Creation Calls

Creation Calls by Brian Doerksen
I have felt the wind blow,
Whispering your name
I have seen your tears fall,
When I watch the rain.
(Refrain)
How could I say there is no God?
When all around creation calls!!
A singing bird, a mighty tree,
The vast expanse of open sea
(Musical interlude)
Gazing at a bird in flight,
Soaring through the air.
Lying down beneath the stars,
I feel your presence there.
I love to stand at ocean shore
And feel the thundering breakers roar,
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/brian-doerksen-lyrics/creation-calls-lyrics.html ]
To walk through golden fields of grain
With endless bloom horizons fray.
Listening to a river run,
Watering the Earth.
Fragrance of a rose in bloom,
A newborns cry at birth.
(Refrain)
I love to stand at ocean shore
And feel the thundering breakers roar,
To walk through golden fields of grain
With endless bloom horizons fray
I believe
I believe
I believe
(Interlude)
I believe
I believe
I believe just like a child
(Choir I believe..)
I believe

Japan, Story of Change

Osaka, Japan
October 22, 2010

For more information visit the site at:

http://www.billygraham.org/specialsections/tv/tv_index.asp?QR=270&BA=2230

A Prayer for Japan

A Prayer for Japan

Mar 12, 2011 01:30 am | by John Piper
The scenes of the tsunami in Japan are apocalyptic:

The power of moving water is greater than most of us can imagine. Nothing stands before it. We are driven to our knees:

Father in heaven, you are the absolute Sovereign over the shaking of the earth, the rising of the sea, and the raging of the waves. We tremble at your power and bow before your unsearchable judgments and inscrutable ways. We cover our faces and kiss your omnipotent hand. We fall helpless to the floor in prayer and feel how fragile the very ground is beneath our knees.

O God, we humble ourselves under your holy majesty and repent. In a moment—in the twinkling of an eye—we too could be swept away. We are not more deserving of firm ground than our fellowmen in Japan. We too are flesh. We have bodies and homes and cars and family and precious places. We know that if we were treated according to our sins, who could stand? All of it would be gone in a moment. So in this dark hour we turn against our sins, not against you.

And we cry for mercy for Japan. Mercy, Father. Not for what they or we deserve. But mercy.

Have you not encouraged us in this? Have we not heard a hundred times in your Word the riches of your kindness, forbearance, and patience? Do you not a thousand times withhold your judgments, leading your rebellious world toward repentance? Yes, Lord. For your ways are not our ways, and your thoughts are not our thoughts.

Grant, O God, that the wicked will forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Grant us, your sinful creatures, to return to you, that you may have compassion. For surely you will abundantly pardon. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus, your beloved Son, will be saved.

May every heart-breaking loss—millions upon millions of losses—be healed by the wounded hands of the risen Christ. You are not unacquainted with your creatures' pain. You did not spare your own Son, but gave him up for us all.

In Jesus you tasted loss. In Jesus you shared the overwhelming flood of our sorrows and suffering. In Jesus you are a sympathetic Priest in the midst of our pain.

Deal tenderly now, Father, with this fragile people. Woo them. Win them. Save them.

And may the floods they so much dread make blessings break upon their head.

O let them not judge you with feeble sense, but trust you for your grace. And so behind this providence, soon find a smiling face.

In Jesus’ merciful name, Amen.

Phonics

Home Made Ice-cream

Home Made Ice Cream - it sounds complicated, but this recipe will show you how to make it quick and easy EVERYTIME! All you need is a few basic ingredients and a blender. This video shows you how to make home made Banana Ice Cream, but you can use it as the basis of making any flavor you like - you'll never buy ice cream again!

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RECIPE FACT SHEET
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INGREDIENTS IN THIS DISH:
2 Cups of Whipping Cream (aka Thickened Cream)
2 Cups of Milk
2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Essence
1/2 Cup of White Sugar
3 Ripe Bananas (for Banana Ice Cream - try other flavors!)
Preperation Time: 2 minutes
Freezing Time: Overnight (at least 12 hours)

produced  by OnePotChefShow on Jul 19, 2009
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Daily Meditation by Henri Nouwen

Towards a Nonjudgmental life

One of the hardest spiritual tasks is to live without prejudices. Sometimes we aren't even aware how deeply rooted our prejudices are. We may think that we relate to people who are different from us in colour, religion, sexual orientation, or lifestyle as equals, but in concrete circumstances our spontaneous thoughts, uncensored words, and knee-jerk reactions often reveal that our prejudices are still there.

Strangers, people different than we are, stir up fear, discomfort, suspicion, and hostility. They make us lose our sense of security just by being "other." Only when we fully claim that God loves us in an unconditional way and look at "those other persons" as equally loved can we begin to discover that the great variety in being human is an expression of the immense richness of God's heart. Then the need to prejudge people can gradually disappear.


Henri Nouwen

Victor Hugo

Wow! I love the commentary of Hugo's work by John Piper with the title, "The Gift of Victor Hugo". Have a good read! You will enjoy it.

Click and visit the  http://www.desiringgod.org for Piper's sermon video.

French poet and novelist, Victor Hugo was born on this day, 1802. He is best known in English because of his novels, Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

We have little hope that his spiritual pilgrimage led him to Christ and heaven. But in the providence of God, and by the grace he scatters so liberally among his adversaries, Hugo was brilliant in his blindness. The imago dei and the remnants of his Christian roots break forth—to the praise of his Maker.

There are reasons Les Misérables is a classic. Put your eye to the pinpricks of light in these excerpts.

• A cannonball travels two thousand miles an hour; light travels two hundred thousand miles a second. Such is the superiority of Jesus Christ over Napoleon.
• Liberation is not deliverance. A convict may leave prison behind but not his sentence.
• The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves—say rather, loved in spite of ourselves.
• Old age has no hold on the geniuses of the ideal; for the Dantes and the Michelangelos, to grow older is to grow greater; for the Hannibals and the Bonapartes, is it to diminish?
• He had nothing in his favor except that he was a drunkard.
• We bow to the man who kneels. A faith is a necessity to man. Woe to him who believes in nothing. A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought. There is a visible labor and there is an invisible labor. To meditate is to labor; to think is to act.
• Laughter is sunshine; it chases winter from the human face.
• They ridiculed the century, which did away with the need to understand it.
• Skepticism, that dry rot of the intellect, had not left one entire idea in his mind.
• Life, misfortunes, isolation, abandonment, poverty, are battlefields that have their heroes; obscure heroes, sometimes greater than the illustrious heroes.
• Despair is surrounded by fragile walls, which all open into vice or crime.

Generosity

It needs strong faith to give generously ... but it is the words of God. Read carefully to receive the real blessings from God...

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. (Proverbs 11:25)

 好 施 捨 的 ， 必 得 豐 裕 ； 滋 潤 人 的 ， 必 得 滋 潤 。

Generosity pays! Here is a secret of wisdom, if you believe Jehovah is God of heaven and earth and the Bible is true. If you do not believe, then the proverb is not for you. Generosity pays! If you are liberal(generous) in your giving to the Lord and to the poor, He will pay you back liberally. And He can outgive you more easily than you can say 10 – 2 = 13.

This proverb is tightly connected to the one before it, which reads, “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty” (11:24). Throwing away your money – to the right causes in the name of the Lord – will bring increase! Restraining your giving will bring you to poverty!

The blessed God has been most generous to mankind, and He rewards men that show a similar generosity to others (19:7; 22:9; 28:27). You can get ahead financially by learning to give generously, for the Lord will liberally bless you. This is the lesson of the proverb. Of course, such wisdom is far beyond any business school or economics class in the world, for they reject the existence of God and His supernatural impact on finances.

God has blessed you. Therefore, you are to give liberally to the poor, even if they are leaving you (要 從 你 羊 群 、 禾 場 、 酒 醡 之 中 多 多 的 給 他 ； 耶 和 華 ─ 你 的 　 神 怎 樣 賜 福 與 你 ， 你 也 要 照 樣 給 他 。Deut 15:14)! The Lord will observe your giving and treat you accordingly. Paul wrote, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully ⁶ 少 種 的 少 收 ， 多 種 的 多 收 ， 這 話 是 真 的 。” (II Cor 9:6). If you are generous, He is able to pour you out an abundant return (Eccl 11:1-6; Is 32:8; Mal 3:10; Luke 6:38).

A strong measure of a righteous man, a man going to heaven, is his generous spirit in giving to others (Is 58:6-12; I John 3:16-19). Job was such a man. He took gentle and kind care of his servants (Job 29:11-17; 31:13-22). And God blessed him greatly! If you take care of those needing financial help, the Lord will take care of you (Ps 41:1-3). Wise men will lay hold of eternal life by purposing to give (Matt 25:31-46; I Tim 6:17-19).

God does not miss or forget your giving (因 為 神 並 非 不 公 義 ， 竟 忘 記 你 們 所 做 的 工 和 你 們 為 他 名 所 顯 的 愛 心 ， 就 是 先 前 伺 候 聖 徒 ， 如 今 還 是 伺 候 。Heb 6:10). He will reward it. The Corinthians eventually became liberal givers, and Paul promised God’s blessing on them for it (II Cor 9:8-11). And there was the further effect of those receiving the charity being exceedingly thankful to God for the Corinthians (II Cor 9:12-14), which is not a bad reward either!

Giving must be done cheerfully, for grudging charity does not count (各 人 要 隨 本 心 所 酌 定 的 ， 不 要 作 難 ， 不 要 勉 強 ， 因 為 捐 得 樂 意 的 人 是 神 所 喜 愛 的 。II Cor 9:7). If you know anything of God’s great payment for your redemption, giving cheerfully to others should not be a problem (⁹ 你 們 知 道 我 們 主 耶 穌 基 督 的 恩 典 ： 他 本 來 富 足 ， 卻 為 你 們 成 了 貧 窮 ， 叫 你 們 因 他 的 貧 窮 ， 可 以 成 為 富 足 II Cor 8:9). What liberal giving will you devise today (高 明 人 卻 謀 高 明 事 ， 在 高 明 事 上 也 必 永 存 。Is 32:8)?

Extracted from LetGodBeTrue.com .

Bible Verses for New Year

New Birth - A Living Hope

1 Peter 1:3

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (NIV)

Hope for the Future

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (NLT)

A New Creation

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (NKJV)

A New Heart

Ezekiel 36:25-27

"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command. (NLT)

Forgetting the Past

Philippians 3:13-14

No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. (NLT)

Learning from Past Mistakes

Hebrews 12:10-11

Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (NIV)

Wait on the Lord

Psalm 37:7

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. (NLT)

Isaiah 40:31

Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (NASB)

God's Timing is Perfect

Ecclesiastes 3:11

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (NIV)

Each New Day is Special

Lamentations 3:22-24

The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" (NASB)

Love Life

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Zedanlism

Talk of Sir Jim, hilarious but inspiring. 


You may also want to learn to create your own words, such as,Zedanlism, Baikwaology,  Kamcholian, to talk about certain cultural but unique phenomenon.


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45 Life Lessons

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Robert L. Joss, Professor of Finance, Dean Emeritus of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, has some advice a few weeks before graduation. In fact, he has 10 life lessons:
10. Life is like cricket
9. Life is too short to deal with "bad" people
8. Run it like you own it
7. Don't forget to manage side-ways
6. Don't take yourself too seriously
5. Without fear -- there is no courage
4. Life is full of "character building experiences"
3. Find the words
2. Use CAT (Critical Analysis Thinking)  and GSB (Graduate School of Business) learning throughout your life
1. Don't forget to renew yourself

Stanford Graduate School of Business: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu
Center for Leadership Development and Research: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/cldr
Robert L. Joss biography: https://gsbapps.stanford.edu/facultyp...

Celine Dion - I'm Alive

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Take Me Home Country Roads

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Two Inspiring Articles from Henri Nouwen

Enough Light for the Next Step


Often we want to be able to see into the future. We say, "How will next year be for me? Where will I be five or ten years from now?" There are no answers to these questions. Mostly we have just enough light to see the next step: what we have to do in the coming hour or the following day. The art of living is to enjoy what we can see and not complain about what remains in the dark. When we are able to take the next step with the trust that we will have enough light for the step that follows, we can walk through life with joy and be surprised at how far we go. Let's rejoice in the little light we carry and not ask for the great beam that would take all shadows away.

Stepping over Our Wounds


Sometimes we have to "step over" our anger, our jealousy, or our feelings of rejection and move on. The temptation is to get stuck in our negative emotions, poking around in them as if we belong there. Then we become the "offended one," "the forgotten one," or the "discarded one." Yes, we can get attached to these negative identities and even take morbid pleasure in them. It might be good to have a look at these dark feelings and explore where they come from, but there comes a moment to step over them, leave them behind and travel on.

Visit HenriNouwen.org for more inspiration!

Bread For The Journey


A Daybook Of Wisdom And Faith

This ambitious undertaking clearly stands out, taking a place of its own in the Nouwen collection. Responding to a request from his publishers for a "Thought-a-Day" book, Nouwen rejected the traditional format of making a patchwork of already published material, insisting to his editors, "Everything should be new."He began the task by going into retreat and imposing on himself a strict discipline of rising early and taking pen in hand: "I just sat down each morning, whether I had any ideas or not, and waited until my pen started to move and pull words out of my mind and heart." Four months later he counted 387 reflections. All that remained was to cut the loaf down to the size of the pan and put it in the oven. The final result: a veritable "Summa Nouwenlogica," covering the full sweep of the author's own intensely lived faith journey. Rich fare in small servings for hungry readers on the go. Excellent for gift-giving.

Why We Celebrate New Years?

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Happy New Year

Start my new year with some pancakes and a trip to the Entrance!

Yes, it's very early in the morning at 4:30 am, I'm learning to prepare pancakes for the family. We are leaving for a fishing trip to the Entrance from Sydney at 7:00 am. I've got the recipe from the YouTube. Here is the video clip from the YouTube:






3 large bowls
A whisk
1 1/2 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. of baking powder
2 tbsp. of sugar
2 large eggs
A hand mixer
1 1/4 c. of milk
3 tbsp. of melted butter or vegetable oil
Additional vegetable oil or cooking spray
A spatula
A greased 1/3-cup measure
A cookie sheet
A griddle or a heavy nonstick pan
Malted milk powder
Frozen blueberries
More butter
Maple syrup
Various toppings

Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients

In one bowl, mix the dry ingredients thoroughly together with a whisk so they're fully incorporated into each other. Break up any lumps.

Tip: Diner pancakes are often made with malted milk powder instead of sugar. Using malt in your recipe will impart that pancake-house flavor.

Step 2: Separate the eggs

Separate the eggs into the other two bowls. Whip the whites with a hand mixer until they form stiff peaks and set aside.

Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients

Add the milk to the egg yolks and beat them together with the mixer until they're bubbly. Then, mix in the oil or butter.

Step 4: Add dry to wet

Add the dry ingredients to the egg yolk mixture, and whisk them together very gently until they're just incorporated. Don't mix too much; overworked batter results in tough, dense pancakes. Fold in the egg whites in two additions, and let the batter rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 5: Heat your pan

Heat your pan or griddle to about 350 degrees, and lightly coat the surface with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Test the temperature by sprinkling a droplet of water onto the surface; if it's hot enough, the water will skitter and evaporate.

Tip: Don't use butter to grease your pan, unless it's clarified butter. Regular butter will burn.

Step 6: Make a trial pancake

Test your temperature by making a trial pancake. Use your 1/3-cup measure to gather a scoop of batter & pour it onto your pan or griddle. When the edges have browned & bubbles appear, flip the pancake, & cook the other side until it's golden brown. Don't press down on the pancake; it won't help it cook faster, and it'll crush the light texture.

Tip: To make blueberry pancakes, scatter a handful of frozen blueberries into the batter as soon as you pour it onto the griddle.

Step 7: Cook your pancakes

When you're satisfied that you've got the right temperature, use your 1/3-cup measure to pour on as many helpings of batter as you can comfortably fit on the griddle. There should be a bit of space between them, so that they don't overlap or touch when you flip them.

Step 8: Keep them warm

Pancakes should be served as soon as they're cooked through. If you're whipping up a big batch, don't let your cooked cakes get cold while the new ones are just hitting the griddle. Instead, lay the pancakes on a cookie sheet. Make sure not to overlap or stack them, and place them in a just-warm oven until you're ready to serve.

Step 9: Serve and enjoy

Serve your pancakes with traditional sides like butter and maple syrup, but don't be afraid to experiment! Give whipped cream, jams or jellies, peanut butter, sliced fruit, and even melted chocolate a try!

Christmas Spirit

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Settling in Sydney

I haven't updated my blog for nearly a month because it takes me all my time and energy to start my new live in Sydney.

Having stayed at a service apartment in Hornsby for more than a week, we finally rent an apartment to settle in North Sydney.  It is quite a spacious unit. This is the view that we can see from our unit.

Benjamin started school this week. He loves his new school and enjoys going there. Carol has just passed her English Test, and will attend school shortly.


As for us, we are still receiving our furniture and unpacking boxes from Hong Kong. We bought a new car last week. I think it will still take sometime to really get settled so I can have more time to update my blog more often.

Itinerary of Malaysia Trip

Day One (3 October)

Arrive Kuala Lumpur 6:25pm
Sunday Night Market

Kuala Lumpur (translated as: "muddy confluence," "muddy estuary," and "muddy city"; pronounced /ˈkwɑːləlʊmˈpʊər/ in English;[3]Malay [kwɑlɑlʊmpʊ], locally [kwɑləlʊmpɔ] or even [kɔlɔmpɔ], and often abbreviated as K.L.) is the capital and largest city of Malaysia. The city proper, making up an area of 244 km (94 sq mi), has an estimated population of 1.6 million in 2006. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million. It is the fastest growing metropolitan region in the country, in terms of population as well as economy.

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Day Two (4 October) : Sightseeings

Visit Petronas Twin Towers (KLCC)

Kuala Lumpur is a very modern city with an efficient and inexpensive network of public transport comprising trains and light rail. The biggest attractions in the city – literally – are the Petronas Towers, the tallest twin towers in the world at 88 floors. The connecting bridge between the towers provides unsurpassed views of the city and tours to the skybridge are a popular activity for tourists. Kuala Lumpur Tower – Menara Kuala Lumpur – also has an observation deck from which a 360-degree view of the city can be had without obstruction.


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Day Three (5 October) : Sunway Lagoon

3 Parks - Water Park, Amusement Park & Wildlife Park

SUNWAY LAGOON STANDS AS MALAYSIA'S AND ASIA'S PREMIER MULTI-PARK DESTINATION


Officially opened on April 29, 1993 by Prime Minister YAB Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Sunway Lagoon is Malaysia's Premier Theme Park and has become the most visited tourist destination in the country.

Sunway Lagoon is strategically located in the township of Bandar Sunway in Petaling Jaya. Spanning 80 acres, the Lagoon draws fun seekers from all over with its reputation as a fascinating land of fun and excitement.

Sunway Lagoon is separated into 3 major themed lands, each boasting their own exciting attractions. Find entertainment, adventure and excitement all in place. A place where you will bring back more than just memories.

Sunway Lagoon, being part of Malaysia's first fully-integrated themed resort - Sunway Lagoon Resort, offers visitors the conveniece of a 5-star hotel, a grand shopping mall right next door and other ultra-modern facilities.
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Day Four ( 6 October)

Beach

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Day Five ( 7 October)

Genting Highland Theme Park

Dubbed ‘City of Entertainment’, Genting Highlands is a well-rounded, one-stop holiday destination situated some 2000 metres above sea level.

Founded in 1965, this multi-award-winning highland resort is highly accessible from the city centre; it is only about an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur. Throughout the years, Genting Highlands with its cool mountain climate remains a firm favourite amongst both Malaysians and foreigners.

With a multitude of attractions which include theme parks, a casino, a shopping mall, a horse ranch, an 18-hole golf course and a world-class entertainment centre, this popular resort promises a good time for everyone regardless of whether you’re here with the whole family or with friends.

Also located within its grounds are a superb collection of hotels so that visitors never have to leave the area if they don’t want to! ______________________________________________________

Day Six ( 8 October)

More to come