Everybody's Sunshine

Again for the nth time he asked me this question...

Is religion a factor or a basis for you to marry a person?

Without second thoughts I know the answer. That's a definite YES. Because, indeed it is one of the most important factor.It's actually top 4 on my list of to do things before settling down. To others maybe, I sound like a hypocrite. Before I came back to Christ, I never really thought of marrying someday. I always live in the 'present'. But when things changed, my perspective in the future goes with it too. That is to have a family of my own someday, not only that this time I wanted a husband, but this time I wanted a christian husband.

Before telling you why, let me tell you how I define a Christian Husband. =)

He is not just a guy who doesn't smoke, who doesn't drink, who never cheats or who slacks off. He is a guy who loves God sincerely, and he loves God more than his wife, his kids, his car, his work, more than anything else in the world. And when he loves God, he walks with him and everything else follow. Then he would love anyone else with the love of God. He reads His words, he follows and obeys His commands seriously, He carries his cross wholeheartedly.

Ephesians 5:22-28

New International Version (NIV)

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶to make her holy, cleansing^[a] her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Why?

It is important for me to spend the rest of my life with a man who loves Jesus because he would love me the way Jesus loves us. He will never be able to demonstrate Jesus' love to me if he doesn't know, or maybe he knows but doesn't acknowledge that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Marrying a person is never a joke. He will be your partner for the rest of your life here in earth. You share almost everything. You are one.

And because I love God, more than anything else, I am to obey His command.

Ephesians 5:22-28

New International Version (NIV)

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

I wanna submit to my husband. Therefore I wanna submit to someone I won't be having conflicts with when it comes to my belief.

In the Bible, Jesus (and here, Paul) gave many illustrations using agriculture and animals as examples, since these were common things to everyone in that day. So what does it mean to be unequally yoked? Picture if you will, two oxen tied together at the neck by a wooden crosspiece so they can pull a plow. They are two animals of the same species who have been joined together to do a specific job. They have been carefully trained to respond to the same commands, and once they are united, they are considered to be a team. A wise farmer picks two animals of similar size, strength, and temperament because he knows they will work the best together. If one of them needed to be whipped before he would move, and the other one was terrified at even the sight of a whip, it would seem unwise to tie them together and expect them to work as a team. One "teammate" would frantically try to run away, while the other one would stubbornly refuse to budge. In fact, if two like this were joined together, it seems that disaster might be at hand - with possible damage to the equipment, hurt and confusion to the "teammates", and of course, the work would never get done.

-Melody Green, Why You Shouldn't Marry or Date an Unbeliever.

I don't wanna compromise my faith. When we get to argue with our faith, I don't wanna be in a position where I have to choose between my family and God.

I wanted to be with someone who loves God, just as I love Him or more. When God will be the center of our relationship, of our family, it surely will be for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. =) And that's what I have dreamed of having.

When He loves God, I will see in him the fruit of the spirit and that would be...

Galatians 5:22-23

New International Version (NIV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Perfect. Isn't it?

oo. ako na ang feeler. LOL

I am created for God's pleasure.

-Psalms 149:4

The truth from him:

Dear Daughter,

Before the beginning of time I knew you. I knew what color of your eyes would be, and I could hear the sound of your laughter. Like a proud Father who carries a picture of his daughter, I carried the image of you in my eyes, for you were created in my image before the beginning of time, I chose you. I spoke your name into the heavens, and I smiled as it's melody resounded off the walls of my heart.

You are mine. My love for you extends farther than the stars in the sky and deeper than any ocean. You are my pearl of great price, the one for whom I gave everything. I cradle you in the palm of my hand. I love you even in the face of your failure. Nothing you say or do can cause me to stop loving you. I am relentless in my pursuit of you. Run from me, I will love you. Spurn me, I will love you. Reject yourself, I will love you. You see, my love for you was slain before the foundations of the world and I have never regretted the sacrifice I made for you in the CALVARY.

When I see every part of who you are, I marvel at the work of my hands, for I whispered words of longing and desire and you came into existence. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, AND I TAKE PLEASURE IN YOU... heart, mind, and body. You are my desire. When you turn your head in shame and despise what I have made, still I reach for you with gentle passion. You are my beloved.

Your Dad,

God.

(Authors adaptation from 1 John 3:2; Isaiah 43:1; Matthew 13:46, Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8; Psalms 149:4; Song of Solomon 7:10; 6:3)

From the book "Who Calls Me Beautiful" - Regina Franklin

Yeah. I looked all over for this. Good thing I remembered I posted this one way back on my multiply account.

The main goal is to talk about INSECURITY. Most of the time, this is where cat fights starts. Indeed this has been always a girls battle.

This time I will be talking about my own battle.

I came to a point of obsession. Hindi ako obsessed dahil mahal ko yung tao. Obsessed ako dahil sobrang naiinsecure ako sa kanya. I stalked, I even dream of her. I haven't even seen her in person. She's younger than me and what led me to my obsession was my partner that time. She (yes SHE) was fooling around and cheating on me with her. I've done everything, inaway ko na at nagmakaawa nako, it didn't work. Even if they weren't official what hurts me most is the fact that she loves her more than she loved me. She can't leave her. That made me think, anong kulang ko?

When I moved on eventually, insecurity grew in my heart. Kahit na natigil na yung obsession ko with that girl, andun yung thought na, AM I NOT BEAUTIFUL ENOUGH? I am always into cat fights. And I don't admit that I am really insecure. Lagi kong dinedeny yun. Naging defense mechanism ko yung naiinis ako pag may kapareho ako. I even remember, I was super pissed when I saw a picture of my ex's girl wearing the same dress and the same accessories. I also got into a fight with a friend just because of a pose same as mine. SOBRANG IMMATURE LAMANG! I admit that. The latest fight I had was with my very closest friends. It was a hard time. Insults here, insults there. Their words were like a stabbing knife to my chest. And I believe I hurt them too. Umanghang din ang dila ko eh. Well, that ended when I stopped responding but the damage has been done. We can't restore the friendship anymore. And it all started and never ended because of INSECURITY. Whether on my part or their part, no one would admit.

Yes. Insecurity kills. It is deadly. Consuming. It will hurt you, beat you to death. It will ruin you inside and out. It will break you and your relationships. WE BADLY NEED TO WIN THIS BATTLE LADIES!

When they said, "Walang gamot sa insecurity!" Would you agree?

No. There is.

LOVE YOURSELF. But never overdo. But LOVE GOD FIRST, then yourself.

Love yourself in God's way. Hope you've meditated carefully in that letter I posted above. Take it by heart and you will be healed. You just have to acknowledge that you are special in His eyes. It lifted me up. He lifted me up.

I may not be as pretty as Anne Curtis, or sexy as Jessica Alba, or rich as Paris Hilton but God made me realize that I am beautiful in my way. I have my talent enough to please Him. Enough to inspire people. Enough to treat myself special. And that's one of the things I am so much thankful. Well, yes. As human, insecurity still visits me sometimes. But as a child of God, I can easily overcome. I just have to remind myself that I am His beloved.

One thing God gave me was the will to admit my mistakes and be humble. So I would like to take this opportunity to say sorry to those people I have hurt in the past. To Lara and Yhads, I am really, really sorry. For the things I've said, I sincerely ask for your forgiveness.

Posted Aug. 27, '07. sunshine20.multiply.com
(excuse me for the sticky caps, jejemon pala ako before. hehe.)

..liTtLe guRLs dReaM, aNd LittLE girLs gROw uP. tHe dEePesT loNgiNg oF mY gRown-Up heaRt iS tO bE kNown aS a wOmaN of GOD.

..bEyOnd drEamS aNd iLLusioNs oF cHiLdhOod, tHErE's thE ONe WHO CALLS ME BEAUTIFUL. HiS vOicE neVEr faLters, neVer ceaSes eVEn wHEn i cOntinUe mY chiLdhOod gaMes, eVen whEn i keEp listEniNg tO thE vOicEs oTheR tHAn HIS.

..mAny tiMEs i haVe sTePped iN fRonT oF tHE miRrOr aND hOpeD to diScOveR mY tRue seLf, aS if tHe gLasS haD tHE pOweR tO rEvEAL whO i aM. tHEre is oNly oNe pLAce, tHouGh, wheRe i caN fiNd mY tRue reFlecTioN. tHe eYes oF mY CREATOR, mY FATHER GOD, reFLecT tHe aNsweRs to mY dEEpEst lOngiNgs fOR seLf woRth, mY dESirES tO bE kNown."

- REGINA FRANKLIN

Thank You God for the wisdom.

Let go and let God.

God bless you and me.