Sunday, September 17, 2006
haha my cg kids thought i was joking abt how i was randomly struck with an analogy of what cg life is all about last night.see we had a bbq to celebrate ivan's bday and no one knew how to start the fire. and well i've never started one and i've never had to coz well yah nvm...basically i've never started a fire lah. but it was like a no choice situation last nite so i got down to doing it. and boy is it was really hard getting the charcoal to turn white and the starters to last long enough to turn the charcoal white before dying out and knowing when to fan it and when not to and all that...and my eyes stinged as the smoke got to them...but after a long long while, a lot of smoke, a lot of laughter, a lot of fanning and several several attempts to start a decent fire, it got going! and it dawned on me. that's kinda what CG dynamics are like. everyone comes like individual pieces of charcoal. each a seperate unit. each his own. each with a high propensity to smear onto others some of their "blackness" coz it's all abt me, i, and myself. so we place starters in the midst of these blocks of charcoal, hoping the fire will catch on and heat up the rest of the coals. but it doesn't always work out that way. and often the flame dies out just when it looked promising. so hopes are dashed but u try again. and again. and again. and tt really reminded me of what it's like attempting to gel the cg thru various activities, trying to help them grow in their spiritual walk, helping them change from the inside out, trying to get them to catch the flame, to pass it on in their personal lives and to pple ard. but it doesn't always happen that way.but with much persistance, much prayer, much much prayer, an outpouring of love, and an attitude of hope...the coals eventually begin to catch the flame and heat up. and i've begun to see that in my cg these last two days. sure, tons of unexpected and often unpleasant stuff has happened but i see God's hand in all of it...and i'm thankful. it's a slow start, but usually those fires last the longest :) and i think we're beginning to turn white and the heat's passing. and i'm no longer the only one fanning the flame. i've got amazing cg members who joyfully and willingly share the load (or at least i think they're joyful and willing..hahaha). and i see them burn bright. and i see others drawn to the heat. and i rejoice. :) and i think i've never felt more mother hen than i have this wkend. haha ur each so precious lah. cannot help it.
