What does it mean to me? Please allow me to give it to you in the order of significance as I see it: 1. It's the first day of the rest of my life in eternity, which means that I am just a newborn babe in God's endless timetable. 2. It is the number of blessings that I have started to be very conscious of, and I just can't stop counting - they keep on coming [to God give all the glory and praise].
The pictures posted will show the blessings that outnumber 52 even if there are only about a dozen to show. The reader must be aware that he/she is also one of those blessings, because at 52 old-time friends are becoming an endangered species and are harder to locate. I can't imagine that at this age I already have outlived a couple of friends who are now growing grass out in some lonely memorial lot.
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Jesus' sacrifice
Without His death I would still be in my sins. The cross has
given
new meaning to me since my rebirth and I can now see it as a complete
and
perfect offering, which negates another atonement as taught by
my former
church. I thank God for the cross.
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The Holy Bible/Romans
This is the specific spot where God opened my eyes to the
truth
and which started my odyssey from the SDA church to God's
kingdom of full
and untainted grace.
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The Holy Spirit
Symbolized by the dove - It gave me rebirth and took me
out
of the bondage of the law. It now guarantees and maintains
my salvation. What
more can a guy at 52 ask for?
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The family
Still under one roof even after the kids are done with
school
and have their stable jobs. Roles now have changed and they pay
the bills,
take me places and support my ministry. God is great!
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The wife
25 years of marriage to this gorgeous lady has taught me
everything that I need to know about married life.
A blessing from heaven
indeed.
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The son
Intelligent and caring with much love for family. He went
straight through college and now earns his own money with a lot to spare.
A
great poet/rapper too. One great blessing indeed - hallelujah!
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The daughter
Carefree with a great love for fun and adventure - which
took
her a little bit too far, yet without missing a step she got through
school
and now works not only for herself and her baby but also provides for
the
family and some orphans in northern Thailand. Great blessing, praise God!
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The granddaughter
Came just at the right moment. God sent to bind the family
when
our spirituality was being put to the test. A bundle of joy and blessings
indeed.
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The babysitter
Yangyang - been with us for 4 years now and is like one of
the
family. Another blessing for us.
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The sister and family
My only sibling with a loving husband and great kids.
A
blessing from across the ocean.
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The Church
Evangelical Church of Bangkok. A sanctuary where we recharge
our spiritual batteries every Sunday. An oasis indeed in a Buddhist country.
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The orphans
Four orphanages around Thailand have taught me a lot about
God's kingdom.
They dont know it but they have brought me up in my view of
life. Blessings.
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Nam
A moken sea gypsy lad with a submandibular abscess. His
tribe and their
culture have taught me a lot about the kingdom of God and I am
blessed.
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The students [w4eo]
The much needed support when family and friends were up at
me for breaking
away from the church of my birth. God knew when to send them.
I'm really blessed.
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Bro Yun...
...The Heavenly Man. God used him to heal me miraculously.
He prayed
with his hand over me and God took away all the chronic illnesses
that
were plaguing me for years. Thank you Jesus.
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The country
Good paying jobs, delicious food, interesting culture, low
cost of living,
great variety of fruits and great opportunities to serve God
through the
orphans and the poorest of the poor.
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Blessing in disguise
The disguise: The church [I’m a third generation member]
excommunicated me and took away my 17-year job. The blessing:
They kicked me
out of their walls into the arms of God.
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@52
... with a bouquet of rambutan. I may have less hair than
the rambutan and yet I'm so blessed. I hope I blessed
you with this album. Vaya
con Dios.
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What an album...what a testimony...May God grant you more fruitful(rambutan) years ahead.
ReplyDeletewow rambutan...the celebrant with the rambutan..hehehehhe
ReplyDeleteyou could say during the time when our homeland is quite not what it used to be.
ReplyDeleteMay you have many more years to come Kuya Sunni
ReplyDeleteBelated Happy Bday... may God bless you more
ReplyDeleteTito,
ReplyDeleteWhat is your wife's secret to stay young?
it's not a secret bro. she's really still young. heheheheh. ako lang ang 52, grrrr.
ReplyDeleteGod bless a friend like you but you are making me so hungry with the rambutan, what happens is that here in Chile we have no rambutan, no durian, no kinilaw, no panga, no pancit luglug and no san miguel....isn't that enough suffering...
ReplyDeleteBuddy, belated happy bday although i forgot when you birthday is....alzheimers so pls send me your birthdate......
You're reminding me of our days at Uncle Tom's Cabin and De Lumbar. I'll have some pictures taken of the food you mentioned so that you will suffer some more... hehehe. wala din kinilaw, panga at luglug dito sa Bangkok.
ReplyDeletepagka-lami...belated happy bday...bisan ug usa na kabulan ang milabay:D
ReplyDeleteas you have said , clearly shave said... disguise! me too have lots to tell about visiting a place full of disguise ..... well, without "that" place, i could have been lost still today, that is the only thing that i wish to thank for..... for visiting twice a "disguised"! place...... well, at MVC. the only consolation was that thru sunni, LIGHT shown up to me that until today still lingers and for ever will be. Dr. Rev. Fr. Alan Villanueva (member of the scarlet purple) in clothes.
ReplyDeletewhat a great picture! la fabuloso..... but wait! where the hell i am in that picture? Sus si kokoy....... murag shokoy! Hi there my dear sons and daughters.
ReplyDeletewant my saliva to fall by looking at your picture with those rambutans? well, i did..... and the keyboard liqui-sucks....... Happy birthday! better late than never.
ReplyDeleteMy good and gracious Lord Jesus, I thank you for keeping my brother in the priestly robes of scarlet purple, right in the center of the powerful universal church, alive and shining up to this moment. I was always hopeful that someday he would surface and drop by my site... now is the day, and I know that you will always keep him safe for the sake of the pure and untainted gospel.... hallelujah... amen!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations my brother, Dr. Reverend... you did it by God's grace and you deserve my admiration and praise. I will celebrate in your absence with the finest wine that I can afford. Thanks for the birthday greetings, it seems that its my birthday today with your sudden appearance. God bless you.
ReplyDeletei just saw these pics today! I was brought here thru your musings on your spiritual journey. Am happy for you. At the same time saying a prayer for you. I can just imagine the persecution! I hope its all in the past now. BTW, 50 is the new 40 (or 52 the new 42!) so we are at a most interesting time. Tama ka, so much blessings, and so much more blessings we can share.
ReplyDeleteThanks bro... yeah its all in the past and the people who did it are still my friends... never held a grudge against them. In a way they blessed me and thats what counts, not the pain or the lost livelihood.
ReplyDeleteI got kicked out of the SDA church also just for not attending church regularly, I guess, because I was never told until 2 years after it happened. I am glad it happened that way. That way I never had to write a letter asking that my name be taken off the church books. When God finally took me out for good, as I was about to be rebaptized, 5 years ago, He took me to a large non denominational church near where I live. I am so blessed by it and have all kinds of opportunities to serve God there and go on missions.
ReplyDeletebtwa ate jo unsa u secret how to stay young?... tug ane pd me pra mg stay young pd ko iu..hehehhheheh
ReplyDeleteHi... i missed u all guys.....
ReplyDelete