Breakfast table.... at six something in the morning...
My yummylicious honey-almond cereal with soy milk and supplements...
I've started with 'Conflict Dynamics' classes this week - with Mrs. L - and it has been good learning so far. It helped me to examine myself, really.... because every conflict begins with ourselves.With our hearts sensing threat toward our held values, desires, goals or habits...whether from external sources or the dissonance caused by new ideas. Yet, any conflict can be an opportunity to s-t-r-e-t-c-h oneself and grow in leaps and bounds.
All in all, first day of school was thankfully delightful.
Some random thoughts...
I was reading somewhere (I forgot where) a few days back that many of us often separate 'spiritual' activities from 'non-spiritual' activities. For example, reading the Bible is deemed more spiritual than enjoying good music... going for church meetings is more spiritual than meeting up with friends for a meal... working in church is more spiritual than working in the corporate world or picking up after active kids at home as a house-wife. As a result, we get Christians sadly living in two separate worlds - the church world during weekends and the non-church world during week days. There are even ministry workers who have neglected their wives and children for ministry to others - which is considered much more important than spending time at home. We often forget that God is always present... Whenever that happens (think: while driving among reckless and annoying drivers on the road, when our days are filled to the brim with mundane chores, when we are cranky, snappy, PMS-ing or about to fall into sin; etc. *guilty, guilty*), we live and act and speak as if God were not around!
I admit that I too often forget that God watches over me every moment of my waking hours (as well as those when I am fast asleep). If we are spiritual beings, shouldn't everything we do be spiritual, if not divine? Washing dishes, doing laundry, emptying the trash-bin, driving, comforting the bawling children, eating, working, exercising in the gym, sleeping, etc - all these are some of the necessary activities which we can still carry out with our human bodies while we are away from our Heavenly Father. If we are aware of the continuous presence of God, shouldn't we carry them out as our spiritual acts of worship?
For Romans 12:1-2 says, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
In other words, should we not carry out our daily activities in these earthly bodies we live in, with a different kind of attitude from that of the world - seeing that God has graciously given us new lives in Christ and the constant presence of Himself? Indeed, He will be with us to the very end of age. Emanuel! This is the Almighty, sovereign God who does not divide Himself and give everyone one part of Himself - but He gives Himself fully... to each and everyone of us who put their hopes in Him.
I have decided ever since, that I will try to bear God's constant presence in mind this year - as I go through my daily activities (be it assignments, housework, driving in Penang, etc), because it is ultimately that which gives perfect peace.
All in all, first day of school was thankfully delightful.
Some random thoughts...
I was reading somewhere (I forgot where) a few days back that many of us often separate 'spiritual' activities from 'non-spiritual' activities. For example, reading the Bible is deemed more spiritual than enjoying good music... going for church meetings is more spiritual than meeting up with friends for a meal... working in church is more spiritual than working in the corporate world or picking up after active kids at home as a house-wife. As a result, we get Christians sadly living in two separate worlds - the church world during weekends and the non-church world during week days. There are even ministry workers who have neglected their wives and children for ministry to others - which is considered much more important than spending time at home. We often forget that God is always present... Whenever that happens (think: while driving among reckless and annoying drivers on the road, when our days are filled to the brim with mundane chores, when we are cranky, snappy, PMS-ing or about to fall into sin; etc. *guilty, guilty*), we live and act and speak as if God were not around!
I admit that I too often forget that God watches over me every moment of my waking hours (as well as those when I am fast asleep). If we are spiritual beings, shouldn't everything we do be spiritual, if not divine? Washing dishes, doing laundry, emptying the trash-bin, driving, comforting the bawling children, eating, working, exercising in the gym, sleeping, etc - all these are some of the necessary activities which we can still carry out with our human bodies while we are away from our Heavenly Father. If we are aware of the continuous presence of God, shouldn't we carry them out as our spiritual acts of worship?
For Romans 12:1-2 says, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
In other words, should we not carry out our daily activities in these earthly bodies we live in, with a different kind of attitude from that of the world - seeing that God has graciously given us new lives in Christ and the constant presence of Himself? Indeed, He will be with us to the very end of age. Emanuel! This is the Almighty, sovereign God who does not divide Himself and give everyone one part of Himself - but He gives Himself fully... to each and everyone of us who put their hopes in Him.
I have decided ever since, that I will try to bear God's constant presence in mind this year - as I go through my daily activities (be it assignments, housework, driving in Penang, etc), because it is ultimately that which gives perfect peace.
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