A Very Blessed Day

Another blessed day

Today was another blessed day. Actually, everyday should be a blessed day. While I was at the counseling session, I got a message from 阿叔。 I was so surprised that he had called me. So sweet! So, when I arrived at home, my Mom told me that a Michael Lee had called me and he’s left me a phone number to call him. Nice! So I called him. We talked for nearly 30 minutes and we just talked about everything. It was so good to be able to talk to him coz I missed him a lot. Actually, I really missed all the brothers and sisters of ACM, whether it is ACM HK, Canada, LA or even locally in the Bay Area.

I told him that he called me when I was at my counseling session therefore I had missed his call. He was very concern that I am in counseling session but I assured him that I am going through Christian counseling so it’s all good. God is refining me and molding me so that He may put me to good use one of these days.

At the counseling session, I was asked which person I could most identify with, the younger brother or the older brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). Frankly, I can most identify with the younger brother because I too have lived a very crazy life before accepting Christ as my personal Savior. Then, my counselor asked if there’s anything about the big brother that I can identify myself with. Guess what? I could. I could not believe that I was also a bit self-centered, self-righteous and self-worshipping sometimes. OMG! I too can get jealous easily. I could also be attention seeking and I am definitely guilty of being prideful. There’s just so much I need to learn and I feel so shameful of my unseen sins.

I thank the Lord that He is like the father of the Prodigal Son. My Lord loves me unconditionally and I don’t need to earn His love. He loves me just as I am through Christ, who died on the cross for me. This is grace, the amazing grace. Praise God! Praise Him!

A Relaxing Day

A Relaxing Day

I had a pretty blessed and relaxing day today and I feel very productive. I had my car's engine oil changed, got my hair done, had dinner with Louise, spotted Claura then joined her for deserts and gave a fright to Carmen who was sitting in her car reviewing her discipleship teaching material.

Before I went out to get all the above stuff done, I was online doing stuff for the coming IW - ACM September tour and chatting with 4 people online simultaneously. At which point, I noticed that Rev. Mak was online. So I YM'ed him and he replied. It was so nice to be able to chat with him for just a brief moment because I didn't even get a chance to sit next to him to have a good talk during our entire Edmonton/Chicago trip. I sat next to him for a few times but those were all during mealtime. I missed talking to him. He was also sick during the trip so he didn't really have a lot of energy to talk.

Rev. Mak is one pastor whom I love dearly. I don't mind telling people that I first met him when I was probably 8 or 9 years old and when he was my big brother back at 九龍城崇真堂 moons ago. When I met him again in 2002 during CM2002, I actually didn't recognized his face but could only recall his name. The first think that pop-up in my head when I recalled him was what the kids in my youth fellowship used to call him (樹哥哥).

I was able to YM him for a bit and he said that he's not sick anymore but jetlagging. I hope that he'll come back to US soon. I have learned so much from him and have gain so much respect for him because of his passion for Christ.

Janet is still sick though. I hope she'll get better soon.

You'll be in My Heart

You’ll be in My Heart

My dear anchor (Patrick) from Hong Kong sent me a MP4 file containing a song this afternoon. The name of this song is “You’ll be in my heart” by Phil Collins. It’s a very popular Disney song from the motion picture Tarzan and the lyrics is very touching.

He knows that I am going through some rough time in some uncharted water and he sensed that I needed support. So, he sent me this song to let me know that I am in his heart and he prays for me. I feel so loved because I have loved ones thinking and praying for me and some of them like Patrick lives more than 8351 miles away from me.

God is so good to me for giving me this dear friend. God has also given me another young friend in Toronto who is always so cheerful, sweet and always so caring to me. My dear young friend (Janet) is not feeling well today and she said she might be sick again from the bug she caught while in Edmonton..

“Dear Lord, please be with all of my dear friends whether they are in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Edmonton, Chicago, Toronto or locally in San Francisco Bay Area. Father, I ask that You would be with them and watch over them at all times. Heal their physical pains if they are suffering and nurture their broken spirit with Your Word if they are broken hearted. Thank You for Your sacrificial love so that all of us may learn the true meaning of love. I love them and they are also in my heart. I love You because You are my Lord and my God. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

So here's the lyrics of the song and it goes like this …

Come; stop your crying it will be all right. Just take my hand, hold it tight. I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry.

For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm. This bond between us can't be broken. I will be here, don't you cry.

'Cause you'll be in my heart, yes, you'll be in my heart, from this day on, now and forever more. You'll be in my heart, no matter what they say, you'll be here in my heart, always.

Why can't they understand the way we feel? They just don't trust what they can't explain. I know we're different but, deep inside us we're not that different at all.

And you'll be in my heart, yes, you'll be in my heart, from this day on, now and forever more.

Don't listen to them 'Cause what do they know? We need each other, to have, to hold. They'll see in time, I know.

When destiny calls you, you must be strong. I may not be with you but you've got to hold on. They'll see in time, I know. We'll show them together.

'Cause you'll be in my heart, yes, you'll be in my heart, from this day on, now and forever more. Oh, you'll be in my heart, no matter what they say, you'll be in my heart, always, always.

A poem I wrote

I was cleaning up my computer this evening and I found a poem that I had written several years back, which I had completely forgotton about. Here it is and I hope you'll like it.

你的雙手
劉路加

創造宇宙的雙手，是給我生命的雙手。
這雙美麗的手，是愛我聖潔的上帝。

順服愛我的雙手，是釘在十架上的神。
給我自由的主，是領我出幽谷的主。

我的生命，因你手上的痕跡
在絕望時得盼望，在難過時得安慰，在傷心時得痊癒，
在病痛時得醫治，在害怕時得擁抱，在驚慌時得平安。

如一匹畫布，你塗上了美麗的雲彩。
如一匹畫布，你劃上了生命的意義。

我要讚美你的名，讚美你聖潔的名，
我要歌頌那雙創造宇宙的手，
我要傳揚那雙溫柔慈愛的手。

給了我喜樂，引我走義路。
美麗的雙手，是耶穌的雙手。
偉大的雙手，是上帝的雙手。

Why do churches exist?

One of many reasons our churches exist is because of all the Non-members.

What do you think of this statement? My pastor said it today and I agree with him.

When I woke up this morning, my heart was kind of heavy and I was beginning to worry about many things. I doubted whether or not I did the right thing by coming forth to dedicate my life to serve the Living Lord full time. I started to worry about finances. My head started to hurt so turned on my car CD and listened to a CD copy of the Toronto “Unimaginable” tour. I started to sing “Holy, Holy, Holy” and scenes from the Chicago tour came to me.

Scenes like Gladys and Carmen being at the front of the marching line, Jacky and Karson carrying the big heart, Steven and Louise crying and hugging me at the front of the church, Ah-Suk’s almost inaudible sharing, and Maggie’s mouthing “I love you” to me when I went back to the sound booth. Everyone single one of these scenes was filled with passion and each was responses to the love of Christ.

When I went to Church today, Pastor Tony's sermon was “Glorifying God in Outreach” and he selected Luke 20:19-23 as today’s sermon passage. Tony focused on verse 21.

“So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Luke 20:21

So, this is what we are all born to do. We are all born to be sent and all of us ought to be sent. Our Lord did not ask us whether or not we want to be sent but commended us that we are to be sent. Our Heavenly Father sent Christ and now Christ Himself is sending us. In other words, He’s sending me! I shall not doubt anymore! He has commended me! I am just obeying and following to what He has commended me and I shall have no worries anymore.

1) Mission is God’s plan.
2) Christ is the missionary and the sent one.
3) I am carrying His torch.
4) I am a vehicle and means of His plan.

God is good... All the time.
Shalom! Peace to you!

An afternoon with my girlfriends

An afternoon with my girlfriends & their kids.
Saturday was pretty relaxing. I drove down to San Jose in the afternoon to visit my friends Joanna and John along with their kids, Ryan and Rachael. Sylvia stopped by with her two beautiful daughters Zoe and Emma and Fiona also came.

Sylvia lives in San Diego with her husband and their kids. She's up here because her sister Yvonne just had a baby and the baby is name is Luca.

Our original plan was to go visit Yvonne but because Yvonne's Mom said we had better wait, we ended up just hanging out at Joanna's place. Yvonne's baby boy is names Luca. Luca happens to also be my middle name so I was really hoping that Yvonne and Pierre would name their child Luca. Luca is Luke in Italian and it means "Light."


We spent time talking and just enjoying each others' company. We talked about what's going on in our lives and updated one another of what's new. We also watched the kids played and fought over which bike to ride or what toys to play. It was relaxing because I was able to share with them my most recent decision and my most current employment situation. I gave Joanna a haircut and she bought me a "Thank You" dinner at the Macaroni Grill.

In all, it was a good day today and I thank God that I have so many friends around me to cheer me up. I was a bit down this morning but felt a lot better after hanging out with my girlfriends and their kids. I also received an email from my Angel.

Tokidoki - something in Japanese

I got this Tokidoki Spiaggia (beach) Gioco bag right before my Edmonton/Chicago short-term trip. I love this bag coz it's so cute. I love the colors and the fish. It's a great bag coz I can dump a whole lot of stuff into it. It's a very happy bag and it makes me happy because of its happy nature. I actually have a few more Tokidoki stuff so one of these days, I'll have them posted.

I feel OK today but for a few seconds, I became blue. I am still a little shocked that I was laid off on Wednesday. After getting up at around 8:45AM, I turned on my computer and sat in front of it for a long while not knowing what I was going to do for the rest of the day. I feel a little unproductive but I think it is very normal to feel unproductive. Anyway, I went to EDD and filed my unemployment ins. claim today.

Later on, I started chatting to an old co-worker and asked her how things are at work. Fine, she said. She still couldn't believe that I was laid off. Oh, well. After chatting with a couple of sister via YM, my sister called to see if I wanted to join her + my beloved (Isaac & Jeremiah) to watch them ride bike at a local park. It was good to get out of the house and to look at God's creation.

Isaac and Jeremiah give me a lot of joy. Isaac kept telling me that he loves me today and that he missed me very much while I was away. Jeremiah actually allowed me to play with him today, which to me was a big welcome surprised. You see, Isaac loves me from day 1 and Jeremiah loves my brother Joseph from day 1. The fact that he's allowed me to play with him today was a "BIG" surprise and I welcome it.

I'll take a break from working or finding work for a while. Eventually I'll have to seek the Lord and ask God what wants me to do. But for now, I'll just enjoy the long summer, play with Isaac and Jeremiah and work on the September IW - ACM Canada trip.

We need choir members... coz we have about 4 people signed up right now. ....

Good news or bad news

There are good news and bad news everyday. So for today, the good news is that I have just heard from my friend in LA that an old friend of ours is getting married.

The bad news is that I am not his bride.

There was a time in my life that I was very much "in-love" with him. I loved everything about him including his very "strong" personality. I treasured him above many things, perhaps even above God, and I was obsessed with him. So, one August afternoon moons ago, God removed my "idol" from my life.

1 John 5:21, John warned us that "Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

The truth is that we all have "idols" in our lives. Idols may include our appearance, identity, school, work, car, fashion, TV, sports, money, and etc. Sometimes our idols could be people we look up to or people we love too much. Sometimes idol appears to be an intangible form such as self-esteem, attention, acceptance, etc. If I am not zealous for God, then am I "idol-ing" something else? Is this right?

I am very happy that my old friend is getting married and I am so glad that I am not his bride.

For I know that my groom awaits for me somewhere else.

Got laid off today

I got laid off today!

Personally, I think God is very funny. Only a few days ago, I dedicated my life to serve God full time in Chicago. So for the past few days, I've been asking God a simple question - now that I have dedicated my life to serve You, where am I to go now and what am I to do now. I was still working as a trial consultant this morning so I had no idea what, where, when and how I was going to walk this unique path that God has made for me.

Actually, this whole thing is funny. I still remembered kind of smiling when my boss Dave Weinberg told me that I was being laid off. I was smiling because I can see His mighty hands moving. I was smiling because I know that God, Himself is doing things in my life right now.

To say that I was not upset or mad, I'd be lying. I was mad and I was very upset. I started to cry so I called up Alfred, Maria (my sister), Joanna (my friend), Patrick (my little bro), Patrick Fung (my anchor) and Jacky (my angle). Alfred was shocked when he learned of my laid off. Maria was surprised that I was laid off but was happy that I was finally free from a not-too-ideal work environment. Joanna asked me to give her my updated resume so that she can help me find my next best job. Patrick said he'll pray for me and encouraged me not to be sad. My anchor asked me to start thinking about re-writing my ACM USA proposal. My angle bought another angle to cheer me up. Later on, I received phone calls from Janet, Elaine, Patrick, Joanna, Janet (my counselor) and emails from Alfred and Maggie.

God is good to me because I am so loved. He's bought me angles to support, encourage, cheer and pray for me.

Finally, I told my parents about me being laid off. Mom was very concern about how I feel. Dad was funny coz he just said that I should take this opportunity to take classes at a local seminary to get my degree in ministry.

God is good.... All the time!

To God be the glory!

First Blog

Hello, I am Lis. I live in El Sobrante, California.

I have decided that it's time for me to blog so this is how I look and I hope you'll come back to see what is going on in my life.

Bye, bye.

/Lis