Ever wondered why the people closest to you tend to hurt you the most? I do. It's not uncommon when it comes to relatives and close friends. Every gesture and every word they put out bear more meaning and more depth to you than your acquaintances. Why? It's because of your expectations of them. You would expect more from your family members than your good friends. You would expect more from your good friends than your acquaintances.
And why is that, you ask? Well, because you know who they are and what they are capable of. You've seen them at their best and at their worst. If you needed something from them, you know that they will be able to provide you with that need. But, why then, does it hurt? Simple, you know that they can provide for you in times of need, but when they aren't able to, you get disappointed, knowing full well that it could have been better. That's why.
It gets you down when your friends don't reply your messages compared to your acquaintances. Feedback from friends bear more meaning than words from other people. One word from a friend is better than 10 words from a stranger, you get the drift.
Now that I'm able to put my finger on it, what can I do about it? Can I lower my expectations on them? I can, but it's hard to do that, knowing that your friends are capable of much more. Be prepared to be let down? Hmm..... thinkable but not doable. Continue to love them despite the disappointment? Bingo.
Let's face it, hurt is hurt, there's no other way to describe it. But, in order to be able to love as well as you want to love and be loved, you have to let the hurt go. You have to let the disappointment go. You have to forgive. It's in your hands. It's up to you. Likewise, it's up to me to forgive my friends and continue to love them even if they've hurt me with their words or deeds.
Know this: God knows what we are capable of. God knows that we can be better, we can do better. God's expectations on us are quite high. Do we fail? Oh yes, we definitely do. Does He condemn us? No. Does He still love us? You bet!
So, let the hurt and the disappointments go. Live another day knowing that God doesn't hold our failures against us, neither should we do so against our friends and family. Be blessed.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Being In Love
This topic is harder than I thought. No, I'm not going romantic on anyone, neither am I confessing any love to any one person. (I'm not quite sure if I'm qualified to do so now, after stumbling upon articles that have made me re-think the whole scenario - in a good way, of course!) It's just a lingering thought in my head for the past few weeks.
How can we honestly say we love someone, be it family love, brotherly love, sisterly love, or once in a lifetime love? What exactly does it mean to love? What is love? I'm reminded of this verse in 1 Cor. 13:4-5, which says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." Safe to say, I think I've failed in many aspects of the love that is mentioned in that verse.
Let me let you in on a secret (oh boy, am I going to regret this or what?!), I've got a green-eyed monster hiding in my closet. Yup, the worse kind! Its name is envy a.k.a jealousy. It's not a pretty sight, let's just put it that way. But I thank God that His grace is sufficient for me time and time again.
Which brings me back to a thought that came to me just yesterday; love. I can't begin to grasp how deep God's love is for us, but I know one thing for sure, God's love is so wonderful and so great, lest we forget John 3:16. I found this quote that says: "Love sacrifices, love considers another more important, love rejoices in the well being and safety of another, love begets honesty, integrity, and character. Love unites people together, brings out forgiveness, and even anoints the hearts of God's people to contemplate on holiness, purity, forgiveness, humility, patience, and more."
I've realised that God loves us. But He doesn't just love us, He will still love us whether or not we love Him in return. That's how profound His love is. To be able to love the people around you without expecting any love in return. Of course, we would want our love to be reciprocated, but God will still love us regardless of whether or not we love Him back. How awesome is that?!
It is of this same love that we are required to love the people around us, friends and enemies. It is only through this unconditional love of God that we are able to comprehend (a bit) on how we are supposed to love one another. Can I love without all the unnecessary baggages like envy, pride, selfishness and with more of the qualities of patience, kindness and forgiveness? I'll let you know.
Remember, we don't have to be perfect, for perfection is beyond our reach, but we can always sharpen the tools that are blunt, therefore, we can always let God work in us and through us in order to love as best as we could.
How can we honestly say we love someone, be it family love, brotherly love, sisterly love, or once in a lifetime love? What exactly does it mean to love? What is love? I'm reminded of this verse in 1 Cor. 13:4-5, which says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." Safe to say, I think I've failed in many aspects of the love that is mentioned in that verse.
Let me let you in on a secret (oh boy, am I going to regret this or what?!), I've got a green-eyed monster hiding in my closet. Yup, the worse kind! Its name is envy a.k.a jealousy. It's not a pretty sight, let's just put it that way. But I thank God that His grace is sufficient for me time and time again.
Which brings me back to a thought that came to me just yesterday; love. I can't begin to grasp how deep God's love is for us, but I know one thing for sure, God's love is so wonderful and so great, lest we forget John 3:16. I found this quote that says: "Love sacrifices, love considers another more important, love rejoices in the well being and safety of another, love begets honesty, integrity, and character. Love unites people together, brings out forgiveness, and even anoints the hearts of God's people to contemplate on holiness, purity, forgiveness, humility, patience, and more."
I've realised that God loves us. But He doesn't just love us, He will still love us whether or not we love Him in return. That's how profound His love is. To be able to love the people around you without expecting any love in return. Of course, we would want our love to be reciprocated, but God will still love us regardless of whether or not we love Him back. How awesome is that?!
It is of this same love that we are required to love the people around us, friends and enemies. It is only through this unconditional love of God that we are able to comprehend (a bit) on how we are supposed to love one another. Can I love without all the unnecessary baggages like envy, pride, selfishness and with more of the qualities of patience, kindness and forgiveness? I'll let you know.
Remember, we don't have to be perfect, for perfection is beyond our reach, but we can always sharpen the tools that are blunt, therefore, we can always let God work in us and through us in order to love as best as we could.
Friday, July 15, 2005
Blocked
Hmm..... as you can tell, there has been an absence of posts these past few days. I've been too busy to update anything at the moment. I'm literally swamped at work, getting piled by extra work on top of my normal work. Oh well, such is life in the working environment.
One up-side is that I've been given a letter of confirmation after three months of service, which is a good sign. Other than that, I haven't had the time to sit down and think these past few days.
I have, however, been in touch with a couple of missionaries who are currently stationed in Thailand. They are quite the cute couple. It was a fun and interesting time of fellowship and learning, as they had quite a few stories to tell.
Well, as for now, I'm in a very jazzy mood these few days, being influenced by Michael Bublé as well as Renee Olstead. Give them a try if you're a jazz lover. They won't fail to impress.
One up-side is that I've been given a letter of confirmation after three months of service, which is a good sign. Other than that, I haven't had the time to sit down and think these past few days.
I have, however, been in touch with a couple of missionaries who are currently stationed in Thailand. They are quite the cute couple. It was a fun and interesting time of fellowship and learning, as they had quite a few stories to tell.
Well, as for now, I'm in a very jazzy mood these few days, being influenced by Michael Bublé as well as Renee Olstead. Give them a try if you're a jazz lover. They won't fail to impress.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
So Near Yet So Far.....
Hmm..... Where to start? Well, I guess, at the beginning. I entered a competition, through sheer chance, really, because I never heard of it until someone came into my office and started talking about it. I sent in two entries, and started dreaming. Not a lot, because I'm a dreamer, but also a realist. The ONLY prize was a Volvo XC90, which is worth an estimate of over RM300k. (Uh-huh, now you know why I can "afford" to dream!)
I pretty much gave up on it close to two months into it, as, well, they mentioned that they would get back to the winner in a fortnight's time. Turns out, I got a call mid-June that I was a finalist, one of 7 vying for the grand prize. Now, by then, I was really dreaming of what I could actually do with the prize. After a while, though, they didn't get back to me to see whether I've won, and just last week, I found out that I wasn't the winner. Bummer..... Yeah, really a case of 'so near yet so far'.
On a lighter side, I just got a letter from them telling me that I didn't win but, as a consolation prize, I'll get a United Colors of Benetton Cabin Bag. OK, maybe I'm meant to fly off somewhere instead! Start dreaming!
I pretty much gave up on it close to two months into it, as, well, they mentioned that they would get back to the winner in a fortnight's time. Turns out, I got a call mid-June that I was a finalist, one of 7 vying for the grand prize. Now, by then, I was really dreaming of what I could actually do with the prize. After a while, though, they didn't get back to me to see whether I've won, and just last week, I found out that I wasn't the winner. Bummer..... Yeah, really a case of 'so near yet so far'.
On a lighter side, I just got a letter from them telling me that I didn't win but, as a consolation prize, I'll get a United Colors of Benetton Cabin Bag. OK, maybe I'm meant to fly off somewhere instead! Start dreaming!
Sunday, July 10, 2005
A Cup of Water
A group of working adults got together to visit their University lecturer. The Lecturer was happy to see them. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
The Lecturer just smiled and went to the kitchen to get an assortment of cups - some porcelain, some in plastic, some in glass, some plain looking and some looked rather expensive and exquisite.
The Lecturer offered his former students the cups to get drinks for themselves.
When all the students had a cup in hand with water, the Lecturer spoke: "If you noticed, all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal that you only want the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all you wanted was water, not the cup, but we unconsciously went for the better cups."
"Just like in life, if Life is Water, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold/maintain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change."
"If we only concentrate on the cup, we won't have time to enjoy/taste the water in it."
The Lecturer just smiled and went to the kitchen to get an assortment of cups - some porcelain, some in plastic, some in glass, some plain looking and some looked rather expensive and exquisite.
The Lecturer offered his former students the cups to get drinks for themselves.
When all the students had a cup in hand with water, the Lecturer spoke: "If you noticed, all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal that you only want the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all you wanted was water, not the cup, but we unconsciously went for the better cups."
"Just like in life, if Life is Water, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold/maintain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change."
"If we only concentrate on the cup, we won't have time to enjoy/taste the water in it."
Friday, July 08, 2005
The Mayonnaise Jar and the 2 Cups of Coffee
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "Yes!"
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions -- and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else -- the small stuff."
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you."
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18-hole. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.
The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "Yes!"
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions -- and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else -- the small stuff."
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you."
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18-hole. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.
The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
Name That Thing! (Part Deux)
OK, I'm still stuck with no name for my guitar. Why do I need a name for it in the first place? I forget. I've found a few choice picks for it. In fact, it's quite a pick for anyone who intends to have kids in the near future. Mind you, most of these names are boy names. I'm a girl, what do you expect?! The last four names came as a suggestion from Mr. Kacuakman. (You know who you are! hehe.....)
Here they are in random order (really, I didn't have time to put it in alphabetical order!):
Names:
Joshua (shortened form Josh)
The name Jesus is the Greek version of the Hebrew name Joshua. The meaning is found in Matthew 1:12 'You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins'. Joshua, who guided the Israelites to the Promised land also bore this name. God saves!
Jed
This biblical name is from Hebrew and means 'God's friend'. It appears in (2 Sam. 12:25).
Jerome
This name originates from Greek where it means 'holy name'.
Brendan
It means 'prince' and it originates from Gaelic.
Ethan
This Hebrew name is found in the bible of two minor biblical characters. It means 'Loyal '.
Casey
Brave, watchful in Celtic/Gaelic.
Damien
Sweet and harmless in Greek.
Daniel
Hebrew for my judge is the Lord.
Darrell
Darling in French.
Ivan
God is good in Slavic.
Jarod/Jared
Hebrew for one who rules.
Jordan
To descend/to flow in Hebrew.
Riley
Gaelic for Valiant.
Ryan
Gaelic for Little King.
Shane
God is Gracious in Irish.
Zachary (Zach)
Hebrew for God remembers, renowned by God.
Hazel
Commander in Old English
Ashley
Old English for ash-tree
Nellie
Greek for the bright one
Toni
French for Worthy of Praise
Here they are in random order (really, I didn't have time to put it in alphabetical order!):
Names:
Joshua (shortened form Josh)
The name Jesus is the Greek version of the Hebrew name Joshua. The meaning is found in Matthew 1:12 'You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins'. Joshua, who guided the Israelites to the Promised land also bore this name. God saves!
Jed
This biblical name is from Hebrew and means 'God's friend'. It appears in (2 Sam. 12:25).
Jerome
This name originates from Greek where it means 'holy name'.
Brendan
It means 'prince' and it originates from Gaelic.
Ethan
This Hebrew name is found in the bible of two minor biblical characters. It means 'Loyal '.
Casey
Brave, watchful in Celtic/Gaelic.
Damien
Sweet and harmless in Greek.
Daniel
Hebrew for my judge is the Lord.
Darrell
Darling in French.
Ivan
God is good in Slavic.
Jarod/Jared
Hebrew for one who rules.
Jordan
To descend/to flow in Hebrew.
Riley
Gaelic for Valiant.
Ryan
Gaelic for Little King.
Shane
God is Gracious in Irish.
Zachary (Zach)
Hebrew for God remembers, renowned by God.
Hazel
Commander in Old English
Ashley
Old English for ash-tree
Nellie
Greek for the bright one
Toni
French for Worthy of Praise
Thursday, July 07, 2005
God - Tech Support
Tech Support: Yes. How can I help you?
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love. Can you guide me though the process?
Tech Support: Yes, I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?
Tech Support: What programs are running?
Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program not run on external components ." What should I do?
Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.
Customer: So, what should I do?
Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.
Customer: Okay, done.
Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?
Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes a while, but eventually everything gets in at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.
Customer: Thank you, God.
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love. Can you guide me though the process?
Tech Support: Yes, I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?
Tech Support: What programs are running?
Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program not run on external components ." What should I do?
Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.
Customer: So, what should I do?
Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.
Customer: Okay, done.
Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?
Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes a while, but eventually everything gets in at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.
Customer: Thank you, God.
Name That Thing!
OK, I honestly don't know how many people actually visit my blog, but I shall be content with a few (for now!). Anyway, if you've read my previous post, I just purchased a very nice acoustic guitar, well, it's based on my standards. Anyway, I'm trying to figure out a name for it. It's an Ashton guitar (D38 CEQ Thinline Acoustic/Electric) but I'm wondering what to nickname it with. Any ideas? Leave comments with a few name suggestions, ya?
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Temporary Insanity
If you've noticed, I've changed the background for my blog. Something went wrong with the other template and until I can figure out what went wrong, I'm sticking to this one as an alternative. Unless, of course, you guys like this background, leave a comment and let me know.
Just a reminder, I have no professional training in HTML whatsoever, so this might take a while. As for entries, don't worry, it should still be coming in.
Thanks for visiting!
Just a reminder, I have no professional training in HTML whatsoever, so this might take a while. As for entries, don't worry, it should still be coming in.
Thanks for visiting!
Praying For Others
A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert-like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other recourse but to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stayed on opposite sides of the island. The first thing they prayed for was food.
The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.
After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing! Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked on his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"
"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."
"Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"
"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. This is too good not to share. With obedience come blessings. My prayer for you today is that all your prayers are answered. Be blessed.
"What you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself."
This was shared with me by a friend, I hope you will share with your friends too.
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. - Helen Keller
The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.
After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing! Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked on his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"
"My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings."
"Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"
"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. This is too good not to share. With obedience come blessings. My prayer for you today is that all your prayers are answered. Be blessed.
"What you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself."
This was shared with me by a friend, I hope you will share with your friends too.
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. - Helen Keller
Let It Rain!
This morning was interesting. I felt like I woke up on the wrong side of the bed; head was throbbing, nose was stuffed-up, throat was dry, I thought, "Gee, it's going to be a rough day today!". Hopped into the shower (I can't quite recall if I washed my hair with the conditioner or with the body soap!), got dressed, had a hefty breakfast (bacon, ham and toasted bread - 3 days in a row! Hmm.....) and headed out to work almost in a blurry state of mind.
I had a love song in my head since last night, 'All Because Of You' by Céline Dion, and it's generally a song about being truly in love with someone, either your partner or your child (even some of the words could apply to Jesus). Then, all of a sudden, I had this feeling of gratitude in my heart. It's as though midway through driving, I finally woke up, enjoyed the sights that I normally don't bother looking at when I'm driving, walking with a smile on my face even though the rain was drizzling down.
'What the world needs now is love, sweet love'. Actually, I feel that what the world needs now is a feeling of gratitude, even for the littlest things.
'Time is a very precious gift from God; so precious that it's only given to us moment by moment' - Amelia Barr
Take time to enjoy, walk in the soft drizzle, make yourself a warm cup of cocoa or coffee, read a good book, spend time with family and friends. I shall leave you with the song I mentioned earlier.
Your touch wraps around me
Everything is different
Your touch wraps around me
I had a love song in my head since last night, 'All Because Of You' by Céline Dion, and it's generally a song about being truly in love with someone, either your partner or your child (even some of the words could apply to Jesus). Then, all of a sudden, I had this feeling of gratitude in my heart. It's as though midway through driving, I finally woke up, enjoyed the sights that I normally don't bother looking at when I'm driving, walking with a smile on my face even though the rain was drizzling down.
'What the world needs now is love, sweet love'. Actually, I feel that what the world needs now is a feeling of gratitude, even for the littlest things.
'Time is a very precious gift from God; so precious that it's only given to us moment by moment' - Amelia Barr
Take time to enjoy, walk in the soft drizzle, make yourself a warm cup of cocoa or coffee, read a good book, spend time with family and friends. I shall leave you with the song I mentioned earlier.
All Because Of You - Céline Dion
Thought I could define it
One look in your eyes when it proved me wrong
I find myself speechless
This feeling of completeness is so strong
And I was convinced that my heart had reached its limit
Until you created this new place in it
Your touch wraps around me
In love that knows no boundaries now
There's nothing I wouldn't do for you
You're the answer I've been needing
Life has a whole new meaning now
All because of you
Everything is different
There's no frame of reference for the way I feel
But to look at your face
I'm still amazed, I can't believe you're real
I can lie here forever just watching you sleep
Hanging on every breath that you breathe
Your touch wraps around me
In love that knows no boundaries now
There's nothing I wouldn't do for you
You're the answer I've been needing
Life has a whole new meaning now
All because of you
The Carpenter
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife, enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work, the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter.
"This is your house," he said, "My gift to you!"
The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently.
But we cannot go back.
You are the carpenter.
Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. "Life is a do-it-yourself project," someone has said.
Your attitudes and the choices you make today, build the "house" you live in tomorrow. Build wisely!
Remember....
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody is watching.
Pass this on to someone you like. I did!
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work, the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter.
"This is your house," he said, "My gift to you!"
The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently.
But we cannot go back.
You are the carpenter.
Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. "Life is a do-it-yourself project," someone has said.
Your attitudes and the choices you make today, build the "house" you live in tomorrow. Build wisely!
Remember....
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody is watching.
Pass this on to someone you like. I did!
Monday, July 04, 2005
E-mail Prayer
A dear friend sent me this e-mail and I found it to be quite encouraging and a big blessing. I hope that you too will be blessed!
Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning.
I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God.
You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.
Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said, or thought that was not pleasing to You.
I ask now for Your forgiveness.
Please keep me safe from all danger and harm.
Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.
Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over, and it's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.
I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart.
Continue to use me to do Your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.
Keep me strong that I may help the weak.
Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.
I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way.
I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood.
I pray for those who don't know You intimately.
I pray for those that don't believe.
But I thank you that I believe.
I believe that God changes people and God changes things.
I pray for all my sisters and brothers and for each and every family members in their households.
I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debts and all their needs are met.
I pray that every eye that reads this knows there are no mountains, problems, circumstances, or situations greater than God.
Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.
I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it.
In the majestic name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!
Have a great week ahead!
Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning.
I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God.
You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.
Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said, or thought that was not pleasing to You.
I ask now for Your forgiveness.
Please keep me safe from all danger and harm.
Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.
Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over, and it's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.
I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart.
Continue to use me to do Your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.
Keep me strong that I may help the weak.
Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.
I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way.
I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood.
I pray for those who don't know You intimately.
I pray for those that don't believe.
But I thank you that I believe.
I believe that God changes people and God changes things.
I pray for all my sisters and brothers and for each and every family members in their households.
I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debts and all their needs are met.
I pray that every eye that reads this knows there are no mountains, problems, circumstances, or situations greater than God.
Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.
I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it.
In the majestic name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!
Have a great week ahead!
Sunday, July 03, 2005
Song Of The Day
Ever had the feeling where your own perception of inadequacy hinders you from attaching yourself to people? That what you've done, what you've said, who you are, may not be "good enough" for your friends and your family? In the event where you've done something wrong, or not well enough, that you feel you've let your peers, friends and family down, that maybe, their love for you has lessen a bit.
I'm following in the footsteps of unconditional love. I do admit that there will be disappointments in being let down, feelings being hurt; brokenness and helplessness starts to seep in. However, I am reminded of a song that simply means this: In your brokenness, you will still be complete in God, for He welcomes you with open arms, regardless of what you've done or even what you will do.
What I like about this song is this: Nothing you can do, could make Him love you more, And nothing that you've done, could make Him close the door. In reality, because of our humanness and imperfection, we cannot guarantee people that same condition but God can. Come to the Father in your brokenness and emptiness, He will heal your hearts and fill your life with His love.
I'm following in the footsteps of unconditional love. I do admit that there will be disappointments in being let down, feelings being hurt; brokenness and helplessness starts to seep in. However, I am reminded of a song that simply means this: In your brokenness, you will still be complete in God, for He welcomes you with open arms, regardless of what you've done or even what you will do.
What I like about this song is this: Nothing you can do, could make Him love you more, And nothing that you've done, could make Him close the door. In reality, because of our humanness and imperfection, we cannot guarantee people that same condition but God can. Come to the Father in your brokenness and emptiness, He will heal your hearts and fill your life with His love.
So You Would Come - Hillsong
Before the world began
You were on His mind
And every tear you cry
Is precious in His eyes
Because of His great love
He gave His only Son
Everything was done
So you would come
Nothing you can do
Could make Him love you more
And nothing that you've done
Could make Him close the door
Because of His great love
He gave His only Son
Everything was done
So you would come
Come to the Father
Though your gift is small
Broken hearts, broken lives
He will take them all
The power of the Word
The power of His blood
Everything was done
So you would come
Saturday, July 02, 2005
You Live, You Learn
24 hours. That's the amount of time you get in a day. Once that second ticks by, it's not coming back again. It's already past the halfway mark for the year 2005. Makes me wonder, what have I done in the past half a year that is 'significant' or 'worthwhile'?
I know I'm moving in the right direction, at least, I think I am. Music is in my blood, it's in my heart and being given the opportunity to express that, even in a small church setting, I think that was a big start for me. I'm just wondering what's next.
I just booked my first acoustic guitar today. An Ashton guitar. Costs me a bundle, but it's an investment. Yup, I'm reminding myself that it's for long term, so it should be worth the money! I just have to wait for other accessories to come by before I pick up my guitar. After all, it's the first one.
Anyway, back to my title, I'm recently listening in to a few angst-ridden songs, running back and forth between Alanis Morissette and Avril Lavigne. I'm stuck on "You Learn" by Alanis Morissette and it's a song about taking risks and taking chances, because that's what life is about. Taking risks and learning from it, whether the risk taken was a success or a failure, it's still a learning experience.
I know I'm moving in the right direction, at least, I think I am. Music is in my blood, it's in my heart and being given the opportunity to express that, even in a small church setting, I think that was a big start for me. I'm just wondering what's next.
I just booked my first acoustic guitar today. An Ashton guitar. Costs me a bundle, but it's an investment. Yup, I'm reminding myself that it's for long term, so it should be worth the money! I just have to wait for other accessories to come by before I pick up my guitar. After all, it's the first one.
Anyway, back to my title, I'm recently listening in to a few angst-ridden songs, running back and forth between Alanis Morissette and Avril Lavigne. I'm stuck on "You Learn" by Alanis Morissette and it's a song about taking risks and taking chances, because that's what life is about. Taking risks and learning from it, whether the risk taken was a success or a failure, it's still a learning experience.
You live you learn
You love you learn
You cry you learn
You lose you learn
You bleed you learn
You scream you learn
Life is a learning experience. You are being put in situations you wish you aren't in, but at the end of the day, it benefits you as you go along, being tested and all, because then, you become a better person. You live, you learn.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
