December is here!!!

Whoooaaahhhh..

Udah December ajeeehhh..

Tahun 2013 akan segera berakhir dan akan memasuki tahun yang baru.. I'm sure each and every one of us has our own stories to tell..

We're all waiting this year to end with the same question : Is it gonna be a happy ending or a tragedy??

Life is hard.. life is tough.. but believe me, we don't have to deal with it ourselves.. we have God.. we have Jesus.. He loves you so veryyyyy much.. and He cares for every details of your life.. even little things we might take for granted.. Man, He even died for you because He loves you so veryyy much..

Don't ever listen to the voice that says you have to do certain things to make God bless you or love you more.. or when you do something wrong God will hate you and condemn you..

God loves you no matter what.. He created us.. He knew from the beginning what stupid thing we're gonna do, what sin we're gonna commit, what time we're gonna say something hurtful to the person we love.. God knows.. God sees it all.. and none of these things could stop Him to die for us in calvary.. None..

Salvation is free for us, but it cost Him His life..

But, don't get me wrong.. Yes, Jesus already died for us, but it didn't automatically make all the people in the world save.. His forgiveness is for all people, but people have to accept it..

Contoh sederhana, satu hari hampir semua jalan menuju Plaza Indonesia ditutup, tapi ada satu jalan yang dibuka, satu-satunya jalan yang dibuka.. jalan itu ada disana terbuka untuk siapa yang mau melewatinya.. orang-orang bisa sampe ke Plaza Indonesia hanya dengan melewati jalan itu... that means they have to take that path to go there.. people who know but don't want to take the path or don't know about the path, can't get to Plaza Indonesia , because no matter how hard they try, that path is the only way to get there, there's no other way..

I hope you guys can get my point..We're saved when we said yes to His invitation.. accept Him.. acknowledge Him as the one and only way.. believe, obey and trust Him.. Ingat, Jesus is the only way!!

So, now we know the truth, what's next?
We have His love for free.. Go!!! Share about how good God is.. share His love..

Jesus came to serve and not to be served.. He saw people and He loved and cared for them even when it was inconvenient and costly (ingat kisah Tuhan kasih makan orang banyak dengan makan siang anak kecil?!.. Tuhan tidak menyuruh orang-orang itu cari makan sendiri-sendiri... padahal kan mreka ikutin Tuhan dengan kemauan sendiri.. Hati Tuhan itu luar biasa banget.. hehe).. Tuhan mengasihi kita, maka kita mengasihi orang lain.. Love God.. Love people..
We’ve been forgiven and received mercy and love freely, we can give of ourselves and love others freely

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”  John 15 : 12- 14 

Now, it's up to you.. Is it gonna be happy ending? A life filled with God's love.. or a tragedy?

It is all of Grace

 

Last published on Aug 25, 2011.. Whaat?????

Haha..  Writer's block for two years.. 
Many things had happened in these past two years..
Fell in love, broken-hearted, sickness, new job, new life, new place, new friends, new church.. and so on..
To wrap it all.. I can say it in a word.. GRACE..
Yeah.. that's right.. Grace.. waiit.. that's not a name of a girl.. (well actually it is a name of a friend) but anyways.. what I meant by Grace is God's Grace..
For these past two years, I can see how God's grace abounds upon me.. 
I've been to the deepest and darkest pit.. I've done the worst that I thought I’ll ever be able to forgive myself.. 
When I was in the middle of this darkest moment of my life, I thought I would never be loved and accepted anymore.. I thought that was the life I have to live in, suck it up and die.. But then guess what.. all these negativities can't stand a chance before the love of God..
In my childhood (ah.. good ol'days..)  I always knew that God is good and He died for me.. But to know that now after all these transgressions is opening  a totally different perspective..
Different?! How ?! 

Let me elaborate it..
God is good.. Indeed.. He is good all the time.. but I also can say the same thing about my landlady, my co-worker or the random people I met.. 
God is good.. Yes He is.. How good ?
The goodness of God is everlasting.. His love for us is soo amazing that our tiny little brain can never understand.. 

I, myself could never comprehend the love that He has for me..
I knew God love me, but when I did/do something wrong, these wrong doings would deduct the love He has for me.. au contraire, if I do nice things, being a good girl, than God will love me more, and He'll bless me more.. I WAS WRONG!!!
Because there's nothing, nothing, in this whole wide world can change God's love..
Nothing can come between me and God.. Nothing can separate me from His love.. 
There's no sin that so worst and can't be paid by His blood..
I can do the most heinous crime and that won't change the reality that God ALREADY paid the price. It ALREADY done. It ALREADY happened. We're not talking about the future, like when I sin and repent then God is gonna pay me with His blood and set me free. Nope. He ALREADY paid it. His blood ALREADY shed. IT IS DONE.

So you see, there's nothing you can do "to help" Him. We just need to accept it and live to love. I can say that I don't deserve this love. I have been so many times reject Him, push Him away, but He just keep coming and hold me. I have none in me that makes me deserved all His salvation. But, that's the point. GRACE. It is all of Grace.

That's how big is His love for us. 
And that love is stay the same. Unchanging. Unshakeable. 

This One's For the Girls

This is for all you girls about 13

high school can be so rough,

can be so mean

Hold on to, on to your innocence

Stand your ground

when everybody’s givin’ in

This one’s for the girls

This is for all you girls about 25

In little apartments, just tryin’ to get by

Livin’ on, on dreams and spaghettios

Wonderin’ where your life is gonna go

This one’s for the girls

Who’ve ever had a broken heart

Who’ve wished upon a shooting star

You’re beautiful the way you are

This one’s for the girls

This one’s for all you girls about 42

Tossin’ pennies into the fountain of youth

Every laugh, laugh line on your face

Made you who you are today

This one’s for the girls

Who’ve ever had a broken heart

Who’ve wished upon a shooting star

You’re beautiful the way you are

This one’s for the girls

Who love without holdin’ back

Who dream with everything they have

All around the world

This one’s for the girls

We’re all the same inside from 1 to 99

This one’s for the girls

This song sung by Cadia, a duet of two beautiful young girls. I fall for the lyrics of the song. It actually well said. The theme it brought is so familiar with us, girls or woman or ladies or grannies (hahaha), is all about the beauty from heart, about all the lessons life given, about dreams, hopes, madness, (randomness, if I may) that in the process fashioned us to be what we are now. It say that whatever ever happen in our life, whatever the colour we choose to beautify the rainbow, it doesn't matter, we are all beautiful the way we are. One thing that I always put in my mind since I don't remember when is that God created me in special kind of way, unique, each one of us, God pour down all His creativities to build the most beautiful creature called..(drum, please) WOMAN.. His gentleness and sentivity are special made for us.. Precious we are, and He love us.. It's not a poem, but it's real.. It might seems too idealistic, unrealistic..But, hey girl, this one's for the girls.. God love us because He made us perfectly in His eyes, let be no one ever said anything less than that.. Girls, you are beautiful..

Be grateful with how we looks like, thankful the colours of our skin, joyful for the shape of our body, and realize that the true beauty is come from your heart.. it all can adds up the shine on your eyes (Uhm..okay, it might not literally, but you know what I mean)..

The verses said

"What matters is not your outer appearance--the styling of your hair, the
jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes--but your inner disposition. Cultivate
inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in (1 Peter 3 :
13-14)",

so if it said the outer isn't matter it doesn't mean that we would neglect our physical appearance.. it's okay to take times for your hair treatment or facial or anything elses but it would be so poor if we're making those things as our top priorities and put the less of our time and energy to do the important things such as doing what God wants in our life, or doing good to other people who in needs.. Girls, there're so many things happen around and those things cry out for our beauty of heart.. Be graceful and be blessed.. This one's for the girls..

DADS, WHERE ARE YOU???..

Sejak minggu lalu aku bernostalgia dengan lagu country kesayanganku yang dinyanyikan Jimmy Wayne “I Love You This Much”. Tiap hari lagu ini mengalun dari PC ku di kantor ataupun di rumah. It’s a beautiful song. Love the music and the lyrics. I put the lyrics below, so that y’all can see the reason why I love it so much.

I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH
By Jimmy Wayne

He can't remember,
The times that he thought
Does my daddy love me?
Probably not
but that didn't stop him
From wishing that he did
Didn't keep him from wanting
Or worshipping him
He guesses he saw him
About once a year
He could still feel the way he felt
Standing in tears
Stretching his arms out
As far as they'd go
Whispering dad
I want you to know

CHORUS: I love you this much
And I'm waiting on you
To make up your mind
Do you love me too?
How ever long it takes
I'm never giving up
no matter what
I love you this much

He grew to hate him for what he had done
'Cause what kind of father
Could do that to his son?
He said 'damn you daddy'
The day that he died
The man didn't blink
But the little boy cried

CHORUS

Half way through the service
While the choir sang a hymn
He looked up at the preacher
And he sat and stared at him
He said
'Forgive me father'
When he realized
That he hadn't been unloved
Or alone all his life
His arms were stretched out
As far as they go
Nailed to the cross
For the whole world to know

CHORUS

Lagu “I Love You This Much” bercerita tentang kerinduan seorang anak untuk dicintai oleh ayahnya. Sang anak bertumbuh besar tanpa merasakan kasih sayang dari seorang ayah. Dia bertumbuh dalam kegetiran. Pada akhirnya kepahitan dan kehausannya akan cinta seorang ayah membuahkan sebuah kebencian sekaligus kepedihan yang mendalam. Pada akhir lagunya si anak menyadari kalau dia mendapatkan cinta yang lebih dari yang diharapkannya dari Sang Bapa.

Sesungguhnya lagu itu memberikan gambaran kasar mengenai apa yang sebenarnya sedang terjadi di dunia. Saat ini di banyak tempat terdapat sejumlah anak yang haus akan kehadiran sosok bapa dalam hidup mereka. Meskipun tidak seluruhnya demikian, akan tetapi banyak kejahatan dan pelanggaran bersumber dari keadaan psikologis yang terbentuk dari ketiadaan fungsi bapa dalam sebuah keluarga. Sebuah diskusi ringan yang menyentil dan kiriman bahan referensi dari seorang ayah rohani (calon ayah jasmani juga), menginspirasiku untuk mencoba mengelaborasi isu tersebut disini (Bro, you should have a blog. You got some good stuffs there!!!).

Pada tahun 1999 di western world, jumlah anak yang hidup tanpa ayah biologis presentasinya meningkat dari 17,5 % pada tahun 1960 menjadi sebesar 38%. Terdapat lebih dari 50% anak menghabiskan separuh hidup mereka tanpa ayah. 46% keluarga dengan anak yang dipimpin oleh seorang ibu saja hidup dibawah garis kemiskinan dibandingkan keluarga yang lengkap (ayah ibu) yang hanya 8%.

Pakar sosiologi sekarang telah menghubungkan ketiadaan ayah dengan : drop out, jobless, kecanduan obat, bunuh diri, ataupun target dari pelecehan seksual. Bertumbuh tanpa bapa berhubungan erat dengan mimpi buruk masyarakat seperti anak remaja yang membawa pistol dan gadis remaja dengan bayi.

Sebuah survey Men Against Domestic Violence Survey bahwa anak-anak yang bertumbuh dalam keluarga tanpa fungsi ayah terindikasi sebagai berikut :
· 85% dari jumlah anak-anak yang menunjukkan penyimpangan perilaku dan kebiasaan.
· 71% dari jumlah drop out sekolah menengah.
· 85% dari semua pemuda yang tengah menjalani hukuman di penjara. (Source: Center for Disease Control).
· 80% dari jumlah pemerkosa bermotivasi displaced anger
· 90% dari jumlah tunawisma dan anak-anak yang lari dari rumah
· 63% dari remaja pelaku bunuh diri. (Source: US Dept. of Health & Human Services, Bureau of the Census).
· 71% dari remaja yang hamil di luar nikah. (Source: US Dept. of Health & Human Services)
Statistik tersebut menunjukkan bahwa anak-anak yang bertumbuh dalam keluarga tanpa fungsi ayah memiliki kecenderungan 20 kali lebih banyak untuk berperilaku menyimpang, 9 kali lebih banyak untuk drop out, 20 kali lebih banyak berakhir di penjara, 10 kali lebih banyak untuk melakukan pemerkosaan, dan 32 kali lebih banyak untuk minggat dari rumah.

Statistics of a Fatherless America menyimpulkan bahwa :
Children of fatherless families have greater and earlier sexual activity, dramatically greater risk of drug and alcohol abuse, more mental illness, more suicide, poorer educational performance, and higher rates of teen pregnancy, criminality, and sexual abuse. They are more likely to have suffered child abuse and more often have earlier death, confused identities (boys), more aggressive behavior (boys), more emotional distress, uncooperative behavior, more anxiety and depression (girls), more antisocial behavior, and school suspensions.

Hasil survey tersebut diatas setidaknya menggelitik kesadaran kita tentang seberapa pentingnya peran seorang ayah dalam sebuah keluarga. Ditengah gaung independensi kaum perempuan dan menjamurnya single parenthood dimana terjadi peningkatan jumlah ibu yang berperan ganda sebagai ayah, satu hal yang tak bisa berubah adalah peran ayah yang tetap tak tergantikan. Secara maksimal, peran ayah hanyalah bisa dikerjakan oleh seorang pria. Menjadi seorang ayah merupakan sebuah kehormatan tertinggi yang Tuhan taruh dalam kehidupan seorang pria, karena Tuhan memilih titel/sebutan/panggilan untuk diriNya sebagai Bapa.

Kata bapa sendiri berasal dari bahasa Ibrani Abbah, ini sebenarnya adalah sebutan (title) dan arti dari kata ini adalah sumber atau pemelihara. Dalam bahasa Yunani, bapa adalah Pater yang berarti sumber dan pemelihara atau yang mendukung. Kata bapa dapat juga berarti sebagai fondasi dari semuanya.
Untuk lebih memahami konsep pembapaan, kita harus melihat asal muasal konsep kebapaan ini di awal masa dimana manusia pertama Adam diciptakan. Hal pertama yang Tuhan lakukan saat penciptaan manusia adalah menempatkan Adam dalam Taman Eden (presence of moment or spot). Tuhan mengambil manusia itu dan menempatkannya dalam taman Eden untuk mengusahakan dan memelihara taman itu. (Kej. 2:15). Adam diharuskan bekerja dan menghasilkan (produktif). Hal ini memberikan pengertian bahwa sebelum pria “diberikan” wanita, dia harus bekerja dulu. Kemudian Tuhan meminta Adam untuk memelihara atau melindungi semua yang dipercayakan kepadanya. Setelah itu Tuhan menugaskan Adam untuk mengolah (cultivate) yang punya pengertian mengeluarkan yang terbaik dari dalamnya, menyebabkan berkembang. Selanjutnya Tuhan mempercayakan pada manusia FirmanNya.

Cerita berlanjut saat Hawa tergoda, Adam tak berbuat apapun yang sesuai dengan otoritasnya dan tidak menghormati perintah Bapa melainkan mengambil sikap sekehendaknya, yang menyebabkannya kehilangan figur Bapa. Tindakan manusia pertama tersebut seperti yang telah diketahui menyebabkan kejatuhan seluruh umat manusia. Konsep pembapaan memiliki peran saat kejatuhan manusia ke dalam dosa tersebut. Dosa terlahir sebagai salah satu akibat dari pernyataan independen manusia dari Bapa mereka.
Saat seseorang yang kehilangan figure Bapa, maka ia akan kehilangan:
1. Identitas
2. Kasih Sayang
3. Sense of destiny – tujuan hidup

Masalah dosa adalah masalah tanpa ayah. Manusia yang berada dalam dosa menderita akibat ketiadaan ayah. Dan itulah masalah utama manusia.

Karena ayah adalah kunci untuk dosa, maka ayah jugalah kunci solusi dari dosa (Roma 5:12, 15). Dengan kata lain, konsep pembapaan yang merupakan penyebab manusia jatuh dalam dosa, maka konsep pembapaan yang akan menjadi penyelamatan manusia. Kuasa dari pembapaan telah menjadi bukti dalam konsep Tuhan yang tertulis dalam Alkitab. Tuhan sendiri melihat pembapaan sebagai jalan keluar bagi masalah dosa ini (Maleakhi 4:5,6). Kembali ke survey diatas dan dikaitkan dengan pembapaan, dapat disimpulkan bahwa kunci untuk pemulihan keluarga, masyarakat, gereja, kota, bangsa adalah roh pembapaan. Dengan adanya ini, umat yang dipulihkan dan yang layak bagi Tuhan dapat dipersiapkan

Pembapaan adalah pekerjaan yang terutama bagi para pria. Tidak ada yang lebih lengkap bagi seorang pria untuk mencapai kepenuhan dalam hidupnya (the fullest in life) kecuali menjadi seorang ayah. Namun sayangnya, pekerjaan istimewa ini tidak disadari dan cenderung tersalahgunakan oleh ketidakpahaman seorang pria akan arti pentingnya seorang ayah itu.
Menjadi seorang ayah bukan berarti hanya memiliki anak jasmani, akan tetapi juga menjadi ayah rohani (spiritual father) bagi anak-anak yang bukan berasal dari darah dagingnya sendiri.


(dari berbagai sumber)

More to come................