Washed by the sun, dried by the rain

A group of about 40 people came to a religious sharing this week. Call them Christians or protestants.

This young man, about my own age, gave a lengthy but not-one-moment-dull sharing on all the trials and struggles he and his family went thru...for the sake of the gospel. Each time leaning on the Words from The Book as his lifeline, the passages on Paul and his sufferings (imprisonment, beatings, etc) being the inspiration.

In the end it was this bottom line he shared. That as a true believer, the question to ask oneself is not "If i were to take up the cross...." But, "What/which cross will I take?"

This cross could take the form of having more perseverance, loving difficult people, hardship, living more simply, change.

Passage shared:
One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple.…..33 Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple. 34"Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it's useless, good for nothing.
- Luke 14:25-27

laughter

Maybe it is a way people get rid of stress, nervousness, difficult situations. But i believe there has to be a reason laughter was even created. and even though i'm still very puzzled by many things that have happened since the beginning of time, like why on earth the devil was even created in the first place...(i think i have a vague answer by guessing,
The old "Freedom of choice"??), i do think that learning to take myself less seriously.....is good.

Haha. Do not get me wrong. I can be serious too. But for a limited period of time only.

If the situation is bad, the best thing u can do is just laugh at yourself. or tell someone about it and laugh it away as one of those "milestones in life". "Life's like that" "All in a day's work" or "Laughter is the best medicine", were my favourite sections of Reader's Digest in growing up years.

Don't know what to do about something? Have a little chuckle.

In such times.

Deut 14:2
¹ You are the children of the LORD your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, ² for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.

Habbakuk 3
¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,

¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

¹⁹ The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Phil 2:15
so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

inspired by this video:

Here's Me, Lord.

Finally I have REACHED, this. So much for treating myself as a total grown up, being 26 already. there are SO MANY things to learn in life treating myself as adult. but its real good.

There is no way, Heavenly Father, Almighty, Omnipresent, Holy, Righteous, Omega, Alpha, that i am able to solve problems or mysteries with my own logic. Even people are.....ok, never mind.

updates

there aren't many updates except for the fact that i cant seem to remember the events that occur during this whole week. there were many, to say the least. it has been happening, good or bad i don't know and don't really bother bother for now.
job scope changes and additions, old friends' gatherings, birthday, shopping for gift, one public holiday where i met two groups of friends, trying to go jogging and walking, weird stuff, strange people, interesting weather, starving on weekdays and pigging out on weekends, cycling, difficult movie, ok......whoa my memory is jogging now. yup that was it........Dinner and dance! what a culture shock it was, to say the least. :p