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Thursday, May 07, 2015

"You Should Have Called"

"You should have called," he mimicked her.  "They've found 'You should have called' on hieroglyphics, on rune stones; I swear, it's been the battle cry of women since Eve." (James, Rosie)

It's funny, but it's true.  Since time immemorial, women have been waiting for men to call or visit. I guess we can blame it to the age-old rituals of courtship that, although evolving in the past century, have left basic principles and assumptions largely unchanged ... or still largely believed.

A man who loves a woman:

  1. Enjoys and longs to spend time with her
  2. Makes time for her
  3. Finds a way to be with her
  4. Gives and shows her importance
  5. Pays attention to her (Listens to both what is said and unsaid)

Because that is exactly how a woman is to the man she loves. Time is the woman's language of love. Thus, it is also the barometer by which she gauges the love given to her.

Of course, there are all these other considerations like:  physical attraction, same wavelength, same principles & values, faithfulness, honesty, respect, affection, etc.  But all of these are also measured, inevitably, in time.

And in that space of time that a woman waits - no matter how short - her mind, her beautifully active mind, goes on hyper mode.

"Love fills and creates the blackest voids.  The day with its promise of night loomed before her, waiting to be killed.  It was this pining obsession she disliked so much about love, he on her mind every second, all the while, suspecting that he was concentrating on his book, with periodic - and brief - fond thoughts of her."  (Elizabeth, Rosie)

And once the call doesn't come, it plants a tiny seed of doubt ... despite the dynamics being generally unchanged the next time it does.  The woman does what she can to shake it off, but sometimes it just persistently hangs heavy overhead.

"I find the pleasure of his company unchanged, despite the dark clouds passing silently above my heart."  (Renee, The Elegance of the Hedgehog)

Men do not seem to have any problem with this.  Perhaps it's the different wiring; the compartmentalized brain.

"It takes two minutes.  You know what a pain in the ass it is to be kept waiting for two hours." 
"I wouldn't do it.  I do not wait.  I would read."  (Elizabeth & James, Rosie)

Meantime, so much of life had gone by; so much productivity lost; so much unnecessary negative juju.

So, woman (in whatever form), don't wait.

  • There might be a perfectly plausible explanation.  Rather than analyzing and coming up with 1 million hypotheses, I bet you, it would be easier to just wait for the explanation.  Or ask. 
  • Maybe he is not quite there yet. Give him time.  Men (and some women, too) tend to be slow on the uptake when it comes to matters of the heart.
  • Or he is still uncertain.  Walk away.  Indecision, afterall, IS a decision. (I read somewhere).  

Whatever it is, if it is God's will, there will be a man worth the wait.  Someone who, once it hits him, won't make you wait ... but will make time stand still. Or make you wish that time would stand still.






Bible Verse Challenge: Verse 7 - John 2:1-10

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”

This is one of my favorite verses because: (1) Mary demonstrates the dynamics of her relationship with Jesus ... that we can reapply!; and (2) It holds a promise.

When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”
God knows what is in our hearts, even if we do not or are unable to fully articulate it.

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
  1. Have faith!
  2. Persist!
  3. Trust and Obey. No matter what, just do whatever He tells you.
Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine...
Imagine what extraordinary things will come from ordinary acts - done with God's grace. (Collaborate with God and you're sure to make awesome "music".  Best mixer and producer!)

“Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
The best is yet to come.  





Bible Verse Challenge: Verse 6 - Philippians 2:1-4

2 "If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others."

Peace and joy breed in the atmosphere of true love that puts the interest of others above one's self. In the same way, a home stands firm against the external and internal tempests when:
  • built on the strong foundation of unselfish love between husband and wife
  • that love is consistently and actively reinforced in daily decisions to love
  • choosing to love in the small, hidden moments is just as important as (or even more than) loving in the big and visible moments.
This is the home I want to build.  This is the world I want the children to know and grow up in.



Monday, May 04, 2015

Flirt Mode: Disabled?

While waiting for my brother to buy tickets, a guy walks up to me ...

Guy:  Hi, are you in line to buy extra tickets?
Me:  Yes
Guy:  I actually have extra tickets ...
Me:  (I gesture towards my brother, meaning:  Talk to him.  He's paying)
Guy:  (tries again)  I mean, I have extra tickets I can give away ...
Me:  (I gesture once again towards my brother)
Sis-in-law:  (saves the day ... bless her soul) Oh, wow!  Thank you!

The guy walks away ... and they ALL (my brother, my sister-in-law and their two friends - who grew up with us and are practically our sibs as well) descend on me.

Brother:  Tsk tsk tsk ! (Exasperated gesture)
Practically-sister and Sis-in-law:  Ate!!! (I look at them, surprised and lost ... what did I do???)
Practically-brother:  He could have been your destiny! 
Me:  Oh! (I turned around, trying to look for the guy)  
Brother:  Was he ugly?
Sis-in-law:  No, he was tall and looked okay.  But Ate didn't even look at him! We were here, but he was only addressing you, Ate.
Me:  Errr ... (Silently cursing myself) I didn't know ...
Practically-sis:  Really, Ate?!
Me:  Really.  Thus, my status (gesturing to all of me).
Brother:  Ate, you should turn your "Flirt Mode" On.

It's not the first time I'd been oblivious.  These things often dawn on me long after (sometimes years) the whole situation has passed ... and Mr. Could-have-been-my-desitiny has moved on.  You'd think I should have learned by now, but I'm a slow learner ... or an unbrave one.

The thing is, I don't think my "Flirt Mode" is Disabled.  I think it's on auto-pilot.  It does click On every now and then.  I catch on sometimes. 

And then I run. 

Or I chase them off.

There's an Ina painting hanging by my bed.  It explains a lot.



Bible Verse Challenge: Verse 5 - 2 Timothy 1:6-8

"I invite you to fan into flame the gift of God you received through the laying on of my hands.  For God did not confer in us a spirit of bashfulness, but of strength, love and good judgment."

I had seen a post about breaking stereotypes. One of the common stereotypes is that a man/woman of God is quiet and timid.  On the contrary, once God has moved you, it is impossible to be quiet and timid.  The natural reaction is to stand up for His truth, to love with His heart and to live conferring every decision with Him.

Bible Verse Challenge: Verse 4 - Habakkuk 2:2-3

"Then Yahweh answered me and said, "Write down the vision, inscribe it on tablets so it can be easily read, since this is a vision for an appointed time; it will not fail but will be fulfilled in due time.  If it delays, wait for it, for it will come and it will not be deferred."

This was a reading during our community's prayer meeting in October 2013, led by Shep Paul and JP - two people who had always served as God's mouthpiece for my soul. That is why, although I had been on hiatus, I crawled out of my cave and joined the assembly.

That night, there were three visions.  My heart's deepest desires, that make up the story God had planted in my heart, resurfaced and burned my soul back into life. You see, I knew about these two years prior (Holy Week 2011) and had started growing weary and doubting their fulfillment.  Time sometimes makes you second guess the authenticity of previous events and promises.

It's been almost two years from then and, although it's taking some time, I am slowly seeing those visions come to form.  I am no longer just waiting for them. I am watching them unfold, slowly and beautifully ... like a child watching, breathlessly, a flower about to burst into full bloom.




Reflection on Readings: Sunday - May 3

I had a very late (or very early --- depends on how you look at it) conversation with my sister last night (or this morning) and she said something that is central to today's readings:  "I had a good relationship with Him.  That's why it was easy to hear His voice" (or something to that effect).

Everything begins with building and maintaining a relationship with Him. There's a perfect logic to it, which I had shared previously and will reinforce today: 
  • Knowing Him is to fall inlove with Him
  • Falling inlove with Him means emanating Him
  • Emanating Him is doing His will
  • Doing His will is trusting and believing that He will give us our heart's desires
  • Trusting in Him means living the story He wrote for us
  • Living the story He wrote for us means:  (1) becoming the best version of ourselves;  and (2) having and getting the best out of this life.
"The Best", afterall, is relative.  What's best for you may not necessarily be the best for me.  In the same way, if one person finds me wanting, another will see and recognize me as "the best".  However way it works out, one thing's for sure:  Everyone deserves and will get "the best" - if they allow themselves to believe.

Finally, all of these bring peace and happiness.

From 1st Reading - Acts 9:26-31
"The church throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria was at peace.  It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers."

From Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
"And to Him my soul shall live; my descendants shall serve Him.  Let the coming generation be told of the Lord that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice He has shown." (A bit out of topic, but:  Tell the children how wonderfully awesome our God is! None of these childhood myths that only serve to distract them from the true "Guardian" of the children)

From 2nd Reading - 1 John 3:18-24
"Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.  Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before Him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and know everything.  Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him." (Not because God will not give us what's best for us if we're naughty, but because it is only when we are attuned to Him that we are open to Him and the blessings He is only too eager to pour on us.)

From the Gospel - John 15:1-8
"You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.  Remain in Me, as I remain in you ...
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without Me you can do nothing ...
If you remain in Me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you ..."

Saturday, May 02, 2015

Bible Verse Challenge: Verse 3 - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to rend, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace" 

 A major source of stress for me is the timeline I've set for myself.  This, despite the fact that I know I have absolutely no control over all the factors that impact my life --- especially the persons I walked with along Life's different roads. I push and push, sometimes rushing head-on into something, totally unmindful of the tiny screaming voice inside my head that says, "stop!"  The result is:  I "fail" inevitably, reeling in "pain", immensely frustrated.

Sometimes, the best thing to do is NOTHING; to STOP ... and just let the current of God's will take you to where and when you ought to be.

"Trust your story." (Neil Gaiman, Instructions)

When the moment is right, it will be.  It will all just click into place, like perfect pieces of a puzzle - sometimes like Swiss clockwork even! And it will feel RIGHT.

So ... just relax and trust in God's timing.



Bible Verse Challenge: Verse 2 - Hebrews 6:10-20

This was the 1st Reading last Jan 20 and it really struck me.  Here are the specific snippets that hit home:

"God is not unjust as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for His name ...
We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises ...
And so, after patient waiting, Abraham obtained the promise.
... so that ... we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us.  This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil ..."

This ties in with a short article my friend, Aweng, posted for Epiphany.  I wrote parts of it down in my journal:

"When we follow our stars, we shouldn't expect them to function like our personal GPS.  Their purpose is to convince us to leave our comfort zones, not to show us how to get to wherever it is we're meant to go.  Our stars will disappear.  Eclipses will occur.  Stars will go into hiding.  Like the wise men, we need to learn to search in the dark.  We need to find our way because that is the only way to make our journey.  This probably means that perhaps losing our way is an essential part of the journey.  And, most importantly, we need to refuse to give up just because the searching isn't always easy."


"Do not lose hope — what you seek will be found."  (Neil Gaiman, Instructions)


Bible Verse Challenge: Verse 1 - Isaiah 43:1-3

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

Trials are a normal part of life.  Everyone goes through it.  But it doesn't make it any easier each time.  Often, trials make me feel like a little girl lost in the woods at the darkest hour of the night ... when all I could think of doing is to stop, hug myself or cover my head with my arms.

This verse is an immense source of comfort, thick with promise and wisdom:
  1. I am God's. Who will dare harm me?
  2. God is with me.  I can take on anything!
  3. The trials will not consume me.  I am a diamond-in-the-making!
Five years ago, I went on a silent retreat.  It opened with a Silencing exercise and a song ... God of Silence .  God's part in the duet expands this verse in a powerfully personal way for me.


"Be still the torment of the night
Will not encumber you, if you believe
My child this darkness isn't emptiness
For here I mold your heart
Unto My image painfully you long to see

The self you yearn to be, but fear to know
The world from which you flee in Me find home
All these I give you, if you remain in Me"