All right, I apologize for not being forthcoming in my last post, dear readers. My heart is filled with remorse for wasting your precious time. (not!) Hehehe... Na-uto kayo no? Nyahahahaha! Well, now that those weak of heart have been weeded out of the audience, I guess I can get to the juicy stuff...
Our good family friend Tita Baby Bulaon showed up around 2:30am. While she arrived late enough to give the average guy enough allowance to get ready, I was late as usual. (More on the preparations later.) I quickly stuffed whatever else I could lay my hands on into my bags and jumped into the bathroom. After a quick breakfast of scrambled-egg-and-ham sandwiches, I loaded my bags into the van and we rushed off to the airport. My mom was driving, and Tita Baby came along to keep her company on the way home. It didn't take us more than 45 mins, I think. And we arrived at the airport with time to spare. We said our goodbyes, and I entered the airport with my bags. I don't like sad goodbyes. They only accentuate the feelings of loss and separation. I would rather focus on the positives. I was reminded that the paths we're going along are for the best, that the great opportunities we have before us are from the Lord.
And so I proceeded to the check-in gates. With a boarding pass printed out from NW's website, the process was fairly simple. Ahh, the wonders of modern technology. Thankfully, the rest of the checks were also as uneventful. The immigration officer even didn't question me about my DOST hold order until I showed him the documents. I wonder if that means I don't really have a hold order, that I could have left any time. But then, I opted to play it safe and get through the whole process in accordance with the proper procedure. It was smooth sailing from then.
I met up with my officemate Ryan, also on a similar assignment, in the check-out line. I was deliberately careful with my things, especially my travel documents, so he got out a little ahead. We received free trial passes to the NW lounge from our HR team, so I went to check it out. Wow, free food! Ayos, feeling business class! Hahaha! I'm always a sucker for free food, who isn't? I also took advantage of the free internet access terminals to send some mails out to my family about my trip status.
As the plane lifted off the runway, my thoughts drifted back along the past few months. There have been ups and downs all along. The Lord has taken me on a long roller-coaster ride; and I felt that I was going downhill most of the time. Yet through it all, He was seated right beside me, holding me fast to my seat. Even when things seemed to spiral out of control, and when the world turned upside down, He was there to give me the strength to go on. When we went through tunnels, where I couldn't see the way, He would shine His light on me and give me hope. And most amazing was that whenever I was rushing down a valley, I would feel almost weightless. I haven't been faithful enough, not grateful enough, to deserve His love. And yet there He was, ever faithful, ever loving. It's true that the Lord reveals Himself to us at His own pace. Through these trials, He has taught me to be more dependent on Him. I find myself more open to His will instead of being hardened, as I have been in the past. While I am not perfect, He has shown me that I don't have to be. And it is the least I can do to give my life over to him.
Lately I've been struggling with my daily devotion. The problem is that it's not daily, hehehe... I haven't exactly been building the best habits. My addiction to media is still firmly rooted in me, and serves as a great hindrance to devoting time to the Lord. I'd stay up late watching TV, downloaded videos, or reading some other nonsense. Not only do I not get to do the things I have to do, but it also throws off my schedule the next day. "Late to bed, late to rise", that's always been my motto, hah! That brings back memories of high school... If it's not too much to ask, dear readers, please pray for me. I would like to throw off these shackles I've been wearing for years.
Our good family friend Tita Baby Bulaon showed up around 2:30am. While she arrived late enough to give the average guy enough allowance to get ready, I was late as usual. (More on the preparations later.) I quickly stuffed whatever else I could lay my hands on into my bags and jumped into the bathroom. After a quick breakfast of scrambled-egg-and-ham sandwiches, I loaded my bags into the van and we rushed off to the airport. My mom was driving, and Tita Baby came along to keep her company on the way home. It didn't take us more than 45 mins, I think. And we arrived at the airport with time to spare. We said our goodbyes, and I entered the airport with my bags. I don't like sad goodbyes. They only accentuate the feelings of loss and separation. I would rather focus on the positives. I was reminded that the paths we're going along are for the best, that the great opportunities we have before us are from the Lord.
And so I proceeded to the check-in gates. With a boarding pass printed out from NW's website, the process was fairly simple. Ahh, the wonders of modern technology. Thankfully, the rest of the checks were also as uneventful. The immigration officer even didn't question me about my DOST hold order until I showed him the documents. I wonder if that means I don't really have a hold order, that I could have left any time. But then, I opted to play it safe and get through the whole process in accordance with the proper procedure. It was smooth sailing from then.
I met up with my officemate Ryan, also on a similar assignment, in the check-out line. I was deliberately careful with my things, especially my travel documents, so he got out a little ahead. We received free trial passes to the NW lounge from our HR team, so I went to check it out. Wow, free food! Ayos, feeling business class! Hahaha! I'm always a sucker for free food, who isn't? I also took advantage of the free internet access terminals to send some mails out to my family about my trip status.
As the plane lifted off the runway, my thoughts drifted back along the past few months. There have been ups and downs all along. The Lord has taken me on a long roller-coaster ride; and I felt that I was going downhill most of the time. Yet through it all, He was seated right beside me, holding me fast to my seat. Even when things seemed to spiral out of control, and when the world turned upside down, He was there to give me the strength to go on. When we went through tunnels, where I couldn't see the way, He would shine His light on me and give me hope. And most amazing was that whenever I was rushing down a valley, I would feel almost weightless. I haven't been faithful enough, not grateful enough, to deserve His love. And yet there He was, ever faithful, ever loving. It's true that the Lord reveals Himself to us at His own pace. Through these trials, He has taught me to be more dependent on Him. I find myself more open to His will instead of being hardened, as I have been in the past. While I am not perfect, He has shown me that I don't have to be. And it is the least I can do to give my life over to him.
Lately I've been struggling with my daily devotion. The problem is that it's not daily, hehehe... I haven't exactly been building the best habits. My addiction to media is still firmly rooted in me, and serves as a great hindrance to devoting time to the Lord. I'd stay up late watching TV, downloaded videos, or reading some other nonsense. Not only do I not get to do the things I have to do, but it also throws off my schedule the next day. "Late to bed, late to rise", that's always been my motto, hah! That brings back memories of high school... If it's not too much to ask, dear readers, please pray for me. I would like to throw off these shackles I've been wearing for years.
No comments:
Post a Comment