baggages in life

today abigail and i started packing our luggage for our trip to japan. the weather there now is cold - very cold for us - so our bags are full of heavy clothing for warmth.

i was just thinking - we will only be away for 6 days and there are already quite a number of things to bring along. if i were really planning for another trip somewhere else and for a longer time, how much baggage do i need to bring?

hmm. baggages....

if one decides to leave and go to a totally different country and not come back for a while, then one must learn not to bring along so many "baggages". you can't bring along things that will remind you too much of home, of your loved ones, of things that are sentimental. why? you might get home sick really fast and really bad! i have been through such a state - long ago - so trust me on this.....

so, back to my packing - phew.

letting go

i was also lead to think about the same thing this morning and last night when i was going to bed. you know, i want to do something different with my life - and to be able to do this, i have to start considering what i must let go. there are quite a number of things that can hold me back from taking that "big step" into the next great adventure in my life.

slowly i need to begin to pull myself out of some "routines" that i wish to abandon - just to get less involved gradually might be the solution to finally be "detached" from it.

will not be easy - eventually it will mean letting go of those who are close to me too. i pray that perhaps god can be gracious enough to allow my loved one(s) to also be in the second part of the journey of my life should i actually embark on it.

sigh.

The butterfly.

Today in the morning i came across a butterfly on the door of the car. It was the biggest one i had ever seen so close up. As the car began to move slowly, it was shaken just a bit, but held on.

My mom drove on, accelerating and soon the vehicle was out of the basement carpark. Undeterred, the butterfly held fast to the edge of the car door.

As the car did a u-turn, the butterfly was swung sideways. But as soon as it could, it moved the right way up.The frame of metal on wheels started to go faster and faster and faster on a straight road with little traffic.

By now the insect was seriously struggling. I wondered if one of its legs were stuck in between the car door and the frame of the silver car. Alas, when the butterfly could not bear with it any more, it let go and permitted the wind to carry it away.

I thought of how the butterfly might have felt the instant it let go. If it were me i would most certainly feel free from all struggling to keep onto the car. I would feel at ease, provided i wouldn't land smack on the windshield of another vehicle. As i was deep in thought, i could not help thinking of how this butterfly would have been similar to us humans as well.

Sometimes God wants us to let go of certain things we hold dear in our lives. It might be a big job, a loved one or even a certain habit that might be destructive to us. Very few people know what God intends for them and learn how to let God be in control and let go of the car. But most people struggle to hold on, regardless of the situation. As the winds blow against them, they clench tightly to the frame of the car. As the car takes an unexpected turn, they move back into position to keep on the car. But when they finally let go, they know God's plan for them and will finally find peace, knowing that God has a plan for them.

'"For I know the plans I have for you,"declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."' (Jeremiah 29:11)

The only difference is that we as Christians should not be afraid of being wiped off the screen by another vehicle's windscreen wiper. God loves us and will protect us from harm.

So, if you have been holding on to a "car", think of whether God is behind the car, waiting for you to take that leap of faith.

"sailing" through life's storms

when we are much younger it may be easier to accept "misfortunes" that come into our lives. after living a life as a christian for so long, sometimes i take a long while before i can come to terms with a life crisis. telling myself : "god is sovereign, it is god's will" is very much easier than living with the crisis after that. doubts do surface again and again.

so i find myself always asking god the question : "why?"

i think god does not mind us asking him to let us know his reasons for "allowing" some things to occur. but he may not wish to tell us the "answer" yet. i think he wants us to continue to believe in him even though we don't know why. it's all a matter of exercising our faith in him that is what he really really wishes to see and he is really really pleased with.

yeah - always difficult to sustain ourselves when the crisis is so real, so close to our hearts. but know what? we can rely on his holy spirit to help us, his people (christians) to support us. i learnt from a crisis 4 years ago that i should not be "shy" to ask for help from brothers or sisters in christ. it is very important to keep close not just to god but also to fellow believers.

yes, abigail, i agree with you - god will sail through our storms with us - i sincerely believe this.

Job 1:21

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked i will depart.
The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away,
May the name of the Lord be praised."

These were the words from Job's mouth upon hearing that his livestock and children_almost everything he had- were taken away from him.

As christians we must learn to accept blessings from God as much as we must learn to let God take them away. God is in control of everything and we know that all things work for the good of those who love Him(Romans 8:28). We should praise and give thanks to Him all the time, whether during times of storm or smooth sailing.

I have come to a conclusion.

Sometimes god calls out to calm our storms.

Sometimes He chooses to sail through them with us.