cashless debt

if we were to sum up God's greatest commandments, it would be this:

1. love God.
2. love people.

number one is pretty easy to follow. as kitchie nadal puts it in her song, "it's not hard to fall for You..."

however, as we come to number two, it gets trickier. you see, i used to love people. i even thought of taking up industrial psychology in college. yeah sure, the world is filled with people of different culture and personalities. i can deal with that.

but as i began to discover that the real world can be harsh and cruel, i have little by little built myself a wall of defense and suspicion. i was surprised when even the closest people in my heart were capable of hurting me. all the more when those whom i trusted so much betrayed me and stabbed me behind my back!

how can you possibly love people like them? the world i saw through rose-colored glasses turned out to be the opposite. when i thought obeying rule number two was a cinch, that's when He brought in the un-lovable (er, difficult to love) people. *sigh*.

i always make it a point to pay in cash. i don't owe anyone anything. except the one God says in Romans 3:8,

"owe no man anything, except to love one another."

so help me God.

the call

"now is the time to establish a pattern in your life of always choosing the highest and the best. this is the way to remain close to Wisdom."

-p. 127, the Call
Rick Joyner

undeserved mercy

some people say i'm religious. goody-goody.

actually, i'm not.

the truth is, i'm just like everybody else. a sinner. someone who sins and falls occasionally. yet i have known a God who loves me unconditionally. He loves me for who i am. even if. inspite of.

who wouldn't be drawn to a Man like Him? Max Hsu and Jason Gregory of Church of Rhythm depicts this unmerited favor so well:

In the mirror all I saw
was that I never measured up
I couldn't like myself, so
how could I understand Your love?
I thought love was something bought-
by being someone I was not
how could I know all You'd
ask is that I let You love me?

- And Can It Be
{not perfect album}

sandugo

sandugo: outdoor sandals

The Heavenly Man

a portion in Bro. Yun's life story told about an instance when he was severely persecuted by fellow inmates in a prison cell. not long after that, these persecutors were inflicted with a dreadful skin disease.

this should serve as a reminder.

whenever we are tempted to mock or try to give God's people (specially those who serve Him) a hard time, think of those boils that could possibly inflict you. tsk.tsk.

confuse-ius

mejo magulo utak ko ngayon. parang ang daming kelangan gawin pero puro aksyon. walang direksyon. nakakainis!

pray that the Lord will see me through.

i feel He wants to tell me something kaso nahihirapan akong marinig.

alam mo un? ung tipong alam mo namang nagta-trabaho ka sa ministry, nagpe-pray ka naman, at nagbabasa ng bible pero walang fresh revelation. walang difference. i'm quite in that stage right now.

i wanna be still but i'm just being distracted by these many little things to do that i tend to overlook the more important things in life.

i wanna be like mary, who sat by Jesus' feet and chose to do what is better; but all the more i am being like martha.

Lord, help me be STILL and know You are God.

bangkok

march 12, 2005

indian food

part of my indian adventure was to taste their cuisine. my favorite? chapati dipped in lemon achar, paired with their homemade yogurt, downed with a cup of chai! mmm-mm.

mendi

aug 2004. amritsar, india. mendi: henna-tattoo printed on the bride's and her female friends' hands. mine says "i love india". it lasted two weeks.

pray hard

these thai-karen children pray with all their hearts, mind, and soul. how our Father must be pleased with them. "out of the mouths of babes, You've ordained a mighty praise" (Psalms)

pink stones

Apatot Beach
San Esteban, Ilocos Sur