this did not suit his taste :-(

What’s eating up your time?
Icesx

APPETIZER

T.G.I.T. Thank God it’s Thursday.

The long wait is finally over (once again). As the clock inches its way towards shouting 6:00 (or it may vary depending on your HR Manager’s or simply manager’s temper, or policies, and don’t forget the workload buddy!), the notion of a day off simply takes one’s breath away. Say bye bye to dear PC Monitor, ruined computer keyboard (this is the result of pouring out your angst on that poor board, you should have seen the lost Ctrl key, it went underneath the table to escape your wrath), jolly and almost-insane colleagues (Say genius! Isn’t it there’s a thin line between genius and insanity? So maybe the correct term must be almost genius), ok, almost-genius-colleagues for that matter, and to the path most trodden, you can say farewell to the ever loving bus stop where you wait for almost one hour for Bus No. 6 to take you to your beloved office…Bid now your Sayonara... Au revoir... Adios…Goodbye – for two days. Cease smiling just for a moment otherwise they might think you’re ‘almost a genius’ (*grin*). Now, breathe, relax, and enjoy each passing seconds of pressure-free and tension-stripped time. Float in the world of Friday (and Saturday, if you are blessed with two-day rest day) for at this very moment, you’re a breathing human again and not some mechanical android.

Now, this article is devoted to make you happy. Really. Don’t be too pessimistic and join me to make this ‘free time’ -- of yours and mine-- absolutely worthwhile. (*wink*)

Ideally, your free time will start by Thursday night. And most likely, you have devoted 30 and 2 minutes all weekday afternoon thinking of what activities to embark on or in which shopping mall has the biggest sale to go to on this most anticipated day (or night perhaps?) of the week. You also are considering your friend’s scoop of a newly opened stand up comedy bar. Or maybe a movie treat and a popcorn. Or a dinner date at… blah. I don’t want to pretend I know the places. I just dunno. (Perhaps I’m just not a dinner date-goer, or I consider eating at McDonalds a dinner date as long as it’s dinner time and as long as you’re with special someone or after all, I’m just a romantic that doesn’t believe on a dinner date, whatever.) You can also delight on your Magic Sing Karaoke Microphone & Song Chips and sing you heart out. Show off your singing prowess! Reach a high note! Achieve a head tone like what Rachel Anne Go is fond of doing. (TFC subscribers, I know so well your eagerness to watch ASAP Face off or The Champs segment of ASAP for R.A. GO sing on the top of her lungs.) Come on dude! Filipinos are not musically gifted for nothing. Just be sure you don’t go bashing someone else’s eardrums. That’s cruelty. They too want to enjoy their Thursday night in the comfort of their own homes and not in some pocket-emptying hospital you know.

The list can be endless. There’s too much you want to accomplish aside from sewing your torn sleeves, sweeping the million fallen hairs in the living room and cooking Adobo (*adobo, yum yum!*). You want to treat yourself of something extraordinary. Extra special. Exceptionally enjoyable that’s ... loads of fun and memorable. I have one cool activity in my mind that really matches these criteria you’re looking for. Hold your breath…. Tadah! Attending a cell group!


MAIN COURSE

So much for my introduction, (sorry, it’s relatively lengthy) let’s get down to top three reasons why you should join a cell group.

Extraordinary.

I met quite a lot of people since I was on my kindergarten school. A number of them are really interesting. Some just plainly smile; others would perform strange stunts such as jumping, wrestling, rock climbing and mountain climbing. (Jumping? Strange? Duh.) A lot of people want to always talk and talk and talk and simply talk. Few speak of substance. There are also those who hear from the talker. Few are listeners. Only handfuls are doers. Some are very active. Some are meek. For me, I would never get tired of observing people. Diversity of attitude, personalities and characters is one of the most interesting and extraordinary thing that exists in this world. And I tell you dear readers, the jewels lie in groups called cell group who are of diverse and distinctive personalities but united with one burning passion: Jesus. Know them. They are worth your effort.

Extra Special

Want to attain a special power? (Ding, ang bato!!! Hehehe…)

Here’s the extra special power you can always have: God’s Word.

"The Word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires." Hebrews 4:12 NLT

People who have joined cell groups delve on subjects that talk about their passion. Those topics come from the full authority of God’s own words, His precious message to His children, the Bible. Flipping the pages is entirely different from imbibing it. I always find God’s word empowering and refreshing my tired soul and mind. The world, your boss, your work, problems, and worst broken relationships could certainly zap energy out of you, but in God’s word, you will find yourself restored, alive and excited. Our daily devotions should not be forgotten, but the bond with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ can as well bring forth birth of a new understanding, a wider perspective and never heard before yet sensible and helpful Christ-centered point of views.


Exceptionally enjoyable + fun + memorable experience = Cell group

Rather than wracking your brain coming up with ideas on how to spend your Thursday night, I urge you to run to the nearest cell group in your place (ours is in Satwa, Tita Nena’s place… this is the coolest cell group I tell you, if you think I’m lying, then I challenge you to attend at least four consecutive Thursday nights to prove your accusation, and let’s see… Well, if it ain’t cool enough, you can contribute by bringing one gallon of Haagen-Dazs, then let’s talk about how to make the group cool enough to suit your taste). I remember a game Jing ‘the Golden voice’ had let us play. It’s Trivia or a Quiz regarding the Bible. Quite interesting and informative.





DESSERT

(Personally, I’ll opt for caramel or mocha-flavored cakes. I will appreciate if you can give me one. Haha!)

“Ikaw ba ay nalolongkot, nalolombay at walang magawa sa bohay?”

This was an MTV Ad in the year 1999 or 2000… I forgot. This made me laugh in its first appearance on TV. But observing the girl who was holding a phone in her right hand, boringly dialing numbers of whoever reflected a badly dull and monotonous life. (The eyes, pare, the eyes! They are freaky haunting!)

My final words would be, well… Each of us has a choice. We could spend time on things as dull, monotonous, now-happy-but-tomorrow-broke, absurd, futile time of our life just like what the girl in the ad represents. On the other hand, we can also choose to enjoy time which will let us grow spiritually, as to studying and living out God’s words in our life.

Finally, I want to quote this verse most of us, I assume, have heard before. My challenge to you, readers, is to answer one whole book of Sodoku. Hehe. Kidding. Just simply meditate on this verse and then decide on this day forward, what you are going to do on Thursday nights. I pray you had a good time pondering.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2