by Dr. Jacob Mathew, Chief Editor, Malankara World

This Sunday is Father's Day in the USA. On July 19, 1910, the governor of the U.S. state of Washington proclaimed the nation's first "Father's Day." However, it was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day official, that the day became a nationwide holiday in the United States.

We all know the Mother's Day. It was on May 10 this year. Mother's Day has a more storied history. It goes back to 1908. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson approved a resolution that made the second Sunday in May a holiday in honor of "that tender, gentle army, the mothers of America." Mother's Day gets lot of Hoopla; Father's Day is quiet by comparison. But we, fathers, are appreciative of the little acknowledgement we get from our children. Most of the kids in the USA come from single parent families (mostly raised by their mother) and they miss a lot from the lack of a father to raise them.

Dr. Meg Meeker, pediatrician and co-host of the Family Talk radio and Internet program, recently wrote an article about the importance of Fathers. I was going to publish it in this edition of MWJ, but cannot due to lack of space. Here is an excerpt from her article:

"Several years ago, I wrote 'Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters' because I wanted to tell stories of what great men do in the lives of their children. I wrote about how my own father not only gave me life but also shaped my character through everyday experiences. I also wrote about the observations I made of my husband teaching our own three daughters how to love God by serving His people in the United States and in South America. But mostly, I wrote about men who just love their kids - men who are good, hard-working guys trying to be the best fathers they know how to be. I wanted to encourage them because they, like my own father and husband, suffer from a strong sense that what they did and how they acted as fathers wasn't good enough. And many fathers in my medical practice live with the belief that although they try their best, they always seem to fall short.

I understand this. All one needs to do is buy a movie ticket, turn on the television or go to a drug store to buy a Father's Day card. You, good men, have become the target for those who love marketing stupidity. ..."

JT Waresak in an article titled "De-Wimpifying Dads and Recapturing a Vision of True Manhood" had this to say about the role of men:

"We live during a modern era that has systematically "wimpified" what it means to be a man. If we continue down the road we're currently on, the total collapse of the family, as we've known it for thousands of years, will follow. Many would say, and I agree, that as the family goes, the nation will follow. It's not a question of if, it is only a matter of when. If we allow the history books to reveal that this generation ushered in the fall of the family, we only have ourselves to blame.

For years, studies shown the vital roles that both moms and dads play in raising their children. This only supports the biblical model of a family that God created. Over the last several decades, our educational systems, government agencies and media have pursued a relentless attack against the masculinity of men. ..."

Personally, I am very thankful that my two kids call me and write to me on every Father's Day. (If they are late, my wife will make sure that they do it before the end of the day. I have keepsakes of paintings, photographs, poems, etc. sent by my daughter and son in previous years. This year is special. I am a grandfather! I am sure I will be getting a photo surprise from my grand daughter Maia Marie. And we will be with my son in Hawaii, God willing, travelling in Maui island to Haleakala National Park witnessing the Haleakala Sunrise on Monday morning. We would have witnessed the "Residency Completion Ceremony" on Friday when my son Capt. Dr. Madhu Jacob Mathew has completed the Medical Program and ready to face the world to heal the sick like Jesus commanded his disciples!

Dr. George Jacob Pullolickal
Happy Father's Day

My father has gone to his eternal home more than a decade ago. But I still have a dad alive. It is my uncle Dr. George Jacob [Kunjuppappan - shortened to K-appappan. 'appappan' is the Malayalam term for uncle, Kunju comes from his shortened pet name 'Kunjoonj' - meaning the youngest son in the family.], retired Head of the Dept of Cardiology, Kottayam Medical College and from the Caritas Hospital, Kottayam. Since I was staying in the Tharavadu house with my grandmother, I was fortunate to know and interact with all my uncles and aunts. K-appappan, after serving in Vellore Medical College Hospital (Tamil Nadu, India), went to England for higher studies (very rare in those days - he went by a ship to UK taking several weeks to get there!) He returned in 1964 when I was doing my SSLC and ready to join the Pre Degree Course in CMS College. I lived with him two years at Kottayam to go to College. He had a very busy practice; but still found time to advise us on the importance of study and character. He was the happiest person on the earth when I got admission to IIT and later when I got a scholarship for higher studies in USA. When I returned to India after 7 years in USA in 1978, he hand-picked one of his students as my wife. Five years ago, he took the lead in organizing the wedding ceremony of my daughter in our mother church.

I was really fortunate to have someone like K-appappan as my guardian. I learned firsthand the real values and character from him. In spite of a very busy practice (mostly from 7 AM to past midnight), he always made it a point to attend church on Sundays. I have never seen him missing that. He never smoked or drank alcohol, two traits I also adapted. When the youngsters are tempted to smoke to make them "men", I knew that I do not have to smoke to feel important from the example of my uncle. He took personal interest in his patients - he had most of the bishops and priests as his patients along with others. He visited community clinics with his medical students to provide service to poor patients as well as give experience to his students. He never took any money from anyone, it was an unconditional service. He treated the rich and poor without any discrimination. The poor people who came to see him, he will even give them money to buy medicines (if he cannot find the medicine in his sample collection.) His interest in people were genuine and he will go out of the way to help people. He is the type of the person who Jesus Christ will select as a sheep at His second coming as described by St. Matthew in Chapter 25:

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'...
'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
Matthew 25:31-36,40 (NKJV)

So, on this Father's Day I want to recognize my uncle, the Patriarch of Pullolickal Family, Dr. George Jacob for his unconditional love and service to me and for all the persons who had ever came in contact with him. Happy Father's Day K-appappan!

"There is no greater happiness in this world to know that, apart from my parents, I have an uncle who loves me and is always available to listen. I wholeheartedly wish you much happiness on the day of the father."

"Dear uncle, you are a wonderful father, a great example for my cousins, their children and to all our extended family. We love you very much and, on this Father's Day, we wish you many happy returns."

Thank You, Dad (Uncle)

Thank you for the laughter,
For the good times that we share,
Thanks for always listening,
For trying to be fair.

Thank you for your comfort,
When things are going bad,
Thank you for the shoulder,
To cry on when I'm sad.

This poem's a reminder that
All my life through,
I'll be thanking heaven
For a special dad like you.
--Anonymous

Happy Father's Day to a Dear Uncle

Happy Father's Day to a dear uncle!
A pillar of my life and of my joy;
Patient, though I may your cover rumple;
Pleased to be both playmate and large toy.

Yours is the quiet sanity I count on,
Familiar in the space around your voice,
A gentle, well-trained wisdom I can mount on
To ride to the persuasion of my choice.

Here I am, then, at your doorstep waiting,
Eager to be held by you and play,
Ravenous with hunger there's no sating,
'Mid your life a willful piece of clay.

by Christopher Hagop Zakian

Perhaps the holiest moment in the Armenian Divine Liturgy is when the congregation fills the church with the singing of the Lord's Prayer. We begin with the words Hayr Mer - "Our Father"; but what really do we mean by referring to God as a "father"? Do we mean that God brought us into this world? That He is responsible for our welfare until we can go off on our own? Do we think of God as a stern disciplinarian, who will punish us if we go astray? Or do we expect Him to treat us with fatherly favoritism, and turn a blind eye to our faults and misdeeds?

We are told in the Bible that the followers of Jesus were also struggling with this question. The answer that Jesus gave is probably the best summary of Christian love that has ever been uttered: the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

This gospel passage (Luke 15:11-32) should be familiar to everyone; but let us try to see it with new eyes.

Bowing to the request of his younger offspring, a man divides his property between his two sons. The younger son takes his share and leaves home, but quickly squanders his wealth. Destitute and disgraced, and feeling unworthy of his father, the boy swallows what little pride he has left and returns to his father's house, where he expects a cool reception. To his surprise, the father welcomes him with embraces and kisses, ordering the servants to make preparations for a great celebration: "My son was dead, and is alive again," the father announces; "he was lost, and is found."

Jesus could have ended the parable here - with the "happy ending" of a father celebrating the return of his lost son - and had a simple story expressing God's undying forgiveness for man, and His joy when a sinner repents. But Jesus did not stop there: he switches the scene to the field where the older son is working - and has been working diligently his entire life. The older boy is outraged when he learns of his father's behavior, and corners his father to complain bitterly of the injustice of it.

From a public celebration, we are pulled into a private family argument, and it is as if reality suddenly bursts into the story. In the real world, grand public displays of forgiveness are easy to make; but in private - in the family, so to speak - resentments still linger. The older son's anger has the ring of truth: he has worked hard to do the right thing, taken responsibility for his life. He has earned his father's love. One might ask whether a father who throws away his affection on an undeserving child is so very different from a prodigal son who squanders his inheritance.

Part of what makes this such a touching parable is the way the details seem drawn from real life. Jesus shows himself not as a teller of moral fables, but as an acute observer of human behavior and the human heart. An upright son who demands fair play and just deserts; the uneasy feelings of competition which brothers harbor for a parent's approval and love - these are all too human, and all too recognizable even to us. The father's response to his eldest son is the same: having already lost one son, he does not want to lose the other; yet he can offer no counter-argument, nor appeal to any greater standard of justice.

The best he can do is to repeat what he said to the onlookers when his wayward son first returned. But this time, in this quiet, private setting, the same words have a different feeling: not a joyful announcement to the world, but a father's plea for understanding from his son: "Your brother was dead, but now he is alive again." What person who has ever lost a family member - to whatever circumstance - can hear those words and not be moved? The love of a parent for a child is very strong; but to lose that child, and then to get him back again - this must bring forth the most powerful love of all.

This is what God's love for us is like. This is what it means for us to be able to call Him "Father." With regard to God, we are all like children who want to be close to our parents: we wonder which child they love best, and worry that we may become unworthy of their love. These are not small concerns, but in our child-like way, we miss the point about our father's love, which is not necessarily the same for all, but which is so deep that it makes no sense to set up a ranking of least to most favored. It is a love whose depth cannot be measured, and which sometimes is not even fully recognized until it confronts the prospect of loss.

It is a powerful lesson, and a fine example of the kind of teaching that made Jesus famous during his mission to the world. He offers not a fairy tale where actions have no consequences and love conquers all, but rather a full portrait of what real love requires, and of the obstacles such love presents to real people.

by John Piper

Since my father died, I have been looking through his papers. I found a small sheet with the following fifteen counsels, titled "Things I Have Learned." He didn't make most of these up. Some of them go back to his college days when he was absorbing the pithy wisdom of Bob Jones Senior. They have again confirmed the obvious: I owe my father more than I can ever remember. The comment after each one is mine.

Things I Have Learned

1. The right road always leads to the right place; therefore, get on the right road and go as far as you can on it.

My father was totally persuaded that wrong means do not lead to right ends. Or, more positively, he was persuaded that living in the right way - that is, doing the right things - are means that inevitably lead to where God wants us to be. This is why he told me, when I asked about God's leading in my life, "Son, keep the room clean where you are, and in God's time, the door to the next room will open."

2. There is only one thing to do about anything; that is the right thing. Do right.

This is what one might say to a person perplexed by a difficult situation whose outcome is unknown. The person might say, "I just don't know what to do about this." It is not useless to be told: Do the right thing. That may not tell you exactly which good thing to do, but it does clear the air and rule out a few dozen bad ideas.

3. Happiness is not found by looking for it. You stumble over happiness on the road to duty.

My, my, my. How was John Piper born from this? I would never say this. The main reason is that the Bible commands us to pursue our joy repeatedly. "Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice." "Delight yourself in the Lord." I think what he meant was: 1) Joy is always in something. Joy itself is not the something. So we seek joy in Christ. Not just joy in general. 2) When duty is hard and we do not feel joy in doing it, we should still do it, and pray that in the doing it the joy would be given. But what we need to make plain is that duty cannot be contrasted with joy, because joy is a biblical duty.

4. The door to success swings on the hinges of opposition.

Remarkably, this saying implies that opposition is not just a natural accompaniment or antecedent of success, but that it is a means by which the door opens. One can think of many biblical examples. The opposition of Joseph's brothers opened the door to his leadership in Egypt. The taxing of the empire opened the door to getting the Messiah born in Bethlehem, not Nazareth, and thus fulfilling prophecy. The betrayal of Judas opened the door to the salvation of the world.

5. God in the right place in my life fixes every other relationship of life (Matthew 6:33).

I wonder if this was tucked away in my mind so that unknown to me it controlled my analogy of the solar system to our many-faceted lives. If God is the blazing center of the solar system of our lives, then all the planets will be held in their proper orbit. But if not, everything goes awry.

6. It is never right to get the right thing in the wrong way - like good grades, wealth, power, position. Don't sacrifice your principles.

Again, he hammers away at don't use bad means for good ends. Be a principled, not a pragmatic, person. O how we need to hear this today. Churches need to be principled, not endlessly adapting to culture. Persons need to make a promise and keep it no matter how much it hurts.

7. It is a sin to do less than your best. It is wrong to do [merely] well.

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might" (Ecclesiastes 9:10). But be careful. Sometimes the "best" is a B+ sermon and spending time with your child. In other words, "best" always involves more decisions than the one you are making at the moment. That one means many other things are being left undone. So "best" is always the whole thing, not just the detail of the moment.

8. It is wrong to be yoked to one who refuses the yoke of Christ.

Don't marry an unbeliever (1 Corinthians 7:39). Not all relationships with unbelievers are ruled out. Otherwise we could not obey Jesus' command to love them and bless them. But "yoke" implies a connectedness that either governs where we go or constrains where they go. And you cannot constrain faith in Jesus. It is free.

9. The part of your character that is deficient is the part that needs attention.

This is the counterpoint to the advice: Go with your strengths. There is truth in both. Yes, be encouraged by every evidence of God's grace in your life, and use your gifts and graces for his glory. But you will become smug and vain if you do not keep your deficiencies before you and work on them.

10. Don't quit. Finish the job. God can't use a quitter.

Warning: "He who endures to the end will be saved" (Mark 13:13). Promise: "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

11. Anything you do that hinders your progress for God is wrong.

O how thankful I am that this was the dominant way my father pressed me to pursue my sanctification. He did not mainly impose lists of don'ts on me, though we had them. And they were clear. Mainly he said: Maximize your progress in knowing and serving God. That ruled out a hundred foolish behaviors, some bad and some uselessly innocent.

12. Beware of any society in which you feel compelled to put a bushel over your testimony.

This implies that you can go into a group of people who are evil if you are willing to open your mouth and take a stand for Jesus and righteousness. Nevertheless, 1 Corinthians 15:33 stands: "Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.'"

13. It isn't enough to be good. Be good for something. The essence of Christianity is not a passionless purity.

This is what I have meant in talking about a merely avoidance ethic. Don't just think of righteousness or holiness in terms of what you avoid, but what you do. As my father said in another place: Don't be a don'ter; be a doer.

14. Positive living produces negative effect[s].

This is wise counsel that affirmation of the good always implies negation of the bad. If you think you can live your life without negating anything, you have lost touch with reality. "Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good" (Romans 12:9). You cannot love without hating what hurts the beloved.

15. Learn to be sweetly firm.

This was what he said to my mother over the phone when she was exasperated with her one disobedient son: Be sweet and firm. I think she succeeded.

With abiding and deep thankfulness for my father's wisdom,

by Chuck Colson

As this Father's Day approaches, I've been thinking a lot about my own dad, and how blessed I was to have him in my life. I was born during the Depression. By today's standards, I guess you'd say we grew up in fairly deprived circumstances. I just didn't know it.

I remember that Dad wasn't around much when I was growing up. He had to drop out of high school when he was a young man to support his family after his father died. So by the time I arrived, he was working full-time at a job, and going to accounting school - and later law school - at night - 12 years in total.

One of my earliest childhood memories was my parents taking food to neighbors who had less than we did; and my mother taking me on the subway to meet my dad coming out of law school at 9-o'clock at night. Then we'd accompany him home, but not before stopping for an ice cream.

As I reflect on it, I think I developed my work ethic during those days. When I got out of the Marine Corps, I thought nothing about working full-time and going to school four years at night to get my law degree. After all, my dad had set the example. Maybe one of the best days for my dad, and for me, was when I was admitted to the bar in Massachusetts and made a copy of the certificate, mailing it to my dad with a note on it saying, “Without you I could never have done this.”

My dad worked so hard that I was accustomed to only spending time with him on Sunday afternoons. We'd sit on the back porch, and there was never any wasted time. My dad would drill lessons into my head: Always do an honest day's work for an honest day's pay; be willing to do anything you're required to do (that came in handy, by the way, when I had to clean toilets in Marine training); and always tell the truth. Well, I testified 44 times under oath during Watergate, and was never once accused of perjury.

But if anybody accused me of self-righteousness, I would have to stand convicted. When I got to the White House, I was meticulous about avoiding conflicts of interest: I'd put everything I owned in trusts. I wouldn't see former clients. But I ended up in prison. Self-righteousness is a form of pride.

One of the toughest things I ever experienced was stopping by my dad's hospital room on my way to prison. It was an emotional time, but at least I was able to witness to him about Christ. I won't know until I get to heaven what came of it. And my worst day followed that, when I learned, in prison, that my dad had died. I had to attend the funeral under armed guard.

But one thing I knew for sure - and I knew it even as I grieved at my father's funeral: Dad had poured everything he had into me - and into his grandkids, who became the joy of his life. And he lived his life with great honor and dignity.

All I can hope is that the same will be said of me some day by my children and grandchildren. I knew every minute my dad was proud of me - and I was proud of him.

I told him how I felt many times when he was alive. But on reflection, I wish I'd told him more often. So, don't miss the opportunity this Father's Day to tell your father how much you love him and appreciate him. Or, if he's gone, as my father is, at least give a prayer of thanks to God that you had the dad you did.

by Tim Challies

I think I may be leaving one phase of fatherhood behind even while I enter into another. My youngest child is just about to turn eight, which means that we are not only past the baby and toddler stages, but even nearing the end of the little kid phase. Meanwhile my oldest child has turned fourteen and is just months away from high school. All this change has caused me to think about fatherhood and the new challenges coming my way. I have found myself thinking back to the many models of fatherhood I have seen and admired through the years. What made these fathers admirable? What set them apart? What was it that they said to their children? From these models I have drawn seven things a good father says.

I love you.

Few things are more important to a child than knowing where he stands with his parents. As I think back to my childhood, I remember several friends who lived with uncertainty in their relationship with their parents, and their fathers especially. They longed to hear words of love and approval. But I saw other kids who had total confidence in that love and approval. Often the difference was little more than three simple words repeated regularly: "I love you." Men can be so petty, so prideful, and hold back those words. Yet there is no good reason for it. The more awkward it feels, the more urgent it is. From the dads I admire I've learn that a father needs to say, "I love you," and he needs to say it often.

Let me kiss it better.

Even as a young child I remember observing two different kinds of fathers in my church. When children fell and scraped their knees, there were two ways I saw dads react. Some fathers would pick up their children, set them back on their feet, and tell them to get over it. "You're fine. Walk it off!" They wanted their soft children to toughen up. There were other fathers who would pick up their children, hold them in their arms, make a show of extending comfort, and say, "Let me kiss it better." These were fathers who wanted their hard children to soften up. Sure, there are times to tell your child to walk it off, but there are far more times to extend love and concern through those childhood bumps and bruises and through the bigger sins and mistakes that come with age. From the dads I admire I've learned the value of saying, "Let me kiss it better" (though, obviously, as the children get older the wording changes!).

Come with me.

There is so much in life that can be better caught than taught. Often the best way to train up a child is to let that child into your life. One father I admire taught me the distinction between being face-to-face with my children and being shoulder-to-shoulder. I saw this shoulder-to-shoulder parenting in my own father who often brought me with him on his errands or, even better, to his work. This allowed me to see the value of putting in a hard day's work, and the value of building relationships with clients, suppliers, and so many others. It allowed me to see that work was an extension of the rest of life, and not a part of life that exists all on its own. The fathers I have admired are the fathers who say to their children, "Come with me," and who welcome them into their day-to-day lives.

Please forgive me.

Every father sins against every one of his children. He probably does it every day. Sadly, sin is every bit as inevitable as death and taxes. Fathers need to be in the habit of identifying their sin to their children and asking forgiveness. But as I think back, I saw this and heard of this in so few fathers. There are only a few I knew to consistently identify their sin and seek forgiveness for it. As I consider my fourteen years of parenting, I see far too little of it as well. The practice seems so much more difficult than the theory. The good dad is the one who humbly, carefully says to his children, "Please forgive me."

You're forgiven.

Just as every father sins against every one of his children, every child sins against his father. The father who asks forgiveness also needs to be willing to extend forgiveness. Every father punishes his child at times, but too many fathers punish in the worst way—by holding a grudge or by letting the child suffer as dad withholds forgiveness and reconciliation. Our children need to be forgiven and they need to experience the joy of reconciliation. Here I think of a father I know—a father I admire—who taught me that a good dad doesn't just say, "It's okay," but always goes further to say, "You're forgiven."

Let's pray.

There is one father I admire whom I have only met in the pages of books he has written. Of all he has written, what has gripped me most is the ways in which he prays with his children. He reserves special time each week for each child and in that time he inquires about their souls and prays with them. That sounds like a wonderful practice. And in the rhythm of daily life with all its ups and downs he is also quick to lead them in seeking God's strength, God's help, God's wisdom. Here he teaches them the best and deepest kind of dependency on the best and greatest Help in the world. I have learned from him that the good dad is quick to say, "Let's pray."

You can't do it.

We live at a time when parents are known for being extravagant in their praise for their children and assuring them, "You can do anything." But the good dad assures his children that in the most important area, they can't do it. They simply can't. One of the great challenges every Christian father faces is in showing his child that behavior is a reflection of the heart and that the child cannot simply will himself into heart change. And this is where the gospel becomes so precious, because it begins with that inability, leads straight to the blood and righteousness of Christ, and then to the enabling of the Holy Spirit. The dads I love and admire are the dads who assure their children, "You can't do it," and who quickly lead them to the gospel and to the Savior who can.

I am eager to hear what you have learned from good fathers. So, following roughly the same format, share in the comments below what you've heard a good father say.

About The Author:

Tim Challies is the author of 'The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment'. He lives near Toronto, Canada.

by Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

I want to share some thoughts with you this Father's Day weekend. This is a message for everyone, but one I hope will be embraced first by fathers. The message is this, "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stand guard in vain" (Psalm 127:1). If the Lord does not build and watch over our homes, we will be unable to withstand the horrendous pressure and the temptations life brings.

The psalmist continues in verse two to say that all of the frantic work, financial planning, and social positioning mean nothing if the Lord is not at the center. Our country shows signs that it is crumbling from within. Today, our children are not suffering attacks from invading armies, but from godless legislation and curriculum. Do we trust the political system or schools to save our children? No. We trust God. We must go to God. We must call on Him.

We may be called to take a political stand, but the political system is not our hope or our salvation. Jesus is the only Way, the only Truth and the only Life. We must cry out to Him on behalf of the next generation.

The enemy will do everything he can to destroy the moral and biblical convictions of our children because he knows it is the fastest way to destroy a nation. He has experience doing it. We need to call upon the Lord for our homes, our cities, our nation, and the world.

Parents, you have incredible power through prayer to impact future generations. If you look down through history, every great man or woman of God - like Saint Augustine or the Wesley brothers - had someone praying for them.

If we cry to God on behalf of the next generation, I believe with all my heart that we can reverse the trends we see in our culture. However, it will take a commitment from us to live for God, to walk with God, and to spend time in intimacy with God.

This Father's Day, cry out to God for the next generation. You may not see the answer to those prayers immediately, but they will be heard and answered because our God is faithful.

A grilled chicken breast glazed with Chinese Kung Pao BBQ sauce, served over slow cooked coconut jasmine rice with pineapple Pico de Gallo and fresh steamed broccoli, this entrée is sure to wow and amaze.

The Chinese Kung Pao BBQ sauce is perfect when it's paired with coconut jasmine rice with pineapple Pico de Gallo. It leaves you with a light feeling in your mouth, yet its full of fantastic and diverse flavors that are sure to make your mouth water.

Ingredients (What you'll need:)

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded & chopped
2 teaspoons mince garlic
1 tablespoon onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 boneless chicken breast fillets, trimmed

Pineapple Pico de Gallo

2 medium tomatoes, (diced)
1/2 cup canned pineapple, (chopped)
1/2 cup (diced) red onion
2 tablespoons (minced) cilantro
4 teaspoons minced jalapenos
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

Kung Pao BBQ Sauce

1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili sauce
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
Coconut Jasmine Rice
1 cup Jasmine rice
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup of chicken stock

Directions:

To make the rice, bring the coconut milk and chicken stock to a boil, then add the rice and cook for 1 minute covered. Turn the heat to low and let it steam for 20 minutes or until the rice is a little fluffy.

To prepare the marinade, combine all of the ingredients into a blender on blend on high for 1 minute. Pound chicken breast to about 1/2" with a mallet and combine with marinade in a zip-lock bag for 2 to 3 hours.

To make the delicious pineapple Pico de Gallo, combine all of the ingredients and store them in a covered container in the fridge until you're ready to use them later on.

To make the Kung Pao BBQ sauce, combine all of the ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture starts to bubble, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Cover sauce until needed.

When the chicken is done marinating, preheat the grill to a medium heat. Wipe the marinade from the chicken and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Serve the chicken drizzled with Kung Pow BBQ sauce and Pico de Gallo on the side.

Yield: Serves 2

By Dr. Mercy Abraham

Seneca River, Syracuse, NY.
Photo by Dr. Jacob Mathew, Malankara World

Peace and tranquility filters into my mind
As I sit by the side of the river beside me
The waters seem still but the deep currents
Which lurk makes the water green and chilly

I see wild ducks which lazily swim by
And across the river birds chirp in the still nights
Some times rain comes as a drizzle
Making the atmosphere more beautiful

As I sit and pen these lines of quiet solitude
A power boat cruise along
Life here is idyllic as in a midsummer nights dream
I leave behind all the din and clamor of the city life
Far across the ocean as a farfetched nightmare of yesterday

I delight in these Moments of tranquility and peace
Where people come and enquire about our welfare
It is a place to dream and fill your mind with
The goodness of the Lord and His care

And think about his past mercies, the
Luscious vineyards that he has kept for you
Across your locust eaten years in the drab desert
The moments spent with your friends
Bring back all the cheer across the years of your youth
And your eagerness to work in the Lords pasture

Time is not lost yet, it reminds me of opportunities
To pursue still which have lain in neglect
It is time to gather and respond to the summons
As you hear the trumpet call of the army, yes

At these end times when people will hear
The good news by each and every person
In the world across and you will join the
Heavenly hosts as it descends to the earth

At the end times of the millennium and
And you will reign with the Lord and
Sing with the heavenly choir where
All the redeemed will be gathered
And the Lord will be the light and
Darkness pain and death will be no more.

Peace descends to your troubled mind
And stillness and tranquility engulfs you
At this moment , where everything is so quiet
As the quiet waters of the river near by.

Written on the banks of river Seneca, Syracuse, NY, USA on 15 June 2015

About The Author:

Dr. Mercy Abraham does not need an introduction for Malankara World Journal readers. She had written several poems that has been published here. Mercy, a medical graduate from Kottayam Medical College, served many years in UAE. She is truly the "voice of the wilderness and dessert. Recently, on vacation to USA, Mercy was inspired by the eerie peacefulness on the banks of the Seneca River.

by John O'Leary, www.risingabove.com

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend."
- Martin Luther King Jr.

How do you respond to people you don't like?

Maybe they work on your floor, within your team or you report into them? Maybe it is someone from your church, your neighborhood, or (gulp) your family. Maybe it's the way they talk down to you, talk up about themselves or ignore you entirely.

Let me share an awesome example that will benefit you, over the holidays and into the next year.

Matt Miller is a great friend, former St. Louis Elementary School Principal of the Year and speaker at my LAUNCH events.

Several years ago on his first day at a new school, a staff member came into the meeting fuming. She told the group that 'the thugs' were back on the playground, referencing the group of boys that often skateboarded and hung out on the school property during the summer. They had been accused of not only loitering, but destroying benches, spray painting property and causing problems.

After hearing all that these kids had done to his new school, Matt said he'd take care of them.

He walked outside, past the boys and to his car. He was ready to implement a little creative conflict resolution. Matt drove to the nearest convenience store, bought a couple of boxes of popsicles and came back to the school. He parked his car, and approached the boys.

"Anyone want a popsicle?"

The group of kids flocked to Matt, took the treats and sat down under a shaded picnic table with him. Matt shared that he was new to the school and didn't know anyone. He went on, "I'm looking to make some new friends who could help take care of this school. We've had some problems lately and we need some good kids to watch over things. Can you guys help me with this?"

Looking at one another, with popsicles in hands, the kids agreed they would take great care of the school that summer.

Matt thanked them, told them he had to get back into meetings and that he was grateful they'd be out here having fun and watching over things while he was inside working.

Whether these were the troublemakers or not, they became the school guardians. During the final two months of summer there was not a single problem.

So how should you respond to those who make you angry, that put you down, that cause a problem? How do you react to 'the thugs' in your life?

My friends, Matt could have grabbed a megaphone, opened up the door, and yelled, "Get the heck off of my property!" Matt would have been within his rights to call the cops to chase those kids away. Instead, Matt realized that love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.

This isn't a Pollyanna response to challenging events and people in life. This isn't about repeatedly allowing someone to walk all over you. It is, though, an invitation to see that how we choose to live, lead, and respond dramatically influences not only our lives, but those with whom we interact.

When we react to others with anger, venom, destructive words, and fist clenched we elevate that exact same response in others. What we sought to destroy is actually multiplied in them and in us. But when we respond with love, with compassion, with affirming words, and with hearts wide open we attract that response in others, too.

There is a mighty battle being fought today between good and evil, right and wrong, love and fear. The good news that you need to hear and get to live is that love wins.