WHAT ARE YOU IN CHARGE OF?

This morning, John had to go somewhere for a very short time. Johnathan was at a friend's house so it was Ryan, Jonei and Peter in the house. They have no school today due to the heavy rains which left other roads flooded yesterday.

When I got to the kitchen, I asked Jonei if her father has left. She thought he did so she told me "yes". Then she said "Ryan's in charge of me and I'm in charge of Peter. Peter's in charge of the teddy bear."

I thought what she said was cute and funny. But you know what? It made me think. To Jonei's mind, we are all in-charge of someone when the one truly in charge's not around. I think it clearly portrays our role as Christians. We are not only responsible for ourselves. We are responsible for others as well. Each man is our brother and each man should be our friend. That is what Jesus would want us to have for a mindset.

Everything boils down to love. If we love God, it follows that we love others as well, not only our family and friends but especially strangers -- the poor, the sick and the needy. Those were the people closest to Jesus' heart.

If you see someone starving, feed him. If they need clothes, give some of yours. For sure, you have more than enough. If they are in need, help them. If they are in grief, console them. If they need a shoulder to cry on, offer yours. 

There are many more ways that we can show our love to others. I have heard this story from someone, I just couldn't remember when. A man received a message that Jesus was going to visit him and so he was waiting. He was very excited. But it's already been a while and He has not shown up yet.

In the meantime. there was a car that broke down in front of his house. He offered them help in fixing it. Then the neighbor came to borrow his lawn mower since they have not replaced their old one and the grass badly needs cutting.  After he ate supper, his coworker called him if he can go to the hospital to drive him home. It was almost midnight when he was able to come home.

He was so tired and when he was already in bed, he was thinking why Jesus never came. Then as he was asking that, the faces of all those whom he helped earlier flashed in his mind. Then the last one was Jesus'. Now he understood. 

Jesus said "whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do unto me." The doubt has been erased from his mind. Jesus did visit him afterall.

Brothers and sisters, everyday we wake up, we have a choice - to be responsible for others or  go about our own selfish way. What would you choose: to be in-charge of a person or to be in-charge of a teddy bear?

Heavenly Father, take away the evil thoughts in my mind. Replace them with godly ones so I may be able to serve and glorify Your holy name. Amen.

Meditation: Isaiah 1: 10, 16-20

Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!

Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.

Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!

--that in all things God maybe glorified

OUR HIGHEST GOOD

When Carol and her husband Jim moved to their new place, they had to find a church. It is not practical to travel 2 hours one way just to go to a church. They finally decided on one. The people were very nice, friendly, and they feel very welcome.

One parishioner became over friendly to the couple. He was always there to offer his help to them, even mention their every activity in the congregation whenever praises and prayer requests were asked for.

Carol did not know that he does the same everytime there's a new female member that come in. She was touched by the extra attention. This man does not only represent the physical attributes she was wishing for when she was younger, he also knows how to treat a woman right. And so Carol fell for him. 

Carol told Jim about it. Jim cried but he did not condemn her. He asked her to stay. He talked to her and prayed to God about it. He is not giving up. It truly hurts but he vowed to love her for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. 

Meanwhile, Carol was very determined to be with the man of her dreams. Imagine, he was single and he could have chosen a single woman but he chose her instead. So she started being ugly towards Jim. But Jim's love persevered. He let Carol drive his car even though he knows where she was going.

Jim did n0t give up. He did all he can to save their marriage. God heard Jim's prayers (finally) after 2 months. Carol did not leave him. She stayed with Jim. Jim's love for Carol did not diminish at all.

My friends, it sounds like a good story from a book but this one is true. I've read it somewhere. 

On Wednesday, 13 May 1981, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican City, Pope John Paul II was shot and critically wounded by Mehmet Ali  Ağca while he was entering the square. The Pope was struck four times, and suffered severe blood loss. 

Following his shooting, Pope John Paul II asked people to "pray for my brother (Ağca), whom I have sincerely forgiven." Although Ağca had been quoted as saying that "to me [the Pope] was the incarnation of all that is capitalism", and had attempted to murder him, Ağca developed a friendship with the pontiff. In 1983, he and Ağca met and spoke privately at the prison where Ağca was being held. The Pope was also in touch with Ağca's family over the years, meeting his mother in 1987 and his brother a decade later.

My friends, what separates a true Christian from the others is GRACE. Grace is treating others not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated -- with loving kindness and tender mercy. God is good to the just as well as the unjust. His love embraces sinners and saints alike.  

God seeks our highest good and teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and selfish towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us.

Yes, it is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. But it is very very hard when we can expect nothing in return. Would you lend money to somebody whom you know could not repay you even though they promise you they will? 

Our prayers for those who do us wrong both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil.

How was Jim able to forgive Carol and still love her unconditionally? What made Pope John Paul II ask for prayers for Mehmet Agca and call him my brother? How can we possibly love those who cause us harm and ill-will? 

My friends, our highest good is to be able to treat others with love just like Jesus did. With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who believe and accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. His love conquers all, even our hurts, fears, prejudices and griefs. Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. 

Most loving Father, we are sinners and there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. Your grace is enough. May we in turn show grace and mercy to others with the help of Your Holy Spirit. In the most precious name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Meditation: Luke 6:36-38

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

--that in all things God will be glorified

THE MESSAGE

If you read yesterday's blog, you know who Tim Joyner is. He is the man whose truck fell into the shoulder, jerked his wheels hard to the left and capsized it instead. God kept me awake the whole night because if I were sound asleep, I probably would have valued sleep more than getting up, lighting candles and praying for him even if I didn't know his name or who he was.

I guess God did not want to end my story there. It was not enough that Tim Joyner's injuries were minor, that he was not in a critical condition. He wanted me to do more.

This morning, I was in Peter's bedroom still trying to tidy things up when John reminded me it's Sunday. He knows I could get so engrossed in something that I would be lost in time and space. 

As I was getting ready for church, I heard John say that something about a man picking up things from the accident site. I said "Tim Joyner?" He said yes. 

For once, we were early getting out of the house so I looked at the shed where John's mice were transferred. John saw a lizard and went back to the house to put it in the lizard's tank. On the way to the van, I saw the man (Tim Joyner) was still there so I told Ryan to tell his dad I would talk to the man and just pick me up there. 

John said it's not proper for me to walk there so I got into the van. He stopped in front of Tim so I could talk to him. 

I told Tim what happened, and how God made me pray for him. He said he's thankful that it happened near our place for we might not have heard it if the truck capsized on the other side. I told him how God gave me the sense of peace after I prayed; that I knew everything's going to be alright.

Who would have thought that someone not wearing a seatbelt, whose one foot was outside of the window while the other was in the windshield, who was unconscious the whole time, would be  up and about the next day?

He took his hat off and I saw the bruises around his left eye and the forehead. It was nothing but a miracle. And then I told Tim Joyner the message God wants me to give him. I said "I just want you to know that He wants me to tell you this: JESUS LOVES YOU!"

My dear brothers and sisters, God wanted me to tell Tim Joyner how much Jesus loves him. He said that message is not only for Tim, but for each and everyone of us.

Truth of the matter is, Jesus loves you and me. I am sure you could recall moments when He has saved you or your loved one from something -  a bad decision, accident, injury, hunger, poverty, from near-death experience. 

That speeding ticket you've got and paid for was not to punish you, it's to save you from future accidents by paying attention to the speed limit. That 10-20% artery blockage could have been 90% requiring a by-pass surgery. Your broken heart may be depressing but aren't you glad you're not fighting over custody right now?  You might have lost a son but you still have other children who needs your love and attention.

The list could go on and on. I didn't want a broken home but if I did not, I would not have met John and there would not be Jonei and Peter in my life.

My point is, let us not dwell on our pains and sufferings; on the what might have beens and what ifs. Rather, let's focus on what we have and the many blessings we've been given. They are the expression of God's absolute love.

If we know how much Jesus loves us, we would not keep it to ourselves. We would proclaim to to everyone; shout it out. He loves you -- so much that He sent Jesus to die in your behalf so you might live with Him in heaven. Go tell the world!

"Father, in my distress, it's You I call and You have not failed me. You've delivered me from death brought about by my iniquities. Deliver me from every evil and grant me peace in Your day; may Your light shine through me so others would realize how much You love them. And may your glory be revealed at all times. Amen."

Meditation: John 3:16-18

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

--that in all things God may be glorified

ALL IN A DAY

Last night, I couldn't go to sleep. I've been tossing and turning because my stomach was hurting. I went to bed at 11:30 p.m. but was still wide awake at 12:45 a.m. so I decided to write my blog because sleep was eluding me anyway. I had frequent visits to the bathroom but I did not do anything. I even had a bucket with me in case I throw up. 

About 1:15 a.m., Jonei went to my room saying she puked in her floor. I said it was okay and I would clean it up. I thanked God it was in her bed and not in her floor. And it didn't stink at all. I was glad then that I stayed up. Otherwise, John would have been awaken and not too happy had he been the one to clean her mess. I had to change her sheets and make sure she has a bucket in bed in case she had to do it again. She went back to sleep swiftly. I thanked God and lifted her up in prayer.

At 5:23 a.m., we heard the screeching sound of a break followed by a loud thud. I asked John "is that an accident?" He said it sounds like it. He went out to check it. Part of me wanted to come but I couldn't because of my tummy and partly because I am a coward when it comes to those things. I am afraid of blood. I did not know why my heart was beating so fast and I felt cold inside.

What I did immediately was say a prayer that it was not tragic for whoever and whatever was involved in the accident, that God will protect them; that no one would die. I said prayers over and over again, trusting that the Lord will do something. Then my heart calmed down. I felt a sense of peace.

After I prayed, I looked out the window but couldn't see anything, Then a truck passed by and I saw something like smoke. I was puzzled why the truck did not bother to stop at the scene. I knew John knows what to do in an emergency like that but I did not know if he bothered to bring a phone with him to call 911.I just wished he did. 

The more sleep eluded me and then I decided to light two (2) candles for the intention of the accident. John has not come back so something must have happened.

Several minutes later, I heard our dogs howling. They do that whenever they hear sirens or ambulance passing by. I thanked God that they arrived. When I looked out the window again, there were firetrucks, EMS and police cars.

When John finally came in the door, I asked him what happened. He said a man named Tim Joyner driving a 4-door chevy 4 X 4 truck  decided to pass a vehicle by Paradise Lakes and ended upside down near our neighbor's house. He said the neighbor was there first (he was closest) but it was him who called 911. He said it took 40 minutes for them to pull him out of the truck. Tim was not wearing a seatbelt, one leg was outside the window and the other was in the windshield. He said he did not know if his legs were okay but for sure he had a broken arm. He said he was lucky he did not die.

I thanked God he was  not critical and after some time I finally fell asleep.   I woke up 4 minutes til 11:00 a.m. The boys were getting ready to move Peter's bed, toys and clothes to the extra room which will be his  own bedroom. Johnathan and Ryan will again have the room to themselves. John had given them orders on what to do and did not even tell me. I wanted Peter to upgrade to a twin bed already but John said he will still use his toddler bed. The big lizard tank will stay in the room since it's very heavy to move and it has no place for it yet. There were again battle of the wills and tongues.

Before eating lunch, John said he wanted to watch a movie in the theater. I was opposed to it because I still was unsure if my stomach was okay. Besides, Jonei was sick. She threw up twice last night. The boys were nagging me about going. If you truly know me, you would know I do not like that at all. I felt as if they were deciding for me and that is what I've had enough of in my life. In my desire to keep peace and respect others, I agreed to their bidding even if that was not what I wanted.  So I was irritated and aggravated that resulted in more argument between me and John.

They were ready to go without Jonei and myself when I heard Jonei say "I want to go to the movies." So we all went. On the way there, we stopped at the gas station in Southport. I was talking with my friend Amy on the phone. I saw the kids get out of the van to go to the bathroom. Then John tossed the card on me and we drove away. I was still talking to Amy and at the Lynn Haven bridge, I decided to look back to where Peter was seating. He was not there. The seats were empty! The kids were left at the gas station. We turned around to get them. John was a bit mad but I laughed so hard so he mellowed down. 

I saw Peter, Jonei and Johnathan at the gas station but Ryan was not there. I asked them where Ryan was. He was apparently in the back, sleeping. 

At the mall, we watched "The Rise of the Guardian". It was a very good movie for everybody. We all enjoyed it. It was another "good triumphing over evil" movie but this one's plot was truly spectacular. The scene that had the greatest impact on me was when Pitch tried to eliminate all the light in the earth. The light represents those who believed in any of the guardians. There were 7 left and Pitch was able to extinguish all 6 but 1. 

That one boy (Jamie) made the difference. He believed and when everybody else gave up, he asked for a sign that what he believed in was true. And he got it.

My friends, there are many things that could happen in one (1) day. We relax, may be happy one moment, receive good news, do our devotions, then next thing we know, we face temptations, we argue, we see things we do not want to see, say things we do not want to say, go through things we'd rather not. But at the end of the day, we will realize that it's all been good. Every single day, there are  lessons to be learned.

Today, these are the things that God wanted me to know: 1) He is in control. 2) He kept me awake to tend to Jonei's need and so that I could pray for Tim Joyner. 3) Prayer is very effective. 4) I need to be a better mother 5) I should not lose heart when I fail because even His apostles failed even when Jesus was right beside them 6) just like in majority of the movies we see, good always triumph over evil. We should never ever doubt that.

Last but not the least, faith is important. We should never give up on our faith because God is real. He is our only hope and the one who truly loves us. 

"Father in heaven, thank you for this day. Thank you for telling me that one person can make a difference; that even though we fall short of your expectations, You still look at us with loving eyes and remember only the good things that we do. Help us to remember this seemingly impossible truth and that with you, all things are possible. Amen." 

Meditation: Philippians 3:20-4:1

Brothers and sisters:
Our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.

--that in all things God may be glorified

GOD'S PERFECT WAY

When I saw this week's schedule 3 weeks ago, I was not happy. First, I only got 37 hours instead of 40. 2nd, today, I was scheduled for 5 hours only. I even asked Hatch, my ASM, why did you schedule me for 5 hours when you know I live in the boonies? 2 out of those five   hours will just be gas money so it's not worth coming to work at all.

3rd, I work Sunday-Wednesday, Thursday off, work Friday and Sat off again. Why didn't I get 2 days off in a row?

Today, I finally understood why. Yesterday, my stomach was very upset and I had to watch what I eat for 48 hours according to my nurse/cousin Jessica so what I eat did not give me all the energy I needed. My ZMS Dena even asked me if I wanted to stay and work my full 8 hours since nobody was coming to work after 4 p.m. in our area. I said I couldn't as I still was not feeling too good.

Sherry and I were even talking about it. Now I appreciate that I wasn't given the full 8 hours today. I have the weekend (tomorrow and Sunday) off again. And today's word validated God's message to me and to everybody.

The Lord, our God is the God of perfect timing. He knew I would need shorter working hours today. He knew because He is God. He is omniscient. I was just so awed.... and thankful.

My dear brothers and sisters, I am sure you have had similar experience/s wherein you were asking why things happen then later on the reason was revealed to you and then you realize it was for your own good.

This just proves that there is SOMEONE who is truly in control of our life. Nothing happens by accident. Everything has a purpose and a reason. There is a Master Planner who designed everything in the universe and on this earth.

As I have written before, He put people in our life for a purpose. We do not meet them by accident. He alone decides the who, when and where in our life. Like friends and relationships. Our parents, siblings and children. We do not choose them. They were given to us because He deems they are the best suited for His purpose.

He gives and He takes away. Only He has the right to do that. It is indeed very painful to lose a loved one. But there is always a good reason for it, as hard as it may be for our human minds to fathom. The more we dwell on our loss, the more miserable we become. On the other hand, the more we trust God and His ways, the easier for us to bear the pain. The pain subsides and eventually a new hope springs up, the hope that it is all for God's glory.

If you lost a loved one to death, be comforted by the thought that as Jesus rose from the dead, so will all those who believe and follow Him. If your loved one betrayed you for another, they will not be completely happy for they will always have their guilt haunting them. Either way, cheer up! He is our shield, protection and strength. God has plans for you. And remember, His ways are perfect!

"I couldn't help but be amazed by Your love, O God! Who am I but a sinner! Yet, you love me more than anyone ever could. In fact, You love me even more than I love myself. I fall, yet you're always ready to forgive. I do not deserve Your love but You deemed I am worthy. I cannot thank and praise You enough. All praise, honor and glory be to You Almighty Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen."

Meditation: Psalm 18:30-36

God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
³¹ For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? ³² God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.
³³ He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
³⁴ He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
³⁵ You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great.
³⁶ You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.

--that in all things God may be glorified

WHEN GOOD FRIENDS ARE HARD TO FIND

They say you can tell who your real friends are when you are in need......

My stomach's been upset since 12:30 a.m. It was so bad I had to be in the bathroom about 10 times before 6:00 a.m. We had an appointment at 10:00 a.m. in town. We ate at Chow Time for lunch but I had to watch what I eat so I just had a piece of bread, mushrooms, a bit of noodles and a small bowl of soup.

At suppertime, I wanted to eat something better so I could have strength for tomorrow's work. But my stomach was still bothering me so I could not and did not want to cook. I called Divina to ask what they're having for supper. She said she's not cooking anything because they were busy. When she asked why I was asking, I told her I was just wondering if what they're having is something I like and then told her my condition. That was 5:50 p.m. I told her never mind, I'll just see what I can eat.

She asked me if I could wait 'til 6:30 p.m. She cooked rice, vegetables and brought me a can of sprite. This was not the first time she took care of me when I was sick. Another time, she cooked fish for me when I was sick a few months ago.

Last Friday, John was brought to the ER via an ambulance. On the way to the ER, I called Ellen as she lives in Chipley. The first thing she told me was "I can walk to the Chipley Hospital, it's kind of near our house. I chose to pick her up instead so she did not have to walk. John was discharged from the hospital, and Ellen decided to go home with us and let her husband Arthur pick her up later.

At the house, she asked me what can she do to help. She said she will cook food but John did not like anything to eat. I finally convinced him to eat noodles which Ellen wanted to help cook.

My friends, I may not be rich materially but I am rich in friends. True friends are real blessings from God. To me, they are the extension of God's hands.

I saw two Filipina acquaintances at Chow Time earlier. They were telling me about friends who they do not want to be associated with anymore. I understand where they were coming from. I told them to go with their guts.

Sometimes, the people who we think are our friends are really not. Some stick only in good times and disappear in hard times, when we are down. It happened to my father when we were younger. When Daddy was prosperous, we had visitors in the house everyday. My father had good faith in everybody. It is not hard to get in his good graces.

When my father went down because of a bad financial investment, those friends who frequented our house stopped coming. I guess I've observed that some people want to be your friend if they can get anything out of you. And when they couldn't anymore, they stop being your friend.

There are many more true stories of friendship and betrayal. Spouses who their better halves vow to be their soul mates leave their partner for another person. Best friends who stab the other in the back; trusted colleagues selling out for monetary gain.

Brothers and sisters, we humans are weak, fallen beings. We are prone to sin. No one is exempted (Romans 3:23). But you know what is amazing? God knows this. He knows our very nature because He is the one who created us. He sent us His Son Jesus Christ to die a criminal's death to save us from sure death and give us eternal life.

Jesus, in fact, made this statement to His Apostles: "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:13-14). Jesus' friends love God and one another. They stick to their friends no matter what.

It is very assuring to know that even if our friends disappoint and betray us, we have a friend in Jesus. He is the only one who truly understands us, how we feel, and loves us even if He knows our weaknesses, all of our darkest thoughts. He will never betray us. He always has ears ready to hear us. All we need to do is call.

Today's reading says ASK.... SEEK... & KNOCK. If you haven't made that decision yet, I urge you to trust the Lord now. You do not know what you're missing!

"O sweet Jesus, no one is a better friend than You. Help me to always remember that. May I always be a true friend to those who trusted me as their own. Amen."

Meditation: Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”

--that in all things God may be glorified

HEAVEN IS REAL

Sometimes, I tell Jonei (and Peter also) my life in the Philippines. I tell them stories about my childhood and describe the way of life there.

Our house there is concrete, and tiled white from the terrace to the kitchen. I used to complain every single time I cleaned it. I would say "I couldn't believe Daddy chose the same color all throughout. Why didn't he choose a darker color for the kitchen?" It's a pain to clean an all-white tile. Every minute trace of dirt shows.

We have a coconut tree that did not grow straight. It grew sideways. My brothers used to climb it regularly because it is the easiest to climb. When we want to have coconut juice and buko (young coconut meat), that was the tree we would look into first. When we were young, we hanged rope on it and swing on it as we saw Tarzan do while making his signature yell.

There was a duhat tree and some siniguelas trees in Mamang Eleno's land adjacent to our property which we used to raid when we were small. I tell the kids how my brothers would drop the duhat while we tried to catch them using our shirts which earned us a sermon from Mommy when she sees our purple stained clothes.

I can go on and on. My point is, everything I say to the babies would just remain a story for them. They could not really picture the reality of it until they see it in person, when God finally grants my wish to be able to go home.

My friends, the same principle applies to the way Jesus describes heaven. He says in today's reading that in His Father's house are many mansions. He was describing to us His home. Heaven is a place where there's no pain, tears or fears (Revelation 21:4). Jesus knew heaven as a place of everlasting joy and peace. He often spoke of the rewards stored in heaven for the righteous (Matthew 5:12; 6:20; 19:21).
To those who heard it first hand and to us who reads it, it seems like just another story. We won't fully comprehend the reality of it until we finally get to see it. But it doesn't mean it is not true.

My friends, not everyone will see heaven. Only those who put their trust in the Lord, those who believe in their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord; and those who obey Him. So why not act now if you haven't? Remember that nobody knows the date nor the time when we face our Creator. Only the Father knows.

Tomorrow is not certain. The end could be today, tomorrow, later, or much much later. Do you want to be caught unaware?

Meditation: John 14:1-6

“Do not let your heart be troubled; [a]believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

--that in all things God may be glorified

ONE FUNDAMENTAL TEMPTATION

What is man that you are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:4a)

I just realized how truly important and valuable man must be because we are being battled upon. God wants to keep us to Himself because He loves us. The devil wants to lure us away from God because he already fell from God's grace. He does not want others to have what he can't have so he is gathering conquests.

Satan's most effective tool is temptation. In fact, that is how sin began. Satan tempted Eve and she fell.

Temptation is the desire to perform an action that one may enjoy immediately or in the short term but will probably later regret for various reasons: legal, social, psychological (including feeling guilt), health-related, economic, etc. In the context of religion, temptation is the inclination to sin.

Today's reading shows that the devil would stop at nothing. He did not spare Jesus from temptation. His delusion of grandeur and ego is bigger than himself that he was hallucinating and hoping he would defeat God.

Why is Jesus' temptation important to us? Because it shows that there is a way to counter temptation. That is by thinking about and doing what Jesus did when He was tempted. He countered Satan's tempting by quoting the scripture.

My friends, there is one fundamental temptation that we humans face everyday and that is forgetting the Lord and all the ways He has blessed us. It has been proven in history and even recorded in the bible. The people of Israel prayed to God about the oppression and slavery they suffer from the hands of the Egyptians. The Lord heard their prayers and sent Moses and Aaron to lead them out of Egypt into the Promised Land.

When they became hungry, they forget that the reason they were out of Egypt was because of their petition before God. But they remembered that they had food even though they were not treated right in Egypt. So God gave them manna in the morning and quail at night.

It is interesting that Jesus did not forget that the Father would take care of all His needs like He did to the Israelites. He fed them, their clothes never wore out and none of them got sick for forty years in the dessert.

Brothers and sisters, until today, we tend to forget God's faithfulness and trustworthiness whenever we face trials. We whine, complain, and try to solve things our own way. Then when everything else fails, we turn to God for help.

If we would only look back at all the triumphs we had, it is because we chose to trust and obey God. Then the reverse goes for the opposite. When we relied on our weak self instead of trusting the Lord, we fail.

I want you all to remember the many blessings God has showered you with. Concentrate on them and not on the difficulties you had. Sometimes, our trials are blessings in disguise. God is all powerful, all-knowing and ever present especially in times of need. Just call on His mighty name.

"Father in heaven, when temptation comes, help me to choose good over evil. Help me to choose You. Amen"

Meditation: Luke 4:1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry.
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”
Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and glory;
for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God,
and him alone shall you serve.”
Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

--that in all things God may be glorified

ALMSGIVING

John’s not been feeling good last night. He had pain in his hips and he was feeling either hot or cold. Then he was shivering. This morning, I was the one who got out of bed to get the kids ready for school so he can rest some more.

Then he told me to tell Johnathan to stay home. I figured it was so he can attend to his needs since I had to work. When it was almost time for them to go out, he asked Johnathan to bring the babies out and me to call his doctor. It was 6:48 a.m. and it was still closed. He asked me to dial 911. When he asked me not to go to work, I knew he was really very ill. That was a first. He would not ask me to call in.

When the EMS guys walked in, the first thing they did was to test his blood sugar. Theirs would not work so we offered to let them use John’s instead. The reading was 149, and they said it was not the blood sugar that was causing it. He was asked to grip the man’s hand and his grip was very weak. They brought him to the Chipley Hospital.

When I arrived at the ER, his IV was not connected anymore. He said he was tested for flu and it came back negative but according to him, the doctor turned around and told him that he might have the flu and he could go home. John told me later that they were in a hurry for him to go home because they needed the room. He’s been there a couple times or so more, and it normally takes them an hour or an hour and a half to get his discharge papers; this time, it took them only 5 minutes. I should have listened to my instinct to tell the EMS guys to bring him to either Gulf Coast or Bay Medical but it’s all water under the bridge now.

Today’s reading talks about the fasting that is pleasing to the Lord. I vowed to be strict on my meat abstinence for the Lenten Season and I’ve survived Ash Wednesday and the 1st Friday of Lent. I knew that the thing we should really be fasting and abstain from is sin.

We could also abstain from doing something we would like to do in order to help someone. And what better place to do it than at your own home. Not going to work would mean less paycheck but I had to be there for John.

My friends, this season of Lent, there are 3 things that we must focus on — prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is the last one that is very hard to do for we seldom find the opportunity to serve the poor and the needy. But there are always ways to find if we really want to do it and excuses if we don’t.

We also need not look further or wait for a grand one. We could do it at our own neighborhood or community, in our work, in the grocery store, gas station, in our own church; anywhere where there is someone who needs our service and help. This was proven by the many persons who prayed for John and me in this ordeal, and those who called to ask John how he was doing, Mama Gail and Ms. Sallie. Ms. Tulita even asked for prayers for John in her Facebook page. Ellen, my Filipina friend spent yesterday with us, showing her love and support to John, helped me cook his soup and laughed at my antics.

I still believe those who observe the Lenten Season are more blessed because of the yearly reminder of who we are and what we are in God’s eyes. It is very easy to get lost in the busyness and craziness of this fallen world. Fame, fortune and easy life is its priority.

The reminder that we are in this life temporarily and that this is not our real home. We are responsible for our brothers as well because we are all brothers and sisters from the same Father — God. Therefore, whatever good we can do, we need not defer or neglect it, as the great anonymous saying states, not only because we may not pass this way again, but because that is what the Lord our God wants us to do.

My friends, let us take this season seriously. Let us renew our commitment to our faith and to God. We need to pray more, read the bible more, and most of all, love more. We can forgive those who have wronged us because that is the only way our Father in heaven would forgive us. We can restore our broken relationship with God and trust in Him more because it is only Him who could truly help us and do something.

Most important of all, we can take away the focus on ourselves because we know God will take care of us. We can channel our energy and focus on others whom Jesus put first before Himself. It is only when we love our neighbors as our self can we prove that we truly get God’s message.

“Most gracious Father, help us to do penance, show mercy and give love to others not only this Lenten season but always. Amen.”

Meditation: Isaiah 58:1-9a

Thus says the Lord GOD:
Cry out full-throated and unsparingly, lift up your voice like a trumpet blast;
Tell my people their wickedness, and the house of Jacob their sins.
They seek me day after day, and desire to know my ways,
Like a nation that has done what is just and not abandoned the law of their God;
They ask me to declare what is due them, pleased to gain access to God.
“Why do we fast, and you do not see it? afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?”

Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits, and drive all your laborers.
Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting, striking with wicked claw.
Would that today you might fast so as to make your voice heard on high!
Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance:
That a man bow his head like a reed and lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!

–that in all things God may be glorified

CHOOSE LIFE

I just read the update on Heather, Pastor Steph’s daughter’s niece whom we are praying for:

 Heather and her kids were gunned down on purpose because her boyfriend that she kicked out this past weekend owed a couple $6,000 for drugs and he was given a week to pay up. The shooter was with her boyfriend a week ago and told him that he had one week to pay cash or he would pay another way! The shooter confronted him and he said that he didn’t have the money because Heather was taking his tax refund for the kids, so he gunned Heather and the kids down!

Heather is still in ICU tonight. She is doing better. Turns out that she had 11 rounds fired into her body, but only one hit a major organ — the liver. They removed part of her liver and said that it would repair itself. Nothing hit her spine. She dropped to the ground, prayed, and rolled according to what she told her mom. She rolled back and forth praying the whole time as fast as she could. She was hit in one hip a couple of times and one knee was shattered. They repaired both of those limbs. The rest of the shots mainly went through fat and muscle tissue. She will be in ICU for a few more days and then hopefully moved into acute care and then to rehab.

The entire staff at the nursing home she works at agreed to volunteer to work her shifts without pay if they would send the checks to heather. They said that they love her there that much!

My friends, this is the perfect illustration of God’s message to us today. In this life, we are faced with a choice between LIFE and DEATH.

LIFE is a life of forgiveness, mercy and grace; living in God’s presence and knowing God’s love personally. DEATH means a life of isolation, loneliness and separation from the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God.

Heather chose LIFE, and what happened to her is a proof of that life. She was hurt but she trusted her God. She suffered damage but nothing fatal. Moreover, the love she showed others are bearing good fruit. Her coworkers will work her schedule so she would get paid. Only a person who has impacted lives positively would get that precious offer. Everything works together for those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28). I know she will come out of this victorious.

My friends, today’s reading is about Moses’ challenge to the Israelites as they were about to enter the Promised Land. Prior to this, he reminded them of all the things the Lord has done for them — how God had provided them manna in the morning and quail at night; that even their clothes did not wear out as they wandered for 40 years in the desert. He was telling them that the miracle would stop so they could choose the way that is best for them – the way of trust and faithful obedience. He was instructing them to choose life. Because the other choice is unbearable.

Dear brothers and sisters, God still offers the same call and promise to us today. He wants to save us all but the choice is not His. He loves us so much that He gave us the freedom to choose. So the choice is ours – LIFE OR DEATH? I urge you all to choose LIFE!

“Almighty Father, I pray that everybody who will see this message would be guided in the most important choice they would make if they have not made that decision yet. Who and where else can we turn to? Only You have the words of everlasting life. Amen.”

Meditation: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Moses said to the people:
“Today I have set before you
life and prosperity, death and doom.
If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin on you today,
loving him, and walking in his ways,
and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees,
you will live and grow numerous,
and the LORD, your God,
will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy.
If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen,
but are led astray and adore and serve other gods,
I tell you now that you will certainly perish;
you will not have a long life
on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy.
I call heaven and earth today to witness against you:
I have set before you life and death,
the blessing and the curse.
Choose life, then,
that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God,
heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.
For that will mean life for you,
a long life for you to live on the land that the LORD swore
he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

A GOOD REMINDER

I woke up about 1:15 this morning. I tried going back to sleep but I couldn't. At 2:30 a.m., I decided to finish my blog, I probably fell asleep after 3:00 a.m., then my alarm went off at 5:30. I felt so exhausted still but I woke the babies up so they can get ready for school. I tried to sleep again but it was for naught.

John and I went to Catholic church for Ash Wednesday service. We got there 5 minutes before 9. They were singing a song. Then the Priest gave his final blessing. The Mass was at 8:00; we thought it was 9:00. We still got the ash on our foreheads. Msgr. Francis did it for us. John commented "that was the shortest service I've ever attended."

When we got home, I cooked coconut shrimp with squash, green beans, eggplant and spinach. Then I fried daing (dried fish) and eggplant with eggs. Those were my Ash Wednesday meal. While I was cooking, I was listening to the Christian radio station. John was singing along to the line "blessed be the name of the Lord." I said "thank you Jesus." He is indeed to be blessed.

I went to work at 1:00 p.m. with the ash on my forehead. Cindy asked "is it Ash Wednesday today?" Elmira, my muslim co-worker tried to clean my forehead, So did Ms. Jackie and Marcel. Elmira was curious what it was. I was busy and so she was and because we worked in separate areas, I was not able to explain to her but I will tomorrow if I see her. God told me I need to explain it in detail to her.

I think people were looking at me strangely when they saw what's on my forehead. Those who asked what it was, I answered with "that's the sign that I am dust and unto dust I will return." Then they knew.

Out of hundreds of people I saw at the store this day, there was only 1 I saw with a similar mark.

Mr. Jerry commented "I knew where you've been" while Georgianne said she used to have them when she was little but she doesn't attend Catholic church anymore.

My friends, I am glad that we have Ash Wednesday as a reminder of what we were made of; and of the love God has bestowed on each and everyone of us. Ash Wednesday signals the start of the Lenten Season, a 40-day preparation of penance and prayer before Easter.

As we all look forward to the joy of Easter, let us take time to remember what brought that joyous, victorious occasion. Before Easter happened, Jesus was tortured, carried the heavy cross, and crucified for our sins. 

In today's reading, be reminded that man sinned which caused our fall from God's grace. Yet, God's love prevails. In the last verse, the Lord God made clothing for Adam and Eve. 

I think it is wonderful that this year, Ash Wednesday falls on the day before valentine, What a great way to remember the author of LOVE this heart's day.

"Father in heaven, we cannot thank you enough for all the love and blessings. As we celebrate valentine's day, may we not forget the greatest love of all - Jesus dying on the cross so we may live. All praise, honor and glory be to you forever and ever. Amen."

Meditation: Genesis 3:17-21

¹⁷ Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:

“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
¹⁸ Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
¹⁹ In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”

²⁰ And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

²¹ Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

--that in all things God may be glorified

GOD'S FAVORED, TREASURED CREATION

WHO ARE YOU? The basic answer to this question would be stating your name. If, after giving your name you were asked the same question , What would your answer be?

I believe the answer to that will be a good indication of what you value most in life. A person proud of his heritage would likely answer he is the child of so and so, stating his parents' name and where they were originally from. A content housewife would say she is Mrs. _________. A proud dad would say he is his son's father. A career-oriented one would probably answer with "I am a lawyer, doctor, judge, teacher, mayor, singer, pianist, etc. Majority if not all responses would be geared towards achievement.

The answer to that question differs as we progress through life. While some are proud of who they are, there are still many who are not.  I am just a carpenter, a taxi driver, a garbage collector, a maid. Those who have had the stigma of jail or sin have the lowest self-esteem.

But you know what? No matter how other people see or perceive who you are, they really do not matter. The truth of who we are has been written in the scriptures. God created us in His own image and likeness (Gen. 1:27). When He created everything else, He saw them as good. But after He has created man, He saw His creation as very good (Gen. 1:31)

In fact, He blessed man and put him in charge of all His creation. From His earlier creations He gave us food to eat. Only after man's creation was He satisfied and deemed heavens and earth and all their array have been completed.

This fallen world has become so cruel that people look down on people. The world defines man through his achievements. Wealth, fame and fortune are being glorified, notwithstanding the means of how they were achieved. Liars are elected and reelected into office. Criminals are given much publicity by the media than victims. The more violent the crime, the more publicity they get. Very seldom if at all  do good-doers get the same exposure.

My friends in Christ, my point is, do not let others define who we are. We are all created in the same image and likeness, not one better than the other. Today's reading is the proof of who we are in God's eyes -- His FAVORED, TREASURED CREATION. He loves us. Even if we all fall and sin, His love does not change. In fact, He provided a way out for us from a sure death by sending His Son Jesus to become the payment for our sins; so we can be redeemed by His blood.

Next time someone looks down on you or say something that is contrary to your true worth, just remember Jesus on the cross. He gave His life up for you, willingly, because you are worthy in Hie eyes.

Father in heaven, I acknowledge that am a sinner but since Jesus died on the cross for me, now I am forgiven. No words can express how much I appreciate all the things you have done for me. Grant me the grace, loving Father to see others through your eyes and to love them as you would. Amen.

Meditation: Genesis 1:24-2:4a

Then God said,
“Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures:
cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds.”
And so it happened:
God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle,
and all kinds of creeping things of the earth.
God saw how good it was.
Then God said:
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”

God created man in his image;
in the divine image he created him;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them, saying:
“Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth.”
God also said:
“See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food.”
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
Evening came, and morning followed–the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.
Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing,
he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.
So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.

Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation.

--that in all things God may be glorified

STANDING BEFORE GOD

When I was pregnant with Peter, all the ultrasound results showed he was in a breached  position. Month after month, his position did not change. Until the last month of my pregnancy, when ultrasound had to be taken weekly, ’twas all the same.

Two months before his birth, my OB-GYN Dr. Muniz said I had to have a C-section. I did not want it because if you see a person scared of procedures, it was me. I dreaded every needle that went through me. I had to endure them only because they were necessary. So I had to condition myself for 2 months that I would go through a major operation. But if I had a choice, I wouldn’t.

Scheduled date for delivery was July 16, 2007. I did not eat from 12 midnight. I was admitted to the hospital at 7:00 a.m. Every prep was done, including the talk with the Anaethesiologist. In fact, I was asked to choose whether I would want full (meaning asleep through the procedure) or awake and numb from the spine down. I remember John and I arguing about it for I want not to be awake which will leave him out of the picture. He wants to be involved in the delivery.

At about 12:30 p.m. (Dr. Muniz was late), he said “let’s do a last-minute ultrasound”. He exclaimed “the baby has turned! we will schedule for a normal delivery at 3:00 p.m.!

My friends, there are things beyond our control. It is only God’s business. In fact, whether we will have a baby or not is not our choice. No matter how much we try, it is only God who can give us babies.

Have you been in a situation where you’ve done all your best; all tried and tested means yet it did not yield the expected result? But when you called on God to help, something miraculously happens?

Today’s reading tells of Peter and his friends, professional fishermen who have done all they could but did not catch anything. But when Jesus told them where to lower their nets, they could not carry what they caught. It was overflowing.

This is very important for us because we always thought that we can do everything; that things happen because of our doing. There is a bigger presence behind everything that happens good. It is only when we are standing before God where good things come to pass.We have to learn to acknowledge that God is that presence, and He causes all good things to happen. He causes the sun to shine and the rain to pour over every one, whether good or bad. That is how much He loves us.

The sooner we realize this, the better it is for us. God’s grace is given to everyone for free (not really, since Jesus had to die) and those who choose to come follow Him and trust their lives to the Lord becomes a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. That means Jesus is always with us.

Like Peter and the apostles, we were also called to be fishers of men. We as Christians have a duty to gather souls for the kingdom of God. The more blessed we are, the more we want others to have what we want also.

And if the devil whispers all the alibis he can think of to prevent us from doing our role as Christians, always remember that we are standing before God. He is our source of strength, joy and happiness. We can do all things through Him who gives us strength (Phil. 4:13)  If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

“Most loving Jesus, help us realize that we can do nothing on our own. Apart from You, we can do nothing; we are nothing. May this also make us remember that we are not better than anyone else. We are all sinners, we just sin differently. And may we always seek you earnestly and ask forgiveness in those times we give in to temptation. Amen.”

Meditation: Luke 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening
to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
Simon said in reply,
“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets.”
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them.
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

–that in all things God may be glorified