Thou Shalt Not Fear

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This week has been a little troubling.

Although patching things up with my Dad during All Saints' Day left me feeling humbled and relieved at the same time, it has also opened doors (again) for the threat of evil to creep back into my and my sister's life as well as that of our own families. I guess it's the price we have to pay to bring back a semblance of the family we used to have before Mommy died.

Middle of this week, Cha called me to say that Dad has told her his sister from the States has come home and wants to see Asti. She told Dad that if she really wanted to see her child, she had to come to their house as she'll never  go to Sampaloc. Told her it was ok since that's her decision but what I didn't tell her was that I feared that these people has found a way to enter our peaceful lives again and create havoc. Didn't fear having them in our lives before because Mom was there and her family to protect us from their moral (or should I say lack thereof) influence. But now that Mom and her Aunts were gone and with Ate Jinky and Mommyla far away, I'm fearing the worst.

Then last night as I was checking my Facebook account, I noticed my wall with an update from Marti 33 minutes earlier when we were out of the condo the entire day. Thinking that somebody has been hacking Marti's account so we opened his Facebook and upon adjusting his privacy settings, I saw that one of my cousins from Sampaloc had sent him a birthday message, even after we deleted all of them from all our accounts! Marti agreed to secure his account and change his password but how I hoped that I could protect Marti and Asti as simple as changing passwords.

I prayed and meditated for wisdom and the answer came as light as day: "Thou Shalt Not Fear". The experience was so relevant to the Makati Feast's theme last Thursday which was "faithfulness". I realized that if I was indeed being faithful to Jesus that I will not be fearful of evil in any form because He has faith in me! Though our good influences have either passed away or far from us, their strength and wisdom runs deep in our veins and have and will make us withstand any kind of danger and harm. The same strength and wisdom which we are passing on to our own sons who even if they are related to these kind of people, will not be influenced by them, the same way we have endured.

Let me share this Bible verse regarding God's faithfulness to man and I hope it would also inspire you to endure knowing that despite our flaws, our fears and faithlessness, God will never waver from His Covenant of unconditional love for us!

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Proverbs 31: The Wife of Noble Character

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When I was looking for inspirational words to be my Mom's epitaph, I came across these lovely verses about the Wife of Noble Character from the Book of Proverbs:

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10^c A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

11Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

12She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

13She selects wool and flax

and works with eager hands.

14She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

15She gets up while it is still dark;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her servant girls.

16She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

18She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

19In her hand she holds the distaff

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

20She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy.

21When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

22She makes coverings for her bed;

she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

23Her husband is respected at the city gate,

where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

24She makes linen garments and sells them,

and supplies the merchants with sashes.

25She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

26She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

29“Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all.”

30Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

31Give her the reward she has earned,

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

***verses taken from Bible.com's New International Version.

Ended up getting excerpts from the verses and here's what was carved on to Mommy's gravestone:

Teresita D. Reyes
September 30, 1949-September 12, 2001
Daughter, Wife, Mommy, Cousin, Auntie
"She worth far more than rubies;
She is clothed with strength and dignity;
Many women do noble things but you surpass them all"