DAY 48, 2008: A RELIEVING SUNDAY
Route Marker No.1:
ROADBLOCK: Difficulty of Sleeping
DESTINATION: Philippine Evangelism Center (P.E.C.)
STOP-OVER: SBC-MAKATI
HALL PASS: Reunion with Former Churchmates
REWARD: Sunday Revival
Route Marker No.1:
ROADBLOCK: Difficulty of Sleeping
DESTINATION: Philippine Evangelism Center (P.E.C.)
STOP-OVER: SBC-MAKATI
HALL PASS: Reunion with Former Churchmates
REWARD: Sunday Revival
I actually had a hard time sleeping in the wee hours of the morning. My cold's bothering me. I hardly can't breathe. I can't sleep by breathing through my nose because it's clogged with mucus. I drank medication and thank goodness, I slept soundly.
I woke up at around 7 am. Still, I went back to sleep and woke up later at around 7:40 am. I got up, bathed, and gargled and made my way to SBC-MAKATI. I left Kuya Ric the lesson for Sunday School, as I will not be able to teach the children. Tin will. I immediately went to P.E.C. I was warmly welcomed in the church I was formerly attending. Of course, it's inevitable to meet former churchmates. I badly miss them, really. But, the reason I went here id to worship God, not for reunions. Reunions can be taken care of later, after the church service. I immediately entered the auditorium. People were already worshipping God. too bad, I missed the first parts. Then, Minister Masilungan told us to greet everybody around. I saw Rachelle, a former Sunday School classmate, sitting on the church bench behind where I was sitting. I shook her hand. I maintained proper decorum while I was inside the church. No chatting with friends.
Pastor Donnie Ompad then, introduced today's speaker, Reverend Gordon Mallory. He's with his wife, Sister Apton Mallory. I was scribbling down notes so, at least, I have his preaching documented. Here's what he preached:
"All of my years, God has been Good to me"
Scripture Text:Psalms 37:3-5; 25
3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
I woke up at around 7 am. Still, I went back to sleep and woke up later at around 7:40 am. I got up, bathed, and gargled and made my way to SBC-MAKATI. I left Kuya Ric the lesson for Sunday School, as I will not be able to teach the children. Tin will. I immediately went to P.E.C. I was warmly welcomed in the church I was formerly attending. Of course, it's inevitable to meet former churchmates. I badly miss them, really. But, the reason I went here id to worship God, not for reunions. Reunions can be taken care of later, after the church service. I immediately entered the auditorium. People were already worshipping God. too bad, I missed the first parts. Then, Minister Masilungan told us to greet everybody around. I saw Rachelle, a former Sunday School classmate, sitting on the church bench behind where I was sitting. I shook her hand. I maintained proper decorum while I was inside the church. No chatting with friends.
Pastor Donnie Ompad then, introduced today's speaker, Reverend Gordon Mallory. He's with his wife, Sister Apton Mallory. I was scribbling down notes so, at least, I have his preaching documented. Here's what he preached:
"All of my years, God has been Good to me"
Scripture Text:Psalms 37:3-5; 25
3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.We read the scriptures and focused on the v. 25. He was kidding while preaching! He said that this verse is appropriate for him. Rev. Mallory's around 60 yrs. old. He knows how to speak Filipino! He said "I'll try my best to speak the best English. if you don't understand anything I say, I'll understand!" He let us tell our seatmates "I'm very sorry to tell that you're getting older!"
Here are other memorable quotations from him:
" You're not as young as you used to be."
" My knees are talking to me."
" You're knees are complaining to you."
" You can't stop yourself from being old."
" Old age brings about changes."
" Please call me young again! "
" Where did the young man go? "
" My feet are crying."
' As long as I have breath, I will praise the Lord!"
" When you are near the end, you look back..."
" This is your dressing room! " - referring to the Earth as a temporary place.
" I have no sad stories to tell. God has been good to me!"
" I can just be who I am. I can't be somebody else."
" Isn't it good that God didn't make us alike? He threw the mold away when He created you! "
He told us a story of himself when he had this infection in the pancreas. E. coli. and the other one he can't remember. He underwent surgeries and was injected lots of antibiotics. He was then transferred to a separate room with another man coughing harshly and was like strangled. He said " This is the end! Deathward room." He asked the nurse for two requests: first, he be transferred to another room, he alone is there, and, his wife stays with her all through the night, hold his hand as he sleeps and stuff like that. But the nurse twice said "Sir, it's impossible." So he asked the nurse for their supervisor. To his surprise, she is a Filipina. He told the supervisor: "Kumusta ka? (FYI: How are you? in Filipino.) and other phrases. "Sir, how'd you know our language?" the Filipina asked. "Pilipino ako." he said. "The truth Sir.' the Filipina said. Rev. then told the truth. He was a missionary in Manilaand partnered with Filipino pastors for evangelism. The Filipina supervidorvidor then said, while crying, "Sir, only a few people like you loved the Philippines, it's culture and people." Rev., then said his request. the supervisor said that it can't be, but can be agreed upon. His request was granted. He latr got well. God's good! he also told us a story of a missionary who preached, over and over, that you will live forever. His friend the doctor, disagreed. They then died in a car accident. He also told us an illustration of how old age affects everything we do. He told us that when you are in a church service, and all of you were asked to stand up and you're not standing, your churchmates will then tell each other this: " Oh! He's backslidden. He's no longer spiritual (anymore)!" (humor intended) He also told us the story of his teeth. He told us that his teeth came out at night and went into a glass inside the water closet; and in the wee hours of the morning, his wife will thenbe shocked to see his teeth in that glass. In short, he gave us a testimony of how really good is God to him.
After that, the revival service began. Pastor Ompad told us to just thank the Lord for His goodness. I underwent revival. I realized how good God has been to me.
After the church service, I went downstairs to meet other churchmates. Ma'am Lou Domondon got excited when she saw me. She's my Sunday School teacher back then. Picture takings, chats and phone number exchanged then took place.
then, it's time to say "See you!" and not byes.
Route Marker No. 2:
DESTINATION: JIVE Youth Center
ROADBLOCK: Disappointments
TASK: improve the Youth Center
DETOUR: Saturday or Sunday?
I then went to JIVE Youth Center after eating lunch at home. Being the Youth Center's Game Master, I prepared the games for today's program. The result, No one came. We invited previous attenders after the Youth Center's third re-launching. Disappointments settled in. we then talked about moving the Youth programs to Saturdays instead of Sundays. The verdict? A trial of the program next Sunday and if nothing happens, Saturday shall it be.
I then went home for some things to do and I attended the evening service.
So that's it. See you tomorrow! Virtually or cyberspatially speaking. Ciao!
Here are other memorable quotations from him:
" You're not as young as you used to be."
" My knees are talking to me."
" You're knees are complaining to you."
" You can't stop yourself from being old."
" Old age brings about changes."
" Please call me young again! "
" Where did the young man go? "
" My feet are crying."
' As long as I have breath, I will praise the Lord!"
" When you are near the end, you look back..."
" This is your dressing room! " - referring to the Earth as a temporary place.
" I have no sad stories to tell. God has been good to me!"
" I can just be who I am. I can't be somebody else."
" Isn't it good that God didn't make us alike? He threw the mold away when He created you! "
He told us a story of himself when he had this infection in the pancreas. E. coli. and the other one he can't remember. He underwent surgeries and was injected lots of antibiotics. He was then transferred to a separate room with another man coughing harshly and was like strangled. He said " This is the end! Deathward room." He asked the nurse for two requests: first, he be transferred to another room, he alone is there, and, his wife stays with her all through the night, hold his hand as he sleeps and stuff like that. But the nurse twice said "Sir, it's impossible." So he asked the nurse for their supervisor. To his surprise, she is a Filipina. He told the supervisor: "Kumusta ka? (FYI: How are you? in Filipino.) and other phrases. "Sir, how'd you know our language?" the Filipina asked. "Pilipino ako." he said. "The truth Sir.' the Filipina said. Rev. then told the truth. He was a missionary in Manilaand partnered with Filipino pastors for evangelism. The Filipina supervidorvidor then said, while crying, "Sir, only a few people like you loved the Philippines, it's culture and people." Rev., then said his request. the supervisor said that it can't be, but can be agreed upon. His request was granted. He latr got well. God's good! he also told us a story of a missionary who preached, over and over, that you will live forever. His friend the doctor, disagreed. They then died in a car accident. He also told us an illustration of how old age affects everything we do. He told us that when you are in a church service, and all of you were asked to stand up and you're not standing, your churchmates will then tell each other this: " Oh! He's backslidden. He's no longer spiritual (anymore)!" (humor intended) He also told us the story of his teeth. He told us that his teeth came out at night and went into a glass inside the water closet; and in the wee hours of the morning, his wife will thenbe shocked to see his teeth in that glass. In short, he gave us a testimony of how really good is God to him.
After that, the revival service began. Pastor Ompad told us to just thank the Lord for His goodness. I underwent revival. I realized how good God has been to me.
After the church service, I went downstairs to meet other churchmates. Ma'am Lou Domondon got excited when she saw me. She's my Sunday School teacher back then. Picture takings, chats and phone number exchanged then took place.
then, it's time to say "See you!" and not byes.
Route Marker No. 2:
DESTINATION: JIVE Youth Center
ROADBLOCK: Disappointments
TASK: improve the Youth Center
DETOUR: Saturday or Sunday?
I then went to JIVE Youth Center after eating lunch at home. Being the Youth Center's Game Master, I prepared the games for today's program. The result, No one came. We invited previous attenders after the Youth Center's third re-launching. Disappointments settled in. we then talked about moving the Youth programs to Saturdays instead of Sundays. The verdict? A trial of the program next Sunday and if nothing happens, Saturday shall it be.
I then went home for some things to do and I attended the evening service.
So that's it. See you tomorrow! Virtually or cyberspatially speaking. Ciao!
Hey, Rege! Nice to see you writing down your thoughts. Anyway, I didn't know you attended your former church. I'm glad you felt revived. I also hope we see results this next few Sundays in our youth service. Let me just encourage you to stay faithful and never lose heart, ok? Galatians 6:9
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