Singapore

 Figure 1. Speaking Hammers Generation - Me, Lolo Butch, Tatay Ken [I like this pic.]

It's funny that I still have time to write about these things.
I have three majors papers due tomorrow and an exam.
It's just that I miss my Blk 689a Choa Chu Kang Drive days - I had a great time indeed.

  Figure 2. 689

I miss the conference -  the times that you bend to your knees because of His overwhelming presence, or times that you see your tears flow endlessly because of conviction, or joy, or passion.

 Figure 3. G12 Conference

I miss the times that we'd have to run as fast as we could so that we'd be able to ride the train from Yew Tee Station, to Jurong East, then to Tanah Merah, and where we would "alight", Expo.

 Figure 4. SMRT

I miss the indispensable smell of the people there.
I miss the Asia Food Expo.

Figure 5. Asia Food Expo

I just miss that moment that you have nothing to think about.
But now, I am facing the reality - to many things to do for a young boy like me.
But then again, I chose this path.
No turning back.
I must keep moving forward and be exposed to things so that I'd understand more about Him, His grace, His love, His mercy.
After all the conference and everything, what have I become?
I am about to find it out soon.

Explosion plus acceleration.

 Figure 6. Dear Diary mode

Maling Akala.

Akala mo ba kaw lang ang may ka-date ngayong February 14?

Nasa Atrium kami. 
Mga babae sila, ako nama'y lalaki. 
Kami'y nakaupo sa sahig habang ang mga langgam ay nag-eenjoy sa mala-porselanang skin namin.
Nagkukwentuhan, nagtatawanan.
Biglang naging erratic ang heartbeat ko,
tinanong ako ng kasama kong babae,
"Kamusta?"
Alam kong hindi ako okay.
Hindi ako okay.
Hindi ako okay, okay?
Akala nila matapang ako.
Akala nila magaling ako.
Akala nila single pa ako.
Akala nila wala akong ka-date ngayong February 14.
Tama nga sila, matapang, magaling, at single pa ako.
Pero mali ang iniisip nila na wala akong ka-date ngayong February 14.
Dahil meron.
Meron.
Meron.
And superdupermegaover excited ako, pati na rin ang puso ko
Gusto ko ng maging okay, okay?

1 Corinthians 3:16

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

Updates - Photos

NOTHING BUT PHOTOS.

You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

- Romans 14:10

Break the barrier.

Just because you see people doing the same foolish thing, it doesn't mean that you have to follow.

Today, I learned to break the barrier. Barrier, according to the dictionary, is any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective. This can pertain to different things, such as fear, et al., which we usually encounter when we have a certain goal or dream. Why is breaking the barrier important? Allow me to have a case in point.

Romans 5:19 (New International Version)

¹⁹For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

If we want the people around us to be righteous, just as we claim ourselves, we have to display the right attitude and actions, which we want others to follow. If we don't want the people to be corrupt, then, logically, we have to show the people how a person that is not corrupt works. Even in small things or actions, we have to let everyone, the conscious or the unconscious people, know our advocacy through actions.

Perhaps sometimes, fear, or the like, hinders us from doing such good things. But we should stand firm and break the barrier that hinders us from achieving our goal. We have to break that mindset (barrier) that small acts of kindness won't help in achieving peace in this world. We have to break our fears and express our sincerest emotions. Stop being a copycat. The Creator gave you your mind for you to be able to think and make decisions on your own, decisions which are subject to circumstances or approval. But now's time to break those barriers. Now's the time to stand on your own feet.

Remember this:

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. -N. Mandela 

You fight for freedom and democracy and want it, yet, you abuse it. Don't be a barrier. 

Fast lane.

Romans 2:21-24 (New International Version)

²¹you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²²You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

 A fast entry: Let us be true to our words, and actions. Bantay-bantay, as in watch out-watch out.

By the way, I now have my planner. Can't upload the pics from my phone right now, I forgot my USB cord.

It was character that got us out of bed, COMMITMENT that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through. - Zig Ziglar

Security.

"It's not enough to finish the race yourself. To be successful, you must take somebody with you across the finish line." - John Maxwell

The saddest thing perhaps is winning alone.

No, I am not writing these things because I won something. I just realized, some of us are so obsessed to get a trophy that we often neglect the people around us. We neglect the relationships, which actually helped us reach the place where we're standing right now. It's good to envision something, to envision success. But when we become so focused in achieving this, our environment then becomes so obscure that we develop our own "blindspots". After a time and after regaining consciousness, the world has actually turned away from you. The key here? Don't put much trust in yourself, egotistical creature. Slow down and find a good company.

But hey, to whom do you share your success with? Your failures? Your hopes? Your dreams? Winning alone is indeed the saddest thing. People may leave you, because of their eagerness to finish the race first. Or because of mere jealousy. But He is just up there, waiting for you. He is there, willing to run with you. In Him is the only place that is secure. He doesn't need a perfect person. He needs someone, someone like you.

 ⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

 - 1 Samuel 16:7

Cold and Foggy Afternoon

After our exam in FST 147 - Principles of Product and Process Development, we noticed that the ground in front our college, CSM, was covered with fog. Everyone then shouted "Korea", all dreaming that we're in Korea and experiencing the "foggy feeling" and the when-you-speak-the-fog-comes-out-from-your-mouth-feeling. We took some evidences, thinking also that we'd capture some orbs around. Unfortunately, we were not able to find one.

We made our way to the Admin building by means of walking, and even the Kanluran road was filled with fog. We even heard someone talking, "Fog siya pero baho'g aso." (It's really fog, but it smells like smoke.) When we reached the Admin building, Carla and I waited for our cell members to come, while my other classmates went ahead to the C5 building to prepare for their Navigators Nite. Sadly, they were not able to come since they had to do something, so we decided to attend the Nav Nite. It was a good decision, I must say, since it made me go back to this verse:

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New International Version)

¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Where did I meet this verse? Encounter. Ooh, my mind was gradually filled with the memories that I had during the retreat. I am a new creation. I am a new creation. And I think that I should implant that verse on all corners of my brain. I always commit mistakes, sins, etc even if I have already encountered God. But you know what? Thanks to my daily reading of the Bible, God told me this:

1 Samuel 12:20 (New International Version)

 ²⁰ "Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

Most of us, after committing sins, rather that confessing and repenting, we hide ourselves from Him. Some of of us don't want to commit their lives to Him thinking that committing sin is inevitable. Yes, it's inevitable, but hey, should we allow this fact to stop us? This is where our faith should come in. Despite everything, everything, every difficult circumstance, we move forward. We know that God is beside us if we repent and confess our sins. It's inevitable but the God's love is unfailing. Remember the word unfailing.

As for me, aside from the verses above, I wouldn't want to forget this verse:

Acts 20:24 (New International Version)

²⁴However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

P.S. Stick to people who can increase your faith. Thanks friends, thanks Super Hammers, thanks BCC family, thank you.