Edric prefers to be home during Holy Week rather than go out of town because of the massive exodus of cars leaving Manila that clog the highways. So he was pretty dead set on staying in the house all weekend. However, my side of the family proposed going to Subic to enjoy time together. (Anytime the beach and cousins are part of any vacation, these are big draws for our kids.) Furthermore, some of our relatives from Canada and Singapore were supposed to go to the beach, too. So after much convincing, Edric agreed, mostly to accommodate the kids and me. He sacrificed his own desire for a relaxing, traffic-free weekend.
The plan was to leave by 5 AM today to get a head start on the traffic. I didn’t think the drive would be too bad. Between Edric and me, this is where I usually miscalculate and he knows better. We had a late night watching Lion King yesterday so with just four hours of sleep, we managed to be out of the house closer to 6 AM rather than our target departure time.
All seemed well for the first half hour. The kids were excited and Edric was in good spirits considering what little sleep he had. We prayed for safe travel and no traffic. However, as we neared the entrance to NLEX it was the nightmare Edric envisioned. Bumper to bumper, and endless stretches of cars, trucks, and busses crawling miserably in the same direction we were headed.
This is when Edric nearly lost it. “I knew it! This was my worst fear! Argh! This is why I don’t like travel during Holy Week!”
He went on and on for a few minutes, and he was beginning to sound more unsettling than the traffic. I knew he was vacillating between pushing through the madness or heading back home. But, we had a van full of eager kids, and everything carefully and thoughtfully packed. Our children had obediently put their things in suitcases and gone to bed early last night. They even slept in the clothes they were planning to wear today so they could jump right out of bed and into the van this morning. So I was really really hoping that Edric wouldn’t change the plans and give in to his frustration, although, if he had, we would have understood.
No one likes to travel at 15 kilometers per hour to get to a destination that is only 80 kilometers away. As I anticipated Edric’s pronouncement that the vacation would be cut short, he started listening to worship songs and his Bible app instead. He turned quiet.
I fell asleep for a little bit and when I woke up, Edric was still at the wheel, his face calm and his posture relaxed, an obvious contrast to the aggressiveness that possessed him just a hour before. What happened?
He said, “I realized that I had a choice to be miserable and upset, as well as complain the whole way. Or, I could choose to be thankful to the Lord, to be thankful that we are on vacation, riding in a van with air-conditioning, with our kids who are healthy and well.”
While listening to the Messiah song of Francesca Batistelli he also added, “If Christ endured the cross for me, I can certainly endure six hours of traffic!”
In fact, he nearly teared as he said this. That’s when I realized how hard it must have been for him to wrestle with the irritation and then surrender his feelings and expectations to the Lord. He was that mad at the traffic! And then he was that liberated from the anger because he changed his attitude and perspective.
How wonderful it is that God can take an experience like sitting in traffic to minister to our hearts! He causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)
We are still two hours away from our destination but I am sitting in a van with a peaceful husband whose enjoying uplifting music, and exemplifying to the kids and me how the right attitude can change everything.
Here he is doing a funny face as he dances to the music…
Amazingly, after Edric’s realizations, the highway cleared significantly, too!
God doesn’t put us in uncomfortable situations because he delights in our misery. He intends to build our character and make us spiritually fit. He knows that Edric struggles with patience and a temper so He allows him to be in situations where he gets to work on both of these. (Edric has openly admitted this from the pulpit so I am not sharing a secret here.) God knows I struggle with pride and selfishness so He made me a mom and wife, where this ugliness inside of me gets exposed, and I must choose to die to it every day.
I praise God that He loves Edric and me, and ALL OF YOU so much that He won’t stop the character training.
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
(Romans 5:3-5)
I think about my own children and I would do the same for them. When character issues are revealed, I am committed to helping them grow in these areas for their future good.
Today, I learned from Edric’s example to be receptive to the work of the Lord in my life amidst people and circumstances. It may be normal to resist at first, but will I choose to keep grumbling and complaining like a spoiled and entitled brat? Or, will I say, “Okay, Lord, I will be grateful, I will cooperate with what you are doing. I will see your hand in this and I will learn the lessons and truths you want me to because I know you love me.”
Lord, help me to do the latter! Help me to trust that you are doing what is right and best for me. Help me to repent and change in the ways I need to so I can truly live! As you said it in Ezekiel, “The people of Israel keep saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ O people of Israel, it is you who are not doing what’s right, not I. ‘Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign Lord. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live!'” (Ezekiel 18:29-32)
Hello! Can I ask what is your religion? 😊
I am always encouraged whenever I read your entries. It has made me realized, time and again, that all of us, even how “godly” we think other people are, have our own struggles to face. And that God is the one behind every challenge we go through because we are not yet where we are meant to be, we are not yet the person God wants us to be. Thanks for being a channel of blessing and encouragement to a lot of people. God bless you and your family!
Praise God thank you
Tama na. Just because you don’t believe in anything, doesn’t mean you can rub it in their faces. I’m praying for you. Tita Joy, I think it’s time you talk to Juancho. He needs to know Jesus. Let’s pray for him.
Who is Jesus??? I. AM. AN. ATHEIST. I 🍩 (do not) BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST. It’s nonsense!
Dude, I told my friend who is close with Joy about this (what you’re doing) and it is not good. I think this site needs to be monitored/moderated. God bless!
Why is it nonsense? Have you personally and thoroughly investigated the claims of Christ to take so bold a stand against him? And what do you mean by you are an atheist? The very word “believe” that you use means you have faith in something. So what is it that you have faith in?
Hi Joy, I’ve noticed this Juancho person before, he/she has been trying to egg you for a while, just ignore and don’t fall for it. We are all called for other things and I siggest that everyone, all your readers just ignore the comments and not feed it some more. I also would like to pray for this person to come to knwo Christ in this lifetime.
Why do you have to read my posts if Jesus is so offensive to you? If you are so proud to be an atheist then I don’t see why this blog is worth your time at all since you know that I write about everything from a Biblical worldview, which is clearly upsetting to you…
What kind of propaganda?
Hi Joy! The ugly comments are hilarious when viewed in spiritual lens so laugh it off. 🙂 This just goes to show how effective you are in sharing the gospel because you are being attacked from all sides. Remember what God said in the book of John, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:19) Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world! 🙂 Keep shining for Jesus! 🙂
Thanks April 🙂
Praising God now for using your blog as a channel of learning and blessing for me. We are indeed constantly being trained by the Lord. The more we resist it, the more we will have challenges. I am encouraged by your example. I learned thru this post that the key is to surrender our struggles to the Lord and choose to be positive and thankful. I do have this way when things i hate happen to me. I say, “process this with the Lord, take it to Jesus” which i do and then i sing a medley of Christian songs about Jesus. This helps me take out the focus off myself but back to the Lord. Thank you and God bless😀
Homer Simpson is better than Jesus. He is my Lord. I worship Homer J. Simpson. #Antichrist I 🍩 believe in Jesus.
Wala kaming pake sayo, kwento mo sa pagong 😘😛
I’m praying for you, Juancho! You don’t need to talk about Jesus and mock Him that way because He cares for you and He died for you. And The Simpson’s is not a religion. And you knew that this family isn’t allowed to watch that. Don’t believe in things that we don’t understand. Let’s just pray for you.
That’s rude. I would highly suggest you delete this comment as it is disturbing to Christian readers and the ones who are devout Christians as well.
Just wish to say your article is as amazing.
The clarity in your post is just excellent and i can assume you are an expert on this subject.
Fine with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming
post. Thanks a million and please keep up the enjoyable work.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on cryptocurrency деңгейлерінің тізімі.
Regards
сонник змея укусила другую змею,
укусила змея во сне за ногу исламский сонник сон быть в гостях у врага маг и 10 пентаклей дева-мужчина и лев
женщина совместимость, дева и лев: совместимость в дружбе в процентах плутон в
4 доме проработка, ретроградный плутон в 4 доме
в скорпионе
Hi, Neat post. There’s an issue with your site in internet explorer, could test this?
IE still is the marketplace leader and a large element
of people will miss your great writing due to this problem.
De renovatieplaten kunnen op het bedstaande dakbeschot worden geplaatst en zijn bij
levering al voorzien van tengels.
Aan de hand van een adviesrapport gaan wij direct aan de slag.
De meeste daken hebben een levensduur van ongeveer 20 tot 30
jaar.
EPDM-dakbedekking is hhet makkelijkste totaalsysteem
waarmee elke doe-het-zelver platte en licht hellende
daken dicht.
Dakwerkers weten ook welke materialsn geschikt zijn voor
je dak, waardoor de renovatie of de herstelling ervan sndl én veilig verloopt.
Diit staat beschreven in de voorschriften van de fabrikant, het Arbbobesluit artikel
7.4a en de Warenwet.
Een kleine daklekkage kan ook geleidelijk ontstaan door slijtag of schade aaan de dakbedekking.
Its not my first time to go to see this web page, i
am browsing this site dailly and get fastidious information from here everyday.
Door het voorwerk voor dde dakdekker te doen, bespaar je
op het aantal uren dat de dakdekker nodig heeft voor je project.
Nice post. I learn something new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon everyday.
It will always be helpful to read articles from other authors and use
a little something from their sites.
Hey there! I just would like to give you a huge thumbs up for
your excellent information you have here on this post.
I am returning to your web site for more soon.
This is my first time go to see at here and i am truly pleassant to
read all at one place.
Excellent post. I will be dealing with some of these
issues as well..
Hello, Neat post. There’s an issue along with
your website in web explorer, could test this? IE nonetheless is the market leader
and a big element of other folks will omit your magnificent writing due to this problem.
If you are going for best contents like myself, simply pay a
visit this web site everyday since it gives feature contents, thanks
Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but
after checking through some of the post I realized it’s new to
me. Anyways, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be book-marking
and checking back often!
Good day very cool site!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Wonderful
.. I will bookmark your web site and take the feeds additionally?
I’m satisfied to find so many useful information right here within the submit,
we’d like develop more techniques on this regard, thank you for sharing.
. . . . .
Aan de andere kan kann isolatie ook onder het dak, van binnenuit, worden aangebracht,
wat bekend staat als een ‘koud dak’.
Maar het is wel mogelijk dat er een boom op heet dak valt of er op een andere manier schade ontstaat.
Naast het regulier dakonderhoud, is het ook een mogelijkheid om je
dak te laten coaten en impregneren.
De veiligheidscontrole van uw plkatte dak kan ook gecombineerd worden met een plan voor dakonderhoud.
Tegenwoordig is er echter ook APP gemodificeerd bitumen.
We bespreken uw wensen en beoordelen de situatie, om een nauwkeufige offerte op
te stellen.
Laten we beginnen met de prijsopbouw van een dakdekker.
Bitumen oof roofing krijgt het zwaar te verduren door
dde wisselende weersomstandigheden.
Excellent website. A lot of useful info here. I’m sending it to
several buddies ans also sharing in delicious.
And certainly, thank you in your effort!
These are truly wonderful ideas in concerning blogging.
You have touched some nice factors here. Any way keep up wrinting.
Een dakgoot uit zink is stevig, vorstbestendig, duurzaam en heeft een lange
levensduur.
Daarnaast heebben de dakdekkers van DakPro een spoedservice en staan dag en nacht
voor u klaar.
Wilt u precies weten hoeveel dakpannen u nodig heeft?
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your weblog and in accession capital to say
that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing to your feeds
and even I achievement you get right of entry to
constantly rapidly.
En kan ook eenvoudig met eeen roller en kwast aangebracht worden.
Een volledige dakrenovatie is een ingrijpende klus, maar bij Dakdienst Nederland zorgen we voor een professionele aanpak enn een kwalitatief resultaat.
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox
and now each time a comment is added I get four emails
with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service?
Cheers!
This piece of writing gives clear idea for the new viewers of blogging, that truly how to do blogging.
Hey! I realize this is somewhat off-topic but I needed
to ask. Does operating a well-established blog like yours require a large amount of work?
I’m brand new to blogging however I do write in my diary every
day. I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my experience and views online.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions or tips for brand new aspiring bloggers.
Appreciate it!
I will immediately seize your rss as I can’t to find your e-mail subscription link or e-newsletter service.
Do you’ve any? Kindly let me recognise so that I may just subscribe.
Thanks.
Thank you for any other magnificent article.
Where else could anybody get that type of info in such a perfect manner of writing?
I’ve a presentation subsequent week, and I’m
at the look for such info.
Gietvloeren voelen van zichzelf lekker warm en zacht aan, erg fijn inn een rruimte waarin de
meesfe mensen op blote voeten lopen.
Appreciate this post. Let me try it out.
Het is mogelijk om extra opties te kiezen voor uuw gietvloer om uw vloer persoonlijk en uniek te maken.
We raden je aan omm langs te komen iin onze showroom, zodat we de
beste vloer bij jouw situatie kunnen adviseren.
Steentapijt is dus geschikt voor een matte vloer, maar niet inn eloe uitvoering.
Daarom wordt er elke keer weer een lzagje
zad gestrooid, totdat dee korrels deels boven de vloer uitsteken.
Gebruik geen agressieve schoonmaakmiddelen, zoals bleek,
oom schade aan het woonbeton te voorkomen.
Hett is uiteraard niet nodig om de volledige gietvloer te vervangen.
Dit is eeen licht elastische substantie, die juyist zachjt en warm
aanvoelt.
Wordt vedl toegepast in kantoren, showrooms, openbare ruimtes,
winkels, maar ook in woningen vanwege het strakke karakter.
Nhà cờ trò chơi tiền điện tử crypto casino trong Tiếng Việt
cho 60 từ Đấu trường tiền điện tử crypto casino là nền tảng bàn trò chơi trực tuyến sử dụng tiền kỹ
thuật số như Bitcoin Ethereum để giao dịch Người
chơi có thể đặt cược chơi các trò chơi như poker
blackjack slots mà không cần tiết lộ thông
tin cá nhân Crypto casino mang lại sự an toàn tốc độ giao dịch nhanh chóng bảo mật cao và minh bạch
Grijs was, is en blijft waarschijnlijk ook een van de
populairste gietvloer kleuren.
Om verkleuring tegen te gaan is een gietvloer op basis van polyurethaan een goede keuze, aangezien dit type gietvloer van zichzelf UV-bestendig is.
क्रिप्टो जुआघर, ऑनलाइन
जुआघर, मुफ्त स्पिन बोनस, नो डिपॉजिट बोनस,
क्रिप्टोकरेंसी स्वीकार, फौरन निकासी,
एफिलिएट मार्केटिंग,
खेल सट्टेबाजी, इंटरनेट लॉटरी, और बिना केवाईसी कैसीनो जैसे
सर्च टर्म्स ऑनलाइन जुआ खिलाड़ियों के बीच जल्दी मशहूर हो रहे हैं। ये कीवर्ड्स डिजिटल मुद्रा का प्रयोग
करके महफूज और गुप्त तरीके से जुआ खेलना आसान बनाते
हैं। साथ ही, फ्री स्पिन बोनस और नो डिपॉजिट बोनस जैसे ऑफर्स नए यूजर्स को आकर्षित करने में सहायता करते हैं। स्पोर्ट्स
बेटिंग और ऑनलाइन लॉटरी जैसी सेवाएं भी इस मंच को व्यापक बनाती हैं।
Bent u benieuwd hoee de verschillende gietvloeren van Coatingvloer.nl eruitzien?
Hi! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out
and tell you I genuinely enjoy reading through
your blog posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums
that go over the same topics? Appreciate it!
Een vloer geeft je woonruimte een allesbepalende uitstraling, duss we vinden een goed advies belangrijk.
Met gerichte bijscholing kan een Elektricien doorgroeien tot Elektrotechnicus of Service Engineer Elektro.
Contactweerstanden van verbindingen of fouten betreffende de kabellengten kunnn buiten beschouwing gelaten worden.
Shunyata zal u doen verbazen met zijn prachtige
powerconitioners en topkwaliteit powercables en ethernetkabels.
Bij SlimmeDingen vind jee een breeed aanbbod bewegingssensoren vior biknnen en met verschillende smarthome protocollen.