Where is He?

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father you are King over the flood
I will be still, know You are God

- "Still" by Hillsong United

I have recently viewed videos/pictures of the aftermath of the typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that devastated the Visayas and part of Palawan and Mindoro in the Philippines. I have also experienced the feeling of hopelessness during the typhoons Ondoy (Ketsana) 2009, Habagat 2012, and Habagat 2013, but not in the degree of hopelessness that the victims of the storm Yolanda might have been experiencing. During these dire times, I wonder why some people would ever take the time to share in social media their own bitterness in life by saying hurtful remarks to those who have suffered and survived the storm. I have even encountered this comment: "...where was God...". Honestly, I am angered by this comment, but more than being angry, I feel sad and burdened that there are still many people who need to know the Lord. So in this blog, I'd like to respond to this comment. God is with each and every person during the storm. He is present when a father, a mother, a grandparent, or a child died. He is within that person who saved another person, He is that tree that served as a lifeline for someone who was swept by the flood waters, He is within the building that protected those who survived. What I'm saying is -- He is there. In case you are wondering why I kept on using the present tense "is" instead of "was", that's because He is still there. He is within that person giving out relief goods, He is within that person comforting those who are broken and He is within that person of the search-and-rescue team. I can't visibly prove it because all I have is faith. Let me give you another question to answer: "If God was not there, why were there survivors?" I am not posting this to have an argument, all I ask is for an open mind and an open heart. All I ask is for people to stop making such unhelpful comments and start being a blessing to other people. If you can't share our faith, I hope and pray that you will soon see God's blessings in your life. To my fellow Filipinos, I share to you this verse:

Philippians 4:6-7

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ.

Kids say/do the darndest things!

November 10, 2013

Setting: Evening. Inside the bedroom. Watching TV with my dad.
My 1 yr. and 10 month old niece, not wearing a diaper, pee-d on the bed.
My sister (who takes care of my niece) enters the room.
Knowing that my sister would be really mad at her for wetting the bed, my niece took the blanket and rubbed profusely on what seemed to be the wet spot.
Seeing her reaction, my sister, instead of getting angry, changed my niece's underwear and laughed while telling us the story.

Setting: Later that night. My niece is usually washed by my sister before letting her wear bedtime clothes.
My sister: Come, let's go wash.
My niece articulately says: I don't want.
But of course, she doesn't have any say in it once my sister carries her over to the bathroom

November 24, 2013

Setting: Morning
My two sisters went out to buy a birthday cake for my mom. My niece saw them go out then she cried. My other sister took pity on my niece, so she offered that she could take her to walk outside provided that she wear her slippers by herself. So my sister went up to get changed while I sat beside my niece figuring out how to wear her slippers. The moment I sat, she pushed me while saying:
My niece: away...don't like (meaning: she doesn't like me. she could only be assisted by my sister)
Me: ok (That was new. It was a bit heartbreaking but it was also a bit funny)

After being assisted by my sister(instead of letting my niece wear slippers, she wore shoes), my mom double checked on her attire and teased:
My mom: Maybe you wore your shoes the wrong way.
My niece: No.

Setting: Evening
My niece: Mi-milk. Mi-milk.
Me: I'll give you milk but don't play with it okay?
My niece: Promise. (So at almost 2 years old, she knows how and when to use this word. Little did she know the gravity of the meaning of this word because after a minute, she played with her milk.)