What is Life?

The question "what is life?" written by my niece (she lives in Indonesia) on her facebook status. What did struck my attention most was the following statement of that question "what is life? when life is killed inside you (paraphrase)". I was worried and concerned with her statement because to my knowledge it could be interpreted as cynical, hopeless, depressed, it is simply deep sadness. I do not know what those questions imply for my niece. When I asked her she simply answered what most teenagers do that she is doing fine.

I am afraid that this will not be a simple question or statement that should be ignored.
From what I heard from the news and what I see around me, I got this feeling that people are worried, even are afraid of what might happen next? what might happen to their life & their future? Their fears are legitimate.

Millions of people losing their jobs, losing their homes and can not afford to get basic health care. Teens foresee no future in pursuing further education, even newly graduates are scrapping their heads realizing that they can not cash in their degree.
"What is life?" that will be a hard question when we are on our knees and crying for help.
"what is life?" that can be a cynical question comes from a child who watches his/her parent struggling just to put food on their table and a sudden "pink slip" is on its way.
"what is life?" that can be a bitter question for those who already tried so many times to own "the dream" but yet the world keeps pushing back and pushing down.
"What is life?' can be a philosophical question that so many thinker tried to answer.

I am not a philosopher who is trying to answer this big mystery; but I am my nieces, my nephews, my sisters and brothers keeper. When a person is asking a question or making a statement, or simply giving the expression of hopelessness, I do care and I do pray.
We have a choice to make. We could simply ignore others while we are desperate for our own survival, or we could throw bricks and blame others for what went wrong, or we could lecture others with our religion.

I realized that I do not have anything that could help a person who got lay off, who got sick or who lost his/her home, I do not have power to make a policy and I do not have guts to preach "give tithes and you will be blessed!". What I have is a listening ear and a heart which can be moved with compassion to pray, and I deeply hope it will work and make a different.

To those who read this note I simply encourage you to pick up the burden to care more and to pray more for those who are hurt and hopeless; pray for those who are in needs and who are in destitute.

We are our brothers and sisters keeper.

It's a New Season

Psalms 126:1-5
1 When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion,
we were like men who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
3 The LORD has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow in tears
will reap with songs of joy.
6 He who goes out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with him.

Last Friday was my final interview, after so many hours in waiting and taking so many exams. Finally, I got the answer, "Esther, you are IN!"; It was an exhilarating time knowing that I will be able to go to school and get training for FREE! literary "Free", Oregon state will be funding my education (tuition, books, misc fees, etc).

Driving home, I realized how beautiful it is to receive something remarkable for FREE. It was like a dream, since I hardly received "things" for free. Those who knows me, they know how hard I've been struggling to pay for my education. It reminded me when I was at PBC I had to work so hard, sometimes I had to work 12 hours at custodial just to save for tuition/down payment. It reminded my good ol' time working until 5 am with my good friend King Man. It reminded me how hard I worked when my friends were in vacation. It reminded me lots of grace just to sit in the class without being registered!

I cried with tears of joy and suddenly this one exhilarating minute has wiped all my past troubles and struggles. I realized that God is opening new door for me to enter into a new season in my life. A season of blessing!

Although problems of life may persist but I believe in the inner strength that I had found and built through the hard years of the past. I believe that the faithfulness of God never change and there is no shadow of turning in HIM!

I hope this note will be a living testimony and an inspirational story. If you are in the season of hardship, let me encourage you to believe that "God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all what we ask or we think."