Stop worrying and invite God into the details of your life. This is what Bruce and Stan have to say about one of their God Is In The Small Stuff series. What did you do today when no one was looking? What did you think of? Did you pray today? What did you say to the saleslady in the department store? What coincidence did transpire? Whatever happens in our everyday life, whether we consider it good or bad, God is into these small details, sending a message with a purpose for our being . Three years ago, a fire broke out in our neighborhood and it caused me so much trauma that I couldn’t sleep every night and I always envisaged the burning house and the thick smoke that left ruins to families who were a victim of their neighbor’s negligence to an overheated electric stove. I cried countless times to friends who have heard about the news. Fire has been my greatest fear in life. Why did God allow me to see an actual burning house just two houses away from my own apartment? I began to think of what things could I possibly hoist along with me if I encounter that bad fate myself. Important documents, wallet, jewelries, gadgets, a few clothes maybe? And my teddy bear. The rest would all be scorched by the fury of burning flames. And without those tangibles, what would be left of me? But of course, I am thinking clearly now that that mishap would never happen again in our area because God has already sent us the message. He helped me overcome my greatest fear by showing me how to brave the scariest thoughts. Aside from being responsible on gas or electric stoves and unattended electrical outlets, the incident has taught me that experiences are far better than material things. We have to stop buying things we don’t need and learn the fashion of adorning our souls. I now see my collections of books and mugs that I love so much as worthless compared to what’s within me if I run to save my life. Books are useless if you won’t live by them and instill it in your mind. Mugs are worthless when you don’t share a steaming cup of coffee with your friends who need your advice. And after these lessons, God wants me to stop worrying about the details in life I can’t control. I learned how to pray and trust him. Anything could happen to any person wherever they go. Worry can keep your day unproductive and would therefore keep you from living the life God has intended for you. Give all your worries and cares to God. He will never forsake us because He already died on the cross for us.
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” – Reinhold Niebuhr
Because March is a National Reading Month, let me feature the series of books that had first inspired me to read when I was thirteen as my blog this month. Who will ever forget the fictional identical twins who are radically different in terms of interest, character, and choice of fashion? We followed them from their grammar school all through their high school and college years and we witnessed their heartbreaks, frustrations, happy times, and tears together with their friends. Aren’t we intrigued to know how they have fared ten years later? Who ended up with whom? Who got married? Who moved out? Who died? Well, who would have guessed that Jessica Wakefield ended up being married to Todd Wilkins, the long-time ex-boyfriend of her twin sister Elizabeth Wakefield? And who would have guessed that Elizabeth would end up with the guy she hated since she was a kid and whom Sweet Valley considered as The Bully and Snob: Bruce Patman! We all want Elizabeth and Todd forever, but a great story will always surprise us with the unexpected turn of events. Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later left me with a feeling in the doldrums thinking that I might not be able to hear from these characters again after reading this book. Francine Pascal was very successful to create characters that are realistic that you can’t stop thinking about them in your everyday life. I want more books from Sweet Valley even when the characters turn 40 and have kids of their own. Why Sweet Valley? Well, it came into my life naturally. We had plenty of this collection in our library in high school and since I couldn’t afford to buy my own book during those times, I had my alma mater to thank for. It seemed I grew up in Sweet Valley! How about you? What was the first book that has inspired you to read?
The story follows the lives of two loving couples who stand by each other’s side through thick and thin and until death claims the life of the other. Ira Levinson is depressed to have lost his wife and lives to be a hermit in his remaining years. Luke Collins is a bullrider who is adamant to go on with his rodeo circuit despite being injured, to save the financial stability of his ranch. Without wanting to worry the love of his life Sophia Danko, he makes his concussion a secret but he later confesses to her the implications it might cost him to ride again. Sophia threatens to end their relationship if he insists on riding again and through the dilemma, Luke decides to quit riding. On one date, the couple finds a crashed car with Ira inside. They rescue him and Ira requested the couple to keep his love letter to Ruth found in his car. When the couple visits Ira in the hospital to check his condition, Ira asks Sophia to read the love letter to him. Reading the letter, Luke and Sophia are moved to Ira’s undying love with his wife. The couple soon finds out in the news that Ira wasn’t able to make it in the hospital. After Ira’s death, an auction is held for all of Ira’s properties since he and Ruth didn’t have children who will inherit them. The priced properties mainly consist of the art collection of his wife Ruth and included in those collection is Ruth’s portrait, a gift from one of Ruth’s students who was once very special to her. Luke bids on this first item despite the apparent semblance that it was a work of an amateur and nobody in the room wants it. Luke considers the portrait to be very special since it was the painting that was very important to Ira and he thinks that it would connect them to his memory. After winning the bid, the will is revealed by Ira’s lawyer that whoever wins the portrait of Ruth will get all of the remaining collection. A story which reminds us once again that material things, no matter how precious it is to us, are nothing compared to the ageless love we have with our better half. A love that continues to follow us in the longest ride we have called life.
It has been said that the new age phenomenon brings about changes in our luck of love, career, business, studies, and health. February 5 marks the 2019 Chinese New Year and just like any other, I couldn’t help but anticipate the auspicious wave of success, prosperity and growth that was certain to please almost everyone. I was born in the year of the horse and according to feng shui, a dragon tortoise on my work desk will enhance my career, wearing a jade cicada could help fend off unwanted office politics, 6 crystal balls will improve harmony at home, Chi Lin will enhance good study luck, lucky gemstones are red jasper, amethyst, rose quartz and jade, and displaying a horse figurine at the south area will activate the Golden Deity the horse-born people acquires (whatever!). So I have a problem to solve: where are north, east, west, and south located? I need to buy a compass to tell where on earth is south at home because it is the lucky direction for the horse-born.
For some, 13 feels like it’s just yesterday. Well for me, it is. In 1987, geeky 13-year old Jenna just wanted to be popular and so after her 13th birthday party went awry, she wished she could just be thirty instead. The novel 13 Going On 30 by Christa Roberts could contradict what I’m feeling right now. Who wants to turn thirty, flirty, and thriving but still feeling unfulfilled? There seems could be nothing hip in my teen years. My birthday parties were spent with my parents and brothers at home while watching T.V; I did not have my debut, did not attend the Prom night, didn’t get jaded on Friday nights and get sobered up early on Saturdays, I did not join the cheering squad and I wasn’t reprimanded for taking a risk in cutting classes, nor was I grounded for a week due to a few nights bonfire at the beach with a boyfriend. I was young, and the next minute, I was old. My life started when I was twenty. Being the late bloomer that I am, I have spent ten years backing up what I’ve missed for the past twenty years. At twenty, I grabbed a lousy job which didn’t promise career growth and character boost, but which served as a passport going to the city. A friend from high school saw me and agreed to share an apartment with me. It was then that I spent countless nights going to night bars and discos, playing billiards with all the dates they were trying to match-make on me and my first time to throw-up and have some late-night hangovers. We went to malls, and it was they who reminded me not to wear loose shirts and sneakers again because I looked better on skirt, strappy sandals and classic tops donned on. At twenty-one, I quitted my job and spent my pay over books and piles of magazines. I wanted to become a novelist or a webpage designer – a job which is a public service, but requires working alone. But then, I lacked resources. I didn’t have a word processor and an internet connection, and I didn’t even have a place conducive to writing and reading. So if I wanted to write, I have to start honing my skills through books first. I sent out short stories to Publishing Firms, and I wasn’t able to concentrate on my current designation. I botched five jobs because I wasn’t happy, and I was exhausted after moving out from one apartment to another 6 times. Right then, I forgot about writing. When I started working in a telecommunications company, I was able to upgrade my PC and practice webpaging. It was fun, but my schedule became hectic and work was toxic, so I didn’t have time to continue pursuing it. I was propelled forward to a job I didn’t like, and I couldn’t stop imagining about my dream job but I couldn’t quit because I had to pay my bills and rent. I had my first boyfriend when I was twenty-two but later discovered that I was more in love with love than with the person himself, so I broke up with him, only to find out that the next relationship would all become a frustration. I fell in love with 3 different guys and was turned down through three similar incidents after slamming the phone down opposite to a sexy voice who happened to be their girlfriends. What was wrong with me? I tried to catapult on my couch every night to seize for the answer, but nothing came close except the doubt that I might be sending the vibe of an external-YES and internal-NO syndrome. A wise man once told me that a lesson is repeated until learned. Maybe, I should just try to stop the malady of thinking about them and start letting go. It was hard because my thoughts were contagious. I started enrolling in driving lesson, swimming lesson, guitar lesson, cooking, photography, and other short courses that could contribute on rediscovering myself to find out what makes me different from others. Time is running so fast. I didn’t realize there’s so much more to do under the sun that a lifetime is not enough for me to experience everything. I didn’t want to turn 30 that fast because I wasn’t done having fun. I was going crazy, so I dug out my old stuff and reduced four dressers to shambles. I think I still wanted to write. I’m gonna use all the pain and emotions I’ve got flowing in a piece of paper. So when somebody try to pressure me to settle down just because for them, I’m behind schedule (What is their problem?), I won’t be worried at all. I’m not yet ready! People have overlooked that I was in the middle of something that was occupying all my time and attention. I am thirty, but everyone is on his own life path and timetable. Being alone doesn’t mean I’m lonely, I can do my own thing without anybody snooping at me, I have all the freedom that a flying solo affords, and I finally have the opportunity to pursue more of my interests.
Books. Quotes. Insights. Inspiration. 