The Woman of Fire

** image credits to tenor.com/search/fire-woman-gifs

The fire element is a symbol of love, 
desire, anger, power, strength, and assertiveness.
She represents light, life, and energy.

 The woman of fire loves to connect with other people.
She is people-oriented and skilled in working with people.
She often participates in social gatherings.

Though she is vainglorious and often argues,
she is compassionate and caring.
She is enthusiastic and can uplift someone's day.

She is quick-minded, a risk-taker, and creative. 
that makes her an efficient leader.
She has an inventive mind.

In love, she is more passionate 
than any other element.
She always takes the initiative in relationships, 
making sure to let her partner knows that she cares.

An intuitive mind who can read people.

She cannot say no to a commitment
that causes her to neglect her personal needs.
She speaks her mind without apprehension,
yet, you cannot silence her

She is a doer of things which
makes her a great leader.

The woman of fire has a pace of her own.
She exudes confidence and 
leaves others in awe of her personality.

But just like wildfire, 
she sometimes spreads chaos.
And as the fire ignites and dies,
she won't stop until
she gets bored.

Her downside
leads her to anger, arrogance, and cruelty.
 is power without restraint.

The Woman of Air

**image credit to deviantart.com/tbond5289/art/Wind-Element-320408081

She is a fantastic conversationalist, 

a great communicator.

She soaks knowledge

 from everywhere she can 

as a result of her curious behavior.

She is deeply intrigued by people 

who can keep up with her

rapid mouth.

Her relationship can be

strained by her desire 

to win all arguments.

She is so deeply connected to her mind.

Prone to overthink, 

or dip into negative 

or paranoid vibes.

She is naturally analytical

and can pick apart 

a concept, project, or person

without too much effort.

She is witty, charming,  and thoughtful. 

She is flexible and carefree

but remains independent.

Her carefree attitude 

can sway over 

into the negative side of life

though soon becomes

 flaky, unreliable, 

inconsistent, and even selfish.

She has a high standard 

of principles and

does not tolerate injustice.

She abandons traditions

without a second thought.

She doesn't like to follow trends

and likes to discover 

and do things with her own sense 

of intuition and relevance.

The Woman of Water

**image credit to brandrificus.deviantart.com

The Woman of Water element...

she has a lot of depth in her,

probably much more 

than one has to let on. 

\She likes to remain hidden, 

enigmatic, and anonymous...

She is a smooth talker 

who can diverge 

from the topic of discussion 

with ease. 

Articulate, clever, and introspective, 

self-contained and self-sufficient

that's who she is...

She prefers peace and little conflict

but has no issue standing her ground

when she is wronged. 

She can sometimes lack self-confidence

and yet come across as assertive.

She loves to tease and insult 

She can use extremely mean words 

when angry.

She has deep emotional currents, 

some can't even be explained, 

many might be intuitive. 

Despite her strong empathy, 

she cannot judge people so quickly.

She is penetrating, critical, and scrutinizing,

seeking knowledge and understanding. 

She needs to learn

 that it is okay to say no. 

Her avoidance of problems 

leaves her in more trouble

 than when she deals with them. 

That aside, 

she is seen to be full of love 

and has wonderful energy. 

She can help people relax 

and bring them back 

to a healthy state 

from a toxic one.

The Earth Woman

**image credit: deviantart.com/fahrifortyone/art/EARTH-ELEMENT-169776615

She is of the Earth element...

hardworking, genuine, 

and determined.

She knows what needs to get done.

She knows how to get a good life,

and she needs to earn it...

She is practical and logical 
and she stands firm 

in her convictions...

She is not interested

 in unrealistic dreams 
but in setting achievable goals 

attained through hard work...

She learns from experience, 
which is never difficult
 for a curious person like herself...

She has a powerful heart 
and an appreciation 
for the smaller things...

She is an artist 
and loves to create...

She could stand to be a bit less rigid 
and take a breath once in a while...

If she keeps pushing forward without a rest, 
She'll come off as intimidating to others.

She is always friendly
 yet she does not let people 
into the inner circle easily...
However... once she does
 she is loyal to a fault...

That aside, 
She is sturdy and self-efficient
 and make a reliable ally...

She is what she is
..Earth...

English 101 - Parts of Speech (series 1)

     My first day at school with each high school class started with a review of different parts of speech. It was mostly a disappointment that needed a question rephrasing, hints, and translation for them to remember or rather let them know what it is all about. Sometimes they interchanged it with figures of speech when they started answering metaphor, simile, etc. I can't blame them during their primary/intermediate days, most of them only spent 3 hours in school due to a lack of school rooms. I hope upon writing this, some of them will stumble upon it if not to give them the site's name.

Parts of Speech is a term used for the 8 categories into which words are classified according to their functions in a sentence. This term has been labeled by linguistics into word class or syntactic category. Parts of speech are divided into two, namely, Open classes and Closed classes. Open classes are nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Closed classes are pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjection.

1. Noun - a word that names a person, a place, a thing, an animal, an idea, or an event. (it is important to note that noun 'names a' not 'name of'. Noun actually give names, not the name of... since other words can be used as a noun though in a form they look like the other parts of speech).    
2. Pronoun - a word that takes the place of a noun. The noun that the pronoun replaces or refers to is called the antecedent.
3. Verb - a word that expresses an action or a state of being.
4. Adjectives - words that describe a noun or pronoun.
5. Adverb - a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
6. Preposition - a word that expresses a relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence.
7. Conjunction - a   word that connects an individual word or group of words.
8. Interjection - an exclamatory word or phrase that can stand by itself although it may also appear in a sentence.

 Examples:

1. Nouns: teacher, Emily, city, Manila, cellphone, Sony, dog, Snoopy, compassion, love, birthday.
2. Pronouns: I, me, you, he, she, it, who, which, all, any, few, several, everyone, somebody.
3. Verbs: get, take, hopes, appear, seem, is, was, are, were, have, will, can, may, must.
4. Adjectives: happy, new, tall, helpful, many, more, prettiest.
5. Adverbs: quite, very, so, too, slowly, always, gracefully.
6. Prepositions: in, on, about, over, behind, under, inside, outside.
7. Conjunctions: and, but, or, while, that, thus, so that, however.
8. Interjections: oh! wow! alas! aha! hooray!..

* The category of each word in the Part of Speech is based on how it was used alone or in a sentence.

image credits to the owner

One Hug: Ease Out Pain

Image credits to wdrfree.com/stock-vector

     A hug, a pat on the back, the touch... somehow... ease the pain, the fatigue, the stress.

    I have two daughters, I don't know if it is because they are of the same gender as I am that they could feel if I am not feeling alright. One is 17 and the other is 8, yet they would always ask me if I am okay or not which sometimes I wanna hide what I really felt inside, My older daughter when she was just 8 years old then until she went to college was more sensitive with all the things that a female really feels. Now that she's too busy with her studies, my younger daughter is more than what I can or rather we can think of, she always amazes us with all her trinkets and a-dos, smart girl yet sensitive and sweet enough to observe and absorb what is happening around her. Whenever I am in physical pain, even a throbbing pain, somehow it eases out and comforts me. A hug as we all know is something that can be given and yet can also be given back. I do the same with my daughter whenever she is sick, in pain, or in distress. 

   Truly, one hug from someone we know who really loves us turns our fear and our pain into something positive. Letting us know that someone is there for us. A hug can say what words cannot. A hug gives us an emotional lift from whatever pains we have. And maybe we can stop and look around us, let's give our best hug to the one we care for.. and to someone who needs it.

How Big is GOD?

The prophet Isaiah certainly was captivated by the greatness of God...and I am too...as He is far bigger than the limited mind can conceive...

Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
Has it not been told to you from the beginning?
   Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
   and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
   and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

"To whom will you compare me?
   or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens;
   who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
   and calls them each by name.
Because of His great power and mighty strength,
   not one of them is missing.

Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:21,22,25,26,28-31 

As I was reading these passages, I am really awed by His Greatness..amazed by all His Creations, from detailed landscapes and shaped mountains to deep oceans to large continents to the vast formation of galaxies...yes, the Creator of a big wide world,  is greater than its creation, and yet sometimes I fail to remember that He is also Bigger than life, Bigger than my sadness, Bigger than my problems.. so I have to keep on reading it again and again... try it yourself if you feel your strength is leaving you to carry and move on because HE is Bigger that He can cover me, you, the universe.. entirely!..that is.. my God.

The Cross

'Ants are crossing through a stick leading to the water. A child noticed that the ants might get drowned, so he was shouting at them. "Hey, ants, don't go there! You might get drowned, go back!" He keeps shouting at them then came his father and said, "my son, they would not understand you. You are human, they are ants. You should be one of the ants so they would be able to understand you.' 

This short story tells us that God the Son was to be like us for us to be understood and for us to understand Him. So we could be saved just as he wanted us to be saved.

The cross where Jesus was crucified took on a new significance whereas before, the cross had been used as an instrument of torture and death in Babylon and Rome. On the cross, Jesus Christ shed His blood as God wanted to rescue us from the dominion of darkness and for Jesus to bring us into His kingdom. On the cross, we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. 

Before, we were enemies of God because of our evil behavior, but now He has reconciled us by Christ's physical body through death to present us holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusations. We have to know, understand and believe what Jesus did for us on the cross. We must humbly come to Him in faith. All our efforts are nothing but Jesus' work is everything, His work on the cross as He declared "it is finished." When it's done we receive full forgiveness of our sins.

The cross of Christ is the bridge between man and God. 

When Jesus breathe His last breath, the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom. For many years before Jesus' death, the most sacred place on earth had been the temple, where the presence of God dwelled behind a thick curtain. Only one person a year, the high priest, was allowed to pass by that curtain and enter the presence of God on one day, the Day of Atonement. At the death of Jesus Christ, the temple curtain ripped from top to bottom, signifying that God had opened his presence to the world through the cross of Jesus.

 " Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (NIV John 14:6)

Pleasure or Joy

Giving time to God in a solitary place is like having a date with Jesus, talking, and being with Him the whole day. The time spent is not in vain. It was confirmed to me today through my daily Bible reading this morning. It is about the joy in our hearts and the passing pleasures in our environment. Despite the storm and the loneliness, I have many reasons to be joyful. Talking to God, asking for His guidance, the faith in Him, and His assurance. I've got joy in my heart. A real joy..complete.

To share with you In the Our Daily Bread article, joy was differentiated from pleasures.

                                                                                                                        

* For a joy that will last, always put Christ first!

*Acknowledgement to Henry Bosch of Our Daily Bread

     

7 Things That We Can Do In Discovering God's Will

  

   
     According to Joanie Yoder, one of the writers in "Our Daily Bread", a daily devotional guide, some people love to serve God, but they don't know what to do. The best way to discover God's specific will for your life is to obey His clearly revealed will. There she enumerates a list of how God wants us to live and what He wants us to do.

1) Love and pray for your enemies.

     "But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."  - Matthew 5:44 (NIV)

2) Walk by faith and not by sight.

     "We live by faith, not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)

3) Love God by enduring temptation.

     "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has  stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." - James 1:12 (NIV)

4) Serve one another.

     "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." - Galatians 5:13 (NIV)

5) Lay up treasures in heaven.

     "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." - Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV)

6) Share the gospel with the lost.

     "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." -  Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

7) Exercise your spiritual gifts.

     "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." - Romans 12:6-8 (NIV)

The New Year And New Hope

 

Image credits to commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Gate_into_Forest_Reserve._Rancho_Naturalista_-_Flickr_-_gailhampshire.jpg

"The Gate of the Year"

GOD KNOWS

- Minnie Louise Haskins (1908)

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

So heart bestill: 

What needs our little life  

Our human life to know,  

If God hath comprehension? 

In all the dizzy strife  

Of things both high and low,  

God hideth His intention.

God knows. 

His will Is best. 

The stretch of years  

Which wind ahead, so dim  

To our imperfect vision,  

Are clear to God. 

Our fears  

Are premature; 

In Him, All time hath full provision.

Then rest: until God moves to lift the veil  

From our impatient eyes,  

When, as the sweeter features  

Of Life’s stern face we hail,  

Fair beyond all surmise  

God’s thoughts around His creatures  

Our minds shall fill. 
---------

This poem became popular and caught the attention of many people when Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) handed a copy of it to her husband, King George VI, and used it as one inspirational quote in his Christmas Broadcast in 1939. God Knows is the original title given by the author but it is popularly known as Gate of the Year.

It has also caught my attention as it was a part of our family devotion before the turns of the year.  (Using some of my devotional pieces from my subscription in  crosswalk is really a blessing, authored by different remarkable Christians who stood by their faith.) This poem is a think tank on what lights can do to move in the darkness, to see what is known, to see what lies ahead this new year..and yet the most that we can do is to sink our hands deeply to God so He would light and lead us into the path of the unknown. 
"He who trusts in the Lord will be exalted," (Proverbs 29:25) Nothing is better if we could light our path by following His words yet there is more than reading it...if we could hold on to Him knowing He wouldn't lead us astray... so whatever the struggles that we have left behind, a new hope for this new year is to keep holding on to His promises, trusting God, and let Him lead us.

And as we make the turn to a new year, a face that needs and sink our hand more deeply into God's hand. Pray for one another that as we embark upon a new year, God will grant us and our family His favor. 

Bible Quotes About Our MOther

What does the Bible say about a MOTHER? ..In celebration of mother's day, I'm writing some Bible quotes about our beloved mother. Read and meditate on it. Happy Mother's day to all MOMs...

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my MOTHER's womb." - Psalm 139:13 (NIV)

     Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (2) “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), (3) “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” - Ephesians 6:1-3 (ESV)

"Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, (9) for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck." - Proverbs 1:8-9 (ESV)

"My son, keep your father’s commandment and forsake not your mother’s teaching. (21) Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. (22) When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you." - Proverbs 6:20-22 (ESV)

The Proverbs of Solomon. "A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother." - Proverbs 10:1 (ESV)


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On this special day for her, give her styles 



#mothersday #mothers #Biblequotes

Unwritten Letter

I have come across a profile from a certain site and found a letter written by one of my chats. I am fascinated by what he has written and find it romantic and subtle. An unwritten letter may be for his future partner. Here's the letter he wrote...

This is a letter I write for my love...even though we've never met:

I need to be told how you feel. I need to be shown. 

I need you to communicate with me. I will listen. 

Forgive me, but when you pull me close one moment and push me away from the next;

I can't understand. I can't know what to do. 

All I know is to show you how I feel and hope for honesty and respect in return. 

I want you to have time to yourself. Yes, I want you to have friends. 

I want to also be included from time to time...as I will include you. 

I do this because I want you to know I am proud to walk beside you and I want to feel the same. 

I do this because I want you to know I have nothing to hide from you. 

I want you to KNOW I am with you, only you. I want to trust you.

No, I don't want to know all your past mistakes. They are yours and you must own them. 

I am human and have my own. I hope we both have learned their lessons. 

I want to love your imperfections. I want to love the changing lines in your face year after year. 

I know we will not always agree, but we can try and understand. 

When I walk away from an argument understand I do so 

because I know that people often say things they don't mean. 

The last thing I want to do is hurt you or reinforce doubts you have about yourself. 

I want only to lift you up. When you're sick I want to take care of you. 

I want to tuck you into bed and keep you warm. 

I'll hold your hand in public and sit beside you when we dine alone. 

I'll put my arms around you at unexpected times and at others, 

you'll look in my eyes and know I am undressing you in my mind. 

I want to send you flowers for no reason. 

I want to leave you notes in places you wouldn't expect to find them. 

Cards will come in the mail on random days. 

I want to let you know throughout your day that I am thinking of you. 

And at night, while you're asleep, I'll whisper how much you mean to me 

and hope you'll remember me in your dreams. 

I want to love and to be loved.

LOVE LOST

I have come across this letter from a mobile blog, written by a fellow chatter. 

It used to be a letter written for the lost love of a friend...

📷favim.com/image/588768/

From that day when you left me,

my whole world fell apart...

my heart has broken into pieces...

and yet you were never satisfied...

never expected that you will step into it...

You've asked me what was wrong,,

but I refused to answer what is inside of me...

I just said, "NOTHING SERIOUS"...

but when you turned your back on me,

.....continue

What do you think happened in this prosaic story? 

It seems the writer of this poem is heartbroken...

LOVE LETTER & POEMS

I have asked some of my 4th year high school students to submit a poem about anything in Filipino or English. I am surprised to find out that many of them can really write poems whether in Filipino or English. I have made some editions to share you some of them..

©istockphoto.com/peepo

DEAR 

is written by Jeremy Alba 

A love professed for someone dear to him.

==========================

A POEM FOR MY LOVE

is also written by Jeremy Alba

An admiration for someone  he loves, 

yet waiting for her to love him back.

================================.

YOUR SONG

Jeisoun Douiyan 

Kung lahat ng tao sa paligid mo iniwan ka

H'wag na h'wag mong iisiping ika'y nag-iisa

Nandito lng ako mag-aalaga sa 'yo

Ibibigay ko sa 'yo lahat-lahat pati sariling buhay ko

Pag ika'y nagkamali sa iyong ginawa

Ipapakita ko sa 'yong hindi ka dapat mahiya

Hahawakan ko nang mahigpit ang iyong kamay

At sasabihin ko sa 'yong "hindi ka dapat malumbay"

Ito ang awitin ng buhay ko

Ang lirics nito ay umiikot sa mundo mo

K'ya please h'wag ka mawawala sa buhay ko

Dahil baka matapos ang "your song" ng buhay ko!!!!

This is lyrical poetry about making a promise to a woman he loves. 

Translation in English is provided in the link

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