All posts by sky

When I write…

By sky Published May 17, 2013

When I write, I like to give my heart. My heart which most of the time struggles to find the write words. My heart which beats every time there is something new to share. My heart that feels, that captures all the emotions and turn it into a memory of life, a memory of love. It is when I write that I get to show a part of my heart, a part of what I am feeling, a part of what I wanted to give. When there is passion, my heart knows. When there is love, my heart knows. When there is desire, my heart knows.

When I write, I like to give my mind. My mind which learns. My mind which captures every detail and then forms them into words. My mind which analyzes every feeling, every emotion, puts them into its own thoughts and brings out the solution or the realization of the-so-called life. It is when I write that I get to know the real meaning of what My heart felt. My mind captures it. My mind solves it. My mind knows.

When I write, I like to give my soul. My soul which summarizes all my feelings and all my thoughts. My soul that gives meaning to the beauty of words, to the beauty of life. My soul that longs for the passion, the desire, the love. My soul that longs for that knowledge. That knowledge that when I want to experience life, I move to find it. And once I found the one I am looking for, my heart desires, my mind captures, but my soul delights. Then once every feeling, every thought is fulfilled, my soul knows. My soul awakens.

When I write, I like to give my all. My every thing. For I know it is not mine. For I know that what I have now does not belong to me but belongs to the One Eternal. If I am the author of this thought, He is the author of my life. So when I write, I write for Him. So when I write, I give for Him.. So when I write, it will always be for Him. For my heart, mind and soul belongs to Him. Only Him.

When I write…

I learned never to empty the well of my writing, but always to stop when there was still something there in the deep part of the well, and let it refill at night from the springs that fed it. - Ernest Hemingway 

a reading man and woman

 

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No Boundaries

By sky Published May 14, 2013

Mission life doesn’t have any boundaries. It goes beyond time and space. It goes beyond life itself. Mission life is a risk. A risk one puts himself into. It is a dare that no one loses. Risking yourself for mission guarantees victory as long as you knew that the mission you are committing to is His mission. God’s mission for you. But the victory it guarantees will come in different ways. Sometimes it is not the victory you are expecting to see. But it is the victory that comes from the very heart of God. And when you receive, you will realize, that it is the victory that you have been longing. The victory that has been your desire after all.

Then you’ll get to know a piece of the Father’s heart. The heart that goes beyond time and space just to show that He loves His children. Most of the time, we do not understand the message, we do not understand His plans, why is He giving us too much of a hard time? Why do we need to suffer, to cry, to feel the pain? But then hope comes again. The hope that we all get to know every time we experience difficulty. The hope that we get to hold on to. The hope that keeps us alive.

And we continue again with the mission and the passion that is entrusted to us. We continue to walk, to suffer, to teach and to love. We continue to forgive, to care and to love again. We try to forget but as well as try to remember and learn every detail why and how we have found the strength that makes us the persons we are today. And we continue to share in his glory and His love, we continue to live. We crossed one border successfully and now we are getting our feet, mind and heart ready again for another cross-border moment. Another phase, another era. Another risk.

Ahh that is the life that all of us get to live. We cross borders all the time. We experience the difficulty but we, as well get to experience the victory that is at hand. And then we continue to praise Him again. We continue to fall in love with Him over and over. Beyond all doubts, we once again go back to why we believe after all.

As we cross these borders, we then get to realize that our life doesn’t have any boundaries at all. Because in every trial, difficulty and every step, we, if we don’t doubt, don’t quit and just continue to hang on, we will successfully cross each border with His leading and find His welcoming arms for passion, for love, for victory.

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Claimed, Summoned and Branded

By sky Published May 11, 2013

The other night I was watching the documentary entitled “Catholicism” with Fr. Robert Barron of Word on Fire.  I was on the part where he talks about the Catholic Church and our calling as a whole, and the word “Ekklesia” just caught me.  Ekklesia is a Greek word that comes from Ek and kaleo which means “to call out from.”

And with these comes three questions, 1 Who does the calling?  2 What are we being called our from? and 3 What are we being called into?

On May 13, 2013, our country, the Philippines will once again undergo a major change.  We will once again elect people who will represent our districts and even our lives.  So we must really choose hard.  Choose wise and vote the ones who will really do something beautiful.  I know this is difficult, since every candidate is posing all their good works.

So personally, I go back to the three questions above.  And with a little revision.  1 Who calls them? 2 What are they being called out from?  and 3 What are they being called into?  And I do hope that the one we choose will give these answers:  1. God 2. The World (or for us, The Philippines) and 3  Into the Life of Christ.

As we are claimed, summoned and branded by Christ, I do hope that who gets to win should also claim his calling.  His calling to serve and bring the people to goodness.

So in the church, we live the life of God’s beautiful community within the Church, but we’re not meant to remain hunkered down behind its walls.  Rather, we go out from the church now to transform the world.  - Catholicism

That is why I support the candidates who are faithful to the faith, to life and to God, Himself.  Yes, these candidates may be once sinners and still sinners but to quote again the series..

To say that the church is holy is not to deny that it is filled with sinners.  To say that the church is holy is not to deny for a minute that church people, even of the highest rank, have done cruel, stupid and sinful things.

The Church is Holy because Christ is holy.  The church bears the holiness of Christ to the world.  Its entire purpose is to make saints, to make people holy.  It is always the new Jerusalem, the new living water, the spotless bride of Christ.

The Church is a bearer of grace.  The grace of God which makes the church holy comes often through weak and sinful channels.

The Church is the new eden.  A new light to the nations.

We need to be bearers of grace.  His grace.  And I continue to pray that these coming elections, we may all be bearers of grace as we choose the best people to represent us. Be bearers of “life” as well.  Choose life.  Choose God.  He or She that gets the post should be CLAIMED, SUMMONED and be BRANDED by Christ. 

 

 

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Too many roles, too many loves

By sky Published April 27, 2013

You gotta give it to social media for reminding everyone that it’s your birthday. Big thanks to facebook, by the way, for that simple events list. And because of these “important” reminders, i get to realize that being here on earth for 31 years, yes i am 31 and not ashamed about it, i have played a lot of roles.

I’ve been called a lot of names.. From april to sky to frances.. From skyie to skye to iska to iskay. From franz to sister to sis. From princess to pangga.. Ohhh i have carried a lot of names. Played a lot of roles, from being a daughter to a sister to a friend to a cousin.. To being a missionary, a wanna be artist, designer, and hopefully to be a princess. (Haha). But most important of it all, the biggest role that I am playing now and will always be is to be the child of the Most High. With this, i can be your daughter, your sister, your friend. Knowing that I am His child, I could be your missionary, your coordinator, your artist… Knowing that I am His child, I could be your partner, your bestfriend and your haha … singer. All these roles thought me to love more.. I have loved and trusted a lot but more than that, i have gained more love. I get to realize that love is the source of His presence in us.

With all of these, i am grateful. God must have a big reason why He created me. And i may not know that reason, and i am in the process of finding out that reason, I will always and forever be grateful. Grateful of this life, though in my eyes its not that perfect. Grateful for this life, though in my heart, i have my own flaws.. Grateful for this life, though in my mind, i may not always be satisfied.. Grateful for this life, though sometimes i get to be tempted and follow my own will instead of His. Grateful for this life, though with all the challenges, pains and struggles i am facing, He is still holding my very hand. Grateful for this life, thought times i felt i am not fit to be His missionary, He still chose me.

Beyond the struggles there is hope. Beyond the pain, there is love. Beyond the confusion, there is His guidance, His direction and His strength. In being His child, you get to play roles you never expected or dreamed of.. But He led me there, He allowed me to be there.. He held my hand there. So there is no reason to not be thankful for the love and the creation of me. Because it was Him who did it.

I plan to spend my day working in front of my computer and catch up with things… But then my Master has His own plan. I ate pancit for long life, enjoyed my overload mango ice cream with real mangoes, watched ironman3 twice, get to spend some time in the adoration chapel, went to mass and just thanked Him. Thanked Him for the big life that is now and the big life that is ahead…

Thank you.. Thank you, Jesus!

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Easter!

By sky Published March 31, 2013

Alleluia! The Lord is risen.

Keep me calm, Lord. Grant us peace.

Amen.

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Day 1 before Easter: When tomorrow comes

By sky Published March 30, 2013

When tomorrow comes, Christ is risen. Christ has saved us.

When tomorrow comes, everything is new again. Everything is fresh.

When tomorrow comes, we begin to forgive and remember to become better persons.

When tomorrow comes, we choose to let go of the past and follow the rising SON.

When tomorrow comes, we will choose to appreciate the beauty that life is giving us.

When tomorrow comes, we embrace our crosses knowing that heaven is waiting for us.

When tomorrow comes, we stand for what is right and welcome the future with hope.

When tomorrow comes, we begin to fall in love again.

When tomorrow comes, we continue to be a blessing to others.

When tomorrow comes, we continue to proclaim Christ and His amazing love for us.

When tomorrow comes, He will always be there.. Gazing at us. With love, with compassion, with joy. No matter who we are, what we are, where we are.

He is with us.

Happy Easter! Christ is risen.

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Day 2 before Easter: Good Friday

By sky Published March 29, 2013

 

We adore you, Oh Christ and we bless you.

Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

so shall we join

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Day 3 before Easter: Tender Love

By sky Published March 28, 2013

When you think of tender love, I always remember the hugs and comfort of my parents. Every time I am down and lonely as a child, they were always there. My mother would always hug me and my father would always find reasons for me to laugh and smile.

But this Maundy Thursday, I could not help but think of Christ’s tender love when he went below Himself, washed his disciples feet and kiss them. It’s a symbol of great humility and great love for us. I remember once when I was in a retreat that our teacher/facilitator did the washing of the feet with us. I also remember the time when my head in the community where I am involved in did washed my feet and kissed it. I felt loved, I felt new, and I felt I belonged. And Christ is asking us to welcome Him into our lives and to welcome His tender love.

Seeing the photos of our new Pope Francis kissing the feet of addicts when he was still a cardinal brings me great hope of being new once again, of being saved once again and of being loved once again. As we meditate on God’s tender love, let us also reflect on His great servanthood and humility. That we may be imitators of Christ love to all.

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Day 4 before Easter: Life and Suffering

By sky Published March 27, 2013

We had a good topic this afternoon during our radio segment recording. We talked about the Holy Week season and about the meaning of life and suffering.

We came up with the conclusion that when you are living with Christ in your life, part of living it is equated to the word “suffering.” Or we can say that we are meant in a way to suffer. Because without suffering we won’t be able to see the full grace of victory and His blessings in our lives.

And i get to realize that what we are experiencing at the moment, the hardships and difficulties, even all the challenges are part of God’s great plan of salvation.

Christ suffered for us to save us all from our sins. And we have to realize that Christ came here to suffer for us. FOR US. Also to let us know that “hey, babe, i’ve been there.” (Imagine Christ saying that in your face). Carrying our crosses and embracing it means to also carry and embrace the sufferings in our lives. I am not saying we can’t live a good life at all, but what I meant is that suffering is PART of our very lives. Suffering leads us to Jesus. Suffering leads us to the cross and it leads us to the resurrection. In short, it leads us to His grace and victory.

So in a way, we can be glad when we experience hardships, haha. Though it’s tough. But always think of the cross. Think of how Jesus have done it. And lastly, think of the GRACE that goes with it. Then you will see the entire beauty of life that God has given us. The beauty of birth, fun, suffering and grace. His cross, our cross. His victory, our victory.

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Day 5 before Easter

By sky Published March 26, 2013

This made me laugh today…

Power outages are like being grounded by God. You can’t do anything fun. – Jimmy Kimmel

True.

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