Echoes in the Dark

It is very seldom that I write poetry nowadays; and this is one of those rare occurrences.

Echoes in the Dark

Gasping for air

with the weight of the burden I am carrying,

the chronic beating of my heart

Suffocates…

Pain is a cynical friend,

a constant companion in this winding madness.

Grief and confusion stands in the way

of hope’s graceful light;

their bleak shadows cloaking me in darkness.

What is the price that I must pay

To breathe again?

Myself,

or the denial of myself?

The answer is being drowned

by the mockery of fear.

I am struggling to untangle the

the twisted echoes in the dark.

© 2010 Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo. All Rights Reserved.

Photo originally uploaded in Flickr by Cateyes.

I like the caption written below the original photo which goes,

“When the darkness comes, keep an eye on the light - whatever that is for you - no matter how far away it seems.” - Jan Berry

Lessons from a beauty magazine

I posted this one as my status at Facebook yesterday. Before I put in a new one, I would just like to blog it. It is a constant reminder nowadays.

Four Mantra(s) to memorize:
1. Just Breathe
2. Live Big
3. Anything is Possible
4. No guts, no glory

Four Rules to Break:
1. Put others first
2. Make small talk
3. Don't settle for less than perfect
4. Better safe than sorry

And as the title goes, I read this one from Cosmopolitan magazine, August 2009 issue :)

Leveling Up - exactly the words I was looking for

I just celebrated my 31st birthday a few weeks ago and every birthday for me is a time to reflect on the past year, where I am in my life right now and the direction I intend to take. The past year has been a turning point in my life and has defined me more than any other year has. Looking inside myself for answers has been the most gratifying thing I have done so far. It made me look inside for my strengths and weaknesses, reasons for joy and sadness, how to embrace myself with flaws and all, and how to be a little kinder to myself and be a better person. I am so far grateful for everything and all the people who came to my life; they helped shape the person I am today.

I read the Glamour (Dec 2008) issue featuring Nicole Kidman as one of their voted Women of the Year. As I feel like I have experienced a lot during these past years, I can't help but relate to her when she said,

As a woman now, I want to share things. I have girlfriends in their twenties, and I say, "Ask me anything. You can learn from the things I did wrong, and you can learn from the things you think I'm doing right. Take whatever you want and make it your own." So: Have no regrets. Every relationship leads you to where you're meant to be. Learn to be comfortable with being alone. Learn to be comfortable with saying no to people; we put everybody else before ourselves. Read great literature; don't get all your information from TV. Define your moral code - nobody else is going to give you that. Find it yourself. Keep asking questions, keep challenging. You don't have to conform. Rebellion creates character. And, as my mother always said to me, "Don't let anyone break your spirit!"

If I have to share some lessons with you I have learned during the past year they would be:

• Nothing lasts forever, even good things have their own end.But it is in these empty spaces that new beginnings bloom, it is on empty pages that new stories are written.
• Sometimes when you become too obsessed with your future, you forget the people you should be taking care of in the present. And sometimes, it's more troublesome to have your life all planned out because life is meant to be lived one moment at a time. Your work shouldn't be more important than who you're doing it for and who you're doing it with.
• Life does not play by the rules, sometimes it can even be unfair; the thing is you must learn to knock it down, confront it, do your best, and accept whatever the result. And don't ever forget to give yourself a pat on the back afterwards.
• Invest in yourself and rebuild yourself one step at a time.
• Keep going and you'll get there: easier said than done, but we must keep hoping, believing and doing. You can pause, but don't stop especially when it is worth the fight.
• You don't have to care about the whole world to make a change; you just have to care enough to make a difference, even in one person's life. No grand dreams needed; even a single mission can create a major impact.
• I don't want to look at life as a series of moving ons; because I don't leave things behind. I just blend the good with the bad and make the best use of it. It is more optimistic to see turning points in life as moving up to the next level.

So what do I have in mind until next year, just to level myself up, I guess. I hope everyone does the same. Just like the balloons we have here, the wind can take us where it wants to; because wherever it takes us, we will float beautifully up there. Good luck to us!

image from: http://www.i-do-it-yourself.com/2009/03/oh-happy-day/

© 2010 Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo. All Rights Reserved.

Give a little piece of your time

Giving your time to someone is a true act of charity and therefore of love itself. Time is something you give that you can not take back.

Nowadays, it's especially hard to even give time to one's self amidst all the busyness of the modern society. Although technology has supposedly made our lives more convenient, the advancement it made to our society demanded more specialization thereby more time for the working class. This made it even more difficult for working parents, especially mothers, to juggle all the pieces together.

I just want to share with you a very touching story I read from Paolo Coehlo's blog.


A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year-old son waiting for him at the door.
“Daddy, may I ask you a question?”
“Yeah, sure, what is it?” replied the man.
“Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?
“That’s none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?” the man said angrily.

“I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?” pleaded the little boy.
“If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour.”
“Oh,” the little boy replied, head bowed. Looking up, he said, “Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?”

The father was furious. “If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. I work long, hard hours everyday and don’t have time for such childish games.”
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy’s questioning. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00, and he really didn’t ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door.
“Are you asleep son?” he asked.
“No daddy, I’m awake,” replied the boy.

“I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier,” said the man. “It’s been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here’s that $10.00 you asked for.”
The little boy sat straight up, beaming. “Oh, thank you daddy!” he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills.
The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.

“Why did you want more money if you already had some?” the father grumbled.
“Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do,” the little boy replied.

“Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?”

Lesson learned: When at home, let us give our time and attention to the ones who need them the most: our children. It may not be easy but it is something we must do, a habit we must form. And remember, a little piece of your time means a lot to our little ones.

Faith is a silver lining and Happiness is more than just a choice

Do you have regrets in life?

Do you sometimes feel like you made a wrong decision in the past that keeps making your present day seem cloudy and gray?

A lot of people would hypocritically say they don't. I say I do have a lot of things I wish I could undo or redo. But the thing is life keeps moving forwards. We can not go back to the past. The important thing is you turn all this negative thoughts and emotions to something constructive and positive. There is always a silver lining no matter how dark the clouds are; you just have to have to believe.

You have to have faith that everything is happening for your own good. When you let God be the author of your life, nothing could go wrong because He knows what is best for you. These are the things I remind myself everytime I am feeling down and then I just go on with the day with that little piece of sunshine and hope in my heart. And everything goes well... =)

Happiness is more than just a choice; it is a decision to make.

Photo originally uploaded by Pranav Singh at Flickr.

© 2010 Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo. All Rights Reserved.

Start Where You Stand

Snowy Drive Ahead
Originally uploaded by Olly Muxworthy

Start Where You Stand

Start where you stand and never mind the past,
The past won't help you in beginning new,
If you have left it all behind at last
Why, that's enough, you're done with it, you're through;
This is another chapter in the book,
This is another race that you have planned,
Don't give the vanished days a backward look,
Start where you stand.

The world won't care about your old defeats
If you can start anew and win success,
The future is your time, and time is fleet
And there is much of work and strain and stress;
Forget the buried woes and dead despairs,
Here is a brand new trial right at hand,
The future is for him who does and dares,
Start where you stand.

Old failures will not halt, old triumphs aid,
To-day's the thing, to-morrow soon will be;
Get in the fight and face it unafraid,
And leave the past to ancient history;
What has been, has been; yesterday is dead
And by it you are neither blessed nor banned,
Take courage, man, be brave and drive ahead,
Start where you stand.

I did not write this poem. I read it from pravsworld.com

Connecting the Dots Backwards: Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

In a very inspiring speech given by Steve Jobs at Stanford University's commencement exercises last 2005, the CEO and founder of Apple Computer and Pixar Studios shared with everyone the most touching stories in his life. In a tale of a cycle of success after failure, and failure after success we can see that this extraordinary of a man is more human than we consider him to be. His speech was so endearingly humbling that I can't help but respect and admire him more.
You can already sense from the first few lines of his speech that he is going to make it a story so plain and simple yet worthy of an audience such as those of Stanford University's students and everyone else who is interested in hearing his story. His speech began like this:
"I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories."
His stories were about connecting the dots, about love and lastly about death.
He narrated how he has to drop out of college because his parents could not afford it, his decision to take up a calligraphy class that no one would imagine would help him define the Mac program later on, how he started the mac business at his garage with a friend, how it boomed into business, and how he was fired from the very business he actually set up, how being fired from it helped him set up Pixar, and how Apple soon bought Pixar reuniting him to the business he once created. He told it in such a way that tells us, everything does happen for a reason. That sometimes life give us a roadblock, the point is we must not stop, but continue on believing and doing the right thing. Looking back, we can see that he viewed all those failures as disguised blessings. As he said,

"The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life...Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

He also reminded us to find and go for the thing we love in life, what we are passionate about; because it is the only thing that will give us true happiness. And I admire him for taking acknowledge of the influence of a woman in his life, who later on became his wife.

He also told a story about hearing this quote when he was 17 that made him ask everyday "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" How the concept of death made him more courageous. "Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."
And then, he amusingly ended his speech with a line at the back cover of the final issue on one of the publications 35 years ago (it might have been the lines that inspired him when he was at an age like the graduate students he was talking to) it said "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." And he said, that that was the thing he has always wished for himself. I think he means that we should always thirst or be hungry for something more in life, to never lose our enthusiasm, to always accept that we are not that great or smart or intelligent. I think the message of his whole speech is the same as how he delivered it: in the end we are all human beings no matter how great or small you are, what matters is you face life with enough faith that things will work out for good, armed with brevity, courage, humor, and humility.
Be extraorinarily ordinary!
You can read the full excerpt of his speech here.

And in line with this, Pixar is the company responsible for giving us Toy Story, and as of this time, Toy Story 3 is the highest grossing animated film of all time!
Read here.

Braving the Winds

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:5-6

Life is full of choices but you only have to make one. Oftentimes we find ourselves overwhelmed and we become double-minded. It is hardest when we are faced to choose between what we want and what is right. We even get to the point when we become so confused with what is really the right thing to do. During these times there is no greater remedy, I realized, than to be silent and listen to what God is telling you.

Ask for wisdom. There are things our feeble mind will never understand. We don't always know what is good for us. No matter how much we try to believe that our fate is in our own hands, it is not. There will always be things that will startle us or knock us down to make us believe that there is Someone out there steering the wheel for us. So ask for wisdom, ask so we could see what God wants us to see, and hear what He wants us to hear. Do not insist your ways, especially do not make big decisions when you are angry or upset. The most important thing is believing God will give you what you are asking for, in His own way.

Ask God to guard your thoughts. Our destiny is shaped by our actions which is dictated by our thoughts. Develop patience. Practice patience. This is what I am always telling myself nowadays because I am such an IMPATIENT person. You know what makes up patience, it's faith. Faith that good and wonderful things will happen, no matter what we are going through right now. True maturity in faith is being single-minded; not wavering. I'm praying for steadiness in my words and action, to be not like the wave of the sea that is tossed and turned by the wind. I'm praying so hard that I could be that strong and steady.

So for today, I am gathering all my thoughts, putting them in a box, and submitting them to God for revision. have a good day everyone!

photo originally uploaded in Flickr, courtesy of pericomart(pericomart.blogspot.com).

© 2010 Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo. All Rights Reserved.

My Photodiary: half a Month of reflections this July

July 16, 2010: Whatever your pursuits in life are, no matter how great or small or ordinary you are, in the end we are all just human beings made from dust and to dust we will return.

July 15,2010: Instead of being too anxious, plan in advance and take action instead. It's really more tiring being worried all the time than using your energy doing something.

July 15,2010: Thinking should not lead to farther confusion but to find answers and solution.

July 15, 2010: In life there, are times when you have to put to rest some things or set them aside for awhile so you can make room for something new. Decaying issues should be totally let gone of; it is the only way to stay alive and well.

July 15,2010: Make the best out of the worst situation. There's always a brighter side to everything.

July 14, 2010: Don't take anything for granted. With just a blink of an eye, anything can be taken away from you. Remember, nothing lasts forever.

July 13,2010: FOCUS..FOCUS..FOCUS..

July 12,2010: I love to study, i love to study 100x...i love to read, i love to read 100x...if i say this long enough i might finally believe it.

July 11, 2010:keep your eyes to the stars but your feet firmly planted on the ground.Greet each day with high hopes but with a humble spirit.

July 11,2010: Don't be hard on yourself and don't make life difficult for others. Sometimes the key is just to really simplify things. Stop making and viewing things as if everything is so complicated. Just breathe...

July 5,2010: In a world when you feel like no one really cares and everyone's trying to do their own thing,isn't it just right to just be who you really are?...

July 5, 2010: Sure, Jesus said, "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also But He didn't said we should offer the same cheek again, right?

July 4, 2010: What can't kill you, can only make you stronger. i maybe sick but I'm not dead yet!

July 2, 2010: Do you sometimes feel like everything is working out against you? Remember Jacob's story and how he wrestled with God? God let him win right? I think that is because God saw how determined he was and he never gave up. So if things get worst, we should hold on and keep fighting.

© 2010 Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo. All Rights Reserved.

Looking at things in a lighter perspective

The Magic Windmill
Originally uploaded by Ben Heine

Oftentimes we find ourselves overwhelmed with some matters only to later realize they are so trivial. In short, we are sweating the small stuff. And by so doing, we might be doing more harm to our self than good.

Recently, I have been so stressed out by things happening around me in the time that I need no additional distractions. Things are keeping me out of balance and out of focus; maybe I am letting them affect me that's why. You know how problems seem to go in large batches? Sometimes worries have a way of getting into your life a large number at a time.

How I am coping nowadays is a product of adjusting and going through problems for the past 30 years of my life. I am still learning but I want to share with you some of the things I have realized lately.

1. When problems come into your life do not be overwhelmed or the problem will take control of you. Treat them as a friend who is there to give you a lesson about something.
2. Don't be hard on yourself and don't make life difficult for others. Sometimes the key is just to really simplify things. Stop making and viewing things as if everything is so complicated. Just breathe...
3. Learn to see things in a lighter perspective. Keep a happy thought inside yourself. Find some quiet time to draw strength to face life and its challenges.
4. Always believe in yourself and that life is good and that God is there who cares more than enough about you. Keep the faith.
5. Never give in to circumstances. There is always a way, or sometimes you yourself would have to make the way.

Life is about making choices; and that includes choosing whether to be happy or to be forever miserable.

Photo courtesy of Ben Heine originally uploaded in Flickr, The Magic Windmill.

© 2010 Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo. All Rights Reserved.

When things get complicated, simplify them

Oftentimes we find ourselves overwhelmed with some things only to later realize they are so trivial. In short, we are sweating the small stuff. And it may be doing us more harm than good.

Recently, I have been so stressed out by things happening around me in the time that I need no additional distractions. Things are keeping me out of balance and focus; maybe I am letting them affect me that's why. You know how problems seem to go in large batches? Sometimes worries have a way of getting into your life a large number at a time.

How I am coping nowadays is a product of adjusting and going through problems for the past 30 years of my life. I am still learning but I want to share with you some of the things I have realized lately.

1. When problems come into your life do not be overwhelmed or the problem will take control of you. Treat them as a friend who is there to give you a lesson about something.


2. Don't be hard on yourself and don't make life difficult for others. Sometimes the key is just to really simplify things. Stop making and viewing things as if everything is so complicated. Just breathe...


3. Learn to see things in a lighter perspective. Keep a happy thought inside yourself. Find some quiet time to draw strength to face life and its challenges.


4. Always believe in yourself and that life is good and that there is a God who cares more than enough about you. Keep the faith.


5. Never give in to circumstances. There is always a way, or sometimes circumstances ask you to pave a new way

Life is about making choices; and that includes choosing whether to be happy or to be forever miserable.

© 2010 Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo. All Rights Reserved.

When Life becomes a Struggle

Do you sometimes feel like everything is working out against you? Remember Jacob's story and how he wrestled with God? God let him win in the end right? I think that is because God saw how determined he was and he never gave up.

Jacob's life story is one great struggle. From the time he was conceived with a twin brother in his mother's womb, to the time he worked 14 years to get the woman he loved, and his whole life he was running away from his twin brother's wrath after tricking him out of their father's blessings. Beyond all this, he never gave up, not even when he found himself grappling with an unkown adversary.

Why the need for struggle? Because we won't hold on to something tight unless we fight for it. Moments like this will always come into our lives. When we feel like we are giving our best yet we can not get what we want or we can not go where we want to go. Maybe, God is wrestling with us. Maybe, He wants us to hold on to him tightly as Jacob did and never to let him go, and to admit to ourselves that we can only be saved or we can only win by His grace. And like Jacob, he was blessed by God because he asked and begged for it.

So if things get worst, we should hold on and keep fighting.

One more thing, after wrestling with God, God changed his name from Jacob which means "cheater or manipulator" to Israel "God rules" (or let God rule your life). It was a beginning of a new life for him.

© 2010 Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo. All Rights Reserved.

Photo uploaded by Mike Beange from Flickr.

My Photodiary June 2010

Trying to stay awake. Fighting Boredom with Discipline and Creativity. I have a long long way to go still, and lots lots more lessons to study (in school and in life).

I AM A WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR!!!
what makes a person strong? when they feel it is in their power to do things and they take charge.
but what makes faith stronger? when you believe there is a greater power beyond all things and you let Him take charge.
:) gud am everyone!

There are things only the passing of time can teach you...
like how much a thing or a person means to you..sadly, we realize it only when we no longer have them,..and all we have left with are the what ifs and the could've beens..and the wish that time would make everything all right..it seems that we are giving time a lot of hard work; maybe it's time we give time a helping hand :)

When I feel like giving up today, I just tell myself: JUST KEEP GOING, JUST KEEP GOING, JUST KEEP GOING!!! I can change my direction but never the destination I have set for myself.

~ Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent. ~ Marilyn Vos Savant

Life is more exciting than taking a roller coaster ride; it is as daring as doing backflips on a wheelchair!!! :))

Heavenly Father, I claim the dream you put in my heart now. And by taking ownership of it, I commit myself to fulfilling the purpose you have set for me. Please give me the strength and courage to realize them Lord. And I am not only grateful for all the love I am receiving but for the love I give as well. Please keep this vow in my heart, mind, and soul, until I fulfill all of this.Thank you Lord.

Most of the time the greatest battle we have to fight is within; and our worst enemy ourselves or our own fears.

If you want to be HEALED, you must FORGIVE.
Love heals, love forgives, and love transforms

TALK TO THE HAND: dpat kasi pag ng DELETE ka wag mo ng i UNDO! ang gulo mo!learn to live with the consequence yun un.

feeling excited! everyone needs a dose of enthusiasm each day!

braving the waves nowadays! sabay lang sa alon ng buhay...

© 2010 Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo. All Rights Reserved.

Being A Jonah in the Modern World

I had my first day of classes in graduate school yesterday; it has been 10 years since I last went to school and it has been almost 7 years since I last practiced my studies. It was only recently that I decided to go back to everything and claim this part of me that has long been sleeping. And with that I remembered the story of Jonah and realized how I am much like him; escaping the assignment God has called me for because I think I am not even capable of doing it. The story of Jonah is about a passive man and an active God (much like mine).

Jonah is the central character from the Book of Jonah in the Old Testament. He has been called by God to prophesy against the destruction of Nineveh. Instead he went to another city thinking he will be able to escape God and concerned himself with things that God considered too trivial for him. To stop him from going to another city called Tarshish, God sent up a great storm and the people aboard the ship where Jonah is, threw him to the sea to appease God. I too had recently had what I call a "great storm" in my life that made me realize where I should be.

But then God saved him again by having a great sea creature swallow Jonah. There he stayed for sometime. Much like how people procrastinate right? When people are too lazy to do anything it feels like being inside the belly of a whale. You lock yourself up in a fake comfort.

then he slowly realized his fault, said a thankful prayer to God, asked for his forgiveness, and accepted his fate. God made the sea creature spit out Jonah in the dry land. And then Jonah prophesied in Nineveh, the people confessed their sins, and he was able to save one city and hundreds of people from destruction. He was able to turn one sinful city to a city of believers.

It is a very beautiful story and one which I will never ever forget from now on. A story which I will read over and over again when i feel like turning back from life.

Taking up my Master's and going back to practice is really hard. I am not that young anymore like most of my classmates are, I have three little kids to take care of and one household to run, but what I have is something special. I have this dream in my heart that God has kept alive all through this years that is waiting to be born. And I believe He is calling me for a greater mission, to fulfill the dreams I have during my youth. I am one of the best in my field when I was starting out. My mentor in school had so much belief in me that she said one day she might be teaching her future students books I have written in our field of study. But I did not appreciate all that. I believe that instead of being a Nutritionist dietitian, which I have no interest of becoming it was my mother who suggested to me to take it, I always wanted to become a doctor. Much to my resentment, I did not even attended my graduation (and i graduated with honors) because my mother informed me she will not be able to send me to medical school for financial reason. When it was time for me to take the board exam, I was doing nothing while all my classmates attended 2 or more review centers. But at the last minute I did took the board, self studying for only a week. I did pass the board but not exceptionally (who would expect right?)

I had job offers then that I wish I have right now. It is true that oppurtunity only comes once. I let go of being employed at the hospital (St. Luke's) pioneering here the Nutrition Support Team because that is where I took my practicum and do not like the people I will be working with (invalid reason). I also let go of the oppurtunity to work at the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of DOST because it is too far from home (invalid reason again), and I deliberately fail the interview I had at the Philippine General Hospital a few years ago because deep inside I already felt that the long break I had with my practice rendered me incapable of practicing (which is another invalid reason because why would they set me up for a panel interview which took almost a month to schedule because they have to gather all the dept heads together). Finally, I quit pursuing my career path to raise my kids (which I am not regretting).

It is only recently that I have realized that to be truly happy in life you must have a purpose and you must do it. I also realized that you should not fall victim to your circumstances; that when life offers you a roadblock you can change your direction but never the destination. And to stamp in my head the logo that says "Press On".

It might appear that I am doing it for myself now. Partly it is for myself and my family, but most importantly I am seeing that a lot of people need my help here, the hospital I am working now needs a lot of improvement. I don't like reading those textbooks again (I'd rather read my collection of fictional stories), I don't ever want to do reportings, I don't want to trouble my mind with complicated technical matters, case studies and proposals are monsters for me; I would rather sit at home, relax, watch movies and my collection of asian novelas, update facebook, blah blah,blah... BUT, I feel like there is an empty cup I must fill up, and I feel like an empty cup waiting to be filled also. Now, I consider doing all of these for the greatest glory of all, which is for the Lord who has been graciously by my side all these years. And that makes all the difference now.

I remember God said to Jonah (when Jonah was trying to excuse himself and distract himself with trivial things):

"You were upset about this little plant, something for which you have not worked nor did you do anything to make it grow. It grew up overnight and died the next day. Should I not be even more concerned about Nineveh, this enormous city? There are more than one hundred twenty thousand people in it who do not know right from wrong, as well as many animals!" (Jonah 4:9-11)

I tried busying and distracting myself with other things also; but as this story implies there are things which are meant to be done by you and you alone, some things however are better left as matters for other people.

Be the best you can!

© 2010 Elisha Gay C. Hidalgo. All Rights Reserved.