umbilically corded

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

I was tickled pink when a youth from church greeted me a Happy Mother's Day yesterday. I remember him telling me that I am his 'nanay' sa church sometime ago. I asked him how and why? He told me that his vivid memory of me mothering him was when I helped him fold his long sleeves one time, and he added that he wants me to do it again for him some other time. Awwww.

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

TO MOTHER

As large as the role is that our mothers play, the word mother is more powerful when used as a verb than as a noun.

To mother is to nurture, to train, to educate, to rear.

As daughters of Eve, all women are uniquely gifted to help others in their lives

become more of who they truly are --- to encourage, nurture and mother them

toward their true selves. In doing this, women partner with Christ in the vital

mission of bringing forth life.

-John and Stasi Eldredge, "Captivating"

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

Genesis 3:20 (New International Version)

²⁰ Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.

Proverbs 22:6 (New International Version)

⁶ Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.

She's Captivating and He's Wild at heart

I wrote this for my prettiest friend

Who while trying not to prove that I care

Trying not to make all my moves in one motion and scare her away

Well she can't see she's making me crazy now

I don't believe she knows she's amazing how

She has me holding my breathe

So I'd never guess that I'm a none such unsuitable, suitable for her

But if you ask me

The feeling that I'm feeling is complimentary

And oh it goes to show

The moral of the story is boy loves girl

And so on the way that it unfolds is yet to be told

I know that I should be brave

Even pretty can be seen by the blind

I know that I cannot wait

Until the day we finally learn how to find each other

Redefining open minds

And if you ask me

The feeling that I'm feeling is overjoyed

And it's golden, it goes to show then

You've got the best of both worlds

You're the kind of girl who can take down a man,

And lift him back up again

You are strong but you're needy,

Humble but you're greedy

And based on your body language,

And shoddy cursive I've been reading

Your style is quite selective,

Though your mind is rather reckless

Well I guess it just suggests

That this is just what happiness is

...

Although you were biased I love your advice

Your comebacks they're quick

And probably have to do with your insecurities

There's no shame in being crazy,

Depending on how you take these

Words I'm paraphrasing this relationship we're staging

...

What a beautiful mess this is

It's like taking a guess when the only answer is yes

Through timeless words, and priceless pictures

We'll fly like birds, out of this earth

And times they turn, and hearts disfigure

But that's no concern when we're wounded together

And we tore our dresses, and stained our shirts

But it's nice today, oh the wait was so worth it.

oh if this little light of mine combined with yours today
how many watts could illuminate
how many villages could we save
well my umbrella's tired of the weather wearing me down
well look at me now

Well you sure look as good as your outlook
would you mind if i took some time
to soak up your life, your beautiful light, you got a paradise inside
...

somehow the sun keeps shining upon you while i'm kindly standing by
if there's light in everybody, send out your ray of sunshine

you're undeniably warm, cerulean
you're perfect in desire
Would you hang around

so the sun can shine on me
and the clouds can all roll away
and the sky can become our possibility
cause there's a light in everybody, send out your ray of sunshine

I've been watching your world from afar

I've been trying to be where you are

And I've been secretly falling apart

Unseen

To me, you're strange and you're beautiful

You'd be so perfect with me

But you just can't see

You turn every head but you don't see me

I'll put a spell on you

You'll fall asleep

When I put a spell on you

And when I wake you I'll be the first thing you see

And you'll realize that you love me

...

Sometimes the last thing you want comes in first

Sometimes the first thing you want never comes

But I know that waiting is all you can do

Sometimes

I'll put a spell on you

You'll fall asleep

When I put a spell on you

And when I wake you I'll be the first thing you see

And you'll realise that you love 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.

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

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.

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

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]

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

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