We hate homework!

Often when we are going through difficulties in life, it is much like how we felt when we were young children back in school, when our parents would nag us about our results, give us more assessment exercises to do everyday and send us to extra tuition classes. Back then, because we did not understand the purposes behind it, we whinged about how shitty our parents were and how they enjoyed making our lives difficult. About why, on a sunny afternoon, we had to stay indoors working on mathematics instead of splashing about in the pool.

Then most of us grew up, and realised that while we thought it was all crap back then, our parents felt duty-bound to impart those lessons to us. They didn't enjoy it I'm sure. For the hours I spent studying, my mother definitely did not relax with a cold beer at the poolside. Rather, mom spent her days off work sitting beside us, helping us with our problem sums and spelling tests.

Our parents were molding us, educating us so that we would grow to become who we are today. Now we are able to see the bigger picture, we appreciate it.

We can very much learn from that and not complain every time we find ourselves in a valley. Rather, rejoice in the suffering, because in that season, we are being prepared, molded like silver in the Refiner's fire. While it hurts us, God feels the hurt too.

Romans 5:3-4 says "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance , character; and character, hope."


Random thought: God is truly good to us. Amazingly patient! Even when times are bad and we whinge and whine non-stop He still doesn't strike us dead after our incessant complaints.

Concrete Angel

She walks to school with the lunch she packed
Nobody knows what she's holdin' back
Wearin the same dress she wore yesterday
She hides the bruises with linen and lace

The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask
Its hard to see the pain behind the mask
Bearing the burden of a secret storm
Sometimes she wishes she was never born

Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel

Somebody cries in the middle of the night
The neighbors hear, but they turn out the lights
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate
When morning comes it'll be too late

Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel

A statue stands in a shaded place
An angel girl with an upturned face
A name is written on a polished rock
A broken heart that the world forgot

Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel
- Martina McBride

Oh God, this hit too close to home.

The Via Dolorosa

An extremely talented lad, D.S, wrote this for the Easter Service earlier this year. When the pastor read it out, it completely floored me.

The Via Dolorosa

The way of suffering; The Via Dolorosa
On which His feet did tread
And marked the place these wayward sinners
Would choose to have Him dead
Could we bear to have it trampled and overrun,
Abandoned holy ground?
But through the rocky pilgrim road
Is life eternal found.

Hear their jeer, their mockery
The contentious screams of distaste
They would rather live with Barabbas
Than let the punishment go to waste
My Lord, You would say nothing at all
When they picked Your fate to die
You refused hasty retaliation
Even while they shouted, “crucify!”

Uncivil and brusque, they beat Him
Stripped from His garments; with no more pride
A thorny headpiece that’s fit for a king
But He had nothing to hide
They flogged him, beat him, struck him down,
Even to spitting they would resort
“Hail, king of the Jews,”
they said
Yet He presented no retort

Did You count the steps on that road?
On that rocky trail uphill
While their taunts and words came like arrows
What was it that kept you still?
They who threw their insults at you
With faces soaked in hate
As compared to the cross on your back
Which held the greater weight?

For the hurt lay not in the cross itself
But rather the journey there
The reaching yet never arriving
Never knowing when or where
He soon approached Golgotha
Which they called the “Skull Place”
Jesus was still but fully man
The look of death on his face

So they had You strewn over the cross
And before placing it high above
Drove nine inches of rusty iron
Through the hands and feet of Love
You cried out, “It was not my choice”
“For this course to undertake”
“The spirit is willing, but my body is weak”
“But God, why did you forsake?”

Wherefore His grace and mercy flowed?
Could I ever comprehend?
From such as the heavens above,
His son Jesus, to us He did send
An unparalleled being, the holy of holies
An extraordinary entity
The lord of the universe here on earth
Nailed now to a tree

Had You not held back, had You not stayed
These insolent beings you could smite
But your spirit adamant, with mind resolved,
And your heart was so contrite
You spoke, “Forgive them father
They know not what they do”
All but one soldier failed to realize,
Surely the Son of God was You

The way of suffering; The Via Dolorosa
On which His feet did tread
And marked the place these wayward sinners
Would choose to have Him dead
Could we bear to have it trampled and overrun,
Abandoned holy ground?
But through Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God
Is life eternal found.

Lifehouse - Everything skit

We tried doing this earlier a few months ago in church and while it was good, it seemed like something was just missing.

Every time I watch this, tears come to my eyes.

Lord, You're all I want, You're all I need. You're everything!

V

Hey V,

God will not put you through that of which you cannot bear,
and for every season, there's a reason.

and when you need a listening ear, we'll be here.

xoxo.

Cardboard Testimonies

I've watched this several times and every single time, I have tears in my eyes.

I need to stop...

I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing. I need to stop cussing.

Jesus Take the Wheel

She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati
On a snow white Christmas Eve
Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy with the baby in the backseat
Fifty miles to go and she was running low on faith and gasoline
It'd been a long hard year
She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention
she was going way too fast
Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass
She saw both their lives flash before her eyes
She didn't even have time to cry
She was sooo scared
She threw her hands up in the air

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel

It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder
And the car came to a stop
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock
And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on

Ooh, Jesus take the wheel
Ooh, I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
From this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel
Ooh, take it, take it from me
Ooh ooh wah ah ooh ooh ooh
- Carrie Underwood

I love this song!

Paradise

This morning, I woke up with one word clinging to the seat of my lips. Paradise.

Instantaneously, I thought about Jesus Christ. I think its so amazing how my mind now automatically associates "Paradise" and "Jesus Christ", just like in those word association games. God changed the way it works! In the past I think I would have gone "Paradise? Phuket!"

Then I thought to myself, how cool it would be to be in paradise with Jesus. How easy it would be to just give up everything here to be with Him, how much that would rock. I thought about the most beautiful beaches on earth, I thought about the most wonderous animals, captivating sights and sounds, delicious smells and tastes that we have on earth and thought "nah, its nothing in comparison to what is waiting for me in Heaven."

And I can't wait to get to heaven! To be with Him.

But then I realised that when I met with God in paradise, I wanted to be able to say that I had lived my life well and fulfilled His purpose for me. Until then, I'll be here.

Father, please continue to reveal to me the purpose that you have intended for me. My Lord please fill me with wisdom and discernment to know what it is, please fill me with the strength and courage to obey, whatever it may be, and I pray that you continue to guide my hand in all that I do.

Father, I can't wait to see you at the end of this road. Papa, I will try to make you proud. I love you Lord.

Like a hammer on the head

I am the sort of girl that has her life planned out in five-year blocks.

Obviously, plans have been tweaked to accommodate life's hiccups along the way, but I've pretty much scored all the targeted goals since I first sat down a decade ago and decided what I wanted to do with my life a decade ago.

It only just hit me that for the first time, ever, I have no plans for my life after October.

But the Lord does, and that's all that matters.