Birthday musings

Today is my birthday! Happy birthday to me! Today is my birthday! Happy birthday to me!

 

Another year of my life has passed and as I look back at all the birthday musings I had written the past couple of years it seems like I have the same sentiments each year.

 

It's not so much the age (okay to be completely honest yes the number matters gasp!) and growing old per se that scares me. More that growing a year older, it’s the process of looking back at the years that passed and discovering I have not done, accomplished, changed for the better and gotten wiser as much as I should have is what scares the crap out of me.

A colleague summed it up in not so many words when I asked him yesterday if he feels happy and in the mood to celebrate his birthday - that is to give us a treat har har!!! his answered me back with something to really ponder upon, he said "why should I be happy? when I have lost another year?"

True, I have lost another year but I guess I have gained much more in return. This year a feel somewhat different.

I gained a new perspective in life; I am learning to appreciate everything even more, to count my blessing and give thanks.

I have forged new bonds of friendship, mended the broken and revived the old.

I have a new source and sense of positivity that keeps me sane and calm during the days when all you want to do is burst from all of life's pressures.

I am in the process of slowly building and strengthening my Faith and little by little am starting to give back all the glory and honor to God thru service in the community. Steadily and surely God's hand is carefully guiding me.

Your Guiding Hand

 

I walk thru life just thinking

You are at the sidelines just watching

I live everyday believing

Everything happens only by my own doing

 

When I feel pain, shed tears and cry

I fail to see the reason and just ask “why?”

When I revel in the joys that life brings

I often forget to thank you for all your blessings

 

Your hand in my life I fail to see

Believing less in you and more in me

They say ‘we make our own fate’ you see

What I fail to realize is you silently guiding me

 

Yet you waited for me patiently

With open arms you welcomed me

Slowly opening my heart and eyes to see

That everything is because of you and not me

 

 

If I remember correctly, it was also February of last year that I was invited to join the SFC CLP and now that I think about it, it was God's perfect gift and I am thankful.

So ‘THANK YOU’ to each and everyone who sent their greetings and warm wishes! everyone of you is part of who I am and hopefully what I am is someone you can all be proud of knowing.

 

Super Surprise!!!

I have always loved surprises.

I love the careful planning process. I do not think the task tedious - okay maybe sometimes I do harhar! - but a form of affection for the celebrant.

I love the adrenaline rush of keeping things tightly under wraps from under the ‘target’s noses which is very crucial in keeping the surprise a surprise - did that phrase even make sense to you?!! haha!

I love seeing the roaller coaster of emotions reflected in the celebrant’s faces – from wide eyed look of surprise to the knowing smile of realization and the slow stream of tears falling from under their lashes from heartfelt appreciation.

It has been sort of a tradition in SFC to give birthday surprises and truly we are thisclose to running out of ideas and gimmicks to ensure the success of the surprise.

This month, as my birthday comes to a close, I began to get suspicious and make assumptions every time I am invited to a gathering. My imagination runs wild at the possible ways I could be surprised in celebration of my birthday, but every time, my assumptions were not materialized.

So I just prayed to God to tame my wild imagination and just let me enjoy the moment.

Yesterday it finally happened. I was informed at the last minute to come to a despedida party for our Unit Leader who is leaving for Canada at the end of this month. I honestly didn’t have time to process the situation and make assumptions because 1.) I was informed about each other’s whereabouts – who’s picking up who and etc – not really the usual thing to happen for surprise parties as special guests are kept secret till the last minute right? 2.) I was part of the entourage who ordered the food at brought it to the venue – again not the usual scenario 3.) the venue was not arranged when we got there and one of my co-celebrant (there are 3 February bday celebrants in our group) rushed to put the place in order despite feeling under the weather due to sinusitis.

Every slight inkling I had was thrown out the window because of these points. When the actual event happened they even came in holding farewell and good luck banners. When they presented us with flowers and our own banner, it took a moment for everything to sink in. It was truly a very pleasant surprise!!!

I am very thankful for my SFC family for giving my very first surprise party. It was something I secretly wished for ever since I was a kid. I truly appreciate all the time and effort that they have put into the planning – making it special by contacting my family and friends in the Philippines and making a collage of all their birthday wishes. I felt loved during the honoring and felt seriously overwhelmed at how much they appreciate the little things I do because at times I think it only as self-serving. I felt even more inspired at their encouragement and felt hopeful for the future as they said their wishes for me. I could not contain my happiness that I stayed up late messaging people on facebook, downloading photos and making a video of the event.

                                                                                                                                    

I really do love my SFC Family!!!

… and for all of this May God Be Praised!!!

SFC Evangelization Training

Of the many subjects in the Business Administration course I took in college, I guess the most challenging for me is Marketing. I mean I get the theories and stuff but when it comes to actually doing the marketing – that’s where I clam up. Naturally shy, it is hard for me to approach people and open up a conversation – much less sell a product or service, kulang ako sa kapal ng mukha!

For 2014, SFC’s first activity is the Evangelization Training. With the Bible verse of Matthew 28:18-20 “Go forth and make disciples of all nations” as its anchor verse – we learn the basic principles of evangelization and was presented with the fact that it is a job not only for Catholic leaders and missionaries but for all of us.

When we hear the word ‘Evangelization’ we have that connotation of serious people who can recall and quote every single bible verse in a heartbeat but as sister Mel Torralba discussed, even the most random act of kindness and a simple smile is a form of evangelization in itself as we share with others what God is doing in our lives thru our positive outlook and example.

I am sharing with you a simple Prezi presentation I made to highlight the vital points of the Training.

Our Priest, Our Friend

I am sure you have heard of parents, relatives and nannies scare children into behaving by telling them “sige, isusumbong kita sa pari” (I'll tell the priest on you) you might be even guilty of doing the same. 

In Church most specially, when children get restless, parents just have to point at the seemingly stern person standing at the pulpit and children would fall silent and over time develop a strange fear of priests.

This portrayal of priests to be stern and strict is warranted by the solemn and serious tone of the mass. Truly, it is only recently that priests lighten the mood by incorporating jokes and funny anecdotes into their homilies.

Even I feel shy and intimidated whenever we get in close proximity with our parish priest, but a recent visit with St Joseph’s Father Troy threw all my worry out the window.

As we shyly came into the parish we found him in a jolly good mood, humming to himself and singing carols under his breath. Father Troy chatted and asked about our prayer petitions like an uncle. The conversation was not constrained but natural – he was the same funny but wise person we hear during sunday services and at the end of our visit he asked us what our birth date was and gifted us with rosaries in corresponding color of our birthstone.

It was such a pleasant surprise and a delightful gift. We felt even more lighthearted and cheery that early morning, grinning from ear to ear.

It was a simple yet very symbolic gesture - the gift reminded me and encouraged me even more to obediently continue my personal prayer time...

... and for all of this May God Be Praised!!!