Money and shopping...

So the other day, I went shopping. And was quite disturbed by the amount of money I would need to hand over for one piece of clothing. So I went home. And kinda nearly froze.

Not only that, but one of my pants tore all the way up the leg. And another pair ripped while I was at a friend's housewarming [I was distraught for two reason: firstly, I'd had that pair for 8 YEARS, and was rather attached to them!!! Secondly, it ripped right across the butt area!!!!] [Luckily I was wearing a long coat...]. So that left me with two/three pairs with which to face the awful winter.

At that point, I realized that money is a blessing. Yes, I do need to be wise about how I use it [i.e. do I really need that exorbitantly priced jacket, when this moderately priced one will do?], but I shouldn't feel conscious-stricken about using it especially if it means I'm going to end up freezing.

So I went shopping.


PS Yeah, I realize there's much more that can be said about money and shopping, but that's the lesson I learnt this time, so hold your horses!

This world and the next… #2

After a week of illuminating lectures and movies, I was reminded of the world outside my wonderful First-World bubble. No longer can I conscientiously defend my dreams and hopes of a comfortable future when the majority of the world's people are living in extreme poverty, being executed, oppressed and abused. It is true that everyone needs Jesus, but what kind of witness am I when I tell them to trust in Jesus and do nothing to alleviate their conditions?

And the scary thing about this is that when I went to bible study, I was struck by how I felt that I couldn't speak to anyone about any of this - how everyone seemed to be sucked in by the same commercial dreams as all the other non-Christians...

What crap is this? Why are we being sucked in by the same materialistic ideals that non-Christians are going for? We KNOW that nothing in this world will last, so why aren't we out there helping those in need, suffering for the sake of others... As Christians, we have absolutely NOTHING to lose because in heaping up earthly things we have nothing to gain. We've got everything in Jesus, who will never forsake us. So why are we participating in the rat-race?

Here endeth the ranteth....

This world and the next… #1

So there we were one Sunday, singing one of my favourite songs. Yet when we reached this line: "before the throne of god above/ I have a strong, a perfect, plea", I was suddenly gutted. Not because of the offpitch tones around me, but because I was suddenly hit by the thought that some of my loved ones might never ever be able to sing this, that they might never ever know Jesus, and that they might never end up in heaven with me. I was gutted. There’s no other word for it.

Yet knowing that I was able to enjoy a relationship with Jesus didn’t really comfort me much. Usually when I get reminded of how this world is sinful, sucky and mad/crazy/bad, I am comforted by the reminder that we as God’s children look forward to eternity with Him. However, this time around, I was really struggling to understand how I could be comforted in this when there are so many people out there who don't know Him? It seemed like such an incredibly selfish hope!! I was so frustrated that at a stage I was even thinking that if I couldn’t share in this amazing future with everyone, that I wasn’t sure I wanted it at all myself.

However, I realized that would be the wrong attitude to take in light of God’s mercy and gracious sacrifice. It IS a selfish hope only if we persist in keeping this good news to ourselves. It should instead motivate us to tell others about Jesus so that they too may know the good news. For God is infinitely merciful, and promises us that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be heard…

Being comforted by God's Word

I was frustrated (more on this in my following posts) and looking for words of comfort in God's word, when I came upon the following verses from Psalms:

"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and take heart and wait for the Lord."

"My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word."

"My comfort in my suffering is this: your promise preserves my life."

I was so encouraged by the reminder that God, and only God, is keeping us alive. I particularly enjoy the last verse: every time I read it I get a mental image of me as a piece of wrinkled dried fig floating around in some sort of preservative :) heehee...

Struggling along, struggling strong

A few weeks ago, when I was going through a bit of a bad patch [haha, I’m always seeming to go through a bit of a bad patch, aren’t I?!??!], my lovely friend, Princess Sarah, smsed me a phrase of encouragement: “Fight strong.”

Not only did I enjoy the way she phrased this, but it also reminded me of the phrase:

“Be strong and courageous”

We’d both gone on a camp together last year, where this phrase had popped up quite frequently. The speaker had talked on Joshua, and he reminded us that at the beginning of Joshua, the Israelites are camping on the edge of the Promised Land, the seeming beginning of many glorious things which should fill them with much hope and longing, and yet God reminds them to be strong and courageous. Similarly we need to remember that we’re camping on the edge of eternity, and should be emboldened and strengthened by this...

Therefore I encourage you from another book of the Bible:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Yay! God’s rooting for you! Be strong and courageous! Ride the fire.

[okay, the last bit isn’t in the Bible; it just sounded really cool ;) ]

Why, hello there!

A recent message from Byron [yes, yes, my #1 fan! ;)] reminded me of the existence of my blog… And when I checked it out again, I realized that the last time I posted was Feb 23?!?! Three months ago?!?! WOWEE!!

But now I’m back :), so expect a few little catch up blogs just to let you guys know what God has been graciously teaching me and reminding me in the last few months of silence…

Relearning old lessons, and struggling on..

So all those amazing lessons I learnt regarding work, time, and priorities last year?? I think I need to learn them again.

Or, to be more honest, I've had to relearn them. Wednesday night found me sleeping for a mere hour and a half in an effort to finish off an assignment for Thursday 9:00. What a fool I was!! Barely compos mentis, I printed off the assignment at 8:45, rushed to class, only to find a note on the door telling me that my lecturer was ill!!!!! WARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Serves me right!! I then had to struggle through the rest of the day, and apart from a brief 30 minute nap at a friend's who also had worked the whole night through, had no sleep or rest until 22:00... (Well, I did nod off a few times in my lunchtime lecture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, okay, I actually don't remember a word the guy said. Which makes me so sad, cause the topic was something I'm really interested in!!!!!)

I'm STILL recuperating from my sleep deprivation now, three days later (or is it two? I don't know!!).

Sadness.

But I think I have relearnt my lesson....