am i going to die?

am i going to die?

this was, perhaps, the best summer i've ever had in my life

there are so many blessings and surprises it's as if my life ends in a while...

first of all, i graduated in college, finally..

credits to AdDU Samahan creative Team

but my knowledge of things are nothing if i will not use it for the benefit of the people

(so help me, God)

after which, i had the privilege to attend the CYA Mindanao Conference last April 2-6.

Each participant had to come up with Php 5000, but amazingly, in the end, we'd only have to pay Php 1500!!

and it was all worth it (i had my MinCon reflection in one of my posts)

credits to CYA Iligan for designing this banner

credits to the MinCon photographers

after which, i was able to be part of a research team with my beloved classmate, Claudine, and led by Dr. Tender :)

and although i have no experience, i am part of the team of the CYA newsletter staff. i got a chance to edit the layout of each page, review articles and give written contributions. and the work is still ongoing

credits to kuya Irvin for taking the photos and joining them in a collage

i was also able to participate in the Mural Painting Activity led by the Habitat for Humanity Davao.

It was my first time ever to paint walls in the downtown area.. and although i only have a small contribution in the big masterpiece, i felt like a real artist.. acheche! ;)

pic from Habitat for Humanity Davao

There also was another activity i was supposed to attend. i was not able to attend it but at least i knew that it exists.There was a free movie watching session at the Cinema 6 of Victoria Plaza Mall in Davao. The film is Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. It is a documentary film about human trafficking.

pic from learn-action resources

and so i vow to watch this film before the week ends! ;) pray for me

but then again, there is still much to do.. i hope we could help lessen the burden of people who are working for the common good. let's help! 

(i am aware that this is not the most stirring encouragement you might have heard.. but i reallly hope we could make this world better than it is today..God bless you!)

we're part of the ocean..

indeed, in Mitch's words, how wonderful it is to have a teacher, "one who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a proud shine..." 

i finished reading Tuesdays with Morrie with tears in my eyes. So much insight and inspiration from a man who has so much passion for life. It is a story of a relationship between an old and a young man whose thesis made such great impact throughout the world. As much as we must not waste time to realize our purpose in life and to become fully alive, we also must not wait longer to get a hold of this wonderful book.

God bless you! 

photo from Mitch Albom's website

"If you've found meaning in your life you don't want to go back. You want to move forward."
Thanks, Morrie & Mitch! ;)

from the Empowering Love Project

We are all fools for something. the question is, whose fool are you?

All of us had our lives set by birth - to be born poor or born rich. How we are when death knocks on our door is up to us.

Lots of people have been ruled by this thinking. But i believe being successful is not the main purpose of life.

The realization of one's talents is one of the gateways to self-actualization, and sometimes to building one's self esteem. Some find out that they are intellectually-gifted and so they become inclined to research work, studying for masters and doctorate degrees, attracting lots of companies to hire them, the list goes on... Some find they are physically gifted and they immerse themselves in sports; some become well-known athletes, some eventually become endorsers. Some realize their talent in managing businesses and finances, and they become bosses of their businesses. Later on, they start hiring people, they become employers. And at a certain point of view, we realize that this is a cycle. Whether there are newcomers in the flow or none, there are always people to continue the cycle. The lowest classes strive to live day by day, working under the leadership of people whose position is higher than theirs. People leading the lowest classes also work under the leading of those whose positions are higher than theirs. The pattern goes on until we reach the highest position in the company. In this viewpoint, we can identify a triangular hierarchy - the richest (very few people) are on top and the poorest (abounding in head count) are at the bottom.

Focusing on business industries, as i've mentioned, people work for those above them in rank. The cycle continues because it is made to appear that the masses are the "bosses". Of course, the masses have no choice in this matter because they can't help needing something. Businesses attend to the demands of the public - which obviously are keys to the survival and bloom of their business ventures. (In the first place, why do we patronize businesses around us? Fastfood chains, for instance, don't give a care about our health! They remind us only of the needs of our taste buds but never of our health.) However, this arrangement has always been in favor of those at the top of the hierarchy, then it trickles to the bottom. The middle class, even though they are second only to the richest, seem not to mind at all. In fact, they seem to be at ease working for their bosses. IN realtion to this, i've observed when middle classes buy from the dirty market and from sidewalk vendors, they keep haggling over prices. Not much do they realize that these types of vendors earn much less than those bosses of companies whose products are found on supermarkets and which couldn't be haggled at all. Nevertheless, they keep working for their bosses, earning for their needs and wants. In the process of working, they begin to dream of a wonderful family, pleasing trips and refreshing vacations. Some, upon promotion, still seek for higher positions, forgetting where they've been before, and never realizing that they'd practically never be able to replace their bosses' positions. People in lower classes need to exert much more effort to belong to the middle class. They need to risk, find opportunities and most of the time, forget being alive at the moment in the hope of finding life in the future. Somehow, it's just sad to know that some people who rise up from horrible lives never look back. Worse than that, they build walls, making it harder for those who are left behind to improve their lives. For example, in Mindanao, there is power shortage yet people who can afford to buy gadgets buy lots of them. And to make gadgets work, electricity is needed. Now, during power shortages in Mindanao, we need additional energy sources to meet the power demands of the people. To do this, power companies must not only rely on the usual energy sources, but should start burning fuel (usually diesel) which makes electric bills at the end of the month much more expensive in spite of black outs. The middle class will not suffer, they can afford to pay for "a little" additional electricity bill increase. Who will suffer?  - those who have very tight budgets, those whose earnings are good only for a day, those who are under the poverty line. And who's to blame? The lower classes? No! We should blame those large users of electricity who could not look past their social media life and realize their responsibilities to the less fortunate members of the society.

Sometimes i ask myself if it is still all right to dream. Lots of people have been born poor, have lived poor, died sadder and poorer. Maywut, 16, from Sudan remarked, "My dream? i can't dream of what i want in the future when there is still too much of a problem, and until the situation is better i can't dream." And so i am always reminded of what Will Salas pointed out, "No one should be immortal, if even one person has to die." So if i dare dream, i must dream not for myself, but for those who need it most. It's what Jesus did! Instead of dreaming to be rich, a hunk or a scientist, He chose to be in the company of fishermen, tax collectors, sinners, and taught them. In the process, He lost His life for others to find their life in Him. Isn't it cool and sweet?

P.S. i hope we'd come to our senses, to the one who has been given a lot, a lot is also required from him.

As a child, my sister had the opportunity to go to Manila. But i'm very glad she never got there.

When i was about 8 years old, my sister was 6, and our younger brother was 2. We were close playmates and i was more than happy to know that soon we'd be going to school together in the same academy. However, one dreadful news cut into our happy moments.

My sister, was thin, jolly, but quite fragile. She was a dancer. But she suddenly got sick. Many days passed but her fever never left her. We soon found out that she had some kind of heart sickness (whatever that was called). Eventually, the doctors advised my parents to travel to Manila to avail to a more advanced heart operation for my sister.

My father's parents, however, had a much more agreeable solution for my sister - faith! They know of a person who through God's gift was able to heal people of their sicknesses and health problems. Ultimately, my sister, after attending to healing sessions of the healer, was able to regain her strength and vitality. We were taught how to pray and we faithfully prayed the rosary every night. Later on, to be sure of her being well, tests and scans had been done on her heart, but they all showed negative results. It's as if a new heart had been replaced to the rejected one. And i know only one who could give the replacement - Jesus! ;)

Now, she's turning 20, very much alive, artistic and still a dancer! ;)

Action Group perfect attendance~

my lovely sisters ;)

i've been so blessed ;)

i just did not expect to come home crying

Reporter's Notebook - Burak at Pangarap MAY 3 2014

Cleaner wastes (100-180s-read)

the discipline of a community in terms of waste management cannot be assessed on the looks of the main streets of the city. In Davao City, the cleanliness of lots of highways can be accounted to paid street sweepers. Thanks to them, the city looks quite livable and comfortable. Of course, they have work to do thanks to the continuous mindless throwing of garbage by people - may it be by throwing candy wrappers out of moving vehicles, throwing biscuit wrappers while walking on the sidewalks, or leaving behind seemingly useless items.

i don't exactly know how the human mind works, but trashes left anywhere and everywhere are not a very beautiful sight to look at. Point is, let us be mindful of the things we dispose of. We constantly promote tourism in the internet and on TV, but our actions are not very tourist-friendly at all, not even children-friendly!

For beginners, the first step is to throw garbage at the designated sites. In other words, avoid throwing garbage anywhere. In our barangay, for example, households usually dispose house garbage at 8-9pm at the garbage collection areas near their houses. The garbage trucks usually do their rounds and collect those compiled wastes at 9-10pm every day.

Next step would be to reduce waste volume. There are lots of ways to do this. The easiest to do is composting. Avoid throwing fruit peelings, dried leaves and twigs, and the like into the garbage bins. Instead, bury them in the soil in pots, in sacks filled with soil, or better yet, in your compost pit. You may also give away left overs to your pets or to leftover collectors (lamao collectors). Leftover collectors usually give the leftovers they've collected to their pet pigs. Or you may also bury your leftovers along with your fruit peelings. This way, you do not only reduce waste volume, but you also contribute less to the foul smell in garbage bins. And i highly discourage burning of wastes; it obviously contributes to air pollution.

In addition to the above-mentioned methods of waste volume reduction, let us try choosing wisely the things we buy. We like to buy junk foods. And we are very much aware that most of them are made of some kind of foil, and this foil as you may observe, is made up of different layers of material. When you account for all the junk foods eaten per day (which is also very unhealthy), and all the wrappers thrown per day, it very much makes up a large bulk of trashes. Being a consumer must not compromise our task as stewards of the environment. Again, choosing the things we buy and decreasing the amount we throw away should be the first step to waste management. Unfortunately, as most of us know, it is the hardest.

Another thing, we must also practice waste segregation.  Even if we have to throw things away, it is very much helpful to garbage collectors if we sort them. For instance, one could throw papers separately from plastics by putting each in different plastic bags. In this way, we could also actually help those people who make a living by garbage scavenging. If you come out at night in the city, you could observe some children or old men looking for useful stuff in garbage bins that could be sold to junk shops. Theirs is a tough job. And so, as i've mentioned, one way of helping them is by garbage segregation. Knowing that there are people who delve into garbage bins every night, perhaps we should also do our part in providing them with cleaner garbage that we throw everyday. We must also be concerned with their health, you know.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be required (Lk 12:48).

If we aim for development, we must take cleanliness seriously (and punctuality). ;)

the Colors of the Wind

song written by lyricist Stephen Schwartz and composer Alan Menken

You think I'm an ignorant savage
And you've been so many places
I guess it must be so
But still I cannot see
If the savage one is me
How can there be so much that you don't know?
You don't know ...

You think you own whatever land you land on
The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name

You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth

The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends

How high will the sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon

For whether we are white or copper skinned
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountains
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind

You can own the Earth and still
All you'll own is Earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind

from ST Lyrics

I-Witness March 8 2014 Daang Ilog

Happy Easter! ♥

credits to the artist: Fr. Antonino "Nick" Eucapor, CMF

1st

If i start counting from April of this year, this is the first time i've watched A Walk to Remember! ;)

from the A Walk to Remember site, i found another dimension of the movie..
i've always loved summaries of this movie.. especially this one  :)

"Each Spring in the little port town of Beaufort, North Carolina, when the wind smells of pine and salt and the sea, Landon Carter remembers his senior year at Beaufort High and Jamie Sullivan, the girl who changed his life.

Jamie was the last person Landon was likely to fall for. Serious and conservative, she was as far from cool as she could possibly be, and didn’t care. The daughter of the town’s Baptist minister, Jamie was not afraid of letting people know that her faith was the most important part of her life, even if it cost her some friends. Landon hung with the in-crowd -- an aimless, moody, reckless guy who breezed through school on looks and bravado. He had no plans, no future and no faith in himself.

One night a prank that he and his buddies set up goes terribly wrong and lands a kid in the hospital. As punishment, Landon must tutor a young student at a poor school and participate in the Drama Club’s Spring play ­ two activities the principal hopes will teach him some humility. They also happen to throw him into close contact with Jamie. Clearly in over his head, Landon is forced to ask her for help.

Soon, against his own expectations, Landon finds himself falling in love with this outwardly plain girl who possesses a passion for life he never imagined possible. But it isn’t easy. For reasons of her own, Jamie does everything she can to run away from romance until it becomes impossible to deny.

Being together will test everything that they believe in. Most of all, it will test the power of love and faith to transform a life into something worth living."

As a salutation to our class valedictorian...

A Valedictory Address
By Jubail W. Pasia
Ateneo de Davao University
Class of 2014

Introduction

(...)

“Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.”[1]

I never imagined myself delivering a valedictory address on behalf of 1429 graduates. Being valedictorian was never my goal; it was never a part of my game plan. But it happened as it happened. I guess it is because I fell in love. I learned that in love, we open ourselves to the world of vulnerability and terrains of uncertainty, to being hurt and wounded because of failures, to having our hearts scarred and broken due to seemingly endless frustrations and disappointments[2]. But in the same context of love, we strive to be better, we fight, we do everything at our disposal to rectify our mistakes and failings, we give it our all, we embrace our very imperfections. We own them and yet we offer a part of ourselves. Love is a battle, love is an encounter. Love is a growing up. And this is how our college life has been. It is a tapestry of anecdotes of experiences of love and
loving.

On Our Shared and Common Experiences of Falling In Love

The story of our college life is beautifully woven by various experiences of love. Between the time of choosing our course, when some pursued with confidence the fulfillment of their passion while some dove in fatalistic uncertainty but took the risk and looked forward to see where it will take them, and this day of gratefulness and shared celebration of years of hard work and perseverance, we were molded and formed by our Jesuit education. Every step of it was a challenge; every step of it brings back grace-filled learning experiences. From waking up early to attend 7:40 AM classes and going home late from evening classes, to practicing our routines for PE performances, to polishing our theatrical scripts to deliver plays in literature and Rizal subjects, to gaining victory in college fiesta and college days competitions, to looking forward to seeing our crush pass by the corridors, to attending to daily duties as university scholars and student assistants, to writing term papers and trembling at oral examinations in Philosophy, to revising papers rejected by professors, to feeling the intense emotions of having  our theses or feasibility studies approved, and to befriending the break of dawn to beat deadlines.  Who would ever forget the FYDP sessions which introduced us to the Ignatian values of Magis[3], cura personalis[4], and of being men-and-women for-and-with- others; the NSTP-CWTS formations that immersed us deeper into our commitment to social justice and radical giving of ourselves to others. In everything that has been, we existentially pushed our limits and realized that we have actually achieved milestones we never imagined we could reach, honing our intellectual capacities, and deepening our social involvement and our spirituality. For all of these, we are deeply grateful to God who is, has been and will always be present in our lives, “laboring” lovingly “for us in all things.”[5]

The Commitment to Love, Its Roots and its Fruits

Now, we ask ourselves, “Where do we go from here?”  Where will our Ateneo education take us? As Ateneans, we are blessed with excellent instruction and formation; we practice robust research, and community service. We are envisioned by our Alma Mater “to benefit from, and contribute to and engage the global world,”[6] as we become “leaders for the Philippine Church and the society, especially for Mindanao.”[7] As Ateneans, we are challenged to be at the “frontiers”[8] to bring the “evangelical spirit”[9] of the gospel from the centers to “the margins of society,”[10] and to respond to the morally compelling call of the times. As Ateneans, we are called to live a life not only of faith but also of love, love that impels us to act in behalf of justice.

St. Ignatius of Loyola reminds us of the very nature of love---Firstly, “love ought to manifest itself in deeds rather than in words;”[11] for love which remains only in words and sweet poetry, are but empty rhetorics, while Love incarnated in action is excellence in the service of others.

Secondly, love can never be divorced from personal commitment. As such, being an Atenean is to respond to a lifetime invitation; it is an invitation to commit ourselves to become “witnesses to excellence”[12], builders of peace, persons of integrity, and champions of good and ethical governance, “cultural transformation”[13], and “human ecology”[14]. Being an Atenean and also a Mindanaon, we are all challenged to be in ‘frontier’ spaces where we can best contribute in attaining the ideals and the vision of peace and development in Mindanao. We are a privileged generation for we are given by history the chance to vigorously contribute in realizing the “Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro”[15], and the broad development plan of “Mindanao 2020.”[16] Even as we speak, the ink on the peace accord on the Bangsamoro has just dried, but let our hopes overflow our hearts. From among us, the future businesspersons and entrepreneurs are challenged not only to create wealth but also advocate for its equitable distribution, and establish a dynamic and sustainable Philippine and Mindanao economy. The future lawmakers and public servants are challenged to embody ethical, participatory and inclusive governance, push for a social and political system that privileges the common good and fight for the rights of the oppressed and the voiceless, creating a justice system accessible to all. The future educators are challenged not only to contribute to the formation of our youth but more importantly, to emphatically insist on Philippine educational reforms. Future nurses and medical practitioners are challenged not only to alleviate the sick from the difficulties of suffering from diseases and health complications, but more importantly to make these services accessible to the poor and the marginalized. The future media practitioners are challenged to bare the truth at all times. The future engineers, architects, and scientists, are challenged to be innovators to promote environmental sustainability, preservation of biodiversity, and renewable energy. All in the service of the “faith-that does-justice”[17] for “the common good”[18]---All for love of the Creator, the creation and the human creatures.[19]

Thirdly, Love implies openness to life experiences and freedom to become.  The celebration of our graduation is not only a celebration for surviving four or more years of academic rigor, but also a commencement of a new chapter in our lives as catalysts of transformation and agents of liberation of Philippine society as we strive to excel in our respective fields, where we have all been called to. Beyond the walls of the university are bigger opportunities for bigger dreams and bigger risks for bigger failures. But let our core, our inner self, our heart of hearts, formed in the Ateneo Way, embrace these promising dreams and withstand possible failures. In the message of Pope Francis to the youth during last year’s World Youth Day, he urged, and I quote “In an age where we are constantly being enticed by vain and empty illusions of happiness, we risk settling for less and thinking small when it comes to the meaning of life. Think big instead. Open your hearts!”[20] Yes, in love, let us embrace the richness of life itself and open our hearts to freedom---that is the creative power to be at our fullest humanity. Let us continue to pursue what we love to do, and love what we ought to do. And by doing so, we become “Ateneo de Davao sui generis leaders.”[21] At the end of the day, we are directed to the path where God wants us to be, “called to be saints, sent forth as heroes.”[22] Heed the call and feel that burning passion that drives us to love and love all the more. Let us respond to the call, accept our mission, stay in love with what we do and ought to do, and out of the superabundance of this love, it will decide everything.

Thanksgiving

(...)

With that, let me leave one and all with this striking prayer by the late Jesuit Superior General, Fr. Pedro Arrupe:

Nothing is more practical than finding God,
than falling in Love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.[23]


Daghang salamat kaninyong tanan!

__________________________________________________________


[1] Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, “Rooted and Grounded in Love” (1981)
[2] Rollo May, “Love and Will” (1969)
[3] Fr. Barton T.Geger, SJ, Jesuit Higher Education, What Magis Really Means and Why It Matters (2012)
[4] Fr.Peter-Hans Kolvenbach S.J, Review of Ignatian Spirituality: Cura Personalis(2007)
[5]Go Forth and Teach: The Characteristics of Jesuit Education,(1987)
[6] Ateneo de Davao University Student Manual: Vision, Mission and Goals of the University (2013)    
[7]Ateneo de Davao University Student Manual: Vision, Mission and Goals of theUniversity (2013)
[8] Documents of the 35 GeneralCongregation of the Society of Jesus, Decrees 1 & 2 (2008)th
[9] Pope Francis, Homily delivered on May 5,2013, during the Holy Mass for those involved in Confraternities committed to ecclesial, evangelical and missionary service (2013)
[10] Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio: On the Permanent Validity of the Church's Missionary Mandate (1990)
[11] St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises: Contemplatio (230-237)
[12] Go Forth and Teach: The Characteristics ofJesuit Education,(1987)
[13] Characteristics of the Social Apostolate of the Society of Jesus (1998)
[14] Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate (2009)
[15] Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (2014)
[16] Mindanao 2020 (2011)
[17] Documents of the 32nd General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, Decree 4(1975)
[18] Jacques Maritain, ‘The Person and the Common Good’ (1947)
[19] Documents of the 35th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, Decrees 2 & 3 (2008)
[20] Pope Francis, Message for the 29th World Youth Day (2014)
[21] Fr. Joel Tabora, SJ, ADDU University President’s Address to the Joint ADDU Faculty Convocation (2012)
[22] Filipino Catholic Laity: Called to be Saints…Sent Forth as Heroes!, Pastoral Exhortation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines for the 2014 Year of the Laity(2013)
[23] Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, “Rooted and Grounded in Love” (1981)



*I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my mentor, Sir Hadji Balajadia, for passionately guiding me in writing this address [and for helping me out with the annotations]. I won't come up with this speech without your support. Thank you so much! :)

Did you know???

to take a snapshot in VLC media player, you could actually use Shift + S for Windows, Linux and Unix, and Command + Alt + S for Mac OS X

thanks to this page:

Take a Snapshot

I-Witness Minsan sa Isang Taon

I Witness Isang Bote ng Binhi

CYA Mindanao Conference 2014: i am Chosen, Sent and Joyful!!

i think, i have never been this excited...

to quantify this excitement, let's just say i was more excited to attending the MinCon in April than to graduating in March ;)

maybe, part of my excitement came from the fact that i'd be seeing my crush again.. teehee... :)

but honestly, i prayed for this.. i don't know why but i was quite sure that i'd be able to attend the event.. i waited and prayed for it to come... along with looking forward to all that i can experience, i invited and urged brothers and sisters in CYA Davao to join in the event.. some of those i invited were firs timers, some were able to attend the event before.. and so i was a little sad when not many of the people i invited could come...nevertheless, we must always trust God's timing and hope the best for them.

at the start of the event, i set a goal to achieve - that is to be able to listen to the Lord better. i needed to hear His words and messages clearly. i need to find peace in myself. i need Him to dominate my life. 

During the event, the greetings of my brothers and sisters never failed me. They were all smiles, some even gave me warm hugs. CYA provides a gathering for different people to meet and feel really at home and at ease with each other, even if they've met them for the first time. and i can't help but really give out my best smile! :)

Throughout the 5-day event, the theme of being chosen, sent and joyful was repeated in amazingly different ways. During plenary sessions, we were taught that even people from long ago were called and chosen by God - people like Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, David, Elijah and others. Each of them have their weaknesses but the Lord chose them anyway. During worship sessions, songs sung were about being joyful in living the life God called us to live. The passages taken from the Bible for reflection were also centered on the theme (John 15:11-16). During the sexuality courses, in my case for sisters, the message of "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" which is from John 15:13 (still under the theme) was also discussed. 

i actually have one favorite event in MinCon, that is "True Love Waits". It is a sexuality course for ladies. The course is composed of three subtopics - the Essence of True Love and Why It is Worth the Wait, Sex and the Truths Behind It, and the Stand of CYA to the pertaining issues discussed in the first two topics. i'd like to enumerate the things i've learned:

- True love or authentic love is not a vague statement or a blind passion of intense feelings. It is an inner attitude that involves the whole being. True love consists fullness of self-surrender and the completeness of personal commitment. It looks at the other person not to use them but to serve them. Love is a gift in itself. ~ Pope John Paul II

- God is Love (1 John 4:8). God created man and woman in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). Therefore, God created man and woman in the image of love. We were created for love. Our destiny is to share in the depths of His love.

- and the best time to enter a relationship is when the issues you have in the past are resolved, you are spiritually mature, you are mentally mature, and financially ready.

- there is a grace in your "yes". when you say yes to God, He will give you the grace to go through what you stand for

i would also like to share to you one instant when we were worshiping the Lord one morning. i thanked God for letting me be able to see Him in nature, in my family, in brothers and sisters in CYA.. then ultimately, i thanked Him because i am able to see Him in myself.. i did not say it out of arrogance.. but out of recognizing that God is also able to work in my life.. suddenly i was moved to tears. i am a sinner yet God chose me. i easily fall back to laziness but still God chose me. suddenly everything went still. Then the song played.. "this is my desire to honor You; Lord with all my heart, i worship You; all i have within me, i give You praise; all that i adore is in You.." which effortlessly moved me further to tears.. and then later, still during the worship, my favorite song played.. ".. here is my life, Lord, heart, mind and body.." Wow!

i would also like to share you this video

   **thanks to ate Kaina - she sacrificed showing her dancing skills just to capture ours

this was during the sisters' night. We were taught by ate Badette some basics on ballet and contemporary dancing. Later on, we were given an exercise on making dance steps for a worship song. And the song for all of us was "My Mouth Shall Praise You With Joy". at first i was like, "huh? this is the song we're using? it sounds so old and unmoving!" But in the end, it all boils down to who you're praising. And so it turned out to be a marvelous song! We created really nice steps and i was unexpectedly moved by God.. ;)

Later, during the fourth day, i received a message from the Lord. i was having lots of issues with myself. Honestly, sometimes i feel like i need to be recognized, be appreciated or whatever. Yet, through ate Badette, i heard God say, "I must increase and you must decrease".. The message was solid. It was never about me. Again, during the evening worship, i finally understood it all, "He must increase and i must decrease".. After almost five years of joining CYA, it was in that eventful night that i fell in love with God and truly accepted Him in my heart.

>> i am chosen, sent and joyful!! :) may bonus pa... God says i'm beautiful!! ♥ ♥ ♥

i highly recommend watching GMA7 documentaries

I-Witness November 8 2013 Tarima 




I-Witness April 5 2014 Pulot Pukyutan


I-Witness May 24 2014 Ambulansyang de Paa


I-Witness May 24 2014 Silong (Part 1)


I-Witness May 24 2014 Silong (Part 2)


I-Witness 2013 Lihim sa Ilalim ng Syudad

♥ What i love about Tangled  ♥

how Mother Gothel brings and breathes in the essence of the magic flower (that grew from the single drop of sunlight (from the sun)) :)

how little Rapunzel's voice sounds when she sings and also when she asks why she can't go outside

(and i also love how cozy their tower all edges and corners are smoothed; and by the way, everything is in there!)

little Rapunzel's innocent and inspired smile

the way she paints everything - especially the walls

her interests in stars - i love the way she draws them

what she does with her hair- she looks like a little mountain

i love this look on Pascal's face!

i love his name! - reminds me of Blaise ;)

i super love the look on her face at this moment

she seems astounded and amazed at Flynn's not having fangs

"i've got a person in my closet!!!"

i love the way her voice goes up and down and all around!

honestly, i did not recognize Mandy Moore's voice in the film - she did a marvelous job!

Flynn says it all!

the movie has built amazing characters and animations!

i love how Zachary gives life to Flynn

the three phases of "i can't believe i did this!!"

Tangled's humor :)

super warm hugs from unexpectedly adorable people

reminds me that there is goodness in everybody

i love how the song brings them all closer together

i like it when her hair glows the way the flower glows when the special song was sung

Flynn and Rapunzel moments. love. love! :)

i love how Max's tail moves up and down when shown affection 

reminds me of beloved puppies

Braids ♥

i love how she paints things and then soils herself!

the kingdom dance makes me wanna dance too

the violin playing aids in moving up to the climax of the dance 

here's the Kingdom Dance track:

even though the king and queen have very few scenes in the movie and even though they don't get to speak, there is so much emotion in their character..

the most moving part of all...
this scene is authentic!
it shows all the pain they have encountered throughout the years without Rapunzel by their side
..and at the end, the queen wipes the king's tears away, he smiles as if saying let's go on hoping..
then they let the lantern fly away..
there's something really dramatic about this scene, it shows that men have vulnerabilities and weaknesses which here are contrasted by the queen's strength and firmness

i especially love the background music during this scene.. it gives the scene a greater boost... 

indeed, Alan Menken and the whole music team did an amazing job! :)

the background music for this scene is so soft and mild and so gentle

words are not even enough to describe the emotions it brings me when i hear it..

the boat was designed in a way that it would look so firm and hard yet still have the ends provide good grips and hugs

i love how she reaches out the Kingdom lantern

the lantern, by the way, sets the mood for everything

even Pascal brings out so much emotion, with his eyes and his color

i like how he says "brunette" after being brought back to life

this is the best hug!! ever!!!
i love how his face is buried deep down in Rapunzel's neck

i love this scene! the children are all smiles!

and then there's the sweet kiss!

..finally Grace Potter sings a jumpy and joyful song!

credits to the picture i used at the beginning..
it is from World Wide Art - Disney too
the pictures are all taken from the movie Tangled ;)

Recommended videos relating the topic.. :)

A Tangled World: Creating the Look

Tangled: A Hair-raising Adventure

Tangled Ever After

Donna's awesome gift!

 my very good friend Donna, together with her lovely sister, Tata, visited me at home and shared with me a wonderful sisterly chit-chat... along with her coming, she gave me two beautiful presents, one is a butterfly cupcake, and the other, a heart-warming and joyful letter

i love everything about her letter.. she wrote it with sincerity and gladness in her heart.. 

the interesting parts in the letter are the pictures and their corresponding captions... 

they are cleverly and creatively thought-over - which inevitably paints a smile on my face

i am truly blessed.. and i definitely believe that Donna is also an amazing blessing to the CYAers and to her loved ones.. :)

i hope you meet her too - the "Angel Locsin" and ballerina of CYA Davao ;)

CYA testimony

if you want or if the video above takes so much time to load, you may also view the video on Youtube


Aldem and Vanessa
- married for 18 years
- have been in Ligaya ng Panginoon for more than 23 years
- joined Christ's Youth in Action back in their college days

i prepared a mini script for and from the video :)

Aldem:
Vanessa and i met in college. We had a relationship for about 2 or 3 years. It was secret because we know that in CYA that was discouraged. And i guess looking back that was the mistake because when we kept it to ourselves there was not much guidance for us. But because of the perseverance of the brothers and sisters, ... through their prayers and through their guidance after some point when we prayed together we found out that that was not the right time for us for our relationship. So towards the end of college we decided to break off, not because there was a problem with our relationship, but because we knew it was not the right time

So when we broke off the relationship, i found out that there's really the great power of letting go especially at the right time, and when you do that, it allows you to reset and to rearrange your life towards a more purposeful future, and in this sense, the purpose that God has for us

So when we broke off our relationship, we had to say goodbye without any agreement of coming back together again. So that was what we call really unconditional and trusting in the Lord that He will take care of us beyond the relationship.

And i remember that i had to make an effort to assign in my thoughts Vanessa to the background rather than to the forefront of my attentions in life. What does that mean? i still kept her as a friend because there were many times we'd see each other in community gatherings and meetings, but i had to stop seeing her as the center of my life. And i had to do that, i felt it was important because at that stage in my life, i had to put God first, build my career, discern my state of life, and develop healthy relationships with others, especially with brothers and then of course with other sisters. And there would even be times when i would learn that she'd be sick, not feeling well, whereas in the past, i'd of course run to her side and take care of her. Once we were off the relationship, i would just say a prayer for her and not even, you know, communicate with her. And i had to learn to trust that during the time, i had to be convinced that God was sufficient for her, and that she was perfect without me. She had enough relationships around her to help her to grow, to become, and that her world did not center on me, and to let God be enough for her and to constantly remind myself not to fall back into the illusion that she needed me or that i needed her.

it's very important to know first your state of life** before you get into a relationship so that everything is in order, but all the time believing that as i grew and developed myself and i was able already to have a mature disposition in life, in my case after four years, then one of these days at the right time, in God's time, He will provide for me the right partner whom He has also been preparing. And so at the right time, when i'm more mature, and i meet the person who God has also been preparing for me, as mature, and both of us have been honed, especially broken against maybe our rebellious will, humbled, blessed, and now with a much bigger heart, beyond just thinking of "myself", and looking more towards the good of the other. Now i can give of myself and love more. The important thing is that that should be done no sooner, maturity first, growth in the Lord first, trusting in the Lord first, putting Him first in your life, and then i believe that everything would fall into place. And of course the bonus for me was that four years after, even if Vanessa was very eligible and many of the men, the brothers, were hoping to have a relationship with her, the Lord prepared her just for me. So when we got back into the relationship again, even if at first she was not that open to accepting me anymore, God found a way for us to work back and build our relationship - this time more mature, more secure and available to give more of ourselves.

the right love too soon will actually turn out to be the wrong love, and that's why God's timing is always perfect

Don't hurry, just allow the Lord to work in your life. Allow the Lord to develop you, to grow you, and put Him first and He will take care of your future. And He will have the best prepared for you

Vanessa:
There is a lot of grace when you decide to give yourself to the Lord. When we were separated, He was my only friend, allowed me opportunity to allow others to become my friend, especially other sisters, and it has blessed me a lot. i'm a better person, i'm a much stronger Christian woman because i have, in a sense, given up what is not yet in it's proper time.

Not all brothers and sisters will end up married, but in our case, we're blessed to be married and having five children. So it's worth the wait and it's worth the pain, because there's a lot of joy when the Lord finally says , "This person is for you."

Aldem
We have also some brothers and sisters who had relationships before, in college. And then they broke it off and followed the Lord. There were some of them who are not with each other anymore, but they're married to someone who's just fit for them. And they have holy lives, they're happy where they are, they have good children. It works just as well when they put the Lord first.

There's no replacement or substitute to following God's will. ;)

**state of life discernment is a process of discerning what kind of life God calls you to be - to be single for the Lord, be married for the Lord, or to follow a religious life (priest, nun, etc.)

You can choose to believe in all the negativities in the world or you can choose to believe in beauty.. When you choose to believe in the former, be sure to do something about it, fix it... when you choose to believe in the latter, be sure to preserve it, let it show and let it shine..

by the way..
"Former" means first and "latter" means last, but are these words too confusing to use?
from Quick and Dirty Tips

The World is Not Flat and we can do something about it!

It is nature's design for man to seek survival. The word survival, as you have noticed, has its meaning evolved eversince. Now, it doesn't just mean not getting killed, it also means having enough savings in your trustworthy bank for future expenses, having life and health insurances, keeping up with the latest technologies (phones, computers, other gadgets), and of course, having a shelter where you could not only rest your head but also enjoy the comfort offered by electricity. With all honesty, we are already more than surviving. As a matter of fact, the standard of living has kept rising, and the average person of today is actually far better off than the rich man centuries ago, by terms of lifestyle quality. Even before, for instance, men from higher classes had no choice but to settle for snail mails, in contrast to today's less-than-a-minute exchange of messages. Well, you get the picture, things are so different. Earth has put on a new style of clothing. There are some things, however, which never really change.. there are always weather issues - thunderstorms, hurricanes, typhoons (they're getting stronger, though), incurable diseases (they're more complicated, though), and then there's this gap between the rich and the poor (and it's getting wider, though).. You may not have noticed about the last one, but when you do, you ask "why" and then you just have to sigh.. :(

Well, i can't help but notice these gasoline boys. They are the most visible, tangible image of the oil company they are in. And everyone knows that when you are in an oil business (petroleum industry for this matter), you're in for large money. But then you look at these gasoline boys' dirty, old uniforms, shabby shoes (sometimes i see slippers), skinny bones.. and you just realize that they are not treated fairly. In fact, i don't see any protective material for them! All i know is that they're inhaling as much gasoline that's concentrated in the air around them, and that isn't very much good for their health. More than that, i bet they've got one of the most boring jobs in the entire world! Everyday, they fill in jeepneys' fuel tanks, count their money, chat with other co-workers, fill in gasoline, count money, and the cycle goes on for another month or year. i even doubt if they're ever empowered to make productive use of their time, like reading books while waiting for vehicles, learning knitting, or whatever. All i see is that their bosses are taking advantage of their employees' willingness to accept a low-paying job with very little benefits. They are among the vulnerable people in the society who have no choice, i think, but to accept not-so-useful job opportunities just to survive. 

About this concept of "making productive use of one's time"... i had this conversation with a cemetery security guard.. we talked about who i was visiting at the cemetery, his life at work, my life as a student, politics... and i kind of realized that his job is quite mundane, and in a way i suggested to him to continue learning and studying by reading books.. and he kind of pushed the idea away.. and if i remember it correctly, he said that he's got his radio on and so he's good to go.. Well, of course, at least his job is more "thrilling" and "hair-raising" than those gasoline boys..  Anyhow, point is, these are just among the thousands of jobs in the Philippines which gives just enough or barely enough pay for living.. and these jobs are not only boring but also unproductive, and forever benefits only those on top.. 

Filipinos never really, exactly have developed a culture of productivity... (and i don't think the government even encourages that, by the way).. There's this Filipino night time preciously set aside for watching television novellas or telenovelas. this basically eats up the 8-10pm time of Filipinos, spent sticking up those eyes on TV screens.. It has become our lifestyle..

Another one... sadly, i know of a woman who spends half a day almost everyday doing household chores (of course, she's still one of those who watches those telenovelas in the evenings).. she doesn't seem to want to get out of this cycle.. she scolds her children, sometimes, for not helping her do the chores. She turns up angry... it's like house keeping is her number one priority, not learning, and not even family-building.. and this goes on for another year.. it is kind of predictable.. imagine that kind of life for the rest of her life.. where would that lead her to?

i am not imposing that people in these low-paying jobs have a negligible contribution to the society...What i'm saying is that people deserve to be given opportunities for self growth, development and  actualization.. the government has to do its duty, and so must its citizens... there has to be a foundation in order for us to build a culture of productivity.. and perhaps in this culture of productivity, we may be led to a more united Filipino people who are able to realize that there is so much potential in humanity

This has to start somewhere...

For  instance, one can start by reading Precious Hearts Romances Pocketbooks... these books are so thin.. one can actually finish one book in an afternoon or less than an hour.. But let's not stop there.. let's proceed to reading books which involve deeper thoughts, more interesting subjects.. those that stimulate our minds and teaches us to envision.. those that teaches us to think.

One can start by vandalizing the house walls and carelessly coloring those story books... But let's not stop there.. let's continue to mold our way of drawing to fit the taste of a king, explore new mediums, find interesting landscapes.. be actually an artist..

One can start by singing in bathrooms and then in Karaoke machines.. but let's not stop there.. let's explore deeper and higher notes... let's hear our voices do the twists and turns of a musical piece which inevitably moves listeners' souls... and let's not settle auditioning for ABS CBN, GMA or TV5 network singing shows - those are too mainstream.. may also we find wonder and beauty and joy in those that are theatrical in nature... 

One can start by studying... learning.. not only for himself or herself, but for the benefit of the entire community...

listen to nature, to the animals, to the wind and the stars... after all, they're older than us.. and one way or another.. we are all part of the bigger picture.. we are all connected..

from The Horrible History of Jones

**inspired by the children and Mr. Ryan Maboloc's article: The World is Not Flat

i love You, Lord, thanks for moving me to do this.. :)