Amen.

A Prayer of Serenity.

God grant me the serenity

To accept things I cannot change,

Courage to change things I can

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time

Enjoying one moment at a time

Accepting hardships as the pathways to peace

Taking as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right,

If I surrender to His will

That I may be reasonably happy in this life

And much more happier with Him,

Forever in the next. Amen.

I really like this prayer. I'm not sure what it is about it. It just seems to bear soo much meaning to me. Hope it touches you guys as much if not more.

Found these really nice pictures and thought that they're more than worth sharing with everyone. =) God Bless.

Hymns 4 Worship.

DISC 1:
1. All Creatures Of Our God And King - Slater Armstrong
2. No, Not One - Lenny LeBlanc
3. Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing - Sara Groves
4. Solid Rock, The - 4HIM
5. Fairest Lord Jesus - Amy Grant
6. Mighty Fortress Is Our God, A - Brian Doerksen
7. Love Of God, The - MercyMe
8. Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty - Paul Baloche
9. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Michael W. Smith
10.How Great Thou Art - Eoghan Heaslip
11. There Is A Fountain - Crystal Lewis

DISC 2:
1. Because He Lives - Kristin Chenoweth
2. What A Friend We Have In Jesus - Paul Baloche
3. Take My Life And Let It Be - Leann Albrecht
4. I Surrender All - Israel Houghton
5. All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name - The Maranatha! Singers
6. Here Is Love Vast As The Ocean
7. Amazing Grace - Darlene Zschech
8. It Is Well With My Soul - 4HIM
9. Blessed Assurance - Leann Albrecht
10. Pass Me Not - Fernando Ortega
11. When I Survey (The Wondrous Cross) - Kathryn Scott

I must listen for those who enjoy soft, light, easy, old hymns. Newly shipped in on Saturday morning. Got it from Hidden Treasures. Gorgeous.

RM49.90 for two discs.

Chicken Soup for The Soul

Not too long ago, I wondered to myself whether the fact that I wasn't doing anything to spread my faith had anything to do with my gradual loss of faith in God.

I recently purchased a Chicken Soup For the Soul : 101 Stories to Open The Heart And Rekindle The Spirit for the low low price of RM15. =))

This book features the most touching, hair-raising, goosebump-ing real life stories that will change your life in some way or the other.

So, recently a programme was started in St. Joseph's church. It is a programme that encourages us, the congregation, to read the Bible more. I didn't manage to get myself a pamphlet but I did, however, catch what Father Joe had said. According to him, the programme goes like this-- we choose a chapter or a passage from the Bible to read and afterwards reflect on what it is we have just read. That's about all I managed to catch.

I decided then on to read the Bible every morning instead of just on the rare occassion that I have nothing to do. Let me tell you, it does wonders. I'm not sure why but the more I read, the more I feel a part of this religion, feel closer to Him personally.

But I could not seem to find anything to reflect upon in the chapter of Acts as it is mainly about how the apostles had travelled around, spreading God's word and standing as living proof of God's love and power. I decided that I would only carry out the second part of this programme once I've moved onto the next chapter.

Not too long after that, I came across this particularly touching story in my new Chicken Soup for The Soul book, entitle 'A Brother Like That'. It started off with how Paul had received a brand new sports car as a Christmas present from his brother. So one day, he saw a street urchin admiring his shiny new car. The boy asked Paul about the car and he told him that his brother had given it to him as a Christmas present. Then the boy began, 'Boy, I wish..'

Paul, of course, knew that the boy was going to wish that he has a brother like that but instead the boy said, 'I wish.. that I could be a brother like that.' Paul, astonished, offered to give the boy a ride in his car.

After a while the boy turned to Paul and asked if he would mind driving in front of the boy's house. Paul smiled, he knew that the boy wanted to show his neighbours that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again.

'Will you stop where those two steps are?', the boy requested. He ran upstairs and a little while later returned, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, squeezed up against him and pointed at the car. 'There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm gonna give you one just like it.. then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about.'

Paul picked the boy's brother up and and sat him onto the front seat. The boy climbed in beside his little brother and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

"That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he had said: 'It is more blessed to give...'"

It just so happened that on that very same day, right before I had read that story, I had been reading on Acts and came across the exact same line, "Jesus said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'", written in red.

It was then on that I realised something. Everything had fallen into place. I did have something to reflect upon. Acts speaks of how the disciples travel around spreading God's word and standing as living proof of His love and power. They do it selflessly. They do it without bondages to hold them back. They do it for God. And to add even more to that, it just so happened that the passage that I had been reading speaks of Paul's preaching to the Ephesians and how he tells them of his journey and sacrifices for God. (Acts 20: 17- 24)

A friend of mine deduced that maybe this is a message from God. Maybe He is trying to show me the next step to take in my spiritual journey with Him. One thing's for sure though, I have never felt closer to Him. My faith has been renewed and a great peace has fallen upon me.

Great is our God who knows no boundaries. Great is our God who can do anything.

So, go out and spread your faith. Stand proud and do not be afraid to proclaim what you are-- a child of God. Never let rough patches in your faith hold you back and keep you from experiencing His love. Just keep seeking. When you truly want and strive and fight for it, you will get it. He knows when you really want it and He will definitely give it to you. =))

A Home Where Love Thrives.

I got this from the Daily Reflections section from my Bible. Found it to be particularly touching so I thought I'd paste it up here to share. =D

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MONDAY.

VERSE FOR THE DAY:
Psalms 127:1

AUTHOR:

Charles Swindoll

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

Psalms 127:1-5

THE first two verses of Psalm 127 are the piers and beams of the home, the foundation from which all else derives its stability and security.

"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders' labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."

Solomon, the writer of this psalm, compares the home to a city. When an ancient city was built, it was not uncommon for its walls to be finished first to keep out the enemy. If the people trusted in the walls to protect them, to give them security, their trust was misplaced, creating only a false sense of security. Likewise, walls we erect around our families and possesions offer only an illusion of security. Like Jericho's walls, they can tumble as quickly as a shout. For ultimately, it is not the watchmen or their walls that protect the city; it is the Lord. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." (Proverbs 18:10). In the same sense, unless a husband and wife trust in God, their work and their watchfulness are wasted.

In verse 2, Solomon qualifies the phrase in vain:

"In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat--"

Many feel that by working longer hours that they can provide more things to bring happiness to their home or afford a nicer, newer home in hopes that it will bring happiness... It doesn't satisfy that empty longing in the pit of your soul, that longing for a home, a real home-- a home where love thrives, lush and fragrant. The reason why it's futile burning the candle at both hands-- rising early, staying up late-- is that God, not our labors, is the source of our blessing, as verse 2 indicates: "for he grants sleep to those he loves" [or, as the alternative translation reads, "for while they sleep he provides for those he loves"].

Hallelujah.

Lyrics by Leonard Cohen
Covered by Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright

I heard there was a secret chord
that david played and it pleased the lord
but you don't really care for music, do you
well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth
the minor fall and the major lift
the baffled king composing hallelujah
hallelujah...

well your faith was strong but you needed proof
you saw her bathing on the roof
her beauty and the moonlight overthrew
you she tied you to her kitchen chair
she broke your throne and she cut your hair
and from your lips she drew the hallelujah
hallelujah...

baby i've been here before
i've seen this room and i've walked this floor
i used to live alone before i knew you
i've seen your flag on the marble arch
but love is not a victory march
it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah
hallelujah...

well there was a time when you let me know
what's really going on below
but now you never show that to me
do you but remember when i moved in you
and the holy dove was moving too
and every breath we drew was hallelujah

well, maybe there's a god above
but all i've ever learned from love
was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
it's not a cry that you hear at night
it's not somebody who's seen the light
it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah
hallelujah...


I've listened to this song so many times, and when i first heard it, the lyrics baffled me. Actually it still does. I love this song and how cryptic the lyrics are. I suppose its one of those pieces that will hold a different meaning for each person. I do wonder what was going through Leonard Cohen's mind when he wrote it. (Hopefully it wasn't cause he wrote was high or drunk. Like when we were attempting to analyse Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in English and THEN we found out that the guy wrote it while high on opium... seriously.)

The first mystery in the lyrics - who is david? After some research, I came across this story. David was King David of Israel. The story goes:

*****

David was a good king, David was famous with the people because of the victories God gave him over their enemies. During one of the wars, however, David stayed behind in Jerusalem when his soldiers went off to fight. It was at this time that David fell into grievous sin, which would haunt him for the rest of his life.

As David walked on the roof of his house one evening, he saw a beautiful woman taking a bath. Someone told him she was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, a Hittite soldier off fighting with David's army. David should have put Bathsheba out of his mind when he heard she was married, but he didn't. Instead he had her brought to the palace and sinned with her there.

Sometime later Bathsheba sent David word she was going to have his baby. David the king over all Israel had committed adultery with one of his soldiers' wives and now there was going to be a child! Desperately he tried to think of a way to cover his sin. Finally David had a plan; he would bring Uriah home from the battlefront and let him visit his wife. Then everyone would think he was the baby's father.

But David's plan didn't work. Uriah came back to Jerusalem, but he wouldn't go down to his house, not even after David got him drunk. He slept with the king's servants instead. He wouldn't let himself enjoy being home with his wife while the other soldiers were having a hard time on the battlefield.

What could David do now? Soon Uriah would hear Bathsheba was going to have a baby, a baby that was not his.

David wrote to Joab, the leader of his army, commanding him, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die. Then he had Uriah take the letter back with him.

When David heard Uriah was dead he told Joab not to feel guilty. "The sword devours one as well as another." David said, just as if Uriah's death had been an ordinary casualty of war.

*****

The story certainly fit in with the lyrics. It provided the back story for the song, but i don't think Cohen intended that the song be just an expression for the story. In fact, it seems to draw away from the story towards the later stanzas. It feels like its the themes of the song that he draws upon. There are 3 layers to this song:

1. The story of David
2. Religion
3. Love

In each stanza there is reference to the 3 elements mentioned above. The title "Hallelujah" means praise.


(Adapted from Mindy Chang, sunny*)



I adapted this from a friend of mine, a fellow blogger. I'm not sure what this has to do with living life as a good Christian or whether or not a lesson would be found behind all this (and I hope that you do discover a personal lesson for yourself) but throughout the chapter of Acts, which I am currently on, the name of King David comes up quite often. I'm not one who knows the Bible all too well, honest to say, so I was kind of baffled as to who this 'King David' really was.

Well, thanks to Mindy's ingenious researching skills, I now know. So to all of you who have also been wondering, here's the story behind it all.

Enjoy.

Christians.

Christians. A word that bares much pressure, don't you think? When you say "I am a Christian", people start to look at you in a different way. They expect you to be perfect. They expect you to always do the right thing and screwing up, well, its just not a word that's suppose to exist in your dictionary.

No human out there is perfect, I would like to point out first of all. This stereotype mindset that people seem to have has indeed left an impact on us all. To have the constant pressure of living up to people's expectations could really bring you down.

It is true that Christians have a role to play. We are children of God. And as it is always said, we should always try our best to bring the family name honour. It applies to our family with God in the very same way. He is the Father and we are the children. No child would want to bring shame nor any form of ill will to their parents. Thus, we try our best. We live life the best way that we can, in a way that would lift His Holy Name all the way up to the heavens.

How?


Do onto others what God has done unto you. Love like there was no tomorrow. Give as if you were the richest man that had ever set foot on this earth. Share everything you have while resting in the comfort of having a God who shares all that He has with you. Be an image of God to others and help spread His message. The message that He has been trying to send across to all of us. We as His children, His followers; it is our duty to help Him to reach out to those who shut their hearts from Him. And the reason why we try our hardest to be a good example is because we want to show the world that our God teaches us so well and gives us a love that empowers us on this journey of life.
How can we expect anyone to live by His Word if we, the children of the Lord, do not first apply His teachings to our lives?


And as for those who stereotype you into being the perfect Christian; one who does not know the meaning of failure or mistake, know always that no one defines you but yourself. If God can forgive you and if He holds no grudge, what does it matter that a mere man condemns you? Know always that no matter how many times we fall, it doesn't make you any less of a Christian, instead it makes you a stronger one if you truly repent and acknowledge your faults. We are imperfect. God alone holds the title of perfection. Never forget that He does not expect you to be perfect, only to be a person most true to him/herself. So forget what people say, when they tell you that you cannot be a good Christian or when they judge you for your faults. Trust that the Lord will relieve you of your sins if you open up your heart to Him. =)) He will understand.





- And they'll know we are Christians by our love. -

Grace Before and After Meals.

Only recently has the word "grace before meals" been brought up so frequently amongst my peers and fellow family members. In relating to the fact that I take ages to say my grace before meals, a topic on what grace before meal is exactly, was struck.

So, I decided to look it up and this is what I found:-

The word grace, as applied to prayer over food, which always in pre-Elizabethan English took the plural form graces, means nothing but thanksgiving.

"Grace before and after meals" commonly found in the catechisms for children and used by the laity consists substantially of a translation of two items, the blessing spoken before the meal and the thanksgiving afterwards.

"Without Thy presence, nought, O Lord, is sweet,
No pleasure to our lips can aught supply.
Whether 'tis wine we drink or food we eat,
Till Grace divine and Faith shall sanctify."

Grace before meals often appears as something of no particular importance. Something we merely utter under our breath due to routine or what we have been taught to do in the church. But true understanding towards this Christian culture, I feel, must be emphasized upon.

As it is stated above, grace before and after meals is a form of blessing and thanksgiving. We pray before meals to ask God to bless the food that He has so graciously laid on the table for us. We pray after meals as a form of saying "Thank You" to God for the food that we have just consumed.

Now, many of us are aware of this but just don't know how to start. To be perfectly honest, I too, only after reading these particular articles on grace at meals, have just found out about grace after meals. I, personally, feel motivated to take on this new challenge in practicing age old culture and giving thanks to Our Lord every chance that we get. Food does not come easy for all. Cherish it and be thankful for it. =))

I encourage you all to take up saying grace before and after meals. Just a short one will do. And just in case you experience a little difficulty in finding the right words to say at grace or end up saying a half-hour long one as yours truly, here are some examples of grace before and after meals that might be able to help you all.


___________________________________________________________
We started one of our nieces out at a very young age with this short little table grace that would be easy to remember and allow her to participate.

Thank you Jesus for this food. Amen

This soon spread for use with all the children in the family. As they got older, more would be added. The standard has become

Thank you Jesus for this food and for this time together.
with more added as a person or situation dictated (child or adult)

Contributed by David and Jackie Parker <dandjparker@neo.rr.com>
___________________________________________________________
My little son made this prayer and prays it everyday at dinner, sometimes he extends it with things that happened that day.

Thank you Lord Jesus for this food,
and for Your love and mercy.
Thank You that you were with us today.
We love You very much and are happy because You are so close. Amen.

Contributed by Sam Mulock Houwer <sam@mulock.myweb.nl>
___________________________________________________________
A simple childrens prayer before all meals, even the youngest will get involved:

Now I fold my hands and say

Thank you God for my supper today

(Insert meal of choice in place of supper)

Contributed by zeb <jsm1@buffnet.net>
______________________________________________________________________

The Edmondson family has a search on for the shortest grace:

Good food,

Good meat,

Good Lord,

Let's eat. Amen.

OR

Lord, Bless this bunch

As they munch

Their lunch.

Amen.

Contributed by Rick Edmondson <rick@hunter.co.uk>
__________________________________________________________

Simple, right? ^^

All the best.

* Words in green and prayers were adapted from http://home.pcisys.net/~tbc/mealpryr.htm#prayer10_1 and http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14554c.htm