CE Month Celebration

September is Christian Education month celebration in our church. Our theme for this year is a future with HOPE. Honesty, Opportunity, Peace and Equality.

We were introduced to tie dying technique in one of the Sundays during this month long celebration. The kids were asked to bring white shirts.

Using rubber bands, the shirts were tied whatever way you want that will become the design of the shirt.

Then the shirts were dipped in a hot water with purple dye. After few seconds, the shirts were rinsed in a clean, cold water. Joie was not joining when the shirts were tied. He was busy playing with his balloon but then got curious when Teacher Roselle started "cooking" the shirts. Only then he was convinced to tie his own shirt so that he can have it cooked.

Now, the purple shirt is one of the boys' favorite shirts.

Abundance

With the current financial crisis, everyone is worried and no one is spared. Well I thought the Philippines is already used to recession. Hundreds are jobless and hundreds are living below the poverty line. But companies are starting to close down and project are getting cancelled so there is no choice but to release people.

Am I beginnning to worry about others? What will happen to those who have kids? Those who need to send their children to school? Those who have mortgages?

Thanks to those who are willing to help make ends meet. Thanks to those who are lending their hands.

This reminds me of the little boy in the bible who shared his 5 loaves of bread and 2 pieces of fish. It may have be impossible how these will be enough for the multitude of people, but the boy has faith. But out of the goodness of his heart, Jesus did a miracle and the 5 loaves of bread and 2 pieces of fish was more than enough to feed 5,000 people, and there were 12 basket of leftovers.

These trying times is not the time to be selfish. Let us help one another, encouraging and praying for one another...and Jesus will do miracles in our lives.

References John 6:1-14

Morning Rush

Every morning this week has been chaotic. Bujoi wakes up late so we have to rush on our daily weekday routine getting dress for school and work. Add to that, I have to spend 5-10 minutes for my daily litany as our household help has not been so effective lately. It's the litany that is becoming so tiring and disappointing.

Don't we just feel our life to be always in a middle of storm? It could be life's "little storm" from morning rush to office deadlines, for your own financial problems to global crisis, from coughs and colds to severe case of pneumonia, from relationship problems to separations?

We feel so much pressure that the world is falling on us? We feel the waves eating us, the gush of wind throwing us away?

We feel helpless and we want to cry out for help.

This is what the disciples felt when they were crossing the Sea of Galilee. A large storm comes up with the waves beating the ship that the boat threatens to sink. And Jesus was asleep. So all the more the disciples were scared. Jesus remained sleeping despite the commotion probably because He wanted to test the faith of his disciples.

Are you feeling the same way? In the midst of a storm, crying out for help but nobody listens? God must be testing your faith. Cry out harder. Open your heart and burdens to Him, and there you will find His lovingkindness, His gentle hands taking all your worries away. Let Him control your life just as he can calm the raging storm, He will bring you peace.

Reference: Mark 4:35-40