2010: Jesus and Me

I am publishing a series of posts called “2010”. Herein I will be telling you about my year as the new year 2011 nears.

I cannot describe 2010 more than what it is for me now. A masterpiece. A change. A big change. Yes, indeed. That’s why it’s really a huge deal for me to recognize this remarkable and unforgettable year.

After my three short surgical procedures last year on my 14 and 1/2th birthday, I had always known that there are some things waiting for me the following year. I spent some days laying at home, and during that, I began my own blog. I met some great friends at BlogCatalog, a forum for bloggers, read several of their articles, and committed myself to blogging. It wasn’t very easy for me to write at that time. I actually did (and still do) not write very well and have a topic often. Therefore I posted a lot of boring news links and dull posts. 

However, one time I actually did write something. But that’s before the boring stuffs I posted. It is called “A Letter of Apology,” in which I “apologized” to the people of the world whom I have offended and insulted. I also talked about life, which I described “the most precious gift you’d ever had.” I complained about life very often. Always, actually. But I don’t really want to talk about that now because life was very suspenseful and atrocious back then. 

The happiness of 2010 didn’t come to me until July, when my mom had signed me and my sister up to a Filiipino-American youth conference called BLD, which stands for “Bukas, Loob Sa Diyos (Open in Hearts to God).” I often had fun at youth conferences, most of which are, actually, religious. Church, actually, is the most influential thing in my life. I actually began singing in our church in the Philippines. I had always been a leader and a role model of younger kids. I was always special, not to boast, though. The first bible verse and the most memorable I actually remember is Psalm 100:1, “Shout to the Lord, all the Earth.” I think that is also my inspiration for always singing — to God and to his people. One time when the church pastor (we call her “Mamang Florie”) came here to Ohio, she and my mom recalled a song I was always singing when I was little and always sick, “God is Good to Me.” (God is good to me / God is good to me / He held my hand and Raised me stand / God is good to me.) It was almost a eulogy song, I was thinking at the time when they were telling that story to a family friend. I do not remember singing that song, actually, but everything is possible, and because they are adults, it’s always true.

Anyway, I had a superbly memorable, incredible fun at the 3-day BLD youth conference (BLD Youth Encounter, as it was called).  There I learned a lot of things about the word of God, and religiously, about Catholicism, too. I am not a Catholic and everybody there didn’t (and still don’t) know. However, there was this time I had a “Confession” with the Priest, and he asked me what my sins are (or rather to “confess”); because I don’t know what we are doing and I am not accustomed of doing it, I just told him, “I am a Protestant.”  We (the new youth and I) were allocated to different locations for the nights. For some reason, I cannot talk about that. Why, one thing we learned also was the LIPJASS (Listen, don’t Interrupt, don’t Preach, don’t Judge, don’t give Advice, and keep things Secret and Sacred) and so we all can’t tell you about what happened. The girls were a little reckless (no offense) though; they had a camera with them and they posted everything they took on Facebook. Nice, ladies. Cheer-leading, bible story dramatization, visual story telling, and blindfold games were all the sorts we did. Personal and non-personal were also shared. It was phenomenal and very eventful. I haven’t had real fun until this came. My self-confidence increased very much better after these, and more “Facebook friends.” Though I said my mom forced me to do this, I didn’t regret anything and I didn’t blame her for anything. I consider it a miracle.