In God's Perfect Time

Should I wait for green leaves to dry,

or for many storms to stop pelting down?

Then I will.

Should I wait for the orange-drenched sky,

or for a gold to lose its luster?

Then I will.

Should I wait for my bones to go a bit brittle,

or for my falling hair to grow thick as a roll of yarn?

Then I will.

Should I wait until the soles of my shoes go thin,

or 'til my nails grow long and be cut for the nth time?

Then I will.

If this is what it takes for God to align the stars

and get me a ride on the moon prepared,

then I will wait.

I will, as long as I behold that sunshine in my mind,

that morning when I would finally wake up

and breathe in the air I am waiting for.

I will, as long as I hold dear the fact

 that after a seemingly endless wait,

in God's perfect time,

what'll be in my arms 

will be perpetually worthwhile.

Reading for its sake

One day, I found myself deliberately reading faster than I used to.

I was hurriedly leafing the book's pages, I couldn't absorb the words well enough. I was in a rush to finish it because I was too excited to read the next book in line. I also thought it wasn't good for my writing as the author's writing style was far from my taste. It wasn't stimulating my creativity and thus was uninviting to the muse.

I couldn't afford to put the book away and just erase it in my list though. I wanted to finish it. The fact that it fell on to my hands, it was giving me the chance to know its insides. I didn't want to miss whatever it could offer. It certainly was a good book just as I thought in the other days. But I was in a hurry, and I realized that reading it this way is the same as not reading it.

So I closed the book, kept it and promised that I'll get back to it when I'm ready to indulge myself in its beauty again.

Strength of the Blemished

I come before You, Lord,

I, who is a selfish creature.

I own thoughts of greed by nature

and desires that solely benefit myself.

I aim for approval as much as

I grip the concept of self-worth.

I am weak, Lord, as much as this 

vale of soul-making needs me to be.

But I am glad to behold

such imperfections in the mirror,

for I won't touch what I don't know exists,

and thus change what I don't acknowledge.

Oh, I am weak yet I rejoice!

Because as long as I hold this fact,

You, O Lord, provides for me,

and my strength will be unceasing.

What's at the end of your road?

Most of us have eyes focused on prestige and material wealth.

We want to be proud of ourselves, to be looked up to.

We try too hard to stretch our arms out and grab as much of these as we can,

and find a valid reason to put forward our pompous selves.

But often, we forget how common this road has already been taken.

Superstars.

Great scientists.

Famous poets.

Internationally competent employees.

Successful businessmen.

100 richest people in the world.

And then what?

Turns out, these people are actually in the same journey as ours.

They're also stretching their arms out to reach something.

Love?

Happiness?

Healthy relationships?

Peace?

The world is a thirsty and soulless creature,

that vacuums life from the sources standing on it.

So if we'd depend on the world as much as it depends on us,

it'll give us endless quests, mazes with dead ends,

and the pain of having countless question marks in our heads.

Probably it's time to swerve, to shift our focus on

that narrow path laying dusty on our side.

Walk that road which few people take.

They said it's difficult, but it's worth it.

For even though it seems impossible for a camel

to go through the eye of a needle,

the Shepherd would certainly reward his faithful flock,

a reward greater than the greatest reward this world can offer,

something that is nourishing, calming and perpetually satisfying.

'Cause the fact is, it is what's at end of the road that'll last.

Quintessence

To be loved, my dear, 

may not be the essence of life

for it could be selfishness to think solely

of what the world puts on your hands.

It is rather a need, undoubtedly,

to feel that you're in somebody's heart,

for knowing your worth

can keep you alive.

To be loved, indeed,

isn't the quintessence of life,

for it's often about choosing between 

saving your own skin and sacrifice.
But still, how vital it is!

For it is through receiving

that you learn to give,

it is through being consoled

that you learn to console,

and it is through being loved

that you learn to love.

And that, my dear,

is the essence of life.

Flash of Inspiration

I've never seen the sun shining that bright.

It was warm and calming,

and it sent fire into my heart.

Then that fire kept on burning.

It seemed akin to the first time some rays were upon me

Yet this time, it was lighter,
more peaceful and more beautiful.

Everything seemed to be set in the right place.

It grew, and got warmer and warmer

until it crept into my bones, my heart, my mind.

It has been with me all the time ever since.

It nourishes me, inspires me,
and forces me to become better.

Until this sinks in and disperses, 

I'll move forward, upward.

Someday, I'll touch that sun and won't burn,

for by then we'll be sharing the same warmth.

How to Make Life Flavorful

Flavorful.

I used to think of food whenever I heard of the word 'flavorful.' Well, I still do but now, on an entirely different perspective. After reading a few articles and hearing a number of talks that use this adjective to describe work, relationship and life as a whole, adding flavor has become my daily goal.

I once attended a seminar about prayer and the speaker told us that continuously adding flavor to our prayer hour can strengthen our relationship with God. She said that she wakes up at a certain time in the morning each day, goes to a particular room, and spends an hour or two with God. Basically, what she does is she reads the Bible first, then prays intently, then does journal writing. Imagine yourself doing this same routine for one whole year or more. There's nothing wrong with it, of course; but perhaps sooner or later, you would forget its essence and merely do it out of habit. It's usually how our mind and body work. Nevertheless, the speaker chose to give her seemingly dull prayer hour a twist. From time to time, she changes a bit a few things such as:

• Instead of just sitting with eyes closed while praying, she plays her guitar and sings songs of worship to the Lord;
• She still reads the Bible but this time, moves on to reading a devotional or inspirational book afterwards;
• How about a background music while writing a journal?
• She prays while peacefully taking sips of her morning coffee as if God is her morning buddy.

Interesting, isn't it? I say, this is insightful creativity. Why have I never thought of doing this? I reckon, maybe such things are very basic but not apparent. Ever since, my thinking has been 'there is more to it than there seemed on the surface.' Flavorful. Usually, the most luscious ingredients settle at the bottom. You got to dig it, scoop it then stir it whole to make the food more delectable.

Elsewhere, adding flavor isn't just about being creative and initiating changes. It could also mean taking delight in new things such as involving yourself in something/somewhere you've never been such as:

• joining a friendly organization,
• attending an interesting talk or seminar,
• going to a retreat with people you don't know.
• traveling to different places,
• studying a diploma course or an online course, 
• or watching alone in a movie house.

Fancy up your calendar with colorful post-its, multicolor pen, photos, or anything that would remind you of what to look forward to. Flavorful. Put more spices on your schedule and wake up each day with a smile on your face.

If you're currently having a bad taste of life, be thankful! It's your chance to become the best cook existing, for a good cook can make good food but the best cook can turn a bad-tasting dish into a palatable one.