I only managed to complete 2 books study on my own - Hebrews and Ecclesiastes. Year 2010, I purposed to complete 3 books study - Joshua, Acts and Sermon on the Mount.

5) Exercise
Since Year 2008, I had stopping going to the gym and changed to 'irregular exercises' schedule. Next year I had to slot in intentional exercise time. Prefer walking and twice a week. Hope to pick up pilates.

2nd D: Domestic Life
1) With Matthew

Year 2009 was fruitful for us as a couple. It had been years that we had not been traveling together for holidays. This year, we intentional set time for our personal 'getaway holidays'. Went to Sabah KK at Pine Tree Restort, Mt KK National Park on March. We made a short 3 days trip to KL for shopping and food. Tomorrow evening, I will be in Sandakan Sabah till 31st Dec. Wow! Looking forward. These holidays trips has given us purposeful dialogues, doing things together, longer prayer time and just plain pleasures and enjoying each other presence.

Year 2010, already planned a 'surprise' holidays for him at Cameron Highlands on his birthday. Two short additional KL trips for food and shopping. And one year end holidays at Sarawak.

Matthew will be celebrating his 55th Birthday next year. A day to remember God, give thanks and re-commit our lives together as a couple.

Our core values for our marriage - "Stubborn Love; Persistent Honour' (1 Cor 13)

God gave me a verse as I prayed for our marriage in the years ahead:
"But thanks be to God, who always lead us in triumphal possession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him."(2 Cor 2:14)

I always remembered: "Our marriage is to glory God always, not to make us happy"

2) With Cleff

Cleff turned 21st on 14th Dec. His 'teenager' grin and look in his facial expression had long disappeared. Instead, there is an addition touch of maturity and 'young man look'. Cleff has grown not only in his physics, he had grown in his maturity, his perspectives, mindset and values. It is a good change. No longer that little boy who needs 'mum' all the time; or the teenager who rejects all mum says. He's now a young man.

A mum's heart for her son is to see him turning completely and devotedly to follow Jesus. A mum's prayers that he will be a God-fearing man and live godly values. I am trusting God for this as He is my faithful God.

Cleff thanked me on his birthday that I had parented him with values that somehow 'became his values and convictions." When asked how am I going to journey with him for the next 5 years, my answer to him was, "To see you building a godly family." Yes, I am already in the embarking journey of praying, coaching and journeying with him to have a godly 'BGR' relationship. All thanks to my SP who had been modeling and teaching us in this area.

Cleff found his passion in horse-training as a career and will be studying in Melbourne after year 2010. It's my desire to see him and help him to grow as a man who is disciplined and standing with strong convictions and values wherever he is.

One of my goal is to have a holiday with my son in year 2010. Either Taiwan, Bangkok, Sabah or China.

As I summed up, I cannot helped but remembered this verse in 1 Sam 1:28,
"So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord."
My verse to the Lord the day He 'returned' my son back to me, and it still stands today.

3) My Home

I want to change the look of my sitting room. Planning to have a new set of sofa. And have my house painted by Dec 2010.

Matthew and I have agreed to learn to practice hospitality more this year. We are going to invite 3 people/couples to our home for a home cooked meal.

...to be continued

My Memories of Joseph Lee 大哥

Months ago, I watched a Japanese movie entitled 'Departure'. It was a good reflective movie about death particularly. I liked that word 'Departure' and I told myself - I would like to use this word, 'Departure' for the next funeral that I am conducting. Don't get me wrong. I always believe it is an honour for me to send someone Home. And it is a glorious moment for someone who knows and love the Lord to be home.

Joseph Lee, whom we dearly called him as 大哥 had gone home on 22nd Nov 09. 大哥 is one person that had left many footprints in many hearts. I remembered I used this verse on 2 Tim 4:6 "The time had come for my departure." he left home with assurance and confidence, knowing where HOME is.

Cancer came silently and aggressively to steal away Joseph's health. His body weakened from day to day. He soon lost his physical strength, his appetite, his hair and his ability to move around and his love to cook. There were other things that this disease stole from Joseph in his final months of his life. But there are 3 things I see that couldn't be stolen from this man. His faith, his hope and his love.

Joseph's illness couldn't steal away his faith. He knew that nothing can separate him from the love of God. More than anything else, without a living and true relationship with his Saviour, there is no hope of heaven and eternal life. He believe that the Lord came to take the sin of the world including his. He believe in the great promise of John 3:16. Joseph's life revolved around this promise and he was never in a place of doubt that his God is faithful. In my last visit to his place, he told me this, "Lili, I have Jesus in my heart. I believe He will walk with me till the end of my last breath here. 莉莉, 我心中有耶稣, 我有信心耶稣会陪我走完我这一生” . Joseph committed his life to Jesus till the end of his days.

Joseph's illness couldn't steal away his hope. I used to say this, "The scariest thing on earth is not death, but hopelessness. 人生最可怕的, 不是死亡, 而是绝望. " For the suffering and the sick, the most difficult and challenging thing to do is to uphold Hope. However, for a believer in Christ and for those who have faith, hope is the promise of things to come.

While Joseph was suffering from cancer, there was hope in his life. The belief in a promise of something greater. Joseph knew the assurance of eternal life in heaven. He knew that there was a day coming when he would be ushered into the presence of God and He would take him into his new home. We take comfort knowing that Joseph’s hope was not in vain. God has fulfilled His promise in his life and he had received his commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Joseph's illness couldn't steal away his love. 大哥 is a man of love. He loved the Lord, he loved his family members, his friends, his church and the lost. I hope you can hear those many stories his brothers shared about him. How he brought someone to Christ simply by a continual act of kindness. How he laid food on the dinner table as an expression of his love. How he had taken delight, knowing that people enjoyed his food. He used this special gifting to serve God in the community. In his wake, I had heard too many 'love stories of 大哥'.

As I wrote this tonight, I cherished many great and wonderful memories of 大哥. "Thank you 大哥 for teaching us to love.
* You taught me to love God despite in the seasons of pain and suffering.
* You taught me to love through simple ways, as simple as cooking a simple meal for your love ones.
* You taught me to love God and seeing the importance of sharing that love with the lost
* You taught me to love life by living life to the fullest, never allow any external circumstances to change that essence of love.

You taught me how to be a devoted follower of Jesus and fight a good fight of faith. Perserve in hope and labour in love.

I will miss you 大哥, the love of God will allow us to meet again one day.