Finally launched: The Teacher in Me

CSM Publishing invited me to write a devotional for teachers because I have been teaching part-time in college (and MBA) for almost two decades. "A book such as this will help bring comfort and peace to teachers."  

A dream project, I thought.  

To my shock and the world's, one month later, the pandemic suddenly upended every teacher's life. Classroom teaching abruptly went online. 

While writing this book amidst the turmoil caused by the Covid-19 lockdown, and reading the Scriptures, I realized that teaching is not limited to a classroom. Anyone who imparts knowledge and values IS a teacher—a mentor, private tutor, Sunday school teacher and VBS volunteer, parent, trainor, supervisor, etc. 

In fact, Jesus never taught inside a classroom, but He was addressed over 60 times as Teacher by the multitudes and His disciples. Bar none, He was the greatest Teacher Who ever lived; His teaching ministry revolutionized the world. 

The title, "The Teacher in Me,” therefore, is not about me; it is about Him. 

It was He Who called me to teach, and Who inspires me to carry through. 

My becoming a teacher was no accident. Neither is it an accident for every person who imparts knowledge and values learned through sweat and tears. 

I like to believe that my long teaching stint is a testament to the Teacher’s provision of energy to model my faith, so that my students may likewise welcome the Teacher to live in their heart.  

Writing each devotion, based on my and many other teachers’ narratives culled from countless interviews, has left no doubt in my mind that Jesus is in every learning locale, in fine or foul weather. He builds bridges where there are gaps, shines light where there is darkness, gives patience where it runs thin—a complete teach-and-reach kit!    

Our world is in disarray these difficult days. But as sure as the sun will rise again tomorrow, even if this crisis will take a turn for the worse, if we focus on our all-knowing God who commissioned us, we will sail through. 

Nobody called to teach should quit.  

He promised us: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8) 

ooo

The book was finally launched online (Zoom with FB live) on 23 October, 20 long months after that blessed day CSM Publishing gave me the privilege of writing it. 

It was attended by faith brethren, friends, family, and those called to teach. 

Without having read the book yet, one encouraging message in the chat box read: "That's a nice line . . . the teacher in you. I was always told I am not a teacher, because I do not teach in a classroom setup. But I do teach communication to junior writers in the office. What a confirmation!" 

By sheer grace, despite problems in book publishing during the relentness quarantine with strict health protocols that dog us till today, "The Teacher in Me" saw print. 

May it honor and glorify the Teacher Who guides you and me to where we should go.   

#Awesomeness

This is how dictionaries define awesomeness: a quality that inspires awe. Its informal meaning: an extremely or amazingly good or impressive quality. 

It is this second definition that is now popular among cyber denizens. If you click on the hashtag #Awesomeness, posts gush over things (music, events, food, places) in a superlative way. Many of these are recorded on videos. There is even a group page on Facebook called Awesomeness. 

A dear cousin, a retired general and a self-confessed technologically challenged non-netizen, said, “I don’t need the Internet to find awesomeness. I just flip through my Bible and there I marvel at awesomeness in its super-superlative form!” 

The first two verses of our Bible (Genesis 1:1-2) shows awesomeness immediately:  

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” 

These can never be replicated by any human invention. 

CGI (computer-generated imagery) in movies creates all kinds of awesomeness today—galaxies being reduced to smithereens and dust forming into living things. But these are make-believe. These cannot compare to an actual solar or lunar eclipse, or stars playing hide-and-seek with the clouds. Try to wake up at dawn and watch the sunrise making the sky burst with various colors.   

Awesomeness! 

Amos 5:8 paints grandeur in words, “It is the Lord who created the stars . . . He turns darkness into morning and day into night. He draws up water from the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land!” 

God gave man breath, but He takes our breath away with the awesomeness of His creation.  

Reflect and pray: 

“O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens.” (Psalm 8:1)

ooo

After the Workplace

Five years before turning 60, Gian invested heavily in stocks. He wanted to make sure that all through his non-working years, he would still have income. “I don’t want to depend on my children to support me.” 

One of the greatest fears of retirees is running out of money. “What if I get sick?” 

The “what ifs” eat us up. Indeed, we all want the security of having resources for the rest of our lives.

But no stocks, insurance, HMO, savings, or any financial investment can guarantee anyone of security. My husband and I know wherefore we speak. We invested in a college plan for our youngest son, perpetual care/funeral arrangements for when the time comes, and a life plan that stipulated regular dividends after a few years of prompt payments. All of them closed shop—hard-earned money gone down the drain. 

Planning for retirement is of course a good idea, but there is a far better idea to look forward to: having an eternal inheritance that never runs out, and that is available only through faith in Jesus Christ.

We sometimes forget that there is a plan that gives us guaranteed security way beyond this life, and indefinitely into the future.  

Apostle Paul said that we have been born again because “. . . God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay." (1 Peter 3:4 NLT) 

This inheritance guarantees life that never runs short and never runs out. We will have everything we will ever need.  

Reflect and pray: 

A place is reserved for me in God’s eternal kingdom. How should I prepare for this everlasting inheritance? 

ooo 

Training Up

Darius, aged 9 and an only son, always looked forward to his grandpa’s visits on weekends. That day, Darius asked grandpa to play chess with him.  During the game, Darius was playful and wasn’t taking the game seriously. 

“Checkmate,” grandpa said. 

Darius sulked. 

Darius’ dad (grandpa’s son-in-law) talked to grandpa later and said, “Next time you play with Darius, please make sure he wins. He’s still young and we need to encourage and affirm him.” 

Grandpa was heartbroken and thought silently, Am I of the old school? He had always believed that children, no matter how young, must be told they are wrong when they are. They should only be rewarded for things they do well. Otherwise, they would grow up thinking they are better than others, and worse, they can do haphazard work and still emerge a winner.  

Disciplining children is a must in the Bible. Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” 

Darius may have felt disappointed, but through his defeat, he was being taught by grandpa to play better next time.  

In Hebrews 12:11 (NLT), we read, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”  

Proverbs 13:24 minces no words, “He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly."

Before he left for home, grandpa told his daughter in private, “This is your family and I do not mean to interfere in how to bring up Darius. But please look up what discipline is in the Bible—and see how your Mom and I brought you up.” 

Reflect and pray: 

How can I help young parents to practice discipline? 

ooo

A PINK New Day

October 7, 2021, was a day like no other amidst this long, unending pandemic. 

From morn till night, everything I ever learned about creating a good advertising campaign was defied by all. 

And a new brand of hope was launched.   

It was the day incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo, the choice of the ISambayan coalition and a host of other groups to be the opposition's presidential bet, answered the call and officially filed her Certificate of Candidacy.  

Before her announcement, there appeared on social media some posts (profile pictures and memes) in varied shades of pink, the color that volunteers have been using on communication materials to convince Leni to run.  

In advertising, I learned that a well-crafted strategy be first put in place before the creative execution—posters, billboards, leaflets, press ads, and slogan, etc.—could begin. We had a color-and-template manual with strict specifics for a unified, total look. 

However, immediately after Leni delivered a speech about her decision, a multitude of pinks suddenly sprang up: some labeled in Filipino, some in English, on images (roses and other flowers, gowns, ribbons, furniture, buildings, you name it). No well-laid strategy, no creative parameters. Everyone was his own creative director. 

A sea of pink materialised like magic.

"Have you ever experienced a pink sunrise? I just did," tweeted Manolo Quezon, a noted Filipino writer.

That described precisely the emotion choking me. I felt as though grace rose in all shades of pink, shining brightly and signifying the dawning of a new, beautiful day. 

It was then I realized what some friends have earlier articulated, "Leni is not a brand, but a movement." Indeed, it is growing organically towards hope: to end  the decaying and decomposing culture of impunity that might have already ensconced itself in our beloved Philippines in the last five years.   

My profile photo in glowing fuchsia/cerise/magenta/amaranth, courtesy of my friend Ggie, features a "Tumindig" avatar holding my newest book. 

Before the day ended, social media was in a phenominal pink-palette frenzy—with more slogans in all dialects and formats, more photos of every size and kind, more poetry and songs. JUBILATION. All caps. 

I needed to blog about this to record a time in my life when people spontaneously celebrated the bright pink of hope.  

This hope does not rest on Leni, but her kind has been sent to us, at a time of despair, so we can have a foretaste of our joy and peace if we fix our eyes upon the Source of all. 

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NLT)

Photo credits: the collage is made up of borrowed FB profile photos and posts of friends 

A Cheerful Heart

My dear friend Lynnie, dubbed as "book lady," has a heart so cheerful it shines wherever she goes.  Even if plans are waylaid or aborted, her brilliant smiles and disposition make people feel everything will be okay. 

After choosing to stay single for some time, while focused and immersed in ministry, the Lord sent her "The One." Lynnie decided to marry Doug, a widower with three adult children. Circumstances after circumstances brought them together, as though these were being divinely orchestrated.  

Lynnie realized (an epiphany!) she was meant to have Doug as her life partner, “He is a missionary and I work on events for Christian organizations, we should be able to support each other’s ministry." 

On their wedding day, put together by friends of both, the sun glowed on the beautiful garden where they were to exchange vows. As though on cue, however, the rain pelted; the officiating pastor suggested to shorten the ceremony. 

But the couple said, “No, all or nothing!” 

Umbrellas sprang up all over the place, and under these umbrellas they committed their union to God. 

What the videos/photos showed was glorious celebration. Everybody—guests, bridal entourage, and especially the bride and the groom—seemed to welcome the showers of blessing. The joy was palpable. Wet faces were full of mirth and laughter. 

It was a happy thanksgiving to the God of love Who chose one for the other. All other peripherals—clothes, hairdos, décor, physical arrangements, etc.—faded into insignificance.  

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.” (Psalm 37:4-6) 

At her wedding, Lynnie’s cheerful heart radiated so brightly, even the weather was illumined by it.    

Reflect and pray: 

How can I develop a cheerful heart to encourage others to do the same?  

ooo

In Due Time

Bills, statements of account, library books, paper submissions, mortgages, loan payments and all other transactions have due dates. There is a penalty for not meeting them.   

In fact, anything we do on Earth has a timeline. Even extended deadlines have specific due dates. That’s what calendars and timepieces are for. 

It's the same with life on earth. When does it end?  Life's deadline varies from person to person. 

Some die young, too soon; some die old, too late; some die suddenly: some die after a long, lingering illness. Some seem to be given an extension and we call it, "second life." But there is a specific date for every individual's last breath, which is unknown to us.

Now, the phrase, “in due time” is everything but specific or definite. It means "eventually" or "at the right time." It is used to suggest that we should be patient, or to suggest that some event will happen eventually. 

It is vague. 

Have you ever been through a crisis? Or are you going through one now? In such a state, oh, how we pray for God’s rescuing grace to intervene and ease our plight right away.  

But does He?  

In John 11, Jesus is told that his friend, Lazarus, is critically ill. To his disciples' surprise, Jesus doesn’t hurry to heal him; He goes two days later.  

Lazarus has been dead for four days when Jesus arrives. He then brings His friend to life. Is that late? 

That's "in due time." What a miracle that someone who has been dead that long could still come alive!  

God’s perfect timing. "While waiting," our pastor often  emphasizes, "we grow our faith, fully believing that only God gets the glory for pulling us through." 

When is that again? "In due time.” 

This three-word phrase is exclusively His—God's own schedule; not yours, not mine.  

"'My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,' says the LORD." (Isaiah 55:8 NIV) 

Humans have a life span; God has none. He is eternal—the beginning and the end. 

The world had a date for Jesus' crucifixion and death. But on the third day, nobody expected He would rise again and conquer death. It’s the same way with crisis, suffering, and life itself—only God can end them “in due time.” 

The good news is, if we have the gift of salvation to join Jesus in His home, our life there will be forever, with no deadline.  

Take a Stand: An Astounding Visual Movement

It took only one fist to take a stand on social media. And a movement was born.

Tarantadong Kalbo (roughly translated as bald-headed jerk), is 34-year-old comic artist Kevin Eric Raymundo.  He launched his "Tumindig" (Take a stand) illustration below, a few days before President Rodrigo Duterte's last State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July.  

He drew rows of fists (President Duterte's signature fist bump) subserviently kneeling to someone in power. But one fist stands in defiance, while the fist to his right takes a subtle peek. 

Immediately, the clenched fist standing up was now accompanied by more fists, individually accessorized by other artists, standing up. 

The illustration grew . . .

and grew . . . and grew, until every fist—each with a distinctive character—was taking a stand. 

Tarantadong Kalbo made it easy for everyone to create his own illustration by uploading a bare version of his fearless fist. People picked it up and created their own avatars. 

I could not pass up the standing offer.  

Among my artists friends, I called up Ggie, illustrator and designer of some of my books and therefore knows me well, to please make me an avatar. I didn't have to explain what I wanted. In less than an hour, she whipped up this writer taking a stand along with her books. It's been my FB profile since. 

The clenched-fist characters sprouted in SONA rallies as mascots. Meanwhile, Tarandadong Kalbo was interviewed on various media networks.  His online "Take a Stand" visual movement had gone viral! 

It made it to the front page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI), a national newspaper, with the original basic fist surrounded by tons of other dressed defiant fists, and was likewise given a full-page feature in the same issue.  

Since we buy copies of dailies (yes, we prefer them to website news) it was easy for me to take photos of the "Tumindig" news story and feature article. After uploading it to my FB page, I was shocked beyond reason to find that my post was liked 444 times and shared 346 times. A record for me by all standards! 

How can one simple illustration start an astounding movement? 

This seems to parallel what Scripture says (John 1:35-1) about my faith. It only takes a spark to bring others to the Source of grace and everything good. 

I believe that as long as we take a common stand, and come into a circle of prayer for help from our all-powerful Savior, hope will stand on solid ground, and stand the test of time.   

Photo credits: except for my avatar and screenshot of PDI, all photos are from the page of Tarantadong Kalbo 

God's Melody

One of God's most mysterious and marvelous gifts to man is music.  

It is mysterious because the melody (defined as the satisfying sequences of notes that give us the tune, strain, or the musical theme) can bring people like me to massive tears by deeply connecting to our feelings and innermost being.  

It is marvelous because it brings unbridled joy to anyone who can hear and is touched in various ways by the melody.  

Melody. 

Such a fitting name for the lovely 20-year-old girl who would sing praises to God almost every Sunday, alongside other members of our church's Pillar of Praise (POP) singing group!

God's Melody. 

God's own. He took her home this Sunday morning to sing Him praises not only on Sundays but for all time, for eternity. It's a death we were never prepared for. Last night, a few hours before her last breath, almost a hundred of us gathered online to pray for and with her. 

"Lord, why Melody?!" 

She was only 10 years old when I heard her sing for the first time—ironically at the wake of Aling Flor, a faithful member of our church. What raw talent! I sat up, mesmerized. Her song brought tears to everyone's eyes. 

Looking back, it seemed odd that the Lord would use a death to bring Melody and her siblings regularly to church. Although they had attended VBS and other activities for children in the past (at the instance of Aling Flor's daughter, Tez), it was at the wake when Melody caught the attention of our youth pastor, music team, and Sunday School leaders. 

From then on, God never let her go. That raw talent, 11 years later, was now a polished gem.

Those into music joined hands in training Melody further. Meanwhile, her other siblings were encouraged to become active members of the children's music group, initially, and then the youth group eventually, and the PVGC family till today.   

God's invites us to " . . . be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord . . ." Ephesians 5:18-19 (NKJV)  

That verse and over 50 others say: we need to make melody in our heart for Him. When we do, a unique connection happens between us and God, bonding through our heart, mind, and soul. 

God's Melody frequently sang hymns and psalms before and with the congregation, always from the depths of her heart. When she rendered "The Lord's Prayer" in Filipino, we sang the same prayer in our heart, too, and felt God's presence. 

Like music, Melody's passing is grace that is both mysterious and marvelous—mysterious because we will never know God's thoughts; marvelous because she is now a living witness to God's full glory in paradise. 

Melody, you belong to God. We will not say good-bye; instead, we say, "till we meet again." Because we, your family at PVGC, belong to God, too.  

We who believe in Jesus are in the melody of His music. 

Photo credits: Vincent, Xhrys, Melody's FB page 

When You Don't Know that You Don't Know

In all my working years (workplace and campus), this phenomenon repeats itself in self evaluation:  

The achievers rate themselves low; the laggards rate themselves high. I didn't realize till the long lockdowns, which gave me ample time to research, that this occurrence is not a new disease or mental illness.

It is a fact, and it has a name: 

Dunning-Kruger effect.

"It is a type of cognitive bias in which people believe that they are smarter and more capable than they really are. Essentially, low-ability people do not possess the skills to recognize their own incompetence. 

This behavior is as old as the hills, but it was only in 1999, when the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology published a research paper by David Dunning and Justin Kruger, who studied and documented it.

We have known this theory since the time of Socrates, who is often quoted as having said, “The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.” 

The Dunning-Kruger effect explains why unskilled people think they know it all and tend to be overconfident. Or simply put, incompetent people think they know more than they really do, and they tend to be more boastful about it.

In their research, the duo quizzed people on several topics: grammar, logical reasoning and humor. After each test, they asked the participants how they thought they performed.  

The results, even if they already knew the hypothesis beforehand, shocked them just the same. No matter the subject, the people who did poorly on the tests ranked their competence much higher. Those least likely to know what they were talking about believed they knew as much as the experts.

Dunning and Kruger’s results have been replicated in: math skills, wine tasting, chess, medical knowledge among surgeons and firearm safety among hunters. The results are the same. 

In my past Critical Writing classes in MBA and college, on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest), the good writers rated themselves a low average of 2, explaining they still had to work hard to perfect their craft. 

On the other hand, those who could hardly write a coherent paper with correct grammar, boasted, "I am definitely a 5!" Or, "I am a 4.8, missing just some of writing technicalities." 

What's even sadder about the research is: the poorest performers are also the least likely to accept criticism or show interest in self improvement.

If you were a boss or a teacher, what would you do? 

I did away with self-evaluation for a while. But the urge to test this theory comes and goes—all because it makes me reflect on where the grace of knowing oneself comes from:  

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10 NKJV) 

Odditrees

Yesterday, after some blissful time reading and writing (with 99% of my Covid symptoms gone), I visited the Covid-19 Update Site. 

Just when I am finally beginning to understand the terms GCQ with “some restrictions” and GCQ with “heightened restrictions” and the MECQ in the NCR “bubble with high risk and moderate risk” in “ADAR blah, blah, blah,” here come "APOR, granular lockdown, Alert Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5" and other new gobbledygook. 

My brain bled. It screamed, “SIMPLIFY A COMPLICATED CRISIS AND COMMUNICATE CLEARLY! #@^&%!” 

To stop the hemorrhage, I decided to tour the world instead and enjoy God’s calming creation: trees. 

We have about a dozen trees in our yard, planted by my late dad years ago (today would have been his 101st birthday). If only our yard were wider, he’d have planted more.  

Dad used to say, “While still young, a tree can be designed the way you want it to grow. You can braid the supple branches or put together several saplings. You want it lean and tall? Chop the branches this way. If you want it squat . . .” 

“Oooh,” was all I could contribute.

“But,” he stressed, “only God can make a tree grow by giving you more rainfall, or less intense dry period, or lower temperatures.” 

Indeed abundant sunshine and water are what trees need to grow straight up quickly.  But because of abrupt weather changes in different parts of the world, we see awesome and amazing oddities! Let’s call them “odditrees.”

Here are some that made me gasp and gulp.

There are more, but I am reserving them for my next tour, when my brain begins to bleed, break, and burst again.  

Man may have planted and designed them, but only grace made them grow and finally look like this way and that way. 

“ . . . all the trees will know that it is I, the LORD, who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. . .” (Ezekiel 17:24 NLT) 

Photo credits: pinterest.com

Eating the Rainbow

Only two authorities on the rainbow make me sit up and listen: 

1) God:  “. . . when I form a cloud over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I’ll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will floodwaters destroy all life.” (Genesis 9:14-15 NLT)

2) My doctor – “Improve your health, eat the rainbow.” 

I was reminded of both when the rainbow was splashed all over social media in June by those who celebrate the pride month. 

I celebrated (and continue to celebrate) instead God’s promise to mankind and my doctor’s prescription for good health: eating the rainbow. 

This diet involves fruits and vegetables of different colors every day. By having a variety of colors in my meals, I gift my body with an array of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. 

In His infinite wisdom, God created these natural foods in all the colors of the rainbow. Each color (in different hues) is caused by specific phytonutrients, which are natural chemicals that help protect plants from germs, bugs, the sun's harmful rays, and other threats. Each color likewise indicates an abundance of specific nutrients.

As examples: 

The reds (tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, strawberries, apples, etc.) contain phytochemicals, lycopene and ellagic acid, which have cancer-fighting effects and other benefits.

The oranges and yellows (squash, corn, lemons, grapefruit, mangoes, etc.) are rich in vitamin C, carotenoids, and beta-carotene that improve immune function, reduce the risk of heart disease, promote healthy vision and cell growth, and reduce the risk of stroke. 

The greens (avocado, limes, kale, broccoli, asparagus, etc.) are rich in lutein, isothiocyanates, isoflavones, vitamin K, and folate for blood and bone health; they boost the immune system, help detoxify the body, and restore vitality.

Then there are the blues, purples, whites, and browns. Here’s a detailed graph of why these multi-colored creations are the Lord’s grace for my health and yours. 

Let me echo my doctor, and invite you to eat the rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day.  

“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.” (Deuteronomy 8:10 NIV)

Multiple Selves

“Who am I?” “What is the meaning of life?” 

These were questions that my college friends and I, who thought too highly of ourselves (hallucinating about being intellectuals and intimate with the philosophy of existentialists), asked. In my time, to be deep was to be on a self-erected pedestal. Shallowness was a dirty word. 

It did not take long before I spiraled down to the ground with a thud. I got married and took a straight path back to the faith that has defined for me the meaning of life. 

That does not mean, however, that I have shunned those kinds of books. I read them still (especially now that the pandemic gives us all the time to reflect and ponder), but not in the context of being deep. It’s in relation to my faith journey. 

During this crisis, one reads online narratives of how people see themselves, and how they want the world to see them, perhaps also trying to find the meaning of life.  

One post struck me: the art of my friend, Lorenz. Coincidence? In one image, he summarized for me what I was reading, David Lesters’ On Multiple selves. 

Each of us has facades, masks, or false selves (depending on the place or occasion) that obscure our actual self. Lorenz’s face dramatizes this familiar chart, which I took the liberty to modify, based on my personal observations. 

Every human being, even kids, possess multiple selves. Try observing a grade school campus from the time parents drop off their kids to the time they pick them up. Within a few hours, inside and outside the classroom, they can turn into purring kittens, barking dogs, snorting pigs, laughing hyenas, howling wolves, gentle lambs, melodious birds, etc.

Is having multiple selves a bad thing? 

We have rules of behavior in various situations, don’t we? We need to behave differently in parties, Zoom meetings, government offices, and church. 

But here's a note to my actual self: wherever you are and whomever you are with, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17 NIV) 

Covid-19 Stared Me Down; I blinked

We all blinked; our whole household blinked. 

Like many Covid victims, we continue to wonder how the virus got into our super-safe enclave. It will remain a mystery.  

Our corner house has windows all around and the terrace abuts the wide, airy garden. We followed, bordering on obsession, health protocols to the letter. Tony and I, both seniors, never went out in 1.5 years, but for my 20-minute trip to the bank last year to close an account.  

Except for food deliveries, all packages and bags are sprayed or wiped with alcohol. We leave them in the terrace overnight before opening them. 

Sons #1 and #3, who both work from home go out rarely, with masks and face shields on. They bathe when they come back. Mother Teresa, our househelp, sometimes buys this and that from the corner store, but washes her hands thoroughly before entering the house. 

Our driver Sam, who does the errands for us, lives with his wife in a house away from the crowd. When he comes around, we don't talk to him. He leaves the receipts and change on a tray outside the main door. 

Over two weeks ago, Tony started coughing and developed a slight fever. Our doctor, an angel sent by God, immediately prescribed cough medicine and hovered over virtually. Three days later, I had itchy throat and a low-grade fever that threw me into a pit. The next day, we made arrangements for home-service swabbing for the whole household. We alerted our friends and loved ones who went down on their knees to pray for us. Except for JC and Sam, we all tested positive.   

We sent Sam home—on call for any emergency. JC isolated himself. 

And my punishing and exhausting saga battling Covid continues till today, my 14th and supposed emancipation day. JR is fully recovered. Tony still has cough, and Mother Teresa is back to her if-I-don't-move-I-will-die self. 

Completing our vaccine doses months back was grace beyond measure, or one of us would have been hospitalised or gone to glory.  

Pant, pant. This simple act of blogging has sapped my energy. I could not summon enough passion to do what I loved doing best—writing. I think Covid stole something away from me; I don't know what it is exactly.  To echo Job, "God gives, God takes."  

My prayer then and now is to breathe and live this verse:  

"Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)  

A Yummy Book: Lumpia Lane

Smooth would be the adjective I'd use to describe the creation of Lumpia Lane, a children's book published by Hiyas of OMF Literature about Chinoy (Chinese-Pinoy) culture, which I co-authored with Caitlin C. Wu of Cebu and illustrated by C.R. Chua. 

From the time it was envisioned up until it was written, everything went according to schedule.

It began with the two-day creative writing workshop that I conducted at the Philippine Christian Gospel School (PCGS) in Cebu, and which I blogged about thrice in a row! The 20 talented participants (from grades 7-10) were handpicked by their English teachers because of their interest in both reading and writing.

Our task was to come up with stories, the most outstanding of which would be published by Hiyas—the  very first book authored by a young writer in partnership with an old (very old) one.  

At the end of the second day, there was an avalanche of ideas. Credit goes to PCGS for training them to think out of the box. Their individual manucripts had to be further polished, based on our one-on-one critique session, and emailed to me after a week. Yes, the onus was on me. 

How does one choose from the pool of endearing stories? 

One, however, stood out: Lumpia Lane. It dwelt not only on values but also on Chinoy culture, which is so much a part of us.

From there, Caitlin and I exchanged ideas online on how to make it more compelling. After several revisions, we finally had the draft down pat.  I sent it to the editors of Hiyas of OMF Lit, who polished it further. After rigid scrutiny from the publications department (yes, books pass through the eye of a needle), it was ready to go to press. 

Then clonk, clop, and clank! The pandemic took center stage. Smooth slinked away. 

Many months later, Hiyas found a way to have it printed! And by God's surprising grace, it was launched online with Julia, her parents, C.R., PCGS's department head, the head of school, and me.  

I call it a yummy book because everyone who has read it says the lumpia makes them drool.

Also, when asked what part of the book she spent most of her time on, the illustrator said, making the lumpia scrumptious. 

But the lumpia in this story is more than a tasty treat. Its variety of colors, ingredients, and meticulous preparation symbolize everything good about a family on a fresh new day!  

Jonah’s Prepositions

Among all the parts of speech, prepositions are the most difficult to learn for Filipinos writing in the English language. It’s because Filipino prepositions (pang-ukol) are few and therefore not meticulously studied in Filipino subjects. 

It is always a challenge for us, therefore, to choose from among many English prepositions such as: in, on, at, from, with, etc. Almost all translate to “sa” and “ng.” 

Our pastor piqued my interest when he started saying “preposition” from the pulpit during Missions month. Grammar lesson? 

In a way, yes. He mentioned three prepositions that encompass prophet Jonah’s attitude when he was being sent out by God on a special mission to Nineveh. 

Jonah was to convince the people to confess their evil deeds to God, or the Lord would destroy the nation. Nineveh was an enemy of Jonah's country, Israel, so he refused to go there. 

First preposition: from     

Jonah ran away from God. He traveled elsewhere, by ship. But there was a terrible storm, The sailors decided that Jonah was to blame so they threw him overboard and the storm suddenly stopped. God sent a large fish to swallow Jonah so he would not drown. In the belly of the fish for three day and three nights, Jonah realized that his troubles arose from resisting God. He asked for the Lord’s forgiveness and thanked Him for rescuing him. God then caused the fish to throw up Jonah to the shores of Nineveh.  

Second preposition: to  

Jonah finally went to God. He warned the people that they should confess their wickedness within 40 days so the Lord would spare their land. The people obeyed Jonah and God saved them all from being wiped out.  

Third preposition: with  

Now Jonah was with God. In the Christian world, this symbolizes new life after three days and nights of death in the fish's belly. This would be reflected in the death and resurrection of Jesus. 

 

Simply put, if we are with God, we will bask in His grace and His love forever and ever and ever.  

Happened by Happenstance

It was by happenstance that I came across happenstance early in the morning. I don’t usually use it. The word I choose is either coincidence or accident because they are shorter.  

While solving the Jumble Words, one of my favorite anti-depressants, in one of the newspapers (which Tony buys for their puzzles, primarily, and for the news and editorials, secondarily) happenstance jumped at me. 

At first, my mind refused to form the word from the alphabets I had. No matter how much I tried to rearrange them (anagramizing is fun!), there was no other word but that. 

As an advocate for short words and short sentences in writing workshops, I usually stress, “If you find several synonyms for a word, try to use the shortest one.” What I don’t verbalize is, Think short, until words become like a second skin; only then should you dare write long sentences that hit the right notes.” Hence, my ambivalence in using happenstance. 

Ironically, long (prolonged, is more like it) has been the word that describes our pandemic life. It’s been over 500 days since seniors were locked down. 

It’s been that long since I had a haircut in a salon, a leisurely shopping day, a date with my girl friends, and a lazy afternoon in a coffee shop reading books with Tony. It’s been that long since I taught in a classroom, worshipped with faith brethren inside our church.

Ironically, again, the long 500-plus-day quarantine, which many have found off-footing, has actually been a looong grace period for discovering and reflecting on new wonderful things at home, most of which are recorded in uploaded and scheduled-for-upload blogs, or in a new book, to be launched hopefully within the year.  

This long stretch of grace did not happen by happenstance (there, I used the word!). My chronological Bible, which occupies my daily quiet time, affirmed the constant presence of God’s Spirit, whatever the circumstance (that’s the cousin of happenstance).    

“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” (Psalm 139:7 NLT)

Baffling Bananas

Is this for real?! I was baffled when I saw this photo posted by a niece. 

Her reply to someone who typed this same question: “I took this photo myself in Umingan, Pangasinan, my parents’ hometown.” 

I went bananas for close to a minute. So I researched. 

(In the ancient days of my youth, we had to wait for the next edition of the encyclopedia, which took two to three years, depending on my parents’ budget, to know more about a topic of interest. One other way was to find a library with the latest books, which was nil.) 

Simply typing “Banana plant images,” I found these:  

The bananas photographed by my niece are also found in many countries.  Although this is phenomenal to someone like me who had no interest in bananas, it has been a regular occurrence among farmers and arborists. 

Technology has brought the world to our fingertips, and because the pandemic has forced us to stay home, we now have limitless time to be tourists and researchers without having to ride a plane—and gain knowledge faster than we ever did before.  

My laptop and mobile phone have also led me to discover the inexhaustible variety and magnitude of God’s grace. 

On the topic of bananas alone, did you know that they come in many colors and varieties? Here are some of them:   

Baffling, isn't it? 

God’s works are great and his thoughts deep, every new generation uncovers things nobody ever thought existed or could exist.   

“O LORD, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts.” (Psalm 92:5 NLT)  

Where is Heaven?

Whenever a kid asks me this question, usually in my book talks, I always remember my late big boss whom I preferred to call Mr. Sev, but known in the office as SCA.  

Mr. Sev didn't care where he sat in meetings. He would go to any chair. So when we pointed to the head table, which was his rightful place, he would retort, "Where I sit is the head table." 

Cool.

That's how I reply to the question, "Where is heaven?" 

"Heaven is where Jesus is." 

The Bible tells us that it is a place, but not some immovable address as we know it—north, east, west, or south in a land far away. It is the place where Jesus is. Period.

And in that place, "righteousness is at home . . ." (2 Peter 3:13) Jesus calls heaven, "My Father's House." (John 14:1-3) 

But those are too abstract for children to understand. So I try to make it more concrete, "In Jesus' dwelling place, everyone is happy, a friend of everybody, and loved by all. Everything is beautiful." 

"No bullies?" 

"Bullies don't live there. No cursing, no fighting, no shaming, no crying, no name-calling, no blaming, and no dying exist in that perfect place."  

The conversation goes on and on. In the end, they chorus: 

"Oooh, I want to live there!" 

Those who believe in and have accepted Jesus as his/her Lord and Master will definitely live there, all because of His saving grace   

So where is heaven? 

In Revelation 21:1-5 (the Message), John wrote: 

"I saw Heaven and earth new-created. Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea.

"I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband.

"I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: 'Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God. He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone.' The Enthroned continued, 'Look! I’m making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate.'”

When is this going to happen? 

Nobody knows. What we do know, by faith, is that it will happen—and (my personal wish) soon. 

Why Butterfly?

After reading my post on her love for butterflies, my sister Aie messaged her answer to my unasked question of why she loves them.  

"It all started when I got me a picture book [Hope for the Flowers] written by Trina Paulus in the early '70s. God's Word in another language. It takes a lot of butterflies to make a world full of flowers!"

Boom! That jogged my memory; details came back. I have that same book. Aie and I would discuss it with our late friend, Daisy, during the "flower power" era.  

This book resonated with us then because we were still trying to find our place in the sun: moving from a seeming rut to a dynamic, fulfilling life. 

"Hope for the flowers" is categorized as a children's novel, but for me—like the books Jonathan Livingston Seagull and The Little Prince—it is a fable, an allegory, that is more for millennials today and upwardly mobile young professionals, rather than children. 

The main character, Stripe (a caterpillar), does not truly know what he wants. All he desires is to escape from the humdrum of perpetual crawling and leaf-eating. 

When he sees many caterpillars climbing towards the clouds, he decides to climb with them to reach the top, too, even if he has no idea what is there. 

In my encounters with millennials, many have no plans or goals for the future, because they don't know what they want and where they want to go. 

They embody Stripe, who follows the crowd, leaving the dull life behind, and blindly hoping for the best. In the climbing, he steps on others, but he does not care on whom he steps as long as he can inch up ahead of them.  

Then he meets Yellow, and Stripe's perspective changes. 

Although they share the same doubts and uncertainties, Yellow and Stripe decide to live a peaceful life away from the climbing crowd. 

But Stripe soon becomes restless again and decides to yet again climb the mountain of caterpillars. 

Meanwhile, left behind, Yellow experiences something glorious and wonderful. He becomes a hope for the flowers. 

Boom! No wonder, Aie, who has left her cocoon to be at her rightful place (serving the Lord), loves butterflies. 

". . . Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."  Romans 8:26-28 (The Message)