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.
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*Ephesians 6:2
**emphasis based on the letter.
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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
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