Chose Life!

Every Sunday, I have a meeting with my sheep. Some are noisy and boisterous, some quiet and reserved, but each, very special. They are a joyful bunch… My wooly lambs.. Some of them are not around, some across the seas and mountains.. But each, working hard in keeping the Master happy.

My lambs, you have gone through many many things. Life has dealt you many blows, and I, just a humble human shepherd, am not able to help every one of you… All I pray is that you reveal to me your troubles that I may know and pray for you. With the Master’s strength, I will journey on with you all as long as you want me to be by your side. I will lend you support as He lends me support.

You have all made me very proud, and very blessed. You have humbled me indeed with your faith. My lambs, please grow in faith and make me prouder still. Many of you face trials and tribulation; some which make you break down and cry in desperation. Please remember this; I am always here for you.

I will lend my ear to your cries, I will lend you my shoulders for your tears and whenever you need a warm bear hug to soothe your senses; my arms are wide open. My prayer for you is this that you may grow up into men and women of great faith!

Many older brothers and sisters have an irritating habit to be in charge, a habit developed while growing up. We can see this in Martha; older sister of Mary and Lazarus. She was used to being in control.
The fact that Martha, Mary and Lazarus are remembered for their hospitality was because it was required of them 2000 years back. That was the norm, people that time were not used to turning their backs to guests who come to their door. They make sure that the guests have enough to eat, a comfortable bed to sleep on and entertainment. Martha felt the pressure of having the Teacher in her house and being a perfectionist and to avoid others talking bad about her household, she tended to details.. Martha’s perfectionism caused discomfort to others in the house. Imagine her unhappiness when younger sister Mary just sat and listened to the Teacher.
Finally she could not take it anymore, she asked Jesus to settle the matter.
He gently corrected her attitude and showed her that her priorities, though good, were not the best. The personal attention she gave her guests are far more important than the comforts she tried to provide for them.
Later following Lazarus’s death, Martha could hardly help going back to old ways. She questioned Jesus on why He was late in arriving, she showed Him her dissapointment. Again, Jesus being patient, indicated that her hope was limited. He was not only the Lord over death, He was the ressurection and life! Martha, didnt understand His statement, said that 4 day old corpses would reek when Jesus requested the tomb to be opened. Yelling to the dead man, Jesus spoke, "Lazarus, come out!" And the dead man WALKED OUT alive again!
Martha’s preoccupiedness caused her from seeing the whole picture of what God is trying to accomplish. Finally, in the next write up about Martha, she was serving a meal to Jesus and His disciples. She has not stopped serving, but she has learnt to be silent. She learnt that worship begins with silence and listening. Not to be preoccupied with the details and forgetting to absorb what life and the Book is teaching you.
Are you a Martha or a Mary? I fall in the place of Martha… But i am learning… learning to serve and worship and benefiting from serving instead of being stressed up over it.

Life aint a bed of roses and even your presence cant make life rosy, baby! Wake up and smell the coffee! Work is shitty enough, you dont need to contend for 1st place.

How do you get away from this kind of person? Hmm, this is a toughie. Especially if the someone is a spoilt brat who only thinks about jibun. More damaging is the egocentric ways that shove every tsukaini-tachimasen no hito into some obsecure corner. Demo, moshi anata wa tsukaini tachimasu… Ichiban no ‘tomodachi’ ni naritai. Boku wa tsukaini tachimattara zannen to omotte imasu.. Dou? Nigemasu?? Dame dame.. Nigettara denwa o kakemasu.. denwa o suttemasu? Hahah… atarashii denwa katte, demo… kane ga tarimasen.. Wahhh… jya, nakimasu dake…