It's Not What We Get But What We Give In Life That Counts

                        IT'S NOT WHAT WE GET BUT WHAT WE GIVE IN LIFE THAT COUNTS

Before, I was like anyone else in life, trying to get as much as I could. I struggled to get ahead of everyone else. It did not matter if I lost my scruples in the process so long as I got what I could. Until the Lord brought me down in abject abasement. He took everything away from me- my family (now living in the US), my health (I am down to my last ounce of strength), my friends (the only friends I have are online friends), my happiness (my two youngest kids who were the apples of my eyes went to the US) even my dreams (I now look at the future where I will die a forlorn death). But in the process, God showed me an existential lesson in life. It is not what we get but what we give in life that counts. Just recently I made a post about how lonely and miserable was my Christmas eve. God taught me not to look inward but outward. As I did, I just realized that God wants me to follow His example. I have to pray for everybody else and He will take care of all my needs. Suddenly I realized the meaning of Matthew 6:33, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." I no longer pray for my health (God will take care of that). I was constantly praying for the health of my daughter who is presently fighting her battles of multi cysts in her body. That condition conjures such frightful scenes of cysts spreading in her organs. I could only pray for God's mercy for her.

God came to earth to give wholly of Himself. He healed the sick, brought to repentance abject sinners, fed the multitudes, preached the Good News of the Gospel of Salvation. He died the most horrible and miserable death ever imagined by man. He gave everything, even His life, and asked for nothing in return.
His most cherished dream is for everyone to be saved and that none should perish. So He wants each and everyone of us to be channels of His blessings and salvation. Could we do no less?

START THE YEAR RIGHT

                                     START THE YEAR RIGHT

We must start right for the New Year. In order to do this, we must start with a clean slate. We must abandon everything that hinders us from attaining God's purpose for our lives. We must throw out all negativeness in our lives including illicit relationships, all illegal sources of income and livelihood, negative and self possessed people, negative thoughts and feelings, negative pastimes that hinders us from getting closer to God. In fact we must get away from everything that makes us sin and does not give glory to God. Remember, we were created by God to please Him and give glory to His name. No more, no less. Anything that will hinder us from doing this is an abomination in the sight of God. We must make a definite stand right here and now. Are we for God or for Satan and the world. Our decision on this will determine what we will be for the rest of our lives.   

Boredom

BOREDOM
Bored, depressed, lonely, feeling unwanted, feeling so alone with no one to care for you? These are feelings and emotions that come and go in our temporary lives and the enemy is using them to trap us into our own prison cells of inactivity and escapism. The enemy will push us to the edge until we lose all forms of sanity and contact with the real world. Sometimes the enemy will goad us to end it all and enter a world of oblivion and nothingness. But is that where we are bound to go after ending everything in the here and now? No, he is leading us to the everlasting world of suffering and deprivation, far, far worse than what we may be feeling today.
The antidote for these? PRAY MORE AND HOLD ON TO GOD'S PROMISES. Read God's divine promises in the Bible and use them to thwart all the attempts of the enemy to steal your joy and exuberance for living.
1. "And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).
2. "But my God will provide for all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
3. "For I know the plans I have for you, said the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11).
4. "The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen" (2 Timothy 4:18).
5. "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to its completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).
6. "Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21).
7. "Submit then to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you" (James 4:7-8a).
Never worry, God has covered all aspects of your life. And Jesus has already conquered the enemy in Calvary. Just claim your own victory for the taking. TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

The Secret Of Being Happy And Contented In Life

THE SECRETS OF BEING HAPPY AND CONTENTED IN LIFE
1. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. Instead of ranting and raving, why not count your blessings. If we put every man's conditions in life in a vertical position reaching out to heaven, we will find out that we are not badly situated after all. Yes, we may not be at the topmost position in the ladder but we are not in the bottom most position either. There will always be others who are higher or lower than us. There will be millions who will love to trade places with us. So instead of ranting and raving, start to count your blessings now.
2. BE AT PEACE WITH GOD. God is the starting point of life. He created us and is sustaining us in our every need in life. We are perfectly in the situation and place where God intended us to be, no more no less. So instead of grumbling and complaining, learn to trust God with all your heart and acknowledge Him in all you do and He will surely direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).
3. LEARN TO LIVE A SIMPLE LIFE AND ALWAYS BE HUMBLE. "God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). God will bless you if you remain humble in life and acknowledge His greatness over all creation. Learn to live a simple life devoid of any expectations from others. Learn to appreciate what God has given you. He knows what is best for you.
4. LEARN THE SECRET OF EQUANIMITY. Be tranquil and serene in life no matter what comes your way. God is no respecter of person. He gives us what is best for us in any given situation. All things pass, even the most trying events in life.
5. LIVE WITHOUT EXPECTATIONS IN LIFE. Disappointments and frustrations in life are the results of expectations, especially from people. Only God can give us the truest joy and contentment in life.
6. GO WITH THE FLOW OF LIFE. Most disappointments and frustrations in life are the results of swimming against the currents of life. As I said, we are perfectly where God wants us to be. That means He is directing all the events in our life. Do everything for the glory of God and live in order to please Him and He will lead us to our own Promise Land.
7. ACCEPT CRITICISMS ESPECIALLY CONSTRUCTIVE ONES. Be not onion skinned. Criticisms, especially constructive ones, are good for us. We all have blind spots in our lives and only honest revelations from true friends will reveal them to us.
8. PRACTICE DISCERNMENT TO KNOW WHO YOUR TRUE AND REAL FRIENDS ARE. Be not susceptible to flattery and praise. Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing. Some people use praise and flattery for their own ulterior motives.
9. BE GENEROUS WITH PRAISE AND STINGY WITH CRITICISMS.
When I was still working, one of the main motto of our company was, GIVE PRAISE IN PUBLIC AND CRITICIZE IN PRIVATE. Be sensitive with the sensibilities of others. We don't want to be humiliated in public so let us avoid it altogether in reprimanding others.
10. HOLD YOUR TONGUE. If you have nothing good to say to others better hold your tongue. You may feel good giving others a piece of your mind but you leave them totally devastated and humiliated and will surely remember your hurting words for the rest of their lives.
11. DO EVERYTHING FOR THE GLORY OF GOD. You will never go wrong if you practice this in your life .
12,. LIVE IN ORDER TO PLEASE GOD. That is the main purpose of our life. We were created by God to please Him by doing His will in our lives. In so doing, we glorify His name in everything we do.
I am not a hypocrite to say that I have already attained all that I have written. But I am striving to attain them with all my heart. After all, we are all works in progress. TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

Voices

There are so many voices that compete for our attention. Which voice we will heed will determine the path that we will take on our journey through life. The earliest voices that we heard were those of our parents. Theirs were the voices that nurtured us in our formative years. Then, there were voices of tiny angels like us who dreamed and wondered with us when we were groping for answers for the unending questions of life. We have encountered the different voices of our teachers and mentors as they instilled in us the disciplines and idealism that helped shaped our formative years. Yes, theirs were the voices of our heroes of the past, the ones we placed in our pedestals. Then, there were the cacophonous voices that proliferated our world when we competed with other wannabes as we climbed the stairway of the corporate world. Those were the voices of intense rivalries, of backstabbing and rumor mongering, of idle talks and gossips, of dressing downs and praises for jobs well done. There were even sinister voices that led us astray, who promised pleasures galore, but led us to the decadence of our souls.

But there is one particular voice that we must heed and take to heart. That is the still small voice that whispers so softly in the stillness of the night when everything is so quiet. We can only hear it when we are at peace with ourselves and not agitated. It is the voice of God coursed through our consciences. Continuous disregard of that small soft voice will result in the hardening of our hearts and losing the ability to hear that still small voice. Which voice we follow will determine our destiny for eternity. SHALL WE HEARKEN TO LISTEN TO THAT STILL SMALL VOICE?
Tags: God. Jesus Christ, Conscience, Still Small Voice, Voices

Posted byMel Avila Alarilla

It's A Wondertful Life

Have you not consider how wonderful it is to be alive? How thoroughly rewarding it is that we are loved by people that mattered most to us? Have we not appreciated that the sun shines after a stormy day or the light dawns after the darkness of the night? There are so many things we ought to be thankful for. Surely, we thrive in the fresh air we breathe. We hear the singing of the birds in the morning and the swaying of the leaves and grasses as the wind passes by. We are thrilled by the surging of the waves in the picturesque seashore. And have we not gotten the thrill of our lives by journeying to the imperial mountains that stand majestically amidst the clouds. The tiny creatures of the day and night show how wonderful it is to be alive. Have you seen the flying eagle as it soared ecstatically among the clouds, impervious of all the din down below? How we love to stroll by our favorite baywalk as seagulls come flying by? How we marvel at the majestic sun as it sets in its golden halo as the night slowly creeps in? And how we savor our favorite ice cream bar as we exchange pleasant stories in the moonlit night?

Ah, the earth is so peaceful as the light of the moon encompasses us all. And yes, have we not felt the presence of an Unknown Being who have made all of these things possible? How wonderful it is to be alive and cared for by an Almighty God who is so gracious in providing all of our needs. ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE.

Tags: It's A Wonderful Life, It's Wonderful To Be Alive, Life, Love, Cherished Memories, God, Divine Providence, Divine Grace

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

The Last Curtain Call (A short story- fiction)

Your most productive years may have been behind you now and you spend your time in utter loneliness and isolation, reliving your glorious past. Before, you were used to the praise and adulation of your millions of fans, but now you are left alone, staring on a blank wall where the sound of silence seems so deafening. Ah yes, you could still hear the applauses, the laughter, the celebration every time your name was called during curtain calls. Your name was on everyone's lips and dashing gentlemen made a beeline to hand you their bouquet of flowers. You have them all, boxes of chocolates, endless greeting cards, love notes- everything that reminded you of the tumultuous glory days of your life. People swooned when they heard your voice, and each end of your production numbers were greeted with thunderous applauses and endless calls for an encore.

Ah, you remember your past loves, the endless queues of men in your life. The fabulous places you have reached, the how do you do's with the high and mighty in your heyday. You have been around the world living in the adulation of your legions of fans. You savored each inebriating moment of your existence. You transferred from arms to arms, intoxicated by the love abundantly poured on your lap by your countless lovers. But you had your final curtain call. You are no longer famous. You are no longer beautiful. The voice that has so captivated millions of souls have now been reduced to a croaking and melancholy voice.

And as you look at the empty wall on a cramped room you are renting, you felt the hot tears of loneliness and grief falling from your eyes, gliding down your face. You closed your eyes and relived once more in your mind the glory days of your youth, when the world adored the beautiful and marvelous you. That was your very last curtain call. Early next morning, the porter of the hotel found a lifeless corpse of an old and emaciated woman still clutching in her hand her favorite photograph.

Tags: Vaudeville Superstar, Rich and Famous, Last Curtain Call
Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Transformation- The Key To Lasting Change This New Year

Every year as the new year approaches, we make a list of our new year's resolutions. At the advent of each new year, there is always a stirring in our souls to break free from our wretched past. But after only a month or so of futile attempts, we always end up a miserable failure. Why? Because by nature, we are weak and prone to sin. By nature, we are prone to violate our own moral standards. And even if we honestly want to change and take on a new path in life, it is almost impossible for us to do so without assistance from a higher supernatural source.

True transformation, wherein we finally break free from our wretched and sinful existence, is done only through the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can effect a genuine and lasting change in our lives where we choose to live a godly life rather than a sinful existence. This is what is termed a born again experience and it can be effected only if we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, confess our sins to Him and let His most precious blood wash clean all our sins in life.

By doing this, we invite the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and our long dormant spirit suddenly becomes alive and active. Thus we become a new creation. Our old sinful selves are dead in transgressions and we are now alive in the grace of God and declared holy by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That is true transformation wherein we live a new life dedicated to loving and serving God and becoming a vessel and a conduit of God's blessings and grace to others.


THE HARVEST IS PLENTY BUT THE WORKERS ARE FEW. WILL YOU HEED THE CALL OF THE LORD TO BECOME A WORKER IN HIS VINEYARD?

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Christmas (What Is Its true Meaning?)

We associate Christmas with endless shoppings, with sumptuous foods on Christmas eve and Christmas day, of never ending gift giving, of going to carnivals and fairs, and other forms of merry making characterized by wanton display of one's affluence and goaded on by crass commercialism.

That's why every year, when Christmas season approaches, 3/4 or more of the world's population feel dejected and lonely. Why? Because they lack the resources to buy all the nice things that will make them and their loved ones (especially their children) happy on Christmas day.

Why? Because they have accepted in their minds that Christmas is all about the ostentatious display of one's wealth come Christmas day. The world has accepted the gross commercialism and materialism that the western countries have ingrained in the minds of all the people in the world.

Everywhere in the world, people associate Christmas with Santa Claus and his gifts, with white Christmas characterized with snow and all the fun games of winter, with Christmas trees, with colorful Christmas lights, with fireworks, with fine new clothes, Christmas caroling, and with plenty and sumptuous foods.

But what is the real meaning and essence of Christmas? It seems that people have lost track of the true reason why we celebrate Christmas.

Luke 2:8-14 says, "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: you will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests."
The birth of Jesus Christ in a humble manger have presaged the opening of heaven's gate for all people to be saved by His eventual death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Thus, we should be celebrating Christmas in memory of the birth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ whom the Father sent to redeem fallen mankind.

We should celebrate Christmas in our hearts as we feel God's presence in our lives. The real merry making and the indescribable joy of the true Christmas will be fully experienced by us when we come face to face with our Savior in His kingdom, to live in blissful existence with Him forevermore.

Let us rediscover the original joy of Christmas by letting Jesus Christ enter our hearts.

Legacy- Our Golden Steps In The Sands Of Time

We will not be always here to stay. Tomorrow, we may be gone from this world.
What legacy would we want to leave behind?


We tread the sands of time but once in our lifetime. Good or bad, people will remember us for what we stood for. How we stood amidst the tremendous pressures that pushed us down? How we managed our tears? How we survived the pains? How we overcame all the bitterness and sorrows that welled in our hearts? And in the end, how we made peace with our Creator?


We move along the sands of time but once, to measure each and every song that influenced our lives. We recalled the lonely verses that pulled our hearts burning with fervent hopes of a bygone love. How strange that we faced the unfathomable horizons beyond, never knowing what lies behind the curtains of time.


With each heavy steps, our feet tread on the golden steps of the sands of time. Then we leaved our legacies behind.

Thirteen Flowers (A short story- Fiction)

It was just like yesterday when I had an argument with my wife and we had a falling out. I had to get out of the house to simmer down. As I was walking in the park, I saw a flower, a red one standing at the edge of the park. I was mesmerized by it that I found myself going out there to pick it up. What kind of flower was this? It was gorgeous and the color was crimson red, just like my blood. As I picked it up I thought of my wife. How lovely was she. It was just like yesterday when I married her and we had a turbulent relationship. We had our shares of quarrels but somehow, we managed to patch things up. And today was just like any other day that we had a spat.

As I looked at the flower, my anger seemed to have vanished and I realized just how important she was to my life. Ah, I'm going back to her and fix our relationship. I could not really go on with my life without her. And the children, they need a father to bring them up as wonderful kids. How foolish of me to run out of my house. Hah, I'm going back and straighten everything out. And I promise to God that I will never quarrel with my wife again. Life is more bearable with her charming presence around.

The house was in disarray. Everything seemed in topsy turvey. Rows of flowers lined the entrance to the house. It was so bright inside. People were milling around. Stifled cries can be heard outside. I saw familiar faces in the house. My father was there and so was my mother. I saw faces of my friends and relatives there. They were all there. Must be some sort of a reunion I guessed. Then I saw my wife. How lovely was she. She was wearing a white gown. And I saw my children, their faces ashen and sad. How I missed them all. I will tell them how much I love them.

I approached my wife and gave her the flower that I have. And she placed it with the other flowers in a big vase. I counted them all. Twelve white flowers and mine was the thirteenth, one that stand out in crimson red.

Everything became so eerie. Something's wrong. Suddenly, I realized that my father and mother were dead and so do all the relatives and friends that I saw there. They were all dead. My God don't tell me that my wife and children are all dead too.

Everything seemed to whirl around me. Flashes of darkness and light kept flickering all around me. My body stiffened and I could sense a vague light penetrating my eyes. Then voices occupied the peripheries of my mind. He's coming into. He is breathing. He is alive. I saw people milling all around me. And I saw the loveliest face that ever beheld my eyes. It was my beautiful wife, as she hugged me with all her might. And I saw my children milling around me, all crying unabashedly. What happened? I asked timidly. You were ran over by a car and you were brought here in the hospital already dead. The doctors tried to revive you and it's only now that you were revived.

And I saw the red flower that she held in her hand. Where did you get that, I asked? I got it from you. You were clutching this flower as though your life depended on it. Ah, freedom at last. I have been given back a new leash on life.


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Literary/Short Story

Life Is Like That

You may be groaning right now from   
the heavy burden that is on your shoulder,
but take heed, the Lord is just strengthening
those shoulders for you to be able to bear
the burdens of others.
You may be in a very dark tunnel right now
unable to see anything at all,
but take heed, there is always light
at the end of the tunnel.
You may be complaining right now about 
how hard it is to climb your mountain,
but take heed, after your arduous climb
you will see the most spectacular scene
at the top of the mountain.

Life is like that my child.
The Lord seems too harsh on us at times,
but please remember that He will never
give us any trial wherein He will also give
us sufficient grace to overcome them.

The eagles cannot fly to the very heights
of the sky if they were not pushed out
of their comfort zones by their mothers
who wanted them to fly on their own.
The process may be painful and scary 
as the young eagles plummet to the ground
but with tremendous pain and efforts
of flapping their young wings,
they eventually learn how to fly and
soar ecstatically among the clouds.

Pearls are made when an intruder 
invades the oyster who secretes
that powerful enzyme that kills
the intruder and turn it into an 
elegant pearl.  
The salmons swim upstream
half way around the world to 
return to their spawning grounds
where they eventually die after
laying their eggs.

Life is ebb and flow, strike or miss.
Nobody has a monopoly of the very
best and the worst of life. 
Each person has his own cross to carry
and the burdens to bear,
but after the hard lessons in life
are learned, the Lord will give us
the crowning glory of success.

Hold on, push through, climb higher still.
For every tear that you shed 
a crowning joy is waiting for you.
You were fearfully and wonderfully 
made by the Lord and He will not stop
pushing you to your limits until that
masterpiece which is you has been 
fully developed for the whole world
to marvel and admire.
God loves you more than you will
ever know.
Did He not die on the cross for you?
So when you are burdened by the 
heavy load you are carrying,
remember that the Lord is at your side
crying and sighing with you. 

Smile child. It is a beautiful life.
It is a wonderful world.


Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
                                

Do You Listen When Your Body Talks?

Our bodies communicate with us in so many ways, but oftentimes, we never listen to them. If we will only make it a habit to listen carefully to what they are saying, then we can save ourselves from lots of troubles. For example, our bodies communicate to us when we are hungry or when we are already full. But no, we let ourselves go hungry when we are so busy and try to push the feeling of hunger out of our mind's perception. The result, sooner or later, we develop ulcers. Or our bodies tell us that we are already full and fully satisfied, but no, our mind still wants to gorge on the delectable fares on the dining table. And the result? Sooner or later, we develop unwanted fats that can lead to full blown obesity.

Pains, fevers, dizziness, neuralgia, and other bodily symptoms are the ways our bodies communicate with us. We must be very sensitive to their messages if we want to live a fully healthy and longer lives. A nagging pain in the neck and at the napes could mean a high blood pressure. This could be accompanied by dizziness and a feeling of nausea.

For most part of my life, I have not been to doctors. They only make me more sick and panicky. I just listened to my body talks and I responded to them accordingly. Of course, I am not recommending what I am doing to others. I can do this because I live by faith and not by sight (senses). My complete trust and confidence in the goodness of God and His faithfulness to His promises plus the unmistakable language of my body have kept me relatively healthy and alive all these years although I was diagnosed to have life threatening diseases a long time ago. When your body talks, please listen to it attentively, then do whatever necessary things you have to do and live a relatively healthy and trouble free life.

Tags: Health, Body Talk, Symptoms, Life, Longevity, Freedom from Pain, Neuralgia, Dizziness, Sensible Diet, Exercise, Clean Living, Healthy Lifestyle, Wellness, Live By Faith, God's Promises, Long Life

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Lifestyle/Health/Wellness

Fasting And Prayers, Automatic Line To Heaven

There is still no shortest and surest way to God than fasting and prayer. Fasting has become a lost art, what with all the sumptuous fares all around. To be able to fast takes a lot of inspiration, determination and guts. But fasting, together with prayer and meditation on the word of God, is the fastest, shortest and surest way of reaching God. It reestablishes our connection with God. It accentuates our relationship with Him and reminds us who we really are in the presence of an Almighty God. It humbles us as we are reminded that we are just dusts of the earth, a mere discarded rag in the dazzling presence of the Creator of the entire universe. Aside from meeting God in His lofty dwelling, fasting, prayer and meditation on the word of God bring so many fringe benefits and bonanzas for us.

1. It cleanses our minds, hearts and soul and firmly reestablishes our connection with God.
2. It cleanses the mist and imperfections in our conscience, making it a crystal mirror of our relationship with God.
3. It strengthens the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We are immediately convicted of anything that disturbs our relationship with God that displeases Him.
4. It heals all our diseases. Modern medicine, saints, gurus, and ascetics testify about the wonderful effects of prolonged fasting to the body. A fasting of 3 to 7 days with only liquid for intake heals all sicknesses in our body, including incurable ones like cancer, lupus, bipolar disorders, aids, etc. When the body is starved of food, it eats first the diseased cells and accumulated fats in the body and expels all unwanted toxins out of the body. All clogged systems- circulatory, respiratory, digestive, muscular and even malfunctioning of vital organs of the body are cleansed of all undesired and toxic elements rendering them to operate smoothly like an overhauled machine.

The wounds suffered by Jesus Christ as He was mercilessly scourged by the Roman centurions represent healing for all kinds of diseases in mankind. We only have to claim it (the healing) through a living faith, and healing of both body and soul is ours for the taking. Pardon me as I complete the seven day fast ordained by our church for all our members nationwide and worldwide. HAPPY FASTING!

Tags: Fasting, Prayer, Meditation, Word of God, God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Healing, Diseases, Conscience, Line To God, Living Faith, Cleansing, Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, Dusts of the Earth, Discarded Rags, Mind, Heart, Soul, Relationship With God, Saints, Gurus, Ascetics, Cancer, Lupus, Bipolar Disorder, AIDS

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter

The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter
a poem by Mel Avila Alarilla


The heart is a lonely hunter
It seeks the places of previous
love, joy, reminiscings.
It yearns for a love that has been lost.

There in the periphery of time and space-
a love that has been sought was veiled
for the eyes to see.

How lonely is the world without one's love.
Looking at the empty walls,
only tears are the companion of one's soul.

As life begins to slowly ebb from this frail body,
I yearn to see once more the love I have long
sought for.
Wherever she may be, I hope she will realize
just how much I miss her.

My heart cries out in pain, the throbbing sobs
of the hurts embedded deep in my soul.
As the melody wafts in the inner chamber
of my mind,
I recall the wonderful days of years gone by
when we were together.

Now that I am on death throes
how I long to see your face once more,
To gaze at your winsome smile, To be reassured again and again,
that you love me.

Ah, that would be enough to calm the storm
raging in my soul.
As the cold misty air of the twilight time
descends on my empty body,
Let me hear once more your angelic voice
saying for the last time that you love me.
Again and again. Until the end.
Until the very..............end.




The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter




Tags: The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, Love of My Life, My Only Love, One and Only Love, Missing You, Lonely Heart, Love To Last A Lifetime, Pain, Hurt, Loneliness, Death, Death Throes, Again and Again, Until The End, Until The Very End

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Poetry/Literary

A Re-post Of Kimmy's Appeal For Help For Her Daughter

TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND READERS: I APPEAL TO ALL OF YOU TO PLEASE HELP MY BLOGGER FRIEND KIMMY TO DEFRAY THE COST OF HER DAUGHTER'S KNEE OPERATION. ANY AMOUNT YOU WILL SEND WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED AND WE WILL PRAY FOR GOD'S BLESSING TO POUR BACK TO YOU. GOD BLESS US ALL ALWAYS.

                                         Mel Avila Alarilla

                                          

Look at My Daughter.. She Needs Help..

August 20th, 2012 | Author: kimmy

This is my eldest daughter, Candid. She’s 17 years old taking up Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication. Last July 24, she twisted her right  knee in her Physical Education class. Though the x-ray, taken at the school clinic, showed no bone fracture, she was not able to go to school for a week due to extreme pain. But she finally managed to stand up alone and limp her way to class with knee support.

Two weeks after the incident, the school clinic released her x-ray result with an order that she see an Orthopedic surgeon. So, we went to see an Ortho surgeon. After checking my daughter’s knee, the surgeon wrote a request for MRI.

Last Saturday, I went to see the Ortho surgeon alone. With me was my daughter’s MRI result with the following findings:

1. Partial tear, anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments.
2. Complex tear, posterior horn of the medial meniscus.
3. Horizontal tear, posterior horn of the lateral meniscus.
4. Bone contusion, lateral femoral condyle
5. Minimal knee joint effusion.

The Ortho surgeon told me my daughter needs to undergo Arthroscopic Meniscectomy to repair the damage. The surgery, though not dangerous and would only take shorter period of time compared with major operations, is extremely expensive. It is about ten times my monthly salary in my previous job.

Right now, my daughter limps and her right thigh is already thinner than the left, probably due to minimal use. She can’t stand straight and she is in pain every waking moment. The pain intensifies when she gets tired, she walks up and down the stairs, she gets surprised or she feels cold. But sometimes the pain intensifies for no reason at all.

Nothing hurts a mother so much than to see her child in pain. And I see her in pain every day and witness her legs getting more and more deformed. And I began to think of the things she could no longer do like play football, run the marathon or even simply run around the park with friends. My heart aches and I desperately want to have her knee fixed. But we simply couldn’t afford it. We need help from friends.

So, I am reaching out to you. Please, help us. I know there are thousands of people out there who need help just like us, but I have to take my chance. I have to try..

Thank you so much and may GOD bless you and your family always..

*You can send your donations to rodlizb@yahoo.com. Any amount would be appreciated. Let us know if you send something so we can thank you properly by featuring you in my blogs or in private, whatever you prefer.

Yes, There Are Still Angels In The Internet

Despite the growing cynicism of the times where people tend to be more greedy and avaricious; despite the widespread distrust of man against his fellowmen; despite the turbulent situation of the world's economy; yes, and despite the coldness of man against his fellowmen, it is heartwarming to note that, yes, there are still angels in the internet. No, it is not the winged kind with glowing halos on their head. These are faceless angels I have met in the internet in the course of my blogging activities. It just so happened that I made an innocent comment in one of the post of a Christian blogger friend from the Philippines about how the verse she posted- Proverbs 3: 5-6 ("Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."), came to me like a sudden burst of spring shower in the desert land I was in, facing a financially gloomy Christmas. She asked for my Paypal account address. I said no, she needed the money herself because of a very recent and expensive major operation of her mother. But she insisted and I finally consented. Yesterday she deposited a generous amount to my account. It was heaven sent and what could I say but thanked the Lord for the generosity of this lady angel. I will not mention her name lest a beeline of opportunist bloggers come knocking at her door. Suffice it to say that I prayed hard for her that the Lord will return back to her a thousand fold what she gave me.

Another blogging friend from Canada who is suffering from multiple debilitating and painful diseases offered to send me a custom built cane that functions as a seat as well. I gently declined the offer, citing her own need for the medicine and treatment cost of her diseases and the exorbitant cost of shipping it from Canada. I can't believe that there are still people out there whose hearts are gold and still beating with love and tenderness for their fellowmen. May your tribe increase. Yes Virginia, there are still angels in the internet.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Angels, Internet, Blogging, Heart of Gold, Uplifting, Feel Good, Good Samaritan, Generosity, Blessings, Philippines, Canada, Disease, Healing, Faith, Love, Joy, Peace

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational/Feel Good

Where Eagles Soar

All of God's creatures including men seek shelter when there is a storm. No creature can withstand the fury of a raging storm. All except the eagle. As all the animals on air, land and sea seek shelter when a storm rages, the eagle actually welcomes the storm. He revels in it not by fighting it but by using its mighty wind to soar above the storm and reach far away places with nary an effort. High above the storm is calm air where the eagle love to soar and glide. Such is the outstanding qualities of this creature that God has use it to illustrate God's mighty provision and protection for man when the storms of life come crashing down on him. God says that He carries His children on eagle's wings and fly them through the raging storms of their lives and soar with them above the storm where they can glide in safety.

Think about that and picture it in your mind. God bringing you over and above the storms of your life to the relatively peaceful air above the storm where He carries you in peace and tranquility, borne by His mighty wings of love and protection. If we put our trust in Him, that is what He will do for us. He will shield us from the onslaught of the mightiest storms in our lives. He will bring us to the rarefied and tranquil air above the storm where we can glide in safety and joy. He promised us that no one can separate us from the love of Christ so long as we seek shelter on His wings.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 35-39) So let us soar with God like eagles above the storms of our lives.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Eagle, Soar Above The Storm, Storms of Life, Struggles, Problems, Deliverance, Protection, Love, Peace, Joy

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

Forgive In Order To Be Forgiven

Are you holding on to grudges and pains in your heart because of broken relationships caused by betrayal of trust? Are you still feeling the pain of a bruised heart because you were left alone by the love of your life for somebody else? Did you feel cheated when a close friend spilled out to others the secrets you confided to him/her? Is the spirit of unforgiveness and bitterness lingering in your heart causing you sleepless nights, unnecessary tears and sickness of body and soul? Learn to forgive and forget. The Bible says, forgive so that your sins maybe forgiven also. Yes, I know how hard it is to forgive as long as we are still feeling the pain in our hearts. But we can do the act of forgiveness by saying it orally that we forgive the person who hurt us and pray to God that we can also forget the bitterness it brought to us. Try not to get even or to equalize things on your own. This might lead to revenge which is sinful. Turn over the person's wrongdoing to God and relate to God all the pains and heartaches you are suffering due to that person's wrongful act. Ask God to resolve the conflict between the two of you and rest your case to God. In due time, your wounds will heal and you can actually forget the wrong that was done to you. It will be easy to forgive and forget if we keep in our minds that we also hurt other people before. We are not clean ourselves. If we can still ask forgiveness from the person we hurt and if we can restitute the damage we have done, then maybe that person may forgive us and we can have genuine reconciliation and peace of mind. Never dwell on past hurts and pains. Surrender them all to the Lord. Focus on love, forgiveness, joy, reconciliation and peace in your mind and you will experience a more pleasant and blissful life. Did not God say that the kingdom of God is in our hearts?

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Forgiveness, Key To Joy and Peace, Reconciliation, Happiness, Love, Kingdom of God, Peace of Mind

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Inspirational/Motivational

Childlike Innocense, The Door To Heaven.

The Lord said, "unless you be like these little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of God." Why, what qualities of children make them qualified for the kingdom of God? That quality is childlike innocence and the capacity to trust their parents to provide for all their needs. Did not God want us to treat Him as a loving Father who would lavish His children with all the good things in life? Have you seen the faces of children? Their angelic and innocent faces are full of love, warmth and affection for everyone. Their laughter are engaging and contagious. They play games with complete abandon. They love their parents and never worry for anything they want since they know they will be well provided for. Teach them about God, the love of God for men and Christ provision for salvation and they will readily understand them. It is as if they know all of these things by heart. Children love flowers, love to play under the sun. Even when it rains, they shriek in sheer delight for the wonderful provisions of nature. They are as curious as the cat and would ask you endless questions about everything under the sun. They appreciate beauty and nature far beyond what adults could appreciate. They bask in the magnificence of the morning sun and marvel at the dawning of the setting sun. They love to smell the fresh scent of flowers, of new mown hay, and love to hear the bellowing of the cows. Who would never get tired of playing their favorite pets of cats and dogs but little children? And the pets love them too, sometimes even more than their own kind. There is a bond between children and pets that no one can fathom. And at night before going to sleep, you will hear the most solemn and fervent prayers uttered to God for the blessings of family, friends and pets. Truly, if we could imitate the innocence and trusting attitude of children, then the door of heaven becomes wide open for us.

Tags: Children, Innocence, Child Play, Playing Under The Sun, Playing In The Rain, Beauty, Love, Joy, Sunshine, Provisions, Pets, Friends, Parents, Kingdom of God

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Inspirational/Motivational