skip to main |
skip to sidebar
In the being of a man,
For the worth found in deeds
And grandiosity of thoughts with near perfect ideals in mind
We fall, because we strive & push around
In the being of a man
For the worth of righteous deeds
And the exhilaration found in achieving them
We fall, because we are deceived into believing we are supreme
In the being of a man
For what we can give, in extending our help to those who are weak
And the results seen, became a no mean feat inscribed in our names
We fall because we became so self-absorbed, our nose turned heavenwards
In the being of a man
For what we know and often perceived to be true and right and good
We think we are better and the world is only our puppet
We fall because we think we are a cut above the rest
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6 )
Mercy O Lord upon our souls,
Take away our filthy rags
Replace it with shame
Show us you came because of grace
So that we appropriate your deeds
Not only because we know, but because we are changed
Give us today
Neither power, nor glory, or status to beat
But contriteness and brokenness
In this then we are made complete
Teach us always to honour the rest
And to walk in ways to bring out their best
Fill us with your gentle grace
So that we can give in a world of disgrace
May we never take offenses, our hurts and pain in vain
But recognize it as a way to repay with the grace you gave
Let us remember that you came to save
But for the filthy rags that we have obtain
In all our self-righteousness we had fail to sustain
Lord, forgive us, pour out your grace
new born baby - Jonathon
I visited my friend, whose little daughter of 6 years old has just passed away the day before. When I heard the news, I was shock as it was too sudden for me! Ser Li was born with an acute growth disorder. At 6yrs old, she is still lying in bed. I felt sad and altogether down. I visited her daughter’s wake on Good Friday. She told me, she died of pneumonia and complications. Little Ser Li had been in the hospital moving from ICU to high dependency ward and back to ICU within the 2 weeks she was there.While tears streamed down my face uncontrollably, my friend was surprisingly calm. I had to keep apologising for my tears which I feared might not be good for her.
Then she told me “actually the Lord told me 1 year ago that he is going to take little Ser Li back. I couldn’t believe what I heard, so I denied it. During the same period, my mentor came to me and said that she heard the Lord in her spirit, that God will take Ser Li back. She said she’s not sure too but ask me to ask the Lord. At that time, I cried because I know it’s a confirmation from the Lord. I cried out to God so may times not to take my girl. In that one year, every time Ser Li fell sick, I would fear for the time she has to go. So I battled within myself and prayed to the Lord, and crying out to him not to take her. I started to bargain with God. I told him, I will serve him anywhere and do anything if only he let Ser Li stay with me. But God reminded me that nothing belong to us anyway, and Ser Li is also his child whom he love. He also reminded me not to lean on my own understanding and in all ways acknowledge him and he will make my paths straight. His ways are higher than our ways.”
She continued,“Life continued, until my mentor came to me again and said to me, “Not to worry, God will bless you with another child. At that moment I do not know how to feel as I was too engross in Ser Li.As my husband and I only have a 10% chance of having a normal baby genetically, the thought of having another baby is far-fetched. We are worried that our second baby will not be normal again and hence a bigger blow to us.”
“However, after awhile, I was found to be pregnant! In the midst of struggling and crying out to the Lord for Ser Li’s life, I finally told God, that if he needs to take Ser Li away, he needs to give me alot alot of grace and mercy. I cry out to God to take her only after my baby is born. Because I am pregnant now, it is difficult for me to cope with this emotionally and physically. In the hospital, the Lord did a mighty work. A girl who was in the hospital bed next to Ser Li was in the hospital because of fits and was in a coma. My pastor visited Ser Li and asked the mother of the girl if she like to be prayed for. She agreed. When he prayed “In Jesus Name, wake up”. The little girl’s eyes peered open. One day later, she woke up, and both mother and child received Jesus into their lives! "
Last year in Dec, I gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby boy. We named him Jonathon. Shortly after he was born, baby Ser Li fell ill and then she finally went back to the Lord, just as God had heard my cries. Many friends proclaimed that Ser Li did not die in vain, she saved 2 souls before going to heaven!" It was precisely with Jesus in our lives that physical death only means that Ser Li has entered the eternal life that Jesus gave. With that, we are greatly comforted. Jesus fulfilled what he said when he said, “I came so that you may have life abundantly” Life in Jesus means abundantly meaningful, here on earth and also eternal life with him in heaven.
I was full of awe at the Lord’s graciousness towards my friend. Without the grace and love of God, there is no way she can be so calm and peaceful in the face of hardships. Without the Lord’s preparation, she would never had remained so strong and full of hope in life. Truly the Lord honoured her heart and performed so many miracles. Jesus never short changed anyone. He died on Good Friday but risen on Easter Day, and because he has risen, we also rose with him. Praise the Lord for his love & goodness!
Picture taken in Kyoto "Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance". C.S. Lewis
2 am - happy birthday to you... happy birthday to you[David, my honey long distance call from U.S]5.15am - Happy Birthday! May this day b special 4 u. Ove and kisses[Ling Yong, good friend in Jakarta, sms]8am - Sharon, flowers n a bear hug... wishing u a swell day as u celebrate uniquely Sharon.[choon yuen, friend in church, sms bear & flower pic msg]10.33am - Happy birthday to u, happy birthday to u, happy birthday to Sharon, have a blessed birthday! May God's blessing falls upon u abundantly![Jing Yi, good friend in S'pore, sms]3.24pm - happy birthday to a kindred spirit! Hope its a wonderful day for you. "Once we are strangers, now we are strange friends!"[rebecca, good friend & previous sheep in S'pore, ecard]3.29pm - Always welcome the new day with a new spirit, a smile on your face, love in your heart & good thoughts in your mind. Your dream will come true. Have a happy & blessed birthday. from papa, mama, pin2, cihu, cika[my beloved in-laws in jakarta, sms]5pm - Recieved surprised flowers[friends from PR agency in S'pore]8pm - let Jesus guide you in all ur plans in all ur dreams, in all u wish tohappen in ur life. God bless you jie jie, hepi b'day.[Sien sien, my sweet cousin in Jakarta, pic sms]11pm - Happy Birthday, May God bless you abundantly.[Dasmon, my previous CL in S'pore, sms]
If a million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. -Anatole France [Jacques Anatole Thibault] (1844-1924) (writer, critic, nobel prize winner for literature in 1921)
Hint: for use in yogurt, salad bowls or fruity delights
picture taken at Coogee Beach, Sydney
solitude
familiar facesfamiliar worldstrangers becoming friendsfriends now strangerseven to the most literateit has become too profound
Dancing in the moonlight of notes and melody
I didn't know that God too is in the fills!
Come and join me, fly together my love
be with me
sing, let's sing him a song
Dance shall we? dance to his tempo
today the Lord of Lords we sing
see even the glass-stained window offered its tint
a song to sing
from the heart it begins
the fills so lovely, so pure and heavenly it seems
today I found out, God too is in the fills!
(story beind the fills: I was struggling with my playing last week as i knew that my trouble lies in the fills. I slept late and woke up early to play, seeking the Lord to help me. Today I was in a keyboard lesson and I experienced the beautiful sound of fills! It is like the spontaniety of waves colliding with the cool refreshing water in a hot summer's day. One word - Awesome!)
Two as one..love as countless as the sand
as gentle as the cool waters
We're a little dirty
a little grey,
ignored, stepped on
spotted only by the few occassions
most of the times we are soft
left alone, we become hard
people say that we are pliable, some people say we're nuts
its funny how we get called all sorts of name until someone picked us up
"You are actually quite useful, but only if I show you how
You are also very valuable, but only if you let me tell."
so we stood in wonder contemplating this strange encounter
he said how amazing life can be, once moulded, rekindled, reshaped
through the furnance, refined in the fire
He was the potter, a master of grace
While we were still scorned, spotty & evidently cranky
he picked us up, gave us a name, a unique identify we call our own
through fire we each enter, it was astounding how things became from miry clay to diamonds we shone.
though it was hard to comprehend, we found out much later, it was cuz we, the miry clay was born and to be in need & made useful in the hands of our loving potter. (2 cor 4:1-7)
