Friday 5 for February 6: Holy Cow This is Late!

What are you looking for?  heh, i’m ALWAYS looking for something, especially when i’m trying to get some paperwork done (calculator, stapler, hole-puncher…).  need to get organized.  on the lookout for a paper i was going to forward to Tinika… 

What are you waiting for? an opportunity to study in Okinawa =) 

What is someone else waiting for from you?  besides Tinika for the aforementioned, i don’t know… nothing that i can think of… oh wait.  my parents are waiting (rather impatiently) for me to get a REAL job with a steady paycheck. =s

You know you have a long wait ahead of you at the doctor. What do you bring? my cell phone with internet access has totally changed the waiting room experience.  thank goodness for twitter for preserving my sanity & providing entertainment!!! =D

Where can you expect always to wait in a ridiculously long line? i usually try to avoid lines… the andagi line at the okinawan festival comes to mind (and the malasada line for the punahou carnival).  yes, in hawaii, it’s usually for food! =D

“I’ll Carry You”

By Rebecca St. James, Tedd T.

I know that look in your eyes/ I see the pain behind your smile
Please don’t hold it all inside
Together we can run/ To the finish line
And when you are tired/ I’ll carry you

I can’t walk this road without you/ You cannot go it alone
We were never meant to/ make it on our own
When the load becomes too heavy
And your feet too tired to walk
I will carry you and/ we’ll be carried on

Share your burden now/ I will listen
And when I’m weak/ Will you hold me to the truth
That we can go on,/ For we are carried
Three strands of chord/ Cannot be easily torn

God will carry us

Before I say one more word/ Hear me say “I love you”
My love comes from a/ heart that overflows
With love Who fills me/ Comforts me/ Comforts you
With arms stretched out He said,/ “I’ll carry you”

another song that caught my attention…

oh, to be a support and encouragement to my friends & point the way to Jesus…

‘I AM’ Study: not like I planned (2)

 

reading is here

Discussion Questions:

1. I am going to present to you a little acrostic to begin our discussion today. What is your latest NLIP? (Not Like I Planned?) that usually has to do with my career plans…

2. How did you react to your NLIP? Are you still upset about it? Happy about it? Baffled by it? Explain. just keep moving and seek God’s direction & wise counsel.  not upset — anxious sometimes, often impatient, but learning to handle things better.

3. Have you ever attempted to step into an area of ministry and found your desire rejected? Did this cause you to question God and yourself? Perhaps distrust what you perceived to be your calling?  not really, though i wasn’t too thrilled with stepping down from youth ministry when i did… no, didn’t question either, though i didn’t really understand at the time.

4. Do you harbor any bitterness towards any individual or situation which you believe waylaid your best laid plans? no, though i admit to feeling hurt at the time.

5. Have you had a life experience or trial that left you with a shaken faith because it ended in an NLIP? Please share if you feel free.  no.  the weirdest thing about my first niece’s passing — one would think that would totally rock my foundations — i just knew that i knew God was with me and would see me through.  i was definitely sad that she was no longer with us, but if anything, it made my faith stronger.  definitely gave me a greater appreciation for being alive and it totally got rid of any suicidal tendencies i’d had…

5. Based on Moses’ response of faith to his own rejection, how will you re-evaluate your own experiences or look at future ones differently if a NLIP presents itself? actually already do handle things better — it’s nice to know that God’s in control in the sense that things won’t get too whacked out if i stick with Him.  it’s really not worth stressing out over and deciding to make the most out of everything & finding the silver lining in even the crappy situations does wonders for one’s outlook and stress levels.