Fantastic Four

This week has been quite an adventure.  I can't even begin to describe the amount of energy I've put in, the number of thoughts my mind have contemplated on and the array of human emotions I felt in its brief duration--all things, circumstances and events marvelously orchestrated by our awesome Lord.

And in all that, I am reminded from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and Psalm 46:10 of four vital ways to keeping a healthy Christian spirit: rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances and be still & know that God is God.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 

Rejoice always.  It is said that happiness and joy are two different things as happiness is a fleeting feeling dependent primarily on "good circumstances or happenings" while joy "transcends the realm of the supernatural" and can be a by-product of suffering or affliction.  On the spiritual level, joy may refer to the extreme happiness with which the believer contemplates salvation and the bliss of the afterlife or belief in future grace.   Spiritual joys also elevate the secular happiness of believers as secular successes, triumphs or victories may be regarded as unexpected benefits from God.  God's kingdom is described as "righteousness, peace and joy" (Rom 14:17) and the certainty of salvation due to our fellowship with Jesus Christ and the knowledge of His Word is a cause of continuous joy.

Pray continually.  There is a great sense of dependence on God when we pray.  And to pray continually would mean that we are communing with, longing for, depending and leaning on God all the time.  Unfortunately, that is not true for the human nature, or at least I can say it isn't that true for me all the time.  I have carnal, sinful and stubborn inclinations that only a continual communion with God and meditation on His Word can bring forth repentance and change.  And in the words of Ptr. John Piper, "Nobody is inclined to the Word, or sees spiritual wonders in the Word, or is satisfied with the Word, who does not pray and pray and pray the way the psalmists did. So I plead with you to pray without ceasing. And as an aid to that wonderful spontaneity of day and night praying and meditation, build disciplined times of prayer and meditation into your life. Maybe once or twice or three times or seven times a day (as the psalmist in Psalm 119:164, "Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous ordinances.").

Give thanks in all circumstances.  To give thanks in positive circumstances is a no-brainer but to be thankful in the horrifying or depressing of circumstances will be a challenge to many.  Jesus showed us a great example to give thanks in the face of horror at the Lord's Supper (Luke 22:19).  The Greek word for “thanks” in this verse is eucharisteo and author Ann Voskamp best unpacked this word with this, "The root word of eucharisteo is charis, meaning “grace.” Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be gift and gave thanks. Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning “joy.” Charis. Grace. Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving. Chara. Joy. (Eucharisteo Conversation)"  Jesus’s thanks was not based on his present circumstances. He was about to endure the worst possible horror. He felt thankful to the Father for the grace and glory that was coming because of the cross and this gave him joy. Eucharisteo. 

Be still, and know that I am God.  The Hebrew word "chashah" means to be silent, inactive, or still.  Nothing else comes close to mind than every time I experience palpitations due to my heart condition.  My heart would race between 140bpm to 210bpm.  I would need to keep still, lie down or sit comfortably whilst waiting for medical help.  These episodes are quite exhausting because it's like having a full body workout without moving a finger.  These are the times when I am ever in touch with my mortality and realize that I have no control over my life, let alone my body.  There is nothing else to do than to submit and surrender my will to God's sovereign and perfect will.  And in my journey of faith, I have seen and tasted the goodness of the Lord (Psalm 34:8) for which He proves time and time again that though I keep failing Him, He is worthy of all trust, honor, worship and praise.

So on our waking moments, let us make that conscious decision to fill our hearts with gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord and surrender that day to His lordship as well as ask for the Holy Spirit's empowerment to live each day to the fullest according to God's plan for us and I'm pretty sure it will be manageable and fruitful whatever our circumstances.

Jesus Paid It All

 [1 Peter 1:18-19 NIV] "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."

♪♫ Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow

Oh praise the One
Who paid my debt
And raises life up
From the dead ♪♫

-"Jesus Paid It All" by Newsboys
music link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs05AtP2wd8

Lead Me To The Cross

♪♫ Savior I come
Quiet my soul
Remember
Redemption's hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord, I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross ♪♫


-"Lead Me to the Cross" by Francesca Battistelli
music link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlh6_5znn7U&index=2&list=RDJbCfyZHSQbE

Resurrection Sunday

A blessed Easter everyone!

We enjoyed our very early morning drive to QCCC Mapleton to rendezvous with the brethren at the Easter retreat.  It was so refreshing to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and see a colorful tapestry of natural scenery.

The Easter message delivered by Ptr. Michael highlighted this year's retreat theme "Living for Christ. Living in Christ. Living with Christ."  The initial verse was in Matthew 16:13-14 which asks the most fundamental question of our faith, "Who do you say the Son of Man is?"

I have heard of Him and know about Him since I can remember. I was raised in a home that believes and reveres in Him, calls on and prays to Him.  But as I was growing older in age and stature, I came to a lot of realization about my non-existent relationship with the Son of Man and just how much revelation came about from John 8:47 (NIV) "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

There came a time when I hit rock bottom and felt that I was drowning in a cocktail of destructive emotions--anger, bitterness and helplessness.  I was thrown a lifeline when I flung my hands in surrender. Oh how much truth there is in John 6:37 (NIV) "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away."
 
It has been said that to totally surrender to God is the sweetest of all; but I say to really believe that God will be there to catch my fall is far more sweeter.  There is now a whole new meaning of Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) to me, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
 
I was SAVED.  My mind was blown away by just how much The Son of Man loves me, desires to hold-hands with my soul and have a wonderful relationship with me.  Just look at how fitting 1 John 1:1 (NIV) is which says, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life."
 
So who is the Son of Man to ME?

He is the Messiah, the Christ, MY Savior, the Son of the living God.
He is the lover of my soul and the strength of my heart.
He is my everlasting hope and peace.
He is my well of joy and place of refuge.
He is my song and rock of my salvation.
He is my great healer, provider and help.
He is my shield and deliverer.
He is my all in all.

I Lost It Today

As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I knew it—I knew I lost it.  I let anger, frustration and impatience get the best of me and my mouth delivered an uncomely reply hurling towards my hubby Luis.  I wasn’t in control anymore—I have lost control over my cool and consequently, over my tongue.

You see, my usually sweet Caleiya didn’t quite get up on the right side of bed this morning but after a fair amount of coaxing and a couple of distractions, we managed to get to church.  She is then most happy to see her friends and everyone else at church.  Fast forward, an instance occurs when she asks me for something I couldn’t possibly provide her simply because there wasn’t any.  I gave her other options and alternatives and talked to her calmly.  You may say, that should have been the end of it, but that’s easy for you to say as that doesn’t end there for my child as she will insist on it till kingdom come.  So unreasonable you may say, but I have come to realize that these things aren’t unreasonable for her tiny mind.  And in her tiny mind, she asks, “Why can’t I have what I want or asking for?”  Most of the time, not even a “reasonable” amount of explaining or reasoning with her works.  So in her own frustration, she begins to vent it out in a tantrum—lots of tears and loud cries.

I feel a tiny crack within me.

When I am at my wits end with my children, my dear hubby comes to the rescue.  The turn-over was the tricky part as when he was getting info on the tantrum situation, my manner of speech towards him was sour.  His voice was loud but my reply was even louder with a side of harsh.

This was the moment I lost it.

As it turns out, I wasn’t all well within myself when I got out of bed this morning.  I may seem to have come to church so put together but I was so fragile within. 

And just when I thought everything is once again well under control, like adding insult to injury, Caleiya throws an even bigger tantrum after Caiden scribbled something on her artwork.  It’s time to go home—quickly!  So off we went to the parking lot and into the car.  I gave out a big sigh after we’re all strapped into our seats and looked at my hubby and asked, “Are we okay? Are you and I okay?” To which he replied, “Yeah we’re fine, dear.”  I was surprised at his answer as I most definitely wasn’t ok with him thinking he wasn’t ok with me at the turn-over of the first tantrum situation.

We sat in the car for a few minutes and talked awhile.  Apparently, he didn’t make much of a big deal about the way I replied to him as he just wanted to know the situation asap so he could remedy it.  It then hit me and it hit me hard as I realized that all this while, I was churning offense within me that made me even more vulnerable.  My battle isn’t with my hubby nor with my children, my battle is within myself.   The heart of the matter is the condition of my heart.

Caleiya then blurted out, “Let’s give Caiden away! I don’t want a baby brother anymore!”  I looked at Luis and we both laughed.  Something in my heart shifted instantly.  Now, all is well with my soul.

Does it matter if my hubby spoke to me in a loud voice?  Does it matter if my child was having a terrible tantrum?  Honestly, the things that other people do or say most of the time is out of my control but I have complete control over my own thoughts, emotions, speech and actions—that’s what matters most.

I misconstrued the urgency of my hubby’s voice to anger.  Would replying to him calmly have changed the situation? I don’t think so because he would still have come to the rescue and would have taken Caleiya out of my hands to find a solution to the tantrum situation (which he obviously did).  If I replied to him calmly then I would have calmed my own nerves and kept my cool—it was for my sake.

[Proverbs 15:1]  “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

As children will have their best and worst moments, we adults can only hope to not only guide and nurture them to always be at their best but to also love and understand them when they are at their worst.  Anyways, we as adults are supposed to be the ones far more capable of such depth and width in understanding and patience towards the young ones.  After all, they are just children—for now.

I thank those who offered a hand and not another parenting tip or advise…

I thank those who gave out encouraging words and not sighs of exasperation…

I thank those who expressed a nod of acknowledgment and not indifference or apathy…

I thank those who uttered a prayer or two and not criticism or a piece of their mind…

I thank you all who looked on with concern and not with judgment towards my child or towards us as parents…

We really could use a lot more love and a lot less negativity in this already challenging journey of life.  May God bless us all the more with grace, compassion and understanding!

Seasons of Love

REPOST: Are you with the RIGHT PARTNER?

During an open forum, a woman asked, "How do I know if I am with the right person?"

The speaker then noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so he said, "It depends. Is that your partner?" In all seriousness, she answered, "How do you know?" Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind replied the speaker.

Here's the answer.

Every relationship has a CYCLE… In the beginning, you FALL IN LOVE with your partner. You anticipate their calls, want their touch, and like their individual or unique characteristics­. Falling in love wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely NATURAL and SPONTANEOUS experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "FALLING" in LOVE.

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept off my feet." Picture the expression. It implies that you were just standing there, doing nothing, and then something happened TO YOU.

Falling in love is a PASSIVE and SPONTANEOUS experience. But after a few months or years of being together, the euphoria of love FADES. It's a natural cycle of EVERY relationship.

Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's individual or unique characteristics­, instead of being cute, it'll drive you nuts. The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship. You will notice a dramatic DIFFERENCE between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your partner might start asking, "Am I with the right person?" And as you reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with SOMEONE ELSE. This is when relationships break down.

People BLAME their partners for their unhappiness and look outside for fulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. INFIDELITY is the most common. But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, friendship, excessive TV, abusive behavior, or dangerous substances. But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your relationship. It lies WITHIN IT.

I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY, you'd feel better. But you'd be in the SAME SITUATION a few years later.

Because (listen carefully to this):

The key to succeeding in a relationship does not stop in finding the right person—it's LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. You have to WORK ON IT day in and day out. It takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it demands WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make it work. Make no mistake about it.

Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your partner). Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also LAWS for relationships. If you know how to apply these laws, the results are PREDICTABLE.

Love is therefore a "DECISION", not just a feeling.

Remember this always: It's not pre-determined who walks into your life—it is up to you to DECIDE who you let WALK AWAY, who you let STAY, and who you refuse to LET GO.

We Are All ONE In Christ Jesus

[Galatians 3:26-28 AMP]

"For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values]. There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority]."