All posts by Len Joson

Life & Love

Seagull Mountain Resort

Leave a comment


I was once assigned in Mindanao and I did a lot of driving from one place to another. For some seven years in 2001 to 2007, I often drove from Davao City to Cagayan de Oro City and back through the Bukidnon-Davao Road. There was a time back in 1985 that this national road was really a dangerous dirt and gravel road with potholes here and there.

I experienced that kind of rough ride decades ago in a 4-wheel drive Suzuki Beaver which was really not designed for a comfortable ride. It’s an off-the-road type of vehicle. The road was eventually paved all the way from Davao to Bukidnon and all the way to Cagayan de Oro reducing travel time and making the trip more enjoyable. At minimum speed, it usually took me about 5 to 6 hours of driving one way.

Seagull Mountain Resort

Mountain Resort

One thing that my wife and I really enjoyed each time we traveled through the Bukidnon-Davao road was our stopover at Seagull Mountain Resort. We enjoyed the serene, quiet and cool atmosphere out there. It’s like being transported to Baguio City for half an hour or so every time we stopped there to rest. People who are unaware of the place would be surprised to know that it’s actually a cool place with pine trees all over the area. It’s a mountain resort where weddings, banquets, seminars and retreats are held. A great place to rest after a long drive and maybe grab a bite or sip coffee quietly in a cool and quiet environment.

The place is high up in the mountainous area of the Marilog District in Davao City. Next time you happen to pass by this area, try dropping by at this mountain resort. It’s a nice place to just rest and relax from a long drive and maybe meditate and think about life if you are alone.

Unknown
Life & Love, Photography

Barasoain Church and Philippine History

Leave a comment


Barasoain Church

Unplanned Side Trip to Barasoain Church

As I was driving at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) on our way home from Manila to Pampanga with my family, my daughter who is on vacation from work suddenly said, “Let’s go to Barasoain Church.” She actually saw a road sign indicating that this tourist spot was just nearby at the next exit. My daughter is kind of the adventurous type and loves history and so we exited NLEX and entered the historic city of Malolos in Bulacan. So spontaneous haha! Well, my daughter is on vacation so I gave in to her wishes quickly. I wanted her to enjoy her vacation.

Barasoain Church

Barasoain Church and the Malolos Constitution

Well, no regrets because it was great to visit one of the old churches built some centuries ago during the Spanish times. It was our first time to visit the place and we were sure glad we did. No regrets. It was great to learn something about Philippine history. There are actually many centuries-old churches that can be found throughout the Philippines. The Spanish friars must have made it their main preoccupation to build beautiful churches using sometimes forced labor among the common people. Anyway, this church was unique because of its historical significance in the history of the Philippines. It was here that the first Philippine Constitution was created. It was called the “Malolos Constitution.” The first congress session was held here.

I did hear and learn about these things during my high school days but visiting the place itself made me appreciate our Philippine history much better. It’s good to visit historical places once in a while if the time permits.

Barasoain Church


My wife and daughter took some shots inside and outside the church. There was one man who was amusing and somewhat annoying at the same time. He seemed to be a “caretaker” of the church and he kept following us. We were somewhat annoyed because he always showed up in our pictures haha! Photobomber! Anyway, I guess it was his way of being a “tourist guide” haha! And maybe he was also just making sure we would behave in the church as good visitors ought to be. We had fun and it was great we did that side trip to Barasoain Church.

Barasoain Church
Barasoain Church
Barasoain Church
Photography

Photo Editing and Retouching

Leave a comment



Here’s an old photo of my wife’s niece which I shot sometime in 1999 or 2000 in some mall in Metro Manila. That is, if I’m not mistaken. For this old and faded photo, I tried to restore it somewhat to make it look good and turned it into a black and white photo.

Learning Post Processing

I guess I still have to learn more about photo editing and retouching. Somehow, there are photos that are really difficult to restore to its original pristine condition. I plan to learn more about restoring old photos and make it look good again as if it is new.

As it is right now, I know a bit about Photoshop, Photoshop Elements as well Lightroom. I guess it does help that I have an art background. I studied architecture during my college days and worked for about 10 years in the field of architecture before I ended up as a church pastor haha! I still love photography though as an art expression up to this time.

These Photoshop programs are helpful tools for those who are into digital photography. They can help enhance photos to make it look good. They call it “post processing.” During the film days before digital photography, “post processing” was done in the dark room where the film is developed and maybe retouching is done as well. Nowadays, anybody who has the interest can shoot photos and do their own “post processing” to improve the shots they have taken right in their own personal computers, tablets or smartphones using some apps.

Or, you can hire someone who knows how to edit and retouch old photos for you.

Who is God?

Hoping in Love

1 Comment


As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”  (Romans 8:36)

At first glance, when you read Romans 8:36, it seems out of place and out of context with the rest of the neighboring verses. But why did Paul quote Psalm 44:22 as he drove home his point? He was actually expressing how he felt about the trials, the difficulties and the challenges he faced everyday as an apostle of Jesus Christ including the burden of taking care of all the local churches under his care.

Paul felt like he was “being killed all day long” and “accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” That’s how he felt at the moment he wrote the epistle. That was his point.

This can apply to us as well. Everyday we face all sorts of trials and tests, problems and difficulties — challenges in life that make us worry. It could be financial problems, marital problems, health concerns to name a few. It could be a relationship problem too and we feel like we are being “killed” and “slaughtered” “all day long.” Sometimes we feel like our burdens will never end as problems bombard us everyday. It seems hopeless and life seems meaningless leading us nowhere.

But despite this seemingly gloomy picture in this passage of Scripture, Paul was actually encouraging the early Christians to hang on, to endure to the end and never lose hope. Personally, verses 35 to 39 are some of the most inspiring and reassuring passage in Scripture that encourages me to carry on with the Christian life. This perfectly applies to all of us also today.

Why should we continue to trust and rely on God? Why do we continue to hope for the best? Paul explains why in the following verses:

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

Despite all our troubles and cares, God is with us. Nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. Let’s continue hoping in love. Trust in the Lord. He is on our side. He will carry us through. He will never leave us nor forsake us. This is God’s assurance. We will make it. We will come out victorious in the end because we are assured of his love in and through our Lord Jesus Christ. Trust him. Amen.

Featured Photo Above: Sunset at the Manila Bay as viewed from the Commander’s Lounge of the Philippine Navy Headquarters.

Life & Love

Birthday Celebrations

Leave a comment


Last night my wife and I attended a birthday party of our daughter’s classmate and friend. These two girls got to know each other since about 5 years ago when they were still in high school. They both love to draw and sketch anime and that became their common interest until now. Their moms became good friends too for a good number of years now and it’s interesting because we all get to see each other during cosplays, high school graduation, college events or birthday celebrations and the like. They get to visit our home and we visit their home too.

Animation and IT Students

Now that they’re both in college taking up Animation, their circle of friends have expanded to include more classmates and friends who also are into anime, cosplays, digital artwork and  video games. And we get to join these kids on some occasions like cosplays, school events or when they do their school projects at home.

The biggest Toblerone I've ever seen!
The biggest Toblerone I’ve ever seen!

My daughter seems to be enjoying her college life with her circle of friends and it’s good to see their friendly relationships develop over the years. And isn’t this what the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all about? God is love. He is interested in relationships. He wants to have a relationship with each one of us. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit want to include us into their inner circle of friends. They want to include us into their life and love. They want us to enjoy loving relationships with them throughout all eternity. They want us to be happy with and among friends in loving relationships. Isn’t that great?

This love for friends—this friendly relationships come from God through Jesus Christ. It doesn’t originate from us. God shares his love to us that is why we enjoy friendships. That is why we enjoy relationships. God’s love is expressed through our ordinary human interaction with each other like getting together on  a birthday party or just spending time together. From before the beginning of time, it’s been God’s plan all along to include all of us—all of humanity—into the divine life and love enjoyed by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for all eternity. Isn’t that wonderful!