Me in His Tree

It was me by His Tree

Taking refuge, whilst being free

Shielded from the glare

Unfazed by the wind

Splashing in the water

Satisfied from within

Now, it’s me in His Tree

Taking in others, setting them free

Shielding from the glare

Barring the wind

Keeping in the water

Bidding, “Come, jump in.”

This was the unofficial "carrier poem" of CYAF's involvement in Bradford's Ministry Fair 2010, in November of last year.

The title, which was the drive of CYAF is a play of words: MINISTRY ---> ME IN HIS TREE

It tells of our growth, or aspiration to grow, from being blessed to becoming blessings to others.

(Almost) cover story

This was supposed to be the cover story of UCCP Bradford's "Acts 16:9" Sunday Bulletin on CYAF Sunday 2010.

Tipping the First Tile

The Bradford Christian Young Adults’ Fellowship (CYAF) believes that care, if done right, will have a “domino effect" in the community.

Domino effect does not work on one tile only, not even with a few tiles. It works best if there are several tiles. In the same way, care is best seen at work in the community.

However, the beauty and wonder we see in the successive knocking over of several tiles starts with one push. Even after all the hard work involved in setting up the tiles, it still needs that one push to make it all happen. That one push is often something we find so hard to do for others. The fear or reluctance of doing that one push often makes us give up on caring for others.

And we are all called to care for others.

Let us all, by God’s grace, be bold enough to make that one push and start the domino effect of love and care in the community.

One might argue that he/she is not fit or built for caring and point to someone else to do it. It is valuable to note that arranging domino tiles in order to achieve the “domino effect” is not in any way connected to the game for which the tiles where made. “Domino effect” is a product of resourcefulness and of thinking out of the box. Caring for others should not be so different at all.

a shrimpy reflection

The following article is the cover story of the Feb 6 2011 issue of Acts 16:9.

I had shrimp sinigang for dinner the other night. Yum!

Shrimp, as well as crab and lobster, is arguably the best produce from the sea (or rivers). That is why it is among the top of everyone’s “my favorite food” list. That is why parties run out of shrimp before they do any other dish. That is why it is so expensive.

If there is one drawback in the whole shrimp thing, it is the need to use both hands to get the shell off – you would have to have shrimp matter in your nails; and the smell does not come off easy. I remember my brother saying he loves crab and shrimp; he just doesn’t want to go through the whole process of taking the meat out of the shell.

As members of the Christian community, many of us do not bother to get involved in the little details of Christian life. We don’t bother attending Bible studies and Sunday school. We don’t fellowship with others in the different organizations and ministries. Maybe we just want the brand name – we just want the shrimp meat.

We do not see that, just as having to remove by hand the shell before actually eating the shrimp is half the experience, getting involved and fellowshipping is half of what it means to be part of the faith community. The only way to enjoy shrimp is hands-on experience; the only way to enjoy being a Christian is hands-on experience.

Be a full-time member of Christ’s church. Be involved.

That Still Small Voice

Last Sunday, the speaker for the 9:45am service at Bradford said that it was her privilege to share to the congregation God's message for her that day.

Something hit me there and then. If we just think of sharing a Bible reflection, and even a full blown message or sermon, as merely sharing God's message for us on that day, then we won't be scared to stand and talk in front of people.

What does this imply? We simply have to listen to what God has to say to us everyday.

How do we do this? Prayer. Meditation. Bible reading.

If we say that God has not revealed His message to us today, then there must be something wrong with our being Christians.

One of the characters in the movie "I am Legend" said that God told her about the colony of the last few humans on earth, that God has a plan. When Dr Neville, played by Will Smith, tried to dismiss her disposition as crazy, she said, "The world is quieter now. If we listen, we can hear God's plan..."

Does it have to be at world's end, when the world is literally quieter, for us to hear that still small voice? I dare say no. He speaks to us every moment of every day. We just have to listen.

Quite coincidentally (as many would put it; in Christian terms, it's called blessing), I learned a new word last night as I was reading stuffs in the internet. Zeitgeist. Its origin is German. It means "the spirit of the moment/time."

The new word I learned further helped me decide to blog God's day to day message for me.

I pray I will be able to do this to help make the lives of people, me included, better...

But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.

To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

-John 10:2-4

Fave Bible Character

Last Sunday, the children at Bradford had a creative junior worship service. They were all asked to wear costumes of their favorite Bible characters for that day and many of them did. (I wish I have pictures). It was fun. Lua (and many others) was Mary (Korean version; because she wore a traditional Korean costume under her long veil). Dakila was Delilah. Nikko was David. Sam and Kitkat were angels.

One thing I noticed is that nobody, not even the Sunday School teachers (who also wore costumes) wore a Jesus costume. Is it because he is not a favorite? or because he is not a character?

I think the answer to these is captured in the lyrics of a beautiful song titled "Everything to Me" by Avalon. The chorus goes this way:

Everything to me
He's more than a story
More than words on a page of history
He is the air that I breathe

The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
Oh He's everything, everything to me

You see Jesus is not A favorite. He is THE favorite. And He is not a character. He is far more...

first gig

September 5th, Friday, was the day “Kape ug Kanta” was revived. It was also the day of Two Copper Coins' first gig.

I really do not know how to look back to that day. So many things happened around and within me.

I could look at it as a disaster. I was the (unofficial) organizer of the event and I totally forgot to prepare the sound system. People were asking me where were the speakers and other equipment. It was scheduled to start at half past seven in the evening and it started some minutes after nine. For almost two hours, people were asking me, “What time will we start?”

So few people came. My girlfriend was pissed with me the whole stretch of the “show.” My good friend Koren was there to watch us perform but instead ended up watching my irresponsible persona fail and falter.

I could also look at it as a selfish act. The idea of me and the other guys of Two Copper Coins performing has taken the better part of me. The major reason I forgot about preparing for the event was that I was so excited and so busy practicing for our performance. Until now I continue to ask myself if I exerted a considerable amount of effort to revive “Kape ug Kanta” to bring back into existence a good venue for young Christians to hang out, or to provide a venue for me to perform.

It was supposed to be all for the glory of God. The event. Two Copper Coins. All these came into being to praise and glorify the Almighty. I failed to look past myself and look up to Him.

But of course, I could look at it another one of God's intricate plans. Despite my failures and questionable motive, it all worked out in the end.

Lord, I'm sorry for my selfishness. May you be glorified in everything that I do.

We hope to make “Kape ug Kanta” a regular activity of the young. And we strive to cling on to the purpose of honor Him, and Him alone.

Sycamore Tree

Yesterday, at four in the afternoon, Bradford Church held its first Contemporary Worship Service. It was filled with upbeat songs of praise and worship. Kuya Dave gave a testimony. Pastor Haniel gave a message. And everybody was blessed and filled with joy.

It was a very wonderful experience, one that lifts your heart from some unfathomable depths of sorrow and darkness.

Pastor Haniel’s message was about Zaccheus – a common yet beautiful story of how a man, through faith, was changed. And he presented the story such as I have never heard it before.

There is one part of the message that got me pondering even after the service (This will be another long entry if I retell the whole message). The story, as told in the Bible, says that Zaccheus climbed up a sycamore tree. He did this in order to see Jesus – just to see Him from a distance. He may have thought that seeing Jesus would be enough for him. But Jesus stopped by the tree and said, “Zaccheus, come down, for I am going to stay at your house today.”

This tells us of two things. One is that Jesus knows you and me by name, as He knew Zaccheus by name. The other is that He doesn’t want us to see Him from afar, He wants to be with us no matter who we are, no matter how sinful we are (Zaccheus was the chief tax collector, which is almost tantamount to saying he was the chief of cheaters, thieves and sinners, remember?).

After hearing the message, I contemplated on my life and looked at it through the Zaccheus’ eyes. I realized that I too have climbed up my sycamore tree. I have stayed in my comfort zones and have been contented with seeing Jesus, our Lord and Savior, from afar. And I have stayed up there for quite some time already that I think my sycamore tree has grown taller and it’s gotten harder for me to climb down and be with Him.

I now ask God, in prayer, for more courage and strength to climb down and be closer to my Savior.

P.S.

Bradford Church Contemporary Worship Service happens every Sunday at four in the afternoon. Come and join us. Bring a friend. Be blessed and be a blessing.

the shutterbug in me

A couple of weeks ago, the Bradford CYAF (Christian Young Adults' Fellowship) went to Ocean Bay Resort in Dalaguete, south of Cebu City. It was supposed to be an official retreat and planning activity. But due to some technical problems which I would not discuss here, it turned out to be a rather expensive outing for the group.

Well, I took the chance to practice a few skills on photography. Using a borrowed digital camera, I made a subject out of my girlfriend. She herself wants to pose, so we have a mutual bond somehow. This is one of the pictures I took of her. I call it "Morning Perch."

bumps and waves

It's been quite a while since I've posted something sensible. And I don't have the time right now to write one. So I'm posting another poem of mine. I wrote this one with high hopes of reading it in the first "Kape ug Kanta" of the Bradford CYAF and CYF in front of people. The activity by the way is all about music, jamming, appreciating the presence of friends, praising God and, of course, coffee!!! Well I never had the guts to "volunteer" my poem. So I ended up reading a really cool (and weird at the same time) poem.

Here is the one I wrote:

Through Bumps and Waves

By: Paulster

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My life has been a bumpy ride

And I have taken all the wrong turns

From dead ends to pit holes and cliff sides

I'm going slow yet the rubbers burn

When the roads get slippery and wet

And my eyes cannot see through the haze

Friends are those who keep me on track

Those who cheer me on to finish the race

And tell me to trust in God’s amazing grace

At times, my life is a rough cruise

A vessel sailing on a storm-tossed sea

With a broken mast and no paddles to use

I’ve been adrift and floating aimlessly

As the waves grow higher and stronger

And the wind leaves me shivering to the core

Friends are those who wrap their arms around me

Saying: “Together we can reach for the shore

Because God’s love is mightier even more”

footprinted

It is finally in the printing press!!!

I am both relieved and pretty much happy that the footprints is now being printed and will be out soon. footprints is a quarterly publication of Bradford UCCI Christian Young Adults' Fellowship (Bradford CYAF). The responsibility and management was passed to us middle of last year. Unfortunately, due to some circumstances, we are now more than half a year delayed.

With this issue, with the help and blessing of God, we plan to make the magazine stable. We have even started conceptualizing for the next issue (hopefully it won't take forever for us to put it together... And I badly need a computer!!!) so watch out for it.

Agnes or Agatai is the EIC. She is one cool dudette (except for the fact that due to her work schedule, she exists in a different timezone... this is why she, most often than not, comes late in appointments... hehehe... peace out ags!)

Supports from you guys are very much welcome. You may extend help financially or by handing in your articles and essays (strictly Christian-themed) or just by simply giving us words of advice to make our publication better.

This is all for the greater glory of God!!!