There are 2 reasons why this weekend is about Happy Feet.
Firstly of course, I watched the cartoon of the same title on Sunday with the jogging clique. Thanks to the rain, we ended up at Serene’s place watching this penguin flick that I missed in the theatres. And it was really pretty fun! I like baby Mumble A LOT- such a cute little fluff-ball. Wish he didn’t have to grow up though. Hmm.. why do the baby animals in these cartoons always have to grow up? Bambi, The Lion King, etc, etc.
After learning more about these white knights in black coat from March of the Penguins, I have a profound respect for these creatures (though I think in real life, they look pretty ugly and scary close up), and can only stand in awe of the creator.
God in creating them, revealed His faithfulness, and single-mindedness in loving. That’s why Papa Penguin is always able to find Mama Penguin in midst of the thousands after winter. And if even Papa Penguin can protect the egg with their lives, what more our Papa in heaven?
Being reminded that creation is bigger than the human species and summation of our experiences, the nature that exists at the tips of the globe is testament that life is truly larger than our existence.
Secondly, my feet are happy again. *yay!!!*
There was this wart/ corn that has been bothering my right feet for many months. It became really painful 2 weeks ago- though the doctor refused to pay heed to me then and thought I was making a mountain out of a molehill. Argh.
This weekend, I went to another doctor- obviously because it became so painful that I could not even walk properly any more. He shaved off thick dead skin that had grown, to reveal some pus that had solidified inside my foot. Viral infection he said.
But he could not do much more at that time, as I was whining and groaning in pain (I do think women have a pretty high threshold of pain, even then…). So he gave me some anti-biotics cream and oral anti-biotics (one week course) to take. Gosh- was that necessary? Now I think he’s making a mountain out of a mole hill.
So now the good news is- I managed to squeeze the solidified pus out on Sunday night!! It looked like a tiny pearl.. Yippee!! So no more pain when I walk, and I have happy feet :) :) :)
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Is God saying something?
Ministry has been discouraging to say the very least, lately. There is just this fear, reluctance and dry-ness within.
Perhaps a large part of it is tied up to the search of meaning in my small existence*, but my heart just turns into cold fish each time I think about church in PPC recently. Not the hard-heartedness kind of cold, but the kind when I do not know what to do, how to pray and why I would believe things could change.
And it is funny because as Arthur and I were talking about it recently, we realized that being in a “struggling” church is perhaps our calling in life. Many would desire to be a growing vibrant community, and they do eventually move into the greener pastures where they seem to soar spiritually.
But it seems like that desire will remain the driver for ministry in the hard grounds all our lives- to be that sheep dog and drive sheep into the Shepherd’s pen, to make sure they stay with the herd. Arthur’s heart soars at that prospect, mine just thuds softly to the ground with a quiet conviction to know that this is true.
PPC Second Service will move to the Legends in 2 weeks time. And we are still lost. And today, God sent me an article… “Being led into the desert”
Funny- the pastors are singing the tune of “Promised Land”, but what if He has the desert in store for us for the next few years? Who will stay? Who will leave? What if things just do not get better but go downhill? How will we be travelling in those years?
God led the people of Israel into the desert to learn something about themselves. They learned about their level of obedience when life became difficult.
"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands" (Deut 8:2).
When God leads you into the desert, He is allowing you to learn something about yourself. We all need to learn how we will respond to temptations in our lives. As we press into God during these times the roots of our faith are forced deeper and deeper into the soil of His grace. Do not fear being led into the desert. This too is the way of God.
The fact that it’s gonna be a desert does not faz me, honestly… The lessons I might come to learn about myself might be good- but that’s not what I yearn most. I pray that I will still be able to keep the love for His Kingdom, the joy to see it grow, and the faith to simply depend on Him each step of the way. And at the end of it, to know Him and be found faithful to the end.
* - This is a separate search altogether. But I am wondering, just wondering- will I let the silent still voice within me win the day, or the safety nets this world seeks to tempt me with delay me some more.
How many more years will I have to wait to try to be that fool who will make a difference in this world? Perhaps He might lead the way with circumstance- if I do not know how to let go, take it away from me please Daddy.. lead the way! *yay
Perhaps a large part of it is tied up to the search of meaning in my small existence*, but my heart just turns into cold fish each time I think about church in PPC recently. Not the hard-heartedness kind of cold, but the kind when I do not know what to do, how to pray and why I would believe things could change.
And it is funny because as Arthur and I were talking about it recently, we realized that being in a “struggling” church is perhaps our calling in life. Many would desire to be a growing vibrant community, and they do eventually move into the greener pastures where they seem to soar spiritually.
But it seems like that desire will remain the driver for ministry in the hard grounds all our lives- to be that sheep dog and drive sheep into the Shepherd’s pen, to make sure they stay with the herd. Arthur’s heart soars at that prospect, mine just thuds softly to the ground with a quiet conviction to know that this is true.
PPC Second Service will move to the Legends in 2 weeks time. And we are still lost. And today, God sent me an article… “Being led into the desert”
Funny- the pastors are singing the tune of “Promised Land”, but what if He has the desert in store for us for the next few years? Who will stay? Who will leave? What if things just do not get better but go downhill? How will we be travelling in those years?
God led the people of Israel into the desert to learn something about themselves. They learned about their level of obedience when life became difficult.
"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands" (Deut 8:2).
When God leads you into the desert, He is allowing you to learn something about yourself. We all need to learn how we will respond to temptations in our lives. As we press into God during these times the roots of our faith are forced deeper and deeper into the soil of His grace. Do not fear being led into the desert. This too is the way of God.
The fact that it’s gonna be a desert does not faz me, honestly… The lessons I might come to learn about myself might be good- but that’s not what I yearn most. I pray that I will still be able to keep the love for His Kingdom, the joy to see it grow, and the faith to simply depend on Him each step of the way. And at the end of it, to know Him and be found faithful to the end.
* - This is a separate search altogether. But I am wondering, just wondering- will I let the silent still voice within me win the day, or the safety nets this world seeks to tempt me with delay me some more.
How many more years will I have to wait to try to be that fool who will make a difference in this world? Perhaps He might lead the way with circumstance- if I do not know how to let go, take it away from me please Daddy.. lead the way! *yay
Monday, November 10, 2008
Praise You in this storm
Yet another season of broken hearts and lives
And the problem of pain arrests our routined steps
Life is perhaps not in our hands
But in the God who gives and takes away
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Mighty to save
My little prayer for you today....
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
May what matter to us be what matters most to Him each day...
"Bring it on, God. Bring it on!"
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
May what matter to us be what matters most to Him each day...
"Bring it on, God. Bring it on!"
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