After a month of abandonment, I finally decided to entirely redesign the whole blog. I changed the overall theme from black darkness to white light and I also designed a new bloghead image. There are meanings behind each changes I made. First, I changed the color theme from black to white to indicate that I am trying to turn away from darkness back into light. The Japanese inscription on the background reads "Dakkanya" which means "Retrievers" in English. That indicates my mission right now, a mission I've forgotten for so long, which is to retrieve lost souls from the grip of the enemy and bring them back to the Light and Salvation. The words above are taken from a musical play (some kind like an opera) titled "The Power and The Glory", I took it from the last song, Chapter 14 : The Glory, that's why it's rather different than its Bible counterpart in Matthews. I am going to play as Judas Iscariot in that play. My church is going to use it for the Easter Celebration on Saturday, April 10th.

         This play was the one of the ways God used to bring me back to Him after I lost Him since early February. This play reminded me of His sacrifice, and some of the songs were very haunting that they resounded inside me day and night. The youth choir did a very well job of singing those songs because they can deliver the "feelings" inside the song to the listeners. When I practiced in the play with them, everytime I hear their singing, I was greatly touched. The song number 5, "Father, Protect Your Children" was my favourite. It is a short song, which depicts Jesus praying for His disciples in Getsemane so that they can avoid temptation. It is haunting indeed, and I pray using that song everyday, so that Father would protect me in each step I take in my life. Maybe later after the Easter Celebration I can copy the CD and upload the song here as an mp3 so all of you can listen to it.

         The other way God used to remind me of His sacrifice was The Passion of the Christ movie. I'm sure most of you must have known and watched this movie. I was literally crying a river when I watched it. I can't remember how many times exactly did I cry, probably five? I cried when Jesus saw Peter after he denied Him three times (because His eyes struck deep into my soul), then when He was chastised by a whip, and then Mary the Mother and Mary Magdalene wiped His blood from the courtyard cobblestones with a cloth, and also when Jesus saved Mary and Mary tried to touch the feet of Jesus (I cried because I realized that I have been saved by Him, but never, even once, had I tried to reach even His feet to be able to see His face), then when Jesus fell with the cross and there was a flashback of little Jesus falling down and Mary the Mother rushed to Him and said "I'm here" and then (back to the present) she ran to Him and told Him "I'm here" (I was crying HARD on this scene, I really cried on this one!), then I cried non-stop during the crucifixion scene until His death on the cross. So if you have seen it, you can count on your own, how long did I cry. My tears literally ran dry after the movie, phew.

         Now, I'm happy to tell you all that finally I am back and I am ready to serve and fight for the LORD again with you brothers and sister. Apart from me taking part on The Power and The Glory play, I also took a ministry in the Printing Department, that is to make wall-magazines and four-months-bulletins for my Latreia Youth Group. I'm happy that finally I can serve and minister again for the LORD and I'm also planning to join the choir when they open admission again in mid-April (right now it's closed because they can't take anymore person due to the oncoming play... if they let someone in then he/she won't have enough time to practice to join the play anyway). Right now I'm so rushed to be with the LORD again, I just hope that this time the fire won't die again. I want to be always high for the LORD and serve Him always with my strength and my whole life. Praise and glory be to Him!

         So, in the end, I just want to say..... I AM BACK, GUYS!!! (or maybe it should be I AM BACK, GOD?) =)


••• Saturday, April 03, 2004 •••