No One Falls in Love by Choice

No one falls in love by choice, it is by CHANCE.

No one stays in love by chance, it is by WORK.

And no one falls out of love by chance, it is by CHOICE.

It doesn’t count if your heart says that she’s the "One" when your mind says otherwise.  Love is actually serious business; it is not to be taken lightly, lest you spend a lifetime of regret.  Let your heart and mind both agree on the match.  Only then do you know that she is the "One."

 

CHOOSE WELL AND CHOOSE WISELY. 

 

ONE FLAW IN WOMEN

Here’s another item from a Facebook post of a friend.  I remember getting this also in an e-mail many years ago.  In my opinion, the point of the story is this: Women are perfect.  They just forget this sometimes.

 

ONE FLAW IN WOMEN
by Unknown Author

 

By the time the Lord made woman, he was into his sixth day of working overtime. An angel appeared and said, "Why are you spending so much time on this one?"

And the Lord answered, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable and able to run on diet coke and leftovers, have a lap that can hold four children at one time, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart -and she will do everything with only two hands."

The angel was astounded at the requirements. "Only two hands!? No way! And that’s just on the standard model? That ‘s too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish.

"But I won’t," the Lord protested. "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days."

The angel moved closer and touched the woman. "But you have made her so soft, Lord."

"She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

"Will she be able to think?", asked the angel.

The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate."

The angel then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman’s cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."

"That’s not a leak," the Lord corrected, " that’s a tear!"

"What’s the tear for?" the angel asked.

The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride."

The angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing."

And she is!

Women have strengths that amaze men.

They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in.

They stand up to injustice.

They don’t take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.They’ll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends.Women have vital things to say and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Fart Analysis

This post goes out to Karen and the few other people who read my blog, hehehe.  Sorry, I don’t have anything profound at the moment.  So this will have to do for now; an e-mail forward from January 11, 1997.  Might come in useful someday.  At the very least this would put a smile on someone’s face (I think).  Hey, you can actually use this to check yourself!

 

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Fart Analysis: Find Your True Self!

1. The Vain Person: One who loves the smell of his own farts.
2. The Amiable Person: One who loves the smell of other people’s farts.
3. The Proud Person: One who thinks his farts are exceptionally fine.
4. The Shy Person: One who releases silent farts and then blushes.
5. The Impudent Person: One who farts loudly and then laughs.
6. The Scientific Person: One who farts regularly but is truly concerned about air pollution.
7. The Unfortunate Person: One who tries awfully hard to fart but s*** instead.
8. The Nervous Person: One who stops in the middle of a fart.
9. The Honest Person: One who admits he farted but offers a medical reason for it.
10. The Dishonest Person: One who farts and then blames the dog.
11. The Foolish Person: One who suppresses a fart for hours and hours.
12. The Thrifty Person: One who always has several farts in reserve.
13. The Antisocial Person: One who excuses himself and farts in complete privacy.
14. The Strategic Person: One who conceals his farts with loud laughter.
15. The Sadistic Person: One who farts in bed and then fluffs the bed covers over his bed mates head.
16. The Intellectual Person: One who determines from the smell of his neighbor’s fart precisely the latest food item he consumed.
17. The Athletic Person: One who farts at the slightest exertion.
18. The Miserable Person: One who would truly love to but can’t fart at all.
19. The Sensitive Person: One who farts and then bursts into tears.
20. The Bruiser: One who farts so hard and loud that he bruises his butt cheeks.

 

Happiness is a Journey

Happiness is a Journey
by Father Alfred D. Souza

For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.

 

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time… and remember that time waits for no one…

 

So stop waiting

until you finish school,
until you go back to school,
until you lose ten pounds,
until you gain ten pounds,
until you have kids,
until your kids leave the house,
until you start work,
until you retire,
until you get married,
until you get divorced,
until Friday night,
until Sunday morning,
until you get a new car or home,
until your car or home is paid off,
until spring,
until summer,
until fall,
until winter,
until you are off benefits,
until the first or fifteenth,
until your song comes on,
until you’ve had a drink,
until you’ve sobered up,
until you die,
until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy… 

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

 

Work like you don’t need money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. And dance like no one’s watching.

 

Just Friends?

Just Friends?
by Susan Nikaido

If my sources are correct, the following scenario is played out frequently among the world of Christian singles. It happens on both sides of the gender line, but allow me to talk about it from my own female perspective.

A man meets a woman and begins to show interest in her. He asks her to spend time with him on a regular basis : hiking, biking, watching videos. He calls her at least once a week just to talk. He begins telling her about the deeper things in his heart and invites her to share at this level as well. He sends her mushy "friendship" cards and tells her that she means a great deal to him. He may become a little affectionate : the hugs begin to linger.

The relationship has been defined as friendship, if it has been defined at all. But after all this special attention, the woman is definitely feeling more. So she asks the guy what’s going on.

To her surprise, he does a quick about-face. He insists they are just friends. After that, he avoids her, leaving her hurt and bewildered. She feels rejected – she has lost not only a romantic interest (she thought) but worse, a close and trusted friend. And she feels stupid.

Did she really misread all those signals? After I experienced this as a single woman, I asked a friend my friend "Joe" to help me understand why guys do this. After I told him my woeful tale, he said, "I did that to somebody once."

"What? Why would you ever do such a thing?" I asked. "We were getting too close, and it scared me," he said.

This helped me understand why the "just friends" syndrome is so widespread. A guy wants to get to know a girl, but without the pressure of dating. So he spends a lot of time with her, treating her in many ways like a girlfriend but defining the relationship as friends. This way, if it begins to look like there’s no future in the relationship, or he’s not ready to "get serious," he can back away with no messy breakup. It sounds like a nice arrangement – for the guy.

But that approach can be a problem for the woman. If a man tells a woman he just wants to "be friends" but he treats her like it’s more than friendship, she will believe his behavior instead of his words. It sets her up for a big disappointment. Or if he invokes the "just friends" mantra after being asked about the nature of the relationship, but then promptly begins to distance himself from the friendship, again, his actions do not match his words.

He may think he’s sparing her feelings by avoiding a breakup. But by defining the relationship as a friendship, he hurts her even more deeply when he disappears. A dating relationship comes with certain risks. But she expects a friendship – especially such a close one – to continue. Think about it this way : A broken dating relationship says only, "I don’t want to marry you"; a broken friendship says to her, "I don’t want/value you on any level."

Taking a woman down this path violates two scriptural principles. First, it’s dishonest. The apostle Paul said that it was the way of the world – not of a Godly man – to say "yes, yes" and "no, no" in the same breath (2 Cor. 1:17). A man of integrity will call a relationship what it is.

Second, it is not kind or loving. The "just friends" approach may be safer for the guy, but it is harmful to the woman. In effect, he is asking her for the rewards of a dating relationship – companionship, emotional intimacy, even affection – without the responsibility. He is playing with her heart, and her heart will probably get broken.

But what if a guy does only want to be friends – or wants to develop a friendship before he decides to date?

It’s pretty simple. He just treats the woman like all his other friends. He doesn’t spend more time with her or call her more often than he does his other friends. He usually invites other people along when he gets together with her. He doesn’t pick up the tab when just the two of them go out. He avoids compliments that might communicate she is "special" to him. He lets her know he spends time with other women. He’s extremely careful about showing any physical affection – even playful shoves or hugs.

If, after getting to know her from a safe emotional distance, he wants a deeper relationship, he tells her that he wants to date her.

What if you are not thinking about more than friendship, but she asks about your intentions? Tell her you appreciate her friendship, but be honest about where you are. Above all, though it may be awkward for a while, continue to be her friend.

Years ago, I began to be attracted to a male friend. Though I hadn’t really been getting any signals that he was interested in me, I knew it would help settle my emotions to hear it from him. I asked. He affirmed me as a person but told me gently – but clearly – that he thought of me only as a friend. And then he did a wonderful thing. He kept being my friend. Though it hurt a little to learn I wasn’t attractive to him in that way, it helped to know he still valued me and wanted me around. Though we have both moved to different states and married, we are friends to this day.

 

What is happiness?

What is happiness?
by Paulo Coelho

This is a question that has not bothered me for a long time, precisely because I don’t know how to answer it.

I am not the only one. Through all these years I have lived with all sorts of people: rich and poor, powerful and mediocre. In the eyes of all who have crossed my path – and here I include warriors and wise men, people who should have nothing to complain about – I have always found that there was something missing.

Some people seem to be happy: they just do not think about it. Others make plans: “I’m going to have a husband, a home, two children, and a house in the country”. While this keeps them occupied, they are like bulls looking for the bullfighter: they don’t think, they just keep moving forward. They manage to get their car – sometimes even a Ferrari – and they think that the meaning of life lies there, so they never ask the question. Yet, despite all that, their eyes betray a sadness that they themselves are quite unaware of.

I don’t know if everyone is unhappy. I do know that people are always busy: working overtime, looking after the kids, the husband, the career, the university degree, what to do tomorrow, what they need to buy, whatever it is they need to have in order not to feel inferior, and so on.

Few people have ever told me: “I’m unhappy”. Most say: “I’m fine, I’ve managed to get all I ever wanted”.

So then I ask: “What makes you happy?”

They answer: “I have everything that a person can dream of – a family, a home, work, good health”.

I ask again: “Have you ever stopped to wonder if that is all there is to life?”

They answer: “Yes, that’s all there is”.

I insist: “So the meaning of life is work, the family, children who grow up and leave you, a wife or husband who will become more like a friend than a true love-mate. And one day the work will come to an end. What will you do when that happens?”

They answer: there is no answer. They change the subject. But there is always something hidden there: the owner of a firm who has still to close the deal he has always dreamed of, the housewife who would like to have more independence or more money, the new graduate who wonders whether he has chosen his career or has had it chosen for him, the dentist who wanted to be a singer, the singer who wanted to be a politician, the politician who wanted to be a writer, and the writer who wanted to be a peasant.

In this street where I am sit writing this column and looking at the people passing by, I bet that everyone is feeling the same thing. That elegant woman who has just walked by spends her days trying to stop time, controlling the bathroom scales, because she thinks love depends on that. On the other side of the street I see a couple with two children. They live moments of intense happiness when they go out with their kids, but at the same time their subconscious is busy thinking about the job they might not get, the tragedies that might occur, how to get over them, how to protect themselves from the world.

I leaf through magazines filled with famous people: everybody laughing, everybody very happy. But since this is a segment of society that I am quite familiar with, I know it is not like that: everyone is laughing or enjoying themselves at the moment that photo is taken, but at night, or in the morning, the story is always quite different. “What can I do to keep on appearing in the magazine?”, “how can I disguise not having enough money to afford all this luxury?” or “how can I manage this life of splendor to make it even more luxurious, more expressive than other people’s?”, “the actress whom I am seen with in this photo, laughing and having a great time, she could steal my part tomorrow!”, or “I wonder if my clothes are nicer than hers. Why do we smile so much if we loathe one another?”

To end, I recall the words of Jorge Luis Borges: “I will not be happy any more, but that doesn’t matter, there are many other things in this world”.

 

Some Thoughts on Relationships

Here’s another forwarded and re-posted note from a friend in the office.  Enjoy!

 

FYI

Para sa mga taong nanliligaw, nagbabalak manligaw, nililigawan, naliligaw, nag-iintay maligawan at nagbabalak lumagay sa magulo……….

 

Ang love ay hindi minamadali… hindi pinipilit..at lalong hindi kina-career…

Aray ko.

unang-una…

PAANO MO BA NASABING MAHAL MO NA SIYA???…

dahil ba natutuwa ka sa kanya???…
o kaya naman naaaliw ka???…
naswee-sweetan ka ba ng sobra sa kanya???…
kinikilig ka ba pag nakikita mo siya???…
at nahi-high kapag naririnig mo na ang boses niya???…

eh teka muna…
baka naman infatuated ka lang….
o kaya naman kagaya nga ng sagot mo…
BAKA naaaliw ka lang dahil kakaiba siya…
may spark na hindi mo maintindihan…

tsk!!!…

ang saklap nyan!…

 

pangalawa…

 

GAANO MO NA BA SIYA KAKILALA???…

 

madali ba siyang mapikon???…
pano ba siya mabadtrip???…
madali bang mahalata na may topak siya???…
ano bang suot niya pag nasa bahay siya???…
shorts ba o pantalon???…
nakasando ba siya o naka-t-shirt lang???…
matagal ba siyang maligo???….
kumakain ba siya ng vegetables???…
tamad ba siya???…
mas gusto ba niyang manood ng tv kaysa magbasa ng libro???…
nagpe-play station ba siya???… tatlo ba ang pamangkin niyang lalaki???…
makukulit ba yung mga kamag-anak niya???…
green ba ang kulay ng gate ng bahay nila???…
sa village ba siya nakatira???…
may sakayan ba ng jeep na malapit sa kanila???…
nagsisimba ba siya linggo-linggo???…
kasama ba yung pamilya niya???…
at nagdadasal ba siya bago matulog???…

 

in short…

 

alam mo na nga ba???…
ang mga bagay-bagay…
ang mga simpleng bagay tungkol sa kanya…
na nagdedetermine ng sarili niya…
as in kung sino ba talaga SIYA…

pangatlo…

KAYA MO BA SIYANG TANGGAPIN???…

 

as in TANGGAPIN ng buong-buo…
sa lahat ng trip niya sa buhay…
sa lahat ng katopakan niya…
sa lahat ng pag-iinarte at pag-dadrama niya…
sa lahat ng kasalanang nagawa, ginawa, at gagawin pa lang niya…
sa lahat ng naiisip niya… sa lahat ng sasabihin niya…
sa kilos niya…
sa pananamit pa pala niya…
sa pagsasalita…
sa pananaw niya sa buhay…
sa pagtrato niya sa tao…
sa lifestyle niya…
sa uri ng pamilyang meron siya…
sa uri ng kaibigang kasa-kasama niya…
sa style niya pagdating sa love…
sa kasweetan niyang natural…
sa paglalambing niya…
sa tawa niyang pagkalakas-lakas…
sa manners niya…
sa bisyo niya kung meron man…
sa mga pang-aasar niya sayo…
sa style niya pagdating sa pagsolve ng problema…
sa problemang maaari ka ring masama…

 

pang-apat…

 

KAYA MO BANG MAGING TOTOO???…

 

kaya mo bang makita yung sarili mo…
na kasama pa rin siya ha…
sa isang sitwasyong pag naisip mo eh…
mapapaiyak ka na lang sa sakit…
nang dahil din sa kanya???…

kaya mo bang magmukhang tanga…
as in umiyak ng dahil sa kababawan…
ibuhos ang mga nararamdaman mo…
kahit na puro kababawan nga lang naman…
as in kahit sa harapan niya???…

kaya mo bang maging barubal pag kasama mo siya???…
yung tipo bang wala ka ng pakielam…
mawala man ang manners mo…
na wala ka naman talaga…

in short…

KAYA MO BANG MAGING IKAW KAPAG KASAMA MO NA SIYA???…

yung tipong hindi ka nahihiyang ipakita kung sino ka talaga…
dahil alam mong…

HINDI MO LANG SIYA TANGGAP…
TANGGAP KA RIN NIYA…
BUONG-BUO RIN…

 

MGA TAO!!!…

tama na kasi ang trip…
tama na ang pagmamadali…
oo masarap ngang mainvolve sa isang tao…
pero diba mas masarap yun…
LALO NA KUNG ALAM MONG TOTOO YUNG NARARAMDAMAN MO???…

 

kaya dapat, hinde tayo nagpapabulag sa akala nating LOVE….
wag nating unahan….

for all we know, nde pa pala sila ang para sa atin……

 

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

I saw this in an e-mail forwarded to me some years ago.  It’s nice to see this again.  Enjoy.

 

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THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY
by Mark J. Macapagal

 

Source: The Manila Times

In your life, you’ll make note of a lot of people. Ones with whom you shared something special, ones who will always mean something. There’s the one you first kissed, the one you first loved, the one you lost your virginity to, the one you put on a pedestal, the one you’re with… and the one that got away.

Who is the one that got away? I guess it’s that person with who everything was great, everything was perfect, but the timing was just wrong. There was no fault in the person, there was no flaw in the chemistry, but the cards just didn’t fall the right way, I suppose.

I believe in the fact that ending up with someone, finding a longtime partner that is, does not lie merely in the other person. I can actually argue that an equal part, or maybe even the greater part, has to do with the matter of timing. It has to do with you being ready to settle down and commit to someone in a way that goes beyond the little niceties of giddy romance.

How often have you gone through it without even realizing it? When you’re not ready to commit in that mature manner, it doesn’t matter who you’re with, it just doesn’t work. Small problems become big; inconsequential become deal breakers simply because you’re not ready and it shows. It’s not that you and the person you’re with are no good; it’s just that it’s not yet right, and little things become the flash point of that fact.

Then one day you’re ready. You really are. And when this happens you’ll be ready to settle down with someone. He or she may not be the most perfect, they might not be the brightest star of romance to ever have burned in your life, but it’ll work because you’re ready. It’ll work because it’s the right time and you’ll make it work. And it’ll make sense, it really will.

So that day comes when you’re finally making sense of things, and you find yourself to be a different person. Things are different, your approach is different, you finally understand who you are and what you want, and you’ve become ready because the time has truly arrived. And mind you, there’s no telling when this day will come. Hopefully you’re single but you could be in a long-term relationship, you could be married with three kids, it doesn’t matter. All you know is that you’ve changed, and for some reason, the one that got away, is the first person you think about.

You’ll think about them because you’ll wonder, "What if they were here today?" You’ll wonder, "What if we were together now, with me as I am and not as I was?" That’s what the one that got away is. The biggest "What if?" you’ll have in your life.

If you’re married, you’ll just have to accept the fact that the one that got away, got away. Believe me, no matter how fairy tale you think your marriage is, this can happen to the best of us. But hopefully you’re mature enough to realize that you’re already with the one you’re with and this is just another test of your commitment, one which will just strengthen your marriage when you get past it. Sure, you’ll think about him/her every so often, but it’s alright. It’s never nice to live with a "might have been," but it happens.

Maybe the one that got away is the one who’s already married. In which case it’s the same thing. You just have to accept and know that your memories of that person will probably bring a nice little smile to your lips in the future when you’re old and gray and reminiscing.

But if neither of that is the case, then it’s different. What do you do if it’s not yet too late? Simple…find him, find her. Because the very existence of a "one that got away" means that you’ll always wonder, what if you got that one?

Ask him out to coffee, ask her out to a movie, it doesn’t matter if you’ve dropped in from out of nowhere. You’d be surprised, you just might be "the one that got away" as well for the person who is your "the one that got away."

You might drop in from out of nowhere and it won’t make a difference. If the timing is finally right, it’ll all just fall into place somehow and you know, I’m thinking, it would be a great feeling, in the end, to be able to say to someone, "Hey you, you’re the one that ALMOST got away."

 

No Marriages in Heaven

Marriages are made in Heaven.  But they have to be lived here on earth.  And in the end, they don’t exist when one goes home to God. 

Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection…”  (Luke 20:34 – 36)

Everyone wants to be in love.  And for most people, they are called to express this love to that special someone by making a mutual commitment to each other before God and man to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do they part. 

 

So for something as wonderful as this, why does it have to end in this life?  Aside from the reason given in the Gospel of Luke (which is also recounted in Mark 12:24 – 25 and Matthew 22:29 – 30), I just wondered if there was more to this than just that. 

Ultimately, marriage is a vocation – it is the state of life that God is calling most people to take in their journey back home to Him.  And I think it is just that.  Once the journey is over and a person is already with Him, it is no longer necessary. 

Besides, who can ever love more than the Greatest Lover of our lives – God Himself. 

In the end, nothing of this world will be of any concern or importance when we’re finally with God.  It seems hard to imagine that while we’re here, but in faith, I know this to be true.  When we are finally with Him, we become complete. 

I’m not saying this to put down the idea of marriage – it is a great institution for which He also established!  And there’s a lot of good that can be said about it.  And on a personal note, I want to get married someday, too.   I just think that it’s not the “end” of the journey, just one of the paths one can take to get there. 

 

Besides, how perfect can we possibly love each other in this world, being the imperfect creatures that we are?  When we are finally united with God Whose love is perfect, then will we be able to love one another with the same perfection.

It’s reassuring to know that God’s love for us is great and eternal.  No matter how bad or disappointing life gets, things will be alright because of Him. 

Ultimately He is what’s more to marriage, life and the afterlife. 

 

Jesus, King of Mercy, I trust in You!

 

This Valley of Tears

There is so much pain in the world today. 

So much so that even the great and happy things in life don’t last or even lose its luster over time.  Then again, anything in this world is really not meant to last forever. 

Friendships start and then someday, for whatever reason, just end.  In a way those can still be considered the “lucky ones.”  Some don’t even start at all.  Others, sometimes, one even wishes never started, if only to avoid all the pain that it would cause years later.  Still, some just fizzle out because they really never meant anything. 

Love grows in your heart, but is rejected by the other party.  It’s such a shame, really, how sad that people’s hearts don’t always synchronize all the time.  You think to yourself that things could have been really great, if only the other party gave it a chance.  But the other party never even tried. 

You make plans for a bright future.  However something happens that shocks and awakens you from your beautiful dream and you scream in terror and with a cold sweat on your back, in such excruciating pain. 

She leaves you.  She never really loved you anyway, but you simply refused to believe it and continued to hope against hope for the spark that never ignited from her end many years ago. 

One loses one’s innocence.  At the moment this happens both of you don’t have a care in the world, and relish in the euphoria of it all.  You each enjoy the intimacy you share and wish the embrace would last forever.  It is something you think is worth sacrificing eternity in Heaven, but the romantic bubble bursts so horribly.  You come to your senses later and see that it wasn’t such a good idea after all, from an emotional and spiritual perspective.  “How could I just give it away like that?” you think to yourself.  It’s too late. 

And yes, you find out that it really is too late.  In fact, it never arrived.  You get her pregnant.  Or from the other end, you find yourself pregnant.  Either way one realizes how unprepared one is for the new responsibilities of the role.  Sometimes one needs to take this path alone, because he either left you or is just as unprepared as you are, and you end up crying for weeks on end.  His charisma doesn’t mean a thing to you anymore if he doesn’t want to step up and care for you and the future growing inside you.  She isn’t as hot as you once thought she was, now that a lifetime of responsibility is associated with her. 

It could also be that you both decide to face the challenges of the world together, but find yourselves having second thoughts about each one’s ability to actually live with such struggles for the rest of your lives.  Her family doesn’t like you, and you feel the same way, and you wonder if you can spend the rest of your life at odds with the other tribe.  You know what they say sometimes, that marriage is an eye-opener.  How true you see it is!  And you wonder why this insight comes too late in the game. 

Some things can actually start great… but also finish, and not in the way you wanted. 

Both of you are in love and start a family together.  How could you know that a few years down the road your marriage would be dissolved because the other party already had a life before you met each other, and that you were just a passing fancy that the other party happened to marry along the way?  You now wonder how this will impact your child, and what you will tell him when he grows up with half the family absent. 

At last, you finally marry your sweetheart of many years.  But something came up and you need to part – again.  You hear of the sadness that comes from long distance relationships, and lament that you find yourself in one.  How can you go on without your beloved?  Aren’t we supposed to face life together, as a team?  You become angry at the cruel twist of fate that forces your separation.  You live, but you are not alive. 

The career path you chose was not what you hoped it would be, and you begin to question the choices you made in life that lead you to where you are now. 

You are ambitious.  You want more money, more power, more fame, and you do whatever it takes to get it.  You do get it, but then think about the sacrifices you had to make and start to question if this was a good decision.  How many people did you leave behind or step on to achieve your goals?  You realize that you are now enjoying your own pyrrhic victory of sorts. 

Tragedies happen. 

You know someone at the prime of his life – then, without warning, he just dies.  “He made so many plans on what he wanted to do in his 30’s and 40’s, after graduate school, after getting this and that…”  And so on and so forth.  That doesn’t matter now that his life has been cut short so soon, and you wonder why things like that happen everyday.  And you can’t help but think these thoughts every time you visit your friend’s grave. 

You get into an accident and can’t walk anymore.  Or you can’t see anymore.  Or you can’t do the things you could do with ease anymore.  Or you kill someone – literally but unintentionally.  Or you find out you are sick.  You never thought you’d find yourself in the hospital, but there you are now.  And sometimes, it turns out you’re too sick to ever get well again.  You realize that this is your new reality – you will have to live the rest of your life with this impediment or baggage ever present in your mind, however long or short your life may be. 

People leave.  And sometimes, people leave because they die.  Grandparents, parents, siblings and relatives die.  Today when you saw your grandfather pass through the door of your home, could be the last time you’ll ever see him alive.  “Lola is dying,” she tells you at her hospital bed, but you don’t believe her.  And you still don’t believe your grandmother when it actually happens one week later.  Your favorite aunt lives one day long enough to see you married, and then the next thing you know, she’s gone.  She never even met the beautiful child you’re holding now. 

Things change.  Or you change.  Sometimes it’s your fault, sometimes it isn’t and sometimes it’s no one’s fault at all.  And you know things like these happen everyday.  You see these things happen to many people everyday.  You just didn’t realize it could happen to you or someone you know. 

They say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.  Sometimes the case is more like you know and appreciate what you have, you just didn’t realize that you would ever lose it.  You are in denial that it will ever slip away from you, but it will, and when it happens your world just ends. 

Life is so unfair. 

Anything in this world is not meant to last forever.  And it’s depressing.  It applies to all good things.  Fortunately it also applies to all bad things. 

… The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.  (Isaiah 25:8)

 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  (Revelation 21:3-4)

I think for as long as we still have God in our lives, no matter how horrible this world becomes for us, in faith, we know that things will be alright in the end, because of Him. 

All this pain leads up to one conclusion: Dear God…  Please take care of us all.  We need You.  Right here, right now.  Real badly.  Only You can do it.  Only You will do. 

 

We are all a broken people, O Lord.  Your children need Your Mercy, Love and Peace. 

And speaking for myself, I know I need You. 

 

 

Jesus, King of Mercy, we trust in You!  We need You!