Friday, April 17, 2009
Maybe I Could Have 2 Jobs...
The book wasn't that scary or that intense. So that is a testament to the director of the movie and the movie trailer editor for making it look that good. Seriously. It made me want to read the book for the 5th time (one of my favorites). It made me want to get the car from Back to the Future and drive 85 mph to July 17, 2009.
It must be cool to make a video that would excite people this much. Getting the full movie months earlier and watching it, imagining the trailer in your mind, splicing clips, syncing them up to the musical score, then getting paid to do all of these... Yep, I need to take video editing seriously now.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
You Set Us Free
Throughout the worships and talks and anticipated mass there was this urge inside of me to be free. So I took it as a sign when, after mass, confession at the Shrine was announced during the break. "I have to go to confession," I thought. Nobody else wanted to go as it was cold and windy outside haha. I almost chickened out because aside from that, I was wearing heels and wasn't really feeling the windy walk to the Shrine. My feet were screaming "NOOO!"
But I'm glad my feet cooperated because that was one of the best confessions I ever had. I learned a lot from the priest about being in love with God. And I felt so light after the confession, so free. Light enough that my feet didn't ache as I walked back to the festival.
What's the best way to follow that up? Well when I got back to the festival, there was Eucharistic adoration. It was such an awesome experience. I really felt His presence in the room and I thanked my heart out for loving me unconditionally and for setting me free. For setting all of us free even though sometimes we act like complete idiots. Because our Father's love is endless and immune to idiocy.
And what do you know, Matt Maher and his band played one of my favorite songs after adoration.
I love it! Praise God for giving me the opportunity to experience Arise DC, and for His grace through the sacrament of reconciliation.
Friday, January 23, 2009
30 Years of Life
March for Life '09 |
Monday, December 15, 2008
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
I've been in Maryland for over 5 years now and I've grown to love how the season is celebrated here. Radio stations that play only Christmas songs, snow, ginormous Christmas trees in DC and the Rockefeller center, a jillion Christmas movies and television specials on TV, etc.
Of course, nothing beats the Christmas festivities that you grew up on. In 5 days, I will be embarking on a plane that will take me home to Manila. Due to the time difference I will arrive the wee hours of Monday morning, Dec. 22nd. Which is still before Christmas so I will still get to experience the pre-Christmas activities and festivities that I missed so much. Going to Alabang Town Center to do some last minute shopping while Christmas songs play in the background, attending Simbang Gabi, eating puto bumbong right after, wrapping gifts on a big table (doing so in the small confines of my room is extremely difficult - especially with the big toys that need to be wrapped), watching the MMFF Parade of Stars (what? It has always been a ritual), watching ABS-CBN's stars lipsync Christmas songs on TV (pretty lame, but again, a ritual), the awesome Christmas vigil mass where the church choir is at their best and you wish your neighbors a merry Christmas, etc.
I love the days leading to Christmas. For some reason once Dec. 1st hits, I get extra happy (sometimes I even become nicer). It's like the atmosphere changes, and people are jollier and kinder. Must be the Christmas spirit upon us (pretty hard to ignore when you're in a store w/ the Christmas songs playing in the background). But you could feel the anticipation. And then Christmas comes and you spend it with your family, then Dec. 26th comes and it's like, so what do we do now? Hee. Good thing my cousin planned a post-Christmas outing in Tagaytay.
But the Christmas season is definitely the most wonderful time of the year not just because of the things that I mentioned above, but because of the reason for the season - Jesus. This is the time that we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. When we ready our hearts by going to confession or adoration or mass or whatever. I am so thankful that I am coming home to Manila soon because as I previously mentioned in an earlier post, our parish's adoration chapel is open 24/7. And I could just walk or jog there (yay more reason for me to run and get fit). I am so excited for Simbang Gabi as that will serve as my daily mass. This upcoming Christmas vacation is a welcome break from all of the work stuff and service stuff. This is my time to take a step back from my real world and refocus on Christ. Spend more time with him because it is, after all, his long birthday party. What better way to celebrate it than to spend it at the country that is known that have the longest Christmas season :)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Old Post from '05
I was peacefully reading a soccer magazine in my room when my sister banged on the door. I calmly opened it and and my sister exclaimed, "I saw a frog downstairs, on the wall! A tiny neon green one!"
AAAAAAAAAH... and I slammed the door on her face.
I realized I was rude and opened the door a fraction of an inch. "Umm... what the heck is a frog doing inside our house and for the love of Kermit GET IT OUT!!!"
My sister realized I was of no help at all because I reacted worse than she did (I seriously have a big fear of frogs - give me bugs, snakes, cockroaches, worms, anything - NO FROGS). She went to my brother-in-law so I slammed the door again, and locked it. Because, yeah, frogs can turn doorknobs. I nervously glanced at the gap between the door and the floor, in fear that the frog would decide to go upstairs and sneak through that gap. The thought scared the crap out of me so I stood on my computer chair, ready to scream.
I then hear excited voices from downstairs. Apparently my niece & nephew are happy to have a new animal in the house. That's nice kids, WE'RE NOT KEEPING IT! You don't pay the mortgage, I do :P
From what my ears gather, my brother-in-law caught the frog and tried to show it to the kids. Once excited, were now crying. They ran upstairs to get away from the frog, so I silently prayed that my brother-in-law would not chase them upstairs because I will not be on the same floor as the frog is!
I hear my sister ask where it was and apparently it was brought outside. Umm... back in the pond far away or just out on the deck where I could see from my window and I could feel the frog staring at me??? My sister whined why it wasn't killed and all and my bro-in-law asked if she was crazy. She said so it won't come back anymore. My brother-in-law said it will knock if it wants to go back. Heh.
Wow I had some serious past tense/present tense issues back then. I probably still do :)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Your Glory Goes Beyond All Fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
As you make your usual way through the city streets, aren't you happy when you discover another tabernacle? -St. Josemaria Escriva
So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender
I surrendered my worries, fears, hurts and frustrations. I asked for forgiveness for being too busy to go to confession and for losing focus. And with all these I felt His great love envelope me. I felt like I wanted to hug the Eucharist, but I didn't want to scare off the old lady praying in the chapel.
It is such a blessing to be Catholic and have this chance to witness Christ in the physical form. It's like during the time of Moses when God asked him to build a tabernacle so that He could have a dwelling place with His people. And when God asked Solomon to build a temple. Because God is humble enough to physically be with us. I mean, He even became human through His son Jesus Christ just so we could be saved. How awesome is He?
Back in the Philippines, our parish's adoration chapel was open 24/7. I actually took that for granted and didn't really fully understand what it was about. I just thought there was a nearby chapel that's open all day so you could pray whenever. When I would accompany my mom to the adoration chapel, I would enjoy reading the books on the shelf and smelling the air conditioner (What? It smelled good okay). It was only when I moved here and found out that adoration is not 24/7 that I realized what it was really about and how important it is.
Just a few hours ago I went to our parish's Eucharistic adoration. Again what an amazing, humbling experience. To be in the presence of the King of kings. The holiest of all. Even though I have videos to edit and a TOB discussion group to prepare for, spending an hour in adoration was what I really needed to get things in place.
It is so easy to get caught up in worldly things and forget to spend time with our Father. I myself have a short attention span and can easily get distracted. I worry a lot, yet I forget to spend time with Him during these times. To worship and adore Him, for He is great and His promises solid as a rock. That my life itself is a testament to His glory. I pray that I will never forget that.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
A Day of Sisterhood
In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips.
-Author Unknown
The gift of sisterhood is one of the things that I cherish the most. It's something that's solid and constant that you know will always be there no matter where you are in life. Even the little quirks that come with sisterhood are so special.
Yesterday at work, I had to do all sorts of computations for a big proposal, and whenever my brain needed a break I'd check my Gmail and my Google Talk window to hear from any of my sisters. One was asking about food for a potluck, one was lending her ear and giving feedback for something I've been discerning about, one was making me laugh by sharing some passport photo requirements (if you're not doing a "medium smile" your photo will be rejected), and one was commenting on a picture from Facebook (again).
By about 5:30 PM my brain was done - but I had something to look forward to. I was going to have dinner with four of my sisters at Ten Ren's to de-stress and just hang out. I was craving for Ten Ren's because the last time I was there I had the eel and... ugh! So I felt I had to go back and redeem my belief in Ten Ren's. And of course, my sisters were willing to be with me as I satisfy my craving.
This reminded me of those times in college when I would hang out in Starbucks with three of my YFC-DLSU sisters to de-stress from all of the schoolwork and just hang out and talk about girl stuff. Even after we graduated, and worked at places far from each other, the four of us would still hang out often at a coffee shop, a resto, or a bar, and again talk about girl stuff.
Anyway, back to Ten Ren's. We were lucky enough to get the couches by the window. Dette took some cards from the shelf and we played Uno while waiting for our food, then pusoy dos when we were full. We were so hungry we ordered so many things. But we got addicted to the edamame. I mean it's not the best-tasting thing in the world but you just can't help but take one and eat, then take another, and another, and another...