2020

One Word

Journal

Dear Friend,

It started with a word in my hands. One grew to two. Two increased to ten, and fifty proliferated to six thousand. I pressed them all in my fists. They felt good in my hands. They felt good with me.

The Conductor tapped on my carriage’s door. My trembling hands tightened their grasp, turning my knuckles white. The Conductor spoke. His Words pierced through my chest.

I gasped and opened my palms, releasing five thousand words, eight hundred words, and a hundred ninety-nine words. Finally. . .the last word,

Writer.

I gave it to Him.


Very Sincerely Yours,
Clarissa Choo-Choo Train



~

Clarissa Choo is a vessel used for Christ’s glory. Although she has lived in four countries, Heaven is her only Home. She desires to sow His seeds and to serve third culture kids, teens, and writers. Besides writing, she loves to wash dishes, chop ingredients into smithereens, and record hymns on her piano. Peek into her Christian TCK Email Ministry or read more posts.

Completing what I Began

Journal

Dear Friend,

These past few weeks prior to June 10, I was frustrated at myself for having such a terrible second draft. Although I was still in its final section Part 4, I thought the entire rewrite itself appeared more of a first draft than a second because I found myself still exploring my plot, characters, and themes. When two ideas for new projects came, I had happily licked them up, desiring to leave my rewrite for them. I thought, I’ll draft my new project first and then I’ll return to redo my rewrite from the beginning.

But

He said otherwise. I need to finish my rewrite no matter how bad it is. He never gave up on dying for me, a sinner; and He never gave up on changing me, a person full of flaws.

The Train blew its horn and lurched forward again.


Very Sincerely Yours,
Clarissa Choo-Choo Train



~

Clarissa Choo is a vessel used for Christ’s glory. Although she has lived in four countries, Heaven is her only Home. She desires to sow His seeds and to serve third culture kids, teens, and writers. Besides writing, she loves to wash dishes, chop ingredients into smithereens, and record hymns on her piano. Peek into her Christian TCK Email Ministry or read more posts.

I Was Set Ablaze

Journal

Dear Friend,

Day 1

I typed as much as I could. My eyelids droop and I stepped back, pleased that I regained the energy pulsing through my fingertips.

Day 2

The momentum rushed me, warming my hands. I realised I could write more than yesterday. My eyelids droop and I continued typing. My strength wavered, but my mind leaked words.

Day 3

I woke up slightly weary despite having a deep slumber. Again, knowing I could write more than yesterday, I typed in multiple projects. My eyelids drooped and my head grew heavy, but I continued, embracing the warmth of words radiating from within. I loved it. I didn’t want to extinguish it.

Day 4

I woke up depleted. Nonetheless, words continued to overflow my mind. I typed. The Conductor knocked on my cabin. A warning. I felt debilitated, yet I need to continue. He knocked again, louder this time. I conceded and stepped back. Then I realised heat throbbed in my hands and head, burning me out.


Very Sincerely Yours,
Clarissa Choo-Choo Train



~

Clarissa Choo is a vessel used for Christ’s glory. Although she has lived in four countries, Heaven is her only Home. She desires to sow His seeds and to serve third culture kids, teens, and writers. Besides writing, she loves to wash dishes, chop ingredients into smithereens, and record hymns on her piano. Peek into her Christian TCK Email Ministry or read more posts.

What I Desired to Convey to You

Journal

Dear Friend,

I’ve always been embarrassed to share my writings, especially to a large number of people; thus, I had been limiting my readers to close friends. The reason was that writing is such an intimate craft to the writer that sharing it exposes the writer’s inner self, making him/her vulnerable and easily discouraged from destructive feedback.

Howbeit, God has greatly encouraged me through various people He placed throughout my life, and I’m grateful for Him guiding both my writing and personal journeys. I could say they are very much interlinked as He has taught me so much in both. After all, I’m writing for Him, and He wants me to communicate my words with others.

Interestingly, the root of communicate in Latin is communicare, meaning to share. Thus, I’m sharing what God wants me to write with you. This poem was written a few years ago–or was it a year?–for a close friend of mine.

Psalm 37:4a (KJV)
Delight thyself in thy Lord, dear Friend.
Though thy path be dark and drear,
His Light is within you always.

Delight thyself in Him, dear Friend.
Though His silence be so long,
His Presence is ever still near.

Delight thyself in thy Father, dear Friend.
Though the world appears immense,
His tender Heart upholds you.

Delight thyself in thy Saviour, dear Friend.
Though you are filthy,
His Blood had washed you clean.

Eternally.

Very Sincerely Yours,
Clarissa Choo-Choo Train



~

Clarissa Choo is a vessel used for Christ’s glory. Although she has lived in four countries, Heaven is her only Home. She desires to sow His seeds and to serve third culture kids, teens, and writers. Besides writing, she loves to wash dishes, chop ingredients into smithereens, and record hymns on her piano. Peek into her Christian TCK Email Ministry or read more posts.

Poem: Shattered Fragments

Poetry

Dear Friend,

The Maker gathered our shards together. Our defective state rendered us futile, yet He said He will live in us.

Why?

Why me?

Why us? 

Why not choose one who is not inept?
Why not choose one who is not admired?
Why not choose one who is not filled with pain?
Why not choose one who is not broken? 
We’re just Moses who stuttered,
Abraham who waxed old with age,
Timothy who was young,
Ruth who was an outsider,
Joshua who feared,
Hannah who was barren,
David who was merely a shepherd boy,
The Samaritan woman at the well,
Peter who denied Christ three times,
Esther who was a captive orphan,
Paul whose past was contemptible,
Rehab who was not chaste.

Why us?

No. It’s not about us. 

It’s about You.

You Who showed the impossible was possible,
You Who created by merely speaking,
You Who made everything beautiful,
You Who deserve all praise and glory,
You Who knows all things,
You Who is eternal,
You Who adopted the unworthy as Your own,
You Who welcomed the homeless into Your Home,
You Who breathed purpose into the broken,
You Who bled to cleanse the tainted,
You Who will bruise the serpent’s head; 

It’s about You.


Very Sincerely Yours,
The Broken Vessels



~

Clarissa Choo is a vessel used for Christ’s glory. Although she has lived in four countries, Heaven is her only Home. She desires to sow His seeds and to serve third culture kids, teens, and writers. Besides writing, she loves to wash dishes, chop ingredients into smithereens, and record hymns on her piano. Peek into her Christian TCK Email Ministry or read more posts.