10 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the LORD,11 and they said to Moses, "Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren't there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? 12 Didn't we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, 'Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It's better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!'"

13 But Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm."

Our journey with God and his promises is never a smooth road. He sometimes allow us to go through humps when we take a journey with him. Just like the Israelites, we take a step of faith to that promise and just when we thought everything is going well, our problems (in their case, the Egyptians) will start chasing us and try to catch up with us. Just like them, we will panic and will feel like giving up. We'd rather go back to our familiar lives and just live complacent lives. But this is not the life God wants for you and me. He wants us to live a full and satisfying life and he wants to take us there.

In this passage, Moses told us that the we shouldn't be afraid when our Egyptians come because the Lord will fight for us and he will rescue us. Yes, this is true. But we must also remember what God told the Israelites after:

15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!16 Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers.18 When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the LORD!"19 Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them.

Here we see that God also tells us to "get moving!" As James tells us, Faith without action is dead (James 1:6). He also tells us to get into action and exercise that faith. Yes, God will rescue us and he will fight for us but we also must also act on what we ought to do. We can't just cry every night and then wake up to see our problems go away. Our faith causes us to be unafraid and unafraid people move confidently. Unafraid people are brave. Unafraid people move. This is God wants for your and me.

What are the Egyptians of your life? What should you do to "get moving"?

--
SARAH ALARCON CURATIVO

"Act Justly. Love Mercy. Walk Humbly."~ Micah 6:8

Blog :: http://sacurativo.blogspot.com

Twitter :: @sacurativo

Lola Lydia and Her Violin

We went earlier to a recital concert by Seasons of Love by Key Strings where a good friend is going to play the violin publicly for the first time.

Congratulations, Ethlyn Kaye Sayson! :)

 I am very proud of my friend but this post is not about her. Hehe. This post is about Lola Lydia Mondares, the beneficiary of the concert.


When Mama Bear told us about this concert, we didn't hesitate to go. We reserved tickets and blocked off the date because we wanted to support her. Honestly, I didn't read the details of the concert. This is why I was very amazed when they introduced Lola Lydia and that she's the beneficiary of the recital.

They introduced Lola Lydia as a "street fiddler with a passion for music" and that caught my attention. She humbly stepped on the stage and played Paper Roses and Atin Cu Pung Sing Sing. I was captivated.  There's modesty and grace in the way she played.  Both are simple songs but there's something in her music that I can't explain. I wanted to know her story and where she learned to play music. I want to know why she's in the streets.

It was only then that I learned that she was already featured in I-Witness. True enough, there's more to this street fiddler than meets the eye.

She's the fiddler on the street. Like many in this caroling season, Lola Lydia performs in crowded alleys in Manila for change. But she is an unusual sight -- she plays the violin, a lonely musician in a city where many do not recognize, much less appreciate, the sweet-sounding classical instrument. 

Howie Severino and his documentary team encounter Lola Lydia in Baclaran where she is trying to earn enough from street performing so she can go home to Pangasinan for Undas to visit the grave of her mother, who taught her to play. Lola Lydia still plays the broken violin that she inherited from her mother. 

The I-Witness team accompanies Lola Lydia home. But on the way they stop in Zambales where they visit the famous concert violinist Coke Bolipata, who has taught dozens of local children how to play the instrument. Lola and Coke amaze each other, and together with the community's young virtuosos perform on the beach as the sun sets. In that precious moment, Lola Lydia is no longer a lonely violinist. 

Arriving in Lola Lydia's home village in Pangasinan, Howie Severino and his team discover that the fiddler has a legacy in the community which she was too modest to reveal herself.

Biyolin is a documentary about the simple joys of music and what it gives to its most passionate performers no matter what their station is in life. 

From: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/236630/publicaffairs/biyolin-dokyu-ni-howie-severino 

Biyolin (I-Witness) Part 1:


Biyolin (I-Witness) Part 2:


Biyolin (I-Witness) Part 3:


Biyolin (I-Witness) Part 4:


There's so much to learn from Lola Lydia's story but I want to mention one thing: appreciation for music and art. I am no artist but there's really no more appreciation for beautiful music and art nowadays. It seems that these things are just for the elite. When we see a beautiful thing, we always count how much it costs and how many hungry mouths it could feed. I agree, there are a lot of important issues our country should focus on. But this doesn't mean we should neglect culture and art because culture and art doesn't mean wasting money and denial of the problems in our country.

For all we know, our key to success might be in culture in arts! But we're so focused in trying to solve our problems the traditional way (employment, for example) that we don't see other opportunities. Lola Lydia was able to learn and teach violin on her own, what more if she was given the opportunity to study her passion. The whole barangay is playing music without formal education, I wonder what they could do if they would have the opportunity to pursue their gift instead of just trying to survive for a day.

For Lola Lydia, I pray that God would bless her more. May she continue to play her beautiful music and may she always play it for our Lord. I am believing this verse for her:

Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord!
For He has delivered the life of the poor

From the hand of evildoers.

~ Jeremiah 20:13

Lupang Arenda Outreach

Yesterday, I had the privilege to be part of another outreach. We went Christmas caroling to Lupang Arenda, Taytay but instead of the usual asking of gifts, we were there to give gifts and bless the families living there.

All I gave for the outreach is my time and a few photo shots but after going through 7 families who graciously welcomed us in their small homes, I went home extremely tired but blessed.

We suddenly drove away from Lupang Arenda with the most luxurious red Kia car.

I changed my clothes with the most fashionable shirt.

I went home to our mansion and slept at the most comfortable bed ever.

As I lay in my bed, I asked God to forgive me for my ungratefulness and thanked him for all the blessings he gave me. I pray that he would send more workers for that family to nourish not just their physical needs but most importantly, their spiritual needs.

Moreover, I pray that He bless the people of Lupang Arenda and that he would bring his people out of that place. The place is really not safe, no matter what the government says.

Once Upon A Time (TV Series)

Stumbled upon "Once Upon A Time" earlier today at Star World and I found it pretty interesting.

It's our usual fairy tale charcters -- Snow White, Prince Charming, the evil Step Mother, Rumpelstiltskin. Geppetto, Pinocchio and even Jiminy Cricket -- but they were able to somehow connect it to the present day.

Here's the trailer:

And the list of characters (copied from Wikipedia):

• Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret Blanchard
• Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
• Lana Parrilla as The Evil Queen/Regina Mills
• Josh Dallas as Prince James "Charming"/David Nolan
• Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills
• Raphael Sbarge as Jiminy Cricket/Archibald "Archie" Hopper
• Jamie Dornan as The Huntsman/Sheriff Graham
• Robert Carlyle as Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold

Since I was able to watch only one episode, the one where The Huntsman died, I cannot really say if it's good or not or if it's even safe for the kids to watch. But as I said, I found it interesting and might watch another episode again. :)

Born is The King, It's Christmas!

I know it's late but I wasn't able to do a Christmas blog. Sharing with you Hillsong's "Born is the King"

More than the gifts and events -- it's about The King, Jesus! :)






Born is The King

Born unto us this day a Savior
Gifted from heaven to a manger
The hope of the world
A light for all mankind
All of the earth rejoice
It’s Christmas time

So lift up your voice and sing out His praise
It’s Christmas
Born is the King, rejoice in the day
It’s Christmas
Make a joyful sound
It’s Christmas
Let His praise resound
It’s Christmas

Goodwill to all the earth
And peace divine
All of the earth rejoice
It’s Christmas time
It’s Christmas time

So lift up your voice and sing out His praise
It’s Christmas
Born is the King, rejoice in the day
It’s Christmas
Make a joyful sound
It’s Christmas
Let His praise resound
It’s Christmas

So lift up your voice and sing out His praise
It’s Christmas
Born is the King, rejoice in the day
It’s Christmas
Make a joyful sound
It’s Christmas
Let His praise resound
It’s Christmas

So lift up your voice and sing out His praise
It’s Christmas
Born is the King, rejoice in the day
It’s Christmas
Make a joyful sound
It’s Christmas
Let His praise resound
It’s Christmas