I can't change ---> The point exactly

I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
   --- "Same Love" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, ft. Mary Lambert
(More lyrics from the song appear in purple italics below)


So goes the chorus from a beautifully haunting song, which is also a strongly-worded crusade on one of today's most controversial issues: homosexuality.

This seems like the next revolution, after the abolition of slavery, women's liberation, and the civil rights movement for African Americans. But in today's issue, the bad guys are (again?) the Christians: 


It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion
Gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment
The same fight that led people to walk-outs and sit-ins
It's human rights for everybody, there is no difference!
Live on and be yourself
When I was at church they taught me something else 


I love your Christ,
but I dislike your Christianity.
   - Mahatma Gandhi


How many people have been rejected, oppressed, even killed in the name of Jesus? It is so grievous to see the hate in action perpetrated by the followers of "God is Love". (Here's a healthy reminder.) These days, it's Christians vs. Homosexuals.


When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same, but that's not important
No freedom till we're equal, damn right I support it


Damn right I support that too: freedom and human rights for everyone.

I've often thought of what I would have done in William Wilberforce's time, when he fought for the freedom of slaves because of his faith in Jesus Christ. I could have easily ignored Wilberforce, saw a culture built on slaves as a blessing, and even cite the Bible ("submit to your masters") as a stand for slavery. Of course, centuries later, we thank Wilberforce, King, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and other freedom fighters who did what they did because Jesus did what He did. 


Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
   --- Martin Luther King, Jr.


The right wing conservatives think it's a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made rewiring of a predisposition
Playing God, aw nah here we go
America the brave still fears what we don't know
And God loves all his children, is somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago 


One says homosexuality is a choice; another says it's hard-wired. One says it's immoral; another says it's no big deal. How can we reach a resolution when our starting definitions are already conflicting?

We can start with mutual respect, and a willingness to listen to the other side of the issue. (As a firm believer of "One Truth" and the goodness of every person, I believe we can reach a resolution.)

Like the song says, yes, the Same Love is available to all of us (God loves all His children). But it's the Same Truth that convicts us all (we are all sinners who deserve hell) and it's the Same Power that can save us (to bring us back towards Him).

When it comes to marriage, the full realization of Jesus as the Heavenly Bridegroom and His Church as His Bride would only make sense with the union of a man and a woman. The anatomy and psychology of the human male and female would attest to this. Jesus is always the Initiator and the Giver; the Church is always the Responder and the Recipient. 

So, now what? 

As a Christian, I need to regularly check if I am practicing what I am preaching: If God is really Love, does it show in my life? Does it show in my relationships to everyone: Christians and non-Christians, homosexuals and heterosexuals and bisexuals?

As a Christian, I will also uphold the original Biblical definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

BUT... Also because I am a Christian, I will:
   - value the dignity of every person;
   - uphold everyone's rights; and
   - respect other points of view.


I disapprove of what you say,
but I will defend to the death your right to say it. 
   - Evelyn Beatrice Hall


And a certificate on paper isn't gonna solve it all
But it's a damn good place to start
No law is gonna change us
We have to change us
Whatever God you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it's all the same love


"I can't change." 
That's the point exactly. 
It is God who can change us.
If we wanted to. 

=========================================

Full disclosure: 
I am a sinner. I sin in desiring people I am not married to. This is lust and adultery, even if it's "only" in my thoughts, even if it's heterosexual. Sin is sin. God already loved me in my sins, but He also loved me enough to rescue me from them.

Even though homosexuality was not really an issue for me, I know of people who have acknowledged this issue before God, and have been truly and completely changed. They now honor their Creator as they live according to the gender He ordained for them.

Honor God with your body

Let's talk about sex, marriage, and food. Because it's February :)  From Paul's first letter to the Corinthians (3:16-17, 6:9-7:11):

 

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/images/body/body2.jpg

"You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God Himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred --- and you, remember, are the temple...

"Don't you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don't care about God will not be joining in His kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don't qualify as citizens in God's kingdom. A number of you know from experience what I'm talking about, for not so long ago you were on that list. Since then, you've been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.

"Just because something is technically legal doesn't mean that it's spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I'd be a slave to my whims.

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/logos/logos1206/logos120600468/

14092973-catering-buffet-food-in-luxury-restaurant-with-dessert-and-fresh-fruits.jpg 

"You know the old saying, 'First you eat to live, then you live to eat'? Well, it may be true that the body is only a temporary thing, but that's no excuse for stuffing your body with food, or indulging it with sex. Since the Master honors you with a body, honor Him with your body!

"God honored the Master's body by raising it from the grave. He'll treat yours with the same resurrection power. Until that time, remember that your bodies are created with the same dignity as the Master's body. You wouldn't take the Master's body off to a whorehouse, would you? I should hope not.

 

http://www.godsownholidays.com/graphics/images/honeymoon1.jpg

"There's more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, 'The two become one.' Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever --- the kind of sex that can never 'become one.' There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for 'becoming one' with another. Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you realize that you can't live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body. 

"Now, getting down to the questions you asked in your letter to me. First, is it a good thing to have sexual relations?

http://images03.olx.com.ph/ui/1/57/11/6965611_1.jpg 

"Certainly --- but only within a certain context. It's good for a man to have a wife, and for a woman to have a husband. Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them and provide for a balanced and fulfilling sexual life in a world of sexual disorder. The marriage bed must be a place of mutuality --- the husband seeking to satisfy his wife, the wife seeking to satisfy her husband. Marriage is not a place to 'stand up for your rights.' Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out. Abstaining from sex is permissible for a period of time if you both agree to it, and if it's for the purposes of prayer and fasting --- but only for such times. Then come back together again. Satan has an ingenious way of tempting us when we least expect it. I’m not, understand, commanding these periods of abstinence --- only providing my best counsel if you should choose them.

"Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me --- a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others.

"I do, though, tell the unmarried and widows that singleness might well be the best thing for them, as it has been for me. But if they can’t manage their desires and emotions, they should by all means go ahead and get married. The difficulties of marriage are preferable by far to a sexually tortured life as a single. And if you are married, stay married. This is the Master’s command, not mine. If a wife should leave her husband, she must either remain single or else come back and make things right with him. And a husband has no right to get rid of his wife."

Reminders for the 30-year-old ;)

Because I'm officially turning 30 tomorrow ;)


11 Famous People Who Were in the Completely Wrong Career at Age 30
Heehee :) Quite encouraging. ;)

Letter to an Incomplete, Insecure Teenager
From tadpole to half-mature to complete... Beholding (God) is becoming (more like Him).

J. I. Packer's Advice To Aspiring Writers
Go deep in personal worship; Write to hit hearts; Write from a sense of calling.

How to Glorify God at Work
Honoring God wherever we are.

Questions to Ask When Preparing for Marriage
Hey, I'm just asking...

Too Soon Old
Every age and season is significant.

A 30-Year-Old Dream I Have Outlived By One Year
Surely my reward is with my God.

The Memoirs of a Wedding Guest

 

http://www.casamadrona.com/sausalito-california-weddings.php 

Tonight caps  my "three-weddings-in-one-week" adventure. What have I learned?

* God will provide --- from money for a wedding (if it's His will), to someone to marry in the first place (again, if it's His will).

* I am honored to be invited to each friend's/relative's/co-worker's wedding: one of the most special days in their lives. To witness, to pray for, to share joy in. It is a privilege.

* Surprisingly, I feel no bitterness. I'm single and will be 30 in two months. Society dictates I should be panicking by now (and dating around instead of... *blogging*). But, it's OK. I'm walking with God and He's in control; He knows best.

* "There is no more condemnation for those in Christ."  No more manipulation, guilt tripping, emotional blackmail, playing on insecurities, and defrauding. No more abuse. "All good things come from the Father." God-centered relationships are not perfect, of course, but may we recognize (and take action) if we are in a relationship that does us more harm than good. I would rather be single than in a relationship that displeases God and people. Well, prayer answered / wish granted --> I'm single now.

* I love people! These three weddings enabled me to hang out with three different sets: churchmates, family, and co-teachers. In particular, I love what my married co-teachers said: It's not about age, background, status.. It's about God, and who He'll send. Just pray. Wow. Amen.

* May the guests not just partake of the wedding; may they support the marriage too, for better or worse.

* I love food. I've said before that my goal for this year (and how many years before?) was to develop "the Spirit of self-control". Hmm. Tomorrow I'll exercise na, promise. ;)

* I'm looking forward to my own wedding, God-willing. Our Lord Jesus tells us that if we ask according to His will, He hears and answers. It turns out I still have a lot to learn about God's will, but on the plus side, at least I'm learning.

* Lastly, I should look forward to each day, single or not, approaching my wedding or not. "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." There is a command to rejoice; it is an act of faith for those who wish their lives could be different. But God is good and great. Let's remember, and trust, and live each day to the full. Attend a wedding even.

When you find that love ^_^

Reposting from my grade school (!) classmate Renee:

It's been three years since we first said "I do." So far, here's what I've learned: romance is a flame that blazes and then burns out, but love is a river that runs quiet and deep. It approaches obstacles and doesn't flinch. It flows around, underneath and through, and when there's no other way, it makes canyons out of mountains to get to the ocean. And this is how you know you've found love; it looks you in the eye and sees all that you are, and doesn't flinch. It challenges you to be a better person, not for its own selfish gain but for your own, and for all whose lives touch yours. It finds a way through everything, and it knows no difficulty too great, no wound too deep, no pride too high to find its way back to you. When you find that love, you say "I do," and you keep saying "I do" every single day, for as long as you both shall live.

Happy anniversary, Ray Maranan, my husband, best friend and partner in everything. It's been so much fun being married to you, but the greatest joy has been to know that no matter where I am in life or how far I drift to find my dreams, I can find, flow or fight my way back to you and know that you will always do the same for me. Here's to a lifetime of finding ourselves and finding each other. ♥


(Awww. :)  )

The God of my future

"My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me."


My friend says, "The concept of a future husband is not biblical." I disagree. My whole life is oriented toward the plans that God has for me --- plans, to the best that I understand them. (Indeed, I should be anchored on God, not on the plans! But the point is I trust God, in what He has revealed, and in how I respond.) Thankfully I've never stopped being friends with the person who said that. God speaks (and we move) in different ways.

I don't know if God tells every person who to marry, what job to take, what country to live in... I can only speak for myself. He revealed many things many times, in that still small voice. And those revelations have only drawn me closer to Him.

I can also say that:
- it's not my will (I've gone through issues that I'd rather not have);
- nor self-delusion (well, let circumstances back my words up),
- nor my own knowledge (I usually see the wisdom of the Leader after I obeyed).
(Not that I'm required to justify how I live my life to other people --- it's not their business.)

Indeed, what is biblical? ==> The fact that God is acting on our behalf, and making it known to us! Is not the Bible a compilation of revelations about the past, present and future?

This blog is called "Teci's Testimony". Here I'm supposed to tell of how great, how good, and how amazing God is. Indeed He is great, He is good, He is amazing --- in my past, in my present, and in my future.

Some people advise not to speak about the "revelation" (in whatever area that is) until it already happened. But by then, what's the point? Isn't that silence a show of unbelief? ("I'll say it only when I'm sure, and I'll be sure only when it happens, *if* it happens...") And how would that convince others that "I am God, who speaks before it comes to pass, that you may know that I am He"?


There is a God, the God of Heaven and Earth,
I know because He made Himself known to me.
He redeemed my past
He is lighting my present
He knows my future
(and sometimes lets me in on it)

True, I don't have to say *everything*. For example, in matters of the heart, men are called to initiate and women are called to respond. Suffice it to say that God speaks to us for our welfare, and God speaks through us for the welfare of others.

In the future, I'll be able to say more
about what the God of my future has always known.
:)

Glory to God in Miss U 2011

Have you caught the Miss Universe fever? :)  I barely saw the replay but like the rest of my countrymen, I'm so proud of how Miss Philippines honored God above all, even her heart.

"If I had to change my religious beliefs, I would not marry the person that I love because the first person that I love is God who created me and I have my faith and my principles and this is what makes me who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God too."
- Shamcey Supsup, Philippines


And... she didn't win. It seemed like a repeat of last year when Miss Jamaica gave, in my humble opinion, the best answer in the final round.

But it's great that Miss Angola's answer also honored her Creator:


"Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing. I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life."
- Leila Lopes, Angola (and Ms. Universe 2011!)


'Til next year! Indeed, the Gospel is being shared to all nations... including through international beauty pageants  ;)

Redeeming Love ♥

God loves us at our worst and redeems us to be our best. ♥ 

If there's one book that defines me --- or to be more exact, my relationship with God --- it has to be "Redeeming Love". (Thank you again to Jenny and Faye for sharing it with me.)

 

From the official site.

What's the big deal, you may ask. If it's inspired by a Biblical story, what's new in this book? How relevant would it be in this day and age... How relevant would it be to me?

The official site is celebrating the book's 20th anniversary. In the online journal contest, you can read how "Redeeming Love" has impacted others, and vote for your favorite testimonies. You can also share how the book impacted your life, and get a chance to win a trip for two to San Francisco, one of the main settings in the book.

The site also features some excerpts from the book. I can repost some of the parts here, but I might just end up transcribing the whole thing  :p  Just read it for yourself. (I can lend you my copy. c: ) And... prepare to be blessed :)

Empty to Full: Sister Teci

I find it ironic --- but in a funny way, not-cynical-but-more-of-tongue-in-cheek
that I'm more of a nun now that I'm not a Catholic.

Nuns take vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience.
And my complete name is Maria Teresa = Mother Teresa ;p

Haha.
And yes, in my past life of godlessness, I never planned on becoming what I am now.
Truly it is His plans and purposes that prevail.

"Throw off everything that hinders..."
In my weak state, I cannot handle romance, money, and my own will (yet)
(But I'm learning!)
And God literally knows what I need to let go of
so I can hang on to Him more
Empty-handed, so I can be full(er)

I'm seeing the value once again of some practices
even those of the Catholic faith, which I left
But in the same way,
again I ask my Catholic brothers and sisters
(and everyone else)
to let go of whatever hinders

Empty hands
Full life :)


Postscript:
All good things come from Him,
and He redeems all things
If there is something hindering you from following God,
set it free and cling to Him
But if obeying Him means standing firm or pursuing something,
then go...  and be filled with more of Himself :)

I will wait for You

From "I will wait for you" by Janette...ikz:

‎"I'll stay in my bed
--- alone ---
and write poems about how I will wait for you." :D


"I will no longer get weighted down...
for my biological clock
when I serve the Author of Time!"


"To my Father...
I desire Your will above mine...
and I will always wait for You Lord." ♥



See Mary's blog for the complete transcribed poem.
Thanks to Cathy for sending me this. :)

How much for the heart?

If a man offered for love
all the wealth of his house,
it would be utterly despised.
- Song of Solomon 8:7

Nothing to prove, Nothing to lose

Lifehouse has this ability to express a deeper kind of love --- love for God, love from God, and love for others that can only be given by God.

This song is one of my favorites --- a modern classic that I hope would be played during my own wedding someday (long before I learned that they themselves called it the wedding song of the year and released a longer wedding track).

But because I am more of a lyrics person, I've always thought this particular song is talking to God, not a person:
(1) After singing to "you" for most of the song, "she" is suddenly mentioned.
(2) It is God who saves. Nothing to do, Nothing to lose, Nothing to prove.

Be blessed with "You and Me".

He's in control of everything... and that includes my heart :)

HE's in control of everything... and that includes my love life :)

Maybe there's nothing more to say
And in a funny way I'm calm
Because the power is not mine
I'm just gonna let it fly
- The Corrs, "What Can I Do"

I can’t say what’s next
And I got nothing up my sleeve
But I don’t lose my head
Cause it ain’t really up to me
And what will be will be
I ain't gonna stress

Don't look
Fate can only find you
You can't choose for something to surprise you
You never know where you're gonna fall
But I'm not worried, no I'm not worried at all
Something's watching over me
Like sweet serendipity
- Lee DeWyze, "Sweet Serendipity"

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: 

Do not arouse or awaken love 

until it so desires.

Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem:

Don't excite love, don't stir it up, 

until the time is ripe—and you're ready.

- The Shulammite woman, "The Song of Solomon"

all around me

"His banner over me is love."

   - Song of Songs

"His faithfulness sings over me."

   - Hallelujah

"The Lord your God is with you
he is mighty to save.
He takes great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

   - Zephaniah

Steadfast love? Yes and yes.

This month has been *such* an emotional roller coaster. 

(Side comment: I can't even say that this month has been the "most emotional ever"... which leads me to realize just how emotional I am. And I'm in an intellectual field. I'm adjusting still, but the more parts of me alive, the better, I say. :)  )

Three weeks ago, I yearned for steadfast love.

Two weeks ago, tired and discouraged, I was blessed with, in rapid succession:

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Chapter 1.

• I finally got to start at the very beginning. Impatient, selective me previously just read and re-read the victorious glorious parts :D
• "It is scarcely wise when bringing the news of the death of his heir to a mighty lord to speak over much of the coming of one who will, if he comes, claim the kingship. Is that enough?" - Gandalf
  "Kingship?" said Pippin amazed.

 

2. Serendipity

• Like the lovers in the movie, it's been a long time since I last saw this. It's a most welcome encouragement to hear that all will be well.
• "If we are to live life in harmony with the universe, we must all possess a powerful faith in what the ancients used to call "fatum", what we currently refer to as destiny."
• "You know the Greeks didn't write obituaries. They only asked one question after a man died: 'Did he have passion?'"
• "I think we make our own decisions, I just think that fate sends us little signs, and it's how we read the signs that determines whether we're happy or not."
• "Life is not merely a series of meaningless accidents or coincidences. Uh-uh. But rather, its a tapestry of events that culminate in an exquisite, sublime plan."
• "When love feels like magic, it's called Destiny. When destiny has a sense of humor, It's called Serendipity."

3. Slumdog Millionaire

• Simply a masterpiece. :) Pursue good in the good, righteous way. Pursue love, seeking what's best for the beloved. Take care not to treat money as a god, and God will provide for you.
• "I know I have sinned. Forgive me." - Salim
• "God is great." - Salim
• "So are you ready for the final question for 20 million rupees?" - host
  "No, but maybe it's written, no?" - Jamal
• "I thought we would meet only in death." - Latika
  "This is our destiny." - Jamal

Last week:

The LORD your God is with you,
       He is mighty to save.
       He will take great delight in you,
       He will quiet you with his love,
       He will rejoice over you with singing.

- Zephaniah 3:17 


And this week:

One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that You, O God, are strong,
and that You, O Lord, are loving.
- Psalm 62:11-12


My heart can rest, for it is in the right place.  :)

 

They Say...

They say, "Stolen water is sweet,"
But I say, "Fresh water is sweeter, and brings life even."

They say, "Sooner or later, you'll return (down here),"
But I say, "You never belonged there. Welcome home."

They say, "You can't do it."
But I say, "Jesus has already overcome. We have already won; we're already free."

They say, "Goodbye."
But I say, "Hello."


Hey. =)

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
--- Proverbs 4:18

Drink water from your own cistern,
flowing water from your own well.
Should your springs be scattered abroad,
streams of water in the streets?
Let them be for yourself alone,
and not for strangers with you.
Let your fountain be blessed,
and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;
be intoxicated always in her love.
Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman
and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD,
and He makes level all his paths.
--- Proverbs 5:15-21

"I promised I'd never sing of love... If it does not exist."

The Only Exception
by Paramore
Lyrics: http://www.directlyrics.com.com/paramore-the-only-exception-lyrics.html
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J7J_IWUhls


When I was younger
I saw my daddy cry
And curse at the wind
He broke his own heart
And I watched
As he tried to reassemble it

And my momma swore that
She would never let herself forget
And that was the day that I promised
I'd never sing of love
If it does not exist

But darling,
You are the only exception...

Maybe I know somewhere
Deep in my soul
That love never lasts
And we've got to find other ways
To make it alone
Keep a straight face

And I've always lived like this
Keeping a comfortable distance
And up until now
I had sworn to myself that I'm
Content with loneliness

Because none of it was ever worth the risk

Well,
You are the only exception...

I've got a tight grip on reality
But I can't let go of what's in front of me here
I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up
Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream

Oh...

You are the only exception...

And I'm on my way to believing you

"I promised I'd never sing of love... If it does not exist."

And... she's back. :)

Dear Future Husband (or, True Love for My True Love)

Dear Future Husband,

I was supposed to list down things that you did or are doing that hurt me, but

"Love does not keep a record of wrongs."

I was supposed to tell you what I want, so you can take note, but

"Love does not insist on its own way."

I wanted to tell you, if you do X, or if you don't do Y, then I'm gone, but

"Love never ends."

I hate the fact that I'm drawing you to myself... like I'm the one courting you. I don't like it... because I'm a woman? Or is it my pride?

(You can probably guess what's coming next...)

"Love does not envy nor boast,
it is not arrogant nor rude."

It was so easy for me to just hook up with someone else instead... somebody who conveniently showed up in the midst of the chaos. But I would be doing so out of spite, out of pain, and of course, self-love.

"Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing."

(Ironically, it's that same self-love that kept me from doing it. I love you, I love myself, and I even respect and love him too much as a friend to go through a false relationship.)

"Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things."

Thanks to our all-powerful Father, I can do this. It sometimes feels like I can't, or I don't want to, but

"The only way to truly live is to truly love."

(I don't know if that last line is explicitly written in the Bible, but that does kind of sum up The Book. But that line, I got from movies and TV.)

Remembering my ego once again, here's another movie line:

"There's no room for pride in love."

Well then. I hope there'll come a time when you love me more than I love you. It doesn't look that way now, but "Love hopes for all things," right?


:)


And... there's something else.

"Love rejoices with the truth."

"Love never ends. As for prophecies and knowledge, they will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."

The truth is, I'm sorry for the hurt my *message* caused you. I thought it was good news! (The "you shall not die" part at least.) I had no idea it would be so misunderstood. "God's Word always accomplishes the purpose for which it was sent." We had to grow up, whether we wanted to or not.

I want to encourage you every day! =)

(How come I suddenly care what other people think? Or what my image would be? I shouldn't right? How come I'm hiding here, in my public private corner?)

It doesn't, it shouldn't, matter what other people think about me. Because I know how God sees me. =) Perhaps the ultimate end of this season is to show you how God and I see you. =)

Back then I prophesied and I knew in part; now I see and know fully. It's a hard road pala :) But I shouldn't be surprised! And indeed I have been fully known. =) And I wouldn't have it any other way. =)

Forrest Gump asked a seemingly simple question that's actually been debated by great thinkers for millennia --- do we have "destiny", or is life like "a box of chocolates" where "you'll never know what you're gonna get"?

Forrest concludes, "I think it's both; I think both are happening at the same time."

Interestingly, Forrest's own momma, who uttered the box-of-chocolates adage, saw things a little differently. While she still held that she didn't know what life would bring, she believed in destiny after all. To paraphrase,

"I didn't know it,
but I was destined to be yours."

To conclude, here's something from another good book:

"I don't want sunbursts and marble halls. I just want YOU. You see I'm quite as shameless as [my friend] about it. Sunbursts and marble halls may be all very well, but there is more `scope for imagination' without them. And as for the waiting, that doesn't matter. We'll just be happy, waiting and working for each other -- and dreaming. Oh, dreams will be very sweet now."

And that's that. I hope you get to read this. :)

Go your way, my Love

Go your way, my Love,
and I will go mine.

Sooner or later, anyway,
our paths will intertwine...

Again.

Forgive my impatience.
I was wholly weak this Holy Week
and even before, but now,

Fully risen :)

You have things to do
I understand
So do I
That's alright.

They say,
"You must come full circle to find the truth."
Indeed. It's been a crazy ride, but I realized
I didn't really change... except become stronger.

I'm not going anywhere, anywhere without you
So go your way, my Love
I'm already there with you.

the power is not mine :)

i've always loved this song and video. and the funny thing is, for a long time i could not understand the last lines that are actually the key point of the song. :) Now i understand, literally and figuratively :) May you be as blessed as i am :)


What Can I Do
by The Corrs
(see video here)

I haven't slept at all in days
It´s been so long since we have talked
And I have been here many times
I just don´t know what I´m doing wrong

What can I do to make you love me
What can I do to make you care
What can I say to make feel this
What can I do to get you there

There's only so much I can take
And I just got to let it go
And who knows I might feel better
If I don't try and I don't hope

What can I do to make you love me
What can I do to make you care
What can I say to make feel this
What can I do to get you there

No more waiting, no more aching
No more fighting, no more trying...

Maybe there's nothing more to say
And in a funny way I'm calm
Because the power is not mine
I´m just going to let it fly...

What can I do to make you love me
What can I do to make you care
What can I say to make feel this
What can I do to get you there

Love me...