Whenever my birthday comes, I couldn’t help but ask myself how old I am --- and I’m not even thinking about numbers. Jules Renard said “it’s not how old you are but how you are old.”

But figure this our. I started playing the piano at age three. I could be counted on by my mom to buy stuff she’d want from a sari-sari store a year after. I started having crushes as early as fourth grade. Come high school, when worries of my classmates would revolve around boyfriends and treatments for acne, I already looked forward to a career in journalism and that passing through college looked like a means to an end for me.

In some ways, I feel I’m too old for my age.

Yet in some ways, like when I’d start to wonder why things are the way they are, I feel that I am not even born yet.

Honestly, I may have stopped counting after 25.

I happened to check Fully Booked’s music sampler sections a few weeks ago and randomly, I picked out a corner that featured Corrine May’s “On the Side of Me” album. It seemed strange that there’s a song called “Five Loaves and Two Fishes.”

Behold the lyrics as you listen to the melody:

A little boy of thirteen
was on his way to school
He heard a crowd of people laughing
and he went to take a look

Thousands were listening
to the stories of one man
He spoke with such wisdom,
even the kids could understand

The hours passed so quickly
the day turned to night
Everyone was hungry
but there was no food in sight

The boy looked in his lunchbox
at the little that he had
He wasn’t sure what good it’d do
there were thousands to be fed

But he saw the twinkling eyes of Yahshua*

the kindness in His smile
and the boy cried out
with the trust of a child
he said:"

Take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as you will surrender
Take my fears and inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
to feed them all"

I often think about that boy
when I’m feeling small
land I worry that the work I do
means nothing at all

But every single tear I cry
is a diamond in His hands
and every door that slams in my face
I will offer up in prayer

So I’ll give you every breath that I have
Oh Yahweh, you can work miracles
All that you need is my "Amen"

Take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as you willI surrender
Take my fears and inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
I hope it’s not too small
I trust in you I trust in you

Take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as you willI surrender
Take my fears and inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
no gift is too small

*Sacred Name insertion mine

In the time of revival songs, it’s great to know there are still people who can take the time to craft a beautiful original song. In my book, “beautiful” means something that touches the spirit. Bravo to Corrine May for this song!

I wonder if there are lawyers in Manila such as that of Chicago personal injury lawyers who can be depended on to be there for you if you have complaints about medical malpractice, car accidents and other kinds of personal injury? Legal assistance can be expensive if you prefer the high caliber ones. But the quality of the service they provide may be worth every penny.

I would only listen passively and once in a while glance to see how modern-day Noah’s Ark would be shown in the age of 3D technology and all that. Quite frankly after having watched European films (yes, the ones that carry English translation because the main language used would either be French or Italian), it’s been really difficult for me to appreciate whatever Hollywood has to offer, and much less this film.

There was a particular scene though that made me to stop whatever I was doing to pay attention. It was when the Almighty (played by Morgan Freeman) pretended to be a waiter and talked to Joan (played by Lauren Graham), the wife of newly elected Congressman Evan Baxter (played by Steve Carell).

Before this scene, I barely recall that Baxter’s wife just left him as she couldn’t bear anymore the public’s ridicule since her husband was so bent on Numbers 6:14 to build an ark amidst a sunny weather believing that the Almighty would re-stage another Biblical flood.

“…people miss the point of the Noah's ark story because they think it's about Almighty Yahweh’s* anger,” he said. “I think it's a love story about believing in each other, that’s because the animals show up in pairs, together, and Noah's family sails off in the boat, together.”

That’s the spiel that blew me away in the film. It made me give Noah’s Ark story a second look. Considering that I knew the story for ages, it’s only after I heard about the love story angle. About the importance of “being together” or “side by side” with your family as you face the flood of life.

* Sacred Name insertions are mine. For more information, please check out www.eliyah.com

Little did I know that time would fly fast and before I know it, he’s off to pre-school.

It’s very important to be with your kids especially while they are young. It’s the time when they need you the most and the time you’ll surely cherish.

Consequently, more and more people are diet conscious nowadays. So don’t be surprised to find your bottled juice to suddenly don L-Carnitine, green tea, and other fat burners. Manufacturers are simply quick to pick-up the trend among today’s consumers.