A Provision Of Shoes

2011-01-24T15:44:00.000-08:00

Before Christmas, we had an invitation for a dinner party of the Chinese Congregation Alliance Blessing. I was bothered because my husband wasn't able to buy a pair of new shoes and his shoes were really not good anymore. I wanted to buy the shoes secretly but he keeps putting me off. Kindly, I asked him " Honey, the dinner party is fast approaching and you cannot wear those shoes you have this time". He answered back " God will provide a means for me to buy new shoes". I laughed out loud of what he said, while I am telling to myself what and why he is waiting for God to give him the means to buy a pair of new shoes. My laughter was silenced because just two days before the event God really paved a way for my husband to buy his shoes. The board gave his salary two days prior to his pay day and this is very unusual. I see in my husband the confidence, in small and big things, he has in the Lord and he is consistent and steadfast. When I ponder this thing to him one night, he said i can be like him. All i have to do is to lift up all things to Him, be it a small or big thing. God loves to feel that we need him....that we are in total dependence of Him.

Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

AN OPEN LETTER TO MY HUSBAND

2010-10-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

My dearest Ferris,

It was the fourth month of the year 2007 when we met unexpectedly in the virtual world. A venue where they say a true person never exist because anyone can easily re-create himself to what he wants to be behind the computer machine.

We both were geographically dispersed. You were in South America and I was in the Southeast Asia. You were in the west and I was in the east. You were in the flat, humid, peaceful, small and busy island of Aruba and I was in the green, mountainous, disaster-prone and noisy Philippines.

That was three years ago and now we finally are in the real time world. In that span of time, we surpassed a lot of milestones. Two of which were first, the distance that nearly make us think its impossible to be together and second, the previous commitment that had chained me in my neck for years.

Now, as we move along as couple in Christ, let me publicly convey my gratitude not my sentiments, my congratulations not my regrets, my inner joys and feelings not sadness of being with you. You,who had told me a strong statement, I will never forget “ OUR LOVE STARTED AT FOREVER AND WILL END NEVER.

Thank you honey for :

1.) ….......your genuine and biblical love to me and my daughter
“Christians are the best lovers at all times”, people say and finally I can say I am a living proof to that because of how you love not only me but also my daughter.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

2.) ….......your humility

Remember when we had a misunderstanding? You apologized to me even it was not your fault because you said you value more our relationship than your pride or your ego.

Proverbs 29:23
A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

3.) …........your pastor-like counsels and care

I have observed how you encourage, help and uplift others especially the filipinos in the island through your spiritual wisdom. You also willingly set aside mountain tasks to give attention and time to those who comes to you for assistance, advises and seeking solutions to their problems. I admit that I am not always happy when your ministry of helping calls you away from home.

1 Peter 4: 8-10
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace

4.) …....... your Christ-like attitude
You try to live all the facets of your life as a true evidence of Christ's love by being patient, not easily-angered, understanding at all times, peace keeper and being a prayer warrior. Your joy is to mirror the attitude of Christ in your life.

Ephesians 5:1
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.

When we cannot make both ends meet and numbers don't add up, you never grumble but you show your deep trust to our Provider. When I am angry, you never will but instead, you turn to me with big smile on your face. When time is insufficient, you never worry because you said you are not a worrier but a Christian warrior. You don't lean on your own understanding or even the conventional wisdom of proven models but you always take risky “steps of faith” that sometimes may look foolish on me.

Nothing, nothing honey be it personal or spiritual crisis, financial shortfalls, growing pains, disappointments, sickness.... nothing cannot be overcome by you because I watch you respond quickly with prayerful dependence....preaching the gospel to yourself and practicing its teachings.

I want you to know honey that my life with you now is an adventure of faith with many challenges I am willing to accept. Thank you for being my shepherd, my teacher, my best-friend, my shock absorber, my encourager, my counselor...... above all … thank you for being my Christian husband. I LOVE YOU.... MORE THAN WORDS can say......

For always,

Arlyne

A PROVISION OF SHOES

A Provision Of Shoes

AN OPEN LETTER TO MY HUSBAND