What Else To Do?

What Else To Do?

I think, Lord, of heaven

I think, Lord, of You

I think, Lord, of Mother

What else to do?

In a world so restless,

This heart swims with fear

Of the false light it offers

In the new age, nothing is dear

Then what else to do truly?

But contemplate on God

To know His army in heaven

Saved by His Mighty Rod

What else to do truly?

But break each day for our kin

To profess heaven and be a witness

To His throne that overcame sin

What else to do, Lord?

But give praise to the Living God

With angels and saints, sing! Glorifying Him

'Til our voices unheard to ourselves

Let our cups overflow to the brim

What else to do, Lord?

But bring my heart

Leave everything behind

Then the new creation

Start

March 22, 2015

Pride

Pride

How much is it 

To break a man's heart

Until it turns ice cold?

A thin slip of ice over Grace

Can crystallize deep

Without the Blessing of Water

How much is it

To temper acold a man's heart

Until it turns to steel?

Layers of rust

Moves deeper and deeper

To cover the Blood of Life

Some hearts more clear than others

Cracks of the glorious fight

Lay visible to the eye

Some hearts opaque with darkness

As if it has long been made

Of coldness...not flesh

How much, oh how much Mother,

Can a man's heart

Grow hard in pride

As if love never entered

Mother, how much vanity 

Can a man's heart hold onto

Until the thorn

Pierces His soul deep 

And it cries for salvation

Or has it already?

For in the beginning,

Pride was our sin

And in generations henceforth;

Pride is passed on 

And oh, how it calls upon its friends

From the abyss

To lead astray 

In our dark intellects

Play questions that strive to stir our hearts

To rid of the Light of Love

How they play Mother,

How they play...

Even promises of salvation

Can be clouded with pride

"To be a saint"

My lips dare say

The evil one offers

My name resound in generations to come

How vain of me, my Lord

To think of such enticing

How vain, my Lord

Forgive me...

Forgive us...

For breaking ourselves for ourselves

In Your word, we lean not

And when graced, how soon

We turn to stone

And hold onto Your merciful blessings

As our making

Can we Lord be deserving still of You?

Can we Lord still deserve to return Home?

Oh sing thy heart, then sing!

Stir up the Living Water in thy soul

Cry for the Lord and lay your case

For He'll rather have You that

Than you be lifeless of indifference

How hard can a heart be

Tell me...

How hard can one's heart be

Brother, sister, how hard can your heart be?

If the Lord shall give you signs

That you ask,

Still, doubt pierces your heart.

Then you ask again with a vain heart.

His most pure heart, you pierce

And He bleeds, He bleeds

To cleanse your never-ending iniquity

With His love

How much more do you pierce Him

With your hard heart

Until you're satisfied?

Each time, you will to make heavy

The heart no longer flesh

Until it sinks to darkness.

Where has your pride taken you

But to death, each day

Here and now,

You choose...

Break and be alive!

Alive in Him

April 26, 2015

All That's Left Is...

All That's Left Is...

Borne of water

My soul...

The name You've written

On Your hand

Springing forth from

A thousand thoughts of dreams

At last You call!

Happy thy heart

How peaceful thy soul

To serve its Maker

On a mission bound for Home

As poor as I am, Lord

You've shone Your Majesty

And shared with me thy Mother's wisdom

Left in arms of angels and saints 

To realize then

Much love You've given me

All that's really left is 

To share it

April 25, 2015

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Today, 

Our hearts are a battlefield.

He who was risen

Fights valiantly

In the desert of our hearts.

To win over

The territory hidden

By the walls of pride.

Today, 

We are fought for.

Today,

Our soul shall tremble

From the majesty of the Risen - Of Christ

Brothers and sisters,

Today,

We are claimed 

Let vanity crumble

At His word

To let the Holy One 

Immerse in the debris

We lift you up

At the foot of His Cross

Where much healing is dropped

Surrender and fill it!

Fill it with Love and nothing else

As your unworthiness surfaces,

Fear not, for we have a haven.

The Blessed Mother and her saints

Shall send down a shower of roses

And our souls shall

Ever be consoled

By His fragrant Love.

Today,

Let us toast for the victory He promises.

Today,

We are kindled anew.

Forever ignited in His Love.

Only...say yes.

November 23, 2014

Faith

Faith

Tempered, calmed

Iron wrought to sound

Melts to Thy heat of Love

And hardens to banish doubts rebound

Have I Lord, given Thee my heart?

Have I Lord, been brought to You?

Have I Lord, been claimed for paradise?

For I feel it through and through

In this Earth, I am set apart

And yet called to be One with my fellowmen

Have I Lord been bought for heaven?

For surely, my heart, it is Peace

And Lord, 'tis true,

In people, I see

Your will in me

A kindness seeps through the soul 

By and by...

Merciful,

Thank You for this gift...

This faith for a doubtful heart

Let me share it then 

With my brethren

The Love it is borne from

And may You, Lord

Never take it away

For without faith, 

Without Love...

My soul shall crumble 

In coldness

Let me then die for Love

Let me then die for You...

December 29, 2014

Have I Loved?

Have I Loved?

Tell me...

Have I loved lately?

Through the briars, pricked my heart to love

Tell pray...

Soon as the burst of light

Fills to the brim

Have I loved?

Too soon, we pull from thorns

Scathe from shadows past

Wallow in collection of self-indulgence 

Pray tell!

Have I loved?

In this cycle, we feed none

But the weeds of pride

'Til thorns grow round the heart

Letting no love in, nor love out

What then lives?

What then dies?

Take apart the heart 

To save what is left 

As each compartments grow small

In its love

Half a heart given,

Half of half shall return

Until thorns grow hard and thick

Like corundum

Yet corrodes easily in spite

Like chalk

What then is left?

What then is gone?

What then...is love?

I pray, Lord, should my heart

Give way to hardness

That you break it to pieces 

Wet the debris with Your grace 

And mould it once more in Your healing

Then I shall say to You,

Oh Merciful God!

"I am saved by Love!"

Saved from the pride

Saved from the thorns

Saved from myself

Most Gracious, Most Gracious...

Should fear take hold 

And shackles bind my mouth

Let me smell Your Mother's roses

To remind me of You

Let my heart be as fearless as Yours

To choose Love each time,

To take in the wrath and hurt of others,

Lift them up to the Father

And it shall be gone

Then, oh then, My Lord

My lips dare say,

"Ah..."

"I have loved..."

Written October 12, 2014

Finished October 23, 2014

Awaiting Romance

by Akemi

Twenty years of dreaming..

A prince and his white horse to come

Twenty years of singing..

A song to which he will listen

Twenty years of love..

A place in my heart not told

Twenty years of a life..

With much ardour to spare

Twenty years of … yes, perhaps..

A little more to wait

For the romance of a lifetime

(January 16, 2011)

Rendezvous with a stranger

by: Akemi

Led in a corner - unexpected meeting

Held hands and the stream glowed

An instance of trust then doubt again

Shall I find thy kindness pure?

In this restless world, many are masked

Moving about like planktons at sea,

The soul's window glistens then clouds again

Shall I trust thy face pure?

God works in silence, we say

How about the devil?

The mystery upon meeting remains

Shall I believe thy words pure?

Scared of people's scrutiny, I flee

This affair is chasmic

I repair it though nothing's really broken

I leave everything to FATE...

Bow or Shake?

"Oops! Wrong greeting..."

I've been in Canada for 2 months now and I've noticed the big difference in how people interact with each other. Here, the people greet you even if you don't know them. I was fairly surprised by an Indian lady living in our apartment when she greeted me and asked me if I was going to my job today. I cautiously pointed myself (parang tanga lang haha) and said in a whisper, "Me?". She smiled then I smiled as well and told her that I was not going to work and that I was going back to my home country, the Philippines. I asked my father if she knew a woman like that or if he talked about me in particular but apparently he doesn't. My father doesn't even know anyone here in the building except for the new Filipino family in Suite 112 and the other Filipino family above us. Anyway, people here are definitely more "casual" than the Filipino or rather, the Asian casualty we practice back home. We practice a lot of mannerisms or etiquette as some would prefer to call it.

In the Philippines, for example, it is common knowledge to address people with older stature using some of the following words:

OLDER MAN

1.) Tito - equivalent to uncle

2.) Kuya - older brother or can be used to a stranger older than you by a couple of years

3.) Manong - now considered equivalent to "old man" but back in the days it was considered to be equivalent to "sir or mister"

OLDER WOMAN

1.) Tita or aunty - equivalent to aunt

2.) Ate - older sister or can be used to a stranger older than you by a couple of years

3.) Manang - now considered equivalent to "old Lady" but back in the days it was considered to be equivalent to "miss"

It is also important to remember to use "polite language" such as po and opo. But that's just one level of politeness for you. Imagine having different levels of polite language like the Japanese or Koreans. They have like three levels of politeness - the informal level, polite, formal and an additional super formal as I'd like to call it. People who have experienced and lived with this kind of culture will probably perceive the Canadian way of greeting rather rude. This also accounts even if one knows it - like me.

Anyway, it's very different here compared to the experiences I've had back home but I find experiencing other cultures a wonderful thing. I'll probably experience more awkward situations but hey, that's life - live it while you can, the way you want it.