Proven to Be True--God

God has proven Himself to me once again. Not that I ever doubted, but when God shows Himself to be right after being obedient, it does wonders for faith. I cannot tell you h0w wonderful my Father is. Well, let me try. For a few months now God has been really pressing me and shaking things in my life. This act has actually pushed me deeper into Himself.

I have always been afraid of pain, of being vulnerable, of being rejected by people and friends. I decided that I didn't want to live like that anymore and knew that if I wanted to get closer to God I was going to have to embrace pain and deal with my hurts and fears. I "cowboy-ed up" and bit the bullet. It has been the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life. My life is at peace, I know I am comforted, and I am blessed beyond what I would have thought could be possible.

I have learned that people are not constant; they make decisions and change their minds and rise and fall, flourish and whither, and the ebb and flow of life's currents pushes and pull them through things that are good, bad, beautiful and ugly. However, there is a constant--Jesus. I have come to know that to be the truth of the matter. It doesn't matter if people go to and fro and bob and weave through life cause Jesus is my Rock on whom I am standing.

I know that friends can hurt, but oh how sweet it is when they bless. God has proven that no matter what happens in my life, He will always be constant. He will always be there to comfort me when the hurts of friends or enemies sink in. He has proven that He can restore, and prevent, and bless friendships that are centered on Himself.

Friends are God's conduits for growth and maturity--a catalyst if you will. He delights in using relationships to show Himself. I love friends, and I love knowing Jesus loves me and my friends and delights in our relationships and teaches us through each other.

The the storm may rage outside, my heart is at perfect peace cause I know that my Redeemer lives and He pursues me with a passion that cannot be compared. I am my Beloveds and He is mine. It doesn't matter if friends hurt me or love me because my hope in not in them, my hope is in Christ. He is my Savior. I have learned that people just sometimes don't know what they want, but it just comes with time, and time sorts everything out in the end. I know God is for me and not against me, and I am for God and not against Him and will continue to practice simple obedience cause above all else God desires obedience. I just feel like stopping everything and just worshiping Him. He has captured my heart and holds it in His hand. One look and I am weak in the knees and must just honor Him. Thank you Jesus

You have captured my heart,
my treasure, my bride.
You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes,
with a single jewel of your necklace.
Your love delights me,
my treasure, my bride.
Your love is better than wine,
your perfume more fragrant than spices.

Song of Solomon 4:8-10 (New Living Translation)

Thursday Thirteen #1

Twelve Bones I Have Broken and Some Stitches Too

1. Broke my right arm at 5 years old. My brother WWF body slammed me to the ground. It hurt!

2. Four weeks after I got the plaster off that arm I fell of the monkey bars and broke my left arm. (did get to ride the firetruck to the hospital) That hurt too.

3. At 8 years old I tried to jump over a wire (the kind that are set up in parking lots to keep cars off the walking area), well...I missed and slammed my knee into the pavement. Cracked my knee-cap. The one hurt like crazy.

4. At 11 years old, I was playing American Football and did a cart-wheel in the air after getting hit. Land on my shoulder and broke my left clavicle (collar bone). So not fun!

5. The next year was playing American Football and got tripped before I caught the ball. My hand turned on me funny, and I broke my left wrist again. Played the next game without a plaster cause it was the championship game. We lost.

6. During cross country season the same year, I tried to jump over a guard rail on the road--and missed and broke my right clavicle (collar bone). Yeah, I know, pretty lame!

7. Playing basketball the next year. Went up for a rebound, came down (without the ball) and broke my left ankle.

8. A week later, I tripped on my plaster going down the stairs and end up breaking my left wrist again!

9. It gets better. I tried to play basketball with both my plasters on (with little kids). Turned funny on my right ankle and broke that poor ankle. I was then in a wheelchair with three plasters.

10. Moved to Hong Kong around 15 or 16 and was playing street ball. Broke my left ankle again.

11. Didn't do my physical therapy and broke my left ankle again a year later playing street ball on the same court. I know, I never learned.

12. Then, in University, I was playing a game of indoor Ultimate Frisbee and ran into the wall and broke my big, left toe. That was almost the worst cause you can't put the toe in a plaster, yet I still needed to walk.

13. I have also had staples in my head (from basketball), almost lost my Pinkie finger at two (car door accident), and I had stitches in my hand from more stupidity--I tried to turn a knob on a heavy spotlight to see if it would move up. This action loosened the spotlight and it came crashing down on my hand and split open the fatty part of my hand between the thumb and the index finger. I so thought I was going to die!

Christmas is Coming

So Christmas is coming and for some reason I'm not so excited. I know, I know I should be jumping with joy singing the songs of Christmas and eating loads of food, but this year it's just going to be so different. See, my parents are moving house and they plan to do this on the 20th--5 days before Christmas. Who moves five days before Christmas? I just don't get it, but who am I to tell my parents when they can and cannot move.

It only sucks because I am used to having Christmas in the USA with all my dad's side of the family. He is the oldest of 12. I have 24 cousins and some of them are married with kids as well. Every Christmas we get together (all of us in one house) and just love the family relationships we have. There is no fighting, not arguing, but each member looks out for the interests of the other family members.

I have heard stories of families fighting and arguing the whole time they are together, and I have never ever understood why. I guess my family is really special in that sense. I just am blessed to have been born into such a wonderful family.

I am upset this year cause this will be the second year I will miss the celebration, and not only that, I'm not sure I will get the turkey and fixings that go along with a Christmas dinner, but I don't know if I will be able to spend time with my own family this year due to my parents move.

I am not that upset, but just wish I could have a normal Christmas this year, but it doesn't look like it will happen. However, I know God is always good and faithful, and I will make sure I am thankful that I do get to spend Christmas with some family even if it will be in a new house that will not be set up completely. I have learned to be content in whatever situation I am in. I hope this Christmas season there will be less of me and more of Jesus. I must decrease, He must increase.