I enrolled this afternoon for second semester. I'm taking Hebrew 2, New Testament Theology and Pastoral Theology. I'm excited about Pastoral Theology subject. It will be taught by Ptr. Albert Clavo, senior pastor of Lighthouse Christian Community in Alabang. Downside is the class is from 9AM-4PM and will be held in LCC in Alabang, Muntinlupa. I have no idea, how to go there and how far it is, but I'm really excited to learn from Ptr. Clavo. I'm thinking I have to find a place to stay near Alabang Tuesday evenings because since the car is color-coded, it would be very difficult to commute from Caloocan to Muntinlupa, literally from north to south of Manila. After enrollment Erene, Mutya and I went to see a movie "Open Season" and had dinner.

Next week I'm off to APTS in Baguio for a young adults convergence. Then end of November I'm going to BOHOL!!! Finally. I'm going to dive with my dive buddies in Balicasag Island. This would be my second time to dive.

Joey Velasco's Hapag

I stumbled again upon this magnificent painting entitled Hapag by Joey Velasco at Clickthecity.com. First time I saw this was in a brochure at an art gallery in Megamall. Very moving piece.

We Will Wait

by Ron Kenoly

We will run and not grow weary | We will walk and will not faint | For the Lord will go before us | And His joy will be our strength | Mounting up with wings as eagles | As our spirits start to soar | When we come into His presence | And we wait upon the Lord

We will wait upon the Lord | For in His presence is fullness of joy | And our strength will be restored | As we wait upon the Lord

Nothing without You

by Bebo Norman

Take these hands and lift them up | For I have not the strength to praise You near enough | For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

Take my voice and pour it out | Let it sing the songs of mercy I have found | For I have nothing | I have nothing without You

[+] All my soul needs is all Your love to cover me | So all the world will see that I have nothing without You

Take my body and build it up | May it be broken as an offering of love | For I have nothing | I have nothing without You

With all my heart | With all my soul | With all my mind | With all the strength that I can find

Take my time here on this earth and let it glorify all that You are worth | For I am nothing | I am nothing without You

This week finished off good. God is so good. Even last few days have been cramming to the max, I still managed to do them with God's help.

Last Friday, I dropped by the office to meet my boss. She just came from Japan. I'm glad that our ordeal with the e-mail thing is over. It's really great to be back working again together with her. I admit I'm not so good with minor supervision, which I'm trying to work on now that it dawned to me. But it was a refresher that I'm back at the office. I realized I missed that sense of industry in me and I needed that.

Saturday, our youth is getting better now that we're doing fellowship and cellgroups alternately. I'm glad that I have a reliable set of leaders (Zarah, Candy, Brznf, Lawrence, Zarah Grace, Richard) that shares the passion and responsibilities in ministering to the youth. They make my tasks easier and manage with the different responsbilities going on with me.

I don't like it right now that I'm such a busy person. Last few weeks have been a wakener for me when all ministry roles demanded so much from me, particularly from Book of Hope and Chi-Alpha. I mean I love them all but I can't be at two places. These are the times when you just want to duplicate myself or something (but that won't be good either). But man, I have to refocus. In fact, now that I think of it, it would be better if I focus all my energies to a few things. Including relationships. People say I've been focusing too much on ministry that's why I'm missing out on relationships. Which I think is true.

Sunday, I spoke today on Isaiah 40:27-31. It was a timely message for all of us. I have to wait on the Lord. There's something remarkable about speaking to yourself as you speak to people. I crammed a bit about getting the message out and without Him it would be a disaster. It was all Him who touched the hearts of the people, gave me enough strength to proclaim His Word with confidence and conviction. Today I just spoke about how great our God is.. that's what we ought to hear for so long. I feel we've been teaching people to fix their own problems, much like a self-help book, when all we need to do is to speak of our God, His love, His mercy, His power, His greatness, His holiness and it would move hearts of people longing for an intimate fellowship with Him. I'm grateful for my Worship and Music professor Roce Anog for teaching me that.

It's not about us. It's all about Him.

Please include me in your prayers:

• Financial support for 2nd semester
• Physical, emotional and mental strength and protection against enemy attacks
  
• BFGFC youth ministry, discipleship and campus ministry
• Relationships
  

Finally, I'm done with my major paper. I'm still thinking if I'm still gonna submit the minor ones. But nevertheless a big weigh is already lifted off my shoulders. Finally gotta relax even for a while, cause I have to still do some projects for APCC. Yesterday, I got some major electronic nagging from my boss. It's totally my fault though. This sem, I spread myself too thin because of all the responsibilities I got. I'm caught between APCC and campus ministry. I am really torn, both demanding full attention. I'm back in this phase of choosing again. I promised myself that I would eventually focus on one by next year as I transition and test the waters. Please pray for me.

Today I finally got the hang of writing my term paper for a subject at school. And when it hits you the thoughts and ideas just flow. In half a day I was able to write 6 of minimum 10 pages required. But loooking at my scope I'm afraid still at 70% of my paper. It's my mom's birthday today, I couldn't believe I almost forgot this morning, my brother had to remind me, I think he just remembered when he came back for lunch. At 4PM, even though I don't want to leave the computer because I was so into the paper, I drove to school to submit my papers for another subject. I submitted the paper, then left. Dropped by Red Ribbon in Pasong Tamo to buy a cake for mom. Man, the people there are so disorganized. The queues getting long until our silent suffering was broken by a very angry manly lesbian customer demanding to speed up her order. They were like cockroaches startled then began scuttling around for cover...

I'm so edgy right now with what's happening with work. I love my boss and my job. It's just my boss sends like tons of e-mail like it's hard to sort out which one they want me to do. And they want me to acknowledge everything they said. For example, one e-mail's like 10 paragraphs long just for 3 brief instructions.. grr. Why do women talk so much? It's crowding my head right now. Just give it to me in brief, straight and in bullet points. Is that too much to ask?

I realized I haven't blogged for a while. Last week had been busy because of school. School days are over, but there are still requirements to be done. I have finished some papers but as if it never runs out.

Even in the midst of paper cramming, I still manage to see a drama prepared by Manila Faith youth in their 31st anniversary this evening. The play is entitled "Bubungang Lata" by a renowned Filipino playwright which I already forgot the name. The concept is great. A central stage and the audience surrounds the stage. The setting is a make-shift skeleton of a shanty house so viewers couuld see the drama inside. That was really a great concept. Definitely a good resource back-up in the future. The actors are as always, coming from Manila Faith youth, versatile and great. I've always admired MFAG drama productions for their systematic and detailed productions. I stayed later in Kuya Jess' parsonage for coffee and cake and went home really late. But it was a refreshing time of encouragement and sharing. I needed that. They're having a sembreak camp in a few weeks in Pundaquit, Zambales. I hope I could join them. It would be great to hit the beach.

Today I led worship. Worked on my papers after I led second service. Lunched with family at Tokyo Tokyo. As always scoured every floor of the mall waiting for parents done doing grocery.

Library. Done my last finals exam for this sem. But not yet off cramming for papers. At the moment I'm working on my projects. Some of it already lagging behind. Have a meeting with a client this afternoon.