Mirasol's Corner

Huwebes, Nobyembre 07, 2013

All saints day and all souls day. Naalala ko lang devo ko nong Sept 11
Undertstanding why Jesus said this verse:
"He is not God of the dead, but of the living..."- Mark 12:27

Dead is dead. God is done with them. But we who are living:
#We still have the opportunity to know who God is. How He loved us by sending His son Jesus who died on the cross for all our sins.
#We still have the chance to turn to Him. Chance to repent for the wicked things we are doing so that we can experience close and intimate relationship with Him and experience real peace and true happiness.
#We still have the privilege to serve Him, honor Him and be MAD (make a difference) for Him.
#When God is done with us, the time for our homecoming, we will not be ashamed to face Him because we've done what we supposed to be done.

Lunes, Oktubre 21, 2013

Mousetrap Story

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face
the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

REMEMBER: EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN OTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.
One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.

Author Unknown

Huwebes, Oktubre 03, 2013

Devo: Peter's Test and Denial

Text: Mark 14:27-31, 66-72
²⁷And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ ²⁸But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” ²⁹Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” ³⁰And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” ³¹But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.-----
⁶⁶And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, ⁶⁷and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” ⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway^[h] and the rooster crowed.^[i] ⁶⁹And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” ⁷⁰But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” ⁷¹But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” ⁷²And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.^[j]

^CONTEXT:
^{This is the last few days of Jesus before His death. He gathered his disciples and celebrated the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread with them. Before He was arrested through the betrayal of Judas, Jesus foretells the denial of Peter and later asks his disciples to accompany him to watch and pray in the garden of Gethsemane, three times He found them sleeping but three times also He warned them to watch and pray that they may not enter into temptation.}
^Content:
^{#1. Jesus prophesied for his disciples of what will happen to them after his death, but Peter with self confidence and to establish his sympathy to Jesus, gave a promise that he will stay faithful to Him even to death.}
^{#2. Jesus knew the motive and what is in the heart of Peter. To teach Peter, Jesus gave him a test to pass in a certain period of time. (The crows of the rooster represent a certain period of time).}
^{#3. Jesus used a servant girl (lowest in the society) to humble Peter.}
^{#4. Peter denied Jesus three times which symbolically related to how Jesus warned them three times to watch and pray. The reasons why Peter denied Jesus:}
^{#1. First denial: because of forgetfulness. Peter forgot His promise to Jesus that he}^{will stand for Him even to death.}
^{#2. Second denial: because of fear. When the servant girl say it to the bystanders, he feared because now not only the servant girl knew who he was. He feared for the people who might bring him to the enemy of Jesus and suffer the sufferings that Jesus will face.}
^{#3. Third Denial: The way to escape. To escape from being part of Jesus's sufferings is to stick to what he had said.}
^{#5. After the rooster crowed, Peter remembered his promise to Jesus and he broke down and wept realizing how weak he was.}

^MESSAGE:
^{#1. Jesus made us. He knew how weak we are and how we are always vulnerable to many temptations.}
^{#2. Peter, one of the disciples and friend of Jesus, was not exempted from the test of faithfulness and so we are.}
^{#3. We cannot go ahead of Jesus and assumes that with our own strength and abil}^{ity we can endure the trial.}

^PROMISE:
^{Jesus, addressing to His disciples, "But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." (v.28)}
^{COMMAND: (none)}
^WARNING:
^{#1. Do not assume that with our own strength and ability we can pass the test of faith and stand for Jesus whatever the cost.}
^{#2. Do not go ahead of Jesus. To fear only proves our pride and self-reliance.}
^APPLICATION:
^{#1. Knowing all these things, I am now more aware of my own failings. I am humbled to realize that even Peter, Jesus's friend and one of his disciples, failed to stand for Jesus.}
^{#2. I will ask God to help me to stand when trials will come my way and pray that the trials will not become a downfall to other believers but will become a testimony and encouragement to all.}
^{#3. I will humble myself before Him and surrender everything to Him knowing that without Him I can do nothing.}

Sabado, Setyembre 07, 2013

Learning MPCWA

In my early christian life, what I used to do was to read my bible randomly like "mini miny moe". Later on , I learned to read the Bible chronologically (Genesis-Revelation) and from my reading I just rely on the Holy Spirit to know what God is speaking to me. Another way I tried was the M-E-A-L-S. Acronym for Memorize, Examine, Apply, Listen and Study.

God is so good for giving me another way to study His Word. The MPCWA way.
MPCWA stands for Message, Promise, Command, Warning and Application.

Now, I am blessed for this very practical way because the Word of God becomes clearer to me. I also go back using journal to record my devotions.

As part of my assignment, I will do this one :-)

^{Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)}

²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?^[a] ²⁸And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
³⁴“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Context: Part from Jesus Sermon on the mount
Characters: Jesus, Disciples and crowd

Key verse: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to   you. Matthew 6:33

Message:
Jesus is teaching the crowd not to worry. He used illustrations to emphasize that even the grass and the birds, He supplies for their needs. Instead of worrying, seek God first and all our needs He will provide.

Promise:
If we seek God first, all our needs (food, clothing, finances and etc.) He will provide.

Command:
The Father knows our needs so do not be anxious for everything instead put our trust on Him who is very much concern to those He created.

Warning:
If we worry, we will be like gentiles who runs after all these things (basic needs for living). Worrying will not help us, it's an evident of our faithlessness to God.

Application:
I will thank the Lord for His love and concern. I will praise Him more for the assurance that I can depend on Him for everything.

my journal

Upon learning MPCWA, I am now applying it on my devotions...
My Devotion for today, September 7, 2013

Mark 12:1-12 (ESV)

2 And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. ²When the season came, he sent a servant^[a] to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. ³And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. ⁵And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. ⁶He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ⁷But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰Have you not read this Scripture:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;^[b]
¹¹this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

¹²And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Context:
Jesus was walking in the temple courts (Jerusalem), the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.
Characters:
Jesus, chief priests, teachers of the law, elders of the church, disciples

Key verses:
¹⁰Have you not read this Scripture:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;^[b]
¹¹this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

Message:

Jesus speak in parables about a man who planted a vineyard and leased it to the tenants. The parables of Jesus Christ speaks to His Father as the owner of the vineyard, Jewish leaders as the tenants, the servants are the prophets and He as the Beloved Son who was killed by the tenants. The vineyards can be mean blessings, privilege, talents or the gospel, which was first entrusted to the first tenant, the Jews, but they rejected it so we Gentiles are blessed because it was given to us...wohooo!!

Promise:

-If we understand what the parables is saying to us, we will be more encouraged to preach the gospel knowing that the owner of the vineyard (Father God) will be pleased if the vineyards will produce more fruits.
-If we put our trust to Jesus, "the stone that the builders rejected and has become the cornerstone", we will be strong in our faith and will cause us to glorify Him more because He is too marvelous in our eyes.

Command:

Read and understand the scriptures.
"Make the vineyard produce more fruit".

Warning:

The vineyard has been entrusted to us (talents, privilege, blessings or the gospel), beware not to cultivate, prone it, and water it that it will die and not produce more fruits.

Application:

Oh, how I praise the Lord for choosing me to be one of His child. I will do my best to please Him in my everyday life. I will use my talents to serve Him more.

As I read God's word each day,
I will ask my self three questions:
One, what does it says?
Two, what does it mean?
Three, what God is saying to me?
I will ask God's Holy Spirit
who leaves in my heart
to show me the answer clearly
that I may know God's message to me.

The song above has become my prayer every time I open my Bible. I will pray that God will continue to speak to me through my devotions. Devotions is very important to me because it will make me grow, glow and go. :-)

Linggo, Agosto 18, 2013

postpartum

Few weeks ago, I was affected by the news about troubled mothers. One story that shocked me was a mother who killed her husband and children. It was so horrible to imagine how that mother committed such act to her loved ones. The report pointed to the negative effect after giving birth, postpartum.

The word postpartum simply means after the act of giving birth. From the latin word partum means after childbirth; post + partum, accusative of partus a bringing forth, equivalent to par ( ere ) to bear.

When I gave birth to my eldest (Nathan) via cesarean , it was a mixed emotions. In the hospital I was very anxious as a first time mom. When we got home, I cannot explain why tears keep on coming! It was unexplained sadness. My thought at that moment was on my husband. Why his attention became divided between me and our son. I felt I am now unimportant to him. I also pitied my husband for being tired taking care of me and our baby. I had a bit of indifference to my new born son. It was very hard to control my emotion at that time. It continued for more three weeks and it came to a point where my OB suggested that maybe I need to visit a Psychiatrist. What I’ve been through, I found out that it was postpartum blues.

The postpartum blues

After the baby is born, many new mothers have the "postpartum blues" or the "baby blues." The word "blues" is not really correct since women with this condition are happy most of the time. But compared to how she usually feels, the new mother:

Is more irritable
Cries more easily
Feels sad
Feels confused

The postpartum blues peak three to five days after delivery. They usually end by the tenth day after the baby's birth. Although the postpartum blues are not pleasant, the woman can function normally. The feeling of the "blues" usually lessens and goes away over time.
Medical experts believe that changes in the woman's hormones after delivery cause the postpartum blues.

Postpartum blues syndrome was repeated again when I gave birth to my second child. Compared to the first, it was mild. My reason for crying this time was pity for my eldest son. Thank God the postpartum blues this time end shortly. Before, I thought postpartum blues is like postpartum depression.

The postpartum depression

Postpartum depression may appear to be the baby blues at first — but the signs and symptoms are more intense and longer lasting, eventually interfering with your ability to care for your baby and handle other daily tasks. Postpartum depression symptoms may include:

Loss of appetite
Insomnia
Intense irritability and anger
Overwhelming fatigue
Loss of interest in sex
Lack of joy in life
Feelings of shame, guilt or inadequacy
Severe mood swings
Difficulty bonding with your baby
Withdrawal from family and friends
Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

Untreated, postpartum depression may last for many months or longer.

The severe type of postpartum is the postpartum psychosis. The sad news of mothers hurting their babies said to have this kind of illness, postpartum psychosis.

The postpartum psychosis

With postpartum psychosis — a rare condition that typically develops within the first two weeks after delivery — the signs and symptoms are even more severe. Signs and symptoms of postpartum psychosis may include:

Confusion and disorientation
Hallucinations and delusions
Paranoia
Attempts to harm yourself or your baby

When I gave birth to my third and youngest child (Mathia), I never imagined that I will go through a difficult situation. Few days after I gave birth, I felt so dizzy and had a severe headache. There was a circle-like in my vision and so discomfort. When my baby had her first check up, my OB noticed that my face was swollen same with my legs and feet. My blood pressure was 170/110! My OB referred me to another doctor (cardio) and gave me medicine for hypertension. I thought after I took the medicine for hypertension my blood pressure will be normal, but I was wrong! I monitored my blood pressure every day and it did not change. I consulted my OB and a cardiologist, they notified me that I need to be confined in the hospital. Initial findings of the doctor, hypertensive due to pregnancy. They called it, postpartum preeclampsia.

Postpartum preeclampsia

Postpartum preeclampsia is a rare condition that occurs when a woman has high blood pressure and excess protein in her urine soon after childbirth.

Most cases of postpartum preeclampsia develop within 48 hours of childbirth. However, postpartum preeclampsia sometimes develops up to four to six weeks after childbirth. This is known as late postpartum preeclampsia.

Postpartum preeclampsia requires prompt treatment. Left untreated, postpartum preeclampsia can result in seizures and other serious complications.

Postpartum preeclampsia can be difficult to detect on your own. Many women who experience postpartum preeclampsia show no signs or symptoms during pregnancy. Also, you might not suspect that anything is wrong when you're focused on recovering after childbirth and caring for a newborn.
Signs and symptoms of postpartum preeclampsia — which are typically similar to those of preeclampsia that occurs during pregnancy — might include:

High blood pressure (hypertension) — 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or greater
Excess protein in your urine (proteinuria)
Severe headaches
Changes in vision, including temporary loss of vision, blurred vision or light sensitivity
Upper abdominal pain, usually under the ribs on the right side
Nausea or vomiting
Decreased urination
Sudden weight gain, typically more than 2 pounds (0.9 kilogram) a week

While confined in the hospital, it was indescribable loneliness. I'm missing my kids so much. I want to hug and kiss my baby girl. My breast was swollen because of breast milk so sad I had to excrete it while my baby needs it! When I got home from the hospital, I had to take maintenance for high blood.   For three months after I gave birth, I am always in the hospital (out patient) for check ups because my blood pressure was like roller coaster which goes up and down. I had to go through also overcoming postpartum depression. Depression became severe because of anxiety over my health status. I was so irritable and feeling bored to the point that I insisted my husband to look for another place for us.

There's saying in tagalog: "Pag nanganak ang isang babae ang isang paa nasa hukay." Based on my experience, I believe it is true. Going back to postpartum. How I overcame this? The support of the people around me especially my husband was an important contributing factor why I survived from these post pregnancy dilemmas. I am blessed to have a husband who's very supportive and hands-on with our children. He did a lot of things to make me comfortable and calm during these hard times.   I am also grateful to God that He restored my mother's health and my mother's presence and help makes me feel at peace. Prayers from friends and church mates did help. I also realized that I need to fight to win for my little kids.   All in all, God is there. His promises from the Bible gave me the assurance of victory if I just let Him do His part. I did. God be praised!

I asked some mothers if they experienced problems (postpartum) after they gave birth, some said they did not or maybe they simply don't know what it is. I don't know if the age of a mother is contributing factor for postpartum, if the youngest or older moms has more chances to experience postpartum? I really don't know. What I knew is that even celebrities admitted they experience postpartum. Celebrities like Brooke Shields,Gwyneth Paltrow, Amanda Peet and many others.
May this blog will be of good help and be a source of small infos for mothers like me.

For the singles who's dreaming to be a mom someday, don't be afraid. To be a mom is the best experience that God has given to us women. God bless us moms!!! :-)


with my three gifts :-)

source: http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/the-postpartum-blues.aspx
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-depression/DS00546/DSECTION=symptoms
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-preeclampsia/DS01199

Linggo, Hulyo 14, 2013

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand and Me

      When I came to know the Lord Jesus as my personal savior, I am always hungry to His Word. I've finished reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation several times. Now that I am a mother of three, it's hard for me to maintain my Bible reading like before when I was single. But my love for the Lord always accompanied with my daily reading of His Word, the Bible, which makes my faith stronger and it makes me happier. If I missed a day not reading His Word, there's a feeling of emptiness in me that's why even I am busy with my children and the many household chores, I always find time to read the Bible.
     My Bible reading now is in the New Testament. While my boys are at school and whenever my younger daughter had her nap, that's the time I read the Bible or during the night when children are already asleep.
   I started last week reading the book of Matthew. I've been reading this book several times and almost memorized all the stories. But the Lord is good, His revelations is always fresh and new for me. In Matthew 15: 29-39, God revealed to me new things.

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

29Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. 31The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

32Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”

33His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”

34“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

35He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. 37They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 38The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. 39After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

My eyes was opened in the verse 32. I 've examined what Jesus said.

"I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. " I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way".

From this verse, I want to share the new things I've learned.
1. God's love is proven. The act of calling His disciples to look for food showed His great love and compassion for these people. Oh, how great is His love towards us!
2. Jesus is our satisfaction. Yes, the people were there to be healed and witnessed the miracle of Jesus, but they were there also to just experience Jesus. For three days, Jesus satisfied them. It did not stated in the verse if the people were hungry during the time Jesus was ministering to them. It's just a proof that the people were satisfied by simply being in the presence of Jesus.
3. Separation = starvation. After three days, the people will have to go home. They will leave the presence of Jesus. Being away with His presence means hunger and starvation. For three days they were contented and filled. Filled with His love, goodness and care. Oh, how I love to be in His presence, for in His presence is fullness of joy.
4. God always made a way. In the story, the people did not ask for food. It was Jesus who took the initiative to feed them. Jesus doesn't want to send them away hungry. Jesus doesn't want these people to perish. In this act of Jesus, I was reminded of God's love towards us from the beginning. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, still God showed His grace to them by killing an animal to cover their naked bodies. Many times the Israelite people disobeyed and provoked God to anger, yet we cannot count how many times God had forgiven them and showed His mercy and love for them. God made a way by giving His Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross for all our sins.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the

Father except through me.

John 14:6

I thank the Lord for giving me new revelations of His Word. He fed the 4,000 and He fed me too! Now I am more excited to open my Bible and be amazed again for the new things I will learn from Him. Praise the Lord!!