And then there was silence..

CORE-RELATE!

It's 1:49am as I start to blog this. Last year, I was taking calls around this time. This year, I've had the 'privilege' of spending it at home with my mom, my nephew and my uncle. Last year, I blogged about "Oplan: Buddy 2010." This year, the person I was referring to in that blogpost got married so he's no longer my buddy.

2010 has been eventful - not to mention fruitful. I've seen how I've grown in the "emo" department and how God has blessed my obedience with a re-assuring promise in Job 11:18-19 which says,

18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
and many will court your favor.

One of the remarkable object lessons God taught me this year was "the handshake." I thought, at first, that it had something to do with a person I've been praying for for the last three years. I've learned, however, that it was something beyond that. The handshake that God wanted me to learn was about being accommodating - welcoming - to anyone I meet, without any favoritism.

God revealed more of His grace to me, especially in the anger management department. He also showed more of Himself to me in the faces of the strangers I encountered in the streets and people I ministered to. Those encounters, opportunities to give sacrificial love, are priceless moments and I wouldn't want to enumerate them because I am thrilled with the thought of just keeping it a "secret" between me and my Father alone. He knew my motives when I did those things and He knows definitely whether or not I 'deserve' being rewarded for those.

Questions that are in my mind right now as I blog are the following:
1. Have I grown closer to my mom and made her feel more loved?
2. Have I been a blessing to more people?
3. Have I 'fulfilled' the practical resolutions I made for last year?
4. Have I shared Christ to at least 12 people (1 per month)?
5. Have I been a better steward of time, talents and treasures?
6. Have I been more gracious?
7. Have I been wiser, bolder in taking calculated risks?

I want to come up with a list of those that I'm thankful to God for in 2010 but that could take a whole lot of blog space, not to mention, your time. The next time you see me with my hand cupped on my face, don't worry, it's possible that I just lost track of counting my blessings.

Silence is such a blessing. To be able to type as soon as I think is also indeed such a great blessing as well. I owe it to my one and only Mama who has taught me many things about motherhood, about submission and about faith.

My eyes are heavy now and I sure would like to blog about each of my months in 2010, especially the month when I shook hands with a very important person in my faith journey. But in the interest of physical wellness, I'd hit "Publish Post" at this point and log off.

Exciting days ahead!