Blessed Sisterhood

An anthem from a Mennonite women's college:

Yield not to flirtation
For yielding is sin.
Each sister will help you
Some brother to win.
Strive womanly onward
Dark passions subdued.
Don't chase after boys, girls,
Let them chase after you.

Haha, true aye ;p. I miss fellowshipping with the sisters over in NZ. It's so lonely in Jakarta without the company of good friends. Praying for you girls, Our God is a strong refuge. He never forsakes us in whatever circumstances we are in. Let He continue be our God in our lives.

Aku akan bersukacita

"Sekalipun pohon ara tidak berbunga,
pohon anggur tidak berbuah,
hasil pohon zaitun mengecewakan,
sekalipun ladang-ladang tidak menghasilkan bahan makanan,
kambing domba terhalau dari kurungan,
dan tidak ada lembu sapi dalam kandang,

namun aku akan bersorak-sorak di dalam Tuhan,
beria-ria di dalam Allah yang menyelamatkan aku.
ALLAH Tuhanku itulah kekuatanku:
Ia membuat kakiku seperti kaki rusa,
Ia membiarkan aku berjejak di bukit-bukitku."

Habakuk 3:17-19

Aquaduct - A bicycle that cleans air and water

Esau sells his birthright to Jacob

by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn 1606-1669

drawing with pen and brush (20 x 17 cm)

British Museum London

I'd like to...

I'd very much like to do one out of five things below:

1. Sitting in the veranda, with a nice cup of cappucino and cinnamon cookies, reading Francine Rivers' book
2. Falling asleep in a hammock at the beach
3. Smelling a nice bunch of roses
4. Walking around the beach about sunset time and feel the breeze or
5. Sit and Relax in a hot pool

Quote of the Day

"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." - Sir Winston Churchill

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul

I have spent these few days reading the book that Vivi lend me. It's about The holiness of God. A little unsure about how and where to begin this review, but here it is. I had mentioned my fears about reading this book in my previous post that I would arrive at the conclusion, feeling dejected because the book reminded me the obvious which is my inability to meet His standards. After reading it, I must say I am glad the book didn't make me feel that way.

This book points us the ineffectuality of our own deeds to be holy (we are utterly helpless) and that we are absolutely, absolutely dependent on His grace. He is never unjust to mankind. Never. Justice means that we all cease to exist, punished because of our sins. Instead, we have existed always receiving his justice and his grace.

When the Israelites were asked to wage war against the inhabitants of canaan. He was not unjust when He allowed the Canaanites to be eliminated from the earth. The Canaanites are not without sin against God. They received His justice but the Israelites received His mercy. He is not obligated to show mercy and he has the right to choose the recipients.

We do not deserve His mercy but we have always thought that we have the right to His mercy. Our failure and arrogance is when we claim to be worhty of his mercy, feeling sufficiently righteous, not realizing that our righteousness come from Him. He had been patient (slow to anger) and gracious in the OT (Old Testament), where many alleged Him to be a wrathful and cruel God. The OT shows the Israelites' persistent depravity and God's continual mercy for them, saving them from the oppresive power that He had allowed. The right question to ask when many people died from disaster is the reason why we do not perish like them instead of accusing God for being unfair. His hands keep us every moment from the fierceness of hell's fire, only only His hands that prevent us from eternal damnation.

His holiness is pure, sanctifying all His attributes. Because of His holiness exposing our flaws, we can not stand Him and hate Him. Yet, we enjoy and long to be in His presence once we encountered Him. This might explain that we are creation and He is our creator.

How then shall I live?

At first, I was uncomfortable to know the fact that I have to be totally dependent on God for my transformation. I'd like to rely on some of my own strength incase my faith in God is failing and my patience is lost. What foolishness! Again, I will survive in this sanctification period by God's grace alone.

Christians are those who believe that Christ came into the world to allow His righteousness to cover them so they can approach God in His Holiness. They received justification by their faith in Jesus. Through faith, God's grace and mercy are poured out to us. Grace and mercy given are not just nor unjust. I am yet to understand fully how in executing His grace, His justice is also served. When we received righteousness, a summon to approach His throne with confidence basically he gave what we do not deserve.

Knowing that He has granted us peace with God. Peace that can not be taken away. I should live day to day relying more on His grace, trusting Him to transform, and revering God, indebted of His mercy rather than continually sinning. Can we love him with all our heart? the answer is no, because we still have sinful nature. It will require a great deal of God's grace to pierce our very heart until we can not do anything else but to love Him. The Holy Spirit helps us.

Reverend Fun

Doa Luther

Doa yang sangat menginspirasi ini diutarakan oleh Martin Luther di malam sebelum dia harus berhadapan dengan kaisar. Beberapa hari sebelumnya dia telah meminta waktu untuk memikirkan tantangan mereka untuk mencabut pernyataan dia dalam buku-bukunya yang menentang ajaran gereja katolik Roma pada masa itu. Berikut adalah petikan doa Luther:

O Allah, Allah yang Mahakuasa selama-lamanya! betapa mengerikannya dunia! lihatlah bagaimana mulutnya terbuka untuk menelan aku, dan betapa kecilnya imanku dalam Engkau!...Oh! kelemahan daging, kuasa iblis! Jika aku tergantung pada suatu kekuatan dunia ini - semuanya berakhir...bunyi lonceng berhenti...kata-kata akan berakhir...O Allah!O Allah! O Engkaulah Allahku! Tolonglah aku melawan semua hikmat dunia ini. Lakukan ini, aku memohon kepadaMu; Engkau harus melakukan ini...dengan kuasaMu yang luar biasa...pekerjaan ini bukan pekerjaanku, melainkan pekerjaanMu. Aku tidak mempunyai urusan disini....Aku tidak mempunyai apa-apa untuk melawan orang-orang hebat di dunia ini! Dengan senang hati aku akan melewatkan hari-hariku dalam kebahagiaan dan kedamaian. Namun ini adalah perkaraMu... Dan ini benar dan kekal! O Tuhan! Tolonglah aku! O Allah yang setia dan tidak pernah berubah! Aku tidak bersandar pada manusia. Itu adalah kesia-siaan! Segala sesuatu yang dari manusia pasti goyah, segala sesuatu yang keluar dari manusia pasti gagal. Allahku! Allahku! tidakkah Engkau mendengar? Allahku! Apakah Engkau tidak hidup lagi? Tidak, Engkau tidak mungkin mati. Engkau berbuat namun menyembunyikan diriMu. Engkau telah memilih aku untuk pekerjaan ini. Aku mengetahuinya!...oleh karena itu, O Allah, jadilah kehendakMu sendiri! Jangan meninggalkan aku demi anakMu yang Engkau kasihi, Yesus Kristus, pembelaku, pelindungku, dan bentengku.

Tuhan-dimanakah Engkau?...Allahku, dimanakah engkau?...Datanglah, aku berdoa kepadaMu...Aku siap...lihatlah aku disiapkan untuk menetapkan kehidupanku bagi kebenaranMu...menderita seperti anak domba. Karena perkara ini kudus. Ini adalah perkaraMu sendiri!...Aku tidak akan membiarkan Engkau pergi, Tidak! Tidak, untuk selama-lamanya! Dan walaupun dunia akan tercekik oleh iblis-dan tubuh ini yang merupakan pekerjaan tanganMu, akan dicampakkan, diinjak-injak, dipotong-potong,...menjadi abu, jiwaku tetap milikMu. Ya, firmanMu yang meyakinkan aku tentang hal ini. Jiwaku adalah milikmu dan akan tinggal bersamaMu selama-lamanya! Amin! O Allah kirimlah pertolongan!...Amin!

Dan pada hari esoknya, ketika dia diminta untuk memberi jawaban mengenai tantangan mereka, dengan percaya diri dia menjawab:

Karena Yang mulia dan Majelis menginginkan sebuah jawaban yang sederhana. Saya akan menjawabnya tanpa basa-basi. Kecuali saya diyakinkan oleh alkitab dan alasan yang sederhana-saya tidak menerima otoritas paus dan dewan, karena mereka berkontradiksi satu sama lain-hati nurani saya tertawan oleh firman Allah. Saya tidak bisa, dan tidak akan menarik kembali apapun, karena melawan hati nurani tidaklah benar atau aman. Disinilah, saya berdiri, saya tidak bisa melakukan sebaliknya. Allah menolong saya, Amin.

Italia by Christopher Chan

I came across his photos collection on flickr.com Creative Commons. Since then, I have been a fan of his works. please visit www.christopher-chan.com for more of his excellent photos.

Let's go to Italy

I would like to visit Rome one day.

The last episode

Today is the last episode of my favorite korean drama "Save the last dance for me". Ughhh, I feel like pinching the director or whoever made the script!! Ji Eun Soo, mengapa kau begitu bodoh, bodoh, bodoh!!?? I don't understand your decision to leave Hyun Woo after the accident that injured your legs. You have been looking for him since He went missing. You both have gone through many hardships to keep your relationship. He cancelled his engagement with Soo Jin, remembering you and his past. Why? I thought you can't live without him and you are aware Hyun woo loves you and noone else. Do you really really love him? I suppose may be you are scared of his rejection because you need the wheelchair now. But, you know He is going to love you and accept you as you are. No, you can't really live without him. You told Tae Min about it.

Anyway, enough of my rantings about the movie. Yeah, in the end they live happily ever after. Hyun woo finally found her and brought her to the "dreaming forest", the place where they met each other for the first time and she learns to walk again.

Old Master Q

I loved this comic! Yesterday mom went to the garage and found my favorite comic Old Master Q or known as 老夫子. I am so happy and found myself laughing my head off as I reread the comic again. He, Mr. Chin, and Big potato are hilarious. Other characters are Mr. Liu (the trio's enemy) and Master Q's lover, Miss Chan. Old Master Q stories are popular chinese comics created by Alfonso Wong. But, Mr Wong is apparently accused to have plagiarized the idea of old master Q from a cartoonist, Peng Di (late 30s).



Check out comic strips at:
Old Master Q Official English Website
Old Master Q Official Chinese Website
Old Master Q in Wikipedia

Save the last dance for me

I have been following this korean drama for about a month and I must say it's a good one. I'll give 4 out of 5. So girls, must watch! Romance, betrayal, hatred, revenge, jealousy, and social discrimination, all is there! I have also added the soundtrack of the drama "Give my love" (me and my mom liked it!). Click for movie review.


Starring: Ji Eun-soo (20 yrs!!! gosh they look so mature): Yoo Jin/Eugene (Loving You), Kang Hyun-woo (20): Ji Sung (Conditions of Love/All In), Yoon Soo-jin (20): Lee Bo Young (My Sweetheart/My Brother), Jung Tae-min (20): Ryu Soo Young.

Kutu Buku

Belakangan ini saya sedang kerajingan membaca buku karangan John Stott mengenai isu-isu masa kini yang harus dihadapi oleh orang-orang kristen. Didalamnya beliau membahas mengenai apakah gereja patut terlibat dalam urusan politik? jika iya, seberapa jauhkah seharusnya kita terlibat. Bagaimanakah kita bersaksi pada dunia yang plural dan postmodern? Apakah kita memaksakan nilai-nilai kekristenan kita atau lebih baik bungkam melihat kemunduran moral disekeliling kita. Haha, anda harus menunggu saya sampai selesai membacanya. Nanti, kalau saya sudah gak/tidak tahan menyimpan apa yang saya pelajari sendiri baru deh saya blog-in. Kalo gak, saya sebenarnya males nulis/malas menulis.

Hari ini pula saya dipinjami buku oleh Vivi yang katanya "baguss bangett" . Thanks Vivi. Melihat judulnya saya saja sudah ngeri "The Holiness of God/Kekudusan Allah" by R.C. Sproul. I am just afraid that this is just going to be another book that simply tells you to be holy, forsakes sins, or even adding some "regulations" (just to make your life harder) without equally presenting the mighty power of God in changing us, the greatness of God's grace, the futility of climbing the ladder of morality ourselves, the certainty that he is working in us, and His unlimited patience. It is a no good book without fulfilling those criteria. I mean are you able to meet God's standards? Do you love your enemies? What do you feel honestly? Heehee.

Anyway, if any of you have heard about those books or have read, feel free to message me ah. We can share what we have learnt. I'll blog it once I've finished reading.

Memilih untuk mencintai

Saya kemarin kebetulan membaca sebuah artikel tentang Cinta Kasih dari sebuah blog by Godlief wesley. Sepertinya dia banyak mengambil dari tulisan Ravi Zaccharias "I, Issac take thee Rebecca" sebuah buku yang hampir saya beli beberapa minggu yang lalu. Sekarang saya duduk dalam penyesalan karena semua buku Ravi Zaccharias (dan juga John Piper dan Joshua Harris) telah ditarik dan tidak dijual lagi di toko buku terdekat rumah saya. Usut punya usut ternyata itu dikarenakan pergantian manajemen dan visi di Toko buku Metanoia maupun Toko buku Gloria. Sungguh saya sangat menyayangkan hal ini karena menurut saya buku -buku tersebut sangat bermutu. Saya hanya sempat membeli salah satu buku Ravi yang merupakan bagian dari percakapan seri yaitu antara Kristus dan Buddha. It was a good read. Anyway, let it be.

Kembali kepada topik pembicaraan diatas, faedah yang dapat saya petik dari bacaan saya adalah bahwa cinta membutuhkan komitmen dan adalah sebuah pilihan. Cinta yang didasarkan pada perasaaan semata merupakan fondasi yang lemah karena perasaan kita mudah berubah-ubah. Jikalau perasaan kita adalah satu-satunya titik tumpu dari hubungan kita maka cinta hanyalah istilah untuk perubahan perasaan kita dan kalau selanjutnya berubah lagi maka kita sudah tidak cinta lagi. Jika seperti ini maka pengharapan akan cinta sejati adalah pengharapan yang semu. Ini sangat menarik karena bagi perempuan adalah benar bahwa kita cenderung dikendalikan oleh perasaan daripada menggunakan pikiran (more intuitive). Terlalu mudah bagi kita untuk menjadi terobsesi akan seseorang padahal belum tentu orang itu adalah yang tepat bagi kita. Kita perlu belajar mengendalikan diri kita dan menilai situasi dengan akal sehat agar tidak hanyut oleh perasaan kita.

Yang membuat saya kagum adalah pernyataan kakak Ravi yang sampai pada hari pernikahannya baru melihat sang calon istri (dia dijodohkan). Dia mengatakan bahwa cinta tidak selalu berdasarkan perasaan dan kita bisa memilih untuk mencintai. Betapa beruntungnya istri Kakak Ravi. Demikian juga kisah cinta Ishak dan Ribka yang juga dijodohkan karena waktu itu Eliezer, hamba Abraham yang memilih Ribka. Dua contoh ini bukanlah dimaksudkan untuk menyarankan pernikahan melalui perjodohan melainkan bahwa kita dapat mengorbankan tuntutan kita dan memilih untuk mencintai pasangan kita apa adanya. Cinta yang berdasarkan pilihan ini merupakan cinta yang lebih stabil dan tak lekang waktu karena setiap celah didalam hubungan dua insan telah ditutup oleh cinta. Tapi cinta hanya karena pilihan saja itu tidak cukup rasanya, perasaan adalah seperti bumbu pelengkap.

Sebelum seseorang bisa berkomitmen adalah baik jika kedua orang tersebut mengenal satu sama lain dalam jangka waktu yang tidak pendek agar tidak terburu-buru (disarankan lama waktu pacaran minimal dua tahun sebelum memasuki jenjang pernikahan). Mengenal sesama akan mengokohkan cinta mereka karena mereka mempunyai alasan yang kuat untuk saling mencintai yaitu didasarkan pada pengetahuan akan sesama bukan cinta buta dan juga tersedianya kesempatan untuk saling menerima sesama apa adanya.

Selain dalam konteks percintaan antara anak manusia, menurut saya ini juga bisa diterapkan dalam hubungan kita dengan Tuhan. Pada saat-saat genting, ketika lebih mudah untuk menghujat dan meninggalkan Tuhan, kita bisa memilih untuk tetap percaya padaNya. Saya rasa Tuhan telah memberikan teladan kasih pada kita karena Dia bisa saja memilih untuk menghukum kita daripada anakNya. Tetapi, pilihanNya adalah mengasihi kita dan memberikan pengharapan dan masa depan pada kita. Sungguh mulia Allah kita yang memang adalah sumber kasih ini. Biarlah kuasa Roh Kudus menolong kita dalam usaha kita mengasihi Dia dan sesama.

Cuci Mata

La Alhambra, Granada Spain by frenz_69

Hunza Valley of Dreams, Pakistan by Ch. Khawar

Dal Lake, Kashmir by Abhinav. s

Bukhara, Uzbekistan by dwrawlinson

Taj Mahal by slaptaxi

Khunjerab Pass, Pakistan by M.bob

Amazing God

How great are you Lord!
When we are faithless, you remain faithful
Your name is praise worthy!
Our doubts invite troubles
Yet, you still reach out and rescue
You comprehend our past, present, and future
None of your great plans for us can be thwarted
You do not mind our weaknesses
Strengthening these feeble hands by your promises

You are my comfort o Lord
My invaluable taonga
It is a great privilege to know you day by day

What a wonderful day it will be
When you return and get us
You are such an amazing God
Waiting for that day

亲爱的爸爸

亲爱的爸爸，

我们要记念您的功劳

我们姐弟都谢谢你，很爱你， 佩服你

你是我们的开心果

我们希望你的身体健康，平平安安， 生意成功

主啊，请你保佑他，并帮助他来认识你

在主耶稣的名， 我们祷告。

What a friend we have in Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in payer!

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do they friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He'll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Thank you

Thank you for keeping us from eating the fruit of life

otherwise we would suffer eternally in this life of sins

Thank you for determining the fate of the serpent right from the beginning

Your Son would crush him and so damning him forever

Thank you for the forgiveness of our sins

We are no longer living as slaves but as freed men

Thank you that you are a righteous judge

Assuring us that you will punish our enemies and deal with them justly

Thank you for showing us your unfailing love

Giving us hope and eternal life

Thank you for all that You have done

We are greatly indebted to You

photo by imfaraz

Rayuan Pulau Kelapa

Tanah airku Indonesia
Negeri elok amat kucinta
Tanah tumpah darahku yang mulia
yang kupuja sepanjang masa

Tanah airku aman dan makmur
Pulau kelapa yang amat subur
Pulau melati pujaan bangsa
Sejak dulu kala

Melambai-lambai
Nyiur di pantai
Berbisik-bisik
Raja Kelana

Memuja pulau
Nan indah permai
Tanah airku, Indonesia

Sundanese music

Tiupan seruling sendu serasa berada di tanah sunda dengan penduduknya yang ramah tamah dan murah senyum. Kumaha damang? Imajinasiku pun melayang. Rasanya seperti sedang berdiri di beranda rumah bambu sambil mendengarkan pancuran air kolam.

It is a very nice, calming music, and very indonesian :). Lovely. Hoping it will be preserved for the future generation. I was watching "OASIS" at MetroTV just now and this episode is about the life of a javanese sitar player, a blind kraton Yogya artist, and penabuh gendang Blahmut (or Lamut, not certain, but apparently it's a folklore about a handsome prince). They were saying that the music they have inherited from their ancestors are not popular anymore even their children do not desire to learn these instruments. These people are depending on their music skills as the sole occupation. Not earning much, they are still faithful in keeping the tradition and contented with their job. The penabuh gendang blahmut (he is the only Blahmut artist left) only worried about the existence of Blahmut story and its gendang in the future.

Mari kita lestarikan budaya Indonesia.

Jesus, Lover of my soul

Bridge:
Worship You, my God,
Until the very end.

Jesus,
lover of my soul
Jesus,
I will never let You go
You've taken me from the miry clay
You've set my feet upon the rock

And now I know
I love you,
I need You
Though my world may fall
I'll never let You go

My Savior,
my closest Friend,
I will worship You until the very end

I really like this song ever since the first time I heard it. It is a very special one. xxx