quick update

I'm starting my preceptorship this friday!
I'm super nervous.
It'll be 2 days, then 2 nights. And then repeat. 6 times.

But I'm hanging onto this promise:

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"
- 2 Corinthians 12:9

a little rant

So ... I need to rant about Beyonce's & R. Kelly's remix of If I Were a Boy.

I hate this version. I actually hate this with a passion.
Have you heard it? Have you read the lyrics? Ok read this part that R. Kelly sings in response to Beyonce's lyrics:

If you were a boy
then girl you'd understand
you need to stop listening to your friends
love, respect and trust your man

So I go to clubs with the guys
and sometimes flirt with the girls
I should be able to roll out
as long as I'm coming home to you
and give you the world

But you're not a boy
so you don't have a clue
How I work and pay the bills
girl and everything I do is for you

What is this? Is this a guy's need to defend himself against a woman's confrontation about his lifestyle? I honestly like the idea beyond Beyonce's song because it shows how guys can mistreat girls, especially in today's sex-driven, proud culture of ours. But here we have R. Kelly singing about how girls just don't understand how guys can do their thing and flirt with other girls as long as they're coming home to you? WHAT? WHAT?! Seriously. Does that sound ridiculous to anyone else? Ok rant over. Guys are silly.

speak slow

"You wait up for me, I don't wait up for you,

Would you like the company or are you sick of me?

When your love lets you go, you only want love more,

Even when love, was not what you were looking for.

Speak slow; tell me, love, where do we go (ah ah)?

I'm so far away and I just can't see you

I'm so far along and I just don't need you

I am so ah-alone, so ah ah-alone so ah-alone, so ah ah-alone."

to know your name

"I know You gave the world Your only son for us to know Your
name, to live within the Saviour's love. He took my place,
knowing He'd be crucified. And You loved, You loved a people
undeserving" (Hillsong United)

This song brought me to tears today during my devotion. Have you ever felt like what Christ did for us becomes a "yeah, I already know that"? When was the last time the truth of Christ's crucifixion convicted you? It did again for me today.

Do you know the story behind the gerber daisy in that picture? It was during my church's summer retreat. I was in a spiritual funk, and I spent most of the retreat reflecting within myself and reaccepting the truth of Christ all over again .. just like now. I had a habit of running every morning around 6, so one morning I ran down to the beach and back. On my way back, in the middle of the road, was a brand new, orange/red gerber daisy lying beautifully. The package was on it and everything. Unblemished, perfect, just lying there. That's when it really hit me. I saw no coincidence behind it. It was God's way of telling me how much He loved me. Gerber daisies are my favorite flowers. And running back to my cabin, the sky was clearing up because it had rained a little bit earlier that morning. And there in front of me - it was faint, but I surely saw it - a rainbow. There He reminded me of His promise. And I vowed then and there to never forget that moment, nor His promise.

And now I'm reminded of this all over again. I'm not perfect, and I never will be. But God's love overwhelms all my troubles .. my indifference, my doubt, and my idleness. Because He didn't come to love a perfect world, but rather a people undeserving. You and me.

heartwarming

I just recently bought this cd by CompassionArt: Creating Freedom from Poverty.

http://www.compassionart.co.uk/

There is really something amazing about seeing so many different talented artists come together for one cause: "to raise money to help breathe life into the poorest communities, restoring hope and igniting justice." Almost beautiful. I really found God's presence within these songs, as they are filled with hope and passion for Him alone.

A prayer in one of the songs really stood out for me .. that more often than not, we don't always show the gospel that we preach. And to think that there are millions of people across the ocean who are dying from spiritual thirst! Is this not being selfish in our own ways?

Reflection of the day: what am I doing with the Gospel that God has made known to me?