CHOICE

up till now, i haven’t posted links to anything on this site but this time around, i think it’s worth it.

the topic du jour, of course, is our federal elections. i will be the first to admit that when it comes to politics and government, i am terribly ignorant. but i do have a desire to become more educated. however, how could i possibly navigate through all the sites and opinions to find my own stance? moreover, where does God fit in? i think i am not alone in this dilemma. in fact, i know i’m not. many of us young (and not so young) Canadians (especially in the – dare i say it? – Chinese Christian circle) have good intentions but are either too intimidated or lazy to find real information and not just settle for general opinions. alternately, some of us don’t really care.

but for those out there who do care and want to take their voting privilege seriously, here’s something that may help: Election Chart a group of gracious individuals have taken the time to create a chart comparing the four major parties on 16 different issues. they’ve also included a few questions to help us evaluate more clearly.

i pray that we, as Canadian citizens, and even more as people who profess to follow Christ, would seek God’s heart for our nation and make wise, educated choices. may we be responsible stewards of our freedom.

SOMETHING FROM NOTHING

it’s been said that money can either be your master or your slave. and since i’m about to have an actual salary next year, i’m thinking about how to make money work for me. here are my thoughts so far:

1. money can be your servant by creating more wealth for you. my parents (and some financial advisors) recommend that i “pay myself” 10% of whatever i make and put it into some sort of investment so that it can work for me.

but then my question is, WHY? why should i care for more money? which leads me to:

2. money can work for you in places you cannot be all at once. by sending money to support people or organizations, you can let it represent you. so you can be “working” in many places even while you’re asleep!

but the really exciting thought is this:

3. money invested into God’s work becomes heavenly riches. so what is earthly and perishable can turn into something eternal! in my eyes, that’s like God is giving us a way to make something out of nothing. and that’s a pretty sweet deal.

makes you rethink how you want to spend your money, eh?

VISION

i’m supposed to be studying right now, but as you can see, i’m not. i’ll get to it (i’ve been saying that all day… hahaha)…

anywho, this past week, i had the privilege of attending the annual Arts Conference at Willowcreek Community Church in Illinois. the topic this year was “the real deal” – being authentic people to create authentic services. i had known since december that i should go this year but it wasn’t until a few months later that i was told i could go. i went full of anticipation that God had a reason for me to be there. i expected that maybe God would show me more of His vision for what He wants me to do with my life.

in typical fashion, God surprised me. instead of answering my WHAT question, He answered my WHO question. God showed me a new perspective of Himself and what it means to be His child.

on wednesday night, we attended their mid-week service. the topic that day was on Asking – referring to Matthew 7’s ask, seek and knock passage. when he got to seeking, the speaker talked about Psalm 32:8 where one translation tells us that God is looking us in the eye. how do we know when someone looks us in the eye? we know when we are looking in their eyes.

i’ve always heard to “seek His face,” and i’ve always liked that concept. but i’ve never thought of what i’d see if i were to look. i guess it never occurred to me that God’s face would have eyes for me to look into.

so i expand that image in my mind. me, looking into the eyes of God. meeting His gaze. what would i see? i would see the depths of who i am. i would see the infinity of who He is and His love for me. we would communicate on the level beyond the limits of words.

but what a bold move to make. for to lock eyes with God is to expose myself completely. perhaps i will wonder at what i see about Him, but i am afraid most of what i will see about myself. i know, however, that when i do look, all my fears now will be washed over and lost in His love. so i pray and ask that my Lord would lift this head, now hung in shame, and gently lift this face so that my eyes would meet His.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
look full in His wonderful face
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim
in the light of His glory and grace.

JUST WHINING

i don’t wanna studyyyyyy!!!!!!!!

ok. enough of that. i need discipline. :p

…BUT NOT LOST

a continuation of my previous posting: (thanks for all your comments, it’s reassuring to know i’m not walking alone :D )

being bored of reading the other day, my thoughts turned to my heart’s tendency to wander. and i asked God exactly what Henri Nouwen put so eloquently. only, in my head, it was more like, “are You not enough?!?!” i wrestled with the fact that no matter how many times i had surrendered, it seemed like i was still holding on. and in the quiet of the shade of the tree, God showed me a simple fact: His grace is sufficient. that means i can come for more, as many times as i want. and He doesn’t mind.

so to me, this is the truth that set me free: i am not perfect. and God does not expect me to be. :D so i should not expect me to be. maybe it’s not much to you, but it’s profound for me.

PRONE TO WANDER

Why, O Lord, is it so hard for me to keep my heart directed toward you? Why do the many little things I want to do, and the many people I know, keep crowding my mind, even during the hours that I am totally free to be with you and

you alone? Why does my mind wander off in so many directions, and why does my heart desire the things that lead me astray? Are you not enough for me? Do I keep doubting your love and care, your mercy and grace? Do I keep wondering, in the center of my being, whether you will give me all I need if I just keep my eyes on you?

Take my tired body, my confused mind, and my restless soul into your arms and give me rest, simple quiet rest. Do I ask too much too soon? I should not worry about that. You will let me know. Come Lord Jesus, come. Amen.
~Henri Nouwen

prone to wander, Lord, i feel it; prone to leave the God i love.
here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it; seal it for Thy courts above.

WHAT DID I MISS IN CLASS?

i’m taking a correspondance course and we had an orientation meeting last week. not surprisingly, many people didn’t show. the following is my prof’s posting in response to the countless inquiries of “what did i miss?”

Did I Miss Anything

Question frequently asked by
students after missing a class

Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here

we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours

Everything. I gave an exam worth

40 per cent of the grade for this term

and assigned some reading due today

on which I’m about to hand out a quiz

worth 50 per cent

Nothing. None of the content of this course

has value or meaning

Take as many days off as you like:

any activities we undertake as a class

I assure you will not matter either to you or me

and are without purpose

Everything. A few minutes after we began last time

a shaft of light descended and an angel

or other heavenly being appeared

and revealed to us what each woman or man must do

to attain divine wisdom in this life and

the hereafter

This is the last time the class will meet

before we disperse to bring this good news to all people

on earth

Nothing. When you are not present

how could something significant occur?

Everything. Contained in this classroom

is a microcosm of human existence

assembled for you to query and examine and ponder

This is not the only place such an opportunity has been

gathered

but it was one place

And you weren’t here

~Tom Wayman

Originally from: The Astonishing Weight of the Dead.

Vancouver: Polestar, 1994.