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Bucket List, anyone?

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." -John 3:16

I really don't get it. I don't get the whole bucket-list thing. Who started this? Is it supposed to be fun? Or is it supposed to be serious? Maybe both? We're sort of indirectly talking about our own demise when we bring up the subject of having a bucket list, right? So what's the real purpose of having one in the first place? Is it the proverbial need of man to attach meaning to everything including our own existence? Or maybe we just need some kind of a sense of fulfillment that we've actually done some important things in life?

But I still don't get it. And yet I'm writing about it right now, right here. Talk about our incessant need to assign meaning to things and to comprehend just about everything. Maybe that's why I'm writing about it today so that somehow along the way I could understand it a little more.

As of today I don't have a bucket list but I do have dreams and aspirations for my future. Does that count? I do have plans of what I want to do and places to go once I'm not tied-up with work anymore and with whatever it is that makes me busy right now. Am I insane thinking this way? I guess we do all dream and plan for our future. Even a "couch potato" has certain plans made up in his head for tomorrow, I guess?

It's sort of gloomy to make a list of things that I have (or want) to do before I die. Maybe this is why I don't understand (or don't want to understand) the bucket list thing. I don't particularly like feeling gloomy or depressed. Maybe I don't want to be confronted with the blatant reality that yes there's indeed death somewhere in my future. Though I'm one of those people who think about man's mortality more often than the next person but I guess I haven't really, really quite stared at my own mortality straight in the eye. Why is that? Why is there an inherent fear in each person of death and dying? Why is dying such an off-limits and a sensitive topic for most people?

Before I've come to know and trust my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, death was one of my biggest and paralyzing fears in life. I was so afraid to die. The fear was lodged in my heart and brain that it had a tight grip on me. But after I've believed and trusted on what my Lord and Savior Jesus did on the cross to save me from spiritual death and eternal separation from Him, it's the first thing He took away from me, the dark fear of death. Now I know and I'm fully persuaded by God's truth in His Word that physical death is not the end of everything, it's only the beginning of a glorious eternity with God for those who believe in Him.

I may not have a bucket list right now but I might reconsider having one in the future. I'm not worried that I don't understand the purpose or meaning and the need of having a list but I just want to have fun! I'm not worried at all because my future after this earthly life is guaranteed and secure one hundred percent. Not because of anything I've done nor anything I will do, it's only because of my Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah, praise the Lord indeed!


"So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." -1 Corinthians 15:54-58

Love Letters

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." -John 1:1

Valentine's Day has already passed more than a month ago but I still wanted to write something about love letters. It's one of those things that's not supposed to be outdated or tied up to just one holiday per year. Love letters should be a daily, favorite and an untiring hobby for people who are in love.

Yet I admit I'm not one of those romantic people who enjoy writing love notes. I love writing, period, but just not love letters. It's one of those things I don't quite grasp. How many times and in how many ways am I supposed to say I love you to my husband? What am I supposed to say in the letter that I can't say or I haven't told him already to his face? Is there anything else we haven't talked about at home, on the phone or during our time together that I can still put into writing? (Sigh.) I guess you think I'm a horrible wife. Maybe you think I'm one of those romance-killers roaming the earth. But I'm just not the romantic type. Sorry! Sad but true. And I'm so glad I married someone who doesn't mind my "anti-romantic" ways at all. I think he is even more relieved that I'm not a sucker for those romantic stuff since he's not too romantic himself either.

But wait, maybe we have to define what's romantic before I move on. Maybe what I consider as romantic is not romantic after all for other people? Maybe what I think as romantic acts are just ordinary gestures for some? The reason I'm saying this because I remember what our friends and family said to me on how romantic my husband and I are as a couple. I don't exactly know nor remember why they said that but I just shrugged it off as no big deal.

I'm glad they see us as romantic but after being married for 17 years (and counting! Thank God!), I believe that some of the passion that most people associate with love and romance have waned down a bit. I don't mean it to be necessarily bad at all because I know for sure that my love for my husband has never diminished after these 17 years. It has actually matured and deepened even more. I don't equate passion with love. With pure love there may be a resulting deep passion, but with deep passion, love may not necessarily be present.

When my husband was still courting me, he used to send me bouquets of flowers at my job which was enough to give income to a flower shop for a week. That memory still makes me smile but I don't wish for those flowers anymore especially considering how much they cost! Besides, flowers wilt after a few days and then what? Talk about killing a "budding" romance. Ha. Yes, I've become more practical and thrifty not because I don't like flowers but because I know that my husband loves me and he doesn't need any flowers to prove it anymore. More importantly, we are raising a family. There are much more important expenses for us right now.

I'm writing about love letters but all I'm giving you are proofs of my being unromantic. How depressing is that? I do apologize but I just wanted to show that even I, with all the best intentions in the world and the love that I have for my husband, cannot bring myself to write any love letters.

I'm so glad and thankful that my Father in heaven took time to "sit-down," take an ink pen and paper (figuratively) to write to me the most wonderful, enduring, honest, truthful, loving, wise, infallible and living "love letters" of all time: His Word, the Bible. There's nothing more I need from Him. God has already poured out His heart, mind, Spirit and His whole being into that love letter. All I have to do is read, re-read and read it some more everyday for the rest of my life. Then I'll be fully nurtured, fed, loved, refreshed, confirmed in my love for Him, equipped, rebuked and corrected, convicted and burdened about His purpose and be blessed all the time. I don't have to be a romantic to know and to understand God's perfect love letter for me, and for all of you!. Thank you, Lord!


"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." -2 Timothy 3:16-17

Laundry Detergent and Luxury Cars

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain." -Philippians 2:14-16

On my way to work one morning I saw some new, glossy banners of advertisements at a train station. It was commercials for Tide laundry detergent. It's not one of those ordinary print ads we see from Tide and that's why it caught my attention quick. It was like some commercial for an art gallery or some gimmick from the pop culture that's sprouting around the city. It may even pass as an ad for electronic gadget or high-tech accessory for computers. The banners were cutting edge. It was very modern, stylish and suitable for the bustling life of Chicago. I've never seen anything like it before, particularly not in ads for laundry soap anyway. Maybe for a smartphone app or for a PC software but not for Tide.

Here are some of those banners:

© Copyright MMD Images, 2012

© Copyright MMD Images, 2012

© Copyright MMD Images, 2012

© Copyright MMD Images, 2012

Which brings me to my post today. Even before I saw that Tide commercial, I already wanted to write something about laundry detergents. I've read in an article which said that whatever is the common and most prevalent commercials on TV in a country say a lot on how that nation is doing economically and socially. Living in the Philippines all my life before leaving for Chicago in 2004, I know that one of the most common and prevalent commercials on TV are for laundry soap. And those were not even detergents for washing machines, they were ads geared specifically for hand-washing.

I guess this goes to show that one of the major occupations of housewives and homemakers in the Philippines is doing the laundry. I know it's one of the major household chores back home (emphasis on the word "chore" because it really is one!). It's not that women don't do laundry in other countries and particularly here in America but for some reason it takes more time and effort to do laundry in countries like the Philippines. Reasons like the difficulty of access to clean, running water or an almost nil presence of washing machines and dryers in most homes and also the hot and humid weather which contribute to a piling laundry of sweat, dirt and dust. Bad weather can also cause the moldy smells on slow drying clothes due to the lack of sunlight.

Those laundry soap commercials in the Philippines were specifically geared to target the female mind. Its selling points are the long-lasting flowery perfumes or the clean linen smell, the moisturizing effect on hands even after 20 loads of hand-washing. The whitening or bleaching powers it has on white clothes is very important too. Those features help sell Tide in the Philippines. I used to hear my mother chat with neighbors on how a particular detergent performs as compared with other detergents. I'm not kidding when I say that doing the laundry is one major chore in the Philippines. I don't mean to be degrading or negative about this, it's just the reality.

While here in America, despite the new cutting edge and colorful ads for detergents, it's still not the most common commercials I see on TV. I've noticed that the major and most prevalent ads in the U.S. are for automobiles especially luxury cars. This is what pumps up the world of advertising here in America. So what does it tell about the economic and social structure here? One thing I'm sure is that we're doing much better compared to most people in the Philippines or any other third-world country for that matter.

So does this mean that I don't hear any more complaints around here? Complaints against the government, the leaders, on the social and economic status of the nation, and on how things should be run? Of course not. Especially at this time when unemployment is at its worst in the history of America, corruption is rampant and with the economic depression that seem to linger people will naturally complain and sound-off on what's wrong in this sovereign country.

My point is, no matter what one's "chore" in life is --- from doing the laundry or making a decision on what type of car to buy; or no matter that my occupation in life is to choose the best detergent for my clothes or to choose which car brand is the best ---people still and will continue to complain. We are never content. We're never satisfied. We tend to overlook all the blessings that are right under our noses. I try my best to see God's hand in everything. Even in the most mundane tasks of daily routine.

I've come from a nation stricken with senseless and utmost poverty and I do remember complaining a lot before. Now that God has allowed my family to see a different side of the world and to live in a progressive country like America, I try not to complain too much (though I still have the inkling inside me to do so). I want to be more grateful. I need to be thankful for every blessing God has bestowed upon me, on my family, my church, friends and neighbors, my job, my co-workers and for life in general. My life may not be perfect, for nothing is perfect except for Jesus, I think life is a lot better with a renewed sense of appreciation for everything. God is good indeed, all the time!

Springtime in January

I've lived in Chicago for 7 years now, and I know how unpredictable and crazy the weather can be in the Windy City especially in the wintertime. In those 7 years, I've almost seen it all --more than 25 inches of snow dumped in just one snowstorm, I've seen flurries, sleet, hail, rain-wintry-snow mix go down hard on the city, lots of icy roads, gloomy skies, 30-below-zero temps, bone-chilling wind chills, slush, and freezing rain.

I know there's no getting used to this kind of weather but I must say I pretty much expect it come late November to early December until late March and maybe early April (but I dread it too!). It's winter after all. I'm just so glad I don't drive because those roads and highways out there are no places to be during winter storms and icy conditions. It can be very dangerous and so stressful. I've heard that a 20-minute trip can rapidly turn into a 3-hour drive because of snow, sleet and rain. I salute all the Illinoian drivers who hit the road everyday for you got to have a specific driving skill, talent, and lots and lots of patience to be able to survive on those wintry roads.

On top of these wintry conditions, I've also experienced snow in April here in Chicago. The very first time I was told of its possibility, I laughed so hard thinking it was the most absurd thing I've ever heard! Snow in springtime? Get outta here! But true enough, I think it was in 2006 or 2007, when I've seen snow for the first time in spring. It was sometime in April. That shut me up for good. No more laughing at winter jokes for me.

And I thought I've seen it all. But not yet! Come winter 2011, it's springtime in winter! Huh? Confusing right? But it's true. We've been so spoiled the past year (since October) until now (it's almost February) because we've been having mostly spring-like weather! No snow, no sleet, no slush, no below zero temperatures, at least not until the second week of January when we had our first snowfall for winter. It's been simply beautiful! And as I'm writing this today (it's January 31st), the weather outside is 46 degrees Fahrenheit with an expected high in the low 50s! That's unbelievable for January in Chicago. I could actually get used to this. And yes, it's kinda scary too, but gorgeous nonetheless. Chicagoans actually don't know how to dress-up in the mornings ever since last Fall because we're not sure if it was going to be winter or spring on a particular day. It can be confusing, not that we are complaining, because I'd rather be confused with the weather than be freezing. But in a word, it is really weird.

And speaking of weird, it seems like the whole world is getting into this "trend" of drastic climactic changes anywhere. As we continue to have great weather for almost 4 months in a row now since autumn of 2011, sadly other places are reporting record temps, floodings, earthquakes, snow and ice in places where it doesn't normally happen, too much heat and warmth in places like Alaska and Greenland, record rainfalls in Asia especially in the Philippines, hail falling down in areas where hail has never been seen before, and other such kinds of "phenomena." Due to these changes, weather experts and scientists are scrambling to explain what is happening to the world in an attempt to make sense of it all. People get easily confused, scared and paranoid when the norm is not the norm anymore. I'm sure you've heard of global warming? That's one of the experts' explanations for this. I'm sorry to disappoint but I don't have any opinion on that particular matter. I'm not a scientist so I will just continue to write about the beautiful weather we're having in Chicago.

And of course, after being spoiled with spring in winter, snow and frigid weather finally came to Chicago in the middle of January. All is well. Back to normal. This is how it's supposed to be --winter in wintertime, spring in springtime, hot in summer, crisp and chilly air in autumn. That's the normal cycle of things here on earth. But oops, I think I've spoken too soon because springtime is back again in Chicago. This is becoming seriously crazy! I don't know if I should wear my sandals or my snow boots on one given day. Sigh.

But who am I kidding? We can't deny it, there are serious and clear changes on this earth that we can't escape. Changes that can be compared since the time of known scientific recordings. Changes in weather, climates, temperatures, movements of the physical components of the earth like the mountains and hills, volcanoes starting to stir again after years of dormancy, and even changes in people's hearts, minds and actions. Drastic changes that have never been seen nor recorded before. We don't have to be scientists or experts to be able to see these things. And we shouldn't be ignorant about them either. We actually have been warned about some of these changes to our world whether we like it or not and whether we believe it or not.


"And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!

And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:

And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.

But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:

For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:

So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." -Mark 13:1-31


For more Bible reading on the actual words of Jesus Christ on this matter, please read Matthew chapters 24 and 25. http://www.godsbibletruth.com/kjv30/B40C024.htm

Call me Blessed

According to dictionary.com, the word blessed means consecrated; sacred; holy; sanctified; to be blissfully happy or contented. Consecrated means to make or be declare sacred; to be set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity. Holy means to be dedicated or devoted to the service of God; saintly; godly; pious; devout. To sanctify is to purify or to free from sin. 


Whoa, brain freeze! Too many big words, and too many deep definitions! But, please, bear with me on this and try to take some time to digest and understand all these words and their meanings. It's important. This is important for me. I needed this for myself, for me to grasp the words and to understand them completely and thoroughly before I write this piece. 

Ready? The reason why I included these words on this post today and their meanings ---blessed, consecrated, holy and to be sanctified, because..... that's what I am! By God's marvelous and endless grace, I am indeed blessed!

And yet, this is not how I've felt all my life. I've always thought I was a good person, sure, but I've never considered myself to be holy. I might be better compared to some people (specifically those convicted murderers and molesters in jail) but I wouldn't call myself as blessed. These "special" words were set aside only for the "Saints" (in man's definition) and for the great Bible characters like Moses, David, Isaac, Joshua, Jeremiah, Mary, John and all the disciples of Jesus (except Judas Iscariot, of course), but not for me!

In fact, there has always been a feeling of awe and respect that came with these particular words. And this is not too hard for me to understand either. When I was younger, I've never heard any of my friends or family members to be called as holy or blessed. It was simply not one of the ordinary words we use among our peers and in family circles. I'm only guessing here now, but there might even be some people who would think that using these words to describe a sinner like me is close to blasphemy and is a big lie. Even to utter such words among mortals seem inconceivable in my young mind back then, and I'm sure it still is to some people now. I do understand where they're coming from and why they would think that way because I've been there before. There is a common (but wrong) notion that nobody can ever be called holy or consecrated if he or she is only an ordinary person or a layman, and if he has never been ordained or has not been "called" specifically by God to be His "official" and anointed servant. Sadly, I kinda get what they mean when some people have such a notion.

But, thank God and glory to Him alone, this is not true. According to His Word, the Bible, all those who have believed and trusted in Him and in His only Son, Jesus Christ, on what He has done on the cross to save all of us, are to be called saints, holy, blessed, consecrated and sanctified. In fact, we are commanded to be all these things:

"For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy." -Leviticus 11:44

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." -1 Peter 1:13-16

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." -Psalm 32:1-2

"...Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings." -2 Chronicles 29:31(b)

"Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." -1 Corinthians 1:2-3

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." -1 Corinthians 6:9-11


There are even more, so much more, passages in the Bible that talk about these truths but I can't post them all on here. You have to seek, search and read your own Bible so you yourself can see. Ask for the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit in order for you to understand and to find out what it is that you seek from God in His Word. I'm positive that God will lead you directly to His truth.

As a final note, I declare, I claim, and I attest that I am a saint. Not the "Saint" as people would think or define, nor a "Saint" who is perfect and flawless because I am far from it, but I am a saint of God according to His authority and sovereignty in my life. I have been made holy and been sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ which has covered and washed away all my sins --past, present and future, not by my own doing or of who I am but only by God's grace. I am a saint! And I can't get over this truth, ever. Nor do I ever want to, for my life has been consecrated for God's glory alone. Amen!

Battle Scars

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." -1 Peter 2:24


I love to cook. I guess I've already mentioned this before on one of my posts. And I love to cook because I love to eat. As the Lord says in His Word, if you don't work, you don't eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). So I work for my food! Actually, it's more like a battle sometimes, really.

If you take a close look at my arms and hands, you will notice some burn marks, scars from knife cuts and all sorts of blemishes. I guess a career in hand modeling has already flown out the door a long time ago. I call these blemishes my "battle scars." My son once heard me talking about my battle scars and he didn't understand what I was talking about. He thought I've literally went to battle and I have some scars to prove it! Although it might be a little exaggerated when I call my burn marks as battle scars, but for me, these scars remind me of all the hard work I invest on this life, for my family, my friends, and even for my own pleasure in eating as well as for fellowship. It might not be as bad as actually going to war but my cuts and burns can hurt as bad as any other wounds inflicted on our bodies. It might not be as horrible as a gun shot wound but it's my wound and it's my pain.

I'm not being selfish here. I just want to put a little "dramatic" meaning into all the hard work women give on behalf of their families, relatives, friends, co-workers, church family, and even to strangers, when most of the time neglecting their own selves. Most Moms find almost no time to be vain about their physical looks, on how blemished their hands are, how "unperfect" their arms and bodies can be. Scars are never admired in our society unless they tell a very heroic and touching story of sacrificial love, sentimentality and freedom. That's why I call my oil splatter marks as battle scars because I do have some stories to tell. On how I "labor and toil" in the kitchen to feed my family and in order to serve them. I hope these labors of love can extend even to a wider reach to include those who really need my help and care. I'm working on it.

Jesus has His own share of "battle scars." You know the whole story. In all His power and glory, Jesus can make all the scars on His body to vanish in a flash, and yet He chose to leave them where they are so that anyone who wants to see the proof of His sacrifice, the scars are there for them to see. I can't even begin to imagine the scars on His forehead from the crown of thorns that was shoved forcefully down on His head when He was being mocked and called the King of the Jews. I can't even imagine the scars on His back from the whipping and brutal attacks done on Him as He walked the streets of Jerusalem carrying the heavy cross. I know there will be a scar on His side from the spear used to poke Him after He asked for some water to drink while He dangled on that same cross. And, of course, we all know the scars on His hands, the ones He showed to Thomas. And don't we ever forget the scars of the nail wounds Jesus also has on His feet.

These are truly the battle scars of God. He has these scars to show to anyone who wants to trust in Him. Those scars prove God's unfathomable love for all mankind for whom He died on the cross. God also has those scars to show His enemies on how Jesus has already paid it all. Satan and his army of devils will always lie to us on how we don't belong to God but even Lucifer himself knows he doesn't have any argument against the battle scars of Jesus. It is finished.

Are we so calloused and stupid as to let the sacrifice and death of Jesus Christ just go to waste in our own life? What with all the evidence of God's battle scars on His own body and yet still a lot of people can't, don't, and won't trust in His plan of salvation! It breaks my heart when someone says that he can't be serious about God because he's not ready yet. Not ready for what? What are you waiting for? Life is short. Death is final for those who have not trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The Bible says that the gift of eternal life with God is only for those who believe in Him. And how can we say we love the Lord and that we trust in Him but we're not serious about Him and His teachings? If you're in love with someone, isn't it the desire of your heart to always be with that person? To do anything and everything for that person? Why would loving God be any different?

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." -Isaiah 53:3-5

"The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." -John 20:25-29

I know my scars are nothing compared to what my Savior has to show for His love and sacrifice to save me. Me, who is nothing. Me, a sinner. The scars of Jesus prove that there is a real spiritual battle going on beyond what we can see here on earth. If the battle scars of Jesus don't move you to trust Him, please ask God to open the eyes of your heart so you can see His truth. Scars may not be pretty but I'm sure that the scars of Jesus are the most beautiful marks we'll ever see all through eternity. Glory to God!

"Bisikleta"

I was probably 8 or 9 years old when I first learned how to ride a bike. Our housekeeper-slash-assistant-slash-helper-slash-my yaya (nanny) taught me how to ride. I don't know if my parents gave her specific instructions not to bring me outside of the house just to teach me to ride or maybe it was just my unfounded paranoia because I remember sneaking out with her in the middle of the day when the sun was out with such fierceness that I see steam rising from the cement roads. We only did this during the weekends right after lunch. I'd wait for her to finish up her duties then tidy up the kitchen before we leave. And we made sure my parents were in the bedroom or the living room having their siesta (afternoon rest or nap).

I think the sneaking out part was more exciting than the actual bike riding lessons. The lessons weren't too bad. I would hop onto the bike and she would hold the back side while I try to balance as I pedal. I learned very quickly but I lacked the confidence. I wanted her to run behind me and hold on my bike while I pedaled. Sometimes I'd see her in my peripheral view to make sure she was still there guiding me, holding the bike. Sometimes I won't see her at all and I would steal a glance backwards just to make sure she's still there and she was always behind me. She taught me and coaxed me while still holding on to the bike until my confidence increased. We did this for a couple more weekends and then she told me I was ready. Ready for what? I asked. For me to go on my own without her holding the bike as I ride. I protested. I asked her not to let go and  I demanded for her to always stay behind me and hold my bike. She said ok. End of conversation.

On the third or fourth weekend, as we planned to sneak out again after lunch, I was still very excited about the whole thing. As usual, I'd hopped on to my bike and I would start to pedal while still making sure my yaya was behind me. I loved to feel the wind in my hair, the sun blazing down on me and the pavement passing by me oh so swiftly. I was riding my bike! Then I heard a loud sound coming from a big horn. A huge truck was coming on towards me from behind! Fast! So fast that I can feel the trembling of its tires on the cemented road. I started feeling scared, my heart was thumping so hard and my balance started to waver. I glanced back to look at the oncoming truck when I suddenly realized I was riding alone! My yaya was far behind and running towards me. I panicked, all of my confidence now gone. I didn't know what to do! My bike started to wobble a little because of my panic and the handle bars was shaking so hard from left to right. I tried to keep it steady and to focus on the road ahead. There's plenty of room for a bike and a truck on one lane, right? Then I felt the rush of wind with such power on my left side as the truck passed me by. I was ok! I was safe! And I was still riding my bike, all by myself!

That was one lesson I will never forget for as long as I live. As my yaya came near me, screaming on how proud she was of my accomplishment, I felt angry at her for a moment. I felt she abandoned me. I thought she betrayed me as she left me alone. But she was so happy with my success and as she explained how she can't catch up with me anymore because I was pedaling so fast that she had to let me go that's when I understood she really didn't want to leave me or to have me harmed in any way. She still wanted to hold on to me but at the same time she also wanted to see me ride on my own. After that day, we didn't sneak out anymore. I told my parents that I already know how to ride my bike and they were happy for me but they told me no more main roads or highways. I must stay only within the neighborhood paths. I complied. 

"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." -Deuteronomy 31:6 

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" -Psalms 27:1 

"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." -Hebrews 13:6

With God, don't we feel like we're riding a bike most of the time like novices? God provides us with all the tools we need in order for us to have His knowledge and wisdom, to learn from the Bible and to mature in our walk with Him but there are times when it feels like we're going to lose our balance and our confidence seems to grow thin amidst discouragements and fears. Then we think we're alone in our sufferings and pain. Those are BIG lies! Blatant lies from the biggest liar of all time -Satan. And on top of those lies, we sometimes feel that we can pedal so fast that we don't need help anymore. We feel that the wind in our hair and the pleasures of the ride will last forever and ever. Until we're faced with danger. And then life happens. This is when we begin to look for God all over again. We scramble not to fall. We're not too great on our own after all, are we?

Most of the time, we do know how to ride our bikes. We've got the balancing thing down and we can pedal with no problems. We've been riding long enough to have that bike almost like a part of ourselves. We don't need to worry when adversities come our way. When we are faced with humongous trucks coming on towards us, we've got it! And this is not because of our skills or talents nor of our intelligence or power, it is from God. He promised never to leave us nor forsake us. Jesus is our light and our salvation, and He is our strength and our helper. Sometimes we might feel that we're riding alone but no, those are the times when God has our bike, our pedals, our path, our confidence, our worries and our life all held together in His loving hands. And surely, He will never ever let go.

Behind The Scenes

I was very much into the performing arts and the theater when I was in college. I considered it as one of my "passions" back then and I thought that I would end up doing something related to the arts for the rest of my life. My father, on the other hand, was not so thrilled about the idea. Aside from the late nights (and sometimes even until the wee hours of the morning) of endless rehearsals and practices for upcoming performances, and then all the traveling on top of actually attending my classes, he wasn't too excited for me in becoming a full time "artist." He told me to enjoy the theater while I can but he made it very clear right then and there that there's no point for me ending up as one of the many "starving" artists out there, he said. I understand now that he was only being practical and was thinking of what he thought was best for me, but at the same time that he was telling me all that, my heart and my mind were already rebelling against his advice. I thought I knew what I wanted and I thought I knew what I'd love to do with my life. But I didn't have a clue.

I was introduced into the world of theater through the courses I had to take in college. But the more appealing introduction came with my membership in a college performing arts group named "An Balangaw" or The Rainbow. It's where my love for theater, song and dance, performance and the arts in general did really take root. I loved the process of creating, writing, deliberating with the performers, the directing, designing, acting, and watching a piece of art on stage evolve right before my eyes. It almost seemed like working with something that is alive because a performance piece continues to change, mold and remold, and it takes on some of the adaptations from audiences' reactions as well as from the actors' contributions to the show.

My experience with theater was not with the classical plays by Shakespeare, Ben Jonson or Tennessee Williams, and neither did we do anything from the classical Greek tragedies or comedies, although studying and learning about them in the classroom was so much fun and educational. The group's forte was the local folklore, the Filipino music and dance, and the indigenous way of life and traditions of the people. The performers traveled around the Leyte-Samar area (in the Visayas or the central Philippines) to research and learn the various songs and poems, traditions and legends, the folk dances and musical compositions of the local people which have been passed down from generations to generations without any proper documentation. The whole experience served as an eye-opener for us "city folks."

I loved to perform back then. I enjoyed entertaining people with the songs, dances and the stories we gathered from our travels and research. This is one of the wonders of theater --what you see on stage is not the actual, whole picture of the total process on putting up a show. Almost 85% of what's in a performance happens behind the scenes. The research staff and the writers are the mind of the theater, the directors and the creative staff are the heart of a performance, and the props, stage design, costume, make-up and lighting people compose the skeleton or backbone of the show. The actors are the soul of the theater and the audience completes the whole package. Theater can never be successful if it's not a collaborative work. Each piece of the act will crumble without one and the other. 

"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." -1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 25-27

Glory be to God for He designed His church as a collaboration or teamwork as well. As Christians, we are members of one Body. No matter what my role is in His body, my role is important. Without my small part in my local church, the whole piece will not function as effectively. I'm expected to do my work without any grumbling or envy, without any comparison to the roles played by other members of the church, and without any complaint. Unlike when I was younger when I used to "rebel" against my father's wishes for me, now as I mature I ought to listen and take good advice from my pastor and the leaders of my church on how to do things.

Just like in theater, the bulk of the work in a church is not readily visible. There are jobs done by most members that are not "advertised," like cleaning the bathrooms, cleaning and making sure the pews and the auditorium are ready for Sunday service, and maintaining the building structures. These are very important work and often times the people who do these remain unappreciated. As for me, I need to make sure that I do what I need to do and do my part in order for the members of our church to be honored and to rejoice in Christ. This time we are not in the theater. We are not performing. This is the real thing. This is highly important. Christians need to make it right or else answer to God Himself.

Sweet, Refreshing Waters from Clay Jars

One of my favorite childhood games was to play house. I miss the feeling of being cozy inside a miniature "house" with all the miniature home appliances, furniture, and the tiny toys we played with. Those miniature appliances and furniture were not the "real" stuff which kids can buy from toy stores these days. We made and built our own. They were made out of scrap wood, twigs, cardboard, newspaper, old plastic containers and tin cans, held together by rubber bands and strings.

I didn't play much with dolls when I was a kid but I do remember playing with my toy pots and pans, kitchen utensils and cooking wares. My favorites were the tiny cooking pots and pans made from terra cotta clay. They were just too cute and so adorable. I still remember how smooth they felt in my hand, how tiny they were yet the details and the similarities to the real thing were so amazing. I can actually cook with them using real fire we made with match sticks, paper and wood. I just had to dice up the "meat and vegetables" really tiny so it would fit into the tiny pots. And what are those "meat and veggies" you may ask? They were only make-believe. They were plants, leaves, flowers, stems, roots, grass, soil and pebbles we took from Mama's garden.

For some reason, clay pots for cooking are not very popular here in the States. When we say clay pots here, it usually means the ones used for gardening, like the flower pots. And if ever this cooking ware is available here, they are too expensive that most people can't afford them anyway. But cooking in clay pots is still one of the most popular choices in many parts of the world including the Philippines. These earthen wares are readily available everywhere in that country and they are not expensive at all. The fact that the good quality ones also last for a long, long time makes it even more a worthwhile purchase.

When I was younger, I used to visit my "Lola" (grandmother) in the province. Me and my brothers stayed with her during the summer months and what a grand vacation it always was! Those were some of the great days of my childhood. We were spoiled rotten by our grandma, grandaunts and cousins. Summertime spent in the countryside are the best. One of my cherished memories from those vacations with Lola is what I call now as the "lesson of the clay pot." Allow me to share with you that lesson:

On those summer vacations although we were spoiled by everyone, my brothers and I were still not exempt from doing a few household chores. One of my chores was to help my grandaunt fill-up the "daba" (palayok) or clay jar for drinking water. Thirty years ago, a faucet with clean, running water was unheard of in most parts of the Philippines. We had water wells and manual pumps from where we fetch our water for daily use. In some places, they have lakes and rivers where they do their laundry and all sorts of washing. In the big cities, there may be the chlorinated, running water from the faucet but I remember it was always a battle to fill-up even just a small pail. And I heard that it's still a battle up to now.

Anyway, I digressed. The clay jar I used to fill-up with water was in my grandaunt's kitchen. I remember asking her why we had to fill it up with water when we can just fill-up all the pitchers we had in the house? She explained that clay pots are the best water storage, ever. It makes water sparklingly cool in the summer when ice or refrigeration were hard to get by. And also it makes the water sweet-tasting, she said. As a child, that was pure magic to me. Cool, sweet, sparkling water without refrigeration? It's a miracle! As God is my witness, all she said is true. Water from clay pots are indeed refreshingly cool and sweet. It's one of the magical things I miss from my childhood.

Another fact I've learned about clay pots was that they leak. Clay is a porous material and so it's just natural for water to seep out in any way it can. That's why most of the clay pots available now in the market are most likely to be coated with some kind of a sealant to prevent the seepage. But I remember Lola telling me that this was "unnatural" and it may not be good for our health. We never know what type of sealant people apply on those pots. So we only used the natural ones regardless of the leak. We just place a basin under it and we continue to refill it everyday with fresh supply of water.

The lesson of the clay pot did not stop there. It continued on as I grew older.

"O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand." -Isaiah 64:8 

"O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" -Romans 9:20-24

In some of my Bible readings and quiet time with the Lord, He showed me additional "lessons of the clay pot." The Bible says that God is the Potter and we are the clay. He can mold us and use us for His purpose and glory if we only let Him. And just like the clay jars my family used to store water, humans also can't hold much "water" for long periods of time. We leak so bad. That's why we need the Holy Spirit to fill us up with His teachings from the Word everyday. We need to read the Bible to replenish the seepage that happens from our hearts and our souls. Since we are the clay, we need the Potter to mold us into the likeness of His own Son's character little by little each day. And for Him to fill us up with new supply of His tender mercies every morning.

We are just lowly clay pots in the hands of God and we can choose to remain empty and useless for the rest of our lives, just sitting in one corner being pretty like all the decorative ceramic jars available in home furnishings stores. Or, we can choose to be useful and be filled up for "cooking and storage." As we allow God to fill and re-fill us with His wisdom and power through the Holy Spirit, I'm sure we will produce sparkling, refreshing, sweet waters in His perfect time. It is my prayer that as God's "sweetened water" that I will be a blessing to others as He chooses.

Paper Towels

We don't have paper towels in the Philippines. I mean the big rolls, for "kitchen-use" type paper towels. But I'm not too sure about now since I've been away too long. And I say this not to be mean in any way nor to be offensive to my fellow Filipinos, it is just how I remember growing up in a house with 6 children and with extended family who occasionally visits us. We used washable, reusable rags for our everyday cleaning and wiping. I also remember cleaning our house the "old school" way --with soap and water, maybe a splash of chlorine bleach, using rags and brushes, down on our knees scrubbing all the grime and dirt away. It was hard, back-breaking work. And we did this regularly, like 3 to 4 times a week. And I thank my mother for all the training she provided her children while growing up because these kinds of skills do come in handy now that I have my own family to take care of and a home to clean and manage. I salute all the working moms who work full time and yet still maintain a spotlessly clean house. That's never a small feat. It's a miracle by itself.

It's funny how we live a long time without the need for some things yet after we discover that thing, we suddenly can't live without it! That's exactly what happened to me and with those paper towels. I can't live without them now. I have to have them at my house and in the office at all times. I can't do any cleaning without it. Rags are unheard of for me now. I'm so helpless without my paper towels.

Okay, okay I am exaggerating quite a bit. The world continues to turn even without paper towels. There are much more important things in life than having rolls of paper towels at home. But having them ready at hand, just in case of a spill or some sort of soiling, is the best way to go. Ahhh, the pleasures of modern living. We have machines to help us do our everyday chores, we have appliances to assist us with our everyday duties, and we have all types of luxury like having vehicles when our forefathers used to trudge several miles on foot. Now we have electricity and gas to keep us out of the dark and make us warm on cold wintry nights, and we do have those paper towels always ready to wipe off any mess and we just dispose of it after each use. Aren't you glad we are living at this day and age as against to living in the past? So why do we still complain a lot? Why aren't people any happier now as compared to our great-great grandparents? Why are the paper towels not enough to make life any grander than before?

Humans are so near and narrow-sighted that we easily forget the past and we always neglect to focus on the future. Paper towels are immediately available these days that they're almost considered as next to nothing. It's not one of the most valuable goods in the market. People are not lining up to buy them off the shelves. Paper towels are not even part of the stock market on which people can invest their money with the hope of multiplying their profits. It has no inherent value. The value of the paper towels is based only on the user's need, like mine. I can't live without it. It is valuable to me, but the world doesn't seem to think the same way. Gold is what's valuable. Diamonds are priceless. Money is the center of life. Money makes the world go round, they say. What I'm trying to drive at is this: people do what they want to do, people think what they'd like to think, and we value things that we want to value no matter what the reality is and what the truth really is.

God says that earthly wealth and riches are nothing in eternity but people still beat themselves up just to get "an ounce of gold" because for them that's what has real value. God says that storing up treasures here on earth is pointless but people still have vaults and coffers filled with goods that perish at the sound of His voice. We lose focus in a snap. We forget that life is too short to be focusing on things that have nothing to do with our eternal life. I do love my paper towels but I'm also glad that I can let go of them as easily as I want them because I know that I have the best "mess picker-upper" in the whole universe --my God. He forgives me for my big messes all the time and He purifies me from all unrighteousness. And He doesn't need any paper towels to do that.

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." -Matthew 6:19-21

The Really, Really Good News

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." -Matthew 24:14

"And the gospel must first be published among all nations." -Mark 13:10


My routine each morning after I wake up is to (groggily) make some coffee, prepare a quick breakfast for my family, quickly bag some lunch for the three of us and then straighten out the kitchen a little before I prepare to leave for work. Usually, I have some spare time so I sit on the couch, sip my coffee in front of the TV and watch some morning news. Bad idea. That's always a bad idea. The last thing I want to do is to bombard my thoughts with a series of bad news coming in from all over the world first thing in the morning. But somehow, someway I always end up turning on that television and then torture myself with doses of depressing stories. And to think that that's only 10 to 15 minutes of my day. How much more if I watch TV all day long? I would be a total wreck!

As you'd probably know already (since I've mentioned it in my previous posts), I used to be a news reporter. Somehow I don't remember feeling so sad or too depressed about the stories we used to gather everyday. It was just normal work with some unusual stories sometimes but nothing too horrible that would make me feel gloomy for the rest of the day. I was happy with my job and it was one of my best experiences. But now it seems like the whole world has run amok! All I hear and see on TV are mostly bad news. Maybe I'm just getting too old for all these negative stuff.

I also think that maybe the digital age has a lot to do to contribute to the reason why it feels like there is just too much bad news everywhere and all the time. The world has really gone smaller. In split seconds, we get to know what's happening on the other side of the world at the same time we learn what's happening in our own neighborhood. In a flash, we can "bombard" ourselves with international breaking news while looking at what's happening at our own backyard. With a click, we get news and information within minutes which our great-grandparents normally would have gotten in days, weeks or even months.

It is so scary for me on how we get to see so much of the bad stuff but we never get to know the victories and the triumphs in people's lives. Surely there must be more than just bad news out there? Surely there must be some funny, heart-warming, great stories somewhere? Why do the news media particularly gobble up on the bad news mostly? Are we, the audience, really that addicted to such depressing and sad news? It seems like good news can never be in the headlines anymore these days.

Whenever I tell people that we don't have cable television in our home, the usual reaction I get is a combination of shock, surprise and disbelief. And I do understand the reaction. Cable is being portrayed and marketed as one of the basic necessity of human life. If you watch the cable companies' commercials, it seems like they are almost threatening people that if we don't get cable we are missing out on all the best things in life! What! No cable? You don't have sports channel every Sunday then! What! No cable? You don't know what's happening with all the reality shows of "real" people! What! No cable? You're so out of touch! Yup maybe so, but no thanks. For almost 7 years now with no cable, our family has survived. We are fine. I thank God we don't miss anything that we haven't seen in the first place. So I'm only guessing when I say that there are probably tons of bad news on cable television as well?

Please don't misunderstand me. I am not propagating the idea of the total eradication of bad news from TV, radio, newspaper or the internet. Not at all. I believe that a balanced news reporting calls for the inclusion of all the bad, the shocking, the horrible and all the real, unpleasant news out there. All I'm saying is and asking for is the "balanced" part. We do need some good, happy, uplifting, funny news as well, don't we? People are already down in the dumps with all the evil and wickedness going on around the world, the economy of almost every nation is at a whack, most families are losing their jobs and their homes, and there are just too many deaths and sicknesses going around, do you think we really need more bad news especially early in the morning?

"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." -Matthew 4:23 

"The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the GOSPEL preached to them." -Matthew 11:5 

"For I am not ashamed of the GOSPEL of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." -Romans 1:16


These Bible verses provide only a glimpse of what I call the real and true good news! And that's why it is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ because gospel literally means good news. I thank God for being the bearer of such great news for His people. His love is available to all those who need it at anytime. I thank Him for giving the best news of His salvation and His perfect will for man. There is no other joy that can fill our hearts except the one that can only come from Him and with His hope that makes us look beyond what we see at present. Once we experience the peace of the Holy Spirit that surpasses all understanding, all other substitutes cannot even compare. And praise to the Lord Jesus Christ for His perfect love which is beyond knowledge. And, as if there's even something more that can top all that, yet God truly desires to have a close, meaningdful relationship with me. With "bad news" me! That is what I call good news. No, make it the perfect genuine great news of all time.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." -John 3:16

Awesome Autumn

And so here it comes..... Autumn!

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

As I've already mentioned before, it is my second favorite season. It's one of the many great things God has allowed me to see and to personally experience. I thought I will only get to see it in pictures and through the movies. I am very thankful I get to live with it (even for short periods of time only) and that I get to see the awesome colors of autumn. 

Fall, as autumn is also "nicknamed," is a very mild season. The only way I can describe it for those who don't have the same opportunity as I do to experience it in person is that there is a certain "briskness" in the air --it's not too cold and not too warm. It's just perfectly right. It's like having an outdoor central air conditioning. With the crisp, cool air comes the changing of the colors of the foliage on trees and some shrubs. The primary colors of the season are of the deep, rich and bright kinds --from the hues of burgundy and reds, subtle golds and energetic yellows, bursting oranges, glowing purples and the deep mahogany and browns. It's so amazingly gorgeous! I can't get enough of it. Sadly, it's also one of the shortest seasons. Maybe this is the reason why it's so glorious and ever more so beautiful because we know that it's fleeting. One day we see the leaves turning red or yellow and then suddenly we see them on the ground just waiting to rot and to be covered by snow, sleet and ice for the next 4 to 5 months. Autumn is one fleeting beauty in its most magnificent. There is no other way I can put it.

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

With fall also comes a string of holidays and celebrations. To start off, some people in America (and the last time I checked in the news, even people from all over the world) "celebrate" halloween every last day of October. My family don't really consider it to be a part of the holidays since we don't celebrate halloween. For us, the "official" holiday celebrations begin in November for Thanksgiving. This is when there comes a series of small and large gatherings all throughout the holidays. Invitations are coming in from everywhere for people and families to get-together for parties, dinners, luncheons, afternoon teas, and even huge banquets, to celebrate the blessings of Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and the New Year.

I'm so happy that my "birthday month" also falls on this wonderful fall season. It's so heart-warming to celebrate my natal day amidst so much splendor and flourish happening all over nature. Fall makes people feel so festive and yet cozy at the same time. Of course I know this is not just for me alone but I'd still like to count it as a part of my personal blessings. This is also the time for apple-picking, farm tours, pumpkin patch and petting zoo for the kids, hay rides and garden strolls for the kids-at-heart. There are also various festivals going on everywhere, all we have to do is to check the calendar of events for every town and city and then make plans to join any time we can.

© Copyright, MMD Images, 2011

On a somber note, we all grow old. There comes a time when we arrive at the "autumn" of our lives. I'd like to consider this period as the more fulfilling, most profound and the blissful time of my life. It should be the time when I'm already deeply rooted in my faith and my foundation in God. It's when there's nothing else I crave in life so bad that I have to lose sleep over it. I'd like to think that my family and I will already be secure in our love and our future, and that my relationships and friendships wouldn't be the shallow, meaningless ones anymore. Fall is rich and deep, intimate and cozy, pretty but with substance. I hope that the "autumn" of my life will resemble even just a tinge of that. 

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." -Galatians 6:9

Skeletons In The Closet

"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops." -Luke 12:2-3


I remember when I was little, I used to sneak into my Mama's walk-in closet. It was like some kind of an adventure for me --to look for "treasures" or play hide-and-seek with my friends and my siblings. To a child, that closet was a whole different, magical world. My Mama have the coolest, nicest and most interesting things. She has all sorts of jewelry in different shapes and sizes, of sparkling colors and intricate designs with stones that I can't even identify. They were the most wonderful and beautiful things I've ever seen in my life back then. There were also some crystal bottles of perfumes in dazzling hues, silk scarves as big as blankets, soft long robes (in pink!), big shoes and huge hats. I'm sure Mama knew what I was doing in there but since I don't take anything out of the closet she'd allow me to play. Well, I won't take the robes nor the jewelry but I would taste the imported chocolates I'd occasionally find in there. I'd take a piece and hope Mama wouldn't notice later.

My most favorite thing in that closet was Mama's make-up set. She had a whole bag of Mary Quant cosmetics. I was only a child but I knew those were real good stuff. I'd put on some rouge on my cheeks and maybe some eye color but what I really, really loved was the bright, deep rich red lipstick. I still remember how it felt and looked on my lips (and some on my hair too!). It was a glossy lipstick which had a subtle scent to it. I cherish those play make-up times of my childhood that's why I try to find some Mary Quant cosmetics for myself now but I'm disappointed they're not available in America. Those kinds of things have a tag of sentimental value in people's hearts and minds because of the memories they leave behind.

As I got older, I began to learn things only grown-ups would (and should) know. I hear a phrase like "skeletons in the closet." As a child I wasn't afraid of the closet or of having any skeletons in there for that matter. It's sad how becoming a grown-up can take away the "magic" and the mystery of childhood and its precious moments. It's so scary how some kids are forced to grow-up and mature beyond their age because of situations that hurt them and their families. I know we live in a fallen, sin-cursed world but despite this knowledge it still pains me to see helpless children being robbed off of their childhood, their innocence and all of the great memories that can only come from being a kid.

There are "new world" teachings and a philosophy of humanism which believe that all humans are inherently good. Most people want to trust the best in people but for some reason, I've been witnessing too much of the opposite to this lately. I won't go much into the details of my experience but it burdens me to see that "the love of many has wax cold" (Matthew 24:12). I also attest that I've personally "looked evil in the eye" at least a couple of times in my life. Those eye-opening realities make me wonder at times, are people capable of diabolic tendencies? Do I have the secrets of abomination lurking inside me? Do I naturally lean towards evil if I don't consciously and willfully fight the primal urge? Very, very tough questions to ask. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" -Jeremiah 17:9

"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." -Matthew 15:19

"If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart." -Psalm 44:20-21

It breaks my heart just to think that everyday somewhere, somehow children are being abused, beaten, hurt beyond words, and their childhood destroyed. Oftentimes these unspeakable and horrendous acts are done to them by heartless, wicked and evil adults who are supposed to take care and protect them in the first place. As a mother and as a human being I can't help to feel seething anger within me and to feel useless at the same time because in reality, there's really not much I can do. I grit my teeth and I cry for those innocent, young, helpless children. Most of all, I pray for them. I may not know their names nor what's really happened to them but as I've said before, I am utterly and completely sure that prayer works. I may not personally witness now on how God works based on the prayers of His saints from all over the world yet I am positive He hears us, always. (And yes, the Bible says that all who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God are His saints --both living and dead.)

"In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." -Romans 2:16
To our eyes and human logic we may think there's no justice for all the children who have been hurt needlessly by evil people, but by the assurance of the Bible, God says there shall be justice. Justice for all, not just for the children. Justice for those who have been wronged and hurt. God's justice is perfect. In His time and by His perfect will would He judge all man including me. If I don't get to see His judgment while I'm still alive, I'm sure and I'm persuaded that everything will be under His perfect ruling after all of human life as we know it is over. Glory to the perfect, most high and righteous Judge alone! 
"The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins." -Psalm 7:8-9

Instantly, Quickly, Now!

"LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah." -Psalm 39:4-5


I love instant coffee. I know this is some kind of a "profanity" for serious coffee lovers especially here in America. I know how you all love your brewed, drip coffee. And I do love it, too. It's just that, most of the time I don't have the energy to prepare the coffeemaker in the morning just to have one cup or two. I have to wash the pot, clean the filters out, wipe, scoop and then wait for the "dripping" to end before I can have my "fix" of caffeine to help me wake up in the first place. I want it now! So, instant is the way to go for me --just boil some water (or microwave, which I won't normally recommend), scoop and stir. And then, enjoy!

Blend 45 3-in-1 Instant Coffee

Nescafe Instant Coffee

I'm only talking about my morning "cup of Joe" and yet this is basically how our "modern" society has now come to ---the instantaneous, instant gratification, hurry up, quick, right now attitude. We prefer everything fast, faster and fastest without sacrificing the quality. I'm not too sure about how the latter part can be maintained but instant is good. When we go the the grocery we find instant noodles, instant rice, instant canned goods, instant bread dough -no rise, no bake, no waiting! We have instant cash from the ATMs, instant shampoo -no water, no rinsing required. We have instant entertainment with just one click anywhere and there's even instant hand wash -all those hand sanitizers! Wow. Isn't it amazing how many instant products are out there now?

I haven't been to Japan yet but I've heard and seen some pretty interesting products they manufacture over there. They have out-of-this-world things that were supposedly invented to help make our lives so much easier. Those who are in Tokyo, Osaka or Yokohama for example, live an ultra fast-paced lives that they can't afford to be left behind or be left-out by waiting for the "coffeemaker to finish brewing." They keep up with the high-tech lifestyle in those progressive cities. Some of the products I've personally seen are: a one-push can opener -no more turning knobs; an instant indoor bonsai garden -just add water; and there's a microwave snack chips-maker -oil free and healthy (supposedly) that comes with various flavoring. I'd like to apologize in advance for even mentioning this on here but it's just too unique and amusing to omit -the Japanese people has also come up with a toilet seat that sprays water, cleans, and blasts warm air (like a hand dryer) so there's no more need for any tissue paper in the restroom! Talk about progress?

We love everything instant whether we admit it or not. We get so annoyed and impatient when things don't go instantly the way we planned it. Let's take a look at an ordinary, routine day for an average person. And let's pretend that person is me. I wake up in the morning and shoot!--my alarm clock didn't work the instant I wanted it to. Now I'll be late for work! I go for a quick shower expecting for the hot water to run instantly the moment I get under the shower head. And I'm thinking to myself, I've no more time for coffee -brewed or instant- so I got to get out of the door now! So I run to the train station, hoping the train would be there the instant I arrive. I spend the next 40-45 minutes commuting and thinking if there is a much faster way to go to work? And actually, there is. Again, the very first one was in Japan. It has only been superseded by China recently. It's the fastest bullet train in the world, soon to open in Shanghai, China by 2012. It runs at its top speed of 220 mph. Oh well, we don't have that one in Chicago.

Then I'm at the office, late. I turn on my computer expecting it to boot instantly, as usual. But not today. Oh boy, I need to call IT support. It's going to be long day indeed. I foresee half of the day spent sitting around doing a little bit of work since I can't really do much since my PC is down. I decided to get my coffee instead (instant) and zap some popcorn for breakfast. (I know some friends who actually do this by the way.) Then when I'm done "wasting" my morning waiting for the not-so-instant tech support,  I plan for lunch. Maybe a can of soup that I can zap in the microwave and maybe an "instant" sandwich from the vendo? Yum.

Ok, stop. I think you get my point. We live in a society where fast, quick and instant are preferred. It may be a hard decision to make especially when there comes a time when we feel like we are being swept away by the wave of such a lifestyle, but I personally would like to think that I will still choose to stop and slow down. I won't allow myself and my family to be gorged up in such speed and haste. I'd like to believe that I'd still appreciate the flowers around me (not the plastic ones nor the electronic photos on my PC), and I'd still like to "brew" a cup of coffee regardless of the waiting. Life is too short to hasten it up. I only have 24 hours everyday, too precious to cut short by trying to cram-in a million tasks that are really inessential. I wish to live every second, of every minute, of every hour in everyday, loving what I do and spending most of it with the ones I love. And more importantly, it is my prayer that God will always give me His grace to remember that I live my life here on earth on a "borrowed" time and that I must live it to the fullest with Him, for Him, and by Him alone. That my focus must always be on what lies ahead, beyond of what's on this instant.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." -Philippians 4:8

My "Existentialist" Past

I was on the train on my way home one lovely afternoon and yet I felt a little gloomy inside for no apparent reason. I don't know if you can relate with such sadness and gloom that seem to come from nowhere? I've had those "depressive symptoms" since my teenage years. As I was sitting there on that train, my thoughts suddenly was on king Solomon of the Old Testament Bible. God made him the wisest person that ever lived on earth and yet he was also one of the loneliest. He was often said to have had depressive thoughts. Have you ever tried reading the book of Ecclesiastes? Some people would argue that the author of this book was not Solomon but Bible scholars have compelling proofs that in fact it was the wise king who wrote it.

It's somewhat of a depressing book so consequently and understandably enough it's not very popular nor well-read either. It's one of my favorite books in the Bible though. Somehow I can relate to some of king Solomon's "ranting" as recorded in that book. It seemed like he always managed to see the end to everything instead of seeing the hope or to look for the "light at the end of the tunnel." All he saw and what he witnessed in this world was just plain vanity in everything. "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?" -Ecclesiastes 1:2-3

I used to have dark thoughts when I was younger. There was like a perpetual "dark cloud" that hovered in my midst. I didn't know what it was and I never sought help to understand what I was going through. I honestly thought it was the "normal" way to feel. I've never talked about it until I met my husband and after Jesus found me and saved me. I've found out that talking about "hidden" things in your life to people you love and trust is "therapeutic." When we confess and bring "secrets" out from our past we allow God to bring His Light into it and we take away Satan's foothold from that part of our life. That's when God's perfect healing really begins. "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." -2 Corinthians 4:1-2

Looking back now, I know God's protection covered me all throughout those years. Since the time I was conceived I knew He was with me. He had plans for me and my future. I remember having a "mini breakdown" during my freshman year in college but at that time I didn't understand what it was, I had no name for it. I just remember feeling so gravely sad and I tire easily for no reason. My parents probably thought I was just being a normal teenager. My body was lethargic at times but my mind was reeling and burning with dark, deep, bleak thoughts about human existence, questions about life in general, and the purpose of man. Why was I born? What am I here for? After death, do I float into emptiness with no memory of this life or do I go some place real? My mind was filled with these "loaded" questions of nothingness, void, and the dismal abyss of the unknown. I do understand now that these are not normal thoughts for a 15-year old.

That was the time when I was drawn to the philosophy of existentialism. I began searching for books about it. I devoured writings of Soren Kierkegaard, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Friedrich Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Sartre, names of which I beg your children to stay away, far away. There are endless books about this philosophy which shouldn't be in the hands of a "troubled" teenager in the first place but I found them all right, and I did read them. They made "sense" to my young mind although they never answered my questions and they never took away the angst I felt inside. Those existentialist writings only deepened the hole in my heart and the gap that seemed to divide my physical existence from my own soul.

I know now that I was treading on dangerous territory then. I remember thinking that if I opened up and confide in my family and my friends, I was so sure they would laugh at my "craziness." I do realize now that those fears of rejection and of being misunderstood were totally unfounded but to the mind of a teenager, it's for real. Sometimes imagined fears and assumed outcome are more real to a young mind than what the reality is. That's why a solid foundation on God and His Truth is the most essential "Rock" a child can have as early as possible. It's already a scary world out there and when we leave our children unsupervised even with their own thoughts and in their impressions of life, it can be a very volatile combination. I thank God for protecting and saving me. I loved Him because He first loved me and the Bible confirms this truth. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us." -1 John 4:18-19

In case you're wondering, existentialism is the philosophy which says that human existence is the beginning and the core to everything that happens in life. It says that after a person is born, he now therefore "exists" and he must make choices in life that will be the essence of who he will be. Even the existence or the non-existence of God is based on that person's decision. This philosophy completely sets aside rational evidence from science, math and other logical studies. In a nutshell, it believes that a person is solely responsible for what happens in his life based on his choices, decisions, experiences and beliefs. I used to believe in these things but what anguish and more dread it brought to my heart! When God showed me His truth from the Scriptures, I look back and just shake my head at my own foolishness. I used to believe in such "existentialist hopelessness" and I thank God everyday for saving me and taking me out of that bottomless mire! Praise the Lord indeed!

Even king Solomon in his dire sorrows saw that there is only one way out of hopelessness and despair - God! "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." -Ecclesiastes 3:1, 3:11, 12:13-14