20170510 :A "CHASING MOMENT' @ Rottness Island , Perth! Encountering Jesus!

10/5/2017...A simple stroll along The Basin, Rottness Island, Perth @ about past 2pm leading to the unforgettable MOMENT , encountering JESUS.

Have you ever watched "The 4 Weddings and A Funeral" (Hugh Grant)?
I guessed, coming to Perth to attend one of my niece's wedding on 7/5/17, shortly only after my FIL's funeral on 28/4/17 was something that was kind of unplanned for in the first place.  Due to the failing health of my FIL, my hubby John and I dared not make any promise to attend this wedding - everything was 'play by ear' basis. Well, I had my own share of 1 Wedding and 2 Deaths in just a month!

Since my FIL passed on peacefully on 24/4/17, we decided to proceed to Perth. And to me, this trip will continue to remain in my mind for many years to come!  
                         **********************************

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
As usual, I decided to borrow some 5 books from the national library for this trip
Having been to Albany just last Sep 16, we decided to ferry to Rottness Island (after the wedding) this time, booking all the accommodation just a week before we departed from S'pore.

AFTER A LONG BIKING ON 10/5/2017 THU AROUND 2PM....

We started to cycle from our Hotel Rottness, Near Thomson Bay at about 9:30am.  Rottness is not a very big island and is only about 11km long and 5km wide.  It is the home to about 12,000 quokkas (  a cross breed of the kangaroo and a rat - looked like a BIG RAT!)

Having cycled almost past 22km, we were almost back to the hotel.  It was at this juncture that we arrived at a beach called The Basin.  This was one of the few beaches that had the changing room facilities.  It was almost 2pm and after some hesitation of whether or not to change into my swim gear, John encouraged me to do so as we still had some time before having to return the bike.

A MOMENTARY CHAT WITH A COUPLE

There were no one at the beach initially.  Just John and I.  Then came along a couple in there 60s called N & K.  N shared with me how he and his wife loved to swim in this Basin during summer time (but now it is autumn).  He even advised me not to go beyond the rocks as there were sharks!  John happened to be playing with his drone and 4 of us were captured in a rare memorable photo of our life time!

I decided to walk back to wash my feet and put back my shoes.  And both N&K went into the seawaters for their swim.

MOMENTS ALIVE AND MOMENTS GONE!

All in moments, suddenly from the sea beyond, we heard N cried out "HELP! HELP HELP!"   John immediately shouted to a passer by for assistance.  And this gentleman, called Ron, without hesitation - dived into the seawaters to get N!

John frantically dialled 995 & 999 without success.  Thanks to another passer-by who asked him to try 000- and it worked!  In the meantime, there was a Japanese couple who ran down and threw the life buoy into the waters.  I took off my teeshirt and joined K in trying to throw the buoy to the 2 men in the sea!

Ron managed to pulled N ashore.  However, by the time he reached us, his face was already facing downwards.  We turned him to face the sky, and the waves came upon his face.  the 3 of us tried our best to haul him up to the beach.  Thankfully, a ranger came by and with his another strong pair of arms, we managed to haul him up to a drier spot nearer to the rocks.  N was already unconscious. And I remembered asking if the ranger could do any CPR.  He answered he was a little rusty but nevertheless he proceeded.  

John came by with the mobile and was connected to the emergency person on the other side with instructions on how to do the CPR when his mobile suddenly had a reset and auto switch off! Oh My!

But thanks to the fast emergency response! The ambulance came very soon when the ranger was just in his less than 30 odd CPR pumps! And the professionals took over the resuscitation!

The area near the rocks where N was laid for the CPR

Above; Bald headed Ron - The HERO who dived into the sea to rescue N!

Above: The overview of the distance when N was found after the drift from his original position.  The waves were rather strong and the black patch were rocks in the seabed.  That was how my right feet got the cuts (got a tentanus jab back in Spore the next day)  It was not easy for K and I to try to walk further out to the sea to try to throw the buoy to the men as the waves kept on coming:(

A MOMENT IN PRAYER....

As the medical team did their best,  another elderly couple stopped by.  They came as they heard and saw the helicopter flew by.  They were believers. The hubby went to scene to check if further assistance was required, while on the spot, I held to the wife's hands and both of us prayed aloud for both N,K and the medics  "Lord, a breath of life please."  Our hearts went out especially to K who was all the time by the husband side as a helpless onlooker.  As minutes ticked on, we realised that the resuscitation was futile.  The medical team finally called it off.  

Much as we like to go down to have a word with K, we also realised that it could be too overwhelming and there was nothing we could do by then.  All of us decided to leave the place with a much sadden heart at about 3pm past.

The above tragedy was immediately report in PerthNews by evening that day.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/rottnest-island-death-man-dies-after-being-pulled-from-water/news-story/3dca36474558d7c1a354bfee19b7a63c

Some moments of reflections for me ......

1. CHASING MOMENTS?

• What are the odds of starting to read this book "Chasing Moments " by Ed Malone of all the 5 books which I borrowed from the library?
• What is the probability of finishing reading this book the nite before the actual physical moment of encountering this surreal drowning experience moment of my life the next day? ( I have never been in the real life of having to pull out a drowning man from the sea and watching CPR live in action!)

There is quote in this book which says " IF YOU SURRENDER YOUR MOMENTS TO HIM.  YOU WILL SEE THE MOMENTS YOU WERE CHASING HAVE COME TO YOU"!  Indeed, how true it can be!

My moments at Cape Valgminh and the Sunrise and Sunset in front of Hotel Rottness

2. EXPERIENCING JESUS?

Guess, you bet i did indeed!

This was the other book called "EXPERIENCING JESUS" compiled by James Stuart Bell of modern day stories of His supernatural Presence and Power-  which I finally finished reading on the plane back to S'pore.  Below , taken outside the hotel room in the courtyard at Rottness Hotel.

HEB 3 :1-2 "THEREFORE, HOLY BROTHERS, WHO SHARE IN THE HEAVENLY CALLING, FIX YOUR THOUGHTS ON JESUS, THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST WHOM WE CONFESS.  HE WAS FAITHFUL TO THE ONE WHO APPOINTED HIM"

FINAL THOUGHTS....

I am humbled by this entire surreal experience.
I am awed of His moments of showing me His Presence.
Will I live life or simply exist? Life is so fleeting indeed.
Imagine seeing Jesus face-to-face.
Jesus uses moments like this to make Himself known to me on 10/5/17.
Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Through this unique moment in a place and time at Rottness, far away from little Red Dot, yet He loves me just too much to reveal Himself to me in such a unique and special moment.  

So indeed, as we yearn and long more of Jesus, I pray that " If you surrender your moments to Him, you will definitely see the moments you were chasing have come to you"

CHASE JESUS.  EXPERIENCE HIM.

                           ##########################
PRACTICAL TIPS:
1. LEARN CPR !
2. LEARN ALL THE EMERGENCY NUMBERS IN THE COUNTRIES YOU ARE VISITING !
3. NEVER SWIM IN WATERS WHERE THERE ARE WAVES.  NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE UNDERCURRENTS AND THE RIP TIDES

FINAL FOOD FOR A MOMENT OF CONTEMPLATION .....

HEB 3:7-8 "SO, AS THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYS 'TODAY, IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS YOU DID IN REBELLION'

N as I saw him.  Merely moments he was alive and well chatting with me.  In just minutes of moments, as the turn of our backs to each other, he was dead.  Despite the rather quick action of bystanders whom we happened to be on site, he was unable to be revived after his few frantic calls for help.  Such is how fleeting our lives can be.

If you  are often testing the Lord and you know your heart is going astray and know not His ways, Heb 3:11 says "So I declared on oath in my anger, They shall never enter my rest"

Heb 3:12 "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turned away from the living God."

Heb3:13 "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness"

Won't you open your heart to the Saviour of your soul, the giver of your breath of life?

Let Today be this day.  We may never know when we will be called away from this earthly pilgrimage.  Like Ron, who would have expected that his life was shortened in just moments? There was no time to bid GOODBYE even from his beloved wife.

                                                                     **********************

This is post Rottness.  On 29/7/2017, I finally learnt CPR! 

20170424- Remembering FIL

Today 24/4/2017, my father-in-law was called Home. He was 88. More than what has the Lord willing to bless for someone surpassing 80 years of age as in Ps 90.

I remember the year he collapsed in late 2012 where John and I were supposed to go the Kota Kinabalu with the company staff and loved ones.  The trip was cancelled due to his sudden open heart surgery.(The Lord knew my heart which yearned for the trip . So with a twist, the runway at KK airport was suddenly closed for some unusual reason that day! And the whole tour group was delayed for more than a day! How funny the Lord was!  So it kind of made me felt not so bad after all!)   Thereafter by the mercy and grace of the Lord, he managed to pull through such a major surgery, however only to bear with subsequent years of kidney dialysis, 3 times a week.

The last 5 years of his life had been rather a painful time for the family seeing him being needled.  His last one month prior to his passing on, he lost his mobility of his legs & made several hospital trips.  Nevertheless, I witnessed the mercy of the Lord even at his last days.

I guessed I am a rather fortunate daughter-in-law.  My FIL loved me a lot despite having several intense discussions with him on our faith in Jesus Christ. He came to COOS with us back in 2005 after John was diagnosed with NPC. Rom 8:28. (When asked why he accepted Jesus then, he gave the reply that since so many in the family had become christians , mum included, so it was a family thing ! Opps wrong reason! Perhaps he was blur blur then, but I believed that the Lord heard and He is gracious & merciful) I remember when I was first married into the Chow family in 1991, I used to give thanks for the food served with eyes closed.  But then he gave some scare to me one day with his questions and thereafter I learnt to give thanks for the food with my eyes wide open!!!! That was how fierce he was!  Dining at home was a strictly no nonsense no chatting time among us.  He just did not like it when his children and wife made conversations at the dinner table - perhaps a traditional chinese thing. However, knowing that I am a Teochew - he always buy fish . (Hakkas are meat eaters, not fish)  Several times at the dining table, he would say out aloud "Ah Mui ah- eat fish, or is the fish nice? "  And I felt very embarrassed.  So I know, despite his fierce outlook, his inward was still tender.

Since the major open heart, many changes took place.  At his final command, we had to move out of the shophouse at South Bridge Road finally.  This was postponed for many years and his surgery expedited our move.  His dream was to renovate the family pride of this old conservation shophouse which bore the company name on its pillars. The move took place in July 2013.

My parents-in-law used to come to the office everyday until my FIL started his dialysis which kind of took a toll on his body. After I left my banking job in 1997, I joined the family business on part time basis until 2000 as full time. And from my FIL , I learnt this phrase which he shared with me regarding business which was passed down from grandfather.  It goes like this " Hai Ren Zhi Xin Bu Ke You, Fang Ren Zhi Xin Bu Ke Wu"- It stayed with me until today.   One of the memorable moments I used to giggle at , was the sight of both of them in their little room happily chatting and plucking the Tow Geh (Bean sprouts). Spouses do quarrel.  Yet there were such unique moments so sweet and tender to behold!

Architectural submissions began in 2014 for the old shophouse restoration works. Due to my FIL's health condition, John and I had been praying that he would be able to see to this completion of his dream.  There were many times he gave us scares when he was hospitalised :( Our heart attacks.

My FIL too had wanted to fulfil his dreams to re-visit China - his old home town and also to Melbourne to visit his 2 brothers.  He only managed to fulfill the former.  In May 2015, by the grace of the Lord, many of us accompanied him to Dabu, Meixian.  He wanted to have a taste of the highspeed train. So we flew to Wuhan and took that to Guangzhou.  That train was a 'Happening ' for him to witness how advance China had progressed.  That trip was also an eye opener for many of us. His dialysis at the hometown created a stir scare too but fortunately, one of the dialysis nurses came along with us and so all was well. Perhaps .  because of his own medical condition, he fully understood the pain that dialysis patients had to endure.  That trip saw my FIL's philantrophy in action.  He donated 2 dialysis machines to the hometown hospital.  However, for years earlier, his generosity towards education funding, hostel and old age homes has always there too.  Hence during the wake, many tributes and wreaths poured in in memory of his past contributions.  Such was my FIL.

Although he wanted to make the trip to Melbourne, his health by then took a real toll on him.  He couldn't travel anymore. But my FIL was a great writer.  He penned letters and used the snail mail when we are on emails and what apps. He was on literal pen and paper and stamps.  His loss of hearing made it too difficult for simple telephone communications by then.

Just before his passing on 24/4/17, his younger brother from Melbourne came to visit him in late March.  My sister in law from UK visited too for 2 weeks in Spore. Another of his pen pal relative, Uncle S, from Vancouver managed to see him on 18/4/17 when he was on route to Malaysia & HK. Uncle S himself had been on dialysis for more than 8 years and he was 89!  The simple meetings took place just all within the month of his demise.  I believed it was all the Lord's grace and mercy.  The Lord heard our prayers to allow my FIL to fulfill his desires. 

Actually, the last 6 weeks before my FIL's passing was a rather trying time for the whole family.  That was because one of my sisters-in law, May, was also hospitalised in and out due to excruciating pain in her head.  May had been going to the bedroom to give my FIL hugs after dinner on every Tue and Thu for the past one year or so.  And because of May, I followed her to give him such hugs together. So when May was hospitalised, my FIL realised she was not well as there were no more hugs.  But to avoid sharing too much details on May's bad condition, we had to lie low.  This is another miracle in the making.  We had originally thought that it was the late stage of NPC which caused May to be in great pain.  However, thanks to the SGH doctor of the Infectious Dept, He saw the MRI even though it was blurry and then found the real reason for her torment of the last few weeks! Her C1 had kind of collapsed unto her C2.  The neurosurgeons were called in and they did a emergency OCF (Optical cervical Fusion) on her neck the following Monday in late March.   Pain finally disappeared for May !  She was finally out of ICU in mid April.  So on 22/4/17, just 2 days before the passing of FIL, May managed to obtain SGH permission to leave the hospital to visit my FIL who was then in ICU.  Thanks to the Lord for such a moment.  Both managed to see each other through the glass window.  All they need was just a wave to know that all is well.  I guessed, my FIL was relieved to see her.  So was May. Perhaps that brought a good closure for my FIL.  To know that his daughter whom he was concerned for was ok after weeks of missing in action. 

So came 24/4/17 monday morning.  My FIL slept away peacefully during his last and final dialysis after 5 years.  No one knew he had passed on until the nurse tried to wake him up .  So we thank the Lord for such a peaceful rest for him. No more pain only to gain that promotion to better Home of eternal rest.

And on 25/4/2017, I received the architect certification of the final completion of the warranty period of liability of the restoration work done at the South Bridge Road shophouse.  How timely it seemed! I am sure that my FIL was happy to see his final dream came to a completion!

So till then, may we meet again in Heaven. And I know deep deep in my heart, the Lord loved my FIL that much.  So with an outstretched arms, I give Him thanks and glory and honor! Only by His grace.  Nothing but His grace. Amen.

20170414 - Another Good Friday to remember ! Connie's testimony of Love, Faith and Hope!

Ever wondered why is Good Friday called "Good"? on this yearly calendar date where many all over recognised as a public holiday?

How good can it be when we remember that Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21 "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God") was crucified on the cross to die for us thousands of years back?  That kind of pain and agony that he went through at Gethsemane before his death?  Just for you and me?  To be reconciled us back to the Creator Father God - when we know we are sinners who needed badly the way through Him to gain eternal life?

Life is fragile. Just this week alone, 2 friends suffered some form of kidney distress : one whose body swelled and increased weight of more than 9kg in one week and the other who had creatine level rose above 100,000 (against that of less than hundreds) due to exceptional muscle enzyme released over a S$50 course of SPINNING (stationary bike exercise! New to me!!).  Thankfully, both who were hospitalised for almost a week are now stable.  Thank God. Yes thank God for giving us 2 kidneys to be the filtration organs we often taken for granted. 

Well, so why is Monday so far Friday and Friday so near to Monday...
And, why is a Friday so Good to remember when Jesus Christ had to die...
Just as why the Head and heart is only 18 inches apart yet, the head and heart knowledge can be miles apart?

Alas in life, we recognise the mystery of many wonders on earth. If we care to slow down to look around.

Our body itself is His wonderful creation.

My classmate's testimony below.  The lungs which we took for granted.  The air that we breathe.  The nostrils. The mouth. The tongue.  The saliva . The teeth that helps to chew our food. The gullet. The wind pipe.  The vertebrae , the bones that held our head and body upright.  The bones in our feet to hold and walk...the intestines - big and small..the hairs numbered on our head known by Him...

Blessed Good Friday 2017! Be truly blessed by the sharing below. To God Be the Glory!


https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1833311826920368&id=1622989141285972

3 John : About Truth in the E-World

3 John 4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth"

Recently, in Parliament on 3/4/17, Minister of Law and Home Affairs named certain websites as FAKE News. So now the government is "seriously considering" how to address the issue and will announce its position upon completion of review.

Well...... 

Fake news is not new.

Fake news is ubiquitous.

Hope and pray not that we will have another "Law" mooted in the coming months to be passed in Parliament to decide on the punishment on those who either seemingly love to publish such fake news or half truths knowingly or unknowingly? LOL

Can one be 100% be well informed of the facts of any case before it is published? We live in a digital world of news today.  Jack Ma in his recent address in KL on 25 March 2017 just launched the digital free trade zone in Malaysia. Globalisation. Gone are the days of the physical Silk Road.  The E road is the coming in thing of the future. The E is for everybody. The envision of an E-Hub. "Where trade stops - war starts"  

Today's news is no longer localised.  Information is now pretty globalised.  

Jack MA shared" China is famous for the Silk Road.  But the Silk Road will not be successful without Malaysia.  People asked 'Why?' The Silk Road that time was to sell tea leaves. And tea at that time was so difficult to protect & preserve and expensive.  That time Malaysia had the best mine in tin. And because of the TEA and the TIN, the "TT"  that makes the Silk Road happened. Without the Tin of Malaysia, the tea trade would not have been popular and vice versa without the Silk Road in 18th century, Malaysia would not have been the #1 country in tin products. This is the amazing thing of trade. Where trade stops- war starts.

Trade is to respect the other people's culture according to Jack Ma. Trade is not about product exchange.  It is about the idea exchange and the innovation exchange.  

Trade and information - quite synonymous?
Alibaba had been accused for being a conduit for the trade of 'fake goods' vs the real ones.  
The channel of news is now a nightmare too for regulators who wants to be in control of the furnishing of "true news" according to what truth means to them. Hence can a regional government implement laws in Parliament to clamp down on websites that churns out fake or half truth news or news seemingly genuine to them but not verified due to manpower and time of uploading? 

Reflections
Was reading 3 John epistle. The word "truth & true" appeared 7 times in just this short letter of 14 verses.

Daniel 12:3 "Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase".  

We are living in this era of information overload via the multimedia platform. News can be viral at the press of a finger.

Unstoppable.  We will be bombarded with all kinds of news and information.

But the truth is that we are created in the image of God.  We can have the discernment to truth and falsehood, if we put some thoughts to it and be guided by none other than the Holy Spirit who has been given to us when Jesus left this world back 2000 years ago.

But He is coming back again.

More so we see the signs of such events of technology happening in our midst.

Hosea 4:6 " My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge"

News emitting from such social media is meant for us to chat about.  Deliberate over.  To have different perspectives. To help one appreciate the minds of the other party.  However, let them not be divisive.  The freedom of expression is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind.  We are uniquely created with a special unique UEN.  We are not robots without emotions.  We have been given a mind to think. The truth shall set us free and we shall be free indeed.

At the end of the day - what is truth? What is false?

There is one thing stated as truth.  John 14:6 "Jesus is the way the truth and the life"

Truth here is not only personified.  It is a fact that happened 2000 years ago in history.  A man called Jesus was born.  He was crucified.  He rose from the dead after 3 days.  That is truth.  Truth is Jesus Christ .  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  

So much for the fake and true news of the world today. E world or otherwise.

3 John 4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth"

Pray that such noises from this world will not cloud us out in knowing HIM and walking in Him.  

This was John's simple letter to Gaius.  

And Gaius means "Happy" "Rejoice".

Indeed, how much we need to embrace this in such a world we now live in.

AMEN!

20170321: Rainbow@ Holland V! Titus 3:4 Kindness, Love and Mercy of God

21/3/17! Hey I caught this double rainbow at HV!

Titus 3:4 "But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared..."

As I turned out from Jelita Cold Storage heading home on this fateful day, 21/3/17, right in front of me on this road ...this awesome rainbow STARED at me!

Yes, it was a double one!  And it happened in red dot after one double one too was sighted by many last sep.  So 6 mths later, another one was sighted by many!

Rainbow chaser I am! What a joy to behold one!

EACH TIME I see one, I am reminded of His Covenant of Love.

Lovely song " I feel my Saviour's Love"

And I am reminded of Titus 3:4...as this rainbow appeared that evening..

"But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us not because of righteousness we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

Reflections

Did I feel the warmth and beckoning of this rainbow sighting? Yes I did!
And this song resonates in my heart through the voices of these kids!

1. I feel my Savior’s love
In all the world around me.
His Spirit warms my soul
Through ev’rything I see.

2. I feel my Savior’s love;
Its gentleness enfolds me,
And when I kneel to pray,
My heart is filled with peace.

3. I feel my Savior’s love
And know that he will bless me.
I offer him my heart;
My shepherd he will be.

4. I’ll share my Savior’s love
By serving others freely.
In serving I am blessed.
In giving I receive.

Chorus
He knows I will follow him,
Give all my life to him.
I feel my Savior’s love,
The love he freely gives me.

20170311- Gunung Pulai Climb!..Ps24:3

Ps24:3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?

On 11/3/2017, some of us decided to do a mountain climb! Sudden interest after visiting Kulai twice this month and stumble upon Gunung Pulai base mountain after a wrong turn!

One thing for sure- this wooden rod or staff given to us in 2015? was so useful for this mountain climbing!

 We started at 10:15am from the base of the mountain..
We reached the top at about past noon. And made it to the base back about 2:50pm (all in about 3.5hours of walking....and panting perhaps for some especially towards the summit last leg where the gradient of slope was about 40 degrees at some turns..)

 
 Remembered the insect repellent but forgotten to put sun block! Even though the weather was still quite cool with surrounding greens! UV!!!

 So we did made it to the top and back! So proud of my 71 year old sister who met this challenge!

Gunang Pulai was not as scenic as the Castle Rock mountain we climbed last Sep in Albany.  However it was more cardio work out this time for us even though it was a tarmac road and not the jungle trek.  We were wondering why? Perhaps the weather made all the difference? Also in terms of distance and hours, Pulai was definitely more challenging!

http://asahengathers.blogspot.sg/2016/09/20160913-amazing-as-of-albany.html?m=0


Reflections

The highlight of this climb was when we were at the Peak. Unfortunately, none of us could read the signs in Malay.  It was a restricted area which 2 pax wandered unknowingly into. One of them happened to a stranger we met on the way up the mountain.  It was quite a scene to hear loud commotions where we were sight seeing.  Then before we knew it, we witnessed an unforgettable motorbike chase scene (like from the movie!).  Two soldiers interrogated in intensity fro "trespassing"! Who would not have been frightened?! With one carrying an AK rifle?
LOL.  And then a sad tale of the account of the person involved in the situation while we descended down.

What a memory of Gunung Pulai! Next trip perhaps we will try the jungle trail instead!

Mountain Thots...
I never enjoyed climbing uphill. Not my cup of tea.  Give me tennis or table tennis anytime! Nevertheless, quite proud that I did 2 mountain climbs within a year.  

Ps 24:3 "Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?"

If my elderly sister can make it to this task, I am sure many others too can do it!

Do we need clean hands and a pure heart to do so? or one that does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false?

I guess by my own merit I cannot.  But with the grace & mercy of the Lord who has picked me up once from the miry clay, forgiven me as I turned away from my own sinful way, I can ascend the hill of the LORD.

Moses (Deut32:49), Jonathan ( 1 Sam 14:8113) and Elijah (1 Kings 18:42) - all these men did a mountain climb as commanded by the Lord during their time. Because they sought the Lord .

So may we too be always reminded the mountains before us.  Despite whatever challenges the climb may be, may we be always seeking Him, Seeking His face. That is perhaps all we need to do in this very epoch time!

20170303: Matt 26:36 Garden of Gethsemane - The pain and suffering?

Matt 26:39" My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will"

Recently, one of the loved ones in my family suffering from cancer experienced not only intensity but also heightened frequency of the pain in this last few weeks post CNY.  Helpless watch.

Perhaps this passage in the famous Garden of Gethsemane became more alive to me than before.  About the pain and suffering that our Lord Jesus Christ had to endure- knowing that it would have to come to pass.  

Even Jesus experienced "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even unto death"

Three times - He asked..."If it be possible...or if this cup may not pass away from me..."..."Not as I will, but your will...your will be done"

Gethsemane , Jesus loves me 

So he went willingly to Gethsemane

He felt all that was sad, wicked or bad

All the pain we would ever know

While his friends were asleep

He fought to keep

His promise made long ago

The hardest thing that ever was done

The greatest pain that ever was known

The biggest battle that ever was won

This was done by Jesus

The fight was won by Jesus

Gethsemane, Jesus loves me

So He gives His gift to me, From Gethsemane

Reflections

One of the names of Yahweh is that of Jehovah Rapha - the Lord who heals

For a terminal patient fighting between the line of life and death, freedom from pain vs the imprisonment of suffering of pain and drugs - there lies a question : If Jesus is who He said to be - the One who heals, why can't He take away this pain right now? When O When O Lord, will I be healed from this disease?

For us bystanders in witness of loved ones going through such trying times, what would our prayers be? For healing despite of the downward trend of the physical sight of the loved ones? 

The words of this song Gethsemane says it all.  

Despite knowing the Lord in this earthly pilgrimage, all of us will still have to journey to another better place that He had already prepared for us.  The day He conquered sin and death on the cross at Calvary.

His pre-death experience in agony with sweats of blood in prayer - even He asked if that pain could be taken away from Him.  But yet in His obedience, He submitted to not his own will, but that of His Father's will be done.

Why? So that you and I can enjoy the eternal life offered by Him on that cross.

No amount of vitamins, or MLM anti-ageing products will help our aging body of mortality.  Ps 90 says that our life is 70, if not 80. 

We submit to that eventuality of physical death.

But death o death where do you sting?

Not to those who know the Chief Shepherd.  Those who hear His voice.

Yea, we look to the Heavenly dwelling where He has prepared for us.

In Revelation, where He would wipe away our tears.

Till then....my Lord, may your mercy and grace be always with us.

Thank you for your love.  Your gift from Gethsemane.