Living in the city where you are offered every good thing everyone would want to have is a big challenge. One, with the meager resources that I have, it is impossible to acquire every single thing my eyes would desire. Two, at the end of the day, what really matters is only the things you NEED, not all the things you WANT.
I grew up in a simple family with a very simple lifestyle. My parents would make sure we only spend what fits on our "budget" - a very tight budget for our whole family. Being raised that way makes me appreciate the things I have, and it made me be contented with what I already have, not craving for something that looks better, or costs higher, when I already own something that serves the same purpose. That made me live with the principle, "if you can live without it, you don't need to die for it."
Right now, I live in an environment where consumerism bugs me all the time. There are offers on buying things I don't necessarily need, or desiring things I can actually live without. There is also one culture of consumerism that begins to annoy me. There is a trend (at least among people my age), of treating your friends out for dinner or snack. Usually, my friends would do that. At first, I liked it because then I get to save a bit on my budget. However, they get back on you sometimes by forcing you to treat them with some things that costs even more than the amount they gave you for free. It keeps on happening and I am totally hating that fact.
Why? Of course there is nothing wrong in treating your friends. But sometimes it just becomes dragging when you are forced to spend money on things that would sacrifice your budget for your savings, or on my case my budget for some other things like helping out with ministry activities.
There is completely nothing wrong with the idea of buying the things you want, as long as you can afford it. But right now I am disliking the fact that people sometimes (consciously or unconsciously) force you to spend money on things you don't actually plan to spend on.
Personally, I have very strict rules on budgeting. Not that I am thrifty, I actually love treating people! But I want to make sure that I save a bulk of my budget for meaningful things. It becomes hard when people around you gets you out of control.
Truly, this is just a minor issue, but this is a big part of the challenge that I know God is putting me to test. May the Lord give me strength as I endure the temptations of consumerism around me.
I need prayers for more strength on this matter.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
WHEN THE JOURNEY GETS TOUGH, THE RADICAL JOURNEYIST CONTINUES PRAYING
I feel like it's been a while since I last updated you about my journey. Or probably, a lot has just happened that I feel so overwhelmed at this moment. I should recall that a few months ago, I shared about the beginning of my journey with several people: the Peace Church, the Evangelical Youth for Social Action, my Barkman family, and I haven't told you yet about my new job (for almost four months now), with a very welcoming NGO called Sulong CARHRIHL. I am in a roller coaster of emotions the past month, and the only energy that sustains me is that coming from the Great Comforter.
The past month has been busy both for my work and my ministry. During the first week of the month, Peace Church started gathering its first community members as we learn and share together with our visitors -Dr. Jack and his wife, Irene Suderman. We learned about the 96 Images of the Church in the New Testament. We shared various dreams, experiences, and hopes for a church that will be a presence of Jesus in this conflicted society. We also organized two different lectures on the "Gospel of Peace and Social Transformation," and "A Biblical Survey of Peace and the Gospel," in partnership with the Asian Theological Seminary.
Meanwhile, September is also celebrated as the National Peace Consciousness Month. Therefore, working in an organization that promotes peace means that this month is a busy month. We organized several activities, and I even traveled to Mindanao for a week to conduct activities that are in line with the peace month and the UN declared International Day of Peace (September 21). I went to Davao City to speak on a School Forum about the "Youth as Catalysts of an Inclusive Peace." I also traveled to North Cotabato for the launching of a CARHRIHL Monitoring team in the Municipality of Makilala. CARHRIHL, I must say, stands for Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
So, work-wise and ministry-wise, the past month has been busy and exhausting for me. Behind the exhaustion, however, is the inner joy I felt with the new learning experiences, new people I met, new places I visited, new food I tasted, and most especially, my reunion with old friends and family at Peacebuilders Community and Coffee for Peace. It was such a blessing to be able to reunite with the people I used to work with.
Anyway, this month was supposed to be a more relaxing month, but I was proven wrong. October is celebrated as the National Indigenous People's Month. So, next week I'll be traveling again to celebrate the IP festival with different Indigenous People groups. It gives me so much excitement and thrill to once again listen to the journeys of our IP brothers and sisters. After that, I'd still have to travel to several other places until the end of the month.
I also anticipate another Peace Church gathering by the end of the month. We just had our first "service" last Sunday, and it was a blessing to be able to reflect on the Scripture as a community where everyone is free to share insights and reflections.
Lately, I've also been going through journeys of the people I grew up with. I was able to reunite and share with someone I used to see as a mentor- and to hear his journey, and to hear stories of conflict in the church I grew up in... helped me realize that the people who have once been part of my journey, would always be part of me, no matter how long we do not see each other. Every person I share my life and journey with, would always have an impact on me. And that alone, makes me appreciate more the people that I am currently journeying with.
When everything gets tough, there a few important things a journeyist must NEVER forget: to kneel down and pray, and to share your journey with someone. Now my greatest realization is that, a radical journeyist's guide to a fulfilling journey, is PEOPLE. When my journey gets tough, it's the people around me, and their prayers...that keeps me going!
The past month has been busy both for my work and my ministry. During the first week of the month, Peace Church started gathering its first community members as we learn and share together with our visitors -Dr. Jack and his wife, Irene Suderman. We learned about the 96 Images of the Church in the New Testament. We shared various dreams, experiences, and hopes for a church that will be a presence of Jesus in this conflicted society. We also organized two different lectures on the "Gospel of Peace and Social Transformation," and "A Biblical Survey of Peace and the Gospel," in partnership with the Asian Theological Seminary.
Meanwhile, September is also celebrated as the National Peace Consciousness Month. Therefore, working in an organization that promotes peace means that this month is a busy month. We organized several activities, and I even traveled to Mindanao for a week to conduct activities that are in line with the peace month and the UN declared International Day of Peace (September 21). I went to Davao City to speak on a School Forum about the "Youth as Catalysts of an Inclusive Peace." I also traveled to North Cotabato for the launching of a CARHRIHL Monitoring team in the Municipality of Makilala. CARHRIHL, I must say, stands for Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
So, work-wise and ministry-wise, the past month has been busy and exhausting for me. Behind the exhaustion, however, is the inner joy I felt with the new learning experiences, new people I met, new places I visited, new food I tasted, and most especially, my reunion with old friends and family at Peacebuilders Community and Coffee for Peace. It was such a blessing to be able to reunite with the people I used to work with.
Anyway, this month was supposed to be a more relaxing month, but I was proven wrong. October is celebrated as the National Indigenous People's Month. So, next week I'll be traveling again to celebrate the IP festival with different Indigenous People groups. It gives me so much excitement and thrill to once again listen to the journeys of our IP brothers and sisters. After that, I'd still have to travel to several other places until the end of the month.
I also anticipate another Peace Church gathering by the end of the month. We just had our first "service" last Sunday, and it was a blessing to be able to reflect on the Scripture as a community where everyone is free to share insights and reflections.
Lately, I've also been going through journeys of the people I grew up with. I was able to reunite and share with someone I used to see as a mentor- and to hear his journey, and to hear stories of conflict in the church I grew up in... helped me realize that the people who have once been part of my journey, would always be part of me, no matter how long we do not see each other. Every person I share my life and journey with, would always have an impact on me. And that alone, makes me appreciate more the people that I am currently journeying with.
When everything gets tough, there a few important things a journeyist must NEVER forget: to kneel down and pray, and to share your journey with someone. Now my greatest realization is that, a radical journeyist's guide to a fulfilling journey, is PEOPLE. When my journey gets tough, it's the people around me, and their prayers...that keeps me going!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
LIBERATING NAKEDNESS
A Review of the book, "The Naked Anabaptist" by Stuart Murray
The book was very well written and can be easily understood by any type of reader, even those who just bumped into Anabaptism and who have no background about it. I love how Stuart Murray discussed the history of Anabaptists and comprehensively researched on its roots and the people who were first involved in this movement. It is inspiring, as an Anabaptist, to read further about the tradition that I grew up with, and understand more about its core convictions and even its weaknesses. I love how he expounded on each of the seven core convictions that spell out what it means to be Anabaptists today, which are:
1. Jesus is our example, teacher, friend, redeemer, and Lord. He is the source of our life, the central reference point for our faith and lifestyle, for our understanding of church, and our engagement with the society. We are committed to following Jesus as well as worshiping Him.
2. Jesus is the focal point of God’s revelation. We are committed to a Jesus-centered approachto the Bible, and to the community of faith as the primary context in which we read the Bible and discern and apply its implications for discipleship.
3. Western culture is slowly emerging from the Christendom era, when church and state jointly presided over a society in which almost all were assumed to be Christian. Whatever its positive contributions on values and institutions, Christendom seriously distorted the gospel, marginalized Jesus, and has left the church ill equipped for mission in a post-Christendom culture. As we reflect on this, we are committed to learning from the experience and perspectives of movements such as Anabaptism that rejected standard Christendom assumptions and pursued alternative ways of thinking and behaving.
4. The frequent association of the church with status, wealth, and force is inappropriate for followers of Jesus and damages our witness. We are committed to exploring ways of being good news to the poor, powerless, and persecuted, aware that such discipleship may attract opposition, resulting in suffering and sometimes ultimately martyrdom.
5. Churches are called to be committed communities of discipleship and mission, places of friendship, mutual accountability, and multivoiced worship. As we eat together, sharing bread and wine, we sustain hope as we seek God’s kingdom together. We are committed to nurturing and developing such churches, in which young and old are valued, leadership is consultative, roles are related to gifts rather than gender, and baptism is for believers.
6. Spirituality and economics are interconnected. In an individualist and consumerist culture and in a world where economic injustice is rife, we are committed to finding ways of living simply, sharing generously, caring for creation, and working for justice.
7. Peace is at the heart of the gospel. As followers of Jesus in a divided and violent world, we are committed to finding nonviolent alternatives and to learning how to make peace between individuals, within and among churches, in society, and between nations.
These core covictions have implications to how the Anabaptist churches, no matter what clothes they wear, continue to live in peace, being able to actively relate to one another in harmony, while at the same time economically and socially responsible.
He also quoted David Augsburger’s definition of spirituality in the Anabaptist tradition as “tripolar – the spirituality of personal transformation (the inner journey), the experience of divine encounter (the God-ward journey), and the relation of integrity and solidarity with the neighbor (the co-human journey with friend and enemy, with neighbor and persecutor) cannot be divided. Tripolar spirituality sees all three as interdependent.”
For me, this vividly describes my personal experience as having grown in an Anabaptist Mennonite church, and struggling between keeping myself safe within the boundaries of the comfort of my church family or going out on the streets to deal with poverty, injustice, and conflict in my society (the way Jesus would).
Anabaptism, however, also has its own flaws. Stuart Murray described them as: legalism, selectivity, intellectualism/anti-intellectualism, divisiveness, separatism, quietism, and inertia. They were each explained in the book, and he talked about how the Anabaptist tradition in itself is not the perfect way of interpreting the Scripture. He affirms though that there are many things that other traditions can learn from Anabaptism, and that this tradition has a lot to offer to the post-Christendom era where many people are already being moved to become a church that is actively engaged in societal transformation.
The Naked Anabaptist is eye-opening, challenging, exciting, and indulging. It is a fresh new way of understanding Anabaptist tradition without the boringness of other theological books. It was educational and informative, especially for people who are just beginning to understand deeper what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Monday, September 17, 2012
THE WOUNDS OF PEACE
In writing this, my heart is in peace; and my heart goes out to the many peace workers who have come and gone, and to the many more who are currently sacrificing their lives for the cause of peace.
I am struggling right now, and am having so many difficulties figuring out so many information that are being fed to my 22-year old brain. I am tired thinking. I am exhausted. Yet in this exhaustion and quest for answers, I see the faces of many wounded peace workers. Their passion, creativity, and enthusiasm will tell you that they are excited doing peacebuilding work. Their eyes, however, tell a different story.
Oftentimes, I listen to the soft voices of peace workers crying out for peace. I would feel their hearts beat the same way as mine, yet their eyes, when you look closely, will bring you to a window where you could see wounds of past and present. Wounds that are so deep and remain unhealed. Wounds that are caused by fighting for the bloody battle of "peace building".
The window to these souls will bring you to an empty, dark room, where the smell of blood and injustice is so overpowering, and you'll hear a heartbeat that is almost fading. The cry for peace is so loud, yet the voices are weakening. Slowly, I come to realize, peace work makes one vulnerable to many open wounds.
In my youth and in my early years in peace building, I tend to get scared of what lies ahead. I'm afraid that later I would get so wounded inside, while struggling to move forward every single day of my life - for the cause of peace.
This struggle leads me to reflect on why I am doing this, and how my journey has been so far. My reflections lead me back to Jesus. As a response to the calling of God, I chose to follow Jesus by way of peace building work. It was not easy, and it is never going to be.
In the past, I have already been wounded. I have even experienced the point of nothingness - of struggling because I can no longer find meaning in my own life while I try to work for others to find meaning in theirs. It was devastating. And yet, now I have been completely healed from those wounds. I have been restored. I have been re-energized, and even reconciled to wounded relationships.
I wonder why others seem to have not recovered at all from wounds of the past. Then in searching the Word, I found the answer, which is Jesus. Jesus might be the missing piece of the puzzle that others are struggling to find. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who has come to reconcile man to God, is often times left on the margins. Often times, Jesus is even forgotten and not included in the picture of peace.
But Jesus is the ultimate source of peace. Jesus should be the blood that flows through every veins of the peace networks ever existing in the world. Jesus "is" the heart of peace building. Without Jesus, peace building is but another attempt of the world to make a better world - but to no success.
World peace, in essence, is not possible without Jesus. Now I understand better why the peace that Jesus gives, is not the kind of peace that the world can EVER offer.
The PEACE of JESUS TRANSFORMS the heart and soul. The peace of Jesus, among others, HEALS all kinds of WOUNDS. Day to day, as one struggles for peace, only when we allow Jesus to transform our lives would we ever attain peace, and thus be able to pass it on to others.
Today, at 22, I am very vulnerable. I will still get wounded, over and over. Yet the wounds I will acquire, I completely surrender to the Prince of Peace, whose wounds have saved my soul.
I am struggling right now, and am having so many difficulties figuring out so many information that are being fed to my 22-year old brain. I am tired thinking. I am exhausted. Yet in this exhaustion and quest for answers, I see the faces of many wounded peace workers. Their passion, creativity, and enthusiasm will tell you that they are excited doing peacebuilding work. Their eyes, however, tell a different story.
Oftentimes, I listen to the soft voices of peace workers crying out for peace. I would feel their hearts beat the same way as mine, yet their eyes, when you look closely, will bring you to a window where you could see wounds of past and present. Wounds that are so deep and remain unhealed. Wounds that are caused by fighting for the bloody battle of "peace building".
The window to these souls will bring you to an empty, dark room, where the smell of blood and injustice is so overpowering, and you'll hear a heartbeat that is almost fading. The cry for peace is so loud, yet the voices are weakening. Slowly, I come to realize, peace work makes one vulnerable to many open wounds.
In my youth and in my early years in peace building, I tend to get scared of what lies ahead. I'm afraid that later I would get so wounded inside, while struggling to move forward every single day of my life - for the cause of peace.
This struggle leads me to reflect on why I am doing this, and how my journey has been so far. My reflections lead me back to Jesus. As a response to the calling of God, I chose to follow Jesus by way of peace building work. It was not easy, and it is never going to be.
In the past, I have already been wounded. I have even experienced the point of nothingness - of struggling because I can no longer find meaning in my own life while I try to work for others to find meaning in theirs. It was devastating. And yet, now I have been completely healed from those wounds. I have been restored. I have been re-energized, and even reconciled to wounded relationships.
I wonder why others seem to have not recovered at all from wounds of the past. Then in searching the Word, I found the answer, which is Jesus. Jesus might be the missing piece of the puzzle that others are struggling to find. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who has come to reconcile man to God, is often times left on the margins. Often times, Jesus is even forgotten and not included in the picture of peace.
But Jesus is the ultimate source of peace. Jesus should be the blood that flows through every veins of the peace networks ever existing in the world. Jesus "is" the heart of peace building. Without Jesus, peace building is but another attempt of the world to make a better world - but to no success.
World peace, in essence, is not possible without Jesus. Now I understand better why the peace that Jesus gives, is not the kind of peace that the world can EVER offer.
The PEACE of JESUS TRANSFORMS the heart and soul. The peace of Jesus, among others, HEALS all kinds of WOUNDS. Day to day, as one struggles for peace, only when we allow Jesus to transform our lives would we ever attain peace, and thus be able to pass it on to others.
Today, at 22, I am very vulnerable. I will still get wounded, over and over. Yet the wounds I will acquire, I completely surrender to the Prince of Peace, whose wounds have saved my soul.
I am leaving you at peace. I am giving you my own peace. I am not giving it to you as the world gives. So don't let your hearts be troubled, and don't be afraid.-John 14:27
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
HABAGAT - BAGYO SA PUSO KO
Ang sakit sa puso.
Mula pa noong isang araw ay walang patid na ang pagpatak ng ulan. Ulan na kay lakas at may kasamang hangin. Walang tigil. Ito'y hindi bagyo. Ito'y tinawag lamang na hanging "habagat".
Tatlong araw na mula nang dumating ang walang tigil na pagbuhos ng ulan - ito'y luha ng kalangitan, ayon sa iilan. Ito raw ay galit ng Diyos, sapagkat marami ang nagnanais na maisabatas ang RHBill. Isang panukalang batas na naglalayong makatulong sa mas nakararaming kababayan upang maiwasan ang patuloy na paglala ng kahirapan. Ngunit para sa iilan na makitid ang kokote, ito raw ay sa demonyo. (@%#!) Hindi gumagamit ng lohika!
May mga iilan, sarili ang iniisip. Nagdiriwang sa baha, sapagkat mawawalan ng pasok sa eskwela. Ngunit sa likod ng bakasyon na ito, juskopo ang daming tao ang nagdurusa sapagkat lumubog ang mga kagamitan, walang makain, at walang matulugan. Nakukuha pang magdiwang. tsk.
Sa aking munting paraan, pinilit kong makibahagi sa pagtulong. Pinilit na sa abot ng makakaya, ay makidamay at magbigay suporta sa mga taong nasakuna. Alam kong hindi ito sapat, at ayokong ito'y ipagkalat. Ngunit iyon lamang ang maliit na bagay na aking kinaya.
Nagdurugo ang aking puso, pagkat saksi ako kung paanong karamihan sa aking mga kababayan ang nabubuhay sa isang kahig isang tuka. Batid kong ang kanilang kabuhayan ay nakasalalay sa pang araw-araw na pagkayod. Ngunit sa mga ganitong pagkakataon na sila'y hindi makapagkayod, ano na lamang ang kanilang ipapasak sa kumakalam na sikmura?
Sa mga ganitong pagkakataon na ang kanilang mga munting barong-barong ay binaha, naputikan, at ang ilang kagamitan ay nabasa, ano na lamang ang kanilang gagawin sa araw ng bukas?
Kumukurot sa aking puso na sila'y makitang nananatiling nakangiti at tumatawa sa gitna ng bahay na sira-sira. Ako'y nahihiya kapag sila'y nag-aalok ng mauupuan, makakain, at kung anu-ano pa, gayong sila itong nawalan at na sakuna. Isang pagpapala ang ganitong karanasan, ngunit dalangin kong ang mga taong ito'y lubusan rin naman pagpalain ni Yahweh. Na ang kanilang mga pangangailangan ay matustusan. Nawa ang kanilang mga kalusugan ay maingatan, at ang kanilang kinabukasan ay matiyak na may patutunguhan.
Yahweh,
Ako'y pinagpala sa araw na ito. Isang pagpapala ang mga bagong karanasan. Ngunit, magtatapos ang araw na ito na may sakit sa aking puso. Sakit na hindi ko matukoy, sapagkat napakalalim ng pinag-uugatan. Sakit na bunga ng pagtanto na napakaraming tao ang nagdurusa, gayong may iilan ang nakikinabang sa mga kayamanan na dapat sana ay pantay-pantay naming pinaghahatian. Ama, ako'y umiiyak sa awa. Awa para sa aking mga kababayan, awa para sa aking bayan, at awa para sa mga taong lumalangoy sa salapi at pagiging ganid.
Yahweh, ikaw ang nakababatid. Alam mo ang aming kalagayan. Magulo. Magulo ang paligid. Magulo ang mga kaisipan, magulo ang mga tao.
Sa gitna ng mga unos na ito, Ama, aking hiling na ako'y bigyan Mo ng sapat na karunungan upang matuklasan kung ano ang iyong layunin sa mga pangyayaring nagaganap. Ama, nawa sa lahat ng ito, maunawaan namin at madama ang iyong pag-ibig at pagpapala. Nawa, bilang Iyong tagasunod ay maging daluyan ako ng pag-ibig, pagpapala, at kapayapaan, na hindi nababalutan ng anumang pangalan ng simbahan o anumang samahan. Ikaw lamang ang papupurihan!
At sa aking pagtulog, dama ko pa rin ang kirot sa aking puso, ngunit ang sakit na ito ay gamitin Mo, upang ako ay lumago.
Amen
Mula pa noong isang araw ay walang patid na ang pagpatak ng ulan. Ulan na kay lakas at may kasamang hangin. Walang tigil. Ito'y hindi bagyo. Ito'y tinawag lamang na hanging "habagat".
Tatlong araw na mula nang dumating ang walang tigil na pagbuhos ng ulan - ito'y luha ng kalangitan, ayon sa iilan. Ito raw ay galit ng Diyos, sapagkat marami ang nagnanais na maisabatas ang RHBill. Isang panukalang batas na naglalayong makatulong sa mas nakararaming kababayan upang maiwasan ang patuloy na paglala ng kahirapan. Ngunit para sa iilan na makitid ang kokote, ito raw ay sa demonyo. (@%#!) Hindi gumagamit ng lohika!
May mga iilan, sarili ang iniisip. Nagdiriwang sa baha, sapagkat mawawalan ng pasok sa eskwela. Ngunit sa likod ng bakasyon na ito, juskopo ang daming tao ang nagdurusa sapagkat lumubog ang mga kagamitan, walang makain, at walang matulugan. Nakukuha pang magdiwang. tsk.
Sa aking munting paraan, pinilit kong makibahagi sa pagtulong. Pinilit na sa abot ng makakaya, ay makidamay at magbigay suporta sa mga taong nasakuna. Alam kong hindi ito sapat, at ayokong ito'y ipagkalat. Ngunit iyon lamang ang maliit na bagay na aking kinaya.
Nagdurugo ang aking puso, pagkat saksi ako kung paanong karamihan sa aking mga kababayan ang nabubuhay sa isang kahig isang tuka. Batid kong ang kanilang kabuhayan ay nakasalalay sa pang araw-araw na pagkayod. Ngunit sa mga ganitong pagkakataon na sila'y hindi makapagkayod, ano na lamang ang kanilang ipapasak sa kumakalam na sikmura?
Sa mga ganitong pagkakataon na ang kanilang mga munting barong-barong ay binaha, naputikan, at ang ilang kagamitan ay nabasa, ano na lamang ang kanilang gagawin sa araw ng bukas?
Kumukurot sa aking puso na sila'y makitang nananatiling nakangiti at tumatawa sa gitna ng bahay na sira-sira. Ako'y nahihiya kapag sila'y nag-aalok ng mauupuan, makakain, at kung anu-ano pa, gayong sila itong nawalan at na sakuna. Isang pagpapala ang ganitong karanasan, ngunit dalangin kong ang mga taong ito'y lubusan rin naman pagpalain ni Yahweh. Na ang kanilang mga pangangailangan ay matustusan. Nawa ang kanilang mga kalusugan ay maingatan, at ang kanilang kinabukasan ay matiyak na may patutunguhan.
Yahweh,
Ako'y pinagpala sa araw na ito. Isang pagpapala ang mga bagong karanasan. Ngunit, magtatapos ang araw na ito na may sakit sa aking puso. Sakit na hindi ko matukoy, sapagkat napakalalim ng pinag-uugatan. Sakit na bunga ng pagtanto na napakaraming tao ang nagdurusa, gayong may iilan ang nakikinabang sa mga kayamanan na dapat sana ay pantay-pantay naming pinaghahatian. Ama, ako'y umiiyak sa awa. Awa para sa aking mga kababayan, awa para sa aking bayan, at awa para sa mga taong lumalangoy sa salapi at pagiging ganid.
Yahweh, ikaw ang nakababatid. Alam mo ang aming kalagayan. Magulo. Magulo ang paligid. Magulo ang mga kaisipan, magulo ang mga tao.
Sa gitna ng mga unos na ito, Ama, aking hiling na ako'y bigyan Mo ng sapat na karunungan upang matuklasan kung ano ang iyong layunin sa mga pangyayaring nagaganap. Ama, nawa sa lahat ng ito, maunawaan namin at madama ang iyong pag-ibig at pagpapala. Nawa, bilang Iyong tagasunod ay maging daluyan ako ng pag-ibig, pagpapala, at kapayapaan, na hindi nababalutan ng anumang pangalan ng simbahan o anumang samahan. Ikaw lamang ang papupurihan!
At sa aking pagtulog, dama ko pa rin ang kirot sa aking puso, ngunit ang sakit na ito ay gamitin Mo, upang ako ay lumago.
Amen
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
A GREAT COFFEE DAY
So, last time I mentioned something about missing coffee. I did! In fact, when I say coffee, it's not just simply any other kind of coffee. What I mean by coffee that I miss is Coffee for Peace (CFP) - Fairly Traded coffee that when you sip, you know you made a farmer smile because he was paid for a fair price for his coffee. When I lived in Davao, I used to have unlimited brewed coffee at CFP every single day. The last time I had a sip was in January, so it was really a long time and I have been badly longing for that good coffee again.
Yesterday, a friend from Davao brought me a small bag of CFP coffee and I was so excited to drink it that I actually had 2 cups last night and then another four cups the whole day today (now, it's all gone) :-)
This afternoon, I met a new friend whose last name is Coffey, and we both had coffee together at a coffee shop near my office. What's interesting is that, the coffee shop serves PEABERRY coffee. It caught my attention on the Menu and I knew right after seeing it that I must taste that coffee.
What's with peaberry?
Well, it's more expensive compared to regular coffee beans because they are rare. Usually, a coffee cherry would produce two coffee beans. Peaberries are single beans formed out of one cherry, so they are more dense and flavorful.
When I lived in a coffee farm almost a year ago, we always saw peaberries among the tons of coffee cherries that we de-pulp everyday. It was when Keith and Jenna, my Canadian companions said that peaberry can be sold at a more expensive price, that Ate Kriz (my super Ate) and I actually got more curious about how it tastes. And today was a dream come true - I finally tasted peaberry coffee right on the day I least expected it :)
So, fifth cup today is peaberry coffee!
I praise God for a great coffee day today: four cups of CFP coffee, one cup of peaberry coffee, and a new friend whose last name is Coffey :)
#Satisfaction
Yesterday, a friend from Davao brought me a small bag of CFP coffee and I was so excited to drink it that I actually had 2 cups last night and then another four cups the whole day today (now, it's all gone) :-)
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| Me and the precious CFP Arabica coffee :) |
This afternoon, I met a new friend whose last name is Coffey, and we both had coffee together at a coffee shop near my office. What's interesting is that, the coffee shop serves PEABERRY coffee. It caught my attention on the Menu and I knew right after seeing it that I must taste that coffee.
What's with peaberry?
Well, it's more expensive compared to regular coffee beans because they are rare. Usually, a coffee cherry would produce two coffee beans. Peaberries are single beans formed out of one cherry, so they are more dense and flavorful.
When I lived in a coffee farm almost a year ago, we always saw peaberries among the tons of coffee cherries that we de-pulp everyday. It was when Keith and Jenna, my Canadian companions said that peaberry can be sold at a more expensive price, that Ate Kriz (my super Ate) and I actually got more curious about how it tastes. And today was a dream come true - I finally tasted peaberry coffee right on the day I least expected it :)
So, fifth cup today is peaberry coffee!
I praise God for a great coffee day today: four cups of CFP coffee, one cup of peaberry coffee, and a new friend whose last name is Coffey :)
#Satisfaction
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| For those who are curious, here is the comparison. On the left side is a peaberry, and on the right side is a regular coffee bean. Photo downloaded from: drinks.seriouseats.com |
Thursday, July 19, 2012
ON OBEDIENCE
My heart sings this song out loud. I want to obey the Lord. I don't wanna go anywhere else than where He wants me to be. Call me crazy or a fool...
Every day the answer I could think of is this: Work!
Definitely. I go to the office to work. This is my job. But aside from the daily routine of facing my computer screen all day and doing tasks that were assigned for me to do, what is the essence of what I'm doing?
Still, the past events of my life come back to me and almost every single day, I ask myself why I am in this specific place, at this specific time, doing what I'm specifically doing? And the hardest question still is: Why am I doing this?
As I was on my daily scriptural reading this morning, I figured out the answer to my hardest question. I am here because I wanted to obey. To simply obey. Things may not be as easy as I have expected. In fact, sometimes I wanted to go back to that moment in my life six months ago and see if there is anything I could do to change the decisions I have made for myself. When I look back to that moment six months ago, and review what has happened to my life now, I have no regrets. I knew I just obeyed.
I may not yet be as happy as I used to be back then. I may be missing a lot of things, and I may be dreaming and hoping that I never had to make that decision. But there is one thing that's always better than the feeling of happiness - PEACE.
My heart is crying right now. The tears it sheds have nowhere to be placed. I keep it inside. This is how I release it. I miss people. I miss laughter. I miss fun. I miss playing. I miss coffee... But I am here now because I have to be here. I needed to just obey.
Obedience to God doesn't always mean you have to be happy one hundred percent of the time. Obedience sometimes may also mean you have to sacrifice several things - sometimes, they have to be things that make you happy or comfortable.
But how do I know that I was obeying His will? There is peace. Peace I have in my heart that I haven't felt for a long time. Peace in every situation that I encounter. Peace I feel every time I learn new things about my new job, and the spark of hope that there is some valuable reason why I am right here, right now. Peace in the new relationships I am building with the people around me.
Yeah, following God is not at all easy. But He provides the energy, comfort, and peace that we would ever need along this journey called life.
Live life in obedience to the One who has called you!
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