Sacrificial Love

AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS,
THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP,
WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND,

BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING,

HE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER
WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.


IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE

CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS

ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND
THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS

TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER
HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE..
WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE
PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK.


'A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE
SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST ,' HE BEGAN.
'WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY
ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE.
THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE
FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT

KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT
INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED.'


THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT,
MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE,
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN,
LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY.
THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,

'GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE

MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY
WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE.
HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION.
THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND
HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT.
THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY

THE TORRENT OF WAVES.


AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!'
HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON'S FRIEND.

BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK
TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH

THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT.


HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.


BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP
STRAIGHT IN THE PEW, ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT
WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER'S MOUTH.
'THE FATHER,' HE CONTINUED, 'KNEW HIS SON WOULD
STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT
BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO
AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS.. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED
HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. '


HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE
SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY
BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED. I URGE YOU TO

ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE
LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE.'

WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN
HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.


THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND
DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE
END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.


WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO
TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN'S SIDE.


'THAT WAS A NICE STORY,' POLITELY STATED ONE OF
THEM,'BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A
FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT
THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.'


'WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE,' THE OLD MAN REPLIED,

GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE BROADENED

HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS
AND SAID, 'IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT?

BUT,
I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY THAT GIVES

ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD
TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.




YOU SEE...





I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S

FRIEND.'

The Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my
assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a
good book to read Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and
filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to
start a conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier
seated nearest to me.

'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then
we're being deployed to Afghanistan

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack
lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours
before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help
pass the time..

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he
planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a
sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we
get to base '

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I
walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a
fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed
my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked
me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it
for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers
were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like
best - beef or chicken?'

'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to
the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from
first class. 'This is your thanks.'

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane,
heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I
want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five
dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down
the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was
not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on
my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held
out his hand, an said, 'I want to shake your hand.'

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand.
With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military
pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I
never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of
the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs.
A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his
hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in
my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane.
Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put
something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a
word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their
trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five
dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be
about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their
fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer
for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our
country. I could only give them a couple of meals.

It seemed so little...

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life,wrote a blank check
made payable to 'Canada for an amount of 'up to and including my
life.'

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who
no longer understand it.'

Happiness Is A Voyage

We convince ourselves that life will be better once we are married,

have a baby, then another.

Then we get frustrated because our children are not old enough,

and that all will be well when they are older.

Then we are frustrated because they reach adolescence

and we must deal with them.

Surely we'll be happier when they grow out of the teen years.

We tell ourselves our life will be better

when our spouse gets his/her act together,

when we have a nicer car,

when we can take a vacation,

when we finally retire.

The truth is that.....

there is no better time to be happy than right now.

If not, then when?

Your life will always be full of challenges.

It is better to admit as much,

and decide to be happy in spite of it all.

For the longest time, it seemed

that life was about to start.

Real life.

But there was always some obstacle along the way,

an ordeal to get through,

some work to be finished,

some time to be given,

a bill to be paid.

Then life would start.

I finally came to understand that those obstacles

were life.

That point of view helped me see

that there isn't any road to happiness.

Happiness IS the road.

So enjoy every moment.

Stop waiting....

for school to end,

for a return to school,

to lose ten pounds,

to gain ten pounds,

for work to begin,

to get married,

for Friday evening,

for Sunday morning,

for a new car,

for your mortgage to be paid off,

for spring, for summer,

for fall, for winter,

for the first or the fifteenth of the month,

for your song to be played on the radio,

to die, to be reborn.......

before deciding to be happy.

Happiness is a voyage,

Not a destination.

There is no better time to be happy than.....

NOW!

Live and enjoy the moment.

Author Unknown

I Believe In Miracles

Sung By Pastor Philip Mantofa

Our Juni's Gone Home To The Lord

Today, our hearts are broken. We are deeply grieved. No words can describe the pain that so overwhelms us. Today, our beloved Juni, who just turned 5 years old a week ago has suddenly left us. Just like that, his tiny heart stopped beating. This is so unreal. I still can't believe it.....no, this is just a bad nightmare....dear God, please let us wake up and find Juni chewing on his little toy caterpillar. But it's true, God has taken him home to join the heavenly choir. Gone from our presence but forever in our hearts. We will miss him so much, and already the silence in the house is deafening!

Goodbye our beautiful , beloved Juni. Mama, Jeh-jeh, Kenji kor kor, Xian kor kor and Storm will miss you. Fly to Jesus, little one and sing with the angels.

GOING BACK TO JESUS - Heritage Singers

This is in remembrance of our beloved Juni.

"Excuse me, Are you Jesus?"

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago.

They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner.

In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.

ALL BUT ONE !!!

He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did.

The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table, and helped organize her display.

As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl,

"Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?"

She nodded through her tears.

He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister...."

He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes.

She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered.

Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul:

"Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus?

That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life, and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk, and act as He would.

Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church.

It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.

You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall.

He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.

A Smile From Heaven

One in a million shot ... A smile from Heaven...

Life Is Uncertain - Smell The Roses

By Dr DANIEL WONG WAI YAN

Time is not always on our side and we can never predict the future with any level of certainty. So stop taking life for granted and live each day to the fullest.

SOME may consider oncology to be a rather depressing and morbid profession. However, in the midst of the apparent doom and gloom, I am grateful for the lessons about life and living gleaned from my patients.

I had a patient with advanced cancer who died recently. Let’s call him Tim. I got to know Tim over a period of almost one year while he battled this dreaded illness. He was in his mid-40s, never smoked, non-drinker, and a good husband.

As we struggle through our grief, we ask ourselves why Tim? Why was he cut off so cruelly and prematurely?

I was with him several hours before he died and memories of our many consultations flashed through my mind. I tried to analyse my management of his illness to see if there was something more I could have done to help him. There wasn’t.

It was an emotional moment for me as I explained to his family members that he did not have much time left. I said a quiet prayer with them and left the ward, hoping that he would be there when I came by for the ward round the next day. He wasn’t.

We had hoped that the treatment would extend Tim’s life for a further six months. I suppose I ended up as an oncologist because I am largely an optimist at heart. However, it is the hope that one might be the exception rather than the rule that sustains folks when they face the vagaries of cancer.

It is also this hope which sustains clinicians like me. I often tell my patients “widespread, advanced cancer means it cannot be cured by the conventional therapies at my disposal, but there is a God who heals”.

Perhaps more importantly, one who also offers true life beyond our stricken world.

Most cancer clinicians develop defence mechanisms to protect against emotional breakdown. I don’t shed a tear very frequently for my patients. I did in Tim’s case. Perhaps I felt that a bond had developed over the last few months. Perhaps it brought home my own mortality and the frailty of human life. I am not far off from the 5th decade of life myself.

On this occasion, I was reminded (again!) that time is not always on our side and we can never predict the future with any level of certainty. Patients often ask about their prognosis – their life expectancy and likelihood of responding to treatment. We can only provide information from past clinical trials and to a certain extent from personal experience. We talk about average survival and the percentage alive in one year. But we can never be sure in a specific individual.

So what have I learnt from Tim?

I am a bit of a hoarder. I have more than three weeks of annual leave that will be rolled over to the new year. I reserve these days just in case “something important crops up”.

The days of hoarding leave entitlement has come to an end. I have decided to carve a big slice of leave in 2010 for rest and recreation. For some quality time and meaningful fellowship with my wife, four children, parents, brother and sister and their families. Perhaps it’s even time to visit the many friends we left behind in the UK and Australia.

Several months ago, 228 people boarded a particular Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, fully expecting to disembark the next day at the Charles De Gaulle airport at the French capital. But none of them arrived.

Thank you Tim. I would consider this episode a wake-up call – to stop taking life for granted and live life to the full each day with thanksgiving in my heart and a deep trust in God.

PS: We simply don’t know about tomorrow. Only God does.

Embracing Imperfection

Received this story in an email:-

"When I was a little girl, I could remember my mom making breakfast and dinner for us.
And I remember one night in particular, when she had made dinner after a long, hard day at work.
On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of vegetables, salad and burned chappati in front of my dad.
I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed.
Yet all my dad did was to reach for his chappati, smiled at mom and asked me how my day was at school.
I don't remember what I told him that night, but, I do remember watching him smear chatani on that chappati and ate every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad
For burning the chapati.
And I'll never forget what he said.
"Baby, I love burnt chapati."
Later that night, I went to kiss daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his chapati burnt.
He wrapped me in his arms and said,
"Dear, your momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides, a little burnt chappati never hurt anyone.
You know, life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people."

I am not the best housekeeper or cook.
What I've learnt over the years
Is that learning to accept each other's faults
And choosing to celebrate each other's differences
Is one of the most important keys
for creating a healthy, growing,
And lasting relationship.
And that's my prayer for you today,
that you will learn to take
The good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life
And lay them at the feet of God.
Because in the end,
He's the only One who will be able
To give you a relationship
Where burnt chappati isn't a deal-breaker
We could extend this to any relationship, in fact.
As understanding is the base of any relationship -
Be it a husband - wife, or parent - child or even with friends.

Don't put the key to your happiness in
someone else's pocket, but, into your own."