Have You Put Up Your Advent Wreath Yet?

Have you put up your Advent wreath? This wreath I made last year. This year I am kind of late because I am looking for the other three candles. Can you believe that? I am looking for the candles I put off last year and I could't find locate it. 

Yesterday, at church we had our yearly Woman's Advent Tea and I was hosting one table among 10 tables. My guest were my sister in law's, two of my hubby's daughter, a niece and a cousin of hubby. It was fun to be together like this kind of event. We had salad then after the speaker who came from Mary's Mantle we had a sumptuous dessert. Oh gush, I went home sugar loaded.

Right now I am busy juggling from blogging, decorating my childhood tree and looking for the Advent candles. ^_^

Yesterday the church lights the first of four candles on the Advent wreath. Perhaps you will want to light a candle too.

                                                   Mary: Immaculate Conception

There is a refrain that would be helpful whenever I think about Mary: What she is, I am called to be. How does that apply to the Immaculate Conception which we will celebrate during the Advent season? Jesus came as Savior  - to save us all from sin. Because Mary was destined to be the mother of Jesus, she had a unique relationship to the Savior, and received his saving grace from the first moment of her existence. 
I can't claim to have been "full of grace" from the very first moment of my existence. But Jesus is my Savior, too. Mary doesn't differ from me because she received this grace. She differs because of when she received it - at her conception. I received it at baptism. From the beginning she was what i am called to be: Sinless.
I wonder if I take seriously enough the fact that I am called to be sinless? I wonder if instead, my goal is "high mediocrity" - as though God says, "Well, you're an imperfect creature, so go ahead and sin now and then." I wasn't created to be a sinner. I was created in the image of God. What Mary is, I am called to be. Called to be sinless. I never quite thought of it that way.

Last Day of October

Today is the last day of the month of October. Time flies so fast we are almost at the end of 2011!! I read in my daily prayer book a reflection why we sometimes think and feels that time goes so quick. It says, it is because we are too busy with our lives. Some people don't have time to stop and look at the sky, to smell the flowers, to mingle with friends and family, and the most important part is to be quite with the Lord. How many of us know about the Adoration chapel in our church.

When I was in the Philippines, I love to go to the adoration chapel and spend time just gazing at the Lord. After I pray I just set there, close my eyes and do nothing. It is hard for many of us not to think our daily problems, worries and concerns but we don't realize that by  being with the Lord every day in our life, listening to HIM and being with HIM is the secret of what is called life. So today I am so greatly thankful that God is with us all the time. Concerns, worries, problems is always there but remember Jesus told us "do not be afraid for I am with you" And so Lord through the rest of this remaining months of this year, I offer you my family, friends and relatives. Amen!

Trust in God

Yesterday, was my lowest day ever. For some reasons I was feeling so depressed and I was so bored!! But to top it all I am so concern and worried for my nieces and nephew in the Philippines and also of what is happening there. And because of all the negative aura that I take I have aches all over my body and thankfully I was not cranky but upset and just a snap of a finger I easily cried. Hubby is so understanding and so supportive he came up to me and hug me, asking me if I am feeling okey but what can I say I am feeling okey when I am not? So I always told him I felt bad, he always encourage me words that be happy and smile, I guess he missed my smiles and laughter since he is used to my jokes and laughter. But what overwhelmed me so much is the negative feeling . And so in my mind I have this mantra that keeps on bugging me which is "im bored" all over again and again. I had that for the whole day and when it was time for me to go night night. An inspiration came to my mind, it says read the bible, read the bible. I was in the shower, change my clothes but still my mind keep hearing those words. So I did get my bible and checked here in my blog, because one of my blog has a daily readings. So when I checked the reading of the day I read Luke 12:22-30. I get in the bed and I read the verses loud so hubby could also hear it. Here is what it says. 

22 And he said to his disciples: Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat; nor for your body, what you shall put on. 23 The life is more than the meat, and the body is more than the raiment. 24 Consider the ravens, for they sow not, neither do they reap, neither have they storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much are you more valuable than they? 25 And which of you, by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit?

26 If then ye be not able to do so much as the least thing, why are you solicitous for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. 28Now if God clothe in this manner the grass that is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more you, O ye of little faith? 29 And seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink: and be not lifted up on high. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek. But your Father knoweth that you have need of these things.

After reading the gospel, something flash inside me. Remember I was so worried, concern, and bored? I again read it and hubby said, see TRUST IN THE LORD and don't be worried. Put HIM first before anything else. By then, it sunk on me that God is here HE is alive and so by then I decided to change my mantra "I trust you Lord" and I repeated that until I doze to sleep. The next morning I woke up chirpy like a bird and happy. And everything goes well. Still saying my mantra the whole day, I checked the gospel reading of today. To my surprise the gospel reading of this week is the Gospel of St. John and not St Luke. I scrambled to check my bible and yes I was reading last night Gospel of St. John but I am so sure that is what I read here in my blog that it is St. John!! I was smiling and I see to it that I will blog this whole thing. It was so cool GOD speaks to me yeheyyyy!!

Yes, sometimes or oftentimes I falter in trusting YOU. But YOU are there to comfort me and guide me. You've never forsaken  me or turn your back at me. I so love you God!! And thank you!!