30 March 2007
posted by j at 3/30/2007 10:48:00 AM

This is something I find very true of my life when I did some reflection some years ago. I was reminded of this once again as I came across this article, so I thought I'd share it with everyone. May it encourage us to look forward to the future (one with a new heaven and earth) and yet take time to enjoy what we already have and be contented with what the Lord has graciously provided...

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Most of us these days live in a state of consistently seeking some newer, better fulfillment. This is the Age of Great Expectations - because we have so much choice and information, we learn to be disappointed with what we have fairly quickly and live in anticipation of something better "out there". We hardly take the time nor effort anymore to savour and enjoy what we already have. Rediscover our love for them, or find new things about them to love!

For instance, gone are the days when we searched all over for the record we wanted, nearly cried for joy when we finally found it, then listened to every track on the album over and over again and it became an essential audio-timestamp of that period in our lives. These days, we simply download whatever we want, scan through the tracks, and if nothing catches our fancy instantly, we move it to the Recycle Bin.

We have such low tolerance and patience these days! When something doesn't give us immediate gratification, we write it off as worthless, then move on to something else. We exist in a false hope of eventually finding The One that will make all of this searching and waiting worthwhile! This is true also of our relationships. Because we've grown up in a world of so many opportunities, we learn to keep looking out for the next and, we hope, bigger and juicier one.

This reminds me of a true story about a sailing vessel that got stranded with no wind in the Atlantic Ocean. All onboard were getting severely dehydrated and they were still hundreds of miles from port. Just when things were getting desperate, the crew from another clipper alerted them to the fact that they were floating on drinkable water! You see, the volume of flow of the Amazon River flowing into the Atlantic is so great that the river current carries fresh, drinkable water hundreds of miles out into the ocean! The crew had almost lost their lives waiting and pining for the elusive drinking water when what they needed to be fulfilled was right under their noses!

Now, is it possible that the fulfillment of your wishes might already be available right where you are, but in a form, or from a source, you haven't yet recognized? Are you being thwarted by your endless and fleeting quest for love, happiness and meaning from outside sources, or from sources whom you have yet to meet, believing that one day you will find "The One"?

What riches in your life right now are you not seeing?

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Things I thought about after reading this:
1)When was the last time I was really, really overjoyed about getting something I wanted? Somehow as our capacity to possess material things increases with age, the joy that comes with being having/getting/achieving something seems to lessen...

2)When was the last time I really believed God would provide something and patiently waited for Him to provide, without expecting quick results or without getting impatient or without doubting that God would really provide?

3)How often am I truly content with what I have and not constantly yearn for something better?
 
26 March 2007
posted by j at 3/26/2007 10:52:00 PM

It's been some time since I last went out with my parents. As with many other parents and children, these times are either one of amusement or one of extreme frustration. In a family of 4, 3 of whom are teachers, you add to these times a large dollop of very LOUD talking...(I suspect my parents are getting deaf...i blame the students. Hmph. That's why teaching as a career, imho, is detrimental to my love for music. Time to get out!!) Anyways, as I was saying, so yes, we went out today, to the wake of my uncle's mother-in-law. For journaling's sake, I shall trace some of the events and conversations of the evening....

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WHEN PARENTS LIVE IN DIFFERENT TIME ZONES
7.45pm

Father and daughter waits impatiently at the gate of the house. The FATHER is tapping his feet impatiently and barking out, "READY OR NOT!!??" at regular, rather clockwork-like intervals. The DAUGHTER has a jolly time putting on and taking off her shoes over and over again. Putting them on to pace about outside the apartment impatiently, and then taking them off to walk back into the apartment to check on the MOTHER. "Can you hurry up???! It starts at 8pm and we live at the other end of the world!"

The MOTHER(placidly): Aiyah, this kind of thing can go anytime wan wat....

The FATHER and the DAUGHTER(fuming): IT'S A SERVICE!!!

The MOTHER finally leaves the house. The FATHER mutters under his breath,"SO TYPICAL of women..." and in doing so, earns a glare from the already ready DAUGHTER.

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WHEN PARENTS DON'T LISTEN...
In the CAR...

The DAUGHTER: Daddy you better let me drive. You can't see well at night.

The FATHER: Do you know the way there or not?

The DAUGHTER: Yah lah...I was the one who directed you there the last time...

(silence)

The FATHER: You know or not? Take the AYE...

The DAUGHTER(tiredly): I know...

(silence)

The FATHER: Don't get out of the AYE...turn out only when I tell you...

The DAUGHTER(with restraint): Dad, I know...

(silence)

The FATHER: Turn out only at Keppel ok?

The DAUGHTER(with less restraint): Dad...I was the one who directed you there the last time...

(silence)

The FATHER: Okok turn left in front!!

The DAUGHTER(almost seething): Dad, I know...

(silence)

The FATHER: Ok...errrm....you gotta turn in front somewhere...

The DAUGHTER(weakly, with resignation): I know...I was the one who directed you there the last time...

~She should have just let him drive...~

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WHEN PARENTS DON'T KNOW THE STRENGTH OF THEIR OWN VOICES
8.15pm

The DAUGHTER, with her good sense of direction, finds the location of the wake service pretty fast and (out of the goodness of her heart) attempts to lead her bewildered parents (who are trailing confusedly behind) to the BACK of the service where they can sneak in unnoticed. (Or so she hoped)

The FATHER, in what seemed like a deliberate attempt to foil her well-meaning plans of "sneak-attack", exclaims loudly from the FRONT of the service, "HEY!! IT'S HERE!!!", gesticulating wildly at the area which the DAUGHTER was trying to avoid at all costs.

"SSSSSssssHHhhhhhhhhhh...." hissed the DAUGHTER, hoping to God that no one heard him. (yeah like that was possible...maybe if grandmothers could bounce upside-down on their heads...you get the idea.)

~So much for sneaking in unnoticed...~

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WHEN PARENTS GO OUT OF CONTEXT
In the lift on home ground

Preceding this scene was a heated discussion in the car on Health and Fitness, during which the DAUGHTER tried in vain to convince her parents that they need to eat healthily and to exercise. Particularly the MOTHER, who thinks walking to class is all the exercise she needs. The DAUGHTER is at her wits end, wondering if the PARENTS fully recognised that their risk of heart attack is higher than for others because the GRANDPARENTS have a history of it. Phrase of high occurrence used in the discussion? "Because you never exercise..."

The MOTHER (looks into the mirror in the lift and tugs at her hair: Dunno why my hair so 'cue'...always sticking out...so irritating...

The DAUGHTER: Aiyah...you perm hair is like that wan lah... what you expect...

The MOTHER(indignantly): I DIDN'T! I haven't permed my hair for a long time...Dunno why like that lah...

The FATHER (eager to join the conversation):I know why!!......BECAUSE YOU NEVER EXERCISE!!

*de-boing-orh*

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WHEN PARENTS GOSSIP ABOUT OTHERS
Back home...

The FATHER talks about the MOTHER's sister(E) and brother-in-law(S).

The FATHER (declaring triumphantly): Did you see?? E was angry with S!

The MOTHER(surprised and interestedly): Got meh?? Why?? How you know???

The FATHER(excitedly): Didn't you realise?? As soon as S said........, E's face changed and she kept poking her drink lor...poke poke poke poke....many holes ah...

The MOTHER (light dawning on her face): OHhhhh....yah I think I saw her doing that...you also saw ah?

The FATHER: YAH LAH!! Dunno why must murder the cup...

~Little did they know the DAUGHTER was listening to their little conversation. After all, they were KINDA LOUD...~
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Comprehension question: FROM whom did the DAUGHTER inherit her crappiness?
 
06 March 2007
posted by j at 3/06/2007 09:21:00 AM

Especially for B...I'm not sure if this would speak to you, thought about you when i read it. I know you've been quite stressed over work issues...i think. Heh. Anyways, I hope this will minister to you.

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Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. - Psalm 127:1a

What does it mean for the Lord to build the house? It almost seems a contradiction when we consider that we might be the builders in this passage. God wants us to allow Him to build the house. He explains further:

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for He grants sleep to those He loves (Psalm 127:1-2).

God is telling us there is a way of working without striving. There is a way to conduct business without sweating and toiling for outcome. His warning to each of us is to avoid thinking that outcome is based on our sweat and toil. Outcome is based on obedience. That outcome is sometimes more than we deserve. Sometimes it is less than we hoped for. His desire for each of us is to see Him working in our daily work life. He wants us to avoid looking to our own effort to gain an outcome.

One day Jesus called out to Peter from the shore of the lake and suggested he throw his net on the other side of the boat. It was this simple act of obedience that yielded a tremendous catch that he would not have received unless he obeyed.

We are called to work; He is called to bring forth the fruit. He is the vine. We are the branches. Fruit comes forth naturally from a healthy tree.

Today, ask God to show you when you enter into striving. Ask Him to show you the difference between loving trust and obedience and striving for outcome. It can be challenging for us to balance this in our daily work experience. He wants to help us walk in this freedom and rest.