"A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed..."

If you have big old pieces of furniture or household items, the utility/water department in your city will pick them up for free of charge. They usually collect and shred them by that monstrous machine they have in their truck, once a year usually in the month of November.

That day that I needed their service was last year. I had a big, bulky, heavy sofa and a couch in my shed. It had been raining for days and everywhere you walk on was puddles of mud and a few mosquitoes roaming outside.

The problem was I needed someone with strong arms to carry the sofa and couch to the curb. Everybody I called at that time was nowhere to be found. They're either out of town or working.

Then I called my friend; not for her to come help me but if she knew somebody who can. She just got home from running errands and of course, tired. Besides the fact that even if she would have had come, there was no way we could move the sofa and the couch to the street together. But guess what, she came without me imposing.
So we had to carry that sofa first one step at a time. We were laughing and giggling how we couldn't find any man on site to help us. We could have just pushed it slowly but it was still drizzling and was dark enough that if we weren't careful with our steps, we would have fallen in the mud.
So God helped us with the instant supernatural strength to finish our goal. What else would it be? After that particular event, I knew then that my friend Senaida is a friend for life. She had shown me that she is my very good friend and my sister in Christ. We've known each other now for eight years.

The only anchor that holds a lasting friendship is God's guidance on your growing friendship. It is very hard these days to build a solid friendship. Our society is full of evil forces that one may easily fall prey to destruction.
I thank God every day for blessing me a friend that makes me want to grow and better myself from learning together on how to look at difficulties and hurdles and challenges in life from the vantage point of God's Word. 
I believe that what sustains our good friendship is that sense of honesty and unselfishness. There should be no disbelief or suspicion in friendship. And that's what we diligently do.

I love the fact that we're both educators. We talked about our kiddos in school not to make judgmental comments but talk about the better strategies on how to facilitate learning better. We each believe that God had divinely appointed us where we are and we make it a big responsibility to be great stewards of what was placed in our hands: that is to teach well.
It also gives me joy that we both love the Lord. Although we both have our own churches to go to, we share the same Christian values and principles. I think that's the pinnacle of friendship is when you both want to be better ambassadors of God's Word. And you do it in Spirit and in Truth.

I am beyond grateful and thankful... 

"Be Good To Yourself..."

I was just done taking down the Christmas tree, garland greeneries and all of the Christmas lights. Halfway done I may say. The rest will be taken good care of tomorrow. 

Decorating my home especially at Christmas gives me pure delight. From changing window curtains to beddings; holiday doormats to tablescapes setting, you name it I do it all. There's something very special and magical about it. I also love sending out Christmas cards to friends and loved ones and wrapping gifts that will mean something to them if they dig it.
This is also the time that I don't mind gaining a few pounds due to eating a lot of finger foods, sweets, appetizers, chocolates and of course more cups of coffee with cream.
I also tend to be on the couch just watching Hallmark movies or Prime Netflix. No delving into outdoor exercise since the weather had been fiercely cold. 
But that's over now...All of my eccentricities and idiosyncracies about how I celebrated it is in the past. I'm learning very hard not to think or become nostalgic of the things in the past. It could easily become your nemesis and you don't want that happening again.

I think what I'm trying to say here is that go back to find what moves you; what makes you more loving, kind and compassionate to yourself...because if you're not then you can't be anything good to anybody. 
They say that we actually teach people how we want us to be treated. So if you're second-guessing your self-worth as a person that God created you as his/her masterpiece, then you're allowing people to treat you undesirably which is contrary to what the Lord sees you as beautiful and perfect in His sight. We do tend to value how others perceive us. That usually is the case if we're  gullible about our moral compass, not knowing how to put up boundaries because we all need to build fences with those people who want to harm us. 
Think about you multi-dimensional gifts that God has blessed you and me. Whatever you're very at doing, take that and use it as your platform to change somebody's life. It doesn't have to be a multitude, one soul is enough to share your nuggets of wisdom and talents. 
To tell you the truth I'm learning how to do that without having second thoughts or reservation. Every day I ask God's grace that I may recognize His gentle voice and will lead me to be a blessing to someone. It could just be lending an ear to someone; praying for someone I had neglected to pray for or uplifting/edifying someone from despair. 
Two days before this New Year, I decided to go out and vacuum my car. I was about to go when an adult man approached me and asked me if I could spare him a couple of dollars. He even mentioned that he and his younger sister had not eaten yet. It was a good thing that I had a five dollar bill in my wallet and gave it to him without preconceived notions.I got to see him through while driving back home; he went inside to a fast food restaurant. I wasn't even looking over my shoulders at that time that he approached me. The vacuum service place was empty at that time I went. Thinking about it now, I know that the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob is with me always.
And that is Biblical...He is with us, His hedge of protection and covering over us!

"Focusing On A Higher Ground"

It's the fourth day of January 2018. I prayed that my heart doesn't fall into the temptation of having to look around, behind, down, and what's in front of me. Instead, I need to focus on looking up regardless what my circumstances are!
There is incorruptible vastness up there...
When I was in grade three (in the elementary school) I take joy helping especially my mom to facilitate things in order at home. We see dad twice a month. That's how it was in the Philippine Army. My dad was at that time a Supply Sergeant but retired as a 2nd Lieutenant Although he wasn't always home, he made sure that he spent his time with us in a grand way. We had a family program at night where every sibling had to show his/her craft, artistry, whether in a song, poem, a story reading, a joke, a multiplication table memorized or telling time exhibition.Those were truly what we call now as priceless, the gem of our hearts. 
He loved to garden and his sweat and blood that went to those vines clinging to the fence and to the ground had provided us many fruits and vegetables throughout my college years and even years after that.
He managed his time very effectively; even talking to us individually asking us how we were doing in school and if we were helping mom with household chores. Life back then was so simple. We never had to worry about pedophiles, about bullies, thieves, rampant school shootings or the pangs of divorce. It was a very normal, happy childhood, almost ideal, I believe so. My childhood friends, acquaintances, and the entire community or barrio will support my deep sentiments about it.
I really do miss how it was then. There was a strong sense of order, commitment to do what is right and oh my God, there was so much respect for family traditions, teachers' role in the school, elders and most of all, honoring God in our actions, speech and thoughts. I felt an immense equality of living the right way. We looked at poverty as not craving for material gifts but as great opportunities to be rich in achieving good relationships and maintaining family thresholds.
I believe that it's because of all the cumulative good experiences I have had growing up, my reservoir of those golden memories will always keep me Looking Up to the sky where God put His hand to create the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars. 
In Daniel 12:3 KJV says," And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.
So this is my pitch for tonight. I may have had deviated from my main idea of always to Look Up. I see a promise in the linings of those clouds hovering...
Another glimpse of truth: We're not promised of another day; Only live your life Today in His Grace. 
Thank You Lord Jesus for Today.
Goodnight everyone!

Permission To Be Seemingly Awkward..."

Tonight I'm not going to hassle my brain cells just to come up with 500 words. I'm tired, sleepy and uninspired to write. I could tell you, too, unabashedly that I had neglected to hone my writing for almost a year and that's almost unforgivable especially if you professed that your passion is writing or you are a writer on your own right. And you know it's baloney to make excuses for something maybe you're not. 

I never had that kind of nitty-gritty, down to earth, page-turner impact to an audience. I don't even know why I still keep this blog that I don't know how to keep it going. I had obliterated what used to be good to my soul.

Can I say, my patience has run out? Or maybe just getting too old that I allowed myself to be stagnant...

Well, I can only hope and pray that tomorrow my words will be creative and meaningful for you to read. Still, I'm grateful.

Hopeful, too!

 

"A Resolution I Dare Not Do Anymore:Fasting To Get A Solution..."

Making a resolution on New Year's Day has become an integral part of religion. To me, its meaning fades every year.Why do people make resolutions at the beginning of the year and can't even keep it for a month? 
Even in corporate fasting in churches where the whole congregation has a Daniel Fast guidelines and do it for 21 days with some modifications  and after that, they go back to drinking coffee, sodas, wine, beer or alcoholic drinks; to eating red meats, high intake of carbohydrates, high-fat products, white rice, white bread, and pasta.  
I'm not being a hypocrite on this matter but through the years I had witnessed many religious people do it because it has become an obligation; more like I'm going to do it too because everybody is doing it and that's a good thing to see in its superficial value. 
I can only speak for me, for what I truly believe. I believe in the power of what fasting can do in your life. 
I remember from a decade ago or maybe more than ten years ago, I launched my own Fasting regimen to stay physically healthy because I know I was and still is healthy considering I have already aged 10 years plus to my age to date. I never smoke, drink alcohol, do drugs or promiscuous. I just don't believe in putting toxic to my body intentionally. That was a big thing to me. If I get depressed and we all get depressed; nobody is exempted from alluring temptations of this world. But somehow I know the presence of God in my life made me who I am today.
At that time of my Fasting, I only had water for a drink, milk, and fruits to sustain me. I did it for three straight days and I was even teaching full time. I didn't do it on New Year's day but I did it in one late Summer of  2008. I was attending at New Beginnings Church at that time, a non-denominational Christian church. I was teaching Sunday School and singing at the Praise and Worship Team every Sunday morning and evening. In short, my commitment to serving the Lord was solid. I even went knocking door to door to give out leaflets/pamphlets about our church to the most impoverished areas in the city and invited to visit and join us in our Sunday and Wednesday services.
I wasn't afraid of humiliation or negative responses I've gotten from unbelievers. I still don't Today.
That Fasting that I had I believe I did because I wanted to replenish what's inside of me. My goal and sole purpose in doing that are to get closer to God; to know Him more. And because my heart was  ready, that one night that I was at one of those evening Services, I came to the Altar with my heart's pure intention to praise Him and let go all of my cares and as the evangelist guest of ours laid his hand on me, I was spiritually slain on the floor. I was laying there for how long I wasn't sure. I only know how I felt at that time: I felt this unspeakable joy and this Peace that passes all human understanding came over me that when I got up I was hugging everyone close by. I thought that I felt a piece of Heaven. If this is how I felt and it was so surreal, how much more of this that we could have when He takes us to our eternal home?  
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you can fast at any day. Just make sure your heart intentions coincide with God's Word and not your flesh doing it for the wrong reasons. And when you do it, you do it not just for a limited time but let it be permanent and it can. God has promised us that he will be with us and He is faithful.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

"I'm In! Happy New Year!

Prophesying the breath of getting back to writing in my soul...

As Jeff Goins said, "just write and not to worry about editing--just enjoy the process."
I love the attributes and the confidence that carry that sound in my heart.
It's a good mantra for all seasons and circumstances!

I ushered where the heartbeat must begin--with thanksgiving to the splendor and the glory of God.
Yesterday was a picture of scattered flurries, dense clouds and shivering cold weather here in Killeen, Texas.That interrupted plans to go to a New Year's Eve church service and an after-service fellowship with a good friend of mine and her 2-year old grandson.
Understandably, I refused to murmur. I advocate safety first. The roads and bridges were icy and that settled it. 
I rung in the New Year in my pink polka dots pajamas (My mom has managed to influence me to wear polka dots for they stand for money, so, it became a ritual for me for many reasons) with hot chocolate milk, Bible on my lap, watching Christian programs and flipping channels to 2018 New Year's Countdown and Ball Drop hosted by Ryan Seacrest & Jenny McCarthy in New York.And I also counted 27 people whom I texted to wish them a Happy New Year. How's that for a change? I didn't really care much if they would all wish me back. So far, I had gotten 22 responses.

It turned out that celebrating New Year's Eve surrounded by my festive decor and watching my dogs (Cocoa & Tootsie) sleeping in their own beds, hearing firecrackers (which sometimes alerts my peace) had led me to reflect and contemplate to better judgments. It pointed out that really, things happen for a reason and what lies beneath our plans is a mighty God that knows what's best for us. And I dig that deeper now.

I started reading the book of Psalms again. It's the largest book in the Bible. It contains declarations of Praise, Worship, and Faith of King David. I've read it and heard it proclaimed so many times but this time I'm taking it slow and to heart.

I know that this day is not over yet but I already know for sure that the highlight of my day is my phone call conversation to my sister in New York.It is because nothing is more fulfilling than two people who love the Lord together share the Word of God that is fitting to how that relates to our life's struggles and triumphs/victories in Jesus. We talked and shared about Ezekiel 37:1-14 & Jeremiah 18:1-12.

Jeff Goin's reservoir of work also compels me to find my muse in writing. He's the only writer that I know in remembrance that I bought all his books and read most of his blogs. He really is an unafraid, authentic writer/artist, almost an organic one in its pure sense. I don't aspire accolades in writing. I'm just happy to breathe words through the vein of artistry and creativity. Proud to be a part of this writing regimen, my mark for this month, my own truth.


By the way, as I'm concluding my first entry for 2018, the sun shines through my window...
It's a Blessing.
God is good.

"Happy New Year Beautiful Souls"

I pray that every one of you celebrated theNew Year with great expectations. May you keep building the courage, the faith, hope and love that is in all of us. Let's all move forward, look up and take heart to know Him more for the Lord Jesus is the only one that can give us joy not momentary pleasure but one that is not perpetuated by circumstances surrounding your life.

Let your thoughts, actions, speech, and dreams be a reflection of His Love!