SFC: First ICon ever!

I know this is late pero gusto ko lang ichika bilang holy week naman at ngayon lang nakapagbukas ng tumblr. Hahaha!

I had this overwhelming experience last 2nd week of February at hanggang ngayon ay napi-feel ko pa din ang mga pangyayaring yun.

It was never in my plan to go and experience that dahil siguro sa iilang bagay na kinakatakutan ko: GASTOS. DI MAAYOS NA SCHEDULE. Di KO MAEENJOY. DI PA KO HANDA.

Napakaraming registration promos ang pinalagpas - less 400php, less 100php, free promo shirt, etc. - na sa sobrang dami e wala sa hinagap ko na magpupunta ko dun.

I don’t know what came into my mind when in the last minute, i decided to go, not just the feeling of want. Ako’y desidido na. Bigla ko lang naramdaman yung urge of wanting to be part of that event and experience it. Pero dun pa sa time na isang bwan na ko walang sahod, andaming kailangang bayaran = wala ako pang register. Some of you might think, “Ay. Baliw lang? Naghahanap ng sakit ng ulo?”

Pero ang galing lang, my Kuya and Momcie lended me some bucks para makapag-register.

But after kong mag-register, di pa din naging madali ang mga bagay-bagay. Yung parang di favor sa’kin ang panahon because problems came to me as if I’m a problem catcher/magnet — Family, Service, Time, Financial (na problema ng lahat!) — na sa sobrang dami, i felt like giving up, giving up not only for that event but also to some things i have: service and work (ikaw ba namang mag-two months ng walang sahod! Haha!). Nakakahiya mang aminin,pero di pa yata ganun ka-firm ang paniniwala ko sa Kanya. :’(

Habang papalapit na ng papalapit ang ICon, wala naman akong makausap na pwede kong sabihan na di na ko aattend. :D at dumating na din sa puntong, kailangan ko na ng pang-accomodation at pocket money, pero wala pa din akong nahahanap. HAHAHA.

Pero sabi ko nga, ang galing ni Lord, kasi binigyan Niya ko ng mga kapatid na handang tumulong at sila muna ang nagbayad sa’kin sa accomodation. (YIKES!)

February 15 came, wala pa ding pang-pocket money at maayos na schedule pero ayos na ang gamit ko. Nagpaalam kay Boss kung pwedeng half-day pero may meeting na di daw aabot ng 6pm pero umabot pa din ng 6pm e dahil naman pala ayun din ang araw ng dating ng sahod ko na napakatagal kong inantay! Haha. Ayos. Pocket money dilemma was resolved! Yey!

6pm meet-up, naging 7pm dahil nanggaling pa kami sa kanya-kanyang trabaho. So, instead of 7pm departure time sa Megamall e naging 8pm. Mahirap kumuha ng taxi dahil bukod sa sale e sahod day pa pero umayon pa din ang  lahat dahil may nakuhang van na nakuripot namin. Haha! Pero di namin napakiusapan na idaan muna kami sa Hotel kaya dinerecho kagad sa World Trade Center, at bilang gusto naming ibaba ang mga gamit namin e nagpunta muna kami sa hotel na akala nami’y malapit lang (sorry Miks! haha!). Nagkanda-ligaw-ligaw pero ayos lang kasi nakapag-explore kami and we thought di pa umpisa. Yun pala’y nagPraisefest na! (sayang!) Pero may 2days pa naman! Haha.

The late comers and Pasay City explorers!

And these are some of the scenes that also made my 2nd weekend of February overwhelming:

8,000+ single men and women blocked schedules and save bucks to experience this kind of event!

Makita at makasama uli ang dati mong household na matagal-tagal mo ng di na nakakasama.
(With Ate Chelle, Lorraine, Ate Trixy, Elia, Liezl and Fhem)

Makakita ng taong parte na ng buhay mo simula bata ka pa.
(With Ate Janeby)

Free yummy food!

Instant slumber party with sisters in Christ!

Seeing couples na sabay winoworship at pine-praise si God.

Seeing everyone praising, dancing, worshiping and giving Him thanks...

The wantsusawang bonding, tawanan, kulitan...

Ma-witness kung paano mag-overflow ang love ni God at kung paano din ito naibabahagi sa iba...

Dito lang din ako nakakita ng iniwanang gamit na wala naman nawala... :) 

Witnessed how good are they in giving homilies and sermons...

Higit sa lahat, madami kong napulot na lessons from service to committing your life to Him to life in general.

"YOU MAY BE OKAY, BUT THE LORD CREATE INSTANCES FOR YOU TO BE WITH HIM. SOME INVITATIONS ARE HARD BUT SOME ARE NOT, BUT THE HARDEST OF IT ALL IS HOW YOU ANSWER TO HIS INVITATION."

"SUFFERING IS A WAY OF MEETING CHRIST. CHOOSE THE HARDER PATH — WHERE THE CROSS IS, CHRIST IS."


To sum it all up, all i can say is that..

My First ICon experience is not okay…

kundi…

OKAY na OKAY! Tingnan moooooo!

Odiba? HAHAHAHA. I will surely go to the future Icons! And hopefully, less dramas and dilemmas na. Hahaha! (Lord, pwede ding no more dramas and dilemmas!)

I, Janice Ricafrente, trying to Obey Him with all my heart and mind and not questioning any of His plans so I can be a witness of His love and greatness someday.