that's why it takes effort to keep the passion alive, takes effort to make the relationship work out at times of diversity.
I guess that's the answer im looking for bah.
Love is a reciprocal of love.
For God have love us first and allow us to choose to love Him so.
“Love is not blind -- it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less.”
Rabbi J. Gordon
I believe so. Love - is not blind. Jesus definitely sees more.
The person we love.
The flaws that show out. They appear more clearly. It irritates us.
The person we love. The suffers they went thru. We felt the pain with them. So strong. It hurts us.
Because it sees more, it is willing to see less. Less of their flaws. More of their life.
It's Not the End, It's the Journey: A Tribute to My Dad
Written by Mark Schannon
Published April 21, 2006
Recently, Chantal Stone wrote A Few Thoughts On Life And Death Thereafter, although I actually found it on her blog, The World Inside My Head.
It got me thinking about the most traumatic experience I've ever had with death, my father's. It took us over 30 years to develop the relationship we both wanted, but even two stubborn mules will finally pull in the same direction, and for the last 20 years of his life, I came to love, respect, and admire him. I also understood how much of what's good in me was his gift.
I'm a hard-core agnostic, but dad was a fanatic atheist. He was also brilliant, a self-educated man who had had to drop out of high school when his father died during the Depression. Reason was his God, and since there is no way to reason your way to faith, he denied it categorically.
He died in 1998 of emphysema. I will always be in awe of the fight he put up, confounding doctor after doctor, as the disease progressed. He refused to give in, even when he was on oxygen tanks. The tanks may have made him give up tennis, but they didn't stop him from playing golf 4 or 5 times a week. He never complained, never lost his sense of humor or his love of reading and music, nor his passion for a good debate.
He was the most stubborn human being ever to put foot on the planet.
But in the end, as always, the disease won. He lingered for nine very hard days in the hospital, and not only was I there the entire time, I was with him at the end. During those nine days, with the whole family there, we had a simple rule — you didn't cry in front of him. He knew he was dying, but he had no need to talk about it, and he didn't want people getting upset in front of him. We joked, discussed books, fought over his treatments, and talked about every issue under the sun...except his death.
He just wasn't concerned about God and what happens after death.
Finally, the doctors put in a morphine drip to control his ever-increasing pain, but we all knew and agreed that it would eventually end his life. It was the most painful decision I'd ever made. My brother and I were in the room when the doctor came in with the drip, and dad looked at Scott and asked him, "Do you agree with this?" Scott managed to say yes. And then he asked me the same question, and I was about as inarticulate as Scott in agreeing.
"All right then, I agree too," he said. The doctor assured us that he would be asleep within an hour or two — at most. My wife, Pam, and I took a break to get some lunch, and when we returned, someone ran up to me and said, "Dad's sitting up in bed eating lunch." I ran to his room, and sure enough, he was acting as if they were pumping sugar water into his veins.
When I found the doctor and told him that he wasn't asleep, he first thought I meant he wasn't dead, but when I said, "No, he's sitting up in bed eating lunch," the doctor told me that was impossible. He went into his room, confirmed that we hadn't been hallucinating, turned up the morphine drip, and, as we walked out, he looked at me and said, "You're father's an ox. We could put the entire hospital out with as much as he's getting."
However, even an ox has to give in to the inevitable. He went to sleep that afternoon and all medical procedures were stopped. At around 10 or 11 that night, just when I thought the morphine drip had let him slip into a deep sleep for good, he somehow woke up and called for me. His mouth and nose were filled with mucous to the point where he could barely breathe. I screamed for a nurse, who informed me that there was an order to discontinue all procedures — that is until she saw the look in my eyes and ran to get the equipment to clean out his mouth and nose. I also ordered her to turn up the morphine drip...a lot.
With enough morphine running through his veins to kill 20 normal men, he was alert and clear headed. I stayed with him while the nurse cleaned him up. Then he took my hand, looked at me, and said with complete clarity. "Mark, don't worry. I'm not afraid." He paused, smiled, and said, "I fought the good fight." I knew that, inside, he was proud as hell of himself. Then he slowly drifted back to sleep, and when he knew it was time to go, he died peacefully and willingly...on his terms.
I will never forget those words. Don't worry. I'm not afraid. I fought the good fight. Concern for me, comfortable with his own death, and proud of what he'd accomplished.
I suppose it's reasonable to ask if, at the end, he somehow found God which accounts for how peaceful he was. I wish I knew, but he never mentioned it. He was at peace, and that's all I care about.
I offer this story in tribute to a great man, but also because it reinforces what I've always believed — the end doesn't matter; it's only the journey that's important.
Thoreau once wrote, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them." I think that's the saddest thought I've ever heard. Our task in life is to keep our song alive. My dad's song always rang loud and clear.
Emerson was a little less morbid:
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be."
"Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment."
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Emerson was an optimist, but these aren't bad rules by which to live your life, and, if you succeed, then does your death really matter?
===========
taken from http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/04/21/145833.php
歌手：五月天
专辑：神的孩子都在跳舞
词:阿信
曲:怪兽
坐在我身旁你的心伤
不懂我也不想
但你的眼泪下在我心脏
回家的太阳红着眼框
心疼你的模样
影子的悲伤也变得更长
昨天谁让你受过伤
今天想要让你都遗忘
是你爱你让我变的更强
为你战斗永不投降
让我照顾你我要让雨停出太阳
我超越我自己的想象
风雨刀枪能为你挡
让我照顾你
让你未来放在我肩上
新的冷笑话巧克力糖
开始为你收藏
最近连睡觉手机也在手上
幻想着未来满头白发
公园的长椅上
你也许会说一声谢谢我
如果这一生到尽头
换你的这句话很足够
是你爱你让我变的更强
为你战斗永不投降
让我照顾你
我要让雨停出太阳
我超越我自己的想象
风雨刀枪能为你挡
让我照顾你
为你失去生命也辉煌
是你爱你让我变的更强
为你战斗永不投降
让我照顾你
我要让雨停出太阳
我超越我自己的想象
风雨刀枪能为你挡
让我照顾你
让你未来放在我肩上
1. Naturalists
are most inspired to love God out-of-doors, in natural settings.
2. Sensates
love God with their senses and appreciate beautiful worship services that involve their sight, taste, smell, and touch, not just their ears.
3. Traditionalists
draw closer to God through rituals, liturgies, symbols, and unchanging structures.
4. Ascetics
perfer to love God in solitude and simplicity.
5. Activists
love God through confronting evil, battling injustice, and working to make the world a better place.
6. Caregivers
love God by loving others and meeting their needs.
7. Enthusiasts
love God through celebration.
8. Contemplatives
love God through adoration.
9. Intellectuals
love God by studying with their minds.
There is no "one-size-fit-all" approach to worship and friendship with GOd. One thing is certain: You don't bring glory to God by trying to be someone he never intended you to be. God wants you to be yourself.
From:The Purpose Driven Life quoting from Sacred Pathways
FOR GOD HAS PLANTED THEM LIKE STRONG AND GRACEFUL OAKS FOR HIS OWN GLORY
ISAIAH 61:3 (LB)
Jesus said, " From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Life is a test and a trust, and the more God gives you, the more responsible he expect you to be.
another nice song.
==========================
I don't have nerves of steel
I have a heart that feels
I may have cried a million
tears but I wont drown
I let myself unfold
Gave you my hand to hold
You took me beyond where
I could see
And then you let go of me. .
Chorus:
I was damaged by th fall
Got the wind knocked out of me
To be standing here at all
I must be invincible
I thought that I would break
But now I have come to see
Something strong and beautiful
Inside of me
I must be invincible. . .
I dont have X-rays eyes
Don't have a heart so wise
How could I have known
you'd let me down
If I had known that then
my eyes are wide open
I still believe I would've missed it
Ahh. . . its a blessing and a curse
Ahh. . . But you find out just
what you've worth.
By: Breathe
As I watch you move, across the moonlit room
There's so much tenderness in your loving
Tomorrow I must leave, the dawn knows no reprieve
God give me strength when I am leaving
Chorus:
So raise your hands to heaven and pray
That we'll be back together someday
Tonight, I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight, you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness
As we move to embrace, tears run down your face
I whisper words of love, so softly
I can't believe this pain, it's driving me insane
Without your touch, life will be lonely
Repeat Chorus
Morning has come,
I must pack my bags and say goodbye,
Goodbye
Found this beautiful song on a friend blog.
--------------------------------------------
No one ever saw me like you do
All the things that I could add up to
I never knew just what a smile was worth
But your eyes say everything without a single word
CHORUS
'Cause there's somethin' in the way you look at me
It's as if my heart knows you're the missing piece
You made me believe that there's nothing in this world I can't be
I'd never know what you see
But there's somethin' in the way you look at me
If I could freeze some moment in my mind
The second that you touch your lips to mine
I'd like to stop the clock, make time stand still
'Cause baby, this is just the way I always wanna feel
(Repeat CHORUS)
BRIDGE
I dont know how or why I feel different in your eyes
All I know is it happens everytime
(Repeat CHORUS)
The way you look at me
Type of People God Uses
1. People who has the desire to do his will
2. People who decide to pay the price
3. People who dare to trust his promise
- Reputation: Risking been isolated as the odd-one/disbelieve in you by others.
- Comfort: willing to sacrifice one own's comfort
4. Fears
When you decide to let God use you:
This is what you would face
1. Fear of Criticism
2. Fear of Supernatural ( nt havin the faith to trust in Supernatural works of God)
3. Fear of inadequacy
4. Fear of change
The Rught Attitude for the Altitude
1. Enthusiam
2. Humility
3. And above all else, willing to take on the edventure God has plan for us. To take a leap of faith.
Joy from within was not the norm day to day happiness. Finally I think I understand a little of it. This joy is an inner peace that guard your heart when u are in pain, suffering, lost or hurts.
This joy will radiate out and you will find yourself smiling silly when you are in the mist of pain.
said "Im blessed!" and believe that i am.
----------------------------
Rain Down
Looks like tonight, the sky is heavy
Feels like the winds are gonna change
Beneath my feet, the earth is ready
I know its time for heaven's rain
It's gonna rain
Cos it's living water we desire
To flood our hearts with holy fire
Rain down all around the world we're singing
Rain down can you here the earth is singing
Rain down my heart is dry but still I'm singing
Rain down rain it down on me.
Back to the start, my heart is heavy
Feels like it's time, to dream again
I see the clouds, and yes I'm ready
To dance upon this barren land
Hope in my hands
Do not shut, Do not shut, Do not shut the heavens
But open up, open up, open up our hearts
Give me strength to cross this water
Keep my heart upon your altar
Give me strength to cross this water
Keep my feet don’t let me falter
"Keep doing whate you are doing. Believe in yourself and believe in ME. "
When I felt so small and limited and start to double myself, this words hit me.
Right into my face. Suddenly I was no longer lost. For I know that this is what I have to carry on. I need to be stretch, with care so that i will grow more without breaking. Time is SHORT !
The journey is the struggle of the soul to seek, discover, and live truth. The joy comes from the struggle. Remember "the struggle" is the struggle to better yourself, to change, and to grow with courage & patience.
No longer it is my belief. No longer it will be what i think.
But now it shall be the Lord will. For mine belief, my thoughts are easily broken.
But the Lord Will will last for eternity.
1) a compassion heart
2) There is good in every bad
3) There is purpose in every pain
I have seen it coming, and here i am. Once again at the end of the path ... ...
There I was, over and over I dig out my heart. The pain... i cant contain.. the tears i cant hold.... its seems like hours... I didnt know how long.
But i did it. I bury it with the bare tree. And there was a sense of peace yet a wash of sadness was over me. I stood there, feeling lost.
I was lost, so that I can be found
It is time, let's go...
"BUT I CANT" I cried again. There's so much pain. And I cant move.
"Let me be your feet then. I shall carry you " ...
I stolen one last look back at the tree... ... and away I went
=========================
I will Follow...
I was on the outside when you said
You said you needed me
I was looking at myself
I was blind, I could not see
A boy tries hard to be a man
His mother takes him by his hand
If he stops to think he starts to cry
Oh why
If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
I was on the inside
When they pulled the four walls down
I was looking through the window
I was lost, I am found
Walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
If you walkaway, walkaway,
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
I will follow
Your eyes make a circle
I see you when I go in there
Your eyes, your eyes...
If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway..I will follow
If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
I will follow
I will follow...
I think I understand something. It take more than just sun and rain to nuture a seedling.
A dose of patient is needed.
2 teaspoons of understanding.
3 bowls of fairness and no side-taking.
4 cups of love and concern.
and above all, timing is essential. The right mix and the right time.
Finally I understood how she felt. That proud me finally fell into the bottom pit.
Im lost. Confused. My belief all the while was wrong? How do I continue to believe that there is good in every heart. Having a compassion heart? my foot. I was too naive.
Belief torn. Dream broken. The mind afraid. The body alone. I dont know how to cope or handle anymore. Will I be able to pack and walk away? I think I could. Maybe I should. Im tired. Weary. I cannot see where this will leads to know.
People are leaving. Even from mouth of closed one, that one day they will pack go.
God im crying to you now. Im so limited. I .. I dont know what to do.
I cannot see the light. I cant breath. Im sinking into the bottom of the ocean.. ...
maybe I should be cold also.
2 weeks. Buzy with exams. Finally, back to service. The thirst was finally quench. I never want to be away from Him. This weekend service was empowering. A vision was seen. Confirmation came out of the pastor Phil Pringle's message. He spoke of things in my vision.
Feel so small when the world is so big. The vision that's huge yet im so limited.
Yet I understood my role. Im the vessel. Yet Im also a history maker.
-------------------
History Maker
Is it true today that when people pray
Cloudless skies will break
Kings and queens will shake
Yes it's true and I believe it
I'm living for you
Is it true today that when people pray
We'll see dead men rise
And the blind set free
Yes it's true and I believe it
I'm living for you
I'm gonna be a history maker in this land
I'm gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind
I'm gonna stand, I'm gonna run
Into your arms, into your arms again
Into your arms, into your arms again
Well it's true today that when people stand
With the fire of God, and the truth in hand
We'll see miracles, we'll see angels sing
We'll see broken hearts making history
Yes it's true and I believe it
We're living for you
"What a queer planet!" he thought. "It is altogether dry, and altogether pointed, and altogether harsh and forbidding. And the people have no imagination. They repeat whatever one says to them . . . On my planet I had a flower; she always was the first to speak . . ."
But it happened that after walking for a long time through sand, and rocks, and snow, the little prince at last came upon a road. And all roads lead to the abodes of men.
"Good morning," he said.
He was standing before a garden, all a-bloom with roses.
"Good morning," said the roses.
The little prince gazed at them. They all looked like his flower.
"Who are you?" he demanded, thunderstruck.
"We are roses," the roses said.
And he was overcome with sadness. His flower had told him that she was the only one of her kind in all the universe. And here were five thousand of them, all alike, in one single garden!
"She would be very much annoyed," he said to himself, "if she should see that . . . She would cough most dreadfully, and she would pretend that she was dying, to avoid being laughed at. And I should be obliged to pretend that I was nursing her back to life--for if I did not do that, to humble myself also, she would really allow herself to die. . ."
Then he went on with his reflections: "I thought that I was rich, with a flower that was unique in all the world; and all I had was a common rose. A common rose, and three volcanoes that come up to my knees--and one of them perhaps extinct forever . . . That doesn't make me a very great prince . . ."
And he lay down in the grass and cried. 
It was then that the fox appeared.
"Good morning," said the fox.
"Good morning," the little prince responded politely, although when he turned around he saw nothing.
"I am right here," the voice said, "under the apple tree."
"Who are you?" asked the little prince, and added, "You are very pretty to look at."
"I am a fox," the fox said.
"Come and play with me," proposed the little prince. "I am so unhappy."
"I cannot play with you," the fox said. "I am not tamed."
"Ah! Please excuse me," said the little prince.
But, after some thought, he added:
"What does that mean--'tame'?"
"You do not live here," said the fox. "What is it that you are looking for?"
"I am looking for men," said the little prince. "What does that mean--'tame'?"
"Men," said the fox. "They have guns, and they hunt. It is very disturbing. They also raise chickens. These are their only interests. Are you looking for chickens?"
"No," said the little prince. "I am looking for friends. What does that mean--'tame'?"
"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. It means to establish ties."
"'To establish ties'?"
"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world . . ."
"I am beginning to understand," said the little prince. "There is a flower . . . I think that she has tamed me . . ."
"It is possible," said the fox. "On the Earth one sees all sorts of things."
"Oh, but this is not on the Earth!" said the little prince.
The fox seemed perplexed, and very curious.
"On another planet?"
"Yes."
"Are there hunters on that planet?"
"No."
"Ah, that is interesting! Are there chickens?"
"No."
"Nothing is perfect," sighed the fox.
But he came back to his idea.
"My life is very monotonous," the fox said. "I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All the chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And, in consequence, I am a little bored. But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat . . ."
The fox gazed at the little prince, for a long time.
"Please--tame me!" he said.
"I want to, very much," the little prince replied. "But I have not much time. I have friends to discover, and a great many things to understand."
"One only understands the things that one tames," said the fox. "Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready made at the shops. But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends any more. If you want a friend, tame me . . ."
"What must I do, to tame you?" asked the little prince.
"You must be very patient," replied the fox. "First you will sit down at a little distance from me--like that--in the grass. I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings. But you will sit a little closer to me, every day . . ."
The next day the little prince came back.
"It would have been better to come back at the same hour," said the fox. "If, for example, you come at four o'clock in the afternoon, then at three o'clock I shall begin to be happy. I shall feel happier and happier as the hour advances. At four o'clock, I shall already be worrying and jumping about. I shall show you how happy I am! But if you come at just any time, I shall never know at what hour my heart is to be ready to greet you . . . One must observe the proper rites . . ."
"What is a rite?" asked the little prince.
"Those also are actions too often neglected," said the fox. "They are what make one day different from other days, one hour from other hours. There is a rite, for example, among my hunters. Every Thursday they dance with the village girls. So Thursday is a wonderful day for me! I can take a walk as far as the vineyards. But if the hunters danced at just any time, every day would be like every other day, and I should never have any vacation at all."
So the little prince tamed the fox. And when the hour of his departure drew near--
"Ah," said the fox, "I shall cry."
"It is your own fault," said the little prince. "I never wished you any sort of harm; but you wanted me to tame you . . ."
"Yes, that is so," said the fox.
"But now you are going to cry!" said the little prince.
"Yes, that is so," said the fox.
"Then it has done you no good at all!"
"It has done me good," said the fox, "because of the color of the wheat fields." And then he added:
"Go and look again at the roses. You will understand now that yours is unique in all the world. Then come back to say goodbye to me, and I will make you a present of a secret."
The little prince went away, to look again at the roses.
"You are not at all like my rose," he said. "As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world."
And the roses were very much embarassed.
"You are beautiful, but you are empty," he went on. "One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you--the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or ever sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.
And he went back to meet the fox.
"Goodbye," he said.
"Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.
"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."
"It is the time I have wasted for my rose--" said the little prince, so that he would be sure to remember.
"Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose . . ."
"I am responsible for my rose," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.
她的猫咪不见了……
幾米这本以猫为图画主题的书，诉说的是一个都会女子的失恋心情。恍惚、惆怅、寻找、失落……，在他诗意的笔下，这些情绪像温暖的潮水，缓慢却气势慑人地袭来。城市中的孤单和彷徨，幾米总是看的透彻。这会儿他进入一个同时失去恋人和宠物的女子心灵，把那种淡淡的哀伤刻画极深。
“猫咪哪里去了？”路灯上、树影中……
Faith is the substance of things not seen.
Totally illogical,
unintelligable,
hopeless and hopeful,
agonising at times...
but empowering at best.
Like standing on the edge of a cliff
and
looking
down
sensing
that you
are
falling
and will land
who knows where.
It's not God
that swims in the middle of confusion,
it's not His voice
that is drowning out clear thoughts.
Echos resonate through our minds,
voices of distress
pushing
and pulling you
in all directions,
testimonies of faith pull you back:
past victories arise to exhort,
their voices not as loud,
not fretful,
potent,
but flailing
in the
confusion.
You cry out in alarm
"how did this happen?"
"I don't want to be here."
"I thought all this was over!"
The pain rises,
ebbs
and fades with prayer.
Answers unseen
but coming... if you'll just hang in there.
This things is called faith,
not reason.
It is centred in God's faithfulness,
not logic, neither intelligence,
and it is the only thing in this universe
that will hold you together,
bonded in God's love
and with great prospects.
What you need to do is take a leap of faith... just jump.
Like baby birds, the mother will nudge even push the babies to jump off from a high place. Knowing that likely the babies will fall and crush to the ground. She still has to do it. The pain in her heart is worse than the pain inflect onto the babies. But she HAS to do it. Why? So that they can learn how to soar.
On the edge of the cliff, we often cried out. WHY? IS THIS THE END OF THE ROAD?
But we didnt realised that we just have to take a leap of faith. And we will be free.
Yes, in the process we will fall, we will get hurts. But all this cannot be compair to the moment when we spread our wings and soar.
Till then.
Matthew 5
33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
James 5 Patience in Suffering
7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. 9 Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.
==============
be true to your heart.
Crossing Over Lyrics
I see the lights,
I see the road
I see everything in
the
highway code
I've been whipped
and
I've been spun cown
there ain't no religion
here
And I'm homeward bound
Wherever
you go,
wherever you are
I am crossing over
to
the other side
And now I am waiting for an answer,
some kind of sign
Looking for a love
to be my
guide
I am crossing over
to the other side
Friendships come
and lifetimes go
In their
passing to the
bigger show
The river runs,
the
tides will turn
If there's a hell,
well I've
yet to learn
Wherever you go,
wherever you
are
I am crossing over
to the other side
And now
I am waiting for an answer,
some kind of sign
Looking
for a love
to be my guide
I am crossing over
to
the other side
To dream the dream that's
over
before it's gone
To hold your lover here
while your heart beats so strong
Baby when I love you
when everything is gone
When I'm kissing heaven
this love is never wrong
Solo
I hear the singing,
I hear the shout
The talk of
meaning
for those in doubt
But amid all the wailing
and
the wringing hands
Everybody thinks
does
anyone understand?
Wherever you go,
wherever you are
I am crossing over
to the other
side
And now I am waiting for an answer,
some kind of
sign
Looking for a love
to be my guide
I am
crossing over
to the other side
I am
crossing over
to the other side
And now I am waiting
for an answer,
some kind of sign
Looking for a love
to be my guide
Cos I am crossing over
to the other
side
watching others in pain and felt helpless is worse than been in pain.
So much worse.
God help me. Guide me. What should I do?
As a man thinketh, He is.
Most of us may be strong in the physical body. We watch what we eat. We took time of to get involves in sports. And we are strong in the spirit. We listens to sermons, we read the bible, attends services and cell groups.
But we are weak in the soul aka the mind. We are often trapped in our own thoughts. and it goes round and round in an infinite loop. We felt lost and helpless. Because we trapped ourselves in it.
The VERY FIRST thing is to realise what you are doing. Or rather what you are thinking. STOP! Are u thinking what im thinking?
We need to train our soul to be strong. A thought could make us or break us. We can choose to be sad or to be happy. It lies in the mind.
==================================
[ 6 reasons not to worry ]
If you could be sitting on a beach chair right now would you be able to enjoy it? Or would you be worrying about everything going on back home? Most of us can probably think of someone we know who believes that there is a verse in the Bible that reads, "Blessed be the worriers."
One of the character traits the maternal side of my family has passed down is the ability to worry, and to commit one's self to doing the job thoroughly.When I was young, I was determined I was going to stop this cycle of worrying; however, as time passes I have realized that the more one has, the more one has to lose. In my late teens, despite the fact that I thought I had a lot to worry about, the truth was, I didn't have many material possessions to lose, and I took health and family for granted. Hence, I am coming to recognize the reasoning behind my mother and grandmother expending so much energy in great concern for another's well being or one's situation.
Just because I am beginning to understand it, however, doesn't mean that it's right or that it's how God wants me to spend my time.Having a chronic illness gives us a long list of justified reasons to worry. We worry if we should take it easy today, and rest for tomorrow; or if we should do all we can today, in case tomorrow is worse. We throw out the dreams of trying to do it all, and concentrate on worrying about if we can do some of it. We worry when our body is falling apart. When we are in remission we worry it won't last. We worry about having children, raising our children, financial burdens, if we are a good spouse, how to keep a positive attitude, and we probably all have moments when we worry and wonder whether
God is listening to our prayers.For a moment lets try to put all those emotional worries aside and look at God's word logically.
He does hear our prayer and knows our worries, but He tells us our worries are in vain. He's already taken care of everything. Peter writes, "Turn all your anxiety over to God because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7). Easier said than done? If you need more than that, read on; here are six reasons not to worry.
1. He tells us not to worry. "Don't ever worry about tomorrow." (Matt. 6:34) He doesn't say, "I understand you're sick and you have some serious lab work coming up, so occasionally-on those days-worry about tomorrow." He says, "Don't ever..." Our Father is not making a suggestion, such as "You'll benefit by not worrying." He's giving us a commandment.
2. We have nothing to worry about! Paul assures us, "My God will richly fill your every need in a glorious way through Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19) Writing this from a jail cell, Paul was speaking from experience. God knows our needs better than we know our own needs. And He knows not only what we need today, but also what we will need in the future; He's already taken care of it. He promises to not only take care of our needs, but that he will fill our need in a glorious way.
3. Worry doesn't do any good! Jesus asks, "Who of you can add a single hour to his life by worrying? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" (Luke 12:25,26). Jesus is calling us on our attitude and lack of control. Worrying does not add an hour to our life. If anything it probably takes a few hours off of our life.
4. We need to be soothed by God. David tells God, "When I worried about many things, your assuring words soothed my soul." (Psalm 94:19) Yes, regardless of how God-like we strive to be, it seems occasional worrying is a part of our human nature. The important thing is to not let it consume us. David took his worries to God, and God soothed him. Soothe means to calm or comfort with soft words. If you forget to talk to God in prayer about your worries, you aren't giving God the opportunity to soothe you.
5. Worry can control you. Worry can even consume you; when you are overwhelmed with this anxiety your focus is no longer on God. Rather, "Let Christ's peace control you. God has called you into this peace by bringing you into one body. Be thankful," (Col. 3:15). God tells us "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ." (Phil 4: 6,7). God knows that if you bring your burdens to him, he will make them light; but He allows us free choice to carry our own burdens. Learn the distinction between worry and prayer.
6. The troubles we are experiencing are temporary, even "light." "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Corinthians 4:17) To us the burdens feel heavy, but in God's eyes they are light.God cares about our worries but he knows that He is more powerful than any illness, financial worry, or other burden you may carry.
Sometimes we need to be reminded that He who knows the eternal life we will experience understands that our worries are insignificant. It is my hope that you are able to let go of at least a few worries this week and take them to our Father. It can be a constant struggle to let go of them, but through His loving kindness you can experience the worries lifted and the peace that passes all human understanding. Give God the chance to soothe your soul.
http://www.restministries.org/art-worry.htm
==================================
"God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.”
As the quote goes, God didn't promise us days that are free from pain, sorrow and rain. Yet He promised that we will find strength and comfort in Him. His will light our path as we walk with him.
Half a year old baby Christian now. It's still appear to me that I have just enter the world of Christianity. Everything is soooo wonderful... yet the walk was never easy. So much barriers, so much burdens.
Its seems that God has planted certain person at certain time to guide me in this journey. The Christian walk. The path. Was never about the ending. Never about heaven. BUT. about the walk. the earthly journey.
Had a hair cut today, and my hair stylist was chatting with me.... the conversation soon turn to life-lessons.
She said: "Those who never make any mistake in their life, didnt grow at all... a single mistake will make them crush to the ground no matter how high they climbed. yet for those, who learnt thru their mistakes, their growth is exponential. They are equiped to deal with blows and changes. They know how to get up on their feet when they fall."
What wisdom she has spoke. Im weary and tired. Very tired..... sometimes I just feel like walking away. The legs is heavy. The heart is weary.
yet God reminded me that I MUST go thru all this. Its seems that visions and dreams that empowered me required more than what the present me could cope. A whole new transform is required. God hang a sign "TRAINING IN PROGRESS" on my neck.
Even a single goole search leads me to this quote:
“Life is like a rainbow. You need both the sun and the rain to make its colors appear.”
The element of rain is required in my life to mix with the sun, to produce rainbow.
After reading [Facing every Mum's Fears] I have gain some insight to motherhood. I would strongly recommend this book.
We cannot image how much a mother face. How much fears and pain she has hold inside her. How much she has suffered under the hand of her children... ...
1) U will often heard a mum said this: "Everything is ok. Mum is here"
The superwoman mother. They have to smooth EVERY ostacles and barrier in their children life.
2) A mum fear for their child safety.
what happen if they get hurts? What happen if something happen to them? How am I going to life on? Why are they so not home yet? Are the friends bad companies?
3) A mum fear that the child will take up the her flaws.
when this fear 'concretise', the mum will turn hash on her child. For she fear they will follow her in her footstep.
4) A mum fear that she does not live up to her child expectation.
" I HATE U MUM", this 4 words can bring a mum to the brin of depression.
..... etc.
Only a mother will understand each other. Although father and mother may have similiar roles in parenting/raising the child. Netherless, their roles are nv the same and nv equal.
Motherhood is like walking on a high wire. U cling onto the balancing pole with you both hands....and u walk on the ultra THIN wire.... if u dont move... U going to fall... the only way for you to balance is to move on....
Up there, they are helpless. They do not have anyone to support them. Their only tool, is the pole. Yet, that long pole, has a weight to it... holding it for long, their arms soon grow tired. BUT, they cannot throw the pole away, for it is the only tool to guide them in balancing.
Not everyone know how to express their emotion. Or even to relate/express it correctly. Some keep them inside and it turns to frastratation. Some dont have the skills of communication, and the expression come out in the form of anger and words that hurts. In the end, they hurts themselves and their child.
Yet, often, the child never know how much a parent face. Till the day, they themselves has become parent. When they look back, finally they understood their mum behavior.
A father will never understand a mum fears. Just like a guy will never understand a gal mind. Really thanks God, for the insight the book has given me. And the 3 wonderful 'children' that I play motherhood on. What heavy burden a mum carried!
Today, I just wanted to pray for all the mothers out that. Let them feel the love of their children and their load will be lighten by the grace of the Lord. Amen.
When we left pains and hurts that we never deal with, they become emotional baggages in our life. We may have moved on, chucked it aside. Forgotten. But nevertheless its still there.
While helping a friend to cope with her depression/pain. I got emotionally attached to her problem. Her problem become The problem. The problem become My problem.
Emotional baggages started to surface, and brought back all the past pain.
Half a yr YOUNG baby Christian, I should have learnt not to rely on myself.
Lean on God's shoulder was so much easier. Time to admit defeated. The problem was too big for me alone. Yet too small for God. I'll leave her in God's hand. God's will guide and heal this silly girl who cling onto a broken relationship. May God grace be apon her always.
==================================================
RAIN DOWN
Looks like tonight, the sky is heavy
Feels like the winds are gonna change
Beneath my feet, the earth is ready
I know its time for heaven’s rain, it’s gonna rain
It’s gonna rain, again
Cos it’s living water we desire
To flood our hearts with holy fire
Rain down all around the world we’re singing
Rain down can you hear the earth is singing
Rain down my heart is dry but still I’m singing
Rain down rain it down on me
Back to the start, my heart is heavy
Feels like it’s time, to dream again
I hear your voice, and yes I’m ready
To dance upon this barren land
Hope in my hands
Do not shut, Do not shut, Do not shut the heavens
But open up, open up, open up our hearts
Give me strength to cross the water
Keep my heart upon your altar
Give me strength to cross this water
Keep my feet don’t let me falter
============================================
I soaked myself in the rain.
Here I am waiting
Abide in me I pray
Here I am longing
For You
Hide me in Your love
Bring me to my knees
May I know Jesus
More and more
Come live in me
All my life
Take over
Come breathe in me
I will rise
On eagle's wings
"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." (Matthew: 11:28)
GOD IS HERE
-----------------------
In your presence, there is fullness of life
And healing flowing, for body soul and mind
God of miracles, God of the impossible is here
God is here
God is here
Let the broken hearted rejoice (lift up your head)
God is here
Let the sick say I am well (all sufficient One)
God is here
Let the weak say I am strong (let the weak say I am strong!)
God is here
His wonders to perform
In your presence, there is perfect peace
In the stillness, I behold your deity
God of wonders, God of power is here
God is here
[Chorus]
O His wonders, yes His wonders
His wonders to perform
(Repeat)
-----------------------
I'll need some rest.
For I wrote you out of great sorrow and deep distress [with mental torture and anxiety] of heart, [yes, and] with many tears, not to cause you pain but in order to make you realize the overflowing love that I continue increasingly to have for you.
=====================
Sigh.
Artist - Cece Winans
Album - Everlasting Love
Lyrics - The Wind (Tears For You)
With all of my heart I know I could love you
But with all of my soul I'm driftin' away
And with all of my mind I know you can save me from
myself, and anything else
With all of my strength I wanna reach out for you
With every breath, call out your name
With every step I just want to turn around and say
Make it okay
But I'm so afriad you've forgiven one too many times
And I'm so afraid to give my heart again
Just to have a change of mind
And I'm not quite sure that you can trust me
And I would hate to have you find me again
Driftin' away like the wind
With all of my heart I know I disappointed you
And although I'm real sorry I don't know how to say this time
But if I were to lose you I know, I know I'd go completely
Out of my mind, but I'm running out of time
But I'm so afriad you've forgiven one too many times
And I'm so afraid to give my heart again
Just to have a change of mind
And I'm not quite sure that you can trust me
And I would hate to have you find me again
Driftin' away like the wind
It blows and nobody know where it's goin' to
(Like the wind)
It blows and nobody know what it's gonna do
(Like the wind)
At night you can hear it cry as the teardrops fall
From Heaven's eyes and somehow you know it's true
These tears that fall could be fallin' for you
I know this will not remain forever
However it's beautiful
Your eyes,hands and your warm smile
They're my treasure
It's hard to forget
I wish there was a solution
Don't spend your time in confusion
I will turn back now and spread
My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with
My broken wings how far should i go drifting in the wind
Higher and higher in the light
My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with
My broken wings how far should i go drifting in the wind
Across the sky,just keep on flying
Did i ever chain you down to my heart
'Cause i was never afraid of you
No,I couldn't hold you any longer
Love is not a toy
Let go of me now
The time we spend is perpetual
Our future is not real
I'll leap into the air
My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with
My broken wings how far should i go drifting in the wind
Higher and higher in the light
My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with
My broken wings how far should i go drifting in the wind
Across the sky,just keep on flying
I know this will not remain forever
However it's beautiful
Your eyes,hands and your warm smile
They're my treasure
It's hard to forget
I wish there was a solution
Don't spend your time in confusion
I will turn back now and spread
My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with
My broken wings how far should i go drifting in the wind
Higher and higher in the light
My broken wings still strong enough to cross the ocean with
My broken wings how far should i go drifting in the wind
Across the sky,just keep on flying
Keisoku no dekinai itami to keisoku no dekinai jikan no narega
Subete wo umete shimaou toshitemo
Soredemo watashi ni wa kanjirareru
Sora kara ochitekuru no wa
Sora kara ochitekuru no wa ame de wa nakute
===============================
someone posted this lyrics. Though I never heard this song before, the lyrics touches me.
then a random conversation brought this words:
to be happy she/he must want to be happy more than wanting to be with him/her
and understand that sometimes people just cannot unlove or unlike another person....
Had a nightmare last night. Something was creeping towards me.... freaking.
I just freezed. Till it always touches me.
when I shouted: : JESUS IS MY LORD !
Then I woke up.
=============================================
[ Heart of Worship ]
When the music fades and all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the things I've made it
When it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
King of endless worth, no one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor, all I have is Yours
Every single breath
=============================================
I'm sorry, Lord, for the things I've made it. Forgive me.
歌曲：倔强
歌手：五月天
当我和世界不一样那就让我不一样
坚持对我来说就是以刚克刚
我如果对自己妥协如果对自己说谎
即使别人不原谅我也不能原谅
最美的愿望一定最疯狂
我就是我自己的神在我活的地方
我和我最后的倔强握紧双手绝对不放
下一站是不是天堂就算失望不能绝望
我和我骄傲的倔强我在风中大声的唱
这一次为自己疯狂就这一次我和我的倔强
对爱我的人别紧张我的固执很善良
我的手越肮脏眼神越是发光
你不在乎我的过往看到了我的翅膀
你说被火烧过才能出现凤凰
逆风的方向更适合飞翔
我不怕千万人阻挡只怕自己投降
我和我最后的倔强握紧双手绝对不放
下一站是不是天堂就算失望不能绝望
我和我骄傲的倔强我在风中大声的唱
这一次为自己疯狂就这一次我和我的倔强
就这一次让我大声唱
lalalala...
就算失望不能绝望...
lalalalala...
就这一次我和我的倔强
Psalm 73
BOOK III : Psalms 73-89
1A psalm of Asaph.
Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from the burdens common to man;
they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.
11 They say, "How can God know?
Does the Most High have knowledge?"
12 This is what the wicked are like—
always carefree, they increase in wealth.
13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been plagued;
I have been punished every morning.
15 If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it was oppressive to me
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
20 As a dream when one awakes,
so when you arise, O Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
1) "Don't feel totally, personally, irrevocably, eternally responsible for everything. That's MY job."
2) "Everything you remember, I forget. Everything you forget, I remember."
3) "If yoy go around saying, "I've a miserable life, 'I'll show you whaT miserable really is. If you go around saying, "I've a wonderful life, 'I'll show you what wonderful really is."
FROM: PLAY THE BALL WHERE THE MONKEY DROPS IT
Story 1
====================
A grandma patting her grand-children sat beside me. Looking at the baby.. ouch so cuteeeee! Thoughts just came to my mind. From such a TINY being... slowly oever the years, the kid will grow up and mature to an adult.... How astonish that human can grow.. The baby have such calm look on his face. No matter how loud the train go wheeeeee or how rocky the ride is. He sleep peacefully. Why? Have we ever wonder?
A child was carried in his mum for 9 mths+. For this 9 mths, the child is soooo close to the mum heart. =) As the child was born and grow, even at the age of 2+ the child will always run to his mum for hugs. Why? Just like when he was still a baby, he need to listen to his mum heartbeat; he need to smell his mum. That give him assurance, affirmation. That give him comfort; That make him felt loved.
As time passes, we have forgotten abt all these. Just as pple got too use to going to church, reading bibles....somethings we seems to love the church... the songs... even the scripture.. MORE than we love HIM......
Let us all come back to the first day we accepted Christ. TO find back our first love.
Go back to the first day. Where we were just born. Seeking our mum heartbeat.
===========================
Story 2
As the grandma and the mum depart with the cute baby.... came 2 guys....
guyA: Hey stop playing game la. U can use the time and energy to spend on her instead.
guyB: but she so young....
guyA: u think u very old meh.. u see malaysia... 50+ marrying 20 odd girls only....
guyB: but i dont think i really like her...
guyA: You know what is invest or not? like company... later the company will grow one... and u must try mah.... if this easy one u cant even catch... then later bigger one come... u how? ...
I got so angry to hear such words.... what do they think they are? and what do they take that girl for?! tester goodS? Now i wish someone will be with me during this time, for she will surely go up to them and smack them right in their face!
haiz. their thinking is so corrupted. Every girl is God precious daughter. Who are we that seek for God precious daughter? If u cant protect/love her... then please leave her alone...
God love us so much that he KNEW the suffering. Yet he still send his son to die for our sin.... The pain on Christ, His son.... was reflected back onto him 10 fold! 100folds! check the bible!
Yet he still did not hesitate in sending his Son down to earth. Why ? Because of love.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
Let us love the way God loves us. It's not going to be easy. Love itself is a sacrifice.
To love and not expecting anything in return. To love at the same time knowing you may be hurt. To love and to bear whatever pain alone. To love whole heartedly... bleeding and wounded.
Only God love can filled our heart. Such is the strength that I would draw to love others.
Ok gal whines..... We cant do much abt it.
BUt GUYS ?! For goodness sick! stop acting like a kid or freaking gay!
Dont they know that they are just wasting their energy whining and whining....
In the end, nothing get done. The problem remains unsolve. The situation never change.
NOW, God make use of BUSY pple. YES. For we are always required to be in motion before God can direct us.
Look at the first 3 disciples of Christ, they were busy fishing before the Lord call to them : " come and be fisher of men."
Look at my hero, Paul: He was busy crucifying Christian before the Lord appear to him. (Ok that sound wrong)
BUt they are constantly in ACTION!
Dont just wait and do nothing! God's love busy people.
"Draw near to me, and I'll draw near to you" Even in God's promise for an intimacy relationship, we are required to draw near FIRST!
Action speaks louder than words! That is so true!
As water reflect our physcial look. Our action reflect our heart.
Matthew 7:8
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Luke 11:10
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Action! action!
Simon and his companions searched for Him; they found Him, and said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You." [Jesus] said to them, "Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for."
- mark 1:36-38
Expectations can be terribly frustrating. Were it anyone but Jesus, I imagine the immediate reaction would be, "Ugh! Can't I have just a few moments with my Father without half the world hunting me down? Fine! What do you want from me now?"
But no. Look at His response. He said, in effect, "Let's go. I'm here to preach, so let's get after it." Solitude and ministry exist in tension with one another, yet they cannot be separated. Effective spiritual leaders must learn the discipline of keeping themselves in proper balance. Our purpose, like that of Christ, is to serve others, not to cloister ourselves away in order to hoard up spiritual treasures for our own enrichment.
[ From: So, you Want to be like Christ? ]
==========================================================
This is the same goes for our daily affairs. Upon meditating on the above passage, I realised that how shameful I was when I twisted God words to support my point of view.
Yes. Who are we to judge others and thus let us anchor our security in Him. Thus, we should not be affect by how others look at us. But NO, we should not neglect others feelings.
Our purpose was to serve, therefore in all situation we must ask ourselves, "what will Jesus do if He is in this situation?"
d Daleth
25 I am laid low in the dust;
preserve my life according to your word.
26 I recounted my ways and you answered me;
teach me your decrees.
27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts;
then I will meditate on your wonders.
28 My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word.
29 Keep me from deceitful ways;
be gracious to me through your law.
30 I have chosen the way of truth;
I have set my heart on your laws.
31 I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD;
do not let me be put to shame.
32 I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free.
Matthew 18:4 "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like one of these children is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
When we are children there's a part of us
that is open to love, and faith and trust.
Through a little child's laughter and teary eyes we grow older and that part of us dies.
Innocence lost, is so hard to regain.
We get forgiven but hold on to the pain.
But Jesus said to the crowd roaring wild; "Come to me with the heart of a child."
It's so hard to open ourselves up to others,
we're afraid to trust our own sisters and brothers.
But there is a love so costly and dear, a love strong enough to cast out fear.
Let's take off our masks and drop the facade and live like the children of the Living God.
Take a chance, you may be betrayed if you risk it all but He'll be there to catch you when you slip and fall.
There's a holy laughter, and tears so pure, there's an innocence that will always endure.
There's a dream and vision, an endless sea,
the tingling of life in a heart set free.
Nothing to prove, no possessions to hold but a joy and peace more precious than gold.
It's a beautiful place, fiery and wild when we return to the heart of the child.
Remember that our Father to whom we pray
considers us His children each day and like little children we must learn to rely on the love of our Father who reigns on high.
So much prejudice to forget and unlearn, it's the heart of the child for which we yearn.
We can't enter heaven with a heart defiled, it must change through Jesus to the heart of the child.
I long for the child me.
James 1
2. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3. because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
12. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
=====================
Sometimes its so easy to just drop everything and walk away. But the Holy Spirit said : NO NO NO NOooo Nuuuuuuuuu
Argggg. How long have I got to hang in there? O Father Father Father! hear my cries !
| How to make a Rain |
| Ingredients: 3 parts friendliness 1 part courage 1 part joy |
| Method: Combine in a tall glass half filled with crushed ice. Add lovability to taste! Do not overindulge! |
How does one handle emotion and hurts ?
Some choose to suppress it down. some choose to bottle it up.
in the end, we just build layers apon layers; bricks after bricks around ourself.
we trapped ourselves in our own wall.
It's not easy to tear this wall down. We are so used to the 'assured safety' within our wall. We are so afraid of the outside world, afraid of getting hurts again.
Why do we fear so much? Cos fear is never really something that frightening.
Fear is suductives; Fear is so comfortable that we often cling onto fear.
we fear, not the fear. But fear to let go of our fear.
That is why we are call to walk in faith.
Remember the stormy sea, Jesus word rang in my head:
"WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?"
Luke 8:25
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.
And Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes.
Surprisingly diff pple throw the same Q at me at diff time. I just stunned. I dont know....
Really? hmmm. I ponder thru this Q for some times.
What was more 'eye-catching' was my ability to able to decipher thru tons of information to get the necessary one. Able to pin point the root of a problem. Able to see flaws (something too clearly that it irritates me). In other word - strong analytical skill.
But other than that? I dont have a good answer. Others have tons of strengths and plus points. Somehow I don’t have find all these natural skills and talents in me.
But God is of Heaven and Im of Earth. Thus God's way is definitely higher than mine.
For what I'd lack, I'd to learn them. I have to walk more; I have to suffer more;
Im was never strong. God make me weak so that I can be strong thru HIM.
With every incident, I grow thru Him. I learn thru Him. I love thru him.
For what I dont have, I experienced them; I learn; I grow; thus im able to teach what i'd been thru.
Love, is the way I walk in gratitude.
Quote - 'Seize the initiative and never relinquish it'? - Lincoln On Leadership
Hi, I'm Phil Pringle
You're going to love this;
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The easiest way to lose leadership is to relinquish initiative.
When others are always arranging appointments to see you, you are responding, rather than initiating.
This is letting others control your calendar.
Rather, think... How would you like your day to go?
What progressive expansive plans do you need to get to?
Make the plans happen rather than solving other people's problems.
The thing you've created needs management.
Get others to do that. You lead!
Stepping out with you,
Phil Pringle
================================
A strong message today. Time to realize that I shouldn’t sit around hanging waiting for things to happen then try to solve them. OFFENSIVE mode is needed!
The best defence perhaps is been offensive.
Things don’t always work out the way we want them to, or the way we think they will. Sometimes we don’t even see it coming. We get hit with some form of pain out of nowhere leaving us feeling desperate and helpless. That’s the way life is. Still, it makes us wonder how God can let these things happen to us. How God can just stand by and watch us suffer. Where is God when it really hurts? Maybe God is actually closer to us than we think. Maybe it’s when we’re in these situations, where everything seems to be falling apart, that God gets an opportunity to remind us of how much he really loves us.
From: http://www.nooma.com
Time and time again, we just fell. And how often we wish that we could just stay on the ground/stay in the mud. We stumbled so many times that we didnt know what it was like to stand up for something again.
BUT God says:
Romans 5
3) Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4) perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5) And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
The issue is not so much focusing on the right things but rather, not becoming distracted by the wrong things.
There are a thousand and one things we can give ourselves to, but there is going to be one thing above all others that we must devote our highest attention to.
We cannot do everything.
We are not called to do everything.
We should not attempt to do everything.
===================
Focus
Focus
Focus
I bought a little sofa,
And placed it outside my house,
It’s not meant for me to sit on,
But for the wind and rain to douse.
It’s marked with a tag from IKEA,
With quality clear to see,
Yet it’s best left out under the sky,
Where soaked by the rain it’ll be!
By: Rubbish Gal
SUFFERING
Matthew 8
11. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
--------------
REST
Matthew 11
28. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
--------------
I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing, put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low for you;
let me be full, let me be empty.
let me have all things, let me have nothing;
I freely and wholehearted yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours.
so be it.
And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.
From: A feast for the Soul
One may not have his prayers for earthly happiness and well-being; And even suffering from great intense struggles.
But know that God's plans are different from ours.
Break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou mayst seek thy all in me.
True success is often clothed in suffering, desprivation, simplicity, and love. It is not measured by how much we own but by how much of us God owns.
And may we all be blessed as we discover this more deeply in our lives...
A spiritual aspirant requires both faith and reason, or faith and analysis.
Faith leads you to a higher state of existence, whereas reason and analysis, lead you to full liberation or salvation.
Faith one has in the context of one's own spiritual practice must be grounded in reason and understanding.
In order to develop a faith derived through reason or through understanding, a beginning spiritual aspirant should be open-minded. When you are in that state of openness, you are able to reason, and through reasoning you can develop a certain of understanding. When that understanding is strengthened, it strengthened, it gives rise to a conviction, belief, and trust in that object.
Then that faith, trust, or confidence will be very firm because it is rooted in reason and understanding.
The most important attitude for being filled with the Holy Spirit is the desire for more of God in you. (Mat 5:3) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The word poor means to be a spiritual beggar. The poor in spirit recognize their need for more of God; they hunger and thirst for Him more than they do for food and water. (Isa 44:3) For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; (Acts 2:38-39) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. {39} "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
(John 20:21-22) Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." {22} And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
taken from: http://www.seekgod.org/message/holyspirit.html
God's presence is so strong this morning.
Im like a fully charged battery. All ready.
To everything there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
==========================
This much I have understood. No matter how bad things look, there is always a season for it. A story to be told. A lesson to be learnt.
Lord im weak without you.
Help me be strong in you and in your mighty power.
Help me put on the full armor of God so that I can take my stand against the devil's schemes.
Help me stand firm with the belt of true buckled around my waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness in place
and with both feet fitted with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
Help me take up the shield of faith, with which I can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Help me put on the helm of salvation and the sword of Spirit, which is the word of God.
And I pray in Spirit on all occassions with all prayers and requests. Whenever I open my mouth, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chain.
So many things happened. and i didnt blogged it down.
God sent me a message to prepare me, but i took it half-heartedly.
Then hell came, and deal a great blow right at my face.
God's love was what keep me from going crazy.
Then days pass, yet im not me.
Im need help. God, please lent me your strength.
Show me my path.
Bleah...
was working today on a fine SAT! woke up at 6AM... worked till 7.30pm
Its was ok.... norm... nothing really special happen.
When shopping after work.. whooo brought a new pair of shoes + a new tees. $ just fly!
Then on the bus back home.... suddenly i was... What is this Happy Feeling as i look at the dangling cross on my wrist....
=D I fall in love.
In love with Jesus.
OK. Im straight! bleah.
ITs like Brotherly love la!
to know that there will be this big brother who's always there for you!
There'snt anything to worry about!
Im out to STORM the world so wAAATCH OUUUUTTT!
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of men and angels,
but have not love,
I have become sounding brass or a tinkling symbol.
And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.
And if I dole out all my goods, and
if I deliver my body that I may boast
but have not love, nothing I am profited.
Love is long suffering,
love is kind,
it is not jealous,
love does not boast,
it is not inflated.
It is not discourteous,
it is not selfish,
it is not irritable,
it does not enumerate the evil.
It does not rejoice over the wrong, but rejoices in the truth
It covers all things,
it has faith for all things,
it hopes in all things,
it endures in all things.
Love never falls in ruins;
but whether prophecies, they will be abolished; or
tongues, they will cease; or
knowledge, it will be superseded.
For we know in part and we prophecy in part.
But when the perfect comes, the imperfect will be superseded.
When I was an infant,
I spoke as an infant,
I reckoned as an infant;
when I became [an adult],
I abolished the things of the infant.
For now we see through a mirror in an enigma, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know as also I was fully known.
But now remains
faith, hope, love,
these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
so Yea.
Have been praying repeatedly over 3 things. And WHooooo. All 3 sort of came true!
Miraculous do happen! and God is so wonderful!
Friend1 put on Chirst thinking and lead his friend into the light.
Friend2 grow in strength and continue to spread the gospel and reached out to more.
Friend3 stay healthy and his brother recovered!
Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.
- Shel Silverstein.
If thou can believeth, nothing shall be impossible to thee.
So as its stated.
What is impossible?
Incapable of having existence or of occurring?
So who or what determine this incapability?
none other than YOU.
Human mind work in wonder.
There are time that we just dont understand what is really happening.
And get ourself into the state of confusion/depress/frustration.
What's in your mind now?
STOP whatever was on the thoughts.
Now empty ur mind.
Slowly fill them with words : B E L I E V E
Believe
Believe
Believe
So long as i can believe, nothing shall be impossible to him.
[Katherine Mansfield. New Zealander Writer, 1888-1923 ]
Risk!
Risk anything!
Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices.
Do the hardest thing on earth for you.
Act for yourself.
Face the truth.
The first initial step is always the hardest step. Human always have fears. The fear of unknown. The fear of failure. The fear of lost of love ones. The fear of death....
When we cling onto fear, we are lost in our own Island. We tied ourselves to that very spot.
Let your fear go. Face it. Fight it. Take the first step! Even it’s only a tiny step. Risk! Risk it! Risk anything!
For without risking, there wouldn't be any gain.
For without trying, there wouldn't be any hope.
Take this very minute and think about what is your greatest fear, take a step now to overcome it. Do the hardest thing on earth, and soon you will know that all this are just your obstacles of learning. There is a lesson to be learned in everything.
They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
This is sooooooooo true! Although we all love the outer beauty. ( YEa we love beautiful stuff)
But the inner beauty. The inner light. Is what really catch us on.
I left my past behind. And took on a new journey. A new beginning.
The path will never be smooth. But at least i knew now, where it will leads.
My life start to unfold in the light He shines.
Indeed. Life itself is a learning process. We just cant stop learning every hours every minutes every seconds. Some of us learnt the hard way. We try we failed. We try again and failed again. Yet we stand up and try... till we found the right way.
Others are lucky to meet their life mentor and was guided along the path.
No matter what, each and every experienced, each and every stories we were told, each and every incident we went through, behind it, there's a lesson to be learn. A story to be told.
You are a Benevolent Inventor.
634c656885bd
You are an Inventor
Your imagination, self-reliance, openness to new things, and appreciation for utility combine to make you an INVENTOR.
You have the confidence to make your visions into reality, and you are willing to consider many alternatives to get that done.
The full spectrum of possibilities in the world intrigues you—you're not limited by pre-conceived notions of how things should be.
Problem-solving is a specialty of yours, owing to your persistence, curiosity, and understanding of how things work.
Your vision allows you to identify what's missing from a given situation, and your creativity allows you to fill in the gaps.
Your awareness of how things function gives you the ability to come up with new uses for common objects.
It is more interesting for you to pursue excitement than it is to get caught up in a routine.
Although understanding details is not difficult for you, you specialize in seeing the bigger picture and don't get caught up in specifics.
You tend to more proactive than reactive—you don't just wait for things to come to you.
You're not afraid to let your emotions guide you, and you're generally considerate of others' feelings as well.
You have a strong sense of style and value your personal presentation - friends may even seek your style advice from time to time.
Generally, you believe that you control your life, and that external forces only play a limited role in determining what happens to you.
If you want to be different:
Try applying your creativity to more artistic arenas, and letting your imagination take less practical forms.
how you relate to others
You are Benevolent
You are a great person to interact with—understanding, giving, and trusting—in a word, BENEVOLENT
You don't mind being in social situations, as you feel comfortable enough with people to be yourself.
Your caring nature goes beyond a basic concern: you take the time to understand the nuances of people's situations before passing any sort of judgment.
You're a good listener, and even better at offering advice.
You're concerned with others at both an individual and societal level—you sympathize with the plights of troubled groups, and you can care about people you've never met.
Considering many different perspectives is something at which you excel, and you appreciate that quality in others.
Other people's feelings are important to you, and you're good at mediating disputes.
Because of your understanding and patience, you tend to bring out the best in people.
You're not afraid to let your emotions guide you, and you're generally considerate of others' feelings as well.
You have a strong sense of style and value your personal presentation - friends may even seek your style advice from time to time.
Generally, you believe that you control your life, and that external forces only play a limited role in determining what happens to you.
If you want to be different:
You spend a lot of time taking care of others, but don't forget to take care of yourself!
Sometimes you can get overcommitted, and when you sacrifice spending time with those close to you, it can make them feel unimportant.
======================
God answered my prayer and give me the opporunities.
Thoughts things dont always goes as smooth as you wish.
Still we shall be glad and rejoins.
Praise the Lord
Well said. How was it possible when someone having all the trample cards on hand, yet the player with the entire bad cards is able to win the game.
Why?
Cos he’s a good card player?
Maybe.
But what really works is, he knows the key to win any difficult situation.
Problems are never really problems. They are just challenges to bring some excitement into our daily life.
4 steps when you are dealing with challenge.
Step 1: What is the challenge? And why/what do you think has causes it?
Step 2:
Lay downs all facts / figures of the situation. Write them down on a piece of papers.
Step 3:
What are ALL possible solutions that can be used to handle this challenge. Write them all down, no matter how silly they appear to be.
Step 4:
Filter, think through and select the BEST solution. And GO DO IT! Don’t just hang around waiting for things to happen! MAKE THEM HAPPEN!
Most of the time, people make mistake by making a decision too fast when they are facing difficult situation. Therefore its important for us to claim down and look at the challenge for a 3rd person point of view and analysis the situation so that we will NOT make the wrong move.
Learn to play with the bad cards in the game of life; they’ll help more than having all the goods cards every time.
God has a plan for every man. And he give the man who goes thru the worst situation the most difficult tasks not to break him; But to forge him to a character of might and strength.
God has a big plan for me.
I dreamed I had an interview with God.
“So you would like to interview me?” God asked.
“If you have the time” I said.
God smiled. “My time is eternity.”“What questions do you have in mind for me?”
“What surprises you most about humankind?”
God answered...“That they get bored with childhood,they rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.”
“That they lose their health to make money...and then lose their money to restore their health.”
“That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live in neither the present nor the future.”
"That they live as if they will never die, and die as though they had never lived.”
God’s hand took mineand we were silent for a while.
And then I asked...“As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?”
“To learn they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let themselves be loved.”
“To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.”
“To learn to forgiveby practicing forgiveness.”
“To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to heal them.”
“To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most,but is one who needs the least.”
“To learn that there are people who love them dearly, but simply have not yet learned how to express or show their feelings.”
“To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it differently.”
“To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves.”
"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.
"Is there anything else you would like your children to know?"
God smiled and said, “Just know that I am here... always.”
-author unknown
It's known that Virgo are perfectionist. Giving up being perfect ? That a thought. Of cos there are times where perfection is not possible. Often it may stir up some unrest feeling. There are always times when things arent in our control. Be it.
Just know that we have tried and done our best. And that is enough. Things that may appear perfect to us however may not be so to others Who cares? As long as i feel good abt it. =)
God grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change,
the courage to change the things i can
and the wisdom to know the difference."
Nothing is really impossible. If only u try. When the mind and the heart is able to focus on the task, nothing can stood in the way. Focusing is the key. Let no other thoughts disturb your state of mind.
Thou shall not doubt in his heart, and shall believe in whatsoever he saith.
- Sven Goran Eriksson.
Indeed. Men always hasitate to act, for the fear of failure always glue us to the spot. The fear of failure is always what hold us back. Should i try? what happen if i fail? What do i do? Will i be able to cope? All the self-doubt Qs will ring into our head.
FACE IT MAN! If you never try, you will never know the answer! Nothing come easy in this world. In every failure, a seed of success is planted in our life-path. Get up on your FEET ! Try again! Failure is nature's plan to prepare us for great responsibilities.
Success is not about how good you are, or how well u do. Its' about how high you BOUNCE when you reaches the lowest pit.
" Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. "
Worries. We all do have worries. Sometimes we are worry about our families, our friends and close-ones; other times we are worry about things that may go wrong.
We always worry due to our past; we always worry for our future.
SHUT THE DOOR !
CLOSE THE WINDOW !
Block off your past; Look not too deep into the future.
What had passed, is past;
What yet to come, has not come.
Focus on Today! For Today has come, and yet is has not pass.
Live as if you'll die morrow. Die to know that you'd lived your life fully; without wasting a single day; hour; minute; second.
Give us this day, our daily bread.
Let not worry abt tmw bread; and forget abt yesterdae one.
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