Remember 9/05?

I have come down from the mountaintop and I don’t feel guilty, after all, it is in the valley that we grow. (Grow up, in my case) The mountaintop experience with Journey/AP was very exhilarating - almost the same feeling I felt when I first got saved and fell in love with Jesus. Am still a loon for Journey but just coasting.

I am very analytical so I always find myself analyzing almost everything. My golf instructor explained “paralysis by analysis” simply: Don’t analyze too much to where you can’t execute the swing.
My psychiatrist's version: Stop analyzing things to death to where you’re incapable of enjoyment anymore.

Which brings me to the point of this rant. I was enjoying but also always asking God why He placed AP (which leads to the rest of the J-boys) before me. I do this in everything because good or bad, there’s a purpose why God allows us to experience it. As I have said so many times over, no one and nothing makes me out of whack...until now.

Is it because AP is Filipino and I just want to ride the bandwagon of the new Filipino discovery? Is it so I can show support to my fellow Filipino? Is it because I can empathize and relate to his rags-to-riches story?
The answer is No. It is more than that, but I can’t put my finger on what it is. All I know is that in everything that happens, it is either because: God allowed it or God caused it for His bigger purpose. Maybe just so I can pray for him?

All that we own - our time, talent and treasure God gave us. And we better know what He wants us to do with it. Before Arnel Pineda, I was quite oblivious and uncaring of the plight of the OFW’s. Now, I pray for them. Just because AP is having fun, does not mean that he is not working. And worse – he has millions of people resting on his shoulder. After the cash and the flash, there’s still a vacuum and the constant nagging voice, “How did I do? “

The fans can only type so much, clap and scream so much. We cannot be there when Arnel toss and turn and feels lonely - wishing for the noise of his family and the unspoken wish for a respite from the noise of the drums and the crowds.

As I write this I also am thinking of Cherry. It's like when someone is sick, we focus our attention on the sick and not much on the caregiver. It is just as hard on the caregiver if not harder. So it is with Cherry. Arnel can comfort her from 10 thousand miles away over the phone but not quiet the same when she could touch him. Or whack him.

So what’s my point? I know, I rambled just to ask you to pray. His birthday is coming up Sept 5, why don’t we do this. Starting now pray, but pray again every 9:05 am or pm, whatever country you’re at just say a prayer for Arnel and his family. The best gift that we can give him is to always pray for him. Thank God for blessing us with Arnel, and ask God to protect the blessing.

Shalom.