The Ultimate Test

Education is basic to human beings. At three years young we are sent to school to study. On and on it goes. Every year, we go to a higher level. But before stepping on this higher level of learning we have to pass examinations and tests. If we pass, we are allowed to the higher level. If we don't we will remain at that level until we master and pass that level are we allowed to the next. And last of all, we obtain our degrees and titles if we pass the ultimate examinations appropriate for our chosen fields.

The same holds true with life. At a young age, we undergo the hardship of learning to walk and fall. Our learning goes on and on until we no longer need our parents to assist us in our motor development. There are other parts that we have to develop, like the emotional, psychological, mental and spiritual. We learn these things as we grow older. Here, obstacles and problems are our tests. The hard part, there are no specific and exact theories that we could use in order to solve such problems. We derive the solutions from our experiences, learnings, influences, judgments and guts. Some work. Some don't. Here, we start to question life for not giving us what we ask. Here, is the crucial part of us becoming a saint or a sinner, a mystic or a mistake, a victim or a victor. Here, is the very reason why Jesus died for us. Here, is our spirituality tested to pass or fail.

Most of us are wired to hate problems and obstacles, because we believe that a happy and peaceful life is one where obstacles and problems are absent. We are wired to believe that peace and happiness do not co-exist with tribulations. We are wired to always put everything in order that we may become happy and be at peace.

 In the process we forget that nature is compose of night and day, sun and rain, life and death. How can we know what peace is, if we haven't known what crisis is? How would the grass grow if it's only the sun that is shining forever not giving way to the rain? We need both worlds. We strive to both worlds. So why complain for the tests, the obstacles? We need to learn. It is the only way for us to learn and grow. Life is never unfair. We need only to use what has been ingrained in our being by our Maker. We need these tests to pass. We need theses tests to earn the degree of a well-lived and fulfilled life. We need these tests to enjoy the glory of God.

Jesus has done His part and pass the test. On our part, difficult as it may seem, we need to do our part and hurdle over these obstacles. There are still vacancy in the ranks of saints, recognized or not. Let us claim ours.

Get happy!

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My Caring God

When I asked for strength, He sent forth trials, and I became strong.

When I asked for wisdom, He sent forth confusion, and I became wise.

When I asked for enlightenment, He sent forth doubts, and I became enlightened.

When I asked for acceptance, I was left alone, and I came to love myself.

Is He an uncaring God? Certainly not. He just wants us to realize within ourselves the hidden powers and abilities He had gifted us on the day of our birth.

Get happy!

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God Hears, God Heals

With God nothing shall be impossible. God hears, God heals.

It became an irony to me: we all ask for God to heal us; God is more than willing to heal us. Yet, why does it seems that our need for healing and God's promise of healing do not meet? Where is that very place that our will and God's will would meet? Nobody knows, except perhaps to God's enlightened ones. Well, wherever it is, our faith would help us find the way. This I am so much sure of. And this is the very truth I held on to.

I had been suffering from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) since November last year. The pain and discomfort was unbearable. I requested to be brought to the hospital. After discharge I still did not feel okey. I consulted a specialist and was given medications. After three weeks of taking the medicines, I was better but not totally healed. I searched for ways to get healed. I followed the experts' advice to GERD patients on what to eat and what to avoid. I felt better but not totally healed. Then I started to experience tremor-like sensations in my arms and legs. I easily got tired. My head and body felt so light. I went to the doctor again. This time I was given multivitamins, hoping that my body would respond to it positively. I also took herbal food supplements. I prayed more and got back to meditation again. I felt much better but not totally healed.

Come 24th of April, the first day of St. Vincent Ferrer's novena mass. I attended the novena masses hoping to nurture once again my spiritual life, and also with the prayer intention of obtaining God's healing. Gratefully, I was able to complete the nine days mass. I have been staying in Larena for fourteen years, but it was the first time that I completed the novena mass. And on the last day, God touched my spirit. He blessed me. I felt it. As the choir sang the communion song, my spirit cried. I held back tears. If I were just alone in the church with God at that very moment, I would not mind crying bucket of tears. It was in those kind of moments that I used to feel God's presence. And at that moment my spirit communed with God. He touched me. I felt so light inside. My spirit was at ease, my soul at peace. I was so grateful to Him. It was as if I was in a kind of spiritual retreat. It was so long ago since the last time He touched my spirit like that. And it was so beautiful. 

Days after that, the reflux did not bug me anymore. I felt a whole lot better. Was I healed? Did God grant my prayers? I want to believe so. I prayed it would be so, for until this day I am still so okey. This is only what I could tell for now. Well, did I say on the eighth day of the novena mass I felt so sick? I was. But I told the feelings, 'back of Satan, I am strong and God is healing me.' After the mass I felt so okey. Perhaps strengthening our will and faith are also keys to healing. Putting our spirit in the hands of God and communing with Him continually contribute fifty percent of the healing process. When the spirit is strong, the body follows. I believe so. And I firmly believe too that God hears prayers and heals us completely in His own time. What He did to me, He will do to you too.

Get happy!

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Seize The Moment

Seize the moment while you still can, while you still have the health. 

Do not let the moment pass you by doing nothing.

Build your dreams. Work on your dreams. 

If you are older enough to do it, let not age hinder you.

Just do it.

But if you belong to the younger generation who is using time in a senseless way, stop it and use that time, that very moment in pursuing your dreams.

Remember, you do not have that moment, that health forever. 

As time passes by, that moment, that health is getting little and little.

The worst scenario a person can realize, is when he loses the health and has not yet realized his dreams.

Would you wait for it to happen in your life?

Get happy!

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In The Eyes Of A Child

Children are ever curious, inquisitive and easily get amazed. We all are once like this in our early days. I am just so glad that at forty, my childlike eyes are still at its best. 

I am still fascinated with lights shining and glowing; with its reflections from ceilings to floors, to walls. During the novena masses which I attended for the preparation of Saint Vincent Ferrer's fiesta in Larena, Siquijor, I am always caught in awe of the church lights. The mass is scheduled every five o'clock in the afternoon. So when the sun is setting, the lights of the church slowly become visible. Though I am so much in tune with how the mass is going on, my eyes still catch glimpses of these lights. I so love watching it when everything is shining, shimmering splendid. My eyes travel every corner inside the church that my eyes could see; from walls to floors, to altars, to flowers. Just every thing in it. I feel so good inside. I feel as if my eyes will shine too every time I focus my gaze on these lights. I feel so light being surrounded with these lights. It is a kind of meditation in another way. This is one of the reasons I look forward to in attending the novena mass. With God's grace I was able to complete the nine days. Thanks to God and to my childlike eyes too.

Get happy!

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Back To The Right Path

Deepak Chopra's meditation has helped me a lot. As you can see I have been quite tired for a longer time now; two months to say the least. I tried meditation to ease my pains and aches and to relax my muscles and heart. I felt a lot better. Thanks to Deepak Chopra. His way of meditation is not new to me since I have been practicing this kind of meditation way back in my twenties; though at that time meditation has not yet been introduced to all, unlike today with the advent of Internet everything is just one click away. But truly, at that time, I never know what I was doing was a kind of meditation, and was an antidote to the soul. It just came to me quite naturally, as if my spirit was used to doing it. 

However, as my business in life became complicated, my time seemed to be not enough for all my undertakings. Meditation, which should have been the most important of all, was the very thing I have given up to accommodate my other activities. For ten long years I have given it up. As stress and more stress mounted up in my life, I felt so many unhealthy feelings in my body. I felt weak, tired, fatigued, sickly and worst of all depressed; though I am a little guilty for feeling depressed when I should be thankful for all the blessings I received in life, especially my happy family. 

Seeing everything I was doing in my life, I had the urge to pause, looked back in the past and asked myself what happened. I realized I have been taking everything so seriously. I was all work and no play. It would have been better if I got wealthy for being so industrious. Sadly, I was not. I am still the same struggling soul I used to be but much worst, for my spirituality was dwindling inside of me. I felt so lost. However, God always light up one's despaired soul. He whispered in my ear to try meditation and prayer once again. Thankfully, the Internet is loaded with all kinds of meditation from highly enlightened individuals. Once again I embark on this journey. 

And I am so happy I did it, for my soul responded so joyfully to it. I began to like Deepak Chopra's version. I seemed to be brought again to where I had been and started again where I once stopped.

Get happy!

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Crowning Glory

While Amy Schumer wiped her make-up in her sketch, "Inside Amy Schumer" that triggered a No Make-up Movement I also am experimenting on not hiding my quite number of white hairs. I have been plucking these white hairs since I forgot when. You know, these signs of aging that you do not want to happen to you and trying to prevent it from happening just to make yourself and others believe that you are still young. I am able to make others believe that I look younger than my age because of my petite built. But my white hairs show it. I have already done a couple of dying from my beautician. It felt good and looked good. It is so flattering when someone tells you, "hey you never age, what's the secret?" Every time I hear this I feel like I become younger and younger. Though most of us know that to maintain  a younger look, it only takes a trip to the salon. 

Yet, why do am experimenting if I can live with my silver crowning glory? Health issues. We all know that too much chemicals is not good for our body. It is toxic to our body. It will help us look younger and make us die younger too. So I think why not concentrate on my inner glow? I may look "older" outside but who can prevent me from glowing younger inside? When the spirit glows, it shows. No one knows what it is you have that makes you attractive. And no one could also deny it. And this is the genuine beauty that would never fade after a few months. As long as I am in tune to that what makes me beautiful within, I would never be afraid. 

Now I say I embrace my white hairs. It is a crown I wear for being blessed with a number of decades in this world. My body may no longer look stunning than my previous years; I do hope my spirit will. And I am happy.

Get happy!

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