Confirmation

God has a way of confirming His message to us; primarily through His Word, through His children, other people, our present life situations, and even in ways we never think He would use.

My last entry about Mike, the e-trainer, is not simply a reminder and encouragement. I was surprised how God reminded me of the same message about perseverance in today's preaching of His Word. Ending the series on Let Us in VCF-Alabang, the message was clear, and it hit home.

Hebrews 12:1-2
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Despite difficulties, we should be steadfast in doing what God has called us to do. Difficulties, like the testing of our faith, are for our own good and benefit. God wants us to level up in our faith, and grow and mature in our relationship with Him, with the chief end of becoming more like Jesus Christ.

There are, and will be, a lot of things that will hinder us from reaching that goal of bearing the character of Jesus: our past, fears, anxieties, disappointments, unforgiveness, and sin. But we must "throw off" all of it. We can't run the race with all the baggages and burdens on our backs. Let go, and run light...

Run with endurance. Each of us have individual races marked out for us. I thank God that I'm not alone in this run towards the finish line. He has set me in a family who constantly encourage and support me by godly counsel, gentle rebuke, and sincere love. We may be facing different testings, but we have a common goal.

Another big hindrance is our lack of, or wrong, focus. If we let ourselves be distracted with our surroundings, discouragements, problems, and other storms in life, we will lose our focus and have a difficult race. Matthew 14: 27-31. The enemy will give his all to distract us but, we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. We may have been afflicted by the enemy and made mistakes in the past, but God can use that for His glory. For when we are weak, then we are strong. He will reveal His power and amaze people. That is a powerful testimony, showing how imperfect we are, yet by the grace of God we can be mighty tools for the advancement of His kingdom.

This video was shown before the worship service ended.

It wasn't the first time I watched the video, but it I was brought to tears realizing how easily I give up and how God always is willing and able to enable me to finish the race He has marked out. If we focus on ourselves, our unmet needs, problems, and inadequacies, we will get easily discouraged and lose hope. But, as we hold on to God's Word, His promises, His will, the Perfecter, the Beginning and the End, fixing our gaze upon Jesus, we will persevere and look forward to reaching the goal.

If you never quit, you will achieve your goal. It's just a matter of time.

From Mike... the e-trainer

I opened my e-mail today and got a personal message from Mike. He's an e-trainer. I downloaded free workout apps in my iTouch, registered online, but never really used it that much (yes, I used it for a while then went looking for other apps). So I received an e-mail from Mike, which most probably is automatically sent to those who did sign up, but seemed to be discouraged by their giving in to the temptations of cupcakes and chocolates. It was encouraging, and applies not just in FITNESS, but in LIFE as well. Here are some of  it:

When life knocks you down, do you stay down or do you rise to fight again?

Success in fitness, and life is dependent on persistence, tenacity and determination.

If you never quit, you will achieve your goal. It's just a matter of time

Failure is never permanent... when you get back up.

These are not new words of advice, but it never gets old. And from time to time, we need these reminders.

P.S. Today was a "mommy-me" day.

Hobbyist

I love trying out new things and I like solitary hobbies. Here are some of the things I do in my wee time (which I have a lot of recently):

I knit. This is one of those I finished making. I learned how to knit through watching youtube videos and following free patterns from Red Heart. That's where I got the pattern I used to make a scarf I gave Karla, my bestfriend, before she left for the USA. It wasn't perfect, but I'm glad she liked it. Failed to take a picture of her wearing it though.

I crochet, too, but I haven't perfected the art. The booklet of crochet pattern I bought is in Japanese, so I'm finding it hard to finish one pattern. Why a book I won't be able to read? Well, it has cute patterns, cheap, and my cousins and auntie can translate if the pictures aren't enough. The only problem is they're not around. haha!

I also learned how to bake! Mama bought me an electric oven and electric mixer, and here are the products of it. Not my own recipe though. 

Blueberry muffin.

(not real blueberries)

 Hazelnut brownie

(topped with condensed milk, for extra sweetness)

This is the cake I made for Marielle. Topped with vanilla frosting and gummy strawberry candy. Well, I still don't know how to make a cake, and this actually is:

... this chocolate chunk brownie mix. I added egg in the mixture to somehow make it cake-like. I was close, but not really. Hehe!

I made cupcakes, too!

And this oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, which Che, my bestfriend, liked.

I will be taking some baking lessons soon, and hopefully create my own recipe I can share.

I also know how to play the guitar.

I took piano lessons during primary school, but only for a while. I never really got the hang of it even after Mama bought me a piano/organ.

I became interested in learning to play the guitar when I was in highschool.

My youngest brother knows how to play it well and has bought a lot of "Song Hits" magazines. In the centerpage of each magazine are chord patterns. I started trying out the chords of songs I liked, followed the strum as I heard it was played, and I learned a few notes! I liked playing the guitar better than the piano. It has made my fingertips calloused and sore, but I never stopped playing. I'm not a pro though. I only know how to strum, and still find it so hard to pluck strings.

I also don't have my own guitar and would love one! Maybe then I'll try and learn more.

Preparation

I now know how Morpheus feels. Yes, the Matrix fever is still on. And I just came to a realization as to why I had to watch the trilogy a week before today.

Believing in something that doesn't make sense, something that defies what the mind can comprehend, and what science can explain, is a challenge. Why? Many people settle with the tangibles because we don't want to be disappointed. As much as possible we would avoid persecutions and rejections. We seek to please, leading to compromise.

Morpheus believed in Neo. He was certain he is the One. He has complete faith that Neo will end the war between Zion and the machines. What I love about his character is that he stood firm in his faith despite persecutions from the Commander, and even when the situation seem to present every reason to think twice and doubt. He endured everything. The ending of the Matrix Trilogy was a glorious moment for Morpheus. He must've been waiting for the shocked look in the Commander's face with the thought "It doesn't make sense."

"I have imagined this moment for so long. Is this real?" - Morpheus

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1            

I prayed for a deeper level of faith. Now I am given the opportunity to do so. Challenges. Persecutions. Rejections. In the end, FAITH is all that will matter.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:18

Dog Whisperer

You cannot create peace with frustration.

I am officially a Dog Whisperer fan. I love how Cesar Millan rehabilitates dogs and teaches the owners to be the pack leader. What I look forward to in each episode is whenever Cesar gives pieces of advice to the owners, making them realize they were contributing to the problem dogs. The episode last night was so inspiring I had to blog about it.

The above quote is just one of the many advice Cesar gave to his clients that I love. It's applicable not only in interacting with dogs but with humans as well, especially with kids. I've witnessed parents getting so frustrated when their children don't obey. They discipline them out of frustration, when what they need is just to be calm and assertive. You can never put down fire with fire. What you need is water, to cool it down.

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." - Proverbs 15:1 

Most of our dogs are on a leash. Two pitbulls, a Japanese spitz, a mixed Japanese spitz and dachshund, and a mini pinscher. Dog Whisperer makes me want to just let them loose and practice the "TSST!"

What will be said of me?

This is my journal entry dated January 29, 2009.

It is not a tradition here in the Philippines to speak eulogies when someone dies. Perhaps some practice it, but most don't. I've seen eulogies on movies, where a family or a friend of the one who passed away gives a short speech about the deceased. Most of the speeches are composed of old memories, bloopers, achievements and the legacy left behind by that person; that is, if there's much to say. I was wondering what would be said of me NOW if I die this instant, when God calls me back home. I would love for someone to speak about my life and how I lived while on earth, but what will they say?

It's one of my goal in life to age gracefully and be able to tell stories to my grandchildren, see them grow, give them pieces of advice, tell them of my love story, be their personal guidance counselor, and many more. But to be that kind of a grandma, I need to start now! Live the life of adventure and it's challenges with my heart set on that goal, with God's help. Then I'll leave this tent with my husband at my side, or maybe alone, not with him, but peacefully. But, I don't want to live just so people can say good things about me. Becoming a lasting legacy is not just to be our goal, it's our destiny. God wants us to excel in everything so we can bring glory to His name. That means He'll help you excel in everything you do if you seek His help.

We don't have to wait for the parting time when we're back to ash-mode; we don't even have to wait 'til we're old just so we can leave a legacy. Every day is an opportunity to leave something to someone they'll remember you by; which they may also pass on to the next generations to come.

1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Ephesians 5:15-16 "Be very careful, then, how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity..." 

The Placebo Effect

A placebo is a medicine that is ineffective but may help to relieve a condition because the patient has faith in its powers.

As a nurse, I have had experiences with clients who have low pain thresholds; complaining every waking hour of their stay in the hospital even when you just gave them their dose of analgesics. Pain is subjective, and we can never really tell whether a client is really in severe pain or just opiate dependent, or diva-ish. But there's one test that helps medical professionals to test if the complaints are real. The placebo. Instead of giving the dose of the prescribed medication, as needed, a medication of lesser effect (or no effect at all), will be administered. Once the patient  respond to that treatment and claim to be relieved of the symptom, then it's not real pain.

I was reminded of this term as I watched one episode of National Geographic Channel's Taboo series. They featured what the society proscribes as improper or unacceptable practice regarding food, health, well-being, and healing.

Taboo | National Geographic Channel

Taboo will test your boundaries and push beyond your comfort zone. Understand seemingly bizarre and shocking practices from around the world.

View >>

Extreme Eats and Extreme Healing.

One high-class restaurant in Beijing serves a traditional dish they call "hot pot." It's an expensive and popular dish with the male reproductive organ of certain animals as the main ingredient. There is a deep belief in the Chinese culture that eating the animal part will heal the same part of the body. And although there has been no scientific proof to this belief, the traditional medicine, which has been proven effective by many, is where they put their faith in. But does it really heal? Or is it placebo effect?

Another story was about faith healing. I remember a time, watching news in the television featuring faith healers. I was in primary school back then. I've watched healers, without any other equipment but their hands, pulling out of a person's belly something like deceased meat, claiming it's what he extracted from the body of the sick. During the "procedure" blood would gush out of the operative site, which makes the whole thing look so real. Then all the blood would be wiped out, and whalla! No wounds or openings. No stitches and expensive professional fees, and you're healed! The customers believed so. And they felt better... for quite some time. Is it just plain optimism that prolonged their life, certain that their health was restored? Or is it really effective? They were not called "faith healers" for nothing!

It just goes to show how powerful our minds are. And that where we place our complete faith to, we surely will see some great results, even beyond belief. The world will give us alternative cures to our problems and answers to our questions. Although it may bring relief, it will be temporary. The danger is when we become numb to the pain because we're given "placebos" that we don't feel the need for real medicine anymore, and stick with the cure that doesn't really have any effect. Like any client in the medical field, we will never be told it's placebo we're getting.

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

We all have mountain-moving faith. The problem begins when we put our faith on people and things of this world, finite and changing as they are. We can be easily deceived into believing that a certain gem will give us luck or better future; or that following cool and trending styles will make us more likeable. Tell you what: you became more confident while wearing what you think will make you so; and confidence is the best wardrobe you can ever wear. But the future will always be filled with uncertainties and problems, and gems won't help. You can't please everyone, then you'll realize it's not about what you wear.

Put your faith instead in God. He is unchanging. He is the miraculous healer. He is pleased with you and loves you unconditionally. He knows your future. He wrote about our stories even before we came to be. We don't need placebos. God is offering the CURE, we need only claim it. He will restore you. Life may not be problem-free, but like a water-proof watch immersed in water, we can be secured under God's sovereignty.

Proverbs 3: 5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

 Mark 10:27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God, all things are possible with God."

Who Am I?

Our dreams and desires are always BIG! These are things we have to work hard for to get, not something we easily achieve. The only problem is when we finally realize how big our dreams are, we get discouraged and question our capabilities.

Who am I? Why do i dare dream this big? Or when given a task that seem beyond what we believe we can do, we ask: Why me?

Where do our hearts desires come from? It sometimes is frustrating when we don't get to be what we dreamt of becoming. As children we have the biggest dreams. We want to become doctors, a president, lawyers, superheroes, astronaut, a popular actor or actress. Then, we grew up. We realize that it's never going to be as easy as we thought it would be when we were younger. The world does not welcome our dreams as we imagined; it even seems to shatter any possibility of even getting close to it. Our deep desires are keys to unleashing our true potential, our purpose. It is from God. And so the enemy will do anything and everything to keep us from getting there. We will be offered alternatives; detours. We will be discouraged when faced with challenges. We will lose heart. It would be enough for the enemy of our hearts if we settled to mediocrity. It doesn't matter to him if we still have that dream, as long as we are disheartened enough not to continue our pursuit.

2 Chronicles 20:15b 

This is what the Lord says to you, "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's"

The title came from one of the more popular men in the Scriptures. Moses. We know of Prince of Egypt and the Ten Commandments, right? This part was when God called Moses to lead the Israelites out from slavery. This was his response:

Exodus 4:11

Moses protested to God, "Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?" 

Who is he? He was once Egypt's prince! He cared for his people, the Israelites. I wonder what might've happened if Moses did not kill the Egyptian slave and used his authority instead. He was next in line! The next Pharaoh. There must be a reason why he's in that position. We have Esther and Joseph, who have been placed in a high positions as well, and used their authority wisely. Still, God has a great plan in which Moses would have a big role to play.

The part I love most in this part of Moses story, was God's response:

Exodus 3:12

God answered, "I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain."

Okay, what's that got to do with my question? Moses might have asked. God always points us to Himself. Moses will not be the "Star" in the story. It was never meant to make Moses look good. It's for God's glory. It may be one of the reason why Moses did not become the Pharaoh. A person with authority and control over the situation of God's people would not need God. The glory due to the Lord might be given to Moses if that were the case. Ordinary people are the ones tasked to perform extraordinary tasks, so people would know that there is a greater Power making such miracles possible.

Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

The next time you feel inadequate or incapable to live your dreams and be obedient to what God has commanded, do not question yourself, your capabilities, talents and knowledge. God wants to be glorified through you. Submit all your cares to Him and He will supply you with all the necessary tools to succeed in life and be able to reach your big dreams.

Power and Love

"POWER can do everything but the most important thing: it cannot control LOVE."
                 - Philip Yancey (Disappointment with God)

Parents have different ways of disciplining their children. Some use force; making sure their kids acknowledge their authority and power over them. Others choose teaching by example. Still, many exercise both. And if you would ask parents why they discipline their kids, their answer would most probably be: "because we love them."

God is illustrated in so many ways in the Bible. He's our Heavenly Father, Lord of lords, Provider, Savior, Almighty God, Creator, Lover, Friend and many more. I was asked before, what God is most in my life. He is all those mentioned and more to me; but He is most my Heavenly Father, lovingly disciplining me. God is the kind of Father who gives His children freedom to choose, making sure He laid down the options. And there's just two: close to Him or away from Him. I sometimes wonder how the world would be like if God did not grant us freedom. It would be such a great place, this world. We all have tendencies of choosing the wrong path, which most of the time, if not all of the time, seem to be the safer, easier, and more appealing way to take. Whenever I'm faced with crossroads, I was hoping God would just choose the right road for me. And, He does, but unlike the wrong path, the road seem so unappealing and hard and challenging. God never forced me to go His way, although I wish He did. I realized freedom isn't always good. Can't God just pull the strings and make me a puppet. Knowing Him, I know I'm in good hands even when His way isn't the most glamorous.

Why did God give us freedom? Can't He just take mine? I would gladly give it to Him. I'm better off controlled by Him than me.

"We see in the first glimpse of God's wildness the goodness of His heart - He gives us our freedom.
The wildness of giving us freedom is even more staggering when we remember that God has already paid dearly for giving freedom to the angels.
The reason He didn't make puppets is because He wanted lovers."
                    - John Eldredge (The Sacred Romance)

Yes, God is our Father, demanding obedience for our own good. But, He is also our Lover, wanting to be loved in return. A child may be completely submissive to his parents' commands, obedient to their every plan and strict discipline, but they can never force the child to love them. They may reason the ever popular phrase: "we did this because we love you" because at the end of the day, they would realize that it's not just obedience and respect they wanted, but love in return as well.

Prayer

God, I don't want to be even a step farther away from You by pursuing things not in Your masterplan. Guide me in my pursuits and desires, Lord. Without Your leading, even the greatest dreams with the best intentions will be pointless.

Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

Proverbs 16:25 "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

Waiting on God for His answer may just be the only thing to do at this point. But there must be a preparation to be made as well. What if God's answer is the exact opposite of my plans and desires?

We seek God for direction and leading. We want to hear what He has to say. The real challenge begins when we finally got His answer. We'll have to obey. Will we follow His counsel or not?

Thought of the Day

The bad things we do to other people, are the very things we would hate someone do to us.

I wouldn't want to be rejected, but I do reject some people I don't feel like engaging with.
You wouldn't want to be talked about at your back, but you do talk about others at their back, and even feel good about it.
You hate it when people touch your things without asking your permission, but you sometimes find yourself using your friend's things without informing them.

make sure what you give is what you'd like to come back to you.

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you."
                                                             - Matthew 7:12