Art

The highest artist, in the eyes of the Jewish teachers of all generations, is not the greatest master in self-expression, but in self-control; he who fashions himself into a sanctuary. Such a view sounds strange in modern ears. One of the saddest phenomena of the age is the misuse of Art for the perversion of Youth. Art is divine and must be divinely used. When the Hebrew spirit prevails over the Greek, he strips it of its pagan sensuality, so that its beauty stands revealed untarnished by barbaric or ungodly association (Soloman J. Soloman)

If you're amazed at the paragraph above..don't be deceived! =) i wished i wrote that BUT i didn't. *grin* i was reading for my Pentateuch class and this is the Jewish commentary on the part when the artists were labouring on the building of the Tabernacle.

I really like this passage and absolutely LIKE how he worded it so beautifully and with so much truth! Hmmm...*think about it*

pheng..

Nooma

I really should be taking a nap (haha..like it's a necessity) but i am fascinated by the short clips in this website. i watched one of it in my class today..titled "luggage". If you have time or any interest at all..go check it out! http://www.nooma.com/

pheng

Baby

Hey..was thinking, I now have TWO darlings. So i should also show you all the other niece of mine..newly born baby on the 28th of Jan 2006! woohoooo!!!! Her name is Eloise Khaw Kai Ling. Felicia's name is Felicia Khaw Kai Xin. In this picture, I think she's just a week old. I wonder how much she's changed by now. Anyway..


Aaaaaahhhh.... =))

Hot Chicks

Yo peeps! I was just looking at my niece-Felicia's pictures. And this is my favourite pic. Felicia is almost 1 year and a month old!! The other hot chick in the picture is my beloved, CRAZEEE sister, Emily..or lovingly known as "ah yee". Don't you think this is such a nice picture??!!

Disclaimer: This is an aunt-niece picture. Not her mummy laa...

Blessings..berylynn

Heart's Cry

Though i'm as sheep prone to wonder,
This is my yearning as I ponder..

I will RUN, I won't CRAWL,
Until I hear the call,
I will STAND, I won't FALL,
Until I see the Lord!

berylynn

His Calling

Just today itself..i sense God speaking to me about His calling. No specifics actually..but just his nudging and challenging my heart about calling, His calling on my life.

Before Moses spent his 40 years in the desert tending sheep, he already had such passion and burden in his heart to deliver his fellow Hebrew brethen from slavery..though his heart's desire didn't translate into actions quite right! And after 40 years, when God appeared to him and told him to lead His people out of Egypt, he REFUSED! after all that 'bargaining' with God, he SURRENDERED to God's call.

In those 40 years, i believe his passion to deliver his people didn't fade away. God uses that passion and desire in Moses and calls him to do just that! MANY times, God calls us to do something that we already have the heart and passion to. imagine trying to pick up a lump of clay with a huge magnet..it won't budge. but now, picture picking another lump of clay that has magnet inside!! Our passion in our hearts are there for a PURPOSE, HIS purposes!

Never allow people to limit you with their theology or unbelief that you will never achieve your dreams or your deepest heart's desire. Don't let their unbelief and ideals box you in. God is so much BIGGER. He has even BIGGER dreams than we have..MOST of the time. =)

I look back on my life and thank God that i did NOT give up on my dream of going abroad to further my tertiary education..both in theology and secular. more than just a few people have discouraged my seemingly impossible dream, FEW have cheered me on. i'm glad i hung on to His promise..because i know and i know it is from Him!

so where do i go from here? i've some more dreams in my heart which still seem BIG to me right now. but i'm gonna trust the Dream Giver..because He will bring it to pass in His time!

if you're reading this entry, my encouragement to you as God encouraged me, DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!! NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP!!!

Thank you Lord..i'm grateful..truly grateful that you put dreams in my heart. Help me steady the course as I run for you.

Your child..berylynn

Today

Yesterday is history, today is an opportunity and tomorrow is the future. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow is blind and today is alive. Make the best out of it. Live life to the fullest by enjoying it because tomorrow will be a different day.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

‘Yesterday is a cancelled cheque; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is ready cash – use it’ (Kay Lyons)

Today is not yesterday nor tomorrow. Today is your most precious possession. It is your only sure possession. The word ‘Today’ appears in the Scripture about 212 times. When it comes to decision-making, the Scripture always speaks of today and not tomorrow or the past.

Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." (Heb 4:7)

If you are not aligned to him, today is the day to do it. If you have strayed away from him, today is the day for you to re-align with him.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34)

Today is a brand new day. Let no fears creep in today from yesterday’s failures, shame or self loathe because God’s grace has wiped them out and worked to turn them into something good.

Today is an important day. It arrives fresh, offering new hopes and new dreams. Today is your day. Make the best out of it. Don’t put off doing what you want to do today because you never know what tomorrow brings. It is living today and not tomorrow that counts. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

For yesterday is already a dreamAnd tomorrow is only a visionBut today, well lived,Makes every yesterdayA dream of happiness,And every tomorrow a vision of hopeLook well, therefore to this day!Such is a salutation of the dawn!

~ If you miss the sunrise I made for you today, never mind. I’ll make you another one tomorrow – God ~

Sorry

If you've read my previous angry post, i want to apologize for my venting..actually, not so much of the venting but rather my heart and attitude behind it. i realised that in saying what i said in my previous blog, i am making myself look good or better than others. yes, i was VERY mad and i wrote what i wrote when i was still very angry. but that should NOT be an excuse..i should not even vent publicly in the first place. at least that's what i think. so..yeah. i'm sorry.

if all this doesn't make any sense at all. it's alright, i'm gonna delete my previous post anyway.

=) beryl

I LOVE YOU..

Just an article my sis sent me. I'm glad she send me only good and meaningful articles! =)


After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, "I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you."

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. "What's wrong, are you well?" she asked. My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. "I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you," I responded.
"Just the two of us?" She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much."

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's. "I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed," she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting."

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. "It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said. "Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded.
During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation - nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed.
"How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice, much more so than I could have imagined," I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son."
At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I LOVE YOU" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve.

Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time."

HOT!!

My tummy feels HOT inside because I ate Indian food in Sam Thecka's house today. Hahahhahaaa..i'm so happy and blessed. Yummy...it's gonna take me a while to get over this..hahhahahaa..love it!

We may be going to an Indian restaturant to eat this Sat for a special occasion. muahahhahahahaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

INDIAN FOOD ROCKS!

beryl

Cemetry Marker

i found this today..enjoy!!

Some time ago, a man was trying to trace his family origin. In the process of his research he visited several cemeteries collecting information from the markers. At one place he came across a monument with the following inscription:

Pause now stranger, as you pass by
As you are now, so once was I
As I am now, so soon you’ll be
Prepare yourself to follow me

Next to the marker, he noticed someone had placed a board with the following words:

To follow you
I’m not content
Until I know which way you went!


"follow me as i follow Christ"
Where are You heading after life?? ....lynn

Tired

I'm soooo tired. It's 4am..and i'm still not done preparing sermon for Monday. my neck is sore..i'm sleepy. Oh God help me! If anyone's reading this..please pray for strength and revelation. Thank you so much..

zzzzz....beryl

Antartica!!

since yesterday, the shower heater in our whole apartment complex decided to fail us. i couldn't wash my hair yesterday!! and today, the heater still didn't work!! and mind you, the water is ICE COLD and the temperature outside is 43F outside now, and bout 73F tomorrow morning. so earlier, when i came back from dinner..i decided to be a brave soul to take a shower!! within a minute standing under the shower, i was shaking like a drug addict in need of another dosage. it was crazeee COLD!!

later this evening, my roomies asked me if i took a shower. i told them i did with the cold water and they were appalled. the "are you out of your mind??" look was all over their faces, in fact they were so shocked they didn't speak until after a few seconds!! hahahahahaaa..they said i was so brave! :p to me, i just had no other options. it's almost like the Israelites crossing the Red Sea..even if they had no faith that the sea would part, they had the huge army coming after them as their 'faith encourager'. there simply isn't any choice left is there? hahahahaa, that's what i felt in my case too. i just had to bath or i wont even sleep on my clean bed.

pheww..i hope the heater works tomorrow! =) *fingers crossed*

beryl

Excellence

These coming 2 weeks is gonna be busy for me. I've to prepare for Bible study for my youth group in church this Sunday on "forgiveness" and preach a sermon the following week for my 'Homiletics' finals. My mind is torn between the two..and few other things also.

I feel quite pressured right now. Church wise, i know that God has placed me in the right church and God's opening doors for me to serve. But i still have the feeling of.."me?? teach bible study?" yes..it's not like it's my first time. the thing is..it's like this ALL the time when i've to preach or worship lead or do announcement=basically standing in front of people even in a small group. i get these crazee butterflies all over in me. and i've been reflecting on myself..i think the reason why i am so pressured is that i feel inadequate, and i set such a high standard to achieve, call it excellence if you may..that i strive to rise above mediocrity so much that i strain my mind a lot. i went to work earlier with all these thoughts in my mind. was trying to count the money in the cash box but had to do it 3 times before i got the right amount. my mind was just not there! in fact, i was so nervous and overwhelmed that i really had this urge to vomit! honest!!

maybe i'm just being too hard on myself. still in saying that, i still believe in the spirit of excellence in all that i do. that's what drives me to do things well. one of my life 'motto' which i found out is the general 'motto' for all melancholies/C personality.."if you want to do something, do it well, or don't do it at all". there's just a deep satisfaction that comes when i accomplish something AND in doing it well. so yup, that's why..i'm overwhelmed right now.

but it's OKAY! because it's ALWAYS in times like this that i learn to depend more on my faithful Lord. and He always strengthens me and carries me through. He never fails me! so yess..i'll do well for Bible study and preaching by the grace of my God! Hallelujah!! wanna watch me preach? it's on 7th of Nov @345pm @Wayne Meyers Auditorium-CFNI

hahahhahahaha..this is crazy, scary and exciting!!

beryl

Deeply missed

Frontliners..you're deeply missed!

Yearn

Here's another song entry in my humble blog..

Holy design
This place in time
That I might seek and find my God

Lord I want to yearn for You
I want to burn with passion over You
And only You
Lord I want to yearn for You
I want to burn with passion over You
And only You
Lord, I want to yearn

Your joy is mine
Yet why am I fine
With all my singing and bringing grain
In light of Him

Oh You give life and breath
In You we live and move
That's why I sing

I really really like this song..because i can identify with the lyrics. Note that it says "i WANT to yearn for You" and NOT "i YEARN for You". Difference is..i may not yearn for God as much as i ought to right now, but there's a DESIRE to WANT to yearn for Him. and that i think..is so honest, instead of singing a bunch of songs that sound good but doesn't really reflect my heart inside. i want to go deeper..i want to grow stonger in You, i want to know You more, i want to seek You, i want MORE of You O God!!

to think about it, King David was like that. very honest with God..even in times when He felt that God has deserted Him, or when he has sinned against Him, David was very honest about His emotions with God. God delights in honesty, doesn't He?

hmm..what a song! =)
pheng..

Forgiveness

My pastor preached on '3 Stages of Spiritual Cancer' today. it was about resentment, unforgiveness and bitterness. anyway..he said a sentence that really struck me. it's probably not new to most people, but it's a very liberating truth! hmm..

4 Steps to Freedom from Unforgiveness

1. Release-forgiveness DOESN'T ENDORSE what they did to you, it SIMPLY sets YOU FREE!

2. Forgive-it's not an option, it's a command

3. Forget- God brings the grace to forget the PAIN, not necessarily the experience

4. Action-caring for those who hurt us. Acts of kindness seals the process of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not an EVENT, it is a lifestyle. When you get hurt (which you will, unless you're DEAD!), choose to move in the opposite spirit, a spirit of humility and forgiveness.

oh yess..one more illustration that i heard elsewhere this week. unforgiveness is a prison that locks from the inside. no one can open the door except you. the choice is yours!! forgive and you will be forgiven!

this is just a small portion of the message..hope you're blessed!
beryl..

Cannot TAHAN!!!

i have the CUTEST...and i am dead serious about it, baby niece in the whole world. i keep looking at her pictures over and over and over again. and she's just so CUTE!!!! her eyes, her cheeks, her hair...AHHHHHH...so cute!!

I MISS FELICIA!!!!!!!!!

Hungry

It's 12.07am on Monday morning. .and i am HUNGRY!! honestly..though i hate to say this..i think i'm beginning to miss Malaysian food. and guess what i missed today? LAKSA!!! yummyy..

and i'm not just physically hungry, i am also spiritually hungry for God. i don't know how to describe..and inner search and yearning for God. i need Jesus...hmm, don't wanna elaborate more here. if i want to say more..i'll write it in my spiritual diary. not here..

i'm gonna go eat maggi mee..tom yam flavor! hahaa!!

alone yet never alone..
beryl

Unashamed Love

Here's another song that i came across and like very much. I especially like the bridge part of the song..both the tune and lyrics. Really nice..

Unashamed Love-Ten Shekel Shirt
Album-Much

You're calling me to lay aside
The worries of my day
To quiet down my busy mind
And find a hiding place

Worthy You are worthy

I open my heart and let my
Spirit worship Yours
I open up my mouth and let a
Song of praise come forth

Worthy You are worthy

Of a childlike faith and
Of my honest praise
Of my unashamed love
Of a holy life and of my sacrifice
Of my unashamed love.

"precious one" .... beryl