Opportunity and Change

    Hindi ko na tatapusin pa ang taong ito: Apat na oras bago matapos ang 2006, tuluyan ko nang tinanggal ang Nagyeyelong Luklukan mula sa PC na aking ginagamit. Tutal iisang trono lang naman ang kinakailangan sa buhay ko eh, at may naghahari na doon, pero hindi ako, kundi si Kristo.

    Nagpa-loko ako sa aking sarili, sabi ko nung umpisa, ayos lang mag-dota, bakasyon na naman eh. Sabi nga nila, nasa huli ang pagsisisi, lumalabas na halos 3 oras kada araw akong nagdodota sa bahay, kapalit ng 3 oras na ito ang paggawa ng mga bagay na dapat kong matapos bago matapos ang aking bakasyon…

    Subalit hindi naman ibig sabihin nito na ako ay naging walang silbi. Napadalas ang aking pagiging duwendeng pang-bahay, at ang pag hatid-sundo ng mga regalo’t pagkain alinsunod sa utos ng aking mga magulang. Naging panahon din ito upang muling makasalimuha ang mga kaibigang di ko na madalas makita (KC2k6, LCDC 2k6, DBC Noah’s Ark barkada), at makalaban silang lahat sa dota, counter-strike, at Wanted.

*Sya nga pala, hindi masama ang maglaro ng kahit anong computer game, wag mo lang ilaan ang oras na dapat ilaan sa ibang bagay*

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    Matatapos na ang taon. Ano nga ba ang aking natutunan? Ano nga ba ang nangyari? Ang nag-bago? Ang lumago?

Mga bagong karanasan at kaalaman:

• Kawayan Camp 2006
• Leadership Discipleship Camp 2006 - bilang camp exec
• Pagbibisikleta
• Paggalaw sa Yelo
• Pagpapayo sa nga kaibigan
• Pagluluto ang pagpapatubo ng mikrobyo
• Pag-blog

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Sa mga bagong kaibigan at kakilala,

Sa mga dati na at bagong
nakakasama,

 Sa
mga klase, simbahan, tambayan, at iba pa,

(kumusta
na?)

Sa mga hindi ko man na bati nung kaarawan,

 Sa mga binati
kahit hindi naman pala kaarawan,

 Sa
mga naka-galit, nakaaway, at nasaktan, 

(patawad)

Sa lahat ng nagbabasa at di nagbabasa nito,

 Sa mga
kaibigang nasa ibang lupalop ng mundo,

 At
sa kaibigang nakilala ko ng husto sa taong ito,

Mahal ko kayong
lahat! Nawa’y Ialay natin ang taong ito sa ating Panginoon!

*Does the title sound uhh, different? That’s because I don’t believe in luck or fortune…*

Here’s a list of the not-so-desirable things that happened within the past week:

• My digital camera broke down while taking pictures during SVCF’s Christmas Party. It cost me a a lot and it’s not even 2 years old.
• I dropped my phone while eating breakfast, and has accidentally become touchscreen.
• I lost my keys while disembarking from the bus I rode.
  It was attached to a keychain that was a gift from my longtime friend.
• Four dogs chased me yesterday as I was biking in Area 2. As a result, I now have cuts and wounds on both legs.

    Well, even amidst all that, I’m glad that there’s still joy in my heart. Looking at the bright side, at least I wasn’t bitten or held up. Yet, looking beyond the bright side, there’s the BRIGHTNESS, God as the assurance of our future, regardless of undesirable the happenings are.

Shoving the gloom aside, I did learn some lessons this week:

• A believer must really be ready to give up material things and posessions.
• A clip keychain must always be clipped to  something so that it won’t get lost.
• One must avoid putting big things in shallow pockets.
• Dogs are volatile, and are easily agitated by the shadow of rotating wheels.

// To date, I don’t think any of these are things that happened for the sake of the gospel, yet it would likely be just a taste of the things that could happen. Learn from your experiences, see what God is teaching you, and how He wants to change you.//

Quote for the week (On God’s commanded will):

"God is the great composer of life and He made great music for us… but we are still the musicians, and we should perform our lives according to his compositions."

"But evangelism itself is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ as Saviour and Lord, with a view to persuading people to come to him personally and so be reconciled to God. In issuing the gospel invitation we have no liberty to conceal  the cost of discipleship . Jesus still calls all who would follow him to  deny themselves, take up their cross, and  identify themselves with his new community. The results of evangelism include obedience to Christ, incorporation into his church, and service in the world." 

                                                                               -The Lausanne Covenant of 1974, Article 4
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    Last October, I was able to finally ask a question that has been bothering my mind for long:

B:"how can we evangelize and tell them that salvation is a free gift and yet
    Lordship costs everything?"

MB: "You want to be saved from sin, but if you don’t give up your sin, what are
       you being saved from?"

    Imagine that you were hostaged. If Christ pays your ransom, you’re free. Yet if HOLD ON to the hostage-taker, nothing will happen.
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    Well, what’s the point of all these? Last week, I was finally able to apply what Dr. MB said. To cut a long story short, I had the opportunity to counsel and share the gospel to a friend, making sure that I hid nothing of its implications. The person did not yet want to receive Christ, since she is ‘counting the cost’, and trying to answer the question, ‘what’s keeping you?’

    It’s hard to be biblical. It’s joyful yet sad at the same time. You want them to accept, but they also need to know what it is they’re getting into. The only afterthought we have is that Christ loves them still, and that ‘our part is done’ (thaks, kuya E!).

Applications:

For those who have a personal relationship with Christ, how are we sharing the good news? are we concealing anything?

For those who haven’t decided yet if they want to follow Christ, what’s keeping you? Why?

"Kumusta na Kayo ni Lord?"

    Iyan ang isa sa mga tanong na madalas kong itanong sa mga tao ngayon. Una ko itong narining mula sa bibig ng ka-una-unahang naging kaibigan ko dito sa Friendster, si Benigno.

Hindi ko pa rin lubos maisip kung anong hiwaga ang bumabalot sa isang tanong.
Isang tanong na wari’y binubuksan ang puso ng sinumang iyong kausap, hinahayaang masilip ang mga lihim na nakakubli sa loob nito.
Isang tanong na nagpapaiba sa ihip ng hangin at sa kabuuan ng anumang usapang nagaganap.
Isang tanong kung saan ika’y mapapaisip at matutulala.
Isang tanong na sa iyo’y magpapaluha.
Isang tanong na madalas kong itanong, maging sa aking sarili.

Isang tanong na aking binabalik sa kung sino mang nagbabasa nito ngayon:

"Kumusta na Kayo ni Lord?"