I’ve checked the “Who’s grabbed my photo” section of friendster.  None.  

My previous account has four. I have around 27 testimonials back then. Now they called it comments. Sometimes there’s nothing in it that says about the person itself. It became more of an e-mail and a public bulletin.  

The previous number of photos you can upload is surely less than 50. Now you can upload a thousand. I don’t know who will browse a thousand pictures for one profile, unless of course they are the fans of the account holder. But that doesn’t make them friends, I suppose(?). 

The numbers of friends back then are limited to 500. Who can limit your friends? But then, a lot questioned that figure. Can you really have 500 friends at one time? Is it the same with many “best friends” you think you have?  Friends are buddies that stays close you. They are that someone who are interested and concerned on the things that matters you. They usually check things out with you. They send their support and encouragement in tough times, cheer and celebration during the high times, and best wishes and prayers all the time.

They say that to found one in your lifetime is rare. If you found two, that makes you lucky enough. Three… four… and five, you must be a superhero. 

I will not talk about customization and embedded music and videos. You surely know what I mean, when you experience to hear that big blast of music if you open your friends’ account.  How about the “hang effect” because of too much graphics on the front page?  

Unwritten rule of web page making says that the ideal size per page should no greater than 75kb for fast loading and easy navigation of your visitors.

However, we feel the glitters, colors, graphics are too irresistible to ignore. Anyway, we can never appreciate simplicity until we know how unpleasant it is to browse a convoluted page until we experience it first hand.    

I’ve seen facebook and even created an account there. They say it epitomize the next generation of social networking on the web. Got one problem though, I have no friends in there.

Arriving at Hong Kong International Airport armed with nothing but print out articles and leaflets from the airport, we started our adventure on Lantau Island. I departed Singapore past midnight and joined with my wife at Manila for the 8am trip to Hong Kong.

Of course we want a smooth travel as possible. We aren’t on a tour package so we have to minimize any possible glitches on our itinerary while maximizing our exposure to as much of Hong Kong and adjacent places. While I plan our trip, Deanna does well in taking pictures. It’s good that she was able to hold the camera as I was very conscientious on plotting our schedule. And for that, we did a record of around 800 pictures in 5 days! No wonder she can take pictures like a pro now.

Lantau Island. We took a bus from the airport to Tung Chung MTR Station. Ngong Ping Cable Car is under repair so we took a bus to reach Ngong Ping. The twisty road was an experience. You’ll see most of Lantau’s mountainous view, reservoir and the breath taking sight of South China Sea. More than half of the traveled time of course was enjoyed by my wife sleeping. She has this special skill of dozing seconds after she closed her eyes ^^.

We feel a bit tired that we have missed our breakfast. Roaming around the airport with our backpack on is quit draining. Back in the Philippines, Boarding gates of domestic flights is just a minute walk from the check in counter. NAIA Terminal requires a rather extended walking time from check-in, to immigration and to boarding gates. At Singapore Changi Airport, you have to use a travelator to hasten the travel time. In Hong Kong, Automated People Mover at 62km/h, provides fast transportation from check-in area to gates. Probably, maybe the next generation airport will use planes to transport people within the terminal.

The bronze Buddha is hundred of steps up from where we are. Hungry and tired, we decided to check the Po Lin Monastery first as it was in the ground level. We’ve taken a sumptuous meal at a vegetarian restaurant to energize ourselves. It’s a very good overture to Chinese vegetarian meal and is really worth a visit. After wandering a while inside the Monastery and checking various statues inside, we proceeded to scale the steps of the largest seated outdoor bronze Buddha statue in the world.

The Tian Tan Buddha sits on a three-platform lotus altar and can be reached by climbing 268 steps up. We manage to have some fun so as to encourage ourselves into reaching the top. Good thing is, the meal we have just taken, fueled us up.

Circling the lotus gives a grand view of the Lantau peak (Hong Kong’s 2^nd highest peak) and the view of the mist touching it, confers an inner peace. It reminds me of my own Zion, bringing you closer to the presence of the mighty Creator.

Tired of the climb, we resisted the temptation of not visiting the Ngong Ping Village. There were free shuttles to the village but we opted to stroll towards the themed village. Traditional Chinese architectural design was clearly demonstrated in shops and cultural structures within the 15,000 square meter site.

There are not a lot of people during our visit, probably because it was Monday. After being shoved by exhaustion and the urge of maximizing our time, we decided to go down using another route.

At late afternoon, we reached Mui Wo. We are supposed to stay at silvermine beach hotel and have a visit on the cave and the waterfalls, but it seems my wife is not that keen spending a night by the winking seashore of silvermine beach, and the cave and waterfalls weren’t enchanting enough to convince her either. Proof of which, we haven’t taken a picture at Mui Wo. L

Half an hour later we reached the pier of Hong Kong Island after taking a fast craft from Mui Wo. It is our first glimpse of the Hong Kong Island and her forest of tall buildings. In an hour, we proceed to the ferry terminal going to Macau and have a short snack break before boarding the craft. Of course, with miss camera girl around, we haven’t missed snapping out a few shots at the ferry harbor and our first MacDonald’s Hong Kong snack.

Macau. It’s raining hard when we reached Macau. The tourist information kiosk wasn’t that helpful either. Signs are in Chinese and Portuguese. Hotel agents at the port are quite obsessed in selling splurge hotel room for us. We manage to call one of the mid-range hotels listed on my travel kit, and luckily enough (or the other way around) we found a deal of cheaper room accommodation. Instructions given weren’t that clear, probably due to accent barrier (?) and the pressure on us to find a room is killing me. Taking a bus from the Macau pier and surveying the streets for any similar or close sounded street names to that hotel (and in the midst of rain), we decided to take a walk and scout for any hotel so as to rest our very tired bodies. We ended up on a budget hotel. Only then we remembered we haven’t taken our dinner yet. A chummy fast food meal was the signature meal for the night. With a lot of kababayans scattered around (on what we later found out to be the Largo do Senado), brings a smile to our face as we exchanged greetings and good wishes before taking up our meal in our room.

We ended the day with a warm shower and retiring to sleep.

I know it’s just a matter of days when literally, i can no longer hold that high my baby Gabrielle. She’s getting heavier as the day passes by. Her laughter will never be as beautiful as it is today. Tomorrow she’ll set a new tone, probably a different melody. But never will she ever sing like the way she’s doing right now.

Six months were too fast. Surely years could never be slower. She looks so happy. She always smiles whenever she caught you looking at her.

I never regretted the moments we’ve shared when I fetch her from Negros and brought her to Singapore, alone. It is something I won’t dare to do again without my wife. hehehe… She literally gave me a treat of a lifetime. *lol*

Tomorrow, I’ll sit with her and show this photo. The color may fades through time, and papers can only preserve this much. But the moments we’ve shared will always be alive in my memory, well cherished and full of colors.

As For Me, And My House

Joshua. One of the thousands who made it out if Egypt, and few who made it in to the Promised Land.

He was Moses’ trusted General. When Moses wasn’t able to lead God’s people anymore, Joshua assumed the task. That makes him one of the only two persons who completed the Exodus (the other one is Caleb).  God, through the brave Joshua was able to conquer 7 nations, defeating 31 Kings.  And so Israel taken over established cities they haven’t built, with a healthy supply of food they haven’t labored with.

Many christian fathers experienced the same amount of graciousness from the same God of Joshua. God enabled them to conquer life’s many challenges, providing them wealth of resources they didn’t toiled themselves: God-given treasures to live by and to live out.

Choose you this day whom you will serve.

Joshua’s challenge to the twelve tribes came after the last war. Before the whole assembly of Israel, Joshua delivered a strong statement before they would renew their commitment to God.

Joshua didn’t remind them of their strong and great heritage, rather their humble beginnings and how God made it all right and great for them.

The question is asking an impromptu decision that Joshua answered promptly.

"Choose you this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord"

A believer should not delay in making up this very significant choice. Joshua, and consequently the whole of Israel, chooses to serve the living God.

It started from his own self, "AS FOR ME" then ran down to his household, "AND MY HOUSE".

Joshua as a father is taking up the responsibility that the current society often left to the mothers alone.

It’s often the mother who raises children towards godly values and being socially responsible citizens. Fathers are often less spiritual, ending the godly growth of the family to the mothers alone.

Parenting is a team effort. But the Bible said, it’s the father that is the head of the family, just as Christ is to the Church.

Husbands should love their wives, just as Christ died for the Church.

It isn’t longer an "I" or "ME" or "MINE" alone as far as the father’s thought is concern. He should be selfless for the sake of his wife and children. He isn’t living for himself, but for his family.

A married man doesn’t decide for himself alone, doesn’t think of himself alone.

His decisions always include his family and their spiritual welfare. It is his responsibility to provide godly leadership. He doesn’t set up rules, but place commitment first to God’s principles He has given us to live by.

Nothing can be more important than leading your family towards godliness.

May I’ll be as responsible like Joshua so that when the Lord comes; He will find me and my family doing His business.

There’s always a bigger fish. So don’t consider yourself big enough, you’ll never be.

Discrimination is real. Physical attributes do matter. Intellectual capacity counts. IQ level, social status, money, fashion… all of this and a lot more commands as to who we are in the society.

Seldom do we check the heart. By default, we judge people by how they look, by the degree they holds.

We measure ourselves also by the same standard. We always feel inferior in one way or another. And the only way that comforts us is when we are with some one we believe is lower than us. Our thirst for higher social status is commanded by the society we are in.

This is the mainstream. It’s hard to go against the flow. The only way you can counter it is when you know you’ve got someone bigger. Without confidence and certainty, you will keep on struggling to be on top by going with the flow.

You have to free yourself from this system and throw your confidence on Him who’s bigger than all of this.

I’m with a bigger fish. Bigger than the entire world have.

God’s grace is not dependent on the things we do. He sends rain both to the just and the unjust.

May consequences na tinatawag, oo. Being active sa church is not an assurance para safe ka sa trials. It’s wrong to believe that doing God’s work would exempt you from pain, and is certainly wrong to believe otherwise.

Living outside of God’s will has a consequence, it’s not God’s fault either for one to suffer. Adam and Eve died because they ate the fruit forbidden to them.Adam and Eve died because of the choices they’ve made not because God wants them to be dead.

God deals with us individually.

God isn’t impersonal. Job insisted at first that he doesn’t deserve any of those trials kasi nga daw siya ang pinakamatino sa buong lupa sa panahon niya. Even God testifies to that in contending with Satan. Pero bakit sa dulo, sinabi ni Job na siya ay mangmang at nagsasalita ng mga bagay na hindi niya nauunawaan? One thing i’ve learned, Job was brought to a higer level of understanding, na di niya naabot kung di niya naranasan yung trials na yun. And God caused Job to grow in His wisdom. God even replaced everything ng doble.

Everything God does have a purpose.

It’s just a matter of setting all things right before God. Kung minsan, it’s not the act that destroys us. But our attitude towards the things we do and the way we count our blessings. A believer needs to learn total submission to God’s will. It’s not about doing all things right, but submitting all things to God. In the process, we need to have patience. Patience shows our confidence in God. Kung nagiging impatient ka, then you doesn’t trust God. Faith in God is trusting He will do it and even if He don’t, you would still trust that He will do something.

God moved the people of

Israel

from the land of bondage to the Promised Land for 40 years when they could make the trip in 3months, because they’re too stubborn to believe that God is able to deliver them. Minsan din, hinahanapan natin ang Panginoon ng bibilanging biyaya na sandamukal na biyaya ang sa harap natin ang hindi pa nabibilang.

There’s no use crying over spilt milk. No need ng sisihin pa ang nakaraan

Lay EVERYTHING down before the Lord and move on. God is a God of second chances and new beginnings. When He forgives, He forgets. Only Satan reminds us of our past to crush us. But we could remind him that we’re washed by the blood and that he should be worried of his future, because he is doomed.

If God calls it sin, then it is sin. I would tell God its sin, and that i don’t want to do it on the first place. Acknowledging our wrongs is not easy. To confess and ask for forgiveness is hard.  To be submissive to God in everything is much harder, lalo na pag ayaw pumayag ng puso mo at walang kang nakikitang happy ending in doing it. It’s hard to give up someone you love, much more giving up to the unknown.

I’ve learned to give up to God everything and everyone that matters to me. It ain’t easy, and it’s a daily struggle. Give up to God what you want to keep, and He will let you have it ten folds.

You see, it’s not the things i do that makes me worthy of the blessing am enjoying this years. Kaya siya tinatawag na faith kasi malaking chunk ng trust natin sa Panginoon ay hindi nakikita.

I always try to bring before the Lord that things i did – both right and wrong. I bring questions too… And in my prayer, i always insist for His will and not mine… kahit meron pa akong gustong-gusto.

I believe He has power over all things. I believe He can always intervene. I believe He can heal our hearts. And not until we will learn to trust him and submit our whole self to Him,that we can enjoy the blessing that comes with it.

God loves us. And nothing can separate us from that love. Yes kawalan ka kung kinukwestiyun mo ang iyong halaga before Him… He doesn’t want to lose you, even to the point of sending His own Son to death just to have you back.

In everything, what matters is a right relationship with him. Both in good and in bad times.

Akala ko nga nun, forever na ako TECH 1 hehehe… kahit pinagpipilitan ko nang senior ako e, ang totoong nakasulat sa employment certificate ko, TECH 1 talaga e di naman lng ginawang SR. TECH 1 para may konting karangalan din naman sa kabila ng mahigit anim na taon kong pamamalagi diyan (kahit TECH 1 pa rin hehehe).

Maliban pa diyan, sino bang matinong kumpanya ang kukuha sa akin kung kayang-kaya naman nilang kumuha ng bago at makakatipid pa sila sa sahod? The only way for me then is to apply for work abroad kahit factory operator o janitor o kahit taga pamitas ng prutas basta mas mataas ng konti ang sahod at makaahon man lng kahit sa mga utang. And yes, i’ve spent many hours walking at nakipagbolahan sa maraming agencies para lng makaalis.

Pero ang nakakatuwa, nabiyayaan ako na walang karela-relasyon dun sa pinaghirapan ko. He just simply handed to me a GRAND gift ng walang pawis on my part: No placement fee; No POEA hassles. Free airfare via Philippine Airlines(hindi budget airlines ha hehehe). 15-day per diem allowance in $$$. 3-months free accomodation – plus free breakfast (thru a brother in Christ), Regular employment (No contract), and a lot more that i still continue counting it.

We often have this Oh,-yes,-I-know-that-He-can-do-everything,-the-Bible-says-so.-But-there-are-limits,-aren’t-there?” attitude, when all we have to do is to tell God our heart’s desire. That’s prayer anyway.

I thanked God that He still wraps wonderful gifts – beyond our imagination. Gifts kasi nga hindi mo pinagpapaguran o pinaghihirapan. Basta hiningi mo, at naayon naman sa mga plano niya, ibibigay niya talaga. Magugulat ka na lng, nasa sa’yo na o nasa lugar ka na, na akala mo hanggang pangarap na lang.
      
May we will continue to grow in PRAYER and trust His WORD. God still do wonders.

 I will always be here.

You will feel the warmth of my presence always.

I will watch you grow.

In your frustations and excitement as you learn your first steps, my hand will hold yours.

You will never feel alone. No matter how far the distance they’ll tell you, believe me, i will always be at your side.

I will be the first to hear you mumble mmmaaa.. mama.

I will be the first to enjoy your gooss and worldless gibberish.

I will listen to you, until you can put up the words you want to say.

I will listen even it may appear that i don’t.

I’ll write down in my heart the things you’ve learned, the things you’ve said. So that one day, you can open my heart and look back how i cherish the wisdom you’ve gathered as you grow.

Never will you say that I leave you for a moment.

Never will you feel alone.

Never will you see me turned my back on you.

I will tell you great things about your God.

I will tell you His greatness and kindness until you’ll tell me yourself, “Yes Dad, i’ve seen His grace and that He loves me so much!”

You will grow in His grace, and in His mercy you will endure life’s trials.

When the time comes that you cannot see me anymore, you’ll be strong and nothing in life will ever move you.

You will see the reality of life in its purest form – in its minute detail.

You will cry and be hurt, smile and be happy.

But take courage, co’z you are just a sojourner, and this world was never meant to be our home.

And after you’ve learned enough, then i’ll meet you there – on the other side.

I used to do debate during my earlier years in college. It makes me proud to win an argument. I may have the truth or half of it, but I will defend and argue with it, to prove that my position is superior to yours. It doesn’t matter if you hold half of the truth that I held, or you hold a better position. Debate defines the superiority of your position between your argument and that of your opponent. People or witnesses are usually the judges. But if others think you failed and you believed you have fought well, then you are by no “buts” is the real winner by your own rules.
   
Discussion on the other hand (though sometimes being used interchangeably with debate), is the process of exchanging ideas that I believe fruitful to propositions of both side. It examine comments or arguments.  Discussion explores solution without compromising one’s position. I made a point since then to opt for discussion than debate, as far as my consciousness towards the conversation’s atmosphere is concerned. Debates water down your message and exchanging arrogance with arrogance spoils the purpose of examining the argument.
 
Arrogance dominates Debate. Discussion won’t prosper if one or both side exaggerates one’s own worth or importance in an overbearing manner. One have to listen the other and consider the opposing position from the other’s point of view before presenting your own argument. You have to understand how he perceive things. You can never say he’s wrong without understanding first what he really means. Presumption is a dangerous, unethical, unbecoming and an uncalled  attitude.
 
The weakest debater for me are those who can’t stick to the topic and desperately shifts to personal attack to gain grounds. He is a loser by position and is a deadbeat to warrant professional courtesy or civility. Prejudice rules his argument. His thought, action and emotion are filled with excessive pride. Arrogant people are often unable to realize they are not as good as they assume they are or have problems recognizing their own self limitations. Often, arrogant people can be overbearing and try to coerce/force people into doing what they don’t want to do with little regard for the other persons feelings or the groups best interest.
 
There is no absolute position in a human standard, everything is relative. You can’t say a person is an idiot just because he raises a question you thought you understand so well. You can’t say Peter’s theology is stupid as he’d never been to school, or Bill Gates was dumb just because he wasn’t able to finish even his first year in college. You can’t boast you have a higher level of intelligence just because you cannot explain. hehehe 
 
A person confident of his argument remains focused to, and solidly engaged  with, the topic.

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matthew 5:46-47)

The Christian virtue of loving his enemies is absurdity to the secular world.
 
I’ve tried loving those who love me, but at times i still choose who to love in return. For there are those who love you that you don’t want to loved in return, Right?

How about loving those who don’t love you? It’s been a long desire of mine to sit with someone i don’t know, on a meal. Someone who can’t return the favor i am capable of giving; someone who was neglected by society and family; someone who feels hopeless and rejected. I hope it will happen one day, but should be by chance. I’m looking forward for the day that i will have my dinner with the “out casts”. Just us. No fanfare.

I want it to be a part my lifestyle. Not just a one time event. No, it’s not about being a philanthropist. When that attitude is well-integrated in your being, there’s no special word for it. It simply defines YOU. You won’t see any gap. You’ll just going to see them as another creation like you. You won’t see them as less fortunate, and therefore you won’t see yourself as someone higher than them – in any respect.

But still, there can be walls that would segregate the one you choose to be with, and with them you don’t like. Even in this set-up, you would still pick those whom you think likes you, those who behaves well, those who could say kind words to you… and that makes you a failure.

I’m a failure as i was not able to do it with some whom i think would like me. And it’s a gross failure therefore, that i can’t do it with those who wouldn’t like me.

Yet Matthew 5:44 is commanding Christians to love their enemies. Whoa! Isn’t the Lord is going too far?!?  – Uhh…, probably not.

Jesus is raising a point that in loving those who loves you and greeting only your brothers doesn’t make you any better than the people around you.
It is by loving your enemies and praying for those who insults you that you will become the son of God.

I think i would die a failure. No, it’s not that i “think” am a failure, I BELIEVE I AM and WILL BE A FAILURE. I can only be thankful of God’s graciousness through the blood of Jesus that qualifies me for the sonship. For on my own, I will never be.

It’s not a one time event. Christianity anyway is not a one time experience, it should be a lifetime.

But i still pray that God would enable me to spit out pride and arrogance, for only then i can accept people as to who they are- with their infirmities and shame- just as God clothed me and my Sin with the white robe of Christ’s righteousness.

It might not happen overnight. It might not happen in my lifetime. But I hope to pass it down to any one i’ll meet along the way (maybe sa mga anak, maybe sa mga apo), that they too will enjoy the bliss of creating a difference.