copy-paste from 2006

my reply to a fellow blogger (& to those who replied to her). she wrote about her thoughts on whether to go abroad, or stay in the Philippines..

we are all unique. what works for some (e.g. living simply, living abroad, putting a religious spin on everything) will not necessarily work for others. let's respect one another's individuality and review what we post to make sure we're not (or we don't seem to be) passing quick and uncalled-for judgments.

all we can do is try our best. and of course, this is not enough. but if we know that we already did our part (the discerning, the planning, the preparing), then we can just let go of the worries and let God take care of the rest (the challenges, the opportunities to serve Him, etc). feel what's in the heart. if you feel the need to experience something different, then go. if there's a sense of something that needs to be taken care of in the Philippines, then stay. the next step would be to just make a choice and present it to Him. go where you are most moved to love. ;)

some excess thoughts...

you have to recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and live life maximizing your strengths and talents. then if things still don't work, just continue moving on. keep the faith that it's better to have gone out to try the unknown than to be stuck in your comfort zone. and believe that there's a good reason for whatever turns out in the end. =)

just had to post this here to serve as a good reminder, that even if there are different details involved, all of the above still apply in this current year of 2020.

a Bible Verse a day keeps the bad vibes away...

to answer migeys' bible verse challenge, here's a copy-paste from my facebook posts back in 2011. i've included the people who liked and/or commented just so i have them for easy reference (because they actually became part of one of my prayer lists).

04/15

ngiti lang ng ngiti =) [Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. - Hebrews 13:1-2]

khris, meriniza (2)

04/14

spring cleaning [A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from Your presence, nor take from me your Holy Spirit - Psalm 51: 12-13]

04/13

ring, ring.. [Lord Almighty, God of Israel, afflicted souls and dismayed spirits call to you. Hear, O Lord, for you are a God of mercy - Baruch 3:1-2]

04/12

it's not about 'winning' or 'losing' [One may toil and struggle and drive, and fall short all the more. Another goes his way a weakling and a failure, with little strength and great misery - Yet the eyes of the Lord look favorably upon him; He raises him free of the vile dust - Sirach 11:11-12]

04/11

respeto. [Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity. - 1 Timothy 5:1-2]

04/10

i want to be able to say this in the end -> [I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith - 2 Timothy 4:7]

khris, naty, bato, francis (4)

Nathalie Ang SUPER LIKE!!!!!!!!!!

Hazel Alcantara-Pasicolan Yeba!

Jill Patricia De Guzman ‎=D

Francis Cubacub amen

04/09

open my ears.. help me to hear.. [If you are willing to listen, you will learn - Sirach 6:33]

khris (1)

04/08

open the eyes of my heart, i want to see... ♫ ["What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Lord, we want our eyes to be opened." - Matthew 20:32-33]

crystal, clemetine, jiggy (3)

04/07

what's in you? [I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective, through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you. - Philemon 1:6]

kat (1)

04/06

may magandang patutunguhan ang lahat. [the testing of your faith produces endurance.. let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. - James 1:3-4]

jucyn, khris, meriniza (3)

04/05

let it out. loud & clear. even if it doesn't make sense. haha, labo. [He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. - Hebrews 5:7]

jobeth, khris (2)

Khris Nuenay Hahahaha ntawa ako sa 'loud and clear' tas 'doesn't make sense' ... Clear ba un? Hahaha :) pero gets gets :)

Jill Patricia De Guzman haha, e kaya nga "It's like i'm doing the worst i can to make you understand" =p

04/04

kailangan magpakatotoo. [Some friends bring ruin on us, but a true friend is more loyal than a brother. - Proverbs 18:24]

hannah, monai (2)

04/03

it is not optional. [Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9]

hannah (1)

04/02

simply because. [We love, because He first loved us. - 1 John 4:19]

04/01

kahit napapagod, hindi magsasawa =) [Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You. - Psalm 25:21]

naty, michi, khris (3)

03/31

we all need somebody to lean on ♫ [Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2]

khris (1)

03/30

pa hinga naman dyan.. [Are not the days of my life few? Let me alone, that I may recover a little - Job 10:20]

03/29

kinailangan din Niya ng kaibigan... [He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." - Matthew 26:38]
naty, hannah, kuya dong (3) 

03/28
if i can't do it, He will. [Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance - Micah 7:18]
jo-ann, hannah, cj, sari (4)

03/27
sabi ni PNoy, hanggang saan ang pagiging "man for others" mo? gaano kalayo ang "down from the hill?" mali ang balewalain ang kapwa. ibukas ang puso. wag magpatumpik-tumpik na magbigay ng "one big fight!" [let us run with endurance the race that is set before us - Hebrews 12:1]

03/26
i still get amazed. who would've thought i'd learn how to snowboard, for instance? ;) [I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13]
joel t, paul morales, iva (3) 

03/25

heart. not for anyone else. not even for me. [Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men - Colossians 3:23-24]
kaye bantigue (1) 

03/24
‎=D [The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent - Exodus 14:14]
ate leni, ivy angeles, khris, kat (4) 

Katherine Rubiales Valencia Thank you Lord kasi I'm very quiet like Jill :D

Jill Patricia De Guzman hehehe.. buti na lang ano? pwede ko rin awayin para sayo, asan na?! ay teka. baka "ipaglaban" pala ang mas magandang term. haha.. =p

03/23
did you pay your taxes yet? hehe [repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God - Matthew 22:21]
ich, hannah (2) 

03/22
we do need one another [As iron sharpens iron, so man sharpens his fellow man. - Proverbs 27:17]
khris (1)

03/21
i have to be kind to me too [Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other - Ephesians 4:32]
ivy angeles, kat, khris, monai (4)

03/20
-

03/19

we have it in us to thrive [God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control - 2 Timothy 1:7]

03/18

let's work with (and make the most of) each of our present 'unpleasant' conditions [Promote the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you; pray for it to the Lord, for upon its welfare depends your own. - Jeremiah 29:7-9]

03/17

i won't worry my life away, says mraz [if even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest? - Luke 12:26]

karen, masy, pat (3) 

03/16

thank you for sharing these past two days with me =D [How good it is, how pleasant, where the people dwell as one! - psalm 133:1]

monai, hannah, pat (3)

03/15

a happy thought for a happy day =) [Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine - Isaiah 43:1]

ivy angeles, cj, quay, ate leni, ayie, bato, karen, erica (8)

03/14 [mon]

it's so easy to get distracted and lose sight of the right path [Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the Lord - Lamentations 3:40]
jo-ann, khris (2)

03/13
take care... [many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many - Matthew 24:5]
carme, ivy angeles, ich, hannah, bing, pat (6)

03/12
the answers will come accordingly [Wait yet a little and I will instruct you - Job 36:2]
bing (1)

03/11
just keep praying [I am the LORD, the God of all mankind! Is anything impossible to me? - Jeremiah 32:27]
ate leni, erica basilio, cygnet, jiggy, ate tess (5)

03/10
lunch time for the soul too [But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. - Romans 8:10]
khris, michi (2)

03/09 [wed]
a Bible Verse a day keeps the bad vibes away... [live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility & gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love - Ephesians 4:1-2]
hannah, erica basilio, jo-ann, nico, jhamm bondoc, ich, liezl schoenleber, dong (8)

b.o.o.k.s.

current top 10 (books with lasting impressions on me)
in no particular order:

♦ morrie: in his own words [morrie schwartz] - life lessons

♦ tuesdays with morrie [mitch albom] - life lessons

♦ veronika decides to die [paulo coelho] - freedom from what other people think; having nothing to lose = doing whatever you want

♦ the unbearable lightness of being [milan kundera] - existentialism; relationships

♦ the chosen [chaim potok] - friendship; role of silence

♦ the gift [danielle steel] - "some people just come through our lives to bring.. a gift.. and then they leave."

♦ angels & demons [dan brown] - made me re-think my definition of good & evil

♦ harry potter series [j.k. rowling] - very good story telling

♦ the hunger games trilogy [suzanne collins] - fighting for who you are, who you love, & making the world a better place

♦ nancy drew mystery stories [carolyn keene] - took too many hours of my childhood to not include. =p

common themes: mystery; humor; philosophy

tagged by: jp del rosario, lara yturriaga
tagging: anyone else who'd like to share..

the switch

it's disconcerting to switch.
from caring too much, to not caring at all. 
from being attentive, to not paying attention to anything at all. 
from giving my everything, to giving nothing at all. 

but the switch happened. i'm not mulling over it. i'm just stating that it happened. maybe i should think more about this, but nah. not now. i do want to clarify (for myself in the future): this refers to my life in general. a lot of aspects were affected by the switch. maybe i'll address them one by one someday.

things. stuff. gaps.

it's a bit frustrating to have to keep myself from seeking distractions (from my restlessness). in the recent past, i usually turn to TV, games, browsing, mindless chats. to pass the time. till i get motivated again to do more relevant stuff. these 'wala lang' activities are not really bad for me, especially since i don't think i go overboard with the time i allot for them. i still do other stuff, and i feel like i'm pretty okay with my balancing act. but for lent, i'm trying to be more empty. to see if there are better ways of filling the acidic gaps within me. i've been resting a lot. but sometimes, i also get tired of resting, if you know what i mean. i wanna be productive.

there are also 'several things' that i don't want to dwell on about my current (physical, emotional, mental) state. i guess this adds up to my frustration. when i'm not busy, these 'things' try to creep into my head and mess me up. i don't want stuff to blow up in my face, so i have to keep myself aware of the facts, and the other considerations related to these 'things.' but i don't want to over think as well, so i'm keeping my thoughts about these 'things' at a relatively safe distance.

woosah! =)