Beloved = Friends

The word beloved in the KJV is mostly translated as dear friends in the NIV.
Would you not consider a person as a true friend when you are truly known, accepted and loved?
The acceptance does not mean the condoning of wrongs, but it means that we do not devalue or reject a person by the fact that the person has weakness and blemishes.

Jesus calls us His friends. I believe He knows all about me, my failings and yet believe in the best of me. Because of that I am most willing to allow Him to touch and transform me.
May we not be afraid to know ourselve as we are known by Him and allow Him to bring out the beauty of the Image of God in each of us.
WE should also take courage to know others in love as we allow ourselves to be known by others. That we might take time to bring our hearts to every conversation with the desire to know and be known, to love and be loved.

A House of Treasure - Jesus had tea with us.

It was going to be some kind of a "proto-type" " out of the box" " let's see what comes out of it" "only 2 or 3 people needed to be a church" kind of a 'new way of doing church--cell group". The host was not ready to start attending church [ Sunday service ] but wants to get to know and experience more of Jesus and the Bible. So me, wife, another couple and host and son, and friend gathered for tea.
It was a house filled with beautiful art - drawings, art-furnitures, artifacts, antiques, arrangements; every wall, nook and corner was artistically created - so much to find out, to learn, to take in, so cozy - she made us feel very welcomed.
She felt very blessed to have " a friendly pastor and pastoress" to blessed her house by their presence - so she said. From 3. 30 pm - 7.30 pm, the time flies by so fast as we begin to uncover greater and more precious ' money cannot buy" treasures within each of our hearts. It wasn't "churchy" or "cellish":- we were just having a good afternoon chinese" sweet water" [ tong sui ] + english tea fellowship. But our sharing was real, deep, honest, unpretentious, daring, brave and at the end during prayer - teary - we all sense Jesus among us. We backed up our "freshly uncovered treasures" from the Word and show it is there. Thank you for opening your house and your heart to each other.
It was difficult to end, but we must come down from the mountain.

Emmanuel - My son is with me.

I just drop into my dream zone when I heard "dad", then this big fella drop on me, hugged me and started crying. Boy!!!- I was in a daze " twilight zone. It took me some time, downstairs that it was really Emmanuel - my son - back from Sydney for a holiday - actually he planned this trip for his good friend's wedding. Anyway, he has slimmed down [ Hunger down? ], with long hair, a little more refined and articulate in Bible and church "stuffs". It's pleasantly good to be able to spar with him - mentally. He got first in his song-wriiting class for the first year - that makes me proud. I think if I go to Australia, I will be called " Emmanuel's dad". Here in my circle he's often called ' Luke Chan's son.
So Emmanuel will be here for about 3 weeks and probably wait for another friend's wedding or the same friend's wedding to fly back home again.
Still trying to process through his "crying". The feeling is definitely "awesome".
What do you think?

The Joy and Fear of being known.

Do you believe that there's beauty in everyone? Every person bears the image of God inside of them. Behind every face, image, projection, impression, mask, expression, personality, good or bad is a beautiful person. It is real. All that is not beautiful is not of the original design. It has been pressed on, put on, to survive, to exist but not to live and love.
We can believe and uncover the beautiful person inside ourself and others. I will be a freer person, more alive to live and to love and be loved. If you sit down with me. linger over hellos and goodbyes - maybe we can talk and listen. We can reveal, show, to bare our souls, to discover the truly Inside. To be heard, to be known, to be understood, to be okayed, to be accepted, to belong, to connect, to be loved, to be real, honest, - just to be.
May be it is time we discover the lost art of truly being and living in this crazy, mad, " I need to perform to be significant" external, plastic, temporal cosmos.
No touch and go. Stay and touch each others soul - beautiful souls.

Worth more than a million dollars.

I opened the envelope on my desk addressed to Pastor Luke & Pastor Nellie. Inside was $afewhundred and a handwritten note.

Mom & Dad,
Here's RM$___for each one of you this month. I would say that this is a way overdue moment...
Anyway, thank you for taking care of me, leading and guiding me the best way you know how...
Trust me, I do know how much you love me. I really appreciate the both of you. Thanks!! I love you

-Joash Chan-
UR SON.

I felt some quakering in my being and some joyful grateful tears.
The feeling is worth more than a million dollars.

This $ came from his first pay check. I am going to frame up the money. You will see it on my wall when you drop by to visit me.

Thank you son. I love you too.
Joash has his own blog: http://www.b4jc.blogspot.com

And he seems to write very well - better than me.
What do you think?