Birthday Note

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:37-39
Thanking the Lord for a new year, a new beginning, a new perspective and the unchanging eternal truth that NOTHING can separate me from the love of my Heavenly Father!
Thanking my parents for the way they have brought me up, for the examples of godly living they have set for me, for standing with me and propping me up through everything the past year has taken me through, for having faith in me even when I didn't think I could go on, and for always encouraging me to fix my eyes on the Eternal.
Thanking my brother, your smile lights up my day, your song makes my heart sing and your constant love that reminds me that there is a day coming, when everything will be right in this world again.
Thanking all my friends who've wished me and the ones who've forgotten... I love you all anyway! :)

A Prayer from My Heart

This is something I read today at work, while I was going through a little book called "Prayers From The Heart". My new job is not really busy and so I end up with a lot of free spaces of time where I end up studying, playing card games, listening to music and generally trying not to get too frustrated with the "un-work" that is my new job (yeah, not really working makes me crazy coz I'm weird that way!). Of late I've decided that on days when I can't coax my mind to do heavy medical studying, I will instead read light Bible-study material (that's an oxymoron in itself coz the Bible is probably THE most profound book I've come across). That's working out to be a good idea so far, because usually nowadays when I'm on the verge of snapping at someone for no apparent reason (frustration, remember?), I end up reading something that totally turns my day upside down.
Today it was this prayer. The background verse is from Exodus 4:11 "Who made a person's mouth? And who makes someone deaf or not able to speak? Or who gives a person sight, or blindness? It is I, the Lord."

Ah, Lord God!

How many times I forget that You are in control. I become so absorbed in my own struggles, my own joys, my own projects and my own schedule, that when another commitment or problem crosses my path I only wonder how 'I' am going to handle it.

When I turn my eyes inward, Lord, I lose sight of Your power, Your greatness, Your sovereignty, Your timing in every situation. I forget that those things I perceive as struggles are the very things that make me grow. When I focus on my abilities, I come away feeling inadequate. When I focus on Your abilities, I come away feeling strong. Only in Your strength can I understand another person's needs, sense someone else's hurt, or love another by listening. Help me to bear in mind that when I turn my heart to my own selfishness, I am of no use to anyone, not even myself.

Forgive me, Lord, for forgetting that You are in charge. Keep me focussed on You today, more than on myself. Thank You for giving me Your wisdom to guide me and Your strength to help me follow Your way. Help me to be a blessing to others and pleasing in Your eyes.

Amen.

Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New!

This poem by Lord Alfred Tennyson speaks to me about a time of transition. About how, whether I like it or not, life changes, nothing stays constant and no matter how hard I try to hold on to some things, they slip out of my hands anyway, and are gone. The only thing that I can do (not easily though) in situations like these, are to let go and pray that the One who holds my tomorrows, will give me the grace to carry on.

That's the phase of life that I'm at now... So many transitions....

Old loves ripped away and large raw areas left behind that are still bleeding from that shearing force. Then there are the good changes, the most important being the opportunity to be with my family after 8 years of a "prodigal's" life...

This post really is just to herald that transition, to celebrate (with a lot of mixed emotions) the ringing out of the old and the ringing in of the new.

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light;

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,

For those that here we see no more,

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;

Ring in the nobler modes of life,

With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care the sin,

The faithless coldness of the times;

Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,

But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;

Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be. 

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17