I hate rules!

It was during the time when I was teaching in one of my Saturday art classes with kids aged 6-7 years old. We are about to do a side view of a zebra using charcoal pencils.

Before we start I always make them recite our class rules. Originally we only have 3 rules, but since these kids are really active I made another rule which is "Don't go before teacher." (It's because when we are doing an artwork, we do it one step at a time) What usually happens when they go before me, their artworks will look different from what I am teaching. So they will air their concern and comment on their works with "Why is my zebra looks different?" or "My zebra looks abnormal!"

So my answer is (of course), "Because you are going before teacher..." or "Because you are not waiting for my instruction..." And this will happen again and again in one session. One time I asked them, "Why you are not following the rules?" And one of my students answered me, "Because we don't want to follow the rules!" And I answered him, "But rules are for your own good that's why you should follow them. They can make your artworks look great."

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

Then I remember a time when I was commuting going home. In a fleeting moment I saw a barber shop by the roadside. And in the barber shop I saw a toddler who is inside a crib, jumping. Good thing the kid is inside the crib or else he could be on the road and get hit by a vehicle!

Image from http://northtexaskids.com

Then I remember God and His rules. There are people who doesn't want to get serious with God because they think that God have "so many rules" that they need to follow. Thinking about the toddler inside the crib, it's like we are the toddler and God's laws are the crib. They keep us safe.

Proverbs 6:20-13 (NIV)
²⁰ My son, keep your father’s command
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
²¹ Bind them always on your heart;
    fasten them around your neck.
²² When you walk, they will guide you;
    when you sleep, they will watch over you;
    when you awake, they will speak to you.
²³ For this command is a lamp,
    this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
    are the way to life,

His laws are meant for guidance, instruction and correction. They are not meant to choke us or so we can live boring lives. When we believe and know that God loves us so much, we can be sure that His laws are for our good, following them will not be a burden but a delight and treating them will not be with contempt but with thankfulness.

More than just a "Puppy Love"

Puppy love.

They said, "puppy love" also means "young love". This term is usually used (not all the time) by grown-ups to describe their first crushes or first relationships that they had when they were younger. It also means "immature" or "shallow". It's like saying that you "love" the person because that person have a mega-watt smile or is cute, plays basketball very well, makes you laugh, makes you feel happy, makes you inspired, etc.

Image from http://picsbox.biz/

So it's like puppy love = you.

A person is childish or immature when he/she thinks or cares all about him/herself. Notice how a baby clings to a toy that he/she is holding or how a baby cries when you get what he/she is holding. Sadly I realize, there are still people who are already grown-ups yet still have this "puppy love" in them. They go into relationships because they don't want to be alone, they want to feel happy or they want to feel "complete", etc.

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me." -1 Corinthians 13:11

For a very long time I was puzzled why is this verse included in the "love chapter" of the Bible. God made me realize that when we love (like we reeeally love in its truest sense), we become mature therefore we think or care less of ourselves and more about the person that we love. We mature so "we put our childish ways behind us". Much like what Jesus did for us. He think less of Himself and showed His love for us by dying on the cross so we may have salvation from our sins and have a full life in Him.

So you know that you love (like reeeally love in its truest sense basing on 1 Corinthians 13) when you think less of yourself and more of the person that you love. :)    

Your love goes on and on...

♫ Your love never fails / It never gives up / It never runs out on me ♫

Yep, that's the chorus part of that song by Jesus Culture, "One Thing Remains". I've been listening to it on and on again for these past two days as this song ministered to me on a different light.

LSS mode :)

It has been said that "No man is an island". It means that other than food, shelter, clothing and some other stuff, a man needs to be with other people through having relationships with them. Whether we like it or not, we are already born with those-- we have our parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. But there are also relationships that we have to choose to have, and that would be our relationships with friends or with any people who happen to be outside (or far from) of your family tree. :)

But as we build relationship with people, we give a part of us to them, making us more vulnerable to them. We are more exposed to possible disappointments, unmet expectations, mistrust, heartaches and letdowns. Time and again we might come to a point of holding all it up, build our own walls around us and then have our reservations of giving a part of us to people since we can be so tired of being hurt. We may be all around with people yet be so reserved. In one way or another, I may have come to this point without knowing it.

The thing here is I kind of decided in the back of my mind that I will contain myself behind my own walls so as not to be too vulnerable. Playing like a "tough cookie" I guess. ;)

I would have call this as a "Fasting Hangover 2.0" post. :) It was during the Day 2 of our Mid-Year Prayer and Fasting that was held last week when I read the "Love chapter" of the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13. In that whole chapter, these words kind of spoke louder to me:

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...

It dawned on me that I'm doing this not because I'm scared to be wronged or don't want to be hurt. They are just on the surface. The truth is I don't fully trust God anymore in this. I may give tons of reasons why but this is the bottom line, I'm having trust issues with Him (Ouch!) It's like I'm saying that God is holding my heart, only that it is caged and chained. :) But no no... God doesn't want me to do that. He still wants me to be open and free, just like a loving father. :)

If God is love, then HE always protects, HE always trusts, HE always perseveres and HE never fails.

I attended the Day 2 prayer meeting in our church later that day, and the song that I've mentioned was played by the music team. It struck a chord in my heart and then have this thought in my mind:

If I have God and His love in my heart... then disappointments, heartaches, heartbreaks, letdowns, etc. may come but it's just fine... because HIS LOVE NEVER RUNS OUT ON ME. :) It's not that I will be super invincible and will not feel any pain anymore, it is just being secured, being brave and confident that whatever this heart may go through... it will not be calloused or dried up because God's love flows through it. :)

I realized that God's love doesn't just make us complete, joyful and alive. It can also make us brave and strong, not because we are rigid, but because we never run out of love to give that is from the Lord. :) Now that is being secured!

♫ And on and on and on and on it goes / And it overwhelms and satisfies my soul / And I never ever have to be afraid / 'Cos this one thing remains ♫

Fasting Hangover

Last July 2-4, we had our mid-year prayer & fasting in our church. It was really a great time that I'm always looking forward to, even though before I never thought that fasting can be really fun & exciting. :)

During the breaking of fast last Thursday at Ptr. Bong & Ate Jing's house, I've noticed how Justin & Joshua (their two little boys) was so enthusiastic and intensely happy with all the shouting & running around when their daddy arrived home. Justin (the eldest) went to us where we are having our dinner and shouted "Daddy is here!!!" with gusto! Then I saw Joshua running around very happy while holding a bottle of water which is about half empty saying, "Look, daddy gave me this!" Ate Jing told us that he's always happy with whatever his daddy gives to him.

Then it made me think about my relationship with my Father God. Is just His mere presence makes me so enthusiastic & intensely happy? Or in anything that He gives to me, do I receive it with joy & a thankful heart? Even though to other people it might look just like a "half-empty bottled water", but since my Father gave this to me I'm still happy that I received it.

It's something that I pondered about, & I realized that I can be like that when I'm child-like before God & all my delight is in Him. Since I'm already satisfied with His presence, then whatever blessing that He gives me I'll be thankful for it, because it's only just a bonus from being with Him. :)

Yep, I'm having my fasting hangover! :)

Have you met Joy? :)

Joy.

It's only a three-letter word. Short yet many people are in search of it. And many from them are searching it in wrong places. They look for it in their careers, romantic relationships, money & vices. They seem to satisfy at a time but then it doesn't linger. Result, it makes the person frustrated & even more sad.

Nick Vujicic at CCF's new center

Yesterday, I got the chance to see & hear Nick Vujicic speak with 10,000+ people at CCF. He was born with no arms & no legs. When he was a boy he had to deal with the bullies, he had so many questions to God why he was born like that & he even tried to take his own life for several times. His parents helped him to restore his faith in God.

He spoke about happiness & joy. He's right when he said there are many people who have arms & legs yet don't have peace, joy & purpose. Even though he don't have his arms & legs, he have peace, joy & purpose which are more important. He have it through having Jesus Christ in his life. He's now being used by God all over the world to spread His Word of hope, truth and purpose. Nick is now married and have a cute baby. :)

In the afternoon I went to our church at VCF. In our pastor's preaching he also spoke about suffering & joy. Sometimes God don't give us what we are praying for & allow suffering in our lives, so it will lead us to the ultimate source of joy-- Jesus.

Answered prayers & good things are nice but just like our circumstances whether they are great or not should not be the source of our joy. Joy is Jesus! :)

"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." -Psalms 16:11 (NKJV)

At last!

At last it's finished! :)

It's my online portfolio since I'm preparing to have a career in freelancing as an artist. :)

It might not be the supah and most fabulous online portfolio that you've ever since but I'm proud of it! ;)

See it here: YEBAH!

Common Denominators

I have my new work now as an art instructor for kids. I'm only a couple of week old in it and still in the adjustment period. Arts and kids = great combination! Part of the adjusting season is missing my former work and the people that I was with there. I used to work in a non-government organization (NGO) for the poor and I had those times when I went in to houses that are built under bridges, near dump sites, on relocation sites and evacuation centers and spent some time with people living there. I also saw many kids in those places and most of the time if they are not in day care centers, they are just playing with their fellow children and living out their childhood days.

Here in my new work, I'm now more exposed to kids. They are just the same with the kids that I've encountered in my past work --  energetic, fun, have great potentials and a future. Only that they have more resources like they have cars and houses and maybe they are studying in exclusive schools.

Now I'm realizing that God put me in a place where I can see kids from both worlds. They might came from "different" spheres (different backgrounds, upbringing, language used in speaking, etc.) but they are all under the same heaven. Other than food, water, air and shelter, they all need from us are

Love

Appreciation

Affirmation

Understanding

Discipline

And yes, some sweets :)

Yesterday was the coronation night for the Bb. Pilipinas beauty pageant. I didn't watch the pageant (since I wasn't really into it hehe) but I watched the Q & A portion of the crowned Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2013 on YouTube. The question was something like if women have something to teach men, what would it be? The answer of the beauty queen was-- sensitivity, because men tend to be so logical and rational. The morena beauty got a point there!

But you know, if men have something to teach women that would be rationalizing. Because women tend to be so sensitive and emotional! (I should know being a woman myself!)

So therefore the common denominators for that would be-- understanding and adjusting. :)

I thank you! :) (left hand on the waist, stomach in, chest out, flash that big smile and do the "beauty queen" wave on the right hand) :D