A Christian Teacher's prayer

In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Father in heaven, You love me and have taught me to love. Help me to share Your love with my students, their families and those who minister with me.

I need Your help, for without it I would have failed miserably long ago.

By Your Spirit empower me to teach Your children. This is a high calling filled with great responsibility.

Take my words, my actions, and my will and make them yours. May they always reflect Your joy and love.

I love Your Words. It gives me comfort and direction.

More than that, it shows me Your great love for me. It shows me Your Son, my Savior. It shows me how You love me in spite of my inadequacies and failures. Move me to read, study and meditate on Your Words. I need it. I love to teach it. I dedicate my life and my teaching to You.

Be with me every day, both in and out of my classroom.

I praise and thank You for giving me my abilities and my ministry as a teacher.

Use me as an instrument of Your will.

I rely on Your promise to stay beside me. Amen

*A beautiful prayer shared to me (us) in my first day of teachers training program at SDH (Sekolah Dian Harapan) Lippo Village, Jakarta.

there is place...

to sit down and be calm

in the shadow of the clouds

or among the tiny grass

which waves harmonically by the sweep of the wind

There the coconut trees spread their arms

facing up to the sky

when the falcon steps on its youngest

to look down into the tiny stream

all shining

all glistening

by the sunshine

thousands rays dispersing make all colourful

make all singing

a piece of happiness in others

Today I have a very long, unique and tiresome journey to Jakarta (I live in Tangerang, a satellite city of this town). When my Friend Ricki and Theresia his girlfriend and I came to attend some kind of national backpackers gathering, we expected to see bazaar, concert, or at least a talk show. Yet, when we arrived fifteen minutes earlier, we found our self in shock because nothing seemed to be appearing. Yes, there were some empty stands but the committeemen of this meeting was only one or two ready at place. Hm, well. Let's wait for another hour. Then we came back to the arena and there it was, a little progress a bit more people came over and started to set up the boot. It's really interesting and fun to notice. Although a part of us whispered 'O, come on, it should be more than this'..., but most of my part saw a cool and amusing experience this going to be. Indeed it is! There would be always fun side of any circumstances, even the disappointing one (oops, hehe) like this event. All three of us shared a common good taste of humour and that's it! 'People is our mission...' and there are three people in good company! All the way of seeing the event going until quite evening (8 pm) until we arrived at home, we cherish the warm and good conversation about mundane things. I personally am sorry for this event which letting them (Ricki and Terre) down, but I am also thankful for the good companion that they share! This worth it!

What I learn today is that it is so beautiful and good to see the piece of happiness in others. Besides, we can always choose and decide our response to any circumstances that we are in! Glory to God!

walk silently

Noisy not only outside

but at times also inside

illusion, deception and imagination

keeps coming and going as the wind about the window

some things happen

some hidden

what occurs outside

all the phenomenon which finally will pass

stay still, be in manner

turn toward, and not away

embrace it and accept with a calm mouth

walk in peace,

in the humming of the lips

silently pray

watch and pray, do it in stillness

stillness in the midst of violence

from Sunday to Sunday

One thing that mark a Sunday, it is joyful! Because then I go to the house of the Lord, meeting brothers and sisters in the Lord and pray. This is a heartfelt joy to step into the gate and to kiss the icon, smell the heavenly scent of the incense and follow along the chants and songs to the Lord. To see his servant, his living icon ministering His beloved people with the Holy Mystery. Glory to You, O Lord!

Every time I went home from God's holy temple, I feel the overflowing joy. It is the seed and even the shoots of the desire for holiness and closeness to loving Christ remaining in heart, as I swing from a bus to another, going home. Christ, the true lover of our soul is present among us! Glory be to God the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit.

Soon, Monday will come and those cares and activities being entrusted to us are readily to occupy the days in the week. But let all those things only bring us nearer and nearer to the Lord, to serve Him and to share the Love which he gives us so generously in our simplest and tangible ways. May the Lord keeps us vigilant, watchful and full of joy until the next Sunday, when we, in the mercy of God are allowed to partake in His royal chamber! Ameyn!

Joy by Fr. Alexander Schmemann

The source of false religion is the inability to rejoice, or, rather, the refusal of joy, whereas joy is absolutely essential because it is without any doubt the fruit of God’s presence. One cannot know that God exists and not rejoice. Only in relation to joy are the fear of God and humility correct, genuine, fruitful. Outside of joy, they become demonic, the deepest distortion of any religious experience. A religion of fear. Religion of pseudo-humility. Religion of guilt: They are all temptations, traps – very strong indeed, not only in the world, but inside the Church. Somehow “religious” people often look on joy with suspicion.

The first, the main source of everything is “my soul rejoices in the Lord…” The fear of sin does not save from sin. Joy in the Lord saves. A feeling of guilt or moralism does not liberate from the world and its temptations. Joy is the foundation of freedom, where we are called to stand. Where, how, when has this tonality of Christianity become distorted, dull – or rather, where, how, why have Christians become deaf to Joy? How, when and why, instead of freeing suffering people, did the Church come to sadistically intimidate and frighten them?

* This excerpt is from “The Journals of Father Alexander Schmemann, 1973-1983″, cited from this blog

new opportunity

Praise the Lord that my university years has been accomplished, this is all because of His mercy and goodness. All the friendships and love that has been shared, both the crest and the valley of emotions, it has bee a really colorful journey and I am grateful for that. Very especially also for the provision from God, those whom He has sent me very mercifully! Lord is good and His mercy endures forever.

Now, however is time to move with another step in a slightly different setting. After being used to live in a conditioned environment of dormitory, I am living in a much more independent setting in 'real world'. There are much opportunity here and there to grow, to be more mature and to take appropriate role in the community and even in the life of the Church.

Sometimes living somehow by myself, having much privacy and freedom can be both challenge and privilege. Yes, especially when it relates to self-control in almost anything. So, I reflect this on the lives of those who are pleasing to God, how they live their young adult life and how they keep their heart clean before the Lord. I come to this brief axiom, "If this pleasure is against God's pleasure, I won't take it. Let my joy is only in pleasing Him." There are so much pleasures out there which this hedonistic world has to offer, but the real joy could only be found in the sweetest Lover of our Soul, Lord Jesus Christ in the life of Holy Trinity.

Glory to You, O God!

guarding the thought

Once again I am reminded that it is what comes out of the heart which is really crucial in our relation with God and others. Most of our conscious actions starts with the thoughts, thus it is what in our minds which needs very careful attention and watchfulness. And it is very important to deliberately discern, and fill our hearts and minds with noble and righteous thoughts for the glory of God,

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things [are] noble, whatever things [are] just, whatever things [are] pure, whatever things [are] lovely, whatever things [are] of good report, if [there is] any virtue and if [there is] anything praiseworthy meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8) - NKJV

How beautiful this instruction is... and truly, the good thoughts and thoughts that honor God brings peace and joy from the Lord feeding our souls with the fear of God. While all accusations, merciless and evil thoughts produces sickness of the mind. So, whenever it becomes our part, keep our eyes and minds on those who are pleasing unto God and shut and not to entertain thoughts which brings nothing but misery.

Glory to You, O Lord, Glory to You!