~Memorial Day -- Pray for Bosnia~

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed—

and they have no comforter;

power was on the side of their oppressors—

and they have no comforter.

And I declared that the dead,

who had already died,

are happier than the living,

who are still alive.

But better than both

is he who has not yet been,
who has not seen the evil

that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

~To Steer Clear of Potholes~

"Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before." Mark 2:21

“Watch for the potholes” my husband instructs me. Well, I seem pretty good at not missing any. Maybe I don’t follow instructions so well, because our little road trip is enhanced by the weather: temperature of 84F and 70% humidity in the air. Not having air-conditioning in the car means that we need constant movement on the road in order to benefit from the open windows. But there is road construction ahead of us and quite a few signs in our neighborhood warning us to expect delays. Wouldn’t you know this is the time of the year when road constructions take place in Chicagoland?

Every time I see a pothole I think of Mark 2:21. Road cracks and gaps have to be patched, but how can the new material work along with the old one? Every year road construction takes place around same time across many major roads, because old potholes plus new ones appear on the surface of roadways after winter has taken its toll on the pavement. Construction workers, interrupted by the flow of traffic, labor in the heat while wearing boots and heavy garments, for what they really deserve some credit. However, it is my conviction that patching potholes might be the quickest but not always the cheapest solution. The problem is merely covered up -- not solved. Patching potholes until they "shrink and rip away" once again leaves the road no different than its original state.
The only permanent solution is to entirely remove the old roads and start the new ones using a material that can sustain continuous change of weather and weight of vehicles.

My analogy here is to show that life for Christ is like a new road with a foundation that endures. Basically one needs to be "born again" without going down the old road. Completeness instead of patches, resolution instead of scraps! Take the example of Jesus. He was insulted, flogged, crowned with thorns, and spat upon, stripped of his clothes, nailed to a cross, and "refreshed" with vinegar. Those would be merely "patches" of Jesus life, if that was a "dead end" right there. What separates Jesus from any other god is His death and resurrection in newness of life. Jesus finished our road for us, so we don't have to die but have an everlasting life with Him. The amazing thing about everlasting life is that it will be with Him. Now, what Jesus wants from me is not "a patched up life" but a whole new creation, so at His table I can be clothed with righteousness and not some rags.

***

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

"And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it." Isaiah 35:8

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' John 1:23

~Life in an Antique Booth~

“Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.” 
James 5:2

Outdated magazine issues, yellowish heavy books, mismatched utensils, postcards from a stranger, handmade toys, kaleidoscopic buttons of all sizes, cups, mugs, empty coca-cola bottles, and whatnot are laid out in front me and it’s surprisingly pleasing to my eye: I am stranded in a wonderland called the Antique Shop.

At the slowest pace possible I stroll by each booth scanning all that fits into my perception. If anything catches my attention for more than a blink I pick up the lifeless object and contemplate its origin and price. I hold it long enough in my hands until wonder has faded into practical thinking. What can I use this relic for besides the purpose of collecting or decorating? One witty shopkeeper labeled a heavy iron with “would make a great door stop”.

Well, there are two questions I ask myself whenever I’m shopping:

First, could this be something that I would give to my friends as a gift? If the answer is yes, it’s worth buying. You would not want to buy anything worthless for your friends, would you?

Second, would I take this if it’s free? If the answer is no, I don’t consider buying it. Even if it’s free some items are just not worth having.

But here I am in the museum of a former shopper – the Antique store. While hunting for treasure I could not help myself but to notice how every booth would give away certain warmth. I realized that in front of me was the life of somebody who did not need these things anymore. There is this similar feeling that overwhelms me when I visit graveyards. Tomb stones are portraying tangible memories of a man’s life; the same appears with possessions. Suddenly a thought struck me: in the course of time my accumulated possessions will be handled by antique manager one day. What will its price be?

After an hour of searching to find something of a value and usage I came to the register with only hand lotion wondering about the expiration date. While starting small talk with a clerk I noticed that my voice was soft and calm as if I had experienced catharsis. I did not spend money on things, but my soul “purchased” tenderness and serenity along the way.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." 
Luke 12:32-34

~The Heart of A Man~

"Before his downfall a man's heart is proud,

but humility comes before honor."

Proverbs 18:12

Have you ever wondered why God intended for Jesus to be a male? I have a few interpretations of my own. I am not a feminist, nor do I hold a PhD in Women's Studies. More likely I could be described as a phenomenologist, for my intentions are to write about "lived experiences" as primordial forms of my complex consciousness. On the other hand, I am very emotional, and I have shed many tears throughout many years. Somehow we know that "boys don't cry", and if they do it's never a public matter. No man would like to be a weak link in the chain. But I am a girl and tears are my jewels. In accord with my feminine inclination I easily surrender humbly towards a higher power for protection, but what about man and his source of protection? One thing I've learned in the course of time: A gentleman does not work for baksheesh, but his wages are earned. He is the source of his own protection and his heart is of a lion. Like a lion he roars to make his way. He declares his possession of power and strength.

"The LORD is my strength and my song; 

he has become my salvation.

He is my God, and I will praise him, 

my father's God, and I will exalt him." Exodus 15:2

Sometimes I manifest traits of a tomboy, and the veil of stubbornness falls on me. As a consequence, my very soul is disconnected from His mercy. After veil of stubbornness, down falls anger on me. "I want to earn the grace of God on my terms," shouts the voice in me. The voice becomes louder and before you know it, I believe to have the power to change the world like a superman.

This is why I believe Jesus chose to be a male to carry out an example of true surrender to God.

To surrender my will to God is not an easy task, but if I don't then I'll become the prisoner of my daily wars.

So what is it going to be?

"Anyone who is among the living has hope —
even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!"
Ecclesiastes 9:4

"Key Generation"

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:18

Has anyone noticed that key mania is sweeping our jewelry counters, fashion magazines and TV commercials? This is not a key fetish criticism. In my jewelry box I have few of my own. So I took this picture of my little key collection as evidence. There must be something fascinating about keys. Often times, a key is a sign of trust, love, wisdom and commitment. For example, my neighbor entrusts her keys to me when she is away so I can feed her cat. With this key to her apartment I feel like she has given me a gold medal for trustworthiness, and for that I am exceedingly grateful. Sometimes lovers exchange their keys as a sign of commitment and love. Parents give their car keys to teenagers, and then pray to God that they don’t crash.

I must admit my “Key Generation” title sounds odd even to me, so I searched for this phrase online and found out from Wikipedia that “Key generation is the process of generating keys for cryptography. A key is used to encrypt and decrypt whatever data is being encrypted/decrypted.” This made me leave my title as it is. Aren't we struggling to understand how and why human beings are created? Philosophers are searching for the Key that unlocks the knowledge of Universe; poets lament of the lost key; scientists and religious leaders are trying to break the code of life for centuries. Nowadays we are more drawn to the key symbology than ever before.

But I really believe only God has a key, and He has already given us its copy – Holy Bible.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19

S.O.S. – Save Our Souls

“Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.” James 3:4

I have never been on a cruise, but I had a chance to be on a large ship powered by a mighty engine and steered by an out-of-view captain.

Hence this picture was taken to commemorate my journey.

What came to my spirit the other day was that I don’t feel so safe in the water as much as on the land.  Take for instance swimming and the funny feeling when you realize you are too far from the shore. Whenever I find myself swimming miles away from the land there is this fear that overwhelms me: fear of drowning and shark attack; fear of having not enough energy to swim back because of a strong current; fear of simply not having the solid ground to support my feet.

I experience the very same thing if I drift away from the presence of God.

Once upon a time in my spiritual journey I wanted to swim as far as I could just to exercise my own will and strength. Naturally it did not take a long, I was stranded in the midst of a storm and I was all alone.  Storms exhausted me and I became weak as days went by. Even though all around me was water I was thirsty for fresh water. I struggled to keep my head above turbulent waves… Only vast sky and shimmering like tear stars were looking down on me. Something was with me and I could not point my finger at. It suffered along with me, yet I could not see what it was. And there I cried out for His help...

It came to pass that Jesus arrived in the “boat” to save me out of deep waters. He certainly can swim and save me that way, but I was not the only one in the water throughout the history of mankind, so He needed a “boat”. Now I hold this truth, this unhidden treasure that Christ came down using a human body as a vessel to save all humanity.

“The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.” Genesis 7:1

And thus began my journey....

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