becoming – Page 4

Fierce Grace

Myla. She was a highschool dropout. She supported her boyfriend for seven long years but the latter didn’t know the extent and depth of her support.

I’m both (ambot!) amused and annoyed at the satirical storyline which exaggerates the power and arrogance of the elite.

Myla’s boyfriend disregards her support and boasts about being in excellent standing with the society’s most influential person. With his double PhD, he was up to be hired by the topmost company, Rosa Corp. He was excited to meet the ultra-rich supporter of his achievements, the CEO of Rosa Corp. Unbeknownst to him, it was actually his scruffy girlfriend Myla.

The boyfriend’s mom is a condescending eye-poor (matapobre!) who treats Myla with the least respect. She offers to pay her just to break up with her son.

Shortly after being dumped, Myla enters into a legal marriage with an ultra-rich tycoon who is indebted to her because of a business tip she gave him. He had no clue that she was Rosa Corp’s CEO. He happened to be running away from his engagement to a high-society woman he disliked.

So Myla and the ultra-rich tycoon got married in a jiffy, as if they got their marriage license from a vending machine.

Then the plot “thickens” when people didn’t want to believe that Myla was indeed THE wealthiest, most powerful person in the room. She – and her husband – received all sorts of bashing.

The scenes kept extending, whetting my appetite for the big reveal. I could’ve just dragged the slider to the end but I chose to let myself be immersed in the charades and confusing captions.

In the end, of course, Myla is more than fully avenged when the most impossible truth about her identity is revealed, shoving all of the contrabidas down on their knees with nothing but regret.

I can’t help but remember how, during the days of Jesus, the top religious people failed to see Him for who He said he was: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58).

Who is Jesus to you? Is Jesus really who He says He is? Will you be ready to meet Him and be embraced by Him on the great Reveal? Or will you get down on your knees with nothing but regret? Don’t wait until it is too late.

Redeemed Beauty

Warrior princess, you’ve been redeemed, you are chosen and you are extravagantly loved.

Even in the most mundane, little tasks let your beauty shine.

Do not let negativity – yours or that of others – quench your fire.

Do not stop the naysayers – you can’t. But with gentleness, direct them.

Let the Lover of your soul sit enthroned in your heart – do not be fooled nor conceited – for only He, the King of kings, is your Vindication.

Delight to hide, to rest, to walk in the shadow of His wings, and let others gaze not on yours but His beauty.

Repairing Anya Forger

Four year-old Kuya Hope and I were so excited to open the new parcel.

It was a paint-by-numbers kit of Anya Forger, the little kid spy in SpyxFamily. Anya has telephatic abilities, unbeknownst to her adoptive parents.

But this post isn’t about Anya. Let me share with you my thoughts as I tried my best to “repair” Anya.

When we opened the parcel, I told little Kuya Hope that I can only help him with the first color. He’ll have to do the rest of the painting. I’ll help him with some repairs later on after he’s done. He happily agreed.

We sort of finished number 1 the first night.

The next day, Kuya Hope and I had our simultaneous paint-by-numbers activity. He worked on Anya while I worked on Asian Princess.

Kuya Hope cheerily went thru the activity. Every now and then, I helped him to close and open little paint lids and refill his little cup of paint water. (You need a little bit of water to rinse off your brush before proceeding to the next color). For someone his age, I’m proud to report that he didn’t make a major-major spill.

Perhaps a good one hour has passed when Kuya Hope announced that he was done. He told me that I had to repair Anya. I looked at the painting.

He was able to paint correctly, according to number. There was a glob here… and there… and wow, alright, a glob there, too. I tried to see it thru my kindergarten eyes.

I asked little Kuya Hope to confirm if he enjoyed the activity. I praised his efforts and his focus. I assured him that it would be easier to repair Anya once the first coat of paint has dried up.

I remember the little one saying, “I made a mistake.” The way he said it so casually reminded me of the purity and beauty of a child’s humility. We can learn so much from little ones if we only take the time to listen.

As I repaired Anya, I pondered on these questions: How much time in our lives do we spend repairing just to show a beautiful picture? How many globs do we need to paint over or straighten out for the end result to be close to perfection? How humble are we to admit that we’ve made a mistake?

If perfectionism is your addiction, perhaps ‘Be perfect, just as your Father is perfect,” is one of your favorite Bible verses or mantra.

Yet we can never fully attain perfection this side of eternity, can we? We can only be faithful in the little things and do everything – no matter how little – with great love. Do everything as unto the LORD, not as unto men.

A life of worship is a life of peace, beauty and perfection – not in the eyes of people – but in the eyes of our loving Heavenly Father.

Perfection on this side of eternity is fickle and finicky. Perfection in God’s eyes, on the other hand, is a matter of the heart.

How’s your heart today?