Your Wish is My Command

It's been a month since I've posted some of my wishes. Some were granted, others, uhmm... lets's just say that I'm still working at it.

:: I was able to buy a new cameraphone last July 18. Although, it is not my dream phone, I'm thankful for my Motorola L6. Finally, after two months of not having a phone, I can now connect with friends and camwhore everyday. The digital camera have to wait though.

:: I was able to spend more time with my family. I get to talk to June Liza a lot these days. Also, our trips to Divisoria every Saturday becomes almost a weekly getaway. I get to give some advise to B-Ann regarding her love life, speaking from experience. Talks with Mama became frequent. I just have to develop my relationships with my brothers.

:: I grabbed every oppurtunity I get to reconnect with old friends. During Ed's despedida party, I saw once more friends I'd shared most of college days. Although I was'nt able to talk to some of closest friends (C3 peeps) back then, I'm thankful to spend some time with ERG people and be updated with things about them. Last night, I was blessed to be with my co-execom listening to God's Word and having dinner at Jollibee afterwards. I really miss laughing with them. Looking forward to my date wit Aubrey, Tere and the rest of my highschool barkada this August.

:: I'll go to Palawan on August for a short missionary trip and a much needed vacation.

:: I just signed my contract with ASTI today. The renewal of the contract is inevitable. Some deliverables were not yet met and the documentation of the project have to be written. Good thing that the contract binds me to the company only for two months.

:: There's a baby in the House. Tapel's daughter, Aubrey, arrived last Tuesday.

:: I was given a chance to sing during one of our outreaches last Saturday. I really didn't plan to, but since there is no one to lead the children in singing, I was obliged to. I dont know what the kids say about my voice. hehehe

:: I was'nt able to learn web design, photoshop or flash. I still need to find a tutor and my monitor was grounded. So, my PC is somewhat useless these days.

:: I was'nt able to lose some pounds, rather I gained some. My appetite is soooo huge these days. I can't seem to stop eating even if I'm full as long as I see food served on the table. That trip to gym is really necessary.


God's faithfulness is still evident in my life. And I will thank Him for all His blessings and trust Him to bring me to the next stop sign victorious.

Thank You Lord for all the wishes that You have granted. And I praise You, because You are not only concerned with big things in my life like the career I'm going to pursue,but also with the minute details. Thank You for Your amazing love for me. Thank You coz I'm learning to be satisfied in You. And thank You coz You want what's best for me and You never withhold Your children's wish unless it is not in Your will.

On Forgiveness

God has been dealing with me about forgiveness lately. Almost everyday, I will come across something about forgiveness in devotionals, e-mails, text messages. And I felt that this is the area God wants me to really understand. I just want to share this story I read from a blog.

One day a while back, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in the woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things were not right. He thought about those who had lied about him back when he had a job. His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated him. He remembered family that had passed on. His mind turned to the illness he had that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with anger, resentment and frustration.

Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek the one he knew would always be there. And with tears in his eyes, he prayed:

"Lord-You have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have told me to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed. Today, you have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot. I don't know how. It is not fair Lord. I didn't deserve these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn't have to forgive. As perfect as your way is Lord, this one thing I cannot do, for I don't know how to forgive. My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may not hear you, but I pray that you teach me to do this one thing I cannot do - Teach me To Forgive."

As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt.

He could not turn to see what it was because where the oak tree had been was a large square piece of wood in the ground. He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike through them.

He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in His hands, a gash in His side, a torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into His head. Finally he saw the suffering and pain on His precious face. As their eyes met, the man's tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.

"Have you ever told a lie?" He asked?
The man answered -- "yes, Lord."

"Have you ever been given too much change and kept it?"
The man answered -- "yes. Lord." And the man sobbed more and more.

"Have you ever taken something from work that wasn't yours?" Jesus asked.
And the man answered -- "yes, Lord."

"Have you ever sworn, using my Father's name in vain?"
The man, crying now, answered -- "yes, Lord."

As Jesus asked many more times, "Have you ever?"
The man's crying became uncontrollable, for he could only answer -- "yes, Lord."

Then Jesus turned His head from one side to the other, and the man felt something fall on his other shoulder. He looked and saw that it was the blood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and there was a look of love the man had never seen or known before.

Jesus said, "I didn't deserve this either, but I forgive you."

It may be hard to see how you're going to get through something, but when you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is. Read the following line slowly and let it sink in.

If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.

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That man's prayer is exactly what I am praying for the past two months - for God to teach me to forgive.

Shackles

Last Wednesday, I attended WIN-Atrium Midweek Service at Makati. It is the third week of its month-long first anniversary celebration. June, Julius and Anmeir (Julius' friend) also attended the service for they will render a song number.

I was so moved but what they sang. Shackles. What are shackles really? Merriam Webster gave me this definition: 1 : something (as a manacle or fetter) that confines the legs or arms, 2 : something that checks or prevents free action as if by fetters. Simply put, shackles hinders our hands and legs to move, it is something that hold us back to do something, like praising God.

"Shackles (Praise You)"

Whoo!
It sure is hot out here
Ya know?
I don't mind thought
Just glad to be free
Know what I'm saying, uh!

Chorus:
Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise you (What'cha wanna do?)
I just wanna praise you (Yeah, yeah)
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
(Uh feel me?)
And I'm gonna praise you (What'cha gon do?)
I'm gonna praise you

In the corners of mind
I just can't seem to find a reason to believe
That I can break free
Cause you see I have been down for so long
Feel like the hope is gone
But as I lift my hands, I understand
That I should praise you through my circumstance

(chorus)

Everything that could go wrong
All went wrong at one time
So much pressure fell on me
I thought I was gon lose my mind
But I know you wanna see
If I will hold on through these trials
But I need you to lift this load
Cause I can't take it anymore

(chorus)

Been through the fire and the rain
Bound in every kind of way
But God has broken every chain
So let me go right now

(chorus)

Take them off
What'cha gonna do, yeah

(chorus)

It is God who had loosen the shackles that has been holding us back to dance and lift our hands for Him. So next Sunday, I'll give my best dance to Him and lift my hands to honor Him.

Eyes Full of Pain...

Since there's nothing left for me to do, I decided to take some personality quizzes and I get fascinated with the result of this particular quiz. They say that "eyes are the window to one's soul" and i was dumbfounded with what my eyes revealed or is revealingabout my personality.

You scored as Eyes full of Pain. People tend to overlook you, which makes you feel less worthy of their attentions. You sometimes wish you could just disapear from the world around you. You have been hurt very badly in the past and you just wish that someone would understand you, and what their cruelty is doing to you. Eyes full of Pain 67% Passion 58% Diamond Eyes 50% Mysterious 42% What do your eyes reveal about you?(PICS!) created with QuizFarm.com

Just Friends?

Found this article somewhere. My sentiments, exactly.

JUST FRIENDS ?
By Susan Nikaido

If my sources are correct, the following scenario is played out frequently among the world of Christian singles. It happens on both sides of the gender line, but allow me to talk about it from my own female perspective.

A man meets a woman and begins to show interest in her. He asks her to spend time with him on a regular basis : hiking, biking, watching
videos. He calls her at least once a week just to talk. He begins telling her about the deeper things in his heart and invites her to share at this level as well. He sends her mushy "friendship" cards and tells her that she means a great deal to him. He may become a little affectionate : the hugs begin to linger.

The relationship has been defined as friendship, if it has been defined at all. But after all this special attention, the woman is definitely feeling more. So she asks the guy what's going on.

To her surprise, he does a quick about-face. He insists they are just friends. After that, he avoids her, leaving her hurt and bewildered. She feels rejected - she has lost not only a romantic interest (she thought) but worse, a close and trusted friend. And she feels stupid. Did she really misread all those signals?

After I experienced this as a single woman, I asked a friend my friend "Joe" to help me understand why guys do this. After I told him my woeful tale, he said, "I did that to somebody once."

"What? Why would you ever do such a thing?" I asked.

"We were getting too close, and it scared me," he said.

This helped me understand why the "just friends" syndrome is so widespread. A guy wants to get to know a girl, but without the pressure of dating. So he spends a lot of time with her, treating her in many ways like a girlfriend but defining the relationship as friends. This way, if it begins to look like there's no future in the relationship, or he's not ready to "get serious," he can back away with no messy breakup. It sounds like a nice arrangement - for the guy.

But that approach can be a problem for the woman. If a man tells a woman he just wants to "be friends" but he treats her like it's more than friendship, she will believe his behavior instead of his words. It sets her up for a big disappointment. Or if he invokes the "just friends" mantra after being asked about the nature of the relationship, but then promptly begins to distance himself from the friendship, again, his actions do not match his words.

He may think he's sparing her feelings by avoiding a breakup. But by defining the relationship as a friendship, he hurts her even more deeply when he disappears. A dating relationship comes with certain risks.

But she expects a friendship - especially such a close one - to continue. Think about it this way : A broken dating relationship says only, "I don't want to marry you"; a broken friendship says to her, "I don't want/value you on any level."

Taking a woman down this path violates two scriptural principles. First, it's dishonest. The apostle Paul said that it was the way of the world - not of a godly man - to say "yes, yes" and "no, no" in the same breath (2 Cor. 1:17). A man of integrity will call a relationship what it is. Second, it is not kind or loving. The "just friends" approach may be safer for the guy, but it is harmful to the woman. In effect, he is asking her for the rewards of a dating relationship - companionship, emotional intimacy, even affection - without the responsibility. He is playing with her heart, and her heart will probably get broken.

But what if a guy does only want to be friends - or wants to develop a friendship before he decides to date?

It's pretty simple. He just treats the woman like all his other friends. He doesn't spend more time with her or call her more often than he does his other friends. He usually invites other people along when he gets together with her. He doesn't pick up the tab when just the two of them go out.

He avoids compliments that might communicate she is "special" to him. He lets her know he spends time with other women. He's extremely careful about showing any physical affection - even playful shoves or hugs.

If, after getting to know her from a safe emotional distance, he wants a deeper relationship, he tells her that he wants to date her. What if you are not thinking about more than friendship, but she asks about your intentions? Tell her you appreciate her friendship, but be honest about where you are. Above all, though it may be awkward for a while, continue to be her friend.

Years ago, I began to be attracted to a male friend. Though I hadn't really been getting any signals that he was interested in me, I knew it would help settle my emotions to hear it from him. I asked. He affirmed me as a person but told me gently - but clearly - that he thought of me only as a friend.

And then he did a wonderful thing. He kept being my friend. Though it hurt a little to learn I wasn't attractive to him in that way, it helped to know he still valued me and wanted me around. This was nearly 15 years ago, and though we have both moved to different states and married, we are friends to this day.

Women can be great friends. But guys, unless you are ready for a dating relationship, please be careful to treat us "as sisters, with absolute purity" (1 Tim. 5:2), not as girlfriends, nor as something in between. Your honesty - with yourself and with us - will be pleasing to the LORD, and prevent hurtful confusion for your sisters in Christ.


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I let some of the guys from the church read this article. Let me correct myself, I read it to them with matching feelings. So to James, Peers and Julius, thanks for listening to me and your violent reactions. And thanks Julius for the letter with your comments. I guess we need to have a discussion about this matter really soon, with some of the other youths.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES!!!