My Neighbor Bob

"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.
- James 2:8 (NIV)

I contemplated on mowing the lawn this morning prior to the future forecast of rainshowers the following day. In fact, it was supposed to be until Thursday.

Pausing only to wipe the sweat that dripped from my brows, I kept on sweeping and gathering the leaves and the other traces of grass that was scattered on the sidewalk. Suddenly, behind my back, a familiar sound of footsteps caused by the shoes being dragged heavily on the curb caught my attention.

“Oh, Hi Bob!” I exclaimed.

“Good morning,” I added as I waved my right hand up in the air with him nodding at my direction to acknowledge my greeting.

“How are you?” he asked me back.

With a slight boyish smile as he kept chewing his gum, he uttered, “There’re also some leaves that need to be swept in front of my house…” His way of joking around with me whenever he sees me cleaning in the front yard.

“I surely will be right over as soon as I get done here!” I replied smiling back at him.

“Well, you have a great day!” we both wished each other in unison.

I went back to finishing my task as I heard the footsteps lessened and Bob’s shadow becoming smaller as he walked away. I enjoyed short conversations with him since I met him from the first day. Through those short encounters we had, I always learned a little bit more about Bob.

A very old man, happy with the way his life had been despite the trials he had gone through from the past. When I see every line on his forehead, it reminds me when he was a war veteran. He only lives with his wife now, with his kids all grown-up and are on different States. His wife, most of the time felt weak that he had been walking alone. He has a house in Arizona but he told me that he preferred to live in California because he favored the climate.

“I’ve seen it all. I’ve done it all. And now, I’m just contented with walking everyday. This is my exercise. You’ll see me walking here and there,” he warned me once.

“I think that’s great. You are stronger than me I think because you always tell me how far you’ve gone and though I’m cleaning here in front of our house, I have not walked farther than you do…”

Reflecting and knowing how his experiences have made him a better person he is today, a much accomplished man yet contented with just simple things, I started hoping to be like him.

“Anytime, I’m ready…” he warns me again…pertaining to dying.

“I’ve seen it all. I’ve done it all. I’m happy…God is good.”

“He is, isn’t He? I’m grateful, too for God, Bob.”

I know I’ll see Bob again and even if I miss him during his early morning walks as I’m brewing my coffee inside the house and not ready to go out in the front yet, he taught me so much about life’s journey.

That like him, I can also go farther and go for longer distances as long as I have FAITH and BELIEF. As long as anyone has faith, Jesus always meets us there on the road we are walking on. He is faithful to walk right beside us in this life’s journey all the way. And where is Jesus….there’s our true Home.

I haven’t seen it all. I haven’t done it all. But because I believe and trust in Jesus, I am contented that no matter what goes on in front of this road I’m walking on, I shouldn't be moved. There will be bumps. There will be rain storms. But anytime… “I’m ready.”  And how I long to be with Jesus knowing in His place, there’s no more pain, no more tears, no more shame…

one of my encounters with Bob

I glanced at Bob’s disappearing shadow and uttered a soft “Thank You…”

Thank you Lord for having me meet my neighbor Bob.

How Long Oh Lord?

“ ¹ How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?
   How long will you hide your face from me?
² How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
   and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
   How long will my enemy triumph over me?” – Psalm 13:1,2 (NIV)

“Stop talking! Just relax!”

Panting slightly, she pursed her lips and let out some rapid breaths. The nasal cannula in her nostrils delivering 2 liters of oxygen per minute aided a bit. I kept observing a foot away from where this middle-aged inmate was sitting. A nurse had previously seen and treated her already for her chest pain.

“How much longer Nurse? I’m feeling okay now.”

Dialing the nearby phone, I verified with the Charge Nurse and asked about the Estimate Time of Arrival of the ambulance.

“Soon….Just be patient.”

Excitingly, she started again telling me about her family history of how she, being the oldest among 5 sisters was the only one alive and her dad, being 82, was so youthful for his age.

“Wooo….I’m so excited that it’s getting hard to breathe…”

“Stop talking! I told you, just relax…”

Breathing in through her nose, I coaxed her to slow down and savor the oxygen going through her nostrils. She appeared calmer. Her white hair strewn in disarray and the lines on her made her look older for the stated age. She had been using heroin for 30 something years, she told me. The use of injected drugs made our IV starts difficult. She knew her working veins well, pointing to me where to land the needle. Without success. The veins and arteries felt hard, so hard that they were scarred because of the long drug use.

“I’m getting tired Nurse. I’m not having chest pain anymore. Oh….How much longer do I have to wait?”

“Just a few more minutes Ma’am. I heard it on the radio, the ambulance just arrived in the yard. You still need to go to the ER to be examined and make sure your heart is okay.”

I felt like that inmate, too, being impatient with the outcome of my battle that started in December 2010. While my enemies laughed at me and continue to harass me, I remained silent as this was not the proper time to speak up. I felt tired. I felt weak. I had been having pains from all the wounds those people had been inflicting me with. But I knew from the start, it would be Jesus Who would carry me through. I was never afraid of them because I knew I didn’t do anything wrong. They were just plain abusive of the power given to them that they thought they could do anything they wanted to do on a certain person. Like me. But victory was won! Long time ago! Victory that was given to me as He poured His love on my heart and brought me to a place of abundance. I needed to learn to relax. I needed to be patient. Everything happens for a purpose and I must trust on His timetable not mine. Forgive me Oh Lord.

^“3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God.
   Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
⁴ and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
   and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
 ⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love;
   my heart rejoices in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing the LORD’s praise,
   for he has been good to me.” – Psalm 13:3-6 (NIV)

How Long Oh Lord (Psalm 13)
Robert Barham Music Psalms


Consider, and answer me my Lord.
Re-store my strength; don't leave me here to die.
I know that you've been good to me,
I know that you will rescue me,
So please, answer me my Lord.

I've trusted in your steadfast love,
My heart will rejoice in Thy salvation,
I find these times so hard to bear,
I need you Lord to hear my prayer,
So please, answer me my Lord.

How long Oh Lord? Will you hide your face from me forever?
How long must I bear this pain in my soul?
How long Oh Lord? Will my enemies prevail forever?
How long till I see the light of your love?

I've trusted in your steadfast love,
My heart will rejoice in Thy salvation.
I find these times so hard to bear,
I need you Lord to hear my prayer,
So please, answer me my Lord.

How long Oh Lord? Will you hide you face from me forever?
How long must I bear this pain in my soul?
How long Oh Lord? Will my enemies prevail forever?
How long till I see the light of your love?
How long till I see the light of your love?

My Sister-In-Christ In The Prison

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

She exclaimed a little “Ooohh…,” surprised with the landing of small dab of cold gel on her lower abdomen despite my warning prior to squeezing the little bottle. Laying on the exam table, I encouraged this young female inmate to take deep breaths and try to relax as I scanned the tiny Doppler being glided by my right hand, finding the right spot to make her baby in the womb’s heartbeat to be audible.

“There you go! Can you hear it?”

“Yes, Ma’am…”as I made her look at the number that registered in the Doppler.

“147-155 beats per minute…That’s good.”

This inmate was 4 months pregnant, complaining of right flank pain. She was just sent to the hospital for the same reason. They told her that her ligament was being stretched so it was hurting on that spot. She was trying to tough it out yesterday, not demanding despite the continuous pain that bothered her all day. Until she could not stand it anymore and worries overcame her than calm. Pressing the call button in her tiny cell, she requested to be seen by us, medical staff.

“Everything was good. You didn’t have any bleeding. Your vital signs are normal. And your urine was normal too except I noticed it was concentrated. Try to drink more water so you won’t have Urinary Tract Infection.”

“You’re right, I was not drinking as much. I’ll try…”she softly uttered as she got up from the table, with both of us separated from any one’s eyes with the drape I pulled all the way to cover the door.

I knew she was incarcerated for helping in a gang activity. But I wasn’t afraid of her. I knew I must not be talking with her in friendly manner because it was in the prison’s policy to not make the inmates feel that they were being befriended. Silence. Just her and I in that Exam room filled with all medical supplies. The thought of my Highest Supervisor witnessing both of us…as she started venting out.

“I read the Bible a lot so Ma’am, I’m not afraid. I know that God has a plan and that everything happens for a reason.” She tried to look me straight in the eye, trying to see my reaction.

Remaining calm and perhaps, spilling a little joy from my eyes, she sensed that upon her mention of the word Bible and God.

“That is true. Everything you said…God is good…You got any other kids? You don’t have to answer me if you don’t want to,” I reminded her.

“Oh, no. I feel comfortable with you Ma’am. Yes, I have 2 small kids still at home. My husband is also here (in the prison).”

“That must be very stressful…”I left my statement with a sort of fill-in-the blank at the end…

“Yes…I think of my children a lot…”

“You believe in God and you read the Bible. That is a great thing to have. He does have a great plan for all of us. But we must also do our part….(long pause as she bowed her head then looked up again and instead of standing up, remained eager to hear the rest of my statement sitting down on the edge of the table)…It starts with making the right choices. You’re still young and you have a baby to be brought out of this world and the other two back home needing their parents.”

“I’m sorry…I can’t let you stay here for a long time though I still want to talk to you…”

“I understand, Ma’am. I know the rules here…Thank you so much for your help…”

She took a sip of the small glass of water I offered when she first walked in…

“One more request, Ma’am…”

“Yeah?”

“Would you please pray for me, as a ‘sister-in-Christ?” she smiled shyly, as if making a big and impossible demand.

“I always do…”

“Sister…”

“Even for those who don’t know Christ yet…”

I let her out of a metal door and her body mingled with those other who came down to have their blood sugar levels checked inside the Infirmary. I saw her leave the Clinic amid the big throng of orange-uniformed women, marching back to the corridors that led to their units.

“Oh, Lord…Please help her…and all these women know Your love and grace. Help them find their true freedom despite being locked up. The freedom that comes from You…Thank You Lord…”

“Are you okay, Rcubes?” asked one of the people who I discerned to be a part of those who had been giving me a hard time regarding my job.

“Yeah, I’m okay…”

“Are you sure?”

I was intimidated with her question. I sensed she wanted me to relate more regarding my battle at work and find out the difficulty or any hardship I was going through. But these things did not matter anymore to me at this point. After meeting that inmate and other past events, I knew God was always in control. For me to think of their senseless evil ploys would be just useless. It was that inmate and others like her that mattered to me more than my own battle at work against some people trying to imprison my spirit with invisible walls of hate, wanting me to be a part of their schemes…

“Yes, I’m sure…because God is good…” I spoke with certainty.

It was her turn to be silent…But in my heart I would always remember that she and the others, too, who were abusing their power at work were also in big need of prayers…

For they don't know...my sister-in-Christ incarcerated was truly free...

^“5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. ⁶ But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

 ⁷ “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. ⁸ Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! ⁹ Pray like this:

   Our Father in heaven,
      may your name be kept holy.
   ¹⁰ May your Kingdom come soon.
   May your will be done on earth,
      as it is in heaven.
   ¹¹ Give us today the food we need
   ¹² and forgive us our sins,
      as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
   ¹³ And don’t let us yield to temptation
      but rescue us from the evil one.^{” – Matthew 6:5-13 (NLT)}

The Power from Words

"Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs." - Pearl Strachan

“Hello?.....”my friend wondered why I grew quiet on the other end of the line.

I was trying to tell her how there were many bees active during the day coming from one of the neighbor’s overgrown bushes. It made me wary on days that I tried to mow our front lawn, avoiding any unwanted sting from any direction.

Her analytical response made me seal my mouth. For some reason, her response stung my heart and it hurt more than a bee sting…

“Well, you don’t know…maybe they don’t have the money to pay for someone to trim those bushes. You just don’t know what goes on in someone’s life…”

Her response was only truthful and it was not the reason why those words pierced my heart. It was my own reflection of how I said my own words that hurt me. I surely did not want to sound like I was an insensitive neighbor who didn’t care for what could have been going on in someone’s life. I never saw the wife after I spoke with her during one of our early morning encounters. She was so excited about her retirement and few days later, I never saw her again. Until I was cleaning in the front yard, gathering some wind-blown dry leaves and her husband was walking their dog.

“How’s D? Please tell her I say ‘hello’.”

“She couldn’t go out as much anymore,” he responded with a slight sadness but with an acceptance kind of tone with what transpired.

“She was diagnosed with ‘Fatigue Syndrome’ and it just took a lot of her strength to do anything.”

“I’ll be praying for her and please, if you need help, do not hesitate to ask us,” I offered.

“Oh, we’re okay. Sometimes, life takes a turn…”he added, evading the offer.

And pray for her and him I did. Lifting them up to the One Who knew it all and Who could do impossible things.

“Hello?...”

“Well…have a good night. Please try to get some sleep. I love you…” I finally uttered to my friend.

“Okay…Thanks for calling. Have a good night!” My heart started to feel better at that point.

My mind never stopped reflecting about how careful I must be to only let good words come out but always speak of things that have values…Words do have power and can either heal or hurt. But the change must come first from its source…The “heart”…

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” – Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)