Bandology

One by one
He took them all
All the things I valued the most
Until I was empty handed
Every glittering toy was gone
until I am reduced to rags and poverty
I heard His voice inviting
To lift my empty hands to heaven
And God filled them with blessings
Until they are so full they can’t contain anymore
And I realized
How can you receive God’s blessing if your hand is already full


I was having the blues,
Because I have no shoes.
Until I saw a man in the street,
Without any feet.

Sometimes you can feel everything is being taken from you. All the things that can make you happy. Your dreams, your possessions, your ambitions. Until you have nothing.

Having nothing can be a source of big frustration. Or a source of inspiration. You will never realize that God is all that you need until God is all you have.

There was once a Greek philosopher, who lived a very simple life. It was so simple he did not have any house or villas typical for a man of his status. One day Alexander the Great approached him and said “What can I do for you?”. Guess what was the philosopher’s answer. A big house, a vast land to rule, or the prettiest Greek damsel.

“ You can step away. Your blocking the sun.”.

Possessions can possess us. What is the value of a very expensive mansion if you worry night and day about burglars? If wealth is meant to bring security, it can also bring unnecessary worry. It reminds me of an old woman who has a small makeshift stall selling coffee and other food items in a street in Iloilo. Her “home” does not have a door, it does not have the lavish furnishings in lifestyle magazines. I now ponder where is her comfort room. But she is living, and she appears content.

Things should serve our purposes, not us serving things.