Birddy's Nest

My mom and I cut two trees at my home a few days ago. They were planted by my dad, as gifts to the city, but the city didn't like them, so we had to cut them. They were about 8 feet tall, not so big, but the leaves were dense, and they made good shade and weather protection.

Mom cut the big trunks with her had saw, then I trimmed the branches down with a pair of hedgeshears. While I was cutting branch by branch, I discovered two bird's nests. They were so neatly knitted and constructed, just like the birds' bones, so light but so strong. Both nests were empty. The tenants have probably left for winter.

I was amazed with the bird's life. Looking at the nest, I could only imagine a romantic and hard-working life.

They migrate when the seasons come. Perhaps they won't even know where they will build their new home, yet they always found a place. Who knows how they figure when they ought to move? They just know. They move from places to places, build from trees to trees, and meanwhile, they find the daily supply of worms. They did not go to school, yet they build such delicate homes. When they move, they don't have to worry about school district, moving furniture, storage for their cars, etc. How amazingly wise!

Looking at Jesus Christ, the master. He did not have a nest nor a cave to stay. He did not even have a place to lay his head, yet, when I think about it, this is the best strategic life. How much of our procession is really necessity? When we own less, our life is light, and more ready to migrate and move for the Lord. As Jesus told his disciples, when they travel, do not take much with them, not even extra robes.

God knows what we need, and He prepares when we move for Him. Less can really be More.

Office Move

"You have to move out by tomorrow," said the landlord to me.
I was planning to move out of the office, but the new office was not ready until three weeks later. I begged to stay for another three weeks but in vain. It was 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The first question came to my mind was, "did I sin against the Lord and now I am being disciplined?"
Then, the story about the blind man who was born blind in the Bible surfaced. Jesus told his disciples that his blindness was to let God's work to be displayed. (John 9:3) I prayed to God that his work to be displayed in this office crisis.

Here was my Plan of the Day:

1. find a new place to move to in the next day
2. pack the books, files, drawings, stationaries, tools and equipment in the office
3. throw away the rubbish, I mean tons of it
4. contact movers
5. find temporary storage
6. order moving truck

I contacted the new office landlord, asked if we could move in next day, rather than three weeks later, although we did not even have a signed lease. Fab (my business partner) and I also called our friends and see if we could stay for three weeks, thinking that the new landlord would not let us move in early, as the real estate agent explained to me that it was unusual for any tenant to move in that much earlier with such short notice.

One hour later, 10:30 a.m., my friend Nahn's mother let us move into her studio in Hawaii Kai. I praised God. At least, we have a destination to move to. 12:30 p.m. Fab's friend called and offered a vacant office in downtown where we could temporarily move to. Praise God! We have options! However, the best scenario was of course, we move only once but not twice in a month, but whatever God gave us was very good to me already.

2:00 p.m., I got a call from the office real estate agent, the new landlord agreed to let us move in the next day, as long as we could provide a certificate of insurance. This was another challenge. Our insurance company is usually very busy. I doubt that they could provide the certificate in one day, but I called them anyway, and told them the urgency.

Meanwhile, we were still packing and piling up a mount of trash in the conference room. Daniel (co-worker) called his brother, and he was available to help us move! Fabrizio's nephew John was also available! They are both energetic young men!

Wednesday late afternoon, Daniel asked me where we were moving to. I said I don't know. We kept on packing and trashing. Plan of the Day was sort of finished, and we had to wait for the story to develope.
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Thursday: the moving day

Daniel asked me for the Plan of the Day. I still didn't know where we were moving to, so I told him, "in the morning, flatten the mount of rubbish and throw away the electronic waste, I'll tell you what's next." As an obedient young man, he followed.


10:00 a.m., the insurance agent issued the certificate of insurance, which amazed me with their speed. I contacted the new landlord, and I went to their office to sign the lease. When I was there, the lease was still being assembled. I signed, and got the keys from the property manager. She asked me when I'd want to move in. I said, "2:00 p.m.," as Daniel and John were still dealing with trash.

I entered the new office and praised the Lord. It was small, but it was full of blessings.

I told Daniel the good news, and he ordered a moving truck immediately. 11:00 p.m., we started loading the moving truck, and we were ready to move to the new office! At that time, one more young man, who is a good friend of John, Harry, showed up. They all used their personal vehicles to speed up the move. Meanwhile, the property manager went back and forth to show us the logistics of the building. It was unusual to her that a tenant moved in so quickly.

5:30 p.m. the majority of our stuff was in the new office. Everybody was sweating, and did not want to stop the momentum. 6:30 p.m. we decided to finish up in the next day. The remaining stuff in the old office was less important anyway.
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Fab couldn't believe what really happened. Moving an office in one and a half days? I had an opportunity to witness to him. I told him that it was called "amazing grace". He believes that there is a god, but he does not know which one he is. I pray that he will realize the power and love of our God. I think that God's work was displayed in this "crisis", and I hope that both Fab and Daniel will see His work.

Grace Community Church, Sao Paulo

The day after Renata's wedding, Rafael took us to his church, Grace Community Church, to attend evening worship. It is a mega church, with 3000 worshippers. This is my first time to a church of this size.

Worship started at 7:00 p.m. But we arrived at around 6:10 p.m., and we were not the first ones. Many have already arrived. Rafael said that we had to get there early to secure good seats. Otherwise, we may have to sit outside the worship center, and watch life broadcast. 

At 6:30 p.m., most of the seats, outside and inside, were occupied. Circles of people started to group around. It was the small groups' prayer time. The sound from the prayers filled up the sanctuary. Some arms were raised, and some were laid over peoples' bodies. This is a church of prayers.

Slightly after 7:00 p.m., worship started with songs, and their lyrics were all in Portuguese, but music is a universal language. When the congregation sang praises to the Lord, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. I watched the 3000 worshippers raised their hands and moved their bodies along with the music with so much joy. I was in tears. I praised God for this compassionate group that longed for Him. Comparing with the churches that I have been to in various continents, nothing was like this church. The world is not so pessimistic. I prayed that God will bless Sao Paulo because of this congregation.

Another good news is that this church is expanding. Rafael showed us a construction area behind the stage. It will allow more seating areas and more people to worship. Amazing grace! Who are we, that the Lord bless us with that much? Rafael also explained that people there were very simple. They had simple families, jobs and lives. They got together just because they love the Lord and they relied on the Lord.

Does not Jesus treasure worshippers with children's hearts? These people do not see the rainbow everyday, and they do not have the beach surrounding them, they don't always see the sunny sky, yet they love the Lord. (Poor Hawaii....)

A blessed church started with prayerful hearts. A blessed nation relies on trust in God. I prayed that 'in God we trust' is not only marked on our coins, but in our hearts. May God bless Brazil and the U.S.A.