To those who love planes, or seek to know more about planes, the following fun facts may interest you.
An empty Boeing 747 weighs about 600,000 pounds. Do you know who much does it take for a 747 to takeoff? With all the passengers and luggage boarded, a 747 can have a maximum takeoff weight up to 900,000 pounds!
Can you imagine how much gravitational force is there to pull it to the ground?
However, there is one force that overcome the law of gravity and put the plane soaring up in the air - the law of aerodynamic.
That is the analogy I want to use for my points here.
We often feel there are two forces telling us what decision to make, be it a small one or a major one. There are the law of sin and death, and the law of Christ. Some may also call this the personal spiritual warfare.
The law of sin and death works pretty often within our lives. It is also sometimes known as the "easy way out" or the "normal way." Take for example: Ash just came out from the jail, completed his sentence for robbery. However, he finds that it is difficult to live a new life but easy to just plug in back to his old partners who help him to continue robbing stores.
Our enemy, Satan himself, prowls around like a soaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Most of the time we recognize that it is Satan who's at work but we choose to be pulled by this law of sin and death, just like a 747 being pulled to the ground.
How many of us would overcome that law and fly high with the law of Christ?
We must remember that we are not victims; we are victors.
Personal spiritual warfare is where the battle is won, or lost.
Now, let's get down-to-earth and be practical - How can we overcome the law of sin and death? Be alert, stay on-guard. Don't listen to the lies of Satan and take authority when dealing with temptations.
We must also ask for the grace of God, humility, and a shield of faith.
It takes courage and great strength to take the first step to that takeoff. Thereafter you will definitely enjoy a great flight, soaring high in the beautiful heaven of God.
Hence, I wish you an enjoyable takeoff. Cheers! [Adopted from Ps. Kevin Gunion's Sunday sermon. Good News Assembly of God. August 15, 2010.]
When things go so smoothly in life - job is stable, relationship is good, we achieve what we aim - we tend to forget what God has done for us.
Today was a great day. Because of the "deal" that was made between Tracey, Sam and I, I attended Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) after my regular Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship meeting. It was a totally different kind of service in CRU, I was in awe by the number of people attending CRU. I will definitely be joining them again next Thursday.
After CRU, I joined the crusaders at Calvary church to just hang out (just like the Chi Alphas hanging out at Good News). That was when God spoke to me through a girl. The conversation that was started between this girl and I was impromptu.
We started sharing our "roads to Christianity" soon after we introduced ourselves to each other. I shared first and it was all about how I came to know Christ, getting baptized, and so on. And then this girl spoke. She shared about her life that was, to me, like a drama that could have only happened on TV. Growing up "without the love of parents," she said, was really painful for her. She was abused and neglected since young. And her life was just so miserable with her biological parents cheating on each other, and then she was sent to a foster parent, having to separate with her siblings, just so much.
As I was listening, I started realizing how fortunate I am. I grew up in a family that has love. I don't want to feel sorry for this girl. It is because I know that God has saved her. She had came so far, got to know God as her heavenly Father, a real parent to her. She is really a strong girl.
I kept thinking about this. I was so affected by her story. It was just mixed feelings. While Tracey was sending me home at the end of the day, this song was played in her car. I just think how true it is: "In Christ alone, my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song."
So, I youtubed it and I just want to share it with you here. God bless you, beloved readers.
30 folks - ranged from 18 to 40 years of age - formed a troop and traveled down south with a common goal in their minds: to show others God's love.
Pre-trip I came to know about this mission trip at "Sidestreet" event that was held in January. Miles Seppelt, the InterVasity Christian Fellowship campus staff, spoke to me about this and encouraged me to join the troop. Initially, I was reluctant. God moved me with the attractive scholarship that whosoever be the first four to sign up may receive some discount.
I took time to check them out one Wednesday in January. I then made up my mind that I really wanted to do this because I have never gone on a mission trip before. God is gracious that He granted me a $75 off the total cost of the trip.
Things went every smoothly since then. We were asked to form three main teams: Project team, kitchen team and Vacation Bible School (VBS) team. I joined the VBS team because I thought that handling kids was something that I'm good at.
Weeks after weeks, we met in the Alumni room. Bits and pieces we laid out the whole game plan for the trip. The Ride March 12, it was a sunny morning that turned windy in the afternoon. The troop embarked the bus at about 6p.m. and departed St. Cloud half an hour later. 36 hours in total and numerous stops we had through the journey from Minnesota-Iowa-Missouri-Kansas-Oklahoma-Texas-New Mexico- and finally Arizona. The ride was not as dreadful as I've expected. We did not know one another really well. Yet, sing-a-long session brought most of us together.
We arrived on Sunday morning, at Fountain of Living Waters church, and made it to the morning service conducted by Ps. Wayne.
The rest of the week was just phenomenal: Project I was in the "Goldfish" painting team. All in all we painted 2 houses in the week. The lady in the video below was the host for the first house that we've painted. I was so touched by her and her family. Like Miles mentioned before, "it is 60-70% poverty there, you won't believe that you're still in America when you are down there." Now I understand what that really meant. I seriously thank God for all that I have owned in my life right now. The Apaches community are friendly though. I enjoyed all my painting sessions there even though it was painful for my back and arm, the smiles on the Apaches faces encouraged me to move on.
VBS The entire VBS team were very excited about getting the kids to come to church. On Monday, we headed out in the 2 "church vans" to the Apaches neighborhood to give out flyers to inform them about VBS. The church vans were the most "fantastic" vehicles I have ever ride on. Both of them had lost the side windows, one of the "Ferrari's" has its roof top ready to fly away anytime.
It was really a sort of experience. Now, I won't complain about my 20-year-old Honda Civic anymore.
The first day of VBS was total chaos. 30 kids from three- to 18 years old attended the bible school and we totally lost control of the situation. I can't remember how much I wanted to punish the kids by giving them push-ups like what I used to do with the boys in Boys' Brigade. They were just rough and rude. Nonetheless, we survived through the 2-hour VBS and got ourselves sat down and planned for the upcoming days.
The second the third day was rather good compared to Monday. I suggested that we split the younger kids from the older kids in order to have better disciplinary control. It worked. We were forced to divide our team into two and I was in the junior section.
The last day of VBS was combined with the Extravaganza party, in which we followed Jesus' example of feeding the 5000. Though there weren't 5000 Apaches, many turned up that evening. The entire troop took up different roles to make the Extravaganza a blast. Some grilled, some entertained and some controlled the situation (imagine 70 kids running around in the middle of the road). At the end of the party, Ps. Wayne led the Apaches in saying the sinners prayer and many came to accept God as their personal Lord and Savior.
Overall I felt really blessed on this trip. Not only that I have made good friends, I felt the Lord working through each individuals to make this trip a successful one. Something extraordinary was that for a few days, I was able to experience all 4-seasons within a day, snow in the morning, windy in the afternoon, sunny in the evening and cold again at night. We were blamed to have brought over the snow all the way from Minnesota to Arizona. Ha!
Also, I love the people on this trip. They have so much passion for Christ and they have been the example for me in the entire week. They are also very fuzzy and friendly. I learned how to play many games, i.e. "Bunny-bunny" and "Big bottie." In return, I taught them some games that I used to play in BB. I have also showed some of them magic tricks.
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." - 1 Timothy 4:12.
I was reminded of this verse over and over in this trip. God had used everyone on this trip to show love in one way or another. I am so proud to be a tool for God. Blessed be the name of the Lord. In all things we do, we do it in the name of Jesus. The most vivid memory I had for the trip was when I stood beside a little girl when she said the sinners prayer. I am just so touched by her purity and sincerity. Deep down I prayed that she will grow up to be the salt and light for the world.
Thanks to Cole, we were able to attend the annual Chinese New Year celebration hosted by Maranatha Christian Fellowship and International Students Outreach (ISO) located at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St. Paul.
I've got to know so many new Malaysian friends as well as some China students and Americans. Food was super delicious, I felt exactly like eating Chinese food back home.
We played games, fooled around and telling lame jokes. I also competed in their annual Ping Pong tournament, lost at quarterfinal.
All in all, it was the fun that matters. It's been so long since I laughed till my stomach muscles ache.
