God Loves You!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son,
so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send His Son into the world
to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through Him.
Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the only Son of God.
- John 3:18-18 -

Right after graduation from college, I was one of the lucky few to get hired by the then largest steel complex in Southeast Asia, National Steel Corporation. But that did not happen in a wink of an eye. Like the others, I was subjected to a battery of tests and interviews, the final being a panel interview by five(?) managers. Let me say that it was not the funnest thing to be in... tears, sweaty foreheads (and pits), escalated BPs, weak knees, deafening silence... all the works that spell N-E-R-V-O-U-S. To make the long story short, I got the job! NSC is in Iligan City, an overnight boat trip from Cebu, which was my home. I have never been away from home and it took a lot of adjustments on my part to be 'at home' in this new place. Being an Engineering Management Trainee (EMT) for the first two years of my employment was not easy either. It was a lot of hard work... sleepless nights doing projects, seemingly unending arguments defending the projects, constant fear of rejection at project implementations... all made comfortably normal by the friends that were made along the way. I got married to a fellow EMT, Bong, had children and got settled in a home that we built. We were living a very comfy lifestyle. Ten years, I quit my job, trimming our household income in half, trading my gray shirt jack for short pants and my brain for brawn (I do not mean muscle, I mean the paper towel). I became just MOM. I became unafraid of being left without a maid, I had all the time to take care of my house and my children. I drove them to and from school everyday. I brought them hot lunches to school and I ate with them. I did not miss PTA meetings. My daughter can even volunteer me to dance at the Christmas party because she was sure that I had time for practices. I put down my hard hat to watch my children grow. I sacrificed my very comfy life for a simple one. In other words, I traded my career for parenting. This is how I love my kids... I will die for them.

Without a doubt, in all His power and might, God could have saved His Son, Jesus, from death. Yet He gave Him up for His love for all of His other children, US, so that we can share the everlasting life with Him. God loves us! Just BELIEVE!

- no Angel -

Meekness is not a Weakness

In Him we have redemption by His blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the richness of His grace that He lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight,
He has made known to us the mystery of His will
in accord with His favor that He set forth in Him
as a plan for the fullness of times,
to sum up all things in Christ,in heaven and on earth.
- Ephesians 1:7-10 -

My friend, Engie, just got back from his month long vacation to the Philippines. Our 'pasalubong' is a year-long supply of the daily bible reflections guide, Didache. I open the January guide and on the first page, in red letters, this word caught my attention : MEEKNESS. Meekness rhymes with weakness but one does not necessarily mean the other.

Meekness doesn't mean letting people step on you like a doormat. It is being like the door, open and welcoming so that you are understood.

Meekness is not allowing yourself to be trashed around, instead, it is by throwing that pride into the trash, you become more considerate.

Meekness is a collection of sensitive words that inspire, not a set of hurtful insults that provoke.

Meekness is the willingness to own a fault and be ready for change. It is not to cast blame and break relationships.

Everyday, we succumb to all sorts of things that bring out our weaknesses. And every moment that we give in to our weakness, we fail to show our love. If this was an ailment, God has provided for us the cure. Take it and share it. Accept and give FORGIVENESS.

- no Angel -

Stewards of His Gifts

It is the Lord's blessing that brings wealth,
and no effort can substitute for it.
- Proverbs 10:22 -

The Dead Sea can be found deep in the Jordan Valley. Many ancient texts and writings were discovered in the caves around and in it, including the famous Dead Sea Scrolls. The scrolls are said to contain some of the only known surviving copies of some biblical documents. Another sea that has a strong relationship to the Christian bible is the Red Sea. In Exodus, we read how Moses led the Israelite from the Egyptians across the parted Red Sea and into safety.

Although salty like the sea, the Dead Sea and Red Sea are both inland bodies of water and not part of the ocean, so by definition, are actually lakes. These two lakes have striking differences:

• The Dead Sea, as the name connotes, does not support marine life. Water supplied by the Jordan River with all the nutrients get deposited there. It has no way out and only evaporation maintains its level. This has prevented fish and plants from living in it because the salt concentration just keeps on growing.
  
• The Red Sea on the other hand, is very alive. It is the habitat of over 1,000 animal species and 200 soft and hard corals. The main reason for the better development of marine life is the efficient water circulation pattern. The Red Sea water mass exchanges its water with the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean via the Gulf of Aden.

Our challenge: Shall we remain oblivious to the needs of others and remain lifeless like the Dead Sea?... or are we willing, like the Red Sea, to share what we have been blessed with and be alive once more?

- no Angel -

Nothing is Impossible

Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither,
people will gather them and throw them into the fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my word remain in you,
ask for whatever you want
and it will be done for you.
- John 15:4-7 -

There was a visiting priest from India in our parish, St. Cyprian. He had this story to tell... A bishop was summoned to Rome to be in the pope's staff. Before he left, one of his friends, a couple, asked if he could light a candle for them in the Basilica. Not being blessed with any after years of marriage, having children was their fervent prayer. So, that was what the bishop did when he got to Rome. After many years of serving the pope, he went home to India. Visiting his couple friends, he found out that God had answered their prayers. The mother, looking very tired, was holding a baby in her arms while a toddler was tugging at her skirt. Two little girls were fighting over a doll while a playful little boy was jumping all over the couch. When the bishop couldn't find the husband, he asked. The wife replied, "he's on his way to Rome". And seeing the surprise in the bishop's face, she continued, "he's going there to put off the candle that you lighted for us". The point of the story is: there is nothing impossible with God. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find.... and be careful what you ask for. Have FAITH.

- no Angel -

His Plan

For I know well the plans I have for you, says the Lord,

plans for your welfare, not for woe!

plans to give you a future full of hope.

When you call me, when you go to pray to me,

I will listen to you.

When you look for me, you will find me.

Yes, when you seek me with all your heart,

you will find me with you, says the Lord,

and I will change your lot;

I will gather you all together from all the nations

and all the places to which I have banished you,

says the Lord,

and I will bring you back to the place which I have exiled you.

- Jeremiah 29:11-14 -

I was heavy with my youngest child when Bong and I attended the Christian Life Program of the Couples for Christ. Since then, CFC became our way of life. Coming to the U.S. when that child was already 9, we found ourselves in unfamiliar territory... no friends, no family nearby, no household prayer meetings, no CFC brethren. But it did not take very long until we found new friends and reconnected with old friends that were now living in nearby Canada. Frequent phone calls to family closed the gap. Soon, the kids were comfortable in their new surroundings and this new place became home. Yet, there was still a longing that we needed to satisfy. We searched and searched and searched. Calls were made, e-mails exchanged, still the void remained unfilled... we almost gave up. Suddenly, after seven years of seeking, our new little CFC household was formed. Four old CFC members who were complete strangers brought together by the same faith, gathered together by the same God. Today, the family of four couples has grown into ten. He listened to our prayers. We have found what we were seeking. This is His plan and we will continue to go where His plans take us. Our future is full of HOPE!

- no Angel -

Lead to the Water

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,The Holy One of Israel;
I, the Lord your God,teach you what is for your good,
and lead you on the way you should go.
If you would hearken to my commandments,
your prosperity would be like a river,
and your vindication like the waves of the sea;
Your descendants would be like the sand,
and those born of your stock is like grains,
their names never cut off
or blotted out from my presence.
- Isaiah 48:17-19 -

We discuss a lot of different things at dinner time. One evening, my daughter told me that one of her friends is agnostic. As a parent of already grow-up children, I try my best to let them be their own person, hoping that what we have taught them during their growing-up years are never forgotten. Everyday I worry about their travel from home to school and vice versa, I worry about the temptations that might come before them and how they react to them, I worry about their safety, I constantly worry about everything and anything. It never occurred to me that their faith was something to worry about. As our discussion progressed, it became clear to me that, as smart as she is, the condition of her faith is very fragile. As my husband, Bong, would tell me, "we can lead them to the water but we cannot force them to drink". It breaks my heart, but I have stopped waking her up on Sundays for church, but on some Sundays that she decides to come with us, she is always welcome and my heart rejoices. My prayers comfort me. My prayers will lead her to the water and let her drink it. My prayers give me assurance... that her name shall never be cut off or blotted out from His presence. iPray.

- no Angel -

Present

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.
- Isaiah 55:8-9 -

The days following the holidays were lazy days. Call us couch potatoes, but my family and I would just curl up on the couch and watch movies all day. One of the movies we watched was "Kung Fu Panda". It is a story of a panda who was to become a hero. But before he could become one, he had to train. It is one hilarious comedy with a few lessons in the background of the story. One that struck me was this, from his master (the tortoise): " Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that is why it is called present." While it is true that we have seen the past, we can never know the future because it is all up to God. If we do good today, we might have a better tomorrow. But if it doesn't turn out the way we want it to be, we know that He has His reasons. One thing is sure, everlasting life awaits us. Believe!

- no Angel -

God's Love

• Winter. From inside my house, where it is warm and toasty, I see God's canvass through the window. So white, so serene. The snow glistening under the brightness of the sun while the now lifeless trees sway softly with the wind. Little animal tracks on the thin white coating on the pavement tell me that there is life outside. But the sun sets quickly. The moonlight shines and the snow shines back. The nights are longer yet they are much brighter than all the other nights. Then the coldness of the season turns bleak and soon wears us out. We look forward to...
• Spring. The tulips never fail me. By my kitchen door, where the grass do not grow anymore because of the rocks that cover the soil, each spring, these red and yellow tulips bloom. Not born with green thumbs, I want to believe that they bloom for me, made perfect by God's loving hands. Then I see my friend squirrel jumping from the ledge of my deck to the tree that has started to grow some greens. The neighbor's children are now playing outside, the sound of their laughter and the chirp of the birds that has come home after the cold winter, together, is like music. Soon, everything becomes alive and it's time to cut the grass. It is still cold. We long for more warmth and sunshine. We look forward to...
• Summer. Picnics in the park. Camping in the woods. Swimming in the beach. Just having fun outdoors. The cold season is forgotten... welcome warm sunshine! The days become longer than the nights. Yet, it seems like there is so much more we want to do during the day that we don't want it to end. Then it becomes very hot. The bees take over our picnic tables. The trees has stopped dancing since the breeze that brings the music is gone. We sweat. We complain of the heat. We look forward to...
• Fall. The air starts to get cooler, a refreshing change after that very hot summer. We watch with excitement as the leaves change colors. The road once lined with green becomes vibrant with the different colors of autumn... gold, yellow, orange, brown, purple, magenta, red. Oh, what a sight! But then the leaves start to fall leaving us with so much to clean up day after day until all the leaves have fallen. And everything seems lifeless. We cannot wait for the whiteness of the snow to cover the lifelessness around. We look forward to... Rewind from the top.

For me, this is God's love. It is the life that He gave me, the excitement of each new season, the beauty of all His creations, the hope that each new day brings, the everlasting life that I look forward to...

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16

- no Angel -

Snow Angel

How to make a snow angel:
- Be ready to go outside in the cold. Wear your heavy coat, scarf, mittens and hat.
- Once outside, find a nice spot on the snow covered ground where you want to make your snow angel. Lie down on your back.
- Swing your arms from above your head to down below your hips. Repeat a few more times.
- Together with your arms, move your legs sideways, away & together.
There, you have made a nice snow angel.... but what I really want to talk about is my own personal snow angel.

He works hard to feed his family. He goes to school to advance his knowledge, setting an example for his children. He prays often for all his loved ones and for those in need. He sees to it that all the vehicles are safe to drive for all his family members. He fixes the leaking faucets in the house. He puts out the trash when his son neglects to do so. He even does the household chores when his wife is sick, or just plainly lazy. Aside from the million other things he has to do, he still has time to clean after the snow. This is why he is a snow angel... not just mine, but the neighbor's too. And this is also why I am married to this angel. Thank God for snow angels!

- no Angel -

Faith & Reason

Not everything that can be counted counts;
Not everything that counts can be counted.
- Albert Einstein -

Faith and reason. What cannot be counted and what can. Faith cannot be quantified like Physics or Chemistry, but it surely counts. On the other hand, reason is the explanation that science offers and as significant as it may be, it does not touch on all the important questions that we face: Whom should I love? What should I hope for? What should I do? Science alone is not enough to answer such questions. We need both faith and reason working together to guide us everyday, both at home and at work.

We know Einstein for his his tousled hairdo and his famous equation: E = mc² . But for this scientist who has contributed so much to Physics, it was the little pocket compass that first stirred his quest for knowledge and discovery... that there is much more beyond this earth. What does it cost to stir yours?

- no Angel -

Helloooo New Header

Old header, created by amateur me.

Notice my new header... it's everything that I want it to be! Courtesy of my friend, backseat blogger of Ms. Randomness (also my remote bloggger). Even in the net, I meet an angel. Thank you, Mr. Randomness (can I call you that?).

- no Angel -

Falling and Rising

Sunday was the feast of the Baptism of Jesus. That was two days ago but still the voice of our pastor keeps ringing in my ears... "falling and rising, falling and rising". Thirty years after His birth, He was baptized in the river Jordan by His cousin, John, when the heavens opened and the Spirit came down like a dove to rest upon Him. Then the voice of the Father thundered: 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased' (see Mt 3:16-17). Thus, began His public ministry. Three years into His death, we see His falling and rising... rejected and praised, falling and rising... doubted and trusted, and finally falling and rising... crucified and resurrected.

Everyday, we experience the falling and rising rhythm... break up and make up, slipping away and coming back, sickness and good health, failure and success, tears and laughter, sadness and joy. But they are just sections of a bigger work of art that is life. Baptism is the first sacrament, a visible sign (water) of an invisible reality (Holy Spirit), we receive. As I remember my own baptism, I am also reminded that I follow Him who came BEFORE me... that every time I fall, I rise WITH Him... how grateful I am because He did it FOR me... He did it FOR you, too!


- no Angel-

I Heard

After a long list of blog titles that my husband, Bong, and I made, came a final decision: An Angel's Whisper it is! It is hard to explain why I thought and chose this title but maybe... maybe I heard an angel whisper. Hear ye! Hear ye!