Monday, April 07, 2008
It All Starts With U
Before U were thought of or time had begun,
God even stuck U in the name of His Son.
And each time U pray, you'll see it's true
You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.
You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name,
For U, He was born; that's why He came.
And His great love for U is the reason He died.
It even takes U to spell crUcified.
Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand
He rose from the dead, with U in His plan.
The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew,
and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.
When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension,
He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.
'Go into the world and tell them it's true.
That I love them all - Just like I love U.'
So many great people are spelled with a U,
Don't they have a right to know JesUs too?
It all depends now on what U will do,
He'd like them to know - But it all starts with U
Love Always,
God
'The Lord will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land. You will be like a spring whose watersnever fail.'- Isaiah 58:11
God even stuck U in the name of His Son.
And each time U pray, you'll see it's true
You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.
You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name,
For U, He was born; that's why He came.
And His great love for U is the reason He died.
It even takes U to spell crUcified.
Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand
He rose from the dead, with U in His plan.
The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew,
and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.
When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension,
He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.
'Go into the world and tell them it's true.
That I love them all - Just like I love U.'
So many great people are spelled with a U,
Don't they have a right to know JesUs too?
It all depends now on what U will do,
He'd like them to know - But it all starts with U
Love Always,
God
'The Lord will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land. You will be like a spring whose watersnever fail.'- Isaiah 58:11
An Unspoken Bible
His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally is wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, very bright. He became a Christian recently while attending college.
Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and So Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat.
The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and, when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this church before!
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, an Elder is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the Elder is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying To themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor? It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane.
All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the Elder does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be alone.
Everyone chokes up with emotion. When the minister gains control, he says, 'What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget. Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read.'
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Thou shall decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee and a light shall shine upon thy ways.'- Job 22:28
Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and So Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat.
The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and, when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this church before!
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, an Elder is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the Elder is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying To themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor? It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane.
All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the Elder does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be alone.
Everyone chokes up with emotion. When the minister gains control, he says, 'What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget. Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read.'
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Thou shall decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee and a light shall shine upon thy ways.'- Job 22:28
40 Things
I'll be turning 40 soon! I am so excited by this prospect that I'm planning this big theme party! The theme will be “I've never....”
While explaining this to a friend of mine, I laughingly gave the example of “I've never had a baby shower, so someone would have to bring a baby gift. Then I'll donate it to the nursery at the church.” I was smiling through this little explanation, until I saw the look on her face.
With tears in her eyes she said, “That's so sad”!
Well, there was a time when I felt that way too. Finding out in my 20's that I couldn't have children was devastating. I immediately left the child care field and went to work building cables for the B-1 Bomber! The physical, repetitive labor was very good for me. Towards the end of the three years, I found that I was just borrowing my co-workers' children to do things with.
My first and only love was the children. I had a lot of time to think about all of the things I had been cheated out of. I would never hold a new born baby in my arms. I would never rock my baby to sleep. I would never get to sing lullabies. I would never get to watch my child leave for their first day of school. I would never get to be the tooth fairy! I would never get to talk about boys, or proms, or pimples! Yes, I felt that I was going to get cheated out of a lot. I would never get a Mother's Day Card!
I'm not sure when it all changed.
I don't think there was one specific moment when I realized that I had more children than any mother could possibly ever have! And, that's the answer I gave to my friend.
Smiling, I explained that as long as I work in the nursery, I will have babies to rock and sing to. As long as I am a Head Start teacher, I will have first days of school. Working with the youth will give me plenty of experience with teenagers.
Carissa lost her first tooth at my house and no one was ever a better Tooth Fairy. I hosted an exchange student from Germany last year and got to shop for prom dresses. I even cried when she gave me a locket with her picture in it, engraved with one simple word on the front, “Mom”.
I still have it and wear it, and I also have the Mother's Day card she gave me. All treasures.
My babies are now growing up and having babies. Soon I'll get to have “Nana” experiences. It doesn't matter that we don't share the same genes. What we do share is a lot of love.
Truth is, I'm having a hard time finding 40 things I've never done. It's hard to find them when you're happy, productive and living your dream!
- By Corrina Hyde
Corrina, also known as Miss Cory, is a Heart warmer Gem, and teaches at the Choctaw Indian Program in Southeast Oklahoma, designed to meet the needs of children with disabilities.
As children of the Most High God, we are to remember that God is on our side and our attitude should reflect Whom we belong to. We should never murmur and complain about our inadequacies, but rather we are to turn our face and faith to the God who forgave us, cleansed us and made us new creatures. The Lord will be with you to sustain you and give you the strength to continue on. Trust Him and know that All Is Well.
There are many instances in life when we focus more on what we don't have rather than seeing the blessings of what we do have. The provision of God is promised and as His children we are to rest in the Lord's ability to meet our every need. Let us be thankful for all that we have and keep in mind that there are others around the world who are much less fortunate than we are right now. (Hebrews 10:22-24) (Psalm 37:23-25) (Luke 12:25-34)
There are many people who adopt the “Missing Teeth” analogy. If you asked them how many bad teeth they had, they could answer you in an instant, but if you asked how many good teeth they had, their answer wouldn't come as quickly. The reason for this is because people are quick to focus on the negative instead of looking at the good that greatly outweighs any bad that has come their way. The Bible tells us to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Even in the tough times, we are to put our faith forward and portray the attitude of praise and thanksgiving and see the good and not the bad. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) (Psalm 118:24) (Isaiah 61:3)
I hope this message ministers to your heart to think more on the blessings that abound in your life rather than focusing on the small things that do not come close in comparison.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
While explaining this to a friend of mine, I laughingly gave the example of “I've never had a baby shower, so someone would have to bring a baby gift. Then I'll donate it to the nursery at the church.” I was smiling through this little explanation, until I saw the look on her face.
With tears in her eyes she said, “That's so sad”!
Well, there was a time when I felt that way too. Finding out in my 20's that I couldn't have children was devastating. I immediately left the child care field and went to work building cables for the B-1 Bomber! The physical, repetitive labor was very good for me. Towards the end of the three years, I found that I was just borrowing my co-workers' children to do things with.
My first and only love was the children. I had a lot of time to think about all of the things I had been cheated out of. I would never hold a new born baby in my arms. I would never rock my baby to sleep. I would never get to sing lullabies. I would never get to watch my child leave for their first day of school. I would never get to be the tooth fairy! I would never get to talk about boys, or proms, or pimples! Yes, I felt that I was going to get cheated out of a lot. I would never get a Mother's Day Card!
I'm not sure when it all changed.
I don't think there was one specific moment when I realized that I had more children than any mother could possibly ever have! And, that's the answer I gave to my friend.
Smiling, I explained that as long as I work in the nursery, I will have babies to rock and sing to. As long as I am a Head Start teacher, I will have first days of school. Working with the youth will give me plenty of experience with teenagers.
Carissa lost her first tooth at my house and no one was ever a better Tooth Fairy. I hosted an exchange student from Germany last year and got to shop for prom dresses. I even cried when she gave me a locket with her picture in it, engraved with one simple word on the front, “Mom”.
I still have it and wear it, and I also have the Mother's Day card she gave me. All treasures.
My babies are now growing up and having babies. Soon I'll get to have “Nana” experiences. It doesn't matter that we don't share the same genes. What we do share is a lot of love.
Truth is, I'm having a hard time finding 40 things I've never done. It's hard to find them when you're happy, productive and living your dream!
- By Corrina Hyde
Corrina, also known as Miss Cory, is a Heart warmer Gem, and teaches at the Choctaw Indian Program in Southeast Oklahoma, designed to meet the needs of children with disabilities.
As children of the Most High God, we are to remember that God is on our side and our attitude should reflect Whom we belong to. We should never murmur and complain about our inadequacies, but rather we are to turn our face and faith to the God who forgave us, cleansed us and made us new creatures. The Lord will be with you to sustain you and give you the strength to continue on. Trust Him and know that All Is Well.
There are many instances in life when we focus more on what we don't have rather than seeing the blessings of what we do have. The provision of God is promised and as His children we are to rest in the Lord's ability to meet our every need. Let us be thankful for all that we have and keep in mind that there are others around the world who are much less fortunate than we are right now. (Hebrews 10:22-24) (Psalm 37:23-25) (Luke 12:25-34)
There are many people who adopt the “Missing Teeth” analogy. If you asked them how many bad teeth they had, they could answer you in an instant, but if you asked how many good teeth they had, their answer wouldn't come as quickly. The reason for this is because people are quick to focus on the negative instead of looking at the good that greatly outweighs any bad that has come their way. The Bible tells us to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Even in the tough times, we are to put our faith forward and portray the attitude of praise and thanksgiving and see the good and not the bad. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) (Psalm 118:24) (Isaiah 61:3)
I hope this message ministers to your heart to think more on the blessings that abound in your life rather than focusing on the small things that do not come close in comparison.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
Broken Dreams
As children bring their broken toys
With tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God
Because He was my friend.
But then instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
With ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried,
'How could you be so slow
'My child,' He said, 'What could I do?
You never did let go.'
May you have the strength to let go of your broken dreams today and let God make them whole.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'In the Lord, put your trust.'- Psalms 11:1
With tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God
Because He was my friend.
But then instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
With ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried,
'How could you be so slow
'My child,' He said, 'What could I do?
You never did let go.'
May you have the strength to let go of your broken dreams today and let God make them whole.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'In the Lord, put your trust.'- Psalms 11:1
Brownies With A Difference
Many parents are hard put to explain to their youth why some music, movies, books, and magazines are not acceptable material for them to bring into the home, for their youth to see, or hear. One parent came up with an original idea that was hard to refute.
He listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex. They never really showed it. The language was pretty good. They only used the Lord's name in vain three times in the whole movie. The video effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed. Yes, there was the scene where a building and a bunch of people got blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't very bad.
Even with all these explanations for the rating, the father wouldn't give in. He didn't even give them a satisfying explanation for saying, 'No.' He just said, 'No.'
It was a little bit later that evening, that this same father asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had prepared. He explained that he had taken the families favorite recipe and added something new. They asked what it was. He calmly replied that he had added dog poop. He stated that it was only a little bit. All the ingredients were gourmet quality. He had taken great care to bake it at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb.
Even with all the explanations of the perfect attributes of the brownies, the teens would not take one.
The father acted surprised. There was only one little element that would have caused them to act so stubbornly. He assured them that they would hardly notice it if at all. They all held firm and would not try the brownies.
He then explained that the movie they wanted to see was just like the brownies. Satan tries to enter our minds and our homes by deceiving us into believing that just a little bit of evil won't matter. With the brownies, just a little bit makes all the difference between a great brownie and a totally unacceptable product. He explained that even though the movie people would have us believe the movies which are coming out are acceptable for adults and youth's to see they are not. Test your movie and see. Would you be comfortable taking Christ with you to see the movie?
Now when this father's youth want to do something or see something they should not, the father merely asks them if they would like some of his special dog poop brownies and they never ask about that item again.
~ by Annette Nay
Yrs lovingly,
He listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex. They never really showed it. The language was pretty good. They only used the Lord's name in vain three times in the whole movie. The video effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed. Yes, there was the scene where a building and a bunch of people got blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't very bad.
Even with all these explanations for the rating, the father wouldn't give in. He didn't even give them a satisfying explanation for saying, 'No.' He just said, 'No.'
It was a little bit later that evening, that this same father asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had prepared. He explained that he had taken the families favorite recipe and added something new. They asked what it was. He calmly replied that he had added dog poop. He stated that it was only a little bit. All the ingredients were gourmet quality. He had taken great care to bake it at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb.
Even with all the explanations of the perfect attributes of the brownies, the teens would not take one.
The father acted surprised. There was only one little element that would have caused them to act so stubbornly. He assured them that they would hardly notice it if at all. They all held firm and would not try the brownies.
He then explained that the movie they wanted to see was just like the brownies. Satan tries to enter our minds and our homes by deceiving us into believing that just a little bit of evil won't matter. With the brownies, just a little bit makes all the difference between a great brownie and a totally unacceptable product. He explained that even though the movie people would have us believe the movies which are coming out are acceptable for adults and youth's to see they are not. Test your movie and see. Would you be comfortable taking Christ with you to see the movie?
Now when this father's youth want to do something or see something they should not, the father merely asks them if they would like some of his special dog poop brownies and they never ask about that item again.
~ by Annette Nay
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish.' - Proverbs 10:2–3
Tomato Story
A Jobless man applied for the position of 'office boy' at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.
'You are employed' he said. Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.
The man replied 'But I don't have a computer, neither an email'.
'I'm sorry', said the HR manager. If you don't have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist, cannot have the job.'
The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only $10 in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10Kg tomato crate.
He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours,
he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times,
and returned home with $60.
The man realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go everyday earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled everyday.
Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.
5 years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US
He started to plan his family's future, and decided to have a life insurance.
He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan.
When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his email.
The man replied, 'I don't have an email.'
The broker answered curiously, 'You don't have an email, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e mail?!!'
The man thought for a while and replied, 'Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!'
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Let love and faithfulness never leave you, bind them around your neck,write them on the tablet of your heart.'-Proverbs 3:3
'You are employed' he said. Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.
The man replied 'But I don't have a computer, neither an email'.
'I'm sorry', said the HR manager. If you don't have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist, cannot have the job.'
The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only $10 in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10Kg tomato crate.
He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours,
he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times,
and returned home with $60.
The man realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go everyday earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled everyday.
Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.
5 years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US
He started to plan his family's future, and decided to have a life insurance.
He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan.
When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his email.
The man replied, 'I don't have an email.'
The broker answered curiously, 'You don't have an email, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e mail?!!'
The man thought for a while and replied, 'Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!'
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Let love and faithfulness never leave you, bind them around your neck,write them on the tablet of your heart.'-Proverbs 3:3
Never To Be Forgotten
For those who were there, it is a moment frozen in time, never to be forgotten.
It was my father's 90th birthday, and 30 or so of us had gathered at the Alzheimer's care center where he lived to celebrate with him.
He seemed unusually bright and cheery as he was greeted, hugged and loved by his wife, his brother, four of his eight children and numerous grand-children and great-grand-children.
His brightest smile came when he saw his eldest surviving son, Rick, for the first time in three years. Although he couldn't articulate what he was feeling, you could just see the flash of recognition and feel the wave of emotion.
There were lots of photos, a couple of brief speeches, a little entertainment and, of course, birthday cake and ice cream. Dad seemed to enjoy it all -- especially the cake and ice cream.
Then, suddenly, it was time to go. No one was anxious to leave -- least of all Dad -- but meal time at the care center was fast approaching, and we needed to clear the dining room. There was just time for one more rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday to You.”
“No -- wait,” someone suggested. “Let's sing something that Dad can sing with us.”
On the surface, that seemed ludicrous. Although Dad was quite alert through the event, coherent expression from him was limited to two and three-word sentences: “I'm fine,” “How are you?” and “Oh, no.” He couldn't remember the names of those nearest and dearest to him; asking him to participate in a sing-along was an exercise in futility, wasn't it?
A different song was selected, one of Dad's favorites from years gone by: “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” Just the mention of the song was enough to evoke tender feelings from those of us who remember the many times it was sung at family gatherings and as a way of passing the time during long family trips.
In my mind, I can still hear the melodic blending of Dad's bold and brassy bass with Mom's rich alto resonating in the old Impala as we musically made our away across the California desert to visit family members on the Coast.
All eyes were focused on Dad as we began singing:“Let me call you Sweetheart, I'm in love with you.”
His lips began forming the words of lyrics indelibly etched somewhere in his mind.“Let me hear you whisper that you love me, too.”
His eyebrows arched. His eyes sparkled.
“Keep the love light burning in your eyes so blue.”
I was kneeling close to him, and could hear him singing. It wasn't the strong, vibrant voice that had embarrassed me as it boomed out mercilessly in countless church meetings through the years, but it was unmistakably Dad's voice.
“Let me call you Sweetheart, I'm in love with you.”
He smiled happily as we harmoniously reached the end of the song. Tears moistened most eyes as we savored the magic of the moment. For a few measures, at least, Dad was Dad again, leading the family in singing one of our old favorite songs.
I've thought about that moment a lot since then. There is real power in the music of our lives. I'm not sure I understand it, but there is something dramatic that happens when words and melodies mingle in our minds. It is burned into our consciousness. It becomes part of who we are and what we think -- for good or ill -- freezing moments in time, never to be forgotten.
~ By Joseph Walker
Be encouraged to make special time to be with your family and friends to enjoy this day that God has given us. Life is precious and the moments that we have been given are to be relished and made the best of and should never be wasted. Take the initiative to have a great day with those whom you love and build memories that will bring smiles fifty years from now.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Now abide , faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is Love.'- I Corinthians 13:13
It was my father's 90th birthday, and 30 or so of us had gathered at the Alzheimer's care center where he lived to celebrate with him.
He seemed unusually bright and cheery as he was greeted, hugged and loved by his wife, his brother, four of his eight children and numerous grand-children and great-grand-children.
His brightest smile came when he saw his eldest surviving son, Rick, for the first time in three years. Although he couldn't articulate what he was feeling, you could just see the flash of recognition and feel the wave of emotion.
There were lots of photos, a couple of brief speeches, a little entertainment and, of course, birthday cake and ice cream. Dad seemed to enjoy it all -- especially the cake and ice cream.
Then, suddenly, it was time to go. No one was anxious to leave -- least of all Dad -- but meal time at the care center was fast approaching, and we needed to clear the dining room. There was just time for one more rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday to You.”
“No -- wait,” someone suggested. “Let's sing something that Dad can sing with us.”
On the surface, that seemed ludicrous. Although Dad was quite alert through the event, coherent expression from him was limited to two and three-word sentences: “I'm fine,” “How are you?” and “Oh, no.” He couldn't remember the names of those nearest and dearest to him; asking him to participate in a sing-along was an exercise in futility, wasn't it?
A different song was selected, one of Dad's favorites from years gone by: “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” Just the mention of the song was enough to evoke tender feelings from those of us who remember the many times it was sung at family gatherings and as a way of passing the time during long family trips.
In my mind, I can still hear the melodic blending of Dad's bold and brassy bass with Mom's rich alto resonating in the old Impala as we musically made our away across the California desert to visit family members on the Coast.
All eyes were focused on Dad as we began singing:“Let me call you Sweetheart, I'm in love with you.”
His lips began forming the words of lyrics indelibly etched somewhere in his mind.“Let me hear you whisper that you love me, too.”
His eyebrows arched. His eyes sparkled.
“Keep the love light burning in your eyes so blue.”
I was kneeling close to him, and could hear him singing. It wasn't the strong, vibrant voice that had embarrassed me as it boomed out mercilessly in countless church meetings through the years, but it was unmistakably Dad's voice.
“Let me call you Sweetheart, I'm in love with you.”
He smiled happily as we harmoniously reached the end of the song. Tears moistened most eyes as we savored the magic of the moment. For a few measures, at least, Dad was Dad again, leading the family in singing one of our old favorite songs.
I've thought about that moment a lot since then. There is real power in the music of our lives. I'm not sure I understand it, but there is something dramatic that happens when words and melodies mingle in our minds. It is burned into our consciousness. It becomes part of who we are and what we think -- for good or ill -- freezing moments in time, never to be forgotten.
~ By Joseph Walker
Be encouraged to make special time to be with your family and friends to enjoy this day that God has given us. Life is precious and the moments that we have been given are to be relished and made the best of and should never be wasted. Take the initiative to have a great day with those whom you love and build memories that will bring smiles fifty years from now.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Now abide , faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is Love.'- I Corinthians 13:13
The Happiest Man On Earth
There once was a king who had more money than he knew what to do with. He owned all of the land as far as the eye could see, several castles, and he ruled his land with an iron fist. But no matter how much he had, he never seemed to have enough and was a very miserable man.
One day he told his servant, “I want you to go out and scour the land, from one horizon to the other, and find the happiest man on earth, and bring me his shirt. Once I have the shirt of the happiest man, I will be able to be happy myself. I don't want you to return without that shirt or you will be beheaded.”
The servant set out about his mission and was gone for many moons. The king was getting impatient as he waited and waited. Finally, after many months of searching, the servant returned, on hands and knees, crawling before the king. The king noticed the servants hands were empty and became very angry.
He told the servant that he had one minute before he was to be beheaded and he had better explain why he had disobeyed his orders.
With tears in his eyes, the servant looked to the king and said “Master, I did as you said, I searched from horizon to horizon looking for the happiest man on earth, and I finally found him.”
So the king asks, “Why didn't you bring me the shirt of this man?”
The servant replied, “Master, the happiest man on earth did not own a shirt.”
We sometimes place too much emphasis on the physical aspects of life thinking that without these material things life would be unlivable. That is a falsity that many of us have adopted not realizing that true peace and contentment have nothing to do with material possessions, but have everything to do with a personal relationship with God and the Joy that He places in the hearts of those who trust Him.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” - 1 Timothy 6:10-12
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” - Philippians 4:8
One day he told his servant, “I want you to go out and scour the land, from one horizon to the other, and find the happiest man on earth, and bring me his shirt. Once I have the shirt of the happiest man, I will be able to be happy myself. I don't want you to return without that shirt or you will be beheaded.”
The servant set out about his mission and was gone for many moons. The king was getting impatient as he waited and waited. Finally, after many months of searching, the servant returned, on hands and knees, crawling before the king. The king noticed the servants hands were empty and became very angry.
He told the servant that he had one minute before he was to be beheaded and he had better explain why he had disobeyed his orders.
With tears in his eyes, the servant looked to the king and said “Master, I did as you said, I searched from horizon to horizon looking for the happiest man on earth, and I finally found him.”
So the king asks, “Why didn't you bring me the shirt of this man?”
The servant replied, “Master, the happiest man on earth did not own a shirt.”
We sometimes place too much emphasis on the physical aspects of life thinking that without these material things life would be unlivable. That is a falsity that many of us have adopted not realizing that true peace and contentment have nothing to do with material possessions, but have everything to do with a personal relationship with God and the Joy that He places in the hearts of those who trust Him.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” - 1 Timothy 6:10-12
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” - Philippians 4:8
Marks Of Maturity
Measuring our spiritual growth...
True Christianity forces us to face ourselves honestly. Christian maturity comes gradually as the following 'heart issues' are resolved. Below are several measuring rods by which we may gauge spiritual growth.
MEASURING RODS
MATURITY IS MEASURED BY THE FOLLOWING:
1. By how well we get along with others (Jn.17:21). This encompasses all of the following:
2. By how much contentment we have learned (Philippians 4:11-12, I Timothy 6:6).
3. By how well we rule our spirit and control our emotions—love or hate (Proverbs 16:32).
4. By how much we have dealt with pride and all other tormenting conflicts (Romans 12:3).
5. By how much patience we possess—rashness and criticism subdued (Prov.18:13, Isaiah 32:4).
6. By how steadfast we are—not up and down, but constant 'at all seasons' (Acts 20:18).
7. By how well we control our tongue. Most sins are committed with the tongue (James 3:2).
8. By how holy we are. Great ministry without character is of little worth (Matthew 7:20-23).
9. By how much of a servant's spirit we have. Humility is the mark of greatness (Mark 10:43-45).
10. By our attitudes toward authority. Bad attitudes reveal defiance toward the Lord (Ezekiel 3:7).
11. By the mastery of our thought life. Every battle is won or lost in our mind (1 Peter 1:13).
12. By discreetly managing finances. Money involves conscience and character (Luke 16:10,11).
13. By how much we have stopped saying, 'It's not fair' (Genesis 45:5-8, 50:20).
14. By our gratitude. Thankfulness is the key to victory, health (Eph. 5:20, I Thessalonians 5:18).
15. By realizing how much we do not know. The immature have all the answers (I Corinthians 8:2).
16. By our ability to handle rejection—having understanding and forgiveness (Acts 5:41).
17. By our responses to delays—a proof of how far down our roots go (Psalm 40:1-2, Isaiah 64:4).
18. By how well we handle personal failure, or looking like one (I Samuel 30:6, Isaiah 49:4).
19. By how well we cope with the loss of something (Job 1:21).
20. By how well we handle hostility sent our way (Romans 12:17-21).
21. By how well we manage success! Do we continue to depend on God? (Deuteronomy 8:11-14).
22. By how much wisdom we accumulate. Wisdom is the principal thing (Proverbs 4:7, Luke 2:52).
23. By how much love we possess. Love is totally unselfish, the bond of perfection (Colossians 3:14).
24. By how responsible and reliable we are, and by how much we fear the Lord (Nehemiah 7:2).
25. By how well we manage our time. Wasting time is wasting life (Psalm 90:12, Ephesians 5:15-17).
26. By our attitude toward fallen brethren—cleansed of an 'I told you so' attitude (Galatians 6:1).
27. By how well we know ourselves, even as God knows us (1 Corinthians 13:12), and by how much hypocrisy has been purged from our hearts (Matthew 7:1-5). Hypocrisy is self-blindness.
28. By how much of the fruit of the Spirit we possess (a summary of all the above).
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Growth, strength, and maturity can all be measured by this—'By their fruits ye shall know them' (Matthew 7:20, Galatians 5:22-23). All nine fruits of the Spirit reveal the nature of God. Thus, when all of these fruits are abounding within us, we will be very much like Him. This is our calling and our goal.' (Rom. 8:29, 1 Jn. 3:2).
True Christianity forces us to face ourselves honestly. Christian maturity comes gradually as the following 'heart issues' are resolved. Below are several measuring rods by which we may gauge spiritual growth.
MEASURING RODS
MATURITY IS MEASURED BY THE FOLLOWING:
1. By how well we get along with others (Jn.17:21). This encompasses all of the following:
2. By how much contentment we have learned (Philippians 4:11-12, I Timothy 6:6).
3. By how well we rule our spirit and control our emotions—love or hate (Proverbs 16:32).
4. By how much we have dealt with pride and all other tormenting conflicts (Romans 12:3).
5. By how much patience we possess—rashness and criticism subdued (Prov.18:13, Isaiah 32:4).
6. By how steadfast we are—not up and down, but constant 'at all seasons' (Acts 20:18).
7. By how well we control our tongue. Most sins are committed with the tongue (James 3:2).
8. By how holy we are. Great ministry without character is of little worth (Matthew 7:20-23).
9. By how much of a servant's spirit we have. Humility is the mark of greatness (Mark 10:43-45).
10. By our attitudes toward authority. Bad attitudes reveal defiance toward the Lord (Ezekiel 3:7).
11. By the mastery of our thought life. Every battle is won or lost in our mind (1 Peter 1:13).
12. By discreetly managing finances. Money involves conscience and character (Luke 16:10,11).
13. By how much we have stopped saying, 'It's not fair' (Genesis 45:5-8, 50:20).
14. By our gratitude. Thankfulness is the key to victory, health (Eph. 5:20, I Thessalonians 5:18).
15. By realizing how much we do not know. The immature have all the answers (I Corinthians 8:2).
16. By our ability to handle rejection—having understanding and forgiveness (Acts 5:41).
17. By our responses to delays—a proof of how far down our roots go (Psalm 40:1-2, Isaiah 64:4).
18. By how well we handle personal failure, or looking like one (I Samuel 30:6, Isaiah 49:4).
19. By how well we cope with the loss of something (Job 1:21).
20. By how well we handle hostility sent our way (Romans 12:17-21).
21. By how well we manage success! Do we continue to depend on God? (Deuteronomy 8:11-14).
22. By how much wisdom we accumulate. Wisdom is the principal thing (Proverbs 4:7, Luke 2:52).
23. By how much love we possess. Love is totally unselfish, the bond of perfection (Colossians 3:14).
24. By how responsible and reliable we are, and by how much we fear the Lord (Nehemiah 7:2).
25. By how well we manage our time. Wasting time is wasting life (Psalm 90:12, Ephesians 5:15-17).
26. By our attitude toward fallen brethren—cleansed of an 'I told you so' attitude (Galatians 6:1).
27. By how well we know ourselves, even as God knows us (1 Corinthians 13:12), and by how much hypocrisy has been purged from our hearts (Matthew 7:1-5). Hypocrisy is self-blindness.
28. By how much of the fruit of the Spirit we possess (a summary of all the above).
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Growth, strength, and maturity can all be measured by this—'By their fruits ye shall know them' (Matthew 7:20, Galatians 5:22-23). All nine fruits of the Spirit reveal the nature of God. Thus, when all of these fruits are abounding within us, we will be very much like Him. This is our calling and our goal.' (Rom. 8:29, 1 Jn. 3:2).
Answer One Question
In life, answer to only one question that truly matters :
Have you chosen a course that leads to a destination which matters most to you?
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath.' - Deuteronomy 28:12–13
Have you chosen a course that leads to a destination which matters most to you?
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath.' - Deuteronomy 28:12–13
Charity & Chastity
A monk and his disciple reached a river bank. They had to cross it to reach their monastery. The river was full and the flow heavy. But they could walk across the river.
A young woman was on the bank. She had to cross the river but could not cross it alone. She sought the help of the monk. He immediately picked her up and carried her on his back, across the river. When they reached the other side of the river, he lowered her to the ground. She thanked him. They went in different directions.
The disciple was tremendously shocked to see the monk carry a woman on his back. He believed that it was against their vow of chastity to touch a woman. But he did not dare to question his teacher. He was constantly being disturbed by the incident and after three months, one day he asked the teacher why he had broken the vows of chastity and celibacy.
The monk laughed and remarked, 'I carried her across the river and left her at the bank. You have been carrying that burden for three months!' Clearly the sage had kept his vow but the disciple had been breaking the vow of chastity in his mind all those days!
The story teaches that the merit of an action is determined by our attitude. The saintly and scholarly sage had done an act of charity without affecting his vow of chastity. We must do our duty without caring for reward or recognition or ridicule. It is said, 'Do your duty. That is your beauty.'
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them. Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God.' - Matthew 5: 7-8.
A young woman was on the bank. She had to cross the river but could not cross it alone. She sought the help of the monk. He immediately picked her up and carried her on his back, across the river. When they reached the other side of the river, he lowered her to the ground. She thanked him. They went in different directions.
The disciple was tremendously shocked to see the monk carry a woman on his back. He believed that it was against their vow of chastity to touch a woman. But he did not dare to question his teacher. He was constantly being disturbed by the incident and after three months, one day he asked the teacher why he had broken the vows of chastity and celibacy.
The monk laughed and remarked, 'I carried her across the river and left her at the bank. You have been carrying that burden for three months!' Clearly the sage had kept his vow but the disciple had been breaking the vow of chastity in his mind all those days!
The story teaches that the merit of an action is determined by our attitude. The saintly and scholarly sage had done an act of charity without affecting his vow of chastity. We must do our duty without caring for reward or recognition or ridicule. It is said, 'Do your duty. That is your beauty.'
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them. Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God.' - Matthew 5: 7-8.
A Buried Treasure
She is your neighbor. She lives in that house down the street where the grass gets a little tall in the summer. The sidewalks remain covered in snow a little longer than most of the homes in your area. During your early morning drive you'll see her outside in her housecoat and slippers sweeping the porch. Even on a warm summer day she wears a heavy sweater.
Every so often you see her walking down the street with her fold-up push cart heading toward the grocery store. For the most part she is invisible to the world. She has become a part of the scenery. She goes about her daily routines asking for nothing from the world. And the world responds by doing nothing for her.
The truth is she could die tomorrow and you most likely wouldn't even miss her. “They're selling that old house down the street. You know, where that old lady lived.”
“I saw a sign at the grocery store. They're having a tag sale. Man, I bet there's some great old stuff in there. Let's make a point to go Saturday. We'll get there early for some real bargains.”
By the end of that Saturday, when the last piece of her life has been sold, she will be but a memory for someone. Her worth to whatever family members laid claim to her property, will be in dollars and cents. She was just passing through this life, biding her time.
“How sad,” you say to yourself. How sad indeed. Sad that you never got to know her.
If you had taken the time to say “hello” one day you would have been blessed. Perhaps walking the down the street one early summer's eve you would have seen her sitting on the old oak rocking chair you got at a bargain price the day they auctioned off her life. That chair was hand made by her Father. He came to America with the skill of a craftsman and raised her and her seven siblings with his bare hands. Her Momma sat in that chair and breast fed every one of them. She made their clothes, baked bread everyday and tended to a large garden that they depended on for fresh vegetables.
This mysterious old lady was married once for what would have been a lifetime for most of us. Her husband died years ago, but not before he paid the last payment on the home you rummaged through on Saturday.
Children? They had seven kids and raised them on hand-me-downs and fresh garden vegetables. Two died at an early age, one in a car accident when he was just a teen. The others went on to college and scattered across the U.S. in search of big dollars, big homes and little respect for who gave them life and everything they had today.
Except for a few photographs that they split among themselves as tokens of the “good old days” they each received their portion of the estate and went on with their lives.
Somewhere in her possessions they found an envelope filled with cash. On it was written the words, “I couldn't spend your money.” For they would send her checks to pay someone to cut the grass and shovel the sidewalk.
She did it herself. She had no living relatives and very few friends to visit her. The ones still around were tucked away in nursing homes she couldn't get to visit.
Yes, how sad it is that you didn't take the time to say hello. You would have met an honest to goodness Angel here on earth.
I am guilty, too. You see, I wouldn't have met her either except one day while driving past her house I blew a tire and pulled by the side of the road. While struggling with the spare, she came out and offered me a fresh glass of homemade iced tea. I sat on her steps as she rocked in that chair and told me a lifetime of stories. She talked so long she apologized for she rarely got visitors. I assured her that she need not apologize at all. I was the one who was sorry that I had never stopped by sooner.
“You are an angel,” I told her.In her sweet, gentle voice she said, “We are each other's angels. We meet when it is time.” She died the other day and I sat on her front porch and watched her life fall apart. The neighbors got some real bargains that day. But I found a treasure.
~ By Bob Perks
How many familiar faces do we pass by on a daily basis without taking the time to say hello and share a friendly word of encouragement? One of the many blessings that surround us is the treasure of people who are filled with wisdom and knowledge that can really add to our lives.
May today's message encourages your heart to seek out those whom you haven't spent time with recently and make a conscious decision that you will be a blessing and in return be blessed for keeping wise company.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.' - Proverbs 13:20
Every so often you see her walking down the street with her fold-up push cart heading toward the grocery store. For the most part she is invisible to the world. She has become a part of the scenery. She goes about her daily routines asking for nothing from the world. And the world responds by doing nothing for her.
The truth is she could die tomorrow and you most likely wouldn't even miss her. “They're selling that old house down the street. You know, where that old lady lived.”
“I saw a sign at the grocery store. They're having a tag sale. Man, I bet there's some great old stuff in there. Let's make a point to go Saturday. We'll get there early for some real bargains.”
By the end of that Saturday, when the last piece of her life has been sold, she will be but a memory for someone. Her worth to whatever family members laid claim to her property, will be in dollars and cents. She was just passing through this life, biding her time.
“How sad,” you say to yourself. How sad indeed. Sad that you never got to know her.
If you had taken the time to say “hello” one day you would have been blessed. Perhaps walking the down the street one early summer's eve you would have seen her sitting on the old oak rocking chair you got at a bargain price the day they auctioned off her life. That chair was hand made by her Father. He came to America with the skill of a craftsman and raised her and her seven siblings with his bare hands. Her Momma sat in that chair and breast fed every one of them. She made their clothes, baked bread everyday and tended to a large garden that they depended on for fresh vegetables.
This mysterious old lady was married once for what would have been a lifetime for most of us. Her husband died years ago, but not before he paid the last payment on the home you rummaged through on Saturday.
Children? They had seven kids and raised them on hand-me-downs and fresh garden vegetables. Two died at an early age, one in a car accident when he was just a teen. The others went on to college and scattered across the U.S. in search of big dollars, big homes and little respect for who gave them life and everything they had today.
Except for a few photographs that they split among themselves as tokens of the “good old days” they each received their portion of the estate and went on with their lives.
Somewhere in her possessions they found an envelope filled with cash. On it was written the words, “I couldn't spend your money.” For they would send her checks to pay someone to cut the grass and shovel the sidewalk.
She did it herself. She had no living relatives and very few friends to visit her. The ones still around were tucked away in nursing homes she couldn't get to visit.
Yes, how sad it is that you didn't take the time to say hello. You would have met an honest to goodness Angel here on earth.
I am guilty, too. You see, I wouldn't have met her either except one day while driving past her house I blew a tire and pulled by the side of the road. While struggling with the spare, she came out and offered me a fresh glass of homemade iced tea. I sat on her steps as she rocked in that chair and told me a lifetime of stories. She talked so long she apologized for she rarely got visitors. I assured her that she need not apologize at all. I was the one who was sorry that I had never stopped by sooner.
“You are an angel,” I told her.In her sweet, gentle voice she said, “We are each other's angels. We meet when it is time.” She died the other day and I sat on her front porch and watched her life fall apart. The neighbors got some real bargains that day. But I found a treasure.
~ By Bob Perks
How many familiar faces do we pass by on a daily basis without taking the time to say hello and share a friendly word of encouragement? One of the many blessings that surround us is the treasure of people who are filled with wisdom and knowledge that can really add to our lives.
May today's message encourages your heart to seek out those whom you haven't spent time with recently and make a conscious decision that you will be a blessing and in return be blessed for keeping wise company.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.' - Proverbs 13:20
Love Letters From Heaven
This is a good story that reminded me that God is always there to comfort us in the trying times of life. He knows exactly how to touch each of His children in a special way to let us know that He is near. I hope you find encouragement in this simple message to continue trusting God in every aspect of your life and know that He is the answer to your every problem.
Love Letters From Heaven
Several years ago my husband, George, died of complications following an automobile accident. Ours had been a long, happy marriage, and his death left me deeply depressed. As time passed, instead of being grateful for all the wonderful years we'd shared, I became engulfed in self pity. Often I prayed, 'Lord, why didn't you take me first?'
When I broke my leg a few weeks before my ninetieth birthday, I felt more confined and alone than ever before. 'If only George was here' I despaired, 'he would chase away the sadness with words of wisdom and encouragement.'
On this particular day, I decided to call a friend and ask her to visit. Unfortunately, she was leaving on a trip and couldn't come.
I understood. But as I hung up the phone, tears started to flow. I moved to the window to sit in my favorite chair with Duke, my beloved cat, curled up in my lap. 'Dear God,' I prayed, weeping, 'Please give me the strength to get through this hour.'
Get your Bible, a quiet voice inside me nudged. But my Bible was in the bedroom, and with my leg in a cast, it would be too hard to retrieve. Then I remembered my small travel Bible. Hadn't I seen it on the living room bookshelf? I found it and opened it, surprised to discover that it was George's old travel Bible instead of mine. They looked alike, and I thought I'd given his Bible away.
I turned the pages until I reached my favorite Scripture. Suddenly a letter fell into my lap. Carefully I unfolded the yellowed pages. It was a love letter from George. In it, he expressed his deep affection for me. His words of comfort went straight to my lonely heart.
My cheeks wet with tears, I continued to leaf through the Bible. In the back pages I found more notes from George. According to the date, he'd written these in the hospital prior to an early surgery. He must have feared that he would not return home. After he recovered from the surgery, the letter and notes were forgotten.
But no, I realized. They were not forgotten. God knew exactly where George's words of comfort were hidden and exactly when I'd need them the most. Laughing some and crying some, I spent the rest of the afternoon basking in the company of both my husband's letters and my Lord. I never felt less alone, and now I knew for certain that I never would be.
~ By Lucille Heimrich
What a comfort it should be to every believer to have the Lord of lords and King of kings on our side and fighting our battles. It is true that while we are on the earth we will have problems, but Jesus says “be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Every time you are tempted to worry about and fear what the future holds, remember God's promise and know that He has everything under control. Nothing ever takes God by surprise, so stand strong in your faith and know that Victory is yours. (Revelation 17:14) (John 16:33) (Matthew 6:27-30)
The Lord promises to comfort and strengthen us in times of adversity. If you are feeling discouraged and think nobody cares, I have good news for you. The Lord cares for you more than you will ever know. His love is not conditioned on how good we are or how many accomplishments we have achieved. God loves us despite our failures and weaknesses and waits for us to call upon His name with open arms. (Jeremiah 31:3) (Psalm 139:17-18)
I encourage you to endure and never give up on this life that God has given you. Take comfort in the refuge of our wonderful Lord and Father. The Joy to come in Heaven will make every tear and struggle seem all the more worthwhile. The Bible declares in 1 Corinthians 2:9, 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.
'Encourage yourself today in the Lord and know that all is well. God has everything under control and will be there for you in the times of trouble. Lean on Him and He will be sure to keep you standing upright; for our God can do anything except fail you. (Ephesians 6:10) (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
Love Letters From Heaven
Several years ago my husband, George, died of complications following an automobile accident. Ours had been a long, happy marriage, and his death left me deeply depressed. As time passed, instead of being grateful for all the wonderful years we'd shared, I became engulfed in self pity. Often I prayed, 'Lord, why didn't you take me first?'
When I broke my leg a few weeks before my ninetieth birthday, I felt more confined and alone than ever before. 'If only George was here' I despaired, 'he would chase away the sadness with words of wisdom and encouragement.'
On this particular day, I decided to call a friend and ask her to visit. Unfortunately, she was leaving on a trip and couldn't come.
I understood. But as I hung up the phone, tears started to flow. I moved to the window to sit in my favorite chair with Duke, my beloved cat, curled up in my lap. 'Dear God,' I prayed, weeping, 'Please give me the strength to get through this hour.'
Get your Bible, a quiet voice inside me nudged. But my Bible was in the bedroom, and with my leg in a cast, it would be too hard to retrieve. Then I remembered my small travel Bible. Hadn't I seen it on the living room bookshelf? I found it and opened it, surprised to discover that it was George's old travel Bible instead of mine. They looked alike, and I thought I'd given his Bible away.
I turned the pages until I reached my favorite Scripture. Suddenly a letter fell into my lap. Carefully I unfolded the yellowed pages. It was a love letter from George. In it, he expressed his deep affection for me. His words of comfort went straight to my lonely heart.
My cheeks wet with tears, I continued to leaf through the Bible. In the back pages I found more notes from George. According to the date, he'd written these in the hospital prior to an early surgery. He must have feared that he would not return home. After he recovered from the surgery, the letter and notes were forgotten.
But no, I realized. They were not forgotten. God knew exactly where George's words of comfort were hidden and exactly when I'd need them the most. Laughing some and crying some, I spent the rest of the afternoon basking in the company of both my husband's letters and my Lord. I never felt less alone, and now I knew for certain that I never would be.
~ By Lucille Heimrich
What a comfort it should be to every believer to have the Lord of lords and King of kings on our side and fighting our battles. It is true that while we are on the earth we will have problems, but Jesus says “be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Every time you are tempted to worry about and fear what the future holds, remember God's promise and know that He has everything under control. Nothing ever takes God by surprise, so stand strong in your faith and know that Victory is yours. (Revelation 17:14) (John 16:33) (Matthew 6:27-30)
The Lord promises to comfort and strengthen us in times of adversity. If you are feeling discouraged and think nobody cares, I have good news for you. The Lord cares for you more than you will ever know. His love is not conditioned on how good we are or how many accomplishments we have achieved. God loves us despite our failures and weaknesses and waits for us to call upon His name with open arms. (Jeremiah 31:3) (Psalm 139:17-18)
I encourage you to endure and never give up on this life that God has given you. Take comfort in the refuge of our wonderful Lord and Father. The Joy to come in Heaven will make every tear and struggle seem all the more worthwhile. The Bible declares in 1 Corinthians 2:9, 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.
'Encourage yourself today in the Lord and know that all is well. God has everything under control and will be there for you in the times of trouble. Lean on Him and He will be sure to keep you standing upright; for our God can do anything except fail you. (Ephesians 6:10) (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
Spiritual Vitamins
Anxious? Take Vitamin A....'All things work together forgood for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.' (Romans 8:28)
Blue? Take Vitamin B...'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.' (Psalm 103:1)
Crushed? Take Vitamin C...'Cast all your anxiety on Him,because He cares for you.' (1 Peter 5:7)
Depressed? Take Vitamin D...'Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.' (James 4:8)Empty? Take Vitamin E...'Enter His gates with thanksgiving,and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.' (Psalm 100:4)
Fearful? Take Vitamin F...'Fear not, for I am with you, do not be afraid for I am your God.' (Isaiah 41:10)
Greedy? Take Vitamin G...'Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together,running over, will be put unto your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.' (Luke 6:38)
Hesitant? Take Vitamin H...'How beautiful upon themountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation,who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'' (Isaiah 52:7)
Insecure? Take Vitamin I...'I can do all things throughChrist who strengthens me.' (Philippians 4:13)
Jittery? Take Vitamin J...'Jesus Christ is the sameyesterday and today and forever.' (Hebrews 13:8)
Know nothing? Take Vitamin K...'Know this, that the Lord is God, it is He that made us and not we ourselves.' (Psalm 100:3)
Lonely? Take Vitamin L...'Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' (Matthew 28:20)
Mortgaged? Take Vitamin M...'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'(2 Corinthians 12:9)
Nervous? Take Vitamin N...'Never, no never will I leave you nor forsake you.' (Hebrews 13:5)Overwhelmed? Take Vitamin O...'Overcome evil with good.' (Romans 12:21)
Perplexed or puzzled? Take Vitamin P....'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be trouble, and do not let them be afraid.' (John 14:27)
Quitting? Take Vitamin Q ... 'quit you like men and women,be strong.' (1Corinthians 16:13)Restless? Take Vitamin R...'Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.' (Psalm 37:7)Scared? Take Vitamin S...'Stay with me, and do not be afraid; for the one who seeks my life seeks your life; you will be safe with me.' (1 Samuel 22:23)
Tired? Take Vitamin T...'Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.' (Isaiah 40:31)
Uncertain? Take Vitamin U...'Understand that I am the Lord. Before Me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after Me.' (Isaiah 43:10)
Vain? Take Vitamin V...'Vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. (Acts 5:16)Wondering what to do? Take Vitamin W...'What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.' (Micah 6:8)
eXhausted? Take Vitamin X...'eXercise thyself rather unto godliness.' (1Timothy 4:7)
Yearning for hope? Take Vitamin Y...'Yes, 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.' (Psalm 23:4)
Zapped? Take Vitamin Z...'Zealous for good deeds'(Titus 2:14)
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Acres of Diamond
A farmer lived in Africa and through a visitor became tremendously excited about looking for diamonds.
Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the years slipped by, constantly searching for diamonds, wealth, which he never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw himself into a river and drowned.
Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went into terminal convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm said, “Heck, the whole farm is covered with them” - and sure enough it was.
The farm turned out to be the 'Kimberly Diamond Mine', the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on “Acres of Diamonds” until he sold his farm. Opportunity does not just come along, it is there all the time. We just have to see it.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath.' - Deuteronomy 28:12–13
Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the years slipped by, constantly searching for diamonds, wealth, which he never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw himself into a river and drowned.
Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went into terminal convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm said, “Heck, the whole farm is covered with them” - and sure enough it was.
The farm turned out to be the 'Kimberly Diamond Mine', the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on “Acres of Diamonds” until he sold his farm. Opportunity does not just come along, it is there all the time. We just have to see it.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath.' - Deuteronomy 28:12–13
Don't Look Back
As you travel through life there are always those times,
When decisions just have to be made.
When the choices are hard, and solutions seem scarce,
And the rain seems to soak your parade.
There are some situations where all you can do
Is simply let go and move on,
Gather your courage and choose a direction
That carries you toward a new dawn.
So pack up your troubles and take a step forward -
The process of change can be tough,
But think about all the excitement ahead
If you can be stalwart enough!
There might be adventures you never imagined
Just waiting around the next bend,
And wishes and dreams just about to come true
In ways you can't yet comprehend!
Perhaps you'll find friendships that spring from new things
As you challenge your status quo,
And learn there are so many options in life,
And so many ways you can grow!
Perhaps you'll go places you never expected
And see things that you've never seen,
Or travel to fabulous, faraway worlds
And wonderful spots in between!
Perhaps you'll find warmth and affection and caring
And somebody special who's there
To help you stay centered and listen with interest
To stories and feelings you share.
Perhaps you'll find comfort in knowing your friends
Are supportive of all that you do,
And believe that whatever decisions you make,
They'll be the right choices for you.
So keep putting one foot in front of the other,
And taking your life day by day...
There's a brighter tomorrow that's just down the road -
Don't look back! You're not going that way!
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.'-Isaiah 58:8
When decisions just have to be made.
When the choices are hard, and solutions seem scarce,
And the rain seems to soak your parade.
There are some situations where all you can do
Is simply let go and move on,
Gather your courage and choose a direction
That carries you toward a new dawn.
So pack up your troubles and take a step forward -
The process of change can be tough,
But think about all the excitement ahead
If you can be stalwart enough!
There might be adventures you never imagined
Just waiting around the next bend,
And wishes and dreams just about to come true
In ways you can't yet comprehend!
Perhaps you'll find friendships that spring from new things
As you challenge your status quo,
And learn there are so many options in life,
And so many ways you can grow!
Perhaps you'll go places you never expected
And see things that you've never seen,
Or travel to fabulous, faraway worlds
And wonderful spots in between!
Perhaps you'll find warmth and affection and caring
And somebody special who's there
To help you stay centered and listen with interest
To stories and feelings you share.
Perhaps you'll find comfort in knowing your friends
Are supportive of all that you do,
And believe that whatever decisions you make,
They'll be the right choices for you.
So keep putting one foot in front of the other,
And taking your life day by day...
There's a brighter tomorrow that's just down the road -
Don't look back! You're not going that way!
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.'-Isaiah 58:8
A Remarkable Phone Call
This is good. Definitely worth listening to. Only takes you 2.23 minutes. You will be blessed.
'A remarkable phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston Christian radio station KSBJ FM 89.3. So profound, the station has it posted on their website. Click below to listen to it. It's short .
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zCdZwitrNoY
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'A remarkable phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston Christian radio station KSBJ FM 89.3. So profound, the station has it posted on their website. Click below to listen to it. It's short .
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zCdZwitrNoY
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
Sun Will Shine Again
Even though the sky seems dark, believe in the future.
The storm will pass over. The clouds will roll by.
Believe in the best though it seems hidden.
Know that it will come though it’s not in sight.
Your faith will take you through the darkness.
Your belief shall prove that the sun will shine again.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.'- Psalm 91:5–8
The storm will pass over. The clouds will roll by.
Believe in the best though it seems hidden.
Know that it will come though it’s not in sight.
Your faith will take you through the darkness.
Your belief shall prove that the sun will shine again.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.'- Psalm 91:5–8
A Tale of Two Parrots
An old lady was tired of her daughter-in-law’s frequent attacks using abusive words. The young lady had a pet parrot, which repeated these foul words whenever the old woman came near. This intensified her agony.
The worried old woman sought the help of the parish priest. He gave her his own pet parrot, trained to recite only prayers and holy words. He asked her to keep his parrot in a cage, close to the parrot at home. He hoped that the lady’s parrot would learn some good words from his pet and would forget the words of curse forever. Overjoyed, the old woman followed the vicar’s instructions.
The next morning, when the old woman approached the cages for feeding the pets, the domestic parrot repeated the usual words of curse, “Let the old fool go to hell.” Then the priest’s parrot added, “God, hear this prayer.”
We cannot transform a fallen friend by our passive presence alone. But God can work wonders with His grace and our earnest efforts in His name.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.' - Hebrews 10:23
The worried old woman sought the help of the parish priest. He gave her his own pet parrot, trained to recite only prayers and holy words. He asked her to keep his parrot in a cage, close to the parrot at home. He hoped that the lady’s parrot would learn some good words from his pet and would forget the words of curse forever. Overjoyed, the old woman followed the vicar’s instructions.
The next morning, when the old woman approached the cages for feeding the pets, the domestic parrot repeated the usual words of curse, “Let the old fool go to hell.” Then the priest’s parrot added, “God, hear this prayer.”
We cannot transform a fallen friend by our passive presence alone. But God can work wonders with His grace and our earnest efforts in His name.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.' - Hebrews 10:23
Life Is Not Perfect
Go ahead with life as it is, with the bumps and pitfalls. However it is, give your best to every moment.
Don’t spend your time waiting for the perfect situation, something which is not very likely to come.
Life is not perfect; the way you live can make it perfectly wonderful.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.'- Jeremiah 29:11
Don’t spend your time waiting for the perfect situation, something which is not very likely to come.
Life is not perfect; the way you live can make it perfectly wonderful.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.'- Jeremiah 29:11
An Elegant Escape
One day an old dog fell down into a barren well. The animal cried aloud. Its owner heard the cry but decided to abandon the dog, as it was very old and sick. The well was useless and so he decided to fill it with mud and bury the dog alive. His children and some workers came to his help. They began to shovel dirt into the well.
When each shovelful of dirt fell on his back, the dog would shake it off and take a step up. They continued to shovel dirt on top of the dog at maximum speed. But the dog continued to shake off the dirt and rise up from the well step by step. Soon, everyone was amazed as the dog stepped up over the edge of the well and happily reached his master, wagging his tail affectionately. The man felt very sorry for trying to bury his loving pet.
The smart dog teaches us a good lesson. In life, troubles, suffering and failures may fall on us like the dirt that fell on the dog. Let us not worry about them or feel hopeless. We should not let the troubles defeat us or bury us. We must shake them off and rise to the top, step by step, using every failure as a stepping-stone. Let us trust in God who will guide us through all our problems.
A poet teaches the difference between pessimism and optimism thus:Two men looked out from prison bars. One saw mud, the other saw stars.
Let us choose to look up to Heaven and rejoice in the Lord!
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking Him with a thankful heart' - Philippians 4:6
When each shovelful of dirt fell on his back, the dog would shake it off and take a step up. They continued to shovel dirt on top of the dog at maximum speed. But the dog continued to shake off the dirt and rise up from the well step by step. Soon, everyone was amazed as the dog stepped up over the edge of the well and happily reached his master, wagging his tail affectionately. The man felt very sorry for trying to bury his loving pet.
The smart dog teaches us a good lesson. In life, troubles, suffering and failures may fall on us like the dirt that fell on the dog. Let us not worry about them or feel hopeless. We should not let the troubles defeat us or bury us. We must shake them off and rise to the top, step by step, using every failure as a stepping-stone. Let us trust in God who will guide us through all our problems.
A poet teaches the difference between pessimism and optimism thus:Two men looked out from prison bars. One saw mud, the other saw stars.
Let us choose to look up to Heaven and rejoice in the Lord!
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking Him with a thankful heart' - Philippians 4:6
Blossom Like A Flower
The realization of happiness happens only after experience of pain.
If we desire to blossom like a flower in the garden of life,
Then we must learn the art of adjusting our life with the thorns.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Behold, I make all things new.'- Revelation 21:5
If we desire to blossom like a flower in the garden of life,
Then we must learn the art of adjusting our life with the thorns.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Behold, I make all things new.'- Revelation 21:5
The Commandment
We are familiar with the fourteen stations of the 'way of the cross'. Pictures of each station are fixed on the walls of several churches. Some churches have the stations arranged on the sides of a passage, so that the prayers can be held in a procession outside the church. Recently a fifteenth station, the resurrection of Jesus has been added in some churches for a more meaningful journey with Jesus whose path did not end in the tomb.
A rich old lady was found to recite the prayers of the 'way of the cross' every day after the Morning Mass in a church. The Vicar was happy to see this pious routine. But once he noticed that the lady was skipping the eighth station - where Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem. She was found to skip this station everyday. He asked her about this. Her reply was emphatic. 'Who will kneel before that picture? It was donated by that evil woman.' The Vicar enquired and found that at the time of construction of the church, a very poor lady had paid the cost of the picture of station-8. She could not offer more as she was very poor. It was then that the rich lady came to donate money for the whole series of fourteen pictures. She could pay for only thirteen pictures as the poor lady had already paid for the eighth picture. That was the reason behind the enmity and the skip of a station.
Similar rivalry and shows of ego are common even among believers. Jesus taught us to love others, even our enemies. Jesus said, 'And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples'{John 13: 34, 35}. St. John advised, 'If someone says he loves God, but hates his brother, he is a liar. For he cannot love God, whom he has not seen, if he does not love his brother, whom he has seen'{1 John 4: 20, 21}.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
A rich old lady was found to recite the prayers of the 'way of the cross' every day after the Morning Mass in a church. The Vicar was happy to see this pious routine. But once he noticed that the lady was skipping the eighth station - where Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem. She was found to skip this station everyday. He asked her about this. Her reply was emphatic. 'Who will kneel before that picture? It was donated by that evil woman.' The Vicar enquired and found that at the time of construction of the church, a very poor lady had paid the cost of the picture of station-8. She could not offer more as she was very poor. It was then that the rich lady came to donate money for the whole series of fourteen pictures. She could pay for only thirteen pictures as the poor lady had already paid for the eighth picture. That was the reason behind the enmity and the skip of a station.
Similar rivalry and shows of ego are common even among believers. Jesus taught us to love others, even our enemies. Jesus said, 'And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples'{John 13: 34, 35}. St. John advised, 'If someone says he loves God, but hates his brother, he is a liar. For he cannot love God, whom he has not seen, if he does not love his brother, whom he has seen'{1 John 4: 20, 21}.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
The Door Without A Handle
A famous painter painted a beautiful picture of Jesus knocking at a closed door. He showed it to his friends. They pointed out a defect in the painting. The door in the picture had no visible handle to open it. The painter said, ' The door has no handle outside. It can be opened only from the inside. It represents our heart.' It was a portrayal of the verse 3:20 from the Book of Revelation, 'Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to his house and eat with him, and he will eat with me.'
This message teaches us that Jesus is knocking at the door of our heart, awaiting our invitation to enter and be with us. It is said that though God is omnipotent and omnipresent, the human mind is a special place where He enters only with our consent. He has granted us the freedom to frame our attitude to Him.
Let us open the doors of our heart and greet our Lord with pleasure. Let us seek His blessings and request Him to purify us.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
This message teaches us that Jesus is knocking at the door of our heart, awaiting our invitation to enter and be with us. It is said that though God is omnipotent and omnipresent, the human mind is a special place where He enters only with our consent. He has granted us the freedom to frame our attitude to Him.
Let us open the doors of our heart and greet our Lord with pleasure. Let us seek His blessings and request Him to purify us.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
Power of Providence
Once upon a time, following a shipwreck, one of the crew managed to hold on to a wooden remnant of the ship and was washed ashore a desolate island. He stayed there for many months expecting a rescue by some other ship. He built a tent and started a new way of life. Most of the time he reached the beach and looked for signs of help from an approaching ship. He prayed fervently but his prayers were not answered for a long period.
One day, feeling much depressed and disgusted, he stood at the beach, as usual, inspecting the horizon, expecting the appearance of a ship as an answer to his prayers. Suddenly, to his horror, he found that his tent was on fire. He rushed to the scene but was helpless. He cursed God and his fate, as his last possessions were lost in the fire. He returned to the beach, ready to commit suicide in the ocean.
As he entered the water, he could see the flag of a distant ship. A boat was fast approaching him. The sailors arrived and rescued him. Back in the ship, he asked the captain how they could learn about his plight. The captain said, 'We saw the fire and the smoke rising from that island. We sent the boat expecting some one there.'
It was only then that he realized that God's ways are mysterious. He felt sorry for cursing God for letting his only possessions catch fire. He realized that the fire was God's signal to the sailors in a distant ship. He learned to trust His lasting love.
Who do you trust in times of your adversity?
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.' - Jeremiah 29:11
One day, feeling much depressed and disgusted, he stood at the beach, as usual, inspecting the horizon, expecting the appearance of a ship as an answer to his prayers. Suddenly, to his horror, he found that his tent was on fire. He rushed to the scene but was helpless. He cursed God and his fate, as his last possessions were lost in the fire. He returned to the beach, ready to commit suicide in the ocean.
As he entered the water, he could see the flag of a distant ship. A boat was fast approaching him. The sailors arrived and rescued him. Back in the ship, he asked the captain how they could learn about his plight. The captain said, 'We saw the fire and the smoke rising from that island. We sent the boat expecting some one there.'
It was only then that he realized that God's ways are mysterious. He felt sorry for cursing God for letting his only possessions catch fire. He realized that the fire was God's signal to the sailors in a distant ship. He learned to trust His lasting love.
Who do you trust in times of your adversity?
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.' - Jeremiah 29:11
Where You Take Your Life
Over the same sea, on the same winds;
A ship sails in one direction, another in opposite.
It is not the wind that decides which direction the ship goes;
Its the sails; how they are tied and how they are maneauvered.
Similarly, it is not fate that decides where your life is going;
It is all about how you take life and where you take it to.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might.'- Ecclesiastes 9:10
A ship sails in one direction, another in opposite.
It is not the wind that decides which direction the ship goes;
Its the sails; how they are tied and how they are maneauvered.
Similarly, it is not fate that decides where your life is going;
It is all about how you take life and where you take it to.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might.'- Ecclesiastes 9:10
The 4 Models of Man
A great teacher wanted to enlighten his students about different kinds of attributes and attitudes of people. He exhibited four models of man made using different materials- mud, sponge, stone and sugar respectively. He gave four bowls containing water and asked them to study how the models reacted with water.
The model made of mud dissolved and polluted the water. The sponge model absorbed water. The stone model was inert while the sugar model dissolved and sweetened the water. The teacher then explained the observations and their implications.
The persons resembling mud interfere with others, create problems and disrupt peaceful social life. Persons resembling sponge exploit others and receive benefits from society without offering any help or service. The stone-like persons are inert but do not offer any service to society. The people resembling sugar are ready to sacrifice themselves to serve others and sweeten the society.
So do you choose to be Mud, Sponge, Stone or Sugar?
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them. Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God. Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them His children.'- Matthew 5:7-9
The model made of mud dissolved and polluted the water. The sponge model absorbed water. The stone model was inert while the sugar model dissolved and sweetened the water. The teacher then explained the observations and their implications.
The persons resembling mud interfere with others, create problems and disrupt peaceful social life. Persons resembling sponge exploit others and receive benefits from society without offering any help or service. The stone-like persons are inert but do not offer any service to society. The people resembling sugar are ready to sacrifice themselves to serve others and sweeten the society.
So do you choose to be Mud, Sponge, Stone or Sugar?
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them. Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God. Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them His children.'- Matthew 5:7-9
Recipe For A Happy New Year
Take twelve whole months,
Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness, hate, and jealousy,
Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.
Now cut each month into twenty-eight, thirty, orthirty-one different parts,
but don't make up the whole batch at once.
Prepare it one day at a time out of these ingredients.
Mix well into each day one part of faith,
one part of patience, one part of courage,
and one part of work.
Add to each day one part of hope,
faithfulness, generosity, and kindness.
Blend with one part prayer,one part meditation, and one good deed.
Season the whole with a dash of good spirits,
a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play,
and a cupful of good humor.
Pour all of this into a vessel of love.
Cook thoroughly over radiant joy,
garnish with a smile,
and serve with quietness, unselfishness,
and cheerfulness.
That equates = A Happy New Year!
Here's wishing you a very Enriching & Blessed 2008!
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness, hate, and jealousy,
Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.
Now cut each month into twenty-eight, thirty, orthirty-one different parts,
but don't make up the whole batch at once.
Prepare it one day at a time out of these ingredients.
Mix well into each day one part of faith,
one part of patience, one part of courage,
and one part of work.
Add to each day one part of hope,
faithfulness, generosity, and kindness.
Blend with one part prayer,one part meditation, and one good deed.
Season the whole with a dash of good spirits,
a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play,
and a cupful of good humor.
Pour all of this into a vessel of love.
Cook thoroughly over radiant joy,
garnish with a smile,
and serve with quietness, unselfishness,
and cheerfulness.
That equates = A Happy New Year!
Here's wishing you a very Enriching & Blessed 2008!
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
The Blessing Tree
I read about a young couple whose business had failed, and they had little money to spend at Christmas. They were going to have to move out of their house after the New Year. But they didn't want their holiday season to be spoiled because of it. So they decided to throw a party. When the guests arrived, they saw a cedar tree decorated with one string of lights and small rolled-up pieces of paper tied to the limbs with ribbon.
'Welcome to our 'blessing tree'!' they said, beaming. 'In spite of hard times, God has blessed us in so many ways that we decided to dedicate our tree to Him. Each piece of paper describes a blessing He has given us this year.'
This couple has faced more trials since then, but they have chosen to stay focused on the Lord. They often remark that the Christmas with the 'blessing tree' was one of their most beautiful, because they could testify as Mary did: 'My spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour... He who is mighty has done great things for me'. (Luke 1:47-49).
Whatever your difficulties, they needn't spoil Christmas, for nothing can spoil Christ! Stay focused on Jesus and seek ways to share His blessings with others — perhaps through your own 'blessing tree.'
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'He who is mighty has done great things for me.' - Luke 1:49
'Welcome to our 'blessing tree'!' they said, beaming. 'In spite of hard times, God has blessed us in so many ways that we decided to dedicate our tree to Him. Each piece of paper describes a blessing He has given us this year.'
This couple has faced more trials since then, but they have chosen to stay focused on the Lord. They often remark that the Christmas with the 'blessing tree' was one of their most beautiful, because they could testify as Mary did: 'My spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour... He who is mighty has done great things for me'. (Luke 1:47-49).
Whatever your difficulties, they needn't spoil Christmas, for nothing can spoil Christ! Stay focused on Jesus and seek ways to share His blessings with others — perhaps through your own 'blessing tree.'
Yrs lovingly,
Adele Josephine Tan
'He who is mighty has done great things for me.' - Luke 1:49
Where's The Leash?
Recently, while out for food with friends, I noticed a man walking his dog past the restaurant. Normally, I wouldn't have looked twice. But the dog's owner had taken the leash, put it in a figure-eight configuration, and placed it firmly in the dog's mouth.
My friends explained that it's against the law to walk a dog without a leash. This clever dog owner had found a loophole - the law didn't stipulate that you actually have to hold the leash! The amazing part is not the loophole, but that the dog was walking in obedient step with his owner, even though he could have bolted away to chase a nearby cat.
Our walk with God needs to be like that. While God in His mercy gives us a long leash and rarely gives us spiritual whiplash by yanking on it, He doesn't delight in the struggle to keep us in line. He delights when we walk in a surrendered way with Him.
When Israel whined to the prophet Micah about how hard they thought it was to please God, He replied with a straightforward, simple way to please Him. Being just and loving mercy while we walk humbly with Him brings God great pleasure (Mic. 6:8). You'll know He is pleased when He doesn't have to hold your leash anymore.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele
'What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and towalk humbly with your God?' Micah 6:8
My friends explained that it's against the law to walk a dog without a leash. This clever dog owner had found a loophole - the law didn't stipulate that you actually have to hold the leash! The amazing part is not the loophole, but that the dog was walking in obedient step with his owner, even though he could have bolted away to chase a nearby cat.
Our walk with God needs to be like that. While God in His mercy gives us a long leash and rarely gives us spiritual whiplash by yanking on it, He doesn't delight in the struggle to keep us in line. He delights when we walk in a surrendered way with Him.
When Israel whined to the prophet Micah about how hard they thought it was to please God, He replied with a straightforward, simple way to please Him. Being just and loving mercy while we walk humbly with Him brings God great pleasure (Mic. 6:8). You'll know He is pleased when He doesn't have to hold your leash anymore.
Yrs lovingly,
Adele
'What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and towalk humbly with your God?' Micah 6:8
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