Monday, November 28, 2011

Fashion Week is over..now it's Advent

Fashion week is finally over..at least in my city
All the glitz and glam
All the social networking
All the beautiful and eccentric creations
I can't help but praise God for all the lovely designs..after all, He's the ultimate Fashion Designer. He is after all the first to cloth mankind with leaves..remember Adam and Eve?
Although I must say there are still many obscene and offensive designs during Fashion Week..God, forgive them for they know not what they are doing...

Well, well..it is finally Advent..
How are you preparing for the coming Christmas?
Would you be so caught up in gifts, food and celebrations that you would forget to spend quality time with our beloved Lord?

Advent is a precious season to contemplate and enjoy while waiting for Christmas to come..
Look beyond the glitz and festive celebrations, all the merry-making and parties but look inward towards that holy, sacred sanctuary that the spirit of God will want to dwell..

Here's wishing you a holy, fruitful and wonderful Advent!
God loves you !

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Christmas Dreams over Headaches

Headache splints every second,
Traffic bustling like mad horses,
Christmas songs jingles to my brain,
Rubbing on the nostalgic holiday memoirs,
Raining non stop like heaven's crying,
Hoping they are tears of joy instead

My head is spinning with endless tasks,
Official and non-official with neverending lists,
A waiver of magic wand I hope to get,
A whimsical dream of reverie unannounced,
Fantasies only to soothe my ringing bells,
In my brain they continue to juggle and dance

Christmas is indeed coming very soon,
A glimmer of hope of a mountain of ashes,
Piles of to-dos overflowing from Santa's bag,
Goodies, puddings, candies, presents, carols,
Most of all a serene night with loved ones
Alas to still my raging headstorms
Definitely way better than Panadols Hoping Santa will drop by this Christmas ;)

Monday, November 14, 2011

Lover of My Soul

There is only one person who truly loves your soul, even more than you do..
That's God.
In fact, the only thing that matters is your soul..
Your flesh may die but your soul lives forever

John of the Cross said,"If you are seeking after God, you may be sure of this:
God is seeking you much more. He is the Lover, and you are His beloved.
He has promised Himself to you."

"You are in the Beloved...therefore infinitely dear to the Father,
Unspeakably precious to Him. You are never, not for one second alone." - Norman Dowty.

Take time to seek Him and spend quiet times with God. Nothing matters more than being with
Your Father; feeding your soul communing with Him.

'Time passed in silence with God is time spent growing in relationship with Him.
And time spent letting His love flow through you to others is an investment in eternity." - Amy and Judge Reinhold

Do the things that matter.
May God, the lover of our souls bless ya!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

What do you do with Your Talents?

Many of us are blessed with so many talents and gifts in life. Some more and some less..
Regardless of how many we have, what do we do about it?
Do we even recognize it?

What are the talents that you have that will bring you closer to God? What are the talents that you have that will bring God's love to the community around you? Are you clueless?
Think, ponder and use it.

The talents that are given to you are not for your own pleasure. It is meant to give life to others. Helping others, reaching out to others, creating beautiful gifts to others to remind them of God's beauty.

That is not all. Your very life is a mirror of God.
The faith  that you carry. The words that you use. All these are talents.
The love you put in the little things that you do.

Some of us have the gift of speech. Evangelize. Speak words of comfort to a distressed soul.
Some of us have the gift of singing. Sing for your choir. Glorify God with your beautiful voice.

Some of us may think we do not have talents. That is SO UNTRUE!
Each of us is given our 5 senses and maybe less for some. Use them. We can pray for the those who are going through tough times. All of us need intercessors. If you're a student staying with your family, you can help your mother to cook and clean to lessen her burdens.
There are so many things that you can do.

Most of all, do them with Love and be faithful in the little things. As quoted by the late Mother Teresa,

"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies."

Won't you want the Lord to say to you at the end of the day when you finally meet Him,

‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Read Matthew 25:14 - 30.

Here is a good commentary based on this parable. Below is the link.

http://afriarslife.blogspot.com/2011/11/use-it-or-lose-it.html

God bless you and may He enlarge your territories and multiply your talents!

A Tribute to Gabrielle Coco Chanel

Les Amants de demain,
Edith Piaf jazzy voice playing,
On my lap sits a breaking book,
That of a woman behind a great legend
Possibly crossed paths with Edith Piaf

Gabrielle Chanel was a gift to a peasant family,
No royal blood nor extraordinaire genes,
She lost her dear mother at a tender age,
Her tiny broken heart slashed even longer,
As her father left her to an orphanage

She left the guardian of her caring nuns,
Vigorously working and sewing with passion,
Dappled in singing and nicknamed Coco,
She met the flamboyant dashing Etienne,
A mistress she became but unlike any other,
She knew her passion lies elsewhere

Many a dozen gorgeous hats she invented,
The work of her hands exuded pure creativity,
An artisan unlike the designers of her time,
Driven both by feminism and brokenness
She chose not to be dictated by men
Designing clothes to liberate women

Encouraged by charming Boy Capel,
Etienne's friend but turned Gabrielle's lover,
She poured her heart into her creations
Her inventions and romance blossomed
Boy Capel became the love of her life

Inspiration from her humble origins,
Motivations to rise beyond the heirs of luxury
An inventor she was to first use jersey
Discarding corsets and restricted clothes
Practicality and comfort she introduced

She soared as a woman of freedom,
Her success flourished even amongst men,
Intimidation yet admiration from them
A genius to fuse menswear into womenswear,
A call none would have dared to attempt

A rising star in the eyes of many,
Her unmended heart pierced without ending,
Boy Capel married an aristocrat beauty,
Still she clung on whatever's left of his affections,
Till the day he met an accident and parted for good

Gone was the great love of her life,
She plunged her sorrows into a cocoon,
A cocoon she built with her whole being,
Heart, body and soul she dived endlessly,
Dressing women she made her first priority

A grand butterfly her cocoon became,
Mirrored staircases as her beautiful wings,
Chanel No 5 parfum her intricate antennas
A couture house her garden to roam and fly
She took flight in the world of fashion

Tirelessly she toiled neverending hours
Impeccable taste and surprising luxury
She broke every rule known to fashion
A genius from every sense of couturiers
The work of her hands the mention of all

An easy escape from her lifelong pain
A mask she created to hide the little girl
Abandoned by those she loved most
Expressions of her life flowed into her hands
Forming a legacy now known as Chanel

A sad tale though her life seemed to had woven,
Her surviving spirit was what filled me with awe,
Neverending passion fighting for what she believed,
Creating what most would have never dreamt of,
We owe her more than just clothes and fashion



p/s: I would like to pay tribute to Gabrielle Coco Chanel not just for changing the way women dressed and her endless contributions to fashion and women's rights' movement (through fashion) but for her passion in the work of her hands..never giving up till her last breath. Look beyond her many misdeeds, my heart goes out to the broken little girl in her and may her soul rests in peace where it never did in this world

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Alone with none but thee, O God

Alone with none but thee, my God,
I journey on my way.
What need I fear when thou art near,
O King of night and day?
More safe am I within thy hand
than if a host should round me stand.

My destined time is known to thee,
and death will keep his hour;
did warriors strong around me throng,
they could not stay his power:
no walls of stone can man defend
when thou thy messenger dost send.

My life I yield to thy decree,
and bow to thy control
in peaceful calm, for from thine arm
no power can wrest my soul.
Could earthly omens e'er appal
a man that heeds the heavenly call?

The child of God can fear no ill,
his chosen dread no foe;
we leave our fate with thee, and wait
thy bidding when to go.
'Tis not from chance our comfort springs.
thou art our trust, O King of kings.



Words: Attributed to Columba (521-597);
translator unknown; text in The Hymnbook, 1971



Ancient it is,
but this hymn remains one of my favourite,
Although an old hymn, it still rings true to us of our fate,
Those of us who calls God Abba,
Although we feel alone and probably none walks with us on the path that God has chosen for us, we need not fear or dread our future for God is with us. He holds us by our hands and we need only to trust Him like a little child clinging on to his father's hands.
You know how it was said that Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away
It must be true also to those words and lyrics inspired by the Holy Spirit..
Just like this hymn that has been written long before you and I was born..
But today we still read the words if not sing it
And it still speaks of a prayer many of us embed in our hearts but unable to express
Thank you Lord for your writers, singers and lyricists

God is always with us

You shall cross the barren desert, but you shall not die of thirst. You shall wander far in safety though you do not know the way. You shall speak your words in foreign lands and all will understand. You shall see the face of God and live.


These are few of the verses from my favourite song, Be Not Afraid.

Many are the persecutions and unseen spiritual warfares that we have to face each day but we need not be afraid.
God is always with us.
He will never fail us.
He will never forsake us.

You may think you're going through all these persecutions alone but you're not.
The heavenly saints and angels are cheering you on.
Many prayer warriors are with you in this world though you do not know them.
So do not give up the fight.
You are not alone.
God loves you very much.
God is always with us.

Be Not Afraid.

Monday, November 7, 2011

A Goodnight Prayer

We praise you, Father for your gift
Of dusk and nightfall over earth,
Foreshadowing the mystery
Of Death that leads to endless day.

Within your hands we rest secure;
In quiet sleep our strength renew;
Yet give your people hearts that wake
In love to you, unsleeping Lord.

Your glory may we ever seek
In rest, as in activity,
Until its fulness is revealed,
O Source of life, O Trinity.


Some of you might have come across this beautiful ancient hymn
It's a great good night prayer
To praise Our Father and let Him watch over us as we lay down and sleep
Here's wishing you a well-rested night!
May He send His angels charge over you!

Psalms 4:8
I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
for you alone, O LORD, make me lie down in safety.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Message from Heaven..

Medjugorje Message 2 November 2011


“D⁠ear children, the Father has not left you to yourselves. Immeasurable is His love, the love that is bringing me to you, to help you to come to know Him, so that, through my Son, all of you can call Him ‘Father’ with the fullness of heart; that you can be one people in God’s family. However, my children, do not forget that you are not in this world only for yourselves, and that I am not calling you here only for your sake. Those who follow my Son think of the brother in Christ as of their very selves and they do not know selfishness. That is why I desire that you be the light of my Son. That to all those who have not come to know the Father – to all those who wander in the darkness of sin, despair, pain and loneliness – you may illuminate the way and that, with your life, you may show them the love of God. I am with you. If you open your hearts, I will lead you. Again I am calling you: pray for your shepherds. Thank you. ”

Saturday, November 5, 2011

A letter to Our Father

My dearest Father,

I’ve been so ungrateful, acting as if I am an orphan. With loving hands, you made me and with no fault of yours, I was cast into the fallen world. I have forgotten how much you paid for me to redeem me. You bought me with a price, by the precious blood of your only Son Jesus Christ. Yet I ran away again and again even after you freed me.

I chased after the world with its dreams and desires indulging in sins of the flesh. I have forgotten that I belong to you, the King of the universe. I have succumbed to the world’s lowly ways when I should be embracing your Holiness.

You love me so much and gave everything to me yet I forget that all the time and squandered the many graces you bestowed on me. I took for granted the blessings you showered upon me. I deceived myself again and again saying I am good but you know my heart. My heart is full of hypocrisy and selfishness.

I have forgotten that my real home is in heaven. I am just a pilgrim on earth yet I try to be like the rest of the world building chains on myself on the road to perdition. I am deluded by the illusions of wealth and pleasures on this earth which you clearly reminded me again and again that this kingdom on earth is not yours and that my real home is with you in heaven.

I boast in fake humility what talents and great deeds I have done but in fact, all I have comes from you. How can I self-glorify myself when indeed, the true glory belongs to you? You are the maker of all things. Without you, I am nothing. Just a speck of dust but you breathe life into me.

You love me so much that you send people and circumstances to speak to me. Yet my stubbornness and self-will is so strong that I refused to listen. Many times I put other priorities over you because I am lazy and could not be bothered. How can I be so indifferent to the love you poured on me?

I said I love you again and again but my actions speak otherwise. I ignored the cries of my neighbours of whom you have asked me to love. I brood in my self-love and vanity when I should be reaching out to others.

Yet above all these, you still love me. Nothing separates me from your love , you said.

Father, I am truly sorry. I have nothing else to say except I am sorry. Forgive me.

Love,

Your beloved child



Do you find yourself in this letter to God, our Father? Do you feel the words resemble exactly how we are? Many of us can relate to this letter. Many of us claim to love our Father in heaven but when we look closely at our lives, are we any different from the world? We are so caught up with matters of the world that we have forgotten we have been redeemed and freed from the chains of this world. We live like we are orphans when we are not. Read that letter again. Know that nothing separates you from the love of God. All He wants is a repentant heart. Draw close to Him and He will draw near to you.

God, your Father loves you so much. Jesus has prepared a place for you in heaven. Never forget that! Start living like His child!

God bless you and keep you close to Him!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Your mission

Jesus said to them again,"....As the Father has sent me, I also send you." - John 20:21
A missionary takes this verse to heart. What is a missionary?

Today I read
"A missionary is someone sent by Jesus Christ just as He was sent by God. The great controlling factor is not the needs of people. but the command of Jesus. The goal is to be true to Him - to carry out His plans."

I was just writing in my last post: http://angelina-bong.blogspot.com/2011/10/book-lover.html about missionaries that I met, those going around the world to sow seeds of hope and love.

But what about the rest of us who have 9 to 5 jobs? Those of us who have kids and are stuck at home everyday. Those of us who are handicapped and are glued to the wheelchair.
Not many people can relate to this verse.

Let me share a story about Therese of Lisieux. She never travelled anywhere but she was deemed a missionary in spirit. If you have the chance, grab a copy of her biography. Missionaries have always been traditionally known to be those who travel far especially to third world countries to spread the gospel. Many of them need help in materials, finances, kind souls and etc to helped them in their mission.Therese knew that many are in need of all these. She really had a burning desire to be a missionary. She wanted others to know Jesus and she wanted to share Jesus. However, God never called her to leave the country but instead had a different calling for her. She realised her mission in life was to pray intensely for the church and to offer up everything for that intention. Even as young as fifteen, she has heard about missions all over the world. She remembered each story and every names and would pray fervently for these missionaries.

A missionary once told me that there are not enough people praying and interceding for salvation of souls and for missions. Like Therese, You can be that missionary in spirit. Every mission needs people to pray for them.
Acts 6:3-4
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

That is not all. Think of your workplace as your mission field. You may dream of travelling to the Middle East to evangelize but due to circumstances, are unable to. Perhaps you are right where God wants you to be. Perhaps you're the only christian in your entire auditing firm. You might not be able to preach the word directly but your actions of love will show who you are to the world. Perhaps you are a housewife with two kids and could not go anywhere. That is your mission field. Educating your kids and sowing seeds of love in them. Perhaps you have neighbours who do not know God's love. That could be your mission field too.

You are needed right where you are, exactly where God sends you to be.

God bless you and your mission wherever your mission field is!


Book Lover?

Do you love books?
Do you spend hours burying yourself in books?
Do you wish for a library the size of the castle's library in the Disney animation, Beauty and the Beast?
If yes, you are just like me.

I spent my childhood days pouring myself on books. When I was seven, fears got hold of me and I would cry whenever I go to school alone. The only thing to stop me from crying was to buy me a storybook. Haha..what briberies my aunt had to go through.

I remember my delight the first time I stepped on board Doulos, the ship that 'sells' books. I remember gasping in amazement at the multitude of books. I don't remember exactly how many times I have been to that ship but definitely enough to leave a mark in my heart. I can even remember telling myself that it would be a dream job for me to work there as I can be with books all day and all night long. Well, unfortunately that never happened. I would make a bad employee anyways as I would be reading instead of arranging books. Hmmm..so it's a good thing haha

Last Sunday, I was casually asked to tag along to visit Logos Hope, another ship similar to Doulos. This time, we had a proper tour by two hosts volunteering on the ship. We had more than a tour. We met wonderful people from the ship. Young missionaries who had that sparkle in them as they spoke of their work on board.

It might look all bright and shiny like a big youth  camp everyday but they had their tough times too. One volunteer told me how he had to worked for a year just washing dishes daily. Imagine 2000 dishes a day. There are those who had to clean toilets everyday. A lot of times you have to get up early and sleep late. At times, you do not get along well with cabin mates but you have to learn to deal with that. Whoa...etc etc...

However, at the end of it all, each and everyone I met said it was well worth it..the experiences are invaluable, you make friends from all walks of life and from all corners of the world and most of all, the joy of bringing hope to people all over. If you ever travel anywhere in the world, you get a host!Thanks to them, I get cheap books too! ;) Need I say more? Planning to join? Check out
 http://www.omships.org/

Well, this ship is now sailing to Kuching. If you are in Kuching and a book lover, check it out! Logos Hope will be in Kuching starting tomorrow and the book fair will be open to public on Friday. Happy scouring the books!

Here is a picture I love of the ship taken by my dear friend, Joey.

Logos Hope taken at night by Joey Sia


Enjoy Logos Hope!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Be Still

How do you listen to God when your mind and hearts are so preoccupied with a billion things?
Come away..
Be still even if for five minutes..
Take a breather..
Away from the crowded subways..
Away from gossiping colleagues..
Away from Facebook

Be still and just be silent
Let God speak to your heart

"Jesus is always waiting for us in silence.
In that silence, He will listen to us,
There He will speak to our soul,
And there we will hear His voice" - Mother Teresa

Be still and get to Know Him

In the Silence

In the silence you wait,
Gently and patiently for her,
In the breeze that passes by,
You whisper sweet words of poetry,
Your barely there voice hums and sings,
In a notch only nightingales and owls can hear,
Your delicate tone seems so far away,
Yet noble words you shower her with,
Unlike human voice to render to her,
You speak to her heart with soft tender whispers,
So demure to touch and sooth her broken soul,
To caress the emptiness of a decaying heart,
Chained and poisoned by life's noisiness,
Your one note is like fragranted incense
Ascending to the throne of grace
You bestow her with showers of love
More precious than the gifts of the three wise men,
You call her to the deepest, most sacred sanctuary,
Far away from the world's cares and wants,
Bringing drips of honey to parched divine soul,
Clad in a garment richer than silk or velvet,
Waiting in the dark is she,
Unknowingly of a majestic persona she will encounter,
In the silence you shall meet her there


"You're my place of quiet retreat; I wait for your Word to renew me." Psalm 119:14

Friday, October 21, 2011

Dance the blues away

Behind the blurry stardom the music is spinning,
Clinking waves of fantasy through one's mind,
Being still is not an option anymore,
One is plagued by many cares and worries

Lalalaa lalaaa laalaaaaa lalalalalala,
The opera man seemed to chant over and over,
Deafening although absurdly addictive,
Chaining one's brain to captivity of the sweetest things

Curiosity will soon kill the boredom,
Yet emptiness resides in the midst of swirling rhythms,
Melancholy notes springing in the air,
Depressing yet joyously enchanting the tunes rock

Tadaaa dadaaa diiddaaa dddaaadeeeee,
Endless beats of drums and bass,
Graceful dances from piano and jazzy plays,
One could just dream the night away

Imagination presses harder than reality,
Painting away the blues and blacks,
Chirpily welcoming another world filled with rainbows
Dancing into the colours of the night

Revamp Deconstruction

Darts, pleats, pintucks, slashings,
Fabric manipulation of all sorts,
Garment reconstruction one by one,
Tearing out what's outside rebuilding a whole new look,
Torn jackets and stained white blouses,
Faded jeans and ripped sheer camisoles,
To carefully cut away what is not wanted,
To resew and reinvent what is left behind,
The mastermind Jacques Derrida would have bowed,
An approving clap from genius Alexander Mcqueen,
A blend of skills and creative mind,
Plus the brains of an architect and an engineer,
Cooking up the greatest recipe of fashion,
Take courage and go all the way,
Dare to differ and bid the norm goodbye,
Alas, deconstruction and revamption is the key to it all
All the best my fashionistas

Friday, October 14, 2011

Wait on the Lord

It has been a while since i write of the things that matter.
I have been swarmed with so many earthly cares, duties and obligations.
It is not a bad thing to be busy but when it starts distracting your spiritual life and your relationship with God, that is when all these things that seem to be so urgent are robbing you of your life.
I am so happy and thankful for time alone to rejuvenate, refresh and invigorate my soul.
How else can I live the life God wants me to unless I commune and be with Him?

Sometimes we are so overwhelmed with family, work and people around us, even church ministerial services that we forgot the one most important thing, that is spending time with God.
He is always there waiting for us.
How many of us rush through life as if someone's life depends on our urgency of doing things?
How often do we snoozed the alarm clock only to wake up late and rush to work, not hearing the wonderful chirpings of the birds and the glorious sun shining down on us?
We claim God does not exist and He does not care when we are bogged down by problems.
But how many of us actually seek Him first before we do something or stop and enjoy His creations?

Look around you. Look and observe, not just glance.
How many of us truly appreciate what has been given to us?
Look at the beautiful sunset, breathe in the fresh air and if you're in the city, look at the wonderful architecture and immense buildings..God-given talents to mankind to build and multiply.

Stop before you miss those precious moments.
Stop daydreaming and start living.

Many of us are longing for more earthly things and companions and that is normal.
However, before we jumped on the wagon from one thing to another, let us ponder and rethink.
Take a moment and really meditate..do we really need what we long for? Or are they just merely attractions that would never satisfy?

Perhaps we have been waiting so long for the perfect job or the perfect spouse or the perfect house..
Wait my dear friend..
Wait..
Most of all, wait on the Lord.

Take a moment, stop what you are doing and just be enveloped in God's presence.
When you're filled with His love, He is all you need.
And wait on Him to do the rest.

Here's an excerpt from an article I stumbled upon that explains in a sentence what it means to wait on the Lord.

"To wait on the Lord means to learn contentment with His provision and timing in any given situation through fellowship with God—knowing Him, clinging to Him, and trusting Him."

If you are tired of waiting, I encourage you to read the rest of the article at:

http://bible.org/article/waiting-lord

Why Silence?

Close as breathing you were,
Yet this time all is silence,
The craving depths of her soul,
The chaotic rhythm of her spirit,
The innermost thoughts of her heart,
You knew it all

No one could understand her like you do,
Often misunderstood,
A ball that bounces in every direction,
You follow ever so closely her every move,
In her dreams and neverending hopes,
You were a pillar that held it all together

She's a child yet an old soul,
A flaming torch lits her very being,
Her passion goes beyond earthly desires,
Vulnerable, fragile yet resilient to emotions,
You were her living water that keeps her young

Why silence?
Is it you or is it her?
Perhaps the noisiness of earthly cares deafens your sweet whispers
Her spirit is willing yet her flesh is weak

Keep knocking at the doors of her heart,
She is unaware of how much she needs you,
Her love is unrealised but you can see it all,
She cannot go on without you,
You promised
Your yoke would be easy and your burden light
She believes and she holds on to that
Be silent no more

Non abbandonare il tuo sogno

Gold, red, black, white
Splashes of paint across the pure one
Splattering ink and blotches of spray
Without thinking twice if it should be or not

Drunken with art and unconventional love,
A mist of fresh romance lingers,
Bossa nossa and trance intertwined,
Catwalking down the aisle

Was it Mondrian or was it Van Gogh?
Picasso seemed to hold hands with Bob Marley,
Yoko twirls around with Christian Dior
My precious is all he calls out

A cloud of smooth sailing confusion hangs on
While the new buds of love watch on
Eccentricities prevail over rules and regulations
Or is it a forbidden fruit that arts had dropped

A concoction of fusion and crazy blends
Even Marilyn Monroe would shake hips with Albert Einstein
Its the new season of love
A graceful yet rocky journal is about to begin
Staying true to "Non abbandonare il tuo sogno"

Thursday, October 13, 2011

A Quiet Spirit

In the quietness of the morning,
The eyes are awakened to the chirpings of the bird,
Craving solitude amidst busyness and chaos,
The heart and soul wishes to hide

The body continues to labour,
Twenty four seven spinning and twirling,
Each quiet moment is precious,
More esteemed than gold or diamonds

The soul is forced to move along,
As the body wishes to follow the world,
Yet it has its own mind,
A free spirit that only has one wish

Communion with its Maker is its sole desire,
Longing to dwell in that secret place,
Abiding in the shadow of the Mighty One,
Only then it can truly rest

A quiet and gentle spirit
The unfading beauty of being alone
The soul hungers and thirsts for it
Where flesh and heart may fail
but the soul shall have its life

Monday, October 10, 2011

Carpe Diem!

Another morning has dawned,
Is it another day chalked with endless to-do lists
Or is it going to be a different day?

Look with an open mind,
Breathe with an imaginative heart,
Love with a generous thought...

You never know if today might be a breakthrough,
You never know if today you will encounter the burning bush
You never know if today your life will meet its fate
You never know if today the star shall meet you

What are you waiting for?
Seize the day..
Carpe Diem!!

Friday, September 16, 2011

You're born for a higher calling

In the chase of money and wealth,
Toiling endlessly twenty four seven,
Gruelling the mind ignoring one's health,
Condemning the soul away from heaven

Building a tower of gold and fame,
Heaping on more cash and blings blings,
Filled with lust and greed without shame,
Slowly digging one's grave with too many fine things

Living life like a zombie with blood shot eyes,
Torturing one's soul in denying its existence,
Ignoring the soul's decaying as it gradually dies,
Separated from its core in a far distance

I pray my dear friends that you wake up and see
Open your eyes and realise your higher calling
That you're more than just money and fee
You're a royal heir and your soul needs feeding

Matt 16:19 - 20
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

Sunday, September 4, 2011

There is more that unites us than that which divides us.

It is sad that many people are divided by different beliefs, races and colours. Everywhere we go, we will meet people who are racists or tried to bash someone else because of different religions.

Yesterday I witnessed a beautiful Muslim couple from two very different continents who were joined in love through matrimony. Their wedding was a wonderful celebration of people from all races coming together as one to celebrate a joyous occasion that is united through love. They not only invited friends and family of various races, they also invited performers from different races.

Everyone had a great time. There were people from various parts of the world too; joining in this beautiful celebration of different cultures melting in the same pot. Everyone came in the name of LOVE.

Sometimes, even in the same family or worship place, people are divided and people always want to have the last say. It is not wrong to defend one's belief but do so with Respect and Love. Sometimes, due to certain doctrines or certain theological debate, people tend to overlook that maybe sometimes all it takes is to love that person first regardless of who or what he or she is. Jesus loved the adulterous woman and defended her from being stoned without first preaching to her.

I love what Patriach Bartholomew said , “Beloved friends,” he told delegates to a conference about peace, “there is more that unites us than that which divides us. We have within our grasp the vision of the Psalmist, ‘Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.’”

 Indeed..can't we all look at each other like how God looks at each of us? Good in His eyes, a child of His (meaning our brother or sister).

God loves you and bless you!

Friday, September 2, 2011

Cannot sleep??

Tossing and turning
Heat filled the air
Mosquitoes buzzing around
Random thoughts flying in the head
It is hard to sleep
Thinking of so many things
Wanting to just use a magic wand and wipe all to do lists free
Most of all worries and anxieties
And the painful memoirs of misbehavings
He said be not afraid
He said peace be with you
He said abide in me
He said I forgive you
Those soothing words
Brings back moments of truth and comforting touch
He will wipe away the tears
He will help make crosses bearable
He will make all the pain worthwhile
Life is short
Too many things to do but so little time
Yet only one thing that truly matters
Just stay with Him
Focus on Him
Sit at His feet and let Him tell you what to do next
Like Mary everytime He went to Bethany
Perhaps little or no sleep or more sleep will not make much difference for one knows that strength comes from Him
Till the day He comes for us
We shall persevere and cling unto Him
Amen

Friday, August 5, 2011

A breath of fresh air in my Cavern

The sound of the fan spinning repetitively is surprisingly soothing,
Sitting alone facing my cavern has never been so comforting,
Solitary in the midst of buzzing city life and a hectic schedule,
A part of my soul's rhythm was left wandering for ridicule

Parting with the solitude of my cave for mere busyness,
Being strapped to the worldly beats of dizziness,
Suffocated somehow feeling like a handicap,
Nothing beats a breather dropping into your lap

Coming back to my cavern to inhale some fresh air,
It's like strolling the parks of Verona with a lady so fair,
A rapture of smiles sparked the lit in my dampened mind,
Foreseeing a weekend that will flow just fine

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Coming back

Bossa Nova ringing in my ears,
Softly beating to the rhythm of the rain,
Splattering of waterdrops at the window pane,
Chasing away whatever coldness that was left

Missing solitary in this precious cavern,
Though it is only fingertips away from my grasp,
Too much agendas playing its way into my head,
My life is catapulted to an ongoing rollercoaster

The solitude of penning away is not too far,
Just a click and the need to take a breather,
Flowing graciously from my innermost being,
A sweet sensation of coming back

My cavern: you've been missed

Saturday, July 16, 2011

I am Weak but thou art Strong

I am weak but thou art strong…
That’s the very verse that gives me strength these few weeks…
Things have been kinda crazy..more like suddenly, there is so much things on my hand…
I have been rushing from one place to another and from doing one thing to another..
Things that are familiar and even plunging myself into unfamiliar territories..
Happenings that shook my pride, tested my patience, and deadlines that overwhelmed my feeble weak physical self..
I am glad God gives me strength..
More things piling on my plate..
I have tons to do but I thought I’ll take a breather in this cavern of mine...
I have deadlines to meet and if you’re one of those reading and waiting for me, I’m truly sorry..
I’ll try my best to deliver the best that I can..
I am happy to take a short breather here ..
I have missed the solitude and my poetry ‘alone’ days..
But I realised I can be solitary although surrounded by others..
However it is solitary with God that I seek..
Indeed, when my strength has left me it is God alone that I can depend on for there is no one else..
So if you’re like me, and things seem so overwhelming especially your tons of responsibilities,
Don’t run away from the Cross..
It is the Cross that will perfect and save you
The joy of the Lord shall be your strength!!

I am weak but thou art strong..
Thank you Jesus..

Sunday, July 3, 2011

My Cappuccino

Back in the hub,
Waiting for my cappuccino,
Shopping like the wind,
Grab and go my style for the day

Alas it has arrived,
My funky cappucino or so it say,
Am delighted with the taste,
For many boast but failed

Espressamente,
My second time alone,
Refreshing from the rest of cafes,
More so as it suits my taste buds

First it was focaccia di agnello,
The lovely minted roast lamb,
Perhaps now it shall be penne,
Or a date with evergreen salad

Sipping my floaty cappuccino,
One of life's simple pleasures,
A break from piling to do lists
Alas my friend is here
Ciao

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Teaching that changes lives

A poem that I wrote recently is published in a website. It is a website about teaching that changes lives. To be more precise, it is about the word of God.
I'm no theologian or master of the word..
I am a lover of the word
I am still learning and re-discovering the ancient yet timeless words that transcends time
The Word of God is amazing
Flip just a few pages of the word and you will be amazed at the treasures that you will gain
Have you forgotten your bible? Perhaps you have never even pick up one?

Start today..
The biggest misconception about the bible is that it is only for theologians or religious people..

YOU'RE WRONG
No, it is also for people like you and me, ordinary people who need God to direct our lives..
St. Jerome said "ignorance of the word (the bible) is ignorance of God"..
How else can you know God without knowing what He says to you first?

Here's the link to my first article on this website..
http://teachingthatchangeslives.com/Bible-study/Beware-of-the-Wide-Roads/

There are other more interesting stuffs available on the website as well..

This poem is also available on this blog itself at
http://angelina-bong.blogspot.com/2011/05/beware-of-wide-roads.html

Monday, June 27, 2011

You are not Alone

It could be a lonely lonely world
Alone on the bed
A frail thin blanket over a malnourished soul
Aches and pains increasing like fungi growing on a plank
A result of sleeping on an old mattress creaking over its overused state

It could be an aching aching world
Treading on the path to perfection
Reaching out a hand
Caring without limiting borders
Only to be misunderstood and ridiculed
Cold water splashed when it is least expected

It could be a void
A scarred heart never to be healed
A terrible past to haunt you forever
Like leprosy and deformity joined hands to torture you and send your soul to bottomless Sheol

Alas
An unseen hand caressed your hair
as you lie on that bed alone
The invisible fingers stroked your heart warming the chills of loneliness
The soft gentle touch held your soul in its embrace healing all the bad memoirs
Fingers intertwined and you are pushed forward
Never to look back but pulled ahead to reach your home
A cloak of love is showered on you washing away all aches and pains

In the midst of it all
A whisper that says
I understand
I was there
I was all alone
My friends left me
I walked alone to Calvary
I was forsaken
I was rejected
I was misunderstood
And now I am with you
You are in my hands
You are not alone

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Radiating Christ

I normally do not blog again right after another blog but I just read a beautiful story from a website and I know I just have to post it here.

"An American soldier fighting in WWII was captured by the Japanese and sent to a prisoner of war camp. At the same time, there was a Japanese man who was caught as a spy trying to help the Americans. He was sent to the same prison camp as the American, condemned as a traitor to his country, and placed into the same cell.  As a traitor, the Japanese man was tortured badly, much worse than the American. Everyday the guards took him out to torture him, and then threw him back into the cell. The American would do the best he could to take care of him, bandaging his wounds, sharing his food, seeing to his needs, and comforting him in any way he could. After a particularly severe torture session, it was evident that the Japanese man was going to die. The American man thought to himself, “I’ve shared everything else with this man but I haven’t shared Jesus with him.”  He bent down so as to be right next to the Japanese man and said, “I want you to know that you are dying and probably won’t last through the night, but you don’t have to be afraid if you just surrender your life to Jesus. He will give you everlasting life.” The dying man looked up into the face of the American and said, “If Jesus Christ is anything like you, I can’t wait to meet him."
This story was told by Fr. Larry Richards.
It just reminded me of how others would look at us and the first thing they noticed is how we treat them, not how we preach. Even more so if we do not act like how we preach. Many of us say one thing and the next moment, we find ourselves eating our own words. I am guilty of that as well. Many times, I am more a Pharisee than the good Samaritan and I pray you forgive me if I had behaved that way to you.

What I want to say is if we live our lives like Christ, we will be radiating Christ. At the end of the day, it is our actions that will convict others of God's love.

I would like to quote another sentence from this website:
"Let everything that you do and everybody that you meet be an encounter with God.”

That's how it should be. Let's pray that we will strive to radiate Christ to whoever we meet.

The above story and quote is taken from :

http://www.medjugorje.com/medjugorje-today/headlines/1116-i-am-here-you-decide.html

Are We Missing the Point?

Charles Haddon Spurgeon said something about God that I absolutely love!

Here are his words..

"There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in the contemplation of the divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity."

Through out the centuries, people have tried to study God and like Jeremy Myers put it in his blog, dissect and organized knowledge about God. But in doing so, are we missing the point?
Have we tried to study and understand God so much that we missed out in experiencing him? After all, if we truly are able to understand God, He would'nt be God anymore would He?
They say seeing is believing but God says blessed are those who do not see and yet believe.
Are we trying so hard to understand God that we missed out on following and believing Him just as He tells us to? Be like a little child, holding His hands and trusting Him, following Him even when we cannot see. That's why Jesus says the kingdom of heaven belongs to the little ones.

I'm no theologian nor am I a master of the word but i believe, God has told us clearly that He is God and we are His people. We need only to trust in Him and love one another like He tells us to.
Even Michael Jackson says that in the last few days before he died.
If you watched 'This is It', you will understand what I meant. Before he passed away, during his last practice, he said..

"Love each other. We are all one."

Does that ring a bell to you?
We are indeed all one with the same Father regardless of colour, class, status, location, size and etc.

I hope you don't miss the point. God loves you and He wants you to share His love. Too simple to be true? It's as simple as that.

God bless you.

p/s: To read more of the wonderful sermon on God from Charles Haddon Spurgeon posted by Jeremy Myers, go to
http://www.tillhecomes.org/god-is-not-a-science-project/

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Are you troubled?
Do you feel sick?
Do you feel anxious?
Do you feel trapped and there's no way out??
Do you feel all alone and everything seems unbearable?
I want to tell you that there's a way out
God knows and He cares
He wants you to be healed of all your wounds and sickness
And at times your sickness would not go away, He wants you to know
He is there to comfort you and be your strength despite the difficulties
You're going through
God loves you

Come and experience Jesus's power and love
If you're in Kuching, you are in for a great meet up!!
The Holy Cross Ministry of Healing and Deliverance is holding a healing and deliverance session
this evening in Kuching, Sarawak.

It starts at 730 pm. Venue at christian ecumenical worship centre, lot 2500, block 10, jln stampin, KCLD, kuching
check out http://holycross-ministry.org for more info.

I wish I could be there tonight.
If you are going, I wish you a spirit-filled and blessed encounter :)
God bless you!

Friday, June 17, 2011

Amazing Grace

I have been months away..
I am finally back to my little cavern in "LA"..
In the midst of clearing away thick dust, throwing away unwanted pieces of paper, filing necessary documents, and rearranging things in my room, I managed to have a few catch ups with old friends..

My room is in the midst of chaos..
That's because I am trying to find something and at the same time, trying to get rid of 'junkies'..
In the midst of doing all these, I am reminded of last night..

I was blessed to have a great catch up with two dear friends of mine..
Especially a girl friend that I have not seen for a while now..
I just have to blog about her..

Her story reminds me of the song 'Amazing Grace'
I'm sure a lot of us are familiar with that song
I'll refresh your memory with a few lines..

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.


She is a young believer and she came to know the Lord much later than I do..
What strike me is her faith and her joy and how God has been working in her life..
It is amazing how God can change a person so much..
Her sharing brought back memories of how God has been working in mine..
Right from the day I was born..

I was so wretched but God was so merciful..
Again and again, He would pick me up and lead me to places that I have never dreamt even to thread..
She told us how she was right in the bottomless pit and how God went down to her and picked her up..
I recalled how messed up I was..
Everything was messed up; my life, my relationships, my career but most of all, my relationship with God..but God heard my prayers and the prayers of many others who patiently prayed for me continuously even though it seemed bleak that I might actually turned around..

Amazing Grace it is that today the same Lord brings us together again..
Sipping tea and chatting; just sharing about how this wonderful Father of ours is weaving our lives from hurts, brokenness, mishaps, sins, into a beautiful tapestry of light and today, still continues crafting it to the day of perfection..

Amazing Grace it is that we could just 'fellowship' without realising hours had passed by and it was already wee hours in the morning..

It is indeed true that heaven rejoices more when one sinner repents than when there are 99 who needs no repentance..the greatest joy that I had felt so far is knowing that a friend or a family member that I cared about has come to know the Lord..nothing beats that kind of joy..
It's like knowing that person has come to join me in this great big family in this great big universe and we all share the same Father where one day, all of us will enjoy being in His Presence for Eternity..the best part is knowing that day is not too far away :)

Amazing Grace..
Indeed how sweet the sound..
Through His Amazing Grace, a wretch like me could be saved..
Indeed I was so blind but now I could see.
and will continue to see better till the day I reach heaven where my eyesight will be PERFECT.

Thank you Father
 

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Sung-bong Choi

There is a Korean craze epidemic everywhere especially in Malaysia and Singapore. You may think it is just teenagers who are idolizing over their favourite Korean Drama superstars like Jang Geun Suk and Korean superbands like Girls Generation and etc but you are wrong. There are thousands of housewives and even men who are waiting faithfully at home on a certain time every day to watch their favourite Korean Drama characters on KBS.

Well well...

That's not the point of my ranting here.
You probably know what is happening already and you are probably one of those who sparked off this epidemic if not drowning in it.

Today, I want to talk about Sung-bong Choi.

Who is he?
Is he another one of those pretty Korean boys who are gracing all the endorsements from mobile phones to cosmetics?

NO..far from it.

Sung-bong Choi was left in the orphanage at 3, and he ran away from the orphanage at 5 because he was beaten up by fellow mates. Tragic?
Not quite yet..
Since then, he lived alone on the streets selling gums and energy drinks.
He slept on stairs or in public toilets.
One of the many nights when he passed by the clubs,
Sung-bong Choi heard the amazing voice of a person singing in the night club
He started to like singing and singing became his companion through the many bad things that happened in his life
He finally gets his chance and entered Korea's Got Talent!

I do not usually watch these clips but a housemate of mine showed it to me
Despite all the hardships he went through, he did not give up on life but courageously fought for his passion. I am so moved by his story, by his 'surviving' skills, by his passion, by his courage, by his fortitude but most of all by his voice.

It's like his whole life's story is embedded in his voice.
It's like his entire emotions of pain, sorrow, rejection and loneliness is woven into his voice
bringing it to soar and transforming those pain into the loveliest bouquet of flowers radiating love..his love for singing..

I am even more amazed that he had never taken any vocal lessons..
I hope he wins it, not because of his story
but because he truly deserves it

He is purely talented and what's more important, he sings from the heart.

Cheers to Sung-bong Choi!

God bless you

Catch his audition on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BewknNW2b8Y&feature=player_embedded

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Spreading Snowflakes

I am amused once again as I read Fr. Tom Washburn's blog.
He definitely has a sense of humor and his blog is not only filled with wisdom,
it is also jam-packed with a lot of guidance from ABove.

I would like to share this particular excerpt from his blog. It's a story actually.

"A squirrel once asked a wise owl what the weight of a single snowflake was. “Nothing more than nothing,” the owl answered. The squirrel then told the owl about a time when he was resting on a branch of a tree, counting each snowflake that came to rest until he reached the number 3,471,952. Then with the settling of the very next flake -- crack. The branch suddenly snapped, tumbling the squirrel and the snow to the ground. “That was surely a whole lot of nothing,” said the squirrel."

A whole lot of nothing..
Do you get the idea?

You may think you're just a drop of ocean in the world..
You may ask yourself what difference can you make in the world..
You may think you amount to nothing..

You're WRONG

A drop of ocean makes all the difference..
Imagine if each drop ceased to exist, the entire ocean would be gone..

So like the snowflake, the efforts you put in spreading light and love in the world, even if it is as small as a smile or  handshake to a lonely person, you can make a difference. The whole lot of light snowflakes that you are spreading can add up to a mountain of snowflakes that will eventually break the branches and chains of evil.

So, do not be afraid.

Go out there my dear snowflakes and my ocean counterparts; continue in doing the good work.

Invite the Holy Spirit to guide you in spreading that snowflakes of yours.

Here's an excerpt of a song that is both simple and powerful. It shook my snowflakes. I want to share it with you. Sing it and pray it.

Welcome Holy Spirit
Be here in Your Presence
Fill me with Your Power
Live inside of Me

May the Peace of the Lord be with you. Shalom. :)

To read more on Fr. Tom's blog, come to this link

http://afriarslife.blogspot.com/2011/06/veni-sancte-spiritus.html

On Seeing Children Cycling at Dusk

I love poetry and sometimes there are unconventional
poets out there who seemed to strike a note or two in my life.
This particular piece breathes nostalgic air on me..
I am reminded of the carefree days of my childhood..
How pure, naive, innocent yet mischievous we were..

Dan Snow, a friend I met by sheer chances wrote this poem below..
He dedicates it to "every child and adult turned young out there"

Children cycling me by, laughing, shouting.
kind of reduce the evening heat of lethargy
and light suns upon my lips. I’d in self-doubting
forgotten the way to smile when love turned starchy
as my military uniform. Like a man turned young
I chase the winds once more, the winds through tracks
of time. They say children on bicycle or rung
will never fall after the first pitfall, the ax
of love’s double-rider bicycle. Here I ride
my single-seater Wheeler bike alone as fools
or hermits on an evening cruise. Those kids beside
have taught me the push to laugh at writing rules
again, soaring where the pen takes me
into the vast tracks of child-memory.

I shall not leave you orphans

I will not leave you orphans..He said
I will send you a helper, the Advocate..He said

So many choices
So many decisions to make
So many voices
So many opinions
So many demons
So many angels

How do you know if you're strolling on the right path or trampling on dead ends?
A great many crossroads may come your way
Some wide and some narrow
Some crooked and some plain straight
Some filled with gems and some with rocks

You may ask
Are those gems actually a disguise covering a hollow rock
Are those rocks a cover that protects a precious jewel
What if they genuinely appear to be who they are
What if they are a disguise to deceive and mock you

How will you know?
How will you tell?
How can you perceive?
How can you discern?

I shall not leave you orphans..He said

The Advocate is in you..
If you will only yield to Him..
Call Him..
Pursue Him..
Then the anointed path shall be made known to you..
However it is rare and few finds it..
But if you seek and find, you shall find it..

I pray that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit..
So that by the fruits of the spirit that radiates from within you, they will know that you belong to Him
and wherever you go, the Advocate will direct you.

God bless you.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry and my funeral

I have just finished watching the Secrets of Jonathan Sperry and can't help contemplating on the movie.
It tells of three young boys making friends with an old man and how one thing led to another.
This old man is a faith-filled man who's also very inspiring. He was not only caring and generous but He began to share His faith and gave life lessons to these children that would last them a lifetime.
The seeds that Jonathan Sperry had sown proved fruitful.
It reminds me of how sometimes we sow seeds but get disappointed when we do not see them bloom and our efforts seem to be in vain.
This movie shows a little seed sown can go a long way. We might never get to see the harvest in our lifetime but perhaps the next generation might be shaped and would bloom according to the seeds that we have planted.
The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry reminds me of how short our life is and like Jonathan Sperry mentioned, it is good to go to a funeral.
It is then that we would think about our death more often for we all die someday. Whether we like it or not, we will eventually die someday.
Life would be miserable if life is all there is on earth. But no, you and I have an eternal home in heaven.
Imagine life on earth is but only a speck of eternity, uncountable years of life...
And how you spend this speck of yours determine where you will live for the rest of your life.
Won't you want eternal joy and happiness where there is no more pain, hurts and sorrow?
I for sure want that..
How do you do that?
Call out to Jesus
Accept Him as your life and saviour
Ask Him to help you live a life worthy of an eternal life
Like Jonathan Sperry said,
Call unto Him
The Bible says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord, He shall be saved.
Once you do that, Jesus will guide you to live the way He wants you to be.
That way, once you reached the end of your life, it would not be the end of your life or a fretful funeral. Instead, a celebration awaits you!

I dream of the day of my funeral.
You must think I am insane but I know that day will come.
I know it will be a celebration for then only I can be truly at home for eternity, to heaven where Jesus had prepared a room for me.

This is my wish on my funeral day so if you're reading this and you happen to know of the time I passed away, please remember this wish of mine.

I would want everyone to dress not in black but in bright colours like teal, yellow, red, fuchsia, electric blue and etc. Why??!!!!!!! Because it will be a celebration for me; a party of rejoicing and not mourning. So if you ever find yourself attending Angelina Bong's funeral, you know the dresscode :)

I want my grave to be showered with sunflowers. Why???!!! You may ask why not roses?
Well, sunflowers are my favourite of all flowers because they are always bright and shiny just like the sun, just like Jesus and the Blessed Sacrament beaming at us. It makes me happy whenever I look at one.

And I would love for someone or everyone to sing Danny Boy at my funeral. I don't know why but I am moved to this song everytime I hear it.

SO please remember what to do..
Haha..
Whether this day be months or years or decades ahead, I pray I will live my life to the fullest..

Like Jonathan Sperry who wrote in the bible he gave to Dustin,
"Keep living for Jesus"

Yes...I shall keep living for Jesus!!

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Return to Me

Listening to Brian Doerksen's album, Holy God in the quietness of my study room,
I felt moved by a few sentences that he proclaimed through his album..
I shall post it here..

"From the ancient days until today,
I have inspired prophets and poets...
And at the heart of every message..
Are these 3 words...
Return to me
I am your Creator,
Return to me
Am your Redeemer..
Your Father: Return to Me
I am Your Husband,
Return to Me"

How beautiful and simple
It dawned on me how true it is
All my poems are inspired by God directly and indirectly
Even if I talk about people or the sky or the world
All these are His creations

My Father is my muse
NO rather He is the poet,
I am His pen

I can only heed His words
Return to Me

Will you join me and make that journey
To return to Him

Saturday, May 28, 2011

singleness and casual relationships

Are you weary of casual relationships that do not satisfy?
Are you tired of meeting one guy or one girl after another only to get disappointed?
Are you endlessly searching for love everywhere but fail?
Or are you trying to refrain yourself from meeting and getting involved with the wrong people but are too weak to walk away each time?

You feel lonely and perhaps the clock is ticking
You feel you're the only one without the perfect partner
You are wondering when will a prince charming come and sweep you off your feet
Or when will a damsel in distress be around for you to save the day?

You go from one date to another and ended up hurting more than ever
You wonder if this cycle will never end and your perfect mate will never come along

Have you ever stop and reflect?

God, our good God has set aside a wonderful partner for us if marriage is what He intends for us to have
He knows and loves you more than anything in this world
Don't you think He would not know what kind of a partner you will need?
He is a father who loves us best.
He only wants the best for us..but perhaps we keep going after all the people we think we are destined for while they are not meant for us and we ended up more broken than before

Even before u were born, God already has a purpose laid out for you
Don't you think He would not have planned and created a partner specially for you as well?

Don't go looking everywhere anymore
Guard your heart

Imagine if you're on a treasure hunt and your goal is the diamond.
However, you get distracted by all the silver and other less precious stones along the way.
They seem good enough but they're not the diamond you're looking for.
Some of you get contented and stopped the journey but something tells you this is not good enough.
Some of you stopped at every silver only to get confused and more confused on which ones.
Some of you ignored all these and found the diamond.

Well, think of the 'wrong' men or women as silver and the partner you're meant to have is the diamond.

How do you that?
How would you know?

Pray pray pray
And stay away from men or women who do not share your values. Stay away does not mean not befriending them but do not get involved romantically with them.

Pray that God will flee you of all these 'dates' that will harm you or leave you broken hearted or worse, stray you away from God.
I know many of us are weak and before we know it, we are in another relationship that will never last.

I find this verse from Psalm 16 a very good prayer. Psalm 16:1-2
Preserve me God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: 'You are my God.
My happiness lies in you alone."

Yes, I believe if we truly delight in the Lord first, He will grant us the desires of our heart.

Perhaps God wants you to fully delight in Him and be contented with this singleness of yours.
Perhaps this is a season of your life that He wants you to focus only on Him.

Whatever the reasons are, you are not alone and God loves you.
He wants the best for you.

So seek Him. Put Him first and who knows? Your prince charming or princess mademoiselle will just pop up in front of you in the most unexpected places.

God bless you

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Are you hiding behind a mask?

Are you hiding behind a mask?

You probably said NO but are you truly being honest with yourself?

Many of us, even those claim to be good Christians tend to put on a mask everywhere we go.
We might hide behind a mask of an angel or create a mask of a success
We might like to crouch behind the mask of darkness..

Whatever masks we have put on to show the image we want people to see,
God knows the real us.

He knows the deepest recesses of our heart. He knows our intentions and motives.
He knows we are very vulnerable and broken and that is why we wear such superficial masks to appear strong.
He knows that we are even wearing mask to hide from Him.
We create a set of standards that we think God will like and we put on that mask whenever we pray.

You know what?
God loves you just the same.
He loves you even when you sin.
Nothing will ever change His love for you.

Why are you and me hiding behind these masks that we have sought for ourselves?
Are we not tired?

No need to hide.
Fear no more of our weaknesses.

There is an excerpt here from a pilgrim to Medjugorje.
She described her experience and here she talks about God calling out to us despite our reluctance to come out from those masks.

"In Medjugorje, we find ourselves responding to God’s call big-time! We learn there is no longer a need to hide and be fearful because when God’s call comes, it is a loving call, not a call of condemnation or threat. It is the call of the Father. The Loving Father reveals himself to us. He does not allow the world to place him behind a mask, to disguise or hide him, to distort him in a way that the serpent desires to present. Our Father is a God of revelation. He is with us. He refuses to hide from his children. Seek and you shall find."

You can read more from http://crownofstars.blogspot.com/2011/05/remembering-medjugorje-1.html

Hide no longer my friends.

God loves you just the way you are.

God bless you!

Baby Doe

I am 29 years late in learning of this news.
I am shocked and sad.

In 1982, a baby was legally allowed by the courts to be starved to death by his parents because he was born with Down Syndrome. This happened in Indiana.

How crazy is that? What happened to civilization of minds? Aren't people supposed to be more sound in mind in these times of modern age???

He's not the only baby. What about the billions of babies that have been aborted?
I am sad but I cannot imagine how God must be feeling to see His creation utterly, brutally murdered in their helplessness and innocence. As our Father, He must be heartbroken.

This baby, abnormal as he may appear to the world but his soul is whole because he is created by our loving Father.

Baby Doe, a song dedicated to him and probably millions of babies who are left to die left a mark in my mind and heart.
You can read the rest of the lyrics in Jeremy Myer's blog.

Check out

http://www.tillhecomes.org/steve-taylor-baby-doe/

Please I beg you, if you are thinking of abandoning your baby or having an abortion, yes you who is reading right now..
Please I beg you, don't. This baby of yours is God's gift to the world. He or she is innocent no matter how he or she is conceived. Give this baby of yours a chance. Who knows she or he might be the next Mother Teresa or Abraham Lincoln? Don't kill him or her.

In memory of Baby Doe, I pray for all babies who are abandoned and all who are starving and those born with Down Syndrome and especially those who are on the verge of being aborted.
Dear Lord, please send your angels to comfort them and keep them close to you for they are yours. Protect them and shield them from the evil ones. Send them light and guidance till the day they will meet you in their eternal home.

If you're reading this,
God bless you!!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Wait on Me

It is dark
No one is around
Not a single soul or spirit
It is so silent in here
Stillness is everywhere
The hours seem bleak
I can hear nothing
I can see nothing
I can only feel my own heartbeat
I can only smell decay and rottenness
Is death nearby?
Am I going insane?
Am I going to lose it?
Am I a fool?
It is getting so cold
Shivers blanketing me
Hunger torturing me
Thirst scourging me
I feel so weak
I can barely move
My bones are creaking
Yet
His words are holding me
It is still ringing in my ears
He said
Wait on Me
There are wolves and snakes out there
Waiting to devour you
Waiting to destroy you
I will come and deliver you out of this black hole
I will bring you into the light
It is safe here
I promise I will come for you
Wait on me
Trust me
I badly want to leave this black cave
It is becoming unbearable
I can only wait
As He promised
Wait on me

Do you feel like that? You feel so much suffering going within you and you’re wondering how long this suffering is going to last. You’re stuck in some place not by choice whether it is sickness, or a job, or a cheating partner or so forth and you feel like giving up but you know there is a voice inside there asking you not to give up and wait. You begin to wonder why on earth you have to suffer this way.
There are some words of wisdom from Charles F. Stanley from his book “In Step with God” that I would like to quote here.
Suffering teaches us gratitude.
1 Thess 5:18 “In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Suffering teaches us how to persevere
Don’t pull up stakes when something goes wrong. Be determined to wait for God to make His will be known to you. If you give up, you will never know the potential within your life.
Suffering enables us to share in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Remember Paul? He suffered a lot but he was not a spiritual failure. Imagine if you are always healthy and never face a serious challenge or failure all your life, you will never learn how to identify with Jesus Christ’s death on the cross.
Suffering broadens our ministry. Paul went to prison but as a result of his ministry in prison, the gospel spread throughout Rome.
Remember the story of Job? He never gave up on God and he was blessed more than what he lost.
Job 42:12 “The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning”.