Turning Lemons into Lemonade

..“if you have lemons in your hand, turn them into lemonade...”

A friend recently made this comment and I must have looked confused because he went on to say.. ”well, lemons are sour , add some sugar to them and it can be turned into a nice quenching and refreshing drink ..go ahead and turn your lemons into lemonade...”

How wise and isn’t it so true that we will hold that lemon in our hand and ‘display the sourness’ and not turning it into a most fragrant replenishing drink which can be enjoyed and also have a ‘detoxifying’ effect to our system..!!!

Also remembered a preacher once joked,”... Christians walked around as if they were baptised in lemon juice...!!”... the joy hidden so ‘deep down’ that no one can see it...??

How is it that we will always stare blankly and hold on to our lemons and allow them to bring ‘sourness ‘ into our lives along with all the pain and hurts - impeding and stunting our growth and stopping us from being that tree of righteousness which bear much fruits of love, joy, peace and being a shelter and shade to the needy?

So the big question is - how can we make a glass of lemonade-???

Firstly, we must take the lemon and cut it, squeeze out the juice ( the pain, the doubts, the hurts, the bitterness, the whatever not must be squeezed out ie surrender the content of the heart).

Secondly , we are to add some honey/sugar ( bring Jesus in and add Him into the affairs of our lives no matter big or small and take all of Him in-with His love which covers multitude of sins, with His perfect love which cast out all fears )

Finally, add water ( from the river of Life which cleanses, purifies and heals... the supply which will never run dry)

Walla! We have a glass of lemonade ... so drink of it and be made whole..!!!

My Princess

SHE IS TWENTEEN-ONE TODAY :o)

21 years ago- she said hello to the world with a loud cry to announce her arrival...Dr Foong, the gynecologist, congratulated Mr Park and told him his princess is here; counted the ten little fingers and ten little toes for him in front of Mrs Park... they then took her foot-prints for identification too at SJMC and that's how the first Miss Park entered into our world... a great package/bundle from God as a gift to us...:o)

Later, a nurse took her near the window for some sunlight and she started screaming to show her displeasure and a tear rolled down- we were told that seldom do babies shed tears being so very 'young'... but yep! that was my little baby, had 'Mohawk hair style too...- favourite pastime was crying to announce she was awake each time until she turned 4 and decided to become an angel...alleluia!

Well today she turns twenteen-one- nope no spelling error- it's the way it is meant to be 21 is twenteen-one...!! My Big One !!

I thank God for such a blessing - for granting us the privilege to be such proud parents to a wonderful and beautiful daughter... and May God's Favour and Blessings be upon her all the days of her life....


Royal Princess of the Most High...

Praise brings Peace and Jesus to me...

Something has just 'crashed through the roof' into my happy and well-planned family vacation. SR will need to forgo his vacation because of work last minute- so Nastasha's 21st birthday will be celebrated without him..;o(

I was 'going to feel down and have a pity party'...but when I lifted up my head and through 'the big hole on the roof'- I can see ...Him holding the whole Universe in His hands.!!!

It is so ironic that I should write a blog on Praise and the very next day I have to practice what I've written- walk the talk... but God is faithful and He always prepares us before we even put our step forward....

Circumstances may change drastically but He remains the same yesterday, today and forever- in control, faithful and good all the time!! so I decided to enter into PRAISE and worship Him for who HE IS!! The GREAT I AM! Alleluia!!

I also realised that I have the keys to open up 'my gates' and let the King of glory come in.. so I shall open up my heart and fill my mouth with praise that the King of Glory may enter through my gates of praise... the keys are in my hand...:)

..and about what has just happened- well I shall not be moved and will continue to trust that He can turn things around and [bible]all things work together for good to those who love God... Rom8:28

even if the roof and the walls cave-in , well He will be my Strong Tower and Refuge and I will run to Him.. Daddy knows best..!!

PEARLS

Gates of Pearls.

Rev21:21 ...the twelve gates were twelve pearls : each individual gate was a pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold , like transparent glass (NKJ)

Isa 60:18c ...but you shall call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise..(NKJ)

I have always been fascinated by pearls which are found in oysters. Many years ago, I remembered visiting a pearl factory in Hawaii and being introduced to various kinds of pearls and how they are ‘produced and harvested’. What impressed me most was the lustre and the shine of each pearl though they are often not perfectly round as I thought them to be but come in various size, shapes and colour.

Apparently, the whole process starts when the oyster detects a foreign object or irritant which has entered. In order to protect itself from being harmed, it releases an enzyme to cover and wrap around this object of irritant...so layers and layers were then formed to produce a pearl that we so value now..

Pondering over this process, I think we have a lesson to learn from...

Many times we are bombarded and attacked by so many things or events which will leave many wounds and scars on us if we do not learn to ride above the waves or rise above the storms of life...it may leave our heart bitter, dejected and bleeding –infected and festered with old wounds liken to a foreign object which has entered to harm us- an irritant...!!

I guess the Lord has provided us with all the means or the anecdote but it will still require us to apply them in order to be ‘whole’... when something enters and tries to ‘hurt or harm us’ , it should cause us to have an immediate ‘reaction’ ie to rid it off ; to deploy the best and most powerful weapon ie PRAISE..

Often times, I heard people telling me... "I have nothing to praise at the moment" -but despite the circumstance, disregarding what or who is right or wrong... bounce it off...
Heb 12:15 lest any root of bitterness spring up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled....

so as long as you have breath , you shall praise Him.

Psalms 150:6.. let everything that has breath praise the Lord..
Psalms 100:4 ...enter His courts with praise...

We are to turn everything back to Praise and bless His Holy Name because He dwells in the praises of His people;

because when we draw near to Him; He draws near to us ..;

because when the King of glory comes, the Lord God Strong and Mighty enters, He brings restoration, peace, joy and His love will envelope us..

as we go through each storm knowing that Jesus is in the boat and is the Anchor...

We can wrap the ‘irritant’ (whatever that maybe) with praise and we will come through luminous with the shimmer of a pearl- a precious Gate where our praise is lifted to the One and Only Lamb of God whom every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord... He is my Lord!!!

Psalms 24: 7 ... lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in...(NKJ)