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Last Saturday, many families of us got together to have a picnic BBQ at a local country club. It is a blessed day to have – good weather, good food, good fellowship and lots of friends and families together under tree shades. My heart was full of thanksgiving to see the blessings God had bestowed on us.

Oftentimes, a big event like this is likely to have glitches and mishaps. For example, if the weather were not co-operating, then the excitement of outdoor BBQ activity would be greatly reduced. If people we invited were not coming, then we would have too much food left. If not many people wanted to contribute foods, then our stomachs would be greatly disappointed. If any child fell or got hurt, we would be greatly distressed. If, ….if, ….. Therefore, apart from the enthusiasm and preparation of brothers and sisters, most importantly, it is God’s hand was upon this event. We are really blessed to have Him with us.

Talking about blessings, Chinese has a great desire in pursuing “福 – good fortune, happiness or luck”. This probably is because they have been a misfortune people from history :-).  On the surface, the pursuit of good fortune or happiness or luck in this world may not seem to be inappropriate. However, it is worthy to examine your intention. This lets me think of an insightful presentation from “The interview with God” that most of us probably already knew (courtesy:  http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/popup-frame.html) It starts from a dream of the author. I will try to give you an excerpt and you can complete it by yourself.

I dreamed I have an interview with God. “So you would like to interview me?” God asked.

“If you have time,” I said.

“My time is eternity, what questions do you have in mind for me?” God answered.

“What surprises you most about humankind?” I asked

God answered, “That they get bored with childhood, they rush to grow up, and they long to be children again” “That they lose their health to make money, and then lose their money to restore their health.”  “That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live in neither the present nor the future.” “That they live as if they will never die, and die as though they had never lived.”

God’s hand took mine and we were silent for a while. And then I asked. As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?”

“To learn they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let themselves be loved.”

“To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.”

“To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.”

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“Thank you for your time,” I said humbly. “Is there anything else you’d like your children to know?” God smiled and said, “Just know that I am here.” “Always.”

Do you think you are blessed, my dear brothers and sisters? How do you know? The answer would be: I know it because the “Bible” tell me so.:-) In fact, the assurance of blessings is coming from God’s son, Jesus Christ because He is our propitiation for our sin. Because of Him, we were redeemed. That is why Fanny Crosby, when she authored the lyric of “Blessed assurance”, saying, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!” May you have the same blessed assurance as Fanny!