Musical Retreat with John Michael Talbot

Please join this retreat by listening to this playlist by this amazing Fransiscan monk.

This playlist (40 songs) from John Michael Talbot is provided by youtube's user ChristMyLight. God bless him.

TO get started, grab yourself a comfortable chair ans start watching the convert.

Read this quote from a book by Dan O'Neil: "Signatures: The Story of John Michael Talbot"

As the house lights gradually faded to a dim glow, silence cloaked the hall. The melodious notes of the skilfully played instrument suddenly filled the air and a long, narrow shaft of light pierced the darkness, falling on the robed figure that leaned into the microphone with closed eyes and uplifted face.

"Sing alleluia to the Wonderful Counselor..." the voice drifted through the place like sweet incense. More than eighteen hundred listeners hung on everyword, every note, until the song concluded, then roared in unrestrained approval. Flash bulbs and strobes poped by the score.

"I hope you didn't come here this evening to be entertained. I left that business about ten years ago." Smiling, he paused a moment and urged, "Let us enter into the presence of God in the song. Saint Augustine said, 'He who sings well, prays twice.'"

Ephesians 5

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25






Happy Anniversary, my love.

On Eagle's Wings

In his excellent meditation on the Psalms, Reflections on the Psalms, C.S. Lewis says, "What must be said, however, is that the Psalms are poems, and poems are intended to be sung: not doctrinal treatises, nor even sermons. . . . Most emphatically the Psalms must be read as poems; as lyrics, with all the licences and all the formalities, the hyperboles, the emotional rather than logical connections, which are proper to lyric poetry. They must be read as poems if they are to be understood...."

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

Ave Maria

This is May, the month of St Mary. The Priests just performed in Sydney a couple days ago. I can't go and have to satisfy myself with the YouTube video below:

Ave Maria
Gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Ventris tuae, Jesus.
Ave Maria

Ave Maria
Mater Dei
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Ora, ora pro nobis
Ora, ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Nunc et in hora mortis
In hora mortis nostrae
In hora mortis nostrae
In hora mortis nostrae
Ave Maria

Song of Hope - When You Believe

When You Believe
Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston




Many nights we prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hope for a song
We barely understood
Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains
Long before we knew we could

Chorus:
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe somehow you will
You will when you believe

In this time of fear
When prayer so often proves in vain
Hope seems like the summer bird
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I'm standing here
My hearts so full, I can't explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I'd say

Chorus

They don't always happen when you ask
And it's easy to give in to your fears
But when you're blinded by your pain
Cant see the way, get through the rain
A small but still, resilient voice
Says hope is very near

Chorus

You will when you believe

Beijing Olympics 2008

I, and my whole family, just finished watching the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics. Spectacular!
This sporting event makes me happy. It gives hope for a better world. A world where we are all one family.



Welcome To Beijing


One World One Dream


You And Me


You and me
From one world
We are family

Travel dream
A thousand miles
Meeting In Beijing
Come together
Put your hand in mine

You and me
From one world
Forever we are one family

Footprints in the Sand

My son told me this story, which he read on the wall of our local church.

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord, "You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied, "The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand, is when I carried you."

It was a powerful poem especially for someone carrying a heavy burden. As he finished the story, I was speechless. Through a ten year-old boy, He talked to me.

In the beginning....

But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads? (Albert Camus)

I am not a happy person. In fact, I am depressed most of the time. This is especially true lately. Many problems, which I think no big deals since everyone I know also have their own problems. But still, I am not happy. So I started this blog to record ways, tips, methods and events to help myself to be a happier person.

I dedicate this blog to my family who have always been my source of strength in trying times. Thank you for loving me...