The Proverbs 31 Woman In My Life

"She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable,and her lamp does not go out at night.In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." -Proverbs 31:17-20 (NIV)

Getting up each day before the sun rose, she would carefully lay out the material on the table and after drawing her pattern for that specific dress, she traced the lines precisely with her long-time trusted scissors. Her husband being away as he sailed other parts of the world, she became both the father and mother during those times. By sewing dresses and other things to wear, that was how she was able to help her husband with the family's financial needs. Her customers, barely picking up the finished dresses, were already giving her more materials for her to do. I never heard any complaints but all praises for her work.

I remembered seeing her cooking in between doing the trade she mastered. Good aromas from her food filled the small kitchen that fed six growing up children. Late at night, wearily, she retired to bed without any complaints, only to do the same things the following day. The more hunger she had to keep herself even busier to sustain her family’s needs. Her priority was for her children to finish their education.

I had seen her tears shed during the darkest of the nights and as she tried to face the toughest storms of life that she had to endure, minus my father’s physical help, I had seen her strengthened by her faith in God and her pleas for God’s mercy and help, instead. To the wooden pews in the church, she was quick to bend her knees and as she bowed her head, it seemed it took forever the way she uttered her prayers. I never understood it back then “why”…but at the latter years, I knew she interceded for each of her children.

My mother loved to help out others. She brought her home cooked meals to sick relatives, even to those who hurt her constantly and had said lies about her, she paid them back with what she could offer: her love and passion for cooking.

When she passed away, I couldn’t even ascend the stairs when I got home after 13 hours of flying. That was the only time I didn’t want to rush entering her house. Literally and figuratively, I had learned that day that we truly lost the “light of our home.”

I heard people whispered how some made fun of her as she shook people’s hands in the church as she took time with those she knew and she didn’t know. But when she died, everyone missed that gesture.

She was the biggest loss in my father’s and her children’s lives and we knew at that moment, no other could ever fill the hole she left in our hearts.

I know I could never be like my mother with those strong qualities she possessed: industrious, has strong integrity, very resourceful, and has strong faith in God. But she remains to be my inspiration, day after day. Successful or not, strong or weak, accomplished or not, I know she would always be proud of me and her other children no matter what.

She is that kind of mother who always believes in her children’s best after all. I love you mom, the Proverbs 31 woman in my life. I miss you more than ever!

"She is clothed with strength and dignity;she can laugh at the days to come.She speaks with wisdom,and faithful instruction is on her tongue.She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.Her children arise and call her blessed;her husband also, and he praises her:“Many women do noble things,but you surpass them all.”Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." - Proverbs 31:25-30 (NIV)


Happy Mother's Day to you, mothers out there. And to you who have a heart like that of a mother's. Thank You God for giving us "mothers."

Through Losses And Tears

“We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” – Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)

“Kristian, think carefully about next year,” stated my husband to my son.

“You might have to quit playing tennis as your mom’s schedule is so unstable at this time,” he added.

“Okay, Dad,” my son quietly replied. But I saw the forming sadness on his face.

“It’s still early to decide,” I answered.

“I’m sure we’ll find a way.”

I have been volunteering to bring some players in our car, along with my son when they have tennis matches away from their school. Not only I enjoy it, but I enjoy spending quality time with my son and I want him to know that whether he wins or lose, I would be there for him.

“If you want to do something, don’t let an opportunity go by without you taking a chance or risking to do it even if it means you’ll fail,” I remember telling him long time ago.

That statement drove me to bring my husband to a private conversation and reminded him how the enemies love to only “seek, kill, and destroy.” That no matter how much we plan, we need to commit everything with the Lord. And that no matter how many times we plan, the truth is He is the only One Who directs a man’s step.

“Even if he had lost many times from his previous matches, that should not discourage him to stop playing. Even if they’re harassing me at work, that shouldn’t stop him from doing something he loves.” We both agreed. “Because through losses, that will build up his character and test his faith.”

“It’s not only about our son,” I told my husband. “I truly enjoy being there for the team because they’re like a family, too.” “It relaxes my mind now that I’m going through a tough battle at work. It makes me forget what I have to go through.”

Yesterday was a sudden change in the weather as we headed out to another highschool. It was too hot. But the team won! And my son won 3 out of 3 matches, with his doubles partner.

“That’s what it is, Kristian. Thank the Lord for the opportunity of having this and thank Him that through your losses, you learned not to quit.”

I should know…Because through my tears, I found comfort at His feet.

How will we know how to heal if we’re not wounded? How will we know what rest means if we’re never doing something? How will we know how to get up if we’ve never fallen? How will we know that there is something of greater  worth to come if we become satisfied with the things of this world?

May you feel God's love renew your Spirit as you listen to this song. And if you don't believe in God, I pray that your heart will take some moment to truly listen to His Voice calling you to return to Him. God bless you all.

Bullies

“Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.” – Ephesians 6:9 (ESV)

Enjoying some artwork through the glass case, I marveled at the beautiful sight with my family. All of a sudden, I saw some faces being reflected behind me. Faces of my co-workers who were trying to intimidate me!

“You’re under arrest!” exclaimed one of them, as he took out a pair of handcuffs and immediately applied them to both of my wrists in front of me.

“I’m sorry, you have to surrender your gun!” he added to my husband baffled at what was going on. Then to his side, came along my son with a confused look on why those metal cuffs were on my wrists.

“Daddy,” I softly whispered to my husband, “Just follow what he wants for now. Please don’t fight! Think about our son. We’ll just get a lawyer!”

Peering through a small window, I saw the same faces mocking us and I heard how they would give me a hard time once I got into our prison. Not as a nurse. But as a prisoner this time.

I tapped my husband’s shoulder and I asked him to hug me.

“I was having a nightmare,” I told him.

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There was no difference from that dream into what was going on in my reality. I felt they had been trying to bully me. Mentally… (A bully is a person who is habitually cruel or overbearing, especially to smaller or weaker people). The fight was real. As I saw those evil smiles in my dream, I saw them, too in reality. But I chose to remind myself that I was never weak. I was never small.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.”

– 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (NIV)

For now, it seemed I had no defense. But I trust in my Lord that in His perfect time, every evil act would be revealed. No one had dared to fight back before. Those being intimidated had left. One even died. But I was never afraid of them because I knew that I serve a mighty God Who knows it all and Who will fight for me.

For now I will wait…Wait for His perfect timing….As the lyrics of the song “Everlasting God” played at the back of my mind:

“Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord…

We will wait upon the Lord…

We will wait upon the Lord…”

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At The Bottom Of The Wheel

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise." - Proverbs 11:30 (NIV)


I saw the frustrations on his face. A puzzled appearance the way his brows arched. He looked at his partner who had the same face. My son was playing tennis yesterday and they were ahead by 3 points to nothing. All of a sudden as if the wind blew against them, they started losing.

“Mom, I don’t know what happened,” he whispered as he gave me a hug and saw me watching his matches.

“That’ s okay. You tried your best and that’s what’s important, same with your partner,” I replied and hugged him tight.

The match between the 2 teams lasted longer than expected. And the whole team from my son's school lost by 2 points margin.

This morning, as I talked with my son before going to school, I reminded him not to be discouraged. There are times when we are at the bottom of the wheel. Some days, we are on top. But it is in those times of being low when we are pushed to our limits, testing our patience and endurance.

“When you lose, you are being put under a lot of pressure,” I stated. “But you must never quit. How much pressure can you take?” I asked him.

He was quiet, contemplating.

“I’ll keep trying, Mom. And I do pray.”

“Okay, then, keep praying anyway.  Pray for your partner, for the whole team and even for the other team. You know that with His strength, you can do it!”

I’m at the bottom of the wheel, too. As I fight against some people in power. I know that what they had been saying and doing is not right. But it’s not my time yet to say anything. For now, I’m learning to endure. It’s too much pressure and I feel like being crushed at the bottom. But I must learn how to endure, like what I tell my son. I know because he’s watching me, too. And as he watches me, so it is with others around us.

For life is not about winning or losing tennis matches. It’s not about me being right at work. Life is about winning souls for Christ. Souls who are watching and reading our character. Souls who are observing how we deal with stress and tremendous pressure. Souls who are hearing how we speak about things. We grow in character because He promises to be there during our times of trials.
 

" ⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you." - 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 (NIV)