Goodbye.

This is what they look like when they're not ugly.

Saturday morning.

Bates and Del Mundo are sprawled all over the bedspreads. All the windows are wide open and constant blasts of cool winds swirl around the little apartment.

Head. Eyes. Ears. Nose. Throat.

*Shuts book.*

I move over to the fridge at the foot of my bed, open it, and I stare at what seems like a little brown box covered in a white plastic bag covered with a layer of frost.

Alas, it contains a very ugly looking red velvet cupcake.

I don't care how ugly it has become (It has been through rough sea waters. Don't ask). I immediately stick it in my mouth.

Crumbs fall over my bed. Frosting finds its way to my hair. My orange highlighter falls to the floor.

What's my point? I don't have a point. Hahahaha

Somebody get me a dozen of those from Bacolod please? On the other hand... Don't. I shall mark that moment as the end of my modified starches and sugary treats.

It was wonderful.

Thank you Flibby! Belated happy birthday. ;)
06/23/12

Surrender.

Does God allow a reset?

Ever dealt with a mumbo-jumbo that has repeated itself over and over and over again? Can we ever get it to start anew? That question is a lot easier to answer when it deals with only one person. But when it involves two, the problem can become bigger than Noah's Ark ten times put together.

Yet going back to dealing with one's self alone, it is still a very challenging task.

There may come a time when you are left with a difficult situation wherein you have two options, to salvage that which is something painfully repetitive (obviously rather of value to you), or to decide to finally set it aside.

Yesterday, Coach Rommel of Lifebox Iloilo preached about how it is to be a "Certified Follower" of Jesus Christ. It involves no blemish, no compromise, and no justification of faults. It is a complete and total surrender wherein you lay yourself just as you are in the palm of His hands, and let Him change you into His image completely.

"Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

Let me repeat that, COMPLETELY.

Does an aspect in your life confuse you? Makes you feel detained? Disturbed? Though it may seem that you are a follower of Christ in a certain matter, if AT LEAST one teeny-weeny part of it does not align to His commands in His Word -- the sad and honest truth is that you have to let it go.

Here's the precious deal, once you fully surrender yourself to Him, you don't only get all of Him, you gain everything else along with Him...

As if all of Him isn't all that you'll ever really need.

"O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You;
my soul thirsts for You;
my flesh faints for You,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 

So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary,
beholding Your power and glory.

Because Your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise You. 

So I will bless You as long as I live;
in Your name I will lift up my hands." (Psalm 63:1-4 ESV)

Overwhelming sweet interruption.
6/16/2012

Lifebox Iloilo is certified!
(c) Paula Joy Nugpo

Gratitude and worship.

Last before the clock strikes midnight.

In all my 23 years in this earth, I have to declare that I can never claim credit and be proud of any single thing I've accomplished. I couldn't have done them all by myself. In fact, I think I'd be dead by now, several times over. If not, I'd be lost, all alone, and beyond repair.

This is the first birthday eve of my life spent by myself, and I feet all but lonely. Right when the clock struck midnight, this heart couldn't help but confess and be thankful for how Jesus has been there from the beginning and will be there until the end. I couln't do anything except worship Him, and glorify Him, for all that He has done in my life.

I've been through so much, done so many things to break His heart. Yet in all this, His grace is always enough. His grace and His love are the best gifts I can ever receive, for every birthday, for every single day. I need nothing more. If I had all the tears in the world, we'd all be swimming by morning.


My life is in His hands. All I want is Him for the rest of my days.

"Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." ~ Psalm 139:16

Jesus, thank You. I love You. I owe You my whole life.
6/8/2012