Great Expectations

I’m sure we’ve all been through some disappointments or experienced unfulfilled hopes and dreams. Sometimes our expectations in life just don’t come to pass. Somehow disappointment is inevitable; we simply can’t avoid it. It’ll catch up with us soon enough and it could be waiting around the next corner. But there is hope when our expectations and dreams are thwarted.

I’m a dreamer and have many hopes for the future. Dreamers are bound to be disappointed. But they also bound to experience the joy of a dream fulfilled. So let’s just say I’ve experienced many disappointments, sorrows and unfulfilled dreams. But there’s still the joy of dreaming and seeing some dreams come true. Never ever give up on your dreams, even when things don’t go the way you had planned. Because there is Someone who cares very much about your hopes and dreams.

I think God loves us to have wonderful dreams, no matter how crazy they may seem. He can take our dreams and turn them into a reality. I’m not saying He lets every dream be fulfilled. I think the reason for that is because He has different, better plans for us than the ones we have for ourselves. But sometimes God puts dreams in our hearts, dreams that seem way out of what we are capable of, but ones that God can cause to happen. Never give up on your hopes and dreams as long as they are in line with what God wants for you.

Whenever you are disappointed or when things don’t turn out the way you expected or hoped, you can know something: God is in control of your life. Sometimes He’s at work on something bigger than we can see. Sometimes we can’t see passed our hurt to see that God has a better plan for us. When we’ve been disappointed, we need to remember that God loves us and He has our lives in His hands. We need to just trust Him and realise that there was a reason for it.

Even when you feel like your great expectations on life let you down, remember that God is for you. There will always be trials in this life, but God will always be with you in them. Never give up. Keep dreaming, keep hoping and entrust those hopes and dreams to God. Nothing is impossible for Him. And we can “do all things through Christ who gives us strength.”

Indescribable Love

There is a love that can change us from the inside out. There’s a love that moves past our defences, selfishness and even sin, if we’d only let it. This love is powerful and life changing. It’s gentle enough to touch and move our hearts, filling us with unexplainable joy. This love is pure and beautiful. It’s selfless and full of mercy. This love is indescribable.

Many people don’t see it or choose to ignore it. They know that if they let it in, it’ll break down the walls that give them a false sense of security and power. If it finds its way into their hearts, they know they won’t be able to hide anymore. But if they let that love inside, they will be given the gift of grace and forgiveness. This love is one strong enough to cover our sins and purify us anew. What is this love, you may wonder. This is the love of Jesus Christ. And it’s more than that. This love is Jesus. Jesus is true love.

There was once a day long ago when a Man was killed, though He had done nothing wrong. He was betrayed, denied, abandoned, mocked and flogged. He was beaten and scorned by those whom He had made. That day man mocked their Creator. Then the Man hung on a cross, bearing the sin of the world on His shoulders. He cried out in pain before giving up His life for a world that rejected Him. This is true love. He wasn’t just some man; He was the Son of God. He was and is the face of love. For three days later He rose again, death having no power over Him. On that day, we were shown the true face of love.

With this love, God made and formed us tenderly. With this love, Jesus gave His life up for us, so that we may have life. And with this love, Jesus the Son of God offers you Himself. But love comes with a choice; to accept it or reject it, to embrace it or to shun it.

This is the One I live for. Without Him, life loses all meaning and purpose. Jesus is love! And He offers this indescribable love to all people. We are left with the choice; take it or leave it. I’ve chosen to accept the most amazing gift we’ll ever be offered, what will you choose?

The New Year

The New Year has just begun and who knows what is in store for us? The good news is that Someone does know: God. As much as I hope that this year will be an amazing year for all of you, life is never a walk in the park so we will all face some challenges throughout the year. As you meet the year of 2012, I want to challenge you to do something: keep Jesus central in your life this year.

I’m the kind of person who writes down goals that I would like to achieve in the year. But I’m not the kind of person who will go all out to achieve them. They are more like things I would like to be able to tick them all off the list at the end of the year, but that’s not always possible. You can’t plan your year and expect those things to happen. There are some things in this life that we can’t control and life will never cease to take us by surprise.

In a way though, these surprises are what makes life an adventure. The road won’t always be smooth but we can choose enjoy it nevertheless. I’ve heard people say that life’s what you make of it. In a way that’s true: you can see the cup half empty or half full; you can see only the bad things in your life or you can choose to see the blessings. I know this is so hard sometimes but it produces a healthy, positive attitude.

The year ahead may be a wonderful one for some and a tough one for others. But whatever kind of year you experience, you can learn from it and grow. God is with you in the hard times and the good times. He already knows what’s going to happen to each of us in the year to come. Take the year one day at a time; don’t worry about what tomorrow holds. God in control and He is the Creator of this Universe!

So as this year unfolds, remember that you are in the hands of a loving, Almighty God who says this: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11). God loves you and wants the best for you. Even when bad things do happen, He can turn those bad things into good. Trust God with the year ahead and know that you are never alone. For God is with you!

The True Meaning Of Christmas

The celebration of Christmas has become distorted over the years. December is now a money making month for shops and a flutter of preparation for customers. Christmas has become all about presents and partying. What has happened to the true meaning of Christmas? What has happened to the reason why the Christmas tradition started in the first place? I believe we’ve lost our focus.

To be honest, I love receiving gifts on Christmas Day, having a nice meal and just having fun. We always decorate the house and have a Christmas tree. But for many people this is all Christmas is about. Though all these things are nice, Christmas isn’t about presents, trees, nice food or a fat man dressed in red with a white beard (I strongly dislike Santa! He is not the father of Christmas!). Christmas is supposed to focally be about Jesus Christ.

Christmas was started by early Christians as a celebration of the birth of Jesus. The word “Christmas” actually means “Christ’s mass”, so how can people take Christ out of the celebration? Oh, I guess some people like calling Christmas, Xmas. Actually, that ‘x’ is based on the Greek word for Christ, so I guess they are failing to change the name in a way that completely eliminates Christ from Christmas. However, I don’t like it when people call Christmas “Xmas” as so many people have taken Jesus out of Christmas. When they put that x in instead of Christ, it’s like they’re taking Him out of the celebration too. But when that happens, Christmas loses all its meaning and uniqueness.

What is the true meaning of Christmas? Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of Jesus Christ’s loving sacrifice He made when He left Heaven for us to come to earth as a baby. The only reason He came to earth was to die for us, so that we could be free from our sins and have eternal life if we choose to believe in Him, and so that we could have a personal relationship with God. Imagine the Son of God leaving Heaven’s glory for a place where there is suffering and sorrow, where He would die a painful death, but where He’d also be raised from the dead. He did this for you and me. This is true love. The true meaning of Christmas is to remember Jesus’ sacrifice and to be thankful for it.

Christmas is a time to spend with family but also a time to celebrate Jesus and worship Him for all that He’s done! I know it’s difficult not to get caught up in everything else that comes with Christmas time but this is something we have to remember.

So I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you do get blessed on that special day! But as you enjoy Christmas and all its excitement, remember what Jesus has done for you. Keep Him central this Christmas and then you’ll find the true meaning of Christmas.

The Game of Tennis

This is a photo of a picture I drew

The small, yellow ball connects with the server’s racket strings and whizzes through the air, over the net and hits the first green block on the court, shooting towards the receiver. The receiver returns the ball to the other side of the net, and the tennis match begins. The ball is played back and forth, each tennis player trying to outplay the other until someone makes a mistake and the first point is over. The game continues until someone wins.

The game of tennis needs well-placed shots, concentration, strategy and the ability to outsmart and outplay your opponent. It’s a competitive and enjoyable game that you can play your whole life. This is a sport I love. This is the game of tennis.

I’ve been playing tennis for about eight years now and started when I was about seven. I’m not brilliant at this game but I love tennis. I get a boost when I’m having a good day and am able to play well. I get a sense of satisfaction when I place a shot well and my opponent can’t return it. Sometimes I just have to smile triumphantly at this. But I don’t often feel like smiling when this happens to me in a match. I hate it when I have a bad day and I don’t like to lose (I try to take it well, though I don’t always succeed, but I never throw a tennis tantrum!). I guess this is because I’m competitive. I don’t think I really want to see what I call my “game face” during a tennis match, though.

However, I love my tennis lessons-when it’s not boiling hot- and tennis is a sport I want to play my whole life. I have to admit that socializing at tennis is a great aspect and perhaps increases my enjoyment of the game. Sometimes, though, talking and playing at the same time is very distracting and I’ll blame those I’m talking to for “making” me miss the ball! ;)

Tennis is not an easy game and needs lots of work and practice, but maybe that’s why I feel satisfaction when I finally get a certain shot right. Though sometimes I have a bad day and get frustrated, especially when people lob the ball really high, and sometimes it’s just too hot (oh, the African sun), I love the game of tennis.

Frodo

The Little Cat Prince

The votes on what poem I should post were equal, so I wrote the number of the poems on pieces of paper, put them in a tin and pulled one piece out. The poem below is the one I got. I wrote this poem in March this year, just after my beloved cat, Frodo, ran away. He never returned and I don't know what happened to him. I still miss Frodo a lot and this poem is written for him. This poem is the first poem written since I started to more "seriously" write poetry. I'm a better writer than poet, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. So here is my poem:


The Little Cat Prince

When I first received you,

You were a tiny, adorable, fluff ball of a kitten

Naughty, cute and playful you were, who

Had everyone smitten

Those pretty eyes of light green

Could melt a heart of stone

That long, fluffy tail was the cutest thing to be seen

And also that little spot on your foot all alone

My Frodo kitty too soon grew

Into a grown up cat, affectionate and sweet

Beautiful and fluffy too;

He could charm anyone for a treat

Among the cats, he was little prince

But then he disappeared one terrible day

And hasn't been seen since.

What has happened to my little golden ray?

Oh Frodo, Frodo, won't you come back home to me?

My sweet kitty, don't you know that I love you?

Don't just disappear, never again for me to see

I search, I call, I cry, but to no avail; what can I now do?

One day you were there

Purring and smiling at me in that catlike way

And the next you were gone, that I can't bear!

Don't leave without my say!

Frodo, Frodo, don't you know that I miss you?

Come home to me where you belong

Return to the person who cared for you, who

Loved and looked after you; for my sweet cat I long

Oh Little Cat Prince return from your wanderings to your awaiting kingdom.