The Year of Living Deliberately

I can’t believe it’s been a year! On June 15, 2009, Bro Arun Gogna, our South Feast builder, invited us over to his house for his birthday dinner cum meeting for the South Feast launch. There were about 26 of us from the Council in attendance then. We surprised him by coming in Indian attire complete with Elmer Glue-d sequins on our foreheads to honor his Bumbay roots.

Last Sunday, June 13, there was a strikingly different celebration for his 40th birthday. Over 1,000 people were on hand at the South Feast to surprise him. The Children’s Ministry came with balloons. There was cake. There were party hats and huge tarps. There were videos featuring his family, friends and South Feast attendees thanking him for his role in the miracles wrought in their lives.

Perfectly timed with the occasion was the last talk of the series A Life of No Regrets: The Joy of Intentional Living. Bro Arun summarized the whole series in two words – LIVE DELIBERATELY. Deliberately make the right choices for a life lived with no regrets…
…spend time with your loved ones
…serve others; help them to grow and become better
…develop your core gift and go out of your comfort zone
…forgive and ask for forgiveness
…refuse to do wrong even if others are doing it
…sacrifice your self for your life mission.

My mind zoomed in on pictures of the past year perfectly framed by this last talk.

Picture Collage# 1: Changed lives and the South Feast Center set to open on our first year anniversary. Framed by the choice to serve and sacrifice for one’s life mission.
Bro Arun tirelessly leading and preaching.
Ministry heads and servants selflessly giving time and talent.
Attendees generously sharing their treasure.

Picture Collage#2: Bro Arun’s birthday surprises, both the touching and the wacky. Framed by the choice to love.

Sis Lallaine (a.k.a. Lois Lallaine) making all the party arrangements and asking everyone to come as Bro Arun’s (a.k.a. Superman) favorite superhero or character from Star Trek, Star Wars and X-men. All accomplished while caring for the sick Helene (a.k.a. Super Girl).

Bro Bo, Sis Marowe, Bene and ministry servants making the effort to film the videos.

Children’s ministers performing the superhuman task of keeping dozens of kids quiet and entertained while waiting for their cue to enter.

Kerygma preachers, their wives and CG mates in costume as superheroes Green Lantern, Krystala, Xavier, Storm, etc. making the long trek to the south and attracting curious stares from motorists in SLEX. Bro Jon Escoto risking neck injury with his Iron (as in plantsa) Man costume.


Becky missing work and a big social event to make the party video and tarps.
Myrna missing meals and sleep while stressing on the builder gifts and the program.
Me dancing to Poker Face at 4:00 in the morning of the party trying to choreograph a short presentation –complete with headphones and light steps to avoid waking my slumbering sons in the next room.

Council members frantically looking for costumes in between their work and ministry duties – digging into piles of ukay-ukay, going to Divisoria to get X-men wigs and Star Wars buns, turning closets inside out to find moldy boots, commissioning their children to make their logos.

Dignity getting kicked out during the dance, scratched by Wolverine’s chopstick claws and slashed by plastic light sabers.

What a fun and meaningful way to cap the year. A year that saw many lives prospered, relationships strengthened, core gifts developed, comfort zones left and courage zones explored. A year of living deliberately.