The Fireworks of Life: Time with Tesa

by Jill Christianae on Sunday, November 28, 2010 at 10:12pm
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Yesterday until this morning, I spent time with Tesa, a dear friend of mine. We started off by watching National Geographic and Discovery Channel and I learned something new about her: She is easily amazed by things. We switched to a Kathy Griffin show and she learned something new about me: I like American jokes. We finally decided to go swimming. It was quite a hot day and I decided to bring an umbrella and put on a lot of sunblock. I discovered something else about her: She is not afraid of the sun as much as I am. We bought some snack that I don't eat alone: ice cream and some chips. Healthy-looking chips but still, chips. But it’s okay because special times with people like her does not happen always. I have a thing about eating ice cream on cones: it is messy. I tend to be clumsy and eating-ice cream-on-cones-while-walking makes it very obvious. Tesa, on the other hand is an expert. She also tends to be clumsy but ice cream is an exemption, I guess. We were already swimming and she verbally expressed her fondness of swimming and swam like there’s no tomorrow. I am the calmer type and I realized I like snorkeling and island hopping better than swimming in pools. We talked and laughed. The water was cold but it did not cool the warmth of that moment. We talked about who we were before, the crazy things we did, how God has been good to us and our plan for the future. Joy ran through our veins as we swam and talked and laughed. We went back to the house and prepared a special dinner: corned beef. With country and jazz music in the background, we ate our dinner as if we were at Dad’s Saisaki. We had fruit and some wine, but just enough to keep us sober. Remember Ephesians 5:18. Lol. Our conversation was that of good things. We talked about certain heartaches we have had in the past and how God used them to make us better. We talked about our weaknesses and how God’s grace has been sustaining us, about people who helped us grow to know the Lord more, about the kind of man we would like to have as our lifetime partner and many other things. We also remembered the changed lives we have witnessed by God’s work through us. I realized that my college life has been worth it. We were excited by the knowledge that though, we are not Bill Gates, Oprah or Kim Kardashian, we are two of the happiest people in the world. Tesa told me that she felt peace in my presence. I just smiled but I actually felt the same way with her. There was jazz music in the air and Jazz makes me happy, but I recognize that it is always Peace that makes all things conspire together to intoxicate my soul with gladness.
In the morning, we went to attend the worship service at Christ’s Commission Fellowship Imus and God confirmed many things to us through this chapter in the Bible:

Psalm 112
1 Praise the LORD.
Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands.
2 Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. 5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.
6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever.
7 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.
10 The wicked will see and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

Tesa and I call exhilarating moments like these as “fireworks moments” like eating California Maki and the flavor explodes in your mouth and there are fireworks in your brain. I am more convinced now that the fireworks of life come not from the seemingly huge things the world is dying to have, but from a heart that is at peace with, and delights in the Lord.