UNSELFISH PRINCESS

A while ago, I stumbled on a cartoon about a king who had 6 princes and a princess. He remarried when the queen died. The new mom was a witch and she was so cruel to her stepsons and stepdaughter that she turned all the 6 the princes into wild geese. The princess learned about this. Her brothers told her that the only antidote for the spell was: she couldn’t smile, nor speak, nor laugh within 6 years and she had to make a cloak for each of them made from a certain wild flower.

The princess promised to her dear brothers that she would do this for them no matter what. Wow! What a loving and courageous little princess! Her brothers were losing hope, but she didn’t give up!

Her brothers flew with the other wild geese of the forest. The princess? She lived in the forest and never spoke a word nor smiled nor laughed. She knitted each cloak with her own hands, until she grew so beautiful.

One day, a prince passed by the forest and fell in love with her. He married her, but at times he requested the princess to talk to him. With tears in her eyes, the princess would just shake her head. What a faithful sister!

A son was born to them and they had a feast. Many were invited. Alas! The cruel queen came and cornered her. She told the princess that their father died of loneliness and she, the witch, was the ruler in their land.

She forced the princess to speak, but to no avail. She kidnapped their baby and told everybody that the princess was a witch and ate her own son. The prince pleaded for her to speak out, but she didn’t. The people tied her in a pole. Put the 6 cloaks she wove on top of the logs on her feet and started a fire to burn her.

She kept silent and cried. She remained loyal to her promise even at the verge of death.

Swoosh! Came her geese brothers, flying towards the cloaks and they turned into human. One of the carrying the baby as they rescued him in the forest. 6 years had passed and the antidote was completed. The queen’s cruelty was exposed and she used her power against them, but the fire was blown to her and she was burned to death.

The brothers went back to their palace to lead their people and princess, now smiled and laughed and spoke again.

I was struck by the character of the princess. Like her, sometimes we have to sacrifice our own desires, our own happiness and dreams for the sake of other people.

At times we have to give up our comfort zones. We experience pain. We make hard decisions. At times we have to endure sacrificial love for blessings to be received by others.

In the end, the bewitched hearts of many will be freed because of how we allowed God to use our sacrificial love to make them free.

Abundant future is ahead of all of us . . . . Let’s be like the unselfish princess!

-luisadelacruz

WHEN ANGELS CAME DOWN!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009, I was told that those who will be manning the table on Sunday Feast, May 17, in Valle Verde would be wearing a costume of angels. Whaaaaat!?! I was shocked. I was told to read my email, the request was there.

When I got home, I immediately read that email. Voila! It was there. Oh no, I honestly didn’t like that. Wearing costumes, never in my life had I done that. But I couldn’t back out my name or find somebody to replace me just because of this reason. Well, I am the head of our ministry, if this was my only reason not to serve, I had to do it.

The next day, I had to think of how to encourage my three other sisters in the ministry, Nell, Erlie, and Joy, who will also man the table. So, I text them to wear all white and for once in our lives we would be angels here in this world, even for just now as we wear angel costumes. They liked the idea, they said that they had never did that but it was an exciting thought. There, problem solved . . . ummm but you know what? With our text exchanges, I was also encouraged myself and if we were going to do it, why not with the best we could . . . ;-D

Friday night . . . ahhh, we were so sleepy and tired already. It was around 10:00 p.m. Nell, spent the night in our house. We were making angel halos and wings. We started since 6:00 p.m.

We had used a thick wire for the outside skeleton and a very thin one for the support inside the wings. I shaped 2 sets of wings, Nell wrapped them with white cartolinas, then pasted cut out white crepe paper for feather effect.

My fingers were aching and my arms were tired because of the pressure I had to use in bending the thick wire. Its ends sometimes even pinched my fingers. After the skeleton, I made the halos with the wire then wrapped them with white ribbons. Wow! They looked so nice. Nell and I smiled. When she finished one wing, and one side of the other three wings, we were so happy and excited. ;-D

But we didn’t finish them that night. As I took a glimpse on Nell, she looked so tired and sleepy. I was feeling the same and the next day we had to wake up early.

Come Saturday, from a seminar in Makati, we went to our CG meeting in Meralco Ave. When we arrived home between 10:00 – 10:30 p.m. we rested awhile, then started doing again our angel wings.

We finish by 1:00 a.m., We were plastered, but excited. On Sunday, when we met Erlie and Joy, we put on them the wings and the halos. Wooooow! They looked beautiful. Picture! Picture! . . . souvenir . . . ;-D

Of course, during our turn, our pictures were also taken. It was an enjoyable day of service. For once in our lives, we became angels on earth . . . hahahaha! Wearing those costumes was not bad after all.

You know what? Friday night, when we were so tired and my fingers were hurting because of the thick wire, a wonderful thought came in my mind. That very moment, I questioned myself, “Why are we doing this? We were told that it was okay even if we did just the halos.”

But then again, since we knew how to make wings and halos, and we could make time to do them why not. In our little way, this was the help we could contribute in the ambience we were creating in the Feast.

Then I told Nell, “Making this wings and halos are not easy. It’s really hard to be an angel. It’s hard to be holy in real life. As we live our life, we get hurt. We encounter problems, difficult people and situations. There are times we want to give up or ask ourselves, why we are doing this or that. Why do we give more when this amount is just enough?

When God asks us to do something, at times we don’t want to do them. We have to sacrifice something. There are times, we get really tired and want to give up. When temptations come, whew, some are really irresistable. Haaaay! It’s real hard to stay holy . . . but it’s worth it. Heaven is worth it. Being with God in eternity is worth it. Loving God is worth it.”

Yes, at the end of everything there is joy and peace in the heart. Knowing that you’ve done something in the works for God, in all humility and obedience, even in just the simplest way, all your efforts are worth it . . .

What keep us going? . . . Love . . . It is also what can keep us holy no matter what . . . It can make our life enjoyable in spite of challenges with angel smiles . . . ;-D


COLLOSSIANS 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people . . . For Christ is the real Master you serve.

PSALMS 112:1 Praise the Lord! Happy is the person who honors the Lord, who takes pleasure in obeying His commands.

-luisadelacruz

A BRIEF ENCOUNTER

One day, I had a meeting. I took my bath. The water was a bit cold but refreshing to my skin. I hurried up, I didn’t want to be late. As soon as I was finished, I went out of our house and waited for a jeep.

The ride I got had no passengers yet. On its next stop, a lady rode and sat opposite me. Then two poor kids started shouting the destination of the jeep. One was smaller than the other, they maybe around 9 and 11 years old. They seem to be brothers. They have similarities.

They were wearing dirty clothes. The shade of their skins was dark from constant exposure from the sun everyday. The slippers of the older one were old and much bigger than his feet.

When we started to move, they both got inside the jeep and sat beside me. Oh! Really sat beside me, arm to arm, the older boy beside me . . . our skin touching. I twitch a bit, I stiffened, held my breath, they smell like they spent the whole afternoon under the sun.

I thought, “Oh no! Kakaligo ko lang (I just took my bath), I feel so fresh!”

But you know what? God instantly corrected me. God humbled me. As I remembered that He loves them, that the poor is close to His heart especially the children, I felt ashamed.

Slowly, I relaxed. I didn’t try to twitch any part of my body anymore. I began to experience compassion as I look at the two kids conversing, smiling and joking. I didn’t mind anymore their smell. I allowed my skin to touch the skin of the kid. I allowed my clothes to touch his clothes.

In a short while, the jeep stopped and they egress . . . they were gone . . .

Such a brief encounter, they didn’t even notice me. They had a world of their own . . . But you know what, in that very brief moment God used them to touch my heart. He reminded me of the continuous transformation He is doing to me so I can slowly learn to feel what He feels for them . . . to see what He sees in them . . . to love them as He does . . .

They are total strangers to me, but in them flows the breath of God, the same breath that gives life to me. They are dearly loved by the same God who loves me with the same love . . . They are my little brothers . . . Whew! I was real close that time to snobbing God. I sure pray, I will always be open to be changed by Him each day.

MARK 12:28-30 A teacher of the Law was there . . . he came to Him (Jesus) with a question: “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus replied, “The most important one is this: ‘Listen, Israel! The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

. . . but He didn’t just stop there . . . He continued . . .

MARK 12:31 The second most important commandment is this: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment more important than these two.”

-luisadelacruz

SLICE OF LIFE

One time, I was peeling a green Indian mango. I have another one on the container waiting to be peeled. With it were two reddish tomatoes. As I gradually let the teeth of the knife slide over the mango, it’s a bit yellow color appeared. Wow! Looks delicious!

As I removed all the green skin, I diced it all over with the knife, then sliced it. Now I got little cubes of mango on a tiny bowl. I did the same with the other.

I got the two tomatoes, let the teeth of the knife go through them as I diced them, too. I put together the mangoes and the tomatoes. I put some bagoong. Mixed them. Ummmm, yummy! This is very delicious combined with fried fish.

In peeling the mango, a thought came to me. It’s like the change we want in our life. Drastic change most of the times bring a sharp teeth of knife that peels off our emotions, mind, heart, spirit, our very being . . . our life . . . and so much more.

Why? Well, for major change to happen to us . . . we need to give up things that we are so used to. We get to sacrifice our comfort zone. Yeap! The comforts we so love because we feel safe in there and so cozy. We are familiar of all its corners. Yaiks! For change to happen, we’ve got to step out of it!

Change is full of unknowns that we don’t want to face. But if we want to taste the delicious side of life that it can bring us . . . we allow the knife to skin us and remove the garbage and the things that need change within us and in our lifestyle. We also allow it to slice our life so we can find out the beauty waiting for us. Ouch!

Yes, there are ouches . . . but you’ll find sooner or later, they are worth it. The combination of all the unknowns can turn out into several successes, big or small. Then, voila! You can now enjoy the delicious blessings of life through change . . . that God has been offering to you since time immemorial.

Well, if we will not take a deep breath . . . haaay! . . . and act on it, we will never know . . . No pain, no gain, my friend! It’s never too late for anyone to change!

Success is not the absence of problems and challenges, but it is stepping forward in spite of their presence in your path . . . Happy Change!

-luisadelacruz

BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE

Hello! Hope your day is fine. You know, one day I came across a cartoon series entitled “Moomin.” The story revolved around a family of white hippos, a very little old lady and a scarecrow. The other characters there were animals dressed as humans. All of them live like humans, too . . . with houses, backyards, parks, etc.

Moomin was the kid boy in the family. One day, he helped his father look for a camera. He would be joining a photo contest. They searched and searched here and there. Until the mother hippo asked what they were looking for. To the father’s surprise, she showed them the fan blower where the accordion type part of the camera was attached! Hahaha!

He screwed it on the box body of the camera. When he peeped, oh no, where was the lens? Moomin took something from his room and there in his hand was a handmade magnifying glass with the camera lens as the glass. Hehehe! The tripod was with Moomin, too. Wow! This cartoon is an old type. You know why? The camera was the big box type with the camera man peeping on it with a black cloth covering his head and the camera. On one of his hand was the flash.

Hehehe , , , and the black cloth . . . oh, boy, the mom hippo painted it with hearts all over and sew a lace on its edges. She used it as a table cloth. Well now that all was set, they all went to shoot pictures of nature.

For the last shot, it was for the family and the old lady, with the flowery garden on the background. Perfect! But then, the flash was so bright that when the pictures were developed they looked like white statues.

Guess what? This last picture, it won the first price. It was on the newspaper. The whole family was so happy, except for father . . . why? Because, he knew there was a mistake in the picture. Well, his prize was a 10-year supply of the newspaper.

Then artists all over their country came to their place looking for the statues in the picture. There was a painting contest and they wanted to use them as subject. They were disappointed to find out that these statues didn’t exist. They painted nature instead.

The father hippo was encouraged to try to paint and join the contest. He got an easel, paint brushes, paint and canvass. He started painting. To his disappointment, he didn’t finish his painting. He threw the mixing plate to the drawing and it got stuck on it. He left his house to unwind.

His wife saw this and removed the mixing plate. The colors were spread on the drawing. She didn’t want the efforts of her husband to go to waste so she enlisted it to the contest . . . blessed hippo father, he won first place!

Moomin fetch him and the award was given to him. Again, his family was happy except for him. He gave away the prize. He thought he didn’t deserve it. The painting was a mistake. What a pity . . .

Sometimes we are like the father hippo . . . we perceive things differently. We are so focused with what we want to achieve that we do not appreciate the good things coming our way.

Gratefulness is overcome by sulkiness. Sad . . .

There are moments blessings come to us in disguise, like what happened to him . . . and as he did, we take them for granted. My goodness! He won first prize for the two consecutive contests. The so called mistakes? I wonder. Maybe they were God’s helping hand because if it weren’t for them, his entries would not be winning pieces. Possible, wasn’t it?

But the thing is, he wanted to rely on his own ability and not on Divine Providence. But this cost him a price . . . he never enjoyed the blessings brought by them. He never experienced the joy of a grateful heart, up to the end of the story, he never did.

Sounds familiar? Yap! We hear stories like these, know people like this . . . or sometimes, we, ourselves, are like this.

OOOOPS, STOP! Do you have any disguised blessings right now? Try to look closer, my friend. It’s not too late to be grateful, not too late to enjoy them . . . Don’t let each blessing just pass by in your life without you recognizing them and being thankful for them. Each will only pass once . . . Capture the moment. Enjoy them while you can.

A Grateful-Filled Day!

-luisadelacruz

MAKINIG . . . . MAKINIG . . . . (Listen . . . . Listen . . . .)

It was November 30, 2008, the second day of Kerygma Conference (KCon), an annual celebration of my community. Everybody was witnessing the glory of God as He showers His healing to His people. I was at the upper box level. A woman in black was walking below. What was written on her back caught my attention “MAKINIG” ("Listen"). I stared at it as she walked away until she joined the crowd and turned. The word, I couldn’t see anymore. Then I put it off my mind.

More than a week after, second week of December, I had to meet somebody in a church in Sta. Mesa, Manila. We attended the 7:00 a.m. Mass. There was a few church goers. Then in front, in a bright red t-shirt, stood a woman. Guess what was written in white at her back . . . . yap! It was the word “MAKINIG.”

This word never left my mind. On my way home, I remembered the instance in KCon. Based in my past experiences, I knew God was telling me something, but I didn’t know what. So I asked Him, “Dear God, what do I have to listen to?”

December 21, at the Feast, a weekly gathering of my community, the Scripture about Gideon from the Book of Judges, struck me. I was wondering then, if it was part of what I had to listen to. That afternoon, one of my bestfriends treat us in SM Megamall. We ate, watched a movie, then went to Starbucks. We were joyfully exchanging stories, when a guy on the other table caught my attention. He was wearing a bright black t-shirt. Guess what was written on it? Nope! It was not makinig. It was “LALO NA NGAYON” ("especially now"). This kept on echoing in my mind. From time to time I glanced at these words (well not at the guy ha, I didn’t even saw his face hehehe). I knew in my heart, it was part of what God was telling me. But what was it He was trying to say to me?

During that week, before December 25, I was in a public place. There was a guy wearing black again. He was going to ride a jeep. In a brief moment, I saw the words “STAND YOUR GROUND. STAND FIRM” at his back.

Okay so now I have: “Makinig” “Makinig” “Lalo na ngayon” “Stand your ground. Stand Firm.” But this is like a puzzle to me. It was not clear. There were still missing pieces. I asked God again, “Dear God, what are You trying to tell me?”

December 26, my whole family always went to Manila Memorial in Paranaque on this date. My mother and father are buried here. This day was my mother’s birthday. When we were on our way home, my niece, Lorraine, elbowed me and asked me to look at a billboard. It was a big one with a black background. The lettering was white and written on it? “FOLLOW ME – GOD” . . . . I looked at it until I couldn’t see it anymore. It left a mark on my mind.

December 28, I was spending that time with Lorraine and Raphael, my nephew, in my Ate Connie’s house in Taytay, Rizal. After going to Mass, we went to a vulcanizing shop to have their wheels checked up. As we sat there waiting, across the street was a small signboard “LIVING WITNESS . . . . church of . . . .” it caught my attention but didn’t mind it coz as soon as I saw it, a jeepney was parking almost below it with a very big lettering on its side “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.” After reading this, I looked at the small signboard again “LIVING WITNESS” I looked at them back and forth. Then I said to myself, “Is this still part of Your message God?” . . . . I don’t know, but in my heart, somehow I sensed, it was.

December 30, something came up that I got so confused and troubled. I didn’t really know what to do. I felt like I was caught in the middle of two boulders, and I don’t know how to decide on things. Chhhiiinggg! Like a bolt of lightning, all the words that caught my attention crossed my mind. Then God made me understood what He was telling me. The puzzle was made whole.

There are times in our lives that we get caught in the middle of things that we do not understand. There are times, we are caught in the middle and we do not know what is the right thing to do. Sometimes we get confused. We have to be very careful in the decisions we have to make, especially when people and situations will be affected. There are times in our lives that things seem impossible. Things are overwhelming. We have fears and doubts and worries. There seems to be a hurricane or chaos around us. We became indecisive on things. We don’t know what step to take or even how to take them.

When this comes in my life, God is telling me . . . . MAKINIG . . . . MAKINIG . . . . I have to listen and listen and listen and listen, here and there, then discern and search where His voice is among all those voices . . . . LALO NA NGAYON . . . . especially in times that things are not so clear, that I am troubled. I had to find God’s voice, where there is peace deep, deep, deep within my heart, there is His voice. After I had made sure of what He is saying, after His confirmations . . . . . STAND YOUR GROUND. STAND FIRM . . . . I have to stand my ground and stand firm, even if others may judge me, even if I get hurt and wounded, even if others do not understand . . . . no matter what I face, I can’t be so shaken because . . . . FOLLOW ME - GOD . . . . I have to follow God. He knows everything, because . . . . ”I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE” . . . . ”LIVING WITNESS” . . . . He is the way, He knows what will happen, He is the Source of everything, He is the Source of all Wisdom, He alone knows what is best to be done. His will is perfect. He works for the good of all.

And like in Gideon story, in little that he had, God made wonders and gave victory . . . . all will be well. God will take care of everything.

God said be a living witness of His glory and His love. When a storm or a hurricane is around me, I stay at its eye, at the center, because in there, I sit on God’s lap like a little child. He is my Dear Dear Daddy and I am His precious little daughter. There I am safe. He embraces me. He showers me with love. He heals my wounds. I let go of everything because He will take care of them. I’m just me, His little child. He is my Daddy, my strength, my haven, my peace and joy, my love……He will make the storm disappear……all will be well, in the right places, in His perfect time.

When things get rough the most, this is when we have to get so connected with God. This is when we have to get glued to Him, when we have to pray deeply and have silent moments with Him because this is the only way we can discern well, to make our hearts in line with His heart, to make His desires our desires, to make us listen well to His voice . . . . and make the right decisions to take the path where He leads us.

How are you right now? Are you in the middle of a storm? Why not stay in its eye and

MAKINIG . . . . MAKINIG . . . . FOLLOW GOD . . . . HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE . . . . AND BE THE LIVING WITNESS OF THE GREATNESS OF HIS LOVE FOR ALL OF US . . . .


LET GO AND LET GOD!


“I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future I hold for you. Then you will come and pray to Me, and I will answer you. You will seek Me, and you will find Me because you will seek Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13


“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people……For Christ is the real Master you serve.” Colossians 3:23-24

-luisadelacruz

THE BAMBOO AND ME

Last Saturday, we went to Touch of Glory Prayer Mountain in Antipolo. I was so excited to be there because for me, this is my encounter with God. It would be a day of silence alone with Him and sharing with the sisters with me towards the end of the day.

When we arrived there, I could feel the cool breeze. We checked out the place and saw the prayer cells where one can be so alone with God, inside a 1.0 meter by 1.20 meter cell. Well, I tried this twice and I was so concentrated that I almost fell asleep hahahaha!

We went down the stairs and there were prayer huts there where one can sit down surrounded by the trees and plants. You could hear the birds and see the insects. Ohhh! This works well for me. This was where I conversed with God.

You know what struck me most in what I saw there?

The bamboo trees. They look so tall approximately around 7 storey-high building. During our morning worship, before we separated, I already noticed them. In my solitary reflection, they stand out in my sight.

I remembered the story in emails about the bamboo and the fern. God said that the fern grew at once, but the bamboo took 5 years before it sprouted and grew so tall. It was strengthening its roots through the years. It became tall and prepared for the challenges of nature.

More than 5 years now, God had been changing me and transforming me. He did a great job. But I’m still in the process of transformation and purification. Well, this is a lifetime process. But I would like to be as the bamboo. It has strong foundation and can withstand challenges.

There were a few bamboos there that fell down, but not totally. You know why? Because the other trees caught them and supported them.

God revealed to me that deep in my heart, big fear is building up, fear for the unknown future. But He also showed me, that if I fall down, He would surely send help to keep me upright.

God is the God of the past, the present and the future. Nothing is impossible with Him. If He is with me, then I can be sure of success and victory.

He knows what is best, I just had to humble myself and follow His directions.
Like the bamboo, I could stand the challenges of life because God will be there beside me.

-luisadelacruz