I chilled at the WWII memorial yesterday which is located between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. As I sat there I thought about all those who went to war. All those who died who left behind families and loved ones just so freedom can be obtained. Many who fought in the war were younger than me... they probably never really experienced what it means to be a dad or a mom or even an adult. Many would think it is such a waste to die so young. I believe it is sad that they have to die in order to obtain such a precious gift as freedom. Yet how easily it is to forget the sacrifice of these brave young soldiers. How easily we live each day thinking that happiness should be a given and that happiness is our right. So many people who are able to live in America forget the blessings of being able to live freely and safely knowing that our home will not just blow up in the middle of the night, or that when we go to the bathroom it will flush, or that there are fresh water to shower and drink or that it will be warm when we sleep. We forget the luxury of being able to travel freely. We forget the luxury of cellphones and having a car or being able to ride public transportation. We forget the luxury of being able to listen to our ipods. We forget the luxury of being well fed. We are simply unhappy with all the blessings. or I should say I am unhappy or I am not content with my life. I love being able to just be reminded of how much I need to be thankful for. That God has allowed me to be living in this era with all these technological advances and the luxury of being able to live life freely. I am thankful that I remember those who have gone ahead and paved the way and I am thankful for their sacrifice to make my life so much more easier and luxurious.
This is why there are memorials built for them. It reminds me of Joshua 4 when Joshua and his people were commanded to cross the river with the ark and they were supposed to pick up twelve memorial stones so that they will remember what the Lord did for them.
God made a sacrifice as well to purchase our freedom. The sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ and He left us a memorial to remember Him. The bible, the time (BC and AD), and faithful men and women who preach the gospel.
This is the one sacrifice that mattered in the ultimate sense. The freedom of sin and the freedom of the burden of guilt are forever banished upon the cross. A lot of times I forget the price and the sacrifice that was made. Jesus never married and He did not have a prestigious life in the world's eyes. He had to hide from the pharisees and many people went to him only to use him for healing. He like the soldiers died young and didn't really experience life. He died so that we might be able to stand upon the freedom that He obtained. We are able to stand on the solid foundation of knowing that we are right with God. I need to be reminded of the sacrifice and be thankful for the freedom and luxury of knowing God.
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time." 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Spring break: a piece of home is coming to me =)
Spring break. Many of my friends go home for spring break. I on the other hand have a piece of home come to me.
My good high school friend Jaime Kim is schedule to arrive in about 3 hours. Her flight was delayed for 3+ hours. poor her I feel bad. After I blog this post, I will venture out on to the subway and head towards JFK to pick her up.
I miss home. I realized... even though I only spent high school years in so cal I would still call it my home. It's a long story and if you want to hear it you can call me up but basically... when people ask where you are from I would say so cal even though I lived there the shortest out of everywhere else I have lived.
Those four years were tough for my mom and probably my sister. I was rebellious (I am still rebellious). I was not saved. (even though I am saved now I still have much more to work on) I definitely wish I would have behaved differently... but I guess that's part of the maturing process.
Maybe because it was tough, I wanted to leave. I feel like a lot of times I am always on the run and never wanting to "return" home. Doesn't it remind you of the prodigal son?
Coming to NYC was not a big problem to me. Simply because I am used to being away from home... or actually I should say I am used to change. I was born and raised in HK. (8 years) immigrated to east coast (8 years) and then moved to so cal (4 years) and then bay area (7 years) and now what? nyc (5+ years?) however, maybe as I am simply getting older... I'm starting to miss home. Back in the days... thoughts of returning home would come but the moment would vanish before I can even hold it...
Or maybe it's the idea of home that I am missing.... where people are helping each other out, people are serving one another and people that knows you and understands you, people that you laugh with and people you have silences with... because they won't be awkward silences.
However, a lot of times, when I do think of home... I also think of the drama that sometimes happens. Then I am reminded of this verse:
"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." John 14:1-4
Maybe the idea of home on earth foreshadows the real home to come in heaven where it will be the fullest and greatest manifestation of the idea of home where love, joy and comfort are intertwined without the sin of drama.
Many times when school gets tough, I think of how after the semester is all over I will be able to go home for a bit. I think just knowing that allows me to push forward...
Similarly with life... when life gets tough and throws you a curve ball or somehow drama ends up on your lap... I think we should think of the heavenly home... knowing that when life is all over we will be able to go home... it should push us to move forward.
I remember at small group my friend told me how a lot of times we serve and we invest and then in the end if there is no positive fruit in the people we are investing in or mentoring/ discipling we get discouraged. Well someone else said that in order to not be discouraged we have to go back to the source of our joy... that is Jesus and the hope that indeed he will bring us home to a place where there will be no sin. That in the end nothing is wasted, God will redeem all that is lost. If we have that hope of our heavenly home in our minds we will be able to proceed and be encouraged knowing that God will definitely do His part to make things right.
I need to go back to prayer and bible reading... not for the sake of just puffing up my knowledge but to be reminded of the heavenly home to come.
I remember I went to Napa once with my god-sister Alice and her friend Jess. We had such a great time... we had a beautiful sunny picnic at one of the vineyards and it almost seemed as if we stepped away from reality. I believe it was a small glimpse of what heaven will be like. I remember days later when I was back in my office... I was talking to Alice and I think I was having a hard time dealing with some drama and was ready to perform a "shutdown and reboot on safety" on my life and I remember I told her... "man I wish the time we had at Napa never ended." She said... "yea but u kno u only appreciate napa because there's a world without napa. God made the world ugly for a reason."
Maybe that's why he permitted sin even though He is not the author of it... so that we may know what lavish grace He has pour onto us through Jesus Christ and how infinitely beautiful heaven really is. Who am I to question his wisdom.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9
I'm definitely thankful for Jaime to come. My mom gave her some pens, dried scallops and moisturizer... I think. I'll definitely give her a big hug when she comes... hopefully I don't end up crying tears of joy. haha she might think I'm tripping.
I think it's about time I give Jesus a big hug and embrace the bible again.
My good high school friend Jaime Kim is schedule to arrive in about 3 hours. Her flight was delayed for 3+ hours. poor her I feel bad. After I blog this post, I will venture out on to the subway and head towards JFK to pick her up.
I miss home. I realized... even though I only spent high school years in so cal I would still call it my home. It's a long story and if you want to hear it you can call me up but basically... when people ask where you are from I would say so cal even though I lived there the shortest out of everywhere else I have lived.
Those four years were tough for my mom and probably my sister. I was rebellious (I am still rebellious). I was not saved. (even though I am saved now I still have much more to work on) I definitely wish I would have behaved differently... but I guess that's part of the maturing process.
Maybe because it was tough, I wanted to leave. I feel like a lot of times I am always on the run and never wanting to "return" home. Doesn't it remind you of the prodigal son?
Coming to NYC was not a big problem to me. Simply because I am used to being away from home... or actually I should say I am used to change. I was born and raised in HK. (8 years) immigrated to east coast (8 years) and then moved to so cal (4 years) and then bay area (7 years) and now what? nyc (5+ years?) however, maybe as I am simply getting older... I'm starting to miss home. Back in the days... thoughts of returning home would come but the moment would vanish before I can even hold it...
Or maybe it's the idea of home that I am missing.... where people are helping each other out, people are serving one another and people that knows you and understands you, people that you laugh with and people you have silences with... because they won't be awkward silences.
However, a lot of times, when I do think of home... I also think of the drama that sometimes happens. Then I am reminded of this verse:
"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." John 14:1-4
Maybe the idea of home on earth foreshadows the real home to come in heaven where it will be the fullest and greatest manifestation of the idea of home where love, joy and comfort are intertwined without the sin of drama.
Many times when school gets tough, I think of how after the semester is all over I will be able to go home for a bit. I think just knowing that allows me to push forward...
Similarly with life... when life gets tough and throws you a curve ball or somehow drama ends up on your lap... I think we should think of the heavenly home... knowing that when life is all over we will be able to go home... it should push us to move forward.
I remember at small group my friend told me how a lot of times we serve and we invest and then in the end if there is no positive fruit in the people we are investing in or mentoring/ discipling we get discouraged. Well someone else said that in order to not be discouraged we have to go back to the source of our joy... that is Jesus and the hope that indeed he will bring us home to a place where there will be no sin. That in the end nothing is wasted, God will redeem all that is lost. If we have that hope of our heavenly home in our minds we will be able to proceed and be encouraged knowing that God will definitely do His part to make things right.
I need to go back to prayer and bible reading... not for the sake of just puffing up my knowledge but to be reminded of the heavenly home to come.
I remember I went to Napa once with my god-sister Alice and her friend Jess. We had such a great time... we had a beautiful sunny picnic at one of the vineyards and it almost seemed as if we stepped away from reality. I believe it was a small glimpse of what heaven will be like. I remember days later when I was back in my office... I was talking to Alice and I think I was having a hard time dealing with some drama and was ready to perform a "shutdown and reboot on safety" on my life and I remember I told her... "man I wish the time we had at Napa never ended." She said... "yea but u kno u only appreciate napa because there's a world without napa. God made the world ugly for a reason."
Maybe that's why he permitted sin even though He is not the author of it... so that we may know what lavish grace He has pour onto us through Jesus Christ and how infinitely beautiful heaven really is. Who am I to question his wisdom.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9
I'm definitely thankful for Jaime to come. My mom gave her some pens, dried scallops and moisturizer... I think. I'll definitely give her a big hug when she comes... hopefully I don't end up crying tears of joy. haha she might think I'm tripping.
I think it's about time I give Jesus a big hug and embrace the bible again.
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