Legacy II: Love for The Book and Learning

"Your testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart" (Psalm 119:111).



Angelika and Ella playing mom/baby.
The "mom" is reading to the "baby".

Today Angelika and I spent most of our day browsing at a bargain bookstore. This we often do, especially in the recent days when it has been rainy, windy or cloudy most days. She is still trying to understand that not all windy days will end up in a storm, much like Haiyan. She didn't want to stay cooped up in the house, though. And she also didn't want to be outside when the wind is blowing really strong. So we go out of the house and usually find ourselves end up in the bookstore, only to go away when it has gone dark. And today was no exception.

Legacy I: Love for Work

"I miss lolo and lola." ~my son

(Having lost both of my parents in Haiyan storm, my mind at the present cannot help but dwell on the many wonderful legacies that they have left for me, my siblings and a host of other people. What I’m writing here are just a few of the obvious heritage that they have left behind. It is my hope, that as years pass by, all that they have left behind (no land or houses or money as all these, or the little that they had, were swept away or broken during the storm) will not be forgotten but will be passed through even to the next generation of our family. And may you find even just a little nugget of treasure. Be blessed!)

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise.” Proverbs 6:6

The midday sun beat on his back. Slowly he made his way through the field with his faithful carabao. Once again, Moreto found himself following behind that symbol of labor in the Philippines. His father had once again fallen asleep drunk last night, which only means that it was up to him to take the carabao out and work on the field again. His father had done it before and he would do it again as his manner of getting drunk indicated.

LIVE UP God's Dream 4

LIVE UP God's dreams. L-Lean, listen and learn. I- Infuse reality with grace. V-Voice out truth. E-Embrace servanthood.

U - Unceasingly Watch and Pray. The way to God's dream is narrow and difficult, and there are only few who finds it (Matthew 7:14). It is so narrow and steep that no one can get there without casting aside all encumbrances, baggage or own agendas; and only by taking hold of the rope that God provides, can it be made passable. UP. "I will lift up my eyes to the hills-- from where comes my help. My help comes from the Lord..." (Psalm 121:1,2)

One favorite writer described the journey this way: 

LIVE UP God's Dream 3

There's a common thread to living up to God's dream. LIVE UP!

L - Lean, Listen and Learn. We just don't drift in life. We learn and we become who we lean into, and listen to. Though we absorb life lessons in different ways, we need to move past just being copy/past learners or even a paraphraser and into a transformed learner, willing to learn to be transformed by the Master Teacher, the One who can only transform lives.

I - Infuse Reality with Grace. God dreams that we live in His grace--- for our reality, our everyday, our present, our today. Accepting God's grace moves us from our past and turns our today into a blessing, a present from heaven indeed. With His grace infused into every corner of our lives, we can be gracious with those around us, including even ourselves. We are able to forgive for we have been forgiven. We can give for heaven has given us everything in Christ Jesus. We can even give of ourselves, care and love for we know that God takes care of our every need.

V- Voice out Truth. The only standard for truth is God's Word. We can never live up to God's dreams for us when we listen to the lies of the enemy, value others' opinions above God's Word, and depend on our own wisdom. We need to voice out truth over our circumstances and over our own feelings. All else will pass away. Only God's Word will remain. Knowing God through His Word, His character and will, gets us to fulfilling His dreams for us.

E - Embrace Servanthood. As I'm writing this, every ounce of my flesh is rebelling. How can somebody want servanthood gladly, willingly? Ask Hannah.

LIVE UP God's Dream 2

If we want God's dreams, we got to LIVE UP.

To live up is to do life with the aim of moving on to a higher ground.

To live up is to intentionally be full of life despite circumstances or people pulling us down.

To live up is to come alive and remain alive in God's truth, His presence, His power.

To live up is to know and believe that our help only comes from above, that our blessings can only flow out from the good heart of God, and our very lives come from His own poured out life.

LIVE UP God's Dream 1

I wrote this blog post long before Haiyan storm came. And I was ready to publish it. But for some reason, something just kept me from doing it. Now, I understand. God has a far better message for us. And I had to live through that message first before I can share it with you. I am not playing up my part in this message, for I know I am just a mere instrument. So if ever my weaknesses or deficiency in words, or my human failings are evident through my writing, I hope you pass them by, and read instead God's wonderful message. He loves us and He wants more than just mediocre lives out of us. He wants to see us through our potentials and live up to His dreams for us. He wants us blessed.

In case you haven't read the first part of this blog, it may be best for you to read it first. Here's the link: Living God's Dream.

Beyond the Storm: Love

Where God leads, He provides.

As my sister, Myrel, keeps on saying, she and the kids made it through to a safer place through God's providence. The whole experience was like crossing a raging river without a stepping stone in sight, but every time they took a step a stepping stone comes up for their feet to step on. And so, getting out of Tacloban was made possible through God's guiding hand and His love was evident in all His provision for the survivors' needs.

Three days after Haiyan, with no food, no water, no electricity, no clothes, violence breaking out in the city and citizens cowering inside their broken homes with any weapon they could find to protect themselves from intruders, everything wet and dirty, and the children-survivors needing medical help and none to find, my sister decided to get out of Tacloban. But how?