Prayer (7-1-2014)

God, shine Your light upon the lies of the enemy and of the world. Show me Your truth! Show me what You see, and not what the world sees. Help me reveal the secret of Your wonderful mysteries!

Father, thank You for showing me who I am in You. You have revealed my true identity as a woman of value and dignity; though the world sees a girl who keeps making the wrong turns, and whose heart is in the wrong places. Thank You for delivering me from harm's way and from the grasp of my enemies' hands.

Let me be a Daniel in my world, in my sphere of influence! Let me lead a life blameless in Your eyes and the world's eyes! Let me show Your love through my words and deeds! Shine   through me, Lord, like the way You shine down upon me!

God and Louis Vuitton

"And my God will meet all your your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."
~Philippians 4:19 NIV

God has done some pretty amazing things for me. He has healed every part of me (heart, body, and soul) that was broken, even when I wasn't aware of their broken state. He has provided for me and gave me miraculous gifts when I was in desperate need. Then, why do I question that He will not give me what I need for today and for tomorrow? But God knows what we need even before we know we need it as a mother knows that her child needs to eat, even if the child does not feel hunger.

I realized also that I fear what He might say if I do ask for them. But the deeper realization is that this fear comes out of self-condemnation. Like a lot of people (especially women), I am the harshest critic of myself than anyone else. God sees us with a love that we will never be able to comprehend. And He sees our flaws with kindness and forgiveness of a father who will correct us in our ways with great compassion.

I have always thought of asking and wanting for nice things was selfish due to the poverty I see out in the world. Does wanting that cute dress bad? But when I do buy it and wear it, I see God's joy in my delight through the mirror and people's compliments. However, I feel guilty for having that Louis Vuitton bag my mom gave me because there are many people, even in Washington DC, who can't even afford to buy a pair of shoes. My mom told me it was part of my inheritance.

The word inheritance is a loaded word. The more I think about it, the more I realize that it is inheriting my family's history and traditions. My family of origin is Filipino, which I am also. I am fluent in Tagalog and in another Filipino dialect. Most of their traditions are deeply ingrained into my heart as they raised me by them with pride. Like the Louis Vuitton brand which has a legacy of quality and style, my family has a legacy of compassion, integrity, and faith.

God does want to me to have the best things just as my earthly family does. So this Louis Vuitton bag my mom gave me should be hanging on my arm with pride with what God has given me, instead of hiding it because of what people might think and feel out of their deluded perceptions and disgruntled envy...

"But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay down my cause before him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. He provides rain for the earth; he sends water on the countryside."
~Job 5:8-10 NIV

So, it is my right as a daughter of God to ask what for what I need and desire for He is the one who made all things and me. I should not condemn myself due to my sinful self-centeredness because He sees me with loving kindness as He always have and as He always will. I pray that He helps me overcome my unbelief in His goodness due to my limited human-ness. 

Ang Kanyang Sagot

Lagi kong tinatanong
Kung anong kahulugan ng lahat nito
Kung bakit kay hirap ng buhay
Kung bakit ganyan ang mundo
Kung bakit ganito ang nadasnan ko
Narinig kong bulungin ng Panginoon
Ay para makita mo ang kahiwagaan
Ng Aking pag-ibig, ng Aking kapangyarihan
Ng Aking kamay sa buong kalawakan
At ipamalita mo sa iba ang Aking kabutihan
Para sa kanila din...

Prayer of Thanksgiving (February 15, 2014)

Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful week of blessings and miracles. You are truly amazing me with Your wondrous works. I cannot thank you enough for all the good things You have done for me. Thank You for Your provisions and teachings. Without them, I would always be lost. Thank You for all the people You have brought into my life and the love and care they have shown me. Thank You for taking care of all the details and the things I may have overlooked. Show me how to extend the grace that You have extended to me. Help me be kind to everyone I meet, especially to those whose hearts are hard. Help me be honest with You, me, and everyone else! Thank You for revealing the truth to me. Guide me towards Your path! Aid me in doing the right thing, no matter what the world says. Thank You for bringing peace into my heart amidst my anxieties!

UPGRADE FOR COMPATIBILITY

Happy 10th Birthday, Facebook! 

Technology has changed our lives in so many ways, especially social media. But do you realize that God is always changing us, upgrading us... Lately, as I've tried to connect my LG flip-phone to my MacBook and then my iPod Touch to the phone charger which created havoc for a while, I've learned that there are some things that we need to change. As our lives changed, we have to change especially in our thoughts and attitudes. My iPod Touch is now working due to a person's kindness in lending his extra Apple USB cord until I can get myself a new one.

This season of my life is filled with incompatibility. From my career, to my home life (my bedroom is a mess), to my financial life, and to my one and five year plans... God sure is funny! He keeps reminding me how much I need an upgrade, especially in my faith. He is pruning me so I can bear more fruit. I call it the "Upgrade for Compatibility" season...

TIME OF BEGINNINGS...

This time, this time of beginnings...

Filled with uncertainty...

Don't know what's behind that door!

Afraid, I warily hold the knob.

My stomach in knots.

I want them untied!

But all they do is tighten up.

Shall I open it

And see the surprise?

Shall I keep it close

And run back to the dying world?

Glossy Facade

Is everything just a glossy facade?
The ugly flaws painted over;
The dark holes boarded up
With shiny metal plates that blind.
When a crack is accidentally seen,
It is dismissed as a mirage
On the vast diamond sands
Of a desert of grand perfection.
The ants crawl like slaves--
Scavenging for food, invisible,
Unseen, ignored, stepped over.
And those are not diamond grains
But plastic beads toiled over
By millions of hands, weary and weak
Unappreciated by thousands dying
Unaware of the poison they slowly breathe.