I am a Princess

“I would like to thank my parents who have instilled in me sound values and morals; my brothers who toughened me up - teaching me that femininity does not equate being the damsel in distress; my friends who are the spice of life; the SFC community who were and still are instruments in my spiritual growth; my knight who accepts me for who I am – all weirdness included and above all I give thanks and praise to my God- my King who loves me so much he called me His masterpiece.”

These are the thoughts running thru my head as I stood infront of the Princess Diaries tarpaulin yesterday and posed and smiled for the camera, parang thank you speech lng ng beauty queen diba?!

Every little girl dreams of becoming a princess and yesterday was indeed a very magical day filled with pink and white balloons, daintily prepared food and sparkly tiaras.

When I was a kid, I used to stand in front of the mirror and practice how to wave, blow kisses and curtsy as if I had just won the Little Miss Philippines Pageant which was kind of ironic actually because I have neverfelt pretty nor girly enough to win such contests.

Growing up with two brothers I would spend the day running around, riding bikes and climbing trees which scabbed my knees and as such was never comfortable wearing dresses.

I was an awkward wallflower who felt plain and un-pretty most especially when I hear people compliment and compare my cousins’ fair-skinned, Spanish mestiza looks against my typical Filipino features.

Often wondering what would I have been had I inherited my parents ‘beauty’ genes, I developed a somewhat introverted personality - feeling more at ease quietly doing crafts and tinkering in the kitchen rather than going to parties.

Realizing these to be my strong suits, I tried to develop these ‘talents’ and shared them with the people I care for. Without realizing it, my focus shifted from longing to be someone else to developing the person that I am.

“You are who and what you are supposed to be as designed by God”

"You are God's beloved, your name even translates as beloved"

"You are beautiful not because the world says so but because you are God's creation"

“Bloom where you are planted”

These are the words that resonated within me as I listened to every speaker and reflected during quiet activities in yesterday’s retreat.

I truly felt beautiful – not just because I was wearing an elegant dress and fancy shoes; it was not even because I was crowned a tiara and pinned a sash but because yesterday was an affirmation of who we are all along in the eyes of God – his princesses, his fearfully and wonderfully made beautiful masterpiece…

… and for all of this May God be Praised!

Sweet Grace

I have always been shy - a wallflower who can sometimes be uncomfortable and lost in a crowded room full of unfamiliar faces. My friends jokingly compared me to a diesel fueled machine that needs warming up before gearing go - yes it was the perfect description as I indeed need time (a couple of get-togethers does it) to warm up to a person.

Last Saturday was something else though - on our way to the Grand Fellowship after the ME RECON 2014 held in Bahrain, a sister sat next to me on the bus. She initiated the conversation which I engaged in until a lull came into it - I have always feared this (awkward) silence as you would not really know how to proceed and so I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. Still this sweet sister continued the conversation, calling to mind our unit head's boldness when it comes to meeting new people, I felt inspired, I opened up and slowly felt myself warming up to her and in that short bus trip when we got a glimpse of each others lives.

It was a very fortunate coincidence that we were also part of the same team for the fellowship games, thrown into more unfamiliar faces I was thankful for her presence, her bubbly and sweet personality was contagious that I could not help but be active in the games as well despite being physically tired and sleep deprived.

When it was time for us to go - my friend prompted me to take a picture with her but I could not see her amidst all the delegates wearing the same shirt, while contemplating on shouting out her name to get her attention she came running to hug me goodbye! it was such a sweet gesture that I was all smiles as we walked away.

As I was sharing the story to my friends and co-delegates from Abu Dhabi she again came to us and gave me her bracelet as a remembrance of the days events - it was a very unexpected, heartwarming and overwhelming gesture indeed and for this I am very greatfull.

Thank you my dear sister Mary Grace Quines Romero from SFC Bahrain for your kindness, thoughtfulness and sweetness. Indeed I see Jesus reflected in your personality...

... and for all of this May God be Praised!!!

The Power of Choice

                                                                                                                                 

Have you ever wondered how many decisions you make everyday? While most of them may seem trivial and insignificant, like the choice of what to wear, it is crucial to understand that they matter because it is the little choices that determine the bigger ones we have to make.

“…I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.”  - Deuteronomy 30:19

Every choice we make has its own consequence - they are the seeds that produce fruits in our lives - and if we want to have the life that Jesus wants us to have we need to make the right decisions.

The 16^th SFC Middle East Regional Conference held October 24-25, 2014 in Bahrain reminds us of our conviction to change for the better, to recommit to God, to make the bold choice and CHOOSE CHRIST.

Session 1 – Christ is Alive

Christ is Alive and we have seen him. Jesus personally comes to us despite our ‘locked doors’.

Jesus died to give us an abundant life full of overwhelming peace and joy but in the Good Friday’s of our lives – the times of deep sadness; in our fears; in our disbelief; in our guilt and unworthiness – we begin to question His presence and wonder how can He work and change our lives.

Looking back, I realized how our Lord has been initiating an encounter with me, from being invited to the CLP to being tapped for service – there are times that I have felt unworthy and inadequate but by removing the ‘stone’ in our hearts, and recognizing God’s initiative we are able to experience Christ’s resurrection – the Easter Sunday in our lives.

Have you learned to recognize the Lord’s initiative?

Session 2 – Hearts on Fire

When we choose Christ, we fill our lives with Him.

When we learn to recognize that Jesus is constantly journeying with us we become united with Him.

Like the two disciples on their Emmaus journey, recognizing God working in my life did not come to me in an instant. I felt ‘forced’ the first time I attended the CLP but when I opened my heart and felt touched by God’s presence, I was filled with a burning desire to get to know Him more and felt even more and more united with Him when struggles are conquered; mass is celebrated and the Eucharist received; during prayer; when tapped for service and in the thousands of moments in between – by making our lives God-centric we become united with Him thus we experience and radiate true Peace and Joy in His presence.

Each day is an opportunity to surrender all our inadequacies to God. When we learn to surrender; we learn to obey; our faith springs forth and our hearts burn with a passionate desire to follow Him and with Mother Mary as the perfect example of steadfast faith we too should strive to emulate her openness and acceptance of God’s will in our life. 

Have you accepted that Jesus is alive in your life? Do you radiate His presence?

Session 3 – Hearts in Love

Declaring that Jesus is alive in our lives is a call to unity with Him.

Life in Christ means being ready to say ‘YES’ and saying yes means being ready to obey and give God our best even in times of the odds in our life, trusting that He wants lead us from where we are to where He wants us to be.

A life of servitude is one way of giving back all the praise and glory to God. Being in the SFC Community presents various opportunities for service but it is only when we become like Christ in humility and obedience in self sacrificing service that we truly become His instrument to being the answer to someone’s prayer - making Him real to the people around us. 

A life of Humility and Obedience anchored on God’s love will naturally lead us to share this love through service, and service that is anchored in humility and obedience is our Faith in action. 

Do people see Christ in you?

Session 4 – Life in Christ

There is no other way to live a full life other than a life for Christ and with Christ.

God wants to be present in our lives, He wants us to experience the fullness of life but sometimes we forget and go back to our sinful ways and choose a different life than what He has planned for us. The good news is that even if we have made wrong choices and gone astray we can change. 

We can renounce a life of emptiness as a consequence of our empty pursuits, by taking responsibility for the mistakes that we have made in the past, making the bold choice and choosing Christ! I was once asked what makes me stay in the community after more than a year of service, right off the bat I answered "I remained in service because the community has helped me (and continues to help me) grow as a person whom God aught me to be."  I had made my choice and my choice became my life…

Living a life for and with Christ is not easy because choosing Him does not make us immune to suffering and temptations but by Knowing Christ and pursuing Him in our daily life we begin to have a deeper understanding of how we can Imitate Christ and be like Him by being inspired and inspiring thru the Gospel - choosing decisions and actions that becomes our being and our doing, thus Living Christ to the people around us. 

Have you made the bold choice? 

We are given the power of choice, of having free will and as we are presented with worldly lures that affects our decisions how can we make the right choices? It is by acknowledging that we can not do it on our own. By seeking wisdom, praying and asking God’s guidance to help us and renewing our commitment to do what He wants us to do that we are changed. 

 

Being part of the SFC Community further challenges us to be “fools for Christ” as we are called to be imitators of Christ and be witnesses for Him, proclaiming that he is alive with hearts on fire and in love -living a life in Him for we are Generation Christ.

The 16^th SFC Middle East Regional Conference dares us to grow in conviction to change for the better, to change for the Lord, to recommit to God and CHOOSE CHRIST for “Life is Christ and death is gain”

And for all of this May God be Praised!