I was our school contestant to a Metro Manila spelling contest. I prepared hard for it and I was so excited. However, we got lost on our way to the venue. By the time we arrived, the contest had already started and I was no longer allowed to participate.
When I was just starting my career, I was called to a job interview with a large multinational company. When I got there, I was intimidated by the number of candidates who all seemed more qualified and confident than me. I got cold feet and decided not to proceed with the second interview.
Missed opportunities. Who knows what blessings awaited me if I only showed up on time, or simply showed up? Sometimes, that’s all God asks – just turn up.
I got my first job in Canada because at the exact time I was handing in my resume, the hiring manager happened to be there to pick up the resumes. I introduced myself and said I was interested to work for her. By the time I got home, I already received a call for a job interview.
Despite initial misgivings, I decided to attend the marriage retreat with Jojo last April. Because of that, I received a book that planted a desire in my heart to start writing my reflections.
Seized opportunities. I was there where I was supposed to be at the precise moment. God asked me to turn up and I did.
If you’re not there when manna falls from heaven, how can you receive it? If you’re not there when a brother/sister shares, how can you be uplifted? If you’re not there to listen to a teaching, how can you grow in understanding?
When opportunities come, may our response always be “Here I am.”
The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am. You called me.” Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth. So he said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the LORD came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:8-10)
July 30, 2009
July 17, 2009
Weeds
When we arrived in Canada in 2001, it was spring and flowers were blooming everywhere. I saw open fields and lawns filled with yellow flowers, like small daisies. I thought they looked lovely, until someone told me that they were weeds called dandelions. Soon enough, the flowers wilted and turned into white balls which then dispersed seeds into the ground, assuring the growth of more weeds.
Dandelions are the bane of gardeners. They are difficult to remove and spread quickly, choking up good grass. Lawn pesticides have been banned in Toronto, so Jojo has resorted to using different concoctions and the old fashioned method of pulling out the whole plant. The secret is taking them out early enough so they don’t develop deep roots and making sure your grass is healthy and lush, so there’s no room for weeds to pop out. But this takes a lot of regular care and maintenance, and of course, time.
That is pretty much how temptation works in our life. It deludes us into thinking that it will bring something good and pleasing. Only later do we realize that we have already fallen deep into sin. By then, it’s difficult to stop, and then we resort to making all sorts of excuses for our behavior, or we feel guilty and stop, but go back to the sinful behavior again.
Living a holy life requires us to cling to Jesus and constantly seek his mercy and forgiveness. By filling our life with what is pleasing to God, there will be no room for sin. The secret to a healthy soul? Turn away from temptation, stop sin in its early stage and feed it daily with God’s word.
Therefore, sin must not reign over your mortal bodies so that you obey their desires. And do not present the parts of your bodies to sin as weapons for wickedness, but present yourselves to God as raised from the dead to life and the parts of your bodies to God as weapons for righteousness. (Romans 6:12-13)
Dandelions are the bane of gardeners. They are difficult to remove and spread quickly, choking up good grass. Lawn pesticides have been banned in Toronto, so Jojo has resorted to using different concoctions and the old fashioned method of pulling out the whole plant. The secret is taking them out early enough so they don’t develop deep roots and making sure your grass is healthy and lush, so there’s no room for weeds to pop out. But this takes a lot of regular care and maintenance, and of course, time.
That is pretty much how temptation works in our life. It deludes us into thinking that it will bring something good and pleasing. Only later do we realize that we have already fallen deep into sin. By then, it’s difficult to stop, and then we resort to making all sorts of excuses for our behavior, or we feel guilty and stop, but go back to the sinful behavior again.
Living a holy life requires us to cling to Jesus and constantly seek his mercy and forgiveness. By filling our life with what is pleasing to God, there will be no room for sin. The secret to a healthy soul? Turn away from temptation, stop sin in its early stage and feed it daily with God’s word.
Therefore, sin must not reign over your mortal bodies so that you obey their desires. And do not present the parts of your bodies to sin as weapons for wickedness, but present yourselves to God as raised from the dead to life and the parts of your bodies to God as weapons for righteousness. (Romans 6:12-13)
July 1, 2009
Filipino-Canadian
We took our oath as Canadian citizens in 2005. Not that we were excited to renounce our Filipino citizenship. I must admit that our primary reason for applying for citizenship was to be able to cross the border to the USA without any visa. As permanent residents, we were already enjoying the benefits that citizens had, except the right to vote.
Still, the oath taking was an emotional ceremony. We had been in Canada for four years, had reviewed for, taken and passed the citizenship test. There we were, in front of a judge, together with about a hundred immigrants from different countries, taking our oath to Canada, our new country. You can’t help but feel a sense of pride and belonging as you individually receive your certificate of citizenship and a Canadian flag.
Citizens or not, we are still Filipinos at heart. Our daily diet has not changed. We still eat rice and Filipino food everyday. We cook sinigang, adobo, munggo, kare-kare. The two younger kids love daing and tuyo. Jojo and I still speak in Tagalog at home and the kids understand, even if they reply in English. Our hearts still ache when we think of family and friends in the Philippines. We watch and read Filipino news all the time. We also feel pain and anger when we hear about how the political and economic landscape has not really changed since we left.
But Canada has been good to us. Despite the initial challenges, we’ve had a lot of opportunities. Here, we enjoy education and medical services for free, two of our major expenses had we stayed in the Philippines. In the midst of the worldwide recession, we have a comfortable life. There isn’t a day that I don’t thank the Lord for the blessing of this country that we’re in. I’d like to think that God has graciously given us not a new country, but two countries that we can call our home.
If you live in accordance with my precepts and are careful to observe my commandments, I will give you rain in due season, so that the land will bear its crops, and the trees their fruit; your threshing will last till vintage time, and your vintage till the time for sowing, and you will have food to eat in abundance, so that you may dwell securely in your land. (Leviticus 26:3-5)
Still, the oath taking was an emotional ceremony. We had been in Canada for four years, had reviewed for, taken and passed the citizenship test. There we were, in front of a judge, together with about a hundred immigrants from different countries, taking our oath to Canada, our new country. You can’t help but feel a sense of pride and belonging as you individually receive your certificate of citizenship and a Canadian flag.
Citizens or not, we are still Filipinos at heart. Our daily diet has not changed. We still eat rice and Filipino food everyday. We cook sinigang, adobo, munggo, kare-kare. The two younger kids love daing and tuyo. Jojo and I still speak in Tagalog at home and the kids understand, even if they reply in English. Our hearts still ache when we think of family and friends in the Philippines. We watch and read Filipino news all the time. We also feel pain and anger when we hear about how the political and economic landscape has not really changed since we left.
But Canada has been good to us. Despite the initial challenges, we’ve had a lot of opportunities. Here, we enjoy education and medical services for free, two of our major expenses had we stayed in the Philippines. In the midst of the worldwide recession, we have a comfortable life. There isn’t a day that I don’t thank the Lord for the blessing of this country that we’re in. I’d like to think that God has graciously given us not a new country, but two countries that we can call our home.
If you live in accordance with my precepts and are careful to observe my commandments, I will give you rain in due season, so that the land will bear its crops, and the trees their fruit; your threshing will last till vintage time, and your vintage till the time for sowing, and you will have food to eat in abundance, so that you may dwell securely in your land. (Leviticus 26:3-5)
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