Stepping on His Footsteps

Quiet strolls at a quiet beach during quiet mornings and quiet afternoons are wonderful times for quiet thinking. 🙂 Just this afternoon, I was walking with my dad and JJ, my brother, along a beautiful beach. There were few people around so it was quiet…sort of. 🙂 The sand was soft, making it hard to walk. At first, I walked beside my dad. (My brother was somewhere around us, skipping, running, walking, searching for nice rocks, etc.) I realized that walking on sand that had not been trodden on was making it hard for me to keep up with my dad’s quick pace. So I fell behind and walked on my dad’s footsteps. Sure enough, it was waaaayyyy easier for me to step onto his footsteps rather than make my own. Once, I dawdled, admiring the scenery. The next minute, my dad was already ten meters away from me. I had to hurry up, or else the sand that he stepped on would get too soft again that I would not be able to walk as easily like I did before. When I finally caught up, I kept my eyes down, focusing on the marks his feet made, so I could tread on them. While I did so, I fell to quiet thinking.

When I walked beside my dad, trying to make my own steps, I had a hard time doing so. Sometimes, or rather, most of the times, we try to walk beside God, or even ahead of Him, trying to make our own way and not letting Him do it. There’s this path our Heavenly Father is making for us, but sadly, we forget to step on it. And you know what will happen: we’ll have a hard time doing so.

Then, when I followed my dad, stepping on his footsteps, walking was easy. Follow God; step on the path He’s made. When we obey God’s Word, when we walk in His light, when we stand on His promises, life is easy. Well, maybe not so easy, but we’ll always have the comfort that the Holy Spirit is there to guide us. We’ll never know how much we’re blessed, not until we follow His leading. But there’s yet another lesson.

When I lagged behind because I stopped to admire the surroundings, my dad’s footprints were disappearing because of the soft sand. I could not see them well enough to know if it was his steps. This can be described as: unfaithfulness. When we stop to look around and see what is in the world, we’ll lose track of the path God made for us. I almost lost track of my my dad’s footsteps. But when I caught up, I kept myself focused on every step he made. I pray that before we become sluggish and dawdle around, we’ll remember to focus on the path of God’s will, keeping our eyes on Jesus Christ.

Follow God; step on the path He’s made.

…quiet thinking… 🙂

Bloom Where God Planted You

As I sat near my bedroom window, watching the birds flitting about, and thinking of a good topic for my English speech, I happened to look at our backyard fence. It appeared to be more like a bush instead of a fence, because of various types of vines that had clambered their way up. Then my mind shifted from the fence to the vines, and I recalled that one time there used to be a squash vine amongst them.

We were quite surprised to find the squash vine placed with what seemed to be useless vines. Going around to our neighbors, we asked if any of them planted squash near our fence. However, no one did and nobody knew who planted it. Then, one neighbor said, “Perhaps God planted it”.

~~~

We sometimes call our family “The Most Traveled Family in the World”. Although often stated as a joke since we have not the facts and figures to prove the title we call ourselves, it is no falsehood for we do travel a lot. We’ve journeyed to various places in the Philippines, as far as General Santos, Cotabato in the south, to the east, Borongan, Samar, west, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, and up to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.  For distances as far as Manila, Cavite, and Batangas, we have trips almost two to three times a week.

In addition to all those traveling, we have also changed addresses of our dwelling places. In fact, in all my seventeen years, we have moved from house to house for almost ten times! There were even times when we had to stay at one place for a week and go to another place the week after. But you know, in all those packing and unpacking, and restless traveling, I was learning things of great value.

One thing I learnt was flexibility. Being in a military family, we experienced having calls and sudden decisions to be made. Anytime, in at least ten minutes, we should’ve been able to pack clothes and other necessities, and ready to go. (This was one cause why we were homeschooled; it was easy to take our schoolwork with us.)

Next to flexibility, another character that was built in me was contentment.  I remember wishing I could have a pet, but I knew that due to our frequent trips, it would be impossible. So, I gave up wishing, and made myself happy having our good watchdog around. Such small things, but if you’re happy and satisfied with small things, you will be content with big things. “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”  Content to sleep on the floor of the car, content to eat whatever is given, yes, it was happy contentment in all things.

While these are good traits to have, the most important lesson I learnt was to bloom wherever God planted me. We moved houses, had different neighbors, saw different cultures, but in everything that had happened, God saw it fit to use us in every place He put us in. I have thus learnt that God will choose to put us in places where He wants us to serve Him, and we must rely on His leading for our life and simply do our best for our Lord Jesus Christ.

~~~

“Perhaps God planted it.” Yes, I believe God planted it. No one knew who planted it, no one watered it, no one cared to tend to it, but still it grew and its flowers bloomed. In time, the flowers turned to fruit, and we were able to enjoy it in many meals and even share with our neighbors. The squash vine bloomed where God planted it and God used it to feed families and be a blessing. In a way, we are like this vine–planted, watered, and tended by God. Should we not do our best for Him in any place He puts us, just like this squash that bloomed?

The Making of a Submissive Wife

I have heard many wives say, “Being a submissive wife is a learning process.” It’s true. However, it will be easier for a woman to learn Biblical submission if, in her childhood, she has learnt obedience. Being a wife starts at the time when the minister says, “I now pronounce you husband and wife”, but learning to be a submissive wife does not. It starts early in life and at home, when a little girl is being taught to obey.

~~~

 

Four-year-old Sarah did not understand why Mommy and Daddy kept telling her what to do and what not to do. She could not see why they demanded her obedience. Tick-tock-tick-tock…and years pass by. Now she obeys voluntarily whenever her parents tell her to do something. Tick-tock-tick-tock…and more years pass by. A young lady now, she is learning to submit to her father’s authority. She had the choice to disregard Daddy’s advice (which is actually from the Bible), but because she has learned to obey, Sarah submits to what Daddy wants. Tick-tock-tick-tock…time flies. Little Sarah has matured to a beautiful virtuous woman and is happily married. Her husband rejoices in the blessing of having a submissive wife. (That was a quick story, wasn’t it? J)

 

Here’s how it went:

 

1. Obedience demanded

 When Sarah was four, Mommy wanted her to memorize Ephesians 6:1. “Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.” But she never understood what it meant. Her parents would tell her to obey what they wanted her to do and not to do because it was for her own good. If she did not obey, there was the switch. During this time, Sarah’s explanation of her verse was: Children ought to obey their parents because it is right.

 

2. Voluntary and happy obedience

 As Sarah grew up, her understanding of Ephesians 6:1 increased. Not only would she obey her parents because it is right, but also because it pleases the Lord. Her obedience to her parents gave testimony that she wanted to serve God. She learnt that obeying without murmurings and making faces, in other words, obeying because you’re happy to do it, is doing God’s Word and pleasing Him.

 

3. Submission in obedience (while in her father’s authority)

 There were many instances during her teenage years when Sarah wanted to go somewhere with a group of young people. Most, if not all, of them profess to be Christians. She would tell her dad where she wanted to go, who are the people she would be with, why she wanted to go, etc. Dad would then tell her why he did not want her to go, giving hint that he does not give his consent. He gives her Biblical truths that give him the reason not to permit her to go. Since Sarah has learnt to obey, and because she wants to please the Lord Jesus Christ, she happily obeys what her dad (and the Bible) says. In obeying, she is learning to submit under her father’s authority. Obedience is the stepping-stone to submission.

 

4. Happy submission (when she is married)

 Years pass by…oh, how time flies! Sarah is now happily married to a Godly man who loves her “even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it”. Her memory verse is changed. Her childhood verse was, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord…”. Now, her present verse says, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” –(Ephesians 5:22) She has learnt to obey and submit to her father’s authority; it is easier now for her to learn to submit to her own husband.

 

As a little girl, Sarah saw that her obedience to her parents pleases the Lord and is one sure way of serving God; this was her understanding of the application of Ephesians 6:1. Comparing this verse with Ephesians 5:22, she saw that these two verses were parallel. The way that she happily obeyed and submitted to her dad is the same way she now joyfully submits to her husband, and because of that, her husband also praises her, and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is glorified.

 

~~~

 

You marvel at the elder women who, with their example, “teach the younger women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands”. You esteem virtuous women and submissive wives, and you wonder how they became to be so. Look around, and you’ll see. It starts when one is young, and it starts at home.

 

Far Above Rubies

Rubies, diamonds, pearls—all these precious stones are not easily gotten and are therefore very costly. It takes a tremendous amount of labour and care for them to be taken from beneath the earth, separated from stone, chipped, cut, and polished to be the beautiful gems set in jewelry. What else can be of more value than these?

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” -Proverbs 31:10, KJV. Why did God place the virtuous woman far above rubies? In light of the first paragraph, I doubt that there is something far more of value than gold, silver, and precious stones. But there is, there is!

A virtuous woman is:
1) A woman whose heart of her husband safely trusts in her,
2) A woman who will do her husband good and not evil all the days of her life,
3) A woman that worketh willingly with her hands,
4) A woman who brings her food from afar, (and not just the canned goods and hotdogs)
5) A woman that riseth while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household,
6) A woman who considers a field, and buys it (she does business management),
7) A woman who, with the fruit of her hands, plants a vineyard (or a vegetable garden, for that matter),
 A woman who strengthens her arms,
9) A woman whose candle goeth not out by night (she sure does not stop until she finishes what needs to be done! :))
10) A woman who lays her hands on the spindle and distaff (she weaves!)
11) A woman who stretcheth out her hands to the poor and the needy,
12) A woman who is not afraid of snow for her household (she is quite prepared for emergencies…),
13) A woman who makes herself coverings of tapestry (she sews her own clothes, and modest ones too, I might add!),
14) A woman whose husband is known among the elders of the land,
15) A woman who makes fine linen, and selleth it (there it is again…she does business),
16) A woman whose clothing are strength and honour,
17) A woman who opens her mouth with wisdom,
18) A woman who looketh well to the ways of her household, and is not idle,
19) A woman whose children rise up and call her blessed,
20) A woman whose husband praiseth her.

A virtuous woman is a rare thing to find, and if there is one, it takes a great amount of labour and care for them to such. Just imagine of your mother, wife, daughter, or sister was a virtuous woman. Would it not be a great blessing? We ought to take good care of all virtuous women as much (and more!) as we would take care of the sparkling gemstones. They are precious and are placed far above rubies.

Pearls, diamonds, and rubies—
All of which are hard to get.
Taken from beneath,
Separated from stone,
Chipped and carefully cut,
Smoothened and polished,
To be the beautiful stones
Fixed in jewelries.

Pearls, diamonds, and rubies—
None can be higher.
Or is there?
A willing worker,
A business maker,
A keeper at home—
It is the virtuous woman
Set far above rubies.

Sewing Patience

“Little girls sew until their fingers fall off….” Or so the saying goes. Wellllll…..maybe not to the point that their fingers fall off because now we have sewing machines that make sewing clothes faster than when it was done by hand. Still, there are times when a seamstress has to use only a needle and thread to embroider, do beadwork and other intricate sewing.

Anyway, it is not just the home maker’s skill that little girls learn when they sew. While it is a valuable asset for ladies, there is something far more important that they get every time they sew. Their character is being built with every stitch, every mistake, every time they start again. Patience is learnt as they sit still, trying to sew straight lines. And it is patience that will help them in their every day life. I can say this without uncertainty because I myself sew dresses for the girls in my family. Patience is needed as they scrub dirty clothes, bake cakes and cookies, and cook. If they are not patient, the clothes will have to be laundered again, their cakes soggy in the middle, and their food half-cooked. Patience is needed to teach kids to do chores and schoolwork. And, if they are not patient, their kids may end up as unresponsible adults. Do you see how important it is? If you think it through, there are at least a dozen circumstances that proves patience is an absolute necessity. And guess what?? Little girls learn it with a needle and thread in their hands.

Why don’t we take a needle and thread and start sewing? Perhaps we can also learn patience. 🙂

What is your cause?

Living amongst people

With a culture so deep

In schools and steeples,

I wonder,

What was their cause?

For knowledge they study,

For riches they labour,

For fame, tis beauty!

But I wonder,

What is their cause?

Formed by God’s hands

With a cry I entered

This strange, distant land.

I wonder,

What was my cause?

Unbounded grace I have

From Him received.

Grateful to Him above,

Now I wonder,

What is my cause?

Blessed with learning,

With skills, and talent,

For His own using,

My friend,

What is your cause?