"You ask, why is passion so important? Why are dreams important?
Let me ask you, why is love so important? Why is it important to go deep? To root yourselves? To understand, to know the truth? To see things are they are? The important things are often invisible. They will bear fruit, but in their own time."
It's late, I'm doing my laundry, and I'm still up. I'm thinking about my students.
I had a privilege of teaching an undergraduate math class this semester. It was completely different from relief teaching in high school. Mainly because they're so much closer in age and they're also much smarter than me. Seriously! And they are some of the most amazing, motivated, curious people I've met. Seriously!
I just finished grading their exam today and turned in the textbooks. I think I miss them already :P
Some of them are going to be so amazed by how they did overall. Its awesome, they should celebrate! Congrats!!
Some of them are going to feel disappointed. They did not do as well as they hoped. But they tried their best, and for that, they should celebrate!
At the same time, our emotions are important. It is natural to feel sad, especially if it is something we worked very hard on. And God is someone who empathizes with us. He is here to say, "I know how much it hurts." It really does hurt.
But they will arise from the dust. The wind and the sand cannot stop them. They will not give up. That is their greatest victory.
The skies were overcast, and rain fell in a light drizzle.
As I walked down the street, I felt His presence surround me. I smiled and snuggled in His arms. I looked at my life and what I have done. He has done so much for me, and me? I feel like I have only been messing around, not accomplishing anything. I backed away from His embrace. "God, don't invest so much in me. I'm not worth anything. I like having you around, but I will never accomplish much. Don't put too much hopes in me."
He paused. There was a silence. He was deep in thought.
Then, He said, "Let me tell you something..."
I waited. There was no response. Puzzled, I looked up, wondering what He would say next.
And there, the sun shone through the clouds. It nearly blinded me. The clouds parted for the moment, and the sun put everything in their glory.
Then, He said, "You cannot stop the sun from shining." He continued, "The clouds may come, the rains may fall, but the sun continues shining. Nobody can stop it from shining."
"Just be yourself."
And I saw my mind, my soul, my spirit glow with its own light. He likes me for who I am. He likes my quirkiness, my ups and downs, my humor, my struggles, my moments of intense joy. My life is interesting, many things have happened, many things are coming. I love my life. I wouldn't give it up for anyone else's. My successes worth celebrating, and my struggles even more amazing than my successes, though few people celebrate their struggles. People can judge me, will judge me, but as for me, I rejoice in who I am, because my Judge reviewed who I am and called it good.
"You are above and beyond understanding. If we did not praise, the rocks would cry out."
I love my car. It's beaten-down, worn-out, takes a while to warm up every morning. It has many dents and scratches, dust on the inside, dirt on the outside. Recently, its windshield cracked too.
But it goes places with me. It has character, almost a personality of its own. It is faithful, trustworthy. I love my car Shine.
And God is reminding me, that I'm like that car to Him. He loves spending time with me, every single moment. He loves every scratch, bump and crack. One day, He might give me a complete haul-over. But I matter more to Him than that. He likes me the way I am. Gee... : )
When we fully embrace our humanity and we catch a glimpse of His deity, we start to marvel at His creation, how He created both to be meshed together! This, is Grace.
Oh, how He loves us!
He is jealous for me Love's like a hurricane, I am a tree Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me. Oh, how He loves us so Oh, how He loves us How He loves us so.
Yeah, He loves us Woah, how He loves us Woah, how He loves us Woah, how He loves.
So we are His portion and He is our prize, Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes If grace is an ocean we're all sinking So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way
That he loves us, Woah, how He loves us Woah, how He loves us Woah, how He loves
He loves us, Woah, how He loves us Woah, how He loves us Woah, how He loves
There was an old homeless man carrying a lot of big bags and with a torn jacket. He walked into the seminar room where we were having a department talk on quantum information. He put down his bags, sat on the side steps and started to listen intently to the lectures. Then, he looked at me, and his eyes were so simple. His gaze pierced straight into my core. I thought, he could be Jesus for all we know, but ignored by everyone else in the room.
