Shine

Life is short. They say we pass only once. And after that our shadows are forgotten. Is this life all about? No. Life is about the spark, the light that is up to us to let it shine or not. If we are able to emit this light in our lifetime, the minds may forget us but the hearts won't. And if we fail to use this light, our life would only be a meaningless passing. 

So let us strive daily to let our light shine; for this is God's light, the very reason why He breathe His life unto us: to love, to shine, to spark, to add meaning to life.

A Glimpse At Stillness

The sun does not actually rises. The sun does not actually sets. If we are to get out of Earth and have a trip to the universe, we would see that the sun is still, very, very still in its place. In actuality it is the Earth that moves around the sun and revolves in its orbit. We Earthlings see differently because of our limited vision. 

We Earthlings are subject to the nature of our world. All we have to do is flow with it. We do not need to question the high tides, low tides and ebb of life. We do not need to question the passing of the seasons. Everything has been there for more than six thousand years, even before we were born. We do not have to question everything in which we are just subjects. We do not fall from our planet because of the pull of gravity. Everything in our planet follows a law. And we are subjects to it. 

We should even be grateful because we have a God who guides us; a God who says, 'Do not ask, just be. I am in control.'

We do not need to become what we are not. We do not need to follow our Earthly whims and worldy wishes. In God is truth, in God is freedom. If we know how to listen closely with the whisperings of God, we would surely overcome the world and its polarities. And when I say listen to God, it should be our spirit doing the listening because a mind that is not in line with the spirit always lead someone astray. 

What Do You Preach: Good News Or Bad News?

Sad story. 

There is a husband I know who went to a birthday party. His wife did not accompany him because she was tired from work and of watching the kids playing earlier. She also attended to her son by treating ice on his forehead that swelled a little due to a bump the kid acquired in the afternoon. Moreover, she was too drain to attend the party wherein she should watch over the kids behaving like active kids do. There is no guarantee that the kids would behave like adults in the party. So then the husband went to the party only with his other kid. The people there, of course, inquired where is the wife. The wife did not really know what the exact words were but it badly hurt the husband's ego. When they all got home, the negative emotions the husband kept within himself leaked, which lead to a big fight between the two. Sadly, in the presence of their kids they quarreled. The husband punched the table, the chair, the door, anything that got in his way. Thankfully, he was not so consumed by his emotions as to physically hurt his family. The kids shouted, cried, afraid. Poor little beings. In the middle of the argument the husband told his wife that he believed the people in the party assumed that the wife was ashamed and not proud of her husband because she did not accompany him. This thought and belief and fear of what the other people might say or think hurt the husband's ego the most. He brought the hurt home as well as the doubt of his wife's true feelings for him. The husband forgot that the wife was the only person who was with him in his lowest moments, in his times of trials. He forgot that in his trials, the people whom he was afraid might have a bad impression of him were not there. In his time of trials they were not on his side, nor visited him, nor called how he was. He forgot all those things. All he had in his mind was: what would they say?

People are imperfect. We have not the right to judge the husband. We never knew what he was going through. We have not the right to judge the wife. We never knew what she was going through. Only one thing we can do--to preach the right thing.

My friend, as much as possible, please preach the right words, preach the right things. Your words may hurt or break a person, or may even break a family. If you have nothing good to speak, please refrain from speaking. Your words may sound a joke to you, but to others it may mean their life. If you believe you are a good person, which we all thrive to be, please act and speak out of the goodness in your heart. You never know what others are going through. Not all people are as aware as to be able to sift the bad from the good connotations of your words. If you care enough, please preach the good news. You do not need a stage or a podium to preach the good news.  The opportunity is vast and ordinary just as attending a birthday party.

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Modern Day Jonah

Most of us are fascinated by the Bible story of Jonah, whom God called, and eventually was eaten by a big fish because he refused to answer God's call. But a modern day Jonah? Is there? Yes, I think so. You and I are both the likes of Jonah. We all has a unique calling that only us could answer. The world awaits for what we can do and what we can give. The world opened up when we were born. It welcomed us. It gave us the space that we would occupy. And it gave us the opportunity to share what we bring on our birth.

Yes, finding our calling is not easy as well as fulfilling of it. It would take many heartaches, heartbreaks and hardships before we would realize the right path God has intended us to take. It would be annoying at times why God would have us do what we do not want to do and hate to do. We do not even feel qualified to do certain things that we are supposed to do. Yet, when we give God a chance and start following the urgings of our spirit, we would find in the end, that yeah, God is right. So keep on following the urgings of your spirit. Listen to the dissatisfaction of your soul. That is how God speaks. I know because I was once there too.

Get happy!

On Negative Reaction

Most often people react according to how a thing or situation affects them and not how it affects the thing or person they are reacting too. If it is out of maturity, they would only act and not react. Hence it is called reaction because of how that something affects them. 

If it is you having done something that the people are reacting to, and most often the reaction is negative, do not lose heart immediately. Be smart in weighing things. In our times, positive people are seldom found. Study why the reaction is negative. If you are on the wrong side, it is a leap of learning. If after much weighing you still find yourself doing the right thing, just understand and accept the wrong judgments of others. After all, they are just humans.

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Journey With God

Life is a journey. We know this since we come into awareness of this world. Life is not just acquiring material things, having good education,  good friends, comfortable house, perfect family and a belief in a higher being we call God. The journey of life is fulfilled not through this material world. The journey of life is fulfilled in perfecting the faith we have in God. 

God is not a God whom we know from afar. He is not only a Father who provides material things. He is a Father who loves. He is a friend who cares. He is a God whom we can touch, we can feel, we can be one with through communion. 

The breath we have is His. The life we are given comes from Him. He knows us so much. He counts our every hair. He is with us. He is in us. He is in our every cell. He is the light inside our hearts. He is seated deep inside our being. There is no need for us to look outside to feel Him; for He says, "Be still and know that I am God." In our stillness His voice is heard louder. In our stillness His glory shines the most. To worship Him is to glorify every moment. His light shines through us. His light shines within us. His ways are peaceful. His presence is delightful. In His presence we are guided to the right path. In His presence our soul rejoices. In His presence we are whole. 

Rejoice in God. Feel His presence. Journey with Him.

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'Til Friends Meet Again

Some good things never last. Sadly, beautiful friendships are one of them.

When a friend goes away from your life, let go of that friend. The reason may not be clear. You might be confused what wrong you have done. Sure enough, you are not perfect. You might assume there is something you've done that displeases your friend. You want to ask. You want to communicate. But the reason your friend is going away is because he does not want any communication. He wants space. He wants to solve his own issues. Solving his issues alone might work for him best without your presence. Let your silence allow him to be silent; not as a battle of the will but as a respect for his space.

Just let go and wait. Give him space. Give him respect. Give him understanding. If he comes back be willing to welcome him back. If he does not, he may feel it would be better for the both of you to be apart. He knows much better what works for himself best. 

The letting go might be painful, especially when you know you have done nothing wrong; or if there is, it is your right to know it that you may stand yourself corrected. That you may learn from each other. But the fact that he just slips himself away from your presence means he no longer needs you at the moment. Or, perhaps he has the best of intentions for the both of you. Whichever, just let go.

The one thing that is left in the empty space he left in your heart is the loss of a number one fan, number one friend, number one encourager, number one believer in you. In short--it is hard to believe you lose someone who made you feel good about yourself. You have given that person the power to make you feel good, to make you feel better, to make you believe in yourself, to make you feel a star. Now that he is gone, would you become a nothing? Would you become less whole? On the emotional level it might seem to be; but on a deeper level it is not. You are still whole. You are still capable. You are still you. You do not need anyone to make you whole. You just lose a budding friendship. It hurts. But just feel the hurt and then move on. If he comes back, you are destined by life to be friends. If he does not, just let him go and glorify the experience that once in your life you have meet a friend as precious as he.

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