Plans That Were Based On My Own Strength

Dear God,

Two years after marrying DH, I still remember clearly when I planned on having children of my own. I thought I would be a perfect Mom. I knew I had to make a lot of sacrifices, but that time, I was pretty sure that it would just be easy, because I knew I would love my kids completely. I thought of being super consistent, so that my kids would be the perfect angel kids wherever they would go. On top of that, I had planned too, that I would be the prime example of a loving wife.

Over the years that went, I found out that it was easier said, and easier dreamed than done. In all my prideful and purposeful, and perfect planning, I completely forgot that it takes more than my own strength and self-will to do all those things so well -- especially when a lot of things in perfect parenting are contrary to my very nature! (Yes, Lord, I admit I am still very far from Your vision of what I ought to be, and that I am still a big, big work in progress)

Lord, please forgive me for not turning to You since the beginning... For not asking You to lead me, and for being so confident in taking the reigns solely in planning my life. I definitely need Your assistance if I am going to be a good, but not prideful Mom to my DS and DD. Please help me become more obedient, in allowing You to take the lead, to be my driver and decision-maker in everything I would do. And to trust You more in the blue print that You have prepared for me.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,
but rather think of yourself with sober judgment,
in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Romans 12:3

God Is Always Available

Dear God,

Thank You so much because You are never too busy for me. You are always there for me -- ready, waiting, and available. Sometimes that is a bit hard for me to understand, because at times, I can hear myself say to DS and DD, "Wait first, am just gonna finish this..." And it's true, Lord. I really can't be totally available to both the kids every minute every day.

But Lord, You are always willing to hear my requests no matter what the time of day. It doesn't matter if gazillions of other people are bringing their requests like me before You at the same instant. You are God, and You will hear and answer each one of us.

Lord, please remind me that You really do want me to come before You all day long. And please help me to be more available to my own children like You...

Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
Psalm 55:17

The Fruit Of My Lips

Dear God,

Am so sorry for what I have done. Last night in my anger, I said something I shouldn't have. At that moment, I felt right, correct, and justified. But now that I have calmed down and slept it over, I know better. It was a wrong response.

You have said in James 3:10 that blessing and cursing should not come out of the same mouth. How can I praise You in front of my DS and DD after they heard my angry words last night? Forgive me, Lord! I have also asked my kids to forgive me. Please give me the courage to apologize to those I wronged. And please give me a bold heart and an opportunity to do that whenever I do something not pleasing to Your eyes.

Lord Jesus, make my praise a sacrifice to You. Instead of speaking in anger or frustration, I want to fill my mouth with words of continual praise to You. I pray in Your mighty name, that everything I say will glorify You, Lord.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.
Hebrews 13:15

Nothing Is Impossible With You

Dear God,

Sometimes, I cannot fully imagine it -- in all my short, finite, incapable self... I cannot begin to understand, and comprehend Your powerful hand and unfathomable, mighty ability.

There are many times in my life, when I can see and feel the impossibility of a problem or situation, and in those times, I forget that You are the God of the possible. But why do I have to doubt...? And why do I have to worry and fear...? When all I really need to do is to turn to You alone? In my mind, and as I have my quiet times with You, I picture my DS or DD holding out a hand to me and realize that this is what I need to do: I need to have child-like trust in You.

You know, Lord, when I see how You have lifted me up, and made things work so many times in my life, I want to kneel down in our room, fall on my face before You, and cry out to You in thanksgiving. My prayers have always been answered in so many miraculous ways. In those many times too, when all I could see was darkness and uncertainties, You have provided light, and power, and hope for DH and I. Thank You so much, Lord. I want to always keep that not only in my mind, but in my heart as well, and teach my children that in You, nothing ever is impossible.

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible,
but with God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:26

The Simple Woman's Daybook #6

FOR TODAY... Dec. 7, 2009

Outside my window... The sun has set and the cool December breeze fills the room

I am thinking... Of what to give DH's family this Christmas season

I am thankful for... The provision God gave us to be able to shop for gifts this holiday season

I am wearing... A printed pink shirt-dress

I am remembering... What I gave friends and family last year so I won't have the same gifts for them this year

I am going... To complete my Christmas list this week with DH

I am reading... Bait by Karen Robards

I am hoping... To buy a good priced Christmas tree this week because my 13 year old one finally gave up this year

On my mind... Is when I'll be able to go and visit this place in Manila called "Divisoria" to purchase a nice green tree with DH

From the learning rooms... Some Math exercises for DS, and Filipino vocabulary words for DD

Noticing that... The air is getting cooler, making the surroundings feel more like Christmas

Pondering these words... Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. -- Genesis 5:24

From the kitchen... Chicken with Peas, Sinigang Soup, and Mixed Vegetable Saute

Around the house... I can hear my DD finishing her bath in the shower

One of my favorite things... Is sitting on my computer and feeling the cool December air fill up the whole room

From my picture journal...


Thanks to Peggy for allowing me to take part in The Simple Woman's Daybook. Blessings and have a great week, everyone!

In The Midst Of Affliction

Dear God,

Eversince becoming a Christian, I always try to be joyful in the hope that I have found in You, and I have been faithful in prayer, Lord. Yes, sometimes, I do fall and fail, and forget about Your goodness. But always, I go back to You, in Your loving arms, and long for Your welcoming kindness and grace...

It's having to be patient in affliction that is hard, Lord. When I hurt, or feel discouraged, I want the pain to stop immediately -- not after I learned the lesson I need to learn... not after I said or committed the wrong things... Affliction may mean a lot of different things to one person. It may mean despair, hard times, hopelessness, or even sickness. I want to learn how to be in the middle of these things without cracking up, Lord.

Like for instance, I don't mean to snap at the kids. You know that, Lord. Their enthusiasm for life sometimes becomes an irritant to me. Especially that I have Diabetes. Admittedly, having the Type 2 kind can also be very debilitating and limiting. Even their little accidents make me grit my teeth and bite my lips to keep me from yelling. That shouldn't happen, but it does at times.

As I learn to rest in You, Lord, please, please, please renew me. Please, in the mighty name of Jesus, give me the ability I need to be patient, no matter what trouble is around me, and no matter what ails me. Let my joyful hope and my faithful prayers build up my patience as I strive to become the Mom You intended me to be.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12

Keeping His Commandments

Dear God,

I know that in this life, what really counts is that I have great respect and reverence for You and that I try my best to obey Your commands. If I do that, I won't go wrong, and that includes being a great Mom to both my DS and DD. Lord, You have given me a lot of instruction and guidelines on parenting, and it makes me feel confident to follow You because I am certain that You know what is best for me and my kids. Thank You for constantly seeing the need to include parenting in Your word. Moms like me can always look back and get the assurance that what we apply to our children is right.

You law is fully packed of other ideas that are not specific to parenting, but they can (and should!) also be used in how we raise our kids. Please help me, Lord, to fear and obey You in all areas of my life, for that is in truth, my whole duty in life.

Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecclesiastes 12:13

A Mom's Comforting Arms

Dear God,

You have made a mother's tender, loving comfort to be a beautiful and clear illustration of the comfort You extend to Your children. My desire is to live up to that picture...

All these years, and throughout my growing up days, I cannot really begin to count the many number of times You have wrapped and enveloped Your loving arms around me. You have calmed me in the middle of so many fears. A lot of times You have drawn me near to You when I am faced by sorrow, loneliness and tears, and You have given me lasting assurance when I experienced great disappointments in life.

Lord, I want to do the same for my DS and DD. In this harsh world, I know that there will be many opportunities to offer comfort to my children. Please help me to always be there for them to comfort them as You comfort me.

As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.
Isaiah 66:13

Help Me To Be Meek

Dear God,

I believe that You offer a wonderful reward for meekness; but to be honest, I do not know, much less understand, what meekness is. To me, it sounds like it goes over and above so many other character traits like patience, graciousness, gentleness, and many more. But once, I have heard from somewhere that meekness is not weakness. It is strength under control. Restraint. All of these traits seem to fit into the category of gentle strength. I fondly remember using those words 13 years ago, when I was in my own bridal shower, and was asked by one of the ladies to describe my husband-to-be. I described him in only two short words…

Over the years that went by, DH still lives up to that kind of strength. And between the two of us who are Your creations, Lord, You know well that I am the one who needs to be tempered most often… Funny that after all these years, those very words are brought back to me by You! This time, the words, “gentle strength” mean so much more to me now that I am a mother.

In my heart, I know that meekness is really the kind of strength I need as a Mom, isn’t it, Lord? So that I can be strong enough to discipline my DS and DD with love and firmness. If I show them gentle strength, I will be able to help them both as they face sorrow and disappointment, which is inevitable in this life. I do not want a cruel Mom, who displays an angry strength that frightens and intimidates…

Please show me, Lord, how to understand meekness and to have this Spirit-controlled, strength. So that I may be able to show my children what it is like to be truly strong.

The LORD sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Psalm 147:6

The Simple Woman's Daybook #5

FOR TODAY... Nov. 30, 2009

Outside my window... The sun is shining gently, and the wind is breezing through the windows; I can see the tree leaves dancing from where I am

I am thinking... Of nutritious meals for the kids

I am thankful for... December and Christmas coming around in just a few weeks

I am wearing... A pink shirt-dress with Tinkerbell on it

I am remembering... The days when we visited my Mom in New Jersey

I am going... To add more popcorn lights to our silver and gold trimmed Christmas tree

I am reading... All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum

I am hoping... To give Mom a memorable Christmas when she visits us and the kids from NJ this December

On my mind... Is the idea of transferring the kids to a new and better school next year

From the learning rooms... The kids are taking a break from school work; it's a holiday today, because

Noticing that... I've gained so much weight again

Pondering these words... Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn -- Romans 12:15

From the kitchen... Beef Steak, Nilaga Soup, and Chopsuey

Around the house... My DD is playing with her clay toys beside me

One of my favorite things... Is receiving a good book to read and reflect on

From my picture journal...


Thanks to Peggy for allowing me to take part in The Simple Woman's Daybook. Blessings and have a great week, everyone!

Love That Is Alive

Dear God,

I always tell other people how much I love my kids, but I think I'm not putting it into good practice... Deep in my heart I know I do love them both and want only the best for them, but I often get so caught and hooked up in what needs to be done especially at home, that I eventually forget to show them how important they actually are to me.

God, please let Your love fill my heart so that it would pour over and flood the children You have so graciously given me. Please let me show them how special they truly are to me and my DH, and let them understand the depth, height, and brevity of Your love because they see it expemplified in us, their parents. Help me also to voice out words of love, and fill my mouth with the right things to say, so that it will take on a new and fresh meaning as they are supported by our actions to prove it.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue
but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:18

Feelings Of Loneliness

Dear God,

Another day has ended, and it's past the middle of the week again. I should be happy with that, because as the weekend appoaches, it would mean spending time with the family longer, and more time spent just doing things together... But I need someone to talk to, Lord; someone who is not a child, and someone who is not a husband.

I love my DH, DS and DD, Lord. I thank You for them, but sometimes I need another person to talk to who understands what I am going thru as a wife, and as a mother. There are times when I feel isolated, so cut off from the rest of the world. Times just like these days, when I feel alone, most especially as a wife, and my DH can be insensitive at times, not recognizing my many needs as a woman. Sometimes I feel neglected, and not given the personal "husband time" I have been praying for a long time. Maybe he is consumed by the busyness of the world, that he is often tired, and forgets that I am a human being at home who needs to have some healthy conversation too, who needs his companionship for some fellowship and bonding time... It can be so lonely here, God.

Please help me, to reach out to another woman -- perhaps to one of the Moms from church, or in this blogging site, or maybe in my neighborhood -- who needs the kind of companionship I do. Give me the willingness to reach out to that person, please lead me to her, or lead her to me -- to get my focus off myself. Please give me rest, knowing You will always be there. Thank You, Lord.

I lie awake; I have become
like a bird alone on a roof.
Psalm 102:7

Rejoicing In My Calling

Dear God,

As I read my quiet time for today, You have clearly said that I have to be joyful in each and every thing that I do. This includes the things I enjoy doing like baking with my DD, doing computer stuff with my DS, doing errands with my DH, watching a nice movie with my family, as well as the seemingly endless task of keeping the house in order and shape; or simply making this house into a home...

If I look at these motherly and wifely chores with the proper attitude, I am reminded that each one is truly a blessing from You. You have given me a good husband, a smart and intelligent boy, and a beautiful, graceful ballerina who make all this work necessary. You have also given me the strength and ability to accomplish these tasks.

The next time, Lord, that I am tempted to complain about the mounds of work, please remind me to turn my murmuring and grumbling into praise. I am a blessed woman indeed.

...you are to rejoice before the LORD your God
in everything you put your hand to.
Deuteronomy 12:18

My Green Pastures

Dear God,

Although I do not have a garden in my home, I love the smell of grass, the very feel of it under my bare feet, and the sight of the fresh, vibrant, green color. It just makes me want to lie down in the softness and relax -- to revel in Your leading.

The problem is, Lord, is that I don't always want to lie down and rest in the pasture that You have provided for me. Sometimes, my "pasture" seem dry. The grass feels brown, withered, and scorched. I look at my house and then I see my neighbor's house: It doesn't need any fixing, it doesn't need any coat of new paint, nor repairs to make it look better... my checklist run endlessly... their kids also seem happier... Sometimes, I long to leave this place You have given me...

But Lord, I thank You for making me lie down and rest even if I don't want to. Thank You for leading me beside quiet waters when I need the comfort, and solace.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters...
Psalm 23:2

The Simple Woman's Daybook #4

FOR TODAY... Nov. 23, 2009

Outside my window... The wind is blowing and I can feel its gentle breeze in the room

I am thinking... If I will transfer my DD to a new Ballet school

I am thankful for... The provisions that God blesses my family with

I am wearing... A pale yellow shirt-dress with an Adam and Eve design on it

I am remembering... The times when Ballet used to be fun for my DD

I am going... To talk to my DH about where to continue DD's lessons in Ballet

I am reading... The Top 100 Diet Secrets by Anna Selby

I am hoping... That my DD will enjoy Ballet in her old school once again, just like old times

On my mind... Is DH's meeting this morning, and praying God will be there to preside

From the learning rooms... A new spelling list for my DS, and some vocabulary words for my DD

Noticing that... I am getting more prone to infections since Type 2 Diabetes

Pondering these words... Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? -- Job 38:31

From the kitchen... Chicken Ala King, Sotanghon Soup, and Bean Sprout Vegetable Rolls

Around the house... I can hear our cleaning lady changing the linen to new sheets in the other room

One of my favorite things... Windy days and gentle sunshine all day long

From my picture journal...


Thanks to Peggy for allowing me to take part in The Simple Woman's Daybook. Blessings and have a great week, everyone!