Every one of us has our own time of growing old according to God’s timeline – we know this for a fact. And it just depends on how we perceived the idea about growing old. I am in Thames, New Zealand right now – a place where people of old age are a common scene on the streets: an old woman driving her car, a very old man pushing a grocery cart, an old lady fueling her car at a gas station, a grandfather touring his grandchildren around downtown and another old woman working as a cashier in one of the shops at the mall. They discard the possibility of living in a "home". (more…)
Here goes what I have in mind or in my heart, c”,) right now: to be able to deliver a message to people in accord to the state of being in love as associated to the videos and songs of Jose Marie Chan – the original pop-ballad maestro and Christian Bautista who somehow had been a successor of the former. Simply read the following:
WHEN ONE GETS THE GOOSEBUMPS
I noticed that when a person, either man or a woman, comes to a point of liking another person of the opposite sex, that one has the tendency to smile all throughout the day…he is unreasonably happy, and that’s pretty obvious.
All that that man has in mind was thoughts about that woman. Chaos cram his thoughts alongside his raging feelings towards her. Most often than not, a man wanted to really say something to the woman but there’s always that "first-time" fear of saying the wrong words or of probably letting out words from his lips at the wrong time which might turn the woman off. Even saying hello is a difficult task then. It requires (more…)
I would like to share with you a story also shared with me by my friend Bellah – not her real name here in the hope of preserving her precious privacy.
Her story is so inspiring that I am grateful she felt compelled to share it with all of us to be inspired and to keep on Praying and Believing the way she did. She calls her story, "God Is True To His Promise" which is as follows:
I used to pray to God almost like dictating Him of what I needed
or wanted out of a man I’d hope to start sharing a lifetime with. I told him, "Lord, I wanted a husband who is a responsible family-oriented and God-fearing Engineer – just like my dad – who would give me white roses as a manner of his endearing love for me alongside with a belief that a white rose is a sign from God that that man is indeed the one.
I just came from a failed relationship which made me feel so disappointed then that I gave up wanting the man of my ideals. And so I decided to (more…)
Sister Mildred generously shared her story with me. The following texts are all credited to her without revisions from the site’s author. It is high time for us, "civilians", to take a c
loser glimpse of God’s approach when He called Sister Mildred for the religious life. Let us also take this rare opportunity to witness how an ordinary person continuously strives, with faithful prayers and persistent hardwork, to perform extraordinary wonders out of ordinary circumstances; and how her efforts, small or grand, led her to where God really intended her to be.
Her story is as follows:
"May 26, 2007, Saturday, 9:30 a.m. at St. Isidore Parish Church in Binalbagan, a town in southern Negros about 65 kilometers from Bacolod, the Central (more…)
Hi Everyone!
My friend, Gumban, not his real name to keep his identity private, generously shared with me his glimpses towards living and learning through his fate and faith’s leading. His story was so overwhelming I can hardly contain and keep it all to myself alone. I am sharing his story with you, so you too, could extract wonderful glimpses out of your own situation and be tremendously inspired to keep on loving and living l
ife the way God wants us all to.
This was Gumban’s Story:
Gumban once thought, “Is it love for travel or is it mere coincidence that I am here in Thailand as a teacher? “Is it force of circumstance or matter of choice?” “Do I just come here for a visit, like the country and opt to stay as long as I want? What has really brought me here? (more…)
Enough, please. I am ok. Very much ok. I am blissfully ok. Take that. And don’t worry, because when my time comes to walk down the aisle, I can just imagine it will surely be broadcasted to the people surrounding me beyond my control. But for the time-being, please let me be. I really wish you’d all see me as a Joyful Single Gal who is having a blast of her present life. I had my reasons and I even had a ”colorful” past. (more…)
Suddenly, my age has taken the ‘center-stage of conversations and I’ve been placed on a ‘hot seat’. I even thought of making a recording of my own response to those questions so I may just have it replayed over and over whenever people ask me of the same. Geez! I am not bothered at all that I am still single at this time and age but it is the very event when people utter redundant questions which harasses me. It is becoming obvious to me as if people were just expected to conform to the social norms like that of growing up, going to school, graduating from college, getting employed, meeting people and being in a loving/romantic relationship and then by the age of 30 should already have been married and have at least a kid or two. Voila! What a fairy-tale-like story! Aaah! The timeline, yes! (more…)
I am the fourth child in a family of 4 girls and 1 boy with myself being the youngest among the girls. I was raised by a conservative Catholic family where most of the Filipino Traditions (with Spanish-like influence for a culture, I could fairly say) still take part in our day to day encounters within the members of the family and outwardly to those part of the social community. I just turned 31 this month of May. Single. (more…)
I went to Boracay Island in Caticlan for an offered job by a college classmate and friend. My sisters joined me in that trip for a vacation altogether. But having learned that the salary I’ll be earning from that job could hardly finance my daily needs: the rent, food and travel expenses, I declined the offer and the 3 of us went back home after 2 days. Then still 2 days later, I decided to go to Cebu City, and my father allowed me to go alone. (more…)
I was so hurt. I felt like all of the nine planets crashed down on me. I think I even said to myself then, “well, I guess, my family was not perfect, either”. After all of the exposures and seminars we had with the Charismatic group, I thought my family was already open to a Christian way of life – more so, to the religious life. I was without a choice but to inform the convent that I will no longer be able to join the 2nd part session of the SEARCH-IN activity. They offered to come to our house and explain this session themselves to my family but knowing my own family, I know that wouldn’t be necessary. I just had to do what was expected of me – find a job. My friend priest however disliked my way of giving in or giving up.
At home, I prayed. I waited. Then I prayed again. I really felt becoming a nun was meant for me. I loved the thought of it. I was at peace with just the knowledge that I could possibly qualify in becoming a nun. I knew I was going to be useful for the congregation and I could share and maximize my God-given talents and potentials if I joined the Sisters. (more…)
For the second teaching. I never went out to a night-party with friends. I disliked vulgar and loud guys; I disliked guys who let other people know about their attraction to certain girls prior to confronting the girl themselves. I liked words in written form; I could sense the trueness and sincerity of a man through written language. (more…)
I joined a Charismatic group in 1992. It was a second family to me. I always loved being with my second family. I participated in every activity – singing, dancing, and joining the apostolate and parish works. All those activities kept me preoccupied and well, in tuned with my desires of joining a convent when I’d reach the right age. I savored every moment of being a member of the said group. It has become a part of my breathing. My family later on joined the group, too. This group expounded my beliefs with a lot of ideas: discerning for what God wanted from every individual, caring for the needs of others prior to our own, learning to be genuinely happy for others and maximizing our God-given talents and potentials.
I knew I wanted to become a nun – I thought that I should be a nun and nothing else. And so, day by day, I was living, thinking that, in order to become a nun, I should always make it a point not to make mistakes which could nullify my desires of becoming a nun; I always reminded myself not to give any valid reason for any convent to dislike me or anything to that effect in the years to come. I was very well loved by our parish priest then who almost served as my second father and my guidance councilor, in a way. I was not perfect. No, I never was. I had so much frailties, failures and mistakes but God knew how hard I tried to become perfect…pleasing almost everybody with my presence, actions, reactions and gestures – just to become a qualified future candidate novice. I tried to keep an open mind no matter how limited my perception to life and living was.
