Monday, February 25, 2008

Redeemed

Since when did I stop writing? Since when did I feel empty when about to put life into words?

I figured that there should be at least one cool story i could write since the last blog entry was in October...yes...you got it right...that long. But again, as I'm staring at the screen, my head is white blank. Human's mind is incomprehensible for me. At one moment, thoughts are flowing like a flood of water. Not a long while later, they are stuck in mud.

Right now it's 8:17 in the morning. The song "We Fall Down" is cooling the room down. The neighborhood is all silent since the rush hour has already passed. And I'm sitting alone, feeling a bit drowsy, in this room.

City life is interesting. Now I'm at my friend/ sister's room in Bangna, somewhere in Bangkok. I'd say it's a middle size community. There're a pool, a gym, a mini mart, a bookstore, a basketball court, a music school, an international school, some restaurants and coffeeshops, a church and a whole bunch of buildings.

This morning, after I got up, I was peering out of my window to look around, and it struck me what a limited life one can get into. Across from my room, a lady stretching her arms, yawning and scratching her head while getting ready for work. Two floors up, a half-awake guy in shorts standing at the balcony smoking his cigarette letting his mind drift off somewhere. It came to me...I feel sorry for these people. I don't know why...but it just hit me. Not only these particular neighborhood but those men and women who have to wake up every morning only to fill their day. It's just sad and depressing. It's all vanity. We are easily satisfied with the engaged busyness, the so-called romance the world offers us which most of it lasts not too long or the practical religious system which makes one feel worthwhile.

Then I thought of a scene from the movie, "the Sound of Music" when the girl, Mary, was running joyously on the top of the hill and singing as if to the whole world and ,of course, God. Every time I think of the scene, it's freeing. There's freedom in that certain shot. She is all exposed to the nature around her...but much more than that...her heart is exposed to the Calling above. And even her body is caged behind the gate of the church, she knows that there is freedom in everything she does because her heart is set free.

My friend, Nookie, introduced me to one of Chris Tomlin's songs - Amazing Grace (my chains are gone). Amazing Grace is forever my favorite hymn but with this new chorus, it made me choke with tears. It goes:

"My chains are gone Ive been set free
My God my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love Amazing Grace"

We should not be limited by area space though we must admit that we have such limited capacity. We should not be trapped in a cage of unhealed wounds, unforgotten past and unforgiven sins. We, God's people, have that freedom. We are no longer the PoW. We are freemen and we are all who we want to be in our Redeemer.

Books Corner

  • Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
  • Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado
  • Heavenly Man, The by Brother Yun with Paul Hattaway
  • Hind's Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard.
  • In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham & Dean Merrill.
  • Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati
  • Irresistible Revolution, The by Shane Claiborne
  • Jonathan, the Prince by Francine Rivers
  • Left Behind Series by Jerry B. Jenkins & Tim Lahaye
  • Lineage of Grace, The by Francine Rivers.
  • Lord of The Rings, The by J.R.R. Tolkien.
  • Prayer by Philip Yancey
  • Redeeming Love, The by Francine Rivers.
  • Soul Survivor by Philip Yancey
  • Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller