Month: May 2013

Post a Week: For the Sake of the World

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Draft a post with three parts, each unrelated to the other, but create a common thread between them by including the same item — an object, a symbol, a place — in each part.

China – Amelia teaches reading and writing to children in far flung areas. Her heart is to not just educate them, but to also lead them to know more about life. Day in and day out, she ploughs through the unfamiliar tongue. Mandarin is not  her first language. Yet she attempts to teach the little children to the best of her abilities. She uses the Word — stories about David and Goliath, Samson and Delilah, Adam and Eve, and Jesus are among the kids’ favorites. They are her love and favorites, too.

* * *

I don’t know what I’m doing here. All I know is that I have a call. All these people who are not of my blood — they irritate me sometimes but I have grown to love them. They speak quite oddly — Tamil is a strange tongue after all. But I know I can get through to them through one language. And that’s the language of Love.

***

His stay in Europe is about to end. He’s traveled far. He’s traveled wide. But he’s met numerous amount of people there, hungry for The Word. What else could he do but overflow? He’s shared them the story about a man and a woman who ate from a tree. And then the one about the One who died for you and me. He is happy. He is fulfilled. He has lived out a life poured out. For the sake of God. For the sake of the world.

via http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/daily-prompt-weaving/

Holistic Living

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When I was in college, someone told me that man is made up of three core parts: the body, the soul, and the spirit. We have our physical flesh, we have our mind and our emotions, and we have that life inside of us designed for a deep, intimate connection with God.

Back then, I took that teaching to heart because of the spirit part — we live our lives with God-shaped holes inside of us because that innermost part was snuffed out ever since the fall. Only when we say “yes” to Him do we get to have the fullness of life back; only when we say “yes” do we get to have our spirits restored.

I love that teaching. I’ve found it to be true in my life and have seen it to be true in the lives of other people as well. Yet these days, I am also learning something new. The spirit is of utmost importance — yet the body and soul are both important, too.

For so long, I’ve been focusing all my energy on my spirit. In the process I’ve stopped taking care of my flesh. I’ve stopped taking care of my emotions, too, at an overwhelming number of times. But I believe we are holistic beings. We should take care of what God calls His temple. And we should not neglect our minds and our hearts as well.

I’ve been going to the gym and I’ve been trying to eat healthier these days. I want to make this a lifestyle and not just a one-time thing. How can I serve my God fully if I won’t be able to live that long because of a deteriorating body?

And how can I serve God if I can’t really do it joyfully? Thankfully, my soul’s much better these days (yihee). And it’s not just because I’m in love or anything. Truth be told, I’ve had battles with bouts of depression last year, but through the months that passed, I learned to do things that made me happy (like writing, for example). You’ll find me smiling more these days. Laughing more, too.

Something’s lacking in my spirit again, though. I need a fresh encounter. Like Misty Edwards sang in one of her songs, “Yesterday’s depth is feeling really shallow, I’ve got to go deeper, deeper, deeper still.” And in all honesty, I just need to get away from all the busyness of the world and spend time to acquaint myself with the lines of His face again.

I’m going to do that. I need to do that.

So there you go. Let’s go for holistic living folks. We only get to live this life once. Let’s make it count.

See me oh-so-happy because I’m going to live oh-so-holistically? Yey!

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Post a Week: Jealous No More

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Tell us about the last time you were really, truly jealous of someone. Did you act on it? Did it hurt your relationship?

Photographers, show us something GREEN.

Jealous of the girl who caught your eye
One of my darker days
When you looked at her where was I?
Should have been in her place
Here I am
All alone imagining what might have been
What could have been
If I had been there

Jealous of the one whose arms are around you
If she’s keeping you satisfied
Jealous of the one who finally found you
Made your sun and your stars collide
La la la la la la la
She’s a very very lucky girl
La la la la la la la

Jealous of the one who won your heart
They say it’s a perfect match
She’s gonna get to be where you are
And I don’t get better than that
She’ll say you’re fine
Whisper words I wish were mine
And they might have been
If I had been there

You know I’d fight the good fight
If I thought I’d change your mind
But if she makes you happy
I would leave that dream behind
Man, she better treat you right
And give you everything
Cause at the moment she doesn’t
I’ll be waiting in the wings

La la la la la la la
She’s a very very lucky girl

(Jealous by Nina)

I used to sing this song over and over. To different boys, because of different girls, mouthing out heartbreaks and heartaches and God-knows-what other matters of the heart.

But then I caught your eye. Oh wait — love, I think you caught mine.

It has been a crazy, sweet, and at times heart-wrenchingly rough process. But we made it through. And we’ll continue to make it through.

I am loved. You are loved.

We will make it through.

To every girl out there hoping for love to come by — my dears, don’t fret. Love is worth the wait.

To every man mustering up the courage and strength to pursue love — proceed with wisdom and care. Love is always worth the fight.

So I’ll say goodbye to the green-eyed monster. Today I’ll say hello to love.

via http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/daily-prompt-green-eyed-monster/

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A Song

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Worth Having (July 30, 2012)

It’s been some weeks
Since I last got to spend some time with you
Don’t want to complain but you know
My love, I’ve been missing you
Everyday it gets harder
Every second just seems longer
Cause you’re so far away
But my heart keeps getting fonder
And I just keep falling deeper
Why does it have to be this way?

Well…

Anything worth having, anything worth keeping
Is worth waiting for, worth fighting for
Love, you are worth having
Love, you are worth keeping
You’re worth waiting for, worth fighting for
One day we’ll look back at everything that we’ve been through
But yes I will say
It was worth sticking out through the fight with you

It will be some more weeks
Till you and I can meet up again
Don’t know if my heart can wait
But I guess I’ll hold it in till then
Everyday it gets harder
And every second just seems longer
But we’ll have to find a way
Cause my heart keeps getting fonder
And I just keep falling deeper
Well this will all be worth it one day

Anything worth having, anything worth keeping
Is worth waiting for, worth fighting for
Love, you are worth having
Love, you are worth keeping
You’re worth waiting for, worth fighting for
One day we’ll look back at everything that we’ve been through
And yes I will say
It was worth sticking out through the fight with you

Post a Week: A Concrete Forest

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When you gaze out your window — real or figurative — do you see the forest first, or the trees?

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There are no trees outside my window — just a sprawling expanse of shops and houses making up the concrete forest I call home.

I live in the 14th floor, you see. It’s 13A, supposedly, because the number 4 is considered to be unlucky. But the developer appears to be on the less superstitious side. Only floor 4 is known as floor 3A and floor 14 remains as floor 14.

But I’m supposed to be talking about trees. I know there are rows of them lining the road outside the guardhouse. I’m too high up, though, to see them from where I am sitting now.

Still, the concrete forest is a nice enough view. It’s breathtaking especially when I arrive home early enough to catch the sun setting late over Kuala Lumpur’s skyline.

Kuala Lumpur… There’s so much going on in Malaysia right now, especially in its political landscape. It’s quite crazy, really. But if all these things will spark change in any way, then let everything shake, rattle, and roll.

So I look outside my window, out to the concrete forest once again. As I do say a little prayer for this land.

God bless Malaysia.

via http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/daily-prompt-landscape/

Post a Week: A Timid Doctor

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Turn to your co-workers, kids, Facebook friends, family — anyone who’s accessible — and ask them to suggest an article, an adjective, and a noun. There’s your post title! Now write.

Gentle Giant, they called him. Six-foot-five with big burly biceps but with the heart of a seven-year-old child, the large man was an oxymoron personified. Well-meaning folks said that he should have taken up wrestling. Better-meaning ones, knowing his timid nature, speculated that he might have been better suited for heavy machinery lifting. But Pablo — tired of all the weights and workouts — went against all societal expectations and dove into the field of medicine.

Pablo was a doctor and a good one at that. He was already on his way to making the five-year-mark of his pediatric career and had a dozens of faithful patients supporting him, ready to give good reports. He often had difficulty interacting with the parents but when it came to the children — it was as if he wielded magic. He put frightened little ones at ease, he put the antsy ones on their best behaviours, and he made sure all the kids went out of his clinic with bright smiles painted on their faces.

He knew he wouldn’t have left a mark on peoples hearts that great if he took up wrestling or heavy machine lifting.

Pablo didn’t care what people thought. The timid doctor just reflected over what his muscular heart beat for and followed it.

Thank you, Jays, for the article, the adjective, and the noun! :D

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via http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/daily-prompt-mad-libs/

Come Alive

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I’m picking up the pieces of your life
I’m dusting off the cobwebs
Smoothing out the jagged edges
Let My Holy Spirit in you
Come alive

Come alive
Come alive
Come alive
Come alive

Breathe new life
Come and breathe new life

I know the road before you seems so long
I know your heart is failing
But My strength is never ending
So just take my hand and carry on

Just carry on
Just carry on
Just carry on
Just carry on

I’m with you
I’m with you
I’m with you
I’m with you

Come alive
Come alive
Come alive
Come alive

Breathe new life
Come and breathe new life