Monthly Archives: March 2020

Eventful February Part 3: Family Bonding And Memories To Cherish

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The end of 2019 and the start of 2020 were a series of tragic events. I’m very grateful to God that my husband and I have been given the opportunity to spend some quality time with my family before this COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

Since the virus is highly contagious, it limits our physical interaction with our loved ones, especially if we have aging parents. They are at a higher risk of acquiring the virus. My parents who are 80 and 74 years old aren’t here with us, but we are fervently praying that this deadly virus won’t get them.

I just want to share a couple of photos during our recent family get-together, which was also the birthday celebration of my nephew and eldest sister. Ah yes, these are the memories that are now more precious than gold and silver and no insurmountable amount of money could ever buy. ❤️

February Celebrants 2020

These photos were taken during our sleepover at my eldest sister’s place. We were almost complete except that we’re missing our parents and my 3rd sister who are in the province.

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The Ginete siblings with the spouses and kiddos. 🙂

It was an awesome, fun-filled family bonding albeit short with lots of games, food, and laughter. Praise God for all these wonderful memories that are worth reminiscing here and beyond. ❤ 🙂

Praying for more family bonding and moments, 

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Fighting An Enemy That We Don’t See And Hidden Within Ourselves: COVID-19

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I’d like to begin this article with a Bible verse that I felt came in timely during this COVID-19 pandemic.

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” – Ephesians 6:12

COVID-19: Fighting The Enemy Within

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Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

One COVID-19 patient who recovered said, “It’s more of a psychological battle than a physical one.” Because the struggle takes place inside us where the enemy can attack us with other forms of spiritual warfare such as deception, lies, fears, worries, doubts, and other negative emotions. 

I am currently experiencing symptoms, but they disappear and then reappear after a couple of days. I am closely observing any other changes and make sure they’re not caused by my allergic rhinitis.

As of writing, there are 707 positive cases, 45 deaths, and 28 recoveries here in the Philippines. I believe these numbers represent only 1/2 of the actual COVID-19-related cases in the country.

These statistics didn’t include pneumonia-related deaths of those who weren’t tested for COVID-19 or still waiting for the results. Given these numbers, data analysts have calculated that the peak of the pandemic is still about to take place come April – June.

Replacing The Bad News With The Good News

As more and more of these bad news start circulating on social media the past days, more and more people are getting enraged by a whole lot of different things. I guess that is what panic and fear can do to people who don’t have any idea about what’s in store for them when they leave this world.

I must admit, I sometimes feel this panic, fear, and paranoia, too. I noticed this when I spend so much time browsing my newsfeed and all the posts I read are all bad news. And it takes so much discipline to “not conform” to the worries of this world.

Behaving As Salt And Light To The World

Why? Our human nature always has an automatic response to everything that is negative. It’s part of our worldly flesh that we constantly wrestle with. Thus, it takes so much discipline for a Christian to behave otherwise.

Instead of cursing people left and right, a Christian needs to carefully weigh every word that goes out in his/her posts. Instead of anger, there has to be understanding. Instead of punishment, there has to be compassion. Instead of retaliation, there has to be forgiveness.

We can always have a “say” in every social issue that goes around, but I believe it will be better if we say our opinions in a manner that brings light, peace, and healing not just to our social network, but to the entire world that is watching and listening.

Assessing Panic And Fear

Why do people panic? It’s because of fear. Fear can be in any form. It could be the fear of being broke, fear of losing a job or a business, fear of hunger, fear of getting sick, fear of being alone, and lastly, fear of dying.

The last one is, by far, the toughest battle that everyone needs to face one way or the other. Because we will all die eventually. The only difference lies in the manner and the time of our deaths.

Why do people fear death? It’s because they don’t have an idea about what will happen afterward. For born-again Christians though, it is the opposite. Scripture has given us already a glimpse of what life after this world looks like as described in the book of Revelations. It is a VERY BEAUTIFUL PROMISE.

The Promise That We Can Hold On To

It is the opposite of all the pain and suffering in this world. Everything that we consider as beautiful, pleasing, and perfect, we will see them all there. The very few seconds of pain and suffering that we will feel as we struggle for the last breaths are all worth it.

While listening to an online Sunday service in our church, I had this image inside my head. I sketched and posted it on my Facebook account. I was hoping the body of Christ (visual artists and filmmakers) could make a short movie or skit depicting a similar scene.

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What Heaven Looks Like

I thought this is what the people need now amid the bad news bombarding us every single day. This image shows a COVID-19 patient surrounded by the doctor, the nurse, God, and His angels. Although God and the angels are more like a hologram that only the patient can see.

God is pointing a vision of Heaven to the patient and all its riches are displayed on the road. Beside it, there are people who are smiling and waving as if they’re a welcome party. And there stood at the gate is Jesus, ready to take the lead into His Father’s Kingdom.

Scenes From The Movie “The Shack”

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The image was so vivid that it actually reminded me of a scene from the Christian movie that my husband and I watched a couple of years ago entitled The Shack. It was a story about a grieving dad who lost his daughter to a pedophile/psycho killer during a camping event in the woods.

It was a very tragic experience seeing his daughter’s bloodied clothes and a bloodied floor of a shack, but without any trace where his daughter’s remains are. The killer’s still on the loose and there seemed to be no closure.

Unforgiveness, guilt, anger, hatred, bitterness…they all hardened the dad’s heart, which led him further away from God. But God, who is also a loving Father, never failed to reach out to this dad who mourns over the death of his daughter even several years after the incident.

Until came the scene where God showed him where his daughter is now. She looks very happy playing with the other kids in Heaven and Jesus is with them. I guess, we, too, can take comfort in this idea that any believer who leaves this world never leave it alone, and in fact, is in a place much better than ours.

Heaven Rejoices For Every Death Of A Believer

When my faith-filled maternal grandma passed away 7 days before Christmas Day last year, our pastor in our mother Protestant church chose this Bible verse to be placed on her coffin. Today’s devotion reminded me again of this Bible verse and I thought maybe God wanted to show us that there really is nothing to fear.

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His faithful servants.” – Psalm 116:15

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In fact, while trying to destress before I sleep, I opened the Spotify app on my phone and searched for my favorite Piano Hymns playlist. This was the first song on the roster.

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I also posted on Facebook the Bible verses I discovered on the shampoo and hair conditioner bottles I’m using, and friends started sharing theirs, too. It was an enlightening experience when you bring all the Bible verses together.

Here they are:

1. My Shampoo and Hair Conditioner Bottles

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” – Galatians 5:13

“And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” – Matthew 1:21-23

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2. Sis Ann Jane

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” – 2 Timothy 4:3-5

Sis Ann Jane

Photo courtesy of Sis Ann Jane 🙂

3. Sis Claud

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” – Deuteronomy 15:10

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Photo courtesy of Sis Claud 🙂

4. Sis Gessa

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the Good News!” – Mark 1:14-15

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Photo courtesy of Sis Gessa 🙂

To end this article, I guess what we only need to do during this crisis is to fervently pray and let God fight this enemy that we don’t see and is hidden in the recesses of our souls. I believe God has been reiterating it since Day 1 of this pandemic.

We can never do it alone, and we most certainly can’t do it without His help. The support of our government, the hospitals, our families, or our communities won’t be enough. Only His help is enough to conquer it once and for all. In other words, let our trust be upon Him completely.

Be rest assured that even if we felt like we lost the battle here in this world, Jesus already won the fight. Victory is already ours in another life that sure has no end. Wouldn’t that be better than living in this world that is bound to disappear anyway? 🙂

Declaring God’s victory here and now,

P.S. While waiting, we must never forget to do what God asked us to do according to His Word and His instructions. We must never let our guards down by staying equipped with the Armor of God. The battle is far from over but always take heart. ❤

I was also instructed by the Spirit to write this post, thus, I obey. 😀

God’s Message In A Bottle

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Yes, in a bottle – bottles of my shampoo and conditioner. 😃 I was supposed to write this yesterday, but I felt it best to post it today, Monday. The 14-day community quarantine imposed by the government also started yesterday. 

Prior to the implementation, panic buyers were already hoarding supplies in case of a total lockdown. Grocery stores were running out of supplies. I told my husband that we will refrain from going to the supermarkets since we still have groceries at home good enough for 2 or 3 days.

Aside from the fact that all the items we need were no longer available, there were long queues everywhere. The crowd was enormous, and yes, hilarious. The moment I saw online posts of people flocking the supermarkets, I just can’t understand what they were panicking about. 

Please Stop Panic Buying

The Department of Agriculture already mentioned in a press release that we have enough food supply that can even last up to 9 months. Panic buying will only lead to long lines and big crowds.

When this happens, shoppers will all be susceptible to acquiring the virus because of a lowered immune system due to stress. The chances of being exposed to possible infected persons who are asymptomatic will also be very high. 

Praying For God’s Will

As of writing, there are 11 deaths listed and about 140 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines. I told my husband that the 14-day quarantine is not enough as this is only the onset of the epidemic and community transmission. And sadly, our government can only do so much in containing it given the country’s population of 109,140,500.

I told my husband we will wait out for the panic buying to wane and buy our food supplies this Sunday when supermarkets replenish their stocks and the partial lockdown begins. By then, most people have already bought their supplies and the number of buyers has already dissipated. It’s the perfect time to go out since everything we need is already available.

Shopping Was A Breeze

And it was indeed true. There were very few shoppers present last Sunday, and the grocery store already restocked most of the items. We decided to go out during lunchtime under the striking heat of the sun. It only took us less than 15 minutes to buy everything that we need (just the basics, we are against hoarding).

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I teased him that most people won’t be in panic buying mode every day because it’s very expensive. If supplies at the physical stores will still be out of stock, and the government implements a total lockdown, I already found alternatives to buy our groceries and medical supplies online. 

I shared with my husband that we really have nothing to worry for as long as we do our part in protecting ourselves and other people around us. Then God will do the rest for us. 

Surviving Trials Left And Right

My husband and I have been through severe testing and difficult trials in the past. There were times when we’re absolutely sure there’s no way we’re going to survive a trial.

But each time, God has ushered us through in unexpected ways that so often surprised us. I know that this is only one of the many trials we have to go through now where God will once again fight for us on our behalf. 

And this is where the story of God’s message in my shampoo and conditioner bottles will come in. 🙂

God’s Message In A Bottle

Nope, I didn’t hoard shampoos and conditioners. lol And neither am I promoting these products. I just want to share the wonderful story behind them. 

Last year, I had my hair rebonded because I was born with curly hair. My hair specialist advised I use a shampoo and a conditioner that are paraben-free. This will protect my hair from breakage and any further damage. She offered one which they sell in the salon but, unfortunately, it’s a bit pricey. 

So I told her I’m not buying it since I’m also using a hair treatment at home. It’s my first time hearing about a paraben-free shampoo, so I did my own research out of curiosity. And I found out that paraben-free and sulfate-free shampoos are best to use on chemically-treated hair. 

Why Human Nature

I chose the Human Nature brand based on customer reviews, which were mostly positive. I started using it last December, and so far, the results are satisfying.

A few weeks ago, the situation on the COVID-19 outbreak here in the Philippines escalated with the rising number of confirmed cases. It led me to contemplate everything I’ve been reading on the news.

This deep contemplation continued even while I was taking a shower. 😀 I stared at the shampoo and conditioner bottles in front of me while washing my hair and then, something caught my eye. 

Just below the expiration date and product code, I saw a familiar word. I read it aloud. Surprisingly, it’s a Bible verse. 😀

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Bible Verses Printed On Bottles

I was so amused that I immediately checked out the bottle of my conditioner and see if it also has one. Yes, there’s also a Bible verse printed out along with the product code and expiration date. 

 

Then it dawned on me that God must have seen what’s in my heart – the possibility of anxiety, worry, and fear to overcome my faith. I used to be a worrier before I became a born-again Christian and now a prayer warrior. 😉

I may be bold in sharing Bible verses in my social media profiles, but that’s because I have so little faith. Every time I share the gospel online, it’s actually my way of reminding myself about God’s calling for me the moment I feel like shrinking back. 

Here are the Bible verses in the bottles: 

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” – Galatians 5:13

“And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” – Matthew 1:21-23

 

We Need God Even More Now And He Knows

God knows I needed reassurance, a reminder – all of us do. That is why He called us to serve one another in love and take heart that “God is always with us.” The body of Christ will all work together to defeat this enemy by doing their assigned parts. 

How? Through the Spiritual gifts. I’ll share in the latter part of this article how being in tune with the Spirit is very important in discerning God’s messages, and eventually His answers to what we were praying for. 

A Coincidence Or A Sign?

I know some people would think this was just purely coincidence. In my case though, I have long given up the notion of coincidences when I became a born-again Christian. In fact, this was not the first time a sign or a miracle happened. And I believe more of these revelations will take place in the coming days, months, and years. 

As I continued to devote more time reading the Word, I thought it best to share it in any way possible to encourage other people during a time of crisis. I have also observed that sharing the Bible verse as is doesn’t get as many impressions from your audience as you want it to have.

One Way To Share The Gospel

However, there’s a way to get around that. Posting a photo that you know will get so many likes and placing the Bible verses as a caption might do the trick. Here’s the photo I chose and the Bible verses I included along with the post. Was I successful? I would like to believe that the first few Bible verses somehow came across (planting the ‘seed’) to anyone who saw that photo. 

 

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This photo was taken 6 years ago (2014) during a short modeling stint – my first and probably my last.

It doesn’t always have to be a picture of yourself because your Facebook friends might have the wrong impression of you being a narcissist. And that’s the least trait that we want them to think about us. 😀 A landscape photo or a photo of nature would do. It can actually be any photo. If you’re undecided, ask God for leading and discernment to know what to post and how to share it on social media.

His Leading Is Very Important

I always ask for God’s leading and discernment when it comes to sharing Bible verses that will best fit a specific situation. I discovered, though, that we can only hear His voice clearly when we’re not distracted by a lot of things around us. 

If I haven’t been sensitive enough and I was distracted enough, I sure wouldn’t notice the Bible verses in my shampoo and conditioner bottles. Nothing has changed in the way I pray at night before I sleep. The only thing that changed was my prayer points.

And one of them is sensitivity to the presence of the Holy Spirit. God never fails to answer us when He sees we are ready. And we can only be ready when we allow ourselves to be used by God completely according to His purpose. 

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A Calling For Believers To Take The Task Assigned

Devotion to the Word, a peaceful countenance, and more quiet time with the Lord – these are what every believer should do now. And it is the Spirit who will act on our behalf when we feel overwhelmed by everything around us. 

For the past weeks, I had a difficult time praying for “HEALING” as the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in the Philippines. God knows unbelief and doubt can overcome our faith when driven by worry and fear. And once again, God moved ahead of me. 

Fight The Good Fight Of Faith

This is what I’m holding on to now, and this is how I will end this article as well. I pray that this article may bring every believer out there an assurance that in all the verses He has revealed in the past days and weeks, only one thing stood out – God will remain by our side no matter what happens. 

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Please join me as I continue to pray for healing, comfort, peace, grace, courage, boldness, and strength to be upon each and every believer in this world. The enemy won’t stop now or anytime soon, and neither should we. 

Always believing in God’s miracles as we fight the good fight of faith,

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P.S. I told my husband that for as long as I’m breathing, I will continue worshiping the Lord. I prefer it that way than to cower in fear. Whatever may happen, let the will of the Lord be done always. 🙂

P.S. 2 I’ve been using Paulo Coehlo journals for my daily devotion, and there were some instances where I found God’s instructions through it. The artwork for March 12, which was also the start of the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in the country, looked like the virus strain, for one.

Coincidence? I bet it’s all part of God’s plans. 🙂

 

 

 

Eventful February Part 2: Calubcub Bay Resort And Recreation / Balay Dako

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Summer came in a little early for my siblings and I. The weekend after February 14 was a clear schedule for two of my siblings and their spouses, so we decided to have an impromptu beach getaway.

Thank God I was able to find one resort located near the metro that isn’t fully booked yet. I know all the hotels and resorts will be flocked by tourists for the extended Valentine’s Day celebration since it fell on a Friday. The only sad part was that my eldest sister and her family couldn’t join us because of a church event.

The Place

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I made inquiries at 10 different resorts before I was able to find Calubcub Bay Resort. I just had to research fast and propose the places to my siblings since we’re only a couple of hours away before our scheduled departure.

Just when I was about to call the search over, then came a reply that there’s an available accommodation for us at Calubcub Bay Resort good for 8 persons. The good thing is that we don’t need to make any reservation payments to book the accommodation.

We were able to rent out a Villa with 4 queen beds located on the second floor, an open dining area, and a secure kitchen. It also has two bathrooms making the place a very convenient option for large groups of guests.

The Beach

As typical of all Batangas beaches, the sand color is a darker shade of brown. The beach is clean though, and the water isn’t too deep. It does look a little murky, however, because of the dark sand color.

Thank God there were no seaweeds near the shore and where we swam. You won’t have that terrifying experience of guessing what’s that slimy thing underneath your toes. lol

My hometown offers far more beautiful beaches than the ones in Batangas. The only downside is that you have to travel 17 hours by road to get there. So if you’re vying for a beach experience near the metro, Batangas is the place to be.

The Ambiance

The resort has a very laidback setting. It also has a pond for fishing, and you get to buy and cook what you caught. They also have an obstacle course situated near the resort’s entrance.

It’s basically used for team building activities. You may also try it out if you and your friends or your loved ones are up for a fitness challenge.

It’s too bad hubby and I arrived at 10 pm because his work is extended until Saturday. So we only got to enjoy the amenities the next day.

Overall Experience

If I am to rate our stay there, I’d give it 5 stars. The room was clean, and all the faucets and sinks were working properly. We were also able to park near our villa for easy access.

We weren’t able to try the menu at their restaurant since we brought and cooked our food. But the best part is that we got a 20% discount for the Valentine’s Day promo in all their accommodations. Yays! Thank You, Lord! 😍

Late Lunch At Balay Dako

Since my Norwegian brother-in-law would like to visit Taal Volcano, we decided to drop by on our way home and have our late lunch at Balay Dako. It’s a Filipino restaurant that offers the best Filipino dishes. My personal favorite on their menu is the “fresh lumpia.”

It didn’t rain when we arrived in Tagaytay, so we’re greeted by a breathtaking view of the Taal Lake. We weren’t expecting it to look that peaceful and beautiful after its eruption last January causing extensive damages to properties in neighboring towns and cities.

For the overall experience, I must say that it was a perfect getaway. We got home safely, we ate the best food, and we had the much-needed breather. Indeed, God makes everything beautiful in His perfect time. 🙏❤️

Up next, family time with my eldest sister and her family. 🙂

Traveling to marvel at God’s wonders,

Praying For Our Health Against COVID-19

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I’ll pause the Eventful February article series to share this write-up. This was originally posted on Facebook, and I thought it best to share it here to raise awareness, give hope, and pray for healing. I am also posting this in the vernacular with a few English sentences here and there for a little bit of context.

Heto so far na-compile kong mga kailangan at dapat nating gawin para iwas sa sakit aside sa pagsuot ng mask at paghugas ng kamay palagi:

  1. PRAYERS for overall wellness (best na panlaban)
  2. Sapat na tulog to boost the immune system (at least 6 hours, bawal zombie mode)
  3. Sun exposure to boost the immune system (summer naman kaya tara at mag-sunbathing na) SOURCE: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166406/
  4. Well-hydrated to boost the immune system (nilagyan ko ng lime para maging alkaline water)
  5. Vit C to boost the immune system (pwede ring dalandanan, pinya, mangga at lahat ng prutas na sagana sa Vit C)
  6. Disinfect bathrooms and bedrooms (‘wag sobrahan sa kakalinis at need magpahinga to boost the immune system)

***Others (tulad sa akin na may allergic rhinitis)

  1. Betadine throat spray (thank you sa medical conference ng asawa ko last year)
  2. Nasal spray w/ aloe (thank you to my sister)
  3. Vicks inhaler (may kasama nang pang-sabit ang iba, sana necklace meron din)
  4. Joker (‘Laughter is the best medicine,’ ika nga nila. Sana napatawa ko kayo kahit konti.)

I stay at home all the time but my husband works in the office. At sabi nga nila, kahit anong paghahanda ang iyong gawin if it is part of God’s plan, mangyayari at mangyayari sya. Pero mabuti pa rin ang nagi-ingat. 🙏

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” – Proverbs 17:22

“The Lord watches over you.” – Psalm 121:5

Praying that God will heal us all,

Eventful February Part 1: Valentine’s Day 2020

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Before I begin this article, I’d like to share a little bit of praise report. Thanks be to God because my skin allergy subsided leaving no trace or permanent marks on my skin. (Yay! Thank You, Lord. ❤️)

When I have an eczema attack, I usually have “battle scars” after the episode – dark spots take about 6 months before they lighten up. Yes, you can imagine a human Dalmatian when you see me. 😁

Our January may have been a bit of a rollercoaster ride with bad news everywhere around the globe. But we all rise above any adversity, right?

That’s all part of human nature – we fall, we rise. If we keep on falling, then we just keep on getting up and moving forward for as long as we breathe.

Welcoming February

I believe February and all the coming months this year are meant to be cherished along with those who are dear to us once an opportunity to do so becomes available. The January events are all a reminder that indeed, our lives here in this world are nothing more but short and fleeting.

Valentine’s Day

The Norwegian Couple 😍

My second sister and her husband from Norway were scheduled to visit the Philippines this month. And I sensed my bro-in-law was up to something. 😃

Hubby and I usually don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day lavishly because every day, for me, is a chance to show your love for others and not just on February 14.

I’m also against the commercialization of this celebration urging couples to look beyond material gifts as the only way of expressing true love. Though giving and receiving gifts are included in the different types of love languages, I believe love is something way deeper than that.

For one, love has to be a commitment. It goes beyond the daily “I love yous” we tell our partners. It is more about saying “I love you” when it’s too difficult to say it i. e. during an argument, after an offense, while in a painful situation, etc.

What Is Love?

Love is also about being selfless all the time. How far have we gone our way to do something for our loved ones? When we get tired, there is a tendency to complain. We see things from our own perspective only and regard situations as unfair. That is because we fail to remember that love has to be selfless, which is putting the needs of others before our own.

I can go on and on about what love is other than cute stuffed toys and lovely bouquets. There is nothing wrong with them being given as gifts, but the thought behind those gifts always and should matter more than the gifts themselves.

Love Languages

But here’s the catch. If your partner’s primary love language is giving gifts, by all means, let him or her be. Then lovingly express your gratitude when you receive them to make sure their efforts are appreciated. What always matters, anyway, is what will make your partner happy in the long haul.

So, our beloved spouses still went out of their way to surprise us with Valentine’s Day dinner and lovely roses even if we told them there’s no need. 😉

Love’s Deeper Meaning

I told my husband that the simple acts of love he does for me every single day outweigh any future gifts I’ll receive from him during Valentine’s Day. But since his love language is giving gifts, I assured him that every gift is well appreciated and well treasured.

My 6-year old preserved rose.

I actually preserved the first Valentine’s Day rose hubby gave me back when we’re still dating. I told him it’s my way of appreciating his efforts and placing a sentimental value on the gift. Unfortunately, it’s just impossible to preserve all the flowers I receive from him so it will probably be the first and last preserved rose. 😃

God’s Definition Of Love

When it comes to defining love, I follow God’s definition of it through His Word:

1 Corinthians 13

“1  If I speak in the tongues[1] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[2] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 

12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Love may be romantic to some, but to others, it can be painful. Love can bring destruction, and yet it also offers salvation. Love can be a sweet aroma, but it can also sting.

Whatever our experiences of love may be, we can all agree that at one point, it did change our lives for the better. 🙂

Saved by the love of God,