Friday, January 16, 2009

Love through a child's eyes..
















LOVE.. Many people try to complicate this word. The most powerful word cannot be fully explained in mere words but through expressions through the works of our hands. I came across an email recently about a research that was done among children ages 4-8years old on the meaning of love. I was really touched and nearly put me to tears after reading their findings.

In Matthew 18, Jesus said:' Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes a humble place—becoming like this child—is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.'

There is so much we can learn from these little ones. Their understanding is truly out of this world, heavenly. Be Blessed!

WHAT LOVE MEANS TO 4-8 YEAR OLD

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.' Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries
without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before
giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss' Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.' Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.' Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Brad Pitt.' Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones..' Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.' Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8

And the final one ...

The best of all was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Embrace the dawn of hope


When was the last time the headlines of the newspaper was about something good? Nowadays, the majority of front page newspapers are often bombarded with tragedies, wars, credit crunch etc. One of the main sources of media that we all excess to feeds our eye and ear gates with all kinds of rubbish and depressing news. It has a psychological effect on the people, therefore we succumb ourselves to unnecessary panic, blame the government for everything under the sun (to the point that the government pays those who don’t work), rumours and gossip or better known as coffee shop talk. The world is being painted to be a picture of turmoil and suffering with a never ending chain of problems. The media seems to give the impression of, ‘If you can’t stop it, live with it’ attitude. Steps are taken to try and curb the problem or seemingly taking a course of action to help the public. Often things need to be politically correct and manipulation seeps in.

What has become of our world? End of times? Is there still hope?

As Elron, Lord of the Elves once said: ‘As the darkness grows in the east, the fate of man lies in the balance, but all hope is not lost yet.’

2009 is a year to be hopeful for. This is going to be a year of acceleration. A year of consecration of God’s people.

The number 2 speaks of division and separation.

The number 9 speaks of judgement.

3+6=9
The number 3 represents God.
The number 6 represents Man.

There is going to be conflict between God and Man. It will either be God’s way or Man’s way. We will have to choose. No more lukewarm-ness. No more grey areas. No more ‘just sit and wait’. God is looking for the nation changers and people willing to answer His call. Its time for us to wake up and press in.

2008 may have been a good or bad year for some. Whatever it is, 2009 is a new year!

Memories of yesterday, Challenges today and Anticipation for tomorrow.

Analogy of the Farmer:
'The farmer had a bad year of harvest. There was not enough rain, the seeds were not planted properly and there were prowlers who damaged the crop. He does not curse the gods for not providing enough rain. He does not fault the ground for being infertile. Neither does he blame the prowlers for being the spoil spot.

Yet, he picks up his tools and puts his hands to the plough once again. He gathers the failed crop not to throw them away, but to bury them. He turns the failed crop under the soil and plants the new seeds on top of it. The failed crop is used as fertiliser for the new harvest. He works hard, not knowing what season lies ahead. The ecosystem is messed up and he cannot predict anymore.

Nevertheless, when the rain comes, the farmer and his field will be ready. He is putting himself in preparation for the abundance.'

The farmer let the failed crops be the compose for tomorrow’s harvest!

Barack Obama, the new American president was lauded for his campaign slogan of ‘CHANGE we can believe in’. In his victory speech, he reiterated his stand and stated: ‘Today, Americans can HOPE once again’.

Joshua chapter 5 speaks of the Israelites preparing and strategizing to conquer Jericho. Jericho seemed too strong a fortress to subdue. Joshua is then confronted with a Man whom is the commander of the Lord’s army. The Man draws his sword against Joshua, not to engage but to challenge him to HOPE for the task ahead. The Lord will fight the battle on behalf of us, but we must do our part. Joshua laid his HOPE in the Lord for He has promised. He then goes back to his generals, scraps and CHANGES all the plans and applies God’s strategy. The Israelites did what seemed absolutely ridiculous by marching round Jericho city. I’m sure there was certain moaning and doubt of such an insane plan as they marched for 6 days. The Jericho-ites must have been laughing at the Israelites of what looked like a little ‘merry-go-round’. But on the 7th day, Jericho fell. Joshua was fixed on the dream and goal of taking down Jericho.

Don’t worry about the 6 days of marching, fix our eyes on the 7th day of triumphing!

God is our hope. Hope is the assurance for the future. Hope is the glimmer of possibility in the wake of uncertainty.

Let us bury our failures, prepare ourselves for the harvest and fix our eyes on the goal!

'Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 3:12-14