CRYSTAL CLEAR

When you realize how fragile life is, 
It all becomes crystal clear:
You are not in control.
It's really not yours to own. 

Though you fight, scream, claw, beg.
Even if you will it, pay to prolong it. 
In a snap, just like that, 
Bleep flattens, breath sits still.  
Once alive, now a corpse.
So true, we're dust to dust!

You may be the healthiest hunk.
The most gorgeous babe.
The busiest bee alive.
Smartest, richest, most disruptive problem-buster.
Even the most compassionate, heroic, ever serving dude.
Yet with a sneeze or a drool or a touch
Succumb! 
To a good-for-nothing infuriating virus.

Yes, a virus! 
Lowliest of the lowliest 
In the totem pole of pestilences.
Microbial yet deadly and deadlier still.
Sneezed, inhaled, touched, transferred 
From one unsuspecting human to another.

We who once thought ourselves masters of our fate,
Now at a loss for answers. 
Mighty, in control, able---now locking horns 
With a rampaging, conquering,
Knee-bending, microscopic beast.

But now we finally see it, 
As we hunker down, 
Gnaw at our fingernails
To wait wait wait wait,
Life is not what or how we perceive it.

We've never owned it.
We're someone else's!
The one who formed dust
And breathed upon it breath,
He gives and takes away. 

Yet see it all His way, 
Be amazed and be at ease.
At peace, comforted.
Because your Owner:
He's Creator, Master, Lord over all.
His name is Jesus Christ, Savior! 
Call Him, embrace Him, 
Trust Him with your very will and live!
He will respond.

Because He's not man that He should lie. 

He's the only Name
With power to reverse 
Our downward deadly course.
Make our feet stand on solid ground.
Unlike the slimy pit we waddle on,
Slippery, leading us down below. 

Jesus, the name to trust.
Immanuel, God with us.
Name above all names.
Above everything that's been named.
Above every pretender to His throne. 
Be it covid, cancer, lack, addiction, riches or fame.

And you know what? 
Life as we've lived it,
It's temporary anyway. 
Breath ceases, yet where He is,
Life sprouts anew. 

Free from decay, pain, hunger, cares.
Clothed in glory, our heavenly tent.
Because there, Our Lord Jesus reigns.
And with Him forever we'll be! 

IT SHOULDN'T COME TO THIS

But it has! When a mother—because she's either a nurse or a doctor—could not hold or hug or kiss her baby and isolate herself from her family even in her own home, because she happens to have tested or treated patients for Covid-19.

This I could not wrap my my mind around. A real heart-breaker.

So heed the warnings, people. Isolation. Social distancing. Strengthen your immune system. Don't be stupid thinking this pesky virus won't hit you. No more lives or relationships should be sacrificed in the altar of this disease which has already killed thousands —some of them you and I know—all over the world.

Apart from doing what we can the best way we can, what are we to do?

Our eyes are on you, Lord. You said, "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. (2 Chro. 7:13-16)

Jesus, you said a time is coming when people will no longer worship in temples made by man. You came in the flesh to save us; sent us the Holy Spirit to dwell in us so we can worship you in Spirit and in truth.

If you and I are indeed "His people," I beg you, let's humble ourselves before Him.

It has come to this, Lord. Forgive us for our self-sufficiency and arrogance. Take control of our lives. And see us through all these. Jesus our eyes are on you.

WHEN PANIC SETS IN

I drove myself to the pharmacy. Coming out of it, I could not find my car in the parking lot. Walking back and forth and not finding it, I panicked.

Then I woke up. An awful dream. Which triggered a migraine.

It didn't help that I've started taking pills which my doctor warned might cause hot flushes, pains and other side effects.

But thank God it was just a dream.

Nowadays, populations all over the world are in a state of panic because of an itty-bitty virus. Corona has indeed become “queen” and “star” of all viruses because of the fear it has induced in people.

At Costco and Walmart stores near our place in San Diego, tissue paper, alcohol, hand wash products, and mind you, even bottled water and rice, have started to run out. What??!!

It doesn't help that social media shares and stories---some of them fake---have magnified the strength of this virus more than its real power to do harm.

Health authorities assure us: its ability to infect anyone is only 3 per cent; a good immune system will protect you; take the necessary precautions and you'll be a-OK.

Yet we still panic, right? Welcome to the panic room. Refugee camp, if you will, where a peace accord awaits.

Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. (KJV)

In Jesus, we can be nursed back to faith. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified... for the Lord goes with you; He will never leave you or forsake you,” Deuteronomy 31:6.

There's of course still a chance to catch the bug, that's why we take precautions.

But didn't He also promise to heal?

Paul who had a momentary onset of panic during one of his journeys, confessed, “But this happened that we might rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead,” 2 Corinthians 1:9.

Christ is still seated on His throne. King of kings and Lord of Lords, He turns every pretender---yes even this itsy-bitsy corona---to mush. We can starve to death this nano pretender to the throne!

Just press your panic button!

Pray. Believe. Exercise wisdom in whatever you do. 

Then leave the rest to Him who holds your life in the palm of His mighty hand.

Goodness, He even raises the dead!

OF BOOBOOS AND CANCER

Meet Varian, my dear constant date of late.

Now, before you raise your eyebrows, let me clarify. Varian, surnamed Truebeam, is this high-tech, space-age thingamajig dispensing radiation therapy against this totally dreaded disease---cancer.

With Heather and Cheri, and yes, gigantic Varian.

Yup, I’ve been diagnosed. But thank God, mine was itty-bitty and early stage; so my good doctors ordered only surgery and radiation therapy as major interventions.

Still, at the onset, this feeling of shock, “What, me? Cancer?” persisted. But as I catatonically hurdled the back-and-forth diagnostic tests and consultations, shock and fear gave way to awe.

How could a small “c” hold itself up against my big “C”!

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you,” Hebrews 13:5b, had never been crisp-er and touchy-feely. Christ promised to be with me through the highs and lows of my life---been utterly faithful so far. So how could I not trust Him now with this pin-prick?

Oh, yeah, pin-prick!

Because others really have it bad. My sister Malu endured her worst days with late stage cervical cancer.  As I write, three more among my loved ones, both sides of the family, are grappling with advanced stage cancer! I'm sure you have your own story to tell. 

No laughing matter, this insidious small "c". 

But see, mine was diagnosed early. And just in the nick of time! My hubby Jack and I recently just got our health insurance here in the US, breezed through a battery of baseline health diagnoses. Then bingo!

Yet, no fear! Him who holds our lives at the palm of His powerful hand has our backs covered.

He provided in advance for my situation. Because he never sleeps nor slumbers! (Psalm 121:4)

Loved ones, friends, our church pastors and brethren, bible study group members, prayed; sent well wishes; and checked in on me from time to time. May He give it back to them a thousand-fold.

Flowers? Never got a single petal. LOL, just kidding!

(Trivia from my daughter-in-law Opalyn: flowers are a no-no for cancer patients, especially those on chemo treatment. Something in them may lower their immune system.) 

Had my surgery at Scripps Mercy Hospital before Christmas. And enjoyed my best Christmas ever---my daughter Lucci's family from Australia spent the holidays with us. Talk of perfect timing. Talk of love being the best picker-upper.

Happiest Christmas every with my family...

and with my sister's family

 
Didn't He promise that His joy would be our strength? (Nehemiah 8:10)

He’s Jehovah Rapha, my healer, Exodus 15:26.

Booboo or cancer? They’re all the same to Him. If he commands, away it goes, pronto!

I thank Jack, son Carlo, and Opalyn for their perpetual presence, patiently bringing and waiting and sitting with me as we went from doctor to doctor and a myriad of diagnostics.

My family, especially our grandkids, have been a balm for my perennially downcast self . Yes, even as I ceaselessly prayed for my  little booboo to go away.

That’s what healing is all about: God’s love and family constantly going the extra mile with you even in your worst days. 

So here I am, on my third day of a three-week radiation treatment, with Varian as my everyday gizmo date. Won’t miss him though when it’s over. 

I’ll treasure though the radiation team behind Varian—Cheri, Heather, Noelle—of the Sharp Medical Center Douglas and Nancy Barnhart Cancer Center, San Diego (as all my doctors and other carers from both hospitals).

Today, trainees Kailey and John came to observe. Yey! for young people entering the medical and health care field. Patient caring is probably one of the toughest jobs around. It's a calling and a passion.

A special shout out to Scripp’s nurse Janice (a Filipina!) who made sure my pre-surgery procedures pushed through in spite of some scheduling snafus. A grade ten for commitment and stick-to-itiveness.

Lord, bless them all: doctors, nurses, other hospital and specialty medical services personnel whose expertise and genuine caring for patients make our days a little brighter.

Grace personified indeed.

DON'T MISS CHRISTMAS

Christmas is not about what we do, but what God has done, says Pastor David Jeremiah of Shadow Mountain Church. 

We may celebrate Christmas, yet disregard the celebrant, he lovingly reminded us. Could you see yourself in some of the characters he mentions? 


The first group---those who could have rejoiced about the Messiah's coming yet missed it. 

Herod---whom the wise men asked about the King of the Jews---instead raged with jealousy, and ordered the murder of Bethlehem infants two years old and under. 

Scripture experts, the religious, of that time who knew that the Christ was going to be born in Bethlehem never bothered to check and worship the new-born King.

The inn-keeper---particularly busy, excited about his cash-register's ca-ching as guests filled his rooms while they arrived for the population census---failed to recognize the promised Immanuel. 

"God with us" born right under his nose in his very own stable! The very One who could give him real riches! 

"How could he have missed the explosion of light and the angels? asked Pastor Jeremiah. 

Thousands must have flocked to the city that particular season, but only a handful got wind of that most significant event. 

Our second group---the wise men; the shepherds; and Joseph and Mary, the mother of Jesus who treasured these things in her heart. 

Unto us a Child is born. Unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) 

A cause for wonder! A reason to worship. And proclaim.

The greatest event in history should make us pause and ponder and kneel in awe and talk about God's infinite mercy through Christ our Savior! 

Most of us miss it though. We get excited instead with the trimmings---the parties, the tinsels and the gifts, and the blinking artificial lights. 

Oh yes, the carols and kids all over, pay greater tribute to this jolly good fellow in a red suit. 

It's good to party. Giving gifts? Why not. But if we're tied up with these outward manifestations and symbols and rituals more than Christ himself, we celebrate Christmas in vain. 

Be in the party, but don't miss the celebrant!

Some people, like Herod, are so vested in themselves and their status that they fail to see the Christ, says Pastor Jeremiah. 

Others are plain too busy and tired---always rushing, fretting and worrying, and never having time for what matters most. 

Being extra generous especially on Christmas, yet not acknowledging Christ who is the source of all things, is simply a no-brainer. 

Mary, after being told by the angel that she would bear the Christ, proclaimed to Elizabeth her cousin, "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, Luke 1:46-47.

Why not be like these three: 

Mary who stood in awe of God, pondered about it in her heart, and freely spoke about God's favor. 

The wise men who traveled from foreign lands to worship Jesus and lay gifts at His feet. 

The shepherds who enthusiastically proclaimed the Christ to whomever they met. 

Push back all that unnecesary "stuff", suggests Pastor Jeremiah. "Don't do Christmas yet miss it." 

Let Christ alone be Christmas.

GUT ISSUE

image credit: rgbstock.com

Your gut—that's where it hurts the most, if you miss your meal, or took strong medication so that your stomach flora fails to function properly.

End result? Ulcers, rupture of your stomach lining, damaged vital organs like liver, pancreas or kidney, and iffy overall health.

I'm no health expert but I just want to use the gut as a metaphor for this thought which has percolated to boiling point in my heart.  

A very recent news: Our fishermen's boat hit by a boat from China. As neighbors should, a little help—like bailing out the 22 Pinoy fishermen and bringing them to safety—would have been the instinctive response,right? Could have been a good closure. End of story.

But it was not meant to be. No such help was offered. Per reports, a Vietnamese fishing boat came to the rescue—corroborated the Pinoy fishermen's story, by the way—along  with a Philippine navy ship.  

Was the damage small? Were the fishermen shaken? Whether it was a big or small dent, or the fishermen remained calm or not—these don't matter anymore.

What matters today is: How did our leaders treat the situation? Take note, these Pinoys were fishing in Philippine waters. And the Chinese were the intruders. 

"Maritime incident," dismissed the man from the palace. "It is best investigated. I don't issue a statement now because there's no investigation and no result. The only thing we can do is wait and give the other party the right to be heard."  (Straits Times report, June 18,2019)

The incident happened June 9; above statement was uttered June 17; what happened in between? Whose right should he be concerned with—his people or the Chinese's?

OK, he's the top honcho. Where were his orders to investigate? Did his subalterns do it? Couldn't an official inquiry have been made sooner? 

He said further, the Philippines will not escalate tensions with China by sending military ships to the South China Sea…" As a knee-jerk response, is "the need to go to war" even a justifiable statement?  

What about compassion? What about a trickle of help? What about going there yourself or sending someone to commiserate with and get the fishermen's side first-hand?

What about assuring the public that this government is on top of the situation and will not tolerate abuse within our waters because we're a sovereign nation?  

What about taking the offenders to task if they're proven guilty?

That's the stuff of statesmanship—doing right by the people or the nation who put you in power in the first place. Not to throw blame or a cold shoulder because, who knows, "they may be telling a lie." What separates noblemen from the ignoble!

Or he just doesn't want to ruffle the guy or the people next door.  They who have swarmed our shores lately in the hundreds of thousands, either as illegal workers, 'build, build, build" financiers or contractors, businessmen and entrepreneurs, drug traders and many more. The list is endless.

Unless they're blinded or calloused, our leaders must by now know that our nation has run aground.  

It is a gut issue when our fishermen could not fish in our territorial waters—something which our leaders have relegated to the back-burners even if the international courts have already ruled in our favor. Why?!!

It is a gut issue when a daily earner's wife is in debt—to cook something to sell, because her husband is unable to fish.

It's a gut issue when illegal workers render jobless our carpenters and other manual laborers; with the Malacanang resident even labelling them, "Lazy! That's why the Chinese are taking over them."

It is a gut issue when a people is divided—with lies, cursing, sexual and rape jokes, shock and awe tactics, and bullying becoming a nation's daily fare. O, pity our children who are confused about which one is the better way—the bad or the good.

It is a gut issue when well-meaning politicians, and responsible media and media practitioners, are threatened, unfairly accused and lied about.  

These are gut issues because of their spirit-quenching and economic-shattering impact. Pinoys deserve better!

All these from one man (and his minions)? President of the Republic of the Philippines! What weight that title carries. But the one who answers to that exalted salutation—does he even care?

The One in heaven cares. He listens and He acts. What seems impossible with men is possible with Him. Meanwhile, let's not be coyed from speaking truth, calling out evil as it truly is—evil. 

We desire a corrupt-free and peaceful country? It comes at a price: taking a stand for what is right, obeying the law and contributing our fair share of productivity to nation-building. All these shall come to pass.

Pray and do good! We can do no less.

IN PRAISE OF LEMON

Pity the lemon, a word oftentimes associated with mediocrity, worthlessness or misfortune.

"A lemon of a car," for a below-par-functioning vehicle.

"When  life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, " seems okay at first blush—because a lemonade is actually quite refreshing; but it really insinuates someone getting a raw deal in life.

"So just suck it up," is your only recourse—because though sour, lemon is juicy. Mapag-titiisan (bearable). Consuelo de bobo (mock consolation).

How did lemon get such bad press?  

Per english.stacexchange.com, lemon has since the mid-19^th century been used as a metaphor for something leaving a bad taste in one's mouth,"and as a colloquial term for someone with a 'tart' or acidic personality, or more significantly, for 'sucker' or 'loser' or 'dim' person."

Enough of this, don't you think? Because to a lot of women, homemakers, chefs and food lovers, lemon is a God-sent.

Love pho, a Vietnamese comfort food? Lemon, plus the scent of basil, make it oh-sooo heavenly!

Arroz caldo, porridge Pinoy-style? Perfect match with lemon or calamansi, its Pinoy version .

You a pancit-lover? Apart from lemon or calamansi, our traditional noodle dish can be pretty bland.

Even cakes can be tart-ified with some lemon zest. Refreshing!

Need to detox, lose weight or whiten your teeth. Lemon-ize it!  

It would take book volumes to sing praises to lemon—from making us healthier,  to turning our dishes divine, to functioning as a cleaning and hygiene agent.

And because it can be raised in abundance, this gem of a fruit is not priced like gold. And here in the US of A, we're blessed to have friends surprising us from time to time with these golden treasures. (Waiting for our lemon tree to fruit.)

So this is a shout-out to Reggie and Nyorly. We're feasting on your lemons! Thanks. 

"Good!" That's how God described the plants he placed in Adam and Eve's garden.

Genesis 1:12 "And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after its kind; and God saw that it was good."

Just like salt, lemon is a flavor enhancer. Jesus calls his followers salt, earth flavorers.  

Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?"  

Not on our own but by His grace—to touch others' lives for Jesus.

There's a nice ring to this too: "You are the lemons  of the earth. But if lemon loses its juiciness and zest, how can it be made juicy and zesty again?"   

Here's a tart "Never again!" to lemon slander.