What are you ASKing for this Lent?

So for the nth time you’re heading for the beach for your Lenten vacation—to get away from it all. After all, it’s the only time of the year when you get to enjoy almost five straight workless days with summer in full throttle.

It’s time to relax and recharge, you think to yourself. But give it a day or so after, and you’re back to your old self again. Why is that? Perhaps, successive days under the sun aren’t really what you need...

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The Perfect Setting

Last night was the community mass for the late Feast Alabang music minister Tita Minda. Along with other Feast Alabang servants, I rode a van en route to the far away land that is Quezon City, to honor one of God's faithful servants.

I was the last one to get on the already packed vehicle. After saying a few hi's and hello's, I hurriedly took the lone unfilled space beside a little girl and then braced myself for a long and unmemorable ride. Or so I thought. I didn't know that from this little girl, from such a small package, would come a great realization that I aptly needed.

Sitting beside the little girl was her mom. Without intention, I overheard their conversation. (The van was that packed.)

The mom said, "Start working on your assignment, so that, when we get there, you're all done." To which the little girl answered, "Ok, Mom." She then began opening her stuffed backpack.

After a few minutes, the little girl was still searching through what seemed like a bottomless pit of books, notebooks, pens, and school stuff, to the dismay of her mom, who was already waiting for her to begin.

"Aha! Found it!" The little girl has apparently found what she was looking for. Must be a gold coin or something, I thought.

"There it is." I saw in her hands a dark-colored rosary. "Now I can work. I have Jesus na." The rosary was the missing gold coin.

And then I realized just how great that statement was. The little girl, just about 8 or 9 years old, could not start doing her assignment without Jesus. It was absolute dependence. It was the great need for Jesus. It was the belief that she could not do or begin anything without having Him first.

Right at that moment, I realized that I have lost such dependence. Through all the things that I have been busy with recently and all the tasks that I had to finish, I have somehow relied only on my own strength. I have been too preoccupied with clearing my to-do list that I have forgotten the real source of my capabilities. I have failed to acknowledge Jesus' presence and His work in my hands. I have grown utterly self-dependent.

With that, I said a silent prayer of surrender. I asked Jesus to be the right hand for when I am writing, the fingers for when I am typing, the mind for when I am working, the body for when I get going. Without  Him I cannot do absolutely anything.

As the van neared our destination, I thanked God for letting me be where I was: a lone seat in a packed van beside a little girl with great faith. The setting was perfect.

(Photo source: http://stwenceslaus-scappoose.com/)

The Pink Clearbook and The White Carton Board

A pink clearbook with about 20 pages of colorful construction paper. Yeah, that was it.

My friend Laie has always brought that pink clearbook with her whenever we'd meet up for casual dinner and a movie; it was much like an extension of her. The unassuming obsession had always left me dumbfounded...until she handed it to me for a closer look.

In each page were pictures of a pretty supermodel, of a happy family, of a fabulous wedding gown, and of sunny Singapore. Every once in a while, as I scanned through each collage, I found glittery flowers, colorful butterflies, and cute thingamajigs, proof of her creative juices. In a few corners and in some edges abound cut-out letters from magazines that spell EXCELLENCE, BEAUTY, SUCCESS, and HAPPINESS.

After going through the last page, I realized that it was true; it was indeed an extension of her. The pink clearbook was her: the future her.

I then told myself that I wanted something like that. I wanted a dream book. I wanted to have dreams and to put them in writing and in pictures. I wanted to visualize my future as if it was already right before my eyes. I felt excited. Excited about the possibilities. Excited about the journey to reaching those dreams. Excited about the happy life ahead.

For sometime now, I have been pulled down by recurring bouts of nothingness. One dreary morning, I asked myself, "What am I waking up for?" I'd often think I'm a zombie, just waking up day in and day out, waiting for nothing specific to happen and just going with the dull flow of my life. Seems just melodramatic chit chat, huh? But it is actually true. I thought I've already gone past what they call quarter-life crisis, but I guess there is no certain end mark to a period of not knowing your goals and your dreams. Even if you already have dreams and have attained some of them, there will always come a time when you'll reach a plateau and want new, better, or way different dreams and wishes.

When I got home from that I-need-a-dream-book day, I told God to please reveal to me my biggest dreams, to give me more than pictures and cut-outs but the actual desire and the courage to work for and fulfill those dreams. I asked God to affirm to me that I really needed to have dreams to hold on to, so I could wake up from zombie mode.

So imagine my surprise when, last Sunday, at the Feast Alabang*, together with more than a thousand attendees, I was handed a dream board. Yeah, it was far different from the dream book I wanted to have, but the two were basically the same: both were visual reminders of fulfilled wishes. The dream board I got was like God telling me, "My dear Osy, stop being a zombie. Here, doodle, write, picture your biggest wishes and dreams here." It was the affirmation I was asking for.

Now, I am no longer a zombie. I already have dreams and wishes. I have yet to finish up with my dream board though, but I have rummaged through the dusty stack of old magazines at home, trying to find the most accurate representation of that dream Tagaytay weekend home, that job I wish to have, that book I want to write, and that future husband and kids I'll be taking care of. Those are just a few of the dozen wishes that God has recently revealed to me, revealed through my past hurts and wounds, and I am excited to work on them. I know my wishes and dreams will entail a lot of work and a mighty long journey. The road won't be easy, but I'm sure my Big God of all dreams and wishes won't fail to encourage and equip me. Thank you my Big God!

*FEAST ALABANG is a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ). It happens every Sunday at the Feast Alabang Center, 2nd floor Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am, 1:30pm, and 4pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

Long Weekends

I look forward to long weekends. I am one of those who, at the beginning of the year, are very anxious to know all the declared holidays for that year, just so I can start planning trips and scheduling gimmicks on foreseen long weekends.

But the long weekend that just recently passed was spent most differently. There was no trip to the beach and no prescheduled out-of-town gimmick. But unusual as it was, it was one great weekend.

Friday was spent rendering overtime work (yeah, bummer), working with the Feast Alabang Media Ministry on an upcoming event, and practicing with the Music Ministry right after. Yes, my day was jam-packed, and I ended up clamoring to get to bed as soon as I got home. I was tired, but it was the happy kind of tired (if there is such a term). It was great to work with people who voluntarily give their time and talent in serving God the best way they know how. The Feast Alabang Media and Music Ministries are a bunch of hardworking servants.

The Closer to Yahweh Silent Retreat was organized by the PICC Feast Intercessory Ministry.

Saturday came and I found myself in Antipolo, together with some 90 people, hoping to spend the entire day just experiencing the Lord more intimately. As I've said in my previous post, my life has been a roller-coaster ride of emotional ups and downs (mostly downs) recently that I felt I needed a break. I needed to silence myself for a bit just so I could forget all the noise in my life. (Those who know how madaldal I am can attest that this is pretty hard for me.) And the silence felt good. For 5 hours, it was just me and my God on a date, having a quiet conversation. It was an exchange of worries and assurances; I offered Him my worries, and He assured me of His promises. He revealed to me how immense His love is, and however "unworthy" I felt, there was just no changing that love. At the end of the silent retreat, with swollen eyes from crying, I fully accepted that love, and sheer joy and thankfulness followed.

Citipointe Live in Manila

But my Saturday wasn't done yet. After spending the day in silence, I then proceeded to ULTRA to join the Feast Alabang Music Ministry in watching a worship concert. It was my first time to attend such an event. Since I came in late, the stairs was the best available seat; the stadium was that full.

Throughout the concert, there were moments when I found myself just amazed at the sight of God's young people praising Him together. Everybody was up from their seats, singing in praise, lifting their hands, and jumping for joy. It was a sight to behold. I was imagining the Lord smiling ear to ear, pleased at seeing His people sing and dance for Him and adoring His children very much.

As I looked around, I told myself that these are a thousand people who may have failures and ongoing difficulties, who may have broken hearts and broken relationships, and who may still have unfulfilled dreams and unanswered prayers. But these are also a thousand people who still choose to praise God and to thank Him for everything. It was amazing.

Sunday was Feast Alabang* day. Bro. Arun talked about the importance of praise and worship and had us, the music ministers, sing a lot more songs than usual. It was great seeing everyone sing and dance for God. It was like everyone had become a music minister. After the Feast, I attended our Caring Group after. Our caring group is composed of single wonderful people who want to share with each other how God is touching them everyday. I am blessed to have a support group from whom I learn so much and who help me grow in my relationship with the Lord. With the sharings and the never-ending chat, our group session ended at about 10pm.

That's it. Three days of fatigue. Three physically draining days. But three days well spent in service to God and in praise to Him. That was my long weekend, and I loved it.

*FEAST ALABANG (formerly called the SOUTH FEAST) is a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ). It happens every Sunday at the Feast Alabang Center, 2nd floor Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am, 1:30pm, and 3pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

Ten Thousand Hours

10 thousand hours. That's what it takes to be the best in any area of your life.

If you want to be the best husband or wife, invest 10 thousand hours on your spouse. Appreciate not only the big things but also the littlest gestures. Be more understanding and less demanding. Express love in different ways. Be your spouse's best friend.

If you want to be the best mom or dad, allot 10 thousand hours for your children. Spend time with them. See them grow up. Listen to their needs. Do not hesitate to show them your love.

If you want to have the best relationship with God, spend 10 thousand hours knowing Him. Just like any other relationship, give time to your God. Listen to His words through prayer and reflection. Know Him deeper by reading the Bible. Live a life that is of service to Him and to His people. Plant seeds in Heaven.

10 thousand hours. That's what it takes to be the best in any area of your life. Your time starts now.


*This is Talk 2 (Give Time) of the T3 Series held at FEAST ALABANG. FEAST ALABANG (formerly called the SOUTH FEAST) is a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ). It happens every Sunday at the Feast Alabang Center, 2nd floor Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am and at 3pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

(Photo source: paper-money.blogspot.com)

Worship @ Feast Alabang

It was a blast. No, it was far more than that. It was an amazing display of God's grace.

Most of the music ministers had stuggles as the Feast Alabang Anniversary celebration neared. Some had health concerns until the night before the event. Some had personal concerns that also needed attention. And still, some had too much in their hands. But throughout all these, all music ministers, and servants as well, knew that God's grace is sufficient. And indeed, it was.

The worship leaders as they invite the Alabang Feasters to give praise to God

Feast Alabang music ministers

I have recently learned that, when you come to worship the God of all heaven and earth, you need not burden yourself with thoughts of your current situation, however unpleasant they are. You just come into His presence, leave behind everything else, and offer your most sincere praise to the One who deserves it most.

I have been reminded also that worship is not an act that needs a seal of approval. We do not need to be tagged "holy" to worship the Lord because, whether we "deserve" it or not, God is due our praises and songs.

Give our all as we worship the Lord.

Thus, our worries and personal concerns should never be a hindrance in giving our all in praising the Lord.

How about you? How do you praise your God?

*FEAST ALABANG (formerly called the SOUTH FEAST) is a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ). It happens every Sunday at the Feast Alabang Center, 2nd floor Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am and at 3pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

(Photo source: Feast Alabang FB page. Add us up!)

Get Up and Enjoy God's Blessings

(Photo source: http://www.hotelemerald.co.jp/)

Life is indeed an eat-all-you-can buffet. You get to pick from a wide array of blessings all laid in front of you. You get to choose what you most desire without worries. You get to enjoy the best of the best blessings God had prepared for you.

But the thing is, in a buffet, before you get to enjoy the sight of a table full of wonderful goodies, you need to get up from your seat first and leave your table. In life, you need to do the same. You need to get up, leave your comfort zone, and traverse the thin line that separates you from your courage zone and, hence, from the blessings awaiting you. And THAT, for me, is the tough part.

For the longest time, I have not been a big fan of risk and drastic change. I forego taking decisions that would make me leave what is familiar and plunge into the unknown. I have dreaded the possibility of not knowing what to do next, of having to endure difficulties and sacrifices, and of leaving "the good life I know." In short, I never choose to get up and leave my comfort zone.

I realized that I have long been stuck sitting by my table and missing out on plates and plates of blessings that I might have enjoyed had I only chosen to get up. Most of us are like that too: just comfortable with where we are and passing up on each new opportunity given to us to make our dreams come true and, thus, letting go of the chance to be a blessing to others.

The most recent change in location of the South Feast* is a fine testament of getting up and choosing the best blessings prepared for us. Everyone knew that a new home for the South Feast would entail a huge sum of money and a ton of effort and time. But everyone knew as well that this would be a great blessing to more people.

Between the hindrance of budget and time constraints and the vision of more people being blessed is the choice to get up and leave the table. The South Feast* family took that choice. And the result: a brand new home we can call our own, one that will be home to more relationships reborn, more lives and businesses blessed, more dreams fulfilled, and more prayers answered.

Now, get up from that seat, and enjoy God's buffet of blessings. (That goes for me too!)

*The SOUTH FEAST, now FEAST ALABANG, is a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ). It happens every Sunday at the Feast Alabang Center, 2nd floor Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am and at 3pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

I Eat Plants

Okay, okay. I admit it. Of the nearly 365 South Feast talks that I have heard, last Sunday's talk on eating right was the most difficult to digest (pun intended).

I absolutely love food. Isn't it obvious? :D I'm not really a meat lover, but I'm not into vegetables and fruits either. I love love love crab (I know this restaurant in McKinley Hills that serve terrific crabs. The price is terrific too. LOL.), and I used to think shrimp is a gift from heaven (Hello Bubba Gump Greenbelt!). But after hearing Bro. Jon Escoto speak on better food choices, I think I just might say goodbye to a few of the best gastronomic things I love. *insert sad face here*

The main message last Sunday at the South Feast* was proper nourishment. By properly nourishing our body, we reduce our chances of acquiring diseases. But how do we go about this? God has three prescriptions.

1) Eat plants. Did you know that our digestive makeup is more similar to that of herbivores than that of carnivores? This supports the fact that we are designed to eat more plants, i.e., fruits and vegetables. Thus, it is recommended that we make fruits and vegetables our main food. So go right ahead, and dig in to as much salad as you can. Don't forget the vinaigrette!

2) Eat clean. The Bible has long discussed the difference between clean and unclean animals. But science also supports this teaching: that poultry and beef are better choices than pork because pigs eat absolutely anything (including nasty stuff), that shellfish are the scavengers of the seas and are thus infested with toxin, and that fish is the cleaner choice among seafood since it releases its toxin through its scales. For the non-scientists in us, it's just saying avoid pork and shellfish as much as possible. *insert sad face here AGAIN*

3) Eat "other" food, with other meaning oxygen, movement, sunlight, and sleep. Yes, the stuff that we almost always neglect.

The recommendations:

• Inhale more oxygen. Take deep breaths (and always thank God after, because you're still breathing).
• Move. Move. Move. Play sports. Jog. Swim. Run. Do anything to keep your body going.
  
• Expose yourself to sunlight. Vitamin D is always best taken naturally.
• Get adequate rest. The body actually replenishes and heals itself during sleep.

Okay. That's it. Notice anything?

These are actually old stuff. We knew these from Health 101. We heard these from our moms. We learned these from our doctors and nutritionists.

But do we follow?

As for me, that's a big NO. But learning that both science and religion agree that this is the way to go, that NO may somehow inch its way to being a YES.

*This is Talk 4 (Nourishment) of the Awaken the Healer in You Series held at the SOUTH FEAST. The SOUTH FEAST, a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ), happens every Sunday at Festival Mall Cinema 10, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am and at 3pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

Photo source: www.you-stylish-barcelona-apartments.com

Awaken the Healer in You

Just this morning, my mom was admitted to the hospital for the continuous chest pain she has been feeling the past week. To some, this may elicit gasps, maybe a little shock, and an enormous amount of concern. To me, this is old news. Not that I am not concerned with my mom's welfare, I am and severely at that; it's just that her being confined to the hospital because of her heart ailments has never been new to me. She has been going in and out of such gloomy institution for the past months now, and I've learned to adapt (not that I want to) to the situation.

For the longest time, my family has been battling it out with various sicknesses of different levels. My mom, at a very young age, had been diagnosed with heart ailment. Her blood pressure tends to rise more that usual, even when relaxed. And just recently, her heart was seen to enlarge at a slow rate. She also has diabetes, taking in maintenance drugs to control her blood sugar when reaching past the heavens. Add to her very elaborate medical history the two major operations she had undergone for the past five years: one with her gall bladder and the other with her ovaries. My dad, never to be outdone, had just recently undergone a major operation, which also led to the discovery that his blood sugar is way high and that he is in the onset of being a diabetic himself. I myself am undergoing therapy for my knees, which have been giving me significant pain for months now, disabling me from doing certain activities and limiting my already-limited physique.

So you see, health problems are never new to me. I have been used to the sight of sickly people in emergency rooms, have made friends with doctors and nurses in clinics, and have been at home in both hotel-like and dreadfully looking hospital rooms. With that, my constant prayers have always revolved around healing and recovery of my loved ones and myself.

But God has His ways. It couldn't have been any more timely. Yesterday, at the South Feast*, a new series entitled Awaken the Healer in You was started. The series is broken down into six parts: Healer, Emotions, Relationships, Nourishment, Protection, and Faith. Each talk intends to teach us to bring out the healing power within us.

With that promise and with my constant petitions for healing in my family, I know that this new series will help me tremendously. My body is God's home address, and I know that God wants to heal me. I am ready to be healed and to heal.

*The South Feast, a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ), happens every Sunday at Festival Mall Cinema 10, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am and at 3pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

Shrek 4 and the Joy of Intentional Living

Shrek getting tired of his domesticated life.

After ten thousand years, I've finally seen Shrek Forever After (the fourth installment of the Shrek series) in the cinemas yesterday. The movie tells of Shrek's domesticated life. After rescuing Princess Fiona and saving the kingdom of Far Far Away, Shrek suddenly found himself a domesticated family man. He would live each and every day doing the same things for his family and friends, feeding them, taking care of them, and spending time with them. However, as time went by, it dawned on him that gone are the days when he felt like "a real ogre," feared by villagers and doing things just because. With this longing for his past self, he made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin, a magical creature who makes wishes come true, for him to have just one day to be "a real ogre" again. But with such deal came more loneliness than the happiness he wished for. (I won't give more spoilers that I am entitled to for the sake of those who haven't seen the movie.)

Shrek making a deal with Rumpelstiltskin.

In the movie, Shrek was surrounded by a loving family, best friends, and adoring villagers, but he gave up all of these for just a day to be back to his old self. We sometimes do the same. We exchange long-term happiness for a moment of pleasure. We exchange our greatest treasure for a minute, tiny, microscopic piece of gold that life offers us. We give away everything that we have and everything that is important to us for something that is not even worth it.

Last Sunday at the South Feast*, Bro. Arun talked about living deliberately. Let us not make unworthy deals and regrettable exchanges. Let us not just accept what life brings us but learn to choose wisely. Everyday, we are confronted by life's tests. We are always given options, and from these options, we are called to make decisions. Each decision that we make and each answer that we give to each test determine our destiny. God never holds the steering wheel of our lives; He only clears the path, gives us signs, and guides us on our way, but it is still always us who are the driver of our lives.

But what if I made a wrong turn? What if I made a wrong decision? Am I doomed? Is my life over? We may ask ourselves these questions, but let us be assured that, if we fail in one test, if we made a wrong turn, that doesn't mean that we failed in life altogether. Our God is a God of chances. God never runs out of chances to give to us, whether it's our second, third, or nth chance. He will never grow tired of guiding us as we hold the steering wheel of our lives.

So don't fear. Live deliberately. Choose wisely. Take the steering wheel of your life.

*The South Feast, a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ), happens every Sunday at Festival Mall Cinema 10, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am and at 3pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

(Photo source: Yahoo! Movies)

BIG MISSION

A Walk to Remember. That would be my answer if asked what my ultimate favorite love-na-love best movie of all time. (Okay. It's a girly movie, but hey, I'm a girl, so there should be no problem with that. LOL.)

In the movie, Jaimie, the main character, was dying of leukemia. She had a list of things to do in life, like spend a year in the Peace Corps and make a medical discovery. Though her list was deemed ambitious, her to-do's were mostly for other people and she believed that she can somehow accomplish them during her lifetime.

Last Sunday, during the South Feast*, the talk was about No Small Living. Jon Escoto said that there are two important days in one's life: the day you were born and the day you discover why you were born.

When we were much younger, we believed that we were destined for something big. Some of us may have wanted to be a superhero, so we can help others. Most of us may have wanted to be doctor. Why? And we would answer in our most pang-Little-Miss-Philippines way "para po makapagpagaling ako ng maysakit."

But we have all grown up. We have been made aware of the reality that is bills, utilities, debts, and mortgage. We have been made to join the rat race in order to satisfy our needs and wants.

True, we each have our own lives to live and our own problems to solve. But we should be reminded that we are not living only for ourselves. We have to realize that our lives can be solutions to other people's needs.

But how can that be, you say? How can your life be a solution when it isn't perfect at all? Remember that God can use your painful experiences as an answer to someone else's questions. God can use our failures and your mistakes as a source of help for those in need. In the same way, God can use your talents as a blessing to others.

With that, begin to look at yourself. What are your experiences? What are your failures? What are your talents and gifts? How can you be of help to others through all these? When you have the answers, then your MISSION will be revealed to you. Remember, you have a BIG MISSION. We all do.

If you ask me what my BIG MISSION is, I have yet to find out, but with last Sunday's talk ,I might just begin working on discovering it.

*The South Feast, a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ), happens every Sunday at Festival Mall Cinema 10, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am and at 3pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

No Rush

Arrived extremely late at the office today. When my work schedule is really FLEXI 12nn, I came in at 2.30pm. Talk about punctuality!

But however late I was, I do not regret having arrived late for work. I do not regret having to sleep a little more in my comfy bed, even if it was Manic Monday for every other employee there is in the entire Metro Manila. I do not regret having waken up at 11.30am to have brunch with my mom, who almost always eats lunch by herself at home as my dad and I are already at the office come lunch time. I do not regret getting out of the house at 1.30pm, not getting stuck in the usual afternoon heavy traffic and enjoying the sight of the clear sky above me.

Yesterday at the South Feast^*, the talk was entitled "No Rush." Through the talk, I was taught that it is okay to be late a few times. It is okay to not hurry and to slow down a little bit. It is okay to "stop and smell the flowers" and not rush in finishing each and every task in my daily to-do list. I was encouraged to LIVE IN MY NOW.

Further during the talk, it was emphasized that where we are now is exactly where God wants us to be. If there seem to be interruptions or stumbling blocks on our way to finishing our tasks or reaching our goals, think that these could be God's gifts.

And while we are where we are, let us really "be here" (seems like a tongue twister huh? LOL). If we are attending mass, let's fully participate in it and not think of our bills. If we are with family or friends, let's fully enjoy our moments with them and not momentarily think of our personal struggles. If we suddenly get stuck in heavy traffic, let's just take the opportunity to, maybe, say a prayer or listen to good music, and not dwell on how ruined our day's schedule would be. If we are waiting in line in the grocery, let's take the chance to, maybe, clear our mind or hum a song, and not get irritated of the seemingly endless wait this brings us. When we enjoy where we are, we never feel like we are waiting.

With all that, I learned that life should not be such a RUSH. If we constantly just move from one task to another, get from point A to point B, and go from stage 1 to stage 2, without enjoying the journey, we will just let time pass us by and never enjoy life itself. Get rid of hurry. Slow down.

*The South Feast, a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ), happens every Sunday at Festival Mall Cinema 10, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am and at 3pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

(Photo source: www.writingthoughts.com)

Dirty hands

I am stumped.

How do you solve a problem that never goes away? How do you help someone who constantly rejects your help? How do you care for a person who doesn't want to take care of herself?

I am stumped.

Why do certain people require love from you yet find it so hard to accept your love when you give it to them? Why do certain people set expectations from you yet reject you when you're trying to meet, precisely, those expectations? Why do certain people set standards or goals for you yet never believe that you can achieve them?

I am stumped.

Then, I remembered: Love is the ultimate goal. It should be the only reason for everything. And because love is a decision, a loving person never grows tired. He never stops loving, even at the face of rejection. He never surrenders but decides to still love. After all, love is about dirty hands, not beating hearts.

I am no longer stumped. I choose to dirty my hands.

(Photo source: http://www.christendomreview.com/)

Love, Memories, and Blessing

Last Sunday, at the South Feast^*, an AVP presenting pics of Tito Andrew was shown as a form of honoring for his service to the LOJ Family and to God for the past years.

Tito Andrew passed away last Tuesday of cardiac arrest. He had been battling with heart problems for years until the traitor of a sickness finally took hold of him.

I had only known Tito Andrew for a short span of time. I got to know him as he was the husband of Tita Ross, another LOJ servant, with whom I have tight bonds. I would remember him as the quiet Kids Ministry servant who would always smile his best whenever I'd pass by him in front of A-Plus Festival Mall (where the Kids Ministry always converge). He wasn't that servant who was always under the limelight or who was known by everyone. He was always in the background, quietly serving by tirelessly driving his L200 to provide transportation for fellow servants during community events and gatherings and for the equipment used by the Kids Ministry. Everyone remembered him as a silent but faithful servant who, despite his sickness, never said no to any opportunity to serve. He was always ready to be of help to anyone who needs it.

Then, I thought, when my time comes, when I'm the one inside a coffin, being exposed for everyone to see, how would I want to be remembered? I saw how Tito Andrew was dearly loved by his family, friends, LOJF, among others. Would I receive that kind of love when it's my turn? I saw how Tito Andrew was appreciated for his service to the community, to his family, and to God. Would I be remembered for such service as well when my time comes?

I was then reminded that, truly, in the end, it is not the wealth that we possess, the money that we have, or the physical beauty that we are blessed with that people will remember us for. It is the love that we had given in our lifetime, the memories that we had spent with the people we value, and the blessing that we had become to others that will make us memorable.

Tito Andrew had shared love, spent memories with friends and family, and become a blessing to others. I hope to be same when my time comes.

*The South Feast, a weekly gathering of the Light of Jesus Community (LOJ), happens every Sunday at Festival Mall Cinema 10, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, at 11am and at 3pm. It is led by Feast Builder/Main Preacher Arun Gogna. LOJ is a Catholic charismatic community led by Bo Sanchez.

(Photo source: http://bookingshub.wordpress.com/)

K for K

So want to go here, but my knees are failing me..

Dream Big!

(Photo source: http://www.lightyourpath.ca/)

Last Tuesday, over lunch, one of my friends in the office expressed his desire of joining the academe. It has been a few years since he graduated from UP, and he has realized that he would like to teach History. He said that it was that one thing that he would like to do in life.

Throughout this revelation, we were just encouraging him to go and give it a shot. We told him to look up on how to gain education units, how long it would take, and possible schools or institutions where he can choose to study and to teach. I was telling him to go ahead and realize that dream.

That normal lunch discussion actually reminded me of what the Kerygma Conference (KCon) last November taught me: Dream BIG and realize that dream!

To most of us, we'd ask, "And just how do I do that?" or we'd say, "I don't have dreams. Dreams are for five-year-old Little Miss Philippines candidates answering the pang-pageant question 'What do you want to be when you grow up?'"

I asked and thought the same things, until KCon changed all of that. With this, I want to share my learnings from that relevant event. I will begin my KCon Dream Big series notes here really soon (as soon as I find those notes! haha).

Filthy bug

Ouch! Sapol!

I have been in the doldrums for the past few days. Low self-esteem is slowly and menacingly creeping up to me like some virus that is eating me alive (OA but true! lol). For some friends I am constantly interacting with, this may be hard to believe. I appear to always be confident in my own skin and, as one friend had said yesterday, bubbly and cheerful. Yeah, I may send that kind of impression, especially to those close to me, but there are just some days when I don't feel like existing at all (weird huh? lol). It's those times when I don't want to get up from bed because I think nothing that spectacular is going to happen and I'll just be going about the same darn things the whole day. It's those times when I don't feel sure of myself, of what I'm doing, and of where I'm at. Sounds weird right? Well, I'm weird. Lol.

I have gotten around losing this weird perception a few months back, but I guess, when one's losing grip of what is true, the wrong ideas and the weird stuff come right back in, trying to instill negativity. Okay, nothing of this may make sense. What I just want to say is that my GodWhispers email is so true. I just have to see the goodness in the life that was given to me. I just have to look beyond what is lacking and realize that I am waaayyy blessed. I just have to learn to be grateful for everything. If I re-learn to do these, it's not me but that filthy low-self-esteem bug that will go down in the dumps!

P.S. If you what to receive encouraging words straight into your inbox for free, check out GodWhispersClub.