@ a White Christmas

Christmas has gone by once again! Indeed a lot has changed for me. Truly God is amazing! God's changed my looking forward to Christmas from me, myself, and I to Him and others. Strange enough Christmas has never been meaningful.

Hearing the Christmas story from friends has been such a delight. Knowing the true reason why we celebrate the season and the stories behind it, like the 3 Wise Men's journey to seek after the new born King (Matt 2:1-12) and the story of Joseph and Mary's unlikely travel to Bethlehem, and the account of the first Christmas celebration - the nativity scene (Luke 2:1-20). =)

Just like in the Christmas song that goes, "I'm dreaming of white Christmas..." truly, everyone is dreaming of a white Christmas. Everyone longs for their own ideal Christmas celebration. Others may want it loud, others quiet, others with their families and lots of food, others going out to their favorite vacation destination, others having wild parties, and others with all grandiosity as possible. I realized that Jesus did not at all experienced a very white Christmas; from the hard, dirty, & dusty manger to the stench of animal feces all over his "room". Ironically enough to consider He owns EVERYTHING. The 3 wise men each called him, the King of kings, the High Priest, and the Lamb of God. The wise men, the shepherds and all the animals with them despite the unlikely setting, we're all in awe of Jesus. 300 prophecies were made concerning the birth of Jesus and over 300 prophecies were also made concerning his 2nd coming. He is coming back and when that time comes will all of us be ready?

From now on, every Christmas season, I want to dream of a RIGHT Christmas. I pray that in Christmas 2008 more and more people will celebrate the Chritstmas season for the right reason - JESUS.

Jesus loves ya'll. Have a Christful year ahead! <><

@ Patience

Another fishing day in the streets and this time at Luneta park. My second fishing date with heaps from Harvest. We bought with us food to give and Jesus to share. We we're 30ish who took time and took part. Do you remember the first time you had a relationship with someone you really like or love? I do! I was so proud that I just had to tell the 'whole world' about it! Can you relate? Ofcourse you can. Have you ever met a genuine person who had genuine interest for another person who didn't tell all his friends the moment they became boy & girl friends? Anyway, my point is, that's the kind of sensation I get when I have the chance to tell somebody about my relationship with Jesus!

After sharing to manong police officer I got to hang out with a bunch of kids. I took time with them and at first they we're cute, but after a while they weren't that cute anymore. I had a hard time getting their attention without having to sound like 'teacher-terror', yet some listened while some had other intentions. Deep inside I was about to lose my patience with some of them, yet others got me excited with their attentiveness. I was a little bit upset in end though. I was thinking all they really wanted was food. I clinged to God's promise that his word will never return void. He reminded me that I was there just to plant 'little mustard' seeds.

At a deeper glance, I said to myself how easy and quick it was for me to become impatient. Now I know I'm guilty of something. O how the many times I've been inattentive to what God was telling me in so many situations and circumstances, how many times I have broken His heart, and yet He still forgives me, yet I know He's still patient with me.

Thank you Jesus for that lesson! Help me to be more like you!=D

@ Heaven VS a Mustard Seed

JC said this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in it’s branches.”

After reading this I asked God, “How can something so colossal, such as the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, be in par to something so small, such as a mustard seed?” I always thought that small = insignificant. You think about this for a minute. In basketball, ideally its tall players who get the upper hand of having a good career in the game. In food, more is definitely better than less. In school, only the “brainiacs” get a good impression from teachers (mostly). In music, the multi-talented get all the praise and attention. In the corporate life, need I say more??? So how is it that the kingdom of heaven is described similarly to a mustard seed???

I remember what a friend told me 3 years ago when we met sometime after high school. I was then already “on fire” with my new found relationship with God. She said to me, “If you just had a different face I wouldn't recognized that you’re the same person that I knew back in high school.” She then wondered who could have prayed for me. I asked why and she said, “Because that’s how it works, it starts with a prayer.” I remember this line clearly in my head…

Before I became a Christian, I was like a curse to the people around me; my family, people in school, and especially to the ones I hate. I taught my cousins to cuss, I cursed those I hated, I hated gay people, I & my friends would hurt people just because we had nothing to do and because we thought it was fun. Nobody could really get anything good from me. Until one faithful day, a “seed” was planted in my heart. I gave in to a very faithful friend’s request who kept on inviting me to their church. I went with a wrong motive, but when I heard the Pastor teach from the bible I got convicted with so many wrong things. To make the long story short, I began to understand that God has a purpose for my life, he has a plan and ultimately it’s to glorify himself. I began to compare my life to what God is telling me through the bible. Then I realize that I was so sick and tired of my life that I wanted to change. I wanted a relationship with God. I asked God to take the wheel and the rest was history.

I’ve been a Christian for 4 years already and I’ve been overwhelmed at what God has done in my life. God turned my life around to the point where I'm no longer a curse to the people around me, but rather the opposite. It was a tough change but God had it all planned out and worked out everything in the end for me. Right now, I’m enjoying serving him in every aspect of my life; I share Christ to others so they too can experience a relationship with God and spend all eternity with him. I love my family no matter what and I obey them already, I love my enemies, I see homosexuals in a different light, & I love to help other people. Now I understand why Jesus said, “it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” During that one faithful day, when a “seed” was planted in my heart little did I know that it would grow bigger and be used for the advancement of God’s kingdom in heaven.

To my brothers & sisters, always remember to be faithful in sharing the gospel of Christ. “Sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa” God promised that his word will not return void! Keep planting those little seeds!

To YOU reading this, if you don’t have a relationship with God the same thing that God did to my life he can, is able, and is very much willing to do same in your life!!! So I pray for you that you would stop controlling your life and surrender it to a great God who loves you so much that he sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to save you from all of your sins and on the 3rd day rose up from the dead to prove that he is our living God. God wants to have a relationship and not religion! Jesus loves you!<><

@ Fire Flies

I remembered the fire flies which I saw back home in Tagaytay. It was the 21st hour of the day. I was sitting declined out side the garden, I could hear nothing else but the crickets. I could see nothing but the silhouettes of the trees around and the clear firmament. I noticed the tall tree on my left side swarming with fire flies! It was the first time I saw that many fire flies in my life. I love seeing their butts twinkle in the dark. It was a beautiful sight. I was delighted that time. I was excited, so excited that I texted everyone I knew. Some were really jealous. =D

After a while, I remembered what my brother's would encourage me with, "we are God's light in this dark world." After that I tried to put my self in God's shoes. I bet the way I was enjoying that moment with the fire flies would be the exact way God is delighting when He sees our "butts" shining for His name sake. That was a very encouraging truth. I pray that my light would always shine for my Savior's delight.

"You are the light of the world . A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." - Matt 5:14-16

@ SKIPPY

I was driving my motor today and this question came to mind, "What if 'Skippy' breaks down, would I know how to fix it? Do I even know the parts of the motor and how it all works together to serve it's purpose?" the answer is NO! But I still use my motor; I trust it to work for me every single time by pressing a button whenever I'd use it. Then I thought of other things like, the house lights, the refrigerator, the computer, the car, etc. All these things I so often use but I don't really know how these things REALLY REALLY work and how there parts fit together to function making my life more convenient. I thank God for these conveniences in my life, I believe we all should be.

I realized that my faith in God works in the same way. I trust God so much with my life and yet I still don't know Him in His totality. Still I have a lot of questions to ask God; questions that undoubtedly causes the unbelief of many. A lot of people don't believe in God because they can't fathom His ways. In the bible, God said to the Christians, "walk by faith & not by sight". This is actually a commandment that in other words God's saying, "you can't fathom my ways, just trust and believe in me." Many people say, "to see is to believe" but God says, "believe in me first, then you will see."

Four years ago, I decided to trust God's word and have faith in Him even without understanding anything and now I'm seeing how God is changing me one day at a time. A change that I'm so grateful of. He took me out of darkness into his marvelous light. I took His word to believe in what God has done for me through His Son, Jesus Christ. Just like Skippy, I continue to trust and have faith in God because I know with all of my heart though I may not fully understand and know how He works, but everytime I rely on Him, he never leaves me nor forsakes me. Skippy can, but never will my God! =D

Prologue

Hi and welcome to my blog site. :)

Whats cool about this is you get to express yourself, what you like & don't like, what you think, what you feel, what you understand and don't understand, what you want others to know, & who you are only following your own rules and your own way, in your own little bubbly world without giving anyone the chance to criticize you on the spot. I believe all of us are critics by nature, some just don't know it yet. Some are positive criticizers & some are negative, often times very negative. :( I tell you now that I'm not a professional writer. I don't know if I can pass for average either. I don't really mind. For this occasion, i just feel like writing. So before I start sharing my thoughts, feelings, opinions, & really my life to you, I think it would be best to get to know me first to understand what I'll be blogging about from here-end. :)

I'm someone created by the ONE (Psalm 139:13-14)...born in the Metros, grew up in Negros, I was raised by my extended famly coz my immediate famly had 2 lay low coz of %@#$*! Sorry! I cant tell coz its too personal for me to spill. 4th year high, God opened up my eyes to the truth He prays I find it. (Hebrews 7:25) I thank God I did. Now I give my life to 1 faithful Homie who took the blame, shame, suffering, and even died for me... (Isaiah 53:4-5) Don't be mistakin' that I'm a religious person coz that aint right for you 2 be judgin'. All I'm relayin' is that I love Him, & all I want to do is worship Him 24/7 (Psalm 145:2), but of course theres Satan...I don't really bother what the world is trying to utter coz i believe in the end, its between me & my Awesome Creator. (Philippians 3:7-9)

If your interested to know more, take a deeper glance :)

http://excited4jesus.multiply.com/
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Catch ya'll later! Jesus loves you!<><