#Truth

The truth is, when you continue to chase someone who does not want to be caught, you close yourself off to those who do. You close yourself to the person who wants to know how many sugars you take in your coffee; you close yourself off to the soul that wants nothing more than to hear you singing off-key in the shower for the rest for their lives.  When you continue to beg for the kind of love you have been giving someone all along, you close yourself off to the person who dreams of being your favourite thing; you close yourself off to the person who eagerly awaits a heart like yours – no matter how loudly it beats against your chest, no matter how messy or sensitive or soft it is.  You close yourself off to the person who wants to be your safe place, your refuge; someone who wants to prove to you that love can stay, that love can heal, that love can be balanced, and full and hopeful for once in your life.  When you continue to chase those who do not want to be caught, you rip out pieces of your soul trying to make it fit into the palms of someone who does not want to hold you.  You bankrupt yourself, closing yourself off from the human being who would have been able to see your worth all along; closing yourself off from the human being who would have loved you from the start.

Reflection Tuesday

NOTHING is permanent except God and His promises. The leaves may fall from the trees, and the weather may change, but God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb.13.8)

God, the Unchanging One, is the One who set up the ever-changing seasons of the earth and of our lives. And He knew what He was doing. For one thing, He wanted His people to understand that they do not need to worry about their lives. Whatever is happening is not permanent. God is in charge of all the changes. Therefore, it does not matter what is happening because it cannot last. There will be an end to every crisis.

It does not matter if what is happening seems good to you or if it seems bad because it will change eventually, and your God orchestrates the changing. Seasons are His way of guaranteeing improvement.  This means that seasonal change is one of His most consistent way of bringing hope. This means that you do not throw your hope away, even in the darkest season of your life.  After all, no matter how cold you get in the winter, you always know summer is coming. Likewise, when winter comes, you do not throw away your swim trunks.  You know the summer will come around again.  You know you will need those swim, trunks – but when you jump in the water to go swimming, you will not need the long-sleeved pullover you may have been wearing in the middle of the winter.

In the same way, when a “wintery” economic season comes upon you, do not throw away your bank account, even if it seems useless.  Leave some money in it to keep it open. Why? Because the season is coming when you will be able to add more money to it again.  Everything is seasonal, times of plenty and times of poverty.  Winter never stays. Summer never stays, either.

Both employment and unemployment are seasonal.  If you are unemployed, then a time of employment lies ahead.  If this is the season for you to leave your job, then a better job is up ahead.  You have got to close out one chapter in order to open up the next one.  Most of the time, you have to get ready for a chapter that is bigger and better than the one before.

To everything there is a season. Times of crisis are temporary. This is good.

Just simple

Keep the honest moments close to your heart. The ones that are the most human. When you laugh until your ribs ache with your friends, when you feel stars  exploding inside of you from falling in love, when life breaks you open and those tears of transformation pour like a river from your soul. Life is really quite simple. We get to experience this planet for a brief while. We get to learn how to love ourselves and one another for the strange, messy, and magical creatures we are.  What a gift it is to have a human life. If you look a little closer, there is always something to be grateful for. True gratitude isn’t ignoring the darkness. It’s participating with your whole heart in whatever moment life brings. It’s leaning into the unfolding process and having the courage to need  all of the answers.

Parenting

Children are a blessing. But for some reason God doesn’t always bless everyone with children. Some hope and pray for a family, and God graciously grants their request, sometimes quite miraculously, as in the case of Sarah; others just as fervent in their petitions before God’s throne are met by deafening silence. Every time they see friends praise God for their pregnancies and when they welcome their babies, it deepens the depth of the wound as they consider their empty nest. Even such innocent questions as “How many children do you have?” serve as painful reminders of an exclusive club that those without children are excluded from, even though they may want to join.

Those who have gone through such an experience should come to accept that God understands their sorrow. The psalmist declares of God, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Ps. 56:8, NLT). Even though He seems silent, “the LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him” (Ps. 103:13, NLT).

Other people, meanwhile, for various reasons, might choose simply not to have children. One can understand in a world like ours so full of suffering, pain, evil, and potential calamity, why some might decide not to bring more people into it. In some cases, some people might choose to adopt children instead of having their own; that way they can raise children who are already here, often giving them a chance at a much better life than what they might have otherwise had.

Our world is a complicated place, and we are likely to meet all sorts of people in all sorts of situations in regard to having or not having children. In whatever situation we find ourselves regarding the question of children, we can live with the assurance of God’s love for us and His desire for our good end. At the same time, too, let’s always remember to be as sensitive as we can toward people who, for whatever reasons, do not have kids.

Restoring Damaged People

We are too quick to criticize people because of what they’ve been through in life. In some cases it’s because of what they have done to others, and in some cases because of what others have done to them. If you’ve been to a second-hand shop you know there are quality items at discounted prices; you just have to know what you’re looking for. Jesus does. In His eyes the down-and-out may be ‘down’ but they’re not ‘out’. Peter’s sorrow over denying Jesus ran so deep that he decided to go back to his old job as a fisherman. Can you imagine the gossip around the harbor? ‘That’s him, the guy who turned his back on Jesus.’ Peter eventually became the leader of the New Testament church. But be honest. Would you have voted him in as your pastor, or been willing to listen to anything he had to say? Yet the first person Jesus went looking for after He rose from the dead was Peter. Why? Because He looks beyond our immediate problem and sees our long-term potential. Jesus remembered the words He had spoken to Peter: ‘Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren’ (Luke 22:31-32 NKJV). The foundation principle of practicing medicine is ‘First, do no harm’. When someone is damaged, don’t damage them further. Love them, pray for them, and seek to restore them.

The Royal Love song

“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death, jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame” (Song of Solomon 8:6, NKJV).

Among the seasons of life, one of the big ones is marriage. Again, not everyone marries, but for those who do, marriage brings special challenges, and special blessings, as well. Among those blessings is the wonderful gift of sexuality. What a powerful expression of love this gift, in the right time and the right place, can be. Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible is not against sex. It’s against the misuse of this wonderful gift from the Creator to human beings.

In fact, the Song of Solomon, one of the smallest and perhaps one of the least-read books of the Bible, describes the relationship between a young bride, Shulamite, and her beloved, who is believed to be King Solomon himself. The book unfolds the mysteries of human intimacy and the delights of conjugal love in marriage. Although the Song of Solomon has frequently been treated allegorically as a symbol of the relationship of God and God’s people or of Christ and the church, it is first of all a poem on the love found in the very real human relationship of a man and woman

Take it to the Lord in prayer

It’s amazing how long we put up with things before we decide to pray about them. The hymn writer says, ‘O what peace we often forfeit; O what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.’ We complain to our friends. We wonder why God doesn’t do something. We wrestle with the situation in our minds, yet we fail to take advantage of the simplest solution there is – prayer. Charles Spurgeon wrote, ‘The desire to commune with God is intensified by the failure of all other sources of consolation.’ We’re all guilty of treating prayer as a last-ditch effort. When you say things like, ‘Nothing else is working. Maybe I should pray about it,’ do you realise what that says about you? That you really don’t understand or believe in the power of prayer as you should. You’re carrying burdens you don’t need to carry, and life is harder than it has to be because you don’t realise how powerful prayer is. If you did, you’d pray about everything – not as a last resort but as a first response. The Bible says, ‘Is anyone among you afflicted (ill-treated, suffering evil)? He should pray.’ When you’ve a problem: pray. When someone hurts you: pray. When you’re sick: pray. When you feel like giving up: pray. When someone you love is suffering: pray. When you’re discouraged: pray. When you don’t know what to do: pray. Jesus, who prayed early in the morning and late at night, said, ‘Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them’ (Mark 11:24 NKJV). So pray about it.

Sometimes in life

Sometimes in life, we expect a relationship, an event, or a transaction to go smoothly – and then discover that the reality is much different. Conversations and interactions became more complex, nuanced by personal agenda and hidden motives. Maybe we missed the obvious signs because of our own unwillingness to see the truth.  Or maybe we were overconfident in our ability to adjust to change. Regardless of the catalyst, life continuously presents us with moments that force us to revise our expectations and recalculate our present path.

No matter what seems probable or likely to happen, the reality is that we never see all the variables involved in the equation. Only God has a perspective that is constant, never changing, and big enough to encompass all the ups and downs of our journey. We can’t see what’s around the bend or over the next hill, but He can.  Often we’re humbled and forced to confront our limitation when our expectations go unfulfilled.

We can second- guess and plan all we want, but ultimately we cannot control everything that happens in our lives.

Set your standards

Unfortunately, sometimes we conduct our relationships as if we are selling souvenirs on the seashore. We haggle, we negotiate, we compromise – too fearful of being alone to stand firm on the value of our worth. Why do we insist on giving ourselves away? Offering up pieces of ourselves so that someone gets us at a steal? I don’t know about you, but I want to be valued.

If you don’t see yourself as a gift, then who will? We must set our standards and hold firm on our price. It’s better to walk away than to lower our self-worth to less than its actual value.

What are your expectations, your standards? In other words, what’s your price?

Have you shared those expectations with others? We get upset when people do not live up to the standards we set, but often we have not even given them the courtesy of letting them know the standards exist.

Likewise, we cannot get caught up trying to meet the standards of others and fail to birth the vision God has for us. God has placed talents and gifts inside of us – and He has plans for us to make the best use of those talents and gifts. Our faith teaches us that taking a stand to reach our goals may have a cost.

There are some things in life that should be non negotiable. Your character, your self-esteem, your ambition are the things that make you, YOU! If someone wants to be in your life, you owe it to them to let them know up front what you will and will not compromise on.

And if you have not considered the boundaries of your worth, then others will attempt to lower them for you. Some people do this to feel better about themselves; others do it because they want to control you or manipulate circumstances. Regardless of how it happens, the place to begin defending against is this kind of price reduction is within. No one can force you to sell yourself short if you’re aware of your true worth.

Always..

You don’t have to chase people down or convince them to be in your life. God will bring the right people at the perfect time. Don’t spend a lifetime holding yourself back because others do not want to go with you.  If it comes down to following them or pursuing your destiny, make the right decision.

Most times

You cannot let your life be dictated by the reaction of others, though. Ultimately God has preordained your future, and He doesn’t need the lives of your friends to parallel everything. He has planned for you.  Don’t handcuff someone to your dream. They don’t have to believe with you or cheer for you if God is with you.  It may be lonely at times, but He will provide the right relationships at the right time. Don’t be afraid to release old friendships into God’s hands in order to follow the calling he has placed on our life.

Beautiful people do not just happen

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.

You will always..

You will always be too much of
something for someone; too big,
too loud, too soft, too edgy
If you round out your edges, you lose your edge

Apologize for mistakes
Apologize for unintentionally
hurting someone - profusely,

But don't apologize for being who you are.

The Journey

The journey in between

What you once were

And who you are now becoming

Is where the dance of life

Really takes place

Sometimes...

Sometimes in life, we expect a relationship, an event, or a transaction to go smoothly – and then discover that the reality is much more different. Conversations and interactions become more complex, nuanced by personal agendas and hidden motives. Maybe we missed the obvious signs because of our won unwillingness to see the truth. Or maybe we were overconfident in our ability to adjust to change.  Regardless of the catalyst, life continually presents us with moments that force us to revise our expectations and recalculate our present path.

Poetry and life lessons: There'll be no Good-bye my Darling

Poetry and life lessons: There'll be no Good-bye my Darling: A lifetime together is a series of memories Preserved are these memories, as memories in time These moments are treasures, joyful rememb...

The best we can do..

A little girl who was late coming home for super, made the expected irate parents demand to know where she had ben.

The little girl replied that she had stopped to help Janie, whose bicycle was broken in a fall

“But you don’t anything about fixing bicycles” her mother responded.

“I know that” the girl said. “I just stopped to help her cry”,

Moral: not many of us know anything about fixing bicycles either, and when our friends have fallen and broken, not their bicycles but their lives, none of us know how to fix that. We simply cannot ‘fix’ someone else life, even though that’s what we would like most to do.

But like the little girl, we can stop to help them cry.

That is the best we can do. And it’s a lot!!!

I will greet this day..

I will greet this day with love in my heart
And how will I do this?
Henceforth will I look on all things with love and be born again
I will love the sun for it warms my bones
Yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit
I will love the light for it shows me the way
Yet I will love the darkness for it show me the stars
I will welcome happiness as it enlarges my heart
Yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul
I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due
Yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge

Time

Tick tock...tick tock...
Life is counting down on your internal clock.

Memories that feel as if they occurred yesterday
turn to flashes of moments that seem to fade away.

People you once knew
walk by without a clue.

The times you once shared
exist as if you were never there.

Years fly...friends die...
and you never know when you'll say your last goodbye.

Oh, how I wish I could turn back time,
spend it with loved ones and cherish what once was mine.

Or to go back even more,
being a kid in a candy store.

How I miss the way I used to feel
on Christmas day when Santa was real.

But back to reality...back to today,
family is scarce and memories continue to fade away.

Tick tock...tick tock...
How I wish I could control this clock.

Encourage The Encourager

I remember brother J today. Everyone knew him in the church we attended many years ago. He was an encourager.

If he knew of someone with a need, he wouldn't rest until he met it or until he got someone who could.

He wasn't a pastor, but most people thought he was. He visited. He counseled. He prayed for people.

No one could miss church two weeks in a row without having brother J visit him.

He was one smiling, energetic brother who was always smiling and available. He didn't seem to have a care in the world.

As busy as he always was in helping people, I never heard him complain about anyone. I had seen him respond to the most abrasive insults with good natured jokes and sweet laughter.

I returned from a trip and noticed that brother J wasn't in church. I asked some of his 'friends' why, and they couldn't give me a definite answer.

One said maybe he had traveled to see his family. Another said maybe he was busy doing something important. All I got was maybes, and more maybes from his 'besties.'

I asked some guys who had been helped by brother J, and they couldn't tell me anything useful. Even those in leadership couldn't tell me anything important.

During the week, I decided to look for brother J. It took me two days to find his house. I was terribly shocked. This gracious brother was living in the most inhospitable condition.

A boy showed me his room, the room he used to live in.

Brother J had died four months earlier.

None of his brethren was aware. Not even those he helped.

This gracious brother had fallen on hard times in the past eighteen months and had lost so much. This made him to move to this terrible neighborhood of gangs, living in unsanitary conditions.

He had been asthmatic, but his trials and living conditions seemed to aggravate his ill health.

Brother J was sick, and was in his room for a week. He died in that room.

The boy that took me to his room told me brother J sent him to one of the brothers in his church group at the height of his sickness. That one said he would tell the others. My investigation revealed that he told a couple of people and they all agreed to visit him sometime. They never did.

His neighbors took his body to the morgue and did what they could to find his extended family members.

Brother J had been quietly forgotten by the people he loved.

I cried.

Brethren, don't ever think that the people around you who seem to be very strong don't need encouragement.

The brethren who neglected brother J were probably good people who took his strength for granted. You know that smooth presumption that makes you think, "I know it's too late and daddy should be home by now, but I am sure he can take care of himself. Let's go to sleep."

They believed brother J was usually fine, and would be fine this time, too.

Encouragers need encouragement. To encourage you, they sometimes have to ignore their own troubles, which may be much bigger than yours.

You may think they are very rich, but they may have issues in their lives that money cannot handle.

You may think they are always happy, but they are only smiling for you. They may be trying to lift you up while they are down.

Those who are strong for others sometimes need someone to be strong for them.

The people you go to when you feel like giving up on life... when you are neck deep in financial or marital challenges, who leave everything to spend hours with you on the phone, pray with you, visit you and nurse your battered confidence back to health...

Your mother, father, brother or pastor may be the strongest person you have ever known. What they have shielded you from hit them hard, and left some marks on them.

You don't know about these because they chose not to tell you.

Sometimes the little errors they commit are due to the pressures on them. You sometimes judge them too harshly because you haven't been where they have been.

I call on you today to encourage your encouragers.

Call them and thank them. Tell them how much you appreciate them. Tell them you have not taken them for granted, and then pray for them.

Some of us are alive today because of those who left their challenges to attend to our troubles.

Do not abandon your brother J. He is probably battling a giant right now that a word from you can help him defeat. Letting him know you care for him may be all he or she needs to hear.

Don't be offended if he seems to have withdrawn from you. He is probably hiding his challenges from you, not wanting to burden you with his troubles.

Encourage your encourager.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow never comes
Today is always yesterday
Time is forever on the run
Becoming lost; Wasting away

Surrounded by the void
But darkness not why I am rattled
From this question, can't avoid
Do I belong amongst the shadows?

Back and forward I will peer
While staying blind to what's ahead
I am engulfed and filled with fear
Unsure what's real or in my head

Steps

My steps are just attempts
to stow away
on the sails, on future's mast

as I walk away,
leaving behind the trail
of my unsuccessful past..

You..

You..

You are one of those people
who so effortlessly slip
into my unsuspecting life

You are one of those people
That can go unnoticed at first
later only to have one wonder
How?

How did you remain effortlessly
in my mind?
how could I ever not notice you?
and now you are in my heart.

How did I not see this happening,
so quickly,
so slowly,
so certain,
so tedious,
so naturally
so irrationally,

How did all this happen,
for you graduated
from the normal person i used to see

you morphed so gradually,
so subtly,
so beautifully.

And now my eyes sees a different person
and I love it.

MY LOVE FOR YOU

I pray and hope that my love for you remains forever,
at the moment it's powerful and deep
through the storms and heavy winds
For now, it will withstand every pain
for our hearts are so pure and sweet
I love you, now and hope to love you forever.