Monday, November 30, 2009

so crazy.


"In Heaven exists a being that decides
whether or not I take another breath.
This Holy God deserves excellence, the very best I have"

- Francis Chan, "crazy love"

Friday, November 27, 2009

this plant started out maybe as tall as i was
when we moved into our house about 17 years ago.

as you can see, it started leaning to soak up more sun.

i came home last week and my dad asked me,
"did you see the plant?"

i replied,
"no, why?"

he said,
"flowers started blooming at the top.
you should take pictures of it".

so i did.

Monday, November 23, 2009

more than just the turkey.

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

[Psalms 100:1-5]

==========


on sunday during our church's thanksgiving service, i was blessed to hear the message given by Pastor Lubaton of Faith Calvary Baptist Church. the title was "Be Thankful...For the Lord is Good!" oh man, what a great reminder of how absolutely undeserving we are for the wonderful blessings we are given (everything from the luxuries we enjoy or the very air we breathe!). but beyond that, how absolutely undeserving we are to have a sovereign God who abundantly pours out His unconditional love to us.

i'd just like to share the points that Pastor Lubaton presented.
some very important reasons why we should be thankful:

1) we have a sovereign God- there are no accidents/coincidences in life. God is in control of ALL things, though our flesh and pride often sways us to think otherwise.

2) God loves us unconditionally- though friendships and relationships can easily falter, we have the assurance that God continues to love us regardless of our condition, no matter how disobedient we are/were. God's love is so grand that He gave His only Son for us (which constantly boggles my mind!). God's mercy is so great that, only through Christ, He saves us from what we deserve by offering forgiveness for even our ugliest sins if we choose to have faith in Him. God's grace is so amazing that He continues to provide for us even when we do not deserve such blessings. because of this unconditional love, there is eternal salvation and eternal security.

3) we are forgiven- we've all made our mistakes, but they were not mistakes in God's eyes, they were part of His precise plan for our lives. how completely incredible to know that we can be forgiven for all our past failures when we humbly repent of our sinful lives and constantly strive to turn away from those sins and be like Christ. through our faith in Christ, our debts are completely erased and we should be eternally grateful.

4) we have direct communication with God through the Holy Spirit- God gives us so many things. sometimes we focus on the blessings more than the blesser. regardless if something good or something bad is happening, the Lord just wants our praise. how wonderful to know that through prayer, we can offer Him praise and cast our anxieties on a faithful God who grants our requests if it is according to His will.

it's not about what we receive, but who God is. when you have a problem, who better to go to but God himself who provides all things, gives all things, and loves us without question.



happy thanksgiving, lovelies!!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

victory lap.

during my visit to the academic counselor:

me: "so I just need two more classes??"

counselor: "yes, now let me check if you have enough units... oh... wow, yes, you definitely have more than enough."


next quarter:
+ psychology of language
+ coaching sports
+ astronomy
+ beginning poetry
+ but hopefully history of jazz instead of one of these.


time's running short to enjoy all this free knowledge.
ah, the perks of being a super senior.

Friday, November 13, 2009

in His time

thank you Lord for being patient with us
even when we are not.

Lord, would you please continue to work
in the hearts & minds of those who are searching?

forgive us for shaking our fists
when things do not comply with our timeline.

although we do not see immediate results,
dear God, we know you are doing great things.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

weAk 7.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
[Psalm 28:7]



Lord, you know that i am exhausted and drained.
would You please revive me, dear God?
please allow me to again acknowledge
that there is a purpose and perfect plan in all of this.
i continue to commit all my work to You.
i can see You are already doing
great things in these young hearts,
which i am so overjoyed and grateful for.
You would not give me anything that i could not handle.
and beyond that, there is nothing You cannot handle.

Lord, humble me to find rest in You.
and with all of this, grow me to praise You
despite the circumstances.


Lord, be my strength.