(This was my account of the recent concert we had in youth as written to Firebrands yahoogroup.)

Praise God for a very, very successful All-out Praise and Worship.. The Lord really moves in MIGHTY ways! It was all God's working. I want to congratulate every person who was behind this concert and all who supported in any way. I know all of us have a story to tell. So let me share mine..

Weeks before I'm already praying for APAW. My prayer was, "Lord, you know how much people (souls) we could accomodate, so I have no qualms whatsoever how much you have determined to send." Sabi ko Lord kayo mas nakakaalam kung ano ang kakayanin namin, kaya wala akong reklamo kung kaunti man yan o marami, but let us be good stewards of your blessings.

Days nearing APAW, I begin to hear some good and bad news.. May bibring na friend si ganito.. tapos yung buoung Lorenzo Ruiz Academy hindi darating kasi tumama sa exams (Pero anjan pa din si Daryl at Andrew! :P), some people from Metro e hindi din darating. Tapus yung mga CD promotion natin nagloloko pa! So it was a 50-50 projection on my part. But I was postive of a good outcome, but not like THIS!

So nung kinaumagahan, paggising ko, bumabagyo.. lakas ng hangin at ulan. Isip ko 'tsk, eto na naman'. Umalis kami ni Lawrence ng house mga 10.. mejo tumila yung ulan, pero along the way palakad sa church inabot kami at nabasa. In a sense na-dampen din yung spirit namin, kasi we're placed in a situation na hindi namin matakasan. Basam-basa kami, sapatos, pantalon, t-shirt... tapos wala pang dalang extra. Nakakadrain ng patience. I sang worship songs within myself. I was thinking about Jesus and how he calmed the storm and His other miracles because in Him all things are possible! But during those ordeal I felt God was saying, "I can cause the sky to rain that people would not come to the concert, but so that you may not glory on yourselves (human ability), you need to trust me, and watch what I WILL DO." Pagdating sa church, kasama namin si Mark & Richard, inaayos yung place tapos out of nowhere namatay lahat ng kuryente (parang overload pero hindi kasi wala naman maraming nakasaksak). So kinabahan na naman kami. Pero after calling pastor & bro juanito, naayos din namin yung kuryente and we're back... So by 4PM.. people started coming and the rest was history ika nga (More than 100 young people came!) And throughout and after the event, I pondered, this was not work of people, lest of individual persons, it was the work of the Lord. Ika nga we sow, "but God makes it grow."

Talagang nakaka-amaze si God ano? Sana maencourage po kau sa testi ko. Let's pray that this will be a start of greater things to come from God!

A retreat to the calm
I pour my soul from within me
Bathe in the stream of light
of His perfect and soothing presence
'Til it leaves me refreshed
Still wanting more and still more
May it be my dying day
Be same as what it is today
When You made known Yourself
As I retreat to the calm

Came home 3 hours ago from band practice. This Saturday we're having an evangelistic concert at church. I'm singing in the first half. My bro sings in the second. The songs are almost ironed out. Can't wait 'til Sat. Everyone's excited! I miss playing in a band. I mean in a professional band like before minus the mishaps, just the music. I wanna form a CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) band. I want to express my musicality and jam with those who understand passion, musicality and craft. My musicality is in a stretcher. Perfectionist? A little. I believe what my Music & Worship professor shared during class. Our music should represent if not contain the MAJESTY of the King of Kings. Those are some serious words.

Psalm 45:10-12 (NASB)

Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear:
Forget your people and your father's house;
Then the King will desire your beauty.
Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.
The daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
The rich among the people will seek your favor.

1. As a son of God, I must listen and take heed to the Words of the Father.
2. I must put off my identity for His identity; I should put Him above all relationships. ("He who doesn't hate his father or mother is not worthy of Me" - Jesus)
   
3. It is only then that I will be seen righteous in His sight.
4. He deserves our worship and submission.
5. The world shall take note of you.
6. And they will seek your help and favor for He is with you.

Lord, may I listen and take heed to your Word always. Help me forget the sinful and imperfect identity even though sometimes I put it on again and left guilty. Let my first priority be only You, in words and in deed. I thank You that through Your Son, I am made beautiful in Your sight. Therefore I will worship You forever because of Your great and mighty Name. And the world will see that You are Lord, You are Lord!

There had been no classes for two days now. Even though the storm is out, winds and rain frequently POUR down like theres no tomorrow. I've been wanting to go to office today to pick up some funds, but the rain is delaying it. My dad took the car to work, so I have to go there and pick it up, then go back so we could go home together. And as if my mood parallels this weather, I'm feeling really idle right now.. Well, what's new about that? For the past weeks I was lagging on God-time - big time. Ministry works doesn't help. It's like being busy but being empty inside. I think I've reached its toll when last Sunday I preached and I felt so bad inside. Hard to explain. It's one of THOSE days again.

For sometime now I've been thinking of getting some source of "bread." Bills and financial responsibilities on the horizon doesn't help either. It's that feeling again of helplessness, but I think that's the time I get to seriously no qualms depend on God. Independence is an annoying trait of cholerics - "if possible do not rely on anyone, they will just fail your expectations." But I know that He is not like that. I believe sometimes we humans perceive God like He needs to fit to our qualificatioins. He has proven Himself before, why not now? The question is: have I proven myself to Him? That question for me needs a lot of thinking. The answer is instant but the question that lingers is why?

Today, I'm trying to pick up myself. I've been catching up on God-time. But that sense of "I have to make it up to Him" rears it head, as if that itself would erase all the doodles on paper. What does God want? I believe it's our acknowledgement of our nothingness. But sometimes I so want to make it up to Him, so that I could subconsciously "take credit" for yet another personal victory over the flesh. But such things are crap. God just wants me to give it up trying to make righteous by myself which is far from becoming a reality by my own means. But thanks be to God for His Son Jesus Christ! So that I will be seen as a holy God sees me, but so that I will be seen in the light of Jesus Christ His Son. In Him is my confidence. He is my sure foundation. The Light of my life. I am made righteous because of Him. I am NOTHING without Christ.

I admire this person I know who always look at the silver lining of every dark cloud. I think her motto about other people is "there's always something good to appreciate about other people - no matter how unbelievable that person is." Well, she bears with me, that's something :) I'm also trying that now but success often seems to elude me.

If someone is reading this, do remember me in your prayers. Everyone's in the journey.

Lately I have become an official bum. Few weeks ago I've stopped going to the office where I used to work. Its effect are getting its toll. I was telling a friend of mine how it has blurred my sense of time and urgency. I have so much free time that I take time easy. I feel idle. To counter that, last week I started a bible study group in Metro Nursing College. We meet twice a week, one in campus, the other for discipleship. Today we had discipleship at church. It was great. Later in the afternoon had class in Hebrew. Attended a funeral service of a church family member in the evening.

Even blogging has been tasking.

Lapit na birthday ko...

Your Birthdate: September 11
Spiritual and thoughtful, you tend to take a step back from the world. You're very sensitive to what's going on around you, yet you remain calm. Although you are brilliant, it may take you a while to find your niche. Your creativity is supreme, but it sometimes makes it hard for you to get things done.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

"They (the Samurai) are an intriguing people. From the moment they wake up they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue. I have never seen such discipline."

"There is so much here I will never understand. I've never been a church-going man, and what I've seen on the field of battle has led me to question God's purpose. But there is indeed something spiritual in this place. And though it may forever be obscure to me, I cannot but be aware of its power."

- Captain Nathan Algren, "The Last Samurai"

"They should name a gender after you. Looking at you doesn't do it. Staring is the only way that makes any sense. And trying not to blink, so you don't miss anything. And all of that, and you're you... It's just you are drop dead, crazy gorgeous! So much so that I'm actually considering looking at you again before we finish up here."

- John Clasky, "Spanglish"

It's a rainy day today. Slept at 3AM this morning working on some posters for our upcoming Youth Worship night, got a little carried away. I was supposed to have a 9AM class today. Woke up 8AM to the sound of rushing wind, literally. Storm was so bad. I hesitated to go to school, knowing streets would be flooded then. But still I felt so bummed out because I wanna go to school but for sure I'm gonna be late, miss the morning quiz and be left embarrassed. Listening to AM radio, they suspended classes only after the students have gone to school, as usual.



I installed this free software called Google Earth where you can view satellite images of locations anywhere in the world. I could put in markers and label locations. I could even view my house from there, so does everyone's house from our youth. Somehow that gives me the creeps... they are watching us. Try also checking out Google Maps.