You and me.

'cause it's You, and me, and all of the people

and i don't know why

i can't keep my eyes off of You...

delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

i was browsing through my multiply inbox when i happened upon ruel's post entitled "living a life of blessing!" ruel recounts how had been praying for a "swiss-knife Bible," and God, in his rocking infinite goodness, gave him the desire of his heart.  God had just given me a similar experience as his, and, well...here's goes.

i didn't really want a new bible. honest. but God, being...GOD, knows us waaaaay better than we will ever know ourselves.

my usual post-service routine is hanging out at our church's next-door resource center. so that's what i did last sunday--after chatting with new friends, i hung out at the Pioneer church's bookstore, eager to look and see new books, and maybe yet again meet new friends.

just
then i saw this bible. the cutest bible i had ever seen. it was black with three glittery waves--in pink, blue, and orange. it was perched on top of the bible shelf. i gingerly reached for it and instantly got all kilig at what i saw. it was CUTE!

an acquaintance happened by, and in all my joy i called him to have a look-see. "uy, tignan mo ooooo! ang ganda ng bay-booooool..." i drawled.

mr. acquiantance (let's call him Jake) agreed. he had another friend with him who liked it too. in essence we were all crazy for the bible. Jake was making me kulit to buy it. as in he was persuading, convincing, cajoling, almost commanding me to buyit buyit BUYIT already.

at that time i already had another bible, and the practical, rational side of me was...rationalizing. "eh may bible na
ako eh," i reasoned. i didn't want the old one to go to waste. besides, sweldo would not come until friday. it had to wait.

after a few cajolings Jake went on ahead and i was left at the bookstore, making sulyap-sulyap at the bible, making the last few glimpses before i would travel back to Galleria. i'm sure you know the feeling: the "i-don't-want-to-let-go-but-i-have-to!!!" feeling?

i was happy with my old bible, remember?

Jake walked in a few moments later...and offered to buy my old bible for the price of the black one.

i was in shock, to say the least. i remember shakily removing the bookmarks in the old bible, and they were dropping all over the place. i was in a daze when the whole transaction was made. as in tulalang tuliro na tipong "what the heck is happening?" type. lost. you get the picture.

when Jake turned to leave for good, the waterworks came. (buti na lang wala nang tao sa bookstore nun! ) i was filled with so much joy and happiness and kilig...it was the BEST feeling in the world! over and over i was reminded of how David was in so much AWE of God's goodness to him:

Psalm 8:4 - "What is man that you are mindful of him?"

i couldn't stop thanking God then. i still am. the whole episode still makes me teary-eyed. it's a reminder of how great, good, and amazing God is. how He really is mindful of us. how He rejoices with us in our joys and comforts us in our sorrows. He ain't
distant. He's there. He just wants us to bask in His presence and dwell in Him. after all, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Romans 8:38)

haaaay... thank You Lord! thank You thank You thank You LORD! to You be the glory!




PS: here's what it looks like. cute, 'di ba?

Put Your Life Before God

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.


- Romans 12:1-2, The Message

SEVEN-DAY PRAYER & FASTING

woohoo! click me!

book wish list

i am hoping that by december 27th of 2008 i would have owned--and read--all these. :)

1. Captivating

2. When God Writes Your Love Story

3. The Enemy Called Average

4. Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

5. Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos

6. Authority in Prayer

7. Twelve Extraordinary Men

8. Twelve Extraordinary Women

9. A girly NLT Study Bible... because all the ones I see are boyish. ^-^

whee! I'm excited for the new year already!

so today i hit the gym for the very first time

...thanks to mackey's complimentary gift check. yaaaaay! rockin' christmas gift! thanks girl!

some thoughts:

1. instead of intimidation and the usual condemnation-about-my-weight stuff i was actually looking forward to it. i dunno. *shrug* for one, it's not every day that things like these come your way for free. for another thing, i have that propensity to try anything once. besides, what have i got to lose?

2. it's FUN. yes, it is. i like the gym gadgets! it really gives you a sense of variety in the exercise and all. i have a favorite gadget already, unfortunately i don't know what it's called. basta it makes you all bounce. ang saya.

3. i was singing "perseverance" songs in my head. mga tipong "i will run and not grow weary...i will walk and not pass out..." hahaha! seriously!

4. whenever i got too excited thinking about these things the treadmill would remind me that my heart rate is getting too fast. ooops.

5. not much people on a friday afternoon. good good.

6. basta. fun.

 

will i be signing up for a membership now? i don't know. i am still thinking about it. but hey, i guess it wouldn't hurt.

boy, time does fly!

i remember writing this two days after i rose my hand during the altar call a little over a year ago. what can i say. funny how things turn out differently a year later. :) and i'm sure, the years after.

 ==

"hard work" // oct 17 2006 10:00 am

admittedly, being a baby Christian is hard work.

Jesus always stressed the importance of loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself.

in my case, however... *sigh*.

last sunday the topic was on walking with God, and there were three ways in order for anyone to do this: first was obedience, second was agreement, and third was intimacy. enoch was the benchmark for walking with God. we don't know absolutely anything about him: all we know is that he lived for 365 years and didn't die. God just took him away, because he simply walked with God.

it was also stressed that God wasn't looking for diplomas or vital statistics or whatever--God just wants us to obey, agree, and be intimate with him. THAT simple.

admittedly i have a penchant for complicating things. i think and overthink, analyze and overanalyze. i find it difficult to accept simple truth. i'm not content with just what what is presented to me: it has to be proven down to the very last fiber. that belief is quite contradictory to the Christian faith, because that very word--faith--is the beginning and end of all things.

along with that is my (almost) natural tendency to criticize. my good friend karl characterized me as a nitpicker. admittedly, i do find pleasure in finding fault in things--especially other people. i tend to judge quickly. i mean, i claim to be a Christian yet I have like ten million sins a day. i'm turning into something i don't want to be: a hypocrite. then again that's when the simplicity of wanting to walk with God comes in. Lord, i don't want to be like that anymore. i don't want to judge and okray and just be freaking mean anymore.

heehee

moar funny pictures

bagong buhay: nacu-cute-an ako sa aso

wikang pilipino muna.

naglalakad ako kahapon sa labas ng shangri-la mall. nakita ko yung K9 doggy. long-haired golden retriever. nakasuot ng santa hat, red na damit, tsaka red na wrist cuffs.

under normal circumstances, takot ako sa aso. as in takot. tipong maiilang ako lumapit. eh sobrang cute niya talaga. eh di lumapit ako.

ayon sa pinsan kong marami ang alagang hayop, ang mga K9 dogs raw ay trained na hindi magreact sa pagpet. tatlo lang raw ang normal na reaction ng aso kapag may nag-pet sa kanila: 1.) mag-growl; 2.) magwag ng buntot; 3.) mangagat.

nung nilapitan ko siya, wala akong takot na naramdaman (paano ka matatakot sa ganun ka-cute na aso?!). nagpaalam ako sa trainer niya kung pwede ko siyang hawakan.

pinet ko siya.

nag wag yung tail niya!


sana nagtake ako ng picture.

from 500 to 400

earlier this month i had my eyesight checked. i wanted to buy contact lenses for "wala lang's" sake, and i was coordinating with a friend's friend, who was an optometrist. we had not set a time and date to meet up, but God really has a way of putting things in order that far outplans our own plans.

the Optometrist and i had a chance encounter--putting it simply, i was in the right place at the right time. after a short wait filled with laughs, it was my turn to read the eye chart. sans glasses. the 475-grado left eye and 500-grado + 200-something astigmatism right eye could hardly decipher the eye chart sitting what seemed to be in front of me (admittedly, i have it memorized... i've been reading the thing for ten years!).

so alvin the optometrist had me wear spectacles and was inserting different lenses innit. i was reading the eye chart. the E, F P, LTOZ and such (see, i told you i have it memorized!). kidding aside, after putting on a bunch of lenses, alvin made me read the bottom part of the chart. and then...

"bumaba na yung grado mo."

i could not control the cry of joy that bubbled from my lips.

it was amazing, considering that i:

• constantly lacked sleep because of my schedule
• averaged 40+ hours a week in front of a computer because of work
• read while lying down--the main cause of my "blindness."

by human standards it seemed impossible for all of this to happen. but hey, didn't Jesus say that "with God, nothing is impossible?"

another thing. i had my eyes checked in april and already bumaba na yung grado ko nun from last year. after eight months naging 400 na lang yung grado ng pareho kong mata. isn't God simply amazing?!

i am reminded of Bartimaeus's story in Mark's book. Jesus and the disciples were getting out of the city when Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by. he called for Jesus. Mark writes:

Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

of course, bartimaeus's reaction is but natural:

The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. (Matthew 15:31)


20-20 vision, here i come!

sigh..
thank you Lord! :)

what's in a name (part 2)

Karess

You have leadership ability and with your power of expression can be an influential speaker. Organisation or management would suit you. Your energy, intellect and creativity overcome any challenging situations and assure your future success. Certainly with your emotions under control there is nothing which you cannot achieve. Your faith and vitality means that love and prosperity are naturally attracted to you.

Rubrico

You are an inspirational individual and seem to lead a charmed existence. Material success is no more than your versatility, optimism and courage deserve. You are creative and resourceful and can develop your ideas into tangible form which brings you great satisfaction. You attract friends, love and happiness in abundance because of your warm and enthusiastic nature. Life is much better with you around.

Karess Rubrico

Confident in yourself with a strong mind and creative flair you have the ability to apply your ideas to practical purposes. Your wisdom and balance means that others seek you out for counsel and guidance. You set high objectives for yourself based on your idealism and then achieve them with boundless energy and determination. You are loved for your understanding and positive attitude to life.

wow. inspirating ito! click here to get it as well