Just Swipe It Off

Are you a credit card user? Are you familiar with  those plastic with  your embossed name on the front and your credit card number?  Do you use  ATM cards instead of the traditional passbook issued by the banks?

If your answer is YES to the three questions, perhaps you’ll agree with me that it is easier to carry that plastic card in your wallet than bringing cash.  Nowadays, when we take a commute, there is always the possibility of being robbed along the way or while we are busy window shopping in malls.

Some say it is not practical to own a credit card. Anyone could spend and spend and spend without thinking of the gravity of spending beyond one’s means.  Some people go over the limit on what is  allowed for them to borrow through their cards.  When we are given this opportunity to own one, we should always be responsible for our spending habits.  Just because swiping the card is as easy as one, two, three, you would take advantage of using it any time you want.  Owning one comes with the responsibility of using it. There are so many perks in having a credit card. You don’t have to carry that much  cash when you go out as long as the establishment you go to allows it. There are discounts allowed in some  items while you shop.  You can use them in hotels, supermarkets, malls, eateries or restaurants.    You can even buy your airplane tickets via credit. The downside though is that, using a credit card is utilizing a temporary loan from the credit card companies. If you are not responsible enough, you might be buried in debt. Usually, banks which issue those credit cards  have an allowance of a month before you  have to pay your account.  You can  pay your debt in installments but that entails additional charges over the months you postpone paying in full.  You can use it though to your advantage if  you have a good credit standing. Paying it in full within the allowed time limit is ideally a good decision.  You won’t have to pay additional charges. It’s actually a sort of  short-term loan where you won’t pay interest.

Having an ATM (automated teller machine) card in your wallet is also a  must. You can use it as debit card for your purchases  without even having to carry cash.  You can enroll your monthly utility bills and just have to transact online when they are due. So easy and convenient.

Back when I left the bank where I used to work seventeen years ago, I enrolled all our utility bills so I could pay them online. I only go the the bank when I deposit  those occasional checks or withdraw a small cash for daily expenses.  I could check my balance anytime I am online.

Easy, right?

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God’s Humorous Side

Hear His voice, He speaks to you in silence, gently, with such sense of humor sometimes that you find yourself laughing with Him.  The first time I learned that I need to undergo surgery, I asked Him these simple questions:

Lord, would I have to bear another scar? He answered:  Yes, but this time I’ll make sure that it would look better than the first. True enough, though it reached a long 9 inches, the cut was clean, it was a long straight line.

I am afraid Lord, I don’t want to undergo  another surgery. Then He whispered, Don’t you worry, I’ll hold your hands and will carry you when it’s done.

I lost weight when I was  at the hospital, 10 lbs. to be exact and I was worried I’ll lose even more if I have to undergo further treatments and He assured me by saying, Oh come on, you need to lose a little more. By the time you’re done, you’ll be able to wear all those medium size dresses, and those dainty Hang Ten T-shirts that you love. He had me laughing so much  and right there and then, I wanted to hug Him and embrace Him tight.

The nurse at the chemotherapy unit briefed us on what to expect after each session of treatment.  Some chemotherapy drugs have that immediate effect of losing one’s hair and the wise recourse is for you to have it shaved, as in bald head?  Then I heard Him whispering in my ears again: Why, don’t you want to wear those trendy and fashionable  head-gear?  But I assure you, you won’t lose your hair. So I asked my oncologist if I won’t go bald and she told me that medications for colon cancer are quite safe from that.  Then I felt  Him nudging me, I told you  and you won’t believe. Forgive me Lord for doubting you  even for a minute.

At some moments when I feel so down, I remember that  God  chose me to share His suffering and I am privileged that He trusts me enough to bear my cross.  Dear Lord, thank you for making me so special in your eyes.

(P.S. This is a re-blog, a post I made when I was just starting this blog back in June 2009, a month before my scheduled  sigmoid surgery.- arlene)

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