A MORNING WITH GOD....

Sunday morning, I asked the retreatants to be at the hall by 6:15 a.m. with their Rosary for our morning prayer. Oh, it was cold, still a bit dark. As I told them, they could come in their pajamas, even if they had not yet taken their bath, or they still have morning stars in their eyes. That would be okay, God will accept us as we come, as being the real us, who we are.

And so, I explained to them about the essence of the Glorious Mysteries and that we would be praying individually, slowly, chewing and chopping each word and each mystery, reflecting on them, while walking slowly and separately around the grounds of the retreat venue.

It was a very beautiful experience. They were such a wonderful sight to see. At times, some sat on a rock or stair step, pause in front a tree, or the image of Mama Mary, look up on the sky, then continue walking slowly again, holding the Rosary.

The time I gave them was 6:30 - 7:00 a.m., just in time for breakfast, though I anticipated that it may took them 45 minutes to do that because some may even be led to linger to staying in God's Presence after the Rosary. Oh, yes, it happened. They were in the dining area 7:15 a.m., there two by 7:30 a.m. They appreciated the experience.

After breakfast, as I wait for our gathering time, I reflected on my own experience in our morning prayer and wrote in my journal:

* As we started, I went to a gazebo and wanted to stay there and sit down as I pray. You see my right foot has a handicap from polio and I use a cane to walk. I didn't know if I can walk easily on the paths I would encounter since I would be alone. But the morning was oozing with God's Presence and I couldn't say no to His invitation to me. So I decided to get out of my comfort zone and slowly walked around while praying. I was glad I did......My comfort zones hold me back. They make me stagnant and prevent me to experience new and beautiful things in life.

* I pause from time to time, I look up, I look around and I also looked down. I saw new things, beautiful and not so beautiful ones, fresh plants and withered ones and cut trunks......Life is like that. It is given, there are good and bad sides so I have to accept everything and always look at the bright side to live happily.

* Along my path, I saw two stairs. I wanted to go up in both to see what was beyond, but as I assess the steps, I would not make it on my own, they were not cemented, not flat and there were no handrails. I could if I had somebody with me......In living my life and in my journey, I have to admit I have my limitations and that I need the help of people. I am not super human and only God can do everything. I have to be humble enough to admit my weaknesses and accept help from others.

* I came to an y-intercessection. One path where I came from, another would lead me towards the dining area, my destination and another would seem to take me further away with longer walk and I didn't know where it would lead me, but it was beautiful. I took the chance and walked on the latter path. It was just a short distance, a dead end, but with an open area, with an image of Mama Mary in the middle. I saw one retreatant seated near the image and praying. One was standing in the midst of our distance and was also praying. I was happy to see them quietly praying with reverence......Jesus wants me to be happy. He leads me to have site seeing in my journey in life to see the beauty of it. He surprises me with what is there and gives me the joy of His Presence in others as well as in His Mother.

* I went back to the y-intersection and took the path going to the dining area, my destination. But as I walked further, I remembered seeing the area from the hallway above. Oh, there will be a stair ahead, that was the only way I could proceed. I hesitated and thought of tracing back the path where I came from. But that would take me longer and more tiring for me. If I would take the stair, it would be harder for me but a shorter distance. So I decided to check out the stairs. It was cemented, there was a handrail though on the right side, but I could take it and I did......Sometimes in life, I think I can’t do something because I foresee or see the blocks, but if I do not check it out first and take the risks how can I know that I truly cannot do it, most especially if I am walking through it with God and He is the One leading me?

* I remembered, as I packed my things before I went down for our morning prayer, I saw my excess clothes that I didn’t use. They just made my bag heavy, then the disciples of Jesus crossed my mind at that moment when they were sent two by two and was instructed by Jesus to bring nothing but their walking stick, not even an extra shirt…...Sometimes, I tend to bring more than I should for my own comfort. In life, there are things I think I need, but only to find out, they are just wants that I can live without. Or I bring things from my past that I should have let go long time ago because they are just extra baggage and they just burden me when I can travel my life light if I just leave them behind.

A journey is a path strolled with God from one area to another. As long as I remain in God as I travel, there is nothing to worry nor be afraid about….


What God inspired me to see as I reflected on my morning prayer experience is not only a lesson for me, but for everybody journeying in life. I pray God also touches your hearts and reflect on your own on these inspirations based on your own life. Always stay happy with God. Never leave Him out of your journey in life. Life is beautiful in spite of the certain circumstances we experience. We just have to look at them through the eyes of God. This can happen, if we humbly choose to let Jesus teach us to stay a child to the Father and allow growth in our relationship with Him. God bless your homes!

-luisadelacruz

REDISCOVERING THE CHILD IN US...

Inspiration:       Matthew 18:1-5

I have a rocking chair. Oh, no, it’s not like those of Grandpas’ and Grandmas’. This one is modern. It’s like those upholstered couch, no feet, no arms, just simply touching the floor, with backrest up to my head.

There was a time I needed to keep it and didn’t use it in a while. Honestly, I missed it.

Recently, I put it excitedly by my window. Every morning, like a little child, I sit on it, rock on it, be with the Lord and reflect…When I sit on it, I am like a child in God’s arms being cradled…It’s great to go back being childlike.

As we grow and become adult, we forgot the child in us. Responsibilities here and there, problems that keep coming, these gradually buried deeper and deeper inside us our innocence, our joy on simple things, the simplicity of how we look at things, how we jump in appreciation of little gifts…

Being childlike again helps us remember who we truly are – a child of God. Rediscovering this truth humbly brings us closer to Papa (Father) God.

Have an Innocent Heart!

-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

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

 

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

Are you familiar with the movie “Dead Poet Society?” When I watched that movie, I had never forgotten the part where the professor there played by Robin Williams was accused of something he didn’t do. His students believed in him. In his farewell minutes, he asked them all to stand on top of their table. The students did. Then he said that at times we have to look at things in a different perspective. This can help us move on in life.

Maybe the reason why I remembered that scene was I believed in what he wanted to convey. Well, aside from the fact that I shed tears on that part hehehe. Sometimes we’re focused on just one aspect of what’s happening in our lives or one solution to our problems that when it didn’t work, our whole world crumbled like it was the end of the world for us, or there was no way out, right?

Hmmmm . . . . there are many ways to view things. Want some proof? Look at this top view picture. What is it?

Can you guess??? . . . .Hmmmm, how about this next picture?

Well, that sure is clearer, right? Now you can say that it’s an alcohol bottle. But is there a better view?

Wow! That’s much, much clearer and better! Sometimes we tend to look at things like on the top view, then we conclude based on what we see without trying to look if there’s a better way, if there’s a truth that we fail to see, if there’s another solution to the problem.

Sometimes, we take a chance and look at it on another point of view. We get a clearer version of what we see at first.

But most of the time, there is the best view that we fail to see. What view is that? God’s perspective. Yeap! God sees things differently from us. He always sees the clearer side, the beautiful side of things. That’s the view we have to search.

Life is too beautiful, yet too short for us to get stuck to the miserable side of things. It’s your choice what kind of perspective you’ll see things. But if I were you, my friend . . . . I’ll try to look at them in different perspectives until I find God’s perspective on them! This is a sure winner! Fantastic Life!

-luisadelacruz

ENJOY LIFE AS IT COMES

I remember, when I was in high school, I had a pet friend named Sugar. He was a small, hairy dog with a curly tail that wagged at the sound of my voice (Suuggaarr, Suuggaarr, tsk, tsk, tsk). His color was brown and white. He was cute, playful, very brave and sweet. I loved him very much and I knew he felt the same for me (it was not a hunch).

Whenever my sisters would pretend to slap me or punch me or hit me, I would call on him (Sugar! Aray! Aray! Aray! Sugar!). Within a glimpse, he would zoom in between them and me and bark as loud as he could (Arf! Arf! Arf! Arf!). He would show his sharp fangs and scare them away, then he would jump towards me and lick my face (slurp, slurp, slurp) (oooohh, yyaakkkk) and then look at us wondering why in the world were we laughing (he, he, he).

Well, he got sick and on the day of my high school graduation (sigh), he died. I never shed even a single tear. But from then on, I never got close to any dog we had. After eight years, I found myself writing a poem about him and I burst into gallons and gallons of tears (wwwaaaa, wwwaaa, wwwaaa, zzznnnngggaaaa). After all those years, I still cried like that. He was not just my pet, not even just a friend, but he was my playmate, my best friend, and I loved him.

Since that hearty cry, I found myself playing and hugging pet dogs again, especially cute, little puppies (Yap! Yap! Yap!) . . . . and even cats, too (meooow). Time healed my pain. But if I only allowed myself to nurse it for a shorter time, I could have enjoyed the other playful and cute doggies after him. If I faced the hurt of his lost sooner and didn’t keep it in the deepest part of my heart, I could have cuddled and loved more dogs and have treasures of happy memories spent with them (hhhaaayyy!).

Oftentimes, many of us do this. We get hurt. We brood. We curse. We get angry at times (BRAG!). But the worst, we nurse these feelings for a long time. Why? For the simple reason that we don’t want to feel pain again. We are afraid to be hurt. We want to protect our hearts from being crushed again. The result, (tsk, tsk, tsk) we miss the opportunity to enjoy life and be happy. We miss the opportunity of how the Lord is trying to heal that pain. We turn our backs, close our eyes and cover our ears, but we are lucky enough that Jesus is so persistent. As many dogs have been brought in our house through the years after Sugar’s death, Jesus has been doing everything just to cheer you up . . . . maybe through your family and friends, maybe through the situations that are happening in your life, or maybe..…just maybe…through a dog like Sugar.

When you get hurt, cry until your eyes swell, until there are no more tears to shed, then let it end there. Offer your wounded heart to Jesus and let Him heal it. You may be surprised how fast your recovery will be (wow!), for He knows the best medicine for each kind of hurt you experience, a medicine that is much, much better than the ones you usually take. So do not be afraid, collect your treasure of memories . . . . Enjoy life as it comes!

-luisadelacruz

INSPITE OF ALL ITS SHAMS . . . . LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

One early morning I was sitting on a big, round rattan chair which could turn 360 degrees (zoooooom). I was in Cebu then and the house owners invited us for a vacation. That chair was my favorite. It was located at the patio beside a small garden. From there you could see the 3-meter wide street which was not yet cemented. On the opposite side was a vacant lot where frogs usually sing in chorus (kokak, kokak, kokak) and play like kids (jump, jump, jump). You could also watch the children running, laughing and shouting (Taya, taya! Daya mo! Oh those children). Matching this scene was the warm sunlight, the blue sky with its white, fluffy clouds, the chirping birds, the cool air, the colorful flowers and the green, green grass beneath them…and the big rattan chair that went round and round with me sitting on it (Whoaaah! I’m dizzy!). What a sight! What a feeling! What a beautiful morning!

Suddenly, it became dark. Big drops of rain fell from the sky. The children run inside their houses. The frogs and the birds looked for their own shelters, too. The sun with the blue sky was no more (sigh). There went my beautiful morning.

I stayed and watched the heavy rain pour down with all its might until it subsided gradually (Brrrrrr! It was so cold!). By then, I noticed its raindrops. Each created a crown-like shape as they touch the ground (drip, drip, drip). I watched each of them touch the leaves as they wiggled and enjoyed its sprinkle. I watched it touch the flowers as they shivered and said hello. I watched it touch the grass as it softened by its drop. I put out my hand and let a raindrop touch my palm. Oh, it was a bit cold, but it was so cute and lovely, and refreshing, too (Well, this last part was an excerpt from a poem I wrote from this marvelous situation, so the flowers didn’t really talked, but it felt that way).

The rain stopped. The sun peeped again and beamed its light. The sky was blue again. Joining it were the fluffy, white clouds. The frogs, the birds and the children came back. Things were the same as before with one difference, the touch of the rain, the trace of its downpour. I felt happier than before (in fact, I had a big smile on my face and a twinkle in my eyes).

That situation made me realize something (Cchhiiiiinngg!). Often times we have many heavy rains in our lives. They pour hard with all their might. They shutter us with so much pain, regret and hopelessness. Some rain even brings thunder, lightning, hurricane and even tidal waves (they seem to enjoy blistering our lives). When they are gone, we may be left crawling, wounded, bathing with our own blood and almost breathless. But at the end of it all, we learn our lessons (remember the traces of the rain in Cebu) and we get wiser. We feel the love and support of the people around us. But the most important of all, these are the times we really feel closer to Jesus.

During those nasty rains, He was there beside us. He never left us even for just a single moment. He tried to protect us, to support us and to give us hope and all the love we need. After all was over, Jesus carries us, nurses us until we can stand again (or until we forget Him again and just remember Him the next rain…..how awful). After each rain, we get on with our lives. We pick up were we fell. But this time wiser, more loved, more blessed and, most importantly, more Jesus in our hearts. So, INSPITE OF ALL ITS SHAMS . . . . LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, especially when you realize and when you believe with all your heart that Jesus is greatest Friend you can ever have and He will be there beside you . . . . always.

-luisadelacruz

GOD IS GOOD…ALL THE TIME

When I was two years old, I got sick of polio. As a result, my right foot shrank (Oh no!). From grade 1 to grade 6, I had a brace from the heel of my right foot all through my limb. I had difficulty walking especially climbing the stairs. Boy, it was an ordeal, not to mention the wounds caused by the straps and steel that constantly rubbed my skin (ooouuuccchhh). And when a screw got lost, or a metal snapped (pak), my, I couldn’t take even just a single step (sigh).

When I was in high school and college, hey, I was promoted. I got rid of the braces and what had I got, a cane, which my dear father crafted for me. What a relief, except for those slippery floors especially when the rain seemed to enjoy getting them wet (ooopppsss, ouch again).

When I took up my second course in college (yes, I seemed to love the painstaking ordeal of getting diplomas), I had another promotion. Still a cane but this time, it had four tiny feet-like supports at the bottom for stability. My dear Mama saved money just to buy me one.

The whole of my life, I had limitations in all of my actions because of my handicap. I can not do everything I want to do especially as far as physical effort is concerned. There are many precautions I have to take. It is hard.

My life is a dramatic one (Hu, hu, hu!). I know there are many whose lives were more dramatic than mine (in fact, theirs are box office hits), but it is still a very hard and very painful one, especially to a handicapped person like me. Each step I have to take, each dream I want to achieve, all these I can with extra effort. All through these hardships, all through these pains, can I still say God is good? . . . . YES, YES AND YES, WITHOUT A DOUBT, God is so very good, all the time. With all the downfalls in my life, He and only He is the One I can rely on. He alone is the best of all the best friends I have. I can’t imagine going through my life without Jesus.

The Lord entrusted me to a very wonderful family. My parents and sisters gave me so much love and support. The brother I never had, I had Him in Jesus. My dear Mama instilled in my heart and mind the love for Him (she even carved it there). In spite of my handicap, they showed me that I can be what I want to be, that I can achieve what I put my heart into, that I am also human, and even better than the others.

Our physical feature is not as important as the kind of person we are inside us. You see my handicap is a blessing somehow (hey, I am not insane for believing this). If I am not handicapped, I may not be as humble as I am now (naks!). I may not be as sensitive to the people around me. I may not have received extra love and extra care the whole of my life from my family (just like a teddy bear). But, most important of all, I may not have considered Jesus my very best Friend.

I strongly believe that everything that happens in our lives has a purpose. We may realize it at once or we may see it much later, but all of it is for the better. But no matter how happy, sad, painful or hilarious those situations are the Lord is so good to stand by our side all the time. He will laugh with us (Ha! Ha! Ha!), cry with us (Hu! Hu! Hu!), or just be quiet ( ) and listen. It depends upon the kind of Friend we need at the moment. God is good, all the time.

If only you will open your eyes you will see. Whatever handicap you may have, whether physical, emotional, spiritual . . . someday it will be a blessing to you and others. You'll never know. In your weakness, God will be your strength! Focus on the good things, my friend! Look at your life. Look at the people who loves you. Look at the lessons you learn through your experiences. Look at the blessings you receive day by day. If you will only open your eyes and look . . . . really look, you can also believe and say . . . . GOD IS GOOD . . . . ALL THE TIME!

-luisadelacruz