stirred...

Maiden post of 2011, and it won't be mine...
I read this off a dear friend's blog...
and since it's so poignant...
i shall just reproduce this here

"可能..最痛的不是表面所失去的。

It's the feeling of watching the rose being trampled. I remember a few years ago, I engaged a few students to help take care of a group of children during a conference. While playing with the children, a student decided to teach a girl how to fold a paper crane. When she finished, she presented the lovely crane to this little girl. This five year-old child looked at the crane with slight amazement. Then, she took the crane in the palm of her hands, and crushed it right before the eyes of the student.

Well, it's only a paper crane. Because you and I were not the ones who presented it. Shortly after that, the 19 year-old student leader excused herself, while the children resume their play. Then, I found her tearing, face turned down slightly, afraid that we may see. She was one of the brighter and sweeter students I've had. I knew it probably wasn't just the paper crane that was crushed. Her heart was crushed, together with the intentions.

"I'll be okay," she said, having the look of guilt of being silly to cry over a mere paper crane. But I did not think that was silly. I very much want to assure her that it's not.

I guess you and I would not know. Till it is our lovely cranes that get crushed when we genuinely presented it with so much hope and care. The crushing events could be anything, and the crusher anyone, sometimes even society. It could range from a pack of rice you bought for someone who threw it away, to an unfulfilled dream that you've been after for 20 years. The only similar thing is that it matters. The crane matters to the crane-maker."

Crane-crushers...
Precisely because we always have the natural tendency to be dream-shatterers,
that's why we need to encourage, edify, uplift and gift others with our words often...
Words have such an impact, and even in songs...
it's never just the music, harmonies or style...
it's usually the words that find significance first
they tell me of the Crane-maker, and point me that way...
but i've found that that's not natural for everyone
Then...it's fine, when the lyrics or words hit me,
I know that's how uniquely God, the Crane-maker crafted each of us
all for a purpose, all for Love, and all to be blessings!

Lord, I know that Crane-crushers are everywhere,
most do not mean to, they just...
inadvertently killed with their jokes
careless remarks that are spoken before thought,
gossipy chats that are cheap more than they are life-giving,
selfish hoarding more than selfless giving...
In this all, we stand guilty...
Lord Jesus, this year free us from such callousness,
remind us forgetful people about You, our wonderful crane-maker
give us all an abundance of Love that we overflow to others,
Allow us to think for others more than ourselves,
give us tender hearts, reconciling natures,
teach us to forgive quickly, others and ourselves...
Teach us to realise this relationship we have with You,
to cherish it more, to speak of it boldly!
May Your Love be our hallmark,
and may our spirit be stirred by your Holy Spirit!
Teach us to Love as you Love,
to give as you gave,
and to speak beautiful words of enrichment!
Free us to embrace your gifts, and to use them well,
& may we honour & bless you in all that we do!
We humbly ask this in Jesus' precious name.
AMEN