All is Vanity

~~ Even the most beautiful flower will wilt after it blooms in all its glory 🥀 ~~

This morning my heart feels “uneasy”. I have felt this kind of “emotions” several times before.

Just like the King Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 1, “all is vanity”.

Have a read at the whole chapter, here I’m just going to write some from verses 8-9,

“All things are full of weariness;

A man cannot utter it;

the eye is not satisfied with seeing,

nor the ear filled with hearing.

What has been is what will be,

and what has been done is what will be done,

and there is nothing new under the sun”.

Then I come in to my studio and the picture above is my view, it resonates with my heart at the “right” time.

Following the world trends and fashion will not take us anywhere further if we look it from the eternal point of view,

and even to have a “happy family”, “good children”, “healthy and happy marriage”, “stable and good paying job”,

“successful business”, “excellent grades” – in thousand years time from now, would all of these still matter…?

.

Eternity means “a state to which #time has no application; #timelessness”.

If we are to live in eternity even after we pass away and not be bounded by our mortal body anymore, would the things in this world matter…?

.

If not, what matters then?

What kind of faith matters?

What kind of obedience matters?

What kind of worship matters?

What kind of pursue matters?

What kind of passions and zeals matter?

Whose kingdom matters?

Whose beauty matters?

Whose honor matters?

Ecclesiastes 1:14

“I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind”.

#fromdusttodust

#crunchynatsjournal

#mythoughtsmylife

“The Thing About Perfection”

My version of the “Pot Marigold”

There isn’t such thing.

Perfection only belongs to the God who created the universe out of His divine wisdom.

I believe in “practice makes progress”, not necessarily “practice makes perfect”.

There is always a room to improve, heart to be taught, mind to be renewed, and life to be changed.

Good things can grow from imperfect things, so “perfect” doesn’t always have to be the purpose.

Take delight in the process,

Have joy in the waiting time.

And hello my soul,

Waiting doesn’t always mean unproductive,

Sometimes it gives time of ripening.

It is okay not to be perfect.

“The good life is a #process,

Not a state being.

It is a #direction,

Not a destination”

– Carl Rogers

“30 Days of Gratitude”

Hello good morning all!

I couldn’t believe it is almost November already! Only two months left in 2016 ~ am getting older by this end of the year #Decembergirl 😄

Speaking of month of November, in US they celebrate thanksgiving day on the 24th. In Australia we don’t celebrate it as much as they do ceremonially in the States, but let’s take a purposeful step by taking up this challenge “30 Days of gratitude”!

HOW?

“30 Days of Gratitude” for the month of November

I found this image from Pinterest and have printed it into a cute size to have it handy on my working desk as a reminder. If you’d also like to join in just print it out too and/or journal it somewhere 😉

I will be posting the answer/challenge for each day on my Instagram @crunchynat and will be using a hashtag #my30daysofgratitudejournal because I like to refer it back in the future and simply count my blessings! 😊

Well that’s it I guess for now ~

1 Thes 5:18

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”.

God bless you my friends! 

“Home”

 

I am most belong in You…

 
People say that persons closest to you (in smallest scope: family) are the easiest one to hurt your feelings. 

Not because they don’t love you, but because they don’t have to put their guards up, nor any mask on. 

This is the place where we can just be who we are. It’s as if we are prone to “speak first and think later” and becoming less considerate when it comes to their feelings compared with our treatment to our friends/acquaintances. 

But we know this shouldn’t be. 

The place where we are most accepted and can become genuinely ourselves – this should be the MOST precious place that deserve our foremost love, care, and priority, right? 

Then again, other than our own family, there is the Greatest Person who loves us mostly for who we are, simply because He created us, and we belong to Him. 

No condemnation, only grace. 

Shouldn’t He become the most treasured Person above all, who deserves our most life dedication…? 

Just an evening pondering when I frame my artwork with the written quote 🙂

#crunchynatsjournal

“We are All the Unprofessionals”

reflection from Sunday sermon

“Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?..” – Gal 3:3

My pastor gave a truth-revealing analogy yesterday, about (let’s call “an unprofessional”) who’s trying to reach the mountain top of Himalayas 🗻 by using readily available helicopter 🚁 from the headquarter, but in the midst of his journey he forced the helicopter to drop him off to the ground so that he could continue his (hardest!) journey end to the top by foot. 

Do you call this as heroic, or simply foolish? 

For the professionals, they may get sense of satisfaction and achievement from climbing to the top without any help other than their own tools. But when we’re talking about “being saved and going to heaven”, can we say that we are all “the unprofessionals”, and this act is, like what Paul said, “foolish”. 

Adding some good works, some extra commitments, some extra sacrifice out of mere human efforts on top of God’s grace to “finish the race well” won’t help us anywhere far from spiritual tiredness and boredom and exhaustion. 

Faith + work does NOT equal to salvation. But faith = salvation + good fruitful works.

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose” – Phil 2:13

Nothing to boast. 

Very blessed by the sermon yesterday indeed, so much to chew on and praying that Holy Spirit will reveal more and enable me to live on it. 

“Standard of Grace, Not Perfection”

 

my artwork and inspiration behind it 🙂

I’m not a 100% perfectionist but I tend to try to make some things as “perfect” as possible, esp for things that require huge leap of faith before I decide to jump into.
Problem? It’s called leap of faith – FAITH – it’s something unseen and uncertain in some ways. No matter how hard I try to make things go perfectly, I will not know until I make the actual step (and things can still go wrong!).
So, I decide to write this quote to go along with my artwork I’m working on for somebody’s birthday gift this time as a special encouragement to my own self who still needs lots of assurance over certain things that need me to surrender my fear and worry totally to God, and I hope the person gets this will also be encouraged in the same way. 
Some of you may experience the same worry or fear over other matters that require you to make important life decisions and major leap of faith, let us hold on tight to God’s grace (and this is what I’m gonna do). 

Grace allows imperfection and rooms for error, but I believe grace isn’t about being idleness nor stationary either.

Pray to God and talk to Him all the way and I believe He will bring us through to that point of whether we should, or should not, say “yes” to the decision/s. He is with us and in us, and He also cares.

Winning the Much Higher Prize

 

Morning Sweet Delight

 
Yesterday felt like no ordinary Wednesday bcos there were some great news happening, one of them was we won a grand prize of family annual pass to Sealife Melbourne from a competition I entered throughh Instagram (Aimee really love going there) so yeah it will save us some money in future lol. 

Then this morning when I read the above verse, there is a soft voice from the Holy Spirit in my heart telling me (not in exact words but more or less:) “Nat, press on to win THIS heavenly price” 👑 

Then I feel a glimpse of sorrow somehow in my heart, thinking how I (human nature) easily become happy and overjoy with worldly things, rewards and promotions I receive. They are not necessarily wrong, surely they are also precious blessings from God the loving Father to His child. 

Perhaps the ache more relates to how I should be overjoyed even more for this heavenly reward that God has prepared, to keep obeying Him and treasuring Him above all else in this world. Everyday we just have to fight for these worldly things to not having the 1st place in our heart.. 

But I believe this life quest shouldn’t be an unhealthy pressure to my spiritual walk in Christ. Instead, His perfect love and help from Holy Spirit are there to support me along the way. 

Maybe the key is to just (look at the word I wrote from yesterday’s prayer journal):

yes, to surrender!

Blessed to be A Blessing

good morning from my desk 😄

Sometimes I wish I had more money in order to be able to bless others financially, or to be more thoughtful to bless others emotionally, or to be more available to bless others physically. But through my past experiences, I don’t need to wait until I have that “more” to become blessing to others.

Of course, priorities have to be set well. Can’t assist others yet forsaking my own family’s needs. But when there’s a will, God always provides the way. And even the desire to bless others without personal gain only comes from Him alone, so nothing to boast at all in the end.

I realize God can use me with the way I am now, I don’t need to wait until I have that “more”s.

This particular verse really gave me strength and continues to whenever I have to give (bless) others despite of my feeling of lacking: 

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” – 2 Cor 9:8

By His grace alone, we can bless others and be abundant in good works. 
Have a blessed hump day 😇

November 1st 2014

So here I am… Sitting on a black stool, newspaper in front of me, a cup of coffee, and… typing my thoughts on my iPhone, updating this blog through the mobile app to be exact, and the surrounding background: car service place with free wifi loll.. Yeah it’s pretty cosy here, waiting for our regular car service with my hubby and daughter :p

Today is November already, and just couldn’t believe it’s only another month left (or two actually) before the year ends! Meanwhile, some things in my to-do-lists (and THAT new year resolutions) are still left ‘postponed’ (haha..) such as that necessity of obtaining driving license (huge procrastinator…) *ugh :p

Some important lessons are well-taught and well-learnt too, particularly related to friendship.. Yeah, not all people calling themselves as “friend” are genuinely friend (not a suprising fact anymore I suppose hehe), and still have struggles here and there in motherhood and life in general (who doesn’t *wink), but I am SO thankful for a big progress that my daughter has made in terms of her character and obedience as she entered her 3rd birthday in September. For this, I know the credit goes to God and His Holy Spirit; who else can change someone’s heart, not excluding my 3-yr old kid 😉

Anddd… We have moved to our new house recently! I think no words could describe how I and my husband are very amazed and grateful by God’s goodness and grace… So yes, we are very thankful for our faithful God, and this sentence still can’t describe to the degree of how much we are truly, well, thankful to God.. 🙂

I think all the problems I’m facing or have had are actually quite “ordinary”. Beating that insecurity that sometimes creeping in, challenges in motherhood and marriage life, financial, ministry, personal growth in Christ, facing some emotional challenges etc etc.. Indeed Jesus said here in the world we will surely be facing troubles in whatever forms.

John 16:33 ~ “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

So I really thank Jesus for He’s always there for me through all stages of my life. He knows all of my thoughts and feelings and I can have my rest, feeling secured to tell all to Him having nothing to hide because He judges me nothing and loves me unconditionally. He empowers me to do things that I think or perceive as impossible or too difficult just so I know that when they do happen, they are definitely not by my own will or effort – only by His grace.

So hmm yeah I think that’s just a quick update from me in this blog.. The more I see how crook I am, the lesser I need to judge others, the more I am thankful for His grace that continually forgives AND changes me. I am indeed the justified sinner. Yes, am not ashamed to say that I am a sinner, because I am and that’s why God found me 🙂

Romans 5:8 ~ “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”