My Old Banduria

Saturday night our HR director texted to tell us that we will be having a mini-program during the anniversary luncheon today. And part of the tradition are special numbers from the newbies in the office. My first thought was "WTF?! This is so grade school!"

But of course that's me: complain first then eventually obey. I was thinking hard of what I can contribute to the program, one which is least damaging to my dignity, when my feet brought me to the cabinet atop my wardrobe. It is kinda high for me so I used it to stash stuff that I know will occupy it for a looong time. And in there gathering dust is my old banduria.

I played played banduria when I was a freshman in high school. I joined the Rondalla because I don't want to take up PE. Funnee I didn't play any instrument before this (I took up piano lessons before but I was so tamad to continue it so i stopped, which I regret up to this day; anyway, piano doesn't count). Luckily I was able to tag my friends my join also. I did this for four years. We played in every program and event imaginable that was held in the University. We were even asked to play outside the campus: once in Expo Filipino, when the King and Queen of Spain arrived in 1998, then in the small airport in Plaridel, Bulacan for some event. It was the centenary of Philippine independence so to be Filipiniana is so in.

Seeing my banduria brought back so many memories in high school. The joy, the tears, the fun times, the scary ones, the embarrasing and the kilig moments. One particular memory tugged my heart though. And this memory is very special and valuable to me. It was when I first met my Lord and Savior.

When I was in grade school I studied in a Catholic school. For seven years I grew up with nuns and in a very Catholic environment. But during those seven years I was nowhere near being a little good Catholic girl. All imaginable offenses I did back then. I swear, I brought so much tears to my parents' eyes 'coz I am such a suwail and pasaway kid.

So high school, one can say that I am dry, spiritually dry. There is something that is lacking in me, I can feel it but I didn't know what. Then God gave me a barkada-one thing that I've been wanting in grade school. What's unexpected was that our group was so diverse in a lot of aspects, but most especially in religions. We're all Christians but from different denominations: one is a born-again Christian, one is Methodist, the rest are Catholics.

It was here in high school that I attended a real Bible study. It was headed by my Filipino teacher who was part of Jesus Is Lord church. We have it after classes. I remember during the fair week that she had us watch films about the rapture, made in the sixties or seventies i think. I had the scare of my life coz of the graphic nature of the film. Anyway, I'm digressing again.

In summer of 2000 my uncle's family joined CCF. That summer there will be a high school camp, and it'll be the first time that my two cousins SR and Philip, the ones who followed after me, will attend. They invited me to the camp so my two cousins will have company at the same time that I may have a different summer. I was turning 16 then. And it was during that camp that I received our Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

A year after, summer of 2001, Edlyn, my Protestant barkada asked me if I could teach summer Bible school to the children in their area. Since I wasn't doing anything then I agreed and had a blast! I continued teaching for two more years. Only stopped when I had summer school for Math 12 and my practicum.

The same year, another friend invited me to join YFC-Ateneo. I had camp with them, and re-accepted Christ as my Savior. I was pretty active in YFC then and I continued to grow in the faith.

2002 was a memorable year for Ateneans for that was when the Blue Eagles won the championship after so long. It was also memorable for me coz it was when Kimmy invited me to attend bible study that CCF held in school. It was pretty special coz Paul Tanchi was then the teacher. After the championship we attended again, and the following sem Lani and I became regulars. It was during that semester that we were assigned to a discipler. Bobbi was one of the best things that God brought into my life. It was with her that I learned true discipleship, and she really helped me with my spiritual growth. The difference in religion didnn't hinder us from talking about God and growing together.

The following year I was introduced to GenRev thru the media. First sem of SY 2003-2004, the Campus Catalysts program was launched and Ateneo was one of the first schools, since there're a number of GenRev-ers in Ateneo. I was active there, at the same time continued discipleship with Bobbi. The following sem Bobbi graduated and so Lani and I transferred to the discipleship group of her bestfriend Atid, who handles Kimmy and Zyza (see my entry "The Core").

Then 2004 the bible studies in school got a little gulo for many reasons, and it was good timing that GenRev Ateneo also started during that time. At this point Lani, Zy and I have grown to become Soul Sisters, bonded by our love for and love of Christ. We continued attending GenRev Ateneo, then GenRev Night every month, which eventually led to Team Revival gatherings. Two weeks ago we made a big step when we applied for a Koinonia group. Three days after that Zy and I already have a KG; Lani's still in the discernment process as I write.

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This is the latest chapter of my life. The next chapters are yet to be determined; only God knows what will happen.

I remember one saying that we are like a string instrument, and God is the player. We cannot make beautiful music unless we allow Him to pluck our strings. The same way that I pluck each string of my banduria in order to produce music, it is only with Him that we can really bring out our best, and only He can bring out the best in us. The banduria can't play itself. We are nothing without Him.

In his mind a man plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps. - Proverbs 16:9
Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands. - Isaiah 64:7

In Good Times

It has been really busy for me the past few weeks. It started when the primer of A&F went to the gruelling process of drafting, correction, implementing corrections, layout changes, and other prodcution stuff. Even though I had a pretty thorough exposure to magazine production back in my practicum in Gadgets, the system in SPEED is very different (they have a system. period.)
And since I am NOT in SPEED, but in a new magazine whose first issue would be the make-or-break point of its continuation, the pressure was there to make the primer and the maiden issue really "scream" (using our CEO's terminology).

The primer is out now, together with the August issue of SPEED (in case you want a copy :p), and now we're nearly finished with the layout of the first mag. The maiden ish is more challenging 'coz it has more pages, for starters. 104 pages is a big jump from the 24-pager primer. and to think there's only my editor and I who is working fulltime on it (my boss is out of the office pa most of the time so I'm left to handle the magazine).

I'm so happy when I hear good feedback about A&F. I've been with the company for only 3 months, and when I started I know nothing of the magazine I'm going to work in, except that it's a sporty lifestyle mag. In those 3 months I've seen the mag evolve into what it is now. Now I consider this "my baby". It is really hard to separate the professional from the personal in the workplace, but when you've poured out your all and given your best to something, it tends to become a part of you. You make it personal.

I've been so into my work the past weeks that I've been staying longer hours in the office than usual (read: no social life). The three-day weekend, therefore, was such a blessing to me. I spent the whole day, Friday, with Chad Michael Murray and James Laffery (I had a One Tree Hill Season 1 marathon... heehee. Can anyone say HOTTIES GALORE?) An absolute brainless activity: no thinking, no effort, just me on my bed and my roomie's laptop.

Saturday was a fun time also. Lani, Zy and I met up in Gateway coz we're gonna atten the Elim Singles Table Talk later that evening in Burgoo in Gateway. After two weeks the three of us got to get together again, exchange stories and laugh at the most mundane stuff, usually involving snails and hamsters. The whole night we introduced some of the Elim Singles to the very profound and mind-boggling "Doughnut Talks." :p

After the fun weekend I was back to work. When in my earlier entries I was kinda sorta complaining that I don't have anything to do in the office, now I do a lot of stuff! In all of these, inactivity or business, it's God's grace that saw me through it. Before I couldn't imagine myself doing so much work that is intended for two or more people-but I do.

It's been a really nice experience this is, my work. I love what I do, I'm enjoying myself even though the demand and stress are high. I was blessed to have really nice colleagues, a kind, forgiving and patient editor, and Godly bosses. The compensation may mot be much, but I was blessed naman with thriftiness. It may seem that I spend a big chunk of my time in my work, but in reality I have spare time in my hands. If I was in an ad agency, I won't have weekends to spend with my family and friends. I may not be able to have Saturday mass and dinner with my family or Elim Singles events. I may not have my Sunday CSI marathons. And for all of these I am really thankful :)

For every man, moreover, to eat and drink and enjoy the fruit of all his labor is a gift of God - Ecclesiastes 3:13

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Photo credit: Kai Huang http://www.hungryalien.com