Wordless Love Post

50th on the 1st

Time flies. 

It has been 365 days ago since I started this little blog. I am happy with the simple thought that I had done something right and productive with my leisure time. My blogging attempt over the past years had finally materialized. Blogging so far has made me say it is both a work of heart and a work of art. Thank you, Lord I survived. Yay.

So, this marks my 50th post on my 1st year of blogging. I had not written that much, but I am really happy for this accomplishment. 

Happy Birthday Streaks!

Looking back on my first post, here I am, still... 
armed with a mind that speaks, 
armed with passionate heart that drives this timid soul, 
and armed with hand that is still willing to do the work, 
let the words continually come into being.

And, this I still do: I write for the love of it.

To my readers so far, I humbly thank you for dropping by.
Thank you for journeying with me.



Image credit: nzecochick.com

Father Abraham Had 7 Children

If you know this children's song, share this few minutes with me singing:

Father Abraham had seven children

Seven children had Father Abraham

One of them was tall

All the rest were small

But none of them were right

Raise your right... Raise your left...

It's not that I am going to do a song analysis on this one. It is not that I am nostalgic about my childhood days either. This children's song suddenly came up to mind when I was processing the story of one of my colleagues. For the sake of consistency, I will name him, Mr. Abraham.

Just a few hours ago, Mr. Abraham, another colleague and I were on the  company truck. Our weekend field work had just ended and we were heading back home. It was a long day and we were all very tired. Mr. A was driving. To help keep himself awake, he shared bits and pieces of his life. We listened. It's not a new thing for Mr. A because he really loves to talk ~ a lot.

As provided by the children's song, true enough, our very own Mr. Abraham had seven children:

In our grandparents' generation specially in rural areas, having many children was normal, pretty normal. I knew families who had 9-13 children. But when we talk about today, we all know that having seven children in the city is just ~ way too much.

Mr. Abraham's children range from 18 years old as eldest and 4 years old, youngest. As each family has its own dynamics, theirs is kind of unusual.

One recently moved out.
One is deaf.
One has cerebral palsy.
One is athletic.
One is smart.
One is street smart.
One is still too young for school.

Mr. A and his wife has a big responsibility placed upon their shoulders. They have 7 children with different personalities to deal with, 7 mouths to feed, bodies to clothe, and precious little lives to love and protect. Mr. A said that they are careful not to regard one above the others, that they won't feel one is favored while the others are less loved. As many as they are, they still make time to talk to each one personally.

Covering and providing for the needs of the family is a great challenge for Mr. A. There are times it's really hard to make both ends meet. As hard as it is, still they see the grace and providence of God. They see their children as blessings and gifts. In Mr. A's eyes, fulfilling the role as the head of the family is a service done for the Lord. Not for men, not for neighbors or relatives, but for the Lord.

It makes me smile hearing good and positive words from Mr. A. What a humble, spirited, God-fearing man we got here! His family life is no joke. There may be times he had been at the end of the ropes. But see, we were the one blessed hearing Mr. A's stories along the way. No complains, no rants, no regrets. No wonder he has been blessed a 'lot'.

To Mr. Abraham who had seven children, we salute you!

Psalm 127:4-5

New International Version (NIV)

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior 

are children born in one’s youth. 

Blessed is the man 

whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame 

when they contend with their opponents in court.

Psalm 37:25-26

New International Version (NIV)

I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
    or their children begging bread.

They are always generous and lend freely;
    their children will be a blessing.

Song reference: kalisch13.tripod.com/lyric_act.htm
Image credits: crcschool.scoilnet.ie & annieink.com

Dream Team, Dream Theme

It had never occurred to me that the simplicity of my dreams would have a different role to play ~ for me and, for a few. Never had I been completely aware that the Lord has been gearing me towards using this thing until these words were spoken to me:

Date : Tuesday, March 27, 2012.

Jansen* : Are you a dreamer? 

Me : (Ahmm) Yes.

Jansen : Do you dream a lot?

Me : Yes. (Now, I want to fall from my seat!)

He continued,

"You dream things and God has anointed you to interpret those dreams. People will be coming to you to share their dreams. You will help them see what those dreams are and, you will lead them to make those dreams come to pass. But those dreams are not just limited to dreams when you are asleep." 

Then came Martin*:

"... and God wants speak to you... He will give you eyes to see dreams that God has for his sons and daughters... speak of truth, speak of love. I believe that one of your jobs is to speak to those lives who don’t even know what a dream is, to speak to those who do not even know what it means to dream because they may feel they do not have anything to dream about. ... Speak dreams into their lives. Speak that hope. Speak into their lives that there is a brighter future, that there is a better tomorrow, that God has a plan and a purpose for them, that they are here for a reason, that He has intentions. There’s an intention He placed in each and every one of them. God is just going to fill that. He can fill that, really."

Two different people, both are strangers to me but, both have spoken about the same thing on the same day ~ dreams. If I am at the most comfortable time and feeling, I would like to share with you bits and pieces of my journey about this. It was also a good thing then I had my mobile phone with me. So I was able to record these spoken words & was able to transcribe them.

If I have one thing in mind, it is that I want to fulfill the Lord's purposes, (not mine) about this. Not I, but Him who is to be lifted up, who is to be made known. I know that each one of us has been given a gift ~ a gift which is really not about us, but about God and His love for His people; and how He will use these gifts to encourage and build people up.

What comfort it is to know that the Lord, Who orchestrated all this has made me not to dream for nothing but, to dream because of something, and to dream for something. 

And I think, it will always be my theme every time I sleep.
And with God in it, it's going to be a 'dream team'.

- - - - - - - - - - -

*Jansen & Martin (not their real names), are students of this school/ministry called Bethel. Their group has been visiting our workplace yearly. They come visit, minister, and empower workers of different organizations. We have been really blessed with their coming. This year is their third.

A Message That Fire Can't Burn

"What do you think is this?"

"Ah-uhm, another edited photo?" I innocently asked.

I received no as a reply. At first look, the picture shown to me can't just be ~ unedited. Come on. With a lot of photo editing tools in cyberspace readily available, this can't just be real. 

I looked once, twice, thrice.

Okay, I give in, it's unedited. What's with this picture then? I leaned forward trying to listen to every word. Now it's me, from the picture to the story. Then they showed me something again:

"... Our humble, old church building was caught up in fire. The flames were slowly killing our church, our sanctuary, our second home. Members, families and onlookers came. We can't do anything but stop, stare and pray from a distance..."

After the flames died down, from the remains and rubble they all gathered around. They all looked and checked what was left from the disaster that struck their church walls but, most of all their hearts.

This is what they have found. This was the unedited picture I was telling you about:

It gripped their hearts seeing this among the remains. There's a touching, heartfelt message that the fire wasn't able to burn. The message reached them and comforted them.

Some messages can't just be burned by tragedies and disasters. Sometimes, they deliver it actually. The message can come swiftly or slowly. Whichever way, it always reaches the hearts and touches the lives of those who are intended and willing to receive it.

So, fire, you may have conquered buildings and walls but there will always be something that you simply can't burn.

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*Note to readers:
Thank you for reading. This post was intentionally written short. May I request that the video and picture may not be transmitted, transferred, copied or reproduced in any form or manner. Thank you very much. :)