All Fogged Up

After PTC, which was a great success, my co-teachers and I went on a day trip to Tagaytay to try this place that serves breakfast buffet! Upon arrival, the city greeted us with a thick fog and the restaurant we aimed to go was closed! OH NO! Despite the weather and shattered dream, the trip was fun! We ate elsewhere and I devoured like I ought to.

Looked like clouds around us.

Resounding Gong

“Blah blah blah blah… and BLAH…” that’s how I thought I sounded as I taught the first graders yesterday. I thought, “God, I’m sorry, but I feel like I’m just going through the motion just for the sake of doing so!”

Then I added, “Lord, I want to teach with joy regardless if I like who I’m teaching or what I’m teaching.”

Unknowingly, God answered my prayer the moment I taught my students the lesson that was intended for me. It wasn’t until I got to my apartment and turned down the world’s volume that I recognized His voice and His leading.

For the past two weeks, my lesson to the first graders was on 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.  Weeks before that, God had also led me to the same verse and last night was no different. It appeared on this book I borrowed and the chapter was on love. I know I have yet to grasp each word that He intends for me to learn, but what caught my attention this time was vs. 1:

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”

What am I doing wrong to feel convicted about this?

When we love, it tends to be choosy or selective. It tends to be conditional. Work has been a great blessing to me - Praise God for this amazing gift! However, there are times when I feel like a resounding gong just to get work done. Why? Because when I like what I do, I am capable of giving my 101% but when it's something that does not interest me, I sacrifice excellent output just to get it over and done with. To accomplish a task without love and purpose is drudgery. Verses 2 and 3 has the same idea as vs. 1: the things you do, even if it may appear that what you do is spiritual or glorifying to the Lord, if you do not love, “you are nothing.”

In my own words, “If I teach, but do not have love, I am merely a resounding gong as I yap about pronouns and nouns.”

If I expand this teaching to other things, I know that it teaches me that love is not selective. Love is a choice. Why should I love my job or the people in my life? Because they're gifts to me.

How do you know if you love what you do or love someone?

When you CHOOSE…

- to be patient with the task/ assignment/ person

- to be kind to the person…

- to be humble

- to not take advantage of others

- to be selfless

- to forget about the past

- to rejoice with the truth about the task or about the person

- to protect

- to trust

- to hope

- to persevere

My prayer is that I mirror the love of Jesus in all aspects of life. Jesus was not selective when He died for you and me. He chose to love. I want to choose to love my job, my family, and my friends regardless if I like it or not. 

Do you feel as though you're a resounding gong or clanging cymbal as you go about your daily routine? How about when you relate to the people in your life? How can you change the melody to the way you relate to the blessings God has given you?

God in a Sandwich

So remember the crackers I ate yesterday? Well, the Lord definitely turned my mourning into dancing! lol! Lemme tell you!

During that sad moment of forced contentment, I said, "Lord, a sandwich sounds good right now... Im hungry!" Around 730ish, I left work but turned back immediately due to my OCD tendencies! I had to double check the drawers at my cubicle and make sure I didn't leave anything. As I walked out, I thought that it was an unnecessary waste of time to go back even if I knew I had locked it. I consoled myself, however, by acknowledging that every delay has a purpose and a reason. 

On my way to the elevators, I saw a friend who jokingly invited me to join her meeting so I can grab something to eat (she knew I was hungry! Poor me). I declined but went with her anyway to say hi to the people at the meeting. Thereafter, I walked away but my friend called me out and waved a sandwich in the air!

A SANDWICH!  

(Okay, that picture below is not what she gave. That picture is c/o Pinterest!) 

When she handed me the food, I gleefully held onto it and said, "God, You are amazing!"

Indeed, every delay and every waiting period has its purpose and reason. You just have to find Him in the situation.

Ewiiie.

Some cute photos of my nephew and I. He was kissing the pole. Oh no!

Photo Credit: My sister 

Taken at Bonifacio High Street, Fort