There are nuggets that one can find in this little book .. but off course ... its Henri Nouwen .... nuggets to chew and challengers in the thin book ....
The thing that snack me right on my face was the 1st section titled Living In the Present. It starts by challenging me to learn to live each day, each hour, each minute as a new beginning ... eeerr .... bit like tak betul right every minute as if something new .... moving on --- the challenge Henri's idea that post the challenge to my core being is the fact that many of us has this problem - where we allow the past to wear us down with guilt and worry the future like crazy .... hence miss enjoying and appreciating our current -- NOW! I am the no 1 culprit dono how to live my NOW syndrome ..
Recalling the moment when I read this segment, I just wrote in my journal I do not know what's happening to me .. I am like so weight down by what's happening to me (dwelling in the past) and do not know where I am heading into the future ... and them wham!!! Doesn't this sound sooooooo familiar .... Yes, Henri just worded my feelings for me ... I was on my 2nd day of my retreat and this is how I felt ....
Our God is a God of the present ... isn't He ... He is Emmanuel .... God with us ... and He is with us NOW .. in whatever circumstances we are in and He will be with us, leading us through into the future ....
Rev 21 : 5-6 : " .... "I am making everything new!" .... "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life."
God will make everything new .. He will make a new thing in our lives if we believe in His words ... He will make a new thing NOW ... a road in the wilderness, rivers in the dessert (Is 49:18-19) ... will you believe in what I believe in?
In this book .... I learn to appreciate and now I would like to celebrate my birthdays again ... I have for many many many years just allow my birthdays pass ... just like any other day ... cannot even remember the last time I had a cake ... perhaps it was the pleasant surprise cake that came all the way from China 5-6years ago .... perhaps ....
Why do I shun birthday celebrations? ... guess its one of the defense mechanism that I figured will help me live better as a single ... but no ... this is not what I should be doing ... yes .. I have learned ... that I must celebrate birthdays and allow myself to celebrate my birthdays ... to appreciate the life that God has given me and be glad in it .... :0 ... but I have to say that God has in the past surprise me on my birthdays thru various ppl ... guess He is appreciating me ... His beloved daughter ...
So, from next year onwards, I will celebrate my birthdays!!
I love the section on family as well ... ".... how much our emotional life is being influenced by our relationship with our parents, brothers and sisters. Quite often this influence is so strong that, even as adults who left our parents long ago, we remain emotionally bound to them." I for one .. is the type that place lots of importance to family --- sometimes .. where are my boundaries ...
The challenge : are we able and willing to unhook ourselves from the restraining emotional bonds that prevent is from following our deepest vocation? This is a personal challenge for me! This is definitely a broader call to leave "home". "Jesus wants to set us free ..... free to follow Him n be healthy emotionally and spiritually ....
There is so much more that I drew from the book .....
Go read it for yourself and be blessed!
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