"The essence of lukewarmness is the statement, 'I need nothing.' The lukewarm are spiritually self-satisfied. To find out whether you are among that number, don't look into your head to see if you think that you are needy; rather, look at your prayer life. It doesn't matter what we think in our head, the test of whether we are in bondage to spiritual self-satisfaction is how earnest and frequent and extended our prayers for change are.
Do you seek the Lord earnestly and often in secret for deeper knowledge of Christ, for greater earnestness in prayer, for more boldness in witness, for sweeter joy in the Holy Spirit, for deeper sorrow for sin, for warmer compassion for the lost, for more divine power to love? Or is the coolness and perfunctoriness of your prayer life Exhibit A that you are spiritually self-satisfied and lukewarm?" ~ John Piper
30 Nov 2011
28 Nov 2011
the class comforter
this is so friggin cute....
i love that kids are being taught to care and love on each other! LOVE IT!!!
... and I really want that touque... never too old to put a sock monkey on your head! :P
the class comforter:
It’s not uncommon in grade school for each student to be assigned a class job that rotates every week, but some of the jobs in Claudine’s kindergarten class have been a bit unusual. See her up there at a recent field trip to the park to sketch some trees? She’s the “class comforter”. What’s that you ask? She comforts her fellow classmates when they need comforting, of course. When I asked her what the job entailed she told me,”well, I take care of them if they are crying or sad and pat them on the back and say ‘it’s ok’.”
Damn. I think we all could use a class comforter by our side right about now.
i love that kids are being taught to care and love on each other! LOVE IT!!!
... and I really want that touque... never too old to put a sock monkey on your head! :P
the class comforter:
It’s not uncommon in grade school for each student to be assigned a class job that rotates every week, but some of the jobs in Claudine’s kindergarten class have been a bit unusual. See her up there at a recent field trip to the park to sketch some trees? She’s the “class comforter”. What’s that you ask? She comforts her fellow classmates when they need comforting, of course. When I asked her what the job entailed she told me,”well, I take care of them if they are crying or sad and pat them on the back and say ‘it’s ok’.”
Damn. I think we all could use a class comforter by our side right about now.
25 Nov 2011
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends! :) As usual, I've managed to score more than one turkey dinner within one weekend... I dunno how this happens, but it does. The record I believe still stands at 4 turkey dinners in one weekend... or something like that. :P I LOVE turkey... or does turkey love me? I don't think it's the turkey that draws me... but the fun of sitting at a table full of food with people I love... that's the fun of thanksgiving (Canadian or American), sitting with my friends for a meal, and just hanging out...
So I have finally made it to Friday... tonight I do my second and last group presentation for this semester. This weekend I write my group paper... and then one more paper for Human Behavior, and 3 more finals... and first semester shall come to an end! Wow...
It hasn't been a breeze getting to this Friday though, and last week was such a nightmare. Exactly one week ago, I was sitting at my desk at home, fighting a nasty cough, surviving on a 3 hour nap from 3am to 6am, and on a race against time to format and finalize my paper for Integrative Social Work Practice... It was NOT fun to lose all of my work (which was half my paper) at 11pm on a Thursday night when your paper is due Friday at noon... but God was gracious, and the paper was finished... (only 2 hours late). This week... still fighting that nasty cough, and other physical ails...
Back to last week... so despite God repeatedly reminding of His calling and purposes for my life... I always find myself in a state of self pity. I see other girls around me... walking out their purposes... living out their dreams... and as I watch their dreams come alive for them I find myself wondering and asking God, "what about me? when's my turn?" I know God will fulfill his promises for me, He reminds me all the time... yet I fall and stumble. Still, I struggle with wanting to see it all come alive now... to see the dreams become reality... keyword being NOW.
Thank goodness that my God is relentless. His grace is relentless... his patience is relentless... his love for me is relentless. Despite how bratty I am being, how grouchy I am being... God continues to wrap his arms around me to reaffirm, to reassure... He never gets tired of me. This past Sunday was one of those days... I was so tired... and felt so alone in all that I was feeling and going through... and He came and held me and reminded me that I am never alone, and that He is my strength... My dreams and promises will have their time and place to become reality, but right now I just need to stay faithful and keep taking each step that God lays ahead of me. He will take care of ALL of it.
So I have finally made it to Friday... tonight I do my second and last group presentation for this semester. This weekend I write my group paper... and then one more paper for Human Behavior, and 3 more finals... and first semester shall come to an end! Wow...
It hasn't been a breeze getting to this Friday though, and last week was such a nightmare. Exactly one week ago, I was sitting at my desk at home, fighting a nasty cough, surviving on a 3 hour nap from 3am to 6am, and on a race against time to format and finalize my paper for Integrative Social Work Practice... It was NOT fun to lose all of my work (which was half my paper) at 11pm on a Thursday night when your paper is due Friday at noon... but God was gracious, and the paper was finished... (only 2 hours late). This week... still fighting that nasty cough, and other physical ails...
Back to last week... so despite God repeatedly reminding of His calling and purposes for my life... I always find myself in a state of self pity. I see other girls around me... walking out their purposes... living out their dreams... and as I watch their dreams come alive for them I find myself wondering and asking God, "what about me? when's my turn?" I know God will fulfill his promises for me, He reminds me all the time... yet I fall and stumble. Still, I struggle with wanting to see it all come alive now... to see the dreams become reality... keyword being NOW.
Thank goodness that my God is relentless. His grace is relentless... his patience is relentless... his love for me is relentless. Despite how bratty I am being, how grouchy I am being... God continues to wrap his arms around me to reaffirm, to reassure... He never gets tired of me. This past Sunday was one of those days... I was so tired... and felt so alone in all that I was feeling and going through... and He came and held me and reminded me that I am never alone, and that He is my strength... My dreams and promises will have their time and place to become reality, but right now I just need to stay faithful and keep taking each step that God lays ahead of me. He will take care of ALL of it.
20 Nov 2011
Challenge...
Have you ever seen Mona Lisa Smile? I love that movie... I used to hate admitting that out loud, but you know what? There is nothing wrong with loving that movie! That movie touches me to the very core of who I am. I'm not gonna give you a description of what the movie is about, you can wiki it if you want... or just watch the movie yourself.
Don't get me wrong... I'm definitely not a feminist... but the movie inspires me... because Katherine Watson (played by Julia Roberts) dares to ask aloud the questions that were on the girls' minds. She dared to challenge the women of that generation to look beyond what the wold told them they needed... to look beyond what the world told them made them successful!
She desired only one thing... which was to get them to think outside of the box! To think outside of the box, yet at the same time look inside themselves to see what was there. Be who you want to be, and not what the world tells you to be!
Women of this generation... we are not that much more free that the women of the 1950's. We are not any less bound by our insecurities... and how the world around us loves to play on those insecurities to get us to do what they want, to buy what they want... The trap set by the enemy back then is not any less different than the one set by him now... he is STILL playing on our insecurities!
The challenge remains... to look beyond the expectations of the world and standards of the world to see that we are of much more worth than that. GOD is your creator, and He is not someone who makes mistakes! That is simply where your worth lies... that you are His creation and He deems you perfect by the blood of Christ on the cross. To look beyond worldly expectations to find that purpose that your creator made you for.
I honestly believe that the ongoing battle is for the worth of women. That is the battle that the enemy has called on women... he wants us to find our worth in men, in material goods, in our jobs, in our children, in how well we keep our home... God calls us to find our worth in "the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit." It's a tough battle, but victory is ours through Christ... so stand and fight! I dare you to take a good look inside your heart, and to ask God to reveal to you the true purpose that He has for you! I double dare you!
Don't get me wrong... I'm definitely not a feminist... but the movie inspires me... because Katherine Watson (played by Julia Roberts) dares to ask aloud the questions that were on the girls' minds. She dared to challenge the women of that generation to look beyond what the wold told them they needed... to look beyond what the world told them made them successful!
She desired only one thing... which was to get them to think outside of the box! To think outside of the box, yet at the same time look inside themselves to see what was there. Be who you want to be, and not what the world tells you to be!
Women of this generation... we are not that much more free that the women of the 1950's. We are not any less bound by our insecurities... and how the world around us loves to play on those insecurities to get us to do what they want, to buy what they want... The trap set by the enemy back then is not any less different than the one set by him now... he is STILL playing on our insecurities!
The challenge remains... to look beyond the expectations of the world and standards of the world to see that we are of much more worth than that. GOD is your creator, and He is not someone who makes mistakes! That is simply where your worth lies... that you are His creation and He deems you perfect by the blood of Christ on the cross. To look beyond worldly expectations to find that purpose that your creator made you for.
I honestly believe that the ongoing battle is for the worth of women. That is the battle that the enemy has called on women... he wants us to find our worth in men, in material goods, in our jobs, in our children, in how well we keep our home... God calls us to find our worth in "the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit." It's a tough battle, but victory is ours through Christ... so stand and fight! I dare you to take a good look inside your heart, and to ask God to reveal to you the true purpose that He has for you! I double dare you!
11 Nov 2011
Be You
Wow... Desiring God Blog... you did it again... you've just put into words all that I have been thinking about and pondering over for the last while... and it hit straight through the heart... ouch! But in a good way. :)
Be You:
“Lord, what about this man?” (John 21:21)
Peter asked Jesus this question when he learned that Jesus had ordained very difficult things for Peter’s future. So Peter wanted to know about John. Was Jesus going to give John a better deal?
Jesus responded, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me” (John 21:22)! In other words, How I deal with John is not your concern, Peter. If I deal differently with him, you must trust me. I want you to be faithful to the calling I have given you.
“What is that to you?” This is a question you and I need to be asked every day. Because how God deals with other people is frequently of excessive concern to us.
The fallen part of our nature doesn’t look at others and see the glory of imago dei (Genesis 1:27). It doesn’t revel in their unique refraction of God’s glory. It doesn’t want to rejoice in the sweet providences God grants to them, especially if we are experiencing a bitter providence. It is not grateful for their God-given strengths. It does not want to deal gently with their weaknesses (Hebrews 5:2). Being full of pride and selfish ambition it sees others mainly in relation to itself. It uses other people as gauges to measure success or failure; justice or injustice.
Oh the tyranny of selfish comparison! Of using others as tools to gauge our worth! “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death” (Romans 7:24)?
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25)!
Do you hear gospel in Jesus’ words, “You follow me”? It’s a declaration of liberation. Christ died to make you “free indeed” (John 8:36). And this includes freedom from slavery to comparison.
God had you in mind when he created you (Psalm 139:13-16). He knew what he was doing. You — and your “stuff” and your circumstances — are not an accident. God does not want you to be someone else. Nor does he want you to follow someone else’s path. Yes, he’s aware of your deficiencies (more than you are). And, yes, he’s calling you to grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18).
But Jesus wants you to be you.
And you are your truest you, not when you are measuring yourself against someone else (or analyzing yourself at all for that matter), but when your eyes are fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and you are following him in faith. And when you are serving others in love with the grace-gifts God has assigned to you (Romans 12:4-8).
So, no matter what today holds, be free from saying in your heart, “Lord what about this man?” For Jesus chose you (John 15:16), promised to supply all that you need (Philippians 4:19), and wants you to simply follow him.
And if you humble yourself under his mighty hand, trusting him to redeem all your suffering, “thorns” (2 Corinthians 12:7) and weaknesses, he will exalt you at the proper time (1 Peter 5:6).
________
Recent posts from Jon Bloom —
Jesus Wants You to Waste Your Life
Jesus Died Because He Loved You
The Day of Your Deliverance Is Decreed
Be You:
“Lord, what about this man?” (John 21:21)
Peter asked Jesus this question when he learned that Jesus had ordained very difficult things for Peter’s future. So Peter wanted to know about John. Was Jesus going to give John a better deal?
Jesus responded, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me” (John 21:22)! In other words, How I deal with John is not your concern, Peter. If I deal differently with him, you must trust me. I want you to be faithful to the calling I have given you.
“What is that to you?” This is a question you and I need to be asked every day. Because how God deals with other people is frequently of excessive concern to us.
The fallen part of our nature doesn’t look at others and see the glory of imago dei (Genesis 1:27). It doesn’t revel in their unique refraction of God’s glory. It doesn’t want to rejoice in the sweet providences God grants to them, especially if we are experiencing a bitter providence. It is not grateful for their God-given strengths. It does not want to deal gently with their weaknesses (Hebrews 5:2). Being full of pride and selfish ambition it sees others mainly in relation to itself. It uses other people as gauges to measure success or failure; justice or injustice.
Oh the tyranny of selfish comparison! Of using others as tools to gauge our worth! “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death” (Romans 7:24)?
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25)!
Do you hear gospel in Jesus’ words, “You follow me”? It’s a declaration of liberation. Christ died to make you “free indeed” (John 8:36). And this includes freedom from slavery to comparison.
God had you in mind when he created you (Psalm 139:13-16). He knew what he was doing. You — and your “stuff” and your circumstances — are not an accident. God does not want you to be someone else. Nor does he want you to follow someone else’s path. Yes, he’s aware of your deficiencies (more than you are). And, yes, he’s calling you to grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18).
But Jesus wants you to be you.
And you are your truest you, not when you are measuring yourself against someone else (or analyzing yourself at all for that matter), but when your eyes are fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) and you are following him in faith. And when you are serving others in love with the grace-gifts God has assigned to you (Romans 12:4-8).
So, no matter what today holds, be free from saying in your heart, “Lord what about this man?” For Jesus chose you (John 15:16), promised to supply all that you need (Philippians 4:19), and wants you to simply follow him.
And if you humble yourself under his mighty hand, trusting him to redeem all your suffering, “thorns” (2 Corinthians 12:7) and weaknesses, he will exalt you at the proper time (1 Peter 5:6).
________
Recent posts from Jon Bloom —
Jesus Wants You to Waste Your Life
Jesus Died Because He Loved You
The Day of Your Deliverance Is Decreed
7 Nov 2011
Monday Morning Musings...
God woke me up early this morning again... and told me that He missed me, and that He has lots to tell me, I just need to make the time to open up His word. So I did the only thing that made sense... I rubbed the sleepies out of my eyes and opened by Bible.
Okay... confession... I don't think there was anything terribly profound, but God made me smile this morning, because this verse totally made me laugh: "And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and dung came out." (Judges 3:21-22, ESV) What happened to Eglon the king of Moab wasn't very funny cause that kinda sucks... but the way it was described was REALLY funny! It was like a really gruesome scene from a movie... It simply reminded me that my God is the best script writer ever! If God can write something like that into the Bible, there's nothing that He cannot write into my life... That my encouragement from God this morning. That as I continue to let go of the pen of my life, and allow Him to hold the pen of my life, to write out my story, He will continue to write out a story that will blow my mind... Not only will it completely blow me away, but it will stand as a testament of God's hand over my life. It will stand as a testament of how amazing my God is!
You know what? Usually this is where I start talking about how scared I am... and how I'm gonna piss my pants... but you know what, I'm just excited, humbled and honoured that my God wants to use me. I don't feel scared... I've decided that I just want to be available... I WANT TO BE USED BY MY GOD!!! So... BRING IT!!!!!
Last night I had a thought: Open doors are meant for walking through, and not for enjoying the view... those are called windows. When God opens a door, I'm telling you... you better take that step through it! If you're just gonna stand there and ponder about now nice it looks on the other side, but dunno if you want to go into it... that door's gonna slam in your face! Well, it might not slam in your face... but God opens doors for a reason... he means for us to walk through them, so why are you just standing there?! If God opens the door... then he's gonna walk with you through it, he's not gonna push you through and them slam the door and say "Got you sucker!"... He's NOT like that! He wants YOU to make the decision to walk through yourself, but He will walk with you through it and through all that you will encounter once you've walked through the door! He will never leave you, nor forsake you! Trust him!!!!
Other thought this morning.... does anyone else want to start dancing in the streets or on the mtr when they hear their favourite praise song play on their ipod?! Cause I always have these urges. Especially when David Crowder comes on.... I always just want to start throwing up my hands in worship.... and start jumping up and down and dancing in joyful glee! :P
Okay... confession... I don't think there was anything terribly profound, but God made me smile this morning, because this verse totally made me laugh: "And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and dung came out." (Judges 3:21-22, ESV) What happened to Eglon the king of Moab wasn't very funny cause that kinda sucks... but the way it was described was REALLY funny! It was like a really gruesome scene from a movie... It simply reminded me that my God is the best script writer ever! If God can write something like that into the Bible, there's nothing that He cannot write into my life... That my encouragement from God this morning. That as I continue to let go of the pen of my life, and allow Him to hold the pen of my life, to write out my story, He will continue to write out a story that will blow my mind... Not only will it completely blow me away, but it will stand as a testament of God's hand over my life. It will stand as a testament of how amazing my God is!
You know what? Usually this is where I start talking about how scared I am... and how I'm gonna piss my pants... but you know what, I'm just excited, humbled and honoured that my God wants to use me. I don't feel scared... I've decided that I just want to be available... I WANT TO BE USED BY MY GOD!!! So... BRING IT!!!!!
Last night I had a thought: Open doors are meant for walking through, and not for enjoying the view... those are called windows. When God opens a door, I'm telling you... you better take that step through it! If you're just gonna stand there and ponder about now nice it looks on the other side, but dunno if you want to go into it... that door's gonna slam in your face! Well, it might not slam in your face... but God opens doors for a reason... he means for us to walk through them, so why are you just standing there?! If God opens the door... then he's gonna walk with you through it, he's not gonna push you through and them slam the door and say "Got you sucker!"... He's NOT like that! He wants YOU to make the decision to walk through yourself, but He will walk with you through it and through all that you will encounter once you've walked through the door! He will never leave you, nor forsake you! Trust him!!!!
Other thought this morning.... does anyone else want to start dancing in the streets or on the mtr when they hear their favourite praise song play on their ipod?! Cause I always have these urges. Especially when David Crowder comes on.... I always just want to start throwing up my hands in worship.... and start jumping up and down and dancing in joyful glee! :P
And it's just You and me...
I was listening to this song today while I was doing research for my group project... and the words spoke straight into the depths of my heart!
Take my heart, I lay it down
At the feet of you who's crowned
Take my life, I'm letting go
I life it up to You who's throned
And I will worship You, Lord
Only You, Lord
And I will bow down before You
Only You, Lord
Take my fret, take my fear
All I have, I'm leaving here
Be all my hopes, be all my dreams
You're my delights, be my everything
And it's just you and me here now
Only you and me here now
You should see the view
When it's only You
It's just Him and I here right now... and that's all that matters.
Take my heart, I lay it down
At the feet of you who's crowned
Take my life, I'm letting go
I life it up to You who's throned
And I will worship You, Lord
Only You, Lord
And I will bow down before You
Only You, Lord
Take my fret, take my fear
All I have, I'm leaving here
Be all my hopes, be all my dreams
You're my delights, be my everything
And it's just you and me here now
Only you and me here now
You should see the view
When it's only You
It's just Him and I here right now... and that's all that matters.
6 Nov 2011
The Cecil Mix...
I was in the mood for some Green Day and was looking for my Nimrod CD but couldn't find it... :( BUT... I found the Cecil Mix. (And random Korean music CD from random Korean guy in Seoul...) Anyways, the Cecil Mix used to play in my '95 Accord... when it was still the original cassette deck... with the car kit attached to my old school ghetto CD player! I had this CD player from when Discmans first came out!!! The Cecil Mix was compiled by my dear pastor when I was sporting my role as church grunt and would give him random rides... and he disliked my choice of music I was blasting in my car (What's wrong with 50 cent?!) Hahahaha.... and so here is the Cecil Mix:
Cecilia - Simon & Garfunkel (Yes... he went there.)
Clocks - Coldplay
History Maker - Delirious
Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand - Primitive Radio Gods
J Train - TobyMac
Jump Around - House of Pain
God of Wonders - City On A Hill
Feel - Robbie Williams
Forever - Chris Tomlin
In My Place - Coldplay
With Every Breathe (Songs of Worship and Praise) - Sixpence None The Richer & Jars of Clay
Here With Me - Dido
Like a Child - Jars of Clay
Surrendering - Alanis Morissette
God is a DJ (Dancefloor Decade 1990-2000) - Faithless
Hahahaha... I've really missed this CD... I'm gonna pull out these songs and listen to them. Good times... that was one of the best summers ever... the summer pre-round 2 of insanity... before I hit rock bottom and the turning point of my life... The summer where after working in the church wondered what I could do with that because I enjoyed it so much! I know all the politics and whatever that exists, but I loved the whole entire experience. Yet, I didn't want to do church admin and wasn't so sure about being a pastor. :P God's been kinda talking about church work again, but He hasn't confirmed anything about it yet.... so I will keep waiting on Him. In the end, it doesn't matter as long as I'm doing HIS work, then it's all good. As much as I get frustrated at my job... I still love it, and am so thankful to God for this job! I also love what I'm getting to study at school... so I'm on path, I know it! So this could ONLY lead to HIS work!
In the mean time... that was my random trip down memory lane... good memories. Maybe Cecil Mix will become my new studying music.... :) It'll remind me of my days when I was student and pull out that part in me! (Did I just age myself?!)
2 Nov 2011
This ain't new.. but just wanted to share :)
Dear Future Husband,
I would like to share this video with you... I really liked it. Hahaha... :)
The Power of the Gospel and Marriage - John Piper from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.
Love,
Your Future Wife
I would like to share this video with you... I really liked it. Hahaha... :)
The Power of the Gospel and Marriage - John Piper from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.
Love,
Your Future Wife
1 Nov 2011
Fall Love...
I love fall... I love the crisp cold air that shocks my lungs when I step out the door in the mornings... I miss seeing my breathe in the air. I love sweaters and hoodies and touques and mittens! (hmm.. I have a feeling I might not be a summer person...)
I love the colours of fall... as the leaves turn from green to red, orange and yellow.I love the crunching of the leaves underneath my feet. :) I even love looking out the window in the morning to see that the frost has left it's mark, and everything is covered in a white glitter.
I would like to live in a place with distinct seasons... where fall is defined by the cool air and changing colours, winter has snow, spring is the warming of the air and budding of colours again... and summer is... green and hot.
Oh fall... when will we reunite? I miss you. I want to be able to be in my jeans and hoodie and not feel disgustingly hot still... it is November after!
Happy first day of November!
I love the colours of fall... as the leaves turn from green to red, orange and yellow.I love the crunching of the leaves underneath my feet. :) I even love looking out the window in the morning to see that the frost has left it's mark, and everything is covered in a white glitter.
I would like to live in a place with distinct seasons... where fall is defined by the cool air and changing colours, winter has snow, spring is the warming of the air and budding of colours again... and summer is... green and hot.
Oh fall... when will we reunite? I miss you. I want to be able to be in my jeans and hoodie and not feel disgustingly hot still... it is November after!
Happy first day of November!
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