What Inspires You?

The more I think about it, the clearer my answer to this question becomes.

It is God's faithfulness that inspires me. It is seeing how wonderfully He works in the lives of people, including my own.

I am inspired by the struggles of those who are in difficulty -- or rather by their perseverance and persistent hope.

I am inspired by how God answers prayers, especially in the most unexpected ways.

I am inspired by the relationships that are healed, the conflicts that are resolved, even after many years of heartaches and distress.

I am inspired by the change of heart I witness in people -- especially in the most hardened and calloused individuals.

I am inspired by the love and compassion within and among families, friends, acquaintances, communities, and even total strangers.

What about you? What inspires you?

Live Now!

Birthdays are as good a time as any to think about death. And while the subject of death may be eerie or morbid to some, I find it useful to ponder the subject, mainly because it leads me to reflect on life. Knowing that everything can end in a snap of Divine Fingers keeps me on my toes. This day may be the beginning, or it may be the end... the first of many more days, or the last day of my life.

I am turning another year older in a few days. I feel like I have aged -- grown, learned, experienced, taught, lived -- so much but also like I have aged so little over the years. That's good, I think. Anyway, I like the thought: so much done, so much still to do; so much has come, so much still to come. That is how each day is anyway, isn't it?

Like anniversaries, birthdays are milestones for me. They mark an end and a beginning. They make me look back and move forward. They lead me to be grateful and to be hopeful. They remind me that time is running -- fast -- and that it waits for no man (or woman). There are things to be said and done. And it is best not to put them off for a later time because a "later time" may never come.

I will live now then -- and live to the full!

Thanks, Eina!

Thanks to my goddaughter Eina (and her mom Leezl) for letting me post this. Eina created this artwork on the theme "Fear not, I am with you."

I think it expresses the essence of my previous post in a delightfully simple and beautiful way.

So Who is Truly Safe?

Some nights ago I woke up at dawn filled with fears about the dangers that lurk everywhere. Maybe because I watched the news before I slept. Hearing one bad news after another -- a stabbing in school, a woman gunned down, a student abducted, etc. -- made me realize how easily any of those things can happen to me, or to anyone else for that matter.

Once you get to thinking it's not safe out there, ... well, it can get really scary, and the fear can be paralyzing. I can understand why some people choose to isolate themselves from the world by refusing to go out of their homes. But then again, who says we are safe in our homes?

Of course, there's another kind of recluse, the kind who builds a wall around his or her heart, who refuses to be vulnerable, who hides from love, and runs away from commitment and meaningful relationships. Such people are "safe," I guess, but I think their lives are shallow.

Maybe it's the same with physical safety. When we allow ourselves to be ruled by our fears of the dangers that "out there" and lock ourselves inside our seemingly safe little worlds, well ... that kinda makes our lives shallow, too. After all, there is so much out there to explore and experience.

I guess it's a matter of choice. I choose to trust in God in the face of danger. I believe His angels surround me, and His love follows me wherever I go. How many times have I been in danger without me even being aware of it? How many times have angels saved me from harm without me even knowing it?

Yes, there is Someone up there watching over me. So "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil," for God is with me.

Reminiscing Bohol

A year ago this month, I was in Bohol enjoying a long-awaited vacation. May I share with you my thoughts then after a day spent mostly lying on a hammock by the beach under the shade of coconut trees?

It still doesn't cease to amaze me how many shades of blue there are -- in the sky, in the ocean... So with green. And the sunset last night... I cannot even begin to describe its glorious hues. God must have been showing off -- mixing a heavenly blend of purples, pinks, oranges, and reds. What a spectacular show!

God is so alive in this place. His Spirit pervades every element. His presence lives and moves in every tree, every drop of water, every cloud, every grain of sand. I have never felt so enveloped in His love through nature.

Today, as I lay peacefully in my hammock, I thought about how beautiful this place is and how long it took to create this place -- the sands ground to powder by millions of years of crashing waves, the trees that took years to sprout and grow and bear fruit, the ocean water that has been recycled over and over again for ages...

And then I realize, the ocean in all its age-old grandeur is not God's best showcase. The trees that reach up to the sky in praise of their Creator are not God's top display. More than the treasure the ocean holds and the beauty the trees provide, it is mankind that gives God His greatest joy. Now that is truly amazing!

Which Color Are You?

Each of us is a color. A particular tone, pitch, depth, and hue. A unique shade. We each have a space to fill in. For some, it is a huge and expansive area. For others, a space that is neither large nor small. For still others, a tiny nook or crack or corner. But together we make up the beautiful tapestry of life. A design that would not be complete if all the spaces are not filled in. A picture that would otherwise be dull if not colored in with just the right shade.

Growing Up Means Letting Go

Fr. Joel Jason shared the following video in the second session of the Theology of the Body course he is giving:

I couldn't help but smile -- and feel sorry for Ava -- when I first watched this. The poor girl had to learn the art of letting go at such a young age! Fr. Joel used the video to illustrate how painful it often is to let go of our desires -- our pacifiers, so to speak.

Come to think of it, everyone has some sort of pacifier. To some, it may be smoking, drinking, drugs, shopping, binge eating, or excessive dieting. To still others, it may be junk food, computer games, or credit cards. To still others, it may be a false hope or a grudge. Our pacifiers may even be essentially good, like a relationship, a hobby, a sport, a job, or even some volunteer work. But when they begin to stand in the way of God instead of being the way to God, then it is time to let go.

Ava's daddy knew it was time for his daughter to let go of her pacifier: she is old enough and doesn't need it anymore. He knew it was the right thing to do. So despite Ava's copious tears and obvious anguish, her father tied the pacifier to a balloon and sent it up to pacifier heaven. Unfortunately, saying goodbye to our own pacifiers is far more difficult to do -- and often so much more heartbreaking. But like Ava is bound to realize one day, learning to say goodbye is essential to moving forward. Letting go is part of growing up.