PRAISE GOD! HE WOKE ME UP!

I hibernated.
I didn’t sing in four years.
Thursday was my first.
e. industan

I was a member of a Bible College choir which toured in other Philippine provinces in the 70s and sang bass in a quartet. Besides the church choir, I also was a member of a Singing Christmas Tree, one December, in Port Arthur, Texas. Climbing up that 36-foot Christmas tree-shaped choir loft when all the lights were out; then suddenly hearing the “oh’s and ah” of the audience once the flashing colored tree lights were turned on, a second before we sang the first note of the Christmas cantata, was exhilarating.

However, I hibernated for four years like a ground squirrel at winter time. My love for singing was below normal heavily affected by the changing times. Praise God! I finally woke up.

This past Thursday, I opened my mouth again to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”. I signed in to join the Sanctuary Choir at Lake Avenue Church, the biggest church in Pasadena, California.

And surprised! It’s my first to know that past the church’s underground parking garage is the music department office where the choir rehearsals are held. For four years of regular attendance at Lake Avenue Church’s eleven o’clock Sunday service, I wasn’t aware of this.

I started to get nervous while I took the elevator down to the church basement. Mind you, I even stuck my name tag upside down without realizing it. Thanks to Richard, whose eyes was not only sharp enough to see those dotted quarter notes but also keen to see (and congenially corrected) the tag. The Sanctuary Choir has more than a hundred members, so imagine me intimidated. Nevertheless, I started to relax after the opening prayer, which was followed by muscle and voice stretching and constant “phonology” reminder- for us to enunciate the plosive bilabial /p/ and /b/, the velar /k/ and whatnot's- as the rehearsal went on. As if I was back in my phonology graduate course, but I loved it.

I know; God has blessed me with a voice fit for a choir; however, there were some unpleasant moments in my life that I wittingly withdrew from using it. A huge blow happened seven months ago, but it also was a turning point for me to hone the inherent talent that God has given me. I thank God for He patiently waited for me to sing praises again.


NOTE: Besides singing, God also has gifted me a talent in creative writing. My second book, PRAISING ALL SEASONS LONG: Haiku Verses has just been released by Comfort Publishing. It is a gift book with 145 praise haiku verses, which can be ordered now on Comfort’s online store. Barnes and Noble bookstore also has announced that it will be carrying PRAISING… beginning March. Barnes and Noble is now accepting pre-orders. A discounted price of $8.99 is offered to bookstore’s subscribers. Surely, it is cheaper than a dozen roses and a better gift to people who needs affirmation that our God is still in control of everything, despite this time of trials and uncertainties.

Currently, I am working on the HEALING GARDEN OF VERSES, a collection of haiku and senryu verses, and pitching to a publisher my completed book project, BEDTIME-PASTIME: A Collection of Short Stories and Folktales.

PRAISING ALL SEASONS LONG: HAIKU VERSES

"SEASON'S A HAIKU.
IT'S SWEET, BUT SHORT AND CONTAINED.
GLEAN AND ENJOY IT."
e.industan

There are many events in a season. Often times they are sweet; sometimes bitter. The good ones, like the holidays, we wanted them extended. The bad ones, like winter storm and devastating wild fire, we wanted them shortened. And if we couldn't, we express our discontent.

Truly, life is a season and season is a haiku. It is short. Events are generally, with some exception of course, contained. We need toenjoy every bit of it and hope that when the next cycle comes, it would b e much better than the past.

Problem is...patience in us is too short. Before we know it, we already are yawning...then, whining...then (to some extreme) wining. We forget the best of the season. Many forget God. We try to overcome our worries without God,just to realize later that without God,we really can't do much better; hence not completely satisfied, because we are nothing, just an aging economic man.

Why am I saying this? Because I have experienced it. And the only thing that made me overcome and regained my strength was to look at what's going on in every season and see the goodness of God in them and in me.

The book, PRAISING ALL SEASONS LONG: Haiku Verses, says it. Praising has just been off the press yesterday and can now be purchased through COMFORT PUBLISHING website store. It is a good gift book this holiday season and throughout the year. Price is just $ 9.99 +s/h. I would appreciate it if you could get your copy. Thanks.

I hope and pray that may God uses the book, PRAISING ALL SEASONS LONG: Haiku Verses to bless you and others.

Merry Christmas.