Merry Christmas to you! Hope your day is joyous and full of laughter and delight! Ours has been. The storms parted long enough this afternoon for a Christmas picnic lunch and swim with friends. (This week reported the 3rd highest rainfall in the history of Singapore!)



May we be more enraptured with His love and mercy than all our new toys.
Love to you today,
the Wallaces

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Jesus wanted pumpkin pie for his birthday this year...

It's such fun to make a mess.

Ellie loves mommy's new toy!

Hello, all!
This story below is an adaptation from a story I've heard before, designed to share with our neighbors (who in Singapore have mostly never heard...) the meaning of Christmas. Feel free to bake up some sugar cookies to hand out and use it in your neighborhood too. (OK, it works with or without cookies!) Or just remind yourself again for the first, or thousandth time!

Merry Christmas! We hope you enjoy this Christmas story…

The Christmas Birds: One man’s reflections on the meaning of Christmas

One night during the Christmas season, there was a man who was watching a winter storm from his cozy home. (He lived a long way from Singapore!) As Christmas drew closer, he wondered, “What’s the big deal about Christmas? I mean what’s so special about the birth of this baby they call Jesus?” As he reflected, he went to the window to see the flurries getting heavier and heavier. Then he went back to his chair by the fireside. A moment later, he was startled by a thudding sound, then another, and then another. At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against the window, but when he went to the front door, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They had been caught in the storm. Trying to get back to safety, they tried to fly through his large landscaped window.

He could not let the poor creatures freeze! He immediately thought of the barn where they kept the farm animals. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put on his coat and boots and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn, opening the doors wide and turning on the lights. But the birds did not come in.

He figured that food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house and fetched bread crumbs. He spread them on the snow, making a trail to the wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the crumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried to catch them and shoo them into the barn, running and waving his arms, but this too failed. They just scattered in every direction except to the warm barn. Then he realized they were afraid of him.

He realized that to these tiny birds, he was a strange and terrifying creature. Anything he did made them frightened and confused. They would not follow.

“If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me… To let them know that I’m not trying to hurt them but help them… But how?”

“If only I could be a bird, and mingle with them… speak their language and tell them not to be afraid… and show them the way to the safe warm barn…But if I were to do that, I would have to be one of them, so they could see, and hear and understand…”

At that moment, the man’s heart was gripped. Not for the birds, but for the true meaning of Christmas. His mind began to spin as thoughts flooded his head. He realized that what he wanted to do for the birds, the message of Christmas claims that God has done this for mankind in Jesus. Could this be true?

He finally understood why the birth of the baby Jesus celebrated on Christmas was so significant—if it was true. He had heard the story—that Jesus was God’s son, and that He became a man—this tiny baby born on Christmas morning. A baby who cries like one of us. A child who plays like one of us. A man who knows what it is like to be one of us. What tremendously loving God would stoop as low as a helpless baby to make Himself known to us?

And yet, He knew there was more to the story. That tiny baby of Christmas morning grew up! He’d heard stories about Jesus healing the blind and the lame. He heard that Jesus believed He died to save us from our sins and give us eternal life—and then rose from the dead! He had even heard that Jesus himself claimed to be God. Could these things be true? Maybe Jesus was crazy, he reasoned. Or maybe He was lying... but that didn’t make sense. Everyone knows Jesus was a wise, good man. But he himself said he was God. Could it be true? Maybe not, but if it was—what a gracious, loving and beautiful God!

He picked up a booklet he’d found years before and read it through.

1. God created us for His glory, to know Him, live for Him, tell of His greatness.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

2. Every man has failed to glorify God as He is owed (called sin), and deserves God’s justice.

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

"The wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23).

3. Yet, in God’s mercy, He sent His own Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sin and restore us to God.

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18).

4. Forgiveness, eternal life and unending joy with God are promised to those who repent of their sin and put their trust in Jesus.

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out" (Acts 3:19).

“The wages of sin is death…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

"Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).

Was THIS the meaning of Christmas? No wonder this baby was so special! If these things were true, then the man knew that He couldn’t just put his Christmas decorations away and forget about this baby. He knew that if it was true, then he must respond to this message and it would change his life. Part of him wanted to forget about the whole thing. After all, in just a week, the lights and colors of Christmas would be past.

But what if it was true?

You can read the words of Jesus for yourself in the Bible, the gospel of Luke.

You can also find in the Bible the references listed in red.

Christmas tree before the destruction, (see below).

It seems it will be a quiet Christmas around Kentish Green. Some of our close neighbors will be traveling. It adds to this feeling I've been having about the holidays. Here it is-- "I'm responsible to make it just right for our family and create all these Wallace family traditions of our own that our girls will remember when they start their own families, and I don't even know how to make a turkey!! AH!"

Last year since we had just arrived in Singapore, it just seemed not-quite-right because we didn't know anyone. Now it seems not-quite-right because...why?

Is it the 90 degree weather while "Let It Snow" is playing on the CD player?
Is it wondering where in the world we will be living by NEXT Christmas?
Is it longing for a store like MJ Designs or Hobby Lobby where I could find some decorations for, say, under $50??

OK, it's not that bad.

We had our tree up-- actually on Thanksgiving day. Since daddy could only take Thurs. off and we wanted to do it together, this was our only choice. (Since I've promised Kathryn for months we would most certainly do it the day after thanksgivng, even waiting till Saturday was far too late!) She was so delighted to put up the tree. Now instead of waking me up first thing in the morning, she turns on the lights and sits on the bean bag in front of the tree. Many of the ornaments, however, are dying painful deaths. Slow, agonizing, multiple-injury deaths by toddler. The survivors have slowly migrated to the top half of the tree so now the bottom half is barren.

And we started our first advent wreath this year. It's actually not a wreath. It's 4 candles circled around a bigger candle. It's drama and some singing as we make a dash to rescue curious fingers from the flame. So yes, we have begun a stab towards our own family traditions.

So what's missing? I think it's that I can't make it the same as my childhood. I suppose it's me letting go of expectations, letting go of the feeling that I must provide for our girls something like Christmas as I remember it. Letting go of the responsibility to do it "right" and just learning to do it together.

Maybe there's freedom in that. And maybe Jesus can come and be our guest here, at our little family Christmas celebration here in Singapore, even if I don't know how to make a turkey.

China was a treat. Was it China, or was it the 60-70 degree temps, coupled with great fellowship of our friends who still live there? And there's just something homey about being there. The girls and I stayed for 10 days with our friends while the daddies attended some meetings.

Moments worth noting:

--After the dads came back from their meetings, my dear friend Amy and I took a getaway to Hangzhou. Early that morning at the bus station, I had awoken with a sore throat and went off to look for a cup of hot water. (This should be easy in China as everyone drinks hot water with their breakfast.) I approached the service counter and asked for hot water. She replied:
"You beizi ma?" (Do you have a cup?)
"Mei you." (No.)
"Mei ban fa" (It's impossible, i.e., there's no hope for you to get hot water.)
And then she said she'd sell me one for "yi mao", (less than a penny). I suppose she meant, "If you want to get this water for FREE, then it's compeltely hopeless. But if you're willing to fork over a fraction of a cent, then we can talk." I'm not making an economic comment here-- truly, a beggar would be offended if you gave them this coin. Baffling.

--As we took the bus from one city to another, I noticed a big change since we lived here 6 years ago. Formerly as you travelled through the countrysides, all you would observe would be farmer's communities of concrete slab housing. Field after field after field of rice paddies. But six years later I noticed that these "between cities" communities were much more developed. Attractive housing, businesses, roads built into the hills, thriving little cities.

...That's all that comes to me now. And some new pictures are in order. I love these cultural ones, caputured by amateur photographer and dear friend Shelly Au!

Anybody want a rose?

Bamboo scaffolding is still the favorite building method. Watch out below!

These bikes are still a main mode of transporting goods...

These old style, one-room Chinese houses (and notice sofa on the lawn behind!) are mixed in everywhere along newer high rise flats. A family of 4 lives here.

Love Mama!

We remember this family from 5 years ago-- This is the wife of the sanitation worker that serviced our apartment complex.

Sweet lil' China girl...

Look, Ellie!

Family pic by the lakeside at the Chinese campus where I used to teach.

Here, birdie, birdie!

Giggly girls

K enjoying the "purple heart" flowers

Check out these princesses at the slumber party!

I'm such a cutie!

Swings are rare in Singapore so this was a treat!

NO Control

Now it seems that my last post was a bit presumptuous. Not the being awed with God's wonders part. But the leaving soon part. But you know, I wouldn't have put it on the internet unless I really had believed that is what we were doing!!

But since I don't know much in the practical detail realm, I'll go back to the nature theme. The skies are not so blue today. Singapore is usually one of the cleanest cities in the world with super tight emission standards and next to zero factory pollution. Did you know that you can only drive a car here for 10 years before its shipped off to Malaysia? Did you know that if a local outdoor eatery (called hawker centers here) is caught by a policeman with a roach on the floor, they are closed down for 2 weeks pending health inspection? Did you know that if you are caught with drugs you are sentenced to death with no grace, even on the first offense? I guess I'm getting carried away from the nature them but those kinds of rules make for a pretty clean society!

Anyhow, back to the not-blue skies. The problem is not Singapore. It's Indonesia, our close neighbor, a mere 30 minute ferry ride away. They are completing their yearly burning of the fields, and the smoke and ash drifts right over our way. It's been on and off like this for the last couple of weeks. Surely the fields should almost be gone now?? Its like a grey soup outside and you can literally feel the heaviness in the air. It reminds me of China.

I love China. We are going there this weekend on a trip. Which brings me back to my presumptuous previous entry. I thought that during this visit, we might be bringing our first shipment of boxes with us! If I had any semblance of control over my own life, I have been well-reminded, I have none.

It seems that a major transition for the Wallaces is coming soon. And, as it tends to go, when you think you might be leaving a place, you begin to notice things you didn't before. My summary of life here often focuses on the constant heat and how much we sweat. But today, I felt differently. Life on the equator seems precious today.

At 6:30am, I was standing outside in our courtyard and I could hear at least 4 different species of birds giving their morning wake up calls.

Later this morning I took our girls to the botanical gardens. Wildlife and plants most can only see in books were teeming all around us. Thousands of vivid flowers that the best photographer can't capture popped out at me.

While I was taking it all in, this phrase from a praise song kept playing over and over in my head. "You made it all. Said "Let there be!" And there was, all that we see." The simple power of those words! Somehow I want to unpack them, but I can't do any better than that. How great is our God!

In light of the Sept. 11 anniversary, I read this very moving article composed by John Piper about the testimony of Lisa Beamer. I started to post another article instead, because this one almost feels too personal. But life lessons seem to be so much more poignantly spoken by those who have lived them. If you are challenged by this and want to hear more, enjoy a wealth of resources at Piper's website, www.desiringgod.org.

Lessons from Lisa

A 9/11 Widow Trusts in the Sovereign Goodness of God

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By John Piper September 11, 2002

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Psalm

On Sunday, September 8, 2002 John Piper preached from Romans 8:35-36 with a focus on the commemoration of the calamity of 9/11.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’"

He argued that Jesus Christ is mightily loving his people with omnipotent, moment-by-moment love that does not always rescue us from calamity but preserves for everlasting joy in his presence even through suffering and death.

After the exposition, he said, "Let’s let Lisa Beamer bear witness to this sovereign love. Her husband Todd was on flight 93 that went down in Pennsylvania. He was the one who said, ‘Let’s Roll.’ He left behind Lisa and three small children (one born last January). I have found at least ten lessons from Lisa mostly in her own words."

What follows are the ten "Lessons from Lisa" that he gave his people as an extended application and embodiment of Romans 8:35.

1. Embracing the sovereignty of God brings strength and hope.

Lisa: "God knew the terrible choices the terrorists would make and that Todd Beamer would die as a result. He knew my children would be left without a father and me without a husband . . . Yet in his sovereignty and in his perspective on the big picture, he knew it was better to allow the events to unfold as they did rather than redirect Todd’s plans to avoid death. . . . I can’t see all the reasons he might have allowed this when I know he could have stopped it . . . I don’t like how his plan looks from my perspective right now., but knowing that he loves me and can see the world from start to finish helps me say, ‘It’s OK.’" (Modern Reformation, 24-25)

"If we believe wholeheartedly, each moment, that our destiny rests in the hands of Jesus Christ – the one with ultimate love and ultimate power – what do we have to be concerned about? Of course, our humanity clouds this truth many times but hanging on to glimpses of it keeps everything in perspective." (Modern Reformation, 31)

2. Don’t presume to know better than God how to run the world. It is pride.

Lisa: "My faith wasn’t rooted in governments, religion, tall buildings, or frail people. Instead, my faith and my security were in God. A thought struck me. Who are you to question God and say that you have a better plan than He does? You don’t have the same wisdom and knowledge that He has, or the understanding of the big picture." (World, 25)

"We also aren’t privy to the perspective he has and shouldn’t claim to know better than he does what should happen and what shouldn’t. . . . Faith means that, regardless of circumstances, we take him at his word that he loves us and will bring us to a good result if we just trust and obey him. Obviously, the ramifications of this understanding have been tremendous for me since 9/11." (Modern Reformation, 25)

3. God has a good purpose in all the hard things that happen to his people.

"God’s sovereignty has been made clear to me. When I am tempted to become angry and ask ‘What if?’ and , ‘Why us?’ God says, ‘I knew on September 10, and I could have stopped it, but I have a plan for greater good than you can ever imagine.’ I don’t know God’s plan, and honestly, right now I don’t like it very much. But I trust that He is true to His promise in Romans 8:28: ‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.’ My only responsibility is to love God. He’ll work out the rest." (Decision, 8). Beneath her signature Lisa writes Genesis 50:20, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." (Modern Reformation, 30)

4. Death and suffering press in on us the perspective of eternity.

Lisa: "September 11 has shown me the reality of eternity in a dynamic way these past few months. When I’m overwhelmed with sadness at what I’ve lost in this life, He is quick to give me His eternal perspective. ‘Lisa, this life is just a blip on the radar screen compared to your future with Me in heaven,’ He says. ‘The best thing that you can imagine on earth is garbage compared to what awaits you.’" (Decision, 8)

5. God’s distribution of suffering is not equal, and one hard thing may prepare for another.

When Lisa was 15 her father suffered an aneurysm at work and died the next morning in the hospital. Lisa: "When my father died, faith wasn’t so easy anymore. . . . I spent five years asking why, expressing my anger saying it’s not fair, before God helped me realize that he is who he is all the time – in good circumstances and bad. He is all-powerful and all-loving, but that doesn’t mean that as a citizen of this fallen world he protects us from every ‘bad’ event." (Modern Reformation, 25)

What a witness to God’s goodness and sovereignty the world would be missing today if God had not prepared Lisa Beamer for this loss by the death of her dad!

6. God’s love takes care of us right now in our suffering, not just later.

Lisa: "He knows that I am a hurting and in need right now. Every day He provides encouragement and resources just for me. Little things show me that He is with me: a Scripture with just the words I need to hear, a call from a friend when I feel lonely, help with a task that I can’t do alone, or a hug and ‘I love you’ from one of my children. God’s love is truly sufficient to meet any need that I have." (Decision, 8-9)

7. Calamity calls for quick practical love like meals and baby sitting.

Lisa: "The picture of the church as the hands and feet of Christ, with each person having a special gift, has been well portrayed to me these last months. In the beginning, it was immediate and practical help I needed – meals, child care, managing phone calls, and mail. Now that we’re out of the crisis mode it is rebuilding help I need – counseling , encouragement, prayer." (Modern Reformation, 28)

8. Quiet, confidence in God’s power and goodness through suffering create occasions for witness.

Marilee Melvin said of Lisa, "Her disarming quiet confidence in God’s purposes must be the reason Larry King has had her on his show eleven times." (Modern Reformation, 30)

9. Trusting in God’s sovereign care in all circumstances frees you from greed and releases love for others.

Money started to flow in to Lisa Beamer. Some letters were simply addressed, Lisa Beamer, New Jersey, and got to her. Lisa: "I didn’t feel comfortable keeping this for ourselves when there were many unknown families who should share." So she started the Todd M. Beamer Foundation to assist children who lost a parent in the 9/11 calamity. (Modern Reformation, 30)

Her freedom for others comes out in another way: "My family and I mourned the loss of Todd deeply that day . . . and we still do. But because we have a hope in the Lord, we know beyond a doubt that one day we will see Todd again. I hurt for the people who don’t have that same hope, and I pray that they will see something in our family that will encourage them to trust in the Lord." (World, 26)

Lisa’s way of encouraging people to trust in the Lord is sometimes so straightforward that Newsweek magazine called it "stern and even a little grim." She wrote in her memoir, "You think you deserve a happy life and get angry when it doesn’t always happen like that. In fact you are a sinner and deserve only death. The fact that God has offered you hope of eternal life is amazing! You should be overwhelmed with joy and gratitude." (Newsweek, 42)

10. Without God the world is hopeless.

With hundreds of others she attended the memorial service in Shanksville, PA at the crash site where her husband died. The Christ-exalting memorial service for Todd had been on Sunday, the day before, and had strengthened her. "On Monday," she said, "as I listened to the well-intentioned speakers, who were doing their best to comfort but with little if any direct reference to the power of God to sustain us. I felt I was sliding helplessly down a high mountain into a deep crevasse. As much as I appreciated the kindness of the wonderful people who tried to encourage us, that afternoon was actually one of the lowest points in my grieving. It wasn’t the people, or event, or the place. Instead, it struck me how hopeless the world is when God is factored out of the equation." (World, 26)

So, together with Lisa Beamer and the apostle Paul and Jesus Christ himself, I plead with you, Don’t factor God out of your life, or Jesus Christ who died and rose and reigns and intercedes for all who trust him, that we might have eternal joy with him in the presence of God.

The quotes are from:

"Let’s Roll [excerpts from her book]," World, Vol. 17, No. 31, August 17, 2002, pp. 20-28.

Lisa Beamer, "The Hope I Know," Decision, Vol. 43, No. 9, September, 2002, pp. 6-9.

Ann Henderson Hart, "Finding Hope Beyond the Ruins: An Interview with Lisa Beamer," Modern Reformation, Vol. 11, No. 5, September/October, 2002, pp. 24-31.

Evan Thomas, "Their Faith and Their Fears," Newsweek, September 11, 2002, pp. 36-48.

By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.

I've been an infrequent "blogger" this summer! I think some pictures are in order most of all-- I haven't posted any from my parent's visit, any from our month in China, or from our recent getaway. I'll start with the latest.

I recently made a valiant, but largely failed effort to overcome the "mafan" factor. In Chinese, this is a word that captures "pain in the rear" better than any words I know in English. Unwittingly, so many of our decisions about family life with children seem to revolve around "mafan"-- How much of a hassle will this be? So I drew a line in the sand and decided-- I simply can't decide not to do things because they will involve "mafan". The attempt to prove to myself that I had, in fact, overcome this gripping force resulted in a family vacation, a three day hop-across-the-bay to Malaysia.

My conclusion now is that I'm not sure a relaxing vacation with small children exists. They are worth the effort, definitely, but "relaxing" shouldn't be one of the adjectives used to describe a vacation at this stage of life. So we were asking more philosophical questions like "What is restful?"; "What is a vacation supposed to accomplish?"; and "At what age (of the children? or the parents??) is traveling not such the affair?" A few of our friends with older children nodded knowingly, sympathetically, affirming our findings. It really wasn't all that bad. Pictures for future scrapbooks were taken, children were entertained, and parents were humbled.

So I'll leave you with some shots of our happy moments!

Getting on the "princess boat", as Kathryn
called the "ferry".

Ellie enjoys the ride!

This grove has 1000 tiny bananas!

Fun in the pool!

Ellie strikes a pose

K feeding the goat his lunch

K at the fish pond

Malaysia sunrise on the beach

Potty Update

You're dying to know, about Kathryn, aren't you?? Today was the day. I woke up and decided we can't wait till we get home. I walked in her room and said "Kathryn, today--no more diapers." Kathryn in all her drama, upon the announcement, replied “Oh, mommy, that makes me really sad.” But I must grant her that diapers have been with her for her entire life, so it might be some kind of traumatic event to part with them. But she is more than ready. This has been a long time in coming. Then she asked me if she could help me throw them away. So, that’s what we did. (I later recovered them of course.) We saved one for nap time and bedtime, but as far as she knows, no more diapers her size exist in the world.

At breakfast (7:30) she drank all her apple juice, an orange juice box, and some sprite. So it HAS to come out, right? So I keep waiting. 8:30, 9, 9:30, 10… still claiming she doesn’t need to go. Another 30 minutes, and she says her tummy hurts. I bet it did, holding all that in! At 10:45, she sat down and started going tee-tee. I’m not joking—she went for the next 30 minutes, a tablespoon at a time. She got a big kick out of emptying the potty each time. All of this tells me that she has extremely good bladder control, because she could hold it, and could also go a small bit at a time. So this morning went well!

So, between all the juice and sprite, reward treats, and the half a jar of jelly she ate while I was washing the dishes at lunch time, how many grams of sugar do you think she has consumed today?? Tee-tee in the potty makes it all worthwhile.

This Child is Ready to Use the Potty

All right, that does it, no more diapers for Kathryn…as soon as we get home! This is the kind of entry that she would die of embarrassment when she’s 13, but I doubt this blog thing will really stay around for that long.

If any of you have been around us much lately, you know that potty training has been a major ordeal with Kathryn. This otherwise brilliant child has been completely resistant to any suggestion of giving up her beloved diapers, at least until kindergarten. Just after she turned 3, (since she knew that big 3 year old girls used the potty), she told me, “Mommy, I am a big girl, but not a really big girl. So maybe I’ll use the potty when I’m 5 years old.”

Truth be told, the first time Kathryn used the potty, (a fluke though it may have been) was at 18 months. Shortly before Ellie was born, she showed an interest, we bought a potty, and wallah!, we had tee-tee. But everyone said “Don’t try to potty-train when you have a new baby.” “Don’t try potty training when you’re moving.” “Don’t try potty training when there is any major change in your home.” So facing all of the above, we put the potty away. A big mistake, I’m afraid!

Now, I've realized that if I wait for a time in our lives where there is no travel, no change or "newness", then she truly will be 5 before she is diaper-free. But this dialogue has caused mommy to draw a line in the sand.

“Kathryn, do you need to go poo-poo?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Oh, great! Let’s go sit on the potty!”

“No thanks. I want to go in my diaper.”

(A minute passes.)

“Kathryn, are you done going potty?”

“No, there’s more coming. Don’t worry mommy, I’ll tell you when I’m done.”

(Another minute)

“Kathryn, are you done now?”

“Not yet…See, mommy, first comes the poo-poo, and then comes the tee-tee that makes it all wet…See, here it comes!... Ok, mommy, all done! You can change my diaper now!”

I know you'll want an update, so don't worry, I'll keep you posted.

Food for Thought

"The whole life of the good Christian is a holy longing. What you desire ardently, as yet you do not see." -Augustine

"Hope, in its properly Christian sense, means a sure and confident expectation that what has been promised to us will finally blossom in all its wonderful glory." -Alister McGrath

"We are starved for the glory of God, not self. No one goes to the Grand Canyon to increase self-esteem. Why do we go? Because there is a greater healing for the soul in beholding splendor than there is in beholding self." -John Piper

"In the gospel, we see and savor the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And this kind of 'seeing' is the healing of our disordered lives." -John Piper

These Things I Love About China...

*This morning, after dropping Kathryn off with a friend, I came home and broke the key off in our door. After a brief moment of panic I went to the gate guard, and he called a locksmith. "It'll be 4 mintues." I braced myself for a long wait. Really it was only about 10. Within 30 minutes, and a mere $10 later, I was back inside. Can't beat that!

*Being a Texan, I have to mention this. Right outside our back gate in this city, there is a wonderful yet unusual sight-- "Peter's Tex-Mex Grill." I'm not kidding. And you know, it's not that bad. The best part is, the most expensive thing on the menu, fajitas, is $6. No, I take that back. The best part is the chocolate-peanut butter milkshakes. No, truly, the best part is free delivery!

*Although this desire for Mexican food will always be with me no matter where I live, I can say since we’ve returned that even Singapore is a poor (albeit expensive!) substitute for real Chinese food. As I was talking about hopes for connecting Kathryn to the culture, a wise friend suggested that I try to do this through food. Why didn’t I think of that?? So winding my way through the Chinese grocery store, I decided to go for the Chinese snacks rather than your typical crackers. Now, she loves red bean paste buns. Better than that, she keeps asking for more yummy Chinese treats. Thanks, Ann, it’s working!

More to come…

A whole round of family sickness has kept me from the blog these last 2 weeks...

Meet my friend, Na Ling.

She was born the same year as me, but we couldn't have more contrasting life experiences.

She was born the youngest of 8 children in Cambodia, two years before the Khmer Rouge came to power. During their heinous reign of destruction and killing, 5 of her siblings died of starvation. Na Ling survived, because being the youngest, her mother would slip her extra food portions. Her parents, as well as all her older-generation relatives, were murdered.
(At this point in the story I stop and think-- If this were my daughter Kathryn, she would have already lost both her parents by age 3.)

After the death of her parents, Na Ling was "adopted" by Khmer Rouge foster parents, which was a practice of the regime in an attempt to "re-educate" the youngest of the youth. Being harshly treated, she quickly learned how to survive on her own, hiding in the forest in the day and living in the homes of the deceased at night. (She discovered these homes were the safest because they believed it was back luck to enter them and would leave them empty.) After some time, she learned that her oldest sister was still living and went to live with her.

When she was 16, Na Ling became a Christian through some American missionaries who came to live in their village. Because she had worked hard to learn English, the missionaries quickly took note of her and asked for her help in translating materials into her native language.

Na Ling is now 31, attending a local seminary in Singapore. She is training to return to Cambodia to work with the same missionary agency through which she came to Christ.

As I hear her testimony, I am taken back. I am humbled. I am thankful for this dear sister, and drawn to share her life story with you.

Monkey Tales

We had an oh-so-interesting visit to a new park today, McRitchie Reservoir. Firstly, it was beautiful. Like a landscaped rainforest! We didn't make it far into the forest though, pushing the double stroller up the steep hills. But we do have a story to tell!

As we crossed a bridge to the other side of the lake, I spotted a monkey. "Wow, monkeys roam freely in this park", I thought. "Let's hurry over before he scurries away." As I rushed over to give the girls a peek, I suddenly caught sight of his family, extended family, and 100 closest friends! Not only did he not rush off; He invited us to his house! "They're harmless", an passerby exclaimed. "The governement would never allow them to roam here if they were a problem." Hmmm... It was about then that my motherly instincts should have started kicking in. It all happened so fast!

It was about 10am, so we didn't have any food in sight; Just an inconspicuous juice cup. Ever the mindful mother, always thinking first of my children's safety and well-being, I took out the camera and began snapping photos of the monkeys barraging my children. All of a sudden, one of the monkeys climbed right up onto the stroller and snatched Ellie's juice cup right out of her hand! Amazing dexterity, the little dickens!

Before I realized it, that darned critter ran up the side of the hill straight up into the tree with poor Ellie's cup. Mommy thought the whole scene was hilarious, but Ellie was not as amused. The three of us waited helplessly as we watched him laboriously try to crack it open from the top of the tree. Meanwhile, (I'm quite sure they were working in cahoots!) another monkey spied our backpack open which was hanging on the back of the stroller. He jumped on top of the stroller, onto the backpack and began rummaging through the bag for more untold goodies! Luckily mom was becoming keener on these aggressive monkeys and I shooed him away before he could make off with any more loot!

I am not kidding, we (and the small but growing crowd of onlookers) waited for 20 minutes while the cup was passed from monkey to monkey, each having their turn trying to get into this treasure. (I was determined to get the cup back, because I just bought it, at the only store in Singapore that carries this type, and it wasn't cheap!) At one point, it dropped out of the tree, and a whole swarm of monkeys bolted out of the tree to fetch the prize! One papa monkey-- he looked bigger and smarter than the rest-- snatched it up for himself, and the other monkeys knew who was boss. They left him alone. He gnawed and chewed and grunted but to no avail. Another baby monkey took up where he left off. He dragged it across to the other side of the lake, but we followed in hot pursuit. Finally, he let go of the battle-scarred sippie cup, and left it by the bank of the river. The other monkeys had lost interest, so I swept in to recover it. It was chewed to shreds. Such a short, tragic life.

And poor little Ellie. Kathryn was kind enough to share her cup with Ellie for the rest of the morning, but both were a bit traumatized. Kathryn kept saying "Mommy, the monkeys! Hurry-- take my cup before they can get it!"

Later after the incident, an observer asked "Haven't you been here before? Didn't you know? You don't ever want to have a picnic here. Never feed the crazy monkeys!"

Thanks for the tip.

Beautiful McRitchie Reservoir

"Hey, come play at our house!"

Unbelievable! I just wish I'd gotten a pic of the girls' faces!

See what he's chewing on??

We still managed to have a good time!

Parenting 101: When nothing else works

Life Lessons in the Kitchen: On Cookie Dough and Other Sweet Rewards

My parents who have been here with us in Singapore the last 2 weeks just left this morning. They should have just landed in Tokyo on their return. We had a fabulous time with them, and we were so sad to see them go. Yes, the Wallace home was a bit forlorn this morning. Kathryn wandered aimlessly looking for something to do that was as fun as having her Nana and Pags here. And I tried to put back on my "full-time mommy" hat after 2 luxiourious weeks of lots and lots of help.

On a somewhat related note, some life lessons hit me as Kathryn, Nana and I were making cookies together in the kitchen a few days ago. The coveted batter was emerging and Kathryn was standing on a stool overlooking the oh-so-tempting bowl. (And what ADULT can even resist the urge to scoop the finger in to have "just a little taste"?) So I seized the teaching moment.

"Kathryn, that batter sure does look good, doesn't it? You know, Nana said that we shouldn't put our fingers in the batter. And she promised that if we wait, when the batter is done, we can each lick a beater. So I'm going to use self control, and not eat the batter. Do you know what that is?"

"What is it?"

"Well, self-control is when you decide not to do something now because something else better is coming later... (Ok, this may not pass as a philosophical definition, but it worked in the moment.)... SO I'm going to decide not to try the batter now, so that I can have that big beater later! Do you think you can do that?"

"Yeah! I'll wait now, and then later I'll get the beater! And cookies too!"

For the next couple of intense minutes, all seemed to be going smoothly with the dough and the teaching experiment. But all of a sudden, Kathryn jumped off the stool, ran to her room, and plopped down in her bed with her blankie. Reduced to a pile of tears, she lamented, "It's TOO HARD; It's TOO HARD!" It took several minutes of convincing and a serious pep-talk to lure her back into the kitchen. When we returned, Nana had finished up the batter and was ready to fire up the mixer. Now the goal was in sight! Within a couple of minutes, a revived Kathryn joyfully licked every microscopic bit of batter off the prized treat.

There are many days that I feel like Kathryn on the inside. "It's too hard; It's too hard," is my internal lament. Then I hear my words to Kathryn coming back to me-- Something better is coming later. If I can just keep my eyes on the prize, then I am refreshed and can keep on going. Whether it's self-control, to say "no" to something that numbs our senses to greater rewards, or it's perseverance to keep running the long race ahead, it's the awaited treasure that fuels the flame.

"Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning the shame, and sat down on the right hand of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart." (Heb. 12:2-3)

[And as a matter of public confession, I must admit that I tasted the batter when Kathryn wasn't looking. One of the perks of adulthood.]

Sweet rewards!

Someone Greater Than Solomon

I've been reading through the Old Testament kings. I'll admit--sometimes the figures seem a bit dry, and I wonder what I'm supposed to learn from them. So I've been praying "Lord, show me Jesus as I read about these kings." He has been answering that prayer...

He was at the height of his kingdom. His father, King David, had passed along all the blessing of God's promises to his son, and Solomon was in the top of his game. His popularity ratings were off the charts. Everyone loved him. I can't think of a single modern example, where a ruler was so famed, so popular, so loved by his people.

After David's death when Solomon was established as king, God gave Solomon a unique opportunity. "Ask for anything you want me to give you." WOW! Give me rest from my enemies. Give me the favor of the people. These first come to my mind. But Solomon says "Lord, you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom and knowledge... for who can rule this great people of Thine?"

1 Kings 3 tells us that God promised him a wise and discerning heart, "so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you." Quite a promise! Now put yourself in his shoes. Can you not hear these thoughts rising within you? "...No one so wise as ME...No one before ME or after ME as discerning as ME!" Surely that is what he was thinking, right?

During the next 4 years, Solomon enjoyed all the things he didn't ask God for--Fame, wealth, honor, peace, and more. Yet God had something else very special in mind for Solomon. Of all the generations that passed between the exodus from Egypt, to the conquering of the promised land, God had given this king an honor known by no other. Solomon would build a house where God's presence would dwell. He spared no expense in materials or workmanship to complete the temple to the exact specifications that his father had relayed to him. It was a seven year job. No architectural structure like it had existed before his time, and now the task was complete.

The whole nation is assembled before the wondrous temple for a grandiose celebration. A hush falls over the crowd. Every eye is upon the king as he stands up to address the people. Solomon approaches the altar. He raises up to stand upon it so everyone can see him, and raises up his hands before the people. With every eye watching, the grand and powerful Solomon kneels in the presence of the people and spreads his hands out towards heaven. Then he begins his speech, not to the people, but to God, "O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no god like Thee in heaven or on the earth...Will God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Thee; how much less this house which I have built." He goes on to entreat God to listen and answer the prayers offered to Him there in the temple.

The Bible tells us that when Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house so that the priests could not enter for the greatness of His glory. I suspect that God's great pleasure shown toward this display was in response in part to the great humility he found in his servant Solomon.

Ponder in awe this figure, Solomon, who was the greatest king the earth had known. Ponder his wisdom as he ruled in power and discernment over his people. Ponder his humility as this greatest of all kings bows in humble worship before the God of the universe. But please, don't stop there.

Here I need to press the pause button for a moment. How many hundreds of sermons have we heard that call us to model the greatness of a biblical character? "Be like Abraham", who trusted God and was willing to give his son. "Be like Daniel", who would not bow to the king. Here we could say, "Be like Solomon", who asked for wisdom over riches; or who bowed in humility. Great models, all of them. Solomon was great, and we should emulate his humility and request for wisdom. But could we be missing the point? Let me ask it this way-- Does your heart ever cry out "YES!" within you when someone calls you to ponder the greatness of Solomon? Does your soul feel fed by the great wisdom of this biblical king? Great as he is, mine doesn't either.

Solomon bowed because he was NOT the King. All the Old Testament kings, great, famous, wicked, godly, all together shout "I'm not THE King. THE King is coming!" So as I quote these passages, think of Solomon, and let them bring you deeper than Solomon could go.

"The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here." (Mt. 12:42)

"But God chose the folish things of the world to shame the wise...so that no one may boast before Him. It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God..." (1 Co 1:27,30) You thought Solomon was wise?

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature, God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taken the very nautre of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!" (Ph. 2:6-8) You thought Solomon was humble?

So THAT is why we read...(don't miss the climax!) "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every (king's) name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee show bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Ph. 2:9-11)

Bow with me before this One who IS wisdom; who humbled Himself in ways we cannot fathom; who is exalted above every name. This One feeds my soul. To this One, my heart cries "Yes!" For this One is FAR greater than Solomon.

Check out these great pics from Kathryn's 3rd Birthday Party Bash! What a fun time these little girls had!

Party is about to start... Here's mommy's
party princess!

Here comes Kathryn! She is delighted to be
the first to show off her party attire during
the fashion show.

Mommy, party princess, and Mr. Butler...
You'll never see daddy dressed up like this again!

One more little party girl!

K intently focused on her tea

K's flower cake

Jim serves as tea party butler :)

K opening her gifts

Kathryn is beside herself with excitement. Not only is her Dress-Up, Tea Party 3rd Birthday Party Extravaganza this weekend, but honored guests Nana and Pags (my parents) are arriving the night before. She was a little concerned that we were not inviting boys to the party (because, of course, she wants to invite everyone she's ever met.) When I explained the boys just don't usually like tea parties, she pointed out that both Pags and daddy profess to be fans. She got me there.

So how do I explain to her why her whole family can't come?? After all, Nana and Pags are coming, so why can't everyone just hop on a plane for the big affair? Today she wanted to invite her little friend Makayla, who lives in China. She has a vague sense that China is closer to her home than the US, so surely Makayla can attend, right? "Makayla only has to take one plane to come to my house, but Nana and Pags have to take 3!", she tells me. This is one bright kid.

Another appropriate word you could use to describe this child is expressive. Whether she is elated, depressed, or flaming mad, there is no mystery. (Just like her daddy.) I marvel at her emotional awareness, as I was convinced I really didn't experinece negative emotions like the rest of humanity until I was about 22.

Stay turned for a full report on the grand festivities!

I just did a search for "Jesus" on this website, and I found a million and a half listings. President Bush, on the other hand, only had slightly over a million. That tells me that people consider Jesus someone worth talking about (even more than national politics--wow!). But with so much discussion, why create another Jesus blog?

That's a good question. But first, since His name is used in such a wide variety of contexts, (profane and otherwise), let me define who I am speaking about here.

I'm talking about Jesus... who is fully God, existing before time in perfect unity within the Trinity along with the Father and the Spirit.

I'm talking about Jesus...who became fully man, experiencing and identifying with all of the pain and temptation of humanity, yet completely without sin.

I'm talking about Jesus... who, being fully God and fully man, suffered the penalty for our sin by His death upon a cross.

I'm talking about Jesus... who triumphantly conquered death by His resurrection, reconciling to God those who would simply trust in Him.

I'm talking about Jesus... who will one day return for His own that they might live with Him forever...whose promises both present and future bring hope and meaning to all the struggles we face today.

I'm talking about Jesus... the author, creator, and sustainer of life; worthy of all praise, at whose feet all of humanity will one day bow in worship.

That's the Jesus I worship.

Back to my original question. So, why another Jesus blog? Let me answer that by telling you a bit about myself. I am a mother of young children. Most days I awake to the pitter-patter of little feet, just slightly before the bold declaration, “Mommy, I’m up!” My day is filled with diapers, dishes, and desperate efforts to maintain perspective. "Bring me to Jesus" is a need I feel every day.

As an alternative blog title, I considered "Melancholy Mommy". Yes, this celebration of melancholy would mark an offical end to considering this disposition a curse. I am thankful He made me a thinker, even if I do go overboard at times. But because I often get stuck meandering in pensivity (is this a word?), I constantly need to have my eyes lifted up!

Yet, I have not penned these thoughts after long and contemplative hours spent in solitude and meditation. No, motherhood does not (thankfully) afford me such long stretches of sitting alone with my thoughts. Rather, these pages are written in the daily (hourly!) trenches. (Ok, usually during naptime.) They are written because in my emptiness, He has graciously condescended to come near time after time. They are written because I believe the greatest hunger of our hearts is that we would feast on Him who is Life. They are written because being "brought to Jesus" is what my own soul desperately needs.

No, I don't plan to write spirtual meditations in every post. Sometimes I will just write about life... The adventures of life as a mother living overseas with 2 small childen. Plenty of stories there! But in the day-in, day-out of life, my greatest need is to see Jesus. I imagine I am not alone.

May He mercifully open our eyes to see brief visions of His beauty today that would carry us to the day when we behold Him face to face.