Music for Shattered Dreams

been reading "Shattered Dreams" by Dr. Larry Crabb, and here's a nice prayer/song from Nichole Nordeman (Gratitude) that goes well with the book.

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain



Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need



So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace...

But, Jesus, would You please...

Work and Pleasure

C.S. Lewis was a man of great insight. Today, I encountered an excerpt from his book, The Screwtape Letters. The Screwtape Letters was written as a series of exchanges between a senior devil named Screwtape and his amateur nephew tempter. I have a copy of this book. =)

Here's the excerpt:
(In the words of Ravi Zacharias from his article here - also highly recommended.)

The junior (devil) is being urged to go and lure an individual suspended between going God's way or the devil's way. "Go get him away from the Enemy," says the senior devil. Sometime later the young imp returns and says, "We lost him, he has gone all the way over to the Enemy's side." "How did that happen," inquires the evil one? "Well," comes the answer, "he started to take a long walk every morning, just for the pleasure of it, and on these walks, the Enemy* became more audible to him. Further, he read a good book, just for the pleasure of it, and the Enemy found him more receptive." "That's where you blew it," comes the response. "If you had only had him walk for the sake of exercise, it would have become dreaded and tedious, devoid of pleasure. If you had only had him reading so he could parrot the contents to someone else, reading would become burdensome and boring rather than pleasurable. We could then have easily snared him." (End of quote)

Alright, how true is that in your life? I know I've blown off many good books because my focus shifted from reading for the pleasure of it to reading so that I could improve my vocabulary, so that I could write about it in my blog, so that I could blab about it to a friend etc. etc. These aren't bad aims. See, I am writing now about something I've just read. Still, the worthy pursuits of reading, listening to Christian music, washing the dishes (yes, I find pleasure in that!), organizing files, cleaning my room and writing random ideas often change into something dreaded and tedious in my mind when I begin to regard them as inescapable, mandatory errands rather than little tasks from which I derive pleasure.

And what about attending Church services for example? Instead of going there to build up and be built up, how many times do we force ourselves to go there just because we think it's expected of us? Then instead of waking up excited to encounter God through the sermon, songs and the fellowship, we wake up dreading the prospects before us. Perspective makes a huge difference.

"The nearer we are to legitimate pleasure, the nearer we get to God's voice," (Ravi Zacharias, Bring me the books) Please read Dr. Ravi's article for insight into this and more, especially if you love books like I do. :-)

*The Enemy referred to by the devils is, of course, God.

John Piper doesn't watch TV!

neither do his wife and kids. says Piper, "you can raise five culturally sensitive and Biblically informed children without it. They never complained about it. In fact they often wondered out loud how people found the time to watch as much (television) as they do."

A chapter from the book 'Pierced by the Word' has this heading:

You have one precious life

Is TV too big a part of it?

My mind struggled with extra-defensive arguments about positive things to be gained from watching TV as I read Piper's ardently written case against it. Being a highly enthusiastic Korean drama fan, I am guilty of watching TV for hours and hours on end even when pressing issues demand my attention. I don't know how many drama series I've finished this past year alone. (Note: One drama series can be anywhere from 16-75 hours long.) Sometimes I'd have a huge exam (or two) the next morning but the evening prior would find me lying on the couch telling my mom "I can afford to watch another one," and decisively inserting the next CD into our tired video player. Every time I wondered whether God wanted me to slacken my zeal in this area or stop watching k-dramas altogether, I denied the thought further entry and vomited it out of my mind by overeating on trite justifications. When I overindulged myself and felt terrible afterwards, I just told myself to forget about it and remember all the other times I'd had such fun watching TV. I was closing my eyes to the truth that fantasy was taking more of my time than reality. I was hardly living, really. I just kept watching and watching and watching, while my own life sped by me.

It was during the youth camp last May that God changed my perspective of things. That one week in Baguio was fun. It was relaxing. It challenged my old way of thinking and reawakened my passion for things of God. I discovered my life's calling there. My whole life began to make sense - everything that had ever happened to me, my greatest triumphs and most devastating experiences, appeared exceedingly pleasant as I realized that they were all part of a perfect plan that no one and no thing could ever thwart. I learned countless lessons; I prayed many prayers; I laughed and lived; I cried and found comfort; I made important decisions; I experienced God; I made new friends; I raised my stock of precious memories... and there was no TV, not even a minute of it, all throughout those 7 days. It was then that God granted me the wisdom to see the folly of my alibis and the truth of my excesses. I came back home renewed, determined to stay away from anything that kept me from loving God with all my heart and all my soul. My TV hours declined significantly. It felt exceedingly good to know that I was obeying God. I was praying more, reading more, gaining more and loving more. Those were the sweetest days.

I shouldn't have thought it would be so easy. I couldn't go cold turkey on TV. I encountered a particularly good program and my old addiction was roused from its comatose. After days of devotion to the fantastic fictional story radiating from the TV, the story ended, as all similar stories do. I was left empty, listless and disappointed (not because the story didn't end well but because it ended, period.). I definitely shouldn't have thought it would be easy. The Bible teaches us to always be on our toes especially when we think we are standing firm. But then again, I don't regret believing that it would be perfectly easy for the Spirit to conquer all my weaknesses. I still believe that God can and will bring me to the designated end in His mind, no matter how many times I seemingly backtrack to square one.

And hey, God is good. He is there to catch you when you fall. If I learned anything from this experience, it is that nothing satisfies like Jesus Christ. I thank my God that He is consistently there, a neverending source of joy, fulfillment and satisfaction. Neverending doesn't mean 75 episodes or 20 seasons - it means forever, without stopping, without running out, not even for a moment. What a comfort to know that God will never cease to be real in my life, that I will never run out of reasons to delight in Him, and that He will always be...

On the side, I almost bought a computer game last week while reminiscing about my King's Quest days, but then I realized that I didn't want to dig a pit for myself to fall into. Knowing how addicting these games could be (just like korean dramas), I wasn't willing to be consumed with thoughts and dreams of them anymore. I turned my back to the store and walked away, knowing that I was making the right decision. TV is enough of a snare. Why add to it?

That TV is all bad is probably not true. But we have to ask ourselves whether we are getting the good from it, coz for all we know, we could be soaking up only the bad. And what is bad? Whatever drives your thoughts away from God and His word, whatever makes you form selfish ambitions in your mind, whatever deceives you into thinking that this present life is all that matters, whatever keeps you from worshipping the Lord with reverence and fear, whatever you like so much that your love for God is diluted...

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Romans 13:14 NASB

Hair and Sand

"That God knows the number of hairs on our heads is still a thought at which we do well to wonder." - Jill Carattini, Not even one

We will also do well to remind ourselves how little we really are - like a grain of sand in the desert as Matthew West sings in his song "More", perhaps even smaller. We are small relative to the entire Universe of planets, stars, galaxies and black holes... we are even smaller relative to the iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnfinite God we worship. And yet this limitless Lord knows us - each and everyone of us - and cares for us to the point of numbering all the hairs on our head. Amazing. That He would even acknowledge the existence of our species is already a wonder. But to know each person who ever lived... it's mind-boggling. Have you ever read through those passages in the Bible where there is nothing but long lists of names (e.g. 1 Chronicles)? God knows all of the people in those lists, and He knows all the people who aren't in those lists. As if that weren't enough He goes beyond knowing your name to knowing every single detail about you, including those details which you don't know about yourself - like the number of hairs on your head, or what it is exactly that you're feeling right now. He knows you. He knows me. The President of the Philippines does not know me. The mayor of Manila and of Mandaluyong do not know me. Frankly, some of my professors in school may not even remember me! But God, the King of all nations, of all earth, of all other planets, the heavens and the highest heavens (Deuteronomy 10:14)... knows me.

And in case I think that makes me great, let me remind myself that all this is so in order to make much of You, God. That You know everyone and everything doesn't make what/who You know great, it makes YOU great. How amazing it is to find that You still want me despite everything You are and everything You have. And I will meditate on Your wonderful love for me through this song...

More
by Matthew West

Take a look at the mountain
Stretching a mile high
Take a look at the ocean
Far as your eye can see
And think of me

Take a look at the desert
Do you feel like a grain of sand?
I am with you wherever
Where you go is where I am
And I'm always thinking of you
Take a look around you
I'm spelling it out one by one

I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine and you shine for me too
I love you
Yesterday
And today
And tomorrow
I'll say it again and again
I love you more

Just a face in the city
Just a tear on a crowded street
But you are one in a million
And you belong to me
And I want you to know
I'm not letting go
Even when you come undone

I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine and you shine for me too
I love you
Yesterday
And today
And tomorrow
I'll say it again and again
I love you more
I love you more

Shine for me
Shine for me
Shine on, shine on
Shine for me

I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine and you shine for me too
I love you
Yesterday
And today
And tomorrow
I'll say it again and again
I love you more

Pierced by the Word

a book by John Piper (one of my favorite Christian authors)
Purchase link

This short book won the 2004 Gold Medallion Book Award in the Devotional Category. It contains 31 meditations that will "awaken (you) to violent prayer, piercing pleasure and fearless faith". I've used this book as a devotional, and I assure you it's a good read for anyone who wants to rouse long-forgotten, holy longings for the perfect, living God and His living words.

(Please be patient with the links below. They're not complete yet and I heard DG might be changing the section name soon... I don't want to have to update all the links when the time comes so I'll jprobably ust wait till they change the section to complete the links to the articles in the book. You can search DG's Online Library for the titles you're interested in though. Most of them are available in Fresh Words.)

Chapters:

1. How strange and wonderful is the love of Christ - read this
   
2. God is the Gospel - read this
   
3. Pierced by the Word of God - read this
   
4. Be not mere shadows and echoes - read this
5. How to drink orange juice to the glory of God - read this
6. Big, sweeping - but not insipid - prayers - read this
7. What is humility? - read this
8. Wilderness, worship, treason and God - read this
9. How to be a refuge for your children - read this
10. Going deep with God by having Him carry our loads - read this
11. Persevere in prayer! -
12. Dorothy Sayers on why hell is nonnegotiable - read this
    
13. To you who believe, He is precious - read this
14. What does Jesus want? - read this
15. How does the law help me know my sin? - read this
16. A passion for purity vs. passive prayer - read this
17. The battle for breakfast blessing - read this
18. You have one precious life - read this
19. Terrorism, justice and loving our enemies - read this
20. How is God's love experienced in the heart? - read this
21. Reasons believers in Christ need not be afraid - read this
22. Embracing the pain of shame - read this
23. How Jesus helped His disciples increase their faith - read this
24. The strange ways of our wonderful builder - read this
25. A.N.T.H.E.M: Strategies for fighting lust - read this
26. Mealtime prayers with the Pipers - read this
27. It is never right to be angry with God - read this
28. The church was spoken against everywhere - read this
29. By what death will you glorify God? - read this
30. John G. Paton's father - read this
31. Helping people have the assurance of salvation - read this

* John Piper is pastor of preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. He received his doctorate in theology from the University of Munich and taught at Bethel College for six years before becoming a pastor. His other books include Desiring God, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, A hunger for God (all of which I highly recommend), Don't waste your life, Future Grace, The pleasures of God, The passion of Jesus Christ (I have all these and they will be added to my reading list soon), A Godward life, When I don't desire God, God is the Gospel and many more. More God-centered resources from John Piper including audio sermons, free e-books and Christian literature can be found at desiringgod.org. Anyone who can is welcome to contribute to this noble ministry... let's do what we can to help keep these resources free for everyone.

Legacy: a song by Nichole Nordeman

"I wanna leave a legacy, how will they remember me?"

(Legacy: a song by Nichole Nordeman)

it's fresh and honest: "I enjoy an accolade like the rest." and asks some important questions.

these were personally striking lines:

"Not well-traveled, not well-read
Not well-to-do, or well-bred
I just want to hear instead
Well done, good and faithful one"

because it brought to remembrance my earnest answer almost 5 years ago when asked how I wanted people to remember me: I said I wanted to be remembered as someone who lived solely for the Lord: "It doesn't even matter if they don't remember who I am so long as they remember the One I lived for. The purpose of my life is to point people to Him and enjoy Him forever."

Sweet ambition, when did I forget you? Nevertheless, I'm back.

Legacy

-Nichole Nordeman
(Woven and Spun, 2002)

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all the who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such 'n such...it wouldn't matter much


I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an "Atta boy" or "Atta girl"
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
the temporary trappings of this world


Chorus:
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to You enough to make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed Your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy


I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon destroy


Chorus:
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to You enough to make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed Your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

My Multiply Site

I recently decided to resurrect my Multiply site. The blog's staying here, but the pictures, music and videos will probably go there. Visit it if you have time...

and drop by my sister's Beadix for some beautiful handmade jewelry (hear that, sis? (-:). To create objects of beauty is to reflect, though in a very small way, the glory of God. Beauty is God's. Our God is beautiful! Far above encouraging vanity, I hope that my sister's creations will serve as reminders for us to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14), to adorn ourselves with pearls of wisdom from God's Word, and to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit. If we take care in our physical appearances, we must moreover take care in our words, actions and thoughts. The world is watching; and God deserves glorifying.