These Songs He Loved

Mike and I were chatting on the internet one day when I brought up to his attention the need for classic gospel songs to download on The MikenLuisa Minstrel blog. I really found it hard to identify the songs in the Favorite Baptist Hymnal I borrowed from my pastor, because there were more than two hundred of them! Since I am a new Baptist, I do not know the tune of the songs although most of them had been sung through the years by people yonder.

Mike is the kind of person who wouldn't boast about singing as he thinks he has a low voice (well, a good base voice really), but he knows how to play the harmonica (I let him play often via webphone, hehe). Definitely, he loves music as I do. We almost love the same things and music is one of them.

"Mike, could you e-mail me some lists of your favorite gospel songs?" I asked. He agreed with a grin. "I can give you the titles now", he said. Before I knew it, he was pouring on me titles of songs. He gave me 14 of them! Whew, all I did was copy and put them in the computer's My Document folder and thanked him. That is how excited he is every time you ask him something that interests him. That's my love, Mike.

Titles like Amazing Grace, He Hideth My Soul, My Jesus I love Thee,... were all beautiful songs I heard on YouTube later that day. I wished to download them at once. Unfortunately, the internet had low signal. I had to wait for another time. As of this writing, I have not finished the job yet. You see, not only would I download the individual song, but I would also include an accompanying lyrics. It is something that Mike and I have committed to offer our viewers as we give glory to the Almighty.

Yes, the songs may probably be old and sang by your grampies and grannies. They may not even appeal to you, younger generation. But, friends, if you truly care to listen to them, understand the words by their meanings, then you would hear songs that would really speak to your hearts and souls.

We know because we also listen.

Copyright by Luisa Mercado, April 2009

Some Food for Thought

A story...

A little boy goes to his best friend's house to play with him. Reaching it, he hears a distant noise like a slap or something similar. He quickens his step. The noise stops, he stops walking, too. After a few moments, he hears the slapping sound again. He walks towards it as it gets louder. The little boy is now scared and trembling not knowing what he will see.

Then the boy hears a slight moan, and then a louder slapping. The sound he hears is that of a strap, a stick, or a......... whip! Now he is really scared and trembling more. The noise loudens as he gets closer.

The little boy is calling his friend's name loudly. He then hears an answer, "In here!” A little voice hollers out; so the little friend, who was searching, has now found his friend. He comes to a small out-building in a field, glazed with bright green grass, and surrounded by a small hedge of light-green hemlock trees.

With the door slightly open in the dusty building, chair in one corner, broken table on the opposite with some tools on it, hammers, nails, ruler, and old steel shovel; the little boy peeks in and is shocked to see his little friend hitting his Daddy across his back with a small black, knotted, dusty handmade whip.

Young boy that he is, he cries out loud, "Stop!" His little friend says to the Dad's son, "Why did you do that? You're bad and very awful. What did he do?” The little boy, in tears, says to his young friend, "I've one more to go, save one." So, he whips his Dad for the final and last time.

The Dad turns his head towards the small lad who befriended his son. His son does not know what to say, so the Dad answered the lad, "He did some bad things and instead of spanking him, my love for him is so strong that, this time, I am taking his punishment for him. Yes, he deserves it, but I deserve it more, so that he will see and know that he needs more respect for me and love me more. When he is grown up he will remember when this happened. It will make him a stronger person and he will be a better man because of this experience."

The young boy is somewhat confused. His little mind is put to rest as something is revealed to him, and put in him a little wisdom that he so desperately needed. He knows what was done is done for a reason. The little boy understands.

Then the two little friends, crying, go their merry, lively way to play. The Dad, meanwhile, is praising the Lord God Almighty till he meet his timely death.

You see, the Dad was a born again Biblical Christian and he knew about the cross, the shed blood of Christ, and the death, burial, resurrection. He knew because he did the same to his own Dad; and his Dad to his Dad.

Out of a pure love and total commitment to their sons, Christ did also for us. He shed His blood for us that we may live. He, who knew no sin, took our sins on Him, so we may live, as He died on the cross at Calvary.

"...the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sins." 1 John 1:7

"If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Copyright Mike Carey, April 2009

True Family Bonding

A family that prays (and reads

the BIBLE together) stays together.

Good Little Old Book

There's one little book I just took for granted,
T'was left on a shelf, all dust and neglected.
Nothing of value, I thought it was so;
Life's more important, that I did know.

Took me a merry, myself I was proud.
Wasn't life happy, I felt so secured,
Then out of the blue, this wanting reside
Dug deeper inside, my soul cannot hide.

Then now I remember that one little book
All covered with dust, tossed in a nook;
With one heart's desire I grab it so fast
Wanting to know what is hidden at last.

It tells me great things of heaven above,
How Jesus does save, He sure is a God.
I know that by now, this book is for me,
No better to read, this sure I can see.

Copyrighted 2009 Luisa Mercado

The Seeker

I seek Him
and I find Him
because He is always there.

SHAKE, RATTLE and ROLL

Shake, rattle and roll...
But not to Elvis' song.

SHAKE the minister up behind the dead
pulpit by the Almighty God...

RATTLE him with the conviction of the
Holy Spirit to get busy for God,

and if he doesn't...

ROLL him out from behind the pulpit and
kick him out the door.

Copyright 2009 Michael Carey

(Written for pastors and ministers of God as they perform their duties on the pulpit. It is also a reminder that God should be lifted high at all times.)

...on prayer

glitter-graphics.com


Yes, friend, it's true! Nothing beats a sincere prayer to God about anything that He wills in your life. You will have answered prayers.

Mike and Luisa in Grapics

Love's First Glimpse

Indeed, it was love's first glimpse for Mike and I as we saw each other personally in the Philippines last April 16, 2006. He is an English-speaking Canadian.

Before that, we had chatted and e-mailed for almost a year, both had seen each other on webcam, and had exchanged pictures by mail, but never had we thought that our first personal meeting would blossom into a love so deep that it crossed beyond boundaries.

Yes, we believe our love is God-destined and will one day meet it's appointed date in marriage. We may not be rich materially nor we expect to be living in luxury, but we will be more than happy to share each other's simple necessities and needs. Love can do it all. Most of all, God can move mountains for us. We truly trust Him completely to do the work in us as we serve Him in marriage, God willing.

I am a victim of stroke and almost recovering. I have been like this for one year and almost three months now. Mike has always been there (on the internet, but real) through thick and thin, in sickness and in health and has never left me. Our relationship will be four years by June 2009. He has never changed.

I really thank God for Mike's real commitment and love. Truly faithfulness begets faithfulness. and true love begets true love. He loves me, no wonder I love him, too.


- Copyright 2009 Luisa Mercado