Remembering and Reflecting

Today is Memorial Day, to remember the fallen men and women who sacrificially served in the United States Military Armed Services. Whether or not we agree with war, these brave men and women gave their lives to protect and to serve these borders of the United States of America. This is a day to reflect and to remember their courage and determination in battle. Those who have survived through wars with wounds and irreparable damage, we also honor on Veteran's Day (but that's later in October, 10/10).

My dad served in the Army during the Korean War. Being Chinese, and fighting the North Koreans and Chinese, he told his fellow American comrades he was "Hawaiian" to avoid any animosity just because of race. Well, that was not long ago when America interred Japanese Americans in concentration camps during World War II.

I once heard a story when his tour of duty ended, he was detained because of some paperwork snafu. Had he taken the flight back home with many of the brothers he served along with, he would have been killed along with them in the plane crash. I had never heard that story before. When I did, it sent chills down my back. You see, if he wasn't left behind, he wouldn't have married my mom and had my sister and me.

God's will? God's ultimate plan for his life?

Perhaps, but it is sobering to think about the legacy of all serving military. Each and every one of them have stories to tell about their survival, their time in serving this great country of ours. And many of them serve out of dedication to their country.

My dad really didn't have to serve in the Korean War. He was already in college. He wasn't drafted, but he sacrificially went to serve in the Army for the United States of America. He was the platoon cook, but that's important to nourish and care for the fighting infantrymen. His contribution to our country was honorable and to be recognized.

And you know, Jesus didn't have to go to the cross to die for our sins, but He did. For you and me, Jesus Christ was (and still is) the Son of God. He was the sinless sacrifice, nailed to the cross by our heinous sinful lives. He bore all of that pain for our sakes, because of His love for us. God's love was revealed at Calvary. God's Will.

Remember me

When the color of the sunset fills the sky

Remember me

When you pray and tears of joy 

Fall from your eyes

And age to age

And heart to heart

Bound by grace and peace

Child of Wonder, Child of God

I'll remember you

Remember Me

"Remember Me", written and sung by Mark Schultz

Jesus remembers our hurts and pain. Let us remember His love for us. Have you accepted God's love in your life as He sacrificially gave it all for us?

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for I am a sinner. Please come into my life because I need Your love and forgiveness. Please help me to never forget what You have done on the cross for me. Thank You for saving me. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, welcome to God's Kingdom! Now you are a child of God. Never forget where you came from and what God has done in your life. Remember your loved ones, those who love you, and those you may not know but have given their lives sacrificially as Christ loved the Church.

Blessings,

Garret

Pause || Chill...!

I know in my last post I was saying I need to get back into blogging. Sure. Good. That's great. But sometimes life can get a little hectic. And life usually does roar back on like a lion. And often it's hard to relax and just chill.

Well, this weekend is Memorial Day weekend and I wanted to do something fun. In the past I've gone to the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee festival. And sometimes I've done a long weekend trek to Disneyland (that's when I had an Annual Pass... and gas was much cheaper, too). But with my finances the way they are, a stay-cation is in order.

"Aww, c'mon", I thought, "A stay-cation sounds boring!"

Well, it can be. And it can be just as fun. Today I went to our Folsom church campus (satellite church venue) and had some fun at their carnival for the community. Bayside Folsom is relatively new, as today was their fifth "grand opening" service, and is establishing itself in the community. There were bounce houses, a huge inflatable slide, football tossing station, face painting and (I've never seen this before) two water balloon cannon stations shooting at each other! Yep, I got wet just standing near one side!

It's great to reach out to the community, do community building projects and things like that. But when I just got home, I thought, "Well, what now?"

Quiet time.

Boring! No, actually we need times of quiet and solace. In fact, God tells us to be quiet in order to listen for His still, small voice. No, perhaps not really audibly. But some people claim they actually "hear an audible voice".

"Be still, and know that I am God...." --Psalm 46:10

I know just being still and sitting silently doesn't sound quite right, especially if we're on this Journey we call life. (That's the metaphor of this blog site and I'm stickin' to it!) In this high-paced, technological society we're in, it sounds ridiculous to just sit still in silence.

I even have what a USA Today article (from June 12, 2007) claims is phantom vibration syndrome or vibranxiety. I usually keep my cell phone in silent-vibration mode, so I occasionally get these little vibration spasms on my right hip, where I usually wear my cell phone. I even get it when I'm not even wearing the cell phone... because it's in my hands! So I know that phantom vibration syndrome is a reality for me.

But I digress. And oftentimes a creative mind like mine does digress and gets sidetracked, following a rabbit hole to somewhere we shouldn't go. Ha! Another reason to just... chill!

So what have I learned on the show tonight, Craig? (A reference to the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson... another reason to just chill.) Have quiet times.

In fact, some people call devotion time with God "quiet times". That's when we can just relax, chill, reboot, recharge, and be refreshed by the Giver and Creator of Life itself.

If you have never personally met Jesus, my Lord, my Savior, my God and my King, then there's always a new chance to find rest in God the Father, Master, Creator, and Lord of Life, Lord of All Creation! All you need to do is to say a simple prayer like this: "Dear Heavenly Father, I just want to thank You for today. You have given life to all of your Creation and you sustain life in the palm of Your Hands. Almighty God, please renew me with Your Holy Love. Forgive me, for I am a sinner, forever lost in eternity without You. I believe Jesus is the Risen Lord who has given us life for all eternity. God, please come into my life. Let me learn to love You, worship You, and praise You for all that You have done. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen."

If you have just accepted Jesus into your life, be refreshed. Be renewed. Pause... chill!

Blessings,
Garret