New Spirit on Easter Where I Found God (again)...

It has been hard to find a church to go if you a totally newbie in a new place. I experienced it, until last Good Friday, I searched some churches which are near to my apartment. I found a church nearby, not really close to where i live, i had

to take a bus/walk and take a train. I really wanted to attend a Good Friday service, it was a relief i went to it.
For me, a week before Easter is crucial, it's not about celebration but it's about how we commemorate Jesus as our Lord. I think i feel the real ambience in it.

I went to the same church for another service on Easter day, i came too early so i had to wait other people left the sanctuary room. Anyway, i made it on time. I really liked the sermon on that day. The preacher was a senior citizen, he talked smoothly with a lil bit Singaporean accent. Sometimes, It's hard to understand common Singaporeans when they are talking to me. Not because, their accent but also they talk so very fast. The preacher was Ronny Tan, he was a medium man with very calm yet passionate personality. He taught about how to develop Total Man (body, spirit and soul). I was surprised it wasn't about Easter theme sermon, but i did understand that the ressurection brought our lives in fully new perspectives, we should leave our old selves behind, because they died with Jesus in crucifixion.
As new men in Jesus, we should be able to live our life according Jesus' paths and also treasure our lives accordingly.

There are 6 steps to develop our total men inside us (new body, spirit, and soul since God has blessed us abundantly so we are not going to toss the blessings)
1. Understand God's Promises in proper perspective and balance
We are God's children so we have rights to claim our needs, don't hesitate to ask and communicate our needs to God but we also remember we have to understand His words. We can manage with balance if we read the Bible and pray everyday. Therefore, it's not embarrassing to talk with God as long as we commit to His words. (Psalm 37: 4)

2. Meditate and Partake of God's word (Psalm 37: 1-5)
In amidst of our lives, there are tears, joys, laughters but we need to take a time where we can contemplate and talk to God. We need to understand what God's intend to do with our lives and we should believe in Him. I remember, when our wishes don't work out, and we get frustrated and blame God for being mean to us. But, it's not that sometimes we have limits that we can't cross, we just need to be relaxed and let God do the rest. If He could create the World and its comlplexities and i believe that He can lift our burdens away.

3. Pray in the spirit habitually.
You already knew that praying is our intimate communication with God. Sometimes, when we stuck and don't know what to say we lose our words. But let it be,God leads us beyond our words. He knows what we really needs. Not only, tangible aspects of our lives but also intangible aspects. So, pray and communicate with God.

4. Cultivate the attitude of prayise regardless what happens
In life, we can face many deppressing situations, joyful situations and etc. Sometimes, we forget and blame the Lord for our misfortunes. We forget everything that he have provided for us. Our family, our health, our home etc. We just see Him bad whenever our plans don't work as we want. We shouldn't do it...i am trying to praise the Lord although it's hard when i am in pain or sorrow, but i believe as long as God still gives me health I can't ask for more. I always try to put myself in a reflection how if i were in bed, sick...i wouldn't do anything and it's terrible. That's why,there is always a simple thing to be grateful for.

5. Give God's word in the first place
Everything we do in our lives should be referred to God's word. We should apply those on our daily basis. Everytime when we want to make a decision for our problems, go to God and ask Him.

6. Cultivate Sensitivity to the voice of Holy Spirit speaking to our human spirits.
God talks to your spirit, you should hear it. Maybe in my opinion, it's our consciences, we understand when we in dilemmas God speaks through us. Not directly, but he whispers to our spirits. Don't ignore it. I believe we already know when there are some wicked things in front of us but instead of avoiding it we jump to it. We should listen to our hearts because God is there. It gives clarity to our decisions.

All in all, I was mesmerised and also slammed by the sermon. I just feel that i was avoiding God while he was trying to reach out. I am trying to be a total man in spirit,body and soul that needs efforts. But, i believe I can do it because i know God will lead and give me new hopes everyday...

How many Animes have i watched?

Yare Yare,
I didn't believe i was an anime freak, until yesterday. I was trying to recall all animes i have watched.I like most of anime genres so i watch different genres. However, i really don't like anime about card fighting tournament it's just so childish for me.
Here they are,,(and crap,,i lost count and started counting again)I don't think i can do chronological order, since i watched old animes recently...
1. Samurai X
2. Inuyasha
3. Doraemon
4. Crayon Shinchan
5. Nodame Cantabille
6. Gundam (i don't remember which one)
7. One Piece
8. Naruto
9. Naruto Shippuden
10.Nana (so far this is my favorite jousei)
11.Death Note ( i finishd reading the manga when i was in high school and now considering to watch its anime, which is a lil bit hard to do since i already knew the story, but sometimes the story is slightly different in anime version)
12. Fairy Tail
13. Beelzebub
14. Bokura ga ita
15. Natsume Yuujinchou (loved it)
16. Fruit Basket
17. Honey and Clover (i am working on it)
18. Wolverine ( i was curious with this one, it's a Marvel comic but it has Japanese /anime version, it was okay..but it's so funny since all western characters speak Japanese)
19. Perfect GirL Evolution
20. Hunter X Hunter
21. Ranma 1/2
22. Sailormoon
23. Rantaro
24. Bleach
25. High School DxD
26. Elfen Leid
27. Blue Exorcist ( it was very good in the beginning but i found it boring, so i quit watching)
28. The Last Air Bender
29. Saint Seiya
30. Saint Seiya Omega
31. Slam Dunk
32. Nurarihyon no Mago: Sennen Makyou
33. Usagi Drop
34. Cardcaptor Sakura
35. Hiiro no Kakera (still waiting the new episodes)
36. Dear Boys
37. Pokemon
38.Rental Magica
39. Well, i'll be back updating my anime list...i am trying to remember all..

Cheers

Gado-Gado: Redefine Indonesian Cultural Diversity

Talking about cultural diversity may be a petty concept to some people. Those think that diversity is not compatible for their values. My personal judgement about people who hate other people according to the differences is clear, i would like to consider them as a factor of disintegration. I really don't understand why people can harm other people just because the physical appearance, ideology, and even prejudice. The lack of understanding and courtesy can bring discouragement of national stability. I think it has been declared by some scholars, yet the progress to respect others still hits the wall.

Then, what is the solution? Indonesia is well known with its cultural diversity, many people from different cultural backgrounds come to define Indonesia as a nation. It's not formed by one major ethnic group. The rise and fall of Indonesia is determined by its complexities. It involves cultural assimilation and cultural blend as ethnic experiences. To preserve the national stability, Indonesians must embrace a system which can accomodate the differences among ethnic groups. We must abandon personal prejudices to other ethnic groups. We need to realize that we are growing among cultural diversities, regardless our religions,cultural customs, or personal beliefs. If we trace back our history, we can't neglect the role of our ancestors, Indonesia isn't built by homogenous culture. I would like to call my beloved country, Indonesia, as a place where people can put their diverities peacefully without being threated by a dominant group. Being an Indonesian can't be defined by just one major perspective. We have to challenge the taken for granted definition, the unjust condition can only be clarified through multiculturalism.

Multiculturalism itself is a system of belief and behaviors that recognizes and respects the presence of all diverse groups in an organization /society , acknowledges and values their social -cultural differences and encourage and enables their continued contributio within an inclusive cultural context which empowers all within the organization o society. Multiculturalism emphasizes seven actions which are recognition ( the understanding of diversity), respect, acknowledging, valuing, encourage and enable, celebrate. The multculturalism magnifies us to look upon the others as partners not as foes. Inclusively, we don't patronize other cultures, where none /nothing is left behind. There is no agent which is deemed as a superior and the other is an inferior. Therefore, we must expel any conducts that can provide tendency to attack other groups merely based on negative prejudices, due to socioeconomic, cultural, political, biological. The prejudices are basically produced by unreasonable fear.

To redefine Indonesia, i would choose gado-gado ( an Indonesian food) as a good metaphor. In the multiculturalism context, diversity is treated as a foundation that can bond a unity. We, Indonesians are a heterogeneous society which includes our uniqueness, we maintain our personal identities. Similar to gado-gado, it is made from different ingredients (vegetables, peanut sauce, tofu,etc), but the ingredients keep their flavors to create new sensation without terminating any flavor. Certainly, when we eat gado-gado we can still taste lettuces and tomattoes but it comes in one package. The metaphor can define Indonesia, so the cultural diversity isn't the obstacle to move forward even it's a highly important factor to its development. That's how multiculturalism redefines Indonesia....

(Singapore, 29 Oct,2011___sembari nonton Animal Planet...)

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Happiness,, is mine

I taught speaking class last week. I asked my students about what happiness was?were they happy with their life?Some of them talked to me that they had an unhappy life. More or less, they were unhappy with the circumstances around them.
I have known well about how to be a miserable person. I was a miserable person because i hadn't known about how to be happy...

Many things have happened all these years, many bad things and good things have come like ocean reef. I might say bitter things have come back and forth during my life. I talked to God. Why this happened to me? Kept asking that...all the time...it was worthless..because God wouldn't answer anything. Then, i left nothing but emptiness.

I have found out that happiness should be created by thank fulling,reconciling, and compromising our life.I have been struggling so hard all these years to do all those things. It's very hard.However, to be happy or unhappy is our choice. Well, many people have been through many disapontments during their lifetime. Me too,,If we leave our lives to be unhappy it will be wasting all my life in advance.

Remember, we have a Savior, our God, Jesus..He has been through all the painful things as a human. How can we compare our miserable life to His life as a man. Who wants to die as an innocent person? We shouldn't talk about our miserable life....
to be or not to be?....you should choose to be happy or unhappy...

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

Kasih Setia-Mu

KASIH SETIA-MU
Kasih setia-Mu yang ku rasakan
Lebih tinggi dari langit biru
Kebaikan-Mu yang t’lah Kau nyatakan
Lebih dalam dari lautan
Berkat-Mu yang telah kuterima
Sempat membuatku terpesona
Apa yang tak pernah kupikirkan
Itu yang Kau sediakan bagiku
Reff
Siapakah aku ini Tuhan
Jadi biji mata-Mu
Dengan apakah kubalas Tuhan
S’lain puji dan sembah Kau

Ir. Niko Njotoraharjo
1990 Symphony Music

Kasih-Mu Bapa

Tuhan,
aku ini pendosa, wajahku sudah dilumuri oleh lumpur dosa, sampai aku tidak mampu melihatnya secara jelas. Lidahku kelu karena ucapanku, kakiku tidak sanggup lagi berdiri tegak,bebanku sungguh berat ,Bapa.Orang melempar pandangan hina akan kehadiranku. Aku ini bukan siapa-siapa...aku hanya orang berdosa...

Mungkin kita sekarang berada di masa-masa sulit kehidupan kita, hidup kita sungguh terbeban oleh perasaan bersalah akan dosa-dosa masa lalu kita. Kita merasa tidak berguna, cemar dan hina. Beban tersebut membuat kaki kita terpancang pada tiang dosa masa lalu. Tuhan Yesus tahu itu, Tuhan Yesus mengerti beban kita...

Pada suatu masa Tuhan Allah sedang melintasi sebuah daerah dekat Samaria, Tuhan Yesus duduk di sebelah sumur Yakub. Ia merasa kehausan, kemudian melintaslah seorang perempuan Samaria yang membawa timba untuk mengambil air.Tuhan Yesus menyapa secara pribadi perempuan tersebut. " Berilah aku minum" (Yoh, 4: 7). Tuhan Yesus mau menyapa seorang pribadi yang dianggap hina oleh masyarakat pada zaman itu. Dia,perempuan Samaria yang telah menikah 5 kali dan tinggal dengan laki-laki yang bukan suaminya (Yoh, 4: 16-19). Perempuan itu datang seorang diri, ia dikucilkan olah masyarakat pada masa itu. Tetapi Tuhan Yesus, menyapa dia secara pribadi, Dia tidak memandang dosa dan stigma sosial yang buruk yang melekat pada perempuan tersebut.

Melalui refleksi kisah tersebut, kita tahu betapa besar kasih Allah kepada orang berdosa.Ia mau merendahkan diri dengan manusia yang sudah dilumuri beban dosa. Tuhan Allah, mengasahi kita dengan kekurangan dan masa lalu kita yang pahit. Marilah, letakkan beban yang kita tanngung, pandanglah Tuhan Allah sebagai sumber harapan yang memberikan kekuatan bagi kita untuk melangkah.

Allah mengasihi kita, orang berdosa...
In God we may have eternal life,,,