this picture of my niece was taken months ago...the slippers and the linings of her shirt whew hahahahaa... mellow yellow!

While drafting this blog this afternoon, one word sprout into my mind: FAITH... the commonly used word in the bible... the usual word uttered by the hopeful Godly people... but quite misunderstood by some...For me, faith is such a powerful word,this is what holds me still right now... Because of faith I was able to stand firm in times of adversity... it is by faith that I still hold on to my dreams... it is through faith that I cling on when I felt like giving up... Even if I am quite tired of hoping...pondering...waiting...I must go on because I have this faith on HIM!Somehow I am very thankful to Him that despite my weaknesses, my shortcomings-I can still feel His loving kindness... Maybe I need to have a paradigm shift the way I think... Being positive even if the actual things that happened around me are negative... After all: Thy will be done!

I got hold of this very thick book (in paperback)by the Author Cornelia Funke. This is one of her best-selling children's novel that comes to vivid life on the big screen with this family-friendly tale about a bookbinder (portrayed by Brendan Fraser) whose storytelling skills possess the curious power to transport the characters he speaks about into the real world. When a nefarious villain from a bedtime story that the father is currently reading to his daughter emerges to kidnap the stunned storyteller, it's up to the young girl and her adventurous friends -- both real and imaginary -- to bring dad back home and close the book on the dreaded fiend once and for all. The characters are very weird even their names like Dustfinger, Fenoglio and Capricorn with their very distinctive portrayal... Got to love it... I wasn't able to finish reading the book but I'm still looking forward when I'm no longer busy...

While I was reading the updates of Pepeng via Yahoo News, my initial reaction was "OH NO, NOT AGAIN!" Most of our affected brethren in the Northern part were not able to recover yet from the tragedy brought by Ondoy...
Here is the excerpt of the news:
Signal No. 1 hoisted over 6 provinces

"Latest DOST-PAGASA MTSAT-EIR Satellite Image (timestamp on image is UTC; add 8 hours to convert to Philippine Standard Time)

MANILA - Weather bureau PAGASA on Thursday said typhoon Pepeng (international codename Parma) is forecast to bring more rains and very strong winds in Northern Luzon including Metro Manila once it makes landfall Saturday afternoon.

In a press conference Thursday afternoon, PAGASA said Pepeng has intensified further, now packing winds of 195 kilometers per hour near the center, and gusts of up to 230 kph.

As of 5 p.m., PAGASA weather branch chief Nathaniel Cruz said the typhoon was sighted 440 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar and is moving 24 kilometers per hour in the general direction of Northern Luzon and the Taiwan area..."




We cannot say that their predictions are accurate or not, let's just hope and pray hard that the intervening power of God will prevail... God moves in a very mysterious way...

I was reminded of God's unfathomable plans for all of us... Just this week alone we are all bombarded with bad news... We might not be affected with Typhoon Ondoy but the burdens of it no one is spared... Who can dare to just sit back and relax and do nothing to alleviate the situations of our suffering kababayans? We might not have everything, we might not be that influential but in our own little ways we can be a blessing...I always believe then that EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON, BE IT GOOD OR BAD... It was further justified in the book of I Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Be joyful always; PRAY continually; GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"
Being joyful in the midst of crises might be easier said than done but that is exactly what God wants us to do... That's the message: Be thankful no matter what...