nothing is truly mine

i gave my baby, my guitar to someone in my group. God was tugging on my heart for weeks to give it away. but then i realised that nothing is really mine anyway. i am only a steward of everything that i have. everything that i own belongs to God. so who am i to keep such valuable resources to myself when it could go to much better use? it feels good that resources can be put to good use :)

pinkflowers

I love flowers. pinkflowers are nice too :) very vibrant and happy looking

 

  

 

Instability

I was informed today that some actions are being taken at work because of the "high beach" rate. So i feel somewhat sad knowing that some people are being laid off. I know that I am not affected this round but I think that in the future, it is a possibility. So I feel sad.

What would i do if i did not have this job? I would have no visa and ultimately have to move back to Melbourne. Which would be sad...

In the end, God holds the future and I need to keep remembering that. If it is His will that I move home then that will happen.

beautiful

"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." - Ecc 3:11

i am very thankful to God. He pulled me through a very difficult last year and i can't believe that i am still here. He's been teaching me, and always challenging me to change. as my old irish housemate said, as time goes on, you become a different person. a week from now you're different. a month from now you're also completely different. this is quite true. every year, every week, every day i am here i feel i have become a different person. i think these changes have been good and has developed my character.

i believe i have already started the new chapter in my life. i wonder what will come my way in 2010 but i trust God completely because the future is in his hands. God is good.

Sun jar

I just arrived back in Beijing to be pleasantly suprised by a really awesome secret santa gift! a sun jar!


http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/994a/

Its so awesome :) there's a small solar panel in it, and it collects and stores the sunlight for the night time.

Net income of villagers $0.46 AUD a day!

A friend sent this to me. I was shocked actually. At first I thought it was monthly income, then confirmed that this income was per annum!

The net income of a villager is equivalent to $128 AUD a year!! Or $10.67 a month or 46 cents a day! Well below the poverty line!
Compared to an urban resident having $2525 AUD per annum or $6.90 AUD a day! The gap is huge.

Looking at these income figures, I feel like I really should do more to give to others and help people. All my money is God's. There is no reason for me to be selfish with anything that I have and there is no reason for me not to be content with what I have and live a simple life.

It is so easy to want to compare my current Chinese salary with what i was earning as a graduate in Melbourne or what I could be earning in any western country and sulk. But I must NOT forget that I am blessed by God no matter what I am earning and stop comparing and just do what I can for others. I am blessed so I can be a blessing.

pray for baby bubbles

my baby bunny's eye is in such a bad condition that my dad called me to ask me to pray. he's really worried about her because the vet isnt open now in the middle of the night.
i'm really worried about her too. i really love my bunny heaps. i wish i could hug her right now and watch her throughout the night. please pray that her eye will be ok.

faith in a future

i've been going through a lot in the past few months. but its during times like this when you realise just how good God is. he has really brought people around me to encourage, keep me company even when i've been home and i've just cried and cried my eyes out. and the amazing thing is, i havent outwardly seeked people but they have actually emailed/messaged me to ask about me which is nice. even old china friends.

even this past month, i've seen 3 friends from melbourne here. and caught up online with a few others. so he is good to me.

this past week wanz came and i've known her for 9 yrs now and we talked about good old uni days and all the crazy stuff we've gone through... its been good because its bringing me closure. even being down in the south of china with friends has helped. all very very old friends i've known for a decade. looking over the past and seeing where my life has come from... i really feel that i have changed and i'm a completely different person. he has been shaping and changing me all this time and i'm still learning/being shaped.

so this weekend, i looked through pics and thought that i could feel a new chapter approaching although i want to hold tightly on the past... (and in many ways still taking one day at a time)... i am excited to see what he has in store for me in the future. although i dont know what to expect and i cant see so far ahead and grasp unto concrete hope and goals, i know and i have faith now that there is a future for me.

in your freedom

I'm learning what it is to let go.
Sometimes as time goes on, I forget that all i have is what he offers me and all i really need is Jesus.
With letting go comes freedom... and greater intimacy.

"I search for You God of strength
I bow to You in my brokenness
And no other King could have so humbly come
To save my soul and heal my heart
I have nothing more than all You offer me
There is nothing else that’s of worth to me
And I love You Lord
You rescued me
You are all that I want
You’re all that I need
I pray to You God of peace
I rest in You my cares released
I have nothing more than all You offer me
There is nothing else that’s of worth to me
And I love You Lord
You rescued me
You are all that I want
You’re all that I need
In Your freedom I will live
In Your freedom I will live
I offer devotion, I offer devotion"

~In your freedom, Hillsong