HisGrace.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Jap

3:44 PM

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Thank You for a CRAZY week

This week has been crazy.
God placed in my heart a love for the people whom I share the same DNA (blood of Jesus Christ) with.
Hua, Wen Jing, Gail, Lyn and Pat, I will love you all more.
I will find time to love you.
I will love you by praying for you.
And of course, my Cell, I love you all, but it's gonna get stronger and deeper.
God! I think I need a '10 day week', a '50 hours day'. Ahahahhaaa!
So that I can meet up with everybody.
Yes! Yan! Jon! Sab! I miss you! It's been so long since we've met!

(And I'm really a regular blogger! SO proud of myself! Whahahaa!)

9:22 PM

Jesus, I pour my love on You

Like oil upon Your feet
Like wine for You to drink
Like water from my heart
I pour my love on You
If grace is like perfume
I'll lavish mine on You
Till every drop is gone
I pour my love on You

I told Jesus that He will be the only one I will pour my love on. That nothing can take His place, He is the center of my life.

If there's one day you find my putting my love on other people/things, SLAP ME! Wake me up alright!? Speak the truth to me! Thank you.

And Amen to Yanni's letter to Jean's Cell.

I need you
You need me
I need you to survive
I won't hurt you with words from my mouth
I need you to survive
You are important to me
I need you to survive

9:05 PM

Disappointed

I'm disappointed in you.
It seems as if finding a good place to have dinner is the main highlight of the day. When did the unimportant become important to you? Aren't we supposed to be more concerned about spiritual hunger? I once saw Chist in you, because you live a 'others-centered' life. Where it's a joy to see you, and of course, never-ending fun and laughter. Now, what's left is a piece of ragged cloth, stained with stubborness and unrepentance, a divided heart that is so easily influenced, self-centeredness...

8:53 PM

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Are you beautiful?

There are 3 kinds of beauty:

1 Outward Beauty

Everyone likes to dress well, be in the latest trends, fashionable, be lavished in 'branded-s'. Nobody likes to look like a toad. For me, I love to dress myself up too. It’s fine to have fun and play and dress up. But the thing about outward beauty is that it’s temporary and transitional. Outward beauty doesn’t stay the same (trend changes); it transitions through the years and the seasons.

Outward beauty is temporary. I can have fun with it, appreciate it, but it’s going to change. One day, my 'orbakuk' will be legal dark rings, my dyed hair will return back to its original black, wrinkles will start crowding, pigmentation too.

But if I remember that outward beauty is temporary and transitional, then it doesn’t have to define my identity, it can just be something I enjoy in its various stages in life.

2 Inward Beauty

Got to admit to it, physical attraction is important. I love 'dashing-talented Guitarist'. Ahahahahaa!

My outward beauty (appearnce) has been created by God and it will pretty much stay the same. Fair, small eyes, chubby, 'eye brow-less', disease-plagued (hai~ Yes, please remember to keep me in prayer) - that's me

Inward beauty is the place where God is going to transform me.
It’s the place in me where I notice that I’m changing as I’m growing and seeking God.

Some changes I've noticed about myself:

- I notice that I’m not mouthy and argumentative like I used to be. (Practice listening skills)

- I notice that I’m more at peace with myself when someone doesn’t like me or agree with me. I don’t feel some huge pressure to perform for acceptance.

- I notice that through my experiences in being in multiple ministries, Church, schools and workplaces, I have a greater trust in God. These are experiences that I went through that deeply humbled me.

- I notice that I’m not about trying to judge people and 'fix' people but my highest calling in my life is to love people and walk in the truth. I love living that more and more.

“Don’t be conformed any longer to the standards of the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

I am being transformed by how Christ is renewing my mind. I used to think that some ladies look very attractive in short skirts and tops.

But there’s more than meets the eye.

I’m seeing that there’s something very beautiful about being a person of influence. Being a person with integrity and character and trust in God is becoming very beautiful to me and it impacts peoples’ lives around me. It draws attention to God rather than drawing attention to me and that is more satisfying to me than it used to be.

“Your beauty should not be merely external such as braided hair, expensive jewelry and fine clothes, but let it be the inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”

As I’m growing in my relationship with God and learning from my life lessons along the way, I am seeing that posseseing a gentle and quiet spirit is more valuable.

3 Sacred Beauty

I love the word “sacred” because it reminds me of something that is untouchable. It’s a private place, a sanctuary place, a secret place. It’s outside of seasons, outside of the elements, it’s timeless and completely protected in its own little world.

Sacred beauty is timeless and untouchable.

As I’ve been on this very honest journey with God and asking him, “Who are you? And who am I?” I’ve learned something that has changed my world and changed my entire outlook on life.

- God is love
- He made me from that love
- Nothing can separate me from that love

It would be like someone trying to separate me from my DNA, the very core design of my being. You can’t do it.

Christ is the very source of who I am.

The challenge for me is in believing that. So, I've been bringing to God my unbelief and saying, “I believe that you are love, but I don’t believe that that’s who I am. Help me in my unbelief.” And God works on my believing issue because He’s the only one who can. And He knows how and where to work on it because he knows everything about me.

How do we keep ourselves centered on what really matters?

Pray for the things that God says are valuable to have:

- Wisdom
- A gentle and quiet spirit
- Fear of the Lord

“Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

So…..

Enjoy our outward beauty - it’s temporary and transitional. (That will help keep it in perspective)

Enjoy the inward beauty - that something beyond what you see is going on inside of you as you live life and seek God. God is in the process of transformation.

Enjoy the sacred beauty – the unchanging fact that a God who is beautiful created you by His inspiration and love. Nothing on the outside of you or the inside of you can affect his love for you. He simply loves you because you are from him. That’s an untouchable and a timeless place.

Which kind of beauty matters the most to you?
As I think about it, I can't help laughing at myself. We, human beings value things that are of the least importance to God and worst still, some of us, allow them to be our god.

God, thank You for making me beautiful.

11:49 AM

Work

It's been 9 months already?
Where did all the time go?
Yes, I've been working for 9 MONTHS!
Planning my next move...

I've been thinking about this verse:
1 Corinthians 16:22 If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord.

Share with me your thoughts alright?

10:59 AM

Friday, March 28, 2008

Throne of Grace

As I approach the Throne of Grace
And fall before it on my face
I cry to the Lord, my eyes all teary
Lord, give me strength, for I am weary
My burdens are heavy, and I feel so weak
My pride is strong, Lord, help me be meek
Work is hard, there's no time to pray
Forgive me, O Lord, on this very day!
Then the Lord took me to His heart.
My special child, 'You've made a start!
"Your sins are forgiven, your strength I renew.
I'll take care of your burdens, like I promised to.
Your pride, I will humble. Work I'll make small.
Give me your troubles, I'll take them all!
When you feel down, Just look above,
My sweet child....
It's you that I love"

- Mary Ann Bachmeier

The throne of God paints a beautiful painting of a loving Father. God, I thank You. You are the One who draws.

2:07 PM

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

I'm changing

1 Peter 1:22 22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

I've never took this verse seriously. It's really fun to hang around people I love and know. And when 'someone else' joins in the clique, it feels good to talk about things that they don't understand. That was me, the selfish and evil soul. (O God, how could You love me, an ugly soul) It didn't really bother me to see people having their hearts turned away from/against God. It's their decision isn't it? Yet, the merciful God, my Creator and King rebuked me, not in a harsh way, but lovingly.

Every soul matters to God.
It is His desire to want to know men-people.
I'm gonna tell the truth in love.
Truth hurts, but its necessary.
(Spend TIME with God la!)
What matters to God matters to me.

There are 6 things the LORD hates, 7 that are detestable to him:
1 Haughty eyes
2 A lying tongue
3 Hands that shed innocent blood,
4 A heart that devises wicked schemes
5 Feet that are quick to rush into evil
6 A false witness who pours out lies
7 Man who stirs up dissension among brothers

When was the last time you've shown sincere love and genuine care for a brother/sister-in-Christ? Was it out of a pure heart or was it one filled with motives/acknowledgements?

On a different note...
Ada! Can you stop hurting your poor leg!
Jere! Tell me! Tell me!
Yanni! I'm jealous! Can you spare me some free time?! Ahahahhaaa!

1:37 PM

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

The band

Jap's leaving in May and last Sunday's sharing was a slap in my face.
I'm awake.
Yes! Set aside all the music, technical stuff, vocals... blah blah blah...
It's really about knowing God!
There must be a shift of mindset.
Woohoo! I'm ready for change. I pray I'm not alone.

2:03 PM

Saturday, March 22, 2008

At the zoooooooooooooooo

Hiss.....

Spot the snake

What a ah boy! Ha!

Beware!

I'm not the only short one around. Wahhahaaa!

Ghost

We finally got some time off together.

God, the recent months have been crazy.

Thank You for JR.

Thank You for Good Friday.

Thank You for Your death that we may have life.

You gave Your all for us, there's nothing else we will back from You.

9:38 AM

Friday, March 21, 2008

Happiness vs joy

First of all, cheers to our 4 years of friendship/relationship!
I enjoyed myself greatly (especially at the Zoo) today!

I was thinking between these two... Happiness is based on temporal and worldy things but joy comes from having Jesus in my life. Happiness is God’s gift of human emotion. But Jesus did not die on the cross to make sure I’m happy, but rather to ensure that I have the joy of knowing and glorifying Him!

Let's stop and recognise the difference between being temporarily happy and having the long lasting joy of God!

I've got joy
Unspeakable joy
I've got faith
Mountain moving faith
I've got peace
River running peace
Cause' Jesus came and set me free

11:05 PM

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Nothing can make me forget yesterday, nothing.

9:18 AM

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

B-I-B-L-E

The problem with us is that we don't take God's word seriously. Let's spend every hour and minute we can find digging deep into His word. The Holy Spirit, who searches the deep things of God will reveal, the least we can do is to open up our Bible and READ!

Have you spend time reading the word today? If you're got the time to come here, biblegateway.com is just next door. God wants to speak to you! Read that Psalm out loud, He is speaking, He really is!

11:00 AM

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

The reality of sex

It was my privilege to give a public lecture at the University of British Columbia recently on the question, “Why Are Christians Against Sexual Freedom?” I haven’t spoken on quite this subject before, so I enjoyed preparing for it partly so I could think about the question a little more clearly than I had previously. Here’s the gist of what I said, and I’ll be glad if you can clarify my thinking still further:

Some Christians Are, Indeed, Against Sex: Some Christian teachers have taught the superiority of lifelong celibacy. Some Christians have taken out their own confusions and frustrations and traumas on others by speaking of sex as a Bad Thing to be avoided if possible and endured if necessary. Yes, some Christians are against sex, so they’re certainly against sexual freedom. But that’s not all there is to say.

Christians Aren’t Against Sex: In fact, the very first chapter of the Christian Scriptures contains the very first command of God to the very first human beings, and it’s this: Have sex. Indeed, have lots of it (Genesis 1:28). The world, God says, is fresh and wild and good. It’s now yours to look after, and it’ll take more than you two (Adam and Eve) to do it. In fact, the planet will take a planet-full of human beings to bring it under cultivation (”subdue it,” “have dominion,” etc.). So (ahem) get busy.

Sexual relations are celebrated in an entire book of the Bible, The Song of Solomon, and celebrated so graphically that Jewish and Christian commentators throughout history have tried to distract us with spiritual allegories so that we won’t stare at all the eyes and hands and breasts featured therein. And, to be sure, sexual imagery sometimes is used in the Bible to depict the relationship of God and Israel.
No, Christians aren’t against sex.

Christians Aren’t Against Freedom: Indeed, the Christian religion is a religion predicated on freedom. Adam and Eve choose in the Garden of Eden, and we’ve been choosing ever since. Our decisions matter, which is why Christianity keeps telling us to make good ones, and especially the Most Important One of choosing to put God in the centre of our lives, where God belongs.

Christians Aren’t Against Sexual Freedom: Yes, often Christians have imposed their sexual preferences on everyone else when we had the political power to do so. We thought it was in everybody’s best interest to be compelled to act the way we thought everyone should.
Most Christians today, however, recognize the pluralism of our societies and the importance of letting people make free choices and sort themselves out before God. So most Christians are in favour of sexual freedom in terms of the criminal code and civil sanctions, even as we want to preserve the freedom of every individual or community to maintain its particular view as to what constitutes healthy and helpful sexuality.

So what are Christians against?

Christians Are Against Sexual Exploitation: Christians are against any exploitation, of course, so we’re against any action that victimizes someone in the sexual sphere as well. We’re against rape, but also against any other kind of coercive sexual behaviour, including sexual harassment.

We’re also against sexual exploitation of those too young to make a responsible decision regarding sexual behaviour, so we support laws limiting sexual relations involving minors. We also want to protect anyone else, such as those with mental or psychological difficulties that would keep them from making good decisions in this zone.
As for everyone else . . .

Christians Are Against Sexual Confusion: Our society is both crazy and conflicted about sex.
We’re crazy about it in the sense that we are preoccupied with it and exploit each other’s preoccupation with it. Consider your morning commute. Count the number of sexual messages you receive—from the music on your iPod or car CD player, from the radio, from billboards, from bumper stickers, from bus advertisements—between home and school or work. We don’t devote the same attention to, say, food, or politics, or anything.

But we’re deeply conflicted about sex, too. At one and the same time, our society repeats to us the contradiction that sex is no big deal and that sex is the most important thing in the world. Sex is recreational and sex is required. Sex is just another activity to round out a pleasant Saturday and sex is something without which you become pathetic and finally insane.
We ourselves become delusional about sex, and in this one crucial respect: We keep thinking that sex can be just what we want it to be, rather than what it is.

If we want it to be merely recreational, then that’s all it should be. If we want it to be romantically meaningful, then it’s now supposed to be that. If we want it to foster intimacy, then it should produce that result. If we want it to heal an otherwise shattered relationship, then it should have that magical ability.

Christian teaching, however, is more realistic than that. Indeed, it is literally “realist” in the sense that it sees sex as an actual something, a given reality that is not infinitely plastic but is instead a particular thing that we had better clearly recognize for what it is so we can deal with it properly.

We might buy a car and intend it to get us around and make us happy while it does so, without us having to fuss with it at all. But it needs gas, oil, maintenance, and other basic upkeep, and our preferring that it didn’t need those inconvenient and costly things won’t keep us from running out of gas or having the engine seize up in the middle of highway. It is what it is, and wishing otherwise don’t make it so.

Narcotics are great gifts to patients recovering from surgery and soldiers enduring battlefield wounds. But narcotics are killers if used merely recreationally. They are what they are, and preferring to believe that heroin isn’t addictive or that cocaine can be simply a “lifestyle enhancer” doesn’t change what narcotics inevitably, inexorably do.

Most basically, sex joins. Sex unifies. The second chapter of the Bible uses a pretty obvious metaphor for the first marriage: “the two become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Sex, that is, marries one person to another. Most cultures around the world recognize this fact (for fact it is). No matter how elaborate their wedding rituals, no matter the power of the vows they take and the pronouncements made over them, the couple isn’t truly married until they have sex. Sex joins.
What connects us therefore results in injury when we pull away, when the relationship ends. Couples don’t just “go their separate ways,” except in the sense of two parts of a fractured bone “going their separate ways.” Couples break up. They were joined, and now they’re not. And that’s trauma.

This principle explains why sex can hurt us even when it’s good, even when it’s really, really fun and exciting and mutual. I read of a man who testified that he and a girlfriend he was with for a number of months had terrific sex. But eventually they broke up and he later married someone else. He loved his wife then and loves her now, and they have several children together in a strong and happy marriage. And yet, he says, from time to time he is haunted by those memories—not just because the day-to-day, year-to-year life of marriage can’t be lived in the white heat of a brief fling or even extended courtship or you’d never get anything done around the house (!), but because that period of hot sex joined those two people in a way that simply couldn’t be easily walked away from and forgotten. Thrilling as it was then, it is a burden to him now.

Sex, therefore, is a particular kind of something, not whatever we prefer it to be. And the definition of mental health is dealing with reality properly as it is, not as we wish it were.
God tells us that sex is good and we are free to engage in it. God also tells us, however, that full-on, naked, total sex is reserved for the one relationship that is full-on, naked, and total: marriage. That’s the only context in which the mystical unitive power of sex can do its work without damage, namely, in the one relationship that is all about lifelong union.
Having sexual intercourse outside marriage, therefore, is like misusing Crazy Glue. You’re not supposed to pull apart what you’ve bonded together, and when you do, damage inevitably results.

The “sex only in marriage” rule isn’t, therefore, some weird, totally arbitrary rule God made up just so we’d have something to practice self-control on. No, it’s a frank statement of the way things are: the way we are and the way sex is. We ignore it or flout it in the same stupid way in which we ignore our car’s owner’s manual or flout our physician’s advice. We’re free to do it, of course, and we’re free to suffer the consequences.

Lots of questions about this important and complicated area remain, of course. I don’t pretend to have said all that needs to be said. And have I always practiced what I preach? No, alas, I’m a sinner, too.

But it seems to me that we do well to start here, at the most basic level of definition. Sex is a good thing. Amen! But it is a particular thing, not just whatever we want it to be. And we will enjoy it and benefit from it best if we both make the effort to understand it and then make the effort to use it properly.
That sounds awfully serious and adult and responsible, doesn’t it?
You got that right.

- Professor John Stackhouse

Ahem, don't mind me. Shoo 'under-agies'. Felt prompted to post this.

2:32 PM

Monday, March 17, 2008

Birthdays!

Happy Birthday Yan and TM!

' Who-to-cut-the-cake project.'

K la, together...

Just look at how the gifts are lavished on her...

From eye cream

To more gifts

To Creative Stone

To beautiful bag. Ahahahaaa! With price tag. Wahhahahaa! Blur me!

That's all for the 21st, leaving us with a happy and contented Birthday Princess.

There will definitely be many many many more years of Birthdays celebrate together.

This friendship is definitely blessed. =)

Next, Happy Birthday Mama!

(Yan, take a good look at my siblings. It's been a loooong time huh, Hee)

We had our dinner celebration at Ichiban.

Starting off...

'What to eat?'

' Tempura looks good.'

'Hehehe.'

'What to eat? Everything looks delicious.'

'Hurry up la... I'm starving!'

Still can't decide. Hai. I think we took about... what! 30 minutes to decide! Argh!

Tada! Finally!

'Yum yum'

'Oiiiiishiiiiiiiiiiiiii!'

Yea! Phew! Finally! All the photos are up!

God, I thank You for this period of Birthday celebrations. It's provides a great opportunity to grow closer. Closer to my family and friends. Bless Mama and Yan. Amen.

9:55 AM