Blessings & Curses

My hubby's aunts on vacation are staying with me for about a week or two. I never thought it would be this tiring - going around several destinations a day. Eating out like there's no tomorrow. Bought goodies as many as loading up a mini grocery store. Having a massage at the end of the day (that's the fun part). These were the things that's kept my hands tied for almost a week now. I've discovered so many things.

The best part of it was the bonding we all shared. They expressed their thoughts and feelings about the things that happened, is happening and is about to happen. They told me stuff that I never thought they would that made me grin from ear to ear (hmm...). They told me how much they care and how at ease they are with me. That's the sweetest. It's inspiriting to see how well we get along. Now the sad part is, again as what I've been told, there are some people who just couldn't be happy for us and would rather stay a loser. There are the loud ones who broaches their sentiments openly (they don't have the guts to say it to our faces though) and there are the silent types who secretly wishes us ill. Unbelievably pitiful!

Sorry for the disappointment of some, but my DH and I are thankful that we are blessed inspite of some trials that come our way and we are HAPPY.


"The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame." Proverbs 3:33-35

The Real Meaning Of Peace

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.

But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest - in perfect peace.

Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Server Outage

HTTP 403 (Forbidden) WHAT???

Why couldn't I access my site??? What's going on? Was my site hacked???

Tuesday, September 20, 2005 (PST)
Blogger is suffering some problems due to a server outage leading to errors on Blogger as well as blogspot. We are trying to rapidly fix this problem and Blogger should be back up soon.

Ok. So I thought it was just mine. Whew! A few hours later, a friend buzzed me and said he could already access his. I thought maybe that goes for mine too.

YES!!!

Update: 9/21 12:02: This is fixed now.

Mailbox

In this time and age when almost everything has gone electronic, somehow one of my means of communication with my DH has remained "old-fashion". Yup, we are still into snail mail. I still enjoy the thrill of getting letters in the mailbox, sans the bills. I'll be forever grateful to the technology that we have now but nothing beats the excitement I get in receiving a letter from my DH the old-fashioned way. I'm like a kid who gets to open gifts on Christmas day. Although by the time we get it it's not anymore up to date, we still get teary eyed everytime we read each other's letters. I have to admit, we get all mushy sometimes. And oh, my phone bill suddenly has a thing or two to say on my major bills payment list.

Don't Dread

"The devil uses fear in forms we don't always recognize to steal our joy and prevent us from living the kind of life God intended."

This little book was mailed to me from Joyce Meyer Ministries. It's a book filled with practical applications that can cause great impact as we apply it in our everyday lives. A great reminder of how we can overcome the spirit of dread with the supernatural power of God.

Planting Seeds

I was told in the past and read in several Christian books including the Bible that if you "plant a seed" you can expect a harvest. I knew about this truth since ancient time, but I never took the challenge until last week. Yes, I give my tithes regularly but I never tried what they call "planting seeds". They said that if a farmer plants seeds, will he not expect a harvest after some time? Of course he will and so should we. We reap what we sow... Good or bad. I deliberately put it to a test.

I got a letter from Benny Hinn Ministries. It was about sowing seeds in faith. I decided to send a check in our currency to their local office. It was just a small amount, but that time it was all I can afford. I have mountains of bills to pay. I prayed and released my faith that God will bless my seed.

That was two weeks ago. I got a call from my DH. He said that his dear Aunt gave him money and told him to give it to me. I was surprised. Why would she do that, I asked. Well, she gave it out of the goodness of her heart. Then I realized that the amount I got was ten times the amount I sowed. Amazing!

God is truly awe-inspiring and He's faithful to His Word. We can definitely count on it.

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the LORD Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." 2 Corinthians 9:6

I Will Give you Rest

Got home quite late last night from a meeting I had with two of my friends. The traffic was bad. There were protests going on that's causing the jam. Sometimes I wish life is a lot simpler. I didn't get enough sleep, I guess that's why I'm feeling pooped this morning. I need to finish tons of paper works but I couldn't start off because we ran out of printer ink again. This should have all been mopped up yesterday afternoon before I left the office. Now, I'm still stuck with it and no spare ink is yet available. I texted my husband to get some bits of consolation but the messages I sent him were all delayed. I feel like everything's screwed up. I just want to go home!

Just when tears of frustration were about to fall, I managed to click on to the Walking By Faith website of Pastor Duane Vander Klok which was stored in my Favorites folder. Talk about timing, here's what it says:

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

"When you are physically exhausted, it's good to stop and take a break. Sometimes a short nap is all you need to feel refreshed again. In the same way, when you are feeling weary or burdened, it's good to stop and take the time to go to the Lord and rest in Him. In today's verse, Jesus wants to let you know that He loves you and wants to give you rest. Why not receive His rest right now."

 God is really awesome! He knows exactly what you need and when you need it. Thank you, God.

Still

As I look on my computer with a blank stare, music playing in the background, I couldn't think of anything to write. But I feel like I have so many things inside that I want to let out... I couldn't find the words.

"Father, I don't understand what I'm feeling now. I'm so flustered. I know that I don't need to understand everything and I shouldn't even be trusting my emotions now. Father, I just lift up to you whatever it is that's weighing me down. I put my trust in you. I ask for your peace and your joy to be with me. I ask all these in Jesus' name."

Still

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
Within your mighty hands

(*) When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You, above the storm
Father, You are King over the flood
I will be still and know You are God

Find rest my soul, in Christ alone
Know His power, in quietness and trust

Repeat (*)

The Waiting Game

I'm so swamped with work. I have my regular job and two sidelines. I try to keep myself occupied so I'll think less of getting gloomy. I still get to think of my DH every now and then, no matter how busy I am. Right now, I feel like dragging myself to finish everything that I have on my desk. I'm physically in the office, but my mind is somewhere adrift in Neverland. Thank God it's Friday!

I read this during my morning devotion before I started my work routine. It's from Joyce Meyer Ministries written by Dave Meyer. He said that at times our trust in God will be strained by situations where God does not answer our prayers as expected and where disappointments and heartache tear at our beliefs. We need to be taught the lesson of patience, to not try to rise up as though we had the power to solve our situations without God, and to wait in silence before Him. With what my DH and I are going through now, I believe that as we wait on Him, everything will turn out better in the end. I just know it will.

Thank you Cindy and Paula for your prayers.