Non-Negotiables For 2010
Another year has ended. A new year is about to begin.
Today, I’m writing my last blog for 2009, this is my first year of blogging, by the way. And I’m blogging as a way of sharing some of my insights, information I learn, ideas I think of and inspire people who might be down and out at times.
While some people write down their usual list of New Year’s resolutions, I have here several important, or should I say non-negotiables going into 2010.
Here they are:
- Relationship with God. I wouldn’t be where I am today apart from God’s guidance and leading daily. For the last 17 and a half years that I’ve been a Christian, I always thank the Lord for His love, compassion, mercy and grace for me. My relationship with Him is something I wouldn’t trade Him for anything else because God is my Source of life, my True Security and my Big Daddy.
- Relationship with Ava. We celebrated our fifth year anniversary last December 9. It’s really fun and in five years, I’ve learned to be more and more patient, learned to be more, gentle, learned to be more loving and learned to communicate better. Thank God for Ava! Before walking down the aisle during our wedding day, I told everyone present that Ava is my one and only love and my best friend. I pray everyday that my love for her will grow deeper as the years would pass.
- Time with kids. God has blessed us with two wonderful and beautiful kids. Bea is fast turning out to be an artist. She loves to draw, and draws well for her age (she’s turning four this January 16). She also loves to sing, dance, act and be a cook (with her cooking show toys). On the other hand, David (who just turned two last November) is intelligent, can now read and count and has the making of a great singer someday.
Ava and I always pray that the Lord would teach us how to raise up our kids in His standards while imparting the long-lasting values that they could stand and live on till we are long gon
4. “Lost” people. Like myself, I used to be someone who was at a loss in this pain-full, spiritually hungry world. But I thank God for using my elder brother to introduce me to Jesus. I grew up thinking that I’m a loser and won’t really amount to anything because that was my environment back then. But as I read and meditated
on God’s word daily, I got a revelation that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. I admit being lost for years, wandering aimlessly in life, but after surrendering my life to Him in 1992, God found me and I found purpose and meaning through Him. Now, my life’s mission is to tell every person I encounter that in Christ, He can remove the old, defeated life in us and bring in newness and freshness that only He can bring (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Okay, I’m still human and there will be days in 2010 that I won’t feel like doing these “non-negotiables”, but here’s what I realized—the God who raised Jesus from the dead is the same God who lives inside of me.
So get ready and be excited for 2010. Let God lead you!
God Of All Seasons
Typhoon Ondoy, the ongoing political turmoil, the economic crunch that dragged the confidence of 85 million Filipinos today and the seemingly uncertain future ahead of us–these all sum up 2009 for the Philippines in general.
Relief goods pile up in heaps during the Victory U-Belt relief operation last September.
Tons of bad news if you may say so.
Yes, they all were bad news that a mere mention again would bring “nightmares” or unpleasant memories for most of us.
However, in the midst of all these uncertainties and bad news, the Bible has something to say to bring life and sustenance to our faith.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1)
Circumstances may often make us grumble and complain but the truth of the matter is, God is good, and His love endures forever.
Seasons may change and circumstances may change, but God remains the same. He will never change. He is the same God who is good, merciful, full of grace and always willing to fulfill His plans of prospering us and not harming us, giving us hope and a future.
The fact of the matter is, there will always be trouble–trouble in your family, in your school/ academics, in your office/ business or in your faith.
But the truth of the matter is, God is good, and His love endures forever.
When my wife and I got involved in the relief operations in the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy last September, I was reminded once more how blessed we were compared to the ones who completely lost their homes, their livelihood and every other valuable thing they have.
Have you ever wondered how did they celebrate Christmas this season?
While most of us probably are jumping from one party after the other every other day this December, these people most probably are wondering where they could start all over and face 2010 with renewed hope.
I was really encouraged by the attitude of Ava’s sister during the Typhoon Ondoy tragedy.
Though the massive flooding reached the second level of their three-story house in Marikina City, she and her husband still managed to offer help to their surrounding neighbors, rescuing drowning kids at the height of the heavy downpour and flood.
They also helped clean up the thick mud that covered their subdivision a day after the flood receded.
Jesus did say that in this world, we will have trouble, but he ended his statement in John 16:33 by saying: “…But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Maybe you’ll face 2010 with the same old problems you have in your family, your career, your academics and your relationships with other people, but we can find security from God because He is good and His love endures forever.
Does God Really Care?
The troubled times we are experiencing as a nation these days are surely troubling for a lot of people.
The horrible massacre in Maguindanao just a few days ago, the flash floods in recent months brought about by super typhoons have claimed record death toll this year alone.
Just last week, someone commented on my blog on Who To Turn To In Your 2012.
This was the reader’s comment–since God is an all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing, universe-Creator, natural disasters that kill and maim and leave tens of thousands of people homeless, orphaned, suffering, disease-stricken, shouldn’t be happening…
Tragedies that oftentimes claim hundreds or even thousands of lives of people always elicit questions from people—the hurting or those directly affected by it, the orphaned and the skeptics.
And most of the time, the question people ask in moments of trouble is, “Why me? Or “Why my family?”
Others go to the extent of questioning God’s “absence” in situations where they needed His Presence and help the most.
But here’s the thing, God’s absence or silence in our trying times doesn’t mean He doesn’t care.
We have to understand that we are living in a fallen world. With that, sicknesses, diseases, war, among others are prevalent.
Ever since man rebelled against God’s word, the world was under a curse (Genesis 3:17).
As hard as we try to rationalize things, we can never fully grasp what is going around us unless we fully trust God and His infinite wisdom.
My near-death experience
On January of 2004, God taught me first hand how to trust Him more after a near-death experience shortly after New Year’s Day.
While the world was still having a hangover of the New Year’s celebration, my mother and I were at a wedding reception of our family’s friend some where in a Chinese restaurant in Malate.
Since I wasn’t feeling well, I told my mother I’d just go home to rest because that time, I was coughing hard already caused by flu.
On my way to the exit of Century-Sheraton Hotel, I suddenly felt dizzy, my vision slowly beginning to darken while I started vomiting blood.
Good thing I was near the restroom and so I mustered all my might and scampered to the men’s room where I continued throwing up blood. The huge lavatory was full of blood in a matter of seconds.
Later, I felt someone catching me before I fell backwards while he applied a damp, white cloth on my nose. From there, I passed out.
I was rushed to the nearest hospital by my mother and the man who helped me out at the men’s room, where I consciousness later while lying inside the emergency room of Manila Sanitarium (now Manila Adventist).
Interestingly, I learned later on that that the man who helped me out at the men’s room was a physician specializing in gastroenterology, the exact doctor I needed at the moment due to excessive loss of blood caused by internal hemorrhage.
He told me later that I could have died on the spot if I didn’t stop vomiting blood because by the time I left Century Hotel, my blood pressure was down to 70-30.
Several blood bags were needed for the transfusion and I really thanked God for literally giving me a new lease on life.
Did I ask God why that incident had to happen in my life?
Oh yes, I did considering that after being discharged and recuperating at home, I spent several sleepless nights because I had low blood.
The doctor also told me I can’t run or do physically demanding activities from about 6 months to one year because of my situation.
But through it all, I remembered and meditated on Romans 8:28 that says, And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
God has His reasons why I went through that trying stage in January 2004.
But here’s one thing sure, you will never go wrong when you completely yield your life before God.
Things may not be perfect, life may not be a bed of roses, but as the Apostle Paul would say in Romans 8:35, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Absolutely nothing and no one will ever separate us from His unconditional love.
Photo Source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YL7XUqZiucg/SIqM16qW29I/AAAAAAAAAJM/k2sUAxAktNo/s400/man%2Bpraying%2Bon%2Bone%2Bknee.jpg
Do You Believe In Happily Ever After?
Putting your hope in God is like walking with God through uncertainties of life
My daughter Bea loves to watch cartoon movies with “and-they-live-happily-ever-after” themes, particularly Cinderella, Snow White and Beauty and the Beast.
She watches these Disney masterpieces with intent each time they are played without getting bored.
Well, I guess that’s human nature–where people are fond of the “and-they-live-happily-ever-after” themes, but sometimes, when a not-so-good-event comes all of a sudden, they get disappointed and begin pointing the blame on people, society or circumstances.
So much for the dream and happily ever after themes, but the big question really is, “Is it possible to still be hopeful even though we are living in a world of uncertainty and imperfection?”
Ever experienced burning the midnight oil for your all-important Finals examination in school, and upon getting the result, you still, fell one-point short of passing it?
How about being promised a good, high-paying job with a security of tenure, only to realize later on, that the company you joined is a bogus?
Or probably, you’re engaged in business, and you were promised a six-figure monthly income, but after investing for quite sometime, nothing came back?
Devastating isn’t it? Painful. Frustrating. Strength-sapping.
We all probably encountered various situations that end up zapping all our hopes inside.
My wife and I, in your five years of marriage had these strength-sapping moments a lot of times.
But I remembered a verse in Psalm 46:5-6, which says,
“5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and 6 my God.”
When frustrations and disappointments are mounting inside of you, I believe the author is simply saying one truth—that nothing in this world, not your career, not your education, not your dreams of success, not even a nice relationship with someone, could ever bring hope and lasting peace in your life. Except God.
Are you close to giving up? Maybe it’s time to reconsider and look inside you, where are you putting your hope into?
Put your hope in God, and you’ll be resting at His loving hands.
Photo Source: http://blog.sanriotown.com/girlinblue:kuririnmail.com/files/2008/01/windowslivewriterwhoanelly-e138footprints2.jpg
Luis Palaganas: Undrafted But Still Full Of Hope
Luis Palaganas’ expectation to be drafted in tonight’s PBA Annual Draft (Aug. 2) didn’t happen, but after the one hour and a half proceeding at Market Market’s activity center, he remains upbeat and in faith about his future.
Luis and his former UE teammate Marcy Arellano after the PBA Draft proceeding at Market Market.
We were there to witness what was supposed to be another historic landmark in his young basketball career.
My wife, Ava, Lennon, JR Estrada and Luis’ youngest brother Noel, were all there to support Luis, the former UE Red Warrior forward who is attempting to see the fulfillment of his PBA dream.
Luis’ first shot for significance in his young basketball career happened on December 2008 after becoming the first winner of TV 5’s basketball reality show, MY MVP, besting more than 2,000 candidates from all over the archipelago.
Anyway, a total of 19 players out of 52 applicants from various collegiate background, were drafted in this annual affair by the PBA. The proceeding was just short after the PBA officials decided to limit the draft to two rounds.
“Okay lang bro. Sabi sa amin na may pag-asa pa kasi makakapag-tryout pa kami sa mga teams, di pa naman siguradong makapairma lahat (ng nakuha),” said Luis, ever a man of faith.
Even though he doesn’t have the height that this year’s PBA top rookie pick Japheth Aguilar possesses (he’s 6’9”), Luis does have the skills and the faith to make it big in the PBA soon.
He just needs the right exposure and be picked up by a PBA team that needs his skills and talent.
Sometimes, we may not be able to get the exact result of what we expect, but hold on.
Romans 8:28 says, And we know that in all things God works for the good f those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose.
Things may seem tough, but just remember, God is orchestrating things behind the scenes. God makes things beautiful according to His time.
