At the time when I was going through major change in my life, the song Made Me Glad has become my constant companion who helped me through those hard times and the hurts that I’ve been going through. The song practically became my mind’s companion every living minute of my day. It was a song of assurance and guidance for me on how I should live life during the stormy weather of my life.

This entry of mine has something in connection to this Sunday’s Youth service.
The preaching is about this coming generation, and as an example we were given this passage in the Bible; Judges 2:6 (Amplified Bible)

6And when Joshua had let the people go, the Israelites went every man to his inheritance to possess the land.
7And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord which He did for Israel.
8And Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being 110 years old.
9And they buried him within the boundary of his inheritance in Timnath-heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
10And also all that generation were gathered to their fathers, and there arose another generation after them who did not know (recognize, understand) the Lord, or even the work which He had done for Israel.
11And the people of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals.
12And they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, Who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods of the peoples round about them and bowed down to them, and provoked the Lord to anger.

So where am I heading about this?
There are two types of friendships;
The one that you fellowship with, and
One that you deal with;

The type of friend that you fellowship with should be someone who stimulates your spiritual conviction; “as iron sharpens iron.” These friends are usually found in your local church, they are the ones who prays for you in their devotion times, they may support you emotionally but when they see that you’re headed to the wrong direction, they’re not afraid of correcting you with love (Proverbs 27:5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.)

The types of friend that you deal with are those who you choose to hang around with when you’re out of the church, these are the kind of friends that may have different cultures than you have, being a Christian and whatever they have may rub off on you. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”

If you’re a Christian, and you go out in the world, you will find people full of broken dreams and heartaches, worst is when you find one with bitterness in their hearts, as a parent, I need to be careful in reminding my children to always choose the kind of people they associate with because whatever these people may have may rub off on them and as impressionable youths are, this may also root their ruin.  Sometimes, it’s easy to get tangled in things that convinces us.  Nowadays, children are confused; girls look at the mirror and tell themselves that they’re a female with a heart of a man, and so goes the same with boys. Men dressing up as women and having unnatural relationships with fellow males.  Even if their reflection tells them the truth about themselves, they are still confused.

I don’t want to raise confused children. This is why children are given parents, and parents are being taught the word of God.

At least, while I’m still alive, I want to let my children know about the Lord than live this life and die, and my children end up worshipping other gods.

Most of the time, despite the knowledge of God that I have, if I’m not careful, they just stay as head knowledge. Most of the time, it’s really easy to get lost, if you see your problem as thick as a forest rather than a bush outside your window.

I know the answers, I’ve given them all.
But suddenly now, I feel so small.
Shaken down to the cavity in my soul.
I know the doctrine and theology,
But right now they don’t mean much to me.
This time there’s only one thing I’ve got to know.

When confusion creeps in, know that what He has promised you will come to pass…

Do I trust You, Lord?
Does the robin sing?
Do I trust You, Lord?
Does it rain in spring?
You can see my heart,
You can read my mind,
And You got to know
That I would rather die
Than to lose my faith
In the One I love.
Do I trust You, Lord?
Do I trust You?

Sometimes my little heart can’t understand
What’s in Your will, what’s in Your plan.
So many times I’m tempted to ask You why,
But I can never forget it for long.
Lord, what You do could not be wrong.
So I believe You, even when I must cry.
Do I trust You, Lord?
Does the river flow?
Do I trust You, Lord?
Does the north wind blow?
You can see my heart,
You can read my mind,
And You got to know
That I would rather die
Than to lose my faith
In the One I love.
Do I trust You, Lord?
Do I trust You?

I know the answers, I’ve given them all.
But suddenly now, I feel so small.
Shaken down to the cavity in my soul.
I know the doctrine and theology,
But right now they don’t mean much to me.
This time there’s only one thing I’ve got to know.

Do I trust You, Lord?
Does the robin sing?
Do I trust You, Lord?
Does it rain in spring?
You can see my heart,
You can read my mind,
And You got to know
That I would rather die
Than to lose my faith
In the One I love.
Do I trust You, Lord?
Do I trust You?

I will trust You, Lord, when I don’t know why.
I will trust You, Lord, till the day I die.
I will trust You, Lord, when I’m blind with pain!
You were God before, and You’ll never change.
I will trust You.
I will trust You.
I will trust You, Lord.
I will trust You.

Disclaimer: I’m not a hater, but these are my observations –and yes I do have a life offline actually, but it doesn’t take away my sense of wonder on things and my surroundings, thank you.

A while back I posted an entry about Lady Gaga’s music, and it wasn’t long and not a surprise either that now a Filipino is enticing her fans to show a photo of them with a pyramid sign.

It’s kind of unfortunate that she might not understand what she’s taking herself into, are we now being “internationalized”? “Americanized”? “illuminatinized”?

Her photo showing one eye;

Lady Gaga;

Let’s admit, Charice struck gold, however I am not going to let this “fad” pollute my children all the more, because we already are in every day, if you look around you. I’m not mad at Charice, I’m not her hater, what I’m talking about is simply knowledge of the truth learned in a Christian Church.

My children love listening to music, and yes there are times when it’s really hard to keep track, but it doesn’t mean that it should be left like that.

And this is not encouraging either…

Haist, and my daughter even like her songs. So sad.
Kaya tayo pinagtatawanan ng mga taga-ibang bansa, gaya lang ng gaya hindi naman iniintindi kung tama ba ang ginagawa.

]]> http://www.crayonsnpencils.info/1118/feed/ 0 http://www.crayonsnpencils.info/updated/ http://www.crayonsnpencils.info/updated/#comments Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:09:14 +0000 admin http://crayonsnpencils.info/?p=1111 For a while I’ve been missing in action, and there are those who doesn’t seem to understand how I can say that I won’t be online but then they’d see improvements or adjustments on my blog. I have ways to manipulate it from my desktop. I can even blog just through my pen drive while using another’s laptop or PC, bu then I can only do that because I already have pre-written articles or thoughts saved on my pen drive and uploaded to my blogs using Blogdesk.

I’m not going to change anyone’s mind, people may not know what’s going on in my personal life and there are only few that I pick that’s written here. It’s not lying, it’s reserving my children’s awareness of their inadequacy which is ethical. I wouldn’t want to have totally shamed kids.

And yes, like everyone else I also have problems that I have to deal with at home and in my personal life, it’s just something that’s not for full public knowledge.

I enjoy blogging, but not taking without reference on someone else’s feelings. I am just blessed that I don’t have haters and/nor stalkers to bug me needlessly.

Another thing is that I also need to work on my spiritual life because I’ve been declining and I’m very unhappy about it.

What else can a burdened heart say?

Another worry of mine is the baby contest winner, I sent her the prize but it was returned to me – Ria, my sincerest apologies, it’s taking a long time!  I will work on it this Monday after school and call the winner as well.

We approached the boy, and asked him if he would like to have a meal at Jollibee, he agreed and went with us. We ordered him Chicken Joy, and let him eat first. After he’s almost done eating, we carried on to interview him. Alfredo is one among four siblings, and he’s only 7 years old. His parents are Lando and Anna, his father is a pedicab driver and the mother stays at home, while he and his other siblings go out to beg for money. Alfredo needs to acquire PHP40.00 before going home, this way they can buy rice to eat, when he accumulates his quota and comes home early, he will still be told to go back to the wet market –which is two rides away from their home, but he does this by walking, to beg for more money. His eldest brother, which is only 10 years old, need to come up PHP100 for his contribution to the family. Alfredo was supposed to be in first grade, but his father decided to pull them out of school so they can continue begging instead. Their father’s wage from being a pedicab driver goes to his drinking habits. His mother drinks too. This is how our conversation/interview went:

Interviewer: Madami ka bang kapatid? (Do you have other siblings?)
Alfredo: Opo. (Yes.)
Interviewer: May nag-aampon bas a inyo? (Are there anyone who wants to adopt you?)
Alfredo: Opo, pero ayaw ko. (Yes, but I don’t want to.)
Interviewer: Palagi ka bang pinapalo? (Are you often spanked?)
Alfredo: ng walis tambo (of reed broom)
Interviewer: Dahil? (Because?)
Alfredo: Hindi kami naghuhugas ng pinggan. (We don’t wash the dishes.)
Interviewer: Anong trabaho ng tatay mo? (What does your father do?)
Alfredo: sidecar
Interviewer: Bakit ka nanghihingi? (Why do you beg?)
Alfredo: dinadala ko sa bahay. (I bring it home.)
Interviewer: Magkano inuuwi mo? (How much are you bringing home?)
Alfredo: PHP40.00 (Fourty pesos).
Interviewer: Anong ginagawa nyo sap era? (What do you do with the money?)
Alfredo: Binibili ng bigas. (We buy rice.)
Interviewer: Lahat kayo namamalimos? (Does all of your siblings beg?)
Alfredo: Opo.
Interviewer: Anong trabaho ng nanay mo? (What does your mother do?)
Alfredo: Wala. (None).
Interviewer: Umiinom ba papa mo? (Does your father drinks alcohol?)
Alfredo: Opo.
Interviewer: Mama mo? (Your mom?)
Alfredo: Walang trabaho. (No work.)
Interviewer: Anong oras ka na umuuwi? (What time do you get home?)
Alfredo: Gabi na. (When it’s dark.)
Interviewer: Anong oras kayo umaalis ng bahay? (What time do you go begging?)
Alfredo: Tanghali. (Lunch time)
Interviewer: Pano kung kaunti lang ang nalimos mo? (What if you only have few?)
Alfredo: Pinapalo ako, kaylangan PHP40.00. (I get a spanking, it needs to be PHP40.00)
Interviewer: Ilan kayong magkakapatid? (How many siblings are you?)
Alfredo: Apat. (Four.)
Interviewer: May kapatid ka bang babae? (Do you have a sister?)
Alfredo: Opo
Interviewer: Pati sya namamalimos? (And she also begs for money?)
Alfredo: Opo.

My group consists of three; two mothers and a mother-to-be. Half of us wanted to cry at the state of this child; he was filthy and hungry. He longed for school, but this too was taken away from him by his own parents. Since we only have four hours of class, two which we spend for discussion and two more to look for this child to interview, we we’re sad that we had to cut our time short with Alfredo, we all had to go home.

Back in school, we talked about his situation and we’re amazed at how these parents are able to put up with something like that, when it’s getting dark and not knowing where your child is. Nowadays, you will find a lot of dangers out in the streets, if adults can get victimized, how much more an innocent child. And there’s also the concern of the child learning other vices, or becoming a rugby boy (children sniffing solvent).

21  Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or fret your children [do not be hard on them or harass them], lest they become discouraged and sullen and morose and feel inferior and frustrated. [Do not break their spirit.] – Colossians 3:21 (Amplified Bible)

There are a lot of things that I know that others may not, may seem taboo, may seem ignorant, may seem irrelevant, and yes, I will just leave it at that. Anyway, it won’t be my accountability. As my pastor would say, at least you told your peace, now it’s up to them to think about it. Whatever the cost, I still celebrate in the truth. ^___^x

Let us be careful in not playing off with the fear of the uneducated.