where's funny when i need him?

Sayings:

"Your future is so bright that you have to wear shades" - Pastor Lance

"We like sitting in the dark *pause* erm, like mushrooms" - My colleague on why she and the others in that particular office looked like they were not in as the door was closed and the lights were off...it tends to be like that everyday

"I'm not a locker!" - Another colleague on why we should send some random belongings delivered to our office (as they were found in a room downstairs) to the Lost Property section a decent walk away instead of waiting for the owner to collect them as they have been sitting on the sidetable for about a month.

June 2007 Addition: "Eh! I like your recycled skirt!" - A geeky gay guy who works in the same building says to my colleague who is wearing a rather pricey black skirt that has embroidery which has been purposely left in a way that it causes frays at the edges and lets the thread hang out from the sewn-in designs. We had a good laugh at his honest remark

"You don't know your zeros" - Chia Yen in primary school when a girl insisted on the dearness of the price of an electone

A giant biscuit

"Bring a biscuit" - A fellow church member's honest response to the question on how to build trust

"Always right! Why? Because it's not wrong!" - My corny answer to a friend's dilemna on which direction to take in life (shall I turn right or left?) Yes, shoot me now...

Gosh, how many of these I would be able to collate if only I did not have the memory of a prawn and actually bothered to record them down as well

Is my blog beginning to be rated most boring? Well I like it and if I'm dull, I'm dull. I just squashed a bug that was walking across my table

So let's talk about prawns

I was making a glass of cordial with soda water and noticed a bag of bagels that looked rotten and realised they're blueberry hence the odd colour

The bag says "If it's not boiled, it's not a bagel" I never knew bagels were made from boiled dough...why all this time of missing out on knowing such an important little piece of information, imagine that!

So let's talk about prawns (ok, in the next entry...now I sleep)

humble me please!

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Phil 2: 5-8

God must increase and I must decrease...I need to be humbled for my pride has been my greatest downfall. I thank God for being so full of grace towards my many failings; towards the many times I have wilfully turned against Him and walked my own way, only to discover I have been destroying myself. His love is indeed incomprehensible and immeasurable and I am grateful for that. So often have I not given God the glory but instead judged and criticised and even blamed out of my own pride and folly. My standards are no where in comparison to God's perfect and holy thoughts and ways. To His great Majesty

the least likely temptation

Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom —1 Kings 2:28

Joab withstood the greatest test of his life, remaining absolutely loyal to David by not turning to follow after the fascinating and ambitious Absalom. Yet toward the end of his life he turned to follow after the weak and cowardly Adonijah. Always remain alert to the fact that where one person has turned back is exactly where anyone may be tempted to turn back (1 Corinthians 10: 11-13 ).

You may have just victoriously gone through a great crisis, but now be alert about the things that may appear to be the least likely to tempt you. Beware of thinking that the areas of your life where you have experienced victory in the past are now the least likely to cause you to stumble and fall.

We are apt to say, "It is not at all likely that having been through the greatest crisis of my life I would now turn back to the things of the world." Do not try to predict where the temptation will come; it is the least likely thing that is the real danger. It is in the aftermath of a great spiritual event that the least likely things begin to have an effect. They may not be forceful and dominant, but they are there. And if you are not careful to be forewarned, they will trip you. You have remained true to God under great and intense trials— now beware of the undercurrent. Do not be abnormally examining your inner self, looking forward with dread, but stay alert; keep your memory sharp before God. Unguarded strength is actually a double weakness, because that is where the least likely temptations will be effective in sapping strength. The Bible characters stumbled over their strong points, never their weak ones.

". . . kept by the power of God . . ."— that is the only safety. ( 1 Peter 1: 5 ).

do you worship the work?

We are God’s fellow workers . . . —1 Corinthians 3:9

Beware of any work for God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him. A great number of Christian workers worship their work. The only concern of Christian workers should be their concentration on God. This will mean that all the other boundaries of life, whether they are mental, moral, or spiritual limits, are completely free with the freedom God gives His child; that is, a worshiping child, not a wayward one. A worker who lacks this serious controlling emphasis of concentration on God is apt to become overly burdened by his work. He is a slave to his own limits, having no freedom of his body, mind, or spirit. Consequently, he becomes burned out and defeated. There is no freedom and no delight in life at all. His nerves, mind, and heart are so overwhelmed that God’s blessing cannot rest on him.

But the opposite case is equally true--once our concentration is on God, all the limits of our life are free and under the control and mastery of God alone. There is no longer any responsibility on you for the work. The only responsibility you have is to stay in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him. The freedom that comes after sanctification is the freedom of a child, and the things that used to hold your life down are gone. But be careful to remember that you have been freed for only one thing--to be absolutely devoted to your co-Worker.

We have no right to decide where we should be placed, or to have preconceived ideas as to what God is preparing us to do. God engineers everything; and wherever He places us, our one supreme goal should be to pour out our lives in wholehearted devotion to Him in that particular work. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might . . ." (Ecclesiastes 9:10 ).

A SIMPLE INSPIRATION

The True Heroes in this world are not ones who fly around in capes and possess supernatural powers. They are merely ordinary men and women, who unreservingly commit their lives, possessions and capabilities, for the greater good of others out of Genuine Love. True Hero is Love Himself.

not alone

"Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him." 1 Kings 19: 18

So often we think we are the only one who face a certain struggle...part of me still believes that I am the only one who suffers to the extent that I do from my phobia of the falling sensation...but then I realise I have made it bigger over the years due to negative past experiences and though it can be very uncomfortable in reality, I have indeed given it more credit than it is due and have psychologically elevated its authority over me, when it should have none. Anyhow, I can be like Elijah who often fell into depression and over-generalised and magnified his situation and challenges over God and so I remembered this verse when Caitlyn (thank you my dear!) left her comment with regards to understanding my fears. I am now claiming that yes I am not alone and am thankful for people who can relate and together we shall overcome this with God!

thanksgiving

"I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter His courts with praise, I will say this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice for He has made me glad; I will rejoice for He has made me glad..." Lyrics to a song I used to sing in Sunday School. I remembered it on the plane to Melbourne as my partner handed me a book - "Here, read this, I have just finished it; it's really good...I've learnt from it and am putting it into practice...it has changed the way I view praising God and the way I actually praise Him..." The book is titled The Great Connection and I do recommend it. By the way, the song reflects the first step of entering into God's presence. We start with thanksgiving and praise to go from the outer courts to the inner and then the Holy of Holies.

I'll share more on the book at a later time. What I want to thank God for, amongst other things, is His healing. I sprained my ankle the day before the convention and it was throbbing throughout the afternoon after I had hurt it sprinting down a corridor at work, and even bothered me that night. But I committed my left foot to God and asked that it be totally healed by the morning, ready for me to set off for Melbourned and be able to jump and praise Him. And indeed, by God's grace it really was fine that next morning! Yay!

Also, I have always had a rather paralysing phobia of falling sensations. There was a point in time on the plane where we hit a bit of turbulence and the plane was threatening to do it's up and down motion (which I unfortunately have always hated having been negatively affected by it since an early age) so I sang praise songs in my heart while reading the book and told God that I would not let Satan freak me out all the time and take my faith away. Well, thank God for I was perfectly fine and at the point where I thought it was about to get bad, I said firmly in my heart, "No Satan, you have no hold over me! God, I will not let Him do this to me again. Steady my heart Lord!" and then the plane kind of jerked and we landed! Haha! In fact, from the time we took off, God reminded me that His hand was on my plane and that He would not let me be hurt in anyway and I pictured Him enveloping the vessel I was seated in and guiding it through the sky to erraticly weathered Melbourne.

I even managed to convince myself to take a step of faith to going onto the giant swing where you can strapped into a harness, fitted onto a rope, pulled way up into the sky to then be dropped and swung from side to side once you yank on a string attachng both sides. Although I did not get to go on it in the end as they had to close the swing for dinner, I know in my heart that I can do it! I can do it because God is above my irrational fears that I have allowed to wage war within my little head. So amusement park rides make me super uncomfortable, as do other things like boats that can create up and down motions and falling sensations but at the end of the day, these things cannot hurt me unless I let them and I have let them for long enough. God has given me a spirit of power, of love and a sound mind. Not timidity! I can do this through Him who gives me strength - Him who lives in me and is greater than he that is in the world!

restoration

Before and during the convention, God reminded me of the passage in Isaiah 43: 18-19 that says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." During the convention, God also showed me a series of random images that had a common theme. They all spoke of restoration and growth...the pictures were of things such as a green vine, green peas in a pod, a hand with a green seedling growing. This message of restoration was later confirmed by a friend attending the convention, though I had not mentioned any of this to a single soul. She just happened to share that she felt God had been speaking to her about restoring the people in our care group. How awesome is the love and grace of God!

Years ago God spoke, through someone who prayed for me at an altar call not knowing why I was there or what I was going through, about restoration to come. The vision the person saw concerning me was a dry and weary land, parched and dead. A land that then became slowly renewed to have life again as God touched it and worked in it. God's promises always come to pass...the only thing is we may fail to experience them if we reject Him in some way. His love for us is like the oceans, deeper than endless seas.

God loves His girls!

"God will take care of every detail of your life" - this statement by Monet Jacks struck a deep chord within me and brought pain to the surface presented in a steady flow of tears. I know and have experienced God's love and yet have doubted and feared. Hearing this was another assurance. A quiet challenge to let go of everything I have ever held onto and still do so that He may look after them as my ability to do so is so limited - my family, my friends...all I love and cherish; my comforts and securities. Stir it up in my heart, Lord, a passion for You as in the song below.

Oh Your hands are upon me, You died to set me free. So I'll worship You, for You have made me, for You have saved me. So I'll praise Your name, for You are holy, You're my Almighty. I long to be like You, long to be worthy, Lord come and change me. May I give my life to You, ever so freely, so You may use me. Let there be no fear, I come unashamedly, no more restrain in me.

We are each the apple of God's eyes, no one is loved or favoured more than the other. Only He can love in such a perfect way. God's thoughts and ways are higher and that is a wonderful thing.

Consuming Fire - Hillsong United

Verse 1
There must be more than this
O breath of God come breathe within
There must be more than this
Spirit of God we (I) wait for You

Pre-Chorus 1
Fill us (me) anew we (I) pray
Fill us (me) anew we (I) pray

Chorus
Consuming fire fan into flame
A passion for Your Name
Spirit of God fall in this place
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way with us (me)

Verse 2
Come like a rushing wind
Clothe us (me) with power from on high
Now set the captives free
Leave us (me) abandoned to Your praise

Pre-Chorus 2
Lord let Your glory fall
Lord let Your glory fall

Bridge
Stir it up in our (my) hearts Lord
Stir it up in our (my) hearts Lord
Stir it up in our (my) hearts Lord
A passion for Your Name

The joys of old friends

And new ones made

OC07

Melbourne, here I come! Woo Hoo! Stay tuned for photos people! Yay Yay Yay!! *Doing a little dance* Still won't get to see the penguins though...sigh, after all these years of going to Philip Island...maybe can sneak out of the campsite during the break and con someone into driving us there! But yeah, usually the Hope Oceania Church Convention is packed with fun stuff and then we get lazy and by the time all is over we get out of the island by the shuttle bus and goodbye miniature penguins once again. One day...one day...must be determined to materialise all my "one days"!

Melbourne City: Sights and Sounds

the cross

Lately God has been reminding me again of how He demonstrated His love through sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross for us, for me. If you ever get the chance to, listen to the song "Why" by Nicole Nordeman. So many times I have asked why it could not have been some other way but the thing is God has shown the deepest purest love through paying the ultimate price - through the greatest sacrifice. Maybe we think it's only His life; people have laid down their lives for their loved ones. But we will never truly understand how much it cost to see our sins upon that cross. Not only was it the most horrific, excruciating, humiliating death that was dragged out through brutality and gruesome cruelty, but Jesus had to experience separation from God to save us once and for all. What is this separation? Jesus experienced hell for us. People joke about going to hell, others talk of entering it as if it were just a grocery store next door. But how many of us realise what being there means? Am I not grateful? Does it really require vivid, blunt pictures to help me recall what God has done for me? Why do I keep willfully living life my own way?

I need to grow in my convictions. I need to be disciplined. I was just thinking to myself that I have such a pathetic tolerance to physical pain...how would I ever survive if I had to endure any form of real pain, be it through sickness, calamity (such as a cyclone or tsunami), accidents, torture or deliberate harm from others? I could never compensate for what Jesus has done and I thank God that He does not seek compensation for He knows it is impossible otherwise His very act would be redundant, but my prayer is that God will help me live a life that pleases Him...my prayer is that I will fear Him and not men or painful situations that may come my way.

Forgiveness is sweet

Reconciliation is such a comforting thing. Thank God for His grace when I am too proud to say sorry yet thank God even more for pressing me to be humbled, forgive and let go. What a relief! Now I can go to the Church Convention in peace. Happy Sigh...

If God, being God could bring Himself to my level to die for me. If God can forgive my sins against Him who is perfectly holy, who am I to hold onto my rage, to my resentment and nonsensical "justifications" of why I am in the right and of why the other person does not deserve a good thing? Truly, who am I, and yet He loves me.

One of my favourite songs: Who Am I? by Casting Crowns

Live version (meet the band)

Would love to have this sung at my wedding!

"Jiggedy" (pronounced jig-a-dee)

My colleague's word for the day...handy in describing the photocopying machine that was manifesting tantrums and other such related matters. I would say I was feeling rather jiggedy myself. It all started out fine...I went to work with a reasonable level of joy and determination to get through the day positively. Work was slow, which was a good thing but my achy body, drowsiness and dry eyes started to get to me somewhat. Plus the colleague who works out in the front office with me was at training for half of the day, adding to the stagnant atmosphere.

Then I received an email from someone very dear to me...an email that put my faith on the line. God challenged this person today by asking them a question that got the person thinking about how much they really trust God with every single little part of their lives. It was a short and simple yet thought provoking question . Although this person, upon quiet reflection and contemplation, then renewed their faith in God, what they shared scared me. I turned to God and demanded to know why He had posed such a question. I recalled an article I read about a horrific accident that happened to a young Christian named Brian and wondered if God was preparing us for something ahead. I had to hide in the toilet to release a few tears that snuck out. I told God I was afraid, afriad of what could come.

I think God was looking to see if I'd trust Him myself. Something inside me piped up to point out that this thing God mentioned in His question may never occur. It could really have just been a "what if" question God gave to move the person into deeper faith. The little voice reminded me that He never instills irrational fear within His people. So maybe things I have read, heard, seen and experienced are to prepare me for life ahead, like warnings in the Bible. It isn't wrong to ponder over how we would respond and manage if our world comes crashing down in some form or another. But to become paranoid, neurotic, obsessed, paralysed are never God's intentions. Never!

Was a bit hard to talk myself through this...revisited old fears and reacted as my old self again. The thing is, I'm not doing this alone. God loves us and wants the best for us and that isn't a cliche or a mantra we recite as delusional beings in a self-destructive world. There are many things I cannot understand or reconcile about God but He has been faithful and I cannot deny that. My battles with Him will probably continue for a while yet it is up to me ultimately if I will discipline my mind to take on His perspective or if I will continue to dwell in negative thinking and drown in insecurity and fear.

"...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have leared or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you" Philippians 4: 8

God is my strength and my song, my ever present help in times of trouble - I truly want to believe in this fact. He has sustained me and given me peace in place of terror and once again I shall rest in assurance.

no april fool's joke

I went down for prayer tonight after the service. The person who prayed for me didn't enquire of the reason I was there. She prayed and then told me that what she felt very strongly was God reassuring me of His call over my life. The word was that God wanted to encourage me to not give in to situations and give up but to look to Him instead of to the right and left so I will not be swayed and overwhelmed. There was no specific call stated, just a firm reinforcement that He has called me to rise up and lead in His house. That I ought to continue in what I am doing and commit all my ways to Him that He may work in and through my life to accomplish His wondrous and perfect plans, plans to prosper His people and give us hope and a future. 2 Peter 1: 3-11: making one's calling and election sure

Are You Listening to God?

"They said to Moses, 'You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die'" Exodus 20:19

We don’t consciously and deliberately disobey God— we simply don’t listen to Him. God has given His commands to us, but we pay no attention to them— not because of wilful disobedience, but because we do not truly love and respect Him. "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Once we realize we have constantly been showing disrespect to God, we will be filled with shame and humiliation for ignoring Him.

"You speak with us, . . . but let not God speak with us . . . ." We show how little love we have for God by preferring to listen to His servants rather than to Him. We like to listen to personal testimonies, but we don’t want God Himself to speak to us. Why are we so terrified for God to speak to us? It is because we know that when God speaks we must either do what He asks or tell Him we will not obey. But if it is simply one of God’s servants speaking to us, we feel obedience is optional, not imperative. We respond by saying, "Well, that’s only your own idea, even though I don’t deny that what you said is probably God’s truth."

Am I constantly humiliating God by ignoring Him, while He lovingly continues to treat me as His child? Once I finally do hear Him, the humiliation I have heaped on Him returns to me. My response then becomes, "Lord, why was I so insensitive and obstinate?" This is always the result once we hear God. But our real delight in finally hearing Him is tempered with the shame we feel for having taken so long to do so.

Oswald Chambers

"Author's Attic"

Devotions by Elisabeth Elliot

Saving Ourselves

Today I was tempted in a new way (the Tempter has a bag of many tricks) to "save" myself. This time it involved a matter of "face." The Lord reminded me that I should let it go. We are always trying to save ourselves in one way or another. It is impossible, except on the terms Jesus gave the disciples: let yourself be lost (Mt 16:25 NEB). It was the only way Jesus could save the world, though the people challenged Him to save Himself. "Himself He cannot save"(Mk 15:31 AV) was what they said, uttering an eternal principle far deeper than they had any idea of. It is true for us as well. If we are going to obey the will of the Father, we cannot save ourselves. We must give ourselves up, be lost--then, and only then, will we "find" ourselves.