KYOTO - A New Music Video

Yesterday, my daughter Tara Alesia launched her new music video "Kyoto" and of course Mom made Japanese themed cookies for the occasion.  Check out her video on YouTube 
 KYOTO - TARA ALESIA - Please subscribe to her channel as well as my art channel!  

My YouTube Channel - Armie Fox

EMPATHY

Empathy is a very tricky emotion.  When tragedy strikes someone you care about and she confides in you, unless you have walked her shoes, you really don't know the deep pain and sorrow she is feeling.  When we empathize, we put ourselves in their shoes and feel what they are feeling at the time.  Whether the intensity is on the same level or not, empathizing with someone helps us analyze with clearer thinking because we are not the ones affected.  It is less difficult for us to think of what to say and how to act since we are not in the direct line of fire.  When we look at the same person and feel sad for them, We are most likely only sympathetic.  There is a distinct difference.  

When Jesus encountered people who had loved ones who died or had serious illnesses, He sprang into action and miraculously healed the sick and brought the dead back to life.  He didn't do these acts for mere show.  He was actually demonstrating to us that with even a mustard seed sized faith, we could do the same for others.  But alas, when faced with the same situation, we grapple for ways to help out and simply fall into the sympathetic rather than the empathetic.  Perhaps if you were the person in trouble, would you do everything in your power to be able to fix the situation as Jesus did?  The Bible says we do have the power to do so.  If we only have the faith we can move mountains.  If Jesus says we could, then believing and standing on that truth would allow us to do so.  Living in the realm in which Jesus lives will allow us to.  But to get to that point isn't easy.  We have to be completely surrendered to God in thoughts, words and deed.  But practice makes perfect.  I know there are people out there who actually have that much faith that they have the ability to transcend the norm and actually reinforce what Jesus already taught us when he walked the earth.  

I don't know how far you are with your faith but if you are one of the ones who are grown in God's truth, you would understand what I'm talking about.  If you are the opposite, then you have some seeking to do and do it now.  Time is running out, Jesus' return is imminent.  Don't be caught off-guard.  Always be prepared.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

Saints vs. Swine

There are two types of people according to Viktor Frankl an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist and a holocaust survivor when faced with the unavoidable and complete influence of their surroundings.  He noted that while at camp, he witnessed that some people acted like saints, choosing to help others while some acted like swines, forgetting humanity and thinking only of themselves.

Even as I go through life, I witness the same especially in the relationships between children.  I can distinguish those who are caring, possess maturity and genuine responsibility towards another.  Then there are those who barrel past everyone to get the best of the best of everything and anything no matter what the cost.

I can't help but feel the disassociation with the swine people from the pure heart of God.  Yes, admittedly, like others, I fall prey to imperfections on a daily basis but most of the time, I feel compassion, caring and sympathy.  How sad for those who have created an island of themselves instead of being oceans washing many shores.  God's purpose, at least for me, is to touch as many lives as I possibly can and I hope and pray I have been doing so in my own little way.  

But I learned to determine and decide what is right from wrong with the help of three questions: 1) Are my actions coming from pure motives? 2) Will anyone be offended? and 3) Will it expose me to the danger of developing bad habits?  Answering the questions honestly, and with the help of God's urging through prayers will get us to the right answer.  More often the world is full of people who live by the law of the jungle, the ME law, what will benefit ME first before I even start thinking about others, rather than a world abiding by the law of love.  

The world is suffering from famine today, starved of the spiritual and learning to witness through love is our best contribution to it.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

Looking Inside Through God-colored Glasses

It's a familiar scene.  A child leaves home, a spouse leaves a marriage or someone gives up on life.  Their reasons are the same, they need to find themselves.  What does that even mean?  Whatever it means to each of them still causes pain to others. 

Three things we can never run away from in life:  ourselves, our shadow, and God.  No matter where we try to run away from, or to, these three will always be there.  

Some people go insane in their effort to figure out what is missing in their life that leaves them unsatisfied and lacking with lack and dissatisfaction.  They numb their longing by drinking, drugs, sexual perversion, hate or staying busy in the most unhealthy way so they don't have to feel the loneliness or the fact that day after day is groundhog day.  Everyday when they awake they are thankful to be alive, but at the end of an exhausting day, they still feel unaccomplished.


Understand that the reason why there exist that longing is because we were created by God in the beginning, in His own image.  There are so many things that describes God.  But the one thing that describes Him to a tee is Love.  I know, I know, it really is hard to describe what love is.  Contrary to popular knowledge, love is not having someone by your side like a spouse, a child, or a partner always.  That is co-dependency.  Don't confuse the two.  Yes, you can love another and desire for them to be there 24/7 but that type of love is one that is not guaranteed.  As you enjoy being in love with another human being, there really is no guarantee that he/she will be there forever.  Remember, there are only three that will be there always.  

Knowing all that, we should get to know them instead of running away from them.  A child will either marvel or get terrified of his own shadow.  I'm sure you saw the videos.  But those who marvel at it and accept that it will follow them wherever they go, just allow it.  Understanding and accepting oneself is just a result of knowing and accepting God into one's life.  When we can take the focus out of ourselves and shift it to God's direction, there is a filter that occurs.  Our focus of ourselves through God's filter becomes clearer and we begin to understand ourselves through God's purification system.

It's everywhere in human nature.  God's creation ties into His Word.  What I mean by that is consider our own body.  It is a genius piece of engineering.  God is genius!  Because whatever our bodies absorb, it all gets filtered through.  The liver is a high powered filtering machine with 500+ functions.  The kidney is another.  There are so many machines in our bodies that work for our health daily.  In the same token, God is the filter of our very flesh into righteousness.  For this reason, no matter how much we try to run away from God, no amount of alcohol, drugs, money, fame or sexual satisfaction, can ever fill the God-shaped holes in our hearts.  Full surrender is the answer.  It's not hard to have a conversation with the Almighty, because He is already there in our hearts.  We don't need a cell phone, or any kind of high tech special equipment to talk to Him.  He's already omnipresent.   Whatever sinful lust we are hesitant to give up, He will help you get rid of and fill your desires with Agape love, the most purest of all types of love.

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

BETHESDA ORPHANAGE

THERE IS AN ORPHANAGE LOCATED IN the northernmost part of the Philippines where I was born and raised.  Two years ago they were affected by a fire.  Most of their stuff was damaged.  At the same time, I was looking for an orphanage in this area of the Philippines because my husband, who is a Vice Principal of a middle school in California was in charge of getting rid of the unclaimed lost and found items.  I asked him to bring them home.  I ended up with three boxes full and some toys I bought from the garage sales as well as shoes.

It took me awhile to receive a Facebook message from the right contact person for the orphanage but no matter, now they received the clothes, etc.  Seeing happy faces warms my heart.  God is truly awesome!  He provides for us enough money to survive as well as be able to help others out.  Which is why the recipient name on the boxes is His name, in care of my name,  if they have anyone to thank it should be God.

CLEAR VISION

Nothing irks me more than being labeled religious.      I say that because I consider myself as having a deep relationship with God.  It is far from religious.  Religion is not necessarily a good thing.  It is like looking though a clear glass of water.  From your perspective, your vision of what is on the other side of the glass is clear but how your face is seen from the other side is warped.  Many turn away from God often because of religion.  Many a war and bloodshed has occurred in the name of religion.  In my honest opinion, religion is man-made.  Someone long ago structured their own perception of God and created an organization from the faithful and imposed their own ideals into them.  The God of the Bible wished that His followers fellowship to praise Him but often, religious people are more concerned about how they look to each other rather than how they look to God, and God goes out of focus.  The danger that lurks around the corner is idolatry.  When something else comes in focus other than God, it becomes a sin against one of His ten.

The heart must be pure to please God.  Your gifts are nothing to Him, He cannot be bought by doing "good works."  He calls on us to be loving, merciful and fair in our dealings with each other.  Just because you call Him Lord, it doesn't mean you are saved.  Righteousness, not to be confused with self-righteousness, in one's life are worthy to be called His chosen one.  Micah 6:8 "No, O people , the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you:  to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."  

Knowing God deeply is having a pure heart.  A pure heart is filled with God. There is no room for anything else.  As you grow your relationship with God, all else will be pushed out of it.  Only then can God take over, only then can Jesus take the wheel.  Pure and unadulterated surrender!

Until my next rant... LOVE ONE ANOTHER!