Feb 14 2022 Valentines

I am writing this blog on Valentine's. I have been emotionally spent in the last couple of weeks dreading this day. Those times, I try to live one day at a time and thinking of the encouraging words many times have been told to me 'do not advance your emotions'. I have been watching Netflix, reading online articles, reading books end ebooks.

It is Monday and I am working from home.  I am still alive. The Lord has been uplifting my spirits despite my battered emotions from fears. I have been talking to people online, old friends, new friends, single friends, married ones. They all have been imparting great insights to me. Aside from the invitations of my best friend in her get togethers and volleyball plays with cousins in Binangonan, I have Sundays for church. These means driving to and from Manila. 

Areen has been with me--always barking, resting, eating, wants to play. My parents and siblings are just few steps from here. Our neighbors keep sight of our place whenever we are away. These are just some things to be grateful for. 

As my friend Cristi (and a leader from college) told me, it is important to keep your balance. While heartbreaks and heartaches have their ways of reaching my brain, my heart is fighting to keep its shape and form-- trying to still be humble, kind, and hoping in the Lord and His promises.

So Valentines Day. Just to share here what Ate Glad told of what she read today:

DON’T FOCUS on the wrong things when it comes to love, but we have to remind ourselves  the template for true love isn’t found in another person. It can feel like God’s love is too good to be true, but nothing could be further from the truth. His love is real and perfect, and available to you!

We sometimes see the templates for love to be from the social norms when in fact, our God first loved us. He laid His life for us. He is our greatest, noblest, and humblest Lover.

It might be that I am romanticizing this but it is most true. We have been fed by the society of what love is, what it should look like and how it should be practiced but the actuality is, first and foremost, and in the true sense, God is love. All other love should stem from this. Human love fails, not enough, and does not last. Our efforts and patience to bear one another are just an extension of His love. If we are not connected to this love, our love for others is limited, probably lasting only when things are new, or when circumstances are best. 

Challenging my own thoughts, I might be writing this because I don't have any special someone on Valentines this year. I might be envying those who are celebrating (and some celebrating genuinely romantic love). Truth be told, I could be. I am human with emotions and sometimes being affected by surroundings--so I nurture myself with core truths. 

As how David prays: Psalm 139

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I always acknowledge myself as a human being with ideas and thoughts that might be clouding my mind so it is important for me to know the truth which shall set us free.

How to know the truth? By reading and inspiring yourself to the Word of God:

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV 

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness

Hebrews 4:1 ESV 

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

His inspirations can be drawn from His Word, allow Him to speak to us through His Word and people He uses to point us to Him, again and again.

Feb 02 2022 Moments of Grace

As I veered away from social media, I had more time to watch Netflix and read. Few of the things my friends and I talked about is reading ebooks. We bought some online from Lazada. Cheap ones with good reviews.

I remember an Ate who works in a bookstore and who always has a book recommendation for me since college. Ate Grasya, thankfully, is just a random message away. No need for a good-morning, are-you free-message kind type. I asked for an ebook recommendation and soon, I have a list on my tablet to read. 

I started with Moments of Grace. Foreword and first few pages gave me encouragements. In the introduction, it was written: 

I realized that the most outstanding moments of grace in my life are not those times of victory, but those moments of horrible vulnerability.

Talk about what I am going through and what I needed the most. His grace, during these times, is always mind blowing for me. For when I am at my most vulnerable state, I feel the awe of what grace can bring to me. 

The first chapter was about Seventy Years and Beyond, quoting the Word from Psalm 90:10. To note what has given me encouragement, it says:

While pain and trouble are the harsh facts of growing old, those who trust in the Lord Jesus will face these storms with Him. They face the fading years awaiting a blazing hope of a new beginning. They face life, not with self-propelled optimism but with solid faith in Christ.. Next is accepting that this is God's design; that God, in His grace, found us and is the same gracious Lord who will see us through.

Pain and troubles will always be part of life. As we are not of this world, we are being scarred by these things our soul despises. But the good news is that, we are not alone. While we seek refuge from man's companionship and listening ears, there's a big God who knows even the cries of our hearts, its bitterness, and still understands us fully. 

Whenever my mind is carried by sad thoughts, I put a balance on it by holding my chest where my heart is somehow located and utter prayers. I tell Him my thoughts and ask Him to change me from within. Change my perspective and help me get through. It isnt easy but once I open my heart to His promises, I begin to take refuge in it. 

I catch myself in this scenario multiple times in a day--I know I am now planting seeds of hope (even that of mustard seed) to the One who holds my heart, the One who holds the universe.

Feb 01 2022 Social Media Madness

Two of my friends from UnionBank dared us to stay away from social media this February. I felt it was a good move for me to subtract something for a while and to find that JOMO, or the joy of missing out, is really a joy. 

As I often browse through Facebook feeds anytime in the day, of when I wake up at night from a deep sleep-- I found myself harboring little self-pities, aside from cultivating the habit of 'the need to know'. It has been told in "multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts". While as a Christian, I know my foundations are strong, whenever I am drawn to social media during my hard times gives me the anxiety I never thought is cultivating in me.

I started on 31 January. With the usual bets we do whenever we have a deal, I find it easy for me to do it. It's been a day, and since I have deleted the social media, I have more time to do my daily task at work, or take time to read or watch. 

I am not drawn to knowing 'more things' or what's happening to friends these days. I am now leaning towards growing under my feet the joy of taking time for myself and to commune all the more with God. Undistracted by the urges to scroll endlessly on Facebook just to pass time.

In this, I am able to write this down again. Taking this journey to self-love, to love other the way I love myself. Not to love others more than myself; and ultimately to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind. 

First commandment says we are called to love God more than anyone and anything. Secondly, we are asked to love others as thyself. Not more than what we can give to ourselves.  As we give grace and compassion to others, we must not neglect to nurture self-compassion and grace. We love others commensurately as loving ourelves. 

We are not even called to be dependent on other people to be filled with love they can give, rather, to cherish a love that's from the Lord, lavishing the kind of love that He can only give as He is the source of Love. God is Love. When we experience His love within us-- we begin to love others the way He loves us. The love that overflows from the divine love and not of the love that human can give--always short, not enough, always craving.

I am not againts those with social media as I know to each his own. I just pray that when things are tough, we get attention and re-focus with the Lord and not from earthly, fleeing things.

I started with the book Moments of Grace and wishes to write more of what's been learned from the reading.