"before and after" is all that matters to me... :D

I’m looking forward to a post that would contain something like ‘Yey! We’re done with thesis defense and we passed it!’. I am so looking forward to it but all I can say what happened yesterday, at around between 10:00 to 11:00 AM, is still something I thank and praise God for. I don’t have BIG news to tell my parents, my friends, churchmates, classmates and to those who interceded for me, even to my blogmates. I don’t have something real BIG or something that would satisfy your and even my reading or hearing or comprehension. I know you’re already sort of getting what I’m trying to say here. *sigh* But but but I still thank the Lord for hearing our prayers. I’m still grateful to the Holy Spirit for being with us yesterday. We may not have achieved what we’re yearning for but God is still good that He never failed us and we did not end up to something worse than what had happened. As what we said yesterday, what’s more important is that we did our BEST (uhmmm...) and we entrusted our thesis and our defense to Him. And as what our yesterday’s ‘theme song’ state (with alterations):

We did our best, but I guess, our best wasn’t good enough, coz here we are back where we were before...

Enough of this thesis, I would like to spend my long weekend pondering on the much better things laid in front of me.

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You know why God gave us friends? It is because He wants us to know that apart from Him, there are other persons, who would carry with you your burdens, would lighten up your gloomy mood, would cheer you up when you’re down but would never force you to laugh or even smile when you feel like crying, but instead they’d cry with you. They are present to remind you that you are imperfect and flawed but they don’t mind, they accept you for who you are and you would hand-in-hand change for the better. These are all clichés, but true. So who are the persons (aside from my mommah) I first texted as soon as we’re done with the defense – my friends, orig4.

It’s been a while since we have been complete. The last time was February 14, 2008.

Then yesterday, the usual chill at Starbucks, Las Pinas then McFries attack at McDo, LP.

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SONICFLOOD!!!

Another wonderful worship event. Another unforgettable night. Again wow! When someone is being used to glorify His name most especially when it comes to music, I can’t help but be blessed by them. Praise & worship is my all time favourite part of any Christian gathering or event. It’s the time you could sing your lungs out to please Him, to honour Him, to adore Him. And last Friday night, I praise Him for using Sonicflood to lead His people in worshiping. That night is one incredible night, AGAIN! They sang almost all the songs I want.

Open The Eyes of My Heart
Heart of Worship
I Could Sing of Your Love
Cry Holy
Lord of the Dance
Everlasting
I Want to Know You
God is Great

It’s not just the songs that made the night unforgettable. Rick shared how God moved and how God changed His life. He shared how God is the greatest physician of all. They also had an altar call (so, the Patron part was now open for all even for those who were in the Upper boxes). I was actually surprised that one of their guitarists and the drummer and Rick himself, went down the stage, together with the other pastors present, prayed for those who went in front, while the other members of the band played Heart of Worship. I find it uhmm peculiar and unusual. And also many souls were surrendered again to Him. Then after the altar call, it seemed like the night had just began. There were crazy worshipers inside the Big Dome insanely worshiping and lifting up their voices and their hands to the Most Holy One. The night ended with Sonicflood’s Lord of the Dance and an acappella singing of the song I Love You Lord. Also, the guitarists gave away their guitar picks and the drummer gave away his drumsticks...

If not because of the thesis defense the next day, I would have also been in the queue for the autograph signing. Pfft... Sayang talaga... (I might post another separate entry of last Friday night’s event...haha! and I would post the pics with it )

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We had an Evangelistic Sunday service a while ago. We had Bill Aujero as our guest speaker. He is someone who had experienced God’s mercy and grace. He was a former New Bilibid prisoner and is notorious for leading ‘hold-ups’ and hi-jacking; he had been imprisoned for 19 years. But inside his ‘special room’, one night in the mid of July, 1978, he read Matthew 11:28:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

He knelt and prayed to God, his heart was changed by God. He suddenly found himself sharing the Word of God to other prisoners, and He had been singing and composing songs about God’s move in his life. He had such a superb testimony. And since it was an evangelistic Sunday, there were souls who were brought to Him.

This only shows that whoever you are and WHATEVER your past maybe, God doesn’t count that. All He wants is that you come back to Him. And when God calls you, you can do nothing but follow Him.

Hmmmm... Now makes me excited for the upcoming Youth Evangelistic service.

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Bro. Nelson Francisco’s (our church’s sound booth technician, in charge of everything related to sound system and musical instruments) internment happened a while ago. He is a faithful servant of God. He has been with CGM for as long as the church’s lifetime. He used his life in service to our Father. I know we would still be able to meet him up there.

Our life is short but our time is only enough to serve Him.

The release of white balloons have always been a part of Christian burial ceremonies.

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Random Whateverisms

I'm done reading Breaking Dawn! Yey! But let me just give some comments. First, there is no Twilight Saga, only Twilight. It stops there. hehe. Second, BD is a 'comedy/humor' book. Third, reading BD is record-breaking, it took almost 2 weeks I think to read it compared to one week reading the first 3 installments. I'm quoting from someone named Mei, Stephenie Meyer was able to conceal the flaws of the BD. I don't like the 'pregnancy thingy'. I don't like the early marriage. There was no real battle!!! I was sooooo expecting a huge battle. So much expectations. But ok, I was able to appreiate BD a little naman... And it just so happened that it coincided with my thesis-ing.

YU2G were the ushers a while ago and we wore corporate attires! Yey! Cool, yeah?! Too bad, no photo evidence.

Tomorrow, I would attend dawnwatch prayer and since we don't have classes we will have fun at SM parking lot! Yey again!!! After only which I would worry about thesis...

I demand all baristas to kindly ask the right spelling of my 'Merie'.

The sky will fall the ground will give
through it all You will be faithful
friends may leave they come and go
this I know You will be faithful

You will always be the same
Your love will never change
You are the Everlasting
I will put my trust in You forever to be true
You are the everlasting

when beauty fades and slips away
for all my days You will be faithful
when I breathe my final breath
I find my rest in Your faithfulness

when all around us is falling into waste
when the earth is dying you cannot be erased
and I don't have to be afraid

You're the Alpha and Omega
You're forever, Everlasting