Sunday, February 14, 2010

LOVE is sometimes spelled N.A.I.L.S.



Huh? I can just imagine you saying to yourself. "Love spelled N.A.I.L.S."? Yeah, I know it sounds pretty strange. So let me explain....

This last week we've been doing some remodeling projects here on the Lee homestead. Part of that included ripping out an old deck and throwing all the railing and boards (that were still full of nails) in a huge pile. It was kinda scary looking...and daunting. "You guys ARE gonna pull out all those nails, right?" I asked, as I imagined some poor innocent soul getting snagged at some future date by a rusty nail. "Yep! Sure are!" the men of the house responded. Then the thought hit me, "Hey...I may not be strong enough to rip out boards or tear siding off the deck... but I know how to use a hammer and I can help by pulling out nails!"

So with their permission, and with hammer and crowbar in tow, I set to work. Pretty soon Sue and Irene joined me and we made a party of it. It brought back memories of when I use to help my dad with building projects. Granted, I was never that great at building anything... not like all the men in my family. But I still enjoyed helping as I could... and I did learn to drive a straight nail. So pulling nails is really a piece of cake.

I was kinda chuckling to myself today as we worked away though. You know...none of us gals really dream about "pulling out nails" from pieces of dusty plywood or 2x4's. We don't necessarily dream about getting dirty or making calluses on our hands, or getting sore muscles. But we all pitched in together and did it....WHY?? Well, it's simple. Because of LOVE! We love each other...we love the famiLEE...and we want to help everyone's burden to be lighter.

So...on this day...which just happened to be VALENTINES DAY (my favorite day of the year!)... LOVE for us wasn't giving or getting chocolates or roses (though I think that's what all us girls would have preferred). It wasn't dressing up and trying to look pretty for a dinner date, or reading love letters or sentimental cards. Instead, LOVE was spent helping the famiLEE by pulling N.A.I.L.S...hundreds and hundreds of nails. (I have the calluses to prove it!!)

I could stop here...and you'd get my point! But...as I was thinking about it...this point goes much deeper. (No pun intended.)

Our Savior, not so many thousands of years ago, came to our world to rescue us from the horrible pit of sin that we'd fallen into. He came to minister to us, to give us eternal life, and to teach us of a better home. But what did He get in return?? He got spit upon, He got a crown of thorns upon His head, ultimately...He got N.A.I.L.S. for He was nailed to that cross!! He didn't have to take any of that...He didn't have to endure ANY of that. But He did!! Why?? Because of LOVE...to Him...love meant enduring all of that and so much more. We can't even comprehend what He went through.

So...next time when you see an old rusty nail...don't just pass it by...but remember that even in the most dreary or difficult things of life, even in the ones that sometimes bring pain...there may be a most beautiful lesson for us - that lesson might just be LOVE. But sometimes it's not spelled like we normally like to see LOVE spelled, and so we miss the depth of the message God has for us.

Sometimes things aren't spelled the way we think they should be! But it's for a higher purpose...
  • Instead of roses... life is spelled T.H.O.R.N.S.
  • Instead of sweet chocolates, it's sometimes spelled S.A.L.T.Y. - T.E.A.R.S.
  • Instead of a gentle journey, it's spelled an U.P.-H.I.L.L.-C.L.I.M.B.
  • Instead of easy-going, it's spelled H.A.R.D-W.O.R.K.
  • Instead of getting spoiled, it's spelled T.O.U.G.H.-L.O.V.E.
  • Instead of pleasure, it's spelled S.A.C.R.I.F.I.C.E.
  • Instead of staying in Heaven where Christ rightfully belonged...He spelled LOVE:
C.O.M.I.N.G.- T.O.- E.A.R.T.H.- T.O.- R.E.S.C.U.E.- U.S, T.O.- T.A.K.E.- O.U.R.- P.A.I.N, T.O. T.A.K.E.- O.U.R.- T.E.A.R.S...A.N.D.- T.O.- T.A.K.E.- O.U.R.- N.A.I.L.S so that we might have L.I.F.E!!

Wow! I don't understand it...I don't comprehend it...but once again, I am thankful...what a beautiful LOVE!!

"But God commendeth His LOVE towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5:8

"Who shall separate us from the LOVE of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that LOVED us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the LOVE of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39

"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye LOVE one another as I have loved you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another." Jn 13:34-35

SO, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FRIENDS!!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

A visit with Asschericks...

On our way back North, Lee's wanted to go by and visit Pastor David and his wife Violeta. Obba was a part of the first ARISE course that Pastor Asscherick lead out in, so it was kinda a reunion for them. But for me, since Pastor Asscherick's various sermons over the last 6-8 years have been such a huge inspiration to me, it was a real TREAT to meet him in person...in his own home, with his family!

His wife cooked us a delicious Romanian meal...and everyone had fun talking and catching up!

Anyone want to know some interesting TRIVIA about Pastor Asscherick??

Well...you know how he paces back and forth on the stage all the time and runs and jumps and does weird stuff?? Well, he does it at home too. While he talks on the phone, he can often be seen pacing his porch railing outside their house as he emphasis his thoughts or points to whoever is on the other end of the phone line. Needless to say, I was most amused!!

He's even training his sons to do the same!! What a character!! :-)

While we were there...we also discovered a strength HeeSunny seems to have. She's barely past 1 and she is strong and LOVED hanging on to this bar - without assistance!! She giggled and giggled!!! We were all so amazed.

Finally - some fun group shots with the Asschericks! What a neat family...inspirational...like my own...and yet very real and down to earth...like all the rest of us!!



All in all Asschericks were AWESOME...but I was glad to be on the road again...headed HOME to the beautiful Northwest with my own famiLEE!


Sunday, February 07, 2010

A Special Weekend & my BIG Surprise... (Note: I'm almost NEVER surprised!)

After spending several weeks back in Loma Linda, enjoying my friends and working on some ministry projects, I was excited knowing the Lee's were soon coming down from Oregon to visit me. (This is my Korean FamiLEE that I've gotten attached to over the last few months!)

Well honestly...they weren't just coming to visit me...they actually were coming because Jed, otherwise known as "Obba" or "big brother" to Sue & I, had been invited to speak at Advent HOPE. So in anticipation of their arrival...I set to cooking!! And cook I did...for at least 2 days before they arrived. (Whew!!! What a task!)

When Sue arrived...a little before Obba and Irene and the kids....she helped me cook too! Here we are making "Korean pancakes." Yum yum!

However, unbeknownst to me, Sue - along with my Loma Linda girlfriends, had something else cooking up their sleeve. But at the time...I had not a clue! I was just sooo excited to get to spoil Sue and her family and introduce them to all my friends!

Here we are after they all arrived for our first meal together! They had a flat tire and had been delayed, so were very tired...but I was excited to see them all!

This was our dinner - "Lentil haystacks" with rice...something Holland's and I like to make! I hoped that they would like it too...since they eat lots of rice and veggies. Irene usually does all the cooking, and I have grown to love her food (her too!!), so it was nice to be able to make her "sit down" and treat her for a change.

The most exciting part was seeing the kiddos again! I love my little TaeHo and HeeSunny!!!!! And I love being their "American Auntie!"


Aren't they simply the cutest??? I think so!!

So...despite a few setbacks (flat tire) and "scares" along the way - the weekend went as planned! In fact, it went better than I hoped for. Obba preached at Advent HOPE Sabbath morning...and it was POWERFUL!!!!!! (You can hear his series online at Audioverse!) Praise the Lord - I could really tell the Holy Spirit was working. He also spoke again in the afternoon to a full house. His topics centered around one of his favorite themes - that of CREATION! (A significant topic we all really need to re-focus on in this day and age.)

Sabbath evening I had invited a bunch of my Loma Linda friends over for a fellowship get-together. I did this because I wanted to have one more good get together before I left, and also because I wanted to introduce the Lee's to all of them! Amazingly, even though I'd only e-mailed everyone once about it...like 2 weeks before...they all came! (I didn't know until later that "someone" else had also e-mailed them a reminder...plus told them "secret plans.")

It was fun! Everyone seemed to be having a good time...we had plenty of food (remember I'd been cooking for 2 days before)...and I was happy! Happy to have everyone together!!!

Here I am hanging out with some of my favorite Loma Linda gals... As you can see, the evening was successfully fun and progressed along well. However, I was really tired (after all, I had been cooking for 2 days!), so I asked Sue if she'd take care of games that night after we'd finished eating. (But remember....she'd also been cooking too....and suddenly....SUDDENLY....)

I had the biggest surprise of my LIFE!!!! Yes Indeed!!!! My birthday was fast approaching...and my friends decided to use the occasion that "I" had planned to do something special for my birthday!!!! I didn't suspect a thing...I had no clue...for the first time in my life...I can say I was honestly caught off guard! I WAS SURPRISED!!!!!!

And embarrassed too! (Especially when Sue showed us ALL a video she'd taken of my family and their good wishes and my dad was acting like a clown and my brothers announced to the world my age!) Arrrrrghhhhhh ......but then again, what is family for...except to make you happy and embarrassed all at once!!! :-)

I felt very LOVED, SPOILED, PAMPERED....and treated like a Queen!


Awwwwww.....I love all you guys!!! Honestly...my friends are my most valued treasures!!! Thanks for all you do for me!


So....what started out as a "Special Weekend" with my girlfriends and famiLEE turned out to be something even more...a true treat...that will always be remembered!

Thanks Sue, Marlena, Season, Val, Amanda, Cara and all the conspirators!! Like I've often said...my Advent HOPE friends - they are the BEST!!!!!

So as you've guessed by now...I've just turned ONE YEAR older...if you were at my party, you know what number that means (since my brothers so beautifully pointed it out for all to hear)! But if you weren't at my party...well, then...I guess that means you have to keep guessing!!! :-)

Here's to a starting another year together....with God!!

*I wrote this blog awhile back....but am just now posting! So I back-dated it to the date this all occurred. Just in case my readers thought you'd missed something, you didn't!