Of Comfy PJ's and Comfy-er (I know it's not in the dictionary) Flatties

So I'm finally sitting down to do my long over due readings (well, I will once I've posted this entry); Readings that were meant to be completed during my holidays about two weeks ago; Reaadings that WILL cost me my grade should I decide to tell them to take a hike; Reaadings that are quite gruelling; Readings that drone on and on...AND ON about New Zealand media policies and politics; Readings that I absolutely have to finish before Wednesday, lest I flunk the assignment that's due a week from now.

I sit here with my comfy shorts and my favorite stripped long-sleved t-shirt ater a nice shower, smelling of lavander. My hair pulled back with a pink gripper that make some of the shorter strands fall on my face, and my black square-framed glasses sitting loosely above my nose. And with all my colored pens and highlighters, I am ready to take on this challenge. The plan is to finish two out of the eight readings I have before I get to bed tonight. Will it be possible? I'm not sure; Will it be absolutely positively dreadful? Not all of it I hope, but I'm still optimistic that it's do-able; Will I try and get this challenge under my belt? You bet your bedroom slippers I am!

Oh, and I should also peobably mention that I've a well fed-now-I-can-concerntrate stomach now. It was just one of those nice Sundays where both my flatmates and I were home so we had dinner together- definitely not something we do often enough because of our whack time-tables. You know, this is one of the very many moments I treasure about this flat. I've two beyond amazing girls with whom I share it with and let me tell you, that makes ALL the difference! Oh, and because I'm the youngest, I can bring out the child in me a little more often and get away with it....or so I like to think!

Ok, ok. So, here I go! Media Comm, I shalt conquer thee...even if it's the last thing I do!

Blessed Be Your Name

This song has been the recurring theme for me these past few weeks (again). I was just sharing with a dear friend of mine today how I finally understand the meaning of this song and when we sang it at church today, with all my heart, every fiber of my being cried out the words to this song- such resonance! Truly, it's always easier to praise God and be thankful when things go right. But when calamaties (hope I spelt that right) strike, when your world suddenly begins to fall apart and pulvarizes into a million different pieces, it becomes very hard to still give thanks and praise Him. You start to question Him and what exactly is it that He's trying to do. For those of you who have suffered losses and been in a situation where faith and hope seems frail, you'll know what I mean. But then you learn to still trust Him because you know He knows what's best. And so, you (or rather I) still bless His name.

This is the full words to the song (refer to previous post). And sorry, I got the lyricist wrong in the last post. It's not Chris Tomlin:

Blessed Be Your Name (by Matt Redman)

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Great is Thy Faithfulness

You'd be pleased to know that I actually won the war (refer to previous post) and came out well and kicking at the other end, no thanks to that stupid "Diflam Forte"! Turns out, all I really needed were paracetamol are razene to do the trick. Oh, and nearly a dozen lemon-flavoured Throaties which one of my flatmates was so awesome to get me some =)

But that's really not the point of this post. My post today is to celebrate my God's goodness, nay, FAITHFULNESS to me. See, for the longest time, I thought He'd forgotten all about me and left me to cry in the corner somewhere. And just when I thought things couldn't get worse, He took one of my uncles away from me. An uncle I didn't quite get to say goodbye to; an uncle who thought me how to play the first few bars of 'Silent Night' on the harmonica; an uncle who despite his short temper, I still loved and appreaciated; an uncle who made my 12th or 13th Christmas one of the best memories ever; an uncle I so wish I got to spend more time with. My dearest uncle Edwin. I was mad at God for taking him away so soon. I was even more mad at the fact that I left with the complete assurance that I would be back this year to see him and spend time with him. And now I will never have that. I think I'm finally realizing the enormity of loosing him as I write this...

But I also believe that things happen for a reason. I don't mourn his going-away because I don't want to remember him like that. I want to remember him as he was on my 13th Christmas. That is how I want to always remember him. I'm not mad at God no more. I don't know why He had to take my Uncle Edwin but I know. I guess sometimes He takes away in order to make room for another thing He wants to give...my heart will still bless His name

It's like that song by Chris Tomlin:
"You give and take away
You give and take away;
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name"

So, no, He hasn't forgotten me. Just when I'm about to let out yet another cry of frustration, He renews my faith in Him by showing me His faithfulness. My God is a faithfull God. I now know.