for Jade and Erica...

I am putting "October thoughts, part 2" on hold for this special entry which I dedicate to two young ladies who have made such a big impact in my life.

As I write this blog entry, Jade and Erica--two fellow OWLS who are really close to me--are now on a plane destined to take them to the place which they will now call their new home: Canada. I am going to miss them so much. Going to church and not being able to see them anymore seems to be, at the moment, an impossibility, since I see them in church countless times every week. However, the truth will undoubtedly sink in once I go to the services this week and realize that they really are gone.

It is with a smiling face full of tears that I bade Jade and Erica farewell.

Can't help but look back at the times I spent with these two young ladies the past months. I have known Erica and Jade for a couple of years already, but it was actually just last February that I really got to form a really tight bond with both of them; it's a bond that has lasted for several months and one that I expect to last for years to come. And when I say years, I mean several decades.

Lord knows that their absence will greatly affect also the Praise and Worship Team in church. We're now short of one keyboardist, one alto, and one tenor (Tito Art, their dad). This is not to be a pessimist. I'm just being honest. It is extremely difficult to find replacements who are not only equally talented, but also equally on fire for the Lord.

Speaking of being on fire, I'm going to have to hand it over to Jade and Erica for being partly responsible for my return to the youth service after several years. As I have already told Micah during a particular chat session some months ago, it was when I saw these two young ladies passionately worshipping God during the praise and worship in the retreat that God started telling me that the flame of worship among the youth of Bread from Heaven was still there. It was through them that I felt the need to know God more intimately in my life.

It is with a heavy heart that I look forward, not to things that will happen, but to things that will not happen anymore: the grouptext goodmornings and goodnights, the cellphone picture takings, the crazy stories and insane laughter, for instance. No more hello and goodbye hugs from them. No more after service jammings with them. *sigh*

Right, let me try to change the mood of this entry before I get all depressed.

To Erica: Dude! I'm really looking forward to seeing you again. Thanks so much for all the really fun times and memories. It's too bad that we weren't able to push through with the EK gig that you had in mind. Don't fret though. God obviously has something greater in store for you there. I have always seen His goodness in your life, so I pray that you don't lose sight of His plan and purpose for you. Believe me, you'll make an awesome worship leader someday. I love you! God bless!


To Jade: Thank you so much for entrusting me with your problems and concerns. I may not always have been able to help you with some of them, but I hope that just by listening to you and comforting you, I was able to make you feel better. You are definitely not just one of my best friends. You have always been and continue to be like a younger sister to me. I pray that you'll continue to be in love with the Lord Jesus Christ and that you'll follow his every direction in your whole life. I'm surely going to miss my keyboardist when I worship lead this Saturday. I love you so much Jade! God bless! (Oh, and thanks for keeping my secret!)


I don't intend to make this entry any longer than it already is, so I suppose I'm going to end it right here. To Tito Art, Tita Malu, Jade, Erica, Elisha, and Arthon, I wish you all a safe trip and a joyous time in Canada. ^_^