So, last Tuesday I went to a youth retreat in Bilabong - Bogor. I left the office at 4pm and rode K Jen's car with Xandra, Adela & Betty to the venue. We arrived at around 8pm, dinner, then started the 1st/opening session at 9. Man, I could tell that most of us were sleepy already & not really pay attention to the speaker (^_^) After the session some of us went to bed and another just hung out and talk... while most of us were waiting for hot water to make POP MIE ha3x By 12.30am K Carol asked us all to get to bed. No surprise, though I've brought my Naruto small pillow and listened to the MP3 I couldn't sleep until at least 3am. I didn't know until the next day that K Carol was pissed off with Borah cause she kept waking her up every hour just because she was afraid to go the bathroom alone! She even woke her up to tell her she met a black cat with shining eyes that cried "meeow, meeow"! (^o^) Boy, no wonder K Car looked so tired the next day, she said: "I feel like I'm having a baby to take care of." The other's comment to Borah? "It's when the cat starts to bark that you have to be afraid... but all normal cats are supossed to say meeow!" *ngakak* Man, this girl is really clueluess...

Wednesday morning... While the boys were already in the jacuzzi (yes, there was a jacuzzi in this place... a big one!) or basketball court, we the girls were being lazy on our beds and gossiping about Borah (who else) who, by that time, was pissing off the boys by joining them in the jacuzzi :D (I found out about this later before we return to Jakarta). We had breakfast at 7 and started the 1st session of the day at 8. It's when the 1st session ended that Agus asked me to take over the last session cause he couldn't speak anymore (flu & too much laughing the day before). Afte lunch we had about an hour before the last session... I hung out in the boys room... there was this new boy who's kinda surprised to see me inside, he didn't know that I hung out with the others all the time so I just told him: "Easy boy, there's nothing in here that I haven't seen before!" Some of the boys were having a wrestling match and I just sat there munching chacha chocolate :D The 3rd and last session ended at 4, there were many questions and I think Om Josh answered them all to the participants' satisfactory.

These are the summary of what we got through the 2 day retreat:
To be able to come to the Lord's presence, we have to be freed from the sins, from the desires that hold us back from worshipping Him in spirit and truth. Worshipping Him in spirit and truth means that our life is being the worship tools. Everything we do, every words we say must reflect the love and miracle that God has done in our lives. Only after we've been purified that we could come to His presence and have an intimate relationship with Him. And when we've become free men, we must serve Him with all that we have, no excuse. Jesus grant each of us with something that we could use for His glory. It is our duty to find what that is and use it to serve Him and His people. It's not always easy, but when we surrender it in His hands He will give us strength and wisdom to fathom what He desires in our lives.

We all returned with a new understanding and a greater longing to serve Him more. Really, after all that He's done to us, there is no reason at all why we shouldn't serve Him with everythign that we got. He's done more and beyond. So why shouldn't we?

THE MEASURE OF A MAN
by 4 HIM

This world can analize and size you up and throw you on the scales
They can I.Q. you and run you through their rigorous details
They can do their best to rate you and they’ll place you on the charts
And then back it up with scientific smarts
But there’s more to what you’re worth
Than their human eyes can see

Reff:
Oh, I say the measure of a man
Is not how tall you stand
How wealthy or intelligent you are
‘Cause I’ve found out the measure of a man
God knows and understands
For He looks inside to the bottom of your heart
And what’s in the heart defines, The measure of a man

Well, you can doubt your worth
And search for who you are and where you stand
But God made you in His image when He formed you in His hands
And He looks at you with mercy and He sees you through His love
You’re His child and that will always be enough
For there’s more to what you’re worth
Than you could ever comprehend

Repeat Reff
You can spend your life pursuing physical perfection
There is so much more, more than ever meets the eye
For God looks through the surface
And He defines your worth by what is on the inside

Repeat Reff

A Little Kindness Will Make Your Day

I’ve been feeling down for a couple of weeks for no special reason… I guess I was worry about too many things. Ever since my birthday last month, people kept reminding me about my age, of what I should’ve been now, of what I wanna be doing in the next few years… those questions and words just started to scared the shit out of me. But at our weekly prayer meeting last night, I got something that really strengthened my belief in Him. The speaker said: “God’s hands were clean when He created us from the dust, but they became bloody when He created us again as men without sins. God’s head was clear when He blew His breath into us, but a crown of thorn was put upon it when He cried out ‘Eloi Eloi Lama Sabakhtani’. What had he not done for our salvation? Everything. He’s done everything to make sure that we all lead a bright and successful life as long as we walk along His path.” I couldn’t hold my tears anymore when I heard this. I mean, He’s done everything to me, He’s given everything to me, He knows what’s best for me, and yet I still worry about my future and sometimes I questioned His plans for me.

Romans 8 : 28
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God.”

Jeremiah 29 : 11
“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 hope and a future.”

If I really look closer to what’s inside me, I know that I still do many things that grieve The Father. Sometimes I still get angry so easily, not telling the truth because I’m afraid that I’ll lose another friend, impatient to my parents, and many more. But yet He always reminds me of His love in my life. To that, I can’t be more thankful but to serve Him more and to understand His way in my life.

So I was on my way to my office’s building after lunch when I passed this old man selling water balloons for children. I mean, who would buy water balloons for their children, bring it to the office and get it home around 6 o’clock? Since I have no children myself (^__^) I just walked passed him without a second glance. I was like 6 or 7 steps away from him when something inside me made me turn around and just looked at him. He was sitting with his head down looking very tired and with no light in his eyes. I shook my head and turned away, took another 2 step when suddenly I just couldn’t stop myself anymore, I turned around and walked closer to him -- no one was around cause it was already past lunch time -- and as I walked closer, this old man’s face started to lightened up, and I couldn’t remember what made me just opened my wallet, gave him Rp 10.000,- (about a dollar with today’s rate), smiled and continue to walk toward my building. What I remembered was hearing his laugh when he said thanks and suddenly I felt relieve, I felt like a heavy stone was taken my from my chest, and I felt much much better.

Well, like today’s entry’s title, a little kindness will make your day. It sure has made my day, and maybe that’s just what you need to do to feel better about yourself. A little kindness to someone who need it. You don’t have to know him/her well, but when you hear a little voice speaking to your heart, just do it, maybe that’s all you ever need to make your day. God Bless You (^__^)

The morning finds me here at heaven's door
A place I've been so many times before
Familiar thoughts and phrases start to flow
And carry me to places that I know so well
But dare I go where I don't understand
And do I dare remember where I am
I stand before the great eternal throne
The one that God Himself is seated on
And I, I've been invited as a son
Oh I, I've been invited to come and ...

Believe the unbelievable
Receive the inconceivable
And see beyond my wildest imagination
Lord, I come with great expectations

So wake the hope that slumbers in my soul
Stir the fire inside and make it glow
I'm trusting in a love that has no end
The Savior of this world has called me friend
And I, I've been invited with the Son
Oh I, I've been invited to come and ...

Great Expectations, by Steven Curtis Chapman

Ho ho ho...

Finally I got my tagboard back!! Well, though it's still needs to be fixed in a way or too... pokoknya udah bisalah ya!! *maksa* Niwei, niwei... ngepost nya ntar sore aja ah... banyak juga yang mau dipost2... ternyata setelah bosen malah jadi rame lagi hidupku... fufufufufufu bye bye....