Time with Danics and Michael

 Friday, September 28 was the start of my attempt to hang out with ALL of the wonderful encouragers and people who came to my Spiritual Birthday last September 14.  It's going to take awhile, which I don't really mind because it's always a joy hanging out with everyone of them.

This last Friday, I got to go out and spend time with Danica and Michael.  Michael was helping do ministry with the Mark, Ian, Andrew, Matt, etc, so Danica and I went ahead to Iceberg.  We had Halo-Halo and like a Leche-flan con hielo.  I think it had been over 2 years since I was last in Iceberg.  It still tasted good :)  Their prices went up by P10, which is not bad considering it's been 2 years.  The Halo-Halo tasted great as usual.

Finally, Michael showed  up and we went to Krispy Kreme because he wanted to treat us out to donuts.  Thanks, Michael!  Had a blast taking a lot of pictures with Danics and Michael.  See, I have this belief about pictures.  So often, we go on these great outings with friends and forget to take lots of pictures.  Most of the time, we just take one or two shots and say, "That should be enough."  But pictures are memories that last.  See, the general "good feeling" you have after an event lasts for a day, a week, maybe even a month.  But if you have a picture, it lasts forever.  If it's a great picture, it actually makes the memory better as time goes by.  "The past shines all the more brighter."

In the same way, this is why it is so important to write down what God has done in your life - how He has answered prayers, how He has blessed you, etc.  The general good feeling you get when God speaks to you specifically or answers a prayer lasts for awhile...maybe a day, a week, or a month or so depending on how many people you share it to.  However, if we write it down, it lasts a lifetime.  You can keep on sharing with others how God did a miracle, how God worked through you or in you, or how God made the impossible happen in your life. Memories are good, but we tend to forget about it too.  This is why there are so many times in the Bible where it says we should remember what God has done.  It's remembering that God is faithful and it helps us continue to rely on Him.  How can we doubt if we remember that God is in control, that God answers prayers, and even more, how can we doubt when you experienced His love yourself on SO MANY occasions? 

I guess, in a way, this is why I wanted to start this blog up again - to remember all the good times that God blesses me with when I get to hang out with friends.  We can get so busy with work that we forget that we have these little joys in life that happen - that God allows us even an our or two to be with friends, to laugh, to enjoy the blessing of a day that God has given us.

On one hand, it's not only about you remembering how great the time was, but also remembering how God used you to cheer other people up.  How can you be thinking you're not good enough when you remember that God is using you constantly?

Anyway, so after we did a nice little "Hat photoshoot" at Krispy Kreme, we went to the hotel lobby to hang out.  It was fun until EVERYONE started showing up.  So many Messiah students (and former Messiah students) showed up and joined us.  Oh well.  It adds to the fun!

Again, you just have to love how everything comes together.  What I love about hanging out with these two is that they actually help me to laugh.  It's a rare thing to have people who can make you genuinely laugh.  They also have a way of speaking life and encouragement to me...in their own way.  Danica and Michael are silly, but I love them :)