iWait - Day 3

"Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings like eagles, they call run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:30-31

   Patience. It is one of the hardest things to master. Whenever we flip through the TV channels, the commercials advertise products that being promises of "faster results", "higher speed", and "increased velocity". What is the problem with all of this technology? The issue at hand does not lie with technology. Rather, all of these rapid changes are taking a great toll on our patience.
   All throughout history, nearly all of the machines invented were to make our lives easier and faster. Take the letter, for example. In 1750, in order to communicate with a friend someone would need to sit down and compose a letter. Fifty-nine years later, the telegraph machine was invented and people could receive messages in a significantly shorter amount of time. Then in 1806, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and people who were miles apart could actually speak to one another! It was revolutionary! Once families began installing these modern devices in their homes, they did not have to travel a lengthy distance to reach a phone to call someone. Next came the email, shortly followed by the cell phone, and then the modern text message. The rest, they say, is history.
   Do you see how significantly communication has evolved? In 1750, a person could patiently wait several weeks to receive a response to their letter. Today, if someone does not answer our text message in 10 minutes, we are upset. Not only has our method of communication altered, but so has our patience span.
   The era that we live in is one defined by iPhones and high-speed internet. Our culture is loosing its willingness to wait as we are becoming iFast. Although these technological innovations are truly marvelous (both a GPS and a Starbucks locater in a tiny 5oz device!), they can easily take a toll on our patience. Let us focus on strengthening our longsuffering. As you go about your day, pay attention to the opportunities that test your patience. Ask the Lord to constantly give you a spirit of joy while as you wait. :)

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance". - 2 Peter 3:9

"But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth." - Psalm 86:15

"...that you may walk worthy of Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God' strengthened with all might according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy." - Colossians 1: 10 -11

The Meditations of Your Heart - Day 2

   As you lay down to sleep tonight, take a moment to analyze your day. In all of the various situations you encountered, think about your actions. How did you handle your stress? Were you kind to your neighbor? Would you be comfortable sharing the deepest meditations of your heart with a friend? What thoughts passed through your mind? 

   This self-assesment is not meant to implant guilt into your heart. It is simply meant to make you ponder a few things. How can you better honor the Lord with your mind, secret thoughts, and attitude? Make a habit of asking the Lord to turn your thoughts, actions, and motives into methods of glorifying Him. :)

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer". - Psalm 19:14

Changing our Perspective - Day 1

   When the alarm goes off early Monday morning, we sleepily opening our burning eyes and languidly hit the snooze button. We breathe in the chilling air and quickly pull the sheets over our head, soaking in their warmth. We dread to begin the new week. After two minutes pass, the shrill beeping sound from our clock fills our ears again, and our hand finds its way to the snooze button once more. This routine carries on several more times until 6:00 slowly turns into 7:45. 

   Mondays. We never seem to be fully ready for them when they arrive. For many of us, a new week brings promises of stress, long hours of work, and constant exhaustion. By Monday evening, we are ready for another weekend to rejuvenate our worn-out selves. 

   However, our weeks do not have to begin like this. I am slowly learning that we do not have to rely on vacations, caffeine, or even weekends to recharge our batteries. When we do not have the strength to accomplish the week's goals (and frankly, we often do not) we need to cast our cares on He who sustains us. Instead of using our alarm clocks as a device to merely improve our dexterity, let us use them as a call to prayer. Change your perspective and translate the sound of your alarm clock as a reminder to pray. Think of the day ahead of you and pray for the Lord's strength. The Lord promises in the Bible that when we ask for wisdom He gives to all liberally and without reproach. 

   Monday mornings, nor any other day of the week, have to be filled with tears and pressure. As soon as the sound of the alarm goes off, pray and dedicate the day to Jesus Christ and greet each day with an enthusiastic smile, knowing God is with you. Ask for His strength, ask for wisdom, and ask for Him to sustain you. Meditate on these Bible verses as you go about your week, and watch the Lord work mightily. :) Welcome to the 30 Day Challenge. 

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand". - Isaiah 41:10

"Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!" - 1 Chronicles 16:11

"Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes". - Psalm 119:23

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". - Phillipians 4:13

The 30 Days Project

   The Era of the Persecuted Church was a frightening time. When Christianity was outlawed, people did not dare to utter the name of Jesus in public. The followers of Christ were heavily reprimanded for their faith; some were even put to death. Christians paid a heavy price for following Christ. They had their churches crumbled into dust, their Bibles were taken away and burned, and their Christian meetings were banned. However, there was one thing that could not be taken from them. There was one object that no law could prevent them from doing: praying. 

   Reader, our special communication with the Lord can never be stolen. No principality or power can ever seize this beautiful thing from us. It is intangible. Prayer is precious, and we must cherish it. We serve an awesome God who gladly gave us a way to communicate with Him freely. We don't have to go through a priest, we can call upon the Lord right where we are! Why don't we take advantage of this more often? How many days go by when the only prayer you've said was to just bless a meal? Indeed, thanking for the Lord for our food is wonderful, but our prayer life needs to be something deeper. If we gather around the dinner table and recite the exact 5-second-long prayer we always do, then our prayer life is weak. Prayer should be an active part of a Christian's life. 

   The title of this blog "It is Good for Me to Draw Near to God"was inspired by one of my favorite scriptures Psalm 73:28: "But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works."When we foster a life of prayer, we are drawing near to the Lord. The closer we draw to Him, the closer He draws to us. When we delight in the Lord (part of this comes from an active prayer life), the Bible Says He will give us the desires of our hearts. Prayer is not to be undermined - it is to be taken very seriously. 

    Readers, I introduce to you The 30 Days Project. One month of actively seeking the Lord every day. One month of being committed to prayer with the intent of growing in our walk with the Lord. One month of drawing near to God while watching Him will draw near to us. 

   Once The 30 Days Project starts, I will post on my blog every morning a specific subject to pray for during that day. On one day, a particular blog post may be titled: "pray for our national leaders". Another could be "pray for self-control". Following these posts will be a collection of Bible verses that can help direct your prayer time. During each day, watch how the Lord grows you as You dedicate a couple minutes directly to Him. Allow the Lord to mold you and change you. Give Him the reins to your life and watch Him take control. 

    I plan on starting this project on Monday, April 23rd where I will post my first "prayer assignment" (for lack of a better term :)). I pray that you will consider joining me. Please leave a comment stating that you will participate in The 30 Days Project. An alternative way to letting me know that you are joining, is to check the "inspirational" box below this post. This is a more private way to letting me know you will undergo this project. Whether you leave a comment, or put a check in the box, I will nevertheless be so thrilled I have "a partner in crime prayer"! ;)

   May God bless you as draw closer to Him! 

"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:13

   

April fools

Hi big sis it's April Fools so i wanted to fool you :) he he

Our Best Life...When?

 

"And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteosness' sake, you are blessed."

- 1 Peter 2: 13 - 14

   Why don't they speak to you as often anymore? You can hardly bear their judgmental glances as soon as you enter the room. You were living fully for Christ, but you lost your job anyway. You prayed earnestly to be healed, but you are still sick. You went out of your way to be kind to that standoffish neighbor, and all they did was blow you off. You have mounds of bills stacked up on the counter, and all you can do is close your eyes and hope that they will vanish, for there is no other way that they will be gone.

   Why?

   We Christians are constantly told by our friends, coworkers, or even pastors that this is 'our best life now', and that Jesus will spare us from all suffering if we have enough faith. They boldly declare that Jesus came to give us a better life, and that He wants us to be wealthy, healthy, and problem-free! Sounds nice, doesn't it? But if Christianity were truly a life of utopia, wouldn't millions be converting every day?

   Readers, if Jesus truly came to give us our best lives now, why would we even bother looking toward Heaven? If life in Christ is supposed to be problem-free, then why are missionaries suffering? If this is supposed to be our best life, what a disappointment Heaven must be. 

The truth is, this is not our best life now. It is completely normal for Christians to endure hardship and suffering. It is not due to a lack of faith. When Jesus was carrying out his earthly ministry, He suffered and He was God. When the nails pieced His hands, when the whip was slashed across His back, and when the crown of thorns sunk into his skull, He felt every ounce of that pain.  

   If Jesus came just to give us endless benefits without any hardship, people would not follow Christ because they believe in Him, they would be Christians in order to enjoy all of the goodies. Trusting in the Lord and living our lives for Him costs us something, and we may even have to suffer for His sake. But 1 Peter says that we should count ourselves blessed when we suffer in the name of Jesus. Enduring hardships while living fully for Christ is much better than living the perfect life apart from the Lord. When we stay committed to Christ, even amidst our struggles, just think of how great our reward in Heaven will be! We Christians have such a hopeful future to look forward to!  

   Be encouraged today, "counting it all blessing when you fall into various trials", for the your reward in Heaven will be great. :) God bless you, my dear readers!

A Very Busy Semester

   I have returned! I apologize for not posting for over a month - life has undergone some very busy moments lately which has, in turn, prohibited me from blogging. However, I am now emerging back into the world of social networking! How have you all been? Please leave a comment telling me about your life!

   As you may have conjectured, my school semester has been quite busy! This year, I am enrolled in my local community college as well as my high school. Balancing life as a high-schooler, violinist, and a college student is very rigorous. Lately, I have caught myself saying, "At least it is better to be busy than to be idle!" Maybe I have taken that statement a little too far...hehe. :)

   My courses are: English, Microeconomics, Algebra 2, U.S. History, Spanish 3, Orchestra, and regular violin lessons. Although these courses have proven quite challenging, I am thoroughly enjoying gaining more knowledge about all these subjects.

   Another exciting recent development has been occupying my hours as well. This Saturday night, I will be participating in the "Distinguished Young Women of Modesto" scholarship competition. I, along with sixteen beautiful and talented other ladies, will be judged on our grades, our talent, our on-stage question, fitness, and our personal interview. I will post pictures of the event on Sunday afternoon, and will discuss the results. I have been looking forward to this competition for 3 years; it is hard to believe that it is finally happening! Please pray for me, as I can affirm that I will be very nervous. :)

   Thank you for being patient with me, my dear readers. I have missed blogging very earnestly, and am very happy to be getting back into the swing of things. God bless you all today!

"Delight yourself in the Lord'; and He will give you the desires of your heart." -Psalm 37:4

Happy Birthday Meredith!!

On December 30th, my lovely sister Meredith turned 15 years old!!

Sisters :)

15 Things About Meredith

1. She has a very funny sense of humor - some of her sarcastic "one liners" can leave someone laughing for quite a while.
2. She is very intelligent. Not only with common sense, but she just knows a lot about a lot. :)
3. She is beautiful, as you can see from the picture. From both inside and out!
4. She doesn't like chocolate.
5. She is a very loyal companion and friend.
6. She is very honest; she tells things just like they are. Although she is younger than I am, she has given me some very wise counsel.
7. She is a very proficient ballerina.
8. She bakes a delicious apple pie. It has become famous among our church friends!
9. She loves children.
10. She offers godly insight to others.
11. She is an excellent photographer.
12. She enjoys knitting, needlepoint, and sewing.
13. She dreams of having a large family someday.
14. She likes reading very deep novels, such as Dickens' Little Dorrit.
15. Clearly, she will make some man very, very happy someday...but not happier than she has made me ;)

Happy birthday Meredith, you are such a blessing to our family. I love you very much.

Proverbs 17:17  A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

The Hidden Message Behind a Dance...

"Life is a dance. God is your partner. The most beautiful steps in a dance are those that look like He may drop you." - Ryan Crowe

   Recently, one of my dear friends shared this quote with me. Quotes are some of my favorite things to read - not only can they be inspirational, but they can also induce motivation or thorough reflection. When concise and eloquent, words can be immensely powerful. After all, I have read that "the pen is mightier than the sword."

   Words can deeply shape the way we think. My perception of its meaning goes back to the physical process of dance. In this activity, there are generally two people and two distinct roles: a male leader and the female follower. Although the flowing dress or stunning outfit of the woman may present her as the star of the show, it is the under-credited man who truly brings the dance together. 

   In order to be successful, the man must lead boldly and correctly while the woman obediently follows his movements.  What makes a dance beautiful is when both participants are in perfect syncopation. If God is the leader in the dance, then He is perfect - He will never err. Since it is impossible for him to make a mistake, then the quality of the dance would wholly depend on the woman. 

   When the woman submits to the direction of the leader, it is then that the man can lift her and execute all of the neat tricks. If the man completely trusts the woman, he will have the courage to lunge her into the air, knowing that she will trust him to catch her. Can you draw any spiritual parallels? :)

   While dancing, however, let's say that this woman decided to do her own thing although the leader specifically told her to not improvise. While the leader spun her around, catapulting her into the air she pulled an unexpected move that was not in the choreography. As a result, the man is unable to catch her. She comes crashing to the stage and deeply injures herself in the process. If she had listened to the wise instructions of the leader, she would have alleviated herself pain and suffering. 

   Friends, we are that woman. We are the follower. Who is the leader in our dance through life? None other than Jesus Christ. If we submit to the will of God, we will be able to accomplish great things. However, if we decide to "do it our own way" pain will surely follow. We will break, either physically or spiritually. When we rely on the ultimate leader Jesus Christ - one who can never do wrong - and obey His every command, we will spare ourselves from unnecessary hardship. 

   Follow the Lord, faithfully do His perfect will, and He will use you as an instrument for greatness. Remember: obey the Lord, trust His word, and seek His direction. Do this, and watch Him accomplish amazing things through you. 

Christmas Time!!

  My favorite time of year is quickly approaching!! I always anticipate the arrival of the Christmas season. I relish the gathering of family and friends, baking desserts, and shopping for gifts to give to my parents and siblings. When I walk into my home, I love inhaling the aroma of pine from the Christmas Tree. There are so many things to be thankful for.

  Strangely, the weather here in California has stayed very mild - quite like autumn. During the winter months here in the Central Valley, we generally experience grim weather - cold and rainy - instead of warm cloudless days. Although I miss the stormy climate, being warm when I get out of bed has been a very nice change. ;)

   Finals went quite well; I wrote reports for English and U.S. History, and took a written test for Algebra II. My grades were satisfactory this semester, and I give the glory to God. He truly helped me get through the hectic finals week. 

  Every Christmas, we enjoy spending the day with my Dad's side of the family at my grandmother's house. She cooks a delightful dinner, and our family cooks and brings desserts to share. The dish I bring this year is chocolate cheesecake - my favorite!!

   Also, Christmas happens to be on a Sunday this year! What is a better way to spend Christmas, than sitting in Church hearing the account of Jesus' birth. It will be very special to spend Christmas morning fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

   While preparing for Christmas, my family and I have run into a little unexpected dilemma...our oven broke....and will not be fixed until after Christmas, hehe. :D However, we will (hopefully) be able to finish all our baking at our grandmother's house. Preparing our Christmas dishes without this appliance will prove to be a very interesting experience...however, it will be another unique memory to reflect upon with smiles and laughter!!

   What are your Christmas traditions? How do you celebrate? 

   Amidst all of the hustle and chaos during Christmas, it is important to remember the true reason we celebrate. Unfortunately, Christmas is so heavily commercialized that people focus on Santa Claus or getting new presents. The birth of Jesus Christ is the most beautiful gift the Father gave us. Although he was probably born around harvest time (autumn), December 25th is a day to remember that Jesus Christ left his Heavenly throne and became a baby. He lived a perfect, sinless life so that we can go to Heaven and spend eternity praising Him!! What a wonderful reason to celebrate Christmas!!

"Glory to God in the Highest; on Earth peace; goodwill toward men." - Luke 2:14