February is a special month for me because it is my birth month!
Of course it is also the "love month", as Valentine's Day is celebrated on this same month. When the new year comes, I always look forward to February.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I consider my birthday as my new year, when I reflect on the year that was, and anticipate another good year ahead.
This looking forward lets me ask God to make February a great month. And it has been, so far! I have been relaxed, and good things has happened, at work and in my personal life. I feel more productive.
As it is stated in the Bible, "For this reason I tell you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" Mark 11:24
It takes for us to ask and to believe we have received it, to make it a reality.
Humility tempered with faith are the key ingredients to getting what we pray for. Humility in asking it from God. Knowing that God is a god who provides all our needs. Faith - trusting God to work His ways and in His time. This too requires patience, but in the end it is all worth it.
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As I look back to the year that was, I am truly blessed.
2013 has been a year of struggling with me migrating to a foreign land, yet it has brought me so much closer to God. And in knowing God, I also came to know myself better.
For a long time, I really have been wondering and aching for independence. Not that I am not free. But like majority of Filipino children, especially those living in the city, I stayed at my parent's house even after college. It is more practical that way. And way so much easier, not minding what is for breakfast, lunch or dinner, as mom usually takes care of it. Or not worrying if the clothes are not ironed as mom is there, or a house helper can be hired to do the work. Financially, since the parents are there, a minimum contribution is fine, if given at all, for household expenses. It is a privileged life really, but sadly, one that does not teach much responsibility.
So off I go, and I had a lot to learn, from having to wake up really early to catch the bus, to planning my meals (though I was still blessed as many times prepared meals are shared with me), laundry, cleaning. But more than the chores, I learned to know my emotions, what made me sad, laugh, cry, excited. I had to be in control, as I was among a new group of people who are not familiar with my ways, and so was I with theirs. I had to learn to adjust, with cultures, with seasons. It was not an easy path, but it taught me so much. Enough to bring with me for the years to come.
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LOVE. Who could resist it?
One day, as I was reading the Bible, this verse struck me and I knew that moment, it described the BEST KIND OF LOVE.
"For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:5
It is the kind of love that lasts forever, going on and on, defying space and time.
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Birthdays means getting old.
Some people become so sensitive with age, they do not want to think about it. Thus, they say "I do not celebrate my birthday anymore, because I have received a certain age...".
As for me, yeah, my age have reached past the calendar days.
Who knows, sometime in the future, I would also not mind the years coming. But then again, I like celebrating it so probably not.
Age should come with wisdom is my belief, so I try to learn more and apply more of it to become truly wise. But being only human, I fail at that at times too.
So birthdays do not become something anticipated. People even try to ignore it.
I think it is comparable to us ignoring the second coming of Christ. We ignore it by sinning, but in reality, it will come, like a thief in the night.
It is time we become more prepared, and start living a righteous kind of life.
