Let Us Vote!

Voters are all excited to participate in this important Presidential election come the 4th of November. Harsh words are exchanged and that attitude of "I'm better than you" are rampant. Rumors fly. Legitimate questions are not answered. Voters who comment in different websites have hurtful words to say. The presidential candidates may have a lot of plans to help the people and our failing economy but the steps to achieve them are all not clear. So many sweet promises are delivered but people won't know the outcome not until they are elected.

We forget that we are all humans. We are all sinners. We are all biased. We are not wise when we step on others, when we lie, when we assume and not discern who is speaking the truth from their hearts. People may think that they are wise but all of our wisdom is just foolishness to God.

Jesus had shown what it meant to be gentle...He pitied the crowds of hurting people, lifted their heavy burdens, healed some from their physical infirmities, and became the sacrifice for us all, sinners. He said, "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle and you will find rest for your souls." [Matthew 11:28-29.

Not until we surrender our lives to only one God, we will never understand what it means to be gentle, to be humble, to have a quiet spirit. James 3:17 says, "The wisdom that comes from heaven is...peace, loving, gentle at all times."

In this election, may God install the godly leader we desperately need at this hurtful times. Please go out and vote!!!

Ezekiel 18:21 -"But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all My decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die."

Isaiah 55:9 - "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

Proverbs 3:5 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

Psalm 25:12 -"Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose."

He Found Me First

I remember when my son was still in his toddler years, he liked playing "hide and seek." I would pretend that I didn't know where he hid since he liked going into the closet under the stairs. During one of those playful times, I started knocking on that closet's door and said, "I know you're there. I'll come and get you..." To my surprise, he wasn't there when I opened the door and suddenly, little hands were wrapped around my right leg and a little voice excitedly was screaming, "I found you first, mommy!"

Before I visited my ailing father in November 2006, as I had one of those quiet times with the Lord, He reminded me that like those games my son and I played, we were playing the same game. When I thought that I was the one trying to seek and find Him in my life, it never occurred to me that He was the One Who found me first! [Luke 19:10 - "For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost!].

I wrote this song on 2/2/06 before I visited my sick father:

I Want To Seek and Find You
[But You Found Me First]

I was walking for so long in the darkness
'Til a light shone on me
The road I travelled became clear
I knew right there my destiny

I want to seek and find You, oh Lord
Draw me near to You, I will be strong
I want to seek and find You, my God
Hold me closer into Your arms

My heart's one desire
Is for You to mold me and make me new
Fan the flame and my hunger for You
So I can talk and walk like You do

I want to seek and find You, oh Lord
Draw near to You, to Your Word
I want to seek and find You, my God
Give You thanks and praise with all my heart

Seek You...but You found me first...oh my God
You found me first...

The Greatest Guitarist

When I was 11 or 12 yrs.old, my oldest brother came home for a visit from another country, after being away for so many years. One day, he started playing a guitar and for the first time I saw him, my eyes were glued with his techniques. My stares were just fixed with the way he would pluck each string and made beautiful music. I was carefully observing him then. Inside my heart, I felt a passion to learn something new at that moment!

So, I decided to learn the guitar on my own. Patiently, I studied the dots that corresponded to the way I would place the fingers of my left hand on the frets, as the fingers of my right hand tried to go up and down to try to make a chord. After a few days, my fingers were hurting! I noticed the blisters that had formed on each finger. Though it would hurt so much to try to play again and again, I tried to disregard the pain so I could learn how to really play this instrument. Learning how to adjust the strings many times, more strumming and plucking of each string with the blistered fingers of the left hand positioned to strike a chord, I heard a note formed. The notes became a song that was familiar. Pretty soon, I was playing the guitar chords faster producing a more recognizable song. I was ecstatic, though I wasn't as great as Amy Grant!!! I learned to compose Christian songs and apply the simple chords which in turn, became songs I could use to worship the Lord.

Little did I know, with my whole, entire life, God is doing the same thing for me. I was the guitar He patiently used to create music. I'm sure He got a lot of blisters, too! [when I'm stubborn and not listening nor obeying His Word]. "How many times did He try to adjust my strings [my attitudes in life]?", I wonder....Oh Lord, continue to adjust me. Refine me. So I can be Your guitar that produces beautiful music to others' ears when they hear me, so that others will come to know You, the Greatest Guitarist! May they fix their eyes on You, Lord Jesus and be awed by how well You play every guitar in this world!!! Thank You for Your patience and for always being faithful and not giving up on me!

Psalm 143:5 -"I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that You have done; I ponder the works of Your hands."

Psalm 139:23-24 -"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any grievous ways in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"

Psalm 19:14 -"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

Psalm 51:10 - "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

As We Get Older

I'm having fun lately chatting with my sis-in-law using the yahoo messenger. It's wonderful that we are oceans away yet, we are communicating, sending messages within seconds. We are both updated with our day to day life events and hearing them makes both of us strong by encouraging each other when one is down or going through trials, or we may share a good laughter from funny things we say.

I was eagerly anticipating to chat with her yesterday but all day that I waited, she wasn't able to do so. I thought she might just be busy doing some errands. This morning, we were both online at the same time and had another great time chatting. She told me she had a headache and didn't feel good so she apologized that she wasn't able to chat with me. She joked about how hard it is to get older. I said, "I know". Because sometimes, I also feel aches and pains. I see my hair now with some strands turning white. Or my face with "age-spots" that they call. How many times has it happened that I keep changing my clothes, trying to find one that would make me look thinner? As we age, our skin wrinkles, our weight doubles, our memory might not be as sharp but come to think of it, they are just reminders that our lives here on earth are short and that we must look to the Lord always for He will sustain us during our aging process. I think when we feel old and weak then, we can rely on our God and we can throw away our fears about dying, knowing that the Lord promised eternal life to those who believes in Him. Thanks be to God for His love, mercy and grace.

Isaiah 46:4 -"Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you."

Psalm 71:17,18 - "O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come."

Proverbs 16:31 -"The silver-haired is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness."

Psalm 91:16 -"With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation."

Proverbs 3:2 -"For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you."

Psalm 23:4 -"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

Psalm 23:6 -"Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."