A Pilgrim's Journey

A Year Summary

2009-06-01T14:29:00.000-07:00

It has been a year since I last updated my blog. A lot have happened . . . a lot have changed, but surely God has always been more than faithful in everyday of my journey. Whenever I look behind, I could always see God's fingerprints in every situation. God planned it all:

May-Aug 2008 : Preparation for Documents and Embassy Interview
Jul-Aug : Preparation for Church Anniversary
August 27 : God provided a visa
August 31 : CIBC’s 4th year Church Anniversary
September 2 : Flight to Manila
September 3 : Flight to Detroit
September 3 : Arrived at Columbus, OH
September 4 : Arrival at Pensacola Christian College, FL
September 7 : Started Classes
December 12 : End of 2008 Fall Semester
December 14 : Winter Vacation at New Hampshire
January 19,2009 : 2009 Spring Semester Started
April 9 : God provided a work at PCA
May 6 : End of 2009 Spring Semester
Arrived at Ohio for Summer Vacation
May 20 : God provided a work at MVBT

I thank God for enabling me to finish my 1st year of college at PCC. It’s not me at all. If it had not been because of God, who gave all the knowledge, courage, and strength that I needed everyday, I would have surely failed the first day. There is no way I will be able to do it apart from God. It’s not easy at all, but it has never been hard with God’s help. I couldn’t hide the tears that I’ve had since the day I left the Philippines, my family, my church, and my friends. But, I couldn’t have had the joy and peace of the Lord in my heart if I have just chosen to stay . . . to disobey the will of God for my life. There is no way I could experience the perfect joy and peace apart from the will of God. There is no way I could live the purpose of my life apart from the will of God.

Now, I’m a pilgrim in this foreign land, but, much more than that, I’m a pilgrim in this world, and yet to arrive in my heavenly home at the end of the journey that has been set before me.

Hebrews 12:1-2

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

At Last

2008-04-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

:) .. at last, naupdate ko narin ang blog site ko.. hehe

from September to April: on-the-job-training, from February to April: coding of thesis, from the first week of april: Vacation Bible School, a week of fever, and two days of rest. kaya naman ngayon lang ako nakapagupdate ng blogs... priorities muna kc kaya un...

At last, thesis was over. . . studies and everything about Informatics. . . after two years, thank God. :) Graudation nalang ang hinihintay on May11. There are just so much things to thank God for. And, the latest unexpected blessing we've had from our school by God's grace was that my partner jaki and I were given the award of 'best thesis'! Nakakgulat talga... I was really overwhelmed with joy. I really prayed for God that I will be aiming that award for Him, but I actually said to myself to forget about it because we don't actually deserve to have that. Pero what a blessing na binigay parin ni Lord un award na un na in spite na hindi kami naging ganun kadedicated na ibigay un best namin to finish that. It's only because of God's mercy and grace, actually.

I just want to share one of the sceen shots of our thesis (the website that we've made was entitled "Cardz Photo and Video Studio, Online Wedding Coverage Reservation"). It is a website of a photo studio that accepts an online monetary transaction (through credit cards) in making a reservation/booking for a wedding photography and Videography Coverage.

Two weeks ago, we conducted a vacation bible shool (VBS) at our church. Some friends from Mt. Vernon Baptist Temple, Ohio visited us for that Vacation Bible School. We only aimed to reach 50 children because of the facilities (and becuase that was the first time we conducted a VBS), but, thank God that more than 100 children attended. We shared the gospel to them and we thank God that most of them received Christ as their Lord and Personal Saviour.

After the VBS, we visited Dunsol, Sorsogon to see the Butanding Whale Shark. That was my first time to dive in the middle of the ocean. I don't really know how to swim. But that was a great experience. I was left at the middle of the ocean with Brooke. She was really a great swimmer. I was able to swim by then. . . (thanks to the life jacket). hehe

There are many things that needs to be done this 1 month vacation. Tomorrow I will be starting to tutor some of the youth and kids on Music lessons. It will be done individually and I scheduled Realyn to be my first tutee. Tonight was the second day and continuation of the Discipleship training that was started last Sunday. We thanked God for giving us the privilege to have Ptr. and Mrs. Reuben Flor with us not just in doing medical mission but also in ministering to us spiritually. I give back the glory due to God for all the wonderful things that He've done to us this past few months.

(pacenxa na kung hindi in order ang mga position ng photos, i was just starting to learn using this blogger site. hehe)

A Blessed Holiday

2007-11-30T23:49:00.000-08:00

Since today is 'bonifacio day', a holiday, so it means-- "there's no classes" :'). But not only that, today is also the anniversary of the 'typhoon reming'. It has been a year since that disastrous typhoon had struck the bicol region; almost 2months (some had even experienced a year) that there had not been an electricity all over the region, all power supply had been cut. We've experienced (for the first time) to have a 'blackout on Christmas day'. It has been truly a silent night that Christmas eve. But, actually, that had been one of the most remarkable Christmas eves that I've experienced. The moon was on its 'full mode', and the sky was very clear that night! It was very very amazing. . . Reminiscing the night that the Child was born in a manger. I've gazed at the stars and the full moon almost the whole night alone at the porch until after midnight, realizing how blessed i am and how thankful i should be even at that terrible situation compared to what The Baby had experienced. With all the tears, I kept saying 'it's amazing'. It's really marvelous to imagine that God has been with us through Jesus Christ. I remember the phrase 'He was God walking the earth in sandals'. It's indeed 'a miracle'. When the world is in need of a Baby to light the it with love, God sent His only begotten Son. (from the song 'Who would send a baby').

So, that was a bit of the moments during the Christmas eve after the typhoon reming.

Back to this day, it was really cold, like having the 'wintry feeling'. The coldness of the day was really different compared to any other month i think. I was practicing this afternoon, but it's just really hard to make a 'quality practice'. I had this hyperhydrosis that makes my hands excrete excessive perspiration whenever i am nervous or most of the time, it's being out of my control that even ordinary days it gets wet. They say it's 'pasmado', but it's actually a disease. Whenever my hands get wet, they have 'open pores', so, the coldness of the wind can actually go inside them. my hands get the frozen feeling and it was already hard to play. But thank God for this holiday. . . a chance for more time of practice.

Anyway, the whole day was really a blessing. Eventhough, i or we don't actually deserved those blessings from God, it's really amazing to know that God's grace aboundeth still. I had a wonderful dinner fellowship outside with my family this evening.

And, lately this evening, we had a wonderful phone conversation with papa kirby and mam pat (my foster parents). It's a blessing to know that there are people who are constantly praying for you on the other side of the globe. mam pat told me about this 'holocaust' wherein 6million Jews where being killed way back 1940 by the germans. I havn't heard of it before, so she told me to research about it and this christian lady named Corrie Tenboom, who has hid some of the jews inside her house (i think in the basement or underground) just to save them from the Germans. She told me that all the names of those 6million people were being written in the walls inside a museum in Washington. That was amazing. We talked about some things about Filipinos and she told me that almost all of the personal staffs of Pres.Bush were filipinos. It was confusing, because Mr.Bush can actually hire Americans, but mam pat said that, 'that's how they trust filipinos' Wow. :)

Well, once again, thank you for the time you've spent in reading my post. :)
That's all for now.:)

Something to ponder:
"The way you deal with your struggles, depends on how you view them. Always remember: there are no hopeless situations, but only people who think hopelessly."

Verse for the day:
"The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness." Proverbs 11:5

God bless you :)

Good and Bad News of the Day

2007-11-29T05:29:00.000-08:00

hi!:') well, this would be my first post here in blogger. I have created this account few months ago, and yet have started to post the 1st entry just now. In fact, i have checked this account just the other day after few months and have decided to make it, somehow, my 'online diary'.. (meron b nun? hehe)

Anyway, i never imagine that i would get into this 'blog' thing. But as i have always been interested in reading, i have seen 'blogging' a way to share thoughts, emotions, ideas, experiences, happiness, daily stuffs, passion, point of views, interests, memories, . . . all that's inside the mind . . . and heart.
I have read a quote which states: "Every moment is a genuine possession. For this reason, we try to grab pieces of our lives as they speed past us and try to freeze those pieces to reminisce memories, which can never come back again but are meant to last forever."

I just wanted to share some things about the whole day (i mean yesterday, 'coz its already 5 in the morning).
It was just a normal day, as usual, wednesday. . . means everybody should be in a corporate attire. Well, i thought i was late for the first subject, but as i arrived at school, i was informed that we have no class in java pala because there will be a general assembly at 9am (which was held at 5pm, actually. :) )

As they have scheduled days ago, we will be having a retreat (for all the 2nd yr graduating students) on Dec. 6 & 7, which has also the day of our mini concert/recital(i'll post a blog about it next time.). But, of course, i don't want to miss any of them. :( . . . all that calms me up was to remember that '...all things work together for good to them that love God. Rom.8:28' . Reminding myself that it was 'ok' and that God can work with it. . . don't have to worry anything. So, i was already thinking that by dec.6, I'll attend the retreat from 7am to 3pm, then prepare for the concert at 6 - 10pm, then just go back to the retreat after until 12pm the next day, and then prepare for the departure to manila at 4pm for the main concert on dec.13. That sounds 'ok', but was exhausting enough, for me.

But as i am waiting for the gen.assmbly, m'vhe informed me that 'the retreat was moved next term' .. what a surprise! It was really a blessing!:) .. now, i could have much time the whole day to prepare for the event instead of being in the retreat the same day.

Moving over, the gen.assmbly was, as i have said earlier, held at 5pm. We tackled about the outreach program this saturday, the upcoming robotics seminar at Cam.Norte on monday, and the christmas party on dec.5. Considering in mind the things that should also be done on the same day, I would love to but I can't attend the outreach and robotics seminar. So, dun nalang ako sa christmas party aatend. But after the discussions, we've come up to this date -- Dec. 7! Which means, hindi na naman ako makakasama! :( . Hindi na rin pwedeng i-move un kc finals sa 5&6.
So, ganun talga . . . back to my fav. verse: 'all things work together for good'. With all the encouragements I had in mind, I have kept myself reminded that it was 'ok', and, besides, there's nothing I can do about it, anyway.

So, that's the 'good and bad news' of the day. But as I have said, it's all 'for good'. :)
Thank God for this day. It was really marvelous, specially the clouds and the blue sky. :)

I have to go for now, (naghihintay na si jaki sa mga pics na need ko isend sa kanya). Bukas na kc ung deadline ng Webpage making contest, and we just started it i think hours ago?! (not to mention na kami lang ung sasali 'for a cause') -->spoken with much perseverance. hehe

Thanks to M'vhe! :) --> spoken with much reverence. hehe

jaki, my beloved classmate, thesis mate, twin soul mate, sister :) , will be working with the webpage, and i'll be working with the thesis, for now. (bukas daw palit naman kami for revisions, hehe)

Ok, Thanks for the time you've spent in reading my first post.:)

God bless you.:)