A private collection of inspirational life stories seasoned with Scripture. It's a reflection of the daily encounters of a mom caring for 5 children in the light of God's Word.
Posted by
Chin chin
at
Sunday, November 29, 2009
comments (0)
Have you said thank you to the Lord for all His many blessings? He provides our needs. He gives us the air we breathe. He gives us the health we enjoy. He stands by us when we need help. He loves us more than anyone can love us. He sent His only Son that we may be saved from sin and death. If you were the only person in the whole world, Jesus Christ would still have died for you. He deserves our thanks and praise!
Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name, make known among the nations what He has done. ~ Psalm 105:1
Posted by
Chin chin
at
Friday, November 27, 2009
comments (1)
The first chapter in the book Pearl Girls - Love Can Warm the Coldest Heart - is so touching. It gives an inspiring story about how acts of love and kindness can warm an icy cold heart to bear the fruit of forgiveness. Hope you enjoy reading the first chapter of the book you can find below.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Amy Lathrop of the Litfuse Publicity Group for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Margaret lives with her husband and two daughters in a Chicago suburb. Her book, A Mother’s Heart Knows was published by Thomas Nelson in 2005. Go Back and Be Happy, a co-authored book will be published by Lion Hudson in July 2008. Margaret has been featured on Greg Wheatly’s “Prime Time America,” TLN’s “Aspiring Women,” and LeSea’s “The Harvest Show.” Margaret writes freelance articles for The Daily Herald, the largest suburban Chicago newspaper. Notable interviews include Wolfgang Puck, Thomas Kinkade, Susan Branch and Dr. John Gottman. Margaret also wrote a feature article for crosswalk.com. With a master’s degree in international business, Margaret became a vice president in the corporate finance division of a New York City bank and worked there from 1986-1993. Supporting charitable causes is important to Margaret. For the past five years, she has served on the board of directors for WINGS, an organization that helps abused women and their children get a new start in life. Margaret would love to meet you too.
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Moody Publishers (July 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802458629
ISBN-13: 978-0802458629
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
LOVE CAN WARM THE COLDEST HEART
By Susan May Warren
Ephesians 4:32: (ESV): Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Angels of Forgiveness
I felt as if I had been slapped. I gaped in horror as I stared at the empty storage room and tried to comprehend my mother-in-law’s words, “ . . . and we even made $200!” She had sold all my worldly possessions without my permission. She was trying to be kind, but in doing so, she plowed a cavernous furrow through the garden of our friendship. I knew it would never bloom again.
Our family had just returned home after serving as missionaries for four years in Russia. We still hadn’t found a place to live, and my mother-in-law wanted to help by clearing out room for us in her unfinished basement—in the space our hundred boxes of lifetime treasures once occupied. She’d sold everything from hand-knit sweaters to homemade
quilts. Only a forlorn crate of John Denver records and a bag of used mittens remained.
The money she handed me from the proceeds of the sale felt like blood money. I had waited for four years to unwrap my wedding china, greet my books and knick-knacks, and slip back into my fine dresses. I couldn’t believe I had put so much value on possessions, but I had, and now I was stripped.
Then I discovered she’d sold my Christmas ornaments. Every year since childhood my mother had given me a special gift at Christmas, a new and unique tree decoration that symbolized my life for that year, as well as her love for me. The box of heirloom ornaments I had so carefully packed had been sold for a dollar; my memories traded for the price of two cheeseburgers.
A ball of anger swelled in my heart. As I curled in my bed, sobbing out my grief, the ball gained momentum and became an avalanche, burying any tendril of love I had left for the mother of my husband.
Christmas loomed close and everywhere I saw beautiful, glittering Christmas trees. My tree was naked, its arms bare against the white lights. Where was the golden star with my name etched on it, or my tiny porcelain piano? How could she have done this? I felt entombed by my anger.
Sometime in January I realized I had missed the joy that came with the advent season. It couldn’t penetrate my icy heart. I could barely look at my mother-in-law, despite the fact she begged my forgiveness. “I didn’t know how much this would hurt you,” she said, weeping. “I was just trying to help.” I turned a stone heart to her plea. Frost laced the edges of our conversations and although I said the words, “I forgive you,” my soul
was an iceberg and I knew I had not.
In the past, my mother-in-law had been my greatest supporter, encouraging me, helping me pack, babysitting, and stuffing thousands of newsletters. She had cried with me, prayed for me, and tolerated me living in her home. I missed her and knew that if I wanted warmth to reenter my heart, I had to forgive her. But nothing could ease the ache of losing my memories. I avoided her and resolved to live with the pain.
When we moved away in February, I slammed the door on our relationship and didn’t talk to her again. Three days before the following Christmas, a parcel arrived at our
front door, my name etched on the front. Mystified, I opened it. Then, surrounded by my family’s astonished gasps, I unwrapped, one by one, a collection of angel ornaments.
From bears with wings and halos to gilded crystal angels holding trumpets, I hung a choir of heavenly hosts on my tree. Finally, I sank into the sofa as my children examined the
decorations, oohing and aahing.
“Who’s it from?” my husband asked. I retrieved the box, dug through the tissue, and unearthed a small card. Merry Christmas—Love, Mom was scrawled out in my mother-in-law’s script. Tears burned my eyes and, as I let them free, my icy tomb of anger began to melt. My mother-in-law was not able to retrieve the past she had so carelessly discarded, but she was hoping to build a future, our future. And it would start with these angels, proclaiming the love and forgiveness that entered our world. If God could forgive me, who stole His Son’s life, certainly I could forgive my mother-in-law for stealing my . . . stuff.
Easter arrived and with it forgiveness finally flowered in my heart. We descended upon the in-laws for a visit and I wrapped my husband’s mother in a teary embrace. I had lost the little stuffed bunnies my grandmother had knit for me, but I had gained something better—the fragrance of forgiveness, and the everlasting hope that love can warm the coldest heart.
Posted by
Chin chin
at
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
comments (0)
"Mommy, why are you scolding us?" That is one question my kids ask that they have a hard time understanding the answer. Though,
Yuan, one time told me "Mommy, you are scolding us because you love us, right?" I told him when we scold or reprimand him and his kuya (brother) and younger sisters, it is not because we don't love them but because they did something wrong. And when they do something wrong, we want to correct them because we love them and we don't want them to grow up bad. If we don't care for them at all, why would we bother correcting them?
Though I know why I reprove my children, many times, I fall short or go overboard in correcting my children. I fail to make them understand why and the only thing that is imprinted on their childish minds is the angry tone in my voice. Having such a conversation with my son opens my eyes to my shortcomings as a parent. And I ask the Lord to help me in this very important task of parenting.
I know that scolding has a negative connotation in our society today especially with the many talks and issues against child abuse or maltreatment . Of course, when correcting our children, it is wrong to go that far. But I still believe what the Bible says in Proverbs 13:24
He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.
I'm not saying that we should always spank our children when they make mistakes. There are times that it is not the right response and is counterproductive. The proverb says exercise care in disciplining. If we truly love our children, we cannot just ignore when our children misbehave. We should take the appropriate actions. As Jean Tracy, family counselor and Parenting Tips author, says
"...ignoring your children's misbehaviors destroys your natural authority to guide and train your children. Without that authority, you'll end up raising little monsters."
The task at hand of disciplining our children is a very difficult thing to do especially if we just follow our emotions like anger and impulsiveness. I can 100% say that I'm still a learning mom when it comes to this. I pray, Holy Spirit to help us exercise the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. O, Holy Spirit, help us to love, be gentle, patient and self-controlled yet firm, fair and righteous when it comes to child discipline.
Posted by
Chin chin
at
Monday, November 23, 2009
comments (0)
This week's theme for the Inspirational Life Quotes Collection is Filipino Proverbs or Salawikain. I thought of compiling this after my son had his project in Filipino about Salawikain. Salawikain is a type of Filipino literature telling proverbial lessons which may be expressed poetically. If you would like to share a salawikain (I hope you do), feel free to add it to the comments section with your link. I'll add it to the post with your backlink when I've read them.
Ang taong hindi marunong lumingon sa pinaggalingan, ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan. (A person who does not remember where he (she) came from will never reach his (her) destination)
Habang maiksi ang kumot, dapat matutong mamaluktot.
Matalino man daw ang matsing ay napaglalalangan din.
Kung may tiyaga, may nilaga.
Kung may isinuksok, may madudukot.
Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo? (What use is the hay when the horse is dead?)
Ang tumatakbo ng matulin, kung matinik ay malalim.
Daig ng maagap ang masipag.
Mahaba man daw ang prusisyon, sa simbahan din ang tuloy.
Anak na di paluin, magulang ang paluluhain.
Habang malambot pa ang buto ay hutukin na ito.
Pinapalad ang marunong magpatawad. (Blessed are the forgiving.)
Kung anong itinanim, siyang aanihin. (What you sow, you reap.)
Huwag mong gawin sa iba ang ayaw mong gawin ng iba sa iyo. (Don't do to others what you don't want them to do unto you.)
Ang taong pasensiyoso, magaling sa negosyo. (A patient man is good businessman.)
May tainga ang lupa, may pakpak ang balita.
Walang malaking nakakapuwing.
Walang lihim na di nabubunyag. (No secret will not be exposed.)
Linisin mo muna ang iyong mata bago linisin ang dumi sa mata ng iba.
Posted by
Chin chin
at
Thursday, November 19, 2009
comments (0)
Angel can now firmly stand up and sit down at will by herself. She crawls so fast, when the door is open, she can outcrawl you pass the door. She has mastered her grip that she can easily pick up things and put them in her tiny mouth. Her curious little mind almost always puts her in compromised safety. Just look at that picture. She is standing at the edge of the bed.
"Be careful, Angel, be careful." I say that to her as if she can understand me. Once, twice, thrice. I think I've lost count. As loving and caring parents, we want our children well. That is why we guide and teach them, constantly warn them of impending danger.
The same is true with our heavenly Father. As his children, He wants the best for us. That is why He gave us His Word to guide us, teach us and warn us.
"These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" ~ 1 Corinthians 10:11-12
Whatever were written down in the Bible is for us to serve as examples and warnings. Have you responded to His Word lately?
Posted by
Chin chin
at
Sunday, November 15, 2009
comments (0)
It is time to play a Wild Card!Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his/her book's FIRST chapter!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
Dandi Daley Mackall has published more than 400 books for children and adults, with more than 3 million combined copies sold. She is the author of WaterBrook’s two other delightful Dandilion Rhymes books, A Gaggle of Geese & A Clutter of Cats and The Blanket Show. A popular keynote speaker at conferences and Young Author events, Mackall lives in rural Ohio with her husband, three children, and a menagerie of horses, dogs, and cats.
David Hohn is an award-winning illustrator who graduated with honors from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has worked as both a staff artist and an art director for a children’s software company in Portland, Oregon, a position which led to his art directing an award-winning project for Fisher-Price. Hohn’s recent projects include Lisa Tawn Bergren’s God Gave Us Christmas.
I am a stay-at-home mom of 5 children: 2 boys and 3 girls. I've been married since 2000 to a wonderful husband. I blog to share what I have learned and continue to learn about being a wife, a mom, a Christian.
