Leviticus : Sick Garments and Diseased Houses - What it means for us today

It is a challenging feat trying to read The Book of Leviticus without falling asleep. It is filled with laws and instructions on how to deal with sin, diseases, and sick houses. At some point it speaks even of sick garments and diseased houses. What are these and how is it relevant to us today? Read this link for an interesting interpretation.

Picture from here

Make Someone Happy and You’d be Happier Yourself

It was Lunar New Year day and sure enough we have visitors. My wife’s god-sister came by with her son, daughter-in-law and their 6 year old daughter, Emma.

After a while, the little girl, Emma, was getting rather restless while her parents were engrossed in chatting and catching up with various members of my family. Fortunately we have a Maltese, our pet dog, who is also rather restless with so many visitors coming and going in and out of the house. Emma was fascinated by the dog and the dog was in playful mood too and can’t wait to play with her.

At that moment, I decided to do something which is not too natural of me. Instead of being with the adults, I took the dog out for a walk with Emma at a neighborhood park just outside our home. And indeed, Emma had a good time running around with the dog which chased after her from one end of the park to another. She also played hide and seek with the dog and had a great time, probably one of those rare occasions she had to play with a pet dog. To her, happiness is having a good run with the dog and being able to stroke the dog and feed the dog biscuits. That really made her day even though she was bitten by a mosquito. I did not do very much except to make sure the dog does not get difficult.

As I pondered over what happened, I was rather pleased that I made the choice to allow Emma to have a happy and memorable encounter with the pet dog. I made a deliberate choice and through someone had a happy time. I feel happy myself too. It’s so true that often when we give cheerfully, instead of being too concern for our own interests, then the best things in life come our way.

It reminded me of Proverbs 11 verse 25 “A liberal man will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”

GOT PURPOSE !

20 Tips for Developing Your Walk with God

20 Tips for Developing Your Walk with God

Balancing Work-Life Balance

There was a time when the boundaries between work and home were fairly clear. Today, however, work is likely to invade your personal life — and maintaining work-life balance is no simple task. Still, work-life balance isn't out of reach. Start by evaluating your relationship to work. Watch this video for some good ideas.

Is Laughter the Best Medicine?

Why do people pay for the comedy shows and those comedy channels?

Well, you can also use it reduce tension, escape from unhappiness, find a great laugh, keep your children in their seats…you name it. There are a thousand and one use of humor, but it leads to an ultimate goal—laughter. Laughter is powerful, and much more powerful than most people think.

"Laughter, the Best Medicine" is actually a Reader's Digest Magazine column that has been around almost as long as the magazine has existed. However, it is rumored that Reader's Digest stole the phrase from God or King David who wrote the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs 17:22: "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

Laughter and humor, of course, are not exactly the same thing. Just about anyone can laugh. Even hostile people can laugh. Sometimes, they have more fun laughing at others, which can be just plain mean. I think the Bible got it right. It is the merry heart that counts, not how many funny television shows, movies, or videos we watch or how many funny stories we read. So the secret is out.

Have a great day, and keep on smiling! It is the merry heart that counts !

GOT PURPOSE!

How to Multiply Your Gifts and Talents

Matthew chapter 25 verses 14 through 30 is Jesus’ “Parable of the Talents.” This story of the three servants has often been a parable I have struggled with. For a long time I didn't get what was so wrong about the guy who buried the money. "He at least gave back to the master the same amount he was originally given," I thought. "What's so wrong with that?"

Well, as I read this parable again, the thing that really stands out to me is that this parable is not talking about simply money. . . but I think it is talking about our very lives and our time here on earth. I read it now as if God gives each of us a certain amount of time to live on this earth and a certain amount of gifts and skills.

And then, we have to ask ourselves - will we simply just go through life very stably & comfortably with those gifts and skills – perhaps even just going through the motions and serving ourselves – to the extent that when God calls us home, we have really not produced much of anything in our lives? What if we spend our time & gifts in such a way that by the end of it we haven't really blessed or served others? We simply give back to God at the end of our lives what God gave to us and nothing more.

OR - is it possible that God is calling each of us to do so much more with our lives?

Is God calling us to really use the time, gifts and skills he has given us for something bigger than ourselves?

Is God calling us to produce a great harvest of loving and serving and blessing others in our lives?

So that when we arrive at heaven's gate at the end of our lives we will hear verse 21 from God Himself - "The master was full of praise. `Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'"

How about your life today?

Are you multiplying the skills and gifts that God has given you in your life?

Are you investing your skills and gifts in loving service of others?

Are you at least "doubling" God's investment in you?

GOT PURPOSE !

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That Which Remains Forever ...

Matthew chapter 24 verse 35 is an amazing reminder that Jesus' words in the Bible will outlast every single material thing around us today: "Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever."

Here is the amazing MercyMe song "Word of God Speak", with some great images and Scripture verses set to this song:

Three Funerals and A Reunion Dinner

This Chinese New Year week has been rather paradoxical.

On one hand we were in celebrative mood getting ready for the New Year; stocked the house with special food, cookies, and making final touches to the decorations so that they look good and proper for the festivities. On the other hand, we were saddened by the demise of loved ones of three of our good friends. We attended 3 wakes this week.

The first wake was at a Catholic church - one of my friend’s father passed away from colon cancer. It was hard for him because they only discovered it 4 months ago and it was already stage 4. There was little the doctors are prepared to do in treatment as the man was already 74 years old and rather weak. At the wake, my friend’s eyes were all red, most likely from all the weeping as he recounted what happened to his father and shared about the pain he had to go through. The second wake was for another friend’s father aged 82 years who died from blood cancer. Also, there was little the doctors could do. The third wake was another friend’s brother who died from lymphoma cancer. He was only 64 years; left behind his wife and children. Rather sad too but such is life, at times it is unpredictable and seems unreasonable. Indeed no one is sure when that hour may come and death start knocking at the door of our lives. So how then should we live while we are able?

I came away from these wakes with a strong feeling that family time is important, friends are important, relationships are important. For me it is about treasuring every moment of it; lest one day life be taken away rather unexpectedly. Indeed, no one knows the hour. So, take time to smell the roses, pat someone on the back, stroke the dog, enjoy the beauty of nature, move around, stretch your body, run 2 km, say hello, soak in the fresh air and be a blessing to those around you.

GOT PURPOSE !

Photo from here

A Reunion Dinner

Chinese people from all corners of the world celebrate the Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival according to the Lunar Calendar. Therefore, the Lunar New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are as important as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in western countries.

The reunion dinner on Chinese New Year's eve is usually a large and lavish meal, flavorful and delicious, because it is not only a dinner but also a family reunion. The whole family sits around the table and enjoys food and chatting. It is indeed a moment of happiness cherished by every Chinese.

This year’s Lunar New Year falls on 3 February. I and my family had our reunion dinner last night. It was a time of feasting and fellowshipping and catching up with one another on their life happenings. We had it in my home instead of in restaurants as what most families are doing these days. For us home is family and we can enjoy each others company much better and in a more authentic way.

In my family, we have this very special dish called the Yusheng (also spelt Yu Sheng) meaning "raw fish". It is a Chinese New Year dish, essentially a salad dish made of thin slices of raw fish and various spices, mixed with tossing actions by diners. A play on Chinese homonyms links the ingredients and tossing actions to prosperity and longevity, all adding to the good wishes for the New Year. In addition, we prepared about 10 dishes for the reunion dinner, both hot and cold. We also have some very unique family-made dishes which no restaurant serves. Furthermore, my 94 year old father-in-law would very much prefer to keep the traditional way of celebrating. They prefer to share this meal with their grandsons and granddaughters at home and enjoy the family atmosphere.

Reunion dinner is the most important event as Chinese people prepares to start a brand new year. For us, we appreciate each other’s unique ways and treasure the moments we spend together. But wherever you are, whatever people you join for this festival, I wish you a prosperous and happy Chinese New Year that is fill with abundance, joy, peace and good health.

GOT PURPOSE !

photos from here and here

The Chinese New Year As I Knew It ..

CNY is just a day away. During my early childhood, CNY season was a busy period for us. My Mum was a seamstress, and she would be rushing to finish off the tailoring for all her clients who every now and then would drop by to remind her. We... had no telephone then. I also chipped in to help with the sewing.

In spite of her busyness, she would still try to prepare something special for the family. About a month before CNY, she would prepare this special wax meat by marinating pork with dark soya sauce and white wine and hang them out in the sun to dry. It normally took two to three weeks before the meat became very dried and turned waxy. We had them steamed together with rice. They are very delicious and the fat has a special fragrance; they are known as “Lap Yuk” in Cantonese.

It’s my Mum’s wish to let us have a special meal during CNY. My Mum has gone home to be with the Lord last Sept. With her gone, this CNY will be different for us. Nonetheless, it brings back sweet memories of those great times we had together.

A blessed Lunar New Year to all.

GOT PURPOSE !