Monday, April 13, 2009

Thank you Lord for your Affirmation

Before I begin blogging my main topic for the day, I wish to give thanks and praise to you Lord for your consistent affirmation in my life - and especially now for my new blog.

When I first started this blog I thought, hmmm ... I will just share it with my Choicee friends whom I have journeyed together with since 1998. We have served, laughed, cried, sang and celebrated many important days of our lives together - like weddings, birth of each others' children, birthdays and anniversaries and so on and so forth.

Many of them are cradle Catholics like me, who are on their respective faith journeys. However, a little voice said that I should start to expand my target audience to as many cradle Catholics whom I knew.

So on Good Friday, after I completing the posting of that day, I decided to search through my emailing list and started to send an invitation to both my family members and friends.

After I sent my first posting,I have no idea whether anyone would actually read my blog but soon after I started, two of my Choicee friends responded. They congratulated me and even identified with my blurness. One of them even said she hoped others might be evangelised through it.

Those first two emails were so precious to me.

To my surprise, soon I had emails from a friend I have lost contact with for sometime (he now works in Singapore), an active Kuching cradle Catholic serving in children's and youth ministries (who has invited me to meet up with his team), and a new Choicee (great to know you just attended the recent Choice weekend), who all seem to have benefited from reading my blog in some way or other.

God seems to like using the weak doesn't He. Over 2000 years ago he used poor fishermen, and one of them even became the first Pope of our beloved Church. Now, a blur cradle Catholic like me.

During Easter Vigil, at least two of my choir members also affirmed me. Thank you so much.

Yesterday, my mother called and told me that Patrick Madrid actually commented on my blog. I couldn't believe it, it made me so happy and excited. The moment I reached home I checked for his comment. Pat, if you ever check back on my blog, thank you very much for your encouragement. You are really good with your affirmations and it really meant a lot to me. Pat Madrid is also following my blog (you can do the same by clicking the Follow button - somewhere on the right side of the blog).

What surprised me most is that my mother, who is aversed to technology, read all my postings (with the help of my father) and she said she recalled this and that experience of mine, and also asked me how come I didn't invite her for the Chrism mass (opps, sorry mom).

I just received a comment from my elder sister-in-law that she is going to link my blog to those who are going to be Confirmed (Confirmants). Aiks! I really hope I can help them. I personally know that through my own strength, I can't do much, but with God's help anything is possible.

I must constantly remind myself that I'm doing all these not for the affirmation, but for His Greater Glory, and if I ever get big-headed about it, knock me hard on the head. I must confess (as we Catholics are to do regularly), it still feels good to be encouraged for good work done.

Once again to all who affirmed me, thank you so much for your kind words. Most of all, thank you Lord, who is worthy of all praise.

May the whole 50 days of your Easter experience be a fruitful and enlightened one,
Hazel

P.S. Yes! The Easter season is 50 days long beginning yesterday (12 April) and will end on Pentecost (31 May). If you didn't know it till now, it's okay cos' I only found out last year - which is about 36 years after being Catholic... sad but true. Better late, than never, right?

Just Rejoice, Hallelujah!!!

5 comments:

  1. Wow! 50 days for Easter Season! That beats Christmas (12 days), CNY (15 days) and Raya (30 days), right?

    ReplyDelete
  2. have an enjoyable and blessed Easter season

    ReplyDelete
  3. good post again. i didnt know that there was 50 days for the easter season :-) btw, i am actually not a new choicee but attended the choice 76 weekend in nov 2004. i just finished presenting for the third time during the recent choice 85 weekend at the end of march and i didnt recuperate much from the weekend because i was working on monday until 9 pm that day :-) all the sacrifices and prayers are worth it when you get to witness the holy spirit touching the lives of the many single adults in that room including the presenting team. keep up the good work hazel - i am sure your blog has touch the lives of many people already.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey Hazel,
    Timothy here from Last nights dinner with Mr Michael. the photographer ahahha!.

    nice WORDY blog u have here.

    anyways nice to meet u. such a small world indeed ahahah.

    god bless.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy meeting you Hazel, with few hours' notice, i could only gather a few Faith Formators to meet you last night. Anyway we enjoyed your company...Cepea had contacted Martin Jalleh today, sounds like he is fully booked for the whole of this year! Keep in touch and God Bless
    Michael Hii
    Kuching
    17/4/09

    ReplyDelete