Tag Archives: podcast

In His Steps

Ash Wednesday

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Today is the start of the Lenten season, and I think that this is the earliest Ash Wednesday I can remember. This year holds the earliest Holy Week too — with Holy Monday falling on my birthday. I have mixed thoughts on that, but let me get back at that later. :)

Earlier today I heard mass with some officemates and I was amazed at how many people heard mass today — the usually not-so-full chapel overflowed outside, all the way to the street. I remember my dad and I joking about how the church is filled to overflowing during Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve mass, and suddenly we realize how many people really live in the village. Only in the Philippines. ;) But it’s nice to see the chapel overflowing with people; it gives me hope that people still care.

I was listening to Lifeteen‘s Lent Overview podcast earlier and Mark Hart mentioned how he used to not like Lent as much as he liked Advent when he was a kid, because Lent means sacrificing a lot of things, and it always happens to be Friday whenever he wanted to eat the most meat. I have to admit that I used to think the same thing. I hated how during Holy Week, there’s nothing to watch on TV. I hated how we all have to be inside and stay inside and be forced to attend masses, go through the entire Bisita Iglesia in the heat of summer. I was happy when Easter rolls by because that means I can finally eat normally, and there’s no somber mood around the place.

It was only recently that I started to appreciate the entire season, and that’s what I plan to impart to you for the next few weeks until we reach the “climax”. I think this is really something we should take time to reflect on. :) You don’t have to be a real estate agent or a priest or a really “holy” person to appreciate this season.

In the meantime, here’s the podcast I mentioned earlier for your listening pleasure. :)

[audio:lent-overview.mp3]

If you haven’t heard mass yet, there’s still time! I’m sure there’s another one (or two) masses before this day ends. And I’m also inviting you to join the 40 days of prayer and fasting led by Bo Sanchez. Click on the link for more details. :)

Uncategorized

The Holy Rosary Podcast

The month of October reminds me of three things: lots of horror stories and Halloween specials on TV, my dad’s birthday and the month of the Holy Rosary. I remember back in high school, everytime it was October, we’d be asked to decorate our bulletin board for October and put up a small altar at one corner of the classroom and pray all five mysteries for the day of the rosary. I end up leading the rosary on most days, which I don’t really mind, and which is also why I memorized all the prayers and the mysteries.

But…I’d have to admit. I’m not the biggest fan of the Holy Rosary. :-s I liked that I can do it, but I don’t really like doing it. I’m not proud of this, and I’m trying my best to learn to love this form of prayer. I don’t doubt how powerful praying the rosary can be (and it really helped me calm down and be still in God during the time I was waiting for my exam results in my current employer); it’s just that sometimes it can get so repetitive that I get too antsy and I feel like my prayers aren’t getting through.

But I’m trying harder now. I’m trying harder to appreciate the rosary for all it is worth, because I know that it’s a beautiful prayer as a whole. Plus there are also these things, which Mr. Matt Smith from Lifeteen.com pointed out:

  1. The rosary isn’t all about me. (True!)
  2. A lot can happen when I pray for 20 minutes (approximately how long praying the entire rosary will take)
  3. It’s an interactive Biblical experience (gives me time to reflect at the important parts of Jesus’ life — yes, the rosary is still about Jesus, despite the number of Hail Mary’s prayed)
  4. It can make ordinary situations extraordinary (because I spent it in prayer)
    .

Like I said, I’m trying harder. Which is why I’d like to thank Jun and Fr. Stephen for starting the Filipino Holy Rosary (or Santo Rosaryo) podcast. For everyone who wants to pray the rosary but is not quite familiar with it, here’s a guide for you. You may download these podcasts, put them in your mp3 player and just pray with it while you walk, commute, drive or work or while going through your favorite hobby shop. You can use this to teach kids or students how to pray the rosary in Filipino, or have a group of friends say the prayer together. You can send these to your Filipino friends abroad too. :)

If you’d prefer the English version, you may download podcasts at RosaryArmy.com. I will be putting these up for download by tomorrow at my Multiply too, so you can also download it from there in case you can’t access the two sites. :)

Randomnities

Friday's Feast # 2

I just blew off P99 on a box of Smidgets from Mister Donuts. The box contains 33 pieces of Smidgets (or Munchkins, since it’s what we’re all familiar with), and I thought the box was originally P29, not P99. It sounds the same naman. Or maybe I should stop stuffing my ear with my iPod so I can hear better.

Anyway. It’s there, and I have about 30 Smidgets left. I feel bad for spending so much too fast when I’m going to watch Shrek 3 tomorrow and I could have spent that P99 on a popcorn for the movie or something. Oh well. Anyone want a Smidget?

Time for my second Friday’s Feast!

Friday's Feast # 2

Appetizer
List 3 emotions you experienced this week.

– Sad, frustrated, excited.

Soup
Name a car you’d love to have.

– No doubt about it: a Honda Jazz! I’d love to have it in pink (so girly!), but any color would do, as long as it’s a Jazz. I will name my future car Betty, but before getting myself a car, I need to be able to drive on my own. :P

Salad
Describe your typical morning routine.

– I wake up, go to the kitchen to drink a glass of water, then head over to my room to get my towels and my contact lenses. I will wake my brother up to tell him to get ready and then take a shower. After the shower, if my brother isn’t up yet, I’d wake him up again, then get dressed. After getting dressed, I would pray, and then go out and eat breakfast and then leave for work.

I need to re-do my morning routine. I end up being so slow that I would miss out on my prayer time. :( I need to give more time for that, and I want to have time to do some exercises in the morning, even for at least 15-30 minutes.

This only means one thing: Wake up earlier. Gaaaah.

Main Course
Have you ever emailed someone famous? If so, who, and what did you say to them? Did they reply?

– Famous. I used to write snail mail letters to the Backstreet Boys and The Moffatts (GO AHEAD, LAUGH AT ME! :p). I remember emailing the Stephen Speaks (lemme see if I remember them all: TJ, Rockwell, Dain, Blake F., Blake H., and Amber) members back when they were still popular in the Philippines. Only one of them replied, though. Blake H., who is their bassist, I think. I still have his email in my inbox:

Tina,

If you could, send me the pics over e-mail. Thanks so much for remembering!!
All the pictures I’ve seen have been great, so I’m excited to see yours.

Thanks again for coming out to see us. Our time in Manila was unforgettable.

Blessings,
Blake H.

Oh yeah, Jamie, the group’s roadie and Rockwell’s girlfriend also replied to my email too:

hi tina!! ya email me the pics*! that would be awesome awesome*!* and take your time :) i know what its like to be busy hehe. have a great week!!
*Jamie

I never got to email back the pictures because I used a point and shoot and we still don’t have a scanner then. :(

Dessert
Do you listen to podcasts? If so, which ones?

– Yes, but not as much as other people who actually collect podcasts. I listen to some of New Release Tuesday, Grassroots Music and some of my blogger friends such as Riz‘s and the Band of Bloggers’ Podcast. It’s a random thing, really. Maybe when I (together with some friends) start podcasting, I’ll start listening more too.

Happy Friday everyone! :P