THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER This week has been an unusually tense week.  As I write this, the Bobcat fire is still raging up in the Angeles National Forest and threatening the Foothill community where we live.  However, despite the heavy smoke, ash, and soot, we still thank God that we are sti...

THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER Over 40 years Rick and Fran Love came to our church to familiarize themselves with Indonesian culture.  They were still in their late 20s and preparing for ministry in Indonesia.  Despite their relatively young ages they were clear with the purpose of their lives—...

THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER I am pleased to tell you that our sister Tante Agnes has been discharged from the hospital last Tuesday and is now resting in the home of and under the care of her beloved nephew Edmund in Santa Monica.  She is still weak, and as a result of the fall when she […]...

THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER This has been an unusually eventful week.  On Thursday and Friday Tante Yuni went to ER and ended up spending the night there.  She was in so much pain that she could barely stand, let alone walk.  By the grace of God, she is now fine, and back in the nursing h...

THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER In one of his best movies, The Patriot, Mel Gibson plays a father, a widower to be exact, who struggles to relinquish his eldest son to join the army during the war against the British rule in this land.  In defiance to his wish, his son joined the resistance group. ...

THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER You might still remember the story I shared with you a few weeks ago about our grandson’s way of describing his love toward me.  Whenever Santy asks him, how much he loves me, his answer is always, “Five hundred days!”  What I haven’t told you is what his an...

THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER In his book, Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility, Pastor Charles Swindoll shares an interesting observation.  Here’s what he says, “God did not raise up an army to destroy Ahab and Jezebel . . . . Instead God did the unimaginable –He chose somebody like . . . wel...

THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER I am sure we all have met people who have much but still complain of not having enough.  But I am equally sure that we have met those who don’t have much yet never complain of not having enough.  Perhaps we wonder what makes them so different.  There are of c...

THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER Last Sunday in the wee morning hour God called Irene Avila, the beloved mother of our sister Lupe Moningka, home.  She would be 90 this August.  As most of you, I did not know Irene; what I knew was that everyday Lupe went to take care of her mother during her times...

THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER Years ago, John Ortberg, a pastor and author, invited Dallas Willard, a professor and author, to come and speak at his church. After the service as they were walking out to the car in the parking lot, John saw Dallas sing an old hymn. He just walked and sang; he did not [&hel...