On the T.V. was a news special on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Even though it was 5 years removed from the situation; the footage, the stories, and the music moved me to tears.
Human suffering pervades all societies of the world but to have seen it so vividly in America really hit home for me. Given I wasn't in the midst of it and can only speak of it as a third party, the question for me is, why wasn't something done?
Many arguments can be said if something was done or not, but I want to give voice to another age old issue. Where was God?
Many have argued that in the midst of suffering, why wouldn't a merciful and loving God intercede? I don't claim to have adequate knowledge in the field of apologetics nor am I seasoned enough to fully answer this question satisfactorily, but I am compelled to defend my God to some degree.
If one believes we have free will, then it can be argued that we as humans do what we want, whenever we want. This in itself can be carried over to the fact of humans causing other humans suffering. With this, other humans who witness such can stop such, if so compelled.
So how does this explain natural disasters and the suffering that it brings? Why not think of it as an opportunity that our Creator has allowed for us to comfort those, showing and sharing the same love and comfort He has given us? Scripture tells us to comfort those in suffering (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). So why not help out?
But what about the innocent people who suffered in vain? Did they deserve, at times, unspeakable atrocities and horrors committed against them? -Who are we to question God? I mean we could and we can. Job certainly did after his trials, but God replied (Job 38 and the following chapters) with a more than compelling response. What do we know? I keep coming back to Ecclesiastes 3:11.
So why the natural disasters in the first place? Why even have all these things happen so that we have to question God in the first place?
Maybe He wants us to find Him in the midst of suffering. Maybe He wants us to be the Comforter. I suppose this isn't an adequate enough response, so I leave you with another thought...does not God shed tears too?
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
100
The perfect score. A century's worth in years. A number we all seem to strive for.
My 100th post. Enough said.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
COOKIES?!?
Mad love, props, shout outs, accolades, and everything good to HC for her sharing her cookie recipe with me.
These cookies are AMAZING. Hands down.
Sharing the actual cookies and now the recipe?!?!?
HC, you are AWESOME!!!
These cookies are AMAZING. Hands down.
Sharing the actual cookies and now the recipe?!?!?
HC, you are AWESOME!!!
Friday, August 6, 2010
chefs-in-training?
I just spent 2 hours playing "Restaurant" with my cousin's babies.
They are 1 and 3 years old and they were ALL OVER THE PLACE. Playing "Restaurant" was the only thing that kept them in the same place for that LONG amount of time. Most enjoyable though.
They played chef while I played guest. The older one kept giving me my money back after I paid for the meal. The younger one kept giving me lettuce. I tried teaching the older one they were supposed to keep the money...He was SOOO persistent in giving it back. Good thing it wasn't a real business.
As I was "sipping" my coffee that the older one also persisted on giving me, I couldn't help but wonder.
How many times have our parents gave us instructions that we didn't follow? How many times has Father in Heaven given us instructions and we did the same? Do we not understand like these little ones? Or do we, outright, choose to ignore it altogether? Is it a little bit of both?
Only the Master Chef knows the right ingredients, times, and methods to cook up something beautiful. Only He knows when to serve the right dish, at the right time. Only He is the one to satisfy all cravings. If we all are striving to be like the Master Chef, we just need to heed His instruction and do likewise.
Looks like it's back to more reading up on recipes in The Book With All The Recipes.
They are 1 and 3 years old and they were ALL OVER THE PLACE. Playing "Restaurant" was the only thing that kept them in the same place for that LONG amount of time. Most enjoyable though.
They played chef while I played guest. The older one kept giving me my money back after I paid for the meal. The younger one kept giving me lettuce. I tried teaching the older one they were supposed to keep the money...He was SOOO persistent in giving it back. Good thing it wasn't a real business.
As I was "sipping" my coffee that the older one also persisted on giving me, I couldn't help but wonder.
How many times have our parents gave us instructions that we didn't follow? How many times has Father in Heaven given us instructions and we did the same? Do we not understand like these little ones? Or do we, outright, choose to ignore it altogether? Is it a little bit of both?
Only the Master Chef knows the right ingredients, times, and methods to cook up something beautiful. Only He knows when to serve the right dish, at the right time. Only He is the one to satisfy all cravings. If we all are striving to be like the Master Chef, we just need to heed His instruction and do likewise.
Looks like it's back to more reading up on recipes in The Book With All The Recipes.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
freedom ringing
I know, this sounds like an overdue post about July 4th. Keep reading though.
I was in the library the other day and came across some donated art work. It was a collection of statuettes of the Statue of Liberty. Who in the world would collect 5983487 statues of it? WELL, this couple did and donated it.
From that point on all I could think about was the ridonkolousness of the collection, Lady Liberty, and all that surrounds this statute.
Why did the French build it? Why make it out of copper? Why haven't I been yet?
I then remembered these words engraved on her plaque...
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
I was then reminded of His words in Matthew 11:28-30...
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Both invoke a sense of freedom. Both recognize a sense of hardship. Both offer a sense of hope.
Paul writes about Christ setting us free from the Law (in this case ceremonial law) and in turn from sin in Galatians 3.
This is why we think about freedom.
This is why we dream about freedom.
This is why we sing about freedom.
It's beautiful.
I was in the library the other day and came across some donated art work. It was a collection of statuettes of the Statue of Liberty. Who in the world would collect 5983487 statues of it? WELL, this couple did and donated it.
From that point on all I could think about was the ridonkolousness of the collection, Lady Liberty, and all that surrounds this statute.
Why did the French build it? Why make it out of copper? Why haven't I been yet?
I then remembered these words engraved on her plaque...
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
I was then reminded of His words in Matthew 11:28-30...
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Both invoke a sense of freedom. Both recognize a sense of hardship. Both offer a sense of hope.
Paul writes about Christ setting us free from the Law (in this case ceremonial law) and in turn from sin in Galatians 3.
This is why we think about freedom.
This is why we dream about freedom.
This is why we sing about freedom.
It's beautiful.
who will stop the rain?
Yes, a "CLEAR" reference to that CCR song.
Pulling from the recesses of my memory, I remember this event...
About 9 years ago I was in the motherland visiting 媽媽的爸爸和媽媽的媽媽. It just so happened to be hurricane season and we were hit with this long bout of rain. This rain was ridonk. Given this part of the country does sit on a tropic, so it was expected, but I'd never seen THIS much rain.
There was so much that it flooded the whole first floor of their house. I remember me and 婆婆 were trapped in it and couldn't do anything about it but wait for it to go into the drains. To pass the time, we played mahjong. It was beautiful. I tell you this story to tell you this one...
Just yesterday it rained so much it flooded a good chunk of the 757. Thunderstorms too. I heard one story of how lightning struck a church, tearing off some pieces of the building spilling it onto the streets below.
The old school, fire and brimstone oldster in me thought...what did that congregation do??? At the same time I was reminded of the planks in my eye.
Could it be that natural disasters are a way of Him admonishing us? Yes, I know this sounds SOOO fire and brimstonish, but humor me on this. Just another reminder of His presence in whatever form it maybe and that of the evanescence of it all.
Pulling from the recesses of my memory, I remember this event...
About 9 years ago I was in the motherland visiting 媽媽的爸爸和媽媽的媽媽. It just so happened to be hurricane season and we were hit with this long bout of rain. This rain was ridonk. Given this part of the country does sit on a tropic, so it was expected, but I'd never seen THIS much rain.
There was so much that it flooded the whole first floor of their house. I remember me and 婆婆 were trapped in it and couldn't do anything about it but wait for it to go into the drains. To pass the time, we played mahjong. It was beautiful. I tell you this story to tell you this one...
Just yesterday it rained so much it flooded a good chunk of the 757. Thunderstorms too. I heard one story of how lightning struck a church, tearing off some pieces of the building spilling it onto the streets below.
The old school, fire and brimstone oldster in me thought...what did that congregation do??? At the same time I was reminded of the planks in my eye.
Could it be that natural disasters are a way of Him admonishing us? Yes, I know this sounds SOOO fire and brimstonish, but humor me on this. Just another reminder of His presence in whatever form it maybe and that of the evanescence of it all.
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