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 -