Fears...

A boy used to travel to school with a group of friends everyday, it gave him a certain feeling of security. One cold day, he overslept, and wasn't able to join their own "little trip" to school...so he went alone.

Along the way..he met three kids strangely staring at him. Upon reaching a not so crowded alley, one of those pale looking kids kicked him, the two others pulled out a very sharp pen and demanded his bag and money....since he was outnumbered...he gave in, teary eyed and trembling with fear....

This scenario created a scar to the boy's young heart. It left a huge fear that made him insecure, awkward and live with so many pretentions....he learned to put on a confident and courageous front whenever interacting with a crowd. He learned to carry some sort of sharp object with him, (a fan knife or anything pointed) for defensive purposes (accordingly!) and somehow gave him a sense of security however false it was. He always make it a point not to be alone, in whatever situation it may be, from doing a simple task, to talking to strangers, asking for assistance, travelling or being in the dark..,especially,... alleys.

The boy grew up carrying this fear that also grew up with him, and it generates to other forms of fear as well, the fear of the unknown, the worries of tomorrow and future, and others more..... but life goes on....He mingled with a mask and acquired learning, yet watchful, cautious and hiding to cover the weakness from his youth that limits him to fully enjoy life.

Now that he's already a man, he sometimes find himself walking alone, in the midst of this dangerous society, where people could do anything to hurt you and rob you and probably kill you to get what they want. (Yes!,it could happen to anyone today in the Philippines).And he travels without that pointed object anymore, even in the very dim alley, strangely, with a great song in his heart. He still mingles with people, suprisingly not to put up a "face", but to contribute somehow in whatever ways he can. The negative fear has been subdued, and it's not because he outgrown it but because he learned something precious along the way. He has discovered courage, confidence and security not by having some strong and influential people around him but by surrendering. He has already met his God, in a deeper, personnal and biblical manner, and accepted, not a new religion nor tradition, but His Son as his Lord and personnal Saviour, an act so simple to do yet so hard for some people to understand. A very important decision one has to do for this has an eternal implications. This simple experience liberates him from the coward life he once had.

Currently...he still experiences many fears and worries like others do but this fears motivates him more to contribute effectively and extend his reach. It has not lead him to put up a face nor wear another mask....nor carry a pointed weapon with him again.

Fear of God has made him fearless......

By the way, this once coward guy who now found courage in surrendering to Christ is going around by the handle of Flex J!


Verse-Meal

Psalm 23:4

Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me...

....Hey!...It's better to trust an unknown future to a known God.....

Addict.......

Grabe!!! Ano ba itong nangyayari sa akin..parang lagi akong nanginginig pag di ako nakakapag......di ako makatiis na di ulit-ulitin, kasi feeling ko super na super, no holds barred pag merong......lahat kaya kong gawin at malakas ang loob kong sabihin kahit ano, kahit kanino pag may.....kahit nga sa trabaho tumitira ako pag break time ko, kasi nakaka-addict ang......kahit yung mga katrabaho ko nahawa na rin sa akin, lagi akong tinatanong kung mayroon ng ......para siguro makapag trip din sila sa......

Whew! kailan ba ito nagsimula? Buhat ng makakilala ako ng mga taong galing sa ibat-ibang lugar na palagi ring nagti-trip sa...... May nagsabi kasi sa akin, enjoy daw kasi dito sa......magandang past taym kaya imbes na may gagawin pa ako eh, di na ako makapag-concentrate sa sked ko, nahuhuli na ako lately sa deadline dahil dito sa.....minsan pati boss ko napapansin na parang lagi akong puyat dahil malalim ang mata sa kaka-......mahirap na talagang iwasan ang paggamit ng.......Kailangan makakuha ako ng antidote, baka madala pa ako sa kung saan dahil sa bisyong.......

Ha! Pambihira naman!! BLAG! BOOM! ZOOM! KABLAM!! HMMPP!! #$%#@!!**##!! Brown-out uli!... di tuloy ako makakapag....INTERNET!


Verse-Meal:

Colossians 3:1
...set your hearts on things above....

...Do all things in moderation...

Stick Your Tongue Out!

Excited si utol..nag-aaral ng american accent and some sort of speech improvement in preparation for her supposedly employment in call center.

Kwento ng kwento sa mga natutuhan nya at pa inglis-inglis pa...yabang! Pero biglang natigilan at lagi daw syang sinasabihan ng mentor nya...Hey! Stick your tongue out!., Stick your tongue out!...accordingly this is the moment where they speak words with "TH"..kailangan emphasize daw labas ng dila at hangin....ayun..nagkabulol-bulol tuloy...."Thuya may TH problemth daw akoth sabith ng thithser koth! Grabeth ang hirapth palath ng TH....

Kawawa naman...buti na lang nakatulog na...pero lakas ng hangin sa hilik at....nakup!! labas pang dila!..she's probably dreaming of her teacher....hirap talagang mag-inglis...LOL!

Verse-Meal:

James 3:8
But no man can tame the tongue...

...Tongue control is much better than Damage control...

LOL!

Wala lang...natatawa ako pag naaalala ko ang mga kaignorantehan ko dito sa net...nagkukunwaring marunong tapos ang ending...komedi and embarassment. Gaya nitong LOL! I thought all the while ang ibig sabihin nito eh "lots of love", yun pala "laughing out loud" (sabi ko na...magtanong muna eh!).

Kaya everytime na susulat ako sa mga friends ko o sasagot ako sa mga forum na pinapasukan ko eh I made it a point to express my concern and love with this acronym. Minsan yung kaibigan ko eh nagkuwento sa akin na nagka-breyk sila ng bf niya....sabi ko....

Don't worry, after this storm you will find yourself to be a better person, with or without him..

with prayers and lol..
--jun--

Whew! kakahiya kala siguro pinagtatawanan ko s'ya....kaya pala di na nag-reply....

ito pa isa...

Don't loose hope...everything is allowed by the Almighty for a very great reason...,that is...to improve and bless us, There's a bright sun behind those clouds you know!...Keep on keeping on!

LOL!
--jun--

Marami pa to..kaya lang......
Sigh! kakahiya talaga...tama na!!! LOL!


Verse-Meal
Pro. 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

....sometimes pride prevents us to ask, that's why knowledge is limited and shame multiplied....any question???

In times like these.........Choose.

I read some good news abroad that filipinoes are one of the best managers there in whatever organization they are engage with...we excell!! Filipinoes are making things happens there, effectively and swiftly...

This news also gives birth to another question that somehow I'm trying to avoid figuring out....Why is it that we can excell abroad and be turtle paced in here, be good citizens there and not quite here ( well..highly argumentative?)

And many of us are trying to get out of here...hopeless na nga ba? Is the ship sinking? Corruption incurable?, Too many intelligent Filipinoes in the House who forgot to listen, puro na lang sila bangayan and so many more...bakit nga ba?, parang gusto ko na ring umalis dito...parang ang dami dami namang ginagawa yet di tayo umuusad.

And everybody is demanding for changes....here, there, anywhere puro angal..sana ganito, sana ganon, many people are asking for substitute instead of asking to contribute...di mo na tuloy alam kung sino ang totoong may pagmamahal sa bayan... sa nakikita ko parang lips service lang lahat ng sinasabi ng pulitiko..well can you blame me? They've been there for quite sometime and yet ....haay! naku...need I tell more?... and I just remembered that famous line in the speech of one former US president, "Ask not what your country will do for you but rather, what can you do for your country"...galing no?

The Philippines is quite in a mess...politically, spiritually, economically, etc...and yet they say we are the only christian nation in the far east DAW? Ano yun insult? How come that it seems we're going to the dogs..(as what my friend usually says..) Buti na lang at may mga tao pang di sumusuko...always working their hearts out to see that genuine changes will occur and will finaly bring us up...and I realized that I can be a part of that crowd too, cause I do have some thing in me that could mean triumph or failure.....a choice, a will for hope.....

And I will choose not to be a part of the murmuring individuals who always points to others when the going gets rough. I will choose to be a part of the solution that will influence people to be a contributor rather than a fence sitter. I will force my self to learn on focusing my energy to the brighter side, inspite of how dim the situations are...for there is always hope...it cannot die while I'm living! (sabi ng nanay ko yun...)

Ikaw, "igan".....what crowd will you be???


Verse-Meal
Joshua 24:15b
...Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...., but for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

....God's hands will move if we wisely choose to..,we need lots of kneeling to keep on standing....

Honest Prayers....Anyone?

I read an article from one of Ka Uro's blog about prayers and his last phrase made me think somehow..."Isn’t it better for me then to simply not pray than pray pretending that I’m praying?".

I absolutely agree with that perspective, some people now are uttering memorized sentences and phrases they call prayers,(no offense meant) without really expressing their true sentiments.It's repetitious and mechanical. In my opinion, prayer should not be that way.

Prayer is an expression of thanks, joys and requests....or simply an honest communication toward the all-knowing God. And since He is all-knowing, bago ka pa lang lumapit alam na Nya gusto mo, kaya kung ang "prayers" natin eh yung paulit-ulit na kinakabisado without that true sentiments, eh baka sabihin ng Diyos sa atin na....Hoy! mga ineng, utoy, ale, mama....lokohin nyo na lang lelong n'yo wag Ako!!...At pag medyo sosyal pa yung nananalangin sa Kanya na pa inglis-inglish pa, siguro ito sasabihin Nya.....Hey! You talkin' to Me!??...Tell it to the marines!...(siguro lang po!)joke!

God doesn't expect us to be perfect in all sense, for He very well knows we can't, on our own, but He does insist us (I believe) to be completely honest when we approach Him.

Verse-Meal
Matthew 6:7-8
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your father knoweth what things ye have need before ye ask Him.(KJV)

...Indeed!...Honesty is still the best policy.....,especially in prayers...

Really!...Who are YOU?

I am preparing an exhortation to share to my friends come Sunday...I came accross this old story yet message is still strong, it brought me to a little pause....and...self-check...

Here's the story...

A man found an eagle's egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eagle hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the eagle did what the barnyard chicks did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken. He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he thrashed his wings and flew a few feet in the air.

Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in graceful majesty among powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong, golden wings.

The old eagle looked up in awe. "Who's that?" he asked. "That's the eagle, the king of the birds," said his neighbor. "He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth, we're chickens." So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that is what he thought he was.

Agila ka ba o manok.......Lipad tayo......


Verse-Meal:
Isaiah 40:31
Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strenght. They will soar on wings like eagles.

...It's really a good thing to know who you are....in the very eyes of GOD...that's what matters most!