VICTORY WEEKEND

The cross would always remind me of our freedom through Christ. Two thousand years ago Christ shed His blood and died on the cross to set us free from the bondages of our sins.

And today, through Victory Weekend, it has reminded me of that freedom given to us, to me.. centuries ago. We ought to live that freedom and burn the bridges that connects us to sin and most especially embrace our new being in Christ. Indeed, whoever the son sets free.. will be free indeed (John 8:36). So let's celebrate and live that freedom.

I was like a freshly harvested onion covered with unwanted and useless skins. Every chapter discussed during the Victory weekend was like peeling those unwanted skins after another. And now,I am bare and fully peeled off and ready to be sliced to give that extraordinary aroma to people and willing to be stirred under fire to give taste and make a difference to the world.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
To God be the Glory!
:)

Here's the Link to:
Victory Weekend Recap Video

The Setting of the Sun

Let me share to you some of the sunset photos I took.

Ebenezer's Abigail's Cottage at Dusk

                                                        after a long day's work
                                               

                                                              the magnificent horizon

                                                          a walk under the setting sun

                                                   glory of the dusk

Sunsets remind me that another day had passed.
As I gaze upon its beauty, it assured that there really is a God above.

"Peace... is seeing a sunset, and knowing who to thank." 


"The sunrise is Gods greeting - the sunset, his signature. "

--Unknown 

As I watch it swallowed by the horizon and as it paint the sea orange, it gives me hope for the days to come.

"It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream."

--Bern Williams

TSINELAS.

Life is a long journey. We walk, we run to reach our destination.

We get tired and we rest but we never should quit.

On the middle of our walk comes a bumpy road called obstacles that caused us to be dismayed and lose hope. 

As we still walk further, our mind starts to bug us and question the essence of the journey. We feel unsecured of what the walk may bring us. 

As the day comes and night passes, the road may seemed longer than it should be. Our feet becomes hesitant to move forward and are tempted to step back and return. But you have come so far. 

We get to meet people along the road. We meet friends who would help us, guide us and even walk with us. We meet mockers who would tear us down and would not cease unless they saw us crushed. 

And when our feet paved their way to the finish line, we grow weary.. we may stink and filled with filth but our character is build and become much stronger as we prepare for the next destination. 

Tonight's episode of MMK reminded me these.

Homeless and orphaned, Edgar, 17, and his brother Dagul, 11, decide to go to their relatives in Samar on foot. The brothers have no money, no food, and they must walk more than 500 kilometers. Along the way, they meet people who help them but it's their love for each other that makes them strong and  determined to finish their journey...." 

The episode is a great resemblance of what really is happening in real life. 

My favorite part was when Edgar (AJ) asked his younger brother Dagul (Bugoy) "Pagod ka na ba? Gusto mo buhatin kita?" It reminded me of how God carries us along. As we walk the life, he never leaves us. He comes BEFORE us to guide us and to shield our way. He was our witness when we started to crawl. He was and is always ready to catch us even before we stumble. 

Just like how Edgar's slippers were busted which never became the reason of him stopping on the journey, we have to pursue and continue the walk even when discouragement try to tear us down. And just like how Dagul replaced his brother's slippers with a new one, God renews our hope and strength.

(nasaan ba kasi si Korina Sanchez nung kinailangan ni Edgar ng tsinelas?! :D)

The story also implied that wherever our feet may bring us, it will always lead us back home.

And soon, from the dust we came to dust we shall leave the earth and be back to our true home.. to the place where we truly belong.. HEAVEN :)

So let us not quit the road we travel, let us walk and run with perseverance.. knowing that Jesus is on the lead and a great prize awaits for those who walked, rested, discouraged but never quits.

The Last Curtain Call

"TSINELAS"-- the title of Maalaala Mo Kaya's episode tonight and the last curtain call of the late young actor AJ Perez.

As I watch the drama anthology, I was very impressed with the improvement of the skills in acting of the young actor. I remember him (on his TV shows and film) being not so fluid in speaking in tagalog. He has this kind of accent that makes it awkward to hear when he delivers the line. But tonight, I saw a different and more mature Aj Perez. His lines were delivered flawlessly, he shed tears with honesty and he collaborated with his co-star Bugoy Carino excellently. 

It brought pain in my heart as I watched him do a great job. His portrayal may kindle a lot of opportunities ahead.. bigger chances! He can be the next big thing!

I want to see him do another project with the same admirable or even better skill he showed tonight. But it hurts that this can never happen anymore. 

Whoever chose Aj and Bugoy to do this project, did a very good job!

The cinematography was awesome. The scene where they reached Albay where the Mayon Volcano served as background was breathtaking.

Throughout the show, there were signs that proved to be that this this MMK episode was really meant for AJ.

*The Long Journey: as they walk from Manila to Samar, it implied a long and tiring journey. As the make their way home in Manila.. Aj, after a show in Dagupan, fell asleep in the fatal van he rode in.

*The Road: the main setting of the drama was the road. it was also where the giggerboy spent his last hours on earth.

*The Bus and the Van: Edgar (Aj's character name/ the Homeless and orphaned letter sender) remembers the route to Catbalogan, Samar through the childhood memory he had with his mother who took him back home to samar riding a bus. He also used buses passing as a reference and an idea on where their feet have already taken them. The fatal van AJ was riding was hit by a bus.

and finally after a lot of undertakings along the road..

after being ridiculed by the people around them,  Edgar and Dagul finally reached back home to Catbalogan, Samar.

and after touching people's lives, after being an inspiration to the young people, after a short yet beautiful life.. Antonelloe Joseph Sarte Perez has finally reached HOME.