Lord, blessed be Your name.

Thank you God for a wonderful family; for parents who love me and sisters who are my friends.

Thank you God for caring friends; for friends who make me feel happier and make me smile.

Thank you God for my class. Truly you have put me in such a wonderfully united class for a reason and for that, I thank you.

And God, thank you for you.

There is a hope so sure (Graham Kendrick)
There is a hope so sure
A promise so secure
The mystery of God
At last made known
Treasures so vast appear
All wisdom, knowledge here
It’s Christ in us
The hope of glory!

Chorus:
And the life that I now live
No longer is my own
Jesus lives in me
The hope of glory
And each day I live
No longer is my own
Jesus lives in me
The hope of glory

There is a life so true
A life of love so pure
For all our sin
A perfect sacrifice
And when that life was nailed
On cruel cross impaled
Our sinful flesh
With him was crucified
(Chorus)

There is a life so strong
That a whole world of wrong
And all the powers of hell
Could not defeat
For Jesus rose again
And if we died with him
With him we’ll rise
To share his endless life
(Chorus)

why, oh, why?

Yesterday I found out that my mum has macular degeneration. At first it seemed awfully unfair for her to get it, after all she’s gone through. And to be honest, it scared and still does scare me that perhaps she might lose her sight. At times like these, I end up wondering why on earth it has to be her, her out of the billions. Yes, I do feel bitter at these times; bitter when I remember the times that scared and still scare me so, and now the prospect that terrifies me. And yet, Mummy seemed least affected about the news, she was sitting in the dim light (because it is too hard for her to see in bright light) and reading up about it. It was Daddy and I who were upset about it. If you ask me ‘why’, I would have no answer. I asked Mummy why she didn’t seem so bothered about it and she replied, “This is merely a worsening of a current situation. I’ve already can’t see in my right eye, so perhaps I’ve been prepared for it.”

And you wonder why I feel that it’s laughable when people start praying about their grades? Or stressing out? It’s all well and good to be concerned, and God doesn’t treat you any less lightly than those who are dying. I too am guilty of being short-sighted. But we always forget that we are truly so blessed. We have so much. And there are always people who are worse off than us. Never forget this when you complain and maybe you’ll stop complaining.

I need strength to carry on for the rest of the week. I haven’t done my work and right now it doesn’t seem like I can.
Forgive me, Lord.

25 “To whom will you compare me?
  Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
  Who created all these?
  He who brings out the starry host one by one,
  and calls them each by name.
  Because of his great power and mighty strength,
  not one of them is missing.

27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
  and complain, O Israel,
  “My way is hidden from the LORD;
  my cause is disregarded by my God”?

28 Do you not know?
  Have you not heard?
  The LORD is the everlasting God,
  the Creator of the ends of the earth.
  He will not grow tired or weary,
  and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
  and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
  and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
  will renew their strength.
  They will soar on wings like eagles;
  they will run and not grow weary,
  they will walk and not be faint.
-Isaiah 40:25-31

I don’t really care about marble eagles anymore. Put them up if you want or tear them down on your blogs. It’s meaningless anyway.
Father, forgive me when I ask why you disregard me. Help me realise that you are bigger than any circumstance that I’m in, and please give me strength.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
  neither are your ways my ways,”
  declares the LORD.

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
  so are my ways higher than your ways
  and my thoughts than your thoughts.
-Isaiah 55:8-9

Funnily enough, I had read this out during last week’s prayer meeting.
Dear God, I cannot comprehend your ways and forgive me when I demand an explanation. I know that you care for me, more than anyone else can or will.

And so,
 2 “I know that you can do all things;
  no plan of yours can be thwarted.

3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’
  Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
  things too wonderful for me to know.

4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
  I will question you,
  and you shall answer me.’

5 My ears had heard of you
  but now my eyes have seen you.

6 Therefore I despise myself
  and repent in dust and ashes.”
-Job 42:2-6

Now I think about the past week and months, I am struck by how I’ve been so concerned about ephemeral and self-centred things, about my feelings, my hurt, problems and pain that now seems oh so meaningless. Who cares if I have no answers or am left wondering? In times like these, I am told to move on; to let go, and finally let The Physician finish the job that I have been unable to allow Him to work on.