Stayed behind today after CCF in MC 2034. Made a couple new friends. Was working away on my laptop as they came in. Chatted with one, then both, back to the one, then silence, and then the other returns.
Jorge: what are your thirsting for?
Bily: hmm?
soy milk!
Jorge: mmm, let me reiterate the questions? what do you desire?
Bily: =p are u asking me seriously or is this leading to a joke =p
Jorge: HAHAHAHA. just wondering how would you respond?
Commit the will to God, and immediately you will find Him near. Not because He has moved any closer, for He has always been at hand, but because you have finally allowed yourself to be near.
Sometimes we feel that God is distant. I myself have felt this way for quite awhile now.
We may feel God has left us to fend for ourselves. In a way He has, but He has not forsaken us. God appears to leave us sometimes so we can grow. Parents cannot always be at their children’s side if the children are to come into their own.
Here are some notes from the Living Simply seminar from Urbana:
What beauty there is in the world. The Lord gives me such joy, simply looking around me, sitting here at Central Park of Santa Clara. Such beauty there is in the delicate stance of the geese. They stand in a row, on one foot, cleaning themselves. It is a curious sight from where I am–kneeling and watching but a meter away–to see the occassional and so-human teetering and constant re-balancing through their knees. I thought only people were creatures of such struggle. But even the highly evolved and created animals of our world–put through the rigors of natural selection and despite all its adaptations: they are not perfect. And yet… it is so perfect… There is such an ease and wholesome perfection to the way things are.
I’ve sat at the park pond for a while and have been filled with so many thoughts I regret not having brought my long-untouched journal to write in. It would have felt so peaceful to capture all the precious thoughts God had given me in those moments in my personal life storybook. But I settle now this online blog (also long untouched). And this way there is the benefit of having it be accessible by virtually anyone. If anything I wish I could share the depth of this experience now with everyone. But though it is online, I will try now to write exactly as I think. Not to an audience. That has always felt rather forced. Calling upon unnatural effort.
We are called to goodness not niceness.
That is not to say we aren’t also to be nice, but it is not so much the point. Too often general society–and Christians–mix up the two to their own detriment.
Biblically speaking the word “good” appears 614 times in the NIV, whereas “nice” appears… well not at all. Granted–this is a cursory look and different translations/interpretations of the original words could be presented differently, but I think you get the point.
Nice is one of the words we learn at a young age as a generally light and positive word. It’s a word we like to use a lot: partly because we have a limited and un-oiled vocabulary, and partly because of it’s flexibility in vagueness. Often it is true, though not saying much. Most often, “nice” describes a person generally pleasing, agreeable, socially acceptable, polite or kind.
So what’s wrong with that?
You haaaaaaavennnnnnnn’t metttttttttttt —- STREETCAR! *dundundun*
It’s a Simpsons episode with Marge in a musical, if you didn’t know >_< … But to the point of it: I do warmly agree with that view. The highlights of my day yesterday were the short but life-filled interactions with strangers.
I had been thinking about life and strangers a bit this past while. Spending quite some time on the bus and light rail, well immersed in the usually quiet daily commutes to work and back through the humdrum of traffic and the vehicle itself. This morning I was reading again, submersed in the vivid fictional world of old southern hospitality, unawares of the brilliant trickeries of young Huck Finn and buddy Tom Sawyer, when all of a sudden I was jolted back to reality, arriving at Orchard light rail station.
I wanna share one of the most exciting and biggest lessons I’ve learned all summer! It has to do with receiving compliments. People respond to compliments in different ways, and how you choose to respond can greatly deepen the relationship with the other person.
As I prepared for writing my blurb for the engineering grad yearbook I considered things like who I am, and what I value the most. I remembered being introduced to Jim Collins ‘ work a year ago, reading up on his perspectives on leadership and posted a bit on my blog about it. Though I’d been meaning to get my hands on and read his book: “From Good to Great“, I haven’t yet got to it. Still… I never forgot that catchy title.
Just arrived in Atlanta, but blessings along the way already. Carpooling to Airport with Derek Yau who came in to Seattle last night. Hung out in the back of the plane with a couple air attendant ladies, learning interesting things about their career, their travel, airline organization, and how one has a son who sold everything he had and is now traveling the world. Chatted with my in-flight seat neighbors, one who is from Switzerland, both from Microsoft. Connected with my taxi driver, Babajide, a brother in Christ, who missionally returns to Nigeria every year to bless the people. Beautiful day in Atlanta too. No sign of thunderstorms. Yet…
Evangelical Christianity is now tragically below the New Testament standard. Worldliness is an accepted fact of our way of life. Our religious mood is social instead of spiritual. – A.W. Tozer
Is that not true in CCF and many of our fellowships? How often have we, on committee and as leaders, strained to devise worldly management strategies to attract and retain people and interest? Surely not all that CCF does is miguided in this way, but neither is it an uncommon thing.
We’ve made decisions about the shape of small groups, how to lay out Friday nights, what outreach activities to have, how to pep up announcements, how to have good worship night transitions and flow… even how to arrange the tables and chairs — to keep the interest of the people. Often this is the question. It ties into our goal of making Christ known, but we must be distinct on this point. That the goal is Christ and not people’s interest. That is, it is spiritual, not social.
To focus so heavily on attracting interest is Marketing. Of course, we need to be sensitive and connect to people where they are, but let us be clear on the goal: it is spiritual.
There are many good things in this world, but what are the best things? There are many things to fret over in this world, but what are the things actually worth our attention?
From time to time I am again reminded of our many vanities. Even Christians. Even myself. Of what ultimate worth is there in such things? Sure there is a beauty in the art of things. In design. In fashion. In technology. The gadgets and the consumerism, I mean. But what does it ultimately mean to a life? These things will pass.
Yet we fret over how we look each day. How our hair should be made and how we should dress. Or we obsess over cool gadgets and buys. How to pimp out our gear. How to furnish and decorate our room or new house. Whether or not to get this or that upgrade buying this or that car.
We litter our lives with so many things that don’t really matter. They are not bad — but they don’t really matter. Especially in light of the things that do.
What of our relationship with God? Our families, society, world? What of our character, spirit, and growth? What are we doing with our time, our money, our effort, while the poor lie naked, unsheltered, hungry; while the oppressed are beaten, tortured, mutilated, massacred; while the minorities and the marginalized are persecuted; while the women are abused, the children enslaved, the young men fixed to war and the young women raped in prostitution? While our classmates, coworkers, friends are hurt, alone, depressed, suicidal? While our families fight, go silent, break apart? Do we even know our family? What of our own spiritual growth and the kingdom-work of God?
“The things that we love tell us what we are.”
- St. Thomas Aquinas, quoted in Catholic Digest June, 1992
“Those who know not when they have enough, are poor.”
- Japanese proverb, Catholic Reader, 11/95
“Fame is revenge against those who never believed in you.”
- Ruby Max (Comedian) – Source: London Daily Mail, 1991
“God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it in the nest.”
- J.G. Holland – Source: in The Great American Bathroom Book, 1992, page 3-A1
“Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for he shall enjoy everything.”
- St. Francis of Assisi, GKC, pg. 84-85
“The drive for success is really the distorted pursuit of significance.”
- Fred Smith, Conversation at CT Board meeting
“The contented man is never poor while the discontented is never rich.”
- anonymous
You can love someone deeply and yet be a poor lover.
That’s because one is about feeling and the other about action. Both is a kind of love, but having the first without the second seems rather inadequate — and it is. Just as faith should not be without deeds, love should not be without loving.
If you’ve been reading the news lately you’ll certainly have caught the coverage on race that’s swallowed up american news. White cop arrests black Harvard professor in his own home. You can read about it for yourself here if you haven’t yet. Obama adds his voice to the commentary mix, saying the cop “acted stupidly” in a case of racial profiling. Later, apologizing for his rash comments made without full facts, Obama invites the officer and professor for a beer to settle it. Obama says he hopes that this will turn out to be what is called a “teachable moment”.
Everyone’s talking about the issue of racial prejudice, but I’m equally interested in the term “teachable moment” that Obama used.
Laughter is a divine gift to the human who is humble. A proud man cannot laugh because he must watch his dignity; he cannot give himself over to the rocking and rolling of his belly. But a poor and happy man laughs heartily because he gives no serious attention to his ego.
- Terry Lindvall, Surprised by Laughter: The Comic World of C.S. Lewis
Reading a book on Humility and find this quoted excerpt rather true. (reading: Humility – True Greatness, by C.J. Mahaney)
Watched Ghandi spread over past couple days. A very inspiring, moving, and challenging movie. To have watched it instead of watching the usually hilarious The Office was one of the best decisions I’ve made this Christmas break. One of my favourite movies now.
Law. Shall I go into law? Thinking about it again. The injustices, the wars and segregation of people in the movie both rile me and deeply sadden me. Many times moved near to tears in sorrow and compassion.
Would law school help me to help them? What did Marc Kielburger go into law for? I should have asked him back at the UW Social Entrepreneurship conference. Ghandi was also a lawyer too before he became Mahatma.