Free from Fear of Death

Not long ago, I brought Fidel to a funeral to send my condolence to a friend, whose father had passed away. At the hall where the coffin was placed, Fidel showed his usual excitement and curiosity at new places, walking around, touching everything seems interesting to him.

You asked me to carry you, to view the deceased uncle laying in the coffin. I did, and you looked at the body and said to me, 'like 'ye-ye' (grandpa)!' You definately remember your 'ye-ye' very well in his funeral.

Months passed.

One day, my colleague said to me, 'I want to thank your son for the impact he brought to some of my friends at my dad's funeral.' Seeing my perplexed expression, she explain that bringing a toddler to attend a funeral is something unusual for chinese, and the innocent behavior of my son had attract attention from them. They were surprised that you are so innocent and brave to insist to look at the deceased body in the coffin, and they were even more surprised that I carried you to have a look!

Our action caused them to some self reflection, and my colleague told me eventually, some of them pick up the courage to look at the deceased after we had left. This was the first time in their life they look at a death body.

Sons, I guess our trust in God, and the resurrected savior sets us free from fear of the death, and all kinds of superstitious fears. As Jesus once told the people around him, 'you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.' Death, for Christians, is only a passage from temporal to eternity, from labor to rest, from seen to unseen, and from promises to fulfilment.

One day, your dad will be with 'ye-ye'.

You shall miss me (I hope), but do not be dismay.

We shall meet again one day, and you will not only see your dad but our Heavenly Father too.

Give God the Best

One day, your dad went to buy fruits at market.When I told the fruit seller, 'give me 4 apples', he replied by asking 'for eating or for prayers?'.I can't help but to think to myself, 'is there any different in quality of the apples if I say its for offering?'.
If yes, it's better quality or worse?
I did not ask him.

Son, in our home, we don't offering foods or animals to God in our prayers and worship.It is because we believe our Creator and Provider does not need these.We cannot appease God with our offering; and we do not have to do so.
Because Jesus himself is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.
What He requires of us is our whole being, which is far more difficult to offer.
'Love your God with all your heart, with all your strength, with all your mind, with all your soul'. Jesus told the questioner who wanted to know what is the greatest commandment.
So, in Christian living, we offer our very being to God, to enjoy the fellowship with Him in worship.

God does not need apples and chickens.

He looks into our hearts, and say to us, 'let me be your King and Shepherd, to rule, to guide and to protect you from sins and evil.'

(this is how you pray every night with me)

I am learning each day, to offer my very best, to God.
God's love and grace is always available to help us.
And His mercy is there to forgive and sustain when we fail.Join me, my son. It is a wonderful experience, though not an easy one,
to learn to live our life glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

(sleeping or praying?)

Reading, a Good Discipline

Up to the age of 20 months, you still have little interest and patience to read.

But, you are already able to recognize a number of words from the little attention you pay while your mom and I try to read to you.

'Banana; aeroplane; moon; stars; tap water; clap hands; hot; ball; dirty; dog; cat; car; pray; eye; ear; mouth; nose; hair; head; 'jatuh' (falling); 'bau' (smelly); and many more in 3 languages.

You are smart.

You remind me of my brother (your uncle Daneil) in US, who could say all sorts of scientific names for animal, botany and dinasour at a very young age.

Son, develop good reading habit.

Read to learn and learn to read.

Your dad is not smart, and a slow learner, but I could think of few advice for reading from my experience.

First, read worthy books that worth invest your time and money. There are many reading materials that could polute your thought, obscure your morality, stir your imagination to the wrong direction, and choke your mind from making sound judgement.

Select your reading material carefully, with the guidence of God's word and holiness.

Secondly, read with discerning mind. What is the moral principles, values, world views that the author present?

What will be the consequence or logical outworking of those values and principles? And what is God's view on these?

Thirdly, learn to digest, summarize, and share the thoughts (in paper or in speech).

By engaging in meaningful conversation with others, your knowledge can be widen, and your thoughts can be sharpened.

Forthly, read widely to enhance your general knowledge. Philosophy, history, politics, science, economics, culture, arts ect. If you read them in the light and from the perspective of Christian worldview, it will be interesting and you will gain much insight.