One Blessing After Another

Christmas Lantern

From the fullness of his grace we have all received
one blessing after another. - John 1:16

Pictured above is a special handmade lantern with dancing lights. It was bought by my sister many years ago. I took it out of storage and now it hangs just outside the lanai sitting room of our Manila home. It still looks as good as new!

Almost all homes in the Philippines have a beautiful lantern hanging outside their windows during this season, in eager expectation of Christmas and the New Year.


Welcome December!

It's only been eleven days since the month began, and already there are very many events that have marked my journey for this season.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I went to Manila to be with my daughter on her birthday.

Obedient One turned 25 years old on December 7. Our quiet celebration, just the two of us, proved to be so heartwarming and precious.

Although I often share dates and places in my blog writings, I don't really intend my posts to be a mere chronicle of events. I want it to be a place where I share my feelings and reflections, my insights, and above all, what God is doing!

I'm so glad my daughter and I were able to spend this time together. On Saturday morning she opened her heart up to me about some of the disappointments she was currently experiencing in her work place.

How a daughter needs a mother's willing ears to listen and a heart to understand!

"Change your attitude," I'd told her...

"Be humble."

"Be a life-giver."

And then she'd blurt out, "But Mama, I don't want to do any of those things! I'm not willing, I'm not there yet ... and I just have to ask God's help to make me be like that."

At those points during our conversation I realized that I think and feel differently because I'm already 56 years old. I've crossed many rivers, and mountains, and numerous valleys. God has enabled me to learn the wisdom of the years through difficult lessons learned the hard way.

But I appreciate the fact that she was honest and transparent with me.

And this is what I appreciate the most in our relationship. A few years ago, she told me, "Mom, I never want to leave you in the dark about what's going on inside of me. I never want to lie to you, or pretend to you...or be superficial with you...because my relationship with you is precious to me, and I know I need your wisdom to be my guiding light..."

All a daughter needs is a listening ear...someone who cares, and understands. She is not looking for advice. And if there was anything that my presence did for her that morning, it was to give her a chance to air out what she had been keeping in her heart about her job.

We prayed together, and lifted everything up to the Lord. I know a heavy burden was removed from her heart that day.

I left Manila to return to Bacolod City the day after her birthday. Thankful for the opportunity that God gave us to be together again for a few days.

Just two days ago, she called me to say that there was a turn of events at her office. God had intervened at just the right time. There will be some changes and I know that this is in direct answer to our prayers! The timing of it all is what amazes me about it. How quickly God had responded to my heart cries.

Obedient One and me, on the day before her birthday. Sunday lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Mary Grace at the Trinoma Mall.

I met up with Obedient One after work on her birthday. Then we had dinner at her favorite restaurant, Pepper Lunch, at Rockwell. She still has that same sweet child-like smile after all these years!

Beautiful Christmas tree at the lobby of Power Plant at The Rockwell in Makati City.

It's hard to believe it's only been eleven days since the start of this month! So much has already happened to fill up my cup of joy.

The world is full of grim news. I'm not in denial.

A blog friend Amrita's recent post was full of insight. She talks about reality in India where she comes from. What she shares is not new to me. We have that kind of situation here in our country as well, especially in the highly urbanized areas such as MetroManila. She shares about high walls with glass splinters on top to ward off intruders with evil intentions.

We have those walls over here, too! And they are effective, but only up to a certain point.

The truth is that such walls cannot really keep spiritual and physical enemies out...

And where Amrita says Jesus is our "Demolition Man," who has died to break down dividing walls, I say that Jesus is at the same time our Wall of Protection, Who keeps us safe from the schemes of the evil one...

be it icebergs floating on their way to Asia...

or the rising water level due to global warming...

climate change...

man's inhumanity to fellow human beings, leading to the merciless massacre of innocent people...



Some of my blog friends are needing God's intervention at this time.

Closer to home, there are a number of family concerns that I am storming the gates of heaven for.

In all these I am quietly believing Isaiah 65:24 where God says, "It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear."

Yes, before the request finds its way to our lips, God has already answered it.

And I am looking up in hope, and trusting God when He declares that

Sharon shall be a fold of flocks,
and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,
for My people who have sought Me.

- Isaiah 65:10

God is the giver of every good and perfect gift.

"Every blessing You pour out, I turn back to praise!"

The past eleven days for me have been a sure proof of God's goodness, speaking joy, flooding my heart with His message of peace. He has allowed many gifts of grace to come my way in spite of the events that have found their way to the front pages of our news vehicles!

Reconnecting with friends...


My high school batchmates who live in Manila hold their Christmas get together in early December each year. It was a privilege for me to have been able to join them this time!

From kindergarten to fourth year high school, we were together at an all girls' school in Manila run by Belgian nuns. We parted ways at our high school graduation in 1971, and here we are thirty eight years later, still enjoying the same warmth of friendship as we did in our younger years.

Some of us grew up to become doctors, lawyers, bank managers, writers, business women, entrepreneurs, accountants, and some are even already retired. One thing was common, we were all still young at heart! And that night, we had so much fun: giving and receiving gifts, exchanging riddles, playing games, cracking jokes, recalling days gone by. It was indeed a wonderful evening.

Here are a few pictures of our party, held at Candy's lovely home.

Elvie, Tita, Suzanne, me, Susan and Nanett

Vicky, Nanett, Candy, Rowie

High School batch 1971 thirhty eight years later.

An old friend, Phoebe, and I had dinner at a nearby restaurant one evening. After having been out of touch for a long time, we were happy to be reconnected again recently. Phoebe has had significant milestones in her career and profession. She was a nurse and an active member of the Nurses Christian Fellowship when we first met many years ago. Today, she works as a psychologist at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. One of the things that God has laid in her heart for this new season of her life is to share and promote her expertise on cardiac rehabilitation for heart failure survivors.

My friend Phoebe

On my last day in Manila, my good friend Tina and I had our hair styled at a famous beauty salon! Then we had lunch at Mediterranean Cafe, where I was able to once again taste some of the Arabian cuisine that I enjoyed when I was at the UAE a few months ago.

Tina and me at the Mediterranean Cafe

A day after I arrived in my hometown, the Women of Purpose, the women's group of our church, had our Christmas lunch. It was held at Richie and Janina's new home. The warmth of their home is felt as one enters, and has the touch of simple elegance all around.












After our sumptuous meal together, we gathered in the music room to bless one another with a gift and a word of encouragement.

Meet some of my friends from church:

Janina

Elena recently underwent a brain surgery for the removal of an AVM . We are believing for a full and complete recovery for her. Thank you to all my blog friends who have prayed for her.

Marie Rose

Mayang

Ronalee with her son, Miguel

Trude and me

Here's the rest of us: Seated- Rose, Janice, me, Elena, Indang, Arlene
Standing-Marie Rose, Janina, Mayang, April, Jing
Richie, Janina's husband, took this snapshot of us.

Early Christmas gifts... a delight to my heart! God's way of saying, "Your're very special!"

My best friend Melanie who resides in VA, USA, is in town! She surprised me on Thanksgiving week by showing up at my front door with this early Christmas present, a lovely Starbucks coffee mug. She knows that blue is my favorite color, and that Starbucks is my favorite coffee place!

A pink pashmina, a photo postcard, and a homemade card, sent by Gilly all the way from England. I just love pashminas!

Gifts from Donna Butler, sent all the way from upstate New York! She writes beautiful poetry and has compiled them in three journals for reflection and meditation. Donna and I read each other's blogs but we have never met face to face. Visit her website to find out more about her precious poetry journals. I plan to use them at the start of tne new year!

My dear sister sent our family a huge cash gift just a few days ago...because she cares and she knows that we are in for a lot of expenses this Christmas season. And again, this is a welcome gift straight from the heart of God!

And it's not even Christmas yet!

I praise my Father for touching my life in many ways these past eleven days. There is surely more to come!

Out of the fullness of His grace, I have received one blessing after another!

My Prayer:

Thank You, Father, for these early gifts of grace! How I long for the simplicity of that first Christmas. I don't want to celebrate the birthday of my Savior in any extravagant way, but in simple elegance. The grace you have poured out is not cheap, it is precious! I want to hold on to that. Let me not demean or distort the true value of what You have given!

I am choosing to have a favor, blessing, and abundance mindset this Christmas!

Christmas Angels, made of shells and woven native materials. This is the lovely centerpiece on the dining table at my sister in law's home.