Something Beautiful, Something Good

I woke up this morning with an idea: that for every post beginning in 2008, I will endeavour to write a word in praise of someone, something, or someplace. Not such a bad idea, eh?

I also think that this is gonna be my personal theme for the year. 2006 was the Year of Opportunity for me. I remember telling my wife (my then fiancee) that I believed God had given me that theme. This year in 2007, it was the Year of Refreshing. Indeed, all my experiences this year have truly been refreshing...among them, my marriage to my beautiful and lovely wife; and my graduation with a university degree.

As for 2008, I shall call it the Year of Goodness. Together with the idea, I woke up with this morning with an old chorus that I learned as a kid. And as I rushed to the toilet and threw up my dinner from last night, it was playing over and over in my head.

Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion, He understood
All I had to offer Him was bitterness and strife
But He made something beautiful of my life
~ words and music by Gloria Gaither and William J Gaither

What an ironic way to start on Christmas day. I guess it's a good reminder for me of how the Saviour of the world came to earth, the Prince of Heaven, King of Glory, descending to earth as Emmanuel, God With Us, in the form of a human baby born in an obscure stable and placed in a lowly manger. Pure irony, yet it had to happen for our sake.

Goodness and Beauty it is for all of us in the coming year.
Have a Blessed Christmas, everyone.

Think of Me

Following up on my previous post...it's a challenge for me to think outside of myself sometimes. To be honest, after 5 years in America, I have selfishly thought more about myself than when before I came.

America has showed me how selfish I am. In recent years, I have thought of myself as:

- more distinguished than others (so worship me)
- more experienced than others (so respect me)
- smarter, wiser, and more intelligent (so listen to me)
- more needful than others (so give to me)
- more humble than others (so follow my example)
- more important than others (so prefer me)

And then sometimes, and sad to say, less often than it should be, I am reminded that I'm...

- not any more distinguished than a convict
- not any more experienced than an infant
- not any smarter, wiser, or more intelligent than a fool or a failure
- not any more needful than those who seem to have everything
- not any more humble than Mother Theresa
- not any more important than the homeless

Sometimes, I look at myself and see the sorry state I am in. I am more consumed with acquiring worldly things than being consumed with Christ! I have forgotten what it means to have compassion for others, and have placed myself above all things!

I am sorry. I apologize. I have not been a good example of one who follows hard after God. I have forgotten what true religion means: to look after orphans and widows. To extend help to the poor. To reach out in love to those who do not know Him. I must remember to think of others above myself: this is what I am called to do.