Luke 2:51

"...As for His mother, she kept all these things in her heart."

Father, when I become a mother a few years from now, may I understand all the sacrifices of my own mom, and may I emulate Mary to my child. I want to become Mary in Your eyes-- chaste, obedient, submissive, a gentle spirit, a strong woman and so much more. I'm looking forward to giving birth to my daughter in the future. In Jesus' name, amen!

Diligent Student

Last Sunday, I sat at the back because I told my friend that I didn't want to recite. But guess what I did? I recited. Twice, I think. Or probably thrice, esp. when no one was raising his or her hand.

As a teacher, I know the feeling when no one wants to talk in a group class. You can't help but feel inefficient and incompetent. Yes, it also feels stupid. And it gets stressful in a one-on-one session when the lone tutee doesn't want to answer. So I kept on reciting when nobody wanted to talk or when everyone was shy to share during community meditation. Too bad we can't share our thoughts on other people's sharing. I would have said a lot of things.

Matthew 2:10

"The wise men overjoyed on seeing the star again."

Father, like the wise men, I am also overjoyed whenever I see stars in the sky, but more so when I see a full moon in its majesty. Thank You for sending all these celestial bodies to remind me of You and to give me the much-needed hope amidst the pitch-black sky. May I continue to be amazed by the full moon... In Jesus' name, amen!

Walk the Extra Mile

PLW 204: "She (Mama Mary) searched because she did not know everything. (S)he who searches must walk."

Simply grateful that I learned to search for the answers to some of my questions about the Catholic faith instead of just turning my back on the Church. Simply grateful that I walked (home late alone with God) when I was in need of spiritual nourishment the most. Simply grateful that I walked and found LOJ when I was in the pits (He drew me out of the deep water). :D

Are you searching for something? Learn to walk the extra mile, no matter how inconvenient.

Down on Your Knees

PLW 103: "We only understand Him when we are on our knees."

I got this meaningful expression from my last cycle of PLW. Simply grateful that I have developed a personal relationship with God, the One True Lover of my soul and my Papa God.

After developing an intimate relationship with Him in 2003, I learned to hear His voice more clearly and to discern His will more accurately. Albeit there are still some times in my life when I simply can't comprehend Him and His will (such as what happened during Ondoy and why tragedies strike good people), I'm learning to trust that He knows what's best for me. I am His beloved daughter after all.

Missing PLW

I missed PLW again... for the same reason. Twice in a month. This is getting bad. The paranoid and pessimistic side of me is even thinking of the worst-case scenario. I might get the primary complex (it's called with a different name for adults) of the children I'm serving in one of my ministries. Which reminds me to start taking antibiotics for seven days to combat this persistent cough. I trust that God won't allow me to get sick big time. This is just a matter of bad weather and stress. Toss in psychosomatic disorder in the equation. A weak body is what I get. Specifically a weak immune system.

After my fourth upper CG meeting in Harbour Square, I was tempted to push my tired and sick body to attend PLW. My CG Heads advised me to rest again. The obedient side of me happily obliged. But the obstinate side of me wanted to get down the LRT station to find my way to EDSA and transfer to the MRT station. I even contemplated on alighting in Roosevelt Station when I was already in Blumentritt. Too bad I didn't think about that earlier. Hahaha! Pasaway talaga!

I guess I know why God asked me to rest again. He wanted me to avoid the distraction I saw at the Feast. A new guy from the community made me smile today. Thank God for sending me inspirations to write more articles and to publish books in the future.

PLW 202: Holiness

"Holiness is a loving response to God's declaration of love."

I will strive to be holy even though it's very inconvenient on my part because my final destination is in Heaven. :D

PLW 201: Love

"Love grows from just one look -- a moment of forgetting oneself."

I thought love at first sight won't be true in my case... until I first saw Nicole and Nigel (cute babies in the shelter). God must have felt the same thing when He created you and me. :D

Welcome Note

I welcome all my curious followers and avid readers to my fourth public blog. Supposed to launch this next month. But seems as if some dreams can't wait to be fulfilled. One more blog to brew in the head!

I'm thinking of naming this blog either PLW Take Two or My Sacred Half Hour. I was about to choose the former, but others might not know what PLW means. This blog is about my Prayer and Life Workshops, all the learnings and insights I get every Sunday after church services and CG (cellgroup) meetings. After several months, when I'm done with the workshop, I can write more about my sacred half-hour or prayer time. Or even about God's messages to me. God's whispers as we call them in the community.

Happy reading again!

Isaiah 41:9

"and I said, 'You are My servant; I have chosen you and will not cast you away.'"

Father, I thank You for choosing and anointing me once again and for helping me recognize and heed Your call. Thank You for all the wonderful missions and opportunities to serve in Your ministries. As always, I know and trust that I am not alone in these missions. I can feel Your guiding hand in each and every one of them. I just pray for sustenance, strength of character and a bucketful of patience. Help me recognize when it's finally time to go and move on to another mission. Allow me to acknowledge that I am never and will never be indispensable in any ministry... In Jesus' name, amen!