Shit happens for a reason

I always make it a point to have a handkerchief in my left (back or front) pocket everywhere I go.  But one fateful day, I was not able to bring one because all of my hankies are in the laundry.

So when I got to my cubicle at the faculty room, I grabbed a pack of pop-up tissues that has been there for several months already and shoved it into my bag before going to class.  I thought it was the perfect stand-in for my absentee hanky.

In the classroom, as I was running a little late, I immediately set up my computer for Powerpoint.  When I was almost done, my tummy started to feel weird.  And if one knows me, he/she should know that I'm not particularly skilled at holding my bowels.

There was nothing else to do: I had to grab the pack of tissues, put it in my pocket and dashed to the nearest rest room.

That was the first time I was glad I did not have a handkerchief with me.

... all things work together for good to those who love God... - Romans 8:28

salt

If you are an inexperienced cook, there's a fairly big chance of you getting the taste wrong. So when making scrambled eggs, chances are that you put in too little or too much salt. My girlfriend puts it this way: if there is too little salt, it's OK, something can still be done even after cooking; but if there's too much salt, there's nothing much that we can do about it.

She's right. And she's got me thinking and reflecting on what Jesus said about us being the salt of the earth. Apparently, if we are too salty - if we exercise what it is to be Christians well, we become far too stringent to most people, to the world.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I dare say it is a good thing.

If Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth, he calls us to be salty - to be as salty as we can be, in fact. We should spread our salinity like wild fire searing everything in its way.

But that's not all. We should also be adamant, resolved, steadfast. We should never lose our salinity.

Matthew 5:13
“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 trampled underfoot."

perspectives

(This entry is also published in ridenwrite.blogspot.com)

Yesterday, a recent venture of mine took me to the road which took me to one of the premiere subdivisions in Cebu City - Beverly Hills.

Going to the venue (a function building called the Beverly Pavilion), we passed by big, beautiful houses - the kinds that cost millions to build. Though I was driving and had to follow another vehicle to the venue, and hence, didn't have the luxury of visually exploring the place - I couldn't help but notice these houses. My amazement climaxed when we arrived at our destination - a pavilion nestled on the edge of hill (cliff-ish?) overlooking a ravine and the city.

The cool air and the ambiance quickly took me to a trance-like state as I can't believe I never left the city at all. In fact, I was at the very heart of it. The beauty of the place got me thinking about how much people would pay just to have this view from their balcony; and even how much people would pay just to hold an event in such a place.

From my vantage point, the horizon was blurred by storm clouds and the city seems harmless and serene. I almost got lost in the moment until I refocused my eyes on the immediate surrounding. I can't believe I missed the shanties dotting the other side of the ravine.

I wondered: if one of the houses near the pavilion was mine, would I be able to look out the window every morning knowing what "disturbing realities" await right outside?

Then it hit me: looking at reality (and life) straight in the face boils down to one thing - perspective.

One can look at the "shanties of life" - realities that often bring us down; one can look to city and its lights - mesmerizing escapes that are often just around the corner; one can look at the horizon and get lost in the tug-of-war between earth and sky; or one can look up - to God, have faith, and see that the sourness of reality is indiscernible in the sweetness of His love.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

(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.

giving...

Monday, 27th of September.

I was in a meeting with young-adult leaders of our church. It was in a pastry shop. The idea of buying some pastries for the attendees of the meeting got hold of me. The feeling of joy in giving to others has never been this strong in me.

I bought them something which may not be the most expensive ones in the selves. But it felt really good nonetheless.

If you ask my old friends, I was never the one to buy food (or other stuffs) for others.

Thank you Lord for reminding me that it is a whole lot better to give than to receive.

As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. ~ Matthew 10:7 & 8

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

Life is...

You wake up
And find that you have none
You spend the whole day
Trying you gain just one
When there are some
Who are born right out of trust funds
Who may sleep all day
And still have much in their hands

Yes life is not fair
No matter how much you try
No matter how much you dare
But if you see the wonder that is in all
Yes life is not fair
But it is beautiful

You choose to love
And find all the reasons to smile
You give your all
Only to find out it’s not worth your while
Hold your head high
You’ll see, if you look beyond big pains
Swarms of small blessings
Like floods that come from droplets of rain

Yes life is not fair
No matter how much you try
No matter how much you dare
But if you see the wonder that is in all
Yes life is not fair
But it is beautiful

Presumptuous Me

May of last year, I and my girlfriend attended the first death anniversary celebration of my Lolo Roger. We drove south (on my motorcycle) from Cebu City to the southern tip of Cebu Island and took the barge going to Negros Oriental. Lolo Roger is buried in Dumaguete City.

A few months after, in a proud, almost boastful, voice, I told a good friend of mine about our summer escapade.

It was then that I learned that this friend of mine drove from Mindanao to Manila during the same time I drove from Cebu to Dumaguete. Then he told me that when they were driving to the capital, they met on the road a foreigner walking. The man has been to different countries on a mission: to walk around the world.

I went to my friend so proud about my adventure only to find out that he's been to a greater adventure and that other people are on or have been to much greater ones.

There is nothing wrong about being proud of the things that you have done but bragging and thinking no one's ever done the things you did probably is. And it just might make you lose your face...

In Luke 14:8-10, Jesus said:

When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests.

Tithe and Bribe

One of the many things I know I should do but somehow fail to do several times is tithing. I know how it works (or I think I do). I know I ought to do it. But somehow, I can’t.

There are a lot of things that I can identify that would very much qualify as alibis or as I would call them: self-justified reasons, for not tithing. But I am not going to write about them here. I’m going to write about tithing and the awkward feelings that surround it.

I may well be speaking for myself here. I may be the only one going through this. But it’s our own personal experiences that teach us life lessons. And this is one of those experiences.

Have you ever tried giving more than ten percent of your income because you have so much to thank for? I have and it feels so good.

How about giving more, hoping to somehow negate something that you have done wrong? Or maybe you don’t admit it, not even to yourself, but at the back of your mind the idea clings on like stain on fabric – that you have brought tithing down to a derogatory status of a bribe?

This is crazy. I know. Tithing is not, and should never be, for all intent and purposes, a bribe. Tithing is returning to God what is rightfully His. Tithing is part of the natural order of the universe. It is us humans, and all our weaknesses and inadequacies, that stain the essence of the tithe.

I am sure many of us have heard about employers holding their own employees hostage with their (employees) salaries as the weapon of choice. These employers threaten not to release the salaries or wages of their workers if they (employees) do not let them (employers) have their ways of doing things. And I’m pretty sure also that upon hearing this kind of stories, we would, as if in chorus, scream “That’s not fair!”

Indeed, it is not fair. It is not fair to those who have worked so hard not to receive the fruits of their labor – something that rightfully belongs to them. It’s stealing from them.

It is also not fair to God if we don’t give Him what’s His. It’s stealing from Him.

Moreover, it is equally not fair to Him if we give our tithe and expect a little extra favor from Him because we have something in us that needs serious corrections.

Malachi 3:10 says “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me on this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it…”

We should give our tithe because it’s the right thing to do – so “that there may be food in God’s house,” and not because we are after the blessing God promised. It’s just like we don’t steal or kill because it’s the right thing to do and not because we don’t want the consequences of doing it.

So whenever tithing becomes more like bribing, change the things you have the power over – yourself and your unrighteousness. Ask God to take away that guilt. And when it is gone, giving will feel so much better.

I have yet to do this myself. Help me God...

Another Tale of Bats

Shortly after the school year started, I went to get IDs. I had surrendered my faculty ID for not teaching any subject the previous semester; my student ID on the other hand had already expired. So, as my teaching load for the current semester was still being processed, I thought it best to get a new student ID while waiting for my faculty ID. (For those who don't know, I am a full-time Master of Science student and a part-time college instructor of the Civil Engineering Department of one of the universities in Cebu City.)

The school does not allow male students (specifically undergraduates) to grow their hair long or grow beards and mustaches. My hair about eight inches long. So when I approached the one in charge of taking ID pictures, I was told I can't have my photo taken because of my hair.

I played the double-agent card.

I told her I am also a member of the faculty of the university.

She told me I am also a student so I should have my hair cut. Shortly after, she snapped that I can have my photo taken.

But I have to wait in line.

I left. The long line was the perfect alibi for leaving. And my seemingly busy schedule would further support my action. But what the ID-girl said left a sting in my mind.

Some weeks after that, one of the members of the faculty of our department asked me if the university allows male teachers to grow their hair long.

Again, I played the double-agent card.

I told him I am also a graduate student.

That was when I started thinking more about why I wanted to get both a faculty and a student ID. I realized I need my faculty ID to gain for myself more access and "power" inside the campus. And my student ID? I need it to get discounts.

This made me reflect - on life, on being a Christian. We love to play the double-agent card. We tend to switch from one side to the other depending on which one benefits us. We boldly claim all the blessings of being a Christian. But when we are called to step out of our comfort zones, we cower away.

Remember the story about the bats who were caught in the middle of a war between mammals and birds? The bats could not decide which side they are on. And so they were caught right in the middle with no way out.

In life, we need to be bold and steadfast. As Christians, we should also be bold and steadfast.

"So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth" - Revelation 3:16 NIV

For God and Country

My brother once told me that if a person was legally allowed to stow away on every flight (his words in Bisaya were “mokabit sa eroplano”) to the United States of America (or other countries), it would not take long for the population of the Philippines to be dramatically reduced. It was meant to be a joke, of course. However, one can’t help but notice how much it touches on reality – Filipinos would go to great lengths just to get out of the country.

Have you ever found yourself asking God why He made you Filipino? Or found yourself wanting to go out the country so bad in hope for a “better” life?

Sadly, for many, the answer to these questions is “yes.”

What do the scriptures say about our nationality? In the New Testament, we can read these words:

²⁶From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. ²⁷God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ²⁸”For in him we live and move and have our being.” As some of your own poets have said, “We are his offspring.” (Acts 17; NIV)

Let us also remember that, during the Old Testament times, God did not only reveal His glory and grace to a person, nor to a family; He revealed Himself to a nation. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you” (Gen 12:2a) was God’s promise to Abraham, the father of our faith. It was to and through this nation that God made Himself known – He blessed them as a nation and, at many times, punished them as a nation.

If you think the Philippines is now hopeless and beyond help because of the corruption and all the unrighteousness in it, take time to reflect. Could it be that, as a nation, as His people, we have not sought Him like He intended? Could it be that, as a nation, we have not obeyed Him? Could it be that we have not considered our being Filipinos as a blessing from God?

Our being Filipinos, our nationality, is one of the most visible, tangible will of God in our lives. Let us honor it by being thankful for it and by actively participating in rebuilding our nation. It is not enough to do things for ourselves alone. Let us start doing whatever we do in life for God and for the country.

a song for my God

You gave us the sun up above,

To keep us warm during the day;

You gave us the stars in the sky,

To gaze upon when we may

You gave us the mountains and seas,

To wonder and marvel upon;

We now live enjoying all these,

Because You gave us Your Son

In thanksgiving,

I give all that I have;

In worship,

I offer all that I am;

In praise,

I now sing...

To You my God (and King)

You flood us with Your blessings,

That we overflow with them;

You make our paths straight,

Now we run the race to win

And every time we go astray,

You take us back with open arms;

To save us all from sin,

You let Your Son be the Lamb

I wrote this on Monday morning at four

I have wanted to write lyrics to a song for a long time now

I thank God He gave me the right words even at the unholiest of hours

take a pause

Traffic, most of the times, irritates us. And it often results to friction, conflicts and misunderstanding.

We do not like traffic because we do not want to be slowed down or stopped when we are driving/traveling. Often, I see people beating the red light and/or going before the light goes green. There are reasons why the light goes yellow for about 3 to 4 seconds before turning red; or why there is a 3 to 4 - second interval (or delay) before the light goes green. Safety is foremost among these reasons.

Naps, blank spaces in magazine pages, short pauses, recess, coffee breaks... All these give us time (and space) to think more, think better; they give us a chance to relax and rest; they give us an opportunity to appreciate things; they keep us from the dangers of rushing or overdoing things... The gaps between traffic sign changes are pretty much like these things.

Why then do we beat traffic? Why then do we let a few seconds to think, relax, appreciate and keep us safe pass us by?

Let us take a few seconds off.

Let us also remember that God wants us to stop, pause, or be still once in a while, for us to know Him and His glory... He has told us through the psalmist in Psalms 46:10:

"Be still, and know that I am God"

tale of the white cap (part 2)

Almost a year ago, I posted a blog titled "tale of the white cap." It was all about commitment. It was about how people have varying degrees of commitment to something...

My friend did not allow me to use her cap which the group needed. Now, a string of circumstances has passed the hypothetical white cap, which my friends need, to me. And, like my friend, I seem unwilling to let them borrow it.

And in my unwillingness, I have hurt people.

"Lord of Time and Bounty, I pray that you give me the wisdom to see pass the limited resources that I have. Lord, let me see and measure things according to Your riches and according to Your promise that You will provide everything that we need and desire... I also pray that You let Your unconditional love fill the gaps among us - gaps in terms of commitment and understanding - and that it may bind us in reconciliation... Amen..."

Past Car

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
(Matthew 6:14-15)

Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you (NIV)
Know where you are headed and you will stay on solid ground (CEV)
(Proverbs 4:25-26)

Let me share the analogy of a car on what's behind (the past) and what's ahead (the future):

A car's windshield is far greater in area than the combined areas of the side-view mirrors and the rear-view mirrors. This simply tells us that we must pay more attention to what is ahead of us - the current moment and the future, rather than what is behind us - our past experiences and pains.

One may argue that we need to look behind to better prepare for and understand the future. True. That's the reason cars have at least three (3) mirrors facing backwards. When making a turn, parking and even overtaking another vehicle, the driver (the good ones, I may add) look at these mirrors in order to avoid accidents and injuries (to self and others).

In life, making a turn, parking and overtaking may be compared to making decisions. Quite similarly, we look at our past experiences, with a hope of not making the same mistakes or misjudgments as before. We look at our past pains to avoid future pains. We look at our past victories to win greater challenges.

Still, we need to pay more attention at what is directly ahead of us. The past is always there to teach us lessons in life. But if we look ahead, armed not only with the knowledge (and understanding) of the past, but more so, with a determination of getting to where we are going, we can get there, and even beyond, safe and sound.

The windshield is still wider than all the mirrors facing backwards.

tale of the white cap

A couple of months ago, I, together with the Bradford CYAF, went to an acquaintance activity in some beach in the City of Naga. The overnight activity included team building exercises, which is a series of team games.

In the final game, each group was to extract seawater and "carry" it to a bottle. My teammates held in place the "gutters" through which the water must be channeled to the bottle. It was my job to extract water with everything that I have with me (this means, my clothes and body parts only, or those of my teammates).

One of my teammates was wearing a white cap. I figured it would make my job easier and in turn would put our team on top of the others. So I asked her I could use her cap for "carrying" water. She vehemently refused to my request so I ended up using my white shirt instead.

After the game, we gave insights and reflections on our experiences in the games. Here is what I shared with the group on my friend's white cap.

When my friend refused to lend me her cap, I realized that we make sacrifices for the group to a certain degree. But it is futile to assume that others would make the same sacrifices.

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.