Many times, it feels like we live only for the weekends. When we’re at work (or school), we can't wait to go home. When we’re at home, doing paperwork or homework, we can’t wait for a relaxing weekend. And when we get to the weekend, we can’t wait for when we’re on vacation and have… Continue reading Genesis 2: God’s Rest
I was thinking of my life recently. Particularly, I was wondering why I care about God. Please don't interpret that statement as sacrilegious. I simply mean that I wanted to know why I'd always felt God's presence in my life and why others act like they don't give Him a second thought. It's not like I'm a specific breed of humanity: I wasn't born spiritual. Why did I care about God when so many people who were raised in Christian homes never did?
Sometimes we fear the will of God. It's like we think He has some horrible plan for our lives instead of the good that He promised us and is capable of giving to us. But Genesis 1 alleviates some of these fears, reminding us Christians that we can trust in God because of His attributes. Now, let's answer the question: What is God like?
Friends are people that we like spending time with. When we wear masks in front of them, it's mostly to keep them by our side. And we choose our friends. But we don't choose our peers. They simply live alongside us. Often, we want to impress them, ignore them, defy them, or rise above them. And it's easy to wear masks in front of them because they don't know us well enough to determine whether we're telling the truth or not. Besides that, sometimes we don't think they're entitled to know our true selves. But that doesn't mean that we should feed them lies and deceit.
In last week’s blog post, we talked about the need to stop wearing masks before our own conscience. But of course, we also need to stop wearing masks before other people. After all, we're not helping them or ourselves when we lie to keep their approval or friendship. In the end, it's not us that they're approving--it's the fake version of us. Besides, lying to get man's approval isn't a very Christian-like way to live. As the apostle Paul said, “If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10, KJV). But what are the masks that we wear?
Sometimes, I see glimpses of a different reality, of a different person, from someone whom I thought I knew, and then I wonder which version is real.
suppose you could say my head is in the clouds, but the rest of my body is clinging to the middle—the norm—the average—the rut in which most people live their lives.
Long hours on a bus make me giddy. My mom, who'd sat beside me on a bus that day, could attest to that. But she didn’t comment: she just tried to sleep as we went from Chiclayo to Cumbemayo, Peru.
My bed at home is much better than my bed here, but that doesn’t mean I want to get up. My blue comforter is snug against my body, reaching all the way up to my chin; my fuzzy, pink socks lie warm against my feet; and one plain pillow hugs my head while I hug… Continue reading Leaving Your Safe Zone
As I meditate on God, I'm amazed at how God shows Himself differently to different people. To Paul, He showed His blinding glory; to Elijah, His flames of fire; and to Joseph, His blessed companionship.
*FYI, this poem draws heavily from the myths of mandrakes' appearance, magical properties, and danger. I even include how mandrakes smell like apples. Therefore, you may want to read up on mandrake mythology if you want to grasp this poem's meaning. The smell of apples draws her in, One whisper of “mandrake fruit unveils… Continue reading Why the Mandrake Screams
