it's September already?!

it's been a full month since my last post. i know, i've been slacking off. we've been really busy with all the buzz at church.
first off, we're moving really really soon into the new church location. it's a few kilometers away from the old one, a little far for commute but it's all worth it. it's half-a-hectare of land with so much promise in it. we'll start cleaning up this sunday.
along with that, we just started on a new business at church - one that'll help ensure we could pay for the land's monthly dues so it could finally be ours. we're selling Hope for Health's herbal supplements. it's the perfect business for us since it's helping people move away from synthetic medicine and providing them a safe source of effective natural alternatives. i put quite a bit of my time into building the website for that which you can visit here.
i've also been busy with paperwork for the church's registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission. we've been unregistered until our prison ministry called for it - and now we are! :)
my current and upcoming projects include the next quarter's Sabbath School lesson, fliers, promotional materials for the herbal supplements, actually moving into the new church location, scrapbooks for the Earliteens class (yey!), blogging, more Bible students, and much much more.
i'll let you in on the loop as often as i can, so stay tuned. God bless you. :)

Stagnation

Many who have an intelligent knowledge of the truth, and are able to defend it by arguments, are doing nothing for the upbuilding of Christ’s kingdom. We meet them from time to time, but they bear no fresh testimonies of personal experience in the Christian life; they relate no new victories gained in the holy warfare. Instead of this you notice the same old routine, the same expressions in prayer and exhortation. Their prayers have no new note; they express no greater intelligence in the things of God, no more earnest, living faith. Such persons are not living plants in the garden of the Lord, sending forth fresh shoots and new foliage, and the grateful fragrance of a holy life. They are not growing Christians. They have limited views and plans, and there is no expansion of mind, no valuable additions to the treasures of Christian knowledge. Their powers have not been taxed in this direction. They have not learned to view men and things as God views them, and in many cases unsanctified sympathy has injured souls and greatly crippled the cause of God. The spiritual stagnation that prevails is terrible. Many lead a formal Christian life and claim that their sins have been forgiven, when they are as destitute of any real knowledge of Christ as is the sinner. {5T 264.3}

 

We're Moving Soon *Excited Much*

If you've wandered about this blog and its pages, you've probably noticed that my church and I are currently big on a church building project. It's been a little over a year since we started eyeing this piece of land and because of the grace God gave through the support of many kind brethren from near and far, we will be able to start cleaning up and moving into there next month! How truly wonderful is that? :D

This photo is from Google Earth. The boundaries set here are purely from my estimates and probably aren't accurate, but I'm sure you get the idea. The lot is about 5120 square meters in size and will be enough to contain not only a church, but also an office, a guest house, a health and wellness center, a publishing house, a training school, a vegetable and herb garden, a vegetarian restaurant, and maybe even a bookstore and a small media center!

Initial payments have been made for this lot, but it's still going to require years and years of hard work, benevolence and self-sacrifice before this could be fully ours. But it's work we're all willing to put in.

Besides the one by the entrance, there are three dilapidated buildings on the land that, with some scrubbing and minor improvement, we can temporarily use for services and assemblies. There are also two swimming pools, one of which we're thinking of converting into a baptistry.

Browse through recent photos of the lot here.

If God impresses you to extend your support for this project, please let us know through royalvalleyfreesda@gmail.com.

You can also learn more about Royal Valley Free SDA Church by clicking here.

-o-

Growing Family

This photo was taken November of last year at our Radio Ministry anniversary. Just this morning, we added two more to our growing family.

Warm welcome for 

BRYLLE

and

JADE

:)

a vegetarian option

one of the rather difficult things for vegetarians is finding food at get-togethers where everyone else would rather eat meat. it's one of the reasons why vegetarians are always encouraged to learn to cook their own food - tasty, healthy alternatives that you can bring to get-togethers or just to the office or school.

last night, i met up with friends from the company where i used to work. it was a rockstar burger party: beef burgers, meaty pasta, soda, the works. what i did was whip up my own vegetarian sandwich which was essentially identical to the burger, except for the patty.

here's a recipe that's loosely based on a much better recipe my friend originally made. i was kind of counting on her to be here when i made the sandwich, but she wasn't. so i sort of made it DIY. much thanks to my mama and to brian for helping me assemble the sandwiches.

Ingredients:
whole wheat loaf bread
bell pepper, sliced thinly
onion rings
cucumber, sliced
lettuce
tomatoes, sliced the way they're sliced for burgers
vegetarian tapa
honey
oil, for frying the tapa

Procedure:
Cut the tapa into slices the size of your wheat bread. There's an option to first dip it in batter to make it crunchier and to add flavor. Assemble the sandwich.

Assembly:
place one or two slices of the tapa over a slice of wheat bread. pour a bit of honey over it. Put on another slice of bread. layer the vegetables. top with a third slice of bread. voila!

i'm not really a cook, so you'll notice this recipe is kind of loose. you just place as much of the ingredients as suits your taste. some people like more onions, some don't. make the sandwich meatier by adding tapa in the layer with the vegetables. you could also use other meat substitutes instead of tapa: veggie burger for example, or vegetable patties. banana flowers would make a good alternative, i think. or monggo.

you can also dress up the entire thing with ketchup or mustard or both. i like it plain.

so there you have it - a vegetarian delight so easy to prepare even i could do it. :)

-o-

youth group logo

you know how sometimes you do one thing and it leads to another and that other thing leads to still another and so on?

since i started on the journal project for the students of my Sabbath School Class, i decided to create a Facebook group page where i could remind all of them at once to write their journal entries.

i know it could be a task to have to write sometimes, and i hope the regular prompts would actually work. :D

creating the page compelled me to find a suitable profile photo. not having enough photos to go through for the perfect one (meaning everyone's there so no one feels left out), i decided to just make a logo.

now, i know photoshop, but only as far as crop, save, fill, add text, and other basics. but i think the effort i put into this logo was pretty much worth it.

the idea revolves around the International Association of Free Seventh-day Adventists logo, which my church has adopted. so the three angels and the globe are there to depict the world-wide scope of the gospel commission. but i wanted to add something to make the logo distinct from the general group and to emphasize that this is a sub-group for youth, thus the text. blue has always been our unofficial color as a church and it's fortunate that the IAFSDA logo is also largely blue. the maroon/dark red is yet another tribute to IAFSDA which uses the color a lot in its publications, or in its newsletter at least. the contrast with the blue is also nice, i think. the yellow "Royal Valley" text was added as an afterthought, just to make it closer to home. maybe after we've planted other churches, they would like to customize that part. it's yellow because i realized i didn't want too many colors in the logo. it's the same color as that of the angels in the IAFSDA logo.

i was in a bit of a crisis for a while regarding this logo. i was caught between making it more "fun and colorful" or a bit on the "formal and conservative" side. i apparently chose the latter. :D

after i got this logo up on the page, i thought it would be fun to turn it into a badge that the members could wear. but i didn't know how to make one that the others could conveniently use. besides, i'm still hoping they would want to use it. haha. so i just made one for myself.

with Genry, my on-off "boyfriend." ;-D

the logo isn't official. it's just me trying to stretch my creativity and photoshop skills.

so there, my recent example of "chain reaction." it happens a lot, too, with habits. and that's why we need to be careful what we're doing because it may lead to other things we might not be able to handle.

the chain that led to this logo, i think, was okay. :D

-o-

Ghosts

I believe in ghosts - but not the usual kind. I believe in the ghosts of wrong deeds. However you repent of them, they have a way of coming back and haunting you.

One is haunting me now as I write. In fact, it is why I write.

It was a sin that apparently left a vicious scar on a memory other than mine. It is a ghost that now threatens the very ground on which I stand.

Just when I thought that all is well again. Just when I thought I could finally begin again.

"Do not yield. Do not succumb." -God.

Lord, let Your grace be sufficient for me. Please get me through.

Happy Birthday, Papa!

in honor of my father's 48th birthday,

:)

Are you a Carrrot, an Egg, or a Coffee Bean?

-author unknown-

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life, and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it, and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.


Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first pot, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what do you see?" "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft. She then asked her to take the egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to smell and sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she smelled and tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What's the point, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity- boiling water-but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water. "Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When trials and adversity knock on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"


Think of this: Which am I?


Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a passive heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside, am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?


Or, am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you become better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?

soar like a hundred pretty balloons!

i gave this card to my friend, Jeanelyn, who shared my birthday. she seemed really happy - though i don't know if it's because the card was pretty or because she shared a birthday with me. ;-)

i added a fairly large yellow balloon on the front of the card and wrote Jeanelyn's name on it.

i wrote my message on the left side of the balloons: a reminder for beautiful spiritual growing and "soar high like a hundred pretty balloons! :) "

birthdays are such happy times. well, at least mine was. :)

writing is a path to understanding

next to air, food, water, clothing, shelter, family and friends, the two earthly things i could not live without are pen and paper. that's how things have always been for me since as far back as i could remember. not that i write anything earth-shattering; mostly it's just doodles, ideas (that fleet without paper and ink), reminders, to do lists, insights. but you get the idea. i love words, the worlds they create, the worlds they make known.

when i look at kids of the younger generation - the ones who compose the Sabbath School class that i teach - i see a lack of this love, if not a complete absence of it. oh, how much they are missing!

what i did was provide them with notebooks to use as journals with the instruction that they write two entries per week. i don't care what they write about, their grammar, the language used (just as long as i understand), the spelling, the length, the viewpoint, the attitude. what i want them to do is to look at their subject and write about it. i am hoping that by doing this, they will learn to look beyond what meets the eye, inspect, analyze, compare, contrast, describe, think critically, form opinions, form attitudes and understand.

writing is a lot like public speaking, only you get more preparation time. the process usually compels a person to bring his thoughts together, choose the most appropriate words, structure a whole out of disjoint parts, and stretch creativity muscles. thus, a person's mind is exercised, strengthened, deepened, broadened and hopefully, elevated.

above all, i pray that the comprehension they develop will become one of their tools for understanding the Word of God and how it applies to the things they see and experience. God wants His every child to make full use of every opportunity for intellectual and spiritual growth. writing is one of those opportunities because it allows you to look not only at what you write about but more importantly into yourself and the things you value.

i am not expecting to suddenly discover Shakespeares or Davids in my students. i can't even expect to get them to share my love for words and writing. but who knows, i might be in for a surprise. this coming Sabbath, i'll find out. :)

what strategies do you apply to help your students understand?

"When weary and longing for rest, we may have to toil on; when faint, we may have to fight; but with Christ as our guide, we shall not fail of reaching heaven." EGW

i finally have my coloring books :)

yesterday, i got a set of books that i couldn't afford. a set of seven coloring books.

i've been wanting these books for the longest time but, like i already said, i  couldn't afford them. but God gave them to me at a much (a much much) lower price that i could pay in installments. how's that for a Father? :D

actually, this set is only a part of the entire (and endless) book collection that i want to start. one of my goals as a worker for our publishing ministry is to set up a library of resources for use in the education of children, youth, and adults. 

the money part is a bit difficult, but i'll get to my goal.

next quarter, i'll buy a few copies of Messages to Young People by Ellen G. White and hopefully other books in between now and then.

this set will be good for children who cannot sit to hours and hours of lectures. it enhances creativity and encourages learning and educates about limits. we currently study the Bible with a mother of an energetic five-year-old boy. this coloring book will really help the mother to focus. :)

in the next posts, i'll be sharing other resources that i find very useful at work. what resources would you recommend? :)

-o-

thank God for the internet!

it's true that we never fully appreciate the worth of something until we lose it. or at least, it's more often true than not. two weeks ago, i learned the value of the Ellen G White folio files program installed in my computer. and yes, i lost it.

besides the basic office applications and the internet browser, that program was unarguably the most important application i could have. ever. the program allows me to read and search all [or almost all] of Sister White's works and the KJV Bible, among other things.

in my work, i research, outline, and layout our Sabbath School lesson (we make our own because we're a self-supporting church. more on that in later posts). so it's really easy to see why i very badly need the infobase. i don't know how i lost it, i just know that i lost it in the middle of my layout job a couple of weeks ago and that my computer's usefulness has been cut to half since.

lucky for me (and for most people), there's the internet. so i downloaded html copies of the book i was working on. that worked pretty fine, though not as fine as having my EGW infobase. i also downloaded a Bible program. there are many on the internet but i didn't have the time to go through them all. what i got was one that was both simple and complicated and i ended up using an online Bible. i actually still couldn't get the hang of that program until now.

i had been using the EGW infobase for years and i think that i got so used to the workflow that it became difficult for me to work with other resources. i miss just clicking a button in my taskbar to open the program, having both EGW writings and the Bible in one place, the standard paging, and the way i could highlight text in different colors (categories!). i even miss the very button in my taskbar!

but what i miss most is having all the books in a single program and being able to search through them all at once. the many ways i could search the files. a powerful and simple (my fingers know the keyboard shortcuts like reflex) search feature, ahhh, bliss. 

i already tried removing the program and re-installing it to no avail. this only means one thing: i need help. :D

for now, i really just thank God that the internet was there when i lost the program. it got me through work by saving me from typing every word of the 78-page lesson. 

He even allowed me to print the entire lesson before the printer went crazy a few minutes later. the nth reason why i thank God everyday. :)

-o-

"It is in times of crisis that true character is revealed." EGW

juice diet experience (day 3)

it's our last day!!!! :) yeah, i know it's supposed to be a four-day no-solid-food diet. but mama and i changed our minds yesterday afternoon.

this morning was pretty normal. mama had pains in her abdomen. i didn't. it almost seems like the whole thing wouldn't have any lasting effects on me. but the attitude that i've always taken since before this diet is that even if i don't get any stones (gallstones, liver stones, etc) out, a fast is generally good for anyone and fresh juices would benefit the health a whole lot because of all the readily-available nutrients.

the thing with diets like this is that this isn't supposed to be taken as a one-time cure-all. nature's manner of healing has always been slower because it doesn't just eliminate the symptoms of sickness, it BUILDS health.

(this post was made yesterday. it was supposed to be longer. but my blog went crazy, i couldn't save a copy, only this part was saved.)

-o-

juice diet experience (day 2)

yey! i made it to the second day without being too hungry. :D

i've been posting about getting a natural cleanse here and here.

i woke up this morning wondering why i wasn't hungry. my last juice was 8:30 last night and it was kalamansi (Philippine lemon).


6:00 am  - i was trying to finish my epsom salt solution. so far, it's the most difficult to take in. epsom salt isn't salty, but bitter. not really very bitter, which is why i find myself surprised that it's difficult for me to finish even a glass of the solution. and i have to drink four glasses each morning. 


7:19 am  - the fluids i've been drinking are doing their thing in my tummy. i can feel it. ;-)

9:51 am   - kind of hungry.

meanwhile, what results am i actually expecting? well, there's weight loss, pimples (toxins being eliminated through the skin), green pebble-like stuff in my stool.

10:57 am  - finished my carrot juice in two gulps. i can smell freshly-made bread. binangkal, dough rolled in sesame seeds, then deep-fried instead of baked. smells good. grrrr.


(this Davao flood is bothering me :(  floods this huge in Davao are few and faaaar in between.)

12:57 pm  - just had cucumber juice. trips to the toilet are now much more frequent. what comes out is basically just dark brown liquid. well, what can we expect. mama and i are both hungry; my sister's been teasing. but we just try to laugh it off. i promised myself some mangoes when this is all over. something to look forward to. 


in other news, i'm thinking now of the displaced families in davao. the properties and even lives lost, the missing people. the lines of the song come to mind, "oh we fast but we know we can eat the next day." i'm thankful for the blessing of being able to do this juice diet, and still thinking of ways to extend help to fellow Dabawenyos.


around 5:00 pm - mama and i have decided to change a couple of things about this diet we're in. three things, actually. one, we're drinking olive both tonight and tomorrow night. two, we're reducing the number of days to four instead of five. we realized that our friends who've done a cleanse did theirs for only four days and we don't remember why we decided for five. :D and three, we're no longer limited to one glass of whatever fruit/vegetable juice is scheduled. that third one's mandatory... according to my grrrowling tummy. ;D


9:00 pm  - olive oil time. based on friends' experiences, it's the worst part of this diet. you have to drink half a glass to 3/4 of a glass of olive oil. as a consolation, you can opt to mix in 1/4 glass pure lemon juice. my friend (who did a cleanse last week) said the lemon doesn't help much because the oil only floats above it. he advised to have a sliced lemon ready to wash away the taste. but mama and i discovered a better strategy. prepare the lemon juice but don't mix it in just yet. measure out your half glass of oil. just as you're about to drink it, pour in the lemon juice as quickly as possible and drink the mixture immediately. don't put your glass down until you've swallowed the entire mixture. this way, you're not giving the oil enough time to separate from the lemon. no sweat. :)

quick bit of health info: extra virgin (or cold-pressed) olive oil is one of the healthiest oils if used in salads but should never be used for cooking.

it's good night for now. see you tomorrow. :)

-o-

juice diet experience (day 1)

as previously posted, my mother and i are on a juice diet for four days, then a soft transition diet on the fifth day. this is a cleansing diet for the gall bladder, the digestive tract, and the rest of the body in general.

to chronicle and share our experience, i will be posting updates everyday for the next four days. who knows, you might decide to go on a cleanse yourself. the posts in this series will be updated several times during the day, so do come back and check on me (and my mother) every now and then.

Day One


i woke up late. plus, our juicer refused to work so we had to borrow one from a friend. in short, we started late.

as an experiment, i decided to measure my waistline before drinking any of the juices. the narrowest part of my abdomen measured 71 centimeters. the part that crosses my belly button measured 75 centimeters. i also wanted a weigh in, but our scale turned out to be broken. anyway, i'm between 41 and 43 kilograms. i'll remember to get weighed in within the day.

9:00 am   - i've been going to the toilet at least once for every glass of fluids that i drink. my pee now runs very very clear.

10:30 am - mama and i are beginning to feel slight pangs of hunger.

11:00 am  - my father brought home freshly-picked mushrooms (for supper). that's not juice-diet-related. but this is: mama and i won't be eating them mushrooms because they're solid food and we're on a juice diet. :(
lucky for me, i can stay away from the kitchen. mama isn't so fortunate; she cooks for the rest of the family. she also made a most delish dish for their breakfast this morning. hello, pure carrot juice!

note: i really think that this entire thing is a lot more pleasant when done with a partner or with a group. you get to laugh at/with each other with every glass you have to down, and you're not the only one to sit out at family meals.

WARNING!

POSTS IN THIS SERIES MAY BRING TO MIND UNPLEASANT IMAGES. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR READING WHILE EATING. NOR FOR THE EASILY DISGUSTED.

12:30 pm  - the juices have finally reached the end of my digestive tract. how i knew? well, nature called. the waste materials from earlier this morning were close to normal because of the solids that i took in the previous days. but i think that from now on, things are gonna change. and what i'm really thankful for is that we have more than one toilet in the house.

1:29 pm   - the cucumber juice was green. like an algae-filled pond minus the koi and pretty water lilies. i'm beginning to feel a little dizzy. i'm not sure if it's because i'm getting hungry (i've never been dizzy of hunger) or from working at this computer the entire morning (blogging, research, downloading resources that i'll share later, catching up on backlogs, reading, etc). i think i'll rest until the next juice, which will be grape.

the afternoon line-up i can look forward to: pineapple, apple, grape, kalamansi. and right, there's tea before all that.

1:50 pm  - my tummy si rrrrrumbling.

2:48 pm   - after tea,
                   Mama: waaaaaah! gutoooooom!
                   gladys: double the amount of juice
                   Mama: gutom lang gihapon (she LOVES rice, claimed she can't live without it)
                   gladys: sayang atong gastos for this kung mangaon ta.
                   Mama: dili man ko mokaon.... Lami akong lutoon para sud-an nila unya (the mushrooms). :(

5:30 pm   - i've had pineapple and grape. burrrrp.


almost done for the day. i intend to sleep early tonight. or else i'll wake up hungry.

-o-

no solid food for four days... starting now

okay, so i'm up for a challenge:. a five-day cleansing diet my mother and i decided to take up to wash away toxins from our digestive tracts and gall bladders. here's how it works.

First Three Days:

5:00 am  -  four glasses (four glasses!) of saline solution using epsom salt
6:30 am  - one glass of pure apple juice
8:00 am  - one glass of pure grape juice
9:30 am  - tea
11:00 am - one glass of pure carrot juice (i've never had PURE carrot juice before)
12:30 am - one glass of pure cucumber juice (this is something entirely new for my digestive tract)
2:00 pm   - tea
3:30 pm   - one glass of pure pineapple juice
5:00 pm   - one glass of pure grape juice
6:30 pm   - one glass of pure apple juice
8:00 pm   - half a glass of pure kalamansi juice

this routine will be repeated for three days. on the third night will come the most dreaded part: 3/4 glass OLIVE oil mixed with 1/4 glass kalamansi juice. if you've never had olive oil before, it is -well- oil. besides the wonderful task of having to down that, it will produce an even more wonderful effect of churning and turning in your stomach and eventually in bowel movement.

the next day, we go back to the tea and juice diet.

have i mentioned? we're not supposed to eat any solid food - no fruit, vegetable, rice, bread, oatmeal, etc - for the whole four days. the idea is for all of these fluids to soften up the rotten and rotting food particles that accumulate in our digestive tract lining over time, and then eliminate them.

then on the fifth day, solid food can be gradually re-introduced into the body: watermelons, mangoes, oatmeal, flaxseed, vegetable soup.

and then we'll get to see the changes (if any). so join me as i down each challenging glassful and try not to throw up anything. cheers!

P.S.
more important than a gall bladder cleanse is a spiritual cleansing. the Lord promises us:

And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross,

 and take away all thy tin. Isaiah 1:25

and we are also told how:

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Titus 3:5

plus this:

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?

 by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Psalm 119:9




-o-

"i will gladly spend and be spent for You."

the sin of the age

"Gluttony and intemperance lie at the foundation of the great moral depravity in our world." EGW

the bigger kids

a few sundays ago, we took the church's littlest kids and their mums and dads to the crocodile park (which had lots of other animals in it) to see God's wonderful creations. they had so much fun looking at all the animals and then spent a whole lot of energy at the playground. but little kids weren't the only ones who were allowed some fun.

of course i get a go, too!

Lord, make us like children again. Help us to know the simple joys within our reach, and help us to lean on You in child-like faith. Amen.

the hours

my latest motivator is a four-word sentence that i have promoted to my desktop wallpaper.

this is inspired by an article* i read on how to be creative. the article mentions 40 guidelines and number three is Put the Hours In. if anyone would like to succeed in anything he/she does, that person has got to set aside time to actually do it. makes sense, doesn't it?

"Doing anything worthwhile takes forever. 90% of what separates successful people and failed people is time, effort, and stamina."

most of the time, it's easy to just procrastinate or delay the job that you'll have to do anyway. we think, "i intend to do it," but the intention doesn't get any part of the job done. to get anything done, you've got to do it. and to do it, you've got to spend time actually doing it.

people tend to look at the finished product and overlook the process carried to out to finish the product. like when we listen to a beautiful song a friend made and think "i want to make something like that" but refuse to spend time figuring out the right words and making the right music and then complain "why can't i make something like that?". well, go figure.

putting the hours in means actually working. it also means that you'll have to make that difficult choice between working and facebook, TV, texting, malling, or pretty much anything else.

"I would find that extra hour or two in the day that belongs to nobody else but me, and I would make it productive. Put the hours in, do it for long enough and magical, life-transforming things happen eventually. Sure, that means less time watching TV, internet surfing, going out or whatever.But who cares?"

the Bible says, "he that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread." 

focus, keep working, then you'll reap the rewards of your labors.


that said, i gotta go put the hours back into the work that i hope to get printed tomorrow.  :)


happy working!




*you'll find the article here. just scroll down and keep scrolling down, too. apparently, to get the full version you'll have to buy the book.

"there is a way to be good again."

my first paper craft fail

in a previous post, i talked about being very interested in paper crafting and wanting to make one of those pop-up cards as my first project. well, i tried... and failed.

here's how my card looked like:

this was supposed to look something like this. see the difference? i had to make a lot of cuts on the base because the card won't open properly.

i didn't have the heart to finish this project. i just told myself that maybe i needed to start somewhere more basic; learn cutting, folding, measuring and gluing techniques as i go along and become more knowledgeable in making more complex  projects. so pop ups would have to wait a while though i have a new (and special) popup project in mind. (sneak peek: it's going to have a plane in it.)

meanwhile, i bought a bunch of materials to start practicing with. i didn't have the money for card stock or vellum yet. so i just bought construction paper (for solid colors) and wrapping paper (for prints. my, i love the prints i bought). then i got myself some basic tools: scissors, hobby knife and cutting mat, and white glue.

i am especially fond of the knife and mat. boy, do they make measuring and cutting a lot easier. though i have to admit that i don't know what the many different blades are for. :)

and i also made a little card, a much simpler one, using the materials i bought. here it is:

my ultimate dream with this craft is to learn techniques and projects to use for bringing color and personal touch to my ministry. i pray that God sees it that way too and that He'll prosper this undertaking. 


so while i fail at a few projects, i promise to rise again each time and try harder next time. so do  come back and check on my progress. :)

Revelations of Bible Prophecy Seminar

Amazing Facts is in Davao! A friend and I went out to attend last night, and it was wonderful. Last night was actually the ninth in the prophecy seminar series, but we weren't able to attend the earlier meetings due to schedule conflicts.

It's nice how the seminar makes the prophecies of Revelation simple and easy to grasp, especially for those who are hearing the prophecies for the first time. These prophecies are the warnings everyone needs to hear these last days.

They lend you a Bible for the night, but if you keep coming, you get to make that Bible all yours! Plus a free DVD that includes so many wonderful freebies. How wonderful is that. :)

If you're not able to come to the meetings, you can watch the live streaming, which is what I intend to do for the nights I can't attend. There's a meeting every night except on Mondays and Thursdays, starting with a health lecture at 6:00, followed by the prophecy seminar at 6:30 until 8:00.

More than anything, what really inspired me about the seminar was the number of volunteers working in the seminar team and the effort they put into putting the series together. It reminds me of the story of Elijah and God's assurance that amidst the apostasy of his day, there were still soooo many who have remained loyal to God.

We may sometimes feel alone in our day-to-day struggles, like no one else is going through the experience. But allow God to open your eyes and you will see the many people who, like you, are receiving His graces daily and working with Him to accomplish His will.

With this brand new inspiration, let us continue shining as the lights God wants us to be... you in your small corner and I in mine. :)

I Love You

I love you
I have called you by your name
Yesterday, today, and tomorrow
My steadfast love is the same
I love you, I love you
With a love that will not end

Even the hairs of your head have been numbered
So there's no need to be afraid
The mountains will depart and the hills will be shaken
But my steadfast love will never end

Before you were born I have loved you
I have graven you in the palm of my hand
Fear not for I have redeemed you
I am with you to love you with a love that will not end

Magnified

A story is told of a boy long ago
No silver, no gold, only faith in the Lord
He gave His all, though only fish and bread
Blessed by Jesus' hand, five thousand men were fed

A story is told of a woman so blest
In the time of drought a prophet was her guest
What little she had she shared without doubt
Because she had faith, the little never ran out

Because the Lord magnified
When by faith He was glorified

And the small became grand

When placed in His hand

So let us give what little we have

To be magnified by His great love

The Lord is asking, "What is in your hand?"
It need not be gold nor silver nor lands
Give up your all; it need not be great
Then be amazed at the things accomplished by faith

Because the Lord magnifies
When by faith He is glorified
And the small becomes grand
When placed in His hand
So let us give what little we have
To be magnified by His great love

The Song Angels Cannot Sing

I know a song that will silence even angels' singing
I know a tune sweeter than the birds' song at each morning
I know the words that escape the wind's most gentle blowing
I know the song even angels cannot sing

It's the song of redemption
The song that my heart sings
It is praise for the Lamb
who took away my sins
All creation marvels at the song
Even angels cannot sing
It's the song of redemption
The song of the redeemed

rain makes things grow

as i am writing this entry, i am enveloped in the sound of heavy rain pitter-pattering on the roof and splashing from the gutter.

earlier, this same rain stirred up a tiny war between two girls - one bigger than the other, both inside of me. the bigger girl thought, "rain. wonderful time to work on my layouts and catch up on my reading." but the little girl had other plans: "weeeh, rain! let's go out and play!" :D

for a while there, the little girl seemed to have won. in fact, she had gone out and gotten a little wet, but then the rain slowed down a bit. being outside became no fun at all. so she came back inside and went straight for the bathroom.

in there, the war waged full. outside, the rain beat down on the roof once more. tempted, the little girl went out of the bathroom twice to reconsider playing in the rain. but the bigger girl pushed her back in each time.  in the end, the big girl won.

so now, i am bathed and shampooed, dressed warmly and writing this blog entry - while still enveloped in the sound of pitter-pattering rain and thoughts of flowers and little girls growing.

P.S.
as a matter of fact, rain makes little boys grow up too. case in point: a rain-soaked brian scrubbing the floor all around the house. :D

My Father, My Lord

i found this in one of my old notebooks. it's dated July 8, 2007


My Father, My Lord

He formed me from dust and called me His own
Then showed me marvels in sky and sea
And when I forsook Him, He bade me return
Wonder of wonders, my God's a mystery.

My Father called peace out of a storm
My Lord, for mercy, wore a crown of thorns
What power, what love combining
What strength, what grace in His keeping
I rejoice in His goodness and trust in His word
I stand amazed at my Father, my Lord.

He causes winds to howl and thunder to roar
Yet speaks to me in a still, small voice
He is both the Balm and the Life
But He bled and died of His own choice.

Wherever with Him, I can be still
For He can both love and power reveal.

paper craft!

i have always been interested with paper - cutting, folding, gluing, et cetera, et cetera. even as a child, i would buy construction paper, cut out shapes (any and all shapes), glue them together and turn it into greeting cards or tags. my friends used to get regular birthday cards in different sizes and shapes from me. unfortunately, none of the cards looked pretty enough or clean enough. but you get the idea.

it was only very recently that i decided to actually give time to paper crafting as a productive leisure activity. i originally wanted to buy a how-to book, but didn't have the money for it. luckily, the internet has everything on it. here's one site to get me started: 

http://extremecards.blogspot.com/

my first project would be a pop-up card that hopefully will look somewhat like this one 

here's to hoping my paper projects would bring a bit of sunshine into other people's lives. :)

the boys in my class

teaching the kindergarten class at Vacation Bible School was a most fulfilling and fun experience. one week of living away from home, crafting visual aids, pumping out energy for the action songs, and occasionally running after one or another of the 45 kids in my class was really, truly, completely exhilarating.

that is perhaps why the following week had been a little too quiet and uneventful (except for Sabbath and the tract distribution activity).

to make up for the i-miss-the-action mood, i am sharing photos of the boys who really, truly, completely made my VBS experience very much action-filled.

manoy! (trivia: he fell off a pick up truck once, off a tree another time, had us on a chase at least thrice, and threw a rock at a teacher once. we all miss him.)

seriously, who wouldn't miss this bright star?

Don't get me wrong. i miss the girls and the rest of the class, too.

but they didn't contribute as much to my temporary loss of voice. i miss VBS! :)

This is Why I Worship

this was written several months ago. it's actually supposed to be a song, but i admittedly (and quite frustratingly) can only but barely carry a tune. God and i are still working on my musical capabilities. so until we work something out, this'll have to remain a non-song (at least beyond the walls of my heart).

In You alone I find the strength to stand

Amidst the brokenness

In time I know I'll understand

You'll bring together the pieces

Lord, I am broken and I praise You

Savior, I'm in pain but it's okay

I'm coming back to life through You

Jesus, I see the wisdom of Your way

It hurt You to see how I brought this on me

Still You're standing close

When I tried to move farther away

I hurt with the wrongs I chose

Lord, I am broken and I praise You

Savior, I'm in pain but it's okay

I'm coming back to life through You

Jesus, I see the wisdom of Your way

Going away and coming home

Twice I walk the path so rough

This time the pain will lead me back

I'm not alone and that's enough

Working with God... and Ayn

For the longest time, I've been feeling that something's quite lacking in this blog. And yesterday, I finally realized what it is: ACTION!

So from this point on, I'll be putting up posts about the things that I do at work in the Royal Valley Free SDA Church. Allow me to start with the tract distribution activity that we conducted just this morning.

Our Publishing Ministry currently produces two kinds of tracts in two languages. One is about the seventh-day Sabbath and the other is about the eight principles of health. This morning, we set out to distribute them house to house in a subdivision near our church.

Now other people would think it boring and even embarrassing to go out under the sun and up to strangers to hand out "boring" flyers - but not us! The people at my church actually enjoy activities like this and some are so excited they're at the assembly area waaaay before the appointed time. And little kids came along, too.

One of the youngest to come out and join was four-year old Ayn who walked the streets hand in hand with me (very very lucky me!). I thought her little legs would tire easily so we just watched the other kids  gleefully hand out the flyers or put them into mailboxes while we took a much slower pace. Ayn had been my student at Vacation Bible School last week so I sang the songs we learned. Happy with Jesus  and I Will Wear A Crown in My Father's House . She giggles so cute.

When she learned from the older kids what we were supposed to be doing, she made it her duty to point the gates and mailboxes to me. Later on, she volunteered to put the flyers into the mailboxes herself. And each time I asked her if she was tired, she never said yes. Such a little trouper!

I didn't get to give away as many flyers as I used to in the other distribution activities because Ayn's little legs could only walk so fast. But she made it so much fun, I actually didn't mind.

It's obvious the other guys had fun, too. And all while doing the work of the Lord!