CATCHING UP BLOGGING

I know. I know. It’s been a while since I last blogged. I’m sorry. It’s been quite a roller coaster ride. I do hope I can catch up with my past blogging experiences.

I’m preparing for the ICA retreat of the grade 7. I’ll be their special guest speaker today. I hope to take some snapshots and post it here afterwards.

Frankly, I’m feeling low today. Low spirits. Yup. A pastor has low spirits too. I guess when all you’ve worked hard for is suddenly unappreciated and unnoticed, then you too would get sad.

But life my go on and the show must too.

Until then, God bless.

VIDEO SHOOT TODAY

I had the great opportunity to work with the cool people of THE EDGE RADIO today. I was invited to appear on their AVP for their donors. Basically, I told them how music has changed my life and how it was instrumental in bringing me to the Lord. Although I don’t really have full time exposure doing this since I’m usually behind the cameras, I felt very comfortable talking to the camera, doing my lines and acting out what the director wanted me to do. I even assured her that I’ll do whatever she wanted me to do to get the shot she wanted. Of course, being the new.media pastor, I knew what was expected from talents. And I also knew she wanted that shot in her mind. I’m no stiff pastor as most people would think a pastor is.

They were very encouraging. One time, they said I looked good on cam. It felt weird because I never really saw myself as a telegenic person. Nevertheless, it boosted my confidence.

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of the shoot yet. I’ll ask my good friend Mutya to supply me some.

Also, I met some cool guys from URBANHOPE who are heavily in the hip-hop scene and reaching out people for Christ through hip-hop. It just amazes me how God works. I was contemplating on returning to my humble hip-hop beginnings. And here comes the people who can help me out somehow. They were really down to earth and was great to hang out with. I hope I can get to hang out with them some more. These folks truly want to reach people for Christ. My hearts out to you bros!

I’d like to ask that you pray for me. I think God is opening some doors for me. In a few weeks, I’ll see what these are. Let’s just say that God is expanding my territories. I’ll hook you guys up later on this one.

I hope you can go and check out the site of THE EDGE RADIO. Have a listen to it and be blessed.

Until then, God bless!

AT THE CLUBHOUSE

Hello folks.

I’m at our condo’s clubhouse. It seems that my internet connection cannot reach our condo unit. Si I’m here doing my work.

I’ll be doing a funeral service later tonight at 7pm. Also, I’ll be preaching tomorrow at the 8AM service. I’ll be continuing my series on BEFORE WE DECIDE TO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST. I hope to finish it tomorrow. But it might not end tomorrow too because it’s just full of things to learn from.

I haven’t been blogging lately. My apologies. I’ve been quite preoccupied with Rafa’s exams and other stuff in the office. But I’d like to thank you for visiting my site.

I am carefully considering going full blast with the website. I’m still praying and planning what to do with it. But I’d like to do more than just blogging. I’d like to minister more and do more on this site.

Hope you can help me out or something in the future.

We’ll, gotta study folks. I’ll keep you posted.

Until then, God bless.

MY BABY’S BACK

After three weeks, my wifey is back in my arms. I fetched her this morning at 6am.

I’m happy my wife is back and I’d like to thank those who responded in my prayer request. She’s feeling much better now especially that she’s now in the Philippines.

We were apart for about three weeks. I couldn’t imagine how those who are separated from their parents and loved ones for years feel. It would really be so heartbreaking. I’m sure.

I’ll be back later to post some more. Let me just play with my new toy courtesy of my wifey.

And, yes, it’s 3am. I think I may have jet lag or something.

Until then, God bless.

THE DISCO BULILIT STORY

There are many things that you do not know about me. Some who read this blog only know who I am now. You’ve worked with me. You’ve heard me preach. And so on.

But do you know what I have been doing before I became Ptr. Rodney Garcia.

Let’s just say I had a very fulfilling childhood.

When I was 12, I was given the great chance to join a dance contest on GMA 7’s UNCLE BOB’S LUCKY 7 CLUB. Together with my High School best friend, John Bryan de Vera (who I am still trying to find), we joined DISCO BULILIT. We were serious in our craft: dancing. And we tried to find every opportunity to show what we can do. This was a good venue.

We did our first contest day. It was interesting to be dancing in front of national TV. Not that it was my first time (it wasn’t), but to dance for a crowd just gave me such a rush. We didn’t know if we’d make it to the finals. But this was already a prize in itself.

We won our first contest day with a tie. Our co-winners were really good. They did some lifting and twirling. We danced Micheal Jackson’s SMOOTH CRIMINAL so there were no lifting and twirling. Little did we know that we would be meeting them again in the finals.

An interesting detail: we weren’t suppose to be in the finals. Our graduation day was on the same day of one of the elimination rounds. Of course, our studies were top priority. So we didn’t go. Until a few weeks later, they called us back to the show. So we did.

Three contest dates later and we were in the finals. I’ve never been in a situation like this before. We knew we would be facing competitive teams. No stopping for nothing.

I think I watched MOONWALKER twenty times. My mom bought us some close-to-the-real thing costumes based on the movie. We tried to replicate the look. We modified the dance moves. We were set.

On the day of the contest, it was all energy. When it was time to dance, I put my game face on. As usual, we were the last to dance. No problem. I was a strategice move since we can check out the competition.

The first pair danced. Very good. Lifting and twisting. The second pair danced. Better. More lifting and twisting. It was like in the movie because we get to meet up in the finals and we were tied in the eliminations. This time, we’ll get to know who’s the best.

It was our turn. When the two pairs danced, the crowd went wild. When it was our turn, it was silent. For an instance, I thought “Man. Where did all the noise go.” No matter. We gave the best performance of our lives that time. In a moment, I really thought I was Micheal Jackson in Smooth Criminal.

The minutes were like hours. We waited for the results. The judges were reputable. As much as it was a kiddie dance contest, it was like the WORLD CUP to us participants. They announced the names. Third placers were the first pair who danced. It was either us or the one we were tied with during the eliminations.

Then, the whole studio errupted. WE WON!!! And we won by ONE POINT.

Our prize: P3,000 (That was a big deal at that time). I think I bought rubber shoes with that money. Not to mention, I got to go to a disco for a whole afternoon with my family. It was awesome.

There was never another DISCO BULILIT Dance Contests after ours. In a year of so, UNCLE BOB’S LUCKY SEVEN CLUB was cancelled (sad). We were the ONLY DISCO BULILIT Champions. I’m proud to have been one.

This gig opened some doors for me. I’ll tell you about it later on.

For now, enjoy the captured videos from the show. My apologies for the quality. It was still in BETAMAX format, you know.

Until then, God bless.

A TOUGH WEEK

I’ve had a tough week. I’ve been juggling work and personal time with Rafa. As you may have read, Rafa had quite a week because of his Quarterly exams in school. Of course, I’m the one keen on tutoring and preparing him for his exams. I’ve been his private teacher ever since he went to school. I make sure that he understands his lessons and making the “complex” lessons understandable. It’s a lot of pressure, you know. You might think it’s just Kinder Prep. But for Rafa, it’s business. He’s got goals set this year which I hope he achieves.

So when Friday came (holiday in the Philippines), I felt my body was like it was beaten up by 300 Roman soldiers. I felt a release from the pressures of this past week. My body was able to feel the after effects of the pressure when the exams were done.

While I may be spending time with Rafa, I am still working. I work even if I’m not in the office. I telecommute or I do work online via the internet. Thank God for the internet. I can send emails, check articles for the website, communicate with the new.media department in the office and even download the printables such as the WWCF’s Sunday Word.

Besides, I’ve got a very dependable team at the office. I’ve designed and trained Iya and Ysrael to continue with the work even if I’m not around. They can make sound decisions for their work and I’m giving them the opportunity to do so. Only when there are MAJOR DECISIONS that I get into it.

I have to give my co-workers th chance to make decisions because they are capable of making sound decisions. I have full confidence in my team. Our output speaks for itself. We deliver.

I’ll post more later.

Until then, God bless.

BEING A DAD FIRST AND PASTOR SECOND

Hello Folks.

Busy week for me. Rafa’s taking his 2nd Quarterly exams.

As you know, I’m the tutor of Rafa when it comes to school work and lessons. I make sure that I help him out in his lessons and homework and teach him things that he may not understand in school.

I’m not trying to sound so hign and mighty here but it is vital that a father teaches his kids for school. Typically, it’s the mom. But, as a Dad, your kids can really appreciate you being there for them.

Fathers. We’re not just providers of food on the table. We’re there for our kids.

My pastorship (if there ever was a term) is second only to me being a father and husband. I’ve been very vocal about this even on the pulpit. If I cannot take care of my own family, then how do you expect me to take care of a church.

And besides, most pastors kids become rebellious when they grow up because their father-pastor prioritized the church more than them.

I love being a dad.

Until then, God bless.

PRAYER MEETING

It is not often that I get to participate in an intimate prayer meeting. Usually, it is in the confines of the sanctuary or a group of 50. But not in a group of less than 10.

The experience was awesome. Man. I didn’t expect two hours had gone by already. Prayer was something that we neglect yet we can most power from. I had a great time with the group and I hope to be with them again soon.

Let me encourage you to pray not just by yourselves but as a group. I believe that we can bring our petitions to God as a group. Does it mean God will listen more? Perhaps. But it is not the number of people who pray but the hearts of the people who pray that matter.

Here’s looking forward to another prayer time.

Until then, God bless.

EVER BEEN MISINTERPRETED?

Hello folks.

Question.

Have you ever been misinterpreted by the people around you?

I’m sure you will say YES.

It happens to the best in all of us. Whether you do good, intend to do good or mean to do good, people will misinterpret it for something else. It is just very unfortunate that your good intentions and deeds are twisted to look like you are doing something wrong or offensive.

Of course, one must search deep inside if he or she is truly on the right side. One must see the facts unbiased and find out if you are doing what is right. Because if you are not, then people have all the right to make you aware of your wrong doings.

But if you are on the right side of the tracks, then you need not worry.

But who really gets to judge if you are doing what is right or wrong? Who really has a say? Everybody will have an opinion about you. When you do good, people will say otherwise. When you have the purest of intentions, people doubt you.

So who really knows what’s really inside your heart?

First of all, God. It is only God that can truly see the state of your heart.

Second, the people around you who truly know how you are. These are the people who really spend time with, you know your personality and who listen to your dreams. These are the people who do have the purest intentions for you. These are people who think about your welfare because they love you and would not want anything happen to you. These people are there to back you up and watch your back. If you have people like these around you, then you are blessed.

One can try to please everyone. But it is close to impossible. People are so fickle minded. I’ve learned to please the ones that count and not waste my time and energy to those who lack merit.

Misinterpretation is a part of life. But what is truly great is what happens afterwards. When the dust settles and the smoke clears, those who misinterpreted you will eat your shoes because they were wrong and you were right.

Until then, God bless.

I WAS ON TV

Hello folks.

Unknown to a lot of people, I have had opportunities in the past to appear on television. Hopefully, I’ll be able to upload them on the internet once I capture them all.

Here’s a sample.

I attended a Macromedia (now bought by Adobe) event way back year 2001. I was a professor then at DLSU-College of Saint Benilde. I was approached for an interview about the event. This was aired on NET 25 – Convergence show.

Until then, God bless.