Got struck today with a beautiful message while watching TBN with Pastor Dickow's Guest Rabi Schneider...."It's not about you, it's about my Glory"..for sometime now I do what I do because it is by faith despite it's untold sacrifice and unbelievable challenge..this is a sequel to Ravi Zachariah's words when he said there are Laws that God had made, may we not be able to understand and totally not us but it is God who made it, so since it Is GOD's, by faith I have to follow and now Rabi Schneider made it easier to understand for me...it is not about me but it is for His greatest honor and Glory so be it. And now I am happy with it for indeed it is my own blessing.

...Before we were ever born, the universal structure and foundation were already made  All scripts were made.  So after all life is a beautiful journey by intention. We are from God our Spirit Source before we are born through our parents. Our pureness has started to be corrupted from our conception to our birth then through our education and experiences in our growing up years which is the identity we have embraced. We have the ability to change and undo this consciousness as long as we are aware of who we are..knowing our authenticity as a part of God....or a spirit having a human experience. As Jesus said "Repent for the Kingdom is at hand".. From here, we can choose the experience we desire.....by consciously knowing God and achieving his holiness. By praying our desires...and the word was made flesh....When we become what we hate so we also become what we love. So it is important to change the content of our minds to change our thoughts, restructure our core paradigm, and be able to say the right words.  As such we become co creator with God in our lives, in our journey...As we say it so shall it be for every words is like a seed sown...So our dreams are reflections of our desires and the heavens will manufacture the desires to our reality and since God's source is infinite, there is no limit to what we can ask and be.  The possibilities are endless.  By being aware, be and claiming back the wisdom and knowledge that we came from God, we go back  in the structure that God has created from the beginning of time and become co creator of goodness with Him..  God is love so are we.  We should then seek to find, ask to receive and knock to be opened at as Mat 6:33...says Seek yeah first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.  Ecclesiaste 1....Vanity of vanities..all is vanity.....For God is the only truth.

The Word

It all starts with the Word......a seed we heard gets planted in our hearts...that word of faith envelops us and in the process we search, find and  accept Jesus in our lives. There is  that faint voice we can't figure nor determine readily whether it is the wrong or the right thing in our life to believed...in all these as we invoke God's presence in all our ways..  We can know then that the doubting, fears and worries are not His but from the great deceiver.  What we can do is surrender, acknowledge His power, lay down our pride and wear our humility, nurture the faith, take on the confidence of Jesus, have a God determination and  that faint voice becomes stronger that it is actually coming from God only it was muddled with our own learned intelligence.  By knowing the Word, this opens the access to our dreams and have our dreams too is the sweetest thing in this life that's why the Bible says come taste and see the goodness of the Lord...for having achieve this ,we will now lose our appetite for sinning but instead go for more of the God's sweetness....we now evolve to higher to become higher beings as we make greater dreams  now knowing how  the loving generosity of God is.  We evolve to become and achieve the greatest of what we can be having with us the Jesus' confidence in our hearts, God-determination--the keys to enter that loop where the door of the Kingdom that has been so elusive to so many........
It is a process though your dreams may astound you to happen right away unexpectedly spontaneously or answered after a lengthy time of incredible and sometimes testy practice of patience.  Nonetheless, the faith should not be shaken but to remain firm and solid.  God has made it all up and it's not for us to change His plans but to live to that plan and know that it is His will.  We should learn to change our minds to make it attuned to the goodness of the Lord.  The Bible will talk to us, by constantly reading the Word, it gives us a reflection of His will with regards to the way we should act and think  and to conduct our selves worthy to be His children.

The Magnetic Personality

Confidence electrifies the energy inside of us and makes us attention magnets without even trying.  The best way to achieve this is to have Jesus' confidence.  Having this will melt any doubts.  By reading or listening to His words, by allowing the presence of Jesus first in our thoughts and works nurtures and builds confidence.  This quality will draw attention to you.

FABULOUS 10
Matthew 6:38...Give and it shall be given to
you..A good measure  pressed down shaken together and running over..For the measure you give will be the measure that it be given to you...Ten years ago more or less...i gave way in my regular job to bless someone have a full time job. Not that i didn't like the job but because one needs it more i guess that if we stick together both of us will be miserable.  That time I was already dabbling with flowers but I never thought that it is the next door that is opening to me right away... First I started as a clerk 4 hrs a day but after two weeks of having the job in the
last two hours of my shift, I requested my boss at Shibata Floral Co at the Flower Market in DTLA if I can go down the floor and help like a flower cleaner or wrapper or whatever.  Ed Buenaventura my immediate boss said go ahead.  It is the same guy who asked me then(after I gave up my job) if I know somebody  who would like a part time job as data encoder...and I said You are talking to Him!!! Seriously? He said and the rest is the next ten years and counting of my new career as a floral designer.  This is just the start of the beautiful story unfolding each day at the flower market.  Little did I know that I will be hooked to it, enamoured with it, fascinated with it and become my defining moment...Ed Rame =Floral Designer.


Dino Padallan's Wedding

My first "client" was a Korean Designer Sarah.  One early morning i was picking up those broken roses, hydrangea, greens, tulips and I guess red coffee bean.  From the dusty counter's  cabinet I found a small broken ceramic pot.  With some fondness i mixed  the flowers together and accented it too with a broken branch of curly willow that looke like a tiny basket of beautiful flower arrangement.  Actually I was happy with what I did for it really came out nice.  Then Sarah came by asked me if I was selling the flower arrangement as i placed it on top of the computer at the counter.  Surprised, I said yes and she asked how much?  But I go tno idea how to price it so I said whatever and the whatever was five dollars. My first official sale!!!.

Since then I got bolder with my designs.  Iam already recycling someof the condemned flowers as my new colors tomy great canvass.  There are a lot of supply for just one design.  It was a wonderfulmoment to hone my skills as slowly I get the attention of some major designers and as candid as they may seemed but very supportive nonetheless.  Then I got my first wedding from the store.  I was just ecstatic knowing what is there next to the door opening tomy very eyes.  I pretended I would be busy and would be available saturday after work.  They bit my gambit and my mind was already spinning what preparations should I make.  Barnes and Noble came into the picture and Thank you very much to this wonderful bookstore.  It has a wonderful collection of how tos and I pored over their books for as long as I can and as much as I can.  Saturday came and with all the tips of the designers I knew, i was so ready for my first business.

I wasn't driving then yet so I have to request asistance from friends to drive me around. I braved two bus strikes. How I managed to be at work at 4AM and walk home with one or two bunches of roses for several weeks is a storybook in itself. But for some reason, quitting was never on the equation. It never came to mind. I was Mr. Braveheart. Wilshire then in Koreatown wasn't exactly ideal for an early walk or ridesharing. It was literally littered with unknowns. Unknown people, unknown racketeers, share rides with unknowns yet it was as if I am in a trance, fear never came into my mind.



For the Golden Year of Yari Paris' sis.

I have great friends and let me acknowledge the first person who sponsored my coming out party as a floral designer via his Celebrity Chronicle Award Night  Publisher/Editor Mr. Tony Vizmonte.  He gave me the confidence to continue with my craft as my first salvo was quite impressive.  Then many more friends lend their names, their support, their  time their cars.  During those early days as a designer were numerous challenges too.

Ten years and counting.  It would have not been possible if not for the numerous marketing works my friends did for me by proudly referring me to their friends.  I had my share of ups and downs but they were very good teachers.  My friend Leo M. was incredible.  He would sometimes pick me up at the market during his breaktime if I have tons of flower to bring home for an event.  Eileen D. would drive me to my event like doing Ms. Grace O.'s home.  She would patiently wait for me till i am done for just burgers or some cheap to go food.  Rolly S. offered his home when my clientele got bigger. Janelle So gave me incredible validation by allowing my works to grace her Kababayan LA Show.  The late Jackie Regala of Katz Entertainement. and  Starmedia Queen Anna Puno made me florist for much of their shows.  Anna and Vic Perez got me to do Belo Skin Care in Glendale and Olivia of O Skin Care gave me an opportunity to grace her opening in Cerritos.  Atty. Jem Nettles introduced me to Oliver Tolentino and what a kind heart allowing me to do his opening to the present.  Rica S. introduced me to Darren Silver Law. Tony C. introduced me to his best friends. Susan S. introduced me to now a very good friend Mr. Poch Blanco as I did their Farmacia Cienega and his fabulous homes who in turn introduced me to Matsuhisa's in BH and my Princess Afreh to her Royalty friend HRH The Persian Prince of Bel Air.  RSG of Mary Anne was equally supportive and so with her coterie of friends like Sonia B who added another Royalty on my list. My two great sis Maru Lazatin and Marilyn Avengoza who had continuously referred me to a lot of their  friends.  Edith and Rey Andres were wonderful team who helped me got to the projects of Balita Newspaper and the OCFilAm Chamber of Commerce. The beautiful Loi Herrera of GAAF and Kristin M.  Marlo Colina, Oscar Bautista, Grace W. Vic P. allowed meto experience Hollywood.  Annapolis Band is a wonderful group of friends who never forget to refer me to their clients.  I am sure I missed a lot.  But I consider this my closest FilAMcircle whose influence has allowed me to grow leaps and bounds.  I am so grateful.  If you have friends like them, you know God loves you so much.

I must have done something very great to have stayed this long to have this kind of experience.  I am a frelance but I am still here.  I am actually the beneficiary of Matthew 6:38.  I was blessed with so much and I thank the Lord every moment for this.  Ten more years and trust me I will still be thanking the Lord.  I am blessed by the  LORD with these wonderful friends and more friends to come.

Fides Ecclesiae

How I got my Groove Back...Fides!!!

Fides Ecclesiae at The Pantages Theater by The Association of Filipino Priests of Los Angeles is one spectacular musical that speaks volumes about faith.  It is not the usual perk u get during Sunday masses but this musical has stripped off the incredible limitations on how we perceived the clergy as they bare their souls, their faith, their passion, their vocation and the display of their singing prowess and stage artistry.  It is a magical revelation that opens the eyes on the religious and put our faith to new height of perspective.  It is the opening of their human hearts to ours that touches the core..  When Bishop Solis sang from the start, my mind has started travelling back to my sacristan days.  It brought me back to those moments where I had the fondest of memories at the convent.  Those years were the foundations of my resolve to be religious in life.  But somehow along the years  I got my own share of challenges..  I was so confused as nothing even my faith seemed to work.  Though I held tough, I was screaming all my way finding answers to my numerous questions as I was so resolved to find God somewhere else even outside ofthe church I grew upwith.

With the story of St. Kateri unfolding, my search was slowly being validated as I am answering the whys of her circumstances. It was an impeccable performance.

When the story of Perdo Calungsod was staged, I have a striking identification with him as I once dreamed of entering the seminary but I got a circuituous route that I knew I was not called. But when he sang Gave Me Faith, his brilliant performance caught the sentiments and the naivete of a seventeen year old missionary whose only armor was his faith and passion to serve Christ. His voice got you soaring with him in his emotional resolve to face death as he  fianlly surrendered his fate to the Lord. It was a heart wrenching performance that pierced my defenses as he revealed how humongous his faith had become  as compared to mine that tread in and out the surface of my imperical heart.  I was then so humbled.

The musical pulled out another miracle of looking back at the religious and honor their ultimate sacrifice  of self denial to be able to nurture the faithful, of leading them, of living exemplary lives of choosing a life in Christ.  These are fine young getlemen during their times but chose to follow their callings. It opened again my mind to the greatness of their hearts defying incredible challenges which only those equipped with Grace can handle.  I was reminded again of our youth, of my visits to the seminary sneaking out my semirian friends.  I was reminded of their trainings, I was reminded of the time they were moulded to become pastors.  I was reminded that really many are called and few were chosen.

Then as the show was ending, it all occured to me that I am seeing the show in a different light.  I am seeing the valuable gift being shared. I am feeling my faith being revitalized by my entire experience in just one moment....in just one song.

Maybe I wasn't the only one who have this kind of experience. For me it was really meanigful for the musical was in itself became my own personal journey.

The Catholic Faith is under seige at a glance with the Archdiocese reeling from the sex scandal and  now the resignation of Pope Benedict.

The Fides Ecclesiae gives an opportunity to see the clergy as they are, a very important second look after the debilitating scandal that threatens to rock the foundations of the church.  The musical gave a glimpse at the numerous missionaries whose works paved the way for the establishment of the faith and churches accross the glove.  It opens up again the meaning of the Faith of the Church. A lot of them offered their lives and more than three hundred years ago a Filipino young boy did just that.  What happened some centuries ago is inspiring the Filipino religious community gain back their groove in this inauspicious times.  The Association of Filipino Priests of Los Angeles did a valuable work that can revitalize the faith.  And across the globe outside Philippines, the only Catholic nation in Asia has eleven million migant workers, most of them Christians who had built churches or revitalized dying churches in their adopted countries.  Imagine if the world lights up with every chrurch praying the Mother of perpetual Help novena, rest assured a Filipino migrant is in the midst of it.

If at all, Fides Ecclesiae, successfully raised good funds for St. John Seminary and the Pantages experience was a sweet topping of the cake.  It was more than just to me a kick in the butt, but a powerful medium in the reawakening of my faith, understanding the very deep meaning of faith and where it is coming from. And the wonder of doing it all as one spiritual community. We Pinoys just did that.