Gambling or INVESTMENT ??

I used to have a staff who worked for me in the restaurant I operated. I asked her why when it came to communicating with customers about the menu, she would remain quiet. However, she would suffer from verbal diarrhoea when it came to complaining about her youngest sister for taking so long to return her the $170K loan. Once a few of my friends came and to my surprise, she complained to them as well even though they had just met her for the first time.

We were later quite annoyed to find out that she had only put up the $170K in the bank as a fixed deposit so that her sister could take an overdraft for which she paid about 8% interest. In the meanwhile my staff would get about 1 to 2% interest from the bank for her fixed deposit.!

One day, we were overjoyed when we heard that the sister struck $160K in the 4D lottery. To our shock, my staff disdainfully labelled her sister as a gambling Christian! Her sister's buying of 4D is called gambling, whereas her dabbling with shares, forex and commodities is called INVESTMENT.

We rejoiced with the sister for her winning. Although she had her financial problems, she was always generous to buy litle snacks for us whenever she came to the restaurant. Although she had so many personal and business problems, she was always smiling and cheerful.

Now we understand why Jesus reminded us to remove the speck in our eyes before we see the speck in others. In the handling of the immoral woman, He reminded us to be slow to anger and to judge, and to be compassionate and forgiving.

Gambling or investment? What is your interpretation or definition?

Ganchau

Papa's Blessed Generations

It was understandable that papa was most anxious for me, his youngest daughter. He was worried that by the time I could enter university, he would not be around for me.
By the time mom had me, she was already in her mid forties.

Being the youngest had both its pros and cons. It makes you grow up quickly for you learn a lot from your older siblings. You can constantly pump them with endless questions. However, you mature so fast mentally that you find your classmates somewhat too childish for your liking. Hence, in school, I often had one or two good friends, preferring to spend most of my time reading to playing. Being the youngest, you also always end up getting special treats and favours. No wonder people say that the youngest in the family usually ends up well rounded or well upholstered.

Ironically it was because of my parents that I did not want to go to university. I had just completed my Secretarial Course, and was about to look for a job. Papa passed away suddenly. I remember mom lamenting that papa had always helped people get jobs, but now that his youngest daughter needed one, he was not around. In those days, employers hardly advertised for staff.... word of mouth recommendation seemed to be the order of the day. I told mom not to worry. I applied for the post of a typist in a legal firm and got the job at a starting salary of $120/- a month. I worked extremely hard, pounding away on the manual typewriter at a speed of about 70 words per minute. Staff took advantage of my quick typing speed to throw in their own work for me to type. I never complained. In fact I enjoyed myself, reading petitions, agreements, etc. My boss also made me take dictation in Pitman's shorthand. I was always eager to learn and due to constant typing, my speed increased to 85 words per minute. My papa had always taught us that if we had to do anything, we should do it well. I was soon promoted to be secretary after three months.

When both my parents passed away, I was pleasantly surprised when my boss' father, the benevolent Lim Cheng Ean, offered me a bursary to study in Canada.!! Papa was right.... God indeed has blessed the "durian" of his eyes. Though he was not around for me, I received the chance to study in Canada!

Someone has said that a good man's generation will be blessed .... indeed up to three generations!

Gan Chau

My Parents' "Most Blessed Mistake"!

After having had six children, my parents thought six would be enough. However, six years later, I came into the world!! My parents considered me their mistake, but papa considered me his "most blessed mistake"! You see, I am the "durian" of his eyes! In Britain, they would call it "apple."

No wonder when I went out with my parents, people would often wonder who I was, and when told I am the youngest, many would comment "Oh! So cute!" Once, mother was annoyed with me, and told me half in anger and half in jest, that I was picked up from the rubbish dump. Naive as I was, I believed her.! Papa hugged me and assured me that I am his most precious daughter and God's gift to him and mama. How comforting to a child!

That was my papa. Though educated in Chinese, and steeped in Chinese Literature and History, he was quite westernised in his approach. The older generation of Chinese fathers are usually not vocal or demonstrative in their affection for their children. They would work hard and provide well for their families and many of my friends told me that they had never heard words of affection from their fathers.
Without a shadow of doubt, these fathers love their children in their hearts, but they often hide their affection beneath a wall of stern expression!

Papa was unique.... a man in a million. When he came back from school on his motor bike, he would holler out to me, "Where is my precious daughter? There, you are!" He would then hug me and stretch out his hand with his palm closed. "Guess, what is in papa's hand?" "Play or eat one, papa?" I would ask in excitement. "Play"

"Is it an eraser? A little toy? A marble? A small rubber ball? A hair clip?" Papa shook his head, and opened up his palm. It was the smallest dictionary in the world.... a two inch by one inch dictionary! I just loved the little book. Papa enjoyed surprising his children. Even though we were not rich, we were extremely happy and contented.

Mama always lamented that she could not understand the need for her daughters to receive so much education. After all they would end up getting married and be housewives one day. But papa was of a different mind. He reasoned that it would be just as important for girls to be well educated, so that in the event, if their husbands turn out to be irresponsible fathers, they could help to provide for their families.

I could never forget the words of wisdom that papa shared when I grew up and could understand what he said. I was in Secondary One.

"My precious child. Papa loves you and worries about you the most...for you are so much younger than your siblings. You are most like me in character, for you are generous and overly soft hearted. However, one day, God chided me and reminded me that if I, an ordinary man and father, could love his children so much, how much more would He, as the Heavenly Father and creator of everything in this world. If He could take care of the wild flowers and the birds of the air, would He not take care of everything! I repented and began to commit all my children to God's wonderful hands. I will do my best as an earthly father, but the great Heavenly Father could do so much more for my chidlren. Papa will give you and your siblings the best love a father can give.... I give you all the best education I can afford, but papa will not be able to leave you all with properties and lots of money for inheritance. You will all grow up to be confident adults and God will bless my children richly."

Yes, Papa did not leave us much with material things. When he passed away, he only had $5,000/-. But he had left his children with a great legacy of love by his fine examples of concern and compassion, hospitality and charity. From the huge turn out at his funeral wake and procession, he had touched lives from all walks - from the poorest to the richest and from the illiterates to highly educated. Big burly gangsters from our village and ex-criminals came to his wake, weeping unabashedly.
Papa was as comfortable with hooligans as he was with high ranking government officials!

I would encourage all parents to emulate my papa. Sometimes parents love their children to the extent that they idolise their offsprings without even realising it. If you, as ordinary parents, could give good things to your children, how much more would God the Heavenly Father who loves each and every of His creation.

Papa was absolutely right! God indeed has not only blessed papa's children, but He has blessed them abundantly.

Gan Chau