Your Daily Dose Of Zarahness-050209-053009

Saturday, May 30, 2009 Whose Word Will You Believe? "While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. 'Your daughter is dead,' he said. 'Dont bother the teacher anymore.' Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, 'Dont be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.'" Luke 8:49-50 Someone told Jairus that his daughter is dead. Jesus told Jairus not to fear and "just believe." Fact: Jairus' daughter is dead. Truth: Jesus can perform a miracle, regardless of what the fact tells us.

The question is: Whom will you believe? --Someone tells you, "Your sickness has no cure." Jesus tells you, "I am your Healer." Someone tells you, "You are laid off from your job." Jesus tells you, "Don't worry. I will provide for you." Someone tells you, "You're worth nothing." Jesus tells you, "You are the apple of my eye; I knit you in your mother's womb; You are fearfully and wonderfully made." --The Truth is greater than the fact. Take Jesus' word for it! * "They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. " Luke 8:53-55 Posted by zarahlim at 1:07 PM 0 comments

Labels: preaching thoughts

Friday, May 29, 2009 On Abner Afuang's Dousing Dr. Hayden Incident

"Pinanuod ko yung sex video eh. Di ko matiis. May anak akong babae..." Exactly! May anak ka na babae tapos pinanuod mo parin yung video. If you really wanted this mess to stop, you should've done your part and not watched it. Para ka naring nanilip eh sa ginawa mo eh. Isa ka pa. Tapos you said that Katrina Halili looks so much like your only daughter in America. AND YOU STILL WATCHED THE VIDEO? Eeew. I wonder where your imagination took you when you watched the video. And here's another thing: you're supposed to be a columnist, therefore a journalist. Aren't journalists supposed to report objectively? Now, how the heck will you still be able to do that when you've already shown the whole nation what your stand on the matter is, and in a manner that is really quite embarrassing for a supposedly "respectable" image which journalists and policemen and even mayors carry (Afuang is an ex-cop and an ex-mayor of Laguna)? * Isa rin tong si Sen. Bong Revilla. Gimik daw when Dr. Hayden did not react even after being doused with water. So as "to gain sympathy?" Oh come on!

* I can't deny the fact that Dr. Hayden's really, really handsome, no? Especially when he didn't react.

Hay. Lord, sana nga he would get spiritual healing like he said he's looking for. * P.S. Kaya ayaw kong nanunuod ng mga ganito eh. Affected much? ;p Posted by zarahlim at 2:02 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, inis

Thursday, May 28, 2009 Blast from the Past: Sunday School Songs I was able to get my hands on some mp3s of the songs we used to sing at Sunday School. I had a blast singing along with it tonight. Haha! This particular one, from Psalty's 4th (I think) album, is one of my favorites. (Oh how we loved Psalty when we were growing up! I remember listening to Psalty's 9th album (where Risky Rat came in and made a big mess of everything) from morning 'til night because I just had this need to memorize all the songs in it. That's how much I loved Psalty!)

The Recipe Song Gonna make a recipe I just can't wait to start, It's not the kind you serve at meals, you make it in your heart. If you've never tried it you've got to have a taste, so come into the kitchen and we'll make a batch of praise. First you take a cup of faith and stir it all around; add some joy and laughter till it makes a bubbly sound. Mix in some agape love till it begins to ring Pour into a willing heart and serve it to the King! Posted by zarahlim at 11:21 PM 0 comments Labels: favorites, praise

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 Chuck & Blair: Finally!

Posted by zarahlim at 10:53 PM 0 comments Labels: favorites

On the Dr. Hayden Kho Jr. Issue... Ok, what the man did was very, very wrong. It was disgusting, it was perverse, it was immoral. But seeing him on the news - looking very sorry, asking the people to please stop dragging his parents into this mess he started, asking for forgiveness, admitting he was wrong - I felt pity for him. Yep. Naawa ako sa ichura nia. I mean, he looked really messed up.

And what he said was very true - that we all have these 'secret sins' that we definitely don't want the public to know, that even when we pray to God, we could barely say it because of utter guilt and shame. What happened to him is not unlike the story in the Bible about the adulterous woman who was about to be stoned to death but was saved because of Jesus' remark: "Let him who have no sin cast the first stone." (John 8:3-11) All of us have our own weaknesses. All of us have sinned. It just so happened that Dr. Hayden's, being a celebrity, got a wide media coverage. Yeah, he shouldn't have done that in the first place. But what about your thing? What about mine? Should we even be doing that 'secret sin?' Who are we to judge? Don't get me wrong. I'm not condoning what he did. In fact, when I first heard about it, I was disgusted and refused to watch and read about it. But tonight, when I saw him, I was reminded of the way God's mercy works. Just as we received His mercy amidst our huge and horrifying 'secret sins,' so we should extend it to others. Sabi nga ni pareng Max (talagang kailangan isali ang aking favorite author! Haha!), "Forgiveness does not mean approval. You aren't endorsing misbehavior. You are entrusting your offender to "him who judges righteously" (1 Pet. 2:23).

I just pray that in this time of testing, he would realize the extent of God's grace for him. I hope someone tells him about the Rock that he can run to, that there's a Shelter waiting for him in this time of storm, and that he can find peace and hope when all seems lost. P.S. Is it true that his dad is a pastor??? If it is, then I assume that his being a Pastor's kid, he knows what I'm talking about.

Posted by zarahlim at 7:58 PM 0 comments Labels: blab

Teen Chick Flicks I 3ever Get Tired Of

She's the Man (starring Amanda Bynes)

Wild Child (starring Emma Roberts) I must have watched these films a dozen times but I never get tired of them. I watch it whenever I'm bored and wants to watch a movie but got nothing new. Or whenever I'm doing something mundane and routinary and wants someone to accompany me. Hehe! I don't know what is it about these two. Is it because of Channing Tatum's hotness? Maybe. Is it because

of the cool clothes and kikay stuff of Emma Roberts? Oh yeah. But I think it's mostly because these two portray two different kinds of girl power. Viola (Amanda Bynes in She's the Man) projects the tough-girlturned-wiser tough girl while Poppy (Emma Roberts, Wild Child) projects the rebellious-kikay-girlturned-wiser-and-more-congenial young woman. More of these kind of films please. :) Posted by zarahlim at 4:26 PM 2 comments Labels: blab, favorites

Poor, penniless Janey 10:22 AM 5/27/2009 My two weeks of absence the first half of May left me literally penniless. I had no choice but to borrow from my mom because if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to go anywhere, not even to the office. And since I've already incurred 2k's worth of debt from her this past week alone, I didn't want to add up to it na (ano pang sesweldohin ko nun diba!). Yesterday, my melancholic side struck once again, coinciding with my usual sungit-when-broke mode. I only had 70 pesos to work on. So I walked from our home to the office (15 minute walk lang naman, thank God). Lunch time came. Obviously I had to eat or else I'll die of starvation (if I don't die of boredom first, or better yet - germs). Anyway, I just thank God for Bong's Eatery, for EatFresh and for Manong Magmamangga because if it hadn't been for their budget-friendly food (in today's world of sky-rocketing prices of commodities), I would've starved. Thank God because even if I was on a very tight budget, I was still able to buy my lunch, and at three different places at that! Oh ha! :D

Janey's Lunch Menu Appetizer: Bong's Fried Lumpia - P11.00 Main Course: EatFresh Fried Noodles - P18.00 Dessert: Manong's Indian Mango - P10.00

Snacktime, I got hungry na ulit. Buti nalang I had the ever-reliable Skyflakes in my bag. When it was time for me to go home, I had no choice but to walk once again. Okay lang. I need the exercise, anyway. And so I was able to endure the day, thank God. Kaya lang sa sobrang pagod (at inis siguro at awa sa sarili), I slept as soon as I finished my merienda at home. I slept from 6pm until morning na. Hehe. _ Day 2: I only had 18 pesos left from yesterday's budget streak. But I found another 5 pesos in one of my pants (talagang kinalkal ko ang mga bulsa, hoping to find any spare coin I could get. Hahaha! That's how penniless I am) and 2 pesos on my make-up table. So, energized by that extra 7 pesos (hey, at least may 25 pesos na ako to work on today! O ha!!), I left for work. Before I got out of the house, my dad asked if I wanted to get some money from my savings (apparently I still had a few hundreds left), but I declined. I wanted another day of adventure muna. And I think I deserve what I'm going through right now. The past few months have been a splurge-galore for me, so I really need this experience to remind me to save up and stop spending unwisely. I have a plan naman on how to survive lunchtime. There's another eatery nearby that sells Kiampong (fried rice, Chinese style) for only P20.00. And since my last full meal was yesterday's lunch (I didn't get to eat dinner because I was already asleep. I woke up around midnight, but I didn't want to eat na by that time), I stocked up on Skyflakes today (I brought 2 with me) and a pack of Turones de Casuy from Cebu for my merienda. Heehee! _ Tomorrow's payday na naman (Yey!) so I only have today to endure. I sincerely hope I've learned my lesson this time. _ P.S. I miss Sushiyum. Waah! :((

* 12:59pm Change of plan with regard to today's lunch menu. I was sidetracked by this small store beside Pacita's selling Pancit Canton (2 packs for P25.00). Yey!

Jeynjeyn: Batang Lucky Me! Posted by zarahlim at 10:53 AM 0 comments Labels: blab, inis, praise, work

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 What I did to counter the attack of germs: I brought my own bimpo (face towel) so I can cover up everytime the cough machine strikes. Oh ha! =D P.S. One more reason is so that I can cover up when the new cough machine (ME) strikes. Yep. I caught the virus na (quite expected it, actually. You have to be here and see for yourself how the attacker attacks so you'd know what I'm talking about. I can also do a demo for you anytime you want. Haha) Posted by zarahlim at 9:35 AM 0 comments

Labels: blab, inis, work

Monday, May 25, 2009 Office Manners ala Janey: *Ubo*Ubo*Ubo *Ubo*Ubo*Ubo

*Ubo*Ubo*Ubo Tila wala nang bukas kapag kayo'y umubo; Pagkalakas lakas, pagkaingay ingay. Kung mamarapatin niyo po, Sana'y dinggin ang aming munting kahilingan. Nawa'y inyong takpan ang inyong bibig kapag kayo'y umuubo Dahil di namin nais na makalap ang inyong germs. We're in a very confined space. At aircon pa. Please lang. Show some manners naman. Posted by zarahlim at 10:33 AM 2 comments Labels: blab, inis, work

Sunday, May 24, 2009 When Lawrence gets bored, he makes beautiful music. :) 5/23/09 Saturday After carecell, my usual routine is to finish up the bulletin for Sunday Service. Lawrence usually waits for me to finish so we can eat and then go home. Apparently, this particular Saturday proved to be productive one for him. When I finished up with my task, I heard him jamming (as usual) all by himself. This definitely goes into the Top 3 of my list of Lawrence-when-inspired favorites.

Cool, right?! :) P.S. Ganda ng kamay mo, pre! ;) P.P.S Lord, I pray that You'd bless those hands more! :) Posted by zarahlim at 7:30 PM 1 comments Labels: blab, favorites

Friday, May 22, 2009 Janey Updates - 5/22/09 Met up with Hazel this afternoon. I gave her the invitation to Irene's wedding. Grabe! People are starting to get married na... Oh my, we're getting older. Hehe! We spent the first half of our meet-up looking for a dress to wear at the wedding. After finishing up on our shopping, we sat for hours at the foodcourt to catch up (while waiting for her dad to pick her up). I realized a big difference in how we made kwento. We're still as close as ever but our talks have evolved into something deeper na. We're both Christians, but when we were in high school, we never got around to talking about our faith. But as I listened to ourselves share life problems and at the same time encourage one another in the Lord, I grew to appreciate her friendship more. Now I know I have one more friend to run to when I need sound counsel. Praise God for Hazel. I just pray that we could lead our other friends to Christ. (No pictures, sayang.) *

Last night, Lawrence and I (together with Franb and JC and JR) got to attend Worship Central's Worship Concert. Tim Hughes and Al Gordon were there. I had a blessed time. Praise God for Peewee, Lawrence's friend who's from CCF, for giving us the tickets for free. He was one of the back-up singers so he gave us free tickets. Yey. :)

Tim Hughes (the one in the white polo) & Al Gordon (beside Tim, wearing black) lead worship. Peewee's the guy in black on the right side of the photo.

Posted by zarahlim at 5:33 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, praise

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 On favorite books, evangelism, and God's goodness

It's amazing how a seemingly bad day can turn out to be a good one, if you will just remember to keep

your eyes focused on the goodness of God. Praise God! ** 8am - Wakes up to dad's voice calling us, "Huy 8 o'clock na, di ba kayo papasok!?" Oh no! I'm late again. Dresses hurriedly for work. I got in at 9am this morning w/ mega shortness of breath. As the day progressed, I had a hard time breathing and my muscles are literally shaking. I seriously wanted to go home after lunch but was ashamed to do so coz I just got in after 2 weeks of absence. So I persisted. Praise God for sustaining me and giving me strength so I could last the whole day.

** 4pm - Shannon dropped by the office bringing with her a paperbag full of books to lend me and Kimmie and Abby. Yey!!

Included in this batch is Shannon's copy of Little Altars Everywhere - Yehey!!!

** A friend from high school asked to hang out on Monday. Saturday dapat but I told him I can't make it.

Ever since I can remember, I had the tendency to put off going out with my non-church friends, basically because I didn't feel as comfortable with them as I did with the friends I grew up with. But now I know that I shouldn't hang out only with Christian friends because how else will I reach out to my friends who don't know Jesus, diba? I should make myself accessible to them also. So as of today, if someone asks me out (not on a date, of course, but to just hang out), I'll accept. I need to start doing the work God called me to do - and that is to share God's love to my oikos. :) Praise God for opening up these opportunities to reach out more souls for Him. ** As I was walking home from work, I found my eyes looking upward (which is unusual for me since I usually walk looking straight ahead or looking down, never upward). And when I saw the white, puffy clouds, this song played in my mind: Your steadfast love extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness, it reaches to the clouds, Your righteousness is like majestic mountains And your wisdom like the depths of the sea, And you come to me. Filling my heart with your loving kindness I find my peace in the shadow of your wings I eat my fill from the abundance of your household And I drink from the streams of rejoicing, You are my king.

I tried capturing the awesome cloud formation (na hindi pahalata sa mga tao, bka ma-snatch ang aking cellphone, haha!)

but I couldn't. So here's a glimpse of Benavidez St. nalang today @ 530 pm. :)

** When I got home from work, I found the invitations to Irene's wedding waiting for me (she asked me to help her send the invites to our friends). While browsing among the invites, I found another batch included (misplaced?) which belongs to other magbabarkadas. And this was the friend I was talking about earlier in this post. I was puzzled because (1) Irene told me she'll be sending me the invites of our barkada, and (2) the misplaced (?) batch was a group that I wasn't on speaking terms yet back in high school. It was only through FB that we connected, and Irene couldn't have possibly known that. Anyway, back to the story. When I saw their names, I thought, "Aba! Is this a coincidence or what?" Just this afternoon we agreed to meet next week, together w/ some of our friends, but I wasn't so sure if it would push through. Then when I got home and saw the invites, it looked as if I really have to meet up with them. Lord, is this you? If it is, please help me to reflect you through my life. Hhmmmm . . . Something good's gonna happen. I can feel it. ü One Job, One Mission - it's on its way! :) -Posted by zarahlim at 7:19 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, favorites, praise, work

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 Janey Updates – 5/18/09 5/18/09 11:59pm I’ve been uploading our Cebu photos in my Multiply and Facebook accounts since 630pm this evening. Hay! While waiting, I tried catching up on episodes of ANTM I missed while in Cebu. Celia got eliminated, which is very predictable as Tyra and the other judges repeatedly gave the hint that “fashion adores youth.” Boo!

I like Celia. She’s got great style, gave great photos. If she were just a few years younger, she would’ve won. Oh well… The Hope team went to Bohol last week (same week as my Cebu week). As I was preparing to go home from work today, Ma’am Joy handed me a box containing assorted goodies from Bohol.

She said it’s in appreciation of all the help I contributed in the preparation of the Accreditation. Wow. J Praise God! Uuwi na nga lang, may blessing pa! Thank you Lord. We had a makeup seminar at school today. Paul & Joe conducted the seminar. I liked Mary Kay’s presentation better (last year’s seminar), mainly because MK was very well prepared and very interactive. In MK’s seminar, they gave each participant a free testing kit wherein we had to use them simultaneously while the speaker explained when and how to apply them (e.g. facial wash, toner, moisturizer, foundation, etc.). Today’s seminar just had us watch the speaker do a demo on Mrs. Salaysay. Afterwards she had us do our make ups on our own. But to give due respect to her, she was very accommodating naman. The seminar was scheduled to last 3 hours but in just one hour she was done with everything and had us do consultations na (and they were late pa and when they came they had to set up pa, all of which took them around 30 minutes). Super sayang ang oras no. And so because I meant to make the most out of that seminar, I had her do my eyebrows. Haha! Sayang no! Free eyebrow shaping din un! Wahaha!

Posted by zarahlim at 11:11 AM 0 comments Labels: blab, praise, work

Sunday, May 17, 2009 Cebu Trip Update: @ Cebu (Continuation) *Here are the promised posts. Please excuse the writing style for this post as I just typed in what I got from my phone. -05.11.09 9:28pm All alone @ Europa Inn. Past 8pm and still no text from the CBAG peeps. And considering I'm so tired and sleepy, I made a rather rash decision - checked myself in a hotel all by myself. The staff at IBC were out for dinner and I couldn't wait anymore. Lawrence came with me but left soon after seeing me settled in. Some of the youth at WOH are checked in here as well. The room's cozy for one person; a rather tight squeeze for two people, and impossible for three. The bathroom's okay but could do with more cleaning and attention (it's leaking!). --05.12.09 7:45pm Woke up at 5am. Had a great sleep naman. Devotions.

6:30am, went down at reception to wait for Lawrence. Chatted w/ ate receptionist. When Lawrence arrived, they had his and Mark's room ready. Then Kristel called to tell me they'll be staying here after all. Hehe! Yey! Thank you, Lord. Everything worked out perfectly.

Lunch @ Ayala Mall w/ Lawrence _ Ate Netty, ZG, Carrie & Marc, fresh (!) from Manila

7pm, Youth Night. Ptr. Rey Calusay's message - Will you give Jesus your biggest Yes ever? (Illustration: Susan Boyle, Britain's Got Talent). Scripture: Isaiah ("..no beauty in him to draw us...") --05.13.09 8:30am Just arrived at CICC for the first morning session. Cab buddies: Carrie and Lawrence. PM Session, had a bit of mood attack. Dad called while session was ongoing. I went out and took the

call, then when I tried to get in, they wouldn't let me because I still had no ID (naubusan ng ID lace, and my ID was not yet made by the reg comittee). They had a policy, for security reasons, NO ID NO ENTRY. But I got in after Kuya Pat settled it. During the break, I wanted to be by myself so I went to Parkmall alone. Got coffee and KFC dinner. Then I went back to the hall. Bad mood lifted. Picture-picture. Evening Service: Consecration of the youth. Message: Passing the Baton by Ptr Gary Denbow. Back at the hotel, pizza fellowship with Kristel, Franvie and Lawrence. --05.14.09 4:41pm Bought 2 new books at the booth.

Then I got another book for free, just by filling up the survey form by ICI Ministries. Section 2 band led worship this morning. They were great. :) The afternoon band (from Baguio) was good too. They had 2 violinists. Galeng! --05.15.09 9:20pm Morning devotion at IBC. City tour afterwards. Visited Taoist Temple, Ayala Mall, and Magellan's Cross. After the tour, we headed back to IBC to get our lunch. Then the Binondo group went back to the hotel to rest up before the evening service.

Taoist Temple

Magellan's Cross

11pm, dinner at Vanille Cafe. --05.16.09 1:24pm @SM Cebu with Lawrence. Watching Angels & Demons. We're waiting for our flight, 9pm pa. Bought pasalubongs here as well. LUnch @ Pizza Hut w/ Kuya Pat & Ate Netty. 4:40pm, bought a Max Lucado book at Booksale (Everyday Deserves a Chance, P160 only!)

Yey!!

Bad news: Lawrence's not feeling well. 8:09pm, at the airport. Lawrence had his picture taken w/ Rhian Ramos. Haha! :)

9:30pm, arrived in Manila. Rhian was with us in the plane!

*** I had a great time during my stay at Cebu. The messages of the speakers were all very powerful, but what really moved me was Ptr. Sur's message on Drops. Just as a single drop of water is the start of the makings of a vast ocean, I am also a drop in an ocean of believers. and if all of us would just be comitted to the cause of Christ until the end, drops will make waves and then create a big movement that would turn the world upside down. In relations to that, I also liked Ptr. Denbow's message on Passing the Baton. We must not drop the baton of our faith, lest we become disqualified in the race. Rather, we must hold on to it and make sure we rise up to our call and be a part of raising generations of leaders that would be committed to the cause of Jesus Christ. Worshipping with fellow Christians from literally all over the country (this was a NATIONAL event, all AG churches in the Philippines) was an awesome thing to experience. It excites me to think how much more wonderful it would be when we get to heaven and worship all together as one body. I feel really blessed to have witnessed such a huge event as this. Thank you so much Lord for this experience. * Pictures: Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / Day 5 / Day 6 Posted by zarahlim at 12:33 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, praise

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 Cebu Trip Update: @ Cebu Date: 5/13/09 Time: 11:12 pm Location: Europa Mansionette Inn Using the hotel's computer rental station. ü I'm still up because we ordered pizza. Hehehe. It'll arrive in 30 minutes. Tomorrow, Lawrence and the Section 2 Band will lead one set of the worship so we have to be at CICC early (7:30am) so they can set up & practice.

Since the trip began, I've encoded my experiences in my phone's notes feature. I didn't bring my laptop (as I mentioned before) and I don't want to write a long chronicle of my Cebu trip (katamad). I'll transfer the rest when I get back to Manila. :) -5/11/09 6:09 pm Wala padin tulog. I'm here at Starbucks Ayala (Cebu) with Lawrence. We had a heck of a joyride today. Upon arriving in Cebu, we met Ptr. Richard from Nueva Ecija (Joshua AG). We shared a cab with him on the way to IBC (Immanuel Bible College). After dropping off our stuff, we took off at 10am for SM. Had lunch at KFC, bought toiletries at Watsons, then watched Wolverine. After that we went back to IBC. It was a total adventure since we both don't know what jeep route to take. And talking with Cebuanos is hard. If you ask them something in Tagalog, they'll answer in Bisaya. Duh. But thank God we didn't get lost. After freshening up at IBC, we headed for another adventure. Our target destination: Ayala.

We reached the place with little difficulty. We got to walk around a bit. Cool.

Wala pa akong tulog since 9pm last night. A first for me. :) --- Since my internet time's a bit limited (1 hour only, and Lawrence already used up 30mins.), I'll post the rest later, together with the pictures. ü

Posted by zarahlim at 11:08 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, ministry

Monday, May 11, 2009 Cebu Trip Update: Pre-Cebu (Monday, 5/11) 4am I tried; really, I did. But no matter how hard I tried to fall asleep, I just couldn't. Uuuy, excited! Hehe! My things are already waiting by the front door, ready to be whisked off into the beautiful city of Cebu. I'm just killing time and trying to be quiet in the process, 'coz everyone's already sleeping (though all of them were still up about an hour ago). *Updates re: the hotel issue, plus other concerns. 1. I'm gonna stay with the CBAG (Caloocan Bethel AG) people, as per Kristel's request. We're staying at the Castle Peak Hotel. I checked out their website and it looks great. I hope it will look just as good when I'm actually there already. 2. I forgot to get the camera at church. So I definitely won't be able to take pictures of the clouds while I'm in the airplane. Hay! Iyon pa naman ang paka-aabang-abangan ko. Sayang. I overslept kasi. I meant to drop by church tonight but when I woke up from my nap, it was already 9pm. And I just remembered the camera when it was already nearing midnight. Hay! Oh well, next time nalang. :) 3. Nobody will be picking us up when we reach Cebu. We're supposed to go straight to IBC (Immanuel Bible College) for registration. I just pray Lawrence & I won't get duped into paying too much sa taxi. Lord, may your favor & wisdom be with us. 4. I hope Brz can go as well. Ganda kasi ng camera nia eh. Haha!! (Parinig ako, Brz, sumunod ka na kase! We want YOU there, not just your camera!) 5. This is Lawrence's and my first plane trip together. ü 6. I won't be bringing my laptop coz it's too heavy and I do not want to be lugging it all over Cebu, mukhang di ko kakayanin, baka hikain. So I just borrowed Kim's PSP. Hehe. I hope there's a WiFi connection sa hotel. And I hope I remember how to use Pinky (Kim's very pink PSP). FYI, I really don't know how to use it, takot ako masira / ma-erase yung games nia. So I never touch it. (That's how scared I am of Kimmiebert.. Hehe! Peace Achi!) She was teaching me how to read Ebooks and stuff kanina, but now I think medjo na-memory gap na 'ko ulit. Oh well, I'll figure it out (I hope). :D So for the meantime, blogging will be on a stand-by mode, until I get access to the internet. Hopefully by tonight I can post updates already. :)

Posted by zarahlim at 4:05 AM 0 comments Labels: blab

Sunday, May 10, 2009 Week 2 of Jump Shots

Sali naman ako.

Presenting: The Bunny Hop We're getting the hang of it. Yey! Here naman is the "Domestic Violence" series.

Sakal. "Aray, huwag, hindi ako makahinga!"

Suntok. "Ayaw mo maglaba!? Hetong sa'yo!"

Mega Lift Attack. (Also known as The Attack of the Dragon Lady.) * May 10, 2009/BFGFC Posted by zarahlim at 3:16 PM 0 comments Labels: blab

Mom's Day @ BFGFC Just pictures for this post.

The Mommies of BFGFC

Angliongto siblings present their Mommy Lourdes with a rose.

Brznf makes the classic "tuhod face."

Meri & Mendi wishes all moms a Happy Mother's Day. ü

Men's Fellowship

Firebrands Youth 5/09

More pictures here.

Posted by zarahlim at 2:48 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, ministry, praise

Happy MOM's Day! Especially to my dear mommy, Mommy Angeline.

I ♥ you!!! * Mwah! * Posted by zarahlim at 2:39 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, praise

Saturday, May 09, 2009 Corporate Devotions @ VBX Praise Reports:

1. Praise God because He helped me get past the bad feelings I had prior to today's carecell and gave me enough strength to lead the discussion. 2. Praise God for faithful members. They are such an encouragement. Lord, bless them! 3. Praise God for giving me wisdom on what to do in today's meeting. It's so hard to lead when you're not feeling too well, physically AND emotionally. But you really have to get past that and claim God's strength as yours. ü 4. Praise God for the reminders in His Word. Truly, when we turn to His Word (especially when we are broken), He will never fail to speak to us, to bring peace and comfort in our most trying moments.

For today's cellgroup, we did corporate devotions. Since none of us has read today's reading yet (our church follows a daily reading plan), I told the group to read James 1 and then we'll discuss our insights afterwards.

The girls, busy with their devotional journals :)

Everyone was able to share their own thoughts, questions were answered, (shocking) revelations (!) were revealed. Haha. For those of you who weren't there, sorry. You missed that (shocking) part. Waha. Anyway, here's mine: James 1 Trials make us prone to become loners; it makes us prone to alienating the people around us (we get angry and succumb to our emotions). But v.19 reminds us to "be slow to become angry" because "it does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." Verses 2-4 reminds us that when we are undergoing trials, we must resist the feeling of giving up on our faith. Instead, we are to persevere, push and strive all the more. The devil wants us to give in to our emotions and so he will strike us where it really hurts. He will prod us until we give in and give up on our faith. The Bible, then, reminds us to PERSEVERE. And of course, persevering in the midst of a trial will never go unrewarded. God is a loving God. And like a father who rewards his children after seeing them go through hardship and then come out victorious, so God does it for us. Verse 12

tells us that "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." As I was reading the passage, I really sensed God talking to me. Prior to our cell meeting, I was really feeling very down (click here to know why). I was so down, in fact, that I was already planning to be absent. Hay. That's how bad I felt. But praise God because He is a gracious God and has not struck me down yet (for even daring to think of standing Him up in our appointed meeting). Instead, He gave me the strength to go on. And allowed my cell-mates (parang preso ah! Haha!) to bring encouragement to me through their thoughtfulness (Candy and her lasagna treat), their naivete & simplicity (Mia & Angie), and their commitment (all three of 'em). Thank you Lord for once again coming to my rescue!

Candy treats us to a lasagna merienda in celebration of her 23rd birthday. Happy Bday Atty! ♥

*

On a totally different note, I bought yet another book! Shirley Temple autobiography for only P35.00 (Booksale).

I'm gonna save it for my Cebu trip. Yey! :) Posted by zarahlim at 9:57 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, cell, ministry, praise

Cebu Trip Update: Pre-Cebu (Saturday, 5/9) I'll be leaving for Cebu on Monday. When I woke up this morning I was feeling very irritable. A painful jaw + stress from the still unresolved hotel issue / Cebu lodgings + worries for this afternoon's cellgroup + 2 weeks' worth of bulletin + a million other things I have to do all ganged up on me. So I did what I do best when angry - channel the negative vibes into doing chores. And today's chore of choice: The Laundry. FYI, I hate doing the laundry because it leaves me breathless afterwards, with all the wringing of the heavy clothes and hanging them up to dry. I'd rather iron the clothes or fold them up because then, I can sit and relax and multitask (watch TV or something). When I was sorting out the clothes I'll be doing, I realized ang dami na pala nilang nakaipon. All my clothes have to be handwashed pa naman. Hay! But I had no choice but to do it because if I don't, then I'll have no clean wardrobe to bring on my trip. Kaya pala wala na kong damit, nasa labahan lahat. Haha! That teaches me a lesson not to succumb to mañana habit.

I notice everytime I get really angry or pissed or irritated, I just have to do some cleaning up. So when you see my stuff scattered all around like this,

that means

everything's fine and dandy. Haha! ;) So there. Okay, I have to end this post right now. Gotta finish doing the bulletin & prepare for church. Ciao! :)

Posted by zarahlim at 2:58 PM 0 comments Labels: blab

Janey Updates: House Arrest Lifted May 8, 2009 After 5 days of being cooped up inside the house, I was finally able to go out (we have band practice every Friday night so I really had no choice). Walking from our house to church took a great deal of effort which left me literally breathless upon getting there. But I made it. Praise God. Before I left our house, I was already having trouble with my right ear. Because of the swollen lymph nodes there, it somehow affected my hearing. When I got to church, I still couldn't hear very well. So there I was, playing along with the band, with only my left ear working. But during the middle of a song, the 'defective' ear cleared up and only then did I realize that we were playing really loud na pala. I didn't notice it before. Hay! Bingengotz. Haha. Posted by zarahlim at 2:51 PM 0 comments Labels: blab

Thursday, May 07, 2009 Little House on the Prairie TV Series I so loved reading the Laura Ingalls series when I was growing up. I especially liked it when Laura starts describing the food they're having that day... grabe. Kakagutom!!! So when mom told me they used to watch it on TV back in the 70s, I was like, WHAT!!! OMG I HAVE TO WATCH IT!!! Thanks to YouTube and the people who patiently upload these kind of videos, me getting to watch the show is now VERY possible. Yey! Here are some clips. Enjoy! * LHOP: (Opening Theme)

LHOP: Laura and Nellie - Mudfight

LHOP: First Christmas

Posted by zarahlim at 10:28 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, favorites

Day 4 of Janey's House Arrest So here I am, still bumming around the house (though not literally around because I can't walk that far). And with all the hours I've spent analyzing just what's making this heck of a pain in my right jaw, I finally realized what it is: A swollen lymph node. Yup. You might remember me telling you that on Sunday, my throat was feeling very scratchy which led to fever, which led to colds, and so on .... Well, now it seems that my body's starting to fight back and actually winning. Yey!! When I realized that, I just couldn't help but say, "Praise God for lymph nodes." ü * Abby's yummy remedy for her dear sister:

Hot tea (Green Tea with Roasted Brown Rice) with a squeeze of calamansi for that much-needed Vit.C. Ahhh, heaven! Thanks DDB! :) Posted by zarahlim at 3:32 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, praise

Wednesday, May 06, 2009 So you think you know Janey, huh? Well let's find out! :)

JUST FOR FUN! =) Post your answers as comments. Thanks! :) • •

So You Think You Know Janey (Part 1) So You Think You Know Janey (Part 2)

Posted by zarahlim at 9:36 PM 0 comments Labels: quizzes

Janey's 3rd Day of House Arrest It's my 3rd day of being stuck here at home because of the Paint Fumes incident. Out of total boredom, I:

1. Created a "How Well Do You Know Zarah Lim" quiz on Facebook. (Add me up if you wanna take

the quiz. Hehehe!) 2. Took similar quizzes made by friends, and scored fairly well (gawa ng panghuhula). 3. Watched ANTM (Yey Celia got to stay for another week, yipee!! But too bad Fo was sent home. Well, you win some you lose some.) 4. Spent 3 hours on the video project I was asked to do. 5. Took gazillion quizzes in Facebook (W/c Disney Princess are you.. those sort of thing).

I still get short of breath even when walking a short distance. I have to take rest stops every few steps, just like (if not worse than) an old lady. Even eating makes me run out of breath. Kamusta naman iyon, diba! But I didn't let that faze me. Heck, my mom's carbonara last night was awesome and so even if I could barely taste it (because of my cold) and I could barely breathe, I was still able to have double portions. Haha! Anyway, to go back to my story, as if what I previously pointed out was not hard enough, add to the list that my nose's clogged up (baradong sinuses, eck eck) and my right jaw and right cheekbone are very sore and on the verge of swelling because of a very misplaced wisdom tooth. Hay. But I still have praises left in me! (Akala niyo wla na!? No no no!) I praise God because: 1. This happened the week before my Cebu trip (I leave on Monday, 5/11). 2. I have yet to take medicine. I'm not being stubborn here. I really just couldn't take pain killers because I get intense allergic reactions everytime I do (because of the Aspirin I took years ago; apparently you can't take Aspirin if you're allergic to something like seafoods, etc). 3. I'm still alive and kicking. Thank God! Posted by zarahlim at 5:28 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, praise

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 I ♥ Emma Roberts too!

I got this from Perez Hilton's site. Read his review of Ms. Roberts' dress that night. Posted by zarahlim at 8:27 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, favorites

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 Paint Fumes Knock Janey Down After Sunday's meeting, I went home feeling very healthy (as in walang sakit: none of the usual backache and migraine; no nothing! Just that feeling of pure, healthy goodness.). So I changed into my pambahay, opened up my laptop to check my emails and Facebook, and got ready for an afternoon of surfing the wonderful world of the internet. A few minutes later (as in 5-10 minutes later), I got hungry so I got up and went to the kitchen to fix myself some snack. That's when I started to feel funny. My throat, which was very much OK 10 minutes ago, was starting to feel scratchy. "Uh-oh, not another bout of cold!" I said to myself. I tried to brush it off, thinking it would go away after my snack (baka gutom lang, hehe). But no no no, it was going to be, as I was to learn the next day, a full-blown fever. What caused it, you may ask? The PAINT FUMES coming from the apartment unit upstairs. The said apartment is directly above our bedroom. Our bedroom has a window which opens to the space below that apartment. So in short, sa kwarto namin sumisingaw ang napakahalimuyak na amoy ng pintura. We have been experiencing all sorts of smell from our neighbors' units (cigarettes, paint, incense, and what-have-you's). I guess my poor body just couldn't take it anymore. Hay. So there I was, sick on a Monday morning. Today (Tuesday), I'm not feverish anymore, but I still have a hard time walking because of shortness of breath. Hopefully, I can go back to work tomorrow. Still, I will praise God even in this bad situation. I will praise God because: 1. I'm still alive and well. 2. I haven't been hospitalized yet in my entire life. 3. I didn't need to take even one drop of medicine for this bout with fever. Not one Tempra. No, not one. Only prayer, which is better than all the medicines the world can offer. ;) Posted by zarahlim at 7:19 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, praise

Obligation vs. Willingness "Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of glory that will never fade away."

1 Peter 5:2-4 --We who are called into the ministry must always remember that we are here to serve. We are to follow Christ's example of being a servant-leader. Times will come when, because of being too self-sacrificing, we feel pompous and proud of our "humility." Then when we see our members not catching up to our standards, we look at them disdainfully and immediately judge them for not being as "holy and righteous" as we are. This should not be; instead, we must look at them with compassion and help them to be strong in their faith. There will also be times when too much ministry commitments become too much of a routine. Then we dread going from one ministry commitment to the other. We are just so burned out. But we must remember that we should do our call not because we must, but because we are willing. If the willingness is gone, how can we become effective ministers? * Lord, I pray that as I continue serving you (I'm in this for life), make my every waking moment an exciting one, eager to make an impact for You and influence the people around me to know You. Posted by zarahlim at 7:02 PM 0 comments Labels: ministry, preaching thoughts, quotes

Sunday, May 03, 2009 Brz got a new DSLR... ...and WE'RE sooo ♥♥♥(loving)♥♥♥ it! Hehe!! And we tried the oh, so famous jump shots that I see everytime I browse into friends' FS/Multiply/FB albums.

Kulit! Haha. Posted by zarahlim at 8:36 PM 0 comments Labels: blab

Mr. Pacman, you've got a new fan right here!

After service, Lawrence and I went out for a while to buy some chips (because I was so hungry na and it was just 11am). When we got back to church, we found everyone engrossed in the Pacman-Hatton fight. Apparently someone logged in on the internet and watched the live footage of the fight. A few of the men were having coffee while watching and when the fight ended very soon, Bro.Francis remarked, "'Di pa nangangalahati tong kape ko, tapos na!"

Haha! Ganon pala yun, first time ko kasi makanuod ng laban. Sa totoo, I had no intentions of watching the fight coz I really don't like Boxing (naaawa ako sa nasusuntok). But since I had no choice (we were waiting for lunch to be prepared because we had a meeting at 1pm), I got to watch it. Medjo naawa ako sa mukha ni Mr. Hatton, bugbog, tapos when you look into Mr. Pacquiao's face, wala man lang kagalos-galos. Hay! Galeng!! ü Posted by zarahlim at 8:20 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, favorites

Saturday, May 02, 2009 Tonght @ Firebrands Fellowship Two hours of worship, fellowship, and getting inspired and encouraged to realize God's faithfulness in the lives of everyone. Praise God! What saddens me is that only the 'usual faces' are present. I've invited people naman, but either I get no response or they have yet another excuse why they couldn't make it. Hay.

Matira matibay ba talaga ito?

Lord, help me not to be discouraged. Help me remember that each person who came tonight was not there by accident, it was Your will for them to be there. I just pray that soon, a harvest will come. That not only will the news of your faithfulness be heard by the 'usual attenders' but also by the very people who need you in their lives. Amen. * Click for Pictures & Videos Posted by zarahlim at 9:50 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, cell, ministry, praise

On tambays and their side comments

Today, I was on my way to church when I passed some tambays (a Filipino term used to describe people who do nothing all day but just hang out and make rude remarks to people passing by). When I passed this certain guy, I heard him go "Happy Birthday." You know why he said that? No, there wasn't a party going on. The "birthday celebrant" he was addressing his unsolicited "greeting" to was ME (I'm sure because I was the only one who was there for his silly remarks). And all because I was wearing a red shirt. Duh. --Abby reminded me of another Tambay Incident that happened many months ago. We were going home from church (yep, that's where I usually am) when this Sidecar / Tambay boy went, "&i Hao Ma?" (How are you in Chinese). Apparently, he thought I was a GI (Genuine Intsik). A few steps away from the silly man, I said, rather loudly, "'Di ako GI, (engs)!"

Akalain mo yun, mukha ba akong GI? Double duh. Posted by zarahlim at 3:59 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, inis

AcrobatiCat and her 'fierce' pose

Go make Benny Ninja proud, darling kitty! P.S. This cat's growing on me. ♥♥♥ Posted by zarahlim at 3:40 PM 0 comments Labels: blab, favorites

Saturday, May 02, 2009 Take me back in time....

What Decade Do You Belong In? Result: The 1950's

You've got old fashioned tastes that best belong way, way Other Quizzes back in time, when men were men, women were women and most dinners came with a side of Jell-O. Don't worry - you don't need a time machine to experience the '50's. You just need a poodle skirt, a record player and some cool daddy-o's to hang with. Have fun!

What Clique Should You Be In? Take Quiz

When Will You Get Married? Take Quiz

What Kind of Girlfriend Are You? Take Quiz

Posted by zarahlim at 2:21 PM 0 comments

Saturday, May 02, 2009 I ♥ Leighton Meester...

...and her dress! ü She wore this to the Star Trek Premiere, according to Gossip Girl Insider. Posted by zarahlim at 11:40 AM 0 comments Labels: blab, favorites