lessons from hachiko... Reflection #7, 2008

Hachiko is an Akita dog, famous for his legendary loyalty to his master. If you happen to visit Tokyo, make sure to visit Shibuya Station and take a picture with the bronze dog statue (naks, the way I say it parang I've been there na.. ahaha!)

Story has it that Hachiko was very loyal to his master. Everyday for the life of his owner, he sees him off in the morning and waits for him at the nearby Shibuya Station every night. So Hachiko and his master always go home together every night from that station to his owner's house.

One night, Hachiko went to the station to eagerly wait for his master. But train after train, his master was nowhere to be found, not in one of the thousands of passengers. Little did Hachiko know that his master met his death and will never ride the train again and therefore, no longer meet him in the evenings.

But even after ten years after that day, Hachiko still goes to the station every night, as if still hoping that his master will step out of the doors of the train...

Hachiko became famous. His owner was a professor in the University of Tokyo and one night, after the professor's death, one of his students noticed that Hachiko still waits every night. So the student followed Hachiko and he found out that the dog still goes home to his master's house. The student published a story about Hachiko and in 1934, a bronze statue was erected at the Shibuya Station and it became a symbol of loyalty for the japanese. Hachiko died in 1935, just outside the station...

**Ptr Bong shared this story at the Tagalog service today at CCF.

Can you imagine the extent of the loyalty of that dog to its master? The way I see it, the dog has his mind and heart focused on pleasing his master alone. I am not expert on leaving conditions in Tokyo but I am certain there are surely days and nights of thundering rain and I can just imagine a dog running towards the station, unmindful of the rain, the cars passing by, the people around him... nothing mattered, just the thought of seeing his master again after hours of separation throughout the day.

Who would know what goes into a dog's mind? Maybe it was out of sheer duty that he chose to walk that same path every night. Or maybe even out of fear... Or simply just out of faithful obedience...

But when I heard that story... I thought, will I ever be that faithful towards my master, the lover of my soul? Will I gladly wake up every day and start my day walking with my master towards the station? Will I faithfully travel the same road every night, despite of whatever weather the night brings... Will I be waiting patiently, eagerly for my master when He finally arrives? And during those times that I can't seem to see my master, even if I dutifully walk every night... Will I still be the loyal dog, with blind faith, will I still continue that walk... Will I still do my duty as a dog even if I'm faced with years and years of absence from my master? Like hachiko, will I die "on duty"?

Too many times I've awoken and too many times I simply go to the day without even saying "Good Morning, Lord!" or "Thank you, Lord for another morning!"

Countless nights I just sleep without again reporting to my maker. Too many moments I have just forgotten spending time with my God. And in those times that I feel like He has abandoned me with the many problems I have, I have also abandoned Him. I have forgotten to be faithful and to just put my trust in Him.

Oh, how I envy Hachiko's devotion to his master.

When will we have that 100% faithfulness and devotion to our own master, I just wonder...

what I almost missed today... Reflection #4, 2008

I almost didn't want to get up this morning. It was so cold in my room when I opened my eyes. No, we don't have aircon in the house, just the good old raindrops knocking on my windows making the room so cold.

I was supposed to attend the Leadership Summit at CCF. Should have gotten out of the bed at an earlier time but because of the chilly weather, I slept in and finally woke up at 10:30am. Ate Rona was already calling. But seems like my back was glued to the bed and I had such a hard time waking up.

The first thing I did when I opened my eyes? Rats... I opened my laptop! Grrrr... Did not even greet my Lord good morning first! Oh well, as I said, I am a work in progress :)

Anyway, I am so tamad today. I texted Ate Rona that I will catch up with them at CCF but I didn't move away from the laptop until past noon. There is no way I can go to the summit now since we have Choir meeting at 2:00pm.

2:00pm, huh? I got a text from Coney that she's already at the mini-theater by that time. Where was I? Still in my room! But by this time, I'm all set to leave the house. The truth is, I almost wanted to skip the entire day and just stay at my room. I almost missed the choir practice! But then I remembered that FMM (Filipino Music Ministry) have the practice for prompting at the Tagalog service tomorrow. There is just no way I'll pass on that. It's my only offering to God, my ministry.

So I went on my way and got into a jeep going to Guadalupe MRT and from there took the train all the way to Ortigas and walked that 7mins walk from the station to St. Francis.

It was 3:00pm when I entered the mini-theater. So they haven't started yet. Lucky me. Today's Choir meeting is actually dedicated to just thanksgiving to our Lord. We sang worship songs and listened to impromptu testimonies from our choir-mates on how the Lord has blessed them the past year. I really wanted to get up there and stand and let everyone know how God has saved me in 2007. But nervousness got into me. Sorry, Lord, wasn't able to honor and glorify you that afternoon.

That afternoon is just food for my soul. I can't believe I almost passed on that. And we have real food too! Yummy the sandwich! :)

After that, Jhen and I proceeded to the band room for our prompting practice. We started devotion at around 7pm and the actual singing practice commenced at 8pm. And guess what time we ended? It's past 11pm! We usually end at 10pm. But today was different. But you know what, nobody complained. Everyone was just singing for the Lord. It's one of the best practices ever. I'm singing melody all the way tomorrow so it should be a great worship for the Lord at the Tagalog service!

So now, as I sit and write this blog, I just realized what I almost missed today if I've given to the temptation of enjoying the rainy day cuddled up in my room...

A time of worship for the Lover of My Soul. A time of fellowship with everyone at the church. A time to remind myself the truth that all I am and all I have is God's. The only thing I can truly offer Him that will be coming from me is my time and availability. Whatever talent I have, He gave. Whatever anything I possess, doesn't belong to me. It's all from Him. Have you realized that? The only real offering you can give God is your availability.

Now that's a lot to miss in one day.

A New Slate... Reflection # 1, 2008

I started the day (or the year) quite early. Since it's Tuesday, dawnwatch day, my alarm started to go off at 4:00 in the morning. Of course, I kept on hitting the snooze button until I have fully awaken at 6:30am. Wow. what a way to start the year! Waking up early!

I would love to say that the first thing I did was spend time with God. But I didn't. I think I checked on my laptop first for new messages. Oh well, I'm not perfect. :)

But anyway, I did get on with my quiet time. Using the Daily Bread book I got from Jean, I started to read... And guess what the topic is? Slow Down And Live.

As I began to reflect, it dawned on me that 2007 was indeed a roller-coaster journey for me. I hit the rock bottom this year but ended it at the peak. In the process, I was like a very busy bee that couldn't stand still. I can't remember a weekend when I spent it at home... I was just out doing stuff all the time!

And so I realized, 2008 should be a little quieter for me. As much as I love to travel, I resolve to limit it this year and just spend more time relaxing at home.

So for day 1 of 2008 - I only did 4 things:
    1. Eat
    2. Sleep
    3. Watch japanese drama via the internet
    4. Worked on my transcribing assignment from the church

So my 24 hours was divided doing those four things. I have two invitations today to go out and hang out with friends but in the end, I chose to decline and just relax.

It's already 3:00 in the morning, Jan 2, but my day 1 is just about to end. But before I do, let me share with you something first...

Frankly when the clock hit 12:00 last night, I was a little depress. Yes, that's right. No matter how I rave on how God is faithful and how He has pulled me out of the darkest pit, there are still times when I just succumb to loneliness and last night I got it bad. I did not cry myself to sleep or anything like that. But I just felt a heaviness in my heart. It also didn't help all that my brothers decided to spend the new year's eve elsewhere. Only me and my mom welcomed 2008.

And so I'm thankful that I decided to finish the transcription assignment. I realized Satan is just doing his best to discourage me. And I almost believed it too but I refuse to end the first day of the year with that thought.

Back in December, I told Ate Rona I will try to volunteer in transcribing CCF's sunday messages. Since it was my first time, I was given one of the sessions of Honest Sex Series to do first. I started it but didn't have a chance to finish, with all my cantata practices. It's just today that I finally finished it. The session that I was given is a message from my favorite pastor, Vince Burke, about Homosexuality. I didn't get to attend the actual session and so it's my first time to hear that message as well. It's a very enlightening message and I wish I could just post here the entire 18 pages I just finished. :)

But let me just share with you my greatest take away from that:

There is no sin too strong, there is no sin too tough, there is no sin too bad that cannot be abolished by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So as the year starts, I am once again renewed, recharged. With the thought of starting a new year, even a new day... the heaviness in my heart started to lift up. I'm thinking, this is gonna be a great year with the Lord! And finishing the transcription couldn't have been more on time.

So I decided to start this year afresh, a new slate, claiming one of God's greatest promises:

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

- Jeremiah 29:11