Design and Writings by Riz
Bluedfiles Version 17
� April 2005

Version 17: Sunflower Days.
These days, you spend an hour taking a bath, sponging your body down with soap twice, and consuming about five pails of water. You feel clean, and you enjoy the momentary freshness. But the minute you step out of the bathroom, you start sweating again. Metro Manila has turned into one gigantic oven toaster. Pfft. Ang init, sobra! Last night I dreamt of polar bears, penguins, and eskimos. The other day I dreamt that the whole Metro Manila was air-conditioned. It’s so hot these days it follows you on your sleep.

Nonetheless, I love Manila on summer days. I love summer days! The summer heat may be torturous, and you may feel sticky and sweaty all day round, but then you get to appreciate little things too, like a glass of freezing cold Coke, vanilla ice cream, halo-halo, air-conditioned working places, air-conditioned train rides, sunglasses, and Makati overpasses. Then there’s the pool, and the beach, the coconut trees, the almost empty campuses, the jam-packed malls, and Ice Monster and Big Chill.

And then, there are the sunflowers.

When I was a kid I always thought that sunflowers could only grow on Baguio soils. I was college-old already when I found out I was wrong. Have you ever passed through the University Avenue, that long entry road to UP Diliman on a summer day? Take time to drop by this month and you’ll see. Sunflowers spring up to life and line both sides of the entire road, and for two minutes you find yourself taking your sunglasses off, holding your breath, and enjoying the lovely view of arrays of miniature yellow gold suns.

What’s really sweet about sunflowers is the way they collectively grow towards the direction of the sun. Last Monday, when I passed by, all the flowers were facing east. I smiled. Sunflower effect, I thought. Then I realized that perhaps, these plants (without the flowers of course) have been there all year round, unnoticed. I marveled once more at God’s creations. How He can turn those unnoticed, unattractive, green stuff sprouting from the ground into something really beautiful is one of life’s great mysteries. I can imagine Him paving the way for this event, just waiting for the proper time for the sunflowers to bloom.

That fleeting moment of passing through the U-Ave is one of the things I like about having summer classes in UP. Too bad I don’t get to pass through that sunflowery road as much. But the next time I do, I’d make sure I bring something to capture the moment with – perhaps my brother’s digicam, or better yet, someone who’s got a camera phone who will surely enjoy the sight as much as I (yes, you. ;)).

For the meantime, let me preserve the moment (albeit the injustice to it) on a layout such as this while the sunflower days last, and hope that everytime you browse through this site, you also get to think about the beauty of the works of His hands. c",)

Grace and Faith.
Two things God’s been highlighting to me the past days: Grace that’s undeserved yet overflowing, and Faith that does not only trust but that which also take the extra mile. Sometimes, such concepts become overwhelmingly broad and complicated that God gives you something to remind you of their simplicity.

Like having to sing with your dad again in a Sunday Worship Service after almost having lost him. Like receiving Globe credits from your mom at a time you most need it, or getting the last bottle of apple-flavored C2 from the racks of Seven Eleven after a long and tiring walk. Like a difficult song beautifully sang amidst pressure, or receiving a paper bag filled with brownies and apples. Like browsing through a colorful and intricately designed scrapbook, and remembering what God has done in the past months. Like consuming a big serving of yummy WHAM burgers with the wonderful and funny people of OMFLit after a long and tiring day at work, or finding an empty seat in a jam-packed train. Truly, the beauty of grace is the simple fact that it is undeserved. And while it is such, it is meant to be accepted with a grateful heart.

And then there’s faith. For someone who’s always unconfident, and finds security in time tables, blue prints, game plans, and logic, my ultimate challenge right now is to take a step into the unknown, lean not on my own understanding, not be passive, follow the road signs and find out for myself where God is leading me.

In a week’s time I’ll be done with my practicum, and I shall begin exploring the vast world out there with only His grace and my faith in Him as my weapons.

And perhaps, He wants me to be just like a sunflower – to bloom in His perfect time (from out of an unnoticed sprout that I am), grow towards the direction of His light, and blossom into a miniature golden sun that will reflect the works of His hands. c",)

♥ ♥ ♥

P.S. I may not know who you all are, but THANK YOU GUYS for dropping by. :)

Riz Blabbered @ 6:30:00 PM.

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