Week-Long Reflection..

The Piano "Lesson"
Author: Unknown

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took the small boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.

Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE." When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was missing.

Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in he boy's ear, "Don't quit." "Keep playing."

Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligatio.

Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.

That's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful.

Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit" "Keep playing." Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are playing the concerto of your life.

Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. And He'll always be there to love and guide you on to great things.

This story moved me. During my week-long video making, I really want to cry during those days. Although it was just movie maker, I got tired of making it. First was because I never was accustomed to making this kind of work. Second, it is a reflection video and I don't think the attendees of Kasangga Retreat will be moved by what I made. Third, it's for KR. And lastly, because I was really living into the standard of my ycom friends. They're the best. They can create wonders with their videos. Plus, they use awesome softwares. I don't really think I can be of they're caliber.

As I read this blog entry from a friend, I realized that this things that I have done are aren't my skills. If it was me, I wouldn't have done half of it. It was God helping me. Directing me on what to do. It was He who held my hand all those nights. It was He who gave me strength to endure the sleepless and tiring nights. It was He who whispered to me to keep on moving, to keep on striving hard. It was He who told me not to quit.

If I rely on my own skill, if I rely on my own strength, if I rely on myself alone, I would not be able to finish it. By this action of God, I became inspired to strive more, to do things not because I was told to do, not because I'm good at it, not because I am showing of, but because it was the message I heard and I have to proclaim it well and excellent for others to believe and trust it.=)

How come It's this great?

I talked to him on ym. Voice chat. It's already 12:45am at that moment. I should be sleeping or my senses would just be at ease at that time. But it became the other way around. He wanted to call me at home. I said, he can call me through ym. And so we talked. At that moment, my heart is pumping hardly. I don't really know how to act. And those ideas that are rushing into my mind earlier were gone with just hearing his voice.

I really don't like this because I think its a mortal sin (exagg). But I think it really is. We're friends. Very good friends from the start of our job relationship as program heads. I fell for him 'cause of his attitude. He's a good man. And I envy her girlfriend for having him.

I just hope I get my own man too. I my man to be just like him or better. It would really be nice if he'll fall for me but its just impossible. Totally impossible.

Why does it always seem like every thing's right when it's all about him? How come I have this feeling for him.

I just hope that if this isn't true, i hope it goes away easier. I hope the feeling will not anymore grow.

I shouldn't have done that..

"God Of This City" led by Chris Tomlin and written by Bluetree

You're the God of this city, You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation, You are
You're the Light in this darkness, You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless, You are

There is no one like our God, there is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city

Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done here

Earlier this day, before I went to sleep, I buzzed in Ate Dana to check on her. I forgot that she is a full time worker and that whenever you talk to a full time worker, it's either you'll have something to do or you're doomed (exaggerated:)). As I've said, I talked to Ate Dana and she became a blessing. She told me to make a video for talk 5 for Kasangga Retreat. How surprising, doesn't she know that I don't do those stuff? Anyway, I now how to use the movie maker and a little bit of premiere so I agreed. The hard part is, I have to sarch for my own materials. CRAP! So, here I am, looking for pictures. Good thing the audio material is already given. I pray that I'll have an idea when I get up later.

Prayer Time..

At the Cross

Oh Lord You've searched me
You know my way
Even when I fail You
I know You love me

Your holy presence
Surrounding me
In every season
I know You love me
I know You love me

At the cross I bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me
There's no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now

You go before me
You shield my way
Your hand upholds me
I know You love me

At the cross I bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me
There's no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now?(x2)

You tore the veil
You made a way
When You said that it is done(x2)

And when the earth fades
Falls from my eyes
And You stand before me
I know You love me
Oh.. I know You love me

At the cross I bow my knee
Where your blood was shed for me
There's no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now?(x2)

You tore the veil
You made a way
When You said that it is done(x4)

Lord, we are experiencing typhoon right now. Many people are affected by the storm. Many are dying, starving and are loosing hope. Today Lord, I have learned that every people are just the same when it comes to Your perception. When You say we'll die, we'll die with just one snap of Your finger. I have learned that there are no places on this earth where we can hide from Your power. The good part is, there is no way we can get away from Your guidance, from Your love.

"33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34: "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day."

Today, I have learned that truelly nothing is really important in this world. And that Your family, friend, properties and luxury don't really matter in your life. The most important thing in this world is that you have a good relationship with God. And that you have a strong belief in His power that everything will be just fine as you abandon everything for Him.

Before, when I was just starting in this service (YFC), I have heard of this matter for like a lot of times. Leaders and coordinators here and there would always say this lines to us in order for us to be active and do our part in our service. As time pass by, the essence of this saying deteriorates in my heart, or just in my mind for it was not really in my heart. The fact that I do things with excellence, I really don't know if I am motivated by this.

And then I tried to go back to where I started. To what am I doing. To where am I going. To how did it all happen.

I don't have those kind of stories, of success stories that really from worst to good. I don't have stories that are shocking. I am just a girl, raised in a fine family. Very fine, if I may say. My family is God-fearing. We don't have problems like the usual family problem of having a black-sheep, of having a drug addicted parents/sibling. As I have said, we are a very fine family.

Four years ago, I became a Youth for Christ member. After 5 months, I was already a chapter head. And this is where my never-ending journey began.

Four years, I have been serving God for four years straight. Ever since I started, I have never stopped. Many times did my parents, although God-fearing, always tell me to stop serving God through YFC, but I didn't. It was my way of abandoning it all for the sake of the call.=)

I disobeyed my parents, I lost my scholarship, I have flunking grades. I thought these were all forms of abandoning it all for the sake of having a good relationship with God. I was wrong.

I came to learn that these were all wrong through reading a certain book. I forgot its title but it really struck me. Things like these, that I have done were all forms of like denouncing our God, of like justifying our faith in the wrong way.

But just as we disobey our parents, just as we stop excelling in our studies, just as we do things without excellence, it is the same as serving without faith. We are like living dead. We do things that are not in the proper way.

True service is giving God our all. But in the right manner. In the little-est ways like obeying our parents, doing the best for your studies and being excellent in everything that we do while we are serving God.

Gospel for the Day..

• First Reading - 2 Chr 24:17-25
  17 And after the death of Joiada, the princes of Juda went in, and worshipped the king: and he was soothed by their services and hearkened to them. 18 And they forsook the temple of the Lord the God of their fathers, and served groves and idols, and wrath came upon Juda and Jerusalem for this sin. 19 And he sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord, and they would not give ear when they testified against them. 20 The spirit of God then came upon Zacharias the son of Joiada the priest, and he stood in the sight of the people, and said to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Why transgress you the commandment of the Lord which will not be for your good, and have forsaken the Lord, to make him forsake you? 21 And they gathered themselves together against him, and stoned him at the king's commandment in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 And king Joas did not remember the kindness that Joiada his father had done to him, but killed his son. And when he died, he said: The Lord see, and require it. 23 And when a year was come about, the army of Syria came up against him: and they came to Juda and Jerusalem, and killed all the princes of the people, and they sent all the spoils to the king of Damascus. 24 And whereas there came a very small number of the Syrians, the Lord delivered into their hands an infinite multitude, because they had forsaken the Lord the God of their fathers: and on Joas they executed shameful judgments. 25 And departing they left him in great diseases: and his servants rose up against him, for revenge of the blood of the son of Joiada the priest, and they slew him in his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
  
  
• Psalm - Ps 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34
  4 I have made a covenant with my elect: I have sworn to David my servant: 5 Thy seed will I settle for ever. And I will build up thy throne unto generation and generation. 29 I will keep my mercy for him for ever: and my covenant faithful to him. 30 And I will make his seed to endure for evermore: and his throne as the days of heaven. 31 And if his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments: 32 If they profane my justices: and keep not my commandments: 33 I will visit their iniquities with a rod and their sins with stripes. 34 But my mercy I will not take away from him: nor will I suffer my truth to fail.
  
  
• Gospel - Mt 6:24-34
  24: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25: "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26: Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27: And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28: And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29: yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30: But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31: Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32: For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34: "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
  

27th Couples For Christ Anniversary@Quirino Grandstand

Yesterday was the 27th anniversary of the Couples for Christ. It was already 1:30 am when arrived at home and was so sleepy that's why I am posting this entry just now.

I served as a runner for the CFC anniversary. I was assigned at the stage left. Call time was 10 am but I arrived at 1 pm because of some random reasons.. I was shocked when I saw who I am working with. Standing there on the stage left was DIANE. OMG! I thought she was not going to serve in ycom again. But it was okay, through this, she can forget that she hates ycom. And another shocking thing is, Ate Grace was there. She's going to be the Stage Manager in the stage left. so, Oh no.. I'm doomed.

All through out the celebration we were running here and there. Doing stuff and other errands. So, okay, the celebration was running smoothly. People were dancing the papaya dance and another dance also.

The parade started exactly at 4 pm. Then the rain poured down hardly and the electricity when down. The equipments were grounded and the connection went out. The 7 International Council and the hosts were all soaked wet. The electricity totally went out. So we were instructed to go down in the field and announce that we were going to pray the rosary so that the people won't think that the program and the celebration was cancelled. Amidst the heavy rain, the production team went in the vast crowd to tell the people that we were going to pray. And so we did the prayer and the heavens heard us, the rain stopped . We worshipped God for what had happened.

We were all soaking wet. Our feet were also wet and our pants were like rugs. We thought we were already going to faint.

After all that had happened, the celebration went well and the CFC community were all overwhelmed of everything that happened. I look forward into serving again in big events. God just used us, exhausted us and filled us with overwhelming experience.

Prayer Time..

What a day?!

I had all the worst things that could ever happen in a day. But not all are dismaying. Of course, some were okay but most of it was really disappointing.

1. I started my day, I woke up late. I usually wake up really late but just okay for my school preparation and stuff. But today, I woke up really late. Good thing there's no traffic.
2. I was late for my 12pm class. That was a major subject. As I pass through the table where my professor was, I bumped into his table and he really hates that. So okay another point.
3. There was no quiz. So supposedly, my plan of nt coming to school today was postponed because I thought there was a quiz. Grrr..
4. After the class, I learned that the succeeding classes were canceled so okay, I got really pissed with what happened. Plus the fact that the Math in Business class doesn't really exist said the SA in the Math office.
5. Rovie and I had a conversation awhile ago at the jollibee in rotonda. We were having a hard time figuring out our plans. We don't connect. I got really pissed. Really offended.

Lor, I really have big plans for YCOM. I don't know if Rovie's dreams for YCOm were good for YCOM. But I know that you have the greatest plans and that you will reveal it to us in the right time. May we always be excited about your plans and the next things that are going to happen.

AMEN.