Rekindle the Story Telling Culture

Hey! It has been more that a year since we last posted in this blog. Many things have happened and there are quite some other noteworthy things that didn’t happen.

Well, I guess, that is just how life is ought to be.  As it is said, we may have a bunch of plans, but still, it is the Lord’s plans that prevail.

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As I back read our posts, I believe that we are not those people that wrote those stories/ideas anymore. In a span of a year, God has been so faithful to us to not let us be just those people.

God has molded each of us uniquely according to His purpose. Some of us are already in the industry; pushing our earnest, relying on the foundations that we were able to establish when we were still students, and holding on to His grace everyday in order to make a difference, and to establish that living a pure and holy life in the middle of the chaos (that is workplace) possible. Some are in the full-time minstry, using their all in order to actively advance God’s kingdom in the campuses. Some are in the campuses, fighting on the frontline, pursuing excellence in their studies while actively fighting for campus saturation of God’s word.

What I am trying to say is, I have been encouraged by those people who wrote those stories a year or two ago. But I know all of you. And I highly believe that the ‘we’ that we are now, is far more encouraging and uplifting than the ‘we’ that we were before.

Please share your stories again. We can never know who will get to read these lines again and just like me, relate with every story while blowing off my nose and wiping my tears and saying, “HAHA. Yeah. God is indeed faithful.”

Just Like Fireworks

March 19, 2012

The Baccalaureate Mass Celebration ended with the spectacle of a pyromusical. At first, it was just simple shots of light enough to get the attention of people. Then, as the beat of the music changed, some bright lights rocketed upwards, towering up in the sky, accompanied by fan-like patterns down below and splendid spider effects up above. And then, it ended with a simultaneous spider effects enough to lighten up the night sky for a moment, and enough to get that awestruck response from the viewers. It all happened for a few minutes – it was short, yet memorable.

Now, that pyromusical is a great analogy to the four or five years that you have stayed and studied in college.

Let me tell you why.

An Unconditional Love: It’s Length, Width, Depth and Height

All of us, if asked, to some extent, could share a personal account on how it is to love, and how it is to be loved- may it be from our parents, our friends, our special someone, etc. But what we will dwell on in here is a kind of love that surpasses human knowledge- with it’s length, width, depth and height beyond our imagination.

 

A love that is patient…

A love that is kind…

A love that is not envious…

A love that is not boastful…

A love that is not proud…

A love that is not rude…

A love that is not self-seeking…

A love that is not easily angered…

A love that keeps no record of wrongs…

A love that does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth…

A love that protects…

A love that trusts…

A love that hopes…

A love that perseveres…

A love that never fails…

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

 

Yes, my friend, you may have asked yourself, that kind of love REALLY DOES EXIST.

His Name: Glorified and Will Glorify It Again

A lot of things happened recently, and I wasn’t able to write anything here. But now, notyetdonefor is back!

And for my return, I would like to share to you my personal experiences for the 1^st semester of S.Y. 2012-2013. Even though this is a long text, I hope that you would enjoy reading this. Here it goes…

First off, I’m a student of UST AMV College of Accountancy, my last year at that (the last 4-year course batch, because the curriculum was changed to 5 years), as well as a Working Scholar of the university. This semester started off quite well, having attended the Leader’s Camp at Caliraya before the actual start of classes. Because of what I’ve learned and experienced at the camp, I’ve got a good view of how my college life, even the whole lot of it, was a battle, and that, I have to be strong and courageous in facing it. That time, I didn’t quite expect that what I learned from the camp would actually apply to me right away.

The first half of the semester was great – a good roster of professors, good learning materials, good scores at exams – except for one, and that is Advanced Accounting 1. By “advanced”, it means that it is far more challenging than any accounting subjects that I have taken so far. Well, I’ve got a good professor in that subject. Her way of teaching is also remarkable – the way she taught us was, I can say, mother-like. But even so, I never passed an examination during the preliminary period, both minor test and the major exam. I informed my dad and my Lola about it, told them that there is a possibility of failing the subject.

I also told it to Kuya Rodnel, Kuya Paul, Mike, JAL Family, as well as some of my friends that I’m accountable to. They encouraged me to stay on it and still do my best. What struck me most was my conversation with Kuya Rodnel. I told kuya that I’m struggling then with my subject, and that with the consequences of failing, I might lose my scholarship, I might even be sent back to the province to study there because my family cannot afford to let me continue my studies in UST. Then he replied to me the best response ever, he said,

“Kapag bumagsak ka dyan sa subject mo, ganun agad? ‘Di ba pwedeng iba muna? Na magprovide si God so that mapagpatuloy mo yung studies mo sa UST?”

Kinikilig ako Sa’yo Lord! <3

But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 49:14-15, 18)

I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. (Jeremiah 24:7)

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem… how often I have longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. (Matthew 23:37)

Sobrang kinikilig lang talaga ako. As in. I am reading Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge, when I came across these three verses; still in the second chapter but really learning a lot. But more than just understanding my circuitry and my heart, I learned the natures of God that He decided to incorporate with my design.

I was really amazed when I realized that God wants to be in an intimate relationship with me. That simple thought gave me shivers. I have been in this walk for two years and the idea never fails na pakiligin ako. Na yung Diyos na gumawa ng mundo, with all its beauty, eh sobrang in love sakin at gustong gusto na sa kanya lang ako.

“I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god!” (Exodus 20:5)

The God, in all His majesty, longs for my affection! And He is not willing to share it with any idol in my heart. He wants to be above anything else. He longs to be my priority.

He longs to change His status as to “in a relationship with LJ Parpan” in His facebook page! Can anything be more amazing than this?

And this is applicable to each and every one of us. The Bible is the story of how God loves His people and how He wants to be pursued, yet He always moves with the initiative. After Adam and Eve committed sin, He was the one who made them garments of skin and clothed them (Genesis 3:21). And He was the one who died on the cross, paying for the sins we can never pay, with the mere intention of taking us back to be with Him.

Indeed,

            “… neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

*kinikilig na naman ako :”>

Hello Songwriter!

Every moment I have with my guitar is a Eureka moment. I mean, things just overflow when my favorite G chord pattern is strum. From the silliest nonsense thoughts to the humorous, still nonsense songs, they all manage to show up.

But let me tell you a secret.

Of all the songs I play with my guitar, more than my favorite acoustic earcandy country songs,  or those incredibly repetitive birthday compositions, the songs I value most are those spontaneous ones that I sing to Jesus. Those moments when right after reading my Bible, I just play and sing out words that are straight from my heart just because I can be honest about them.

Surely, the worship time we have every Thursday and Friday is fun. The great band, the flickering lights, the smoke machine, and the multitude of people singing out to God — these are all amazing. But just like any other relationship, more than bonding together with friends, we must cultivate our one-on-one relationship with Jesus as well..and that includes our individual worship time with Him.

But what’s the difference? There are lots actually. But my favorite is this: In my individual worship time, I can sing whatever I want 🙂 I can sing songs that do not even exist just because I got all the right words that I have for Jesus for that moment.

On why I do this, I came up with 3 practical answers:

Ang Tunay na Lalaking “Ikaw Na”

Kung kaya mong sumayaw na napapanganga ang mga nanunuod sayo, ikaw na.

Kung kaya mong gumawa ng masterpiece sa offering envelope, tissue at sa kung ano mang pwedeng sulatan ng bolpen, ikaw na.

Kung kaya mong gumawa ng mga dekalibreng video sa loob ng kwarto mo, ikaw na.

Kung kaya mong mag-edit ng bag, t-shirt, baller at kung ano pa mang kayang pagandahin, ikaw na.

Kung kaya mong bigyan ng kulay at dating ang mga sulatin ng mga tao, ikaw na.

Kung kaya mong maging isang kahangahangang estudyante habang walang patid na binibigyan ng karangalan ang Panginoon, ikaw na.

Kung ikaw ay isang mabuting kaibigang nandyan lagi para sa iba at handang maglingkod ano mang oras, ikaw na.

Kung ikaw si Brian Villavicencio, ikaw na talaga! 

To my batch mate, my colleague, my brethren, my brother and my friend:

Happy Birthday Brader Vee! Inspirasyon at biyaya ka sa akin at sa lahat ng taong parte ng buhay mo! 

 

Sa ganitong paraan pagliwanagin ninyo ang inyong ilawan sa harap ng mga tao upang makita nila ang inyong mabubuting gawa. Sa gayon ay luluwalhatiin nila ang inyong Ama na nasa langit. Mateo 5:16

Quote by Robert Mabry Doss

For all who see God, may God go with you. For all who embrace life, may life return your affection. For all who seek a right path, may a way be found… And the courage to take it, step by step. ~Robert Mabry Doss

Qualified??? Nah, just CALLED…

“Ayoko ata magkaron ng VG , pati yung mag-121”, I suddenly have spoken the thoughts on my mind. I, along with my classmates, just attended the 5pm service at Victory U-Belt and were heading towards UST.

“Bakit naman?”, asked Tine (one of my classmates back then), as we are entering the gate closest to the Beato Angelico Building.

“E, parang ang hirap e. Kelangan mong magsalita sa harap ng ibang tao, magshare sa kanila, ganun. Basta ayoko…”, I responded as we joined with our other classmates and friends to celebrate our first-ever Paskuhan in UST. The festive and concert-like ambience  ended our short conversation. And unlike the fireworks that quickly faded away in the night sky, those thoughts kept lingering on my mind.

That was in late 2009 (I was still a first year college student).

Today is mid-2012 (I’m now in my fourth year, and I’ll soon be graduating).

Too Busy to Follow

I am always busy. I am busy with my academic activities (i.e. thesis, quizzes, projects). I am busy with my friends. I am busy with my ministry. I am busy with MY life. The world and circumstances are moving so fast that I NEED to keep up.

With all the things that are happening, I felt like being busy is a reasonable and acceptable alibi. But I noticed that every time I use this as a reason, it is on the act of rejecting another activity that seems ‘less important’.

For instance, a friend asks for my time, kwentuhan lang. But I have a quiz the next day. I would probably say, “Next time na lang. Busy eh.”

But as I think about it, I also use it towards God. I am too busy to pray. Too busy to read His word.