Monday, February 12, 2007

Baggage

Baggages...

We all have them. Either the baggages from the consequences of something we have done in the past or from something someone has done to us in the past.

In our daily routine, it is easy to hide our baggages. In fact, we purposely suppresse these baggages to keep the pain from resurfacing and from hurting ourselves or others again.

As we journey through life we get hurt, we get wounded, and we end up carrying these debts the people owe us and is like we carry them everywhere we go. And after awhile these bags get heavy, don't they? And they can end up making the journey exhausting.
~Rob Bell, 007 Luggage
And as God weaves two lives together in a relationship, these baggages are exposed. Wounds are reopened. Pain resurfaces. Because of this, there is an even greater tendency to hold on tightly to these baggages and to hide them. However, if it is God's hands that weaves this two lives together, these pains and wounds will be covered by the love of the other and by the love of God.

And that the beauty of a transparent relationship - the baggages no longer makes the journey exhausting, but enjoyable.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Under the Microscope

I guess the scary, yet exciting, part of being in a relationship is people around you observe you under the microscope. You become the talk and the gossip among friends. People start to speculate how far the relationship will go, and how are the two as a couple.

Many people will find this scary to be under the eye and constant scrutiny for those around them. Then why is this exciting? Inevitably, the couple is witnessing - whether it is good witness or bad witness. And that is SO cool... this is a few instances people "want" to be witnessed to. And if the relationship leads to marriage, this might be the ONE opportunity that friend or family will step inside a church and head the Gospel.

Learning from my high school councilor, Felix, this is the attitude I have been taking in my relationship with Jenny. Keeping in mind, before every action I take or before every word I say I would think about how would my congregation react. How would they see me as a witness to them? More importantly, Jenny being the only Christian in her family, how would her father see our relationship? How about her grandma? And her brothers, Evan and Phivan? Even her aunt and cousins in Hong Kong! I find myself falling in love with her family because I long to see the day they accept the love of Christ into their hearts. Please join me in prayers for them.

Last but not least, there are Jenny's high school friends too: Robyn, Jennifer, Christina, Clare, Annie, Damaris and Fred (and of course baby Diego). Called to be witness... according to God's purpose.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses...
~Acts 1:8ff

Love and blessings,
Joel