BYBS - Count My Blessings!

After being absent for a few weeks, here I am posting my blessings for BYBS meme.

I am addicted to digital scrapbooking (again!) these past days, so yeah.. I think this is such a creative way to blog my blessings this week.. :).

If you want to know more about Blog Your Blessings Sundays, please click here..

Hope that y'all have a blessed weekend!

There Must Be Something To Be Thankful For In Life!

After what I've been going through, I supposed that what I've to do is looking for anything good, positive and 'enlightened' in order to get a meaningful life..

Yeah, I believe that we all have a story to tell. Even, maybe a great story if we can see it from the right perspective. All stories we have aren't coincident, but happen for a certain personal purpose. I try to look for goodness in my life. I know I'll find it whenever I look for it. I think, life will be more precious and meaningful if what we can do is giving thanks for anything happens in our lives. Yeah, we just see the small part and feel sorry about anything, because we can't see the big picture. Sometime we can't see how close we are to our destination and we'll start to give up (Oh, this is really happening to me!).

I want to get a breakthrough with my old life. I want to change my mind, my way of thinking, my way of feeling, and oh, all the bad habits I've been living with! I want to be more grateful, be sincere, and look for anything good, with Christ's cross on the background. Hope that this new way of living will change my life: from zero to hero :).

Know what, sometime I feel that my hubby's right when he said that I'd apparently have a double personality. Yeah, in a moment I try to save the world, and one moment later, feel that I wanna take drugs! Seriously. You can consider me wise whenever I'm good, but when it comes to be insane, my name will be included in the nomination list. Often think that I have a mental disorder or sort of it!:)

For this BYBS, I want to thankful for my husband. He's such a great husband. He always understands me, loves me for everything I am, and the amazing one, He always willingly shares the chores with me. And all he's been doing is great! Oh, I think I can't get a greater husband than him. He's the best one!
I know there are times for disagreements in us, just like every couple, but it's normal. We've been different from the first time we met! So I have to see the good side of him. We both have to see the good side of us each other. Oh, I wonder how come I often forget how amazing, adorable and lovely husband he is!

I'm thankful for my mom. Although we haven't been 'getting along' in many ways, I think I still have to honor and respect her. It's uneasy. She's my mom and I always hope 'something more' or any best thing from her as my role model. When I didn't get it, I'd be disappointed. But finally, I know I can't change anyone. If I have someone to change, so that one is me, no other. I have to let everybody be themselves, cause I neither can let myself be anybody else (Yeah, we like to 'insist' people to take our own ways. In fact, we are really different. We'll get angry if other people don't be the same with us! We hope everybody understands us because we think they've got the way we're thinking! Ooohhh... actually, who the hell we are! :)). This is something so hard to learn but I finally got it!

I am thankful, among all things, for life I've got from God, who granted it to me with no doubt. And it's my responsibility then to take care for it, keep it good, amazing and pleasant to Him, from whom the blessings come.

And I consider myself blessed!

How thankful are you?

Blog Your Blessings Sunday

This January is a blissful month for me. You know what, my first book was reprinted (oh, just in 6 months after the first time it was being published!) and my second one has just published. All together in just a month. What a lovely way to begin a new year!

I believe that God is working. He always works, no matter we realize it or not, no matter we see it or not, He always works for our goodness. Sometimes I feel that He's too busy, or too bored, or maybe He has too many business to do rather than hearing my prayer. But, definitely, it's just the time that matters.

I know now that when God tests us by allowing us to go through our problems, He actually is doing something to process us to be 'useful' not just for our goodness, but also for everyone around us, who we know now or who we'll meet someday. He is shaping and forming us to affect other people's lives. Our life should make a big effect for anyone who comes to us!

To be patient and to survive in life isn't easy. There are times we have to loudly cry, try hard, struggle, fight and to make it worse, we shouldn't stop. We have to keep going and move on. But I believe that a hard life is a life worth-living. By then we learn to walk in our surrender to our God and not lean on our limited understanding. God had put a desire in our heart to reach something bigger than ourselves so we can really trust on Him and ask Him to help us, not just walk our ways, because we -eventually- know that we are not able to walk alone.

I know that God has promised me His abundantly blessings if I keep walking in His righteous ways, so I shouldn't distract and follow Him. Yeah, even though following God's will has been not so easy for me, I'll try to do it. Many great people say that if we willing to follow His ways, we'll find a great adventure we never imagined. And, I intend to do it!

Whoever you are, if you intended to reach up your dreams or live your best life, please, you can design it or manage it by yourself, but don't forget to also ask You Creator to guide and lead you to His plan about your life, for His plans are perfect and fit for us. Even, He can give you anything that 'eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man'. Those are things which God hath prepared for them that love Him (I Cor 2:9). Oh, I speak this from my own experience!:).

Am curious, what blessings He'll give me in the days ahead of me in 2009... :)

Happy Sunday, everyone..

BYBS - Something I May Not Understand Now (But I Will Hereafter)

'What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter'

John 13:7

This is the verse of our Bible reading this morning. Yes, I have to admit it. So often, I have no idea about what is on God's mind when He allows something bad happens in my life. I'd like to ask Him this kind of question 'Why me, Lord?, Why don't You stop this pain?' But the answer, as you may know, is commonly silence.

God seems to be silent and put no attention of what I am facing. For so many times, I have to struggle alone, without any guide or clues or counsels. I often questioned where was He in that kind of circumstance. Now I understand about yeah, why does He allow bad things happen in good people's life like me :).

I learn that every single day is a chance to take an action. A chance to make a choice. A chance to do God's word. A chance to show my kindness. A chance to do something good. Even, when I'm in trouble or pain.

God does work in His mysterious ways. I've never understood why He wouldn't just tell me what on earth He's designing for my life. Why He keeps the secret for Himself about what awaits me ahead. Why He keeps silence for a while (that sometimes feel forever!) and doesn't answer my prayers. When you walk through all the pain, you know that it's uneasy to hold on your faith and keep focusing to where the journey is heading for. You'll be focusing on the pain and the hardship you are facing.

Well, when I read the verse above, I immediately realized that, yeah, my life is just for a while, a temporary life, it's not forever to be here on this planet. My focus should not be on what I suffer here, but on the glory I'll receive if I can pass through the tests, whether in my life here or later in eternity. I may not understand what's in God's mind about what is happening to my life, but His promise that I shall know hereafter is enough to make me hold upon Him. Simply having this insight has relieved my desperate soul. I know that this journey has to begin with a step with God. A giant step by myself alone means nothing compares to a baby step with Him. From now on, I promise to keep alert to whatever He wants me to do. I believe if He leads me through a way, He'll give me the strength to finish the journey. I haven't finished my journey yet, I even have no idea which way He'll guide me to, but one thing I know, He's leading me to a perfect beautiful destination He wants me to be. Although I have to pass through all the darkness to be arrived there, I know I'll be safe and secure, cause I know He's always there for me.

God bless me with everything new. I am thankful for everything I have in my life, including anything one can't buy with money. I know what I am to do, live a life that will spread out peace, goodness and love, things I can't do if I don't have it within myself. Like I ever wrote here, I want to contribute something good to this temporary life. I just want my life to be an inspiration to encourage other people to know God and develop a deeper relationship with Him.

Probably, count my blessings will be a good way.. :)

Happy Sunday, everyone!

BYBS - Remembering God Moments

I thank God for our Sunday Service this morning. The praises and worship were so great. I sensed God's presence and that was so wonderful. Even, the sermon was beautiful, interesting and I could feel as if it was God Himself spoke through to me personally. Well, this may sound uninteresting for you, but oh, the Words were so simple yet so true, encouraged and conformed me. To be frank, I almost lost my faith to Him, but through His affirmation words this morning, I feel I've got the new strength I've been searching for..

Our reading was taken from Matt 28:5-9. But I emphasize at the verse 7 'Behold, He goeth before you into Galilee, there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you' (KJV).

Why did Jesus told the disciples to go to Galilee?
1. Because there was the place He showed up Himself for the first time (Matt 4:12-17).

2. In Galilee Jesus did His miracle for the 1st and the second time (John 2:11, John 4:54) and manifested forth His glory. He just wanted His disciples to remind about His marvelous works there. When we are facing something hard so that our faith seems to be 'half past dead', just remember His wonderful works in you to raise up your faith..

3. In Galilee Jesus called His first disciples. He just reminded them to remember about their calling. The moment wasn't as simple as we can imagine, cause before He called them, the fishermen had toiled to fishing all night long with no result, but when Jesus told them to launch out into the deep, and let down their nets for a draught (Luk 5:4, KJV), they did it anyway, and they got a big catch that day. So was the day when Jesus died, Peter who was disappointed and afraid intended to go back to fishing (and all of his friends were went with him), but the same story repeated. They caught nothing, until Jesus stood on the shore and told them to cast the net on the right side of the ship.

I believe when Peter knew that He was Jesus, he might be remembering his failure. The same story, failure changed to succeeded, nothing changed to many things, that's all because of Jesus.
This all reminded me about all of my failures without Him. Anyhow, there were times I try to do many things as if I can. I've just realized who was I till I met the failures. Till I saw Him stood somewhere close to me, looking at me in His wonderful grace..

I am blessed to hear His Words. Especially to be reminded about His goodness and His great, mighty and marvelous works in me. I know for sure that His love is such an unending and unconditional love. Can't show you clearly how The Words has blessed me. I was thrilling. I was trembling. I was speechless before Him. Because He understands me much more than any other people, He knows exactly what I need and He comes through for me, whatever my circumstance is, and He sends me His word to direct me, in order that I won't be distracting out from His way. Every way He does, He always be perfect in timing. Am wondering how can He does all the perfection for each of us!

Oh, thank God for sending me His words. That makes my life different!

Don't forget to blog your blessing!
Happy Sunday..

10 on Tuesdays

These are ten people whom I have to give a big shout at (and also thank God for and made me so proud of!) for what they had done..

(Oh, I should posted this yesterday, but my internet connection had technical difficulties, so I could have just post it today..)

1. My hubby, who has always been there for me. He always understands, supports, cares, lovin.... He's the best blessings ever come into my life..

2. Mom, who though has stroke but has never been desperate. She is tough, and has strong perseverance behind her meekness.

3. My mother in law. She is so meek, modest and diligent. Though she doesn't need to work because her children are afford to help her, she insists to cater. She says that that is her life and many people need her to cater for them. What a pattern!

4. Deena, my future sister in law. She is so diligent, patient, lovable, and persistent. She seems to be so strong to bear all things in her life.

5. Andree, my brother. He had gone through many, many hard times in his life. But he kept strong in faith and refused to give up to his circumstance. He ever got hemaroid that got him so painful to stand up, he even had to move slowly if he wouldn't sense the pain, but when a friend asked him to substitute for playing drum at a small service at the church, he accepted. Deena, his fiance begged him not to, but he kept going. He said that as long as he lives, he'll serve The Lord, no matter what it may take. Oh..

6. Della, the best friend of mine. One can see her faithfulness to God clearly. She always says yes to ministry. I really admire her confident, her determined and her modesty. To be frank, she is so common, not too beautiful for most people to look at, but I think she totally has what one may say as the inner beauty. It really reflects out from within herself!

7. Johny, who used to be the bassist at our church. Like Della, he'd never said no to ministry. Anytime we needed him, he'd always been there for us. Unfortunately, he had moved to Bandung (he said to get a better life). How we miss him here. May The Lord bless him wherever he is!

8. Ina, a faithful lady of our congregation. She is a hard worker, so trustworthy, great mom and wife (her kids -age 8 and 6- have sooo big faith in Jesus!), and great donator. Never closes her eyes for God's work. There are some people far richer from her, but her passion to give back is much more wonderful and worth to be followed. She (and her hubby also!) seem never 'calculate' for God thing!

9. Riezka, also my best friend. She is a beautiful gal who has devoted her life to God. I admire the way she treats her family. Although many weaknesses here and there in the family, she always be so open handed to them. She's so lovable and such an easy to befriend type of person. You'll like her as soon as your first meeting with her, I promise.

10. Mrs. Tanty Kiswanto, a woman with integrity. No matter what people say or do, she keeps faithful to serve God. As you know, sometime it's easier for us to follow other's attitude than keep up our principles. But it's different with this lady. Though so often, she got people talked behind about her, she doesn't keep bitterness in her mind.

Thank God for blessing me with each of them..