PLAY BALL

[Playing with memories from January 6, 2015]

Last Saturday, January 03, through the efforts of Tibor, my former buddy in sole and spirit, the intoxicating spirit that is, old friends from the olden days gathered at the playing court of our northern village to play ball but in a lighter skirmish.

But there were just the four of us albeit the original plan was all ten players should strictly belong to our fabulous generation only which is 40-up. However, when Titit, Emak, Pakert and Baks didn’t show up, a thirty-something (?) fella called Mamert was compelled to be our instant fifth draft.

And we, therefore, were forced to take the challenge of the much, much younger generation instead, them versus us. Those were fresh legs against wobbly knees, pure muscles and banging bodies, crushing our shoulders, bulge and fats.

And add to the fact that our opponents were sharper and faster. Yet, I must tell you this, brother, an experience is the best teacher. Bullying exists not in our public and private schools only. Most of the time right inside the court, bullies roam around freely.  Remember this again: brute force by itself does not win games, this I guarantee. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, like scare tactics intended for a hapless referee.

Hey, let me be clear on this, man, it doesn’t mean that our team resorted to such sort of tactic when we won that Saturday game. No, it was not due to pure “luck” either as we worked hard for it knowing what was at stake was either honor or shame.

It helps incredibly too that a little application of pride, if not the unrelenting will to survive, makes you win. For it urges you to keep on runnin’ although you’re convinced now there’s no such thing called as 'second wind.'

Therefore, I’d like to reiterate here a fine lesson again that was learned by everyone therein: despite believing fully that most of the time it’s mind over matter, still, we’re going weaker and dyin’.

We can have the most helpful vitamin and energy-booster through our money or wealth, yet, like the rest of human physicians in the world, they can’t stop—they can only delay—death.  But with or without wealth, in whatever state we are, if it is already our Maker’s will and plan, nothing can stop Him even for a second in the implementation of such will for every human.

Everything that happens and will happen in this world is according to the all-knowing God’s grand design. All occurrences in the past, present and future were already written since the foundation of time. He knew beforehand that I would accept Him too as my Lord and Savior in full.  That I’d believe in His salvation that’s available, free, to those who’d believe in Him and all.

He foresaw it I’d believe too in what He said through Isaiah the prophet, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18). That there in the City of Gold, I can still play ball, dude. For where I’ll be, I’ll never grow old.  For good.

I pray you can ‘play’ with us too in the grand arena of the Great Beyond.  It is always an individual choice, Oh man… the ball is now in your hands….

FATHER AND SON

[Raising memories from January 4, 2014 at 1:05pm]

For the very first time in his twelve-year existence, my son John Caleb did finally attend the Keswick Conference. Keswick is an annual year-ending event for the youth gathered together not for anything trivial, but for very important stuff to be nailed in their skull like erasing notion that being young is being immortal.

 

I totally understand such kind of feeling being experienced by the young because I felt the same way when I was their age.  When my tender mind totally believed no way bad things would happen along the way since a young life is everything positive.

The youth are the hope of this land and they are the very ones to reign our tomorrow. The way we raise them today will define our future whether it would be joy or sorrow.  We can never be absolutely certain if someday they will become the man or woman we wanted them to be.  Only God knows for sure because we never know as well what these kids’ own choices for their future will be.

It’s pretty scary if they would go left to become acolytes of the universally dreaded Taliban, or swerve right to be an ever willing cannon fodder and sacrificial pawn of the Americans. Let’s just pray these daring youth would choose the path to everyone has also unveiled, neither to the left nor to the right but the straight and narrow road which is the one less traveled.

But to head this way is not for us to decide for them to be taken, as we can do nothing but only to give our best as many are called but few are chosen (Matt. 22:14)).  After having been invited by other young people to attend the Keswick, as what my son had told me, without a second thought he agreed readily, but I did already suspect the main reason for such willingness on his part was none other than his weakness or wickedness: Jollibee.

As on the night before their group departure, he sweetly approached me while I grumblingly helped packing his things along with his mother, I could sense his full conviction and belief our consent would be automatic when he begged for Jollibee’s budget for his breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I exploded naturally because Keswick is a five-day live-in conference and all he wanted was to add more mammon to Jollibee’s gazillion, aside from the fact that if I’d grant his wish the rest of us couldn’t eat for a week due to his ambition of acquiring bad cholesterol and lifetime poison. But as what we used to do, young people are born to argue. My son also tried to plead his case, and suggested, to buck the trend he could also try “McDo.”

That’s the young today. Just like most of us yesterday. I only wish Caleb would no longer argue next time if he doesn’t know his further argument would be worse than his first point just for the purpose to disagree. Like a father who was so angry because his basketball-crazy son was not included in varsity team due to the boy’s poor eyesight thus the father begged the school for a remedy:

Make his son the referee.

STAR LOVE

Something in me had joined in with the world in feeling the loss of Ms. Carrie Fisher, known as the tough-as-nail-but-smooth-as-silk-as-well ‘Princess Leia’ the world over.

Sorry, friends, but a child in me will always be a big fan of that George Lucas’ masterpiece too.  And my most favorite sub-plot of which is concerning her love team with the unkillable Han Solo.

To me, their tandem would be more exciting than that of Jack Dawson and Rose Dewitt Bukater, or even of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara.  Therefore, I was tickled to the bone when I saw them back to each other again in ‘The Force Awakens,’ the seventh episode of the Star Wars saga.

It’s so romantic to see a young couple deeply in love yesterday for a moment, separated for a long period of time, and reunited in the end.  When they embraced each other, I would also feel freed longing they both suppressed then, with their sense of fear of losing each other again.

I think the sweetest love story ever known to mankind is the one that painstakingly endured the test of time.  Time is always the best barometer of one’s love for another, its genuineness glares be it in words or mime.

Of course, there are some loves we knew that sparked or started in so short a time and seemed to have gone perfect.  However, they come far and few in between as more often they were short-lived as if they have suffered “short-circuit.”

Yes, love’s time-measured, true love is patient, as I Corinthians 13:4 says.  The longer love goes the sweeter it grows, and glows in joy and peace.

And there’s only one kind of love apt to be called the greatest:  what else but the love of God that’s beyond time and space.

YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW (AGAIN)

Honestly, I wasn’t shocked, I saw it coming, yeah, that ex-President Gloria would go scot-free.  This after I learned she likewise supported the candidacy of current President Digong Duterte. 

And that makes another ex-President, the legendary Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada, a genuine genius to me, to be frank.  Erap it is who coined and immortalized the phrase “Weather-weather lang,” to which everyone agrees, including a skunk.

And now, the weather fully favors Gloria, current House Deputy Speaker.  So, don’t be surprised if anytime now she and her family would regain their power.  Besides, her trusted top aides then are now Duterte’s reliable men thus they’re powerful again.  They all belong to the inner circle, what, with ex-AFP Chief Esperon and Jesus Dureza at the helm.

It’s the great circle of life, as said the sage Old Rafiki.  That is to say, the world as it was, the world as will be.

Look at Israel, from the very start she is the subject of envy and hatred of many nations.  No wonder until now Palestinians and Iran, among others, are working for her extinction.  It was prophesied that tomorrow, all countries in the planet, including ours, God forbid, will rise up against Israel and show and throw at her our hot displeasure and hatred (Zech. 12:3). 

However, it is written too that God Himself will fight for Israel.  Just like He did in the past for her in every unforgettable battle.  They wholeheartedly believed in Him, they would win.  They doubted, they lost, and ended up in bitter pain.

Same with us Christians, we win spiritual battle if we’d go on walking with Him and faint not (Isa. 40:31;Gal. 6:9).  Don’t we believe “the battle is the Lord’s”?  As Paul asked, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (1 Sam. 17:47;Rom. 8:31).

Even today, they who surely win are they who trust.  Like they’ll do tomorrow, like they did in the past.

A WHOLE NEW JOURNEY

 Like all the years that went before it, 2016 was now but history in every bit.  Some of us would remember its good things while some might simply forget.  As I love to say it here every end of the year, forget the bad and be glad.  Remember the good and be in the mood, that all of us will never feel sad.

But of course, it’s a fact that sometimes even if we like to remember all of the things pertaining us, still we could not avoid to forget some of them.  Like a man who was on his way home with a new car, which was absorbing all his attention, when it struck him that he had forgotten something.

Twice he stopped, counted his parcels, searched diligently everything he pocketed.  Finally, he decided he had everything with him, yet still, the feeling persisted.

When he reached home his daughter ran out.  She stopped short, and asked him in a shout: 

"Daddy, where's Mommy?"

Last year, we may have done terrible things that hurt our loved ones.  Therefore, this year, we’ve to avoid repeating those mistakes at once.  If then we insisted on seeing things first before we believe on their might, this year may we Christians all learn to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7).

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”  Therefore, in this whole new journey this 2017, everything will always be for our good, wherever we our faithful God will send.

To everyone, happy greetings…

A SELF REVIEW

[Reviewing memories of January 1, 2013 at 4:06pm]

The past midnight, for the first time since I can remember, while revelers watched it coming I myself slept the New Year.

No amount of “Ampatuan” and “Sinturon Ni Hudas” could persuade me to wake up, no, not even on “Bin Laden’s” bidding. I just remember I opened my eyes for a split second when I turned around in time for an ear-splitting “Goodbye Bading.”

I dozed off at around ten as I watched my beautiful Rahab battling allergies after taking a soup purged from native chicken. Poor little girl, henceforth, she’d to avoid the droolsome foursome of “Tinola,” “Binakol,” “Litson” and “Linagpang” for good to shun itching.

My mind drifted after reviewing the year that was. The year that left a bad taste in the mouth that was too tough for us. But despite virtual, year-long, personal drought and four medical admissions when I summed it all, the more I got to realize that we were indeed never left nor forsaken by my Savior as He proved it He’d always remain greatly faithful.

It’s still a modern miracle or pure wonder to behold God’s grace defying logic and simple mathematics. You’re surprised to find you survived the year though your gross income was only a fraction of your total expenses.

Truly, if He withheld not even His only Son from the world as His Greatest Gift, why just good health, food and shelter of His for us He cannot give?

It’s great reviewing things which were good, from Day One of the past year and be in the mood. And try to forget things which were bad or at least cull lessons from which and be glad.

As you rewind 2012 you can’t help but recalling how terribly busy you were, when all work and no play almost made you a dull boy the entire year.

But it’s more shocking to find after your meticulous summary and careful look, that most of the time last year you almost did nothing but logging in to Facebook.

Happy New Year…

HOME AT LAST

[Lasting memories of December 29, 2012]

Jose Mari Chan had these words he didn’t mince: “Life is a constant change.” Last December 20th we transferred once again back to the green, green grass of my parents’ home. It is where the story of my life all started, where hopefully I should permanently belong.

Old neighbors fronting our house along the then narrow highway were gone. Some of them now entombed, some sought new horizons and other place in the sun. Yesterday, I had to run past several structures first before reaching the shore. Today, only the asphalt separates the sea and our house with some few steps more.

I could still imagine the houses owned by La Bineg and La Reni, La Maring, La Bina, and Nang Jessy. Oh, the house of Nang Jessy, where old songs and music were basking in their fine-tuned glory.

I could still recall the exact words so vividly, and the fresh face so pretty, of Nang Basyon then but later called Sally, which she said amusedly: “Grabe man nga mga sonata ginapatokar kadya ni Bingbing ba! Daw indi Elementary eh!” Which translated roughly, “These songs played by Bingbing are extra-ordinary! He doesn’t seem like [a pupil in] Elementary!”

This was her comment during my first encounter with the vinyl and needle kind or “radio phono,” everytime I dropped by at her sister Nang Jessy’s house adjacent to ours before off to school I’d go. While other kids sang Yoyoy’s “Magellan” when we were about Grade One or Grade Two at the time, I was already bellowing Albert Morris’ “Feelings” and Victor Wood’s version of “Crying Time.”

So, can you blame me if before the advent of karaoke or videoke or any other modern music jam, I had already known those classic, all-time favorite love songs like the back of my palm?

It was more so when Nang Jessy ventured bravely into jukebox business. I memorized their songs before I came to see the artists’ names and faces. Like the way I learned to love Michael Jackson’s songs long before I read and heard about his name. I mean, when his songs then were still “One Day In Your Life,” “Give Love On Christmas Day” and “Ben.”

Before we know it, life indeed amazingly runs fast.  Some dreams had reached goals, some had crashed.  Therefore I am again convinced as I go back to my old pastime of strolling in the sand while gazing at the sunrise:  when the great King Solomon said, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” he was very, very wise (Eccl. 12:1).