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Monday 11 June 2012

Light vs Darkness (spiritual struggles)

A Hero is Born, not made ...

... this morning I decided to sleep in and I felt great staying in bed ... until my new house mate G came back from her overseas trip, I knew her through my ex house mate and current landlord J. The moment she step in the front door, she woke everyone up in the house. Drag myself out of bed, had my white coffee and breakfast, then started cleaning and unpacking together. By mid day the place looked a lot more organise, the place was a lot more tidy before I went back home one and a half weeks ago. The rest of the day continued with a nap, dinner and Wrath of the Titans. In the late hours or early morning ... around 2am I had the urge to start typing again ...

... every day, somewhere, a hero is born. He or she comes into the world with a destiny, to share her wisdom or to proclaim his message. Basically to make a difference because some words and actions have the power to move and motivate others, to shake the earth and rattles the heaven (influenced by watching too much Perseus tonight) ... if only they will share them. Sharing is a choice. One that belongs to you and me. Yes we all have a choice every single day (as long as we continue breathing). And I choose to share my deepest thoughts here, hoping to inspire strangers out there to kick start their own dreams. The world is full with people who hates their job or rather likes it (like me) but somehow longs to have a new job that feels different (eg closet artist, aspiring author or dancer ... people longing to do meaningful work that inspires) check all the amazing individuals on The Dance Lifestyle Channel

Sometimes I wonder if my parents listened, my sister answered, my friends heard or the person I love understood. But whether or not the world read my story, whether I left the impact I was born to make ... it is really entirely up to me ... come to think of it (at this hour) it is pretty scary (and freezing cold).

The only problem: Many of us are not doing it ... procrastinating, waiting, worrying ... thousands of people out there who won't make that choice. They'll fail to be who they are and live up to their calling. We will forever miss their talents and this is tragic. (okay I think I am being a bit overly dramatic here ... must be the influence from the musical)

Many of us worry too much about our lives, whether or not we'll make an impact or the right choice. So have you ever wonder what you'll be remembered for, what your legacy will be? I caught up with K briefly, who were desperately reaching out and trying to make it through another week, however I notice another friend finds himself succeeding in the wrong things, as a end result ... despair and frustration.

Before I comment on my own personal struggles, let me share my opinion on how we can struggle with despair. Despair is when you have a utter lost of hope. There is a sense of hopelessness whether you are young or old (it doesn't matter) when all HOPE in life is GONE, a person is left totally devastated and empty which leads us to two category of people, the ones who are overwhelmed by heavy despair or the ones that overcome despair by having great hope and dreams for their future. I think Ephesian 2:12 is a powerful verse that can wake us all up appropriately. It simply trying to tell us that when we are without Christ, we are without God and when we are without God we are without Hope but if we have Christ, we have God, which leads us to Hope, Future and Dreams (for better things to come).

Make no mistake, at some point in my life, I feel the same way too. Honestly, my own personal darkness symbolise many things, and I would like to highlight on disappointment. In the Bible, Job 30:26 "When I looked for good, then evil came to me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness." I get disappointed when I feel let down, betrayed or do not get what I want ... hoping to get the good things but for some strange reason I keep getting the evil instead. Sometimes I do questions if what I am doing really matters in my spiritual journey. The answer .... always keep me wondering and waiting. All this while, deep inside my heart, something stirs, I guess something I am still afraid to admit.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2

People often think that when I become a Christian I will never experience times of darkness. This is not true. There are times in my life that felt extremely DARK (almost to the point I was suffering from depression and I had to pull myself out of that state). The difference is that I have access to the Light. I no longer have to fear the dark as I know God is always there for me and will give me the Light that I need at the time.

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5 

Remember to become who you are. It only happens once in a lifetime.
Look towards the Light and shine it out to others who are in darkness.
Pray that when the sun rises in the morning, every darkness has to go (anger, bitterness, lust, fear, addiction).

Sunday 10 June 2012

A Musical Fantasy

"When a man sees nothing but himself even his own shadow becomes his enemy"


Cat Stevens wrote this musical about childhood dreams and finding hope in any situation. Be present and joyful. See life as it is, right now, and don't compare it to others' lives, or other times in your life. Every moment in life is rich and unique; whether we are aware of it or not, we are always leaping and hopping on a Moonshadow - the inescapable present moment. If we are wrapped up in our whirlpools of worry and concern about what could be, or what has been, we are missing the richness of life as it is.
In his songs, Stormy seems to be spiritual seeking, indicating clearly that, despite all the losses and suffering of existence, he finally chooses to surrender to a power greater than himself.
I can tell he is helping us to realize some of the potentials within our own lives and voyages ... how we can never really progress by standing still or simply holding on to the pass-me-down mapped traditions. Yet, in the end ... we still arrive back to where we started and may realize that God's hand was always guiding us home throughout the journey, and like shadows, we too are bowing to that someone higher-all the time. Overall, it is fun to watch, a classic hero's fairy tale with a hint of Romeo and Juliet ... typical good versus evil, light versus darkness, a few Tolkien and Tim Burton moments but definitely it has much more going for it than recent Andrew Lloyd Webber shows.

I ended the night having ice-cream at Helados Jauja and while browsing through an Argentina photo-book by Florian Von der Fecht (dreaming of my next mega adventure) how odd I came across a picture of a tree similar to the one Stormy was holding on to the frame ...the Jacaranda tree.

Wednesday 6 June 2012

Be like the ... sun, moon, birds, flowers

I asked God for instructions on how to live on this earth
God brought His voice close to my ear and said
Be like the sun ... arise early, and do not go to bed late
Be like the moon ... shine in the darkness, but submit to the greater light
Be like the birds ... eat, sing, drink and fly
Be like the flowers ... loving the sun, but faithful to your roots
Be like the faithful dog ... but only to your Lord
Be like the fruit ... beautiful on the outside, and healthy on the inside
Be like the day ... which arrives and leaves without boasting
Be like the oasis ... give your water to the thirsty
Be like the firefly ... although small, it casts it's on light
Be like the water ... good and transparent
Be like the river ... always moving forward
And above all things ... be like the heavens, a home for God

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God
May your gracious Spirit lead me into the land of uprightness
Psalm 143:10

Lord. don't let me remain where I am ... help me reach where Your want me to be.