Monday, January 10, 2011

Contentment

7:05 PM 9 Comments
“As a rule, man’s a fool. When it’s hot, he wants it cool.
And when it’s cool, he wants it hot. Always wanting what is not.”

One of the many things that I've learned from my mom is to be contented and thank God for everything. If we complain about the weather, I'm using that as an example because it's winter and honestly I kinda *sigh* dislike it, she tells us to thank and praise God for it.

"Thank You Lord for the cool air and for giving us the opportunity to see and experience snow", says my mother a couple of times looking out the window while I repeatedly mutter about how cold it is and how the weather makes me lazy.

If it's summer and it's too hot, she tells us to think cool and she'll start saying "Thank You Lord for the sun and the warmth" out loud with all smiles, eyes closed, head facing the sky and sometimes spreading her arms wide as she feels the rays of the sun hit her skin; Her gratefulness to the Lord is so contagious and/or her spirit is just too happy for me to continue murmuring my complains about the burning weather that I end up doing what she does and end up feeling good.

My mom always use the weather to start her sermon about how people are most of the time dissatisfied and hard to please.

We, people, often upgrade our desires and goals whenever we reach one thing; It's actually not bad but what makes it bad is when our hearts become clouded with unhappy thoughts and when we start to have restless days because of our desires to reach those goals. It's bad when we start to feel helpless, insecure, the feeling of wanting to push and to step on people just to be on top and the unhealthy craving of wanting more.

The "I will have it by hook or by crook" or "I am getting there no matter what" statements, though they sound daring and driven is actually dangerous. I think that those words are from a person who forgets to check God's plan. We often see only our immediate circumstances and as a human nature, we automatically work on an action and we strive harder to get going to reach that somewhere we want our selves to be without even consulting Him.

I know it's hard to be patient especially when obstacles block our vision. I know it's too tempting to step higher, to walk further, to accomplish and have more but we must remind ourselves, I must keep in mind, that there is a time for everything. We may not understand everything and God may conceal the purpose of His ways, but we should remember that His ways are not without purpose.

We should learn how to be content in whatever circumstances. We should be, I pray that I will always be, able to say with confidence that "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength". (Philippians 4:12-13)

Friday, December 24, 2010

Happy Birthday Prince of Peace!

11:29 AM 8 Comments

Merry Christmas Blogosphere!
Merry Christmas my dearest NetworkedBlogs followers,
Google followers,
email subscribers,
the Christian Women and Blogger, and blogger friends!



During a sermon last Sunday,our priest shared some interesting information about the symbols and traditions during Christmas- like the Christmas tree, the socks, Santa Claus, the gift giving, the kiss under the mistletoe and the candy cane. The latter amused me so much because I've never thought of googling the meaning of it or what candy cane symbolizes.

If you look at the candy cane like this it definitely looks like the letter J. Jesus starts with the letter J, so that should remind us of Jesus and help us to remember that Christmas is Jesus' birthday.

If you look at the candy cane like thisit looks like a shepherd's crook. In about 1670 the choirmaster in Cologne Cathedral had sticks of candy bent into the shape of a shepherd’s crook and passed them out to children who attended the ceremonies.

A shepherd uses his crook to keep the sheep from wandering away from the flock and getting lost or eaten by a wild animal. The Bible says, "The Lord is my shepherd." The candy cane should remind us that Jesus is our shepherd and he will keep us from wandering away and getting lost or hurt.

The color white in a candy cane symbolizes purity. It should remind us that Jesus was the spotless Lamb of God and that because he came to be the sacrifice for our sin, we can become as white as snow. The flavor of peppermint is similar to another member of the mint family, hyssop. In the Old Testament hyssop was used for purification and sacrifice, and this is said to also symbolize the purity of Jesus and the sacrifice he made.

The candy cane should also have three red stripes. The Bible tells us that before he was crucified, Jesus was beaten with a whip which made blood-red stripes across his back. The Bible says that we are healed by those stripes. (He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his stripes you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 ) The stripes on the candy cane should remind us that Jesus suffered and died, so that we can have an everlasting life.

Faith never knows where it is being led,
but it loves and knows the One who is leading.


May we all remember the birth of the Good Shepherd during our celebration and give Him our love and faith as our gift. =D Merry Christmas!



Over the skies of Bethlehem appeared a star
While angels sang to lowly shepherds
Three Wisemen seeking truth they traveled from afar
Hoping to find the child from heaven
Falling on their knees they bow before the humble Prince of Peace

The sun cannot compare to the glory of your love
There is no shadow in your presence
No mortal man would dare to stand before your throne
Before the Holy One of heaven
It's only by Your blood
It's only through Your mercy
Lord, I come

We bring an offering of worship to our King
No one on earth deserves the praises that we sing
Jesus may you receive the honor that you're due
O Lord I bring an offering to you

***
ALSO!!!!
December 24

Happy Birthday Phillip!


He's one of my answered prayers. =)
I love you bro!