Car Breakdown - Lessons Learnt

I was on my way to the church for my bible study, when suddenly, my car "died" on me. After meddling with it and finding no success in starting the car, I called the AAM for help. While waiting for AAM's technician to arrive...lo and behold, my neighbour drove by. He took a u-turn and come back to try to help...he later gave me two of his mechanics calling card.

Lesson 1 : Tonight, we are supposed to tackle a question on how we can show our love to our neighbours. We are called in Matt 22:29 to "Love your neighbour as yourself." Well in this case...I was shown love by my neighbour. He took the trouble to come back and also left me with his mechanics call cards.

The neighbour's mechanic took the trouble to sieve through the possible problems before he single it down to the most basic thing...the fuse box. Yes as it turn out...one of the fuse broke and that's the thing that rendered the whole car immobile.

Lesson 2 : 1 Cor 12:26 "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it, if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it." So because one little fuse fail to performing it's duty, the car is rendered immobile. Likewise, if GOD gave each of a duty and we are not doing it, the rest of the team suffers in one way or another. If one man is not in fellowship with another, the rest will be forced to converse in a limited manner.

Phew. So he found the problem. I was able to start the car again. He is putting back all the things into it's place in my car...and the time is 7.10pm (my bible study is from 7.30pm). Yes I can make it. Then suddenly he dropped a nut and he has to take a few things apart to get to the nut. It's getting late and he was fidgeting because he wanted to finish up the session quickly. I found myself like a hypocrite because I was telling him to be calm and take his time while actually I was hoping that he would end quickly, so that I will be on my way.

Lesson 3 : Matt 23:3 "...they (the Pharisees) do not practise what they preach." (Which incidentally is one of tonight's bible study passage too). Well, here I found my LORD rebuking me instead. Woe to me because I have been a hypocrite. Trivial? Well in James 2:10 (also tonight's reading) it says "For whoever keeps the whole law and stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." Trivial?

Time is 7.28pm and I am finally on my way. I made it to the church at 7.38pm and my fellow members were all seated down about to begin...phew again...I made it just in the nick of time. Talk about timing. (GOD's timing really.) It's Hari Raya tomorrow and many had gone back home. So the roads were clear. That's why I was able to make it there on time.

Finally. All praise to our LORD. HE lavish HIS love upon me though I don't deserved it. HE forgave my sin when I confess them to HIM (1 John 1 :9). I do not and cannot earn righteousness. It's given to me by HIM. HE clothed me with CHRIST righteousness. Because it had been given to me, I cannot loose it because it's actually me that GOD had given to my LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST (John17:6, 24, John 10;28)

Garden

This is our little garden...after moving in for more than 1 1/2 years...thanks to Richard Chin...who came back recently and help us set up this little garden...which I would like it name it : "September Garden".

Will try to improve on it...

Ian's "I Love You" notes

Melt


Melting


Melted....we are truly being melted by his notes.....

Fuel Down...Again

We are not close to our "original" price of RM1.92 per litre yet...but I am still glad that the fuel is down by another 10 sen beginneing tomorrow (or in 45 mins time to be exact). Just hope that the food price will adjust accordingly. It's still mighty high for us.

Next we hope that the electricity tariff will be adjusted too to reflect the current down trend.

Amen?

Puzzle

During a dinner (as almost all interesting dinners...there has got to be at least one puzzle in order to complete an interesting dinner). How do you put six nails on top of the one nailed onto the wood?



This was my solution. What's yours?





The answer.

Photos

Suffering for...

Mt 20:22"You don’t know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup m I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered.

Mt 20:23 Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."

I received a sms from a friend tonight asking for prayers for the Christians suffering in India...even right now...some may even loose their lives for their faith.

No doubt all these seems distance..I seem to have chosen to distance myself. Distancing myself from real suffering, from reality. I have become master in Selective Hearing. I choose to respond to the good news but closes my ears to those who really are in needs. "But I'm only on person...what can I do?" "I don't know anything. Don't ask me."...are some of the standard answers that I make.

From Matthew 20:23...the highlighted...we will indeed drink from HIS cup. We will experience suffering if we come to terms and be serious with our faith...how prepare are we? How prepared am I? Following CHRIST and suffering comes hand-in-hand...for the LORD's sake.

But thank be to GOD...HE is a GOD who cares for HIS own and HE will hear my cry. Even as my LORD JESUS heard the cry of the two blind men (in Matthew 20:29-34) and showed compassion, I can be assured that HE will do likewise as I call upon HIM.

Psalm 23 is a great reminder that HE cares for me.

Ps 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

(HE is my LORD and HE is my SHEPHERD and there is nothing else that I really need)

Ps 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

(HE is SOVERIEGN. HE is all knowing. HE knows exactly what I need. My want. My desire. My hope...may not be what I need. But HE knows best. HE will MAKE me lie down in green pastures...HE nourishes me. HE provided for my hunger. HE leads me beside quiet waters...HE quench my thirst. The two very basic needs.)

Ps 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me

(As I walk thru' danger...HE is there. As PETRA once sang in their song "Road To Zion". It says "Sometimes a shadow dark & cold lays like a mist across the road, but Be encouraged by the sight, where there's a shadow there's a light ." Indeed, where there are shadows there will be light. The LORD is with me. With HIM being my SHEPHERD...I fear no evil. Whatever evil. For greater is HE who is in me than him who is in the world. Moreover I Cor 10 : 13 says

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Yes, the loving and gracious LORD will now allow me to be tempted, tested above what I'm able to bear. How much can I bear? I don't know. Only GOD the heavenly FATHER knows. I just have to rely on HIM and HIS wisdom and HIS grace and HIS mercy and HIS care and HIS love and HIS comfort and HIS peace.

With all this in mind and that we are called to "drink HIS cup". I have should find rest and peace and directions and hope even as I go thru' any form of trials. It is also thru' trials that I can be refined...to be more like CHRIST.

A "Goodbye" Week

"I'm leaving on a jet plane. Don't know when I'll be back again. Oo o babe I hate to go."

For us this is a "Goodbye" week. This it the week where we will see a dear friend of my wife leaving for Australia. Her nephew going to UK for studies and my own niece going to US.

No matter how many times or how often you say goodbye..it is still the most difficult word to say and experience. A few tears will be shed and a few hugs will be thrown...but the sweetest will be when we meet again someday...one day. Oh the sweet reunion will be a more precious feeling to behold.

Happy Birthday Amelie Loh

The lovely cake for the lovely girl...picture taken by the lovely father of the lovely birthday girl.







Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to Amelie. Happy birthday to you.










The loving family of the lovely birthday girl.








Yummy mummy. I want more. I want more. The cake taste yummy.