For Tatay this Father’s day

The boy labors to draw
a straight line on a clean
sheet of paper with nothing
but his bare hands and
a pencil that was once as
sharp as a needle.

The sweat on his forehead
threatens to plummet
like waterfalls, arrested only
by the folds and creases
that his young face could muster.

The boy is unaware of the man
who has been standing
at the background

watching

his every move.

The boy turns around. The folds and
creases in his face morph into
a tranquil plane.

The man approached him.
Brought out a ruler.
Held his hand.

Father and son,
they began to draw

a straight line.

Milk is a staple in a regular phone conversation between my father and me. Almost always, right before we hang up the phone, he would ask whether I have my ration of vitamins, and snacks, and groceries. And of course, milk. Lactose intolerant that I am, milk is not exactly my favorite drink.

Yesterday, I bought a carton of fresh milk. I sent my father a text message informing him of such fact. He replied: That would make you alert and smart.

For that, I need to drink milk more often.

Change has come to America. But I have no doubt that its ripples will reach Philippine shores in no time. For starters, almost all of the major dailies today have for their banner headline the inauguration of Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the United States.

On another note, Al Mohler has posted  a wonderful prayer for President Obama. He says that Christians are instructed to pray for their leaders. Check it out.

Next week is going to be a terribly busy week for me. I have Labor midterms on Wednesday. I’m on-call for recitation for both classes on Credit Transactions and Special Proceedings. I was also informed by the class President through a text message that I am, “fortunately or unfortunately one of the fifteen lucky or unlucky people who were randomly chosen as volunteers for Local Government class on Tuesday.” The message has an accompanying advisory: Those chosen must study extra hard for the quiz.

As before, I know that there is a temptation to worry. My prayer is that I would not forget that the God who gave me strength, wisdom, and grace before is the same God I can rely on today.

I had my eyeglasses refracted last Monday. I didn’t have an extra pair, so I went home consciously feeling a certain kind of lightness, as if some weight was lifted from my face. But other than that, everything was a blur—literally. I got my old lenses back as keepsakes.

“A heart full of praise is heaven in the bud. Perfect praise is heaven full-blown.”

In his blog, Stephen Altrogge asks his readers what books are on their reading list. Aside from a mountain of Supreme Court cases and a slew of boring codals which I’m required to read for my classes (try reading the National Internal Revenue Code, and I’m sure you’d be lost in the maze of long articles with long enumerations, and with little regard for rules on antecedents), here are the books which I am reading or planning to read:

1. Fatelessness by Imre Kertesz. I’m halfway through it already. Very good thus far.
2. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. I have picked up and put down this one for a very long time. I got the book more than 5 years ago. I really hope to finish it this time.
3. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
4. Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis. This is to satisfy the C.S. Lewis fan in me.
5. 12 Ordinary Men by John Macarthur. I saw this book on Booksale for 60 pesos. I bought it without second thoughts.

Any recommendations?

1.    My second-hand Mac.
2.    The LCD television I won in a raffle contest.
3.    My family.
4.    Lessons on humility and trust. They were oftentimes learned in difficult, pushed-against-the-wall kind of situations. I’m still learning up to now.
5.    Another year in law school. I’m not quite sure how I was able to get past through certain subjects, but what I know is that it isn’t because of anything in me. It was purely grace.
6.    God’s patience and mercy. I’m stubborn and hardheaded that it would not be a surprise if someone gives up on me. God does not. And what a comfort it is.
7.    My local church. For how God used it to edify, rebuke, teach, and encourage me in my walk.
8.    Christ. That He should come to save wretched sinners like me when He is under no obligation to do so leaves me in awe.