Isaiah 41:13 (NKJV)

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, "Fear not, I will help you."

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

grrr~~

When you have this sneaky suspicion that you're in avoidance mode, trying to run away... then u know perhaps it's high time to sit down with the Lord, sort it out... and then face it squarely.

*help!*

11 days to Cape Town~

It hadn't quite sunk in that I'll be heading to Cape Town soon. It's like something that has been lingering at the back of my head for so long it has comfortably etched itself into the background and hasn't made its way to the foreground yet. Wait til I start packing. Maybe on the day I head to KLIA =)

But today, now, I think I'm quite ready to take a break from the Japan-China spat over Diaoyu Islands. Imagine God looking at His creations fighting over something He has freely given - to be explored, excavated for the good of all, enjoyed for His glory. Yet, His creations couldn't reach a consensus - oh no, it's belongs to me! No, it's mine! Hmmmm...

Quite thankful that Wen and Kan finally talked. At least something. In the heat of things when I have 6 commentaries lined up, I wish China and Japan would "get married". Yea, go learn about sacrificial love. Forget about the past mistakes and grudges, let go and move forward.

Of course it's easier said than done. Years and years of deep-seated hatred, humiliation, painful scars and perhaps still festering wounds. One claims to have compensated, apologised over and over, repeated expressions of deep remorse. The other saying it's not enough, not sincere, words not supported by behaviour. Having once held on to unforgiveness, bitterness, anger - which I thought were rightfully mine, I am thankful that grace and love have taught me to let go. It's really a yuck concoction - one that so poisons your heart, soul and mind. It wasn't easy, I don't claim to have done it on my own accord, but once you've learnt to release, man, you wonder how you could have held on to it for so long.

"It's not so simple la" - ya, ya, I know it's bilateral relations we're talking about here, with a complicated interweave of diplomatic relations, impregnated with serious economic overtones, affected by nationalistic sentiments. something like that. yea, many times in our human relationships too, "it's not that simple la". then we come up with this and that, and this and that... just to show that it's really not so simple. but is it really that complicated? I'm thankful for a low threshold for complicated things - my system jams up pretty quick, and then I can only throw my hands up in the air and dump everything at the foot of the cross.

At the cross.

Where love unconditional was displayed.

The love that covers over a multitude of sins.

The love that wipes away all anger, all bitterness, all unforgiveness.

The love that opens up the way to freedom.

We're only humans - whether you're the newspaper cutter getting black fingers every morning, or whether you're the Prime Minister of a big country making all the big decisions, trying to pacify your people to retain your position while trying to reconcile with the other uprising big powers. The source of unconditional love can never come from us - we dry up too soon, and our love is tainted, by all sorts of "complicated" human issues. We need to go back to the source of Love - God Himself.

Looking forward to Cape Town. I just hope Kan doesn't resign when I'm away. =)

Monday, October 04, 2010

=)





'nuff said ;p



Sunday, October 03, 2010

"What Child is This?"

It's a bit too early for Christmas but it's never too early to start anticipating the excitement of Christmas, and the deeper significance Christmas has for one eh?

As the melodious voices of The Fidelis Singers ring in the comfy living room of the Laws, my mind is transported back to the cold, cold, beautiful white Christmas in Hirosaki and Ajigasawa. Every Christmas has been special in its own way since I came to know the true meaning of Christmas (that's when the Christmas story became my very own story too) but I guess having been a tropical girl all my life, a snow-white Christmas is hard to forget. Where it's freezing to the bones on the outside, but warm and cozy indoors, and in your heart.

2010 has been a very very eventful year - many ups, many downs, the ups making up for the downs. Sometimes I wonder if there's too many things happening, that I don't have sufficient time to savour and reflect on every important event of 2010. I'm being reminded that "only 1 thing is needed" and that is to sit @ His feet, and enjoy Him, being thankful for His faithfulness in bringing me through every season, and for the precious gifts He has bestowed upon me. Gifts, big and small. The biggest being the Saviour Himself - the gift of life in abundance in Him, who came 2000+ years ago as a tiny little helpless baby, wrapped in cloth, asleep in a manger.

And oh, what joyous news!!! That an old friend of almost 9 years has finally accepted this very precious Gift! A gift is not yours until you own it. And this Gift is just right there, waiting for you to reach out and claim Him as your own, just as He has given up His life for you. So dude, better late than never. May this Christmas come alive to you, that you may appreciate the significance of this Christmas story, and know that the Christmas story is your story too.