LIFE GOES ON

A very special gift

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 10:48:00 -0400

I have long been wanting to share this gift that I got from my bible study. However, the fear of being caught in an awkward situation keeps on holding me back. I am afraid that people will get bored when I read this to them or worse, even think of me as a weirdo.

But I believe this gift is too special to be kept. So here I am, sharing this to whoever happens to drop by my blog. It is quite long and text heavy, but I assure you that it is an easy read. You will definitely feel happy after, so I do hope that you would take time to read this entry until the end. If you like, you may also share this to your loved ones. ;-)

Part 1: True Story, both Familiar and Unfamiliar

This is a story that has changed the lives of millions around the world. Some of its parts will be familiar while some will be new. But the good thing about this story is that it really happened. I did not make this up. It is about the Most High God. He is more powerful than governments, economies, philosophies and natural forces.

Part 2: Created for a Relationship with God

2.1 Creator

He made everything we do not see like angels, demons and spirits. He also made everything we see like the sky, the sea, trees, animals, the earth and all is in it. Finally, He made man and woman and put them in a beautiful garden.

2.2 God and Man in Relationship

He told the man and woman, “You can eat of any fruit of any tree in this garden. It is all yours, except for that one tree. If you eat from that tree, you will die.” And they had a good friendship with God.

Part 3: People are Separated from God

3.1 Fall of the Devil

But remember I told you that God created angels? Well there was this one angel who was very beautiful and powerful. He became proud and wanted to be the Most High God. But God said, “There can only be one Most High God, and that is Me.” So God took this angel and threw him out of heaven, along with one-third of the angels who were with him. This beautiful angel is now known as the Devil and the angels with him are known as demons.

3.2 Disobeying

The Devil went to the woman and tempted her to eat of the tree. The woman took some of the fruit and ate. She gave some to her husband, and he ate too.

3.3 Consequences

They disobeyed God’s command. They sinned and there were major consequences to this.

God cast the man and the woman out of the garden, and their relationship with God was cut.
This was where all the problems of man started: disrespect, misunderstandings, disease, disaster, etc.
Also, man could no longer live forever. Everyone would die once, and that is the eternal punishment for sin.

3.4 The Offense

They offended the infinite justice and holiness of God. And so now, only infinite forgiveness could save them.

Part 4: People Cannot Come Back to God

4.1 Ten Sacred Rules

Time passed and the people multiplied. Then God told His people, “I give you now ten sacred rules. These good rules will teach you how to relate to God and to people. Obey them.”

4.2 Sacrifices

But even though there were only ten rules, the people could not do them. They still sinned. But God loved them anyway. So He said, “Here is something you can do. Take the blood of a perfect animal and spill it. If you spill the blood of a perfect animal, you will be forgiven. Because without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness of sin.”

4.3 Religion Does Not Get Infinite Forgiveness

So the people agreed and they did that. But over time, it became an empty ritual or repetitive religion to them. So God was angry and said, “Do you think that religion can get you infinite forgiveness? I have had enough of your sacrifices!”

Part 5: Jesus Come to Earth

5.1 God Sends Jesus

But God loved them anyway. So at just the right time, God sent His Son, Jesus. He was a great man. Everybody loved Him.

5.2 Great Teacher

He was very wise. He taught the people exactly how to get infinite forgiveness. No one ever taught like Him.

5.3 Powerful Giver

He was also very powerful. He did countless miracles. It was especially powerful when He gave infinite forgiveness to people.

5.4 Corrupt Politician

One time, a large crowd gathered around Him. There was a certain politician who wanted to see Jesus. Let me ask you, do you like corrupt politicians? Of course not! Well, the people hated this certain politician because he was corrupt. Also, he was very short, so he could not look over the crowd to see Jesus. So this man ran ahead of the crowd and climbed up the tree. Jesus saw the man and said, “You there, in the tree! Come down. Let us eat together. I want to be your friend.” The man could not believe it. He hurried down and prepared a meal for Jesus. During the meal, the man stood up and said, “I can not believe that You and I are friends now. I am so happy! Look, I give half of my goods to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will return what I owe fourfold.” Jesus said, “That is infinite forgiveness inside you, my friend.”

5.5 Paralytic on a Bed

Another time, some men brought a paralytic on a bed to Jesus. But the crowd was so large that they could not enter the house that Jesus was teaching in. So they got up on the roof and removed the titles. The men lowered their paralytic friend down to Jesus. When Jesus saw this, He looked at the man and said, “Your sins are forgiven, now and forever.” The people were shocked and asked Jesus, “Can You really forgive sins?” Jesus answered, “Yes, I can. I have the right to give infinite forgiveness. Let me show you. “Then He told the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” The paralytic stood up, took his bed and went home.” Everybody was amazed by what they saw.

5.6 Friend is Revived

There was another time that one of Jesus’ friends died. This made Jesus very sad. He went to his friend’s tomb and the people were mourning. Jesus said to the family, “I can give infinite forgiveness, so that you don’t have to die anymore. “He had the tomb opened and said, “Friend! Come out! Then the man who had been dead, came out alive!”

Part 6: Jesus, the Perfect Sacrifice

6.1 Some were Jealous

So everybody loved Jesus. But some people were jealous of Jesus. These were the religious leaders. They hatched a plan to arrest Jesus and crucify Him. They succeeded. So they arrested Him, beat Him and then crucify Him: which is when you take two planks of wood and nail a man to it.

6.2 Jesus’ Perfect Blood

There on the cross, Jesus’ perfect blood was spilled. And when God saw that, He said, “That is the sacrifice. That is what will get infinite forgiveness.”

6.3 Thief on the Cross

And this infinite forgiveness is very effective. In fact, there were two robbers crucified alongside Jesus. One of them told Him, “If You are the great Hero, save Yourself and save us as well.” But the other robber said, “What are you saying? We are here because we have sinned, but this Man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you enter into Your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “Your sins are forgiven, now and forever. Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Part 7: Jesus’ Resurrection and Promised Return

7.1 Resurrection

They all died, Jesus’ friends buried Him in a tomb. Then after three days, something amazing happened. Jesus rose from the dead, proving that everything He said was true, proving that He could really give infinite forgiveness. And this same Jesus said that He would be coming back. He said he would soon judge the world and make all things right.

7.2 Return

So like the people in the stories, please accept infinite forgiveness. Hold on to it, enjoy it, and love it! Because when the time comes for Jesus’ return, infinite forgiveness will save your life. Not only that, but infinite forgiveness has many wonderful implications for life right now. Just think of the people in the stories, and how they were blessed.

7.3 Invite

Do you want infinite forgiveness? Jesus said that infinite forgiveness is a gift.

Part 8: How to Receive Infinite Forgiveness

8.1 Gift Illustration

Here, I have a gift for you, but you don’t take it. For whatever reason, you say:

I am shy
I think I can buy that on my own
I am too busy to care
I do not know it is free

For whatever reason, you do not take it. Would this be yours? It is the same with infinite forgiveness. So you tell me, how does one receive infinite forgiveness?

8.2 Letting Go

Now, you cannot receive a gift if your hands are full. Some of us have our hands so full of guilt that we cannot receive the gift. It is required to drop that guilt. Some of us do not value the gift enough, so we are busy playing with lesser pleasures like family, studies, career, or friends. These are legitimate and good, but the value of infinite forgiveness is far greater.

8.3 Personal Experience

I have personally received this gift. My sins are forgiven, past, present and future. When I die, I am sure that I am going to be with Jesus in heaven, and it is not because I am religious. You can have that also. You can go to Jesus in prayer right now and ask for the gift of infinite forgiveness. You can say something like this:

Jesus, I am a sinner. I have offended Your holiness so I deserve punishment and death. But you died for my sins and offer me infinite forgiveness. You say it is a gift, please give it to me! I need it. Come into my heart, be my Hero and my King. Thank you for giving me now, infinite forgiveness and eternal life. You are the best thing that could ever happen to me, and I agree to joyfully follow You as I read the Bible. Amen.

8.4 Assurance of Salvation

Jesus said that all those who ask will receive. Did you ask for infinite forgiveness? Jesus said He would give it to you. Would he lie to you? So what have you received now?

That is right!

You have infinite forgiveness right now, just like in the stories. If at anytime you would die, you would be with Him in Paradise. What do you think of that?

Maturing in Faith

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:54:00 -0400

I just turned 24 eight days ago. As much as I wanted to grandiosely celebrate my birthday with my family and friends, I opted to make merry by attending a 3-day retreat in Tagaytay. Yes, have fun in a retreat! Why not? After all, it is the Lenten Season, and I know this time is best spent with God who provided me with all the blessings for the past 23 years of my life.

It was the same retreat that I attended last year, but with different yet equally inspirational retreat masters, who discussed the topics shown in the picture below.

Tarpaulin welcoming the attendees of the Lenten Retreat

Statue of an angel standing outside the retreat house

As I write this blog entry, I do not wish to uplift myself and appear holy. I am but an ordinary individual, and like everyone else, I sin (a lot). It is just that despite being busy like most young adults, I know I it is important to regularly recollect God’s past favors. At the end of the day, it is not the things that I hear from masses/services that would strengthen my faith, but my personal relationship with Him.

I cannot expect Him to instill His holiness in me in just a short once-in-a-lifetime-transaction. I know I should live more by the Spirit and less by the flesh moment-by-moment. Therefore, I must grab every chance that I could spend with Him without hesitation.

What I experienced in that 3-day retreat was too rich to be explained with just words, so I am sharing some pics that could give a clearer glimpse of what happened.

The green candle that I lighted when we passed by St. Peter Parish Commonwealth

Eucharistic Celebration celebrated by Bp. Teodoro Bacani

Awarding of the token of appreciation to Bp. Raul Martirez

Posing with Tito Millard who invited me to join the retreat

Photo op with Bp. Raul Martirez

99-year-old Former Senator Helen Benitez

Angels’ Hills Chapel where we held all the masses

Bp. Pablo David lecturing about Maturing in Faith

Statue of the Annunciation

Way of the Cross before sunset

Photo op with Bp. Pablo David after dinner

Chocolate cakes given to Bp. David for his birthday

Roaming around the area where the cottages are

Statue of the Virgin Mary found near the entrance of the retreat house

Strolling while everyone’s siesta-ing

The only young adult among the pool of retreatants

Eucharistic Celebration with Fr. Glen Gomez as the celebrant

Pink Sisters’ Convent

My prayer petition (a.k.a. birthday wishes)

Touring around the convent’s park

Tito Millard while writing his prayer petition

Daily Prayer and Reflections Book where the group picture of last year’s retreatants could be found

Yearly birthday letter from Ateneo

Group picture of this year’s retreatants

Upon coming back from the retreat, I had a dinner with my family. It was a simple party that turned into a great celebration, because after 10 years, my mom and I were reunited with my dad.

Cupcakes baked by my cousin, Mariel.

Shining bright like a diamond as I blow my birthday candle

Saying my birthday wishes

Gift that I got from my Tita Larcy

A frame with her favorite picture of me

Some say that at 24 I am still young, while some say otherwise. As much as I would like to believe the former idea and fantasize about being carefree, I know behaving more responsibly now could give me a better sense of empowerment. By being responsible, I do not mean just being diligent with work but also being serious about strengthening my relationship with God.

Focus

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 03:24:00 -0500

People have strong reservations about dangerous weapons like bows and arrows, guns, and swords. However, movies such as Hunger Games, Tomb Raider, and Zorro turned them into something interesting, something that most people would wanna get hooked into.

Who wouldn’t want to bring the action star in them and appear like a hero anyway?

Gone are the days when women just sigh with adoration as men take control of the weapons. Today, even young girls already get used to holding them as they practice protecting themselves or use them in their sports.

Inspired by Katniss Everdeen, Lara Croft, and Elena Montero, I found the guts to try target shooting, archery, and fencing myself.

Archery at Gandiva Cafe

Target Shooting at Armscor Makati

Fencing at Goldland Millenia Suites

All of these sports need a lot of strength and focus. Shooting at a mark or targeting my opponent requires me to summon all my strength and be in full control of my actions.

I am glad for not missing the chance of getting in full gear as I hold manly weapons. None of the sports I mentioned is as easy as I thought, but they are definitely empowering and worth trying!

Keep calm and be fit

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 22:07:00 -0500

With all the awesome new restaurants and food nowadays, it is easy to set aside being healthy. This plus busyness at work and laziness attack, I can easily excuse myself from getting fit, keep on saying tomorrow, and be consistent in saying so from then on.

Fortunately, I overcame the temptation to be a couch potato and decided to find terrific ways to get into shape and make good use of each of my muscle group.

I started with home videos since they are accessible and cheap, but I eventually ended up hitting different gyms and trying different workouts. I am not a fitness expert, but I will try to give tidbits about the activities that I have tried the past few months.

Barre 3 – a slow-paced class that combines the grace of the ballet barre with the wisdom of yoga and the strength of Pilates (http://www.barre3.com/what-is-barre3)

Location: The Spa 2nd Floor Eastwood Mall (inside Richmonde Hotel) Eastwood City Bagumbayan, Quezon City

Contact No.: 709-6868

Antigravity Aerial Yoga Fitness – an hour-long class that is much like the usual yoga but involves aerial silks and exercises that require one to defy gravity (http://www.igobeyondyoga.com/)

Location: Beyond Yoga 3F Il Terrazo, Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Madrinian St., Q.C.

Contact No.: 921-6070

Pole Dancing – a daring class that requires tremendous strength, endurance and flexibility as one performs acrobatic tricks with a vertical pole. It also teaches a bit of striptease dance for added sexiness in the workout (http://polecatsmanila.com/)

Location: Polecats Manila 22nd Floor, Strata 100, F. Ortigas Jr. Road (formerly Emerald), Ortigas, Pasig City

Contact No: 0917-700-7653

Urban Rebound – an upbeat group class that leaves one gasping for breath and really heats up the body through dancing. It requires participants to wear the Kangoo Shoes, a low impact rebound sports shoes that make one sweat and lose pounds faster (http://www.gymftx.com/ftx-yoga-and-dance/ftx-urban-rebound/)

Location: FTX (Fitness Exchange) Unit 202, Three Salcedo Place, Tordesillas Street, Makati City

Contact Nos: 0916-270-1177, 822- 3311

Cirqfit – a personalized workout that combines weights, plyometrics, kettlebell, burpees and a lot more exercises. It is conducted in different exercise zones where one can work on a routine for 20 to 45 minutes (http://www.gymftx.com)

Location: FTX (Fitness Exchange) Unit 202, Three Salcedo Place, Tordesillas Street, Makati City

Contact Nos: 0916-270-1177, 822- 3311

In my continuous search for new fitness pursuits, I realized that working with a group of people is way better because I learn a lot and find consistent motivators in them. After all, it is about the company, they say.

Paying in advance or getting workout packages is also advisable because it forces me to defy boundaries — wake-up early, travel miles, and strive hard for my desired body shape.

Now that I have been used to these adrenaline-inducing activities, I search for the high whenever I can. I change my workouts regularly or try to train harder than what I usually do to keep me challenged. Even if I am tired from work, I still take time to workout 30 minutes before finally resting or doing other things at home.

The start of the year poses an even greater challenge to set positive health goals like eating healthier, drinking more water, having more energy, building immunity, having more mental alertness and concentration or becoming stronger.

I realized that living once requires me to value my endurance, body strength, and mental focus. Now is the right time to work off the extra pounds I gained during the countless times that I ate like there’s no tomorrow. Yes, seriously! I have to get to the point where I have to love my body and myself enough to take care of it every minute of my life.

If there's a will, there's a way

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:14:00 -0400

The path to career bliss is not always clear. We have our dream job in mind, but unfortunately (or sometimes fortunately), not all of us land on it.

Before accepting my current job, I have always dreamed of working for an advertising agency, a publication, a film production house, or a marketing department of a multinational company. Knowing my lifestyle and skills, I thought being in any of these companies would be perfect. However, God seems to have a different plan for me.

IBM offered me a job on my 22nd birthday. It’s not the kind of job that I have always been wanting, but I still accepted it, for I believed then that it was a birthday gift from God. Besides, after working as a Marketing Executive of Wrangler Jeans, I thought that a technical job would be a wonderful break from the intense inner pressure previously caused by my desire to be creative all the time.

I never thought I would last for more than a year in IBM, but apparently, I was wrong. I am in-love with my company right now. It demands a lot, but amazingly, it also gives me enough time to do other things that I like and spend time with my family and friends.

Here, I met people that I consider not just as colleagues but as close friends with whom I share my personal life and interests.

Inside the workplace

At the pantry

Izumi Sake Bar and Restaurant

Relik Tapas and Bar

Linden Suites, Ortigas

Il Mare Resort, Cavite

Tanay, Rizal

Potipot Island, Zambales

Boracay

Though I have chosen this path, God did not allow me to waste my creative skills just like that. People may not believe, but in an IT company, I am actually tapped to do the following things:

Do make-up and style hair

WAL Magazine’s Travel Edition Pictorial

WAL Magazine’s Music Edition Pictorial

WAL Magazine’s Beauty and Fashion Edition Pictorial

Populus Newsletter’s August Issue Pictorial

Elite Recruitment Video Shoot

Direct videos

Elite Recruitment Video Shoot

Organize (or even pose for) pictorials

WAL Magazine’s Music Edition

WAL Magazine’s Holiday Edition

Populus Newletter’s August Issue

WAL Magazine’s Beauty and Fashion Edition

Graphic design and write about things that interest me

Some of my artworks and articles can be viewed from these pdf files:

We Are Learning Magazine_Issue#10_Travel Edition

We Are Learning Magazine_Issue#11_Music Edition

We Are Learning Magazine_Issue#12_Holiday Edition

We Are Learning Magazine_Issue#13_Health and Wellness Edition

We Are Learning Magazine_ Issue#14_Beauty and Fashion Edition

When asked if we are happy with our work, our initial reaction would probably be to say yes. But after a minute of pondering, we will realize that we, in one way or another, have something negative to say about our current employers.

What makes life at work bearable are really the people that we work with. Luckily, I can say that I have the best workmates.

Being in IBM may not mean getting exactly what I want or knowing what I do at first, but I nonetheless learn so many things and enjoy the company of the people that I work with every day.

After all, happiness is just about doing what I like and being with the people who inspire me to find my purpose in life.

Summer Nails

Mon, 21 May 2012 12:26:00 -0400

Our busy professional life has been eating us up for the past few weeks, so Anj, Maiki and I decided to hang loose at the BlueWater Day Spa in Eastwood.

Unlike other nail salons, BlueWater Day Spa offers a very classy and exclusive interior. Clients cannot be seen from the outside. Instead, they are pampered inside a cozy room with very comfortable La-Z-Boy recliners, soothing lighting, and a free movie. That night, we were lucky enough to be able to watch The Adjustment Bureau.

Our eyes feasted on their imported nail polish: Chanel, Nars, Deborah Lippmann, O.P.I, Orly, and a lot more.

After being in a state of dilemma for minutes, I settled for Nars Senryou for my fingernails and O.P.I Yoga-Ta Get This Blue for my toenails.

Maiki chose these red shades from Orly.

Anj got these purple shades from Chanel and Orly.

We were pleased with the attendants’ workmanship and professionalism. We liked how they asked our permission every step of the way (from cuticle removal to nail polish application).

After our 1 1/2 hour pampering session, we got out happy, satisfied with our summer nails, and back to our bubbly selves again. ;-)

BlueWater Day Spa’s rates are slightly more expensive than others, but the experience is really worth it. We are definitely coming back to try their other services.

Illegally Blonde

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 02:50:00 -0400

People say that long jet-black hair is the best thing that brings a woman her most alluring and desirable look. Maiki and I beg to disagree, though. We never meant to be “off the market” but we really think blonde is sexy.

We headed to Fab Salon in New Port Mall to finally get the hair color change that we’ve been wanting for the longest time. Maiki chose something ash while I decided to go for auburn.

We were among the first few customers that the salon had that day. The staff did not seem welcoming when we arrived but they turned out to be more pleasant at the latter part of the day. In fact, we ended up having two stylists each. So much attention, eh?

Apart from the services that we availed, we were also offered cups of coffee and a massage.

Favorably, the salon offers a modern cozy interior which allowed us to have a relaxing time while catching up and pampering ourselves.

We did not get the exact same colors that we wanted, but because the salon used a top-notch hair product (Schwarzkopf Igora) on us, we were pretty much satisfied with the result.

Visit Fab Salon at:

4th Level, Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila
Tel: (632) 822-0004
Store Hours: 12pm - 12am

Church can be simple (The best way to celebrate Easter)

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:22:00 -0400

Walkway: Reflections on the Stations of the Cross at Bonifacio High Street

April 8, 2012

Station 1 The Garden

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Act: Go ahead and stand in front of the mirrors.

Think about the honesty of Jesus’ prayer. He’s about to fulfill his mission, yet he takes the time to expose to the Father exactly how he feels.

No façade. No pretense.

As you take a hard look at the reflection in the mirror, remember that Jesus endured what he did so that you don’t need to perform or put up a front to approach the Father.

Would you take this time to thank Jesus, because through him, you can come just as you are.

Station 2 The Betrayal

Jesus is betrayed by Judas

Act: When we decide to devote our lives to anything less than God, we find ourselves on the losing end of the deal. The question is, for what are you selling yourself short?

The scales represent the different matters that we usually trade God in for. Take this time to think about a particular area in your life that you’ve been giving your heart to, and place a marble in the corresponding slot.

Before you move on, consider this prayer: Father, help me want to love you above all.

Station 3 The Trial

Jesus before the Sanhedrin

Act: There are times when we pre-judge other people too quickly. Often we draw hard conclusions about people even before we get a chance to hear their complete stories and, in a sense, cast our own hasty stone of judgment.

Pick up a stone from the bin in this station.

As you look at it, let it remind you of a person you have formed your negative opinions on.

Reflect and listen to what your heart has to say about him or her.

Would you take this opportunity to ask God to renew your heart and transform it into one that gives people a benefit of the doubt?

Station 4 The Verdict

Jesus is judged by Pilate

Act: Pontius Pilate could have rewritten the story. He could have saved an innocent man from being unjustly executed, but he chose to wash his hands and please the crowd.

Today, this moment, you are presented with a chance to change a story for the better. The story of someone who is innocent and blameless – the story of a child.

For a donation of five pesos (or more), you can help pay for the care and education of one child, hopefully for a whole year.

Donation from the station will be forwarded to the “Sponsor a Child” program of WE International Philippines. For more information, visit www.weinternational.org.ph.
Let’s rewrite their story; don’t wash your hands.

Station 5 The Whip

Jesus is scourged

Act: Take this moment to pray for yourself, or someone you know, who needs physical or emotional healing.

We can come and appeal to God for requests like these because Jesus was beaten to make us whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

Station 6 The Curse

Jesus is crowned with thorns

Act: Think about the one thing you did wrong in your life that has caused you deep pain and regret. Maybe it’s not something in the past; it may be something you continue to struggle with in the present. Whatever it is, it has negatively impacted your future, robbed you of joy and somehow hurt you or the people you love. In some instances, the effects this action have yet to be felt, but deep inside you know that it will lead you and others to ruin.

God can, and wants to rewrite your story.

But first, he invites you to lay down the stones you cast on others. The things we see wrong in other people that cause us to judge and accuse them. We need to realize that we too have fallen short of the greatness and holiness of God.

In this station, we invite you to deposit the stone of judgment you picked from Station 3 and leave them here.

Also, take a strip of black cloth provided. It represents your own sin and failures. For now, bring it along with you; you will be needing this in the stations ahead.

Station 7 The Cross

Jesus carries his cross

Act: After the flogging, the victim was often forced to carry his own cross bar known as the “patibulum” to the execution site. The idea that the accused should bear the very instrument to be used in his execution added insult to the injury. The patibulum could have easily weighed over a hundred pounds which Jesus may have carried over the distance of two football fields.

In front of you is a representation of the cross we have come to know. Pick one up, carry it in your shoulder and walk a few feet. Get a feel for its weight on you and think about Jesus on that fateful day:

He bruised and weakened body.
The mocking of the crowds as he passed.
Walking to an execution of a crime he did not commit.

When you lay the cross down. Take a few moments to thank God for walking a road we couldn’t walk on our own.

Station 8 The Two Simons

Act: Has there been a Simon in your life – someone who pulled through for you when you were in dire need, and help was no where to be found? Thank God for that person.

Now, here’s a chance to be a Simon to someone else. In the bowl are prayer requests written by people who have gone before you. Kindly pick one and pray for the stranger’s need.

Now go ahead and write your own prayer request and place it in the bowl. Give someone the opportunity to be a Simon to you.

Station 9 The Crucifixion

Jesus is crucified

Act: Take the black strip of cloth you brought with you from Station 6. Remember the sin that you thought of. The one whose effects you still feel, whose power is still real in your life that you struggle to break its hold on you. Let the black cloth represent the presence of that sin in your life.

With nothing but your finger as ink, write your sin on the black cloth.

Now take the hammer and nail the black cloth on the cross that lies on the floor.

Here at the foot of the cross, your Savior is reminding you that your sin is nailed to the cross – not in part but in whole – and that you bear it no more. You are free.

Station 10 The Mother

Jesus entrusts Mary to John

Act: This is the time to think about you and your family. How is everything?

We often make this mistake of waiting too long before we tell the people in our own families how much they mean to us. You have this moment.

If you are with your family, get this opportunity and let them know how much you love them.

If you are not with your family and you have a cellphone, would you consider making a call right here and now to someone who needs to hear that they matter to you.

Take this time to thank God for each of them, If there are strained relationship within, would you pray for healing and restoration?

Station 11 The Promise

Jesus promises paradise to the repentant thief

Act: Will you choose to put your faith and trust in who Jesus is, and what he has done for you? It is as simple as the thief’s prayer.

“God, I know that I am a sinner. And I highly deserve all of its consequences. But because of your love for me, you sacrificed your son, Jesus, to save me from my sin. Thank you for this. Today, I place my trust in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Help me live out this prayer. Amen.

Please take a card from the pew.

Station 12 The Darkness

Jesus dies

Act: Enter the tent

As you stand in this dark room, know that in this life, there will be times when the darkness will surround you. It will seem to overthrow you, It will seem permanent. It will seem to have victory over you. In these seasons, be strong and remember that “seem” is the operative word.

Before you leave the darkness, say a prayer of praise to God for sending Jesus.
Go ahead, turn the curtain and let the light of Easter flood in.

Station 13 The Cloth

Jesus rises

Act: Praise God for the hope Easter brings to us! It reminds us that just as Easter completes that work on the cross, God will complete the good work he has for our lives.

And just as the Stations of the Cross reminds us that what Jesus did, he did for all of us, would you now do something for someone else?

Take a card from the table. Write the name of the person whom you feel has touched your life in a special way. Post it on the board. Offer up a prayer of blessing for that person.

Station 14 The Tables

Remembering Jesus

Act: If you are a Child follower and want to partake of the Lord’s supper, go ahead and take a peace of bread and a cup of wine prepared at the table.

Take a few moments in the area provided to remember that Jesus died and rose again for you. You are part of a family of Christian followers.

Lomography

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:26:00 -0400

In this day and age, technological advances in the field of photography have grown immensely. Even post processing has improved by leaps and bounds. The progress is advantageous but where is the challenge in that?

Good thing there is lomography to awaken the love for old vintage film and polaroid cameras.

To satisfy my curiosity about the hype, I bought this Vivitar EZ35 lomography camera and used it with the Kodak Professional Ultima 100 film.

It is much like a toy camera but it produces fairly good photos.

These are the usual scenes that I see on my way to work. I did not take their picture only for art’s sake. I chose them to be the subject of my photos to somehow evoke empathy in the hearts of people.

Using a manual camera again after a long time was challenging. Since I had no option to see my pictures immediately, I had to pay attention to more details in the scene. Pressing the shot button was hard, but I had to force myself to just do it and move on.

I am a self-confessed newbie in the field of lomography, but I can say that it is really fun and addicting. I think I’m smelling more rolls of film coming soon! ;-)

Seek First the Kingdom of God

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:18:00 -0400

I have been searching for something to feed my soul this Lenten Season. As chance would have it, I was invited by my Tito Millard to a 3 day retreat in Tagaytay. Though the invitation was given to me on such short notice (4 days before the retreat), I still accepted it without any hesitation. I have been blessed in so many ways and have been asking for so many things, so I felt like it was a must to seek time away from my usual routine and prioritize God.

For 3 straight days, I secluded myself from the presence of people of my age and spent quality time with older people. Some may consider it boring, but I beg to disagree. I actually found it interesting to talk to mature people and listen to stories about how and where they struggle to see God working in their lives.

Venue of the retreat Our cottage (supposedly)

My companions during the retreat

Dinner at Sto. Nino Dining Hall

In my hectic life, I admit that I do not really take time to look at where I am finding joy, inspiration, or even desolation. I do not know but I feel that stress has stolen so much time that I could actually spend to be free with God and free to express all that is on my mind.

Spending time away from distractions gave me an opportunity to think deeply about where God is leading me.

Listening to Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle inspired me so much. His lessons about faith and evangelization struck deep into my heart. He said that as people of God, it is not enough to keep the strong faith within us. We have a mission to open the doors of faith to other people and invite them to believe in God.

Archbishop Tagle’s lecture about faith and evangelization

Eucharistic Celebration at the Chapel

I may sound preachy now, but it is not really my intention. I am not in any way trying to impose faith on anyone. All I want is to lead by example and perhaps inspire others to share the same faith that I have.

Sharing of experiences and realizations

The retreat provided me with incomparable kinship. I no longer look at the people I met as just friends but as companions on the same journey to discover who God is. The retreat also endowed me with the self examination that I need to truly see where my deepest desires can meet with the needs of the world.

Talking to Mr. Reynario Perez, IBM Philippines’ President back in 1971 Photo op with Archbishop Tagle

Picture taking with all the retreatants

I know sacrifices made for God, such as this, should not be broadcasted, but I feel like my experience is so enriching to just be kept and not shared with anyone. I hope that this blog entry is just about enough to serve as my first step towards evangelizing others.

Fashion Styling Explored

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:37:00 -0500

Art is one of my many obsessions in life. If there is something that makes me excited every single day, it is the constant challenge to put my creative thinking into practice. The craft of combining colors, textures, and shapes together to form beautiful pieces never fails to amaze me. This is actually why I enrolled in different art classes last year. Since I am done with hair and make-up, I opted to try my luck in fashion styling this time.

I have been fond of mixing and matching clothes ever since, so I decided to take the skill to another level. I have no plans of turning fashion styling to a full-time career; nevertheless, I took a class at The Fashion Academy Manila because I believe having a formal education in styling is really an advantage.

In a span of 15 hours (3 hours every Saturday), I figured that possibilities are endless in fashion. A few simple accessories can turn a boring white blouse into a work of art. A certain combination of colors can influence one’s mood or emotion. A pair of statement shoes could say a lot about one’s sense of individuality.

With the help of Mr. Alcs Porras, our mentor, and the following activities done in our class, I have learned to develop my personal aesthetics.

Styling via looklet.com

Pitching styles for different advertisements

Listening to Mr. Alcs Poras’ lectures

Mixing and matching of fabrics

Before our class ended, I decided to come up with my first ever fashion styling portfolio. This was made possible by 2 of my friends who agreed to model for me and Clark, my officemate, who served as our photographer. I had no time to do pull outs so I had to make do of whatever I have in my closet.

Shooting 13 outfits in one rainy day in Antipolo left all of us exhausted, but we definitely had a helluva fun.

Working as a make-up artist

Hairstyling

Reviewing the photos

Paying close attention to the details of the outfit

Directing the models’ poses

Posing with Clark, Camille and Cherry (from left to right)

Our culminating activity at The Fashion Academy Manila required us to do a styling pitch for a certain brand’s advertisement. Since my heart is close to cosmetics, I chose to promote Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Cream, a very good water resistant eyeshadow, blush and lipstick in one.

Here is the ad that I came up with.

We presented our output to a panel of professionals. Luckily, they liked my pitch and I got my fashion styling certificate after.

Listening to my presentation

Photo op with Mr. Alcs Porras

A lot of people think of fashion styling as just a simple mixing and matching of clothes when it is actually way more than that. Fashion styling, according to our mentor, is a way of putting lifestyle to one’s outfit. It is not pure glamour. To be successful in this field, a stylist needs to have the patience to do pull outs or shop for their clients and travel distance to do errands. More than just good taste, a stylist should deeply understand different body types and have the capability to make people look good in and out.

Since style is not set in stone and fashion is constantly changing, the ability to always imagine and come up with something new is very much required in this field. This is what I like most about this new endeavor of mine. :)

Crowning Glory

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:03:00 -0500

We often become plain lazy in maintaining a consistently spruced appearance. However, we have to accept that our looks require attention. We can’t have the same boring image forever! If we wanna be noticed, it is essential to know how to make immediate adjustments to our appearance every now and then.

I strongly believe that the easiest way to do this is through hair transformation. This does not mean that we always have to go to salons to avail of expensive hair treatments. Even by simply knowing how to do our own upstyle can already make a difference in our overall look.

Having a striking hair can do us so much. It frames our face and dramatically affects how our skin looks. But more than just flatter our facial features, our hairstyle boosts our self-confidence. After all, it is a statement of self. Whether down loose or upswept, it is always important to wear the hair that holds all the drama and mystery of our personality.

I studied how to do makeup late last year, but I know that looks that kill does not just end with having makeup that thrills. This is why I challenged myself again to do something creative by enrolling in the Hair Upstyling Class at the Center for Aesthetic Studies in Makati.

Here are a couple of things that I learned from our class.

Blow Drying

Sectioning

Doing Ponytails and Buns

Basic Setting with Rollers

Basic Setting with Curling Iron

Proper Teasing

Doing Edwardian Hairstyles

Braiding

Bridal Upstyling

Glamour Upstyling

Geisha Themed Hairstyling

Knowing how to work on my own hairstyle is good but having someone trust me to do her hair is something different, something that I could really be proud of. With the proper technical background, I am glad that finally, I can now present myself not just as a makeup artist but also as a hairstylist. ;-)

Latte Love

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:37:00 -0500

Wherever we go, we’ll find that coffee is one of people’s favorite drinks. Its popularity is mainly brought about by its aroma and taste, but fascination with it does not just rely on these factors. The manner of its presentation also plays an important role.

Who would not want to be served with this lovely designed cafe latte? Even not avid coffee drinkers like me would surely drool and would want to ask for more.

I always think that if I only know how baristas whip their hands to come up with this lovely latte art, I no longer have to go to coffee shops just to enjoy my favorite coffee. This idea inspired me to join the Latte Art Workshop offered by Canadian Tourism and Hospitality Institute (CTHI) and Krups.

It was held last November 26 and was facilitated by Chef Mike Canlas and 4 other seasoned latte art trainors.

We started with the demonstration of how to come up with a perfect espresso shot and how to perfectly froth the milk.

A perfect espresso shot has to be hazel to reddish brown in color

The higher the fat content of the milk, the better

Then, the champion baristas who accompanied Chef Mike showed how they work on their craft.

Cafe latte at its finest

When we were given the chance to come up with our own latte art, I have figured that the conditions required of both the espresso shot and milk are really demanding. The whole process is expensive, tedious, and tricky.

Even if I am provided with high-end materials and equipment, if I am not passionate about what I am doing, I know I could never be a good latte artist.

Frothing the milk Pouring the milk into the cup with the espresso shot Putting chocolate syrup on top of the latte Etching My version of the hibiscus latte art

I tried doing one more latte art and came up with a simpler one. Good enough for a first timer, eh?

Coffee made with lots of love Bubbles are forming since the milk’s consistency is not good enough

Now that I am equipped with basic latte art knowledge, I can already have a great coffee experience right in the comfort of our very own home and even impress my loved ones with different creative coffee presentations.

At the end of the day, why do we have to settle for coffee served in styrofoam cups when an attractive option exists?

Alive Again

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:53:00 -0500

People used to think that I am just a tini-tiny being who is only busy with geeky stuff. Little did they know that I have actually been more active than any average girl. I am not engaged in any sport but I regularly go to the gym and always make myself available for any adrenaline-inducing action-packed activity. In fact, jumping off a cliff, climbing a mountain, joining a circus, and taking part in a triathlon are just few of the daring things on my bucket list.

I have recently been burnt out with work and felt sick, so I searched for something that could get my blood pumping again. Fortunately, Maiki, my teammate, asked me to try the Crossfit workout at the Crossfit MNL Gym in Libis.

Everything was fine at the beginning. Coach Matt Makalintal gave a little intro about Crossfit and make us do some warm up exercises. However, as the 15 minute trial workout went by, I suddenly felt the shortness of my breath. It was as if my heart beats a thousand kilometers per hour.

Trying to throw the 20 pound ball as high as I can

Doing pull-ups with the help of the green elastic band

I have always dreamed of trying the boot camp style workout of the US military, but I never wanted it to be as exhausting as this. The repetitive ball throwing, pull ups, box jumps, and burpees completely wiped me out. I was left gasping on the ground after this killer workout.

Jeric posing wackily despite the excruciating pain

Jeric just wanting to give up

Maiki and Cara, my friends who invited me to try Crossfit Feeling exhausted but definitely fulfilled

We tried Crossfit once just for fun, but because I know it is effective, I might be encouraged to go back whenever work allows me to do so. ;-) After all, it made me feel happy and alive again.

Boxing at First Try

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 00:56:00 -0500

Work has been stressful lately. Luckily, my teammate, Jeric, who also happens to be a licensed Muay Thai coach, invited me to join IBM’s Boxing and Self-defense Circle. I am not really into boxing but I gladly accepted the invitation because I badly needed de-stress that time.

IBM’s Boxing and Self-defense Circle

Nothng beats having a wacky picture before some serious boxing and self-defense lessons.

Just like in any intensive workout, we started with a little stretching and lecture on how to position ourselves right in this sport. After several group exercises, I had the chance to practice doing the jab, hook, uppercut, roundhouse kicks, and spinning backfist.

The training lasted for only a little more than an hour, but since it was my first time to immerse myself in those intense punches and kicks, I was indeed dead tired at the end of training. My knuckles turned red and my body ached as hell, but I had no regrets. Whatever I learned from the training would definitely be helpful, especially since I usually go home alone late every day.

My abused hands (the redness is not that obvious in the picture, though)

The idea of being able to use martial arts to defend myself from someone stronger is attractive. Though, I hope I would never really be in trouble and be forced to use our lessons to hurt someone. haha.

Jeric regularly teaches Muay Thai at Eclipse 24/7 Fitness Center. For those who are interested, feel free to contact him at 09179349268.

Coffee overdose

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:49:00 -0400

I remember posting this exact statement on facebook early this year:

Drinking coffee is like drinking a very pungent medicine. I abhor it so much but I need it. No matter how much creamer/sugar there is, my most hated taste won’t go away. It makes me want to puke all the time. gaaah!

Apparently, I was never really a fan of coffee. Aside from the fact that I do not like its taste, I also hate how it makes my heart palpitate so much. I only choose to drink a cup whenever I have to stay late at night for work and there is no energy drink or tea around.

Though, I have nothing against the people who are addicted to it. In fact, most of my friends and relatives spend so much just to buy one cup from famous coffee shops. If only for them, I would not mind learning the right way to prepare and serve coffee. The desire to please them was what actually dragged me to attend the Espresso 101 class at PBCA last Saturday.

I was offered a cup of latte before our class started. Once again, I was amazed with the art that Dexter, PBCA’s in-house barista, placed on top. My extreme delight made me take pictures of not just my coffee but also my classmate’s.

I had a hard time selecting the best sweetener for my drink given the large number of choices.

After 3 minutes of dilemma, I finally gave up and decided put the Torani Hazelnut Syrup in my cup. It broke my heart seeing the art vanish as I stir my latte.

Instructor Susan Edilo started with the discussion of emerging trends in the coffee industry. I learned that the P45 worth of coffee that people usually buy from coffee shops just costs P18. That made me think of venturing into this profitable business in the future. Here are some coffee beans that we were shown. It is noticeable that Arabica bean is elongated while the Robusta bean is rounded. We also learned about the different parts of the coffee grinder and espresso machine. After that, PBCA’s in-house barista finally taught how to process a perfect espresso shot.

As the first step, he loaded the porta filter with his desired amount of ground coffee. Then, he flattened and compressed the coffee through tamping. Finally, he installed the porta filter back to the espresso machine and brewed the coffee. Tada! Here are his finished espresso shots with a pleasant reddish hazelnut crema. The pure espresso shot did not seem so appealing to drink so our instructor taught us how to make the following espresso beverages from it:

Espresso Macchiato Espresso Con Panna Caffe Latte

A good latte art does not vanish even after the coffee has been consumed.

Cappuccino

A cappuccino that is correctly done does not have big bubbles, has a consistent crema, and has a foam that is dense enough to hold a spoon on top.

Frappe After being equipped with the basic knowledge of operating an espresso machine, we were given a chance to try making our own shots.

Presenting the first ever espresso shots that I made.

Based on the color, do you think I would already pass for a barista? ;-)

The printing of our certificates got a little delayed so while waiting, we were taught how to make a strawberry banana smoothie. It was really good. I got my certificate exactly after getting a taste of it. It was a fun-filled 4 hour class. After knowing how to prepare varieties of espresso drinks, I just might become a converted coffee lover soon.

Always Sober

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 07:33:00 -0400

Indeed, I have never been drunk in my 22 years of existence on earth. Why? Because I am allergic to alcohol! Loser as it may sound but yes, I am.

People always tell me to drink an antihistamine before going to “inuman sessions,” but I never did. Maybe because I think this allergy is actually working in favor of me. At least I can use this as my excuse from drinking something distasteful and save myself from the embarrassment of getting drunk.

When I go out, I usually just watch my friends drink and get tipsy. I sort of feel that I need to do something to involve myself in what they are doing, so I thought of joining this cocktail mixing class at the Philippine Barista and Coffee Academy (PBCA). Why not? I cannot drink, so might as well be the one to do the mixing of drinks. haha! I strongly believe that sober people can do that best.

I arrived early for class so I had enough time to take pictures of the cozy venue.

While waiting for others to arrive, the organizers of the event gave me and my classmates a cup of latte with an impressive design on top and made us watch a video about it. It is their way to encourage us to attend their Barista 101 class which I am actually thinking of joining later.

The class started with Instructor Susan Edilo’s introduction of the academy. According to her, PBCA is the only coffee school in the country that is affiliated with The American Barista & Coffee School (ABC’s).

My classmates and I also said something about ourselves and after mentioning where I am currently working, our instructor mentioned that PBCA is actually co-owned by my fellow IBMer, Eric Cruz.

We went straight to the discussion of bar materials, layout, and types of cocktails and glasses that match them.

Preparing drinks may seem easy but it is not. It really requires so much skills and mastery to produce a cocktail with a distinct character. Each should come with the right base, modifying agent, special flavoring, garnish and of course cocktail glass.

The class was not all lecture. We were also asked to try some special techniques and do the different types of mixing drinks, such as:

Stirring

Shaking

Muddling

The part of the class that I like best is the preparation of cocktail garnishes, like:

Lime Wheel Orange Slice Apple Fan Pineapple Wedge Moving on to the main part of the class, each of us was asked to prepare actual cocktails.

I volunteered to prepare the Apple Martini. I know I am allergic but I could not help myself from sipping a little of what I made. Gosh! It tasted real good! I never appreciated alcoholic drinks until that moment in my life.

The rest of my classmates tried to prepare the following:

Basic Mojito Margarita Screwdriver Tequila Sunrise

Finally, to squeeze our creative juices before the end of class, our instructor asked us to come up with our original cocktails.

Angel and I prepared this pineapple tequila with a twist of orange. Our instructor also came up with her spicy mango shake. It seemed weird but according to my classmates, it actually tasted good. For P800 worth of Cash Cash Pinoy voucher, I was able to get this certificate that makes me an eligible cocktail mixer. What a steal! ;-) In a span of 4 hours, I was able to learn a lot of things and had a very wonderful experience. Everyone in that class was friendly and accommodating. I cannot wait to meet them again for another class at PBCA.

Corsetry

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:06:14 -0400

Last Thurdsay, my group was invited to a gig at Dolce Superclub. It was for the event called Corsetry, a recital of 16 FAD modeling students. I have been dealing with neutral colors in my past gigs so I was glad to be given the chance to do colored make-up that night.

The show started late so I was not able to watch it anymore. The organizer of the event was just kind enough to provide me with the link where I got these photos:

Bonfire 2011

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 23:06:00 -0400

I went to Ateneo’s Bonfire that has already become an annual event since 2008. I was supposed to meet Karl and Keila there, but Globe’s signal sucked so I never really got the chance to do that.

The event ran well, except for the fact that it rained so the people had no choice but to stand under their umbrellas while witnessing the program.

Good thing the fire did not die despite the heavy pouring of water. As expected, Ateneo’s very own Sponge Cola performed on stage. The rain did not stop so I just left Ateneo early. Anyway, I know (or at least believe) I will be seeing these things again for there will be another bonfire next year. ;-)

VIP’s WAL Issue # 10 A month ago, I blogged about my...

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 11:00:00 -0400

VIP’s WAL Issue # 10

A month ago, I blogged about my make-up gig for the We are Learning (WAL) Magazine of VIP (one of my orgs in IBM). I felt like I did not give much justice to the beauty of our work in that post so now, I am sharing you the behind-the-scenes video that Aaron, VIP’s project lead, edited.

Also, here are some more pictures that Sans took and Vhong post processed for the magazine cover and feature story.

Aside from doing make-up for Lisette (IBM Learning Domain’s 3rd Line Operations Manager), I also worked as a graphic artist and did the layout of pages 4-19 of the said magazine. Just in case you want to see how the issue looks like, here is the online copy —> WAL Issue #10