A biblical principle I got from Finding Nemo

The Gang

marlin and Dory

Marlin and Nemo

Peach

Squirt

Pearl

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Think Positive?

Fish-Friendly Shark Pledge: I am a nice shark. Not a mindless eatin' machine. If I want to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends. Not food.

The first time I watched this scene from the movie, I was reminded of Philippians 4:8 which says

Philippians 4:8 (New International Version)

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Am I commanded to just think positively? to be optimistic? Hmmm. I think that's too general and broad to help me with my thought life. Through Bruce(the shark from Finding Nemo) I realized that the first step to control my thought life is by stuffing my mind with God's Word. That I believe is crucial, if my mind is without the Word of God how will I expect it to glorify Christ? Philippians 4:8 is a great start. It teaches me the specific things I must dwell on to.

Bible Memorization is an excellent way to refocus my thoughts on the right things. Dallas Willard said that "Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation.." Why? because we are transformed by the renewing of our mind(Romans 12:2).

I read in Elisabeth Elliot’s book Passion and Purity that Jim Elliot used to write Scripture verses on little note cards so he could use his time wisely by memorizing Scripture while waiting in line for lunch at his school’s cafeteria. I WAS SO IMPRESSED, and he inspired me to do the same. I keep a stash of index cards held together by metal ring binder I bought from the bookstore. On them, I write notable verse and passages to keep me company while Im traveling to and fro the church, I recite them whenever Im left with nothing to do. I know I'm not an expert when it comes to memorization but this is an important spiritual discipline that I dare not miss in this early stage of my Christian life.

How does one actually do it? Here's a helpful link:

An Approach to extended Memorization of Scripture

and another one

go straight to chapter 8: How to Wield the Word in the fight for Joy of When I dont desire God

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Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Romans 12:2 (New International Version)

²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

the scent of freedom

I wonder how Forest Gump will look in these.

sway

JUMMMMMPPPPPP

Yep. Lately, I've been dreaming about quad roller skates and trampolines.

GLIDE AND JUMP BABY.

a childlikeness that can see the sheer wonder of the staggering strangeness of the ordinary.

Nathaniel: Seth knows no fear, no pain, no hunger, he hears music in the sunrise. But he'd give it all up, he loves you that much.

Maggie: I don't understand.

- city of angels

I love the sunrise and I not such a big fan of sunsets. I can hear the music in the sunrise and I can smell its scent too. The music sounds a bit wind chime-y and the scent is very clean. Its not because of the film "City of Angels" because honestly I haven't watched the film yet. I didn't know that that dialogue was in the film either, Ava just told me about it when I confessed to her that I indeed hear and smell the sunrise. I told Ate Nini about this too and she has this ability as well. I think those people who hear and smell and see the unseen are those people who are deeply acquainted with their souls.

Why am I blogging about this unusual ability? Hmm, well because the reason why I love the sunrise is because to me it is the SONrise. Its like Him shining His face upon me. It warms my soul, there's room to breathe.

THE ELEPHANTINE PURSUIT OF THE OBVIOUS

..how much happier you would be if you only knew that these people cared nothing about you! How much larger your life would be if your self could become smaller in it; if you could really look at other men with common curiosity and pleasure; if you could see them walking as they are in their sunny selfishness and their virile indifference! You would begin to be interested in them, because they were not interested in you. You would break out of this tiny and tawdry theatre in which your own little plot is always being played, and you would find yourself under a freer sky, in a street full of splendid strangers.”*

..his elementary wonder, however, is not a mere fancy derived from the fairy tales; on the contrary, all the fire of the fairy tales is derived from this. Just as we all like love tales because there is an instinct of sex, we all like astonishing tales because they touch the nerve of the ancient instinct of astonishment. This is proved by the fact that when we are very young children we do not need fairy tales: we only need tales. Mere life is interesting enough. A child of seven is excited by being told that Tommy opened a door and saw a dragon. But a child of three is excited by being told that Tommy opened a door. Boys like romantic tales; but babies like realistic tales—because they find them romantic. In fact, a baby is about the only person, I should think, to whom a modern realistic novel could be read without boring him. This proves that even nursery tales only echo an almost pre-natal leap of interest and amazement. These tales say that apples were golden only to refresh the forgotten moment when we found that they were green. They make rivers run with wine only to make us remember, for one wild moment, that they run with water...*

The point is that Christ frees us from self-preoccupation and gives us yes, only very gradually-- a childlikeness that can see the sheer wonder of the staggering strangeness of the ordinary. Chesterton said that this discovery for him was captured in a riddle: "What did the first frog say?" Answer: "Oh Lord how you have made me jump!". In other places he said that he came to the point where what amazed him was not the strangeness of people's noses but that they have noses in the first place. In becoming more childlike and more able to see the glory in the wonder of the ordinary and the routine, he points out that we are more becoming like God. - John Piper

...It is supposed that if a thing goes on repeating itself it is probably dead; a piece of clockwork. People feel that if the universe was personal it would vary; if the sun were alive it would dance. This is a fallacy even in relation to known fact. For the variation in human affairs is generally brought into them, not by life, but by death; by the dying down or breaking off of their strength or desire. A man varies his movements because of some slight element of failure or fatigue. He gets into an omnibus because he is tired of walking; or he walks because he is tired of sitting still. But if his life and joy were so gigantic that he never tired of going to Islington, he might go to Islington as regularly as the Thames goes to Sheerness. The very speed and ecstacy of his life would have the stillness of death. The sun rises every morning. I do not rise every morning; but the variation is due not to my activity, but to my inaction. Now, to put the matter in a popular phrase, it might be true that the sun rises regularly because he never gets tired of rising. His routine might be due, not to a lifelessness, but to a rush of life. The thing I mean can be seen, for instance, in children, when they find some game or joke that they specially enjoy. A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.*

* Orthodoxy by Gilbert K. Chesterton

I will end with this beautiful poem by Lu Dube.

http://www.spiritisup.com/watchthesunrise.html

The sun was just coming up

As I walked on down the road

Then I stood there in the stillness

To watch its glory unfold

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Matthew 5:8 (New International Version)

⁸Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.

not this time

And if it ends today
Well I'll still say that you shine brighter than anyone

Must we go there?
Please not this time. No, not this time.

Love will remain a mystery

Brighter Than Sunshine lyrics

I never understood before
I never knew what love was for
My heart was broke, my head was sore
What a feeling

Tied up in ancient history
I didnt believe in destiny
I look up you're standing next to me
What a feeling

What a feeling in my soul
Love burns brighter than sunshine
Brighter than sunshine
Let the rain fall, i don't care
I'm yours and suddenly you're mine
Suddenly you're mine
And it's brighter than sunshine

I never saw it happening
I'd given up and given in
I just couldn't take the hurt again
What a feeling

I didn't have the strength to fight
Suddenly you seemed so right
Me and you
What a feeling

What a feeling in my soul
Love burns brighter than sunshine
It's brighter than sunshine
Let the rain fall, I don't care
I'm yours and suddenly you're mine
Suddenly you're mine

It's brighter than the sun
It's brighter than the sun
It's brighter than the sun, sun, shine.

Love will remain a mystery
But give me your hand and you will see
Your heart is keeping time with me

What a feeling in my soul
Love burns brighter than sunshine
It's brighter than sunshine
Let the rain fall, I don't care
I'm yours and suddenly you're mine
Suddenly you're mine

I got a feeling in my soul ... [repeat chorus to end]

can you hear me?

If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda

I want you to know
one thing.

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.

But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine

do you have what it takes to be made king?

A Woman’s Question

By Lena Lathrop.

Do you know you have asked for the costliest thing

Ever made by the Hand above?

A woman’s heart, and a woman’s life-And a woman’s wonderful love.

Do you know you have asked for this priceless thing

As a child might ask for a toy?

Demanding what others have died to win

With the reckless dash of a boy.

You have written my lesson of duty out

Manlike you have questioned me

Now stand at the bars of my woman’s soul

Until I shall question thee

You require your mutton shall always be hot

Your socks and your shirt be whole

I require your heart be true as God’s stars

And as pure as his heaven your soul

You require a cook for your mutton and beef

I require a far greater thing

A seamstress you’re wanting for socks and shirts

I look for a man and a king

A king for the beautiful realm called home

And a man that his Maker God

Shall look upon as he did on the first

And say; “It is very good.”

I am fair and young, but the rose may fade

From this soft young cheek one day

Will you love me then ‘mid the falling leaves

As you did ‘mong the blossoms of May?

Is your heart an ocean so strong and true

I may launch my all on its tide?

A loving woman finds heaven and hell

On the day she is made a bride

I require all things that are grand and true

All things that a man should be

If you give this all, I would stake my life

To be all you demand of me

If you cannot be this; a laundress and cook

You can hire and little to pay

But a woman’s heart and a woman’s life

Are not to be won this way.

antipara

an excerpt from Chapter 8 of "Let me be a woman"

by Elisabeth Elliot

Perspective makes all the difference in the world.

If you catch even a glimpse of the divine design (and who can see more than a glimpse of any part of it?), you will be humbled and awed at least. I believe a true understanding of it will make you grateful. But there are those to whom being a woman is nothing more than an inconvenience, to be suffered because it is unavoidable and to be ignored if at all possible. Their lives are spent pining to be something else. Every creature of God is given something that could be called an inconvenience, I suppose, depending on one's perspective. The elephant and the mouse might each complain about his size, the turtle about his shell, the bird about his wings. But elephants are not called upon to run behind wainscots, mice will not be found "pacing along as though they have an appointment at the end of the world," turtles have no need to fly nor birds to creep. The special gift and ability of each creature defines its special limitations. And as the bird easily comes to terms with the necessity of bearing wings when it finds that it is, in fact, the wings that bear the bird-- up, away from the world, into the sky, into freedom--so the woman who accepts the limitations of womanhood finds in those very limitations her gifts, her special calling-- wings, in fact, which bear her up into perfect freedom, into the will of God.

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That principle can be applied to the unparalleled season of singleness.

If one sees it as "God keeping something that is good (e.g. marriage)"

then the season would be a curse.

Yet if one saw it as it is, a gift from God, then singleness will be

a blessing.

Also, it all boils down to your view of who God is and the truth about God.

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Psalm 34:8-10 (New International Version)

⁸ Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

⁹ Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Romans 8:32 (New International Version)

³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

emotional purity versus emotional striptease

Got introduced to you by a friend

You were cute and all that, baby you set the trend

Yes you did oh

The next thing I know we're down at the cinema

We're sitting there, you said you loved me

What's that about

You're moving too fast, I don't understand you

I'm not ready yet, baby I can't pretend

No I can't

The best I can do is tell you to talk to me

It's possible, eventual

Love will find a way

Love will find a way...

Don't say you love me

You don't even know me

If you really want me

Then give me some time

Don't go there baby

Not before I'm ready

Don't say your heart's in a hurry

It's not like we're gonna get married

Give me, give me some time

Here's how I play, here's where you stand

Here's what to prove to get any further than where it's been

I'll make it clear, not gonna tell you twice

Take it slow, you keep pushing me

You're pushing me away

Pushing me away...

Don't say you love me

You don't even know me

If you really want me

Then give me some time

Don't go there baby

Not before I'm ready

Don't say your heart's in a hurry

It's not like we're gonna get married

Give me, give me some time

oooo, na, na, na, na, na, na, na

na, na, na, na, na, na

oooo, na, na, na, na, na, na, na

na, na, na, na, na, na, na

Don't say you love me

You don't even know me baby...

Baby don't say love me, baby

Give me some time...

Don't say you love me

You don't even know me

If you really want me

Then give me some time

Don't go there baby

Not before I'm ready

Don't say your heart's in a hurry

It's not like we're gonna get married

Give me, give me some time

(repeat until fade out)

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My father taught my four brothers never to say

"I love you" to any girl unless they are to follow it with an immediate

"Will you marry me?"

-Elisabeth Elliot

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GUIDELINE #1:

Would I treat him/her this way if he was a married man/woman?

-Heather Arnel Paulsen

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Proverbs 4:23 (New International Version)

²³ Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.

Jeremiah 17:9 (New International Version)

⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?

the principle of the trafficlight

when God is not saying go nor stop what must one do?

wait.

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Ecclesiastes 3:11a (New International Version)

¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Jeremiah 29:10-14a (New International Version)

¹⁰ This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.

esta es mi oracion en el desierto

Dear Queen,

if you're lost you can look--

and you will find me

time after time

if you fall I will catch you--

I'll be waiting time after time

this love is unbreakable,
through fire and flames,
when all this is over,
Our love still remains.

God's love.

Enduring.

Unfailing.

Immense.

All-encompassing.

Inexhaustible.

yet still is Indescribable.

My Lover,

Your fierce passionate love right now is so real in my life.

You are indeed the Lover of my soul.

I can feel you pursuing me every moment.

Suddenly, every love song is about us, sunshine, stars, meals, people,

every smile, every situation is like a neat little package from You.

Every passage is an assurance or an affirmation from You.

I know that in every situation that I am facing is Your way of

IMPRESSING me, a way to showcase Your Strength.

I am joyful in whatever situation I am faced with, because I know

You will be there to prove Your Love, Your Grace.

I AM IMPRESSED, impress me even more!

I love being in the desert because it's a place for vulnerability, a place wherein You will be

seen, a place of refuge, a place where I can meet with You alone.

I LOVE YOU TOO my Lover.

I am Yours.

--

Your Bride.

Queen

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Romans 8:35-39 (New International Version)

³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?³⁶As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jeremiah 31:3 (New International Version)

³ The LORD appeared to us in the past,saying:
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

bibline hope of brooke and queen

CS lewis Song

I will sigh and with all creation groan as I wait for hope to come for me

Am I lost or just less found? On the straight or on the roundabout of the wrong way?
Is this a soul that stirs in me, is it breaking free, wanting to come alive?
'Cause my comfort would prefer for me to be numb
And avoid the impending birth of who I was born to become

Shadowfeet

When the world has fallen out from under me
I'll be found in you, still standing
Every fear and accusation under my feet
when time and space are through
I'll be found in you

1 Samuel 15:22-23

I discovered that the best way to understand the Holy Scriptures is:

OBEDIENCE.

- Fred Malir

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Matthew 26:36-42 (New International Version)

³⁶Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." ³⁷He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."³⁹Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."⁴⁰Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. ⁴¹"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."⁴²He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

Pierced Monday.

This afternoon was an excellent way for Aboji to teach me Isaiah 53 in a new light.

Tatin, my 5-year-old nephew was playing with Kurt, our neighbor. After I took a bath, I was shocked to hear Tatin screaming and crying. He was brought to me by Mom and it was then that I saw him, bloody hands, arms and shirt. I'm not sure what happened. There were several deep cuts on his palms and arms and they were bleeding profusely as he continued wailing. I went and washed his open wounds making his scream louder. I was fighting back tears, for once I must appear strong enough for him in that helpless situation. Mom was there with us, scolding and blaming Tatin for being so careless. I got angry. Tatin, was a kid and what do you except from a kid? Of course, he'll act like a kid, after all he's 5 not 25. Somehow, I managed to gently persuade Mom to quit scolding and blaming the little boy, it was not helping in any way. As I continue to wash his wounds, I was bewildered to hear what was on his mind at that painful moment.

"What if Mom knew I got injured, for sure she'll hit me and scold me."

and he continued to cry even more.

I could not believe that's what he was caring about when he was already in deep pain. I was surprised to know that he was fearful of his parents and instead of running towards them for comfort and refuge, he was ready to ran away from them for safety. I'm not sure if his young mind understood the gravity of his statement, but it sure was a wake-up call for me. Not only what atmosphere I will provide my future family but to the family that I have here and now.

I was cradling him awhile ago, hoping somehow that doing so will help ease his pain. I didn't know what to say to him so all I did was be there. I told him that his wounds will be gone sooner if he treat and clean it. At first he resisted but after a few minutes I finally persuaded him.

Since I just took a bath and I hurriedly attended to his needs, I was not able to dry my hair properly. I asked him if I could do so and his response melted my heart,

"Just stay here with me Tita."

almost begging me to stay.

he didn't want anyone else to care for him.

I wept and embraced him, who cares about my dripping wet hair? He needed me, he wanted me and that's all that I care about.

As he was watching Cartoon Network, I went and washed the dishes. I could not contain my heart any longer. I felt helpless because of the situation so I cried out to God in prayer, telling him about my worries and realizations. I scrubbed every bit of anxiety with the peace of God.

----------------------------------------------------

Then I remembered Isaiah 53. All the things that happened that afternoon was a small scale portrayal of the Calvary. Tatin was just my nephew, I was not his mother and yet the pain that I felt was unbearable. What more did God felt when he gave His only begotten Son, to reconcile his people back to Him? I will never be able to comprehend.

Isaiah 53:10 (New International Version)

¹⁰ Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes^[a] his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

Kuya Caleb asked me ages ago, "Who or What killed Christ?" The Jews? The Roman soldiers? The World's Sin? The nail? Christ Himself [I thought he just gave up breathing (cf Luke 23:46)]? I was not prepared to hear the truth, that it was God and His Will that killed Christ (I'm using the word killed here loosely). You bet I was offended, I was even scandalized. I was sure, God will not do anything like that and yet it was the truth, the awefully and wonderfully painful truth.

How did it feel for God to do such thing? God has emotions, and none of those were sinful so I imagined his heart probably broken beyond comprehension.

Mark 15:33 (New International Version)

³³At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

and I somehow caught a glimpse of His pain.

I'll never know

How much it cost

to see my sins

upon that Cross

Aboji, It was a humbling experience to be Tatin's hands for a while.

We decided to look at the brighter side of things.

Since he can't use both his hands, I have a reason to spoon feed him

and to help him drink water and to bathe him.

Thank You that you are providing me ways to apply the Sunday Sermon and

the relationship principles.

I'm praying that this incident will be memorable not only to me but

more so for him.

I pray that what he'll remember will not be the pain nor the wounds

but the love and care provided for him that time, and may

he tearfully refer to this incident when he's faced with the decision

to receive you into his life.

Amen.

I've never been to me

A very sad song about a woman soul who had everything in this world

yet lost herself in the process.

A stern warning for all of us.

I've Never Been To Me

( Charlene )

Hey lady, you lady, cursing at your life

You're a discontented mother and a regimented wife

I've no doubt you dream about the things you'll never do

But, I wish someone had talked to me

Like I wanna talk to you.....

Oh, I've been to Georgia and California and anywhere I could run

I took the hand of a preacher man and we made love in the sun

But I ran out of places and friendly faces because I had to be free

I've been to paradise but I've never been to me

Please lady, please lady, don't just walk away

'Cause I have this need to tell you why I'm all alone today

I can see so much of me still living in your eyes

Won't you share a part of a weary heart that has lived million lies....

Oh, I've been to Niece and the Isle of Greece while I've sipped champagne on a yacht

I've moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo and showed 'em what I've got

I've been undressed by kings and I've seen some things that a woman ain't supposed to see

I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me

[spoken]

Hey, you know what paradise is?

It's a lie, a fantasy we create about people and places as we'd like them to be

But you know what truth is?

It's that little baby you're holding, it's that man you fought with this morning

The same one you're going to make love with tonight

That's truth, that's love......

Sometimes I've been to crying for unborn children that might have made me complete

But I took the sweet life, I never knew I'd be bitter from the sweet

I've spent my life exploring the subtle whoring that costs too much to be free

Hey lady......

I've been to paradise, (I've been to paradise)

But I've never been to me

(I've been to Georgia and California, and anywhere I could run)

I've been to paradise, never been to me

(I've been to Neice and the isle of Greece while I've sipped champagne on a yacht)

I've been to paradise, never been to me

(I've been to cryin' for unborn children that might have made me complete)

I've been to paradise, never been to me

(I've been to Georgia and California, and anywhere I could run)

I've been to paradise, never been to me

I am talking to myself. Teaching my soul. Psalm 42

"It's someone ye'll never have heard of. Her name on earth was Sarah Smith and she lived at Golders Green."

"She seems to be ... well, a person of particular importance?"

"Aye. She is one of the great ones. Ye have heard that fame in this country and fame on Earth are two quite different things."

"..And who are all these young men and women on each side?"

"They are her sons and daughters."

"She must have had a very large family, Sir."

"Every young man or boy that met her became her son-even if it was only the boy that brought the meat to her back door. Every girl that met her was her daughter."

"Isn't that a bit hard on their own parents?" "No. There are those that steal other people's children. But her motherhood was of a different kind. Those on whom it fell went back to their natural parents loving them more. Few men looked on her without becoming, in a certain fashion, her lovers. But it was the kind of love that made them not less true, but truer, to their own wives."

Page 176-179, Captivating: Unveiling the mystery of a Woman's Soul

God is good, right? I am in awe how the Lord is pointing the path to me. And I love that God provides ample "light" from His Word to sustain me with each prayer-soaked step that I take.

I just came back from a sort of retreat from Ava's place in Bulacan. I stayed there for three days, and boy I am full. I think I gained a few kilos because her Mom fed me like there's no tomorrow. She even gave me a pretty dress that I'll wear on sunday and "Magenta" (Blue's cousin). But more importantly, I was refreshed by prolonged prayer, devotions and reflection times. We decided beforehand that I can't talk to her while we are there so I had all the time in the world to ponder about a lot of BIG things. I wrote lots of letters. I wrote prayers even. I journaled all I want till I was sleepy and tired from reading and writing. In between reflections and studying, I also took pictures of random things there. I wish I could go back sooner.

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MASTER

MISSION

MATE

I've learned about that concept when I was just barely a two-month-old Christian. It was my discipler who taught me this and it was only now that I've realized the significance of those three words in their proper order. In the Christian walk, mostly teenagers and single adults skip the mission part, and I am guilty of that mindset as well. We go about our walk with Christ consumed by thoughts about matters of the heart when we know for a fact that we are nowhere near ready to commit in an exclusive relationship, let alone be married. I am blessed to have had personal Biblical convictions, to have read IKDG and to have been mentored by Godly women and couples even in the arena of love.

Lord, I heard You. You gave me that verse three times already.

I know my priorities, and I must choose to prioritize my priorities.

I am weak, I am afraid, enable me to obey.

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Hebrews 11:17-19 (New International Version)

¹⁷By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, ¹⁸even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring^[a] will be reckoned.^[b] ¹⁹Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Hebrews 12:1-6 (New Living Translation)

¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.^a] Because of the joy^b]awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³ Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;^c] then you won’t become weary and give up. ⁴After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

⁵ And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?^d]He said,

“My child,^[e] don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
⁶ For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”^f]

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Dearest Aboji,

"This day do I, with the utmost solemnity, surrender myself to thee. I renounce all former lords that have had dominion over me; and I consecrate to thee all that I am, and all that I have; the faculties of my mind, the members of my body, my worldly possessions, my time, and my influence over others; to be all used entirely for thy glory, and resolutely employed in obedience to thy commands, as long as thou continuest me in life; with an ardent desire and humble resolution to continue thine through all the endless ages of eternity; ever holding myself in an attentive posture to observe the first intimations of thy will, and ready to spring forward with zeal and joy to the immediate execution of it.
"To thy direction also I resign myself, and all I am and have, to be disposed of by thee in such a manner as thou shalt in thine infinite wisdom judge most subservient to the purposes of thy glory. To thee I leave the management of all events, and say without reserve, `Not my will, but thine be done,' rejoicing with a loyal heart in thine unlimited government, as what ought to be the delight of the whole rational creation.

PHILIP DODDRIDGE (26 June 1702 – 26 October 1751)

Yours,

Queen