Whatever You Do

Dear Lord, today we offer to You our praise. We thank You for the great measure of Your love and for the redemptive power of Your grace. Be pleased in Your mercy to come to every one of us just now, as we come before You, and find in You what nothing in this world can give: redemption from our sin, peace that cannot be taken away, and hope that is unashamed and unafraid.

In Jesus' Wonderful Name, Amen.

I woke up at 5:20 am due to an SMS routed from UAE. It was from a good friend. If only mornings could always be like this. (",)

My routinary job these days is to check on Lil Bro who presently occupies and will most likely temporarily rent the sofa at the living room. Well, he's good today. No fever, no vomits, no coughs. It is probably one of those days that anybody could want. A very early foreign SMS, a peaceful patient, and a pouring rain.

Since it is quite early, I bought some of Lil Bro's multivits in downtown before I dished out a hot arrozcaldo along libjo market. 'Cooked 2 boiled eggs & rice, and prepared his choc porridge I ordered from the club.

I was sitting by the dinner table as I flipped one of the old Sunday Inquirer magazines. I was instanlty glued to the half-paged column entitled "Whatever You Do". Dr. Harold Sala was the author. He focused on Proverbs 16:3 that says " Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed". This hits me big time! Whatever we do includes everything we do and nothing is exempted. It is clear that whatever we do is a reflection on HIM who called us to serve HIM, and when we do less than our best, we dishonor HIM. It is actually hard for me to understand why all things happen in ways which we least expect them to be. Most of the time, my temperament soars high for situations that I would not want to be involved in. But lo and behold, Murphy's Law, if something will happen, it will happen.

Being gibberish in life is simple. But living the life at par with the norm is far off from my path. Though little by little, I am finding ways to mend old wounds, sort out previous pseudo-charlatan stance and convey more positive (and normal for this matter) outlook in life. After all, when you live a life of integrity, your example is going to run counter to your accustomed lifestyle.

This brings me back to where I started. Giving thanks to HIM ispite of things that happened the wrong way. Surely, there will be more than nth times that GOD will share his random blessings at the least expected time. Hopefully, I can continue leading myself to the path that HE has long created.

Ang Dasal ng Taong Walang Diyos

Tulo uhog ko dito kuya batjay...galeng...epektib..

Black Saturday...Bagong Tropa

This is Ryan and Theo. Kasama namen sila sa Banawe hangang Batad hangang magkitakita padin kame sa Sagada.

Mga nakakaaliw na banat ni Ryan,

"Kuya Gel taga-Munti po kame!" "Kuya Gel, Kuya Gel, anim na gelplens ko.." "Tignan mo yung plaka namen Kuya Gel, pula" "Kagabe sinipa ko yung aso, tinajakan ko, tapos nisuntok ko yung aso. Tumatahol e"

Good Friday...Sagada

Kakaiba ang pakiramdam ko pag-akyat pa lang namin sa Sagada. Hindi ko alam kung bakit.

This will be my second time in the town but I still am hoping to visit the Anglican Church perched at its center. It was already dark when we reached our destination yet pumped up pa din si AKO probably due to the steroids I am taking. Even if all of the guys are battered from the long drive, I asked them if we could dine at the Yoghurt Haus and let Mr. Jason Well try their special chix curry and of course, their famed yoghurt.

Pagkatapos mag-goli ng lahat (except ako hehe), straight ahead kame sa YH. Buti nalang nakaabot pa kame sa LAST SUPPER. We're the last table to be served. Ang cute talagang dumiskarte ni GOD, saktong sakto parang Sprite este Pop pala. (LORD: Parang me nagpapalakas sa kin sa tabe tabe...)

Mushroom and Pasta ang tinira ko plus some white bread. Tsampion na din for P120.00. Kaya para sa Yoghurt House, 4 stars for the food, serving and the ambiance. 4 laang kasi taob na daw ang lahat yoghurt nila nung gabeng yun. Nampitso!

Good Friday

Sacrifice, that is the best word to describe what I had to endure this day. UTOY went to Batad, Banawe to check out another World Heritage Unesco site. Sabi nila this is a unique rice terraces because of its amphitheater- shaped structure. Yunik na ba yun? (LORD: O wag ng mang-asar...Good Friday ngayon).

Since the road is a bit rough, we opted to take a jeepney ride that took us about an hour from Banawe proper (with P1,800.00 damage). Aba'y sulet na din, akalain nyo 'bang pagkadulas at pagkapanget ng daan. For sure, masa shock ang shox mo.

There are not a lot of tourists in Batad. Probably, I've seen 40-50 pax, mostly adventure trekkers. Lam nyo ba kung baket? (LORD: Baket?). Nampitso. I wasn't told that before you can see the actual terraces and the falls itself, you have to walk more than 4,000 staircases back and forth. Grueling but true! Ergo, oral rehydration salts to the rescue!

God must have been watching while I was about to do the trek. Ciguro sabi nya, "Hoy UTOY, since it is Good Friday naman at andiyan ka na sa Batad, can you please pray while walking and share a little piece of yourself to GOD?". Si Lord nangongonsensya na naman...e matatanggihan ba kita? Ok let's go!

Pagkatapos ng napakahabbbbbbang lakad....

Results:

1. GOD walked with me. (PROOF: Zero cramps for UTOY for the first time. Two of the guys had it. )

2. Reached Batad terraces and the falls.

3. First to reach entry point. (LORD: Astig!...Sabi ko sayo "Just Dream, Believe, Survive)

Maundy Thursday

I am spending my Holy Week here at the North. As of today, I have visited only one (1) church - San Jose Church in San Jose, Nueva Ecija. So I need to visit six (6) more tomorrow til the rest of the week....Hopefully matapos ko or else bad shot na naman ako kay Lord.

P.S. Emer drove from Batangas City to San Jose, Nueva Ecija. I did the San Jose to Banawe route. Twas a gruelling up-mountain climb for several hours. Of course, kailangang chumibog ni UTOY kaya nag stop over kame sa Noodle Station sa Bagabag which is a town after Solano, NE. Champion ang pagkain dito eyspeysyali yung Pancit Cabagan. Kakabagan ka talaga sa rapsa. Plus me pres buko pa. 5 points para sa putaheng ito. Hehe.

Ang hirap talaga ng tumitira ng steroids anlakas kong lumamon ngayon. But I still try to control myself. Sayang naman ang 6 whopping lbs na nawala sa kin ng 3 wks. Hopefully, gumaling na ko sa tama ko...TY Lord!

Holy Wednesday

My sister and I went to Carmel Church in Lipa City to check for the schedule of Healing Masses. Recently kasi, the family has been hampered with lots of trials kaya si Eyi at si ako went to this famed church. We didn't see any schedule but the church folks told us that every Saturday there is a Healing Mass. I just want to check it out and see for myself what really is happening in that particular mass.

Taka kasi ko kung merong pa din yung kusang natutumba kapag pinendong ni Pader sa noo...joke lang po Lord.

Cge the next time I go to Carmel, I'll make sure it is on a Saturday.

Semana Santa

Semana Santa (or Holy Week) started April 1, 2007. This time, Palm Sunday fell on April Fool's Day. I was listening to the radio a day before when I found out that indeed it falls on April Fool's Day. Weird but true. Hopefully everyone will realize that foolishness and holiness are not for mixing.

I bought our palaspas (palm) at the Lipa Cathedral, Lipa City where vendors are still starting to weave their products. A bunch would cost you only Php 15.00. I promised to attend the Palm Sunday Mass early in the morning with Papa in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.

Palm Sunday 6:00 am. Papa and my younger brother left without me. As usual I woke up late. With this, I then promised to attend the church services in Batangas City (where I work at) on an early Holy Monday.

Holy Monday I overslept. In fact, I was also late to work. Exactly 15 minutes passed 8 am. God I needed to pick up my broken promises!.

Holy Tuesday I didn't promise anything the night before for I know I will again get up late.

S.O.S GOD

I needed God these days. My bluntness in narration is the same as to what I am feeling right now. And with these broken promises, I know HE is not happy. My FAITH on HIM has deeply lessened when I was struck with a lot of problems, I almost surrendered. I even asked HIM oftentimes, WHY?.

This changed when two friends of mine walked with me one night. I have relentlessly narrated to them the hardships that I was at. When I mentioned how I asked GOD why would HE do all these things to me and my family, they stopped me. My friend then talked about how he and his wife hurdled the deaths of his father, his mother and his brother all in the same year. He said he didn't even thought of giving up nor cursing GOD. In fact he even thanked HIM for his loved ones will at last be peacefully re-united with HIM. Never was there a time that he thought it was HIS wrath. Rather he continued to see it as a test which he, and only he, can pull through.

I was taken aback. I felt ashamed of myself. That same night, I thanked HIM for bringing me friends who have personified HIS teachings in all HIS glory. I am hoping I could be as strong as these people. As faithful and as beloved like GOD wants us to be. I know GOD can make a way. Now, my FAITH is slowly keeping its pace, hoping to reconcile with who was then my only resort - HIM.

Photo courtesy of google