Weather you like it or not...

I'm not a good swimmer. I can't even swim without wearing goggles. So I really don't look forward to riding boats, ships and ferries. For me drowning is just the worst way to die.

To add to my fears, just a few weeks back our country experienced another tragedy in the sea when M/V St. Thomas Aquinas sank in Cebu. 

We haven't even recovered yet when typhoon Maring devastated several parts of the country with heavy rains and flood two weeks ago. It's during these calamities that the subdivision we live in here in Antipolo turns into a "resort".

The husband enjoying a bottle of Mountain Dew with his buddies (L-R Jay my husband, Angel my brother, Jerome our churchmate)

It caused us such great discomfort and gave us sleepless nights. But we didn't evacuate because thank God the water level didn't reach Ondoy-like proportions. As a matter of fact, I managed to avoid treading the floodwater because I was wearing a bota (boots).

One of the casualties in 2009 Ondoy. Yes, that's a table on top of the piano. 

Ondoy aftermath

Maring flood. When the water outside reaches this level, the water inside the house would be almost knee-high.

When the rain started pouring heavily on Sunday night (August 18), we already braced ourselves for the flood that will soon follow. We elevated the couches and moved our valuable items (ukulele, camera and lenses. hahaha) to the second level of the house.

We thought the worst was over when the rain stopped and the flood subsided on Monday, but on Tuesday, my brother-in-law had to evacuate his wife and 2 y/o daughter to a safer place. My husband and I opted to stay so we could look after the house. But we had our evac bag ready just in case...

But despite all of the  bad weather and the tedious cleaning we had to do after the flood, I can only thank Jesus for keeping me and my loved ones safe. I remember one song I heard when I was a kid that I always sing to myself not only when I'm scared out of my wits because of the strong winds and heavy rain, but more so when I'm going through other storms in life... financial troubles, an illness, broken relationships, etc.

Sometimes He calms the storm 
With a whispered peace be still 
He can settle any sea 
But it doesn't mean He will 
Sometimes He holds us close 
And lets the wind and waves go wild 
Sometimes He calms the storm 
And other times He calms His child

There are times when we can really feel God's hand calming the storm in our lives, but sometimes He just calms us. He gives us a reason to smile in the storm (Yes, it's from another song hehe). And I believe He is enough reason for us to smile even if the flood reaches up to our neck. 

So even if our prayers go unanswered we can still rely on Him to be our anchor of hope. *Hope lets us see things as they are in a storm and still helps us be confident that something better is coming our way. We can still thank God and be joyful in Him even if we have every reason not to. 

I pray that whatever storm you're going through right now, God in His almighty power will show Himself strong and calm the winds and waves in your life... or maybe just calm your trembling heart.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

17 Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

*From Joyce Meyer's devotional

P.S.

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