Failure

My son stayed up late last night to study some more prior to his Math test today. He is in an advanced class and I don't even know how to solve for some of his problems when I take a peek at times. [Thank God, He willed for me to become a nurse, instead of an architect or engineer...I don't like "NUMBERS!!!"]. This morning, hard working as he's been, he woke up early, ate breakfast and left early so, together with other classmates, they went to see their Math teacher who always patiently does extra teaching for an hour, before the morning bells ring at 09:00 a.m. He helps students understand whatever is confusing for them so that they will do better every time a test is given. I salute Mr. T's effort and his extra diligence to make his students learn!

When the bell rang at 3:10p.m. signifying the end of the school hours, I turned on the car's engine and waited for my son to come out of the gate, where I usually pick him up. He looked tired or something! When he came into the car, in a sad tone of voice, he told me, "Mom, I don't know how I did because the test was so hard!" My heart was just breaking to even hear him say that, feeling his uncertainty with the outcome of this test.

Going through my own failures in this life's journey, I thank God for the wisdom that rushed to my mind instantly. I told my son, "It's okay. Whether you will pass or fail, daddy and I don't expect you to ace the test all the time. There will come a time that sometimes, you will also fail. But what's important to us, is that we both know how hard you have worked for it and how hard you studied." "It's just different if we know that you are not putting any effort and then for sure, you will fail! If you do fail in today's test, it's okay. You try to learn from whatever mistakes you will have and learn from them. Maybe study harder next time? Or if there is a confusing formula, you can relearn. Just relax. You owe it to yourself."

The tensed, sad puppy eyes beamed with relief and he started to breathe a little better. Deep inside my heart and mind, I was quietly speaking with my "Parent" Who understands all the time when I go through my own failures in life. And He's always the First One to tell me to get up again when I fall, to try to smile after bawling out, and to relax after a nerve-wracking storm had just gone by."

Yes, my Parent comforted me first, so now, I can comfort my own child. Thank You, heavenly Daddy!

Proverbs 24:16 -"They may trip seven times, but each time they will rise again."

Matthew 7:24, 25 -"Anyone who listens to My teaching and obeys Me is wise, like a person who builds a house on a solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse, because it is built on rock."

Psalm 37:23, 24 -"The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."

The Lord is Close...

It has been a year now that my father had passed away. I miss him daily. I miss him then when he was still here with us physically, because many miles of oceans had separated us.

There is a saying that sometimes, you won't know the value of something or someone you love until you lose it. It's not true in my case. I know that I will lose someone so great, even before I lost my beloved father.

You see, my father always love to joke around. He makes people around him laugh no matter what circumstances he's in. When he came to know Christ and accepted Him as his Savior, the more joy he shared with those who had loved him and learned to love him like their own father. He loved to share whatever things he had specially with the needy ones.

Joy is not something we can create. It is a special gift that only comes from God. It is having that feeling inside that "everything is and will be okay" despite the turmoils or any difficult trials around us. The whole time [2 weeks] that my siblings and I were with him, we talked a lot with our father, shared so much laughters and reminisced many warm memories we shared as a family and when our loving mother was also with us.

One night, looking more tired and ready to go home to the Lord, as we [his loved ones] surrounded him on his bed, he started asking my siblings and I, one by one. He wanted to know if we had any special requests and he said that he would personally deliver it to the Lord. So to make him happy, we tried to say anything though what mattered to us was his comfort.

He closed his eyes and placed his skinny arms on his chest as if he was preparing to see his Savior. Tears started running down our eyes, as we took turns hugging him and kissing him and we kept saying "I love you dad, and thank you for everything." His breathing started to become more shallow and slower. But his mental state was very alert and oriented.

After 5 minutes of us intently looking at him, preparing ourselves for his "departure", he suddenly opened his eyes and out loud spoke, "God will be angry!" My brothers and I looked at each other, thinking "was he confused?" But as he was talking, we knew he wasn't. So, I asked him, "Dad, what do you mean God would be angry? With who?"

He looked at me as if I was supposed to know the answer and said, "Yes, God would be angry with you guys because you have too many requests!"

The tears of sorrow turned to tears of laughter. My brothers and I were talking with our eyes as if we were all saying in unison - "That's dad!!!"

The Lord granted few more weeks for us to be together. How I treasured that! Lord, thank You for being close, specially at times when we feel so alone, so scared, and when we are hurting. Help us draw closer to You...

Zephaniah 3:17 -"The Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song."

Psalm 68:3 -"Let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God's presence. Let them be filled with joy."

Psalm 146:5 -"Happy are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God."

Got Time?

My son's passion is to design his own car. He loves cars since he was a little boy. He had made a movie showcasing a car he particularly designed and worked on for a few days. Beaming with pride and relief he had finished it, he asked me this morning, "Mom, do you have time to look at the car I did?" He knew we have little time in the morning when he has school. I replied, "for you, yes, my son, I will always try to find time. I will drop anything I'm doing."

Immediately, I have this sort of like "conviction" from the Lord and I felt I needed to share it with my son immediately. I asked him back, "son, can you imagine us asking our "Daddy" [the Lord] if He has time for us? What do You think would He say?" Without blinking and without much thought, my son goes, " I think He'll say.....I have eternity..."

Then, I asked him again, "well, what would our answers be if the Lord asked us, "Child, do you have time for Me?"...We both got quieter...But I knew in that silence, we were thinking the same thing...We must learn to set our priorities and not forget to spend time with the Lord.

Thank You Lord, for reminding us in quiet ways, how important it is for us, to start the day spending time with You. Lord, please forgive us that we get caught up with the hustle and bustle of daily lives and we forget to make time to talk with You. Help us set our priorities daily, Oh Lord, starting each day in seeking You and Your heavenly wisdom. Thank You for Your presence in our lives and we know Your time doesn't end here in this lifetime, but it surely lasts for eternity. What more can we ask for oh Lord if we have Your love and presence with us?Thank You for Your love, Father.

Mark 12:30 -"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

Matthew 6:32-34 -"For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Colossians 3:2 -"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

Luke 12:34 -"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Proverbs 3:6 -"Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths."

Your Love Oh Lord

I had been thinking about Paul's prayer when I wrote about being rooted in God's love today. Lord, I just want to thank You for loving us first.

I had originally wrote this song [no title yet at that time] back in November 25, 2004, during Thanksgiving Day and wanted to thank the Lord that day. I could never grasp or fathom the amount of love He has given us and continue to give us. Lord, I feel that everyday since surrending my life to You.

Then, almost 3 years later, on June 20, 2007, the Lord had inspired me to rewrite the song and this time He gave me the title, "Your Love, Oh Lord".

I wanted to share this with all of you, never forget that when we feel that we are unloved, it's not true! There is always Someone Who had loved us first! And Whose love remains faithful and that's for eternity. Glory to God! May God bless you all and may you all discover this love awaiting to be accepted. Christian friends, I pray that we will keep growing more and more in His likeness. Thank you all for your kind comments and visits and prayers! I love you all in Christ's Holy Name.

Your Love, Oh Lord

I can never understand the way You love every man

On the cross You died and You called us friends

I can never comprehend the sacrifice and all the pains

But even on the cross, You welcome us with open arms

Chorus:

And Your love is wide........wider than what my eyes can see

And Your love is long.........it endures for all eternity

And Your love is high.........higher than the skies and the heavens

Your love is deep................deeper than the rivers and the seas

[Your love, Oh Lord...]

Help me be like You in all of my ways

Dwell into my heart, only in You I have faith

I wanna' be rooted only in Your love

So I can begin to understand....

That Your love is wide.........wider than what my eyes can see

And Your love is long............it endures for all eternity

And Your love is high............higher than the skies and the heavens

Your love is deep...................deeper than the rivers and the seas

Your love, Oh Lord....[Your love is wide...]

Your love, Oh Lord.....[Your love is long...]

Your love, Oh Lord....[Your love is high...]

Your love, Oh Lord....[Your love is deep....]