Christmas Gift

I had this nudge of reading back my old post just now and it so happened that the first click I made on page 7 was on Christmas =) How timely. Little did I remember saving this article exactly a year ago in my draft. Heh~time really flies.
I thought it was really wise and true of what the writer convey. Many times we over spent on buying presents or unconsciously tie the amount of the present to the importance of the person in our lives. Not that gifts aren't important, I'm one who loves receiving them ;) but little do we appreciate the person in our lives with affirmative words be it telling them in words or in note form. I'm learning never to take for granted the people in my lives.
The picture of the note above was given by one of my youth at the time when I was still serving in DARE. It's pasted on my cupboard till today. Everyday when I walk in to my room I see it. Maybe she didn't meet the budget to get me something more than what most of my friends gave then but she stick on this note with a small gift. It meant so much more to me than the gift itself because it tells me how much i'm loved =) It need not be beautiful.
I love what my boss told me when I was making the portfolio. It's not about how pretty the book is. When the parents open and see it, their attention is all on their child's picture, not the book. When they watch their kids perform, no normal parent would look out for another child. It's not about how beautiful or expensive the gift is, but how much the person you're giving to knows you care for them =)

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Does it really mean anything? When I look at all of the gifts under the tree, I simultaneously see both the joy of giving gifts as well as the expense that went into it. Is that gift really a worthwhile expense at all?
What I’m really trying to show with each gift is a way of saying “I love you.” To me, that’s the purpose of a Christmas gift - to tangibly say to someone that they’re important to you and that you care for them. Because of that desire, it’s often easy to fall right into the trap of giving an expensive gift to someone and not worrying about the dollar amount simply because you do care for them and you do love them.
That’s fine if you’re in good financial shape, but so many Americans are not. At least one person very close to me has taken out a home equity loan just to pay for Christmas this year. Another woman in line in front of me at a store recently had her credit card declined while making a $25 purchase.
If Christmas is about saying “I love you” to the important people in your life, say it directly instead of just showing it.
Write some heartfelt notes to people and include them with a more modest gift. I’m planning on doing this with at least a few Christmas gifts this year.
Promise to do something truly thoughtful for the person instead of buying another present. One of the best gifts I’ve received recently wasn’t an item at all. It was a gift of a bed to sleep in and an evening alone with my wife, courtesy of a caring aunt who invited us to spend a weekend at her home. She pledged to watch our children while we spent an evening like we used to before the kids were born. Does it cost her anything? No. Does it mean a lot to us? Undoubtedly. Does it reflect a lot of familial love? Of course.
Better yet, at some point during your holiday celebration, take the time to sit down with each person you care about and tell them that you love them and thank them for being a part of your life. That will mean far more than any tchotchke you can stick under the tree this year - and all it costs is a few minutes of your time. Talk about a bargain.
Christmas is about love, not about who can put the best material item under the tree. Keep that in mind and don’t spend yourself into a giant mountain of credit card debt this year.

December 18, 2007 The Simple Dollar

The Heart of a Leader

Positive Conditions of the Heart

A Willing Heart

And the Lord said to Moses,

Speak to the Israelites, that they take for Me an offering. From

every man who gives it willingly and ungrudgingly with his heart

you shall take My offering.

Exodus 25:1,2

A Stirred Heart

That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame

of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is

 in you by means of the laying on of my hands [^[a]with those

 of the elders at your ordination].

2 Timothy 1:6

A Wise Heart

And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted,

whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom…

Exodus 28:3

A Perfect Heart

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him.

2 Chronicles 16:9

A Tender Heart

And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted

 (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one

 another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

A Faithful Heart

So then…consider Jesus…[See how] faithful He was to Him Who appointed

 Him [Apostle and High Priest], as Moses was also

 faithful in the whole house [of God].

Hebrews 3:1,2

A Fixed and Steadfast Heart

My heart is fixed, my heart is steadfast…

Psalms 57:7

A Confident Heart

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident!…

Psalm 57:7

A Merry Heart

A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

A New Heart

Then I will give them one heart[a new heart], and I will put a new spirit

 within them,^[a] and take the stony heart out of their flesh,

 and give them a heart of flesh[sensitive and responsive

 to the touch of their God]

Ezekiel 11:19

An Understanding Heart

My son, if you will receive my words and treasure up my

commandments within you,  

Making your ear attentive to skillful and godly wisdom and inclining

and directing your heart and mind to understanding [applying all your

powers to the quest for it…

Then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord

and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God.

Proverbs 2:1-5

A Purposed Heart

For the Lord of hosts has purposed…

Isaiah 14:26, 27

A Pondering Heart

But Mary was keeping within herself all these things (sayings),

 weighing and pondering them in her heart.

A Forgiving Heart

Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my

brother sin against me and I forgive him and ^[a]let it go? [As many as]

up to seven times?

Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy

times seven!

An Open Heart

One of those who listened to us was a woman named Lydia, from the city

 of Thyatira, a dealer in fabrics dyed in purple. She was [already]

 a worshiper of God, and the Lord opened her heart to pay

 attention to what was said by Paul.

Acts 16:14

An Obedient Heart

But thank God, though you were once slaves of sin, you have become

 obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which

 you were instructed and to which you were committed.

Romans 6:17

A Believing Heart

But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him.

 For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe…

Hebrews 11:6

An Enlarged Heart

Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians [we are hiding nothing, keeping

 nothing back], and our heart is expanded wide [for you]! 12There is no

 lack of room for you in [our hearts], but you lack

 room in your own affections [for us].

2 Corinthians 6:11,12

A Pure Heart

Blesed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:8

The Heart of a Father

After all, though you should have ten thousand teachers (guides to direct you) in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the glad tidings (the Gospel).

1 Corinthians 4:15

A Leader in the Making by Joyce Meyer

Should I pursue?

I was asking the Lord yesterday about a matter I had once got an answer from Him. It was so clear then, but doubt starts to sink in my heart again whether He had really wanted me to take up the matter. I wanted very much to move on from it, because sometimes it seems easier that way. To bring the matter up again really goes against what is natural.
I would think that since God said in His Word to do a New thing for us, why not just let go of that and trust the 'New' thing in my life to manifest. But turning away from facing it and letting go is altogether different. We find it easier sometimes to run away from the thing that He wants us to conquer. I was sharing with one of my close fren yesterday from kl about this matter. And she say that it's not about what I think will happen or what I do next with it but what the Lord is telling me. It's about fighting for what is rightfully mine and to conquer it. It might be a blessing behind it.
And to my amazement, as I flip open to one of Michelle McKinney Hammond's book today, that very passage I read really got me thinking again. It sounded like what she told me the last time we spoke and yesterday. It was the story of David and Goliath that she shared that made me want to pursue it initially.
"...Everything that happens to u always comes back, full circle, to God's purpose being fulfilled. Yes, there are giants in the land. But this reality should not make us settle for the leeks, onions, and hopeless relationship in Egypt. Decide that you are willing to fight for what is rightfully yours. Make up your mind that you won't let go until God blesses you(sound like Jacob:)). You must be willing to look your soul's giants straight in the eye and then slay them. As he helped David kill Goliath with a single blow to the head, God will help you. But He seeks your cooperation. Look into the mirror of your soul and ask God to expose everything in you that He wants to fix in preparation for that glorious possession into the promised land."
As I think of it now, it's silly if David would have said I'll let go of the 'giants' in my life and trust God for a new thing. We have choices to some giants in our lives. David could have chosen to run away from it or go ahead with it. He may then just remain as a Shepherd boy if he had not step out in faith. But because He went ahead to face Goliath, he became a King. 
After all that was said, I pray that the Lord will strengthen my heart to meet the 'giants' in my life. Just got reminded of what Pastor Lian preached recently. All David had to do before God could work in his life was to 'show up'. How true.

Sons and daughters of Abraham

Just thought I’ll share with you guys something I read this morning, which I thought was really beautiful with how it all ties in with the message Pastor preached today, last week and cg. As usual, I would grab a book next to me and randomly flip open a page to read before I get out of my bed. So here’s the reading for today J Written by Joyce Meyer.

Return to the stronghold [of security and prosperity], you prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will restore double your former prosperity to you.(Zechariah 9:12)

Don’t stop hoping. Romans 4 teaches us that Abraham had no human reason to hope that God’s promise would be fulfilled, but he hoped on in faith. It says that no doubt or unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong as he gave praise and glory to God. Abraham remained positive and hopeful, and we know that from the Bible that he received his promised blessing of a child. Don’t let your pass failures leave you hopeless about your future success. Your future has no room in it for the failures of the past. As I have stated, just because you have failed at some things does not make you a failure.

Whatever Satan has stolen through deception, God will restore doubled, if you are willing to press forward, forgetting the past. You have to let go in order to go on!

Keith had us discussed on the topic of failure during cg. A topic most of us are not comfortable with. But it really set me free that night from the fear of failure. Just when I was about to voice out something at work which I’m not feeling good about, the message last Sunday on letting go helped me released all the feelings I had. And time will tell. I’ve learnt that giving up to God my frustration is simply the best solution.

And as I was reading the passage above, something resonate in my heart about Abraham and faith. As I looked back to the passage above and open up Romans 4 to read after I got home, the verses seem more alive than before. ICB made it so simple, yet powerful.

vs.22 So, “God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that made him right with God.

What comes before "So". Preceding this verse it says…v.18 Abraham believed God and continue hoping. v.20 He never doubted that God would keep His promise. Abraham never stopped believing. He grew stronger in faith and gave praise to God.

What made him right with God and his faith made stronger? He never stop believing and hoping in a God who would keep His promise. If Abraham had believed and received the blessings, ought not we believe too and trust His Word to work for us. Simply believe and hope. That’s our part to play as sons and daughters of Abraham.