LIFE AT BEST IS VERY BRIEF

Nothing is within our control really....
Life at best is very brief! Isn't this so very true in different perspectives? I had just spent a rewarding two days teaching at the Haggai Leadership program and when I rushed to the "Shian En Hui" Family camp at the MBS Rawang, I thought it would be three relaxing days that would follow with great teachings by Ps Aow Kong Boo and soaking in the sun. Little did I realize that what was in store for me would be dramatically life-threatening.

That "on-top of the world" feeling....
On the second day, we had the whole afternoon off and I had played three solid hours of basketball putting in the ball in the net almost everytime I shot. It was a feeling of "just like the good old days" when I was the top-scorer for one of the top state teams. I was feeling just so good even though it was a tad too confident. Somehow I was feeling on top of the world and counting my blessings.

Just a spur-of-the-moment action that went dramatically wrong.....
At 5-00 pm, I started my classes to teach the kids to swim. there were 8 students and it got off to a great start. Within half an hour, all of them were kicking and swiming across the width of the pool. What a fantastic feeling it was. Then it happened. I was up by the pool side & decided for no good reason to just roll over into the water. My diving expertise got me into a straight dive - straight down into the pool of only 3 feet deep water. My head slammed into the bottom and I lost consciousness. After about 7-8 seconds, I came to consciousness choking and drowning. I somehow struggled to my feet and just barely got to the side totally disoriented. I had a huge lump on my right skull but what was worse my neck had 'crunched' up. The pain was excruciating and I knew something had gone very wrong.

From great health to a life-threatening condition in a few short moments
I got to my room in a daze and told my wife about what had happened and then I flopped onto the bed to rest. everything was painful and I still had to complete the camp program. After a fitful night of bearing with the pain, I carried out my role in the camp the next morning with great pain. I struggled through the session and as the camp finished, I had wanted to go straight home. But I had to play the guitar in a Baptism event for my old Alpha Cell group. I got there amidst much discomfort and completed what I had to do. I had to call my good friend Dr Chan Kin Yuen who is an Orthopedic surgeon to look at me. I got to Gleneagles at 9-00 pm and after non-conclusive x-rays, it was decided that I had to do a CT Scan to be sure.

The comforting balm of prayer & knowing a God who is merciful...
I prayed relentlessly and asked God to be merciful to me. "Don't let me have a fractured neck," was my earnest prayer. I cried out to God to help. Let me tell you that at our my greatest hour of need, having a personal God who is there for me is one of the greatest comfort of all. When the results finally came, it showed no broken bones. I was so relieved I just 'bent' my heart in absolute gratitude for this pronouncement of "no serious injury". What a relief it was.

I write with a heart of great thanksgiving, grateful for life.......
I went to Bangkok the next day wearing a neck brace and had a great time there resting and re-charging my 'batteries'. I am now writing this blog thanking God for his hand of protection on my life. As I sit here, I remember the lines of the song that goes..... "Life at best is very brief, like the falling of a leaf, like the binding of a sheaf, be in time....."

Don't put off expressing love - say it when you can everytime you can....
How true it is when we look at the frailty of our lives. We can think that we are healthy and fine and we can think that ill-health and problems only happen to the others. But such a line of thought is fallacy at its best. Things can just happen and our whole world can come crumbling down. Without God, everything is simply so futile. With him, everything is assured even when things are not right. So don't mince words of appreciation and love when you are with your loved ones. Tell them how much you love them - treasure and value the time you have with them. Give them understanding and forgive them for little trespasses done. You may have less time than you think. Don't assume that there will be time. Everytime you get angry with a loved one, just think....... What if something happens and your loved one falls?

I am learning to have a heart of thanksgiving at all times.....
I am now recovering and although there is still pain in my neck area, my mind is filled with gratitude and I will say, "Thank you, God!"