One Step At a Time

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But My servant Caleb,
because he has a different spirit in him
and has followed Me fully,
I will bring into the land where he went, 
and his descendants shall inherit it.
- Numbers 14:24




... but the people who know their God shall be strong,
and carry out great exploits.
- Daniel 11:32

My grandson Full of Hope (Mighty Warrior) turned five years old on November 13. 

This little man brings so much delight to my heart. He has been given excellent parenting by his mother and father, and at this young age, the positive results of his upbringing are evident.

Before I give my birthday blessing for him, I want to share one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament.

Within the exodus story of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan is an account of one courageous man that has really inspired me. It is the story of Caleb.

After the Israelites left Egypt, Moses sent out twelve spies to search out the land of Canaan to give him first hand information about the situation there. Caleb and Joshua were among them. 

Forty days later, the spies returned, bringing with them some samples of the produce of the land, such as figs, pomegranates, and a cluster of grapes so large two men were needed to carry it between them on a pole.

They were also ready with their report. Ten of the search party gave a discouraging report about the land and its inhabitants. Yes, the land was desirable, a land "flowing with milk and honey," but they found the walled cities formidable and the people, like giants. Intimidated, the ten spies said they felt like grasshoppers compared to the sons of Anak.

Joshua and Caleb, however, saw things from a different perspective. 

God describes Caleb as a man having a different spirit in him. Indeed, this was evident in the way he and Joshua presented their observations of the land.

When the people began to murmur and complain after the negative report of the ten spies...

Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said,

"Let us go up at once and take possession,

for we are well able to overcome it."

- Numbers 13:30

Men of deep and exceptional faith, Joshua and Caleb were one in urging the Israelites to go immediately to the promised land: 

If the LORD delights in us,

then He will bring us into this land

and give it to us,

'a land which flows with milk and honey.'

Only do not rebel against the LORD,

nor fear the people of the land,

for they are our bread;

their protection has departed from them,

and the LORD is with us.

Do not fear them.

- Numbers 14:8, 9

Such beautiful faith filled words! But they fell on deaf ears.

One important principle of faith is found in Matthew 9:29 -

According to your faith let it be to you.

The cowardly, faint-hearted Israelites chose to put their faith in the bad report of the ten spies. They looked back on the shallow security of their Egyptian slavery instead of the promise that was within their reach. All they needed to do was to believe in it.

Having no deep abiding faith to strengthen their hearts, they allowed the negative report of the ten spies to determine their actions. Having given unbelief the upper hand, there was no room in their hearts to believe the encouraging account from Caleb and Joshua, and even sought to stone them to death.

According to their faith, the Israelites never saw Canaan. Instead, they spent forty years wandering in the desert wilderness, when the Promised Land was a mere two-week journey from where they started out. 

A land flowing with milk and honey was waiting for them, but because they preferred the memory of their lowly existence as slaves in a land that could never have been theirs, they remained that way until their last breath.

There is no room for unbelief in God's plan. All who left Egypt, except Joshua and Caleb, passed away in the wilderness. Unbelief had to be purged out before a new generation of Israelites could be allowed to enter the Promised Land.

Joshua and Caleb, who believed that they could take possession of the land, were commissioned by God to lead the young generation of Israelites into Canaan.

As a reward for their faith, God promised that they and their children would enter and possess the land.

Under the able leadership of Joshua, the young generation of Israelites conquered Canaan. 

They accomplished what they believed they could.

According to your faith be it done to you.

Forty-five years after the twelve spies returned from surveying the promised land,  when this new generation had already conquered most of Canaan, Caleb said to Joshua: 

You know the word which the LORD said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, "Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children's forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God."

And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, no now is my strength for war, both for going out and coming in.

Now therefore,, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there and the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the LORD said.

And  Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. And the name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim). 

Then the land had rest from war.

The faith lesson found in that story never ceases to astound me.

Caleb was as strong at 85 years of age as he was when he was 40 years old. He believed he could conquer the land, God gave him the strength to do it.

And he asked Joshua to give him a mountain, for he wanted to fight the sons of Anak, the giants that the ten spies were so afraid of.

Caleb got his mountain, and he got the victory.


Here is my blessing for my grandson:

My dearest Full of Hope, my Mighty Warrior,

I bless your heart today with a heart like Caleb's.

You will be fearless, courageous, and strong... possessing a different spirit just like Caleb did.

In the midst of  negative circumstances, I declare that your spiritual eyes will see what heaven sees, and you will not speak from what your physical eyes see, but from what the eyes of your heart perceive.

I pray that as you grow up your faith will grow even stronger. But faith only grows with each step of obedience that we take.

Therefore, dearest grandson, I pray that your obedience will be consistent. 

Just as Daniel says, 

.. but the people who know their God shall be strong,
and carry out great exploits.

I decree and declare that you will do great exploits for the Kingdom of God... you will ask God for mountains to climb and giants to slay... and you will receive your mountain, and you will overcome.

And because of your obedience, the land of your heart will have rest from war.

Great will be your peace within, and without.

Father let these blessings come true in this young boy's life...

Love always,

Nana

A song for my grandson:

Intimacy, the Key of David

"On that day I will raise up
The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down,
And repair its damages;
I will raise up its ruins,
And rebuild it as in the days of old;
That they may possess the remnant of Edom,
And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,"
Says the Lord who does this thing.

"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord,
"When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
 The mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
And all the hills shall flow with it.
I will bring back the captives of My people Israel;
They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them;
They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
I will plant them in their land,
And no longer shall they be pulled up
From the land I have given them,"
Says the Lord your God.

- Amos 9:11-15




These things says He who is holy, He who is true, 
He who has the key of David, 
He who opens and no one shuts,
and shuts and no one opens:
"I know your works. 
See, I have set before you an open door,
and no one can shut it...."
- Revelation 3:7,8

I have often thought of what an awesome place heaven must be. 

If it is a place of ultimate perfection, then it must be a place of such immense and indescribable beauty that all the breathtaking scenery here on earth would be mere shadows in comparison. All the joy we have ever experienced would pale compared to the joy that will fill our hearts in heaven. And what about all the cherished memories that we keep in our hearts? I believe that in heaven all these memories would come back to life and somehow become tangible realities.

And what about all the lovely melodies that have been composed here on earth? I believe that they all originated in heaven.

I once had a dream of heaven, probably influenced by the many C.S. Lewis writings I had read. I was walking through fields of carpet-like grass a shade of green I've never seen here on earth... and there was soft music floating in the atmosphere, a kind of symphony. As I stopped to listen, wanting to find out where it was coming from, I realized that everything around me was giving off a melodic hum - the grass, the leaves, the flowers, the trees, the brook, even the gentle breeze. Yet the harmony was perfect, and synchronized. Low-key. Unobtrusive. Imperceptible. Not a single blade of grass or petal of flower drew attention to itself. 

Here on earth, because we are finite created beings, our human understanding is limited. But there is a part of us that is eternal, and that is our spirits.

My spirit knows what heaven must be like... 

I cannot adequately describe what I saw in my dream, but my spirit comprehends.  That dream gave me a new understanding of what perfect unity is like.

A symphony is performed by an orchestra under the baton of a conductor. Each musical instrument contributes an important part to the whole, but each individual musician must be perfectly attuned to the conductor, aware of the expression on his face, understanding what the slightest wave of his hand means.

God today is looking for true worshipers and intercessors who like David, are men and women after His own heart. Passionate worshipers. True intercessors who are hitting the target because they are praying the prayers that are on God's heart.

These thoughts are on my heart as my first grandson Forerunner turned seven years old today.

I have prayed for this boy ever since I found out that his mother was carrying him.

But today, the prayer I have in my heart for him is a very special one.

My prayer is that my grandson will have a heart like David, of whom God said, 

I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, 

who will do all My will. 

- Acts 13:22

David was a mere shepherd boy who killed the giant Goliath with a stone and a slingshot, because He believed that he could not just let anybody defy "the armies of the living God."

Later on, when David became King, he vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,

Or go up to the comfort of my bed;

I will not give sleep to my eyelids,

Until I find a place for the LORD,

A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.

- Psalm 132:2-5

David is the one who established day and night 24/7 worship in the temple.

David was a worshiper of God. 

In Psalm 27:4, he writes:

One thing I have desired of the LORD,

that will I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD 

all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the LORD,

and to inquire in His temple.

The world we live in today is such an ungodly influence to the young generation. 

Training a young boy to grow up to be a David is not an easy job. 

It takes intentional and dedicated parenting.

And much prayer.

Because neither his parents nor I can be with my grandson 24/7, but God watches over him every step of the way.

The passages I have quoted at the top are among my all-time favorites.

I believe we are already seeing Amos 9:11 before our eyes. David's fallen tabernacle is again being raised up. Father is rousing many of his children from complacency and placing in their hearts a passion for His kingdom. The walls of worship and intercession are being rebuilt in many parts of the globe, in the spirit of Nehemiah, Ezra, Zerubbabel, and Elijah.

The key of David refers to intimacy with God and kingdom authority. Only those who are true worshipers can be given this key, for it can unlock doors, enter enemy territories, and obtain the victory.

The call is both corporate and individual: He (singular) who has ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (plural). 

My dear Forerunner,

As you turn seven years old today, I declare over you that you will grow up seeking God with all of your heart, 

hungering for more of His presence, 

and desiring to grow in intimacy with Him.

You will have the heart of David, a man after God's own heart.

I pray that you will know what it is to have the key of David in your hands, possessing kingdom authority, not lording it over others in pride and arrogance, but serving in humility and obedience to your God.

Like Enoch and Noah, you will walk with God.

You will fight spiritual battles from the standpoint of victory.

And I decree and declare today that you will spend eternity in heaven at the end of your days here on earth.

With much love always,

Nana

I took these pictures of Matthew this morning: 

during breakfast with Nana

before going to school

Matt's mom is out of town for a couple of days, but we will have a party for him on Saturday. Early this evening, his dad treated his family to dinner at Shakey's, in honor of his first born son's birthday. My friend Pat and I joined them. Here are a few photos:

Forerunner's Seven Years: A Photo Album

 Day of birth: 2008

 One year old: 2009

 Two years old: 2010

 Three years old: 2011

 Four years old: 2012

 

Five years old: 2013

Six years old: 2014

Seven years old: 2015

A song for my dear Forerunner:

Immanu'El - God With Us

October 8, 2015

Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign:

Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son,

and she will call His name Immanuel.

- Isaiah 7:14

Behold, the virgin shall be with child,

and bear a Son,

and they shall call His name Immanuel,

which is translated, "God with us."

- Matthew 1:23

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God. 

He was in the beginning with God...

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

and we beheld His glory,

the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,

full of grace and truth...

And of His fullness we have all received,

and grace for grace.

- John 1:1-2, 14, 16

...And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,

and He will dwell with them,

and they shall be His people,

and God Himself shall be with them,

and be their God...

- Revelation 21:3

My heart is filled with much emotion as I begin to write this post. 

One year ago my family was in a very uncertain place as my third grandson was born a few weeks pre-mature. The days prior to his birth were days filled with anxiety for us, and all I could do was plead before my Abba Father for His miraculous protection over both the mother and the baby. 

Fear lurked within but I never gave it a voice. I displayed faith, confidence, and strength... to be an encouragement to my family members. Yet in my private conversations with my God, I pleaded for His mercy and compassion to surround us. 

The baby was born rather tiny, and his lungs which had not yet fully developed, were filled with water. The fluid had to be drained out, and the newborn attached to an oxygen machine, hoping that he would eventually learn to breathe on his own.

A few days before the birth, it was impressed on me that the baby was to be given the spiritual name Joyful One.

The obstetrician had wanted to wait a few more days to allow more time for the baby's lungs to absorb the medication intended to protect them at birth. But the decision to perform an immediate C-section had to be made. And so, in God's perfect appointed time, my third grandson was born on the morning that the Feast of Tabernacles was to begin at sundown that same day.

Within 36 hours, dear Joyful One's lungs were completely drained of water; he also began breathing on his own. He was taken off the oxygen machine and he began breastfeeding a few hours later.

These developments brought us all so much joy.

Five days later, the little one gave us his first smile.

He truly was filled with the spirit of joy... this little one loves to smile and laugh.

And there is nothing accidental about the timing of his birth. This little Joyful One whom his parents named Jeremiah David, was destined to be born at the same time the Feast of Tabernacles was being celebrated, one year ago.

The Feast of Tabernacles is one of the seven feasts of the Lord; another name for it is The Season of our Joy. It is the last of the fall feasts and is a very significant one. 

In my previous posts, I have explained why I am so interested in the Hebrew foundations of my spiritual faith, even though I am not a Jew by birth. For reasons known to God alone, He chose to have a covenant with Abraham, promised this man a son, a land, and a nation. The son of promise is Isaac, the promised land is Canaan, and the nation is Israel. Jesus was born a Jew, and much of the Bible was written by Jews under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In trying to gain a deeper understanding of the historical context during which Jesus and His disciples lived, as well as the cultural setting in which the Bible was written, I am better able to appreciate my faith, the nature and character of my God, and His words.

Because I love my God, it follows that I have a special love for His "chosen" people and the land in which they live.

I am not ashamed to say that I am standing with Israel in the prophetic purposes that Abba Father has for them. 

The seven feasts were given by God to Israel, but He calls them "My feasts." Strictly speaking, they are not Israel's feasts, they are God's feasts. 

The Hebrew word for these feasts is mo'edim, or "appointed times," special events which God said are to be commemorated for all generations to come.

I will not repeat here what I have written in several of my earlier posts, except to say a few words about the Feast of Tabernacles.

This feast lasts for seven days, from the 15th to the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Tishri which corresponds to the months of September-October in our Georgian calendar. 

There were two main reasons for this feast. 

First, it was to be celebrated each year as a reminder of Israel's deliverance from their slavery in Egypt, commemorating how they dwelt in tents as they traveled through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land.  

A tabernacle is a temporary shelter, made of light materials. In Hebrew it is referred to as a sukkah, or a "booth." Thus, the Hebrew name for this feast is the feast of Sukkot, during which Jews in Israel and around the world build booths outside their homes where they eat their meals for the duration of this feast. They were to do this that they and their generations may remember that their forefathers dwelt in booths when God brought them out of the land of Egypt.

The significant thing about their journey is that God Himself was with them, as a pillar of cloud by day...

and a pillar of fire by night.

In the gospel of John, he writes that Jesus Christ was the Word who became living flesh and "dwelt among us" (John 1:14).

Many modern versions render this verb dwelt  as "pitched His tent," or "took up residence." However, it is extremely important to note the cultural origin. In the original Greek, John used the word skénoó which is directly translated as "tabernacled." 

The Word was made flesh and tabernacled with us. 

It literally means Jesus came in human form and "dwelt" among us.

The birth of Jesus was prophesied by many prophets thousands of years before it happened. In the book of Isaiah, it was prophesied that His name was to be Immanu'El which means "God is with us."

Elsewhere in Scripture it is said that Mary gave birth as a virgin, the birth of Jesus as a man is a supernatural act.

This really is such an awesome truth! 

The second reason for the Feast of Tabernacles is to be a celebration of much joy at the fruit harvest. 

It is important to note that on the last day of this feast, called Hoshanah Rabbah, there are many ritual prayers offered by the Jews, one of which is the ritual of bringing God's glorious presence (shekhinah) into the synagogues so that their requests can be made. A specific request for rain is made, but on a broader scale, the people are actually asking for survival.

Their very survival depends on rain.

The Feast of Sukkot marks the end of the dry season in the land of Israel. With the fruit harvest being the last harvest, a new agricultural cycle, the planting season, followed. Abundant rainfall was therefore very crucial.

A Hoshanah Rabbah ritual is described in John 7: 37-39...

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

The significance of the words of Jesus  is clear. We all need the outpouring of the rain of His Spirit for our spiritual survival.

And the significance of this feast is clear. We need to be reminded that just as God led His people out of Egypt, He is able to set us free from bondage and fear. The celebration of the fruit harvest is a beautiful picture of how God gathers His people to Himself at an appointed time. You will be My people and I will be Your God, He says it over and over again in many passages of Scripture.

But there is a bigger picture about this particular feast. It not only points to the past as we celebrate it in the present, it is also very much forward looking. Jesus Christ our Yeshua HaMashiach will return a second time in fulfillment of this wonderful feast.

And this feast will play a pivotal role in the Kingdom of God in the one thousand year reign of Yeshua HaMashiach. 

In Zechariah 14:15-19 we read these words of prophecy:

And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and the keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

At a future time, there will be a Gentile remnant (those who are left from all the nations that came against Jerusalem) together with Jews who will worship the Lord every year in Jerusalem and observe the Feast of Tabernacles. This will also determine who will receive rain and who will be struck with the plague.

This sounds pretty serious. I wonder why the punishment is so severe for anyone who does not go up to Jerusalem to observe this Feast. But since we do not understand very clearly at this point, it would do us a world of good to take this Feast seriously, since it is obviously very important to our Lord. 

...And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,

and He will dwell with them,

and they shall be His people,

and God Himself shall be with them,

and be their God...

- Revelation 21:3 

Needless to say, my heart overflows with joy as my grandson Jeremiah David turns twelve months old today.

How thankful I am for how God showed us His mercy and His compassion and watched over the birth and the first year of this little one.

I cannot think of any other name of God to bless Him with other than Immanu'El... the God Who is with us.

My dearest Joyful One,

Many people prayed for you as you were about to be born, and during the weeks following your birth.

Clearly, your life is an answer to all the prayers that have been offered at the feet of our heavenly Father.

Jesus Christ is our Immanu'El... the God who is with us, every step of the way, every moment of the day.

Providing, protecting, guiding, giving, loving, pouring His mercy and His grace.

He is real... oh so real.

And I bless you now with His manifest presence in your life.

I declare that your heart will always be filled with His joyful presence, and that you will never forget that you were born during the Feast of Tabernacles, the Season of our Joy.

How we need the joy of the Lord to be our daily strength.

How we continually need the rains of the spirit to water the dry grounds of our hearts.

May you have these always, God's joy for your strength, a sense of rejoicing for an abundant fruit harvest in your life, and that out of your heart, rivers of living water, the water of the Holy Spirit, will always overflow into the lives of others.

I pray that you will have a special relationship with the Holy Spirit... that you will never quench the presence and the work of the Holy Spirit, 

that you will not despise prophecies, but that you will test the spirits, and hold fast to what is good.

This is my fervent prayer of blessing for you as we celebrate with joy your first year of life.

You are a fortunate boy to be surrounded with so much love, and to be raised by parents who fear God and who love Him above all, and to have a big brother who has such a soft spot in his heart for you...

And of course, grandparents who pray often for you. 

Much love always,

Nana

(Note: I will be writing a separate post about Joyful One's first birthday and child dedication party.)

October 8, 2014 - In His Time

October 31, 2014 - The Season of our Joy

November 8, 2014 - If God Be For Us (Jehovah Sabaoth)

December 8, 2014 - In Whom We Live and Have our Being (Jehovah Shammah)

January 8, 2015 - Faithful and True (Faithful Father)

February 13, 2015 - To the Three In One: My Morning Song (Three In One)

March 13, 2015 - Provision for the Vision (Jehovah Jireh)

April 8, 2015 - The Father's Embrace (Abba)

May 8, 2015 - The Way to Eternity (The Way, The Truth, The Life)

June 8, 2015 - Morning Star 

July 8, 2015 - The Narrow Gate

August 8, 2015 - My Champion, My Hero (El Gibbor)

September 13, 2015 - Haggo'el - The Divine Exchange (Redeemer) 

Privilege

So give me words to speak
Don't let my spirit sleep
Cause I can't think of anything worth saying
But I know that I owe You my life
So give me words to speak...

-Aaron Shust

Surely goodness and mercy

Shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

- Psalm 23:6

For the Lord God is a sun and shield

He bestows favor and honor;

No good thing does he withhold

From those whose walk is blameless.

- Psalm 84:11

As this month ends, I'm looking back at the past four weeks... and all I can think of is the word privilege.

Privilege... all of my life is a privilege.

I remember April as a dry and weary land... and my spirit was crying out for spiritual rain to water the parched places of my heart.

The very first day of May came with a heavy downpour... a harbinger of a beautiful season of refreshing.

And indeed it was.

So, privilege is the best word I can use to describe this month.

A privilege is a special favor granted. And when I look at my life through the lens of privilege, my heart overflows with thankfulness and appreciation.

Plans miscarry, people and circumstances disappoint us...

When I live my life as a right, it is easy to demand that things go the way we want them to.

But how beautiful the heart that looks at life as a privilege.

Jesus, the Son of the King of Kings could have looked at His life as a right... then He would never have offered to give His life on the cross in exchange for ours.

And where would that leave us?

These are the thoughts filling my heart - just a gratefulness for the life that I have been given.

To some, this kind of thinking is mushy sentimentalism. But for me, it is plain and simple reality.

I owe God my life, it is only proper that I live in appreciation of what He has done.


The month of May began with much awaited rainshowers falling on the thirsty ground of my home province.

I am so thankful for what this month has been like.

At the start of this month, we celebrated First Born son's birthday.

I stood as one of the principal sponsors for Edward and Janice on their wedding ceremony.

On May 7, together with my friends William and Ruby and their daughter Stef, we flew to Manila to do a three day Ancient Paths seminar in Batangas, another province south of Manila.

Together with our Manila ministry team, we were booked in a beautiful garden resort...

Every night in Batangas, the rains also fell. The plants around were so lush and green, bringing delight to our hearts.

It was symbolic of what was happening in the hearts of the medical students our team ministered to. After going through The Question (Identity and Destiny seminar) and ministry time, these young people will never be the same!

It was a privilege for me to be an agent of healing and change in their lives.


After a two hour road trip from Batangas City, I reached my Metro Manila home on May 9... and this was what I saw waiting for me:

The photo doesn't do justice to this beautiful crape myrtle tree -- there were hundreds of buds on every twig and branch of the plant, ready to bloom.

Just a few weeks ago I had been praying for this tree, wondering if it was going to flower this year, like it usually does. So my heart was overjoyed to see it had indeed sprung back to life!

My daughter Obedient One and I celebrated Mother's Day the following day at my favorite restaurant, Cyma Greek Taverna. We ate a sumptuous lunch of Roka Salata, Paidakia (Grilled Lamb Chops), and Vongole (Angel Hair Pasta and Baby Clams in White Wine).

On May 15, I arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where Obedient One and I spent ten wonderful days with our dear friends Teerapong and Angkab.

Chiang Mai's summer had also been very hot and oppressive, but while we were there, the rains finally began to fall.

My 2015 visit to Chiang Mai was such a delightful, refreshing one. Words are really never enough to express what is on my heart.

Here are some photos:

On May 28, my son Worshiper, his wife Chosen One, their two sons, and I went up to Baguio City for the wedding of his best friend Joey to Sitti Navarro, a famous Bossa Nova singer in our country. Joey's mom, Jing, is a dear friend of mine as well.

It rained every afternoon and evening in Baguio City while we were there. And yes, it rained on the day of the wedding as well.

But everything just turned out to be beautiful! So beautiful.

The rains made everything look so fresh and new.

I wrote all about it on my blog post entitled Love Someone.

Again, what can I say, except that it was a privilege for me to have been there.

These past years I have been appreciating solitude and silence more and more.

A lot of times I have realized that too many words can ruin an otherwise beautiful moment.

Sad but true... how often do our words get in the way of what the Father is trying to say to us?

And so, more and more, given the choice, I would prefer my words to be few.

I know I have said this before, but let me just say it one more time: there are times when I realize that it is okay to leave my questions unspoken.

And it is also okay to have no answers for my questions.

There is a day coming when all the answers we are looking for will be given to us.

For now, I just want to say:

Thank You, my dear Abba Father, for this truly refreshing month.

Thank You for the spiritual rain showers, the showers of mercy and grace, that have watered the garden of my heart.

Thank You for dear friends who have been so generous and kind to me.

Thank You for the privilege of being a witness to Your abounding love.

I name this month: Privilege.

I couldn't have asked for more.


Soon I will be going back to my home city of Bacolod. I've been away for almost a month, but May has been a truly incredible and amazing month!

For now, let me savor the last few days I have left in this beautiful home where I grew up... till my next visit...

treasuring the memory of my hardworking parents, proud of the way they brought me up...

packing the Lampang ceramic pottery and the Starbucks Chiangmai mug that I brought home with me from Thailand...

and most of all, being thankful... ever so thankful for this life that I have been given.


Here are a few more photos taken in Baguio City,  and a fitting song for this month, My Savior, My God by Aaron Shust.

Thank you Sitti,
I know you were tired from your wedding the day before...
so I truly appreciate your kindness in posing with me for this photo.

Note: Most of the photos of my Chiang Mai trip were taken by Teerapong or Ut, as we fondly call him. He is my friend Oy's husband. Ut doesn't like to be called a "professional." so I won't. But he does take very good photographs! Thank you, Ut...