celebrating life

today is a very special day for menoc siblings because this is papa's 71st birthday. we may not be celebrating his birthday grandiosely but inside our hearts we rejoice more than ever. we could not stop thanking God for Papa's life because if it hadn't been for him, we will never experience God's miraculous deeds in our lives. God showed His power and miracle when papa got sick 33 years ago...

yes,he was 38 years old when he was paralyzed. we lived in malinao, kalilangan bukidnon when papa got sick. we were all very young and little kids then. manoy was turning 16, ate loida was barely 14, ate leah 12, ate bembem 9, ate ningning 8, me 4, and joan, our youngest sister was 1 year and 8 months old. mama was just about my age now when papa got sick...how did she manage to raise us all 7 children and a bedridden father? God indeed was faithful enough to give mama the strength she needed and the courage to move on with life. if i were in her shoes, i don't know i would ever handle that situation she was in during that time. it was indeed God's moment to show His power and perform His miracle.

while the physician gave up on papa's case, as accordingly it was a hopeless case, mama along with my older siblings did not lose hope. they clung on to God and kept on claiming HIS promises. His promise of healing and promise of provision. i may not be able to explain in detail the pain and sufferings they have gone through but this is what it is, GOD IS REAL and HE never gives up on us even how much little faith left in us...HE remains faithful. That's what our family has experienced.

papa was brought out of the hospital after weeks or months perhaps of confinement, after all our resources were used up...the whole family then moved to Cagayan de oro city to start a new life. Mama bore all the sacrifices. she took all the burden of feeding us and taking care of papa. she showered us with love, compassion, and understanding. above all, she taught us dependence upon God. By mama's exemplary faith in God, we have learned to rely everything to HIM too. in all her activities and efforts, she made God as the center of it and never faltered to return all the favor and glory to God. mama never had a family of her own here in cagayan de oro. her own siblings were also far from her at that time. nobody was there to aid her but God alone. her constant company, friend and confidante was God. she poured herself out to Goid in prayer. one thing i admired about her, she was never sorry for her situation, instead she was very optrimistic about life. you would always see glow in her eyes, the hopefulness and assurance that everything is taken care of by God. that was really unbelievable. that was mama. she was a strong woman, someone whose life was filled with compassion and love especially for us and PAPA.

going back to papa,slowly he recovered from being stucked to bed. he started to smile, react to noise and people, he started to roll his eyes, move his fingers then started to ask for food and started to talk. it was indeed a miracle for us because while the doctor said he was a hopeless case, back to where we stayed in cdo, papa had recovered even without medications! mama would just massage him everyday with "banios", (ginger with oil), a natural liniment...when papa woke up from his illness, he could not remember what happened to him except for some events or people that have impact in his life. he forgot everything! except mama...he knows that mama was his wife but he could not recognize any of his children...my older sisters kept talking to him and made him recall his past. he would laugh and sometimes talk about it too until he would recall names, sing old songs, dance old steps...we were a happy family! complete, closely knitted together, open, loving, understanding, God-fearing..it was not a perfect family but for me, my ideal family.

joan and i grew up seeing papa behaved like a child. we played with him and sometimes even fought with him. but mama made us understand that papa didn't mean to hurt us or hit us. he was just playing with us. so we got used to his punches...LOL..it was his way of showing his "lambing".

when mama left us almost 9 years ago, everything has changed. blessings flowed more abundantly and most remarkably, papa behaved differently. there was so much improvement in him. he stsrts to go to batchroom without fighting. he takes a bath without getting angry at us or throwing water at us, does not hit us anymore, does not hit the walls, he goes to cr when he wants to pee, (but sometimes he still forgets or perhaps he's just lazy to get up so he needs more training) but really, he's changed a lot. i guess he understood the feeling that mama is gone. i think he felt it inside that he has to take care of himself too because his partner is not here anymore.

everyday, papa's presence is an inspiration. he gives us joy. now i am old and so is papa. he's 33 years older from the time he got sick but also 33 years also of being blessed by God. God is really awesome. His faithfulness never waivers. i know God has a message for us siblings and those who have seen God's miraculous works in our lives that indeed, God can do wondrous deeds in us. He can make a way when there seems to be no way. For me, i know i have been faithless in HIM and unfaithful to HIM but regardless of all my shortcomings, my HEAVENLY Father is more than loving, understanding and forgiving enough.

i am not only blessed of a "papa Preding", my earthly father, i am more blessed to have a HEAVENLY FATHER who sustains me all the time, in my ups and downs, HE IS ALWAYS there.

today, as i celebrate papa's birthday, i could not help but also celebrate the LORD"S goodness in our lives..so i give HIM back all glory and honor for the gift of life and the love HE BESTOWED on us.

optimism in the midst of predicaments

When I woke up this morning, I felt light and bright…nothing compares to the beautiful feeling of being kissed by the sun when you go out. I am so enthralled to be under the spell of the sun. I felt so cold inside but the warmth that its brightness spills to my murky disposition gives me the energy to be productive, more than yesterday’s.

I have been waiting for so many things to come yesterday. A special person’s message, a call from a dear friend, a package I expected to arrive a month ago (LOL), an opportunity I hope I could not refuse, my sisters’ reply to my messages, result of our comprehensive exams, and etc but none of these did arrive. But I was still productive…I was able to feed all my students’ scores for midterm to my laptop so that after midterm exam I will be ready with their grades. I promised that this time, I will be totally different. On Prelim, I was being issued a memorandum for late submission. Well, that was because of my children’s health problems. Anyway, it pays to wait. I waited; have waited and will keep on waiting for things worth waiting for. Just like last night…

When you await the bliss of the moonlight spills on your head, you would fill the light sensation of the day no matter how dark it is outside; you would still see a glow of light somewhere.

With bated breath, i look forward for that light at the end of the tunnel as my best friend chaesa used to say..ah, uncertainties, indeed they are myriad and agonizing!

in HIS arms again

Every vein calls for restoration
A soul deeply entangled in a maze
Unsolved, complex and vexing
A spirit barren and lost
Totally drained and deranged

A throbbing soreness in the cranium
A constant grapple within
Stretching, pinching my system back to reality
alone, torn, groping and I ask, where am I?

The wise speaks of his wits
The powerful, of his might
The wealthy, of his uncountable riches
The king, of his royal robe

They boast for what they have
But haven’t found out what they do not have
They flaunt their luxurious possessions
But conceal their rotten ego

I knelt down in humility, pleading for help
For nothing else can bring me back to life
But there is someone who can bring back life to me
My Redeemer, my Light!

God is my strength

God’s grace is sufficient for me…in times when I put my hands up and say, “I give up, Lord” and think that I am finished here, I realized that it’s actually the time when God starts to take control of my life…”Lord, I give up. I am so weak and vulnerable. Hide me in the shadow of you wings so that no matter how great the storm may be, I am safe and secure under you loving care.”

for CS6 "my journey" by: D

I have always wanted to become a teacher but it took me a long time to become one. Over the years, I also pondered on my trails; on my journey in life. It wasn't just tough, it was really like journeying through the wilderness. I wasn't that brave I know. I was just so determined. In some part of my life, I would have considered the medicine or any medical courses had it not been for financial constraints. My inclination and interest for medicine was so deep not because I wanted to become famous in this field but it was all because of wanting to treat my dad from his paralysis which caused him physical disability and memory loss. The drive to achieve what I wanted in life was so intense but the force which tried to pull me down was equally strong - even stronger. Honestly, getting into college during those years was like climbing Mt. Everest. I guess everybody would agree with me especially when you only have a mother to take care of her 7 children and an ailing husband. She was a freelance laundry woman and sometimes a vendor of native delicacies which she acquired in consignment basis at the super crowded Carmen Market or in a sidewalk at an elementary school near our house. She had to do a lot of moonlighting to be able to feed all nine mouths at least twice a day.

Growing up in this kind of life had made me question God. Life was not only hard, it was really miserable. Questions kept flying in my head and they were left unanswered for quite sometime, the reason why i didn't get to enjoy my high school life plus the painful fact that I had been cheated by the only person whom I thought have really loved me. I was so filled with remorse and hatred that I found myself so broken and spilled out. I have never been so lost in my life as I had been during those moments. I was groping in the dark trying to get hold of myself. Again, questions were innumerable, my pain so immense and my doubts extremely clouded my soul. My bitterness in life gradually ate me up and I woke up one day severely sick, in fact dying, spiritually. I had to be healed. I succumbed to a challenge that has totally changed my life. It was a decision that turned my life colorful, filled with joy and purpose and above all, love and faith. My direction in life turned so crystal clear. That was when I enrolled in a christian seminary. I have found my trail heading to purposeful direction.

I finished Bachelor in Theology after 4 years from a Biblical Seminary as full academic scholar for the entire college years. During these years, I have involved myself into missions both local and national, worked in a church as an associate minister, youth and music pastor and worked with foreign missionaries, youth and children especially in creative and performing arts. Back then, life was so close to perfect and fulfilling - until I met my second boyfriend, the man with whom I have entrusted my life and love. I got married at the age of 24.

Life has changed. I had to give up my ministry and look for a greener pasture to survive. Then one day, years after, I realized that my passion for the youth, for children, for counseling has not wavered. I decided to take another course and became a teacher. My decision was triggered by an unpleasant circumstance that I have experienced while at work. It brought me down again to my knees and sought for God's divine intervention. I saw His beautiful plans amidst the tragic events in my life. The song "God will make a way" was so real in my life. It says that"God will make a way when there seems to be no way...by the roadway in the wilderness He'll lead me...rivers in the desert will I see..." With 2 kids to raise, a working husband to take care of and a father to attend to, God arranged everything to my advantage. He ordered my steps.

I finished bachelor in Secondary Education with flying colors where I was absorbed as college instructor after my graduation with no hassles of applying for a job at all..I found myself incomparably happy and fulfilled with the profession I chose to tread upon after the vocation I have set aside for quite sometime.

My quest for learning did not stop. I finished M.A. in Education major in English and I kept yearning for more, not for any selfish motives but for some wonderful plans awaiting ahead. I am now into my second masters degree. I am so blessed to have been granted a scholarship under CHED for M.A. in English Language Studies at MSU-IIT which I hope to finish this 1st semester of school year 2011 as I am now on my thesis revision ready for final defense.

We may be trudging on rocky roads and rough hills along life's way; the treks may be so lonely and risky; we may be clouded with trials and obstacles; doors may be closed upon us, but rest assured that God will open the windows for us. God's grace is just sufficient and ever present for those who call on HIM.

To capsulize everything, life is a journey and he who walks with the True Guide in life will be able to find his way no matter how long, no matter how far our journey will be. AND so long as I live; so long as there is God as the center of my life, I shall continue with my journey.

Instruction for CS6
1. post your 1 - paragraph comment about the article. what can you say about the topic? do you want to share something else about life? you have any suggestions or negative comments? write them down below by clicking COMMENT (then write your comment in the comment box)and pls don't forget your name, and click anonymous button before publishing. then lastly, click PUBLISH POST..that's it!
2. in a 1/2 crosswise, write your thesis statement and explain why it is so. submit on Monday, august 22, 2011, class time.
3. see you in the class on Monday, august 22, 2011,

For the year that was and the year 2009

Dearest Father God,

As this year comes to an end, i would like to give YOU back all glory, honor and thanksgiving for the things that you have done in my life. Lord, You are so faithful and have never faltered in fulfilling your promises in my life despite my unfaithfulness and faithlessness. I can never thank you enough for your steadfast LOVE that never ceases and Your endless mercy. They are renewed every morning. Thank you for a victorious 2008 and for the wonderful years I had with my loved ones, relatives and friends. Thank you for the opportunity of meeting new friends and the chance of sharing myself to them. Thank you also for blessing me in my chosen career..Thank you for allowing me to impart myself to my students. I thank you too for the great challenge you have placed in my heart and indeed, learning is a two-way process, a give-and-take process ...I have learned so much from my students and have gleaned lessons from my teaching experience such as the value of patience and understanding. I have known and understood myself better through my students because they are a reflection of me.Thank you God for great students and the one-in-a-million chance of meeting and nurturing the future leaders of the land.

I thank you for every single moment you have made me savored life's sweet pain. Thanks for being there for me every single moment of my life. You never missed a thing in me. All my success and achievements are yours! All that I am, all that I have come from you!

Forgive me for not trusting you enough sometimes. Help me to keep on trusting you always no matter what. Everything that surrounds me speaks of you great love for me. I could not deny your love every time I look at the sky and see the brightness of the sun. It rings new hope, new assurance, new beginning of a new day. Lord, your love is so refreshing like a morning dew which strengthens me always. And as the day closes and evening comes, I could see the magnificence of your might, your greatness, your awesomeness, your power...You shade light when it's dark which gives me hope at the glimpse of it..You are my LIGHT..Shine in me Oh Loving God. I breathe the life you have blessed me with and I am offering this life back to you.

When I look back and gaze the path that i took, I can always see your hand guiding me to the right path, your hand comforting me, your hand holding me tight. Lord, forgive me for my shortcomings. I know I have hurt you in so many ways. But you cared for me so much that despite all my sins, You were always ready to forgive me and hold me close to you. Let me dwell in your presence always because in YOUR PRESENCE there is fullness of joy. I have experienced the feeling of loneliness, bitterness, pain, insecurity, inferiority,uncertainty, shame and doubt but YOUR love surrounded me and kept me secure and strong. You held me up and kept me standing still. and the truth is, when I thought I have fallen, You were there to catch me and gave a new start.

the trails i had me have been crooked and unpleasant, but you have brought me this far to come to you and make this life worthy of your love...Thank you Lord for all the countless blessings...You are indeed a living God. I claim for a more fruitful life in year 2009 and the years ahead, I claim another victory and peace of mind. Thank you for good health, for loving family, wonderful kids and husband, smooth-sailing relationship with people at home, neighbors as well as my colleagues. Forgive me for being mean with others and make me a blessing even to those who don't like me. Make me love my enemies and return evil with goodness. Let me live a life pleasing to your sight. Let the words of my mouth be beautiful music to your ears. Let me trust always in your WORD. Yes God, I keep you WORD in my heart. Let me speak and expect only of what's good and pleasant.

Lord, you have seen everything, my heart, my soul, my innermost thoughts and I offer them all to you...dear Lord, make me a better person, loving, understanding, and most of all faithful to you...God, my Lord, my Savior, my best friend, CHANGE ME and make me the person that YOU want me TO BE! I love you with all my heart...

I offer to you my life and my all. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

A BLESSED 2009 TO ONE AND ALL..