God and I are close, He tells me things, things that are true and never weird. Sometimes hard to fathom but He always wants me to understand...not in the way humans go ahead and nod and say "Sure sure I got it" but they don't, He doesn't want that. We don't want that when we're being listened to...so He makes himself very clear and loves you so that you get Him.
Uni Verse
Your hand brushes my face,
and your arms draw me close.
You trace my name in the sand,
and read it to me.
This is where it stays.
This is where you make your promise.
These are memories yet to be made
Buried deep in a mind
That will one day know yours."
When I wrote Uni Verse I was being sentimental. I'm emo, yes, friends know, without the bratty side. Baduy in other words, but always sincere. I thought about the title very carefully. I wanted it to mean something.
Simply put, in Uni Verse, almost a year ago, I was writing about something I didn't have, but wanted, it was on the shores of Aliguay Island that the wind somewhat whispered inspiration, when I was writing my name in the sand, I knew someday someone would write it for me, I can take that as literally or metaphorically, only God knows. The word Uni is taken from the latin which means "one"... and naturally, verse follows. I wrote one verse about one moment, that has not happened yet.
I split the word Universe but at the same time the meaning of it as a single word still plays its part in the title. Isn't it true that when one loves (that speaks for all kinds of love) one feels as big as the universe, nothing feels bigger than the moment you remember or realize it. In one stansa I was talking about the feeling...then in a flash, today, God came to me with its meaning, or the relevance rather of my Uni Verse.
Isn't it true? All it took was 1 verse... Genesis one : one, 1:1 a Uni Verse, and a universe came to be... so that's the way God would like me to understand the word Universe.
"Child, you write 1 verse for that which has not happened, but you found Me out. In the beginning I spoke and said 'Let there be light...' In one verse, My universe was made...so you could be in it. For now, let Me be the mind that knows yours tenderly...knows your pet peeves, the small things people unknowingly do that hurt you big and hurt Me as well, I also know the things that you still do sometimes that hurt others. I know your dreams, what makes your heart pound, what overwhelms you, what can bring on your most beautiful smile, and the adventures you secretly plan that you think might be too wonderful or out-of-the-box to carry out. I know how you want people to believe you when you say I'm real and I love when you tell them that they can express that they are angry at Me, people haven't gotten that for the longest time. I'd rather they be honest with me if they believe it is I Who have let them down. Even if some find it weird, or are maybe afraid to hope that I'm just here waiting, keep telling them the truth and I'll be with you whenever you do..."
I am not ashamed. I may be strange, but at least I'm me. I love You, God. I know nothing about my future except this, You will be with me in it. Because of that I am not afraid and hope never runs out...
This is for where I am in my life right now, a familiar song guides me through and reminds me of how good He has been to me recently. This song was with me at the one of the lowest points in my life a few years ago. Ever been so low that you just wanted to end it? I've been there and no one should ever walk that tight rope. Sadly, some of us have in desperation. This song has stayed with me ever since. Better Than I is the song about Joseph, after having been sold by his brothers into slavery and being falsely accused of attempted rape, he finds himself in prison waiting...and praying...
Really nice message today sa our daily bread online :) And the glittery shirt I put on today happened to read "Pray" :) Napangiti pa yung girl sa starbucks "Ang ganda naman ng shirt mo, 'pray' pala." Kala ko aasarin niya ako, kasi kung ganun "sige dun nalang ako sa seattle's" hehehe.
When [Jesus] had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. —Matthew 14:23
As a journalist, I have spent time with famous people who make me feel very small. I rarely sleep well the night before and have to fight a case of nerves. I wonder what I would do if seated at a banquet next to, say, Albert Einstein or Mozart. Would I chitchat? Would I make a fool of myself?
In prayer I am approaching the Creator of all that is—Someone who makes me feel immeasurably small. How can I do anything but fall silent in such presence? How can I believe that whatever I say matters to God?
The Bible sometimes emphasizes the distance between humans and God and sometimes the closeness. Without question, though, Jesus Himself taught us to count on the closeness. In His own prayers He used the word Abba (Daddy), an informal address that Jews had not previously used in prayer. A new way of praying was born.
Jesus understood better than anyone the vast difference between God and human beings. Yet He did not question the personal concern of God, who watches over sparrows and counts the hairs on our heads. He valued prayer enough to spend many hours at the task.
If I had to answer the question “Why pray?” in one sentence, it would be, “Because Jesus did.” — Philip Yancey
For Further Study Many of us don’t pray to God on His terms. Learn from our Lord’s model for prayer by reading Jesus’ Blueprint For Prayer on the Web at www.discoveryseries.org/hj891
Matt Harding I believe set a very good example when he made this video.
"Behold how good and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together, in unity." Psalm 133:1 One person asks the world to dance with him, and we do. One may start setting the example alone...but eventually...you'll see what happens, when you start something :) Yup kasama Pilipinas :)
One day, guys, one day, just wait and see... :) Coldplay for Ipod. Gwapo ni Christopher Anthony John Martin, ye, mahaba pareho pangalan namin! Gwyneth is so blessed...
My good friend Ian emailed this to me and it blew me away, I was amazed and encouraged. I pray singles today find enough hope and faith to trust in the Lord for a love like this.
An incredible love story has come out of China recently and managed to touch the world.. It is a story of a man and an older woman who ran off to live and love each other in peace for over half a century. The 70-year-old Chinese man who hand-carved over 6,000 stairs up a mountain for his 80-year-old wife has passed away in the cave which has been the couple's home for the last 50 years.Over 50 years ago, Liu Guojiang a 19 year-old boy, fell in love with a 29 year-old widowed mother named Xu Chaoqin...
Worthy of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, friends and relatives criticized the relationship because of the age difference and the fact that Xu already had children. At that time, it was unacceptable and immoral for a young man to love an older woman.. To avoid the market gossip and the scorn of their communities,the couple decided to elope and lived in a cave in Jiangjin County in Southern ChongQing Municipality .
In the beginning, life was harsh as hey had nothing, no electricity or even food. They had to eat grass and roots they found in the mountain, and Liu made a kerosene lamp that they used to light up their lives.
Xu felt that she had tied Liu down and repeatedly asked him, 'Are you regretful? Liu always replied, 'As long as we are industrious, life will improve..'
In the second year of living in the mountain, Liu began and continued for over 50 years, to hand-carve the steps so that his wife could get down the mountain easily.
Half a century later in 2001, a group of adventurers were exploring the forest and were surprised to find the elderly couple and the over 6,000 hand-carved steps. Liu MingSheng, one of their seven children said, 'My parents loved each other so much, they have lived in seclusion for over 50 years and never been apart a single day. He hand carved more than 6,000 steps over the years for my mother's convenience, although she doesn't go down the mountain that much.'
The couple had lived in peace for over 50 years until last week. Liu, now 72 years, returned from his daily farm work and collapsed. Xu sat and prayed with her husband as he passed away in her arms. So in love with Xu, was Liu, that no one was able to release the grip he had on his wife's hand even after he had passed away.
'You promised me you'll take care of me, you'll always be with me until the day I died, now you left before me, how am I going to live without you?' Xu spent days softly repeating this sentence and touching her husband's black coffin with tears rolling down her cheeks.
In 2006, their story became one of the top 10 love stories from China , collected by the Chinese Women Weekly. The local government has decided to preserve the love ladder
and the place they lived as a museum, so this love story can live forever.
One of my fave not so new songs :) Lots of diff familiar voices towards the end...watch it :) Our current dep head used to work on Hanna Barbera cartoons and it reminded me of him hehe. They're saved alright! I saved their pics in my laptop hihi. Indeed what if cartoons got saved...
here's the recorded version with more audible cartoon voices :) I like the recorded version, the video lang of the live was cuter.
I have girlfriends whom I've counseled in the past on relationships...probs with...diff things, but particularly issues on timidity or katorpehan. My best friend Alma and I have had good long distance talks (she's in Denmark)about this. We agreed on the saying "Pag mahal mo laging may paraan, pag hindi maraming dahilan." Before I was shy to talk about but now I think why not? Hehe, it seems to be everyone's fave topic, relationships. I can speak very plainly about this because everyone knows I believe it anyway when they ask. Others ask how do they help the guy cope or convince him etc...why convincing needed, are you as yourself not enough? How taxing it must be to convince yourself and him that he wants you. When I'm asked about that issue...of course I don't think it appropriate to go on and blog about it from this point with my own words, but I'd much rather simply use a video, one of my faves from when I was young to answer what I think a guy should be. No matter what hinders him from getting to you, he just keeps coming. If you guys are wondering "why is julia writing this?" I happened to be surfing youtube and from old 90s toy commercials I suddenly saw a sleeping beauty clip that gave me something to write about. I'd forgotten how wonderfully written the good and evil characters are in this animation feature film.
Here's the part from the beginning that already got me interested in animation as a kid...i'd get mesmerized by the galaxy, whirl-like sequences per fairy blessing...that's early motion graphics! Diba they look like the bagyos in the weather forecast? The video related to my write-up is the last one not this one...naaliw lang ako dito sa first...at natakot din sa bandang huli. In this first video, scrub forward nalang to 5:20 from there is the animation part I'm talking about. I know the voice of Maleficent is the voice of the Stepmom in Cinderella and Flora's voice, the red fairy, is the voice of the fairy Godmother in Cinderella also.
Ok, ok, ok in case bitin kayo on what the counter spell of Merriweather was, heres the continuation, i'm not going to give you the whole movie! haha, that's bad. Merriweather's so cute. Sabi sa kanya "Just try your best..." continuation nun "kung hindi patay si Aurora" haha pressure! Lam ko na yung secret ng gifts nila they rhyme hahaha! Isipin niyo, grabe para kay merriweather kailangan mag rhyme yung gift niya, e sayang yung pinrepare niya diba? nag rhyme siya impromptu para ma-save si Aurora, super pressure! Kaya pala palpak yung kay Maleficent, hindi nag rhyme kaya di natupad haha!
I give you this last scene from sleeping beauty which really is the point of this whole write up, and though it be from a movie, there are good men out there like my dad, uncles, and good guy friends who have shown me through the years that there are righteous men on this earth who can share with others about making the choice to be better. God's daughters, you ladies, deserve no less than a man this sure of what he wants.
"Sword of truth fly swift and sure, let evil die and good endure..."
I'm pretty spent, considering that from Thursday night to this very day (in fact I only have a few minutes for this) I've been working on two commercials simultaneously, both product freight scenes (the money shots). To give you an idea, I worked the whole of thursday on the 1st one partially until 1am friday, then from 1am-6am the same day I worked on the second one which had a presentation set at 10am only to find that it was moved to 5pm which in turn made me growl, and race to the finish for the 1st commercial which had a presentation at 1pm. I was like...sana naman I had worked straight for the 1st one if that's the case na hapon pa pala yung second.
I slept on my hand at a desk at 6am, and asked mom to help wake me by 830. I woke up and my hand was dead it was cold, clammy and it couldn't feel a thing. I squashed the veins apparently and circulation hit a bottleneck. I shook it for the life of me...
Throughout all this, I was overwhelmed and beating myself up for being so...telling myself I would make it, if only my eternal Director believed in me.
The minute I woke up from that table, new strength was in me, I had just enough to continue preparing the second one with time to spare, but the first one for 1pm really pushed me to my limits.
Imagine that the director for your 1st commercial is coming for a pres and has to leave in an hour for an international flight so you can't be late in presenting. I made it by a hair's breadth, of course with my art director, coordinator, and marketing person breathing down my neck as I desperately clattered over my keyboard trying to fix the scene (because it's their job talaga so no big deal). I'm actually proud to be supervised by an art director who is not just a fine arts major but has a degree in physics, too, sometimes you think it's a pain when you're tired coz there's no cheating his eye but you realize what kind of edge you have with his expertise and his knowledge of how something in a scene should really look or react. In the end, nakakabless. "Jules render na, render na, ay ayusin mo ito..." fatigue can sometimes make you feel like crying as opposed to if you had 8 hrs of sleep, well I didn't, but the stress crawled up my neck. The whole time I thought "I render unto You...I render unto You. I can do all things..."
I remembered a really cool lady in church sharing about faith and the power of God's spoken Word. I thought to myself, He is the very First Director who knows exactly how everything will finish. She said "In the dark God said 'Let there be light' and there was light. Imagine mo if He looked at the darkness at sinabi niya 'Shucks ang dilim!' e di yari na tayo." hahaha! oo nga naman. "Lights, camera, action"...nothing happens until the Director says so.
The Secret is no secret, it is faith in Him not faith in one's self alone that makes things happen.
Pwes, I said "i'm going to make it," and I did, but not without help from my UGL team :)
If you chance upon this write up, please believe with me that my 2nd presentation this afternoon for both commercials (that's with revised material) goes well and receives favor. Thanks :)
Found this on youtube :)Not my only fave film couple, but definitely one of the few faves that I have, with the upcoming 3rd installment of The Mummy, I couldn't help but look back on Rick and Evie, aside from Disney's Jane and Tarzan, my other fave film couple, Rick and Evie always light up the screen together, it's pretty sad they're not together in the 3rd one. In a few days i'll write about my fave onscreen leading ladies, real and animated, naturally Evelyn is one of them :) My fave ladies always seem to have some sort of taray factor, clutziness, natural kwela, conservative style, bihirang bravery, and love for literature :)
One of our oldest friends Ian has a message for mike vidad, who just tied the knot with paula ignacio. Medyo nabitin kami sa reception nung di umabot yung message niya sa video, kaya here it is, with his permission to show to our CHA highschool barkada. Kaya here is Ian Mariano almost live from Reno Nevada Hehe :)
. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven —Matthew 5:20
"The characteristic of a disciple is not that he does good things, but that he is good in his motives, having been made good by the supernatural grace of God. The only thing that exceeds right-doing is right-being. Jesus Christ came to place within anyone who would let Him a new heredity that would have a righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus is saying, "If you are My disciple, you must be right not only in your actions, but also in your motives, your aspirations, and in the deep recesses of the thoughts of your mind." Your motives must be so pure that God Almighty can see nothing to rebuke. Who can stand in the eternal light of God and have nothing for Him to rebuke? Only the Son of God, and Jesus Christ claims that through His redemption He can place within anyone His own nature and make that person as pure and as simple as a child. The purity that God demands is impossible unless I can be remade within, and that is exactly what Jesus has undertaken to do through His redemption.
No one can make himself pure by obeying laws. Jesus Christ does not give us rules and regulations— He gives us His teachings which are truths that can only be interpreted by His nature which He places within us. The great wonder of Jesus Christ’s salvation is that He changes our heredity. He does not change human nature— He changes its source, and thereby its motives as well."
I'm as busy as can bee...be. I work hard so I guess it fits :) In wholehearted acceptance of my rotund face and generally jolly persona (crosses fingers in prayer), I present me as JuliaBee. Photo by Syke, and "JuliaBee" coined by Marlowe or Jeff? basta the UGL boys :)
SMS sagot ni Ma sa MMS ko:
"Haha cute name. Great shot :) Linis ng pagkapatong. Aligned talaga. UGL nga :) "
Just when it was beginning to look bleak at work (in terms of motivation)...He throws a pan de sal party and throws in "futility" as the topic sandwich filling. I find Our Daily Bread online...although I have a feeling it's been there for awhile, but I found it when I most needed it.
I like how it mentions soldiers beginning to lose hope or for the tougher ones get bored with what they're doing, beginning to feel like they're insignificant beneath unseen wings of glory. Ignatius the Saint said something very meaningful in the entry below. I don't really like the abbrev St. titles hehe makes it sound like they operate within the canonization of man like any doctor, engineer, or attorney when in truth men do not make saints. God does. I prefer to say the whole thing. It doesn't offend me when people use the abbrevs. For me lang yun when I refer to them.
The last line for the featured entry was an arrow through the heart...
"I once heard interviews with survivors from World War II. The soldiers recalled how they spent a particular day. One sat in a foxhole; once or twice, a German tank drove by and he shot at it. Others played cards and frittered away the time. A few got involved in furious firefights. Mostly, the day passed like any other. Later, they learned they had just participated in one of the largest, most decisive engagements of the war, the Battle of the Bulge. It didn’t feel decisive at the time because none had the big picture.Great victories are won when ordinary people execute their assigned tasks.
When followers of Ignatius (1491–1556) endured periods of futility, he always prescribed the same cure: “In times of desolation we must never make a change, but stand firm and constant in the resolutions and determination in which we were the day before the desolations.” Spiritual battles must be fought with the very weapons hardest to wield at the time: prayer, meditation, self-examination, and repentance.
Perhaps you sense you’re in a spiritual rut. Stay at your assigned task! Obedience to God—and only obedience—offers the way out of our futility. — Philip Yancey
When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again A season of clear shining, To cheer it after rain. —Cowper
If you sense your faith is unraveling, go back to where you dropped the thread of obedience.
We did the tracked and "tracked" circles and beams :) and of course the end tags. I worked alongside my team leader JP and tracking buddy Syke. My contribution was the circles and beams in the atm exchange sequence and blending the end of that scene (when the taxi leaves) into the next scene na parang walang cut, meant to sort of surprise you that he arrives from the left again in a new place. and well the simple part with Bea and John Lloyd sa endtag "apply muna kayo" pero sobrang basic lang yan hehe.
It tumbled down on me, like a cave-in in a squeaky old gem mine. But even though as a line the entire thing sounded "right on, you go girl" and happened to read pretty well, it proves to be the hardest truth for me to take to heart not to mention apply into my life daily, but I should and with all my might...I will, under love's control. I'll go against the grain of today's world telling me female compassion and vulnerability has no place setting on the table of the modern woman. So I posted it everywhere, my friendster account, and my facebook one as well, and yes on the main page of this multiply site. For now, it is my current life theme, so to speak.
Here it is.
I personally believe that a woman who is gentle without question is one of the most powerful creatures alive. For gentleness is not weakness, but simply the power to do harm placed under love's control. umphhhggg. right there.
Hatid sa inyo ng Jabberwockyz masks, for your everyday effortless peke ngiti needs.
I wrote this from 1-2am this morning at di pa siya final, you'll still see it change...i'm still flipping words around. I meant to describe the feelings of those who have problems and just try to cope.Sa mga walang problema, sorry nalang ha, di kayo makarelate…ayun may problema na kayo :P
No incident triggered this, a moment maybe, a moment of deep thought.Walang major temptations or trials na bumubuga ngayon, salamat sa Kanya, may mga patambay-tambay pero mga bearables.It’s just a literary culmination of the times I’ve had problems and it mentions the One who helped me live through them and deal with them for real and not just with the smiles we often try so desperately to put on.Of course di ko naman sinasabi na pag may problema dapat hindi nakangiti.We wear them in faith and there’s no sense in spreading gloom, pero minsan aminin natin, nakakapagod at pag talagang kapos na ng pagmamahal o lakas, nagiging peke.I do write pinoy free verse from time to time, but English more often.I didn’t plan to write this one formally hehehe, kaya baka walang meter or anything like that.Sana kumonti mga pekeng ngiti natin.
Pambihirang Pekeng Ngiti (dalhin natin sa Hari)
Maaari bang pumikit para mawala ang tukso At kasabay ng pagmulat hilumin sana ako Bilangin ang pekeng ngiti Bilis… Isa, dalawa… Tatlo o apat Meron pa nga… Napakahalaga… Ipunin sana… Kasya siguro, ilang araw pa… Sa likod nila’y kinukubli lahat ng di niyo pwedeng alamin Balot na balot Walang asin Biro? Walang biro Bihira… …pambihira! Nakuha ko'ng mga ito ng napakamura Para lang mapigilan ang pag-agos ng mga luha Mga pambihirang pekeng ngiti Punong puno ng pagsisisi Ngunit sa likod nila'y nahahanap pa rin ako Nakaluhod sa problemang nagpapasayad ng nguso “Sa harap Ko lang dapat nakababa ang ulo Anak, halatang-halata na peke ang ngiti mo.” Yang si Lord, kala niyong napakapait minsan magbiro Pero dahil sa Kanya ako’y hindi nabibigo Sabi “Anak, kapag ganyan, diba paulit-ulit nalang Ako Mula loob palabas, pagmamahal Ko'y hindi susuko.”
Feel stuck or scared in a sad place somewhere? This song and what it means should do the trick. No video to watch, just a photo of the singer with the song. Storm by Lifehouse.
I'm glad my friend Bernice shared this first on her multiply, thanks Berns. Fresh stuff or not it still amazed me. Ever arranged and recorded a song live? This performance by Imogen Heap is amazing.
