serenity

Dear BIG DADDY,

It’s been two weeks now since my father joined you in HEAVEN.

I would just like to say, thank you coz you sustain me and family during this trying times.

Thank you also for renewing my strength and give me new perspective in life. Yes it’s true I misses my father so much but I do believe I’ll get over this.

Thank you also for sending people to refresh my spirit and making me realized I haven’t lost my father. His memories will live both in my mind and in my heart.

I could not thank you enough how you love me so much that you cause me to spent 32 years of meaningful life with my father though I know I don’t deserve it but still, you gave me a good, faithful, God-fearing and loving father.

You created my father not to stay here forever on earth, but you created him to be with you for eternity. The death of my father is not the end but it’s the beginning of eternity that Jesus died for.

Lord, I pray for those people who stood besides us, cried with us, provided for us and comfort us. You knew these people Lord, I pray that you meet ALL their needs according to your WILL. You know themby NAME.

BIG DADDY, my FATHER , who art in Heaven, kindly tell to my father, I misses him and I haven’t lost him because I know exactly where he is. It’s called HEAVEN!

Love your little princess,

Emie

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised.” (Job 1:20)

Now I truly understand what these verses mean. As I was reflecting on the journey of my life  when my father finally  went “home”  to our Creator, Our God Almighty, I saw the hands of God that indeed He is in control.

During our tough times, I pleaded to  God for a  miracle to extend the life of my father so that His name will be glorified. So that people will know that He is a great healer, a God who listen to the cry of His people.

But God’s thought and His ways are different totally far from my understanding. Even to my father’s death God was glorified.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is. 55:9)

I was tempted to ask Him why us, why my father.? But no! God in His infinite mind must have  a righteous reason for allowing the death of my father. God is sovereign. He is in control.

I and the rest of the family became so prayerful than we ever could be. We came as one family in every bit of  decisions we made during those critical days of my father. That itself is a miracle.

Another miracle. God sent  numerous people that includes relatives, friends and some people we even don’t know to comfort us and we felt so love and caress by God’s grace.

Miracle still. Provision came in. As God touches many hearts to give during my father’s wake and even in the hospital.  

I felt so secured. I feel God’s hand holding me.  I feel like we were in the midst of endless ocean, being tossed by the giant waves of the sea  yet we were being  comforted because God is the one carrying us in the midst of the ocean. God is the only rock that we’re holding on. A firm foundation that will never be shaken nor shatter.

True healing of my father  happened. God open the eyes of our heart the miraculous healing He gave to my father is more than physical but eternal life. More than anything we ask or imagine. A life being with Him to a place where there’s no more tears, pain, sorrow or death. More than physical healing! That is a true miracle!

God is the one who gives life and He’s the only one who could take it away. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen!

Dear Tay’,

I miss you, It’s been a week now since you were gone.

Every corner in the house reminds me of you.

Everytime I saw Abraham, he remind me of you.

Tay’ I know you’re in a better place just like you told us

You are with God, In a place where there’s no more tears

For God Himself will wipe every tear in your eyes.

In a place where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain

For the old order of things has passed away.

Tay’ thank you, you’ve such a great father,a provider, my barkada, a faithful husband and a loving and caring lolo

You’re memries will always live in my heart

I know you don’t want me to be weak

But you want me to be strong.

I will never ever forget the last smile you’ve shown at me.

As if  you’re saying to me “Be Strong”

I know in your most critical days, you’re able to still  utter a prayer

To God, Almighty Father to take care of us when you’re gone.

Though you’re in great pain, you’re still able to sing praises to God and raising your hand in your deathbed.

And God is good Tay’ we are comforted because of His grace.

Tay’ I love you, I miss you, soon in God’s appointed time we will have a reunion in HEAVEN! love your daugther Emie.

Dear BIG DADDY,

I wonder what my father is doing there? I know he’s happy

With all the angels , singing and praising You.

My God, I know it was you who sent an airplane when I can’t sleep last Feb 9, the day tatay went home in Your Kingdom.While in tears,   you remind me of  the time when I was small , crying because my father  is leaving for abroad then

and i was reminded,  tatay  said to me , “ stop crying ‘nak, we will see each other again.”

Now I am comforted Lord, because I’m gonna see him in Your time.

Lord, thank you for everything. I know that you have a greater plan for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me , plans to give me hope and a future.

You’re my BIG DADDY in HEAVEN, who will  never leave me nor forsake me. I know, though I’m still hurting right now, I have this in my heart that ALL THINGS WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD.

For You are a FAITHFUL FATHER. A GREAT  FATHER  to a fatherless like me.

 Your daughter

emie

Kakaiba talaga ang I.Q ng Pinoy biruin mo nagagawa niyang bigyan ng maraming kahulugan at pangalan ang katagang “ANO”

Baket kamo?

Minsan sumakay ako ng Jeep at sabi ng babae “Manong yung ano ko po” sagot ng tsuper “ay pasensya na magkano ba binigay mo ”? (astig!!!)

Minsan naman inutusan ni nanay si bunso ng isang bagay at sinabi “kunin mo nga yung ano at kailangan ko dito” at sagot ni bunso ” ay san nakalagay” (oh laban ka!)

Tanong ni officemate na babae sa isang lalaking officemate na pumasok sa pantry “Huy nakuha mo yung ano” sagot ni lalaking officemate “ay oo kanina pa” (haneeeep talaga!)

Si bunso nanonood ng isang paboritong palabas at sabi ni ate “huy ilipat mo na sa ano” sagot ni bunso ‘eh mamaya na nanonood pa ako eh”

Tanong ni boss sa assistant niya ” tapos mo na yung Ano,yung ano , yung ano ” sumagot si assistant “ay opo sir tapos ko na po.”biglang merong nakita si boss ”ay merong kulang na ano” sagot ulit ni assistant ” ay oo nga ng ano sige gagawin ko” (hehehe at least nagka intindihan sila,tawag dyan komunikasyon hehehe)

I was able to read a blog about “why the Philippines is not as badly hit financially” by Karen Galarpe’s blog in inquirer.

Well somehow this made me think a lot.

After Marcos era, the Philippines had  been bombarded with a lot of  crisis. C’mon name it? Financially, calamity, corruption, moral decadence,  intrigues etc., etc. 

 I don’t know, but , I do believe somehow this made the Philippines  numbed about what’s happening right now. Maybe we don’t feel the real effect of the financial turmoil because what we are experiencing at the moment is more on the numbness rather than the pain of  economic  crisis.

As what Father James Reuter, S.J. said, forty years ago, we were only second to Japan in economic stature, and  way ahead of Singapore , Hong Kong, Malaysia , and Thailand . He also added that our national debt is estimated to be at US$ 200B(compared toUS$28B when Marcos fled, and US$53B  today);

Where are we now? Sad to say but the reason we don’t feel the effect of financial crisis is,   for many years we’ve never gone up economically, the government never persevere, never strive, no effort at all to make things right… it’s because the heart of the Philippines is already calloused to feel any hurt, pain or downfall. We are left behind!

However, I tried to convinced myself “there’s still hope, there’s still a lot of men and women of integrity, who would go out of their way to help our country and probably that person could be you and I just to make things right.”

Psalm 23

1 The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.  2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,   he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, ^[a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me;  your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.  5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me  all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

These verses spoke to me a lot when I attended the CCF service last May 31.

The Lord is my shepherd , I shall not be in want. 

What else can I ask for more in life if the one who holds my future is the Lord. The creator of all things and mankind. A God who is so powerful and yet love a sheep like me. A sheep, who most of the time, grumble, often complain with what I have, a sheep who have gone astray, a sheep who is weak, a sheep who is tender.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. The Lord who will take care of my need be it physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. He’s the Lord the all-knowing God. A God who gives and takes away for His name sake. A God who knows when to give, what to give and where to give.

He makes me lie down in green pasture, He leads me besides quiet water.

At this time, I may not see the green pasture of my life if we’re talking about the career breakthrough but I certainly know that God is heading me there, someday and very soon.

At the moment, God is ironing out everything in my life for He alone is a God of details. Every details of my life is important in God’s eyes. Yeah! God is not through with me. “I’m under construction as what the foreman said,”

Come to think of it, before reaching the green pasture I have to be in the dry ground. I need to overcome all the obstacle and challenges along the way but rest assured that  I didn’t have to fight for all of these  for God will be the one to fight for me. My part is to follow the shepherd, to follow God.

As  God said, “seek ye first the

kingdom

of

God

and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Putting God above all else above all things, doing my quiet time, praying and studying His word, well this is my part.

Even though I walk to the valley of shadow of  death, I will fear no evil , for my shepherd will be on my side, to and fro I am guarded and I am protected.

missing you!!!

You said you trust me

You said you love me

You said you care for me

But where are you?

Do you really care?

Do you really mean you trust me?

How come you’re not here?

How come you ignore me just like that?

Yes, I might have hurt you., but how long

will you hide your face from me

How long will you hide your heart from me

How long will i wait? should i still wait

for your return? Is this worth waiting for ?

When will you give your true forgiveness

When will you show your true smile

When will that be?

Will I still be here for you? I don’t know

but for now what i know is "I miss you"

"for old time sake"

Who am I?

I am what I am not because of what I have

I am what I am not because of my abilities

I am what  I am not because of my strength

I am what  I am not because of my frailties

I am what I am not because of my influence

I am what I am not because of my skills

I am what I am not because of my weakness

But I am what I am because of who YOU are…

Whom will I send?

That’s Your favorite question

Whom will I send?

That’s the question I need to answer

In Your infinite might

You change one’s person lives

By Your power

You change my mind

Whom will I send?

Let me know where will you send me

Whom will I send?

Will I be happy there?

I know You need my heart …

I don’t know what lies ahead

The picture is still gloomy

I can’t figure it out

Although I don’t see the path I’ll take in

But then as YOU said so then I will go

Many times You reveal your Love to me

And there’s no doubt in me right now

That you will not take care of me

Ask the question again then I’ll answer you

Whom will I send?

Here I am, send me

Copyright Dec 2007

Imelda batalla

My transfer to a new department

Whom will I send?