Valentine's Day Dedications: Elizabeth

Here's my baby. Isn't she a bald doll? I'll just let a few of these pictures tell you the story why she's my Valentine. These pictures are all before she turned one.

Yeah, finally going out.

Look what I can do.
Stop telling me sad stories.
I can finally sit with my blanket's support.

This is so good, I can eat it side ways, hah.

Okay my blog friends, I do not know how to move pictures or do anything much with them. But, this is my baby at her best and worst.

Valentine Dedications: My Mother

I have 10 days, including today, until Valentine’s Day. And, each day leading to Valentine's Day, I want to dedicate a blog day to each one of my family members because they are the love of my life.

Disclaimer: I do not have a father. I mean my father died two weeks before I was born and never knew him. So, I will not be sending him a Valentine dedication. And, my mother does not read English or use the computer so she will never be able to read this, but I’m writing it because I want you to know how wonderful she is.

My Mother

She’s serious, sarcastic, practical, slim, loud, energetic, and prideful. She’s 82 years old, looks more like she’s in her late 60’s (I hope I have more of her genes). She’s pessimistic as far as social status, but very positive as far as life goes: She doesn’t believe in talking about death (I call this denial), hence, she does not have a will (I don’t have one either, but for a very different reason: procrastination). But, hey, she’s as healthy as a goat. She’s very active. She watches my nieces and nephews, all six of them, now five. She drives my sister-in-law to and from work everyday. She picks the children up from schools. She cooks and cleans the house like a maid. She hates to leave unclean dishes in the sink. And she grows her own garden.

She’s an early riser. She showers in the morning. She drinks coffee and tea and eat rice soup for breakfast.

She’s very independent-had to be since she was a child: Her father was brutally murdered for political reasons. Her mother was a hard worker; very active; but slow in her speech ability; unable to stand up for her children’s safety and wellbeing. She married my dad in her early twenties. He died early in their marriage. She was left with five children to care for. Shortly after my father’s death, she was forced into another marriage as a second wife-polygamy was legal in Laos-leaving her children behind to her in-laws (it was the cultural practice). She gave birth to another son, who died of malnutrition. Then, she lost her oldest son to illness. She lost her second husband in the Vietnam War. She fought her way back for custody of her children. Then, she was physically separated from my two brothers and sister-for the second time because our village was invaded: She was left to surrender her life to the Vietnam soldiers because I was too young to travel.

In 1980, she came to the United States with her two girls, leaving her sons behind in Laos. In the mid 80’s, she managed to sponsor her older son, after two years of battle with Immigration Services. A couple years after that, she sponsored her second son. Finally, the whole family was together again. But, a few months after he arrived, she lost him in a fatal car accident. She was devastated. But, she managed to hold herself up again for more of life’s surprises. She was indeed a very strong woman-still is.

She believes that life has too much to offer for one to contemplate death-after all that she’s been through. She makes herself stay strong and independent in fear of having to stay at a nursing home or being a burden to her children.

And, in all my life with her, I’ve never seen her put herself before her children: I remember staying in a Thai refugee camp: she had no money so she would take me around to Thai authorities begging for money to quench my cravings for candies and little things that required money. But, if she needed anything, she did not ask, beg or do anything that would cause her discomfort. She rarely cried in front of me, even when we were separated from my brothers and sister. She always stayed strong. She built her life around integrity. She was always giving and sharing, even in her lack. She was very frugal-still is. She was a great hostess for all her guests, including strangers. And, she remained single after the death of her second husband (there were many men who proposed to her) out of love for her children.

So for all of the above and more, she deserves to be my Valentine. Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom.

She Speaks Conference

She Speaks!

I am thrilled to announce that She Speaks Conference is June 20-22, 2008 and is officially open for registration right now.

Lysa Terkeurst, founder of Proverbs 31 Ministries and leader of this awesome conference is offering a scholarship for this year's conference. To find out more, please click here.

It has been my dream to go to She Speaks Conference because I love to share with women about God's great love and awesome power. I've always wanted to be a speaker since high school, but didn't know what to speak about. And now, He has given me the reason to speak about Him, the great I AM. But, like some women, I have one stipulation: I lack the friendship abilities, confidence, and faith in myself (okay, so that's three). I really want to find out what it takes to speak for Him. I believe God will reveal the answer to me at the 2008 She Speaks Conference .

Let me tell you why I'm so hype about this conference. It is not just another seminar. It is an inspiring-by God-friendship building and opportunity knocking event. It is for writers, writer-want-to-be's, speakers, speaker-want-to-be's, and women in leadership roles as well as those who believe they are called to minister to women. Who knows, you might get an offer to write a book (shhhhhh-there will be publishers there-looking for writers and fresh thinkers). Oh, yeah, don't forget to bring your queries and manuscripts. Well, instead of me yapping it away, just click here. Go ahead...Seatings are limited. Don't believe me? Well, last year's conference sold out before deadline and you guess it, I didn't get to go. So, don't wait. Find out right here.

Good luck to all of you!

My visit with Grandma

One relative of my husband, I call her grandma. She had stroke three months ago. We have not visit her so while we were there near her town, my husband brought her up suddenly. We decided to pay her a visit. I knew that her stroke was severe, but how severe I was not aware. I was not even thinking straight. I was not planning to lecture her. I just wanted to visit her. She has a very special gift of healing and massaging people-curing infertile and pregnant women (who may be on the verge of losing their babies due to miscarriage). She massaged me when I was pregnant with my last baby girl. My baby was in the wrong position and caused much uncomfortable pain. She turned my baby back to the rightful position. I was very grateful, so I brought little Elizabeth with me so she can see the product she saved.

While we were visiting and chatting, I asked her how she was feeling and she said she felt like her life was not worth living but she couldn’t die. She was upset about her son’s divorce. She said, “I’m sad that I don’t have a good looking son to take away her breath, so that she would not look at another man and treat him worthlessly.”

“Grandma, that’s wrong thinking. His looks and his features are out of your reach. You may have given him birth, but that’s all you did. God was very satisfied when he made your son. He said, ‘it is good.’ He created you just the way He likes because He enjoys you. You are who you are and he is who he is because God likes it that way. Don’t criticize God by saying that your son is not good looking. God made your son that way because he brought God satisfaction as His masterpiece. Be happy.”

She smiled, “I supposed you’re right.”

I couldn’t help, but noticed how she kept on holding onto a hand-knit hat with her right hand as though she was trying to hide her right hand. Every once in a while she’d move her right hand with her left over her lap then it would move back by itself. I watched her as we conversed, and I finally asked her, “Grandma, why are you holding on to the hat, is your hand cold?”

Grandpa had just walked by me as I asked the question. “Her whole right side was paralyzed. Recently, she’s regained some mobility with her right arm, but she doesn’t have total control of it yet. Sometimes, she would grab onto something with her right hand,” he demonstrated by holding on to the chair in front of me, “but then she wouldn’t be able to let it go, so she’s trying to control it by holding on to the hat and not let it hold onto anything else,” he said.

“I am so mad at my right hand. Sometimes, I yelled at it because it won’t cooperate with me. Sometimes, I slap it and tell it that it’s not good because it doesn’t listen to me. But, then I looked at it, and my heart cries out with love for it,” grandma said.

“Grandma, do you really want to be healed?” I asked. “Do you pray for healing?”

“You know, my daughter told me to have faith in God and pray, but I told her that prayer doesn’t seem to make a difference these days. God doesn’t answer prayers anymore,” said grandma.

“Grandma, if you really want to be healed you have to believe. There’s a big difference between believing that God can heal and believing that God will heal. God loves you and He would love to heal you but you must first believe that He can and He will heal you. Don’t be disappointed. You know, I heard that there was a woman who was predicted by doctors to only have a few weeks to live, but she was determined to live so she walked around her house declaring God’s healing power and memorizing Bible verses, and now it’s been more than 20 years and she’s still alive and well. Do you read your Bible?”

“A little, it took me so long to read a few paragraphs,” she chuckled. “Where do you find those healing verses?” she asked curiously.

“I’m going to go home and do some research and send you some verses to listen to and read. You must memorized them and claim them to be your promises.”

Her eyes were staring at me with great sparkles of hope. She shared that her brother, who is a great gospel singer, was disappointed that she didn’t show much faith. She didn’t understand it. She felt that God doesn’t care about her anymore.

“Grandma, God loves you. He wants what’s best for you. How do you think you healed so many people with herbs and your massages? You saved so many women from having miscarriages. You practically gave lives to many people who had no chance without your help. Do you think that that came from you or was it God’s gift?”

“It was God’s gift,” she said as she smiled at me.

“You must change your thinking. You must hold on to your faith. You must view yourself as an important being. God said that we are His masterpieces. He has a very important mission for each one of us. He loves us and He enjoys our presence and praises. Grandma, you are His masterpiece. There’s only one you. You are a child of God, a citizen of Heaven. You are not of this earth. You were chosen by God out of millions of human beings. John 6:44 said that no one can come to Jesus Christ without God drawing him or her. You accepted Christ as your personal Savior?”

“We accepted Christ before we were married,” grandpa interjected.

“Oh, I think I was only about your daughter’s age,” said grandma, eyeing for my 13 year old daughter who went outside with Elizabeth.

“That means that God loved you enough to draw you to Jesus. And you made a decision to accept His invitation. You are His child. He loves you much more than you love your son. He wants to heal you, but only if you really want to be healed. You must believe in His greatness for your life. Instead of yelling at your hand, caress it and tell it that God is working and healing it. Tell it that you love it.”

“Pastor’s wife, I have heard many teachings, but it has never pierced me like it did today. I thank you for sharing His love with me. May God bless you for sharing His words of truth with me,” she said as she laid down on her bed. “Today, I finally understand His massage.”

“Praise the Lord! His goodness never fails. I’m believing that He wants to heal you.”

As we were getting ready to leave, I asked my husband to come and pray for her. She confessed to my husband that she didn’t believe that her prayers would make any difference so she didn’t pray and she didn’t read the Bible as she should. When she’s well, she will be God’s witness for His glory. And grandpa asked my husband to record some sermons for him to listen. Then we prayed and said our good-byes.

I felt happy that she understood me. Instead of being upset for lecturing her, she thanked me for sharing God’s love with her. Her eyes were filled with hope. My heart was satisfied that I was not rejected for being preachy-although I went unprepared to lecture, the opportunity was there and I took it. There was hope for both of us: Hope that she will be healed and hope that there’s a place for me to serve God. God is, indeed, good.

Stay for A While

Dear All,

Thank you for stopping by. I posted many devotionals and encouragements, please take the time and read those that are of interest to you.

Please, remember to pray for our church. There has been two death's from the families of the members in our church. A little child was stillborn. And a young man with great expectations of a bright future-lost his life to cancer.

Another family-the whole family is sick with the flu.

Reasons names are not revealed, has no permission from them to post. My heart cries out with love for them. I know God knows. So, if you would pray for them, I very much appreciate your kindness.

Yesterday afternoon, I met with a woman who had stroke; her right side was paralyzed. Her right arm was able to move, but she could not control it. Once it holds on to something, she could not take it off. She was so frustrated. Her hands and feet were so cold. Anyway, the Lord spoke through me to her with much love and affirmation. She confessed to my husband that she has sinned against God by not having faith in her healing. She told me she has never understood God's love for her as she did yesterday durig our conversation. She thanked me and blessed me. That, in itself, was a blessing-to know that God's loving message was clearly conveyed and understood. Praise the Lord.

I will come back and post later on in the week, but right now, I must go and put out the fire of life.

God bless you all, and remember to pray for these three families at our church.

Rise Up, Darling

“My lover spoke and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See! the winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of the doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me” (Song of Solomon 2:10-13, NIV)

I’ve never acknowledged Song of Solomon as love relationship between Christ and our human soul. I’ve dismissed it as love conversations between human lovers and never took it personally. However, God revealed a beautiful message that gave me a new meaning from the above passage:

A woman of noble character recognizes her worth. God calls her His “darling,” His “beautiful one”. Wow! He says, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one...” What a wonderful value He has placed her. As a woman of noble character, she recognizes her worth as dearly loved, cherished, one who is highly valued.

A woman of noble character recognizes that she is His masterpiece, His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). And He created her for His enjoyment, for His purpose. She is His beautiful one. That means He loves her. He loves her. And now, He’s calling her to rise up. He wants her to get up from whatever problem she may be drowned in. His command is firm and loving. He’s calling her to rise up, get up. She recognizes that she’s not glued to the ground, to her problems, or her situations. Get up. Arise! No matter how she looks at herself, she is His darling, His beautiful one and He calls her to rise up.

A woman of noble character recognizes His instructions. His second command was to “come with me.” “Come with me,” He says. He doesn’t just want her to get up and stand there. He wants her to come with Him. He wants her to take action; follow Him. He has many things to show her. And, she longs to see God’s vision for her life. She wants to see what God wants to show her. If you are that woman, follow Him. He’s saying “come with me”.

A woman of noble character recognizes the end of her winter season. She knows that her rains are over and gone. “See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.” Whatever her problem is, it’s gone. It is done with. Her season of troubles is gone. There’s no more. Therefore, rise and come with Him.

This message reminds me of a time when my children played tags, my oldest son grabbed a hold of my baby girl’s shirt tail. He wouldn’t let her go. She pulled a couple of times, but couldn’t break free. So, she stood there and wailed. After a few minutes, I commanded him to let her go. He let go, but she stood there and cried as if he was still holding on to her shirt. I called out to her to come, but she stood there and cried pitifully. I kept on calling, and it finally dawned on her that she was free. Sometimes, we are like my baby girl. We stand there and cry. If that’s you today, God is telling you that your “winter is past; the rains are over and gone.” Rise up and follow Him.

A woman of noble character recognizes her spring season. “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.” Wow! God reminds her that after the winter, spring does come. And He calls out to her and reminds her that it is time to get up and see the flowers bloom and smell the fresh fragrances. She recognizes that there’s sunshine after the rain. She understands that in the spring, flowers bloom, trees bud, grass turns green. She understands that every circumstance brings with it many benefits. After every crisis; she’s wiser, she gains knowledge, finds directions. She receives the answer to her prayers. A woman of noble character recognizes her spring season and rises up to follow God. She hears His voice calling out, “Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” And, she follows.

Father God, You’re awesome. Thank You for reminding me that I am your darling and beautiful one, that You love me. Help me to recognize Your calling voice to come with You; to recognize that my problems are behind me. Help me to see and enjoy the benefits of springtime. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Woman of Noble Character: A Genuine Hug

I’ve had a rough start for the first couple of weeks this year. I fell into the “Am I sure of my calling?” I kept on praying for His presence to shine in unexpected places. I have received numerous blessings beyond my imaginations, but one that made a mark on my life was a hug from a little girl whom I didn’t expect would do so. This girl waits for the bus with my children everyday. Most days, we would get there, then, she and her twin sister would show up shortly after. She would always say “hi” from a distance. But, on this dark and cloudy morning, I saw a little thin figure approaching me. She didn’t stop where her sister had stop, she looked at me straight in the eye as she approached, gave me a hug, turned around walked back to her normal spot, and turned around to look at my reaction. I looked at her in dismayed and said, “Thank you. If I knew you came to give me a hug, I would hug you tighter.” She just smiled and went on as though nothing had happened.

I looked up into Heaven thanked my Lord for the hug so much needed to affirm me of His love. How a girl I didn’t even know her name and she didn’t know mine, came and gave me a hug (without her intention). I knew at that instant that it was a hug from my Father, letting me know that I’m okay and acceptable to Him. “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace” (Psalm 29:11). He was letting me know that no matter what the circumstances were, He was already there and He saw everything. He was doing everything for my good. He was surrounding me with His peace and the hug was to let me know He knew what I needed at that moment.

Then, I said to God, “Lord thank you for that hug. I needed that hug. I wish I had hugged her back.” And, the next day, she came back and gave me a second chance to hug her back. It was such a blessing to know that God wills, even a child, who He pleases to show me His love. When He did so, all I could do was stand in awe of His mercy and grace being shunned upon me.

My dear sisters in Christ, whatever your circumstances today, look to the Lord and He will give you whatever you need for the moment, whether it would be a hug, a special phone call, or a meal to just get through the day. Don’t give up. “The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one” (Psalm 28:8). He loves you and all He wants to do is comfort you. God bless you and may your day be filled with love and peace in ways you can’t even imagine.