Walking in the Newness of Life

"Newness of Life"

Photo credit

We turn not older with years, but newer every day.

- Emily Dickinson



...that just as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life.

- Romans 6:4



He who finds his life will lose it,
and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
- Matthew 10:39

Today is my 57th birthday.

This has got to be one of the best birthdays I have ever had in my whole life! As I sit here reflecting on the events of the past few days, I am still asking this big question:

What have I done to deserve this kind of birthday?

There was such an outpouring of love and kindness and affection and generosity and thoughtfulness... my cup runs over!

Again, I ask, dear Lord, what have I done to deserve it?

I know it's a funny question to ask... In asking it, I may sound like someone with such a low view of herself, or worse, someone with a very low self esteem, incapable of receiving love from others.

But really I am neither. These past years, one of the best things that God has done for me was to heal me in this area. But more on this later.

It's just that all the things that have been done for me the past days still make me wonder.


This is my second birthday without Ernie. And I have realized that this birthday is so different compared to the one I had last year.

Last year, I remember celebrating the day with a tinge of pain, a sense of loss. There was joy as well as hope to be sure, but with Ernie having been gone only five months, the joy was not complete. There was someone missing.

Today I realize that my joy was full to overflowing. I was missing my husband, remembering how he would always want to make my birthday so special to me in his own quiet way.

But there was no more pain.

I experienced first hand the truth of this passage from Psalm 30:5:

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

Yes, that is exactly how I felt... the joy... the song, has come back into my life!

So this birthday was just so special, and all my friends and loved ones made me feel so loved and appreciated.

I feel like God is turning my mourning into dancing, and my loss into gain...very much like what the prophet wrote in Isaiah 61:3 -

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

It was a week long celebration.

Last Sunday,March 21, Obedient One and I already had a birthday lunch in Manila.

On Wednesday, the 24th, my cell group had a birthday party for me. All of them brought gifts, and spoke words of blessing to me.

On Thursday, the 25th, the Women's Ministries group of our church, the Women of Purpose, which meets for lunch one day a week, also had a birthday luncheon party for me, and another lady, Mayang, whose birthday was on that very day. Again, there were many gifts and words of blessing for me.

Yesterday, Friday morning, my close friends (we call ourselves the Moms in Touch) treated me to a buffet breakfast at the Business Inn in downtown Bacolod. The six of us belonging to this group met weekly for many years to pray for our children during their growing up years. My best friend Melanie was returning to the US on the 27th, so we decided to get together yesterday.

This morning, my beloved ministry team, the Family Foundations International - Philippines came over to my house for breakfast. They brought everything - the breakfast fare, the fruits, the coffee, even the disposable plates and cups! We call ourselves the FFI Family, and of course, this name is so appropriate.

After having ministered together for many years, we do feel very much like a family, deeply bonded in love and unity. It doesn't mean that we never have conflicts, but I believe it is in the willingness to go through hurts and pain together that we have understood what it also means to walk in healing with one another!

This evening was the special time our family had set aside to celebrate the joint occasion of my birthday and the second wedding anniversary of my son First Born, and my daughter in "love", God Given. We went to Twist, a beautiful restaurant at the Sugarland Hotel located in the southern part of our city.

The food was delicious, but above all, the warmth of family love just melted my heart.

Indeed how good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity!

Tomorrow the 28th, my British friend Trudi will treat me to a special birthday breakfast.

On Monday, the 29th, my sister in law Sue and her family will have a special party at her house in my honor. Her daughter has just hired a new chef for their university, and this will be his first opportunity to "impress" all of us with his culinary skills! Sue has named this party Asian Galore.

So this, in a rather big nutshell, is a description of how this year's birthday has turned out for me.

The best thing I can do is to receive this 57th birthday, with grace, with humility, with open hands!

And as this day ends I want to speak these words of gratitude to my Father in heaven:


Dear Father,

With open hands, I receive this day unto myself.

I have asked you again and again, what have I done to deserve this?

And I hear you say...

"My daughter, you have sowed love, and therefore you are reaping a harvest of love!"

Oh yes, this is really true dear God! And I therefore receive back into my heart Your blessings of love...

Love in its many forms of expression: Acts of kindness, words of affirmation, tangible gifts, quality time, hugs and kisses, text messages, cards, email, even birthday wishes coming from blog friends, people I have never met face to face and yet, they are God's gifts to me as well!

I receive myself back, I receive my healing, I receive this year as my turn around year!

Truly you have turned my sorrow into gladness. You are a great and generous God. No one could ever outgive you!

And the words of James 1:17 ring true in my heart:

Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows. - James 1:17

Thank you, thank you dear Father. Thank you for your gifts of grace for me on this my special day!

Birthday dinner with Cell Group Wednesday, March 24

Birthday lunch with Women of Purpose
Thursday, March 25

With birthday cake, "Frozen Brazo de Mercedes"

Breakfast at Business Inn with Moms in Touch
Miriam, Melanie, me and Jing
Friday, March 26

Another picture of Moms in Touch
This time, Eileen is also in the picture

Birthday breakfast at my house with FFI Family
In the picture, the food is nearly all gone!
Saturday March 27

Another picture of the FFI Family, in my living room
after they released blessings to me

Matthew and his Nana
Birthday family dinner at Twist, Sugarland Hotel
Saturday, March 27

First Born and God Given
celebrating their second wedding anniversary!

Here's the whole family after dinner
March 27

Some of the gifts I received:



A birthday card from my one and only sister:

It's so good knowing

that even though time brings many changes to our lives,
the wonderful friendship we share is for always.
Every year I'm a little more grateful
for everything we share,
for the memories between us. the good times ahead of us,
and the special place you will always have in my heart.
Love always, your sister

A lovely card and book from my best friend, Melanie: