Opportunity and Change

   I Learned that line from an executive who once persuaded me to join their company, dream big, and earn big. Although I did not like what they offered, that line stayed in my mind for so long. Perspectives, they make a big difference in one’s life.

Matthew 5:13-16  is one Bible passagethat stayed close to my heart.

You are the salt of
the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and be trampled by
men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither
do people light a lamp, and put it under a bowl. Instead the put it on its
stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your
light shine before men, that they may se your good deeds and praise your father
in heaven.

    I have been very familiar with this passage, yet it’s as if  my heart gets stabbed everytime I read it.  More so this semester, as God seems to point out two weeks ago that this is to be my ‘personal vision’ for this semester. Tough.

SALT.

    Back in highschool, we had an experiment in food science where we made Christmas ham. Prior to smoking, it was soaked in brine, until saltiness permeated the very core of the whole slab. I got to take home our group’s finished product, and indeed, it was equally salty from the outside-in. 
   

    Salt is like that. It changes the taste anything you  put it in, to make it like itself. The brine did not taste like pork afterwards, the pork tasted like salt. As for me, it’s as if the Lord is telling me that I shoud influence the ‘world’ rather than be influenced. It’s quite obvious, but Jesus did give a stern warning agains those who have lost saltiness. Far be it from me (us) to be "thrown  out and trampled by men."

LIGHT.

    Light allows everything to be seen. It exposes. It makes darkness disappear wherever it is placed. The brighter it burns, the farther the darkness ‘moves away’ from it. Your light allows others to see and glorify God for who He is.  Context aside,  I remember writing an entry in my journal. It went a little something like this:

Kung sa gitna ng silid ng aking puso, umiilaw ang liwanag ni Kristo, at mawala ang lahat ng dilim, maging ang mga anino ng tanikala ay mawawala.

       All this, for God’s glory…
            Mahirap, pero kaya…

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Sub entry: decisions

Part of my resolve to stop being indecisive is to stick to decisions i’ve made. Call it legalism or dogmatism, I consider it as my way of trying to improve.  Sooner in life, there will be  bigger decisions to face, some will be irrevocable, and most will have consequences. There are times when we can’t just press ‘undo’, so in a way, i’m just trying to live with the consequences…
————————————

*mode = taglish*

The irnoy of it all.

Masakit ang tiyan  ko, and guess what? Dahil sa healthy eating ng magulang ko, puro fibrous ang pagkain namin pag almusa (mais, pinya, wheat bread at oats, pambihira). 9 hours pa naman class ko ngayon. Waah!Buti na lang may saging kina lola…

Question:
Have you died to yourself today?

*Sinusulat ko ito ngayon dahil baka hindi ako humarap sa PC bukas. Sa loob ng 30 minuto ay Nobyembre 19 na.*

"Eto pala si pao, kapatid ko"

"Magkapatid kayo?! di kayo magkamukha!"(1)

"Oo, pareho kami ng birthday"

"Kambal kayo?!" (2)

"Oo. Actually, tatlo kami"

"Ha? Eh, nasaan yung Isa?"

"Wala na…"(3)
——————————————

Ang dayalogo sa taas ay isa lamang sa mga pangkaraniwang usapan sa pagitan ko at ng aking mga nakikilala. Iyan ang tatlong di pangkaraniwang bagay na may kinalaman sa aking pagkatao. Ipinanganak kaming 3 noong ika-2 ng Oktubre 1986. Tama, 3 kami. Si Paolo, ako, at si Philip.

Si Philip ay ipinanganak na mayroong cleft-lip at hydrocephalus. Dahil dito, matagal syang naiwan sa ospital bago siya iuwi. 47 na araw pa lang siya nang bawian sya ng buhay, sanhi ng hydrocephalus. Sa ilang sandali ay ika-20 anibersaryo na ng kanyang pagkamatay. Di ko tuloy lubos maisip kung ano mangyayari kung nabuhay siya, at buo kaming "triplets" ngayon. Thrice the fun kaya? Thrice the kakulitan? Di ko masasabi…

*Nakakpost ako ng marami ngayon kasi wala akong magawa habang nagbuburn yung isang katerbang cd’s sa background…*

No Shortcuts: Reclaiming the Journey of the Cross

From October 24-30, IVCF NCR/REGION IV Held it’s annual Leadership-Discipleship Camp. This time, it was in a place called "The Lord’s Garden", in Laguna. There were around 80 campers and 46 counselors, though not all of us were ther at the same time due to academic requirements in the middle of camp

For me and most of the counselors, we were there from the 22nd til the 31st for pre and post-camp.
View this photoGetting to the campsite involves crossing a river due to a bridge torn-down down by the storm "Milenyo."

I have learned many thing from being a counselor:

1. The little things count. Every stare, wave, hi, hello, smile, or frown  can make a difference.

2. Leadership really is servanthood. The more you lead, the more you serve, and that includes late night plannings, double portion dishwashing, super-kaldero washing, and even foot-washing.

3. God is my strength. Though I have learned this after posting  "Lagare", I was able to apply it to the max, sleeping on the AVERAGE, 4 hours a day for 10 days, all while being stressed out by the decisions that need to be made.

4. Die to Self. Daily. I’ve recently made a commitment to actively remind myself every morning that  "it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me."

5. We weren’t called counselors for nothing. The counselor’s resposibility is primarily to serve God through helping the campers grow and change to become Christ-like. It is a noble task which must be handled with much care, precaution, and fervor.

6.  And, from my journal (October 27): "The question for us, I guess, is not about where and how to die, but where we choose pour out uor life for the glory of the One who deserves it!"

If (implies an active choice) anyone decides to come after Jesus, he must
                     DENY himself… (abandon all deseries which are not from God)
                            TAKE up his cross… (hold on to it, hold on to nothing else, hold on to death)
                                                Follow Christ… (Be like Christ, share in his sufferings)   
                                                       
                      ***Did we really think about this when we chose Christ?***

A nice quote I got hours before I left Manila for the camp, while visiting JB’s church:

"sincere forgiveness isn’t colored with expectations that the other people apologize or change. Don’t worry whetheror not they finally understand you. Love them andrelease them. Life feeds back truth to people in its own wayand time - just like it does for you and me." - Sara Paddison

Simula pa lang ng enrolment, alam ko na na magiging mahaba ito. Ngunit sa simula pa lang, sinabi ko sa sarili ko na gaya ng dati, kaya ni Lord ‘toh!

At tunay nga ang kanyang katapatan, ako’y nagsisilbing saksi sa paggamit Nya sa mga tao upang tulungan at palakasin ako.

"God’s grace comes anytime. ..
it doesn’t wait for
good timing
fair weather
or even prayers to come
wish you all Hios graces
All the time!"

-Always, 
Nov. 15, 10:25am

PI 100 (Nov. 9)
Una akong pumunta sa EEE10 (1pm) na klase, pinalista  kami at pinabalik sa Nov. 13.
Derecho ng MSi, no prerog daw. Ganun din sa Eng10 sa FC. Derecho sa Albert hall, no prerog din sa MBB1. Tapos sa NIGS naman, Geol1, alang prof. Nagtext si olive, may PI100 daw sa FC2075, so lipad ako. On the way, sa pagitan ng EEE at NISMED,  may nakasalubong ako, di ako nakapagsalita sa sobrang tuliro. Pila, sabay chika sa kasunod. Lo and behold, pang 20 ako sa class list! (3pm)

Bio1 (Nov. 13)
Matapos pumila, pumunta kami ni Carla sa Bio1, PH4105. Inantay matapos ang klase, hinanting si maam. Pinasulat nya pangalan ko sa papel, balikan daw sa Nov. 16 para malaman kung tanggap ako. O_o. (4pm). Come monday, binalikan ko yung EEE10, 3 lang daw tinaggap nya, di ako kasama, kaya alis kami ni Janet sabay hanap ng ibang MST. Bumalik ako sa Bio1, kinulit si maam, pinirmahan nya 5A ko. Yehey, 15 units na ako.

LArch 1 (Nov.15)
Ilang araw matapos ang bio1, patuloy akong nareject sa mga prerog, kaya’t nagbayad na ako (10am), hoping na makontento sa 15 units. Matapos kong magbayad, nagtext si faith, may new section daw ng LArch1 sa Arki, wala pang laman. Todo text habang naglalakad, in a few minutes, nasa CHE na ako’t naghahanap ng form 26A. Nagpasama kay div sa Arki, enlist sabay punta sa CASAA, lunch na. Lumipas ang hapon at pa ikot-ikot sa UP: (BAHAY-AS-GYM-CHE-Arki-CASAA-CHE-BAHAY *lahat yun, on foot*-OUR-AS-OUR-BAHAY*kotse*)
Natapos din ang lahat, 18 units, for the record.

Chem 150/.1 (Nov.15)
Overflowing grace. Habang naglalunch sa CASAA, may nagtext sa akin, willing daw sila ipamive yung Chem 150.1 ng wednesday para maacommodate ako. Sayang kasi overload na kung 22u. the next day, pwede na daw kumuha ng Chem 150 na walang lab. Too bad dahil baka madissolve pa rin yung class kasi if ever 7 lang kami. BUT STILL, God has been overly gracious to the point of indescribability!

Quote for the day:

"If people talk negatively about you, live in such a way that no one will believe them"

*Paunawa/Babala: hindi po tungkol sa weight gain (duh!) ang entry na ito.*
*Mode = taglish*

Mula November 7 hanngang 16, sa bawa’t weekday, ako’y inyong nakita na paligid-ligid sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, paikot-ikot, parating nagmamadali, halos plastik na ang ngiti. Ito ay dahil sa walang kasing husay na enrolment system ng ating mahal na paaralan. Ten days tsong, ten days!

Ten days and 9 units after, ayun, eto ang aking mga subject na nakuha, in order:

FS 116: Food Microbiology. lec (CRS, 5u)
FS 116: Food Microbiology lab lab (CRS, 0u)
FS 125: Food Chemistry lec/lab (CRS, 4u)
PI 100: Mga Akda at Ginawa ni Rizal (Late reg enlistment, 3u, Nov. 9)
Bio 1: GE, MST (Kakaibang prerog, 3u, Nov. 13)
LArch 1:  Intro to Landscape Archi? GE, AH, SSP, or MST. Phil Studies (Add mat/ late reg enlistment, 3u, Nov. 15)

For a grand total of 18 units, woohoo!

*LCDC updates still to follow. pabaliktad ako mag-recall eh*
*LCDC Pics. mag-antay kayo this week, mahirap kasi i classify yung more than 1500 na litrato eh, babawasan ko pa para di nakakahilo…*

Arrival. Ang araw matapos ang post camp ng LCDC. Nagising ako ng alas singko ng umaga, nag aatay na pala si Bronson (yung maghahatid samin sa air port) sa labas ng bahay, kahit na 5:30 pa ang usapan, kaya’t hayun, derecho na ko na walang ligo. Matapos ang anim na oras ay nasa Puerto Prinsesa na kami, sa bahay ni tita. Araw pala ng mga patay, sarado ang mga tindahan at kainan. Dahil puyat kami at wala namang magagawa, natulog na lang kami matapos mag-tanghalian, pag gising naman, hapunan.

Ukay Monsters! Ang boyfriend ng tita koy ay isang self-confessed ukay monster.  Sa kasamaan palad, di sya nakasama sa amin mag-ukay, kaya’t  pinasama na lang nya kami kay kuya jojo. Matapos ang dalawang araw, may bitbit na kaming isang kahon ng mga ka-ukayan, karamihan dun ay mga stuffed toy na ipangririgalo ni pao sa mga kaibigan.

Kitchen Crew. Syempre, hindi kumpleto ang experience kung di kami nagluto. Ang mura ng seafoods sa Palawan, nakakalula. May 2 araw na salitan kaming nagluluto ng tanghalian at hapunan. Nagluto si pao ng Thom Yum with super prawns at Gindara steak, ako naman sa binagoongang baka at nilasing na hipon, pati tocino at spam na rin…

Beer? Bulalo? Si doc din pala ay isang taong  mahilig kumain at uminom. Halos bawa’t meal eh inaalok kami ng red wine (may refill pa) minsan  naman ay beer. Tubig at icet tea lang sana ang gusto ko, kaso  wala namang  ganun parati. Pati gin-apple sinubukan ko.
Bago kami umalis pabalik ng maynila, tumambay kami  sa bulaluhan sa may airport:
         doc: ano gusto nyo? bulalo?
         b: di na po, kakakain lang namin eh…
         doc: eh di kape na lang.
         b: ok lang po, kape na lang po…
         doc: ehem, dalawang bulalo nga… tsaka kape…
         b: (ayos ang kape nila dito ah, may utak, gulay, at karne)

Underground. First time ko makapunta sa world’s longest undergroud river. Ang dilim sa loob, la ko makita. Kakatuwa pa yung guide namin, may sense of humor:

"*tok* yun pong narining nyo ay isang buwaya, kapag narinig nyo ulit yun, lumingon lang kayo sa likod at baka wala na yung guide nyo."

"At dito naman pot tayo sa vegetable section, sa inyong kanan, yan po ay celery, iyon carrot… at dyan naman po sa inyong kaliwa, yan po ay bato…"

"Hindi po nakakasakay ang mga sea snake dito. pinapababa po namin sila kasi wala silang ticket.."

*Para sa LCDC updates, mag antay na lang kayo ng ilang araw pa*

Ano ang laman ng hinaharap?

Sa loob ng isang oras, malalaman ko kung makakprerog ako sa Bio 11 o kung sa Abril ko pa ito makukuha.
Sa loob ng tatlong araw, malalaman ko kung tanggap ako sa EEE10 at kung makakaenrol na ako
Sa loob ng 6 na araw, malalaman ko kung matatanggap ako sa Bio 1 at maabot ang 20 units na kinakailangan ko ngayong semestre.
Sa loob ng buwang ito, malalaman ko kung magkakautang ako ng 50,000 sa gobyerno o makakatanggap ng buwanang allowance mula sa kanila.
Sa loob ng 62 na araw, malalaman ko kung ako ba ay matutuwa o luluha.
Sa loob ng aking isipan, may nga tanong na bumabagabag.
Sa loob ng aking puso, may Diyos na nagsasabing, ‘Huwag ka mag-alala anak, dahil kasama mo ako tungo sa hinaharap."

"If you are disciplined, you can find time to do what’s important" -Dr. Isabelo Magalit