The Iloilo Experience

Overwhelmed.

It's the closest word I could think of

to describe how we felt when we were in Iloilo.

Zach's Tree flew there last Saturday afternoon.

We were warmly received in the airport by the organizers

bringing along some snacks for us on the way.

We went straight to a hotel prepared for us! Wow.

Then we proceeded to St. Paul's Iloilo for the Marian Festival.

After setup, the program began. First was a chorale contest.

And we were asked to be judges! Haha.

Then we were up for the Worship Concert.

It was a worship experience I would never forget.

Afterwards were the awarding and picture taking. Hahaha.

After the event, they treated us out for dinner and drinks.

Then we were back in the airport for the earliest flight back to Manila.

I realized that you cannot really outgive the Lord.

When you give, it will come back to you like an overflowing river.

He really surprises you beyond your expectations.
I felt that God was treating us with joy for saying yes to his call.

And you know what, because of the experience,

it moves me to give more.

Because I am blessed, I will bless the world.

To St. Paul's Iloilo, thank you for the honor of having us there.
Thank you for the warm reception, and the love you expressed to us.
You keep us inspired in our craft. God bless all of you!
Special thanks to Dexter, Ms. Kaye, Ms. Con, and Hansel
for touring us around after the concert. =)

We pray Lord that you would bless your Zach's Tree,
enlarge our territory, that you hand would be with us,
and you would keep us away from evil.
Grant our request in Jesus name, Amen.

Mike, Mico, Arya, Mayi namiss namin kayo.
But I'm sure there would be more of these next time.
Sana ma-complete na tayo.

Friends, I spared you a long article about the experience. Haha.
Because this time, I want you to see the details in pictures!
Yup, I want you to check out our St. Paul's Iloilo experience
in Carlof's multiply site. Feel free to comment. Have fun!

http://pajengjeng.multiply.com/photos/album/386/Zachs_Tree_Minus_Three_in_Ilolilo_12062008

*******

By the way, I really had a great long weekend!
Because all those I listed in my previous entry, was done.
It's so fulfilling!
Thank you Lord for being faithful to complete my long weekend.

Didoy

My Long Weekend

I'm writing this entry before I go to sleep after
10 long hours of studying for a Pharmacology long exam tomorrow.
Yup. Ten grinding hours at Starbucks to study drugs.
And my class hours for tomorrow is 7am-6pm.
*blink* *blink*
No, I'm not complaining.
Two years into med school,
I've long accepted the fact that this is my life.
BUT...
I've also learned the wisdom that there is more into this life.
Not just to make it through Medicine and be a great doctor someday,
but also trying to be more as a person,
living the fullness of life,
and giving justice to my existence in this world.
So during weekends, I dedicate my time to the things
that add more meaning into my life.

As I go to sleep tonight, I'm dreaming of the long weekend ahead.
Oh it's gonna be a great time!

Saturday:
I'll fly to St. Paul's Iloilo to be part of an annual vigil
in celebration of the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
I'm so blessed to be with my dear friends
Kerygma preacher George Gabriel, Carlo Fernandez,
and Pier Asuncion as we lead the whole student body
into a worship concert.
And to be able to jam with my gifted friends, doubles the thrill.
We are so keyed up about it!
It's an honor for us to be invited there, ready with our passions to
give praise to the Lord and be His ministers through music.
Yahoo!

Sunday:
We'll be back to Manila by the earliest flight.
And we will go straight to The Feast in Valle Verde Country Club.
It's a weekly event wherein people gather to worship,
learn from a preacher, and celebrate the Eucharist together.
I consider this as my 'going up a hill to pray'.
I learned this kind of attitude from Jesus.
After performing the miracle of feeding the five thousand men,
"he sent the people away and went up a hill by himself to pray".
(Matthew 14:23)
Humbling isn't it?
Jesus himself, the God that he is, set aside everything just to pray.
He made time to go up the hill to be refreshed
after ministering to His people.
If you go on with reading the bible passage,
you would find that when the evening came,
Jesus performed a miracle again. This time he walked on water.
Every Sunday is my time for that 'hill experience'.
I get refreshed, revived, and helps me offer to the Lord
all that I've been through during the week that has passed.
Friends, I invite you to go up the hill once in a while.
It keeps you from burning out because of life's work,
and it keeps your head from swelling up because of life's successes.

In the afternoon, I'm coming home.
Our family spends Sunday afternoons to visit Papa in the cemetery.
Since Papa passed away,
we made it a point to be together during this time.
It's like Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring;
all the members of the family, from all our busyness in life,
becomes reunited with a common purpose:
to be together and just have fun.
We pray, have a picnic, and enjoy each other
with kwento and kulitan.

In the evening, my Kuya Aboy and I
bond with our high school friends for a basketball game.
We are currently training for an upcoming basketball league
organized by the alumni of our beloved alma mater.
When we were younger, my Kuya and I are die hard sports buffs.
We were in the varsity teams of volleyball and basketball.
And when we face each other during the intramurals,
we would be really slugging it out. Well, that's another story. Haha.
Up to now, we are still keeping up with sports despite our schedules.
And oh, one more reason why we are still hanging on to basketball.
We are gaining weight. Hahaha.

Monday:
Thank you Lord for this extra day off!
Definitely I'll be getting some extra sleep. Yehey!
I'd be able to dine with my family on a weekday.
I'll get to play the piano and maybe write a new song.
I'll get to play with Cheeno, our cuddly baby dog.
I'll get to watch TV and DVD's!
It's funny when I get teased by my friends outside Med school
because I'd be such a loser into their jokes
especially when it's about TV.
Oh well, I don't care. Haha.
The best thing about an extra day is that
I get to hang around the house and just be there.
It opens an opportunity for anything that I'd be with my family.
I'll just be relishing the time that I'm home.

***
My friends, the keyword is BALANCE.
Life is like God's blank music sheet.
He's given us the gift to choose what kind of music to fill it with.
What we compose is what we would be singing and dancing with.
Choose to fill your life with not just one kind of music,
but with melodious masterpieces that resound with love and purpose.
Because as we stand at the gates of heaven when mortal life ends,
the Lord will not ask us on how successful we are,
nor on how much we have done for Him;
but on how much we have joyfully sung our hearts out
and found meaning into His gift of life.

Have an exciting time making music!

Didoy


P.S.
Check out the link to know what I referred to as The Feast.
http://preacherinbluejeans.com/channels/3/the-feast