Men are creatures of extremes. There were moments in my life when endeavors to live as a Christian became a pursue of virtues. There I fell more than often to pride of considering self good, or to vanity to what I would have others think of me. But then there were moments of another extreme when I got so tired and disappointed with world and its imperfections, also weariness with own self, when I decided to consider the world, relationships between human beings, the affairs and cares of it, as futile and not to be of my concern. Will I always swing like a pendulum?

There lies almost an anomaly within the character and life of a true saint. It is the rare combination of a grounded being and the transcendent soul. This comes from the awareness of the small details and nitty-gritty in the here and now, and the larger more eternal view. Only when one has this proper balance that he/she can be intimate with God as well as respectful to others, both perceptive and sensible, strong yet vulnerable, contemplative yet down-to-earth, one who honors what is right and speaks of truth, yet merciful and gracious at the same time. May I, as a dear friend commended, learn to keep my outer countenance, as I have my inner peace. A prayerful life, with the practical one of loving expression to all.

~

Meanwhile, last count of Jogja victims was 5000+
God is giving man's possessions wings, even their lives. He is shaking their habitations. Taking away all visible defenses, proclaiming the instability and the uncertainty of all things here below. Will this not humble us more, that nothing on earth can give us rest and peace?

posted by Graciana@Home at 11:16 am

Is it my imagination or these natural disasters seem to increase in Indonesia both in frequency and in intensity? Aceh’s tsunami, and now quakes in Klaten, Jogja. Both proved to be herculean in death and wreckage they left behind. P’s families, relatives, friends reside there practically under the shadow of Merapi, I earnestly cannot imagine and share his worries. And also unrest in Timor Timur.

Indonesia, the violence, disasters. God knows, God allows. I know HE is there.

posted by Graciana@Home at 5:07 pm

L.A, an old friend. It's been some time to feel this way. To be content to just be, to just sit around. Half a day chatting to each other. Being with someone, listening. Without a clock, and without anticipation of results. Nice.

If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads.

posted by Graciana@Home at 10:15 am

Light reveals opaqueness. It is so illuminated even darkness where it belongs to cannot hide it. When an opaque surface reflects light, it is only revealed of its opaqueness. Only when it becomes nothing that there is transparency for light to shine through. Consider the piercing illumination – light everywhere.

Everything exposed by the light becomes visible. It is light that makes everything visible. 1Cor5:13

posted by Graciana@Home at 4:11 am

"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow grow, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation." George Washington

posted by Graciana@Home at 3:11 am

posted by Graciana@Home at 7:02 pm

There was not a hint of conniving, of pretense, or game playing. While other people play it more cool, more reserved, more coy, A.K’s demeanor is different, refreshingly so. And I know this was what impressed me the most. Invitation to first conversation was simple and straightforward, I liked that, and perhaps that was why I did not mind more conversations with him.

These qualities, plain thoughtfulness, unaffectedness, unadorned sincerity, real humility, are difficult to come by. It is fear that makes us pretend, masquerade, play people games. A.K. gives the open-hearted quality that I admire so much, one that I seek to cultivate, one that God seeks. Nothing that is less than genuine. Nor anything that is flavoured by the cynical, ho-hum attitudes of our world pseudosophistication. True giving in honour of inner strength and integrity.

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14/08/06

These I searched in friendships, as vital as they are to one's maturity.

posted by Graciana@Home at 10:05 am

posted by Graciana@Home at 4:26 am

There is no such thing as good Christian.

The greatest danger to Christianity is, I contend, not heresies, heterodoxies, not atheists, not profane secularism – no, but the kind of orthodoxy which is cordial drivel, mediocrity served up sweet. There is nothing that so insidiously displaces the majestic as cordiality. Perpetually polite, so small, so nice, tampering and meddling and tampering some more – the result is that majesty is completely defrauded – of course, only a little bit.

The homey, civil togetherness, very nauseating atmosphere...

posted by Graciana@Home at 5:16 am

posted by Graciana@Home at 6:52 pm