Shrink not from sorrow

Photo credit: Jan Pelz at Flickr

FB Meyer contemplated on the barrenness of Elizabeth and the reproach she had endured among men because of this. Nevertheless she remained faithful in God and trusted in Him.

FB Meyer's prose is a balm to the soul. Consider this passage about sorrow and how it applies to Christians.

Shrink not from sorrow. It endures but for the brief eastern night; joy cometh in the morning, to remind. I may be caused by long waiting and apparently fruitless prayer. Beneath its pressure heart and flesh may faint. All natural hope may become dead, and the soul be plunged in hopeless despair. "Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the morning," and it will be seen that the dull autumn sowings of tears and loneliness and pain were the necessary preliminary for that heavenly messenger who, standing on the "right side of the altar of incense" shall assure us that prayer is heard.

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Music in our hearts

South Cotabato, sometime in 2016

Treated myself to a book this Sunday morning, John the Baptist by F.B. Meyer, before I went swimming, part of this so-called lifestyle change I'm implementing for myself. In Chapter II, F.B. Meyer begins by quoting a hymn written by John Keble:

There are in this loud stunning tide
Of human care and crime,
With whom the melodies abide
Of th' everlasting chime;
Who carry music in their heart
Through dusky lane and wrangling mart,
Plying their daily task with busier feet,
Because their secret souls a holy strain repeat.

May that be true of us this week: carrying this music in our hearts through the daily stresses of life. Ours is a peace that transcends all human understanding.


Pagbilao, Quezon, taken sometime in 2012. That was Kuya Arbie, still unmarried, walking to the sunset!

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On the Pilot Custom 74

This month, my pens for work are the Pilot Custom 74 (which appears above) and the Lamy Safari with 1.1 mm stub nib (something I got for myself when I went to Singapore this month). The Custom 74 is a wet writer, which I prefer, and it glides smoothly onto the page. If you're transitioning to the mid-price range fountain pens, and if you've developed a strong liking to gold nibs (as I have), the Custom 74 may be a good way to start.

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Camotes Island

One of my mother's closest friends in dental school is Ninang Baby who has, for years now, been inviting us to visit her in Camotes Island, Cebu. My brother Ralph had some time off last April, so he visited and sent me these photos. I would love to visit some day.

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Pinoy-isms

This announcement on the LRT has a distinct Filipino flavor to it: charming, funny, and youthful! (Click on the message to zoom in.)

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On religious liberty

Thoughtful, well-written, and moving speech by Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., The Eclipse of God, the Subversion of Truth, and the Assault Upon Religious Liberty:

We must defend the right to believe in enough theology to get us into trouble with anyone, anywhere, in a secular age. We must defend the right of Christians, along with all other believers, to be faithful in the public square as well as in the privacy of our own homes, hearts, and churches. We must defend the right to teach our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We must defend the rights of Christian schools to be Christian—and to order our institutions around the Word of God without fearing the crushing power of the state. We must defend the right of generations of those yet unborn, to know the liberties we have known and now defend.

Oddly enough, this will mean defending florists and cake bakers and fire chiefs, and pharmacists, and teachers, and preachers, and moms and dads who dare to resist the secular powers that be.

For Christians, eventually it all comes down to our faithfulness in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and nurturing biblical churches and raising our own children in the grace of God.

No God, no truth. No truths, no liberty. No liberty, and nothing remains but the heel of someone’s boot.

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Congratulations are in order

Congratulations are in order for Drs. Bobby De Guzman, Norman Cabaya, Ozzie So, Crizel Uy, Paulo Vergara, and Ken Samala for making it to the written exams part of diplomate exam in Medical Oncology! I just had to write this down. The news made my day.

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Swimming

I'm happy to inform you that I've started swimming again. Knowing I need physical exercise and understanding that I have an aversion to the gym, I figured I should start playing a new sport (tennis or badminton—something non-contact and uses rackets) or resume swimming. I was largely encouraged by a sister from church, Ate Yvette, who started swimming to help with her back pain, and by a colleague from work, Harold, who said I should have a go at it. I wonder how long I can sustain this, but I already have the necessary equipment: swimming shorts, Speedo goggles na may grado (with prescription lenses), and a quick-dry towel. If you have books on swimming, or biographies of swimmers you can recommend—those would be great, too.

Things become more real to me when I read about them.

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Cherith

via Instagram

Cherith is a brook in the Bible, mentioned in the account of the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17).

As an aside, the passage reminded me of Ma'am Cherith, who manages the Med Onco office’s front desk, and helps oversee all things academic and administrative. A kind and gracious lady, she also helps with our research documents and prepares, out of love, a fresh pot of brewed coffee daily. She hates it that my documents are crumpled; she hands me folders and envelopes to prevent that from happening.

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The Giving Café and my second affogato

Found a comfortable, quiet café a couple of blocks away from home. I decided to work here for the afternoon, after a comforting Saturday nap.



The Giving Café (TGC): A Social Enterprise is surrounded by specialty coffee stores.





One gets the feeling that the management takes coffee seriously. But not too seriously: the place feels relaxed, almost like the cafés in Seoul, but more homey and familiar. The tables are long, there are plugs, and the internet is fast. The store offers free complimentary internet connection for an hour, and then it's Php 35 for each succeeding hour.

I'm surrounded by a couple who brought their charming daughter with them, working women deciding on a business plan, and friends who are catching up with life—it has a youthful, scholarly vibe, and it reminds me of old UP Diliman Main Library. My saucer features a quote by Steve Jobs.



The store closes at 10 PM, which is just about right—it's the time of the day when my productivity is at its lowest.

Before closing time, I'm having my second affogato for the week. I'm getting to love this dessert more and more.

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