the joy of friendship … tulips hand carried all the way from US… THANK YOU FRIEND.

the Pleiades and the Orion

It’s a song from the 60′s by Ralph CarmichaelIn the stars His handiwork I see, On the wind He speaks with majesty, Though He ruleth over land and sea, What is that to me? I will celebrate Nativity, For it has a place in history, Sure, He came to set His people free, What is that to me?Till by faith I met Him face to face, and I felt the wonder of His grace, Then I knew that He was more  than just a God who didn’t care, That lived a way out there andNow He walks beside me day by day, Ever watching o’er me lest I stray, Helping me to find that narrow way, He’s Everything to me.

He who holds the stars in space holds His people in His hands

Job 38:31-33

31 “Can you bind the chains[a] of the Pleiades?    Can you loosen Orion’s belt?

32 Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons[b]    or lead out the Bear[c] with its cubs?

33 Do you know the laws of the heavens?    Can you set up God’s[d] dominion over the earth?

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ‘Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.’ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the LORD. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. Jeremiah 18:1-6 NIV 

the sentence,  ‘shaping it as seemed best to him….‘ is interesting.

This passage reminded me of a si-jie at the pottery club one day asking me what was I trying to make with the lump of clay on my hands. My answer was : ‘I don’t know… see how it shaped up, a cup, a teapot or join the messed up clay for the next task…’. This is very true for a beginner like me. I would like to throw a teapot but ended up as a simple container.

However this is not so with God. He is not inexperienced but the expert. Probably, the clay is not cooperating, struggling to be ‘something else’  and thus ended as a mess. And therefore God has to shape it as seemed best to him. Thank God that what ‘seemed best to him’ is better than what we think is ‘ the ‘best’.

 

Today’s bible reading and devotion…

Psalm 18:1-15

¹ I love you, LORD, my strength.

 ² The LORD is my rock (MY SECURITY and MY STABILITY), my fortress and my deliverer;    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,    my shield^[b] (the one who guards and keep me safe) and the horn^[c] of my salvation (my Strength when I am week) , my stronghold (the one whom i run for refuge).

 TYG and PTL. I am grateful.

Psalm 77

^{….  3}I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
⁶ I remembered my songs in the night.
….

¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
   yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
…..

What would you remember … the year 2010? 

the good… the bad.. the difficult… the discouragement… the disappointment… the pain… the laughter… the joy…

the sadness… the loss… the bewilderment… the despair… the doubts… the questions… the surprises… the challenges… the regrets… the have’s … the have not’s … the fulfilled dreams… the answered prayers… the crisis … the event… the happening… the flights… the struggles… the quarrels… the gifts… the presents… the learning…

  Psalm 77:11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;  yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

Went for Christmas service at Wesley. One is never too early if you want to sit at the main hall.   Interesting Christmas songs… 1st time hearing them but I like the songs… Heaven’s Child, words and music by Lindsey Arr Camp Kirland and Tom Fettke… A cradle in the shadow of a cross, words and music by Dorothy L Smith/Arr Richard Kingsmore… The Virgin Mary had a baby boy, traditional and Tom Fettke/Arr Camp Kirkland and Tom Fettke… and some old favourites like Joy to the World, O Come all ye faithful, Hard the herald angels sing, what child is this and …

The message was interesting too… REFUGE (E) Jesus is our refuge. We can take refuge in Jesus. Can we be a refuge to those displaced?

At least this Christmas did not whizz by untouched. Had to wake up Early… less sleep but worth the trip to remember the birth of Christ and the purpose of God… Emmanuel God with us.

No snow in Singapore but raining like dogs and cats and it’s just as cold.

My eldest nephew is now working in Jiujiang China working nd it was snowing on Christmas day… wow a white christmas…

White Christmas… beautiful and awesome.

 a nigerian lady on the plane… in a Kaba which is basically a single piece dress. She wore a bright orange kaba with big lace flower mottifs and gele, a head gear. It is a rectangular piece of cloth that be tied in different ways to give different looks. I’m fascinated by the colors and the head gear.

 

And of course the flamboyant african prints… beautiful… colourful… rich and intense.

 And african art pieces … feast for the eyes…

   

 the deserts are yummy…

 pizza.. rice pizza from Hokkaido… were lovely to look at..

WE HAD A GOOD TIME.