Psalm 65

          To You we owe our hymn of praise, O God on Zion;

               To You our vows must be fulfilled, You who hear our prayers.

          To You all flesh must come with its burden of wicked deeds.

                

          We are overcome by our sins; only You can pardon them.

                  Happy the chosen ones You bring to dwell in your courts.

                        May we be filled with the good things of Your house, 

                              the blessings of Your holy temple!

          You answer us with awesome deeds of justice, O God our savior.

               The hope of all the ends of the earth and of far distant islands.

          You still the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the people.

               Distant people stand in awe of Your marvels;

                     east and west You make resound with joy.

          You visit the earth and water it, make it abundantly fertile.

               God's stream is filled with water; with it You supply the world with grain.

          Thus do You prepare the earth; You drench plowed furrows, and level their ridges.

               With showers you keep the ground soft, blessing its young sprouts.

          You adorn the year with Your bounty; Your paths drip with fruitful rain.

               The untilled meadows also drip; the hills are robed with flocks,

                     the valleys blanketed with grain; they cheer and sing for joy.

     

   When rough times are nearby, this Bible passage always brings back light to any dark alley.  It is a constant reminder that whatever it is that each and everyone of us is going through, our faith will always help us make it through.  The rest will take care of itself. c",)

S e r e n i t y

Nothing costs as little and is worth as much as a smile.

Relax, let yourself smile, and see the light come to you tenfold.

And because its red...

     I recently celebrated my 30th birthday.  As much as I love shoes, I did not really plan to buy a new pair for my birthday.  But then I did and its red.  It's a basic ballerina flats, not expensive, it's really simple but something in me wants to have this shoes.  I've always like flats because its comfy.  It's the kind that you would want to wear all the time until eventually wear and tear happens and you've had several trips to mr. fix it shops and its just not savable anymore.  That's my red 30th birthday shoes.

     Here's a glimpse of my red ballerina flats.

     I hope I could wear this one longer but then again we'll see... (winks)

A Fresh Start.

Desiderata

 by Max Ehrmann, 1920s

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul. 

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

     Today, I start my blog with this poem.  This poem inspired me in so many ways.  I have always wanted to be active in blogging. This is my second blog account, I still have my other blog but somehow after a long time of being absent, I figured I need a clean slate and hopefully I will push through with this one.  I will still use my other blog for sentimental reasons.  So here goes, my fresh start.