The Long Way Up

Since the dawn of human history, mankind has always had the inclination to want to know as much as they can about many things… important things… everything! There seems to have always been an insatiable hunger to attain awareness pertaining — and even peripheral — to whatever exists under the sun, occurs on the earth, and eludes logical explanation. In fact, in centuries of human civilization, the accumulation of cognizance has always been equated to the aggregation of might, and those who have gained vast amounts of awareness have more often than not inclined toward brandishing and wielding information to their own advantage and success. The old adage, ‘ knowledge is power ,’ has — for better or for worse — been proven true time and again throughout history. One does not even have to look into recorded historical facts of how Adolf Hitler’s knowledge of the theory of evolution and ‘the survival of the fittest’ led him and the Nazis to discriminate, segregate, and terminate thousands o...

Don’t think about it too much Just write your thoughts on the page as they come You know they’ve been piled up, scattered all over, and cooped up in your brain Let them out; let your mind breathe; give your thoughts more space Acknowledge everything that has been and release them Give your emotions exposure to the light of day Who knows what might come your way once you do You’ve thought about how much you’ve missed going to movies With friends like Archie, Mike, or one of the men you’ve mentored You’ve pondered about life perhaps not ever going back to what it used to be Certain that you do not want to revert to some of the old things Unsure of letting the others go You’ve thought about the utmost importance of times of solitude Especially when spent in the presence of God You’ve realized even more how valuable face-to-face interactions with people are The priceless moments you’ve invested into the lives of others way before all this happened And the future times you’ve yet to spend o...

Forty days. From the time our government announced that the country would be placed under a community quarantine to stave off the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, people have been experiencing different kinds of challenges and dilemmas brought about by the confinement of body and mind within the four walls of our homes. Forty days. Every week we would see statistics go up, go down, and go back up again. The number of deaths would be determined by the condition of the immune system of the infected. The number of the infected would be determined by the compliance and common sense of the healthy. The healthy would most probably determine the number of days the pandemic will last: if either or both compliance and common sense were readily found in the citizenry. Forty days.  A lot can happen in six weeks. Even in quarantine. A lot. Something good. Something bad. Maybe a bit of both. With this unprecedented global pandemic somewhat shutting down most of the wo...

It is so easy to criticize what people do and who they are from the sidelines of life, and from the safety and comfort of our own conceptions of the world. Many of us — peering into other people’s lives through rose-colored glasses or whatever filter of preference we use — vehemently transform ourselves from couch potatoes into armchair critics the moment we see a headline printed on the newspaper, hear a report blasted on the nightly news, or scroll into a post on social media that affects and offends our sensibilities. We then go up in arms, and sound off on how this guy should have done this, or this person shouldn’t have said that, or so-and-so could have made this decision instead. We analyze, conjecture, and postulate until we are satisfied that we have said our piece on the matter.  Oh, if only we were privy to the internal workings of each person’s mind and the behind-the-scenes progression of events in their lives, then perhaps, to some degree, we might actually be ...

Writing this blog entry about the epistle to the Philippians has been a very long and arduous process that began early this year, in the month of January. The last three months have been anything but ordinary — just about everything in life around the world as we know it has apparently come to a grinding halt because of the corona virus pandemic. On top of that, a personal tribulation in my life has shoved any desire for the creative to the back burner, as thoughts of worry and anxiety took the driver seat for a huge chunk of said three months. With the pandemic’s impact becoming more evident in my country in mid-February and sort of leveling off in early April, life here has taken a much slower pace, and the initial pangs of fear and discouragement have been gradually — and thankfully — replaced by faith and hope. This is due mainly to the abiding and comforting presence of God, and His assurance that not only does He have complete control of what is going on globally, but that ...

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Art, in and of itself, already has an alluring appeal to the human senses if we give it time to penetrate and permeate our sight, hearing, sentiments, and sensibilities. Words written on several pages of paper captivate a reader’s imagination; paints splattered and combined on canvas pique an onlooker’s curiosity; a musical instrument utilized by a vivacious virtuoso ignites the passion of a listener’s heart. Something else entirely different happens when two art forms are combined: the impact on the human senses are exponentially increased. We see this in the amalgamation of photography (the art of taking pictures) and the performing arts (dancing, singing, acting), which together have given us the magic of movies and filmmaking. The concepts that one art form conveys seem to be made more crystal clear when expressed in concert with another artistic expression. To be specific, when the art of writing is mixed with the art of music, it creates a means for a songwriter to exp...

I wrote this letter for my cell group of young adult men as an encouragement to them in this pandemic season. I'm  sharing this here hoping it would encourage others as well. - - - - - I hope you guys are all doing well and being compliant with the implemented Community Quarantine in Cebu. It's certainly strange to be undergoing something like this; I myself, in my 44 years of life, have never experienced anything like it. But let's face it: this is the world we are living in now (whether we like it or not), and for however long this corona virus season lasts, there are only a few options I see that we could take in response to it. 1) We could be FEARFUL and NEGATIVE about it. It's certainly a valid option in light of Covid-19 pandemic and how it has affected our lives on multiple levels: travel, trade, work, and study... all cancelled or curtailed. We could choose this option, give in to fear, and declare and spread our anxieties to other...

After watching the latest Kendrick Brothers' movie, Overcomer, and after coming out of our last session with the young adults (on Paul's epistle to the church in Ephesus) I got inspired to do a simple sweep over the text of the letter to the Ephesians and just compile what it says about "me". These are rich spiritual blessings indeed. CHAPTER ONE I am blessed with every spiritual blessing I have been chosen by Him before the foundation of the world… that I would be holy and blameless before Him I have been predestined to adoption as a son His grace has been freely bestowed on me in the Beloved In Him I have redemption through His blood I have been forgiven of my trespasses The riches of His grace has been lavished on me I am sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise CHAPTER TWO I have been made alive together with Christ even when I was dead in my transgressions I have been raised up with Him I am seated in heavenly places in Chr...

A few days ago my fiancee SURVIVED a motor vehicle accident involving an overspeeding SUV that ran a red light. The driver was apparently a speed-demon and probably fell asleep on the wheel, failing to notice that it was their turn to stop. My fiancee’s car was hit on the driver’s side somewhere between the hinge of the door and the front of the automobile. One of the emergency respondents said she was fortunate that the SUV hit her car at that exact spot as it absorbed most of the impact of the crash. Had it been a few inches toward the front door, the outcome would have been tragic.  Hearing this incident unfold was enough to make my skin crawl, conjuring images of my fiancee severely physically injured or, worse, dead. I can only imagine the shock and fear she must have felt during and/or after the incident. Certainly I felt a great scare on the day the accident happened, and a few days afterward. The pervading rumination was ‘she could have died,’ or ‘she could have been...

Photos are quaint inventions: they freeze moments in time and, when at a later time viewed, evoke emotions and memories of captured life events. I was earlier browsing through my old pictures that have been posted on Facebook and I was delighted by the different events it brought me back to, along with the varied feelings they stirred up in me. From family photos of vacations in Manila, to trips I had made to other countries, to the times I spent teaching biblical truths to high school students, to the first few dates I had with my fiancee, pictures have a way of immortalizing the fleeting and preserving the meaningful. Pictures also bring back precious memories of dearly departed loved ones: like my late father who can often be found sporting a matter-of-fact look on his face; or Sir Allan, a member of one of my Bible study groups who used to bring all sorts of questions to our meetings; or my cousin Edward who was witty, sharp, and amiable all rolled into one. Two ...

It's been a while since I said it last I'll make it quick and I'll make it fast I've seen in you the very best I choose you still; my heart invests A year and more, and more revealed Emotions, actions, words to wield Our love's become an open field I choose you still; to you I yield The little things and nuances They all add up to try and bless They're part of you, but I confess: I choose you still; I won't digress Becoming one with me you are You're getting closer though you're far No stranger to my battle scars I choose you still; thus says my heart Our journey's slow but getting there Has been assured by One Who cares With you around, my burdens share I choose you still, with simple flair

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