All around

What a pleasant surprise!

Totally unexpected but I was touched. And happy, of course.

Just when I felt the new venture has cost me the time with family and friends. Deprived of a routine hours, the commitment and lifestyle switch has left me wondering whether it was worth it... Dear God, what is it that you want me to see? Dear God, what is it that you want me to do?

I know that every twist and turn that our lives takes has a reason... oblivious as we are at the point...I know. However, I can't help a feeling of emptiness. I've closed a chapter. I'll move on. But part of me has been left with my travelling companions. I can only be with you in spirit and in prayers.

I miss that non-commercial companionship... that non-conditional giving and serving. It was clear that my relationship with God must supercede all other things and my service yeans no returns but THANK YOU, GOD. Thank you for these companions.

Thank you, my companions for not failing to appear when I miss you. The new road for me may be dusty and lonesome but with God, I know that I'm not alone. With you, I know that I take with me part of you and part of your companionship.

Kentigern

new steps, new journey

It hath begun
this new journey
To some this is a new step,
to others it is simply continuing along the road
What road do we speak of?
It might not be the tar road we see,
a rocky path, a sandy beach; a winding track, a grassy plain,
to each his own, how true this is
But fret not friends, for as different as it might seem to be,
remember,
the paths we see for ourselves have been beaten for us long before
Yes dear friends,
it is Jesus who has prepared this way for us.
A road less travelled? Maybe.
But it is a road fit for travelling is it not?
And as this blog already says, We Are Travelling Companions
so let us now take that step
one at a time, no worries, God will be there waiting.
Along this road we go,
helping others as we do,
whilst others help us too.
To one and all, may this be a wonderful new journey.
Amen.

Yes, Crucify Him.

"Crucify him!" i said as loudly as i dared when Pontius Pilate asked what we wanted to do with Jesus.

when he asked a second time, i said more loudly, though my heart was breaking because i knew the outcome of the trial and i knew jesus would die because of me.

"CRUCIFY HIM!!!".... in the moment those words came out of me, i felt as if time had wrapped itself up and all of it - from the beginning to eternity from now - all met on one plane, enmeshed in that singular period when all of humanity, now long dead and gone, now yet to be borne, screamed out in one voice, "C R U C I F Y H I M !!!!!"

i hate my part in the Palm Sunday Gospel reading. we are always the crowd, the ingrates who shouted for Pontius Pilate to crucify Jesus.

as the thought of just how much i hate the lines i had came to mind, the recognition also sank in, with that sensation again of time folding in upon itself, that i am fully responsible for His crucifixion.

just minutes ago, we had been waving palms as the priest and his entourage of altar boys processed passed us into the church. i waved Christ in with mixed emotions...

... with joy because i know that i had shared in the momentous event in history when Jesus Christ himself (!!!) rode past me on a donkey and i saw him through others' bobbing heads and frantic waves of their palms!

... but also with sorrow as i knew that minutes later i would be one of the same people who welcomed him, to want him crucified.

i was a part of that great unfolding that led to the world being saved. with heaviness of heart, a great, big lump in my throat and a desire to be a part of those Jesus died for, if that is what it takes to accept His love as well, i mustered enough courage to admit my failings and enough strength to not break into tears as i uttered: "C R U C I F Y H I M".


joyce

missing

we are one month to Baptism... one month to seeing our Elect grow wings and fly away.

we just came back from our retreat....

AND NOBODY HAS ANY STORY TO SHARE!?!?!?

joyce

Faith, Hope, Love

Hope,
it is for those who need it,
for those who believe;
He who gives us hope,
would wish that in turn we administer it,
to offer it freely to those who seek it,
to give strength to others.
Faith,
for how else to have hope,
but through this simple act?
If we were to give hope to others,
we would need faith in Him;
With faith in Him do we draw others too,
to believe in Him,
to seek hope in Him.
Love,
the purest thing and origin of all,
without this all above is naught;
He who loved us so,
died so we may live.
With faith of His love,
in the hope we experience,
in the strength we draw,
it is only through His love.


-Shawn

Tarts Challenge

For some reason unknown even to myself, I decided to make prawn keropok and pineapple tarts for this year's Chinese New Year. Given the size of the project which was overwhelming for an amateur like me, I asked for help from a dear friend in the RCIA community lest the project ended up in failure.

It was sheer hard work; chopping the pineapples, grating it, boiling it, mixing the flour, frying the keropok, shaping the tarts and baking them. I wonder if my poor friend had a twinge of regret about coming; after all she worked so hard during the week and she certainly deserved a rest on Sunday!

In the course of the afternoon I discovered a talent of my friend which I couldn't have known from working with her in church. Whilst I was struggling to make decent shapes from the dough, she was effortlessly coming up with nicely shaped tarts! The jam she put on the tarts was really pleasing to the eye whilst mine looked as if it was an afterthought. I am under no illusion of my artistic talent and my consolation is my better half has always been more interested in the taste than the appearance of the food I manage to cook.

I am so glad to have spent a back-breaking afternoon with my friend and in the process, discovered a talent of my friend that I doubt I could associate it with her given her profession and everything about her. That got me thinking, very often, we form impressions and perhaps even judge based on what we see and encounter on a superficial level. We don't stay on long enough to want to find out more that may challenge our initial impressions and thoughts. No wonder God said to Samuel "... I do not judge as man judges." How true.

Melissa