It`s Monday morning here in Manila. A weekend has just passed and I am grateful for yet another week.

 

But if I would be completely honest, I would say that weekends get too exhausting for me the these days and what I now look forward to are weekdays because that`s the time when I can actually rest and take a break from my weekend activities.

 

But I thank the Lord because even in exhausting times, He comes and gives our hearts the rest we need and long for.

 

Yesterday, we`ve got a little film showing for the young people lined up but had to cancel it because our guest speaker had a little emergency, and requested to move it next week. Summer camp had also been cancelled due to conflicts with the church summer program schedule. Being the one in charge of both of those events, I somehow felt disappointed when I heard of these recent updates (which both came out this weekend) and I was a little heartbroken.

 

But I realized tonight that the time off that I could get after these cancellations could actually be an instrument of the Lord to give enough time to rest and be restored.

 

I guess He knows, even if I`m keeping it silently in my heart, how badly I need a little get-away from it all. How I needed to go back and find a hammock to hang in the garden, look up and pray under the clear summer sky. To feel the warm breeze once again…and thank the Lord in my own quiet moment with Him.

 

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.                      (Isaiah 40:28-31)

For Ava who took over on Multimedia this morning so I got to sit down and enjoy the preaching. 146.

Jesus helped me finish the Sunday School topics until August! 147.

 

Filled up the scholarship application tonight.

2 more weeks to prepare! 148.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I read Tomihiro Yoshino`s poetry book

“In the Palm of Your Hands” and still feels refreshed everytime I do.149.

 

Viola and Carlo who came to the Switchfoot concert.150.

Becca music for the complementary passes to the Switchoot Concert. 151.

 

Serving in the kids ministry which brings light to my heart. 152. 

Blogs and bloggers God uses to strengthen my weary heart. 153.

 

Photo credits: cookiecaramel, justmenooneelse,

and notouraverageaugustbaby on Tumblr

and cutestfood.com

While I`m writing this, my Sister Ava is cooking meatloaf in the kitchen and I`m smiling, smelling the beautiful, beautiful, delicious scent of the freshly cooked dish and the spices! Mmmmm….Yummy….

 

Don`t you love simple moments like this?

 

I recently told a friend that God had been teaching me lately how to appreciate every moment that comes. I`m the girl who loves to think about tomorrow. The future excites me. It drives and pushes me to give my best in everything I do. It makes me look forward with faith to the beautiful things ahead.

 

But one thing it also does in me is that when things go a little bit shaky, thinking about the future makes me a worrywart. I cry. I fear. I tremble. I get so frustrated over dreams that won`t come true. Over prayers that seem slowly answered. And it robs me of the opportunity today as it comes.

 

“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother`s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the maker of things...Sow your seeds in the morning and at evening and let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will equally do well.

Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun. However many years a man may live, let them enjoy them all… Be happy young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy.. but know that for all these things, God will bring you judgment. So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

 

Enjoying Today As It Comes

I love Owl City. Adam Young`s colorful words remind me to also take notice of the colors around me, to enjoy the little things that come my way because after all, they are the big things in life. As I entrust God with my future and enjoy Him today, I`ll also love everything that is around me at this moment. I would just allow the present to be bring me joy and make me smile.

 

And that is rest, isn`t it? When we give everything to God and live our lives to day as joyful and thankful and as happy as we can.

 

Anyway, I was reading Adam`s blog earlier this week and found an old blog post about 10 things he like…

01 Music
02 Stargazing
03 Swingsets by the beach
04 Flip flops and designer jeans
05 Blue eyes
06 Driving with the sunroof open
07 Red Bull
08 Bunny tracks ice-cream
09 Sleeping in
10 Fireflies in the twilight

And I just thought about the things I like too…

01 Sunlight

02 Ice cream

03 Walking barefoot on grass and on the beach

04 Backyards, tree houses and swing sets

05 Traveling during night time

06 Daydreaming

07 Skirts, Ballet Flats and pretty photographs

08 Flowers

09 Mushroom soup on chilly mornings

10 Stars

 

How about you? What are  the 10 simple things in life that you really love? How often do you take a break and enjoy these things everyday?

 

What we only have is today. How can we be so sure about tomorrow? So let us enjoy today as it comes. Do our best today. Savor every moment. Give God our future because He loving holds them in His hands—and we know that He always wants the best for us. ;)

 

Rest well, my friends!

Photos via WeHeartIt

and Girly Pics on Tumblr.