fabulous pink

adore

Taken over at my new room, will be moving in end of July.

pink walls! ♥♥♥

I'm grateful for my new home, grateful for a new lovely 'studio' to work in (a corner in my bedroom), grateful for the large storage spaces & definitely grateful for my pink walls ;)

Linking up over at Much Love

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As I'm writing this, I can't help but reflect if that is all I'm grateful about, pretty shallow don't you think?

I guess even without all the excitement surrounding my new house, I'm just grateful to be alive & well.

as reminded from my devotion time last night "my goodness is nothing apart from You"

The world is not my home, a truth I need to be reminded of, not be sidetracked by the shiny toys of the world....

oil that never ceases

Source

I love my bible and read it almost daily (on some days I backslide / lazy / have lots of excuses). Today as I was reading about Elisha & the widow's oil, I found some spiritual nuggets that I have to share.

(if unfamiliar with the story, do refer here, just 9 verses!)

I'm a 3 year old Christian and did not grow up in a Christian background so do bear with what I have learned as I read the scriptures.

It says in verse 6 that as the jars were all filled and there was none left anymore, "so the oil ceased". While I have read this story a couple of times already, this verse suddenly came 'alive' to me. I learn that as long as we have a place in heart for God to fill us, as long as we desire Him, as long as there is a vessel within us that seeks His presence, He never stops indwelling us, in fact in increasing measure! Just like the oil ceased to flow when there were no more jars, we stop feeling the presence of God when other things in life begin to take over, be it worries or things we crave so deeply for.

I speak from my own experience, I would get so excited about a bead purchase that I couldn't stop thinking about it, even during my nightly devotion time, those shiny new beads never stop to twirl in my head and the bible just seem so boring compared to my latest loot. How deceived I was! In the end I felt emptier than ever as the bead parcel arrived. Little things that took my focus away, or in other words, I allowed created things to dethrone the rightful place of my Creator.

As much as I like making jewellery, I now know there is a need for a balance. Hobbies that delight my heart are certainly good and I thank God for them, yet I must make sure they never consume my thoughts and prayerfully, there is always a 'vessel' within me for God to fill! :)

I write this mainly as a note & reminder to self, yet at the same time I hope it speaks to you as well, thanks for reading!

 

ask and ye shall be given

I have a knack for stories, I like reading the lives and experiences of ordinary people, which leads me to books like Chicken Soup. My mum bought me the teenage ones & another called 'tough stuff' when I was younger. The other day I re-read Cup of Comfort: for Christians (mum bought this 4 years ago when I wasn't a Christian yet but I enjoyed reading it anyway) and I casually mentioned I would like to buy Chicken Soup for Christians, while lamenting how expensive it was (books are generally expensive here in Malaysia!)

published in 1997

No, I didn't get it in the end, I don't feel rich yet ;)

Couple days later mum was dusting the shelves and out of the corner of my eye I saw Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul. I have totally forgotten about this, it was given to me by dad's colleague during a tough time in life. Didn't matter that it wasn't what I specifically wanted, I felt like a little prayer of mine is answered, hallelujah! (I didn't even pray actually, I always feel things like these are too small matters for prayers. I certainly have got more to learn, the fact that He knows when a strand of hair falls from my head, nothing is too insignificant then)

Like mum said 'see? ask and it shall be given!'

Like I said, I did not ask, but He knows better ;)