Gifted woman

This week God proved again that He takes care of me in small and big ways.

I am one of the unfortunate Banco Filipino depositors who got caught with our pants down when the bank was suddenly closed almost two months ago. What’s disheartening is that the time deposit accounts of my three children were bound too. We could only wait till the government’s deposit insurance company or PDIC can finish their audit and pay us back.

Personally, I was at peace. Sad but I didn’t panic. At least the PDIC took over and will definitely pay us. The agonizing question is when. So I just let this go. No good raising my blood pressure. Instead, I just made sure I attended all depositors’ forums so I will know when will be the actual filing of claims. I got a date—May 13.

I lost track of time until last Wednesday, May 11. It was two days away! Suddenly, a little voice in my head told me to confirm with Ed, Banco Filipino manager and my friend, about the May 13 schedule. Instead of being confident that I did know about that date, I followed the voice and sent a text message to Ed. He corrected me that May 13 is the last date of filing and that the processing actually started a week ago already. But because my family name starts with an “S,” he said I may just be scheduled Thursday afternoon of May 12. I had to rearrange my schedule so I can give way to going to the bank a day earlier than what I expected. But I went in the morning. Again, the little voice was telling me to go early just to have ample time left should there be some more documentation to do for the claims processing.

Off I went and again, lo! At 8:30 a.m., I saw in the posted schedule that I am indeed scheduled that morning—not last week, yesterday, in the afternoon or Friday but exactly on the morning that I was there!

What was even great is that all my documents were complete, accepted and processed in a no-hassle way that I was done in less than two hours. I expected hordes of people, long lines and cranky processors. But it was a smooth operation!

The best news is that now we have a date for the check release. It’s three months away but … patience is a virtue! A blessing is on its way and that’s the gift.

That same morning, the little voice reminded me again to pass by Philam and inquire about the impending maturity of my husband’s pension next month. These were all unscheduled appointments but I just followed the voice and triple lo! JR, the claims officer, helped me fast-track the claim and my check in three weeks’ time!

I am running my life today this way —fully dependent on God’s direction and no longer by my own human will and ways. Whenever my mind comes up with something good to do or my heart feels about something good to consider, I follow them.

Some people call it instinct. I call it God’s nudge. One time, I didn’t know that my ATM card was lost had I not followed a nudge to stop by an ATM. Because of that, I was able to have the bank block it instantly.

Anything good must be a nudge by God. I’ve learned not to negate it, protest about it or justify not doing it. I simply let go and let God. And 100 percent, everything comes out for my own good. In small ways like finding a parking space in a full-packed area to big ways like paying off urgent bills, God just takes care of me.

And to all, He will also IF we only let Him determine the course of our life. Proverbs 6:19 says, “The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”

God’s way also involves people whom He can use to make our life easier. He gave me Ed to be my friend so I would promptly know any info about Banco Filipino; the PDIC personnel who were all kind and helpful in dealing with depositors like me; JR who was very helpful to me; my niece Jaky whom I can call anytime when I need someone to watch over my pet dog when I won’t be home; my dog Kaela who taught me about loving pets when I didn’t know I was capable of having; Ian, my violin teacher who has the right dose of patience and understanding to train a trying hard wanna-be like me; Mr. Vic Domayday, who never hesitates to rescue me anywhere I get stalled on the road (and he never charges me!); Dr. Jorgens Lim who’s been amiable in advising me about my cervical spine problem; and all other people I encounter daily. They can be God’s messengers of good things and I can only pray for their lives to be blessed, too.

Of course, not everything in my life is rosy. I get my share of anxieties and worries. But I only have to look back and remember how God has always come to my rescue in the perfect time in far heavier situations before and I am able to “pooh-pooh” the struggle I’m facing. God’s love is overpowering enough to drive away my nagging fears.

If one must always have a backpack of survival materials when trekking the forest trails, I say I have God with me to survive in this world. His love, compassion and faithfulness are renewed every morning (Lamentations 3: 22-24), so how can things go wrong for long?

With God as the director of my life now, I consider myself a truly gifted woman.