27 years. 27 thoughts. 27 moments.

 NOTE: Originally posted on my Facebook account.


Wow. 27 years. That's 324 months, 9,855 days, 236,520 hours, 14,191,200 minutes, 851,472,000 seconds of God's faithfulness.

I am not really prepared to face my 27th year but nevertheless with thanksgiving in my heart, I want to welcome it, enjoy the moment and  with great anticipation, look forward to what lies ahead. I don't know what's in store for me but what I do know is great things are coming.

I started writing this around 10:45PM  Oct 15th, so that means I still have a little over an hour to reflect before I greet myself a Happy Birthday.

I want to share 27 thoughts about life and 27 unforgettable moments in my life.

I won't take it against anyone who will not greet me * wink

27 Thoughts

1. Life is short

2. Life is progressive

3. Life is meant to be lived to the full

4. Life is between your birthday and your 'deathday'

5. Life is painful sometimes if not most of the time

6. Life is having a sense of humor

7. Life is meaningless. That comes usually when you're depressed

8. Life is always fun. Obviously this comes when you're in cloud 9

9. Life is learning new things all the time

10. Life is keeping and nourishing great relationships

11. Life is letting go and moving on

12. Life is grace in action

13. Life is pursuing your dreams

14. Life is having mocha frap in Starbucks

15. Life is enjoying your time with your friends

16. Life is reading great books

17. Life is believing in yourself and believing in others as well

18. Life is making a stand for what is right

19. Life is putting a smile on people's faces

20. Life is making choices after choices after choices

21. Life is God's tangible genius

22. Life is personal development

23. Life is admitting your mistakes and avoiding excuses

24. Life is celebrating both your victories and defeats

25. Life is finding that special someone

26. Life is appreciating little things that often go unnoticed

27. Life is having a genuine and personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ

27 Moments

1. October 16, 1983. My mom told me that it was probably around afternoon when the time came for me to rock the world. Mama Lu tagged along with them going to the hospital together with my dad, ate and kuya. I'm sure God threw a party up in heaven when I was born hehe

2. Circa 1988. We moved to Bulacan. If it were chess, I'd say God just made a great positional move right there!

3. July 16, 1990. Ate's birthday. We just got home. Kuya was sleeping on the couch when I felt the ground shaking. " Wag ka ngang magulo.." " Wala naman akong ginagawa eh." Papa rushed inside the house. " Labas kayo bilis! Lumilindol! " I got to know what an earthquake was after that.

4. Grade 1. circa 1991. Ate came home and gave me a ribbon. She told me I got an award. I read it. I asked my mom, " Ma, anu yung best in arts? "

5.  Grade 4. circa 1994. My first provincial boyscout camp. I didn't take a bath nor changed my clothes for four days. Go figure.

6. Mid-90's. I became a Beatlemaniac. I learned to play the guitar. D-G-A my all time fave chord pattern.

7. 1993-1994. BLUEBLAZERS. First time to join a local basketball tournament. Two conferences. I got a total stat of 1 foul.

8. 1993-1994. First time I used my jersey number 12. I've used it eversince.

9. Grade 6. They awarded me Best in Math. Probably more by default. I was torn between chess and volleyball. I chose the latter because it was more fun. We won the BULPRISA District Meet.

10. 1996. HIGHSCHOOL!!! Boybands looming in the horizon...

11. Sophomore. 97-98. It was all about being cool. Studies no more. I got five failing grades in the 2nd grading period. My worst.

12. 1998. I transferred to JILCF for my junior year. I've always wanted to study there. I found out that the list was full for the junior roster. But Ma'am Dhory dela Cruz told me to speak to Tita Sahnee about it. The rest they say..is history.

13. Junior. 98-99. I joined the volleyball team. I didn't make the cut. Played in the Intrams and got benched in the finals. The juniors won!

14. January 1999. I joined the Kristiyanong Kabataan para sa Bayan Movement. The events in the past leading to this moment made more sense.

15. Summer 1999. My first youth camp. We were the Food committee. It was so cool.

16. Senior year. 99-00. Joel, JR and I gave up Volleyball to give ourselves more time in the ministry. It was the perfect move.

17. Intrams 99. This time, I didn't get benched. I got to play in all our games. We won again. I got the MVP and the mythical six medals.

18. 2000. I went to BSU for my undergraduate course.

19. 2002 Youth camp. Last day of the camp, Sir Joel Villanueva came up to me and said he gave me the last spot for the Konteydyus concert in Hongkong later that June. He said he needed commitment though. Why of course I said yes!

20. June 2002. JIL -Hongkong Anniv and KKB Konteydyus. Spiritual experience.

21. July 2003.  Leadership conference in Antipolo. I represented  the KKB Movement together with some leaders in Bulacan. We had workshops and teambuilding. I happened to facilitate my group comprised of leaders from different youth orgs. I just felt that I needed to step up. We were the best group. I got introduced the next day to the NYC officials. One of them asked me, " You're from what group? "  "KKB po.."  She smiled and said " Ah kaya pala."  Proud to be a KKB.

22. Feb 2004. ECE Night. My first real taste of a heartbreak.

23. 2004-2010.  This is more like a long period. I worked in the BPO industry during this time. NOT a productive period though.

24. 2004-2010. Though overall I wasn't productive especially at work, I met new friends along the way. This was a very tough long period for me but because of those people who came in different seasons of my life, I felt that God was actually encouraging me through them though I was kinda breaking away from His grip. He did not let go.

25. 2005. I forgot the name of the conference. Ate Edith Mendoza prayed... " You will speak and you will minister. " Earlier this year, she told me " ...don't let go of your calling."  I won't.

26. October 15, 2010. Still awake writing this and waiting for my birthday. ( I just can't think of what else to include)

27. October 16, 2010. Another milestone. Another moment. I thank God for the life He's given me.