Thursday, June 28, 2018

June 28, 2018

God keeps His People



I once lived far away from my family when I was a college student for 3.5 years. I lived in Bekasi and I studied in Yogyakarta during the college years. It takes 8.5 hours by train from my home to get Yogyakarta. Of course as a child who never lived far a way from the family, my mom really got over-protective over me, yes all the time she was really worried of me.
At the first day I arrived in Yogyakarta, my mom had to make sure that her daughter would have the safest settle, so before she left to get home, she had to find me a boarding-house, which was near my campus (it's a must). It was not easy seriously to find a comfortable boarding-house. Once my mom found a boarding-house like her requested-list; near the campus, cheap, and moreover the landlord is Christian, but I didn't feel comfortable because the house was moist and quite dark. So, a day was ot enough to find it. The second day, the becak-man suggested me to live in a dorm (considering my campus has a dorm for its new students). At first I thought it was a terrible idea to live in a dorm. In my thought, dormitory is related with the strict rules, and I am afraid that they would not allow me to go to Church, considering the dorm always has a mandatory activity on Sundays.

BUTTTTTTTTT..

no, at the first time I stepped on my dorm, I have fallen in love with it. It was a neat dorm with full facility, BRIGHTTTTTTT, and had the healthy air circulation, cheap, and of course it had a good security too. What I didn't really like was it has the shared-room so the room is for 2 girls.

My first settle; UGM's dormitory

And this is the cute thing that God did to me HAHA. So, I had a cyber-friend too from UGM (my campus). We knew each other from twitter, for me she was just the informative-friend if UGM had some information about new students. I never expected to befriend and meet her in a person, considering we came from the different city and faculty; she is a Vetenary student, and I am English Department student  (you know UGM is so large, so every faculty has different building that can be reached only by bicycle, you can walk but it will take a lot of time) but she became my room-mate and my first friend there. So at that day, when I booked the room in dorm I met her at the receptionist desk. I didn't recognize her, but she recognized me, so when my mom saw her, my mom had a feeling that she was a good girl and she could be my good friend there. My mom suggested me to share a room with her. And yeah in my first college year, she became my good friend, she was so kind to me, and she was so soft and more importantly for me is she was neat HAHA. Isn't it so annoying to have a shared-room friend who is so dirty but you are a neat person? 

So at the first year of my college years I lived in dormitary. I really enjoyed living there. The bad thing for me is when I was so comfortable with my bed-room, my neighbors, the environment, and all of activities there (my dorm always has a regular activity once in a month ), my friend and I had to move at the second year of our college years. Because a college dormitory is provided only for new students.

As the semester ended in July, I had to find a new boarding house before July.  So, in March, I have started to look for new boarding house. Here is the hardest thing; I'm a kind of perfectionist and neat person. It's kind of difficult for me to find a house that match with me. Once I found a neat-big-house with full facility but my heart didn't comfort to stay there. And I think it's harder to find the right house than finding a soul-mate, do you agree? hahahaha...

I looked for it by door to door, day by day, but no house suited me. Really...
It made me so worried that by July I had to find a new house to stay. I went to my friend's house to ask solution, instead of giving me directions she just easily said "Pray Mel, God will find the best house for you." I was a bit disappointed by her answer actually, because what I needed was she showed me the house. 

And here when I remember that moment; It's easy for me to say the world that I'm a believe(r) since even before I was born, but the fact is it is not easy for me to just trust Him when the reality seemed showing you no-way-out.

Isn't it a faith means seeing unseen?

Well, when I followed my friend's direction to pray to God, I began to ask God for giving me a direction to a cheap and neat house, and also near my campus.

And finally I remember this, in April I found the best house for me. It's new and neat building, ordinary house actually, but what I liked is it has a good circulation, and so bright. However when I asked the landlord to book the room by July, she said that I had to pay three months from April - July. If no, she would give the room to another person who paid it first. And you know of course it would cost me more expensive prices and my mom did not agree with it.

I have ride along the way of the location that I wanted but I still didn't find it. 
So, I stopped a little bit time to look for new boarding house, and when I was seeing my social-media on my contact, I saw my senior's profile picture in my college on Line. She was captured in a neat bed-room, it looked like a new building house, so immediately I asked where she lived. She answered that she rented a boarding house near my faculty (English Department), I asked her to invite me to see her boarding house because I was looking for new boarding house by July. When she invited me to her boarding house and I saw the house, I immediately fell in love and really it was a suitable house I was looking for all this time; it's neat, a new building, there was TV, refrigerator, kitchen, and a place to wash my clothes, it only has 4 rooms with the living room in there, so it felt like a home for me, more importantly the home is near my campus and CHURCH (most the neighbor are Catholic. So I don't need a bicycle to get the Church and Campus.)The house is just one meter away from the previous building house that I wanted. This is the funny fact that both the previous house I liked (that I told you on the paragraph above) and this my senior's boarding house has the same landlord. That's why the building looks so similar but no, I think my senior's was better because it had the TV and living room haha.

BUT you know what made me so disappointed was at that time there WAS NO ROOM. ALL ROOMS WERE FULL-RENTED. It has been late June. All right, so the landlord offered me a different house to stay, well the another building was quite a lot different. It was quite dark and the room was not  inside house, there was no living room, there was no TV and either at first I thought I had no choice because it was almost July I still didn't find any comfort house to live. I agreed, considering it was near the campus and the Church. 

And you know what, it was still the late June I remembered, couple days after I booked that uncomfortable room, my senior contacted me again and said that her next room mate would move in July, so there was  an empty room next to her room. I immediately came and asked the landlord to book that room. As the girl moved in July, so I just paid from July, just the right month my deadline to move from the dorm. 

OMG. JESUS is so the best as I always remember. He kept me not only a day or a year after I found a dorm. He kept me 3.5 years in Yogyakarta until I graduated. Even though I lived alone there, but He surrounded me by many good people there even at the first day I stepped on Yogyakarta.

Prayer Fellows

He did not only help me to find a house to sleep, but He helped to find a home and new family. I joined many positive communities there, one of them are named Aping Anit Jogjakarta, where the pastors in Jogja build a home-schooling to the poor children.  I had many new experiences that I never had in Bekasi, the pastors asked a favor from my friends and I to teach the poor children reading and writing on Wednesday, OMG it was amazing experiences for me. They also often invite me and my friends to have lunch at the Church and have holiday with the Aping Anit Community. Not only that, like my friend who is from Bekasi and moving to Yogyakarta also often invited me to come to Catholic Prayer Fellows on Tuesday. So I got many Catholic family there.

He kept me yesterday, He keeps me today, and He will keep me tomorrow. He placed me to new-bestest-house in His time right after I moved from the dorm. He placed me to the boarding-house with many christian neighbors, near the church.

Seriously sometimes I often cry every I remember how good He is for me. There is no reason at all to worry. We often think that God is not there, but you know, He does not only know our life, He does recognize every step and way in our life.

And He will still continue to keep us until we reunite again with Him in His home. 😀😀
By at

Monday, June 25, 2018

June 25, 2018

God's unconditional love; we are LOVED unconditionally




Have you ever felt unworthy or ashamed of yourself ? or thinking that you do not deserve to come to God even just in prayer? if yes, just same as me.

I often think about it when I was in a sin or after doing some bad deeds like hating my friends, jealous of my friends, put a fight with my dearest parents and hurting my sister and even after seeing perfect people around you. I was thinking that I will come to pray if this day what I'm doing is pleasing Him, I'm doing God's will, or if today I am focusing on Him, if not I will not come to Him because feeling so unworthy and ashamed. If you think what I write just same as your condition right now I just want to say don't let Devils manipulate you -- It's not true; God heals and comes for the sinners not the righteous ones (Mark 2:17).

I never meet God directly, but I do believe in Bible and what it says it is the truth. But have you ever felt like it's so long distance with God? I know what the scripture says about God's love, but it's sometimes hard for me to feel and imagine it, and that makes me keep thinking I'm unworthy to Him I'm ashamed of myself. Not only my sins but when my other friends show better than me; more beautiful, richer, having a higher salaries and incredibly achievements and position, going aboard. Every time I keep thinking about it, make me feel so smaller and smaller as a youth. I do know Jesus died on the cross is the proof that He loves me unconditionally, but I still cannot feel how worthy I'm on God's point of view. So here is I just want to share a story of mine, hope you do not feel bored while reading it 😃

***



I'm a dog lover. I have a little dog, his name is Boy, he is 1 year old, actually he is not like any pretty racist dogs, he is totally black hha.
He is not like any other dogs that I often watch on TV either-- he is not smart; we cannot expect him to give back what he gets once you give him ball, stickor anything. When you get him out of the house without the dog leash, once he looks at you, instead of coming to you, he will run away as fast as he can from you. He likes to eat so much and when you call his name, he does not always directly come to you, unless you bring him some foods. He likes to sleep so much, once he lays, no matter how louder you call him, he will not come to you. So, what can I be proud of him? nothing 😅 but however I do love him so much and no matter how black he is, he is just still pretty for me, and no, he is the cutest dog for me. 

So can you draw the point on what I write above. At this point, sometimes we are just like that dog, we might think that we are not as pretty as other women, we might think not as smart as professors or any world leaders do. And we might think not have any notable achievements to be proud of.

— I can really love my dog like that, because I'm a dog lover. I'm pretty sure if you have a child, you will know that way much better than I do. And God is our lover. So can you imagine how worthy you are for Him? how God view and value us more than we view our pet and our loving children. His love for us is beyond we can imagine —

So, listen, how far we think that we a weird and a failure, for God we are the most beautiful child for Him. And we are not a mistake. God view and value us as the most precious child for Him; no matter if we never get notable achievements, no matter how naughty we are for Him, but still He loves us so dearly, and nothing can separate His love for us.

 If you don't believe me, just trust Him 😄. This video will speak for you how worthy you are based on God's words in Bible.




And there is the time when the Dog has mating season. It ever happened that my dog was out of my home for more than 12 hours. He forgot to eat, he just got lost. When my sister and I looked for him and we found him at the empty house, he was mating with another female dog, and when he looked at me he hid and did not want to come home. It happened 3 or 4 times that my Dog forgot me at all. ------ He forgot that I am the only one who feed him and giving him the best place to sleep. He forgot that I am the only one who brings him home and gets him bath when he gets so dirty, and I am the only one who brings him to the doctor when he gets sick. Although when mating season he did not remember me as the owner, I still feeds him, I still get him bath and I will still bring him to the doctor once I know he gets sick. Although I know my dog is not like human being who can payback what I did to him. ---------- But I still welcome him home. 

This what on my mind and what my heart feels, sometimes we are just like my dog. We are running away from God and choosing what please us instead of pleasing Him. We forget He is the only one who keeps us everyday, we sometimes forget He is the one who gives us food, gives us decent bed to sleep, we forget He is the one who takes care of us when we are sick. Sometimes we forget God's love and never realize anything good comes from Him. But just like hat I did to my dog; God will always welcome us home no matter how far we are from Him and no matter how worst we ever forget Him.

***


The world may have the limitless standardization of how the perfection is. Insecurity often comes up by how we standardize our value based on how the world standardize it. 

Everyday we are inundated with perfect people and how the life-goal should be through Instagram photos, televisions, news, and etc.

And for me as the Insecurity becomes main issues that haunted me almost everyday
Comparing Appearances, Fame & Recognition, Achievements become the most influential factors that I'm trying to dealing with e.v.e.r.y.d.a.y.

When I gain weight I always think that I will be less pretty. I start to curse my body and my face with any other girl who have a dreaming body-goal: slim, perfect eyes, sharp nose, white skin, and etc. It makes me insecure and think that I'm not pretty. Not only comparing the physical body, I compare everyone's success with me: the establishment, experiences, recognition, achievements, positions and lead me to the thoughts that I'm a pathetic-person, and I'm unloved.

Once I've felt so insecure I read this blog click here  and it makes calmer. I'm feeling such God spoke straightly to me.

And I know His love for me unconditionally, regardless of who I am, what I do & don't, and how my appearance is . Because my value & identification come from Him, and it makes me feeling worthy beyond I could ever imagine.

I am the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21).

I am a child of God (John 1 :1 2).

I am a slave of righteousness (Romans 6:18).

I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear his fruit (John 1 5:1 6).

I am a joint-heir with Christ, sharing His inheritance with him (Romans 8:17).

I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17).

I am a new creation (2 Cor.5:17).

I am reconciled to God and am a minister of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:1 8,19).

I am chosen of God, holy, and dearly loved (Colossians 3:1 2).

I am a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession to proclaim the excellencies of Him (1 Peter 2:9,10).

I am an alien and stranger to this world in which I temporarily live (1 Peter 2:1 1).

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm (Ephesians 2:6).

I am an enemy of the devil (1 Peter 5:8).

I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:1 8).

I am not in a losing battle, the Lord shall fight for me and I shall hold my peace (Exodus 1 4:14).

I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37).

I am not weak, for the Lord gives strength to His people (Psalm 29: 1 1).

I am not bound, for the Son has set me free (John 8:36). I am favored, not cursed (Proverbs 8:35).

I am a success, not a failure (Joshua 1 :8).

I am a blessing, not a burden (Genesis 22:17-18).

I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

I am not of those that shrink back (Hebrews 10:39).

I am the head, not the tail (Deut. 28: 1 3).

I am above, not beneath (Deut. 28: 1 3).

I am the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:1 3).

I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 1 39: 14).

I am the apple of God's eye (Deut. 32:10).

I am a lender, not a borrower (Deut. 1 5:6).

I am fruitful, not barren (2 Peter 1 :8; Exodus 23:26).

I am a victor, not a victim (1 John 5:4).

I am blessed in everything I put my hand to (Deut. 28:8).

I am a child of joy, not sorrow (Isaiah 61 :3).

I am a divine project, not an abandoned one (Philippians 1 :6).

I am blessed coming in and blessed going out (Deut. 28:6).

I am blessed in the city and blessed in the country (Deut. 28:3)

I am a child of destiny, not of accident (Jer. 1 :5).

I am like Christ in this world (1 John 4:17).

 So, can you imagine how worthy we are for Him ? 



This is the last, beautiful lyrics by Laura Story, titled

"GRACE"

My heart is so proud. My mind is so unfocused.
I see the things You do through me as great things I have done.
And now You gently break me, then lovingly You take me
And hold me as my father and mold me as my maker.


I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up,
When I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory,
How far will forgiveness abound?"
And You answer: " My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face,
You'll walk in the power of My daily sufficient grace."


At times I may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged,
Knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job.
For who am I to serve You? I know I don't deserve You.
And that's the part that burns in my heart and keeps me hanging on.


You are so patient with me, Lord.
As I walk with You, I'm learning what Your grace really means.
The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary.
So, instead of trying to repay You, I'm learning to simply obey You
By giving up my life to you For all that You've given to me.


So I pray for whoever feels like I used to, may you realize how worthy you are for your Creator. You are beautiful just the way you are, and you are His only beloved daughter. And may we can see and value ourselves as how God sees and values us. Amen



Credits :
Click here 1,

By at

Friday, June 22, 2018

June 22, 2018

Jesus is Non-Fictional Goblin and The Marvel Super Heroes




Most of the world must have watched The Marvel Super Heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Spider Man, Hulk, and Thor (ah this one is my super duper favorite Marvel, besides he's portrayed as the son of gods, he is also so funny, handsome and EXTREMELY COOL HAHAHA 😝). And also for K-drama-lovers you all must have watched Goblin; The Lonely and Great God. Both Goblin and The Marvel Super Heroes are my most favorite super heroes stories on television.


We might adore all of those characters; they are strong, have super power, they all defend the weak, they can forecast the future HAH!, and more important thing most of them has the role to protect human-kind from evils.  



1. Jesus is my real Goblin; The Lonely and Great God😁👼
The first summon of Ji Eun Tak and Goblin.
The first time I watched Goblin, I have fallen in love with Gong Yoo. He is cute, and known as ahjussi rasa oppa (Indonesian K-drama-lovers must know what this means HAHA). Gong Yoo played it very well and I think he is the only one actor in Korea that suits being Goblin. But actually what I have fallen in love the most is his character as Goblin.

It is told that Goblin has lived for more than 900 years, he was punished to live long due to his past that kill his nation's enemies. He should find a bride (human) to end his life, but instead of ending his life, he ends up by falling in love with his human-bride.

During their togetherness, Goblin becomes the protector of Ji Eun Tak (his human bride, and you know as he is portrayed as the lonely god, he also has supernatural power). He grants Ji Eun Tak's wishes of having a part-time-job, keeping Ji Eun Tak safe once she was kidnapped by the gangster, and place her to his safe home so that her aunt cannot mistreat her. Goblin has the power to forecast the future; he ever sees Ji Eun Tak's future death because of the bus accident, but he can stop it so that his bride can stay alive. He is the faithful guardian of Ji Eun Tak. Doesn't it make you really wish to have one like him? HAHAHA 😂😂

Goblin turn into the dust, and let Ji Eun Tak alive


At the end Goblin has to sacrifice himself to turn into the dust so that he can defeat the ghost who is trying to kill Ji Eun Tak, so his bride can continue her life. That's so pathetic super hero story, right? While the god, who is superpower also has to choose sacrificing himself so that his bride will have a happy life. But as how the K-drama's formula always goes, the hero must win & rise. After 9 years, Goblin returns , and you know what makes him return? Because of a contract over him and Ji Eun Tak.

Everyone who watched that drama should have been longing of that such guardian (hm it's me actually HAHA), but Goblin in K-drama is fiction. But the good news is we do have Goblin in our real life.

If I take a look back at my life, what Jesus did to me is just exactly the same with what Goblin did to Ji Eun Tak.

Jesus give me a job with the most unpredictable way (I will write about this in a separate post), He always keeps me safe (I'm a motorcycle rider, I have many experiences where my motorcycle almost crushed truck but thank God I'm totally safe and still alive), Jesus also gives me a decent house, surrounded me by love through my family and friends. And this is the cutest thing in my life I think; I love dogs, but I love free-given dog, the dog must be little, and the ears should hang down LOL, and you know what Jesus gives me a dog exactly with what I want 😂. There are many more I cannot write down here. And as I adore Goblin in K-drama, who can forecast the future, I do know Jesus has the power to determine my future--He promises me to give a good future for me.--

When I think about that it makes me smile. It's a beautiful truth while I adore Goblin and hope to have Goblin like Ji Eun Tak, we do also have the real Goblin in our life, and we are His only bride.👰


2. Jesus is my Marvel Super Heroes, smash, smash, smash!! 💣💥
Thor with his hammer
Who does not know Marvel Super Heroes? If no, you should watch it, they are cool and entertaining movies, at least every Thor movie always makes me laugh hha.. 😂
If you think  the super heroes like that are fiction, you are right, but if you think only the Marvel world who has super heroes like that, then you are wrong.

We also have the real super powerful hero in life. He did sacrifice His life 2000 years ago to redeem us from evils and set us free from our (future) sins. We are not supposed to live in Heaven but Jesus paid the greatest expensive price to take us back. 

Thor said to the robot: "These people are innocent.
Taking their lives will gain you nothing. So take mine and end this."
Yesterday I watched Thor: 2011 where Odin (Thor's father) strips him of his godly power and exiles him to Earth as a mortal. And when Loki (Thor's brother) sends Thor a robotic monster (forget to call what it is) to kill Thor, Thor attempts to save the world by sacrificing himself.  Thor's sacrifice proves him worthy to his father. The hammer returns to him, restoring his powers and enabling him to defeat the monster.

***




If we compare Thor, Goblin and Jesus, they have many similarities. Our Father gave His only son, Jesus to come to the world. God stripped Jesus's godly power as a mortal just like us. Jesus had to die and sacrifice himself by hanging on the cross, so we can reconcile with Him and the Father.

The difference with Thor is only God does not exile Jesus because of His arrogance like Odin did to Thor; God exiled Jesus with one purpose to defeat evils with kindness and unconditionally-humbled love. And of course by the humbled-love that was given by Jesus, He wins the evils, and the Father gives Jesus the highest place for Him in heaven.


And also like Goblin, who scatter into the dust nobly after killing the ghost to save Ji Eun Tak, Jesus also died nobly to save us and deliver us from evil. So we can have eternal life and reunite with Him and the Father one day in His home.

That is sadder than Goblin and any other super hero stories, right?


So, the conclusion is Jesus is totally cool non-fictional hero story ever exists, huh?😉😊😏😎💖
By at

Thursday, June 21, 2018

June 21, 2018

How to Make Super Thick Soya Milk



I'm one of huge Soy milk fans. I can say that I can drink it everyday without getting bored and I can drink more than 1 glass. Actually  all of the Soy milk stall have the same taste and texture, but sometimes you can find it quite watery (actually you can adjust the milk consistency; the less water you have and the more soybeans you mix, the thicker soy milk you will get). So here it is how to make super thick soy milk, let's check it out:


Ingredients :

1. Soybean 400 gr
2. Water 300 ml (The water should less 100ml for every 100gr of the soy bean, that will result a thick soy milk. This is my recipe but if you still find it too watery you can still reduce the water and add the soy bean. E.g 200gr soybeans and the water 100ml, and for 300gr soy bean, the water is 200ml and so on)
3. Sugar 200 gr (I don't really like sweet so it's optional)
4. 2 pieces of Pandan leaves (It is a must. It will make your soy milk tastier and take away the beany smell )


Steps :

1. Soak the soybeans for 6-8 hours in the water.
2. Rinse the soybeans and put it into the dry bowl.
3. Let's get start to blend it. (For your information I used the soy milk machine you can google it by typing "Soya Milk Extractor" (it's mine). If you plan to sell soy milk I suggest you to use this machine because it will produce the stable result. But don't worry you can also use blender.)
If you use blender, blend the soybeans and water together, it can be blended twice as 200gr soybeans and 150ml water for every blending.
4. Strain the blended soy milk over the cheesecloth  and squeeze it carefully and as strong as possible to get a thick milk.
5. Boil the the soy milk over medium heat and wait until it gets boiling. After it gets boiling you can still heat it up over low heat until 20-30 minutes (so it can stay fresh longer) and during this time you can add sugar, make sure you always stir it, because when you add sugar, sugar has the tendency to burning and it will change the smell and the taste)
6. So here it is, the soy milk is ready to serve 😁😀

Credits : Click here
By at