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Embracing My Pain
Just as Jesus embraced our sins on the cross, with that inspiration I shall embrace my trials, my pain, my sorrows until I feel God's embrace, God's healing.. His love for me.
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On Hostage Drama
Just recently, ex-police Rolando Mendoza had taken a bus full of tourists as hostages. It lasted for 10 straight hours and ended with three people killed including the hostage-taker and 17 survivors. By this event our country was put to shame in front of the world. It is a big wound to us Filipinos and I pray for its healing.
While watching the news it made me wonder how such people like him do such thing. What had been going on inside of him that made him decide to do this crime? If we were in his shoes, what would've happened? And then something dawned on me, a certain feeling of mercy and love as if God was trying to show a moral lesson to me that we should all learn from the incident:
'If only there is a Christian who made him change his mind on becoming a hostage-taker.. if only in his life and in his brokenness someone cared. It would've been a different story. It could've been very easy to prevent. No need for guns and bullets. No need for brute force and violence to settle the disputes.. Just love, that's the answer. It was the only thing each of us needed, more important than physical needs, and in his case no one cared.. and it robbed away his hope making him decide to do the hostage taking.
“Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.”
He died the moment he realized he has no more hope.'
Let us be reminded always about the lesson behind the many hostage dramas that have happened in history through this prayer:
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things
I cannot change, the courage to change the things
I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
-The Serenity Prayer of Alcoholics by Anonymous
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On Nature
Looking at the plants outside my window, I found peace. Because of that, I just realized that we really belong to nature. God created nature to be our perfect home yet we cannot deny to ourselves that our own lifestyle destroys nature.
Picture taken: courtesy of the Forest Rangers in Mt. Banahaw and Mrs. Maria Teresa Abesamis
Just a month ago Bagyong Basyang hit Quezon and it caused a big landslide at the top of Mt. Banahaw. It can be clearly seen even at a distance. Is it man made, triggered by mining, kaingin or deforestation? I don't think so; but could it be because of Climate Change that the typhoons today are fiercer and stronger and it triggered the landslide. Maybe. And in the end, we are to blame.. yet hope is never gone and each one of us can do something. Let's learn from the words of Helen Keller:
"I am only one but still I am one. I cannot do everything but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do."
Act as if everything is up to you and pray as if God will take care of everything.
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Responsibility
They say that knowledge is power. How do you get knowledge? I say, from experiences and books. I read books.. I also gain many experiences in life. Therefore I gain power and with great power comes great responsibility. Bo was right, success is directly proportional to responsibility.
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Pnoy’s first SONA was rather factual than based on vision. He declared promises that are achievable not those that are almost impossible. It’s okay to me when he uttered the filth of the previous administration because he is trying to identify the problems or setbacks of our government and in that way we could solve them. Without knowing or identifying the problems we cannot solve or give solution to them. One of the best phrases that he told in his SONA was, “Let’s step from being a protester to being a contributor because protesters complain endlessly while contributors take part in the solution of our problems.” There’s a lot of truth to this quotation. Because of this, other countries prospered like
Let’s eradicate ‘crab mentality’ in our system and let’s start helping each other out. That is what PNoy wants to emphasize in his 1st SONA.
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poems
I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.
I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.
~ Pablo Neruda
You can pause the background music on this page on the right corner of this blog so you could hear this video clearly.
This is one of my favorite songs that touches my heart so deeply. Whenever I hear this song I feel as if I'm drowning from the love of Jesus. It's so overflowing and so moving that it makes me jump out of my chair and sing with praise because my spirit is so alive. I always play this song at times that I am lonely & burdened by different problems. Singing this beautiful song relieves my stress and brings back my composure.. so I also want to share this to you. At times that you are lonely, at times that everything is not clear, at times that you feel as if everyone has abandoned you & you cry out loud questioning, "Where is God? Where is God?", just know that God loves you no matter what. And try to contemplate on this song. Someway, somehow you will realize that God is near, God is always beside you.. & He wants to raise you up.
I dedicate this song to all of the Filipinos out there who don't lose hope that our country will get better if we only just change our attitudes. It is possible because Jesus doesn't lose hope for our country either. =)
Recently I just heard from TV that Joey Velasco, the painter behind the images on my video passed away so I also dedicate this song to him whom I admire so much for his unwavering passion and love for the poor. I'm sure he died happy because he was able to carry out his mission as a good Christian, a good father to his family and also a good Filipino. He once said in his documentary entitled "Ang Lumang Paintbrush", "nais ko nang matunton ang dapat kong paroonan, nais ko nang magbalik tulad ng tula ni tatang..."
Salamat sa Diyos ang nabigkas ko
Nalalaman nilang darating ako
Nang ako'y pumanhik sa aming tahanan
Mata'y napapikit sa aking namasdan
Aking Amang nagbabantay
At Siya'y nagwika 'Kaytagal kitang hinantay..'
Jesus was waiting for him & now he came home. Heaven now celebrates..
Here's the lyrics of the song:
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be
You raise me up so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be
You raise me up to more than I can be
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be
You raise me up to more than I can be
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poems
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poems
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and its turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When they might have won, had they stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit!
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videos
You can pause the background music on this page on the right corner of this blog so you could hear this video clearly.
This is a movie clip from LOTR Fellowship of the Ring. I like to share this because it's very motivational especially when you're in a pinch. It gives me a message that all of us like Frodo have a mission to fulfill in this world. And like Frodo we often lose hope, give up and wish that none of our problems have happened. Yet we should be thankful that 'there are other forces at work in this world besides the will of absolute evil'. We should be thankful that we have friends and a family who are always there for us. I believe there is a God who loves us and guides us in our every path and there are angels who guards us from evil forces. Therefore we need not to be weary and afraid because there are positive forces that helps us fulfill our destiny and I hope 'that is an encouraging thought' to you. May you be very blessed! =)
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videos
You can pause the background music on this page on the right corner of this blog so you could hear this video clearly.
This is a video clip from one of my favorite movies - Rocky Balboa. Actually, for me this is the best scene in the movie & up to now it still stirs emotions to my heart & sometimes my eyes get teary. It always reminds me of our Heavenly Father's love for us. Whenever I feel weary and down as if there are giants of fear & failure staring down at me waiting to crush me, I just look up to this short clip. It is a reminder that tells me 'Do not fear for I (Father) am with you. I believe in you.' Life is full of uncertainties & sometimes even darkness must pass to test our spirit. But I think it is there for one reason as Bob Marley clearly stated in one of his songs - 'Light up the darkness'. It is there so that we can let our own light shine in the midst of all the darkness in this world for as we fall down & continue to stand up & move forward it produces friction that generates sparks of light. Those sparks turns into fire as we keep on moving forward until we burn with passion and that passion will light up the lives of many people. And as we let our own light shine we give others permission to do the same. I hope that by sharing this simple clip I've already lighten up your day so you could bless the world & light up the lives of the people around you. Have a nice day & God bless you. =)
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Now I don't have any post yet but I'm sure in a couple of days I will put something here so just be patient and have a nice day. God bless! =)
