GK Sagip Congress

"GK Walang Iwanan! Una sa serbisyo, huli sa benepisyo."

08.23.08

it was a long day for me and kuya don. but it was all worth it. nabuhay ang passion ko sa GK. the SAGIP congress was somehow a reminder to me. it gave me the chance to ask myself, "kamusta na ang service mo sa GK?" unfortunately, medyo natigil ako sa GK because i concentrated on my responsibilities in our chapter. plus the fact that i'm still studying, tapos may tutorial pa. so medyo hectic talaga ang sched. pero yun nga, if you have passion for something, you'll find time to include it in your already busy and full schedule. at eto nga, bukas, balik-SAGIP na ako! wohoo! ang saya! ^_^ nakakatuwa pa kasi pinost ko as status message sa YM na miss ko na yung mga bata. tapos i received an IM from kuya don which says, "you will no longer miss them. sagip profiling on sunday." astig diba! ang bilis ng sagot ni God. hay. makikita ko na uli mga kapatid ko. grabe, tagal ko talaga silang hindi nakasama. i hope they still know me. it really gladdens my heart every time i hear them call my name. i miss them shouting, "ate aiza". hay. can't wait to see them. *excited*

anyway, share ko muna yung mga napag-usapan during the congress.

kuya mari oquinena, in his opening message, said, "always improve yourself. never stop becoming the best that you can be so that you can give the best of who you are and the best of what you have... may children be blessed because of heroes like you."

i was touched by his message, at medyo napahiya rin ako kasi wala pa talaga akong nagagawa masyado. pero dahil din sa message na yun, lalo akong na-inspire to serve, especially sa GK.

*****

the congress itself...

Topic 1: Safeguarding the Rights of Children
Speaker: Ate Tintin, SFC Makati Chapter

*UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- most widely ratified convention
- signed and ratified by 192 countries, including the Philippines
- global instrument for realizing children's rights

*Children's rights are human rights.
- universal & indivisible
- equal and non-discriminating
- participation & inclusion (human dignity is not an individual, exclusive, and isolated sense; it is a part of our common humanity.)
- accountability & rule of law

*Anatomy of a Right:
- right to what? (claim)
- of who? (claim holder)
- against whom? (duty bearers)

*The rights of a child can be classified into four broad categories: survival, development, protection, and participation.

*No child should be left out!

*Our Roles:
- protect, respect, fulfill/provide, facilitate

*For more info, visit: http://www.unicef.org
-------------------------------------------
Topic 2: Violence Against Children
Speaker: Ms. Evangeline Lawas, DSWD

*Violence, as defined by R.A. 9262
- refers to any act or series of acts committed by any person that is likely to result in physical, sexual, and/or psychological harm or suffering
- includes threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty

*Forms of Violence Against Children
a. physical violence - includes all sorts of bodily and physical harm
b. sexual abuse

*We should help not just the victim, but the offender as well. Know them - where they came from, their past experiences, etc.

Note: Children who weren't able to recover from abuse are future abusers. So it is important for abused children to be healed physically, and more importantly, emotionally.

*It is also important for parents to be their children's first teachers: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Teach good things to children, and they will do good things. (Of course there are other influences that could affect a child's behavior, but his learnings from home would still have the greatest effect on his character.)

*A very good quote: "Teach people only their rights, you gain CHAOS. Teach people their responsibilities, you gain REVIVAL." - George Washington
--------------------------------------------
Topic 3: Sharing the Legacy of Selfless Service
Speaker: Kuya Kinson Asibushi, Miriam College (i'm not sure if i spelled his name correctly. sorry kuya, kung mali.)

Basically, he just presented the social services offered at Miriam. I noted down the striking words I found in his presentation.

*Take the path of servanthood.

*Agents of Change: truth, justice, peace, integration of creation

*See. Judge. Act.

*Stand Out. Make a difference. Be a volunteer.

**The background music in his presentation had an equally important message. I posted it on the Videos section of this site. It's from one of my fave bands, Goo Goo Dolls!**
---------------------------------------------
Topic 4: The Creation of "The Caring Jesus GK Elementary School"
Speaker: Kuya Dino Pineda

Three things:

1. Sa GK, walang iwanan. Sa GK, lahat ay bayani!

2. Rebel! (definition: to reject accepted conventions of behaviour) Go against the flow! Be the change. Be the light.
1 Timothy 6:18-19. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

3. Commitment! "Ang mamatay ng dahil Sa'yo!"

~To live is to serve. To serve is to live. Less for self. More for others.~

dreams are my reality.. ^_^

Follow Your Dream [Olivia Mari Bugunu]

How do you build a dream
When you don't know a clue
When you are unsure
Of what's a lie and what is true?

How do you follow a dream
When the path's unknown
When you don't know the way
And you are feeling alone?

How do you share a dream
When no one seems to care
When everyone has his own world
When everything seems unfair?

How do you believe
A dream might ever come true
When you don't believe in yourself
And in the things that you can do?

Follow your dream
And don't be afraid
When you feel so lost
Only courage can be your aid.

-i got this poem from my tutee's activity sheet. i liked the message so i copied it. ^_^

i do believe that dreams come true. yeah, i'm a believer!

Matthew 19:26. But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

oh yeah! come to think of it, may connection pala ang poem na ito sa verse na nabasa ko kagabi. ngayon ko lang na-realize. astig! galing talaga ni Lord! not only is He consistent, He also makes it a point that everything has connection. ang nice! lahat may dahilan, lahat konektado. nice!

cge, tutor muna ako. [tapos ng mag-install ng mga kelangan for acads.] ^_^

may MP na naman!

"The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers." (R.W. Hamming)

For instance, there is more to solving the linear system Ax=b than getting a set of numbers we call the solution vector.

-yan ang nakasulat sa 1st part ng problem description ng MP namin. haha. c'mon! o diba, hindi lang puro computation sa course namin, may words of wisdom din. hehe.

*****

this day is a day like no other!

naglalakad naman ako every class day from balara to eee pero ngayon lang ako natamaan ng bola ng mga naglalarong grade school students ng UPIS. pero instead na mainis, napangiti na lang ako lalo na nung nag-sorry sila. ang cute kasi! ang lakas pa ng pagkakasabi nila, "sorry po!"

hay. bigla ko tuloy naisip yung SAGIP kids ng tawi-tawi. i miss them so much. gusto kong pumunta dun at makipaglaro sa kanila. tama talaga yung theme ng Sagip Congress, "sa bawat ngiti nila, sarap muling maging bata."

another happy thing: bukas ang chapel! yey! hehe. nagbubukas lang kasi ang chapel pag may mass. pero kanina, after my first class, open siya! may ikakasal kasi. sayang nga lang kasi hindi ko naabutan yung ceremony. kailangan ko na kasing pumunta sa next class ko. nasa kabilang ibayo kasi yun e, malayo sa kabihasnan. haha. ang cute ng motif, blue. pero hindi yung malungkot na blue. ang ganda nga e. tapos ang puti pa ng mga sponsor kaya ang ganda tuloy tingnan. na-imagine ko na tuloy yung kasal nina mommy. dapat pumuti pa ako ng konti para bagay din sken yung gown. hehe. hmmm, naisip ko lang, sa UP din kaya ako magpakasal? haha. c'mon! at syempre kumpleto na ang entourage ko. pati motif napag-isipan ko na rin. may touch ng pink of course! hehe. groom na lang ang kulang. haha. kaloka.

tapos kanina pauwi, habang nasa jeep, narinig ko yung song ni taylor swift. ang ganda talaga nun. ang sarap sa tenga. kaya lang ang lungkot e. "he's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar, the only one who's got enough of me to break my heart." huhu. ang lungkot diba? buti na lang hindi na ako nakakarelate. hehe. eto na yung kanta ko ngayon, "i'm not missing you.." ahehe. ang tapang! hayayay.

ayun lang. konting kwento lang. acad mode na uli.

hindi ko na natuloy yung series of posts ko (in the stillness). hopefully this weekend. basta masisingit ko rin yun. hehe.

before i end, eto pala ang ilan sa text messages na nareceive ko lately. share lang. ^_^

*****

~In order for you to move on, you must understand what you felt, why you felt it, and why you should no longer feel it. [hmm..]

~People must try to be sensitive of other's feelings. Because not everyone is strong enough to endure pain. After all, there's no anesthesia for a broken heart. [c'mon! ang drama! haha.]

~Just because something feels good doesn't mean we should pursue it. Remember that a right thing in the wrong time is still wrong. [hmm.. parang we had the right love at the wrong time.. haha.. somewhere down the road.. uy, hindi ako nakaka-relate ha? hehe. defensive.. pero hindi talaga, naalala ko lang yung song, at oo, may naalala rin ako.. haha..]

~Other people's opinion of you doesn't have to become your reality. Those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it. I don't know the key to success, but one key to failure is to please everyone. So why waste time thinking about what others will tell you? Instead, do what makes you happy. [tama soulmate! agree!]

~Love and death are two uninvited guests. Nobody knows when they come, but both do the same work: one takes the heart, and the other takes its beat. [hmm. uli. hehe.]

~The strongest people have the worst problems, the worst trials, the worst situations. It's not because God wants them to suffer, but it's because God trusts them so much. He gave them something He knows they can overcome. [i believe so.]

~When someone tells you you're not good enough and you don't matter anymore to anyone, and that you don't deserve to live because you're a total failure, take it easy. Be silent. Smile. People with sense don't entertain lies. Even when the whole world turns you down, who can be against you when Heaven's Best humbled Himself and died for you? As long as He loves you for being who you are, life is beautiful. That's what matters most. [korek!]

~To keep something, you must care for it; more, you must understand what kind of care it requires. [oo nga.]

~Never change your originality for the sake of others. Because in this world, no one can play your role better than you. So be yourself and win the world. [yun e!]

~No matter how wasted you think you are, there will always be someone who will love you because you're not like anyone else. [aww. such a sweet thought.]

~This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. There is more to life than just here and now. [oo naman!]

~Staying with someone you really like even if you know it's better letting go is like standing under the rain. It feels good but you know it's gonna make you sick. [pano yun, i love the rain pa naman. hehe. pero syempre i love myself more. and i'm taking care of it. so if i would stand under the rain, i'll make sure i have an umbrella. ^_^]

~God is the engineer of life and He has a great plan for us. But we are still the carpenters and we should construct our lives according to His plans. [tama uli!]

~The harder you try to forget something, the more you think about it unconsciously. [hmm. is that so? siguro nga. kasi when i stopped trying to forget about something/someone, mas hindi ko na yun/siya naiisip e. so tama nga siguro. hehe.]

~In life, there are 5 balls to juggle: God, family, friends, health, and work. Only work is made of rubber, the rest are made of glass - don't drop them. [very true.]

~"(the feeling of) Love is like a great misfortune, a monstrous parasite, a permanent state of emergency that ruins all small pleasures." - S. Zizek [nyay! ang nega naman ng definition niya ng love.]

~Developing new emotions for someone is easy. The hard part is, getting rid of the old emotions you had for someone else. [o? hindi nga? hehe.]

~God's promises are like stars, the darker the night, the brighter they shine. Happiness is not what you get from life, it is what you give to others. [korek!]

~"Ang tenga kapag pinagdikit, korteng puso. Extension ng puso ang tenga, kaya kapag marunong kang makinig, marunong kang magmahal." [another wisdom from Bob Ong]

~You can tell if that person is someone special coz no matter what kind of mood you are in, he/she can always manage to make you smile. [i therefore conclude that my special someone is althea samantha. hehe. uy, hindi ako tomboy ha? si sam yung cute na baby na alaga ng tita ko. ^_^ meron pa palang isa, si elijah. yung anak ng isa sa kumakanta sa UP during the 12nn Tuesday masses. hehe. ang cute cute niyang bata. para siyang may sariling mic. hehe.]

*****

ayun lang. ^_^

God bless everyone! Smile. Life is beautiful!

in the stillness.. [part 3]

before i begin with the third part of my sharing, konting intermission muna. *wink*

my brother is doing research on sports. project daw nila sa school. it should have been an easy task but the thing is, bawal yung may kaparehong sport. 7 sports ang required per student. i asked my brother, "bakit hindi na lang yung mga simple ang gawin mo? basketball, baseball, yung mga ganun?" he said in reply, "may gagawa na nun e." i asked again, "sinong nag-assign niyan? dapat nag-volunteer ka na agad nung inassign ng teacher niyo para yung madali ang napunta sa'yo." i was humbled by his response, "e kasi ate mga galing probinsya yung mga kaklase ko. karamihan sa kanila wala pang masyadong alam sa internet. e tayo, meron." grabe, i'm so proud of my brother. who would have thought na ganun pala siya ka-sensitive sa needs ng iba? kaya niyang magbigay, mag-sacrifice kung kailangan para sa iba. natuwa lang ako. sabi ni mama pareho lang naman daw kame. wala lang, hindi ko lang agad nakita yung ganung side ni arnold. i mean alam ko namang mabait siya. pero nagulat pa rin ako. maybe i underestimated my brother's heart. pero i'm happy. now i know him better. ^_^

and now the continuation of my reflection..

08.21.08

1 Samuel 5 and Job 1:21

the message found in Job 1:21 is about faithfulness to the Lord. "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." alam ko na-share ko na 'to before pero eto naman yung naisip kong interpretation ngayon: all we have is God's. we're just stewards. so we cannot keep what God does not want us to keep. yet we should trust that His will is perfect. kunin man Niya yung mga bagay/tao sa buhay naten, hindi dapat mawala yung faith naten sa Kanya. because He knows best.

******
08.22.08

Exodus 33 (Moses prays for God's presence)

ang pinakamagandang part e yung verse 14. And the Lord said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." ang nice lang kasi God affirmed that He won't leave us. ^_^

*****
08.23.08

GK Sagip Congress - that deserves another post. ^_^

nakakatuwa yung verses na nabasa namin ni mae. soul sisters talaga kame. hehe. pareho kasing "calling" yung theme e.

Jeremiah 1 (Jeremiah Called to be a Priest)
verse 5: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.

verse 7-8: But the Lord said to me:
"Do not say, 'I am a youth.'
For you shall go to whom I send you
And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Do not be afraid of their faces
For I am with you to deliver you."

Mark 1:14-45.

verse 15: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.

verse 17: Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."

*****
err, kelangan ko na palang umalis. Tongues Workshop na. later na lang uli. sana.

God bless everyone! ^_^

in the stillness.. [part 2]

as promised, may part 2. ^_^

08.19.08

i woke up with a verse in mind. i dreamt about it and it just never left my memory. i opened the Bible to see what it says. and i swear, goosebumps were all over me upon reading it.

the verse was: Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers...

if you would read the whole chapter, you'd find out that it's about Paul's ministry of the Gospel of Christ. to me, it was an assurance, an affirmation that God indeed sees everything, and to Him, nothing is in vain, not even my slightest effort. as long as i serve Him, i have nothing to worry about what people may think or say about me. because whatever story they'd come up with, GOD IS MY WITNESS! He knows the truth. that's how i interpreted that verse. and i am thankful for that message. ^_^

my day went well. and after praying, God led me to Jeremiah 9:23-24.
Thus says the Lord:
"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom
Let not the mighty man glory in his might
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches

But let him who glories glory in this
That he understands and knows Me
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth
For in these I delight."

a simple reminder that all glory and praise belongs to God and not to us - not to me, not to anyone else.

mae shared Jeremiah 3:19-25. verse 22 was the most striking: "Return to Me, you, rebellious ones. And I will cure you of your rebelling."

sabi nga ni mae, God is so forgiving. sana raw hindi Siya magsawa. well i believe so. because God would never give up on us. His mercy endures forever and His love is everlasting. ^_^

*****
08.20.08

i read Ezra 3 (The Restoration of Worship). verse 11 says, And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord. For He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel. (compare to Psalm 136)

i thought of this song:

Heart of Worship

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search must deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search must deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus

enough said. ^_^

mae shared Romans 3:28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, apart from the deeds of the law.

it's all about two things: faith in God and personal relationship with Him.

i forgot to mention in my last post, mae shared 2 Thessalonians 3:2-3 last Tuesday. And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

ang ganda no? again, assurance that God is faithful and that He will always protect us from any harm.

*****
bukas na lang yung part 3. moment muna kame ni God. ^_^

in the stillness.. [part 1]

please bear with me for this is a long post. i just can't help but share..

the previous week has been among the most meaningful weeks of my life. so many things have happened. so many decisions have been made. and i must say, i have no regrets. ^_^

i should have been at the UP Sunken Garden, i should have been one of the participants of the GK 1 MB Rally, but i decided not to come. because i miss God. i told kuya don that i suddenly felt the need to be still, look back, and reflect first on the so many inputs that God has given me during the weeks that passed. and so, that's what i'm doing...

it all started last Sunday, August 17.
*****
08.17.08
[taken from my journal... ellipses represent the omitted parts]

today, i renewed my commitment to the Lord. and i am happy to start again. for quite a while, i haven't been able to spend time talking to God in a personal prayer time. yes, i do pray and talk to Him regularly, but i have ceased from spending/dedicating the 21st hour of the day with/to Him. but now, i resolved to bring back the 9pm prayer time again. and what's nice about it is the fact that i'm spending it with mae.... we agreed to share with each other the verses to which we were lead after our personal prayers. and amazingly, both of the verses we've read tonight were about faith and trust, and consistent with the Gospel which was about the persistent Canaanite woman.

from Mae: Sirach 2:1-6
"My son, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in times of adversity. Cling to Him, forsake Him not; thus will your future be great. Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune, be patient; for in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation. Trust God and He will help you; make straight your ways and hope in Him."

God led me to: Psalm 11:1 (In the Lord I put my trust...) and Psalm 9 (Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Lord's Righteous Judgments)
Verses 1-2 and 9-10 were the most striking.

1-2: I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

9-10: The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

indeed God is moving. and He is a consistent God. i missed Him, i missed talking to Him. this time, i would no longer let go of the chance to spend quality time with Him. i love the Lord. He loves me most.

*****
08.18.08

date with tweet2.

i missed them terribly and i have resolved to meet with them regularly. i decided to take better care of my relationships. i have come to realize that indeed, old friends are the best ones to keep. but that doesn't mean i no longer value new friendships. it's just that those who have been with me for the longest time are the ones who really know me and have come to accept me for all that i was, i am, and will become. that's why i'm taking care of my relationships (both old and new). because i want them to last. ^_^

God's message after my prayer time came from 2 Samuel 12 and Ecclesiastes 5:1-5

2 Samuel 12 (Nathan Rebukes David)
the most striking verses were 22-23. [i recommend that you read the whole chapter. it's quite long but it's an interesting story.]

And he said, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." [this was David's reply when his servants questioned him about his reaction on the death of his child]

my understanding/realization is this: make known to God your petitions, tell Him your desires, but trust that His plans are bigger than ours. He knows better, and no matter how much we pray for something, if it is not His will, He won't make it happen. just like the saying, "do your best and God will do the rest." just do your best and leave the results to God. at kung ano man ang maging answer Niya, i-grant man Niya o hindi yung prayer natin, maniwala lang tayo na yun yung best for us. don't get mad/frustrated. hindi nagkakamali si God. ^_^

Ecclesiastes 5:1-5 (Fear God and Keep Your Word)
1: Walk prudently when you go to the house of God and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know what they do evil.
2: Do not be rash with your mouth
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God
For God is in heaven and you on earth
Therefore let your words be few.
3: For a dream comes through much activity
And a fool's voice is known by his many words.
4: When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it
For He has no pleasure in fools
Pay what you have owed
5: Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.

Verses 4-5 had the most effect on me. same thing as never make a promise that you can't keep.

by the way, something caught my attention while we (mars, binoy, vincci, and i) were walking to SC for merienda. it's a tarp which says: God is able to do immeasurable! ang ganda no? and i believe it's true! with God, indeed, all things are possible. and true enough, His power is LIMITLESS!

*****
ok, para hindi naman masyadong mahaba, i'll end this post here. may part 2 na lang. hehe.

last week..

my previous week has been a busy week (as usual).. but it was full of fruitful moments worth sharing.. ^_^

Household Leaders' Training @ Holy Trinity Parish, Village East, Cainta Rizal
08.13.08

Speaker: Kuya Marlon Lim (Chapter Head, Manggahan Chapter)
Topic: Building a Relationship with your Members

share lang. i have already decided not to attend this training. una sa lahat, galing pa ako sa tutorial. pangalawa, maaga ang pasok ko kinabukasan. at higit sa lahat, gabi na at siguradong puyatan na naman yun. hindi na nga nawawala yung pimples ko dahil sa walang humpay na stress at puyat. hehe. pero ok lang, sabi nga ng isang barkada ni utol, "wag mong ikahiya ang pimples mo, pinagpuyatan mo yan." haha. at syempre nakahanap siya ng paraan para ma-justify ang pagkakaroon ng pimples ng mga tao. hehe. sa bagay, may punto naman siya. *wink*

anyway, yun nga, hindi dapat ako pupunta. pero kinukulit ako ni Lord. para talagang hinihila yung paa ko papunta dun. at dahil si Lord na ang tumatawag, i just couldn't say no. right after my tutorial, kumain lang ako tapos umalis na. at syempre nasa kanto na si dongz so medyo naghintay na naman siya saken. sakto naman pagdating namin dun, magsisimula pa lang. buti na lang at may tinatawag na "SFC time". hehe. at yun na, kaya pala dinala ako ni Lord dun dahil gusto Niyang marinig ko yung mga sasabihin Niya through Kuya Marlon. at eto yung message ni God that night:

*all of us are spiders anointed to watch over our webs (members) - chapter heads should watch over the unit heads; the unit heads over the household heads; the household heads over the members

*we should not take it as responsibility but as service (when you take it as a responsibility, kahit masakit sa loob mo, ginagawa mo pa rin because you are obliged to; when you take it as a service, you'll do it with a cheerful heart.)

*God's intellect, God's will, God's plan is beyond human understanding. (we may not yet understand why we're in the community, why we're in this situation, but God does and He knows what's best for us.)

*what we should practice in the community is evangelistic headship - continuous evangelization; accountability (we don't just invite people to the CLP, we will look after them all throughout their lives)

*all the people around should see God inside us

*the entire chapter is to serve each member - if you are a good shepherd, irregardless if the sheep belongs to you or not, you will take care of it (hindi dahil hindi member ng household mo, wala ka ng pakialam. you should care for each and every member.)

Guidelines for Evangelistic Headship

1. Gentleness - don't use harsh words; never judge anyone.

2. Personal Concern - know your members not just on the outside but more importantly, inside; know them to the point that you no longer need to ask about their concerns, because you already know what's in their minds and hearts.

3. Diligence & Perseverance - continuously embrace your members; never give up on them; don't get tired; paulit-ulit mong yakapin at suyuin ang members mo.

4. Integrity - all of us are sinners, but we can regain our integrity when we admit our sins and ask for God's mercy; when you come before God, ask Him for forgiveness and ask Him to bless you, your integrity will be whole again.

*As long as God wants to use you, He will give you life.

5. Encouragement - everytime your member falls, wag mo na siyang tapakan uli; just help him stand up again.

*the more you push people toward God, the more pleased the Lord becomes.

*the Lord is expecting you to change until the day you die; every day is a day of renewal; encourage your members to just continue changing their lives and don't be disheartened when they fail.

Fruits of Evangelistic Headship

1. Confidence - your members will trust you

2. Mutual Respect - respect is only given to an individual who deserves it

3. Love - love conquers all

Lesson from the Bee: "soldier" bees give their lives just to protect their hive. they will sting an intruder/possible threat without considering the fact that the moment they do it, they will die. the question for us to ponder on is this: are we willing to give our lives for our chapter? for the community? for the Lord? when the devil attacks our member, are we willing to fight against satan to protect our fellow or we would be indifferent and just let that member fall?

yun lang. ang simple ng talk ni Kuya Marlon, pero malaman. i have no regrets. kahit pa naglakad kame mula village east chapel hanggang junction dahil akala namin malapit lang yun. hehe.

*****

last thursday, alpha and i went to SM North Edsa para panoorin ang mall tour ng Planetshakers. tapos kahapon naman, todo worship kame sa Sonicflood Concert sa Araneta. (thanks to mae!) ^_^

*God is here. Let the broken-hearted rejoice. God is here. Let the sick say "I am well." God is here. Let the weak say "I am strong." God is here.*

lessons. lessons.

Embraced by the Father: Sisters' Mega Household @ Ate Babes' Place
08.08.08

*Our self-image is composed of three things: how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how God sees us.

The first two differ among individuals, but the third one is constant. This is how God sees us (no matter who we think and others think we are):

1. We are His children. Romans 8:14-17 [For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.]

2. We are holy. Leviticus 19:2 ["..You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy."]

3. We are called to be saints. 1 Corinthians 2

4. We are chosen; set apart to belong to God. 1 Peter 2:9 [But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.]

5. We are precious in His sight. 1 Peter 2:4 [Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious..] - I particularly liked the highlighted line. It affirms that no matter how people look at us, no matter how they treat us, WE ARE GOD's CHOSEN, and WE ARE PRECIOUS no matter how useless or insignificant we are in the eyes of men.

6. We are made in His image and likeness. Genesis 1:27 [So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.]

7. We are being transformed into His image. 2 Corinthians 3:18 [But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.]

8. We are a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 [Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.]
*****
Homily by Father Babes Amper: Mass @ Lifehomes Subd. Chapel
08.10.08

*There are two ways of living life: to live as if nothing is a miracle, and to live as if everything is a miracle.
*We must see God even in the ordinary things.
*God walks with us. He is always present. We just need to focus on Him.
*According to J.K. Rowling, we don't need magic to transform the world because deep inside us, we have the power to do that. If we believe that God is within us, we are powerful.
*****
Homily by Father Jojo Monis: Mass @ The Parish of the Holy Sacrifice, UP Diliman
08.12.08

Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Verse 3)

What is it about a child that makes him qualified to enter the kingdom of heaven? Father Jojo gave two characteristics:

1. Humility - this we should practice when dealing with men. we are by no means above any other. stay humble because in truth, we have really nothing to be boastful about.

2. Trust and Dependence - this we should have when dealing with God. we need to trust Him fully. and we have to depend on no one but Him.
*****
~Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.~

~Judge by God's standards, not by man's.~

(aiza)relax ka lang.. [late posts]

i've been so busy during the previous week/s. pero syempre in between my "busy modes" nakukuha ko pang magsulat. hindi ko nga lang napopost. hehe. at dahil ngayon lang ako nakapagnet uli, sasamantalahin ko na ang pagkakataon. haha.

eto yung mga nasulat ko last week. marami pang nangyari at marami pa akong realizations. pero next time na lang siguro yung sharing kasi limited lang ang time ko dito, i need to go home early para naman ma-experience ko ang salitang "mahimbing na tulog". hehe. opo, medyo limot ko na naman ang salitang yun e. idlip siguro, oo. hay.

pero basta happy naman ako. ^_^

08.06.08

relax ka lang, relax ka lang, relax ka lang
paminsan-minsan ay kelangan yan
relax ka lang, relax ka lang, relax ka lang
easy lang, pumetix ka na naman

[astig ang kamikazee!] perfect song to soothe my weary soul.
hayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. [veeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy loooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggggg siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh].

you may ask, "are you ok?"
well, obviously, i'm not.
honestly, i've been bountifully blessed today. thing is, i was also fooled, deceived, stupefied.

haha. of course i'm over-reacting. i hate to say (and am not used to saying) bad words so i might as well keep quiet. kung ganon, para saan pa ang post na ito? hehe. tamang kulit lang. nakakabaliw. i told him that i'm going to fix my life and i would begin by throwing away all the trashes. technically, i'm going to "empty my recycle bin". wala ako sa mood magkwento at malamang sa malamang hindi na dumating yung moment na yun. nagsusulat lang ako kasi gusto ko. hehe. like i've said countless times before, blogging is my stress-reliever. at dahil sandamakmak na stress ang inabot ko ngayon, kelangan talagang magbawas or better, mag-eliminate. ^_^ hindi ko na alam kung makakaya ko pa, di bale na lang kaya. haha. ok na ako! ang bilis no?! hehe. kulang lang pala sa kanta. hayayay. ganito lang talaga ako. konting iyak, konting daldal/sulat, tapos back to being the cheerful/bubbly me again. pasensya na kung walang kwenta ang post na ito. wala kasi talaga akong kwenta. hehe. [naalala ko tuloy yung song ng PnE(Parokya ni Edgar), yung Halaga - siguro ay hindi niya lang alam ang 'yong tunay na halaga. wala lang. sabi ni mama, bagay daw saken yun. hehe. at isa pang hehe. =p]

whew! sabi ko nga ok na ako. hehe. at dahil dyan, matutulog na ako. haha. bukas ko na lang siguro ipopost 'to. o di kaya sa isang bukas, o wag na lang kaya? hmm. hehe. hindi ako masyadong madaldal no? marami pa akong kelangang gawin. pero sa ngayon, matutulog muna talaga ako. wag na kayong magtanong kung bakit. alam niyo naman yung sagot e. syempre gabi na. haha. at gusto ko na talagang magpahinga. kapagod - physically, mentally, emotionally. (ayun e, emotionally ba kamo? haha. oo, tama. emotionally sick na naman ang lola niyo. e kasi naman. pero keri lang. ako pa! si unaiza ata ako. yuna/unai/aiza: nag-iisa lang ako at walang katulad. =p at higit sa lahat, kailanman, hindi ako susuko! belat.)

magandang gabi, magandang umaga, magandang tanghali, kung saang lupalop man kayo ng mundo naroroon.^_^

peace be with you! God rules! i love Him. He loves me most.

************************************************************
08.04.08

Sunday Lessons

First Reading: Isaiah 55:1-3
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145 (The hand of the Lord feeds us; He answers all our needs.)
Second Reading: Romans 8:35, 37-39
Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21

I would like to share some of Father Gil's lines during his Homily.

*Jesus is the Bread of Life. We ought to be the "Bread of Life" for others.
*Paano ka magkakaroon kung hindi ka marunong magbahagi?
*Only generosity produces generosity. Only love produces love. If you want people to change, LOVE them.
*Christian love is giving till it hurts. (and loving till it hurts?)
*Selfishness is the work of the devil. Selfishness is death, because it never grows.
*There is no rich that cannot share. There is no rich that cannot receive.

Lastly, the quote from Mel & Joey: In order to heal, you have to let go.

************************************************************
Talk 5: The Christian Ideal: Loving God
Speaker: Ate Jing Mandac
03 August 2008

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strength." -Mark 12:30-

Love God with all your heart: based on decision; commitment
*prayers are always answered (with "yes", with "no", with "wait")
*an effective prayer lies in the position of our hearts

Love God with all your mind: free your mind of evil thoughts; keep your mind clean and holy

Love God with all your strength: offer your time, talent, and treasure
*don't set limits on what you can give
*give with a cheerful heart

Three things we must remember about God:
1. God is love.
2. God is big. (His ways are not our ways. His will is big enough to accommodate you.)
3. God is truth. (Let the Scripture be your final answer.)

*include God in your daily normal life.

Let God be God. He knows best.
Let God be the center of your life.
Let God be your love.

*i'm so blessed i can't contain it..*