|
SubscriptionsSites I Read
|
|
|
|
| to my knowledge, i don't have any superpowers but one of my anti superpowers is worrying/stressing. i've been doing lots of it lately and believe me, i'm quite good at it. of course i tell myself it's bad, it affects the health, it does not solve any problems but adds to it, blahblahblah. still i keep worrying.
this past week i learned something that struck a cord with me- worrying is a sin. coming from the context of numbers 13&14, the israelites were on the verge of entering into the promised land. they had sent 12 men on a scouting trip. when they returned 10 of them reported the israelites would have a tough time driving out the existing folks living there. they ended up spreading fear and worry throughout the people. the other two men had a differing view, they said the israelites could easy take the land with God on their side. (God already told the israelites the land was theirs). one thing lead to another and ultimately because of the israelites' unbelief, God wouldn't let the israelites into the promised land until forty years passed.
By worrying/stressing/not believing the israelites told God, "we don't think you can handle getting us into the promised land so we're going to worry about it and let it consume us," and paid the price. in the same way, i'm telling God the same thing when i worry. I'm discounting his sovereignty and that's where the sin part comes in.
on a related note, when things get crazy in my life, i read and reread jesus' teaching on worrying. normally i read it as if jesus is saying it in a sympathetic and comforting tone. this week though i read it with jesus speaking in a harsher/in yoface tone. reading it in this way helped me to point out my sin more. Jesus said "do not worry about your life." I am worrying about my life therefore i am sinning. no bueno.
coupled with all this, i read this passage from francis recently too, "God has allowed hard things in your life so you can show the world that your God is great and that knowing Him brings peace and joy even when life is hard." this was such a good reminder that through obstacles in life, i have the choice to accept and show others the peace and joy God offers or i can rely on my own strength and end up stressing, worrying, etc. I know exactly who i'm suppose to demonstrate this peace and joy with in my life.
so bottomline i have a new perspectiving of worrying/stressing. this is a good thing. thanks God for rocking my world again. | | |
| ian is a simple man. when i lived with him he didnt have a stereo system or a comp that played music. instead he would whistle, hum, or sing. (when we first met at dannas, he shared to the circle how he enjoyed singing).
now think about those those roomies that would put their fave song at the moment on repeat and listen over and over again and annoy the rest of the house. remember his or her name? remember those songs that just arent the same now? perhaps ruined? haha
sure ian didnt have music blaring from his room but he would always whistle or sing the same praise song over and over and over and over again for nearly the 4 months we lived together. and it was just the chorus. i didnt hear him sing any of the verses. yea i was slightly annoyed by this. haha don't worry, i told ian all this when i saw him two months ago and about the silver lining at the end.
the chorus went like this:
My Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave
after we left colorado, whenever i heard the song in church or somewhere else, i'd think of ian and go "oh its THAT song." then the song grew on me. i started to think about the werds some more and liked the song even more. now i rock out to it at least once a day- at home, in the car, at work, shoot sometimes at the gym while im pulling the burpees (yea you like that one huh ogbk?). hahahahaah
i really think about the line "My God is Mighty to save." that line is a fill in a blank sentence to me. some things i think about...
My God is Mighty to save those with hardened hearts.
My God is Mighty to save my parents marriage.
My God is Mighty to save my uncles from their bitterness/hate against each other.
My God is Mighty to save me from myself.
My God is Mighty to save those with addictions especially my friends at AADAP and OA.
My God is Mighty to save those without hope.
this chorus reminds me to have a greater faith in God. you know mustard seed sized faith.
on another note to end an awesome night of ministry, i was reminded of something i learned from jason last year.
During your life stage after college, follow God and your calling with all you got. LOSE YOURSELF IN MINISTRY. Take advantage of being single. You are not in a position to prioritize the responsibilities of a marriage and kids into your life. You can focus on ministry. Use this life stage to God's advantage Give it all you got. At the same time, make sure you don’t burn out either.
i am enjoying this life stage a lot right now.
| | |
| confession- i still call xanga every once in awhile. | | |
| before i begin, i don't like the new xanga layout. they say "making blogging fun again." i disagree.
so this weekend, i was at the mall waiting for my sis. i ended up looking around macy's and part of me was thinking, "wow it would be nice to have this and that and this and blahblahbhalbh." then i looked at the price tags and went, "for that?! no wayyyyy." i know i have enough clothes and everything else i buy now is just to fulfill wants. i told my sis it was weird it felt like there was a lock on my wallet. i couldnt buy anything even if i wanted to.
later that day, we spent time with our aunt and uncle and their family. my aunt has been in the hospital for the last 2.5 months. its been a rough journey for everyone in that fam ie their son and his fam comes everyday after work.
this was my first time visiting her. i was sad to see her in this condition but im told she's a lot better than before. my aunt and uncle don't believe in jesus so i try to have those divine moments with them. i love spending time with them. theyre some of my faves.
my aunt just moved to a rehab facility last fri so the entire fam is adjusting to a new place. the first night, my uncle "slept" in this crappy chair next to his wife. i told him to check out those folding chairs with footrests on them so he could be more comfortable. later in the convo i think, "dude im giong to go buy him one of those chairs tomorrow." you have to understand too my uncle is kinda out to lunch with new technology and trends. ie he just learned how to access his vm and take pics on the cell. its hilarious. so i doubt hed buy something. besides his mind is else where.
i got really excited knowing that a few hrs earlier i decided not to spend money on myself then suddenly i had a chance to serve someone else. ahhhhhhh exactly some stuff jason and i talked about discretionary money when i was in colorado.
so on sun i end up going to three stores cuz no one has what im looking for. finally i stumble on a Big 5. the only chair they have is on display. the guy gave me a discount. then when im paying for it, the girl takes off even more. man i felt blessed. i gave my uncle the chair and something else he could use at the rehab center yesterday. i hope he enjoys it. it's awesome to look back on this one event and see how God arranged it all. the joy i got from giving something like def exceeds my excitement to buy clothes for myself.=D
- we stayed late to finish the puzzle. well more like my sister waited for me to finish. =D
| | |
| 
this is my fave photo of the moment. fave as in i was excited to come home and look at it after work. kinda like how i was soo stoked to play tfk- when in doubt over and over when i got home during my jr yr of hs. i love the blurred road, still horizon, open space, etc etc. =D prize if you guess where this was taken. marian was wrong- its not on the way to barstow/vegas. hahaah
| | |
|
