A VICTORIOUS LIFE

I grew up in a Christian home where God was at the top of our priority. Growing up, I thought to be a Christian you must go to Church every Sunday and study at a Christian school. Well, I did. Honestly, I've been living my life back then claiming I was a Christian but it just don't make sense at all. As a 19 year old college student I thought my life was like everyone else's. I followed the crowd and do what they do. I was living under the worldly things and yet I claim to be a Christian. I've been into wrong relationships. I have vices. And other  ungodly stuffs as well. During Sundays, I'd go to Church and sit at the back waiting it to end. My life back then was a complete routine. Until such time that I realized what Christianity really means and everything just made sense.

 My life has never been the same. I realized what was missing in my life. What really struck my heart was when I really understood what God really did on the Cross. I am just so grateful and overflowing with joy to know that I am that worthy because God bought me for a price. And that is His own life. He paid for my sins. He took my shame. He took my own cross. He took my pain. He took my blame. God died for US so that we can experience a life with Him.

Every time I look back to where I was before and to where I am right now I can't completely comprehend how God transformed me. From being the self-proclaimed christian to a passionately true Christian. I can't thank God enough for letting me experience a Victorious life. And each day I look forward to hear his word and to open my heart to seek more of Him and less about me. All glory to Him!

"So if the Son set you free, you will be free indeed.   - John 8:36 "

so much pain for someone so young

weheartit

That moment when all you got was nothing...

and everything seems like falling apart.

:((((

Love, A

Good old times

Yesterday, Dad already found out about how my grades went right before I was about to leave. Well, of course he over reacted again but I know it's my fault. So I told him how upset I was and how sorry I am. He kept on telling me that he cannot accept the fact that I failed. Of course I knew this was gonna happen. He also told me now that I have failed, I am just a complete trash. Someone worthless. It hurts. I wanted to cry, but I don't want him to see me cry. I look back and evaluated myself. In my mind and in my heart I knew I did everything I could. I remember those sleepless nights which obviously didn't paid off. But these made me realize there's something missing. After all, everything wasn't good enough. So now, what I need to do is to change my study habits. If I need to give more time to my academic life and less time to my other activities I would. I just needed to get myself back where I am. I want progress.

Then dad and I separated our ways. I took the bus bound to manila. I went to school to fixed my schedule but unfortunately petitions subjects are still to be approved. So I decided to go home right away. My friend Jinny(one of my best friends) text-ed me and asked me if we could hang out for awhile and I said yes. I text-ed my mom, and I told her that I would be home a bit late. Jinny and I played billiards and Jinny won twice! I won only once. Hahaha! But that's okay for a beginner like me! We shared stories like the old times.

Ahhh. I realized that I just missed her a lot! We've been into fight which took for about a year! Well, that's too long (I know)!  I'm gad we're okay now!

Then we went homeee.

Love, A

An adventure at Mt. Batulao Traverse 10|29-30|11

After being stuck with piles of school papers and school stuffs I finally had the chance to unwind and reward myself a break. A break that I was waiting for too long...finally came.

Last Saturday and Sunday we had our trip to Mt. Batulao Nasugbu, Batangas, it was a bit sunny but fair weather all throughout. We (my adums family) arrived past 2:00 in the afternoon, ate lunch and rest for awhile. At past 3:00 we started trekking. 

 Arrival at Evercrest. Pose muna bago mag trek. :)
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jason Jimenez

The trail was a bit difficult, rough roads, tall grasses and slopes with 60-70 degrees. After sometime of trekking, you will find a hut where Halo-Halo and mountain dew is sold for P20 pesos.

Taken at the nearest hut where Halo-Halo is sold for P20 pesos! Yum!
Photo Courtesy of Ate Maria Chiu

Approximately 500 meters beyond this hut is the junction between the old trail and the new trail.

The sign says "Welcome to Mt. Batulao. Dito po sa New trail.".
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

We took the old trail which was at the east part. From the junction, it took us for about 1 hour or more (im not so sure) to reached the campsite. Campsites are numbered 1-10 plus there is a logbook and a registration fee which is P20 pesos and a water source! Camp 1 and 2 were already occupied so we stayed at camp 3. It was already past 5 when we reached the camp site, then we settle in and prepare for dinner.

Arrival at the campsite.
Photo Courtesy of Ate Cheng Masong

The second we arrived, we set camp then we prepared for dinner. The feeling was amazing. You can feel the wind blowing in silence, the view was magnificent. From camp 3 which was via old trail you can see the peak and some rock formations right across the new trail. After sunset, the view became more magnificent. Darkness emerged from the sky and the stars began to shine like it was twinkling.

The moon right after sunset
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

Breathtaking view after sunset
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

Night time came and its time for dinner. Ahhh. Yes, its dinner time. And we were blessed with good cooks. Hahaha! 

Spell graaaavvvy..
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

Mashed potato!?? This one is reaaally goood!
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

Hmmm. Beefsteak. Yumm!
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

I don't know what it's called but I swear this one is really good!
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

Gaaah! Thankyou Lord for this awesome food!!!!
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

It was a blast. *Burp!* Awesome food + good company + chilly night = amazing night! Then..it's time for s o c i a l s. We stayed late at night, enjoying the cold breeze while we enjoy each others company. We shared stories, jokes and laughter. We almost lost track of time, so we settled in our tents at about 1:00 AM. We all took a rest....

We woke up the next day with so much excitement. We enjoyed the view, the warm breeze and the sun was just amazingly shinning. I could feel its rays touching my skin. And then we prepared for breakfast!

Preparing for breakfast.

This is what we had for breakfast.
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

See? I told you we were really blessed with good cooks! Hahaha! Now, there is a really good reason to relax.

These are some pictures taken at the campsite...

Proud to be ADUMS.
Photo Courtesy of Justine Sesbreno

Goodmorning sunshine! leggo!
Photo Courtesy of Ate Cheng Masong

I personally took this picture. You can almost see the Batulao peak from our campsite. 

After breakfast, we break camp and continue our trek heading to the summit. We left the campsite at around 9:00am. The trail became more difficult and steeper as we go higher. I knew that the assault was tougher as it seems yet my excitement outgrown my fear. As we go higher I could see the mountain we had just crossed. As we climbed higher the view became more beautiful than what I see in the magazine and in the pictures. It was just so real. 

Pictures taken on our way to summit...

I thought it was autumn.
Photo Courtesy of Ate Maria Chiu

Practically on our way to summit
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jason Jimenez

Way to go. 
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jason Jimenez

We literally did some Rock Climbing too.
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

Kuya Tarat trying to make a good pose. :)
Photo Courtesy of Ate Cheng Masong

The view halfway to the summit.
Photo Courtesy of Ate Zandra Pagnas

Some rock formations and other mountaineers descending via new trail
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Jeff Saises

Around 12:00pm we arrived at the summit. The view was a complete 360 turn. We had cold mountain dew for P25 pesos. The rest was history.

Pictures taken at the summit...

Mountain dew at the summit
Photo Courtesy of Jayleen Zaragosa

enjoying the 360 view
Photo Courtesy of Jayleen Zaragosa

with my adums family - this is priceless
Photo Courtesy of Ate Maria Chiu

Then we descend via new trail..

Descending via new trail
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Marvin Pineda

new trail are composed of grasslands
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Marvin Pineda

taking a break
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Marvin Pineda

Photo Courtesy of Kuya Marvin Pineda

Spell exhausted?
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Marvin Pineda

Photo Courtesy of Kuya Marvin Pineda

Grassland
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Marvin Pineda

cool rock formation
Photo Courtesy of Kuya Marvin Pineda

After hours of trekking we finally reached the junction connecting the old trail and the new trail. At the junction there is a hut where Buko juice, fresh Buko and Halo-halo is sold for P20, P25, P20 respectively. Since I almost run out of water, I had 2 cups of buko juice which literally took away my thirst! Aaaaah. It was  damn cold! I'm so refreshed. 

The last buko stop at the junction. 
Photo Courtesy of Jayleen Zaragosa

After our buko trip, we continued our trek which took us about 40minutes to finally reach the jump off point. Then we rode a jeepney from the jump off back to Evercrest Golf Course, Nasugbu, Batangas. 

"Don't change the mountain, let the mountain change YOU!"

Photo Courtesy of Jayleen Zaragosa

**The End**

Indeed, it was a great adventure after all. I believe every one has their own mountain to climb. But having people who would be there to climb with you is something priceless. I am so blessed to have such good people in my life. I will always be proud to be ADUMS.

Love, A

The final verdict.

In my last post, I was talking about the intense week I've had. I still don't know how my grades went not until yesterday. Yes. This is it. The time I was waiting for too long. The final verdict...

Yesterday, I went to school to clear all my unpaid balances (cos I'm really good at paying on time haha!) then I went back home. In my mind, I was still hoping positively that everything will be alright. There's no really doubt at all. And back in my mind I was telling "there's no way I would fail on (put subject here!). I put my my ass on it, I study hard and I just gave everything".. I think it's somehow a defense mechanism or a part of. Then I finally saw my grades. It's now official, I failed the BIG THREE. All my majors. Period.

I stopped. My heart was pounding. Beat by beat. I wanted to cry, but I didn't. I feel so ashamed to face my parents not for the fact that I failed literally but for the fact that everything was given to me, all the resources, the money, the time, the support and everything and yet this is what happened. I'm such a failure. I really am.

After a lot of thinking. I realized that this is so far the greatest failure I had in my entire life. I have never encounter a failure like this before. But I knew if I quit and just stop here and worry about this over and over, it wouldn't take me anywhere. The least I can do is to start over and get back up again. And that is what I am going to do. Like what God says to Joshua, "Be strong and courageous, for I am always with you."

Point is, we are all lead to transition. Whatever it may be. I may failed a hundred times but I will always be strong and courageous because the Lord My God is always with me. Even though I don't know what would happen in the future, even I am in the middle of a transition  I know God is with me and all I have to do is to ENDURE and be STRONG. Sometimes God's will can complicate our lives, and no matter what we do, the mountain in our lives will not move and we all just need to CLIMB. Endure. Persevere. Sometimes, that's what it takes. And I believe if we follow God's command, to be strong and courageous, to do what is right, and just show up everyday even we don't know what will happen I believe one day we are all gonna wake up and will thank God that not one of his good promises has failed. Every promises has been fulfilled! I trust you God!


Love, A.

SOMETIMES LIFE WILL KNOCK YOU DOWN

Last week was just so intense. I have been through a lot that thinking about it put me into tears. This term was finally over. Grades were already released. Some made it. Most didn't. I don't know where I belong. But one thing I know, I may have failed this time but I will not let this failure dictate my future.

In a world where competition always exists it seems like grades matter more than they should. Students, usually took it seriously like its a matter of life and death. Especially those who put all their time in their academic life. Because we may not admit it, but we like to be grouped with the achievers and somehow feel important and proud of ourselves. But I don't see grades as the means of everything. I mean grades should not be our standards for us to be proud in ourselves. Just the fact that we tried and tried and tried is something to be proud of.

For the people I spent the whole term with, I want you guys to know that grades doesn't measure our intelligence nor our capabilities. Grades are just merely a label. And yes, we got 5.0 this term, and so what? Yes we failed, are we gonna quit? No. If quit, we only prove to ourselves that we are really worthy for a 5.0 grade. It's really hard especially to confront your parents and see them being disappointed by YOU and somehow feel less worthy of anything. It's hard to accept everything that they will tell you and believe me it hurts.

Grades can never account for experiences. Numbers can never give justice to sleepless nights, caffeine-induced trances, and ineffable worries over dreaded requirements. The effort invested in producing a draft amidst tons of other paperwork can never be accounted for by a mere number. The relationships involuntarily strained by gridlocks during group works, sparse bonding time, or misunderstandings wrought from academically toxic dispositions just aren’t worth it. Still, grades comprise an integral component of academic life. The significance of these marks is not to be downplayed; life, however, should not revolve around these. Education is more than that. Life should be more than that. Because at the end of the day, no matter how much grades can seemingly quantify a student’s very being, each one has more to offer than what numbers can measure. -- Jesse Nicole Rubio Santos

I am still happy and I don't feel any sadness anymore because I put all my worries to God. I let Him handle it. Because if I carry all my worries, I cannot sustain it. I will just drown and drown all over again. In my 19 years of existence I still can't explain God's love for me. Its something I can't put into words. It's just so amazing how He works through me. Since I met Him, my life was never been the same. I started to see things differently. I thank him for every bad thing that happened to me. I praise Him when life is full crap. I always find myself delighted with the Lord and I my heart was just overflowing with joy.

Marks can never define who you are nor dictate who you should be. And as an irrevocable and indisputable truth, grades can never predict who you will eventually become. 

Lazy Sunday

I woke up really early this morning then went straight in front of the laptop. I'm using dad's laptop since mine was not yet fixed. In fact, I cannot believe I almost survived for a month without my laptop considering all my school files was in there. Honestly, I admit it wasn't that big deal like what I've expected. Though I guess my life could have been much easier! Ha ha! Anyway, my reason behind waking up early on a Sunday was just so lame. I just wanted badly to know my grades. Still no signs. Ugh.  And now I'm getting a bit frustrated. I don't know if I could really enjoy my sembreak knowing I have failed 2 or 3 subjects this term. It's not yet final though! It's kinda complicated, but its weird.