WEDDING WISH

Just like you, I'm a self-confessed daydreamer of my own wedding. 

I've always loved wedding and every little detail that covers it. I would even watch wedding videos repeatedly every night to get inspirations or to simply cry over their vows. And more than the event itself, I am totally drawn to marriage and the life of having my own family. 

If there is one dream I didn't stop dreaming of was seeing myself tie the knot with the man God blessed me with which I call my "God's Gift." As early as 3 years old, I would tell my family and friends that one of my ultimate goals in life is to settle down. It may sound witty that at a very young age I've already learned to embrace the beauty of marriage. I may not have the full understanding of what it is yet (because I'm not yet married) but I believe that it is God who activates our "I'm-ready-instincts" from within so that we can face this new chapter with wisdom and certainty. Marriage is a leap of faith like any other daily decisions we make. I'm not going to blog about my views on marriage today. What I'm going to share are the components of my dream day.

To tell you honestly, I would want to be hands-on with regards to the preparation of my own wedding. I would love to be included in the littlest things. As much as possible, I want everything done in faith, love and resourcefulness. I believe that weddings are most successful when pushed out of a competitive budget. The price of your wedding does not conclude the over-all impact of this special celebration. What matters most is the labor done out of love that made this occasion wonderful. 

So to cut my thoughts short, these are some of the parts I would be excited to see in my wedding:

1. I'm completely torn between a beach and a garden wedding for years. But as I was trying to incorporate all details into a single scope, I've found out that they perfectly complement with how a garden looks like. So I guess, I'd go for a garden wedding. 

2. It's more fun in the Philippines and I would definitely hold my wedding in this country. I would love to do it in Ilocos if chance permits. I've never been there but I've already adored the place. Also, I want my pre-nuptial video and photos taken in the famous Bangui Windmills and the streets of Vigan. 

3. I love the freshness of white and pastels. These are the colors that will surely be showcased in my dream wedding.

4. Balloons and lanterns are must-haves.

Pastel Colored Balloons

Lanterns

5. My invitation would look something like this.

6. Confetti 

Feather Confetti

Bird Confetti

7. Double Decker Macaroons

8. Flower Head Wreath and Ballet Shoes

Handmade Flower Head Wreath

Ballet Shoes for my footwear

9. Polaroid Banderitas clipped by Wooden Clothespin

Couple Polaroid Snapshots

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Rope with Wooden Clothespin

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Polaroid Banderitas

10. Flowers

Hand Rolled Flowers

Bouquet

11. Menu written on Blackboard using Colored Chalks

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Menu Board

12. Transparent Umbrellas for Giveaways hanged on Silver-Painted Leafless Tree

 

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So these are some of the things I plan on including in my very special day if my partner permits me to do so (hehe). I hope you were all inspired in giving value to marriage (not only to wedding) and at the same time futuristic about your own wedding theme. 

Don't stop praying for these little desires. I'm sure God honors these little requests from her princesses. 

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." -Psalm 37:4

"May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed." -Psalm 20:4

Sealing this with love,

Diane

BASTA SI JESUS

Let's face it.

The world is enveloped with questions.

Its dwellers are solution seekers.

Everyone is curious. Everyone is unstable.

There are situations in life where we get involved in but never really understood why these had to happen to us. We always ask the questions, "Why is this happening to me?", "Of all people here on earth, why me?", "Is God trying to punish me?" Much as we would be glad to identify the answers to our questions, there are so many things on Earth that are left being unsaid. This is why we have to be reminded that our God is a mysterious god. In this case, we will not put a burden in ourselves by trying to search for answers we will never be able to locate. 

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." -Deuteronomy 29:29

"Truly, O God of Israel, our Savior, you work in mysterious ways." -Isaiah 45:15

I wanted to write this down because I, myself, have experienced asking the same questions over and over. I was tirelessly asking God these questions but in the end felt exhausted of doing so because I never had the concrete answers in my hands. But when I've already understood who God is in my life, my perspective on seeking for solutions changed.

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future." -Ecclesiastes 7:14

The reason why I'm having a difficult time understanding the situations I've been through was because I didn't fully know who my God was. I was in complete lack because I placed a tall and wide wall between God and I; and these were the sins I was repeatedly doing. Looking back, I thought God was hard to reach and complicated. But as I encounter Him every single day, I learned that He's simple and practical. He only wants what's best for us because He loves us. He hates sin because it destroys us. It's because He loves us.

"We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them." -1 John 4:16

More than the desire for finding answers to our problems, we should have more desire in having a relationship with God. With this, we are reminded that HE IS THE SOLUTION; that HE is the ONE that we should be MAGNIFYING and not the situations we are in. It's simply going back to the "WHO" and "WHAT HAPPENED ON THE CROSS."

Yes, it's hard to accept these painful experiences. But when we learn to enjoy God in sufferings that's when we love to enjoy Him in beautiful times too. 

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." -Romans 5:1-3

I saw a concrete example of this idea with one of our Life Group students in San Juan National High School. We've all heard of this famous December 2012 fire that struck down houses in Baranggay St. Joseph in San Juan and the student I'm talking about was greatly affected by this. I visited and extended whatever help we can give together with some of her classmates. On that day, more than emotional and material comfort, I really wanted to pray for her earnestly and remind her of God's sovereignty and grace despite troubles. While having a quick catch-up and lunch with the students, I decided to bring out my 121 booklet and asked them if it was okay to do it with them. I really don't know if that was wise to do then since I don't want to spoil her grieving moment. But I knew that it was the Holy Spirit who led me to JUST DO IT because SHE (they) NEEDS (need) IT. She needs it because Jesus is the only one who can comfort, heal, restore and uplift her. It's because JESUS is the TRUTH and the ONLY SOLUTION. I was having second thoughts in my mind. I was slightly afraid that she (they) might refuse in participating but to my surprise all she (they) said was, "Coach, sayang oras na magkakasama tayo. Basta si Jesus."

I was rebuked. I was moved. I cannot say a thing. All I know was we did it.

"BASTA SI JESUS": no amount of difficulty or trouble can hinder our growth with Him. Only if we walk in obedience and faith. 

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." -Romans 1:17

"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." -Ephesians 6:16

“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD. To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams." -Samuel 15:22

JESUS > SITUATIONS

Sealing this with love,

Diane