HOY GISING!

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Are you dead, or alive? Just making sure: Pulse? Check. Heartbeat? Check. The rest of you? Check and double check!

So, if we're alive and kicking, why does the bible refer to us as either dead or asleep ? Ephesians 5:14 ― “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

"Hoy Gising!" (Awake!)  was Pastor Paul Chase's recent teaching. He was speaking of course of our being dead to our sins, as written in Ephesians 2:5; and how Jesus gives us life if we put our faith in Him ― believing His Word and following His example.

Come to think of it, many go to bed meditating on their supposedly unsolvable or hopeless situations:

"My debts are sky-high? How do I escape?"

"How could I cover up my work boo-boos? My job is in danger!"

"What if I've been targeted in my company's the next round of retrenchments?"

"What if my diagnosis is cancer and I only have a few months?"

Replaying scenarios like these in your mind will surely deprive you of sleep, even making you wish you were dead or wouldn't wake up to a new day ― to escape from this sinkhole.

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But Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

Morning always brings with it new grace, new mercy, new blessings; but one needs to get up!

"Don't allow your bed to be your place of surrender," says Pastor Paul. "Get out of your sleepy mode. If you make decisions out of a foggy mind and emotion, you're bound to stumble."

Waking up makes one sober-minded, wise, sensible, intelligent, says  Ephsesians 5:15-16. "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil."

Sure, you feel your circumstances chomping you up alive. I have a lot of those episodes myself; and I'd always been tempted to put my hands up, "I give up! I'm outa here!"  

Still, I cling to His promise not to allow me to be tempted beyond my capacity to endure, and that He will always give me a way out. 

  

His solution is coming! And it's wisdom that's wiser than any peace broker or psychiatrist or bank officer can offer. Only be wise and humble and dependent on Him.

Be assured: Jesus has everything in control. He is the Lord, ain't He? He too has engraved you in the palm of His mighty, powerful Hand!

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Resolve to wake and stand up tomorrow seeking after Him who died in your place so that you may have life. 

NO DEPOSIT LEADS TO PANIC

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Was there ever a time you checked your ATM or bank account and found almost nothing there? 

I did, recently; discovering to my dismay that my monthly pension from SSS has stopped, leaving me with just a balance of 44 pesos and 50 cents. 

"You should have come to us a year after receiving your pension," said the bank officer. 

Apparently, SSS just wants to make sure I'm still alive and my money does not get into the hands of someone mining my death for profit. And I didn't know that.

It was pretty scary --- knowing you have money in the bank then discover you've got nothing, zilch! I nearly panicked. To a retiree, pension money is sustenance. 

Someone should have made a deposit but I missed my bank appointment and that did it for me. All is well, of course, because the bank helped settle the matter with SSS.

Panic is what I experience too when, too lazy or busy to read the bible, I face my daily challenges with my own grit and power. 

It's a no-brainer: If you meditate on His Word before starting your day, you're better prepared to handle situations and issues fighting for your attention. 

It's so easy to give in to temptation --- be arrogant, prideful, resentful, hateful, angry, judgmental, depressed, etc. --- if the Gospel is not richly deposited in our hearts. 

Ephesians 6 says that His Word --- fashioned as our belt of truth --- enables us to stand firm to face the enemy. No weapon formed against us shall prosper if we allow ourselves to be covered by the full armor of God! 

But this happens only if we renew our minds daily with His Word. The mind of Christ rescues us from needless panic or fear.  

So don't let your heart account go kaput. Daily kneel before God. Be refreshed by His Word because He promised to let the truth set you free. 

WHO OWNS YOUR MIND?

"Ownership of mind." In Marketing or Advertising, this refers to consumers preferring a particular brand for a specific need, e.g., Coca-Cola for thirst, or McDonald's for one's burger craving. 

I've always taught my Marketing students that companies always strive for ownership of mind which is key to a brand's long-term love affair with its consumers; hence, the need to advertise; and to make sure the product works according to its promises.

Everyday, many thoughts vie for our attention. Our mind, they say, is the devil's workshop, if we allow carnal thoughts to take up residence there. It's easy for important matters to get lost as we focus on our gotta-have-them goods or nitty-gritty needs or desires.

Just this morning, as you got out of bed, was your mind preoccupied with what you needed to do or buy? The list is long: Write project proposal. Don't forget to greet someone "happy birthday." Buy dress for party on Saturday. Purchase groceries for almost empty pantry. Meet amigas  for lunch in mall.  

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All these can take precedence over our times with God. He should be the Brand that occupies our thoughts the whole day. If we believe Jesus is the best answer to all of our needs   --- be they the need for wisdom at work or about our relationships, or the need to spend wisely --- then our minds and hearts should always be plugged into His.

So why not seek Him as soon as you wake up? His Word is your best defense against all other voices and brands wanting to dominate your everyday. He promised to "destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ," (2 Cor 10:5).

Going for your favorite dependable brands is good. But even the best products fail, right? Make sure your total trust is on the Brand Who fails not. 

RAW DEAL

It's very tempting — this urge to criticize and complain.

But may I beg your indulgence, just this once; then I'll forever zip it. 

And you guessed right. I will add noise to the cacophony of words directed at those in authority.

Traffic, for instance. All of us who drive or commute see the obvious — day in and day out: 

Pasaway drivers counterflowing or crossing the red light or weaving in and out of their lanes without regard for rules or common courtesy. Jeepneys waiting for passengers in the middle of the road. 

Violations are rampart because traffic officers don't enforce traffic rules. Instead, many wait in shady corners waiting for their coffee-or-lunch-break allowance — meaning lagay from drivers who are just in a hurry (they may not have violated any rules) so they succomb to the pressure. As far as real violations? They look the other way; or deadma.

And please! Has the MMDA not seen it yet? They may be called that, but our traffic officers don't know how to traffic! I don't think it's their fault. But have the authorities even bothered to train them? Or have they consulted some hotshot traffic expert to put some rhyme and reason to our bewildering (nakakaloka talaga!) road conditions. 

A common comment: Pag may nag-t-traffic, lalong may traffic. Why? Because the one who conducts traffic does not even care about vehicular build-up on that part of the road that is on "stop" — while he allows all vehicles to pass, hanggang sa maubos sila (pero hindi naman nauubos) in the lane that's on "go."

Haven't they heard of "time and motion study?" There's a science for managing traffic as well as there is a science involved in washing dishes or clothes. Maybe they should ask a housewife to help them. 

At the rate traffic is being managed, one can surmise the high incidence of high blood pressure, lung cancer, and heart and kidney problems among residents in these parts. Oh Jesus, cover us all with your blood! 

Experts have of course warned that business productivity is at stake. With shipped goods stranded at our ports because of this unresolved traffic crisis, how can our companies afford to be competitive? 

This chain of inefficiency and bad management ought to be broken. 

Traffic is just the tip of the iceberg! It's the obvious part. 

Need it be said, for the centillionth time, that if only each one in government — be they bosses or subordinates — performed their tasks faithfully (as if doing it for God and not men), this mess need not even occur? 

But I'll stop here, because I might go on ad nauseam about how we're getting a raw deal as tax payers and law-abiding citizens. 

"We must do what we need to do, the right that must be done, in our own area of influence and reach." That's what we always remind each other in our bible study group when confronted with, "How can we effect change?" 

Jesus taught us not only to be hearers but also doers of the Word (James 1:22). But it's hard to obey if we're not accountable to the Lord of all.

If we say we are a Christian nation, then let us be. Obey the law. Don't bribe. Have no part in what they peddle as "if everyone does it, why can't we do it too," mentality. 

This is what it means to suffer as a Christian —by doing what pleases Him, not our pockets or our convenience. 

What more can we do? He urges us to pray. 1 Tim 2:2 — Pray for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity (NASB). 

We know that prayer can move mountains. Matthew 17:20 — "... Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

O Lord we cast all cares about our nation into your hands. Yet, enable us to obey. 

AMAZING, IMMEASURABLE

These past few months had been a whirlwind of grace.     

First, I'd been able to survive an entire school term with four sections of college newbies -- first year students still transitioning from their high school mind-sets of kabisote (rote) learning to trying to think and analyse things and issues for themselves. 

Tough but rewarding, especially when you see most of them warming up to your efforts.

Second, though I missed my grandkids and children so much, Facetime and Facebook nonetheless allowed us precious bonding moments though we are continents afar.

Thank you Lord for the miracle of the internet!

Healthwise, my husband and I have measured up, in spite of the occasional stress seniors like us endure. Thanks to Gigi, our faithful kasambahay, who never fails to prepare our daily veggie-fruit concoction and make things easy-breezy for us around the house.

The joy of the Lord is our strength! Really!

And third, my fourth book has been birthed at last. "Now that You're Boss: Timely and Timeless Lessons for New (& Seasoned) Leaders," had its soft launch last week, courtesy of a long lost (back in my hotel days) colleague, Ms. Elvie Sanchez-Quiazon -- in a venue I never would have afforded, and an audience that was just the perfect answer to my prayer:

"Lord this book is about your Word, and your message to people in the marketplace. Let your purpose and your plan prevail. Let it be promoted to your intended audience."

Previously, Elvie -- who happens to be the general manager of Vivere Hotel and president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Muntinlupa  -- and I found myself in the same meeting room in the school where I teach.

"Could you hold a seminar for us?" she inquired. As our chika progressed and she learned of my upcoming book, she exclaimed, "Then you can launch your book with us!"

I prayed too for a sponsor so I can at least invite and say "thank you" to those who have endorsed the book. My brother-in-law, Tony Olizon, responded graciously.

And in spite of the pricey lunch tag, faithful friends came nonetheless.

So last Thursday, Sept. 11, my book took center stage at the ballroom of the Vivere Hotel, during the PCCI General Membership Meeting, where an overflow audience listened to my talk on leadership and market competitiveness, then lined up later to have their books signed.

Amazing, immeasurable grace! Thank you Jesus!   

DARK AGES

It's only been a day of electricity-less living yet most of us feel we've been plunged back into the dark ages.

Day two after typhoon Glenda. It started with a night of horrific winds lashing at 140 kph—howling, battering and almost unhinging and dismantling anything unstable on its path.  

Ceaseless prayers went heavenwards. Thank You Lord for keeping us safe. 

How sad for those who suffered more harm. Let's pray they recover from this tragedy—and do our part to help with whatever we can give or do—even as we brace for more typhoons, an offshoot of global warming. 

God is true to His promise to keep us safe even in the middle of the storm, because even the winds are subject to Him.

The morning after the storm, felled trees became the source of instant livelihood by some. In our place, a team of four men with their bolos hacked away at trees and their branches off of roofs, driveways and streets. 

Since last night, we'd waited for the current to hum, but to no avail. 

No electricity, no wifi, no computer games. Cell phones gone kaput. No humming or whirring of applicances. 

It's all quiet in the home front:

Longer time to pray, and pray hard.

Gave family members a chance to talk, something which a lot of gizmo-focused dudes have not done for a long while.

Made us realize that we can live on less and not sweat about it. 

Gave us pause on what's important—family, togetherness, safety, rest, quietness.

Dark days still have a way of making our days worthwhile. 

Let's be thankful and count our blessings. 

  

BRAZEN: A LESSON FROM ALDRIC

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The nerve of one of my students! Asking me to mention his name in my next book.

But I loved him for it. 

In my 12 years of teaching, I've not come across any one as brazen. 

I was taken aback initially, then realized that he was dead serious --- but kid-serious, just like a toddler pretty-pretty-please-asking her grandma for ice cream. He asked, and then asked again.

His entreaties were that of an innocent child who knew that if he persisted or maging makulit, he'd get his wish to finally be mentioned in a book. 

Aldric Yriarte. That's his name. So I promised him I'd mention his name in my blog --- first.

Why did I relent? First, it's a very simple wish. Second, his attitude reminded me that childlikeness works. Even if one has reached adulthood, some of this endearing childlike spark should remain. Being mature does not mean being stiff and boring.

Did he manipulate me? Not at all. He seemed as genuine as apple pie. And a lesson budded:

Boldness, coupled with niceness and respectfulness, seems like a perfect brew for easing your way into people's hearts. 

That's the heart too that Jesus wants to see in each of us. Remember that incident when children milled around Jesus so that He could pray for them, then the disciples tried to shoo them away? 

But Jesus said (Matthew 19:14), "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  Then He laid hands on them. 

Childlike faith moves God: 

Matthew 8:13?“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

 

Hebrews 11:6?"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."

Persistence likewise pays. Didn't Christ encourage us to pray and pray without ceasing until heaven responds? 

Aldric, I don't know if or when there will be a next book to finally see your name in print. But I just want to thank you for teaching your teacher that childlikeness with persistence isn't a liability but an asset, especially when it comes to faith in God.