Tag: christianity

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Overwhelmed…

That’s how i am feeling at the moment…

My poor husband has been unwell since November last year. He had Legionnaires Disease, recovered slightly but continued to feel terrible. After multiple visits to the doctor, he was finally diagnosed with Hyperthyroid. We were relieved, it is a well-documented and treatable condition. Now he is suffering from pains in both arms and legs. After a trip to the ER, a late night call to our family doctor, and an appointment today, it was concluded that the pains are a side effect of the thyroid meds. But it is still not getting better – sigh! – yet…

We can’t seem to catch a break with these health issues. We are also dealing with other issues which i am not ready to share. But it has indeed been one thing after another, all while trying to keep daily life on track.

A dear friend sent me this video to encourage me (Thank you my dear!):

It is a beautiful song. i have had dark times in my life before and focusing on the Lord always made it better and again it has worked.

But still it is human nature to ask, “Why Lord? Why?”.

Then i am reminded of this blog-post i read some time ago – God will give you more than you can handle: i guarantee it.

“…Actually, when I realized the simple fact that God can–and will–give us more than we can possibly bear, it got easier…”

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me…for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11: 28-30)

“…in that one verse he simply states the reason why we are given more than we can handle: It’s so we can come to him. It’s so we can trust him enough to hand over our heavy, crippling burdens and let him carry the load…”

What she says in there is so so true and really lifts my spirit. Because i don’t have to be strong all by myself. i can lean on God’s strength. i don’t have to be brave all by myself. Jesus is with me always. i don’t have to figure out what to do all by myself. The Holy Spirit is here to lead me.

i can, and i pray i will, come to my Lord and give Him all my cares and i will bless His Name… because…

“…he’s the only one who can make it bearable when life is simply anything but.”

Amen.

i thank God for dear brothers- and sisters-in-Christ who stand by me in prayers and in spirit.

syc

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Two Words…

At the beginning of the year, i wrote about looking ahead and having a quote which i would like to keep in mind for 2014…Quotation-R-J-Palacio-choosekind

Then i read what my dear friend, over at Wide Awake Family, wrote about what God told her to do – to Let Go…

And i thought about it but didn’t come to any firm idea about what God (not just me) might want me to focus on.

Then i hit a rough patch last week and couldn’t shake a sadness which surrounded me. Now people who know me, know that i am the eternal optimist – always seeing the silver lining behind every dark cloud. So this inability to shake a sense of sadness was new and scary to me.

i wanted to pour all this unhappiness onto my dear husband, thinking it would make me feel better… BUT on the day i decided that, God spoke – He told me that isn’t it… He reminded me what He has been teaching me in the last 6 months – Be Content!

Now i didn’t think i was discontent. In fact, i know how very blessed i am to live this life i am living now. i lack nothing and have excess even. So i was being content, or wasn’t i?

twowords20140128God’s contentment is something else – it has to do with resting in Him. And that is what i need to do more. Be Content In The Lord! Not content with the material things i have or content with feel-good emotions. But CONTENT IN THE LORD!

How do i do that? What does this look like practically? i don’t know yet. However, i do know that my heart is much lighter since i recognised what the Lord would have me focus on. i pray He will show me the next steps in this contentment journey with Him. And i will share as He reveals more.

What is contentment to you? Care to share?

syc

PS: Choosing kind is still something i want to be mindful of, especially for those closest to me, who tend to be on the receiving end of my temper many a time.

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Are You Really Raising A Christian?…

He is such a wonderful kid! We are blessed!
He is such a wonderful kid! We are blessed and we hope we are the parents God wants us to be.

A fellow-blogger mummy and fellow believer-in-Christ over at Our Everyday Things wrote about whether it was enough simply raising morally good children. She said she was “rebuked” by this article: How to Raise a Pagan Kid in a Christian Home — I.N.F.O. For Families.

i read that article and indeed it is an eye-opener! It is a definite wake-up call for me, personally.

i was raised Asian, which means respect for elders and authority is way up there on the what-to-teach-your-children list, along with being good to people around you and doing well in your studies. And yes, even though we try very hard to be different parents, trying to give our son a better (what is, in our limited view, better) upbringing than what we had. (For the record, i think my parents did a super job – that’s not to say i’m perfect but i can not complain about how i was brought up.) We try to be liberal enough to not hinder his creative side but we also want to be strict enough so that he’s not growing up a ‘wild’ child.

BUT… having read that article i realised i have failed – big time… i have failed to teach my child that it is God’s standards that he has to live up to, not ours. And more importantly, that he can not meet that Heavenly standard without fully and completely depending on the Lord to lead him, guide him and help him.

i have always encouraged him to try and try cos that’s the way we learn and grow. i have always said to him that he can do it as long as he tries. But i have neglected to let him know that as humans we will fail if we try to live the 100% good life because humans are fallen and can never be 100% good. We need God.

i need to teach him that he needs to depend on God, who knows everything, made everything and can give him everything he needs.

i need to remember:

If your goals are focused on your kids’ behavior, their happiness, or their accomplishments (but don’t include a dependence upon Christ and a submission to His will and work), then you might want to make some adjustments.

Because the world has enough pagans. Even plenty of really nice ones. What we need is kids who fully grasp the reality that they have nothing to offer, but who intimately know a God who has everything they need. 

What are your thoughts on this?

syc