WAITING WITH PURPOSE

I was going through my old e-mails and I found this old draft I've made back in 2009:

WAITING WITH PURPOSE

When I was younger I wanted it all
I didn't care
It was all about me
Consumed in my shallowness and insecurities

Without God I was caught in a storm
I only prayed for shallow reasons
It was all about what God could do for me
Never about what I could do to serve him
I often became angry at him if things didn't go my way
I never really opened my heart and truly listen to him

I didn't have patience or the will to wait
I often had doubt
But I've learned the hard way
All the trials
All my struggles
I thank God for
Without them I would not have realized how much love I have for Him
He has brought me through
Filled my life with joy
Made my life with meaning
I am not angry
He has cleared my vision
Gave me sight
Gave me a sense of balance
He is the reason why I am alive
and I am his instrument of his gift
I strive to be the living example of why life is of value
Each life is capable of soing so many great things
We are amazing souls if only we believe

God has given me so much confidence that I had never had realized before
Everyday I thank him
This does not mean my faith has made life easier but it has given me so much comfort and strength to bear my cross
My relationship with Jesus grows stronger as I take time to pray to him and praise him through the gifts he has blessed me with
I am longing to learn more about him
I am fed through his Living Bread and Living Word
He is my spiritual food

I want to put him first
And it is a struggle at times
Every day I must remind myself of his goodness
And fully trust in his will for me...
Though things may not go as I plan, they will always fall perfectly into place.

~A.V. Lodevico

My TRIPLE A's

There is a saying: "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans."

I think I've made God laugh many times until I've learned that life is according to his will, not mine.

There are things in life we have no control over and it is all up to God's doing. We do what we can and let God do what we can't.

When we are stuck in situations we have no control over, I like to refer to my TRIPLE A's:

1) ABSORB: Absorb means to take in. When something happens that is disappointing, heartbreaking, tragic, or traumatic, we tend to be in denial at first. Absorbing certain situations does not take overnight. It takes time to absorb. It takes time to realize. It takes time, period.

2) ACCEPT: To accept means to bear. After absorbing certain situations, we must willingly accept them because we know there is nothing else we can do. I know all I can do is pray for the strength to bear suffering. Christ accepted his will as he bore his cross and died for our sins. I know that bearing my daily cross will make me a stronger and wiser person.

3) ADJUST: Once we absorb and accept, we are now able to adjust, or adapt to change. Once time goes by we are able to move forward and look back on our past mistakes as valuable lessons in life. We are able to share with others our past experiences so that we can help others who may be going through the same situations. God calls us to support each other. Like Triple A, we can be each other's roadside assistance. :)


TRIPLE A's was something that just came to me not too long ago. God wanted me to share with you all. If you are going through a tough time, I hope this helped a little. Just hang in there. Trust in God that everything will be okay.

I have a sticker on my car that says, "Let Go and Let God." Once we are able to do this, only then will we be able to absorb, accept, and adjust. Only then, can we find peace in our hearts. Only then can we heal.

Praying for you,
Amy

Blessed Sacrament School Choir...

My students singing for the first time at the 11 AM mass with the adult choir:

Blest Are They- David Haas

This will be one of the songs my students will be singing at the 11 AM mass on January 30, 2011.

Servants of the Lord

Yesterday I was particularly touched by the homily I've heard in mass. One question the priest asked was, "How do we identify ourselves?" We may identify ourselves as daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, students, educated professionals, etc--but above all, we are to identify ourselves as servants of the Lord.

A lot of young adults like myself often ask, "What is my purpose on this earth?" I can often relate to those who are in their mid-twenties (aka the Quarter Life Crisis to a lot of young adults). In the last few years, I've been through a lot of changes and challenges. One particular challenge was when I was laid off and faced months of unemployment. Working in the entertainment business, it wasn't the first time I was ever laid off. However, I still felt a little uneasy as I was entering another period of uncertainty. What was to become of me? At least my indefinite hiatus from work allowed me to go to daily mass and to pray for God's will. Months went by and I was still unemployed. The more I prayed, the more I felt God telling me not to give up hope. "Lord," I continued to pray, "Here I am. Please tell me how can I serve you?"

It turned out that my parish school had an open art teacher position and that I was highly recommended to the principal by one of the school board members because of the artwork I've done for the church. That September, I've began my first year teaching. God calls us to use our gifts and talents that he has blessed us with. God has given me the gift of the arts, and I am to to serve the Lord by teaching his children. Teaching is not easy, but it is truly rewarding. I never thought I would become a teacher, but I feel it is what God is calling me to do for now. He might call me to do something else down the line, but now, I am to teach and help shape the lives of the younger generation.

God answers prayers in the most unpredictable and surprising ways. He answers prayers in his time, not ours. He will answer our prayers when he knows we're ready and he will never give us anything that we cannot handle. We are all called to serve God in ways we may least expect. Whether it is teaching, joining a ministry, becoming a missionary, or just talking to a homeless person on the street--we are all called to serve the Lord with the love and the holy spirit in our hearts. What can YOU do to fix the brokeness of the world?

Wife Of A Filipino Martyr

Everyone has a story to tell...

Especially my dear friend, Precious Javier, from bible study. Precious is a sweet spirited Filipina lady who reminds me of my own mother. Last night was the first time I had dinner with her and other friends from bible study. With good food and company, we'd laugh and talk casually about our daily lives. I then asked Precious about her husband. She paused for a moment and then proceeded to tell us the unforgettable story of her husband... the Filipino national martyr, Evelio Javier.

Evelio Javier grew up in the province of Antique, Philippines. Well educated, he studied law at Ateneo de Manila University and at 28, he became the governor of Antique--the youngest governor of the country during the time. Precious told us how he would always talk of hope and democracy for his people and how he was so passionate about serving the public. He became a well known activist who spoke out against the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. However his activism led to his assassination on February 11, 1986. He was only 44.

As I sat and I listened to my friend Precious speak of her husband, I was amazed by her great strength as she endured the murder of her husband and the years raising her two sons alone. Despite going through such tragedy, Precious is a woman of undying faith. It is her faith that gets her through life and it is people like her that I find truly inspirational.

Everyone has a story to tell.
All we have to do is listen and learn from their experiences.
Through others we can grow in our faith.

Ubi Caritas

One of my favorite Latin prayers:

UBI CARITAS

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.

Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.

Exultemus, et in ipso iucundemur.

Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.

Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.

Simul ergo cum in unum congregamur:

Ne nos mente dividamur, caveamus.

Cessent iurgia maligna, cessent lites.

Et in medio nostri sit Christus Deus.

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.

Simul quoque cum beatis videamus,

Glorianter vultum tuum, Christe Deus:

Gaudium quod est immensum, atque probum,

Saecula per infinita saeculorum. Amen.

TRANSLATION:

Where charity and love are, God is there.

Christ's love has gathered us into one.

Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.

Let us fear, and let us love the living God.

And may we love each other with a sincere heart.

Where charity and love are, God is there.

As we are gathered into one body,

Beware, lest we be divided in mind.

Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease,

And may Christ our God be in our midst.

Where charity and love are, God is there.

And may we with the saints also,

See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God:

The joy that is immense and good,

Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen.