I'll let you in for a little secret. I'll share with you what im doing when i have free time here @ Saudi.
Nope it's not surfing the net or chatting @ YM.
Neither is checking and updating Facebook or Twitter (though i must admit this is my 2nd favorite pastime)
It's not watching TV or listening to music.
Sirit na?
What I love to do when i have free time is to PRAY.
What? Serious?? Mwe? Di nga?? Jologs! Corny!! Baduy. So uncool!
I swear ito ang mga words na naglalaro sa utak nio noh? Aminin!!
Kahit na isipin nyong "old school" or "pang-matanda" ang ginagawa ko di ninyo maikakaila na ang pagdarasal minsan ang the best way to talk to God especially pag marami kayong solitary moments (tama ba ako King??!)
I admit, i'm the least person in the world na mahihilig sa pagdarasal. A few years ago (especially nung nag-aaral pako) I only pray pag may exam, or pag maysakit ako, or kung gusto ko ng isang bagay, or pag nasa simbahan. You know, the typical scenarios where prayer is needed. Hindi sha pang-araw araw na gawain. We are raised though as a catholic, even studied in catholic schools, but the idea or logic of being a Catholic is just like the ordinary people lang. Nothing special nor extravagant, ni hindi mo ako makikita sa mga charismatic prayer meeting or makitang nagwawagayway ng mga panyo sa Luneta for El Shaddai (sa luneta po dati ginagawa ung prayer meeting nila fyi..) Heck, I dont even prayed that hard when I suffered depression nung 2000-something nor when I was in Iran where I get caught in a emotional roller coaster relationship. In short hindi ako madasalin.
Come 2008, i was exposed in spiritual awakening which leads me to my catholic community now and greatly affect my spiritual life (see my previous posts about it). And before I was assigned here in Saudi my bestfriend/brother/soon-to-be-priest Floro asked me to pray the rosary daily. He's a Marian devotee and he explain to me the wonders of praying the rosary. And i must admit he was right! I believe God has work his miracle now with me while im here in Saudi. With constant prayer + rosary I believe he leads me out from temptation and kapahamakan (teka ano nga ba english word nito?hahaha). So now, everyday(9except weekend) I always get up early just to say my rosary and morning prayer, para maganda ang simula ng araw.
Kapag nagpupunta ako sa downtown Khobar mula sa opisina namin, i make it a point to say the rosary. Mga 15-25 minutes din na lakaran yun and instead na mag-isip isip ako ng kung ano anong mga bagay eh minabuti ko nalang na magrosaryo. Minsan pag tapos na ang rosary ko at hindi pa ako nakakadating sa pupuntahan ko, i'll just sing (in a very very low voice shempre) yung mga worship song na natutunan ko sa community namin at yung mga kinakanta din sa simbahan. Funny kasi yung officemate ko rin ganun ang gawain (he's a choir member kasi) pag mag-isa lang sha naglalakad. He sing while he's walking pero silent singing ang ginagawa nya shempre..or else baka mapagkalamalan shang baliw or else hulihin sha ng pulis!
I think nakatulong din lalo sa faith ko kay Lord ang pagkaka-assign ko dito sa Saudi. Since bawal ang religion natin dito pinalakas ko nalang ang personal prayer and worship to him. Naalala ko tuloy yung kasabihan na "Pag pinipigil (ang faith) lalong nang gigigil (sa faith!).. Korni noh? Hehehe
Question: Teka, eh ano nga ba ang nagawa ng pagdarasal sa buhay mo except na nilayo ka ni Papa God from sins at hindi kana nagsusuffer ng depression emotional roller coaster relationship (teka may ganito bang relationship talaga!??)
Sagot: Sa sobrang dami ng blessings na binigay ni Lord sa akin for the past 2 years (from 2008 till now) baka mabored kalang sa kakabasa nitong blog ko. But the BIGGEST blessing that i've received na pinagdasal ko din naman talaga eh nung mameet ko yung taong maituturing kong tapat na kaibigan...okay in lay mans term eh bestfriend (chessy!!!!) ika nga. Siksik liglig at umaapaw na kaligayahan nung araw na dumating sha sa buhay ko (ok sobrang cheessy na ito!!). I'll not go into details kasi makokornihan na kayo pero one thing for sure, God do really hear our prayers.
So ang advice ko lang sa mga ka-bloggers ko, pray always to god, and when your prayer is answered dont forget to say thank you to him ok =D.
theonoski
p.s.
i pray to god also before i go back here sa saudi na sana makalusot sa xray ng saudi ung mga devotional books ko.sana hindi maconfiscate.lalo na ung christmas gift sa akin ni bestfriend na rosary at daily bible reading. and thank god nakalusot naman sha sa airport.yahoo! god is great talaga!
