Joseph the Dreamer

This may sound personal, but all of us have our own favorite bible character. Mine, aside from Jesus Christ, who was the seed of the woman,  was his almost counterpart in the Old testament, Joseph. In recounting his life during Session 5 at the Feast Bible Study, I don’t know but his life is somehow related to mine. I’m sure a lot of people could relate or even get awed once they piece by piece study Joseph’s life. You may refer to Genesis 37-50.

Jacob/Israel is now the father of twelve songs from whom will come the twelve tribes of Israel. This “account of Jacob” zeroes in on Joseph, who is eleventh son of the firstborn son of his beloved wife Rachel. Like those before him, Joseph is tested. Inspite of dreams indicating that he will rule over his brothers, circumstances are against him for years. “Will you trust God?” is still the question. 

Who would've thought his life can change forever?

Joseph never loses his faith in God, inspite of mistreatment by his brothers, being sold as a slave, unjust accusations, and languishing forgotten in prison. He is honest, hardworking, thoughtful, and courageous. He is humble and gives all credit to God rather than trying to advance himself in the eyes of others. He does not grasp what has been promised but waits patiently for it, trusting that God will do as he has said. Consequently, he rises to the chief position of leadership under Pharoah and is able to bless not only Egypt, but the surrounding countries as well.

After Jacob’s death, his brothers ask forgiveness and offer themselves as slaves. This was Joseph’s reply to them, “As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20). This was a foreshadowing of Bible verse from the New Testament, “All things work for good, to those who love him and those whom he called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Joseph had learned through years of patient waiting and through tribulation that God had his hand in their affairs—that whatever things looked like on the outside, God was working it for good. Joseph’s faith gave him eyes to take this eternal perspective on events, while his brothers’ lack of faith and guilt fixed their eyes on temporal.

According to Jeff Cavins, Joseph is the forerunner of Jesus. These are the many parallels, similarities in character, in circumstances, and in what they accomplish.

Both Joseph and Jesus:

* are humble, forgiving, and strong in the face of temptation

* are beloved sons of their fathers

* see beyond the appearance of things and trust in God

* are betrayed and sold for silver

* are wrongly accused

* are brought out of captivity/death to life and glory

* reconcile their brethren to their father

* save the world

* become the source of food and life

* both have a big heart

Joseph blesses the foreign land, Egypt, and other nations by the end of Genesis. It shows that it's another stage in the growth of God's family when the seventy strong family of Jacob stayed there and completed the 12 tribes of Israel.

I keep on believing that dreams do come true, in God's perfect time. :)

Joseph, the real guiding star.

--30--

Unnamed

I have a mixed emotions today. Let me enumerate these into numbers:

1. Why are there people who's afraid of confrontation?
2. I met Meanne's cool boss and officemates.
3. I ate the ice cream that I've been craving for to eat-- The Cheesecake ice cream cup from Mini Stop. (that's how babaw I am!)
4. I went to Richmonde Hotel and find out that's it's small than what I saw on TV. Lately, I've been fascinated with the Hotel lobby.
5. I passed my resignation today. I felt stiff, but I'm deeply sad. Leaving my friends will be hard.
6. I bond with my team and made the Valentines decoration on our wall.
7. I'm excited yet calm for the Hot Air balloon festival.
8. I found out that my little Korean friend will be leaving to Korea this Monday.She needs to study Hangeul there, because her English is better than her National language.
9. Her mom will fly with her. The 3 of us embraced, but Their genuiness and light-heartedness are engraved in my heart.
10. Now, I got it-- this nameless emotions is based on the moments that I'm not expecting today. Today is different and the days to come will be-- I'll meet new people and I'll adjust to a new environment. Honestly, Doing it afraid is what overpowers me now.

I'll start a new and thrilling life and maybe I'd learn from her, because she'll doing it afraid too. I hope it'll be easy for the both of us to adjust, but if not we'll learn it in time.

with my Kor-Nay friend!

Goodnight, amor!

1960. A year to learn by heart. Violet, a 32-year old mestisa who has a grayish bluish eyes, chestnut brown hair, and wears a red and black poodle dress and flat shoes while dancing with her Dance instructor in a ballroom hall. Nitoy, a 34-year old brown skinned and an averaged tall man with brusque stature on his olive green polo and dark pants entered the hall with his friends after having an intensive military training. As they asked for a glass of wine or drink, Nitoy noticed Violet’s stunning legs. As he sipped his wine, he went right away to Violet and asked for her name, anything about her, and they spent the night in dancing. With that momentous night, they got married after 6 months and blessed with 4 beautiful daughters in between the years 1961-1967.

They sometimes spent time in traveling mostly in the Visayan and Bicol region leaving their daughters with Violet’s mom. In passing she came from a prominent Suria clan, mixture of Spanish, French and Filipino blood and she  risked her kin just to marry Nitoy,  a Native and ordinary man from Bicol who dreams of becoming a pilot.

Their Bohol moment while lola is 3 month old pregnant for their first daughter

Ballroom dancing became part of their 60's-70's lifestyle

What if they didn’t choose to get married? Will they still be my grandparents, I don't certainly know?

1987. I was born. I was raised with my mom, aunts, Lola (Grandmother) Violet and Lolo Nitoy (Grandfather). Both of them were there to support me. And now that I’m older, trying to revive the values that they instilled in my heart.

I wouldn’t forget my grandfather’s repeated stories about war, his taekwondo training, judo class, anything about survival and self-defense while Lola, who’s exactly opposite of him is quiet, caring, calm, considerate, and very kind. Lolo reminded us how much he loves lola, how he put her into her throne as his queen. Whenever lolo told his 1960’s aircrafts and love story, pictures of black and white tv, Natalie Cole’s music, 3 coins in the fountain, vintage photos will flashback. He’s more of a storyteller than lola. She just nodded or sometimes smirked at him and would say, “Amor (Spanish for “love”) .” Lolo continued his work in  Armed Force of the Philippines (A.F.P.) while lola took care of her children. According to lolo, my grandma isn’t a nagger. Once he got home late, instead of asking where he went, she’d ask if he had already eaten.

He actually had a dream for me-- he wants me to enter in A.F.P. He also wants most of his grandson/daughters to do so. Good thing, lola is lady-like, I think I turned out to be more of her. It’s what we call balance. But as we’re growing up, he said that we could be what we want to be as long as we know our priority as their apo (granddaughter). Lola would just watch us as lolo taught as some taekwondo steps, it sometimes occur weekly. She allowed him to teach us the basic things we need to know and even his hard discipline to us.

Next, his bruises that molded him to be a sturdy man for his countryman became part of our system at home. But when lola cries and asks him to calm down, lolo’s authority melts. He’s vulnerable with my lola’s presence, especially when you look at lola’s beautiful eyes. Maybe he can still see the eyes of a woman whom he decided to love nearly 50 years ago.

These 2 old-aged, wrinkled with cracked voices sweethearts still  argue at times. But oftentimes, they shared a sweet and good memories. They are 2 great examples of “till death do us apart.” God has seen how they started as rigorous lovers until Alzheimer’s and heart failure striked lola on the latter part of her life, yet lolo remained at her side. Loving and feeding her for 4 years in her bed ridden posture, reminding her their first meeting. Sometimes, I would just look at her with silence; she’s my stress relief way back. She’d ask about him while her eyes sparkle. She sometimes forgot our names but not amor. Upon sleeping at night, lolo will just give her a gentle kiss on her forehead and will say, “Goodnight, amor!” How can she forget that word if he says it relentlessly?

I think one of the best things that they taught us is to let go. Never ever possess your lover, but stick on your role to serve each other and your family. Lola trusted lolo so much to the extent of surrendering to him, thus lolo remained faithful and worthy of her trust.

2008. That’s the year when Lola Violet died. I was deeply saddened and the year after Lolo Nitoy followed. With so much precious memories within the gaps of time, I swear to myself to write something about them. I remember writing an outline for this almost 2 years ago, but then I procrastinated.

So this is the story about a man and woman, who showed me how true love works; I actually put a post it on my computer reminding myself about this:

Don’t forget to write about your grannies.

Today is the day, lo and la! :)

Princess in you

You meet him again and he said, “Hi!” You can’t help but wander how this simple word blew you away. Will you fall inlove again with him again? Or just let the course of the wind take you into a person whose really meant for you? But take note, he’s not doing anything nor showing his outright intention. He just said, "Hi!"

You gathered up your courage and said to yourself, “This time, I’ll be more careful. Don’t let the sweet words sway me in my own fairytale.”

And now, that you’re stronger and wiser- you can differentiate your yesteryears YOU.

 You know that your hair had grow longer, the sway of your hips had become refiner; Your words and thoughts had become more sensible. Mark of the age that you’ve grown up the way you’re plan to be. You return what was gone, such as your dignity and dreams. But hey! You paused for a moment,you’ve noticed that you’re still listening to the same songs you’re listening to when you’re still inlove with him. It just transports you into the world- that you could be with him again.

But the truth is you’ve gone a little far away from him. Expect some hang-ups to remain. Let time and experiences help you to vanish it. No need to put everything into your hand. Maybe, God is done with sophisticating your physical aspect- because it’s one at a time. He asked you to remain physically beautiful. Because that’s what you’re made- to be beautiful. Check your hair, your posture, your walk, and your smile-breathe and say, "I'm beautiful."

As you stroll along the road of free will-after your physical changes, the hardest part to alter is your emotions. Because, you can’t see it- only God does. It’s just that you feel it and name it sometimes. Emotions returns you into your old ways, into an old you-your comfort zone. Your hair can be easily comb, but your tangled emotions need more care and attention. Your posture can be straigthened, but your road leading to a total freedom will need you to take turns into different seasons. Your words can be adjust into “I’m ok.” But you’re your heart will say, “I’m not over him yet.” Your smile can be misleading, because you're still in pain.

But that’s how moving on works. You have to feel the worst feelings you don’t want to feel. You want to be refined, right? The most expensive diamond went into heating and fire.

Let it be. Don’t be scared with the process. Let God hold your crown in the end, and put into into your head- as you hold the faith of your triumph.

But you have to be in the now. Do the basic things that makes you alive.

He told you to take it easy. It takes an obedient heart to do it. He’s glad because you said, ‘Yes.” When you’re asked to leave him. And be God's princess, first.:)