The Third of July: Exactly 4 Months Before My Birthday!

I feel so BLESSED this Sunday!

I felt happy and proud when I wore my Children's Worship Service (CWS) uniform again after more than a year. I remember my last days as a CWS officer way back May 10th last year, when I did my duty in the finance. Naaalala ko pa that time, that was the 123rd birth anniversary of Ka Felix Manalo. At, ang pinakahuli na naabutan kong nangasiwa ... well, never mind!

I regained the spiritual strength when God finally allowed me to go back to CWS office. I'm praying for it for almost 3 months already. Thank God!

But ... as usual, I encountered my biggest trial -- my parents are against it. I even wondered why it is so. Well, I had include it in my devotional prayer, by the way!

That's why I'm not losing hope. Though my parents (I thought) were hesitant about that, I'm still happy to know that some of my relatives and friends, as well as my INC colleagues put their support on me. Special mention to my beloved Brother Emman (Oh, of course, I felt that he really wanted me to be back! I can't believe that he needs me. Awts! It's too much for me! I'm flattered. :-D)

Still, there is just one thing that confused me, about the ... (duh, I don't know what the exact term is!) "dako ng pagsamba" I'll be included, in case my application was followed up. Tita Sally, one of my family friends, who happened to be a CWS teacher like my aunt, recommended me in the Gazmin's residence. I became aware that the CWS head there, Ate Ela, was almost shook up because the number of officers there were gradually decreasing. The ones who were left there were her family and relatives, who were actually CWS officers themselves. Besides, they do not need to assign higher officers there, because her parents, her dad and her mom were a deacon and a deaconess themselves, respectively. But it's not enough. I felt that Ate Ela needed somebody who will help her take good care of the spiritual health of the kids who were there every Sunday.

Aside from that, Ka Jojo, the CWS chairperson assigned in our local and a teacher, advised me to attend the pagsamba or worship services on a Saturday night, for me to lessen my priorities brought by my usual Sunday schedule. On the other hand, I told him I also want to take office in Gazmin, but I'm worrying about my younger brother Michael, and my cousins who are going with me at the Padilla II. I realized that it would be difficult for us to travel a longer distance than we are doing in the Padilla II. Besides, it would also mean, longer time, more expenses and more konsumisyon in the part of the kids. Since we all know, many kids nowadays were very impatient and hyperactive, I don't want to get more stress brought by reprimanding them. Aaayyyt!

I almost forgot, July 3 is exactly four months before I turn 17. I have already started my countdown since May the same date. And that time I turned 16 and a half-year old. And this day I consider this event a God-given gift  that I'll never ever forget, not only for my birthday, but also for the Nijushichi-daVinChie Day. In fact, my beloved Jo also felt pride when I told all about it. As Jo and I celebrate our anniversary this coming July 27th (it was actually a double celebration, for we also celebrate the 96th anniversary of the Church of Christ/Iglesia ni Cristo in that day), we plan to have it on the day where we really had our bonding. Guess where! hahaha! :-)

I'm weighing the pros and cons of the big decision I made, and I'll just see it to myself, with the help of the Almighty God, that I really deserved to be back!


--Sister Sheila Perez.
soon-to-be Pangalawang Pangulo ng Padilla II.


Wow! When will it be?
Soon, hopefully!

November 28th: Trip to Cavite

I really don’t know if it is right. At that point of time kasi, I was so confused if I was about to join in the pilgrimage or not.

I think it doesn’t seem right, because, my faith is very far different from those of my classmates. Because I accept the fact that I am studying in a private Catholic school, and the mentors are assuring a great experience to all of us in Benilde, so I choose to go with them.

It so happened that when it came a time that we were about to pay a P675-cost field trip (it is not a pilgrimage. for me, it’s a field trip, you know??), I realized that I decided to go with them at Cavite “for the sake of going with them”. I just want to travel places which I didn’t see before.

In fairness naman, ang lalaki ng mga churches na napuntahan namin. All of them have a cross-like area (if viewed from above). Ang ikinaiinis ko nga lang, may mga kung anu-ano pang mga kalokohan. Yun lang talaga ang nakasira ng concentration ko sa paglalaboy. Promise.

The church I really liked the most is the Pink Sisters (Adoration) in Tagaytay. It is indeed a quiet place we may call a “contemplating place”. The Pink Sisters singing there really reminds me of the brethren all around the globe who were members of the choir. They really have a wonderful voice. But, I am also having pity on them. Biruin mo, ang sipag nilang mag-pray. Talo pa yung ilang mga kapatid who intend to neglect their duties and responsibilities in the True Church. I am sad about the efforts the sisters have made since they came inside the convent. Nalulungkot lang talaga ako. I really do hope that God will enlighten their minds and souls. I can’t take it that no matter how hard they try, all their efforts will surely be rejected by the One.

Meanwhile, when we are inside the bus, I am so shocked that I was made fun by some (like JC). I’ll show you this video.


As you can see, the flag that was near me (in the video) was found in the sidewalk by one of us in CF1A while we are on our way to the bus. We came from the Silang Church, the second of the five churches we have visited. Brian, a classmate of mine, asked us what flag it is. Being familiar with the design, color and the overall appearance of the flag, I answered, “Pwede bang akin na lang?? Flag kasi namin yan eh.” So, he gave it to me. I brought that flag when I went home.

Happy Anniversary sa Lokal ng Mandaluyong!

Napakagaan talaga sa pakiramdam kapag nakakadalo ka ng gawain. Bukod sa nakakawala ng problema at stress, nadaragdagan pa ang kasiglahan mo. Tama po ba ang pagkakabanggit ko, mga kapatid ko? Sana pakitawagan na lang po ako ng pansin kung sakaling may mali kong nasabi dito.

Sa totoo lang, noon pa lang na narinig ko ng sirkular sa pagsamba ukol sa gagawing Pamamahayag ng mga Salita ng Dios, (Huwebes iyon, kung hindi ako nagkakamali) buo na ang desisyon ko. Nasabi ko sa aking sarili na "hinding-hindi ko palalagpasin ang araw na iyon. Nais kong maibalik ang dating ako. Nais kong mapanumbalik ang dati kong kasiglahan. Ito na ang tamang panahon para maghanda."

Marso 22, 2010. Araw na pinakahihintay. Katunayan, maaga akong bumangon at naghanda ng aking sarili. Kahit sabihin nating gabi ang okasyon na 'yon, naka-mind set na ako. "Shie, may akay ka man o wala, tuloy tayo mamaya, ha? Okey ba yon? Walang sinuman o anuman ang makahahadlang, lalo na kapag ang Ama na ang nagtakda!"

Tila isang hamon ang naghihintay sa akin. Pagkakataon nga naman oh. May pilit na humahadlang sa akin. Hindi iyon nagpapatalo talaga. Hindi't hindi papayag 'yun hangga't hindi ako napatitigil nito. Kung ano iyon, aba, hindi na iyon mahalaga. Nalagpasan ko na iyon ng bonggang-bongga. Salamat sa Ama!

Nakakatuwa talaga, dahil pagdating ng kapilya, (in all fairness, hinihingal pa ako nu'n, sa akala kong wala na akong maabutan.) mag-uumpisa pa lang ang texto.

Ang pinakamatinding suliranin, ayon sa texto, na hindi masyadong nabibigyan ng pansin ng tao ay ang kasalanan. Tama ang kapatid na ministrong nangasiwa. At higit sa lahat, tama ang Biblia na siyang dapat pagbatayan ng tao sa buhay at pamumuhay niya. At katulad ng mga nakaraang Pamamahayag, itinampok ang tanging paraang itinuturo ng Dios sa tao para maligtas sa hatol ng Dios -- at ito ay ang pagpasok sa kawan, na siyang ating kinaaaniban ngayon, ang Iglesia ni Cristo.

Nawa lahat ng nakarinig nito ay hindi lang makarinig, kundi, ito ang laging tumimo sa puso, isipan at damdamin ng bawat isa, upang mapakinabangan nating lubos ang pagkakilalang ating natamo.

Purihin natin ang Ama, na Siyang nagbigay, nagbibigay at magbibigay ng tunay na tagumpay sa ating lahat!

... Pagbati ...

Binabati ko ng maligayang ika-30 anibersaryo ang Pastor naming si Kapatid na Edgar Pingol, mga manggagawa, ang Pamunuan namin, sina Kapatid na Delo Lim, Robin Esparrago, Ding Leoncio, Edwin Fadriquela, at Ino Mongcal; at ang katuwang nila, ang tiyuhin kong si Kapatid na Roger Pantoja. Ganoon din ang aking taos-pusong pagbati sa mga kapatid kong kapwa Mang-aawit, maytungkulin sa Pagsamba ng Kabataan (PNK), Kapisanang Binhi, maging sa mga lahat ng kapatid na hindi ko nabanggit, maligayang anibersaryo po sa ating lahat.