undeserved

What did I do to receive such goodness? Such happiness? Such gentleness? Such peace in the faithfulness of God?

When I couldn't see past my nose, still You took care of me, guided me, protected me. All praise to you, Lord.

You are forever in my life

You see me through the seasons

Cover me with Your hand

And lead me in Your righteousness

And I look to You

And I wait on You

I'll sing to You Lord

A hymn of Love

For Your faithfulness to me

I'm carried in everlasting arms

You'll never let me go

Through it all

"Through it all", Hillsong United

surprised by joy

It was as if a veil that had hung before her inner consciousness had been lifted,
giving to her view a revelation of unsuspected feelings and realities. Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight
riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music; perhaps. . .
perhaps. . . love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship,
as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath.

...But the Anne who walked up the dark lane was not quite
the same Anne who had driven gaily down it the evening before.
The page of girlhood had been turned, as if by an unseen finger,
and the page of womanhood was before her with all
its charm and mystery, its pain and gladness.

Of Anne and Gilbert, Anne of Avonlea

My other favorite story =)

still I will say...

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." (James 1:2-3)

I'm so tired. I'm tired of never-ending assignments, of finding that one duty leads to another, of being confused by people issues, of finding that no matter how productive I try to be, how early I wake up and how late I try to stay up -- there is always something else requiring attention. And now my hands are paining from the load I've put on them and all my assignments are word-based.

I've already lessened my workload and still this happens.

Seriously, I've been wanting to give up. I've been wanting to scream and gripe about the woes that befall me.

Then the speaker at CF last week said something. He sensed that a lot of us were tired, and he said, "It's when you're tired that you must press on, you must persevere. For real love never gives up."

Well, he was talking about love, which at first thought doesn't relate. But if you think about God's kind of love, it makes sense. Love for the people asking for help. Love for God and for making sure all things honor Him. And if I give up, what would that say about my God? That He's such a defeatist? Forbid it!

And so I'm trying. I'm trying to count my blessings. I'm trying to not let the trials, little be they, eat at me. I try to continually focus on God that He'll be my strength. I remember Eunice mentioning how the more physically spent she was, the stronger she was spiritually, and am encouraged by that.

Oh that I would get there! That I would cling to His words, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9)!

And as I make it step by step, I've witnessed mini victories and mini miracles. And it's these little things that encourage me and remind me to say, "Lord, I will praise You regardless. Blessed are You, Lord."

Amen

for your eyes only

And such is your definition of matrimony and dancing. Taken in that light certainly, their resemblance is not striking; but I think I could place them in such a view. -- You will allow, 
that in both, man has the advantage of choice, woman only the power of refusal; that in both, 
it is an engagement between man and woman, formed for the advantage of each; and that when once entered into, they belong exclusively to each other till the moment of its dissolution; that it is their duty, each to endeavour to give the other no cause for wishing that he or she 
had bestowed themselves elsewhere, and their best interest to keep their own 
imaginations from wandering towards the perfections of their neighbours, or 
fancying that they should have been better off with anyone else.

Henry to Catherine, Northanger Abbey

no es muy fácil

And here comes another post with a list. Only that this is the list I've been promising but haven't published.

It's my 2012 resolution list.

I know, I know it's like... May already. But bear in mind that I've already been working on them. :)

And the resolutions, in no particular order, are...

• Read through the whole Bible
• Continue to keep fit through dancing, running, and swimming
• Don't let my Spanish learning die...
• Practice my Malay more
• Get organized and neat (I fear I've somehow become quite the absent-minded slob)
• Find direction for life after studies
• Finish my undergraduate program with dignity
• Grow as a woman in grace, truth, and commitment
• Love people 
• Seek God

I think the last two are constant reminders that will be there for every year.

So that's it. Tell me what you think. :)