Pinpricks of Light...

A true emergency shocks us into the necessity of action; from then on, the greatest danger...is inaction...

To many, TOO MANY...
the safest place is one in the dark, hidden, kept away, impersonal...
it can seem the most intimate, pleasurable or the best place...
but the dungeon, that dark prison is never where we're meant to be

I've seen a better way...
When Light enters that dark dungeon of despair...
Illumination may be blinding, painful to the senses, a shock to the system,
yet it also shows the squalid conditions, the pitiful state of things,
and best of all, it shows that there is a way out of that place,
...if you're willing to trust & obey...

Sigh...
I think one of the great challenges of my role,
is that i can NEVER coerce or convince, i can only point the way,
and then wait...to see if the choice is taken, or the person remains...
My pain is in watching the struggle, feeling helpless,
wishing i could take the reins, & having to fight that urge to...

I have to remm that my feeling & emphathy are off the charts high...
almost maxed out, and while that reminds me that i'm in the best job fit,
it also is a caution for me to manage that well, so that burn out doesn't hit.

Feeling for others is seriously strenuous,
youthful days may never feel the strain,
but waning days surely do...

RickW put it succintly when he said...
he'd never put someone on his staff who hadn't been through hurt,
because it meant they never saw God come through for them.

Drudgery is on the finest touchstones of character there is.
Drudgery is work that is very far removed from anything to do with the ideal -
the utterly mean grubby things; and when we come in contact with them,
we know instantly whether or not we are spiritually real.
~Oswald Chambers~

It's never been about the struggle, or despair, pain, hurt,
when you look beyond that, beyond that dungeon, that prison...
it's ALWAYS been about...

Who do you trust?
What are you looking for?
Is that worth it?

Do you KNOW, REALLY KNOW, Who's been holding you all this while?

I know a person has turned the corner when my gut resonates deeply...
The amazing change that comes from an overflow of knowing God,
the Joy that emanates is a Christ-like one,
the serenity of soul is a delight to sense,

and the striving...
& struggling...
simply...
ceases
.

=)

These words in the video above caused a tingle in my soul...

"Jesus' ministry was where people were,
We've got to minister...
where people are at..."

It takes great courage, deep love,
& a fortitude of heart to wade into the mess of people's lives,
yet it also requires a tenderness, humilty,
surrenderedness...
a warrior who isn't afraid to cry

My Joy is Christ,
The privilege has been to see God work,
& sometimes being His hands & feet,
His mouthpiece even...

I reserve certain terms because to me,
they are special, set apart,
And God, you surpass them all =)

Delight & Joy abounding,
Freedom & upliftedness,
Restedness, calm, and a smile!

Thank You Lord!
I LOVE YOU

Rights or responsibilities...

So often we fight for our perceived "rights"...
the right to speak up, the right to an opinion,
the right to be who we are, the right to be different...
there are so many "rights"...but are they REALLY right?

I've been stewing on things...
and i've decided that "rights"...
the concept of it is correct, yet...our application is flawed.
Many times, we fight NOT for what is right...
but for our PERSONAL RIGHTS...
It ends up being tremendously selfish,
and extremely self-serving...

Yet there was the One who showed us the better way,
He had ALL the RIGHTS of Divinity, Sonship & Love,
& yet He chose to give up those "rights"...

In doing so, Jesus showed us the meaning of Love,
the meaning of sacrifice, the meaning of selflessness.

I think that "rights" are over-rated,
and the more i learn the lesson of surrender,
the more i understand how liberating it is to have no "rights"...

When we see that we have no right to be angry,
no right to be frustrated, no right to be petulant...
then we begin to finally take responsibility for our actions.

Claiming a "right", like a birthright...
gives us an easy excuse for cutting corners & not working hard.
Taking responsibility for ourselves means working hard,
but reaping those rewards also...

Would you prefer an angry, petulant, tantrum-throwing kid?
Or one who is responsible, clears up after himself, and helps others?

So many times, when we claim our rights, we become like a petulant kid,
but when we take responsibility, we think for ourselves & for others,
and make better decisions then...

I think God showed a better way...
& though it isn't the natural way,
it surely is the better way...

I'll follow His way...not yours...

Slow slide...

They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things… (Psalm 106:21)

The slight slippery slope seems just like a minor challenge, at first
until you reach up high and find there's no where to go...
and then...looking back down a slippery slope,
or up...where it continues to extend...
you find a certain limbo...
In there, you'll find out what you've been relying on,
what has been your false image,
and it may lead to...

a lostness of heart, a dampening of spirit
a growth in disbelief...
a vanishing Joy

“In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt!” (Exodus 16:2-3)

Forgetfulness naturally leads to complaint & ungratefulness...
We find outselves looking more & more to "our" ability,
but was it ever "ours?"
We find ourselves slipping...it could be in language,
it could be in thoughts, and also in action.

We wallow & stir ourselves into a frenzy...
looking to & trying to get any relief from all we feel...
forgetting once again, that the Answer...is never far away

Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin. But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry; for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented. (Psalm 106:43-45)

There is One who ALWAYS remembers & never forgets, never forsakes us...

Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever. (Psalm 106:1)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus...
Look full in His wonderful face,
& the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
in the light of His Glory & Grace

A rushing full stop...

The heart that broke over your sin,
breaks also over your hurts.
As only the heart of God can do,
its brokenness brings you wholeness

Encountering the truth of God each day is somewhat of a Joy,
And also of somewhat of a conviction...=P
So many times I tempted to hurry along and rush out of the house,
giving in to the tyranny of the clock.

But when set as a priority, & discipline,
the truths of God come alive again.
Apart from Him, we can do...nothing
Busyness is never an excuse,
nor is laziness...

God cares even when i don't,
that is conviction enough.
But to FEEL that God cares when i don't,
that kind of Grace really breaks my heart.
And i'm glad it does...
Because it reminds me of intimate Love,
God's kind of Love,
and the One that i never want to live apart from.

We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade,
the presence of God...
He walks everywhere incognito.
And the incognito is not always hard to penetrate.
The real labour is to remember to attend.
In fact, to come awake.
Still more, to remain awake.
~C.S. Lewis~

Help me constantly keep awake to You Lord! AMEN

To satisfy the soul...

"In comparison with this big world,
the human heart is only a small thing.

Though the world is so large,
it is utterly unable to satisfy this tiny heart.

Man's ever-growing soul and it's capacities
can only be satisfied in the infinite God.

As water is restless until it reaches its level,
so the soul has not peace until it rests in God."

~With & Without Christ~
Sadhu Sundar Singh

sigh...

Truth

Obedience always brings blessing
Obedience always brings heartache

Contradictions? or Polar-opposite truths?

to be continued...

Broken hearts, broken lives...

The first Love experience, heady...tumbling, falling, totally bowled over...
Seems like everyone is talking about something like this,
Matchmaking, love manufactured, love that is momentary...
No wonder we have lost the wonder and the chemistry of Love

Set to a diet of sappy unrealistic romance novels,
equally fantastic dream worlds of hollywood...
No wonder we look for instant microwave-able Love,
and run at the first sign of a stink...

It seems that no one talks about broken hearts,
or of broken lives...yet if we look carefully...
we see these wanderings, of people meandering...
the walking wounded, limping...loveless...

or so it seems...

I submit to you, that Love is NOT merely a heady experience,
it might come in that form, and knock you over...
but that mainly is a superficial, shallow love that serves ANY masters,
I think that is...desire running amok...creating havoc

Love that is TRUE Love...is one that is tried by fire,
seen not in sweet nothings, flirting or friendliness,
Love of the TRUE nature...gives...sacrifices,
is meek, is unseen...& so...often...taken for granted.

I submit, Love that knows not brokenness,
Love that sees only the rose-hued tint & misses the storm clouds,
that...that is a love that comes from imagination, fantasy...make-belief...
it can be apprehended only as much the cloudy mists of a distant hill...

Can you understand Love if it means loving a criminal, or a lunatic?
What does it mean when Love produces a lavish portion of sweat, blood & tears?
Do you understand the refined Love that pours out from a broken heart?
Does your heart break, like a body is broken?

I've a great sense of my sinfulness...
And it leads to brokenness...
yet it can never measure with the unfathomable
the greatest measure of Love i've EVER known...

God, in His infinite Love...
He broke His OWN heart...
He tore His OWN body...
He SENT His only Son, Jesus Christ...
to die for me...sinful, unworthy me...

We stone, curse, mock & ridicule Him...even now, daily...
We hammer those nails in mercilessly by our careless living,
We live nothing like redeemed people who evidence His Love...
We deserve no such sacrifice, no such gift, no such Love...

Jesus KNEW He was the sacrifice lamb,
He knew the was dying for useless, unrighteous dung...
He saw & heard the petty bickering and hurtful talk...
He felt each insult, laugh & assault on His character...
yet He still went...to the Cross...for us

God gave His best, His Only BELOVED Son...
A man totally unblemished...
In exchange for dirty, unrighteous, ungrateful sinful men...
people like you & me...

Who has the right to say Love is that airy feeling,
a light-headedness, a sensation that brings instant delight...

No...

LOVE, true Love...
was a broken body...Jesus Christ,
A broken heart...Our Father God,
for a broken life...Mine...

This depth of Love in brokenness, so far surpasses any I've ever seen...
& I acknowledge this as True Love, the TRUEST LOVE i've EVER known...

Thank You Lord Jesus
Thank You Abba Father

I'm learning...

Intentional Disciplemaking Church (IDMC) Conference 2010 has been a blessing even in just it's first session tonight.

Edmund Chan never fails to illuminate deeply yet keep it simple...It truly is a gift!

He shared and articulated so many things that resonated within me, and yes, i think i need to blog it down because it is extremely important!

"To get into the Word is to cultivate a DELIGHT in the Word,
a DEVOTION to the Word
and a DISCIPLINE in the Word"
~Edmund Chan~

Delight, Devotion, Discipline...keywords that strike a chord in me,
because that is what i've always wanted to see, and worked to achieve,
and i see it articulated out for me now! wow!

And i like the way they all end with "...the Word"
And a little nugget of truth that was masterfully teased out of the text...
why "...the Word"?

Well...because "...the Word" is all about Jesus, He is the LIVING word, risen from the dead, ALIVE, living and active! And Delight, Devotion & Discipline...those keywords, they find their meaning in RELATIONSHIP...A LIVING & ACTIVE RELATIONSHIP with JESUS, the Word!

That's why we can Delight in, be Devoted to, and be Disciplined in knowing Him better!
All done through studying and digesting the Word of God!

I especially like the way that he described Discipline...
Most do not associate a relationship with discipline, but it is the most important!
We can never go TOO deep into the word.
We live in a very visual world, but the most important world is the unseen one.
& the most precious commodity us ULTIMATE Truth, found only in the Word.

However, being in an instant society, we want everything done quickly, and fast.
But...there is no such thing as instant growth or instant maturity.

Knowing the Word (Jesus), is like any other relationship...
It takes time, it takes effort, it takes DISCIPLINE

Are we willing to center down on Jesus each & every day, or do we allow days to slip into neglect and unknowingly run dry...is the Discipline there, or does it need to be cultivated?

If we see the bible as a book, we will not hunger for it...
but if we realise that it's the most important RELATIONSHIP we can have,
the one Truth that everything else is going to be built on...
Isn't it worth it to build that RELATIONSHIP with the Word (Jesus) daily?
Isn't it such a privilege & a pleasure to call God friend?

I want to share the devotion that was shared...but i'll leave that for tmr...
Day 2 of conference begins in afew hours...and the Word is exciting me! =D

Thank YOU Lord!
I see that my previous crankiness was a humbling preparation,
to prepare my heart for Your Word & Your Work in my life!
Thank YOU for loving me so much!

Revelatory Serendipity

Tired.Despondent.Weary..Cranky.Beaten.Fatigued.Hurt.Irritable.Fallen.Trudging.Hungry.Blur.Angry.Battle-scarred

It's inevitable that we feel such a way sometimes...
And unsurprisingly, those moments hit hardest when we're most drained...

I just returned from climbing Kinabalu, and that taught me many more valuable lessons...
I probably felt all of the above emotions...in ever-increasing measure, the further up the mountain we went. And it was not just a matter of fitness, it was altitude sickness, it was watching the landscape go from lush & luxuriant, to barren & devoid of life above the frost line. Those lessons probably cannot be completely shared here, yet...they are real ones.

I've been asked...
Why do you run marathons?
or climb mountains?
or challenge yourself this way?

Why? Good question...
I don't know...but maybe, i learn more when i do these challenges than when i don't

Each marathon was a test...

of discipline...to be able to rack up long training runs way before the marathon

of perseverance...not giving up before the finishing line
of trust...in people, in me, and in God

Climbing Kinabalu was also another such test
It was hard, but not murderous.

And through all the marathons & mountains...
There are some enduring things that i'm apprehending now...
After going through such extremes of emotions and hardship,
i've realised that most of what i go through nowadays...i'm better prepared
At least, mentally, physically & spiritually, i know i've been through tough days,
Pain, despair, and all the other things that hinder...are overcome-able
Perseverance just means putting one foot after another...
And after the pain and the struggle, it will all be worth it...

But the best lesson?
KNOWING that God is FOR me, He is WITH me, and He'll never leave nor forsake us even in our weakness...


After all...the sun always rises & the majesty of a sunrise, can hardly be captured by a camera...but it can be indelibly etched upon my heart & in my mind


And there is beauty, even in the shadows...

This is the shadow that Kinabalu casts on the land...

Simply Amazing

Reflections...on God

This season, with so many things happening, changes in the status quo, foundations being rocked, boundaries being tested, it helps to see things in perspective again.

During the retreat, i heard this statement "We need to forgive God..."

I totally and utterly rebuke this...because it is COMPLETELY wrong
It is not my opinion but a fact for me, because I see no example in the bible of God EVER asking us to forgive Him, or of Him even asking us for forgiveness! (show me an example if you find one...but i suspect you'd have to search til eternity or twist some example just to even hint at this)

In contemporary culture, maybe Forgiveness means letting go of an offense...like "forgive & forget", but that lacks the biblical perspective, and i think we've fallen into that trap.

Forgiveness at its biblical root means cancelling a debt, extending grace to someone who DOESN'T deserve it, forgetting an injustice. And if you look at those 3...how can we ever make God our debtor? Isn't God worthy? and God is a God of justice so...what injustice can He do?

I think...when someone makes a statement like that...they misunderstand God, or they fail to see that God is Good, all the time. It hints at a disbelief of God in some area of life. Or it means that they have believed in a subtle lie.

A lie like "We need to forgive God" basically undermines the character of God, and elevates the status of man. It implies that God...isn't good, isn't just or isn't loving, and it also implies that we think our feelings of aggravation are more important than the painful truth God reveals. It puts us on an equal or higher footing than God to say that we are able to forgive Him. This is a lie that is utterly anthropocentric (Man-centered) and not God centered.

When God reveals truth, it will might be painful, we might feel injustice, or even feel hurt by God. But if truth is allowed to do it's work within us, we gradually come to the realisation that...we felt that pain, injustice or hurt because we were holding on to certain "rights" that we thought we were "entitled to" but really, we are a people with NO rights, our whole life is a gift, the privileges and luxuries we enjoy are all given from God...maybe we have forgotten that, and that's why God in His Love reveals it to us. Truth when it has worked it's way fully into our souls, leaves us with a deeper sense of Love, a greater appreciation of His mercy, a bigger heart of compassion, and a ton of things more to give thanks for.

Maybe that's why God calls Surrender a great act of Worship,
In giving up & giving in, we finally see God for who He is,
and relinquish what we think is "ours"
to fully acknowledge what is His.

Thank You Lord!

Hidden...

And there are days i wonder...
But thankfully, more days that i stand in awe

This is the week i've had to activate my brain juices,
and in all the complexity and seemingly intelligent exchanges,
i find a common theme...something...unexpected...

You know...sometimes, there is this feeling...
A sense of lostness? Confusion? Maybe a disconnect...
You look and something and...
eventhough you feel like something ought to be there...
it isn't...

It feels like there is something missing from the picture,
and it's like a whole mess of tangles and knots...
But recently, i've had a sense of the simplicity of it all...
When we zoom out, begin to NOT see the tangles & knots...
then we begin to see a greater tapestry, the WHOLE, not just the parts

I like simplicity, and i hate duplicity...
I like to see clearly, more than fuzz up things with ambiguity...
But in the recent campaigns and things i see,
Hidden in ALL of it, is a subtle message,
a blatant attack on society and its values...

Flanking attacks might be smart and effective,
but sometimes a full frontal assault smashes any other
I choose that right now...

I'm thankful that there is One who sees clearly,
He brooks no excuses, and His Light pierces darkness,
From deceit & deception, His Truth reigns...
Through struggle and battle, His arm remains strong,
our foundations in Him are firm beyond measure,
and in His Righteousness we can stand!

moments...

Played Monopoly Deal at PCG on Friday & some lessons got reinforced again...

You know sometimes when you have all the money, all the property, it can really seem like you've everything good & winning is just a formality...

& then on the other hand...there is the guy who has nothing on the table, no money, no property & it looks like he has no chance at all but to suffer through the game...

but really, appearances are often deceiving.

I've found that I rather enjoyed the experience of "having nothing" because it came up again that the greatest act of Worship is Surrender, when we surrender, abandon ourselves to God, and just watch Him work...there is a certain (IMMENSE!) satisfaction, when things turn out amazingly! =)

Just like Monopoly Deal, i think God is like that...
I think that just when we think that it is a done deal, and that the cards on the table are showing the true picture, that's when God shows up and shows us how wrong we've been all the while!

The true power was in His hands, in the cards that He held, and those were the cards that were not laid out on the table yet! All it took was the cards in hand, and the rich became bankrupt, the poor became a landowner, and poof!...the game was won!

And oh yeah...the maximum number of cards in hand?
7...seven...just like God created the whole in 7 days,
Just like He blessed the 7th day, the Sabbath,
This humble number in the bible symbolises Perfection, Holiness & Completeness!

God...it's amazing how You teach lessons even in a game of fun! =)
And it's wonderful how the urge to write always strikes before i've to leave for somewhere! haha!

Pray for us as we go for our NTU CCC Freshmen Orientation Camp!
Thanks! =)

A couple of Tozer quotes...

The love of Christ both wounds and heals, it fascinates and frightens, it kills and makes alive, it draws and repulses. There can be nothing more terrible or wonderful than to be stricken with love for Christ so deeply that the whole being goes out in a pained adoration of His person, an adoration that disturbs and disconcerts while it purges and satisfies and relaxes the deep inner heart.

A. W. Tozer

Lord, teach me to listen. The times are noisy and my ears are weary with the thousand raucous sounds which continuously assault them. Give me the spirit of the boy Samuel when he said to Thee, "Speak, for Thy servant heareth." Let me hear Thee speaking in my heart. Let me get used to the sound of Thy voice, that its tones may be familiar when the sounds of earth die away and the only sound will be the music of Thy speaking. Amen.

A. W. Tozer

God understands our prayers even when we can't find the words to say them.

?????

Today was a really trying and taxing day...didn't stop work from the moment i woke til now, and still it feels like nothing is done, like work is still waiting to eat me up, people are still calling, everyone seems in such a rush, i can't find some important documents, my bags are not packed, i'm not ready to go, and the message is still in my head, not out in powerpoint or script yet...

But in the midst of it, God still knew what i needed, and met me where i was...and that's why i'm here, thankful eventhough nothing much more is done, everything is still a mess, my bags are not packed & this looks like it's gonna be a long, sleepless night, BUT...i can still give thanks...

I thank God for providing messengers to remind me that i'm Loved, and supported, and being prayed for. Thank you for reminding me that the evil one has no hold over me...Thank you for reminding me that packing is no problem since i pack light anyway...Thank You Lord for speaking to me, and allowing me to find something I lost even LONGER ago than the documents i wanted to find...

I can't believe i wrote this so many years ago...
in my teens, when i first came to Christ...
I've given copies of this to people before i think...
but I shall post it now...
so i will always have an online copy...
and maybe it will bless others...

It is untitled...

???????????
The prayer I have for you...
Is that you'd grow old with the one God meant for you,
That your life would have no regrets,
and that you'd love each day to the fullest

Against the tide of popular belief,
I pray that you'd learn to listen and learn,
For God will prompt and guide,
If we'd just take the time to sit & wait for His light

The bane of the bountiful,
is that they have too much to choose from
I pray upon you, discernment & sound judgement,
that you'd tell the necessary from the inconsequential

There are no obligations, no complications in this world,
Just decision following decision,
One leads to another in an endless chain,
Where right & wrong, blend into a myriad of experiences

God is able to use the weak & foolish things of the world,
and He has made miracles happen from mistakes.

I pray that you'll plan each day, from the most important to the least,
That you'd give God the worries & troubles each day may bring.
For when He leads & we follow, things fall in God-divined destiny.
There's nothing that God doesn't know about, & He really does Love you.

The Joy of the Lord comes in having a personal relationship,
No amount of maturity or bible study will get you that.
When you lay your life on the line & allow God to take control,
That's when He moves & we are changed

The New Christian who gives his life completely to Christ,
is infinitely more alive,
than the Christian who has a decade of knowledge,
but yet walks with the Lord only occasionally

Thank You Lord
For your timely whispers...=)
I Love You

A reminder...

Wow...Poignant...A call to live life...
The right way...Everyday...
His true Lifestory...

http://claytonsstory.com/

troublesome...

*WARNING: this is a rambling, thinking post...*

Designated today as my retreat day for May...
And things are again...startlingly familiar...

I remember, last retreat day, i felt a gnawing in my soul, something i was not happy with, and I remember God used that to speak to me, and i blogged about it also.

Today, i feel another tug in my soul...
and this one...this question, it lingers...and comes up
again & again & again, in the most surprising forms...

I'm only writing this because the last incident was too...uncanny, too descriptive of the issue for me, so much so...that i need to process it...more...

I'm thinking...are we too..."grace-filled", too watered-down...
have we lost the sense of majesty & reverence we ought to have for God?
And in that light, have we also forgotten our divine call...
to be sons & daughters of the Most High God?

In our thoughts, words & actions, do we cheapen Grace,
or in our behaviour, are we settling for a lower standard than the God-honouring one?

I've always maintained certain core values, certain things i do not do...
and maybe because of that discipline, i recognise rules...and violations

Sometimes, that (rules, values etc) may seem legalistic, but since i know that,
i'm careful to balance that with Grace...& to ask God alot about it...

But now, i'm really troubled...
If we were to take a pulse of this generation and those of the past...
I think the american dream sums it up well...
& they have it written into their constitution...
that everyone has a right to...
"Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness"

Well...as a follower of Christ...i agree (in part) with it
Life - as found in Jesus, eternal, cleansed, redeemed forgiven,
Liberty - as in Freedom, from bondage, from sin, to live a FULL life
Happiness - I see this as the Joy of knowing Christ, and living in that abandonedness that comes from knowing Him, Loving and being Loved in a manner only possible in Christ.

But...nowadays...
"Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness"
seems to mean something more akin to the first part of the prodigal son story...

'Give me my inheritance, money, freedom, happiness. I want to live a carefree life (freedom?), living for the moment, enjoying the things i want to enjoy(happiness?), having everything now, and not worrying about tomorrow (liberty?)"

I disagree with everything of the above statement...because...none of that is of God, and all of it smacks of self...and maybe that's why it rubs me the wrong way. But hard though it may be to process, i think...that is in fact, the more obvious problem (and it's easier to spot)

There is a more insidious danger...
one that creeps in slowly, makes inroads in a manner that is more subtle,
causes questions but may seem so innocent that we dismiss it far too easily...

I shall make some general observations,
and this is not meant to...demean, devalue, or make a judgement,
it is just a general observation of the times...

I think that one of the prime values we hold dear in this modern age...
is the value of entertainment- of fun, laughter, comedy...
in a sense, it is the "pursuit of happiness"
The ancients called it by another name - hedonism...

I love to laugh, i enjoy comics and of course...comedy! =D
But in recent times, i've slowly developed a distaste for what we deem funny...
so much of "comedy" has become...racist, disrespectful, sexist, filled with sexual connotation and innuendo & some of it is downright insulting...what has happened to the days of clean jokes, witty lines and good, clean fun?

And because of this subtle compromise, there has been a spillover into our everyday languge...now, we see it also in what we laugh at with our friends, these are usually the crass jokes, profane language, intimations of a sexual nature, vulgar subtleties, or in place of witty comebacks, we allow people to demean/insult/put us down...and we laugh! Something just seems wrong in that...doesn't it? or is it just me?

Maybe...we TRY to laugh it off...but somethings cannot be laughed off, and some barbs actually DO hurt...but in trying to be nice, or not to appear weak, we either laugh it off, or find some way to say something even more insulting...and a downward spiral begins...Are we caught in this vicious cycle?

Every age has its pressures...and in this one, maybe sometimes, it is because we feel the need to be liked, to be funny, to be entertaining...that's why we say things we do not mean, something deceptive, some "white lies", or just total outright lies. Others can laugh it off because we love a laugh, or we enjoy the joker, the funny side of things, or we know the person...so we think...it's them, so it's alright...And yes, that's how it is most times right?

If we are able to dismiss things said, and to laugh them off...well, that's great and fabulous! However, if we find that things said are nonsense, or rubbish, absolutely crappy...then we also equate that with the individual who said it also right? And that means we think that the person is crappy (is that even a compliment? somehow we kinda think it is...?)...I do not think that being identified as crappy, or a nonsensical/rubbishy kinda person is any good at all, is that the kind of label that is valued now?...i think it lays the foundation for misunderstanding a person...and others are liable to thrash them too. That in the end sets up a self-defeating cycle, doesn't it?

Gosh, such long, rambly thots...all questions and no answers...yet

Today, the problem has laid hold of me and will not let go.
I think that we have a problem...a big problem...

In seeing God as a God of Love, (we don't say this...but we act it out...) we imagine Him to be more of a big, cuddly, funny God, someone who will always say "it's ok"...soothe our feelings and not make us feel uncomfortable...

But i think we have forgotten that God is a God of standards too...
He put in place a world where laws govern us...
In nature, the Law of gravity, the Law of thermodynamics...
In people, the desire for Justice, and relationships...
In morality, the need for right & wrong...

That law, that set of standards...they are STILL binding, they are STILL in effect...
and because they are...that's why God sent Jesus to die for us on the Cross...
to pay for that penalty of sin (giving us eternal life & true happiness), to redeem us (real freedom)...

I think that God is King, and we ought to have reverance...
He is a Father, and His discipline is also Love...
He walks closer than a brother, so...do we know Him well?

In our freedom, do we choose to return Honour to God,
or do we take that freedom lightly? and abuse it...
I always think that the job of a Christian is hard...
because we are called to be salt & light,
that means piercing the darkness,
and standing up for what is right...
sometimes...alone...
Have we forgotten the dreadful price that God paid?
BUT, on the flipside...when we do not compromise on the standards of God, when we live a life that honours Him, when we live lives of clarity and of His standards of Love, we are upholding something sacred, and that cutting edge shines through very obviously...I think that the people that we have looked up to, those who have lit the path for us to walk...they have always held on to the truths of God, rather than been swayed by their times...I hope that is true in this age too.

I'm in an uncompromising mood...i think that what was said recently is right...we ought to HATE...totally and utterly...HATE sin in the camp. We, as followers of Christ...ought to have an intolerance for sin, and we ought to be a barometer for the people around us. We have to recognise what grieves God, and we have to abhor it as much as He does...and not water it down or pretend that it's funny or unimportant.

So today...i have to articulate this...for myself firstly...
1) "White lies" are lies, just as "half-truths" are total lies...compromise in this, and it's a slippery slope to compromise everywhere else...
2) Will God be laughing at crass, improper, insulting jokes? I think not...so i'll try (no...try is too light...) i'll determine not to...
3) When i see excuses, irreverance, loose talk or actions dishonouring God, i commit to...pray first...and then move as the Holy Spirit prompts...be it to speak up then, or take it privately...(pls God grant me courage, boldness & discernment)
4) I need to be more sensitive to God's promptings...I think i've ignored the Holiness of God by making allowances...thinking i'm doing it because i Love people that way, or am showing them Grace, but today...i see that...by keeping quiet, i'm not doing anyone any favours.

God is Love, He is Truth, He is the Way & the Life...
and nobody comes to the Father except through Him.

On days like today...i remember why its the Narrow road...
I sway at times, but I determine to keep to it...
because True Life, Joy & Freedom is found there =)

Entitled to feel...

Gosh...sometimes it feels like...there is so much expected of those who follow Christ and abide in Him...

We are expected to be benevolent, loving, forgiving, slow to anger, quick to hold our tongue, always giving, never judging, filled with compassion, always understanding...the list could go on i'm sure...but we are just frail men & women, give us some slack lah uh, we are entitled to be who we are without people judging us either...

I say all this because today, i witnessed P losing his temper, and in my opinion, it was right and proper. After all, didn't the person strike another? Wasn't the tone used extremely harsh to P? the disrespect shown, and the walking away was really...it needed to be disciplined, and just a little shout...that was not totally terrible...please, cut the man some slack...understand the situation. P is human, and he wasn't in the wrong at all, yes, he is ENTITLED to have lost his temper then, he could have had more self-control...sure...but letting it out in that context was good (in my eyes at least...)

I recount that incident knowing that many times people have said that..."shouldn't we...", "how come you could...", and the tone that carries the words already holds an underlying presumption that we did something wrong...but i put it to you, could it be that we are just human? Maybe...what we need also is the same as what you need...understand us first, know our hearts, thereafter then say what you want to...because...who knows, by then, what you'd have wanted to say...may change, because you see our hearts...

I'm rambling, but i know this helps me...so...i'll ramble on

I live near St. Luke's, it's a nursing hospice (or more crudely, old folks home...)
Grandma was there when we needed a nurse for her...
and today...today, i was stuck by the bright lights & full carpark...
it's never like this any other day, or any other sunday...
And i suddenly had this intense realisation...
We say that ppl who put their parents in homes are pretty heartless,
and every parent hopes their child doesn't do this to them...
yet...when i saw St. Luke's, i had another thought...
Well...we may not put our parents/loved ones in a home...
but we DO shoehorn them into a box, and chuck them aside...
only to be used when WE need them...
like when we need money, or a ride, or some help...something
we do this without batting an eyelid...
it seems like some sort of right, the "privilege" of the young
I beg to differ..

Was Mother's day instituted to honour mums?
or was it because we have been so neglectful,
we need reminders to appreciate those closest to us?
Today...is Mother's day

Last one...
You told me once...i have a BIG heart for others...
Well...today i think...the bigger the heart, the bigger the target...
and sometimes i feel like a pin cushion...
absorbing many pricks with no way to stem the flood

"Oh Lord, how long?"
and He said..."My Grace is sufficient for you, for my Power is made perfect in weakness"
2 Cor 12:9

1.
The mission trip saga is over...
it ends with me trying my hardest to disciple 9 guys,
understanding that in our short and intense time together...
we had the best chance to grow together through shared shock and pain,
and as tough as it was, i think God's plan was great
We'll walk together a little more...

2.
I can't remm all that i've poured into each of your lives,
but you are all special to me...and i love you...
yet today, hearing what i heard was...unwelcome...
it felt like a million pin pricks, and i had to look away...
the tears welling up in my eyes, that hurt...
it was good that none of you were there to see it...
this is too sickeningly familiar...

3.
"I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul"
But Lord, i want to say...you've made the world and it's treasures beautiful, truly beautiful...

I need to set my eyes back again on the author of ALL of this,
because then i know the things i've not seen...
they must really, truly blow me away...

feeling everywhere...

Today...i'm caught up in the midst of having to scramble and make really fast yet wrenching decisions...

The situation in Thailand is not improving, violence is spreading...and because of that, my trip in a month is affected, and we have 3 options,

1) to change location
2) split the team
3) totally disband the trip...

On a random note...this is not the only region facing unrest, and it's opening up my eyes...gosh

I really hate having to break the news to them now, in the last week of their exams, as they are studying, and also because i know how much some of them really love Thailand...but there is no choice for me, if a decision isn't made soon, the ONLY outcome will be to completely scrap the trip...the results of a "non-decision" are too disastrous, i would rather we make a decision.

Yes, the easy thing is to scrap the trip, and i'm sure many people will choose to make the easy decision...however, there are many more things to consider. The decision to make the trip was one of faith, the challenge of raising support for the trip was also a faith step, now...a change in political situation is making everyone flustered, yet...it shouldn't be...

But for me, the bottom line is this...i think this is a crucial discipleship moment for me, and for the 9 guys on the trip...it tests us, where and what is our treasure? How far are we willing to go to obey God? What tests of faith are REAL tests of faith for us? To go (& where) or not to go is a minor question...how OBEDIENT we are, is the greater one.

My heart breaks for Thailand, i've shed some tears because i can sense some of the disappointment of our trippers, and also the staff over there, but i think my heart breaks more because deep inside, i feel that we should still be in Thailand...because isn't it in the greatest unrest that the hearts of people are most receptive to the gospel?

='(

reflections on retreat day...

I'm supposed to be on retreat today...and i am

However, i realised that i have a dissatisfaction in my soul,
something that is aching in me...and i need to get it out...

I realise that...i'm beginning to develop a dislike,
something i can't really describe...but something i rankle over

It's like this...
So many times we have this fascination with the NEW, the FRESH,
something that seems interesting because of the ingenuity of it,
someone who is the flavour of the moment because they look great or communicate well,
We look for the immediate "WOW", and ask to be "boomz'ed"...

But i get a sense of dissatisfaction & let down when i realise that it's nothing new...
that all i got was false marketing, a nice facade to creaky old insides...
the deception, sleight of hand, beautiful exterior...all hid a bankrupt inside

Casting Crowns wrote a song "Stained Glass Masquerade",
about how we look around and everyone seems so perfect...
yet that isn't true, we all are IMPERFECT,
YET...we all pretend and hide our hearts like everything is ok...
Hiding our insides, eventually kills us outside too...

I refuse to be a "happy, plastic person"...
If i have hurts, pains, and am about to fall apart,
i will say it, ask for prayer, cry for help, get support...
I would rather admit being weak in the first place,
rather than ask for help in picking up broken shards later...

So...for you who see my rawness, the times i ask for help, for prayer...
you're those i trust and love most, those whom i feel safe with...
and i hope that you feel safe with me in your everyday or your most hurting moments too...

I think that beauty doesn't really mean perfection,
weakness is a subtle, humble beauty when it is in loving hands...
think of a baby...under someone's loving, adoring gaze

Beauty is taking what we have and making something beautiful of it...

Mother Theresa had really gnarled and abused feet,but it was most beautiful

...because she wore them out loving the orphans of calcutta

Nelson Mandela seemed to have wasted his prime productive years in prison,

but he broke apartheid with his beautiful sacrifice

Steven Curtis Chapman writes beautiful songs to glorify God,

and the most beautiful ones emerged from the heartache of losing his beloved daughter

Times of retreat...help me to reflect, to draw out my inner man...
They help me to search deep within,
and identify the arenas that God is working on...
Today, i see the message clearly...
He started with me identifying a dissatisfaction...
and from there led me to a place when He is showing me truth...

Can you stand naked & unashamed before God & man?

Gilead

A place, a person, an experience...

Firm, sturdy, seemingly unshakeable...
yet fragile, cracked...a disaster waiting to happen

Witness the tragedy, feel the gravity,
caught up in a maelstorm,
still, peace is in its eye...

When disaster swirls, and foes lay await in ambush,
Questions arise, much more than answers provide,
but in the midst of adversity,
tranquility transcends...

Are there any quick fixes?
That is not the right question...

will you...allow the slow work to be done?

The hand that strikes, seems harsh,
but it is the hand that loves most, & hurts most,
and where on the one hand, Love strikes...
on the other hand, Help is extended...

I wonder what's your response?

Peace within...the storm will be stilled
For scraped knees & a battered soul...the Healer is near
Vicious taunts, mud-splotched garments...He will take them all
In the dock, or at the gallows, you have a redeemer
Love...He has NEVER left you.

you are loved...
all the way to the Cross