Unexpected Christmas Gift!

Receiving gift from our CEO means a lot. This reminded me of my previous Japanese Employer-Director in Obayashi including my General Manager in Design who were once gave me chocolates and a pair of keychain respectively dated in year 2009.

                        Meg, 2nd January 2019

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

The Eleventh Commandment

by Dr. Paul Chappell

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

John 13:33–35

As Jesus spent time with His disciples on the night before the crucifixion, He knew that they would soon be launched into a new beginning as they took up the work and ministry for which He had been preparing them. Yet even on that last night, the disciples were still focused on their own selfish interests. “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest” (Luke 22:24). As Jesus ate the Passover with them, they still did not grasp what He had told them was coming.

After Jesus’ powerful example of service to others that night—when He washed the disciples' feet— Jesus gave them a new command to follow: to love each other in the same way that He loved them. Some people call this the “eleventh commandment.” Then Jesus said that love would be the defining characteristic by which His followers would be known. Our world speaks of love frequently, but only rarely are those who use the word talking about the kind of love God commands us to have. And sadly too often the world does not see that love on display in the church either.

Jesus said that the love Christians have for each other would be the evidence that would convince others we are following Him. We often focus on outward expressions or evidence of conduct, but though those are important, the most important test of whether or not we will be seen as genuine disciples is our love for each other.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The love that we display toward each other is a vital part of our witness to the world around us.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Giving God Your Best   CURRENT TV SERIES Generosity   “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  --Philippians 1:21 What does it mean to be totally alive? How would you describe “living large”? Paul said in Philippians that the purpose and passion of life should be to live every moment as Christ would live it…to magnify Jesus Christ. This passion is a strong, unyielding commitment to live life in such a way that we glorify God in everything we do. The love of Christ should be our motivation and we should get excited about the same things that Christ gets excited about. What I find is that too many believers aren’t happy because they are waiting to live; they are waiting for something great to happen or for that next big step. The only problem with waiting is that it doesn’t fit with Christ’s call to serve Him every day right where we are. Many of us hope for that day when we “arrive,” but Christ wants us to experience fulfillment on the journey today…right now…in whatever place or circumstance that He has placed us.  His desire is that we live every moment walking with Him and for Him. What makes you excited? What motivates you to get up in the morning?  I hope it’s the things of Christ…living for and walking with Him. Don’t just endure life hoping you’ll arrive at some great place some day.  Live large starting today by living every moment as Christ would live it…seeking to bring glory to Him in every way!   LIVE EVERY MOMENT AS CHRIST WOULD LIVE IT.

Monday, December 31, 2018

Ready for the Reckoning

by Dr. Paul Chappell

And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

Luke 19:15-17

One of the final parables Jesus taught before His crucifixion was the story of a nobleman who trusted his servants with money before taking a long journey. The primary purpose of this parable was to address God's plan for the future—that Jesus had come as a Saviour rather than to set up an earthly kingdom. But, one of the main applications of the parable is that each of us has been trusted with gifts and abilities and resources by God. One day we will stand before Him to give an account of how we have used our gifts.

When the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, 2018 will close forever. There will never be an opportunity to go back and recapture time wasted, money poorly spent, opportunities to witness lost, unkind words spoken in anger or deeds we regret doing or not doing. But, that realization should not fill us with despair, but hope. When the sun comes up, a new year will start. Each of those days can be used to good purpose.

The certainty of the time when we must give account to God for our service should encourage and motivate us to stop worrying about other people and instead focus on how we can best serve Him each day. Paul reminds us, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10).

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Use each day to the fullest and you will not face God with regrets.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES A Life of Purpose   CURRENT TV SERIES Generosity

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” --James 4:7 There is a famous painting I’ve seen, done by an artist named Moritz Retzsch, of a chess match between the devil and a young man. In the painting of the chess game, the devil appears to have the young man in a checkmate. So, the young man is sweating profusely and trying to figure out if he can move. Years ago, a master in the game of chess was invited to look at the picture and see if there was any possible move that the young man could make to get out of checkmate with the devil. So that master chessman stared and searched the board for a possible way out for three hours. After three hours, he finally saw one move the man could make… one way out from defeat. When he saw it, they said he shouted out loud to the painting, “Young man, make that move! Make that move!” The truth is that victory over the devil really does take just one move: trusting in Christ. You can sit for hours and try to figure it out, but only one move will do. Yes, you can beat him, but you have to make the move to Jesus first! I urge you to do this before 2019 begins!   SO OFTEN IT CAN SEEM LIKE THE DEVIL HAS YOU CORNERED. BUT IF YOU WANT TO HAVE VICTORY OVER HIM, TRUSTING IN CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! =)

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Trusting God for the Unseen

by Dr. Paul Chappell

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Hebrews 11:8-10

Charles Spurgeon routinely spoke to crowds of 6,000 or more at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. On New Year's Eve in 1891, he spoke to only a handful of friends who were with him in Mentone, France, where he had been seeking treatment for his painful illness. Spurgeon did not know when he spoke that night that in less than a month he would see the Lord, for whom he had faithfully preached, face to face. Although, Spurgeon did know that he trusted God.

Spurgeon said, “Could we procure a telescope which would enable us to see to the end of the year, would we be wise to use it? I think not. Great mercy has hung up a veil between us and the future; and there let it hang.” The following morning he preached a brief New Year's sermon at his hotel. “The vista of a praiseful life will never close, but continue throughout eternity. From psalm to psalm, from hallelujah to hallelujah, we will ascend the hill of the Lord where we will bow before the Divine Majesty in the bliss of endless adoration.”

While God does not expect us to be foolish or unwise in our lives, He does expect us to trust Him regarding the future. The path ahead will not be clear to us until we see God face to face. But, every day of our lives is already known to Him. We can trust Him even when we cannot see Him.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The hope of eternity in Heaven with God gives us strength to face any challenge or trial.

Friday, December 28, 2018

Face it with God

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.”

Isaiah 41:10–12

Most of Frances Ridley Havergal’s life was marked by pain. She suffered from ill health most of her life, and died a painful death at just forty-two years old from complications with peritonitis. In the days before antibiotics and effective and widely available pain medication, it was a grueling life. Yet Havergal never lost the faith she learned growing up in her father’s church as a little girl. To celebrate the start of 1874 she wrote this poem:

What shall I wish thee? Treasures of earth?
Songs in the springtime, pleasure and mirth?
Flowers on thy pathway, skies ever clear?
Would this insure thee a happy New Year?

Peace in the Saviour, rest at His feet,
Smile on His countenance, radiant and sweet.
Joy in His presence, Christ ever near!
This will insure thee a happy New Year.

David spent much of his early life ignored, belittled, and rejected even by his own family. Then when he did become known in Israel, he spent years running from Saul who was jealous of David’s popularity with the people. He knew hardship and battle and danger as daily companions. Yet David wrote, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Those who have true Christian joy do not have it because their lives are easy, but because they have a real awareness of and focus on the presence of God.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES A Life of Purpose   CURRENT TV SERIES Home for the Holidays

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” —Romans 12:18 I heard about a man who went to Jonathan Edwards, the great preacher, wanting to marry his daughter. Now, Edwards had several daughters, and the one this young man was in love with was particularly disagreeable. So the man asked Edwards, “Sir, may I have your daughter’s hand in marriage?” To which Edwards replied, “No, you may not.” So the man quipped back and said, “Why, sir? She is a Christian and I want her to be my wife.” Jonathan Edwards said, “Yes, she is, but the grace of God can live with some people with whom no one else can!” If you’re honest, you can probably think of at least a few people you might say that about today! But the Bible is clear that despite the differences you may have with others, we’re to live at peace with them. In fact, the Scripture goes as far as to tell you to love your enemies (Matthew 5:44). So, as you think about those people in your life who might need a little extra measure of grace, pray that God would work in and through you to show it to them because cultivating good relationships with others will bless you throughout your life!   GOD WANTS YOU TO LIVE AT PEACE WITH ALL PEOPLE, SO PRAY THAT HE WOULD GIVE YOU THE GRACE TO LOVE OTHERS, EVEN YOUR ENEMIES. Proverbs 14:30 A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like​ ​cancer in the bones.

Life is good, enjoy it =)

• 

Here's how parents can raise successful children, according to a Stanford dean

"Our kids must be able to do all of these things without resorting to calling a parent on the phone".

Image: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

This article is published in collaboration withBusiness Insider

05 Jan 2018

1. Chris WellerIdeas Reporter, Business Insider

Julie Lythcott-Haims is the opposite of a helicopter parent.

A former dean of freshmen at Stanford, from 2002 to 2012, and the author of "How to Raise an Adult," Lythcott-Haims has seen time and again that sheltered kids don't make for capable adults.

She has built a career on encouraging parents to take a more hands-off approach, favoring tough love instead of protecting kids from the big, scary world.

Here are some of the broad strategies she's outlined for how to get there.

Be authoritative, not authoritarian

There are three widely accepted styles of parenting, according to developmental psychologists: permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative.

The first two are no good. Permissive parents become their child's friend and fail to establish healthy boundaries. Authoritarian parents rule with an iron fist, which can fill kids with self-doubt and bruise their psyches.

Authoritative parents are the ideal, Lythcott-Haims claims. They show love and affection but still enforce rules and set high expectations for their kids. Kids more often emerge with strong identities and high self-esteems.

Make them do their chores

An 80-year study called the Harvard Grant Studyhas found the single biggest predictor of a person's success is whether they did chores as a child. Lythcott-Haims doesn't take these findings lightly.

"If kids aren't doing the dishes, it means someone else is doing that for them," she told Business Insider. "And so they're absolved of not only the work, but of learning that work has to be done and that each one of us must contribute for the of the whole."

Chores instill in kids the attitude that life is about teamwork and cooperation, and that a clean, tidy living space doesn't just happen by magic.

Let your kids forget their homework

Part of giving your child extra space is affording them the room to fail — in ways both small and large.

Lythcott-Haims uses the example of a parent who discovers their child left his homework at home. Some parents might have the instinct to rush the assignments to school, lest the child get a bad grade.

But Lythcott-Haims says parents should use the opportunity to teach their kids the importance of responsibility and staying organized. Mom and Dad won't always be there to save the day.

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Encourage kids to take risks

Being able to fail more broadly is essentially what it means to take risks.

In a recent Quora thread, Lythcott-Haims notedthat all kids should feel comfortable taking risks by the time they're 18. Otherwise, they may never fully appreciate how much they can get out of life by leaving their comfort zone.

"Our kids must be able to do all of these things without resorting to calling a parent on the phone," she wrote. "If they're calling us to ask how, they do not have the life skill."

Help your kids develop a sense of direction

Capable adults know how to navigate their surroundings, Lythcott-Haims noted in her Quora response. If they're outside their immediate neighborhood, they at least know how to use road signs and negotiate in traffic to get where the app on their phone says to go.

"We drive or accompany our children everywhere, even when a bus, their bicycle, or their own feet could get them there," she wrote. "Thus, kids don't know the route for getting from here to there."

Parents of successful kids recognize that a healthy sense of direction can (literally) take you far in life.

Prepare them for a world of assignments and deadlines

It's assumed parents will handle their kids' soccer practices, birthday parties, and meal times.

"We remind kids when their homework is due and when to do it — sometimes helping them do it, sometimes doing it for them," she said. "Thus, kids don't know how to prioritize tasks, manage workload, or meet deadlines, without regular reminders."

By age 18, however, Lythcott-Haims said these responsibilities must shift to the child. Knowing how to fit people into your schedule and manage their expectations based on your own plans is a crucial skill of adulthood.

Teach them how to earn and manage money

In addition to juggling schedules, adults also have the unique responsibility of juggling their finances. Even if kids don't have jobs yet, Lythcott-Haims says it's worth parents instilling in kids a sense of fiscal savviness.

It's the old chestnut of teaching kids the value of a dollar. But it's also teaching them the value of having a dollar saved up, invested, or spent on essential items — all stemming from having a boss "who doesn't inherently love them."