Tuesday, December 11, 2001
REMEMBERING STEPHEN CHUNG
What makes a man great? Well, in this world, it's probably based mostly on the money he makes, the car he drives, and the way he looks.
What made Stephen Chung great? Well, he made money enough to support his wife and two kids. And he drove a red Dodge Dart in his younger days and the now-infamous blue Dodge Caravan Chung van in his older days. And he didn't have the trendiest clothes or the slickest haircut. But he definitely was great. Contradiction? No way.
Stephen Chung, better known to most of us as Uncle Stephen or Enoch and Eunice's father or the guy who made those famous Chung burgers, was a simple man.
1. He went about his business - going to work to earn an honest living. He took care of things around the house, including overseeing the addition of their entire upstairs level to their formerly one-story house. He built a sturdy kitchen table (and I emphasize sturdy!).
2. He did his devotions. He helped pick CEFC off the ground and was one of the founding fathers who helped turn it into the thriving church it is today. And how did he do that? One red chair at a time. He could often be found setting up chair after chair in the sanctuary (now the Fellowship Hall) for various functions. And afterward, he could be found stacking up the chairs. Nobody told him to do it. He just figured it had to be done so he graciously did it ... without complaint.
3. He loved his wife. Uncle Stephen and Auntie Angelina were very cool parents because they were a cool married couple. I often think about one image that exemplifies their marriage: a old, raggity green Bible with the engraving of "Stephen and Angelina Chung" on the front. That Bible has been beaten down by use year after year. Their marriage was like that Bible - the two of them together, centered on Christ.
4. He loved his kids. I can still here his sweet voice telling me first to "Hold on, please." when I called to speak to Enoch, and then gently saying, "Sai zhai, sai zhai" (Little son in Cantonese). The other image that demonstrates this perfectly is this old black and white picture that Eunice still keeps on her bookshelf of her dad looking so lovingly upon her little girl while she rests comfortable against his chest. He was her daddy and he made sure his kids knew it.
5. And most importantly, he loved Jesus. I will never forget the bright blue Jesus tie he wore the last time I ever saw him. Death had taken his life, but it could not extinguish his fire for God and his desire to praise Him. Even in death, he worshipped.
Was Stephen Chung perfect? No.
But was he great?
You better believe it.
What makes a man great? Well, in this world, it's probably based mostly on the money he makes, the car he drives, and the way he looks.
What made Stephen Chung great? Well, he made money enough to support his wife and two kids. And he drove a red Dodge Dart in his younger days and the now-infamous blue Dodge Caravan Chung van in his older days. And he didn't have the trendiest clothes or the slickest haircut. But he definitely was great. Contradiction? No way.
Stephen Chung, better known to most of us as Uncle Stephen or Enoch and Eunice's father or the guy who made those famous Chung burgers, was a simple man.
1. He went about his business - going to work to earn an honest living. He took care of things around the house, including overseeing the addition of their entire upstairs level to their formerly one-story house. He built a sturdy kitchen table (and I emphasize sturdy!).
2. He did his devotions. He helped pick CEFC off the ground and was one of the founding fathers who helped turn it into the thriving church it is today. And how did he do that? One red chair at a time. He could often be found setting up chair after chair in the sanctuary (now the Fellowship Hall) for various functions. And afterward, he could be found stacking up the chairs. Nobody told him to do it. He just figured it had to be done so he graciously did it ... without complaint.
3. He loved his wife. Uncle Stephen and Auntie Angelina were very cool parents because they were a cool married couple. I often think about one image that exemplifies their marriage: a old, raggity green Bible with the engraving of "Stephen and Angelina Chung" on the front. That Bible has been beaten down by use year after year. Their marriage was like that Bible - the two of them together, centered on Christ.
4. He loved his kids. I can still here his sweet voice telling me first to "Hold on, please." when I called to speak to Enoch, and then gently saying, "Sai zhai, sai zhai" (Little son in Cantonese). The other image that demonstrates this perfectly is this old black and white picture that Eunice still keeps on her bookshelf of her dad looking so lovingly upon her little girl while she rests comfortable against his chest. He was her daddy and he made sure his kids knew it.
5. And most importantly, he loved Jesus. I will never forget the bright blue Jesus tie he wore the last time I ever saw him. Death had taken his life, but it could not extinguish his fire for God and his desire to praise Him. Even in death, he worshipped.
Was Stephen Chung perfect? No.
But was he great?
You better believe it.
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