I, A BRANCH

i was flipping through Romans this morning when i started reading chapter 9. then 10. then 11. in those three chapters, paul wrote about his heart (and God's heart) for the nation of Israel. i'm sure i'd read those words before, but this morning, i read it with fresh eyes. you see, one of my closest friends at school is jewish and with all the conflict in the world going on, she's started to strongly identify herself as a jewish person. and reading the passage this morning, i learned that God's heart was first and foremost for the jews. but since they rejected Him, He allowed us gentiles to come into His kingdom as well. paul explained it with an illustration: just as a wild olive branch is grafted into a cultivated orchard olive tree, gentiles are welcomed into His family. so i realized that i am not an olive tree. i am simply a wild olive branch that has been given a chance to live in the orchard. all by God's grace and for His glory. :>

but it makes me pray harder for my jewish friend 'cuz she belongs in God's kingdom!

After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
~Romans 11:24~

WHY AM I STILL UP?

it's almost 2am and i really should be sleeping but my brain is just thinking thinking thinking... this morning, i woke up and thought to myself, "i really dislike wednesdays, my day is all chopped up into little segments. i have girls cell group, class and fellowship, all spaced out throughout the day. i don't have a decent chunk of time to work on my homework." but in retrospect, i could not have asked for better "interruptions" into my day. 'cuz God knew i needed the encouragement of my fellow brothers and sisters. God knew i needed that extra time of prayer with people who care about me. God knew that if i'd have spent my entire day sitting alone at my drafting table, i would have sunken deeper into a pit of despair and self-pity.

on another note, i've been humbled and pleasantly surprised at the way God's been teaching me through a group of high schoolers that i'm supposed to be "advising." i've been challenged by their level of faith and passion for God. i know i've said this before, but i really think university has jaded me and pushed me into a negative mindset. i want to become a child again!

anyhows, one last thing. tonight, we were talking about apologetics and evangelism at fellowship tonight. and while we were reading the story of the four friends who brought the paralytic to Jesus by lowering him down through the roof (Mark 4), i realized some things i'd never noticed before. a) there were four friends (evangelism is easier when you have a group of people) b) the friends were persistent bringing their friend to Christ c) he was probably ashamed to have his weakness seen (the same way it'll feel awkward when you try to help your friends understand they are sinners in need of God)

k, i really need sleep. Lord God, be my strength. be my rest.

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise.Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
~Micah 7:8~ or, borrowing one of my "kids'" translation: "so don't gloat over me, my Weaknesses and Insecurities! though i'm sick and tired of trying, and i'm being dragged down by my worrying, I WILL RISE. though i'm stuck in a rut and i'm at the end of my rope, the LORD WILL BE MY LIGHT and my HOPE and my tutor for life!!"

UNENDING GRACE

woohoo! by God's grace, i've made it through this first week back! i'm caught up on 2 out of 5 of my classes (hoping to finish catching up this weekend). and although i've been perpetually exhausted, i've managed to make it through every day without napping. :> sleep still feels like it's just beyond my reach but i guess i'm learning that sleep is not where all my strength comes from.

anywho, i have just enough time to add another trip blog. so here ya go, it's a short one...

::BRANDED::

I admit it, I don't understand the appeal of brand names. Sure, it shows that you have money and status, but really, what if in the end you lose it all? What are you left with? If you build your identity on Prada shoes and Dior bags, who are you if it is taken from you?

Being in Hong Kong has really made that clear to me. Your identity must come from something other than owning the trendiest clothing and accessories. As Christians, our identity must come from nothing else but Jesus Christ. Because of Him, we are nothing less than God's very own children. and that's something we will never lose.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
~Matthew 6:20-21~

CAN'T SEE PAST 'EM BOOKS!

trying to catch up on two weeks of school is quite time consuming i tell ya. so please be patient. postings with more content will be up again soon. :>

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
~Ecclesiastes 12:12~

FLIPPING THROUGH

last night, i happened across an old prayer journal from 1999 and reading it over, i realized how jaded i'd become since coming to university. my prayers in OAC were full of thanksgiving to God. the smallest things would evoke streams of praise. and now, i look over my prayers and they're so full of heaviness and dreariness. unless something big happens, i hardly take the time to thank God. i'd like to think that i've progressed deeper and closer to the heart of God over these years, but looking back, i'm tempted to say that i think i was closer then. i was more of a child.

anyway, as promised, here's another blog. this one's from Thailand.

::GUCCHI SHOES AND ROLAX WATCHES::

At this year's Christmas Sunday service, Pastor Herman spoke about imitation products that don't live up to their promises. He talked about Gucchi's and Rolax's and how they appear to be the real thing but like much of what we chase after in life, they let us down. I appreciated the analogy at the time, but I did not know that extent to which I would live it in Phuket (an Island in Thailand).

Yesterday, my parents went out for a walk and my mom decided to get a pair of cheap sandals for the equivalent of $10 CDN (ironically, they were Gucci's). While we knew they were imitations, we were nevertheless surprised when one of the straps broke within two hours of her wearing them. That was only the first of the imitation experiences.

At our hotel's New Year Gala last night, one of the first performances was by a drag queen (!) - an imitation woman. And apparently, lip synching while doing MTV/Las Vegas show girl type movements constitutes standard dinner entertainment - imitation singers. Tonight, at dinner, my dad decided to order steak with baked potato. What arrived was a piece of tendon and fat ridden meat with a boiled potato - an imitation western meal. (We learned that when travelling, one should stick to local foods). The band that played live music during dinner did somewhat sorry renditions of music from the 70s, 80s and 90s - imitation cultural refinement. On top of all this, escort services here are more than common - imitation love.

After thinking about it, I realized that the only real things I know for certain are real are the things created by the hands of God: the sun, the sand, the ocean, the fruits and the flowers. These are all good and beautiful things. These things are real. And I'm so thankful they are not imitations.

How long, O men, will you love delusions?
~Psalm 4:2~

HOME SWEET HOME

ahhh... how good it is to sleep in my own bed again. :> these three weeks have been a seemingly endless adventure. each day has been packed with sights, sounds, smells, people and places but most of all, thoughts. lots and lots of thoughts. had i been given access to my blog as i travelled, there would have been quite a few very interesting updates. but, to save you from missing out completely on the growth of this olive tree, i wrote out some blogs in my journal that i will post in the coming few days.

today's installment:

::Tai O::

There's nothing like a trip to broaden your perspective on world missions. While wandering through the little fishing town of Tai O (Lantau Island, HK), I saw an Alliance church in the midst of the houses. It seemed to be the only hint of anything Christian in the town. In front of almost every house, there was a small altar to an idol of some sort. Little cans of incense burned ouside of most doors.
In a place so deeply steeped in tradition and superstition, how does a Christian church reach its community? Wandering through the town, I found a great urge to pray for the Christians who live there.
The Church in North America has so much going for it, and yet we still complain. We have resources and organizations to help us minister to our city. We need to learn to humble ourselves and earnestly support missionaries and fellow brothers and sisters around the world, if even though prayer alone. I, for one, need to take this lesson to heart.
So if you're reading this, take a moment to pray for the people of Tai O. They desperately need to be liberated from spiritual blindness.

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
~John 1:5~