Buon anno a tutti! Auguri! speciale per John Barrs, Vanessa Belmonte e Rinns.

The frustrations I felt on the last day of 2008 melted away as I watched a movie, was reminded totally of the Rinns, and as I looked at the stars on my way back home. Last year at this time, I was fighting the cold, to watch fireworks and stars on top of a mountain. At midnight. This year, I just had to do something special.

I’m glad I went for the movie for it got me thinking. While I know that God isn’t tugging my heart in the direction of going into the harvest fields, He reminded me of some of my thoughts and dreams. I know that my God isn’t one who wants me to do things that I know I will not like eventually. God gave us a mind to exercise common sense too. He also gave us passions and desires, which seem to be an enigma because we experience it, have some form of control over it, but we ultimately should surrender it to Him. I know there’s a strong desire to get trained, to lay my hands on those books I so desire to read but am totally constrained right now. On the other hand, there is a feeling of wasted opportunities in Europe. It’s not of guilt, but rather, should I be given a similar opportunity in future, I want to make full use of it.

Today, as I translated some lines of an Italian/English song titled ‘Prayer’ or ‘Preghiera’ to Emily, I am reminded of a random thought I had just on Sunday. I was also amazed at my ability to translate some despite being rather lousy at the language…in fact, only sing those songs on Sunday but only understand 1% of the sermon in Italian.

It was a year of adventure with the Lord and I thank Him for it. My relationship with Him now is just different. For the better I hope. My desire and hope come from these words:

Would these things have perished from the memory of man, had it not been for him? The Gospel could not have been written save by him who leaned on Jesus’ breast. It can be understood only by those who lean on Jesus’ breast.” [Warfield, "The Gospel of John," Selected Shorter Writings, ii, 645-646]