KNORR

I lived in a house in San Juan,

where fifteen brothers lived as a family of one.

For three weeks we enjoyed the company of each other;

with lively spirits and God-centered characters.

I lived in a house in a very different way,
Quite intriguing, but all of them still chose to stay.

Possessing unique traits and personalities – 
a maybe hard-to-fit jigsaw puzzle pieces.

I lived in a house where the Lord resides,
His peace, fellowship and love, there abide. 

These fifteen brothers, all of them rare;
These fifteen brothers, never failed to show they care…

***

I start with POLI, whose story I’m in awe and I would bow:

hearing it lifts my spirit up and just makes me say: “Lord, can I just die now?”

With BERT – I see selfless service, great leadership and genuine humility;

And I can hear the sincerity if his funny expressions: “Ay, sorry…”, “Ay, grabe!”

To SAM, whose gentle and well-founded spirit I have seen,

has inspired me to be more consistent, which I have never been.

JHAO: the humble executive-slash-master chef; you showed true service in every single way.

Thanks Bro, for taking us around the world in twenty-two days!

To RAP, whose talents and gifts he willingly shared and showed.

Truly a proof that when we’re blessed, we give Him back the glory we owed.

PIT’s endurance, hard work and great service I give applause;

A true servant’s heart and brotherly love is its core cause.

MAC’s faith-driven words and experiences is what he have offered,

that makes me thirst for more and say: “Ano pa, Bro. Ano pa?” – that I’ll remember.

DOC IAN, kudos to your unfailing service, great advices, wisdom and offering help freely.

How I wish by the coming weeks, going to work, I can still say: “Doc Eee, isama mo kami…”

NALD’s dedication and solid industry reminds me to give my best in everything I do.

One thing’s for sure I wouldn’t do, though, “’pag gising ko, hindi na Night Prayer, Bro!”

MON’s willingness, jokes and great enthusiasm never did come into depletion,
Malayo na ang narating mo Bro, lagpas na sa Vito Crustacean!

Sensible humor, deep-rooted faith and sincerity, is what I’ve seen in CARLO;

Never will I hesitate to give thanks to you Bro and say: “salamat sa pag-aasikaso..”

CHARD’s apparent transformation will always inspire us to be in awe of what God has done,

I bet no one will now ever say: “Bahala kayo dyan…”

PAUL’s dedication and radical faith inspired me to be more God-focused,

Just like his ingenious strategies while playing Sequence and Blockus!

To CHAN, whose willingness and desires, I’ll honor him for, because it’s just.

Thanks Bro, for the company, at sa libreng pamasahe sa bus!

***

These are the brothers I’ve lived with in San Juan

– the Lord’s selfless servants, courageous soldiers and faithful sons.

I enjoyed every jamming sessions, sharing, meals and worship with all of you:

Pwede bang magrequest na mag-extend pa tayo?

You all truly magnify God’s presence and love.

He sees your intentions and authentic heart from high above.

I pray that you may still be engulfed by God’s power;

to serve, love, support and honor one another.

One last thing to remember, though,

If asked: “masarap ba ‘yan?”, then answer: “Syempre, may Knorr yan Bro!”

But when asked what’s behind my being a man of His honor, I will answer:

“I’ve lived in a house with brothers, we titled ourselves KNORR…”

A FULL HOUSE! (My Personal Sharing about KNORR HOUSEHOLD)

At the end of our last Driven Series Session, I was handed over a letter that contains an invitation to this year’s Brothers’ Household. Of course, I was at first not open with the idea for I was never comfortable living with people whom I just met. I never could imagine the major adjustment and adaptive mechanisms I would manifest and make use of if I would join these brothers in a house for three weeks. But with the innate gift of encouragement and convincing powers of my DGL and through God’s Grace, I gave my YES.

Fast forward and I have been called and chosen. I was amazed of the activities that brought together the brothers and seeing Jesus in our midst. Every moment spent with the brothers is a source of joy, inspiration and growth. In every life story and experiences we shared, wisdom unfolds. Every fellowship is an opportunity to deepen our relationship with another. Every meal shared around the table, makes you feel the spirit of unity and togetherness. And every morning and night prayer is an awe-inspiring and a wondrous scene to behold, truly a deep-seated and concrete manifestation of God’s work with all the brothers. All these situations really affirm what Jesus said: “where two or three gathered together in My Name, I am there in their midst.”

God’s ways of transforming me through the Brothers’ Household are somewhat unimaginable to think, that even the most negligible circumstances are being magnified – a missed 2-point shot during a basketball game will give you the most uplifting encouragements; a tap on the back, even when you mistakenly thrown a Frisbee disc to the opposing team; shouts of support just when you are about to serve the volleyball and then never even crossed the net; and joyous laughter with no hints of slur when your throat seems to be cut open just to hit a high-note during a videoke sing-off. In all these mundane situations, I can see Jesus – in a house full of His glory and holy presence.

Being counted by God to join the Household is both a privilege and a challenge – a privilege because I have seen His works in each brother and it makes me feel very excited of the things that He has in store for me in the future, the experience had humbled me to realize how great His plans against my own are. Through the Household, I was trained to live the Christian way of life and had learned to appreciate the eternal rewards of selfless service—this had posed in me a challenge as to how to sustain this kind of life aligned with His plans and then eventually reflect in myself the image of Jesus Christ who had set an example to lead by being a servant. But beyond these challenges, I have my faith built on solid rock.

By the end of the Household, I had one realization – that after attending the Driven Series and finally deciding to give my YES to Him, I had realized and seen how much He loves me, how He had blessed my life so much, how He sent Jesus to find me and how, in the end, He was actually waiting for my response. I know that by living the true Christian Life, I will be able to live my life to the fullest and experience that kind of life that the Lord wanted me to live by. By trying to become the best Christian I can be, I am able to become the best son, brother, friend, employee, and all the roles I’m given with. In trying to be like our Lord Jesus Christ, He is giving me the grace and strength to be the best John Lixter that He wants me to be, fulfilling His plans and surrendering to His will; although I will not be spared from the struggles and pains of life, what will make it different is the joy and hope that I put in Him and always recognizing that He is above everything, faithful, true and glorious!

To God, I bring all back the glory.

[August 25, 2014]

KON

Kon maitago mo eang ro ing pagkatawo
Sa pihak it mga duda ag pagbasoe nanda kimo,
Kon gasalig ka sing kabubut-on ag ro tanan nga tawo hay kimo gaduda
Pahauma eang ring kaugalingon sa mga pagduda ngara,
Kon makahueat ka nga owa nagauya ag natak-i,
Ukon ikaw hay ginapurilan, ayaw kara magpadaea ag magpati,
Ukon ikaw hay ginakaugtan, manami kunta kun imo ra nga pabay-an,
Ag indi ka magsalig nga ikaw hay mayad ag sayod mo rong tanan:


Kon may ginahinandum ka – ag owa mo man gali ginatinguha-a,
Kon may ginainisip ka – ag owa mo man lang ginapadayuna;
Kon hiagyan mo rong Kadaeag-an ag Kapirdihan ngara
Tratuha sanda it patas hay parehas malang sanda ra nga daywa;
Kon ro kamatuorang imong hinambae hay kaya mong mabati-an
Maskin pa raya hay mga kapurilan ag ikaw hay ginapaumangan,
O kundi, tan-awon mo ro mga butang sa imong kabuhi nga nasamad,
Ag imo rang ayuson para sing kaugalingon ag para man nga makaayad:


Kon makatipon ka it imong mga kadaeag-an
Ag sa isaeang ka sugae hay irisgo mo rang tanan,
Ag mapirde eang, maga-uman ka gid sa imong inumpisahan
Ag ayaw gid magsugid o magmitlang ko imong mga kapirdehan;
Kon mapwersa mo ro imong tagipusuon, kabaskog ag eawas
Nga serbisyuhan mo ring turno bago pa ra maduea ag eumampas,
Ngani magpadayon, baskuga ring buot bisan owa kimo it nahabilin eon
Kundi ro pamisaea mga magahambae: “Padayon!”


Kon makahambae ka sa tanang tawo nga may mayad nga kabubut-on,
O makipag-iba sa mga hari nga may mapainubuson nga tagipusuon,
Kon bisan sakiton ka it imong mga kaaway ag mga higugmaong amigo;
Kon ro mga tao hay gasali king maskin bukon it todo ag husto,
Kon mabatyagan mo ro mga minuto ag segundo nga ga-agi, may pueos kimo
Pagdiretso, daeagan hasta kung siin ka makaagto,
Imo ro kalibutan ag ro tanan nga mga butang nga una kara,
Ag eabi sa tanan, ikaw hay gabahoe, akong unga!

(A translation of "If" by Rudyard Kipling)