Random musings, as usual.

Well, I just found out today from Blessing that the NYC plans fell through. Ugh! I’m soooo ready to go, I can’t believe they changed plans on us again! They wanted to change the dates again so we just decided to postpone it sometime next year. OH well. Anyway, Blessing, Charisse and I are still planning on going in August though. Well, Blessing’s still thinking about it. Either way, I think I’m gonna go, just for the fun of it. I’ve been telling my cousin Ry and my friends Ken and Grace that I’m coming. I just want to go see them and just get out of Los Angeles for a little bit. The last couple of times I went, I never really got to see nor hang-out with Ken and Grace, so I want to do that this time.

Last night, I went to Filipino Baptist Fellowship for Bible study. It was nice to see everyone again, and have fellowship with them. I haven’t visited in a while, I want to visit more often, maybe every other week. After Bible study, Conan, Ant, Katzy, Michael and I went to Denny’s for a late dinner, and continued our fellowship there. I had a great time you guys! We should do it again sometime! Midnight run at Starbucks Ant! I’ll go with you and Katzy next time…LOL Remind me to rent Monty Python’s Quest for the Holy Grail for Wednesday, after our church’s Bible study. “‘Tis but a flesh-wound!” ROFL

I really am grateful that we finally have our own Bible study at Olive. It just happened at the right time when all of us (the young adults), had actually decided to commit ourselves to seek God’s word and learn more about Him through it, as a group. Last Wednesday’s Bible study was exceptionally good because we were able to openly discuss things that we still don’t understand as far as being a Christian (a person who believes and accepts Christ as his/her personal Lord and Saviour) and what living for Christ is all about. I just hope that some questions have been answered that night, and some things have been clarified. I hope we, as a group, continue to be more comfortable and trusting enough with each other to ask when there are things that we still have a hard time grasping. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Pray for discernment, understanding and growth for each and everyone in our little group. Pray for wisdom and confidence in God for those who lead the studies. And if you guys are free on Wednesday nights at 8 pm, you’re more than welcome to join us!

This weekend has become particularly trying for me. I never thought that someone so close to me doesn’t seem to understand why I do things the way I do. And doesn’t seem to see the “bigger picture“, and that I do the things that I do for God’s glory. I understand the concern, but I don’t do anything that I know will harm me, I don’t do things that misrepresent Christ (maybe a few months ago, I have, but not anymore). All I ask is for a little trust and a whole lot of faith in God from that person’s part. I know I’m being very vague about this and somewhat cryptic, but I just ask that you pray for me and this person, that both of us will understand where we’re both coming from and to come to some sort of compromise. Thanks.

Oh, how He loves us...

This is totally shhwweettt….. Thanks, Japes for sharing this. (The following is written by my friend (and li'l bro), JP Martinez - I hope that it speaks to you in a way that you'll see the glory of the Almighty God):

I wake up and it's dark all around, and it's only 9 o'clock in the
morning, something must be wrong… something terrible must be happening.
The gloom skies welcome no smiles or happiness, only sadness and despair graze the dark clouds. I'm awakened and startled by the sharp pounding of nails, immediately
followedby the cry of a man's voice that is foreign to my ears. Never have I
heard adesperate cry project with such pain from a throat like this. I
instantlyfollowed the cry, running to the source of such agony, running
desperately tosee what was going on, anticipating…I don't know what I was
anticipating…butI was…And I wish I never had seen this in my life. That very
moment I expectedto be awakened from some sort of terrible dream…or should I
saynightmare…Yet I wasn't! And I was still there I was still there…the nakedbody
still there in front of me…hanging dreadfully on a cross. Blood drippingfrom his
wrists and feet, three nails, pounded into his flesh and bone, mountthe body
like a painting on a wall. I was still there…a crown of thornsprotruded from his
skull, inflicting pain that can never be described orexperienced, each thorn
beating hideously on his flesh. I was still therewatching the crowds mock this
man, spit and slander this man. I saw bruises allover his body…I was taken
back..Suddenly something came over me…I saw avision…I was somewhere else…
I see the same mob that was at the foot of thecross, (but I couldn't make out the
faces)… beating this man with rods andsticks. Smashing him over the head over
and over and over again..relentlesslybeating his body. I see a line forming as
this man was blind-folded receivingblow after blow from the fist of the
people…along with words that can piercethe deepest part of a man. Words of
mockery and hate, malice and slander….Thevision takes me to another scene…this
time the man is tied up with his backexposed…and a man with a whip, that has a
iron ball with iron shardsprotruding the circumference, in his hands. I see the
man with the whip pullback and thrust forward making direct contact to the
exposed mans back. As theiron ball digs into his flesh…he pulls back and
scourges the mans skin, theiron ball takes with him pieces of the mans flesh
leaving his back even moreexposed….he repeats this act 38 more times with the
same hate and fury inevery scourging….this man's skin is mutilated beyond
belief…if he were tosurvive, his life would never be the same again…that is…if
he were tosurvive….. Suddenly I'm back at the foot of the cross…The vision so
intense,left my heart pounding and sweat beading at my forehead….What is going
onhere? So many questions linger in my mind…Who is this man? What did He do
todeserve this treatment? Why such pain and torture?…this was unheard of in
allof history. Could I actually be witness to the most gruesome and cruel death
inthe History of mankind. In the midst of my contemplation I was startled by
ayell…It was the man on the cross…the words were slow and weak..yet
strangelypowerful..his words touched the deepest part of my soul and echo in the
halls ofmy mind till this day…With all the energy left in his exhausted body,
the maintook a shallow breath and said the words that I would never forget in my
entireexistence…"Father forgive them…for they know not what they do'….I fell
tothe floor and still expected to wake up from this terrible nightmare…but I
wasstill there….and so was this man…As he gave up his spirit I heard himfaintly
cry…"It is finished"….It is finished? what was finished?….Then Iwoke up … But I
knew that was not just some dream or nightmare….I knew thatwhat I saw really
happened…suddenly I realized who that man was….Then with adark realization the
faces of the crowds began to come into focus…I realizedIt was me…and people I
knew…I saw myself beat this man with my fist….I sawmyself spit in the face of
the silent lamb. I saw myself nailing him to thatvery cross…I saw yself put the
crown of thorns on his head I saw myself murderthis innocent man!At the smae
moment I realized what he meant by it isfinished….It was finished…the sacrifice
for my sin was finished…thereplacement for my scourging was finished..the
substitution of the nail poundedflesh was finished…That crown should have been
worn by me…but He put iton…That should have been me hanging on that cross..but
he hung in my stead. Ishould have been the one scourged 40 times minus one….but
he took thescourging for me…It was finished…I would never have to go through
what hewent through…It was finished…I was forgiven…I was healed This man was
mysavior…Now He is my Lord….

"It is finished"

Summer movies.

The season of summer blockbusters have already begun. I’ve already taken in 3 so far, X2: X-Men United (well, that was more a pre-summer blockbuster), The Matrix: Reloaded, and most recently (as recent as last night actually) The Pirates of the Caribbean. Let me just say that POTC was a lot of fun! It has some good action sequences, funny lines, sweet, romantic storyline, and a nice twist towards the end. The overall storyline was a little weak, but it works. I didn’t really know what to expect about this movie, but what I certainly didn’t expect at all was the comedy aspect of it. And Johnny Depp’s character, Captain Jack Sparrow, had me in stitches! The worst and the best pirate I’ve ever seen. LOL He said in an interview that he fashioned his character to Keith Richards, guitarist for the Rolling Stones. I totally see some elements of Keith in “Captain Jack”. LOL Some scenes in the movie had the audience laughing because they were taken from the ride (of the same name) at Disneyland! Oh, not-too-shabby was Orlando Bloom (aren’t you surprised?! LOL), he was swashbuckling and swoon-worthy, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him during the movie. LOL He and Johnny had great rapport on-screen which added to the appeal of the movie. I like Kiera too, she held her own as virtually the only woman in the movie (well, save for the pirate-girl), she looked great with Orlando, much as I don’t like to admit it..hehe j/k. Anyway, I keep thinking that she looked familiar, even when I saw her in the movie “Bend It Like Beckham“. Now, I know where I’ve seen her before. She played Padme, Queen Amidala’s maid-servant and decoy, in both Star Wars Episodes 1 & 2. Oh, and the guy who plays the Commodore in “Pirates…”, is the guy who plays Steve on one of my fave brit-coms called “Coupling“.

Anyway, if you’re looking for something fun and entertaining to watch, go see “Pirates…“.
Other summer movies I want to see:

1. Johnny English - oh man, Mr. Bean! How can I not see this movie?! Rowan Atkinson always cracks me up!
2. Bad Boys 2 - c’mon! You think I’d miss this one? LOL
3. Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines - I’ve heard mixed reviews about this movie.
4. Tomb Raider 2
5. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Congratulations are in order.

I received an e-mail today from one of my closest Toronto friends, Ken, announcing that he got engaged this week! *sigh* Congratulations Ken and Grace! I’m very excited for them. It’s about time! Took them a while too. LOL Now, 2 of my closest friends from my TO circle of friends are engaged to be married, and they got engaged only a few months apart from each other! First it was my bestfriend Rizza, who got engaged sometime in March and now Ken! Hmm…I wonder who’s next? LOL I’m running out of single friends! Yikes! LOL

Level 42-ness.

Hot-diggity! Just found out that the original members of one of my favorite bands (probably my most favorite now!) Level 42 are working on a new album to be released probably sometime this year! Yayness! Yes, they were huge in the ’80s but they’re such great musicians, (each of them are) that to me, their music transcends decades. When I listen to their music, I just don’t listen to the overall sound, but I listen to each instrument, each note, how they mesh together. The best thing about their music is the bass guitar and the person who plays it, Mark King. Simply put, he’s an amazing musician.

Well, this weekend was quite refreshing. Didn’t work on Saturday so the whole family went to one of my aunts’ house again and had lunch and watched DVDs and played video games, basically just hung out.

Sunday was church day of course. Had a good day of worship and studying of the Word, although I can’t quite recall what exactly we talked about last Sunday during Sunday School and the morning message, but I’m sure I have it on my notes. LOL After church, IH (In Harmony) and our families went to get some Pho’ (Vietnamese soup) for lunch (yum!) and then we headed over to downtown L.A. (along with Babie) for Grace Redemption Church’s 1st service at their new facility, where IH sang. I had a blessed time and I was actually surprised to find myself speaking on behalf of the rest of the group and introducing our songs (I never volunteer for that! We usually let Ate Joyce do all the talking), but for some reason, the Holy Spirit moved me to speak and talk about the songs that we were singing! It was quite exciting for me! We sang “Jesus Is” and “Drawing Me Closer” both by Point of Grace. It also marked the first time IH sang together in a very long time, probably in about 6 months (or even longer!). I hope that it’s sort of a “starting over” not just for me, but for all 4 of us. Pray for the 4 of us and this ministry that God has blessed us with, that we will grow in wisdom and knowledge of our Lord Jesus and really get to know Him and desire for Him, so that the joy that we experience in Christ will be evident in our singing. Peej, thanks for praying for us, and for everyone else who did. I really appreciate it.
I feel like this week God is really teaching me to be patient and to rely on Him in everything, even the little things like my finances. In the past I have not been very good with my money and I tend to spend more than I have. Ever since I got laid off from my old job, He’s taught me to really learn the value of a dollar and how far it can stretch out, and this week was exceptionally trying, but by God’s grace I am learning. I know that I am now reaping the consequences of my irresponsibility back then (when I was in college and even just a couple of years ago). Talk about being refined in the fire, and the whole financial issue is just a smidgeon of what I’ve gone through in the past few years (e.g. my dad’s passing, not being able to go back to school, and losing my job). But despite all of that, and actually a result of that, blessings started flowing, unexpected blessings. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will grant the desires of your heart.“

Health update.

Update on my health: I’m feeling a whole lot better. I got a lot of sleep yesterday, took naps whenever I could. I was supposed to go to rehearsals last night for this “coffee house” thing that will be hosted by CFBC this afternoon, but I chose not to, just in case I have a relapse, and I’m still having coughing fits, I can’t even hold a note without barking. *sigh* I was actually getting paranoid because of this whole SARS thing. No, I don’t have SARS, but sometimes paranoia just gets the best of you. LOL

Speaking of SARS, I got an e-mail yesterday from my best friend, Rizza, who lives in Toronto. She told me that the whole SARS epidemic is starting to really take a toll on Torontonians. She was actually sick for a week, bedridden for 2 days. She had some of the symptoms, so she went to the hospital. Praise God that she only had the flu (which still isn’t a walk in the park), but they gave her the proper medication, checked her thoroughly, and sent her home. She’s feeling better now, thank God. However, her brother, Wally, got sick as well. By the time he went to the hospital to get checked, they were getting stricter with their policy and he had to be quarantined for 2 days, JUST to be sure. No, he doesn’t have SARS, it’s just procedure now for every patient who walks into a Toronto hospital these days, just as a preventative measure. Please pray for them, and pray that they quickly find a cure for this thing.

Have you seen the commercials for The Matrix Reloaded? Oh wow. I cannot wait for this movie to come out!

Thoughts of the sleepless.

I was up ’til about 3am trying to make my little niece, Nevaeh, sleep. She was giving me a hard time, but I can’t blame her since she’s looking for her mom and dad, who are both gone for the weekend. Anyway, she finally slept at approx. 3 am ’til about 8am, then I gave her a bottle and she slept again ’til 10am. At this rate, I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to recover as fast as I had hoped. I’m singing this weekend. And I’m still coughing like mad. My voice is just starting to return.

Anyway, I turned on the TV this morning and tuned to VH1 and lo and behold, Jason Mraz’s video for The Remedy. Well, that made my morning! Good for Jason, he’s finally getting out there. I seldom endorse music acts and it’s even more rare for me to be a HUGE fan of a talent that I’ve never seen live, but this guy is AWESOME!

Movie talk.

Can’t wait to see The Matrix Reloaded and X-Men United. It’s coming out next month, along with Pirates of the Caribbean (yes, Orlando Bloom, a.k.a. Legolas is going to be in it…hehe). I don’t watch a lot of movies just for the sake of watching movies, it has to be something that I’m really anticipating to see, you know what I mean? Anyway, if I’m not making sense, blame it on the fact that I’ve run out of caffeine (yeah Ant, my “dirt water” lol).

So sick...

I’m still sick. I’ve been sick since Sunday night. I’m feeling much better however. Please keep me in your prayers for a speedy recovery. I have to sing this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday. Thanks!

This whole SARS thing has put my plans of going back home to Toronto on hold indefinitely. Just when I thought I had been given the “go signal”, SARS happened. The World Health Organization yesterday issued a travel advisory, suggesting to travellers not to go to certain cities, which includes Toronto, my hometown! I guess God is telling me not to leave yet. Well, I’ll just have to keep praying and to be patient.

Tales of the unemployed and uncertain.

Just wanted to add that I’m still unemployed and looks like things haven’t been working out as far as staying here in California is concerned. I am currently focusing my energy on moving back to Toronto. When that will be, I still don’t know, but I am determined to move back before this year ends and I have prayed about it and God has given me peace. Anyway, I won’t keep anyone in the dark as far as that goes, I’ll definitely let everyone who wants to know how things are progressing.I just want to say that God is good. Despite my situation (being unemployed), I managed to keep myself busy especially in studying the Word. I have become more immersed in studying God’s Word and have developed a deeper appreciation for it. I can’t even understand how I didn’t realize that sooner, being a Christian now for almost 20 years! He’s teaching me so much right now, it’s amazing!

Another blessing I wanted to share is that our little group at church (a.k.a. Amazon Women of Olive Christian Church, hehe) have become active again as far as committing ourselves collectively to the study of the Word. Norlyn and I have been praying about starting up our own Bible study again (we haven’t had it in a while) and I am praying that this will be established before I move back to Canada. Keep us in your prayers.

I’ve been singing a lot lately. In Harmony is still on some sort of hiatus. However, I have been invited to sing with this group called Papuri, that’s Tagalog for “praise”. We’re actually singing this weekend, opening for a musical called Experiencing God - The Musical (I believe some of you have heard about it). If you guys aren’t doing anything Easter Sunday evening, come check it out at Lifestream Worship Center, at 7 p.m. It’s located at the corner of Rosecrans and Norwalk (well, you head down Norwalk towards Rosecrans, make a right and it’s actually on the corner of Rosecrans and Disney). Hope some of you can make it!

Well, I’m currently printing out email and will probably post an entry to my blogspot journal. Later!