Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Year to simply TRUST....A year of Miracles...2016!

Isaiah 26:3-4  "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!    Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. "

When God speaks, it's up to us to hear.  It's up to us to quiet our spirits and let His tiny voice ring in our ears.  That's my choice this year.  Reading further Isaiah 61, The year of Lord's favor...favors! with an "S".  With expectant heart to the unknowns....

Ria's pregnancy is just going good.  We are excited and anticipate the coming of our Addison Rae.  All is good, so far and it's past her 2nd trimester.

Mom's trip to the Philippines was quite a disappointing one to her and maybe somehow affected her emotionally.  Her resistance seemed weaker and thus, her sciatica attacked again and it took us 2 ER visits, and several doctor's visits, to no avail.  Until the nurse had all medicines stopped and gave her steroids, antibiotics and started using nebulizer again.  Now, that worked and sent her back to her normal self slowly and regaining her resistance back again.  Just in time for another trial that was about to occur.

By early May, on Ria's side of the pregnancy term, was an abrupt twist. She came in for a regular doctor's visit and then boom, Addi was born at 30 weeks and 5 days, due to preeclampsia.  It was nerve-racking.  It all happened so fast, and that made us think, it was all in God's perfect timing though.  Throughout the whole ordeal, I was on my knees asking the Lord for His grace and mercy in their behalf.  That My Ria be kept safe despite the soaring high blood pressure and for our baby Addi not to be affected.  I'm sure my son in law, was a nervous wreck himself.  But this is where I realized and fully grasp what full surrender was.  Did that mean I had no fears?  Of course not!  But despite all the nervousness, the fears, I can honestly say, my heart was steadfast in the hope that all else will be okay.  Romans 8:28 kept ringing in my ears, there's gotta be something good out of all this!  I scrambled on my phoned every night for God's comforting Words while I am on Ria duty and Psalm 112:6-8 truly guarded my heart.  

6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
    they will be remembered forever.
7 They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

We were all tired, body and mind, specially my Ria, whose mind was probably wandering  every single second, but we prayed, we cried, and above all, we trusted in The GOD Almighty whom we believe is All Knowing of it all.  Trials, I realized, is meant to build up one's faith in God, to understand how to be at peace in the midst of the turmoil and to trust God despite the unknown.  And to develop more patience, as I reminded Ria and Andrew because it will be a road they have to trek now that have their little one to care for the rest of their lives.

Every single moment as I talk to my God, I thank Him, I tell Him to truly go deep into my heart and see how I am greatly filled with gratitude and to help me keep that in my heart specially in times I tend to complain or fail to see how He is working my life into something good, great and wonderful even if I don't see it, even if I don't understand it.  My prayer always to never even  let the Holy Spirit depart from my heart, for guidance and wisdom.

Our little Addi will grow to memorize a lot of bible verses, learn bible stories, learn a lot of music that will forever thank and give praise to God, because I will remind her of the Mighty work of God's hands over her life and all the people who prayed for her.  We can't wait for God's miracle to come home in this house God has blessed us with.  I always recite to her when I leave her at the NICU, Number 6:23-26.  Her progress are good, she's developing and growing stronger and healthier as days go by.  Thank you for all who prays for both mama, daddy and lil' Addi.

And in the end, we can say, "as for me and my house, (all of us), we will (choose) to serve the Lord Jesus Christ."


2015...swoooshhh, off it went!



I was just reading my last 2014 write up and i purposely delayed 2015 because of many events that happened.  Common things in life, some good, some bad, some working progress and some that stays on.  

The beginning of the year brought us some good news about Ria being pregnant , but to our dismay, it was a false one, again.  It was so heart breaking especially for a mother like me to see my daughter go through the roller coaster high and lows of such news.  But I kept trusting the Lord.  I simply ask to watch over my Ria and Andrew , and that in God's perfect time, it'll happen...

Fast forward, simply because I can't recall anymore really what happened in the past months as it went along...They had troubles with the condo where they lived and finally come September, they decided to sell the place.  Praise God they were able to and even if they didn't make much, every detail of our prayers were answered.  I prayed that it'll help Andrew develop a deeper sense of trust in the leading of God, especially in his decisions.  God bless that family that took over in all of their dealings.  We asked the Lord to bless them accordingly.

Now comes a major change in our lives.  They move in with us again.  My heart is fine, I am up to them moving in because it has brought some laugther in the house front.  Ray's got time to even sit down watch sports with Andrew and have someone he can talk to and enjoy watching sports.  Mom's got an everyday bodyguard, (wink-wink) too.

Sometimes, even in off guard moments, things just happen and it's for the good, as God promised.  I am learning to just trust in the unknown.  I still go wonder and thought wander, but the bottom line of it is relying simply on His promises.  Dismiss the worry, and then just Trust.  I often catch myself talking to myself, thinking how I and Ray will be in our older age, moneywise, and in the end, i simply utter, "Lord, you said, you will take of us and I will not worry about it, because you hold our future and that's your job."  We will just live for the moments that He gives us, do our job, share his gospel either in words or in our lifestyle.

Some not so good news as well, when Tita Linda Guzman was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, with tumors found in her lungs too.  We fell on our knees, in earnest, persevering, persistent prayers in her behalf believing that He will show us miracles.  Same for Elmer and Joann, and even little Joshua. 

August I was offered a 1 year fixed term at Genetics and my prayer is for the Lord to let me know that this is part of His great plan for my life.  I ask to see an actual rainbow as His sign to me that it is...He knows my heart, well, and what my limited mind does not know is if my desire to just to be a home earner with benefits is the plan He has for me.  I have to remain prayerful about it.

Then come mid October again and we got great news.  Our Ria and Andrew are pregnant again!  And this time, it's a go!!! We held up until the 14th week.  The more I prayed, prayed and prayed...a strong heartbeat on the Dec 29 doctor's appointment. Praise the Mighty and Sweestest Name of Jesus.  Our perfect little gift.  Oh how we have waited for our precious little one.  We so anticipate and are very excited come June-July 2016!  And so Is CJ and Mell!  Praise God.

The year ended quite busy when Ate had to come so mom can have a companion going home because we got scared of the "laglag bala" scam in the Philippine airport.  So, again, in God's perfect timing  and mighty provisions, she was able to spend 2015 Christmas holidays with us, even her birthday.

We closed the year thanking God over and over, again and again for all that He has done to us.