Smile from a Stranger

Image borrowed here

I went yesterday to a local bookstore to buy some supplies that I needed for our next plate in Visual Techniques. After browsing some books basically to let time fly, I decided to leave when I read that it's almost 5:00 in the big white clock just above the escalator. I remembered that it's almost time for the the mass I scheduled myself to attend that afternoon.

In a rush, I quickly went to the counter to purchase the supplies I've been holding for almost an hour. Then there it happened. I caught a glimpse of the saleslady staring at me. She stood there while I was handing out the cash. She smiled. The ticking hand of the clock completely stopped. And a strange feeling engulfed my whole being. Very magical.

Something tells me that she sealed that smile with her whole sincerity before giving it to me. Salesladies normally smile to show hospitality but this one is completely different. I don't know why but I just know it.

I left that bookstore with a happy and an uplifted spirit. I realized that it only takes a smile, just one smile, even from a stranger to make my day. Now it's time for me to share that sincerity the strange saleslady gave me.

Snatching the Situation from God

A Daily Devotional of The Purpose-Driven Life by Jon Walker

“Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the Word of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:2a, NIV)

It’s easy to look at this verse and assume Paul is talking about the sinful behavior that occurs before we become Christians. That is, we announce our dependence upon Jesus and we renounce the sinful methods we use to make it through each day.

Yet Paul is actually referring to the sinful behavior of a group of Christians who are slandering him while also manipulating other Christians. Instead of slinging mud, Paul, our prefect in the school of Christ , ignores their specific attacks and instead directs us heavenward.

In effect, he says, we once used these same methods to get our own way, but now that we follow Christ, we depend upon him to carry us through the day. We no longer depend upon our own strength, and we no longer depend upon secrecy, deception, or self-righteousness to get our own way.

It seems it always comes back to dependence on Jesus, doesn’t it?

Paul, ever the exhorter, pushes us toward the ideal, but his standards are never imperative, “ought to” statements demanding perfection from us. He, perhaps more than any other student in the school of Christ , understands our desperate need for God’s grace.

We can’t; God can. And because we trust, God can.

Mist

Image borrowed here

The sun have not shown it's face yesterday. It rained non-stop which irritated me a little. I have never really considered a rainy day a very good one. Seeing the sky gray was a dread sight to witness and hearing the tiny raindrops' trickle as it gently pours on everything is really getting into my nerves. And yes, let's not forget the hassle of bringing out your umbrella when you already carry loads of other school stuffs with you, your feet soaked and all pruny in mud, and all the public jeepneys packed with passengers testing their patience on crammed space and the stuffy atmosphere just to get home as soon as possible.

Weird. But I've always believed that the world mourns over someone/something when it rains. But who could have the world mourn over that made the sky shed it's tears all day? I don't know.

I came home late, maybe around 9:30PM with a hungry stomach. I ate my dinner alone, as usual during these days, and it kind of saddened me more. 11:25 PM. I lie awake in bed. Can't sleep and still raining. Can't feel the cold temperature brought forth by the sky's tears. I took a long bath. Read the Bible and slept at around 12:30.

I woke up early this morning at around 5:30 to go over my newspaper route. The rings under my eyes got even darker. I'm so weak. So exhausted.

I was in that current state of brooding when I was surprised to hear some birds singing. I rarely hear one these days because of the city's noise pollution. As I enter our front door after I have delivered the newspapers, my eyes caught notice of the remains of the mysterious bunch of flowers our fortune plant(that's what they call it) brought about. The dry petals lay dead under its shadows, drowning over a puddle. Sigh. I guess I'll never smell it's luscious fragrance tonight. I guess I'll never see it's buds bloom under the moon's light.

The rain have stopped and in place of it is a thick mist embracing everything that I laid my eyes upon. I still can't feel the chilly temperature everyone in my family is talking about. I wonder if I'll ever see the sun shine today.

Radiant Certainty

I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:20-22