Bisperas ng Bukas

Gabi.

Sinipat ko ang aking bulsa. Dalawampung piso.

Tiningnan ko ang kalangitan. Maulap pero wala namang ulan.

Due date na ngayon ng hiniram kong vcd. Ayoko rin mgbayad ng overdue.

Nagdesisyon akong maglakad. Tutal hindi pa naman malalim ang gabi. Ayoko din magbayad ng pamasahe. At least, I can enjoy the fresh air and the company of myself. (Huh?! Anu daw?)

Marami akong napansin habang ako’y naglalakad sa kahabaan ng aming maliit na bayan. (May ganon?)

Meron ding mga taong naglalakad. Konti lang din kaya ang pera nila? Marami din yung mga nakasakay sa mga sasakyan.

Isa sa dahilan kung bakit pinili kong maglakad kesa sumakay ng pedicab eh para makita ang mga istruktura ng mga kabahayan sa komunidad ko. Mahilig kasi ako dyan eh. ’Pag nasa bus nga ako, paminsan-minsan lang akong matulog kahit inaantok ako para makakita lang ng mga itsura ng bahay.

Hindi naman sa wala kaming bahay pero in fairness naka-ilang lipat na din kami. Marami kasi kaming bahay, este tinuturing na bahay. Naaamaze lang ako sa mga istruktura ng mga bahay. Iba-iba ang kulay. Iba-iba ang hugis at laki. Parang tao. Gaano man kasimple, may kagandahan pa ring maipapakita.

Naiisip ko din ang mga iba’t ibang kwento sa pagpapatayo ng mga bahay na nakikita ko. Masaya kaya ang mga taong nakatira? Hindi ko alam. Siguro. Paminsan.

Hindi talaga mawala-wala sa nature ng tao ang paghahanap ng kasama o ang paghahanap ng mga pwedeng mapaglibangan lalo na siguro sa Pilipinas. Tinuringan pa naman tayong hospitable country.

Sa daan kasi, may mga nakikita akong nag-uusap, nagyo-yosi, nagtatawanan, kumakain. Meron nga din akong nakitang naglalambingan sa labas ng tindahan ng lola ko eh. Hindi sila napansin kasi madilim.

Marami ka ring makikitang emosyon. Saya. Lungkot. Meron ding hindi mo maipaliwanag. Nakatingin sa kawalan. Naghihintay. Nababagot.

Alam kaya ng mga taong ito na may nagmamahal sa kanila? Pagmamahal na higit pa sa maibibigay ng mga kaibigan nila o pamilya nila? Pagmamahal na galing sa Lumikha ng lahat?

Meron sigurong alam nila pero sigurado akong maraming hindi nila alam. Sigurado ako kasi may mga krimen pa rin. Kabilaan ang barilan. Nakawan. Sabunutan. Mga nag-aaway. May mga nagpapakamatay pa nga. Kung alam nilang may nagmamahal sa kanila, hindi nila gagawin yon.

Naramdaman kong dumampi sa aking mga kamay ang patak ng ulan. Nagsisimula ng lumuha ang kalangitan pero naglalakad pa rin ako at tumatakbo. (Panu kaya yon?) Naisip ko, mababawasan ang dalawampung piso ko nito.

Nasauli ko na ang hiniram ko at kailangan ko ng umuwi. Lumalalim na ang gabi. Basa ang daan. Kelangan ding bawasan ang dalawampung piso ko. Pero paglabas ko, wala akong naramdamang patak ng ulan. May nagmamahal nga sa akin. Alam ko yon. Pero maraming hindi nakakaalam. Kelangan nila ako. Kelangan nila ang mga taong nakakaalam na may nagmamahal sa kanila. Kelangan din nilang harapin ang marami pang bisperas ng bukas.

(Pero hindi ko kinailangang bawasan ang dalawampung piso ko.)

isn't it?

Isn't it strange how a 20 dollar bill seems like such a large amount when you donate it to church, but such a small amount when you go shopping?

Isn't it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you're at church, and how short they seem when you're watching a good movie?

Isn't it strange that you can't find a word to say when you're praying but…you have no trouble thinking what to talk about with a friend?

Isn't it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the Bible but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a popular novel?

Isn't it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games but they do whatever is possible to sit at the last row in Church?

Isn't it strange how we need to know about an event for Church 2-3 weeks before the day so we can include it in our agenda, but we can adjust it for other events in the last minute?

Isn't it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God to share it with others; but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip?

Isn't it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspapers say but…we question the words in the Bible?

Isn't it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven but…they don't want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?

Isn't it strange how we send jokes in e-mails and they are forwarded right away but when we are going to send messages about God, we think about it twice before we share it with others?



Unknown

Shepherd of My Soul by Catherine Idul and Ruby Felicia Manongdo

I. You, Lord are my Shepherd
I will never be in need
You let me rest in fields
Of green pasture
You lead me to the streams
Of peaceful water
And You refresh my life

Ref: You are the light
In all of my darkness
You are the strength
In all of my weakness
You are the reason
Why I live

Cho: When I’m lost You found me
When all else have left
And I know You’re there
Cause Your love never fails
When I’m down, You comfort me
In the pain that I’m in
Because Your love overflows
Your love overflows

II. Even when I walk
Through the darkest valley
I will not be afraid
For You are close beside me
Your rod and Your staff
Protect and comfort me
You will always be with me because

(Repeat Ref)
(Repeat Cho 2x)

Coda: Love overflows (2x)
You are the Shepherd of my soul

And The Owner of the House Is

There was a man who won a three-storey house and a lot. He organized a party and invited only one person and that is Jesus. When Jesus arrived, the man welcomed Him and they ate.

The man led Jesus to the third-storey of his house and he said, “Jesus, this part of the house is all yours!” Jesus replied, “Are you sure?” “Yea! I’m so sure,” the man bragged. “Okay, thank you,” Jesus again replied. Then the doorbell rang.

“I thought I’m your only visitor?” Jesus asked. The man wondered and said, “Yes, you are my only visitor, really. But let me just get it.” Then the person made his way to the first-storey.

As soon as he opened the gate, he saw that his next visitor was Satan and he was shocked. Satan punched and kicked him and when the man has the opportunity to kick Satan out of his house, he closed the gate and went up the house to Jesus.

“Jesus!” the man said while catching up his breath. “Why haven’t you told me that Satan was the one who waited for me at the door?” he asked.

Jesus answered, “Well, you said that this part of the house is mine. If I’ll go downstairs to the second-storey, that is trespassing and if I’ll be going down again to help you with Satan, then that is double trespassing.”

“Oh, I’m sorry Jesus. I stand corrected. Then I’m gonna give you my first floor rather,” the man said.

Later on, when Jesus was in the first-storey of his house, they found out that Satan owns a helicopter.


-Jesus gave us His 100% when He died on the cross to save us from our sins, then why can’t we? If we also give up our 100% to Jesus, He will take care for all our needs.

Ephesians 3:18= And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep His love is.

Dear Diary

She wanted to see me. I don’t.

She’s in my room. I was outside.

She’s with my classmate. I was with my friends.

She waited patiently for me to go home. I waited patiently for her to go home.

But then my classmate she’s with texted me and asked where am I.

I texted back and said I’m coming. What have I just typed? I looked back again on my cellular phone and it shows I’m coming. Message Sent.

Then in a moment, I’m in my room and there she is and she waited for me to go home. Why was she like that?

She gave me something. A gift and a letter. Then she and my classmate went home. Then I was happy. Not because they finally got out of my room but because I received something.

Then we started to text each other. And then we decided to meet and eat and talk and meet and eat and talk. I have come to know her better during the days that we meet and eat and talk and realized that hey, she’s not ruining my life! She’s there to help. I have come to know that I started writing letters for her and making her happy all the time. I raided her friendster account and researched on her favorites and I started to give her favorites. This was not me.

Then I began to actually love her and decided to love her forever. We had a lot of sleepovers and we traveled together. I’m glad I met her and I’m now convinced this was not the me I’ve known before.

Before, I’m an orphan spiritually but now I’m happy and growing in my own spiritual family.

I’m glad I met her, my spiritual mom, Ms. Ma. Rebekah Morelos. Through her I have come to know that the Father loves and cares for me and I am so special in His eyes. Through her, I’ve received the tender loving care and affection I’ve never experienced before and now, I can give it to other people. I love you Nanay! Always and forever.

-Hebrews 10:25= And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.

RUBY

There are times before in which I don't like my name because it sounds like 'barumbado na tao' for me. Dagdag pa na I still have a second name which is Felicia.

But that was long ago. Now, I appreciate it na. I searched for the meaning of my name or names rather and here it is:

Ruby= red gemstone (gemstone--> is a piece of attractive mineral, which—when cut and polished—is used to make jewelry or other adornments; a precious stone)

Felicia= happiness

We are given our own name yet some of us don't like it though gaya ko dati.. Siguro for the reason na 'napapangitan' sa pangalan. Pero it's not about what name you have. it's about who the person is bearing that name. You may have the most beautiful name in the world but you could also be the person having the worst attitude. It doesn't matter what name you have. Just take care of your reputation and you can have the sweetest name in the world. Remember, we are fearfully and wonderfully created by God. And by the way, a good reputation can be built by obeying God's Word.