Makes Sense.

this is a re-post from my dear friend ARNOLD AQUILENA JR. (sorry na beng!) minsan lang bumanat sa blog world yan pero patok na patok sakin lagi. :) miss na kita beng! :) see you soon!

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wala pa akong wishlist... hindi ko pa din kasi masyadong maisip ang mga gusto ko... saka gusto ko din ay yung mga posible para naman hindi masayang pag gawa ko..hehe... hindi na tulad ng gelpren na amanda griffin o kung ano pa.. matinong wishlist naman... mrami akong naiisip kaso wala akong masulat...anlabo eh noh.. bsta iisipin ko muna sila maigi.

kahapon tumulong kami dun sa org. ng math magayos at magbalot ng mga laruan at goods na ipamimigay namin sa sabado sa mga street children.. hehe.. ambait ko noh... well..isang dahilan ay dahil type ng barakada ko yung cute na officer..hehe. pero sa totoo, ang korni man....oo masarap din tlaga ang pakiramdam ng nkakatulong kahit sa sobrang liit lang na paraan..^_^ lalo na alam mong mga bata ang makikinabang.... naging bata ka din.. well ako bata pa din nga.. :D

gusto ko kahit isang linggo lang maging six years old ulet ako.. basta gusto ko ulet maging bata... marami ngang hindi mo pa pwedeng gawin, marami kang hindi pa alam. pero astig din naman,hindi mo pa masyado pinoproblema ang mga problema ng mundo, ang mga karaniwang problema mo lang ay kung pano ka hindi mababalagoong sa tumbang preso bukas o kaya san ba ang hindi madaling mahanap na taguan sa tagu-taguan nyo, o kaya naman kung makikipagbati naba sayo ung kaibigan mong sumira ng laruan mong kotse-kotsehan... hindi mo pa masyadong iniintindi ang mga sasabihin ng mga tao... hindi mo kailangan gawin lahatlahat ng rules ng buhay, medyo exempted ka kasi bata ka pa nga.. hindi pa masyadong bukas ang mga isip mo sa mga bulok at nakakatakot na bagay...well yun nga lang siguro matatakutin kapa sa mumu...hehe at higit sa lahat... madali kang matuwa.. mababaw pa ang kaligayahan mo, madali kapang makuntento at mauto ng nanay mo para maging masaya ka...^_^ ....saka sa ganyang edad ikaw ang nireregaluhan ngayon ikaw na ang nagreregalo...hehe.. mga instant inaanak..

(simple lang naman ang mga bagaybagay tayo lang ang nagpapakumplikado)... :D

makagawa man ako ng wishlist o hnde isa lang ang siguradong gusto kong matupad... gusto ko makagawa ng astig na bagay para sa ibang tao, na hindi iniisip yung sarili ko... gusto kong makatulong o maging parte sa pagtupad ng kahit isa lang sa mga wishlist ng ibang mga simpleng tao... well...wag lang syempre ang paghingi ng tulad ni amanda...akin lang sya! buwahahah!!...loko lang.

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naalala ko yung divi trip namin ni bits last week, kahit na toxic sa kalye ng juan luna at andadaming kargador na bumabangga samin, OK LANG! ang akin kasi, "kung sa pagshopping nga para sa sarili ko hindi ako napapagod, ano pa kaya yung para sa mga bata diba?" simpleng mga notebook, lapis ang crayola. pero alam mong magiging masaya sila dito! PRICELESS! :0 (samahan mo pa ng "starbucks bonding" after ng divi trip!)

*para kay kuya noel. wag na humirt ng "sana bata nalang ako" line. tandaan mo, nung panahon nyo walang J.. JE.. JEA.. alam mo na yun! :) happy birthday! :)

All I Want For Christmas [Wishlist 2008]

*gustong-gusto ko ginagawa to kahit na alm kong nearly 20% lang ang natutupad at even after i've done my list, may naiisip parin ako.. haaay! sana bumagyo ng pera! maliligo talaga ko dun! hehehe.. :) pili na kayo! go!

"lets start from the very beginning.. a very good place to start.."

( PARA SA MAHIRAP / MAY KAYA LIST below php 500 )

* ELIANTO EYESHADOWS (yung pang refill lang. php 120-150 each)
* THE BIG PINK CALCULATOR (kung merong violet i'll love you even more. php 250 sa divi mall or sa officewarehouse sa glorietta.)
* CASH BOX w/ vault lock (for YCC purposes. hehe. di ko lam magkano eh.)
* THE "IT GIRL" SERIES ("tempted" & "infamous" nalang kulang ko. php 365 @ national or powerbooks)
* BLACK PUMPS size 8 (around php 350-450 pag divi or sa so fab!)
* TECH DECK finger board! :) (my new hobby! php 200 lang pinakamurang board na maganda!)
* BELT BAG (below 400. for camp purposes to!)
* PHOTOSHOOT w/ ALOI, TUSK & my SISTERS! (PRICELESS! calling all NIKONIANS! yu-hoo.. kuya jeb! jop! kuya AG!)
* WATER THERAPY @ ACE WATER SPA (priceless! i have a BDJ coupon! kailangan ko lang ng mga kasama! hehe.)
* SCRAPBOOK (PRICELESS! kasi ibibigay nyo skain dapat gawa na sya! hehehe.)
* LOVE LETTERS. lots and lots and lots. (PRICELESS! stationaries at pens lang puhunan! ala camp mail ito? haha!)

( PARA SA MAYAMAN / SUMUSUKA NG PERA LIST above minimum. to the extremes! )

* CROCS na slip on lang. hindi ako particular sa style eh. hehehe. newb! (php 1300-1700)
* ADIDAS PILIPINAS JACKET (php 3000 lang kay kuya noel daw! haha.)
* BODY SLENDER * yung tinutuntungan tapos mag su-sway ka from left-to-right* (php 2000)
* STREET DANCE LESSONS (di ko lam magkano. di ko nga lam saan eh! basta yung ala "all star dancers" na dance lessons!)
* SHIH TZU! (leilaaaa.. waaag mo kami iwaaan! :c )
* MY 2ND TATTOO (hindi ko alam magkano dahil wala pa ko design!)

(PARA SA "MAHAL-KO-SI-MELAI/POCHAY" LIST)

*kailangan pa ba imemorize yan? kung kilala nyo ko at mahal nyo ko.. alam nyo kung ano makakapagpasaya sakin sa pasko! :)

"kaya mama, wag mo na ko patulungin maghanda ng macaroni salad ha? hehehe.."

*sorry! tabernilla joke yan. yung story bakit ako "the grinch" pag pasko.

(PARA KAY BITS)

*CHIE! lalaki pa! keep it coming! keep it coming! :)

(PARA KAY ALOI)

*joke lang yung nasa taas. para kay bits yung lalaki! nakikitingin lang ako. hehehe. :) *peace!*

They Call Me DORA!

uso sa store namin yung mga "pet names" kahit na alam namin at nakasulat sa "handbook" namin na bawal yun, still we do it. sabi kasi ng mga "superiors", we have to be professional all the time kaya bawal ang pet names! pero diba yung mga bawal ang ginagawa natin ng madalas? pag sa floor na madalas mo maririnig yung mga " BEH, BEBI, BEBE, BECHIE, PARE, KAMOTE, MOTE, PLOK, NAK, MAMA, DING " at madami pang iba. yung mga seniors ko tawag sakin 'bebi plok' (ewan ko kung bakit! si tsehlayla kasi eh!) pati 'tropapipay' (kasi pinakabatang tropa na babae! weird!)! at nakakatawa kasi maingay na sa floor tapos hindi mo alam kung ikaw na ba yung 'bechie" na tinatawag or ibang "bechie" yung tinutukoy. ANG JOLOGS! pero sa ayaw at sa gusto mo mahahawa ka na eh.. STARBUCKS CULTURE ika nga nila! (dati nga ayokong-ayoko binabanggit yung "beh" eh!) hehehe..

pero ngayon may bago na silang tawag sakin, at sakin lang ha? hindi pang-lahatang tawag! ano pa nga ba? eh di DORA! oo dora! as in si dora the explorer! kainis! ni hindi nga cute yung cartoon character na yun eh tapos yun pa ang tatawag sakin! two things kung bakit nila ko tinawag na dora:
1.) dahil sa FULL BANGS ko (hindi sila maka get-over kahit na mejo mahaba na sya ngayon!)
2.) dahil SUPER itim ko (from bora!)

ganun kababaw na dahilan at naging dora na ko! akala nga nung bago naming guard DORA talaga pangalan ko eh! huuuu. ayoko si dora! ayaw! AMPF! :s pwede bang iba na lang?

PROFESSIONALISM PARE! ITIGIL NA ANG PET NAMES! ITIGIL NA ANG DORA! hehe.. :)

Empowering The Youth.

* this has been the longest 8.53 minutes of my life! as in! delivering the sermon in the bicol service was just a step towards "spiritual maturity" (nice earl!) i SUPER like to thank God for giving me the "divine intervention" i was waiting for on the last minute! (friday night lang!) and of course to my mom for being very supportive and being with me through those sleepless nights. (umiiyak na ko pero sya hawak pa yung mga devotional books at nag-eexplain sakin.) and of course thank you my EMC ates, kuyas and gurlfriends, yung mga simpleng "kaya mo yan!" nyo made me believe na kaya ko nga! :)

*while singing the hymn of preparation

poch: huuuu.. lizette malapit na ko.. chorus na!!
lizette: kaya mo yan ate poch! GO!
poch: ayoko na magsalita.. NATATAE NA KO!!!
lizette: mamaya ka nalang tumae ate pagtapos mo magsermon!

NICE ONE! :)

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GOOD MORNING to all the beautiful people in this service!

I hope that you are happy to be in church today as we come together to worship the Lord. Up to this time, I am still wondering why I am the one chosen to be the speaker for this service. But still I am very thankful that I was given this opportunity to stand before you as today’s speaker for the first time.

I know that the Lord has His purpose in giving me this wonderful chance to serve Him and I know that He will empower me with the Holy Spirit as I speak to you today.

LET US PRAY.

Our Heavenly Father,

Thank you for giving us this beautiful day

That we could come together to worship you

And to give you thanks and heartful praise

For all your bountiful blessings to each one of us

Open our hearts and minds as we listen to your Word.

Amen.

Today, we are celebrating “YOUTH SUNDAY” and we will reflect on today’s theme that is “EMPOWERING THE YOUTH”.

What does the word EMPOWERING mean?

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PROVERBS 22:6 SAYS:

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

I was about 6 years old then when my mom first brought me to attend Sunday School back at our home church. This Bible verse was posted at the bulletin board of the classroom and every Sunday, I never fail to read this verse over and over and came to memorize it by heart without fully understanding what it really means.

As days, soon years passed by, I’ve come to realize that my life journey had been well motivated by the teachings I’ve learned not only from our home but also from attending Sunday School and Sunday Services. Studying in a Christian School is also a plus factor as we are also taught Christian Values Education; we studied about the stories of different Bible Characters and about the teachings of Jesus.

With these meaningful lessons that I’ve learned, the verse on PROVERBS 22:6 has come to a full understanding. And this is where my faith journey begins.

Each phase of our life has unique advantages and problems. And God stays with us through each of those phases. As we get older, things change. We must drop some things, and we must start with others.

In PSALMS 71:18 we read:

“Now that I am old and my hair is gray, do not abandon me O God. Be with me while I proclaim your power and might to all generations to come.”

We could notice that David’s focus is not simply on his needs. He wants to have his needs met so that he can share the Word of God with others. THIS IS EMPOWERMENT TO A HIGH DEGREE. J

In our New Testament text today which can be found on PHILIPPIANS 3:17 says:

“Keep on imitating me, my friends; pay attention to those who follow the right example we have set for you.”

This was Paul’s attempt to encourage the Philippians to do good. Even though he was in jail, this did not become a hindrance for him to deliver God’s message.

But the best example of an EMPOWERED YOUTH is Jesus. In the Bible we’ve read the story about Jesus who was already teaching at the synagogue at the age of 12. Youth of today remember this: AGE is not a HINDRANCE in serving the Lord. We should take Jesus’ example as an inspiration for us to spread the word of God.

Easier said than done right? We may even doubt ourselves on how will we do it. But we should also remember that God will be there to guide us.

I remember when I first volunteered to teach vacation Church School at the age of 14. I didn’t have any idea on how to do it. I just got my lesson guide, some art materials, and then I pray to God to ask for guidance.. and then THAT’S IT!

But I’ve come to realize that it is not on HOW you teach that matters; it is on the manner you’ve reached out to the ones you’ve taught. If they walk away from you’re lesson that day without remembering a single thing about it, then you are not a good teacher, and what you’ve taught them didn’t have an effect on them.

We should put in mind that teaching or spreading the Word of God must come from our hearts and not just with our mouth. And the most important thing is that we should ask God to use us as instruments in delivering His good news especially to the young ones, or in this case, the youth.

If you feel that you are WEAK because you are still young, the Bible says that our weakness can be overcome through prayer. If we are resorting to the Lord continually in prayer, and laying hold in His promises, if we are saying that the best is yet to come and we praise God more and more, THEN WE CAN GROW OLD AND GRAY HEADED WITHOUT FEAR!

By surrendering our weaknesses to the Lord we’ll be able to glorify Him and we’ll be able to share His word with others in the next generation. Even our situation in life should not be a hindrance in rendering our service for our Heavenly Father. The apostle Paul took advantage of his situation while in jail to proclaim the Good news of Salvation.

Let me share with you 4 situations wherein God displays His empowerment on us:

1) GOD EMPOWERS US IN OUR WEAKNESS

- Each one of us was given different gifts and talents that we could use in our service to others. We may think that our weaknesses may pull us down, but these are the things that God use in order for us to come back to Him for comfort. As what Pastor Gane has said to us when we are having our sermon-writing workshop; he stated that “LET THE AFFLICTED BE COMFORTED, AND LET THE COMFORTED BE AFFLICTED.” If we all pray continually to God, we can be assured that God will help us even at the lowest points of our lives.

2) GOD EMPOWERS US WHEN WE ARE CONFUSED

- God said “Don’t worry, just have faith in me and I’ll never allow you to be confused.” There are times when we cannot firmly decide on certain things; but again, we should pray to God and trust in Him that He will lead us to the right decision. It may not be the one we wanted, but God knows what we need and that we should just put our trust on Him that He will provide it for us.

3) GOD EMPOWERS US SO WE WON’T LIVE IN THE PAST

- Too often we say “Back in the Good Old Days…” but perhaps the good old days were not that good. David acknowledges in PSALMS 71:5 “For You are my hope, O Lord God”. He was living in the future. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT GOD HOLDS OUR FUTURE.

4) GOD EMPOWERS US EVEN AT TIMES WHEN WE ARE COMPLAINING

- We tend to complain when we face problems, trials and challenges in our lives, but remember that God is always with us. Because His timing is perfect, we must wait, trust, and NOT COMPLAIN. It’s easy to complain, but we need to wait in silence before the Lord. And praise Him, because one day you will look back and UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAD TO WAIT.

As I close, I’d like to leave you this CHALLENGE:

· FIRST, as Youth of today, let us continue to set a good example of HOW TO LIVE A CHRISTIAN WAY OF LIFE.

· SECOND, let us continue preserving our CHRISTIAN HERITAGE we have inherited from our parents and elders for the future generations.

· LASTLY, let us continue to live a life that would magnify our testimony for God.

Dearly beloved EMC youth of today, let us all join hands in sharing with others the gift of salvation our Lord Jesus offered when he died on the cross, AND TOGETHER LET US ALL EMPOWER THE YOUTH OF TOMORROW!


AMEN.

It Is DONE! :)

YEAH BOI! at last tapos na rin yung sermon. wuhoo! :) para akong nabunutan ng tinik. i'll just have to pray a little bit more for my delivery nalang. haaaay! bigla naman akong na-excite on sunday. :) sayang lang i won't be able to join the other speakers for the practice tom eh. (nice one earl! late announcement! hehehe..) but then ipapasa ko nalang kay SIR EARL PAOLO JACULBE at kay pastora linda for proof reading. :)

can't wait! :)

thank you Lord for the guidance & wisdom. :)