LIFE OF A SERVANT

Adventurous? Life is full of surprises. Even if you plan your life as what you want, there's a path that lead you to crossroads. This crossroads lead me to experience things I never wish nor planned in my life but here it is. Face the reality. I'm lost, I don't know what path to take. I'm tired, I want to quit. Out of nowhere there's a strong force guiding me to a place I'm not familiar with. During this times of turmoil, time of trying times. I ask myself "what keeps me on serving ?", "It is for my own?" As I examine it leads me to a deep purpose. Now I remember that once in my life I test His power and made a vow, a promise, a covenant between me and Him. Nobody knows, but how could I keep my promise? To proclaim His love. But how could I proclaim? Through the creation He made. Human, an imperfect human, doubts, fears engraved. A promise should not be broken especially if it made by the unseen Powerful Creator of All. Struggles, hindrances a test of fire make the black stone, glitter into gold.

WHO GIVE THE BEST ?

"KNOCK AND IT SHALL BE OPENED"

"ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN"

"SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND"





This Christmas a friend of mine invited me to have carol. I think first, because as I remember,I was only six year-old then and that is the first and the last carol that I have. But now in my adult life better than buying candies is a more complicated need. December 23 we started 9:30 P.M. at first we serenade one house till four songs, but nobody came out, we said "nice try its our practice" Second house "return tomorrow" Third house "please forgive" "you have forgiven" silent murmur.

We passed by small and big houses, most houses have dogs, but this gentleman in front of their home is a big dog barking at us but still we continue singing not paying attention to the barking dog. A handsome gentleman came out "great I thought you'll be afraid of my dog" And he gave us a fifty peso bill. Our motto that night "Its a game of number, we have to serenade all the houses that we see big or small." It was an exciting Christmas we carol even the woman who washed clothes in front of their house. Wow!, for her what a beautiful woman and a privilege to sing in front of her. She's like a queen that night. We also serenade a woman doing pedicure. All smile they love singing in front of them, we passed by party people, request songs but hey, we're not a professional singer. We just sing from our heart, our only asset is our fighting spirit saying "we can make it"

As we continue we passed by at the remote areas to that small nipa hut as we sing I remember Joseph and Mary when they're looking for a place at Betlehem, but nobody took them in, till they find a place for camel, but the manger was born in that humble but peaceful and carefree world. As we carol Mang Titoy silently sit, not expecting to give any penny we just enjoy what we're doing. Two of our colleague dance and we do the chorus, and at the end Mang Titoy gave us a one hundred peso bill, for us it was the highest amount that we received. "Its not how big the house is ,its how big the heart is."

THE YOUNG SOWER

Mainit ang sikat ng araw na nanunuot sa balat ng bawat tamaan nito. Ang lupa'y tigang, sa kabilang banda'y nandoon na ang batang manghahasik. Maaga pa lang nasa taniman na ang batang manghahasik at sumisigaw nang , "Gising mga kapwa manghahasik at tayo'y maghasik ng binhi." Nagising nga ang ibang manghahasik ngunit galit na galit sa Kanya. "Batang manghahasik, halika nga rito." "Nakikita mo ba ang punong iyan?" Nakita nga ng batang manghahasik ang itinuturo ng kapwa manghahasik ito'y isang matayog na puno ng igos,. "Opo ito'y isang matayog na puno ng igos." "Tama at sa tantiya mo baguhan pa lang kami sa mundo ng pagtatanim?" "Hindi po, dahil upang makapagpayabong ng gayong katayog na puno taon ang bubunuin." Kung ganoon batang manghahasik mauunawan mo ang aking sasabihin, matagal na kaming nagtatanim at naghahasik ng binhi ngunit walang napapala." Ngayon bilang nauna sa larangang ito, ngayon pa lang sinasabi ko sa iyo, tigilan mo na ang paghahasik, dahil tulad nami'y wala ka ring mapapala sa iyong ginagawa."; Nag isip ang batang manghahasik, "Tama ang aking kapwa manghahasik, bakit pa ako maghahasik, wala naman akong mapapala." Nanghina ang kalooban niya na ipagpatuloy ang nasimulan, kaya't namaalam na siya sa matandang manghahasik. "Tama po kayo, kung gayon maghahanap na lang po ako ng mas makabuluhang bagay kaysa sa paghahasik ng binhi." "Magaling kung ganon, dahil ang katulad mong isang bagito, hamak at walang halaga sa mundong ito ay walang karapatang umani ng bunga." Pinagtatawanan siya ng mga matatandang manghahasik. Sa daan palabas ng taniman, nakita niya ang isa pang manghahasik nakaupo sa pilapil. Nilapitan niya ito at umupo sa tabi nito. "Kaibigan, kumusta?" "Galing ako sa kabilang ibayo, kasama ng isang banyaga nais kong takasan ang mundo ng paghahasik." sagot ng manghahasik. "ngunit bigo pa rin ako, ayoko ng maghasik dahil bukod sa tigang ang lupa, kapag daka'y may baha at bagyo upang tangayin aking mga inihasik." "laging may kulang sa aking buhay ako'y pinanghihinaan na kaibigan upang magpatuloy." Ni isang salita'y walang masabi ang batang manghahasik ang tanging alam niya'y gutom ang kanyang kaibigan, kung kaya't inilabas ang baong tinapay at ibinahagi sa kapwa manghahasik. "Kaibigan kain tayo ito ang tinapay pagsaluhan natin." Napapangiti ang kaibigan sa pagkain ng tinapay. "Kaibigan napakasarap ng tinapay na ito "Tunay kaibigan dahil ang tinapay na ito ay buhat sa inaning bunga ng trigo na ang tanging puhunan ay dugo at pawis." sagot ng batang manghahasik. "Dahil sa tinapay na ito kaibigan ako'y nagkaroon ng lakas at pag- asa na magpatuloy sa pagtatanim." "Dahil may kilala ako na batang manghahasik, na nagpapatuloy sa kanyang nasimulan at nagtitiyaga hanggang magkaroon ng bunga ang kanyang inihasik upang maging kapakinabangan ng marami." "Salamat kaibigan, di ka nag iisa dahil magkasama tayo sa hamon ng buhay."

Nasisiyahan na naghiwalay ang magkaibigang manghahasik at sa paglalakad ng batang manghahasik kanyang naisasaloob "Di ko kaylangan magtanim ng binhi ng puno ng igos, maging matayog man ngunit walang bunga ." Mas nanaisin kong maghasik ng binhi ng trigo na sa kapanahunan at magbunga yumuyukod ito at nagsasabing "handa na ang aking bunga upang maging pagkain ng marami." Bilang nilikha tunay na ang halaga ng ating buhay ay hindi batay sa ating natamo ngunit ito'y nakasalig sa ating naibahagi.

DOWNPOUR

It was a clear morning, all of a sudden the rain fall, I'm not prepared I have no umbrella with me. If I will wait till the rain stop maybe I'll stay till afternoon. So I walk and said " Holy water from heaven". As I walk, I saw a man sitting and carrying with his arms, something like a cloth but as I looked closely its a tiny baby keep with his father's arms and hug it as tight as he could. I was touched by the father's gesture and a whisper from above said "It's like you no matter how hard the rain, the storm, or heat of the sun I will keep you with my loving arms because you are my baby."

THE GRAND PRIZE

It was a day of revelation, on who will become the winners, especially who will bag the grand prize which is the vios car. At the start of the program everyone was very eager to come to the climax, they rush. An old woman beside me was always complaining she has many doubts, "what if.....?" she give side comments and at my back two couple who are angrily complaining about other, about the committee, about the mechanics, etc.The raffle draw start for the minor prizes and this man catch my attention, "and the winner for this minor award is Benjamin Soriano" how I wish his my relative despite the fact that his cute he exude an extra ordinary attitude, with his silence you can feel the faith within. Everyone is shouting wishing they are the one but this man without a word quietly listening and standing at the silent corner of the room. In him I saw the faith of Abraham he sacrificed his son Isaac but the good God never allow this to happen" With his silence its like saying "here I am Lord use me" "Your will is my will". "And here it is the winner for the grand prize is Benjamin Soriano!" "Again!" exclaimed the crowd "how lucky he is" He deserve it he stand quietly but exude faith within. I didn't bag any prizes from the raffle draw but I bring home one great lesson "Obey first before complaining."

Ang Hawla ng Pag-ibig

Kaligayahan bang ganap kung ang tinatangi ay mapasakamay?

Tuwing umaga'y nagigising sa masiglang awitin ng pang umagang ibon. Nagbibigay sigla at pag-asa sa panibagong dahon ng buhay. Matayog na puno ang tahanan ng ibong yaon, at sa kamusmusan nais maangkin mahiwagang nilalang. Kung kaya't sinusundan bawat pagaspas at kung saan ito'y humihimlay. Aha! sa puno ng mangga malapit sa dampa ang iyong kanlungan. Dali- daling inakyat matayog na puno di alintana ang katayugan nito dahil ang pangunahing pakay maangkin yaring tinatangi. Pagdating sa ituktok ng puno, ano itong nakita? Isang pugad na hinabi buhat sa pinagsamang tuyong dahon, balat at balahibo. Isang natatanging obra, paanong ang gayong nilalang ni walang kamay, bagkus tuka at mga paa ang siyang kasangkapan ay nakalikha ng isang obra? Madarama na ang natatanging nilalang ay may masidhing pag-ibig sa kanyang mga inakay. Nakita ko ang bagong pisang itlog at ang tatlong inakay na wari'y umiiyak. Sumisiyap, ngunit ang ina'y nasaan? Marahil naghahanap ng pagkain para sa kanyang mga inakay. Naawa ako sa aking nakita, kung kaya't ibinaba ang pugad na yaon at dinala sa bahay kubo,doo'y pinainom at pilit pinakain ngunit di pa handa sa gayong pagkain.Gumawa ng kulungan at doo'y isinabit malapit sa bintana.

Umaga na naman ngunit di marinig ang masayang awit ng pang umagang ibon sa halip narinig iyak ng malungkot na inahin na hinahanap kanyang mga inakay. Sa bintana malapit sa kulungan nandoon siya't nililibot nagsasabing "mga anak, ah! pakawalan ninyo ang aking mga anak." Dali-daling umakyat at ibinalik mga inakay sa pugad na nasa tuktok ng puno.

Sa wari ko'y masisiyahan pag naangkin yaring nilalang ngunit hindi, dahil ang hawla na aking pinaglagyan ay isang maliit na lugar kumapara sa kalawakan. Dahil ang tunay na kagandahan ng isang nilalang ay makikita kung siya ay malaya. Ang paglipad,ang pagawit,magagawa lang niya pag siya ay ganap na malaya.