Fai†hfully Preparing my Fields for the Rain

:: A Shellfish Story ::

Once upon a time, there was a shellfish collector.

He works hard everyday, spends very little, saves up alot just so he could fill up his empty fish tank.

He never puts any fish inside... only decorated it with some rocks that he handpicked.

So his younger brother asked him why don't he put any fishes inside, and this is what he said.

Do you know that girls are like oysters?

They come in different shape and sizes but their value are pretty much the same.

Only after you spend enough time with them and maybe they will willingly open themselves up then you see their real value.

Most have nothing inside that will appeal to you but few will have that special something that you just like.

You get tempted to grab it for selfish reasons but when you reach out and try to grab it, they'll stay shut from you for the rest of their life.

In the world today, most people will use various methods to look for these pearls, just throwing a whole net, catching a whole bunch of them, then they use heat and force to pry open every one of them leaving all of them broken and hurt and that is really a cruel thing to do.

But fortunately, there are some that naively but patiently waited for them to willingly open and after finding the one that has the special something that they are looking for, they will quickly go back and make an artificial home for it so that they can bring it home where they will continue to wait faithfully.

Until one day, slowly but surely, the specially picked shell will open itself again to reveal the wonderful glow inside for all to see.

Then everyone will be awed and they will praise them for having such a beauty in the house.

"A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man." 1 Corinthians 11:7

With that, the shellfish collector ended his story and went back to fill up his tank with greens to beautify it even more.

Then he went back to work so he could eventually buy and put a castle in the fish tank for that special oyster he's been waiting to put in there.

p.s. All oysters have the potential to make beautiful pearls. But finding one requires you to be in the right place at the right time. So be patient for there is a time for everything. Don't worry, if it's not yours, it will not be yours; if it is, it will be. The ocean is bigger than you think it is. You will find yours eventually.

Had a Vision
on Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 8:28 PM

:: A Time For Everything. ::

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A Time for Everything

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

I had a vision of everyone forcing me into a curled up position where I started to web myself and turn into a cocoon.

Then suddenly out of the cocoon I burst into millions of butterflies.

Had a Vision
on Tuesday, June 22, 2010, 10:32 PM

:: First ICT ::

The first thing that comes to mind is 'haiz...'

What to do?

Today YuHan asked me if I going the basketball thing but I told her I didn't like basketball yet my inner voice told me to go so I wanted to go a little yet another voice tells me go parkway instead so I was caught in a dilemma until she said to me, "Don't do what makes you feel uncomfortable."

But sometimes, we don't really have a choice do we? Like where I'm going in 6 hrs time... Very uncomfortable but still must do.

I felt a little down just now having to realise settlers isn't really tt nice, and also the fact tt I lost.

I felt happy later after going so many places today. No regrets hanging out with Weicong, Shuiting, Shuiling, Xueting, Shilong, Jonnie, Stephanie and my sis. A very very odd group cos we come from different cells.

Then I recieved a call from my fren telling me I have to stay in for the week so I felt down again... until near the end of the day at this ice-cream place where we talk about all the fun times we had during all the church/youth camps.

I lightened up and also feel a little happy, cos I've decided to help out for this year's church/youth camp. Now I know what I can do during my free time in camp! I can think of ideas for this year's camp!

I shouldn't worry... because the bible says this,

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me" - John 15:1

Amen! =)

Had a Vision
on Sunday, June 06, 2010, 11:55 PM

:: Stories of Three Trees ::

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."

Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."

Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

Had a Vision
on Tuesday, June 01, 2010, 12:54 AM