April 23 & 24

Sorry, blog readers a.k.a my ka-secrets, for being a lazy blogger.
I have been too busy with St. John's (I do help my mom), church, and other stuffs.
Anyway, I'll make up by posting photos, instead :)

April 23, 2007 (Monday)

Dad agreed to accompany Vanj and I to CLSU to get my grades.

We dropped by NE resto for a so-called meryenda-slash-date. ;p

I can't keep myself from taking a shot of their fruit shake stall which had a "Sliding door" sign/post. My sister, Vanj, asked me "Is that really a door?". Well, IMHO, they would've posted "Sliding Glass", instead. 'Di ba? ;-)

April 24, 2007 (Tuesday)
(I just started watermarking my photos)

^ waiting @ the clinic

I, along with my sis, went to Dr. Romulado (my ortho)'s clinic at 3pm. We had a n appointment with him since he was supposed to put my braces on (woohoo! no more pink&blue orthodontic appliances!) that afternoon.
When we arrived at the clinic, it suddenly committed to memory that we have a scheduled practice at the church (4pm). What I did instead was to ask doc to just adjust my molar separators tighter. I also asked his permission if I could have my braces on by Saturday nalang (siyempre, he doesn't have any choice! Ha-ha).

While setting up the instruments, we managed to pose for the cam :)

We practiced for the Youth (girls) Fellowship that was held last Friday. I thank God for giving me yet another chance to lead the youth in worship. My line-up was My Redeemer Lives, We Want to See, For this Cause, & Here I am to Worship.

Anyway, after our practice (and jam at the same time), Vanj, my buddy, and I have decided to go for a fun ride. Eventually, we ended up having cheap thrills. we dropped by a snack house and decided to munch on anything! Ha-ha.

We had only pancit canton & melon shake, but the fun we had was oh-so-nyummy!

^ before and after :)

Another lesson from Dad

I slept very late.

Well, to be honest, very early –-6 am.

^It was this bright before I slept. Boo.

I wasn’t aware of the time because I was doing SJA's advertisement (sorry, lil bro, for breaking your grad certificate--i need to scan the logo!), reading blogs, watching tv, eating, and later was reading my latest ish of Candy magazine and a psych book (which mom&dad bought me just the same day) in my room.

(check my under-eye circles :-/ )

Anyway, even though I needed to catch up some zzz’s, I still woke up at 12 noon to prepare for a meeting with the church dancers.
I then had my devotion, took lunch, bath, and went to the church with my younger sister, Vanj, at 2pm. During the meeting, we, the dancers, had very meaningful talks and discussions about several things that we need to enact to cure the past mistakes and prevent possible ministry hitches. Although the junior dancers (the new ones—they’re in the ministry for more than a year) weren’t that expressive, they were responsive as the senior dancers. I thank God for the courage and boldness He has given me. Hay. There really are some more needed improvements from the ministry and the people involved to bring more glory to God. And I think, I, the ministry’s leader, will never be exempt from those needs. ;)
Anyway, let’s get on family matters..
Just when we arrived home, my dad asked us (I and my sis Vanj) “Kumusta kayo?”. It’s a usual question that we heard, but this time, it was accompanied with an unusual twist (Oh no. not the twist I wished for).
Dad asked me why we kept on sleeping early in the morning. Who. I have been for almost 5 years now! Well, let me continue. He told me he actually wants to cut our DSL connection. (No way!) Why? Because according to him, there are a thousand reasons that the devil could somehow devour us while peeping on the net up late. He also told me that there are good uses of the net, but, a bigger percentage would be in-line with the not-so-good ones. With his philosophies and all, I tried to defend myself, telling him (in a nice way) that I won’t compromise my stand as a Christian and my dignity as JFSM. Well, we had a long conversation. At the end, I was feeling strange. Somehow, I was being negative to his words. Urgh. I was being fed-up with our discussions. I suddenly had thoughts like he don’t trust me, he doesn’t believe in me, he thinks I can take off my name and be a cheap net-girl one time, he thinks I cannot manage well, and the thoughts continues.. Even on our way to a family friend’s party, he kept on saying and expressing his warns. But then, one sentence struck me as he kept talking. He told us “Hindi niyo ako kalaban. Kakampi niyo ako.” I was moved and was brought to realization. He was right. He was just trying to protect us from possible traps of the devil. As one who belongs to a pastor’s family, I am most prominent to being planned for by the devil. The devil wants to break me..break us. But, I thank God for letting me be free of my dire thoughts while my dad was having discourses. In the end, I just recognized again how blessed I am to belong in my family (and that includes being a daughter of my dad). I am privileged. I have nothing to think against my dad. He is and would always be my rabii. Well, Jesus would be the first, but my dad’s one of those that God uses to keep me on the right track ALWAYS.
I’ve just found out another lesson. Wee. I’m growing!

I ♥ Dad!

Times of Refreshing

I feel like I am so into blogging nowadays. I wanted to read blogs (as they drive me to blog, blog, and blog!)
I suddenly wanted to take pictures of my usual activities such that I could post them here or at my other blog sites.
Anyway, I want to share something.

Weeks ago, I had a problem with my relationship with God. I haven't had much time for devotion and worship. I wasn't able to dance during Sunday services for weeks--and I gave people different excuses. What everyone do not know is that I am actually suffering from poor Christian life, thus I was becoming weaker and weaker. I had the form but I lacked the power.
In correlation to these things, I had cold relationships with people around me, especially the church people. I suffered from having a very hushed relationship with my pastors. I wasn't able to attend agape meetings, cell groups, fellowships, prayer meetings, and all like. Ugh. I felt so guilty but I seemed to be so pathetic to attend and make fake contacts. Also, I had a mute rapport with my best friend, buddy. (Her name's not Buddy; we just call each other buddy). We had a "silent war" for weeks. No one between the two of us dared talk about it; simply because we weren't communicating in any way. *sighs*
One of the worst things that resulted from my dreadful situation is the problem that aroused among JRC dancers, my constituents. Week by week, the dancers during worship services decreased. Actually, last Sunday, it was only I and the four junior dancers who danced. Awful. Terrible.
As my buddy approached me after the service, she said sorry because it's her fault why others didn't dance. Also, she gave me a hand-written letter that's full of her pains and burdens on the status of our friendship. Hmp.
Before I would continue on my story, I want to show you a portrait of me with my buddy.

←This photo was taken last March 9 (inside a closet) during our Youth Retreat.

Going back to my story, my buddy told me (through a text msg.) that they, the senior dancers, did not plan to boycott me last Sunday as I called for a rush practice an before our regular service. It was just that all agreed that they don't feel like dancing when she, my buddy, spoken out the day before that she do not want to dance. :-(

Anyway, this afternoon, we have a scheduled agape/ Bible study meeting @ 2pm at the church. I actually do not want to go, but it was my spirit who wanted to break the desires of my worldly thoughts. I then decided to go and attend.

As I went in the church office (we had our BS there because it's too hot), they were tackling Christian living. My focus was hooked immediately to Ptra. Cecille because I wanted something to happen. I wanted a twist. I also jotted down some notes from the study.

I used an ordinary pad paper from the church office since I forgot to bring my devotional notebook.

Anyway, the verse we tackled was Psalms 1:1-6.

I actually memorize this chapter, but it's quite different from understanding and relating to it deeply than merely knowing it.

The effectiveness of having an efficient prayer life and Bible-reading life was also one of the foci of our study. Truly, I was moved. I knew God answered all my prayers in an instant (of course I prayed at the middle of these trials!).

As the meeting went on, I and my buddy became more ease with each other as we continuously cracked jokes together with the other youth (girls). Hay, thank God.

Before we ended our discussions and pep talks, I wrote something at the end of the yellow paper (could you spot it?). It seemed like a comment on a blog that said "Refreshing!".

Indeed, everything will be alright in just take one sitting, one prayer, one faith, and heart that is open before the Lord.

I have learned my lesson. It was a hard way that I went through in order to test my faith and strong will, but it was all worth it.

This blog is a testimony of how a youth like me went over the edges of ocean's big waves in order to find times of refreshing. ☺

So, have you learned another lesson?

God keep you. Good night.

My First Blogger Blog

Wow. I cannot believe I am blogging through blogger! To be honest, I actually thought beforehand that it's actually www.blogspot.com . Ha-ha. Now I know it's www.blogger.com. Boo!

Anyway, I have to be real with this blog. Alright, I would like to admit that aside from my passion for writing and narrating my daily stuffs, Bianca Gonzales and Saab Magalona's blogs are my drives for making up a blogger account.

Essentially, I have been blogging since May 6'06 via Friendster blogs, but I have decided to shift (well, not totally) to Multiply blogs. It seems like Friendster blogs are for the jologs ones. Ha-ha. Well, I wouldn't oblete that blog from my memory since I made up a total of 29 posts there--29 interesting (accdg. to me!), funny, touching, inspirational, and sometimes non-sense stories. On the other hand, I only have 3 blog entries on my Multiply account. Well, I guess my entries here won't be that limited since as my Blog title goes, this is my secret blog. Nobody knows this link. Yeah, I know I'm looking a bit stupid on spending time and resources for something that no one could ever appreciate nor read. Well, purposefully, this blog can be read by those that aren't close to me. I mean, I do not want my people close to mo read this blog. It's okay for other people to read my entries (you probably do not know me naman). But wait, I just had another thought. This blog could be also for my close friends! Well, not ALL of them. It would be great if it I would let my friends (whom I am at ease of sharing my secrets with) read my posts, right?

Alright, that's it for now. I haven't taken a bath yet -and it's 1:32pm. Till my next blog (that would be this evening).

Basic Infos about me:

(originally posted on April 18, 2008)

Basic Infos about me:

Name: J e z r e e l F a i t h M a n u g u e

Birth date: 8 November 1990

Birthplace: Baguio City

Current location: Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Religion: Protestant (Born-again Christian)

Denomination: Jesus Revival Church, Philippines

Educational background:

Preschool (Nursery-Preparatory)
Jesus Saves Christian School (Baguio City)

Elementary
Hidden Manna Christian Academy (first grade) – 1996-97
Cherubim Learning Center (second grade) – 1997-98
St. John’s Academy (third to sixth grade)- 1998-2001

High School
Mount Carmel Montessori Center – 2001-2006

College
Central Luzon State University, BA Psychology (2006 up to the current)

Some of her Academic Achievements:

(all glory to the Lord for being faithful)

Consistent honor student
2^st Honorable Mention Awardee, SJA’s batch 2001
1^st place/ Champion during the Division Schools Press Conference (2004) [Category: Editorial Writing in Filipino]
President, Nueva Ecija Young Journalists Association (2004-2005)
Nueva Ecija’s representative for the Regional Schools Press Conference (2005)
Editor in Chief, The Carmelian (2005-2006)
Campus Journalist of the Year (2005)
1^st Honorable Mention Awardee, MCMC’s batch 2006
First Year Representative, CLSU’s College of Arts and Sciences College Council
Secretary, CLSU’s Psychological Council
Conssistent Dean’s Lister/ College Scholar

Ministries: JRC’s Dance Ministry (Leader, Choreographer)
JRC’s Youth Ministry (one of the youth leaders)
JRC’s Youth Worship Team (one of the worship leaders/ back-ups)
JRC’s Worship Ministry/ Team (in-charge of multi-media and dance team)

Dances/ Pageantries Choreographed:
(forgive me, for I can hardly remember them all)

I’ll Always Love
Run to You (revival)
Sambahin Ka Yahweh (revival)
God is Awesome
Via Dolorosa
O, Come Let us Adore Him (candlelight dance)
O Jah
Blow the Trumpet in Zion
I Hear a Sound
Come Let Us Go Up
Fear Not (Overture)
Making a Difference
Huwag Mong Ikahiya
Soldier
In Your Presence

Interests:

arts (in general), dance and choreography, multi-media, music, literature (reading and writing), blogging, technology, world wide web, photography, psychology, sweets (nyum!),celestial objects, culture, history, travel, young people

Gives importance to:

Faith and relationship with/ in God, family, ministries, friendship, education

These things are only a fraction of myself, but I’ll try to add stuffs whenever I feel like doing so :)

All glory belongs to whom they are due – Jesus Christ!

Sambahin Ka Yahweh

I just thought of copying this blog entry I made on my first blog site as many were interested about the dance :) So here it is..

Thank God for the succesful presentation of our cultural dance number, Sambahin Ka Yahweh, last April 4,2007 (Wednesday) during JRC Betis' Evangelical Crusade. It was our way of ministering to the kapampangans (my kababayans).
JRC San Jose went there riding on 1 truck (ridden by mostly dancers), 2 vans, & 3 cars. 3 hours of travel were definitely worth the joy serving the Lord brings.
The dance was awesome and powerful. For a (quite) long time of leading and choreographing for JRC's creative dance ministry, it was actually my first time to choreograph a dance set not only for those who are part of JRC Dance Ministry (more than half of tha dancers are not in the dance team) but for 36 young people. You may say that our dance "Soldier" included youth-boys, but well, that's a different story. Anyway,going back, we prayed for it--really. It was definitely for the glory of God that shook Betis, Pampanga.
Anyway, sayang kasi the one holding the digicam (ate Lheng, lagot) unbelievably wasn't familiar with operating the cam so our dance was not put into record/video. What we had were just pictures after the performance and ministering. (That's alright! We haven't had face-changing actions, anyway ;)
Here are the makukulit and jolly dancers that I worked hard with:
(click on the photo thumbnail to see larger version)





Luzon
(L-R) Kelvin, Joseph, Julius
Jo, Hijet, Rian, Mich, Joyce, Kath, Cze, Dhez

Visayas
(L-R) Reg&Von, Memen&Ram, Jez&mac, Jessa&Joy, Melay&Kevin, Carol&Kim, Gerald&Editha

Mindanao
Giovan, Bong, Errol, & Jett
Reina, Vanj, Jez (me!), Donna, Lea, Jenny, Anna
Hallelujah! Sambahin Ka Yahweh!

Original link: here