Keeping On!

I’ve dreamed many dreams  that never came true,

I’ve seen them vanish at dawn;

But I’ve realized enough of my dreams,

To make me want to dream on.

I’ve prayed many prayers when no answer came,

I’ve waited patient and long;

But answers have come to enough of my prayers

To make me keep praying on.

I’ve trusted many a friend who failed

And left me to weep alone;

But I’ve found enough of my friends true-blue

To make me keep trusting on.

I’ve sown many seeds  that fell by the way

For the birds to feed upon;

But I’ve held enough golden sheaves in my hand,

To make me keep sowing on.

I’ve drained the cup of disappointment and pain,

I’ve gone many days without song,

But I’ve sipped enough nectar from the rose of life

To make me want to live on.

-Charles Allen

* Thank You Caloy Nobleza, Ralph Salvador, George Dolores for comforting words. Friends like you will always have a place in my heart…in good times and in bad times.

Chasing A Running Man!

“Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me.” -Francis Thompson

How can you chase a running man?

The life of Francis Thompson was a downward spiral that landed him on the streets of 19th century London — a  useless vagabond, an opium addict, a starving derelict.

The son of a doctor, Thomspon started out with a great potential. His father sent him to study for the priesthood, and then to another school to become a doctor. But he failed at both professions and became  a wastrel instead, running from responsibility, family and God.

Eventually, this prodigal hit bottom. Wandering the back alleys of London, he was hungry, friendless and addicted to drugs. With tattered clothes and broken shoes, he barely survived  by selling matches and newspapers. Still, God did not relent in His dogged chase to capture the young man’s soul.

A ray of hope came when Thompson began to write poetry. Wilfred Meynell, an editor, immediately saw Thompson’s genius. He published his works, encouraged him to enter hospital, and personally nursed him through his convalescence. This marked a spiritual turnaround in Thompson’s life.  In the poem “The Hound Of Heaven,” he writes of his plight from God and God’s pursuit of him. There, God chased this running man and caught him. Finally.

“I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;

I fled Him, down the arches of the years;

I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways

of my own mind; and in the midst of tears

I hid from Him, and under running laughter….

still with unhurrying chase,

And unperturbed pace,

Deliberate speed, majestic instancy.

Came on the following Feet,

And a Voice above their beat—–

“Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me.”

With the same breathless pursuit, the Hound of Heaven is chasing another running man. This person is not a vagrant, or an addict; he is a real runner, an educated man who works so hard to achieve his dream with a brief  ‘roller-coaster ride’ to success (and many failures) Nonetheless, he stubbornly fled from Christ. Until one day, the Hound caught him in a miserable situation —-helpless and hopeless.

That guy learns  the hard way. And God caught him too.  Finally.

Keep Me Still!

Lord, keep me still,

Though stormy waves may blow

And waves my little bark may overflow,

Or even if in darkness I must go;

Lord, keep me still.

The waves are in Your hand,

The roughest seas subside at Thy command.

Steer Thou my bark in safety to the land

And keep me still,

Keep me still.

Reason To Rejoice!

“Faith is resting in the fact that God has an objective in leaving me on the scene when I feel useless to Him and a burden to others.” -Pamela Reeve

With or without burdens, running will always be a part of my wretch life.

They say that life’s  most precious moment is when you’re at the bottom, when  you’re helpless and hopeless and when everything around you is vague and dark. At this time, I’m not only at the bottom, but literally, I’m at the dungeon of doubt. All I can see now is uncertainty  around me.

Let me tell you a brief story about this wonderful guy, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Although innocent, this man was held captive by Nazi forces during World war II.

During his eight years in Russian camps, his parents died and his wife divorced him . Upon his release from prison he was dying of a cancer that was growing in him so rapidly that he could feel the difference in a span of twelve hours. It was at that point that he abandoned himself to God, so beautifully illustrated  of three lines of the incredible prayer that came in that dark hour: “Oh God, how easy it is for me to believe in You. You created a path for me through despair….Oh God, You have used me  and where You cannot use me, You have appointed others. Thank You.”

What an attitude! Yes, we have problems but those problems cannot be compared with that of Aleksandr’s. We’re  still healthy, not behind bar or in pain. We still  have reason to rejoice.

It’s ordinary thing to rejoice when everything is alright but if you can still be happy in the midst of trials, -then that’s EXTRA ORDINARY!

All things work together for good and God makes no mistakes.

My reason to rejoice is this: This place called earth is just my temporary home, I’m just passing through. My real citizenship is in heaven -where there’s no more tears or sickness or death or discrimination or pain. A place where everything is perfect and complete.

Someday, all of our accomplishments will be left behind -our wealth, position, power, influence, PRs,…there’s only one that will remain -how we spent our lives in serving God. Did we put Him first place in our hearts? Did we share Him to others? Did we make Him our Lord and Savior?

If you can say YES to those questions, you’re indeed blessed!

You have reason to rejoice.

4/27/10 -During my training.

To God be the Glory!

I’m Drowning!

Lord, I’m drowning

In a sea of perplexity.

Waves of confusion

Crash over me.

I’m too weak

To shout for help.

Either quiet the waves

Or lift me above them-

It’s too late

to learn to swim.

-Ruth Calkin

Tough Times…

“Life is tough, but it’s tougher when you’re stupid.”  -John Wayne

After a long 6 days, I’m glad to be back again in blogging.

I must admit  that those past days were probably tough times in terms of finances and so many other things.

Like the Prophet Job in the Old Testament as he was tested beyond his limits, I’m experiencing those things right now -as I celebrated my birthday this month, April.

Let me admit with great humility that:

-I’m now a jobless man.

-My businesses collapsed.

-I’m single guy again after being attached to someone for so many years.

Mentally and financially, I’m drained. Someone said that I’m in a hopeless situation.

This is also the reason why I was not able to join the TNF 100 although I already registered and trained to subdue that trail run. It was  so pathetic that I cannot join and conquer Baguio City. How could you run if you’re so depleted financially and mentally? First time  that I DNS. (Did Not Start)

Well, this is life.

F.B. Meyer wrote, “If God promised His servants  an unbroken run of prosperity, there would be many counterfeit Christians. Don’t be surprised at famine…it is permitted to root you deeper just as the whirlwind makes the tree grapple roots into soil.”

I’m praying for a breakthrough, an opportunity again to re-establish my career and hoping for better days to come.

I know I’m in the furnace right now, being tested and tried, oh -that this thing will come to pass quickly.

Let me end with this short poem by Martha Snell…I’m touched by it. Hoping this too will become a blessing to those who are in the same situations like me. Here it goes:

TREASURES

One by one God took them from me, all the things I valued most

Till I was empty handed , every glittering toy was lost.

And I walked earth’s highways, grieving in my rags  and poverty

Until I heard His voice inviting, “Lift those empty hands to me.”

And I turned my hands towards heaven, and He filled them with a store

Of His own transcendant  riches, Till they could contain no more.

And at last I comprehended, with my stupid mind and dull

That God could not pour His riches, into hands already full.

Remember this quotation from John McEnroe, “I think it’s the mark of a great player to be confident in tough situations.”

Wishing to see you again at the races when my turmoil is over.

Still, to God be the glory!

No One Is Wise Enough To Know!

“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” -Mathew 6:34

I have no running or biking adventure to share today, although I’m consistently doing that everyday.

Allow me again to share a nice story. This inspires me a lot. I’m hoping it will touch your heart and soul once again…

There was an old man who lived in a village. He was kind hearted. Even though he is poor, he was envied by everybody, for he has a beautiful white horse. Even the king of the land coveted his only treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before. The horse has its beauty, its majesty, its strength.

Everyone offered great amount of money for the white horse, but the old man always refused every offer. “This horse is not an only a horse to me, he is very special” he would tell them. “It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is my friend, not my possession. How could you sell a friend?” The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.

One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. The entire village came to see him. “You old darned fool,” they shouted, “We told you that someone would steal your horse. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you’ve been cursed with misfortune.”

The old man responded, “Don’t speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I’ve been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?”

The people said, “Don’t make us be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse.”

The old man spoke again. “All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don’t know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?”

The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn’t, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.

After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn’t been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. “Old man, you were right and we were wrong.

What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us.”

The man responded, “Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don’t judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase?

“Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don’t say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don’t.”

“Maybe the old man is right,” they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much money.

The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgments.

“You were right,” they said. “You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever.”

The old man spoke again. “You people are obsessed with judging. Don’t go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments.”

It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again.

“You were right, old man,” they wept. “God knows you were right. This proves it. Your son’s accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever.”

The old man spoke again. “It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows.”

The old man was right. We only have a fragment. Life’s mishaps and horrors are only a page out of a grand book. We must be slow about drawing conclusions. We must reserve judgment on life’s storms until we know the whole story.

I don’t know where the woodcutter learned his patience. Perhaps from another woodcutter in Galilee. For it was the Carpenter who said it best:

“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Mt. 6:34)

He should know. He is the Author of our story. And he has already written the final chapter.

God be Praised!

Lessons Learned From Cockroaches!

“If you step on people in this life, you’re going to come back as a cockroach.” -Willie Davis

Of all of God’s creatures, the cockroach is the most resilient. Roaches have been around for all of mankind’s generations to be bothered with. Scientist think that roaches will outlast humanity and even survive a nuclear holocaust.

As much as we despise the little creatures, we can learn lessons from them. As ugly as we perceive them to be, they are a beautiful creature of nature. They are part of God’s creation and we should respect their place in nature. They provide food for insect eating animals and birds.

It’s when we take them out of nature and put them where we are, that we become uncomfortable with them. They belong in trees, not our houses.

Some cultures treat them with respect and esteem them highly in several ways. But for the most part we like to see them die horrible deaths. It’s fun to use them for target practice or watch them squirm when the spray hits them. We do not even mind if they are in pain and agony. Some like to get it over with in a hurry and you get a big juicy splat.

Roaches live throughout the world in different shapes and sizes and colors and environments (much like people).

But as much as we dislike the vile little creatures, we must give them some credit, and learn some lesson from them. These lessons are especially important if we are to survive in this life and in the life to come. How? Well, let’s see.

Carey Scott illustrates this magnificently:

Roaches are persistent— much like  that energizer bunny, they keep going. When it comes to our duties to others, we must be persistent and keep coming back to work on our subjects. These subjects treat us just like we treat the roaches. Sometimes with hatred or fear or even bug spray.

As a runner, we must be persistent… consistently doing our practices and training programs.

Roaches like trash— they are comfortable with it. They do not care what it looks like or smells like, to them it is just food. As long as they get their food, they are not picky. Unfortunately, many church-goers are like these roaches. As long as they are comfortable, they don’t care what kind of garbage is placed in from of them. They are not picky if it is truth or error, and they can’t tell the difference anyway. We know that if we clean house and keep garbage away that roaches will eventually go somewhere else for their food. We need to do the same in our churches and clean house and preach the truth and lay it on very thick. The roaches will become something else or they will just leave.

Roaches work well together— Why, just two roaches can create a whole army in just a short time. They seem to have a natural ability to procreate. This is how the Church is to grow, by procreation. Those who know the truth plant the seed in good hearts which will produce seeds of truth and so on. Where there is a will, much can be accomplished by just a few.

Running with a group can give us more confidence and the strength when we are down and out.
Roaches look out for one another— or so it seems. It is as if they have sentrys watching out and when danger approaches, they scatter. The Bible  teaches us that we are to look out for one-another. Many verses emphasize this fact. We must always be looking out for the welfare of others, both physical and spiritual, and not be so selfish.

Roaches learn from others mistakes— When you try a new method of removal, the process is effective for a short time, until they learn to avoid these traps. Seems like roaches learn lessons from others where humans don’t. We are to learn and be aware of traps and pitfalls and avoid them. We need to avoid them like we should avoid sin. We see error and we need to expose it so that others do not fall into the snare of the devil. We must point out the false teacher. This is so we can maintain the purity of the church.

Roaches build an immune system— even the most powerful poisons seem to lose effectiveness after several generations have endured it. We have to stop using the poisons because of danger to others. Some have even been banned. Christians are to build up an immune system to sin, so that we are not enticed by it. On the other hand though, we cannot build up an immune system for the world that allows us to tolerate and put up with what it offers. With God’s help, we can become immune to sin to where it will not destroy us.

Roaches just want to survive— they hide for protection, they eat to survive, and they procreate to keep the species alive. Are they not just like we should be?

We must hide ourselves in the protection of God’s grace. We should nourish ourselves with spiritual food. We must share and spread the Gospel so the the species (roachesrlikechristians) will survive and grow.

Before you step on your next roach or spray them to cause them pain, think about some of these ideas. Because as long as this world exist, roaches will be a part of it. These tiny creatures have the ability to make something much larger react (scream or jumping). We as Christians, though small in our eyes, can really effect the world around us. We can and must learn these lessons from roaches.

A Real Man!

“A healthy body is a guest chamber for the soul; a sick body is a prison.” -Francis Bacon

This picture was taken sometime in 2009, during a body-building contest in Festival Mall Alabang.

Allow me to share with you a nice story. It touches my heart and I’m hoping it will touch yours too…

What does a healthy man look like?

I can’t help but recall a statement from a young guy who lives near us -a 16 year old high school sophomore. His parents separated when he was 8 years old. His father left and has never returned. His stepdad, a tyrannical and poor excuse for a man, treats him poorly. Tells him to “shut up” all the time. Tells him he’s worthless, stupid and will never amount to anything.

But just ask the boy about his dream and his eyes will light up. This is what he’ll tell you: “I’d like to find out  where my real dad lives. And I’d like to move in next door without him knowing who I was. And —I’d like to just become his friend. Once I had become his friend, then maybe it would be okay for me to move on.”

This same young man who has all the kinds of difficulty in his life was asked to write an essay on the subject “What is a Man?” The following is his brief essay —written by a boy who has never really been around a man, never really seen one. But I think there is something so inherent, so ingrained, so intrinsic, so fundamental, that even a young boy who has never seen it modelled can put it into words. Here’s what he wrote:

A real man is kind.

A real man is caring.

A real man walks away from silly macho fights.

A real man helps his wife.

A real man helps his kids when they are sick.

A real man doesn’t run from his problems.

A real man sticks to his word and keeps his promises.

A real man is honest.

A real man is not in trouble with the law.

It’s one lonely boy’s vision of a man who stays. A man who is both an authority and under authority.

—–from Tender Warrior by Stu Weber as taken from the book “Promises To Keep” by Nick Harrison, page 79.

Within The Shadows…

“Behind the dim unknown standeth God within the shadows keeping watch above His own.” -james russell lowell

Nothing in this life can be more satisfying than knowing that a Higher Power is always around you to protect you. I experienced this so many times while  running alone and biking a great distance.

Here in Caylabne Ternate Cavite

in Lucban Quezon Province.

Those 2 accidents were almost fatal and without the guidance and support of my Protector, I could be 6 feet below the ground by now. I can’t count the number of times I’m into a big trouble, but God always delivered me out of them all.

Maybe, God has a plan for me and my time here on earth is not yet over. But I’m always ready. Death for majority is a fearful thing but for those who trust the Lord, this is just the beginning of a blissful life- A place where there is no hunger, thirst, tears, trials, sickness and partiality.

He has given us all  -24 hours a day to do our task faithfully and be a good steward. Let us treasure every moments and as much as possible, live humbly and courageously. Danger is everywhere and only – the center of God’s will is our safety.

My rich neighbor died of a heart attack yesterday on the peak of her career, very promising and talented. She had so many plans but it was permanently stopped by that vicious ‘Black Ripper.’ I think she was  not yet ready to face His Maker…

There is always appointed time for each one of us and no one can tell when it will be. We must be wise by not only ‘keeping our physical bodies’ fit and healthy or being financially stable etc etc…but by nurturing our spirits so that it can be found ‘blameless and pure’ when the bema judgment comes.

This world is not only about ‘eating, drinking and partying…’, but by abstaining, praying and fasting.

You can count on God’s protection once you have accepted Him as personal Lord and Saviour.

And even if you feel you’re all alone with your problems and God is not listening, Remember…He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Without or within the shadows, trust Him at all times, will you?