WHAT MATTERS...

 Inspiration: Sirach 40:18-27

Masaya ka ba sa work mo? (Are you happy with your job?)
Sa family mo? (With your family?)
Sa araw-araw mong ginagawa? (With what you do everyday?)
Pagod at bagot ka na ba?  (Are you already tired or irritated?)
Honestly, masaya ka ba?... (Are you happy?...)

Last Saturday, I watched a true story about Xerces and his younger brother, Ponso. They were very close but family problems and goals in life estranged them. Xerces is intelligent, finished college and worked for the family. Si Ponso, hirap mag-aral (had a hard time studying) and was contented with a simple job and doing household chores…

One day, Ponso died in an accident. The whole family was surprised, madaming nakiramay na natulungan ni Ponso at mga friends nya (many came to pay respect, those whom Ponso had helped and also his friends). Xerces realized as he cried:

“Ako ang mas matalino, pero si Ponso ang marunong sa buhay…” ("I am the intelligent one, but Ponso is the one who knows how to live...")

Nakakaiyak ang story nila…(They;re story is so touching...)

Sabi ni (As per) Peter Ng Kok Song, Singapore Finance Professional, who belongs to World Community for Christian Meditation:

“What matters more is being happy, not successful…
Success is just one ingredient of happiness…
Happiness is discovering and fulfilling your purpose in life…
I am not sure if I am successful, but I am sure I am happy because I found meaning in my work and I have experienced being loved and to love…”

Have a Smiling Heart! 

-luisadelacruz

WHERE TO SEARCH FOR GOD....

We search....and search....and search for God because we have this deep desire to be united  with Him….We travel far and near, high and low just to find Him….

But there is one place we forget to search Him…our heart…

Ironic, isn’t it? Yes, like the people in His hometown who rejected Jesus (Mark 6:1-6), we, too, reject Him by not being aware of His Presence in the very core of our self….

Let’s journey into our very own heart where Jesus awaits us….

            PRAYER ON SILENCE

            (From The Complete Book on Prayer)

In silence

To be there before You Lord, that’s all.

To shut the eyes of my body,

To shut the eyes of my soul,

And to be still and silent,

To expose myself to You

Who are there, exposed to me.

To be there before You, the Eternal Presence.

I am willing to feel nothing, Lord,

To see nothing,

To hear nothing,

Empty of all ideas,

Of all images,

In the darkness.

Here I am, simply

To meet You without obstacles,

In the silence of faith,

Before You, Lord.

A Dazzling Heart for you!

- luisadelacruz

A QUIET MOMENT...

Inspiration:   Psalm 42:1-2

Dear God, You designed my mind to seek You.

You designed my heart to love You.

That is why there is a deep longing within my being

For my Divine Source and Destination.

I am restless until I rest in You.

I am discontented until I find satisfaction in You.

I am lonely until I find joy in You.

I hunger and thirst for You,

The One where the roots of my being came from.

Why desire those that this world offer,

When all I have to desire is You alone.

When I come naked face to face to nothingness,

I find that there is no such thing,

For in nothingness I find everything

Because I find my dearest God,

And You are everything my whole being needs.

From my creation to my death, I belong to You.

I am Yours.

Though You are hidden from my sight,

Let not this world blind me to this truth…

As a deer longs for the cool water

So my soul longs after You, oh my God…

My soul thirsts and You alone can satisfy this thirst…

You are my joy-Giver,

The Apple of my eyes,

My Beloved…

To You alone will my Spirit

Bow down and yield…

My Lord, My God…

-luisadelacruz

MY LITTLE GARDEN - by my window

            Tuesday last week, I came back home from the province of my best friend. Her Mom gave me four kinds of plants. One of which was a flowering plant they called “alas quatro.” When I saw its flowers in her garden, I was attracted to them. I found them beautiful. She said that by 4:00 p.m., these flowers always fold. Cool! 

The next morning, I did some gardening in the ample space by my window. I cleaned it, tilled the soil and removed some potted plants. Then I planted the plants I brought back with me. I spread out the “alas quarto.” I envisioned this space later to be filled with them and with flowers as time would go along. I was so excited and looking forward to that day. But for now, I had to be patient and take care of my little garden by my window.

 

You know what I did? Morning and night I said good morning and good evening to my plants. I also told them that I loved them and God loved them more than I did. I always thanked God for the gift of them and I let them hear that. 

There is life in them. I believe they have sensitivity enough to feel that love.

 

Friday morning, I was so filled with joy! Why? Oh, I saw three buds. Wow! My heart really leaped with joy! A little while later, as I closely watched them, I saw the three opened up and bloomed into cute, tiny, beautiful flowers right before my very eyes! A double wow for me! Clap! Clap! Clap! I was truly joyful! I was bubbling with it when I told my best friend about it. Oh, how thankful was I to God! I always smiled and was filled with excitement every time my eyes laid on them and when I remember them.

Around past 3:00 p.m., the three flowers started to fold. By past 4:00 p.m., they were withering. The next day, I was still excited to see my flowers, but they were gone. Oh, I was expecting them to unfold and show their beauty again. Well, I thought, “Maybe the heavy rain brought by the storm “Falcon” we were having affected them. I was still hopeful though because as I looked closely, there were other buds still to bloom in the days to come.

Yesterday morning, just three days after this wonderful experience I had, I was watering my plants. Then I noticed two buds about to come out, just like little babies being born and waking up to the morning of this world. Wow! I immediately got the camera, took shots from time to time. Yes! Right before my very eyes again, I saw the two bloomed. Super wow! Clap! Clap! Clap! I took their pictures just like a proud mom lovingly taking pictures of her little children.

The flowers were awesome! By past 3:00 p.m., guess what happened….The two flowers folded. By past 4:00 p.m., they were withering. But I noticed something, There was a bud starting to bloom. Wow! Talk about the mystery of life, huh?!? 

This morning, as I checked on them, the two flowers were almost gone. So it was not the rain, but it was the cycle of their life. But I’m still thankful for the joy they brought me. I’m also excited because the other bud was starting to bloom. And guess what? I saw another bud about to bloom. That was really cool! Clap! Clap! Clap! 

As of now my garden is not that beautiful yet, but in it, if I will just look closely, there is beauty. There is life, and a future full of hope and captivating view.

Life is like my little garden by my window. At times, we see life as dull, so ordinary, nothing exciting going on. There were experiences we had from childhood until now that left scars of hurts and sufferings. Sometimes, we want a different life or we don’t like the people around us. Anger, disappointments, frustrations, and other negative emotions eat us up.

But like my little garden, if we look closely, our lives have beauty in them….Your life has so many wonderful things and people in there that can give you joy. Like the storm that my garden had, it may look like a bad weather destroying my flowers, but as I look back, the rain helped them lived, considering I had traveled for around five hours from the province with them and I just replanted them. Your troubles, your rains in your life add up to your inner strength. The lessons you have learned from them makes you wiser in facing your future. New hope is always born out of them.

Like the dying of my flowers and the coming of new buds, there will be something new in your life….always….guaranteed! Why do I say that with confidence? Because like what I did with my plants in my little garden, God is doing the same to you. He takes care of you. He never ceases to reach out to you and show you His love. He watches over you, talks to you, caress you. You are so precious to Him.

He said in Isaiah 46:3-4, “….I have cared for you from the time you were born. I Am your God and will take care of you until you are old and your hair is gray. I made you and will care for you; I will give you help and rescue you.”

Surely, there will always be an experience of life and death that will happen to you. There will always be a storm that you will have to face in your life. This is a reality that will definitely be there to come and go in different faces. But what will keep you strong? Who will keep you going?

Jesus commanded the wind, “Be quiet!” and He said to the waves, “Be still!” The wind died down and there was great calm. This happened when He was on a boat with His disciples in the midst of the storm when they were so terribly afraid. Their boat was almost filled up with water and when that would happen, they would drown. But Jesus was so calm. His disciples were amazed that even the wind and the waves obeyed Him. (see Mark 4:35-41, TEV)

Jesus can keep you going. Your faith and trust in Him can keep you strong. As He calmed the storm in this situation, He can quiet down the storms in your life.

Like my little garden, your life right now may not seem beautiful for you, yet. But God is not finish with you and your life. As long as you are still breathing, there is new hope each morning for you, a new beginning to make your life beautiful, a future filled with joy. You just have to look closely and discover the beautiful flowers of blessings in it. I’m pretty sure you will find many. It’s just a matter of looking at your life in a different perspective and a positive way. 

 If you put your trust in Jesus, if you allow Him to take care with you ….the garden of your life….one day….yes, one day….you will see your life so wonderfully filled with beautiful flowers of experiences and blessings, yet to come….as one goes, one comes….You will have a blooming future because God is always lovingly taking care of you as He promised….as you believe….

Click video below to see more pictures and inspiration 
of "My Little Garden - by my window"

-luisadelacruz

LET YOUR MISERIES FLY....

If you want your life to be miserable, resistance will do the job for you….

We resist because things happen not the way we want it to happen….

not the way we expect…..we are powerless to change them. 

If you want to be happy and peaceful, 
acceptance will make your miseries have wings 

so they can fly light on the wind of God’s love….

Acceptance is the first positive step we can take. 

With this, we can see things in a different perspective, 

then we can roll up our sleeves, get to work with those we can,

and let God work on those we can’t….

Why allow the volcano of resistance imprison you,

when you can allow the serenity of acceptance free you….

where trust in God prevails…. It’s just a matter of choice….

-luisadelacruz 061511

POPE JOHN PAUL II - The Holy Man of God

It seems just like yesterday when I watched him in his Papal visit in the Philippines in 1995. I was so awed by him that in a span of four days, I had composed a dozen of poems. I was so inspired by his presence, the way people cheered for him and love him, the overwhelming love and kindness manifested by him….Aaaahhhh, that was a very wonderful sight to see.

   

Now, I saw in the news that he will be beatified on May 1, 2011. Wow! I am not surprised. His kind deserves that. He is a holy man of God. I am happy, such a man lived in my life time.

Let me share with you some of my poems in 1995. This was how he moved me:

THE CHOSEN ONE

Amidst the crowd you speak

With warmth, love and smile on your eyes,

Radiating peace and serenity

Upon your shining face.

How my heart leaps with great joy

As I see you, as I hear you

Address us, the youth.

I hear, I feel your sincerity and

Your love for us.

I thank the Lord for giving us

Such a wonderful father here on earth.

Yes, I thank the Lord for making you

The successor of St. Peter.

Indeed, our Lord knows best.

Indeed He has chosen well.

luisadelacruz 011495

 

SO DEAR TO OUR HEARTS

Like a father you guide us

With abundant love and understanding,

A gentle touch, a cheerful smile,

A caring whisper, and affectionate words.

The sincerity in your eyes reveals

The genuine feeling you have for us.

Yes, your very being speaks the deep love

You are giving us.

That is why, our beloved Pope,

You are so very dear

To our hearts.

luisadelacruz 011595

 

THE CELEBRATED MOMENT

The crowd go wild as you appear

Before them…. cheering, shouting,

Waving, clasping,

A sign of overflowing joy

They feel deep within,

For in you they see the glory of the Lord….

His grace, His love, His peace, His joy.

Through you the Lord reaches out

To the people.

You are His instrument,

His most humble servant.

As the roaring moment

Ascends to the heavens,

The echo of the people’s love

To the Lord God is heard everywhere.

With one voice, they proclaim their faith

And their praises to the Most High….

The crowd go wild as you appear….

The strong link between humanity

And Jesus Christ.

We salute you, JP2!!!

luisadelacruz 011695

 

A PRAYER FOR JP2

Glory to You, oh Lord, the Most High.

Praise be with You always.

We, Your people, thank You with all our hearts

For entrusting us to a loving,

Humble servant of Yours.

Lord, please give him the strength he needs

So he can continue fulfilling

The duties and responsibilities

You laid upon his shoulders….

Guide him, oh Lord,

Continue to light his path,

To give him Your grace, your overflowing

Love and understanding;

To give him Your humor, humility, and peace.

Above all, Most gracious One,

Protect him from evil and let him know, oh God,

That we will always love him, your humble servant.

To You, our Beloved Creator,

We offer our deepest love and gratitude.

To You, oh Most Holy One,

We offer ourselves and your humble servant,

Pope John Paul II. Amen

luisadelacruz 011795

 PAPAL FEVER

Everyone is excited,

Waiting for his arrival.

All are anxious, eager to see him.

Alas! The long wait has come to an end.

Mixed emotions are felt by all.

There are tears, smiles, shouts,

Waves, enthusiasm, tremendous energy –

The warm and joyous welcome of the people.

All throughput his visit is seen.

Everywhere he goes, sea of humanity

You can see with overflowing

Love and affection in their eyes….

Millions of people are touched by

Mixed emotions just as they have

Seen him arrived and as they have seen him depart.

He truly has after effects….

On so many lives.

luisadelacruz 011795

THE FLIGHT

I close my eyes and I see an eagle

Soaring high in the sky...

He flies effortlessly

Trusting the wind beneath his wings.

How beautiful he is to watch

Gliding up in the sky so swiftly.

He looks like he so belongs there...

He has no fear of the heights....

He enjoys where he is.

I wonder how it feels to glide up there....

I stretch my arms on my sides...

I feel the wind under my arms,

so cool, so soothing...

The gentle wind carries me.

It's so peaceful up there.

Suddenly, I feel fear and apprehension.

But I heard a voice telling me,

"Let go....just let go..."

Slowly, I trusted the gentle Wind...

I allowed Him to carry me further

wherever he may take me....

It's so wonderful....

The experience is ecstatic as I glide....

The eagle and me are one....

The gentle Wind and God are one....

God carries me and I can trust Him.

I can glide peacefully and soar high.

I can totally trust Him.

God will keep me safe

in my journey until

He brings me home....

-luisadelacruz

A PRECIOUS SEASON IN MY LIFE....

What a way to spend the Christmas season! Yeap! I had a simple one. But in its simplicity, I found it so rich that it gave me joy in my heart and smile on my face.

I spent a little more than a week with my family and myself. Last December 24, we attended the "Simbang Gabi" 10:00 p.m. Holy Mass, then went to my sister's house to celebrate Jesus' birthday, which is also the birthdate of my sister. Wow! By 12 midnight, gifts were given and the yummy foods were at the table. We also sang and enjoyed the food. We said our goodbyes at around past 3:00 in the morning.



I spent the whole day of December 25 at the house of my eldest sister. Yeap! I took time to rest there and enjoyed the bed and the pillow and the food! Wow! I slept like a baby.

The next day, we went at Manila Memorial to visit the grave of our parents. We sat there, felt the cool breeze, watched the bed of green grasses, chat, laughed, and prayed. When my auntie and cousin arrived, we left in a little while. We had lunch at Max's Restaurant, then they brought me home. After that they fetched my other aunties. My four aged aunts would have their reunion at my eldest sister's house to reminisce their good old times together after a long time of not seeing each other.

December 27, I went there to join them. Ooooh, I really enjoyed watching them....how time flied. I remembered going to their houses when I was just a little girl. Sitting in their sofa, playing here and there and listening to their voices as they chat and laugh. Yeah, how time flied. Now I'm an adult. Their hairs are gray. They have wrinkled faces, teir bodies getting sick from time to time and getting weaker. Huhhh, It was so nice to see them, watch them chat and hear them laugh together. I'm pretty sure my Mom was happy for them. She was one of their chatmates back then.

December 28, ahhh let me see, I went home. I washed my clothes, started cleaning my bedroom. I sorted my things, I threw away my junks. I was happy doing that.

Jumping on to December 31, my bestfriend came at our house. My niece fetched us with my other sister whom I live with. We went again to my eldest sister's house to spend the New Year's eve there. My bestfriend and I sang and sang, after a while we helped prepare the food and wash dishes, then we slept. We were awakened by 11:30 p.m. Time to pray the Holy Rosary.

As we went down the family was already complete there. After we prayed, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Huggies and greetings were exchanged. Woweeeee! So many delicious foods again! While eating, I showed them the family video I made, ooooh they enjoyed watching it. My bestfriend, my nephew and my niece shared the table while eating....we were laughing, joking and playing around....That was sooooo nice!

Click! Click! Click! Pictures! Pictures! Great pictures especially the funny ones! By 4:00 a.m. we slept. We woke up by 8:00 a.m. and attended the 10:00 a.m. Mass.

January 2, we met by lunch to celebrate early the birthday of my niece. Yum! Yum! Yum! Yummy! Delicious food again!

Now back to normal! But in my heart, I got those precious memories I teasure so much! It's not really the food, the gifts, the rest, or anything else....but the treasure of time spent with my family, bestfriend, and relatives. This is something no amount of money can buy. A time investment worth spending with....One of the simple things in life....and yet, so profound.

This was one great Christmas season for me where I experienced God's love. He gave me a family and treasure of memories that I can keep in my heart. Yeah, for me, this had been a wonderful , precious season in my life. I thank God for it!

Thank You, Dear God for the gift of loved ones and time spent with them!

-luisadelacruz