THOUGHTS SPOKE -- THE HEART RESPONDED

 

 

  

 

 

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Thoughts Slid Into My Mind
And My Heart Responded

I may have wanted things moving faster today to get to the point I wanted to get to pronto. I wanted things to happen fast.... progress quicker..... and move along without delay.

But no, it would not do that. At least not today.

Instead today I was made to be still and watch the clouds go by..... listen to a gentle breeze blowing..... catch a yellow butterfly flit quickly by my window..... hear the chatter of humans going about the clutter of their day..... listen to a beautiful melody on the radio..... share smiles with friendly neighbors walking by my house..... and listen to my heartbeat saying "Be still."

So I did.

It took much effort because I was weary, exasperated, and drained by the slowness of the day..... of life.

And I met God. He asked me this question.....
"Why do you fret and worry?"

I replied, "There is so much to worry about. Life is not funny. I respond to it in the only way I know how. How else can I not be?"

He smiled and softly said, "Try responding with a little bit more of faith."

And added with a noticeable tiny yet gentle reproach.....
"Be still, my child, and know that I am God."

Indeed God is there even in the slowness of the day or hour. You will find Him when you seek Him with your heart.

 

 

 

YOUR FAMILY IS BY DIVINE DESIGN

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- Sometimes we need to be reminded of things which truly matter in life. It's definitely not material things, they have their uses but it's not everything there is in life. 

Neither is it our jobs because we can always find another. 

Neither is it our friends, boyfriends or girlfriends, or husbands or wives because they are not forever and are also replaceable. . 

But if we lose our families... nothing can ever replace them. You won't get another one like them. Your family is tailor-made for you, by Divine Design. It's definitely flawed and imperfect and maybe farthest from your own personal expectations (maybe you have even considered your neighbor's family the ideal choice) ---- but to God's mind your family is what you need. 

God works that way most always --- He does not give you what you want but He gives you just what you need. When God says that is what you need, -- believe me, it IS what you truly need! 

Maybe it is hard to understand that. But you will if you would try to...... 

See your family through the eyes of God. 
Feel your family through the heart of God. 
Understand your family through the wisdom of God. . 

And know that God's wisdom works for your best. Always!
 
Love you all!

FAITH OR FEAR?

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Somebody out there, I know, is struggling with worries, problems, hurdles, challenges and is close to teetering on the so-called 'edge of the cliff of hopelessness'. Life, as we know it to be, is not all sugar and spice and everything nice. Sometimes it can be bitter and ugly and everything bad.

People react to this in a diversity of ways and means groping, stumbling, falling ... but amazingly rising up again and punching back at life even harder than before. Why? Because people are tough. It's in their DNA.

These make up stories of courage, strength, sacrifice, diligence, responsibility, hard work, sorrow, sadness, fear, hope, disappointment, misery, and the fighting against all odds scenario of life. I know; I have my share. But who doesn't?!

But whatever the things people go through it can never be denied that faith plays a huge role in their lives, be it in a small or great measure.

Faith, too, as many would agree is not easy. It can't be bought, haggled for, blackmailed into, coerced, forced, faked, pushed or pressured.

Faith is ---- your understanding of your God. And your response to that.

Be of good faith. The God you trust can be depended upon.

Have a blessed Sunday, friends!
God bless you.
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(Thanks to the internet for these wonderful images of magnificent inspiration.)

DEAR GOD.... THANK YOU!

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DEAR GOD,

THANK YOU VERY MUCH..............

.....for everything of this earth living and non-living and for the universe
.....for family and friends, and people You have sent into our lives
.....for the gifts of talent and abilities
.....for Your protection, guidance, provision, comfort, and divine understanding
.....for blessing us so much more than we deserve
.....for always being there in our coming and going, in our falling and rising
.....for those things we can't see, hear, touch, nor understand and yet which You continually do for our sake
.....for Your loving mercy and forgiveness
.....for loving us unconditionally
.....for helping us in our life journey
.....for life
.....but most especially, thank you for YOU!

Teach us how to love you more. Teach us to use our lives to serve the greater number and the better good. By Your design!

PRAYER IS A PATH WHERE THERE IS NONE

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Have been reading a book this past few days. A book I have read a dozen times before. Why do I keep coming back to it? Because it IS good. Not only that but also because it is short, only 113 pages composed of 43 chapters... short chapters. I have an array of 'shorties', which I call them, lined up in my mini library. Long stories and thick books have no place in it except for an encyclopedia or a family album. Written in simple English .... (as a rule I shy away from long big complicated words; have always believed that there is always a simpler less complicated way to express yourself verbally or in writing) ..... so simple that if I gave this book to my seven-year-old nephew he would be able to read it in one sitting. Except of course when he needs someone to guide him through the wisdom parts of the book. --
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"JACOB THE BAKER -- General Wisdom For A Complicated World" Author Noah BenShea --- Here in the author's own words is a brief description: -------- "Jacob is a poor but pious baker who lives an anonymous life in a timeless world. While waiting for the ovens to rise to baking temperature in the morning he writes little notes to himself trying to make sense of life. Unknown to Jacob, one of his notes falls into the mixer and is baked into a loaf of bread. It is then sold to a woman, who comes upon the note, reads Jacob’s thought, is dumbstruck and rushes to the bakery to see who wrote it and where it came from.
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Soon word is out that there is a special person in the community who has been ignored, and now everyone near and far comes to see Jacob with their questions about life, prayer, love, family, growing older and…and…Without any sense of hubris, Jacob answers the growing line of visitors with his parables and stories. Even the children come after school and sit on the flour sacks to listen to Jacob."
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Unquote.
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I finished the book in just a few minutes (yes, that short and will pick it up again another time you bet) and went through every piece of wisdom like I was seeing it for the every first time. Wisdom never grows old; we do. And if you are wisdom's good student, it always seems new each time you meet it.
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Like this one on page 36 -- PRAYER IS A PATH WHERE THERE IS NONE
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Is there anyone out there who has not acquainted himself with prayer? No matter your color, race, or creed....... no matter how independent you believe yourself to be....... no matter your titles or string of degrees attached to your name........ whether male, female, young or old, rich or poor........ you have spoken a prayer sometime somewhere there in your life. Probably it was just a sigh, a tear, a whisper, or simply a thought of God when you suddenly find yourself in a place similar to this.....
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"What if neither my heart or mind can help me find a way?"
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And Jacob answered, "Prayer is a path where there is none."
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I end this post with that thought. And I pray that prayer leads you to the path or paths to your dreams... essentially to His Throne. God bless you. Have a pleasant weekend, friends! 

WAIT FOR THINGS TO TRULY UNFOLD

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THE FOUR SEASONS --- THE MEASURE OF LIFE
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Here's another one coming from the same pile; I found it closer to the bottom and was dated June 01, 2004 - Word Ministry. Unfortunately, the first two paragraphs on the sheet were torn off and the rest had turned brown with time. But as far as I can recall the article is about a man who sent off his four sons into the woods and to this particular tree and to report back to him their observations about it.
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The succeeding paragraphs unfold like this...... and to quote
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--- "When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The FIRST SON said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The SECOND SON said no --- it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The THIRD SON disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen,. The LAST SON disagreed with all of them; he said that it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
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After listening to their feedback, the man explained to his sons that they were all right, because they each seen but ONLY one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season. And that the essence of who they are -- and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life -- can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.
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He further said...... If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, the fulfillment of your fall. Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come at some time or later."
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Unquote.
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And that is so true, isn't it? We each go through the seasons of life. Each season comes to touch our lives in ways authentic to its own purpose. Maybe what the father is trying to tell his sons is that life should be viewed not from the constricting point of one season or one event or one experience. Not to think that the end of the world has come because of one failure or mistake. Not to pack up our bags outright defeated just because things are not happening the way we want them to. Not to consider others as less than ourselves just because they don't think, speak, or act the way we do. Not to be too quick to push that 'react' button.
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Instead to wait for things to truly unfold. Wait for explanations. Wait for the story to finish. Wait for the dust of aggravation and strife to settle down. Wait for the time when truth reveals itself in all of its splendor.... or its opposite. Well, sometimes truth can be quite unpleasant to see or hear. But then truth is truth and off it we can better make honest judgement or measure and its corresponding course of action, be it pleasant or otherwise.
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Life is beautiful. But we must also understand that life too has its rough patches. There is both good and bad in it. Yet we shouldn't allow negativity in any form, ours or that of others, to spoil what we have in terms of joy, fulfillment, and happiness.... or quench our hope of having more of those we treasure and value most. God planned us for happiness. Happiness is indeed our worthy portion. That is truly by divine design.
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Blessings, everyone!

 

 

THREE FAVORITE THINGS --- AND SOMETHING MORE

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When the muses are quiet and no inspiration pushes the pen or laptop keys.... or when some days are lonely... or when saddled with cares and woes... or when days are even boring... I turn to three favorite things. One, I go out to the garage and have a nice chat with my three dogs -- Lucky, Buddy, and the new addition Scruffy. (There's a fourth one Maxie but she prefers napping on the couch in the living room.) Or.... two, I get myself a cup of yummy ice cream (if there happens to be one inside the freezer), sit on the couch and watch my favorite show on TV. If nada on the ice cream thing, a peanut butter sandwich takes its place with a glass of iced tea... and eyes still glued on the TV screen. Or..... three, my daughter and I go out to the mall to watch a good movie or have our favorite frappe at Starbucks. 

And...... Oh by the way, also squeezed in-between those three are the one-and-a-thousand details of things we usually do around the house. Plus.... the different roles a mother plays to her children regardless of their age. Plus.... the things done for 'me-time'... listen to music, paint, read a good book, sew a bag from an old pair of jeans, call up a friend, sort through old files for some hidden 'gold' to feed the writing, etc.
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Now I almost forgot this. After listing down the I, Me, My, Mine of being human and was set to move to the next thing to write ---- I remembered this >> Plus..... this precious life nurturing-connection.... Being still to acknowledge God's presence in my life. The wonders of His Magnificent God-ship. Those should be etched in the heart for nobody would last a day or a second without Him. All that we are -- our brilliance, intellect, talents, wealth, beauty, successes, achievements, acquisitions, titles, positions, or greatness -- everything comes from His goodness, love, compassion, and mercy. Gifts from His divine heart. The magnificent I AM. Thus if I have the 'me-time'.... this one's called the 'HIS-time'.
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Now why am I telling you this? Because I have learned something very important which I'd like to share with you. It is this........
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"Look only to the good. Look only to what you have, to what God has given you. Do not let your eyes come to rest upon any other thing but the blessings and peace of Christ. Do not fix your gaze upon the negatives, upon the past or the future. Remember, your life is hid with me. By now you know that I can be trusted and that I have all your affairs in My hands. Not one thing escapes My attention." --- God 

 
(Yes, those lines are from the book 'Good Morning... God')
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Nice, aye? Give it a try. You might like it, too. Furthermore you will soon discover that trusting God gives you more time to be you.. with your life... with your gifts.... with your God.
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God bless you!

THINGS CAN EITHER MAKE OR BREAK YOU - BUT IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOU

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Look hard into your day because you just might find or get your gold. I can say that because, more often than not, I truly find my inspiration which immensely feed the writing each time each day.
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Like this quote which I saw this morning.............. "Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny." -- C.S. Lewis
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Don't you think this quote is the story of most everybody's life?
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Hardships .. it befalls each one of us ordinary people in our ordinary lives in our ordinary days. That's as old as the ancient ruins of Greece... as old as time. It comes to us in different shapes, sizes, predicament, inconvenience, discomfort and it minds not whether we like it or not. It just goes ahead and does what it does best... hurt us.
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That can be a big ouch or a small one and a pain in the butt (pardon the expression) or a heartache. You will groan, whine, hiss, complain, bang your head against the wall, kick the furniture and end up with a broken leg, cry oceans of tears to drown yourself in, or jump from the highest mountain but you wouldn't because, as you stop to think, that can hurt bigger than your whining. Besides the tallest mountains are in Pampanga, Batangas, or Tagaytay and before you can reach your destination miles and hours away you would have met your future love in the bus you're riding and so together head back home for a nice date! Or get married! Destiny! End of story.
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The nicest part though (not just meeting the love of your life) is having the power to turn things around to your advantage or favor. Yes, you are far more stronger than you think you are.
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But... that would depend on your responses to your situation. The situation can either make or break you.... but it all depends on you! Really, it all depends on you.
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You know the drill..... work harder, take positive attitude and action, push yourself to greatness, be creative and resourceful, hope bigger, pray harder, think-think-think, be fearless, seek the counsel of the wise, be mentored in the right direction, persevere, believe in your own strengths, build on who you are and what you have. Remind yourself not to let your hardships define you but rather to let it shape you into your biggest and brightest potential.
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That may sound tough but truth is.... you're tougher than tough. That is by God's design.
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May God bless you with the wisdom to see yourself as He designed you to be.... His obra maestra!

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God bless you.

 

SUNRISE --- BREATH OF LIFE

 

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Words are not enough to express its beauty.

Let these pictures speak for themselves.

(Big thanks to the internet and to the wonderful people who photographed these outstanding pieces.)

FAITH OR NOT FAITH -- MAKE A CHOICE

 

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Woke up to a lovely morning today..... the sun warm and shining brightly (although I may not be as perky with the sun as I am at this early hour when it gets too hot in a few hours, right?) And the thought came to my mind to write about just how wonderful life could be before the perkiness wears off! People never tire hearing or reading about joy, I believe.
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Then she slid into my thoughts.. and my heart went thumping as it felt her pain. I know her story, I know her pain. Well, I reasoned to myself... 'You gotta be kidding! Yesterday's post was a bit on the weary side, to put it mildly. You don't intend to follow it up with another, do you?' .Yeah, I know and friends may think of skipping the reading on this one. That's okay, too.'
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But....
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The tiny unexplained nudge is there to write it just the same. I guess this time.. this is meant for her. So pardon me, my friends, but I have to write....
......................................................................
Dear Friend,
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Remember the story of Mary and Martha? Jesus said something to Martha who was so busy with chores in the kitchen. Here's how it must have meant ..from the book 'Good Morning... God'.
.......
"As I said to Martha, I say to you -- don't worry so about all the little details of life. Leave those things to Me. Lay them aside, sit at My feet in your spirit and learn more from Me. That is the important part of life. Then the doing of My will, the obedient, happy trust will follow as a result of your following Me.
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I know and care more about the details of your life than you will ever know. I am always there before you, working things out." ------ Ref: Luke 10:41-42
..............................................................................
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Maybe this is not what you may want to here. Maybe you would rather hear someone tell you that he sent over some tangible thing to help you with your problems. That too is good; be thankful. But you can't have that everyday as you work out things hour after hour, week after week, day after day. It's not there 24/7... neither is it a bottomless pit of security and assurance, as the human mind would like to think it is.
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Yet, on second thought, that too may be God working in your life. His ways are not our ways, His thoughts not our thoughts. But definitely He works things out for the better good. Positively.
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We see our troubles as pain, discomfort, struggles and strife.... He sees it as golden opportunities to transform a person to good.. better... and best.
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Life, as we have been told often, is not easy; it never is. We all go through the eye of the needle before we can enjoy the rewards promised us. We all must go through the fire of testing. But what can get us from here to there? FAITH. Faith is our inheritance as children of God. It's God's gift to us. It's ours!
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I write not to offer you magic solutions to your cares and woes, which incidentally I too have (and so do the rest of humanity), but to offer you ----- God's magnificent love for you. YOU!
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We are just a speck -- a tiny dot -- as a minute grain of sand ----- in this whole wide immeasurably huge Universe but can you believe this??? ..... that God sees us? hears us? pays attention to us? and loves us so much that He sent His Son to save us? Oh wow, that is B-I-G!! ----- It's like that lab guy with his microscope zooming in on a tiny object under his lens --- magnified several hundred times?! The lab guy is God... that tiny object is you -- me -- and the rest of the human race. Isn't that fantastic!?! It's mind-blowing!
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Think about it. And our problems... well yes, they could hurt us, beat us to the ground, make us cry rivers of tears, make us bitter till our eyes drop, rouse anger and hate within us turning us into monsters to our family and friends, and too make us wish that comets come crashing down on earth and splinter it to pieces along with our problems. Hey wait, us too?! Awww c'mon spare us, right?! But....
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God is bigger than all those combined a hundred times over.... or even a million. He's not a small God. Don't make Him small.
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Keep up the faith. It's the best you, me, and everybody can do. Without faith.. there is nothing. With God.. everything is possible. God bless YOU!
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Hugs, friends. Thank you for being patient. Blessings to you all!

FAITH IS TO SEE WHAT YOU BELIEVE

 

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A good friend of many years sent this to my email......
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"Faith is: .. dead to doubts, dumb to discouragements, blind to impossibilities." - Unknown
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He wanted to know my thoughts on it.
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Beautiful, isn't it? And so encouraged and inspired I replied............
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Faith is magnificent. But like anything of immense beauty, value, and significance is quite difficult (to say the least) to pursue. Faith is itself the prize to anyone's struggles aimed to hold it in the heart. And yet fragile too as one can lose it anytime. --- To achieve it is a task which a full-grown man or woman can fail at quite easily despite his/her intelligence, righteousness, bravado, or wit.
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It is easy to make claim to what it does to peoples' lives but living it is a different thing. I struggle with it in every challenge life sends me. Every faith-challenging-moment different from the next....with faith staggering under its weight. In some, faith could soar high like riding on wings of a mighty eagle...... and then again in some, nothing happens to the dozen or so prayers of pleading. Faith bashed to the ground by the silence of the heavens.
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So it's true what's been said about it....you pray for faith; it's not one you're born with. You take it one day at a time..one day to the next. One faith experience after another. That I think explains what the bible is telling us....you live by the grace of God, for God, and with God.
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Our life therefore is truly a journey of faith...from learning it, praying for it, living it. All by God's design.
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Blessings to you, my friends. Keep up the faith.

A PURPOSE TO EACH AND EVERY LIFE

 

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Reading the Sunday paper this morning, I stumbled on this line... one which is so simple and yet can be quite easily taken for granted because others have said it or written about it a dozen times before that it loses its novelty after a time. But sometimes in a day or at some point in your life when you stand ripe for learning or teachings... a tiny nugget of discovery, revelation, insight, or wisdom strikes home in your brain or heart.. to where it matters most. And it doesn't matter if you have heard or read it before a hundred times or more.
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This one got to me and opened my mind like a can opener opens up a can of pork-and-beans. Yummy, by the way... my favorite.
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It says, to quote.... "There is purpose to each and every life on the planet - spiders count, too!" ---Unquote
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Yeah. And I think back on those things which sort of irritate or vex my soul then and now. Plenty, I must say. Things and people which don't live up to their promise or primal purpose always rub me the wrong way. Shortsightedly I fail to see reasons behind it and instead zero in on my irritation or inconvenience. My bad, right.
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I didn't quite see why in heaven's name should anything or anyone so inefficient or seemingly uncaring should inhabit this planet. Till I learned to understand that those things and they too have a reason for being.
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Every life has its reason to be here. That includes all creatures of the air, land, and sea. A life may not be as perfect as you may want it to be but in its imperfection lies your nudge towards understanding your own imperfection, too. Some things somewhere there in your life journey manage to knock out your world in chaos and disarray... things which didn't and couldn't grant you the satisfaction you desire.
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But all are for a reason. And the reason is for you to find out. I don't have the answers for you, nobody does. We each are tasked to seek it ourselves. In that process lies our learning. One lesson different from the other. But all and each tailor-typed to a perfect fit.... for each and every living thing.
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God didn't create life and the world on a whim. Everything is engineered to serve a higher purpose. Every life big or small, significant or insignificant is to work its reason for being and do its part to complete the whole tapestry of God's design.
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We're here for a reason. That little spider has his and is tasked to do his part.
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We all stand connected. By God's design.
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Hope you're all having a pleasant and blessed day. God bless you.

WHERE WILL YOU HAVE YOUR POWER LIE

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Lifted off the book - 'Good Morning... God" - (Pamela Steinke)
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UNHAPPINESS
Philippians 4:11
January 21

  "You must realize that no circumstances in life have the power to make you unhappy, it is only your attitude towards the circumstance, your failure to trust ME in that circumstance that causes unhappiness. Things or situations in themselves have no power over you. You are the one who chooses where the power lies --- whether it be in self, in circumstances, or in ME. Where will you have the power lie?"
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Where will you have the power lie?
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That's a good question, isn't it? .Many of us are so unhappy (C'mon. admit it) --- here in the silence of our souls or in the trappings of discontent that soaks up our being from top to bottom. And which many of us are not ready nor able to answer, particularly those who pride themselves to be self-contained, independent, or self-made. I have learned this that to see the answer one must lift one's gaze or shift one's focus or turn one's head away from the self. It's the 'I' 'Me' 'My' 'Mine' of things which clouds our view from seeing with clarity the answers to questions such as this.
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Let me tell you a story...
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Inday, not her real name, is my laundrywoman. She comes to the house for the weekly laundry schedule. She's a widow in her sixties, struggles to support her adopted child through school, and lives a stark simple life not very far from my place. Yet she can be so happy that she succeeds to rock the whole house with her laughter over the slightest joke she hears. In our chats, I hear no such words as ------- 'I'm so sad I could die' ... 'I'm choking to death with all of these problems' ... 'This phone sucks, I gotta buy a new one.' ... 'I have nothing to wear.' ... 'I have to have those shoes or my day is spoiled.' ... and all that stuff selfie lives are prone to engage in.
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What I hear instead are these ---
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'Sakit ng buto-buto ko pero okay lang. Kelangan ni apo mahatid sa eskuwelahan kaninang maaga.' -- 'Not feeling too well but it's okay. Took grandchild to school early this morning.'
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'Madami akong problema. Minsan di ko alam kung saan ako babaling. Pero andyan naman ang Diyos. Tutulong Siya. Siya na ang bahala.' -- 'I have tons of problems, sometimes I don't know where to turn to. But God is there, he'll help; he'll take care of things.'
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'Minsan nalulungkot din ako. Sana hindi ganito ang buhay ko. Pero kung iisipin ko, mas blessed pa ako sa iba. Kasi eto ako sisenta na at umaaray sa sakit ng mga buto-buto pero...... may konting trabaho, nakakakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw, at nagigising pa rin sa umaga para sa panibagong sikap uli. Salamat sa Diyos!' -- 'I am lonely too. Wishing life wasn't like this for me. But I also think I am still blessed...... look at me at sixty with aching bones, yet have a little job to work at, with three meals a day, and still waking up to a new day every morning for a fresh new start to my life. Thank God!'
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Inday moved her gaze away from her personal pains and set it down on what a beautiful day and life can still be in the midst of it all. This was the source which brought the tiny glimmer to her weary eyes and laughter to her face. She stood ten-feet-tall in her wrinkled small frame as she displayed her trust and faith in the goodness of the Magnificent ONE.
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This was and is the same light and faith we saw in the faces of the crowd in the recent pastoral visit of Pope Francis in the country.
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So where will we have our power lie?
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Blessings, everyone. Seek your power in the Lord.

HEAVEN IS NOT A FARAWAY PLACE

 

"Don’t search for heaven and hell in the future. Both are now present. Whenever we manage to love without expectations, calculations, negotiations, we are indeed in heaven. Whenever we fight, hate, we are in hell."    ~ Shams Tabrizi

That's right. Heaven is not a faraway place, though it's okay too to think that it is. But truth is, where there is the presence of God --- is heaven's place. And that could be anywhere where you put in some good. In our mundane day to day lives as we consciously do good to ourselves, others, animals, mother nature, and the rest of the world.... Wherever good is --- God is.

What about hell? It's here, too. When we allow the evil one to influence our lives turning it into such a big horrifying mess. Like whenever bad rears its ugly head in our character-----    whenever we allow it to dominate us...    whenever we consent to the bad of others...    whenever we turn blind towards injustice, cheating, falsehood of any kind...    whenever we serve greed, meanness, cruelty, pride, ego...    whenever we think ourselves superior to other living creatures...    whenever we twist religion to suit personal agenda...    whenever we consider bad as good and some good as bad to suit personal convenience....     whenever we stick to being wrong because it's easier to remain inside our comfort zones.....    and everything else and more along those lines.  That's hell ....... and we certainly give the devil every reason to have a party.

So then....    what's it gonna be ----  heaven  or  hell?
The choice is ours to make.  It always is.
This is just one life -----  make it count.
Blessings, everyone.

DO WE KNOW OUR BLESSINGS

 

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Scruffy, our newest addition to the pack, is a rescue dog who has found his forever home with us. One of my favorite things to do in the house is to sit beside him on the marble floor by the doorway stroking his fur while looking out on the garage and to the street outside. Out on the street it can be so quiet and busy depending on the time of day. But sunset is my special time with Scruffy.

A thought struck me....  Does Scruffy know his blessing? I wonder.

Looking down into Scruffy's eyes I see an affirmation to that. He looks back at me with love and devotion etched right there in his doggie eyes. Love for his forever home. Content and happy. Yes, Scruffy knows and shows it in his doggie ways - the language of his heart and soul.

Do we know our blessing?
In good times it can be so easy to say yes. In bad times, do we even recognize it?

Sitting there with Scruffy leads me to different threads of thought. One is about blessings. Life is truly tough and it tells us in so many ways. I struggled with mine and so did mom before me. But she taught me one simple lesson with this..........

'Look for the blessings. No matter how you feel or whatever you are going through... blessings are there for you.'
 
I didn't always understand that. What I could understand about life was that life is mean, hard, unforgiving, unmerciful. Because it was all that to me. My heart broke into pieces and my soul wearied from the solitary struggle. Yet Mom's words kept haunting me like she was herself pushing me to look for the ... blessings.
 
One day I stood by the window (always my favorite spot), took a deep breath, closed my eyes for a bit second and then opened it again. I saw how pretty blue the sky was... how gracefully the clouds glided by... how so green the leaves on the gently swaying tree tops... how nice and gentle the breeze blew... and how it all gave me joy!

Then it dawned on me what a blessing was. That made me happy.

The next day I was ready to grab another dose of happiness. But things began to happen. Problems, disappointments, frustrations, worries and anxieties, loss of strength courage hope and even of faith.. all came hurtling down on me like a comet at loose careening through space. I hurt and cried.

But mom, bless her soul, pushed even harder.

Once more I stood by the window, took a deep breath, closed my eyes,  and opened it again. I felt tears falling down my cheeks,  I sensed the beating of my lonely heart,  I felt life throbbing through my veins,  I saw the day unfolding still with all of its glory,  I sensed the presence of the Divine......  I was alive! My tears rolled down even more but this time.... with praise and thanksgiving towards a loving and merciful God, my God!

I finally knew what blessing was.

A divine gift ....  to lend us strength, courage, hope, faith, love, joy, inspiration. To help us see beauty where we thought none existed. To see ourselves as an important part of this universe. To see God and His great love for us. A divine gift to reaffirm our importance in God's eyes and heart.

Mom was right. We need not search far and wide for our blessings. It's right there in our day... within us and without... in our lives. All that we need to do is ..... stop -- look -- and listen!

Have a great Sunday, friends. See your blessings with a grateful heart.

THE THANKSGIVING ROOM

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There's a story that goes this way (It's a long one so I took the liberty to shorten it)....  in heaven there are many rooms and in every room dozens of angels can be seen going about a particular task assigned to that special room. All the rooms are buzzing in such a big frenzy as the angels take to their tasks ministering to every concern everyday.  There is always plenty to do in ...  the petition room, request room, complaint room, grief room, sad room, sick room, jobs room, deliverance room, divine intervention room... even one called the anger room.

Except ... for this one room where only one angel is seen working or seems to be as he appeared almost dozing off. Apparently already finished with that one task in his In-Tray. And nothing more is there to do. It was the same everyday with an almost empty tray and a sleepy angel.

Do you know what this room was or is called?

--- The Thanksgiving Room

Maybe... we don't understand what authentic 'Thank you' means. Maybe... we don't understand what a true 'blessing' means. Maybe... we take so many things for granted like life is there and it will be there tomorrow and the next and the next. Maybe... we are so busy with our lives that we don't stop awhile to see God's part in it. Maybe... we see God as a 'vending machine'.... just stick in the coin, press the button, and out comes the goodie.

Maybe... we don't understand God enough.

As we have expectations in our lives and in prayer.....  God has his expectations, too. Oh no his expectations does not make the world go round as we make of ours; it is HE who makes the world and the universe go round needing no help from us. But in His magnificent godly heart He still waits for his beloved children to say just a tiny simple .. 'Thank you, Father.' A typical father who loves His children this B-I-G!!! ... and so mightily pleased when His children remember Him.

Let's keep that little solitary room busy now, pack it to overflowing.... and have that solitary angel screaming frantically for reinforcements.

Thank you, God, that you nudged me to write this post. We needed to see this. I do!

Have a blessed week, friends! I thank God for your wonderful friendship.