Dear Family & Friends,
On Friday, I will be leaving with 11 friends to Hokkaido! What a wonderful opportunity to be able to still travel by the grace of God and the kind hearts of friends! I shall enjoy God's wonderful creations - mountains and people. And the cold weather, wild flowers, sushi, sashimi, ikura, ramen, udon, soba, tempura, yakitori, kare, miso ... And the onsens!
While the girls hike the volcanoes of Hokkaido, three of us will roam the foothills. I will be in my wheelchair, with Angie, Kim and my trusty walking pole next to me. As I often say - it is not the healing of my physical body that I have experienced, but the healing of my mind and the restoration of my spirit! For "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"! Amen. (Philippians 4:13)
My niece Andrea visited me recently with her husband Kay and her two kids Abby (7) and Sammy Boy (3). My sister Sylvia (the loving mother), my brother in law KS (the indulgent grandpa) and my nephew Jeremy (the tattooed good boy) were down too! So there was much comings and goings, chatter and clutter and many many makan sessions.
As I watched the two kids adapt to the weather, sweating but still happily playing with the dogs in the garden, I wondered at their immense capacity to be joyous. I smiled and wished we could all be as joyful. Happiness is a choice, joy is a given ... God given. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," (Galatians 5:22) I guess kids have little to worry about. So often in the Bible, we are called to be like children. Perhaps because they are fiercely trusting, blessedly sinless and innocently worry free!
Life is now back to normal. The dogs and I are slowly getting back to routine and although we enjoyed that "lau jiat" week with the family, we now enjoy the peace and quiet of Base Camp.
On Friday, I will be leaving with 11 friends to Hokkaido! What a wonderful opportunity to be able to still travel by the grace of God and the kind hearts of friends! I shall enjoy God's wonderful creations - mountains and people. And the cold weather, wild flowers, sushi, sashimi, ikura, ramen, udon, soba, tempura, yakitori, kare, miso ... And the onsens!
While the girls hike the volcanoes of Hokkaido, three of us will roam the foothills. I will be in my wheelchair, with Angie, Kim and my trusty walking pole next to me. As I often say - it is not the healing of my physical body that I have experienced, but the healing of my mind and the restoration of my spirit! For "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"! Amen. (Philippians 4:13)
My niece Andrea visited me recently with her husband Kay and her two kids Abby (7) and Sammy Boy (3). My sister Sylvia (the loving mother), my brother in law KS (the indulgent grandpa) and my nephew Jeremy (the tattooed good boy) were down too! So there was much comings and goings, chatter and clutter and many many makan sessions.
As I watched the two kids adapt to the weather, sweating but still happily playing with the dogs in the garden, I wondered at their immense capacity to be joyous. I smiled and wished we could all be as joyful. Happiness is a choice, joy is a given ... God given. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," (Galatians 5:22) I guess kids have little to worry about. So often in the Bible, we are called to be like children. Perhaps because they are fiercely trusting, blessedly sinless and innocently worry free!
Life is now back to normal. The dogs and I are slowly getting back to routine and although we enjoyed that "lau jiat" week with the family, we now enjoy the peace and quiet of Base Camp.
My black panther, the VW Scirocco sat week after week outside Base Camp with no real offers for it. I believe God had a purpose when a friend asked to borrow her, while her car went to the workshop for repairs following a road accident. Just a day later, another friend who had run her car into a tree, needed to borrow a car as well!
Now, it has been sold. Indeed I believe God was testing me on my "greed" level. One after another, in one day, offers came in fast and furious, each one better than the last! I settled on what was agreed with a friend ... And went no further!
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) I pray to be reminded that Christ resides in my heart and that I am mindful of what my "treasures" are!
A friend once jokingly said I should do one last mission instead of climb one last mountain, when we were discussing what "last thing" we would do before we die. I thought about it and believe that at every travel we make, every place we visit, every stranger we encounter ... We are on "mission" - exhibiting as much of the "Fruits of the Spirit" as we can. Good to sometimes ask ourselves "Would people know I am a Christian by the way I live?"
A friend once jokingly said I should do one last mission instead of climb one last mountain, when we were discussing what "last thing" we would do before we die. I thought about it and believe that at every travel we make, every place we visit, every stranger we encounter ... We are on "mission" - exhibiting as much of the "Fruits of the Spirit" as we can. Good to sometimes ask ourselves "Would people know I am a Christian by the way I live?"
Just like what I read in The Daily Bread - "A Christian is a living sermon whether or not he preaches a word." Amen to that people!
Thank you for your continued prayers. Please pray that God will continue to use me and that wherever I go and whatever I do and say, I am mindful that I am " preaching" and am on "mission"!
Much love,
Cheng/Liz/Lizzie
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