留下我

当每个人努力的往外展翅高飞时
我这时候的选择还是留下
虽然没有你们
虽然环境变迁
多了辛苦
少了笑声

因为我给了一个承诺
因为我终于了解
我的使命变了
从服侍看不见的人
到服侍看得见的人

我相信
我因为这个使命没有离开的意愿
你们也因为我的使命没有离开的机会
可是时候一到
使命就会改变
人的命运也会改变

所以要珍惜当下
也为未来的人和事
装备自己

Jesus I My Cross Have Taken

I just emailed my home church pastor to tell him that Dawn and I would like to present The Power of the Cross on Palm Sunday. He said later on that he had listened to the song and it was meaningful and 'tough'. I'm not sure if he meant 'tough' to be the vocab used in the lyrics or the song held deep meaning?

Anyway it led me to think of another song that James said was really tough to sing when he led in worship, and it's because to sing this song really challenges our commitment to Christ, and it really means living by faith (and only by faith) each day. It's a very meaningful song and I thank God for the song wright, every line and every verse of this very long song holds such weight, none of it was lightly written. 

To see Christ as most precious beyond anything else in the world. To see Christ as most secure more than anything in the world. To please Christ rather than to please man. To welcome suffering and even pray for suffering if only Christ's glory be shown. And above all these, be rejoicing, rejoicing and rejoicing because of the Godly assurance of having Christ.

It's difficult, but it's worth it. And it's never too difficult for us. So true, oh, so true.

Jesus, I my cross have taken,

All to leave and follow Thee;

Destitute, despised, forsaken,

Thou from hence my All shalt be.

Perish every fond ambition,

All I've sought or hoped or known;

Yet how rich is my condition!

God and heaven are still my own.

Let the world despise and leave me,

They have left my Savior, too.

Human hearts and looks deceive me;

Thou art not, like them, untrue.

And while Thou shalt smile upon me,

God of wisdom, love, and might,

Foes may hate and friends may shun me;

Show Thy face, and all is bright.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure!

Come, disaster, scorn, and pain!

In Thy service, pain is pleasure;

With Thy favor, loss is gain.

I have called Thee Abba, Father!

I have stayed my heart on Thee.

Storms may howl, and clouds may gather,

All must work for good to me.

Man may trouble and distress me,

'Twill but drive me to Thy breast;

Life with trials hard may press me,

Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.

Oh, 'tis not in grief to harm me

While Thy love is left to me;

Oh, 'twere not in joy to charm me

Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Take, my soul, thy full salvation;

Rise o'er sin and fear and care;

Joy to find in every station,

Something still to do or bear.

Think what Spirit dwells within thee,

What a Father's smile is thine,

What a Savior died to win thee;

Child of heaven, shouldst thou repine?

 Haste, then, on from grace to glory,

Armed by faith and winged by prayer;

Heaven's eternal day's before thee,

God's own hand shall guide thee there.

Soon shall close the earthly mission,

Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days,

Hope soon change to glad fruition,

Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Check mate

There was this period of my life when I was super into chess. Did loads of research on strategy and stuff. Thought I was good cz I always beat my grandfather until I grew older and he started to beat me without fail. Then only I knew the truth behind my so called wins.

I must say I have travelled a long way in chess. Learned many strategies, learned not to be careless but I had one persistent, lethal flaw. I could never checkmate promptly. Even when I was playing with 6 year old Mable I would eat up all her pieces and corner her and all. But it will take forever for that checkmate to come. (Sorry Mable. I was mean I know.)

This is my problem in chess and it never went away sometimes at the cost of the game. And in the same way I could never checkmate in life too. And the stakes are higher. Would it be too late when I finally stop that hesitating and planning and make that move?