Launching of Libertà and Being Twenty Three

Dear Reader,

Today is a special day for me :). I celebrated my 23rd birthday in Jakarta. For the last two years I always had dance parties, I miss that. I still have copies of the dance videos wakaka...If I posted them, I am sure to receive desperate requests to undo such expose. So I shall refrain from doing so. Friends, food, and music are gifts to color up one's life, aren't they? Thank you Lord for this life. I want to know more and understand the real meaning of freedom in Christ and may I be truly liberated by His truth day by day.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
(Psalm 139:16)

Today is also the launch of a new face and theme for my blog. Libertà is an Italian word for Freedom. Any wonder why Italian? I dream to be able to set my foot one day in that land of pasta. Talk about Renaissance, Religions, Ravioli, Romantic settings and Rome.

I reached the Alps: the soul within me burned,
Italia, my Italia, at thy name:
And when from out the mountain's heart I came
And saw the land for which my life had yearned,
I laughed as one who some great prize had earned:
And musing on the marvel of thy fame
I watched the day, till marked with wounds of flame
The turquoise sky to burnished gold was turned.
The pine-trees waved as waves a woman's hair,
And in the orchards every twining spray
Was breaking into flakes of blossoming foam:
But when I knew that far away at Rome
In evil bonds a second Peter lay,
I wept to see the land so very fair.

-Sonnet On Approaching Italy by Oscar Wilde

Freedom is something that God has been teaching me this months past. Freedom from my legalistic approach to life, fear and anxiety. I finally be able to decide that this is the time to change my blog theme. I am grateful that God keeps showing me his fatherly love, patience and grace.

My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weaknesses. (2 Cor 12:9)

I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."'And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. (Luke 15:18-20)

I am still at the transition phase of my life. It seems such a long period of time and tough. I am not sure If I am ready for the next adventure, the thrill of adventure is great but I prefer settling down and back to routine rather than some uncertain situations. But, oh, I will have to go through it, won't I? I think I will just enjoy my break this time and not to think much about it.

Anyway, yes wish list!!

I only hope to be joyful in whatever situations and see lotsa smile on my face until my next birthday. May be not sort of a list but in this way I won't restrict any surprises.

PS: Hope you enjoy the new face of my blog

Love,

Lilis xxx

You and Me

我和你，心连心
同住地球村
为梦想
千里行
相会在北京
来吧！朋友
伸出你的手
我和你， 心连心
永远一家人

You and me
from one world
We are family
travel dream
from a thousand miles
meeting in Beijing
Come together
put your hand in mine
You and me
from one world
we are family

by Chen Qigang

这首歌听得很感动哦！我觉得是最好的奥运主题曲。北京加油！

Love in every rose

"All the love that history knows,
is said to be in every rose.
Yet all that could be found in two,
is less than what I feel for you."

I found this poem. so sweet aye. Don't get me wrong, I'm not fallen in love with someone, at least not just yet. Hehehe. You know, when the aunties and mammas meet and talk about single young adult girls, yea, love relationship is the hot topic. Goodness, they can suddenly turn into a matchmaker you know. Pretty fierce. The most annoying thing is when they started to compare you with the other girls in the family whom already in a relationship. Err, in a way I must admit I do envy my cousin hehehe. Another thing, I do get upset when they teased me, annoying but I do. Anyhow, I am not targeting anything, will patiently wait for my prince charming...(no, no to be frank impatient, ;p). In a way, I'm not ready to be married in the next two years (well...I dunno), but you gotta start courting to get to know each other, no? sudah tiga tahun berkepala dua. Gosh, my time is running out what? Haha.

Picture from vladdy

Gong Yoo

Ah, Gong yoo, betapa tampannya dia...hihihi ;p seandainya a a a...

Your name

I wrote your name in the sky,
but the wind blew it away.
I wrote your name in the sand,
but the waves washed it away.
I wrote your name in my heart,
and forever it will stay.

- Jessica Blade -

Spiritual Discipline

A brief from Mark Driscoll about Spiritual Discipline.

"One, the spiritual disciplines are not something we have to do to make God love us. Rather, because God already does love us, the spiritual disciplines are something that we get to do as we love Him back and enjoy growing in our loving relationship with Him. Two, the spiritual disciplines are not intended to enslave us. Rather, they are intended to lead us into growing freedom in the same way that a trained athlete or musician is free to enjoy the task more than a novice." Mark Driscoll

Victory is ours

Satan trembles when He sees

The weakest saint on his knees

Love

I thought I already know how to love but I know not the cost.

I thought It is easy to trust, but I am dead wrong.

I thought forgiving is no sweat job, but I haven't come close to doing it.

Love is patient and kind;
Love does not envy or boast;
It is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
It is not irritable or resentful;
It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
(1 Corinthians 13: 4-7)

Oh what hope is there huh? Are you patient and kind? Don't you envy your neighbors? Are you not irritable? Do you always believe all things, never once doubt?

For if you live according to the Flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:13)

If you still depend on your strength to love others, you will die. You have no hope. See, God has given you a way out. Depend on Him. He will enable and empower you to love. He knows your weaknesses and inability, He has said "come, let me help you"...

Fear

"Of all base passions, fear is most accurs'd."

William Shakespeare

Redeeming Love

[Marriage] "It's a lifetime commitment in my book, Lady. It's not an arrangement you nullify when things get a little tough to bear."

"Right now, love doesn't have an awful lot to do with feelings. Don't misunderstand, I am as human as to the next man. I feel all right. I feel plenty right now, a lot I wish I didn't." He shook his head, and his face strained with hurt and anger. "I felt like killing you when I walked into that room, but I didn't. I feel like beating sense into you right now, but I won't". He looked at her with dark eyes. "And no matter how much it hurts , and no matter how much I feel like hurting you back for what you've done, I'm not going to." He snapped the reins and set off again.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Desirable peace

Picture by Zyber

Give us Joy

Picture by TheZionView

Distress

Picture by CompoundEye

Beauty in Brokenness

08/5/08
Beauty in Brokenness
Margaret Manning

Recently, I attended a retreat where there was a great deal of personal
sharing. I sat amazed as I listened to women from every walk of life,
most of whom were established Christians, share of heartache, pain, and
various aspects of struggle they had either just come through, or were
currently experiencing. I was overwhelmed by their honesty and by the
poignancy of their stories. But even more than this, I was overwhelmed by
the beauty radiating from within as they shared their stories.
Beauty in brokenness? Without glorifying suffering, there is an
unexpected beauty that can shine through stories of struggle. One friend
is a paraplegic broken in the use of her body, and yet she has a beautiful
spirit. Not limited by her brokenness, she uses her own difficulties to
help others, and teach others about true ability and disability. Tony
Snow, former White House Press Secretary, considered his cancer a
"calling" and in a recent article written in Christianity Today
said, "We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out. But
despite this--because of it-–God offers the possibility of salvation and
grace."(1) That possibility of salvation and grace is beauty in
brokenness.

Somehow, uniquely, God desires to use those difficult moments of our lives
to bring forth something extraordinarily beautiful. Even the natural
creation attests to this truth. In fall, we marvel at the gorgeous, lush
colors of burnt amber, burnished orange, brilliant red, and bright yellow
leaves, even as that beauty belies the slow and gradual death of those
leaves. Winter buries those leaves under the cold, dark blanket of snow
and frost. And yet, death brings forth life. Spring bursts forth year
after year with jonquils, iris, lilies, and all the beautiful pastels of
new life.

During a time of deep despair and suffering, King David wondered about
God's ability to be present in his dark places--to bring about beautiful
redemption in the midst of brokenness. He cried out to God, "Will your
lovingkindness be declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Abaddon?
Will your wonders be made known in the darkness? And your righteousness
in the land of forgetfulness?" (Psalm 88:11-12). David wondered about
God's work in his life--had he been abandoned? Was God still guiding him
even in the deepest, darkest places of brokenness and fear? And even in
those places seemingly forgotten, would God continue to make things right?
David struggled to see how beauty could emerge out of brokenness. And
yet, he later affirmed in Psalm 139, "Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are
there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there... if I say, 'surely
the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the
darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for
darkness is as light to you." It is in those dark places of brokenness
and suffering that God brings forth luminous light so that even the dark
is illuminated.

The prophet Isaiah repeats this theme by promising one who would redeem
the exiles, giving them "a garland of beauty instead of ashes" and "the
treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may
know that I am the Lord... who summons you by name" (Isaiah 61:3, 45:3).
Perhaps, these were Scriptures recalled by the apostle Paul when he
declared that "we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we
are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always
carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also
may be manifested in our body" (2 Corinthians 4:7-9). Indeed, Paul
declares that "the God who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is
the one who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Christ" (4:6). And so often, that face
of Christ is demonstrated with beautiful radiance through the broken and
dark places in our lives.
Today, if you are experiencing hardship, difficulty or personal darkness,
seek the light and beauty of Christ, for he longs to be present to you, to
give you a garland of beauty instead of ashes, to call you by name, and to
bring forth treasures of darkness. He is there in the brokenness with
you.

Margaret Manning is associate writer at Ravi Zacharias International
Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.
(1)Christianity Today, (July 2007, vol. 51, Number 7), 30.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright(c) 2008
Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM).
Reprinted with permission.
A Slice of Infinity is a ministry of Ravi Zacharias International
Ministries
Ravi Zacharias International Ministries may withdraw or modify this grant
of permission at any time http://www.rzim.org.

Tentang Allahku

Kenapa begitu mudah kita terjebak dalam kekhawatiran? Mengapa tidak kita berikan saja semua urusan kepada Tuhan? Mengapa beriman padaNya begitu susah sekali? Ini bukan pertama kalinya kita merasakan kebaikan Tuhan tetapi masih saja kita susah untuk percaya padaNya. Mungkin karena itulah kita membutuhkan Yesus, yang terus menjamin kekudusan murni kita di hadapan Allah, sekali Yang Maha Kuasa melihat kita. Aku ingin rasanya mengetahui betapa besarnya dalamnya, panjangnya, lebarnya, luasnya, Kasih Allah padaku. Rasanya aku sudah tahu tapi kayaknya masih kurang sekali. Kayaknya Dia itu lebih murah hati dari yang kukira, lebih penuh kasih sayang, lebih peduli padaku, lebih kuat perkasa, lebih bijaksana, dari yang selalu kukira. Iya, kayaknya kalau mengetahui lebih lagi tentang kasih Allah, rasanya itu sudah cukup membawa banyak kebahagiaan dan kekuatan. Aku ingin lebih lagi percaya padaNya, sekalipun didalam hatiku terkadang rasanya ingin memberontak, ingin memaksa supaya doaku lebih cepat dijawab olehNya. Aku seharusnya malu pada isi hatiku karena beberapa saat yang lalu aku memujiNya tetapi sekarang sebaliknya. Tapi Ia dapat mengerti desakanku, sepenuhnya mendengar keluh-kesahku, dan semua kejujuranku.Oh betapa Dia telah dan akan selalu menjagai aku. Aku tidak perlu takut dan khawatir akan masa depan. Bahkan hal-hal kecil yang seringkali mengangguku dan membuatku takut, Dia yang adalah Tuhan Raja perduli terhadap hal-hal tersebut dan sanggup menguatkanku. Oh tenang dan tentramlah jiwaku. Pujilah Dia yang Maha Kuasa dan Maha Pengasih.

Serba-Serbi Indonesia

Semakin sadis. Jakarta dari dulu udah gak aman bow. Tapi, sekarang karena angka kemiskinan semakin merambat tinggi banyak sekali kejahatan kriminal. Sekarang pun kejahatannya semakin sadis, perampok udah gak takut-takut lagi ngebunuh atau mutilasi. Iiih, kalo denger berita, bisa merinding deh. Gue aja males bgt dengernya sekarang, kadang bisa sampe kebayang kalo mo tidur. Iiiih sebel bgt deh. Trus yah aku tuh suka kasian tuh ama anak-anak pemulung yang suka keliaran di lampu merah sambil minta-minta ato ngamen. Tapi, adikku selalu ngomelin jangan ngasih duit ke mereka ntar gue malah dikerubutin ama anak-anak lain. Kalo mo ngasih yah lewat panti jompo atawa yayasan charity yang bertanggung jawab. Iya, sih bener juga tapi namanya kasiannya cukup personal, yaitu ma tu anak aja, jadinya rada berat gak ngasih. Kadang ada lho yang manfaatin rasa kasian lo, lo bisa aja dijambret ato dirampok gitu pas ngasih. Ada juga sekarang anak-anak diculik untuk dijadikan pengemis di jalan. Ampun deh. Mereka ada yang pura-pura pincang, atau terluka, pakai dibalut trus dikasih betadine biar kita tambah kasihan. Iiih aya aya wae (yang bener aja dong...). Iiiih, dunia udah semakin bobrok aja. Bahkan yang petugas-petugas kerah putihnya panti tuh ada yang nilep duit. Jadinya kan orang sekarang kalo mo nyumbang, beliin makanan daripada ngasih uang soalnya bisa ilang gitu. Kasian orang dipanti sih, jadinya kalo misalnya butuhnya duit untuk beli bumbu misalnya atau barang-barang lain kan susah juga ya kalo kagak ada uang.

Oh ya, aku juga sebel ama politisi-politisi sekarang nih. Pada saat pemilihan, semuanya deh ngomongin tentang kepentingan rakyat tapi begitu udah terpilih lupa dah ama rakyat. Trus inget dong, kalo Indonesia tuh Bhineka Tunggal Ika (Berbeda-beda tapi tetap satu). Kenapa sih masih aja ada yang gak toleran ama agama lain? kita boleh aja nyebarin agama kita, cuma gak make maksa dong. Hormatilah hak-hak asasi manusia untuk memilih dan memeluk agamanya masing-masing. Kalau pake kekerasan, pertanyaan saya adalah apakah kebenaran perlu menggunakan kekerasan? Apakah kebenaran membutuhkan pembelaan dari gencat fisik/senjata manusia? Coba deh dipikir-pikir lagi. "Kebenaran" yang tadi itu seperti terlalu lemah untuk disebut kebenaran. Udah gitu, masih aja yang nekat ingin membasmi pihak minoritas baik berdasarkan agamalah, suku atau apalah. Guys, ingatlah kalo kita semua nanti akhirnya pada berdiri sendiri-sendiri (terpecah-pecah), kita akan mudah dikalahkan orang. Seperti ada kata pepatah, mematahkan satu lidi itu mudah, tapi kalo sepuluh itu lebih susah. Prinsip dasar, janganlah begitu mudah dihasut, jangan membuat keputusan pake perasaan. Pake dong otaknya, anugrah Tuhan tuh kalo bisa mikir. Jangan langsung defensif kalo ada yang gak setuju ama kita. Terbukalah terhadap pendapat orang lain, siapa tahu kita bisa belajar sesuatu yang baru dari orang lain. Jangan terlalu sombong ah. Saya juga pernah seperti itu kok. Yang tersisa adalah rasa malu. Satu illustrasi dari seorang guru yang mau mengajari seorang professor. Pada pertemuan pertama, sang guru menuang kopi pada cangkir sampai meluap keluar dari cangkir. Trus dia bilang pada sang prof, seperti inilah pikiran kita, kita harus menyingkirkan prasangka buruk dan terbuka untuk bisa belajar yaitu seperti cangkir penuh kopi ini dikosongkan dahulu, supaya bisa diisi. 

The Joy of sharing

I had the fun sharing what I learnt from my readings to my mbak or (kakak in malay or domestic maid in english) though she is younger than me ;p. She seems quite interested in learning new things. I hope she'll enjoy my books, obviously she can only read Indonesian ones. But, yea at least we can share something to her about the world and things. She apparently enjoys my church bulletin. So, way she go, she can have it. It feels good to be able to pass on what we have learnt aye. No wonder some teachers are just awesome. Sometimes, teaching is quite enjoyable (with responsive students of course). Well, she was educated up to Junior High. She is lucky to have been educated up to that level. Many don't even have the opportunity to finish elementary. But, I see her as someone who is still thirsty for what's out there, which is good :).

Seek the truth, thirst for it, for you shall find it.

Be Strong!

God is good and is always there for us. God never leaves us alone even in the seemingly endless path of suffering. Trust that He is always leading and guiding. He will not disappoint those who hope in Him and take refuge in Him. He disciplines those whom He called His sons and daughters, only so that we may share in His Holiness, molding us to be like Himself. He also said to remember Jesus, whom by looking to the joy set before Him, endured the cross and despised shame. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in His way over the man who carries out evil devices. There will be sweet fruits after the pruning which is good for us and glorifying God.

Remember always what He has done for you, something that you can not do for yourself, which is to secure you a place in heaven. Yea, God is forever pleased with you because of Christ, because of Christ. God no longer look at you instead He looks to Christ's righteousness whom you've allowed to be your own Saviour. Because no matter how hard you try, you will fail in meeting His requirements. It is foolishness to confide in the flesh. Be at rest, because what Christ has done is sufficient. He is in control of all things, of your future, of your circumstances, of your whole life. Submit and surrender to Him. This is a path to greater joy.

He said that His grace is sufficient for us for His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. So, we should be glad over our weaknesses because the power of Christ shall rest upon us. He become more and I become less. Trust that He had provided the strength and necessary things required for the unpleasant journey. God is good for us. God is always gracious and merciful.

The end of your painful journey will be beautiful and rewarding. When you look back, you'll be able to smile and say, it's all worth it!

Besar Setia Mu

Great is Thy faithfulness O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not Thy compassion they fail not
As thou hast been Thou forever wilt be

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me
Summer and winter Springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
They join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness mercy and love

You do provide for us O Lord, everyday we shall see your mercies and your everlasting love for us. We are content with everything: whether we are employed or not, healthy or in sickness, having plenty or hungry, wealthy or poor. Lord, all that I have is sufficient. You have provided. I refrain from wanting more of those. I confess that my eyes don't desire the heavenly things all the time. But, help me to do so because it is sad to be caught with temporal things. Help me to do only what is worthwhile and lasting. Thank you.