the irony of it all

I was so tired the other night after doing a turn around flight...translated in layman's terms -- flying from hong kong to a destination and back again on the same day. When I reached Hong kong I went straight to the check in counter for Crew and other non-revenue passengers and was glad to find out that the flight was open...translated -- I can go straight to the normal passenger's counter and check in for the flight back to Manila.

I asked for any seat closest to the exit since I didn't have any checked-in bags with me...translated -- faster deplaning and faster getting out of the airport. I was able to get the first row window seat in economy...translated -- good because i can get off right away and i am not in between two people so if i decide to sleep it won't be that awkward leaning on the window.

While i was queueing up at the boarding gate i saw a colleague and we talked about how tired we were and decided on sleeping instead of eating. Talked about how we cannot get back to sleep once the crew wakes us up to ask if we are going to have our meal...or more aptly called "snack". Then i was puzzled when i gave my boarding pass to the lady at the boarding gate. She said they changed my seat..."Oh bummer...not a middle seat please" i said to myself. I was surprised to see that they gave me a business class seat. Rest...ahhh...God knows i need some rest. Now i can really fall asleep. When i got on board i found out it was the old business class seats...nonetheless still business class and no seatmate! ahhh simple joys. :)

I was thankful for my blessing. Then after eating I saw one ISM (Chief Purser) and the operating ISM looking for someone when they approached me. They asked me to look for this certain crew whom i know of. I looked around and saw no other crew in business class but me and one crew who gave a business class ticket so she has all the right to be there in business class. I then proceeded to economy...oh my...i saw everyone at the back...maybe ten of them. I had to see it in my own eyes...it was meant for me to go to the back and see that I was the only one upgraded. Thank you God...You really know what I need even before I ask You.

This is the funny part...while boarding i saw two non-operating ISM's in business class stowing their bags in the overhead lockers. I overheard one saying to the other "Hindi ba pwedeng sa baba na lang to? Baka mabali likod natin nito." haha...the irony of all ironies...i thought to myself "shouldn't be the ISM's be the first ones to know what is black and white when it comes to safety?

I am not judging them...i just found it funny and ironic at the same time...which led me to think -- what was that all about? hard-headedness? brattiness? ego-tripping?

Sometimes we are like that when it comes to drawing the line on sin. We know so well that it is forbidden but we try to reason out or justify anyway.

"Just one kiss is okay...at least it's not fornication." We play with fire because you are just lighting a match anyway...it's not as if you are going to set the house on fire or anything like that.
"What it if i went out with my husband's friend? I know he fancies me but I don't fancy him anyway...and it's just lunch!"

We justify our needs. "I badly needed some money so I got a few bucks from my mom's wallet...just a few bucks won't hurt...she has a lot more anyway, i bet she won't even notice it!"
We prioritize our convenience over principles. "Oh no I got caught by the police and I am really running late. I will give him some money just this time. I'm sure his family needs it and he will be so happy."

We even justify our actions that we will do more good than harm! "There is nothing wrong with buying fake DVD's...I am giving the owner good business! Imagine how much I can help him.?" Yeah...right!

There is no grey area when it comes to God. A sin is a sin no matter how small...how tiny...how minute your sin is. It's either you are with God or you are against God.

"You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3)

"See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand" (Deuteronomy 32:39)

"Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last. (Isaiah 48:12)

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him." (Mark 12:32)

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (John 17:3)

somewhere over the rainbow

Last Wednesday I was on the plane with Irene back to Hong Kong from Manila when we saw a rainbow...Wow!!!...I had to take a photo of it. As the plane moved...and the clouds moved...and the earth moved...I could never take a picture of it twice. It was always different.

It's amazing how you can pass the same way twice but never pass it in the same way. You can read the same book twice but you can have a different interpretation or reflection each time.

I started reading the Bible again from the beginning for the very first time since I can't remember when. I've studied a lot of the things about it from kinder to college. I've read numerous books in the middle but I only started reading the beginning of the Bible yesterday after so many years. You know how it is when you think you know it already that you won't even bother to read it again? That was my sentiment on Genesis. I have been reading Genesis over and over again on my kids' children's Bible. I would sing that song with that intro about creation in my car when I used to party a lot. That was Genesis to me.

I was in San Francisco yesterday when I decided to try reading Genesis. It never dawned to me how wonderful it is to picture in my mind how God created the earth and everything on it. I felt the love that God has for man giving him the authority to rule over all creatures that move along the ground.

I felt bad when God found out about Adam and Eve's disobedience. They disobeyed His command for them not to eat from the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden.
I felt sad when God laid down the consequences of Eve's act on women. I really think childbirth is one of the most painful experience a woman could ever have.

I felt doubly sad when God ordered Noah to build an ark because He was going to send a great flood that would wipe out all mankind except Noah's family and a pair of every creature on earth. It was during those times that man was extremely wicked that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was ONLY evil all the time. It read..."The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain." (Genesis 6:6)

I thought that was really sad...I felt like I disappointed God even if I was not the one who caused that pain. Pain for me is intense hurt...and pain in the heart is a grave kind of pain. And on this verse it said that "The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth" that for me reads...God for a moment there somehow had regrets that He created man. Oh dear.

But once you get to know the true nature of God and how loving He is, you will then come to realize that He is always ready to forgive you with open arms and make amends. That is why when He saw the goodness in Noah He was ready for a new start with him and his family. He didn't think of risking his relationship again with man and taking the chance of getting hurt again. He didn't think of what man could possibly do again with the authority and freedom that is being given to them. Instead He saw a new beginning.

When I read these verses when God was talking to Noah...I saw the real beauty of the rainbow. I will definitely never look at the rainbow in the same way ever again...

"I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth." (Genesis 9:13-17)