We look back and give a big bear hug to 2012 because of all the incredible things that have transpired by God’s grace. Just to name a few, we give you our top twenty!
20. Emma started violin lessons.
19. Perze visited his family in the Phils. to celebrate Nanay’s 60th birthday.
18. Zienne was completely potty trained before she turned 3.
17. Emma was chosen “Peacemaker” for 1st grade and 2nd grade.
16. Our sister Kristie got engaged to Mike.
15. Our brother Freddie got engaged to LJ.
14. Emma visited the planetarium, Smithsonian Space Museum.
13. Marchesa conducted SJBCI through “Hope of the Broken World”.
12. Zienne learned how to write her first and last name.
11. Emma started piano lessons.
10. Zienne was a flower girl for the very first time at her Tita Michelle’s wedding.
9. Perze serves in SJBCI as chairman of the Board of Trustees & Marchesa in the Music Ministry
8. Our family started sponsoring our 2nd friend who is in missions.
7. Zienne is starting to read!
6. We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary!
5. Perze was interviewed and featured in a testing magazine.
4. Emma and Zienne sang their first duet in our church Easter Cantata
3. Perze’s health restored after his emergency surgery.
2. Emma danced in her 1st professional ballet recital w/ the Princeton Ballet Company.
1. Elleonai Summer was born, our darling and beloved nightingale.
With all that said, we want to wish all our family and friends a HAPPY NEW YEAR!! The sermon yesterday at worship was about trusting God in the new year, provided with Proverbs 3:5-6 as a verse to guide us through 365 days, day by day. We were reminded not to ask for the complete absence of troubles and challenges, but within them, we trust in God’s sovereignty. How fitting, seeing as 2012 have brought so many questioned tears as well- with the deaths of my Tita Son, along with personal giants in the faith such as Auntie Ellie, Father Ron, and Pastor Chilton, and family members of friends in our church who have passed away.
It was beautiful, really…the service before the year ended…
As I stood at the pews, singing “We are hungry…we are thirsty”, it was incredibly difficult for me to sing the lyrics because I realized how eager we are to shout it out- being hungry for that joyous feeling of God present because you honestly love Him. But then what about shouting “we are hungry for the part of You” that hurts? For the discipline, for the trials that bring us closer to the knowledge and love of God? Are we hungry for that? Are we hungry for the painful seeking of answers during a loss? Are we hungry for the trust during an overwhelming tragedy that shakes our nation?
It became more difficult to sing…
A hymn followed- “In the Garden” which spoke about our intimacy with God, a friendship and relationship between us and God. Then the special number came and spoke of our need to run to God for He alone is our hiding place. In the garden with Him, our hiding place. Trust. Trust. Trust. And then came the sermon which was about trusting God through it all- even through the calamity, the tragedy, the parts that hurt, the discipline, the trials, in the garden, our hiding place.
And lastly, another special number was rendered- Alabaster Box, telling me that our praise is in that box, and no one knows the value in each of our offerings. But we bring it to Him to praise Him- our alabaster boxes, filled with grief, pain, tragedy, the parts that hurt, the discipline, the trials…we offer it to Him and trust Him with what is most valuable.
So as we usher in 2013, yes, trust is key, and we should not lean on our own wisdom. May it be a poignant reminder, and as we look back to the good and bad things of 2012, may we still say that God is good. We may not understand everything, but God is good and He is working through the joys and the damage. He is calling us to Him, to trust Him.
Welcome 2013!
