Sharing the love with the elderly

This year, beside the usual Christmas party for kids, we will have another one for the abandoned elderly at the Home for the Aged. 

Our scholars from Fishnets Ministry are heading this event. I asked them to learn to "pay it forward" as they are all recipients of somebody's good deed and they decided to share and make our Lolo and Lola at the home for the aged facility extra happy this Christmas.

I'm excited. We all are actually. This would be their first time, my second. There will be games and they will also have some presentations. I'm sure it's gonna be fun.

Truth be told, we really do not have budget for this, we don't want to ask from Fishnets as the support is just enough for the scholars lately, we couldn't ask from the church also because the need as of now is also huge. 

But that will not hinder us of course. If God has put this in our hearts, He will surely provide for everything that we will be needing for this party. We started soliciting from friends and from individuals and some have responded positively. 

We wanted to give them (the oldies) hygiene kits, as I have seen for my self how they are deprived of these basic necessities, so we are asking friends for bath soaps, toothbrush, toothpaste and the like. I found a kent folding comb also which would be a nice gift for them but that is not priority this time.

We will also serve lunch and I am praying a nice decent lunch is what we can give them. We were informed that there are 89 women and 60 man on that facility. I am not a bit worried of that big number. I know God will send help :)

If you live here in Manila and you want to help, volunteer and go with us, just message me here. You are most welcome.

You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the LORD. - Leviticus 19:32

Christmas Party for the elderly

Fear Not

2 weeks ago, I was depressed, disappointed and sad. I was crying incessantly in the office. I wanted to leave everything and be somewhere else where no one can reach me. There were incidents in the office that for the longest time I have trained my self to ignore and just let it be but worst came when I was absent two consecutive days, first day was because am not feeling well, the second I attended the launching of The Fellowship International. 

That day, my boss called our HR personnel and he checked on all my absences and my tardiness which resulted to cancellation of my flexi time. In fairness to our HR department, they said I am seldom absent and the only problem is my coming late but also compensated because I extend time also whenever I came late. 

That gave me the feeling that I am a bad employee. Made me think of all the services I rendered to my boss, sometimes I go way beyond the call of my duties and responsibilities (even beyond office or sleeping hours) sometimes I do work for him that is too personal and I do all that without complaining-and people around me can attest to that-11 years as his assistant-that speaks a lot right? on the other hand there is this girl who also works for my boss- as much as I don't want to compare and see that she's more favored  but I did that time. I was thinking it was REALLY UNFAIR. I know that doesn't sound right coming from me and I regret it  but honestly speaking, that was what I felt that time.

The following Sunday-at the church, God spoke to me through the message of our speaker. I was encouraged and comforted. God made me realized that I don't have to mope because Jesus is interceding for me (Romans 8:34)  which made me realized even more that things may seem unfavorably on my part now but I don't have to feel bad because HE is fighting for me.

And then, that verse above popped up also sometime last week. God is really good. He sends help whenever we need it. In His perfect timing. Today, I was beginning to feel that "unfair " thing again because well, the flexi time ends today :) but here am I writing about this and reminding my self over and over again.."take heart Raquel..Jesus himself is interceding for you and that He loves you so very much :)"

  

Whatever life (or my boss) throws me- I know I have someone to defend me and He is mighty!

How to Read the Bible and Enjoy It

By M. Hyatt

 

I remember the first time I tried to read the Bible for myself. I found my grandfather’s copy on a shelf in his living room. I was nine years old.

I sat down on the floor, cross-legged, with the Bible on my lap. I opened it slowly … reverently … and began to read.

• I was fascinated by God’s creation of the heavens, earth, and man in Genesis 1–2.
• I was swept into the drama of man’s temptation and fall in Genesis 3.
• I was saddened by Cain’s murder of Abel in Genesis 4.

I felt like I had discovered a lost book—the key to the universe! I was captivated.

Then I hit the “begats” in Genesis 5.

Oh boy.

My eyes glazed over.

I closed the Bible, stood up, and slipped it back on the shelf. I didn’t pick it up again for another ten years.

So many people have told me they’ve had similar experiences. They know they should read the Bible; they just don’t know how to begin.

Even if you are not a Christian—or don’t consider yourself a spiritually-inclined person—the Bible is worth reading. Without question, it has had a greater impact on Western civilization than any other book published.

You can’t understand great literature, common metaphors, or cultural allusions without a basic knowledge of these ancient texts. (I use the plural because the Bible is actually a collection of books.)

But how do you start? The Bible is, after all, a big book! I have read it through several times. In fact, my goal is to read it through every year, though it some times takes a little longer.

This has served me well in so many ways. I find myself referring to the stories and sayings again and again. The best part is they have become the foundation and raw material for everything I do.

In this post, I thought I’d share how I read the bible. It’s not the only way to do it, of course. But I thought this might be helpful to you if you want to read it all the way through and partake of its treasures on a regular basis.

1. Read at a set time each day. As I learned a long time ago, what gets scheduled gets done. I read the Bible first thing each morning, so I don’t get side-tracked by something else.
2. Distinguish between reading and study. When I am reading, I don’t try to do word studies, read commentaries, or chase cross-references. While this can be valuable, I consider it Bible study—something I reserve for other times. The goal for my reading is breadth not depth.
3. Use a balanced, Bible reading plan. This is key. I read from four passages each day: Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. This way, if I hit a dry patch in one section, I can usually get something out of another. Innumerable plans are available. This year I am using the One Year Bible.
4. Read in an easy-to-understand translation. Some may disagree, but a paraphrase is fine for Bible reading (not study). The key is to use a translation that helps you to understand what you are reading. I usually read in a different translation each year, just so the text doesn’t become so familiar I stop paying attention.
5. Highlight or underline as you read. Maybe the thought of marking in a Bible scandalizes you. I hope not. It helps me focus my attention and get back to those passages that I find particularly meaningful. I read on a Kindle, so I also have access to those highlights in the cloud and in Evernote.
6. Identify at least one key take away. Personally, my goal in Bible reading is not merely to increase my knowledge; I want to change my life (see James 1: 22–25). This begins by paying attention to what I am reading and marking those passages that seem particularly relevant to my current circumstances. When I am finished reading, I go back over my highlights and pick one to record in my journal, along with my response to it.
7. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. This is difficult for me. I am a recovering achiever and a perfectionist. But it is essential if you are going to make progress. The truth is you are going to miss some days. It’s okay. It’s not the end of the world. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Just pick up the next day and keep moving.

The key, I think, is to keep the process simple. Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Don’t get hung up on what you don’t understand.

Like Mark Twain once said, “It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”