God at Work

In the beginning God created...

The Bible begins with these famous words. God, like an artist, fashioned a universe. How can we grasp the grandeur of this?

Michelangelo, perhaps the greatest artist in history, may help us to understand. He painted Rome's famous Sistine Chapel to retell Genesis' story of creation. His experience proves one thing: creativity is work.

An Exhausting Effort
Michelangelo had 6,000 square feet of ceiling to cover - the size of four average house roofs. Anyone who as painted a ceiling with a paint roller has caught a hint of the physical difficulty of such task. But Michelangelo's plan called for 300 separate, detailed portraits of men and women. For more than three years the 5'4" artist devoted all his labors to the exhausting strain of painting the vast overhead space with his tiny brushes.


Sometimes he painted standing on a huge scaffold, a paintbrush high over his head. Sometimes he sat, his nose inches from the ceiling. Sometimes he painted while lying on his back. His back, shoulders, neck and arms cramped painfully.
In the long days of summer, he had light to paint 17 hours a day, taking food and a chamber pot with him on the 60-foot scaffold. For 30 days at a stretch he slept in his clothes, not even taking off his boots. Paint dribbled into his eyes so he could barely see. Freezing in the winter, sweating in the summer, he painted until at last the ceiling looked like a ceiling no more. He had transformed it into the creation drama, with creatures so real they seemed to breathe. Never before of since have paint and plaster been so changed.


The Miracle of Life
But, as Michelangelo knew very well, his work was a poor, dim image of what God had created. Over the plaster vault of the Sistine Chapel rose the immense dome of God's sky, breathtaking in its simple beauty. Mountains, seas, the continents - all these, and much more, are the creative work of God, the Master Artist.
God's world, so much bigger and more beautiful than Michelangelo's masterpiece, is the product of incomparably greater energy. As author Eugene Peterson has written, "The Bible begins with the announcement, 'In the beginning God created,' not 'sat majestic in the heavens' and not 'was filled with beauty and love.' He created. He did something. "

In the beginning, God went to work...

(Introduction to the Book of Genesis, which I committed to study again)

Painter of Light

I went to Placerville, California several years ago and while I was strolling down the streets, going in and out of stores, I came across this painting gallery. Something about the name of the artist that rang the bell in my mind. I watched an interview in TBN while I was in Jakarta about this unique and talented man.




The Artist
Thomas Kinkade is America's most collected living artist. Coming from a modest background, Kinkade emphasizes simple pleasures and inspirational messages through his paintings. As a devout Christian, Kinkade uses his gift as a vehicle to communicate and spread inherent life-affirming values.

It was while growing up in the small town of Placerville, California that these important values were nurtured. It was also during this time that Kinkade began to explore the world around him. He spent a summer on a sketching tour with a college friend, producing the best-selling instructional book, The Artist's Guide to Sketching. The success of the book landed the two young artists at Ralph Bakshi Studios to create background art for the animated feature film Fire and Ice. It was also during this time that Kinkade began to explore light and imaginative worlds with abandon.

After the film, Kinkade earned his living as a painter, selling his originals in galleries throughout California. In 1982, he married his childhood sweetheart, Nanette, and two years later they began to publish his art.

Painter of Light
During my visit to his gallery in Placerville, I noticed one thing. There were light switch near most of those paintings. The guide in that gallery showed me how to switch on the lights and played with the different brightness and saw how those lights effected the paintings. It was interesting.
During the interview in TBN, Paul Crauch asked Mr Kinkade of how he would want to be known. Mr. Kinkaid said that he want to be known as The Painter of Light.



How interesting to hear that. I am amazed of the unique talent of this man who could put lights in all his paintings capturing the best colors nature can offer.

Yet, to think of Thomas Kinkaid, The Painter of Light, I can't help to wonder in amazement of The Great Artist, The Master Painter, Who does His paintings and stroke His brushes, applying the beautiful colors by the words of His mouth. God has in his painting studio, all kinds of brushes...big and small. The way He strokes is always gently and loving.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—

Psalm 8:3

See, God is busy with His brushes... putting all kinds of 'lights' the the painting He's creating.


And as He said, I know the plan I have for you... plan of peace...to give you hope and a future...

Yes, like Mr Kinkade, God my Great Painter has a finished painting in mind of my life... He strokes His bright colors to bring light in my dark and gloomy days. With Him by my side, all my days are full, warm and bright...

Leaky Vessels

Can you just imagine filling water into a clay vessel that has cracks?? Every morning you would fill that vessel and in the afternoon all the water slowly leaks out. When you comes back, the vessel was empty of water. The next day you try again...and in the afternoon, the water is gone. The next day it happens again, then the following day...and the following week. What happen? Have you been so careless and you spill the water before it reach the clay vessel? No..no...no..., The water is gone simply because there are cracks in that clay vessel. All this time, you've been putting water in a leaky vessel. Frustrating, huh?? Well...it happens :)

I've been meeting several leaky vessels lately...some with major cracks, and some with thin cracks - you barely can't see it. All this time I was wondering how come even the best act of kindness from my part was wiped out in just a short periode of time. You give them surprises in their birthdays - still they don't feel it's enough. You write them notes, check on them from time to time, still they don't feel they are cared for. These people constantly feel unwanted, not loved much, not appreciated, under-valued...ah, you name it. Never enough!

Until this thought come to mind... leaky vessel. That's it! All the things you've poured on them was leaking out , they can't contain it. The cracks and the leaks that constantly happen leave them in want all the time. And they want you to keep on filling some more ... giving them more that you can handle. They demand from you...

And the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter;
so he made it over, reworking it into another vessel
as it seemed good to the potter to make it.

Jer. 18:4 (AMP)

(Interestingly, God loves these leaky vessels that He wouldn't want to throw none of them. He would work them again and turn them into the best form God has in mind.)

to be continued...

Fingerprints on my reading glasses

In the early years when I began to use glasses, I remember how my dad used to show me how to clean up those glasses. He would put water and soap in a basin and then carefully holding the frame he would gently rub the glasses. Then dipping them several times in the water while gently cleaning them. He told me not to touch the glass but to hold firm the frame in hand. "Otherwise you would get your fingerprints on these glasses," he would say.

This morning, when I woke up and about to open up my computer, somehow my sight got blurred...I found out later it was because of my glasses. It was dirty. I looked real close and saw fingerprints all over the glasses...hmmm, must be from last nite reading session and falling asleep with those books and the bopies :)

Well, I couldn't help thinking about what my dad told me years ago, 'you would get your fingerprints on those glasses.'

Now here's what I realize. I couldn't help it that my fingerprints are all over my glasses. It would, you know, if you touch those glasses. For sure, you'll leave marks of fingerprints there.
You see, it's the same thing every time we meet people and interact with them. One way or another, we'll leave marks on them. Whether it is good or bad, of joy or sadness, of encouragement or disappointment - but your marks will be there.

With this thoughts in mind early this morning, I sort of make a promise to myself that I would leave good marks in the lives of people I meet today. I want them to feel appreciated, loved and accepted. I want them to feel uplifted and encouraged..

The Soloist

The Soloist is a 2009 drama film directed by Joe Wright, and starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. The screenplay by Susannah Grant is based on the book, The Soloist by Steve Lopez. The film is based on a true story of Nathaniel Ayers, a musician who develops schizophrenia and becomes homeless.

Foxx portrays Ayers, who is considered a cello prodigy, and Downey portrays Lopez, a Los Angeles Times columnist who discovers Ayers and writes about him in the newspaper. The film was released in theatres on 24 April 2009[1] and on DVD and Blu-Ray August 5.

I watched this movie during my hibernating period a couple of weeks ago... ohh those precious couple of days ...and was deeply moved.

Well, here I saw how a writing can have such an impact to people's life everywhere, even to the writer himself. I watched how well meaning act of kindness can be turned down because of some mental disabilities, but how friendship would bridge the gap and actually bring healing to a mentally disturb person.

The movie really moves me - I don't care what the rating posted by Rotten Tomatoes said - it bring forth the softer side of people, the tender spot any human being has deep within their heart - the side that want to do act of kindness, the side that grieve whenever there's pain and injustice done to mankind.

I wish there will be many more movies like this come to the theaters, to revive the numbness in people's heart because of all the junks in the media [00...i should be sharing more on this in my next posting...hmmm...i just can't stand it!]

Well... watch the movie...you won't regret it!

Lucky I'm in love with my Best friend

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Ooh ooh ooh..

That's the chorus of the famous song by Jason Mraz, Lucky.

As I enjoyed the beat of the music and hummed the melody, a thought crossed my mind.

"To be able to be in love with your best friend"...would it mean, you ought to be friends first before hastily offer your heart to someone?

I met lots of broken hearted girls and guys... and some are my close ones. Too many times, it was a love at first impression or I should say a short time fling, where people got emotionally entangled and think that it must have been love. Then, too often too soon, they offer the sacred words... I love you (the words almost drainned to it's core and loose the truest meaning of it).

Words like 'I love you' becomes so cheap and easy to hear. Hearts are easy presents we toss and shift, like it's nothing.

Ah...

The shock of your life comes when your eyes finally open and reality come to being. The person you thought was 'the' one turns out to be a total disappointment. You haven't figure out all the other facets of this human being now you sorrily call your 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend'.

Well... at the end, people would say ..."It doesn't work out. Can't we just be friends now?"

Broken Instruments

I came across these pictures while i was surfing the net for other images I needed.

Broken down and damaged, you would think who would want to use these broken instruments? No beautiful sound would ever be able to come out of such things. Nobody would go to any music stores looking for broken down instruments...I mean, nobody would display such instruments by their windows expecting customers to drop by and shop inside. To put it further, putting such instruments will distract customers from coming to your store.


Yeps… that might be true…

But now, I want you to see another kind of broken instruments…our hearts.

We all have walked our different journeys. Life experiences have somehow gotten our hearts weary, tired and … broken. Unfulfilled hopes, shattered dreams, bitter and painful experiences have somehow ruined the strings on these unique instruments.

Passers passed by and they said…hopeless, there’s no way anything good would ever come out of those broken stuffs.

Hmmm, wait a minute… don’t make your comments that fast…or, ‘don’t jump the gun!’, a cowboy would say

Now, look real close at this…


Hey, somebody is holding that broken down stuff…

Hey…there’s beautiful sound coming out of it…!!!

Yups, you’re right, brothers. Of all those passers, there’s One that stopped by, … looked at those broken instruments and… He picked them up…one by one

The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit.
God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin.

Ps. 51:17 (NCV)

He hold them fast in His hands…and in His hands, in His hands alone…those old broken down stuffs begin to produce the most beautiful sound the world has ever heard …and …when you look real close, it’s not only come from one instrument but from a big orchestra… An orchestra made out of broken down instruments….


Hey...you can look and read a list of broken instruments in Matthew 1 (yeps, He decided to start the New Testament with this list...unbelievable...- you would not start a book with a genealogy, would you? It would be such a boring thing!).


With a trail and long list of all these broken instruments - consists of a liar, adulterer, somebody that committed incest with his daughter in law, harlot and ... peeping thumb? - then came the Messiah!! These broken instruments made a grand orchestra with symphony so beautiful with crescendo of the birth of Jesus.


Fantastic…!


So, today… when I see a ‘broken instrument’, I would not tossed it aside or throw it away… I want to hold it in my hand and gently, like the Hands that are holding me, I want to make beautiful sound out of it…for I too was once that broken instrument.

“The heart is the only broken instrument that works.”
- T. E. Kalem