Gideon
penguiknight/krantol
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."
pop (shush) @ Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sometimes we're too busy telling Him what's wrong with us, we don't hear Him saying how much He loves us.
just shush for abit
Labels: pop
9:55 PM
Sunday (Precious) @
heh, so, there's alot in my mind I've got to get down before it disappears :D
today in the stills of worship, P. Andy said something that I remember writing here last month :)
that so often we go into worship with a deep, deep sense of longing for God
and that's good! That's awesome!
But so often we forget that God loves us so much more than we can ever love Him.
And for all that we want to love and give Him, He wants all the more to love us and touch us with His presence.
So often we feel like we're pressing in, we're pushing and pushing and pushing to reach the throneroom of God. Pushing against this wall of distractions, of worries, of troubles, of doubts, of shame, of our own thoughts. Pushing and pushing and trying so desperately to connect with His presence. And we forget.
However hard we're pushing to meet Him, He's pushing even harder to meet us.
And once again, He reminded me that He loves our love.
"I treasure it. I cherish it. More than silver or gold or precious stones. More than the rest of this world. I hold on to it. There is nothing, nothing in all creation that makes me smile bigger than your love. Not the beauty of sunsets and sunrises, not the graceful power of waterfalls or the distant sound of stars, nothing of that matters to me as much as your love does. More than diamonds or gold. I love your love."
It's amazing, and beautiful, and magnificent.
It's not a one-sided battle you're fighting here, even if it sometimes feels that way. You don't see it, but yes, He's there reaching out to you.
For all that you love, you are loved.
so much more than you know.
today in the stills of worship, P. Andy said something that I remember writing here last month :)
that so often we go into worship with a deep, deep sense of longing for God
and that's good! That's awesome!
But so often we forget that God loves us so much more than we can ever love Him.
And for all that we want to love and give Him, He wants all the more to love us and touch us with His presence.
So often we feel like we're pressing in, we're pushing and pushing and pushing to reach the throneroom of God. Pushing against this wall of distractions, of worries, of troubles, of doubts, of shame, of our own thoughts. Pushing and pushing and trying so desperately to connect with His presence. And we forget.
However hard we're pushing to meet Him, He's pushing even harder to meet us.
And once again, He reminded me that He loves our love.
"I treasure it. I cherish it. More than silver or gold or precious stones. More than the rest of this world. I hold on to it. There is nothing, nothing in all creation that makes me smile bigger than your love. Not the beauty of sunsets and sunrises, not the graceful power of waterfalls or the distant sound of stars, nothing of that matters to me as much as your love does. More than diamonds or gold. I love your love."
It's amazing, and beautiful, and magnificent.
It's not a one-sided battle you're fighting here, even if it sometimes feels that way. You don't see it, but yes, He's there reaching out to you.
For all that you love, you are loved.
so much more than you know.
9:30 PM
Thursday @ Thursday, September 24, 2009
It's pre-exam season, and as much as I hate having to buckle down and actually do work, the prospect of having to retain scares me enough to make me get up and do something about it. I'm pretty fearful only all the time.
the strangest revelations occur in the shower
nothing by our hands is original. It sounds like a disappointment, but think about it for a moment. What is original to us is the product of randomly firing synapses in our heads that merely add a new idea to an existing thought. More than anything, we are adaptors, and our capacity for random thought creates creativity.
But God's the creator. The original creator. He's the original, un-messed-around-with, un-adapted, un-remixed. He's original in everything. Because there was nothing before Him that He could adapt. He's the ultimate creative genius, an exponential infinity of ideas.
And sometimes I wonder why I don't go to Him for help. Maybe another case of God-in-a-box. Too often I forget the guy who made the stuff that made the stuff that made the stuff that made the problems I'm facing, is the same guy who can fix it. Am I making sense? probably. not.
in other news, I hate hate hate pre-exam season for one other reason
it's the darned stress
I'd love to say it isn't there, but it is. It's palpable even in the classroom. Even my crazy, chair-throwing, ball-kicking, random-song-screaming class is starting to do more work during class time. And also: doing more stupid and crazy stuff. It's like the stress is a massive amplifier for whichever emotion of the day we're going through. Suddenly everything's pushed to extremes. And I don't like that.
I don't like that because it makes me vulnerable. Because it makes the temptation to take things easy too clear. To focus on gideon gideon gideon. What gideon feels like doing, what's worrying gideon, what's on gideon's mind. I hate that. I hate being self-centred.
And it's always like facing battlefields. God knows I wish I didn't have to. Heck, who does. But what's necessary is necessary.
Because somehow, through alllllll of this mess that we're dealing with, the stock-up of emotions, the growing stress, there comes those quiet moments. Those moments where the storms fall silent for a spell, and soft, reassuring words remind us of what doesn't change.
And because once you get God in the centre of it all, the winds can blow you any way which they want, it won't move His importance in your life.
We learnto be that He is faithful.
the strangest revelations occur in the shower
nothing by our hands is original. It sounds like a disappointment, but think about it for a moment. What is original to us is the product of randomly firing synapses in our heads that merely add a new idea to an existing thought. More than anything, we are adaptors, and our capacity for random thought creates creativity.
But God's the creator. The original creator. He's the original, un-messed-around-with, un-adapted, un-remixed. He's original in everything. Because there was nothing before Him that He could adapt. He's the ultimate creative genius, an exponential infinity of ideas.
And sometimes I wonder why I don't go to Him for help. Maybe another case of God-in-a-box. Too often I forget the guy who made the stuff that made the stuff that made the stuff that made the problems I'm facing, is the same guy who can fix it. Am I making sense? probably. not.
in other news, I hate hate hate pre-exam season for one other reason
it's the darned stress
I'd love to say it isn't there, but it is. It's palpable even in the classroom. Even my crazy, chair-throwing, ball-kicking, random-song-screaming class is starting to do more work during class time. And also: doing more stupid and crazy stuff. It's like the stress is a massive amplifier for whichever emotion of the day we're going through. Suddenly everything's pushed to extremes. And I don't like that.
I don't like that because it makes me vulnerable. Because it makes the temptation to take things easy too clear. To focus on gideon gideon gideon. What gideon feels like doing, what's worrying gideon, what's on gideon's mind. I hate that. I hate being self-centred.
And it's always like facing battlefields. God knows I wish I didn't have to. Heck, who does. But what's necessary is necessary.
Because somehow, through alllllll of this mess that we're dealing with, the stock-up of emotions, the growing stress, there comes those quiet moments. Those moments where the storms fall silent for a spell, and soft, reassuring words remind us of what doesn't change.
And because once you get God in the centre of it all, the winds can blow you any way which they want, it won't move His importance in your life.
We learn
I want to take the word Christianity back to Christ himself, back to that mighty heart whose pulse seems to throb through the world today, that endless fountain of charity... I go back to that great Spirit which contemplated a sacrifice for the whole of humanity. That sacrifice is not one of exclusion, but of an infinite and endless and joyous inclusion. And I thank God for it.
Julia Ward Howe
8:40 PM
extract @ Monday, September 21, 2009
"I'm silly aren't I"
"yes, yes you are" My Father smiles as He pats my head
"too many times"
"No, not too many"
and His love envelops me again
6:49 PM
pop @ Sunday, September 20, 2009
edited from a tweet:
I think when we get to Heaven, we'll feel alot less proud about any of the work that we do here on earth than we do now, because we'll fully realise just how much of the wars we've won were by Him and how little of it was us.
4:12 PM
blogskin @
added photo. edited from a photo from dee's deviantart :D
yea, I know, it's not all that nice, I'm gonna touch-up on it tomorrow. For now, it's late, goodnight world.
yea, I know, it's not all that nice, I'm gonna touch-up on it tomorrow. For now, it's late, goodnight world.
Labels: blogskin
12:59 AM
pop (Faithful) @ Friday, September 18, 2009
just dropping by to recommend another brooke fraser song (yea, I'm re-discovering Albertine)
Faithful - Brooke Fraser
There's distance in the air and I cannot make it leave
I wave my arms' round about me and blow with all my might
I cannot sense you close, though I know you're always here
But the comfort of you near is what I long for
[CHORUS]
When I can't feel you, I have learned to reach out just the same
When I can't hear you, I know you still hear every word I pray
And i want you more than I want to live another day
And as I wait for you maybe I'm made more faithful
All the folly of the past, though I know it is undone
I still feel the guilty one, still trying to make it right
So I whisper soft your name, let it roll around my tounge,
knowing you're the only one who knows me
You know me
[BRIDGE]
Show me how I should live this
Show me where I should walk
I count this world as loss to me
You are all I want
You are all I want
The reason I like this song's probably because she so succinctly puts into words something that I feel every now and then. That even though sometimes I'm not, He is faithful. Those times when you don't feel His presence, but you know He's there. Not because anything in your situation tells you that, but because you've tried and tested Him and found Him to be faithful beyond any measure we can put on Him.
And that's the truth.
Faithful - Brooke Fraser
There's distance in the air and I cannot make it leave
I wave my arms' round about me and blow with all my might
I cannot sense you close, though I know you're always here
But the comfort of you near is what I long for
[CHORUS]
When I can't feel you, I have learned to reach out just the same
When I can't hear you, I know you still hear every word I pray
And i want you more than I want to live another day
And as I wait for you maybe I'm made more faithful
All the folly of the past, though I know it is undone
I still feel the guilty one, still trying to make it right
So I whisper soft your name, let it roll around my tounge,
knowing you're the only one who knows me
You know me
[BRIDGE]
Show me how I should live this
Show me where I should walk
I count this world as loss to me
You are all I want
You are all I want
The reason I like this song's probably because she so succinctly puts into words something that I feel every now and then. That even though sometimes I'm not, He is faithful. Those times when you don't feel His presence, but you know He's there. Not because anything in your situation tells you that, but because you've tried and tested Him and found Him to be faithful beyond any measure we can put on Him.
And that's the truth.
Labels: pop
11:54 PM
thursday/friday (In a Box) @
500th post (IS WINNN)
So it's been a pretty weird night so far.
I got home earlier today at around 5, I showered and took a nap.
Next thing I know, it's 12.30am.
I pretty much stared at the clock for a minute, then went "ahhhhhhhhhhhh, crap."
Heh, but it's alright, I needed the sleep anyway.
- - -
In one way or another, you've put God in a box.
It's not your fault really, the vastness of God is pretty hard to imagine, let alone understand. It's perfectly normal to have to scale it down a little inside your mind. But the danger here is what that box is.
To some, it's a little jackpot box, like in casinos. With a lever, a display screen, and a slot for "insert prayer here". You pray, pull the lever, and wait to see if you've won anything.
To others, it's a locked chest. Every weekend, you open it, soak some God in, wear the nice halo. Then come monday morning, you lock it up again, take off the halo and let the horns grow out.
My point here is that everyone has their own interpretations of who God means to them. Sometimes God means our supply of blessings and provision, sometimes God means our only hope when everything around us is crap, sometimes God means the judgemental being just waiting, watching for our mistakes.
And some of that's right.
But so long as you keep your view of God one-sided, you're getting nowhere.
The weird thing is this: as long as we're here on earth, we're never going to experience all of who God is. It just ain't gonna happen. We're simply not ready for it.
So as long as we're here, God's always going to be in a box in our minds.
What changes is how big that box is. If all that box contains is judgement, you'll never love Him. If all that box holds is blessings, you're never going to seek Him for who He is, but for what He gives. If all that box holds is religious routine, you're not going to have a real relationship.
Open up your box. Discover more about who He is, the vastness of His character, what He loves, what He hates, His humour, His joy; the universe we live in is but a minute expression of all God is, you can never learn enough or understand enough about who He is.
How? Spend time with Him! Open up your box from just the weekends to your whole week. Slowly, you start seeing His fingerprints all around you. Open up your box to experience His love, and you'll see Him as more than just something to fear, but to love as well. The more you gaze into the nature of God, the more your understanding of Him increases, the bigger than box gets.
Open up that box. Don't be content with God as you know Him, but desire to know even more about God. Let that box get bigger until you find that God isn't a section of your life, but that He's in every sections, every part. Until the box of God envelops your life.
- - -
on a side note, I love this song.
If to distant lands I scatter
If I sail to farthest seas
Would you find and firm and gather 'til I only dwell in Thee?
If I flee from greenest pastures
Would you leave to look for me?
Forfeit glory to come after
'Til I only dwell in Thee
[INSTRUMENTAL]
If my heart has one ambition
If my soul one goal to seek
This my solitary vision 'til I only dwell in Thee
That I only dwell in Thee
'Til I only dwell in Thee
heh, 500 posts and I'm only learning how to write what He's taught me. The solitary vision I seek for this blog to bless lives, through the words and knowledge I have. So thank you for your encouragements, keep reading :) let Him be glorified.
Driven by Eternity. Looking at life now as the starting point for the rest of everything. If we could realised the weight of our time here on the infinity of our time after, we'd live a little differently.
So it's been a pretty weird night so far.
I got home earlier today at around 5, I showered and took a nap.
Next thing I know, it's 12.30am.
I pretty much stared at the clock for a minute, then went "ahhhhhhhhhhhh, crap."
Heh, but it's alright, I needed the sleep anyway.
- - -
In one way or another, you've put God in a box.
It's not your fault really, the vastness of God is pretty hard to imagine, let alone understand. It's perfectly normal to have to scale it down a little inside your mind. But the danger here is what that box is.
To some, it's a little jackpot box, like in casinos. With a lever, a display screen, and a slot for "insert prayer here". You pray, pull the lever, and wait to see if you've won anything.
To others, it's a locked chest. Every weekend, you open it, soak some God in, wear the nice halo. Then come monday morning, you lock it up again, take off the halo and let the horns grow out.
My point here is that everyone has their own interpretations of who God means to them. Sometimes God means our supply of blessings and provision, sometimes God means our only hope when everything around us is crap, sometimes God means the judgemental being just waiting, watching for our mistakes.
And some of that's right.
But so long as you keep your view of God one-sided, you're getting nowhere.
The weird thing is this: as long as we're here on earth, we're never going to experience all of who God is. It just ain't gonna happen. We're simply not ready for it.
So as long as we're here, God's always going to be in a box in our minds.
What changes is how big that box is. If all that box contains is judgement, you'll never love Him. If all that box holds is blessings, you're never going to seek Him for who He is, but for what He gives. If all that box holds is religious routine, you're not going to have a real relationship.
Open up your box. Discover more about who He is, the vastness of His character, what He loves, what He hates, His humour, His joy; the universe we live in is but a minute expression of all God is, you can never learn enough or understand enough about who He is.
How? Spend time with Him! Open up your box from just the weekends to your whole week. Slowly, you start seeing His fingerprints all around you. Open up your box to experience His love, and you'll see Him as more than just something to fear, but to love as well. The more you gaze into the nature of God, the more your understanding of Him increases, the bigger than box gets.
Open up that box. Don't be content with God as you know Him, but desire to know even more about God. Let that box get bigger until you find that God isn't a section of your life, but that He's in every sections, every part. Until the box of God envelops your life.
- - -
on a side note, I love this song.
If to distant lands I scatter
If I sail to farthest seas
Would you find and firm and gather 'til I only dwell in Thee?
If I flee from greenest pastures
Would you leave to look for me?
Forfeit glory to come after
'Til I only dwell in Thee
[INSTRUMENTAL]
If my heart has one ambition
If my soul one goal to seek
This my solitary vision 'til I only dwell in Thee
That I only dwell in Thee
'Til I only dwell in Thee
This my solitary vision
Til I only dwell in Thee
heh, 500 posts and I'm only learning how to write what He's taught me. The solitary vision I seek for this blog to bless lives, through the words and knowledge I have. So thank you for your encouragements, keep reading :) let Him be glorified.
Driven by Eternity. Looking at life now as the starting point for the rest of everything. If we could realised the weight of our time here on the infinity of our time after, we'd live a little differently.
Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.
C. S. Lewis
Labels: milestone
3:16 AM
Blogskin @ Sunday, September 13, 2009
Yea, it's simple, but I like. Enjoy.
some minor tweaks. ugh, blogger and refusing to give the code for labels. Next post shall be long, since it is the big 500 post
some minor tweaks. ugh, blogger and refusing to give the code for labels. Next post shall be long, since it is the big 500 post
"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglement; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetratable, irredeemable.” - C.S. Lewis
Labels: blogskin
11:55 PM
sunday @
So there's alot that's swimming around in my head right now
alot of stuff that's hard to type down :x
anyway, I hate to steal another blog post from Jon Acuff at Stuff Christians Like (I'm telling you, it's an incredibly anointed blog), but I really really like the message of this one.
So to get to the point, you've probably heard Philippians 4:6-7 before
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
You've probably seen it in sermons about worry, or maybe during cell time (especially during this pre-exam season)
and as the sec fours move into a time of mugging for the dreaded O levels.
But take a look at the four words that precede that verse.
"The Lord is near."
And I think it's a wonderful reminder to put that right before telling us not to worry. Because when we present our prayers and petitions, when we ask God for strength to face our tough situations, when we take the stuff that troubles our hearts and minds and put it before God, He is not a God who is far away. He's not happily sitting in Heaven on a black, comfy, boss-style chair, spinning around and throwing darts at the ceiling (which is what I would do if I had His job. Aren't you glad I'm not God?)
The moment that worry enters your mind, He's already there. Waiting for the moment where you give it to Him so He can take away your worry. Then He rolls up His sleeves and gets to work helping you through.
It's an awesome reminder. The Lord is near. The Lord is near. You're worried for someone? The Lord is near, He hears you. The weight of your distress bearing down on you? The Lord is near. He'll take that burlap bag and replace it with the lightness of peace. The Lord is near.
Think about that the next time you worry.
alot of stuff that's hard to type down :x
anyway, I hate to steal another blog post from Jon Acuff at Stuff Christians Like (I'm telling you, it's an incredibly anointed blog), but I really really like the message of this one.
So to get to the point, you've probably heard Philippians 4:6-7 before
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
You've probably seen it in sermons about worry, or maybe during cell time (especially during this pre-exam season)
and as the sec fours move into a time of mugging for the dreaded O levels.
But take a look at the four words that precede that verse.
"The Lord is near."
And I think it's a wonderful reminder to put that right before telling us not to worry. Because when we present our prayers and petitions, when we ask God for strength to face our tough situations, when we take the stuff that troubles our hearts and minds and put it before God, He is not a God who is far away. He's not happily sitting in Heaven on a black, comfy, boss-style chair, spinning around and throwing darts at the ceiling (which is what I would do if I had His job. Aren't you glad I'm not God?)
The moment that worry enters your mind, He's already there. Waiting for the moment where you give it to Him so He can take away your worry. Then He rolls up His sleeves and gets to work helping you through.
It's an awesome reminder. The Lord is near. The Lord is near. You're worried for someone? The Lord is near, He hears you. The weight of your distress bearing down on you? The Lord is near. He'll take that burlap bag and replace it with the lightness of peace. The Lord is near.
Think about that the next time you worry.
9:10 PM
wednesday pop @ Thursday, September 10, 2009
just another pop-by
(oh yea, happy birthday abby, shall pass you letter on sunday. apologies for really sucky handwriting.)
Exodus 5:1
Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.' "
God asks for His people to hold a festival for Him in the desert?
The desert is where the heat burns on your skin.
Where every step feels like your feet are on fire.
Where your tongue feels like dry parchment and your arms feel so tired you can't bother to lift them up.
Where it's just trudging onward. Another step, another step another step.
Where it's barren. There isn't any life around. The life that exists there exists to kill you or to do you harm.
And it's where people die when they get lost.
That's why being in a spiritual desert isn't something fun.
But God asked for the Israelites to go to the desert to hold a festival.
To praise Him.
This is why the desert song speaks so strongly to me some days.
Because it says that in my desert, I shall praise Him.
In the desert, once you shut up all the voices that are your own
and you choose.
choose
To praise Him.
That is where you show the enemy that you don't praise Him because of His presents
His gifts, His blessings
That is where you say "I praise my God for who He is"
"It doesn't matter where I am, He doesn't change. And I will praise Him for who He is. My unchanging, awesome God."
In your desert, hold a festival. Praise Him.
Because He never changes.
(oh yea, happy birthday abby, shall pass you letter on sunday. apologies for really sucky handwriting.)
Exodus 5:1
Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.' "
God asks for His people to hold a festival for Him in the desert?
The desert is where the heat burns on your skin.
Where every step feels like your feet are on fire.
Where your tongue feels like dry parchment and your arms feel so tired you can't bother to lift them up.
Where it's just trudging onward. Another step, another step another step.
Where it's barren. There isn't any life around. The life that exists there exists to kill you or to do you harm.
And it's where people die when they get lost.
That's why being in a spiritual desert isn't something fun.
But God asked for the Israelites to go to the desert to hold a festival.
To praise Him.
This is why the desert song speaks so strongly to me some days.
Because it says that in my desert, I shall praise Him.
In the desert, once you shut up all the voices that are your own
and you choose.
choose
To praise Him.
That is where you show the enemy that you don't praise Him because of His presents
His gifts, His blessings
That is where you say "I praise my God for who He is"
"It doesn't matter where I am, He doesn't change. And I will praise Him for who He is. My unchanging, awesome God."
In your desert, hold a festival. Praise Him.
Because He never changes.
2:05 AM
Saturday (Light) @ Saturday, September 05, 2009
Have you ever tried looking directly at a light?
If there's one hanging above you or outside, go stare at it
go look directly at it for the next minute or so
I'll wait here
dum dee dee dum dum
(in case you're wondering, I'm listening to the om nom nom song
which actually sounds like an actual song! But I digress.
Coincidentally, the song lasts a minute and 10 seconds, so you could listen to it while you stare at the light :D
Listen to the om nom nom song here
Back yet?
Now, if you did it right, you're probably seeing a purple after-image in the exact shape and size of whatever you were looking at
which might actually make it hard to read this thing. Hm. Got to give more thought about stuff like that.
Anyway, this effect is known as an after-image.
The light hitting the back of your eyes creates chemical changes
and if you're looking really long at a light of a certain shape and size, the chemical change back to complete darkness takes longer.
So it's probably been a good thirty seconds since you've seen the light (hahahahaha, I are so unintentional witty)
and by now the after-image is probably blurrier around the edges
I mean, you can still see the shape, but it's less defined than it was.
And by now, it's probably completely disappeared
except for the few lasts wisps of purple lingering in your visions.
So now I'm going to ask you to describe the light that you were looking at
without looking at it again
It's either gonna be something like
"It was white. And. Rectangularious".
WELL, if you were high and living in the nineteen eighties and had a kickass afro.
(Afros are like giant balls of fun-hair)
but you couldn't go into detail about it
"It was a cream-white light of 7.5 by 7.5 cm installed with 3.5mm screws and an incandescent Phillips light bulb".
Unless you were a robot.
I KNOW YOU EXIST, MR. ROBOT MAN
And one day we shall meet and have ice cream (or the robotic equivalent)
and I'll interview you on life as a robot
I've already got some questions planned!
"Do you get annoyed when people thank you with 'Domo arigato, mr. roboto'?"
I NEED TO STOP DIGRESSING
but the point here is this: the less time you spend looking at the light,
the faster it fades,
the faster you forget about it
and it's the same when we look at God.
whoa, shocked you there? you were expecting me to hang left but I bobbed in right and WHAMMM, blind-sighted.
it's the whole reason why we spend DAILY time with God.
Because it's like looking into His light
into all that He is, into who He is.
If you want to be more passionate, to do more stuff for God, to be more than just a weekend Christian,
spend daily time with God!
Because when you look at the light
the afterimage remains
and for a while everything else you look at gets tinged with that same image
that purple after-colour of the light
If you daily look into the light that is God
You're gonna start seeing Him in everything you do
When you're sitting in that par-ti-cularly boring math class
when you're mugging at home
when you're watching The Time Traveler's Wife (which I do want to, btw)
You're gonna be more conscious of Him
of His presence that never ever ever leaves your side
and believe me, it's going to change the way you live your life.
So make sure you spend some time looking into the light
and you won't forget who God is in anything you do
Even when you're during an interview ("Do you do any other dance moves than the robot? Have you ever thought of growing 'fun-hair'?")
(edit)
I keyed in my blog into wordle.net (a fun hobby for a word-fanatic like me)
and this was what I got
hope you enjoy :)
wordle here
If there's one hanging above you or outside, go stare at it
go look directly at it for the next minute or so
I'll wait here
dum dee dee dum dum
(in case you're wondering, I'm listening to the om nom nom song
which actually sounds like an actual song! But I digress.
Coincidentally, the song lasts a minute and 10 seconds, so you could listen to it while you stare at the light :D
Listen to the om nom nom song here
Back yet?
Now, if you did it right, you're probably seeing a purple after-image in the exact shape and size of whatever you were looking at
which might actually make it hard to read this thing. Hm. Got to give more thought about stuff like that.
Anyway, this effect is known as an after-image.
The light hitting the back of your eyes creates chemical changes
and if you're looking really long at a light of a certain shape and size, the chemical change back to complete darkness takes longer.
So it's probably been a good thirty seconds since you've seen the light (hahahahaha, I are so unintentional witty)
and by now the after-image is probably blurrier around the edges
I mean, you can still see the shape, but it's less defined than it was.
And by now, it's probably completely disappeared
except for the few lasts wisps of purple lingering in your visions.
So now I'm going to ask you to describe the light that you were looking at
without looking at it again
It's either gonna be something like
"It was white. And. Rectangularious".
WELL, if you were high and living in the nineteen eighties and had a kickass afro.
(Afros are like giant balls of fun-hair)
but you couldn't go into detail about it
"It was a cream-white light of 7.5 by 7.5 cm installed with 3.5mm screws and an incandescent Phillips light bulb".
Unless you were a robot.
I KNOW YOU EXIST, MR. ROBOT MAN
And one day we shall meet and have ice cream (or the robotic equivalent)
and I'll interview you on life as a robot
I've already got some questions planned!
"Do you get annoyed when people thank you with 'Domo arigato, mr. roboto'?"
I NEED TO STOP DIGRESSING
but the point here is this: the less time you spend looking at the light,
the faster it fades,
the faster you forget about it
and it's the same when we look at God.
whoa, shocked you there? you were expecting me to hang left but I bobbed in right and WHAMMM, blind-sighted.
it's the whole reason why we spend DAILY time with God.
Because it's like looking into His light
into all that He is, into who He is.
If you want to be more passionate, to do more stuff for God, to be more than just a weekend Christian,
spend daily time with God!
Because when you look at the light
the afterimage remains
and for a while everything else you look at gets tinged with that same image
that purple after-colour of the light
If you daily look into the light that is God
You're gonna start seeing Him in everything you do
When you're sitting in that par-ti-cularly boring math class
when you're mugging at home
when you're watching The Time Traveler's Wife (which I do want to, btw)
You're gonna be more conscious of Him
of His presence that never ever ever leaves your side
and believe me, it's going to change the way you live your life.
So make sure you spend some time looking into the light
and you won't forget who God is in anything you do
Even when you're during an interview ("Do you do any other dance moves than the robot? Have you ever thought of growing 'fun-hair'?")
(edit)
I keyed in my blog into wordle.net (a fun hobby for a word-fanatic like me)
and this was what I got
hope you enjoy :)
wordle here
8:49 PM
Twitter @
So I've decided to unblock my tweets. I'm over at http://twitter.com/penguiKnIGHT
It's my place of random thoughts, my life, and the little things God teaches me. Hope you enjoy!
It's my place of random thoughts, my life, and the little things God teaches me. Hope you enjoy!
12:30 AM
thursday (The River is Rising) @ Friday, September 04, 2009
Not my style to post twice in one night (or, say, two hours)
but I was reminded of something!
At yesterday's ChurchPrayerMeeting Paster Margaret read out Ezekiel 47:1-9
which basically talks about how the prophet Ezekiel received a vision where a man lead him into a river that was first ankle-deep. Then after walking a little more, the water became knee-deep. Then walking a little more, it became waist-deep. Then they walked to a point where the water was deep enough that his feet no longer touched the floor and he was pretty much swimming.
And as I was reading through it, something inside clicked
that His presence would be that strong
Later today at 4one
His presence will be that strong.
not a wading, ankle or knee-deep
not even waist-deep
but a full-on immersion into His presence
till overflowing
yea, that's what I'm looking forward to
what about you?
What are you looking forward to at 4one tomorrow?
but I was reminded of something!
At yesterday's ChurchPrayerMeeting Paster Margaret read out Ezekiel 47:1-9
which basically talks about how the prophet Ezekiel received a vision where a man lead him into a river that was first ankle-deep. Then after walking a little more, the water became knee-deep. Then walking a little more, it became waist-deep. Then they walked to a point where the water was deep enough that his feet no longer touched the floor and he was pretty much swimming.
And as I was reading through it, something inside clicked
that His presence would be that strong
Later today at 4one
His presence will be that strong.
not a wading, ankle or knee-deep
not even waist-deep
but a full-on immersion into His presence
till overflowing
yea, that's what I'm looking forward to
what about you?
What are you looking forward to at 4one tomorrow?
3:16 AM
thursday (The Heart Of TAWG) @
So if you're puzzled about what TAWG is, it's short for "Time Alone With God"
It's also a classic case of Christian jargon :p
Basically, it's quiet time, devotion, journaling, that time you spend away form the world and with God
It's hard to keep a balance between discipline in spending time with God and when it becomes routine religion.
Generally, there are three types of people, the ones that don't spend time with God, the ones that spend time with God irregularly, and the ones that do it every single day without fail.
If you're in the last group, then dear sir, I salute you. You're probably the sort who can keep a box of chocolates in the fridge without devouring them fifteen seconds after eating the first one.
And if you're in the second group, well, high-fives and side-hugs all around!
It's really paradoxical sometimes. The times when we're the most tired are supposed to be when we come to God right? But those are usually the moments where I feel like I'm too to spend time with God.
So that's where the discipline comes in. And honestly, I struggle with that sometimes. Twice this week already I've chosen sleep over God ( D: ). But I'm learning, I'm learning.
At the same time, I hate it when it becomes just another routine. I break open the christian playlist on my mp3, read a chapter, write whatever pops into my head, pray, and I'm outta there. I hate when it becomes a chore.
And there seems to be that middle point that's so often hard to reach :/
So what's the heart of spending time with God?
Heh, I'm gonna be honest here
Like I mentioned, I missed out on time with Him this week
and I was talking with Him about it (and feeling bad)
but in my thoughts, I caught what I was actually saying
sample this:
"I'm sorry Lord. My bad. Did I miss out on a massive revelation?"
"No"
"well, good. Sorry though. Did I miss out on an amazing, life-changing time in your presence?"
"No"
"whew. alright. Yea, sorry about it."
at this point God sort of looked at me and said
"Have you ever thought that maybe I don't want to plop anything on you, I just want some time with you"
And there's that *click* as it connects in my mind
I was wanting that time with Him because of what He could give for me, not what I could give to Him
And in reflection, that was pretty darn stupid of me.
The heart of spending time with God, of quiet time, is to shift your focus away from yourself, onto God.
It's that place of daily re-alignment back from what I want to what God wants.
On an unrelated note, I love God-bonks.
You know, when you're having wrong thinking (say with me, "WRONG THINKING")
and God comes over and bonks you over the head with a piece of truth
and you sort of stumble back, laugh, and go "ohhhhhhhhhhhh."
heh, those are fun.
This post is getting rambly :/
I'll come back and remix it some time.
It's also a classic case of Christian jargon :p
Basically, it's quiet time, devotion, journaling, that time you spend away form the world and with God
It's hard to keep a balance between discipline in spending time with God and when it becomes routine religion.
Generally, there are three types of people, the ones that don't spend time with God, the ones that spend time with God irregularly, and the ones that do it every single day without fail.
If you're in the last group, then dear sir, I salute you. You're probably the sort who can keep a box of chocolates in the fridge without devouring them fifteen seconds after eating the first one.
And if you're in the second group, well, high-fives and side-hugs all around!
It's really paradoxical sometimes. The times when we're the most tired are supposed to be when we come to God right? But those are usually the moments where I feel like I'm too to spend time with God.
So that's where the discipline comes in. And honestly, I struggle with that sometimes. Twice this week already I've chosen sleep over God ( D: ). But I'm learning, I'm learning.
At the same time, I hate it when it becomes just another routine. I break open the christian playlist on my mp3, read a chapter, write whatever pops into my head, pray, and I'm outta there. I hate when it becomes a chore.
And there seems to be that middle point that's so often hard to reach :/
So what's the heart of spending time with God?
Heh, I'm gonna be honest here
Like I mentioned, I missed out on time with Him this week
and I was talking with Him about it (and feeling bad)
but in my thoughts, I caught what I was actually saying
sample this:
"I'm sorry Lord. My bad. Did I miss out on a massive revelation?"
"No"
"well, good. Sorry though. Did I miss out on an amazing, life-changing time in your presence?"
"No"
"whew. alright. Yea, sorry about it."
at this point God sort of looked at me and said
"Have you ever thought that maybe I don't want to plop anything on you, I just want some time with you"
And there's that *click* as it connects in my mind
I was wanting that time with Him because of what He could give for me, not what I could give to Him
And in reflection, that was pretty darn stupid of me.
The heart of spending time with God, of quiet time, is to shift your focus away from yourself, onto God.
It's that place of daily re-alignment back from what I want to what God wants.
On an unrelated note, I love God-bonks.
You know, when you're having wrong thinking (say with me, "WRONG THINKING")
and God comes over and bonks you over the head with a piece of truth
and you sort of stumble back, laugh, and go "ohhhhhhhhhhhh."
heh, those are fun.
This post is getting rambly :/
I'll come back and remix it some time.
2:54 AM