"Takdang Aralin sa Filipino 327."

        Kung hindi dahil sa takdang aralin namin itong talambuhay na ito, hindi ko ito gagawin. Kasi pag naipasa ko na ito kay Gng. Espineli, wala na akong kopya. At ang panuntunan ay dapat nakasalaysay sa ikatlong persona. Ibig sabihin, bawal ang salitang "ako."

     Isinilang siya ikalabimpito ng Setyembre 1993. Bingyan ng tatlong pangalan. Ikalawa sa magkakapatid. Dahil ang mga magulang niya ay may banal na pagkatakot sa Diyos, iyon ang ginawa nilang saligan upang mapalaki siya at ng kanyang mga kapatid ng tama.

       Ninais ng kaaway na kitlin ang kanyang buhay nang siya'y isang taong gulang pa lamang nang siya'y dumanas ng matinding kumbulsiyon na nagpatigil sa kanyang huminga ng may limang minuto. Sa gitna ng mga pangyayari, lumuhod ang kanyang ama sa altar na kinalalapagan ng kanilang Bibliya at nanalangin na kung Siya nga ay totoo ay bubuhayin niyang muli ang batang ito na Kanyang ipinagkaloob. Matapos manalangin ang kanyang ama, biglang huminga ng malalim ang batang iyon at namula muli ang kulay bayolet na katawan ng bata. Napagtibay nito ang katotohanang may Diyos na buhay. Naging maayos ang kanilang pamumuhay. Ang kanilang pamilya ay maalwan. Kinamulatan niya ang  masaganang buhay. Lahat ng kanyang pangangailangan ay natutustusan.

      Dalawang taong gulang nang siya'y magsimulang magbasa. Kinakitaan siya ng husay at katalinhuan sa kanyang pag-aaral. Tumanggap siya ng mga parangal dahil sa kahusayang ipinamamalas niya sa klase. Kapag tatanungin siya sa gusto niya maging sa hinaharap, nais niyang maging inhinyerong industriyal pagkat siya'y mahilig magtipid at nais niya na walang nasasayang. Siya'y may talentong kumanta, at natuto ding tumugtog ng mga karaniwang instrumento na ginagamit sa simbahan pagkat duon siya lumaki. Tanaw ang magandang kinabukasang naghihintay sa batang ito. Puno ng pag-asa at may simpleng pangarap.

     Subalit walang permanente sa mundong ito. Unti-unting nagbago ang takbo ng mga pangyayari. Nagdesisyon ang kanyang ama na lisanin ang kanyang trabaho, ang kanyang ina nama'y tinanggal sa trabaho.  Nagpundar ng iba't ibang negosyo ang kanyang ama ngunit lahat ng ito ay nauwi din sa wala. Bumaba ang pamantayan ng kanilang pamumuhay. Ang tanging natira na lamang ay ang kanilang pananampalataya dahil yun na lamang ang tangi nilang mapanghahawakan.

        Sa murang edad ay namulat siya sa realidad at katotohanan ng buhay. Na ang mga bagay na hindi pa dapat niyang intindihin ay kanya nang iniintindi dahil ito'y nararapat at kinakailangan. Na nagbunsod sa kanya na linangin ang sarili sa mga bagay na kapaki-pakinabang. Lalo pang lumawak ang kanyang perspektibo nang maging drayber ang kanyang ama. Sinasamahan niya ito sa pamamasada pagkatapos ng eskwela. Ang kanyang ama ay isa sa mga taong nagbukas ng mga ruta ng isang malawak na kooperatiba sa bahagi ng Bacoor, Cavite. Apat na ruta sa Cavite at isa sa Alabang. Sa loob ng walong taong pamamasada ng multicab ay nakilala siya bilang anak ng pastor at nililibre parati kapag siya ay sasakay.

        Sa kanyang paglaki, siya'y mahilig mag-obserba. At dahil sa gawaing iyon ay marami siyang nabatid. Pagtuntong niya ng sekondarya ay kinakitaan siya ng kakayanan sa pagsulat, pagbigkas, at pagsasalaysay. Kaya inisip niya na ang kukunin niyang kurso ay journalism o mass communication. Ngunit batid niya ang kakapusan ng kanilang pananalapi kaya pinalipad niya na lang sa hangin ang naisin niyang ito.

        Nang mga panahong may talyer pa ang kanyang ama, tumutulong siya sa mga mekanikong nag-aayos ng mga makina, pati magpintura ay pinagmamasdan niya. Sa pamamasada nama'y siya'y naging konduktor at kalauna'y natuto na ring magmaneho. Doon niya natutunan kung paano makisalamuha, masaktan, magtiwala, tumulong at higit sa lahat ay magsilbi. Nang magkasakit ang kanyang ina, siya ang pumalit sa pag-aasikaso sa kanyang mga kapatid. Ang mga panahong iyon ay naging krusyal na pagkakataon pagkat ito ang naghubog sa kanya na maging responsable sa murang edad.

      Dahil hindi nagmaliw ang kanyang mga magulang sa pagpapaunawa sa kanya na ikintal sa kanyang diwa na ang Salita ng Diyos ang dapat niyang maging batayan ng kanyang pamumuhay, sinaliksik Niya ito, at kanyang natagpuan na ang Diyos nga ay totoo at tapat.

      Madami siyang pangarap. Ngunit napagtanto niya ang plano ng Diyos ay higit na mas maganda kesa sa mga pinaplano niya. Isinantabi niya ang kanyang sarili upang makapagsilbi sa iba.

        Mas madali para sa kanya na piliing huwag isipin ang iba. Kaya niyang makipagsabayan sa talino at lakas kung ito ang pagbabatayan. Disin sana'y wala siya sa puwestong kinasasadlakan niya ngayon. Ngunit sa kabila ng kanyang katalinuhan, kakayanan at kalawakan ng pag-iisip ay pinili niyang magpakaaba. Dahil alam niyang itataas siya ng Diyos. At sa kabila ng kanyang mga pagkukulang ay ang Diyos ang siyang magkukumpleto sa kanya.

     Nang pumasok sa kolehiyo, kumuha siya ng kursong mekaniko ng eroplano. At pinag-iigihan niya ang kanyang pag-aaral. Sa mga bagay na kanyang ginagawa, nais niya lamang na siya'y maging bahagi ng solusyon kapag may problema. At kapag nagkaroon ng magandang resulta, tanging ang Diyos lamang ang mapupurihan.

     Tuwing sabado at linggo ay ginugugol niya ang mga oras sa mga gawain sa simbahan. Maligaya na siya kapag may stik-o na nakalatag sa meryendahan.

      Sa ngayon, simple lang ang gusto niyang gawin sa buhay at sa mga darating na mga panahon. Ang may magawang matino sa isang araw at ayaw niyang palilipasin ito ng walang nagagawa.

        Napagtanto niyang ang buhay na ito na ipinagkaloob sa kanyang Diyos ay may matinding dahilan. Hindi na niya ninanais na magpakatagumpay ng husto sa iba't ibang larangan. Maligaya na siya na ang buhay niya ay nabubuhay ng may kabuluhan at kahulugan.

         Bilang pagtatapos, simple lamang ang kanyang hiling sa buhay na ito, na matutong bilangin ang mga araw na dumaraan, upang magkaroon siya ng pusong tigib ng karunungan*, at maging Handog sa Diyos*. Wala na siyang mahihiling pa.

*Awit 90:12

*Roma 12:1

                                      Isinalaysay ni Aaron Paul P. Teodosio                                                     
                                      BSAMT 3rd yr-Sec 3.

          

"Prosperity Redefined"

      If i'll look in the things that I don't have, I would have been stopped
at the things that I'm presently doing right now a long time ago. Lack has
an old way of facing us. Appearing as a mountain that we cannot surpass
it, like a room with bars that makes us incarcerated, putting us in a box 
that we may not broaden our minds, stifles our dreams and ambitions,
cripples our walk, and whatever thing that it can result into people's lives.

     Indeed, in this mundane and greedy world we are living in, most of the
people want to be sufficient at all things. By their own pursuit, energy and
effort, they are trying so hard to gather, accumulate, things that they may
not experience the term "lack".
            
     If you will try to define to other people such term, they will give you
answers and you will realize that what you've understood in yourself in that
term is different from them. What's more interesting is that others, in an
unnoticed way tries to cling in such lack that they have.

     What I've observed as this life goes on, like mist and dew that waters
the grass dries as the sun goes up, when beautiful petals of flowers is
blown away when the wind strikes, when youth has vanished its vitality
and strength because of the years that they've toiled and the things
they've acquired, as ants are continually collecting for food, I've learned
that lack will remain in this world. Sufficiency will not remain sufficient. And
that will be a cause for others to be envy at others, will desire for more, to 
look and aspire in the things that they don't have. 
           
     But we as believers in Christ don't have that kind of intellect. The world
wants us to be envied to them where in fact, they should envy us. Personally,
this life wants me to accept and is trying to affront me that I'm living in lack
and that should be the norm. I've paused for a while. My mind infused me
a question out of the blue. "Why do you still continue? Do you see your
situation?" I confronted it. I replied, "I will not base my decisions based on
necessity, opportunity or circumstance, my decision is firm. I will hold on to
what God's word says about me and who He is to me. I will not fix my eyes
on the things that I do not have but I will be grateful to the things I do have."

     And gleaning from that, prosperity caught a new meaning on me. It
doesn't mean that you must be stable and secure in all things, plenty in all
financial resources, (which is a measurement for most of the people), being
in advance or gain in anything good or desirable, the attainment of an object
you desire but it is the ability of yours to make all needs met where talent,
capacity and effort is given, thus sufficiency supplied, prosperity applied.

     Obviously, that ability will come from Christ through his grace. And our
God loves to make us blessed in all things. Not only in finances, but also in
wisdom, in strength, in abilities, in health, in relationships, in ALL things.
God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for
anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.*

     We are prosperous in Christ! He made himself poor that we may become
rich. It doesn't only apply in pecuniary terms. It also applies in all facets of
our lives. So that we may be free in every aspect and bondage of lack that
we have. Just receive it!

     If you want to see yourself prosperous, just look at the things that you
have that money cannot buy.** Look at the things that you have, and you'll
see that you are truly indeed . For I'm doing the same thing as God makes
His love and mercies being renewed for us every morning.

     The measurement of being prosperous doesn't depend on the tool that
we spend but what we are doing on the tool that we have and meets the
need that must be met. 

      Knowing in myself that I'm prosperous, the more I should humble myself.
And the more I should meet every need. That would be my sweet and pleasing
offering to my God who has given me all things.
      A response to what prosperity He has given to me to have a purpose. : D




*2 Cornthians 9:8 The Message Bible.
**revised from a quote from Tabitha Inc., "If you want to feel rich, just
look at the things that you have that money can't buy."

"WoRds I'vE PoNdeRed"

    Taglish portion tayo ngayon.

     Maigi na lang at mahaba-haba ang sembreak. Palong-palo. Thank God that I can rest

and prepare myself at the upcoming Pastors' Conference and at the resume of classes

on the 5th of November.

     Justification. Obedience. Honor. Refusal. Assurance. Compassion.

     Ang mga salitang ito ang nabuo sa isipan ko habang lumilipas ang mga araw ng Oktubre.

These words beacme alive in me so much as I passed through those days of daily experiences.

Words that been flashed out when I've encountered a paricular situation where I was remin-

ded of the things that I've forgot to do. Reminders of what I should continually doing in this

walk of Christian journey. And have a glimpse on what's happening to me.

   Simulan na natin.

     Justification.

           -It was first week of October when I realized this word. To relay back, I was charged

of tampering my attendance. Kasi di ako nag-la-log-in kapag pumapasok ako sa airline company

na pinasukan ko as an OJT. The chief security officer is accusing me that I've fabrictaed my

attendance dahil sinulat ko na lang sa OJT logbok ang time-in ko on the last day of my training.

            Buti na lang, nakagawa ako ng attendance sa aming office kung san dun ako nag-la-

log-in. The penalty was heavy. Entitled for the revocation of my 420 hour certificate. But

when they called my supervisor, they asked if I really attended on those days that i didn't

logged in, she replied yes. I was worried at that time. Natulala ako after that. I know it may

affect my future career. Until my supervisor told me, "ako nang bahala dun, wag ka nang

mag-alala." Then, I went home.

           After 1 day, I came back. She created a letter that says this person is "certified and

justified", faithfully attended in his days of training, which is true. Signed with my department

manager at the bottom. I brought it to the chief security officer, di siya makapaniwala. He

was expected of me to be disqualified but it didn't happened. Walang paglagyan ang tuwa ko.

I thanked God for His favor.

           And I realized, Lord, this is a similar experience on what you have done to us on the cross.

We deserve to pay the price of our sins but through your son Jesus, as we've accepted Him, He

made us justified in your sight. I deserve to suffer the penalty but you've covered it, actually

you've removed it and cleansed us through the blood of Christ and made me acquitted. Same

as what happened to me that moment. A reminder being carved in my heart after that experience.

And so I express my gratefulness to Him in offering my life to Him.

           Mahiya naman ako. Ahe. : )

      Obedience.

          -The second word that I realized after that revocation thing. Because if I only obeyed

the rule, that I should sign-in and out, di na sana mangyayari iyon. That was big lesson for

me.  Sabi nga ng mga mekanikong kasama ko, "next time, follow simple rules". Oo nga, rather

than to suffer, willingly obey. Kasi minsan, nakakaligtaan natin gawin ang isang bagay o di

natin nagagawa dahil nakasanayan na o pwede namang lusutan. Having the notion that you

are under authority, obey. And applies on every case. But when there is a situation wherein

you must follow two things, obey the most, best, necessary and needed thing that must be

done. For if you know that when you do it will surpass the other rule, considering that it is

the most needed to be obeyed, as you explain, you'll be justified. But the key word there

still is obey.

          Opo. Next time, di na po pasaway. Hehe.

      Honor.

          -Katapusan ng 1st semester. Bayaran ng tuition fee. Bayad na sana iyon kung

naibayad ko nang buo. Kaso hiniram ni tatay ang pera ko na sakto sa kulang sa tuition fee

kong nuong Hulyo. Nangako siyang ibabalik ang hiniram niyang pera. But due to unprecedented

events, my father left his job as a multicab driver 'coz he felt sick, he wanted to rest, and

wanted to focus on the ministry God has entrusted unto Him.  Nang dumating ang allowance

ko from my uncle na nagpadala ng pang-tuition fee ko for the 2nd sem, sinabi niya ng pabiro,

"Anak pag may sobra, bigay mo sa akin ha?" Hindi ko ipinapahalata na nato-torture ang utak

ko kakaisip kung san namin kukunin ang pambayad duon. Dahil wala kaming pinagkakakitaan,

imposibleng makabayad.

           Sinagot ko siya, "Pa, di mo pa nga nababayaran yung una mong hiniram sa akin, di muna

kita mapapahiram, galaw-galaw din". Matapos niyon, nagbago na ang tono ng usapan namin,

sa madaling salita ay nagkataasan ng boses, nagkasagutan at umabot na sa puntong umiyak

na lang ako. Sinasabi na niya na naging engrata daw kami sa kanya na kung di niya kami inalagaan

ay makakarating ba kami sa lugar namin ngayon at parang sa isang bagay lang na hindi niya

natupad ay gaganunin na lang namin siya na hindi naman iyon ang gusto kong ipahiwatig. 

            After removing my tears from my eyes, I talk to Him and said, "Pa, sorry". It wasn't my

intention to make him feel guilty about that. I forgot where my position was. I've missed the

point. Then I learned that night that I should honor and respect Him as my father inspite of his

shortcomings, failures, and weaknesses. Parents are parents. I should honor them always. And

as the Word of God puts it, as we honor our parents, "it will be well on us and we may live long

here on the earth".* Ang pangyayari nang gabing iyon ang nagpaalala sa akin kung saan ako

dapat lumugar. Ahe.

      Refusal. (2nd week)

           -My professor in Philippine Literature wrote comments and reminders for us  in the quiz

papers that she checked after, placed in a yellow pad paper. I guess she made it so that we

will remember her that even though she's impatient sometimes, the things that she wants us

to learn, we will be the ones who will benefit from it as we live & love literature. This year is

her first year of teaching in college and she does her career with dedication. I hope she may

keep it as years pass by.

           Anyway, she wrote at my paper telling that she's thankful to me and she said, to quote,

"Fuss to be not as good as you are right now. People may tend to be abusive if they know that

you are so KIND."** Napag-isip-isip ko, oo nga, admittedly, there are times by being kind, i give

my help to others with a pure heart but they are taking advantage of it. Pero hindi, as long as

you know that your kindness blesses them, in terms that it helps them, it solves their problem

because of you, why will I deprive them of receiving it? Probably I'll set a standard, And that

standard will be until I will help as long as I can. I know that when their intentions are not right,

there is our God who sees us all, and He will take vengeance to those who will abuse me.

Our God will make them repay.

       Assurance.

          -Third week of October. Tuesday night when I and my father's friends came from a

NewLife satellite outreach at Talisay, Batangas. We returned to Alabang, went to a resto bar

at Las Pinas and ate our dinner. Tapos may isang binatang umakyat sa resto, pababa na kami

nun dahil uuwi na kami. Kakilala pala nila tatay, attendee pala sa Greenvalley outreach.

Hindi siya mapakali. Nang umandar ang pick-up truck lulan kami, pinagkwento namin siya. Sabi

niya, napatakbo siya mula sa ilalaim ng overpass ng Southmall hanggang sa bandang Pilar kung

san kami nakapark. He continued that he had witnessed how the gunman shot the barker in his

very own eyes. Tinitigan siya ng bumaril at sa takot na habulin, ay tumakbo siya.

            Dagdag pa niya, "grabe talaga yung nangyari kanina, isang kalabit lang, dedbol na

yung barker. Itutok ba naman ng killer sa tapat ng dibdib e, tagos nga e, nakahandusay pa

nga dun o, madadaanan pa rin natin iyon pag-uwi." Hindi nga siya nagkamali. Ang daming

usisero sa ilalim ng overpass. Hindi ginagalaw ang wala nang buhay ng kawawang barker.

Habang umaandar kami, paulit-ulit niyang sinasabi, "sa isang kislap lang, ang bilis mawala ng

buhay ng tao". Na-trauma siya. Habang inoobserbahan ko siya ay nagbulay-bulay ako sa

sinabi niya.

           Napagtanto kong ang buhay nga talaga ng tao ay saglit lang. Wala akong dapat

sandalan ni panghawakan sa mga bagay sa mundong ito kundi ang Diyos lamang. Anong

alam ko sa mangyayari bukas? Wala akong kasiguraduhan. Sapat nang hakbang na ako'y

magtiwala sa kanya. To quote, "Even though I don't know what my future holds, I'm blessed

that I know who holds my future". I was reminded that trusting my life in God's hands make

my living assured. Whatever happens.

         Compassion.

               -When we are continually moving home, bumaba ako sa sinasakyan namin at nag-

paalam na pupunta sa highschool teacher ko na umorder sa akin ng herbal capsule. I waited

on a multicab, sumenyas akong sasabit, pinasabit naman ako ng tropa. Nang bumaba ang

ilang mga pasahero, umupo na ako. Nang nasa Mambog Road na kami, pinatigil yung linya

namin dahil one way yung daan dahil sa pagbabaon ng tubo ng tubig ng (kaaba-abalang)

Maynilad. Matanaw-tanaw kong prusisyon pala ng isang malaking santo ang dadaan. Naawa

ako sa mga humahatak at sumusunod dito. I realized that I don't make something much to lead

other people to Christ. Although I have the capacity and the knowledge how to share Christ

to others, I still remain dormant.

             There are some things that I'm still considering first before I can share to others.

First is the preparation of the heart. Ayaw ko namang gawin ito nang may bigat sa loob.

Mahirap namang mamuhay sa pretensyon. Second is timing.  Naniniwala akong ang lahat

ng bagay ay itinakda ng Diyos at alam kong sa panahong itinakda niya, kapag dumating

iyon, at alam kong malapit na iyon, di na ako mag-aatubiling ibahagi siya sa mga taong

naiimpluwensiyahan ko sa labas ng simbahan. Because I feel the burden of having the heart

to reach others, to help them set free from their wrongdoings and tradfitions that they are

bound into, make their lives live in the right and the light way, and that can be only found in

Christ. But such feeling is not enough. There must be a willing vessel so that there will be a

mouthpiece to address and share His word to others.

           God's compassion placed in our hearts gives us a divine compulsion to speak and act.

Kahit anong tanggi ko, kung ukol talaga, bubukol talaga. Parating na iyon.

           To end, ang mga salitang iyon ay tumatak sa akin ng husto sa pagdaan ng buwan

na ito. Na-refresh ako sa kung ano ang dapat kong gawin. It reprogrammed my point of

view, preception and reminded me of the original, basic, and important things that I should do.

           Being reminded causes us to remember things. sa dami-dami kasi ng ating inaasikaso

sa buhay, there is a tendency that we may forgot it sometimes. And in my case, I'm thankful,

that God has reminded me of the things that I should do. Than to suffer the consequennces

if I forgot to do the things that I should ought to do.

           Reminders keeps us in a safe place. God never fails to do it always. And I was

reminded a lot 'coz I tend to forgot. But God doesn't. I would be grateful to that and apply

it again.

            For it is better for me to be safe than sorry.

------------

*Ephesians 6:2

**emphasis based on the letter.

-----------

Lord, as your grace flows in us, we will live out of the overflow.

I pray that the Pastors' Conference will be sucessful indeed.

Amen.

Bakbakan na!  : DDD

"A bLesSed aNt."(SeRviCe aS a CaLLinG).

            Why is it so that time flies so fast when you're busy doing something but so slow
when you wait for it? That's why i try to maintain my schedule blocked off everyday so
that I will not be bored. Well, at a certain point, I paused for a while and reflect what has
transpired in me 18 years ago that led me to a position where I am now today.

             Being in the line of serving, meeting, and supplanting other people's needs wasn't
been a kind of ambition that I wanted to be in myself not even in my wildest dreams. Because
I didn't aspire, I didn't dream of something. I just want to be a person who will be naturally as
days goes by. Growing up being exposed at the frustrating reality of what this life can be
about since I was a child has led me to be dormant, and growing in a Christian family,
desired to have the hunger to learn and find the will and the purpose of God to happen
in my life.
                
             Honestly speaking, having a heart, mind, soul, will and emotions, being directed
with these, I would want to just stay at my comfort zone. But God has dealt me in every
aspect of my life personally. Having those years of going through frustrations, discourage-
ments, sad realities, he made me realize that I should stand strong, I should endure the
pain, I should have the patience, because if not, I would have stayed so ignorant of under-
standing the good and bad things of life that it can possibly give to me. And God diverted
my focus from my weaknesses to His strengths. He made me realized that I am not the
only one who have gone through those things. 
    
              And He placed in my heart the burden, that there are others who are experiencing
worst situations than I, and I thought, how if I should be an answer for them. And He transformed
the perception of my mind to think of others. To think others first before myself. And it became
my outlet. Shifting the focus from myself to others. Through that, it became a diversion of my
mind when I'm doing something. And so, I don't soak myself anymore to the frustrating realities
of my situation but as I give my service to others, it unwinds me, giving a relief in me.  And as
God reveals his self through his word, I discover His strength in me, and grants me the empo-
werment to do all things, through His grace.

            At every time that I will give my service to others, what comes into my mind first is,
God is my ultimate audience, doing things with excellence should be of my concern because
I offer it to Him. Second is, if I will place my feet into their shoes, will I be satisfied if they will
do to me the things that are unnoteworthy? Having that in mind, I started to have the desire
to learn things in life that can be useful in my sphere of influence, so I can meet it, when no
one does it. 

            As God has given me the talents, the knowledge, and the wisdom that I've acquired
through the years, he made my heart so tender to His spirit and my mind to be guided through
Him. And my parents reminded me that the more knowledge that I acquire, the more that I
should humble myself, and make those applications applied not for my own gain but for the
benefit of helping others.  

            And in the area of desire God has preserved me that I don't settle for things that are
not significant.  God has made me experience repeated deprivations of selfish desires for in
that thing, I will set my heart to do what is necessary to do and not according to what I want
to do. A choice that became so easy for me to accept because He has molded me and
prepared me through the years for in such time He will use me for His greater glory. 

           God has orchestrated things in my life before that I may be directed and respond to
live in the path of service. It takes my whole self to be forgotten (sometimes), in order that
others may be remembered. Which is where I get my satisfaction. I am satisfied if what I've
done to others made a great help for them or accomplishing things that became successful
and meaningful. And I don't want to be lifted up but they should thank God that he has used
me to supplant their need or such need that must be given has met.

          I am still in progress.I do not say that I have arrived having those talents and wisdom
that I possess right now. I want to learn more, help others more, and know more of him. Oh, if I
could only express in words how does it feel. But even to myself it remains to me indescribable. 
          Being a steward of what God has entrusted to me comes more responsibility. And if
not by His grace that strengthens, preserves, and empowers me, I would have surrendered a
long time ago.

          In conclusion, as another year starts in my life, I will exceed more to do what
I've been desired to be. That I will live a life not only of success but also of significance. For
having the notion that what you're doing is significant, applications of things learned,
endurance, success, and endurance, will naturally follow.  

         And to justify my title, just like an ant works, even though they are small, they do
things, even though unnoticed, are still purposeful and meaningful.
         Knowing my labor in Him will not turn in vain, He will grant the desires of my heart.
And as I commit myself in the line of serving others, I will be reminded to live with humility
and servitude to others and offer my life to Him in the line of service in reckless abandon. 

            To God be the glory.