Tig-sulat pud baya ko…

Alone with You
with Man After God’s Own Heart

Alone with You, no need to hide
Bringing my wounds and leaving my pride
Alone with You, broken by sin
Needing Your grace and empty again

Alone with You, You speak my name
Drying my tears and taking my shame
Alone with You, Your healing starts
Your hand of peace on my hidden heart

And now Your light is revealing
The places that Your love is healing
Alone with You, You make it clear
Your love for me will always be here
When I draw near to seek after Your own heart

O God Father in heaven and earth
I call to You like deep calls to deep over water
Show me Your endless measure of grace
Let tender mercies shine once again from Your holy face

Deep in my soul there’s a craving
to please the One who has saved me
O God, though I have fallen so far
You know that I’m still a man after Your own heart

I am driven by rivers of pride
You are my rescue the Maker and Keeper of that I am
Lead me by the still waters again
Use me in spite of, the prodigal child that You know I am

Just as the deer runs to water
so does my soul to You, Father
O God, though I have wandered so far
You know that I’m still a man after Your own heart

Wow! Two days ago I was having a great time. That was it. How true indeed are the words of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes: “ There is a time for everything…” followed by a series of “a time for’s…”

Wala lang. That great time becomes a spike in one’s life billeted in the lull of a busy world. I’d stress it again, “busy world.”

It all started with Kim, our raft guide. No, it all started one Saturday morn. No, it started with a meeting. Nah, meeting’s about work so I’ll opt for starting with Kim.

My far-fetched article this time will not be about my adventure during the white-water rafting experience. (Ooops, I’ve spoiled 24 precious sentences about it after an earlier spill.) It’s plainly about envy.

I envied Kim because he is content. He is fulfilled. I think. I can only imagine the level of contentment in one who’s particular day job is to make devouring tourists have the best time in CDO and be drunk with exhilaration over white waters. That’s the life!

Historical and geographical blah-blahs, paddle demonstrations, raft maneuvers, more-than-the regular baths, permanent sunburns, communion with nature, interpersonal skills development—all summed to having fun. Kim’s job descript is all about having fun!

While here I am succumbing to the pressures and demands in a world euphemized to be challenging. I am having fun though, but not FUN fun. It’s a fun derived from beating the odds, coping the pressures, and keeping the pace to be at par with the rest in the race…the rat race.

Wish that rat race could be like the raft race and nothing more. Raft race in CDO is pure, unadulterated fun. Rat races? Nah! It’s never pure.

Wow, I can’t believe I am writing this stupid (Stress: Stupid!!!) piece.
So again, it’s about envy. Ahhh, nope. It’s about contentment.

THE BOTTOMLINE: Are we having fun with what we are doing?

I’m trying…and trying still.

Why?

Sometimes I have this ill feeling every time I read my name…misspelled. Aargh! :-)  What can I do? Give out a smirk.

Ernest /= Earnest

Well..

I can’t do anything ’bout it but bein’ called Dale annoys me. Ernest Dale is Ernest Dale. I’d rather have my Dale discounted. It’s a choice between Ernest Dale or simply Ernest. Try "Toto" instead.

I love my name, but…

Kusog ang ulan sa gawas.

Tingali–dili diay…Dili ikalimod nga daghan sa mga tawo nga ninggikan sa ilang mga trabaho ang nanagdagan aron dili mahumod, ang uban bahala na’g mabasa basta lang gud makauli. Diri mutatak ang pangutana, "nganong ganahan man sad sila muuli sa ilang mga puy-anan?"

Haha…sa akong pagkadiyot nga pagka-bogo, nganong mangutana pa man sad ko? Naturalmente, naa sad sila’y aturgaron sa ilang mga isig-kapanimalay–ang gatas ni dodong, ang linabhan nga kinahanglan hiposon, ang bugas aron ihumlad sa lamesa aron naa na sa’y kan-on, ang homework ni inday nga kinahanglan tabangan aron mahuman, ang telenobela nga alapason o dili kaha ang balita. Daghan pa nga mga rason. Pwede pud nga gadali sila aron dili matapnan sa sakit aron makahatud na sad ug serbisyo nga nahimong mga rason nga gika-ingon ko na.

Masubo usahay pamalandongon nga sila gadali nga maka-uli samtang ako daghan pang hulumanon aron sa pag-atubang na sad sa bag-ong mga buluhaton sa inig-kaugma… Intawon, naka-agum na sad ko sa mga pressures sa work nga maoy pang-hadla sa mga nagtrabaho na niadtong estudyante pa lang ko.  Work-a-holic daw ang tawag sa tawo nga tag-dugay muuli kay sige lang ug trabaho.  Wala’y balanse ang kinabuhi kung sige lang ug trabaho…daw.  Ako, ako lang nang ngisi-han. 

Taas pa man gud ang akong kusog aron ug ang ginatawag nga passion niining akong nasudlang trabaho. Nalingaw pa ko, kung buot ingnon.  Tingali, sa matag butang nga imong gigahinan ug kahago ug panahon, usa ka pangutana lang ang dapat isaligbat: Nalingaw ang nalipay ba ka sa imong gibuhat?

Sa pagkakaron, oo, nalingaw gyud pag-ayo. Bisan ang uban sa dakbayan nanag-dali aron maka-uli, ako intawon malipayon nga mag-pabilin niining cubicle aron sa pagtiwas sa akong dapat tiliwason. Muabot ra nako nang panahon nga kung sa diin ako na sad ang magpasutoy sa kadalanan aron mahikuyog ang pamilya…Muabot ra na… Kung kanus-a? Dili kana dapat ipangutana. Basta, ako na lang hulaton, muabot man o dili.

Kusog pa gihapon ang ulan.

Daghan pa gihapon ko’g buluhaton.