No time to blog.
FWP was awesome. Here’s a reminder of one of my fave parts of FWP (amongst many others!!!)
Will blog more when I’m more at liberty to do so =)
ps: I like the Casting Crowns version better, but well… here’s to Darrrell Evans who introduced this song into my life!!
Your Love is Extravagant
On Saturday night, I spent the whole entire night turning out my hoard of accessories in my cluttered compartments. I sat there rearranging all the amount of accessories I had – necklaces, earrings, bracelets and the bling; on top of nail polish, body lotions, make up, lip balms etc. And I came to a horrific conclusion.I have more than I need.
That’s not the horrifying bit.
The horrifying bit is, I still feel tempted, when I walk past something that I like, to buy more.
If I were to look at what I already have now, at this very moment, and write a list of things that I don’t really need (but want), it could pretty much fill a page.
I’ve known this all along, yet, the temptation and the urge to get something new is there.
And if I were to try to be committed to keeping my money away from being spent on these things, I’d probably save a whole lot, which can be then used for other purposes.
Then, I come back to the gnawing question in my mind.
Why do we want for more than we actually need?
Proverbs says “The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’”
My version would loosely be: clothes, bags and shoes – these are things that are never satisfied. Accessories, never says, “Enough!”
I would love to be able to blame the external forces – advertising, promotions, sales, movies, colleagues around me wearing nice expensive things etc. But unfortunately, they are just external inducements, which if I had no desire for that particular thing, it would have no effect on me!
But as it is, I know what I’m a sucker for, and what I need to exercise self control over.
So from now on, I will see how long it takes before I break my “no-buy” policy on the below items:
- ear rings
- necklaces
- bracelets
- rings
- lipbalm & makeup (although this is really a once in a blue moon affair, it still accumulates cos I buy even before I’ve finished using my own!)
- bags
*Note: this does not include buying things for others as presents of course =)
As you can see from the list… my number 1 weakness is for accessories. I guess it should not come as a surprise, since most people who know me would know that my “trademark” would be ear rings and the like.
Yet, if I am truly to be a steward of my life for Christ, this needs to be placed under the control of Christ.
Or else, well, nothing will ever be enough!
1 Timothy 6:6-7
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”
I’ve always joked of marrying a rich husband just so I will not be in want of any material thing.
Although these jokes are harmless, I have been recently convicted that even in jest, I should not make as if material things place a high priority in life. What sorta testimony is that eh?
This song has really challenged me in many ways… I even have a book by that name, which I totally treasure (and have a history to it, which will be told at another time)
Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee.
Take my voice and let me sing always, only for my king.
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee.
Take my silver and my gold not a might would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use every power as you choose.
::Chorus::
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it’s all for thee.
Take my will and make it Thine it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own; it shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord I pour at your feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be ever, only all for thee,
Take myself and I will be ever, only all for thee.
Here am I, All of me.
Take my life, It’s all for thee.
x3
Yes, Lord. Please take all of me. Help me to live not for material things, but for heavenly treasure. To cloth myself with the fruit of the Holy Spirit, rather than the bling of this world! 
I’m sorta stuck at a crossroad at the moment.
Hence the silence on this blog.
Anyway, i came across this song on You Tube. And, it reminds me of a verse that has been given to me many years ago, which nearly always brings tears to my eyes when I read through these verses, even till now.
Isaiah 61:1-7
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
Aliens will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
And you will be called priests of the LORD,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
Instead of their shame
my people will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
they will rejoice in their inheritance;
and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,
and everlasting joy will be theirs.
Emphasis mine.
God is always close to the broken-hearted.
One day, God-willing, I want to be at that point, where I can extend His hand through mine, to preach the good news to the poor, to bind the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, and release darkness from prisoners.
She spins and she sways
To whatever song plays
Without a care in the world
And I’m sitting here wearing
The weight of the world on my shoulders
It’s been a long day
And there’s still work to do
She’s pulling at me
Saying “Dad, I need you
There’s a ball at the castle
And I’ve been invited
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?”
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
‘Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don’t want to miss even one song
‘Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she’ll be gone…
She says he’s a nice guy and I’d be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says, “Dad, the prom is just one week away
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?”
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
‘Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don’t want to miss even one song
‘Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she’ll be gone
She will be gone
Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand
Just glowing and telling us all they had planned
She says, “Dad, the wedding’s still six months away
But I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?”
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
‘Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don’t want to miss even one song
‘Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she’ll be gone
Jennifer sent this SMS to me after a funeral service where I led in worship (and I, in jest, commented as a broad observation of the year 2008, that I was rapidly becoming the “Funeral Singer” as oppose to the “Wedding Singers” like some of my other friends… 
)
“The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.” Ecclesiastes 7:4
Not that we are trying to be sadistic to want to be in the house of mourning. But it really is true.
God is close to the broken-hearted and those who mourn.
I feel more of God’s presence in funerals than in weddings. Nearly always, I leave funerals with a sense of gratefulness towards God or receive a deep burden for people from Him.
The sense of loss, always reminds me of how God “lost” His only Son on Calvary, so that He may redeem the whole world. And because of this, I know that my God can understand all that I go through.
Daily Verses Tozer Devotional Charles Spurgeon Devotional