Subliminal_Shift

Today, I have allowed myself to be overcome with loneliness and heartbrokeness. But after wrestling in prayer, how timely (admittedly in a ploy of desperation) it is that I came across an article in desiringgod.org with the title “What to Say to the Depressed, Doubting, Skeptical, Confused, Angry”. Praise God that He cares, even if I don’t feel it right now. There’s more to faith i guess than just waiting upon spiritual and emotional highs:

The article below was the portion of the article that ministered to me the most:

“… when you have spoken all the experiential counsel you can think of, and they seem to have demeaned it all, don’t let them have the last word of despair. You leave the last word of hope. I suggest that you do it something like this. Say . . .

I know that you don’t feel very helped by what I have said. I think I understand some of what that’s like. I don’t mean to be offering a quick fix, as though your problems or doubts can be turned around that easily. But I have more hope than you do that God’s truth is powerful and will have its good effect in due time. May I share one more thing before you go?

I simply want to make sure you hear the best news in the world. Jesus said he spoke so that we would have peace (John 16:33). And Paul said that faith comes by hearing the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). You don’t feel this right now. But God says peace and faith come from hearing.

In other words, moving from not seeing and feeling the reality of Christ to seeing and feeling the reality of Christ happens through hearing news about Christ. Something happens. At one moment, you are not seeing him as beautiful and satisfying and compelling. Then in the next moment, you are.

In the moments leading up to this experience, listening to God’s word seems empty and futile. That doesn’t put me off. If you doubt what I am saying, you are the very person who needs to hear what I am saying.

So let me tell you this spectacular news. This comes from Colossians 2:13-15.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Paul is talking about what God offers to everyone and what those who believe in Jesus experience. There are five mind-blowing things here:

1) God makes you spiritually alive.

2) God forgives all your sins.

3) He does this because he canceled the record of debts that stood against you. You owed God what you could never pay because of all your sins. And he cancelled the debt.

4) How could he do that? He set it aside by nailing it to the cross. But the nails that went into the cross didn’t go through parchment. They went through Jesus’ hands and feet. That’s the heart of everything I have to say to you. Christ became our substitute and bore our debt.

5) When that happened, the devil was disarmed. Why? Because the weapon of accusation was taken out of his hand. He always waved that record of debt in our face and God’s court. But now that’s canceled. The devil is disarmed. He can huff and puff, but he cannot damn you.

I leave you with this news. I will pray that the obstacles to peace-filled faith in your mind will be overcome by these truths. Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Meditate on these verses. May the Lord give you light.
”

Link to the full article: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2008/3283_What_to_Say_to_the_Depressed_Doubting_Skeptical_Confused_Angry/

Tokyo – It’s been almost two weeks now since I left for a year-long exchange student scholarship here in Japan at the International Christian University (ICU). Adjusting to a new lifestyle in this liberal, technologically-advanced country will take a long while (I’m definitely way out of my comfort zone). Here, because life is so comfortable, the Japanese people in general don’t see any need for God. The same is true in ICU—faith is dead here. Mere morals and empty tradition has siphoned away all that is meant to be Christ-centered in this university.

Being away from home, from genuine Christian fellowship and accountability really does put your character to the test. I’ll be honest. There are a lot of times when I feel lonely. There are times when I’m tempted to compromise and do lamentable things. There are times when I feel so overwhelmed with immense nostalgia, anxiety and worry. As I grapple to find my place in this foreign land, one thing has become all the more clear to me: It is by God’s grace that I find rest and by His grace that I am kept alive.

How easy it is for me to forget about God when there is no one to spur me on. But God is faithful. For some reason, despite my stubbornness, there still is that deep hunger within me for Him. Not that I respond out of obligation, but that there is a desire deep within that is kept burning–one that passionately seeks to pursue His heart out of love. I didn’t toil to feel this way. I fall short every time and I don’t deserve it, but it is as if He placed that longing in me to sustain me here. To be frank, there are times when I feel like I hate God; that He has abandoned me. I cry out as if to say: “God, I hate you. I can’t love you with my all because I simply can’t. But I don’t want to stay this way. Enable me to love you, genuinely.” This may offend most people, but I believe that He desires truth from the inward most part our hearts, that in Christ and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3:12).

It takes God to love God. We have to realize that we will soon reach a cul-de-sac. We can’t fool ourselves and claim to love Him on our own merit because our fallen nature is hostile to Him (Rom. 7:18). Unless we receive the Holy Spirit, through faith in Christ Jesus, then we shortchange ourselves from receiving deliverance through His grace. I’m not quite there yet and I know that I’m never going to reach the fullness of it in this life. But I know this: …that He who began a good work in all of us who have Christ will carry it on to completion
until the day of His return (Phil. 1:6).

A lot of us will still choose to harden our hearts, and even go as far as mocking God. That’s a costly choice. A lot of us who claim to be in the faith are unaware of just how dead and dry we are. How God desires to wake you from your slumber and breathe life back into you as what is said in Eph. 5:14, “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Do you not know that He is THE lover of our soul who is after our heart and that He desires for us to respond in pursuing intimacy with Him because He is a jealous God who does not want us to settle for any lesser pleasure?

We are far too easily pleased by whatever comes our way and we fill our appetite with things that would leave us only more hurt. These longings deep within that crave for meaning and significance are there not to be ashamed of, but to be filled only by Him in pursuing a deeper intimacy in divine romance.

In Luke 10:41, Jesus said that only one thing is needed. He honors the heart that desires to sit at His feet and listen to His heartbeat rather than the heart that is distracted by doing many things left and right, even if it is done in the name of God. Intimacy must come first. Find your joy and treasure in God. He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

(As Published in the Weekly Sillimanian, p2. Subliminal Shift, September 17 (WED), 2008)

It seems that in our search for great things and great
truths, we pass over the answers that are clearly set before us. What a bold
assertion it is that Jesus Christ, over and over again in the Bible, asserts
himself as God – as the one true God that came in the flesh. As absurd as it
sounds to the natural fallen man, it is admittedly impossible to believe apart
from a step of faith and a supernatural revelation from God through the gospel
– the living word of God.

Faith, most say, is pointless. Sadly, those same people
never ever even gave themselves a chance to pick up a Bible and test it for
themselves. Others may have once had a desire to pursue God, but for some
reason, they have allowed their love for God to fade and grow cold. An ever increasing
spirit of unbelief is dangerously creeping into mainstream consciousness authored
by who the Bible says is the ‘father of lies’, the prince of this world, who
uses even what seems noble and legitimate to draw us away from the Truth.

We fall into the trap of falling for these lies and we miss
out on the fullness of joy, peace and grace from God that could have been ours
if only we would be willing to let go of ‘worthless idols’ which we entangle so
much of ourselves in. If we put so much of our hopes, our ambitions, and our
affections in anything apart from God, then that is what is seated in the
throne of our hearts. Unless we come to the realization that God is our

EVERYTHING, that only in Him will we find life, then it is
as if we are selling ourselves as slaves to this temporal, fleeting world –
easily blown away by illusions and shifting winds. We need to recognize an
emptiness of the heart, and a realization that only God can fill it.

We all desire to have an intimate encounter with God but we
enter into the malady of accepting the relevance of the Cross and whether He
even cares. Paul Washer, a revivalist preacher, said: “The great issue of the Cross was the fact that it pleased God the
Father to crush His only begotten son: the one who at that moment was bearing
sin – the sin of his people and the guilt of that sin upon himself – and being
treated in their place. Jesus Christ was crushed under the wrath of his Father.”

Divine justice had to be satisfied. As described in Romans
3:25-26, the shedding of blood presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement – as
one who would turn aside His wrath, taking away sin instead of the wages of
such being brought upon us at the time of judgement and us having to suffer
eternal separation from God. This act of love was an act of grace. Though
undeserved, God has offered us this gift of salvation, not as something we toil
to earn, but as something to receive freely. With no strings attached, we
simply call upon the name of the Lord and we will be saved (Romans 10:9-13). God
did not spare His own son, but gave him up for us all.

But it doesn’t stop there. The moment we believe, God
promises to come in and fill us with his Holy Spirit, who immediately begins to
work in our hearts. We become a new creation with new desires. It does not mean
that we would be exempt from pain and all sorts of struggles. It does mean that
as adopted children of God, we have direct access to call upon our Heavenly
Father for strength and guidance, and the blessed assurance that no matter what
we go through – and though we may not fully understand it – He is sovereign and
in control because we are standing on the promises of Christ: our Rock and Firm
Foundation. We can wait and hope in the Lord because He will NEVER disappoint.

Isaiah 57:15 says: “I
live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in
spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the
contrite.”

Lowliness equates to humility; contrition equates to those
with repentant hearts. God desires to restore us, to revive us, but we resist.
We allow pride to lead us into self-deception. Lay down all those fears, those
hidden pains at His feet. Christ is the answer.

My stint here in the Weekly Sillimanian has been a wild rollercoaster ride. Being at the helm of a weekly student paper is no joke – especially for a rookie like me. How I wished that we were a monthly paper instead. The weekly toll of managing a staff with a broad spectrum of personalities, on top of having to sift through articles every week, demands a lot of time, sleep, and yes, even money from my own pocket. Our office has become a make-shift house just so we could come out on a Wednesday.

My ‘social’ life was put on the back burner on a number of occasions and weekends are no longer rest days but rather ‘newspaper layout-ing’ days. The complaints we get are often disheartening but we could only do so much as a staff that has only began to finds its rhythm nearing the end of the school year.  I’ve made regrettable mistakes and unwise decisions but at least I have gained wisdom and insight after every single one. We strive to be better than the last issue because we try to raise the standard every single time.

Though it all, my values of humility, self-sacrifice, restraint, patience and faith in God have strengthened all the more. Trust me, this whole Editor-in-chief tag can get into your head quite easily. And I admit, my pride rears its ugly head at times but I praise God for his gentle rebukes, reminding me that this position isn’t about me. It’s about giving back to Him all the praise and the glory in sweet worship and dedication for all he’s done and will do for those who truly have Christ in their hearts. I’m not the center of the universe, the Creator is – the same God who breathes life into stars is the same one who came to save a failure like me.

The secret to surviving in a weekly paper is not to rely on your own strength, abilities and mere time management. The secret lies in genuinely and earnestly seeking the Lord Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth despite the busyness. Without God to sustain me, I wouldn’t be able to last as long as I did. I simply have no one else to turn to but to God. Nobody and nothing compares to the sweetness of a life blessed by the spirit of the Lord.

Every single week, I go through moments of self-pity and fatigue. But somehow, I’m still able to stand on my two feet. As much as I wanted to cry and simply quit the paper, my God, my savior, my redeemer, just kept impressing upon my heart these words: “I will never leave you nor forsake you!” And He never did!

The promise in Isaiah 40: 29-31 is very true to me. It says: “He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; He offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Each time I’m at my lowest and when I feel like exploding on my staff, I retreat to the throne of God’s grace in prayer and I seek for the TRUTH in his WORD and there he fills me with a peace that transcends beyond the capacity of my finite mind. The truth in Hebrews 4:12 underscores this: “For the WORD of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.”

I am also very thankful for the fellowship of Christians which the Lord has lead me to. Our weekly meetings of prayer and encouragement at Scheide chapel have helped in keeping me sane and holding me together. Fellowship with fellow believers, regardless of church membership, is key to growing in faith and accountability.

I will definitely miss the Weekly Sillimanian office, and the staff as well. But as Ecclesiastes 3:1 puts it: “There is a season for everything.” My appointed time as editor is nearing its end. Then again, God has a purpose for everything. But not only does he have a purpose, He cares.

There has been so much joy in my heart lately. The WS staff has really been amazing and we’ve began to really gel as a team. And how timely it is that UCLEW encourages us all to Grow in Christ. Because the truth is there is NO OTHER way to go. There exists a dangerous delusion that pervasively creeps into every crevice of human vulnerability. This deception says: “I don’t need God. I just need to pursue success, mind my own business, live whatever way I want to, and conform to what everybody else is doing.”

Why is this mindset utterly foolish? Allow me to tell you a story:

There was a certain rich man who lived everyday in luxury. Outside his house, a beggar laid helpless, longing for scraps from the rich man’s table. The time came when the beggar died and was carried up to heaven. Finally, the rich man died. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in heaven with the beggar to his side. The rich man cried out, “Have mercy on me! Send the beggar over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in an agony in this fire!”

But Abraham said to him: “Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and this beggar had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, a great chasm between us has been fixed. Those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.”

The rich man answered: “Then I beg of you, please send the beggar to my household. I have five brothers and I want him to warn them about this place of torment so they won’t have to come here when they die!” But Abraham said: “The Lord has already sent prophets to warn them. His Word and Truth has already been written. Your brothers can read them anytime they want to.”

“No!” the man replied. “But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will turn from their sins!” But Abraham said: “If they won’t listen to the prophets and the truth already laid out in the Word, they won’t even listen if someone rises from the dead.”

This is a scary parable in Luke 16 of the reality ALL of us have to face. Don’t get me wrong, God is a loving and merciful God, but he is also just. Justice must me present in mercy, and love in judgment. Your social status on earth does not matter. Hell is real and there is NOTHING we could possibly do to save ourselves when we are already dead.

Sin separates. Sin deceives. Sin dooms us all to hell. But the God of all creation, who is so in love with us, has already given us all we need. He even went as far as coming here on earth fully divine (100% God, 100% Man) and died that we may have life. His words in the Bible are true, he offers salvation through Jesus Christ but we neglect the truth – deliberately. Why? We refuse to believe in its simplicity and refuse to accept the fact that there’s more to life than just earthly pleasures. We would rather subscribe to enticing ideas and lifestyles that allow us to be more ‘free’ and ‘liberated’. But really, does living apart from God, intentionally turning a deaf ear to His voice speaking in your heart, bring about true liberation?

I am in no position to neither condemn nor judge anyone but I entrust that to the convicting power of God’s Word in the Bible – sharper than the sharpest sword it exposes the true state and motives of our hearts.

When we die, each of us will be accountable. No Exceptions. All have fallen short of the glory of God. I know of no other way but through Jesus. No Other. I don’t think you would like to end up in hell and only realize then and there that you made a tragic, irrevocable mistake.

I speak with conviction because, trust me in this, nothing compares to having tasted the sweetness of our Lord. You may have turned your back on God, but He has never and will never turn his back to you. No one is beyond redemption. Take a stand while you still have time. A life enjoyed with Christ in your heart comes with it the joy, peace, purpose, satisfaction and assurance of His wonderful promises every single day – both in this life and in eternity. (Check out Psalms 33 and Isaiah 40:29-31!)

There is a God-shaped void in each of us and no amount of seeking for answers and meaning elsewhere will satisfy. Yes, there may be many noble pursuits in this world (i.e. gender equality, environmental consciousness, academic pursuits) but never neglect what matters the most.

“The times are changing. We must adapt because cultural influence is inescapable.” This is a slogan that reflects the reality of how society today has dangerously evolved into one that is increasingly liberal. Along with this, the Postmodern view is fast gaining popularity and acceptability. Beware.

As society progresses, its moral standards evolve and change. This is evident in today’s pop cultural trend that gravitates towards glorifying deviant behavior, especially those formerly considered as taboo. It’s alarming to notice that that instead of being shunned away from, society has taken a tolerant stance. Why? Because it’s “appealing”. Because it’s “cool”. Because everybody else is into it. Because it’s inescapable. But really, is it? If we have the choice to conform to trends, then doesn’t that also mean that we have the choice to take a stand?

Seeing that we are all in pursuit of self-worth in this world, it isn’t surprising that anyone is most likely to fall for just about anything and do just about anything to be “somebody”– be it physical appearance, achievements, approval, or affluence. Here’s a word of caution though: None of these criteria are stable.

If we conform according to what society dictates (considering that it has perpetually shifting values), then that also mean that our criteria for self-worth will always change. If you can’t stand for something certain, then you will fall for anything. It begs the question: If society has perpetually shifting moral standards, then by what standard should we live by?

On the flip side, there exist postmodernists who insist that everything is relative – that there is no such thing as absolute truth and no clear distinction between right and wrong. They are sceptical of anything that asserts itself to be true. Most often, they live according to a personal belief system that complements their personal lifestyle – one that is often self-centered and exclusive. Interestingly, despite these qualities mentioned, they still have a concept of what is ideally just and unjust.

C.S. Lewis, a former atheist and a brilliant Christian author, wrote this many years after his conversion: “How I had I got this idea of just and unjust?… A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.”

Thus, an absolute standard must exist, a truth that is undeniably compelling. Jesus is that embodiment of absolute truth. Over 2000 years ago, in fulfilment of hundreds of Old Testament prophesies, God came to the earth – fully-human and fully-divine – and sacrificed Himself on a cross all out of pure love for ALL of us. But it doesn’t stop there: He overcame death and he offers us Life today. All He asks is that first step to believe in Him as the Way (Via), the (Veritas) Truth, and (Vita) the Life. God desires to have an intimate and personal relationship with us. But it has to begin with a personal decision, a choice to accept this free gift.

Persecution is certain and will continue to persist for those of us who are willing to stand up as Christians. We may be scorned, mocked, and labelled as “ignorant conservatives”, “aliens”, “freaks” or “self-righteous saints”, but so what? Didn’t Jesus face the same (in fact worse) persecution during his time? That didn’t stop Him from proclaiming the truth. Besides, we are already assured of NEVER being forsaken in this life and the next in eternity.

While we are here on earth, we are transient beings whose purpose is to be a light and salt to the world and to boldly proclaim this truth. This is why we shouldn’t lose focus and be swayed by enticing philosophical ideas and material, worldly pursuits that only leave us empty in the end. After all, if you want to end up in hell, then continue. Continue to deny the truth until it’s too late. There may be many voices in this world but never deny the Voice of Truth. So, to those of you who claim to be Christian, here’s a challenge: Are you chicken?

Man is insatiable and sinful by nature. That is why God is the standard. What to be truly satisfied? Then come to the well that never runs dry.

(This is 1 of 4 column compositions which i wrote in the recent academic year published in the Weekly Sillimanian, the official student publication of Silliman University, in which I served in my capacity as the Editor-in-chief)

My position in the tWS has a story behind it. 

I was awarded an exchange student scholarship to Japan, supposedly for September this year, but something unexpected happened. During a routine x-ray for my health certificate requirement last February, I was diagnosed to have Category I Tuberculosis (TB). I was deeply disheartened. Why would God give me this scholarship on a silver platter, get me so hyped and excited about it, only to find out that I might not be able to leave for Japan anyway?

I was bitter. But even if it didn’t make sense, I chose to seek and hold on to my faith in God instead of wallowing in self-pity. I was sure that my prayers were heard and that He would continue to be faithful just as He’s always been. The series of events that followed were nothing short of miracles.

I held fast to Romans 8:28: "…God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." I then believed that my affliction is no accident and that what was going on with me at the time was only a piece of a greater puzzle.

After my diagnosis, I was recommended to undergo a 6-month mild chemotherapy short course treatment under the Silliman Medical Center’s TB clinic. To my amazement, the treatment I needed (worth around Php13,000) would be free of charge since the clinic was part of a nationwide government program. Luckily for me, there are currently only 5 TB centers in the entire Region VII and one of them happens to be conveniently located at the SU Medical Center - just 5 minutes away from where I live. Then again, luck isn’t the right term for it. I believe that God’s grace was behind it. But it didn’t stop there.

I still had to wait for the University Scholarship Committee’s decision regarding my scholarship to Japan. At this point, I was ready to bite the bullet. The possibility of being denied of the scholarship could become a harsh reality. In a week’s time after my TB diagnosis, they made a final decision. They said I was an exceptional case since as far as they could remember this is the first time (since the start of the scholarship in the 70s) that the scholar’s medical examination results undermined the chances of entry into Japan. But God is faithful. The committee unanimously decided to offer me the slot for the Japan scholarship in September 2008 provided that I fully recover from TB.

Just when I thought God’s faithfulness would end there, another door of opportunity came my way. When I broke the news to the tWS staff, a number of them encouraged me to apply for the Editor-in-chief position the following year. I was hesitant and my template reason was, "I can’t because I’m sick!" Furthermore, it’s a position I never really considered since I assumed that I would be Japan-bound by September this year. But I did give it much thought and prayer and I asked myself, "What if God has a purpose for me if I decide to pursue this position?" So, just before the application deadline, I submitted all my requirements and entrusted to God whatever purpose He might have in store for me.

To make the long story short, the University Publications Committee appointed me to be this year’s EIC.

Looking back, I realized that had I not been selected to leave for Japan, I wouldn’t have discovered that I have an early stage of TB and then later on be called to lead the tWS. To be honest, this is the very first time in my whole life to be at the helm of anything this big. You may think that these are isolated consequences of events but I don’t believe so. I believe in what God promises in Jeremiah 29:11-14: "’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me, I will be found by you.’"

Indeed, I believe that there is a good purpose in store for me. I admit that I may lack in talent and in skill, but God has blessed me with a very supportive staff in the tWS this year. I know that my position holds a very heavy burden attached to it. But still, I look forward to the promise of Ephesians 3:20: "Glory belongs to God, whose power is at work in us. By this power He can do infinitely much more than what we could dream or imagine."

Here’s an article published in the Visayan Daily Star and the MetroPost by Sir Ian Rosales Casocot, a two-time PALANCA award winner and one of the best teachers in Silliman University:

Me and 5 others were invited to a literary small group called LitCritters last January and we’re all having loads of fun:

The mechanics for LitCritters is simple. We meet once a week. Everyone is expected to read the stories. Writing, after all, begins with reading: one cannot be a serious writer if one does not do the reading required for one’s writerly education. Every week, we read four stories. Every so often, one gets bitten by the need to start something new. Call it an advocacy of sorts, even a mission, but this year I’ve taken a group of former students to try to explore the geography of fiction. This includes, of course, an immersion into the craft of creative writing. It’s an expected extension of any teacher’s life. The four walls of the classroom can only do so much. Sometimes when marking a student paper, I find myself commenting that what I am holding is exemplary stuff, if a little inchoate in its literariness. Brilliance is always marvelous to behold in a prevalent academic atmosphere where college has become, more or less, a factory for overseas employment. (It is now sadly a culture where conscientious teaching easily labels anybody a "difficult" teacher. Do you remember that line in The Incredibles when Mr. Incredible laments about a culture where mediocrity is fervently rewarded? Sometimes I feel that way about things.) So, knowing that defeat is inevitable in the struggle for molding students of truly incisive intellect, most of the time the extent with which I acknowledge "brilliance" is to tell the student he or she has, well, "potential" (what a dirty word), and then wish them good tidings with their talent. Then the student graduates a nurse or whatever, and all writing potential is lost in the ensuing rat race. The torment for any teacher would be this: if one had done more to encourage, and to actually take people under one’s wings, would the outcome have been more different? Mentorships are rare these days. (I had mine in writer Timothy Montes and über-scholar Ceres Pioquinto-and they taught me well.) All people of consequence have solid tales of meeting teachers who showed them a path. It is a mythology I subscribe to because it gives me another reason to stay in a profession easily trumped by the salaried success of regular call-center agents. So I told myself I’d answer these questions this year, and thus LitCritters Dumaguete was born. The name LitCritters is a clever (or cute-you choose) reworking of the term "literary criticism" to denote "those who take part in the practice." The idea for the group was first conceived in Manila in 2005 by the novelist and speculative fiction advocate Dean Francis Alfar to help his circle of closest writer/friends appreciate and develop the craft of fiction writing. LitCritters (in Manila) remains to this day an exclusive group of six that includes Dean, the graphic fictionist Andrew Drilon, Vincent Michael Simbulan, Nikki Go-Alfar, Kate Osias, and Alex Osias-all of them writers of note. Because of my special "geographic dislocation," I remain a kind of member-at-large-although I still am expected to take part in the rigorous reading and writing exercises that Dean devises for the group in a weekly basis (The latest writing challenge for all of us is to come up with a 75,000-word novella by March 31 this year). LitCritters Dumaguete is a "branch" of this exclusive group, which I will be moderating with Dean’s blessings. LitCritters Dumaguete will group together six former students, all of whom show the greatest potential (at least for me) in terms of creative writing right now in Silliman University. This would include Michelle Eve de Guzman, Robert Jed Malayang, Rodrigo Bolivar, Lyde Villanueva, Marianne Tapales, and Anthony Gerard Odtohan. We met for the first time last Saturday, taking them through an exhaustive reading of three stories by William Faulkner, Jorge Luis Borges, and Socorro Villanueva. (Hardier tasks will come in future sessions.) The mechanics for LitCritters is simple. We meet once a week. Everyone is expected to read the stories. Writing, after all, begins with reading: one cannot be a serious writer if one does not do the reading required for one’s writerly education. Every week, we read four stories. LitCritters Manila mostly tackles speculative fiction. Due to the "amateur" nature of the members of LitCritters Dumaguete, however, we are peppering our reading with selections from the classics, as well as genres that include realism, etc. Dean once told me that "the purpose of having different sorts of stories is to see the strengths of each genre, including the ‘genre’ of realism." And sometimes, we deliberately choose poorly written stories "to deny the ‘praise the story’ mentality that tends to crawl in most workshops." Ultimately, the goal is to elevate the ability to critique. There is a brief lecture on some aspect of craftwork or storytelling or literary interpretation, and each person in the group is expected to critique the text by turns, based on discourse elements and craftwork. The main purpose is to learn from the stories how to write better. We in LitCritters are expected to go beyond simple "critiquing" such as: "I like it," or "The story is nice." What we want to foster is a vigorous and detailed reasons for liking or disliking a story. Every four weeks, we are expected to write original stories (we call these the LitCritter Originals) for the group, not to exceed 5,000 words, nor to go below 1,500 words-unless otherwise specified. The goal is to improve the story, and to revise it for national publication (in Philippines Free Press, Philippine Graphic, Story Philippines, or in any of the anthologies that are regularly published), for national awards (the Palanca Awards, the NVM Gonzalez Awards, the Neil Gaiman Graphic Awards, the Salanga Writers Prize, and others), and eventually for international publication. We-my former students and I-are doing this beyond our everyday academic demands. Who knows what things this exercise will bring us? Hopefully the good stuff. That should give this one real-life narrative a very happy ending.

Faithfulness in the small things

“If you are not faithful in the small things, how much more in the greater things…” – a paraphrase from Luke

16:10

How true is that statement? Personally, I could attest to that. I came from a background that isn’t much to be proud about. Back in high school, I didn’t really seem to care much about getting involved or getting the best marks in class.

I always seemed content with the mediocre, getting by my academics by just plain aiming for the passing mark and being passive towards student activities, often saying to myself, “What do I care? It’s not like I could make a difference.”

I would only devote my focus towards fields of personal interest, most often they were far from being academic. I would rather spend time playing basketball, ‘camping’ at the internet café or just plain hang-out with my barkada.

I often ended up at the bottom of the class standings, but it didn’t bother me much. I often made excuses like: “I know I’m capable of much more” or “I’ll do better next time”. And most often, I did. Yet, it would only last until the next exam, until the cycle repeats itself – again and again.

Most times, I would resort to cheating, yet I would often say to myself: “Do I really deserve this grade or am I really just cheating myself in the process? — an all-too-familiar struggle between pragmatism and ethics; guilt and integrity. But so what? Isn’t it just an exam? What harm could it possibly do to me in the future?

Upon entering college, however; things began to fall into perspective. I admit that there has always been a desire within that wants much more than just being “Mr. Average”, but there were many things holding me back. Such as not really being used to aiming for excellence and translating it into action; and lacking the eloquence and dynamism that other people possess.

Excellence has always seemed like an elusive dream. But, what’s the harm in trying right? What have you got to lose? After all, to pursue excellence means not to seek for perfection but to do the best that you could possibly do. Sure enough, everyone has limitations but that is no excuse for stopping dead in your tracks.

Taking college seriously may seem a lot “duller”, but it’s actually a training ground to prepare for the future. Vague as it may seem, it’s actually no laughing matter.

The popular premise behind getting a college degree is always the assurance of finding better opportunities, particularly a job. Yet, what good would a degree be, regardless of being conferred upon with honors or not, if the character of the person behind it is questionable?

The workplace involves more than just mere application of expertise. It also involves interacting with people possessing varying personalities. It involves the readiness and willingness to take responsibility and utmost integrity to keep your job, or better yet, get promoted. With that comes influence: It’s either you influence others or vice-versa. If you have always been used to settling for the sub-standard or “slithering” your way through college, how could you expect to make a difference in the workplace? Whether you like it or not, people will most often place precedence on personal integrity over talent.

Conversely, life after college isn’t just about getting a job. It’s also about developing healthy relationships and possibly assuming the responsibilities of parenthood. Given that you would end up having a family of your own, who else would your life partner and kids look to? Wouldn’t the burden of responsibility and integrity fall on you?

Which leads to the realization that college, and life for that matter, has to be “more than just medals”. Aiming for honors is definitely a good thing but it shouldn’t be the “end all be all”. It also involves perseverance, sacrifice, a willingness to pursue things at the right time, a willingness to learn from past mistakes, and of course, a personal relationship with God.

As the saying goes: “Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.”

To be a winner in life, you must be willing to be different; different in a sense that you live life with a purpose; a purpose to not simply aim for excellence, but as an individual who would make a difference.

Given the lack of legitimate role models in this country and the apparent loss of hope, are you willing to be a role model in your own little way? We need people like that because 30 to 40 years from now, it’s going to be our generation’s turn to run this country.