Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Story-story lang

March 28, 2009 – 5pm – IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City
JOY Group Gathering

Bonding Time!
In LA – JOY group, is a group of youth in Lakas – Angkan Ministry Inc. where young professionals and even students are formed to make bonding moments, play games and enjoy everything around and make fun fun fun.

I invited my friend Lucman in one of our gatherings on the date and place above. I bet he really enjoyed our company because I can see he deals well with my friends in the group. And my bet is right (and I think I deserve a million bucks) because he wants to join in our next strike of fun. How I wish I can invite more friends in this gathering. The more, the merrier.

Pictures will be provided soon.

Have a blessed Holy Week to all guyz.

Monday, February 8, 2010

What a blessed Sunday!

I am inspired to create this blog because of the wonderful experience I had on February 7, 2010 Sunday. And would like to share it to you guyz…

I woke up early in the morning to go to my usual Sunday fellowship. I was late then but it did not stop me from worshipping God and be with them. The message was also so inspiring and I would love to share the message: Joy in Trails based on the text from James 1:2-12

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
9The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
How will you guys face the trials in your life? Would you accept with great joy or turn back from it and ask for a happy and peaceful life instead? In the verses above, God wants us to face the trials because it will help to mold us into a better person, and accept it with joy because it is a blessing that God entrusted us this kind of challenge for He knows we can do it. And through this, we will remain victorious in life. There are three essentials for victory in trials.

A JOYFUL ATTITUDE (James 1:2)
God wants us to face the trials of many kinds with joy because our outlook in these trails will determine the outcome of this. Our values will also determine our evaluations and our attitude towards trials will determine our actions to take. If you face trials with joy, you surely will overcome it with lessons and a stronger outlook in life. It also makes you a better person than before. And if you see trials as a pain, then you will not win from the challenge it gives.

AN UNDERSTANDING MIND (James 1:3)
Our faith to God is always tested. And this testing is done to work for us, not against us. These trials are rightly used to help us mature.

A SURRENDERED WILL (James 1:4, 9-12)
God cannot build our character without our cooperation. We must submit ourselves to Him so that He can shower us His blessings and the promises He has made for us. God’s goal for our lives is maturity.

Are you treating trials and the challenges in life as pain or as a joy?

Lord, please help me see that the trials, all the problems, the stress, lack of money and other challenges You have given to me is Your way of building me to better person fitted for You and Your kingdom, Amen.



After the fellowship, I was invited by my fellow Christian and a friend of mine Ate Sol to their place and eat lunch with them. Wow, that’s another blessing, a FREE LUNCH. Hehehe…

It was set in a meeting last week that there will be having a bonding time or small gathering for the youths in the church. And I was chosen to take charge for the group’s snacks. The given budget was only (drum roll) 280.00 for 14 person. Yeah, 280 PESOS FOR 14 PERSON?!? Ok, thanks God I am with Ate Sol in this assignment. So, how are we going to fit the budget 280 pesos for 14 person? Is it enough? I doubt so. But Ate Sol was so confident that this budget is enough for our group’s snacks. Remember the time when Jesus fed the big crowd with only 2 fishes and single bread available? Now, in this assignment will going to see His power. So we started budgeting as follows:
Egg Sandwich (good for 14 pax)
Eggs 6.00 x 4 = 24.00
Cellophane 7.00 x 1 = 7.00
Sliced bread 28.00 x 2 = 56.00
There is already mayonnaise and milk in the refrigerator but it was Ate Terry’s. She allowed us to use some of it and pay for the part that we had used afterwards.
Mayo and milk used about ¼ part
from each item 50.00
SUBTOTAL: 137.00
Chichirya
Richee(small) 4.75 x 2 = 9.50
Moby(small) 4.72 x 2 = 9.50
Rinbee(small) 4.72 x 2 = 9.50
Clover chips(big) 16.75 x 2 = 33.50
SUBTOTAL: 62.00

Softdrinks 1.5 ml
Coke 35.00 x 1 = 35.00
Sprite 35.00 x 1 = 35.00
SUBTOTAL: 70.00

CASH-ON-HAND: 280.00
TOTAL: 269.00
CHANGE: 11.00

Based on the computation above, can you see how great and powerful God is? My doubt was totally gone. How amazing!!! And there’s more! When we are buying those items at E-mall, we are lucky to join a promo from Nestle. All we did was just answer some questions they provided in a questionnaire and if we got it right, we have prize. The questions are about the contents from the label of Nestle product, thus promoting the habit of checking the product’s label. Surprisingly, we have a perfect score and won a prize. Ate Sol got a facial towel while I got a small notebook.

Now we are about to head to IT Park, the group’s agreed place. Upon going to the mall’s exit, Ate Sol got a phone call from a friend. Her friend is asking if they can have a talk. I can sense that it is very important so I agreed to wait for her at the Goldilocks. Ate Sol confirmed my instinct that her friend has a problem and wanted to share it with her. So, I understood the situation and patiently waited for her. When her friend arrived, I was surprise because she is so damned beautiful – another blessing for this day. I can’t explain why I can say it is a blessing when I saw her but I just treat it as a blessing. So, we are heading to IT Park, it was a long journey since 30 minutes is quite long time to wait.

Then we arrived at IT Park and enjoyed the bonding moments with the youths in the ministry. We had a lot of games and some other activities to get along with each other. It is also a blessing for me because we became closer than before. Like a barkada as they call it.

With this, I can conclude that this February 7, 2010 Sunday is indeed a blessed Sunday.

Hope you have a blessed day, too.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Sick days

It started on Friday (Jan. 29, 2010) when I feel a bit uncomfortable. I was feeling dizzy and cold inside. In spite of this, I still went to work and continue doing my tasks, though I wasn’t performed it well because of the temperature inside the office. It makes me feel worse. When the clock strikes 6:00 in the afternoon (I arrived minutes before 9:00 in the morning), I immediately fix myself and go home. I didn’t send an email update to my mentor in Atlanta. Well, that’s okay because my activity here is track through a project monitoring tool and my team leader already knows about my status in the project. It usually took me two jeepney rides before it reaches me home. And within this ride, I feel asleep. Good thing I was able to stop at my destination.

Saturday morning when I feel better, so I started cleaning my room and took care of my nephew MJ. I even go to mall and withdrew some cash, and do a little shopping for some groceries. Saturday night when I feel dizzy again and I can’t breathe through my nose because it is clogged. I haven’t a good sleep that night because I feel really cold. My mother woke up because of the noise I made and was worried about me. She took care of me all night, or maybe dawn, till morning. After that, I feel comfy in my sleep and I even woke up around 8:00am. I still feeling cold but better than what I felt last night and then I prepared myself for my usual Sunday fellowship. My mother scolded me for attending the said fellowship when I am not okay. But I responded that God is my strength and will guide me to the fellowship till I go home. So, I still went on to my fellowship. My brothers and sisters in the ministry as well as my BS leader noticed my pale face when I arrived at the fellowship place. They took good care of me until the fellowship is over. It was a half-paying attention to the speaker; by the way the speaker that day was my BS leader, but I managed to keep myself awake as I was praising God to the most high of my energies.

After the fellowship, there was a meeting for the young professionals of God and I attended to it without paying much attention. They even asked me if it’s okay I will be the group’s treasurer and then I nodded to say yes. Then later I realized what I was nodded to: I’m the group’s TREASURER?!? Oh well, that’s the prize of not paying attention to a meeting. That was understood then because I was not okay, but still I am the treasurer, so be it. After the meeting, I packed myself ready to go home and sleep. My mother called a ‘manghihilot’ neighbor and gave me a relaxing full body massage. Wow! Then after that I fall asleep. It was a good soundless sleep. I woke up when it was time to eat dinner. YEPEE!!! I was feeling better that time but my mother demanded me not to go to work tomorrow (Monday). But I insisted because I still have some tasks to do. But I was scolded. It was a long blah blah blah from her that it was my fault that I am sick today. I did not care for my body, etc. So I ended up texting my team leader that I cannot go to work the next day morning. Then, I sleep the whole day till afternoon. Then I made sure my body is ready to work for tomorrow Tuesday for I still have a lot of tasks to do.

And now February 2, 2010 here in front of my desktop, I am writing this blog after reading 100 emails from my outlook, usually coming from my friends in CIT from our mailing list cit@charoot.com. Bye for now, I am now busy with my tasks.

It was a long weekend, though.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Kids are fun

There are a lot of kids at our home. Most of them are my ‘pamangkins’… hehehe… my nieces and nephews. They’re about 10 years old and below. And having them at home means a lot of headaches but most of them, though, is fun, fun, fun.

Here’s the list of some eventful fun while at home with these kids:

Comb your hair
I was teasing my niece, Mimi, because her hair is not well-combed.
Me: Mimi, bati-a nimug nawng oist, Awa ra na imung buhok gubot kaayo! (Mimi, you’re so ugly. Look, you’re hair is messy!)
Mimi: Dai, dili na tinuod oi! (Hmf, that’s not true!)
Me: Tan-awa gud na imung kaugalinun o. Panudlay didto kaw. (Look at yourself. Comb your hair)

Then Mimi goes to my room and combs her hair. I was following her to ensure she will fix herself.
Mimi: [puppy look] Sige lang ka panungog nako dah. Awa lang jud ka. (You’re always teasing me. Wait and see.)
Me: [curious look] Kay ngano man? (And why?)
Mimi: Awa lang inig ka dako nako mo-gwapa ra ko. (When I grow up, I will be pretty.)



***
Picture taking
I was taking a picture using my cellphone when my nephew, Edong, approaches me.
Edong: Ate Ann, nag-unsa ka? (Ate Ann, what are you doing?)
Me: Nag-picture2x sa akong kaugalingun gamit akong cellphone (I am taking picture of myself using my cellphone.)
Edong: Apil ko ate, picture-e sad ko. (Me too, please take me a picture.)
Me: Okay.

So he did a model-like pose in front of me and took him a shot. When it’s done, he came to look at the picture.
Me: Tara, tan-awa imung picture o. (Here, look at your picture.)
Edong: Wow! Maayuha pag-pintura oi! (Wow, it is painted well!)



***

Sailor Moon
I bought a set of Sailor Moon and stick it to my notebooks, pens, cellphone, etc. My nieces, Vivian and Yen-yen, are helping to put on the stickers on some of my things. Sailor Moon was aired 1992 and I was a kid like them so they are curious who the characters are.

Vivian: Ate Ann, kinsa ni sila? (Ate Ann, who are they?)
Me: Si Sailor Moon ug ang iyang mga kauban. (It’s Sailor Moon and her team)
Yen-Yen: Kinsa na si Sailor Moon? Gipasalida na karun sa TV? (Who is Sailor Moon? Is it currently aired on TV?)
Me: Wala na. Bata pa ko ato katung gipasalida ni siya. (No, not anymore. I was a child then when it was aired.)

They both nodded. Then we continued on what we’re doing. Then they noticed most of them are girls with short skirts and a guy in a black suit. There is also a cute kid with pink hair.
Vivian: Naa lage bata dire Ate nga pink ang buhok. Kinsa ni siya? (There is a kid here with a pink hair, Ate. Who is she?)
Me: Chibiusa! Siya si Sailor Chibi Moon. Anak nila Sailor Moon ug ni Tuxedo Mask. (It’s Chibiusa, the Sailor Chibi Moon, Daughter of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask)
Vivian: Kinsa ni siya Ate? (Who is she, Ate?) [pointing to Sailor Mercury]
Me: Siya si Ami Mizuno – Sailor Mercury. (She’s Ami Mizuno as Sailor Mercury.)

And so on until we reached to Pluto but noticed that Earth is missing.
Yen-Yen: Kinsa diay si Sailor Earth? (Who is Sailor Earth?)
Me: Wala’y Sailor Earth oi. Si Tuxedo Mask ang sa Earth. (There’s no Sailor Earth. Tuxedo Mask represents Earth.)
Vivian: Ngek! Lalaki? (Ngek! A guy?)
Me: Oo, lalaki. (Yes, a guy.)
Yen-Yen: Si Sailor Moon diay? Dili diay siya sa earth? (How about Sailor Moon? Doesn’t she represent Earth?)

Me: Kanus-a pa man nahimung Earth ang Moon? (When did the Earth becomes the Moon?)
Yen-Yen:

***

Message tone
I recorded my baby nephew’s laugh through my cellphone one day and used it as my message tone. I was with my niece, Mimi, one afternoon while watching TV when my phone suddenly received a text message and played that tone. Upon hearing the tone, my niece reacted.

Mimi: Naa sa sulod sa imung cellphone si MJ (my nephew’s name), Ate. (Is MJ’s there inside your cellphone, Ate?)


***

Will post more next time…

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Missing her so much!

This was once a woman I meet during my interview for working scholar application. At first glance, she seems to be so strict and doesn’t even know how to smile. But then again I kept my poise and answer her with my satisfying responses. After all, she’s going to be my mentor and my head supervisor in her office. At my first few weeks, I can tell she’s indeed strict especially on office rules and attendance. I felt I’m going to lose it (my scholarship) but I keep going on with it because this is the only way I knew where I can finish my college. Yes, I am a working assistant in her office. As time passed by, I begin to know her more and realized that the first impressions never last. She is caring and lovable – just like my mother. She is also a good counselor and a good friend. She is also pretty especially when she smiles.

I also remember the time when we shared stories with each other every lunch time. Also, the pressures we shared during office hours and the relief we felt after every successful task. Haayyzz, I miss them all so much.

Wonder who she is? She is none other than (drum roll) Engr. Coleta “Bea” Y. Lim-Esplanada. She is the IMC – Chair, Residuum Coordinator and the former Mathematics Department Chair in Cebu Institute of Technology. She is my second mother whom I cherished very much, my mentor who molded me into a better person and a model whom I followed and dreamed to be like her.

I miss you, Ma’am Bea!
Hope to see you soon.
mwahhugz!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Jesus in my life

Before I accepted Christ Jesus in my life, I am living my life on my own. I study at school, do assignments and school projects, going to malls, concerts, videoke bars, etc. But I suffer more on worries and anxieties. Worrying in debts, projects, tasks or the future itself. Worst, I am a sinner and remained a slave of sin. I can’t say no to things I know not good and not pleasing to God.But now I have Jesus in my life sitting on the throne in my heart, I have life in harmony. Nothing to worry about anything, school, projects, debts, even now in my work as a programmer. Plus, I am living in abundance, though sometimes I am in trouble in terms with money but I only pray to God and He provides.See how Jesus himself changed my life. Of course He can do the change in your life. All you have to do is accept Him as your Saviour, let Him rule your life and that’s it.
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Jesus in my life

Before I accepted Christ Jesus in my life, I am living my life on my own. I study at school, do assignments and school projects, going to malls, concerts, videoke bars, etc. But I suffer more on worries and anxieties. Worrying in debts, projects, tasks or the future itself. Worst, I am a sinner and remained a slave of sin. I can’t say no to things I know not good and not pleasing to God.

But now I have Jesus in my life sitting on the throne in my heart, I have life in harmony. Nothing to worry about anything, school, projects, debts, even now in my work as a programmer. Plus, I am living in abundance, though sometimes I am in trouble in terms with money but I only pray to God and He provides.

See how Jesus himself changed my life. Of course He can do the change in your life. All you have to do is accept Him as your Saviour, let Him rule your life and that’s it.
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