Before the world ends. . .

 

thechristmasexpress.tumblr.com



KNOW an important truth that I've learned. A creation entails a Creator. The creation won't have any knowledge about its Creator unless the Creator reaches out and presents Himself to the creation.

Every day we are witnesses to this presentation-- the shining sun, the changing clouds, the chirping birds, the ability to breathe and live another day.

Yet this was not enough for a creation living in constant oblivion. From the creation's perspective, a Creator won’t have the ability to empathize with His creation unless He became part of the creation Himself.

And that's what He did. 

From the cradle to the grave, He went through what you and I went through and about to go through. He knows and He understands. He is no longer a passive God. He has become a friend.

Give Him your heart today. I bet you my bottom dollar that He won't give it away the very next day ;-)

From my heart to yours - a blessed Christmas and may your New Year be filled with laughter, love, and grace.

Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

ONE week to go and it's Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving is a festival started by the early settlers in North America to celebrate a good harvest. But I wonder how it was like when there was famine or when the harvest wasn't good. Did they ever think about having a Moan-Day or Whine-Giving Day?  Truth to tell, I feel like grumbling instead of giving thanks. There are so many things that I am anxious about right now. One only has to read the news and the most optimistic spirit can become dampended.

But as a counterflow, I decided to do a stock take. This year actually consists of answered prayers, lessons and God-given favors that are nothing short of miraculous - something that can be easily forgotten unless I strive to remember. Maybe that's why traditions are important. They give us access to a flashback button which transports us to when the harvest was more than good.

That missions trip in General Santos City, Mindanao was truly memorable. Our team of volunteers was able to provide medical supplies, food and vitamins, and some clothes to four communities in the city. It was a manifestation of God's love and His just-in-time provision.

What about the house that I've been praying for for five long years? Last year, my mom became friends with our neighbor who is an engineer. He offered to complete our house at a very affordable price. We didn't even need to loan from a bank anymore. Awesome or what?

                         

And that pipe dream to go to the US, watch a Broadway play and celebrate with my close friend on her wedding day? Well, I asked and I received!

I wish I could show you pictures of the other things I am most grateful for, but they are either too abstract or complicated to photograph  - my family's good health and mine, new and old friendships, my job, our church, my skin (oh yes! it tightened when I went to NY haha), daily struggles that teach me a lot about humility and character-building, and everyday reminders of hope and God's mercies.

What about you? What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Press that flashback button now :-)



Peanuts Cartoon by Charles Schulz





Creativity Sparks Creativity

One of the things I learned in our creative writing class is that a creative mind can ignite another. Like an electric current, inspiration comes to those who are exposed to another person's imaginative work. It's actually quite obvious to miss - how many times have we been captivated by a landscape painting, which captures the perfect creative work of nature's Creator? How many classic love songs have been composed which talk about a woman's physical beauty? Therefore, if we want to have more creativity, let's soak ourselves in another's. 

Painted by Jen and Cliford @ EN Central
More prophetic paintings at  https://www.facebook.com/Kree8SG

Rainbow Love

As I abandon myself in worship

I sense the sweetness of heaven drips

As I yield in adoration and praise

I feel the fresh morning dew dampens my face

I close my eyes to listen to a melody

And suddenly I begin to notice Your beauty

A flood of colors come from nowhere

Showers my dim space which was once bare

Pastels of glory invade the air

The rain flows like a river from my eyes

But crystals of sunshine balm my heart.

Creativity = Ctrl + C?

Photo from www.creativehuddle.co.uk

Apologies in advance, my friends

If I'll be raising up a lot of questions and problems

I've been troubled by them last night while in bed

And I also want to know the thoughts in your head

How do we remain creative in times like these

When greater concepts and ideas 

Are only at arm's reach?

How do we develop an entirely new thing

When all's been recycled, rehashed and repeated

Can we just add to it a bling?

How can we draw the line 

Between your idea and mine?

How do we determine originality from mimicry?

When everything is as easy as Ctrl + C.

Is there anything else yet to be done

When the wisest King had said -

There is nothing new under the sun?

Can we really create something new?

When ours is a generation 

Of something borrowed,

Hand-me-downs,

Ripped off and glued?

I see parents encourage their kids

They give them crayons, canvass and paints

They tell them to create something nice

To let their imagination run wild

But when they grow up, a dilemma arises

"Mommy, Daddy, I want to be an artist!"

Oh sweetie, can you think first before you do this?

What about being a doctor, an architect or a lawyer?

A dentist, an engineer or a banker maybe?

I think an artist will only earn nuts from peas!"

From what I'm reading it's great to be creative 

But make sure what you do becomes lucrative. :-(

Hang on a minute, a bird just whispered in my ear

If there is nothing new under the sun

Then should we stop looking for ideas here?

If what we can think of under the sun has already been done

Then should we look above and beyond?

Human wisdom is limited and what we'll conceive - others have seen before

So shall we step out of ourselves and knock on Heaven's door?

The important thing is not to stop questioning.

- Albert Einstein, 1879-1955

WARNING: Queso-filled.

This is to the man who has mustered some courage to really pursue me and break through my diva walls. To my El Gwapo, thanks for being my new BFF, my prayer partner, my jogging coach, my shopping consultant and my ka-HHWW. 

Through you, I am becoming more and more convinced that God really really really loves me and favors me. =)

Happy birthday, Love!

Ang Syota Kong Puti

Naaalala niyo pa ba yung sinulat kong Walang Pamagat? Wala pang isang taon buhat nang sinulat ko iyon  pero napakarami nang nangyari sa akin. Nakapagdaos ako ng aking kaarawan sa bahay, ang theme ko non ay geek. Nakapunta rin ako sa lugar na isa sa aking pangarap dayuhin, ang bansang Israel. Nakapunta din ako sa unang pagkakataon sa Mindanao upang mag-abot ng tulong sa iilang mga barangay. At itong huli, natapos na rin ang bahay na pinapangarap ng aking mga magulang. Tunay ngang walang maikukumpara sa gawa ng Diyos. Lahat ng aking natamong biyaya ay dahil lamang sa Kanyang kabaitan at pagkakaluob.

Pero siyempre alam kong mas interesado kayo sa aking buhay pag-ibig. :-) Napakamakulay nito ngayon (naks) dahil sa syota kong puti. Hindi ko nga akalaing magugustuhan ko ang katulad niya. Ang tipo ko kasi dati ay Pilipinong lalaki na kulay kayumanggi. Pero siguro nagustuhan ko siya hindi dahil sa lahi o hitsura niya. Isa siyang mabuting tao at napakapasensiyoso.

Nung una ko palang siyang nakilala, hindi ko siya gusto. Hindi kasi siya gwapo sa paningin ko hehe. Pero walang biro, hindi ko siya gusto nuon dahil para bang may naplano na ako sa aking isipan na klase ng lalaki na aking magiging boypren. Pero dahil sa kanyang panununuyo (at siyempre panalangin) nagustuhan ko na rin siya. Ganon yata talaga kaming mga babae. Dapat hinihintay, dapat sinusuyo at matira ang matibay!

Hindi ko naman sa nilalahat, pero alam naman natin na ang mga tao sa ibang bansa lalo na ang nasa may bandang kanluran ay hindi masyadong mahilig maligo. Hahaha. Kaya naman nuong nagde-date pa lang kami, inaamoy ko talaga siya nang bongga (palihim nga lang), dahil kung hindi siya mabango, hay naku, ayawan na.

Ang syota kong puti ay nagtatrabaho sa kumpanyang gumagawa ng computer games. Kaya siguro halos lahat ng pag-uusap namin ay mayroong sound effects na kasama. Mas naipaliliwanag niya ang kanyang sarili kapag sinasabayan ng tunog ng inilalarawan niyang bagay. O-ha!

Ang syota kong puti ay mapagmahal, hindi lang sa akin pati na sa kanyang mga magulang at mga kaibigan. Siguro isa na rin sa nagustuhan ko sa kanya ay ang pagkakatulad ng kanyang ugali sa ugaling Pinoy. Siya ay magalang, konserbatibo, simple at masayang kasama. Isa rin siyang dakilang maginoo. Hanggang ngayon ay hinihila pa niya ang upuan para sa akin at iniuusod palapit sa mesa bago ako umupo. Kilig!

Ang syota kong puti ay takot sa akin. Haha biro lang! Ang totoo, ang syota kong puti ay may malaking puso na parang isang bata. Siya ay mapagkumbaba at madasalin. Natutuwa ako kapag kinukuwento niya sa akin kung paano pinagaling ng Diyos ang kanyang sakit sa ulo o dininig ang kanyang mga mumunting panalangin.

Ano pang masasabi ko? Ang syota kong puti ay da best! Salamat, Lord!

Turn It Off: Ways on How to Use Online Networks to Enrich My "Real" Life

Before I became a netizen, I was a library-goer. My huge shoulder bag used to contain a pencil case with different colored gel pens, a pocketbook to read in the subway, and a cute phonebook that was made in Taiwan. I also kept a diary with a planner at the back where the birthdays of my close friends and relatives were marked. Playing games for me then involved huddling up with my cousins in our living room to play Scrabble or Pictionary or a trip to the nearest arcade. To call for pizza deliveries or plumbing services, we would use the very handy Yellow Pages.

And then internet happened. Everything can now be done in the world of triple w. 

Image from dvdactive.com

I don’t know if you guys are familiar with the movie, Electric Dreams. I was one year old when it was released. I'm not really sure how I can connect it to this blog post but I think it's cute so I put it up anyway. The movie was about a love triangle between an architect (Lenny Von Dohlen), a home computer and a pretty cellist (Virgina Madsen). In contrast to the film’s poster, the home computer was actually the one responsible for sort of bringing Dohlen and Madsen together.

In a recent article I read from RelevantMagazine, the writer suggested ways on how we can use our Internet pursuits to add meaning and richness to our offline life. And this inspired me to come up with my own. We don't have to be tuned in to various social networks just to gain 'likes' and look cool, and get addicted to the point that what we consider our important relationships start becoming shallow online connections.

Facebook

Aside from checking in at every posh place every time I have the very rare opportunity to, and aside from posting several variations of my angled head shots, I think I can do more with it by engaging my spheres of influence to be involved in something radical and purposeful. Some call this "very brave and selfless" act of sharing information with a mere click of the computer mouse as slacktivism which may seem a semi-passive and lazy way of being involved with advocacy issues, but didn't the Kony Rally start this way? The viral video that the NGO, Invisible Children spread made all of us become aware (and uncomfortable) to the extent that it urged us to do something about it. And what about how Daphne Oseña used Twitter and Facebook to obtain support from Canadian volunteers of Global Medic to supply and restore clean water for the province of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines after the devastation brought by typhoon Sendong?

Photo taken from aljazeera.com

Let's use this social network to create groups and communities of people and spur them into positive action. Let's leverage on it to encourage, uplift, inform and innovate. I know Facebook is meant for us to have fun, but 'meaningful' can also ride along with it, right? 

Pinterest
I use Pinterest to compile images of places I'd like to visit someday and to share photos of other people's dream destinations, most of which I'd tag as eye candies cause these places are too sweet for me to afford. But perhaps, instead of just re-pinning the bytes, why don't we use Pinterest to connect to people who'd like to travel to the same places and organize an à la gapyear.com tour with travel buddies (potential friends) all over the world? Travel is more fun, not to mention cheaper and safer when done in groups, and like-minded 'pinners' can use this network to gain not only cheaper hotel rates but more culturally-enriching travel experience. 

Instagram
Girls like me love taking photos - not just of our own pretty faces but also of every single meal we're about to partake in a day. Sushi and wasabi? Click! Cheese sandwich and orange juice? Click! Green leaves? Click! Why don't we use Instagram then to gather friends and colleagues in a food-tasting (with photography, of course) party? Host a costume party at your place and make a DIY photo booth. While you're at it, why not youtube some songs you've been wanting to learn with your guitar or piano and host a jamming session with friends? 

Let us not only be digitally wired but let us also be plugged in to a community of sociable people thriving in healthy, solid and deep relationships.

Weary of Doing Good

I wonder how a farmer would feel, when after having planted on his field for several months, having toiled day and night, and having braved the harsh rays of the sun, he returns to an empty land. Having anticipated a year's harvest, on which he could feed his family, he comes home to the same irrigated soil that he had left to yield crops half a year ago and finds it fruitless.

Would he cry and curse himself? Would he scream at the heavens and ask God why? Would he throw his open baskets and wooden carts upside down with frustration? Would he still wake up early the next day and work just the same? Would he give up planting?

I'm now finding myself inside the shoes of that farmer - in terms of my work and in other areas of my life. I felt that I've worked hard enough to earn something significant but instead received something that I felt I did not at all deserve. A strong sense of entitlement has engulfed me.

So I began to tell myself - why do I need to do all those things when I know and I've proven that nothing valuable will come out of it? Why do I need to sacrifice and offer myself to people who won't do the same or at least show genuine appreciation to what has been given? Why do I need to continue sowing pleasant seeds when I've only been given thorns and ugly weeds?

Yesterday, as I was contemplating on these things, God reminded me to keep breathing and carry on. I must not allow disappointing situations to remove my joy and change my character. I must give thanks at all times because my security does not lie on people and outcomes but in Him.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  - Galatians 6:9

I know these are just words and where rubber meets the road is another thing, but since I consider these words true and powerful, I'm finding hope.

On Loop

Future wedding song LOL

On A Mission

WHAT is the purpose of my life?

I've been thinking about this thought one night in March as I was preparing to sleep. My bed is comfortable, and so is my life. But right at that moment, a realization hit me.

If to have a successful career, to acquire a massive amount of wealth, and to have a family of my own are what I should aim for in this life, then I'm being short-sighted. I'm convinced to believe that I'm not created by God just to work for money and give birth. Surely, I'm created for something greater than these.

God commands me to love Him with all of my heart and soul and to love my neighbor as myself. If I became the most successful woman on earth but failed to do what He asks me to, then I've totally missed the point. Everything that I do and strive to do must always be an act of obedience to God's commands.

I got up from my bed and wrote the insights I received, which are mostly from the book of Isaiah chapters 58 and 61...
Only God can make my life fulfilling and purposeful and I should endeavor to accomplish these goals -
1. Share God's love to others.
2. Feed the poor and heal the sick.
3. Bind up the brokenhearted.
4. Set the captives free.

Then another question came - but how? I started praying for an opportunity to accomplish these when I remembered that late last year, a friend had asked me to help in a medical mission she's been organizing. I told her that I'd support monetarily because that's the easiest thing to do, but I knew that night that I needed to be more involved. I decided to join a group of them and fly to the southernmost part of the Philippines and deliver medicines and share God's love to its people.

General Santos City, Philippines is home to the famous boxing champion, Manny Pacquiao and Shamcey Supsup, Miss Universe 2011 - 3rd runner up. But those are not the reasons why we chose this particular place to visit. Little did we know that blessings would abound and new friendships would be found there.

Arms loaded with medical supplies, clothes and food items for kids, our hearts filled with hope and in complete dependence on God's faithfulness, the 21 of us journeyed from Singapore to Manila to General Santos.

Within our 3-day stay, we were able to reach out to four communities and to provide them not only with medicines, but also talks on proper hygiene, counseling, and prayer.

For me, the best thing about this experience was not the fact that I'm actually able to do such things as going out of my comfort zone, being brave, and exhausting my resources to help; but the greatest thing was seeing God's hand move despite my/our lack. Anybody else can do good works, and charity is becoming more trendy these days. But I would say that a most successful mission would be one that pointed and reflects to Him who started it all.

All for Jesus!


P.S. Please watch out for our online blog (for more stories and personal testimnonies of the rest) coming out soon - General Santos City Outreach 2012 (gensanmissions.blogspot.com).

Billet-doux



Photo by creativephotographymagazine.com



You are my hiding place

We meet and talk in places only both of us know about

Like a cozy shelter in the middle of the the rain

Like a quiet spot where all my weepings are hushed

The space between your arms

Is where my troubled heart is being balmed

A safe harbor of my deepest secrets

Of old scars and failures

A place where my fears disappear

Where only a sweet melody is playing

Where my soul is weaned and resting

I find no danger in the rush of a great flood

For a mighty refuge I have found

There's no other place I'd rather be

Where you are is where you'll always find me.

The Church is Where I Always Get Offended

Photo by creattica.com

  Coming to Singapore alone for work could be pretty tough. So one of the first things I did a few years back was look for a church. I've seen and experienced the importance of having a spiritual family back in my church in Manila, and my being away from home had made me want to belong in one all the more.

Finding good friends in church is one of the best things that happened to me here. They have been a great help (still are) and a source of strength and encouragement in all aspects of my life. I consider myself so blessed to be surrounded by faithful people who love and serve God with their all.

But it's been ironic and kind of disenchanting to realize that an organization of people with the same values and faith, one that is supposed to model unity and reflect harmony to the rest of the community could be the same group of people who have the power to hurt you the most. Sad to say but I've often been a recipient of what I'd like to think unintentional offenses by people who I dearly love and look up to. Bashes of hurtful words were sometimes thrown at one another with a nonchalant air as if they were harmless ideas just for the sake of "speaking our minds". I can accept open rebuke of blatant sins against the ten commandments, but when judgments are easily made against certain actions that are not necessarily wrong in themselves sans the motives that are wrapped in them, I believe that being legalistic isn't going to be the right way to freedom. There were times when I would find myself crying out to God feeling condemned, misunderstood and heartbroken.

At first, I had thought that maybe I was setting a "different" standard for people in the church and for those who have yet to believe. I told myself that perhaps the reason why we are not very patient with one another is because having been saved by the blood of Christ, we are now expecting our actions towards one another to be beyond reproach. I also blamed myself for being so sensitive and for not being gracious enough. I tried to research more about this concern and it turned out that I'm not the only one. The world wide web is replete with articles and blogs about being offended by people in the Church. There are even books that talk about it.

If I can't be myself in the church, warts and all, be accepted and receive the same kind of grace that Jesus extended to the Samaritan woman, then where else can I be accepted?

Please don't misunderstand me now, my dear readers. I love my church so much. I think it's the coolest church in all Singapore. I'm not giving up on it and its people. After all, I'm very much a part of it just as a toenail is a part of the entire human body. And if I really want to be like Christ, who being spotless and blameless, loved the Church and gave up His life for her (Ephesians 5:25), I must do the same. But I'm also learning that this kind of love is not about showing grace and kindness to people who dress well, who think like I do, who are rich in material things, who help you in times of trouble, who say the right things, who have memorized the Bible from cover to cover, who are reeking of 'holy' fragrance.

I like what John Mark MacMillan said about God's love -

"...not a pretty, clean, it's not a Hollywood, hot-pink love. It's a kind of love that's willing to love things that are messy and willing to love even the difficult and sort of kinda gross kind of things..."

I hope I can love like that. I  hope all of us in Church can love like that. (Philippians 4:13)

In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.   - St. Augustine


P.S. To you whom I have offended (or if you've been offended by the Church), please accept my sincere apologies. I hope you'll see through the mess of me, of us, of the church and right into the beauty of the Cross, where the Author of Love was crucified so all of us may be deserving of God's pure, authentic and healing love.

♥

Photo by creattica.com

BEING in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing. There are many things below it, but there are also many things above it. You cannot make it the basis of a whole life. It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling. Now no feeling can be relied on to last in its full intensity, or even to last at all. Knowledge can last, principles can last, habits can last; but feelings come and go.

        - C.S. Lewis

JEREMY LIN, will you marry me?

He came from the end of the bench to the top!


Indeed, it's a privilege to be on the same team as you are - God's Team =)

Awesome 2011, Faithful God

Image courtesy of Socialnomics.net

THE Guy in this picture is Tim Tebow. I learned about him at church today. According to Wikipedia, he is a 24-year old American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was born in the Philippines to American missionaries.

What's so unique about this guy is that he prays before the start of every game. He bends on one knee and prays to God while the rest of his team mates stretch or wave at the crowd. He became famous for doing this that a term to describe this act was coined from  his surname - tebowing. Urban Dictionary defines it as (vb) To get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different. Well, this entry is not really about Tim Tebow but you may google him to find out about his achievements ;-)

So what's the connection between him and this praise report? Hehe. I guess this tebowing thing pretty much explains how and why 2011 was an awesome year for me. The start of the year was characterized by a lot of on-my-knees moments, just crying out to God and asking for favors for difficult situations. And just like the year before and the year before the year before, He's proven Himself to be faithful, dependable and trustworthy. There were some things that I did not accomplish (like being in the cover of Time hahaha), but I wouldn't have my 2011 any other way.

Our lifegroup has grown this year! Apple, Diane and Izanne joined us and we're having so much more fun ever since.

As I mentioned before, I was given the opportunity to mentor this dynamic group of lovely, young women and lead them closer to Christ. Our schedules may have been crazy but we still found the time to bond and do a lot of activities last year -

Biking at East Coast Park

Kite Flying at Marina Barrage

Bali, Indonesia

Jane got engaged! Finally haha

A few weeks before Christmas, all of us went to visit a home for mentally disabled patients. We sang Christmas carols, fed them and gave gifts. We decided not to give each other gifts and eat somewhere fancy last year but instead to spend some time with those people who are not really sure if they are loved and wanted.

Image courtesy of FireflyMission.org

At the home front, my sexagenarian parents are still doing well. No major sickness and they were able to visit me for a week! My wallet was not very happy last May but my heart was :p

Momma & Papa

I was also able to go home twice last year. One for Jeff and Annie Belen's wedding and the other time to do an outreach activity and give some love to the street kids of Sta. Lucia East.

Playing games :-)

I'm also still a volunteer teacher at kid's church and still being refreshed by these cute kids. Through them, I'm learning to be more creative, definitely more patient and be a better communicator. Kids in this generation are really way smarter than they look. =)

ENCS Kids wearing their coat of many colors made by themselves!

I was also able to find time to enrol at BSF International last year. It is a non-profit organization that teaches the Bible for free. I'm so honored that they featured my poem in their website. Read here.

 
At the work front - I finally met our department's big boss from New York. She's (lady sitting in front of me) such a darling and she only has praises for our team. And she told my boss (the man to my left) I'm pretty, behind my back! :D But on a serious note, I'm really blessed to have a good working relationship with my boss and my team mates. Praying that I will excel more this year =)

Lookie lookie! Guess who's the youngest in the team? =P

Lastly, the icing on my huge chunk of cake came late last year. I was able to be included in the group that went to Israel! Our trip to Holy Land was something that I would remember forever - it is truly life-changing.

Watch the video of us singing Hebrew songs :-)

I hope that  you who is reading this will be encouraged to trust in God. I wouldn't have had an awesome 2011 if not for His steadfast love and never-ending favor.

Let's tebow our way to an even greater 2012! :-)

"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness." 
- Lamentations 3