Tenth Avenue North, and some thoughts about grace and God's love
I don't usually talk about songs in my blog, but I just thought I'd share this.
Angelyn has been playing this song on the piano for a couple of weeks now (she found it via youtube), and the melody got stuck in my head, so I decided to look up the lyrics and the band that wrote the song. I really the song because it directs the listener's to focus on Jesus, versus the common over emphasis on self (what I do or can do) that is often found in modern christian music.
Why are you striving these days Why are you trying to earn grace Why are you crying Let me lift up your face Just don't turn away
Why are you looking for love Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough To where will you go child Tell me where will you run To where will you run
And I'll be by your side Wherever you fall In the dead of night Whenever you call And please don't fight These hands that are holding you My hands are holding you
Look at these hands and my side They swallowed the grave on that night When I drank the world's sin So I could carry you in And give you life I want to give you life
Cause I, I love you I want you to know That I, I love you I'll never let you go
To be completely honest, sometimes when I'm in a self-effort rut, I think that it seems so cliched to keep on focusing on God's love. Shouldn't we be moving on to other aspects of God's nature?
One of the members of Tenth Ave North's bio on myspace summed up my thoughts perfectly on this subject. He wrote:
How does one love God? Well, John says, "we love because He first loved us." And if that's true, then my whole approach must change. No longer am I condemning myself in the mirror, saying, "come on Mike, get your act together." No. Instead I simply incline my gaze to the cross. If I'm not loving God, it's because I'm not believing I'm loved. And how do I know that I am loved? "This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life..."
This relates so well with Pastor Joshua's message last Saturday.
Thanks, Angelyn :) (ps: check out her blog and leave her a comment!)
Going through a couple of pictures from Labour Day Weekend. :)
I really enjoyed flying the kite. It was my first time! (But surely not the last) We saw a few people flying kites at the beach, and Mum suggested we get one too. Me, being the enthusiastic optimist that I am, said, "Huh... No need lah... Waste money only... When we get home, it will just be put aside and soon we'll have to get rid of it..." But Mum was determined, and she bought the colourful kite for a mere RM5.
And we had so much fun. Even though the kite is put aside now that we're home, we have good memories of fun times spent together. A good lesson learned: practicality is important, but should not be sacrificed at the expense of relationships. (Especially not during holidays!)
I guess Mum knows best, huh?
**
Moreover Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.
Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him. 2 Kings 23: 24-25
Pastor Joshua's definition of true humility has been on my mind since his sermon on Sunday. I quote him loosely:
True humility is not thinking lowly of yourself, but rather thinking NOTHING about yourself, and ALL and ONLY about Jesus.
False humility can creep in when we focus on our own self-effort and natural limitations. True humility isn't denying our human weaknesses, but rather, fixing our our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. He has called us "a new creation". We shouldn't focus on what we aren't or can't do, but rather focus and glory in His strength which is made perfect in our weaknesses.
I think that definition puts humility into the right perspective.
-- My "food blog" has been updated. Latest post is about a quick lemony snack.
Most of you may already know that I'm hardly the sort of person who is inclined to arranging flowers... and yet I did this mother's day with the Bright Lights girls- with my mum's help! :)
I'm so thankful for my mum who came alongside me when I had this crazy idea (crazy because I was going to do an activity with the BL girls, and I had no idea how to arrange flowers!)- she went to the flower wholesaler with me, helped me match the colours, watched me try to figure out how to arrange the flowers, and then decided to put aside her work to come and help me. Mum to the rescue! haha!
Even though my mum hasn't gone for any floral arrangement course, she's learned through books and by looking at other arrangements... but I think she's good at arranging flowers simply because she has God given creativity and a good eye for design :)
We had a fun Bright Lights meeting last Saturday, and mum taught the girls a basic floral arrangement to give to their mums. The BL blog has been pretty quiet lately, but it will be updated soon!
live flowers are so lovely.. they beautified every corner that they occupied in my house. i don't think false ones can ever compare- even if if means lasting forever. ~
I've started a (sorta) food blog to document my "adventures in the kitchen" in cooking and baking more healthily. Check it out and let me know what you think!
